CINCINNATI, OH - MAY 31: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves bats during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Sunday, May 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Colten Strauss/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Utility player Mauricio Dubon was acquired by the Atlanta Braves over the offseason for shortstop Nick Allen. The Braves were looking to have a more flexible player and some offense. The Astros saved a little money and got a great defender. The returns have been pretty one-sided toward the Braves, however. Mauricio has put together a line of .259/.314/.405 with a perfectly league-average 100 wRC+ and 1.5 WAR. Dubon has already doubled his criminally underrated projection of 0.7 WAR. Nick Allen has put up a 72 wRC+ and 0.2 WAR in a limited 70 plate appearances for Houston. Clearly, this move was quite a coup for the Braves. And it’s probably the trade of the season. But this is not the one I am thinking about, at least not exactly.
In years past, if the Braves decided to focus on the bullpen or the bench they always focused on the bullpen. This approach probably peaked in 2024, when the Snitker-proofed bullpen put up 6.2 WAR. That team had Raisel Iglesias, Pierce Johnson, A.J. Minter, a healthy Joe Jimenez, a pre-kerplosion Aaron Bummer, Dylan Lee, Grant Holmes, and Jesse Chavez. These were solid choices all around. Meanwhile, the benches in those years were pretty thin. But you probably don’t worry about the bench in a DH-adopting National League when you have an excellent first nine. Ten through thirteen were a little Charlie Culberson-y, though.
However this year, the focus was clearly on the bench over the bullpen. Now, they picked up Robert Suarez who has been excellent the last few years. But otherwise they rolled with who they had in the organization, Here’s Walt Weiss on this year’s bench from last night.
I don’t think there’s been any question [about the bench] in my nine years here. We’ve always had the everyday players that posted and played well. And nothing about the guys that have been here, but there’s been a big dropoff when you go to the bench. [It’s been] just the opposite. There’s been times when the bench has carried us this year.
So is focusing on the bench over the bullpen the best trade in years? Is having a great bench better than having eight solid options in the bullpen? This year the bench has definitely paid off with the injuries and a suspension. The bottom three of four in the bullpen have been a frustration though.
Mar 18, 2026; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles infielder Jose Barrero (96) singles during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Triple-A: Norfolk Tides 14, Syracuse Mets 3
It was an offensive explosion for the Tides on this night. They racked up 16 hits, nine for extra bases, in a blowout win in Syracuse. Shortstop José Barrero had quite possibly the most productive game of his life, going 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double, four runs, and four RBIs. It’s like he hit for the cycle but with an extra homer instead of the triple. Barrero now has 17 homers in 63 games for the Tides.
Also homering in this game were Johnathan Rodríguez, Jud Fabian, and Ryan Noda. Atop the lineup, Enrique Bradfield Jr. snapped out of an 0-for-8 drought with three hits, while Creed Willems contributed a two-run single as part of a seven-run top of the eighth.
On the mound, starter Christian Heberholz had a mediocre outing, giving up three runs in 4.2 innings, but relievers Jose Espada, Josh Walker, and Hans Crouse combined for 4.1 scoreless frames.
Pitching carried the day in this Baysox win. Starter Evan Yates delivered a six-inning, one-run quality start, his longest outing of the year. Yates struck out five and walked two. Reliever Micah Ashman followed with two scoreless to lower his ERA to 1.73. The 23-year-old might be ready for the challenge of Triple-A.
The Baysox, despite going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, generated enough offense to win, plating all four of their runs on homers. Ethan Anderson had a solo homer as part of a 3-for-5 night, Frederick Bencosme added a solo dinger, and Thomas Sosa blasted a two-run shot.
High-A: Frederick Keys 3, Hub City Spartanburgers (Rangers) 2
In this closely contested affair, the Keys scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the fifth and held on for a one-run victory. The Keys managed only five hits and didn’t get any contributions from their high-profile prospects, with Wehiwa Aloy going 0-for-4 and Ike Irish not in the lineup, but #9 hitter Yasmil Bucce powered his first home run of the year and a Hub City throwing error on a pickoff scored another run.
That meager run support was enough, thanks to a dynamite outing by starter Yeiber Cartaya, who worked six scoreless innings with six strikeouts. Cartaya lowered his ERA to a stupendous 1.99 in 54.1 innings. The 23-year-old righty is thriving in his first full season at High-A. Riley Cooper worked the final two innings to notch the six-out save.
It’s a clean sweep! It’s rare for all four O’s affiliates to win on the same day, considering that three of them have lousy records, so it’s nice when it happens. The Shorebirds held up their end of the bargain by scoring seven runs in their final two innings to overcome a 3-1 deficit. Second baseman Elvin Garcia stroked a game-tying two-run single in the seventh, and in the eighth, the Pelicans committed errors on back-to-back plays to gift-wrap four runs for Delmarva. Garcia drove in three runs on two hits, while leadoff man Jaiden Lo Re set the table with two hits, two runs, and a stolen base.
Unfortunately, the nice win came with a dark cloud: another horrific outing by fading prospect Esteban Mejia, who issued an unsightly six walks and three runs while recording just four outs. Mejia has now surrendered an unfathomable 54 walks in 39.2 innings this year, a rate of (gulp) 12.2 BB/9. It was his fourth outing this year of six or more walks. Relievers Adrian Heredia, Dalton Neuschwander, and Zac Lampton restored order long enough for the Shorebirds’ offense to complete their comeback.
Mar 31, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Andre Pallante (53) pitches against the New York Mets during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
I really don’t know what to think about Andre Pallante. After a bad 2025 season, I was pretty ambivalent about him. Sure he showed some promise in 2024, but even when he is pitching well, he doesn’t get a ton of strikeouts or do anything overly flashy. Yet here we are approaching the midpoint of the season and he is arguably the Cardinals’ second best starting pitcher. He has lopped a run and a half off his ERA, lowering it to 3.76, and already eclipsed his 2025 WAR total. Today I want to take a quick look at his pitch metrics and utilization pattern to highlight some of the adjustments and evolutions he has made that are contributing to his success.
Stuff
Pallante’s Stuff+ score has gone from 97 in 2024 to 95 last season, and back up to 97 this season. Stuff+ is scaled so that 100 is average and is computed by measuring an individual pitch’s velocity, movement, spin rate, etc. Even though the aggregate metric has remained stable, there have been notable changes to his repertoire.
Pallante’s primary pitch, his four-seam fastball, has graded out similarly the last three seasons (95 or 96) despite having a large change in the movement profile. The 2024 version of his four-seamer sunk and cut, moving away from right-handed hitters and in to left-handed hitters, much more than the typical four-seamer. It sank 6.4 inches more than average and cut 7.5 inches more than average. This season, it is sinking just 3.7 inches more than average and cutting 7 inches more than the typical four-seamer. This shift toward a slightly more typical shape could explain some of the drop in groundball percentage that Pallante has induced. After posting an absurd 77.8% GB% in 2023, that figure has dropped to 61.8% in 2024, 59.1% last season, and is down to 53.3% this year. Pallante has increased the velocity on the pitch about half a mile per hour to 95.1 MPH this season.
Pallante’s sinker has been the highest-graded pitch by the models and this season is rated as a 107. He has improved the spin efficiency on the pitch and is generating 1.5 inches more arm-side movement while throwing the pitch a tick harder. This has been a critical development, as the sinker is the primary fastball he uses to try to neutralize the right-handed hitters that have historically given him so much trouble.
Pallante’s slider and knuckle curve are both grading out similarly to last season, albeit with a bit more movement. Finally, Pallante has introduced a splitter into his repertoire, but has only thrown the pitch 37 times so far this season. In the extremely small sample size, the pitch grades out a tick below average at 97 on the Stuff+ scale, but it gives him another weapon to sprinkle in against the lefties.
Pitch Mix
Pallante has made drastic changes to his pitch mix over the last three seasons.
His four-seam fastball usage has declined all the way down to 30%. I cut the graph off at the last three seasons, when he has primarily been a starter, but he threw the pitch even more frequently in his first two seasons in the majors. He is still throwing the pitch 49% of the time against lefties, but is mixing more offspeed and breaking pitches than in years past. His four-seam fastball ate lefties alive in 2024, holding them to a .315 xwOBA, but the last two years his results have been more pedestrian with a combined xwOBA of .364. For reference, the league average right-on-left four-seam fastball xwOBA is .353 this season. This drop in reliance on the pitch seems like it is in response to the change in the movement profile of the pitch. It is still an effective offering to left-handers but not to the same level it was earlier in his career.
The reduction in four-seam utilization has made room for Pallante to mix in all his other offerings a few percentage points more. You can see when you further break down the mix by the batters’ handedness that the plan of attack is even more polarized.
