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Tom Dundon purchased the Portland Trail Blazers from the estate of Paul Allen in March of 2026. Dundon has been a successful owner in the NHL with the Carolina Hurricanes, but his cost-cutting methods have been shocking since taking control of a beloved NBA team.

Dundon low-balled head coach Tiago Splitter after he guided the team to the playoffs for the first time in five years, and has reportedly been offering perspective head coaches a starting salary around $1 million, far below NBA norms. He wouldn’t let players on two-way contracts travel for the playoffs. Now, Dundon is doing mass layoffs on the business side for the Trail Blazers that will reportedly cut about 70 jobs.

Sean Highkin covers the Trail Blazers as well as anyone at his newsletter, The Rose Garden Report. Highkin previously broke the news of two-way players being unable to travel for the postseason, and now he’s reported the layoffs on the business side.

Layoffs in pro sports don’t happen all that often. Some of the employees impacted after been with the team for decades, including insider Casey Holdahl, who started in 2007. If you’ve consumed NBA coverage on the internet over the last 20 years, you have probably come across Holdahl’s byline.

On Tuesday, he announced he was among the affected by the layoffs.

More names will be announced in the coming days.

Dundon’s Carolina Hurricanes are currently in the Eastern Conference Finals of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. He’s unquestionably built a successful hockey team, and will reportedly make a deep investment in winning once he sees proof of concept. Dundon is quickly learning there’s a much higher degree of scrutiny in the NBA, and his methods are already being judged. Perhaps Dundon will be able to find a successful head coach for half the cost of the lowest-paid coach elsewhere in the league. Maybe he’ll eventually get the Blazers to championship contention like he did with the Hurricanes.

For now, there will be healthy skepticism about his brazen cost-cutting moves. This is clearly a trend in the early days of Dundon’s Blazers ownership, and I wouldn’t expect it to stop here. Follow our legendary Trail Blazers community Blazer’s Edge for more coverage of the team and Dundon’s ongoing cheapness.

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Jalen Brunson may be an undersized point guard, but the New York Knicks’ lefthander keys NY in nearly every matchup. How he fares in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers may determine the series.

These Jalen Brunson picks expect him to start the Eastern Conference Finals aggressively, the last round putting plenty of material on film for him to study.

Jalen Brunson prop pick for Game 1

Jalen Brunson best bet: Over 6.5 assists (+110 at bet365)

Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham look like completely different players. The New York Knicks’ point guard is listed at 6-foot-2, charitably, while Cunningham is an athletic 6-foot-6.

But both their offenses rotate around them. Brunson’s usage rate of 30.3% this season barely trailed Cunningham’s 30.5%. Brunson shoots and scores more while Cunningham moves the ball a bit more often, but the ball is in their hands one way or another at rates that near the top of the league.

Cunningham regularly got inside the Cleveland Cavaliers’ defense last round. That is the defensive cost of a starting backcourt of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell. Cunningham then frequently moved the ball. That is the defensive perk of a starting frontcourt of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

Brunson should see similar assists opportunities in this series.

Jalen Brunson same-game parlay

Cunningham also chucked quite a bit against the Cavaliers. He averaged nine 3-point attempts per game in the final three games and seven attempts per game through the seven-game series.

Compared to his regular-season rate of 5.7 3-point attempts per game, those numbers stood out.

Now realize, Jalen Brunson attempted 7.1 threes per game this season and has hit 40.9% of his attempts in the playoffs.

This Cleveland defense should provide Brunson looks anywhere but the rim, and he will gladly take those.

He will stray from the rim on both ends of the court, though, given the Cavaliers’ quality post presences and, quite frankly, James Harden’s physical advantages on the glass compared to Brunson’s.

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The proverbial lines that regulate college sports have never been more difficult to identify than they are at this present moment in time. Players that would have been declared ineligible without a second thought as recently as five years ago are now not just being allowed to suit up for collegiate athletic programs across the country, they’re being paid handsomely (in some cases extremely handsomely) to do so.

Even in this current climate, every now and then there comes a situation where the line crossing becomes akin to pornography: You might not be able to fully articulate exactly what lines have been breached, but you know it when you see it.

Enter, of course, Will Wade. The man who was openly talking about paying players before it was cool (or allowed) is back to pushing the envelope in Baton Rouge like Kendrick Lamar and Drake are lightly lobbing sneak disses at one another.

On Monday, Wade made headlines for signing 25-year-old Israeli point guard Yam Madar to a reported $5 million deal. Not only is Madar a EuroLeague vet at this point — his Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. squad just faced Real Madrid Baloncesto in a EuroLeague quarterfinal — but he was the 47th overall pick by Boston in the 2020 NBA Draft. For reference, that’s the same draft where Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and Tyrese Haliburton all had their names called.

Madar, who will turn 26-years-old in December, never signed with the Celtics, but the franchise still owns his draft rights. He was the EuroLeague’s “Rising Star” award recipient in 2023, and averaged 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game in 16 appearances for Hapoel Tel Aviv in league play last season.

If that piece of news wasn’t splashy enough, less than 24 hours later LSU announced that Wade had signed former St. John’s star R.J. Luis. The 2024-25 Big East Player of the Year, Luis opted last spring to spurn another year in college in favor of chasing his NBA dream. He went undrafted.

While there were rumors last summer that Wade was trying to convince Luis to sign with him at NC State, the 6’7 wing ultimately inked a two-way contract with the Utah Jazz. Two months later he was traded to the Boston Celtics. Though he was waived by Boston before the start of the 2025-26 season, Luis signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics’ G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics.

The Luis signing has immediately drawn comparisons to the Charles Bediako situation that Alabama went through this past season.

In 2023, Bediako had left school early to play in the NBA, gone undrafted, ultimately signed a two-way contract with San Antonio, and competed in the G League as a professional over parts of three seasons. He then re-signed with Alabama and played five games for the Crimson Tide between January 24 and February 7 thanks to a temporary restraining order. On February 9, his temporary restraining order expired and he was denied a motion to play out the remainder of the season.

“The NCAA has not and will not grant eligibility to any prospective or returning student-athletes who have signed an NBA contract (including a two-way contract),” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement last December in response to the Bediako situation.

Wade’s reasons for pushing the envelope here extend beyond his established status as a provocateur.

Since making the highly controversial jump from NC State back to LSU after just one season in Raleigh, Wade has had a more difficult time piecing together a roster than he likely anticipated. The Tigers are returning essentially zero production from last season’s 15-17 squad and have no incoming freshmen from the recruiting class of 2026. This would be fine if Wade was crushing it in the NCAA transfer portal. He hasn’t been.

Wade has inked just four players from the portal so far this spring — Divine Ugochukwu from Michigan State, Abdi Bashir from Kansas State, Mo Dioubate from Kentucky, and Austin Nunez from UTSA. That’s a four man class that has LSU currently ranked No. 40 in 247 Sports’ team portal rankings. At a time when most major conference programs are putting the finishing touches on their 2026-27 rosters, Wade and the Tigers are very much in scramble mode.

Earlier this month, Wade beat out Kentucky to sign 23-year-old Brazilian big man Marcio Santos of the Israeli league. In addition to signing Madar and Luis, there are reports that Wade has also been pursuing 22-year-old Saliou Niang, who is currently competing in the Italian Wing. With so few uncommitted impactful players in the portal remaining, it’s apparent at this time that Wade’s last ditch effort to produce a roster that can be competitive in the ultra-difficult SEC revolves around signing as many pros as possible and hoping at least a handful of them will be deemed eligible by the NCAA.

Given the precedent set by the Bediako situation, it seems extremely unlikely that the NCAA will clear Luis for a return to college basketball in 2026-27. Madar has more of a shot (somehow), but it still seems more likely than not that the NCAA will do everything in its power to keep the seasoned EuroLeague vet from spending the first four months of his 26th year playing college basketball.

