{"id":741169,"date":"2026-05-22T15:57:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T15:57:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/741169\/"},"modified":"2026-05-22T15:57:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T15:57:19","slug":"2026-nba-mock-draft-2-0-predicting-first-warriors-kings-picks-nbc-bay-area","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/741169\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 NBA mock draft 2.0: Predicting first Warriors, Kings picks \u2013 NBC Bay Area"},"content":{"rendered":"

While the conference finals are underway in the NBA playoffs<\/a>, draft season has begun with the combine done and teams beginning to bring prospects in for workouts.<\/p>\n

Can the Kings find a franchise savior with the No. 7 pick? Will the Warriors add a rookie who can help Steph Curry<\/a> right away with the 11th pick?<\/p>\n

The Washington Wizards aren\u2019t technically on the clock quite yet, but the 2026 NBA Draft now is just one month away. Dalton Johnson and Tristi Rodriguez predict all 30 first-round picks with plenty of changes in our mock draft 2.0.<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, SF, BYU\u00a0<\/p>\n

For now, Dybantsa is the pick for the Wizards. He has all the makings of a possible future star as the Wizards finally mean business, but Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and even Caleb Wilson have to be in consideration. \u2013Dalton Johnson<\/p>\n

2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas<\/p>\n

Peterson\u2019s health and availability should be questioned no longer after a strong presence at the NBA Draft Combine. The Jazz have their guy, if the Wizards don\u2019t snag him first. \u2013 Tristi Rodriguez<\/p>\n

3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cam Boozer, PF, Duke\u00a0<\/p>\n

Boozer\u2019s dad works in the Jazz\u2019s front office and played four seasons for the Bulls. He slots right in between both teams and is much more than just a safe pick \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, PF\/C, North Carolina<\/p>\n

Wilson only boosted his draft stock at the combine last week in Chicago, and that\u2019s likely where he\u2019ll end up next month. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

5. LA Clippers (via IND): Mikel Brown Jr., G, Louisville\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a draft full of talented guards, Brown might have as much upside as anybody else. He\u2019s big enough to share a backcourt with Darius Garland and might be too dynamic to pass up despite past health concerns from back problems. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

6. Brooklyn Nets: Darius Acuff Jr., PG, Arkansas<\/p>\n

The Nets, perhaps more than any team in the NBA, desperately need a star. Acuff Jr. already has proclaimed he can be just that for them. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

7. Sacramento Kings: Kingston Flemings, PG, Houston<\/p>\n

We\u2019re staying with the same selection for Sacramento in our mock draft 2.0, with Flemings headed to California\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n

As if it didn\u2019t make sense the first time around, this pick feels all the more right post-combine. While there was some surprise and even some concern after Flemings\u2019 height was listed as 6-foot-2.5 without shoes and his wingspan came in at 6-foot-3.5, he proved that wasn\u2019t an issue once the rock was in his hands.<\/p>\n

Flemings already showed off his hops with eye-popping dunks at Houston, and he solidified his leap with a 33.5-inch standing vertical jump, which was tied for fourth overall among guards. His max vertical leap was much higher than Acuff Jr. and Keaton Wagler\u2019s \u2013 two guards who are toe-to-toe with him in the draft rankings.<\/p>\n

However, the 19-year-old really shone during shooting drills. He was 26 of 30 (86.7 percent) in off-the-dribble shots overall, and he shot an impressive 19 of 25 (76 percent) from 3-point land.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of traits the Kings could appreciate, but Flemings’ shooting is a no-doubter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oh, and we haven\u2019t even mentioned his defense \u2013 one of his biggest strengths at Houston.<\/p>\n

The two-way guard could help make this transition period for Sacramento much smoother. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

8. Atlanta Hawks (via NO): Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois<\/p>\n

The Hawks need some fresh bones to back up CJ McCollum, and they\u2019ll get that with Keaton Wagler. Though his combine results didn\u2019t jump off the page, Wagler\u2019s season with Illinois proved he\u2019s worth being patient for to properly evaluate. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

9. Dallas Mavericks: Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers\u00a0<\/p>\n

Where Lopez winds up in the draft will be fascinating. It feels like his range goes from top 10 down to the 20s. Here, he has the skill set and background of a Masai Ujiri pick. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament, F, Tennessee\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Bucks are in a bad place. Giannis Antetokounmpo wants out and they know it, so they might as well take the massive upside swing on Ament. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

11. Golden State Warriors: Cameron Carr, SG\/SF, Baylor\u00a0<\/p>\n

Throughout Steve Kerr and Mike Dunleavy\u2019s first press conference since the end of the season, the Warriors\u2019 coach and general manager mentioned multiple times a lack of depth on the wings from injuries to Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. Our last mock draft\u2019s pick, Yaxel Lendeborg, fills that need. Going with Carr might be the perfect balance of a player who can help now and projects major future upside.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The combine did wonders for Carr. He came in a little under 6-foot-5 barefoot and a lanky 184 pounds with an eye-popping 7-foot wingspan. Carr shot lights out in drills and then wowed everyone during his one scrimmage, where he scored 30 points with six 3-pointers and seven rebounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With his length and silky-smooth jumper, Carr can play shooting guard and small forward depending on who\u2019s around him. The Baylor product can both splash threes as a great movement shooter and swat shots away as a two-way player for years to come. As a 21-year-old who will turn 22 in late November, Carr is a great combo of present and future for a Warriors team that wants to get younger and more athletic. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara, C, Michigan <\/p>\n

