The second round of the 2026 NBA Draft tips off Wednesday night at Barclays Center, and if the first round was any indication, this thing is going to get messy in a good way. Thirty more players will hear their names called, but the real action happens before the picks are even announced. Teams are wheeling and dealing cash, future seconds, and roster flexibility like it’s a fire sale.
Tuesday night saw 15 of 16 freshmen go in the first round. The one who slid was Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas, and he’s not alone. Henri Veesaar and Isaiah Evans — both projected as first-rounders at various points — also slipped into Wednesday night. That makes the top of the second round genuinely interesting for the first time in years.
Here’s the thing about projecting the second round: It’s basically a fool’s errand. Trades come fast, teams pivot, and a guy who looked like a lock at No. 35 can suddenly fall to 48. But we’re going to try anyway. Here’s our best guess at how the board shakes out.
Early Second Round: Where the Value Is
The Knicks own pick No. 31, but they’ve been shedding picks all night. They moved back three times in the first round, stockpiling future seconds and cash. Expect them to do the same here. A team like Memphis at No. 32 could flip its pick too — Zach Kleiman walked away from the first round with five future second-round picks and two prospects in Cameron Boozer and Karim Lopez. That pattern should hold.
A team trading into that early slot will almost certainly grab one of the three remaining first-round talents. Thomas has room to grow as a combo guard and scorer. Veesaar, the big man out of North Carolina, can stretch the floor and rebound. Evans is a Duke wing with real shooting gravity.
Mid-Round Depth and Draft Combine Risers
The combine changed some projections more than others. Baba Miller (Cincinnati) measured well and played with noticeable energy during scrimmages. Some scouts told us they thought he could sneak into the late first round. He likely lands in Cleveland, where the Cavs need frontcourt depth behind Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.
Richie Saunders from BYU is a tougher case. He tore his ACL in February, but before that he shot 37.6 percent from deep and earned Donte DiVincenzo comparisons from multiple scouts for his quick decision-making on both ends. A team that can afford to be patient on a rehab year might take him in the mid-30s.
Late Round Sleepers and Two-Way Possibilities
Braden Smith finished his college career as the NCAA’s all-time assists leader, but he’s undersized and that scares some teams. Still, a team with established scorers could use a pure point guard off the bench. Indiana makes sense as a trade-up target here.
Tobe Awaka (Arizona) won Big 12 Sixth Man of the Year on sheer energy. He’s got no perimeter game to speak of, but he rebounds at a high level and just disrupts things. That’s the kind of guy who sticks on a two-way deal.
Tyler Bilodeau from UCLA averaged 17.6 points and shot 46.4 percent from three this season. The Kevin Love comps are a stretch, but the Hawks could use a stretch big man if he slips to 57.
Kylan Boswell (Illinois) is a 6’1″ combo guard with a 6’6″ wingspan who can pass and shoot, which is enough to get drafted this late. His defense needs work, but that’s true of almost everyone still on the board at 60.
One name to watch as a potential undrafted steal: Trey Kaufman-Renn. The Purdue forward is 6’8″ and an avid rebounder who plays hard every possession. He could end up as a useful utility guy on a two-way deal if no one pulls the trigger.
Expect movement right up until the first pick is announced. And even after that.
Leave a Comment