2026 NBA Draft

And-Ones: First-Time All-Stars, 2026 Draft, NBA Cup, More

The 2026 NBA All-Star Game is still over two months away, but a number of players around the league are emerging as legitimate candidates to appear in the game for the first time, writes Zach Harper of The Athletic.

Harper points to Bulls guard Josh Giddey, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, Pistons center Jalen Duren, and Heat guard Norman Powell as Eastern Conference standouts who could become first-time All-Stars, while identifying Lakers guard Austin Reaves, Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, Thunder big man Chet Holmgren, and Nuggets guard Jamal Murray as the most plausible first-timers in the Western Conference.

Of those players, only Duren looks like a shoo-in to make the game, according to Zach Kram of ESPN, who takes his own early look at potential All-Stars and divides players into two groups — “near-locks” and “on the bubble.”

Duren is among Kram’s seven near-locks in the East, though he considers Giddey, Johnson, and Powell to have strong cases to make the cut. In the West, Kram thinks Murray could still find himself on the outside looking in despite a career-best first half, given the strength of the competition for the 12 spots. However, with eight international spots to fill and the potential for injury replacements beyond the initial 24 All-Stars, there could be multiple paths for the Nuggets guard to finally earn the honor.

We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Although Kansas guard Darryn Peterson has only appeared in two games so far this season, he’s the 2026 draft prospect that NBA scouts seem most excited about, according to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic, who places Peterson atop his most recent mock draft, ahead of Duke’s Cameron Boozer and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa. Tennessee’s Nate Ament has slipped out of Vecenie’s top five, with UNC’s Caleb Wilson at No. 4, followed by Louisville’s Mikel Brown Jr.
  • A panel of ESPN insiders answers a series of questions related to the NBA Cup, including which player was the MVP during the group stage (Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got two votes apiece) and which team has the best chance to upset Oklahoma City in the knockout round (the Lakers earned three of five possible votes).
  • In an interesting story for ESPN, Kevin Pelton takes a deep dive into the data to explore the impact of familiarity on shooting efficiency and explains why a number of high-profile players who changed teams over the summer – including Cameron Johnson, Desmond Bane, and Myles Turner – may have gotten off to slow starts.
  • Lindsay Schnell of The Athletic examines how former G League players became NCAA-eligible and what it means for college basketball going forward. “At the end of the day, we’re not the ones making decisions,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “We either adapt to the rules or we get left behind. So until something changes, I guess all of us are watching G League games now.”

And-Ones: Kaminsky, 2026 Draft, Gambling Cases, More

Longtime NBA big man Frank Kaminsky is in advanced negotiations with the Japanese team Alvark Tokyo and is nearing a deal, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com.

Kaminsky, the ninth overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, has appeared in 413 total regular season games for Charlotte, Phoenix, Atlanta, and Houston, but has been out of the league since the 2022/23 season, outside of a brief stint with the Suns in training camp in 2024.

In his eight years in the NBA, Kaminsky averaged 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 19.8 minutes per game, with a .430/.349/.746 shooting line. Last season, the seven-foot forward/center made 25 appearances for the Raptors 905 in the G League, averaging 13.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 4.1 APG on .486/.351/.735 shooting.

As Urbonas notes, Alvark Tokyo is a perennial playoff team in Japan’s top basketball league (the B.League), but is off to a slow start this season due to injuries. The team currently has a 10-8 record and wouldn’t make the playoffs if the season ended today.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is the No. 1 pick in the latest mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, with Duke’s Cameron Boozer coming in at No. 2 and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa at No. 3. While all three players look like elite prospects, Wasserman suggests that Dybantsa’s decision-making and three-point shooting are a couple reasons why some scouts may prefer Peterson and/or Boozer. UNC’s Caleb Wilson and Tennessee’s Nate Ament round out Wasserman’s top five, in that order.
  • Joe Vardon and Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic take a closer look at the key individuals involved in the two federal gambling cases that have resulted in the arrests of Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and Heat guard Terry Rozier, while ESPN’s Brian Windhorst explores what we know about former NBA player and coach Damon Jones, one of the three people indicted in both cases.
  • ESPN’s NBA insiders identify the key questions facing 16 of the NBA’s top teams – eight in each conference – and consider whether those clubs can answer those questions and become (or remain) legitimate contenders this season.

