Which Teams Ahead of the Hawks at No.8 Are Most Likely To Trade Back? Ranking Each Possibility

We are three weeks away from the 2026 NBA Draft, and while the Atlanta Hawks did not get the big lottery jump that they wanted, they are still in a strong position as a franchise with the No. 8 and No. 23 overall picks in the first round.

Atlanta is the only playoff team with a top-ten pick, and they are one of two playoff teams with a lottery pick (Oklahoma City is the other team). For a team that made the playoffs and has a good core of players already on the roster, with Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Onyeka Okongwu.

The Hawks are going to have plenty of options in this draft, not just in the caliber of player they could draft, but also the option to trade up for a player they really want. Of the seven teams ahead of the Hawks, which ones are most likely and least likely to make a deal with the Hawks?

7. Washington Wizards (No. 1 overall pick)

What would it take for the Hawks to get from the No. 8 pick to the No. 1 pick?

Probably everything they have.

The Wizards have been trying to get the No. 1 overall pick for the past few seasons and they finally got the luck they have been hoping for.

Is there some scenario where the Hawks offer two of their core four (Johnson, Alexander-Walker, Okongwu, and Daniels) and all of their future picks? Even so, would Washington take that?

The Hawks wanted to win this lottery and get the No. 1 pick, but it did not work out in their favor. Don't expect them to be able to move up.

6. Utah Jazz (No. 2 overall pick)

Like the Wizards, Utah desperately wanted to be picking at the top of this draft and they are going to have a chance to take one of the elite prospects. After landing this pick, trading for Jaren Jackson Jr and signing Lauri Markkanen to a long-term contract, Utah is going to be gunning for the playoffs next season.

Again, could the Hawks just offer everything they possibly could to get up to No. 2? Yes, but that is not the kind of move that Onsi Saleh and this front office make. The Hawks are not going to sell the farm to build around a rookie and not have any assets left over.

5. Memphis Grizzlies (No. 3 overall pick)

The common theme that you will see with the teams that landed in the top four is that they really needed to land there and take one of the top talents in the draft. In the Grizzlies' case, they are entering a rebuild after trading Jaren Jackson Jr and Desmond Bane in the last year, and Ja Morant seems destined to join this group at some point this summer.

This pick is going to help the Grizzlies kick off that rebuild and while they could always find the package of players and picks the Hawks have to trade to be enticing, Memphis is not going to go from No. 3 to No. 8 and miss out on a franchise type of a player like Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson.

4. Chicago Bulls (No. 4 Overall Pick)

Of the top four teams, I guess the Bulls are most likely to make a trade with the Hawks, but it is very unlikely. This franchise needs high-end talent in the worst way and even if you don't think that Caleb Wilson is on the same level as Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson, he is better than the rest of the next group of players.

There is a Hawks connection here, as new Bulls lead executive Bryson Graham was just hired away from Atlanta and maybe he is not as in love with Wilson and prefers one of the guards. Trading up to No. 4 would not be as expensive as moving up to No. 1 or No. 2, but would still cost the Hawks a lot of assets.

3. Sacramento Kings (No. 7 Overall Pick)

This is where things start to get interesting and any of the next three teams above the Hawks are teams that I could see a deal coming together.

The Kings badly needed a jump up in the lottery, but did not get it and fell two spots. They have needs all over the board and should be content with with sticking at No. 7, but if the Hawks wanted to give them a future asset to swap spots, the Kings should be willing to listen.

2. Brooklyn Nets (No. 6 overall pick)

Brooklyn fell to No. 6 after having the third best odds to win the lottery and they instantly become a wildcard because they fell this low.

The Nets have been tanking over the past couple of seasons in hopes of winning the lottery, but it did not come to fruition and now they have to explore the possibility of moving the pick altogether or moving back and collecting more assets. Brooklyn will have plenty of options at No. 6, but perhaps the player they like most could be had at No. 8 and they want to collect some assets.

1. Los Angeles Clippers (No. 5 Overall Pick)

The Clippers feel like the most likely trade partner for anyone looking to move up in the top ten.

It was a big win for the Clippers getting this pick from the Pacers, but what will they do with it? Could they trade back for more assets? Could they trade the pick for a win now player to put around Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland? The trade to acquire Garland complicates this pick as well. If Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, and Wilson are the top four picks, the rest of the board shapes up with guards at the top. None of them are perfect fits with Garland.

Perhaps in an attempt to replace the void left by Ivica Zubac, the Clippers trade back to No. 8 to draft Michigan center Aday Mara and the Hawks get the guard of their choice.

At the end of the day, I find it unlikely that the Hawks trade up in this draft, but the Clippers are the clear option for if they try.

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