Warriors Notes: LeBron, Draft, Lendeborg, Burries
While the idea of LeBron James leaving Los Angeles to play for the Warriors still seems like a long shot, it’s a rumor that won’t die until James commits to another team or someone goes on the record to kill it, Monte Poole writes for NBC Sports Bay Area. Reporting from ESPN and The Stein Line earlier this week suggested that Golden State may be the best outside threat to lure James away from the Lakers.
“I know it seems crazy,” a well-connected league source told Poole. “But there is at least curiosity on both sides. This wouldn’t even be a conversation five or six years ago, and it might not happen now, but there’s enough there that we shouldn’t ignore the possibility. It’s mostly up to LeBron.”
The Warriors would have to make significant roster changes or convince the Lakers to accommodate a sign-and-trade in order to offer more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which is projected to be worth about $15MM.
Here’s more out of Golden State:
- In a separate story for NBC Sports Bay Area, Poole argues that it would be in the Warriors’ best long-term interests to find a way to turn this year’s No. 11 overall pick into multiple first-rounders by trading down.
- Following up on the news that Yaxel Lendeborg is among the players visiting the Warriors on Thursday, Anthony Slater of ESPN suggests the Michigan star will have an individual workout and in-person meeting with the front office rather than being part of a group workout. Slater adds, citing sources that Lendeborg has “several fans” in Golden State’s front office.
- Lendeborg certainly won’t be the only potential lottery target who works out for the Warriors. According to Slater, Arizona’s Brayden Burries is expected to be among the prospects who visits the team next week.
Draft Workouts: Lendeborg, Warriors, Brown, Kings, Wolves
The Warriors will host six prospects on Thursday for a pre-draft workout, the team announced (via Twitter). According to Golden State, that group will feature Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg.
Lendeborg is coming off a memorable 2025/26 season in which he was named the Big Ten’s Player of the Year, was named a consensus first-time All-American, and won a national championship with the Wolverines. The 6’9″ forward, who will turn 24 in September, is considered a probable lottery pick and is viewed as perhaps the most NBA-ready player in the 2026 draft class, which could make him an intriguing fit for a Golden State team that holds the 11th overall pick and is looking to make the most of Stephen Curry‘s late 30s.
Besides Lendeborg, Thursday’s workout group will also include Tennessee center Felix Okpara, Utah State guard Drake Allen, Illinois guard Kylan Boswell, South Carolina guard Meechie Johnson, and Ole Miss big man Malik Dia, per the team. Okpara (No. 46 on ESPN’s big board) and Boswell (No. 55) are considered the highest-rated prospects among those five players.
Here are more updates on pre-draft workouts around the NBA:
- Louisville guard Mikel Brown, a projected top-10 pick, has recently met with the Nets and Bucks in Orlando and also has pre-draft visits lined up with the Hawks, Clippers, and Mavericks, according to James Barlowe of NBA Big Board (Twitter link). Each of those clubs holds a pick between No. 5 and No. 10 in this year’s draft.
- The Kings are hosting Marquette guard Chase Ross, San Diego State guard Reese Dixon-Waters, Providence guard Jaylin Sellers, Cal forward Chris Bell, Vanderbilt center Jalen Washington, and George Washington center Rafael Castro for a workout on Thursday, per James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link). While none of those players are top prospects, Castro (No. 73), Washington (No. 85), and Sellers (No. 99) show up on ESPN top 100.
- UConn forward Alex Karaban and St. John’s forward Bryce Hopkins were among the players who worked out for the Timberwolves on Sunday, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North. Karaban is viewed as a potential first-round pick, coming in at No. 30 on ESPN’s big board, while Hopkins ranks 48th. Minnesota holds the 28th and 59th overall picks in the 2026 draft.
Draft Rumors: Wizards, Dybantsa, Ament, Burries, Johnson, More
While the Wizards continue to evaluate their options with the first overall pick and have not yet decided who they’ll select, sources around the NBA continue to think BYU wing AJ Dybantsa is their “most likely target,” according to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic.
