The 2026 NBA draft is in the books and a number of teams rose above the rest with savvy moves, both with prospects chosen and moves made to acquire additional assets. There was a clear top three of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer who went in that order to begin the draft.
But plenty of other teams stood out from the pack as the NBA’s newest rookies found new homes. Here’s how Sports Illustrated grades the draft for all 30 teams:
Atlanta Hawks
- No. 8: Kingston Flemings (Guard, Houston)
- No. 23: Zuby Ejiofor (Wing, St. John’s)
- No. 52: Henri Veesaar (Center, North Carolina)
The Hawks had the Pelicans’ eighth pick, which Atlanta acquired for moving 10 spots back last year so New Orleans could take Derik Queen. The prize for that is Flemings who could become the franchise’s playmaking guard of the future. He’s no Trae Young, but if his deep shot develops, Atlanta could have a premier guard from this class on its hands. Ejiofor may have been a bit of a reach at No. 23, but Veesaar in the second round was a solid pick after he slid down the draft.
Grade: B
Boston Celtics
- No. 27: Chris Cenac Jr. (Forward/Center, Houston)
- No. 40: Dillon Mitchell (Wing, St. John’s)
Cenac fits a frontcourt need for Boston, but he may have a while before he reaches his full potential. He has the build of an impactful modern-day big, but as a 19-year-old freshman, he may not fit in immediately on a title contender. That may be completely fine with the continued emergence of Neemias Queta, who gives Cenac time to develop at the end of the bench or in the G League. If all goes well, however, he could become yet another late-first-round steal for Boston.
Grade: B+
Brooklyn Nets
- No. 6: Mikel Brown Jr. (Guard, Louisville)
- No. 28: Joshua Jefferson (Wing, Iowa State)
- No. 43: Tyler Bilodeau (Wing, UCLA)
Brown has the ability to become the best guard from this class, but if Darius Acuff Jr. turns into a star after he went one pick later to the Kings, this pick could come back to bite. We won’t know that for years down the road, so for now, the Nets get a premier scorer who can create for his teammates despite some turnover concerns. Jefferson is a versatile wing who has serious potential to become a key part of Brooklyn’s rotation, but the Nets’ draft fully depends on Brown reaching his potential.
Grade: C+
Charlotte Hornets
- No. 14: Hannes Steinbach (Forward, Washington)
- No. 18: Christian Anderson (Guard, Texas Tech)
Steinbach addresses a frontcourt need for Charlotte as a great rebounder with touch near the rim. The concerns with the fit are on the defensive end on a roster that already has said concerns, at least as long as LaMelo Ball is still in the mix. Maybe Steinbach is a high-level backup big, but that’s a questionable move at the end of the lottery. Anderson, on the other hand, brings an elite shotmaker to a Hornets group that already knocks down shots at an elite level. He could be a Coby White replacement if Charlotte loses him over the offseason.
Grade: B-
Chicago Bulls
- No. 4: Caleb Wilson (Wing, North Carolina)
- No. 15: Dailyn Swain (Wing, Texas)
The Bulls bring in a new key piece in Wilson, who was one of college basketball’s best players in his only season at North Carolina. He needs to improve his outside shot over time, but he has all the makings of a star both on and off the court as the draft’s best prospect after the top three. Swain was a reach at No. 15—he can finish near the rim but his deep shot is a work in progress, too. A high risk, high reward pick for the rebuilding Bulls.
Grade: B-
Cleveland Cavaliers
- No. 34: Meleek Thomas (Guard, Arkansas)
Cleveland traded back in the draft and made its sole pick Arkansas’s Thomas toward the top of the second round. He needs to add some strength to hold his own at the next level, but he was a standout player for John Calipari’s Razorbacks alongside Acuff. Thomas is a solid shooter on the move and off the catch, a skill that any team covets no matter the situation.
Grade: B
Dallas Mavericks
- No. 9: Morez Johnson Jr. (Forward/Center, Michigan)
- No. 25: Sergio De Larrea (Guard, Spain)
- No. 48: Tobi Lawal (Wing, Virginia Tech)
- No. 56: Vsevolod Ishchenko (Wing, Russia)
With new coach Dusty May in the fold, another Michigan man heads to Dallas. Johnson was somewhat of a reach at No. 9, but his athleticism and size should fit nicely alongside Cooper Flagg. De Larrea could be a draft-and-stash pick, but he has serious size for his position coupled with playmaking and shooting ability that makes him one of the more intriguing long-term plays in this draft.
