The Lakers spent this offseason spending big to revamp their roster to better fit around Luka Doncic and his preferred style of play. Austin Reaves returns as a secondary playmaker on a hefty new contract. They traded for Walker Kessler to be the pick-setting, alley-oop finishing big man Doncic prefers to play with. And they made a host of other moves — including parting ways with LeBron James — to bring in role players who should be a better stylistic fit with Doncic.
All of that only works if Doncic is healthy.
Which he wasn't at the end of last season due to a hamstring injury, he missed all of the Lakers' playoff run. In an email to fans, Doncic told them he is "100% healthy" now and ready for a big season.
Luka gave us a summer update email:
“I took a real break from basketball the first few weeks after the season ended to rehab my body. My recovery went great, and I’m 100% healthy again.”
“Taking some time away from basketball is something I do at the start of every offseason.… pic.twitter.com/fKkGdNSkk3
Concerns about Doncic's durability were a key reason former Mavericks GM Nico Harrison traded Doncic in the first place. The Lakers have bet big on a more mature Doncic, 27, being in his best condition and staying healthy when it matters. He averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game last season — when healthy, he remains one of the game's elite players and was named First-Team All-NBA (he only played 64 games, one below the league's 65-game cutoff, but was given an exemption due to "extraordinary circumstances" because he missed time for the birth of his child).
The Lakers looked to get Doncic some help this season by not only re-signing Reaves but adding ball-handling guards Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton. Expect JJ Redick to experiment with some three-guard lineups using that group, although the challenge becomes it forces Doncic (6'8") to guard bigger players, which can take a physical toll.
Doncic looks ready for that toll, and his team is bonding — he has paid for his teammates to join him in his native Slovenia for workouts, golf and more. A chance for a lot of new faces to get to know one another.
The new-look Lakers are poised to be one of the top teams in the West this coming season, but that only works with a healthy Doncic playing at an MVP level. He says he's healthy and ready, which is all Lakers fans can ask.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 12: Andre Jackson Jr. #44 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 12, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The second in a wave of acquisitions this August, the Toronto Raptors have signed former guard for the Milwaukee Bucks, Andre Jackson Jr. Jackson was a part of the University of Connecticut Huskies Men’s Basketball Team who won the tournament in 2023.
Having played his whole career in Cream City as a shooting guard, the former Husky will be competing for a place on the team, bringing some solid three point shooting and high flying dunks to the team. Jackson shot over 38% from three in his first two years, but after a junior slump in his last season, he’ll be looking to return to form in Toronto.
It’s always nice to have someone who can generate highlight plays, even if they’re doing so in only a few minutes. Players like one-time 905er Quincy Guerrier was someone I always enjoyed watching, and if Jackson hammers down some dunks and knocks down the open jumpers, then he’ll be doing his job. The guard has experience starting in Milwaukee, but will likely play a role in bench lineups. I can envisage him catching lobs from Jamal Shead or taking corner threes off Scottie Barnes dimes, and can see the type of role he might have for the team.
LOS ANGELES - NOVEMBER 20: Opening credits of THE TWILIGHT ZONE episode, "Time Enough At Last." Original air date, November 20, 1959. Image is a screen grab. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) | CBS via Getty Images
You have the entire class period to complete the quiz. Answers should be neatly written in the comment section. Do not fill in the “DO NOT FILL IN” section. When you’re done, you may sit quietly until the bell rings. If you have any questions, you’re in the right place. Good luck.
NAME: DATE: CLASS: PROF. MIRANDA — SUMMER SESSION
1) In today’s modern world, backwards thinking abounds: the Earth is flat; vaccines are bad, viruses are good; hate is a “side.” While most historians concur on June 13, 2026, the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs towin the NBA championship, a small but vocal lot claim this to be a mass hallucination, that the Knicks never won the title. For the purposes of academic exericse, what if that were true? And instead of going six/fo’fo’/fi’, the Knicks went six/fo’/fo’/no? Remember to show your work.
1) Would Josh Hart’s missed lay-up late in Game 4 go down as more infamous than the Charles Smith play?
2) How warm would Mike Brown’s seat have grown if the Knicks lost the Finals? Would he be celebrated for unlocking such a dominant playoff run despite coming up short? Dismissed as a nice guy and great assistant coach who can’t lead a team all the way?
3) Would James Dolan refuse to enter the second apron if the Knicks blew a 2-0 Finals lead?
4) If Mitchell Robinson left after losing in the Finals, would Knicks fans be more worried about losing a key contributor or hopeful for a future with someone who shoots better than 30% from the line?
5) Staying with the bench, these are the Finals shooting percentages from the field and from three for Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson and Miles McBride:
Shamet: 33%, 31%
Alvarado: 33%, 25%
Clarkson: 38%, 33%
McBride: 18%, 18%
Given the apron restrictions the Knicks were under and that quartet’s shooting numbers, would New York have brought all four back if they’d lost? If they were to let one or more depart, who would it have been? Who might they have looked to replace them with, either from further down the bench or a new addition?
6) Stephon Castle attempted 21 free throws in the Finals. Mikal Bridges attempted 25 throughout the postseason. Had the Knicks lost to the Spurs, how much heat would Bridges have received?
BONUS QUESTIONS
*) What is the following sentence?
Dennis, Nell, Edna, Leon, Nedra, Anita, Rolf, Nora, Alice, Carol, Leo, Jane, Reed, Dena, Dale, Basil, Rae, Penny, Lana, Dave, Denny, Lena, Ida, Bernadette, Ben, Ray, Lila, Nina, Jo, Ira, Mara, Sara, Mario, Jan, Ina, Lily, Arne, Bette, Dan, Reba, Diane, Lynn, Ed, Eva, Dana, Lynne, Pearl, Isabel, Ada, Ned, Dee, Rena, Joel, Lora, Cecil, Aaron, Flora, Tina, Arden, Noel, and Ellen sinned.
*) If two typists can type two pages in two minutes, how many does it take to type 18 pages in six minutes?
*) What nine-letter word can you make unscrambling these letters?
E C P R U A T H A
*) If you count from 1 to 100, how many 7’s will you pass on the way?
