After a strong combine, Cam Carr might force his way into the lottery during pre-draft workouts:

6’4.5” barefoot
7’0.75” wingspan
8’8” standing reach
42” vertical jump

A scorer who with the right coaching staff could develop into a coveted 3-and-D wing. pic.twitter.com/0SNLSg1j9B

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) May 12, 2026

Love him and always thought he was underrated because people overrated Yessoufu, who is legitimately awful at basketball.

Would be a guy I'd want if we did a 2 for 1 deal with OKC or Charlotte.

Those measurables are insane

He lit up the scrimmage he played in today too.

Vessel said:

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Love him and always thought he was underrated because people overrated Yessoufu, who is legitimately awful at basketball.

Would be a guy I'd want if we did a 2 for 1 deal with OKC or Charlotte.

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He doesn't strictly fit our needs, but I've liked him as a potential replacement for Devin Vassell where you could them move Vassell for a forward to save money.

Had an NBA assistant coach ask me after this kid’s massive workout yesterday why isn’t he considered in the Top 5. Perfect example of a guy who could go 9th or 10th and be the best player in the draft. NOBODY really knows. Injuries slowed him at @LouisvilleMBB. https://t.co/W9BGlKvIfT

— Fran Fraschilla (@franfraschilla) May 14, 2026

It feels like Brown will be top 7 for sure. Teams get to do their medicals this weekend, and if his back is fine then he's going to be in the conversation for 5th or 6th.

Some of my Biggest Risers from the Combine Week

- Cameron Carr
- Mikel Brown Jr.
- Morez Johnson Jr (yeah, even more)
- Kingston Flemings
- Brayden Burries

— Tyler Rucker (@tyler_rucker) May 14, 2026

Seems like Carr is becoming a real possibility at 9. He'd fit great on this team.

Starting to get overwhelmed with options lol.

Yeah, upgrade to Christie and maybe some secondary playmaking ability.

Then maybe Sergio de Larrea at 30 if Anderson is gone.

So, as of right now, what is the feeling for the draft?

Washington - think there's more debate between Peterson and Dybantsa than is being let on. Peterson is so far more advanced as an offensive basketball player than Dybantsa it'll make your head spin.

Utah - see above; whoever isn't getting picked first Utah is taking.

Memphis - I think they go Boozer

Chicago - Probably Wilson, but what if they go Acuff and have another elite, athletic scoring guard? I think that would fire their fans up big time.

LAC - I have no clue and don't want to guess; if Wilson fell to them they are running the card to the podium. He would be a great fit in LAC. Perhaps Flemings?

Brooklyn - Wagler or Mikel Brown Jr. They need talent and upside.

Sacramento - Probably Acuff, but if he's not available whoever they deem BPA. They need talent and upside.

Atlanta - Again I have no clue and don't want to guess; I don't think any of the guards available at 7 would start over NAW or Dyson Daniels, or CJ McCollum. From a roster perspective, if they don't bring Kuminga back, you could argue they need another forward, but also still perhaps a pure PG. Thing is Atlanta wants to be good next year and I don't think drafting a Wagler type of player helps them much. Could also see Flemings be a dawg in ATL.

Edit: If I were Atlanta, I would be poking Dallas about a potential deal for the Mavs moving up one spot, and that could also involve Kyrie.

Dallas - I think it's gotta be one of Burries, Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr. If they aren't available you try to trade down and recoup a pick or two.

Part of me wonders if Washington and Utah might reach a practical deal to swap 1 and 2. Utah and AJD seem to want eachother. Washington seems like they <should> be relatively indifferent and potentially even prefer Peterson. There ought to be a deal that gets both sides what they want.

Top 4 - Relatively uninteresting to me lol. We know who the top 4 players are and it would take severe mental deficiencies for any of these teams to pick someone out of the top 4. Could see Washington and Utah swapping since Utah has had their eye on AJ for 2+ years. Only interesting thing that could happen here is Ainge resigns in protest because the owner insists on overpaying by 50% to move up to get AJ lol.

LAC - Get the feeling they won't be picking in this spot. Have seen them linked with Burries and they could also use Mara. How far back are they willing to trade while ensuring they get one of those 2. I think Wagler would be fine for them, but haven't seen that talked about during the combine. Does Sacramento want to move here to ensure they get Acuff who they have loved since February.

