Illini guard Keaton Wagler cancels workout with the Brooklyn Nets

Illini guard Keaton Wagler met with the media today in New York City on the eve of the 2026 NBA Draft. Wagler is expected to be the Illini’s first lottery pick since Meyers Leonard in 2012. As it stands right now, Wagler is expected to be a top-10 pick in tomorrow night’s draft. However, there are a lot of questions and buzz surrounding the talented guard. Ever since the season ended, debates have surfaced regarding who a franchise would rather have among Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr., and Kingston Flemings. Each guard has specific skill sets that seem to impress different NBA analysts more, and no one can seem to reach a conclusion. Some reports have surfaced that teams were not too fond of Wagler’s below-the-rim athleticism and “lack of explosiveness”.

However, with the draft in just one day, teams seem to be closing in on a full decision, and Wagler peeled back the curtain a little bit on his NBA Draft process.

Keaton Wagler confirmed with the media that he worked out with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Clippers; however, cancelled a workout with the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are rumored ot be interested in a lead guard with their sixth overall pick. Though Keaton did meet with the Brooklyn Nets front office, he cancelled his workout. Why?

What does this mean?

This could either mean one of two things. The first is that Wagler has received positive buzz about going to the Los Angeles Clippers at the fifth pick. This makes a lot of sense given the current makeup of the Clippers roster. Last season, they acquired all-star point guard Darius Garland and would love to have a guard in the backcourt who can play alongside Garland. Wagler fits that bill better than fellow draftees Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff, and Kingston Flemings. Though rumors are swirling that the Clippers are shopping this pick, Wagler seems rather confident that he is the fifth overall pick.

This could also mean that the Brooklyn Nets did not feel that Wagler was a good fit with them. The Nets are still in rebuild mode and are likely looking for a more explosive scorer like Acuff or Brown Jr. Simply put, it could just mean that Brooklyn was not all that interested.

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