2026 NBA draft thread

[Chicagojk]

I haven’t watched much of Burries before today but he looks every bit as good as any of the others guards in our range. Again, a different TYPE of guard but elite in his own way.

after a slow start, he has been great.   Great size.  Probably more of a combo guard and a true lead guard, but he can fill in with that role now.  Maybe more later. In all honesty the combo guard my have more value than the players who are limited to one position in the backcourt due to size and/or skill.

I think the big knock from him earlier in the season is his age.  Already 20 and turns 21 in Sept.   Sort of the opposite of Coop in their one season in college.  I think he is older than Soph Philon.   Does that matter?  Maybe, maybe not.   But that may be one reason why he is seldom higher than the other 4 guards.

[vfromlmf]

Good point about Burries’ age. But Flagg is uncommonly good for his age so it might be smart for Dallas to take a slightly more advanced player than one of the younger guys with theoretically more upside. Van Gundy just said he thinks Burries is the best guard in the draft. Whatever you think of SVG, he knows a lot more about basketball than I do.

Burries looks like he’d be the most switchable defender for sure.

[ThisIStheYear]

Wagler can play defense but he's not your point-of-attack dog. I think he'll be a great NBA player.

I know it's probably impossible for the Mavs to pick 5th but it would be interesting to see which guard the Mavs would pick if they could go with any of them. The guards at the top all look like they'll be very good, but very different players. In a sense, Wagler is almost the opposite of Acuff.

Wagler -- tall and skinny, plays on/off ball, style is "crafty / high IQ," average defender, plays slow

Acuff - short and strong, ball dominant, style is "apex predator," poor defender, plays with force

Flemings - prototype size, plays within a rigid system, style is "elite burst and blow by," good defender, plays fast

Give me Acuff for sure.  One, he’s not really that short. He’s 6’3”.  I’ve seen players that size play very well in the NBA. Two, he’s just an alpha dog force. We could use a point guard like that.  Three, let’s face it, we may love Kyrie, but he can’t really be part of the future of this team. We’re going to need an elite creator, and he’s the best one in this class.

[khaled1987]

30 plus minutes of Flemings highlights if you are interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NMW42Y6ztg&t=6s

I did not see him play last night and it was a blowout anyway.  I could change my opinion, but as of now I think Flemings fits the easiest of the 5-10 guards.   If he measures 6'4 he has good size.  It looks like he will continue to fill out and should be a good defender.   His speed would look awesome in Dallas.  Pairing him with Kyrie and Cooper could really be exciting.  I think it is the cleanest fit of the potential options in this range.

For some reason, he reminds me of John Wall. Both were super quick but weren't as athletic as the likes or Rose or Westbrook.
Wall was more talented, athletic and stronger, but Flemings is built for modern game.

[F Gump]

Give me Acuff for sure.  One, he’s not really that short. He’s 6’3”.  

No Acuff is not 6'3". Not that anyone knows, at least.

We really don't know how tall (or short) he is. The last time he was measured (2 years ago) he was 6-1, and I wouldn't be surprised if that was "with shoes" which would mean he was even shorter. Now? Who knows.

All anyone can say is that Acuff is listed at 6-3, but any college player can be listed at any height that someone (team, player, coach) wants to have him listed. Arkansas wants Acuff to be advertised at 6-3 when they play, so he is.

We will find out how short he is in mid-May. Until then, no one really knows.

[Winter]

It's really possible that Acuff goes before Flemings and Brown both. In which case, the Mavs could easily be faced with a decision of Flemings or Wagler. I think Wagler is the bigger risk in that case, but may have more upside.

[Mavs2021]

Brown might drop all the way to #10. The last guy with a serious back injury was MPJ and he dropped to #14. So I´m not sure any team will take him in that cluster of guards (Flemings, Acuff, Wagler, Burries, Philon, Brown) that are somewhat similar in ability.

[Chicagojk]

It's really possible that Acuff goes before Flemings and Brown both. In which case, the Mavs could easily be faced with a decision of Flemings or Wagler. I think Wagler is the bigger risk in that case, but may have more upside.

If the Mavs don't move up, I would love to be in the position of making the pick with these guys.  Rather than picking the one that is left.

Philon scores 29/8/7 today.  Burries also had a good start.    It is going to be crazy to see who jumps in this guard rush.   They won't all go one after the other.  Especially with a league who everyone is looking or wings.

[Winter]

If the Mavs don't move up, I would love to be in the position of making the pick with these guys.  Rather than picking the one that is left.

Philon scores 29/8/7 today.  Burries also had a good start.    It is going to be crazy to see who jumps in this guard rush.   They won't all go one after the other.  Especially with a league who everyone is looking or wings.

It's a pretty good situation for the Mavs. I could see them liking a guy like Burries and figuring out a way to get another draft pick by moving down a couple of spots, but either way it's a quality player I think.

[F Gump]

I think Acuff will be really good on offense - and it's possible he's another Brunson or Nash on that end of the floor. He's REALLLLLLLYYYYY good. But his defense is awful, and at the next level, they will look for him. The last game I saw from him, he was mostly just an observer on that end, and not a defender at all. Not good.

[Chicagojk]

I liked Stirtz when I saw him briefly in the tournament in the past, but man I just am not sure.  Maybe it is the Iowa play style (slow), but with all these younger guys, doesn't Stirtz feel like a guy who slips?   Rather than a lottery or mid first maybe late first?

[Scott41theMavs]

If the Mavs don't move up, I would love to be in the position of making the pick with these guys.  Rather than picking the one that is left.

