The Warriors possess the No. 11 pick in this month’s NBA draft.

Who they pick with their highest selection since 2021 could hold the cards to not only the final years of Steph Curry’s career but also the future direction of the franchise.

This week, we are profiling five possible prospects GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. could target.

Continuing with Part 3:

Hannes Steinbach

Age: 20

Position: Forward / Center

Height/weight: 6-foot-10 / 250 pounds

School: Washington

Why he’s a fit

The Warriors got a taste of what it was like to have a dynamic big man last season. But with Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford’s futures up in the air, how about developing one of their own?

Steinbach will have been 20 for just over a month when his name is called on draft night, but the German big man already has experience as a professional overseas, as well as on the international stage. His domestic debut produced an eye-popping statistical freshman season.

Following in the footsteps of previous countrymen Detlef Schrempf and Christian Welp, Steinbach starred for the Huskies and lived up to his predecessors.

Steinbach dominated around the rim to the tune of 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, recording double-doubles in 22 of his 30 games — most in the nation.

His 353 total rebounds also led the country, and he has been described as the best rebounder in the draft class — an area of need for a Warriors team that didn’t have a player average more than six boards per game.

Why he’ll last until No. 11

The last time the Warriors spent a lottery pick on a big man it didn’t go so well.

Steinbach, however, is more Kevon Looney (30th overall, 2015) than James Wiseman (No. 2 overall, 2020). He is not a rim runner or a rim protector and has nothing more than a nascent perimeter shot but comes as a ready-made rebounder with a relentless motor.

The Warriors have struggled to incorporate traditional big men into their offense, but Steinbach’s cutting ability could help him succeed in Steve Kerr’s motion system.

Playing professionally in Germany and competing for his country on the international stage —  leading the Germans to the gold-medal game against Team USA in the FIBA U19 championships — makes Steinbach’s offensive game more mature than other amateur bigs.

However, he faced questions about how his size would hold up against NBA centers.

Steinbach helped assuage those concerns with a strong showing at the NBA combine, measuring in taller than 6-10 with a wingspan that adds another 4 inches. Most notably, he tipped the scales at 248 pounds after entering college at 220.

NBA comp: Domantas Sabonis

With a crafty offensive game, a physical frame and a magnet for rebounds, the NBA’s other successful European big men — Alperen Sengun being another — provide a frame of reference for the type of player Steinbach can become.

ICYMI

Yaxel Lendeborg could be steal of NBA draft

Brayden Burries could be instant playmaker for Warriors

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The 2026 NBA Draft is on the horizon, bringing one of the most significant dates on the league’s calendar. 

Childhood dreams of making it to the NBA will be achieved. 

Teams will turn draft assets into tangible players who they hope will contribute to winning in the short- and long-term future.

And in the background, teams will continue to explore the options that’ll help them achieve their goals for 2026-27. 

For the Lakers, who have a first-round pick in the draft (No. 25), the opportunity the draft presents as it pertains to roster building can’t be whiffed on.  

In their pursuit of assembling a roster that’ll be competitive against the 2026 Western Conference champion Spurs and 2025 NBA champion Thunder, the Lakers have two main options for their first-round pick: trade it for a player who’s ready to compete for a title now alongside Luka Doncic or select a prospect whom they plan to develop and hope will help now and in the future. 

If the Lakers choose the latter, there isn’t a shortage of options. 

Toward the top of that list should be Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr., whose potential and upside may be too enticing for the Lakers to pass on.

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Chris Cenac Jr., Houston big

2025-26 stats: 9.5 points (48.5% shooting — 55.1% on 2s, 33.3% on 3s), 7.9 rebounds, 24.8 minutes

Measurements: 6-foot-10 ¼ (without shoes), 239 pounds, 7-foot-5 wingspan, 9-foot-0 ½ standing reach  

Why draft Chris Cenac Jr.?

Cenac’s mix of size, fluidity and athleticism make him one of the more intriguing long-term prospects who could be available when the Lakers are on the clock with their first-round pick. 

He runs the floor and changes ends like a much smaller player. He’s a constant threat in transition and at the rim — as a lob finisher and straight-line driver — because of his physical tools and motor.

His hustle and willingness to play through contact was evident in his rebounding. Cenac averaged 2.2 offensive rebounds and did well converting second-chance opportunities. 

He showed flashes of reliable shooting from beyond the arc and midrange, with his perimeter shooting being one of the swing skills that’ll determine whether he reaches his potential. 

His ball-handling skills are more advanced than most players his size.

Cenac should be able to switch onto perimeter players in the NBA because of his size, quickness and effort.

He isn’t a traditional rim protector for a big man, but he showcased the ability to be a weakside shot blocker. 

The Lakers know they need to get younger and more athletic to keep up in the Western Conference, and Cenac would address both of those areas.

It’s important to point out that Cenac is repped by WME, the same agency that represents Doncic as well as Lakers big men Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes.

Areas of improvement?

Cenac needs to get stronger to be a reliable big-man option.

He hustles and has a high motor, but needs to strengthen his frame to keep up with the NBA’s physicality and be able to play with force at the next level. 

His offensive game needs significant development: His lack of polish led to inconsistencies with his scoring.

