2026 NBA Mock Draft 2.0:Cameron Carr Lottery Bound; Keaton Wagler’s Fantasy Value Ups
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The 2026 NBA Draft continues to get closer with the event being less than two weeks away. The order in which this draft will go seems less clear with each passing day. Here is a mock draft 2.0 of all of the 14 lottery picks of this year's draft, with new players getting into the lottery and other players falling down the draft board.
1. Washington Wizards, AJ Dybantsa, BYU, SF
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 217 lbs
It feels the most likely scenario is for the Washington Wizards to select AJ Dybantsa at #1 overall. With all the guys listed in the top four in this mock, he is the best fit for them, with their current roster.
This past season for BYU, Dybantsa averaged 25.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 3.7 APG.
Dybantsa has the skillset and upside to be a number one scoring option on offense, but that may not translate in Washington right away. He could still be a valuable fantasy player, but with Trae Young and Anthony Davis on the roster, his fantasy ceiling in his first season is capped below his talent level.
2. Utah Jazz, Darryn Peterson, Kansas, PG/SG
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 199 lbs
Darryn Peterson could be the perfect player to complete the Utah Jazz starting five.
Peterson, this past season for the Jayhawks, averaged 20.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 1.6 APG.
The only position the Utah Jazz are missing in their starting five is a SG. They have a complete frontcourt with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markannen, their PG is locked down with a budding star in Keyonte George, and they have a second-year wing with high potential in Ace Bailey. Peterson can fill that role of SG for the Jazz and bring them the best bucket-getting skillset out of anyone in the draft. Similar to Dybansta, his ceiling in fantasy in his rookie season would be lower than it would be on other teams, with him being surrounded by a handful of above-average scorers.
3. Memphis Grizzlies, Cameron Boozer, Duke, PF
Height: 6’8”
Weight: 253 lbs
Cameron Boozer, if he gets drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies, has a chance to be the Rookie of the Year. They do not, as of now, have a number-one scoring option, and at Duke, Boozer showcased he could be just that.
Last season with the Blue Devils, Boozer averaged 22.5 PPG, 10.2 RPG, and 4.1 APG.
Boozer is one of those players who, when you look up, and although it does not feel like it, he will have 20 points and 12 rebounds. He sees the game at a different level than his peers, and with Ja Morant likely out, it would not be surprising to see Boozer earn a notable amount of opportunities to create on the ball. He is definitely a rookie fantasy managers should go after, especially if he ends up in Memphis.
4. Chicago Bulls, Caleb Wilson, North Carolina, PF
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 211 lbs
Caleb Wilson out fo the top four teams in the draft in terms of best places he could go in terms of it, the Chicago Bulls are it. His highly athletic playstyle next to a pass-first point guard in Josh Giddey could be a lethal combination. Giddey in the 2025-2026 season averaged 9.1 APG, the third-highest average in the NBA.
This past season for North Carolina, Wilson averaged 19.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 2.7 APG.
Wilson has shown the capability to create his own shot, and people believe he can develop a 3-point shot. And while there is promise in those areas in his offensive game, he is still most raw in those skill areas. He averaged just 1.1 attempts per game from distance and shot 25.9%. While those facets of his game develop, he can still be a valuable fantasy player; he just has a notably lower floor than the guys above him.
5. Los Angeles Clippers, Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas, PG
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 186 lbs
The Los Angeles Clippers' top need is not a point guard, but that should not matter. They have the #5 overall pick in one of the more talent-loaded drafts in recent memory. Because of that, you put positional need on the back burner and take the best player available, Darius Acuff Jr.. Who knows when they will be in this position again?
Acuff Jr., this past season at Arkansas, averaged 23.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, and 6.4 APG.
Acuff Jr., as a true PG, is the best offensive PG in his entire draft class. He is composed and has shown the capability to take over games with his scoring. For Arkansas last season, he scored 30 or more points six times, two of which came against teams ranked in the top 25 and one that was against a team in March Madness.
Acuff Jr. already has a modern NBA game that would translate right away. He shot 44% from distance last season on 5.8 attempts per game. His offensive style should allow him to overcome the slight funkiness of being paired next to another true PG in Darius Garland and have a successful rookie season.
Acuff Jr., with his offensive talent alone, is a player worth going after in fantasy drafts, even slightly above his average draft position.
