Category: Basketball

The NBA’s offseason rhythms don’t slow down for anyone. 

Just half a day after the Lakers drafted Baylor wing Cameron Carr with the No. 24 pick in the first round of the NBA draft Tuesday, the franchise agreed to terms on a four-year, $185 million contract with star guard Austin Reaves Wednesday.

And the immediate question that followed — with the official start of free agency a week away — is how Reaves’ new nine-figure deal will affect the Lakers financially this offseason?

The quick answer? Minimally. 

Because Reaves didn’t officially sign the contract, his $20.9 million cap hold (which allows the Lakers to maintain his Bird Rights and go over the salary cap line of $165 million to re-sign him) is on the Lakers’ books instead of the $41.3 million salary he’ll have for 2026-27.

From here, the Lakers have multiple paths they can choose from when entering free agency.

They have five players (LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Maxi Kleber, Luke Kennard and Jaxson Hayes) slated to become unrestricted free agents and two more players (Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart), having until Monday to decide whether they’ll opt into their player options or opt out and become free agents. 

The Lakers can relinquish everyone’s cap hold but Reaves’, which would create around $48 million in cap space. 

They could use the cap space to re-sign their own players, sign other unrestricted free agents, make offer sheets for restricted free agents or use in trades to acquire players without having to send out players who make an equal amount of salary.

If the Lakers took this route, they’d also have the $9.4 million room exception. 

And then from there, officially re-signing Reaves would be the last order of business. 

But if the Lakers decide to stay over the cap, they could maintain the rights to re-sign most of their own free agents. They’d also have access to the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which they could use to sign one player or multiple free agents, which they did last season with Ayton and Jake LaRavia. 

Reaves’ contract may be significant, but it isn’t slowing the Lakers down this offseason.

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Rumors about LeBron James potentially returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a farewell tour this offseason have been flying around for months. Brian Windhorst of ESPN added fuel to that fire on Wednesday during a radio interview on ESPN Cleveland.

"I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron, obviously LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs," – @WindhorstESPN says the Lakers would KILL to get Jarrett Allen in a trade for LeBron. pic.twitter.com/WiFmIABUiE

— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) June 24, 2026

“There is a thought process out there in Los Angeles — and I think if the Cavs were interested in this, the Lakers would sit up at attention right now — that they would sign-and-trade LeBron for Jarrett Allen,” Windhorst said. “And I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they could have LeBron.

“Obviously, LeBron would have to want to sign with the Cavs. But your pathway to pay LeBron the money is to trade Jarrett Allen for him. The Lakers would kill for Jarrett Allen. Kill for him! They would do that deal in 17 tenths of a second.”

Even if the Cavaliers were willing to send Allen to the Lakers for LeBron in a sign-and-trade, they’d have other obstacles to overcome. But as Windhorst said, that would be their cleanest path to add LeBron this offseason unless he’s willing to sign a veteran-minimum contract with them.

How realistic is a LeBron/Allen S&T?

If the Cavaliers were to acquire LeBron via a sign-and-trade, that would hard-cap them at the first apron for the entire 2026-27 league year.

Current projections have the first apron landing at roughly $209 million. The Cavs are currently projected to have more than $222 million in salary on their books for next season, although that figure includes James Harden’s $42.3 million player option. Harden is widely expected to decline that option and sign a multiyear deal at a lower annual salary to help the Cavs duck below the second apron.

Allen is set to earn $28 million flat this coming season. Unless LeBron agreed to take significantly less than that, he wouldn’t help bring much financial relief to the Cavs. They’d likely have to look at salary-dumping Max Strus ($16.7 million), Dennis Schröder ($14.8 million) and/or Sam Merrill ($9.2 million) to give themselves enough flexibility under the first apron to round out their roster after acquiring LeBron.

If the Cavaliers did acquire LeBron via sign-and-trade, they’d also potentially price themselves out of being able to re-sign Dean Wade, Keon Ellis or any other free agent who’s expected to receive more than a minimum contract. That’s not a problem for the Lakers to worry about, though. On their end, the transaction would be easy to swing regardless of whether they operate as an over-the-cap team or a cap-space team.

If the Lakers went the over-the-cap route, they could sign-and-trade LeBron for Allen while maintaining their free-agent rights to Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and the rest of their free agents. Choosing this path would hard-cap them at the second apron, but they’re already hard-capped there after sending cash to the New York Knicks to trade up for Cameron Carr, so that’s inconsequential.

If the Lakers went the cap-space route, they could absorb Allen into their $50-plus million of potential cap space. However, they might have to renounce their rights to both Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes to create that kind of wiggle room.

Dave McMenamin of ESPN recently reported that Luka Dončić has been in “constant communication” with the Lakers this offseason and has made it clear that he wants them to add an “A-list center.” It’s unclear whether Allen fits that mold, although Dončić has had plenty of success with his archetype in the past.

Allen isn’t a three-point-shooting “unicorn” big man. He’s hit exactly 20 threes across his nine-year NBA career, 11 of which came within his first two seasons. A grand majority of his offense comes within 10 feet of the basket. He’s not much of a pick-and-pop threat.

