Category: Basketball

Anytime a team swings a trade for a player like Jaylen Brown and then inks the league’s all-time leading scorer LeBron James on the cheap, those moves are going to turn heads.

And that’s exactly how NBA general managers viewed the historic offseason of the Philadelphia 76ers, though there was one significant caveat.

The NBA published its annual GM survey – in which the league’s power brokers answer 48 questions – Thursday, Oct. 15, and the Sixers, unsurprisingly, garnered significant attention. When asked which team made the best overall offseason moves, NBA general managers overwhelmingly voted for the 76ers, with 73% picking Philadelphia. The next closest team, the Miami Heat, drew just 10% of votes, by comparison.

WHO ARE THE BEST NBA PLAYERS? We ranked the top 100 for 2026-27 season

Yet, when asked which team’s level of success for the 2026-27 season is most difficult to project, the Sixers also garnered most votes, at 27%. The second place team in that category, the Minnesota Timberwolves, generated 17% of the vote.

The uncertainty is not unfounded.

The 76ers must incorporate two new stars, as the entire starting five is essentially having to adapt to new wrinkles in their roles. In Philadelphia’s first preseason game in which all five starters played, Oct. 8 against the Nets, the 76ers committed 14 first half turnovers, against 12 assists on 16 made field goals.

CAN 76ers STARS DELIVER A TITLE? LeBron James says it's no 'instant oatmeal'

Other interesting findings from NBA general manager survey

• The Spurs got plenty of love. Half of the GMs who voted picked San Antonio to win the NBA Finals. An overwhelming 87% of general managers selected the Spurs as having the best young core.
• Victor Wembanyama also was the leader in votes for eight different questions: projected 2026-27 Most Valuable Player (77%); player they would want most to start a franchise (93%); player who forces opposing coaches to make most adjustments (47%); best international player (53%); best defensive player (97%); best interior defender (97%); most versatile defender (30%) and most versatile player (57%).
• The player most likely to have a breakout season was also a Spur, second-year guard Dylan Harper, at 27%.
• The most underrated offseason acquisition: another Spur, forward Tobias Harris (20%).
• The 2026 NBA Draft class was loaded with talent, and GMs picked the most polished, pro-ready player in Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer as the projected 2026-27 Rookie of the Year (50%), over Bulls forward Caleb Wilson (20%), No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa (17%) and No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson (13%), of the Jazz.
• When asked which player would be the best in five seasons, however, both Dybantsa and Wilson tied for first, at 33%.
• Although the 76ers were picked as the best offseason, Miami’s Giannis Antetokounmpo was picked as the one player acquisition who will make the biggest impact, at 53%, compared to Brown (20%) and James (13%).
• The person who will be coaching him, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, was picked as the best head coach in the NBA for the second consecutive season. His vote share, however, fell from 52% last year to 43% this season.
• Two teams tied for most fun to watch: the Timberwolves and Spurs, each at 30%.
• The best pure shooter in the world continues to be Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who overwhelmingly secured 97% of the vote.
• The league’s best passer wasn’t a point guard or forward, but Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić, who garnered 87% of the vote.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA general managers love what the 76ers did. But there's a catch.

The annual NBA GM poll was released on Thursday, and we got a rare result.

A Knick leads one of the 48 questions that were asked to the executives.

It wasn’t too long ago that you’d need a magnifying glass to find a mention of the Knicks in a positive light, but now they’re all over the place, particularly with the captain himself, Jalen Brunson.

When asked who the NBA’s “best leader” is, the executives moved away from the perennial choice, Steph Curry, and crowned Brunson at the top with 53%. The longtime Warrior clocked in at 20%, followed by SGA and a bunch of players who received one vote, including Wemby (somehow).

But that isn’t the only mention in this long survey.

One year after receiving a single vote to win the NBA Finals, the Knicks got… one. All but two executives voted for either the Spurs or the Thunder, boo.

The big difference is that, while just 30% of executives picked the Knicks to finish atop the East (a firm second behind Cleveland), that’s shot up to 60% this year. All but one executive picked them to finish in the top two.

In the positional rankings, one-fifth of them drank the Kool-Aid after the NBA Finals. Brunson was picked as the NBA’s top point guard in 20% of responses, trailing only SGA.

OAKAAK (sigh) Mitchell Robinson finished second in “Most Underrated Player Acquisition”, getting 17% in his new green and white gigs (ew).

After not getting a single vote in the category last year, OG Anunoby got one vote when asked about the league’s best perimeter defender. I’m not sure what Alex Caruso is doing to get 17% here, but hey.

When it comes to defensive versatility, nobody should be shocked that Wemby is No. 1, but OG finished tied for fourth with 10% with Bam Adebayo. He also received a vote for in general versatility.

It’s not just the players getting love. Mike Brown got three votes for “Best Coach”, only trailing savants Mark Daigneault and Erik Spoelstra. I guess when you get a ring, you join an exclusive club.

He also got 10% when asked about the best leader of men, or “Best Motivator of People”. In this one, he finished fourth, behind Spo, Joe Mazzulla, and Steve Kerr.

Coach Brown also received votes in the in-game adjustments and offensive categories, but far too few. Did they not watch that playoff run? Yet, 17% of executives believe the Knicks’ offense will be the most efficient this year, trailing only OKC and Denver. Make that make sense.

Knicks assistants Darren Erman and Chris Jent got shoutouts in the “Best Assistant Coach” category, one that was won by Jeff Van Gundy and Billy Donovan, two ex-head honchos who are much more known quantities.

When asked who would make the best coach one day, the retirement of Chris Paul opened the door for Mike Conley to win this category in a landslide. Brunson came in third, trailing playoff foe T.J. McConnell. Hm.

The Knicks are not a fun watch sometimes, so I can’t be mad that only one executive voted for the reigning champions on that, but that depends on your definition of fun. They’re fun in the sense that no game is ever over until it’s actually over, but that more cause heart palpitations and not blockbuster excitement.

What I am mad at is that only 20 percent voted for MSG as the best home-court advantage. Seriously? Tied for first were OKC (which is fair) and Denver, which I feel is more geography-based than anything.

Finally, when it comes to what player you want taking the shot with the game on the line, it should be obvious, no?

Well, according to executives, it’s still Curry. Brunson did go from receiving just one vote to finishing in second at 17%, but it seems a lot of people are still stuck in 2016.

Here:

Through the first three seasons of Walker Kessler’s NBA career, he averaged 65 games played per year. Last season, however, a torn labrum in his left shoulder spoiled his campaign before November arrived and he only suited up for five games. After the lengthy layoff, he’s back and equipped with a newfound drive to help the Los Angeles Lakers win as many games as possible in 2026-27.

