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Playing 'Trade or Keep' with Every NBA Team's Round 1 Draft Pick
NBA Draft season is upon us.
And that means that on top of scrambling to get the best and most up-to-date information on all the available prospects, teams are also working the phones for potential trade partners.
Draft night is notoriously one of the busiest trade days on the NBA calendar, and we're here to tell you whether each and every team should be thinking about moving their 2026 pick.
Atlanta Hawks: Trade Up
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The Atlanta Hawks are in a pretty enviable position.
They already have a foundational talent who's only 24 in Jalen Johnson. The rest of their most important rotation players are also in their 20s. And they have two first-round picks in June's draft (No. 8 from the New Orleans Pelicans and No. 23 from the Cleveland Cavaliers).
It would be very easy (and maybe wise) to just stay put, make those two selections and keep building the way they have been.
But they could also combine those two picks in an effort to move up. And they have some movable salary to attach too (with Jonathan Kuminga, Onyeka Okongwu, Corey Kispert or Zaccharie Risacher's deals)
If they could somehow sneak into the top four and add Caleb Wilson to a core with Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels, they'd be in great long-term shape (though they probably are anyway).
Boston Celtics: Keep
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There's maybe an argument to pair this year's pick (No. 27) with Jaylen Brown in an effort to maybe get two contributors making what Brown does ($57.1 million next season) on his own.
But he and Jayson Tatum are both still on the right side of 30 (though Brown will hit that mark in October), and the Boston Celtics have a pretty good track record for finding contributors late in the first round.
Boston will likely hang onto this pick and trust its coaching staff to develop another role player to support its championship-winning duo.
Brooklyn Nets: Trade
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With the NBA doing whatever it can to try to disincentivize tanking, a team like the Brooklyn Nets could be considering win-now moves.
And if the No. 6 pick (and maybe some future assets) is enough to bring a star in to play with Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn could compete for a play-in spot as early as next season.
Beyond that, the Nets already took (and kept) five first-rounders from last year. There's more than enough developmental cases on the books already.
Had they landed in the top four, it probably would've made sense to take one of the potential franchise cornerstones there. And if they're convinced someone at six is that, they may hang onto the pick.
But the lottery pushing them down three spots at least opens up the possibility of a move.
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Chicago Bulls: Keep
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The Chicago Bulls would probably love to move into the top three and get a shot at AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson or Cam Boozer, but the talent level of those three is probably going to make that move harder than it is in most years.
And the good news for Chicago is that Caleb Wilson has enough upside to be thrilled with getting him at No. 4. He might even be good enough to push one of the aforementioned headliners out of the top three.
In other words, this is about as good a draft as any to end up with the fourth pick. The lottery gods were kind to the Bulls, and now they have a chance to add a dynamic, explosive big man to a frontcourt that already boasts Matas Buzelis.
Charlotte Hornets: Trade Up
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The Charlotte Hornets are another team with two picks in the first round (Nos. 14 and 18), which makes them a pretty obvious candidate to move up.
They could pair those with the salaries of Miles Bridges and/or Josh Green and put together a pretty interesting package for some team inside the top 10.
And adding a talent from that group to a core that already includes LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller and Kon Knueppel would make Charlotte one of the league's more exciting teams in both the short and long term.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Trade
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With Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and the Cleveland Cavaliers looking pretty overmatched in the Eastern Conference Finals, another shakeup could be on the way for a core that just can't seem to take that final step to bona fide contention.
And without any real blue chip prospects already on the roster, a first-round pick (even one all the way down at No. 29) may be their only way of finding upgrades.
There's an argument to maybe trade Mitchell, Jarrett Allen or even Evan Mobley in rebuild-centric deals that would return some assets, but being in the East and making it to the final four is enough justification to go for it for one or two more years.
Dallas Mavericks: Trade Up
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If Kyrie Irving is healthy enough to give the Dallas Mavericks a full campaign in 2026-27, there's certainly an argument for keeping him and hoping Cooper Flagg can get a taste of winning in his second year in the league.
But Kyrie is also 34 and coming off a torn ACL. Using his contract and the No. 9 pick to try to move a few picks higher could help the Mavs find a potential running mate for Flagg who's on the same developmental timeline.
