The status quo remained unchanged in the newest 2026 NBA mock draft from The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.
Vecenie led off with the Washington Wizards taking BYU forward AJ Dybantsa. Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer and North Carolina wing Caleb Wilson were next off the board to the Utah Jazz, Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls, respectively.
That order matches the most recent projections from Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman.
Vecenie reported the Wizards “haven’t made a decision yet” on their primary target, but most believe they’ll pick Dybantsa.
“He is seen as having extremely high upside while also possessing a high floor,” the draft expert wrote. “For the Wizards, he would slot in perfectly on the wing regardless of the team’s direction next season. He fits between Anthony Davis and Trae Young but also blends nicely with the team’s young core of Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Will Riley and Kyshawn George, because he does something those four don’t: put pressure on the rim.”
Vecenie thinks Peterson would be a similarly good fit for the Jazz, who need a long-term complement to Keyonte George in the backcourt.
For as frustrating as his lone season at Kansas was, Peterson still averaged 20.2 points and shot 38.2 percent from beyond the arc. The offensive potential is obvious. He could be the singular scorer the Jazz lack right now.
On Boozer, Vecenie said he “would be pretty stunned to see Memphis pass on him.”
The national player of the year averaged 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 38 games with the Blue Devils. He could naturally occupy the space vacated by Jaren Jackson Jr. with his midseason trade to Utah.
According to Vecenie, there’s a similar level of certainty with Wilson and the Bulls, assuming he’s there at No. 4.
The intrigue really begins with the Los Angeles Clippers and the fifth overall pick.
“Sources have indicated that the team is digging into all the top guard prospects as well as exploring potential trade-down scenarios that could result in them accumulating more assets,” per Vecenie. “I’ve also heard Aday Mara’s name associated with the Clippers, although it’s difficult to tell if that would be at No. 5 or in a potential trade down.”
Along the same lines, the Brooklyn Nets “have engendered by far the most speculation among sources.”
“I’ve also heard a lot of contradictory information, which is an indication that there is some smoke billowing from Barclays Center,” Vecenie said.
As they build for the future, the Nets will at least place value over need. They intend to take the top prospect available regardless of how that player fits on the current squad.
That’s the most sensible course of action for a franchise without a lot of long-term building blocks.
