By Sam Vecenie | The Athletic, 2026-06-08 09:30:43
距离2026年NBA选秀大会还有大约两周的时间，是时候深入挖掘线报，探寻各路新秀的潜在去向了。
这届选秀被普遍认为在顶端和整个乐透区都实力强劲，尽管由于NIL（姓名、形象和肖像权）带来的丰厚收益吸引了部分大学球员退选，这在很大程度上削弱了本届选秀的深度。与我交流过的大多数高管对大约20到25名球员给出了首轮评级，并认为选秀的最后20个顺位可能会出现一些有趣的选择。他们表示，球队可能会提前与球员达成协议，用双向合同锁定他们，因为他们认为排名第45到第100之间的球员在天赋水平上并没有太大差异。
在模拟选秀开始前的几点说明：
• 年龄数据截至首轮选秀当晚（6月23日）。
• 身高数据来自5月份的NBA联合试训。
• 整个篮球生态系统中的NBA高管、球探、经纪人、球员和其他消息源均在匿名条件下接受采访，以便畅所欲言。
1. 华盛顿奇才
AJ·迪班萨 (AJ Dybantsa) | 6尺9翼侧 | 19岁 | 杨百翰大学
消息人士透露，华盛顿方面正在进行尽职调查，奇才目前尚未就状元签的人选做出最终决定。
但整个联盟的消息人士都认为，迪班萨仍是华盛顿最有可能的目标。他被认为拥有极高的上限，同时也具备很高的下限。对于奇才而言，无论球队下赛季走向何方，他都能完美填补翼侧的空缺。他既能完美契合安东尼·戴维斯 (Anthony Davis) 和特雷·杨 (Trae Young) 之间的空档，也能与球队由亚历克斯·萨尔 (Alex Sarr)、特雷·约翰逊 (Tre Johnson)、威尔·莱利 (Will Riley) 以及凯肖恩·乔治 (Kyshawn George) 组成的年轻核心很好地融合，因为他能做到这四人做不到的一点：冲击篮筐、给篮下施压。从长远来看，乔治和迪班萨的组合应该会运转良好，他们都是体型更大、臂展更长且能运、传、投的侧翼，而乔治可以承担更艰巨的防守任务。
2. 犹他爵士
达林·彼得森 (Darryn Peterson) | 6尺5后卫 | 19岁 | 堪萨斯大学
在2月份交易得到小贾伦·杰克逊 (Jaren Jackson Jr.) 后，爵士凭借实力雄厚的前场，已经为下赛季赢球做好了充分准备。他们真正需要的是一名后卫线上的组织者，来分担基昂特·乔治 (Keyonte George) 的组织和创造进攻重任。王牌·贝利 (Ace Bailey) 是一名出色的得分手，但控球并不一定是他的强项。爵士需要另一位能运、传、投的球员，与贝利、劳里·马尔卡宁 (Lauri Markkanen) 以及大概率会留队的沃克·凯斯勒 (Walker Kessler)（尽管凯斯勒目前是自由球员）搭档。
深入研究过彼得森高中录像的球队会发现，他在高四效力于Prolific Prep期间，其传球和利用挡拆创造机会的能力取得了长足的进步。他一直是一名极具威胁的得分手，但他开始学会阅读防守的第二和第三层防线，并根据协防队员的站位做出应对，甚至有时能调动防守。在堪萨斯大学，他没有机会展现这些技能。在堪萨斯大学遇到的这些问题，部分原因可能是伤病——他看起来没有高中时那么有爆发力；另一部分原因可能是捷鹰队（Jayhawks）缺乏空间。这与安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 当年在佐治亚大学的情况颇为相似。
与奇才一样，爵士正在尽一切可能去了解排名前四的新秀。爵士篮球运营总裁奥斯汀·安吉 (Austin Ainge) 上周在盐湖城的电台节目中表示，他的管理层尚未达成共识。但随着球队准备在下赛季迈入新阶段，彼得森正是能够帮助他们实现这一目标的球员，而且他填补了技术层面的需求。
3. 孟菲斯灰熊
卡梅隆·布泽尔 (Cameron Boozer) | 6尺8前锋 | 18岁 | 杜克大学
如果布泽尔在选秀板上依然可选，那么看到孟菲斯错过他，我会感到非常震惊。在篮球运营总裁扎克·克莱曼 (Zach Kleiman) 的领导下，他完全符合该机构多年来在选秀中寻找的所有特质。
灰熊在选秀方面的表现一直优于联盟中的其他任何球队，他们在20顺位之后选中了德斯蒙德·贝恩 (Desmond Bane)、桑蒂·阿尔达马 (Santi Aldama)、杰伦·威尔斯 (Jaylen Wells)、卡姆·斯宾塞 (Cam Spencer)、布兰登·克拉克 (Brandon Clarke)，甚至还有GG·杰克逊 (GG Jackson) 和文斯·威廉姆斯 (Vince Williams Jr.) 等球员，更不用说过去的乐透秀扎克·伊迪 (Zach Edey)、塞德里克·考沃德 (Cedric Coward)、小贾伦·杰克逊和贾·莫兰特 (Ja Morant) 了。通常情况下，灰熊喜欢技术娴熟、在同龄人中表现出色、拥有极高篮球智商且极具竞争力的球员。布泽尔在所有这些维度上都是顶尖的。在交易走小贾伦·杰克逊和贝恩之后，随着灰熊进入一个新时代，他几乎是孟菲斯想要围绕其建队的完美模板。
4. 芝加哥公牛
加莱布·威尔逊 (Caleb Wilson) | 6尺9翼侧 | 19岁 | 北卡罗来纳大学
联盟消息人士认为，如果威尔逊掉到第4顺位，对芝加哥来说将是一个显而易见的选择。他是一名运动能力出众、在同位置上体型极佳的球员，打球极具身体对抗性。如果公牛在主教练（由新任总经理布赖森·格雷厄姆 (Bryson Graham) 聘请）的带领下继续推行快速进攻，他将非常契合。
威尔逊可以作为球队的长期基石，在4号位上与乔希·吉迪 (Josh Giddey) 和马塔斯·布泽利斯 (Matas Buzelis) 完美搭档，并为公牛提供一个坚实的框架，以便在这个夏天开始利用薪金空间引进老将，同时继续努力积累更多资产。
5. 洛杉矶快船（来自步行者）
基顿·瓦格勒 (Keaton Wagler) | 6尺5翼侧 | 19岁 | 伊利诺伊大学
快船在第5顺位的选择将非常引人关注。消息人士指出，球队正在深入研究所有顶尖后卫新秀，同时也在探索潜在的向下交易方案，这可能会让他们积累更多资产。我还听到阿代·马拉 (Aday Mara) 的名字与快船联系在一起，尽管目前很难说这会是在第5顺位还是在潜在的向下交易中。
不过，如果洛杉矶保留第5顺位，瓦格勒显然是这些后卫中最合适的人选。他既能打持球也能打无球，并且拥有足够的位置体型，可以与达里厄斯·加兰 (Darius Garland) 搭档——后者是球队在交易截止日用詹姆斯·哈登 (James Harden) 交易得到的。加兰在快船的常规赛收官阶段表现出色，应该被视为建队基石。但我怀疑，如果快船选择达里厄斯·阿卡夫 (Darius Acuff Jr.) 或金斯顿·弗莱明斯 (Kingston Flemings) 与他搭档，他们在防守端是否会有足够的体型。消息人士透露，瓦格勒在选秀前的准备过程中增加了肌肉。他刚到伊利诺伊大学时体重只有168磅，但在联合试训中体重达到了188磅；在未来的几年里，他的骨架应该能够继续增强力量。
6. 布鲁克林篮网
达里厄斯·阿卡夫 (Darius Acuff Jr.) | 6尺2后卫 | 19岁 | 阿肯色大学
到目前为止，篮网在消息源中引发了最多的猜测。我也听到了很多相互矛盾的信息，这表明巴克莱中心确实有一些风声传出。对于他们，我听到了这个顺位区间内的所有后卫新秀名字，从瓦格勒到阿卡夫，再到弗莱明斯和米克尔·布朗 (Mikel Brown Jr.)。在过去的一周里，我也经常听到内特·阿门特 (Nate Ament) 的名字。我还听到马拉的名字也悄然出现在讨论中，以及潜在的向下交易报价。
唯一一致的信息是，篮网将选择他们选秀板上评分最高的球员，而不考虑位置。尽管球队在上赛季选中了三名控球后卫，但他们并没有排除这个位置。布鲁克林认为，他们现在只需要引进更多有天赋的球员。不过，预测那里的任何事情，问题都在于这支球队在评估方面有着自己独特的考量。
