Many around the NBA believe that Karim Lopez, who played for Mexico’s Senior National Team during the 2024 Olympic qualifiers, could end up being selected in the top 10 of the 2026 NBA Draft, per FortyEightMinutes sources.
Lopez won’t draw as much buzz over the coming weeks as his future draft class colleagues playing in the NCAA Tournament but the combo forward left an impression during his record-breaking season in Australia, scoring the most points ever for a draft-eligible NBL player.
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo has Lopez going No. 11 to the Trail Blazers, writing that “NBA teams are optimistic about his mix of size, skill, and toughness” before adding what scouts feel he could improve upon:
Scouts feel he needs to make strides as a shooter, improve defensively and maximize his frame to ultimately stick as a stretch 4, which is his most natural position long term.
Checking in on the Sixers’ Future Pick(s)
The Philadelphia 76ers won’t have their own pick in this year’s draft unless they can tank their way closer to a bottom-4 pick since Oklahoma city owns the lightly protected selection (via their 2020 Al Horford-Danny Green trade).
If the season ended today and Philly was booted from the play-in, they’d have a 2.4% shot at landing in the top 4 of the NBA lottery. However, if the Sixers continue to hobble their way down the standings, it’s feasible that their odds could go all the way up to 9.4% (which assumes they lose enough and then lose in their likely 10-9 play-in contest).
Regardless, the team does have the Rockets’ first round pick via their cost-saving trade that sent Jared McCain to the Thunder.
Michigan center Aday Mara is headed to the Sixers with that pick in Woo’s mock draft on ESPN, writing that the 7-foot-3 big man is an “acquired taste” for some scouts.
Mara has a hard time covering ground at his size and will likely be limited to drop coverage. He lacks upper-body strength and struggles with ball security at times, too, but he’s a unique player some teams will be willing to invest in, particularly if he can develop a functional 3-point shot. His stroke looks passable in warmups, but it hasn’t translated to game action or the free throw line (52.9%).
Philadelphia may be looking at the final run of Joel Embiid‘s tenure with the team so there will likely be plenty of rumors linking the team to front court players in the coming months. Embiid was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 draft and he’s been sidelined for nearly 500 games in his career as a result of his injuries as well as the team’s cautious approach to allowing their stars return to the court from injury.
After years of self-sabotaging the on-court product in Philadelphia and waiting on draft picks to develop in order contend for a championship, Philadelphia will again look to the lottery to add hope alongside the development of Tyrese Maxey and 2025 No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe.
The Sixers do not possess their second round pick in the upcoming draft. The three second-rounders they received in the McCain deal are in future seasons.
