Every team in the NBA draft lottery is dreaming of winning the top pick or at least winding up somewhere in the top four. Getting slotted in the draft order is just the first part of the process, though. Once each team knows its draft slot, it needs to find a player who can help them get back into contention as soon as possible.

EDT Monday, locked inside a secure room with no way of communicating with the outside world, team executives and others will watch 14 ping-pong balls start to bounce inside a machine.