Playa Vista, Calif. — Tuesday, 25 NBA players gathered in the Los Angeles area for an offseason run. Nothing unusual about that, it happens nearly every day around L.A. in the summer, most famously at UCLA but plenty of other spaces as well. With so many league players choosing to spend their offseasons in the city, it's to be expected they get together.
What was different about this is that this run was at the PLYRS UNTD performance center — a new state-of-the-art training facility opened this week by PLYRS UNTD, the commercial arm of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
There's a new energy around the NBA players' union, with former Warriors executive David Kelly taking over as executive director, and with a largely new board led by veteran guard Fred VanVleet as president. This is a group with a lot of ideas — and a focus already on the next Collective Bargaining Agreement — and the new PLYRS UNTD performance center in Los Angeles is part of that.
"The response has been phenomenal…" Kelly said, with about 80 players coming through for workouts or recovery the first week it was open. "I think it ties into what we're trying to do with our larger brand in the launch of PLYRS UNTD, and that is create spaces that are by and for the guys. Get feedback from the guys on what they would want to see inside of that space. Get them to authentically engage inside of that space, and then there's any number of commercial and opportunities that can flow from that."
The NBPA talked to the players and what they wanted was a one-stop training shop: A fully equipped athletic training room, weight room, recovery room (which includes a sauna, steam room, massage therapy room and more), multiple official NBA-sized courts, fully staffed kitchen that can make recovery smoothies and a rotating menu of healthy, customizable meals, and spaces for family members to wait — or children to play — while their family member works out.
It's not done being built out, more is coming. During the soft openings this summer, the union put up a whiteboard with sticky notes and asked players what they wanted, then tried to add it. For example, they added a turf area, including weighted sleds, for guys who want that as part of their workout. While the NBPA has workout facilities at its headquarters in New York as well as The Sanctuary — a PLYRS UNTD offseason performance retreat for NBA players in Andalucía, Spain — the goal with the new facility was to meet players where they are.
"There wasn't a spot like that in L.A. that had everything in one and was like full courts, all that stuff…" said the Pelicans' Trey Murphy III, an NBPA board member who was part of the official first run this week and worked out there other times.
"Here we have regulation courts. We have a weight room. We have a sauna. We have a cold tub. We have turf. We have everything here. We literally do not have to go anywhere else to work out, and then you also have all the players here in one spot… I had one of my best workouts I've had, and I've shot it really well because I knew there's other people watching, and it's important to have that.
"It's like iron sharpening iron."
There will still be other runs all around Southern California, but the goal with the PLYRS UNTD facility is that it's full-service and open only to NBA players. And it's available 24/7.
"You walk in the gym, and your mind starts going like, all right. I see a lot of NBA players, and I have to lock in and make sure they know that I've been working too," Murphy said.
Future focus is on next CBA
While Kelly's NBPA is focused on player-serving and PLYRS UNTD commercial ventures in the short term, in the longer term, the union is already looking ahead to the next CBA negotiation.
"Just preparing for the CBA that is coming up soon…" Murphy said when asked what the future holds for the new union leadership. "Obviously it doesn't seem like it's coming soon, but for us it is coming up soon. And so we have to be prepared to push back, or give our opinions on what we want."
While the current CBA agreement between the league and the union runs through 2030, there is an opt-out in October of 2028, which either side can trigger, and it would end the CBA in the summer of 2029. As happened with the current CBA, the negotiations between the league and NBPA will start well before that with the goal of a seamless transition where a new CBA is in place before the old one ends, avoiding a lockout or strike.
That doesn't mean those negotiations will be smooth.
Kelly has been clear in public comments that he is no fan of the second tax apron and what that is doing to teams, and by extension players in his union.
"We are not fans of the second apron," Kelly said in Las Vegas during Summer League (via ESPN). "We did not propose the second apron. We should have done a better job of fighting back against the second apron. In the future, we will have a much more unified union, and we will do a better job of fighting back...
"We're seeing it decimate teams and force decisions to be made that are not basketball decisions."
Kelly was referring to Boston's decision to trade Jaylen Brown this offseason because, as team president Brad Stevens put it, having two players taking up 70% of the salary cap made it impossible to build out a champion in the apron era. While Boston is the latest example, there are many more on the horizon (tough decisions are coming to Oklahoma City and San Antonio eventually, for example).
For his part, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the apron system was working as intended and touted the parity it has helped bring to the league. If the owners like it — and they appear to — then Silver will fight to keep it.
However, the more interesting part of Kelly's comment was saying they would have a "much more unified union." Murphy said he sees his role on the board as part of that.
"I feel like I look at things a little differently than a lot of players, just mainly because I didn't know for sure if I was going to be in the NBA growing up..." Murphy said. "I've had every role. Like I've been the guy that didn't play my rookie year. I've been the guy that just came off the bench. I've been the guy that's just been a starter, and now I'm at a point where I'm one of the better players on the team...
"I feel like there's a lot of times where you'll see the Karl-Anthony Towns, the Jaylen Browns... A lot of guys that they've always been 'the guy.' They may not have the same experience of being the guy at the end of the bench and how they were treated and how they maybe didn't have the same access to different things. I have those experiences... And it's very important to me to speak for everybody when it comes to the union because it's not just for the top guys; it's for all 450."
Those potentially contentious CBA negotiations are a little ways down the line. For now, the focus is on the PLYRS UNTD training facility in Los Angeles.
And if Tuesday was any indication, it's going to be a very busy place between now and the start of training camps.
Dec 7, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Lebron James (23) and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey react with each other after the game at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Lightning struck just as Jim Lynam was finishing the ninth hole at Twisted Dune Golf Club in South Jersey on a recent Friday. It came not in the usual way, but in the form of newsflash: LeBron James was going to sign with the Sixers.
A few hours earlier Lynam – an NBC Sports Philadelphia studio analyst for the team and once its coach – had told some people in the clubhouse that while he thought the Sixers once were in the running for LeBron, it appeared their chances had dwindled.
Now those same people were awaiting him as he approached the clubhouse a second time.
“And,” he said with a laugh, “they jumped me.”
He mentioned that during an appearance last Friday on “After the Buzzer,” a podcast I co-host with fellow journalist Mike Gross. Then he went on to draw a parallel between the way the rest of his day unfolded and the possible mesh among the Sixers’ star-studded cast.
