2026 NBA draft thread

[FireNicoHarrison]

Mavs with an high pick mean that Flagg is a bust and street clothes plays 20 games...i don't think that hope in that scenario is smart.

I prefer a GM who can draft well a in a 15-20 range, Flagg ROY and street clothes plays 55/60 games and trade him high in the off season.

[Mavs2021]

Mavs with an high pick mean that Flagg is a bust and street clothes plays 20 games...i don't think that hope in that scenario is smart.

I prefer a GM who can draft well a in a 15-20 range, Flagg ROY and street clothes plays 55/60 games and trade him high in the off season.

Russillo said it right: So AD is going to play 15 games in a row and we just forget the last decade? Dirk, Doncic, Brunson, Flagg, Nash on a draft day trade. Could throw in Howard, Lively and Crowder. Even Larkin and Roddy became FIBA stars. That´s a pretty insane return given they probably had about 15 picks in those 25 years.   This team is hilariously and ironically good at drafting, but the franchise and most fans still hate doing it. 

If we subscribe to the theory that Flagg is that good. We still need a Scottie Pippen to get past OKC and Boston.

[Dirknows]

A week ago every last person would have picked the Mavs to lose to Denver, Miami and Houston. We´d be 6-19, and have the 3rd worst record below the Nets. We were just as bad as these teams. In case you have not noticed Nets and Pacers have started to pick up a few wins themselves.

Without a healthy AD maybe they were as bad. But when you throw a top-15 player into your rotation you’re likely to pick up a few more wins.

[SleepingHero]

Darryn Peterson is going to be really really good.

I know since we've won 4 games out of the last 5, a high lotto pick seems unattainable, but in the world that the Mavs do tread water and somehow move up again, Peterson would be my number 1 choice by far.

AJ Dybantsa is a close 2nd.

[Mavs2021]

Without a healthy AD maybe they were as bad. But when you throw a top-15 player into your rotation you’re likely to pick up a few more wins.

First of all, AD is not a top 15 player. Second of all,  it´s not about how many games you win in December or January. It´s about the rest of the season. 

The concern is that if they crawl back to say 19-21 by the end of January, that Mark "Only the smartest man in the room, when he´s in a phone booth with Nico" Cuban, will then convince Dumont that the Mavs push for a 42-40 cultural finish only to get murdered by the Thunder for a 16th pick. You can easily go 8-34 to finish the season and at 27-55 you get the 8th worst odds.

I don´t even care whether they trade anybody. If there is no good AD or Klay or Gafford trade, you keep them all. Only two things I need from this season is top 8 lottery odds and no extension for AD. That´s it.

[Chicagojk]

This looks like a great top class and deep draft.  I have watched a ton of highlights but only a few games.  I think the top 3 are by themselves.   I would probably have Wilson at #4 by himself.  After that, I think you have a regular freshman draft class.  A lot guys with very nice production but have seen some up and down normal freshman struggles.  You have a few guys who have jumped up (the guy from Houston).  You have a guy coming back from injury (Kentucky Center and Uconn shooting guard).  You have a few sophomore returners who have upped their games.   I think past the top 3 (and maybe 4), I think you are going to see a lot of different rankings depending on needs.   Just by looking at some of these players, I think this group goes into the lower teens before the next drop off happens.   Most of these players are so young.  Some will stabilize or rise, but some may also drop too.

[Smitty]

First of all, AD is not a top 15 player. 

The Ringer, CBS, and Bleacher Report, to name a few, had Davis at 11, 11, 12 to start the season. The Ringer has since updated their rankings. As of 26 Nov, he was at #19, due to only playing 4 full games out of 19 at that point. The Mavs fans that argue Davis is not a top X player seem to do so out of frustration for the "trade".

[Mavs2021]

The Ringer, CBS, and Bleacher Report, to name a few, had Davis at 11, 11, 12 to start the season. The Ringer has since updated their rankings. As of 26 Nov, he was at #19, due to only playing 4 full games out of 19 at that point. The Mavs fans that argue Davis is not a top X player seem to do so out of frustration for the "trade".

They have LeBron and Durant in the top 20. They have LeBron ahead of Reaves and Durant ahead of Sengun. These people are morons, doing favours to stars. If LeBron and Durant are your best player you are in the lottery and these guys are in the hospital. They are no less washed than Harden or Kawhi. They just play next to legit superstars. Durability matters, too. Besides that AD has no gravitational pull on offense, cause he´s one dimensional. That´s why all his teams went nowhere in the play-offs with him as a #1 option.

[KillerLeft]

They have LeBron and Durant in the top 20. They have LeBron ahead of Reaves and Durant ahead of Sengun. These people are morons, doing favours to stars. If LeBron and Durant are your best player you are in the lottery and these guys are in the hospital. They are no less washed than Harden or Kawhi. They just play next to legit superstars. Durability matters, too. Besides that AD has no gravitational pull on offense, cause he´s one dimensional. That´s why all his teams went nowhere in the play-offs with him as a #1 option.

He's DEFINITELY not top 15 of any sort of "#1 option" list, no argument there whatsoever. If that's the sum total of your criteria, then I agree. 

If you have another guy on the team, one who IS on that list, or at least 1-2 who are close enough to give the offense direction, then Davis very much does become a difference maker worthy of "top 15" discussions, imho.

