2026 NBA draft thread

[Chicagojk]

I don't see it for Mara with the Mavs.  Philon is one I struggle with.  He scored 34 points in his last game against eventual champion Michigan.   He just is a hard evaluation for me.  Probably easier in his role as a freshman.   He was really productive, good height, I love his change of pace.   But he is slim and not a great leaper and I just have trouble getting pumped up after this awful season if he was the prize.   Maybe that is the wrong way to think about it.   I am not sure if I am ever going to reach a landing spot on him prior to the draft.    

I don't get the Carr hype.  I think he is a 20's selection.   But heck, what do I know.

Also, I hope this doesn't come across as harsh.    I can't throw stones.  I have spent the past week trying to find a way to make a case for Ament at 9.  LOL

[hakeemfaan]

Also, I hope this doesn't come across as harsh.    I can't throw stones.  I have spent the past week trying to find a way to make a case for Ament at 9.  LOL

Oh there's definitely a case to be made for Ament.  19 (1 year younger than Burries), 6'9 barefoot, can get to the line very well for a skinny tall guy playing predominantly on the perimeter, excellent FT %. As others have said, he started off slow, but before his injury, there was a stretch where he was excellent.

The key is his jump shot. I read folks who have followed him for a while saying he was an excellent shooter who had a late growth in HS.  The other glaring problem is his finishing around the rim is not very good. Is that a lack of touch or just that he grew late and has not yet adjusted to his growth?

I would not be disappointed at all if they picked Ament.  Of course, then you hope and pray that he can fix his jump shot and touch around the rim. Carr is 2 years older and not as well rounded as Ament.

[hakeemfaan]

Technically, you may be entirely right. Here's my thinking in a general way.

I think it's in Flagg's best interest (and the team's), to have a veteran PG that can be acquired in a trade. I'm just not in love with any of the current PGs in that second tier, and a rookie PG next year just doesn't excite me. On the other hand, I think a good rookie SG or combo guard along with a good veteran PG makes more sense and I think makes for a stronger frontcourt. It would immediately help with spacing, and allow us to move Klay.

In a nutshell, I think I'm just happier with the thought of a SG on this team as a draft pick. I suspect it's Burries, but I would be happy to trade down a spot or two for Carr and another first-round pick (even if that pick was in another year).

No issues with Carr in a trade down scenario where we get some extra picks (now or for the future). At 9, I'd go for Burries over him.

[mvossman]

Technically, you may be entirely right. Here's my thinking in a general way.

I think it's in Flagg's best interest (and the team's), to have a veteran PG that can be acquired in a trade. I'm just not in love with any of the current PGs in that second tier, and a rookie PG next year just doesn't excite me. On the other hand, I think a good rookie SG or combo guard along with a good veteran PG makes more sense and I think makes for a stronger frontcourt. It would immediately help with spacing, and allow us to move Klay.

In a nutshell, I think I'm just happier with the thought of a SG on this team as a draft pick. I suspect it's Burries, but I would be happy to trade down a spot or two for Carr and another first-round pick (even if that pick was in another year).

Interesting take that you would rather have a SG than a PG.  I can't remember, are you a keep Kyrie, or we need to trade him at his highest value?  If you are in the camp of keeping him for the foreseeable future, I could see the focus on SG.  I would say both Wagler and Brown could play at SG (and back up the point).  I just think its really hard to find a quality point guard who can play defense, and Flemings is the closest to that in this draft.  I might have him ahead of all of these guys for that reason.

[david75090]

Is Burries better than Max Christie or just the shiny object not named Max Christie? Both play SG. I'm in favor of best player available at 9. I'll say it again, I'm underwhelmed by the thought of Burries being the Mavs pick at 9. If he's better than Christie, I'd be surprised. Burries was not the best PG on his Arizona team. If the Mavs have to have a PG, draft best the PG, not the 2nd best PG who played for Arizona.

[Winter]

Interesting take that you would rather have a SG than a PG.  I can't remember, are you a keep Kyrie, or we need to trade him at his highest value?  If you are in the camp of keeping him for the foreseeable future, I could see the focus on SG.  I would say both Wagler and Brown could play at SG (and back up the point).  I just think its really hard to find a quality point guard who can play defense, and Flemings is the closest to that in this draft.  I might have him ahead of all of these guys for that reason.

I agreed with your take on Kyrie. I don't think he's trade material now. Maybe the TDL.

[Winter]

Is Burries better than Max Christie or just the shiny object not named Max Christie? Both play SG. I'm in favor of best player available at 9. I'll say it again, I'm underwhelmed by the thought of Burries being the Mavs pick at 9. If he's better than Christie, I'd be surprised. Burries was not the best PG on his Arizona team. If the Mavs have to have a PG,  draft best the PG, not the 2nd best PG who played for Arizona.