Part of a foursome that opposed two other groups under a scramble format, the 84-year-old didn’t play great.
But, Lynam added, “My team was so strong that I pocketed some of the money.”
That, of course, would be the best-case scenario for the new-look Sixers – that everybody checks their egos at the door, and they cash in next June. But certainly Lynam voiced many of the same concerns others have. About fit. About chemistry. About defense.
The bottom line? They might look great off the tee, but this season will be far from a gimme.
“There’s a lot of things that have to go right for this to work,” Lynam told Mike and me.
Add the 2025-26 usage rates of the likely starters together, and it comes to 142 percent. Clearly something is going to have to give. Clearly everybody is going to have to adjust. And clearly the head coach is going to be under the microscope.
During Friday’s 30-minute interview, Lynam proclaimed himself “a big Nick Nurse fan” and declared that the Sixers boss is “a very adaptable guy.” More than once when Nurse was leading the Raptors to the 2018-19 NBA title, Lynam saw something that surprised him, like a triangle-and-two or some such thing.
Now Nurse will be tasked with maximizing the talents of this group. But in James he has the ultimate cheat code, a guy who is nearing his 42nd birthday and his 24th season. A guy who has seen everything and whose resume speaks volumes.
LeBron chose the Sixers because in his mind they give him the best opportunity to win a fifth ring. Because Joel Embiid and fellow Klutch Sports client Tyrese Maxey pitched him on playing in Philly. And because Mike Gansey pulled off the Jaylen Brown trade.
All that being the case, Lynam said that if he were Nurse, he would approach LeBron and tell him one thing: “Make it work, dude.”
Because a lot of it falls on James, without question. It always has, though he has always been a connective player, always shown a willingness to share. Lynam puts him in a class with Larry Bird and Rick Barry as the best-passing forwards of all time, while at the same time raising these questions: “Is he really a forward? Could we classify him as a guard?”
Even though LeBron stands 6-foot-9 and weighs 250 pounds, it’s a fair point: He plays a position all his own. Last year with the Lakers, for example, he willingly relegated himself to third fiddle when he, Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves shared the floor, though he reserved the right to go get his own whenever the need arose. (His counting stats were 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game. Few have done it better at such an advanced age, in any sport. “Tom Brady is the only one that comes to mind,” Lynam said.)
Lynam knows what it is like to coach big personalities, having worked with Charles Barkley during his time as the Sixers’ head coach (1987-92). But LeBron brings as much juice to a locker room as any player in the history of the league. There are ample tales of him playing GM at his various stops, to the point that he even had his son Bronny as a teammate in Los Angeles.
Strictly from an on-court, player-coach standpoint, Lynam said he always operated from the premise that a player, no matter his stature, was willing to be coached.
“That’s one of the things I respected about Charles over the years: Charles let us coach him,” Lynam said, adding that he doesn’t believe James is any different – that he “has shown (through) his play over the years in various settings that that’s what he’s about. He’s about winning.”
The other thing is, LeBron commands so much respect that he will be able to police the locker room. No one is going to want to disappoint him. No one is going to want to be the weak link in the chain.
“His persona is such, and his achievements are such, they go hand in hand,” Lynam said. “You can have all the bravado you want; if you’re not backing it up, nobody’s going to listen to you. But no, this guy, he’s the total package when it comes to what you’re referring to.”
Lynam is most curious as to how Brown will be incorporated into the mix, given the way he carried Boston for most of last season. Surely he won’t get as many touches as he did there. Surely he won’t be free to play as much iso-ball.
At the same time, Lynam concluded that Brown “knows how to play,” and “will be able to fit in and play well with other people despite the setting: ‘Tell me what we’re going to do. Tell me how we’re going to play.’ … Give him the rules. Boom, no problem. It’s done.”
It figures to be the same for Maxey, who always brings a ton of positive energy into the equation. Lynam believes that VJ Edgecombe will likely have to sacrifice some shots, especially in the game-on-the-line situations where he excelled last season, but is high on the second-year man, especially at the defensive end.
And what of Embiid?
Lynam believes the veteran center will still be an offensive force, if and when his balky knees allow him to take the court, but added that Embiid is “no longer the defender that he was when he terrorized the league. … That’s not the same Joel at the defensive end. Nor is LeBron. That’s going to be a very, very big challenge come late May and June – to be able to defend at a championship level.”
One of many.
“There have been teams assembled in the past. … We called them All-Airport,” Lynam said. “They’re All-Airport. Walks through the airport. Everybody’s pointing. ‘Oh, did you see so-and-so? … Look at that guy. … Look at this guy.’ And I got news for you – a lot of those teams never got it right. So we’ll see how it plays out. But it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
He wouldn’t make any predictions beyond that. Certainly the defending-champion Knicks will again be formidable, and San Antonio and Oklahoma City remain the class of the West. If things break right for the Sixers, that is the company they will keep, without question.
“But to me,” Lynam said, “I think the difference in terms of the (top) teams is so, so small. I’ll use the word ‘infinitesimal.’”
He mentioned how OKC was hamstrung by Jalen Williams’ hamstring injury most of last season. He mentioned how the Knicks, as well as they played throughout the playoffs, found themselves trailing the Spurs by 29 in the second half of Game 4 of the Finals before rallying to win.
“How good could this team be?” Lynam said. “I would joke right now with (Jalen) Brunson or Mike Brown: ‘I’m supposed to be scared of you guys? You were down 29 on your homecourt.’”
There are miles to go before we find out how this plays out, and there will be any number of sandtraps for the Sixers to navigate in the meantime. And only then will we learn whether lightning might strike – whether they can cash out or not.
Which positional label will best suit the ultra-versatile LeBron James in Philadelphia?
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse doesn’t believe “point guard” will be wildly off the mark.
“I think he’s an offense creator,” Nurse said on the “Takeoff with John Clark” podcast. “I think he certainly is a guy that will bring the ball up the floor and try to create for himself or others — really (well) for others. And I think that lends itself to (point guard), yeah.”
“I’m just as excited about some of the other guys,” he said. “I think the bench got fortified. The bench, with the injuries and stuff, has been pretty thin lately. I just think our overall youth, speed and athleticism has been challenged a lot. Our defensive rebounding has been challenged.
