2026 Ultimate NBA Mock Draft (Mock Monday, Part VII)

The final mock draft of 2026 is here! Tap in to see the crazy picks and trades the Dizzle crew made.

Folks, we’ve finally made it to Draft Day! For the last two years, we’ve used the witching hours of the NBA Draft for our final mock draft of the cycle in the form of our Ultimate Mock, featuring trades and our predictions for what will happen tomorrow. Today, we continue that tradition to bring our third and most chaotic Ultimate Mock to date.

This mock is essentially our ideal combination of what we would do, what we anticipate happening based on our analysis, rumors and intel, and trying to predict some trades. We took some big swings and made some funky trades here, so take those with a grain of salt, especially since a lot of news is dropping this morning with the Mavericks hire of Dusty May and a lot of smoke from Boston. We tried to design these trades based on financial and contextual frameworks that we felt made sense in real life. You may disagree with some of the proposed trades we did, and that is OK.

We really hope everyone enjoys one last mock draft of 2026, and stay tuned for a lot more 2026 NBA Draft content over the next few weeks, including draft grades, updated rookie rankings, updated dynasty rankings, and much, much more. Tomorrow morning, we will drop our final big board. Also, in case you missed it, Brian and Zach will also be live tomorrow with Angle Fantasy Basketball and Noah Rubin watching and reacting to the 2026 NBA Draft. Be sure to tap in for that here.

Thank you for your continued support throughout this draft cycle, and over these last few years. We’ve got lots more to come, so strap in.

ROUND 1

1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, BYU

James: We’ll kick things off here with the Wizards taking AJ Dybantsa out of BYU. There’s been plenty of chatter about whether or not Utah wants to move up to get him and pass on one of Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer. Instead, we decided to let this play out with the belief that the top 4 picks are chalked and everyone likes who they like without needing to move up. So, Washington gets their coveted superstar as they start to accelerate the rebuild and start playing competitive ball again.

2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, Kansas

Brian: With no trade happening between Utah and Washington, I’ll have my Jazz take Darryn Peterson, which I’m expecting to be the pick later today. A blistering, long and tough shotmaker whose upside is still in the conversation for the best in the class, Peterson should fit in very well in Utah next to Keyonte George. That’s sure to be a massive starting 5, with Keyonte George (6’4), Peterson (~6’6), Lauri Markkanen (7’), Jaren Jackson Jr. (6’10) and Walker Kessler (7’2).

3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, Duke

Zach: Well, here we are again, and with Dybantsa and Peterson off the board, Memphis makes the easiest and (possibly) best decision any team could make in today’s first round. They take the “don’t overthink it” best player in this draft with Cam Boozer, who will fit like a glove with what Memphis envisions for this rebuild and will make for a very fun frontcourt with Zach Edey.

4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, North Carolina

James: Another no-brainer here as Chicago takes the only guy they would’ve ever been taking here at 4th overall: Caleb Wilson. When Bryson Graham took the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations job, the core message in getting this team back on track is simple: SLAP (or Size, Length, Athleticism and Physicality). Who better to embody that philosophy than Caleb Wilson, who oozes high-level athleticism and arguably the best motor of this class? He’ll be a fantastic fit with this core built around Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.

5. Los Angeles Clippers: Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Brian: Much has been said about the possibility of other teams trading up to get Keaton Wagler. When we first started pre-planning trades for the ultimate mock, we kicked an idea around about Oklahoma City trading up to get Wagler (which we absolutely love the idea of). We decided to let the Clips stick to their guns here in adding Wagler, a 6’6 guard with ridiculous shooting gravity, parking lot range and great size to pair with Darius Garland.

6. Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville

Zach: Here’s where we start to make things a little interesting after we all felt pretty good about our top 5. There’s going to be some strong chatter about different players and potential trade-ups at Brooklyn’s spot with their bevy of guards. If I’m being real though, I don’t think a single player on their roster is good enough to not draft over if the Nets buy the talent enough. Enter Mikel Brown Jr., the lead guard of the future the team can pair with Egor Demin. Brown is a firecracker of a scorer that can hit from all three levels when he really gets hot. Brown’s back injury kept us from seeing him for some of the season and the percentages may scare some off, but we’re all full believers that he will shoot better and well.

7. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

James: I think this is an easy pick to lock in. Much has been said about this fit, and that’s almost underselling how overdone this pairing is. Regardless, we know Sacramento is looking for the guard of the future, and it seems like both parties here are an obvious match. Acuff is a dynamic scorer with clearcut lead guard potential, and despite the lack of high-end athleticism and has been a very bad defender to date, the upside is very high if he can be as dominant offensively as we hope.

8. Milwaukee Bucks (via Atlanta Hawks): Nate Ament, Tennessee

Milwaukee Bucks receive: 8th overall (via ATL)

Atlanta Hawks receive: 10th overall (via MIL), 21st overall (via DET, via MIL)

Brian: We’ve got our first trade on the board! In this scenario, we had the Milwaukee Bucks move up to take Nate Ament, worried that someone is going to snipe the allegedly very coveted youngster at the 8th or 9th pick. In return, Atlanta moves down a few spots and adds another first round pick (more on that Detroit pick later). Spoiler alert, as you’ll see in a few picks, Milwaukee opts to move on from Giannis Antetokounmpo and hit the reset button. The era begins with the addition of one of the most polarizing prospects in this class, Nate Ament.

9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries, Arizona

Zach: We’ve heard some ridiculous rumors about Dallas and what they might do with the 9th overall pick that just scare me badly, quite frankly. I could’ve done something really funny here that some of you (including us) would hate and others would love. Instead, I’m not going to overthink it. I’m taking Brayden Burries, the clearcut best player available on the board and the perfect complementary player to put alongside Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving.

10. Atlanta Hawks (via Milwaukee Bucks): Aday Mara, Michigan

Brian: After moving down two spots for Milwaukee to get their guy, Atlanta moves down to gets their in center Aday Mara. They’ve long sought out a big man they can pair with Onyeka Okongwu, and while there’s a good argument to be made for Kingston Flemings instead of Mara, the Hawks decide to swing for the fences here.

11. Golden State Warriors: Kingston Flemings, Houston

Brian: Golden State has a bevy of options to choose from here. Do they go big for someone like Morez Johnson? Do they opt for the perfect glue guy at the 4 with Yaxel Lendeborg? Do they go after one of their rumored targets like Karim Lopez or Cameron Carr? With Flemings falling, I’m making Mike Dunleavy Jr. take the BPA with Flemings, a new guard Curry can groom for greatness who’s ready to play now as GSW looks towards the future.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan

James: There are too many teams that make too much sense in this range for Morez Johnson. As they look to shore up their frontcourt, Sam Presti works his magic and adds a versatile, high motor big who fits the vision this Thunder squad is constructing and makes for a lot of different lineup options to tinker with. If he can shoot for real, watch out.

13. Milwaukee Bucks (via Miami Heat): Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama

Miami Heat receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tolu Smith

Milwaukee Bucks receive: Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, Nikola Jovic, Ron Holland, Duncan Robinson, Caris LeVert, 13th overall (via MIA), 21st overall (via DET), 2028 1st (via MIA), 2030 1st (via MIA), 2032 1st (via MIA)

Detroit Pistons receive: Tyler Herro, AJ Green

Zach: Ladies and gentlemen, our Giannis trade, AKA the ugliest, yet most realistic, trade we’ve ever cobbled together in Dizzle Dynasty history. To quickly walk you through here: Miami pays up big time for Giannis with a lot of picks and a lot of players. Detroit gets Tyler Herro for basically Ron Holland and salary filler, and AJ Green for the 21st overall pick. Milwaukee gets a big-time haul and a lot of players they can build with. After they moved up to take Ament, they could probably stand to add another guard, so here, they’ll take LaBaron Philon, who they’ve allegedly been interested in for some time now.

14. Charlotte Hornets: Hannes Steinbach, Washington

James: With Charlotte’s primary big man target, Morez Johnson, off the board, Charlotte grabs their next choice with Hannes Steinbach, an incredible rebounder with some defensive question marks that Charlotte hopes to be able to iron out. Steinbach’s Combine solidifying him as clearly center-sized length and height wise plus the possibility of shooting the 3 will intrigue Charlotte as a pairing with Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner.

