Well, both the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup are in the books. However, NBA and NHL front offices aren’t ready for summer break just yet. Both the NBA and NHL Drafts are this week, starting tonight with the NBA Draft. There is a lot to discuss, and not much time to do it in. So let’s go over some things you should know for a very busy week in sports.
The NBA Draft will be an interesting one. The first pick this year goes to the Dallas Mavericks, the big winners of the NBA Draft Lottery with just a 1.8% chance of getting it. It seems kind of odd that a team that made the NBA Finals in 2024 now picks first in this year’s draft, but not unheard of. Frankly, the Mavericks need this pick. The fan base is still up in arms over the Mavericks trading Luka Doncic to the hometown Los Angeles Lakers. So having the No. 1 pick should settle the fans, especially since the first pick is projected to be Cooper Flagg from Duke. Flagg’s impressive college career has set the expectations high, and the Mavericks will need him to perform as star Kyrie Irving recovers from an ACL tear.
The No. 1 pick seems set, but what do the rest of the teams do? Several mock drafts have eight straight freshmen going first in the first round. That would be a new draft record (the most so far is the 2017 Draft when the first seven picks were freshmen). Some are also projected several players from France to go in the first round…but no players from Kentucky. The last time Kentucky did not have a player go in the first round…Cooper Flagg was only 2 years old. But back to France, five players would top their previous high from last year that saw four players represented at the Draft.
There is also buzz that some teams may be content to move back to acquire picks for next year’s draft. The 2026 Draft is projected to be rich with talent, of course this isn’t a guarantee, but that hasn’t stopped teams like the Indiana Pacers from trading one of their picks this year for a pick in next year’s first round. We’ll have to wait and see if this will affect the team’s thinking starting tonight.
Now for the local teams, the Clippers will pick first at No. 30. This pick comes as part of the Paul George trade back in 2019 as the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder had the right to swap first round picks with the Clippers in this year’s draft. So, who do the Clippers get to maximize their competitive window (both Kawhi Leonard and James Harden are in their mid-30’s)? One idea is to take one of the Frenchmen in the draft. A name that has been floated around is Noah Penda from Le Mans.
As for the Lakers…well they’ll have to wait. They have no first-round pick, so they have to wait for the second round all the way down at No. 55. As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, the Lakers need a Center, and there is a chance that one could fall to them in the second round. One name that has been floated is Viktor Lakhin from Clemson. He doesn’t have the most dazzling stats in the world…but beggars cannot be choosers when you have to wait until deep into the second round to pick someone to help your team
Over to the NHL, we have until Friday to get ready for their draft, but why not start now? This year’s first pick belongs to the New York Islanders, who won the Draft Lottery despite very low odds. The Islanders’ new GM has said that they are not going to trade the No. 1 pick, but there are still rumors that the Islanders are planning a splash of some kind. While we can guess and create scenarios around that rumor, let’s see who the “experts” think will go No. 1.
This might be a time I actually agree with the “experts” on something, as the projected first pick is expected to be Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). While a defenseman by trade, he is an amazing player on both ends of the ice. His skating is smooth and fluid and has the ability shut down opponents in a variety of scenarios. Executives and scouts view him as a future elite NHL defenseman and a foundational piece for a championship-caliber roster. Schaefer’s ability to control play from the blue line, play tough matchups, and run a power play, along with the belief in his character and leadership, result in many believing that Schaefer has the tools to become a top 10 defender in the league, and I happen to agree on this matter.
Okay, the first pick sounds set in stone, so what now? What about the local teams? We’ll start across the freeway from Los Angeles: the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks have been VERY busy lately with two trades already (one happened even before the Stanley Cup Finals were decided). It makes people believe that the Ducks are accelerating their rebuild and positioning themselves for a shot at the playoffs. The Ducks of Anaheim hold the No. 10 pick in this year’s draft. Obviously they’re too low to get Schaefer, but a defenseman wouldn’t be a bad way to go. The second best defenseman on the board is projected to be Radim Mrtka from the Czech Republic. He currently plays for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He’s very difficult to get around, routinely thwarting attackers in their tracks and killing plays. He may be the defensive key the Ducks need to give their offense the backup they need.
As for the hometown Los Angeles Kings, there is one goal: BEAT THE EDMONTON OILERS! For FOUR years in a row, the Kings have been bounced from the playoffs by the Oilers, and clearly enough is enough for Los Angeles fans. The Kings’ first pick in at No. 24 in the first round. Like the Ducks, the Kings may need some reinforcements on defense, or at the least get some defensive players in their development pipeline. However, they also need goal scorers, and there may be someone who can help with that. I personally like for the Kings to take Schaefer’s Erie teammate, Malcom Spence. Spence is a left winger who had 73 points for the Erie Otters last season, and he’s fast. Spence’s blend of competitiveness, professional details and defensive reliability makes him a solid bet to become a key commentary piece…maybe the piece that the Kings have been looking for to finally overcome the Oilers at long last.
Coverage of the first round of the NBA Draft from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn starts Wednesday, June 25 at 5 PM local time on ABC and ESPN. Round 2 coverage starts Thursday, June 26 at 5 PM local time on ESPN and the ESPN app.
Coverage of the first day of the NHL Draft from LA Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles begins Friday, June 27 at 4 PM local time on ESPN, ESPN+, and Disney+. Second day coverage begins Saturday, June 28 at 8 AM local time on ESPN+ and Disney+.
Fans of both sports can also watch from the NBA and NHL network channels.
