Why the champs and four other teams control the future of the NBA draft

The 2025 NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, have set the standard for how fringe playoff teams can successfully stockpile multiple future draft picks and build on young prospects.

The 2019 trade that brought reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a load of draft picks to Oklahoma City for Paul George produced twofold and six years later has become the blueprint for how teams can maximize their return value.

And as a result, five teams, including the Thunder, have a combined 55 first-round picks over the next couple of years: the Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and the Houston Rockets

Of those teams, which are best positioned to dominate the league’s annual draft through the next few years or use those assets to execute front office goals? Here is a ranking of the top five teams that hold the most first-round picks as of Sept. 18, 2025, and the biggest questions about those teams’ next moves.

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Thunder | Nets | Jazz | Rockets | Grizzlies
Biggest questions

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Incoming future first-round picks: 13
Future second-round picks: 16
Most valuable pick: 2026 top-4 protected first from the Philadelphia 76ers and 2027 swap rights with the LA Clippers

There’s no team better positioned for long-term success than Oklahoma City.

Even after committing $800 million this summer to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, which projects them to be a second apron team next summer, the Thunder have a treasure chest of future draft assets to offset their rising payroll.

The apron restrictions are designed to limit front offices from improving their rosters via free agency and trades. But unlike other high-spending teams, Oklahoma City has 13 first-round and 16 second-round picks in the next seven years. Four of those firsts could be in the 2026 draft and they are the only team to have at least three first-round picks next June.

Even if they finish with one of the best records, the Thunder could be drafting in the lottery for the next two drafts. They have a top-4 protected first from Philadelphia next June, the right to swap firsts with the Clippers in 2027 and then with the Dallas Mavericks the following year. — Bobby Marks

2. Brooklyn Nets

Incoming future first-round picks: 13
Future second-round picks: 19
Most valuable pick: Their own first in 2026 and unprotected 2032 first from the Denver Nuggets

The 2026 draft looms large for Brooklyn for two reasons: the star power atop the class could transform the franchise; however, the Nets owe a 2027 pick swap to the Houston Rockets, presenting an inflection point in the trajectory of this rebuild.

With the front office under general manager Sean Marks, the Nets are opting to maximize player development, reshape the roster and position themselves for top lottery odds next year. That was made clear with Brooklyn casting a wide net with its five first-round selections in this year’s draft. The Nets prioritized versatility and playmaking and will look to turn as many of their rookies into contributors this season as possible. The subtext of what will likely be a losing season is the opportunity to select at or near the top of next year’s draft, which a group of talent evaluators has continued to express excitement about all summer.

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, a top-ranked prospect for next year, could be a dynamic creator from the moment he steps on an NBA court. The same goes for BYU wing A.J. Dybantsa, who NBA teams view as another strong candidate for the No. 1 pick. The projected top five is presently rounded out by Duke’s Cameron Boozer, positioned for a breakout year in college, as well as two rising names in Tennessee’s Nate Ament and Louisville’s Mikel Brown.

How this college season plays out will shift opinion to some extent, but there’s potentially quite a bit of impact talent atop the draft. Meaning a tanking team may not need to win the lottery to land a transformative player.

Because the Nets don’t control their 2027 first-rounder, next offseason — in which they’ll again be heavy on cap space and flexibility — presents an obvious opportunity to accelerate the roster back into playoff contention. What exactly the next iteration of the team will look like remains to be seen, but some potential stars available in free agency and a cache of future draft capital to dangle in trade discussions gives Brooklyn a pathway back to competitiveness if things break right. — Jeremy Woo

3. Utah Jazz

Incoming future first-round picks: 11
Future second-round picks: 7
Future outgoing first-round picks: Top-8 protected to Oklahoma City (2026, else a 2028 second-round pick)
Most valuable first: Their own first in 2026 (if 1-8) and 2031 unprotected Phoenix Suns‘ first

The Jazz have effectively been stuck in neutral the past three seasons, with the rebuilding process that began in 2022 and has yet to bear results. Hiring Austin Ainge away from Boston to run the front office this offseason signaled a change to come and Ainge quickly went on record declaring that Utah wouldn’t be tanking in 2025-26. However, Utah’s first-rounder is top-8 protected to Oklahoma City, and the lack of veteran offseason additions potentially points to where the Jazz are headed, at least for one more season.

