Examining NBA Mock Draft 2026 Expert Predictions for Lakers, Warriors, Bulls and More

The NBA Draft kicks off on Monday, June 23, with teams selecting the players they hope to carry them to championship contention in the near future.

Ahead of the organization-defining event, find out where top mock draft experts have the best and brightest landing with this examination of their predictions for the league's most popular teams.

Chicago Bulls

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Picks: 4 and 15

There is little mystery to the Bulls' first pick at No. 4, with B/R's Jonathan Wasserman, Jeremy Woo of ESPN, and CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein all projecting Caleb Wilson to Chicago.

Wilson averaged 19.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and shot 57.8 percent from the floor this past season at the University of North Carolina.

A power forward who can play center, Wilson is a high-motor player with potentially game-changing tools that can be further polished at the next level.

There is a break at No. 15, though, with Wasserman and Woo projecting Baylor guard Cameron Carr, fresh off an impressive performance at the combine. At the same time, Finkelstein likes Kentucky sophomore center Jayden Quaintance.

Woo wrote, "Chicago can go a number of directions with its second first-round pick, but it has a need on the wing and could see Carr as a viable fit, assuming the Bulls wind up with Boozer or Wilson earlier in the draft."

Finkelstein wrote in support of his prediction, "(New Bulls Executive Vice President) Bryson Graham is known to covet size, length, athleticism, and physicality (or SLAP for short), and no player left on the board checks those boxes better than Quaintance."

Regardless of who the team ends up with at the midway pick, either would fit an area of need and would help an organization desperate to return to contention after three decades of mediocrity.

Golden State Warriors

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One of the most divisive picks in the entire draft belongs to the Golden State Warriors, a team that still has all-time great Steph Curry leading the way, but faces questions about the future.

Wasserman has the team selecting Karim Lopez from the New Zealand Breakers, a 19-year-old power forward who can benefit the Warriors thanks to his "potential to provide physicality at the 4, spot-up shooting and ball-screen playmaking."

Finkelstein touted center Aday Mara at the pick, noting that his facility fits head coach Steve Kerr's preferred style of play. "He's also got sneaky mobility, good hands, real passing ability, and provides vertical spacing."

Woo likes Brayden Burries, the freshman shooting guard from Arizona at the pick, pinpointing the youth and depth that such a selection would bring to the team.

He wrote, "His dimensions will play up better on the ball than at the two, but his sturdy build should also help him defend wings. The fact he's a year older than some of the other freshmen and somewhat caught between positions based on tools makes him more of a back-half lottery option."

With the Warriors on the outside looking in at the playoffs, and injuries a concern of late, building a deep roster of players who can contribute when the cornerstones of the organization are unavailable is a smart move, even if there remain questions about the hesitancy to look forward.

Los Angeles Lakers

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The Lakers fell short of their championship goal again this season, swept by Western Conference runners-up, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

One of the team's weaknesses continues to be the lack of consistent, reliable center play, and both Woo and Finkelstein have the organization addressing that position with the 25th pick of the draft by selecting Henri Veesaar out of North Carolina.

The junior big man "could figure into their rotation next season," Woo wrote. Finkelstein noted, "while they may prefer a more defensive-oriented one, Veesaar's combination of size and skill could be too much to pass up on."

That Veesaar can shoot confidently from beyond the arc makes him an even more intriguing option if available.

Wasserman has the Lakers selecting point guard Dailyn Swain from Texas, noting that he has "Swiss Army knife" potential, thanks to "his improved creation, pull-up game, floater, and passing."

A Solidified Top Three

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The Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, and Memphis Grizzlies hold the first three picks in the draft and all three prognosticators project the same players in the same spots.

The Wizards select AJ Dybantsa, the forward out of BYU, whose raw tools and size make him the apple of many a team's eye.

The Jazz would follow with freshman guard Darryn Peterson out of Kansas, arguably the best player in the draft. His injury history does create some questions about teams' willingness to mortgage the future on him, but if he can stay on the court, he has superstar potential.

Finally, Memphis selects Cameron Boozer, the freshman forward/center out of Duke, who might be the most complete player of the bunch, but whose lack of vertical skill lands him outside of the top two.