Grade: B-
Denver Nuggets
- No. 35: Trevon Brazile (Wing, Arkansas)
- No. 49: Bryce Hopkins (Wing, St. John’s)
The Nuggets traded out of the first round with a need to improve the roster around Nikola Jokić to be able to stay competitive in the stacked Western Conference. They took two lengthy wings that are both college seniors, and with Peyton Watson’s impending restricted free agency, Denver stocks up with players at the same position who could bring depth off the bench.
Grade: C
Detroit Pistons
- No. 17: Ebuka Okorie (Guard, Stanford)
- No. 53: Ugonna Onyenso (Center, Virginia)
The Pistons were aggressive to move up four spots for Okorie with a cost of three-second round picks. The Stanford guard is undersized, but he was a top-10 scorer in all of college basketball last year who can create for himself, a hole that Detroit sorely needs to fill next to Cade Cunningham. After salary dumping Isaiah Stewart, Onyenso has real potential to become the third big for Detroit behind Jalen Duren and Paul Reed.
Grade: B+
Golden State Warriors
- No. 11: Yaxel Lendeborg (Forward, Michigan)
- No. 54: Lajae Jones (Guard, Florida State)
Lendeborg is older than a lot of experienced NBA players, but the fit with Golden State makes sense. The Warriors hope to capitalize on what’s left of Steph Curry’s career and Lendeborg immediately helps raise the team’s floor. He could’ve been drafted last year, but he transferred to Michigan and had an outstanding season on the way to a national championship. He’s versatile, can make big shots and puts pressure on the rim—a solid pick for Golden State despite his age.
Grade: B
Houston Rockets
- No. 31: Bruce Thornton (Guard, Ohio State)
Houston led off the second round with Thornton, a strong guard who’s more of an immediate contributor compared to the college freshmen that went at the top of the draft. That fits with Houston who needs to improve around the margins to compete in the loaded West. He’s a high-level shooter who takes care of the ball, both key parts of a backup point guard in the NBA.
Grade: B
Indiana Pacers
- No. 38: Braden Smith (Guard, Purdue)
It’s brutal that the Pacers didn’t have a top 10 pick after finishing with the second-worst record in the NBA at 19–63. Ivica Zubac is the consolation prize, who will be a great fit next to Tyrese Halibuton once the star guard returns next season.
The Haliburton injury made this season a key opportunity to add a young, exciting talent to the core who could add the franchise’s return to the top of the Eastern Conference next season. The Pacers made their pick top-four protected, which was a big risk if the lottery didn’t go their way. That came back to bite when Indiana’s pick landed at No. 5. Smith was a good depth acquisition in the second round, but it stings to have missed an opportunity to pick at the top of this draft.
Grade: D
Los Angeles Clippers
- No. 5: Keaton Wagler (Guard, Illinois)
- No. 36: Baba Miller (Wing, Cincinnati)
- No. 55: Nick Martinelli (Wing, Northwestern)
- No. 57: Narcisse Ngoy (Center, France)
It’s a win that the Clippers had a pick in the first round of this draft, since Los Angeles’ own selection went to the Thunder as the lopsided Paul George trade was finally completed. L.A. acquired the Pacers’ pick in the Zubac trade, which only conveyed if it landed between No. 5 and No. 9. A little lottery luck played into the Clippers’ hand as the franchise adds Wagler next to Darius Garland with Kawhi Leonard’s future up in the air.