15. Chicago Bulls: Cameron Carr, Baylor

Brian: Again, like we talked about above, Cameron Carr is another SLAP-certified dude who would bring a lot of plus skills to Chicago. Carr has a 7’1 wingspan at about 6’6 in shoes, and the combination of his solid athleticism and 3-point shooting on the wing should be of great interest here.

16. Memphis Grizzlies: Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

Zach: I’ve always famously said that if you ever have the chance to draft a Ty Jerome variant to pair with the actual Ty Jerome, you take it (I’ve never said this). We have a hunch that Memphis may be looking at a guard here at 16, so we opted for one of the best guards left on the board in Bennett Stirtz. Strong shooting, playmaking, defense, Stirtz has certainly got the goods to add to Memphis and checks a lot of their boxes as a more analytically-driven franchise. This is making for a great draft for Memphis so far.

17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Karim Lopez, NZ Breakers (NBL)

James: Karim Lopez has been trending up boards in the last few months, and while it feels like mainstream boards have started pushing him down a bit, I’m still hopeful as someone higher on Lopez than my peers here. He got better on defense as the season went along after shaking some of the early concerns. Despite being 18 during the 2025-2026 NBL season, Lopez has flashed significant upside and is already very good off of cuts. The shot could use some work, but with someone at his size, pedigree, and lack of wings, there will be interest in this range in the draft.

18. San Antonio Spurs (via Charlotte Hornets): Allen Graves, Santa Clara

San Antonio Spurs receive: 18th overall (via CHA)

Charlotte Hornets receive: 20th overall (via SAS), 35th overall (via SAS)

Brian: Charlotte faces a tough decision here: Stick with taking Allen Graves (an player of allegedly high interest) or move down two spots and secure a good 2nd round pick to get another guy they like? We went with the latter, allowing San Antonio to move up for Graves, one of the most fascinating prospects of the class. Graves has a lot to build with that San Antonio will like as a 3&D power forward with some questions to his profile and how it all translates at the next level. He’s a very ideal complementary piece for this team full of solid guards and Victor Wembanyama.

19. Milwaukee Bucks (via Toronto Raptors): Chris Cenac Jr., Houston

Milwaukee Bucks receive: Jakob Poeltl, 19th overall (via TOR)

Toronto Raptors receive: Myles Turner

Zach: Here’s another spicy Milwaukee trade. Milwaukee gets back on the board for the third time tonight, trading Myles Turner away to prioritize the center position on a few fronts. Turner goes to Toronto, a far better fit for his skillsets, in exchange for Jakob Poeltl in an attempt for Milwaukee to rehab his trade value on a bad contract, and another first round pick to take another player they covet: Chris Cenac Jr. Cenac is pretty raw with low feel and needs a lot of time after a relatively disappointing year in Houston. What better place to develop than Milwaukee, where Ware and Poeltl can play together in lineups as Cenac prepares to be one of Milwaukee’s heirs apparent?

20. Charlotte Hornets (via San Antonio Spurs): Dailyn Swain, Texas

James: Charlotte is back on the board after moving down a few spots so San Antonio could move up for Allen Graves. Here, Charlotte will take a guy they heavily considered at 18 with Dailyn Swain, a unique wing out of Texas with standout rim finishing and playmaking. The 3-point shot is a ways away, but in this scenario, Charlotte believes they can get him to a better place with the shot and reach his higher outcomes. Even as the shot comes along, they could get a lot of utility out of his floor as a Naji Marshall-esque player that can pass, play defense and cut like crazy.

21. Memphis Grizzlies (via ATL, via MIL, via DET): Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

Memphis Grizzlies receive: 21st overall (via ATL), 2029 2nd (via CLE)

Atlanta Hawks receive: Scotty Pippen Jr., 32nd overall (via MEM)

Brian: This 21st pick is something, man. We’ve had it change hands four times tonight, first from Detroit to Milwaukee in the Giannis trade, then to Atlanta so Milwaukee could move up, and now, Memphis moves up to snag Yaxel Lendeborg, who falls in our scenario due to possible character and workout concerns. This low, Memphis doesn’t care, though. He’s exactly the kind of fiery and versatile frontcourt piece this team needs to build with that could pair well with Cam Boozer and Zach Edey. Memphis gets the steal of the draft and a new-look frontcourt that might quietly be more ready to compete than we think. In return, Atlanta gets a solid rotation guard with Scotty Pippen Jr. and moves down eleven spots.