The tools and potential — from his passing to shooting — are evident, but he isn’t a reliable offensive creator because of the inconsistencies. 

His 62.1% free-throw shooting with Houston is discouraging when it comes to hopes of him becoming a reliable perimeter shooter.

He also struggled with his non-dunk finishes, showing a lack of touch.

Cenac needs a team that’ll be patient with his development.

Tyrese Maxey’s 2025-26 campaign started very similar to his year from a season prior. He was tasked with an incredible minutes load in order to lead whatever starting lineup was able to make it onto the court for the Sixers that night. Unlike the previous season, he was ready for the burden.

Coming out firing, Maxey was one of the league’s top scorers averaging 30.8 points per game through the first two months of the season shooting 46% from the field and 39% from three-point range. Even as his averages dipped as the season went on to 28.3 points and 6.6 assists per game on 46%/36%/89% shooting splits, it was still good enough for him to earn his second All-Star appearance and first selection to Third Team All-NBA.

On top of being the league leader in minutes per game, a reason Maxey’s production waned was a finger injury he suffered in March that sidelined him for roughly three weeks. He was able to return to form before the end of the regular season and played as big a part as any in the team’s comeback from down 3-1 in the series to defeat the Boston Celtics in the first round.

He tweaked that finger again early in their second-round matchup against the New York Knicks. Looking hampered, Maxey and the Sixers were dead on arrival against the eventual 2026 champions.

Despite having a familiar end, Maxey’s regular season was a delight from start to finish. He became the efficient scorer he needed to in order to be the No. 1 option of an offense, he handed the keys off to VJ Edgecombe enough to allow him to grow as a long-term running mate in the backcourt, and his chemistry with Joel Embiid made it possible to integrate the big fella quickly after extended absences.

Turning production into wins was the next step in Maxey’s journey. There’s still a lot of room for him to grow, but for the first time in Embiid’s career, it was a genuine debate as to weather he or Maxey was the most important Sixer on the floor to do so.

Obviously, the majority of the 3-1 deficit the Sixers fell into came before Embiid had returned from his appendectomy. At the same time, the only game the Sixers had a chance of taking off New York, Game 2, came without Embiid in the lineup and the difference in that game ended up being the minute and a half Maxey spent on the bench.

That’s one of many reasons why his performance in that series is weird to evaluate. The finger injury definitely hampered him. After averaging 26.9 points on 21.6 shots a game in the Boston series, he averaged just 18.3 points on 15 shots against the Knicks.

The second round series defeat highlighted a truth that had been emerging all season: it was hard for the Sixers to win if Tyrese Maxey wasn’t absolutely cooking.

That somehow hasn’t been as straightforward for the starting point guard on a max contract. The Sixers’ offense dramatically shifts to work around Embiid when he returns to the court, and it normally takes a game or two for them to figure that out and adjust. The most famous example of this may now be Game 4 against Boston.

Maxey even said during the season that he was struggling with the amount of roles he had to take on any given night.

His ability to do so is what’s made him the bridge for the franchise to transition from era to era. He sits right in between the aging former MVP trying to extend his career and the 20-year old who just had a potentially franchise-altering rookie season. For as long as the Sixers have their supposed “Big 4” on the roster, it is Maxey’s job to make it all make sense.

Once upon a time, there was no limit to the number of draft rounds. It lasted as long as there were teams interested in drafting players. As the league expanded and evolved, the draft actually became smaller, eventually adopting the two-round format we know today in 1989. Even then, the second round began at pick No. 28 because there were only 27 teams in the league. The modern draft structure didn’t fully take shape until 2004, when the NBA expanded to 30 teams, and the draft became the 60-pick event we grew accustomed to for the next two decades.

That historical context is important as we continue our journey through picks 40 through 31. If you go back far enough, many of these selections weren’t even second-round picks. The 31st overall pick, for example, was a third-round selection in 1969. In 1960, the 40th overall pick was the final selection of the fifth round.

Times have certainly changed. But regardless of whether a player was selected in the second round, third round, or fifth round, the draft slot remains the draft slot. The objective of this exercise is to determine the best player ever selected at each position, regardless of the era in which they were chosen.

Today, we close out the modern front end of the second round. Before we begin, let’s take one final look back at the players who earned the title of best player selected at each draft position from No. 60 through No. 41.

And now, on with the show…

40. George Gervin (1974)

Honorable Mentions:

• Gar Heard (1970)
• Monta Ellis (2005)

Suns Taken at 40:

• George Gervin (1974)*
• Oso Ighodaro (2024)**

*opted to stay in the ABA
**rights obtained on draft day

Ah, what might have been…

The Iceman, George Gervin, spent the first two seasons of his professional career in the ABA. Then, with the fourth selection of the third round in the 1974 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns took a chance on him. It was a gamble. The Suns hoped the NBA’s appeal would lure Gervin away from the San Antonio Spurs of the ABA and bring him to Phoenix. But it never happened. He remained with the Spurs until 1976, when the NBA absorbed four ABA franchises, including San Antonio.