[Dirknows]

Watched Dybantsa play tonight. Was gonna talk about how his handle wasn’t great, his jumper wasn’t falling and he wasn’t drawing fouls after only 6 first half points on 2-6 shooting. Proceeded to explode for 22 in the 2nd half. He did however look very lackadaisical on defense, slow on rotations, got blown by smaller guards easily, slow to get back in transition. The physical tools are all there, he looked great in the 2nd half after a meh first.

[Chicagojk]

Koa Peat is someone I want to watch.  In his highlights he is so explosive near the rim.  He gets up fast and is powerful.  I was listening to an interview and they said like Cam Boozer he is maybe the biggest winner in the class leading up to now.   

I do have major questions though.  He is much more explosive then Boozer, but is Peat really 6'8.  He feels a little smaller.   While Boozer just dominates on the boards, Peat is under 6 per game.   Also while Boozer has showed some range, Peat has shot one three this year.   

I really want to see how he defends and can he handle the ball in space.   He too is still 18 years old and has a pretty distinguished family.  His dad played in the NFL and a lot of his siblings played in college or the pros in different sports.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_IV2sOXEkM&t=8s

[Chicagojk]

Watched Dybantsa play tonight. Was gonna talk about how his handle wasn’t great, his jumper wasn’t falling and he wasn’t drawing fouls after only 6 first half points on 2-6 shooting. Proceeded to explode for 22 in the 2nd half. He did however look very lackadaisical on defense, slow on rotations, got blown by smaller guards easily, slow to get back in transition. The physical tools are all there, he looked great in the 2nd half after a meh first.

I have only seen highlights but this guy looks like he will be awesome in the NBA.   

https://x.com/MavsFilmRoom/status/1998806308317954475

[Dirknows]

I have only seen highlights but this guy looks like he will be awesome in the NBA.   

https://x.com/MavsFilmRoom/status/1998806308317954475

Yeah the dunk at the end was filthy. I'm not a fan of highlights, because they obviously don't display the weaknesses he had last night, specifically in the first half. Clemson at one point went on a 21-0 run, and he was slow getting back on D, slow to help and rotate and had a couple turnovers during that run. Obviously he ended up having a great game, but I can see why scouts have concern about his defense, not because of lack of tools, but he doesn't appear a highly motivated defender right now.

[swaggerbox]

The Mavs only need to luck on a top 5 pick: Darryn Petterson, Caleb Wilson, Kingston Flemmings, Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa

[Chicagojk]

https://www.theringer.com/2025/12/11/nba...ron-boozer

[Chicagojk]

I really like Haugh. Would be disappointed if he was our lottery pick but I think he can play. Older player, sort of a weird shot and a little concerned he is a tweeter and not a true wing.

I just think he does a lot of things, defends well and I can see him on the floor against the better teams in the league.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSF-aI-EU...VqNTd1YnFv

[Mavs2021]

The Mavs only need to luck on a top 5 pick: Darryn Petterson, Caleb Wilson, Kingston Flemmings, Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa

Mikael Brown, Nate Ament. Im pretty confident (pyhsical and mental health permitted) they´ll all be All-Stars.

[Chicagojk]

The Mavs only need to luck on a top 5 pick: Darryn Petterson, Caleb Wilson, Kingston Flemmings, Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa

Mavs have picked good years to be bad-ish.  Lucky for one so far.  These two drafts have been viewed as strong for some time.  There will be good players in every draft but the rumors next year 27 draft has no “it” guys.  I think the year after that may also be lacking.  Again things can change but Mavs picked a good time to be lottery level team.  Let’s see how it plays out.

[F Gump]

I'm looking at guys in the 10-16 range because we can't be sure the Mavs will pick in the top 10. And there are some intriguing players who right now are outside the typical top 10 at this point.

Unfortunately, the problem with falling in love with any of these guys after the top 3-4 is that the better they play, the more likely it is that the Mavs might not end up picking high enough to get them. So I don't want to get too interested in any of them.

However ....

My favorite outside the top 10 is a PG named Philon from Alabama. His lack of a reliable shot last season (he's a soph) as well as the fact he's not a freshman is probably what has kept him lower ranked. Right now he's at 16. (I just noticed they are playing the #1 team right now, not sure if it's on TV.) I think his shot has been better this year (he's a soph) so he may land much higher by the time we get to May. But sometimes guards fall a bit. So far he's my cutoff - hoping the Mavs get "Philon or better" when all is said and done.

[Dirknows]

I'm looking at guys in the 10-16 range because we can't be sure the Mavs will pick in the top 10. And there are some intriguing players who right now are outside the typical top 10 at this point.

Unfortunately, the problem with falling in love with any of these guys after the top 3-4 is that the better they play, the more likely it is that the Mavs might not end up picking high enough to get them. So I don't want to get too interested in any of them.

However ....

My favorite outside the top 10 is a PG named Philon from Alabama. His lack of a reliable shot last season (he's a soph) as well as the fact he's not a freshman is probably what has kept him lower ranked. Right now he's at 16. (I just noticed they are playing the #1 team right now, not sure if it's on TV.) I think his shot has been better this year (he's a soph) so he may land much higher by the time we get to May. But sometimes guards fall a bit. So far he's my cutoff - hoping the Mavs get "Philon or better" when all is said and done.

Philon has improved so much he’s probably gonna go in the top 10. Another guy I like that isn’t a position of need is Chris Cenac from Houston. Reminds me a bit of JJJ in his offensive game, not quite the same level of defender but he’s solid. I really like Flemings from Houston as well but given our current trajectory he will likely be gone before we pick.