目前我倾向于阿卡夫。如果篮网真的想要最好的球员，我认为就是他。这座城市会爱上他，因为他是一个作风硬朗、无所畏惧的后卫。他会乐意成为重建期的领袖。我也认为对于这个管理层来说，他是一个相当稳妥的选择，因为他在职业生涯早期就展现出了高水平的产出。而在上赛季，球队的五名2025年首轮秀中，没有一人在最佳新秀阵容投票中进入前15名。但我也认为这里一切皆有可能，如果说在选秀前最有可能发生某种变化的预测，那就是这一个。
休斯敦大学的金斯顿·弗莱明斯（左）和伊利诺伊大学的基顿·瓦格勒是本届最顶尖的后卫新秀之一。(Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
7. 萨克拉门托国王
金斯顿·弗莱明斯 (Kingston Flemings) | 6尺3后卫 | 19岁 | 休斯敦大学
感觉国王最终很可能会选到最好的可用后卫。他们正在对阿门特等人进行尽职调查，但他们需要一名控球后卫来替代达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)，而这届选秀是完成这一目标的绝佳机会。在这种情况下，最好的可用后卫是弗莱明斯和布朗。
弗莱明斯已经与顺位低于此的球队进行了试训，以确定自己的选秀下限，但他依然在第5到第7顺位球队的考虑范围内。他在面试中给人留下了深刻的印象，他的速度对球队来说是一个强大的武器，而且他被认为是本届精英控卫中防守最好的球员。国王可以充分利用所有这些技能。
8. 亚特兰大老鹰（来自鹈鹕）
阿代·马拉 (Aday Mara) | 7尺3大个子 | 21岁 | 密歇根大学
老鹰需要一名主控后卫，但在询问他们打算在第8顺位做什么时，我听得更多的是中锋。他们还探索了潜在的向下交易方案以积累资产，这并不令人意外，因为篮球运营总裁昂西·萨利赫 (Onsi Saleh) 被认为是联盟中最好的长期战略家之一。
马拉非常适合奎因·斯奈德 (Quin Snyder) 执教下的老鹰体系，这得益于他的传球能力和护筐能力。记住，斯奈德正是那位在蹲坑防守中释放了鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert) 臂展优势，并帮助他成为联盟最佳防守球员之一的主教练。马拉的移动速度不如戈贝尔，但他同样高大，在裸足身高7尺3的情况下，站立摸高达到9尺9。他可以锁死禁区，在内线完成篮筐以上的终结，并成为对手冲击篮筐的屏障。
9. 达拉斯独行侠
布雷登·伯里斯 (Brayden Burries) | 6尺4后卫 | 20岁 | 亚利桑那大学
独行侠是另一支引发了消息人士大量猜测的球队，由马赛·乌杰里 (Masai Ujiri) 和迈克·施密茨 (Mike Schmitz) 领导的新智囊团可能会对此表示赞赏。他们已经探索过交易这个选秀权，并且正在考虑几个不同的球员和位置，从像弗莱明斯、瓦格勒、布朗、阿卡夫和克里斯蒂安·安德森 (Christian Anderson) 这样的主控后卫，到阿门特，再到雅克塞尔·伦德伯格 (Yaxel Lendeborg)。
不过，在达拉斯，我听到最多的名字是伯里斯。乐透区附近的消息人士正试图弄清楚，为什么考虑到他在选秀程序开始时的地位，他没有像预期的那样去那么多地方进行试训。在那些希望下赛季赢球的球队中，对伯里斯有着极高的热情，因为他被视为一个作风硬朗、能运、传、投的后卫，同时也能利用身体对抗进行高水平防守。
10. 密尔沃基雄鹿
米克尔·布朗 (Mikel Brown Jr.) | 6尺4后卫 | 20岁 | 路易斯维尔大学
雄鹿当然一直在对主控后卫进行尽职调查，包括弗莱明斯、安德森、拉巴伦·菲隆 (Labaron Philon Jr.) 和布朗。我也听到汉内斯·斯坦巴赫 (Hannes Steinbach) 的名字是这里的一个选择。但考虑到扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo) 离开的可能性，雄鹿选择一个上限尽可能高的球员是合理的。布朗是一个极具活力的持球组织者，他能打挡拆、做出高水平的传球阅读并且能投篮。然而，他有时为了传出惊艳的球，其决策选择会受到质疑，而且他在15英尺内的得分能力也给一些球探留下了疑问。
11. 金州勇士
雅克塞尔·伦德伯格 (Yaxel Lendeborg) | 6尺9大个子 | 23岁 | 密歇根大学
伦德伯格的选秀行情是最难琢磨的之一。在打第一场NBA比赛之前他就将年满24岁，而乐透区的几支球队将寻求更高的上限。我的印象是，尽管他是这届选秀中即战力最强的球员之一，但他仍有跌出乐透区的可能。
勇士正处于那种中间地带，他可能会在斯蒂芬·库里 (Stephen Curry)、吉米·巴特勒 (Jimmy Butler) 和德雷蒙德·格林 (Draymond Green) 的最后一舞中派上用场。他的打法完全是为尽早进入NBA而量身定制的，是一名攻防兼备的全面球员。他可以在无球状态下产生影响，并且拥有足够的投篮能力，能够作为空切手和底角空间支持者在底线发挥作用。他传球也很快，这非常契合史蒂夫·科尔 (Steve Kerr) 的进攻体系。
12. 俄克拉荷马雷霆（来自快船）
内特·阿门特 (Nate Ament) | 6尺10翼侧/前锋 | 19岁 | 田纳西大学
阿门特的选秀顺位区间是比较难确定的。他正在与乐透中段的球队进行试训，正如乔恩·罗斯坦 (Jon Rothstein) 所说，他与篮网之间的传闻已经非常明显。然而，球探们对他的评价褒贬不一。喜欢他的球探欣赏他持球打球的能力，认为他的投篮比今年在田纳西大学时更好，并且喜欢他的职业心态。消息人士称，阿门特显得很聪明。他专注于自己的比赛和提高。他是那种球队愿意去信任的人。但其他球探担心他的骨架和力量不足，怀疑这是否与2024年状元秀萨卡里·里萨谢 (Zaccharie Risacher) 职业生涯早期在老鹰遇到的问题类似。
我认为在雷霆在第12顺位选人时，阿门特有很大可能已经不在选秀板上了。此外，整个联盟的消息人士都觉得，雷霆对于第12和第17顺位选权持非常开放的态度。我听说他们会考虑合并选秀权以向上交易，听说他们正在考虑用其中一个选秀权换取未来的首轮签，还听到猜测称他们可能会交易走阵中合同较贵的球员以保持在第二土豪线以下，然后保留这些选秀权以增加更多年轻天赋。
13. 迈阿密热火
汉内斯·斯坦巴赫 (Hannes Steinbach) | 6尺10大个子 | 20岁 | 华盛顿大学
很难看透迈阿密的意图。感觉热火正试图弄清楚他们在今年夏天潜在球星交易中的位置，以及这个选秀权是否会涉及交易。关于他们能否得到扬尼斯·阿德托昆博的猜测经常被提及。
我在这里选择斯坦巴赫，因为他符合几个条件。首先也是最重要的一点，除了阿德巴约 (Bam Adebayo) 和凯尔·韦尔 (Kel’el Ware) 之外，热火目前基本上没有任何前场深度。理论上，如果斯坦巴赫的投篮练出来，他可以兼顾4号位和5号位，尽管我更看好他适合5号位。其次，据说雄鹿也对斯坦巴赫感兴趣，所以如果他们要把扬尼斯交易到迈阿密，而他们在第10顺位选择了一名后卫，那么斯坦巴赫很容易成为他们的目标。
14. 夏洛特黄蜂
莫雷兹·约翰逊 (Morez Johnson Jr.) | 6尺9大个子 | 20岁 | 密歇根大学
约翰逊似乎是目前选秀中最受欢迎的名字之一，他似乎不太可能掉出前15名。球队经常会问那些来试训且已经参加过一段时间联合试训的球员一个问题：“还有哪位新秀给你留下了深刻印象？”这位密歇根大学的大个子是该问题的一个热门答案。