And-Ones: LeBron, Curry, Team USA, 2026 Draft, Beverley, More

Asked by Steve Nash on the Mind the Game podcast about the possibility of suiting up for Team USA at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, LeBron James made it clear that’s not in his plans, while Stephen Curry indicated he’s a long shot too, per Anthony Slater of ESPN.

“You already know my answer,” James said. “I will be watching it.”

“God willing, I still have the choice and physical option where I could impact the team,” Curry said. “Never say never, but I highly doubt it. Highly doubt it.”

James and Curry teamed up for Team USA at the Olympics for the first time in 2024, defeating the hosts (France) in Paris in the gold medal game after pulling off a dramatic come-from-behind win in the semifinal against Serbia.

“We can’t top what we just did,” James said. “How we gonna top those last two games?”

We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is the first player off the board in the first 2026 mock draft published by Jeremy Woo of ESPN. Woo has BYU’s AJ Dybantsa at No. 2, Duke’s Cameron Boozer at No. 3, and Tennessee’s Nate Ament at No. 4, with UNC’s Caleb Wilson rounding out the top five.
  • More details have emerged related to Patrick Beverley‘s arrest for assault, with TMZ reporting that the former NBA guard is accused of punching his sister in the eye and choking her for between 20 and 30 seconds. Beverley, who has been out of the NBA since the 2023/24 season, was arrested on Friday and was charged with assault of a family/household member.
  • After parting ways with the Brisbane Bullets earlier this season for personal reasons, former NBA guard Javon Freeman-Liberty reengaged with the team last week and has now re-signed with the Bullets for the rest of the 2025/26 season, reports Olgun Uluc of ESPN (Twitter links). Freeman-Liberty, a former DePaul standout, appeared in 22 NBA regular season games for Toronto in 2023/24.
  • While the Mavericks had hoped to acquire Dennis Smith Jr.‘s G League returning rights, the Wisconsin Herd – the Bucks‘ affiliate – still holds those rights and is hopeful of having Smith join them soon, league sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link).

Draft Notes: 2026 Mock, Big Board, Yessoufou, More

Kansas guard Darryn Peterson goes No. 1 overall in the first 2026 mock draft conducted by Sam Vecenie of The Athletic. Peterson, BYU wing AJ Dybantsa (No. 2 in the mock) and Duke power forward Cameron Boozer (No. 3) are widely viewed as the top three prospects in the 2026 class, and Vecenie views each player as having star-level upside on the same level as 2025’s top pick, Cooper Flagg.

While NBA teams are eager to land Peterson, Dybantsa or Boozer, the overall depth of the class is somewhat shaky, according to Vecenie, who says prospects currently in the Nos. 4-16 range all have at least one question mark scouts want answered during the season.

There’s also a significant amount of variability beginning at No. 17 (Florida’s Thomas Haugh), Vecenie writes, and it’s possible players currently mocked outside of the lottery could move up — or they may not even be drafted next June.

As Vecenie details, the 2027 draft class is viewed as being considerably weaker than 2026, which could lead to more NBA teams tanking down the stretch of 2025/26 to try and acquire one of the top prospects, particularly if a few players rise up draft boards in the spring, which seems to happen every year.

It’s only November, but four Houston Cougars — Chris Cenac Jr. at No. 6, Isiah Harwell at No. 18, Joseph Tugler at No. 21, and Milos Uzan at No. 27 — go in the first round of Vecenie’s mock.