However, he’s a sturdy screen-setter and would be a potentially potent pick-and-roll partner for Dončić. Allen averaged 3.4 points per game off rolls this past season, which was tied for the eighth-highest mark leaguewide. He’s a strong rebounder and a decent shot-blocker, too.

If the Lakers don’t believe they can make a realistic run at Jalen Duren or Walker Kessler in restricted free agency, Allen might be the best available option this offseason. He just turned 28 in April, too, so he isn’t far off from Dončić in age.

Trading LeBron for Allen would be a clear downgrade in terms of talent, but it would better balance the roster by solving the Lakers’ need for an upgrade at center. Since LeBron could hypothetically leave them empty-handed by signing elsewhere in free agency, getting something of real value for him would be better than that alternative.

If LeBron does leave this offseason, the Lakers probably won’t receive a massive haul for him. However, the Cavaliers likely would require the Lakers’ cooperation since a sign-and-trade seems like the most realistic pathway for them to acquire LeBron.

That could result in the Lakers landing a former All-Star center who’s smack dab in the middle of his prime.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

Britain's Tobi Lawal says he is going to "live" in the gym as he bids to establish himself as an NBA player after being selected in the NBA Draft.

The 23-year-old was picked 48th overall by the Dallas Mavericks after two years as a starter in the college game at Virginia Tech.

The 6ft 8in forward only began playing competitive basketball when he was 16 and developed his game with the City of London Academy.

He then left south London to play at high school in Maine before spending his first two years in college at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Like many prospects selected in the second round, he is viewed as a project player so will now focus on "getting a better feel for the game".

"I hope this provides inspiration to young kids that anything is possible," he said.

"I'm touching close to what I could be and how good I could become. I definitely believe that it can help me become as great as I want to be.

"In London it is hard to get in the gym. Now the gym is right next to my house. I love being in the gym. I love growth - as a person, in my faith and as a player. Now I can do that, I'm going to live there."

Lawal was one of 30 players picked during the second round of the NBA Draft in New York, which concluded on Wednesday.

The first 30 players were picked on Tuesday, with the Washington Wizards selecting former Brigham Young University small forward AJ Dybantsa first overall.

• Which British players are in the NBA?
• NBA Finals winner Anunoby predicts UK basketball boom

Who are the winners of the draft?

The draft can help NBA franchises turn around their fortunes, while relatively unheralded prospects can become NBA legends.

Victor Wembanyama, for example, was the first overall pick in 2023 and he not only helped the San Antonio Spurs end their play-off drought this year but they went all the way to the NBA Finals.

They were beaten by the New York Knicks, with this year's Finals Most Valuable Player being Jalen Brunson, a second-round pick in 2018. Others include Nikola Jokic, Draymond Green and Dennis Rodman.

The Washington Wizards had this year's first pick and were expected to go for 19-year-old AJ Dybantsa instead of point guard Darryn Peterson after giving Trae Young a contract extension.

After a 17-65 record last season, the Wizards are expected to improve with the 6ft 9in Dybantsa joining a core which includes Young and Anthony Davis, and they hope to reach the play-offs for the first time since 2020-21.

With the second pick the Utah Jazz had to choose between Peterson and power forward Cam Boozer, son of Jazz legend Carlos, who now works in their front office.

Yet they plumped for Peterson so the Memphis Grizzlies took Boozer, who won multiple awards as a freshman with Duke last season, with the third pick.

They also collected five future second-round picks to move back from 16 to 21 in the first round, where they made 19-year-old Karim Lopez the first Mexican-born player to be drafted in the first round.

The 6ft 8in forward was the highest-rated prospect in this year's class from an international league having played for the New Zealand Breakers the past two seasons.

The Grizzliesalso acquired former first-round pickIsaiah Stewart and with the 32nd pick selected versatile guard Richie Saunders, who is 25 and was a late bloomer after serving a two-year church mission prior to starting college.

Despite finishing with the NBA's top record for the second straight year, the Oklahoma City Thunder had two top-16 picks.

They were expected to challenge for back-to-back championships but were upset by San Antonio in this year's play-offs.

The Spurs, led by the 7ft 4in Wembanyama, could be OKC's biggest rival in the Western Conference for years to come so they remedied that by using the 12th pick on 7ft 3in Spanish centre Aday Mara. They then added point guard Bennett Stirtz with the 16th pick.

Trades agreed for Antetokounmpo and Ball

Several teams traded picks and players this week as they aim to rebuild their roster for the 2026-27 season, with two big-name veterans set for blockbuster moves.

Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to join the Miami Heat, with the Milwaukee Bucks choosing Miami's package over that of the Boston Celtics, which would have included their five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown.

The Bucks used one of the picks they acquired from Miami to select Tennessee forward Nate Ament 13th overall, shortly after taking Arizona guard Brayden Burries with the 10th pick.

The 2021 champions then completed the draft by selecting Malique Lewis of Trinidad and Tobago with the 60th and final pick. The 21-year-old forward has spent the past two seasons playing for South East Melbourne Phoenix.

Miami's anticipated trade for Antetokounmpo, though, has transformed them from afterthoughts to legitimate contenders, with their championship odds having been slashed in half this week.

Only Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Boston and the New York Knicks are seen as having a better chance of becoming the 2027 NBA champions.

This week's other big trade has seen the Charlotte Hornets agree to send guards LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves, in exchange for Naz Reid and a host of draft picks, according to reports.

