The 2026 NBA Draft Second Round at Barclays Center closed out a two-day process shaped by the 2023 collective bargaining agreement and an overhauled Draft Lottery format. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, speaking before Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 3, framed the structural shift clearly.
“This new system through the Lottery, it’s going to put more emphasis on drafting deeper. I think it’s going to put more emphasis on scouting during the season where you’re paying a lot of attention to maybe players 6 through 10 on a roster that traditionally haven’t gotten the same focus. Just look at these two teams, how deep they are. James Jones was making this point the other day in our basketball operations group saying that even it’s different from when James was winning championships in this league. Look how deep these rosters are and look how deep teams have to be to be successful in this league.”
Silver pointed to Finals MVP Jalen Brunson as a second-round pick, alongside Nikola Jokić and Draymond Green. The precedent is clear. Sacramento‘s Maxime Raynaud, the No. 42 pick in 2025, earned Second Team All-Rookie honors this season. Ajay Mitchell, taken 38th in 2024, became a key contributor for Oklahoma City. Portland‘s Toumani Camara, drafted 52nd in 2023, developed into a standout defender. The second round consistently produces viable rotation players when teams scout correctly.
Finding Value and Contributors in the Second Round
Enough variation exists between projected slots and team-specific needs that several Wednesday selections could have gone off the board Thursday night. Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas appeared in First Round projections across multiple mock drafts; Cleveland took him at No. 34. Duke swingman Isaiah Evans and BYU guard Richie Saunders carried similar pre-draft profiles. Saunders went 32nd to Memphis, Evans 33rd to Minnesota. German guard Jack Kayil rated as a borderline First Round prospect, and the Knicks executed a trade to land him at No. 39.
Evans’ scoring ability positions him as one of the draft’s potential steals. North Carolina big man Henri Veesaar, acquired by the Atlanta Hawks at No. 52, offers rebounding and perimeter shooting at a price point that carries minimal risk.
How the Eastern and Western Conference Finalists Approached Wednesday
The Knicks, Spurs, Thunder and Cavaliers all operate against the backdrop of eight different champions across the past eight seasons. None can stand still.
New York traded out of Tuesday’s First Round entirely and came away with two second-round selections: Kayil and Vanderbilt wing Tyler Nickel, rated among the top three-point shooters in college basketball. The Knicks built a championship roster and now face the challenge of sustaining it.
Oklahoma City, managing contender-level ambitions against real financial constraints, drafted 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara at No. 12 and added Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz in the First Round. Wednesday, they landed Kentucky guard Otega Oweh at No. 41.
San Antonio collected two First Round picks — Kentucky forward Jayden Quaintance at No. 20 and UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr. at No. 26 — then used the No. 42 and No. 44 slots on Tennessee guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Duke forward Maliq Brown. The selections addressed depth directly.
Cleveland moved out of the first round, sending the No. 29 pick (UConn’s Alex Karaban) to Sacramento in exchange for No. 34, which they used on Thomas. Free agency moves appear likely to follow.
Teams with Multiple Second-Round Picks
Beyond the Spurs and Knicks, the Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets all entered Wednesday holding multiple second-round picks.
Houston moved up to select Ohio State guard Bruce Thornton, the Buckeyes’ all-time leading scorer, at No. 31. Minnesota targeted perimeter shooting with Evans, then added Purdue center Trey Kaufman-Renn.
Denver deployed its two picks on Arkansas big man Trevon Brazile at No. 35 and St. John’s forward Bryce Hopkins at No. 49. The Clippers came away with three selections: Cincinnati forward Baba Miller at No. 36, Northwestern scoring wing Nick Martinelli at No. 55 and French center Narcisse Ngoy.
Chicago ultimately traded both of its Second Round picks. Washington moved up to acquire Tennessee forward-center Felix Okpara at No. 46. The Dallas Mavericks, entering with one pick and adding another via trade, took Virginia Tech forward Tobi Lawal at No. 48 and Russian guard Vsevolod Ishchenko at No. 56.
What Comes Next in the NBA Offseason
Free agency and summer leagues are the immediate next steps. Key dates through July:
- June 30: Teams may begin negotiating with all upcoming free agents (6 p.m. ET)
- July 6: Teams may begin signing free agents to contracts (12:01 p.m. ET)
- July 3–6: California Classic Summer League
- Chase Center, San Francisco — July 3, 5–6: Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs
- Golden 1 Center, Sacramento — July 4–6: Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings
- July 4, 6–7: Salt Lake City Summer League, Jon M. Huntsman Center: Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks, Memphis Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder
- July 9–19: 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas
Follow TipsGG for continued coverage as free agency opens and summer league rosters take shape.