Utah took a major swing on Ace Bailey in the draft and added more offensive punch later in the first round with Walter Clayton Jr. This is a critical season for internal development as the Jazz evaluate which prospects from that group are long-term keepers. How the crowded backcourt minutes will be distributed should be particularly interesting, with Clayton joining Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier in a trio of offensive-minded and undersized ball handlers.

Although the Jazz have several veterans on the roster, headlined by former All-Star Lauri Markkanen, the priority should be on developing the younger talent. Bailey, a gifted wing shotmaker with size, offers the most untapped upside of that group, and as Ainge’s first selection, figures to be the prospect Utah pours into most. However, there are likely to be ups and downs as he adjusts to the NBA game, considering how raw his game appeared to be in college. Forward Kyle Filipowski has made some positive strides and deserves opportunities after winning summer league MVP. Taylor Hendricks also needs developmental minutes after an unlikely leg injury caused him to miss nearly all of his Year 2 last season.

There’s no simple, direct through line for Utah’s position back into playoff mode, with the 2026 draft class holding potential to reshape the trajectory. Whatever patience the Jazz can exercise despite the protracted nature of this rebuild might still pay off long-term. — Woo

4. Houston Rockets

Incoming future first-round picks: 9
Future second-round picks: 4
Future outgoing first-round picks: Top-4 protected first to Oklahoma City (2026)
Most valuable first: 2027 unprotected Phoenix first and two of the more favorable first of own, Dallas and Phoenix (2029)

The Rockets continue to invest strongly in both their short and long-term plans. They enter this season as one of the favorites in a tough Western Conference and still have some valuable, high-leverage draft capital on the way. How Houston integrates Kevin Durant into the mix after adding him in the offseason will be one of the biggest storylines this season. And the Rockets have enough talent to make waves in the West, as well as a number of young, rising players still developing within this competitive context.

The unprotected 2027 pick Houston owns from Phoenix stands out as a potential lottery ticket, with the Suns in the midst of a younger roster reset that figures to be challenging in the short term. It’s also a valuable trade chip if the Rockets decide to continue buying in the moment to contend with Durant turning 37 this year.

However, NBA teams’ current attitude toward the 2027 draft class can be characterized nicely as underwhelming. For as excited as front offices are about 2026, a major question mark hangs over the following year, with some executives viewing it as one of the weakest draft-eligible classes in some time, both from a domestic and international perspective. The American high school class is presently headlined by forward Tyran Stokes, who was the clear standout among his peers at the Nike Skills Academy, but will need to show improvement to solidify himself as a No. 1 pick-caliber prospect, even in what may be a comparatively thin draft.

NBA teams will be closely tracking how that group shapes up over the next 18 months and whether new players will emerge as potential blue-chip names. While the recurring “bad draft” label is always inherently flawed — sharp teams are generally able to find value no matter the strength of the player pool — that perception will hold some sway over how decision-makers operate with foresight. How perception affects the way teams, including the Rockets, choose to treat their 2027 draft picks, and how they are valued in trade discussions, could be an interesting subtext to this season’s transaction wheel. — Woo

5. Memphis Grizzlies

Incoming future first-round picks: 9
Future second-round picks: 6
Most valuable first: 2026 unprotected Phoenix first

The Grizzlies made a measured offseason decision to pivot toward long-term growth, trading Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for a nice return of draft assets that helped sustain the roster. They cashed in some of those chips immediately to move up to No. 11 in the draft this year and select Cedric Coward, a buzzy sleeper prospect who missed nearly the entire last college season due to injury.

Memphis doesn’t figure to bottom out, with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. forming the backbone of a competitive roster in a conference that will likely place them in play-in conversations. And the decision to offload Bane could portend more moves, depending on how the Grizzlies play to begin the season.

One positive for the Grizzlies is that they could wind up with a lottery ticket in 2026, no matter how their season goes, as they hold the rights to the Suns’ 2026 first-round pick if the swap rights with the Washington Wizards are eliminated. In essence, Memphis may not need to be a drastic seller to have multiple swings at selecting a top prospect. The Grizzlies have largely built well through the draft under Zach Kleiman, and the decision to be patient rather than push in chips this season could certainly pay off. — Woo

What first-round pick could be the most valuable next June?

