With the 2026 NBA Draft less than a week away, one question affecting the league is what Milwaukee will do with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Moving the veteran forward would likely involve the Bucks receiving draft picks in return, and it would also affect what the team does with its own pick. With the first four picks seemingly settled, that is one of the situations that will significantly affect Tuesday\u2019s first round in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n
Another question is what the Clippers will do at No. 5. While the team did acquire Darius Garland last season, there\u2019s still a need for perimeter depth. And that part of the draft won\u2019t lack for quality options. Below is our most recent mock draft, including all 60 picks, with NBC Sports writers Raphielle Johnson and Kurt Helin providing some thoughts on the first rounders.<\/p>\n
First Round<\/p>\n
1. Washington Wizards: G\/F AJ Dybantsa, BYU<\/p>\n
While Darryn Peterson may be angling to go first overall, Dybantsa remains the Wizards\u2019 choice, according to recent reports. His offensive versatility and athleticism make the former BYU standout an excellent option for Washington, especially if they re-sign Trae Young to address the need at point guard. – Raphielle Johnson<\/p>\n
2. Utah Jazz: G Darryn Peterson, Kansas<\/p>\n
Utah president Danny Ainge does not care if Peterson worked out for the Jazz. Nor does he care that Peterson\u2019s agent is also the agent for Keyonte George, and he\u2019s worried that a Peterson\/George backcourt could cannibalize each other\u2019s touches. There was a lot more smoke around Ace Bailey not wanting to go to Utah last year, Danny and Austin Ainge drafted him anyway. While there are rumors that the Jazz really like Boozer, we\u2019re going to bet they make the pick of the player with the highest upside and who fits best with their current roster. That\u2019s Peterson. – Kurt Helin<\/p>\n
3. Memphis Grizzlies: F Cameron Boozer, Duke<\/p>\n
While Ja Morant remains on the Grizzlies roster for now, there will clearly be a changing of the guard in Memphis. Adding Boozer, who hails from a winning college program and is the son of a former pro in Carlos Boozer, will help with the rebuild. Plus, the Grizzlies can use some more depth in the frontcourt. – Johnson<\/p>\n
4. Chicago Bulls: F Caleb Wilson, North Carolina<\/p>\n
Wilson and his off-the-charts athleticism next to Matas Buzelis? That is an entertaining foundation for Tiago Splitter to build upon. – Helin<\/p>\n
5. LA Clippers (from Indiana): G Keaton Wagler, Illinois<\/p>\n
Is this pick where the 2026 draft \u201cstarts?\u201d One could argue that, especially if the first four picks go as many expect. Wagler\u2019s emergence factored into Illinois reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2005, and the combination of size and offensive skill set makes for a good fit within the Clippers\u2019 perimeter rotation. – Johnson<\/p>\n
6. Brooklyn Nets: G Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas<\/p>\n
Brooklyn may have drafted two point guards one year ago \u2014 Egor D\u00ebmin and Nolan Traor\u00e9 \u2014 but neither really showed the spark and scoring touch that Acuff brings. Brooklyn needs talent and an entertaining star, and Acuff can be exactly that. – Helin<\/p>\n
7. Sacramento Kings: G Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville<\/p>\n
Of the guards projected to be selected in this segment of the draft, Brown may offer the highest ceiling because of his shooting ability and offensive gifts. However, he\u2019ll need to become a more efficient lead guard at the NBA level. The Kings desperately need to rebuild, and addressing the point guard position would be a good place to start. – Johnson<\/p>\n
8. Atlanta (from New Orleans): G Kingston Flemings, Houston<\/p>\n
Atlanta showed a lot of promise after the Trae Young trade last season, and they took more games off the Knicks in the playoffs than any other team, but CJ McCollum is not the long-term answer at point guard. The lightning-quick Flemings is a quality passer and decision maker, and he could be setting up Jalen Johnson and company for years to come. – Helin<\/p>\n
9. Dallas Mavericks: G Brayden Burries, Arizona<\/p>\n
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported earlier this week that Burries impressed the Clippers in a recent workout, so it\u2019s possible that he isn\u2019t on the board when the Mavericks come up. However, if he is, the former Arizona guard would make for a good addition to a perimeter rotation headlined by Kyrie Irving, who\u2019s returning from a torn ACL. – Johnson<\/p>\n
