2026 NBA Draft Thread

[RC_Drunkford]

the real question is can we be better than the Hawks in 2026 to utilize that swap?

[spurraider21]

the real question is can we be better than the Hawks in 2026 to utilize that swap?

hawks wont have their FRP to help them improve, but they have avenues of getting better.

there is a reasonable chance they receive the Kings pick (top 12 protected). while i dont think the kings are bad enough to completely collapse, perhaps the surging blazers and rejuvenated warriors surpass them in the west. or maybe the suns wake up. that seems unlikely. but if enough things go poorly for sacto, that would help us out

a lot of their good players are very young. jalen johnson, dyson daniels, okongwu, risacher are their 4 current starters (when healthy) and all are unde 25. they have room for further improvement.

kobe bufkin was a ST favorite during that draft. he was mostly in gleague as a rookie and was solid there. had a quiet start to this year and then pretty early on suffered a season ending injury. if he gives them anything, that will be a plus. they badly need scoring/creation off their bench

their pending FAs are mostly dead weight who they werent playing anyway. Capela, Nance. they may want to keep levert. theyre projected to be able to about 8 mil under the cap, so not enough to sign anyway. they will therefore likely operate above the cap and have access to the full MLE (in addition to re-signing levert and maybe garrison matthews if they want to keep a shooter)

[exstatic]

hawks wont have their FRP to help them improve, but they have avenues of getting better.

there is a reasonable chance they receive the Kings pick (top 12 protected). while i dont think the kings are bad enough to completely collapse, perhaps the surging blazers and rejuvenated warriors surpass them in the west. or maybe the suns wake up. that seems unlikely. but if enough things go poorly for sacto, that would help us out

a lot of their good players are very young. jalen johnson, dyson daniels, okongwu, risacher are their 4 current starters (when healthy) and all are unde 25. they have room for further improvement.

kobe bufkin was a ST favorite during that draft. he was mostly in gleague as a rookie and was solid there. had a quiet start to this year and then pretty early on suffered a season ending injury. if he gives them anything, that will be a plus. they badly need scoring/creation off their bench

their pending FAs are mostly dead weight who they werent playing anyway. Capela, Nance. they may want to keep levert. theyre projected to be able to about 8 mil under the cap, so not enough to sign anyway. they will therefore likely operate above the cap and have access to the full MLE (in addition to re-signing levert and maybe garrison matthews if they want to keep a shooter)

The only thing that really matters is ‘does Trae want to stay?’ If he doesn’t, he can force their hand this summer by threatening to opt out in 2026. Without him and their own pick, we’ll get two lottery picks in 26 and 27.

That Sacto pick, sitting at 13, is as high as it can get without jumping into its protected zone. Portland seems to be on a bit of a heater. It would really benefit us if they knocked Sacto into their pick protected zone.

[cd98]

the real question is can we be better than the Hawks in 2026 to utilize that swap?

TBH, I doubt that the Spurs are more than a play-in team next year, they have talent, but it's young and inexperienced and likely to blow games they "should" win. I imagine the Hawks won't be much better either, but our only hope of that swap turning into something special is if Young gives up on the Hawks and demands to leave. That guy is mostly what keeps them in the hunt for the 8th seed. If he was out, they would likely be bottom 3 in the NBA.

[spurraider21]

TBH, I doubt that the Spurs are more than a play-in team next year, they have talent, but it's young and inexperienced and likely to blow games they "should" win. I imagine the Hawks won't be much better either, but our only hope of that swap turning into something special is if Young gives up on the Hawks and demands to leave. That guy is mostly what keeps them in the hunt for the 8th seed. If he was out, they would likely be bottom 3 in the NBA.

healthy spurs team this year was already a borderline play-in team. you would expect some improvement with guys like castle, wemby, sochan, champagnie continuing to develop. you also could cross your fingers that devin's down year was due to injury and that he can bounce back. they'll also have a full season of a healthy fox, not having to be integrated on the fly.

they'll also have the MLE to work with and should be able to actively pursue somebody they want instead of just being the 3rd wheel in trades again (even though HB has worked out quite well).

imo the spurs aspirations next year need to be higher than "hopefully we can make a run at the play-in"

the one concern is how much the spurs early season success was on the back of chris paul... but if Fox can't more than make up for that, then we've got bigger issues

[cd98]

healthy spurs team this year was already a borderline play-in team. you would expect some improvement with guys like castle, wemby, sochan, champagnie continuing to develop. you also could cross your fingers that devin's down year was due to injury and that he can bounce back. they'll also have a full season of a healthy fox, not having to be integrated on the fly.

they'll also have the MLE to work with and should be able to actively pursue somebody they want instead of just being the 3rd wheel in trades again (even though HB has worked out quite well).

imo the spurs aspirations next year need to be higher than "hopefully we can make a run at the play-in"

the one concern is how much the spurs early season success was on the back of chris paul... but if Fox can't more than make up for that, then we've got bigger issues

I expect them to be better. But the West is really good and deep. Also, the key to winning games is getting vets. Spurs are young and not a lot of veterans, especially if CP3 goes. Look at the Rockets. Great draft picks, but they didn't start contending until they added some tough vets. I like our young guys, but if the Spurs want to make a push, they need more guys like CP3 and Barnes to go with the young guys. I think Fox will be a great player for us, but not sure he will produce big time wins when he couldn't do it in Sacramento.

[scott]

I think Fox will be a great player for us, but not sure he will produce big time wins when he couldn't do it in Sacramento.

He won Clutch Player of the Year, based entirely on producing big time wins in Sacramento.

[exstatic]

I expect them to be better. But the West is really good and deep. Also, the key to winning games is getting vets. Spurs are young and not a lot of veterans, especially if CP3 goes. Look at the Rockets. Great draft picks, but they didn't start contending until they added some tough vets. I like our young guys, but if the Spurs want to make a push, they need more guys like CP3 and Barnes to go with the young guys. I think Fox will be a great player for us, but not sure he will produce big time wins when he couldn't do it in Sacramento.

Fox was a #2 cast as a #1 in Sacto. It was never going to work.

[spurraider21]

He won Clutch Player of the Year, based entirely on producing big time wins in Sacramento.

he was also quite good in their playoff series against the warriors that went 7... tho he was bad in game 7

but throughout that series he was easily the best king and held his own against curry