If you happened to watch the NBA Draft Lottery last month (or heard about it at a later date), a particular detail about how top picks are assigned likely stood out to you. I'm talking about the choice to use a weighted lottery that favors the worst teams instead of guaranteeing them top picks, which seems somewhat counterproductive to the draft's goal of helping the worst teams improve through access to the best incoming talent. However, a look into the draft's history reveals that what seems to be a poor choice is, in fact, a necessary modification that strengthens the league by addressing a key economic issue that lies at the heart of our history, modern policy systems, and more.