Pallante has moved to a slightly more balanced mix of pitches against lefties, mixing in more breaking and offspeed pitches at the expense of his four-seam. Against right-handers, he is now throwing his revamped sinker and slider a combined 76% of the time. Perhaps not coincidentally, for the first time in his career, Pallante is holding right-handers to a below-average batting line with a wOBA of .285 (.318 MLB average). Pallante is still holding left-handers to a solid .308 wOBA, but this is the first time in his career he is running more traditional splits.
Location
Perhaps the biggest change this season for Pallante has been his ability to throw strikes and get into more favorable counts. His first-pitch strike percentage is 67.7%, fourth among qualified starters. Last season, Pallante ranked 32nd out of the 54 qualified starters. Batters who start off 0-1 have a 67 wRC+. Those who start off 1-0 go on to produce a 131 wRC+ in those plate appearances. Throwing first-pitch strikes is easier said than done. The obvious trade-off is if you get too strike-happy, batters will swing more frequently and ambush(™) (thanks Chip) hittable strikes. Pallante has avoided this fate thus far in 2026 as batters are managing a .342 wOBA against him on first-pitch contact. The league average wOBA on first-pitch contact (or HBP) is .386 across the league. How has Pallante managed to keep hitters from sitting on first-pitch strikes? Part of it is his ability to mix things up, reducing his first-pitch fastball usage from 67% to 56%. Last season, Pallante threw only 36.2% of his non-fastball pitches in the strike zone. The average pitcher lands offspeed and breaking pitches in the zone around 42% of the time. So far this season, Andre has increased his non-fastball Zone% to 42.6%. In fact, he is throwing each of his pitches in the zone more consistently this season.
This has allowed Pallante to significantly increase both his secondary usage AND his overall percentage of pitches in the zone. This has been a huge development both for his effectiveness and, selfishly, his watchability. It no longer seems like he is constantly behind in the count, bouncing breaking balls nowhere near the strike zone. The best way to capture where Pallante has found success this season is by looking at his slider utilization against right-handed batters. He has started 38% of his plate appearances against righties with the slider. On those 59 pitches, he has gotten ahead 0-1 38 times, he has induced five first-pitch outs, and given up one solitary hit, a single. That will play.
Pallante has had good stretches before, followed by a series of blow-ups. Pitcher development is always tricky to follow and almost impossible to predict, but he has made some real changes to his repertoire and pitch mix, and is executing better than ever before. We just might have a good pitcher on our hands.
Jun 16, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Alec Bohm (28) hits an RBI single against the Miami Marlins in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
The answer to this question is probably a lot different than it was a month ago. A month ago, Bohm was the worst hitter in the game. Forget the National League, he was the worst hitter in the entirety of MLB. Since his two day off sojourn, he’s come back as one of the more productive hitters the Phillies have. Not quite enough to totally earn extension talk, but then other things have happened.
Aidan Miller was the best hitting prospect the team has had in a while, but now has back issues. We know how badly they can linger, but would they linger enough to go into 2027? It leads back to the question of the day: has Bohm done enough to warrant the team giving him a contract extension, especially considering the health of Miller?
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 19: Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) celebrates with Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Alex Freeland (76) after hit game winning hit during the MLB game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 19, 2026 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Orioles were on their way to what might have been a feel-good win in their series opener against the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. They carried a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth on Friday night. Even against these guys, that should have been enough. Closer Ryan Helsley, fresh off the injured list, absolutely blew it instead, with a little help from his friends. Instead of a win, the Orioles get yet another feel-bad loss, one that tips them closer to the point where there’s no coming back from this.
Before this west coast trip began, I decided that I was not going to stay up late watching these jokers. They aren’t worth it. I apologize for the belated recap that has stemmed from this decision. It will happen twice more before this road trip is over. I’m not actually that sorry, though, because waking up to this validates the decision. Imagine if I had stayed up and then had to write about this at 1 o’clock in the morning:
Let’s rewind this series of events a little bit. Helsley took the mound for the ninth with a two-run lead. This was his second outing since returning from the injured list. He was bad in the first outing two days ago, which was a non-save situation. After retiring the leadoff batter, Helsley turned it into a one-run cushion by giving up a home run to Mookie Betts. Although Betts has enjoyed a decades-long run as one of the game’s elite players, he entered Friday’s game with a .203/.266/.367 batting line. Don’t get beat by that guy! Helsley did, though.
Right after giving up that home run, Helsley walked the next batter, putting the tying run on base and bringing the winning run up to the plate. This is the strike zone plot of Max Muncy drawing this walk:
Look at those four green dots! Those are nowhere close to the strike zone. This guy had no idea where the ball was going. This was the time for the experienced closer to buckle down and make some good pitches and he did this. Helsley, come on, man! Once on base as the tying run, Muncy was replaced by a pinch runner.
The closer then got your hopes up by getting the second out on an easy popout. Just get the next guy and you’re good. That’s all. Helsley did not get the next guy. He walked Ryan Ward on four pitches. The four balls were not as egregiously out of the strike zone as the previous walk, so I’m not going to post that screenshot also, but still. This was bad and it sucks, and also, after this disaster, Helsley has a 5.11 ERA. If it’s late June and your closer has a 5+ ERA, you don’t have a closer. You have a tragedy.
Two on, two out, the tying run on second base, the winning run on first. What happened next is not, in its entirety, Helsley’s fault. I refer you to the above video. The tying run was always going to score on this batted ball. The winning run did not have to. It did anyway, thanks to the poor decision by Tyler O’Neill (who was, if you can believe it, a defensive replacement) to airmail the ball home instead of going for the cutoff man.
Maybe Samuel Basallo should have been more prepared for that possibility and ready to react to a bounce. I don’t know. He’s got his manager prepared to remark on his every fault, and this was apparently Craig Albernaz’s lead comment about the play in his post-game presser. Basallo doesn’t need me piling on. Anyway, Helsley wasn’t backing up the play properly so the errant bounce led to the winning run scoring. What a stupid way to lose. What a 2026 Orioles way to lose.
This could have been a feel-good win! The Orioles erased a 3-0 deficit by scoring three runs in the sixth inning. Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso each homered as part of that rally. The O’s took a 5-3 lead in the seventh when the bottom of the lineup loaded the bases and Jeremiah Jackson delivered a two-run single to put the team on top for the first time all game. The people who say that this team has no fight are regularly proven wrong. That’s not their problem. Their problem is just the roster isn’t good enough, no matter how much it feels like it should be.
The Orioles were in that 3-0 deficit as a result of early struggles by the starting pitcher, Trey Gibson. His final line looks pretty bad: Seven hits and four walks in five innings, allowing three runs, all earned. When your WHIP for the game is over 2, it’s tough to say it was a good day. And indeed, it wasn’t.
Still, Gibson can probably feel okay about the outing. He did a fine job of limiting the damage. After giving up a pair of first inning runs and one more in the second, the Dodgers loaded the bases against Gibson with no one out in the third. He was on the ropes and on the way to a complete disaster. Gibson pulled out his best pitch, the so-called death ball, and struck out the next three Dodgers batters in order to hold the line.
As it turned out, stopping the bleeding was crucial. The Orioles, much later in the game, did mount a comeback that would have been a lot tougher, if not impossible, if Gibson had totally fallen apart in the third. That’s a plus for Gibson and something that will hopefully serve him well in future starts, when he’s facing teams that aren’t the Dodgers.
The Orioles, however, are beyond a point where we can take comfort in little moral victories. They need actual victories. They are 35-42. They are an awful 13-23 on the road. They have earned these records. They are not a good team and they do not play well for more than a few games at a time. Most often, they play badly and lose. Sometimes, as in Friday night, they still manage to surprise you with how dumb it is when they lose. By now, we should all know better, but it’s still hard to accept about this team.
The other downside about blowing this one is that looming here later on Saturday night is Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Starting for the Orioles in the 10:10 game is Trevor Rogers. As you know, this is not a good thing in the 2026 season. I also won’t be staying up late for this one. I suggest you don’t do it either. They’re not worth it.
Reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes takes the mound tonight, and the Pittsburgh Pirates ace leads off my MLB picks for Saturday, June 20.
Pete Crow-Armstrong and Otto Lopez round out my favorite MLB player props today, and I’ll break down all three picks below.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Paul Skenes
Over 6.5 strikeouts
-116
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Over 1.5 total bases
+111
Otto Lopez
Over 0.5 singles
-153
Paul Skenes Over 6.5 strikeouts (-116)
Paul Skenes has not been quite as dominant this season compared to last year’s Cy Young-winning performance, but it’s still early, and there are plenty of positive signs for the Pittsburgh Pirates ace.
