There are now more questions than ever about what teams are going to do in the first few picks of the 2026 NBA Draft.
With reports indicating that Darryn Peterson doesn't plan to meet with the Utah Jazz, if the Washington Wizards decide to select A.J. Dybantsa first overall and not take Peterson, there's a very good chance that Duke's Cameron Boozer could be significantly impacted.
Boozer, who has been one of the better prospects we've seen in this class, even has an argument to be the top player in this class.
That can definitely have an impact on what Boozer does, which is why Yahoo recently predicted that he'd end up going second overall to the Jazz.
“At 6-8 and 253 pounds, Boozer is the most polished player in the class. He scores from the post with both footwork and power, hits 40% of his 3s on high volume, and has enough handle to run offense as a point forward. He shifts between those modes based on what the defense gives him, and that adaptability led to a 35-win season at Duke and the Naismith Player of the Year award. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen are both more perimeter-based players, so Boozer can play inside with them.
“Walker Kessler, who could be re-signed, is an interior player, so Boozer can create. The Jazz would be massive across positions, especially since this group could even move Ace Bailey to shooting guard. Jackson and Kessler could both support Boozer on defense, alleviating concerns about his explosiveness and size to protect the rim full-time and his lateral quickness to switch onto guards. With the bloodline of two-time All-Star Carlos Boozer, the team that drafts him is betting that skill, adaptability, and a track record of winning at every level all lead to superstardom. And the Jazz have the right pieces to make that future a reality for Boozer,” Kevin O’Connor wrote.
I don't think it's crazy to say that Peterson meeting with only the Wizards won't have an impact on Boozer. It's very possible that a team like the Jazz doesn't care what Peterson does and ends up taking the top player available, whoever they think that is.
However, there have also been questions about Peterson and some of his attitude.
If that ends up being a bigger question than some initially thought it was, there's a real chance that Boozer could go second here.