For any other power conference college basketball coach, the actions taken by Wade this week would reek of desperation and a lack of any sort of respect for the last vestiges of the sanctity of college hoops. But for a man who has spent the better part of his kicking at lines like a leadoff batter on a dirt field and still managed to fall upwards more times than not, it’s almost hard to blame him for continuing to exist in the shadowy world he knows better than anyone.

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It took some time, but the Eastern Conference Finals are finally here. Our NBA player prop projections are set for Game 1, as the Cleveland Cavaliers face the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, with the model uncovering several high-value betting spots.

By analyzing the data against current market lines, we’ve identified where the strongest edges exist.

These Cavaliers vs. Knicks predictions are driven by numbers instead of guesswork.

If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Tuesday, May 19.

Cavaliers vs Knicks computer picks for Game 1

Cavaliers	Knicks
Mitchell u26.5 points  -112	Brunson o27.5 points -120
Harden o6.5 assists -112	Towns o11.5 rebounds +102
Mobley o8.5 rebounds +102	Anunoby o15.5 points -110

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Cavaliers Game 1 computer picks

Donovan Mitchell Under 26.5 points (-112)

Projection: 25.95 points

The Cleveland Cavaliers should face a slower pace in this matchup against the New York Knicks, who’ve played at the league’s slowest tempo over the last 25 games — making it tougher for Donovan Mitchell to dictate offensively.

It’s also a challenging spot for getting to the line, as opposing starting shooting guards have averaged just 1.9 free-throw attempts per game at Madison Square Garden over the last 10 — third-fewest in the league.

Coming off a Game 7 on Sunday, the quick turnaround combined with a well-rested Knicks squad puts Mitchell at a disadvantage to open the series.

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James Harden Over 6.5 assists (-112)

Projection: 6.57 assists

Mitchell won’t be the only star under pressure, James Harden should also feel the full force of New York’s defense in Game 1.

The Knicks understand how vital Harden is to Cleveland’s offense, and keying in on him could force more playmaking than scoring. He either cleared or came close to this assists line in five of seven games last series against Detroit, showing a strong tendency to facilitate when defenses tighten up.

If New York clamps down, expect Harden to lean into the distributor role and rack up the dimes.

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Evan Mobley Over 8.5 rebounds (+102)

Projection: 8.56 rebounds

Evan Mobley’s rebounds prop has been a steady moneymaker throughout the Cavaliers’ playoff run, and after a 12-board performance in Game 7 against the Pistons on Sunday, there’s little reason to expect a slowdown.

Cleveland has thrived on the glass on the road, ranking sixth in the league with 13.0 offensive rebounds per game over its last 10, with Mobley playing a major role in that dominance. Look for him to bring that same energy into the Big Apple.

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Knicks Game 1 computer picks

Jalen Brunson Over 27.5 points (-120)

Projection: 27.92 points

Jalen Brunson has averaged 31.4 points per game over his last five home outings, which is 3.9 points higher than his season-long home average.

The Knicks could also benefit from their full week of rest, a boost that could further elevate Brunson’s production as New York looks to keep defending home court throughout its postseason run.

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Karl-Anthony Towns Over 11.5 rebounds (+102)

Projection: 12.24 rebounds

The Knicks rank fourth in the NBA in offensive rebounding at home this season, and for Karl-Anthony Towns, the key to clearing this rebound line in Game 1 will be staying on the floor and avoiding foul trouble.

That was an issue at times during the series against Atlanta, but New York managed those minutes well in his absence. When Towns is active, though, he remains a strong presence on the glass — positioning him to do enough damage on the boards to push this prop Over tonight.

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OG Anunoby Over 15.5 points (-110)

Projection: 16.53 points

OG Anunoby has averaged 22.0 points per game over his last five outings, 4.8 points higher than his season-long mark, highlighting an uptick in offensive production.

New York’s quick work in the series against Atlanta also gave him valuable time to recover from the hamstring issue that forced him to miss the final two games. He’s expected to be available for Game 1 against Cleveland, and the Knicks are clearly more dangerous when he’s operating at full strength.

If the injury doesn’t limit him, Anunoby should slide right back into a key offensive role as New York looks to keep its attack rolling.

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How to watch Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 1

Location	Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date	Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Tip-off	8:00 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN

Not intended for use in MA.
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Quentin Grimes’ audition with the Sixers for the 2025 free-agency class couldn’t have gone much better. He averaged 21.9 points in 28 games on 46.9/37.3/75.2% shooting splits. He also bore no responsibility for the team’s record over that time as they began to pile the roster with G-Leaguers and journeymen from overseas in a tanking effort to retain their draft pick.

Likely thanks to an overambitious agent, that didn’t translate to lucrative offers though. Grimes’ restricted free agency became a tumultuous stand-off that dragged on all offseason and ended with him taking an $8.7 million qualifying offer just as the Sixers were beginning training camp.

For the first month of the season, Grimes had appeared to put such a rocky negotiation behind him, scaling down perfectly into the sixth man role the team envisioned for him when they acquired him. Through November, he was averaging 17 points a night shooting 44.8% from the field and 36.9% from behind the arc.

As the season wore on, he struggled more and more to consistently be that complementary player. He shot 31% from three the rest of the season and as his percentage dropped, so did his willingness to take them.

He was getting up 6.4 threes a game in that first month and a half versus 4.6 the rest of the way. The drop off in his three-point shot hampered his other ways to score, as did the erratic playmaking that saw him post the second-highest turnover percentage of his career.

By the time the playoffs rolled around, the scuffling Grimes was still the only trustworthy one out of the Sixers’ “glut of guards” off the bench.

He was phenomenal in Game 5 of round one against the Boston Celtics, dropping 18 points while providing stellar defense on the other end, but it was short-lived. That ended up being Grimes’ only meaningful double-digit performance of the postseason (he scored 12, mostly in garbage time, in a Game 4 blowout loss to the Celtics). Game 2, the only game the Sixers had a shot in against the New York Knicks, was lost because this glut could not withstand the 1:12 Maxey sat on the bench.

The context has changed this time around with Grimes set to hit the market again, this time as an unrestricted free agent, but what kind of offers he will get and from who are just as unclear. Grimes is one of two key free agents for the Sixers this summer, along with Kelly Oubre Jr. Andre Drummond and Kyle Lowry’s contracts are also set to expire.

With three max contracts still on their books, the Sixers are in a pretty similar cap situation they were last summer, with room for about one real contract to hand out in free agency before hitting the first apron. It’s probably a safe assumption to say they’d want to stay under that so they’d be able to use the $15 million non-tax payer mid-level exception.

The Sixers’ choice is likely not going to be as binary as this, especially given the expected financial limitations, but if it comes down to keeping Oubre or Grimes, the choice doesn’t seem too hard at this point. Oubre is coming off a career-high three-point shooting season. With the work he’s put in to get his shooting hand and wrist healed the past couple of offseasons, that feels sustainable as well. The chemistry he’s developed cutting off Joel Embiid has made him malleable and scalable for this team in a way Grimes has yet to figure out. 

The best case to be made for retaining Grimes is that his value around the league remains a lot lower than many would have expected after how his previous season ended. He no longer has the restricted tag that would scare teams with cap space away, but his struggles to fit in nicely as a role player seem likely to give any contender pause.

It would also go a long way in explaining how a guy with so many sought-after traits in the current NBA has already played for four teams through his first five seasons.

In his exit interview, with his season having just ended only hours prior, Grimes admitted he isn’t sure what he’s looking for in free agency just yet. He did feel like it was a solid season, one he felt he showed he could do different things when needed.

“Whenever guys were in and out or were dealing with injuries or whatever I feel like I was able to prove myself every time I stepped on the court,” he said. “If I had more responsibility, if I was in a bench role, I would come in and just try to make an impact anyway I can. So, I’m just kind of digesting the whole season as a whole right now.”

With a new agent, Grimes will hope his free agency goes better this time around. The Sixers, on the other hand, might be even more cautious than they were a year ago.