“I think what I missed most was just competing, quite frankly. Competing to win,” Kessler said following Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. “And I think as far as making me a better basketball player, I just think it has made me long to go try to win every game and win every night. So in turn, that probably makes me a little better basketball player.”

This season will also mark the first time in Kessler’s career he’s playing for a team fully committed to immediate winning. That’s not to besmirch the Utah Jazz but merely a recognition of their emphasis on development and willingness to sacrifice short-term gains in pursuit of better lottery odds to land the best prospects possible throughout Kessler’s Salt Lake City tenure. While they were competitive and won 37 games during his rookie season in 2022-23, they traded away some key contributors and went 18-29 following a 19-16 start, which they could’ve propelled into a postseason berth had they so chosen.

The Lakers, meanwhile, are led by two in-your-prime stars with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, who are flanked by a slew of other players, Kessler included, in the prime of their careers. It’ll be interesting to see whether entering win-now circumstances provides Kessler a subtle on-court boost, in addition to how energized he sounds to simply be back on the floor again.

Kessler and the Lakers return to the court Friday night in their preseason finale at home against the Denver Nuggets. Then, they’ll welcome the Warriors to town for their regular-season opener Wednesday night at 7 p.m. That’s when we’ll get our first meaningful glimpse as to how Kessler is faring in his new surroundings.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

It’s the middle of October. Football is underway. This is the Cowboys’ year again, somehow. The best part of October, though, is that basketball is back.

For us casual football fans, this is when I start getting locked back into sports. And one thing basketball has over football is the drama: the rumors, the roster construction, and, of course, the trades.

So naturally, let’s hypothesize about who could be on the move this upcoming season.

Anthony Davis

A local Mavericks favorite.

While Anthony Davis was nothing but a professional during his brief tenure in Dallas, the contract extension situation was almost guaranteed to complicate things eventually. I fully expect Davis to play to start the season, but the Wizards are in an interesting position.

They have a roster built around a strange combination of young players, Davis and Trae Young, while simultaneously trying to develop their new cornerstone, AJ Dybantsa. If Dybantsa is the future of the franchise, Washington needs to be careful about how much long-term money it commits to an aging superstar.

That is where things could get interesting. Two teams that could have interest in Davis are the Celtics and Nets.

Boston bolstered its center rotation this offseason with the addition of Mitchell Robinson, but they still don’t have a true defensive anchor who can hold up against the best teams in the playoffs. Davis would give them exactly that while also getting off the Paul George contract.

The Celtics also have a significant amount of draft capital, which gives them the flexibility to make a substantial move without completely sacrificing their future. They could either let Davis’ contract play out or potentially extend him if the fit works.

Washington receives: PG13 + 2027 Celtics FRP + Two SRPs

Boston receives: Anthony Davis

Brooklyn is an even more interesting possibility.

The Nets don’t control their own pick in 2027, so they have little incentive to intentionally bottom out. Their young cornerstones play guard, meaning Davis could take some of the pressure off them offensively while providing a defensive foundation without interfering with their development.

Like Boston, Brooklyn has plenty of draft capital and veteran contracts that could facilitate a deal. They also have significant cap flexibility moving forward. They could extend Davis if the fit works, or let his contract run out and shift their focus back toward their young core.

Washington receives: MPJ + Terrance Mann + 29’ Knicks FRP + 1 SRP

Brooklyn receives: Anthony Davis

For Washington, either scenario gives them a chance to reshape the roster around Dybantsa.

A starting lineup of Trae Young, Kyshawn George, Porter Jr./Paul George, Dybantsa and Sarr would give the Wizards a much clearer timeline and allow them to build around their new franchise centerpiece.

My prediction: I don’t expect Davis to be traded immediately, but if Washington struggles to find a clear identity early in the season, he could become one of the biggest names available at the trade deadline.

Everyone on the Clippers

Adam Silver showed us that he is willing to bring down the hammer on a team, no matter how influential or powerful its owner is. That puts the Clippers in an incredibly awkward position.

They have no real reason to be bad, but they also don’t have a conventional path to acquiring the kind of talent that would turn them into a legitimate contender. If I were the Clippers’ GM, outside of Keaton Wagler, almost everyone would be available.

The strategy would be pretty simple: turn veterans with value into draft capital and younger players. There are a number of different versions of this. Hachimura, Strus, Beal and Jones Jr. could all potentially bring back some combination of picks, young players or future flexibility.

The goal wouldn’t necessarily be to tank. It would be to avoid NBA purgatory.

Clippers receive: Duncan Robinson + Two SRP’s

Detroit receives: Rui Hachimura

The Clippers are in the dangerous territory where they won’t be good enough to seriously contend while not having the conventional path of the draft to get better. There is little reason to hold onto veteran contracts that could be converted into future assets.

Clippers receive: Jalen Suggs + Tristan da Silva

Orlando receives: Max Strus + Bradley Beal + Rui Hachimura

My prediction: I expect the Clippers to be aggressive in looking for opportunities to turn veteran talent into draft capital. If they get the right offer, almost anyone outside of their true foundational pieces should be available.

One of Suggs, Banchero or Wagner

This time last year, the Magic had just made the blockbuster trade to acquire Desmond Bane, and expectations were high.

We all know how that turned out.

Now Orlando enters another season with a talented roster, but one facing some increasingly difficult financial and basketball questions. With Anthony Black’s upcoming extension and the amount of money already committed to the roster, another disappointing season could force the Magic to reconsider how their core is constructed.

At some point, repeated first-round exits become more than bad luck. They become evidence that something about the roster may not be working. If Orlando gets off to another disappointing start, I could see them examining whether their best path forward is to rearrange the core rather than simply adding more pieces around it.

The obvious question is which of the three young stars becomes expendable: Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero or Franz Wagner.

The Clippers could potentially swoop in and take a swing on Suggs while Orlando adds depth and flexibility as demonstrated in the trade above. Another possibility could be a Jalen swap with Phoenix.

Orlando receives: Jalen Green

Phoenix receives: Jalen Suggs + Tristan da Silva

Green is on a shorter contract and would give the Magic something they desperately need: another dynamic scoring option. Obviously, trading one of these three would be an enormous decision. These aren’t role players we’re talking about. They’re the players Orlando has spent years building around.

But that’s exactly why this is worth watching. If the Magic believe the current core has reached its ceiling, eventually someone has to make the uncomfortable decision.

My prediction: I don’t expect Orlando to break up the core before the season starts. But if they have another disappointing year, I wouldn’t be shocked if one of these three becomes the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade.

Daniel Gafford

Alas, what is an article on a Mavericks site without one of our own getting traded?

Daniel Gafford will always have a place in Mavs fandom after being the starting center during a Finals run, but his time in Dallas may have simply run its course.

