NBA Draft - Winners and Losers, plus Giannis/LaMelo Trade Thoughts

The NBA Draft concluded on Wednesday Night after a two-night production where we saw 60 of the best players from college last season selected by their new teams. The NBA's Draft is always one of my favorites, not because it's the best product (it certainly is not), but because I know the most players/have watched them closely, and it's easier to evaluate their fit. So today, I'm going through my Winners and Losers from the 2026 Draft -- from teams, to players, to aspects of the Draft Show, and all of the above. Without further ado,

Winner: Charlotte Hornets

I absolutely loved the Hornets gameplan going into this stretch of offseason. Their biggest need was a big-bodied rebounder, and for my money, they got the best rebounder in the Draft in Steinbach. 18 ppg, nearly 12 boards, very skilled player with a high IQ that will fit seamlessly into a frontcourt with Kalkbrenner, Moussa, and now Naz Reid -- who adds an elite offensive skillset to this group. Christian Anderson is an absolute bucket-getter, and an under-rated playmaker (over 7 apg last year). He'll add a lot of juice offensively for Charlotte's bench unit.

The shocker of the week was the trade announced Thursday that they were sending LaMelo Ball to Minnesota. For all his faults, I actually think LaMelo was pretty damn good for the Hornets, especially toward the end of the season. But when you look at the haul they got in return -- mountains of draft capital AND Naz Reid, I think it was a no-brainer for them. They resigned Coby White, still have Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges -- plus prospects like Tre Mann, Sion James, Liam McNeeley, and Tidjane Saluan. There's definitely a hole at the lead guard position -- I'm not sure I love Coby White as the sole primary ball-handler -- but I love the rest of the roster.

Loser: People Trying to Watch the NBA Draft

While the NBA Draft is the pro sports draft I'm most interested in tuning into -- I think they could learn a thing or two from the NFL in how to do their draft show. Listen, I'm all for families. Have them, don't have them -- the world is your oyster. But respectfully, I don't care to see every draft pick and their family sitting on an IKEA couch with Lisa Salters moments after they get drafted. Give me highlights, breakdowns, how they fit on the team that drafted them, hot takes about the player -- and maybe a quick hit with the player himself talking about how they're feeling. When it's pick 15 and I'm watching the same exact interview between picks that I've watched 14 times prior -- I'm zoning out everytime.

Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder

This one is a biased pick as a winner -- biased for multiple reasons -- but I do think the Thunder had one of the more successful drafts for teams outside the Top-8. Aday Mara may not have been #1 on their wishlist -- but he's a player that not only will give them a different look in lineup construction, but is impactful on both ends and should thrive in limited usage. Not to mention giving them a 7 foot 4 monster to throw at the 7 foot 5 monster Wemby that spanked them in the WCF. And at pick #16, they traded up for my personal favorite player in the draft -- Bennett Stirtz. Not because I think he'll be the best player, but because I love his story, and loved watching him will Iowa to an Elite 8 last season. I also think he's going to be a sneaky great pro as a combo guard that's 99th percentile in catch-and-shoot, will finally not be the focus of a defense's gameplan, and is a high-IQ, fluid player. Whether he'll get minutes next year for OKC remains to be seen, but I love the landing spot.

Loser: Milwaukee Bucks

I've seen a lot of places ranking the Bucks as a winner following the draft -- where they had 2 lottery picks, selecting Brayden Burries out of Arizona at #10, and Nate Ament from Tennessee at #13. And while I like Burries a lot, I don't love the fit on this Bucks team following the Giannis trade. This backcourt feels crowded with guys who want the ball in their hands -- and no strong defenders in the bunch. And whatever team took Nate Ament was going to be a loser in this draft to me -- not that I don't think he could develop into an impactful player, but he isn't one right now. The Bucks are more ready to take a project pick than other teams -- but this is a project I wouldn't have been interested in.

Also, the whole Giannis trade that happened before the draft -- it's always going to be tough sledding when you trade your MVP/DPOY/Finals MVP player to a conference rival for pennies on the dollar. They got fine draft capital and solid players in return -- but I don't want any stock in this team as currently constructed, even after a 2-lottery-pick-draft.

Winner: The Michigan Wolverines

The Big 3 from last year's Championship team -- Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Morez Johnson -- were all lottery selections on Tuesday night. Morez was picked by the Mavs at #9 -- joining coach Dusty May, who took the head coaching position in Dallas just days before the draft -- sending ripples through the world of College Hoops. Mara joins the Thunder at pick #12 -- and Yaxel joins the Warriors at pick #11. I don't necessarily see any of the picks/fits as A+ choices -- but I do think it's a testament to the type of players they are, and the type of team Michigan was last year from a historic perspective.