10. Milwaukee Bucks: F Nate Ament, Tennessee<\/p>\n
This is a bet on Taylor Jenkins\u2019 player development skills \u2014 there is a much better player in Ament than we saw at Tennessee last season. His defense and his shooting have to improve; a lot of things need to get better, but the Bucks are rebuilding, so betting on a player\u2019s upside makes sense. – Helin<\/p>\n
11. Golden State Warriors: F\/C Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan<\/p>\n
Thought to be a late-first round option at the beginning of the pre-draft process, Johnson appears likely to hear his name called during the lottery. He\u2019s one of the best defenders in this class, regardless of position, and the Warriors need reinforcements in the frontcourt. Given the experience he has, most recently winning a national title, Johnson has the temperament required to offer immediate value to a veteran team looking to make one more run. – Johnson<\/p>\n
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from LA Clippers): C Aday Mara, Michigan<\/p>\n
I\u2019m not sure Mara is where Oklahoma City plans to go in the draft \u2014 they have the more versatile Chet Holmgren on the roster already \u2014 but if he falls all the way to 12 on the board, they may have to take him as the best player available. It may take a year or two for the 7’3″ center to develop, but he could eventually slot into Isaiah Hartenstein\u2019s role. – Helin<\/p>\n
13. Miami Heat: G Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama<\/p>\n
Given the Heat\u2019s connection to Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors, it\u2019s possible that this pick is included if Miami makes a deal. Philon has been reportedly linked to Milwaukee, and the Heat also like the former Alabama guard, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer. Regardless of where he lands, Philon has the offensive skill set needed to make an immediate impact next season. – Johnson<\/p>\n
14. Charlotte Hornets: F Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan<\/p>\n
Charlotte has the start of a rotation it likes based around LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller. Now Lendeborg steps in as a ready-made four, giving them some defense and passing. Lendeborg doesn\u2019t have to create here, just finish the plays set up by others, and he showed he could do that all the way through Michigan\u2019s championship run. – Helin<\/p>\n
15. Chicago Bulls (from Portland): C Hannes Steinbach, Washington<\/p>\n
The Bulls have their head coach in Tiago Splitter; now, they need to go about filling their roster for a proper rebuild. There\u2019s been a clear need to upgrade the frontcourt, even before Chicago traded Nikola Vu\u010devi\u0107 at the February deadline. Steinbach has great hands and is an excellent rebounder; drafting him would be a good move for the Bulls. – Johnson<\/p>\n
16. Memphis Grizzlies (from Phoenix via Orlando): G Christian Anderson Jr., Texas Tech<\/p>\n
Memphis needs everything and nobody is going to go wrong taking the best shooter in the draft. – Helin<\/p>\n
17. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Philadelphia): F Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers<\/p>\n
In addition to having two first-round picks in this draft, the Thunder also has to account for last year\u2019s first-round pick, Thomas Sorber, returning from a torn ACL. And with some key decisions to make with veterans Isaiah Hartenstein and Luguentz Dort, it\u2019s possible that lead executive Sam Presti looks to save some money somewhere. If Lopez is the pick, he would go into an excellent situation for a developing player. – Johnson<\/p>\n
18. Charlotte Hornets (from Orlando via Phoenix): C Chris Cenac Jr., Houston<\/p>\n
Charlotte is looking for help along the front line, so this may be higher than a lot of teams expected Cenac to go, but it makes sense for the Hornets. Cenac is a development project, a player with all the athletic tools, but he needs to work on his feel for the game and his shot. He\u2019s also got to show more consistent rim protection than we saw in Houston. A lot falls on Charles Lee and his staff with this pick. – Helin<\/p>\n
19. Toronto Raptors: C Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky<\/p>\n
