1 Trade Idea for Every 2026 NBA Draft Lottery Pick
With the NBA draft lottery officially in the books, it's time for every front office in the mix to start wheeling and potentially dealing.
According to The Stein Line and Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, the Washington Wizards may already be entertaining that possibility.
"[Team president Michael] Winger told me directly that the Wizards will at least consider trading down," Fischer wrote. "He insisted that this is 'not a savior moment' for Washington given that the franchise just traded for two former All-Stars in Trae Young and Anthony Davis on top of the slew of recent lottery picks it already has accumulated."
Whether those talks result in actual deals remains to be seen, but you can be sure every team in the lottery is at least fielding calls. And we have some ideas that make sense for all of them.
Charlotte Hornets' No. 14 Pick to the Milwaukee Bucks
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Charlotte Hornets Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Miles Bridges, Brandon Miller, Josh Green, the No. 14 pick and a 2032 first-round pick
Charlotte Hornets fans may balk at this idea, which says a lot about the current state of the team.
Without making a single dramatic move this summer, the Hornets could come back for the 2026-27 campaign as one of the NBA's most exciting teams. And Brandon Miller is a big part of that equation.
But Giannis is one of the 15-20 greatest players in NBA history, and he may have a few prime years left. Plugging him into a rotation with LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel could make Charlotte a title contender as early as this coming season.
For the Milwaukee Bucks, there will almost certainly be other teams willing to part with more draft assets than this deal has them receiving, but it would be tough to find a better prospect than Miller.
Him, the 14th pick and the 10th pick (which Milwaukee already owns) would give the Bucks one of the more intriguing young cores in the league.
Miami Heat's No. 13 Pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers
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Miami Heat Receive: Donovan Mitchell
Cleveland Cavaliers Receive: Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, the No. 13 pick and a 2032 first-round pick
The Miami Heat need a bona fide offensive star next to Bam Adebayo. And if the Cleveland Cavaliers flame out against the Detroit Pistons, Donovan Mitchell is one who might be available.
This particular framework would give the Cavs more depth on the wings, give them an intriguing prospect in the backcourt and give them a couple bites at the draft apple.
And while Miami's rotation would obviously be a little tighter, the team is long overdue for getting back into the superstar business.
Oklahoma City Thunder's No. 12 Pick to the Sacramento Kings
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Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: No. 7 pick
Sacramento Kings Receive: No. 12 pick and 2027 first-round pick (via Los Angeles)
There's a temptation to say the Oklahoma City Thunder could pair their No. 12 pick with Jalen Williams (who missed much of this season) to move into the top four, but at this point, he's not as intriguing a prospect as AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson.
So instead of something that dramatic, OKC could pair their No. 12 pick with one future first (like the Los Angeles Clippers' 2027 pick they're owed) to entice the Sacramento Kings to give up their seventh pick.
That would put the Thunder in the range of playmakers like Keaton Wagler, Brayden Burries or Kingston Flemings.
And for the Kings, the move would give them more shots at high-end talent over the next two years. This is a team that's clearly more than one prospect away from being on the right track, so it should be eager to add draft picks when possible.
Golden State Warriors' No. 11 Pick to the Milwaukee Bucks
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Golden State Warriors Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Jimmy Butler, the No. 11 pick, a 2029 first-round pick, a 2031 first-round pick and a 2033 first-round pick
This one obviously would've had more legs had the Golden State Warriors moved up in the lottery, but there's still a real argument for the Milwaukee Bucks to be interested.
Jimmy Butler's on an expiring contract. So adding him obviously opens up some short-term flexibility. Given Giannis' age and growing list of injury concerns, there's a chance not many teams would offer more than four first-rounders.
And these particular picks could be more valuable than most others. Some are going to convey after Curry is out of the league and Giannis is past his prime.
For Golden State, this is a desperation move, but Curry has earned a little desperation for the end of his career. He and Giannis would, at the very least, give the Warriors a puncher's chance in a series against just about anyone.
Milwaukee Bucks' No. 10 Pick to the Washington Wizards
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Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Anthony Davis and the No. 1 pick
Washington Wizards Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo and the No. 10 pick
Washington is likely to receive offers from all over the league for that top overall pick, but they aren't going to see many with a better individual player than this one.