With Morez Johnson Jr. and Dereck Lively fingers crossed projecting as the frontcourt of the future, and even Moussa Cisse potentially entering that conversation, Gafford is the natural player to move.

The key is that Gafford still has established NBA value. Dallas doesn’t necessarily need to trade him, but if the Mavericks believe Lively and Johnson are the long-term answer at center, Gafford becomes one of their more obvious trade chips.

Things can obviously change as the season progresses, but I think getting a first-round pick outright for Gafford is unlikely at this point. If a FRP was ever on the table for him, he would already have been on another team.

As much as I don’t want to be in the Jakob Poeltl business, a deal involving Toronto is one of the better ways Dallas could potentially turn Gafford into a first-round pick while also addressing another area of need.

Dallas receives: Jakob Poetl + TOR 29’ FRP + two SRPs

Toronto receives: Daniel Gafford

Corey Kispert is another player who makes sense for Dallas. He could be a solid ninth- or tenth-man option who provides shooting and spacing, while Atlanta could bolster its center rotation with Gafford.

Dallas receives: Corey Kispert + two SRP’s

Atlanta receives: Daniel Gafford

The exact return is difficult to predict, but the logic behind moving Gafford is pretty straightforward: if Dallas has two young centers they believe in, why not turn their established veteran into another asset?

My prediction: Gafford is the Maverick I would be most surprised to see finish the season in Dallas if the right offer comes along. I don’t think a trade is inevitable, but the fit between his trade value and Dallas’ long-term roster construction makes him an obvious candidate.

Who Actually Gets Moved?

The NBA trade market rarely operates on a predictable timeline. Sometimes it takes one bad month, one injury, or one disappointing playoff series to completely change the direction of a franchise.

That’s what makes trying to predict trades so much fun.

Of the names on this list, Gafford is the player I feel most confident could be available. The Mavericks have a young frontcourt they clearly want to develop, and Gafford is the one player who already has established value around the league. If Dallas can turn him into draft capital or a young player who fits the timeline of this roster, I think it makes too much sense not to explore it.

The more interesting situations are the ones where a team has to make a much bigger decision. Does Washington really want to keep Anthony Davis and Trae Young while AJ Dybantsa develops? Can Orlando keep its core together if another season ends without meaningful playoff progress? Can the Clippers find a path forward after losing 5 years worth of first round picks?

Those are the situations I’ll be watching most closely.

And if there’s one thing we know about the NBA, it’s that the trade nobody saw coming is usually the one that changes everything.

The Los Angeles Lakers welcomed their prized offseason addition, Walker Kessler, to the floor in Tuesday night’s contest against the Golden State Warriors as the 25-year-old center made his preseason debut. During 16 first-half minutes, he recorded 11 points (4-of-6 shooting), nine rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal before sitting out the second half.

With Kessler on the floor in the first half, the Lakers scored 46 points in 16 minutes. Across the 32 minutes he rested overall, they mustered just 43 points. His pick-and-roll connection with Austin Reaves was quite effective between his vigorous dives to the rim and Reaves’ playmaking abilities. Of Reaves’s seven assists Tuesday night, four stemmed from ball-screens with Kessler, whether it be directly feeding Kessler inside or Kessler commanding extra attention to open up looks on the perimeter.

“I mean, he created probably four or five really good looks for us from three just rolling hard,” Reaves told reporters postgame. “Nobody’s going to give him credit for it, but him putting pressure on the rim and roll opportunities is going to make the X-man [on defense] sink, and we’re going to get wide open threes. We had quite a bit of them tonight.”

Kessler made clear postgame he’s still establishing his footing and timing after not playing since Halloween last year. But he already senses the stress he and Reaves can impose upon defenses out of ball-screen actions, which should also presumably extend to his partnership with Luka Dončić, who received a night off Tuesday.

“With Austin, he’s so good at making the right decision out of the pick and roll. Even if I’m not getting the ball, my roll, that corner guy cracks down and Austin’s so good at throwing that corner pass,” Kessler said. “It’s a lot of fun to play with. I think as I play more, my rhythm will kind of come back as well as kind of game sense. I mean, that first layup I made, I almost fell out of bounds. I had no footing whatsoever. But yeah, it was good to be out there.”

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

The Minnesota Timberwolves head to the Windy City to close out their preseason schedule against the Chicago Bulls. After a series of games that showed the awe-inspiring flashes of the starting five’s offense and the tenuous causeway the bench will need to walk to maintain leads, we’re ready for the games to actually matter. Before we can get started with the real stuff, once more we head into the breach.

Game Info

• Who:Minnesota Timberwolves (3-2) vs. Chicago Bulls (2-2)
• When: Friday, October 16 at 7:00 PM CT
• Where: United Center – Chicago, IL
• National TV: DAZN-MIN | CHSN | CHSN App

---

Youth vs. Even Younger Youth

The Chicago Bulls are a team on the rise. After years of playing towards the play-in, they dismantled much of their team for second-round picks and young players, including four seconds from Minnesota along with Leonard Miller and Rob Dillingham to acquire Ayo Dosunmu. After that mid-season overhaul, they moved up in the lottery odds and selected UNC forward Caleb Wilson.

Head Coach Chris Finch has extended his starters’ minutes more and more as the preseason has worn on, and I expect the same, especially with four full rest days before the opening tip in Miami.

Between both Chicago and Minnesota’s combined starters and benches, this will be a battle of young talent. The Wolves core, most of whom are around 25 years old, have played minutes deep into the playoffs and are gearing up for a long season. They’ll play with their newfound “giddiness” – as Chris Finch called it – with a shade more maturity.

The Bulls, who boast the second-youngest team in the league, will play with a “Giddeyness” of their own. Bulls guard Josh Giddey will be helming the offense and looking to feed the ball to slashing forwards Matas Buzelis and aforementioned top pick Caleb Wilson. If the defense collapses too hard, he will kick out to newly acquired three-point threats, Norman Powell and Buddy Hield.

Giddey, like LaMelo, is a point guard bigger than some NBA forwards at 6’7”. He has a strong handle and averaged a shade over nine assists per game to a decent 3.5 turnovers. His great deficiency is his outside shot, which allows teams to frequently go under screens and dare him to let it fly.

The Bulls figure to be at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. Even in the weirdness of preseason, this is a game the Wolves should win.

Minnesota’s starting five showed in the Detroit Pistons game that they can score in bunches out of the gate. What’s more, whether in the lead or chasing, these young Wolves are looking for highlight plays that spark energy throughout a team. The primary concerns for Minnesota were shown in their recent bout as the Pistons’ big and physical team continued to disrupt the flow on defense and pushed their way to the hoop through the Wolves’ skinnier players.

Containing Big Forwards

In Buzelis and Wilson, the Bulls have two dynamic forwards who love to put their heads down and drive. Buzelis was in the 92nd percentile last season in rim frequency and saw his average points nearly double as the Bulls put the ball in his hands more.

