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When a kid from Estonia grows up dreaming of being in the NBA, that decision goes well beyond simple salary math. A NBA team or teams, possibly the Lakers and/or Knicks, likely gave Veesaar’s representatives a strong indication they valued him as a first round pick. Veesaar recently married, and after three years of college life, a desire for a change in lifestyle would be completely understandable. The NBA Draft values potential more than anything else, and a player’s age plays a role in those calculations. Henri turned 22 in March, and a 23 year old Veesaar is slightly less valuable than a 22 year old Veesaar, all other things being equal. Veesaar had these and other reasons, all totally valid, to go. What done is done. Godspeed, Henri. Knock ’em dead.

That said, dropping to pick 52 in the draft could mean a financial difference as much as $10 million over the next two seasons. The math on that is simple. First, Matt Norlander of CBS Sports reports UNC offered Veesaar $5 million or more for next season.

Second, the recent change in NCAA rules eligibility, the “5 for 5” rule, means Henri would have had two more seasons of college eligibility. Assuming good health, Veesaar in retrospect had the option of two years at $5+ million each. Third, Alex Toohey, last year’s pick 52, signed a non-guaranteed G-league deal with the Golden State Warriors worth around $600,000. Injured in December, the Warriors cut him, so Toohey realized only around $170,000 of that contract. That’s a $10 million difference.

We’ll get into the particulars of Veesaar’s drop in a bit, but his example seems worth discussion because UNC likely will have plenty of players facing similar decisions and dilemmas moving forward. The conversation for next year’s draft already includes three players on next season’s roster: Nikolas Avdalas, Sayon Keita, and Matt Able. They will all likely face choices similar to Veesaar’s. As fans, there’s also the small matter of gnashing our teeth every time we’re watching a tight game or monitoring the NET standings, wondering whether Henri’s return would have meant a better result. Taking the time to better understand a dynamic that likely to impact UNC men’s basketball every season moving forward seems worth the time.

The following moves back and forth between what we suspect and what we know, labelled accordingly. The speculation isn’t an attempt to point fingers without evidence. It’s just conjecture along the lines of the way NBA front offices can operate.

Speculation. A player with $5 million or more on the table in college likely needs solid evidence that a NBA tam values him enough to forego that guaranteed money, no matter how done they are with college classrooms or how much they dream of being in the NBA. Let’s pretend that a team promises to draft him late in the first round, say, the Lakers at pick 25. Perhaps no one makes him a promise, but more than one team – add the Knicks here – indicates a desire to add Veesaar with a late first round or early second round pick.

Known: Last year’s pick 25, Jase Richardson of the Orlando Magic, signed a four year contract worth more than $15 million, with more than $6 million of that guaranteed over the first two years. So, yes, the 25th pick in the NBA draft actually represents a pay cut from what a college player in Henri’s situation stands to make. If you’re wondering why so many underclassmen projected in the latter half of the first round opted to return to school, there’s one highly relevant data point. “Let’s make more money next season than I would in the NBA, with hopes of moving up in next season’s draft.” That comes with risks, most notably injury. Choosing the NBA in this situation means slightly less money in the short term, but it allows a player to train full-time in a fully professional setting, minus the demands of college. It gets a player firmly onto a NBA roster. It gets a player to a second contract sooner. It amounts to a player making a long-term bet on themselves, and that’s hard to condemn a guy for.

Speculation: This in turn assumes the front offices aren’t just blowing smoke or more fluid behind the scenes than they’re willing to reveal. Let’s say the Knicks, fresh off a title, restructure their off-season strategy and decide to keep trading down, taking a couple of two-way assets in the 2nd round rather than adding a first rounder to the roster. Let’s say the Lakers front office also likes Cameron Carr, a center from Baylor with better defensive upside, but doesn’t expect him to be on the board when their turn rolls around. Turns out Carr is, and the Lakers trade up from 25 to 24 to nab him.