Here are some more notes on the 2026 draft class:

  • Jeremy Woo of ESPN.com has released his first big board for 2026, ranking the top 100 prospects. The first four players (Tennessee forward Nate Ament is No. 4) are in the same order as Vecenie’s mock, but there’s a major difference in evaluation starting at No. 5 — Woo has North Carolina big man Caleb Wilson at that spot, while Vecenie has the freshman forward going No. 16. Duke forward Dame Sarr (No. 10 on Woo’s board, No. 25 in Vecenie’s mock), New Zealand Breakers forward Karim Lopez (No. 11 at ESPN, No. 24 at The Athletic), Alabama guard Labaron Philon (No. 18 for Woo, No. 10 for Vecenie), Arkansas wing Karter Knox (No. 38 for ESPN, No. 19 for The Athletic), Harwell (No. 45 on Woo’s board) and Uzan (No. 55 on ESPN) are among the other players rated quite differently between ESPN’s big board and The Athletic’s mock.
  • Baylor guard/forward Tounde Yessoufou, who goes ninth overall in Vecenie’s mock and is ranked 13th on Woo’s board, is expected to become the first player born in the West African country of Benin to make the NBA, per Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “What makes him a little different than some of the other freshmen we’ve had here is he’s very similar to [San Antonio Spurs forward] Jeremy Sochan, a great defender who could guard multiple positions,” Baylor head coach Scott Drew said of Tounde, who is 6’5″ and 215 pounds. “Tounde is somebody physically that can guard multiple positions and wants to be an elite defender and is a tremendous rebounder for his size. That makes him a little different from the other people in his draft class. He has a little more physicality to him than some of the guys we’ve had in recent years because he’s bigger, stronger.”
  • Jeff Borezllo and Woo of ESPN list the 10 college teams with the most NBA prospects, with Duke (five players in the top 34 of Woo’s board) at No. 1 and Houston No. 2.

And-Ones: Silver, NBA Europe, Lopez, Milton

Speaking at the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum (Twitter video link via Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic), commissioner Adam Silver suggested teams competing in NBA-run leagues in other continents could eventually participate in official NBA games.

You could imagine teams from Europe, potentially Africa, competing in (the NBA Cup),” Silver said (transcript via Eurohoops). “You possibly could see teams coming into our playoffs, top seeds from other leagues.

But over time, I think, for example, certainly in Europe, as plane travel gets faster… I’m reading all the time about more opportunities in aviation. When I think of the flight from New York to LA, for example, there’s no reason that if we had four teams in Europe, you couldn’t travel, play the Knicks or Nets, travel to London, play three or four times in Europe, and come back home. So I think it’s very doable in our league.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

  • In an interview with Eduardo Tansley of The Athletic, NBA Europe and Middle East managing director George Aivazoglou discussed the three types of teams that could join the NBA’s proposed European league, as well as its big-picture goals. “I hope we establish European basketball from a sporting competitive level at the top, almost on par, in terms of interest as European football,” the Greek executive said. “We want to create a new era, an innovative product that would attract audiences from all over the world and across all demographics, not just hardcore basketball fans, who would also be very happy watching it. And (we hope) to ensure that the development of the talent grows even stronger, and ensure that the value that gets created gets redistributed to the European basketball ecosystem so that it continues to improve.” Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops passes along some other highlights from the interview for those who don’t subscribe to The Athletic.
  • Eric Gomez of ESPN.com recently wrote a feature story on projected 2026 lottery pick Karim Lopez, who could be the first Mexican first-rounder in NBA history. Lopez, a 6’9″ forward who plays for the New Zealand Breakers of the National Basketball League, hopes his favorite player is still around if he’s drafted next year. “I hope LeBron (James) is still there if I get to the NBA,” the 18-year-old said. “Anything can happen, but I hope he’s there so I can play with or against my idol. … I mean, in the end, I’m not (in the NBA) yet, I have to keep working to get to that moment and make my dreams come true.”
  • After seven seasons in the NBA, veteran guard Shake Milton signed a two-year deal with Serbian club Partizan Belgrade this summer. The 29-year-old says he’s still adjusting to the different playing style in Europe, according to Nikola Miloradovic of Eurohoops. “The biggest adjustment is just the different style of the game,” Milton told Eurohoops. “I’ve been playing one way for seven years, so now I have to adapt. It’s a challenge, but I’m excited. I’ve already started to make some adjustments, and the fun part is knowing I can get even better than I’ve been. I know it’ll all come together.”

