NBA Draft Enters Week With No. 1 Pick Unclear and Trade Buzz Building From No. 5

Q: Could a 'defensive unicorn' with major injury concerns become the biggest steal of the 2026 NBA Draft?

Yes. Jayden Quaintance is the clearest candidate to become the biggest steal of the 2026 NBA Draft if his medical outlook improves. The case is simple: his talent level and likely draft slot no longer match. Before the knee issues, Quaintance was widely viewed as a top-five to top-10 caliber prospect. He is still only 18, stands about 6-foot-10 to 6-foot-11, carries a 7-foot-5-plus wingspan, and is regarded by evaluators as arguably the best defensive prospect in the class. The “defensive unicorn” label comes from his rare mix of rim protection, switchability, mobility, strength and instincts. At Arizona State, he averaged 9.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.1 steals in 24 games, showing unusual defensive range for a player his size. What has pushed him down boards is the right knee. Quaintance tore his ACL in February 2025 and then played only four games at Kentucky because of persistent swelling. That has made him one of the draft’s biggest medical gambles, with some teams wary enough to let him slide into the 20s. That is exactly why the upside is so large. In a draft where teams picking later in the first round are hunting for star-level outcomes, Quaintance offers one of the best risk-reward bets on the board. If a patient team such as Boston or Philadelphia gets a healthy version of him, it could end up with lottery talent at a non-lottery price.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 22

Washington still appears split at No. 1 between BYU wing AJ Dybantsa and Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, with evaluators also keeping Duke's Cameron Boozer in a tightly grouped top tier.
Utah at No. 2 is weighing fit against best-player-available after adding frontcourt talent, with sources saying Dybantsa, Peterson and Boozer all remain in play despite outside ties to Dybantsa and Boozer.
No. 5 through No. 10 looks like the draft's swing zone, as the Clippers and Nets have explored trade-downs and teams from Sacramento to Milwaukee sort through a crowded guard class.
No. 8 to No. 12 could also trigger a lottery run on big men, with Morez Johnson Jr., Aday Mara and Hannes Steinbach viewed as likely back-half lottery targets.
Trade activity is expected to accelerate over the next 36 hours, with Atlanta, Detroit and Oklahoma City among the most active teams while the broader market still waits on Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo decision.