Less than four hours before the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, the conspiracy theories are already flying. And it's all because of Steve Kerr.
On Saturday night, the Golden State Warriors and their head coach agreed to a multi-year extension that makes Kerr the highest-paid coach in the league. The move caught everyone off guard — Kerr had been widely expected to either retire or jump into a TV gig. But according to a team source who spoke to ESPN, the decision was purely about basketball, not money.
"It was never going to be about money," the source said. "We had to make the best basketball decision."
Now, with the draft lottery set for Sunday afternoon, fans and pundits alike are wondering if the timing is too perfect. The Warriors hold the 11th-best odds — a 9.4 percent chance to jump into the top four and just a 2.0 percent shot at the No. 1 overall pick. But some believe those numbers are about to become irrelevant.
Bill Simmons, never one to shy away from a hot take, fired off a tweet that set the internet ablaze: "Happens one day before the 2026 lottery… CONSPIRACY BILL ON HIGH ALERT."
The idea that the NBA might "rig" the lottery isn't new. Fans have long whispered about the league's alleged favoritism, pointing to the Knicks landing Patrick Ewing in 1985 and the Cavaliers securing LeBron James in 2003 as prime examples. And now, with Kerr locked in, the whispers have turned into shouts.
"This is step one in the Warriors winning the Draft lottery tomorrow. It is all rigged," one fan posted.
"The NBA 1000% rigged the lottery so the golden state warriors are picking top four," another added.
"It's going to be rigged again," a third chimed in.
Of course, the league has always denied any tampering, and the lottery process is supposed to be a random draw. But that hasn't stopped the speculation, especially when it involves a team as high-profile as the Warriors. The timing of Kerr's extension — just hours before the lottery — feels like fuel on an already blazing fire.
This isn't the first time fans have questioned the NBA's integrity. Recent playoff officiating controversies, including allegations of bias in the Lakers-Thunder series, have only deepened the distrust. And the Thunder's run has also drawn accusations of referee favoritism, making the "rigged" narrative a recurring theme this season.
So, is the 2026 draft lottery really fixed? We'll find out this afternoon when the results are revealed live on ABC at 3 p.m. ET. Until then, the internet will keep buzzing, and the conspiracy theorists will keep typing.
One thing's for sure: if Golden State does land a top pick, the outrage will be deafening. But if they don't, well, maybe the NBA is fair after all. Or maybe the fix just didn't work this time.