By that point, Gervin was already a three-time ABA All-Star. When he officially entered the NBA in 1976 at age 24, he immediately established himself as one of the league’s premier scorers. What followed was an incredible run. Gervin played 10 seasons in the NBA and was selected to the All-Star Game in nine of them. The only season he missed was his final year, when he played all 82 games for the Chicago Bulls.

His first nine NBA seasons, all with the Spurs, were nothing short of spectacular. Gervin led the league in field goals made three times. He led the league in field goal attempts three times. Most importantly, he captured scoring titles in 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1982. Night after night, he was an offensive machine.

By the time his career ended, Gervin had accumulated a résumé that included nine NBA All-Star appearances, three ABA All-Star selections, four scoring championships, seven All-NBA selections, and eventual induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Not bad for the 40th overall pick. And if you’re a Suns fan, it’s impossible not to wonder. What if he had said yes?

What if the Suns had successfully convinced him to leave the ABA and come to Phoenix in 1974? History unfolded differently, and Gervin became synonymous with the Spurs. Still, it’s one of those fascinating “what if” moments in franchise history.

Because for a brief moment, the rights to one of the greatest scorers the game has ever seen belonged to the Phoenix Suns.

39. Khris Middleton (2012)

Honorable Mentions:

• Alvin Attles (1960)
• Jerami Grant (2014)
• Earl Watson (2001)

Suns Taken at 39:

• Lloyd Kerr (1969)
• Kevin Magee (1982)
• Rafael Addison (1986)
• Russ Millard (1996)

From one of the best players ever drafted outside the top 30 in George Gervin, we move to a player whose résumé is impressive in its own right, even if it doesn’t carry quite the same historical weight. Khris Middleton is the clear choice at No. 39.

The reality is, there isn’t a ton of high-end talent that has come from this draft slot, which makes Middleton’s career stand out even more. A three-time All-Star and an NBA champion, he has spent 14 seasons in the league proving that second-round picks can become foundational pieces of championship teams.

And he’s been remarkably consistent while doing it.

Over the course of his career, Middleton has averaged 16.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting an impressive 38.5% from beyond the arc. Honestly, I didn’t realize his career three-point percentage was that high until I dug into the numbers. That’s elite efficiency sustained over more than a decade.

What makes Middleton’s career even more impressive is the role he played in Milwaukee. He wasn’t merely a complementary player. He was the co-star next to Giannis Antetokounmpo during one of the most successful eras in modern Bucks history. When Milwaukee won the championship in 2021, Middleton was often the player tasked with creating offense late in games and delivering in big moments. That’s a lot to ask of a player drafted 39th overall.

As we work our way through the 30s, Middleton might end up feeling a little underwhelming compared to some of the names that are still to come. That’s not a criticism of him. It’s more a reflection of how surprisingly strong this section of the draft has been throughout NBA history.

Because if you told any franchise they could guarantee themselves Khris Middleton with the 39th pick, they’d sprint that card to the podium. I’d happily take that every time.

38. Lou Dampier (1967)

Honorable Mentions:

• Steve Blake (2003)
• Chandler Parsons (2011)
• Spencer Dinwiddie (2014)

Suns Taken at 38:

• Dean Garrett (1988)*

*opted to play internationally

As we arrive at the 38th overall pick, we find a collection of solid role players and long-term contributors. What we don’t find is an obvious NBA star. In fact, the best player ever drafted at this slot barely had an NBA career at all. That’s what makes Louie Dampier such an interesting case.

Normally, this exercise focuses almost entirely on NBA accomplishments. Dampier is one of the rare exceptions because what he accomplished in the ABA simply outweighs anything anyone else drafted at this position achieved professionally.

The Cincinnati Royals selected Dampier with the 38th overall pick in the 1967 NBA Draft. The Royals franchise would eventually become the Kansas City Omaha Kings, then the Kansas City Kings, and ultimately the Sacramento Kings. But Dampier never played for them. Instead, he chose the ABA, joining the Kentucky Colonels and becoming one of the defining players of that league.

Over nine seasons with Kentucky, Dampier averaged 18.9 points and 5.6 assists per game while establishing himself as one of the premier guards in the ABA. He was selected to seven All-Star Games, earned four All-ABA honors, and helped lead the Colonels to the 1975 ABA championship. For nearly a decade, he was one of the faces of the league.

Then everything changed in 1976. When the NBA absorbed four ABA franchises, the Kentucky Colonels were not among them. The franchise ceased operations, forcing Dampier to find a new home. That home became San Antonio.

At age 32, Dampier joined the Spurs and spent three seasons in the NBA. His contributions were modest compared to what he had accomplished in the ABA. He averaged 6.7 points per game during his NBA career and served more as a veteran presence than a star player.

But that’s okay. This selection isn’t about what he did in the NBA. It’s about the totality of his professional basketball career. When you look at everything Dampier accomplished in the ABA, seven All-Star appearances, a championship, multiple All-ABA selections, and nearly 19 points per game over nine seasons, his résumé easily rises above everyone else drafted 38th overall.

It’s one of those unique moments where the ABA history matters every bit as much as the NBA history. He’s in the Hall of Fame. And because of that, Louie Dampier earns the nod at No. 38. That and I just couldn’t give it to Steve Blake.