Grade: A-
Los Angeles Lakers
- No. 24: Cameron Carr (Guard, Baylor)
The Lakers moved up a spot to take Carr, who slid into the 20s after some lottery buzz. He shined at the NBA draft combine and has the skillset that every team covets: A scorer with size who competes defensively. He’s effective without the ball in his hands, which fits nicely alongside the star guard duo of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
Grade: A-
Memphis Grizzlies
- No. 3: Cameron Boozer (Forward, Duke)
- No. 21: Karim López (Wing, Mexico/Australian NBL)
- No. 32: Richie Saunders (Guard, BYU)
Boozer fell into Memphis’ lap at No. 3, then the Grizzlies acquired five second-round picks for moving back five spots from No. 16 to No. 21. López could’ve gone 16th, but Memphis gets him at No. 21 and brings in significant draft capital in the process. Boozer could turn into the best player in the draft as the most efficient prospect on the board, while López has star potential himself.
Grade: A+
Miami Heat
- No. 37: Ryan Conwell (Guard, Louisville)
Miami traded away its first-round pick to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo which made for a quiet draft from the Heat. The franchise needs depth around Giannis and Bam Adebayo, taking a senior guard in Conwell who was Louisville’s star last year. He’s best suited as a role player at the next level, which is exactly what Miami needs with its new superstar duo.
Grade: B-
Milwaukee Bucks
- No. 10: Brayden Burries (Guard, Arizona)
- No. 13: Nate Ament (Wing, Tennessee)
- No. 60: Malique Lewis (Wing, Australian NBL)
The Bucks acquired an additional lottery pick through the massive Giannis trade with Miami a day before the draft. Burries fell into their lap at No. 10, then Milwaukee took one of the best upside swings in the draft in Ament with Miami’s pick. The franchise needed to further kickstart its rebuild with the two lottery picks and it did so masterfully with two players who immediately become true building blocks. Ament will take time, but that’s alright in Milwaukee’s new normal.
Grade: A
Minnesota Timberwolves
- No. 33: Isaiah Evans (Wing, Duke)
- No. 59: Trey Kaufman-Renn (Wing, Purdue)
Minnesota moved back five spots by dumping Julius Randle’s salary to the Nets. The Timberwolves still got an interesting prospect at the top of the second round with Evans who can turn into one of the top shooters in this draft. The question is everything else and how he can impact the game when shots aren’t falling. But, this draft was really about getting off Randle’s salary to improve the roster around Anthony Edwards elsewhere.
Grade: C+
New Orleans Pelicans
- No. 58: Jaron Pierre Jr. (Guard, SMU)
The Pelicans didn’t pick until the end of the draft because they shipped their first-round pick to Atlanta to take Derik Queen last year. New Orleans really punted on this draft to bring in Queen and Jeremiah Fears last year. The two rookies each had strong seasons and make up for an exciting young core, even if work remains. Pierre is a quick-twitch guard who can score at will, but there’s not much to judge New Orleans on in this draft after it made a splash a year ago with Queen and Fears.
Grade: C
New York Knicks
- No. 39: Jack Kayil (Guard, Germany)
- No. 47: Tyler Nickel (Guard, Vanderbilt)
The new NBA champions kept moving back in the draft in the franchise’s continued efforts to avoid the dreaded second apron. New York finally picked at No. 39 and took Kayil, an exciting international player who shined on the FIBA circuit and in the German Bundesliga. Nickel is an interesting pick, too, as a lengthy guard who can shoot the lights out. It wasn’t a flashy draft, but some interesting upside plays by the Knicks.
Grade: C
Oklahoma City Thunder
- No. 12: Aday Mara (Center, Michigan)
- No. 16: Bennett Stirtz (Guard, Iowa)
- No. 41: Otega Oweh (Guard, Kentucky)
Despite another season with the NBA’s best record, the Thunder ended up with two top-20 picks thanks to the franchise’s continued trade magic. In Mara, Oklahoma City gets a big man to help in the effort to limit Victor Wembanyama. He could bring a solution to the Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein problem, who has a $28.5 million team option for next season. The roster is only getting more expensive, which makes cost-controlled contracts critical for the franchise’s continued success. Stirtz can step in as a shooter off the bench after the team traded Aaron Wiggins to limit its luxury tax bill.
Grade: A
Orlando Magic
- No. 51: Izaiyah Nelson (Forward/Center, South Florida)
Orlando didn’t pick until late in the draft as it goes with Nelson, a highly effective big man who can score near the rim and impact the game defensively. He’s an older prospect as a college senior, so this is a depth play for the Magic even if he’s not in the rotation immediately.
