The Washington Wizards are fielding trade inquiries for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft from teams outside the top four, including the Atlanta Hawks who hold the No. 8 and No. 23 selections.

Those overtures include packages built around future first-round picks and young players. The Hawks' assets stand out because they sit just outside the lottery range where Washington currently projects to select.

The Wizards' front office sees value in moving down only if the incoming haul exceeds what a top prospect like AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson would deliver on the court next season, especially given the team's existing core of young talent acquired in prior deals.

This approach aligns with the pattern set after the Anthony Davis and Trae Young acquisitions. Washington has prioritized flexibility and draft capital over immediate contention while the roster remains on rookie-scale contracts.

Draft night sits 13 days away. Any deal would likely materialize in the final week as other lottery teams finalize their boards and the Bucks' situation around Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to generate separate calls involving the No. 1 pick plus Anthony Davis.

The real leverage for Washington lies in the uncertainty around which prospect the team actually prefers, forcing suitors to overpay to remove that choice entirely.