22. Philadelphia 76ers: Meleek Thomas, Arkansas

Zach: The 76ers have a lot of avenues to go here. Do they go big? Do they look at just taking another guard in Ebuka Okorie that could be a good understudy to Tyrese Maxey? I’ll have them take Meleek Thomas here, the other Arkansas guard that plays well off the ball and has some solid shooting and complementary skills to build on. Philly struggled to score off the bench this year, and adding a solid multi-level scorer like this should give a nice jolt to the second unit and solve that problem. This will make for a really interesting guard trio of Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Thomas.

23. Atlanta Hawks: Ebuka Okorie, Stanford

James: In this draft, Atlanta and GM Onsi Saleh get creative to make some moves with their two picks that are more or less house money. After taking Mara at 10th, they opt to take a guard, and their patience pays off in a major way. Here, they get Ebuka Okorie, a young guard with some possible star-like indicators as a slasher. Is this the guard of the future for them? We sure hope so. .

24. New York Knicks: Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s

Brian: Keeping this New York Knicks championship roster fully together is not going to be easy, and one of the big dominoes to fall is Mitchell Robinson’s unrestricted free agency. With the threat of losing him in order to save a little money that owner James Dolan is already on the record about, they’ll look close to home for another big man and secure Queens’ finest, Zuby Ejiofor out of St. John’s.

25. Los Angeles Lakers: Tarris Reed, UConn

Zach: Pretty easy decision here for LA if they don’t end up going after a free agent like Mark Williams. The main priority should be adding another player for the frontcourt, and naturally, they’ll aim for a backup big to clash against DeAndre Ayton’s deficiencies. Enter Tarris Reed, a more traditional big who lives in the paint with nice size that should eat very, very well with Luka Doncic throwing lob after lob to him. If Reed pans out, having a cost-controlled big like him could be crucial for the Lakers to build in the post-LeBron years.

26. Chicago Bulls (via Denver Nuggets): Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky

Chicago Bulls receive: Christian Braun, 26th overall (via DEN)

Denver Nuggets receive: Jalen Smith, 38th overall (via CHI)

James: One of the first things we kicked the tires on for trades is how we can facilitate a Christian Braun trade for Denver. We tried a few different scenarios, including one hilarious move where we had him go to Milwaukee in a Giannis trade. This was what we settled on as big man Jayden Quaintance is falling down boards with concerns about his injuries. Here, the Bulls move up, trade Jalen Smith for an upgrade at the center position in Quaintance, an offensively raw big men with elite defensive traits that fits Chicago’s new vision, and take a swing on Braun in a semi-salary dump. Braun could be a good player who could really be utilized well alongside Josh Giddey and look more like the guy who got that big contract from Denver. In return, the Nuggets open up more cap space to pay Peyton Watson, get a good PF/C they can play behind or with Nikola Jokic with Jalen Smith, and move down 12 spots.

27. Boston Celtics: Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State

Brian: Boston has some good options here and a lot that could make sense, but really, if they want a plug and play forward piece, you just take Joshua Jefferson and call it a day. He’s a well-rounded glue guy who has played an awesome point forward role for Iowa State. He’s proven he can be a hub on offense and pass at a high level, can defend well, and do a lot of things well in a variety of roles as a Swiss Army knife type of player.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Christian Anderson

Zach: One of the ideas we kicked around is finding a way for Minnesota to trade up for a guard. Turns out they didn’t need to as Christian Anderson finds his way to them at 28th overall. As a player who can play either a pass-first role or a scoring role where he can bomb 3-pointers, he could fit next to Anthony Edwards or play off the bench. This is a player who will hopefully right the wrongs the franchise made in drafting Rob Dillingham, but will Anderson’s size limit him at the NBA level?

