The draft starts at No. 5.
That’s maybe the most heard piece of analysis around the 2026 NBA Draft. The top four teams (Washington, Utah, Memphis, Chicago) are not trading down or out of those spots, and they are going to select the top four players (AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer, Caleb Wilson) in whatever order.
From there, anything could happen — and that includes trades, too. There will be plenty on draft night. Let’s break down some of the trade rumors already and ones we might see during the first round of the NBA Draft.
Will Clippers trade No. 5 pick?
While there was a lot of talk about this early, it likely isn’t happening, according to the latest reports. The Clippers did explore the market for trading their pick, league sources told NBC Sports, and they should as a team at a crossroads — retool and continue to try to win now around Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland, or start to rebuild to whatever is next. That uncertainty fueled speculation that Lawrence Frank and the front office might trade the No. 5 pick in favor of a win-now player.
Instead, the Clippers are now operating like a team that is going to keep the pick, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. What would it take to get the Clippers to change their mind about that? Multiple first-round picks — especially in outlying years, picks the league can’t take away in any punishment tied to the Aspiration scandal (we’re all still waiting to see how that plays out) — and young players. Oklahoma City has the assets, but isn’t likely to send them to Los Angeles.
The strongest buzz in league circles is that the Clippers will use that pick on Keaton Wagler out of Illinois, or maybe Mikel Brown Jr. out of Louisville. However, when the Clippers have made big moves in recent years — including trading away Ivica Zubac this season — they have come out of the blue. This is not a leaky organization, and with that anything could happen.
Oklahoma City wants to trade up
Just what the rest of the league wants to see, the Thunder with another elite young player.
That’s likely going to happen one way or another. Oklahoma City controls the No. 12 (via the LA Clippers) and the No. 17 (via Philly) picks in this draft, and the Thunder are looking to package those picks, possibly with something else (a future pick or player on a minimum deal such as Thomas Sorber), to move up in this draft, according to multiple reports (most recently ESPN’s Marc Spears). Maybe to the Bucks’ pick at No. 10, or even Atlanta at No. 8 can be in play — OKC has the depth of assets to make that happen if they want to.
The Thunder have been linked to three Michigan players: Morez Johnson Jr., Yaxel Lendeborg, and center Aday Mara. While at least one of them is very likely on the board at No. 12. However, if the Thunder have eyes on one of them in particular — specifically Johnson — they very likely will need to trade up to get him.
While there very much is a “don’t help out the Thunder” sentiment around the league (Darryl Morey apparently didn’t get the memo), teams have to do what is in their own best interest, and if the Thunder makes a good enough offer, they will be able to get their man. And get even deeper and better.
Also, league sources have told NBC Sports that if the Thunder keep the No. 12 pick and use it, look for them to trade out of the No. 17 pick.
Does Miami trade No. 13 pick for Giannis?
To say it’s the worst-kept secret in the NBA suggests it’s still a secret. It’s not. Miami is trying to send the No. 13 pick to Milwaukee as part of a trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo (one that will include three or four teams if it all comes together).
Milwaukee has been acting for a month like a team that will have multiple lottery picks in this draft. (There was speculation they would try to package those picks to move up, but none of the top four teams are selling.) The only question now is if the trade happens. If it does, Milwaukee will pick tenth and thirteenth in the first round.
Warriors might trade down
While the Thunder are looking to trade up, the Warriors might be open to trading down out of the No. 11 pick, reports Brett Siegel at ClutchPoints. He also said the Warriors would love to add a second first-round pick later in the teens.
If the Warriors keep the No. 11 pick, they have been heavily linked to Arizona guard Brayden Burries, except there is little chance he is still on the board at that point. After that, they also like the Michigan trio of Lendeborg, Mara and Johnson.
If the Warriors use their pick, this remains a win-now team in the Stephen Curry era and they will want a player who can contribute now, not a project.
Chicago looking to trade up
It’s not just the Thunder looking to move up; the Chicago Bulls — with the No. 15 pick plus two early second-rounders (36 and 38) — are looking to move up, specifically to get Michigan’s Mara, reports Siegel of ClutchPoints.
There’s logic to that. The Bulls traded Nikola Vucevic midseason to Boston and Zach Collins was on an expiring deal, the Bulls need their center of the future and Mara would be a great fit with Josh Giddey. The question becomes, do they have enough to offer a team like the Bucks or Warriors to move up in the draft? It’s something to watch.
Denver, Boston and Minnesota are set to pick at the end of the first round — picks No. 26, 27 and 28, respectively — as happens to good teams with good records.
However, all three are looking for ways to move up in the first round, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line. To do that would require attaching a player or a future draft pick of real value — teams are not eager to trade into the back end of the first round — but these picks could be part of a larger deal. Boston, for example, is listening to calls about Derrick White (even if it’s unlikely they move him).
Denver is looking to add youth and athleticism to its young core (which is why they likely re-sign Peyton Watson), and moving up in the draft could help with that. Boston also is looking to add depth to a roster it expects will contend for the East crown and a title next season. A good draft pick helps both those teams, but can they afford to move up to make it happen?
Fischer adds if Minnesota keeps the pick (a swap with Detroit, which has Minnesota’s No. 21 pick) general manager Tim Connelly may take Spanish guard Sergio de Larrea.
Read the full article here