Minnesota, who lost to San Antonio in the play-offs, made the moves after star player Anthony Edwards said he would ask for a trade if they did not build a championship-level roster around him.

• The stateless street hustler who became basketball's biggest star

With free agency about to start in the coming days, the Milwaukee Bucks have an answer in regards to the future of center Jericho Sims.

According to HoopsHype Insider Michael Scotto, Sims will exercise this $2.8 million option to remain with the Bucks for the 2026-27 campaign.

Sims played in 67 games for the Bucks last season, averaging 5.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for Milwaukee.

With the roster looking very different compared to last year after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, there is a lot of opportunity for players to earn minutes and roles within the roster. Sims will likely compete with Kel’el Ware and Myles Turner (if he’s on the roster by the start of the season) for playing time at the center position.

Sims began his career as the No. 58 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the New York Knicks out of the University of Texas. Sims spent the first three years of his career with the Knicks before being traded in the middle of his fourth season from the Knicks to the Bucks. Sims had his first full year in Milwaukee during the 2025-26 campaign and showed flashes of potential throughout the year.

With the Bucks entering a new era under head coach Taylor Jenkins, it will be intriguing to see how he fits into Milwaukee’s new system and how much he can grow as a player.

Brew Hoop community, how do you feel about Sims’ return to the Bucks? Let us know in the comments section below.

The 2026 NBA Draft is over. We let our immediate thoughts marinate and after sitting in the Toronto Raptors’ post-draft press conference availability, here are our final grades:

Rebecca: B

Allen Graves

It’s not hard to see why the Raptors see value here. An obvious option as a pick and pop player with solid shooting last season. He has good size and can probably contribute as a spacer immediately if his numbers stay consistent with the jump to the NBA. Graves had a fairly small sample size (only 93 attempts).

I also don’t love some of his decision-making, especially in the paint. This could be due to a lack of capable shooters around him in Santa Clara but he forces possessions inside rather than kicking to the open shooter. That should be easy to fix, especially with options like Walter and Barrett in the corner.

Overall – I think most of us agree that we wanted a centre or point guard.

Jaden Bradley

A point guard! 

For what’s available at this point in the draft, I really like this pick. He’s a big guard who has plenty of experience in his four years in college. He can easily slot in and support off the bench which matches the Raptors’ timeline a little bit better.

He’s shown drastic improvement defensively, and with solid three-point shooting, he can help space the floor for the bench.

Josiah: B+

The Raptors made two very Raptors picks in Graves at No. 19 and Bradley at No. 50. Both have intriguing defensive potential, with Graves’ sky-high steal rate at Santa Clara a key pillar in his analytics-friendly profile and Bradley’s point-of-attack defensive pressure. Both have questions on the offensive side of the ball. The wisdom of the crowds (and it is a very crowded mock draft space indeed) has Graves ranked a little lower than No. 19, and Bradley a little higher than No. 50, but the fit in Toronto could smooth both of those pre-draft projections.

Toronto has drafted at least one player in the 6’7-6’9 height range in every draft since 2020. They’ve taken a player from college with every pick since Bruno Caboclo (now only two years away!) in 2014. Grades for players approximately four seconds into their NBA careers aren’t exactly a science, but in a draft process that’s more art anyways, I’ll trust the quality draft history.

Kristian: A-

It’s become a tradition synonymous with this time of the NBA calendar for Raptors fans. We get ourselves excited – and attached – to players we’ve invested hours watching on YouTube or reading about during commutes. When it’s finally time for our picks to be announced, we stand or sit in front of the TV with bated breath, before subsequently going through a violent swing of emotions because the Raptors front-office again chose to go with what they believe internally.

While we’ve had our misses, the Raptors have traditionally drafted well, particularly with later first-rounders. I believe Allen Graves will join a growing list of prospects we eventually learn to be grateful for. If most things fall into place, Graves could provide Head Coach Darko Rajakovic with an Al Horford-Boris Diaw type of player. At pick 19, that’s an absolute steal, knowing how much of a two-way force both players were. Go watch some footage of either player in their primes and tell me that archetype wouldn’t look great next to Scottie Barnes.

As for Jaden Bradley, there’s immense value in bringing on a senior with an established portfolio. The 2025-26 Big 12 Player of the Year is expected to come in and challenge the veterans.

That’s the goal of these young guys, to push the player ahead in the depth chart,” said Assistant General Manager Dan Tolzman. “He’s not going to take a back seat.”

“He’ll come in and fight.”

Julian: A-

Allen Graves

Graves is the prototypical Raptors pick. A big forward with two-way chops who the Raptors won’t have to hide on defence. I understand the logic behind the Graves pick: Vision 6’9″ and all of that, but after adding Collin Murray-Boyles last year, I believed that we were finally in a position to start drafting for fit.

Free agency is never a sure thing for Toronto, and while our reputation has improved greatly since the 1990s and 2000s, the Raptors have never been a destination for FAs, which is part of the reason I am wary about the belief the franchise has in being able to add size and guard play without the draft. 

