Heading into his second year in the NHL, the San Jose Sharks would undoubtedly love to see Michael Misa take a massive step forward in his development.
Misa, 19, had the disadvantage of great expectations heading into his rookie season. As the second-overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, it's easy to get caught by a whirlwind of expectations which can lead to disappointing performances. Luckily for Misa, the Sharks were no stranger to top prospects as they had Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith break into the NHL during the prior season.
Misa followed a similar plan to Smith's rookie season, as the Sharks allowed him to adjust to life in the NHL without wearing him out with the insane schedule that comes as a part of it. They'd sit him as needed, which allowed him to rest and learn by watching his teammates.
The Sharks likely would've preferred to see Misa on the ice more than 45 times last season, but injury, the World Junior Championships and some early contractual issues on the organization's side of things led to him being limited even more than expected.
Assuming Misa is able to stay healthy during his sophomore season, it seems safe to assume that the Sharks are going to aim to play him in all 84 games this time around. So, assuming he's able to do that, what would a successful season look like for the young centerman?
While offensive production is a key part of Misa's game, and it will be his biggest asset in the long run, the Sharks need to get him to a point where he can match up against other teams' top players if necessary. Misa will likely slot in as the Sharks' second-line center of the future, behind Celebrini of course. In the event that Celebrini suffers an injury at some point down the line, which the Sharks will need to be able to rely on Misa to cover all of his duties, which will include playing against the NHL's elite centers.
Misa will likely never be a candidate for the Selke Trophy, but they'll want him to be solid in his own zone and that side of his game needs a considerable amount of work at the NHL level. He was a reliable two-way player in the Ontario Hockey League, now he needs it to translate to the NHL.
On the offensive side of things, it's unrealistic to expect him to have a season like Celebrini did in his sophomore campaign. For Misa, a realistic target would likely be between 50-60 points in an 84 game season. Given his natural goal-scoring ability as well, roughly 20 of those should be goals.
All-in-all, the most important thing Misa needs to do for a successful season is to establish himself as the Sharks' second-line center as soon as possible. With the team aiming to push for a playoff spot this time around, Ryan Warsofsky and company will need Misa to surpass Alexander Wennberg for that spot. Even though Wennberg is a fantastic third-line center, he shouldn't be on the second line of a playoff team.
Expectations are undoubtedly going to be high for Michael Misa heading into his second NHL season, but that's nothing new for him. While there's always the possibility of a sophomore slump, he has all the tools to be a key player for the Sharks this season if he's able to put things together.
In an unexpected turn of events, San Jose Sharks goaltending development coach and scout Ryan Miller participated in the Colorado Avalanche's alumni game on Sunday, despite never playing for the Avalanche.
The Avalanche touted Miller as a "special guest" on social media, however the story behind how he ended up participating has not been confirmed:
Miller, 46, had a playing career that spanned across 18 seasons at the NHL level. The majority of his 796 career games were spent with the Buffalo Sabres, the organization that drafted him 138th overall in 1999. He also had stints with the St. Louis Blues, the Vancouver Canucks, and one of the Sharks' in-state rivals, the Anaheim Ducks.
At one point, Miller was the winningest American goaltender in NHL history with 391 career victories, but he has since been passed by long-time Los Angeles Kings netminder Jonathan Quick who retired with 410 wins.
Since retiring as a player at the end of the 2020-21, Miller took a few seasons off before spending the last three seasons with the Sharks organization acting as both the goaltending development coach and as a goaltending scout.
Simon Nemec hasn't forgotten what happened in New Jersey.
The former second-overall pick spent years waiting for the opportunity to prove he could become the star defenseman the Devils envisioned when they drafted him. Instead, he found himself on the outside of a crowded blue line, fighting for ice time and ultimately being shipped out of town before he ever received the role he believed he deserved.
Now, Nemec has a new team, a new contract and a chance to turn the Calgary Flames into the vehicle for his revenge.
"I just want to prove to everyone that New Jersey wasn't right," Nemec told The Hockey News' David Alter.
For Nemec, this is no longer simply about a fresh start.
It's about making the Devils regret the day they decided they could live without him.
The 22-year-old arrives in Calgary carrying the weight of enormous expectations, but also with a rare opportunity to finally establish himself as the type of defenseman many believed he could become when New Jersey selected him second overall in the 2022 NHL Draft.
The Flames are betting heavily that opportunity was exactly what Nemec needed.