6. Brooklyn Nets, Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville, PG/SG
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 190 lbs
Who would have thought? The Brooklyn Nets drafted three point guards in the 2025 NBA Draft, and the future of that position for their franchise is still somewhat uncertain. Many guards in this draft have the potential to have an answer to that question mark for Brooklyn in the draft, including Mikel Brown Jr.
This past season for the Cardinals, Brown Jr. averaged 18.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 4.7 APG.
Brown Jr. has a three-level scoring capability and can create his own shot. He can also play off the ball. With Brooklyn, this could come in handy with Egor Demin showing promise at times as a PG. If he pans out, Brown Jr. could slot next to him in their backcourt, or the two could be interchangeable at the SG and PG positions.
Brown Jr. would be one of the top rookies to go after if he got taken by the Nets, given that the only high-volume scorer they have is Michael Porter Jr.
7. Sacramento Kings, Keaton Wagler, Illinois, PG/SG
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 188 lbs
The Sacramento Kings have had two franchise PGs come in their organization in the last five seasons, but a couple of questionable decisions here and there, and they still need one. Keaton Wagler has the potential to fill that need.
Wagler for the Fighting Illini averaged 17.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 4.2 APG.
Wagler came out of nowhere and submitted himself as one of the best guards in college basketball. He has the ability to slow the game down and play at his own pace. His game, although not at the same level, does show shades of back-to-back MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Wagler with the Kings could struggle to make this pace of game effective, given the rise in talent of the NBA, and his being just 19 years and not yet having the NBA body to set up these scoring chances as effectively.
In fantasy, if the Kings end up making a move to deal any of their veteran starters away, Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Zach LaVine, Wagler is worth going after in fantasy basketball. If not, he leans more to the side of not being an impactful fantasy player in his rookie season.
8. Atlanta Hawks, Kingston Flemings, Houston, PG
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 183 lbs
After trading Trae Young, the Hawks are in desperate need of a true point guard. Kingston Fleming out of Houston could be that guy for them.
Flemings for the Cougars last season averaged 16.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 5.2 APG.
Replacing Young with another smaller guard with Flemings at first look may not seem like the best idea, but there is a difference. Flemings, although not having the same depth to his offensive game as Young, is a notably better defender. He is scrappy and always engaged. Last season, he averaged 1.5 SPG.
Flemings, again, although his offensive game is not at the level of Young’s, could still be more than effective against NBA defenses in year one. He has a lethal midrange game and navigates around screens at a high-level. He also has shown potential to be a good 3-point shooter. He shot 38.7% from distance last season, shooting a low volume of 2.9 3-pointers a game.
In fantasy, if he lands with Atlanta, he would be a day one starter, and with his skill set, he is worth picking up late in a fantasy draft.
9. Dallas Mavericks, Brayden Burries, Arizona, PG/SG
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 215 lbs
Kyrie Irving will certainly help give the Dallas Mavericks offense some firepower when he returns, hopefully at the start of the 2025-2026 season. The Maveicks, however, need some long-term high-level scoring options, and guard out of Arizona, Brayden Burries could be that.
Burries this past season for the Wildcats averaged 16.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 2.4 APG.
Burries next to Cooper Flagg would be an ideal fit. With all the attention Flagg gets on offense, Burries would be an elite catch-and-shoot kick-out option. He shot 39.1% from beyond the arc last season at Arizona on 4.6 attempts per game. Burries can also create his own shot, which would help open up things for Flagg.
Burries on the Mavericks is worth drafting in a later round because of what he brings as a scorer to a team lacking them.
10. Milwaukee Bucks, Aday Mara, Michigan, C
Height: 7’3”
Weight: 260 lbs
Aday Mara, who was slotted at #6 to go to the Nets in my previous mock draft, slides to the #10 spot in mock draft 2.0. He has been getting a lot of love to go high in the draft, but based on pure basketball talent, he is not a top 10 player in this draft. That is the main reason for the slide.
Mara, this past season for the Wolverines, averaged 12.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 2.4 APG.
Mara, even just a couple of seasons ago, would be at a draft position considerably lower than this. The NBA is swinging back to traditional big men being real assets to winning teams. With this in mind, Mara feels more than likely to go inside the lottery, and at #10 overall, the Milwaukee Bucks are an ideal suitor.