Known: The Lakers picking Carr at 24, and then the Knicks trading away both picks 24 and 25 for future assets, was the point things went off the rails for Veesaar. Most mocks assumed one of those two teams would be Veesaar’s first round landing spot. With the first round done and Veesaar still waiting, Henri became a hot topic. Pundits talked about Veesaar as a first round talent and steal as an early second round pick. Jeremy Woo of ESPN said he expected the Knicks to take Veesaar with pick 31, with the caveat that the Knicks didn’t keep trading away their picks. Which the Knicks did, sending the pick to Houston.

Speculation: Veesaar and his agent at this point want some sort of guaranteed deal, but the teams picking at the top of the second round don’t need bigs. 10 of the first 15 picks in the second round go for guards, and the other five choose forwards. Word leaks that Veesaar’s agent tells teams that if they want to draft Veesaar, they better be willing to offer him a contract with more than one guaranteed year.

Known: The Lakers trade back into the second round at 56, with the conventional wisdom that Veesaar’s their aim. Once the Hawks jump into the 52 spot and take Henri, the Lakers trade that pick away.

Speculation: Veesaar and the Hawks worked something out better than the Lakers were offering. While the details of a Hawks-Veesaar agreement remain unknown, the NBA doesn’t have firm salary slots for picks in the second round. Remember pick 52 mentioned above, the one Golden State signed to a non-guaranteed $600,000 and then cut? Those same Warriors at pick 56, four picks later, took Will Richard and signed him to a four year deal at $8.7 million, with $3.4 million of that guaranteed over two years (hat tip LCS70). That’s in line with what other picks near the top of the second round negotiated. Richard appeared in 69 games for the Warriors, averaging 20 minutes, 6.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 steals.

So, if Veesaar’s agent was able to work out something like that for Veesaar, then Veesaar’s still making good money in a stable roster spot and launching his NBA career. It wouldn’t be what he’d hoped for when all the mocks had him as a first round pick, but it would be far better than a G-league two-way deal with no guarantees. At some point, the details of Veesaar’s contract will be made public. Until then, we can only hope things worked out for the big guy. Either way, however, the fact remains Veesaar would have been far more valuable to UNC this season and next than he turned out to be to any NBA team.

So, even if Veesaar avoided a worst-case scenario and still parlayed his talent into a firm footing in the NBA, his story remains a cautionary tale for future Tar Heels faced with similar choices. Way-too-early mock drafts for 2027 already include Keita and Able as potential first rounders, with Avdalas in the mix in the next tier of 30 draft candidates. Will one of those be in position to make far more money in college than the NBA? Will their agents be able to accurately read between the lines in communications with NBA front offices? Will one of them confidently step into the draft as a consensus first rounder, only to find themselves scrambling to create value as their leverage rapidly dwindles?

For fans, it only adds to the frustration of following the Tar Heels and college sports. Should Henri have taken much better money to return to Carolina, a return which would have unquestionably raised both the ceiling and floor for next season? Selfishly: of course. If Able, Keita, or Avdalas play their way into legitimate late first round consideration, will Veesaar’s example influence their perspective? Hopefully. Should fans have to worry about the portal on the one hand and the NBA on the other decimating their team every season? Selfishly: no.

Regardless, it remains something Tar Heel fans will need to get used to. Landing elite players with NBA potential makes Final Fours possible. It also means other teams, both college and NBA, dangling temptation in front of those players. This saga may yet have a happy ending for Veesaar, but it leaves fans with a very real “what if” that will inevitably color the coming season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo made his first public appearance since his blockbuster trade to the Miami Heat, attending SNF Nostos 2026, an international festival celebrating culture, sports, and social good, hosted by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in Athens.

Antetokounmpo took the stage alongside Olympic medalist Emmanouil Karalis, joining Stavros Niarchos Foundation Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos for a wide-ranging conversation. The trio discussed the values underpinning athletic excellence and how these principles could inspire athletes to give back, strengthen their communities, and create opportunities for future generations.

Antetokounmpo did not take any questions about his trade to the Heat, and instead he focused on his philanthropic work off the court.

