Category: Sports News

Point guard is the deepest position in the league, and it’s the hardest position to make a career out of as a role player.

The talent pool for bench guards is incredibly vast. The gap between the third point guard in the NBA and a good G League guard is thin — much thinner than any other position. Just thinking about this for a few seconds explains why.

The height and athleticism prerequisites aren’t as stringent for point guards as they are for centers. There’s only so many coordinated and athletic people in the world who are 6’10” or taller. That’s why older players who are well past their primes, like De’Andre Jordan, Mason Plumlee, and Bismack Biyombo, all spent time on rosters last season. The center depth just isn’t there, especially not at the G League level, where you typically have either severely undersized bigs trying to get by on toughness or appropriately sized bigs that don’t have the coordination or athleticism to make it onto an NBA roster.

Those same issues just aren’t there for point guards. Far more people meet the prerequisites to play point guard, meaning there’s far more people capable and qualified to take your spot. That’s worrying for someone like Craig Porter Jr., who is entering the final year of his four-year deal. Additionally, a prospect coming up from the G League to be the third point guard wouldn’t be making as much as Porter in what would be his fifth season, which is meaningful in a salary cap league.

Porter is certainly qualified to be the third point guard in the NBA. He’s shown this repeatedly throughout his three-year career when he’s been asked to enter the rotation due to injuries. While they aren’t typical point guard skills, his ability to accumulate an exceptionally high steal, block, and rebound percentage for a guard is helpful. That, combined with his ability to finish and create for others in the open court, has made him a quality end-of-the-bench player.

However, if Porter is going to continue collecting an NBA paycheck for multiple more seasons, he will need to prove that he’s more than just an adequate third guard. Ideally, he would show that he can be a solid backup guard that belongs in the rotation on a nightly basis.

There’s a few things keeping Porter from being a quality backup guard. We’ll start first with the offense.

Right now, Porter isn’t an efficient scorer despite having numbers that you would expect from someone who was. Last season, Porter finished 70% of his looks at the rim (86th percentile) and 37% from three (61st percentile). Those are both good numbers for a guard — even though you’d like to see Porter be less hesitant to take threes. The problems come when he drives and doesn’t get all the way to the rim.

Porter isn’t a physically imposing player, which is why he went undrafted out of Wichita State. When he gets cut off from the rim, he doesn’t have many options as a scorer. Last season, Porter took 29% of his shots between the restricted area and the free-throw line (87th percentile) and completed a dismal 32% of them (13th percentile). The floater and in-between game aren’t there. If you cut Porter off from the rim, you’re forcing him into a shot he’s missing two-thirds of the time.

The problems in the short midrange are why Porter finished last season in the 39th percentile for points per shot attempt (1.07). This is an issue when you consider that Porter isn’t a lockdown defender despite accumulating blocks, steals, and rebounds.

Porter struggles to stay with his opponent in the half-court. He doesn’t have the lateral quickness to be a good man-to-man defender and isn’t an adept screen navigator. The coaching staff has tried to compensate for this by having Porter pick up his opponent full court more often. This has led to mixed results, although this was something he became better at later last season.

Porter has been a quality third guard the last three seasons. This year, he’ll possibly have his final chance with the Cleveland Cavaliers to show that he can be more than that. And the stage will be set for him to do so.

The Cavs enter the season with Porter being the most accomplished point guard off the bench. Tyrese Proctor didn’t get many opportunities in his rookie season, and Meleek Thomas — even if he does play — projects more as a two than a one. This leaves the stage open for Porter to show that he can step into this role right now.

Porter will start the year in the rotation since Kenny Atkinson often plays 10 or more at the start of the season. Whether or not he stays there as the year progresses will depend on whether he can improve some of the issues that have plagued him in the past.

Back up point guard is one of the bigger concerns for this group coming into this season. It’s the position they’re most likely to address with a midseason trade. A step up from Porter could change that.

Every season is make-or-break for players at the end of NBA rosters. There’s always someone coming up behind you, willing to take your spot while demanding less money to do so. Porter has some intriguing tools. He just hasn’t put them together for an extended enough time to prove that he can be a legitimate backup point guard and rotation player on a contender. We’ll see if that changes this year.