Calgary acquired Nemec and forward Maxim Tsyplakov from the Devils in June in exchange for two conditional first-round picks, a second-round selection and defense prospect Etienne Morin. The Flames then doubled down on their belief in the young defenseman, signing him to a five-year contract worth $7.25 million annually.
That is a significant investment in a player who has yet to fully establish himself at the NHL level.
But Calgary isn't paying for what Nemec has already accomplished. The Flames are paying for what they believe he is about to become.
Nemec showed flashes of that potential last season, setting career highs with 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games. Yet his development in New Jersey was complicated by a crowded defense corps and limited opportunities to take on the offensive responsibilities typically afforded to a player with his pedigree.
For a former No. 2 overall pick, being asked to wait his turn can be frustrating. For Nemec, it eventually became impossible to ignore.
"I think I couldn't play my best hockey," Nemec said. "I wasn't given the opportunity that I want, and at the end of the day, they decided it's best for me - and for them - to get traded. And I'm happy with that."
The move may ultimately prove beneficial for everyone involved.
But Nemec clearly has no intention of quietly moving on from New Jersey.
He believes there is more to his game than the Devils ever had the chance—or willingness—to see.
In Calgary, he could finally get the opportunity to prove it.
The Flames offer a considerably different landscape for Nemec. Instead of competing for offensive responsibilities behind established names, he enters an organization that has made a substantial long-term commitment to him and appears prepared to give him every opportunity to become a central piece of its future.
That could include a larger role on the power play, more responsibility at even strength and the type of consistent minutes Nemec believes were missing during his time with the Devils.
The opportunity is there.
Now comes the part Nemec has been waiting for: making New Jersey regret letting him go.
"I feel like they need a player like me," Nemec said. "I can play a lot of minutes there. I can be part of the future there and be one of the leaders of the team."
Those are ambitious words from a 22-year-old still looking to establish himself.
But Nemec is entering Calgary with something more dangerous than confidence.
He has a score to settle.
The Devils made their decision. They determined that moving the former second-overall pick was in their best interest.
Nemec now has five years in Calgary to convince them they were wrong.
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 01: Donovan Mitchell #45 and James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers react against the Toronto Raptors during the fourth quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavaliers fans and fans across the country.
It has been an interesting summer for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They’ve improved a position of need by trading for Peyton Watson, but getting to that point wasn’t exactly a straight line. Let’s go through the timeline of events.
Not captured above is the fact that the Cavs went from a team in the second apron last season to being hard-capped at the first apron. Shedding money and improving the on-court team would be a win.
With the dust mostly settled, how would you grade the overall offseason for the Cavs? Let us know in the poll and comments below.
The players in this ranking do not have extensive NHL experience and are all 23 and under. Therefore, players like Jimmy Snuggerud, Dalibor Dvorsky, and Logan Mailloux, among others, won't feature in this ranking for those reasons.
The order of these rankings reflects a mix of their ceilings and potential, as well as how they've performed over the past year with their respective clubs.
Gastrin and Buchelnikov, two prospects acquired in trades, could have easily been swapped, but Gastrin is just 19 years old and brings a more well-rounded game than Buchelnikov does.
Gastrin was originally a second-round pick (37th overall) of the Washington Capitals in the 2025 NHL draft. The Blues acquired him, alongside Connor McMichael and a first-round pick, in a deal that sent Jordan Kyrou to the Capitals.
While McMichael and the first-round pick, which was used to select Maddox Dagenais, feel like the best part of the return, there is a real possibility that Gastrin turns out to be just as important an acquisition as any player in this deal.
Playing in the HockeyAllsvenskan this past season, Gastrin posted 10 goals and 24 points in 39 games with MoDo Hockey. Gastrin signed his entry-level contract with the Capitals last summer and was loaned back to Sweden for the season.
The Blues will do the same, as they have loaned him to Brynas IF, which will be playing in the SHL next year. Gastrin will hopefully be given additional ice time and a bigger role before joining the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL to end the season.
Additionally, Gastrin will almost assuredly make Team Sweden's World Junior Championship roster once again, but this time around he'll play a more prominent role.
Gastrin was part of Sweden's gold medal-winning team but played as a depth forward, skating in six games without recording any points. With players like Anton Frondell, Ivar Stenberg, and Viggo Bjorck all possibly playing in the NHL, Sweden will need players like Gastrin to step into bigger roles.