Burries was the best SG on his team, and the best shooter on the team. I don't care about him being our PG of the future.

And having him better than Christi is a pretty low bar for me. Christi was a good 2nd round pick... certainly not a lottery pick, and is certainly replaceable in the Mavs rotation in my opinion.

I posted this Burries article yesterday... From a draft analyst at NoCeilings.

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/brayden-...-of-design

[mvossman]

Is Burries better than Max Christie or just the shiny object not named Max Christie? Both play SG. I'm in favor of best player available at 9. I'll say it again, I'm underwhelmed by the thought of Burries being the Mavs pick at 9. If he's better than Christie, I'd be surprised. Burries was not the best PG on his Arizona team. If the Mavs have to have a PG,  draft best the PG, not the 2nd best PG who played for Arizona.

Burries was a wildly better player in college than Max Christie was, and its across the board.  Way better shooter, scorer, rebounder, playmaker, defender, etc.  I don't know why folks are comparing Burries to Max Christie. 

Mavs don't have to draft a PG.  They need to draft BPA, and there is a reasonable chance that will be Burries.

[dirkfansince1998]

Is Burries better than Max Christie or just the shiny object not named Max Christie? Both play SG. I'm in favor of best player available at 9. I'll say it again, I'm underwhelmed by the thought of Burries being the Mavs pick at 9. If he's better than Christie, I'd be surprised. Burries was not the best PG on his Arizona team. If the Mavs have to have a PG,  draft best the PG, not the 2nd best PG who played for Arizona.

Burries played next to Peat and Bradley. Two non shooters. Him making it work in an off ball role is a strength not a weakness. He doesn't need the ball in his hands to make an impact but can do it when the team needs him to play more of an onball role.

[david75090]

Burries was a wildly better player in college than Max Christie was, and its across the board.  Way better shooter, scorer, rebounder, playmaker, defender, etc.  I don't know why folks are comparing Burries to Max Christie. 

Mavs don't have to draft a PG.  They need to draft BPA, and there is a reasonable chance that will be Burries.

If Burries is BPA available at 9, I'm in favor of trading out of that spot. Personally, I don't consider him to be the superior player between him and Christie, not that I'm all that high on Christie. If the Mavs traded Christie, I wouldn't be all that torn up about it. This is a deep draft, is it not? If the pick is Burries, I'm disappointed.

[Chicagojk]

Oh there's definitely a case to be made for Ament.  19 (1 year younger than Burries), 6'9 barefoot, can get to the line very well for a skinny tall guy playing predominantly on the perimeter, excellent FT %. As others have said, he started off slow, but before his injury, there was a stretch where he was excellent.

The key is his jump shot. I read folks who have followed him for a while saying he was an excellent shooter who had a late growth in HS.  The other glaring problem is his finishing around the rim is not very good. Is that a lack of touch or just that he grew late and has not yet adjusted to his growth?

I would not be disappointed at all if they picked Ament.  Of course, then you hope and pray that he can fix his jump shot and touch around the rim. Carr is 2 years older and not as well rounded as Ament.

 I am not there yet with him and am concerned about his toughness.   In theory, I sort of like having two 6'9 plus wings at 19 to start the season.   Eventhough him and Coop are the same age and Ament is bigger, I feel like it is sort of like a little brother thing with Ament.   Him being around Coop all the time is a good place to be and push himself.    I also think Ament's personality is not an alpha type so i think he would be fine with a support role.   

There is a lot risk though, complicates the current roster, and leaves us without a young lead guard to pair with Flagg.  So I get all that, but if you hit on him.....

[hakeemfaan]

 I am not there yet with him and am concerned about his toughness.   In theory, I sort of like having two 6'9 plus wings at 19 to start the season.   Eventhough him and Coop are the same age and Ament is bigger, I feel like it is sort of like a little brother thing with Ament.   Him being around Coop all the time is a good place to be and push himself.    I also think Ament's personality is not an alpha type so i think he would be fine with a support role.   

There is a lot risk though, complicates the current roster, and leaves us without a young lead guard to pair with Flagg.  So I get all that, but if you hit on him.....

Style is sometimes mistaken for lack of toughness. The guy got to the line a lot for a 6’9” guy who operated primarily on the perimeter. That shows both handles and toughness. 

The key is did his shooting mechanics and finishing around the rim suffer due to a sudden growth spurt?  That’s why Masai gets paid as much as he does.

[Knutsen]

 I am not there yet with him and am concerned about his toughness.   In theory, I sort of like having two 6'9 plus wings at 19 to start the season.   Eventhough him and Coop are the same age and Ament is bigger, I feel like it is sort of like a little brother thing with Ament.   Him being around Coop all the time is a good place to be and push himself.    I also think Ament's personality is not an alpha type so i think he would be fine with a support role.   