黄蜂需要一定程度的强韧度和身体对抗。约翰逊将是提供这些的完美球员。穆萨·迪亚巴特 (Moussa Diabate) 和瑞安·卡尔克布伦纳 (Ryan Kalkbrenner) 是被低估的中锋人选，但迪亚巴特体重仅有210磅，而卡尔克布伦纳重心偏高，容易被推挤。约翰逊作风强硬，重心低，篮板球拼抢积极，并且作为一名换防能力极强的大个子，可以防守前场的多个位置。他将给黄蜂带来他们本赛季所缺乏的特质。
15. 芝加哥公牛（来自开拓者）
戴林·斯温 (Dailyn Swain) | 6尺7翼侧 | 20岁 | 德克萨斯大学
其他几支球队注意到，公牛一直在打听是否有可能从第15顺位向上交易进入乐透区，以获得除第4顺位之外的第二个选秀权。但如果他们留在第15顺位，斯温似乎是一个选择，因为他符合格雷厄姆对体型、臂展、运动能力和对抗性的偏好。斯温今年在德克萨斯大学时的体重是225磅（不用担心他在联合试训中只有211磅；消息人士告诉The Athletic，他在活动前几天生病了，体重减轻了几磅），并且拥有你所期望的冲击型后卫的完美骨架。他证明了自己在泽维尔大学期间能够在东部大联盟（Big East）中展现出高水平的防守，即使他在德克萨斯大学的表现有些起伏。
16. 孟菲斯灰熊（来自太阳）
小克里斯蒂安·安德森 (Christian Anderson Jr.) | 6尺1后卫 | 20岁 | 德克萨斯理工大学
安德森在选秀前的试训中凭借投篮能力、比赛感觉以及在防守端的积极投入给人留下了深刻印象。尽管身材矮小，但他似乎是另一位随着球队对他的了解加深而提升了身价的新秀。得益于投篮和传球，安德森在许多球队的数据分析模型中表现突出。灰熊在莫兰特之后有一些后卫深度，比如泰·杰罗姆 (Ty Jerome) 和小斯科蒂·皮蓬 (Scotty Pippen Jr.)，但如果球队交易走莫兰特，目前尚不清楚他们是否能成为长期的解决方案。外界的解读是，灰熊在这里对任何位置都持开放态度，并且将选择他们选秀板上最好的球员。
杰登·昆坦斯能成为雷霆限制维克托·文班亚马的秘密武器吗？(Jordan Prather / Imagn Images)
17. 俄克拉荷马雷霆（来自费城）
杰登·昆坦斯 (Jayden Quaintance) | 6尺9大个子 | 18岁 | 肯塔基大学
这个选秀权有无数种可能，从雷霆自己保留，到向上交易，或者交易出去以获取未来的选秀资产。我知道球队去年在中锋位置上选中了托马斯·索伯 (Thomas Sorber)，但维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 带来的难题对俄克拉荷马城来说不会消失。本届新秀中限制文班亚马潜力最好的防守人是昆坦斯，在2025年2月于亚利桑那州立大学撕裂右膝前交叉韧带（ACL）之前，他正逐渐成为我一段时间以来见过的最好的防守新秀之一。由于他从伤病中恢复，这个赛季基本上荒废了；他在赛季中期只在肯塔基大学打了四场比赛，随后便赛季报销。
周末我与六支处于昆坦斯潜在顺位区间的NBA球队进行了交流，他们都表示目前还没有拿到队医对昆坦斯健康状况的评估报告。这些来自医生和内部会议的报告通常会在选秀前两周左右出炉。
18. 夏洛特黄蜂（来自太阳）
艾伦·格雷夫斯 (Allen Graves) | 6尺8前锋 | 19岁 | 圣克拉拉大学
我认为对于格雷夫斯来说，这个顺位太高了，大约高出了10个顺位。但由于黄蜂偏爱数据分析的管理层，格雷夫斯一直是与他们联系最紧密的名字之一。格雷夫斯的数据指标在各项中都非常亮眼，即使他的比赛录像看起来不如数据那么完美。通常情况下，球队的模型将他排在本届新秀的前五名左右。然而，人们对他是否能在空间和内线进行防守，或者他的投篮在如此定点化的情况下是否已经为NBA做好准备仍存有疑问。不过，毋庸置疑的一点是，他阅读比赛很快，并且在进攻端能迅速做出决策。
19. 多伦多猛龙
拉巴伦·菲隆 (Labaron Philon Jr.) | 6尺3后卫 | 20岁 | 阿拉巴马大学
猛龙在每年的这个时候总是让人难以捉摸。在鲍比·韦伯斯特 (Bobby Webster) 的管理下，他们在保密对新秀看法方面做得很好。我从几支球队那里了解到的情况是，他们仍在市场上寻找具有全明星实力的老将大个子。但在新秀方面，他们倾向于保持低调。菲隆将为他们提供另一个进攻创造者，他们可以利用这一点在季后赛中更进一步，迈入第二轮。只要他的跳投能保持稳定，他与斯科蒂·巴恩斯 (Scottie Barnes) 和伊曼纽尔·奎克利 (Immanuel Quickley) 搭档都会非常出色。
20. 圣安东尼奥马刺（来自老鹰）
卡梅隆·卡尔 (Cameron Carr) | 6尺5后卫 | 21岁 | 贝勒大学
马刺目前处于可以补充最佳投手的境地。卡尔完美符合这一要求。是的，他很瘦，需要增加体重。但他臂展很长，能为圣安东尼奥提供更多的阵容灵活性，从而在场上与迪伦·哈珀和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔保持投篮威胁，而后两者自身也需要在投篮方面继续取得进步。
马刺今年夏天在朱利安·尚帕尼的去留上也面临着艰难的决定。他们可以拒绝这位关键空间型侧翼的球队选项，以便与他达成一份新合同，或者在下赛季以300万美元的价格留住他，然后再让他进入完全自由球员市场。考虑到他们的薪资表，我猜测他们会采用前一种策略，在他们距离第一土豪线仍有5000万美元空间的情况下，现在将尚帕尼更多的薪资计入账目，并可能尝试为他谈下一份递减的合同结构。但卡尔可以提供保障，以防谈判进展不顺，而且他们无论如何都需要更多的投篮深度。
21. 底特律活塞（来自森林狼）
贝内特·斯蒂尔茨 (Bennett Stirtz) | 6尺3后卫 | 22岁 | 爱荷华大学
关于活塞，我听得最多的两个位置是能投篮和创造进攻的主控后卫，或者是能投篮的侧翼/前锋。我听到了很多关于斯蒂尔茨和安德森作为潜在人选与凯德·坎宁安 (Cade Cunningham) 搭档的传闻，他们是能从外线发炮的进攻创造者，此外还有像小克里斯·塞纳克 (Chris Cenac Jr.) 或卡尔这样的球员。斯蒂尔茨符合得分和组织的标准，并且能很好地融入现有的防守体系。
22. 费城76人（来自火箭）
科阿·皮特 (Koa Peat) | 6尺7翼侧 | 19岁 | 亚利桑那大学
联盟周边的消息人士仍在试图弄清楚新任篮球运营主管迈克·甘西 (Mike Gansey) 偏爱哪种类型的球员。所以这个选择可能只是我的一厢情愿，但我无法想象有比这更适合皮特和这支球队的选择了。随着乔尔·恩比德 (Joel Embiid) 现在更频繁地在外面打球，皮特可以利用他的运动能力 and 力量沿底线空切并做出聪明的决策，同时还能提供强韧的防守活力。76人极度需要一个打法硬朗的4号位，而皮特在这方面能带来巨大的帮助。在我个人的选秀板上，皮特的排名要高于此，但联盟各界消息人士并不确定他在本届新秀中的具体顺位。
23. 亚特兰大老鹰（来自骑士）
卡里姆·洛佩斯 (Karim Lopez) | 6尺8翼侧 | 19岁 | 新西兰破坏者
到目前为止，洛佩斯主要是在为这个顺位区间以上的球队进行试训，对他作为前15顺位新秀的地位充满信心。但我并不这么认为。当我向球队询问他时，得到的反馈更符合首轮中后期的定位，而不是乐透秀。尽管球探们被他的篮板和突破到禁区的能力所吸引，但他作为防守者和投手仍有一些问题需要解答。他的顺位区间感觉在第11顺位到第25顺位左右。
24. 纽约尼克斯
小塔里斯·里德 (Tarris Reed Jr.) | 6尺10大个子 | 22岁 | 康涅狄格大学
米切尔·罗宾逊 (Mitchell Robinson) 将在赛季结束后成为自由球员，因此尼克斯在卡尔-安东尼·唐斯 (Karl-Anthony Towns) 身后寻找一名能提供内线强韧度的替补中锋是合情合理的。里德符合球队在进攻端拼抢进攻篮板的期望，而且他在试训中展现出了一些潜在的投篮能力。
