2026 NBA draft thread

[hakeemfaan]

All the discussions about the 5 G's in the 5-10 range have been all over the lot. One day this one is great (or way too flawed), another day that one is great (or way too flawed). I think all of that is a reasonably accurate reflection of four truths:
1 each of those guys have some minuses to criticize and fret over,
2 each of those guys have some pluses to praise and gush over,
3 there's not that much difference in the overall value of any of those 5,
4 there are mock drafts - so, somewhat-possible scenarios - in which each of those 5 is the last man standing among them.

I have some that I like a bit better than the others, but various of the NBA's draft gurus may not have them in the same order. 

My bottom line that I've arrived at is: (a) The Mavs have the 9th pick and may simply get G #5 of that group. (b) He may end up being the best of the lot, or the worst, but he should be incredibly much the same value as all the others. © So whoever is there, that's good by me. And they don't control it anyhow. (d) The various non-G players are on a lower tier, and picking one of them would be overthinking a pick that should be easy to make -- you take one of Wagler, Brown, Acuff, Flemings, or Burries. One or more will be there, he will be just fine, and he will be generally as desirable as each of the other 4. Don't need to make it all that difficult.
differ

Who am I to argue with Masai and Schmitz if they make the decision that value at 12 and 17 will be better than who is left at 9? Both are established talent evaluators. However, it will be an extremely ballsy move on their part given that there are certain tiers in this draft based on known floors as of now and knowing the Mavs won't have many great picks for the rest of the decade.  

We all better hope that they hit on whatever decision they make with this draft, because if they get it wrong, we can firmly pencil in that moment as the start of what made Coop ask for a trade a few years down the road.