How NBA Mock Drafts Contrast for Warriors, Lakers, Knicks and Top Teams with 1 Week to Go
Selection time is fast approaching for the 2026 NBA draft.
The first round gets rolling on June 23, meaning teams are moving out of the information-gathering phase and into the final stage of the decision-making process.
And draft analysts should, at least in theory, have their strongest hunches yet of what those decisions will wind up being. Let's dig into the latest mocks, then, and see which direction these prognosticators think some of the top teams will go.
A Surprise Second Selection?
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While it isn't hard to find some mention of the Washington Wizards still weighing their options at No. 1, it is tricky to sniff out a mock that has them doing anything other than investing the pick in BYU swingman AJ Dybantsa. In fact, you'll find general agreement on most of the early selections at this point.
That isn't a universal truth, though. While Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman and ESPN's Jeremy Woo are aligned on the first six selections, Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor went a different direction already at No. 2. Wasserman and Woo went with the popular prediction of the Utah Jazz taking Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, but O'Connor instead sent them Duke power forward Cameron Boozer.
That would give Utah a supersized frontcourt, but O'Connor opined that the Jazz might be able to make this work.
"Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen are both more perimeter-based players, so Boozer can play inside with them," O'Connor wrote. "Walker Kessler, who could be re-signed, is an interior player, so Boozer can create. ... Jackson and Kessler could both support Boozer on defense, alleviating concerns about his explosiveness and size to protect the rim full-time and his lateral quickness to switch onto guards."
It's a fun thought exercise, for sure, and maybe it's the kind of approach teams will need to take in order to deal with that 7'4" megastar down in San Antonio. Victor Wembanyama worries aside, though, it's hard to argue against Peterson being a much cleaner fit for this club.
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Warriors Seeking Size at No. 11?
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Size, length and athleticism are obvious needs for the Golden State Warriors this summer. If these mock drafters are right, the Dubs should be able to check at least a couple of those boxes with the No. 11 pick.
O'Connor and Woo, have the Warriors investing the pick in Michigan center Aday Mara. For those less informed, he stands a towering 7'3" without shoes and measured a whopping 9'9" standing reach at the combine. He's probably the top paint protector in this class, and he is a great passer for a big.
Wasserman, meanwhile, linked the Warriors to 6'8", 222-pound New Zealand Breakers' swingman Karim López. "He would be a good fit for teams that have available roles and see a valuable archetype with López's potential to provide physicality at the 4, spot-up shooting and ball-screen playmaking," Wasserman wrote.
If the draft board breaks right, it's easy to assume the Warriors would prefer to add someone with physical tools. What would be interesting, though, is if they come on the clock with a few smaller guards clearly being the best players available. Would they just take the talent and figure out the fit later? Would they reach for a big? Or might they try trading down to gain an asset and better align the board with their needs? Stay tuned.
No Agreement for Knicks at No. 24?
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There were a million and one different reasons why the New York Knicks were finally able to snap their 53-year championship drought this year. Somewhere on that list were line items nodding toward having a bona fide bench and a head coach who trusted his reserves.
With many of those reserves—including Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson—now approaching free agency, the Knicks could be on the hunt for new second-teamers. Mock drafters have delivered several candidates, though there isn't a position or play style that fits an obvious focus.
O'Connor, for instance, has the Knicks spending the No. 24 pick on Arizona forward Koa Peat, a power player with clear offensive limitations but also a willingness to play his role. Woo, meanwhile, linked New York with North Carolina center Henri Veesaar, a skilled 7-footer with three-point range and some bounce around the basket.
Wasserman, meanwhile, sent Arkansas scoring guard Meleek Thomas—a player he compared to Clarkson—to New York. Wasserman credited Thomas for his "shooting versatility and the ability to play in ball screens with pacing" but also raised concerns about his lack of size and limited playmaking.
Lakers Not Going Center at No. 25?
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The Los Angeles Lakers have multiple avenues to explore toward a successful summer, but all of them include finding a replacement for (or, at least, an alternative to) Deandre Ayton at center. It's possible the Lakers try to attack that need with the No. 25 pick, but that's not the direction two of these mock-drafters have them going.
In fact, both O'Connor and Wasserman mocked Texas swingman Dailyn Swain to the Lakers. O'Connor noted the Lakers have a need for "versatile wing defenders who can serve as connectors on offense." Wasserman pointed toward Swain helping himself by showing "his explosiveness for finishing, 3.5 assists per game, scoring off the dribble and defensive playmaking."
Woo did send the Lakers a center, though it's not necessarily a plug-and-play type. That player is Kentucky big man Jayden Quaintance, who looked great on defense but very raw on offense before an ACL tear ended his freshman run at Arizona State and limited him to just four appearances as a sophomore at Kentucky.
"Quaintance's profile appears to be in limbo at the moment due largely to the health of his knee, with team sources consistently expressing concern around his medicals," Woo wrote. That said, if Quaintance's reports are promising, he could be a steal, since L.A. has a "need for a lob option up front," Woo noted.
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