Early look at the 2026 draft

[CFAN38]

I have said this several times in these threads, but Morez is highly unlikely to be available when we pick.  If he does not get a top-20 grade from the NBA he is going to stay in college for around $5 million next year.

What are you basing this on?  A week ago, he was mocked to us on many boards.   He has moved up a bit but they are not going to pay him more than they paid Yaxel at three million.   Yaxel was the better player, is mocked to go in the top ten, why would they pay Morenz more money.   I get him might take it because at our picks he would be slated to make $2,801,280  a year, this is more than the two million NIL he got last year.   But some one needs to tell the young man that he could get injured or the like and make much less in the pros if that happened.

https://www.rookiescale.com/2026-consensus-board/  has him at 26
https://www.nbadraft.net/nba-mock-drafts/ has him at 23
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48165009/2026-nba-mock-draft-top-30-first-round-picks-march-madness has him at 27

I would be Fine  with taking Koa Peat as well another solid four if Morenz is not available.   But we need options behind Tatum preferrably a guy who can switch on multiple positions.  It all depends on how the draft pans out of course.  I would see about trading a second to move up a few spots.    We have talented guys already in a lot of positions but this is a position of need.

Yaxel last year was mocked late 1st and early 2nd, and got approximately $3 million from Michigan, and was reportedly offered over $5 million by Kentucky.  Johnson is likely to receive similar NIL offers as Yaxel did last year, under the expectation that he will continue to improve and be a top player in college.

If Johnson is graded top 20 and he slide ten spots, he still gets over $4 million guaranteed at spot 30.  He will go pro.  If Johnson is moved at 25 and slides 10 spots, he is now in unguaranteed 2nd round land, so he probably withdraws from the draft for a big college payday of at least $3 million and probably closer to $5 million, and hopes to raise his draft stock as Yaxel did this past season.

In other words, Johnson is only on the board at 27 if he is projected high and falls somewhat significantly.  If he is projected late first round he will leave the draft.

or he works out with a team that makes him a first round promise even if it's late.  Unless he has to withdraw before meeting with teams for workouts/interviews, I have to think he's in the draft.  he's more likely to be taken before the C's pick than slide past them into the second round

On the pure NBA/Draft side I will be shocked if Morez falls to #27, he peaked at the right time to have the attention of every gm/owner in the nba. That shouldn't matter but it always seems too. He also is an easy fit on any NBA roster. Teams need energy bigs and players who can guard multiple positions.

As for the NIL side of things I suspect he has multiple teams indicate to his agent that he is a lock to go in the 1st and at that point the focus should be on his second NBA contract.

For the Celtics he is a player I would be very happy to see them trade up for. Given the wing depth this team has developed I would be willing to move Hauser and #27 for Morez (not sure that's enough). I do fear these playoffs are going to expose Vooch/Garza as 82 game players (meaning not suited for playoff minutes). A switch everything 4/5 would give Mazzula a nice wrinkle in his defense similare to how we played with Al.

Aside from Morez I also like Ejiofor, Baba Miller and Tugler in this role (doubt Tuggler declares)

how far up do you think the C's would have to move to ensure he's available?  If we're talking 20 or so (a lower seed playoff team) , I think that package would catch the interest of a team in that vicinity - a proven shooter on a reasonable deal that can defend and contribute on the boards in addition to a slightly later first rounder.

I have been wondering the same thing and its so hard to guess at trade values in the NBA.... The team I look at as the best trade partner is the Hornets. They currently as of 4/9 per tankathon have the 14th pick and the 18th(via orlando). With their roster construction and connections with Boston I could see them having a strong interest in Hauser. Does 27th and Hauser net the 18th? Morez is one of the few prospects I would make this trade for given that I have picks #18 and #27 falling in roughly the same tier of prospect. Quaintance is another guy but only if his medicals check out and if they do he should be firmly in the lottery.

ESPNs big board which I assume is heavily intel based still has Johnson in the late 20s (27 to be exact) I'm not buying it but maybe Johnson falls later than I think he should/will.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46886245/2026-nba-draft-big-board-rankings-top-100-prospects-players

last mock I saw on ESPN had Moretz slide by us for the NC center Ngongba  based on their analysis of the players, I can't see how that would make sense.

I like Ngongba but any big man with foot problems scares me. If he didn't have the health concerns I would have him rank similar to Morez