Regardless of where he ends up, Dybantsa believes his new team could make a quick rise up the standings, similar to what’s happened with the Spurs the past couple seasons, writes Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press.
“It won’t take that long, especially with my adaptability and my work ethic,” Dybantsa said Monday. “I think that will be, I’m not going to say easy, but pretty similar to what these guys do in terms of the forecast.”
Vecenie’s mock draft features several other bits of sourced intel and speculation. He writes that there’s a good deal of intrigue about what the Clippers (fifth) and Nets (sixth) will do right after the top four.
Both teams have been linked to the several guards projected to go in that range, Vecenie notes, and there have been rumors about both clubs exploring the possibility of moving down as well. Los Angeles and Brooklyn have also been connected to Michigan center Aday Mara, Vecenie adds, though it’s not clear if that would be in a trade-down scenario.
Here are a few more rumors ahead of the draft, which will take place June 23-24:
- Both Vecenie and Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints have heard rumblings about the Nets potentially being interested in Nate Ament. As Vecenie writes, last year’s draft showed that Brooklyn’s front office is less concerned with position and more interested in adding players it has highest on its board. With that in mind, Vecenie has the Nets selecting Darius Acuff, though Vecenie acknowledges that’s more based on him viewing the Arkansas star as the best available player at that spot rather than any inside knowledge of the way Brooklyn might be leaning.
- The Hawks (eighth) have explored trade-down scenarios, Vecenie writes, and while they could use a long-term replacement for Trae Young, Vecenie has them selecting Mara.
- Vecenie and Siegel both have the Mavericks taking Brayden Burries with the ninth pick. Siegel cites speculation that Burries’ agents at Klutch Sports are trying to angle their client to Dallas, while Vecenie says other lottery clubs are trying to figure out why the Arizona guard hasn’t worked out for many teams. Either way, Burries is expected to draw interest from teams trying to win next season, according to Vecenie, who hears the Mavericks are exploring a number of possibilities at No. 9.
- Vecenie has gotten the impression that Yaxel Lendeborg might fall out of the lottery, possibly because he’s the oldest player projected to go in that range. Siegel has heard similar speculation, writing that the Michigan forward’s floor appears to be either Oklahoma City (No. 17) or Charlotte (No. 18).
- On the other hand, both Vecenie and Siegel suggest Lendeborg’s teammate Morez Johnson is a player on the rise, with sources telling ClutchPoints some teams view the Wolverines forward/center as a lottery lock. Vecenie thinks Johnson is unlikely to fall past 15th, which is one spot outside of the lottery. For what it’s worth, both authors have the Hornets selecting Johnson 14th overall.
- Ament, Karim Lopez, Chris Cenac, Jayden Quaintance and Ebuka Okorie are among the prospects who appear to have a wide draft range, according to Vecenie. Lopez, for instance, could be in play anywhere from No. 11 to around No. 25.
Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Have Worked Out For Thunder
Michigan big men Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. are among the prospects who have had individual pre-draft workouts with the Thunder, according to Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman (subscription required).
Lendeborg ranks 12th on ESPN’s big board, while Johnson comes two spots behind at 14th. The Thunder currently control two first-round picks (Nos. 12 and 17) and one second-rounder (No. 37) in this month’s draft, which will take place on June 23 and June 24.
Projected lottery pick Nate Ament, who previously confirmed he worked out for Oklahoma City, is also on Martinez’s list, as are Santa Clara forward Allen Graves and Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance. Graves and Quaintance are considered likely first-round picks, ranking 17th and 22nd on ESPN’s board, respectively.
The Thunder have also hosted several other players during the pre-draft process, per Martinez, including Alex Karaban (No. 30 on ESPN’s board), Emanuel Sharp (No. 45), Izaiyah Nelson (No. 47), Tamin Lipsey (No. 69) and Rafael Castro (No. 73).
Draft Rumors: Thunder, Boozer, Bulls, Warriors, Lendeborg, Mavs
Two executives who spoke to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints about next month’s draft suggested they could envision the Thunder packaging several assets, including this year’s 12th and 17th overall picks, in order to try to trade into the top four to land Duke forward Cameron Boozer.
