2026 NBA draft thread

[DanSchwartzgan]

I get the sentiment of wanting to get a young wing next to Flagg, but I would greatly prefer that guy can shoot, and most of those guys in your list don't project to be great shooters.  

I think there is more separation between the two tiers of guards, but we will just have to agree to disagree on that point.

Another way we look at this differently is that I don't consider Max part of the starting core.  I think we need a better defender at that spot and his ideal role is a shooter coming off the bench.

For me the primary goal of this draft is to find a plus starter.  I'm not nearly as interested in finding multiple depth pieces.  So for me the only argument for trading down is if you have better odds finding a plus starter by taking two shots later in the draft than you do taking one shot earlier.  Its a lot easier for me to envision one of those 5 guards turning into a plus starter, while it takes a lot more projection for me to see that with any of the guys behind them, so I lean towards staying at 9.

First, let me highly recommend the link below as a fantastic interview between Stein and Sam Vecenie strictly on what might be available to Dallas and how they might (or should) think about things.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy4yNLv44O0

There is probably more cocksuredness about our evaluations as message board experts than is warranted.  None of us know who will and won't be a plus-starter and who will and won't be able to shoot.  The experts don't nail this and certainly media mock drafts and message board guru's aren't any better than the experts.  There is also an inherent flaw in the logic many of us use in terms of when these skills need to arrive by.  Much too much emphasis seems to be placed on what contribution might be made this next season.  Plus starter by when is an important question.  

If you don't think Christie is part of the starting core going forward, then it probably argues for more bites at the apple, not less.  All we have to do is look at the Dennis Smith Draft to see this.  The top 10 has one superstar, two plus-starters and arguably seven busts.  13-23 has MUCH more talent.  If we actually have expert talent evaluators now, I'd rather they figure out who the next Mitchell, Bam, Jarrett Allen and OG might be than be stuck with the next DSJ.