25. 洛杉矶湖人
小克里斯·塞纳克 (Chris Cenac Jr.) | 6尺10大个子 | 19岁 | 休斯敦大学
塞纳克也是一个极难找到合适去向的新秀。目前的共识似乎是他会在前20顺位的某个地方被选中，但我从球队得到的反馈是他更像是一个首轮末的新秀。他被视为那些有耐心等待他提高比赛感觉的球队的一个高上限选择。
26. 丹佛掘金
埃布卡·奥科里 (Ebuka Okorie) | 6尺1后卫 | 19岁 | 斯坦福大学
这是另一位顺位区间跨度很大的球员，我听到的预测从乐透区之后一直到首轮末段都有。我认为奥科里会在首轮被选中，并且他会很适合掘金。考虑到泰厄斯·琼斯 (Tyus Jones) 在签约后迅速融入轮换阵容并将在今年夏天成为自由球员，丹佛需要贾马尔·穆雷 (Jamal Murray) 身后的第二持球点。奥科里冲击篮筐的能力也可以很好地融入丹佛的“五外（Five-out）”进攻体系，并能让他与穆雷搭档。
约书亚·杰斐逊的球风非常适合凯尔特人。(William Purnell / Imagn Images)
27. 波士顿凯尔特人
约书亚·杰斐逊 (Joshua Jefferson) | 6尺8前锋 | 22岁 | 爱荷华州立大学
杰斐逊的篮球智商极高，这在乔·马祖拉 (Joe Mazzulla) 执教的波士顿体系中会非常吃香，因为快速决策在其中至关重要。他防守出色，在防守端能迅速做出判断，而且传球极其优秀。他的顺位区间被认为在20多顺位到第二轮初期。
28. 明尼苏达森林狼（来自活塞）
塞尔希奥·德·拉雷亚 (Sergio De Larrea) | 6尺5翼侧 | 20岁 | 瓦伦西亚
森林狼被认为正在探索首轮末段潜在的控球后卫人选，而在本赛季为欧洲联赛球队瓦伦西亚扮演了稳固角色的德·拉雷亚是一个有趣的选择。他在西班牙ACB联赛中场均贡献9分和近4次助攻，并且在过去两个赛季中是一名命中率达40%的可靠三分投手。
29. 克利夫兰骑士（来自马刺）
梅里克·托马斯 (Meleek Thomas) | 6尺3翼侧 | 19岁 | 阿肯色大学
骑士必须想办法削减他们的薪资总额，而丹尼斯·施罗德 (Dennis Schröder) 是最容易实现这一目标的方式之一。如果他们在交易市场上为施罗德找到了下家，他们将需要更多来自替补席的即时进攻贡献，而托马斯正好符合这一要求。他是一个非常高效的投手，能够突破和控球，但他确实需要克制自己一些过于随意的决策问题。
30. 达拉斯独行侠（来自雷霆）
伊塞亚·埃文斯 (Isaiah Evans) | 6尺6翼侧 | 20岁 | 杜克大学
对于独行侠来说，埃文斯将是一个极好的空间型和投篮选择，他们需要围绕库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg) 继续积累这种类型的球员。埃文斯上赛季在杜克大学曾与弗拉格搭档，这可能不无裨益，而且他已经非常清楚这位NBA年度最佳新秀身边需要什么样的支持。
第二轮
31. 纽约尼克斯（来自奇才）： 埃马纽埃尔·夏普 (Emanuel Sharp) | 6尺3后卫 | 22岁 | 休斯敦大学
32. 孟菲斯灰熊（来自步行者）： 祖比·埃希奥福 (Zuby Ejiofor) | 6尺8大个子 | 22岁 | 圣约翰大学
33. 布鲁克林篮网：亨里·维萨尔 (Henri Veesaar)： 6尺11中锋 | 22岁 | 北卡罗来纳大学
34. 萨克拉门托国王： 巴巴·米勒 (Baba Miller) | 6尺11翼侧 | 22岁 | 辛辛那提大学
35. 圣安东尼奥马刺（来自爵士）： 亚历克斯·卡拉班 (Alex Karaban) | 6尺7翼侧 | 23岁 | 康涅狄格大学
36. 洛杉矶快船（来自灰熊）： 布鲁斯·桑顿 (Bruce Thornton) | 6尺0后卫 | 22岁 | 俄亥俄州立大学
37. 俄克拉荷马雷霆（来自独行侠）： 杰克·卡伊尔 (Jack Kayil) | 6尺4后卫 | 20岁 | 柏林阿尔巴
38. 芝加哥公牛（来自鹈鹕）： 马里克·布朗 (Maliq Brown) | 6尺8大个子 | 22岁 | 杜克大学
39. 休斯敦火箭（来自公牛）： 布雷登·史密斯 (Braden Smith) | 5尺10后卫 | 22岁 | 普渡大学
40. 波士顿凯尔特人（来自雄鹿）： 里奇·桑德斯 (Richie Saunders) | 6尺5翼侧 | 24岁 | 杨百翰大学
41. 迈阿密热火（来自勇士）： 特雷冯·布拉齐尔 (Trevon Brazile) | 6尺10大个子 | 23岁 | 阿肯色大学
42. 圣安东尼奥马刺（来自开拓者）： 瑞安·康威尔 (Ryan Conwell) | 6尺2后卫 | 22岁 | 路易斯维尔大学
43. 布鲁克林篮网（来自快船）： 伊扎亚·尼尔森 (Izaiyah Nelson) | 6尺8大个子 | 22岁 | 南佛罗里达大学
44. 圣安东尼奥马刺（来自热火）： 乌戈纳·奥尼恩索 (Ugonna Onyenso) | 6尺11大个子 | 22岁 | 弗吉尼亚大学
45. 萨克拉门托国王（来自黄蜂）： 尼克·博伊德 (Nick Boyd) | 6尺1后卫 | 25岁 | 威斯康星大学
46. 奥兰多魔术： 杰登·布拉德利 (Jaden Bradley) | 6尺3后卫 | 22岁 | 亚利桑那大学
47. 菲尼克斯太阳（来自费城）： 泰勒·尼克尔 (Tyler Nickel) | 6尺6翼侧 | 22岁 | 范德堡大学
48. 达拉斯独行侠（来自太阳）： 菲利克斯·奥克帕拉 (Felix Okpara) | 6尺10大个子 | 22岁 | 田纳西大学
49. 丹佛掘金（来自老鹰）： 托比亚斯·延森 (Tobias Jensen) | 6尺6翼侧 | 22岁 | 乌尔姆通益制药
50. 多伦多猛龙： 贾科比·吉莱斯皮 (Ja’Kobi Gillespie) | 6尺0后卫 | 22岁 | 田纳西大学
51. 华盛顿奇才（来自森林狼）： 诺亚姆·雅科夫 (Noam Yaacov) | 6尺1后卫 | 21岁 | 奥斯坦德
52. 洛杉矶快船（来自骑士）： 塔明·利普西 (Tamin Lipsey) | 6尺2后卫 | 22岁 | 爱荷华州立大学
53. 休斯敦火箭： 泰勒·比洛多 (Tyler Bilodeau) | 6尺7前锋 | 22岁 | 加州大学洛杉矶分校
54. 金州勇士（来自湖人）： 尼克·马蒂内利 (Nick Martinelli) | 6尺7翼侧 | 22岁 | 西北大学
55. 纽约尼克斯： 特雷·考夫曼-雷恩 (Trey Kaufman-Renn) | 6尺8前锋 | 23岁 | 普渡大学
56. 芝加哥公牛（来自掘金）： 奥特加·奥韦 (Otega Oweh) | 6尺4后卫 | 23岁 | 肯塔基大学
57. 亚特兰大老鹰（来自凯尔特人）： 杰登·亨利 (Jaden Henley) | 6尺6翼侧 | 22岁 | 大峡谷大学
58. 新奥尔良 Pelicans（来自活塞）： 米洛斯·乌赞 (Milos Uzan) | 6尺3后卫 | 23岁 | 休斯敦大学
59. 明尼苏达森林狼（来自马刺）： 迪伦·米切尔 (Dillon Mitchell) | 6尺7翼侧 | 22岁 | 圣约翰大学
60. 华盛顿奇才（来自雷霆）： 托比·拉瓦尔 (Tobi Lawal) | 6尺7大个子 | 23岁 | 弗吉尼亚理工大学
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