And there are a few teams currently slated to pick ahead of Dallas that could be enticed by Irving's game and star power, including the Sacramento Kings (No. 7), Nets, Los Angeles Clippers (No. 5) and Bulls (No. 4).
Denver Nuggets: Trade
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This one's tough, because the Denver Nuggets don't really have any young prospects to attach to their No. 26 pick (unless they can maybe work out a sign-and-trade with Peyton Watson).
And though it's a ways down the board, there's a chance that selection could give the Nuggets some of the length and athleticism they desperately need in a Western Conference with the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
But this postseason (and really, every one since they won the title in 2023) has exposed Denver's lack of physicality, explosiveness, and again, athleticism, to a degree that standing pat almost seems untenable.
If that 26th pick is needed to sweeten a deal that would bring someone who'll play with more force, the Nuggets should probably part with it.
Detroit Pistons: Trade
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The Detroit Pistons finishing with the No. 1 seed but failing to make it to the conference finals makes them perhaps the single most obvious candidate to go star hunting this offseason.
Cade Cunningham needs a bigger-name running mate, preferably one who can take a little bit of the playmaking load off his shoulders (something Jalen Duren probably isn't going to do).
This year's No. 21 pick, some more future firsts and some movable salary (like Duncan Robinson's or Isaiah Stewart's) could be enough to bring that kind of player to Detroit.
Golden State Warriors: Trade
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The Golden State Warriors have the No. 11 pick. And while there's plenty of reason to suggest they should keep it and start worrying about their post-Stephen Curry future, he's more than earned the organization's best shot at short-term contention.
Curry is in the twilight of his career and may only have one or two years left in which he can be the best (or second-best) player on a title contender.
Taking advantage of those years could mean trading this pick, a few others and some big salary (like Jimmy Butler or maybe even Draymond Green) for someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Even if the Warriors can't get to a Giannis-level package, they should absolutely be looking at potential win-now deals with this pick.
Houston Rockets
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Another team without a first-round pick this summer, the Houston Rockets already tried a win-now move with a young core, and the results were far less than ideal.
Instead of throwing more assets at another move like the Kevin Durant trade, Houston should try to unload him, preferably in a deal that gets the Rockets into this draft class.
From there, they can prioritize a more careful build around Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Şengün, all of whom are under 24 years old.
Indiana Pacers
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Thanks to the now-infamous trade that landed Ivica Zubac with the team, the Indiana Pacers don't have a first-round pick in this draft.
All the losing was for naught. The "gap year" without Tyrese Haliburton didn't get them into this highly anticipated top four. It got them a 29-year-old Zubac.
Had the lottery gods kept the pick in the top four, the Pacers would've won the ultimate gamble. Sliding down to fifth sent that pick to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The outcome had to be painful for Pacers fans, but if Haliburton spends all of next season as anything close to the player he was before tearing his Achilles, Indiana should be back in the mix for conference finals appearances.
Zubac isn't as exciting as Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer or Wilson, but Haliburton will get the most out of him. And a frontcourt with he and Pascal Siakam should be one of the better ones in the East.
Los Angeles Clippers: Keep
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It still feels like a hammer (that could include the forfeiture of this pick) could drop on the Los Angeles Clippers at any moment for alleged cap circumvention.
But for now, the team has to be thanking its lucky stars for having wound up in this position.
Again, moving into the top three or four in this draft will be harder than it would in other years, but L.A. can be content in staying at No. 5, taking the best player available and looking to a post-Kawhi era built around 26-year-old Darius Garland, Yanic Konan Niederhäuser and maybe even Bennedict Mathurin.
Los Angeles Lakers: Trade
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With LeBron James potentially moving on, the Los Angeles Lakers need to be working on a roster that better fits Luka Dončić.
It's his team now (and really has been since he was traded there), and he needs to be surrounded by gritty defenders and good rim-running bigs (like was at the end with Dallas).
If the No. 25 pick in this draft helps the Lakers build that kind of roster (and it can), it almost has to be moved.
Memphis Grizzlies: Keep
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At this point, the Memphis Grizzlies might have to attach some value to Ja Morant to be able to unload him, but that certainly doesn't include the third overall pick.
