Warriors Hornets trade rumors got a sharp answer: the Golden State Warriors asked the Charlotte Hornets about getting both of their first-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, and Charlotte turned it down. Golden State still holds the No. 11 pick, so the ask fits a clear trade-down path rather than a stand-pat draft night.
Brett Siegel wrote that the call came a couple of weeks ago, when the Warriors checked on a deal for the Hornets' No. 14 and No. 18 picks. He also said Golden State will keep trying to trade down in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Hornets Hold Both Picks
The Hornets did not show interest in moving both selections. Sources indicated they are very comfortable keeping their position in the draft, which shuts down the simplest version of the Warriors' ask and leaves Golden State to keep working the market for a partner willing to move multiple spots.
That puts the Warriors in a narrow lane. They are trying to turn one premium pick into two lower picks, but Charlotte is not treating both first-rounders as available. The gap between asking for one pick and asking for two is the difference between a conversation and a deal.
Golden State's Trade-Down Path
The No. 11 pick is the piece Golden State can move. Siegel said the Warriors would continue to try to trade down, and he mentioned the New Orleans Pelicans and Oklahoma City Thunder as potential trade partners.
Joey Akeley of Sports Illustrated laid out three trade-down scenarios for the Golden State Warriors at the 2026 NBA Draft, including one that involved the Hornets' two first-round picks. He also floated a deal with the Thunder that would send the No. 11 pick and a Top-10-protected first-round pick in 2028 the other way, plus a separate idea with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Akeley's Draft Board
In that Grizzlies proposal, Golden State would receive the No. 16 and No. 32 picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. Akeley wrote that the idea is risky because the quality of the draft falls off right around the 32nd pick, but he added that it would make sense if the Warriors trust the player pool there and do not see a major gap between the 11th and 16th players on their board.
He pointed to Alabama's Labaron Philon and Iowa's Bennett Stirtz as prospects who could be considered steals around No. 16. For now, the Hornets' refusal leaves Golden State searching for a different route if it wants to turn No. 11 into more draft capital before the 2026 NBA Draft.
