Well, Utah Jazz fans, it's almost over. This season has felt absurdly long but that's the catch when watching a team actively throwing its season away from start to finish. When it finally wraps up, at least the exciting part from it all will be on the horizon.
The Jazz currently have a record of 16-60, half a game above the Wizards for the worst record in the NBA. With six games left, the Jazz have the third-toughest schedule remaining in the NBA, falling behind only the Knicks and the Suns, per Tankathon.
Jazz fans should be well aware by now that even if the Jazz finish with the worst record in the NBA, they would only tie with the second- and third-worst teams in the NBA for the highest lottery odds. Thus, Cooper Flagg could really land anywhere.
However, even though the Jazz won't increase their odds any higher than they already are if they lose out from here, they still have a good reason to finish with the NBA's worst record.
Getting the worst record would ensure the Jazz get the fifth pick at worse
The NBA lottery odds are more spread out than in years past because the league wants to reduce the number of NBA teams intentionally losing. This will not stop teams from doing it, but it will probably stop them from doing it for several consecutive years.
Anyway, in the Jazz's case, it obviously would be nice if they were rewarded the highest odds alone after having the worst record, but there is one solace to having the league's worst record in this day and age: it ensure that, at worst, the Jazz would wind up with the No. 5 pick.
If Utah finishes with the worst record, they would have a 47.9% chance of getting the fifth pick, and that would be the worst-case scenario for them. While it's not like fans would like things to turn out that way, the Jazz would also ensure they can't get the sixth pick or lower if they finish at the very bottom.
Flagg is the prize of the draft, and Dylan Harper would be the Jazz's consolation prize if they get the second pick. Still, there are plenty of other special prospects, like Ace Bailey, VJ Edgecombe, Erik Queen, and Kasparas Jakucionis.
Sure, it sucks that tanking required the Jazz finishing with their worst record in franchise history and that it's not a sure thing that Utah winds up with the hottest prospect from a pretty talented class, but at least the Jazz played the odds as best they could in a year in which they absolutely should have.