Skenes is still piling up the strikeouts, ranking second in the majors in strikeouts per nine innings (10.9). The right-hander has tossed Over 6.5 strikeouts in four straight outings and nine of his last 10, and he’ll have the upper hand in tonight’s matchup vs. the Colorado Rockies.
The Rockies are averaging 8.78 strikeouts per nine innings — sixth most in MLB — and they’re particularly susceptible to the four-seamer, which happens to be Skenes’ go-to punchout pitch (49 of Skenes' 99 Ks).
The Rockies have 227 Ks against that pitch — the most in the majors. This prop feels like an absolute steal at -116, and I would confidently play it up to -130.
Time: 9:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Rockies.TV
Pete Crow-Armstrong Over 1.5 total bases (+111)
The weather is heating up, and so is Pete Crow-Armstrong. The Chicago Cubs star is batting an insane .433 in June, clubbing Over 1.5 total bases in each of his last nine games — including three hits in Friday’s 16-2 win vs. the Toronto Blue Jays.
Toronto’s bullpen will be in rough shape following yesterday’s brutal defeat, where the Jays went through seven different arms — including more than an inning of work from outfielder Myles Straw!
Starter Patrick Corbin has been serviceable for an injury-riddled Blue Jays rotation, but the southpaw ranks near the bottom of MLB in xERA (5.48; 12th percentile) and xBA (.291; 5th percentile).
PCA actually has stronger reverse splits this year, hitting .286 vs. lefties. He’s also hammered the sinker for a .487 average, which happens to be Corbin’s most common pitch and one he goes to nearly 30% of the time.
We’re getting great value again with a favorable matchup, so I’d play this prop up to -115.
Time: 2:20 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marquee Sports Network, Sportsnet
Otto Lopez Over 0.5 singles (-153)
Luis Arraez has led the MLB in singles for three years running, but his crown might be in jeopardy.
Otto Lopez currently tops the majors with 99 hits and 71 singles, and the Miami Marlins shortstop has shown no signs of cooling off. Lopez is batting .348 this month with at least one single in seven of his last 10 contests.
San Francisco Giants starter Trevor McDonald is giving up nearly 8.5 hits per nine innings, which puts him in the Bottom 20 among all starters in the majors.
McDonald goes to his sinker more than 56% of the time, and that’s a pitch that Lopez is feasting on this season — he has 14 singles and a .468 average vs. the sinker.
I love the matchup for Lopez, but this line is already super chalky. I wouldn’t play it past -160.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCS-Bay Area, Marlins.TV
Chris Faria's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 3-5, -2.53 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 19: Ezequiel Duran #20 of the Texas Rangers gestures toward his dugout after hitting an RBI single during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Globe Life Field on June 19, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Rangers 9, Padres 7
And like that, the Rangers’ losing streak ends.
Didn’t look that way at first, though, did it?
Uncharacteristic wildness from Jacob deGrom in the first inning, capped off by a Ty France grand slam, meant the Rangers were down 5-0 before they ever came to the plate.
The France bomb was church, it seemed like.
But not to your resilient Rangers.
Bottom of the first, there’s an E1, a couple of walks, a cavalcade of doubles, a couple of infield singles…
And like that, the Rangers are up 6-5. We feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The cold pricklies have been banished, at least for the moment.
One of the fun things about baseball is that you see a lot of fun and unusual stuff if you watch long enough, get to experience weird things.
Like two teams combining for 11 runs in the first inning.
After the first, things calmed down, of course. The Rangers outscored the Padres 3-2 the rest of the way. It was a low-scoring affair, really, after the first.
deGrom retired 15 of 16 batters in one stretch. Of course, the one batter he didn’t retire was Ty France, who hit a home run. And the batter who broke up that stretch was Ty France, who doubled. That was followed by an intentional walk and an F9 to end the inning, and deGrom’s day.
Six hits allowed by deGrom, half of them by France. Three walks, one intentional. Nine strikeouts.
It looks like a pretty decent outing, if you don’t look at the runs allowed.
The Rangers have now allowed 63 runs in 75 first innings this year, including 25 home runs.
Openers for everyone, maybe?
Jakob Junis and Jacob Latz combined to finish things out, with Junis allowing a run in the eighth and prompting Skip Schumaker to bring in Latz for a four out save.
Wyatt Langford put up a 3 for 5 night, including a 430 foot homer in the eighth.
Langford is now slashing .258/.300/.447, with a 108 wRC+, despite his awful start to the season.
Langford’s homer is the seventh longest ball hit at the Shed this season. 11 of the 12 farthest balls hit this season have been since the start of the Houston series on May 26.
Jacob deGrom hit 99.5 mph with his fastball, averaging 96.9 mph. Jakob Junis touched 93.9 mph with his fastball. Jacob Latz’s fastball maxed out at 95.1 mph.
Wyatt Langford’s home run was 107.1 mph, and he had a 104.5 mph double. Brandon Nimmo had a 105.8 mph double and a 102.7 mph. double. Jake Burger had a 105.7 mph double. Josh Jung had a 105.3 mph single. Ezequiel Duran had a 103.5 mph single. Alejandro Osuna had a 102.1 mph double.
We can think positively now, at least for a little bit, and hope this continues through the weekend.
He has posted a 7.02 ERA and completed five innings only once over four starts vs. teams ranking Top-10 in ISO against lefties — and the Atlanta Braves slot eighth.
Chris Sale has been remarkably good regardless of the competition. He conceded two runs or fewer in nine of his last 10 starts, including against the Dodgers, Phillies, Cubs, and Rockies (in Coors).
He should limit the Brew Crew and put the Braves in a good position to win. Play this to -140.
Getting to four runs will be a difficult task for both teams, making the Under an appealing bet up to -115.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 36-28, +0.15 units
Over/Under bets: 35-27-2, +4.69 units
Brewers vs Braves weather
Temperatures in the mid-80s are expected today. However, the wind will be blowing in slightly.
Brewers vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Brewers +110 | Braves -130
Run line: Brewers +1.5 (-190) | Braves -1.5 (+160)
Over/Under: Over 7 (-115) | Under 7 (-105)
Brewers vs Braves trend
The Braves have cashed the moneyline in 31 of the last 50 games for +6.65 units and a 10% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Braves.
How to watch Brewers vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Cumberland, GA
Date
Saturday, June 20, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
Brewers.TV, BravesVision
Brewers starting pitcher
Kyle Harrison (8-1, 2.47 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Chris Sale (8-5, 2.30 ERA)
Brewers vs Braves latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 18: Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics watches the ball after hitting a three-run home run in the bottom of the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Sutter Health Park on June 18, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the second straight night, the A’s came out on top, beating the Angels 12-11 in extras innings of work.
UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 21: A view from the stands of Cooper Stadium, home of the Columbus Clippers, Thursday, September 21, 2006 in Columbus, Ohio. The Yankees announced that the team would be moving to Scranton, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jay Laprete/Bloomberg via Getty Images) | Bloomberg via Getty Images
It has been “Old Home Week” for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders during their current series in Columbus against the Clippers. For 28 years, from 1979 to 2006, the New York Yankees had their Triple-A affiliate in Columbus and enjoyed a highly successful run. Previous notable Triple-A homes had included Syracuse, Richmond, Denver, and Newark, but if today’s fans remember another one beyond Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, it’s probably Columbus.
This is the first time the RailRiders have visited Columbus since 2023. The Clippers have not been to PNC Field in Moosic since 2019. But back in the day, when Columbus was a Yankees affiliate and it came to town, fans would pack the former Lackawanna County Stadium. The Phillies’ minor leaguers on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons often remarked that it felt like a road game because so many people were there rooting for the Clippers.
After the teams split the first four games of the current set, Columbus leads the all-time series with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 168-138.
Many notable Yankees played in Columbus. Dave Righetti. Don Mattingly. The Core Four. Alfonso Soriano, Chien-Ming Wang, and Robinson Canó.
Current RailRiders manager Shelley Duncan played 12 games for Columbus in 2006 and hit a home run in his Triple-A debut with the Clippers on June 19, 2006.
Eight players won International League Most Valuable Player while Columbus was a Yankees affiliate: Bobby Brown (1979), Marshall Brant (1980), Tucker Ashford (1982), Scott Bradley (1984), Dan Pasqua (1985), Hensley Meulens (1990), J.T. Snow (1992), and Fernando Seguignol (2003). Six pitchers were named IL Pitcher of the Year: Rick Anderson (1979), Bob Kammeyer (1980), Brad Arnsberg (1987), Dave Eiland (1990), Sam Militello (1992), and Ed Yarnall (1999).
