Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Multiple second-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft drew strong grades for their potential fit and upside.
- Trades reshaped the draft order, allowing teams to target prospects falling into the late first and early second rounds.
- The grades highlight a mix of immediate contributors and high-risk, high-reward projects, setting the stage for training camp battles.
With several quality prospects unexpectedly falling into the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft, fireworks were inevitable. Wednesday night did not disappoint on that front, as trades flew fast and furious, with several potential contributors leaking into the 40s and 50s.
Let's grade every pick based on fit and their ranked on FanSided's top 100 big board.
31. Houston Rockets (via WAS): Bruce Thornton, G, Ohio State
Houston won the trade sweepstakes to acquire this pick from New York. Bruce Thornton was one of the top guards in the country, but in the mold of the small guards who tend to stick in the modern NBA. He's 6-foot even but also 223 pounds, with tremendous footwork and physicality as a driver. The rim-finishing numbers are elite for a guard and he can spray 3s, too. He will need to figure it out defensively, but for a Houston team in desperate need of point guard play, Thornton has a chance to squeak into a rotation spot.
Grade: A
32. Memphis Grizzlies (via IND): Richie Saunders, F, Brigham Young
This is a VERY Grizzlies pick. Richie Saunders is 24 years old and coming off of an ACL injury, so there's risk here. But he feels like a solid bet to stick on a roster and find ways to improve. To look at BYU before and after his season ended. Saunders plays with grit and physicality on defense. He's not a great athlete, but he'll rope 3s, attack closeouts with a purpose and make the right decisions in the flow of the offense. Given Memphis' track record in this range, it's hard to complain.
Grade: B+
33. Minnesota Timberwolves (via BKN): Isaiah Evans, F, Duke
Isaiah Evans was widely proclaimed as a first-round talent and even earned a green room invite, so his slide came as a surprise. Minnesota takes their best player available, no doubt. Evans is an electric movement shooter who made critical strides as a defender and a slasher in his sophomore year. Concerns persist around Evans' thin frame, but if he can fill out, the Wolves should have a quality role player who can score off of Anthony Edwards' gravity.
Grade: A
34. Cleveland Cavaliers (via SAC): Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas
Meleek Thomas received looks in the teens, per multiple pre-draft reports, but the Cavs add him four picks into Round 2. It's a great outcome. Thomas is a lights-out shooter with twitchy athleticism and a very intentional approach to the game. He's out there to get buckets and he should benefit from the playmaking and overall gravity of both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. The defensive question marks are vast, but Cleveland needed guard depth and Thomas has the highest ceiling of any second-round pick.
Grade: A
35. Denver Nuggets (via UTA): Trevon Brazile, C, Arkansas
This feels like a stretch for Trevon Brazile, especially with better prospects on the board, but he's an undeniable talent — with spring-loaded athleticism and a special ability to play above the rim. Denver has never really had a center like this behind Nikola Jokić. Brazile is limited as a decision-maker, but he can pop out for 3s and catch lobs all days, and he's a prodigous shot-blocker. Health is also a concern after multiple major knee injuries, but the Nuggets are clearly trying to add some much-needed athleticism.
Grade: C
36. Los Angeles Clippers (via MEM): Baba Miller, F, Cincinnati
This is the kind of pick we've seen from Cincinnati in the past — a bet on unique tools and outlier traits, if not the immediate cleanest fit. Baba Miller is 6-foot-11 with real guard skills, especially dangerous out in transition. He's a rangy defender. He thinks the game at a high level. The question marks hinge primarily on his shooting, but this is the appropriate range to see if Miller can become the type of point forward every NBA team wants.
Grade: A
37. Miami Heat (via DAL): Ryan Conwell, G, Louisville
The Heat acquire this pick from Oklahoma City and begin the process of stockpiling shooters to place around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt. Conwell is undersized and limited as an on-ball threat, but he's very strong with a mean streak on defense, and he's one of the best spot-up threats in the draft. It's an obvious fit and he's the kind of experienced, hard-nosed "veteran" prospect Erik Spoelstra can get something out of.
Grade: A
38. Indiana Pacers (via NOP): Braden Smith, G, Purdue
Indiana acquires this pick from Chicago. Braden Smith is a classic Pacers pick — another extremely high-feel guard with a special knack for facilitating out of the pick-and-roll and mixing in the occasional pull-up jumper. He's 5-foot-10 and 167 pounds, which means he will fight an uphill battle defensively in the NBA, but he's going to the team where T.J. McConnell has thrived in the Finals. Smith has the outlier feel, poise and skill to stick around.
Grade: A-
39. New York Knicks (via CHI): Jack Kayil, G, Germany
Jack Kayil withdrew his commitment from Gonzaga to keep his name in the draft. The Knicks continue to hammer the international prospect scene. Kayil is only 20, with impressive feel and craft as a point guard. He needs to improve his finishing, but he has excellent positional strength and he's coming off of a productive season in a very good pro league in Germany. There's real upside here and the Knicks need guard depth behind Jalen Brunson as questions swirl around the futures of Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet and others.