Loser: Michigan Wolverines Fans

While you love to see your players be lottery picks in the draft, it has to be hard to swallow for Wolverines fans to see not only the core of their team leave, but their head coach Dusty May take the Mavericks' head coaching job as well. Coming off a Natty with an elite coach, great returners, and an impressive transfer portal class -- now their coach is gone, there's ambiguity over what will happen with the roster as the portal reopens for them, and their recruiting class is in flux. They should be okay this late in the cycle -- but don't be shocked to see teams like Kentucky with money to spend try to poach pieces from the defending champs.

Winner: Chicago Bulls

Before you accuse me of bias by calling the Bulls -- who drafted UNC Star Caleb Wilson -- a winner in this draft, let me preface by saying it's more for their latter 1st round pick, and the simple fact they wound up 4th in this draft. The top-4 is where you wanted to be -- in my opinion, 4 franchise-altering players were available at the top of this draft with Dybansta, Peterson, Boozer, and Wilson. I would rank Wilson 4th in that group -- but not by a huge margin -- and I think it was good the Bulls had the decision taken out of their hands by saying "we'll take whoever's left" rather than getting cute. And Wilson is the most raw prospect of the 4 -- but his ceiling might be the highest. Dynamic athlete, flashes of polished offensive skill, endless motor, walking highlight reel that'll breathe new life into this fanbase.

But I'm also very excited about Dailyn Swain -- the forward out of Texas that they took at #15. When you get outside the lottery, I look for guys that have NBA bodies with high ceilings and bankable floors. Swain is exactly that to me -- a big, strong, athletic wing with elite scoring chops and capable defense. He's maybe the best isolation scorer in the class with one of the best handles at 6 foot 7 -- I think he'll be a dynamic scorer with the spacing in the NBA. And for the organization as a whole -- I like the direction they're going constructing this roster. Big, athletic, fast -- the Bulls will be fun to watch next year (if they resign Giddey) -- which they haven't been in awhile.

Loser: Brooklyn Nets

I'm not a Mikel Brown Jr. hater -- and if you're the Nets, you're in a position where no matter what you do at pick #6, you aren't turning the franchise around in one night. And after getting Julius Randle from the T-Wolves in a salary-dump deal, I do think taking a guard with the pick was the right move. But taking Mikel Brown Jr. -- a player with immense potential, granted -- felt like a Nets move to me (negative connotation). He could end up being the best guard of this class, but between his injury concerns and baffling decision-making with the ball in his hands at times last year with Louisville, I'm not sure the risk is worth the reward. I also don't love the late 1st-round pick on Joshua Jefferson -- who I'd compare to Julius Randle that's less athletic and worse at scoring.

Winner: San Antonio Spurs

The defending Western Conference Champions wasted no time after the NBA Finals in getting back into war mode and maneuvering their way through the NBA Draft -- where they made a whopping 4 picks. They took Jayden Quaintance at #20 -- a big man with injury concerns but massive potential as a defensive menace and lob threat. They bought insurance to let him get healthy by trading up to #26 and selecting Tarris Reed out of UConn -- an old-school post scorer who's strong as an ox, and will be a solid yin to Wemby's yang in the frontcourt. And in round 2 they added Jakobi Gillespie out of Tennessee -- one of my favorite 2nd round targets as a polished scoring guard -- and Maliq Brown from Duke -- a player I don't like, but respect his elite defensive abilities guarding 1-5 with great hands. I've seen a lot of reviews of San Antonio's draft being weak -- but I really like what the Spurs did.

Loser: Steve Kerr

Who will now have to deal with a locker room that consists of both Draymond Green AND Yaxel Lendeborg. I'd put myself out to pasture before training camp even got started between those two -- not to mention they went to rival schools, which should only fuel the fire. I do think Yax is a good player, and 8 years ago I'd say this was the best pick of the draft when I had full confidence in this organization's ability to develop and utilize talent -- but now I see an old team drafting the oldest player in the draft, and a team that hasn't figured out how to use a rookie successfully in several years.

Winner: Things We've Never Seen Before

If you tuned out before pick #57 was announced on Wednesday -- I don't blame you. But if you were still locked in like a true sicko -- you would've seen Narcisse Ngoy out of France get his name called. That may not mean much on the surface, but if you follow recruitment, you'll know Narcisse Ngoy is an international prospect currently committed to play for Auburn next season. Because he's 21-years old, he's "auto-eligible" for the NBA draft -- even if he has no intention of entering himself/going to the NBA. So the Hawks wound up picking him at pick #57, which was traded to the Clippers. But if Ngoy follows through and plays the upcoming College Basketball season at Auburn, he'll become the first "Draft and Stash" in NBA history -- where he can play at Auburn next year, and if he decides to turn pro after, the Clippers will own his rights. A very interesting development to keep an eye on.