However, it seems unlikely that any teams near the top of the draft would be amenable to such a deal for a few reasons. For one, this year’s top four prospects are considered to be in a tier of their own. It’s also probably safe to assume that no teams will be eager to help the defending champion Thunder land another potential franchise cornerstone on a rookie scale deal unless they’re significantly overpaying to do so.
For what it’s worth, the Bulls – who have the No. 4 overall pick – would only have interest in trading that selection if they were moving up, not down, sources tell Siegel.
Even if the Thunder aren’t able to move that high in the draft, there’s an “overwhelming belief” that they won’t simply remain at No. 12 and No. 17 and draft two rookies, Siegel writes. Oklahoma City is expected to be aggressive on the trade market, which could mean trading one or both of those picks either to move up or for future draft assets.
Here are a few more draft-related rumors from Siegel:
- If they hang onto the No. 11 pick, the expectation is that the Warriors will be targeting a prospect who can step in and contribute right away. According to Siegel, Golden State is hoping this offseason to add an “impactful” guard who can play on or off the ball next to Stephen Curry, though that may not happen in the draft — Anfernee Simons and Collin Sexton have been mentioned by league sources as the types of veteran free agents the team may be looking at.
- The Warriors (No. 11), Hornets (Nos. 14 and 18), Spurs (No. 20), and Pistons (No. 21) are among the teams with interest in Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg, Siegel reports. With the exception of Golden State, each of those clubs might have to trade up to have a shot at drafting Lendeborg, since he’s widely projected to be a late lottery pick. Multiple sources tell Siegel that Charlotte’s interest in Lendeborg is considered “real” and they’ll explore the possibility of moving up.
- Based on the fact that Masai Ujiri has long prioritized length and athleticism, league sources who have spoken to Siegel have identified Tennessee’s Nate Ament and Baylor’s Cameron Carr as two potential targets to watch for the Mavericks, who control the ninth overall pick.
Southeast Notes: Hawks’ Draft Picks, Jakucionis, Magic
The Hawks will likely have at least a couple top guard prospects available to choose from when they’re on the clock with the eighth overall pick, writes Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link).
Atlanta found success in the second half of last season without using a traditional point guard, but if the team wants to find a play-maker to replace Trae Young, Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown and Brayden Burries are among the players who could still be on the board.
If the Hawks decide to go with a wing or a big man, Nate Ament, Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg and Jayden Quaintance could be options, as Cunningham and his Atlanta Journal-Constitution colleague Lauren Williams suggest (subscription required).
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- In the same story, Williams lists a handful of players the Hawks might consider with their second first-round pick at No. 23 overall. Houston big man Chris Cenac, Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz and Texas Tech guard Christian Anderson are a few of the prospects mentioned. Atlanta also controls a late second-round selection (No. 57), Williams notes.
- Kasparas Jakucionis opened his rookie season in the G League, but he became a Heat rotation regular about a third of the way into 2025/26, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The Lithuanian guard, who turns 20 years old later this month, impressed head coach Erik Spoelstra with his work ethic and competitiveness. Now the 2025 first-round pick is trying to level up his game this offseason. “Just get stronger in the weight room,” said Jakucionis. “And then on the ball and off the ball, just work on my handles, try to get tight on my handles, get into the paint with two feet, try to make the right read from there. Get some more paint touches, for sure. And off the ball, it’s just about spacing, shooting, and running basically.”
- Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel examines what moves the Magic might make this offseason aside from hiring a new head coach to replace Jamahl Mosley. Pulling off another major trade might be more complicated since the Magic have fewer draft assets at their disposal after last summer’s Desmond Bane blockbuster, Beede observes, and their free agent additions might be limited to minimum-salary players due to their financial situation.
Warriors Notes: Giannis, 11th Pick, Prospects, Kerr
The Warriors should — and almost certainly will — be among the suitors for Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, but if they’re unable to pull off a deal, it doesn’t mean the pursuit was a failure, argues Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
The possibility of trading for Antetokounmpo now carries much more risk than it would’ve several years ago, when the team first viewed the two-time MVP as its “holy grail,” Poole writes. The Warriors’ best current offer — centered around draft picks but not much in the way of young players — could also theoretically be topped by several rival teams, Poole observes.
