Wolves hoping for elusive No. 1

Associated Press

SEACAUCUS, N.J.

While LeBron James seeks an NBA title, the Cleveland Cavaliers are searching for a new franchise player.

A month after doing his part to save pro basketball in Sacramento, Mayor Kevin Johnson is coming back east in hopes of helping the Kings find a savior.

And the Minnesota Timberwolves, perennial lottery losers, have the best odds of finally claiming that elusive No. 1.

The NBA holds its draft lottery tonight, with a lucky team earning the right to make the first pick in next month’s draft.

The Timberwolves have a 25 percent chance of winning, thanks to their league-worst 17-65 record. But they shouldn’t design a jersey with the name of Duke’s Kyrie Irving, Arizona’s Derrick Williams or whichever other player they would consider with the top pick just yet.

The Wolves have gone backward seven times and stayed put the other six in their 13 previous lottery opportunities, falling to the No. 4 pick last year despite entering with the second-best odds of winning.

In their only other chance from the pole position, they took a costly two-spot dive in 1992, missing out on Shaquille O’Neal and settling for Christian Laettner.

And the lottery has been no help at all lately to the teams that need it most. Not since 2004, when Orlando won and grabbed Dwight Howard, has the team with the worst record landed the top pick.

Cleveland won the year before and selected James, who led the Cavaliers to their greatest success. But he bolted for Miami last summer and Cavs tumbled from a 60-win team to the worst in the Eastern Conference with a 19-63 record.

They have a 19.9 percent chance of winning with their own pick, plus a 2.8 percent chance of turning a pick owed them by the Los Angeles Clippers from the Baron Davis trade into the No. 1 selection.