Sixers Notes: Offseason, Graves, Okorie, Johnson, Lendeborg
The Sixers made their first major offseason move when they fired former president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and replaced him with Mike Gansey, a longtime Cavaliers executive. Now they’ll be turning their attention to roster transactions — they can begin negotiating with their own free agents on Sunday, while the draft takes place on June 23 and 24.
There are also a few more subtle offseason questions for the franchise, writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer, including what Elton Brand‘s new role will be with the team. The 76ers’ longtime general manager is no longer in the front office after Jameer Nelson was promoted, but he reportedly agreed to a new position with the Sixers’ parent company.
Among the other offseason questions posed by Mizell is whether the Sixers will make further changes to their front office or adjust Nick Nurse‘s coaching staff.
We have more on the 76ers:
- Philadelphia controls the 22nd pick in the 2026 draft. In a conversation with Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice, draft evaluator Logan Adams made the case for the 76ers selecting Santa Clara forward Allen Graves, assuming he’s still available at that spot.
- In a similar story for PhillyVoice, Aaronson spoke to Brian Geisinger about Ebuka Okorie‘s strengths and weaknesses and his potential fit with the 76ers. For what it’s worth, Graves is ranked 17th on ESPN’s big board, while ex-Stanford guard Okorie is at No. 27.
- Appearing on the PHLY Sixers podcast (YouTube link), Michigan assistant coach Mike Boynton discussed the 2025/26 seasons of Morez Johnson and Yaxel Lendeborg and how the championship-winning big men could fit with Philadelphia if they’re available at No. 22 (or if the Sixers trade up).
Draft Notes: Lendeborg, Warriors, Wilson, Suder, Kayil
Former Michigan forward/center Yaxel Lendeborg worked out for the Warriors on Thursday and believes he’d be a great fit with Golden State, writes Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. Lendeborg is a projected late lottery pick and the Warriors hold the 11th overall selection.
“I would say, like five assists a game maybe to start off,” Lendeborg said. “A lot of defense, fast-break opportunities for me. Depending on if I’m here or anywhere else, my role will be a lot different. But if I was here, I’ll be more like a secondary ball-handler. Whenever Steph [Curry] is taken out of the game, I’ll be there to assist, maybe provide a little more offense or instant offense.”
In addition to the Warriors and Thunder (Nos. 12 and 17), Lendeborg has also worked out for the Heat (No. 13), Bucks (No. 10), Hornets (Nos. 14 and 18), and Mavericks (No. 9), and has upcoming workouts with the Clippers (No. 5) and Hawks (No. 8), Johnson notes.
“In a way, it kind of makes me envision myself playing on a team like this, Charlotte, the Heat, all those teams that I’m getting mocked to,” Lendeborg said. “It kind of gives me something to get attached to. I can’t get too attached, though. If I don’t get drafted by any of them, I don’t want to be upset. Either way, it’s nice to see and it’s a blessing to be part of this.”
Here’s more on the 2026 NBA draft:
- While North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson is viewed as a less-polished offensive player compared to fellow top prospects Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa, he expressed confidence in his shooting and passing ability at last month’s combine, as Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network writes. “People don’t think I can really shoot, which is kind of funny to me. I really work on it and I can shoot,” Wilson told reporters. “I didn’t have the best numbers this year, but it was an interesting situation because that’s not what I was asked to do at the college I was at. I was just doing what I needed to do to help us win. People that say I can’t shoot, I feel like that’s interesting, but I’ll prove it over time. It doesn’t really matter.”
- Peter Suder was considered a relatively unheralded prospect when he was invited to the combine, but NBA teams have grown familiar his game over the last couple months, per Grant Afseth of Ballislife.com. “I’ve done 17 (pre-draft) workouts so far and have five more through June 20,” Suder told Afseth. “One of the main things I’ve learned is that it’s your job now. That’s how it’s treated at the next level. It’s not really like recruiting in college. You go in, show what you can do, and then move on to the next workout. The main thing I’m working on right now is movement shooting and different types of catch-and-shoot situations. I’m just trying to perfect that skill for the next level.” The former Miami Redhawk, a 6’5″ guard, was named MAC Player of the Year as a senior last season and is ranked 93rd on ESPN’s big board.
- German guard Jack Kayil is keeping his name in the draft, agent Milan Nikolic confirmed to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress (Twitter link). Givony reported a month ago that the projected second-round pick planned to stay in the draft as an early entrant.
Draft Notes: Top Prospects, Wilson, Lendeborg, Trades
The 2026 NBA draft class has been lauded as a particularly strong one at the top of the lottery. AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Cameron Boozer (Duke), and Darryn Peterson (Kansas) make up a formidable trio, and Caleb Wilson (UNC) is by no means a consolation prize.
Even though they’re all great prospects in their own right, they’re not quite at the top of the list of the best draftees to come into the league over the last decade, according to Sam Vecenie of The Athletic.
In Vecenie’s rankings of top prospects since 2015, Dybantsa, Boozer, and Peterson come in at sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively, while Wilson is 18th, one spot below the Spurs’ Dylan Harper. Even though the UNC forward falls out of the top 15, Vecenie writes that he considers Wilson’s value to be equivalent to the second overall pick in a normal draft lottery.
At the top of his rankings, based on how they were evaluated before they got to the league, Vecenie has a top five of Victor Wembaynama, Cooper Flagg, Zion Williamson, Cade Cunningham, and Karl-Anthony Towns, in that order.
We have more draft news and notes:
- When it comes to Wilson’s projections at the next level, his trainer, Robert Swain, believes that the sky is the limit, given his versatile skill set and high character. “He’s going to explode,” Swain said in an interview with Mark Medina of R.org. “He’s going to be a great teammate. He’s going to be able to provide whatever the coach wants him to do. He’ll be able to do it at a high level.” Swain says Wilson has been working on his face-up game since the college season ended. While the athletic forward showed some self-creation skills in the mid-range in college, smoothing out the jump shot will go a long way in helping him reach his ceiling. As far as player comparisons, Swain’s are ambitious. “With Magic Johnson, I can see Caleb getting a rebound and taking it coast-to-coast, whether he’s scoring for himself, creating for a teammate to score or creating for a teammate to create for another teammate,” he said. “So I see him making those quick decisions with the basketball in his hands. With Paul George, you can see him spacing up and taking the elbow jumper and getting into his one-two dribble pull-up. As far as (Kevin) Garnett, you can see Caleb scoring 18 feet in, grabbing defensive and offensive rebounds and blocking shots.”
- Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan) is hoping to become the NBA’s next versatile, do-it-all forward, and there are four players he is using to help shape how he works on his game, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “One is [Paolo Banchero], I always tried to mimic his game,” Lendeborg said, following a workout with the Warriors. “(Timberwolves big man) Naz Reid as well. In a way, I try to mimic some of [LeBron James’] drives and how physical he is and how he uses his body, when to use it, stuff like that. And somebody I still watch to this day is, just highlights, is Magic Johnson. I learned a lot of different things. Little pieces from each player.“
- Rumors have circulated about teams looking to trade up or down in the draft, and while the high pedigree of the top players makes it unlikely that we will see major movement at the top, it’s not out of the realm of possibility. That’s why ESPN’s NBA insiders put together six potential major draft-day trades that could shake up the landscape. The first would be an unprecedented move: the Wizards trading pick No. 1, Bub Carrington, and Cam Whitmore to the Jazz for No. 2, Ace Bailey, and a 2029 pick. The top two picks have never been swapped before, according to ESPN. Could this be the year it happens?
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’s sources say 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.