During its affiliation with the Yankees, Columbus won seven International League titles and finished runner-up three times. Here’s a quick look back at those championship teams:
1979: With later dynasty architect Gene Michael as manager, the Clippers went 85-54 during the regular season, then defeated the Syracuse Chiefs in the final, four games to three. Dennis Werth—Jayson’s stepfather—was the team’s top hitter with 17 home runs, 74 RBIs and a .299 batting average. Brown was league MVP. Kammeyer was 16-8 with a 3.92 ERA, while Anderson was 13-3 with 21 saves and a 1.63 ERA.
1980: Under the direction of manager Joe Altobelli, who would soon win a World Series as Earl Weaver’s successor with the Orioles, Columbus went 83-57 and beat the Toledo Mud Hens in the final, 4-1. Brant hit .289 with 23 home runs and 92 RBIs to earn MVP honors. Kammeyer was 15-7 with a 2.91 ERA to be named Pitcher of the Year.
1981: For the third straight year, Columbus wins the league title with a third different manager. Frank Verdi led the Clippers to an 88-51 record during the regular season. In the final, they beat the Richmond Braves, 2-1, after the remainder of the series was cancelled due to rain and unplayable field conditions. Steve “Bye Bye” Balboni hit 33 home runs and drove in 98 runs, while Brant had 25 home runs and 95 RBIs. Ashford had 32 doubles, 17 home runs, 86 RBIs and batted .300. Pitchers John Pacella and Dave Wehrmeister each won 11 games.
1987: Bucky Dent managed Columbus this season, three years after his MLB career ended and three years before he would skipper the Yankees themselves. The Clippers finished second in the league with a 77-63 record, but swept the Rochester Red Wings and Tidewater Tides, 3-0, to capture the Governors’ Cup. Frank Costanza’s beloved Jay Buhner had 31 home runs and 85 RBIs. Orestes Destrade added 25 home runs and 81 RBIs, while Roberto Kelly had 13 home runs, 62 RBIs and 51 stolen bases. Pitchers Arnsberg and Pete Filson each won 12 games.
1991: Rick Down managed Columbus to an 85-59 record, then a three-game sweep of the Pawtucket Red Sox in the final. Playoff hero-in-the-making Jim Leyritz had 11 home runs and 48 RBIs, future Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo had 10 bombs and 75 RBIs, and Mike Humphreys recorded nine home runs, 53 RBIs and a .283 batting average. Royal Clayton was the top pitcher, going 11-7 with a 3.84 ERA. Others on the staff that season included Eiland, Alan Mills, and Scott Kamieniecki.
1992: Down again was manager and guided Columbus to a 95-49 record. The Clippers then rallied in the bottom of the ninth inning of the fifth and deciding game of the final to defeat the Red Barons and repeat as champs. Snow captured MVP honors after batting .313 with 15 home runs and 78 RBIs. Meulens hit 26 home runs and knocked in 100 runs. The late Gerald Williams batted .285 with 16 home runs and 86 RBIs, while a youngster named Bernie Williams played 95 games and had eight home runs and 50 RBIs whenever he wasn’t patrolling center in the Bronx. Militello was 12-2 with a 2.29 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 142 innings to earn the league’s top pitcher award. Bob Wickman added 12 victories.
1996: Former Yankees skipper Stump Merrill managed this Columbus team to an 85-57 record, then swept the Rochester Red Wings in the final, 3-0. Ivan Cruz socked 28 home runs and 96 RBIs. A whole bunch of familiar names from the late-1990s Yanks contributed to this Clippers team. Ricky Ledee had 21 home runs and 64 RBIs, while Jorge Posada chipped in 11 home runs and 62 RBIs. Brian Boehringer won 11 games, Eiland and Dave Pavlas each won eight and Ramiro Mendoza chipped in six victories.
In 2006, the Yankees announced they were moving their Triple-A affiliate from Columbus to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starting with the 2007 season. They have been in northeastern Pennsylvania ever since.
When the Yankees left, Columbus became the Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals for 2007-08. It then became the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians in 2009 and continues to be today.
No longer do the Clippers play in Cooper Stadium, where the Yankees affiliate played. They moved to a downtown ballpark, Huntington Park, in 2009. But it doesn’t feel so long ago.
Derek Jeter has announced that the 2014 season will be his last. We wish nothing but the best for the former Clipper! pic.twitter.com/PGW8Z2BRdr
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 15: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws during the third inning of the baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium on June 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Max Muncy drove in a pair of runs with a first-inning single and also walked twice on Friday night. The Dodgers third baseman leads his National League peers at the position in several offensive categories this season, hitting .265/.371/.518 with a 147 wRC+ and 16 home runs two days shy of the halfway point of the season.
Muncy also had a sizable lead in the first round of All-Star voting as he tries to make his third career All-Star Game. Muncy is also excelling on defense this year, and talked to Rowan Kavner at Fox Sports about his season, including the strides he’s made at the hot corner after moving back to the position in 2022:
“When I’d do my work, I’d feel very free with the glove, not afraid to field [the ball] at different positions, field it off-balance, field it on the wrong foot,” Muncy told me. “And then when the game would come, I just couldn’t find that freedom. The ball would get hit to me, and I would tense up. My feet would get stuck. I would be scared to field the ball one-handed, even though that’s how I do most of my work.”
Links
Will Smith was eligible to return from the injured list before Friday’s series opener, but his neck inflammation still lingers. The Dodgers catcher will not be activated this weekend, manager Dave Roberts said Friday. Bill Plunkett at the Orange County Register has more.
Ben Clemens at FanGraphs sought context for how relievers handle inherited runners, using the run expectancies of every situation when a pitching change is made. Among the standouts is Dodgers left-hander Alex Vesia, who has allowed only three of his 19 inherited runners to score.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 12: Trae Young #3 listens to Anthony Davis #23 of the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on April 12, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: The Cavaliers defeated the Wizards 130-117. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since 2023, the Washington Wizards front office’s plan was simple: lose games, accumulate draft assets, develop young players, and wait for the moment when the rebuild finally produced a legitimate cornerstone. Or at least the chance to draft one.
That moment has arrived. The Wizards hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Now comes the hard part.
For the first time since the organization committed to “deconstruction,” Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger and Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins are under genuine pressure to make decisions that move the franchise forward rather than simply accumulate future possibilities.
The pressure is amplified by three factors: the pick itself, winning expectations and trade rumors around their best veterans.
The No. 1 pick itself
The mock drafts have the Wizards picking AJ Dybantsa from Brigham Young. I would draft Dybantsa. My mom would too.
But sometimes, a former franchise player and some timely reporting has to make this choice more interesting than it has to be.
The Wizards are reportedly seriously considering taking Kansas guard Darryn Peterson at No. 1 instead. To be clear, Peterson is still going in the Top four, full stop. But when mock drafts and insiders have scouted Peterson and Dybantsa in some form for years, why is this debate happening to the points where insiders are chattering about it?
Debates will happen inside any front office. But when Dybantsa is the consensus No. 1, I’m not sure why the Wizards would waver.
Just take Dybantsa next Tuesday and let everything fall into place from there.
The Wizards have (at least some) winning expectations. FINALLY!
With the No. 1 draft pick and some timely trades which I’ll get to later, the Wizards are now expected to compete for something in 2026-27. Ownership, fans, and the broader NBA landscape all understand that perpetual rebuilding is not a viable strategy.
So what does competing for something mean? For the Wizards, their goal should be making the playoffs, something they haven’t done since the 2020-21 season. At a bare minimum, making the Play-In Tournament should be an expectation now that the Wizards have some consistent young players with Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington and Tre Johnson among others. The No. 1 draft pick will be a cornerstone, hopefully with their two veteran acquisitions: Trae Young and Anthony Davis.
Yes, teams want to escape the Treadmill of Mediocrity. But the Wizards have been on the Treadmill of Suckitude for three years. I’ll take mediocre because that’s the next step en route toward championship basketball.
How good are the Wizards truly expected to be in 2026-27? It’s very early because free agency hasn’t happened yet. But the Wizards have +20000 odds of winning the title according to FanDuel. Sure, +20000 or +10000 odds mean that a team has very little chance of winning a championship. But those odds are better than seven teams, three of which have +100000 odds. Last year, I would imagine the Wizards were dead last.
Progress folks, progress!
Trae Young and Anthony Davis will keep Washington on their toes
The Wizards acquired two All-Stars earlier this calendar year. Young played a few games for the Wizards while Davis never suited up for them due to injuries.
And because Young and Davis have played a lot more in winning environments, it should be no surprise that Young, or Davis, or both are trade targets. Or maybe they’re looking for a more winnable situation. Maybe it’s all of those things.
