Trade or Draft: What Every 2022 NBA Lottery Team Should Do with Its Pick

With the lottery out of the way, teams can start to plan for the NBA draft.

They have a better idea of who might be available when they make their selection. If their favorite prospects are gone by the time the pick is made, they might consider trading it.

Our focus is that. What will the teams do with their selection? Do you draft or trade?

We will dive into that question for every squad below with the latest mock draft from Bleacher Report.

With the number of young talent already on the Magic, there may be a temptation to go star-hunting with the top pick in hand.

The first overall selection, one or two of their intriguing prospects and salary filler could possibly land a big-time player and speed up the process.

It's too early for that kind of move. The better path is to use the pick on someone who can develop alongside Jonathan and Markelle.

If that player is the one from auburn, it would be great.

Smith has the sweetest shooting stroke in this class, and that is not just a reference to his three-point percentage. He can connect on fadeaways and pull-ups inside the arcs too.

He can slot in next to Wagner to form a sort of positionless forward combo that would give the guards room to operate inside and options to kick out to.

The Oklahoma City Thunder might be more motivated than the Magic to make a move.

We have seen stars push their way to more competitive situations when they were in similar situations, but we have not seen Shai Gilgeous-Alexander push his way to more competitive situations.

Sam Presti's recent character would be out of place if the No. 2 pick was loaded and brought in a co-star. Presti has been all-in on a Process-like rebuild that has yielded a treasure trove of picks that every executive in the league would love to have.

It feels like the right play for the selections that land in the top five.

Adding his rim protection, shooting ability and passing would give the OKC one of the most intriguing young cores in the league.

The amount of size, skill and playmaking on the floor would give coach Mark Daigneault seemingly limitless possibilities on offense.

With three legitimate candidates for the No. 1 pick, this is a great season to land the third selection. If Paolo Banchero is still available when the Houston Rockets pick, they should be eager to take him.

Duke has a lot of players who will see a lot of usage next season, but that doesn't mean they should pass on a versatile forward.

His form looks good despite his three-point percentage being a bit disappointing. The ability to attack and create for others from the perimeter will force defenders to honor the threat of a drive. That will give him more room for pull-up jumpers.

The concern over having too many cooks is understandable, but the skill level of Banchero is hard to pass up even if it is for a trade that lands an established talent.

A lot of offensive ability will be fine if Stephen Silas can get everyone to buy into a team-first concept.

The Sacramento Kings already signaled a shift to more of a win-now philosophy when they traded for Domantas Sabonis.

The fourth selection in a draft with a three-player top tier probably doesn't push that core into the playoffs because they seem committed to a core with him.

The Kings should put the pick on the trading block along with Harrison Barnes and Richaun Holmes to see what they can get back.

The West will be crowded next season, but the Kings could be in a position to make a run at the playoffs if a star or borderline star is traded.

The more conservative approach should not be ruled out. Every year there are opportunities outside of the consensus top picks. Jaden may be worth taking.

Sacramento may have Fox and Mitchell, but neither is as big as Ivey, who might be able to play a combo guard with either of them. His ability to create for others should be intriguing.

If the Kings are interested in a bigger wing who can space the floor for Fox, Mitchell and Sabonis, Shaedon and Keegan Murray will likely be available too.

The Pistons situation looks a lot like those of the other teams.

It is clear that Detroit is still in possession of assets and develops talent, as evidenced by the fact that the top four spots for total minutes played were occupied by Saddiq Bey, Cade Cunningham,Isaiah Stewart, and Killian Hayes.

Shaedon Sharpe is a good pick for the Pistons.

Because he didn't play a minute in college, there's some mystery surrounding him, but he's about as complete an offensive player as an 18-year old can be. His size (6'6'') and athletic ability make him a good fit in the NBA.

6. The Indiana Pacers have a draft.

The Indiana Pacers made a trade that landed them a young point guard named Tyrese Haliburton. Building a young core with which to surround Haliburton is the way to go. If the Pacers make trades, they should be similar to the Sabonis deal. Look for picks and see what you can get.

7. The Portland Trail blazers traded

Damian is 31 years old. The Portland Trail blazers may not have enough time to compete with him as the center of their team. They need to maximize the roster while he is still in his prime, and packaging the No. 7 pick with some salary could yield a win-now player.

There are 8. The New Orleans Pelicans and Lakers have a trade in place.

The New Orleans Pelicans made the playoffs and took two games off the top-seeded Phoenix Suns. New Orleans should have a good chance of returning to the playoffs with Zion Williamson and another veteran joining the team.

There are 9. The San Antonio Spurs have a draft.

The play-in tournament was appropriate for the two-track rebuild of the San Antonio Spurs. There are a lot of intriguing young talent on the roster, but veterans Dejounte Murray and Jakob Poeltl made them competitive. Adding a player to the first group feels like the right move.

10. The Washington Wizards have a draft.

Adding a veteran to play with Bradley and Kristaps makes sense, but the Washington Wizards seem to have reached their peak with the former as the first option. Adding a top 10 pick to Deni Avdija and Rui Hachimura would make it easier to rebuild.

11. The New York Knicks have a draft.

The situation of the New York Knicks is similar to that of Washington. It is hard to imagine this group going much further than the first round, as there are solid veterans who have been to the playoffs. The way to go is to look for prospects who fit with 21-year-oldRJBarrett.

There are 12. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a draft.

Much of the analysis on the first pick applies here. Two bites at the same draft apple always helps, as the Thunder should be aiming for as much young talent as they can.

13 Charlotte Hornets: trade.

The Charlotte Hornets have one of the NBA's more intriguing young duos with LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges. Adding a more dynamic center to lineups with those two should be the top priority this off-season, and the 13th pick could help them do that.

There are 14. The Cleveland Cavaliers have a draft.

44 wins could make it tempting to start making win-now moves, even though the Cleveland Cavaliers fell short in the play-in tournament. The better approach is a more cautious one. Both of them are 22 and 24. Cleveland should use the 14th pick to find another prospect.