The NBA Draft Lottery will change the trade market, and these five teams could all make blockbusters

How does the Draft Lottery alter the trade markets for Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis and other big names?

Sam Quinn

May 10, 2026

6:53 pm ET

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11 min read

Imagn Images

The buildup to the NBA Draft Lottery is all about the prospects. Where are AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson headed? Now, that part is at least partially settled. We don't know yet know who's taking who, but we at least know who's picking where. In all likelihood, those four players will land in Washington, Utah, Memphis and Chicago. With that part settled, the questions now turn to everybody else.

What are these teams going to do with their veterans now that they have young stars incoming? What do the teams that missed out on Sunday do now? The lottery sets the table for the entire offseason, so let's dive into some of the possible ripple effects of Sunday's result.

1. Will the Wizards trade Anthony Davis?

Congratulations to Anthony Davis on finding his true calling as the greatest good luck charm in NBA history. Consider the following...

- In 2019, Davis tried to force a trade from the Pelicans to the Lakers. New Orleans held onto him past the deadline, then won the No. 1 pick.

- In 2025, the Lakers traded Davis to the Mavericks, who proceeded to win the No. 1 pick.

- In 2026, the Mavericks traded Davis to the Wizards who, you guessed it, went on to win the No. 1 pick.

Essentially, in years in which Davis either gets traded or tries to get traded, his team wins the NBA Draft lottery. While that isn't going to compel anyone to take on the two years left on his max contract, we should address the elephant in the room here: Davis doesn't seem especially eager to be a Wizard. He has not yet played a game for Washington.

Insider Chris Haynes has said he thinks there's a good chance Davis gets moved, and his interviews in Washington haven't exactly been enthusiastic. When asked about his future at his exit interview, he said "yeah, I'm under contract," while adding, with a laugh "I love my money." He has frequently referred to the Wizards as "they" rather than "we" in public comments.

Davis is 33. He wants to contend for a title now. He's also eligible for a contract extension that he'd presumably like to sign, and at least for now, there has been little reporting suggesting the Wizards plan to give it to him. So, does this No. 1 pick make a Davis trade likelier?

Well, let's see who they take. Neither Dybantsa nor Peterson overlap with Davis positionally. Cameron Boozer might, as he and Alex Sarr would presumably be the frontcourt starters in Washington, but for the time being, he looks like a long shot to go No. 1.

However, merely getting the No. 1 pick does tighten Washington's books a bit. It's a roughly $6 million salary difference between their floor at No. 5, and more than that, there's going to be far less pressure to win now with this prospect creating a far brighter future. Davis was, in some ways, a contingency against the worst possible lottery outcomes. If the Wizards had slipped, having Davis and Trae Young would have made the Wizards competitive next season. Now, they can get there organically. If there's a good offer for Davis at this point, the Wizards can take it knowing their future is already secure.

2. How do the Jazz manage their sudden surplus?

As far as the non-Thunder or Spurs class of Western Conference teams go, you could argue no team has done a better job of accumulating talent and assets than the Jazz. They have two ascending young prospects already in Keyonte George and Ace Bailey, two veteran All-Stars in Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr., and a defensive stud center in Walker Kessler returning from free agency. They're loaded everywhere, and they still have some draft upside coming from Cleveland and Minnesota through the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert trades. In the flattened lottery system to come, having any incoming picks or swaps is meaningful.

Now the Jazz add the No. 2 pick to the equation. For now, the likeliest selection would seem to be Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. Well, the Jazz are loaded with shooting and scoring. How much does Peterson overlap with George, Bailey and Markkanen? George is extension-eligible this offseason. Markkanen has been the subject of trade rumors forever and has lasted throughout this Utah rebuild. Danny Ainge is utterly devoid of sentiment on roster-building matters. If someone throws a big enough offer his way, he'll consider almost anything.

A Markkanen deal only really makes sense if the Jazz wind up with one of the forwards. That would create a genuine front-court glut. There's no sense rushing anything where George is concerned. If he and Peterson are indeed the backcourt of the future, it's worth seeing how they fare together before making any rash decisions. George should retain trade value on whateve