And-Ones: Cofie, Awards, Draft Assets, Cuban
After testing the draft waters this spring as an early entrant, USC sophomore Jacob Cofie has decided to withdraw his name and return to the Trojans for his junior year, agent Aman Dhesi tells Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link).
A 6’10” power forward, Cofie performed well during the pre-draft process, standing out during the G League combine earlier this month and earning an invitation to the full-fledged combine as a result. However, he was always considered a long shot to be drafted, ranking 99th on ESPN’s big board.
As Givony notes, Cofie will be hoping the momentum from his strong combine showings carries over to the 2026/27 season. As a sophomore in ’25/26, he averaged 9.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 30.5 minutes per game across 32 outings (all starts) for USC. The 20-year-old made just 51.0% of his shots from the floor, but just 31.8% of his three-pointers and 60.5% of his free throws.
We have more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The NBA will resume announcing its 2025/26 award winners beginning on Wednesday evening, the league confirmed today (Twitter link). The All-Rookie teams will be revealed during Peacock’s pregame show tonight, with the All-Defensive teams (Friday), All-NBA teams (Sunday), and Coach of the Year (next Tuesday) to follow in the coming days.
- ESPN’s Bobby Marks places the NBA’s 30 teams into seven tiers based on the current and future draft assets they control, with the Nets, Hornets, Grizzlies, Thunder, Spurs, Jazz, and Wizards making up his top group. The Nuggets are on their own in tier seven, since they’re the only team without the ability to trade a future first-rounder (they can technically move this year’s No. 26 pick after making a selection).
- Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban has no plans to invest in an NBA Europe team, as Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports details. Referring to the prospect of launching a basketball club tied to an established soccer brand as a potential “hornet’s nest,” Cuban said the NBA’s reported buy-in price ($500MM to $1 billion) is more than he can justify spending. “I can buy a team in a smaller league, win that country’s league and work my way up,” he said.
Bulls Look To Interview Lamar Skeeter, Ryan Schmidt
The Bulls are expected to seek permission to interview Hornets assistant Lamar Skeeter and Hawks assistant Ryan Schmidt as they seek a new head coach, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
Upon being hired by Chicago as the team’s new head of basketball operations, Bryson Graham initially prioritized filling out his new-look front office. The team formally announced on Tuesday that Stephen Mervis is joining the organization as its senior VP of basketball operations and Acie Law IV has been hired as the VP of player personnel.
After finalizing those front office additions, the Bulls appear to be shifting in earnest to their head coaching search. Reporting earlier this week indicated that Sean Sweeney, James Borrego, Wes Unseld Jr., Micah Nori, and Dave Bliss are expected to interview for the coaching vacancy in Chicago, with Tiago Splitter also on the club’s radar.
Fischer adds a pair of new names to that list, and neither is one that we’ve heard connected to another head coaching position so far this spring.
Skeeter, 37, started out as a member of the Canton Charge’s coaching staff in the G League in 2012/13, then spent a season as a player development coach with the Hawks before being hired by the Jazz in 2014. He spent the next decade in Utah, working his way up from player development coach to lead assistant during that time. Skeeter was hired two years ago by Charlotte as the team’s top assistant under Charles Lee.
Schmidt, an assistant for the Raptors 905 in the G League for four seasons from 2017-21, has gained some head coaching experience since then, first with the London Lions in the British Basketball League and then with the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s NBAGL affiliate. He has been a full-time Hawks assistant under Quin Snyder since 2024.
We’re tracking the Bulls’ head coaching search and the rest of the NBA’s 2026 offseason coaching carousel right here.
2026 NBA Draft Picks By Team
The Bulls, who pivoted to rebuilding mode after being eliminated in the play-in tournament in three straight years from 2023-25, and the Spurs, who went from 34 wins a year ago to 62 this season, appear headed in opposite directions. But the two organizations do have one thing in common — they’re the only two teams in the NBA who control more than three picks in this year’s draft.
Chicago, which moved up to No. 4 as a result of Sunday’s draft lottery, also controls the 15th, 38th, and 56th picks. San Antonio has just one first-rounder at No. 20, but its other three picks – Nos. 35, 42, and 44 – are in the top half of the second round.
Besides the Spurs and Bulls, nine other teams own more than the typical two picks, and several of those clubs have at least one top-10 selection. The Wizards, Grizzlies, Clippers, Nets, Kings, Hawks, and Mavericks each have three selections, including one in the top nine. The Thunder and Knicks are the other two clubs who control three 2026 picks.
