2026 NBA draft thread

[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.