The Celtics aren't directly involved in the draft lottery Monday night but the outcome could have implications on the offseason.

The lottery system is how the NBA determines the draft order for the teams that don’t make the playoffs. It only determines the first 14 picks of the draft and has no impact on the second round. The first four picks are determined by the lottery, and picks 5-14 are determined by the reverse standings of whoever is left.

Long-suffering fans of the Jazz, Hornets, Pelicans and Wizards had to watch the coveted Flagg pick go to a team that literally just played in the 2024 NBA Finals. That's just tough, and the "rigged" conspiracy theories are understandable. When will these teams catch a break? Those Flagg dreams went up in smoke so fast.