The most surprising trade on draft night was the New Orleans Pelicans‘ decision to send a high-value draft pick — the more favorable of its own and Milwaukee Bucks‘ 2026 first — to the Atlanta Hawks for the 13th overall pick, which became Derik Queen.

That pick stands out as the most tantalizing 2026 draft asset untethered from its parent franchise, as it gives the Hawks rare control over two teams’ picks that could be lottery-bound. The Pelicans’ pick looks like a good bet at this stage, considering the number of things that would have to break correctly for a team that’s seemingly been snakebitten in recent years.

The Bucks will begin the season with a thin roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo, particularly in the backcourt, and will rely on him and new addition Myles Turner to prop them up. While a playoff berth is attainable, Antetokounmpo will be asked to create even more than last season with no guarantee Milwaukee ends up back in the postseason.

From Atlanta’s perspective, a best-case scenario is that this one selection represents dual lottery odds come May. The overall shock around the NBA over the Pelicans’ decision to move the pick last June, despite the potential high-impact players in next year’s lottery, plays into the relative feasibility of Atlanta getting two high picks. — Woo

Hornets, Wizards and Trail Blazers among next tier of teams

The Charlotte Hornets and Wizards continue to play the long game with their roster.

The two teams have a combined 15 players on first-round rookie contracts, an unprecedented 47 draft picks in the next seven years and over $100 million in expiring contracts.

Charlotte has their own first in the next seven years and four additional firsts that were acquired in prior trades. The most valuable is a 2027 top-14 protected first from the Miami Heat that becomes unprotected in 2028 and a 2027 top-2 protected first from the Mavericks.

On the other hand, the Wizards are in a unique position. Their 2026 first goes to the New York Knicks if it falls outside of the top-8, and they also have the right to swap firsts with the Suns if the pick to the Knicks is not conveyed. If their own first is kept, they will send New York a 2026 and 2027 second.

The Portland Trail Blazers took an aggressive approach this summer, first trading for veteran Jrue Holiday and then signing injured guard Damian Lillard. The two transactions improved the roster at the cost of no draft picks sent out.

Ironically, from the trades that sent Lillard to Milwaukee and Holiday to the Boston Celtics in the 2023 offseason, the Trail Blazers have the most and least favorable 2029 first of their own, Boston and Milwaukee. They also have the right to swap firsts with the Bucks in 2028 and 2030.

They will send their own 2026 first to the Chicago Bulls only if it falls outside of the top 14. — Marks

After trading for superstars, do the Warriors, Lakers and Spurs have enough to make another big move?

Golden State traded its own 2025 first for Jimmy Butler, but still can trade up to four firsts (2026, 2028, 2030, 2032) and swap firsts in every season.

While the Warriors have the draft assets to land another impact player, one obstacle could be the lack of sizable contracts to send in a trade. The trio of Butler, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green combine to make 78% of Golden State’s salary this season.

The Lakers land on the opposite side of that spectrum. Even with LeBron James and Luka Doncic earning close to $100 million this season, Los Angeles still has over $60 million in expiring contracts available to use in a trade. However, they lack available first-round picks, owing Utah a 2027 top-4 protected first and an unprotected first to Dallas in 2029, the lone first allowed to trade is in either 2031 or 2032. They can swap firsts in five seasons (2026, 2028, 2030, 2031 and 2032).

The Warriors and Lakers also have only one second available to trade.

Meanwhile, don’t overlook the San Antonio Spurs from acquiring another All-Star-level player to pair with Victor Wembanyama, despite trading four firsts for De’Aaron Fox.

The Spurs have the right to swap firsts with Atlanta this year and the Hawks’ unprotected first in 2027.

They also have the right to swap firsts with Boston (top-1 protected in 2028), more favorable of Dallas and the Minnesota Timberwolves (top-1 protected in 2030) and the Sacramento Kings (2031). San Antonio can also trade two of their own firsts in 2029 and 2031 or 2032.

San Antonio has 15 seconds available, the third most of any team. — Marks