“So I think we’ve improved in a lot of areas. Talent is certainly number one, but I think there are some basketball-specific things that we addressed very well.”
As far as star power, the Sixers’ standing has skyrocketed this summer with the additions of James and Jaylen Brown.
Nurse played a part in the Sixers’ free agency pitch to James.
“First of all, I think he’s a great player and we’re fortunate to have him on the team,” he said. “That’s kind of where I started. I said, ‘I think you slot right in there perfectly.’ We did talk about some multi-position situations. We talked to him just about his leadership in general, his professionalism in general … that could help raise the level of some things. Talked about his late-game play and some things like that. That’s about it.”
In thinking about how to optimize his new roster, Nurse said he’s been “watching a lot of historical stuff from these guys’ (former) teams.”
“With these guys in particular, just really zeroing in on Jaylen Brown’s last few years in Boston,” Nurse said. “Just really watching, an overload almost, of how they used him, all the sets they used. It’s been really fun going back and watching. I’ve obviously coached against Jaylen a lot recently … and then a lot of years (against) LeBron when he was in Cleveland.
“You remember the huge play packages that they had, especially for LeBron but also for Jaylen. … Even if it’s seven, eight years ago, you can pull some of that stuff out, stuff they’re comfortable with and that they’ve done. And see how it fits once we get there.”
Once training camp does roll around, Nurse and the Sixers will be pushing for a championship.
Nurse won a title in his first season as an NBA head coach with the 2018-19 Raptors. He understands the high expectations and intense scrutiny to come for the 2026-27 Sixers.
“I think that championship teams have a lot of similar characteristics,” he said. “The first thing is we need to get to work. I really put hard work and work ethic and all that stuff at the top of the list. If we want to win, are we going to outwork our opponents? Are we going to watch better film, more film, spend more hours? Then you’ve got to have some chemistry. You’re going to have to handle adversity. And then just keep climbing to get a little bit better as the season goes by.
“The team I coached in 2019 with the Raptors that won it all, we were a completely different team at the end of June than we were even at the start of April when the playoffs started. It’s a two months-long process, but we just kept getting better and better. Each series, better and better. I think that’s the goal and you’ve just got to try to reach your ceiling.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 15: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons looks on against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter in Game Six of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 15, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In my head and my heart are three fundamental truths about the Detroit Pistons’ offseason. One, they made a series of good moves and are likely a better team than the one that won 60 games a season ago. The second truth is that the offseason was a failure. The final truth is that failure was likely the best course of action.
Let’s unpack each of those a bit more.
The Detroit Pistons Are a Better Team
The first truth: The Detroit Pistons are better than they were one season ago. I believe this pretty unreservedly.
Look, I am a Tobias Harris fan, and I believe the kind of mid-range, backdown shot creation he brought to the team was underappreciated and will be missed. But I also see the vision of why this team targeted John Collins as a Harris replacement. Collins is a mix of rim pressure and outside shooting that can play extremely effectively off the ball.
Over the past two years, Collins is shooting 60% on twos and 40% on threes compared to 53% and 35% for Harris. Collins can get himself to the line when asked, and the Pistons love getting to the line. He’s a better rebounder and shot blocker than Harris.
He’s going to have less of a direct role in the offense, but what he is asked to do, Collins is going to do at a high level, and likely be a better defender.
The Pistons made another crucial addition by adding Isaiah Joe in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s almost like Detroit fans processed the addition of Joe and priced in an eventual trade of Duncan Robinson, and wrote off the move as a wash. Except that Duncan Robinson trade never came. Now the Pistons are surrounding Cade Cunningham with two of the most dangerous spot-up shooters in the NBA, who are both high-volume and efficient from the perimeter.
Both are the types of players that you have to guard, and that makes it tough for defenses to scheme against. The Pistons won 60 games last season with Robinson as the only bona fide shooter on the floor most of the time. They needed to address this critical flaw, and they couldn’t do much better than adding Joe.
In practice, the Pistons executed the offseason playbook from two seasons ago when they tripled their win total thanks to the largely unheralded additions of Malik Beasley and Tim Hardaway Jr. As we saw that season, nothing helps Cunningham more than having space with which to work.
Detroit also added Taurean Prince as a legit backup power forward, which they did not have last year, and he is a perfectly serviceable reserve who can hit open perimeter shots. Prince shot over 48% from the corners a season ago, and 45% the season before that. If that is what he is mostly asked to do in Detroit, then that is just fine. The Pistons somewhat surprisingly re-signed Kevin Huerter, whom they added at the trade deadline for Jaden Ivey. Huerter is a well-rounded and servicable player who does a ton of things well. If he somehow rediscovers his 3-point shot, this is easily a surplus-value deal. If that shot continues to be AWOL, he still knows how to make himself useful on the court, and the deal is just fine.
I am also pricing in the return of Jalen Duren, and the longer this offseason drags on, the more likely it is going to be on a number the Pistons won’t be living to regret. He will be incredibly well paid, but he isn’t signing for the supermax or even the max. I also don’t think he blows things up by signing his qualifying offer. He’ll sign a long-term deal for some generational wealth and be a cornerstone of Detroit’s lineup.
Finally, the Pistons added Ebuka Okorie in the first round of the draft. I’m pretty skeptical of his year-one impact, but if they can unlock any of his self-creation, foul-drawing, and playmaking then it’ll be the cherry on top of the offseason sundae.
All of these are good moves individually and in the aggregate. They are swapping Collins for Harris, Prince for Isaiah Stewart, Joe for Caris LeVert, and Okorie for Marcus Sasser. I understand the fears associated with Harris’ role and Stewart’s defense, but those are all upgrades in my book.
The Detroit Pistons’ offseason was a failure
Now that 400 words of praise are out of the way, let’s move on to fundamental truth No. 2. The Pistons’ offseason was a failure.
Again, I believe this is unequivocally true, and anyone trying to talk themselves around this truth feels like someone who isn’t comfortable in discomfort.
The Pistons’ failure is defined by their previous success. Their offseason goal was not just to get better; it was to make the moves that allow them to compete for an NBA championship. They did not do that.
