As the 2026 NBA playoffs unfold, 14 lottery-bound teams are transitioning into offseason preparations, with the highly anticipated NBA draft lottery scheduled for May 10. This year's 2026 draft class is widely praised as a historically deep pool of talent, offering franchises a significant opportunity to reshape their future with a single pick. The Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Washington Wizards currently share the best odds, each with a 14% chance of securing the coveted No. 1 overall pick. Other teams are hoping for a stroke of luck similar to the Dallas Mavericks, who famously landed the No. 1 pick last season despite having only the 11th-best lottery odds at 1.8%.

The draft lottery will definitively determine the final order for the top 14 selections. Following the lottery, picks 5 through 14 will be ordered inversely based on teams' regular-season finishes. The NBA recently conducted its tiebreaking process on Monday afternoon, establishing the order for picks 15 through 30 and resolving several ties among lottery teams. The most significant tiebreaker, decided by a random drawing at the league's offices in Secaucus, N.J., was between the Sacramento Kings and the Utah Jazz for the fourth-best lottery odds. Utah emerged victorious, securing the fourth-best odds, while Sacramento landed the fifth-best. This outcome ensures both teams have an 11.5% chance of winning the top pick and a 45.2% chance of moving into the top four. Crucially for the Jazz, this result also guarantees their pick will not fall out of the top eight, meaning it will not convey to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who held a top-eight protected pick condition.

Further tie-breaking decisions impacted other lottery positions. The New Orleans Pelicans were awarded the seventh lottery slot, and the Dallas Mavericks secured the eighth. However, the Pelicans' pick will not be exercised by New Orleans, as it was traded to the Atlanta Hawks during last year's draft. Consequently, Atlanta will receive the better selection between the Pelicans' pick and the Milwaukee Bucks' pick, which holds the tenth lottery slot, with Milwaukee receiving the lesser of the two. Both the Dallas and New Orleans picks now carry a 29% chance of jumping up in the lottery and a 6.3% chance of landing the top pick.

Additional tie-breaks for the later first-round picks were also finalized. The 16th, 17th, and 18th picks will be made by the Memphis Grizzlies (via Phoenix), the Oklahoma City Thunder (via Philadelphia), and the Charlotte Hornets (via Orlando), respectively. The Toronto Raptors were awarded the 19th pick, and the San Antonio Spurs will select 20th, utilizing Atlanta's first-round pick. The Philadelphia 76ers will pick 22nd with Houston's original first-round selection, while the Atlanta Hawks will pick 23rd with Cleveland's first-round pick. Finally, the New York Knicks will select 24th, and the Los Angeles Lakers will pick 25th.

Here is the complete 2026 NBA Draft order as it stands after the tie-breaking process, with the top four picks to be determined by the lottery:

First Round:
1. Washington Wizards (14% chance to pick No. 1)
2. Indiana Pacers (14%)
3. Brooklyn Nets (14%)
4. Utah Jazz (11.5%)
5. Sacramento Kings (11.5%)
6. Memphis Grizzlies (8.0%)
7. Atlanta Hawks (via NO; 6.8%)
8. Dallas Mavericks (6.7%)
9. Chicago Bulls (4.5%)
10. Milwaukee Bucks (3%)
11. Golden State Warriors (2%)
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC; 1.5%)
13. Miami Heat (1%)
14. Charlotte Hornets (0.5%)
15. Chicago Bulls (via POR)*
16. Memphis Grizzlies (via PHX)
17. Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHI)
18. Charlotte Hornets (via ORL)
19. Toronto Raptors
20. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL)
21. Detroit Pistons (via MIN)
22. Philadelphia 76ers (via HOU)
23. Atlanta Hawks (via CLE)
24. New York Knicks
25. Los Angeles Lakers
26. Denver Nuggets
27. Boston Celtics
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET)
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via SA)
30. Dallas Mavericks (via OKC)

Second Round:
31. New York Knicks (via WSH)
32. Memphis Grizzlies (via IND)
33. Brooklyn Nets
34. Sacramento Kings
35. San Antonio Spurs (via UTAH)
36. LA Clippers (via MEM)
37. Oklahoma City Thunder (via DAL)
38. Chicago Bulls (via NO)
39. Houston Rockets (via CHI)
40. Boston Celtics (via MIL)
41. Miami Heat (via GS)
42. San Antonio Spurs (via POR)
43. Brooklyn Nets (via LAC)
44. San Antonio Spurs (via MIA)
45. Sacramento Kings (via CHA)
46. Orlando Magic
47. Phoenix Suns (via PHI)
48. Dallas Mavericks (via PHX)
49. Denver Nuggets (via ATL)
50. Toronto Raptors
51. Washington Wizards (via MIN)
52. LA Clippers (via CLE)
53. Houston Rockets
54. Golden State Warriors (via LAL)
55. New York Knicks
56. Chicago Bulls (via DEN)
57. Atlanta Hawks (via BOS)
58. New Orleans Pelicans (via DET)
59. Minnesota Timberwolves (via SA)
60. Washington Wizards (via OKC)

Looking ahead, the NBA's draft lottery will be held on May 10 in Chicago, coinciding with the league's draft combine, which runs from May 10-17. The 2026 NBA draft itself will be a two-night event hosted at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with the first round taking place on June 23 and the second round on June 24. The deadline for early entrant players to declare for this year's draft is approaching this Friday, adding another layer of anticipation to the upcoming offseason.