37. Nick Van Exel (1993)

Honorable Mentions:

• Mehmet Okur (2001)
• Archie Clark (1966)
• Eddie House (2000)

Suns Taken at 37:

• Phoenix has never drafted from this position

The 37th overall pick has produced some solid NBA players over the years, but there isn’t a name that immediately jumps off the page as a franchise-changing talent. That said, I’m giving this one to Nick Van Exel. Suns fans of a certain age probably remember him well. In fact, many of us remember him because he always seemed to be a thorn in Phoenix’s side.

Van Exel was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1993 and quickly established himself as one of the more entertaining point guards of his era. He played with flair, confidence, and a level of swagger that made him easy to root for if he was on your team and incredibly frustrating if he wasn’t.

His best years began in Los Angeles, where he earned the lone All-Star selection of his career in 1998. By that point, he had become one of the league’s better offensive guards, capable of scoring in bunches while also creating opportunities for teammates.

Over a 13-year career, Van Exel played for six different organizations. While many remember him as a Laker, some of his most productive seasons actually came with the Denver Nuggets. From 1998 through 2001, he averaged 17.7 points and 8.4 assists per game, proving he could be much more than a complementary player. He was a legitimate offensive engine who could run a team while still providing plenty of scoring punch.

And yes, he played well against Phoenix. That probably factors into my memory of him more than I’d like to admit. In 46 career games against the Suns, Van Exel averaged 14.0 points and 6.4 assists while shooting 40% from the field, 37% from three, and 70% from the free throw line. Those aren’t overwhelming numbers, but they felt impactful whenever Phoenix faced him.

Sometimes, certain players simply stick with you. Van Exel is one of those players for me.

36. Maurice Cheeks (1978)

Honorable Mentions:

• Clifford Robinson (1989)
• Malcolm Brogdon (2016)
• Mitchell Robinson (2018)

Suns Taken at 36:

• Art Beatty (1968)
• Jimmy Connor (1975)*
• Charles Jones (1984)

*opted to play in the ABA

Uncle Cliffy, Cliff Robinson, was drafted 36th overall and certainly deserves a mention here. He had a fantastic career and was one of the most versatile forwards of his era. But if we’re talking about the greatest player ever selected at No. 36, it’s got to be Maurice Cheeks.

Drafted in the second round of the 1978 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, Cheeks became one of the defining point guards of the 1980s. He wasn’t the flashiest player on the floor, and he certainly wasn’t the highest scorer. What he was, however, was a winner. Cheeks played a pivotal role on the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers championship team, one of the most dominant teams of that era.

His résumé is impressive. He was a four-time All-Star, a five-time All-Defensive Team selection, and one of the best perimeter defenders of his generation. Over the course of a 15-year career, Cheeks averaged 11.1 points, 6.7 assists, and 2.1 steals per game while consistently doing the little things that winning teams need.

What makes that 1983 76ers team so fascinating is the balance it possessed. You had the finesse and brilliance of Julius Erving. You had the overwhelming force of Moses Malone. Then you had Maurice Cheeks setting the tone in the backcourt, defending everybody, running the offense, and making life miserable for opposing guards. That team was loaded. And Cheeks was a huge reason why it all worked.

His career eventually took him to New York, Atlanta, San Antonio, and New Jersey, but he’ll always be remembered as a Sixer first and foremost.

And speaking of championships, congratulations are in order. More than four decades after winning a title as a player, Cheeks added another championship to his résumé this season as an assistant coach with the New York Knicks.

35. Draymond Green (2012)

Honorable Mentions:

• DeAndre Jordan (2008)
• PJ Tucker (2006)
• Rick Mahorn (1980)

Suns Taken at 35:

• Allen Murphy (1975)*

*opted to play in the ABA

You’d be hard-pressed to find a more impactful player drafted 35th overall than Draymond Green.

At first glance, his statistical profile might not overwhelm you. For his career, Green has averaged 8.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. Those numbers are solid, but they don’t immediately scream Hall of Fame. That’s because Draymond’s value has never been fully captured by the box score. His impact comes from everything else.

It comes from his defensive versatility. It comes from his leadership. It comes from his basketball IQ. It comes from his willingness to do all of the dirty work that winning teams require. And yes, it comes from the attitude and edge he brings to the court every single night.

Love him or hate him, Draymond Green helped define an era of basketball. The Golden State Warriors won four NBA championships with Green serving as the emotional heartbeat of the team. While Stephen Curry was the engine and Klay Thompson was the flamethrower, Green was the connective tissue that made everything work.

Green is a four-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection, a nine-time All-Defensive Team honoree, and the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year. He has spent more than a decade serving as one of the league’s most versatile and disruptive defenders. For a second-round pick, that’s extraordinary value.

Finding a player who can become a franchise cornerstone is difficult enough in the lottery. Finding one at No. 35 overall is the type of outcome that changes the trajectory of an organization. That’s exactly what happened in Golden State. Draymond Green may never be remembered as the greatest scorer or the most talented player from his era, but his impact on winning is undeniable.

