Latest NBA Draft 2026 Rumors on AJ Dybantsa, Trades and More Picks, Prospects

The 2026 NBA Draft will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 23 and 24, from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with reports indicating there is very little intrigue as to who the first player to hear his name will be called.

That topic, as well as the latest on a Western Conference contender gauging interest in players and its first-round picks, as well as teams who may trade up and down in the first round, dominate this collection of rumors from the game's most trusted insiders.

AJ Dybantsa The Clear No. 1 Pick

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Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal reported that, "The Washington Wizards currently plan to draft former BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal, with the franchise centered on him as the 2026 NBA Draft opens Tuesday."

The consensus No. 1 pick in this year's draft class, the 19-year-old forward out of BYU, averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and shot 51 percent from the field this season.

An explosive athlete who has shown an ability to create scoring opportunities in isolation, he has the most intriguing raw tools of any prospect near the top of the draft. That he is a physical defender and can draw fouls makes him even more of an intriguing option.

Cam Boozer from Duke is a more polished player, but lacks a vertical game. Darryn Peterson might be the best of the bunch, but his injury history is well-documented.

Dybantsa does not share the same hesitations as his peers, making him the obvious and most logical pick for a team that needs plenty of help if it intends to climb out of the NBA basement anytime soon.

Minnesota Gauging Value of Players, Pick

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Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reported that, "The Timberwolves have gauged the trade value of Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and their No. 28 first-round pick in the draft, league sources told HoopsHype."

Minnesota has been a consistent contender in the Western Conference over the last three seasons, advancing to at least the conference semifinals.

After a second-round loss to the eventual conference champion San Antonio Spurs, the team appears ready to make moves to improve around Anthony Edwards in hopes of cashing in on his prime.

Randle averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and shot 48.1 percent from the floor in 79 games. DiVincenzo played in all 82 regular-season games for the first time in his career and averaged a career-high 30.4 minutes. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon on April 25, ending his season.

Darren Wolfson of KSTP reported, "Another player of interest to the Wolves, per multiple league contacts: Bulls guard Josh Giddey."

Perhaps the interest in gauging the value of the players and pick is an attempt to pry the 23-year-old away from Chicago.

Who Could Trade Up and Down In This Year's Draft?

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Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that several teams in and around the top 10 are considering trading in one direction or the other.

"While the No. 5 Clippers and No. 6 Nets both seem to be holding out hope that Sacramento will show a willingness to trade up with either of them from the Kings' No. 7 slot, we keep hearing that Scott Perry's front office has no plans to climb the board from where Sacramento currently sits," he wrote.

He continued, "I also don't get the sense that the Clippers or Nets really want to slide much further. That's in spite of the persistent Intel which indicates that the Nets do very much like Tennessee forward Nate Ament, who many rival teams regard as a more logical selection if Brooklyn slid back a few spots."

The Clippers are still not that far removed from contending in the Western Conference, so it makes sense that they would want to stay put and select a top prospect at their current position.

The Nets, though, have been an underwhelming team long enough that if Ament fits what they want to do and the organization can net assets by trading back and still getting him, it should be a priority. move.

The Dallas Mavericks, Fischer reported, are one team that could be willing to trade down, depending on the availability of Braydon Burries at the ninth spot.

He wrote of a potential trade partner for the team, "On top of New Orleans and its well-known desire to acquire a top-10 pick, sources say that Memphis, currently holding No. 16 following the Grizzlies' top-tier pick at No. 3, is indeed exploring avenues to move up and generate a second crack at lottery talent."

The Mavericks could be movers elsewhere in the first round, too, with Fischer adding that they "are also keen on trying to move up from No. 30. The last pick in the first round, via Oklahoma City, was the best draft asset that Dallas acquired from Washington in the Anthony Davis trade in February."

With Cooper Flagg proving to be the real deal, by averaging 21 points, six rebounds, 4.5 assists, and shooting 46.8 percent from the paint in his rookie season, making moves to acquire more picks or moving up to grab a piece they can pair with him for future playoff pushes is the right call.