Thomas Haugh to the Nuggets at No. 26? What Denver's Draft Scouts Are Looking At

The NBA regular season is done, and suddenly every front office in the league is locked in on one thing: the 2026 NBA Draft. Half the teams are already watching film and making calls while the rest finish out their schedules. The scouts and execs are about to figure out which college kids are going to help them win next year. And yes, that includes Denver.

March Madness just wrapped with Michigan cutting down the nets as national champions, and let me tell you, plenty of prospects turned heads in that tournament. Now we're watching a bunch of college stars announce they're staying in the draft early, and the picture of this class is getting clearer every week. The 2026 NBA Draft Lottery hits on May 10 in Chicago, and the draft combine follows right after that same week, also in Chicago. That's when teams finalize their boards and start thinking about who fits their roster.

Nuggets at No. 26: Thomas Haugh Could Be Their Guy

USA TODAY's current mock has Denver taking Florida forward Thomas Haugh with the 26th pick. Yeah, the same Thomas Haugh who won a national championship with the Gators last season and had everyone wondering if he'd leave or stick around. He stuck around, and that move alone caught the attention of scouts everywhere.

Here's why Haugh makes sense for a contending team like Denver. This guy has one of the best motors in college basketball. He doesn't need the ball in his hands constantly to impact the game. You know what that means? He's a glue guy. He does all the little things that help championship teams actually win titles.

The Numbers Back It Up

Haugh put up 16 points per game this season, pulled down 6.2 rebounds, and added 2 assists per game. His shooting splits tell part of the story: 46.1% from the field and 33.1% from three. He's not a guy who's going to light it up in isolation, and yeah, his efficiency dipped in a set offense this year. March Madness didn't end the way Florida wanted either. But that doesn't change what he is: a forward who wins basketball games through effort and availability.

The Nuggets also project to hold the No. 50 pick via Atlanta in the second round. Denver's got options, and if Haugh is still there at 26, this could be the kind of depth move that keeps a contender dangerous heading into next season.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.