2026 NBA Draft Thread
Am I the only one skeptical of the Stirtz pick? Just feels like a lot of better options available there.
But yes, it is OKC.
But yes, it is OKC.
2025 recruiting class:
KJ — draft pick
Will Riley — draft pick
Morez — draft pick
Tomislav — TBD
KJ — draft pick
Will Riley — draft pick
Morez — draft pick
Tomislav — TBD
Congrats to Keaton! Thank god he didn't end up on the Kings. 
remember when Seahawks fans didn’t like the Witherspoon pick because they wanted Jalen Carter?
Looks like warriors front office had a big disagreement about the draft pick.
hooraybeer
- Peoria, IL
was hoping we landed wilson/ament
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Reminds me of this quote by another orange-clad great
Wagler's ability to play simple basketball is much rarer than it looks.
I love "best decelerator in the draft", and that idea as I said previously that what's great about him versus these other elite athletes only really reveals itself in the context of playing actual, competitive basketball.
Bigtex
- DFW
Do you think the new Dallas coach has seen Morez and Mara play and likely influenced who was taken????
Or they actually liked Swain and had him highest of any pick left on the board? Swain does bring a lot to the table if he can fix that shot, which is possible. Jaylen Brown and Kawhi Leonard, for example, had even bigger question marks about their shot than Swain does. At #15 (and actually a lot earlier than that) everyone is going to have weaknesses and question marks, and you just take the guy who you think has the best ceiling and hope you have the answers to those questions.
Give the new GM an opportunity. He just got them Nick Claxton, a starting quality big, for absolutely nothing. That's pretty good! And may also be why they weren't as eager to give up assets to move up and draft Steinbach.
The problem is that it was said to be a “4 player draft” for the entirety of the past year.
Wagler could absolutely end up better than Wilson. Honestly, I think CHI would’ve very much considered 1 or 2 of the guards if the public narrative hadn’t been so in favor of Wilson. The PG talent is undoubtedly potent.
However, when it’s such a consensus, you’re weighing a huge risk if you’re the GM betting against it (if Wilson does end up the better player). Just from a job security and public scrutiny standpoint.
To me this is the risk Brooklyn might be weighing taking Brown over Acuff (though it was thought that Acuff wanted to be in SAC).
…..
Consensus has absolutely been wrong several times. I remember everyone had Ayton over Luka and Trae Young in 2018.
It’s just if you do miss, you miss along with everyone else. Versus being on a lone island with everyone screaming at you.
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I think every NBA coach and scout has seen these guys play.
I also think Dusty May has never had an NBA job in any capacity and NBA scouts are, well, NBA scouts.
But mostly I think the thing I said was that if the Mavs thought Morez projected as the better NBA player it was fine, but "if they took him over fit despite thinking Mara would be the better overall NBA player, that's dumb." Since I'm not quite understanding it, can you let me know which part of that your post is trying to address?
My understanding is that all the teams within that range liked Wagler over the other point guards BESIDES 1) Brooklyn who fell in love with Brown and 2) Sacramento who loved Acuff.
Clippers preferred Wagler as we saw. Hawks also liked him and so did OKC (there were small talks they could’ve traded up).
The “better” teams definitely preferred Wagler.
I do get it from Sacramento’s perspective, as Acuff was sensational. Not sure about Brooklyn though (I think Acuff is more advanced than Brown in every way).
The bigger thing is that those guards will be compared against each other for the rest of their lives.
Wagler/Brown/Acuff/Flemings/Burries. There will be lots of dialogue.
Clippers preferred Wagler as we saw. Hawks also liked him and so did OKC (there were small talks they could’ve traded up).
The “better” teams definitely preferred Wagler.
I do get it from Sacramento’s perspective, as Acuff was sensational. Not sure about Brooklyn though (I think Acuff is more advanced than Brown in every way).
The bigger thing is that those guards will be compared against each other for the rest of their lives.
Wagler/Brown/Acuff/Flemings/Burries. There will be lots of dialogue.
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ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Moving up costs resources and the Bulls aren't really in a position to give up resources. You definitely don't want to give up future picks.
The Swain thing seems pretty simple, he's a SLAP guy, and he's a bargain at 15 if you can teach him to shoot. That's a gamble that seems consistent with the philosophy Graham has articulated.
I’d rather have the “controversy” be Brown over Acuff and not Wagler over Acuff.
Keaton always made most sense for LA. Garland was very good for them, and even if one thinks Acuff is the marginally better player, they’re close enough as prospects that you don’t revamp your entire team for Acuff. Wagler will please a lot of people. It just made sense.
He gets a lot of heat for the PG trade, but he’s very polished in his speaking.
I am one of the worst at being able to tell if someone here on IL is joking, being sarcastic, or whatever, but I think BigTex was being facetious. On the other hand, perhaps you are just doing the same and playing along in which case you are playing chess and I am playing checkers.
Yes indeed. Nothing but blessings and best wishes to Keaton and his family. What a joy to watch him for the time he was here.
AND NOW... now that this is done... can't wait to see who the NEXT Keaton will be for The Beloved. Next!
As a former White Sox announcer used to say... 'Don't Stop Now, Boys...".