According to Kevin O’Connor at Yahoo Sports, the Suns are expected to try to trade into the first round of this year’s draft. This may be harder than we would like, as this year’s draft is considered to be of good quality, and many teams may want to keep their picks.

That said, this Suns front office is aggressive. We shouldn’t write off the possibility. If Brian Gregory does manage to make it into the first round, how could he do it?

Currently, the Suns sit at pick 47. Here are five ways I could see the Suns moving up on draft night:

Phoenix sends 2033 1st round pick to OKC for #17

Does this trade make you sick? This trade makes me sick. But I see this as the most obvious way for Phoenix to make it into the first round. Oklahoma City does not need any more young talent. They are already so deep that many young players aren’t getting playing time, and they also have pick #12 in this year’s draft.

Devin Booker is going to be 36 by the 2033 draft, and the Suns have no total control over any of their own first-round picks between now and then. If you forced me to bet, the odds are good now that the 2033 pick is a lottery pick.

Who knows what the Oklahoma City Thunder will look like seven years from now? Given their youth, they may still be in contention as long as their core stays healthy. This gives them future flexibility to make even more trades or draft a young player down the road.

For Phoenix, this trade only makes sense if there is someone still available at #17 that they really like. Someone who they think can one day launch into stardom. If they pick another role player at #17, they won’t get this team any closer to a championship. In fact, they may be pushing themselves further from one another with this trade.

Phoenix swaps Jalen Green for PJ Washington

Dallas has entered their “Timeline” era. They are restarting. They need young talent around Cooper Flagg and flexibility for the future. 

For them, Jalen Green can slot in between Kyrie and Cooper and (hopefully) be their solid third option. In addition, they get what could be a really good pick in 2033 to either come in and support Flagg in his prime or be traded to put them over the top.

The Suns give up a lot in this deal. Green and the 2033 1st are some of the Suns’ best assets in their incredibly limited pool. In return, however, they get two first round picks, albeit late ones. They would be getting pick #30 this year and OKC’s 2028 1st round pick, which would probably also be #30 or close to it. 

In my eyes, the big prize here is PJ Washington. Washington is hardly the second coming of Charles Barkley, but he can come in and start for the Suns at the Power Forward, which they desperately need.

Why should Dallas trade Washington? Because he fits the Luka Doncic timeline, not the Cooper Flagg one.

Klay Thompson is pure salary filler in this deal. He can come in and fill minutes, especially if the Suns move off of either of Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale.

In total, this cleans up the depth chart and nets the Suns two picks for one.

Cleveland gets under the second apron

I have enjoyed the Royce O’Neale experience. He is, unfortunately, not going to get the Suns into the NBA Finals. He could, however, get the Suns into the first round of the draft. 

Both Royce and Max Strus scored around ten points on 40% shooting from three this season. This deal doesn’t push either team hard in either direction. 

This trade is all about the financials. In shedding the 5.8 million dollar difference in salaries between Royce and Strus, the Cavs get under the 2nd apron. In exchange for helping Cleveland do this, the Suns pick up the 29th pick in the draft.

This deal just makes so much sense for both teams. Cleveland and Phoenix are positioned well to help each other this offseason without either team having to give much up in the process.

This is easily my favorite trade on this list for its sheer cogency. If the Cavs were willing to do this, the Suns should leap on the opportunity.

Cameron Johnson comes home

I know Suns fans will say that Phoenix is giving up a lot in this deal for Cam Johnson and a late first. I wouldn’t fault anyone who says they’d rather just keep Grayson Allen and Ryan Dunn. Let me try to convince you, though.

The Cameron Johnson experience hasn’t been great in Denver. Cam ended the season with decent stats and really turned things around after a rough start to the season, but for some reason, the fit never seemed to work as well as it should’ve next to Jokic and Murray. He is a good player, but isn’t worth 21 million dollars at this point.

Grayson Allen, on the other hand, has lived up to his contract. He has been a top-6 player for the Suns since he got to Phoenix. He is cheaper than Johnson and better than him. I think Denver would swap them 1-for-1 if they could. 

Ryan Dunn completely fell out of the rotation this season. He is thrown into this trade to make the salaries work and to hopefully bring enough value to bring in a second round pick. Denver is taking a flyer on him in this deal to try to eat up some of the forward minutes they are losing by trading away Cam Johnson.

For Phoenix, this helps clean up the shooting guard logjam and brings in the first round pick they are hunting for. 

I would love to see Cam come home where he belongs.

The Suns trade up…in the second round.

I know, I know. I promised five trades into the first round. But what is the real difference between pick 31 and pick 30 in terms of talent? Probably nothing. Pick 30 and pick 31 in this year’s draft will be in the same tier of talent.

I don’t know exactly what this trade would look like, but let’s just say it’s two second round picks for the 31st pick in the draft. This is the type of deal the Suns have done before, trading up for Rasheer Fleming last season in the second round. 

If the Suns cannot move into the first round, I expect they will be aggressive if there is someone they like at the top of the second round.

What do you think, Suns fans?

Do you like any of these trades? Do you hate all of them? Do you want BG and Mat Ishbia to stay put at 47? Let us know in the comments below!

The 2026 NBA Draft has some of the most impressive one-and-done prospects in recent memory and lottery teams will have plenty of talent to pick from.

After the conclusion of the scouting combine in Chicago, talent evaluators are walking away with new opinions on some of the players after they completed measurements and athletic testing. Others, like Cameron Carr, were able to improve their stock by playing well during five-on-five pre-draft scrimmages. 75 total players participated in the drills with dozens more participating in the G League Combine.

Players can remain as early entry draft candidates through 11:59 p.m. ET on May 27 if they want to maintain their collegiate eligibility or they can return to college. The latest updates on those with big decisions are included below.

All heights and wingspans (as well as the distance between the two) are listed to the nearest inch and players were measured without shoes.

1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa

• TEAM: BYU
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Massachusetts
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• WINGSPAN: 7-1 (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

The Wizards finished with the worst record in the NBA and benefited tremendously from a lottery win. They had the second-worst offense in the league and could instantly inject life into their offense by selecting AJ Dybantsa, the NCAA scoring champion and Julius Erving Award winner. While the battle for No. 1 is far from over, the former five-star recruit emphasized that point during his one game for BYU in March Madness, putting up 35 points and 10 rebounds. The Big 12 Rookie of the Year led the nation in unassisted points scored (680) by a wide margin this season, per CBB Analytics. The emerging star also had 40 points against Kansas State in the Big 12 Tournament on March 10 and averaged a stellar 28.8 points per game over his final 17 appearances. He would be a fascinating fit next to Trae Young and Anthony Davis, who could help him play alongside veteran talent early in his career.

2. Utah Jazz: Cameron Boozer

• TEAM: Duke
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Florida
• HEIGHT: 6-8
• WINGSPAN: 7-2 (+5)
• DRAFT AGE: 18

CBS Sports recently reported that folks at the combine spoke with the "same level of confidence" about Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson going No. 2 overall as they did about Dybantsa hearing his name first. However, this is far from a foregone conclusion. Duke freshman Cameron Boozer was dominant during his first NCAA season, earning national collegiate player of the year honors. The ACC Player of the Year isn’t a human highlight reel, though he performed well during athletic testing at the combine in Chicago. He offers consistency and a diverse, impactful skill set and can bring a culture of winning after multiple championships in high school and an elite Duke team that made it to the Sweet 16. It is important to note that his father, former Jazz player Carlos Boozer, currently works as a scout for Utah. Even if this is an awkward positional fit, the Jazz are building a much stronger core after trading for Jaren Jackson Jr. and drafting Ace Bailey.

