2026 NBA draft thread

[Winter]

Combine Week Recap from NoCeilings

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/the-2026...week-recap

[mvossman]

Combine Week Recap from NoCeilings

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/the-2026...week-recap

Was Ament at the combine?  I'm surprised there is not even a mention of him.

[Winter]

Was Ament at the combine?  I'm surprised there is not even a mention of him.

Yes. Not much on that (just some typical measurements), but here's a profile article on him done the last day of the combine.

https://www.si.com/nba/draft/newsfeed/nb...nate-ament

[Chicagojk]

I like Ebuka Okorie. He looks like a young Dennis Schroeder (hopefully a better teammate).  I'd be happy if they could maneuver and get him in the 20s and had him as their PG of the future.

On another note, if the Mavs are taking on three years of Alex Caruso's deal, then Lakers pick needs to be top 10 protected. But if it's simply a one for one, I'm okay with it being unprotected (though I'd prefer top 4).

For sh-ts 'n giggles, let's say the Mavs:
- Trade Lakers 2029 unprotected for #12
- Trade Gafford for Vanderbilt and #25
- Take on Zeke Nnaji for #26

How far up do you think #9, #12, #25, #26 and #30, collectively could get you?  Put the probability of this actually happening aside. I'm asking do you think Memphis would entertain this (I don't think they'd hang up the phone)?  Would you rather have just Cam Boozer or, let's say, Flemings, Lendebourg, Swain, Okorie and Ejiofor?

Again, I'm not saying this would happen. It's just a thought exercise of do you feel better with having one premium pick or five dart throws of varying degrees where it's possible one or more could be home runs, or just a big bag of nothing?

My goals of the offseason are the following:
1) hit the #9 pick.  That will greatly determine if this offseason was good or bad.
2) Find another top 15 player in this draft per your board.    That could mean staying in 30, but it probably means moving up into the 20's.  I think even with the people leaving the draft that the picks after 20 will be wildly different between teams.  
3) Find away via cap room, trade or exceptions to find a interesting asset.    

I don't need four picks or dream about moving up to the top 4.   Just hit #9, find another player you value with a second pick and then get creative finding another asset.

[DallasMaverick]

My goals of the offseason are the following:
1) hit the #9 pick.  That will greatly determine if this offseason was good or bad.
2) Find another top 15 player in this draft per your board.    That could mean staying in 30, but it probably means moving up into the 20's.  I think even with the people leaving the draft that the picks after 20 will be wildly different between teams.  
3) Find away via cap room, trade or exceptions to find a interesting asset.    

I don't need four picks or dream about moving up to the top 4.   Just hit #9, find another player you value with a second pick and then get creative finding another asset.

…don’t want no fancy funeral,
Just one like ol’ king Tut

[Chicagojk]

Kevin O'Conner from Yahoo just released a new two round mock.    I can't post it from where I am currently.  I don't really put much into his mock drafts.  Anyway, he has Dallas taking Karim Lopez ta 9.   Burries went 5th.    Flemings went 13th.  Ament went 10th.

He has them taking Jack Kayil at 30 and Jaden Bradley in the second.

Lopez is one of the younger guys in the draft.  He sort of plays with attitude.   I think I could be higher on him if Sam Veccenie was higher on him.  Sam lives in Austratila and because of this probably has seen him more than anyone else.   He moves pretty well and is a big kid.   Just not sure if he is going to be able to get around big nba athletes as he does in Australia.

[mvossman]

Kevin O'Conner from Yahoo just released a new two round mock.    I can't post it from where I am currently.  I don't really put much into his mock drafts.  Anyway, he has Dallas taking Karim Lopez ta 9.   Burries went 5th.    Flemings went 13th.  Ament went 10th.

He has them taking Jack Kayil at 30 and Jaden Bradley in the second.

Lopez is one of the younger guys in the draft.  He sort of plays with attitude.   I think I could be higher on him if Sam Veccenie was higher on him.  Sam lives in Austratila and because of this probably has seen him more than anyone else.   He moves pretty well and is a big kid.   Just not sure if he is going to be able to get around big nba athletes as he does in Australia.

Another toolsy forward project.  Hopefully that clip from Schmitz is more indicative of their current mindset.

[Winter]

Kevin O'Conner from Yahoo just released a new two round mock.    I can't post it from where I am currently.  I don't really put much into his mock drafts.  Anyway, he has Dallas taking Karim Lopez ta 9.   Burries went 5th.    Flemings went 13th.  Ament went 10th.

He has them taking Jack Kayil at 30 and Jaden Bradley in the second.

Lopez is one of the younger guys in the draft.  He sort of plays with attitude.   I think I could be higher on him if Sam Veccenie was higher on him.  Sam lives in Austratila and because of this probably has seen him more than anyone else.   He moves pretty well and is a big kid.   Just not sure if he is going to be able to get around big nba athletes as he does in Australia.

I watched a couple of his highlight videos. He doesn't stand out that much... but the teams on the court do. They look like junior college players from Nebraska

It's hard to get my mind around the competition he's playing with.

[Winter]

So this "Slam ad Jam" video (post-combine) is mostly two moderators (Schlecht and Speers) discussing the draft with Sam Vecenie.

At the 27:37 mark of this video, Vecenie is asked about Ebuka Okorie. What follows is a rather long and very interesting talk about short guards in this draft including Okorie. That part of the segment is just over 7 minutes long, but very interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdL6Be4EPSQ&list=WL&index=74&t=2068s

[Chicagojk]

So this "Slam ad Jam" video (post-combine) is mostly two moderators (Schlecht and Speers) discussing the draft with Sam Vecenie.