Young already declined his player option. Sure, reports are saying that the Wizards are high on his list for a potential new contract. But let’s say Peterson is drafted at No. 1. If so, that’s a sign that Young should hit the road given that both are guards.
Davis presents a different situation. Even at this stage of his career, he remains one of basketball’s premier defensive players when healthy. Pairing an elite defensive big with the young talent already on the roster could dramatically accelerate the Wizards’ timeline. The concern, of course, is his durability and the cost of acquisition. Also, there will be no shortage of suitors for him.
All of that said, if the Wizards select Dybantsa while Young, Davis and the recent core (Sarr, Coulibaly, George, Carrington, Johnson) all remain, then this Wizards team has a decent shot at the postseason. They won’t win the championship. But they could play basketball into May 2027.
When a franchise owns the first overall pick, every decision becomes magnified. The front office cannot hide behind another developmental year. It cannot point to a lack of talent. It cannot promise that success is still several seasons away.
What the Wizards do with their pick could very well define the franchise for the next decade. Do they stay patient and build around the top pick with their existing young and veteran players? Do they package Davis and/or Young for an established star or … more picks? Do they attempt to thread the needle between these options.
The Wizards’ front office has spent years preparing for this moment. Now that the No. 1 pick is finally in hand, the era of deconstructing is over. And now, the pressure to win begins.
PISCATAWAY, NJ - CIRCA 1981: Dennis Johnson #24 if the Phoenix Suns looks to shoot over Lowes Moore #11 of the New Jersey Nets during an NBA basketball game circa 1981 at the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway, New Jersey. Johnson played for the Suns from 1980-83. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Goodbye, second round. Hello, first round.
Sure, we’re beginning at the back end of the first round, but the draft has operated under this structure for more than 20 years now. That gives us a pretty healthy sample size to evaluate what these draft positions have historically produced and what teams can reasonably expect when selecting in this range.
This is typically where the league’s most successful teams draft. If you finish with the best record in the NBA, you’re selecting 30th overall. If you’re consistently competing for championships, you’re often living in this neighborhood of the draft. As a result, success in this range is heavily dependent on an organization’s ability to identify talent, develop players, and find contributors who can outperform their draft position.
That’s easier said than done.
Many of these players are ultimately traded before they ever have a chance to contribute. Championship contenders often need proven veterans more than they need rookies, making first-round picks valuable trade assets rather than developmental projects. It’s one of the reasons this portion of the draft can be so fascinating to study.
The players who do break through often find themselves in ideal situations. They join stable organizations, earn opportunities, develop properly, and eventually become contributors to winning basketball. When you look at the best players drafted at the back end of the first round, that’s a common theme you’ll see over and over again. Talent matters. Opportunity matters too.
Before we begin our journey through the final 30 picks of the first round, let’s take a moment to look back at where we currently stand and the players who earned the title of best player selected at each draft position from No. 31 through No. 60.
Pick
Player
Year
60
Michael Cooper
1978
59
Pat Cummings
1978
58
Kurt Rambis
1980
57
Manu Ginobili
1999
56
Amir Johnson
2005
55
Luis Scola
2002
54
Sam Mitchell
1985
53
Anthony Mason
1988
52
Rasual Butler
2002
51
Kyle Korver
2003
50
Steve Kerr
1988
49
Eddie Johnson
1977
48
Marc Gasol
2007
47
Paul Millsap
2006
46
Jeff Hornacek
1986
45
Bob Dandridge
1969
44
Malik Rose
1996
43
Michael Redd
2000
42
Stephen Jackson
1997
41
Nikola Jokic
2014
40
George Gervin
1974
39
Khris Middleton
2012
38
Steve Blake
2003
37
Nick Van Exel
1993
36
Mauric Cheeks
1978
35
Draymond Green
2012
34
Carlos Boozer
2002
33
Jalen Brunson
2018
32
Rashard Lewis
1998
31
Danny Ainge
1981
Got that? Okey dokey. Let’s get into the First Round…
30. Jimmy Butler (2011)
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 21: Jimmy Butler #21 of the Chicago Bulls dribbles the ball against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 21, 2012 in New York City. 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. The Bulls defeated the Knicks 110-106. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Honorable Mentions:
Gilbert Arenas (2001)
Nate McMillan (1986)
David Lee (2005)
Josh Hart (2017)
Suns Taken at 30:
Floyd Kerr (1969)
Al Fleming (1976)
Nemanja Nedovic (2013)
There were some good names drafted 30th overall. In fact, there are a few players who have strong arguments for this spot and who put together impressive NBA careers. Jimmy Butler is the answer, however. The reason is simple. He’s been the driving force behind two teams that reached the NBA Finals, and that level of impact is hard to ignore.
The Chicago Bulls selected Butler with the final pick of the first round in 2011. He wasn’t an immediate star, but it didn’t take long for him to establish himself as a valuable player. By his second season, he was already making a meaningful impact. By his third season, he earned All-Defensive Second Team honors, showcasing the toughness and competitiveness that would eventually define his career. Butler won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award and earned the first of four consecutive All-Star selections with Chicago. He had evolved from a role player into a franchise cornerstone, becoming one of the league’s premier two-way wings.
His career path would eventually take him to Minnesota, where things became complicated. Butler famously wanted out, frustrated by what he perceived as a lack of urgency and competitiveness from some of the team’s younger stars, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. It’s funny looking back on that now. Both Towns and Wiggins eventually won championships. Butler still hasn’t.
Number of NBA championships:
Karl-Anthony Towns: 1 Andrew Wiggins: 1 Jimmy Butler: 0
After Minnesota, Butler landed in Miami in 2019, and that’s where his legacy truly took shape. He immediately transformed the culture of the Heat and led the franchise to two NBA Finals appearances. While Miami ultimately fell short both times, Butler’s postseason performances became the stuff of legend. He wasn’t merely making the playoffs. He was dragging teams deep into them.
Even now, at 36 years old, Butler remains one of the league’s most respected competitors. Before his injury-shortened last season, he was still averaging 20 points per game and proving that he could impact winning basketball at the highest level.
The résumé speaks for itself. Six All-Star appearances. Five All-NBA selections. Five All-Defensive Team selections. A Most Improved Player award. A steals title in 2021. Multiple Finals appearances as the best player on his team.
For the 30th overall pick, that’s an incredible return. Jimmy Butler may not have the championship ring that some of his peers possess, but when it comes to maximizing a draft position, few players have ever done it better.
29. Dennis Johnson (1976)
LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1978: Dennis Johnson #24 of the Seattle Supersonics looks to pass the ball against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1978 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Johnson played for the Supersonics from 1976-80. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Honorable Mentions:
Toni Kukoc (1990)
Derrick White (2017)
Dejounte Murray (2016)
PJ Brown (1992)
Suns Taken at 29:
Antonio Lang (1994)
Alando Tucker (2007)
Day’Ron Sharpe (2007)*
Liam McNeeley (2025)**
*traded to the Nets on draft day for Landry Shamet **traded to the Hornets on draft day for Mark Williams
Dennis Johnson is one of those players who, as NBA history rolls on, tends to get lost in the shuffle. Part of that is probably because he passed away far too young at age 52. Part of it is because there aren’t endless highlight packages floating around social media showcasing what he did between 1976 and 1990. And part of it is because he wasn’t the loudest star on the floor. He wasn’t somebody who demanded attention. He simply won.
If I’m being honest, my guess is that if I had been old enough to watch Dennis Johnson play in real time, he would’ve been one of my favorite players. He feels like the type of guy I would’ve gravitated toward. The unsung hero. The player who does all the little things. The guy who shows up every night and gets the job done.
The Seattle SuperSonics selected Johnson 29th overall in the 1976 NBA Draft, and it didn’t take long for him to establish himself as one of the league’s premier guards. By his third season, he was already an All-Star and a First Team All-Defensive player. He spent four seasons in Seattle, and his final year there was his best. In 1979, the SuperSonics won the NBA championship, and Johnson was named Finals MVP.
Then came the trade that brought him to Phoenix. In the summer of 1980, Seattle dealt Johnson to the Suns in exchange for Paul Westphal. Once he arrived in Phoenix, he continued playing at an elite level. In his first two seasons with the Suns, he earned two more All-Star appearances, an All-NBA First Team selection, and two additional First Team All-Defensive honors.
He was everything you could want from a guard. He could score. He could facilitate. He could defend. Most importantly, he could win.
Unfortunately for Suns fans, his time in Phoenix didn’t last long. After only three seasons, the organization traded Johnson to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Rick Robey. Looking back, it’s one of the most painful trades in franchise history. Boston essentially acquired the final piece of its championship puzzle.
