Would the Utah Jazz actually trade up for No. 1 pick, AJ Dybantsa?
May 15, 2026, 12:59 PM
BYU basketball star AJ Dybantsa, left, and his father, Ace Dybantsa, right, look on after an NBA game between the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
(Photo courtesy of Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Soon after the Utah Jazz moved up to the No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, the conversation shifted to potential trade scenarios with the Washington Wizards for the No. 1 overall pick.
The Jazz are in a great position to take the best player available after Washington, but could they move up to select first for the first time in franchise history?
couldn’t agree more 👊#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/b5bH6Gk2pm
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) May 11, 2026
Reporting Around The Utah Jazz, NBA Draft
Almost immediately after the order of the draft was finalized, two key reports came out regarding teams at the top of the board.
Senior NBA writer Marc J. Spears reported that Washington is “open to listening to offers” for the No. 1 pick. On top of that, Jazz owner Ryan Smith has been quoted in multiple interviews saying that “everything is on the table” with Utah’s No. 2 pick.
So, long story short, a trade with Washington to move up is absolutely a possibility. Figuring out the probability of the move requires a deeper dive.
According to an article from @MarcJSpears, the Jazz have already reached out to Washington to take temperatures on a potential trade up in the draft. pic.twitter.com/cmNoNrsK9Q
— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) May 14, 2026
Spears also reported on Thursday that Utah had already reached out to Washington to open discussions about a trade.
That report shouldn’t hold too much weight, as those talks are Utah simply doing its due diligence and figuring out the price Washington has in mind.
It’s also worth noting that a trade would depend on Washington believing the assets coming back outweigh the gap between the No. 1 and No. 2 prospects on its board. So, if one player really separates himself as the pre-draft process plays out, a deal could become more difficult to accomplish.
What Would A Utah-Washington Trade Look Like?
Historical precedent for trading top-five draft capital is sparse. Teams have swapped top-five picks just six times in NBA history, and the No. 1 overall pick has been dealt just eight times. Only three of the 10 examples have happened in the 21st century.
The most similar situation occurred in 2017 when then-Celtics shot-caller Danny Ainge traded the No. 1 pick to Philadelphia for the third pick.
In that deal, the Sixers simply attached one future first-round pick.
A key piece of context for that trade and that draft class: Markelle Fultz was the clear-cut No. 1 overall pick. Lonzo Ball and Jayson Tatum were definitely seen as top prospects, but Fultz going first was almost a foregone conclusion.
The same can’t be said about the 2026 class. There are three or four players who are in talks to come off the board first.
The Jazz are all-in on their core of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Walker Kessler, Keyonte George, and Ace Bailey. Any deal with one of those names included can basically be forgotten. If the asking price comes in the form of a different young player and/or draft capital, something could come together.
The NBA Draft Lottery 2026 Results! pic.twitter.com/z1VNqyDCYY
— NBA (@NBA) May 10, 2026
The Most Likely Outcome
Although the storyline of former Utah Prep and BYU wing AJ Dybantsa starting his professional career with the Jazz would be fascinating, the Utah front office would likely be just fine holding onto all of its assets and picking at No. 2.
Not to mention, that outcome could still become reality with the second pick, as Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer remain in contention for the top pick.
The next 40 days leading up to the draft are sure to see reports both in favor of and against a trade. Until then, the question is whether the gap between No. 1 and No. 2 becomes large enough for Utah to chase.