Traded Second-Round Picks For 2026 NBA Draft

We’re using the space below to keep tabs on each NBA team’s second round pick for 2026, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded first-round picks for 2026 can be found right here.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its second round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2027 if it doesn’t change hands in 2026.

Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2026 second-round pick:


Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Traded to Hawks or Grizzlies.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Brooklyn Nets: Traded to Heat (top-55 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Nets will keep it and their obligation to the Heat will be extinguished.
  • New York Knicks: Possibly traded to Celtics or Wizards.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Traded to Thunder, Suns, or Wizards.
    • The Thunder will receive the most favorable pick of the Sixers’, Mavericks, and Thunder’s second-rounders; the Suns will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Wizards will receive the least favorable.
  • Toronto Raptors: Traded to Pacers (top-55 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Raptors will keep it and their obligation to the Pacers will be extinguished.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Traded to Rockets.
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: Own pick.
  • Detroit Pistons: Traded to Celtics, Magic, or Knicks.
    • The Celtics will receive the most favorable pick of the Pistons’, Bucks’, and Magic’s second-rounders; the Magic will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Knicks will receive the least favorable.
  • Indiana Pacers: Traded to Hawks, Grizzlies, Spurs, Timberwolves, or Nets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Celtics, Magic, or Knicks.
    • The Celtics will receive the most favorable pick of the Pistons’, Bucks’, and Magic’s second-rounders; the Magic will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Knicks will receive the least favorable.

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Nets.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Traded to Kings or Pistons.
    • The Kings will receive this pick if it lands between 31-55; the Pistons will receive if it lands between 56-60. The Hornets’ obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive the pick will be extinguished.
  • Miami Heat: Traded to Hawks, Grizzlies, Spurs, Timberwolves, or Nets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Orlando Magic: Possibly traded to Celtics or Knicks.
    • The Celtics will receive the most favorable pick of the Pistons’, Bucks’, and Magic’s second-rounders; the Magic will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Knicks will receive the least favorable.
  • Washington Wizards: Own pick.
    • If the Wizards’ first-round pick lands in the top eight, the Wizards would send the Knicks their second-rounder.

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets: Traded to Hornets or Timberwolves.
    • The Hornets will receive the most favorable pick of the Nuggets’ and Warriors’ second-rounders; the Timberwolves will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: Traded to Celtics, Knicks, or Wizards.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
    • The Thunder have the ability to swap their own pick for the Sixers’ or Mavericks’ second-rounder. The Thunder will receive the most favorable pick of the Sixers’, Mavericks, and Thunder’s second-rounders; the Suns will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Wizards will receive the least favorable.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Celtics, Spurs, or Wizards.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Utah Jazz: Traded to Spurs or Bucks.
    • The Spurs will receive this pick if it lands between 31-55; the Bucks will receive if it lands between 56-60. The Jazz’s obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive the pick will be extinguished.

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors: Traded to Hornets or Timberwolves.
    • The Hornets will receive the most favorable pick of the Nuggets’ and Warriors’ second-rounders; the Timberwolves will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • Los Angeles Clippers: Traded to Nets or Grizzlies.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Los Angeles Lakers: Traded to Raptors.
  • Phoenix Suns: Traded to Wizards.
  • Sacramento Kings: Own pick.

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks: Traded to Thunder, Suns, or Wizards.
    • The Thunder will receive the most favorable pick of the Sixers’, Mavericks, and Thunder’s second-rounders; the Suns will receive the second-most favorable of the three; the Wizards will receive the least favorable.
  • Houston Rockets: Own pick.
    • If the Rockets’ first-round pick lands in the top four, the Rockets would send the Thunder their second-rounder.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Traded to Clippers or Trail Blazers.
    • The Clippers will receive this pick if it lands between 31-42; the Trail Blazers will receive if it lands between 43-60. The Grizzlies’ obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive the pick will be extinguished.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Traded to Celtics, Spurs, or Wizards.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Possibly traded to Timberwolves.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.