"I came from nothing. Growing up, my family relied on community organizations for food and basic necessities. I remember asking why these people helped us, and they said it was from the heart," Antetokounmpo reflected. "As a kid, I didn’t grasp the meaning, but now I understand the power of compassion and generosity. We may not be able to solve every problem, but we can always do something to ease someone’s load."

It's another edition of Knicks Mailbag, with SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley ready to answer your questions surrounding the team. Let's get started...

Have the Knicks been in conversations with teams about centers they can trade for? - @jmere09nyc

Yes. Before the draft, they checked in with at least one team with a center under contract. Obviously nothing came to fruition. The team contacted by the Knicks was ultimately unwilling to part with its big man. The Knicks’ approach in this check-in was more than just due diligence, according to the team the Knicks spoke with. They were genuinely trying to get a deal done. Was this because they knew Mitchell Robinson would not be back? I don’t know the answer to that, but logic tells you they wouldn’t have put a call in if they thought Robinson would be back. If the Knicks want to stay under the second apron next season, Robinson would have to take a significant pay cut to return to the team.

You can make the argument that Robinson is the best unrestricted free agent on the center market. The Lakers are among the teams in need of a center. Reports have linked the Lakers and Robinson. SNY hasn’t independently confirmed those reports, but Robinson will certainly have interest from teams around the league. 

If the Knicks lose Robinson, they will have to find a serviceable center via the trade market or free agency. 

Free agency will be difficult because they will not be able to offer much more than a minimum deal. The next place to turn is the trade market. Maybe Moussa Diabate is available from Charlotte after they drafted a big man to add to their large center rotation? The Knicks have previously showed interest in Goga Bitadze, Yves Missi and Nic Richards. I’m sure they will look at all options on the table if Robinson does not return.

Could a yearly pay cut with more years added work? I don’t see any other team giving him more than 2 years? Maybe? - Via Kenny

The Knicks can give him a five-year deal. So they have the opportunity to offer more guaranteed money in the scenario you propose. But the Knicks can also offer him more money annually than he is making now. They would just have to exceed the second apron to do so.

Do you think staying under the second apron is to protect from Mitch injury issues? - Via @therealgmlopes

If you go over to sign him you’re basically stuck if he has his yearly injury. If they can keep him and stay under the apron, that’s not an issue. Also staying under leaves S&T as an option for him.

This would make sense to me. If you are worried about committing multiple years to Robinson due to injury, that’s understandable. But I can’t wrap my head around why the Knicks wouldn’t want to exceed the second apron this offseason.

The penalties are significant (as ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains in this video) but this team just won a championship.

Owner James Dolan has never been shy about spending money. Why would that change now? Dolan said in a WFAN interview recently that he didn’t want to go over the second apron. He reiterated that stance internally prior to the draft. He has not shared the specific reasons why he does not want to go over the second apron.

The strongest pushback to staying under the 2nd apron is BOS won while over it and DEN won + then immediately lost depth bc of it. If NYK believes this group can win multiple titles why should preserving future flexibility take priority over retaining everyone on the title team? - @Brock_Aller

This is a question that will hang over this offseason until it’s explained to the fan base. Every title team loses players. But this situation is different because the Knicks can spend the money to retain Robinson and Landry Shamet. By staying under the second apron, they will have to choose one or the other. 

The dust has finally settled on the 2026 NBA Draft, and while no Syracuse Orange players from the 2025-26 roster were selected, a few will be getting the chance to secure a permanent spot in the league.

Syracuse center William Kyle III will be on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

After two seasons at San Diego State and one with UCLA, Kyle III finished his collegiate career with the Orange. He averaged 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game. In his lone year at Syracuse, Kyle started in all of the team’s games in 2025-26.

Center will certainly be a position of need for the Lakers. Starting center Deandre Ayton has a player option for the 2026-27 season. He started in 72 games for L.A. last season. Even if he picks up that option, Ayton projects as the only center left on the roster heading into free agency. It will be a key position for the Lakers, who need rim protection and a lob threat for Luka Dončić.

A second player from last year’s Syracuse roster will also get a chance to shine and compete at the next level.

