2026 Second-Round Draft Picks Who Could Get Big Minutes This NBA Season

With the NBA Summer League long gone, we're forced to wait until preseason to see this year's rookies in action. The 2026 draft class ran extremely deep, with a few second-rounders coming as a surprise based on value.

The depth of this class could result in a few sleeper picks getting rotation minutes in year one. Whether it be a strong Summer League or roster disparities, here are four rookies from the backend of the draft who could see big minutes in year one:

Bruce Thornton, Houston Rockets

The Rockets are still extremely limited at the point guard position. Last season, they didn't have a true floor general and still need one off the bench amid Fred VanVleet's return.

Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic are nice additions, but Thornton can stand out as a scrappy, two-way guard after an impressive Summer League. Ohio State's all-time leading scorer averaged 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.6 steals across five games. He reminds people of VanVleet in his ability to play effective defense while running the floor at 6-foot-2.

Nothing is guaranteed, especially this season in Houston. If the Rockets need more playmaking in the backcourt, Thornton should get rotation minutes.

Meleek Thomas, Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavaliers have the chance to be a contender once again, despite the Eastern Conference's sizeable improvement. That should signal limited playing time for Thomas, but man, his Summer League went further than big numbers.

The 19-year-old led the NBA Summer League in scoring, averaging 27.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals on incredible 50-44-100 shooting splits. Maybe it was just a massive heater, but Thomas drew first-round buzz leading up to the draft. Maybe this is a sign that teams shouldn't have passed on him.

With James Harden still unsigned, Cleveland's guard room looks significantly worse. Even if he's on the roster this season, Thomas is a taller and longer perimeter player than Sam Merrill and Dennis Schroder. His defensive upside is too good to ignore.

Trevon Brazile, Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets might be forced to play Brazile in the frontcourt with Peyton Watson's future up in the air. They matched Spencer Jones' offer sheet from the Oklahoma City Thunder, pushing them into the second apron and limiting their moves from here on out.

Brazile, a long, 6-foot-10 big man with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, could see time as a backup four/five to Nikola Jokic or Aaron Gordon. He put up 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks across three Summer League appearances, and has a high floor as a five-year college player (23 years old).

Emmanuel Sharp, Sacramento Kings

This is an interesting one, but no one knows how the Kings' roster will look by season's end. Sacramento could still move Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk or even Zach LaVine by the end of the offseason or the 2027 trade deadline, depending on whether the team significantly improves.

Sharp could make his mark as a pesky defender. In four Summer League games (across Sacramento and Las Vegas), the former Houston Cougars star averaged 3.3 steals to go along with 19.5 points and 3.5 rebounds. He can hit shots from beyond the arc, but he can also has a high motor.

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