点击查看原文：2026 NBA mock draft: What I'm hearing about how the first round will go
2026 NBA mock draft: What I’m hearing about how the first round will go
We are about two weeks away from the 2026 NBA Draft, so it’s time to dig into the intel and figure out where players may be selected.
This draft is considered a strong one at the top and throughout the lottery, although withdrawals of college players lured by NIL riches have substantially hindered the depth of the class. Most executives I speak with have first-round grades on about 20 to 25 players and think the final 20 picks of the draft could result in some interesting selections. They say teams could be making deals with players ahead of time to lock them in on two-way contracts, as they don’t see much difference in talent level between players ranked from, say, No. 45 to No. 100.
A few notes before the mock:
• Ages are as of the night of the first round (June 23).
• Heights are from the NBA Draft Combine in May.
• NBA executives, scouts, agents, players and other sources across the basketball ecosystem were granted anonymity in exchange for speaking freely about prospects.
1. Washington Wizards
AJ Dybantsa | 6-9 wing | 19 years old | BYU
Sources say that Washington is doing its due diligence and that the Wizards haven’t made a decision yet on who they’ll draft No. 1.
But sources across the league believe that Dybantsa remains Washington’s most likely target. He is seen as having extremely high upside while also possessing a high floor. For the Wizards, he would slot in perfectly on the wing regardless of the team’s direction next season. He fits between Anthony Davis and Trae Young but also blends nicely with the team’s young core of Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Will Riley and Kyshawn George, because he does something those four don’t: put pressure on the rim. The combination of George and Dybantsa should work well together long-term as bigger, longer wings who can dribble, pass and shoot, with George taking on tougher defensive assignments.
2. Utah Jazz
Darryn Peterson | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | Kansas
The Jazz are set up well to win next season with a loaded frontcourt following the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade in February. What they really need is a playmaker at guard to help Keyonte George with the creation load. Ace Bailey is a terrific scorer, but ballhandling is not necessarily his strength. The Jazz need another player who can dribble, pass and shoot with Bailey, Lauri Markkanen and presumably Walker Kessler, even though Kessler is a free agent.
Teams that dig into Peterson’s high school tape will see that he took a big step forward at Prolific Prep during his senior year with his passing and playmaking out of ball screens. He’s always been a tremendous scorer, but he began to read the second and third levels of the defense and make plays off how help defenders played him, even at times manipulating them. At Kansas, he didn’t get the opportunity to showcase those skills. Part of these issues at Kansas could have been because of his injuries. He looked less explosive than he was in high school. Another part could have been the Jayhawks’ lack of spacing. It was not dissimilar to what Anthony Edwards looked like at Georgia.