Guard Nate Kingz is reportedly signing a deal to play on the Miami Heat’s Summer League team, per Dushawn London of 247Sports.

Like Kyle, Kingz transferred to the Orange in 2025 from Oregon State and played his final college season in Upstate New York. He averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds, shooting 49% from the field and nearly 37% from three as a full-time starter last year.

It’s an interesting time for Miami, which recently acquired superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster deal. The Heat have limited cap flexibility and less depth after the trade, especially on the perimeter, giving Kingz a prime opportunity to stand out.

There was a former Orange player who did hear his named called during the Draft.

The San Antonio Spurs selected former Syracuse forward Maliq Brown in the second round with the No. 44 overall pick (writer’s note: #brand). Brown began his collegiate career with the Orange and played two seasons there, developing into one of the best defenders in the ACC (and arguably in the country).

Brown would eventually depart from New York to North Carolina, transferring to the Duke Blue Devils, where he played the last two years. He averaged 5.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.6 steals in 125 career games.

Brown is joining a Spurs team coming off a trip to the 2026 NBA Finals, led by MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama. That said, San Antonio looked to address its frontcourt depth, especially at the four spot, this offseason. Brown joins Wembanyama and a young, promising roster.

Two other former Syracuse players signed with NBA squads. Guard Quadir Copeland will be signing a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets, according to Jake Fischer. Forward Chris Bell signed with the New Orleans Pelicans on an Exhibit 10 deal per Jake Weingarten of StockRisers.

Copeland will join a Houston team that’s in an interesting spot. Despite trading for Kevin Durant one offseason ago, the Rockets were dispatched by the Lakers in Round One of the playoffs. Bell joins a Pelicans team which is still rebuilding so we’ll see if these players can impress in Summer League.

Heading into the 2026 NBA Draft, there was growing buzz that Wisconsin Badgers point guard Nick Boyd would be among the 60 players selected. However, on a night where every pick exchanged hands except for one, Boyd ended up not hearing his name called, which meant the Badgers would not have a draft pick in back-to-back years, a feat they last achieved in 1986 and 1987.

A supersenior this season, Boyd averaged 20.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game, while shooting 48 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from three.

With how roster spots have been used nowadays with two-way contracts, the second round of the NBA Draft has become more volatile. We’ve seen agents steer players to specific destinations, while others, such as UNC’s Henri Veesar, fall due to the desire for a specific contract.

Boyd went through Wednesday night without signing a contract, but his agency announced on Thursday afternoon that the point guard would be signing with the Golden State Warriors as an undrafted free agent.

Ranked No. 53 on The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s Big Board, Boyd will get his first professional chance on an Exhibit 10 contract with the Warriors. Those deals are non-guaranteed and are mainly structured as a pathway for players to join the G-League team following the offseason.

Boyd will now have the chance to showcase his talents during summer league, where he’ll make his case to earn a two-way contract.

Companies that build data centers don’t just pollute the environment, waste water, drive up electric rates, and dodge taxes. Sometimes they also sponsor NBA jersey patches.

An “AI cloud firm” called Iren has agreed to replace Rakuten as the jersey patch sponsor for the Golden State Warriors in a deal that’s reportedly worth $50M per season. For context, that’s enough to pay for 7 1/4 Al Horfords, 10.8 Gui Santoses, or over 58 Pat Spencers!

IREN Ltd. is an Australian company that actually seems less evil than the usual data center operator. They’re still primarily used for artificial intelligence cloud services and Bitcoin mining, both obviously cool pursuits for both individuals and the entire United States economy to focus on. However, Iren claims that their centers use only renewable energy, purchased from “clean or renewable sources” like solar or wind. Of course, they provide a disclaimer that sometimes they use “renewable energy certificates” which are like carbon offsets. It’s basically a certificate that says, yes we used fossil fuels, but we’re going to pay someone who did create renewable energy because we feel bad about it.

It’s still better than a non-renewable energy data center company.

