2026 NBA draft thread

[Winter]

The Athletic's Sam Vecenie has a new mock draft out.  First, here are the top 10 picks.  He says there is a definite drop off after the top 10:

1. Sacramento - Dybansta
2. Washington - Peterson
3. Atlanta - Boozer
4. Indiana - Wilson
5. Brooklyn - Flemings
6. Utah - Wagler
7. Dallas - Acuff
8. Memphis - Brown
9. Milwaukee - Ament
10. Chicago - Burries

Burries continues to creep up the list.  If he had more on-ball skill, he probably move up even more.  Here is what Vecenie wrote about Acuff:

7. Dallas Mavericks
Darius Acuff Jr. | 6-2 guard | 19 years old | Arkansas

I don’t know if any player has quieted more worries over the last month with his outstanding play than Acuff. He continues to silence questions by dominating. The freshman guard is averaging 22 points and 6.2 assists while shooting an absurd 49.1 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from 3 and 79.3 percent from the line. He’s the most polished floor general in college basketball. He plays off two feet and moves well without the ball to set up his on-ball moves. His passes are always crisp and on-target, even if his vision and his highlight-reel passes are a bit less polished than some others in the class. His decision-making is superb, and he rarely turns the ball over, posting a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

The only two quibbles that scouts still bring up are whether he can consistently get paint touches against NBA athleticism and length and whether he can guard anyone consistently. In terms of the former, he’s done just about everything in his power to make me a believer that he can separate, thanks to the threat of his shot and elite pace. But the latter is something I’m definitely concerned about. Even though Acuff is stocky and strong, he’s the worst defender of the players slated to go in the top 10 by a wide margin. He struggles to get through screens and shows a lack of engagement too regularly off the ball. Still, the offensive skill package is so good that it’s hard to see how he doesn’t at least turn into a starting-caliber point guard with All-Star upside.

I posted this several days ago, but it's worth revisiting now.

It's quite possible that the #6 and #7 draft picks will likely be Wagler and Acuff. It's entirely possible both could be available when the Mavs pick. That would be a good option for any team especially one that desperately needs playmaking.

I'm not entirely certain what I would do if given the pick. Neither player would be a stellar defensive option. Acuff is groomed specifically for PG duties. Wagler is more flexible and could likely play along side another PG.