The 2026 NBA Draft first round came and went without much chaos. No major reaches. No dramatic slides. It was the kind of night where most picks made sense, which honestly felt weird compared to the usual draft-night circus.
But just because the draft played out cleanly doesn’t mean everyone walked away equally happy. Some teams clearly improved their situations. A couple of big men fell into perfect landing spots. And one rebuild that’s been dragging on for years might finally have a real core to build around.
The Wizards finally caught a break
Washington won the lottery back in May, and that alone put them in the driver’s seat. But what makes this year different is what happens next. The Wizards took AJ Dybantsa with the first pick, and it’s hard to find a scenario where this doesn’t work out for both sides.
Dybantsa is a pure scorer. That’s his thing. And the Wizards have been desperate for someone who can create his own shot ever since Russell Westbrook left town. They ranked 25th in scoring last season. That’s not sustainable for a team trying to move up the standings. Pairing Dybantsa with Trae Young gives him a playmaker who can set him up while he learns the NBA game. He doesn’t have to be the primary ball handler right away. He can just go score, which is what he does best.
And let’s not forget they’ve got Anthony Davis in the frontcourt now. That’s three guys who can each demand attention. The Wizards went from a bottom-tier roster to something that looks genuinely dangerous in the Eastern Conference. Nobody’s saying they’re title contenders tomorrow. But they’re a lot closer than they were 48 hours ago.
The Mavericks gift-wrapped big men for Golden State and Oklahoma City
Dallas threw a curveball at No. 8 by taking Morez Johnson Jr. That pick raised eyebrows because there were at least three big men still on the board who had higher grades: Adem Mara, Nate Ament, and Yaxel Lendenborg. The Mavericks saw something in Johnson. Fine. But two other teams were thrilled to see those three names still available.
The Warriors have been hunting for a versatile big man to fit alongside Stephen Curry for years. They ended up with Lendenborg, an athletic forward who can space the floor, defend multiple positions, and work within Golden State’s motion offense. It took them some time to decide between him and Mara, but Lendenborg’s ability to run the floor and finish above the rim won out.
The Thunder, meanwhile, grabbed Mara at 7-foot-4. He’s a defensive anchor out of Spain with elite instincts and solid passing vision for his size. His offensive game still needs work, but Oklahoma City is thinking ahead. Isaiah Hartenstein is probably leaving within the next year or so. Mara gives them another giant to throw at Victor Wembanyama in the West playoff picture. That’s smart planning.
Chicago might have finally found its way out of purgatory
The Bulls have been stuck in that weird middle ground for what feels like forever. Not bad enough to tank properly, not good enough to matter. This draft gave them a real chance to change that.
With the fourth pick, Chicago took Caleb Wilson, a defensive specialist who can guard multiple positions and disrupt passing lanes. His offense is a question mark. He’s shown flashes from three-point range but hasn’t been consistent enough to call him a two-way player yet. But you can win with a tough defensive wing who’s still developing. That’s not a bad bet.
Later in the draft, the Bulls grabbed Dailyn Swain, a guard who steadily improved through college and turned into a reliable scoring threat. If Wilson becomes the defender Chicago needs and Swain provides backcourt scoring off the bench or in the starting lineup, the Bulls could have something real. Two picks that complement each other. That’s more than this franchise has had in a while.
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