29. Brooklyn Nets (via Cleveland Cavaliers): Koa Peat, Arizona

Brooklyn Nets receive: 29th overall (via CLE)

Cleveland Cavaliers receive: 33rd overall (via BKN), 43rd overall (via BKN), 2028 LAL 2nd

Zach: This is probably the most boring of all the first round trades we made in this mock draft, but this here would make a lot of sense for both sides. Brooklyn moves up to secure someone at the buzzer of Day 1 of the draft, while Cleveland opts to move down a few spots and secure another 2nd round pick they could do with using to find depth options. Truth be told, I have no idea where Koa Peat is drafted and I’m not sure that draft insiders really do, either. Here, I think Brooklyn just kind of decides, “Sure, why not?” before someone else can get to him so they can see what sticks. Brooklyn strikes me as a “trust the priors” team, so we’ll see about this.

30. Dallas Mavericks: Isaiah Evans, Duke

James: The name of the game for Dallas in this draft has been complementary pieces and finding guys who pair well with Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. They find a quality shooting guard in Brayden Burries at 9, and now at 30, they find a wing in Isaiah Evans, a fellow teammate of Flagg at Duke. Evans is a strong shooter who likely projects as a rotation 3&D wing, which is the type of piece Dallas (or any team, really) could do with at cost here.

ROUND 2

31. New York Knicks: Richie Saunders, BYU

Brian: After grabbing a big man for New York, they turn around at 31 and select Richie Saunders to the shock and awe of NBA fans everywhere. Saunders’ ACL tear in February could mean he goes lower than he should. Quite honestly, I viewed him as a first-round talent before that and I still do. He’s a great 3-point shooter and he’s very good at getting to the rim. That coupled with his impressive 6’6 height and 6’9 wingspan measured at the Combine means someone should take a chance on him no matter what. New York could really do with guys like this on the roster even if it means waiting half the year or more.

32. Atlanta Hawks (via Memphis Grizzlies): Sergio De Larrea, Valencia

Zach: If you recall, this 32nd pick went to Atlanta from Memphis in the trade for the 21st overall pick. Here, Atlanta will double up and take the perceived BPA in Sergio De Larrea, a jumbo guard who has some strong traits NBA teams will love with strong size, length (6’6 with a 6’9 wingspan), shooting and playmaking. Atlanta will happily add him here and bring him over to the States ASAP to begin developing him.

33. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Brooklyn Nets): Henri Veesaar, North Carolina

James: With the first of their two picks they got for trading down, Cleveland selects a guy I would’ve taken had they stayed at 29: Henri Veesaar. Adding some more big man depth should be key, especially one that can space the floor well and play with either of Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen.

34. Sacramento Kings: Alex Karaban, UConn

Brian: There’s a lot that points to this pick in regard to GM Scott Perry’s process. Plus, a good amount of the mainstream big boards with those plugged in are pegging Karaban here, along with reports of Karaban working out for them. The fit is ideal too, with adding some more shooting, size and glue guy stuff that should make him a plug-and-play piece for Sacramento.

35. Charlotte Hornets (via San Antonio Spurs): Jack Kayil, Alba Berlin

Zach: With this extra second round pick Charlotte picked up to move down to 20 from 18th overall, Charlotte swings on a guard they can develop long-term with Jack Kayil. Kayil’s calling card at the NBA level will be the shooting, and based on him staying in the draft, there’s reason to think NBA teams believe in the shooting and want to give him a real contract. What better team to get some more shooting and size at the guard position than Charlotte?

36. Los Angeles Clippers: Baba Miller

James: Baba Miller is a ridiculous rebounder and has had some monster games this year for Cincinnati after years of floating around draft conversations. Despite a lack of shooting, Miller has some juicy physical tools we’ve fawned over back to the very beginning of his college career. He’s been balling out at the Combine and getting a lot of workouts. Someone will absolutely take a shot and the Clippers could theoretically make him work.

37. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aaron Nkrumah, Tennessee State

James: Right around the time of us running through this second round, it was announced that Aaron Wiggins was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for two future second round picks in one of a few likely moves to free up their cap space. Given that and the likelihood of some more open spots on the roster, OKC decides to add a new wing to the mix: Aaron Nkrumah, a tenacious 3&D wing that could be a great fit here with a team that’s not afraid to draft mid-major talents. Walking away with Morez Johnson, Karim Lopez and Aaron Nkrumah is an A+ draft, in my opinion.

38. Denver Nuggets (via Chicago Bulls): Ryan Conwell, Louisville

Brian: This 38th pick goes to the Nuggets in the aforementioned Christian Braun trade. With this pick, Denver ends up taking a win-now guard in Louisville’s Ryan Conwell. He’s a high level shooter and scorer who is a major threat to pull up from 3 at any moment. While he is 6’3 with a 6’7 wingspan, he is strong enough to where he can hold up on defense. This is a guy teams could really kick themselves for passing on a year from now, and it feels quite easy for him to outplay his draft position on a team that needs his services in Denver.

39. Houston Rockets: Jaden Bradley, Arizona

Zach: One of the big problems we saw in Houston last year is their struggle without a solid point guard, with Fred VanVleet tearing his ACL before the season. It’s a big reason why I’ve consistently been mocking Jaden Bradley to Houston as the heartbeat and pacesetter for Tommy Lloyd’s Arizona offense. He’s a downhill driving guard with a mean streak that isn’t afraid to get physical on either end of the floor. The big kicker here? He’s very, very comfortable leading and initiating on offense.

40. Boston Celtics: Bruce Thornton, Ohio State

James: Zach loves this fit to death, and so would Joe Mazzulla. Thornton is like a match made in heaven for the Celtics with his shooting and electric scoring that led him to be Ohio State’s all-time leading scorer. He’s a heavier set guard that can create his own shot and hold his own physically, but how will he hold up with lackluster athleticism and subpar defense? If it works, it really, really works, and we’re asking ourselves how the heck Thornton was taken 40th years from now.

41. Miami Heat: Emanuel Sharp, Houston

Brian: As you may recall, we gutted the Miami Heat’s guards in the Giannis trade, with them shipping out Tyler Herro and Kasparas Jakucionis. This puts a lot of pressure on players like Davion Mitchell, Norman Powell and Pelle Larsson as key backcourt pieces. The move here is going for a guard, so we’ll give Miami Emanuel Sharp, a key guard out of Houston who can play an off-ball 3&D guard role.

42. San Antonio Spurs: Vsevolod Ishchenko, Lokomotiv Kuban

Zach: Ishchenko is a real question mark coming out of Russia. The idea here is that San Antonio is getting a stash to see if they can find a hit down the road here with Ishchenko continuing to play overseas, similar to what they did with Juan Nunez. At 6’8, Ishchenko has nice size and physicality that makes him a solid inside scorer that has some good shooting and creation flashes. We’ll see how he develops over time. Think something like Vit Krejci without the high-end shooting.

43. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Brooklyn Nets): Maliq Brown, Duke

James: With Cleveland’s next second round picks, they’ll continue to add talent and depth in the frontcourt. After taking a big with Henri Veesaar at 33, they’ll aim for defense with Maliq Brown, a lockdown defender that played an important role for Duke for the last few years. The main concern is that he’s very lacking on offense, but is the defense that good to warrant the swing and hoping to develop things further? Possibly.

44. San Antonio Spurs: Otega Oweh, Kentucky

Brian: With San Antonio facing some potential roster crunch concerns with their slew of second round picks, they’ll keep and use their final pick on a two-way player in Otega Oweh out of Kentucky. If Oweh can shoot at a better clip, that combination of skills with his athleticism and defense could be a nice cost-controlled player for San Antonio to maintain long term.

45. Sacramento Kings: Malique Lewis, Southeast Melbourne

Zach: Malique Lewis has a nice array of skills with some impressive physical tools at 6’8 with a 7’1 wingspan. His main calling card will be as a catch-and-shoot wing with good defense, but the worry is that he might not have an elite skill to bank on at the next level. Still, Sacramento will give him a shot on a two-way deal.

46. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Orlando Magic): Nick Martinelli, Northwestern

Oklahoma City Thunder receive: 46

Orlando Magic receive: Cash considerations

Zach: Name a better duo than Orlando and trading second round picks for cash. This is usually their MO, so they’ll do what they normally do and trade this pick to Oklahoma City, who will secure a great culture fit on a two-way deal: Nick Martinelli. Martinelli is a psycho competitor who was effective in scoring from all three levels in college this year. He’s got some Kenrich Williams to his game and the connections make sense, given the skillset, Williams being on the Thunder and former teammate Brooks Barnhizer being here as well.

47. Phoenix Suns: Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida

Brian: This is a really good fit right here. With the potential of Mark Williams leaving Phoenix and signing elsewhere feeling more and more likely, they’re going to need a backup plan to better support Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro. Enter Izaiyah Nelson, a high-energy big man out of South Florida who dominated the American Conference that will live in the paint on both ends of the floor. By all accounts, Nelson is an incredibly scrappy, competitive, and communicative player who’s reportedly been getting great feedback from scouts and teams. He fits the type of guy Phoenix really seems to like as a player and person.

48. Dallas Mavericks: Trevon Brazile, Arkansas

Zach: Does Masai Ujiri pick Brazile here? Not sure about that. Should they? Yeah, I think so. Brazile has been at his best when the role is simple, but with the ability to space the floor and good size and strength, there’s a lot to like for Dallas as a team that could do with more fire in their big man room. He still has a lot of moments where he makes some really baffling decisions, but with a good, patient coach, there could definitely be an NBA player here.

49. Denver Nuggets: Braden Smith, Purdue

James: Earlier in the second round, we got Ryan Conwell to Denver. We’ll continue adding some backcourt pieces with Braden Smith, a small, albeit solid, point guard and passer that lead the offense for one of the best teams in the country at Purdue. He’s under 6 feet tall without shoes, which will be a big concern, but if Ryan Nembhard or Tre Jones can find NBA roles, it’s possible for Smith. In this scenario, Denver is willing to give Smith a guaranteed deal.

50. Toronto Raptors: Dillon Mitchell, Cincinnati

Brian: I don’t think I need to upsell a guy like Dillon Mitchell for a team like Toronto, considering how they’ve made the Collin Murray-Boyles fit work. Dillon Mitchell has a lot of solid role player skills that Toronto can build with, including his good defense, good rebounding, great athleticism, and a solid feel for the game. If the 3-point shot ever comes along for Mitchell, this could be a role player that hangs around the NBA for a decade.

51. Washington Wizards: Rafael Castro, George Washington

Zach: I like going with local guys sometimes in these later picks, especially when the fit makes sense. In Washington’s case, they’re going to add Rafael Castro here, a traditional big man and lob threat with some standout athleticism to boot. He was great this season at George Washington with counting and advanced numbers that really pop. The key to making this all work in the NBA is the defense.

52. Los Angeles Clippers: Quadir Copeland, NC State

Brian: Here, at 52, the Clippers secure another guard with nice size after taking Keaton Wagler at 5th overall. Standing at 6’5.25 without shoes and with a 6’10.75 wingspan, Quadir Copeland is a pass-first jumbo point guard who uses his physicality and disruptive length to slash and defend well. If he can prove to shoot at a higher clip, there is something good here, but his passing alone will get him a chance with the Clippers.

53. Miami Heat (via Houston Rockets): Ugonna Onyenso, Virginia

Miami Heat receive: 53

Houston Rockets receive: Cash considerations

Brian: As we mentioned with Miami earlier in taking Emanuel Sharp, depth could be a point of concern, and with Kel’el Ware being shipped off to Milwaukee, finding another big man will be key. Miami decides to buy back into the second round again to secure Ugonna Onyenso, a strong 7-foot big out of Virginia with great defense and shot blocking.

54. Golden State Warriors: Nate Bittle, Oregon

Zach: Golden State opts to take another floor-spacing big man in Nate Bittle, one of this cycle’s most under-discussed players that we all really dig. There’s a very good chance Bittle could outplay this draft position, especially with Steve Kerr really being able to weaponize him as a lengthy shooter.

