The NBA's new 3-2-1 draft lottery format, introduced last spring, gives the three worst teams only two lottery balls each while the seven best non-play-in teams receive three balls apiece. The system aims to create a fierce battle to avoid the bottom three, but two weeks into the 2026-27 season, seven teams have emerged as serious candidates for the relegation zone.
Ranked from least to most likely to finish in the bottom three, the candidates are: Utah Jazz (1-7), Phoenix Suns (2-5), Brooklyn Nets (2-6), Sacramento Kings (1-7), Los Angeles Clippers (1-7), Milwaukee Bucks (1-7), and Chicago Bulls (1-7). Each team faces a mix of roster deficiencies, injury issues, and draft-pick obligations that influence their incentive to win or lose.
The Jazz, despite coach Will Hardy now having more talent, struggle with offensive flow and defensive size. The Suns suffer from internal chemistry problems and a loss of defensive identity. The Nets lack All-Star talent and owe their first-round pick to the Houston Rockets, creating a potential tanking incentive. The Kings are rebuilding organically but rely heavily on rookie Darius Acuff Jr.'s high usage. The Clippers, stripped of five first-round picks for cap circumvention, may trade veterans to recoup value. The Bucks are under investigation for Gary Trent Jr.'s contract and have a jumbled roster after trading their franchise player. The Bulls, with the worst net rating in the league, have both poor performance and a draft-pick incentive to stay at the bottom.