Those 11 teams own a combined 35 picks in June’s draft, while eight others control two apiece and nine more have one each. That means there are just two teams without a pick this year: the Pacers and Trail Blazers. Both teams had protected first-rounders, but Portland sacrificed its lottery-protected pick when it earned a playoff spot, while Indiana had a worst possible outcome in the lottery, as its top-four protected pick fell to No. 5.
To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2026 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 60 selections by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…
Teams with more than two picks:
- Chicago Bulls (4): 4, 15, 38, 56
- San Antonio Spurs (4): 20, 35, 42, 44
- Washington Wizards (3): 1, 51, 60
- Memphis Grizzlies (3): 3, 16, 32
- Los Angeles Clippers (3): 5, 36, 52
- Brooklyn Nets (3): 6, 33, 43
- Sacramento Kings (3): 7, 34, 45
- Atlanta Hawks (3): 8, 23, 57
- Dallas Mavericks (3): 9, 30, 48
- Oklahoma City Thunder (3): 12, 17, 37
- New York Knicks (3): 24, 31, 55
Teams with two picks:
- Golden State Warriors: 11, 54
- Miami Heat: 13, 41
- Charlotte Hornets: 14, 18
- Toronto Raptors: 19, 50
- Denver Nuggets: 26, 49
- Boston Celtics: 27, 40
- Minnesota Timberwolves: 28, 59
- Houston Rockets: 39, 53
Teams with one pick:
- Utah Jazz: 2
- Milwaukee Bucks: 10
- Detroit Pistons: 21
- Philadelphia 76ers: 22
- Los Angeles Lakers: 25
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 29
- Orlando Magic: 46
- Phoenix Suns: 47
- New Orleans Pelicans: 58
Teams with no picks:
- Indiana Pacers
- Portland Trail Blazers
Draft Notes: Pacers, Wizards, Mock Drafts, Jazz, Grizzlies, More
Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard released a statement (via Twitter) after the team’s top-four protected first-round pick landed at No. 5 and conveyed to the Clippers. Indiana also sent Los Angeles its unprotected 2029 first-rounder, Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and a 2028 second-round pick (via Dallas) in exchange for 2024/25 All-Defensive center Ivica Zubac.
“I’m really sorry to all our fans. I own taking this risk,” Pritchard wrote. “Surprised it came up 5th after this year. I thought we were due some luck. But please remember – this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient.”
While the Pacers lost their coin flip, the Wizards landed the No. 1 overall selection, becoming the first team to win the lottery with after finishing with the worst record in the league since the NBA flattened the lottery odds in 2019. Jeremy Woo of ESPN and Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports have updated their 2026 mock drafts after the lottery results, with identical top fives: AJ Dybantsa to Washington, followed by Darryn Peterson (Jazz), Cameron Boozer (Grizzlies), Caleb Wilson (Bulls) and Keaton Wagler (Clippers).
Here are a few more notes about the 2026 NBA draft:
- Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link) has an identical three through five, but he has Peterson going No. 1 and Dybantsa No. 2. While the Wizards will undoubtedly perform their due diligence, Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com suggests (via Twitter) the Jazz would be thrilled if they’re able to select Peterson, whom Keyonte George and other members of the team congratulated. According to Wallace, many people around the league think the Grizzlies will be making a “tough choice” between Boozer and Wilson.
- The mock drafts from ESPN and Yahoo Sports have 13 overlapping players in the 14-team lottery, but there are some differences in where they’re selected. For example, O’Connor has the Hawks selecting Michigan center Aday Mara eighth overall, while Woo has the Spanish big man going 14th to the Hornets. Among the overlapping picks: Tennessee forward Nate Ament to the Bucks (No. 10), Mexican forward Karim Lopez to the Warriors (No. 11), and Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg to the Thunder (No. 12).
- In addition to Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue) and Jacob Cofie (USC), who were previously mentioned as G League combine standouts, Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) hears from NBA scouts and executives who said Aiden Tobiason (Temple), Rafael Castro (George Washington), Aaron Nkrumah (Tennessee State) and Nate Bittle (Oregon) helped themselves on Day 1 of scrimmages.
Wizards Win 2026 NBA Draft Lottery; Jazz, Grizzlies, Bulls In Top Four
The Wizards, who had the worst record in the league during the 2025/26 season, have won the 2026 NBA draft lottery.