At the 27:37 mark of this video, Vecenie is asked about Ebuka Okorie. What follows is a rather long and very interesting talk about short guards in this draft including Okorie. That part of the segment is just over 7 minutes long, but very interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdL6Be4EPSQ&list=WL&index=74&t=2068s

Yeah it is interesting. These guards are really good it look at the west backcourts.  Mostly big to very big.  

I do hope we get back to a point where backcourts like Philly are more en vogue. I like that quickness. I would like to see smaller guards back to having a place in the league.

[Smitty]

Multiple league sources have connected the Brooklyn Nets to Michigan center Aday Mara and Tennessee forward Nate Ament, per @KevinOConnor


I don’t like being linked to KOC, but I did say immediately after the lottery results that the Nets felt like an Ament team. Also, their coach is from Spain and probably knows everything there is to know about Mara through the Spanish basketball ranks.

We’ll get rumors and reports like this the next 5 weeks, so take it FWIW. The one thing I feel confident about is that 5-9 will not all be guards.

[Chicagojk]

https://x.com/expohoops/status/2055747489987194934?s=61

Philbon has a lot of similar movements to Freshman Shai. Not saying he will get close to Shai’s nba achievements.

[Dirknows]

Multiple league sources have connected the Brooklyn Nets to Michigan center Aday Mara and Tennessee forward Nate Ament, per @KevinOConnor


I don’t like being linked to KOC, but I did say immediately after the lottery results that the Nets felt like an Ament team. Also, their coach is from Spain and probably knows everything there is to know about Mara through the Spanish basketball ranks.

We’ll get rumors and reports like this the next 5 weeks, so take it FWIW. The one thing I feel confident about is that 5-9 will not all be guards.

The question is what guard will fall to us. I’m pretty confident Acuff will be gone, after that…it’s a crapshoot.

[Chicagojk]

OKC should really use this draft to get some young front court players.   With their depth and salaries, having 4-5 bodies on mostly rookie contracts to throw at Wemby may be the best option.   It may not matter, but they are in a unique spot where they can throw depth and youth at him with multiple young and talented guys.

[Winter]

OKC should really use this draft to get some young front court players.   With their depth and salaries, having 4-5 bodies on mostly rookie contracts to throw at Wemby may be the best option.   It may not matter, but they are in a unique spot where they can throw depth and youth at him with multiple young and talented guys.

OKC should have more players? 

That's a bummer of a thought.

[Chicagojk]

OKC should have more players? 

That's a bummer of a thought.

ha.  They have so many directions to go.

I just think if they plan to keep Shai, JDub and Chet they will be salary crunched at some point.   Having young bigs on rookie contracts may be the best way to compete against Wemby (with Chet).  OKC has done great finding undrafted or second round guys who have been able to play for them.   It will be important for them to find these players or draft players who can fit these roles moving forward.

[Chicagojk]

So this "Slam ad Jam" video (post-combine) is mostly two moderators (Schlecht and Speers) discussing the draft with Sam Vecenie.

At the 27:37 mark of this video, Vecenie is asked about Ebuka Okorie. What follows is a rather long and very interesting talk about short guards in this draft including Okorie. That part of the segment is just over 7 minutes long, but very interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdL6Be4EPSQ&list=WL&index=74&t=2068s

Saw this on Twitter.  Different ways to skin a cat, but this has been a direction for a while.   Personally, I like the smaller guards and wish they would make a comeback.   All these names though are big and physical.  Even Cason Wallace is 6'4 with a a 6'9 wingspan

guards closing the game tonight
harper - 6’5”
castle - 6’6”
vassell - 6’5”
sga - 6’6”
caruso - 6’5”
jdub - 6’5”

[mvossman]

Saw this on Twitter.  Different ways to skin a cat, but this has been a direction for a while.   Personally, I like the smaller guards and wish they would make a comeback.   All these names though are big and physical.  Even Cason Wallace is 6'4 with a a 6'9 wingspan

guards closing the game tonight
harper - 6’5”
castle - 6’6”
vassell - 6’5”
sga - 6’6”
caruso - 6’5”
jdub - 6’5”

Most of these guys also weighed over 200lbs or had a huge wingspan or both.  After Peterson the only guard in the next tier that would fit in with this group is Burries.

[Chicagojk]

Multiple league sources have connected the Brooklyn Nets to Michigan center Aday Mara and Tennessee forward Nate Ament, per @KevinOConnor


I don’t like being linked to KOC, but I did say immediately after the lottery results that the Nets felt like an Ament team. Also, their coach is from Spain and probably knows everything there is to know about Mara through the Spanish basketball ranks.

We’ll get rumors and reports like this the next 5 weeks, so take it FWIW. The one thing I feel confident about is that 5-9 will not all be guards.

Sort of funny visiting other boards.   There is a strong contingent fine with Mara.   There is very little support for Ament on most boards.

I think the Nets are one of the real interesting teams.   Most have them taking a guard and they may go this route.   They drafted two guards last year.  Neither may be a true lead guard, but do they want to add another dominant ball handler?   The guards they drafted last year have good size so that does allow flexibility.    Adding a ball dominant player like Acuff seems a little weird to me though.

[Winter]

So after watching all this video, checking mock drafts, and podcasts, I have come to the sad conclusion that almost no player is all that impressive after the top 4. I like several players, but I'm not a fan of any of the PGs, think Burries is OK, and the best value (not necessarily the best rookie player) is probably below #9 and is not a PG.

At this point, I just figure that Schmitz and Masai know what they're doing, and I'll cheer their choice.