Here are the details on how the Knicks‘, Timberwolves‘, Trail Blazers‘, and Pelicans‘ second-round picks will be distributed:

The Celtics will receive the most favorable of the following picks:

  1. The Knicks’ second-round pick.
  2. The Timberwolves’ second-round pick.
  3. The Trail Blazers’ second-round pick.
  4. The Pelicans’ second-round pick.

The Knicks will receive the least favorable of the following picks:

  1. The Knicks’ second-round pick.
  2. The Timberwolves’ second-round pick.

The Spurs will receive the least favorable of the following picks:

  1. The Trail Blazers’ second-round pick.
  2. The Pelicans’ second-round pick.

The Wizards will receive the least favorable of the following picks:

  1. The most favorable of the Knicks’ and Timberwolves’ second-round picks.
  2. The most favorable of the Trail Blazers’ and Pelicans’ second-round picks.

Here are the details on how the Celtics‘, Pacers‘, Heat‘s, and Clippers‘, and Spurs‘ second-round picks will be distributed:

The Grizzlies will receive the most favorable of the following picks, while the Nets will receive the least favorable:

  1. The Clippers’ second-round pick.
  2. The most favorable of the Celtics’, Pacers’, and Heat’s second-round picks.

The Spurs will receive the most favorable of the following picks, while the Timberwolves will receive the least favorable:

  1. The Spurs’ second-round pick.
  2. The least favorable of the Pacers’ and Heat’s second-round picks.

The Hawks will receive the least favorable of the following picks:

  1. The Celtics’ second-round pick.
  2. The most favorable of the Pacers’ and Heat’s second-round picks.

Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

And-Ones: Carmelo, Howard, 2026 Draft, Raveling, Armani

Ahead of Carmelo Anthony‘s induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend, Dave McMenamin of ESPN revisits the forward’s impressive career at the college, NBA, and international levels, laying out why he was a “no-brainer” choice to make the Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Zach Kram makes a similar case for another of this weekend’s inductees, detailing why center Dwight Howard, a three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, is a worthy first-ballot Hall-of-Famer. In Kram’s view, Howard has actually become somewhat underrated, since his drop-off in production during his 30s made it easy to forgot how high his peaks were in his prime.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

  • With the start of the 2025/26 college basketball season around the corner, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his 2026 NBA mock draft, running through all 60 hypothetical picks, from Kansas guard Darryn Peterson at No. 1 to Connecticut big man Tarris Reed Jr. at No. 60.
  • After longtime college basketball coach and Nike sports marketing director George Raveling died on Monday at age 88, NBA commissioner Adam Silver put out a statement lauding Raveling for his “influence on the game of basketball at every level” and sending condolences to his family and friends (Twitter link).
  • Giorgio Armani passed away on Thursday at the age of 91, as Eurohoops relays. While he’s more known for his role in the fashion world than for his contributions to basketball, Armani had owned the EuroLeague club Olimpia Milano since 2008. In a statement issued on Thursday, the EuroLeague credited the Italian fashion designer for “ushering in a new golden era” for Olimpia Milano during his tenure as owner, which included six Italian League championships and the team’s first EuroLeague Final Four appearances in nearly three decades.

Traded First-Round Picks For 2026 NBA Draft

The 2026 NBA draft is still nearly 10 months away, but a number of teams have already traded away their first-round picks for ’26, and more clubs may do so before this season’s trade deadline.

We’ll use the space below to keep tabs on each team’s first-round pick for 2026, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its first-round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on the protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2027 if it doesn’t change hands in 2026.

Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2026 first-round pick:


Note: Teams marked with an asterisk (*) have traded away their 2027 first-round pick (either unprotected or with protection) and can’t freely trade away their 2026 first-rounder due to the Stepien Rule.

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Own pick.
  • Brooklyn Nets: Own pick.
  • New York Knicks (*): Own pick.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Traded to Thunder (top-four protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Sixers would instead owe the Thunder their 2027 first-round pick (top-four protected).
  • Toronto Raptors: Own pick.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Own pick.
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (*): Traded swap rights to Jazz and Hawks.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Detroit Pistons: Own pick.
  • Indiana Pacers: Own pick.
  • Milwaukee Bucks (*): Traded swap rights to Hawks.
    • The Hawks will receive the most favorable pick of the Bucks and Pelicans’ first-rounders; the Bucks will receive the least favorable of the two.

