2026 NBA draft thread

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Aw, c’mon.

A real, expert GM would know with absolute certainty which guys will be great and which will be duds.

No guessing or luck involved whatsoever.

That's your opinion. For the most part you're right. But did you really see SGA becoming an MVP caliber player?  What about Jokic who was drafted 42 in the 2nd round?  I surely didn't.

[DallasMaverick]

That's your opinion. For the most part you're right. But did you really see SGA becoming an MVP caliber player?  What about Jokic who was drafted 42 in the 2nd round?  I surely didn't.

Sorry. Just trolling Mr Gump.

I’m definitely on your side on this one. There’s a huge amount of variability in player outcomes that simply can’t be anticipated, regardless of how “expert” someone is.

Our human nature wants to reduce either success or failure to a single variable or individual. So we ascribe greatness to a GM who “finds” a great player in the second round. So maybe it was incredible insight. But maybe that player could have just as easily been Sam Bowie.

Too quick to give credit or blame.

[KillerLeft]

That's your opinion. For the most part you're right. But did you really see SGA becoming an MVP caliber player?  What about Jokic who was drafted 42 in the 2nd round?  I surely didn't.

Rule number 1 of reading MavsForum: When reading DallasMaverick, assume the opposite of what he writes is the point he's trying to make.

[DallasMaverick]

Rule number 1 of reading MavsForum: When reading DallasMaverick, assume the opposite of what he writes is the point he's trying to make.

Thank you, sir!

[KillerLeft]

Thank you, sir!

See? In this example, DallasMaverick is saying "I am not grateful for your unnecessary chime in, KL. You are a dumbass." In an extra deep layer of irony, he added the "sir" so everyone would know he specifically does NOT respect me at all. 

You just have to know how to read the guy.

[Chicagojk]

Acuff passing highlights are really fun. Skip ahead to the passing section.

https://youtu.be/UrNWGFl8w9Q?si=v1Z5FWFMtj590Opp

[Scott41theMavs]

Highest upside - Wagler
Best immediate impact - Acuff
Safest? (maybe) - Flemings (probably the best two-way package)

Wagler does have a fairly high upside, but he also has a pretty dejection-worthy floor (i.e. the DFS of guards) considering how deep this draft is. Don't get me wrong, even that floor would make him a decent player to have, but Nico left this franchise in a state in which our lottery pick *must* be the near future contention running mate for Flagg.

[F Gump]

Sorry. Just trolling Mr Gump.

I’m definitely on your side on this one. There’s a huge amount of variability in player outcomes that simply can’t be anticipated, regardless of how “expert” someone is.

Our human nature wants to reduce either success or failure to a single variable or individual. So we ascribe greatness to a GM who “finds” a great player in the second round. So maybe it was incredible insight. But maybe that player could have just as easily been Sam Bowie.

Too quick to give credit or blame.

You are trolling the idea that the right GM can make a major difference. But I think you're trying to use a water pistol to fight against a fire hose of evidence that demonstrates that roster-building is part skill, part art, and luck is not that much of a factor when you have a superior level of skill and art to surmount the choices that have degrees of chance in the mix. 

The fail is in a focus on any single decision. The reality is that each team is made up from the results of layers of processes, with hundreds of decisions, with each player representing MULTIPLE choices (skill, contract, fit, cost to acquire, etc) and the best GM will give himself way more chances to get the roster right than the crappy one will. 

One other major point. In Dallas we have been handicapped by INFERIOR GM-ing for decades. If any of us observers can't see that the Mavs have been fighting with their hands tied due to the GM job being manned by someone who is not as skilled as others, we aren't looking. (And the answer to that is not "any ole GM will do" but rather "this time, finally, let's get the very best GM there is.") Cuban thought he could GM just as good as anyone else, but he was pantsed with lots of regularity, sad to say. And he hired someone even worse, to take the reins - someone with no skills and no experience. Ugh. How stupid. And why wouldn't you hire the best for the job that sets your course year after year, rather than a trainee?

Presti, please.

[F Gump]

Wagler does have a fairly high upside, but he also has a pretty dejection-worthy floor (i.e. the DFS of guards) considering how deep this draft is. Don't get me wrong, even that floor would make him a decent player to have, but Nico left this franchise in a state in which our lottery pick *must* be the near future contention running mate for Flagg.

