27. Brooklyn Nets
How many guards does one team need? If you're running the Brooklyn Nets, the answer is at least 10. It might end up being more, depending on how free agency goes this summer. They have six guards on the roster who just finished their rookie seasons, plus drafting one more in 2026.
To be fair, that newly drafted guard is Mikel Brown Jr., and the Nets can be forgiven for picking another guard in that case. He is a franchise-changing player who will be good for the Nets. That being said, it's hard to see how their issues are going to improve in 2026-2027.
This is a team that had a terrible offense and a terrible defense with a shockingly high number of turnovers. It's a very young roster with no veteran leadership on the court. That has not changed, so their woes related to youth and inexperience are not improving any time soon.
26. Sacramento Kings
Much like the Nets, the Kings are in the middle of a massive rebuild process that is focused on youth and versatility. Thanks to general manager Scott Perry, Sacramento has had great back-to-back drafts. That includes picking up Darius Acuff Jr. this year at number seven. He's a great choice.
What's holding them back is veterans with big contracts who need to be traded, such as Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine. All the dollar signs attached to their names are preventing the Kings from making much-needed moves in free agency. A couple of trades need to happen this summer.
Coaching is also a problem for the Kings. Doug Christie took over as head coach after Mike Brown was fired around Christmas 2024. Christie seems to be connecting with the rookies and sophomores, but questions remain about whether he's the right guy to lead them through the rebuild process.
25. Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies are another team that's a work in progress. They managed to finally trade Ja Morant away, who was a major hurdle to Memphis really kicking this rebuild into high gear. While that's great, it's going to take significant time to fix the team and find success in the post-Morant era.
Over the past three drafts, Memphis has collected Zach Edey, Cedric Coward, Karim Lopez, and Cameron Boozer, the third pick in 2026. What they lack is a strong veteran presence, someone who can help develop the young guns on the court. That definitely wasn't Morant.
As the rebuild continues, it will be interesting to see what kind of team this becomes. There's a lot to figure out, particularly the starting point guard situation. Without question, there is a ton of potential in what the Grizzlies are building, but they won't be seeing real results from the process soon.
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