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks (*): Traded swap rights to Spurs.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Own pick.
  • Miami Heat (*): Own pick.
  • Orlando Magic: Traded to Grizzlies or Hornets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Washington Wizards: Traded to Knicks (top-eight protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Wizards would instead send the Knicks their 2026 second-round pick and 2027 second-round pick, and Washington would have swap rights on its pick (details outlined at bottom of article).

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets (*): Own pick.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (*): Traded swap rights to Jazz.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Bulls (top-14 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Trail Blazers would instead owe the Bulls their 2027 first-round pick (top-14 protected).
  • Utah Jazz: Traded to Thunder (top-eight protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Jazz’s obligation to the Thunder would be extinguished and Utah would have swap rights on its pick (details outlined at bottom of article).

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors: Own pick.
  • Los Angeles Clippers: Traded to Thunder or Wizards.
    • The Thunder will receive the two most favorable picks of their own, the Rockets’ (top-four protected), and the Clippers’ first-rounders. The Wizards will receive the least favorable of the three.
  • Los Angeles Lakers (*): Own pick.
  • Phoenix Suns (*): Traded to Wizards, Grizzlies, or Hornets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • Sacramento Kings: Own pick.

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks (*): Own pick.
  • Houston Rockets: Traded to Thunder or Wizards (top-four protected).
    • The Thunder will receive the two most favorable picks of their own, the Rockets’ (top-four protected), and the Clippers’ first-rounders. The Wizards will receive the least favorable of the three.
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Rockets would instead send the Thunder their 2026 second-round pick and Oklahoma City would only receive one of the above picks instead of two.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Own pick.
    • The Grizzlies have swap rights on their pick. Details outlined at bottom of article.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Traded to Hawks or Bucks.
    • The Hawks will receive the most favorable pick of the Bucks and Pelicans’ first-rounders; the Bucks will receive the least favorable of the two.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Own pick.
    • The Spurs have swap rights on their pick. Details outlined at bottom of article.

A series of 2026 first-round picks are tied up in a pair of convoluted trade/swap scenarios. The first of those situations involves the Spurs‘, Hawks‘, Jazz‘s, Timberwolves‘ and Cavaliers‘ first-rounders, while the second involves the Suns‘, Wizards‘, Magic‘s, and Grizzlies‘ picks.

Here are the details on how the first set of picks will be distributed:

The Spurs will receive the most favorable of the following picks:

  1. The Spurs’ own first-round pick.
  2. The Hawks’ first-round pick.

The Jazz will receive the most favorable of the following picks if their own first-rounder is in the top eight:

  1. The Jazz’s own first-round pick.
  2. The Timberwolves’ first-round pick.
  3. The Cavaliers’ first-round pick.

The Timberwolves will receive the least favorable of the following picks:

  1. The Timberwolves’ own first-round pick.
  2. The Jazz’s first-round pick (if in the top eight).

The Hawks will receive the most favorable of the following picks, while the Cavaliers will receive the least favorable:

  1. The least favorable of the Hawks’ own first-round pick and the Spurs’ first-round pick.
  2. The least favorable of the Cavaliers’ first-round pick and either the Jazz’s first-round pick (if in the top eight) and the Timberwolves’ first-round pick (whichever is most favorable).

If the Jazz’s pick lands outside the top eight, it will be sent to the Thunder, and the Timberwolves will keep their own first-round pick. In that scenario, the Jazz/Timberwolves picks would not be in play for the Hawks and Cavaliers — and Utah wouldn’t control a first-rounder.


Here are the details on how the second set of picks will be distributed:

The Wizards will receive the most favorable of the following picks if their own first-rounder is in the top eight:

  1. The Wizards’ own first-round pick.
  2. The Suns’ first-round pick.

The Grizzlies will receive the two most favorable of the following picks, while the Hornets will receive the least favorable:

  1. The Grizzlies’ own first-round pick.
  2. The Magic’s first-round pick.
  3. The least favorable of the Wizards’ first-round pick (if in the top eight) and the Suns’ first-round pick.