This deal isn’t just for the Warriors jersey patch. The deal extends to Iren branding on the warmup gear of the Valkyries and the jerseys of the G League Santa Cruz Warriors, along with signage throughout the Chase Center.

But according to the Warriors’ chief commercial officer, Mike Kitts, this deal isn’t about the money, silly! The Warriors made the deal in order to “push the boundaries of innovation on a global scale and create a lasting legacy across the Bay Area and beyond.” Which is exactly what every fan wanted the team to do this offseason: Push the boundaries of innovation — on a global scale. That’ll impress LeBron, right?

The Warriors will also partner with this Australian company to do educational programs promoting “STEAM” — that’s the normal STEM, plus arts, because children still need to be educated in the discipline that artificial intelligence is actively destroying. They’ll also donate 10,000 Warriors jerseys each year to underserved communities and refurbish basketball courts.

It’s a very lucrative arrangement for the Warriors, especially since they still have a partnership with former jersey sponsor Rakuten. Unfortunately, their previous lucrative deal with FTX is probably not coming back, no matter how much Steph Curry and Shaquille O’Neal might want it to.

He put on all that mime makeup for nothing!

How does this affect the casual fan? Not really at all, aside from one annoying jersey patch being replaced by another annoying jersey patch. However, the Warriors may need to brace themselves for a late-night barrage of Truth Social posts from the president because he mistakenly thinks the team has signed a sponsorship deal with Iran.

“Mouthy Steve Kerr of the FAILING Golden State Warriors, who was very unfair to Jonathan Kuminga, need to tell IRAN to OPEN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ and start running more big beautiful pick and rolls for Steph Curry. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

This big-money partnership with an Australian company does explain some other previously-inexplicable Warriors decisions. Namely, drafting Australian Alex Toohey with the No. 52 pick and signing Tasmanian Taran Armstrong to a two-way contract. Did they truly believe in these prospects from Down Under who never played a minute in the NBA or was this just a clever ruse to get on the good side of a company that was going to give them enough money to pay for 23 1/4 Will Richards?

Regardless, it’s time to say “G’Day” to Iren! Please don’t steal/pollute all our water!

When Larry Bird entered the NBA, he had plenty of doubters. He didn’t pass the eye test: he was slow, couldn’t jump, and was ghostly white.

Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan figured it out quickly. Writing in Basketball Weekly, early in Bird’s rookie season, he explained what people didn’t get about Bird.

To be clear, Cameron Boozer is not Larry Bird, but like a lot of guys who are perceived as slow and not as athletic as they might be, he’s getting that particular tag.

Skip Bayless, not always the sharpest knife in the drawer, is beating that drum, tweeting this out on X: “Love his dad but don’t love-love Cameron Boozer in the NBA. Just not that explosively athletic. But he is a very good, extremely well-taught basketball player who will give you all he has every night and provide solid leadership.” 

First, good to know he loves Carlos, but maybe he forgot that the elder Boozer had a similar rap coming out of college and was actually a second-round pick, going to Cleveland with the 35th pick.

At the time, people questioned his athleticism, his lack of verticality, and worried that he was a ‘tweener, too small for center and not quick enough for power forward. They worried about his shot, too, and questioned his foot speed.

Any of this ringing a bell?

Well, things worked out okay for Carlos, and Cameron enters the league as a vastly more skilled young player than was his father.

Whatever you can say about Cameron, his fundamentals, his grasp of the game, and his sheer intelligence have been major factors in his success.

Red Auerbach, patriarch of the Boston Celtics, liked to simplify the game. About Boozer, he might have said, look, he can shoot, he can rebound, he can pass, he plays defense, and he doesn’t screw up very often. What’s not to like?

• ‘Not that explosively athletic’: Skip Bayless Doubts Cameron Boozer’s Talent after 2026 NBA Draft Pick
• Cam Boozer is already winning over Grizzlies fans after intro press conference
• Utah Jazz Owner Talks Cameron Boozer After Selecting Darryn Peterson
• Utah Jazz Owner Talks Cameron Boozer After Selecting Darryn Peterson

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Good morning.

