Ranking NBA teams by future first-rounder draft picks, from the least (T-Wolves and Cavs) to the most

Building through the draft is the most common way to land an All-Star in the NBA, according to research by HoopsHype.

The draft is how the Warriors ended up with a core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. But if there is one thing that we learned about the NBA this offseason, it is this: enough draft picks can put you in the conversation to get almost any player in a trade.

New York’s reluctance to surrender many unprotected first-round picks is the reason why Donovan Mitchell is on the Cavs and not the Knicks. It’s also the main reason why the Spurs were willing to move Dejounte Murray.

Draft picks are at a premium among front offices in the NBA, especially because there are a few young teams (e.g. Pelicans, Thunder, Jazz, Spurs) that have prioritized gaining as much draft capital as possible.

Below, you can find a list of the teams with the most and least amount of picks to their name. Some picks may not convey in the year they are listed because of protections. Others cannot be traded due to The Stepien Rule.

However, the next time a disgruntled star demands a trade, use this as a resource to determine which teams may be able to jump in to make a godfather offer — and which teams may be hard-pressed to do as much because they simply lack the assets.

Note that we will continue to update this post as more trades are made throughout the season.

30

Cleveland Cavaliers - 3

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2024: Own
2. 2026: Own (UTA can swap)
3. 2028: Own (UTA can swap)

Potential pick swaps: 2

29

Minnesota Timberwolves - 3

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2024: Own 
2. 2026: Own (UTA can swap)
3. 2028: Own

Potential pick swaps: 1

Note: 2029 pick (to UTA) is protected 1-5

28

Milwaukee Bucks - 4

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2024: Own (NOP can swap)
2. 2026: Own (NOP can swap)
3. 2028: Own
4. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 2

27

Philadelphia 76ers - 4

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2024: Own
2. 2026: Own 
3. 2028: Own
4. 2029: Own

Note: 2025 pick (to OKC) is protected 1-6; 2027 pick (to BKN) is protected 1-8

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26

Denver Nuggets - 4

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. 2024: Own
2. 2026: Own
3. 2028: Own
4. 2029: Own

Note: 2023 pick (to CHA) is protected 1-14; 2025 pick (to ORL) is protected 1-5; 2027 pick (to OKC) is protected 1-5

25

L.A. Clippers - 5

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2023: Own (OKC can swap)
2. 2025: Own (OKC can swap)
3. 2027: Own
4. 2028: Own
5. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 2

24

Brooklyn Nets - 6

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

1. 2023: Second-most favorable of BKN/HOU/PHI
2. 2025: Own (HOU can swap)
3. 2027: Own (HOU can swap) 
4. 2027: via PHI (protected 1-8) 
5. 2028: Own
6. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 3

23

Los Angeles Lakers - 6

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2023: Own (NOP can swap)
2. 2025: Own (if NOP did not defer in 2024)
3. 2026: Own 
4. 2027: Own
5. 2028: Own
6. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 1

22

Atlanta Hawks - 6

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2023: Own
2. 2024: Own
3. 2024: via SAC (protected 1-14) 
4. 2026: Own (SAS can swap) 
5. 2028: Own
6. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 1

21

Boston Celtics - 6

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. 2024: Own
2. 2025: Own
3. 2026: Own 
4. 2027: Own 
5. 2028: Own (SAS can swap)  
6. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 1

Note: 2023 pick (to IND) is protected 1-12

20

Miami Heat - 6

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. 2023: Own
2. 2024: Own
3. 2026: Own 
4. 2027: Own
5. 2028: Own
6. 2029: Own

Note: 2025 pick (to OKC) is protected 1-14

19

Dallas Mavericks - 6

(AP Photo/Matt Strasen)

1. 2024: Own
2. 2025: Own
3. 2026: Own
4. 2027: Own 
5. 2028: Own 
6. 2029: Own

Note: 2023 pick (to NYK) is protected 1-10

18

Golden State Warriors - 6

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. 2023: Own
2. 2025: Own 
3. 2026: Own
4. 2027: Own 
5. 2028: Own
6. 2029: Own

Note: 2025 pick (to MEM) is protected 1-4

17

Washington Wizards - 6

(Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

1. 2024: Own
2. 2025: Own
3. 2026: Own
4. 2027: Own
5. 2028: Own
6. 2029: Own

Note: 2023 pick (to NYK) is protected 1-14

16

Chicago Bulls - 6

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2023: via POR (protected 15-30)
2. 2024: Own 
3. 2026: Own 
4. 2027: Own 
5. 2028: Own 
6. 2029: Own

Note: 2023 pick (to ORL) is protected 1-4; 2025 pick (to SAS) is protected 1-10

15

Portland Trail Blazers - 6

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

1. 2024: Own
2. 2025: Own
3. 2026: Own 
4. 2027: Own 
5. 2028: Own
6. 2029: Own

Note: 2023 pick (to CHI) is protected 1-14

14

Detroit Pistons - 6

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2024: Own
2. 2025: Own
3. 2026: Own
4. 2027: Own
5. 2028: Own
6. 2029: Own

