Where does the NBA's race to draft Victor Wembanyama stand at the season's halfway point?
Wednesday marks the midpoint of the 2022-23 schedule, with the typical team having played 41 of 82 regular-season games. That makes this a good time to revisit the competition for draft lottery positioning.
No team can guarantee the No. 1 pick and a chance to draft Wembanyama. The bottom three teams in the standings will have an equal chance at picking No. 1, so being among that group is the most important factor for teams dreaming of adding the 7-foot-4 French center's unique skill set to their lineup.
Beyond that top four, a handful of other teams will have a realistic chance to jump from their spot to the top pick. That's where the decisions will get more interesting, as teams that started faster than expected -- most notably the Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz -- must decide by next month's trade deadline whether to prioritize a run at the playoffs or the lottery.
Let's break down all the teams in the running -- listed by their current draft order -- including the top lottery contenders and franchises with tough choices to make ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline.
