NBA sets draft for July 29

The NBA will hold the 2021 draft on July 29, the league announced Monday.

The draft lottery has been penciled in for June 22, with the annual combine set for June 21-27.

A July 29 draft represents a slight return to the league's traditional calendar. The event is usually held in late June, but last year's selection was ultimately postponed five months to Nov. 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also held virtually from ESPN's studios in Bristol, Connecticut, as opposed to Brooklyn's Barclays Arena, which housed the draft in front of a packed crowd from 2013-19.

It's unclear where the NBA intends to stage the 2021 draft. It also isn't clear if the league intends to revert to a conventional in-person combine after the pandemic forced a virtual experience in 2020.

The Minnesota Timberwolves won last year's draft lottery after finishing the year with the third-worst record and eventually selected Georgia standout Anthony Edwards first overall. They shared the best odds at landing the No. 1 pick (14%) with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.

Minnesota is again in the mix for the top pick, owning the worst record in the league so far in 2020-21. The Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons would also each have a 14% chance at landing the No. 1 pick if the current standings held for the rest of the season.