I think Graves has the potential to slot in well into lineups as a backup forward where CMB is playing the 5, but I am concerned that due to the similarity of play-style between him, Boyles, and Scottie, he won’t get the minutes he deserves to prove that he can hang with the big dogs, just like CMB benefited so much from last year. Nevertheless, if anyone can develop Graves, it would be us. I was shocked at last year’s pick and have been extremely pleased with the results. I’m willing to give my faith to the Raptors again.

Jaden Bradley

If the first round is about taking swings at prospects, second round conservatism is far from a bad thing. Bradley has shown what he can do on the college court, and taking a senior for the experience amidst a bunch of players all hitting that 22-24 age range is a great idea for team fit.

Bradley looked cool, calm, collected, and in control during March Madness, and getting that level of veteran talent out of the draft is more than worth it. 3-and-D is a phrase that has been overused ad nauseam, but Bradley himself has made it clear that he sees that as a big part of his role here in Toronto

Getting a guard that will be hard to either target on defence or sag off during offence is always going to be a good move, and will save the energies of Scottie Barnes and CMB, redirecting defensive attention where it is really necessary. Having someone else to drop dimes and shoot threes alongside – or in stead of – Quickley and Shead is not a bad thing at all. And if the minutes aren’t there, time in the G-League is nothing to be ashamed of in this franchise – Bradley will bring high quality play alongside intangibles wherever the Raptors choose to slot him in. 

Austin Reaves’ new $185-million deal guarantees him a deal richer than any undrafted player has ever received.

The deal coming in at such a big number might have Laker fans thinking they just offered him the max and got it over with, but that’s far from the case.

Reaves mentioned feeling relief that an agreement was reached, and that’s likely because, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Lakers weren’t initially offering him a max deal.

On Thursday’s episode of “First Take,” Windhorst said the Lakers were offering Reaves much less, putting his future with the team in question.

“Austin Reaves, from what I understand, two days ago was somewhere around $30 million a year in his offer from the Lakers. A very good contract. It is a far cry from what they offered him yesterday. What they offered him yesterday and what he agreed to was more than $45 million a year. That’s a 50 percent increase in like 24 hours. That’s why Austin Reaves was falling down on the golf course yesterday. Because he got his contract offer up 50 percent.”

With teams like the Pistons reportedly interested in signing Reaves, the Lakers likely felt pressure to pay him the max and avoid the risk of him going elsewhere.

Of course, paying him less would’ve been ideal for the franchise, but even less ideal would’ve been watching Reaves flourish in Detroit and having fans wonder why LA let a homegrown talent like that walk away.

The Lakers couldn’t risk that, so they did the smart thing and paid Reaves the max to ensure he’d remain in Los Angeles.

The Lakers’ front office does deserve credit for being tough negotiators here. They tried to get a deal done for less than the max, but didn’t mess around when it became clear that’s what it would take to keep him.

Now, the Lakers have their backcourt locked up, and considering how quickly they reportedly went from an offer around $30 million to one over $45 million, it’s unlikely there are any hurt feelings over this process.

In free agency, the market dictates what one is worth. Clearly, there was some interest in Reaves as a max player from other teams, so the Lakers stepped up and made sure they had a fair offer on the table.

But before they just gave Reaves a higher number, they tried to do something team-friendly, and that was a good way to go through this process.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

While the 2026 NBA Draft is now in the rearview mirror, the Lakers are still making roster moves. A move they made June 25 is sure to bring a lot of smiles to basketball fans.

Jon Chepkevich ofDraft Express broke news on Thursday that the Lakers have signed Robbie Avila to an Exhibit 10 contract after Avila wasn’t drafted.

This contract means that Avila has agreed to a one-year, nonguaranteed deal for the league minimum salary with the Lakers.

This Exhibit 10 contract can also be converted to a two-way contract, which would then result in any bonus money (which can reach up to $75,000) becoming guaranteed.

Avila is a 22-year-old, 6-foot-10 center who played his first two college basketball seasons at Indiana State before transferring to Saint Louis.

He averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game with the Billikens during his senior season, which was enough to earn him A-10 Player of the Year honors.

The Lakers have signed Robbie Avila aka Cream Abdul-Jabbar to an Exhibit-10 contract, per @DraftExpresspic.twitter.com/0aarvObrEs

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) June 25, 2026

Avila has become a college basketball fan favorite because of his unique, eccentric look. He doesn’t have the typical body type of a basketball star, plus the glasses he wears on the court have provided several hilarious nicknames, including “Cream Abdul-Jabbar” (which is fitting, now that he’s with the Lakers).

Now Los Angeles didn’t sign Avila because it would go over with fans. He’s a versatile forward who is an excellent passer for his size and position. Plus, Avila shot 41% from 3-point range during his senior season and 37.9% from 3 throughout his college career, which shows he can expand the floor.

It will be fun to see whether Avila can earn a spot on the Lakers’ roster in the upcoming season.

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The Golden State Warriors have signed undrafted free agent guard Nick Boyd out of Wisconsin to an Exhibit 10 contract, per ProMondo Sports (presumably his agency). Boyd was actually ranked higher in Sam Vecenie’s draft rankings for The Athletic than Warriors second-round pick Lajae Jones (53 vs. 99). Exhibit 10 deals are non-guaranteed but include small bonuses (less than $100,000) designed to incentive players to join a team’s G-League affiliate when they likely do not make the team. Exhibit 10 contracts primarily function to help NBA teams fill out their rosters, which expand to 21 in the offseason for summer league and the preseason. Each team is allowed up to six Exhibit 10 contracts. They may be converted to a two-way deal prior to the start of the regular season as well.

