Even the fines and investigations haven’t really stopped the teams from tanking. In fact, Commissioner Adam Silver even issued a statement and alerted the teams that structural changes are coming. Amid this, the franchises that are betting on the top prospects for the 2026 draft might have to change their plans.

BYU commit AJ Dybantsa, Duke prospect Cameron Boozer, and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson are headlining the 2026 class. Now two of them have already put the NBA teams in a quandary after being undecided about their future. The most recent confession came from the Jayhawks guard.

“Last time I’m probably going to do this stuff. I love Kansas. I love everything about being here and my team,” Peterson said. “Maybe one more year. I might run it back.”

The comment from freshman star Darryn Peterson has now given the tanking teams another headache. This was right after his memorable performance of 27 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals on Senior Day at Allen Fieldhouse.

The player widely projected to be a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, even hinting at the possibility of returning to college, is enough to spark conversation. Besides that, BYU’s star is also unsure about going to the pro league due to his mom’s wish.

“I might not leave,” Dybantsa said in an interview with Deseret News. “I might not leave college; my mom wants me to graduate. Yeah, so I might not leave. But I might leave. I’m going to have to talk to my mom.”

If these players don’t commit to the NBA future, it could definitely alter the timeline for many teams. The Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, Brooklyn Nets, and Indiana Pacers all endured prolonged losing streaks while sitting near the bottom of the standings, all in the hope of the 2026 draft talent.

According to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, NBA franchises “are generally torn on who should go No. 1,” with Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer “all in contention.” Vecenie noted that Dybantsa and Peterson “are the two most talked about options.” These two players have hinted at returning to college basketball.

Similarly, Bryce James was also part of this draft class. He could have followed his brother, Bronny James’ path of one-and-done. But LeBron James’ youngest son has decided to redshirt his freshman season at Arizona. After not playing for a single minute, the decision earns him extra time to develop for an eventual NBA draft run.

Adam Silver puts teams on notice

After the All-Star weekend, reports emerged that the commissioner might be looking to abolish the NBA draft. Instead, teams will have the opportunity to select college athletes as free agents. However, no confirmation has come from Adam Silver himself.

“We are going to make substantial changes for next year,” Silver said at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. “I think where I’m on the fence — on one extreme, you could completely divorce the draft from teams’ records. Just argue we could take all 30 teams regardless of the outcome, that would completely disincentivize tanking. You could win the finals, you know, and get the first pick. But then there’s gradations of that.”

If draft odds were no longer tied directly to record, the traditional incentive to lose games during the season could be reduced. The Utah Jazz received a $500,000 fine. Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers were fined $100,000 for resting their stars. These issues could come down, but for that, the league will have to take a stern step.