Even with the selection of Collin Murray-Boyles in last year\u2019s draft, the Raptors still have needs to address in the frontcourt. Sandro Mamukelashvili can opt out of his deal and become a free agent, while starter Jakob Poeltl struggled with back issues for most of last season. Quaintance comes with some risk given his knee injury, but he boasts a high ceiling thanks to his athleticism and rim-protection ability. – Johnson<\/p>\n
20. San Antonio Spurs (from Atlanta): G\/F Dailyn Swain, Texas<\/p>\n
If he plans to get on the court for Mitch Johnson, Swain will have to improve his defense and shooting. That said, he\u2019s going to fit in with San Antonio because he\u2019s big (6’7″), physical and likes to drive into the paint. The Spurs need more size on the wing; there\u2019s a role for Swain if he can grab it. – Helin<\/p>\n
21. Detroit Pistons (from Minnesota): G Bennett Stirtz, Iowa<\/p>\n
Whether it\u2019s through the draft or free agency, the Pistons need to add supplementary playmakers to help lighten Cade Cunningham\u2019s workload. Stirtz does come with some defensive concerns, but he\u2019s an excellent shooter who had the ball in his hands a lot at the college level. – Johnson<\/p>\n
22. Philadelphia 76ers (from Houston via Oklahoma City): G\/F Cameron Carr, Baylor<\/p>\n
Carr is a knock-down 3-point shooter (37.4% last season for the Bears) who moves well off the ball and can put the ball on the floor and attack closeouts. His game should translate to the next level, but he\u2019s got to get a lot stronger and become a better, more physical defender. You can see a role for him in Philly. – Helin<\/p>\n
23. Atlanta Hawks (from Cleveland): F Koa Peat, Arizona<\/p>\n
Peat didn\u2019t have the best draft combine showing, as his perimeter shot remains a work in progress. However, the physicality and athleticism that he brings to the table should be enough to ensure the forward goes in the first round. The Hawks can use additional depth at the forward position, even if strengthening their options at center is the priority this offseason. – Johnson<\/p>\n
24. New York Knicks: F Allen Graves, Santa Clara<\/p>\n
Knicks fans are going to love him, and Mike Brown might as well, because he plays a high-IQ game and his strengths help a team win the possession battle (he will get you some steals). That said, the Santa Clara star fell this far down the board because he\u2019s a bit of a project \u2014 there\u2019s nobody better to learn from firsthand than the Villanova core in New York. – Helin<\/p>\n
25. Los Angeles Lakers: C Tarris Reed Jr., UConn<\/p>\n
Simply put, Deandre Ayton was not consistent enough last season. And regardless of what he decides to do with his player option, the Lakers need a post player who\u2019s more compatible with Luka Don\u010di\u0107 in the two-man game. Reed, who was outstanding in the Huskies\u2019 run to the national title game, has the potential to be that kind of post player. – Johnson<\/p>\n
26. Denver Nuggets: G Isaiah Evans, Duke<\/p>\n
He\u2019s got good size (6’6″) and he\u2019s a quality movement shooter, and there\u2019s a path to him becoming a quality NBA rotation player. But he\u2019s going to have to get stronger, improve his feel for the game \u2014 get open for Nikola Jokic and he will find you \u2014 and become a better defender. A bit of a project, but a good pick this deep for Denver. – Helin<\/p>\n
27. Boston Celtics: F Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State<\/p>\n
Jefferson\u2019s final season at Iowa State was short-circuited by an ankle injury suffered during the NCAA tournament, but he is one of the most versatile offensive talents in this draft class. He can score and create for others, and Jefferson\u2019s basketball IQ would make him a good fit for Joe Mazzulla\u2019s system in Boston. – Johnson<\/p>\n
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Detroit): C Henri Veesaar, North Carolina<\/p>\n
When Rudy Gobert entered the league from France, Utah\u2019s strength and development team spent a couple of years building him up physically to become the elite defender and force he is today. It\u2019s similar for Vessaar, but the other side of the coin \u2014 his strength and conditioning need to get a lot better so he can become a solid NBA defender, because he\u2019s already got the shot and handle teams are looking for at the five in the modern NBA. Good roll of the dice here by the Timberwolves. – Helin<\/p>\n
29. Cleveland Cavaliers (from San Antonio via Atlanta): G Meleek Thomas, Arkansas<\/p>\n