If the Wizards’ pick lands outside the top eight, it will be sent to the Knicks. In that scenario, the Wizards pick wouldn’t be in play for the Grizzlies and Hornets — and Washington wouldn’t control a first-rounder.


Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

And-Ones: Free Agents, 2026 Draft, Next Summer, 2024 Re-Draft

While most of the top free agents of the summer class of 2025 have either re-signed or joined new teams, there are still some potential impact role players on the market outside of the well-reported restricted free agent group.

Al Horford, Russell Westbrook and Amir Coffey sit atop Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report‘s list of best-available low-cost free agents. Horford has been heavily linked to the Warriors (as have Pincus’s fifth- and sixth-ranked free agents in Gary Payton II and De’Anthony Melton) and reporting has strongly suggested he’ll ultimately end up there once the Jonathan Kuminga situation is resolved.

Westbrook and the Kings have been frequently connected too, but reporting has suggested Sacramento might not have a spot for the former MVP if Malik Monk and/or Devin Carter aren’t traded, so it’s unclear where Westbrook would end up if the Kings decide they don’t have room in their backcourt.

As for Coffey and Pincus’s No. 4-ranked player Ben Simmons, there have been fewer definitive reports linking them to one team or another. Simmons has been connected to the Kings, Suns, Knicks and Celtics, but there hasn’t been much media traction involving Coffey.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • Ahead of the 2025/26 collegiate season, the 2026 NBA draft class looks top-heavy, with three players in A.J. Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson who are in contention to be selected No. 1 overall, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report writes. Karim Lopez of the NBL’s New Zealand Breakers is Wasserman’s highest-ranked international prospect in the August update of his top-50 list, while Jayden Quaintance of Kentucky is the highest-ranked returning player (No. 4 overall) after he started 24 games for Arizona State in his age-17 season.
  • Looking ahead to next offseason, ESPN’s Bobby Marks details the headlines that should dominate the news cycle, including the futures of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. James will be an unrestricted free agent next year, and it’s unclear whether he will finish his career with the Lakers. Meanwhile, Curry, Jokic and Antetokounmpo could all be free agents in 2027 if they don’t sign extensions before then.
  • One year removed from the 2024 draft, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic re-drafted his top 20 from last year’s rookies. Zaccharie Risacher had a strong rookie season, but slipped from No. 1 to 2 in Vecenie’s re-draft, with 2024/25 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle overtaking him for the top slot. Jared McCain (from No. 16 to No. 3) and Jaylen Wells (from No. 39 to No. 9) are the biggest risers in the top 10, while Ajay Mitchell jumped from No. 38 to No. 12.

Potential 2026 First-Round Pick Alijah Arenas Could Miss Freshman Season With Knee Injury

USC’s Alijah Arenas, one of the nation’s top incoming freshmen and a potential first-round pick in the 2026 draft, has suffered a torn meniscus that could sideline him for the entire season, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

The school announced Wednesday that Arenas will undergo surgery and is projected to miss six to eight months, writes Jeff Borzello of ESPN. A six-month recovery time would have him back in late January, while eight months would push him to the start of the NCAA Tournament.

“Alijah is a tremendous worker, teammate, competitor, and person,” USC coach Eric Musselman said. “He is understandably disappointed that he will not be able to take the court to start the season, but his health is our No. 1 priority. We have no doubt that he will come back even stronger. We look forward to supporting him during this process.”

It’s a brutal setback for Arenas, who was only recently able to resume practicing after recovering from an April car accident that left him hospitalized for a week. According to Borzello, Arenas crashed into a tree after losing control of his Tesla Cybertruck. The vehicle caught on fire, but he was able to escape with help from bystanders after breaking the driver’s side window.

Arenas, the son of former NBA player Gilbert Arenas, was placed in an induced coma because of the amount of smoke he inhaled. Otherwise, he didn’t suffer any significant injuries from the accident.

Arenas was a five-star recruit who reclassified so he could attend college a year early. The 6’6″ shooting guard was 13th on ESPN’s recruiting rankings for this year’s class.