Boyd spent the first four years of his college career at Florida Atlantic, where he was recruited and played under new Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May. Boyd came off the bench as a freshman, but redshirted his sophomore year to focus on his development. He was the team’s starting point guard when he returned, helping them on their Final Four run in 2024. He saw his playing time decline the following season, however, and he transferred to San Diego State.

After one season as a floor general in the Mountain West, Boyd transferred to Wisconsin. In his lone season in a Power-Four conference, Boyd’s production exploded. He led the Badgers in scoring, averaging 20.7 points per game, while averaging 4.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game on 48.0%/36.5%/83.0% shooting. They finished the season 24-11 and ranked 25th in the final AP poll.

Vecenie describes Boyd as an “Undersized but crafty floor general who gets paint touches but is already 25.” Boyd is limited by a 6’1 frame and 6’2 wingspan and no elite tools. He is a solid driver and finisher for his size and has flashed above-average catch-and-shoot ability, but has struggled as a pull up shooter. He is a good passer with decent vision, but is not exceptional.

With LJ Cryer already on a two-way contract, it seems like Boyd would have an uphill battle to a two-way deal or roster spot unless the Dubs fail to sign another ball handler in free agency and opt to promote Cryer to the active roster.

Knicks second-round draft pick Jack Kayil has earned nothing but praise from his peers overseas.

The Germany native has spent the past season with Alba Berlin, his hometown team, and was second on his team in points per game (12.3) and assists (3.5) at 19 years old.

His coach, Pedro Calles, though, was more impressed with his maturity and the way his leadership style commands respect from his teammates than his stats.

“We are talking about a 19-year-old guy, but his mind and body aren’t those of a 19-year-old. This is the first thing that got my attention,” Calles told Basketball Champions League.

Fellow Alba Berlin guard Martin Hermannsson was also impressed with Kayil’s body at such a young age, saying his strength, athleticism and ability to get to the basket are special.

Kayil uses his 6-foot-5 frame to create separation from his defenders and sees the court as a playmaker.

“A big guard with real on-ball creation ability,” NBA Draft analyst Matt Babcock said. “If he develops more consistency as an outside shooter, it should help unlock the next level of his game.”

This season, Kayil became the youngest to win the Basketball Bundesliga Best Young Player award, beating out established NBAers Franz Wagner and Dennis Schroder.

Despite the recognition, Hermannsson said Kayil just keeps working, always listening to anyone who offers advice and comes in early to practice to get individual work in.

“He’s not taking his talent for granted, and he’s not just thinking that everything will fall in his place,” Hermannsson said. “He’s really working for everything he has, and that will take him a long way.”

Kayil’s off-the-court qualities are what those around him seem to note first.

Alan Ibrahimagic, Germany’s coach at the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup, raved about Kayil’s personality and his ability to put basketball aside to connect with his teammates.

As team captain, Kayil helped lead Germany on a magical run to the tournament championship before falling to the United States.

That selflessness can, however, be a weakness for Kayil on the court, Ibrahimiagic said.

“Sometimes he’s a little bit too unselfish: he always tries to find another teammate before looking at himself. He could be a much better scorer than he is right now. But with that said, he’s one of the best two-way guards in Germany,” the German coach said.

Along with knowing when to take the shot himself, both Hermannsson and Ibrahimiagic think Kayil would benefit from calming himself down in games. Something that should come with experience, the Alba Berlin guard said.

For as good at playmaking as Kayil was this year, he also led his team with 2.3 turnovers a game.

Ibrihimiagic also noted that if the game slows down for the Knicks’ second-round pick, it could improve his shot-making.

“He needs to get into the point guard mindset of running the team, controlling the next play, thinking always one step ahead: getting the ball to the ones who need it and getting others to the right spots, reading the game earlier and better,” Hermannsson says.

With the 2026 NBA Draft officially in the books, it’s time to round up the grades and see how the collective media thinks your Dallas Mavericks did. The Mavericks draft can best be described as perhaps, polarizing? Morez Johnson Jr., for how good he is, was not ninth on most boards (13^th on the consensus board), leading to the fair assumption that Dallas reached on the pick. But, grabbing Sergio de Larrea where they did was a very shrewd move.

All in all, on our live show Tuesday night, I gave the Mavericks a C+ for the work they did. I almost feel as if an incomplete grade is more suitable for the work they did, however. The rest of the roster is awfully redundant with Johnson Jr., and to a degree, Cooper Flagg. There are still transactions that need to be done over the coming days and weeks, and until that’s done, it is a bit unfair to judge the front office. However, if the roster looks and is balanced this way in October, it’ll be a different conversation.

Now that my amateur grading is out of the way, let’s see how the assembled media graded the Mavs.

SB Nation

Morez Johnson Jr.: B+

Our first shocker of the draft! The Mavericks just stole Dusty May away from Michigan, and now he’s bringing one of the top players from his national championship team to his new pro home. Johnson is super long and super strong, he’s an awesome play finisher, a good rebounder, and I believe he might be the best defender in the class. You can make the argument that his upside is capped because he’s a little short for a center, and he doesn’t yet shoot threes, but I think he’s a dog who is additive at either the four or the five. The Mavs just got a lot tougher around Cooper Flagg.