Yes, it was not all some dream or nightmare. LaMelo Ball will be suiting up for the Minnesota Timberwolves next season.

I was able to have a quick question and answer session with The Athletic‘s Mike Vorkunov, a national NBA and basketball business reporter for that outlet. He has covered the Charlotte Hornets, among the rest of the association, in his time with The Athletic.

Here was our conversation:

Leo Sun: Thanks for taking the time to chat with me. I would love to get your perspective on the blockbuster LaMelo Ball trade. My first question for you is that many Wolves fans, myself included, are concerned about LaMelo’s character off-court issues. Would you say there’s a general misconception about him, or is some of it warranted?

Mike Vorkunov: Ball has definitely had a number of off-court incidents. Those were public and documented. There’s no escaping it. The perception was that he matured last year, even as he continued to run into some problems. Hornets people claimed he also got better on the court and in regards to basketball too. He seemed to find a good relationship with head coach Charles Lee. We’ll see if that sticks in a new place and under a new coach and in a new role. Ball will have to be more refined and more consistent playing for a team trying to win at the level the Wolves are.

Sun: Interesting. Finch is certainly a no-nonsense coach who’s tough even on his star players, so that relationship will be fascinating to watch. Moving to on to basketball, how concerned would you be about the long-term health of LaMelo?

Vorkunov: It’s definitely an important question. Last season, he played in 70-plus games for just the second time in his six year career. The Hornets metered his minutes at times and did their best to get him through the season. It’s hard to say if he can repeat that. Injuries can he hard to predict and we don’t have all the information when it comes to that. The Wolves are certainly counting on him being a reliable partner to Anthony Edwards, and unlike in the East, every game will matter not just for seeding but to get into the playoffs.

Sun: I agree that health is always an unpredictable variable. I would hope Wolves President of Basketball Operations, Tim Connelly, and his medical staff did their homework on LaMelo’s ankles. He is coming from the same organization that dealt with the whole “Mark Williams failed physical” saga after all. Well, if there’s something Wolves fans should know about LaMelo, what would it be?

Vorkunov: LaMelo is supremely talented. That gets lost sometimes. He had a hugely positive on-court impact for the Hornets last season with one of the biggest on and off court point differentials. He can change a lot of things for Minnesota if everything is right.

Sun: I think that’s sometimes forgotten between all the memes and wild antics or quotes. Talent does win in this league. There certainly isn’t a more tantalizing and talented backcourt duo than LaMelo and Anthony Edwards now. How do you think their pairing will go?

Vorkunov: It’ll definitely be interesting. Edwards has never played with someone like Ball. Even Karl-Anthony Towns was not the same kind of high usage player. But he should help and I think the pairing could work. It’ll be a lot harder for teams to key in on Edwards now and they should be able to have a very good playmaker on the court when he sits. But there’s a chance this lifts the ceiling for the team in a way they couldn’t reach with Randle and Reid. It could also go very wrong. That’s the beauty of a fun trade like this.

Sun: The Wolves will either win the championship or not! It’s a 50-50 chance. This will definitely make next season something Minnesota fans will be following. Thank you for your time!

I appreciated the time that Mike took to answer some quick questions. If you want to check out more of his work, make sure to read this free article that both he and our very own Jon Krawczynski teamed up on yesterday.

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In our previous Reacts survey, we asked fans the obvious question when a franchise trades its most decorated player of all time: do you approve of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade return? Well, the results were clear, with nearly three-quarters of respondents voting in the affirmative.

Of course, a key component of this trade package was the 13th pick, which the Bucks used (in principle) to select Nate Ament, a polarising prospect out of Tennessee with a low floor but a high ceiling. Still, the overwhelming majority of fans were optimistic about the selection.

And finally, the Bucks also had pick 10, which was their own selection. They selected Brayden Burries, an exciting do-it-all combo guard out of Arizona. Needless to say, fans viewed this pick as something of a home run.

