2026 NBA draft thread

[Chicagojk]

This is why I am sharing Givony ideas, I like the guy and I think he is the best out there (even better than Schmitz when they were working together btw) but that's an opinion of mine and not everyone shares it. But his really close relationship with Mike makes it more interesting. They were a team for 16 years,that's not nothing.

I was out on Ament, but Givony makes good points about him. Trajectory is on his side, he is a guy who keeps improving every year, or even from month to month, and he has all the tools.

One additional, and relevant, note:  Givony said that many smart GM prefers to take a prospects whose coach hasn't used them well, over the ones who had a great coach. They say if we have similar comparable output from one with a coach that gets 70% of your potential, vs one who has a coach that gets 120% from his players, it is better to take the one with the worse coach.

This was a dig on Michigan prospects, as he sees them as a product of a great coach. But also relevant to the likes of Flemings and Ament who were in unfavourable teams. Possibly also a dig on Acuff, because we know Calipari knows how to use (and develop) a PG, and a praise for Peterson too.

That is a great point.  One of the reasons
I tend to devalue Pitino players.  He gets his players to play so hard that a lot of times it does not translate.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4904...ntsa-acuff


The day before the draft, the latest mock.

[Smitty]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4904...ntsa-acuff


The day before the draft, the latest mock.

This place would be pretty toxic if that’s how it played out. I personally wouldn’t mind it, even if I would go a different direction... 

The closer the draft, the more I’ve felt Sergio de Larrea would be a Maverick.

No opinion on Tre Donaldson, but it makes sense picking another Guard after going Ament at 9. I like Jaden Bradley there, who went at 47. One ahead of the Mavs.

[DanSchwartzgan]

This place would be pretty toxic if that’s how it played out. I personally wouldn’t mind it, even if I would go a different direction... 

The closer the draft, the more I’ve felt Sergio de Larrea would be a Maverick.

No opinion on Tre Donaldson, but it makes sense picking another Guard after going Ament at 9. I like Jaden Bradley there, who went at 47. One ahead of the Mavs.

Three years from now, who is Robin and how did we get him?  By then, Kyrie isn't that guy.  Is Flemings?  Burries?  I think the best you hope for with either is good third guy, and even that isn't guaranteed.

Cap room in 2028 is a potential way to get that next Robin, but free agency is a bit of a crap shoot and 2028 is a long ways away.

If they take Ament, it tells me they see enough upside to go away from positional need.  Even if you don't see the upside as likely, surely most here at least think Ament's ceiling, if fully realized, is high?  Isn't the issue with him the likelihood of the ceiling being realized?  

I do like the de Larrea pick at 30 if it plays out that way.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I dont think Schmidt and Givony opinions have anything to do with each other. There's a reason one of them is a GM and one of them is still in the media.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Grant Afseth: Darryn Peterson recently met with the Utah Jazz before arriving in New York City for the NBA Draft, sources told @DALHoopsJournal. Peterson would welcome the opportunity to play in Utah if drafted by the Jazz. Read more on @DALHoopsJournal:

x.com

[Winter]

Just looking at the new mocks, rumors etc... and the trends I see:

Burries may be taken before the Mavs pick
The latest mocks from NoCeilings and ESPN have Morez Johnson at #11 and #12. I suspect that's about where he gets picked if not earlier
Ament still floats in that 8-12 range, but he's not dropping.
Feelings about Flemings ain't what they used to be
Nobody has Brown lower than #7 anymore, and that's been over a week or two.
Steinbach has slowly made his way up to #14 and #15 in the new mocks

[Scott41theMavs]

LOL this thread fell to the bottom of the pinned threads... 33 hours before the draft!

BTW, 33 hours until the first round.

[cow]

LOL this thread fell to the bottom of the pinned threads... 33 hours before the draft!

BTW, 33 hours until the first round.

33 hours until we trade up to the #4 pick.

[mvossman]

Three years from now, who is Robin and how did we get him?  By then, Kyrie isn't that guy.  Is Flemings?  Burries?  I think the best you hope for with either is good third guy, and even that isn't guaranteed.

Cap room in 2028 is a potential way to get that next Robin, but free agency is a bit of a crap shoot and 2028 is a long ways away.

If they take Ament, it tells me they see enough upside to go away from positional need.  Even if you don't see the upside as likely, surely most here at least think Ament's ceiling, if fully realized, is high?  Isn't the issue with him the likelihood of the ceiling being realized?  

I do like the de Larrea pick at 30 if it plays out that way.

Man I just can't see it.  He is a much worse version of Flagg.  I don't think he reaches Robin level, and its hard for me to picture the Robin for Flagg being an inferior version of himself.  It doesn't really seem like the right fit even if he does get there.

[Winter]

Man I just can't see it.  He is a much worse version of Flagg.  I don't think he reaches Robin level, and its hard for me to picture the Robin for Flagg being an inferior version of himself.  It doesn't really seem like the right fit even if he does get there.