3. Memphis Grizzlies: Caleb Wilson

• TEAM: North Carolina
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Georgia
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• WINGSPAN: 7-0 (+3)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

One general manager also told Jake Fischer that “every team” is going to have North Carolina freshman Caleb Wilson over either one of Dybantsa, Boozer, or Darryn Peterson. Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor reported that some front office executives view Wilson with “similarly high upside” as Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson with “dramatically lower downsides” than the guard. The Memphis Grizzlies are unafraid to draft away from consensus and tend to like analytically-friendly prospects, so they're potentially one of those teams. Wilson did more than enough to earn this placement before his injury. According to Bart Torvik, before the injury, the All-ACC big man led the nation with 67 dunks recorded and was one of the best vertical athletes who tested at the combine in Chicago. He was also the only player under 20 years old to reach specific thresholds for both block, steal and defensive rebound percentage.

4. Chicago Bulls: Darryn Peterson

• TEAM: Kansas
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Ohio
• HEIGHT: 6-5
• WINGSPAN: 6-10 (+5)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

Bryson Graham, who was recently hired as the new executive vice president of basketball operations for the Bulls, has a simple task: Select whichever of the four players is still available. While he is certainly no longer perceived as the near-certain No. 1 overall pick that he once was due to relative inconsistency and injury issues, many scouts and evaluators still feel that Darryn Peterson is the most talented player in this class. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo, he has received “largely positive” feedback and was "quiet but serious" during the pre-draft interview process of the combine. Overall, it is incredibly rare to find a prospect who is able to score as efficiently as Peterson did while holding a usage rate as high as his was this season. 

5. Los Angeles Clippers: Kingston Flemings

• TEAM: Houston
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Texas
• HEIGHT: 6-3
• WINGSPAN: 6-4 (+1)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

The Clippers received this pick from the Indiana Pacers and when they are on the clock at No. 5 overall, look for them to potentially call on Houston freshman Kingston Flemings. The All-Big 12 guard has several games when he has recorded at least three steals, notching eight against Arizona State earlier this season. He scored 42 points against No. 11 Texas Tech on Jan. 24. Flemings helped lead Houston to the Sweet 16, and with highs as high as his were this season, it will not take long for him to hear his name called on draft night. Flemings measured with a 40.5-inch max vertical and elite speed across all his agility testing.

6. Brooklyn Nets: Keaton Wagler

• TEAM: Illinois
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Kansas
• HEIGHT: 6-5
• WINGSPAN: 6-6 (+1)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

During this rebuilding chapter, the Nets would love to add a player like Illinois standout Keaton Wagler. The 19-year-old guard played a crucial role in helping the Fighting Illini earn a spot in the Final Four, where he recorded 20 points and 8 rebounds against UConn in the national semifinals. The freshman also dropped 25 points in the Elite Eight. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 39.7 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman, while connecting on as many as nine 3-pointers in a game. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year has athletic limitations but is a cerebral basketball player who averaged 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season. 

7. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr.

• TEAM: Arkansas
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Michigan
• HEIGHT: 6-2
• WINGSPAN: 6-7 (+5)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

The Kings need a potential star and according to Yahoo's Kevin O'Connor, folks around the league "widely believe" they are targeting Arkansas freshman Darius Acuff Jr. right now.En route to the Sweet 16, the SEC Player of the Year proved he is one of the most enticing offensive prospects in recent memory. Acuff Jr. led the nation for points created (1,394) either by himself or through an assist, per CBB Analytics. The speedy guard led freshmen for field goals made in transition (72) and field goals made from both the left and right side of the court. He was among the freshmen leaders in alley-oop assists (17) as well. He has significant defensive deficiencies but is one of the most exciting offensive prospects in recent memory. It's also worth noting Kings executive Scott Perry coached Acuff's father in college.

8. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans Pelicans): Brayden Burries

• TEAM: Arizona
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: California
• HEIGHT: 6-4
• WINGSPAN: 6-6 (+2)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

With the pick the Hawks received from New Orleans, one potential target is Arizona freshman Brayden Burries. He was an exciting prospect to watch during the Big Dance, making it all the way to the Final Four and dropping 23 points against Arkansas. He had two breakout games in January, which helped solidify his draft stock. But the All-Big 12 guard continued to display his tantalizing talent, scoring 31 points with seven rebounds and five steals against Colorado on March 7 and 20 points with 12 rebounds and five assists during a victory against No. 14 Kansas on Feb. 28. He has proven productivity, and he is able to defend, relocate, move the ball and make 3-pointers off the dribble.

9. Dallas Mavericks: Yaxel Lendeborg

• TEAM: Michigan
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: New Jersey
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• WINGSPAN: 7-3 (+7)
• DRAFT AGE: 23

The Mavericks had the worst offensive rating in the Western Conference and after hiring Masai Ujiri, they could benefit from a player as productive as Yaxel Lendeborg. He showed on his way to winning the national championship that he is perhaps the most NBA-ready player in this draft class. The Big Ten Player of the Year offers a bit of everything on both sides of the ball and has silenced skeptics who were unsure how his game would scale after transferring from mid-major UAB to high-major Michigan. While he is older than other players projected in the first round, his impact in college basketball was undeniable. He also had a strong "stocks" (steals plus blocks) rate and a plus wingspan, two things Ujiri often loves.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Mikel Brown Jr. 

• TEAM: Louisville
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Florida
• HEIGHT: 6-4
• WINGSPAN: 6-8 (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

The Milwaukee Bucks, potentially heading toward an ugly Giannis Antetokounmpo divorce, must simply draft the best player available with whatever pick they have and will likely keep Louisville floor general Mikel Brown Jr. highlighted on their big board. The All-ACC guard has deep shooting range and was among the freshmen leaders in 3-pointers made from beyond 25 feet (27) this year, per CBB Analytics. Brown was averaging 29.2 points per game over his last five appearances, including 45 points against NC State on Feb. 9, while hitting 10 shots from beyond the arc, before an injury on Feb. 28 forced him to miss March Madness. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo, some scouts feel Brown has the highest “upside” of the guards in this range.

11. Golden State Warriors: Karim López

• TEAM: International
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Mexico
• HEIGHT: 6-8
• WINGSPAN: 7-0 (+3)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

Karim López had a low usage rate and played fewer minutes than other players in this range while playing against pros, but was still very productive for the NBL Next Stars program in Australia. The Mexican-born forward is physically gifted, athletic, and universally seen as the top prospect from this class currently playing overseas. He exploded for 32 points (11-of-13 FG) with eight rebounds, two blocks and one steal against Melbourne on Jan. 30. Despite his age, he played a huge role for his team defensively for a team that won the NBL Ignite Cup. López measured well, weighing just shy of 222 pounds and 38-inch max vertical.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers): Aday Mara

• TEAM: Michigan
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Spain
• HEIGHT: 7-3
• WINGSPAN: 7-6 (+3)
• DRAFT AGE: 21

After winning the 2025 NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder could add even more lottery-caliber talent, like Michigan center Aday Mara. While leading his team to win the NCAA championship, Mara became one of the prospects who helped himself the most during March Madness. Oklahoma City tends to like low-usage big men with high assist percentages as well as high block and steal percentages. The 7-foot-3 big man, who transferred from UCLA, is a fantastic rim protector. Opponents only attempted 20.4 percent of their field goals at the rim when the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year was on the court, per CBB Analytics, which ranks near the lowest among all NCAA players. He could potentially hear his name called even higher than this, too, as teams look for large folks like Mara (who measured with a 9-foot-9 standing reach) to guard Victor Wembanyama.

13. Miami Heat: Labaron Philon 

• TEAM: Alabama
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Alabama
• HEIGHT: 6-3
• WINGSPAN: 6-6 (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

The Heat could find a fairly compelling player in Alabama sophomore Labaron Philon. Even though the All-SEC guard was not playing at 100 percent during March Madness due to injury issues, he played well in the tournament, recording 35 points during a loss against Michigan. He also notched 29 points in his first-round game and 12 assists in his second. The guard averaged 22.0 points per game this season, and he improved his 3-point shooting from 31.5 percent as a freshman to 39.9 percent as a sophomore, while also managing 5.0 assists per game in the process.

