Despite the Charlotte Hornets having already been out of contention for a playoff spot for a long while now, some of their fans may have still been invested in the results of the play-in tournament because of their possible implications on Charlotte's future draft picks.
For one, whether the Miami Heat advanced to the playoffs or not would have determined what draft pick the Hornets would get in 2027 or 2028. With the Heat defeating the Atlanta Hawks to grab the Eastern Conference's No. 8 seed, the Hornets will get a lottery-protected first-round selection in 2027 instead of a first-rounder without protection in 2028.
In addition, the Dallas Mavericks' disastrous play-in matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies may also have an indirect impact on Charlotte's future.
The draft pick the Mavs owe the Hornets in 2027 is looking good
Dallas' acquisition of P.J. Washington last season bore immediate, incredible fruit for the squad then led by Luka Doncic. They made it all the way to the Finals, with Washington playing a key starting role for the club.
However, the inexplicable decision earlier this year to trade Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for an older, more fragile Anthony Davis has been a catastrophe so far for the Mavs. Falling all the way to 10th place in the Western Conference, they needed to clinch two wins in the play-in tournament to reach the playoffs.
After beating the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the play-in to keep their hopes alive, they got bounced by the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, ending their 2024-25 campaign on a sour note.
The outcome might bode well for the Hornets because they are owed a top-two protected 2027 first-round pick by Dallas because of the Washington trade. Of course, missing the 2025 playoffs doesn't mean that the Mavs' record in the 2025-26 season would be so dismal that Charlotte could collect a high draft selection in 2027.
Still, it's hard to imagine Dallas becoming a Western Conference contender when its Big 3 consists of Davis (who couldn't finish the Grizzlies contest because of a groin issue), Kyrie Irving (who sat out the play-in games due to injury), and the washed-up Klay Thompson.
It does have a potentially solid supporting cast, including the surprising Brandon Williams and Max Christie. But if its role players can't step up when it matters most, like when Washington laid an egg in the scoring department and struggled with foul trouble against the Grizzlies, the Texas-based team is unlikely to be a top-eight squad in the West.
While the Mavs faithful are probably disappointed with how their season ended, Charlotte fans are hopeful that it would provide the Hornets with a lottery pick in 2027 that wouldn't land in the top two.