Mara can play the role of being a team's anchor defensively (averaged 2.6 BPG for Michigan last season), provide paint scoring, and also has above-average playmaking skills as a center. He would be the perfect complement to a stretch big, Myles Turner, in Milwaukee.
Mara at Michigan averaged 23.4 MPG. At his size, this time on the court will likely remain in that range for his rookie season. That automatically makes him a player who is likely not to be playable in fantasy, at least in year one.
11. Golden State Warriors, Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan, PF
Height: 6’9”
Weight: 241 lbs
Yaxel Lendeborg would be an absolutely perfect fit on the Golden State Warriors. He has a skill set that would put him in the top 10 pick range for this draft, but the Warriors could be lucky enough for him to still be available because of one thing holding his draft stock back: his age. Lendeborg is one of the oldest prospects in the draft at 24 years old.
Lendeborg this past season for the Wolverines averaged 15.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 3.2 APG.
Lendeborg is a fiery player who gave Michigan constant energy throughout the season. The matra he plays with is somewhat similar to Warriors forward Draymond Green. He would undoubtedly be a fan favorite among the Golden State fanbase.
Lendeborg has a good inside game and has also continued to develop a capable 3-point jumper. This past season, he shot 37.2% from distance on 4.5 attempts per game. He would have the potential to start for the Warriors right away and is worth a late-round swing in a fantasy draft.
12. Oklahoma City Thunder, Nate Ament, Tennessee, SF/PF
Height: 6’10”
Weight: 211 lbs
People across the NBA world have Nate Ament mocked in the top six and top 10 of the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft. And while his talent level is that of a top-five pick, his first year in Tennessee made it feel like there is a real possibility that he will never reach that potential.
Ament with the Vols last season averaged 16.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 2.3 APG.
Ament in his lone year with the Vols had many moments where he just looked loss and that often resulted in poor shooting performances. On the season, he shot just 39.9% from the field. With these moments, he also at times where he looked like the best player on the court.
Ament landing in OKC would be an ideal place for him to get drafted. It would allow him the time to sit and develop, as they currently have a roster with immense depth. That, however, would result in him being a non-factor in fantasy his rookie season.
13. Miami Heat, Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama, PG
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 176 lbs
Labaron Philon Jr. is one of two players who made their way into this lottery mock draft that were not in the first one. A big part of that is his dynamic offensive game, which proved to be so elite at times during Alabama’s 2025-2026 season that teams may view him as a player they simply can not pass up.
This past season for the Crimson Tide, Philon Jr. averaged 22.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 5.0 APG.
Philon Jr. had many memorable moments from last season with the Crimson Tide. This included a 35-point outing against the eventual National Champion, Michigan, in March Madness. He is built for big moments and is able to show up for them because he can create space off the dribble with ease, and can catch fire from distance. Pairing him next to Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell could be a pretty effective offensive trio in Miami.
In fantasy, he is a player worth picking up in the later rounds of a fantasy draft as a flyer because of his offensive talent.
14. Charlotte Hornets, Cameron Carr, Baylor, SG/SF
Height: 6’5”
Weight: 184 lbs
Cameron Carr is the second player who was not in my original lottery who is now in version 2.0. He had a great college season with the Baylor Bears and was a top performer at the NBA Combine. There he looked all the part of an NBA wing that can have a long career.
This past season with Baylor Carr averaged 18.9 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 2.6 APG.
Carr, in the five-on-five scrimmage session of the NBA Combine, balled out. He dropped 30 points in one scrimmage and showed off his versatility as a prospect throughout the contest. He knocked down six 3-pointers, had a couple of highlight dunks, and an impressive block that he pinned on the backboard. He has freakish athletic ability and measurables, as he logged one of the highest vertical jumps at the combine at 42.5 inches and also has a near 7’1” wing span.
Carr can be another helpful wing player that the Charlotte Hornets missed on in drafting Tidjane Saluan in 2024 with the #6 overall pick. Carr would likely be reduced to a bench role in his rookie season with the Hornets, with them having a group of talented starting wing players–Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and Miles Bridges. So in his first year in the NBA, he will likely be a fantasy player not to go and get unless the Hornets have any injuries.
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Gray Deyo is a Nashville-based sportswriter who graduated with a sports management bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He has covered prep sports, college sports, the WNBA, and the NBA for the past four years. In addition to writing for SI, Gray also currently contributes to Prep Girls Hoops