Wilson apparently reminds people of Kevin Garnett, but thems fighting words in these parts. I do see shades of the Big Ticket’s energy in Wilson’s twiggy 6’10” body, so I won’t begrudge the national media their deja vu. The rookie is developing a three-point shot but butters his bread at the rim.

With defensive legend Rudy Gobert minding the paint, he should be able to shut off most of these attempts by less experienced players. The Bulls’ presumed starting center Nic Claxton, who they acquired as the third team in the Julius Randle trade, has missed all of preseason with an injured hamstring.

To try and give their wings room to fly, Chicago will look to Jalen Smith, who shot 37% from three on over four attempts a game last season. This might juice the offense a bit, but at 6’8”, Smith at center allows the Wolves to contend in the rebound battle.

Bring the Illinoize

This will be Ayo Dosunmu’s first time playing against Chicago since he was traded. He was drafted by the Bulls in 2021 with the 38th pick.

As a kid who grew up in Chicago in the twilight of the Jordan era, he watched the rise and fall of the Thibe-Bulls headed by Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, Taj Gibson, and Jimmy Butler.

On the cusp of reclaiming their relevance behind the play of DeMar DeRozan, former Wolf Zach LaVine, and Lonzo Ball, he was selected to play for his hometown team and even given starter’s minutes several times in his first two seasons. From there, the Bulls unfortunately fell apart due to injury and bad management.

Despite his bench assignment, Ayo continued to improve. He honed his three-point shot (save for a weird 2025 season), improved his rebounding, and continued to bring energy to a team badly in need of it. When he was traded to Minnesota, he went right to work finding where he could fit in and help his new team. Now, with the bag secured and more familiarity with his team, he is primed for a breakout.

There will be plenty of emotions playing against his old team in their home arena in front of his community. The Bulls are looking for direction after tearing down their team. For Ayo Dosunmu, his eyes are raised higher than the Willis Tower.

LeBron James is already all over the NBA’s record books. Heading into the 2026-27 season, he’s first in league history in regular-season points (43,440 and counting), games played (1,622), minutes played (61,030), made field goals (15,961), field-goal attempts (31,502), win shares (276.8) and value over replacement player (159.4).

LeBron is widely considered no worse than the second-best player in NBA history, depending on how old you are/how you feel about Michael Jordan. While LeBron has the leg up on Jordan in most counting stats, Jordan has the edge in championship rings (six to four) and Finals record (6-0 vs. 4-6).

To some, that’s where the story starts and ends. There’s nothing LeBron can do to jump over Jordan given his deficit in the ringzzzzz department and his sub-.500 Finals record. (Whether it makes sense to punish LeBron for helping guide more teams to the Finals is another matter entirely.)

LeBron signed with the Sixers this offseason because he thought they gave him his best chance at winning a fifth championship. Even if he does win a title with the Sixers, it still might not be enough to vault him over Jordan as the NBA’s consensus GOAT. But it would put him in even more unique historical company.

How a Sixers ring would impact LeBron’s legacy

LeBron is already one of only four players in NBA history to win a championship with three different teams. John Salley, Robert Horry and Sixers legend Danny Green are the other three, and none of them were the focal point of their respective teams like LeBron was.

But if LeBron wins a championship with the Sixers, he’ll become the first player in league history ever to win with four different teams.

Again, that might not be enough for him to supplant MJ in all-time rankings. But that feat would be the perfect encapsulation of LeBron’s career.

After spending the first seven years of his career with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron ushered in the so-called Player Empowerment Era with “The Decision” in 2010. Rather than stick it out with the Cavaliers for his entire career, a la Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers or Tim Duncan on the San Antonio Spurs, he took his fate into his own hands and sought greener pastures that might put him closer to a championship. Four years later, he had two rings and two Finals MVPs to show for it.

In 2014, LeBron exercised his early termination option to opt out of the final two years of his contract with the Miami Heat and head back home to the Cavaliers. In his absence, they landed the No. 1 pick in 2011 (Kyrie Irving), 2013 (Anthony Bennett) and 2014 (Andrew Wiggins), the latter of whom they’d eventually trade to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love. Two years later, LeBron and the Cavs overcame a historic 3-1 series deficit to topple the 73-win Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals.

And two years later, LeBron once again left Cleveland to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. That also resulted in a ring—one with a Disney bubble-sized asterisk, depending on who you ask—in 2019-20.

Perhaps more than any modern star, LeBron understands the typical life cycle of NBA team-building. Once you get a star, you begin cashing in whatever chips you have (draft picks, young prospects, etc.) to maximize your win-now window. But at a certain point, you’re out of chips to play.

At that point, the star has two choices: tough it out through some rebuilding years and hope his team strikes gold with some under-the-radar moves, or head elsewhere. As Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo have proved in recent years, unyielding loyalty to a team often devolves into frustration. LeBron never allowed himself to get to that point throughout any of his career stops.

Other stars have taken LeBron’s lead over the past 15 years and have exerted more control over their own careers. Players who spend their entire careers with one team are a nearly extinct species, although Stephen Curry may wind up being a rare exception. It’s now far more common for stars to force their way off teams via trade—see: Kevin Durant and James Harden—since free agency for superstars is largely dead as well.

Durant might have been directly responsible for the creation of the “supermax” contract, but James’ decision to leave Cleveland in 2010 was a wake-up call to owners who expected player loyalty to outweigh their desire to compete for championships. LeBron exerted win-now pressure on every team that he ever played for, and deservedly so.

Beyond his laundry list of NBA records, that’s going to be a major part of his legacy. Becoming the first player in league history to win a title with four different teams would therefore be a fitting culmination for that aspect of his career resume.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

The Knicks are waiving Drew Eubanks after the center suffered a torn pectoral muscle that will sideline him for an extended period of time. 

Eubanks last played in the Knicks' preseason loss to the Raptors on Tuesday. He scored eight points on 3-of-5 shooting with two rebounds and two assists in his 15 minutes on the court. Eubanks played in three of the Knicks' four preseason games, and combined to score 13 points and come down with three rebounds. 

SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley reports that even before Eubanks' injury, James Wiseman put himself in a good position to make the final roster as the Knicks look to add center depth following the departures of Mitchell Robinson and Ariel Hukporti this offseason. 

Wiseman was in the starting five against the Raptors on Tuesday. He posted 18 points on 7-for-8 shooting with 10 rebounds (four offensive) in his 24 minutes. 

The Knicks also waived Tony Bradley and Ochai Agbaji. 

Knicks have enough room under the second apron to keep one camp vet. Bruce Brown has also put himself in a good position to get a roster spot, but the Knicks would need to trade a rostered player to make that happen.

