NBA Basketball Wiretap

Yaxel Lendeborg enters the 2026 NBA Draft with his stock in flux, as pre-draft workouts have fallen short of expectations and questions remain about where the Michigan forward will be selected, per league sources.

Lendeborg has also been managing an ankle injury, though the issue is not considered a long-term concern. His personality has drawn mixed reactions from evaluators, with sources describing him as high-energy and candid to a degree that may not suit every front office.

On the positive side, Lendeborg was well-regarded by his Michigan teammates. He has acknowledged that his practice habits were poor when he arrived in Ann Arbor last offseason but showed clear improvement as the season progressed.

Lendeborg posted 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game for the Wolverines last season on their way to the national championship. He measured 6 feet 8 inches without shoes and carries a 7-foot-4 wingspan alongside a 9-foot standing reach.

At 23 years old, Lendeborg is an older prospect and will turn 24 in September before playing his first NBA game. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his range, he remains a top-10 prospect in the view of some evaluators.

The Atlanta Hawks are actively weighing trade-up and trade-down scenarios with the eighth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, though the franchise may also stay put and select its preferred prospect, according to sources.

Kingston Flemings is among the players drawing serious consideration at No. 8. The guard is not expected to slide out of the top 10, per sources familiar with draft evaluations.

Atlanta is also expected to bring back veteran guard C.J. McCollum, a move that would allow the team to develop a young guard gradually while giving him immediate opportunities running the second unit.

Flemings' speed and ability to attack the basket would complement a Hawks roster that already features Jalen Johnson and Jonathan Kuminga. Atlanta has a clear need for a downhill, athletic guard to pair alongside McCollum, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

The Hawks acquired the No. 8 overall pick via a trade at last year's draft with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Both the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz are believed to remain genuinely undecided heading into the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday, with sources telling The Athletic that neither franchise has locked in a selection at the top of the board.

Washington continues to consider BYU wing AJ Dybantsa at No. 1, but has devoted significant recent attention to studying Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. Sources caution against drawing conclusions from Peterson's absence from Utah's workout schedule, saying it does not reflect any prior commitment from the Wizards.

Washington lead executive Michael Winger has publicly stated that leadership ranks among the qualities he seeks in a No. 1 pick. Peterson is regarded by those close to him as an exceptionally driven worker, though his quiet, introverted nature has drawn scrutiny on the leadership front. Dybantsa, by contrast, is viewed by NBA sources as a more outgoing personality who demonstrates leadership both in the locker room and in the broader community.

At No. 2, the Jazz also have not settled on a direction. Utah's willingness to select a player who skips a pre-draft visit is established precedent. The organization took Ace Bailey at No. 5 last season despite him not working out in Utah, with his camp appearing to push him toward the Wizards instead.

Peterson's agency, The Team, also represents Jazz point guard Keyonte George, who is up for a contract extension this offseason. Sources suggest the agency may be withholding a Peterson visit to Utah as leverage in those negotiations.

Despite front-office ties to Cameron Boozer through his father Carlos and to Dybantsa through Jazz owner Ryan Smith's connection to BYU, sources say those relationships are not expected to drive Utah's final decision.

While there has long been an expectation that the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo, whether with the Milwaukee Bucks or via trade, would be resolved by the NBA Draft, growing reporting suggests the situation may remain unresolved well beyond next week and into free agency beginning June 30.

The Bucks have been in talks with the Miami Heat for several months but have signaled they are unwilling to accept what has been offered for Antetokounmpo.

"So far, from what I've been told, the Bucks have yet to receive an offer they are willing to accept for Giannis Antetokounmpo," said Brian Windhorst on Thursday's episode of Get Up. "Which is somewhat mirroring what happened at the trade deadline last February. Where they had the market open, didn't agree to a deal, and ended up keeping Giannis.

"While there is this deadline of the draft, and I'm told they intend to trade him by the draft, I think it's possible, there's some percentage chance, that they don't find a deal that they like.