34. Carlos Boozer (2002)

Honorable Mentions:

• Don Buse (1972)
• Jae Crowder (2012)
• Mario Chalmers (2008)
• CJ Miles (2005)

Suns Taken at 34:

• Don Buse (1972)*
• Tyler Ulis (2016)

*opted to play in the ABA

I honestly forgot Carlos Boozer wasn’t a lottery pick. Coming out of Duke in the early 2000s, it felt like every notable Blue Devil ended up hearing his name called in the first half of the first round. But Boozer slipped all the way to No. 34, where the Cleveland Cavaliers selected him in the 2002 NBA Draft.

Looking back at the history of the 34th pick, it’s kind of interesting. You see names like Don Buse, Jae Crowder, and Mario Chalmers. None of them were superstars, but all of them carved out meaningful careers. It feels like this is the lunch pail draft slot, the place where teams find players who show up, put their heads down, and go to work. Boozer certainly fits that description.

After beginning his career in Cleveland, he eventually landed with the Utah Jazz, where he played the best basketball of his career. It was there that he became a two-time All-Star and earned an All-NBA Third Team selection. For several seasons, Boozer was one of the more productive power forwards in the league. He wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t revolutionary. He simply produced. Night after night, he gave you points, rebounds, toughness, and consistency. That’s why coaches loved him and why he remained a valuable player for so long.

By the time his career came to an end, Boozer had spent 13 seasons in the NBA while averaging 16.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. Those are impressive numbers for any player, let alone one drafted 34th overall. Was he a franchise-changing star? No. But he was dependable. He was productive. And he was always there. Sometimes that’s exactly what makes a player successful.

33. Jalen Brunson (2018)

Honorable Mentions:

• Bob Love (1965)
• Kevin Duckworth (1986)
• Happy Hairston (1964) What a name…

Suns Taken at 33:

• Lamar Green (1969)
• Scott English (1972)
• Gary Melchionni (1973)
• Butch Feher (1976)

Jalen Brunson, the newly minted NBA Finals MVP, was selected 33rd overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. And yes, it’s one of those drafts that can drive Suns fans insane if you stare at it for too long.

The Suns didn’t draft Luka Doncic. Shai Gilgeous Alexander went after Mikal Bridges. And Phoenix selected Elie Okobo while Brunson remained on the board. That’s why it’s usually best not to spend too much time looking backward. If you do it long enough, you’ll lose your mind.

When you look at the history of the 33rd overall pick, there are some solid players. Plenty of guys carved out respectable NBA careers. Brunson is different. He’s already a three-time All-Star. He’s already a three-time All-NBA selection. Now he’s an NBA champion and an NBA Finals MVP. And he’s only 29 years old.

If there’s one word to describe Jalen Brunson, it’s winner.

He won at the AAU level. He won at Villanova. He won in Dallas. And now he’s won at the highest level the sport has to offer. Everywhere he goes, success seems to follow.

What’s most impressive is the way he’s done it. Brunson isn’t an overwhelming athlete. He isn’t physically imposing. He doesn’t possess the size that teams traditionally look for when building around a franchise player. He simply knows how to play basketball. He’s tough. He’s smart. He’s disciplined. And when the game gets tight, he consistently delivers.

The Knicks didn’t win this championship because Brunson was along for the ride. They won it because he was the engine. He was the primary reason they reached the mountaintop. He was the player opposing defenses were trying to stop. He was the player making winning plays when the pressure was at its highest. For the 33rd overall pick, that’s about as good as it gets. And unless someone comes along with an even more decorated résumé, Jalen Brunson may hold this spot for a very long time.

32. Rashard Lewis (1998)

Honorable Mentions:

• Bill Bridges (1961)
• Caldwell Jones (1973)
• Ivica Zubac (2016)

Suns Taken at 32:

• Nick Vanos (1985)
• Chad Gallagher (1991)*
• Davon Reed (2017)
• KZ Okpala (2019)

*opted to play internationally

As we prepare to close out the second round, the 32nd overall pick presents an interesting case. There isn’t a long list of All-Stars at this draft slot. The most accomplished player selected here is Rashard Lewis, whom the Seattle SuperSonics drafted directly out of high school in 1998.

Like many high school prospects of that era, Lewis needed time to develop. The talent was obvious, but it took a few seasons before everything came together. By his fifth year in the NBA, he had blossomed into one of the league’s better forwards, averaging 18.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while showcasing the kind of size and shooting ability that would become highly coveted in the years that followed.

Lewis earned two All-Star selections during his career, the first with Seattle in 2005 and the second with the Orlando Magic in 2009.

His move to Orlando elevated both his profile and his impact. With the Magic, Lewis became a key piece of a team that consistently competed near the top of the Eastern Conference. Alongside Dwight Howard, he helped usher in a modern style of basketball that relied heavily on floor spacing and three-point shooting from the power forward position.

The Magic never quite got over the hump, but they came close. In the 2009 NBA Finals, Lewis averaged 17.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Orlando ultimately fell short, but Lewis played well on the biggest stage.

After his time with the Magic ended, he was traded to Washington in a deal involving Gilbert Arenas. From there, his career slowly began to wind down. Still, there was one final accomplishment waiting for him. Lewis joined the Miami Heat and won an NBA championship in 2013. His role was limited by that point, and he played only 12 minutes during the Finals, but a championship is a championship.