The Knicks will need to lock in their roster ahead of the regular season opener against the 76ers on Oct. 20. 

Welcome back to Mavs Moneyball Mailbag, where we answer all of your questions relating to the Dallas Mavericks. Take a look in our Feed where you can post your questions. We will also pick up questions from our social media and even face-to-face as the case may be. As always, thanks for participating! Please spread the word; we’re always happy to talk all things Mavericks!

“Which new addition to the team is most likely to exceed expectations and earn a lot of minutes?”

CDubss asks a good one, as Dallas will surely benefit from one of the newbies showing out. I have an irrational belief that Tarik Biberovic is going to exceed expectations in a big way for Dallas this season. Cynically, one could argue that expectations for him are low in the first place, but our very own Mette Robertson reminds us that Biberovic has been a pro overseas for years, in a piece written earlier this month. Even before reading what she had to say, I thought Biberovic could be a sleeper hit for Dallas. He is a full-grown man with an NBA body, has played for high-level teams overseas, and can shoot lights out. Dallas was below league average from downtown last season, so if Biberovic can come in and light it up, he’s going to have a spot in short order. His defensive prowess is also apparently nothing to scoff at, so that will only help his cause for floor time. He gets my vote for the newbie most likely to blow expectations away. I don’t think many will see him coming, but he will surprise people in how he adapts to the NBA game with shooting that translates.

“Can we expect Kyrie Irving’s play in the one Macau game to continue in the regular season?”

Time for my second irrational belief of the column. Almost from the time he was injured I felt like Irving was the type that would have a recovery on the more favorable end of the spectrum. Nothing has changed my mind on that front throughout his recovery process and I remain onboard with the thought he is going to return to form – especially after what we saw during his single game in Macau. Irving just simply strikes me as the type of guy who is so focused on his craft and so dedicated to the behind-the-scenes work, that he was well-suited to make a strong comeback. His lengthy duration away from the court probably caused some consternation amongst the fanbase, but I thought even that was a good thing. He wasn’t going to forget how to play basketball and would have training camp and preseason to shake off some rust, but I’d like to think the time away allowed him even more space to get stronger and more fully recover. So, color me crazy, but I think Irving is back and the ACL injury is behind him. At age 34, it’s fair to expect some other dings and dents, “load management” games and the like, but I’d like to think he gets better as the season progresses and ultimately returns to the player we remember. 

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

When the Celtics first signed Mitchell Robinson back in July, it was met with a lot of excitement. He played an integral role with the New York Knicks as a rim protector for 8 seasons and even helped them win a championship in 2026. 

The part of the signing I was most excited about was the possibility of watching him run the pick and roll with Jayson Tatum. With Tatum’s ability to get down hill alongside Robinson’s big body in the paint, it felt like a match made in heaven just waiting to be realized. In the Celtics 114-93 Preseason Win over the Charlotte Hornets, we saw the dream I manifested and it was glorious. Robinson finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks on 5-5 shooting from the field.

Lobs to Rob

Robinson was dominating in the paint early, scoring the first 6 points of the game for Boston. Much like we used to see with former Celtics center Robert Williams, the new age “Lob to Rob” was a factor and the chemistry between Robinson and Tatum was on full display.

On their first possession together, Tatum drove to the lane with relative ease and found Robinson who slipped back door to throw down a monstrous slam. On the next possession we saw Robinson set a pick for Tatum so he could receive a pass from Paul George at the top of the key. Then a spinning Tatum found Robinson underneath the basket again for an easy layup. We saw the pair link up again in the third quarter when Tatum recieved the ball in the midrange area where the Hornets assumed he was taking a shot. Little did they know, he had a seven foot behemoth rolling to the basket to throw down another thunderous slam.

Out of the five baskets Mitchell Robinson had in the game, four of them came by the alley-oop. Having an established center like Robinson who can be a big body in the paint to grab offensive boards and roll to the rim like he does, gives the Celtics offense another dimension that they didn’t have in previous years. Not only do you have to defend Boston from beyond the arc, they have a big man down low that can hurt you at the rim as well. It has been a joy to watch so far.

On the NBC Sports Boston postgame, Abby Chin ask Robinson about his two-man game with Tatum, he seemed exciting, saying, “I’ve never seen those from him before when we were playing against him. To be his teammate and he can throw them, I think we’re going to build a great connection.”

Double Big Lineup

Another new feature we saw in the Celtics offense was the addition of a double big lineup with both Robinson and Neemias Queta on the court together. Boston experimented with this kind of lineup last season slightly with Nikola Vucevic but it didn’t work out well. This was different however, with Queta at the power forward we saw him handle the ball more and drive to the basket. The double screen actions with both bigs on the court caused tons of confusion for the Hornets defense and even resulted in the highlight of the night with a big slam by Queta in the fourth quarter.

NEEMIAS QUETA THROWS IT DOWN! Look at Hugo Gonzalez's reaction on the bench 😂 pic.twitter.com/CrZCfqZJep

— Danielle H. (@DanielleHobeika) October 15, 2026

When asked about the double big lineups post game, Joe Mazzulla said, “Just kind of wanted to get you know get some game reps in it, so we could have it on the dome to see, you know, what we want to work on if it’s something that we have to do before the regular season starts.”

He also praised Mitchell Robinson a lot when asked about the Celtics chemistry. “I mean Mitch is one of the smartest players.” Mazzulla said glowingly, “…I think we can throw him in the mix and he can just pick it up. He’s been around great coaches, great players, so he knows the game. He’s been playing for nine years, and he’s smart.”

Joe Mazzulla on the Celtics Chemistry and he talked highly on Mitchell Robinson saying:

“Mitch is one of the smartest players been around. His ability to process information is ability to understand.” pic.twitter.com/mQgBG4hLhc

— Ian Inangelo (@iinangelo) October 15, 2026

It was cool to see Joe go out of his way to praise Robinson like that. Ever since Media Day it has felt like these two have had a special connection. Mazzulla loves what Mitch can provide on the court and Robinson loves being coached by Joe. If this keeps up, we might seeing the start of “Big Country” becoming a star in Boston, and I for one can’t wait to see it play out.

About a month ago, I wrote about whether the Philadelphia 76ers could climb atop the Philly sport hierarchy. With the Sixers’ regular season starting next week, that possibility is looking increasingly realistic.

The Phillies exited the playoffs with a whimper yet again, the Eagles’ season is circling the drain, and the Flyers may never win a game. Sports fans in the city are beginning to view the Sixers as a lifeline to pull them out of this morass of disappointment. Counting on the Sixers for happiness? Now that’s a dangerous game.

But vibes have been sky-high through training camp and the preseason. Team chemistry seems off the charts and everyone is saying the right things about sacrifice and achieving greater goals together. The only bummer thus far has been Ariel Hukporti’s season-ending Achilles tear. So I don’t relish the idea of bringing this up, but I feel like it bears mentioning: the Sixers could get off to a slow start.