Philon scores 29/8/7 today.  Burries also had a good start.    It is going to be crazy to see who jumps in this guard rush.   They won't all go one after the other.  Especially with a league who everyone is looking or wings.

How, pray tell? Ament goes 5th? If the Mavs don't move up, they'll be picking 6th, or, a couple times more likely, 7th or 8th. There isn't a scenario in which they will have their pick of that group of guards in the second tier.

[Scott41theMavs]

It's a pretty good situation for the Mavs. I could see them liking a guy like Burries and figuring out a way to get another draft pick by moving down a couple of spots, but either way it's a quality player I think.

The question is, who is "them?" I hear they "hope" to have a GM before the draft. Binarily wrong answer. They must have their guy in place prior to the draft, absolute end of story. 

If Riccardi and Finley are still the guys when we pick, I don't give a rat's hiney who they pick; that player will have to earn my allegiance on the court, because there'll be no reason on the planet for me to trust the pick. If it's Presti, Stevens, or even Lindsay, I'll trust the pick regardless of who it is unless/until proven otherwise.

[Scott41theMavs]

Mullins and Peterson are not doing well in their initial draft auditions.

[DallasMaverick]

The question is, who is "them?" I hear they "hope" to have a GM before the draft. Binarily wrong answer. They must have their guy in place prior to the draft, absolute end of story. 

If Riccardi and Finley are still the guys when we pick, I don't give a rat's hiney who they pick; that player will have to earn my allegiance on the court, because there'll be no reason on the planet for me to trust the pick. If it's Presti, Stevens, or even Lindsay, I'll trust the pick regardless of who it is unless/until proven otherwise.

I kinda go the other way - I’m interested in a great decision, regardless of who has input into it.  Ideally, many knowledgeable people have a voice. 

Why? Sometimes “experts” are just wrong. Sometimes “rookies” are brilliant. Uriji used to be an expert, until he wasn’t.

A good decision is a good decision, regardless of who makes it. And sometimes it can’t be accurately evaluated until some significant time has passed.

[F Gump]

I kinda go the other way - I’m interested in a great decision, regardless of who has input into it.  Ideally, many knowledgeable people have a voice. 

Why? Sometimes “experts” are just wrong. Sometimes “rookies” are brilliant. Uriji used to be an expert, until he wasn’t.

A good decision is a good decision, regardless of who makes it. And sometimes it can’t be accurately evaluated until some significant time has passed.

It sounds like you are endorsing the Luka and Martin trades of a year ago, and those who made them, to be the brilliant minds to guide this franchise down the road ahead.

Yuck. Count me out. Way out.

I do NOT want anyone who had ANYTHING to do with that stuff to be put in charge of the Mavs' future. It's been an abysmal year. Terrible decision-making. We need someone wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy better.

[myconsumerclub]

If you get a PG type with size that hits 3's over 40% you are getting a known commodity that brings more to the table than most rookies and you minimize your risk of taking someone that is a potential bust like we see happen in almost every draft.

Over time skinny guys fill out so Wagler has a lot of room for improvement when he does get more of a build.

Till then he is a great scorer with great shooting touch. Timeline is right. I just like more size at the PG when possible.

If Wagler is here then with the other picks I am looking hard at Veesar, Momcilovic, Reed and Krivas. More 3 point shooting is always needed and adding size at center to serve as insurance behind our injured bigs is a must.

The roster as is with players still under contract
Cooper
Kyrie
Lively
Max
Naji
PJ
BWill
Klay
Gafford
Martin
AJ
Ryan
ADD IN THE THREE DRAFT PICKS

FREE AGENTS:
Bagley is the most worthy of getting signed he has looked excellent and outperformed our other 5's and I would use him at the 4 with his ability to shoot the 3

Depending on what we draft I would also look hard at Middleton but I would lean towards letting him find a deal somewhere else.

AJ is on a small enough contract and young enough teams may want to gamble on him developing into something useful and take him on for a late second.

Not sure how I feel about bringing Ryan back till I see what we get in the draft and who we can trade off if we can.

Martin is starting to show he can hit 3s again and play with enough intensity to add to what the team has but I would look to see if anyone has any interest in him as well.

Powell needs to retire he is just not as effective as our other options.

I doubt anyone will want to take Martin off our hands and same may be true of AJ but I think we can handle a stretch wave over time to lower his negative impact on the cap if he needs to get stretch waved and that should not bother our ability to sign others too much.

As I see it this is how I see things shaping up.

C: Lively, Gafford, 2nd or 3rd PICK?
PF: PJ, Bagley,
2nd or 3rd PICK? PF OR SF
SF: Cooper Naji Martin
SG: Max Klay AJ
1st PICK? PG/SG
PG: Kyrie, Williams, Ryan,

[Winter]

I think picking the "perfect" GM is just setting yourself up for disappointment.

We all have preferences, but I'm not going to take my ball and go home because I'm unhappy with the choice.

[Chicagojk]

Mullins and Peterson are not doing well in their initial draft auditions.

Peterson is so talented.  I mean I see some Kobe or Steph scoring magic.  I could see him leading the league in scoring…multiple times.  In the nba with the pace and space, I think he could be incredible.

With that being said, I do have questions.  His personality from a far dos not feel like an alpha male type.  All the injury drama this year.  Then he has games where he really does nothing on the stat sheet besides scoring.  He will be a fascinating debate leading up to the draft.

[Winter]

Mullins was 0-8 from the 3-pt line.