Bandits acquire Cormier, picks from Warriors in pre-expansion-draft deal
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 15, 2026
Buffalo trade return
The Buffalo Bandits moved early in the pre-expansion-draft market Monday and came away with a package built around forward Payton Cormier and two dispersal-draft picks. Buffalo also landed the 11th pick and the 23rd pick in Tuesday’s dispersal draft, giving the club multiple chances to add more talent as the draft unfolds. The trade puts Buffalo in a stronger position on two fronts at once. It adds a player in Cormier and gives the Bandits extra draft room to keep shaping the roster. The size of the return stands out because Buffalo did not settle for one piece. It stacked the deal with a forward and two selections, all in the same move.
Cormier gives Buffalo an immediate addition, while the selections preserve flexibility as Tuesday’s board develops. Their spread across the order gives the Bandits room to address more than one need, and Buffalo answered the opening wave of the market by collecting assets instead of standing pat.
Vancouver trade return
The Vancouver Warriors took a different path in the same deal, sending Luca Antongiovanni to Buffalo and building their side of the swap around future value. Vancouver received Antongiovanni, the 16th overall pick in the 2026 NLL Draft and the rights to a local prospect who had never signed with Buffalo. That mix gives Vancouver an immediate player in Antongiovanni and two longer-range assets tied to the future. The 16th overall pick carries clear draft value, and the rights to the local prospect add another layer to the trade. Vancouver did not walk away with just one piece in return. It secured a player, a draft pick and rights to a prospect whose next step remains with the Warriors.
The structure of Vancouver’s haul shows a club willing to turn one roster piece into several different assets. The combination gives the Warriors options across different timelines: an immediate player, draft capital and prospect rights. That kind of package can matter because it lets a team spread value across the present and future.
Draft picks added
The deal’s draft capital is split across two events, shaping the way each club can approach the next stretch of roster building. Buffalo’s selections come in Tuesday’s dispersal draft, while Vancouver’s comes in the 2026 NLL Draft. That gives each team a separate route to add talent.
The transaction came together early in the pre-expansion-draft cycle, setting the table for the rest of the day. Both clubs now move forward with clearer draft positions after swapping Antongiovanni, Cormier and the added rights attached to the deal.