Let’s start with the schedule. In their first 10 games, the Sixers play the Knicks, Cavaliers and Pistons twice each, with two back-to-backs. Those were three of the top four seeds in the Eastern Conference last season. It’s not the easiest way to kick off a new campaign.

We should also remember that this starting group has played exactly one half of basketball together thus far, the first 24 minutes against Brooklyn in which Philadelphia entered halftime ahead by just two points. The offense looked dynamite, a choose-your-own adventure of despair for the opposition. However, the defense might take some time to gel, as all the new pieces hone their on-court communication and Joel Embiid (hopefully) gradually knocks the rust off in live game action. With the glaring acknowledgment that “It’s Just Preseason,” and the reality of many regulars being rested liberally in these games, we should still note that the Sixers are 1-2, and got smoked by Boston and lost a close one to Brooklyn.

So yes, the Sixers won’t be playing Rayan Rupert and Duke Miles on opening night at the Garden, but is it realistic to expect everything to come together in an instant for the main group against the defending champs on their banner ceremony? Or could there be a bit of a learning curve and some bumps along the road as these guys feel each other out? When Embiid is sitting out a back-to-back and Adem Bona gets in early foul trouble and the Sixers are forced to play 30-plus minutes with small lineups of Dean Wade or Jabari Walker at the five, the hoopla of this past offseason might feel a long way away.

If there is a slow start, though, my advice would be not to panic. To paraphrase LeBron James, he didn’t leave his family to lose in the second round, but he also didn’t leave his family to make sure the Sixers go 8-2 in their first 10 games. This season will be a marathon, not a sprint. What’s of paramount importance is keeping everyone healthy and experimenting with lineup combinations and building chemistry so that this group is peaking in the spring, not early November. So I know with everything else happening in Philly sports right now, a lot of hopes are being piled on the Sixers at the moment. No matter what happens, stay the course, and don’t let those hopes be dashed in just a couple weeks’ time.

Three preseason games, three wins, and three beautiful possession-maximized games. The Boston Celtics have now logged 311 offensive possessions (per Cleaning The Glass) as they prepare for the upcoming season. They’ve scored 381 points, winning their games by an average of 23.3 points per game. For reference, that’s 1.22 points per possession.

Against the Charlotte Hornets, Joe Mazzulla’s team faced a different challenge, as Charles Lee had both Naz Reid and Moussa Diabate in the starting lineup, giving them high-level rim protection. Credit to the Hornets, they played hard, but ultimately, the Celtics kept their strong march toward the regular season going.

The Curveballs Played A Role

It’s preseason; quirky rotations, random substitution patterns, and lineups are par for the course. So, when Mazzulla opted to throw out a lineup of Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, and Payton Pritchard, I wasn’t surprised, but I was intrigued, just as I suspect most of you reading this were, too.

There were other curveballs, too. Hugo Gonzalez played only 4 minutes in the first half, losing some of that time to Sam Hauser, who went scoreless in his 9 minutes. Jordan Walsh got the nod as a starter for the second straight game, but only got six minutes of playing time through the first two quarters.

We saw more of the same in the second half, with Hauser getting another nine minutes and Gonzalez playing two-thirds of the fourth quarter.

Joe Mazzulla is gathering information. He’s trying things out, getting film on those possessions and seeing what clicks, what doesn’t, and what could be impactful with some subtle tweaks here and there.

“I have a deep bench, a lot of depth, so I just want to give every look imaginable so that you know we’re able to have a general idea of how we want to attack it defensively and offensively when the season starts,” Mazzulla told the media after the game.

Those curveballs made the Celtics harder to cover. Throwing out three shooters, two of which can penetrate off the bounce, read the floor, and create for themselves and others, along with two lob and rebounding threats in Robinson and Queta, was interesting. It gave the Celtics a genuine presence across all three scoring levels and made Charlotte’s pick-and-roll coverage deal with some uncomfortable situations.

Boston’s willingness to get downhill was also a welcome sight, as they navigated some forgettable shooting from deep, which included not one, but two (that I counted) airballs from Paul George.

Ultimately, though, it was the Celtics’ ability to impact shots on the defensive end that gave them an edge in this game. Shutting down driving lanes, forcing tough looks, switching with purpose, and attacking the passing lanes — all of these things added up to a stellar rearguard production, holding Charlotte to 93 points on 75 shots.

From the moment George rotated over from the weak side to blow up this short-roll action from the Hornets, you knew it would be a difficult night for Charlotte’s offense. The Celtics registered 16 steals and 22 deflections, allowing them to control the tempo and dictate the terms of engagement as they looked to shut down the game.

A pattern is forming throughout this preseason: Boston is aggressively attacking the defensive side of the floor, looking to get out and run off mistakes. The Celtics ranked 23rd in the NBA in opponent turnover percentage last season, and if I had to hazard a guess, this will be their most improved area coming into the new campaign because it’s working, and it’s working well.

A Look At The Playbook

Against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Celtics pushed the pace. They were hunting pitch-ahead passess, and attacking in transition off misses, rebounds and pilfers. Mazzulla’s offense looked different against Charlotte. The team still played at a solid tempo, but it was certainly more half-court based.

There were more off-ball screens, secondary screens, veer actions, and cuts.

One play that really stood out to me was a high split action on the weak side of the ball that got Jayson Tatum moving downhill before ending in a lob pass to Mitchell Robinson.

The play starts with Tatum swinging the rock to the opposite side of the floor on the way up the floor, with George being the recipient. Robinson then sets an off-ball screen for Tatum, which on the surface looks like it’s designed as a quick action to get Tatum cutting toward an impending pass from George.

Tatum, however, delays his cut, waiting for White to get into the play. From there, Tatum and White split cut off each other.

This is where the magic happens.

After the cut, Tatum indeed receives the pass from George. He draws two defenders as a result: one who helps off George, and another who has stepped up to contain the drive (this was Robinson’s man). Hauser’s defender has also shaded over.

The problem for Charlotte is that by having Robinson’s man plant his feet in front of Tatum, Robinson, who began his role immediately after the split cut, is running unimpeded to the rim. Tatum’s defender is in the rearview, but hasn’t closed space quickly enough.

With Tatum’s driving lane closed off, and a jump shot being a poor shot choice, Tatum does what he does best when playing with a rim-runner: puts the ball straight into the lob corridor for Robinson to attack vertically.

Boom!

Bucket.

There’s another wrinkle here, though.

As the action unfolds, White has positioned himself in the weak-side corner. His defender has his back turned, as he watches the play unfold. If Robinson’s roll had been shut down, or he had met resistance as he got to the rim, a skip pass to White would have created a high-quality three-point attempt.