Note: 2023 pick (to NYK) is protected 1-18

13

Sacramento Kings - 6

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2023: Own
2. 2025: Own
3. 2026: Own
4. 2027: Own
5. 2028: Own
6. 2029: Own

Note: 2024 pick (to ATL) is protected 1-14

12

Toronto Raptors - 7

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. 2023: Own
2. 2024: Own
3. 2025: Own
4. 2026: Own 
5. 2027: Own 
6. 2028: Own
7. 2029: Own

11

Phoenix Suns - 7

Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

1. 2023: Own
2. 2024: Own
3. 2025: Own
4. 2026: Own
5. 2027: Own 
6. 2028: Own
7. 2029: Own

10

Charlotte Hornets - 7

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

1. 2023: via DEN (protected 1-14) 
2. 2024: Own
3. 2025: Own
4. 2026: Own 
5. 2027: Own 
6. 2028: Own 
7. 2029: Own

Note: 2023 pick (to SAS) is protected 1-16

9

Memphis Grizzlies - 8

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. 2023: Own 
2. 2024: Own
3. 2024: via GSW (protected 1-4)
4. 2025: Own
5. 2026: Own 
6. 2027: Own
7. 2028: Own
8. 2029: Own

8

Houston Rockets - 8

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2023: Most favorable of HOU, OKC, BKN
2. 2023: via MIL 
3. 2024: via BKN
4. 2025: Own (can swap w BKN) 
5. 2026: via BKN 
6. 2027: Own (can swap w/ BKN) 
7. 2028: Own
8. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 3

Note: 2024 pick (to OKC) is protected 1-4; 2026 pick (to OKC) is protected 1-4

7

Indiana Pacers - 9

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

1. 2023: Own
2. 2023: via BOS (protected 1-12)
3. 2023: via CLE (protected 1-14)
4. 2024: Own
5. 2025: Own
6. 2026: Own 
7. 2027: Own
8. 2028: Own
9. 2029: Own

6

Orlando Magic - 9

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. 2023: Own 
2. 2023: via CHI (protected 1-4)
3. 2024: Own
4. 2025: Own
5. 2025: via DEN (protected 1-5)
6. 2026: Own 
7. 2027: Own
8. 2028: Own
9. 2029: Own

5

New Orleans Pelicans - 9

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

1. 2023: Own (can swap w/ LAL)
2. 2024: Own (can swap w/ MIL)
3. 2024: LAL (can defer to 2025)
4. 2025: Own
5. 2026: Own (can swap w/ MIL)
6. 2027: Own
7. 2027: MIL 
8. 2028: Own
9. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 3

Note: New Orleans gets MIL pick in 2025 if it falls 1-4

4

New York Knicks - 11

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

1. 2023: Own
2. 2023: via WAS (protected 1-14)
3. 2023: via DAL (protected 1-10)
4. 2023: via DET (protected 1-18)
5. 2024: Own
6. 2025: Own 
7. 2025: via MIL (protected 1-4 or NOP)
8. 2026: Own 
9. 2027: Own
10. 2028: Own
11. 2029: Own

3

San Antonio Spurs - 11

(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

1. 2023: Own 
2. 2023: via CHA (protected 1-16)
3. 2024: Own 
4. 2025: Own 
5. 2025: via ATL 
6. 2025: via CHI (protected 1-10)
7. 2026: Own (can swap w/ ATL)
8. 2027: Own 
9. 2027: via ATL 
10. 2028: Own (can swap w/ BOS)
11. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 1

2

Utah Jazz - 14

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2023: Own 
2. 2023: Least favorable of BKN, HOU, PHI
3. 2023: via MIN
4. 2025: Own
5. 2025: via CLE
6. 2025: via MIN
7. 2026: Best of UTA, MIN, CLE  
8. 2027: Own
9. 2027: via MIN
10. 2027: via CLE 
11. 2028: Own (can swap w/ CLE) 
12. 2029: Own
13. 2029: via CLE
14. 2029: via MIN (protected 1-5)

Potential pick swaps: 3

Note: 2024 pick (to OKC) is protected 1-10

1

Oklahoma City Thunder - 15

(Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

1. 2023: Own (can swap w/ LAC)
2. 2024: Own
3. 2024: via HOU (protected 1-4)
4. 2024: via UTA (protected 1-10)
5. 2024: via LAC
6. 2025: Own (can swap w/ HOU if 11-30 or LAC) 
7. 2025: via MIA (protected 1-14)  
8. 2025: via PHI (protected 1-6) 
9. 2026: via HOU (protected 1-4)  
10. 2026: Own 
11. 2026: via LAC 
12. 2027: via DEN 1-5
13. 2027: Own
14. 2028: Own
15. 2029: Own

Potential pick swaps: 2