In all, Gastrin is a two-way center with the versatility to play on the wing. His ability to play center or on the wing will be important as he attempts to crack the Blues' lineup. The Blues aren't short on center prospects, but if Gastrin can play both positions, he'll find time in the lineup eventually.
Offensively, Gastrin is more of a playmaker than a shooter, but with his 6-foot-1 frame, he has shown he can get to dangerous areas of the ice to score as well.
There's real NHL middle six upside within Gastrin, but it's up to the Blues to get him there.
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It's 57 days until the start of the season and already teams are being hit with injuries.
Portland guard Shaedon Sharpe has torn his meniscus and will miss the first six months of the season, bad news for the Trail Blazers, first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.
I'm told Sharpe's torn meniscus is in his right knee, and the injury happened during a personal workout.
If the six-month timeline holds, Sharpe would miss the majority of the coming season and return somewhere around the All-Star break in February.
Sharpe was looking for a bounce-back season after being limited to 50 games last season due to a stress fracture in his left fibula. When he did play last year, Sharpe averaged 20.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, shooting 33.7% from beyond the arc. The 23-year-old is one of the league's best athletes, and his dunk highlight reel is awe-inspiring, but coaches tend not to trust him in big minutes because he hasn't proven he's efficient yet.
The good news for Portland is this team is deep with guards: Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Ja Morant and Scoot Henderson. All that talent, while Deni Avdija can and should continue to play in the point-forward role.
Sharpe is about to enter the first season of a four-year, $90 million contract.
With September almost here, teams around the NHL will soon start signing to players to professional tryout (PTO) agreements.
When looking at free agents left who the Montreal Canadiens should consider signing to a PTO, forward Eeli Tolvanen stands out.
The Canadiens could use another top-nine winger, and Tolvanen has shown during his career that he can be just that. During this past season with the Seattle Kraken, the 27-year-old winger recorded 12 goals, 36 points, and 187 hits. This was after he scored a career-high 23 goals and recorded 35 points in 81 games with Seattle during the 2024-25 season. He also finished that season with 237 hits.
With numbers like these, Tolvanen would be a very intriguing player for the Canadiens to invite to their training camp on a PTO. In fact, one could argue that it would even make sense for the Canadiens to sign him to a short-term deal without a PTO.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Canadiens make a push for Tolvanen. He could be a nice addition to their roster if they signed him for the season.
In 423 career NHL games over eight seasons, Tolvanen has posted 92 goals, 98 assists, 190 points, and 985 hits.
The 2026-27 season is just a month away and for the first time in four years, the Carolina Hurricanes will don't have a certified starter in net.
With the departure of Frederik Andersen, the Hurricanes now have just two netminders left under contract in Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov, neither of which are a surefire bet to take over the net.
More than likely the Hurricanes will go with a 1A/1B split between their two goalies as has been traditionally seen with the way the team treats goaltending, but the question would then be who will be getting the tougher games and eventually the playoff starts.
Here's a look at the Hurricanes two goaltenders:
Brandon Bussi
2025-26 Stats: 31-6-2; 0.894 Sv%; 2.47 GAA; 2 SO 7.23 Goals Saved Above Average; 0.816 High Danger Save Percentage
One of the NHL's all-time best stories, Bussi is coming off of a storybook season that saw him breaking records and cementing himself as an everyday NHL goaltender en route to eventually helping the Canes win the Stanley Cup.
The 28-year-old netminder took the hockey world by storm after being initially claimed off of waivers right before the start of the season and after injuries gave him an opportunity, he never looked back.
Now the question is can he do it again?
The biggest skill a goaltender can have is consistency and for every hotshot rookie, there's almost always a sophomore slump waiting.
Bussi isn't your everyday rookie though, given his age and maturity, but now everyone in the league knows about him. There's video on his tendencies and teams may be prepared for the unorthodox southpaw.
But can he now prove that he wasn't a flash in the pan? Only time will tell.
Kochetkov has been in the Hurricanes' goaltending rotation for four seasons now, but after back-to-back years playing 40+ games, the Russian netminder played just nine games in 2025 due to a hip injury that eventually required surgery.
Kochetkov never played another game after that December surgery, although he was an option for the team and even dressed for the final four games of the Stanley Cup Final as a backup.
The 27-year-old netminder has shown flashes of potential throughout his career (His career record of 71-38-12 with a 0.904 Sv% and 11 shutouts is nothing to laugh at), but it's a lack of consistency that has held him back over the years.
