2026 NBA draft thread

[michaeltex]

IIRC, last summer's draft was skewed by players deciding to stay in college for another year, take the NIL money and hope for a better draft position this year. I think the underclassmen have up until 10 days before the draft to pull out and keep their NCAA eligibility.

So draft projections today may not be the same in a few months, especially in the bottom half of the first round.

[Chicagojk]

IIRC, last summer's draft was skewed by players deciding to stay in college for another year, take the NIL money and hope for a better draft position this year. I think the underclassmen have up until 10 days before the draft to pull out and keep their NCAA eligibility.

So draft projections today may not be the same in a few months, especially in the bottom half of the first round.

Good point.  You may have a lot of negotiations happening behind the scenes with mid first rounders and fringe first rounders.   With NIL, you will see player agents see if they can secure multimillion agreements to stay in college and enter next year in a weaker draft.   Especially if a first round draft pick is a 50/50 proposition.

[michaeltex]

Quote from AJ...

“I might not leave,” Dybantsa said. “I might not leave college. … my mom wants me to graduate. Yeah, so I might not leave. But I might leave. The fans might get into my head, talking about one more year, maybe three more years. I don’t know. I’m going to have to talk to my mom.”

Either he's being disingenuous or he may need some emotional maturing before moving up to the pros. Not saying I wouldn't consider him a top 3 pick, but maybe understand this is not a "battle hardened" player.

[vfromlmf]

He's smart to listen to his mom. But I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest his mom might clarify "I want you to graduate.... EVENTUALLY. Like, AFTER you make $100s of millions in the NBA."

[Chicagojk]

What year is Utah not tanking honestly.

Next year the Utah Jazz players will definitely be complaining how long the season is.  They have have been treating it like a 55 game season for a few years.

[Chicagojk]

Big game for Acuff tonight

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/s/RGA9X7rMwU

[Winter]

Big game for Acuff tonight

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/s/RGA9X7rMwU

That guy is money in the bank every ....single ....game.

[Chicagojk]

All the tanking talk bores me.  I agree it is not great for the league and I am not crazy rooting for a team where I hope they lose every game.   The pick protections are an issue and there are probably a couple of other fixes.  I like the shorter season.  Although, it is hardly ever mentioned how unique this draft class is.   You are lucky if you have one franchise player in a draft.   With the lower odds for top picks, if there is only one guy you will have a few teams tank but the odds really are not huge you will win the lottery.   The issue is this year there are 3-4 of those potential guys.  Of course teams are going to try to get into the top 4.   I don't blame them.   Utah has a nice nucleus.  Without a star, they are just a team.  If they get one of these guys in this draft, their future instantly becomes better.  Dallas did the hard part already by getting Flagg.   In the tough west though, they still have a hard battle.  If they get a top 4, they instantly become one of the most promising franchises moving forward.  This could be said of any of the bad team.

In short, yes I agree all the tanking is bad, but next year no team is probably going to tank in a weaker draft.  This year is just really unique.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Big game for Acuff tonight

https://www.reddit.com/r/NBA_Draft/s/RGA9X7rMwU

His draft stock keeps blowing up.. He has a chance to become the 1st freshman since Pistol Pete Maravich to lead the SEC in scoring and assists.

[Smitty]

Acuff gets better each week. His passing/playmaking in particular. If he was 6'4, he'd be talked about in that Teir 1 group with Dybantsa, Boozer, and Peterson. His combine measurements will be one of the biggest X-factors in how high he gets drafted. As it stands, he's playing his way out of the Mavs reach at pick 7/8 (currently).

[vfromlmf]

I like Acuff a lot and those highlights vs Texas are swaggy.

If you imagine Dallas has 3 firm starters next year: Kyrie, Flagg, and hopefully Lively, how would you build from the ground up around those three?

Kyrie
*POA defender guard/wing*
*Big wing/forward*
Flagg
Lively

Acuff doesn't really check those boxes but I view this as a multiyear turnaround. Acuff would become your lead guard of the future but you might find another player in this draft. Someone mentioned sending Gafford out for a late first and packaging those two picks to move up to someplace around 18-20 where a guy like Dailyn Swain could be available. Swain isn't a shooter yet, but he has the physical attributes to defend at a high level.

