Two weeks into the 2026-27 NBA season, the league's new draft lottery format has created a battle to avoid the bottom three standings, which now receive only two lottery balls each compared to three for the seven best non-play-in teams. Seven teams have emerged as early candidates for the "relegation zone," ranked from least to most likely to finish in the bottom three.
The Utah Jazz (1-7) sit seventh despite coach Will Hardy finally having talent; their offense sputters around No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson and Keyonte George. The Phoenix Suns (2-5) struggle with internal chemistry, poor defense, and Devin Booker's shooting slump. The Brooklyn Nets (2-6) lack All-Star talent and face incentive complications because they owe their first-round pick to the Houston Rockets, making them incentivized to lose but constrained by anti-tanking rules.
The Sacramento Kings (1-7) are the only team without pick obligations, but their roster built around rookie Darius Acuff Jr.'s high usage has yet to translate to wins. The Los Angeles Clippers (1-7) suffer from severe ball-handling issues and owe future picks to Oklahoma City and Philadelphia, making veteran trades likely. The Milwaukee Bucks (1-7) are under investigation for cap circumvention regarding Gary Trent Jr.'s contract and field a disjointed roster after trading their franchise player.
At the top, the Chicago Bulls (1-7) are the league's worst team by net rating, with a bottom-five defense, 27% three-point shooting, and rookie Caleb Wilson adjusting. They also face draft-pick incentives: another top-five pick in 2027 would lock them out of the top five in 2028, giving them reason to remain near the bottom.
