WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards finally won something other than moral victories and “interesting young core” debates. After years of bad lottery luck, the Wizards landed the No. 1 overall pick in what many already view as a loaded class, putting them directly at the centre of an intriguing AJ Dybantsa and Ace Bailey conversation ahead of the 2026 NBA draft. The Utah Jazz also have reason to celebrate after a tank job so aggressive it forced the league to reform it’s lottery rules. Despite being fined $500,000 by the NBA for violating the league’s player participation policy late in the season, Utah still walked away with the No. 2 pick.
AJ Dybantsa And Ace Bailey Connections Could Ignite A Stunning Franchise-Changing Jazz And Wizards Trade At The 2026 NBA Draft
For Utah, this marks the first time in franchise history that the Jazz have moved up in the draft lottery using their own pick. Now, the futures of both the Jazz and Wizards could ultimately be shaped by little known AJ Dybantsa and Ace Bailey ties that suddenly look a lot more important than they did twelve months ago.
Ryan Smith’s Long Pursuit Of AJ Dybantsa Could Suddenly Pay Off
Before Dybantsa committed to BYU, one man was practically banging the recruiting drum loud enough for the entire state of Utah to hear it. Jazz owner Ryan Smith made no effort to hide how badly he wanted Dybantsa to become the face of BYU basketball. Smith has invested heavily into the program and openly embraced the growing reality that college basketball recruiting now resembles European football transfer season.
“If they need my help, I’m going to help them,” Smith told ESPN months before Dybantsa committed to the Cougars. “I owe everything to BYU and I’m not going to say no. And they know that.”
Now that Dybantsa is preparing for the NBA, that massive NIL investment could end up having a very real basketball payoff for the Jazz. Dybantsa has maintained a close relationship with Utah’s front office during his time at BYU. He worked out on the Jazz practice court before the 2025-26 season and participated in pickup runs alongside Smith and Jazz CEO Danny Ainge. Teams around the league notice these things even when they pretend not to.
There’s still a possibility AJ Dybantsa and Ace Bailey somehow become teammates naturally if Dybantsa slips to No. 2 in the 2026 NBA draft, but the more realistic outcome is Washington selecting him first overall if the Wizards keep the pick. That possibility becomes interesting because Wizards president Michael Winger already hinted that the organization is open to moving down. Speaking to Jake Fischer of The People’s Insider, Winger said this is “not a savior moment” for the franchise and suggested Washington could consider trading down if multiple prospects are viewed similarly internally.
Why Ace Bailey Could Become The Centrepiece Of A Massive Trade
The second Winger left the door open publicly, the Jazz became the obvious team to watch. Utah has the assets, the desperation for Dybantsa and perhaps most importantly, a player Washington reportedly wanted badly just a year ago. Enter Bailey.
It feels like forever ago because basketball discourse moves at the speed of microwave popcorn now, but Bailey’s pre-draft process was one of the strangest storylines of last year’s class. Despite being projected as a top-five talent, Bailey declined workouts with several teams interested in drafting him, including the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3. Utah eventually selected him fifth overall anyway, betting on upside over comfort. Danny Ainge has never exactly been known as a man afraid of turbulence.
Shortly before Bailey’s rookie season began, NBA insider Marc Stein revealed that Washington had long been viewed as Bailey’s preferred destination.
“This one has been in circulation since draft night in June: Washington is the lottery team, according to various rivals, that was the preferred landing spot for Ace Bailey,” Stein wrote in The Stein Line. “The Wizards had the sixth overall pick. Bailey’s camp refused to engage with teams interested in bringing him in for an individual workout in the days leading up to the June 25 draft in the apparent hope of steering himself to the Wizards.”
That revelation changes the texture of this entire AJ Dybantsa and Ace Bailey discussion. Suddenly, the framework for a blockbuster becomes visible. Utah could offer the No. 2 pick, future swaps and Bailey himself to move up for Dybantsa. From Washington’s perspective, that’s a great recovery package if they genuinely view multiple players near the same tier at the top of the 2026 NBA draft.
The Wizards Already Have Quiet Connections To Bailey’s Circle
What makes this even more fascinating is how the Wizards had quietly built connections around Bailey’s orbit in the past. Washington signed Sharife Cooper, the son of Bailey’s former manager Omar Cooper, to a two-way contract despite Cooper not appearing in the NBA since the 2021-22 season after being drafted by the Hawks. On the surface, it looked like a low-profile depth signing that barely registered outside transaction wires.
But context matters here. Omar played a major role in Bailey’s pre-draft process before Bailey eventually moved on from him after being drafted by Utah. The Wizards’ addition of Sharife raised eyebrows precisely because of those ties. Maybe it was coincidence. Maybe it was relationship building. In the NBA, those two things tend to blur together faster than a fastbreak.
The Jazz and Wizards are now sitting at the top of the basketball world they spent years unsuccessfully trying to climb. Utah finally moved up in the lottery. Washington finally secured the No. 1 pick. And somehow, through a web of BYU connections and pre-draft preferences, AJ Dybantsa and Ace Bailey could become the names that reshape both franchises at the 2026 NBA draft.
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