The Washington Wizards own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and for the first time in over a decade, Washington has all the power in their possession.
Reports have already surfaced surrounding the idea that Washington will at least hear out offers about potentially trading down in the NBA Draft, and considering the amount of blue-chip prospects on the board, it doesn't come as a total surprise.
Still, for Washington to give up the rights to select AJ Dybantsa, who's expected to be the top pick, they'd have to be presented with an offer they simply couldn't refuse.
Two teams that have been linked to a potential trade-down scenario have been the Utah Jazz and the Brooklyn Nets.
A deal with Brooklyn doesn't make much sense, considering their order in the draft and the lack of appealing prospects already on the roster.
However, a deal with the Jazz could present Washington with the perfect opportunity to not only right their wrongs from last offseason, but pull off a heist in the best way possible.
Wizards could leverage No. 1 for a package of Ace Bailey and No. 2
There's no telling exactly how much the Jazz are willing to give up to slide up one position in the draft, but assuming Danny Ainge and Austin Ainge are sold on Dybantsa, Washington could test just how far they're willing to go in order to secure the Boston native.
As many know, last offseason, the Wizards were dealt a bad hand with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after their Cooper Flagg dreams were crushed by landing the lowest possible pick they could have.
To make matters worse, when Utah snagged Ace Bailey one pick in front of the Wizards after rumors of the Rutgers product attempting to force his way to the DMV, it felt like everything was against Washington.
Fast forward to this season, Will Dawkins could find a way to erase what happened last offseason and cash in on a franchise haul.
If the Wizards could somehow persuade them to include Bailey alongside the No. 2 overall pick, Washington could essentially walk away with a dynamic forward option with upside, while also still managing to take a top prospect in Darryn Peterson, a player many labeled as the top prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft entering the season.
Wizards are in a can't-lose situation
The likelihood that Utah would be that desperate for Dybantsa to essentially waste their pick from last year is unlikely.
However, if they're not willing to make a trade like that, Washington simply doesn't have to make any deal, given they'll be granted the opportunity to secure a franchise cornerstone in Dybantsa or Peterson regardless.
After years of bad luck, it feels like the Wizards finally have things falling in their favor, and it's about time.
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