Washington Wizards president Michael Winger confirmed Sunday that the franchise is willing to explore trading down from the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, a stance also echoed by Utah Jazz president Austin Ainge regarding the No. 2 selection.
“We’re open,” Ainge said. “We’ll always listen.”
Winger explained that the Wizards do not view the top pick as essential to transforming the franchise, given the significant roster additions already made this season. Washington traded for former All-Stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis while continuing to develop several recent lottery picks. He added that general manager Will Dawkins intends to evaluate all available options, including moving down if the organization identifies multiple players it values equally later in the draft.
A key factor in any trade discussions will be AJ Dybantsa, widely considered the leading prospect in this class. The Jazz have frequently been linked to Dybantsa throughout the season, though their draft positioning became more complicated after acquiring Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies in February.
Across the league, there is growing belief that teams within the top four could entertain trade scenarios involving movement inside that range. However, executives generally do not expect any team holding a top-four selection to drop completely out of that tier.