They are still one player away. I believe they went into the offseason knowing that fact, and they spent the entire offseason attempting to address that fact. And they couldn’t do it. They failed.
There were early reports of the team being ready to make a max offer to Austin Reeves. It spooked the Lakers so much that they re-signed him to his max. Persistent rumors of interest in Trey Murphy, but the Pelicans seemingly had unreasonable trade demands. There were reports of interest in Coby White, but the Hornets signed him to a big deal after unloading LaMelo Ball.
Feelers about Kyrie Irving rejected. Eagerness in Kawhi Leonard spurned. Cade Cunningham’s attempt to woo Kevin Durant went nowhere. All would have been seismic moves (minus White, I suppose), and an attempt to get Cunningham his running mate.
Trajan Langdon simply couldn’t get anything across the finish line. He had his price, and he held firm. Whether you consider this patience or reluctance to do what is necessary is up to you, but I think Langdon understands one thing pretty clearly. He gets one shot at this major swing, and he can’t afford to miss.
In this salary cap era, you can’t afford to add major money and then continuously rerack of its not working. There are just not as many buyers for guys on major contracts as there once were. He needs to know the major he player he adds has the skills and temperament, and that he fits into the roster in a way that takes the Pistons to title contention.
The thing that makes this the most difficult pill to swallow is seeing just how much better the Eastern Conference has gotten this offseason. Being better than your 60-win team from a season ago certainly won’t mean winning 60 games again, and Detroit will be in a scrum with a lot of teams with championship aspirations.
There are the defending champion Knicks, of course, and the new-look Philadelphia 76rs who are dominating the headlines. Winning a title and adding Jaylen Brown and LeBron James to two of basketball’s biggest markets will do that.
The Boston Celtics are relying on a full season of Jayson Tatum to build on the momentum of last year’s surprise success. The Cleveland Cavaliers remain a formidable force with big expectations led by Donovan Mitchell, the Miami Heat want another superstar-led run via Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Toronto Raptors believe they’re adding Kawhi Leonard (time will tell). The fan bases in Indiana, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Orlando also think they have the talent to make plenty of noise.
The East is pretty stacked, there is little incentive to tank, and Detroit will have its hands full all season.
Failure Was Not Only An Option, but it was also the Best Option
Langdon failed at his No. 1 objective this offseason, but instead of panicking into a move that wouldn’t work just so he could say he is taking his shot, he decided to bide his time and wait to see if that move becomes available at the trade deadline or this offseason.
If Detroit can find that move, they can swing the balance of the East in their favor and make a legitimate run to the NBA Finals. If they can’t make that move, the ceiling on this team feels like incremental progress that sees them advance past the second round and get dispatched in the Eastern Conference Finals. Maybe that finals matchup is competitive, maybe it’s a route as Detroit’s lack of a second option comes into painful focus.
Would that make for a satisfying season for Pistons fans? Probably not. However, I am glad they were willing to accept failure rather than win headlines or a news cycle. That way lies ruin. We’ve seen it in Detroit before.
It also remains true today, as it was on the final day of last season, that the Pistons have set themselves up for the chance to make a significant addition to this roster. Their books are clean, their core players are mostly in place, and they are in control of all their future picks. Cade hasn’t reached his ceiling. Ausar Thompson and Duren have not reached their ceiling. If Ron Holland is finally able to break through a bit on offense, he becomes an actual attractive trade piece and not simply a throw-in. Okorie could be the real deal and become the same.
The prognosticators, somewhat rightly, expected the Pistons to take a home run swing. They instead stepped to the plate and hit some singles and doubles. Importantly, they didn’t strike out. They will also be back up to the plate.
EL SEGUNDO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 12: Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks to the media during a press conference at UCLA Health Training Center on May 12, 2026 in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In his two seasons in charge, JJ Redick has coached many iterations and versions of the Lakers. He’s navigated a franchise-altering trade, a slew of injuries and flawed rosters.
This offseason offered a chance for the Lakers to not only build a team around Luka Dončić but also one to Redick’s liking. After back-to-back 50-win seasons under the aforementioned circumstances, what does a Redick-led team look like when it’s to his liking?
In our second mailbag piece, we look at a number of questions about Redick, schemes and bigger picture topics.
OldSchoolBaller
With all of the changes made, and could still be made, for me, the biggest storyline coming out of the offseason is: can JJ Redick pull all of these new faces together into a winning unit. His coaching chops will either be made….or not.
While I don’t think it was the intention of the question to frame it as a make-or-break season for Redick, I think it bears repeating that he has been great in his first two seasons overall. He’s had mistakes and flaws, but he’s also won 103 regular season games and an improbable playoff series.
That being said, this is a new challenge for him. He has a philosophy and, presumably, this team represents it. It may not present the challenges that previous teams did, but it will be a stress test of his philosophies.
This team has clearly prioritized offense this summer and it’s hard to imagine that not being part of Redick’s vision. It’s definitely not a make or break year for Redick, but it could be a defining one.
Section80
how worried should we be that jj is going to overplay his starters this season? what do you think his regular season rotation actually looks like… a 8 or 9 man rotation? or will he actively force developmental minutes for young guys early in the year to protect our core for the playoffs?
The team definitely has more depth this season and, as noted, have young players that need minutes. I also fully expect one more move to bring in a player who can start on the perimeter, too.
As things stand right now, I’d imagine the starting lineup is going to be Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Quentin Grimes, a player to be traded for and Walker Kessler. I also think Redick would lean toward a nine-man rotation, but I think the only players locked into minutes are Collin Sexton and Sandro Mamukelashvili.
If I were a guessing man, heading into the preseason, I’d say the other two spots right now would go to Jake LaRavia and Matisse Thybulle. If no move is made to acquire a perimeter player, then I’d imagine Mamu moves to the starting lineup and Ziaire Williams takes the last rotation spot.
That does show how open the back end of the rotation could be because Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Williams and Bronny James all have arguments to be included and all will likely get their chance.
Redick was very willing to give Dalton Knecht minutes early in his rookie season, so I think the young guys could easily earn minutes to open the year. But it’ll be a competition that very well could yield positive results in the long run.