Sergio de Larrea: B

Tall pick-and-roll ball handler who can throw some really nice passes when he’s not sloppy with his turnovers. He shot it well this year, and gives the Knicks another guy who can run offense to take some pressure off Jalen Brunson. Update: De Larrea is going to Dallas.

The Athletic

Morez Johnson Jr.: C+

Hollinger’s analysis: Surprise! I’m a fan of Johnson but not quite at this level. I think his offensive limitations are a bit much to select him in the top 10 in such a strong draft. He also has some positional questions on this roster since the frontcourt is so loaded already. Shockingly, he goes ahead of his two Michigan teammates (Aday Mara and Lendeborg), both of whom most had rated higher throughout the draft cycle. Obviously, you wonder how much influence newly hired coach (and former Michigan head coach) Dusty May had on all this. 

Sergio de Larrea: A

Hollinger’s analysis: I love this pick for Dallas. I had De Larrea in my top 15 and think teams slept on him while he was hugely productive in Spain the past two years. The Mavs gave up two seconds to move up from No. 30 and make sure they got him, which I see as a justifiable investment given the talent cliff that hit basically right after this pick. He’s a Bogdan Bogdanović-type guard with good size who can shoot and pass and should help Cooper Flagg whether he’s on or off the ball. 

CBS Sports

Morez Johnson Jr.: C+

New Mavs coach Dusty May brings in a Michigan player to Dallas. Morez Johnson was one of the biggest winners of the combine, measuring bigger than expected with massive length, well-rounded athleticism, and simultaneously reaffirming the shooting gains we saw this year. Johnson is long and powerful with an NBA-ready body and rugged physicality to match. He is a two-way rebounder and a versatile defender who can not only guard ball-screens in multiple ways but also be switchable inside-and-out.

Johnson is not a creator and doesn’t project as being more than a complementary piece offensively. Shooting is also still largely unproven with a total of 12 3-pointers in two college basketball seasons. He can provide some secondary rim protection, but doesn’t project as a primary shot-blocker at the NBA level. 

Sergio de Larrea: B

A big guard and advanced passer with excellent perimeter size, de Larrea has the potential to play multiple positions. He has a good feel for the game and ability to navigate and make reads off ball-screens. Dictates his own pace and rarely gets sped up. Made notable strides as a shooter and became a reliable floor-spacer, albeit with a fairly elongated release that is powered primarily through his upper body.

De Larrea has some athletic limitations that are exacerbated by playing upright with limited bend or flexibility in his body mechanics. He struggles to get all the way to the rim, especially in the half-court. Also a limited finisher in traffic. Relies on his size and IQ defensively, but has had similar struggles to hold his own on that end of the floor in EuroLeague play.

Team report card: C+

The single most important goal for Dallas this offseason was to give Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg a long-term running mate. By selecting Johnson, the Mavs added toughness, familiarity and size in a forward who played for new Mavs coach Dusty May last season at Michigan. There was debate about who would be the first Michigan player off the board, and it ended up being Johnson — who was one of the biggest risers of the draft cycle. But does he have the upside to justify the No. 9 pick? De Larrea, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Spain who played important minutes for a Valencia team that was one of the EuroLeague’s best, should fit well as a complementary piece around Flagg and Kyrie Irving. Lawal is a freakish athlete who can run the floor and finish at the rim. He will have to embrace a defensive identity to stick in the NBA.

ESPN

Team report card: B+

The “Michigan Mavericks” added Johnson one day after hiring former Wolverines coach Dusty May.

Johnson’s relentless energy as a defender and rebounder was crucial to Michigan’s NCAA championship run, and he has tried to expand his scoring profile by experimenting with a 3-point shot.

If that progress sticks, this pick could look amazing in hindsight. Dallas desperately needed more young talent to reorient its roster around last year’s No. 1 pick, Cooper Flagg, and Johnson fits the bill as a player who can capitalize when defenses load up on Flagg.

De Larrea, a big guard who played professionally in Spain last season, and Lawal, a forward from Virginia Tech, fall into the flier category. May will have multiple years to turn around the Mavericks, but Tuesday was a good start.

Bleacher Report

Team report card: D

Despite this likely being the Dallas Mavericks’ best chance to pair Cooper Flagg with a star given the ownership and swaps of their future first-round picks, the Mavs ignored their biggest need.

Flagg and Dereck Lively II should be viewed as the franchise’s frontcourt moving forward, especially if the latter can stay healthy. Dallas suffered from horrible guard play all year and needed a playmaker to help set the table for Flagg, not force him out of position.

Johnson, although a good defender, is limited offensively and is going to need to take a frontcourt spot. With Brayden Burries going one spot later and a run of four potential All-Star guards in front of them, the Mavs should have done all they could to move up a spot or taken the Arizona product instead.

De Larrea potentially fills this need, although he was talked about as a draft and stash option when the New York Knicks originally made the selection at No. 25. This was the Mavericks best chance to add a high-upside guard to grow alongside Flagg and they messed it up so new head coach Dusty May could take one of his Michigan players, a move that’s not going to age well.

