The Dynamic NBA Draft 2026: Trades and Picks Analysis

The NBA draft for 2026 was marked by numerous trades and swaps, carried out over two rounds and two nights. It began before the first pick was announced and continued until the final player was selected. Initially quiet on Tuesday night, teams selected players and retained them through the first 12 spots. However, trades began rapidly after pick No. 13, building on a massive deal agreed upon the previous Monday involving Giannis Antetokounmpo. In total, nine trades involving 10 players occurred over the final 18 selections.

Wednesday night brought more complexity. Draft rights of 17 players were swapped, with picks exchanged multiple times during the second round. These transactions won’t be official until July 6.

Round 1 Highlights

• No. 13: F Nate Ament was announced for Miami, but his rights were quickly sent to Milwaukee.
• No. 16: G Bennett Stirtz, chosen by Memphis, had his rights swapped to Oklahoma City for No. 17 and two second-round selections.
• No. 17: G Ebuka Okorie was initially held by Oklahoma City but sent to Memphis in the trade for Stirtz’s rights.
• No. 21: F Karim Lopez, announced for Detroit, had rights sent to Memphis along with three first-round selections for Okorie’s rights.
• No. 24: G Cameron Carr’s rights were sent by the New York Knicks to the Los Angeles Lakers.
• No. 25: F Sergio De Larrea was picked by the Lakers but sent to the Knicks; his rights were traded to Dallas.
• No. 26: C Tarris Reed Jr.’s rights were traded from Denver to San Antonio.
• No. 28: F Joshua Jefferson was traded by Minnesota to Brooklyn as part of the Julius Randle trade.
• No. 29: F Alex Karaban’s rights were sent from Cleveland to Sacramento, with Cleveland moving back to No. 34.
• No. 30: F Koa Peat was traded by the Knicks to Phoenix, along with Dallas’s pick for a player from Arizona.

Round 2 Highlights

• No. 31: G Bruce Thornton was traded by the Knicks to Houston, who sent No. 55 to the Knicks while moving up to No. 53 and acquiring a 2029 second-round pick.
• No. 33: G Isaiah Evans’s spot was acquired by Minnesota in the trade with Brooklyn.
• No. 34: G Meleek Thomas’s rights were swapped by Sacramento to Cleveland as part of Tuesday night’s pick deal.
• No. 35: F Trevon Brazile’s selection was traded from the Spurs to Denver.
• No. 37: G Ryan Conwell was picked by Oklahoma City but his rights quickly sent to Miami.
• No. 38: G Braden Smith’s rights were traded by Chicago to Indiana.
• No. 39: G Jack Kayil’s rights were packaged by Houston to the Knicks.
• No. 41: G Otega Oweh’s rights were swapped by Miami to Oklahoma City for Conwell’s rights.
• No. 46: F Felix Okpara’s rights were traded by Orlando to Washington.
• No. 47: F Tyler Nickel’s rights involved Phoenix in the deal for Peat’s rights from the Knicks.
• No. 51: F Izaiyah Nelson’s rights were sent by Washington to Orlando along with the No. 60 pick for Okpara’s rights.
• No. 52: C Henri Veesaar’s rights were sent by the Los Angeles Clippers to Atlanta.
• No. 53: C Ugonna Onyenso was acquired by the Knicks from Houston.
• No. 55: F Nick Martinelli’s rights were traded by Houston to the Clippers.
• No. 56: G Vsevolod Ishchenko’s rights were sent by Chicago to the Los Angeles Lakers, who then swapped them to Dallas.
• No. 57: F Narcisse Ngoy’s rights were traded by Atlanta to the Clippers.
• No. 60: F Malique Lewis’s slot was acquired by Milwaukee from Orlando.

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