By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Following tiebreaker drawings on Monday, the NBA officially finalized the selection order for this summer’s draft, pending the NBA Draft Lottery 2026 to be held on Sunday, May 10.
This process resolved several positioning battles for teams with identical records in the 2025-26 Regular Season. The Utah Jazz won a drawing over the Sacramento Kings to secure the fourth seed, while the New Orleans Pelicans edged out the Dallas Mavericks for the seventh spot. Further down the board, the Phoenix Suns won a three-way tiebreaker against the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic, followed by the Toronto Raptors over the Atlanta Hawks, the Houston Rockets over the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the New York Knicks over the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Washington Wizards, Indiana Pacers, and Brooklyn Nets enter the postseason cycle with the best statistical chance to secure the first overall pick, with each franchise holding a 14.0% probability.
|
Seed |
Team |
Record |
No. 1 Pick Odds |
Top-4 Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington Wizards | 17–65 | 14.0% | 52.1% |
| 2 | Indiana Pacers | 19–63 | 14.0% | 52.1% |
| 3 | Brooklyn Nets | 20–62 | 14.0% | 52.1% |
| 4 | Utah Jazz | 22–60 | 12.5% | 48.1% |
| 5 | Sacramento Kings | 22–60 | 10.5% | 42.1% |
| 6 | Memphis Grizzlies | 25–57 | 9.0% | 37.2% |
| 7 | New Orleans Pelicans | 26–56 | 7.5% | 31.9% |
| 8 | Dallas Mavericks | 26–56 | 6.0% | 26.2% |
| 9 | Chicago Bulls | 31–51 | 4.5% | 20.3% |
| 10 | Milwaukee Bucks | 32–50 | 3.0% | 13.9% |
| 11 | Golden State Warriors | 37–45 | 2.0% | 9.4% |
| 12 | LA Clippers | 42–40 | 1.5% | 7.1% |
| 13 | Miami Heat | 43–39 | 1.0% | 4.8% |
| 14 | Charlotte Hornets | 44–38 | 0.5% | 2.4% |
While the lottery odds are set, several picks remain subject to trade protections and results from the May 10 drawing. With the Indiana Pacers’ selection top-four protected, it will transfer to the Los Angeles Clippers should it fall to the fifth or sixth spot. Similarly, the Hawks currently hold the rights to the more favorable selection between Pelicans and the Milwaukee Bucks. In the second round, the order for tied teams will be inverted from the first round, affecting the positioning of several clubs including the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Remaining draft order
15. Chicago Bulls
16. Memphis Grizzlies
17. Oklahoma City Thunder
18. Charlotte Hornets
19. Toronto Raptors
20. San Antonio Spurs
21. Detroit Pistons
22. Philadelphia 76ers
23. Atlanta Hawks
24. New York Knicks
25. Los Angeles Lakers
26. Denver Nuggets
27. Boston Celtics
28. Minnesota Timberwolves
29. Cleveland Cavaliers
30. Dallas Mavericks
31. New York Knicks
32. Memphis Grizzlies
33. Brooklyn Nets
34-35: Sacramento Kings
34-35: San Antonio Spurs
36. Los Angeles Clippers
37-38: Oklahoma City Thunder
37-38: Chicago Bulls
39. Houston Rockets
40. Boston Celtics
41. Miami Heat
42. San Antonio Spurs
43. Brooklyn Nets
44. San Antonio Spurs
45. Sacramento Kings
46. Orlando Magic
47. Phoenix Suns
48. Dallas Mavericks
49. Denver Nuggets
50. Toronto Raptors
51. Washington Wizards
52. Los Angeles Clippers
53. Houston Rockets
54. Golden State Warriors
55. New York Knicks
56. Chicago Bulls
57. Atlanta Hawks
58. New Orleans Pelicans
59. Minnesota Timberwolves
60. Washington Wizards