Deathlock
Will the defense going to improve now that Lebron is gone? 😆
Walter Burns
With the new personnel, also new defensive schemes? Do they improve rebounding? Less switching?
I know the first question is written tongue-in-cheek, but I would say that LeBron played a very important role as the vocal leader defensively. What he lacked in effort during those mid-January games, he made up for by letting the guys in front of him know what’s going on. Decades of basketball had him prepared for any defense a team would run.
Kessler will have to fill that role, but others will have to step up, too. Between LeBron and Marcus Smart, this team lost vocal leadership that young players will have to replace.
As for schemes, there’s definitely going to be a lot more drop coverage. I imagine that’ll be the base coverage about 90% of the time Kessler is on the floor. Who the backup center is will determine the other coverages they run. If it’s Mamu at center, I would think there will be a lot of switching. If it’s someone they trade for, perhaps it’s more drop coverage.
When it comes to rebounding, Kessler is a better rebounder statistically than Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes, especially on the offensive glass. Who the team lands as the backup center will determine whether they improve overall in rebounding.
Coops Knee Highs
Is the move to the Coachella Valley for the G Lakers a complete relocation; meaning will the team practice, train, conduct team meetings, receive treatment there, etc. or will they do it in El Segundo while then traveling to the desert only to play the games?
There was certainly value in having the G League team in the same facility. It allowed the Lakers’ front office a chance to see the players up close. It also allowed the Lakers to semi-regularly assign players to the G League team for a practice.
Sometimes that was for seldom-used young players to get some run. Sometimes it was for LeBron James to practice during the final stages of his rehab. That was a unique advantage the Lakers had that few other teams did. It’s hard to imagine them continuing that.
They aren’t moving far away, obviously. And there will be new benefits coming in the team’s facility with the G League team gone. But it also does feel like a move made with money on the mind.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 10: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 10, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For this roundtable, I thought I’d poll the staff on the Eastern Conference elite. Here was my question: What are the top 5 teams in the East right now? (your own personal power ranking)
Ian Inangelo
My top 5 teams in the Eastern Conference are: 1. New York Knicks, 2. Philadelphia 76ers, 3. Miami Heat, 4. Boston Celtics, 5. Detroit Pistons
The Knicks are coming off a championship and although other teams in the East have made huge additions, I don’t see anyone stacking up to them at this moment. The 76ers at 2 are a testament to their acquisitions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James but their big man position still scares me a lot. The Heat are a boom or bust team when it comes to relying on Giannis to stay healthy but I feel this year he will do everything in his power to stay on the floor. The Celtics I still believe are a top 4 team in the East due to the fact they have the same core of players they did last season with Jayson Tatum who looked incredible coming off injury last year. The loss of Brown shouldn’t be understated but Tatum is still a Top 5-10 player in the league when he’s healthy and I feel a full season of Tatum as the number one option will have great results for Boston. Detroit is at 5 mostly because of my belief in Cade Cunningham as I think he is a big enough star to drag even a mediocre looking Pistons roster to a top 5 seed in the East.
Trevor Hass
You could take this many different directions. I agree with Ian’s top five, but I have the order as: Knicks, 76ers, Pistons, Celtics, Heat. I think the Knicks deserve to be the favorite until further notice, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see them struggle early in the regular season. The 76ers are the most talented team, but a lot is riding on the health of LeBron James and Joel Embiid. The Pistons are solid but aren’t quite championship-ready. The Celtics will be in the mix but will miss Jaylen Brown. The Heat will be better than people think but will lose in the first round.
Steve Hooper
Contrarian take here. I’m not sure the Boston Celtics are even in the top 5 in the Eastern Conference anymore after trading away Jaylen Brown for pennies on the dollar. Mitchell Robinson and Paul George haven’t been healthy in the last few seasons at all, which makes the grind of the 82-game regular season all that much harder. I see a pretty clear top 3: the Knicks, Sixers and Pistons. After that I can see a see a world where the Cavaliers, Pacers and Raptors could all finish ahead of us. Personally, I think one of those teams will join the Heat and Celtics in battling for the sixth seed all season to avoid the play-in.
Jake Issenberg
I will pay deference to the defending champion New York Knicks by placing them first in the power rankings. However, downgrading from Mitchell Robinson to Andre Drummond is a significant blow. I’m higher on the Celtics than most. Jayson Tatum with a full offseason to build on his miraculous recovery will have this team primed for an eastern conference run. Last season the Celtics ranked second in offense, and fifth in defense. Next season’s Celtics team will be an improved version of the 2025-2026 team. Jayson Tatum playing the Jaylen Brown role is a significant upgrade. Mitchell Robinson fills the team’s most dire need, backup big man. Then Paul George is the icing on the cake. Icing that outplayed Jaylen Brown in the 2026 playoffs. The Celtics should also see improvements from the plethora of young talent on the roster. Next up, I would have Philly. Despite there being a considerably lower defensive floor, there is a world where the stars align and they are an offensive juggernaut. I wouldn’t bet on it but for upside purposes I have the Sixers third. Assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade goes through, the Raptors are fourth. A gritty defensive pain in the ass to play every night, and they solved their half court creation concerns by adding Kawhi. Fifth, the Cavs are still too talented to fall too far down these rankings despite having a dreadful offseason.
Nate Moskowitz
Sixers 2. Knicks 3. Celtics 4. Heat 5. Pacers
I’ll admit that I don’t have a high level of confidence in the order of these teams, but I’m mostly comfortable with the group as a whole. The Pacers are the most questionable pick but with Haliburton back and Zubac in the mix they could bounce back quickly. I think it’s tricky though because this might be the deepest the conference has been in a while, at least on paper. Leaving Cleveland and Detroit off isn’t easy with how they’ve finished in recent years. The biggest swing team is Toronto which could jump substantially assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade is eventually finalized.
Grant Burfeind
Knicks Sixers Celtics Pacers Raptors
I think people are sleeping on Indiana a little. Haliburton will be back, and this is basically the same core that pushed OKC to seven games in the Finals two years ago. That’s not a team I’d be excited to see in April. Honestly, the East feels wide open in a really fun way. Cleveland is still going to be good. Detroit keeps getting better. Atlanta is intriguing. Even Washington is starting to become interesting. It feels like there are a lot more paths this season could take than there have been the last couple of years.
