Where the Race for the 2026 NBA Draft’s Top Picks Stands Prior to All-Star Break

The race for the top picks at the 2026 NBA Draft is shaping up to be one of the more involved in some time, with several teams entering the fold following last week’s NBA trade deadline.

The class itself is rounding out to be one of the best we’ve seen in the last several decades, featuring a trio of top-tier talents in Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer, those knocking on the door in Caleb Wilson, Kingston Flemings and Keaton Wagler, and plenty more talented players rounding out the lottery, first round and beyond.

The goal for NBA teams will be to grab one of the first three — or four, should organizations value athleticism and upside in Wilson. Some rosters could do so organically, others will need to reposition themselves, to use a more delicate word.

Below, we’ve outlined where the race for the top picks stands entering All-Star break:

The Bottom Five: Kings, Pacers, Wizards, Hawks (via Pelicans) and Nets

For now, these five teams seem to have the best grip on the reverse standings. All five truly seem comfortably within or near the bottom of the league in pure talent-level, and all but the Pelicans have incentive to continue losing games.

The Kings presently have the worst record in the league even while playing veterans. The Pacers, with their pick being traded to LA should it land No. 5-9, desperately need the best odds possible. And the Wizards and Nets have some talent, but can easily lean into developing young players for the rest of the season.

The wild card here is New Orleans, who could worsen their odds with a post-break improvement, allowing others to pass them up.

Slightly Better Newcomers: Jazz, Mavericks, Grizzlies, Bucks, Bulls

The Jazz aren’t total newcomers to the recent draft space having taken Ace Bailey fifth overall last season, but in the least have some talent that surpasses the aforementioned teams even accounting for pulled levers. They've been under the microscope the most in terms of repositioning.

The rest of the group — Dallas, Memphis, Milwaukee and Chicago — were all sellers at the deadline, or should’ve been in the Bucks’ case.

These teams are behind in terms of the race for the odds, but not completely out of it. They’ve got plenty of time to hit their floors, and all they’ll need is a little luck to jump into the top-three.

Outside Looking In: Hornets, Spurs (via Hawks), Thunder (via Clippers), Trail Blazers

The 10-14 range is presently made up of teams that are likely too far behind to truly contend for the top picks, especially given there’s some real talent littering these squads like the Hornets’ trio, Jalen Johnson, Kawhi Leonard and Deni Avdija.

Still, the Mavericks jumped up last season with just a 1.8% chance, making it potentially worth it to hang around the lottery in general, opposed to an 8-seed berth.