Johnson immediately became a critical component of Celtics teams that won championships in 1984 and 1986. Surrounded by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, he did exactly what he had always done. He defended, facilitated, made winning plays, and elevated everyone around him.
If you want to build a championship team, Dennis Johnson is exactly the type of player you want on your roster. And for the Suns, it’s another reminder of where they failed to identify that unique trait, and it ultimately hurt their trajectory for a few seasons.
Need the résumé? Five-time All-Star. Three-time NBA champion. NBA Finals MVP. Two-time All-NBA selection. Nine-time All-Defensive Team selection. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.
His career may not get the shine it deserves, but for 14 seasons, Dennis Johnson was a force in the NBA. The stars got the headlines. DJ got the wins.
28. Tony Parker (2001)
San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (L) works his way around Indiana Pacers guard Jamall Tinsley (R) in the first quarter 23 November 2001 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. Parker, who is from France, is playing his first year in the NBA. AFP PHOTO by John RUTHROFF (Photo by JOHN RUTHROFF / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Honorable Mentions:
Dan Roundfield (1975)
Leoandro Barbosa (2003)
Jordan Poole (2019)
Jaden McDaniels (2020)
Suns Taken at 28:
Rod Foster (1983)
Andrew Lang (1988)
Ryan Dunn (2024)*
*draft rights acquired from the Nets
How did the San Antonio Spurs win five championships? A big part of the answer is Tony Parker.
Selected 28th overall in the 2001 NBA Draft, Parker became another example of the Spurs’ ability to identify talent where others weren’t looking. Yes, San Antonio had already won a championship in 1999. That title felt like the culmination of the David Robinson era, even if Tim Duncan had already become the driving force behind the franchise.
But great organizations don’t stop after finding one star. They continue finding talent.
The Spurs were one of the NBA’s early pioneers when it came to identifying international players and giving them opportunities to succeed. Parker arrived from France as a skinny teenager with plenty of talent and plenty of questions surrounding him.
The questions didn’t last long. Parker developed into one of the smartest and most efficient point guards of his generation. He wasn’t overwhelming physically. He wasn’t a great three-point shooter. He simply understood how to play the game. He knew how to attack defenses, get to his spots, and make winning plays. Most importantly, he won. Again and again.
Parker spent 18 seasons in the NBA, 17 of them with the Spurs. During that time, he earned six All-Star selections, made four All-NBA teams, won four championships, and became one of the defining players of an era of San Antonio basketball.
His crowning achievement came in 2007. The Spurs defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to capture their third championship in five seasons, and Parker was named Finals MVP. For a player selected 28th overall, that’s the kind of accomplishment most franchises can only dream about finding.
His best statistical season came in 2008-09 when he averaged 22.0 points and 6.9 assists per game while finishing among the league’s most efficient guards. Night after night, he carved up defenses with that devastating first step and relentless ability to get into the paint.
And if you’re a Suns fan, you probably remember all of it. Parker always seemed to be a thorn in Phoenix’s side. Every time the Suns needed him to miss a shot, make a mistake, or have an off night, he usually delivered the opposite. He was clutch, composed, and frustratingly effective.
That’s why he’s the perfect example of what happens when elite organizations draft well at the back end of the first round. The Spurs found a future Hall of Famer at No. 28. And the rest of the league paid for it for nearly two decades.
27. Dennis Rodman (1986)
LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1992: Dennis Rodman #10 of the Detroit Pistons passes the ball in bounds against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1992 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Rodman played for the Pistons from 1986-93. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Honorable Mentions:
Pascal Siakam (216)
Rudy Gobert (2013)
Kenrick Perkins (2003)
Elden Campbell (1990)
Suns Taken at 27:
Mario Bennett (1995)
Sergio Rodriguez (2006)
Bogdan Bogdanovic (2014)
Pascal Siakam. Rudy Gobert. Kendrick Perkins. Those are all nice players, and each had a meaningful impact on the NBA. But when it comes to the greatest player ever drafted 27th overall, this isn’t much of a debate. The answer is Dennis Rodman.
The quiet, lunch pail forward out of Southeastern Oklahoma State was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the third pick of the second round, 27th overall, in the 1986 NBA Draft. What the Pistons received was one of the most unique players the sport has ever seen.
Rodman couldn’t score. At least not compared to the stars of his era. What he could do was completely take over a game without scoring. His ability to rebound, defend, and disrupt opponents was unlike anything the NBA had seen before.
Early in his career, Rodman was relatively quiet. The colorful hair, off-court antics, and larger-than-life personality came later. Initially, he was simply a relentless worker who attacked every possession as if his life depended on it. And nobody rebounded like him.
Rodman led the NBA in rebounding seven different times during his 14-year career. Seven. That’s an absurd accomplishment when you consider the Hall of Fame big men he competed against every night. His dominance on the glass translated directly to winning.
Rodman won championships with the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and 1990 as part of the Bad Boys era. After a few turbulent seasons and plenty of headlines off the court, he eventually found himself joining Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in Chicago at age 34. It was a perfect basketball marriage. The Bulls didn’t need Rodman to score. They needed him to do everything else. So he continued doing what he had always done, attacking rebounds, defending multiple positions, and making life miserable for opponents.
The result was three more championships.
When his career was over, Rodman had won five NBA titles, made two All-Star teams, earned eight All-Defensive Team selections, and captured Defensive Player of the Year honors twice. He also put together one of the most absurd rebounding résumés in league history.
His best season came in 1991-92 with Detroit when he averaged 18.7 rebounds per game. Think about that for a second. Not 18.7 points. 18.7 rebounds. And that wasn’t the only season he averaged more than 18 rebounds a game. As a Suns fan, it’s almost impossible for me to process those numbers. The best rebounding season in franchise history belongs to Paul Silas, who averaged 12.5 rebounds per game in 1970-71. Rodman was grabbing six more rebounds than that every single night.
That’s how impactful he was. That’s how he affected winning. And that’s why Dennis Rodman isn’t merely the best player drafted 27th overall. He’s one of the greatest values the NBA Draft has ever produced.
26. Vlade Divac (1989)
INGLEWOOD, CA – CIRCA 1995: Vlade Divac #12 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball against the Utah Jazz during an NBA basketball game circa 1995 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. Divac played for the Lakers from 1989-96. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Honorable Mentions:
Kevin Martin (2004)
Charlie Ward (1994)
George Hill (2008)
Suns Taken at 26:
Phoenix has never drafted from this position
It’s funny how you’ll look at one draft slot and find four or five players that send you down completely different rabbit holes. You end up comparing résumés, accolades, championships, and impact, trying to determine who truly deserves the spot. Then you arrive at a pick like No. 26.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some good players here. Heck, we’re about to discuss a Hall of Famer. It simply doesn’t feel as loaded as some of the other draft positions we’ve covered. That Hall of Famer is Vlade Divac.
The Los Angeles Lakers selected the big man out of Serbia with the 26th overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, arriving at the tail end of the Showtime era. The timing couldn’t have been better. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had retired following the previous season, leaving a massive void in the middle. The Lakers didn’t waste any time throwing Divac into the fire. He became their starting center almost immediately.
For those of us who watched basketball in the 1990s, Divac is a player we all remember. He was skilled, intelligent, and one of the first international centers to demonstrate that passing and playmaking could be part of a big man’s game. He also happened to be what many of us considered the original flopper. At the time, it felt like he brought a soccer mentality to basketball, constantly exaggerating contact and searching for whistles. Looking at today’s NBA, it’s funny how much the game has eventually evolved in that direction.
Divac spent eight seasons with the Lakers before becoming part of one of the most famous trades in league history. On draft night in 1996, Los Angeles sent him to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for the rights to a teenager named Kobe Bryant. That worked out pretty well for the Lakers.
Divac’s career, however, was far from over. After a stint in Charlotte, he found a second act with the Sacramento Kings. Those Kings teams became one of the most entertaining groups of the early 2000s, challenging the Lakers year after year in the Western Conference playoffs. And we all know how that story ended. The Lakers advanced, although many Kings fans will forever argue that outside influences helped determine the outcome.
Divac earned the lone All-Star appearance of his career in 2001 with Sacramento and remained a key contributor deep into his 30s. By the time he retired, he had played 16 seasons in the NBA while averaging 11.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
The numbers aren’t overwhelming. The impact was. Divac helped pave the way for future generations of international players, enjoyed a long and productive NBA career, and ultimately earned induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. And he taught the NBA how to flop and get rewarded.