Fair assessment. 

If we consider this season a training ground, and look for improvement and trajectory, then I am very positive about what we see with Wagler. I feel the same way about Acuff. With both, we can't assume this year translates to the next, or that the trajectory will continue, but we can work from what we see.

But there is always some degree of miss factor in play, because the level of competition and athleticism will get so much higher. 

If we need a sure thing, I don't know any way to get it unless we get Dybantsa. After that, imo they all have significant question marks.

[F Gump]

You are trolling the idea that the right GM can make a major difference. But I think you're trying to use a water pistol to fight against a fire hose of evidence that demonstrates that roster-building is part skill, part art, and luck is not that much of a factor when you have a superior level of skill and art to surmount the choices that have degrees of chance in the mix. 

The fail is in a focus on any single decision. The reality is that each team is made up from the results of layers of processes, with hundreds of decisions, with each player representing MULTIPLE choices (skill, contract, fit, cost to acquire, etc) and the best GM will give himself way more chances to get the roster right than the crappy one will. 

One other major point. In Dallas we have been handicapped by INFERIOR GM-ing for decades. If any of us observers can't see that the Mavs have been fighting with their hands tied due to the GM job being manned by someone who is not as skilled as others, we aren't looking. (And the answer to that is not "any ole GM will do" but rather "this time, finally, let's get the very best GM there is.") Cuban thought he could GM just as good as anyone else, but he was pantsed with lots of regularity, sad to say. And he hired someone even worse, to take the reins - someone with no skills and no experience. Ugh. How stupid. And why wouldn't you hire the best for the job that sets your course year after year, rather than a trainee?

Presti, please.

To add a followup note, which I just saw on X after posting the above:

The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly looking at names like Sam Presti and Brad Stevens to run the team, per @SIChrisMannix

“I’m told that Patrick Dumont, the team’s governor, is aiming high. Among the names on Dumont’s wish list, per league sources: Oklahoma City executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti, Minnesota president of basketball operations Tim Connelly and Boston president Brad Stevens. Cleveland top exec Koby Altman’s name is also in the mix, a source said.” 

Dumont gets it. Those are the cream of the crop in the NBA. The fact that they are employed by someone else isn't an impossible barrier, and in fact, the NBA's BEST GM is going to be doing his thing for someone. If you are going to have a $5-Billion company whose fortunes will rise or fall on the skill of one key person, and if the guy you hire will be competing with the NBA's best who will try to rape him and the team any way they can (see Harrison, N) in competitive ways, you better hire THE BEST.  Dumont gets it. 

Presti, please.

[ThisIStheYear]

That's your opinion. For the most part you're right. But did you really see SGA becoming an MVP caliber player?  What about Jokic who was drafted 42 in the 2nd round?  I surely didn't.

Actually, I loved both those guys. Jokic’s performance as a youngster nearly beating the US Team single handedly was a sight to behold.

[Scott41theMavs]

Well, the good news is, seeing how badly we just got thumped by the Bucks - the Bucks! - significantly increases my confidence that we'll be able to "hang on" to our 6th-best lottery odds. The bad news is, seeing how abominable this team is makes me profoundly less hopeful for the future if we don't move up in the draft.

[ballsrchr]

To add a followup note, which I just saw on X after posting the above:

The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly looking at names like Sam Presti and Brad Stevens to run the team, per @SIChrisMannix

“I’m told that Patrick Dumont, the team’s governor, is aiming high. Among the names on Dumont’s wish list, per league sources: Oklahoma City executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti, Minnesota president of basketball operations Tim Connelly and Boston president Brad Stevens. Cleveland top exec Koby Altman’s name is also in the mix, a source said.” 

Dumont gets it. Those are the cream of the crop in the NBA. The fact that they are employed by someone else isn't an impossible barrier, and in fact, the NBA's BEST GM is going to be doing his thing for someone. If you are going to have a $5-Billion company whose fortunes will rise or fall on the skill of one key person, and if the guy you hire will be competing with the NBA's best who will try to rape him and the team any way they can (see Harrison, N) in competitive ways, you better hire THE BEST.  Dumont gets it. 

Presti, please.