Brooklyn - Feels like this should be Brown or Acuff. They just need an offensive engine. Only question is do they think they are set at guard after all the guys they've drafted recently.

SAC - Brown or Acuff, if available. Whoever Brooklyn doesn't take. Pick should be Flemings if Brown or Acuff are gone.

ATL - No idea. They've been linked with Brown and Mara. This would be a great spot for Flemings, IMO. If you're worried about Flemings height/length, why not pair him with Daniels, NAW, and Johnson. Would still be nasty defensively 1-4. They still need to figure out C though. They have no big contracts and are nearly $60 million under the 1st apron, so they can do some stuff.

I would not like to trade up to this spot, especially if it involves Kyrie. If we're giving up Kyrie to move up one spot, we need to be getting NAW back or some other future asset. Atlanta also has #23 in this draft, so then we can talk. Squarely in Christian Anderson or Isaiah Evans territory. Still feels like not enough for Kyrie though.

Dallas - Based on what I have laid out above. I have no idea who will be available here lol. Could see Wagler slipping just because teams 5-8 convince themselves he isn't a fit or they need to swing for higher upside. Would be pretty surprised if either Acuff or Brown were available. Are the Mavs happy drafting Flemings or Burries? Don't know. Neither seem like players Masai has drafted before. Schmitz is an analytics guy and the nerds still like Flemings, especially if he takes more 3s.

Trade possibilities for Dallas - Still like a deal with OKC for 12 and 17 where we are taking on Caruso or Hartenstein. Could take Carr or Morez Johnson at 12. At 17 you could get one of several guards (Tanner, Stirtz, Okorie, Anderson) or Swain.

Dallas #30 - We've been linked with Zuby here, which is interesting. Amari Allen would be fun. I like joshua Jefferson and Allen Graves. No idea what teams think about Graves and if he'll be taken in the middle or late part of the 1st. Nerds say he should be close to a lottery pick.

Dallas at #48 - Baba Miller, Trevon Brazille, Reuben Chinyelu, Emanuel Sharp, and Richie Saunders are all guys I like.

The most fun thing Washington can do is trade down with Utah so Utah can take AJ.

Then they trade down again with Memphis for them to get Peterson.

Washington still gets Boozer, the best player in the draft, at 3. They've also added several awesome future draft picks and possibly a currently good NBA player.

To make room for their Boozer-Sarr frontcourt, they trade AD for more future draft capital and/or another good player.

Now Washington is the next OKC and looked upon as an extremely competent organization lol.

The one thing Amazon Prime does that I think is good is the pre, half and post game shows/analysis.

Here is Mike Schmitz, who's recognized as one of th best evaluators of talent in the NBA, echoing the same thoughts I tweeted a few days ago. https://t.co/fspBBwUoID pic.twitter.com/Bh57yA816C

— Latif Love (@realLatifLove) May 17, 2026

Interesting thoughts from our GM (I think this is an old clip).

https://www.noceilingsnba.com/p/brayden-burries-principles-of-design

I wonder if there is more upside to Burries than some people think. It probably comes down to how some teams value his ability to self create.

Thanks for sharing. I've always thought Burries' game passes the eye test, but the nerds are much lower on him than consensus.

He's probably a 3rd-4th best player on a good team, with potential to be a number 2 if the lead guard skills and self creation improve. Not having that true #1 upside is what is knocking him most.

Considering the Mavs already have a number 1 for the next decade and a half (and likely Kyrie for another 2-3 years), I'd have no problem with taking Burries. I could see him taking serious minutes from Max immediately.

To a certain extent I think the models that link upside and age are a bit silly because what it seems they are really saying is that there is more volatility in the projection because of the lack of information on what a more physically mature version of the current day player might look like.

But that lack of information also heightens the possibility of a guy busting hard.

In the Mavs situation where you don't expect to pick this high again in the near future, I think your board has to prioritize hitting safely on one of these guards. I wouldn't even be afraid of taking Yaxel if you like his fit alongside Cooper and Lively in the front court.

