2026 NBA draft thread

[cow]

If I wished to be as fair to Bagley as possible, I'd point out that Sacramento is the organization least equipped to guide a young man through his rookie contract in a way that provides maximum opportunity to flourish. It takes a special dude like Haliburton to succeed there, for the most part. Had Bagley gone some place like San Antonio there's no telling how differently things might've turned out.

People brought up his defensive weaknesses during his draft and they were dead on the money.  We've seen him up close now and can see his offensive talent, but that doesn't matter much if you aren't otherworldly when your defense is that bad.  He has the physical tools to play defense so it's either effort or IQ (or both).

[mvossman]

What if we trade DLive and Landlord...and swap 9 for 12 and 7?

Then draft Morez.

[DallasMaverick]

Awfully smug for a guy few had heard of before the NCAA season...

Maybe he’s got a promise.

That would give me some confidence.

[OBX Maverick]

What if we trade DLive and Landlord...and swap 9 for 12 and 7?

I think if Mara is somehow our target, that we almost have to do something like that. However, despite all the connect the dots, i will be quite surprised if Mara is a Mav tomorrow night.

[Scott41theMavs]

I think if Mara is somehow our target, that we almost have to do something like that. However, despite all the connect the dots, i will be quite surprised if Mara is a Mav tomorrow night.

I’d be surprised if Mara was a Mav tomorrow night, and even more surprised if KL was still a Mavs fan after it happened.

[KillerLeft]

Maybe he’s got a promise.

That would give me some confidence.

I have a feeling he does. He's not making it past 5, which is fine by me.

[KillerLeft]

I’d be surprised if Mara was a Mav tomorrow night, and even more surprised if KL was still a Mavs fan after it happened.

I can't quit the Mavs. Lord knows I've tried. 

I suppose that turn of events might motivate me to try again, but I don't like my chances.

[mvossman]

I am not going to blame you on Bagley.  I thought he was going to be awesome as well.

People point to Bagley saying that he wanted to be the best rapper in the NBA, as the beginning of his downfall. I know it's a joke but I often wonder with players like him if there is an element of truth to it. He should have done much more with his talent than what he has done.  With players like that you wonder if they are maximizing their god given abilities.

Man, I hated Bagley.  He was notoriously bad defender at Duke (they did all kinds of things to hide him) and he couldn't shoot.  That is just so hard to fit on a roster.

[hakeemfaan]

I'm not as down on Mara as some others here, but Mara doesn't make sense because we have 2 good centers already. We also got Cisse and Kai Jones in recent years to play well. So the market has good cheap athletic backup centers that you can find.

What you can't find easily are talented guards and switchable wings/forwards, especially someone like Morez who can switch on the 3, 4 or 5. Any of the guards we've discussed in the 5-9 range or Morez (though ideally I prefer him in a trade down scenario and not at 9) One of them has to be one of our picks. I can even live with Ament now that the draft is nearing because he is still filling a need. Mara doesn't fill a need for us at all and there is no point wasting this pick and having to jettison one of our centers for cheap, when we have so many other glaring needs.

[OBX Maverick]

I can't quit the Mavs. Lord knows I've tried. 

I suppose that turn of events might motivate me to try again, but I don't like my chances.

If you haven’t quit them over the last 2 years, i find it hard to believe that a little Mara would knock you out!

[DallasMaverick]

I can't quit the Mavs. Lord knows I've tried. 

I suppose that turn of events might motivate me to try again, but I don't like my chances.

Just need the right 12-step program.

[Scott41theMavs]

If you haven’t quit them over the last 2 years, i find it hard to believe that a little Mara would knock you out!

He’d like Mara better if he were little. And mobile. And switchable.

[Scott41theMavs]

Just need the right 12-step program.

Shhhh….

[KillerLeft]

Just need the right 12-step program.

I tried this one back in the Christian Wood days. Didn't help.

https://youtu.be/VXScVtbRaZU?si=yUnuzI0b9g-jQ3oD

[cow]

Just need the right 12-step program.

Still not a travel, depending on the player and officiating crew.

[cow]

I tried this one back in the Christian Wood days. Didn't help.

https://youtu.be/VXScVtbRaZU?si=yUnuzI0b9g-jQ3oD

See, we can agree on things from time to time.  haha

[mvossman]

If you haven’t quit them over the last 2 years, i find it hard to believe that a little Mara would knock you out!

I wonder how many of us would be here if they didn't luck into Flagg.  It would have been brutal.

[DallasMaverick]

I tried this one back in the Christian Wood days. Didn't help.

https://youtu.be/VXScVtbRaZU?si=yUnuzI0b9g-jQ3oD

Genius

[DallasMaverick]

Still not a travel, depending on the player and officiating crew.

LeBron?

[KillerLeft]

Genius

The Dante Exum bit hit differently than it did the last time I watched it.