55. New York Knicks: Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA

Brian: Here’s another good pick for New York with UCLA’s Tyler Bilodeau, who we felt could earn himself a guaranteed contract with New York. Bilodeau is a big standout shooter who isn’t afraid to let it fly. This is the type of cost-controlled guy champions need to look around for.

56. Chicago Bulls: Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt

Brian: Nickel was one of the most important pieces to Vanderbilt’s success this season. He’s your quintessential high-feel 3-point specialist. He has a lot of good skills that could get him on the floor in the NBA. He shoots well, moves well off the ball, has a good frame at 6’7”, and has sound mechanics. He’s a career 39.4% 3-point shooter with over 650 attempts, so there should be zero doubt about what he’s best at. He’ll fit well with Chicago.

57. Atlanta Hawks: Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee

Zach: Gillespie was a solid piece for Tennessee and can really let it fly from downtown. He’s a very solid scorer and his strength and stockiness is going to help him in getting a chance in the NBA. I generally like this fit in Atlanta, too. The main issue is that he came in at 5’11.75 at the Combine. There is something here for a guy with his skills and physical strength that can pass the ball, but it’s just a very high threshold to make in the NBA at his height. We’ll see if Gillespie can make it happen, starting out on a two-way deal.

58. New Orleans Pelicans: Keyshawn Hall, Auburn

Brian: We tried to rack our brains for anyone left on the board from the DMV since Troy Weaver loves his DC, Maryland and Virginia guys. Since we didn’t come up with anyone at the time of the pick, we opted to take Keyshawn Hall, a wing out of Auburn who can score and stuff the box score.

59. Minnesota Timberwolves: Wyatt Fricks, Marshall

Brian: Wyatt Fricks is not getting enough love in this cycle. As a 6’10 power forward, Fricks is a steady floor spacer who can hit from downtown with big hands, good touch and some good fundamentals on lock. His lack of physicality could limit him as an NBA player, but the talent is absolutely there.

60. Philadelphia 76ers (via Washington Wizards): Tobi Lawal, Virginia Tech

Philadelphia 76ers receive: 60

Washington Wizards receive: Cash considerations

Zach: we’re going to close this bad boy out in style. With Tobi Lawal setting his sights on signing a deal with Philadelphia, they opt to move up into the 60th pick in order to select Lawal and get ahead of undrafted free agency. Lawal is a standout athlete that could really thrive in Philly and their system.

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS

Finally, to close us out and have a little fun, we decided to give every team one undrafted free agent after the fact that they will opt to sign to two-way contracts. We wanted to highlight who we considered to be some of the best talent left over and some of the fits we really like for this crop of players. We did the selection process in a similar way to the draft, so while each team and their pick is listed in alphabetical order, this does not reflect the order selected. Enjoy!

Atlanta Hawks - Jaron Pierre Jr.

Boston Celtics - Peter Suder

Brooklyn Nets - Bryce Hopkins

Charlotte Hornets - Jaylin Sellers

Chicago Bulls - Kylan Boswell

Cleveland Cavaliers - Donovan Atwell

Dallas Mavericks - Lajae Jones

Denver Nuggets - Tucker DeVries

Detroit Pistons - Tre Carroll

Golden State Warriors - Nick Boyd

Houston Rockets - Oscar Cluff

Indiana Pacers - Ernest Udeh Jr.

Los Angeles Clippers - Jaden Henley

Los Angeles Lakers - Felix Okpara

Memphis Grizzlies - Trey Kaufmann-Renn

Miami Heat - Duke Miles

Milwaukee Bucks - Chad Baker-Mazzara

Minnesota Timberwolves - Darrion Williams

New Orleans Pelicans - Melvin Council Jr.

New York Knicks - Seth Trimble

Oklahoma City Thunder - Rienk Mast

Orlando Magic - Malik Reneau

Philadelphia 76ers - Tamin Lipsey

Phoenix Suns - Chase Ross

Portland Trail Blazers - Robert McRay IV

Sacramento Kings - Corey Camper Jr.

San Antonio Spurs - Lamar Wilkerson

Toronto Raptors - Xaivian Lee

Utah Jazz - Milos Uzan

Washington Wizards - Kowacie Reeves