Any of the prospects Washington could draft with that pick would obviously give the organization a longer runway, but Giannis and Trae Young would instantly be one of the best one-two punches in the East. And they'd be surrounded by some interesting young talent, including the 10th overall pick.
The thinking for Milwaukee on this one is obvious. If the Bucks can turn Antetokounmpo into the top selection from this potentially historic class, they'll almost certainly do it. And if Anthony Davis were to play well enough to juice his trade value, this deal would have the potential to grow by subsequently dealing AD.
Dallas Mavericks' No. 9 Pick to the Brooklyn Nets
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Dallas Mavericks Receive: Nic Claxton, Terance Mann and the No. 6 pick
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Kyrie Irving and the No. 9 pick
The Brooklyn Nets may not be eager to get back into business with Kyrie Irving, but if it only cost them Nic Claxton, Terance Mann and a few spots on a pick that was already outside the top five, it might be worth it.
Kyrie and Michael Porter Jr. would make for one of the most explosive offensive duos in the East. And if one or two of last year's first-round picks took a developmental leap, the Nets could be right back in the mix for a play-in spot.
As for for the Mavs, Irving isn't really on their timeline anymore. And if the front office has its eyes one someone around the top five or six in this draft, he could be the talent needed to move up to that range.
Atlanta Hawks' No. 8 Pick to the Milwaukee Bucks
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Atlanta Hawks Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Onyeka Okongwu, Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 8 pick, a 2028 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick
The Atlanta Hawks are another obvious Giannis suitor. And they can afford to give up both youth and future picks to get him.
Jonathan Kuminga and Zaccharie Risacher haven't shown enough to be considered great, but they're young enough to still have value. And the draft picks are what really move the needle.
For the Hawks, a top four of Giannis, Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels would almost certainly move them to the tier of legitimate title contenders.
Los Angeles Clippers' No. 5 Pick to the Dallas Mavericks
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Los Angeles Clippers Receive: The No. 9 pick and a top-10 protected 2029 first-round pick (via Los Angeles Lakers)
Dallas Mavericks Receive: The No. 5 pick
The Los Angeles Clippers seem like a prime candidate to trade down. A rebuild almost certainly has to be around the corner, and those typically start with an asset-accumulation phase.
If they can turn one first-round pick into two, it wouldn't be a bad idea to pull the trigger.
For Dallas, it already has a franchise cornerstone-level talent in Cooper Flagg. Finding a long-term playmaking partner for him could be the next order of business, and prospects like Burries or Wagler could be available at No. 5.
Chicago Bulls' No. 4 Pick to the Memphis Grizzlies
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Chicago Bulls Receive: Ja Morant and the No. 3 pick
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Patrick Williams, Isaac Okoro, Rob Dillingham and the No. 4 pick
Yes, you read that right. This deal has the Chicago Bulls receiving Ja Morant and moving up one spot in the draft. That's how much of an albatross the Morant contract has become.
The Memphis Grizzlies sliding down is essentially the cost of unloading Morant. But in this particular draft, that may not be a huge deal. Each of the top four players have the potential to be franchise cornerstones. At No. 4, at least the decision on which one to take has already been made for you.
For the Bulls, Morant really doesn't make any sense for the team's short- or long-term prospects, but he's worth a shot for three players who also don't figure to be part of the future.
And if he plays well enough to rehab his trade value a bit, Chicago could possibly move him in a subsequent deal and get even more back.
Utah Jazz's No. 2 Pick to the Washington Wizards
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Utah Jazz Receive: The No. 1 pick
Washington Wizards Receive: The No. 2 pick and a handful of future firsts and seconds
This is the most obvious potential deal on the board. BYU and its donors got AJ Dybantsa into Utah. And now Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith (a BYU graduate) should be willing to do whatever it takes to keep him there.
The Jazz could pair their No. 2 pick with four or five future firsts and seconds, move up to No. 1 and land Dybantsa to play with Ace Bailey, Keyonte George, Lauri Markkenen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Walker Kessler.
For the Wizards, this is a year in which there isn't really a consensus No. 1 pick. Even if they move down to the second pick, they're likely to get a franchise-level talent. If they can get that while also adding several more draft assets, they should absolutely do it.