Robby Fletcher
I’ll go with the new-look 76ers at the top because star power sways me, especially at this stage in the offseason before fit and play style are revealed. They’re followed by the Knicks, who retained the majority of their roster but took a frontcourt blow after the loss of Mitchell Robinson.
Then it’s Boston, before being rounded out by Detroit and Atlanta. The Hawks had one of my favorite offseasons, and have built a roster filled with exceptional ball-stopping wings along with a potential new star in Kingston Flemings.
Kawhi-led Toronto and the Cavs hang on the fringes of that top-5.
Jeff Clark
The safe answer is that the Knicks and Sixers are in a tier of their own, followed by the Pistons, Celtics, and Heat in some order. I get arguments for the Raptors, Pacers, and even the Cavs as well. If pressed for a prediction, I’d probably slot the Celtics in at 4th or 5th.
However, if I’m allowed a homer moment, let me make the case for the Celtics to be the top seed in the East. The Sixers, like all super teams, could take some time to gel. Throw in injuries to Embiid, load management for LeBron, and probably some passive aggressive maneuvering by LeBron, and it could take a little longer to come together than some might think. The Knicks could have a championship hangover. The Pistons are a little sideways after flaming out in the playoffs and all the Duran drama. I don’t really buy the Giannis led Heat. Meanwhile, the Celtics are getting a full season of Tatum, on a mission to prove he’s healthy and able to lead a team without Brown. Mazzulla already proved that he can put together a regular season winner with one star and a bunch of try-hards. Plus they upgraded their bigs rotation. The 14 year old kid in me still believes this team could finish at the top of the conference. (And none of that will matter if they flame out in the playoffs again)
Rich Jensen
Well, a major question surrounds the Raptors–if the NBA invalidates Kawhi Leonard’s contract, which is the official punishment for contracts that violate the CBA, that really complicates their efforts to obtain him.
Thus, I can only go with a top four, alphabetical order: Boston, Detroit, New York and Philadelphia.
I don’t think you can say for sure who gets the fifth spot until you know what’s going on with Toronto and Kawhi.
Ryan Paice
Basing my spots off of potential playoff ability and not just regular season success, my top 5 in the East would be: 1) Knicks, 2) Sixers, 3) Celtics, 4) Heat, 5) Pistons.
The Knicks are the defending champs, and they deserve respect (even if their fans don’t). The Sixers have probably the most talented team in the league and should make waves if they enter the postseason healthy. They form a clear top tier for contention in the East.
After them, it becomes a little less clear. While the Heat have Giannis and Bam, I think they’ll be somewhat simple to gameplan against as they are currently constructed. For Detroit, Cade is great, but his surrounding cast doesn’t inspire confidence (even if they do end up re-signing Duren). While the Celtics have many questions to answer next season, I think they’re a better overall two-way team with the strategic flexibility to find advantages in most matchups, especially now that we’ve got a big bulky body in Mitchell Robinson to slow down other beefy centers — something we desperately needed in last season’s matchup against Embiid.
Bobby Manning
This has been a maddening process as I begin ranking these teams. A rock solid team will probably miss the postseason entirely in the east, which looks more like the west used to. For now, I’ll go with: Knicks, 76ers, Cavaliers, Celtics and Pistons. Boston catches a break with Detroit losing an important player in Tobias Harris and Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard addition getting placed on hold for the moment. Still, the Raptors, Hawks and Heat stand to improve over their solid seasons last year and Orlando changed its head coach in hopes of greater offensive outcomes. Prior to the LeBron James addition, I saw the Celtics maintaining their second seed status in the east, but greater competition top-to-bottom and my generally strong belief in what Philadelphia’s doing probably drops them a spot or two from where I began. The Cavs, despite their loss in the LeBron sweepstakes, should remain a regular season stalwart. The Knicks warrant belief, but watch their center depth and the classic championship hangover.
One of the game’s all-time greats, Shaquille O’Neal, pushed back on that.
“The man is not chasing a ring; he has already gotten rings the right way,” O’Neal told For the Win’s Prince Grimes in an interview. “Towards the end of your career, if you can join up and help somebody else get a ring and continue to get rings – I call it ring continuancy, not ring chasing.”
Although James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s no longer the dominant force that he was earlier in his career. James will turn 42 in late December, but, despite that, he continues to be a valuable complementary player, and one who gives the 76ers another play-making creator.
“Ring chasing would be ‘I don’t have a ring, I’ve been doing it my whole (career), now I’m going to get on a superteam to win a ring,’ ” O’Neal continued.
“Nah, somebody did ring chasing during the middle of their career, I’m not going to say no names, and it got them a couple of rings. Hey, LeBron played the right way. He put the team together in Miami. A lot of people don’t like that, but it worked. Went back to Cleveland and got one. Got one in L.A.”
Despite the contempt associated with the ring chasing term, the reality is that every single NBA player wants to win a championship. These are hyper-competitive athletes and winning a title is the culmination of their physical, mental and emotional investments.
Every player, by definition, is chasing championships.
O’Neal played 19 seasons and won four NBA titles, winning three NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards. Despite that previous success, O’Neal signed with the Celtics ahead of the 2010-11 season, joining a team that already featured Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.
“I actually did it,” O’Neal admitted. “When I went to play at Boston, I was like, ‘Hey, Kobe (Bryant) got five (championships), let me try to get five.’ I wasn’t going out there to be the man, I was just going to do my part to help them get a ring and get me number five, because when it was over, I would’ve loved to say I have five instead of four.”
Yet, with his stature in the league, most everything James does gets dissected. This decision to sign with the Sixers is no different.
Philadelphia was unceremoniously swept in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the eventual-champion New York Knicks, who snapped a 53-year title drought. NBA championships are hard to come by. And just because James joined a stacked team doesn’t guarantee anything.
“People don’t understand: when this thing is over for him, it’s going to be over,” O’Neal said. “There will never be another LeBron again.”
In theory, winning the 2026 NBA championship should have lifted all possible pressure off this Knicks team. The daunting expectations have been replaced with incredible achievement, and no member of that roster will have to worry about employment prospects or paying for a drink in New York ever again.