When it was all said and done, Lewis put together a career that most second-round picks could only dream of. He became a two-time All-Star, a key contributor on a Finals team, and eventually an NBA champion.

31. Danny Ainge (1981)

Honorable Mentions:

• Doc Rivers (1983)
• Bojan Bogdanovic (2011)
• Manute Bol (1985)

Suns Taken at 31:

• Fred Saunders (1974)
• Joe Ward (1986)
• Negele Knight (1990)
• Elie Okobo (2018)
• Rasheer Fleming (2025)*

*rights obtained on draft day

We have some good names at the 31st overall pick, including Doc Rivers and Manute Bol. Both have strong cases, and both left their mark on NBA history. But this one is Danny Ainge’s.

The pesky, annoying son of a bitch out of BYU was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1981 and quickly became the type of player opponents hated, and teammates loved. Long before Dillon Brooks was irritating fan bases around the league, Ainge was doing it in Boston. He was a pest. An agitator. An annoyance. And he played a key role on two Celtics championship teams during the 1980s.

By 1988, Ainge had fully come into his own. After becoming a regular starter during the 1984-85 season, he earned the lone All-Star selection of his career in 1988. That same season, he led the NBA with 1.8 made three pointers per game, a number that feels quaint today but was impressive for the era.

Boston eventually traded him to the Sacramento Kings in February 1989. The Kings then dealt him to the Portland Trail Blazers that offseason, a move that would eventually intersect with Phoenix Suns history.

Ainge helped Portland eliminate the Suns in the 1992 Western Conference Semifinals, a series that proved to be a turning point for the franchise. That 53-win Phoenix team had grown tired of postseason disappointment, and the loss helped push the organization toward the blockbuster trade that brought Charles Barkley to the Valley. Ironically, the Suns also brought in Ainge that same offseason via free agency.

His arrival paid immediate dividends. Ainge played 80 games for Phoenix during the 1992-93 season and helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals. It was the sixth Finals appearance of his career and his second consecutive trip after reaching the championship round with Portland the year before. Unfortunately for Ainge and the Suns, Michael Jordan was waiting on the other side. Just as Jordan had denied Portland in 1992, he denied Phoenix in 1993.

Ainge would spend the final three seasons of his career with the Suns, serving as a veteran leader and valuable contributor during one of the best stretches in franchise history. He would then join the coaching staff, and towels were thrown. You know the story.

When it was all said and done, he played 14 NBA seasons, averaged 11.5 points per game, and shot 37.8% from beyond the arc. More importantly, he won two championships, made an All-Star team, appeared in six NBA Finals, and built a reputation as one of the fiercest competitors of his generation.

And with that, we close the book on the second round and step into territory where the talent pool starts getting a little richer.

What stands out most from picks 40 through 31 is how many different paths to success exist in professional basketball. Hall of Famers, champions, All-Stars, role players, and a few fascinating “what ifs” all emerged from this stretch of the draft. It’s a reminder that value can be found anywhere if an organization knows what it’s looking for.

The lottery may grab the headlines, but NBA history has always been built on finding gems long after the spotlight has moved on.

Ticker.

Tape.

Parade.

James Dolan

On the future of the Knicks:

“We’re gonna keep working to bring you even better basketball. Although it’s hard to imagine that we get much better than this. But we will, right fellas?”

On delivering a championship to New York City:

“When I look out over the Knick fans here, you all don’t look older than 53 years. Some of you weren’t waiting 53; you weren’t born yet, but we’re very, very happy to have brought you a championship. I’m very proud of our team.”

Mike Brown

On Knicks fans and playing at Madison Square Garden:

“Playing in front of you guys when we had our ups was fantastic, but you’re the most knowledgeable foundation in the whole NBA. Your guys’ energy when we had our downs was off the charts, and I want to thank you for it. There’s nothing better than walking into the iconic building of MSG and getting down night after night after night in front of you guys. You guys made us feel the energy that brought us over the hump when we didn’t feel like playing, when our game wasn’t at the top again.”

Jalen Brunson

On believing the Knicks would finish the job:

“Somehow, some way. I knew we were going to find a way to get this done. Most importantly, thank you to the fans. Not gonna lie, though, y’all. Y’all are some pretty hard critics, but we appreciate it.”

On winning the championship:

“Damn, we really did it, dawg.”

On his critics and doubters:

“There’s a lot of people who have a lot of opinions. But when you prove them wrong, you really ought to, you don’t have to say s–t to them. Nah, they don’t deserve it.”

Miles McBride

On the championship parade:

“Couldn’t have imagined a better turnout. Thank you, Knicks nation.”

Tyler Kolek

On being mistaken for a fan and nearly tackled by the cops:

“I swear I’m on the team, bro.”

Leon Rose

On Mike Brown and the coaching staff:

“Mike Brown and our entire coaching staff, you came in this season with enormous expectations and completely exceeded them, and you did it with so much class that resonated with New Yorkers.”

Walt Frazier

On the championship parade crowd:

“This has exceeded any expectations I ever saw that we had. I mean, when we played, everybody was from the USA, so mainly our audience was black and white, but now they’re Hispanics, they’re Chinese, all different races that follow the NBA. It’s just been a magnificent thing to witness.”