Jaylen Brown has been passed over yet again.

Just a few days after the Bucks chose the Heat’s trade package for Giannis Antetokounmpo over the Celtics’ offer headlined by Brown, the Timberwolves traded for another player instead of Brown. 

Minnesota discussed the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, but instead pivoted to Charlotte guard LaMelo Ball since it felt he fit the roster better and would require less compensation, according to The Athletic.

The Timberwolves acquired Ball and Josh Green for Naz Reid, one first-round pick and three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks.

The Bucks’ previously opted for Miami’s offer built around young players and first-round draft picks over the Celtics’ package centered on Brown.

That Brown would be mentioned in another trade in such quick fashion only raises questions about whether he will be with the team come Opening Night this fall.

Boston President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens did not give a concrete answer on whether the guard would remain with the team earlier in the week. 

“Jaylen Brown is a big part of us,” Stevens told reporters Tuesday night. “I don’t want to predict the future. I look at it as this is our team.”

Brown shined this past season while serving as the team’s No. 1 option for most of the year with Jayson Tatum sidelined, calling it his favorite season of his career.

He finished fourth most in the NBA with 28.7 points per game. 

There is at least one possible trade partner that could still make sense for the Celtics, though.

The Celtics have long been interested in the Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley, according to SI’s Chris Mannix, and could use a good frontcourt presence to help deepen the roster. 

Brown would provide Cleveland with another capable scorer alongside Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.

Now that the 2026 NBA Draft is behind us, scouts and executives fully shift their evaluation focus to the 2027 NBA Draft and a new crop of players.

12 months away from when these prospects will actually hear their names called, it is nearly impossible to predict which players will emerge at the top of the next class. Experts feel the upcoming class is not nearly as loaded at the top as 2026 was with AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer.

However, there are still plenty of talented prospects who will soon make a name for themselves at the next level in college basketball and overseas.

NBA Draft analysis: 2026 NBA Draft team grades: Which front offices did the best in both rounds?

2027 NBA mock draft

While the lottery process will look very different next season, here is a quick look at the top players to know heading into the upcoming season:

1. Sacramento Kings: Jordan Smith Jr. (Arkansas, Guard)
2. Chicago Bulls: Bruce Branch III (BYU, Wing)
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Caleb Holt (Arizona, Guard)
4. New Orleans Pelicans (from MIL): Tyran Stokes (Kansas, Wing)
5. Houston Rockets (from BKN): Braylon Mullins (UConn, Guard)
6. Atlanta Hawks (from NOP): Cameron Williams (Duke, Big)
7. Memphis Grizzlies (from UTA): Amari Allen (Alabama, Wing)
8. Charlotte Hornets: Anthony Thompson (Ohio State, Forward)
9. Washington Wizards: Alijah Arenas (USC, Guard)
10. Houston Rockets (from PHX): Dylan Mingo (Baylor, Guard)
11. Charlotte Hornets (from DAL): Motiejus Krivas (Arizona, Big)
12. Toronto Raptors: Stefan Joksimovic (Baskonia, Guard)
13. San Antonio Spurs (from ATL): Hugo Yimga-Moukouri (Nanterre, Forward)
14. Portland Trail Blazers: Thomas Haugh (Florida, Forward)
15. Orlando Magic: Abdou Toure (Arkansas, Wing)
16. Oklahoma City Thunder (from LAC): Miikka Muurinen (Arkansas, Forward)
17. Golden State Warriors: Patrick Ngongba II (Duke, Big)
18. Philadelphia 76ers: Jason Crowe (Missouri, Guard)
19. Brooklyn Nets (from HOU): Brandon McCoy (Michigan, Guard)
20. Utah Jazz (from CLE): Caleb Gaskins (Miami, Forward)
21. Indiana Pacers: Matt Able (North Carolina, Guard)
22. Memphis Grizzlies (from LAL): Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt, Guard)
23. Detroit Pistons: Billy Richmond (Arkansas, Wing)
24. Oklahoma City Thunder (from DEN): David Mirkovic (Illinois, Forward)
25. Phoenix Suns (from MIN): Ivan Kharchenkov (Arizona, Wing)
26. Charlotte Hornets (from MIA): Matas Vokietaitis (Texas, Big)
27. Brooklyn Nets (from NYK): Luigi Suigo (Villanova, Big)
28. Boston Celtics: Christian Collins (USC, Forward)
29. Oklahoma City Thunder (from SAS): Cameron Houindo (Cedevita, Big)
30. Los Angeles Clippers (from OKC): Tounde Yessoufou (St. John’s, Wing)

This draft order was based on projected championship odds via DraftKings and account for trades and swaps via RealGM.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2027 NBA Mock Draft: Caleb Holt and Bruce Brunch take an early lead

It’s basically pretty simple. All the rebuilding, all the losses, all the trades, all the disappointments over the past two years came down to the moment that Adam Silver stepped to the stage Tuesday night and intoned those words, “with the sixth pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Brooklyn Nets select… MIKEL BROWNJR!”