The thing about Ament is that he does not appear good enough to bully his way to the basket like Flagg does. He almost has to be good on the perimeter to make up for it (and really that's the best way to help Flagg), but he hasn't been remarkable there either. So I really have nothing to imagine in regards to his game. Maybe they can see it, but I couldn't squeeze any of that out his college videos.

[KillerLeft]

Man I just can't see it.  He is a much worse version of Flagg.  I don't think he reaches Robin level, and its hard for me to picture the Robin for Flagg being an inferior version of himself.  It doesn't really seem like the right fit even if he does get there.

Maybe this is the disconnect in how we see Ament. I don’t think he overlaps much with Flagg at all, other than height.

[DanSchwartzgan]

There has been some thought Ament's floor is Milwaukee at 10.  But, if the Giannis deal ends up being for Brown, I'm not sure Ament makes sense to Milwaukee any more.  He probably doesn't make sense for GSW at 11 either.

[KillerLeft]

Killerleft's new qualifier for a "good" draft:

1) We all go to bed tomorrow night with the Mavs having drafted ANYONE OTHER THAN ADAY MARA.

[Smitty]

There has been some thought Ament's floor is Milwaukee at 10.  But, if the Giannis deal ends up being for Brown, I'm not sure Ament makes sense to Milwaukee any more.  He probably doesn't make sense for GSW at 11 either.

Good point. I do think there’s a relationship there with the FO-Ament side of things, so Brown or no Brown, I think he’d still be in play for MIL. 

I still feel that he’ll be a Net if LAC goes Brown Jr. at 5. Maybe at 6, or maybe in a trade down. Not sure, but I won’t give up my initial thought after the lottery draw that he makes sense for them.

[Chicagojk]

Well the development of bigs has been impressive. No one had mars or Johnson as first rounders last summer. Same thing for the player who the nets drafted last year. Goldin was also a player who developed into a draft able prospect

[Smitty]

If I were GM for a day and Brown Jr. is available at 6, I’m trying to trade up with the Nets. Mavs get Brown Jr.. Nets get Ament. Win-Win. It probably takes more than #30, but MBJ is such a great fit here IMO.

I would be ecstatic.


Outside of that, I think Burries at 9 would be the most ideal scenario.

Last option: I would entertain a trade back deal with OKC and be fine with MoJo/Steinbach + Okorie/Philon/Anderson/Stirtz


All the other scenarios and possibilities don’t excite me like those would. In the end, I’ll be fine with whatever happens though. I think we have professionals in the room now and they’ll be well prepared — making informed decisions.

[KillerLeft]

If I were GM for a day and Brown Jr. is available at 6, I’m trying to trade up with the Nets. Mavs get Brown Jr.. Nets get Ament. Win-Win. It probably takes more than #30, but MBJ is such a great fit here IMO.

I would be ecstatic.


Outside of that, I think Burries at 9 would be the most ideal scenario.

Last option: I would entertain a trade back deal with OKC and be fine with MoJo/Steinbach + Okorie/Philon/Anderson/Stirtz


All the other scenarios and possibilities don’t excite me like those would. In the end, I’ll be fine with whatever happens though. I think we have professionals in the room now and they’ll be well prepared — making informed decisions.

COMPLETELY on board with this thinking. If I'm picky, I'd add Flemings to the Burries level at 9 and probably switch Steinbach out with someone else in a traceback scenario, but these are basically the same three levels of acceptable outcomes in my head, and in the same order.

[Mavs2021]

Killerleft's new qualifier for a "good" draft:

1) We all go to bed tomorrow night with the Mavs having drafted ANYONE OTHER THAN ADAY MARA.

I have very little doubt that they want Morez Johnson from the Michigan guys. I think if the draft was make a semi-realistic make a wish, they´d want

trade Gafford + Warriors pick for #23.
trade #9 for #12 + #17.

Johnson/Steinbach at #12.

Johnson/Steinbach/Lendeborg/Okorie/Anderson/Stirtz at #17.

Johnson/Steinbach/Lendeborg/Okorie/Anderson/Stirtz at #23.

Peat/De Larrea/Thomas/Miller/Ejiofor at #30

Ishchenko at #48 (from the very little I have seen he looks a better prospect than Kayil and De Larrea). Plus I´m condfident he´s there at #48, while you have to spend #30 on De Larrea. Kayil might fall to #48.

[mvossman]

I have very little doubt that they want Morez Johnson from the Michigan guys. I think if the draft was make a semi-realistic make a wish, they´d want

trade Gafford + Warriors pick for #23.
trade #9 for #12 + #17.

Johnson/Steinbach at #12.

Johnson/Steinbach/Lendeborg/Okorie/Anderson/Stirtz at #17.

Johnson/Steinbach/Lendeborg/Okorie/Anderson/Stirtz at #23.

Peat/De Larrea/Thomas/Miller/Ejiofor at #30

Ishchenko at #48 (from the very little I have seen he looks a better prospect than Kayil and De Larrea). Plus I´m condfident he´s there at #48, while you have to spend #30 on De Larrea. Kayil might fall to #48.

I would be surprised if its Stirtz.  He is turning 23 in a couple of months.  Okorie seems more likely.