On the 1973 celebration:

“That day was a lot of hoopla for us. Maybe we had 200 people here and some dignitaries, so we were very happy with that.”

On seeing the city embrace the Knicks:

“They would be amazed at what has happened to the Knicks and how they’ve really captivated the city this year. This has exceeded any expectations I ever thought that we’d have.”

Carmelo Anthony

On the championship’s impact:

“The whole city won. New Yorkers are, as they say, ‘lit’ right now.”

Spike Lee

On attending his first championship parade:

“I’ve never been to a parade ever. But I’m glad it’s this one!”

Zohran Mamdani

On New York during the Knicks’ championship run:

“New York City has just had some of the two most magical months in as long as any of us can remember. Over these past few weeks, as the Knicks kept winning, our city has come together as one.”

On the 53-year wait:

“For 53 long years we have watched, and we have waited. We have watched from nosebleeds and through gritted teeth, on televisions in the windows of electronic stores, and from projectors balanced on fire escapes. We have watched alone in our apartments with our heads in our hands, shoulder to shoulder at bars where the signal flickers, alongside friends and family who we wish, more than anything, could be here today, sharing this moment.”

On finally seeing a championship in New York’s streets:

“We waited without ever knowing if this day would come. We waited because we knew deep down in our sick, suffering hearts that it would. New York City, this team has done it. The New York Knicks are NBA champions.”

On the parade bringing the city together:

“So often, when this city comes together, it is because we are forced to by a moment of tragedy or adversity. What a gift it is to be brought together by pure, unfiltered joy.”

On why the championship reflected New York City:

“Let’s not pretend that this was inevitable. If you will allow me, I want to travel back in time. Eight days, Game 4, nine minutes and 33 seconds left in the fourth quarter. The Knicks are down 20. The analytics guys, the sports betting companies, the pundits who watch from far away, they do what they do. They run the numbers, they calculate the odds, they write the Knicks off, they give the Spurs a 99.6% chance of winning the game, a 99.6% chance of tying up the series 2-2, of reclaiming the momentum with the next game in San Antonio, a 99.6% chance of silencing the Garden of another year of watching and waiting, but there is one thing that the pundits just don’t get about this team, they just don’t get about this city. It is in that .4% that we go to work.”

On New York’s identity:

“Most of all, it’s in that .4% that the Knicks do what New Yorkers have always done. When we are told something is impossible, we find a way, we win. Standing here before what feels like the entire city, there is a Jalen Brunson quote I can’t stop thinking about. ‘You are allowed to think about the worst possible scenario, but you got to go out there and do something about it.’ The Knicks did not just win for New York City, they won like New York City. What is New York if not your back up against the wall, a dream that feels just out of reach, a rent payment you don’t know how you’ll ever make? What is New York if not 99.6% of the world stacked against you, and who are New Yorkers if not people who hear those odds and smile, who look at a .4% chance of success and ask, why are you giving me a head start? This is our city. This is our team.”

Mark Levine

On New York’s resilience:

“We do not back down, no matter how far behind we are. We were down on 9/11, and we came back. We were down in (Hurricane) Sandy, and we came back. We were down during COVID, and we came back. We were down against the Cavs, against the Spurs and we came back. We are New York. We don’t stop fighting. You should be afraid of us. We are the champs because of the New York Knicks.”

Aaron Judge

On New York sports success:

“A Knicks championship in June and a Yankees World Series in October would bring world peace. There’s a lot of winning going on in New York, so we got to keep that going. I like the team we have. I like the opportunity we’ve got in front of us. It’s going to be an exciting rest of the year.”

On attending Game 4:

“I went to Game 4 with my wife. We were kind of worried in the third quarter, but we knew the Knicks. Like [Jalen] Brunson said: They show up about thirty minutes late, take care of business. That was a special game. Never forget it.”

RZA

On Wu-Tang’s role in the Knicks’ run:

“At the end of the day, the first thing goes to the hard work of the coach and the players. But energy is everything. Energy can multiply. And so when the Wu-Tang came with that energy, we put a spark. So I like to tell people, we lit that wick that led to that explosion.”

On the Madison Square Garden vibes after the Game 4 performance:

“The building felt different after our performance. I think eventually that energy resonated and just permeated into our great New York team. Bong bong.”

On which other game could Wu-Tang have saved:

“Game three. I’m only saying game three because, look, if Wu-Tang would’ve performed, I don’t think the President would’ve took a nap. Our President, he’s a New Yorker. When that Wu joint would’ve been on, he would’ve been like, ‘Yo, you know what? Let’s keep the party rocking.’”

Kendrick Perkins

On Vincent Goodwill calling the title a participation trophy:

“That was a bunch of bulls–t. It was all the way disrespectful, and when I heard him say it, the first thing came to mind is that your ass never was an athlete then. You couldn’t have never participated or been a basketball player or played on anybody’s team talking that type of nonsense. That was the most asinine thing that I’ve ever heard.”

On Goodwill’s disrespect of current and past champions:

“You disrespect the guys who are champions by saying it’s a participation trophy. Like what the f–k are we talking about? Do you know that one in those eight teams that won over the last eight years, one of them was Steph Curry. And I guarantee you if you go ask Steph Curry which one of them was his greatest championship, nine times out of ten he’s going to say the fourth one, not just because he won Finals MVP but because he had to overcome the obstacle of being a defensive liability. And he did that.”

