In the NBA, there was also a stake at the bottom of the standings, as two teams could still finish the season with the worst record in the league: the Pacers and the Wizards.
Ultimately, thanks to their loss against the Heat, their 64th of the season, their 25th in 26 games, and their 9th in a row, the Wizards clinched the “Holy Grail”. They are now assured of coming away with a top 5 pick in the 2026 Draft during the traditional May “Lottery”.
However, this does not guarantee Washington hitting the jackpot in June, as the capital franchise will only have a 14% chance of getting the first pick. This is the same as the Pacers and likely the Nets, the other two teams expected to finish with one of the three worst records this season.
It is worth noting that the Pistons in 2023, the Pistons in 2024, and the Jazz in 2025 each ended up with the 5th pick in the Draft despite having the worst record in the regular season. This shows that “tanking” is not necessarily a guarantee of success, with a 47.9% chance of getting a simple 5th pick.
Fortunately, the 2026 class is considered a great one, and players like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., and Kingston Flemings should be able to bolster the Wizards’ roster. They are already equipped with Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr, and Bilal Coulibaly, to name a few.
