2026 NBA draft thread

[Scott41theMavs]

I would like pick 5, but Garland does not excite me.

[dirkfansince1998]

Alabama freshman Amari Allen is withdrawing from the NBA draft and returning to the Crimson Tide, he announced.

https://x.com/jeffborzello/status/2059757908531831271

[mvossman]

I was just thinking with number 5. You could grab wagler. Garland, wagler and Coop would be a pretty good start.

Next to Garland I might actually prefer Burries to balance out the defense.

[Scott41theMavs]

https://x.com/jeffborzello/status/2059757908531831271

Didn't necessarily want him for the Mavs, but still reduces the value of #30 considerably.

[Chicagojk]

Didn't necessarily want him for the Mavs, but still reduces the value of #30 considerably.

I never thought he would stay.  He intriguing.   Pretty smooth player but not a great jumping athlete.  Rebounded well as a freshman.  He is older for a Freshman.    The real kicker though is he was billed at 6'8 and he came in under 6'6.  Go back to school and see if he can have a Philon level leap in year two.  If he stays at Alabama, that coach puts good offenses together.  

Sounds like BJ Richmond is going back to Arkansas.  Another good decision.  He was probably an early second round pick.

[Winter]

I never thought he would stay.  He intriguing.   Pretty smooth player but not a great jumping athlete.  Rebounded well as a freshman.  He is older for a Freshman.    The real kicker though is he was billed at 6'8 and he came in under 6'6.  Go back to school and see if he can have a Philon level leap in year two.  If he stays at Alabama, that coach puts good offenses together.  

Sounds like BJ Richmond is going back to Arkansas.  Another good decision.  He was probably an early second round pick.

Headline I just saw was that Richmond was staying the draft... and then changed his mind and decided to go back to Ark.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I would do Garland straight up for Kyrie.  Would not need the pick swap.  Garland is a really good player and 8 years younger than Kyrie.

He's been hurt a lot with nagging injuries the last few seasons. That's why Cleveland decided not to wait on him to get healthy. He was 10 years younger than Harden. He's a very good player however.

[dirkfansince1998]

Tanner and Momcilovic withdraw. Peat stays in the draft.

[F Gump]

I would like pick 5, but Garland does not excite me.

He's been hurt a lot with nagging injuries the last few seasons. That's why Cleveland decided not to wait on him to get healthy. He was 10 years younger than Harden. He's a very good player however.

This is why he doesnt really excite me. Injured A LOT. Small. Bad bad defense.

And a max deal (which would basically make him the ONLY max-valued player alongside CF, since CF will get one too) which means he's either gone or getting MASSIVE money when the team blooms.

I just cant get excited about where that would go.

[dirkfansince1998]

This is why he doesnt really excite me. Injured A LOT. Small. Bad bad defense.

And a max deal (which would basically make him the ONLY max-valued player alongside CF, since CF will get one too) which means he's either gone or getting MASSIVE money when the team blooms.

I just cant get excited about where that would go.

Kyrie is even more injury prone and just as small.  Garland's contract structure is basically the same as Kyrie's minus the player option. The case against Garland is basically the case against Kyrie. Both are either gone or getting more money than they probably should. But Garland is at least younger (less likely to decline) and would offer one more year of control. Most likely offer more value in a future trade scenario.

[Scott41theMavs]

Kyrie is even more injury prone and just as small.  Garland's contract structure is basically the same as Kyrie's minus the player option. The case against Garland is basically the case against Kyrie. Both are either gone or getting more money than they probably should. But Garland is at least younger (less likely to decline) and would offer one more year of control. Most likely offer more value in a future trade scenario.

Intriguing.

Unless of course FGump is right about the small/bad bad defense stuff.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.s...vbe62exf2j


Baylor's Tounde Yessoufou withdraws from the draft and commits
to St John's to play for Rick Pitino.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4889...-nba-draft

Koa Peat to remain in the draft.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/JonRothstein/status/2059805647374372871


Milan Momcilovic withdraws from the draft and will remain in school.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/PeteThamel/status/2059804177757278607


All- SEC PG Tanner Tyler has withdrawn from the draft, and will
return to Vanderbilt.

[F Gump]

A lot of promising players bailed out. I suspect the "first round" talent in this draft isn't 30-deep now. Sadly. The best to hope for is that one of the top 25 somehow slips through the cracks and is still there at 30, or maybe they can find a route to move from 30 to the late teens.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Hell, they can make a lot of money by staying in school now. NIL has made it easier as opposed to applying for the draft, then possibly getting cut. Then what? Toiling in the G-League or overseas? Going back to school isn't an option anymore.

[Chicagojk]

I really like Tanner. At his height though, he is always going to be a late first/early second in whatever draft he is in imo. So going back to school for a year or two and getting a ton of reps and also making money is a pretty easy decision. When he enters the draft he will be a plug and play backup and ready to role.

Tounde would have been one of the guys on my list at 30. He probably made a good decision too as he was probably a late first/early second guy. Going to St. Johns should help as his physical defense will be highlighted. He has a good chance to be a solid first round pick next year.

I think there will be some good players at 30. It is less than it was though, but I will like several guys. Although I am hoping someone catches their eye and they look to move up 4-5 picks.

[Chicagojk]

https://x.com/nbadraftwass/status/205998...89780?s=61

Jack Kayil

[khaled1987]

I like the no ceilings draft content, but I think I figured out they are not 1-2 guys.  They are sort of a group with a lot of people.    That gets a little more cloudy when reading opinion pieces if they are done by different people.  Anyway....here is one on Philon.

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/stop-ignoring-labaron-philon?img=https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6be1d367-ad4b-4699-8f7f-b178c0698841_2544x1036.jpeg&open=false

He has been my pick for some time. I am not sure why the board are so down on him. The weight is a concern, but it isn't the deal breaker people making it to be. SGA has same issue entering the draft.