If I'm looking at the current roster I don't see Christie as a long term starter, although he might start next year. He's just not a disruptive defender at the point of attack and he's not big or physical enough to hold up on the wing. I do like Christie as a rotation player though and given his age and contract I'd prioritize keeping him if his extension is reasonable. He's not a $20M+ player in my opinion.

I see Naji as a weapon off the bench. A great guy to keep but expendable if the right deal comes along.

PJW should be able to play next to Flagg but I realize it hasn't looked good this season. I still think he's a winning player when healthy and not asked to do too much but I wonder if there's a deal out there that might make sense. Something like MIA Jovic+16 for PJW+30 gives the Mavs another shot at landing an impact starter in this year's draft.

[F Gump]

....but next year no team is probably going to tank in a weaker draft.  This year is just really unique.

Yes this year is different because there are more incentives to tank (with the greater shot at landing a really good player, if you have a top 5 or so pick, since there are more really good players to pick from). A lot of teams really want to do whatever they can to get the best pick they can get. 

However, I just can't buy the idea that there will be no tanking for the 2027 draft. It may not be as widespread as this season, because some of those bad teams are likely to aim for a play-in opportunity instead, or they may be more subtle about it, but it will happen. And how will you be able to tell, whether a team is tanking or whether they are just awful? But some teams will give up on the season, and chase a pick because they might as well. 

There are already 2-3 players expected to be really good (Williams and Branch are a couple of names) and it only takes one or two more players to change the perception of whether you want a top pick or not. Some  players will emerge. The players in that draft are in high school right now. Some will have growth spurts. Some will seem to develop from nowhere. Some will be the cream of the crop as NCAA competition has players putting up stats all year next season. But no matter what, some teams will be muddling along at the bottom of the league next season and have nothing to chase. They might as well get the best pick they can.

[Chicagojk]

Cam Boozer not just a post player.

https://x.com/nbadraftwass/status/202958...34886?s=61

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

If the Mavs really want a lead guard and Mikel, Keaton and Darius are available at pick 7, I'm picking Mikel Brown hands down.

[mvossman]

If the Mavs really want a lead guard and Mikel, Keaton and Darius are available at pick 7, I'm picking Mikel Brown hands down.

At this point I am having a hard time not going with Acuff.  I assume this means you have Flemings above those guys or are you just assuming he will be gone?

[Winter]

At this point I am having a hard time not going with Acuff.  I assume this means you have Flemings above those guys or are you just assuming he will be gone?

We are likely going to see Acuff above Brown on Mock drafts if things don't change. There's really no statistical advantage in Brown's favor that I can find. Plus Brown has been injured twice during the season.

[Smitty]

We are likely going to see Acuff above Brown on Mock drafts if things don't change. There's really no statistical advantage in Brown's favor that I can find.

6'5 vs 6'3. That's probably a big one...

[Winter]

6'5 vs 6'3. That's probably a big one...

Yes, but that's not translating into any statistical separation. It's not like Brown is a really good defender or a good rebounder (tankathon) or has any significant increase in stocks. Acuff's shot efficiency and assist-to-turnover ratio is so much better, that it negates the typical advantages you might get.

I do think Acuff needs to be a solid 6'2" when the NBA measures him, but if I was a team in need of a PG, I'd probably take Acuff because of that assist-to-TO and the 3-pt stat.

[mvossman]

Yes, but that's not translating into any statistical separation. It's not like Brown is a really good defender or a good rebounder (tankathon) or has any significant increase in stocks. Acuff's shot efficiency and assist-to-turnover ratio is so much better, that it negates the typical advantages you might get.

I do think Acuff needs to be a solid 6'2" when the NBA measures him, but if I was a team in need of a PG, I'd probably take Acuff because of that assist-to-TO and the 3-pt stat.

It should be noted that Brown takes a lot more threes than Acuff (or any of these guys).  His 3 point percentage is not great but he is taking harder shots.

[Winter]

It should be noted that Brown takes a lot more threes than Acuff (or any of these guys).  His 3 point percentage is not great but he is taking harder shots.

The question is why is he taking harder shots?