Upside and Motor: These NBA Draft trades could shake up a chaotic lottery

The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery has come and gone, and man, what a doozy. Cooper Flagg is on his way to the Dallas Mavericks in the most stunning lotto outcome since Derrick Rose went to his hometown Bulls all those years ago. Dallas had a 1.8 percent chance to jump up to No. 1 after winning a coin flip with Chicago, ironically. Suddenly, their future post-Luka Dončić looks awfully bright.

That was not the end of the surprises. It yet another stroke of lottery luck, the San Antonio Spurs leapt up eight spots to No. 2, giving them an opportunity to add another long-term franchise cornerstone next to Victor Wembanyama. That is, assuming San Antonio does not look to flip the second pick into a more proven star.

At No. 3, the Philadelphia 76ers will look to capitalize on a disastrous season by adding another long-term building block next to Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain. The Sixers have a ton of options, whether it's keeping the pick, trading back, or trading for a more proven star. We know Daryl Morey will explore all his options.

The Charlotte Hornets round out the top four, with Utah and Washington both dropping four spots after finishing with the two worst records in the NBA.

There figures to be a lot of trade chatter seeping into the draft conversation over the next few months. Here are a few trades we'd like to see.

Rockets send No. 10 pick to Hawks for Trae Young

ATL receives: Reed Sheppard, Jalen Green, No. 10 overall pick
HOU receives: Trae Young

There has been significant buzz tying the Houston Rockets to Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Houston should absolutely attempt to land the two-time MVP. If that falls through, however, the Rockets need a high-level shot creator to elevate the halfcourt offense. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are fine options, but Houston may be better off seeking out the younger (and potentially more affordable) Trae Young.

The writing has been on the wall for this iteration of the Atlanta Hawks roster for a while. Atlanta's new GM will step into a difficult position with San Antonio controlling the Hawks' next couple drafts. An outright tank will accomplish very little unless the Hawks can get those picks from the Spurs. And yet, Atlanta needs to recalibrate and start thinking about the future.

We know Atlanta strongly considered taking Reed Sheppard at No. 1 a year ago. He carries massive appeal as a potential Young successor, supplying knockdown shooting and a high feel for the game at point guard. Sheppard was a historically efficient freshman at Kentucky. His opportunities were limited on a deep Rockets team, but Atlanta can immediately hand him the keys.

The Hawks also gamble on Jalen Green's upside. The talent remains overwhelming, but Green's inconsistency was a huge drag for Houston in the playoffs. Atlanta can give him more space and patience. Factor in a second lottery pick in the loaded 2025 draft, and the Hawks can set up their future quite well.

76ers trade back from No. 3 with needy Wizards

PHI receives: No. 6 overall pick, No. 18 overall pick
WAS receives: No. 3 overall pick

The Washington Wizards finished with the second-worst record in the NBA, tied for the best odds to land Cooper Flagg, only to fall all the way to No. 6 in the lottery. While there's still plenty of opportunity to land a franchise cornerstone at No. 6, Washington would surely prefer a more ambitious swing toward the top of the board.

Enter the Philadelphia 76ers, who are not an immediate fit for either Ace Bailey or VJ Edgecombe, the popular names tossed around at No. 3. Both would do just fine in Philly, but the Sixers could prefer a better fit such as Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel or Collin Murray-Boyles, all of whom might be available when the sixth overall pick rolls around.

This trade seems to benefit both parties. Philadelphia gets to stockpile depth and lean on Daryl Morey's stellar track record in the draft. Washington, meanwhile, gets to take a swing on a projected franchise talent at No. 3, whether it's the electric shot-making of Bailey or the dynamic two-way playmaking of Edgecombe. A win-win.

Pelicans send No. 7 pick to Celtics for Kristaps Porzingis

NOP receives: Kristaps Porzingis, No. 28 overall pick
BOS receives: No. 7 overall pick, Kelly Olynyk, Jordan Hawkins, Jose Alvarado, Karlo Matković

Kristaps Porzingis will enter the final year of his contract with tremendous uncertainty shrouding the Boston Celtics organization. We know new ownership will need to find creative ways to axe the tax bill. Plus, with Jayson Tatum suffering a potentially catastrophic ankle injury in Monday's Game 4, Boston's odds of contending in 2026 feel shaky at best.