Grade: B
40. Boston Celtics (via MIL): Dillon Mitchell, F, St. John's
Dillon Mitchell is an extremely fluid and explosive athlete on the wing. He's a blur in transition, able to elevate and finish lobs with ease. He can guard all over the floor; quick enough to mirror ball-handlers on the perimeter, as well as a rangy help-side rim protector. He continues to expand his vision and aptitude as a passer. Mitchell is a total non-shooter and non-threat outside the paint, but Boston can surround him with a barrage of 3-point bombers.
Grade: C+
41. Oklahoma City Thunder (via GSW): Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky
Otega Oweh has a mean streak on defense and aligns with OKC's core tenets as an extremely physical, athletic player on the wing. He was a microwave scorer at Kentucky, with impressive physicality and explosiveness on finishes at the rim. He's an iffy shooter and a chaotic decision-maker overall, but OKC feels like a smart bet to get the most out of him.
Grade: B
42. San Antonio Spurs (via POR): Ja'Kobi Gillespie, G, Tennessee
Ja'Kobi Gillespie is a classic heart over height bet. He's a compact, uber-aggressive on-ball defender. He's also among the best perimeter shot-makers in this draft. He's not the most natural point guard at 6-foot even, but the Spurs desperately need shooting. Playing next to big slashing guards like Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle — with Wemby stationed behind him on defense — is about as perfect a setup as Gillespie could hope for.
Grade: A
43. Brooklyn Nets (via LAC): Tyler Bilodeau, F, UCLA
Tyler Bilodeau is a knockdown shooter with real size at 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan. He's a solid finisher on the interior, able to negotiate tight spaces with a thick, physical frame. Brooklyn has a bunch of guards who need to feed the ball somewhere, but Bilodeau's defensive concerns are significant and Brooklyn is not well-built to compensate at the moment.
Grade: D+
44. San Antonio Spurs (via MIA): Maliq Brown, C, Duke
The Spurs add the best defender in the ACC last season. Maliq Brown's scoring limitations could tank his NBA transition and he's undersized for a "center" at 6-foot-8 and 217 pounds, but Brown's frenetic activity level on defense — he's a stock and deflections machine — gives him a clear path. San Antonio has loaded up on quality, versatile frontcourt defenders behind Victor Wembanyama, addressing one of the few roster weaknesses on display during their Finals run.
Grade: B
45. Sacramento Kings (via CHA): Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston
Very much in the tradition of Jamal Shead, Emmanuel Sharp is an experienced Houston guard with a voracious defensive appetite. He's small but he's stocky, applying real force at the point of attack. He's also a knockdown shooter, although that's about the extent of his offensive value right now. The Kings need to surround Darius Acuff Jr. with dudes who can hit spot-up jumpers and stop penetration on the other end; Sharp checks those boxes.
Grade: B+
46. Washington Wizards (via ORL): Felix Okpara, C, Tennessee
The Wizards package a couple of picks to move up and select Felix Okpara. This feels like a reach for me, although "reach" is a relative term at this stage of the draft. He's a rangy, mobile center with impressive shot-blocking metrics. He crashes hard on the offensive glass. With the uncertainty around Anthony Davis' future in D.C., adding Okpara as a developmental swing and potential emergency depth at center makes enough sense. He could empower Alex Sarr in fun ways defensively and vice versa, if everything clicks.
Grade: C+
47. New York Knicks (via PHI): Tyler Nickel, F, Vanderbilt
Tyler Nickel is an absolute flamethrower. What else can he provide? Therein lies the concern, but the Knicks will be in the market for Landry Shamet replacements this summer, in all likelihood. Nickel can fly around screens and let it rip from deep. He competes hard and shows solid instincts on defense, at least, but the next level will challenge him athletically in ways college did not. A reach, but the vision is understandable.
Grade: C-
48. Dallas Mavericks (via PHX): Tobi Lawal, F, Virginia Tech
Tobi Lawal posted the second-highest vertical leap in Combine history at 45.5 inches. He's an absurd athlete with real weak-side rim protection skills on defense. This is such a Masai Ujiri pick. All the tools. He needs to improve from a skill standpoint to survive offensively, especially in that Mavs frontcourt, but there aren't many better upside swings in this range.
Grade: B+
49. Denver Nuggets (via ATL): Bryce Hopkins, F, St. John's
The third St. John's senior off the board these past two days, Bryce Hopkins feels like a Nuggets pick. He's a smart, productive upperclassman with strong fundamentals as a mid-range and post scorer. He can shoot a fit. The actually finishing metrics are troubling and he's a limited athlete on defense, but if Hopkins can rebound and hit enough funky, maybe he sticks. But this is a real.
Grade: D
50. Toronto Raptors: Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona
Toronto has a type. The Raptors need more playmaking in the backcourt and Jaden Bradley can certainly help. He works his way into the teeth of the defense and shows solid poise as a distributor. Now, he's an inconsistent shooter, which is an all too common knock on the current Raptors roster. But his rugged defense, not unlike Jamal Shead, is something the Raptors always value. Bradley is a winner with the right spirit to force his way onto the roster and stick.