In summary, these results indicate that the fanbase is largely optimistic about the package the Bucks received to kickstart what will be a multiyear rebuild; the Heat’s offer of draft picks, young players, and assets satisfied fans and gave them optimism about the Bucks moving forward. Additionally, fans approved of the Bucks’ first moves after the trade, with both Burries and Ament projected to be key pillars in the franchise’s long-term vision.

Check out FanDuel, the official sportsbook of SB Nation.

The offseason drama continues.

Sam Amick released an article today on The Athletic surrounding Jalen Duren and his contract negotiations with the Detroit Pistons.

Amick said:

All-NBA forward Jalen Duren was underwhelmed by the Detroit Pistons’ initial offer in restricted free agency and is planning to explore sign-and-trade scenarios when they are permitted on Tuesday, league sources told The Athletic.

Based on what we’ve heard back to last year about negotiations with Duren, the two parties have never gotten close to finding a middle ground on JD’s next contract. I’m not surprised that they feel underwhelmed by Detroit’s offer.

Amick also reported:

According to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiation is ongoing, the gap between the sides is large enough that Duren is considering ways to land elsewhere, with the sign-and-trade route deemed preferable to signing an offer sheet with another team that the Pistons could, and likely would, match. And with some of the game’s best players potentially available this summer, including the Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown and the LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard, the question now becomes whether the Pistons might be willing to engage in those sorts of scenarios when that time comes.

We’ve heard Detroit wants to go big-game hunting and that sure makes it a lot easier to do when you have a 22-year-old All-NBA center to use as bait.

Trajan Langdon doesn’t seem like a guy who’s willing to lose on the margins. He seems to set his price and he sticks to it, whether that’s for a new Jalen Duren contract or a trade for a player like Tyler Herro or Trey Murphy III. After JD’s playoff performance, it’s fair that Detroit is hesitant. However, he’s also an All-NBA player who’s younger than some of the rookies that got drafted on Tuesday night.

This offseason has already been fascinating and that seems like it’s only going to continue over the next week or two. We knew that the Isaiah Stewart trade of getting money off their books was Step One for a bigger move and this could be it – though, those are two big holes in the center position that they’ll need to fill.

Here are a couple quick thoughts on potential Jalen Duren sign-and-trades:

• Boston – Jaylen Brown
• Brooklyn – Michael Porter Jr
• Charlotte – LaMelo Ball TPE + picks
• LA Lakers – Austin Reaves
• Milwaukee – Ryan Rollins + Myles Turner
• New Orleans – Trey Murphy III

Get your popcorn ready.

Go Stones.

A couple of pieces of news happened on Thursday as it pertains to the roster for next season.

First, Buddy Hield was acquired by the Hawks last trade deadline as part of a move that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Golden State for the real centerpiece of the trade: Jonathan Kuminga. While Hield’s main contribution was as a veteran presence cheering from the bench or leading in the locker room, it’s still possible the Hawks or another team could have interest in bringing him back for 2026-27.

Hield has just $3 million of his $9.66 million salary guaranteed for next season, and the deadline for the team to decide on guaranteeing that larger figure or waiving him was tomorrow. But both sides have mutually agreed to push back that date according to Chris Haynes of Prime:

Mouhamed Gueye’s situation is a lot less murky. Next season will be his fourth year in the NBA after three years of ascent into a monster defender and overall NBA rotation player. Gueye signed a four-year second-round pick exception deal with a fourth-year option worth around $2.41 million.

Now, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype first reports that the Hawks will pick that option up so as to not lose the wiry Senegalese frontcourt player for no return:

In Tuesday’s NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks drafted the highly-touted Brayden Burries with the 10th overall pick. It was a strong selection, with Burries generally regarded as the best player available. But it was Milwaukee’s other pick—Tennessee’s Nate Ament, taken with the 13th overall selection courtesy of the Miami Heat—that generated the most talk. Just look at your comments. It’s understandable too—Ament entered the draft as the most polarising prospect, with critics widely labelling him as the first round pick most likely to “bust.” 

They’re wrong. 

Ament might not be the Bucks’ hero right now, but he’s one of the few who can walk that path—and he’s already on it. 