Washington entered the lottery tied for the best possible odds (14%) to land the No. 1 overall pick. It was the first time since the current draft lottery format was implemented in 2019 that the league’s worst team claimed the first overall selection.
The full lottery order for the 2026 NBA draft is as follows:
- Washington Wizards
- Utah Jazz
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Chicago Bulls
- Los Angeles Clippers (from Pacers)
- Brooklyn Nets
- Sacramento Kings
- Atlanta Hawks (from Pelicans)
- Dallas Mavericks
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Golden State Warriors
- Oklahoma City Thunder (from Clippers)
- Miami Heat
- Charlotte Hornets
The Wizards have won 15, 18, and 17 games in the last three seasons, but didn’t have a clear-cut franchise player to show for it yet. They drafted Alex Sarr second overall in 2024 and slipped to sixth in 2025, opting to select Tre Johnson at that spot. This year, the ping pong balls landed in their favor and have put them in position to draft a long-term centerpiece.
While BYU forward AJ Dybantsa is the favorite to be the top pick, the Wizards figure to seriously consider prospects like Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer, and UNC forward Caleb Wilson before making their selection on June 23.
The lottery results were also great news for the Jazz, who entered the day fourth in the pre-lottery order and moved up to No. 2. Like the Wizards, Utah has been rebuilding for multiple years and had been preparing to take a step forward in 2026/27 even before the lottery outcome was known. While Washington traded for Trae Young and Anthony Davis ahead of this year’s trade deadline, Utah acquired former Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. in February.
Now, the Jazz are set to land a potential future All-Star to a roster that already features Jackson, Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, 2025 lottery pick Ace Bailey, and restricted free agent center Walker Kessler.
Notably, both the Wizards and Jazz had technically traded away their 2026 first-rounders, but both picks included top-eight protection, meaning they remained in Washington and Utah, respectively.
The same can’t be said for the Pacers, who traded their 2026 first-round pick with top-four protection to the Clippers in February’s Ivica Zubac blockbuster. After posting the second-worst record in the league this season, Indiana entered the day with a 52.1% chance of retaining that pick. Instead, L.A. won what was essentially a coin flip, with the pick slipping just outside of the top four. It’s a best-case scenario for the Clippers, who get the No. 5 overall selection and will add a young building block from a strong draft class to their core.
[RELATED: Pacers Hopeful Of Retaining Pick But Won’t Regret Zubac Deal]
Assuming neither the Jazz nor the Wizards do anything too surprising with the top two picks, the Grizzlies and Bulls, the day’s other two big winners, should have their choice of the remaining two prospects from a consensus top four of Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, and Wilson.
Memphis, sixth in the pre-lottery order, had a 27.6% chance of moving into the top three, while Chicago made the biggest move up, from No. 9 to No. 4. The Bulls had just a 20.2% shot at a top-four pick entering the lottery.
The next tier of prospects in the 2026 class is made up of a handful of guards, including Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, Arkansas’ Darius Acuff, and Houston’s Kingston Flemings. Louisville guard Mikel Brown, Tennessee forward Nate Ament, Arizona guard Brayden Burries, Alabama guard Labaron Philon, Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, and Mexican forward Karim Lopez are among the other players in the mix for teams with top-10 picks.
That group of teams in the top 10 is rounded out by the Nets, Kings, Hawks, Mavericks, and Bucks. Besides Milwaukee, each of those teams fell one or more spots as a result of the lottery outcome. That’s especially disappointing for Brooklyn and Sacramento, two retooling teams whose rosters lack star power.
Atlanta was likely also hoping for a better result, having controlled the more favorable of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ first-rounders entering the lottery. While the Hawks had a 40.2% chance at a top-four pick, they instead moved down a spot from No. 7 to No. 8, as New Orleans was leapfrogged by Chicago while Milwaukee’s pick remained at No. 10.
That pick was the one the Hawks acquired from the Pelicans at last year’s draft — we now know that the terms of that trade turned out to be Derik Queen for Asa Newell and this year’s eighth overall pick.
After teams eliminated in the play-in tournament won each of the past two draft lotteries – Atlanta in 2024 and Dallas in 2025 – there was no movement among this year’s play-in clubs, with the Warriors remaining at No. 11 and the Heat and Hornets staying at No. 13 and No. 14, respectively. Additionally, the Clippers’ own first-rounder, which was controlled by the Thunder, remained at No. 12 — it’s safe to assume the rest of the NBA breathed a sigh of relief when that envelope was opened and OKC’s logo was revealed.
