2026 NBA draft thread

[DanSchwartzgan]

Vecenie mock

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7258215...ntsa-jazz/

Has Burries going 9.  Acuff, flemings, brown go off board before dallas.

Has ament going after Burries.  Interesting not about him getting off to a slow start before averaging 22 a game prior to late season ankle injury.

Keith Smith did just the opposite.  Ament to Dallas at 9 and Burries to 10.  

As I've pointed out, Ament has done visits to Africa.  There is almost assuredly some relationship with either Schmitz or Masai.  Schmitz tends to focus more on skills than stats.  Can a player scale up and survive in a playoff setting.  Processing speed and footwork are as important as PPG in a single year in college as a youngster.

I wouldn't sleep on the idea of Ament to Dallas at #9.

[khaled1987]

My way too early Mock:

Wizards: Dybantsa
Jazz: Peterson
Grizzlies: Boozer
Bulls: Wilson
Clippers: Flemings
Nets: Ament
Kings: Acuff
Hawks: Mara
Mavs: Brown
Bucks: Wagler

If Nets wants Ament, I think they will just trade down and get him.
Maybe even do the trade with Dallas or Hawks.

[DL2RimRocker]

Barring some type of trade, one of Burries, Flemings or Brown will most likely be a Mav.

This gives me vibes of 2017 when we took the final PG of a top heavy PG draft.

[Chicagojk]

Keith Smith did just the opposite.  Ament to Dallas at 9 and Burries to 10.  

As I've pointed out, Ament has done visits to Africa.  There is almost assuredly some relationship with either Schmitz or Masai.  Schmitz tends to focus more on skills than stats.  Can a player scale up and survive in a playoff setting.  Processing speed and footwork are as important as PPG in a single year in college as a youngster.

I wouldn't sleep on the idea of Ament to Dallas at #9.

There is some appeal there but I am not sure Dallas will go this route.  There is a world in 3 years Dallas has two 6’9-6’10 skilled wings where they create advantages everywhere.  Ament does have major risk for me though and not sure if it is worth the weight especially with the lack of creation.  Something to consider for the next month or so.  I have alepready talked myself into that the decision will likely be between brown, Burries, Philon and Ament.

High school footage of ament

https://youtu.be/OYyJWJHrv4k?si=C6gvHAFgL-TJPHv_

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

Let's say the Spurs are looking to do a twin towers with Aday Mara, would you trade #9 for Dylan Harper?

[dirkfansince1998]

There is some appeal there but I am not sure Dallas will go this route.  There is a world in 3 years Dallas has two 6’9-6’10 skilled wings where they create advantages everywhere.  Ament does have major risk for me though and not sure if it is worth the weight especially with the lack of creation.  Something to consider for the next month or so.  I have alepready talked myself into that the decision will likely be between brown, Burries, Philon and Ament.

High school footage of ament

https://youtu.be/OYyJWJHrv4k?si=C6gvHAFgL-TJPHv_

It's interesting that no one ever mentions Lopez even though he is a late lottery pick in most mocks I have seen. Don't know enough about him to make a call but on paper he has a similar profile. Big and athletic wing with handles.

[DanSchwartzgan]

There is some appeal there but I am not sure Dallas will go this route.   

CBS went Burries then Ament.  They touted Burries NBA ready body (something Devin Harris also talked about today).  CBS talked about HIGH character guy with Ament (something I've heard is a priority for Masai).  I'm not sure what I'd do at this point.  I've been higher than most (and earlier) on Burries and Ament, so neither would hurt my feelings.  

It is important for us to remember that this pick isn't about what it can do in 2026/2027 or even the season after that.  The Flagg era won't get started in earnest until he's 23-24 at the earliest.  I think Ament has greater upside and greater risk than Burries.  The good news is I have absolute trust in the decision makers (what a week its been).

[khaled1987]

Someone said earlier that picks like the 9th pick usually have more success than the 6-8th picks. Mainly because this is when teams stop caring about potential franchise player and pick BPA without reaching too much.
I think with such thing, and with new GM who is signed for the draft that appreciates fundamentals and skill a lot, I won't be surprised if we don't make a conventional pick. We won't do the 2017 mistake and settle for the last hyped guy remaining, but actually go for the best player we see.
It is why I won't see it as "Brown or Burries" thing, I think they will see far more options, maybe at the end settle with one of those if they actually believe he is their guy.