Kochetkov is a very aggressive netminder who utilizes his athleticism to make saves and surprise opponents and it's a bit similar to the way Bussi plays as well.
Whether or not that's a blessing or a curse for the team and whether or not Kochetkov can take that next step in his NHL career will be one of the Hurricanes' biggest storylines to watch for this upcoming season.
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In North America, the hockey season is almost here, with NHL training camps and preseason schedules set to begin in the coming weeks.
Overseas in Europe, though, some leagues are already underway, and one of them, the Czech Extraliga, features a familiar face to Detroit Red Wings fans in defenseman and Michigan native Luke Witkowski.
In a video that circulated widely online, the now 36-year-old defender and part-time right winger was seen tossing around and physically overpowering an opposing player during a game for his new club, HC Kometa Brno, a moment that showed he hasn't lost a step in the physicality department even at his age. Plenty of fans online noted that his brand of grit would be a welcome sight back in Hockeytown.
Witkowski has spent the past several seasons playing overseas after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2008 NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. He appeared in just 66 games over four seasons with the Bolts, recording seven points and a minus-five rating while spending most of that time in the minors.
In fact, the bulk of Witkowski's North American pro career was spent in the AHL, where he built a reputation as a steady stay-at-home defenseman, posting 61 points and a plus-36 rating across 346 games.
The Holland, Michigan native returned to his home state for the 2017-18 season after serving as captain of Tampa Bay's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. He went on to play 65 games over the next two seasons with his home-state Red Wings, recording six points and a minus-six rating in what stood as the longest NHL stretch of his career, mostly as a seventh defenseman.
He built a reputation as a physical presence who dropped the gloves regularly when he was in the lineup, and the biggest moment of his NHL career came in a brawl with Matthew Tkachuk and the Calgary Flames, one that ultimately landed him a ten-game suspension.
He bounced back to Tampa Bay before returning to Detroit's organization for the 2021-22 season, spending most of that year with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL, where he posted seven points and a plus-six rating in 44 games.
That stint didn't last long, though, as Witkowski moved to the St. Louis Blues' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, before the 2022-23 season became his last in North America. From there, Witkowski headed overseas, first to Finland, where he won a league championship with Tappara Tampere, before spending the past two seasons in Sweden.
This offseason, he signed with HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga, bringing his physical, veteran presence to a new league, one where, as the viral clip showed, he's already making his grit known.
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Possession numbers, the intense physicality and the pure rhythm of games all felt noticeably new as the season began
There has been something oddly narcotic and moreish about the drip‑drip of fresh Pep Guardiola content either side of the start of the new Premier League season. Eras come and go. Everything dies, baby, that’s a fact. But four‑part Amazon Prime documentaries make angels of us all.
So we have continued to feast on the Pep-at-City visuals: dead jeopardy, reheated beefs, the uplifting team talks of a departed manager to the departed players of a departed team, and moments that often feel far more gripping than the daily churn of what we must, out of habit, call the real world.
The Carolina Hurricanes have barely finished celebrating their Stanley Cup win before attention shifted to next season, with sportsbooks already posting early odds for 2026-27.
As is always the case with markets this far out, some numbers track with expectations while others are bound to raise eyebrows around the league. This time, it's happening with the Winnipeg Jets. After missing the playoffs for just the second time in the last nine seasons, the sportsbooks are already counting them out, drawing much of the skepticism.
Winnipeg enters the summer with some of the least favorable odds in the entire Western Conference, listed at +15000 to win the Stanley Cup, tied with the Detroit Red Wings for the 25th-best odds in the league, a number that places them firmly outside the group of teams sportsbooks view as legitimate contenders.
The Jets find themselves just inside the top ten for odds to win the West at +5000, behind teams like the LA Kings and San Jose Sharks but ahead of the likes of the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators.
The Central Division is routinely producing Cup contenders, and next season is no different, with the Jets' journey back to reclaiming the division title appearing to be an uphill battle. Winnipeg is listed at +3000 odds, ranking fifth in the division behind the Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars, and surprisingly behind the Utah Mammoth as well.
Winnipeg also sits at +17500 to win the Presidents' Trophy, tied for the seventh-worst odds in the entire league, a surprising number given the Jets took home that very award just two seasons ago.