Like the Wizards, the Jazz are learning everything they can about the top four prospects. Utah president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said last week on the radio in Salt Lake City that his front office has not reached a consensus. But with the team ready to move into a different phase next season, Peterson is the player who will help them do that, and he fills a skill-based need.
3. Memphis Grizzlies
Cameron Boozer | 6-8 forward | 18 years old | Duke
If Boozer is on the board, I would be pretty stunned to see Memphis pass on him. He ticks all the boxes that the organization has looked for in its draft picks over the years under president of basketball operations Zach Kleiman.
The Grizzlies have been consistently better at drafting than any other team in the league, having hit on Desmond Bane, Santi Aldama, Jaylen Wells, Cam Spencer, Brandon Clarke and even guys such as GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. beyond pick No. 20, let alone past lottery picks Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant. Typically, the Grizzlies like skilled players who produce well for their age and possess high-level basketball IQ while being extremely competitive. Boozer is elite in all of those categories. He is almost prototypical of what Memphis wants to build around as it enters a new era following the trades of Jackson and Bane.
4. Chicago Bulls
Caleb Wilson | 6-9 wing | 19 years old | North Carolina
League sources believe Wilson would be an easy pick for Chicago if he gets to No. 4. He’s an athletic player with great positional size who plays with physicality and would fit nicely if the Bulls continue to operate an uptempo offense under the coach whom new general manager Bryson Graham hires. Graham loves players with high-end athletic traits and length, having been a part of drafting many of them in New Orleans during his time there.
Wilson would fit well at the four next to Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis as the team’s long-term building blocks and give the Bulls a solid framework with which to start using their cap space this summer to acquire veterans, while also trying to accumulate more assets.
5. LA Clippers (via IND)
Keaton Wagler | 6-5 wing | 19 years old | Illinois
It’ll be fascinating to see what the Clippers do at No. 5. Sources have indicated that the team is digging into all the top guard prospects as well as exploring potential trade-down scenarios that could result in them accumulating more assets. I’ve also heard Aday Mara’s name associated with the Clippers, although it’s difficult to tell if that would be at No. 5 or in a potential trade down.
Wagler is clearly the best fit of the guards, though, if LA stays at No. 5. He can play both on and off ball and has enough positional size to play next to Darius Garland, whom the team acquired for James Harden at the deadline. Garland played well down the stretch for the Clippers and should be seen as a building block, and I’m skeptical that the Clippers would have enough size defensively by taking Darius Acuff Jr. or Kingston Flemings to play with him. Sources have indicated that Wagler has added muscle to his frame during the pre-draft process. He came to Illinois at 168 pounds and weighed 188 pounds at the combine; his frame should be able to continue adding strength over the next few years.
6. Brooklyn Nets
Darius Acuff Jr. | 6-2 guard | 19 years old | Arkansas
The Nets have engendered by far the most speculation among sources. I’ve also heard a lot of contradictory information, which is an indication that there is some smoke billowing from Barclays Center. I’ve heard all the guard prospects in this range for them, from Wagler to Acuff to Kingston Flemings to Mikel Brown Jr. I’ve heard Nate Ament quite a bit over the last week. I’ve also heard Mara’s name creep into the conversation, as well as the potential trade-down offers.
The one consistent piece of information is that the Nets will take the highest-graded player on their board, regardless of position. Even though the team selected three point guards last season, it hasn’t ruled that position out. Brooklyn believes it simply needs to get more talent in the door. The issue with predicting anything there, though, is that this team marches to the beat of its own drum in terms of evaluations.
I’m going with Acuff for now. If the Nets really do want the best player, I think it’s him. The city would fall in love with him as a fearless guard with toughness. He would embrace being a leader of the rebuild. I also think he’s a fairly safe selection for this front office as a high-level producer early in his career, following a season where none of the team’s five 2025 first-round picks finished in the top 15 of All-Rookie team voting. But I also think anything is on the board here, and if there is a top-10 selection prediction most likely to change in some way before the draft, it’s this one.
Houston’s Kingston Flemings, left, and Illinois’ Keaton Wagler are among the top guard prospects in this class. (Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
7. Sacramento Kings
Kingston Flemings | 6-3 guard | 19 years old | Houston
It feels like the Kings are likely to end up with the best guard available. They’re doing due diligence into players such as Ament and others, but they need a point guard to replace De’Aaron Fox, and this is an outstanding draft in which to do it. In this case, the best guards available are Flemings and Brown.
Flemings has done workouts with teams lower than this to find a floor for his services, but he’s in the mix with teams from the Nos. 5 to 7 range. He has impressed in interviews, his speed is a serious weapon for teams and he’s been viewed as the best defender of the elite lead guard crop in this class. The Kings could use all these skills.
8. Atlanta Hawks (via NOP)
Aday Mara | 7-3 big | 21 years old | Michigan
The Hawks need a lead guard, but I’ve heard centers more when asking about what they’re looking to do at No. 8. They’ve also explored potential trade-down scenarios to accumulate assets, something that should come as no surprise since president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh is regarded as one of the best long-term strategists in the league.
Mara fits Atlanta’s scheme well under Quin Snyder thanks to his passing ability and his rim protection. Remember, Snyder is the coach who unlocked Rudy Gobert’s length in drop coverage and helped turn him into one of the best defensive players in the league. Mara does not move as well as Gobert but is similarly massive with a 9-foot-9 standing reach at 7-foot-3 without shoes. He can shut down the paint, finish above the rim on the interior and be an impediment at the basket for opposing teams.
9. Dallas Mavericks
Brayden Burries | 6-4 guard | 20 years old | Arizona
The Mavericks are another team that has engendered a lot of speculation among sources, something that the new brain trust led by Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz will likely appreciate. They’ve explored trading this selection and are considering several different players and positions, from lead guards like Flemings, Wagler, Brown, Acuff and Christian Anderson to Ament to Yaxel Lendeborg.
Burries is the name I hear the most with Dallas, though, with sources around the lottery trying to determine why he’s not working out in as many places as you’d expect given his standing at the start of the process. There is a lot of enthusiasm for Burries among teams who want to try to win next season, as he’s seen as a tough guard who can dribble, pass and shoot who will also defend at a high level with physicality.
10. Milwaukee Bucks
Mikel Brown Jr. | 6-4 guard | 20 years old | Louisville
The Bucks have certainly been doing due diligence into the lead guards, including Flemings, Anderson, Labaron Philon Jr. and Brown. I’ve also heard Hannes Steinbach’s name as an option here. But with the potential for Giannis Antetokounmpo’s departure, it makes sense for the Bucks to go with as high an upside swing as possible. Brown is a dynamic playmaker with the ball who can play in ball screens, make high-level passing reads and shoot. However, his decision-making can be questionable at times while trying to hit home runs, and his scoring inside of 15 feet has left some scouts with questions.
11. Golden State Warriors
Yaxel Lendeborg | 6-9 big | 23 years old | Michigan
Lendeborg’s draft stock is one of the most difficult to figure out. He is going to be 24 before he plays an NBA game, and several of the teams in the lottery will be hunting for more upside. I’ve gotten the impression that there is potential for him to slip out of the lottery despite being among the most NBA-ready players in the draft.