If the Celtics decide to cash in on Porzingis, few teams need a rim-protecting, floor-spacing big more than the New Orleans Pelicans. We can fairly quibble with New Orleans burning its lottery pick on another injury-prone star, but there is obvious competitive upside to pairing Zion Williamson and Porzingis in the frontcourt. New Orleans also maintains plenty of future draft capital for other trades (or a potential teardown, if things go south).

This would give Boston a few decent role players and a potential long-term building block on a friendly contract. This Celtics front office has a strong track record of talent evaluation and development. Several quality names should be available when Boston comes on the clock at No. 7.

Meanwhile, the Pelicans get another first-round pick at No. 28 to keep the talent pipeline in good standing as Porzingis enters the fold. New Orleans should be able to strike up a long-term extension for Porzingis when the time comes. If the Pelicans aren't ready to hit the reset button, this trade could benefit all parties.

Spurs send No. 2 pick to Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo

SAS receives: Giannis Antetokounmpo
MIL receives: Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, No. 2 overall pick, No. 14 overall pick, ATL's 2027 first-round pick, SAS's 2029 first-round pick

We all want to see Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo share the frontcourt. San Antonio's absurd, decades-long run of lottery luck is bordering on conspiracy, but this is a prime opportunity to cash in. Gregg Popovich has long prioritized internal growth, but Wembanyama is a generational talent just scraping the surface of his ceiling. Giannis is a two-time MVP with championship pedigree. Throw an All-Star point guard into the mix with De'Aaron Fox, and the Spurs are probably favorites to win the West.

Giannis won't come cheap. He's a 30-year-old at the peak of his powers and with two years left on his contract. The Spurs would need to unload the clip, fully. Giannis is still putting up historic, MVP-level numbers and elevating his performance in the playoffs. There will be prospect-hugging fans who say "Stephon Castle is untouchable!" or "Devin Vassell is a no-go!" but this is Giannis freakin' Antetokounmpo we are talking about. A player of his caliber hits the trade market with multiple years on his deal maybe once in a generation, if that.

The Milwaukee Bucks recoup a lot of value to start their rebuild, including Stephon Castle, projected no. 2 pick Dylan Harper, and another lottery selection in next June's draft. Milwaukee also gets a couple sound vets in Harrison Barnes and Devin Vassell, Atlanta's unprotected 2027 first-round pick (a sneaky great asset), and the Spurs' own first-round pick four years down the road. That is a good starting point for navigating a post-Giannis world.

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What are five NBA Draft storylines worth monitoring after the lottery?

• Dallas jumps up to No. 1 after trading Luka Dončić mere months ago. This is a well-deserved boon for a tortured fanbase and the least-deserved get out of jail free card in front office history for Nico Harrison. The Mavs will be really good next season if Kyrie Irving can get back at full strength. But, does Harrison float the pick to Milwaukee for Giannis Antetokounmpo? ESPN's Brian Windhorst says it's something to monitor.
• The Spurs sit at No. 2 with Dylan Harper in full view and two cornerstone-type guards on the roster in De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle. To be frank, Castle is way overrated after winning Rookie of the Year in a historically poor draft, but the Spurs may have tough decisions on the horizon — or a clear path to Giannis.
• Philadelphia feels like a prime trade-down candidate at No. 3. That is also ammo for the notoriously aggressive Daryl Morey, who never shies away from a big swing. The Sixers continue to express confidence in Joel Embiid's health. It's fair to wonder if this pick is staying put.
• Both Utah (No. 5) and Washington (No. 6) fell four spots after god-awful seasons. Both teams are in the market for a big swing, whether that's stretching for upside at their current draft slots or maneuvering for a trade up. Both teams have a second first-round pick to dangle in trade talks. Going back to Philly, again, there is real trade potential in the top six.
• Atlanta has the No. 13 pick, but none of its own picks under control through 2027 after the Dejounte Murray trade. Trae Young's future hangs in the balance. Do not be shocked if Atlanta's new GM, whomever it may be, explores foundational change.

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