There is a lot risk though, complicates the current roster, and leaves us without a young lead guard to pair with Flagg.  So I get all that, but if you hit on him.....

If I try to spin it: you could state that young lead guards usually don’t win you anything, but need quite a few years of seasoning like a Curry or SGA, but also a Fred van Vleet or even Brunson type of guard. 

Therefore it could be an idea to just ramp up on overall talent and add a „seasoned“ lead guard via free agency in the next two or three seasons to take the reigns from Kyrie. 

That guy could be 25 or 30 years old, but for sure older than Cooper. Following that thought process Ament could make a lot of sense when he’s ranked as the most talented player on our board when we‘re on the clock.

[Winter]

10 players who left a mark at the combine

https://www.nba.com/news/2026-nba-draft-...performers

One of the more interesting players is Baba Miller - a second rounder. He's 6'11 and runs the floor like he's 6'7". Crazy good, but hasn't quite mastered the game of basketball in some areas. One game he looks like a lottery pick, then disappears for a game.

[Mavs2021]

I find it funny how we are all lemmings. We have no idea what directive (if any) Dumont has given or what the intentions of Ujiri are, but the appointment of Schmitz combined with the combine we all assume now it´s the long-term view.

[Winter]

I find it funny how we are all lemmings. We have no idea what directive (if any) Dumont has given or what the intentions of Ujiri are, but the appointment of Schmitz combined with the combine we all assume now it´s the long-term view.

What do you mean "long-term view" exactly?

[Mavs2021]

What do you mean "long-term view" exactly?

That we all look at the draft trying to add picks, but nobody considers the option that they just ship it all in for a guy like Giannis. #9 + #30 + Lakers 2029 + Mavs 2031 + Lively + Christie for Giannis is at least a competitive offer. Others like Durant or Harden would be much cheaper. My view is that they´ll hold all their chips until at least TDL, but we don´t know.

[Winter]

That we all look at the draft trying to add picks, but nobody considers the option that they just ship it all in for a guy like Giannis. #9 + #30 + Lakers 2029 + Mavs 2031 + Lively + Christie for Giannis is at least a competitive offer. Others like Durant or Harden would be much cheaper. My view is that they´ll hold all their chips until at least TDL, but we don´t know.

Ah. Got it.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I find it funny how we are all lemmings. We have no idea what directive (if any) Dumont has given or what the intentions of Ujiri are, but the appointment of Schmitz combined with the combine we all assume now it´s the long-term view.

Does that make you the chief Lemming?  Correct me if I’m confusing you with someone else, but I can’t think of anyone more focused on adding picks for this draft than you.  I’m not sure that trading down for multiple picks from #9 or up from #30 or combining Gafford with #30 to move up or similar means we are “all looking at the draft and trying to add picks”.

Some of us have actually “considered” (and posted about) Giannis and other structures that might turn picks and/or exceptions and/or existing players into things other than 2026 draft picks.  Some of us knew months ago that some of these kids would go back to school for the NIL money and this “historically deep” draft would get less deep.  

There are many ways to skin this cat.  Even multiple ways to do it while prioritizing younger players over older vets.  You are right that we don’t know what Masai’s marching orders are (or even if he has marching orders).  All we can do is look at his words, actions and history and try to surmise.   You can’t look at Schmitz’s skill set and assume it is only about current or future drafts.  He knows the players taken in the last several drafts extremely well.  He knows who he liked and who he thinks are being under-utilized.  If anyone can find the next Avdija or Giddey or NAW, it is Schmitz.

I imagine the strategy is all-of-the-above.  The current and future drafts, the so-called “second draft” strategy, free agency, trades, cap space, TPE’s.  Right now the 2026 draft is up next and we’ve spent months falling in and out of love with these guards.  I will agree that many are so enamored with them that they can’t envision a world where we don’t end up with one of the five.  But, draft day will eventually come and go and we’ll be on to the next shiny new toy.  Thankfully, I think the team takes a broader view of the mission.  I think the better question is to what degree are we prioritizing winning now vs willing 4 years from now and what does threading that needle look like in practical terms.

[Smitty]

Which side says no?

   

DAL: Vanderbilt + Knecht + Pick #25

LAL: Gafford


The players coming back don’t excite me any. I guess it comes down to how you view Gafford and if you think he’s worth a late FRP or not, or more, etc.

Could it be a trade that’s agreed to prior to the draft, contingent on who the Mavs go with at 9.

Say Mara is a real target for the Mavs there and he makes it to 9...

Are we okay with Mara at 9 and the above trade to land a guard like Okorie/Anderson/Evans at 25… or having to package 25/30 to move up to get “your guy”.