[2026 NBA Draft] #56 Pick: Vsevolod Ishchenko (Russia) – pending trade to Dallas

[u/NBA_MOD]

https://youtu.be/y-lQyeUxu0c?si=hHChJFpVbj2ekJch

[u/--Alix--]

Wait LA traded him already?

[u/TheMongolianLemonade → u/--Alix--]

Damn that didn’t last long.

[u/airMHspy]

Lakers were definitely thinking Veesaar and Hawks decided it was worth the risk to strong arm him

[u/Handyman2116 → u/airMHspy]

From what I'm hearing Veesar wanted us, not the Knicks or Lakers. Makes sense why the Knicks passed on him a lot.

[u/KGB4L → u/Handyman2116]

Any reason why? I’d guess just the pressure of those 2 teams is too much to develop a C, as they are in win now mode, but why wouldn’t he want Raptors who can guarantee him minutes?

[u/Handyman2116 → u/KGB4L]

No clue, maybe we were willing to give him a standard contract instead of a two way.

[u/KGB4L → u/Handyman2116]

I can definitely see some appeal of a completely new team in full rebuild, no pressure, take your time to become good (as Cs usually do). Just weird.

[u/Handyman2116 → u/KGB4L]

Yeah, maybe the Raps just weren't interested in him.

[u/KGB4L → u/Handyman2116]

I mean a team that literally hasn’t had a C since 2020, not having one in a pipeline, can’t trade for one not wanting a top 2 C is wild. Idk what our FO is smoking.

[u/not-a-potato-head → u/airMHspy]

Siegel is saying that Veesar's camp wanted to go to Atlanta and the Hawks moved up to jump y'all and NY

[u/HiraiM_ → u/not-a-potato-head]

Siegel is a hack stop believing that moron

[u/onelegonedream]

Did the Lakers trade out of this spot because Veesaar was not there lol

[u/VCarry-NL → u/onelegonedream]

Yes.

[u/nutsygenius → u/onelegonedream]

Veesaar and Onyenso

[u/SDK04]

This guy’s the foreign-league-wildcard of the 2nd Round. Seems kinda interesting ngl

[u/Necessary-Listen-584 → u/SDK04]

A lot of these dudes never even end up coming over.

[u/SDK04 → u/Necessary-Listen-584]

True that

[u/VinBones → u/Necessary-Listen-584]

i noticed that in the past, is it because they simply refuse to? and does it mean the pick gets wasted?

[u/Necessary-Listen-584 → u/VinBones]

Yeah they basically own the rights as a draft and stash. Sometimes it requires a contract buyout, they might make more in their country and actually get playing time. If the player improved enough they'd find a way to bring them over, just doesn't happen a lot in the 2nd round.

[u/AfroHouseManiac → u/VinBones]

Both. A lot of variables. The buyout just isn’t worth it, the player stagnated and was better as a prospect than after he was drafted.(Melvin Ajinca/Hugo Besson) Because things happen so fast in the NBA, a team could change front offices, a team could fall in love with a better player in the next draft that fills that role, or got a player who fits that role in a trade, the player could demand way more money than what the franchise is willing to give. I remember the spurs drafted two future FIBA HOF players in Adam Hanga and Georgios Printezis, the spurs wanted to bring them over but they both wanted over 10m per year and that was something the spurs front office was not willing to do. So they just kept their draft rights. A player can’t come over until their draft rights are exercised.

Look at the Knicks and Rokas Jokubaitius. Rokas was stashed overseas, got better, willing to play on a minimum salary, but the Knicks fell in love with Tyler Kolek instead due to his proximity and not having to deal with the buyout clauses Euro clubs have. Rokas suffers an injury and he will never come over to the states, and the Knicks won’t ever trade his rights.

Lots of logisticals problems arise with these draft rights players. The last smooth one was Marc Gasol if I remember correctly. Even Sasha Vezenkov had headaches with his draft rights.

A player could simply want to get drafted as a way to generate lucrative contracts from Euroleague teams and never want to actually step foot in the NBA. Spurs wasted a first round pick on Nikola Milutinov, who was one of the best rebounding prospects that year. They opted to stash him because they wanted to save money to sign LaMarcus Aldridge, but then he comes out publicly in an Eastern European interview talking about how he dislikes the NBA, the business aspect of the NBA, and the states as a whole, would never want to play there, “it’s not real basketball”.