The Hero’s Journey 

The son of parents who took part in relief efforts in the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide, Ament knows a thing or two about the hero’s journey. And while his path might be less humanitarian—certainly infinitely less consequential—it can still have a profound impact. 

Popularised by Joseph Campbell, the literary hero’s journey traditionally has more steps. Still, it’s a useful framework for understanding Ament’s path: a rise to prominence, a fall into uncertainty, and the chance to emerge stronger.

1. Comfort 

Ament’s story starts in silk. A consensus five-star recruit, he dominated the high school scene, earning selection in both the 2024 USA Men’s U18 National Team, which won gold at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup, and the 2025 USA Men’s Nike Hoop Summit Team. In fact, he was so good in high school that ESPN’s Jonathon Givony described him as “a top-five recruit and the best available high school boys’ basketball prospect in the 2025 class.” This was his comfort. But comfort never lasts long—not when the call to adventure arrives. 

2. Challenge

Following the triumph of high school, Ament committed to the University of Tennessee in part because of Coach Rick Barnes, who coached Ament’s idol, Kevin Durant, 19 years earlier at the University of Texas. But despite his immense talent—and similar size and style to Durant—Ament’s lone season with the Volunteers was filled with turbulence. Inconsistencies, struggles at the rim and with physicality, injury. Challenge.

As a result, the criticism grew; his stock lowered. Ament went from being a consensus top five player to being projected in the teens—and even as late as the 20s. Draft night then became visibly painful, every lingering close-up on Ament’s face another critique, another interrogation into his worth. As such, Jon Horst and the Bucks were able to nab him with their 13th pick instead of their 10th.

3. Transformation  

While Ament’s selection was met with mixed reviews, especially by Bucks fans, it comes at a perfect time. Like Ament, the Bucks are accustomed to external criticism. And, like Ament, they are at a point of transformation; down which path do they venture?

Regardless of the answer, one thing’s for sure: the Bucks have a new head coach and a whole lot of youth. Luckily, then, they also have Joe Boylan, CLA guru, whose mentorship will provide Ament the knowledge, opportunity, and perspective to flourish. Even better, he’s done it before.

An archetype

Like Ament, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels was a highly-touted high school prospect, a five-star recruit who was ranked among the top 10 in his class—and even projected by Givony as a potential number one overall pick in a draft that included his eventual teammates Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. But he too underwhelmed in college, slipping in big boards and mock drafts until he finally fell into the Timberwolves’ lap with the 28th pick—and was put to work with none other than Boylan.

The similarities don’t stop there. Both stand a slender ~6’10”, though Ament is already listed some 20 pounds heavier (211 lbs vs. 185 lbs, according to Basketball Reference). Heck, both even garnered the same pre-draft player comparison on NBADraft.net, Jonathon Isaac. And while Ament has often been profiled for his offensive potential, especially as a shooter, he’s also been projected by Givony as someone who has the “the ability to defend all over the court.” Considering the lessons we learned from this year’s playoffs, and how valuable forwards are, there’s even more reason for optimism. Of course, as with any journey, there’s work to be done.

First steps 

First, Ament must deal with the vitriol. Mute the haters, keep the receipts. Whatever the strategy, the drop must fuel not fester. Second, embrace the grind. Find comfort in discomfort. Embrace Boylan and Jenkins and whatever veteran leaders this squad finds (this needs to be a point of emphasis for Horst—just look at how the San Antonio Spurs prioritised Bismack Biyombo, Kelly Olynyk, and Harrison Barnes to guide their prized youth).

Third, Ament must find his niche, his ticket to court time. While there’s no clear hierarchy on this Bucks team, there’s plenty of guys to feed. But there aren’t many forwards, especially of the defensive variety. So, Ament must focus on this, using his size and fluidity to contend and contain and contest. To wreak havoc. On the other end, he should focus on, as Jack Trehearne pointed out to me, getting his shooting to the dangerous level it was leading up to his freshman year at Tennessee. In other words, save the “big stuff”—the isolation scoring, the creation for others—for an encore.

Then he can really shock the world; complete the arc.