[khaled1987]

It's interesting that no one ever mentions Lopez even though he is a late lottery pick in most mocks I have seen. Don't know enough about him to make a call but on paper he has a similar profile. Big and athletic wing with handles.

I don't like how he is dunk or bust around the rim. It seems he barely do layups from every game highlight I watched. Maybe Stats paint a different picture.

[Scott41theMavs]

If this is the 2017 draft all over again as people say, let's get the Donovan Mitchell of this draft. I vote for that.

This year's Bam would be pretty nice as well.

[Chicagojk]

CBS went Burries then Ament.  They touted Burries NBA ready body (something Devin Harris also talked about today).  CBS talked about HIGH character guy with Ament (something I've heard is a priority for Masai).  I'm not sure what I'd do at this point.  I've been higher than most (and earlier) on Burries and Ament, so neither would hurt my feelings.  

It is important for us to remember that this pick isn't about what it can do in 2026/2027 or even the season after that.  The Flagg era won't get started in earnest until he's 23-24 at the earliest.  I think Ament has greater upside and greater risk than Burries.  The good news is I have absolute trust in the decision makers (what a week its been).

Well said.  I think Burries fits in really well with the current team.   Maybe come off the bench but he could be a real nice addition pretty quickly.  A big bodied athletic guy who just fills in a lot of areas.   Whereas Ament fit is much more questionable immediately.  He joins an already crowded position group with very little guard creation.   Although, I agree that 2-3 years could paint a much different picture.  Also remember Burries will be 21 when the season starts.   Ament will still be 19.   

I have a lot of questions about Ament though.  Is he really a good shooter or will he be a guy in the 33-35% three pint percentage?  Also, how tough is he?  He is going to be taken advantage early.   Can he withstand and grow or does it break him down?   

I just think while he may not be my preferred direction of guys I hope we end up with, I think way too many fans are bypassing his upside due to an up and down freshman season.

As far as Masai, who knows how much influence he had in the draft last year.  I know he was let go after the draft, but that may have been just semantics.  But lets say a lot of the work was done in conjunction.  I think the safe pick was Maluach.  Toronto has a lot of wings.   Maybe Maluach becomes the best player, but they went with CMB.  CMB was a young soph who played for a bad team and can't really shoot.   He was fantastic this year and got better as the year went on.   There is still a position crunch in Toronto, but he may be the #2 guy as far as assets behind Barnes for the Raptors.

[Chicagojk]

It's interesting that no one ever mentions Lopez even though he is a late lottery pick in most mocks I have seen. Don't know enough about him to make a call but on paper he has a similar profile. Big and athletic wing with handles.

I have to be honest...I have not looked at him at all.  I saw a few highlights and I moved on.    I really don't know anything about him yet.

[Winter]

Well said.  I think Burries fits in really well with the current team.   Maybe come off the bench but he could be a real nice addition pretty quickly.  A big bodied athletic guy who just fills in a lot of areas.   Whereas Ament fit is much more questionable immediately.  He joins an already crowded position group with very little guard creation.   Although, I agree that 2-3 years could paint a much different picture.  Also remember Burries will be 21 when the season starts.   Ament will still be 19.   

I have a lot of questions about Ament though.  Is he really a good shooter or will he be a guy in the 33-35% three pint percentage?  Also, how tough is he?  He is going to be taken advantage early.   Can he withstand and grow or does it break him down?   

I just think while he may not be my preferred direction of guys I hope we end up with, I think way too many fans are bypassing his upside due to an up and down freshman season.

I just think Burries is a guy that can spread the floor - something the Mavs are rather desperate for. I'm not sure any of the surrounding draft picks can make the case for helping Flagg's game quite like Burries can.

[dirkfansince1998]

I have to be honest...I have not looked at him at all.  I saw a few highlights and I moved on.    I really don't know anything about him yet.

