The Western Conference Never Gets Any Easier, Does It?

(© David Banks | 2026 May 10)

The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery was held on ABC earlier this afternoon. While the Rockets don’t have any first round picks this year, it’s still interesting to take a look at the results.

With tanking being such a major topic of discussion this season, did the lottery work in any team's favor? How will it impact Houston’s outlook next year and for seasons to come?

According to Tankathon, the Wizards, Pacers, and Brooklyn Nets each had an equal 14-percent chance to get the first pick. With them all being Eastern Conference teams, Washington ultimately winning the lottery has virtually no impact on the Rockets in any given season.

I was really looking forward to where the Mavericks and Grizzlies would be slated. On top of them being Western Conference opponents, they’re also all in the Southwest Division alongside Houston and San Antonio.

We wouldn’t have to wait long for the lottery odds to shift back to the West, as Utah will be selecting second overall. Low and behold, one of the few teams fined for tanking this season actually got a great reward for their efforts. Some might say the fines they paid were simply an investment.

Memphis would be right behind in third place, giving them an immediate opportunity to rebuild following their brief Ja Morant era. This comes less than a year after deciding to blow it up by trading Desmond Bane.