Still, Poole thinks it’s the right call to trade for the 31-year-old star, assuming he’s open to the idea and Golden State can convince Milwaukee’s front office to get on board. He just doesn’t view that outcome as likely.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
- Assistant general manager Larry Harris expressed optimism before the draft lottery that the Warriors would select a prospect they like if they stayed at the 11th pick, which would up happening, Poole writes in another story. “I’ve heard the noise,” Harris said when asked about the top four prospects being in their own tier. “Certainly, there’s four players that everybody seems to talk about when I look at all the mock drafts and everything. But the way we look at it is we really believe it’s beyond 11. But up to 11, we feel really, really, really good about whatever player lands in our lap.”
- Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area lists five “very different” prospects the Warriors could target at No. 11, including Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg and his college teammate Aday Mara. Johnson also weighs the pros and cons of each prospect, particularly from Golden State’s perspective.
- Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic isn’t surprised that Steve Kerr signed a two-year deal to stay the Warriors’ head coach and views Kerr as the fitting person to guide the rest of Stephen Curry‘s career. While he acknowledges Kerr will have to evolve his way of thinking in some respects, Thompson also believes Kerr has earned an enormous amount of respect and trust over the course of his long career and is definitely the right coach if the Warriors end up acquiring another star player.
Eastern Notes: Nets, Marks, Jenkins, Heat, Magic
Sunday’s draft lottery was disastrous for the Nets, who fell from third in the pre-lottery order — tied with three other teams for the best chance at landing No. 1 — to sixth overall. Several reporters described owner Joe Tsai, Brooklyn’s drawing room representative, as appearing “despondent” after the drawing occurred.
According to Brian Lewis of The New York Post (subscriber link), the onus is on general manager Sean Marks to figure out a way to make the best of the situation after Brooklyn dropped in last year’s lottery as well, falling from sixth to eighth and selecting Egor Demin.
Two league sources told Lewis the Nets will look to move up from sixth, but it remains to be seen how that will play out. Rival executives believe the Clippers could be open to moving down from No. 5, Lewis adds.
While Marks said the Nets would be “opportunistic” and “look at everything” regarding the possibility of moving up, he wasn’t sure that landing at sixth would necessarily make the team more aggressive on the trade market.
“Hard to tell. It’s all about how these guys develop,” Marks said, per Lewis. “I don’t think you want to make rash decisions before you’ve seen how they look. We all know there’s a group in this draft that could be game-changers; but I said could be because you never know. You get whether it’s six months from now or two years from now and there’s always surprises.
“So every draft there’s a guy who people didn’t quite expect to be [that good] if you do the redraft. So for us, it’ll be still about having patience. But at the end of the day, we’ve got optionality. We’ve maintained flexibility, we’ve got the cap space and assets. So the word would be opportunistic.”
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Taylor Jenkins received a six-year contract when he was hired to be the head coach of the Bucks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports within his story about Milwaukee seeking trade offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Jenkins was considered the top coaching candidate on the market, Charania writes.
- The Heat stayed at No. 13 in the draft lottery, which was their most likely outcome. If they keep the pick instead of trading it, who will they select? Three of the four mock drafts that were updated on Sunday had Miami selecting Alabama guard Labaron Philon, with Arizona guard Brayden Burries, Mexican forward Karim Lopez, Michigan big men Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson, Washington center Hannes Steinbach, and Houston big man Chris Cenac among the other prospects projected to go in that range, notes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
- Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said last week that the team would evaluate “everything” that led to a disappointing season, including injuries being a factor in the team’s first-round loss to Detroit, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. “We look at everything,” Weltman said. “There’s nothing from scouting to analytics to performance to medical that we don’t turn over every rock over the summer. We’ll have deep-dive evaluations on everything.”
Draft Notes: Dybantsa, Wizards, Mocks, Jazz, Tanner, More
BYU forward AJ Dybantsa has been the prospect most frequently cited as the frontrunner to go No. 1 overall, and he reacted to the Wizards landing the top pick at the draft lottery, per Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network (Twitter video link).