14. Charlotte Hornets: Cameron Carr

• DRAFT AGE: 21
• TEAM: Baylor
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Minnesota
• HEIGHT: 6-5
• WINGSPAN: 7-1 (+8)

The player who improved his draft stock the most during the combine was Baylor junior Cameron Carr. He scored 30 points in a five-on-five scrimmage, recorded a 42.5-inch max vertical and had great physical measurements. This should grab the attention of teams that tend to like athletic prospects like the Hornets. The All-Big 12 wing brings sincere athleticism and shooting and, per Bart Torvik, he was the only player to make at least 40 field goals that were dunks and more than 60 field goals that were 3-pointers this season. Baylor outscored opponents by an additional 28.5 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor relative to when he was not, via CBB Analytics, which ranked as the fourth-most of any high-major player in the NCAA. 

15. Chicago Bulls (via Trail Blazers): Hannes Steinbach

• TEAM: Washington
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Germany
• HEIGHT: 6-10
• WINGSPAN: 7-2 (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

The Chicago Bulls received this additional pick because the Portland Trail Blazers advanced past the play-in tournament. This is about the range of German big man Hannes Steinbach, who reportedly turned down NIL opportunities “worth up to $10 million” rather than return to college. While his Washington team missed the tournament, the All-Big Ten post is an instinctive rebounder with great hands, including an absurd 24 rebounds against USC on March 4. Additionally, the center is one of the more prolific pick-and-roll finishers in college basketball. He shone during the FIBA U19 World Cup, too, and scouts love that he is a smart basketball player who can make great reads. 

16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Suns): Joshua Jefferson 

• TEAM: Iowa St.
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Nevada
• HEIGHT: 6-8
• WINGSPAN: 6-11 (+3)
• DRAFT AGE: 22

The Grizzlies will have another first-round pick thanks to the Desmond Bane trade and may have their eyes on Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson, who reportedly had a pre-draft workout with the organization. A few years ago, research indicated that the Grizzlies tend to value a few statistical similarities in their draftees: Efficient shot selection, added value beyond scoring and defensive playmaking. For the second year in a row, the All-Big 12 forward was an impactful dribble-pass-shoot forward who met many of the qualifications that led Memphis to find players who spent many years on their roster. The Grizzlies are not afraid to draft away from consensus and have shown a willingness to pick older, more experienced players in the past. Perhaps they trade back to get him, but he fits their profile.

17. Oklahoma City Thunder (via 76ers): Nate Ament

• TEAM: Tennessee
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Virginia
• HEIGHT: 6-10
• WINGSPAN: 7-0 (+2)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

While the Thunder may not actually use this pick because they have such an abundance of talent on its roster already, this is a fair range for Tennessee freshman Nate Ament. The forward reportedly considered returning to college to aim for the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. His decision to declare for this class, instead, suggests he is likely comfortable with the feedback he has received so far. The freshman averaged 21.6 points per game, while shooting 38.9 percent on 3-pointers, during a 13-game stretch before an injury against Alabama on Feb. 28. The All-SEC forward then had 27 points (4-of-6 on 3-pointers) with eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal against Auburn on March 12. He was not as efficient during March Madness, but it will only take one team to fall in love with Ament, and that team is likely picking this forward with a standing reach exceeding 9-foot-1 near the lottery.

18. Charlotte Hornets (via Magic): Morez Johnson Jr.

• TEAM: Michigan
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Illinois
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• WINGSPAN: 7-4 (+7)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

Morez Johnson Jr. is one of the best two-way players in the NCAA. He was a crucial part of the Michigan identity this season, leading his team to win the NCAA championship game, and has thrived since transferring to the Wolverines from Illinois. Johnson's shooting form at the free-throw line looks good, and he scores well near the rim, especially when cutting to the basket. The former FIBA U-19 Team USA standout and All-Big Ten big man is a trustworthy defensive playmaker, too, and should carve out minutes at the next level. Johnson was a winner during measurements at the combine, recording a 39-inch max vertical and testing with elite agility for his position.

19. Toronto Raptors: Bennett Stirtz

• TEAM: Iowa
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Missouri
• HEIGHT: 6-3
• WINGSPAN: 6-6 (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 22

The Raptors need another guard and should have Bennett Stirtz, who reportedly has a workout scheduled with the franchise, on their priority list. After transferring from Division II to a mid-major and then to a high-major program, he is at the top of the class in creating his own shot off the dribble in isolation or the pick-and-roll. The All-Big Ten guard can also finish plays from dribble handoffs. His play during March Madness, which included 24 points against Illinois and 20 points against Nebraska, earned a spot in the Elite Eight. The Raptors play at a slow pace, which would translate well for Stirtz, who did the same at Iowa. 

20. San Antonio Spurs (via Hawks): Ebuka Okorie

• TEAM: Stanford
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: New Hampshire
• HEIGHT: 6-1
• WINGSPAN: 6-8 (+7)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

Stanford freshman Ebuka Okorie is an interesting early entry candidate in the 2026 NBA Draft. The first-team All-ACC guard was a day-one starter in the NCAA who is potentially capable of earning rotation minutes for a team like the 76ers. He averaged 23.2 points per game, recording 40 points against conference rival Virginia Tech and seven other games with at least 30 points. Okorie has earned serious first-round buzz and should intrigue the Spurs, who often fall in love with players who boast a high assist-to-turnover ratio like he did (2.3) last season. He told reporters there is "no chance" he is returning to school next season.

21. Detroit Pistons (via Timberwolves): Koa Peat 

• TEAM: Arizona
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Arizona
• HEIGHT: 6-7
• WINGSPAN: 6-11 (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

The Detroit Pistons have drafted several prospects capable of contributing to an elite defense, which means a player like Arizona forward Koa Peat will probably have some appeal to the organization. He is athletic with good positional size and length. Peat is also a solid rebounder and passer for his position. The All-Big 12 forward will desperately need an improved jumper to carve out regular minutes as a high-impact pro. "Speculation" about a return to Arizona and head coach Tommy Lloyd has reportedly "increased" recently.

22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Rockets): Dailyn Swain 

• TEAM: Texas
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Ohio
• HEIGHT: 6-7
• WINGSPAN: 6-10 (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

After transferring from Xavier to Texas during the offseason and then leading his team to the Sweet 16, Dailyn Swain became one of the more intriguing breakout players in college basketball. The All-SEC forward is versatile and contributed a little bit of everything for the Longhorns on both sides of the ball, scoring well both in the paint and on fastbreaks. Another element that is notably compelling is that Swain is efficient one-on-one in isolation against his defenders. He is quick, bouncy, a solid rebounder and his 81.5 percent free-throw percentage indicates he has good shooting form. While he has three years of college experience, at 20 years old, he is the same age as a few NCAA freshmen. Swain told reporters he is "two feet in" about turning pro and decided to withdraw from the second day of pre-draft scrimmages.

23. Atlanta Hawks (via Cavaliers): Chris Cenac Jr. 

• TEAM: Houston
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Louisiana
• HEIGHT: 6-10
• WINGSPAN: 7-5 (+7)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

It was an up-and-down season for former five-star recruit and McDonald's All-American Chris Cenac Jr. at Houston. He did, however, get hot at the perfect time. During his first game in the Big Dance, the big man recorded a season-high 18 rebounds, while also knocking down a 3-pointer and grabbing a steal. Then in the Round of 32, he showed off more scoring with some impressive cuts to the basket, dropping 17 points against Texas A&M. He was quieter in the Sweet 16 but still managed 10 rebounds. Cenac told reporters he is “fully committed” to the NBA Draft and had great measurements at the combine, recording a 37-inch max vertical and a very impressive agility.

24. New York Knicks: Allen Graves 

• TEAM: Santa Clara
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Louisiana
• HEIGHT: 6-8
• WINGSPAN: 7-0 (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

One of the most under-the-radar prospects in all of college basketball this season was Santa Clara freshman Allen Graves, who was nearly a March Madness hero. It was hard not to notice the WCC Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year after he scored 30 points with 13 rebounds, four assists and two steals Feb. 7 against Washington State. The only players under 21 years old who held a higher box plus-minus, via Bart Torvik, were Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson. He declared early entry for the 2026 NBA Draft but also entered his name in the transfer portal and could return to school. If he returns to college, he is reportedly most seriously considering LSU and Duke and added that Kentucky also reached out to his agents.