"Miami has been the team most aggressive in trying to get him. But they have seven or eight different pieces that they can trade, none of them that I consider super-premium and I think the Bucks probably want all of them."

The Portland Trail Blazers faced a similar stalemate with Miami in 2023 over Damian Lillard, a negotiation that began in July and dragged into September before Lillard was eventually dealt to Milwaukee.

The Bucks remain motivated to complete a deal before the draft, as any 2026 picks acquired in a trade must be executed by next week for Milwaukee to make those selections.

The Boston Celtics are the other team that has been most closely linked with a potential trade for Antetokounmpo. 

"Have the Celtics and Bucks talked? I believe that they have," said Windhorst. "If they consummate a deal, would it involve Jaylen Brown? I believe that it would."

The Phoenix Suns are in discussions to potentially trade into the first round of the upcoming draft, sources told Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

The Suns currently have the No. 47 pick in the second round. 

It was reported earlier this week that the team have opened negotiations with Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin.

There has been a common expectation that Giannis Antetokounmpo would be traded by the Tuesday, June 23rd NBA draft, but there now appears to be some belief that it could drag out into July. Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslem went on record earlier in the offseason indicating that Antetokounmpo would either be traded or commit to an extension with the franchise by the draft, creating a deadline for the franchise to have clarity on the situation. 

The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are believed to be the two teams that have emerged as the most likely destinations. Boston's level of interest isn't quite as clear as Miami's, who have been pursuing him for months.

"From what I'm hearing, this can drag on into free agency," said Chris Haynes on Sirius XM. "This could drag on until July. The Bucks are not operating that that is the 'deadline.'

"There isn't anything official yet on Giannis as far as teams that are really in play and have had some momentum. Boston doesn't seem as promising of a destination as we thought. I think there's interest, but there is not a clear sign as of right now that is their number one objective. That's not to say they've pulled out. Not to say they won't try anything when July hits. But I have no clear cut signs that they're dead set on him as of right now.

"If that is to be the case, we're back to square one as far as all the speculation goes. And what's going to happen. I still do ultimately believe he will be moved this offseason, but I'm not certain as I was before that it will be done before the draft."

The Bucks have been posturing to agents that they expect to ultimately control multiple first round picks. If a trade has not been agreed upon before the draft, the Bucks will not be able to determine which players are selected with possible picks they will acquire.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are in conversations to trade their No. 28 pick in the upcoming draft, according to Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

The team is reportedly looking for an additional ballhandler. 

They have been linked with Ja Morant and Kyrie Irving, and are also currently working on a new deal for Ayo Dosunmu.  

Should the Wolves trade down but not out of the draft, they could select Valencia's Sergio de Larrea. 

The Charlotte Hornets could still trade either the No. 14 or No. 18 pick in the upcoming draft, sources told Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

The team is looking for size in return.

The Hornets recently held exploratory trade discussions with the Kings for Domantas Sabonis. 

Miles Bridges is also reportedly available on the trade market. 

The Milwaukee Bucks are looking to have as many as three first-round picks in the upcoming draft, according to Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

It was reported on Tuesday that the team are not "in love" with the Heat's trade package for Giannis Antetokounmpo, which would involve receiving the No. 13 pick. 

Antetokounmpo would reportedly sign an extension with the Celtics should he get traded to the team. 

Jon Horst and the Bucks front office also recently traveled to Orlando to watch Mikel Brown Jr. work out.

The Atlanta Hawks remain hopeful of re-signing CJ McCollum, sources told Jake Fischer of The People's Insider.

McCollum, who was acquired from the Wizards, averaged 19.2 points in six playoff games.

Fischer adds that in addition to re-signing McCollum, the team is looking to add another downhill ballhandler to the roster. 

The Hawks have the No. 8 pick in the upcoming draft.

The Hawks are also looking to upgrade their center depth, leading many to speculate that the team could select Aday Mara.