Moving up three spots in the lottery to get this selection puts Memphis in a great position in what could be a historic draft.
Regardless of which one of the potential stars falls to them at No. 3, the Grizzlies will have a high-end talent who'll supercharge a young core that already includes Cedric Coward and Zach Edey.
Miami Heat: Trade
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The Miami Heat have seemingly been in the hunt for Giannis Antetokounmpo for years, and it looks like they might finally get him this summer.
According to longtime NBA writer Gery Woelfel, Miami is the "odds-on favorite to land Antetokounmpo in a trade," and is offering a package that includes Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel'el Ware and multiple picks, including No. 13 in this draft.
There are some real questions about how Bam Adebayo and Giannis might fit together. The rest of the roster would need to be loaded with outside shooting. But as a pure talent play, it's pretty easy to see why the Heat would include that 13th pick in a deal to land one of the top 25 players of all time.
Milwaukee Bucks: Whatever the Giannis Trade Allows
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It looks like the Milwaukee Bucks have finally accepted their fate with Giannis and are reportedly fielding trade offers for him.
If the best package also includes the ability to move up from No. 10 in this year's draft, great. If not, the Bucks should be content to keep that 10th pick and add the best player available to the new core.
Either way, for at least the next couple years, Milwaukee should be firmly in asset accumulation mode as they build for the next era.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Trade
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It's going to be tough for the Minnesota Timberwolves to beat Miami's offer, but they're another team that has long been connected to Giannis.
Landing him will almost certainly require parting ways with the 28th pick in this year's draft.
But even if Antetokounmpo isn't the prize, Minnesota has to be thinking about trades after the Spurs dismantled them in the second round.
Julius Randle seems like the most obvious potential trade candidate, and picks would likely have to be attached to him to get a better (or better-fitting) player back.
New Orleans Pelicans
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The New Orleans Pelicans' front office is probably thrilled the lottery went the way it did for the Pacers, because their own blunder has gotten a lot less attention since then.
Last summer, the Pelicans sent their 2026 first-rounder (unprotected!) to the Atlanta Hawks, so they could move up and take Derik Queen (who had a fine, though uninspiring rookie campaign).
That means they don't have a pick in this draft. But unlike some of the others in that boat, New Orleans has some players who may be able to get them in.
Zion Williamson's health concerns limit his value, but he did play 62 games last season. Trey Murphy III could be one of the hotter names on the market if New Orleans made him available.
Either way, if the Pelicans want to get back into this draft class, they could probably do it.
New York Knicks: Keep
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The New York Knicks have a veteran-heavy roster that is well within striking distance of a championship. And they already spent quite a bit of draft capital to build it.
So, the fact that they even have their 2026 pick (No. 24) is a bit of good fortune. And without a ton of young talent on the books, it makes sense to keep it.
New York could either take an older, more "NBA ready" player passed on by others for lack of upside or a big swing on someone more raw.
The current strength of the team gives the Knicks the ability to go either way with the pick.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Depends
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The Oklahoma City Thunder have a mountain of assets and plenty of movable salary (like Isaiah Hartenstein's $28.5 million team option for 2026-27 or Luguentz Dort's $18.2 million team option for the same season).
If they fall short of the repeat title they're currently chasing, pairing the No. 12 pick and some future assets with one or two of those players could get them a major difference-maker.
But if they do end up winning it all, continuing with Sam Presti's typically careful, patient approach seems like the obvious play.
They already have to devote some developmental minutes to players like Nikola Topic and Thomas Sorber in coming seasons, and adding another rookie contract to that group could make it easier to afford the huge salaries of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.
Orlando Magic
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The Orlando Magic's No. 18 pick is headed to the Charlotte Hornets in a trade, but this is another team that could probably move back in if it really wants to.
At this point, it's fair to wonder if Paolo Banchero is the franchise star Orlando thought he was when it drafted him first overall. And he likely still has enough value to other front offices to warrant a pick in this year's class.
If the Magic still believe in him more than Franz Wagner, Wagner would almost certainly be worth a 2026 first to multiple teams too.
Either way, if the Magic want to replace one of their heftier, longer contracts with a young talent on a rookie contract, they can probably pull it off.
