There are two different races concurrently happening in the NBA.
There are the teams vying for positioning atop the Eastern and Western Conference standings, trying to improve their seeding in the final month of the 2025-26 regular season. And there are teams vying for positioning at the bottom of the standings with the intent to improve their chances to secure high draft picks.
This is particularly magnified because of the projected depth of the 2026 NBA Draft class, with names like Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Duke’s Cameron Boozer headlining.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the teams who are tanking with a rebuild in mind:
NBA tank watch
Chicago Bulls (27-39; .409)
12 games back of worst record
Chicago is a confusing team. The Bulls made unconventional moves before the trading deadline, going heavy on guards. Yet, the roster is not good enough to compete and not bad enough to fully tank, even as injuries pile up. Chicago has won three of its last six games.
Current percentage for No. 1 overall pick: 4.5%
Memphis Grizzlies (23-42; .354)
8½ games back of worst record
The Grizzlies, after reportedly looking to deal Ja Morant ahead of the trading deadline, have slow-played his return from a left elbow injury. Memphis has lost six consecutive games and 19 of its last 24.
Current percentage for No. 1 overall pick: 6%
Dallas Mavericks (22-44; .333)
7 games back of worst record
The Mavericks have continued to develop last year’s No. 1 overall selection, Cooper Flagg, as they rebuild with him as the face of the franchise. Dallas has ruled out a return for Kyrie Irving (torn ACL) this season and is planning to move on from the mistake that was the short-lived Anthony Davis era.
Current percentage for No. 1 overall pick: 7.5%
New Orleans Pelicans (22-45; .328)
6½ games back of worst record
This is one of the more interesting cases. The Pelicans will be sending this pick to the Hawks or Bucks as part of their trade last draft to move up to select Derik Queen. So, New Orleans actually has an incentive to win with its current players, just to continue establishing a culture of competitiveness.
Either way, Atlanta and Milwaukee are poised to end up with appealing selections.
Current percentage for No. 1 overall pick: 9%
Utah Jazz (20-46; .303)
5 games back of worst record
No team, arguably, has been more overt about its tanking than Utah. The Jazz, at times, have intentionally sat their best players for the entire fourth quarters of games, citing minutes restrictions, after those players had played the previous three quarters. Fourth quarters, of course, are the most important moments of games.
The team has also shut down players like Jaren Jackson Jr. (left knee) and Jusuf Nurkić (nose), while star forward Lauri Markkanen (hip) hasn’t played since Feb. 23.
Utah’s first-round pick is Top 8 protected, which makes their positioning particularly precarious. They currently have the fifth-worst record in the NBA.
Current percentage for No. 1 overall pick: 10.5%
Brooklyn Nets (17-49; .258)
2 games back of worst record
This was always going to be a transitional season for Brooklyn, which kept each of its five first-round selections from the 2025 draft. To their credit, the Nets are still playing their best player in Michael Porter Jr., but the overall roster is so deficient that victories have been tough to come by. The Nets have lost 12 of their last 14, though one of those victories came against the No. 1 seed in the East, the Pistons.
Current percentage for No. 1 overall pick: 12.5%
Washington Wizards (16-49; .246)
1½ games back of worst record
If Anthony Davis actually makes his debut for the Wizards this season, it appears that it will come very late in the season. And even then, he likely won’t suit up for very many games. Trae Young has played just three games for Washington, whose defense has been abysmal. For reference: this is the team that allowed Bam Adebayo, a career 16.1-point-per-game scorer, to drop 83 on them.
Washington’s pick is Top 8 protected.
Current percentage for No. 1 overall pick: 14%
Sacramento Kings (16-51; .239)
½ game back of worst record)
Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and DeAndre Hunter have each been shut down and Keegan Murray (sprained ankle) hasn’t played since Feb. 25. Sacramento’s efforts to tank are interesting; they have plenty of veterans still playing with effort, but the roster construction is so poor that it simply doesn’t work.
Current percentage for No. 1 overall pick: 14%
Indiana Pacers (15-51; .227)
Their first-round selection is Top 4 and 10-30 protected. Indiana has All-Star Pascal Siakam playing sporadically, and the Pacers have the longest active losing streak in the NBA, at 11 games.
The thing with the Pacers is that, if they’re able to nab one of the top three players in the draft, they instantly become a massive threat next season and beyond, once Tyrese Haliburton returns from his ruptured Achilles tendon.
Current percentage for No. 1 overall pick: 14%
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA tank watch: Teams with best chance to land No. 1 draft pick
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