The Brooklyn Nets hold the No. 6 pick in next Tuesday’s 2026 NBA Draft, and here’s the thing nobody’s quite settled on yet: what happens with Tennessee forward Nate Ament might decide the whole first round.
Ament’s been climbing boards all spring. He’s 6-foot-9, can shoot over pretty much anyone, and his game at Tennessee this year turned him into a top-10 lock. But where exactly he lands — that’s the part that’s got front offices guessing.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints ran through a mock draft this week that had Brooklyn taking Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. at No. 6. But Siegel also made it clear that Ament is very much in play for the Nets. He called Ament “the mystery of this draft” and said there’s a “real chance” he goes to Brooklyn.
Who else is in on Ament?
Siegel reported that the Clippers, Mavericks, Bucks and Nets all have interest. The Thunder are another team to watch — they’re reportedly trying to trade up into the top 10 and grab Ament themselves. That’s a lot of noise around one guy who didn’t do a workout with Golden State, which some read as a sign Milwaukee promised him something at No. 10.
At the same time, nobody’s ruling out Dallas snatching him at No. 9 if he drops that far. Siegel wrote that the Mavs “could surprise many” by taking Ament there.
Ament has been selective with his predraft meetings. He didn’t work out for the Warriors. That kind of thing usually means a team in his range gave him a guarantee, or his agent is steering him toward a specific landing spot. Either way, it adds to the intrigue.
What this means for the Nets
Brooklyn’s front office has been quiet about their plans at No. 6. They’ve looked at a ton of prospects. The draft is deep at guard — Brown, Acuff, Wagler all project as first-rounders — but Ament is the kind of versatile wing that fits next to just about anyone. If he’s there when the Nets pick, they’ll have to decide whether he’s their guy or if they trade down and grab someone else.
One league source told Siegel that Ament’s floor is probably the Bucks at No. 10. But the way this draft is shaping up, he might not last that long. Brooklyn at No. 6 could be the pivot point.
We’ll know for sure Tuesday night. Until then, the speculation is the only thing anyone’s got to go on.
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