Wild idea, Mavs take Yaxel, but OKC really wanted him, so you have them take Burries or Carr for you at 12 and then swap Yaxel for Burries/Carr and pick up the 17th pick from them in the transaction. Mavs get one of the players they want anyway and get another bite at the apple.

AggieEP said:

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To a certain extent I think the models that link upside and age are a bit silly because what it seems they are really saying is that there is more volatility in the projection because of the lack of information on what a more physically mature version of the current day player might look like.

But that lack of information also heightens the possibility of a guy busting hard.

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Pretty sure the reason the nerds are lower on Burries is he wasn't great at getting to the rim for a guard, especially a not super tall guard. He took an outsized numbers of midrange shots compared to his rim and 3P attempts. Nerds are always going to hate that.

He also has a pretty low AST%. He's a good passer and connective piece, but he doesn't currently have the profile of a guy who can consistently touch the paint to collapse defenses. Not quite high end lead guard material yet.

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In the Mavs situation where you don't expect to pick this high again in the near future, I think your board has to prioritize hitting safely on one of these guards. I wouldn't even be afraid of taking Yaxel if you like his fit alongside Cooper and Lively in the front court.

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I'd have no issue with taking Burries or Yaxel. If we take Yaxel, there will certainly be a corresponding PJ move, so the team will get better elsewhere also.

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Wild idea, Mavs take Yaxel, but OKC really wanted him, so you have them take Burries or Carr for you at 12 and then swap Yaxel for Burries/Carr and pick up the 17th pick from them in the transaction. Mavs get one of the players they want anyway and get another bite at the apple.

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i would absolutely do this in a heartbeat. Mavs could leave the draft with Carr and Morez Johnson. Drafting Johnson lets you trade Gaff or Lively for additional guard help.

Is there anybody who still wouldn't want Caruso?

Vessel said:

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Is there anybody who still wouldn't want Caruso?

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Not for 3y63M

I mean OKC is nowhere near this game if not for him. That's a bargain.

Vessel said:

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I mean OKC is nowhere near this game if not for him. That's a bargain.

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Which is embarrassing for them since the Spurs are missing their 2nd best player.

nm

Also Caruso fits in to the TPE for this upcoming year. The next year Klay is off the books. Mavs can easily afford to absorb $20 million from a Caruso type player when Flagg and another top player on the team are on rookie deals and Kyrie is and will be on a relatively team friendly deal.

There aren't any bad contracts going forward, so the Mavs are in a great position to take somebody's salary problem for the next 3 years as long as it's beneficial to the team.

This game is wild

Also yes pls Caruso

zgolfz85 said:

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Also yes pls Caruso

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Seriously. It's ridiculous to think he isn't worth that money, especially to the Mavs. He's every single thing we need.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48790115/2026-nba-mock-draft-projecting-60-picks-post-combine-peterson-dybantsa-boozer

Most recent ESPN mock has Mikel Brown falling to us at 9.

Mara being the Hawks pick at 8 seems like something everybody is jumping on, so I'm sure there's intel there. Great news for us.

I don't think the ESPN people are very good basketball evaluators, but they typically have as much intel as anybody. This would be crazy good luck for the Mavs.

Edit: Also has the Mavs taking two of my guys with Jefferson at 30 and Chinyelu at 48.

Vessel said:

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https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48790115/2026-nba-mock-draft-projecting-60-picks-post-combine-peterson-dybantsa-boozer

Most recent ESPN mock has Mikel Brown falling to us at 9.

Mara being the Hawks pick at 8 seems like something everybody is jumping on, so I'm sure there's intel there. Great news for us.

I don't think the ESPN people are very good basketball evaluators, but they typically have as much intel as anybody. This would be crazy good luck for the Mavs.

Edit: Also has the Mavs taking two of my guys with Jefferson at 30 and Chinyelu at 48.

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I'd prefer Wagler over Brown just due to his back injury. Both are larger guards which would make them attractive with their versatility in a lineup with Kyrie.

Wagler is my dream as well, but it is highly unlikely he is making it to 9.

We'd need LAC to trade out of 5 or take Burries much higher than expected. Then you could see BKN and SAC going Brown/Acuff in any order. Then we'd need Atlanta to stick with Mara or take Flemings.

I have only seen one mock where Wagler makes it to 9.