25. Los Angeles Lakers: Jayden Quaintance

• TEAM: Kentucky
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Ohio
• HEIGHT: 6-9
• WINGSPAN: 7-5 (+8)
• DRAFT AGE: 18

Jayden Quaintance recorded just one start during his sophomore campaign as he recovered from a torn ACL, meniscus and fractured knee. The big man is still one of the youngest players in this class, but he has shown flashes during his time at Arizona State and Kentucky. When healthy, he is arguably the most talented defender in this draft class and could help a team that desperately needs frontcourt help, like the Hornets. But health may cause some concern for evaluators. During his freshman year when he was just 17 years old, per CBB Analytics, he led all D-I players in blocks per 40 minutes (0.7) on 3-pointers.

26. Denver Nuggets: Christian Anderson 

• DRAFT AGE: 20
• TEAM: Texas Tech
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Georgia
• HEIGHT: 6-1
• WINGSPAN: 6-6 (+5)

The Denver Nuggets tend to look for players with a strong assist-to-usage ratio because they rely on high-efficiency passing and off-ball movement. Texas Tech sophomore Christian Anderson is a potentially perfect fit. After moving from the two-guard to point guard, the All-Big 12 Most Improved Player recorded more than twice as many assists per 100 possessions as a sophomore compared to when he was a freshman. Anderson managed to do that while also scoring well on spot-up possessions and handoffs. Anderson said he’s “100% invested in [the draft],” but he reportedly "didn’t completely shut down the chance" to go back to school.

27. Boston Celtics: Milan Momcilovic

• TEAM: Iowa St.
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Wisconsin
• HEIGHT: 6-8
• WINGSPAN: 6-9 (+1)
• DRAFT AGE: 21

Former Iowa State forward Milan Momcilovic may decide to stay in college and use the transfer portal, but if he does turn pro, he will have options. Boston tends to favor players with a high effective field goal percentage, low turnover percentage and low usage rate. They also like players who make quick decisions on catch-and-shoot opportunities and on corner 3-pointers. Momcilovic scored 297 points when shooting off the catch, per Synergy, which ranked fifth-best among D-I players last season. He also matched 28 corner 3-pointers, according to CBB Analytics, which trailed the top-ranked player (34) by just four field goals made.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Pistons): Tyler Tanner 

• TEAM: Vanderbilt
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Tennessee
• HEIGHT: 5-11
• WINGSPAN: 6-4 (+6)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

It is unusual to find a sophomore under 6-foot projected in the first round of a mock draft, but if there were ever a player who has earned that kind of praise should he decide to turn pro after this season, it's Tyler Tanner. Despite his size, the All-SEC guard found meaningful ways to contribute on both sides of the floor. He can score efficiently, dunk, block shots, steal the ball, and he is more than serviceable as a floor general capable of earning rotation minutes for a team like the Timberwolves. Tanner could also return to school, but he will continue to receive first-round buzz if he stays in the draft after the early entry withdrawal deadline. 

29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via Spurs): Henri Veesaar

• TEAM: North Carolina
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Estonia
• HEIGHT: 6-11
• WINGSPAN: 7-2 (+3)
• DRAFT AGE: 22

We have seen a remarkable improvement from Henri Veesaar after transferring from Arizona to North Carolina. The 7-foot big man from Estonia has an excellent shot diet on offense. The All-ACC big man is scoring efficiently at the rim (especially when cutting or rolling) and on 3-pointers, while also holding his own as a rebounder and passer. Any team looking for a big man who can provide NBA minutes will have him high on their priority list. He presumably feels comfortable with his draft range, considering he was reportedly offered “at least $6 million” in the transfer portal, per CBS Sports.

30. Dallas Mavericks (via Thunder): Tarris Reed Jr. 

• TEAM: Connecticut
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Missouri
• HEIGHT: 6-10
• WINGSPAN: 7-4 (+7)
• DRAFT AGE: 22

UConn senior Tarris Reed Jr. helped himself quite a bit during the NCAA tournament en route to an appearance in the national championship game. He recorded four double-doubles during March Madness, notching 31 points and 27 rebounds against Furman. Reed also had 26 points with 9 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals during a win over Duke. During the combine, he did the dirty work, recording 5 rebounds with 1 steal and 1 block in his first game and then scored 117 points (7-of-9 FG) with 5 rebounds and 2 blocks in the second. Reed also tested with elite agility for his position. Expect him to come into the league and find a role sooner, especially considering his paint dominance, rather than later.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2026 NBA mock draft: Latest update before early entry withdrawals

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The New York Knicks have not been tested in three weeks. The Cleveland Cavaliers hope to do more than keep things competitive, but even just that would provide us some betting value.

These Cavaliers vs. Knicks props and NBA picks expect a quality Game 1 on Tuesday, May 19.

Best Cavaliers vs Knicks props for Game 1

Player	Pick
Jalen Brunson	Over 6.5 assists	+110
Jarrett Allen	Over 12.5 points	-115
Karl-Anthony Towns	Over 1.5 3-pointers	+145

Game 1 Prop #1: Jalen Brunson Over 6.5 assists

+110 at bet365

We, as a basketball community, probably did not properly appreciate that seven-game series from the Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers. That was the good stuff, even if Game 7 ended in a rout.

Detroit leaned heavily on Cade Cunningham, perhaps too heavily, but with good reason. Even on a lineup devoid of a second scorer or enough perimeter shooting, Cunningham averaged 7.9 assists in that series.

The New York Knicks do not need to rely on Jalen Brunson as heavily for all things offense, but he is still clearly their focal point and initiator. Expect Brunson’s assist numbers to spike in this series, frequently able to get past Cleveland’s perimeter defenders, but then faces quality rim defenders.

Game 1 Prop #2: Jarrett Allen Over 12.5 points

-115 at bet365

One of those quality rim defenders found his groove offensively late in that series against the Pistons. Jarrett Allen struggled to start the series, going just 1-of-4 in 18 minutes in Game 1. But he averaged 17.3 points in the final three games, clearing this points prop each time.

Allen needed to find his space against a physical center like Jalen Duren.

He should not have that same issue against the Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson both bring their own qualities, but neither is as physical a presence as Duren.

Game 1 Prop #3: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 1.5 3-pointers

+145 at bet365

This is simply too rich a price to be ignored. Karl-Anthony Towns hit multiple 3-pointers in two of four games last series and has done so in four of 10 games this postseason while shooting an absurd 48.3% from deep.

Realize, he hit multiple 3-pointers in two of the four games last round despite never playing even 28 minutes in that lopsided series. A similar limitation fell on the final three games of the first round.

If Cleveland can actually keep things competitive, Towns should attempt five or six 3-pointers. At that point, there would also be value in betting on him to hit three triples, available at +500 at bet365.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

After going through the NBA Draft process — including putting on a show at the NBA Combine — forward Morez Johnson Jr. is officially staying in the draft and will not return to Michigan next season, he told ESPN.

“From Day 1, coach (Dusty) May told us he was going to help develop us on and off the court, and the goal was to win a national championship,” Johnson told ESPN. “We accomplished that mission. I am excited to chase my lifelong dream of playing in the NBA.”

Johnson played in all 40 games this past season for the maize and blue, averaging 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 62.3 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from three. He leaves college on a major high note, putting up 12 points and 10 rebounds in the National Championship vs UConn.

Following the conclusion of the season, Johnson — along with fellow Wolverine big man Aday Mara — declared for the 2026 NBA Draft while maintaining his collegiate eligibility. He went through the NBA Combine and impressed attendees by measuring in at 6-foot-9 (barefoot) and 251 pounds. He also has a 7-foot-3 wingspan and an 8-foot-11 standing reach. Additionally, Johnson had the highest maximum vertical (39 inches) among all forwards at the event.