The Oklahoma City Thunder looked like the best team in the NBA all season and through the conference finals of the ongoing playoffs, but there might be areas to address after the potential parade. Isaiah Hartenstein could enter unrestricted free agency if the Thunder decline his $28.5 million team option, opening the door for Mara. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

13. Miami Heat: Labaron Philon Jr., G, Alabama\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Heat will take the best player available and be happy Philon is there. Philon made the leap as a sophomore and averaged\u00a022.0 points and 5.0 assists per game on 50.1 percent shooting with a 39.9 3-point percentage. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

14. Charlotte Hornets: Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan<\/p>\n

Lendeborg will enter the league as a 24-year-old rookie, but his unique talent could bode well with what\u2019s building in the Queen City. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

15. Chicago Bulls (via POR): Brayden Burries, G, Arizona\u00a0<\/p>\n

A guard seen as a clear lottery pick is bound to fall. Seeing Burries still on the board here would be shocking and the Bulls would gladly select someone who impacts both sides of the ball after leading Arizona in threes (70) and steals (59) as a freshman. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

16. Memphis Grizzlies (via PHX): Christian Anderson, PG, Texas Tech<\/p>\n

With Ja Morant\u2019s future in Memphis a big question mark now and down the road, it\u2019s never too early for the Grizzlies to seek other options. Anderson\u2019s shooting, playmaking and pace-pushing would be welcomed in Memphis. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

17. Oklahoma City Thunder (via PHI): Morez Johnsonn Jr., PF\/C, Michigan\u00a0<\/p>\n

The reality is, the Thunder will surely have to trade one or some of their picks. If they still have the 17th pick, Johnson is the perfect winning player who can help the defending champions quickly and cheaply. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

18. Charlotte Hornets (via ORL): Hannes Steinbach, PF\/C, Washington<\/p>\n

The Hornets need to bolster their frontcourt, and through the combine, Steinbach climbed the rankings and solidified his status as a first-round draft prospect. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

19. Toronto Raptors: Bennett Stirtz, PG, Iowa\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Raptors were near the bottom of the league in 3-point attempts and makes, shooting 35.4 percent from deep. In comes Stirtz, who can let it fly from deep and run an offense in his sleep. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

20. San Antonio Spurs (via ATL): Jayden Quaintance, C, Kentucky<\/p>\n

Health is quite literally everything when it comes to Quaintance. If he can stay healthy, the Spurs could get a steal at No. 20. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

21. Detroit Pistons (via MIN): Ebuka Okorie, PG, Stanford\u00a0<\/p>\n

The new-age Grit and Grind Pistons would break speed limits everywhere by adding Okorie. He can get to the rim and shoot it from deep, is smart with the ball and would allow Cade Cunningham to play more off the ball and not have all the responsibility in his hands. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

22. Philadelphia 76ers (via HOU): Chris Cenac Jr., PF\/C, Houston<\/p>\n

Philly needs reliable frontcourt depth \u2013 emphasis on reliable. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

23. Atlanta Hawks (via CLE): Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina<\/p>\n

After taking Wagler with their first pick, the Hawks add more frontcourt help with their second. Veesaar is a 7-foot senior who also shot 42.7 percent beyond the arc. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

24. New York Knicks: Allen Graves, PF, Santa Clara<\/p>\n

Graves quietly and smoothly raised his draft stock through the combine, and he could be an intriguing option for the current best team in the East. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

25. Los Angeles Lakers: Tarris Reed Jr., C, UConn\u00a0<\/p>\n

With Doncic leading the Lakers, they need more talent at center. In comes Reed, who does not miss around the rim, is a lob threat and averaged 19.5 points and 13.2 rebounds per game in the NCAA tournament. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

26. Denver Nuggets: Dailyn Swain, SG\/SF, Texas<\/p>\n

Swain is a young, athletic wing. What else could you ask for late in the first round? \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

27. Boston Celtics: Amari Allen, Wing, Alabama\u00a0<\/p>\n

Josh Hart averaged 16.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in four games against the Celtics this season, plus went 11 of 23 on 3-pointers. Here\u2019s how Boston can find its version of Hart. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET): Isaiah Evans, Wing, Duke<\/p>\n

Max Strus and Duncan Robinson were and have been impactful role players for their respective teams in the NBA playoffs, and that\u2019s widely important. At the combine, Evans compared his impact to that of both players. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via SA) \u2013 Tounde Yessoufou, Wing, Baylor\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a wing league, and Yessoufou has every physical trait front offices drool at. He\u2019s a top-tier athlete full of physicality. He also didn\u2019t live up to expectations his freshman year at Baylor and will have to develop as a shooter after shooting 29.3 percent from 3-point range, including going 1 of 9 in the NCAA tournament. \u2013DJ<\/p>\n

30. Dallas Mavericks (via OKC): Meleek Thomas, SG, Arkansas<\/p>\n

Thomas has teetered on both ends of being a late first-round selection and an early second-rounder. He fits with Dallas, which needs scoring and perimeter shooting. \u2013 TR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"While the conference finals are underway in the NBA playoffs, draft season has begun with the combine done…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":741170,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3792],"tags":[25086,7,4056,12845,6,12,986,477,4055,1079],"class_list":["post-741169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sacramento-kings","tag-2026-nba-draft","tag-basketball","tag-kings","tag-kings-analysis","tag-nba","tag-nba-draft","tag-sacramento","tag-sacramento-kings","tag-sacramentokings","tag-warriors-analysis"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116619053835189601","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741169","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=741169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/741169\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/741170"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=741169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=741169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=741169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}