Mock draft 2026

[pdxKingsFan]

Anthony Davis never winning a single MVP or DPOY award and not leading his team any further than the Conference Semi-Finals before teaming up with Lebron in LA has to count as a disappointment. Yeah some of that is that he was just on bad teams but he had Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans, and Eric Gordon as teammates early in his career. They should have been better than they were. He had his best chance after Vlade gave DeMarcus to the Pels but they ran into the KD version of the Warriors in the playoffs and Cousins got injured. It could be argued that circumstances breed superduperstars -- the right team, the right coach, the right timing. But then Giannis managed to win a championship with Jure Holiday as his best teammate along with 2 MVP awards and 1 DPOY award. Could also be that Anthony Davis wasn't good enough.

I'm working off feelings here so bear with me... I am pretty sure New Orleans have had as many if not more All Star selections in ~20 years as we have had in 40 (probably wrong because Mitch was routinely an All Star but I think they must have chosen teams quite differently then as its hard to see Mitch being a fixture in the ASG in this era). But they have had 19 selections since they transferred the team formerly known as the Charlotte Hornets historical stats.

And yet they have historically been as bad if not worse than us. I think it must be coaching or just who they put on court besides the 1-2 all stars they seem to have selected routinely.

You can't convince me that AD wouldn't have turned a fringe playoff team into a serious contender over 2-3 seasons. He seems remarkably different than all the other players you mentioned. That's just me I low key kinda hate him so this will be my last post defending him

 

[hrdboild]

I'm working off feelings here so bear with me... I am pretty sure New Orleans have had as many if not more All Star selections in ~20 years as we have had in 40 (probably wrong because Mitch was routinely an All Star but I think they must have chosen teams quite differently then as its hard to see Mitch being a fixture in the ASG in this era). But they have had 19 selections since they transferred the team formerly known as the Charlotte Hornets historical stats.

And yet they have historically been as bad if not worse than us. I think it must be coaching or just who they put on court besides the 1-2 all stars they seem to have selected routinely.

You can't convince me that AD wouldn't have turned a fringe playoff team into a serious contender over 2-3 seasons. He seems remarkably different than all the other players you mentioned. That's just me I low key kinda hate him so this will be my last post defending him

Yeah, I had the same general impression in mind until I looked up who was on those Pelicans teams with him. He had Jrue Holiday as his teammate for 6 years there and Eric Gordon for 3 years. Ryan Anderson was pretty good for a little while too. And I also forgot that the Pelicans signed Tyreke Evans to a 4 year deal immediately after his rookie contract ran out in Sacramento and Vivek's new front office didn't want to match their offer sheet. I was pissed about that decision at the time too. A sign and trade was worked out for Greivis Vasquez (remember him?) who played only 18 games for the Kings before being packaged with 3 other players to Toronto for Rudy Gay.

The roster balance for New Orleans wasn't great but he always had other All-Stars to play with (first Holiday then Cousins). And some pretty good supporting players in Ryno, Eric Gordon, and Tyreke Evans. During that time he managed to win only 1 playoff series as the #1 guy. And then AD and Rich Paul demanded a trade to the Lakers in the middle of his 7th season so that he could win his ring with Lebron and he just sat on the sideline for the last 2 months of the 2019 season until the trade went through. Certainly he was enormously talented but the arc of his career doesn't come anywhere close to guys like Kobe, Shaq, Lebron, and MJ. He'll probably be remembered most as a footnote to Lebron's legacy.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

He'll probably be remembered most as a footnote to Lebron's legacy.

I don't disagree with that, but also LeBron and the Lakers never win without him. That part will probably be lost to time.

The Kings are not immune from the discussion of doing embarassing things with player development/wasting draft potential but they have so rarely picked in the top 3 while New Orleans and Charlotte in particular have, that I really am willing to believe had he gone to a remotely less awful club it wouldn't have turned out that way (say Cleveland who received 3 number one overall picks between 2011 and 2014, where he'd also have wound up a footnote to LeBron's story).

The bold and italicized part is effing maddening.

 

[QWERTYLICIOUS]

The bold and italicized part is effing maddening.

Does it turn you into one of these folks???

 

[Joshyjosh31]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2012133991642718372

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Does it turn you into one of these folks???

View attachment 14679

I'd probably blow up the lab.

 

[Tetsujin]

Yep. Peterson still first overall

https://twitter.com/x/status/2012350764975353913

 

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2012350637103542463

 

[iowamcnabb]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2012133991642718372

Vecenie has consistently said Caleb’s defense is not very good. I’d be curious to know what in particular he doesn’t like about it.

 

[Joshyjosh31]

Yep. Peterson still first overall

https://twitter.com/x/status/2012350764975353913

He’s missed two shots both threes sheesh

Vecenie has consistently said Caleb’s defense is not very good. I’d be curious to know what in particular he doesn’t like about it.

I’m gonna watch the full breakdown later tonight

 

[Joshyjosh31]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2012340986341441760

An elite off ball player as well what more can you ask for

 

[SacTownKid]

Yep. Peterson still first overall

https://twitter.com/x/status/2012350764975353913

And I'd seriously consider taking Cameron Carr at 5 if I were a GM.

 

[SacTownKid]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2012340986341441760

An elite off hall and player as well what more can you ask for

And he's able to create almost anywhere on the floor. That's can't fail kind of stuff.

 

[Tetsujin]

And he's able to create almost anywhere on the floor. That's can't fail kind of stuff.

Man might be the most complete 18-year-old offensive player basketball has ever seen. He could come into the league next year and average 25+.