NBA legend Bob Pettit died on Wednesday. He was 93.

Pettit was a blend of many things. Born in Louisiana during the Great Depression, Pettit attended LSU, and was one of the first great players in the NBA. Drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks in 1954, Pettit averaged 20.4 points and 13.8 rebounds per game that season, and won Rookie of the Year. He also had to move from center to forward, a position he had never played.

Didn’t matter: he excelled, anyway.

In 1958, the Boston Celtics had Bill Russell, and were building the greatest dynasty in the history of American professional sports. The St. Louis Hawks (the team moved after Pettit’s rookie season) nipped the Celtics in Game 6, 110-109, to win the title. Russell played injured for much of the series, but no one could control Pettit, who scored 50 points in that game.

His game was surprisingly modern. He was a good enough ball handler to drive and score, or he could shoot from well outside. And, as noted above, he was an excellent rebounder. If he played today, he’d be called a Stretch 4.

He earned a lot of respect during his career, notably from Russell, who said that Pettit invented the concept of second effort, and praised his fierce play.

In a small, kind, but still crushing anecdote, Russell once brought his grandfather to an NBA game. When Russell introduced his grandfather, who was born not all that long after slavery ended, Pettit shook his hand and said “Nice to meet you, Mr. Russell.”

On the way home after the game, the elder Russell told his grandson that that was the first time a white man had ever called him Mr. Russell.

In a small twist, Boston traded Ed MacCauley to St. Louis in order to obtain Russell, who the Hawks took with the #2 pick of the 1956 NBA Draft. Odds are Russell wouldn’t have lasted long in St. Louis, with the racism woven into the city at that time, but it’s fun to wonder what the Hawks would have been like with Russell and Pettit.

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It's been a tale of two summers for the Los Angeles Lakers.

After getting swept in the second round of last year's playoffs and losing LeBron James to free agency, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka was emboldened by Mark Walter's heavy investment in building out the front office to overhaul the roster around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

The first swing was the biggest one: trading for Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for two first-round draft picks and two unprotected first-round pick swaps and immediately signing him to a four-year, $129.47 million contract. It may have cost everything, to quote Thanos, but the Lakers secured the best available center this offseason to pair with Dončić for the long-term.

Pelinka used almost all of the cap space created by James' departure on depth, adding Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. All solid signings, but there are still questions on what this Lakers team's ceiling truly is, especially in a stacked Western Conference in which they'll have to go through the likes of the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Almost all of that was overshadowed by Walter's shocking decision to sell his majority stake in the Lakers to Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger for a record $12.5 billion amid a federal investigation into disclosures involving Walter-controlled insurers and related investments. This all just 10 months after buying the team from the Buss family, the majority of whom in turn voted to sell their remaining 17.8% in shares to Kushner and Iger. The entire transaction, however, is on hold as Lakers governor Jeanie Buss contested her sibling's plans in court.

With no clear resolution to the Succession-esque power struggle seemingly in sight, it looks as if the re-tooled Lakers will start this season with just as many questions off the court as they have on it.

Here's a breakdown of the Los Angeles Lakers' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:

LOS ANGELES LAKERS SCHEDULE: Dates, times and opponents for 2026-27 season

Though the San Antonio Spurs ended the 2026 NBA Finals with a loss to the New York Knicks, the run to get there felt like a beginning for Victor Wembanyama.

The NBA's reigning defensive player of the year enters the 2026-27 NBA season as the early betting favorite to win MVP honors. Wembanyama also agreed to a new contract extension in July in which he took less money than he could have received had he waited until next year to sign. This will help San Antonio maintain a young core that showed during last year's postseason run it's capable of being a title contender for the next decade.

The emergence of 2025 No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper and the addition of veteran forward Tobias Harris have further fueled optimism (and expectations) concerning the Spurs' future. But their immediate NBA title hopes, and long-term dreams of forging another franchise dynasty, ultimately hinge on Wembanyama.

Is this the year he officially becomes the NBA's best player?