Although the NBA doesn’t air the actual lottery drawing process during its half-hour broadcast announcing the results, the league has put out a behind-the-scenes video that shows the draw taking place. It can be viewed right here (via Twitter).
Southeast Notes: Magic, Wizards, Hornets, Hawks
President of basketball operations Jeff Weltman acknowledged earlier this week that the Magic will have limited flexibility compared to last summer, when they traded for Desmond Bane, but he said adding more shooting to the roster will be a priority again this offseason, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel.
“Those are our challenges,” Weltman said. “I said last time at the deadline, do we really want to break into this core? Because if we’re going to make a major move, then you’re going to break into the core. So, we have to see what major moves are in front of us. We have to see what smaller nibbles we can take. I will say this, short of acquiring a star player, I do believe that the greatest impact that you can have on a team is to bring in a new coach.
“I do think that we have a lot of different avenues and ways that we need to improve and get better. We’ll kind of tap into all of those and see if we put our guys in the best possible position to succeed, including like rounding out the roster with veteran guys that know how to come in and win and reliable and consistent, that help our main guys facilitate their ceiling.”
Here’s more from around the Southeast Division:
- The Wizards are guaranteed to land a top-five pick in Sunday’s draft lottery in a 2026 draft class they view as having six potential stars at the top, according to David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who examine which players the team might target with every possible lottery outcome (one through five). If the Wizards land either the first or second pick, both authors expect the team to choose between AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. If the selection lands at No. 5 and Dybantsa, Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson are off the board, Robbins considers Darius Acuff to be the current frontrunner.
- Co-owners Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall were thrilled with the progress the Hornets made in 2025/26 but say there’s still plenty of room for growth, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. “We have arrived at the point where we feel great about our leadership team, and we feel great about where we are, but we have a lot of work to do,” Schnall said. “You look at the playoffs, we would have had a tough time in the playoffs. We have to continue to build the team. We also have a lot of players on our team that reflect what we’re about. We have competitive players. We have high-character players. We have players who want to win. Gabe and I are incredibly competitive, as is our ownership group and as is our leadership team. We’re not going to be satisfied just being a competitive team. And so we will do everything we can to get better.”
- Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link) hands out performance grades for the Hawks, with Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Onyeka Okongwu and CJ McCollum tying for the highest mark (B+). Williams also grades the coaching staff and front office, giving both groups a B.
Hornets Sign Charles Lee To Multiyear Extension
The Hornets have signed head coach Charles Lee to a multiyear contract extension, the team announced today in a press release.
Lee, who took over for Steve Clifford in 2024, won just 19 games in his first year on the job as the rebuilding Hornets battled the injury bug. However, he guided the team to a 25-win improvement in 2025/26. Although Charlotte ultimately fell one win short of the playoffs, the club’s 44-38 record was its best regular season mark since 2015/16.
“Charles has done an outstanding job establishing a foundation for who we want to be as a team,” president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson said in a statement. “From day one, Charles and his staff have prioritized player development, creating an environment where each of our players are committed to getting better and continue to improve. He has built a team-first culture rooted in accountability, hard work and professionalism. I’m excited to keep working closely with Charles as we continue to build the Hornets for long-term success.”
The Hornets actually got off to a poor start again in ’25/26, opening the regular season by losing 14 of their first 18 games and compiling an 11-23 record heading into a January 3 game in Chicago. From that point on though, Charlotte was one of the NBA’s best teams, finishing the season on a 33-15 run and ranking first in the NBA in offensive rating (120.6), fourth in defensive rating (109.9), and first in net rating (+10.7) during that stretch.
After winning the 9/10 play-in game over the Heat, the Hornets lost their second play-in game to the Magic, but their second half performance still provided plenty of optimism for the team’s future.
We don’t know the exact terms of Lee’s new contract, but when he was hired in 2024, reports indicated he signed a four-year contract. Presumably, he still had two years left on that deal, though it’s possible the final year was an option. Even if his new deal replaced that last season and only tacked on one additional year beyond that, that means he’ll be under contract through at least 2029 — and it’s entirely possible his new deal goes beyond that.
Hornets’ Brandon Miller Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Hornets forward Brandon Miller has undergone surgery to address instability in his left shoulder, the team announced today in a press release.
