It seems it isn’t just dynasty managers who have their sights set on the 2026 draft. By my count, eight teams are about to make a dramatic push for the best lottery odds they can possibly have for this draft. That could mean some of the most egregious tanking that league has ever seen.

One look at the top of this class makes it easy to see why. Headlined by Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa, this is shaping up to be one of the best draft classes ever. Beyond the top three, there are other elite prospects, such as Caleb Wilson, Kingston Flemings and Keaton Wagler, among others. Frankly, not tanking this season would be borderline malpractice. This class is that good. That shouldn't be news if you're a dedicated dynasty diva, but that doesn't mean it's too late to start prioritizing picks. It's that time of year where managers are more willing to part with picks to make a run at a championship. Swoop in and acquire extra picks to give you flexibility to move up in the draft or just get bonus lottery odds.

Of course, tanking in the NBA is different than it is in fantasy basketball. In your dynasty league, you can just set the worst lineup you possibly can that fits your league requirements. In the NBA, a multi-year tank will take a toll on the players, fans, coaching staff and ownership, though potentially for different reasons. Still, a savvy GM can accelerate a rebuild and sell everyone in the organization on hope for the future. Of course, it takes a little luck, just like in your dynasty leagues.

We can vent frustrations about our players being unavailable for the fantasy playoffs. We can bump our playoffs earlier and earlier every season. We can avoid drafting players on teams we expect to rebuild. At the end of the day, we simply need to be deliberate in the areas we can control and let the chips fall where they may.

Hitting on draft picks is advantageous, and winning trades gives managers an edge. Understanding what is happening over the final two months of the season is crucial to succeeding in both departments. There will be wild stats and crazy rotations after the All-Star break, and they’ll only get worse as the season progresses.

Keeping up with every game becomes more and more of a grind, but the payout is worth it. One player I’ll be watching is Jarace Walker. The No. 8 pick in 2023, Walker struggled to be part of the Pacers’ rotation over the last two seasons. Losing Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) for the season was devastating, but taking a season to figure out what some of these guys look like in a larger role will benefit them in the long run. Walker struggled to start this season, but he has looked better as of late. He’ll continue to play big minutes, especially since the Pacers’ first-round pick is now top-four protected after they acquired Ivica Zubac. They’ll start resting their veteran players more and more to ensure they don't part with the lottery pick they were hoping to be rewarded with after a long season.

The Clippers are hoping the Pacers’ pick lands in the 5-9 range since it will go to them in that scenario. Bennedict Mathurin wasn’t enough for them to part with Zubac; they’re hoping for some luck. There isn’t too much excitement for dynasty managers when it comes to the Clippers, though deciding what to do about Kawhi Leonard is an interesting case study. It’s easy to simply say “he’s healthy, until he isn’t.” Unfortunately, there isn’t too much else to really analyze. He’s been mostly healthy this season. He’s even been playing in back-to-backs. He’s also been one of the best players in fantasy basketball, and they still intend to compete despite trading away Zubac and James Harden, so Kawhi’s usage will remain out of this world. If he does get hurt, any and everyone will tell you that “they knew it would happen eventually.” If your team is ready to win a championship, making a deal for Leonard makes sense. Of course, if your team is on the opposite end of the standings, it is best to sell high. Leonard is 34 years old, and with his injury history, there isn’t much of a reason to be optimistic about his long-term value.

The swap of Harden and Darius Garland has been seen as a win for the Cavaliers early on, but the Clippers have to be happy with this return. In his last season before the Cavs traded for Donovan Mitchell, Garland averaged 21.7 points and 8.6 assists per game, both being career highs. This is the first time in four years that Garland will be the primary ball handler when he gets healthy. He has slowly fallen down dynasty rankings in recent years, but this move will give him the chance to redeem his value. He should be seen as a buy-low candidate.

Cleveland may feel optimistic right now with Honeymoon Harden, and the move should make them a more competitive team since Garland has been dealing with a toe injury all season. But I’m more interested in the other pieces they have. Jarrett Allen has been awesome with Harden, but we haven’t seen Evan Mobley with him yet. That should raise his ceiling. Jaylon Tyson has enjoyed a breakout second season, but he isn’t the only dynasty stash on their roster. Craig Porter Jr. should still be stashed, and they acquired Keon Ellis at the trade deadline. Both guards haven’t gotten much of an opportunity in their careers, but when they get the chance, they stuff the stat sheet. Ellis was wasting away on the bench in Sacramento, and in a better environment, he may finally become that consistent source of steals that we’ve seen him be in the past.

Speaking of Sacramento, things couldn’t be much worse there. In the year 2026, 11.3% of their points scored this season have come on mid-range shots. That’s the most in the league, with the Rockets in second at 8.9%. Only 28.2% of the Kings’ points this season have come from beyond the arc, which is last in the league. Still, there are players to keep an eye on there, especially if the Kings opt to keep their veterans’ legs fresh in the hopes of trading them this offseason. The players I’m keeping an eye on are Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell, Devin Carter and Nique Clifford. Who is going to be part of the team’s future? It could be all of them, and they all have fantasy-friendly statsets. Factoring in Keegan Murray and a top pick, there is a budding young core growing beneath the surface of an aging veteran group that can’t buy a win. The sooner Sacramento cuts the chord, the better, even if they don’t end up getting many assets back.

The Nets made five first-round selections last summer, and while all of them have shown their upside at times, the recent success story has been Nolan Traore. Over his final four games entering the All-Star break, he averaged 17.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.8 triples per game. I’m intrigued by what Brooklyn’s building, and I want to see how Traore looks down the stretch.

Is everyone going to be mad at me if I say I like what Chicago is doing? They’re not close to competing, but they haven’t been for a few years. Any semblance of a contending team to start the year was fraudulent, and there’s nothing wrong with that. They bought low on a bunch of players at the trade deadline, and we should take notes as dynasty managers. Can Rob Dillingham or Jaden Ivey prove that their old teams were wrong to give up on them? Either the Bulls find a diamond in the rough, or they just move on. This team doesn’t have its franchise player yet, and while that will probably come through the draft, there’s nothing wrong with a few dart throws at the trade deadline.

Watchlist:

Jonathan Kuminga, Atlanta Hawks

Will he vault his value away from Golden State, or is the fit in Atlanta too clunky?

Tidjane Salaun, Charlotte Hornets

He had some solid games earlier this season. Did that mean anything?

GG Jackson, Memphis Grizzlies

He’ll get the chance to play big minutes. Will the production be legitimate or just inflated stats on a lottery team?

Ousmane Dieng, Milwaukee Bucks

Had 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assist, one steal, four blocks and three triples in a revenge game against the Thunder on Thursday after hitting a career-high five triples on Wednesday. Did the Bucks strike gold?

Nikola Topic, Oklahoma City Thunder

Amazing to see him back in the lineup. Now how does he fit in this incredibly deep backcourt?

Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers

83.3% shooting at the rim through four games. That’s not sustainable, but has he finally made the leap as a finisher?

Cody Williams, Utah Jazz

He was written off as a bust after his rookie season, but Williams came into the league as a raw prospect. He’s had some solid games recently, but will that be enough to prove he belongs in the rotation next year when they’re ready to compete?

Will Riley, Washington Wizards

He’s had some fantastic games over the past few weeks, but is he good enough to be in the rotation when this team is healthy?