Perhaps what impressed folks the most was his shooting, as he drained 17-of-25 three-pointers at the Combine. Johnson only went 12-of-35 on three-pointers all of last season, so to make them at a 68 percent clip — albeit a small sample size — is exactly what NBA front offices wanted to see out of him.

With Johnson officially done at the college level, Dusty May and company have one roster spot remaining for the 2026-27 season. May spoke about that with Andy Katz when the two of them were at the NBA Combine and how they would be “prepared to pivot” in the event Johnson stays in the draft.

“We have one (open roster) spot — we’re just waiting and taking a wait-and-see approach with Morez and certainly anticipating him having a difficult decision because of how well he’s played in Chicago,” May said. “But we’ll support him, and then if he does stay in, we’ll be prepared to pivot. We like our team regardless, but obviously, he raises our ceiling like (Yaxel Lendeborg) did last year.”

It’s unclear whether May will get another player through the portal, the high school ranks, or internationally, but it sounds like he and his staff have a plan in place to put their best foot forward for next season.

In the meantime while we wait on those developments, we wish Johnson nothing but the best as he pursues his dreams of being an NBA player.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls have hired Stephen Mervis and Acie Law IV for the team's revamped front office under Bryson Graham.

The Bulls announced the additions on Tuesday. Mervis was hired as senior vice president of basketball operations and Law's title is vice president of player personnel.

Graham took over as the team's executive vice president of basketball operations after he was hired this month. He spent this season as Atlanta’s senior vice president of basketball operations after a 15-year run in New Orleans’ front office.

Mervis' responsibilities include salary cap strategy and analytics, and Law is responsible for the draft and scouting. Law, who appeared in 12 games for the Bulls during his four NBA seasons, also will be involved in “all player personnel matters,” according to the team's release announcing the moves.

Chicago went 31-51 this season while missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year. It has the No. 4 pick in the upcoming NBA draft, and one of the next big tasks for the front office is finding a coach to replace Billy Donovan.

Mervis spent the last 12 seasons with the Orlando Magic, most recently as assistant general manager.

Law was the director of player personnel for the Brooklyn Nets this season. He also worked for the Oklahoma City Thunder for three seasons from 2022-25, helping the team win the championship last year.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Evolution is inevitable in just about everything, and sports are no exception. Sometimes you’ll get a Stephen Curry or a Victor Wembanyama, and it’s great. Other times, you’ll get a three-team format in the NBA All-Star Game that nobody understands, cares to understand, or has the tolerance to watch from start to finish while getting force-fed more gambling ads than Kevin Hart has been paid for.

So it’s not always great.

Years ago, the sports media landscape didn’t just make sports fun — it did its job without abusing the trust of fans, players, or the teams it covered.

If you grew up in the 1990s, you experienced what’s widely considered the golden age of televised sports. You watched the late, great Stuart Scott share the SportsCenter desk with Rich Eisen. In the 2000s, you attributed Chris Berman’s voice and the words “back, back, back” to MLB’s Home Run Derby. Or you remember the iconic “This is SportsCenter” commercials that showcased some of ESPN’s best creativity.

Go to YouTube and search “This is SportsCenter,” and you’ll immediately fall into a rabbit hole of classics. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen asking Scott Van Pelt for nickname help in ESPN’s office. David Ortiz trying on Jorge Posada’s New York Yankees hat, nearly giving Wally the Green Monster a heart attack as he walks by. Or, of course, the one where Michael Phelps gets annoyed that one of his eight Olympic medals is being used as a coffee mug coaster, prompting Jay Harris to shrug: “It’s just a bronze.”

The nostalgia wasn’t retrospective; we knew it was special while we were living in it. Now, those days feel so far gone it’s almost hard to imagine they ever existed based on what we’re consuming today.

Jaylen Brown’s ongoing criticism of sports media best illustrates the current landscape’s trajectory — and it’s not hard to see why.

Brown and the Boston Celtics suffered a historic collapse to end their season by blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of this year’s NBA Playoffs. Brown immediately vented on Twitch less than 24 hours after the team’s Game 7 home loss, unloading on various topics while reflecting on the season as a whole. He pointed the finger at Joel Embiid for flopping and claimed he had inside information that officials were colluding against him, yet labeled the season his “favorite.”

Was it the best way to digest the loss? Probably not. However, that doesn’t justify the way ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith used Brown’s livestream as fodder for repeated segments.

If Smith had simply claimed Brown hadn’t gone about the loss as best as he could, that would’ve been fair game. The problem with Smith, however, is that “fair game” is way too vanilla for him. Smith doesn’t make $100 million by being impartial or keeping himself in check. The suits he wears on First Take are a thin layer of professionalism to help mask the mudslinging circus ESPN airs every morning.

But whether it’s an Armani suit or a $15 tank top while screaming into a microphone with his buddies, it doesn’t matter. It makes zero difference. Being reasonable doesn’t get Smith animated or hyperventilating while his protégé, former Celtic Kendrick Perkins, sits back and learns from the goofiest in the business before getting his turn to perform on stage.

It’s not journalism — it’s theater.

On Monday morning, Smith had his turn to address Brown’s latest livestream during which the Celtics star — on several occasions — shouted, “F*ck Stephen A.”

“Man, f*ck Stephen A. Stephen A, Stephen B, Stephen C,” Brown said during his Sunday night Twitch stream. “My offer still stands. You want me to be quiet and stop streaming. Well, I want you to be quiet and get off these networks because you’re not using your platform to do real journalism. You’re using your platform to use clickbait.”

The reason Brown reacted so strongly wasn’t because Smith called out the Celtics for choking in Round 1. It was because Smith used conclusive thinking to manipulate an audience into believing a handful of assumptions that have no backing.

For example, Smith gave himself a pat on the back for landing a Jayson Tatum appearance on First Take during his rehab — and alluded to the idea that an existing divide between Tatum and Brown explains why Tatum hasn’t made an appearance on Brown’s livestream.

You might assume that someone with Smith’s connections would float that insinuation based on something he’s been told. Only during that same segment Monday morning, Smith threatened Brown directly by claiming he’d do some dirt-digging to find the exact information he suggested was tucked away in his back pocket.

“Jaylen Brown, be careful what you wish for,” Smith threatened on First Take. “You really want me to start reporting on that level? You understand? Locker room. How the organization might think about you. How the city might feel about you. How Jayson Tatum may or may not feel about you. Sneaker deals. Endorsement deals. The list goes on.”

Smith took it a step further, using Tatum as a comparison point to elevate Brown’s shortcomings in the narrative. He mentioned how Tatum has a sneaker deal and a commercial, but leaves out the fact that Brown turned down a $50 million endorsement deal from Nike — opting to instead launch his own brand, 741 Performance — and headlined an NBA playoffs commercial of his own just a few weeks ago.

That’s either deliberate narrative manufacturing or sincere ignorance.

If you watch Smith try to commentate on the NFL, NHL, or MLB (look up his comments about Shohei Ohtani from 2021), you wouldn’t be able to identify which one it is.

Smith argues that because he’s labeled Brown worthy of league MVP consideration and defended him after his second-quarter ejection against the San Antonio Spurs, it absolves him of everything else he says. That’s the issue. Smith will hurl five different conclusions on the loudest airwaves in sports media, then turn around and hand-pick one as the reason for your response. It’s not even logical.

Basically, Smith is suggesting that criticism of all forms is fair game, but if you respond, he’ll throw a Tony Montana fit at your expense — even if it means spreading disinformation he finds on social media. He’s become a loose cannon, enabled by ESPN to garner as much viewership as possible, even if it means getting his information from the satirical social media page Ballsack Sports (yes, that’s happened several times before).