Philadelphia 76ers: Keep
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This is probably wishful thinking, but if the Philadelphia 76ers could somehow get off the contracts of either Joel Embiid or Paul George, while keeping their 22nd overall pick, they'd likely do it.
The more realistic path, though, is using that selection (which comes to Philly by way of the Rockets) to add more young talent to a core that already includes Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, and then simply waiting out the Embiid and George deals.
That requires a little more patience, but it also keeps the window for short-term contention barely cracked.
If, by some miracle, Embiid and George are fully healthy for a playoff run in the near future, the Sixers might have a puncher's chance of making the conference finals.
Phoenix Suns
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The Phoenix Suns don't have a first-round pick in 2026 (it's headed to the Grizzlies). And barring a Devin Booker trade, they probably don't have a clear path in.
Since such a dramatic move is probably off the table, Phoenix will have to rely on being the plucky underdog again in 2026-27.
And though they won't really have the element of surprise that may have contributed to some of their success this season, young players like Rasheer Fleming, Oso Ighodaro, Ryan Dunn and Khaman Maluach could all improve over the summer.
Portland Trail Blazers
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Had the Portland Trail Blazers stayed in the lottery, they would've kept their 2026 first-rounder. Since they made the playoffs and pushed that pick to No. 15, it goes to the Chicago Bulls.
That's probably fine. It's tough to find a surefire star or even contributor at that point in the draft. And there was some value in getting playoff experience for Deni Avdija. But it would've been nice to add more young talent to the core.
Still, Portland has all of its most important players from the 2025-26 team coming back, plus it should be able to add a now-healthy Damian Lillard to the rotation.
Sacramento Kings: Keep (Unless They Can Trade Up)
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Since that parenthetical is unlikely (again, this is going to be a tough top four to crack), the Sacramento Kings should probably just hold onto that seventh pick, add a young talent and hope he shows more upside than Keegan Murray.
But of course, since it's the Kings, they're already being brought up all over the internet as a team that might package No. 7 in a win-now deal.
Even with the lottery-night slide, that's simply not a smart way for the organization to go. It's time, for once, to take the more patient, prudent approach.
San Antonio Spurs
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The San Antonio Spurs don't have a first-round pick in this draft, and that's absolutely A-OK.
In the last three, they've taken Dylan Harper, Stephon Castle and Victor Wembanyama. The guards have perennial All-Star potential. The big man might be one of the 5-10 best players ever by the time he's done.
This isn't just the most interesting young core in the NBA right now. It's one of the best the league has ever seen.
Missing out on what would've been the 29th pick is fine.
Toronto Raptors: Keep
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The Toronto Raptors' 19th overall pick is probably just past the range where first-rounders carry a lot of value. And barring a Scottie Barnes trade (which Toronto shouldn't be pursuing), the players on the roster probably don't move the needle for other teams much either.
Maybe those things combined could get the Raptors an interesting player on the trade market, but the likelier (and probably smarter) approach would be to simply keep the pick and hope to develop another contributor.
Barnes, RJ Barrett, Gradey Dick, Collin Murray-Boyles, Ja'Kobe Walter and Jamal Shead are all 25 or younger, so Toronto has time for a patient build.
Utah Jazz: Keep
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From the moment the lottery results were revealed, there's been a lot of talk about the Utah Jazz potentially moving from No. 2 to No. 1 to ensure the addition of BYU's AJ Dybantsa to the young core.
If the price is right, such a move would make some sense. Dybantsa already has ties to the Utah area. And he and Ace Bailey could be the Ainges' second shot at a Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown like forward combo.
But if the Washington Wizards insist on Bailey and multiple firsts to get the deal done, the Jazz should be content to take any of the three potential stars who fall to them.
Washington Wizards: Keep
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Unless some team absolutely blows the Wizards away with a trade offer that moves them down, they should be thrilled with keeping this top overall pick.
They already have a veteran duo that should put them in the mix for a playoff spot next year in Trae Young and Anthony Davis. The fit for Dybantsa or Peterson, as a flanker for those two, is obvious.
Even with Alex Sarr currently on the books, they could probably even justify taking Boozer.
Regardless of how they want to proceed, the Wizards suddenly have one of the brighter futures in the league, while also having the ability to compete in the present.
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