There is at least one line that offers a nod to hockey's homeland, one where Winnipeg benefits collectively rather than individually. The market pricing a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup sits at +425, making it likely the best way to back the Jets or any of the other Canadian clubs, like the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs or Edmonton Oilers, who could join Winnipeg in the chase to bring the Cup back home.
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LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 19: The sneakers worn by T.J. Bickerstaff #49 of the Detroit Pistons drives to the basket during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 19, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NHL appears headed for more expansion. In an exclusive interview with David Alter of The Hockey News, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that the league's newest franchise could "be able to begin play as early as the 2029-30 season." While the exact destination has not yet been determined, Daly listed Houston as the priority market and Austin as an alternative.
With a new franchise on the way, the NHL will be preparing for another expansion draft. While the expansion draft is still a few years away, it is never too early to look at which players might be protected in the process. Here is what the Vancouver Canucks protected list could look like.
Before diving in, here is a quick reminder of the 2021 expansion draft rules as per the NHL:
NHL teams can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters (forwards/defensemen) and one goalie
All players with no movement clauses at the time of the draft, and who decline to waive those clauses, must be protected and will be counted toward their team's applicable protection limits.
All first- and second-year professionals, and all unsigned draft choices, will be exempt from selection and will not be counted toward protection limits.
In addition, all NHL teams must meet the following minimum requirements regarding players exposed for selection in the draft:
One defenseman who is a) under contract in 2021-22 and b) played in at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons.
Two forwards who are a) under contract in 2021-22 and b) played at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons.
One goalie who is under contract in 2021-22 or will be a restricted free agent at the end of his current contract immediately prior to 2021-22. If a team elects to make a restricted free agent goalie available to meet this requirement, that goalie must have received his qualifying offer prior to the submission of the team's protected list.
Players with potential career-ending injuries who have missed more than the previous 60 consecutive games (or who otherwise have been confirmed to have a career-threatening injury) may not be used to satisfy a team's player exposure requirements unless approval is received from the NHL. Such players also may be deemed exempt from selection.
Based on the rules of the last expansion draft and Vancouver's current contract situation, the only player who needs protection is center Elias Pettersson. This is because he has a no-movement clause for the 2029-30 season. The only way around exposing Pettersson if he is still with the team is if the Swedish center waives his no-movement clause.
As for the most likely candidates to be protected, they are all currently part of the young core. This includes Zeev Buium, Tom Willander, defenceman Elias Pettersson, Marco Rossi, Braeden Cootes, Liam Öhgren and Nikita Tolopilo. None of these players are currently signed for the 2029-30 season, but they are projected to be part of the roster.
Shifting to the experienced players, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, Filip Hronek, and Kevin Lankinen are all signed for the 2029-30 campaign but have no-trade clauses. The big debate is whether the organization elects to protect Boeser or Hronek. While both are key members of the team, Hronek is the more likely of the two to be protected.
Based on the projected roster and current contracts, Vancouver will most likely use eight skaters and one goaltender. Once again, this list assumes the same rules as the 2021 expansion draft. Below is the potential protected list.
Projected Vancouver Canucks 2029 Expansion Draft Protected List:
Forwards:
Elias Pettersson Marco Rossi Braeden Cootes Liam Öhgren
Defenceman:
Filip Hronek Zeev Buium Tom Willander Elias Pettersson
Goaltender:
Nikita Tolopilo
Dec 27, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Zeev Buium (24) watches defenseman Tom Willander (5) stick check San Jose Sharks forward Adam Gaudette (81) in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 26: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball over Collin Gillespie #12 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center on February 26, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 113-110. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country.
The Phoenix Suns find themselves in an interesting position within the Pacific Division this upcoming season because it might actually be up for grabs. Phoenix is a team that should perform well within the context of the division, even if the oddsmakers don’t necessarily agree.
And make no mistake about it, odds are about the only place divisions really matter anymore. Once upon a time, they meant much more. Now, it’s about where you finish in the conference standings, while division records only come into play once you start digging deep into the recesses of tiebreakers.
Still, when you look at the teams around Phoenix, you can make a legitimate case that the Suns could finish atop the division. But will they?
Let’s take a look at what the Pacific Division looks like heading into the 2026–27 season.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are completely revamped, and LeBron James, Dillon Brooks’s nemesis, is no longer with the organization. He went East, and in doing so vacated $52.6 million in salary. General manager Rob Pelinka did his best to use that space to fill the gaps.
