Comparing Expert 2026 NBA Mock Drafts for Lakers, Warriors and Top Teams

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to be loaded with future stars, and the class is also considered a deep one. This means that the teams picking at the top aren't the only ones who could come away as winners.

Fringe contenders like the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors can also hope to add difference-making talent on June 23.

While it's unclear how the opening round of the 2026 draft will unfold, draft experts have their early thoughts. Let's check in on a few recent mocks and gauge expectations for the Lakers, Warriors, and top lottery teams.

Top 10 Comparisons

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AJ Dybantsa

Jeremy Woo, ESPN

1. Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU

2. Jazz: Darryn Peterson, PG/SG, Kansas

3. Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, PF/C, Duke

4. Bulls: Caleb Wilson, PF/C, North Carolina

5. Clippers (from IND): Keaton Wagler, PG/SG, Illinois

6. Nets: Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas

7. Kings: Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston

8. Hawks (from NO): Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville

9. Mavericks: Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona

10. Bucks: Nate Ament, SF/PF, Tennessee

David Cobb, CBS Sports

1. Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU

2. Jazz: Caleb Wilson, PF/C, North Carolina

3. Grizzlies: Darryn Peterson, PG/SG, Kansas

4. Bulls: Cameron Boozer, PF/C, Duke

5. Clippers (from IND): Keaton Wagler, PG/SG, Illinois

6. Nets: Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas

7. Kings: Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville

8. Hawks (from NO): Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston

9. Mavericks: Aday Mara, C, Michigan

10. Bucks: Nate Ament, SF/PF, Tennessee

Sam Vecenie, The Athletic

1. Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU

2. Jazz: Darryn Peterson, PG/SG, Kansas

3. Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, PF/C, Duke

4. Bulls: Caleb Wilson, PF/C, North Carolina

5. Clippers (from IND): Keaton Wagler, PG/SG, Illinois

6. Nets: Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas

7. Kings: Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston

8. Hawks (from NO): Mikel Brown Jr., PG, Louisville

9. Mavericks: Brayden Burries, SG, Arizona

10. Bucks: Nate Ament, SF/PF, Tennessee

Dybantsa Trending as Top Pick, Top Four Could Be Set

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AJ Dybantsa

While the Washington Wizards still have time to decide who they want at the top of the draft, BYU standout AJ Dybantsa is looking like the logical choice. The 6'9" forward averaged 25.5 points and 6.8 rebounds this past season and projects as the sort of young playmaker Washington desperately needs.

"Dybantsa is the name I get most consistently at No. 1 across the league, and he makes a ton of sense with the Wizards," The Athletic's Sam Vecenie wrote. "He's a dynamic, explosive scorer whose three-level scoring ability at 6 foot 9 shone brightly this season."

All three mocks we examined had Vecenie going to the Wizards. While there's certainly no guarantee that he'll go No. 1 overall, it's a safe bet that he'll be one of the first few players off the board.

In fact, there's a good chance that the first four selections will include some combination of Dybantsa, Duke's Cameron Boozer, Kansas' Darryn Peterson, and North Carolina's Caleb Wilson. While the order wasn't the same, these were the top four selections in all three mock drafts.

Peterson seems to be the safest bet for the Utah Jazz at No. 2, as he went second in two of the three mocks and fell no further than No. 3.

"Peterson opened the season projected at No. 1, and despite his stock slipping a touch, NBA teams don't expect him to be on the board for long," ESPN's Jeremy Woo wrote.

CBS Sports' David Cobb did have Utah passing on Peterson, citing the presence of Keyonte George as the reason.

Golden State Positioned to Get a Top Talent

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Brayden Burries

The Golden State Warriors, who reached the play-in tournament, fell just outside of the top 10. However, they're positioned to land a player who would be a top-10 selection, possibly even a lottery pick, in a different draft class.

Two of the three mocks we examined had the Warriors landing a prospect who went in the top 10 of at least one of the others.

Cobb, for example, paired Golden State with Arizona's Brayden Burries, who went to the Dallas Mavericks in Vecenie's mock.

"Burries is a top-10 caliber talent whose effective field goal percentage of 57.2% surpassed that of every other guard ahead of him in this mock," Cobb wrote.

This past season, Burries averaged 16.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. Karim Lopez of the New Zealand Breakers was Woo's pick for Golden State, while Vecenie paired the Warriors with Michigan's Aday Mara.

Lakers Likely to Eye Center or a Range Shooting Role Player

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Henri Veesaar

The Los Angeles Lakers are in a tricky position. They may or may not bring back LeBron James for a final run, and they're certainly looking to be relevant in 2026. At the same time, though, they're trying to build a core group around Luka Dončić—which, presumably, will mean bringing back Austin Reaves in free agency.

Expect the Lakers to try to address one of their two biggest needs—center depth and range shooting—with the 25th overall pick.

Woo and Vecenie both paired L.A. with North Carolina center Henri Veesaar.

"The most obvious need is at center, where they stand to upgrade beyond the mercurial Deandre Ayton," Woo wrote. "Veesaar would upgrade their skill level and add a floor-spacing element that the roster lacks up front."

Cobb, though, paired the Lakers with Texas Tech point guard Christian Anderson, citing his ability to shoot from beyond the arc and facilitate. The Lakers need bench scoring and perimeter shooting, so it's a logical choice.

While the Lakers are unlikely to land a future star, they should be able to land a solid role player in this year's draft.