Flagg to Wizards, Peterson to Jazz in Nba Draft 2026 Mock
Bleacher Report’s new nba draft 2026 mock draft sends Cooper Flagg to Washington at No. 1 and Darryn Peterson to Utah at No. 2. Washington won the lottery in the scenario, but reporter Jeremy Woo said there is still uncertainty around which direction the Wizards will go.
That uncertainty sits at the center of the top of the board. The mock says Washington needs a long-term centerpiece to build around after assembling an intriguing young core and making discounted deals for Trae Young and Anthony Davis, yet the same projection still places Flagg in that spot.
Washington’s No. 1 Pick
Woo said there is still uncertainty around which direction Washington will go, and the mock gives the team multiple names to weigh. Besides Flagg, the article says the Wizards could consider Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer or Caleb Wilson if they decide to move away from the top projection.
The lottery win gives Washington the first choice, and the roster question is straightforward: a young core is in place, but the team still needs a long-term centerpiece. Flagg is the name at No. 1 in this mock, and that places the pressure on Washington’s decision rather than on the player pool around it.
Utah’s Backcourt Opening
Peterson is projected to go to Utah at No. 2, a fit built around need as much as upside. The Jazz are described as overloaded with frontcourt talent, but they have a vacancy in the backcourt next to Keyonte George.
The mock frames Peterson as a possible partner for George because he can work as an elite shot-maker and a dogged defender. That gives Utah a cleaner roster fit than a simple best-player-available approach, with the backcourt spot next to George standing out as the clearest opening.
Clippers, Memphis, and the Top Three
The same mock also comes tied to a Kawhi Leonard trade idea. The Clippers kicked off a youth movement ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline, sent James Harden and Ivica Zubac packing, and left Leonard in place even though he will be 35 in June and has one more season under contract.
Memphis fills the next slot in the mock, with Cameron Boozer projected to the Grizzlies at No. 3. The team has lost Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., with Ja Morant described as having one foot out the door, and Boozer is presented as a front-line piece who can score in the post, shoot from the perimeter and initiate offense as a point-forward.
That top-three setup turns the mock into more than a simple board. Washington gets the franchise-defining decision at No. 1, Utah gets a guard who matches its biggest opening at No. 2, and Memphis lands a versatile forward while it continues a teardown-and-rebuild phase.
