NBA tank watch: What teams are doing to land No. 1 pick in 2026 draft

There are two different races concurrently happening in the NBA.

There are the teams vying for positioning atop the Eastern and Western Conference standings, trying to improve their seeding in the final month of the 2025-26 regular season. And there are teams vying for positioning at the bottom of the standings with the intent to improve their chances to secure high draft picks.

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This is particularly magnified because of the projected depth of the 2026 NBA Draft class, with names like Kansas’ Darryn Peterson, BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Duke’s Cameron Boozer headlining.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the teams who are tanking with a rebuild in mind:

NBA MOCK DRAFT: Projecting the first round before Selection Sunday

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

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Dribble into this collection of dunk photos as NBA stars posterize opponents

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Dribble into this collection of dunk…