Sure, the selection of Egor Demin at No. 8 a year ago and his (mostly) positive season matter, but the sixth pick in what could be a generational Draft was also the franchise’s highest pick since 2010 when they took Derrick Favors with construction barely underway at Barclays Center and HSS Training Center just an idea. More than that, the 2010 Draft was mediocre at best.

Indeed, the pick that became a thin 20-year-old lead guard from Orlando was arguably the franchise’s biggest decision since John Calipari muffed 1996 Draft and wimped out by deciding against taking Kobe Bryant. No, no, we’re not saying Brown is the next Kobe, nor are we dissing the pick of Brook Lopez at No. 10 in 2008. We’re just measuring the call’s potential impact.

Brian Lewis on Friday put Sean Marks decision this way:

The Nets have had a busy month of decisions, from the Julius Randle trade to Michael Porter Jr. extension to how to use the rest of their cap room. But down the road, whether Marks is still Brooklyn’s GM or not, his legacy may well be remembered by the call he made Tuesday night.

Might well be choosing Mikel Brown Jr. over Darius Acuff Jr., just as The Post projected he would.

That’s probably reductive. Technically, Marks picked Brown over not just Acuff but a litany of prospects — including Kingston Flemings and Brayden Burries, Nate Ament and Aday Mara. But realistically? Brown and Acuff are going to be linked because Marks drafted the Louisville freshman sixth overall, and Acuff came off the board one spot later to Sacramento.

Frankly, a big win on Brown would also help fans forget what happened with the Clean Sweep. Without saying so, Marks gets that. In his post-Draft presser, he noted:

“We’ve all talked about, and the media talked about, how good this draft was and how deep this draft is. You never quite know until four or five years down the road,” he told reporters.

“I’ve said the things that stood out about Mikel, the high character, the competitive fire that he has, the physical skills he has, the ability to shoot from deep, the range that he has, play with his teammates, make quick decisions, his athletic ability. A lot of those things will definitely translate to our league. Those are definitely things that stood out, being able to play on and off the ball and his versatility.”

Those or five years will also likely be filled with comparisons to the other lead guards who were available at the time No. 6 spot, particularly Acuff. So be it. Marks gets that, adding “Look, I don’t know that I need to get into who we didn’t draft and so forth.”

Others surely will, as Lewis writes.

Right now we’re just in the prologue. But by then, the Big 3 era will be a decade in the rearview, a distant memory. Porter and Randle — both of whom can be free agents next summer — may each be gone. Meanwhile, these rookies will be entering their prime. And Marks’ call will be either vindicated or vilified.

• Why ‘dynamic’ Mikel Brown Jr. was Sean Marks’ choice to push Nets’ rebuild forward – Erik Slater – Clutch Points

Allen Graves and Jaden Bradley have been wrapped up in the whirlwind of the draft, seeing the two players make their way north to Canada to speak to media ahead of the Summer League’s beginning.

Graves entered flanked by family, his brother a prominent presence on the sidelines as the rookie took a seat at the OVO Athletic Centre. The former Louisiana Mr. Basketball was collected and relaxed as he spoke about the outpouring of support from his Ponchatoula community – 8000 strong – where “literally the whole town” was picking up the phone to wish him well.

He called Toronto “amazing,” and spoke positively about the city’s greenery as similar to that of his native US south. The connection to home is strong, noting that his father worked four jobs – as a bus driver, in a mechanic shop, and as a minister – and brings that ethos of working hard to his play on the court. “I got to take my job as serious as he does,” said the forward. And indeed, Graves seems to have a good understanding of his place on the team, and in the league.

He said that his year one focus would be on defence, “being able to switch, being able to guard,” with that side of the ball being how he would “keep getting contracts.” Graves was confident about his abilities, saying that the latter half of the season, especially his matchup with Gonzaga, marked when the NBA dream felt real. “I feel ready, I wouldn’t have took it if I didn’t think that I was ready, and I was able to play at this level.”

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Bradley, drafted just last night, was a bit more subdued after flying in to Toronto from North Carolina. Bradley was born in Rochester, New York, and lived in Charlotte for much of his life. Similarly to Graves, he spoke about his defensive responsibilities as paramount to his play. “I knew I had to hang my hat on the defensive end,” he said. “My freshman year at Alabama, I had some great, great players and I knew I had to… kind of earn minutes.”

That unselfish perspective from the former Big 12 Player of the Year suggests he’ll fit in well on a Raptors squad alongside the roster of other points guards. Having faced off against Jamal Shead in college, Bradley called it “a crazy game,” and complimented Shead, calling him “a great player defensively,” and that “offensively, he had it going as well.” Having the two hard-nosed guards on the same team now could be a dangerous weapon in the hands of this Raptors organization.

There were moments of levity from Bradley as well. When asked about strange questions that he was asked by teams during the draft, he was asked “what is it like growing up with a fed in the house?” This, in reference to his father’s work in the federal government, which he joked was a matter of his father “know[ing] every movement”.

Bradley was the only second round draft pick not traded last night, and spoke about what that meant to him.

we knew who we wanted pic.twitter.com/nl4UJ4Ejvf

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 25, 2026

“It means the world to me,” he said. “I’m going to show them that it’s gonna, it’s gonna work out.”

The NBA Summer League will begin on July 9th, 2026, running until the 19th. Keep an eye out for the rookies to show off their stuff soon!