NBA trade deadline: Why Wizards and Jazz made stunning star moves - ESPN

One of the NBA season's biggest storylines has been the frenetic race to the bottom among teams hoping to land a top prospect in the strong 2026 draft.

But this week, another storyline has emerged: tanking teams prioritizing a competitive roster next season as opposed to chasing more lottery odds for the 2027 draft.

The Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, two teams flagrantly trying to keep their top-eight protected draft picks, making these deals is a sign of several shifts in trends:

the perceived strength of the 2026 draft

the perceived weakness of the 2027 draft

the lack of available free agent options this summer

the limits on how long tanking is a viable strategy

the lack of interest in high-salary stars outside the very top of the market

The framework of the trades that landed Jaren Jackson Jr. in Salt Lake City on Tuesday and Anthony Davis in Washington on Wednesday, was the same: sending out expiring money, largely middling draft capital (save for Memphis landing Phoenix's unprotected 2031 selection), and getting back talented players on contracts that featured little interest around the league.

That's not to diminish the actual on-court abilities of both players. Jackson is a «unicorn» rim-protecting, floor-spacing big man who much of the league covets. Davis, although he has regularly missed time with injuries, is a 20-10 machine when he does play and can be an imposing defensive presence in his own right.

But in a league where teams are looking to build depth and lean into youth and athleticism, rostering borderline All-NBA big men making more than $50 million per season is a tough sell — unless you have an otherwise clean cap sheet like the Jazz and Wizards do. Each franchise has just one other player (Lauri