Grade: B+
51. Orlando Magic (via MIN): Izaiyah Nelson, F, South Florida
Izaiyah Nelson has bounce for days and he's an incredibly active defender, with stock numbers through the roof. He also hammers the glass. He's limited in terms of ball skills and decision-making on offense. The touch is lacking. But he's going to fly around and win on the margins, and he fits Orlando's type really well. The Magic's frontcourt depth has waned in recent years, maybe Nelson can replenish it.
Grade: A
52. Atlanta Hawks (via CLE): Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina
The Hawks move up to select Henri Veesaar, the No. 27 prospect on FanSided's big board — our highest-rated prospect coming into Day 2. It's unclear why Veesaar fell. Maybe medical red flags. Maybe some agent shenanigans. But Veesaar would've been a credible pick for the Hawks at No. 23, much less No. 52. He's a smooth, skilled interior finisher. He can pop out behind the 3-point line. Center depth was a point of emphasis for Atlanta coming into the draft. Veesaar is not a great rim protector, but with Zuby Ejiofor also joining the roster, the Hawks have a lot of skill and matchup versatility behind Onyeka Okongwu now.
Grade: A+
53. Detroit Pistons (via HOU): Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia
Ugonna Onyenso is awesome value here. He was limited in terms of his role at Virginia, but he posted the highest block rate in college basketball (17.4%) and he's young for a senior, still 21 years old. He will alter the geometry of the floor with his length and the well-established threat he presents underneath the basket. He's a decent mover out in space. He can dunk, rebound and sometimes even step out behind the 3-point. Detroit backfills its frontcourt depth chart after the Isaiah Stewart trade.
Grade: A+
54. Golden State Warriors (via LAL): Lajae Jones, F, Florida State
Golden State tends to prioritize versatility and feel with their second-round picks. Lajae Jones fits the bill. He's a fun, funky wing scorer whose IQ is not fully encompassed by the assist numbers. He's an explosive shot-blocking, pickpocketing wing. Can he shoot and finish consistently enough to stick in the NBA? It's a fair question. He was extremely up and down at times for the Noles. But this pick does align with Golden State's identity and needs, especially with a banged-up wing depth chart.
Grade: C
55. Los Angeles Clippers (via NYK): Nick Martinelli, F, Northwestern
The Clippers add one of the most productive players in college basketball in Nick Martinelli, whose footwork, strength and intelligence help him compensate for limited athleticism. He can bang spot-up 3s, dance through the post with long, sweeping strides, pass on the short roll and even get to his spot in the mid-range. He's a limited if gutsy defender, but the Clippers are adding someone who just understands the game on an elemental level.
Grade: A
56. Dallas Mavericks (via DEN): Vsevolod Ishchenko, F, Russia
Dallas GM Mike Schmitz once again strikes on the international front, acquiring this pick for cash. Vsevolod Ishchenko is a work in progress who hasn't faced super high competition in Russia, but 6-foot-8 wings who thrive in transition, flash ball skills and defend a couple positions effectively tend to have a chance.
Grade: C
57. Los Angeles Clippers (via MIL): Narcisse Ngoy, C, France
Narcisse Ngoy committed to Auburn but is now locked up with the Clippers, who take an upside swing on the raw 21-year-old. Ngoy has all the tools, listed at 6-foot-11 with a reported 7-foot-7 wingspan. He's extremely strong and active on the interior, with real equity as a shot-blocker and rebounder. The Clippers will probably stash him somewhere.
Grade: D
58. New Orleans Pelicans (via DET): Jaron Pierre Jr., G, SMU
Jaron Pierre Jr. is an explosive, wiry slasher who can detonate above the rim. He can also settle for too many inefficient mid-range jumpers or difficult, fallaway layups. He figures to get out a run with a young, skilled Pelicans roster. Jeremiah Fears and Zion Williamson like to push the tempo. This pick would be easier to stomach if Pierre made any sort of consistent effort or impact on defense.
Grade: C
59. Minnesota Timberwolves (via SAS): Trey Kaufman-Renn, F, Purdue
Trey Kaufman-Renn's mobility will be tested on defense, but he's an old-school winning type of forward. He plays with incredible brute force on the glass and he can score with polished footwork on the interior. He passes well. He doesn't make mistakes. With Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer to clean up on the back end defensively, maybe Kaufman-Renn's connective, dirty work traits can help him stick.
Grade: C+
60. Milwaukee Bucks (via OKC): Malique Lewis, F, Trinidad and Tobago
Milwaukee bought this pick with cash. Malique Lewis has admirable dirty work traits on the wing. He rebounds, he competes on defense and he knows his role offensively, focused on spot-up 3s, cuts and cleanups. That said, the Bucks are aimless at the moment and Lewis' lack of a functional handle or in-between game cap his ceiling. He has performed reasonably well in both Spanish and Australian leagues, but he's a project still.
Grade: D
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