The reason this gets a win in my book is that it's being done the correct way -- not a player playing college basketball games, then going to the NBA, then sucking so much ass you try to snake your way back into college basketball (cough Charles Bediako cough). Or being drafted into the NBA and sucking so much ass you successfully snake your way back into college basketball -- just to continue sucking ass for Baylor (cough James Nnaji cough).

Loser: Agents Giving Advice

In the NIL era, there is so much money to be made in College Hoops if you're a good-to-great player. Especially if you're a good-to-great Big Man -- like Henri Veesaar of North Carolina, who wound up going #52 to the Atlanta Hawks. The rumor is he fell all the way to #52 after being viewed as a fringe-1st-rounder due to his unwillingness to sign a 2-way contract, combined with the Hawks giving him a promise and other teams being willing to let him fall. But while I want to blame Veesaar himself for forgoing a $5+ million NIL deal to return to UNC (and fill our void at the Center position) -- I find myself blaming his agent, who very clearly gave him horrendous advice and advised him to stay in the draft. Look at the amount of seniors that went late-1st round/early-2nd round in the draft -- Zuby Ejiofor, Tarris Reed, Alex Karaban, Josh Jefferson, Bruce Thornton, Braden Smith -- Veesaar easily could've returned for a year, made bigger money, and entered the draft next year and been a much earlier pick. This is the case of a greedy agent trying to make a big splash at the expense of his client -- for shame!

Quick-Hit Winners and Losers:

Winner: Cade Cunnigham

Because he won't have to be the only player on the entire Pistons' roster that can create offense next year. Pistons traded up and snagged Ebuka Okorie out of Stanford -- one of the best pure scorers in this year's draft, who should be able to alleviate some of the pressure offensively that Cade shouldered last year.

Loser: NOLA Pelicans

Made one of the dumbest trades you'll ever seen at last year's draft -- sending their 2026 unprotected 1st to move up and select Derik Queen, leaving them with one late 2nd rd pick this year. Plus, that pick wound up being #8 overall, which belonged to the Hawks, who took Kingston Flemings -- a player that would've fit perfectly in NOLA's rebuild.

Winner: ATL Hawks

Speaking of Atlanta and Kingston Flemings -- that worked out about as well as the Hawks could hope at pick #8. They also added Zuby Ejiofor from St. John's at #23 -- ultra productive college big man with lots of skill. And picked up Henri Veesaar in the 2nd round -- another big, productive, skilled big man.

Loser: Carlos and Cameron Boozer

The Duke Royal Family was all smiles Tuesday night as Cam was drafted #3 overall to the Grizzlies, but we all know that was for show. With dad Carlos Boozer working for the Jazz organization, you know he was holding out hope Utah would snag Cam at #2. Instead, Cam's off to the dumpster fire that is Memphis with the rest of their underwhelming picks (Karim Lopez, Richie Saunders) and the man they can't seem to trade, Ja Morant.

Winner: Philly 76ers

Made the most of their #22 overall pick with LaBaron Philon falling into their lap and slipping down the board. I've long seen Philon as a similar player to Tyrese Maxey -- now he'll have the opportunity to learn from Maxey, and should be able to contribute early in his career.

Loser: Toronto Raptors

The track record of Santa Clara prospects is pretty solid -- but I did not like the Allen Graves pick for Toronto. Maybe he's Brandon Ingram insurance if they try to move him this offseason -- but they needed a dynamic guard or athletic big man in my opinion. Jaden Bradley out of Arizona in the 2nd round didn't do it for me either.

Winner: Meleek Thomas

It may not have felt like it in the moment for Thomas -- a fringe 1st-round guard from Arkansas who slipped to the 2nd round -- but he may have fell into the perfect scenario. I love him off the bench behind Mitchell and Harden, having a chance to learn from those two as an explosive scoring guard. Was stunned post ACL-tear Richie Saunders went ahead of Meleek.

Loser: Indiana Pacers

This has less to do with their pick in this draft -- Braden Smith at #38, which I actually kind of love for them. But they put a weird protection on their 1st to get Ivica Zubac at the deadline, tanked so hard Adam Silver had to change the lottery rules, then they didn't get their pick at #5 and it went to the Clips to take Keaton Wagler. Absolutely brutal stretch from Indiana.

Winner: Caucasian Hoopers

I haven't dug into the numbers, but this year felt like the most White American players to be drafted in years. Bennet Stirtz and Alex Karaban got the party started in Round 1, then we saw Braden Smith , Richie Saunders, Tyler Bilodeau, Tyler Nickel and Nick Martinelli all join in the 2nd round. Shoutout!

Comment below who you think was the Biggest Winner and Biggest Loser after NBA Draft Week!