Grade: C+
Philadelphia 76ers
- No. 22: Labaron Philon Jr. (Guard, Alabama)
Philon slid in the draft and heads to Philadelphia to join an already crowded backcourt with Tyrese Maxey and V.J. Edgecombe. He will most likely begin his time with the 76ers as a contributor off the bench, but that’s often a blessing in disguise for young players to play meaningful minutes in a low-pressure environment. He has immense talent with the ball in his hands and you never know what he can grow into in the long run. Maxey worked out pretty well in a similar draft spot.
Grade: B
Phoenix Suns
- No. 30: Koa Peat (Wing, Arizona)
The Suns traded into the first round to keep Peat in Arizona. They get a physical wing who was once a top prospect, but a bizarre pre-draft process and a wonky shot saw him slide on draft night. His shot is the swing factor that will make or break this pick, which is undoubtedly a risk the Suns took. Peat has the potential to significantly outperform his draft spot, but he may have a long road ahead.
Grade: B
Portland Trail Blazers
- No picks
Portland didn’t have a pick this year and didn’t trade back into the draft, so it was a quiet couple days for the Blazers. It will be an interesting offseason for a team who made a run to the playoffs last season, but Portland will adjust in free agency without adding in the draft.
Grade: N/A
Sacramento Kings
- No. 7: Darius Acuff Jr. (Guard, Arkansas)
- No. 29: Alex Karaban (Wing, UConn)
- No. 45: Emanuel Sharp (Guard, Houston)
Sacramento gets its guard of the future in Acuff who immediately becomes the franchise cornerstone on an aging roster. The Kings had to be happy he was still there as a real contender to go as high as fifth in a crowded group of guards. Karaban brings shooting albeit some serious questions on the defensive end. He was a serious winner over his collegiate career and he could become a solid long-term role player in Sacramento.
Grade: A-
San Antonio Spurs
- No. 20: Jayden Quaintance (Forward, Kentucky)
- No. 26: Tarris Reed Jr. (Forward, UConn)
- No. 42: Ja’Kobi Gillespie (Guard, Tennessee)
- No. 44: Maliq Brown (Wing, Duke)
After a run to the Finals, the Spurs made an upside swing with Quaintance at No. 20. He tore his ACL late in the 2024–25 season and will reportedly miss time to start his rookie year after another knee injury at Kentucky, but he’s a long-term play who could look smart depending on his health. Six picks later, they get an experienced big man in Reed who can contribute immediately as a rebounder and, most notably, in minutes when Wembanyama is off the floor.
Grade: B
Toronto Raptors
- No. 19: Allen Graves (Forward, Santa Clara)
- No. 50: Jaden Bradley (Guard, Arizona)
Graves just feels like a Raptor. A do-it-all forward who can space the floor, create for his teammates and make plays on the defensive end. He was a late riser in the draft and Toronto stands pat and gets its guy who can instantly contribute to a roster on the rise in the Eastern Conference.
Grade: B
Utah Jazz
- No. 2: Darryn Peterson (Guard, Kansas)
Despite an odd pre-draft process, Austin and Danny Ainge went for Peterson with the second pick although he didn’t work out for the team. That happened with Ace Bailey last year, which the Jazz didn’t bat an eye at either. Now, Bailey is a key member of the Utah core alongside Keyonte George, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and, now, Peterson. The Jazz chose Peterson over Boozer, making a bet on the Kansas guard’s talent as opposed to the perceived more “safe” prospect. The newest member of the Jazz has the upside to become a top-10 scorer in the entire NBA one day, which made this the right move.
Grade: A+
Washington Wizards
- No. 1: AJ Dybantsa (Wing, BYU)
- No. 46: Felix Okpara (Center, Tennessee)
Washington had a choice between three prospects who all could’ve been the top pick. The Wizards went with Dybantsa over Peterson and Boozer, which makes the BYU standout freshman the centerpiece of an exciting young core. Trae Young just signed a handsome deal to remain with the franchises after he arrived at the trade deadline and star big man Anthony Davis is still in the fold—at least for now. Dybantsa fits like a glove as a productive, high-flying wing who has real superstar potential.
Grade: A
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