Same. That's why I was asking. Most guys that are mocked in the 2nd round have more tape/scouting reports. Feels like he is flying under the radar but maybe it's just me. Looking at draft boards he seems to be a consensus pick in the ~15 range.

[Chicagojk]

Keith Smith did just the opposite.  Ament to Dallas at 9 and Burries to 10.  

As I've pointed out, Ament has done visits to Africa.  There is almost assuredly some relationship with either Schmitz or Masai.  Schmitz tends to focus more on skills than stats.  Can a player scale up and survive in a playoff setting.  Processing speed and footwork are as important as PPG in a single year in college as a youngster.

I wouldn't sleep on the idea of Ament to Dallas at #9.

Nathaniel Herman Ament was born on December 10, 2006, in Manassas, Virginia. He is the youngest of four siblings, with three older brothers—Manny, Alex, and Frederick—who influenced his early athletic development. His father, Albert Ament, is a former basketball standout, a 2001 inductee into the Wayne State Athletics Hall of Fame, and has served in the United States Peace Corps in Chad and Madagascar. His mother, Godelive Mukankuranga, is a nurse from Rwanda, whose Tutsi heritage and personal history during the Rwandan genocide have been a significant influence on Nate’s life. Nate honors his Rwandan roots by incorporating the colors of the Rwandan flag into his custom basketball sneakers. 
[/url]
[url=https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=8eae8ed612d0e9f9006ef83af4ae161ca841688f577958942f1a0773b63866a8JmltdHM9MTc3ODM3MTIwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=322bf11e-6d1a-6ee5-19da-e28d6cad6f24&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly91dHNwb3J0cy5jb20vc3BvcnRzL21lbnMtYmFza2V0YmFsbC9yb3N0ZXIvbmF0ZS1hbWVudC8yMjE2MQ&ntb=1]University of Tennessee Athletics+2

Masai and Schmitz will need to produce but I am quite confident they will pick the person they think will be the best player.  It is going to be very tricky decision though.

[Moviemavguy]

I think the draft is a crap shoot from 5-14.  Doubt Acuff or Wagler are there by 9, but honestly, anyone else could be there.  It's too early and mocks are all over the place to know who will draft who after 4.

[Chicagojk]

Ament vs Dybansta in a fun hs game

https://youtu.be/3NDGA-xgtw8?si=ho7TBWRoegC2y9Ru

There are some also fun Mikel high school games too.  Obviously you have the more recent college games but I always like watching them in high school.  Especially in non AAU type games.

[mvossman]

If Brown is 85% positive on the back, I´d take him at #9. People compare him to DSJ, but I have never seen one-handed full-court passes over the whole defense for a lay-up or see half-court alley-oops into tight windows from DSJ. I have seen him hurt popcorn vendors in the 5th row.

Give me Brown or Burries and I´m happy. I´m meh on the rest of these guards. They might turn out be special, but I´d be a lot more open to trading down.

Brown also has a much better profile for shooting the 3 at the next level.  I don't see DSJ, but there is risk there.

[mvossman]

Keith Smith did just the opposite.  Ament to Dallas at 9 and Burries to 10.  

As I've pointed out, Ament has done visits to Africa.  There is almost assuredly some relationship with either Schmitz or Masai.  Schmitz tends to focus more on skills than stats.  Can a player scale up and survive in a playoff setting.  Processing speed and footwork are as important as PPG in a single year in college as a youngster.

I wouldn't sleep on the idea of Ament to Dallas at #9.

I would be very disappointed with Ament at 9, especially if it has anything to do with visits to Africa.

[hakeemfaan]

This is not a novel take, as others have mentioned it. I agree with the Derrick White , Burries similarity comments. It is tough for me to not take Burries once I make that comparison because I like White a lot. However, I look at that type of a guy as a great glue guy but I want a Robin next to Flagg with a top 10 pick, and I'm not sure Burries can be that guy.

At where we're picking, guys like Ament and Brown (if he slips) have that chance. Sure, you're taking a risk by going for someone who might end up as a total bust and you are regretting you didn't take the much safer bet in Burries, but I would take that chance if I were the Mavs. If we had picks in the next few years, I would be more open to taking Burries. Without too many picks, I want to take some chances with this draft.