Here's a breakdown of the San Antonio Spurs' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:

SAN ANTONIO SPURS SCHEDULE: Dates, times and opponents for 2026-27 season

The Oklahoma City Thunder appeared poised to become the first team to repeat as NBA champions since 2018 before injuries took their toll.

And it was the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City’s newest rival, who were ready to capitalize.

But now it’s a new season for the Thunder, who have most of their core returning for what should be another push for a title. Much of that will depend on two-time consecutive Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. But for the Thunder to get back to the NBA Finals, role players will have to do their part, too.

Here's a breakdown of the Oklahoma City Thunder's offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER SCHEDULE: Dates, times and opponents for 2026-27 season

Jalen Johnson averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Atlanta Hawks last season, a career year that came together as the franchise stopped trying to build around anyone else.

The Hawks were 19-21 and ninth in the East when they dealt Trae Young to Washington. They went 27-15 the rest of the way and took the eventual champion Knicks to six games, the only team in the postseason to beat New York twice.

So Onsi Saleh, Atlanta's president of basketball operations, left it alone.

The Hawks made no move this summer for a starter. They shopped the clearance rack instead, taking Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins off a Thunder team drowning in luxury tax, at a cost of five second-round picks between the two deals. Wiggins alone cut $61 million off Oklahoma City's tax bill. Atlanta stayed at No. 8 in the 2026 NBA Draft and selected Houston point guard Kingston Flemings, brought back CJ McCollum for one year and $21 million and declined Jonathan Kuminga's $24.3 million option.

Here's a breakdown of the Atlanta Hawks' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:

ATLANTA HAWKS SCHEDULE: Dates, times and opponents for 2026-27 season

The Cleveland Cavaliers entered the LeBron James sweepstakes this offseason before having to pivot to other options to maximize their championship window. But after being swept by the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the pressure is mounting on this Cavaliers core.

Donovan Mitchell and James Harden are back with new contracts to lead the Cavaliers, and Peyton Watson arrives on the wing via sign-and-trade after a breakthrough season with the Denver Nuggets. The continued pairing of Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen inside gives Cleveland a potent lineup capable of competing with the NBA's elite.

But the Cavaliers can't prove much else in the regular season at this point. They're banking on Mitchell's long-term viability as a premier scorer, internal improvement and Watson's potential to turn this conference finalist into a real contender once the playoffs start again.

Here's a breakdown of the Cleveland Cavaliers' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS SCHEDULE: Dates, times and opponents for 2026-27 season

I think we all remember rookie Jae’Sean Tate as one of the few bright spots of the 2020-2021 season, but now, six seasons later, his role looks very different, so what can we expect from the captain of The Stay-Ready Crew this year?

Throughout his Rockets career, Jae’Sean has frequently struggled with injuries, but when he has been available, he has demonstrated consistency. You are aware of what Jae’Sean Tate will give you. You won’t see Tate whining about not receiving playing time, and Ime Udoka won’t ever have to bench him for lacking consistent effort. He had the option to leave the Rockets in free agency, but he made the decision to see the process through to the end, which he and the rest of us hope will result in an NBA title. The ultimate “Ime Udoka Guy” is him.

Last season, Tate barely saw playing time, and only played more than 20 minutes in a game during the last game of the NBA season where the Rockets took on the Grizzlies. Jae’Sean Tate did, however, score 13 points and 6 rebounds in that game, but it was mostly due to the Rockets having rested their starters. Tate did also see some playing time post all star break, but again that was likely due to the season-ending injury of Center Steven Adams.

As usual, Tate’s health will be crucial to helping the Rockets achieve their goal of a championship. He will have opportunities if he can stay healthy. With Kevin Durant turning 38, Steven Adams recovering from a season-ending ankle injury, and Fred VanVleet recovering from an ACL rupture, there will unavoidably be more ailments that give Tate more playing time, which is why having him on the team is such a luxury.

So if Tate somehow happens to be reading this, I recommend lots of yoga, stretching, and, if it calls for it, a nice ice bath to get those joints loose.

That’s all we have for today, but for more Rockets player season previews, make sure to check back here at The Dream Shake.