The Hornets didn’t provide any sort of recovery timeline for Miller or confirm that he’ll be ready for the 2026/27 season. The team simply ruled him out indefinitely and stated that updates will be provided as appropriate.
After being limited to 27 games in 2024/25 due to a wrist injury, Miller had a breakout third year, averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 30.3 minutes per game across 65 outings (all starts). He made 43.5% of his shots from the floor, including 38.3% of his three-point tries, and 89.2% of his free throws.
Miller played a key role in the Hornets’ best season in a decade. The club had a 41-24 record when he played and went just 3-14 in the games he missed.
Miller’s one extended absence came at the start of the year when he missed 13 consecutive games after being diagnosed with a left shoulder subluxation, which is a partially dislocated shoulder. Although he returned in late November and played in all but four games the rest of the way, he wore protection on that shoulder following his absence. It seems the injury never fully healed, prompting the decision to address it surgically at this time.
Miller is one of 23 players who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.
Hornets Notes: White, Diabate, Offseason, Draft
Hornets head of basketball operations Jeff Peterson reiterated a couple weeks ago that the team is interested in re-signing Coby White. The 26-old guard says the feeling is mutual, telling Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer that the Hornets’ employees “create a fun environment,” which he values. White also likes the on-court fit.
“I think just the basketball, how they play, how they compete, what they’re building is something I can look forward to being a part of,” White said. “They say I can be a part of the culture that they’re building. And they obviously play a style that kind of benefits me. People could tell that by the end of the season, how I was playing. It was probably one of my most efficient stretches I had in terms of minutes and what I was doing in those minutes.
“So, yeah, I think everything just aligns right. And like I said from the jump when I first got here, something just felt right. And I think it was all part of God’s plan for me to be here.”
White, a North Caroline native, said he loves being part of the Hornets, who haven’t made the playoffs in 10 years, the longest active drought in the NBA. Still, the team certainly appears to be on the upswing after a 33-15 run to end the regular season.
Here’s more on the Hornets:
- One significant factor in the team’s success over that prolonged stretch was the play Moussa Diabate, an undersized center who won the league’s Hustle Award on Thursday. The French big man tells Boone he’s thrilled to claim the award, but believes it’s “only the beginning” of what he’s capable of. “It’s great,” Diabate told The Charlotte Observer. “It shows that I’ve been putting a lot of work in and just playing hard. That’s what it comes down to. I think it’s really a definition of who’s playing hard. The ones that maybe don’t get the proper recognition, but are still out there doing the work or are very impactful without showing as much on the stat sheet.”
- Yossi Gozlan of the Third Apron (Substack link) previews the Hornets’ offseason, pointing out that the team has two first-round picks in the 2026 draft and a surplus of future first- and second-rounders going forward. Re-signing White would have Charlotte operating as an over-the-cap team this summer, according to Gozlan, who also projects Brandon Miller to sign a highly lucrative rookie scale extension, which would kick in during the 2027/28 campaign.
- In case you missed it, the Hornets’ two first-round picks are currently at Nos. 14 and 18 in the pre-lottery order. Charlotte has a 0.5% chance of moving up from No. 14 to No. 1 at the draft lottery, which takes place May 10.
Hornets’ Moussa Diabate Wins 2025/26 Hustle Award
Hornets big man Moussa Diabate is the winner of the NBA’s Hustle Award for the 2025/26 season, the league announced today.
The Hustle Award, which debuted in 2017, isn’t voted on by media members, players, or executives like other end-of-season awards. It’s based on a statistical formula that utilizes several “hustle” stats and is designed to recognize players whose efforts might not appear in the box score but “impact winning on a nightly basis.”
Among qualified players, Diabate ranked first on a per-minute basis in offensive box outs, fourth in screen assists, eighth in offensive loose balls recovered, 10th in contested two-point shots, and 11th in defensive box outs and contested three-point shots.
Diabate set new career highs in games played (73), starts (47), and minutes per game (26.0) in 2025/26, helping provide some stability at the five for a Hornets team whose center position looked like a major question mark entering the season following the offseason trades of Mark Williams and Jusuf Nurkic. The 24-year-old was among the Hornets who played key roles in the team’s improvement from 19 wins in 2024/25 to 44 victories this season.
Hawks guard Dyson Daniels was the runner-up for the Hustle Award, per the NBA, with 2025 winner Draymond Green of the Warriors finishing in third. Grizzlies rookie Cedric Coward and Knicks swingman Josh Hart rounded out the top five.