In a league where the second apron can force hard choices, rookie-scale contracts have become gold. The Oklahoma City Thunder’s offseason was a perfect example: they moved Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe to dodge the harshest penalties, then replaced that production with Cason Wallace, Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain. Those three are set to make a combined $14.7 million in 2026-27, while the players they helped replace will make about $38 million.
That reality is what made this exercise so appealing. Rather than ranking the best 21-and-under players again, The Athletic’s Will Guillory, James L.
Edwards III and Jared Weiss drafted the best players still on rookie-scale contracts, building 10-man teams in a 30-player snake draft. The goal was simple: balance talent with actual roster construction.
At the top, there was no surprise. Guillory took Victor Wembanyama with the first pick, calling him the league’s most dominant two-way player and noting that the French phenom still has plenty of room to grow.
Edwards followed with Cooper Flagg, who averaged 21 points while shooting 51.3 percent on 2-pointers. Weiss then grabbed Dylan Harper, pointing to how much he improved across his rookie season and into the postseason.
From there, the board got more interesting. Weiss opened Round 2 by taking AJ Dybantsa, betting on the rookie forward’s slashing ability and defensive upside.
Edwards went with Brandon Miller, a scorer he believes can eventually become a top-15 player. Guillory took Caleb Wilson, calling him the biggest star of the 2026 Las Vegas Summer League and saying he believes in Wilson over fellow rookies Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer.
The third round brought more high-end versatility. Guillory added Amen Thompson, praising his development as a full-time point guard and his production of 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists on a 52-win team.
Edwards selected Ausar Thompson and called him the best non-big defender in the NBA. Weiss responded with Cameron Boozer, banking on his communication, rebounding and offensive feel to anchor the middle of a lineup.
Weiss then went with Kon Knueppel in Round 4, valuing his shooting and off-ball fit. Edwards took Stephon Castle, describing him as a 21-year-old bulldog and a starting guard on an NBA Finals team. Guillory used the pick on Darryn Peterson, despite the skepticism surrounding him after a rocky freshman season at Kansas.
The fifth round leaned into shot creation and two-way skill. Guillory took VJ Edgecombe, praising his fearlessness in transition and his catch-and-shoot ability.
Edwards picked Ace Bailey, citing his efficiency, defensive motor and athletic profile. Weiss added Keyonte George, liking the way he can share creation duties and operate as both a movement shooter and a pick-and-roll threat.
Defense and fit started driving the board in Round 6. Weiss selected Cason Wallace for his defensive spark and postseason shooting.
Edwards grabbed Kel’el Ware, saying the 7-footer’s 39 percent 3-point shooting last season helped address his team’s lack of size and shooting. Guillory then took Alex Sarr, noting his 17.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in his first 36 appearances last season, along with 155 made 3-pointers across his first two pro seasons.
In Round 7, Guillory added Jeremiah Fears, calling him a steal as a change-of-pace guard behind Peterson and Thompson. Edwards chose Collin Murray-Boyles for his defense, passing and frontcourt versatility. Weiss selected Donovan Clingan, describing him as a rim monster whose drop coverage could hold up in the postseason.
Round 8 gave each drafter another chance to deepen the rotation. Weiss took Ajay Mitchell, praising his ability to create, defend and switch across the perimeter.
Edwards grabbed Darius Acuff Jr., betting on him as an elite scorer off the bench. Guillory picked Anthony Black, wanting more size and defensive versatility with improving shooting.
The ninth round continued to fill out the edges. Guillory took Cedric Coward, pointing to his physical tools and toughness as a defensive wing.
Edwards added Derik Queen, valuing his craft and passing even with questions about athleticism, defense and shooting. Weiss selected Matas Buzelis, citing his downhill scoring, weakside rim protection and rebounding.
With the final pick, Weiss went with Keaton Wagler, prioritizing another knockdown shooter even though his team could have used more wing defense. Edwards closed with Kyshawn George, comparing him to a young Shaun Livingston and highlighting his size, ballhandling, shooting and defensive competitiveness. Guillory ended the draft by buying low on Reed Sheppard, acknowledging his rough playoff run while pointing out that he made 227 3s last season despite starting only 21 games.
Several notable names were left off the board, including Scoot Henderson, Dereck Lively II, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Zach Edey, Jared McCain, Jaylen Wells, Jamal Shead, Egor Dёmin, Carter Bryant, Will Riley, Nique Clifford, Hugo González, Maxime Raynaud, Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings and Yaxel Lendeborg.
The final team breakdown showed San Antonio, Washington and Utah each landing three players. Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, Memphis, Oklahoma City and New Orleans each had two.
Dallas, Detroit, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Toronto, Portland, Sacramento, Orlando and the LA Clippers each had one. Boston, Brooklyn, New York, Cleveland, Indiana, Atlanta, Miami, Denver, Minnesota, Golden State, the L.A.
Lakers and Phoenix were shut out.
When the drafters stepped back, each saw something a little different. Guillory said his team is loaded with defenders and athleticism, while Edwards emphasized his group’s size and versatility on the wings. Weiss said his roster is built for speed and flexibility, with enough defensive chaos to keep opponents guessing.
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For a team that has leaned on depth as much as upside, that can be a tough first-year puzzle for any newcomer, even one with Maras pedigree. His summer work did not exactly create easy momentum, either, and the next question is whether that leaves him fighting for meaningful minutes sooner than expected or waiting for a bigger opening down the road. [Read more 🡒]