Come on FG...who do you really like?  Actually I would love to have Presti, or any of the cream of the crop.  I'm not sure that Dumont does "get it" though.  He has access to the money, but I'm not getting my hopes up.  That would be almost like getting my hopes up when I only have a 1.8% chance of getting the first pick in the draft.  Hmmm...well...I guess that would be like the Mavs drafting Cooper Flagg.  It can happen!...

[Chicagojk]

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/2026-nba...g-board-v6

New big board. A little different than most. Peterson still number 1, boozer # 2 and AJ number 3

Acuff now at 5. Mikel brown at 6. Wagler at 9. Some on this list I think are wrongly rated or high, but there will be a lot of debate with this class

[Mavs2021]

Well, the good news is, seeing how badly we just got thumped by the Bucks - the Bucks! - significantly increases my confidence that we'll be able to "hang on" to our 6th-best lottery odds. The bad news is, seeing how abominable this team is makes me profoundly less hopeful for the future if we don't move up in the draft.

Eh we are much better than our record and everybody in the 7 to 10 range is much worse. There are literally 30 free wins for teams like Portland, Golden State, Miami or Atlanta. I think we do a moderately good job in the draft, with the MLE and large trade exception we are back in the play-in chase next year.

[Mavs2021]

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/2026-nba...g-board-v6

New big board.  A little different than most.  Peterson still number 1,  boozer # 2 and AJ number 3

Acuff now at 5.  Mikel brown at 6. Wagler at 9.  Some on this list I think are wrongly rated or high, but there will be a lot of debate with this class

Lendeborg is barely a year younger than Cade Cunningham and Anthony Edwards. I´d rather reach and be wrong than draft him. I feel for a top ten he should be averaging like 25/10. There are 16 qualified players younger than him that average more points in the NBA than he does in college and three are rookies.

[Chicagojk]

I was not familiar with Tarris Reed before a few weeks ago but man has he been impressive in the tournament. Maybe his game will not translate to the nba, but man would he be an interesting option with our second round pick

https://youtu.be/DEY1KuJGjnM?si=rPBs_r1zoGWSq0rU

[Scott41theMavs]

Eh we are much better than our record and everybody in the 7 to 10 range is much worse. There are literally 30 free wins for teams like Portland, Golden State, Miami or Atlanta. I think we do a moderately good job in the draft, with the MLE and large trade exception we are back in the play-in chase next year.

I'll grant you your "better than our record" argument if you throw in a theoretically-healthy Kyrie and Lively. Short of that, it's Cooper plus a conglomerate of players, several of which are useful, but zero of which would start for a serious contending team.

[Winter]

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/2026-nba...g-board-v6

New big board.  A little different than most.  Peterson still number 1,  boozer # 2 and AJ number 3

Acuff now at 5.  Mikel brown at 6. Wagler at 9.  Some on this list I think are wrongly rated or high, but there will be a lot of debate with this class

I like the Noceilings guys. It's a mock draft of course, but still interesting.

Burries just ahead of Wagler on this one (8 and 9). At least Burries isn't 10th - which seemed out of place to me on most mock drafts. I think those two do figure somewhere between 6-10... and if those two are available when the Mavs pick, then I'm good with either.

Having Mikel Brown as #6 (and ahead of Flemings) seems a bit strange. But the top four players are always the top four, and nothing changed there. I usually see Dybantsa as 1 or 2, but I wouldn't quibble about those four in general.

Acuff now at #5.

Lendeborg at #10
Philon at #11

Morez Johnson has moved way up to #13
Ament has dropped to #15

All the Michigan players helped themselves - Lendeborg, Morez, and Aday all moved up

Swain is now at #18 but Evans still around #30

[mvossman]

I'll grant you your "better than our record" argument if you throw in a theoretically-healthy Kyrie and Lively. Short of that, it's Cooper plus a conglomerate of players, several of which are useful, but zero of which would start for a serious contending team.

I think you are reading too much into a team that knows the organization has no interest in winning right now.  

PJ started and played third most minutes on a team that went to the finals.  He has a history of playing to his team's level.

The purpose of the AD trade was to give them a lot of flexibility this coming offseason.  They will have the full MLE, the TE, the ability to take on salary in trades and added several minor assets.  Between Kyrie, Lively, lottery pick, late first pick, MLE and any other moves they make this team will look very different than it does right now.