NBA DRAFT
Why are there only 58 picks in the 2024 NBA draft instead of 60?
This year sees a couple of changes implemented in the upcoming NBA Draft.
The NBA Draft is one of the biggest nights in the US sports calendar, and we’re already here again. This month, teams in the elite league of basketball will take their pick of the top young talent in the pool of youngsters who are looking to make the step into the top division.
However, before we get rocking, there are a few shifts in the way things are to be done that make the selection process slightly different: the first being that the 2024 NBA Draft will be the first ever to be held over two nights.
While the NBA Draft has consisted of two rounds since 1989, the event this year will take place over two days, with both Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 June (8pm ET / 5pm PT) locked in at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, marking a world-first in the sport.
2024 NBA Draft order:
- Atlanta Hawks
- Washington Wizards
- Houston Rockets (from Brooklyn Nets)
- San Antonio Spurs
- Detroit Pistons
- Charlotte Hornets
- Portland Trail Blazers
- San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto Raptors)
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Utah Jazz
- Chicago Bulls
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Houston Rockets)
- Sacramento Kings
- Portland Trail Blazers (from Golden State Warriors)
- Miami Heat
- Philadelphia 76ers
- New Orleans Pelicans (from Los Angeles Lakers; New Orleans Pelicans may defer pick to 2025)
- Orlando Magic
- Toronto Raptors (from Indiana Pacers)
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- New Orleans Pelicans (from Milwaukee Bucks)
- Phoenix Suns
- Milwaukee Bucks (from New Orleans Pelicans)
- New York Knicks (from Dallas Mavericks)
- New York Knicks
- Washington Wizards (from LA Clippers to Oklahoma City Thunder to Dallas Mavericks)
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Denver Nuggets
- Utah Jazz (from Oklahoma City Thunder to Indiana Pacers to Toronto Raptors)
- Boston Celtics
Why are there 58 picks in the 2024 NBA draft instead of 60?
Another slight oddity of the 2024 Draft is the fact that, instead of the usual 60 teams taking their pick of the bunch, we’ll only see 58. The two teams that have been left out are the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns, who have both been very naughty and recently broke the rules regarding signing players.
The league were forced to step in and act after it became apparent that two two franchises had violated the rules regarding talking to players outside of the restricted period - known as ‘tampering’ - which is strictly forbidden.
In the case of the 76ers, the punishment stretches back to 2023, when they lost their first of two Draft picks. The Athletic reported when the news broke that the franchise “were found to have engaged in free-agency discussions with P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr. prior to the date when talks are permitted.” As a result, they forfeited a pick in the 2023 Draft, with the punishment carrying on into this year’s round of action.
Early talks over Drew Eubanks was the reason behind the Suns’ ban from the Draft, as they entered negotiations before the permitted date. They forfeited a second round pick on the big man who averaged 5.1 points on 60.1% shooting and 4.3 rebounds in 75 games in the 2023-24 regular season. However, reports have suggested that the Phoenix Suns man is now set to decline his $2.6M player option and will instead enter free agency.