25. Mark Price (1986)
LANDOVER, MD – CIRCA 1987: Mark Price #25 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball while defended by Muggsy Bogues #1 of the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1987 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Price played for the Cavaliers from 1986-95. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Honorable Mentions:
Nicolas Batum (2008)
Clint Capela (2014)
Al Harrington (1998)
Gerald Wallace (2001)
Suns Taken at 25:
Jake Tsakalidis (2000)
The best player ever drafted 25th overall? The Price is Right, Mark Price. The 6’0″ point guard out of Georgia Tech was one of those players who, if you followed Eastern Conference basketball in the late 1980s and early 1990s, you knew all too well. He was a shooter, and he was incredibly productive.
Unfortunately for Price, he played in an era loaded with heavyweights. The Eastern Conference featured the Detroit Pistons, the Boston Celtics, and eventually Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Breaking through that gauntlet was nearly impossible, which is one of the reasons Price’s teams never reached the mountaintop. That doesn’t diminish how good he was.
Ironically, Price was originally drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1986. Dallas quickly traded his rights to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a 1989 second-round pick, a move that turned into one of the better acquisitions in franchise history. Price spent the next nine seasons in Cleveland and became the engine behind some of the best teams the Cavaliers had ever assembled. Alongside players like Brad Daugherty and Larry Nance, he helped transform Cleveland into a perennial playoff contender.
His individual accomplishments were impressive. Price earned four All-Star selections, made the All-NBA First Team once, and landed on the All-NBA Third Team three times. He averaged 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game during his career while establishing himself as one of the premier point guards of his generation.
What truly separated Price, however, was his shooting. Long before the three-point revolution changed basketball, Price was demonstrating the value of elite perimeter efficiency. He was one of the best shooters the game had ever seen, particularly from the free throw line. He led the NBA in free-throw percentage three different times and retired with a career mark of 90.4%, one of the highest percentages in league history.
While he may not receive the same recognition as some of the superstars from his era, Mark Price was a terrific player, an elite shooter, and one of the best point guards of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
24. Sam Cassell (1993)
SACRAMENTO, CA: Sam Cassell #10 of the Houston Rockets dribbles the ball up court during a game against the Sacramento Kings circa 1994 at the ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California. 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 1994 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Honorable Mentions:
Kyle Lowry (2006)
Latrell Spreewell (1992)
Arvydas Sabonis (1986)
Terry Porter (1985)
Andrei Kirilenko (1999)
Suns Taken at 24:
Gene Williams (1969)
Johnny High (1979)
Anthony Cook (1989)
Rudy Fernandez (2007)
*opted to stay in the ABA
Okay, now we get to have some fun. When you arrive at the 24th overall pick, the debate becomes a lot more interesting. This isn’t one of those draft slots where there’s an obvious answer sitting at the top. There are multiple players with legitimate cases, and whichever direction you go, you can make a compelling argument.
You could make the case for Sam Cassell. You could make the case for Kyle Lowry. Latrell Sprewell deserves consideration. So does Arvydas Sabonis. Honestly, none of those answers would be wrong.
If you’re talking strictly about peak performance, Sprewell has a strong argument. For a stretch of about seven years, he was one of the most dynamic guards in basketball. He could score, defend, and carry an offense. At his best, he was a problem.
If you’re looking at longevity and accolades, Kyle Lowry deserves plenty of attention. He’s a six-time All-Star, an All-NBA selection, an NBA champion, and one of the most accomplished point guards of his generation. He also produced the most points over the course of his career among this group.
Then there’s Sabonis. His NBA career doesn’t compare statistically because he arrived in the league after much of his prime had already passed. But if you’re willing to include his international accomplishments, the conversation changes dramatically. In that context, he might be the strongest candidate of all.
So who did I choose? I went with Sam Cassell.
Part of it is the championships. Three rings matter, especially when you consider that two of them came during his first two seasons in the NBA with the Houston Rockets. He entered the league out of Florida State and immediately found himself contributing to championship teams. And he hurt my feelings along the way. So there is that bias.
Years later, he would add a third title with the Boston Celtics. Granted, he wasn’t a primary contributor on that championship team, but the ring still counts.
What ultimately pushes Cassell over the top for me is the totality of his career.
He wasn’t merely a role player riding shotgun on great teams. He became an All-Star, an All-NBA selection, and one of the toughest, smartest point guards of his era. Everywhere he went, he won. Whether it was Houston, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Los Angeles, or Boston, Cassell consistently found ways to impact winning.
That’s why he gets the nod. In a draft slot filled with worthy candidates, Sam Cassell is my choice as the greatest player ever selected 24th overall. But the question is…who do you think should get it?
23. Alex English (1976)
BOSTON – 1976: Alex English #23 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives against the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1976 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 1976 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Honorable Mentions:
OG Anunoby (2017)
AC Green (1985)
World B. Free (1975)
Tayshaun Prince (2002)
Bobby Jackson (1997)
Suns Taken at 23:
Wesley Person (1994)
I began writing this series in early June in preparation for draft week, and I did have to circle back and revisit the 23rd overall pick after watching what OG Anunoby accomplished during the NBA Finals. That being said, Alex English still gets the nod.
The Milwaukee Bucks selected English with the 23rd overall pick in the 1976 NBA Draft as they attempted to navigate life after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He showed flashes during his time in Milwaukee, but not enough to convince the organization he was part of its long-term future. After two seasons, the Bucks moved on.
English signed with the Indiana Pacers in 1978, spending two years there before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in 1980 for George McGinnis (more on him very shortly). That transaction changed everything.
Once he arrived in Denver, English became the face of the franchise and spent the entirety of the 1980s filling up the stat sheet. Night after night, season after season, he produced at an elite level. To this day, he remains Denver’s all-time leader in games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, and points scored.
The accolades followed. English was an eight-time All-Star, the NBA scoring champion in 1983, and a three-time All-NBA selection. During his 837 games with the Nuggets, he averaged 25.9 points per game, establishing himself as one of the most prolific scorers of his era.
When people think about 1980s Nuggets basketball, they think about Alex English. He wasn’t merely a great player who happened to play in Denver. For an entire decade, he was Denver.
22. George McGinnis (1973)
BALTIMORE, MD – CIRCA 1978: George McGinnis #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers looking to pass the ball against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1978 at the Baltimore Civic Center in Baltimore, Maryland. McGinnis played for the 76ers from 1975-78. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Honorable Mentions:
Reggie Lewis (1987)
Norm Nixon (1977)
Scott Skiles (1986)
Bobby Portis (2015)
Suns Taken at 22:
Kyle Macy (1979)
Oliver Miller (1992)
Casey Jacobsen (2002)
Daron Holmes II (2024)*
*draft rights traded for Ryan Dunn
George McGinnis has one of the more impressive collections of nicknames you’ll find on Basketball Reference. Big Mac. Baby Bull. McGinnis the Magnificent. Big George. The Hammer. The 6’8” power forward out of Indiana University lived up to every one of them.
McGinnis was originally selected 22nd overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1973 NBA Draft. But like many talented players of the early 1970s, he chose the ABA over the NBA, beginning his professional career with the Indiana Pacers. What followed was an incredible start to a career.
The Pacers won ABA championships in each of McGinnis’ first two seasons. During the 1973 postseason, he was named ABA Playoffs MVP after averaging 23.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game en route to a title. He quickly established himself as one of the league’s premier players, earning three ABA All-Star selections while becoming the face of the Pacers franchise.
By 1975, McGinnis had reached the peak of his ABA career. That season, he shared the league’s final MVP award with Julius Erving, cementing his place among the greatest players the league ever produced. When the ABA began collapsing, McGinnis signed with the team that had originally drafted him, joining the Philadelphia 76ers in 1975.
His success continued in the NBA. McGinnis earned two more All-Star selections with Philadelphia while adding an All-NBA First Team selection and an All-NBA Second Team honor. He remained one of the league’s most productive forwards before the 76ers traded him to the Denver Nuggets.
His stint in Denver lasted only a season and a half, but he still managed to earn another All-Star appearance before being traded back to Indiana in 1980. The player Denver received in return was Alex English, a trade that would have a lasting impact on both franchises.
