A few years ago, in an effort to curtail teams from tanking, the NBA improved lottery odds for each of the non-playoff teams. So, even though the Bulls finished tied for the eighth-worst record in the NBA (Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans), they still have a 20.3% chance of moving into the top four. Last season, in fact, they jumped from having the seventh-worst record pre-lottery into the No. 4 overall pick, so it’s not unheard of.