One screen. One cut. Three different scoring options.

In the words of Sidney Dean: It’s pretty. It’s so pretty.

Losing The Rebounding Battle

I don’t think we’ll say this often this season, but last night the Celtics lost the rebounding battle. Charlotte pulled down 43 boards compared to the Celtics 40. OK, it’s marginal, but it’s still an area where the Celtics lost.

It’s worth noting that Boston won the offensive glass, grabbing 9 ORBs to the Hornets’ 7.

Tatum led the team with 8 rebounds, all coming on the defensive glass. He’ll probably hover around that number as his season average, too. However, Charlotte’s double-big rotation caused the Celtics some issues. That’s good information to have, as it’ll allow Mazzulla and the coaching staff to develop counters and game plans for when they find themselves in that position and sending two bigs on the floor doesn’t make sense in the moment.

I’m not worried, though. The Celtics rank first for total rebounds, second for defensive rebounds, and third for offensive rebounds during preseason. With the size and length the Celtics have throughout the roster, coupled with the big man rotation at Mazzulla’s disposal, controlling the glass, at either end of the floor, should not be an issue this season.

This Isn’t The Same Neemy

Queta has been working on his game this summer. You only have to watch his performance last night to see that he’s taken a developmental leap. How big that leap is, will be something we learn as the season gets underway and progresses. Still, there’s a lot of reasons to be excited for his production this year.

A lot will be said about his willingness to take shots from the perimeter. I get it. If he can become somewhat reliable out there, he’ll give Boston a spacing boost and another pick-and-pop option alongside Luka Garza. Yet, it was his activity that really stood out to me. His screening, movement, and decision-making with the rock in his hands.

“I think the best version of Neemy gives us a little bit of playmaking opportunities and being able to make plays off the dribble in the seam,” Mazzulla said. “…That playmaking is an area that we’d like to see Neemi take to a little bit of a different level for sure.”

By now, we’ve all seen this highlight play from Queta. He fakes the hand-off, turns the corner and drives for a poster dunk. There will be times where Queta will need to make a read out of his drive, or to abandon getting downhill in favor of moving the rock. How well he makes those reads, and the pace of that decision-making, will tell us a lot about the type of jump he could take this year.

Whether he starts or comes off the bench this season, Queta’s development will be a genuine swing factor for the Celtics. So, seeing him play so well during preseason, is certainly encouraging.

Paul George’s Shot Will Come

George is now 5-20 from the field over his two preseason games.

Woof.

Outside of scoring the ball, he’s playing great. He’s highly impactful on defense. He’s a willing passer. And his presence, both as a spot-up threat and when on the move, forces defenses to stay locked in.

However, until his shots start to fall at a considerably higher clip, we’re not going to see him at his best. The point of being a two-way threat, is that you impact the games on both sides of the ball. George will get there, though.

Right now, he’s navigating through some growing pains. A whole new offensive and defensive system. Brand new teammates, learning when and where he’s most effective receiving the ball, and of course, vice versa. Oh, and lets not forget that he’s figuring out his new role on the fly.

Preseason isn’t supposed to be polished. It’s not supposed to be pretty. You play these games to get an idea of what needs work, and what does or doesn’t gave the desired outcome. George will continue figuring all this out during the opening weeks, maybe even months, of the upcoming season. His shooting struggles won’t last forever (I hope). It’s then, when he’s close to the best version of himself within his role, that we’ll start to see what the duo of George and Tatum are capable of.

It’s going to take some time, and that means some patience from everyone involved, but when it clicks, it’s going to be so much fun to watch!

Final Thoughts

We’re less than a week away from opening night. Before that, there’s one more preseason game on the docket. Win or lose, it won’t change the fact that this Celtics team has the potential to defy whatever low expectations get put on their shoulders this season.

There’s so much to like about this roster. So, while the offseason was full of controversy, and some are still ruing the loss of Jaylen Brown, i’m choosing to put my green goggles on and look ahead to what has the potential to be a memorable and highly entertaining season.

I hope you’ll join me in that excitment!

For more from me, subscribe here

The NBA is welcoming an absolutely loaded rookie class ahead of the 2026-27 season that places good young players all over the league. The top of the 2026 class got most of the attention with Washington’s A.J. Dybantsa, Utah’s Darryn Peterson, Memphis’ Cameron Boozer, and Chicago’s Caleb Wilson looking like one of the strongest top-4 in recent memory, but that’s only the start of the incoming talent pool.

This rookie class already balled out in Las Vegas Summer League, and now they’re impressing in preseason. There are too many good rookies to name, so this list won’t include honorable mentions like the Spurs guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Pistons guard Ebuka Okorie, Mavericks guard Sergio de Larrea, or Milwaukee’s Brayden Burries. I also can’t wait to see Brooklyn’s Mikal Brown and Toronto’s Allen Graves, who haven’t played in the preseason yet.

Check out our list of non-rookie NBA preseason standouts for more coverage. Here is our list of the best rookies in the NBA preseason so far. These are the players who impressed us the most relative to expectations, not ordered by who we would take going forward. You can read my final draft board for my full opinions on this class coming into the NBA.

9. Darius Acuff, G, Sacramento Kings

Darius Acuff Jr impressive showing in his third preseason game:

25 PTS, 4 REB, 8 AST, 4/6 3PT, 8/15 FG pic.twitter.com/XEKlz0OtG3

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 11, 2026

Acuff has scored in bunches while also struggling with turnovers and taking enough questionable shots that even an opponent like Draymond Green had to tell him to move the ball. The most encouraging thing about Acuff to me is that he’s still shooting the cover off the ball from three. I was a bit worried he shot over his head at Arkansas last season, but he has hit 41% of his threes in preseason so far and clearly looks confidence shooting the ball from the NBA line. He’s going to have some nights where he looks like a masterful three-level scorer, but a deeper dive is going to be required to evaluate his shot diet and lack of defensive impact. I’m rooting for Acuff because he’s a cool player and Kings fans desperately need something to latch onto. He’s going to be good as a rookie, but maybe not quite as impactful as his loudest fans want you to believe. His game still needs a lot more development beyond the buckets before he’s actually influencing winning, but I think he can get there eventually as the supporting cast around him improves.

8. Kingston Flemings, G, Atlanta Hawks

Flemings won’t match Acuff’s scoring numbers or Mikal Brown’s best highlights, but he still feels like the most well-rounded of the rookie point guards to me. He’s going to defend bigger than his size, he’s going to make smart decisions with the ball, and his mid-range scoring will offer some value while his three-point shot catches up. Flemings has always had such a strong feel for the game, and he’s doing it again with a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio through four preseason games. He has such great hands defensively, and his excellent quick-twitch athleticism is going to create advantages even against bigger defenders. It’s easy to have some skepticism for a smaller guard who isn’t a knockdown three-point shooter, but Flemings simply brings so much to the table without taking much off of it. The Hawks have a lot of guards who need minutes, but Flemings is going to be dependable as C.J. McCollum’s understudy when he gets minutes.

