.jpg?w=1280)
Buy or Sell 2026 NBA Draft Rumors
The 2026 NBA Draft is just around the corner, and speculation is predictably reaching its apex.
Will AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson come off the board first and second, respectively, or do the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz intend to shake things up with trades?
Might multiple picks inside and outside the lottery change hands? Will the Brooklyn Nets really take another guard after scooping up several last year?
Let's run down a handful of the latest draft rumors and decide whether they're smoke screens or real signals of what's ahead.
Charlotte Prefers Picks to Domantas Sabonis
1 of 5
The Charlotte Hornets' offense was among the very best in the league last season, giving them a high floor as they try to build on the 44 wins their attack earned them in 2025-26.
This is why it makes no sense for them to surrender real capital for Sacramento Kigns big man Domantas Sabonis, whose whole deal is playing a high-usage, one-way role that leads to good offense but gives almost all of the gains right back on the other end.
Per Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Hornets are reluctant to part with either of their two first-round picks—No. 14 and No. 18—for Sabonis and his remaining two years and $94 million.
Charlotte already has ample creation from LaMelo Ball, and the wing duo of Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller clearly doesn't need an elbow handoff hub to generate high-efficiency looks. What the Hornets do need, stouter defense and a big who can space, are not commodities Sabonis has ever provided.
The Hornets' recent success owes to a front office that makes smart, incremental improvements without chasing cosmetic stats or big names. This effectively makes them the opposite of the Kings, and it's a pretty good indicator that there's not a real fit here.
Verdict: Buy
Jazz Are Torn About No. 2 Pick
2 of 5
Tony Jones of The Athletic reports the Utah Jazz are "genuinely torn" about who to select at No. 2 in the draft.
At least two of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer will be available when Utah is on the clock, and some level of uncertainty would be understandable. Each of those prospects has plenty of intriguing qualities, but none is a perfect option.
At the same time, we should view Utah's apparent uncertainty as strategic.
Maybe the Jazz are acting unsure because they think it'll generate more trade offers. Chances are, at least a couple of teams with lottery picks have a much firmer idea of who they think the draft's second-best prospect is. Utah might inadvertently limit trade offers if it broadcasts a clear intent to take a particular player. Of course, it's also possible the Jazz could coax lucrative offers out of another organization in the top five if they advertise an intention to take the specific prospect that team believes it can't live without.
Ultimately, it seems there's a good chance the Jazz have a much better idea of who they like than they're letting on. There's no reason to be totally honest in the last days leading up to the draft.
Verdict: Sell
No. 1 Pick Could Be Traded
3 of 5
It may not mean anything definitive, but Darryn Peterson's refusal to meet with or work out for any team other than the Washington Wizards is at least worth an eyebrow raise.
ESPN's Shams Charania and Jeremy Woo reported on Peterson's exclusivity, and that detail pairs intriguingly with Washington's "tight-lipped" status on its plans and AJ Dybantsa's Utah connections. It doesn't require complicated dot-connecting to conclude that the No. 1 pick might be up for grabs in a very specific way.
If the Wizards and Jazz work out a deal to swap spots with some additional compensation headed to Washington, it wouldn't be the first time something like that happened. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers transacted in a similar way when swapping first and third picks in the Markelle Fultz-Jayson Tatum draft a few years ago.
If Dybantsa is clearly the best prospect, the Wizards will just take him. They have no incentive to be open about that ahead of time because staying quiet could draw out what ESPN's Brian Windhorst referred to as a "godfather offer."
Speculation about a trade involving the top pick is part of every draft, but this year's version feels more legitimate than most.
Verdict: Buy
Walker Kessler's Frustration Could Affect Utah's Draft
4 of 5
Per ESPN's Tim MacMahon, "a gulf remains between" Walker Kessler and the Utah Jazz, who made a five-year, $140 million offer to the restricted free agent center. This, after Walker expressed frustration about Utah's decision to not offer him an extension prior to the 2025-26 season.
We're extrapolating a bit here, but it's difficult to divorce Kessler's feelings about his next contract from the Jazz's decision at No. 2 in the draft.
If Utah believes Kessler could leave via another team's larger offer sheet or sign-and-trade, it could bring Cam Boozer or Caleb Wilson into the draft picture. Though it has long seemed the Jazz want Kessler next to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen in a supersized frontcourt, it's possible Kessler, specifically, isn't necessary to the team's plans.
Boozer or Wilson could play the 4 with Jackson at center and Markkanen at small forward. Or, perhaps Utah would be trade down after moving on from Kessler, pick up up additional assets and still land the frontcourt option it craves.
For now, it's still probably wisest to expect Utah will take the best player available and deal with Kessler's situation later. The two issues are linked, but probably not to the point of meaningfully changing draft plans.
Verdict: Sell
The Nets Will Take Another Guard
5 of 5
The Brooklyn Nets snagged Egor Dëmin, Nolan Traoré, Ben Saraf and Drake Powell in last year's draft, populating the roster with four rookie guards who, in many cases, had duplicative games.
Don't expect that approach to stop in 2026, as The Athletic's Sam Vecenie reports Brooklyn, which continues to "befuddle the league", will take the "highest graded player on its board, regardless of position."
He has them mocked for Lousiville guard Mikel Brown Jr.
Drafting for fit or need is a mistake for most teams, but it's particularly ill-advised for the ones that don't have a cornerstone yet. That describes Brooklyn, and it's probably the best justification for its approach. Speaking strictly of its point guards, none of Dëmin, Traoré or Saraf showed enough as rookies to suggest they're foundational pieces. The Nets shouldn't pass on a talented player because they're afraid of him stunting the development of the youth they already have.
If any of last year's first-rounders are good enough, they'll figure out how to make impacts regardless of who else is on the roster.
Lastly, Brooklyn's No. 6 spot just happens to fall right in the middle of a guard-heavy tier. After the projected top four, you could make the case that the next half-dozen best prospects are either point guards or shooting guards. Passing on all of them would be ridiculous.
Verdict: Buy
