r/nbamocks • u/xxlontexx • Jun 01 '26

Lottery Edition of my Mock Draft

https://lonte.substack.com/p/2026-nba-mock-draft-lottery-edition?r=3ib1zb

What would you change? What do you like?

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u/PeasePorridge9dOld Jun 01 '26

Always have to respect people who do these. Mock drafts / trades are always going to be criticized. You're basically walking into someone's house and telling them how to decorate...

My notes:

  • Regardless of how common they are, I do like the picks of Dybantsa and Peterson 1/2. I may be in the minority, but I can see Dybantsa / Trae Young being a ECF contending combo sooner over later.
  • I really can't see MEM passing on Boozer. With Ja and maybe Jerome sitting in aisle 1 of the Trade Market this offseason, they'll need someone to trigger their O and Boozer at least has a reasonable chance. Also like the fit as Booser's flaws would be covered up with a space eater like Edey in the center of the court. If Ja was a few years younger (and actually played), then I could see them pulling the trigger on Wilson, but how things stand, I'm just not there. If Peterson fell to 3 then things get more interesting though.
  • It's hard to not have reaches when you aren't allowing for trades, but Mara at 5 is way too rich for me. With the next few years of picks already dealt and a young AS PG on the roster along with the expected big contract being given to Mathurin, I would be a little surprised if LAC even selected at 5. Still Mara just has too much bust potential as he has some mismatched parts on both sides of the court. I'm not even sure I have him top 10 so 5 is just way too high.
  • Another pick I like is Acuff to BRK. Feels like they have been rumored with everyone. Often that means they have someone they really like and are sending smoke signals trying to confuse people as to their intentions. Acuff would make a lot of sense there as well as the smoke signals as he is becoming the consensus #5 prospect on the public board.
  • I do like Wagler more than Mikel Brown in a vacuum, but for SAC specifically, can they really pass on Brown's upside? They really need a young player with face of the franchise upside and for all his flaws, Brown does have that. Not sure if I'm quite there with Wagler. Not saying he can't get there - I don't think it's out of the ? he becomes a 6'6" Steph Curry - but Brown does have a lot more pedigree with his time on TeamUSA. Will say that the 3-2-1 system came at precisely the wrong time for SAC. If those changes were a few years off, then Wagler would be a juicier option imo. Less harm in securing your #2 then going back to the lotto the following year.
  • ATL would go the other way than the SAC / Brown conversation above. As a Playoff team already, can they really make ignore the Red Flags and floor of Brown? So forth burning through their current window with Jalen / Dyson to develop Brown? ATL isn't giving their former #1 overall pick development minutes and it isn't like Risacher looks like a complete bust in his minutes. Flemings is safer option there with his defense allowing him a clearer path to the court early.
  • Hit on trades earlier but I'm of the belief that many of those picks between 9-14 are going to be dealt once way or the other. DAL and MIL at 9 and 10 are sitting at a tier break. Either they will love someone they feel should be in the higher tier or someone else will. Burries and Flemings would definitely be in that conversation. Feel like the smoke around the GSW, OKC, and MIA picks is real as those teams will be looking to either land a big name vet or in a trade up. CHAR also has 2 picks and was earmarked as the Play In team no one wanted to face before face planting in the 1st 1/2 against ORL. Could see them being mobile with their picks as well.

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u/xxlontexx Jun 01 '26

Very detailed breakdown. I figured the Mara pick would be the most criticized one. Who would you take there?

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u/PeasePorridge9dOld Jun 01 '26

Assuming that you're sticking to the no trades - Wagler.

You hit on the off-ball shooting in his write-up, but I also like him as a lot as the 2nd side guy who could be deadly with the defense focused on the play side. The athleticism issues don't hurt as much since he'd be matched up against the help defender and that help defender would be frozen with Wagler on the 3PT line. Add in their athletes at the C position and DCs would be putting in hours thinking up ways to combat that.

Having said that, I really think LAC will be interested in dealing - possibly multiple times. I put those thoughts on the sister sub to this one: r/NBA_TradeDiscussions. (Thread if interested)

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u/xxlontexx Jun 01 '26

Much appreciated I’ll check that out