The Lakers acquired Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade deal with the Utah Jazz and will pay him $30.1 million. Yikes. They also added Matisse Thybulle, Quentin Grimes, Kevon Looney, Collin Sexton, and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Yeah, they went ham in free agency once LeBron left the City of Angels.
But the question is whether they actually got better. This was a team that finished as the fourth seed last season, won the Pacific Division, and went 53–29. So while the roster looks dramatically different, the real question is whether all of those changes actually improved a team that was already very good.
Golden State Warriors
We are entering the twilight years of the Golden State Warriors. It has been a hell of a run. Four championships came out of the Stephen Curry era, and they helped change the landscape of the NBA. But alas, all good things eventually come to an end.
General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. didn’t make many splashes this offseason. In fact, Golden State did practically nothing. Pat Spencer and Quinten Post are gone, replaced by rookie Yaxel Lendenborg and LaJae Jones. Draymond Green flirted with the idea of taking less money so LeBron James could join the team by the Bay, which ultimately didn’t happen. Instead, Green signed a one-year, $27.7 million contract to go alongside Stephen Curry’s $62.6 million and Jimmy Butler’s $56.8 million. All three will be unrestricted free agents next summer, and that is $147.1 million committed to three players with an average age of 37.
Now Golden State finds itself in a position where it will once again rely heavily on the legs of a 38-year-old Stephen Curry to remain productive. Because Jimmy Butler? He probably won’t return until the calendar says 2027 after suffering a season-ending ACL tear on January 20, 2026. That injury takes time to recover from, and with Butler turning 37 in September, it’s going to be a long road back.
So the question becomes pretty simple. How good can this team be without him?
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are a team that appears to be in flux after completely changing course midway through last offseason. James Harden is gone. Ivica Zubac is gone. And, in theory, Kawhi Leonard will eventually be gone as well.
They added Rui Hachimura in free agency, re-signed Bradley Beal, and lost veterans in John Collins and Bogdan Bogdanovic. This is a team leaning much more heavily into its youth after the lottery balls finally fell in its favor.
The Clippers selected Keaton Wagler fifth overall, and when you combine that youth with the speed of Darius Garland, they can absolutely give teams problems if they aren’t ready to get into a track meet. Defensively, though, there’s still plenty to be desired. This is a team in the middle of a revamp, and because of that, I have a hard time realistically seeing them finish atop the Pacific Division standings.
One of the biggest factors surrounding the Clippers this season is the instability of what the future might hold. Kawhi Leonard should be gone in theory, yes, but he isn’t yet. The Aspiration scandal continues to hang over the organization, and there still hasn’t been any real resolution.
Holding one of the league’s richest owners accountable is clearly something the NBA is struggling with, and that’s a bad look for both the league and the team. When that kind of uncertainty and disruption is hanging over an organization, it becomes much harder to see a clear path toward success on the floor.
Sacramento Kings
And then there are the Kings, who experienced postseason bliss four years ago after missing the playoffs for 16 consecutive seasons. What have they done since? Not much. Their big free agent signing was Jonathan Mogbo. Yeah, that’s pretty much it.
They also bought out DeMar DeRozan, who now finds himself with the Denver Nuggets, and they’re clearly leaning more into youth after drafting Darius Acuff Jr. with the seventh overall pick and Alex Karaban with the 29th pick.
For a team that won only 22 games last season, though, it’s hard to say they improved in any meaningful way. Maybe an injection of youth helps around the edges, but that’s about it.
Phoenix Suns
Nestled between all of this are the Phoenix Suns, a team that won 45 games last season and finished second in the Pacific Division standings.
You know the moves. There weren’t many of them. Phoenix re-signed Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams, and Jordan Goodwin this offseason. They added Luke Kennard and Pat Spencer in free agency, and the only notable outgoing players came in the Miles Bridges deal, where the Suns added a starter while giving up two sharpshooters.
Compared to the movement around the rest of the division, Phoenix has leaned heavily into continuity.
Now that we’ve looked at the landscape of the Pacific Division, the question becomes pretty simple. Where do you see the Phoenix Suns finishing at the end of the season?
There are obviously too many variables at this point of the year to make any prediction with certainty, but based on where these teams currently stand, where does Phoenix fit? Are they the best team in the Pacific? The worst? Somewhere in the middle?
Cast your vote in the poll below, then head to the comments and let us know where you have the Suns finishing and why.