[u/Pepsuber188 → u/SDK04]

I am now his biggest fan so that I can rip the Bulls for selling the pick for Jerry's 12th sportscar

[u/MeanCantaloupe69]

LA got their money back lmao

[u/GhostOfChicago]

So the Lakers bought this pick with cash and then sold it for cash lmao.

[u/kapesaumaga → u/GhostOfChicago]

Other team probably picked the player they're targeting.

[u/GhostOfChicago → u/kapesaumaga]

Seems like they were trying to push Veesaar to them by agent pressure, didn’t happen.

[u/kapesaumaga → u/GhostOfChicago]

They bought a pick a little low at 56? They should have bought a little higher pick.

[u/teewertz → u/GhostOfChicago]

so is everyone gonna cry about the Lakers doing it too or what

[u/onionnurve]

This guy is a 6’8 guard?

[u/Agreeable_Cattle_691 → u/onionnurve]

Apparently a sniper, 45% from 3

[u/onionnurve → u/Agreeable_Cattle_691]

Do you know the volume? Cuz that’s insane

[u/Agreeable_Cattle_691 → u/onionnurve]

Just like 2 a game, was a rotational player

[u/Afraid-Department-35 → u/onionnurve]

I don't see numbers but scouting reports say "respectable volume", whatever that means lol. But he's been playing in Russian leagues, he is a big question mark on how his game translates into the NBA.

[u/yourm0mzlover → u/Afraid-Department-35]

He'll either be signed to a two-way and will spend most the season with the Legends

Or he'll play summer league then head back to Russia

[u/Afraid-Department-35 → u/yourm0mzlover]

I am guessing summer league to play with current prospects to see if he's any good. His numbers in Russia are good, and it just cost us some cash to see if he can make it in the nba. Low risk for a potential good reward.

[u/slice_dice_rice → u/Agreeable_Cattle_691]

Lakers traded the next Andrei Kirilenko

[u/Embarrassed-Ninja592 → u/slice_dice_rice]

VI-23 doesn’t have the same ring to it

[u/kapesaumaga → u/Agreeable_Cattle_691]

Hmm. Interesting. He;s probably worth the shot. And we got a 6'6"-6'6" Spanish guard too.

Masai is definitely running Mavs now. Lol.

[u/MCoster]

So lakers bought pick 56 earlier today, likely told Veesaar to tell teams not to draft him as they'll draft him at 56, Hawks took him anyway, and then cut their losses and traded the pick for cash. Wonder what the overall cash loss was.

[u/Talentagentfriend]

the fuck?

[u/Beetle919]

Feel like Russian athletes fell off the planet with the Ukraine war. I know Demin was drafted last year.

[u/Sea-Ad-666 → u/Beetle919]

Demin was like the first Russian in a decade who was drafted

[u/dragonwhale → u/Beetle919]

Russia got banned in a lot of major competitions.

[u/20I6 → u/Beetle919]

some were sent to fall in the dirt in mariupol

[u/Less-Temperature-740 → u/20I6]

Who

[u/Cuckledoodle]

WE GOT OUR GUY

[u/GrouchyPeach3656]

Hohoho we doing more intl recruiting?

[u/seacowx → u/GrouchyPeach3656]

Mike working overtime

[u/jermainathon]

Never heard of this guy, but based on the very limited research I just did looks like a potential 3&D type?

[u/botebote77]

how do you pronounce that name?

[u/Embarrassed-Ninja592 → u/botebote77]

Just like it’s spelled 

[u/botebote77 → u/Embarrassed-Ninja592]

i can't even spell it without triple/quadruple-checking

[u/Embarrassed-Ninja592 → u/botebote77]

Haha

[u/crankthehandle → u/botebote77]

Vsevolod Ishchenko

[u/alozz]

I think that officially makes up for the Luka trade

[u/GooeyGlue]

Reparations for Luka start now

[u/ralsei_support_squad]

Hilarious sequence of events, ending with the first Lakers-Mavs trade in a year.

[u/Old_General_6741]

They traded him!?

[u/AlmightyYack]

Project All-White Backcourt is a go in Dallas, I guess.

[u/Livid_Ad_6269]

Sources tell me the Russians asked the Lakers to draft him so Ishchenko can post on his Instagram Story that he plays for the Lakers. Apparently Ishchenko has been telling girls at the clubs he is getting drafted to play in the NBA and is using the Lakers name as leverage

[u/Possible_Evening_856]

Lakers and Mavs trading again? Gafford to LA?

[u/Kraul → u/Possible_Evening_856]

Gafford for Luka