The Warriors are somewhere in that middle ground, and he could be useful in one final ride for Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. His game is tailor-made to enter the NBA early as a well-rounded offensive and defensive player. He can make an impact without the ball and has enough shooting ability to be effective on the baseline as a cutter and floor-spacer from the corners. He also moves the ball quickly, which would fit well within Steve Kerr’s offense.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC)
Nate Ament | 6-10 wing/forward | 19 years old | Tennessee
Ament’s draft range is one of the more difficult ones to figure out. He’s working out with teams throughout the middle of the lottery, and the buzz with the Nets, as Jon Rothstein would say, has been palpable. And yet, scouts are mixed on him. The ones who like him appreciate his ability to play with the ball in his hands, think that he’s a better shooter than he was this year at Tennessee and like his professional mindset. Sources say that Ament comes off as smart. He cares about his game and improving. He’s someone teams want to believe in. But other scouts worry about his frame and lack of strength, wondering if it’s comparable to some of the issues 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher has dealt with early in his career with the Hawks.
I think there’s a decent chance that Ament is off the board by the time the Thunder pick at No. 12. Also, sources across the league get the impression that the Thunder are open to many scenarios with picks Nos. 12 and 17. I’ve heard they would consider consolidating the picks to move up, I’ve heard of them looking at getting rid of one of the picks for a future first-rounder, and I’ve also heard speculation of them moving more expensive rostered players to get under the second apron and then keeping the picks to add more young talent.
13. Miami Heat
Hannes Steinbach | 6-10 big | 20 years old | Washington
It’s difficult to get a read on Miami’s intentions. It feels as if the Heat trying to figure out their standing in potential star trades this summer, and whether this selection could be involved in a deal. Speculation about whether they can acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo gets thrown around regularly.
I’m going with Steinbach here because he ticks a few boxes. First and foremost, the Heat have essentially zero frontcourt depth right now beyond Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware. Steinbach, theoretically, can play both at the four and the five if his jumper comes around, although I am a lot more enthusiastic about his fit at the five. Second, the Bucks have also been said to have interest in Steinbach, so if they were to move Giannis to Miami, he could easily be a target if they go with a guard at No. 10.
14. Charlotte Hornets
Morez Johnson Jr. | 6-9 big | 20 years old | Michigan
Johnson seems to be one of the most popular names in the draft right now, and it feels unlikely that he’ll slip beyond the top 15. One question that teams often ask players who come in for workouts and have been out on the circuit for a while is, “Which other prospect has impressed you?” The Michigan big man has been a popular answer to that question.
The Hornets need a degree of toughness and physicality. Johnson would be the perfect player to provide that. Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner are underrated center options, but Diabate weighs just 210 pounds and Kalkbrenner has high hips that allow him to get pushed around. Johnson is tough, has a low center of gravity, rebounds the ball at a high clip and defends multiple positions across the front line as a switchable big man. He’d give the Hornets a look that they lacked this season.
15. Chicago Bulls (via POR)
Dailyn Swain | 6-7 wing | 20 years old | Texas
A couple of other teams noted that the Bulls have asked around about potentially moving up from No. 15 into the lottery for a second pick after No. 4. But if they stay at No. 15, Swain seems to be an option, as he meets Graham’s preferences for size, length, athleticism and physicality. Swain played at 225 pounds this year at Texas (don’t worry about him coming in at only 211 pounds at the combine; sources told The Athletic that he was sick in the days leading up to the event and lost several pounds), and has the exact frame you’re looking for from a slashing guard. He proved that he could play at a high level on defense in the Big East during his time at Xavier, even if he was more hit-or-miss at Texas.
16. Memphis Grizzlies (via PHX)
Christian Anderson Jr. | 6-1 guard | 20 years old | Texas Tech
Anderson has impressed in pre-draft workouts with his shooting ability, feel for the game and willingness to give effort on defense. He seems to be another prospect who has helped himself as teams get to know him, despite his lack of size. Anderson has popped in a lot of teams’ analytical models thanks to his shooting and passing. The Grizzlies have some guard depth behind Morant in Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr., but it’s unclear if they can be long-term answers if the organization moves Morant. The read is that the Grizzlies will be open to any position here and will take the best player on their board.
Could Jayden Quaintance be a Victor Wembanyama stopper for the Thunder? (Jordan Prather / Imagn Images)
17. Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHI)
Jayden Quaintance | 6-9 big | 18 years old | Kentucky
There are numerous possibilities with this pick, from the Thunder keeping it to trading up or trading out to acquire future draft capital. I’m aware that the team selected Thomas Sorber last year at the center position, but the Victor Wembanyama problem is not going away for OKC. The best potential Wembanyama defender in this class is Quaintance, who was shaping up as one of the best defensive prospects I’d seen in a while before tearing his right ACL at Arizona State in February 2025. This season was essentially a wash as he recovered from that injury; he played only four games at Kentucky midseason before shutting things down.
I spoke with a half-dozen NBA teams in Quaintance’s potential range over the weekend, and all of them said that they don’t yet have access to how their team doctors assessed Quaintance’s health. Those reports from doctors and internal meetings tend to come about two weeks before the draft.
18. Charlotte Hornets (via PHX)
Allen Graves | 6-8 forward | 19 years old | Santa Clara
I think this is far too rich for Graves by about 10 slots. But Graves has been one of the names I’ve heard most connected with the Hornets because of their analytically inclined front office. Graves’ metrics pop across the board, even if his tape is less than the sum of the numbers. Typically, team models have him around the top five of this class. And yet, there are questions whether he can defend in space and on the interior, or if his shooting is ready for the NBA given how stationary it is. One thing not in question, though, is that he processes the game quickly and makes rapid decisions on offense.
19. Toronto Raptors
Labaron Philon Jr. | 6-3 guard | 20 years old | Alabama
The Raptors are always difficult to get a gauge on this time of year. Under the Bobby Webster regime, they have done a nice job keeping things in-house on their feelings about prospects. One thing that I’ve gotten from a couple of teams is that they are still surveying the market for veteran, star-quality bigs. But in terms of prospects, they tend to keep things hushed. Philon would give them another creator of offense, something they could use to take the next step into the second round of the playoffs. As long as his jumper holds up, he would be terrific next to both Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley.
20. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL)
Cameron Carr | 6-5 guard | 21 years old | Baylor
The Spurs are in a position to add the best player who can shoot. Carr fits that billing perfectly. Yes, he’s skinny and needs to add weight. But he’s long and would give San Antonio more lineup versatility to keep shooting on the court with Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle, both of whom need to keep making strides themselves in that area.
The Spurs also have a tough decision on Julian Champagnie this summer. They can decline the team option on their critical floor-spacing wing to do a new deal with him or keep him at $3 million for next season before allowing him to hit unrestricted free agency. Given their cap sheet, I would guess they use the former strategy, put more of Champagnie’s money on the books now while they’re still slated to be $50 million away from the first apron and possibly try to negotiate a descending contract structure for him. But Carr would provide cover in case negotiations go wrong there, and they need more shooting depth anyway.
21. Detroit Pistons (via MIN)
Bennett Stirtz | 6-3 guard | 22 years old | Iowa
The two positions I hear most regarding the Pistons are lead guards who can shoot and create offense, or wings/forwards who can shoot. I’ve heard a lot about Stirtz and Anderson as potential fits next to Cade Cunningham as offensive creators who can fire from distance, and then players like Chris Cenac Jr. or Carr. Stirtz ticks the scoring and playmaking boxes and would fit well with the defensive infrastructure in place.
