2026 NBA draft thread

[DL2RimRocker]

MY THOUGHTS ...

1 My hope is to get ONE top player in this draft. Just one guy who will be a star, or a top-tier starter for years.

2 If they do that, and nothing more, imo it's a win. A huge win. Because that result, even with a top-10 pick, is not a given -- looking back the last 10 years, most drafts only have 2-3 players from the top 10 that turn out to be very good, and some end up having zero star players at all. 

3 Don't draft for need or for fit, when it comes to a star potential. You take the best. If you end up with 2-3 who are top NBA caliber, they will make each other better and fit just fine, because they aren't limited in how they can impact a game. Top players can always fit, until you already have 3 star level players (and whoever has that?). They need another star guy first and foremost. 

4 I strongly differ with some, who want to chase multiple picks. Typically a huge mistake. Quantity does NOT come anywhere close to giving up quality. That means if they find a player who looks like a winner, they must grab him. Don't get cute and trade back, because you think no one else will take him and you can somehow get 2-for-1. Trading 1 star for 2 pieces of junk, by getting cute, can set you back for a decade. See Giannis, and the Larkin/Ledo prizes they got instead. 

5 What this team really needs the most, ideally, would be a top level ball-handling creator, who can play both ends, has some size, can make 3s -- but if that guy is in this draft, imo he hasn't really shown himself yet. All of these PG/G types have multiple flaws and tons of inconsistency, and bust potential. OTOH, not sure the available forwards will necessarily be any better to try. Somewhere in these players will be some good ones, is the hope, but having the guy with an eye for talent is going to be worth gold.

Agree with a lot of this Gump, but there isnt a clear choice past 5 that I can see. 

Guys like Cenac and Burries are late lotto picks or later in several mock drafts I've seen and I'd be comfortable taking either of them over guys like Brown, Acuff, Mullen, Arenas and Ament who are usually projected to go higher. I like Wagler a lot but his limited athleticism is concerning at the NBA level.

If we were picking top 5 I'd completely agree with you but 6 through 20 will be where GMs and scouts will have to earn their pay in this draft.