2026 NBA draft thread

[Scott41theMavs]

I've struggled through this entire process over what I perceive to be holes in the games of these guys.

Flemings seems like a great guy and great leader.  I think the short arms matter.  He wasn't great at the rim (despite great athleticism) in college and I don't see that getting better in the NBA.  I won't complain if he is the pick, but I have worries about his star upside.

I'm much more worried about Wagler's lack of athleticism.  He's not good at finishing at the rim and can't get there anyway.  I see a better passing Duncan Robinson as a real possibility.

I don't like Acuff's D at all and I'm not a fan of what I hear when he opens his mouth.  I don't see a winning player in the playoffs.  In fact, I think he is a perfect 'get mine' guy on a bad team like Sacramento.

I do like Brown, but if he makes it to 9, then something is wrong...which means I don't like him any more and he might have a MPJ type fall.  I really think he's likely to go 5/6.

Burries to me seemed way off when he was being mocked in the 15-17 range earlier in the season.  I wish he had that one sure-fire NBA skill, but I do like his 'good at everything' even if he's great at nothing projection as a third best player on a good team.  He slots in nicely as a compliment to Flagg (and in a 3 guard rotation with Irving and Christie) as long as people aren't expecting star power.  I do think he will be a better pro than a college player and I tend to agree with you that his ceiling is higher than many project.   

With all that said, I've been much more open to trading down or looking elsewhere to add talent.  I'm not sure Flemings and Burries (if it works out that way) aren't so good that keep me from wanting two guys from the next tier...if they are the right two guys.  The issue is that you won't know that until after the picks are made.  You might have a good feel for who you will get at 12, but no way you know what will be there at 17.

Re: Flemings, in particular the bolded: That's my whole point. If they don't want him, it logically produces a concern that they're de-valuing *floor*. He has the highest floor. As for the bad measurements, they didn't keep him from playing the best defense of the five in college, and his ridiculous athletics at the combine essentially erase the bad anatomical measurements. 

BR released their "final" mock draft with trades yesterday, and had the Mavs trading down with OKC (straight up 9 for 12 and 17, which is probably the most fair) and had the Mavs coming away with Burries, Quintaince, and Maleek Thomas. That would be just fine. If the Mavs do their intel as was done in the Lively draft and are 100% that Burries is going to be there because Milwaukee and GS were dumb, then by all means do the trade. Otherwise, no.

Edit: Re: Acuff: There's zero doubt in my mind that he's going to be a star in the NBA - a surer thing than Wilson, tbh. It's also certain that he will not be able to play D. The question is, will he be a superstar-minus-D like Dirk, Curry, Luka, and Brunson? Or will he be a star-minus-D like Trae Young or Beard who just isn't worth trying to build around? Or somewhere in between like Lillard?