Wizards Keep 2026 First Round Pick, Knicks Get Seconds

The Wizards will avoid sending their 2026 first-round pick to the Knicks after falling to 17-62, a loss that locked in a bottom-three finish and a top-seven draft slot. That ends the obligation for the Knicks to receive Washington’s "top-eight protected" 2026 first-rounder; New York will instead get the Wizards’ second-round picks in 2026 and 2027. The trade history of that pick traces back through deals involving Russell Westbrook, John Wall, the Rockets and Thunder, and it now leaves the Knicks with only one first-rounder over the next two years. Merlin sees the ripple effects. Washington keeps a real chance at a rookie who could help their rebuild, while New York gains quantity but loses high-end upside. The Knicks can flip those seconds or use them as trade bait, but turning them into core talent is unlikely.