Cleveland had the NBA\u2019s most expensive roster last season, and while they reached the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavaliers weren\u2019t very competitive after Game 1. Due to payroll constraints, the front office needs to find talent at an affordable price. Thomas has one of the quickest releases in this draft class, and his shot-making ability would fit nicely in a rotation headlined by Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. – Johnson<\/p>\n
30. Dallas Mavericks (from Oklahoma City via Washington and Philadelphia): G Ebuka Okorie, Stanford<\/p>\n
Okorie has an NBA-level skill: He is arguably the best driving guard in this class. He gets downhill and touches the paint almost at will, it seems. His handle is elite for a guy not yet in the NBA. However, his finishing on those drives \u2014 whether passing out or scoring \u2014 needs to improve, as do his defense and decision-making. There is potential there as a guard next to Cooper Flagg, but Okorie has work to do. – Helin<\/p>\n
Second Round<\/p>\n
31. New York Knicks (from Washington via Oklahoma City and Houston): C Zuby Ejiofor, St. John\u2019s<\/p>\n
32. Memphis Grizzlies (from Indiana via Milwaukee): G\/F Sergio De Larrea, Valencia (Spain)<\/p>\n
33. Brooklyn Nets: G\/F Richie Saunders, BYU<\/p>\n
34. Sacramento Kings: G\/F Alex Karaban, UConn<\/p>\n
35. San Antonio Spurs (from Utah via Minnesota): F Baba Miller, Cincinnati<\/p>\n
36. LA Clippers (from Memphis via Atlanta and Utah): G Emanuel Sharp, Houston<\/p>\n
37. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Dallas): G Jack Kayil, Alba Berlin (Germany)<\/p>\n
38. Chicago Bulls (from New Orleans via Boston, Detroit and Portland): G Ryan Conwell, Louisville<\/p>\n
39. Houston Rockets (from Chicago via Washington): G Braden Smith, Purdue<\/p>\n
40. Boston Celtics (from Milwaukee via Orlando): F Dillon Mitchell, St. John\u2019s<\/p>\n
41. Miami Heat (from Golden State via Charlotte, New York, Oklahoma City and Atlanta): F\/C Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida<\/p>\n
42. San Antonio Spurs (from Portland via New Orleans): G Vsevolod Ishchenko, Lokomotiv Kuban (Russia)<\/p>\n
43. Brooklyn Nets (from LA Clippers via Houston): C Ugonna Onyenso, Virginia<\/p>\n
44. San Antonio Spurs (from Miami via Indiana): G Ja\u2019Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee<\/p>\n
45. Sacramento Kings (from Charlotte via San Antonio, Atlanta and New York): G Jaden Bradley, Arizona<\/p>\n
46. Orlando Magic: F Trevon Brazile, Arkansas<\/p>\n
47. Phoenix Suns (from Philadelphia via Houston and Oklahoma City): G Nick Boyd, Wisconsin<\/p>\n
48. Dallas Mavericks (from Phoenix via Washington): G Bruce Thornton, Ohio State<\/p>\n
49. Denver Nuggets (from Atlanta via Brooklyn and Golden State): G\/F Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt<\/p>\n
50. Toronto Raptors: C Felix Okpara, Tennessee<\/p>\n
51. Washington Wizards (from Minnesota via Detroit and New York): F Tobi Lawal, Virginia Tech<\/p>\n
52. LA Clippers (from Cleveland): F\/C Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA<\/p>\n
53. Houston Rockets: F Bryce Hopkins, St. John\u2019s<\/p>\n
54. Golden State Warriors (from Los Angeles Lakers via Toronto, Miami and Cleveland): G\/F Tobias Jensen, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)<\/p>\n
55. New York Knicks: F Nick Martinelli, Northwestern<\/p>\n
56. Chicago Bulls (from Denver via Minnesota, Phoenix, Charlotte and Phoenix): F Tobe Awaka, Arizona<\/p>\n
57. Atlanta Hawks (from Boston): G Noam Yaacov, Oostende (Belgium)<\/p>\n
58. New Orleans Pelicans (from Detroit via New York, Brooklyn, Phoenix, Orlando and LA Clippers): G Kylan Boswell, Illinois<\/p>\n
59. Minnesota Timberwolves (from San Antonio via Indiana): G Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State<\/p>\n
60. Washington Wizards (from Oklahoma City via San Antonio and Miami): G Milos Uzan, Houston<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With the 2026 NBA Draft less than a week away, one question affecting the league is what Milwaukee…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":747406,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":["post-747405","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/747405","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=747405"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/747405\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/747406"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=747405"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=747405"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=747405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}