NBA Teams That Need the No. 1 Pick Most in the 2026 Draft Lottery

The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on a fateful Sunday night where franchise fortunes hang in the balance.

With the lottery order to be determined this weekend, which organizations need to hit the jackpot the most?

Sacramento Kings

Odds for No. 1: 11.5%

The 2023 Beam Team notwithstanding, Sacramento are a perpetually moribund organization with an ever-aggrieved fanbase that is well-acquainted with disappointment. The Kings have had fourteen lottery picks since drafting Tyreke Evans in 2009, only one of which has fallen in the top 3. The front office sent Tyrese Haliburton packing in the pursuit of instant gratification and Luka Dončić slipped from their clutches. After notching their lowest win total since 2012, few teams are as talent-starved and desperate for the lottery balls to finally break their way.

Brooklyn Nets

Odds for No. 1: 14%

The 2025-26 Nets were a revolving door of unproven talent and experimentation. A youth movement that oozes potential but lacks a clear road map to success in the near-term. With Jordi Fernández steering the ship from the sidelines, all that remains is the requisite personnel to form an identity and build from the ground-up. After seemingly being outnumbered by Knicks fans in their own building, Sean Marks needs a drawcard in Brooklyn to recapture at least some of the grandeur he managed to foster earlier in the decade.

Chicago Bulls

Odds for No. 1: 4.5%

Following the long-awaited dismissal of Executive Artūras Karnišovas, the treadmill of mediocrity that has taken hold in the Windy City since the early-2010s may finally be winding down. Patrick Williams stands as their only top 5 pick since selecting Derrick Rose in 2008 and, as such, the Bulls have little in the way of premiere prospects (unless you are higher than consensus on Matas Buzelis' future). Adding a heavy-hitter at the top of the draft board would be Chicago's one-way ticket back to relevance.

Memphis Grizzlies

Odds for No. 1: 9%

With one of the best draft pick track records of recent vintage, the Grizzlies' still find themselves in relative turmoil. They acknowledged the hard ceiling of their previous star trio, opting to sell high on Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. while recalibrating accordingly. 

With Ja Morant's star equity and trade value at a nadir, the only course of action in a small market like Memphis is to cross your fingers and hope to take a swing at the top of the draft. The Grizzlies already have potential building blocks in Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, Taylor Hendricks, and Walter Clayton Jr.. But the missing ingredient is a true cornerstone with discernible star-upside.

Golden State Warriors

Odds for No. 1: 2%

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, the Warriors are faced with the arduous team-building task of optimizing Stephen Curry's late prime with limited resources at their disposal. Their two-timeline approach failed miserably post their 2022 title as their hopes rode on James Wiseman. Suffice to say a shot at No. 1 in 2026 would be somewhat tantamount to lightning striking twice. However, with Curry ageing about as gracefully as 38-year-old point guard ever has, the Warriors are in need of good fortune if they have any hope of buying him time and extending their title window.