7. Bennett Stirtz, G, Oklahoma City Thunder

Bennett Stirtz’ preseason field goals through two games: pic.twitter.com/qJGehkpLT0

— Derek Parker (@DParkOK) October 12, 2026

It feels like Stirtz landed in the best possible spot on a Thunder team that can coverup his deficiencies on the defensive end while needing his creation magic and shooting. He’s been off to a tremendous start in preseason combining on- and off-ball versatility as only he can. Stirtz is a great shooter, a skilled pick-and-roll operator, and he has a good feel for the game. Those are qualities worth betting on even if he’s kind of weak and might be toast defensively. This is the perfect type of player to get the Thunder offense out of the mud when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is on the bench. Sam Presti has done it again.

6. AJ Dybantsa, F, Washington Wizards

It’s fair to say Dybantsa’s preseason run has been a bit of a mixed bag despite the fact that no one doubts his talent. It’s encouraging that he’s getting to the free throw line, taking some pride in his defense, and making some heads-up passes to start his pro journey. I’m less enthused by a shaky three-point stroke, and a shot diet that feels like it should be geared more toward the rim. Dybantsa has admitted himself that his defense got “lazy” in college, and it’s been great to see him put his outstanding physical tools to work on that end during preseason. I’d rather see the ball in Dybantsa’s hands than Trae Young’s, but Young has always been such an on-ball heavy player that it puts more pressure on the rookie to fix his three-point stroke. I don’t think anyone questions that Dybantsa is going to be really good both as a rookie and down the line, but he still has some stuff to clean up.

5. Caleb Wilson, F, Chicago Bulls

The Bulls are trying to stretch Wilson out from a majority play-finisher to a majority play-creator, and there have been some understandable growing pains early in that process. Added structure feels beneficial for Wilson in the short term, with his best moments coming as a roll man or running off pin-downs to show-off his newfound three-point stroke. It’s been more of a struggle when he’s tried to iso against NBA defenders, with nearly twice as many turnovers as assists to start the preseason. The good news is that Wilson really does look like he’s going to shoot it from deep this year, which is wonderful news given that he was a total non-shooter in college. Ultimately, the handle is going to be just as important for Wilson’s development as his shot, and right now he still can’t access certain parts of the floor off the dribble. The Bulls aren’t trying to win anything this year, and that means Wilson will get plenty of room to test the limits of his offensive skill set — something that could be good for his long-term development. Even as a work-in-progress, the highs are going to be very high, and the best moments are going to be incredible in his rookie season.

4. Darryn Peterson, G, Utah Jazz

Darryn Peterson scored from all 3 levels in Q3 🔥

He's up to 14 PTS in preseason action! pic.twitter.com/hCl7hvK8sW

— NBA (@NBA) October 13, 2026

Peterson followed up a terrible preseason debut with an awesome second game, and as always the truth on his performance is somewhere in the middle. The No. 2 overall pick is going to be extremely tough to defend because he can splash shots all over the floor — but sometimes he’s going to beat himself by not being able to generate easier shots. I wish Peterson got to the rim more instead of relying on tough pull-ups, and it’s possible that will come in time. The Jazz are going to need a point of attack defender next to Keyonte George this season, and that’s really where Peterson could have his biggest impact. His combination of shooting touch and defensive playmaking is still really intriguing, but I’m not sure I’m still seeing the all-world guard prospect we thought we had back at Prolific Prep. Then again, I did have Peterson at No. 2 on my draft board, so maybe I should just chill out.

3. Cameron Boozer, F, Memphis Grizzlies

Cameron Boozer: 16 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 4/7 FG, 2/3 3FG, 6/7 FT, 79 TS% vs Magic

Another great showing for the Grizzlies rookie 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EsvJft1BXJ

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 8, 2026

Boozer is the youngest player in the NBA this season, but you would never know it from watching him play. The 19-year-old forward has remarkable polish offensively with a supercomputer brain, hulking strength, a sweet shooting stroke, and compact driving ability powering his unlimited offensive versatility. Boozer is rarely flashy, though he did have one poster dunk on this preseason run. Instead, the Grizzlies’ new superstar just always makes the right play. He has enough scoring gravity to compromise opposing defenses when they try to play him straight up, and he’s always moving the ball to the open man when the double comes. Boozer was obviously the best prospect in the draft, and it’s still wild he fell to No. 3. Memphis is going to immediately exceed expectations if they stay healthy around their new star.

2. Aday Mara, C, Oklahoma City Thunder

ADAY MARA SWATS DERIK QUEEN COAST TO COAST BUCKET pic.twitter.com/k5zFy2qZuX

— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) October 7, 2026

Mara has been dominant in preseason, and it’s absolutely not fair that the Thunder are adding a 7’3 guy who is this skilled at both ends of the floor. The former Michigan big man seems to have made strides in his conditioning since his college days, looking more mobile than ever in this short preseason run. Mara is an easy bet to protect the rim with his ridiculous 9’9 standing reach, and he’s shown Derik Queen how difficult it’s going to be for smaller bigs to finish over him in the clip above. It was fair to wonder how Mara would be able to score in the league, but he’s looked unreal so far with 79% true shooting fueled by stuffs at the rim and spinning post moves in the paint. It’s for the best that Mara will probably be in a smaller role this season, but he could be really effective in the right matchups — and that’s all that matters for a loaded Thunder team.

1. Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Golden State Warriors

Yaxel Lendeborg scoring last 2 games:

40 PTS, 3/6 3PT, 17/25 FG, 74 TS% pic.twitter.com/qyGwoZLNrg

— Basketball Performances (@NBAPerformances) October 11, 2026

There was a report that the Warriors would have drafted Brayden Burries if he fell to their pick in the 2026 draft. They should consider themselves lucky he went one spot earlier, because Lendeborg is going to be an ideal fit for this Golden State team in both the short term and the long term. Yes, Lendeborg is already 24 years old, but he might be the perfect role player. Start with the size: he’s gigantic for a forward at 6’9, 240 pounds with a 7’3 wingspan. He’s a very good athlete for that size who knows how to leverage his tools on both ends of the floor. Yaxel can rip three-pointers off the catch, he can clean the glass, he can rumble in transition, and he’s unselfish when he sees a passing lane. His combination of size, power, and skill is only surpassed by Boozer, who is nearly five years younger than him. Lendeborg is going to fit this Golden State team like a glove, and that will continue to be the case long after the Stephen Curry-Draymond Green era is over.