There was plenty of room to criticize Brown in a way that’s fair, objective, and in bounds. But again, that’s journalism, and ESPN would rather direct message journalists for locker room video clips instead of hiring journalists outright.

That’s the magic touch of Walt Disney!

If you caught 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Felger & Mazz” on Monday, you’d notice a continuation of Smith’s oversimplified framing. Michael Felger, Tony Massarotti, and Jim Murray added their two cents on the Brown-Smith feud, speaking without the context needed for a fully informed discussion.

“I just don’t know why he’s so over-the-top antagonistic,” Felger said.

If that doesn’t describe Smith’s last two decades at ESPN, nothing really does. Let’s be honest.

“He’s just putting together a world salad,” Murray said. “What he’s really saying and what he means is ‘I don’t like what you’re saying about me.’ That’s it.”

The irony is hard to ignore: defenders of Smith often overlook how quickly he lashes out when an athlete refuses to validate him. The same man who, because he frequently appears on Fox News, actually believes he’s qualified to run for president if he ever chooses to do so.

Now, was it hypocritical of Brown to say he doesn’t care for the opinions of those who haven’t played, while hosting Celtics fans on his livestream to hear their perspectives? Sure. Is co-signing Carmelo Anthony’s proposal to substitute postgame press conferences with livestreams ridiculous? Absolutely. But that’s not the conversation Smith had, so he loses credibility. The standard needs to be applied consistently on both sides of the aisle.

There’s no mention of Smith, a 58-year-old man cosplaying as an unhinged cartel kingpin, because Brown called him out. There’s no mention of Smith’s deliberate lies about Brown’s inability to generate revenue through commercials or sneaker deals. There’s no mention of Smith gloating about Tatum’s First Take appearance being an unrelated, irrelevant talking point — and it comes off as intentional.

Felger, Massarotti, and Murray aren’t ignorant — they’re being disingenuous by choice. Smith has built his name by often substituting traditional journalistic standards with sensationalism. That’s no secret. He spent weeks amplifying the LaVar Ball storyline to boost viewership, used criticism of Bronny James as a springboard to question LeBron James’ role as a father, and also spread misinformation about Kobe Bryant’s memorial service, telling ESPN’s audience that LeBron didn’t attend before being debunked the same day.

He didn’t misspeak; he overspoke. Because in today’s my-take-your-take culture, it’s about being the loudest and most confident, even if what you’re saying is wrong and flat out stupid.

For years, Smith used Kwame Brown as a punching bag. Not because Brown’s name warranted the coverage, but because he was an easy target as a former No. 1 pick who didn’t pan out.

He’s a one-trick pony, and it’s been that way for years. And just because most don’t dare to call a spade a spade, doesn’t make it anything different.

Brown’s point stands, and it’s a sentiment that he didn’t birth overnight.  

Smith said the point was that it wasn’t “wise” for Brown to label the season his “favorite” immediately after being eliminated. That’s a fair stance to take considering the optics. The issue is that Smith didn’t stop there. He continued to escalate the critique in a way that crossed from commentary into disrespect by leaning into black-and-white reasoning and uniformed commentary.

You can speculate about Boston’s locker room and its feelings toward Brown, but once you state those opinions publicly without anything to back them up, you can’t be surprised by what follows.

Blaming Brown for giving Smith clicks is essentially an admission that a grown man and father of two cannot control himself. It’s unrealistic to tell Brown — or any athlete — how to handle Smith’s antics. The truth is, it’s easier to criticize the response than to call out the source that provoked it.

Perhaps it’s our fault for tuning in and keeping the lights on.

With the Game 7 loss to Cleveland, it’s officially time to start preparing for the offseason.

This article will be an overview of the roster with details of each player’s contract (or lack thereof) and what it means for the team moving forward.

Set to Return

1. Cade Cunningham

Cunningham will make $50.1 million next season and has four years and $223 million left on his contract. He’s scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2030.

2. Isaiah Stewart

Stewart will make $15 million next season and has two years for $30 million left on his contract. He has a team option on his final year in 2027 and is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2028. Given how costly the center position is about to become for Detroit, Stew is my sleeper pick for being moved this summer.

3. Caris LeVert

LeVert will make $14.8 million next season. It’s the last year on his deal as he’s set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2027. I’d expect to see this contract paired with pick #21 in many fake trade proposals this summer.

4. Ausar Thompson

Thompson will make $11.1 million next season. It’s the last year of his rookie deal and he’s scheduled to be a restricted free agent in 2027. However, he’s extension-eligible this summer and I’d expect it’ll be the first thing Detroit’s front office gets done this summer.

5. Ron Holland

Holland will make $9.1 million next season and has two years and $20 million left on his rookie contract. He’s scheduled to be a restricted free agent in 2028. While he didn’t see many minutes this postseason, he is Trajan’s first draft selection and I would expect him to be in Detroit next year, but I could see him thrown into a bigger deal this summer.

6. Marcus Sasser

Sasser is set to make $5.2 million next season. Like Thompson, it’s the last year of his rookie deal and he’ll be a restricted free agent in 2027. I don’t expect Detroit to extend Sass and view him as salary filler.

7. Chaz Lanier

Lanier is set to make $2.2 million next season and has three years and $7.5 million left on his rookie deal. His contract has a team-option in 2028 before he’s scheduled to be a restricted free agent in 2029.

Partial/Non-guaranteed Contracts

1. Duncan Robinson

Robinson will make $16 million next season, but it’s only $2 million guaranteed. He still has two years and $31 million left on his contract, but his final year is non-guaranteed. Detroit could cut Robinson this summer to save $14 million, or his contract could be an interest to other teams looking to cut costs over the next year or two. Yet, he’s really the only pure shooter Detroit has and I expect him to be on the team next year.

2. Paul Reed

Reed will make $5.6 million next season and is on the final year of his deal as he’s set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2027. None of his $5.6 million is guaranteed so cutting him this summer would save Detroit money, but I believe Reed will see an even bigger role on the court for the Pistons next season.

Team Options

1. Daniss Jenkins

Jenkins may have been the biggest surprise of this season as he worked his way from a two-way contract to a standard NBA deal. He is set to make $4 million next season and will be a restricted free agent in 2027. I would not be surprised to see Detroit reject his team option and sign him to a longer deal with more years to lock him up long term for cheap. I expect him to be the backup PG to start next season.

2. Tolu Smith

Smith was the other player to earn a standard NBA deal from a two-way contract and he’ll make $2.4 million next season. Depending on what Detroit does with its center position this summer, it would not surprise me to see Smith start the season as the third string center.

Free Agents

1. Tobias Harris

Harris finished his two-year deal worth $52 million and he made $26.6 million this season. I would fully support bringing Harris back given the locker room impact he can have, but if this team is going to take another leap, I think they need to acquire a forward that forces Tobias to the bench. If Harris would accept the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception (NTMLE) at roughly $15 million, I think he’d be a great combo-forward off the bench next year.

2. Kevin Huerter

Huerter finished his four-year deal worth $65 million and he made $18 million this season. He played for the Kings, Bulls, and Pistons throughout his contract and rarely saw playing time for Detroit. If they need a movement shooter off the bench, Chaz Lanier has them covered. I don’t expect Huerter to return.

3. Jalen Duren

Duren finished his four-year rookie deal worth $19.5 million and made $6.5 million this season. He heads into the summer as a restricted free agent after not receiving an extension from the front office last year. I fully expect Duren to be back, but the million dollar (or $200 million) question is what JD is worth. He’s eligible for a five year deal worth $239 million, but could reach roughly $287 million if he expectedly makes an All-NBA team. After his disappointing performance in the playoffs, his next contract will be a hot topic of discussion this summer. How much is too much for this front office?

4. Javonte Green

Green signed a one-year deal with Detroit last year and made $2.3 million. I enjoyed having him on the team this year as his play exceeded my expectations. If he’s interested in returning on a minimum contract, I’d be happy to have him back.

What say you, DBB? What’re your thoughts on the Pistons roster heading into next year?

Go Stones.