2026 NBA draft thread

[mvossman]

@KevinOConnor
My NBA Draft Guide just launched with my newest mock draft, 60 full scouting reports, player comparisons, and two big boards: my personal rankings + an estimated NBA consensus ranking based on league-wide feedback. Many more updates to come in weeks ahead.

https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/draft/mock/

Would not mind Flemings falling to 8.  Seeing Burries mocked higher and higher lately.

[Mavs2021]

Didn´t know it´s on Sunday 3 PM ET. Nice. I thought Monday 8 PM EST for some reason.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

Have you seen ESPN's Lottery simulator? Much cooler and more realistic version to Tankathon.

https://espnanalytics.com/nba-draft-lottery

[Winter]

Have you seen ESPN's Lottery simulator? Much cooler and more realistic version to Tankathon.

https://espnanalytics.com/nba-draft-lottery

Ha! Just played it and the Mavericks are now picking #2.

#2 D. Peterson
#30 Meleek Thomas
#46 Malachi Moreno

Works for me!

[Smitty]

Ha! Just played it and the Mavericks are now picking #2.

Works for me!

I did one and Mavs jumped to 3. I like it also. Ha

[Mavs2021]

#2.

I have a feeling tracking is build into the results. Maybe I should go there from a Hawks forum.

[DanSchwartzgan]

#2.

I have a feeling tracking is build into the results. Maybe I should go there from a Hawks forum.

I got #2 also.  Wild that so many of us have gotten a Top 4 result.  I've only done Tankathon once earlier in the week and got 3rd.  I'm going to stop clicking on these now since we are headed in the right direction.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

#2.

I have a feeling tracking is build into the results. Maybe I should go there from a Hawks forum.

Totally agree. As soon the Mavs got #2 on my first spin I was like "These algorithms be CRAZY, yo."

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

You can also continue through and do a draft with trades.

[F Gump]

Countdown continuing, 2 days to ...

[DallasMaverick]

Have you seen ESPN's Lottery simulator? Much cooler and more realistic version to Tankathon.

https://espnanalytics.com/nba-draft-lottery

I just tried and got pick #8.

Statistically likely.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

 What else could have caused cramping like this.
 

Could be menstrual.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4871...d-cramping

Long detailed article on Peterson and the what and why of his cramping issues. Very open and explanatory, and the narrative fits what we saw (and couldn't understand) during the season, because he didn't want to talk about it since he had no clue what the issue really was. It apparently began from nowhere before the season, in an episode where the cramping was so severe he was scared he might die. At the time they had no explanation, and tried various remedies. He tried to play through it, but it freaked him out (and made him cautious) since he was afraid he might die on the court (and those around him kinda did too). After the season he apparently went through a long battery of tests to find the problem, once and for all, and as he explains it, it turned out to be his use of creatine which was way too much because they discovered he had a naturally high creatine level in his body.

Read the article. It makes perfect sense of everything. NBA teams can validate the medical narrative. But assuming it's not BS, I would wager he's a lock for no lower than 2.

Ya this should be considered good news to the Peterson camp after reading this. If the medical issues are behind him then he’s a clear top 2 with AJ. It’s still shocking to me when I see him below Boozer or Wilson in mocks like KOCs (but his mocks are always way overthought). The guy is a giant 6’6” guard who is the best shooter, fastest, most athletic player in his class who can play high level POA defense. I personally would take him 1 if I was the Mavs because it will be easier to build a roster off of complimentary roles than Coop and Dybansta who kind of play the same position (yes, I know this worked for the Celtics but with the new CBA rules they also immediately blew that roster up after having to overpay to build around two max wings).

[Chicagojk]

Brown jr workout

https://x.com/jordanrichardsc/status/205...62424?s=61

[DanSchwartzgan]

Brown jr workout

https://x.com/jordanrichardsc/status/205...62424?s=61

You have to admire the marketing effort Brown's people are putting together.  It is working on me.

[Smitty]

You have to admire the marketing effort Brown's people are putting together.  It is working on me.

Next up for Masai is getting a top notch medical staff in here. If they clear Brown, I have zero issue with him being the pick at 8/9/10. Elite upside!

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Either Daryn Peterson is straight up lying or he is a dumbass. He gives me Michael Beasley vibes. Extremely talented player but lots of question marks.

It's unlikely creatine is gonna make your cramp. You'd have to take massive amounts of it. The fact he cramped for weeks/months and never thought about decreasing his creatine dose or drinking more water = dumbass.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Either Daryn Peterson is straight up lying or he is a dumbass.  There's almost no research that creatine is gonna make your cramp.  You'd have to take massive amounts of it.  The fact he cramped for weeks/months and never thought about decreasing his creatine dose or drinking more water = dumbass.  Plus this dude averaged 1.6 assists and 1.6 turnovers a game.  He's not a PG.  I think he has a career more like Kevin Martin or Andrew Wiggins.  Several 20ppg seasons.  Not much impact outside of that. 

This is shaping up like the Dennis Smith Jr. draft.  5 PGs in the top 10.  We have no idea who will be any good. By the time we pick, we'll have to take whoever is left. (barring lottery luck)

[Winter]

Either Daryn Peterson is straight up lying or he is a dumbass.  There's almost no research that creatine is gonna make your cramp.  You'd have to take massive amounts of it.  The fact he cramped for weeks/months and never thought about decreasing his creatine dose or drinking more water = dumbass.  Plus this dude averaged 1.6 assists and 1.6 turnovers a game.  He's not a PG.  I think he has a career more like Kevin Martin or Andrew Wiggins.  Several 20ppg seasons.  Not much impact outside of that. 

This is shaping up like the Dennis Smith Jr. draft.  5 PGs in the top 10.  We have no idea who will be any good.  By the time we pick, we'll have to take whoever is left.  (barring lottery luck)

I'm not sure there's as much space between players in this draft as there was between Dennis Smith Jr and Lonzo Ball in the 2017 draft. That seems like a wider gap than it would be between Acuff, Brown, Flemings and Wagler.

But I'm likely wrong about at least one of them.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

Trade idea #21,420,328

Heat receive Kyrie and PJ

Mavs receive Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, Kasparas Jakucionis and #13

The Heat get their primary ballhandler and a replacement for Wiggins in PJ

Dallas gets a point of attack defender with Mitchell and shooters and shooters!

I feel like at around #10 the Draft becomes all about traits and projection at the next level. At this point it's "all in the eyes of the beholder." This is the Lendeborg, Philon, Ament, Mara and Quantance area.

At #13 you get to grab someone who could be a total bust, or who winds up being the best player in the Draft.