“Obviously I’ve been betting on myself for a little while to be a No. 1 pick,” Dybantsa said. “So initially just thinking like how I would fit into the team. I think I’m pretty versatile, adaptable, so I think I can play anywhere.”
Asked about what he knew about Washington, D.C., Dybantsa said he “knew a little bit.”
“The Jordan Brand Classic was there last year,” the 6’9″ forward said. “I got to tour their facility a little bit. I know a couple of their players. Tre Johnson, played against him at length (in high school/AAU). I’ve been watching AD (Anthony Davis) for a long, long time. Trae Young, even when he was at Oklahoma. So I know a couple of guys there.”
An anonymous NBA general manager told Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68 that he thinks the Wizards will end up taking Dybantsa (Twitter link).
“I don’t they can take the risk with (Darryn) Peterson even though I think his upside is even higher than Dybantsa,” the GM said. “I think Washington will go with Dybantsa because it’s a safer pick and they can’t afford to screw this up.”
Monumental basketball president Michael Winger, who was the Wizards’ lottery-drawing representative, released a statement after Washington won the lottery.
“Today is another encouraging day for Wizards fans and our entire organization,” said Winger. “To choose first among this inspiring group of athletes is a welcomed opportunity, and challenge, for our group. We look forward to adding another high performing young player to our ascending team.”
Here’s more on the 2026 NBA draft:
- Just like in the recent mocks from ESPN and Yahoo Sports, Dybantsa goes No. 1 overall to the Wizards in the updated 2026 mock drafts from Sam Vecenie of The Athletic and Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. The mocks from Vecenie and Wasserman are actually identical for the first nine picks, with Peterson (Jazz), Cameron Boozer (Grizzlies), Caleb Wilson (Bulls), Keaton Wagler (Clippers), Darius Acuff (Nets), Kingston Flemings (Kings), Mikel Brown (Hawks) and Brayden Burries (Mavericks) selected two through nine. Vecenie is a little lower on New Zealand Breakers forward Karim Lopez than other evaluators. Vecenie has Lopez going 20th to the Spurs, while Wasserman has him at 10th (Bucks). Interestingly, all four mocks have the Thunder taking Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 12 and three of the four have the Heat selecting Labaron Philon at No. 13, while two have the Bulls drafting Jayden Quaintance at No. 15.
- The Jazz moved up in the draft lottery for the first time in franchise history, according to Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune, who thinks the future is looking bright in Utah after the team added Jaren Jackson Jr. at the deadline to a core featuring Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen and restricted free agent Walker Kessler. The Jazz will be selecting second overall, up from fourth in the pre-lottery odds. “It feels great, a big relief,” president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said, per Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. “It’s a really important tool for us to help build this winning team. So, couldn’t be more happy.” Ainge told the Deseret News it would be easier selecting second than fifth or seventh. “For sure, a lot easier,” Ainge said. “We just have to figure out who believe is No. 1 and No. 2… It’s much easier, but we still have to get it right.”
- Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner, who is testing the draft waters, tells Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link) he’ll be competing in the scrimmages at this week’s combine as he looks to boost his stock. “I’ll do whatever it takes to stay in the draft. I’m not running from anything. I love to play,” Tanner said. The sophomore guard said he’s focused on getting drafted “as high as I can,” addressed his size (he’s listed at 6’0″) being a perceived weakness, and listed his goal during the pre-draft process (All Twitter links). “My goal is to play in the NBA. Always has been since I was a kid,” Tanner told Givony. “I’m fully focused on making it. This is another opportunity to show what I can do. The way I make those around me better and raise the level of my teammates. I’ve always built my game on that.”
- One GM told Goodman he doesn’t think there’s much difference between the first and ninth picks in what’s viewed as a deep class (Twitter link). “I don’t see much disparity from No. 1 to the No. 8 or 9 pick,” the GM told the Field of 68. “I think the No. 3 or 4 pick may be the best because you won’t get crucified for not taking Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer or Wilson down the line. The decision will be made for you.”
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.