On the need for more media responsibility:

“As the media, we have a f–king responsibility, man, to make sure that we say and do the right things. We don’t go on the stage, on the platform, right after somebody just been crowned champions and call that s–t a participation trophy. Even if you’re thinking that, you don’t say that.”

Alex Moss

On creating the Knicks Larry O’B pendant:

“I knew they were going to win. I f—king knew they were going to win this thing. So I made it.”

On supporting New York creators:

“I think that it’s important to embrace people from this city who are doing great things for the city. We live and breathe New York, everyone in the company. Imagine if someone like Jason of Beverly Hills was making the Knicks pieces. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Stephen A. Smith

On Jalen Brunson saving the NBA from French-mad copycatters:

“He [Brunson] literally saved the NBA because if Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs had captured an NBA championship, everybody would be evolving their game planning, their drafting, their analysis and everything that come with it. Everything would have been evolving around ‘How we do knock off the [7-foot-4] alien from France?’”

On Brunson’s influence on basketball:

“To see him [Brunson] play and to use his marvelous footwork, basketball IQ, poise, seasoning and fearlessness… to see him do that, just think about what that would mean to everybody. Think about what that does for the game of basketball. Without him winning this title, our default position would’ve been ‘How are we going to deal with the [7-foot-4] alien’?”

On drafting taller players to counter Wembanyama:

“You would’ve seen cats who might’ve been inferior talent, but they would’ve still turned around and drafted them anyway just because they were 6-foot-10 or 6-foot-11 or 7-feet tall because you need height when you’re going up against Wemby.”

On the Knicks being the best team in the East for 2027:

“We’re gonna keep it a buck. [The] New York Knicks shouldn’t be the favorites next season, even if they are the champions. If you know basketball and you’re covering basketball, you know what happened this year. You could look at this team and legitimately say the New York Knicks deserve to be the favorites coming out of the East. Without question, the Knicks should be the favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in next year’s NBA Finals — not the Celtics. I don’t give a damn if Jayson Tatum is healthy, okay?

On the Thunder being the No. 1 team in the West:

“We can’t put anything past the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Oklahoma City Thunder were in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. The Oklahoma City Thunder were without Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell, your second and third [best] scorers.

“When [Williams] is healthy, you can’t key on [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] the way [the Spurs] did, double and triple teaming him. As a result, the reigning two-time MVP is free to get loose…so gotta look at it from that standpoint. Ajay Mitchell, some were debating whether he was better than Jalen Williams or not, that’s how much of a stud they both are, and they were both out.”

On his 2027 NBA Finals prediction:

“If they’re healthy, they beat the Spurs in the conference finals. Spurs ain’t in the Finals, they beat the Spurs and they would’ve been favored over the Knicks. So I think because that’s the reality, Oklahoma City is number one, Knicks number two and then everybody else is behind them. I believe right now, if you’re making a prediction, it should be the New York Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder will meet one another in the NBA Finals next year.”

After three straight years, it’s finally become the norm for a UConn player to get drafted in the first round of the NBA draft. The only other schools with that distinction, the last three years? Purported  NBA daycares Duke and Baylor.

I still remember the delight of hearing James Bouknight’s name called. 

But for the Huskies to take that streak another year, they’ll need teams to fall in love with Tarris Reed Jr and/or Alex Karaban. Both are projected fringe first rounders, and as we saw with Liam McNeeley last year, draft night brings a whole lot of variance and uncertainty. 

I’m going to pretend NBA front offices read TheUConnBlog and put on my best sales pitch for Tarris and Alex. First up is Captain America. 

Initially this was a tough task, because UConn listed him at 6-foot-8, and the comparisons were lacking. There were tons of 6-foot-8 floor spacers in the NBA, but not many in Karaban’s mold. Then the combine measurements came out, and he checked in at basically 6 -7, and the answer was clear.

Be Sam Hauser 2.0.

I mean, look at this:

Sam Hauser

Height (Barefoot): 6’6.75″

Weight: 217.4 lbs

Wingspan: 6’9.25″

Standing Reach: 8’6.0″

Alex Karaban

Height (w/o shoes): 6′ 6.75″

Weight: 225.2 lbs

Wingspan: 6’11”

Standing Reach: 8′ 8.50″

Alex is actually a little longer and heavier. Hauser went undrafted in 2021 after four years in college, but he broke through with the Celtics in 2022-23, and was a key figure in their 2024 title run, averaging nine points per game and shooting 42% from three.He averaged 25 minutes per game last year, a career high.

Hauser might be the better pure shooter, but Alex has more intangibles, physicality, and playmaking chops. Finding an organization that can imbue those traits — not make him just a ‘stand in the corner and stretch the floor’ guy — will be the key.

Hauser’s shooting shows that doing one thing at an elite level can make you stick in the NBA. But Alex has a chance to be a wholly unique player, one with Hauser’s shooting but with a little more to offer. 

But heading into draft day, it’s nice to know there’s a blueprint out there for Alex, a path forward where he can break out with the right team.