The 2016 NBA Draft Lottery is just 135 days away on May 16th. Sadly, New Orleans Pelicans fans are already thinking about the draft 32 games into the season. That's what happens when the entire roster gets injured in training camp, the shiny new coach doesn't reach expectations, and the team starts 10-22. 12 games under .500 is not just a hole, it is a chasm. Consider, if the Pelicans play at a 50-win pace for the remainder of the season (roughly 60% win rate) they still won't reach .500 before the season ends.
Rightly, most eyes are fixed 80 miles west at the P-MAC where Ben Simmons is trying to carry Johnny Jones into the NCAA Tournament against his will.