The movement we may still have in the top part of the NBA Draft 2025

From 2017 to 2019, at least one of the top five selections was exchanged in three consecutive NBA drafts.

The Sixers and the Celtics traded the first and third overall picks (used for Markelle Fultz and Jayson Tatum, respectively) in 2017; the Mavericks and the Hawks reached an agreement involving the third and fifth picks (which became Luka Doncic and Trae Young) in 2018; and the Lakers included the fourth pick (which became De'Andre Hunter) in their package for the then Pelicans' star Anthony Davis in 2019.

We haven't seen any top-five selections on the move since 2019, but trades involving draft picks continue to be relatively common. At least one pick from the draft has been moved on draft night or around it in each of the last four years, often by teams trading down a bit in the first round.

In other words, while we can't expect a high draft pick to be included in a blockbuster trade every year, there is clearly a precedent for the first 14 selections changing hands in June. This year's draft features many teams that could be prime candidates for a trade.

The Mavericks, at number 1, showed in February, when they traded Doncic to Los Angeles, that nothing is off the table for them. But it seems fairly certain that they won't move the first overall pick, which they will use for Cooper Flagg.

That means the list of legitimate trade candidates in the draft starts with the Spurs, who hold picks number 2 and 14. Dylan Harper is considered by many as the favorite to be the first player selected after Flagg, but San Antonio already has De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle in their backcourt. Could that open the door for another team to negotiate for the second pick, with the Spurs acquiring extra assets while moving down in the draft and selecting a prospect who would better fit alongside their current core?

Remaining Lottery Picks

At number 3, the top prospect for the Sixers may be Ace Bailey, but he is considered a long-term player who may not be ready to immediately contribute to a veteran team with title aspirations. Reportedly, the 76ers are keen on adding more youth and athleticism to a roster that was impacted by injuries in 2024/25, but perhaps they could move down a few spots and still achieve that goal.

There are no obvious reasons why the Hornets (No. 4), the Jazz (No. 5), the Wizards (No. 6), the Pelicans (No. 7), and the Nets (No. 8) need to make a trade, but several of these clubs have future draft assets that could put them in a good position to move up and get a player they like.

The Raptors, at number 9, seem ready to shift to win-now mode as they gear up to bring in a last-minute acquisition in Brandon Ingram, while the Rockets, at number 10, are already in win-now mode after struggling to find playing time for Reed Sheppard, last season's third draft pick. Will Toronto and Houston look to sign another rookie or prefer to include their draft picks in trades to get more veteran help?

The Trail Blazers (number 11), the Bulls (number 12), and the Hawks (number 13) complete the draft, along with the previously mentioned Spurs. It's worth noting that many of the draft pick exchanges in recent years have involved these lower draft selections: picks 11 and 13 were included in trades in 2022, picks 10 and 12 moved in 2023, and pick 14 was traded in 2024.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El movimiento que aún podríamos tener en la parte alta del NBA Draft 2025