He finished his career as a six-time All-Star, a two-time ABA champion, a two-time All-NBA selection, an ABA MVP, and an ABA Playoffs MVP. And despite Basketball Reference assigning him only a 1.1% Hall of Fame probability, he ultimately found his way into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
21. Rajon Rondo (2006)
BOSTON – MARCH 11: Rajon Rondo #9 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against the Chicago Bulls at the TD Banknorth Garden March 11, 2007 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2007 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Honorable Mentions:
Tyrese Maxey (2020)
Michael Finley (1995)
Boris Diaw (2003)
Morris Peterson (2000)
Mark Bryant (1988)
Suns Taken at 21:
Dick Cunningham (1968)
Jayson Williams (1990)
Michael Finley (1995)
Nate Robinson (2005)*
Rajon Rondo (2006)**
*traded on draft night to the Knicks for Kurt Thomas **traded on draft night for future FRP
Pick No. 21 gives us some interesting names, and plenty of them have ties to the Phoenix Suns. Michael Finley was drafted here. Boris Diaw, a key piece of the Seven Seconds or Less era, was drafted here. So was Mark Bryant, who not only played for the Suns but later coached for them.
And while Tyrese Maxey may ultimately claim this spot one day if his career trajectory continues, my choice is Rajon Rondo.
What’s funny is that Rondo was technically drafted by the Phoenix Suns. The Suns selected him with the 21st overall pick in 2006, a time when the organization was pinching pennies despite fielding one of the most exciting teams in basketball. Rather than investing in a young player who could help sustain the team’s future, Robert Sarver chose to save money. The rights to Rondo were dealt to the Boston Celtics on draft night in exchange for a future first-round pick, effectively kicking the decision down the road.
The irony, of course, is that the eventual return never amounted to much. The Suns ultimately turned that asset into Rudy Fernandez, who never played for Phoenix. His rights were later moved, along with James Jones, to Portland for cash considerations. Meanwhile, Rondo became exactly the kind of player the Suns could have used for years.
When you think about what Phoenix lacks today, Rondo checks a lot of those boxes. He was a pass-first point guard who controlled the pace of a game, distributed at an elite level, rebounded well for his position, and could score when the situation demanded it. His primary gift, however, was making everyone around him better.
Three times he led the NBA in assists per game. Over a 16-year career, he averaged 8.5 assists against only 2.8 turnovers per game. He earned four All-Star appearances, led the league in steals in 2010, made an All-NBA team, and was selected to four All-Defensive teams.
Rondo was a key cog in the machine that helped the Celtics win the 2008 championship. In his second season, he started every playoff game and averaged 9.3 points and 6.7 assists during the NBA Finals. More than a decade later, he added a second championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in the bubble.
Everywhere he went, he impacted winning. By the time his career ended, Rondo had played 16 seasons for nine different teams. He wasn’t always easy to coach, and he wasn’t always easy to play with. But he was productive, intelligent, and fiercely competitive. He was the type of player every contender wanted, and every opponent hated facing.
What a career. And what a reminder of what might have been for the Phoenix Suns.
The deeper we move into the first round, the harder these decisions become. The talent pool gets stronger, the résumés get longer, and the debates become a lot more subjective. That’s what makes this part of the draft so much fun. There isn’t always a clear answer. Sometimes it’s championships. Sometimes it’s peak performance. Sometimes it’s longevity. And sometimes it’s the painful reminder of a player the Suns once drafted, traded, or passed on altogether.
One thing is certain, though: if the first 10 picks have taught us anything, it’s that draft position matters a lot less than what an organization does with it once the card is turned in.
The 2026 NBA Draft is on the horizon, bringing one of the most significant dates on the league’s calendar.
Childhood dreams of making it to the NBA will be achieved.
Former Santa Clara guard Allen Graves impressed at the NBA combine. NBAE via Getty Images
Teams will turn draft assets into tangible players who they hope will contribute to winning in the short- and long-term future.
And in the background, teams will continue to explore the options that’ll help them achieve their goals for 2026-27.
For the Lakers, who have a first-round pick in the draft (No. 25), the opportunity the draft presents as it pertains to roster building can’t be whiffed on.
In their pursuit of assembling a roster that’ll be competitive against the 2026 Western Conference champion Spurs and 2025 NBA champion Thunder, the Lakers have two main options for their first-round pick: trade it for a player who’s ready to compete for a title now alongside Luka Doncic or select a prospect whom they plan to develop and hope will help now and in the future.
If the Lakers choose the latter, there isn’t a shortage of options.
Toward the top of that list should be Santa Clara forward Allen Graves, who would be the steal of the draft if he fell to the Lakers.
Graves averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds for Santa Clara last season. Getty Images
Why draft Allen Graves?
Lakers coach JJ Redick said next season’s team has to be better with “being able to dribble, pass and shoot.”
Graves excels in these areas, making him a Swiss Army Knife-esque player who can fit into a variety of roles because of his versatile skill set and basketball IQ.
He has high-level passing/playmaking skills for a player his size after being a point guard before his growth spurts. His height helps him see the floor well before making advanced reads.
Graves can run an offense in doses because of his playmaking ability and will keep the ball moving, helping maintain or create advantages without turning the ball over.
He’s at his best when playing out of the short roll, elbows, blocks or popping out of pick and rolls.
His basketball IQ is evident with his playmaking on both sides of the floor — he was the lone player in men’s college basketball to have a steal percentage and block percentage of at least 4.9 in 2025-26. Graves’ quick hands, awareness, length and mobility helped make him one of college basketball’s best defensive playmakers last season.
And he was a credible 3-point shooting threat for the Broncos.
Graves is the type of player who’d fit on nearly every NBA roster because of his versatile skill set.
Regardless of other Lakers’ roster decisions, Graves would be additive to their roster.
Areas of improvement?
His lack of athleticism and explosiveness contributed to his struggles with scoring efficiency near the rim, and that’ll likely only be worse in the NBA.
His lack of lateral quickness and mobility will make it difficult for him to stay in front of quicker guards on the perimeter and defend in space.
Graves also will need to get stronger to defend bigger forwards without having to foul. He averaged 5.5 fouls per 40 minutes in college.
He also isn’t a versatile scorer — he’s more of a play finisher than creator, and his finishing abilities were limited to 3-point shooting or scoring after an advantage was created.
There are also questions — ones that can’t be answered — on how much his efficient statistical production and great analytics are a result of coming off the bench for a mid-major program instead of playing against more elite collegiate competition.
The Warriors possess the No. 11 pick in this month’s NBA draft.
Who they pick with their highest selection since 2021 could hold the cards to not only the final years of Steph Curry’s career but also the future direction of the franchise.
Former Baylor guard Cameron Carr offers an intriguing combination of upside with a built-in skill set that could contribute to winning right away. Getty Images
This week, we are profiling five possible prospects GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. could target.
Continuing with Part 4:
Cameron Carr
Age: 21
Position: Guard
Height/weight: 6-foot-5 / 185 pounds
School: Baylor
Why he’s a fit
As the Warriors seek to bridge the end of Curry’s career with the franchise’s next era, Carr offers an intriguing combination of upside with a built-in skill set that could contribute to winning right away.
A high-flying, slashing wing, Carr would give the Warriors the kind of athleticism they haven’t had in a prospect since … Jonathan Kuminga?
There’s reason to believe taking a flyer on a high-upside scorer and potential impact defender such as Carr will go better this time around. For one, the Warriors are in a different place — reevaluating everything from their offensive system to their championship expectations.
Carr is also ready to contribute right away with a lethal 3-point shot and a quick, lanky frame that should make him a pest on the perimeter. He adds 8 inches with a wingspan that measured a tick over 7 feet at the NBA combine, where he also showed out with 30 points on six 3-pointers in a scrimmage and a 42.5-inch vertical leap — the third highest of any prospect.
The last time the Warriors had the No. 11 pick, coach Steve Kerr and Golden State landed Klay Thompson. Getty Images
The last time the Warriors held the No. 11 pick, it gave them Klay Thompson, and Carr shares some similarities shooting at a 37.4% clip from beyond the perimeter at Baylor while setting up many of those shots by running around screens off the ball.
Like the two Splash Brothers, Carr also has NBA bloodlines through his father, Chris Carr, who played six seasons and passed down the traits that earned him an invite to the 1997 dunk contest.
Why he’ll last until No. 11
With three years of college experience, Carr is only 2 years younger than Kuminga, for comparison’s sake. That makes him one of the older players likely to go in the lottery.
It also raises questions about how much there is left for him to develop physically.
While his length gives him the upside to be an elite defender, his lean stature means he could also get pushed around by a league of players almost universally larger than him. There wasn’t a single impact player lighter than 185 pounds this season — just 12 in total around the NBA.
Carr is also relatively raw for a three-year college player: He averaged 1.4 points in 14 games as a freshman at Tennessee and was limited to four games the following season after fracturing his thumb before transferring to Baylor.
NBA comp: Trey Murphy III
Carr has the skills to contribute as a rookie and the potential to grow into a prototypical 3-and-D player. If he bulks up and improves his handle, he could become even more than that.
Paul Skenes
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Otto Lopez
COVERS INTEL:
