Which 2019 NBA draft lottery teams have the best chance to maximize Zion Williamson's star potential?
Williamson is one of the most unique players to enter the NBA in the past decade. Is he a big, primary shot-creator? A versatile small-ball center? What kind of players and schemes will work best around him?
This year's lottery (May 14 on ESPN) includes a wide range of potential destinations for the presumptive No. 1 pick: rebuilding franchises with young stars, borderline or established playoff teams, the mysterious Knicks. And with the new, flattened odds, get ready for any team to jump up.
Our NBA experts -- Jonathan Givony, Bobby Marks, Kevin Pelton and Mike Schmitz -- rank the 14 teams with a chance at the No. 1 pick based on how likely they are to help Williamson reach his superstar ceiling. Our experts also give pros and cons for each pairing.
1. Atlanta Hawks | 54 points (out of a possible 56)
No. 1 pick odds: 10.5 percent
Pro: The Hawks finished first or second on every ballot, and with good reason. Having a pass-first point guard in Trae Young who can also play off the ball thanks to his dynamic shooting ability would make for an electric pairing with Zion. Williamson would be able to unlock his potential as a primary creator while also benefiting from the Hawks' league-leading pace.
Con: Zion will need to improve his shooting and Young might need to dial back his usage to make this offense work. But Williamson is such an unselfish teammate and extraordinary talent that these things are unlikely to be major issues long-term. -- Givony
2. Dallas Mavericks | 50 points
No. 1 pick odds: 6.0 percent
Pro: Zion's transition brilliance and explosive lob-catching would shine even brighter alongside a playmaker like Luka Doncic, and Zion is an ideal fit next to Kristaps Porzingis on both ends. The Mavs ranked second in the NBA in 3-point frequency this season, and because Doncic, Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jalen Brunson can all shoot off the catch, Zion will have more than enough spacing and kick-out options to terrorize opposing defenses as a mismatch-driving big.
Con: With Doncic and Porzingis hungry to score, will Zion have enough shot-creation opportunities to unleash his dynamic downhill slashing? Or will he be relegated to the role of explosive athlete while Dallas' skilled European duo dominates the ball? -- Schmitz
3. New Orleans Pelicans | 42 points
No. 1 pick odds: 6.0 percent
Pro: New head of basketball operations David Griffin is off to strong start with the decisions to retain veteran head coach Alvin Gentry and hire longtime Suns trainer Aaron Nelson to overhaul the Pelicans' medical staff. On the court, Williamson will slide into the power forward position with Julius Randle likely opting out, and Zion will also see time at center if Anthony Davis is traded. The Pelicans' roster could change drastically between draft night and training camp, but Griffin should be able to help put Zion in a position to succeed.
Con: If there is a concern, it would be the void at point guard. Elfrid Payton is hitting free agency, and Jrue Holiday is best suited to playing off the ball. During the 2016-17 season, when Holiday handled point guard duties 63 percent of the time (according to Basketball Reference), only 24 percent of the buckets scored by Anthony Davis were assisted by Holiday. -- Marks
4. Miami Heat | 40 points
No. 1 pick odds: 1.0 percent
Pro: Erik Spoelstra has plenty of experience finding the right fit for unconventional talents, like when he built a championship team around LeBron James, and the Heat's well-regarded performance staff would help keep Zion in tip-top shape. Miami could put shooting around pick-and-rolls involving Williamson and ball handlers Goran Dragic, Josh Richardson and Justise Winslow. And Zion would be a draw when the Heat regain cap flexibility.
Con: With Hassan Whiteside likely on the roster next season (he has a player option) as well as rising young center Bam Adebayo, Zion might find the paint somewhat clogged for his tastes. -- Pelton
5. New York Knicks | 35 points
No. 1 pick odds: 14.0 percent
Pro: Williamson would be walking into a clean slate with the Knicks. Without a starting power forward, head coach David Fizdale can use Zion either at small-ball 5 or next to Mitchell Robinson. Despite a bare roster, New York has one thing other teams in the lottery do not: $70 million in room to build a roster around Williamson.
Con: What if free agency doesn't work out? Williamson would be walking into a New York squad that more resembles an expansion team. There is also the below-average play at point guard. Dennis Smith Jr. is best suited to playing off the ball, as seen through his 4.8 assists and 2.9 turnovers per game this season. -- Marks
6. Memphis Grizzlies | 33 points
No. 1 pick odds: 6.0 percent
Pro: A frontcourt of Zion and 2018 lottery pick Jaren Jackson Jr. is ideally suited for the modern game because of their interchangeability in the frontcourt. Jackson can space the floor when Williamson handles the ball. The Grizzlies big is also able to post up smaller defenders and protect the rim.. Pick-and-rolls involving Jackson and Williamson would create mismatches by forcing most defenses to switch.
Con: With Mike Conley's future in Memphis uncertain, Zion might not have an ideal veteran playmaker alongside him, though restricted free agent Delon Wright finished the season strong in place of Conley. -- Pelton
7. Cleveland Cavaliers | 28 points
No. 1 pick odds: 14.0 percent
Pro: We don't really know what Cleveland is going to look like next season, with no head coach and little in the way of long-term keepers under contract beyond Collin Sexton. That's a major part of the appeal with adding Zion to this group, though, as the front office can go out and construct a team that complements his strengths and minimizes his weakness.
Con: Unlike Trae Young, Sexton isn't the prototype for the ideal Zion running mate at point guard. However, the fact that Sexton grew into a 40 percent 3-point shooter as a rookie means he's not a completely ill-suited fit either. -- Givony
8. Minnesota Timberwolves | 26 points
No. 1 pick odds: 3.0 percent
Pro: Zion and Karl-Anthony Towns could quickly become one of the league's top frontcourts. Towns and Williamson could pick apart opposing big men, feasting on the weaker defender of the two matchups and trading off lead scoring opportunities. As with Jaren Jackson, Williamson-Towns pick-and-rolls would require switches because of Towns' pick-and-pop game.
Con: It's tough to tell how Andrew Wiggins would fit into a Timberwolves lineup built around these unique frontcourt talents, and his preference for isolations that result in long jumpers would be especially frustrating if it minimizes Zion's role. -- Pelton
T9. Charlotte Hornets | 25 points
No. 1 pick odds: 1.0 percent
Pro: Without prolific production out of the center spot in recent years, the Hornets have the personnel gaps to try Williamson in a small-ball 5 role, which might end up being his most advantageous position long-term. Should Kemba Walker return, he also gives Zion a high-intangible, low-maintenance star to learn from.
Con: With Walker (and Jeremy Lamb) entering free agency, there's a degree of uncertainty surrounding the Hornets. Should Walker leave, landing in a situation without much help -- or immediate roster flexibility -- and massive expectations isn't ideal for Williamson, who is still evolving as a shooter. Save Walker, this Hornets franchise hasn't been known for developing its draft picks in recent years. -- Schmitz
T9. Washington Wizards | 25 points
No. 1 pick odds: 9.0 percent
Pro: The Wizards would pair Zion with one of the NBA's most well-rounded offensive guards in Bradley Beal, who thrived in a larger ballhandling role after John Wall's season-ending surgery. Beal's ability to make pull-up jumpers would give Williamson air space for lob finishes.
Con: What happens when Wall returns -- perhaps not until the 2020-21 season? If Beal and Williamson are involved in pick-and-roll action, defenses will be able to help off the weak-shooting Wall. And Wall's supermax extension, which kicks in this summer, will make it difficult for Washington to add complementary pieces around Beal and Zion. -- Pelton
11. Phoenix Suns | 21 points
No. 1 pick odds: 14.0 percent
Pro: It looks like the rotating door of head coaches -- we think, at least -- has likely ended with the hiring of Monty Williams, who recently agreed to a five-year contract. Unlike Devin Booker, who has already had five head coaches since being drafted in 2015, Williamson should find stability at the position.
Con: The Suns' lack of a quality point guard clearly impacted 2018 No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton. On most nights, Ayton would be a spectator on the offensive end, often having to create for himself. And when he did get help, it wasn't from the PG position. Of Ayton's 362 made field goals, 142 were assisted by Booker or forward Josh Jackson. The Suns do not have cap space this summer to address that need at lead guard, and they will have to explore the trade or midlevel market to fill the void. -- Marks
12. Los Angeles Lakers | 18 points
No. 1 pick odds: 2.0 percent
Pro: Zion is a nightmare to cover in transition. Landing with the Lakers, who ranked fourth in the NBA in pace this season, would give him two of the better transition-igniters in the NBA in LeBron James and Lonzo Ball. If Ty Lue is indeed the Lakers' next head coach, he has displayed the willingness to play small, which could bring out the best in Zion.
Con: Will there be enough space for Williamson to unleash the rim attacks that demoralized so many NCAA opponents? The Lakers ranked 29th in the NBA in 3-point percentage and 18th in 3-point frequency. Unless the Lakers add shooters or improve internally, Williamson might not have the room to show off the skill level that's often been masked by his freakish athleticism. -- Schmitz
13. Chicago Bulls | 15 points
No. 1 pick odds: 12.5 percent
Pro: Chicago has the flexibility to make roster moves with a relatively clean salary sheet and some very attractive, established young pieces who should be coveted around the league. So although the Bulls are not a great fit for Zion on first glance, Williamson could help them attract a stud backcourt player, or they could trade one of their current frontcourt options for a piece that works better next to the No. 1 pick. They'll have options.
Con: With the Bulls' best long-term prospects already making up their frontcourt in Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr., there are certainly more attractive destinations. Throw in a ball-dominant, low-efficiency guard like Zach LaVine (under contract through 2021-2022) and old-school head coach Jim Boylen's outdated offense, and there seem to be better places for Zion to reach his full potential. -- Givony
14. Philadelphia 76ers (via Kings) | 8 points
No. 1 pick odds: 1.0 percent
Pro: Philly is ready to win now. The 76ers can ease Zion into his role rather than throwing him into the deep end like most teams in the lottery. Of course, that's only if drafting Williamson at No. 1 doesn't make free agent Tobias Harris expendable.
Con: Is there enough spacing? Don't get me wrong -- if the Sixers get the No. 1 pick, there should be no debate about taking Zion. However, how would a pairing with Joel Embiid work, exactly? Embiid takes 67 percent of his attempts within 14 feet, and 64 percent of Williamson's attempts were either post-ups or shots around the basket, according to Synergy tracking. -- Marks