22. Philadelphia 76ers (via HOU)
Koa Peat | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Arizona
Sources around the league are still trying to figure out what new head of basketball operations Mike Gansey’s type will be. So this pick might just be me wish-casting a bit, but I can’t imagine a better fit for both Peat and an organization. With Joel Embiid playing more consistently on the perimeter now, Peat could use his athleticism and strength to crash along the baseline and make smart plays while also providing tough defensive energy. The 76ers desperately need a four with some power to his game, and Peat brings that in a big way. I have Peat higher than this on my personal board, but sources across the league are unsure where he slots into the class.
23. Atlanta Hawks (via CLE)
Karim Lopez | 6-8 wing | 19 years old | New Zealand Breakers
Lopez has largely been working out for teams ahead of this range so far, feeling confident in his status as a top-15 selection. I’m not convinced of that. When I speak to teams about him, the feedback is commensurate with a mid-to-late first-rounder, as opposed to a lottery pick. He has some questions to answer as a defender and shooter, even if scouts are enticed by his rebounding and ability to drive into the lane. His range feels like it’s anywhere from No. 11 down to No. 25 or so.
24. New York Knicks
Tarris Reed Jr. | 6-10 big | 22 years old | Connecticut
Mitchell Robinson is a free agent at the end of the season, so it would make sense for the Knicks to look for a backup center behind Karl-Anthony Towns who provides toughness in the middle. Reed would fit the team’s desire to crash the glass hard on the offensive end, and he has some latent shooting potential that he’s shown in workouts.
25. Los Angeles Lakers
Chris Cenac Jr. | 6-10 big | 19 years old | Houston
Cenac has been an exceptionally difficult prospect to find a home for, as well. The consensus seems to be that he’s going to go somewhere in the top 20, but the feedback I get from teams is that he’s more like a late first-rounder. He’s seen as a high-upside swing for teams that can afford to be patient and wait for him to improve his feel for the game.
26. Denver Nuggets
Ebuka Okorie | 6-1 guard | 19 years old | Stanford
This is another player with a wide range, as I’ve heard anywhere from right after the lottery to late first round. I think Okorie will be picked in the first round, and he would fit with the Nuggets. Denver needs a second ballhandler behind Jamal Murray, given that Tyus Jones was signed and entered the rotation quickly and will now hit free agency this summer. Okorie’s ability to pressure the rim could also blend nicely with Denver’s five-out structure and could allow him to play with Murray.
Joshua Jefferson has the kind of game that would fit the Celtics. (William Purnell / Imagn Images)
27. Boston Celtics
Joshua Jefferson | 6-8 forward | 22 years old | Iowa State
Jefferson’s basketball IQ is exceptionally high, something that would play well in Boston under Joe Mazzulla’s scheme, where quick decision-making is critical. He defends well and makes fast decisions on that end, plus he passes exceedingly well. His range is seen as somewhere from the 20s into the early second round.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET)
Sergio De Larrea | 6-5 wing | 20 years old | Valencia
The Timberwolves are thought to be exploring potential point guard options in the late first round, and De Larrea is an interesting one after having played a solid role for Euroleague team Valencia this season. He averages nine points and nearly four assists per game in the Spanish ACB league and is a legitimate 40 percent 3-point shooter over the last two seasons.
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via SAS)
Meleek Thomas | 6-3 wing | 19 years old | Arkansas
The Cavaliers will have to find a way to cut money from their books, with Dennis Schröder representing one of the easiest ways to do that. If they find a taker on the trade market for Schröder, they’ll need more instant offensive contributions off the bench, and Thomas fits that bill. He’s a highly effective shooter who can attack and handle the ball, but he does need to rein in some of his wilder decision-making issues.
30. Dallas Mavericks (via OKC)
Isaiah Evans | 6-6 wing | 20 years old | Duke
Evans would represent a terrific floor-spacing and shooting option for the Mavericks, who need to continue accumulating players in that archetype around Cooper Flagg. It probably wouldn’t hurt that Evans played with Flagg last season at Duke and has a terrific understanding already of what the NBA’s Rookie of the Year requires around him.
Second Round
31. New York Knicks (via WAS): Emanuel Sharp | 6-3 guard | 22 years old | Houston
32. Memphis Grizzlies (via IND): Zuby Ejiofor | 6-8 big | 22 years old | St. John’s
33. Brooklyn Nets: Henri Veesaar: 6-11 center | 22 years old | North Carolina
34. Sacramento Kings: Baba Miller | 6-11 wing | 22 years old | Cincinnati
35. San Antonio Spurs (via UTA): Alex Karaban | 6-7 wing | 23 years old | Connecticut
36. LA Clippers (via MEM): Bruce Thornton | 6-0 guard | 22 years old | Ohio State
37. Oklahoma City Thunder (via DAL): Jack Kayil | 6-4 guard | 20 years old | Alba Berlin
38. Chicago Bulls (via NOP): Maliq Brown | 6-8 big | 22 years old | Duke
**39. Houston Rockets (via CHI):**Braden Smith | 5-10 guard | 22 years old | Purdue
**40. Boston Celtics (via MIL):**Richie Saunders | 6-5 wing | 24 years old | BYU
41. Miami Heat (via GSW): Trevon Brazile | 6-10 big | 23 years old | Arkansas
42. San Antonio Spurs (via POR): Ryan Conwell | 6-2 guard | 22 years old | Louisville
43. Brooklyn Nets (via LAC): Izaiyah Nelson | 6-8 big | 22 years old | South Florida
44. San Antonio Spurs (via MIA): Ugonna Onyenso | 6-11 big | 22 years old | Virginia
45. Sacramento Kings (via CHA): Nick Boyd | 6-1 guard | 25 years old | Wisconsin
46. Orlando Magic: Jaden Bradley | 6-3 guard | 22 years old | Arizona
47. Phoenix Suns (via PHI): Tyler Nickel | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | Vanderbilt
48. Dallas Mavericks (via PHX): Felix Okpara | 6-10 big | 22 years old | Tennessee
49. Denver Nuggets (via ATL): Tobias Jensen | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | Ratiopharm Ulm
50. Toronto Raptors: Ja’Kobi Gillespie | 6-0 guard | 22 years old | Tennessee
51. Washington Wizards (via MIN): Noam Yaacov | 6-1 guard | 21 years old | Oostende
52. LA Clippers (via CLE): Tamin Lipsey | 6-2 guard | 22 years old | Iowa State
53. Houston Rockets: Tyler Bilodeau | 6-7 forward | 22 years old | UCLA
**54. Golden State Warriors (via LAL):**Nick Martinelli | 6-7 wing | 22 years old | Northwestern
55. New York Knicks: Trey Kaufman-Renn | 6-8 forward | 23 years old | Purdue
**56. Chicago Bulls (via DEN):**Otega Oweh | 6-4 guard | 23 years old | Kentucky
**57. Atlanta Hawks (via BOS):**Jaden Henley | 6-6 wing | 22 years old | Grand Canyon
58. New Orleans Pelicans (via DET): Milos Uzan | 6-3 guard | 23 years old | Houston
**59. Minnesota Timberwolves (via SAS):**Dillon Mitchell | 6-7 wing | 22 years old | St. John’s
60. Washington Wizards (via OKC): Tobi Lawal | 6-7 big | 23 years old | Virginia Tech
By Sam Vecenie, via The Athletic