But life moves on, and unfortunately the hope of maintaining this championship roster can be outgunned by the realities of the NBA’s salary cap restraints. The Knicks faced this firsthand as they watched Mitchell Robinson leave for the Boston Celtics.
They’ll now have to negotiate some team-friendly extensions, primarily for Karl-Anthony Towns, but also Miles McBride, the two-way backup guard who has competed on one of the best bang-for-your-buck deals in the league these past few seasons. He became extension-eligible last December, and has until the end of this upcoming season on June 30, 2027 to ink a new deal before hitting unrestricted free agency.
So despite the victory lap this team intends to go on, the stakes are higher than ever for McBride. He secured an NBA career with his previous three-year, $13 million extension, but now he’ll be looking to secure his future as an already-established player in a contract year.
When McBride first joined the Knicks, he was a defensive specialist who saw little playing time under head coach Tom Thibodeau. Every time he saw an NBA court, his impressive shooting from college, the G-League, and the practice gym wouldn’t translate.
That all changed when New York traded for OG Anunoby, crippling their guard depth in the process and pushing McBride into a more consistent reserve role. Suddenly, he was able to find some rhythm playing real minutes and getting open looks from his star teammates.
LeonRose got McBride's extension as soon as the trade hit, making a small bet on his ability to step up and cashing out huge. McBride finished the season averaging 8.3 points in 19.5 minutes per game and shooting 41 percent from three, while still bringing that hounding defensive presence.
His next two seasons continued the trend up as his minutes and counting stats climbed. Last season was a career-high 12 points per game, with him attempting 6.6 threes per contest at a 41.3 percent clip.
New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena / Kyle Ross - Imagn Images
McBride quickly boasted the most team-friendly contract in the league -- a legitimate bench contributor and fill-in starter at the price of a late first-rounder. There were still some question marks, though.
His rim pressure is a non-threat to defenses, largely because he doesn’t have a strong enough handle to create any. He isn’t on the tail end of his career at the age of 25, but many hoped for more of a developmental jump these past few seasons that never came.
McBride’s a staunch on-ball defender of guards and can even switch on wings, but doesn’t force a great deal of turnovers or make a huge impact on help defense. This caps his ability short of being a playoff starter for a team.
Speaking of the postseason, though reliable, these flaws definitely stuck out, especially late in the 2026 run when he McBride made limited contributions. Despite this, should he enter 2027 free agency, McBride would have a number of suitors, likely at prices that the Knicks wouldn’t be able to match.
On the flip side, the Knicks are developing his replacements. Tyler Kolek is no high-level defender, but he’s proven himself a capable guard in big moments.
New York also traded for and re-signed Jose Alvarado, and drafted two interesting pieces in Tyler Nickel and Jack Kayil. Landry Shamet is returning, giving New York a host of guards who could eventually supplant McBride, lending them leverage in negotiations.
Getting this settled before the season at a price the Knicks could bear while maintaining this roster looks like a pipe dream at this point. This makes 2026-27 a major prove-it year for McBride, who New York could weigh trading over losing outright.
The thrill of the championship may last decades, but the realities of trying to win another one won’t allow the team that luxury. The Knicks have some big decisions to make, and McBride has a massive season ahead of him if he wants to earn his worth.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - APRIL 28: Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs poses for a photo after being awarded the 2025-26 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year award before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during Round One Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 28, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2025-26 player reviews! The series will look at the players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts and who played consequential minutes and/or a vital role (so no two-way players because we hardly saw them this year, no players who were traded away, and none of the deep bench centers, since they were both irrelevant and are now all gone).
If I really wanted to, I could probably copy-paste Keldon Johnson’s 2024-25 Player Review almost verbatim here, with only a few positive tweaks, and no one would be the wiser. Of course, I respect my fellow Pounders too much to do that, but it would not be that far off. Not only did KJ repeat last season by doing everything that was asked of him off the bench, but he actually improved on his few areas of weakness on his way to winning Sixth Man of the Year, beating out Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. while becoming just the second Spur to win the award, along with Manu Ginobili.
He surpassed his own Spurs record from last year for points off the bench with 1,081 points in the regular season, in large part thanks to being an iron man by appearing in all 82 games, as well an improved three-point shot. Not counting his rookie season — in which he only appeared in 17 games and broke out in the bubble — this was his second-best season from beyond the arc, where he hit 36.6%, up from 31.8% last season on a similar number of attempts. His overall FG% of 51.9 was a career-best (again, outside his rookie season), as was his finishing from 3-10 ft out at 53.6%, showing an improved ability to adjust when he couldn’t quite get all the way to the rim.
And of course, there’s his leadership. Beyond being the longest-tenured player on the team and the heart and soul of the locker room with his contagious energy and sense of humor, he was also their emotional leader on the court. Finally, one of the biggest needs for the Spurs coming into this season if they wanted to take another leap was get better in the non-Wemby minutes. Of course, it’s impossible to expect the bench to maintain the same level, but simply not falling off a cliff when he rested was all that was needed, and the second unit did more than enough of that under Keldon’s guidance — although here comes the caveat again: in the regular season.
Like Luke Kornet and every other bench player not named Dylan Harper, Johnson’s production plummeted in the playoffs. He went from a net positive in the regular season to a negative one, with his numbers dipping to 7.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting just over 40% from the floor in 18 minutes per game. About the only thing he did well enough was maintain 36% shooting from three, but on fewer attempts. He had some stretches where he came up huge, like that all-important Game 7 in OKC, where he scored 8 of his 11 points in the first four minutes of the 4th quarter as the Spurs built a cushion that would be vital for holding on down the stretch, but the Finals were especially rough, where he only averaged 4.4 points per game.
Obviously, it’s not fair to blame losing the championship entirely on one player — if we’re being brutally honest, it was the stars who bungled the final minutes, which is where the games were lost — but Johnson is among those whose image suffered a bit from the sour ending. However, we still have to pull back and remember the bigger picture of the entire season, which was a massive success and far exceeded expectations. They don’t get the second seed and make the Finals without depth and leadership, and the Sixth Man of the Year brought both in spades.
Looking ahead
It’s probably safe to say that Keldon is officially in his prime and therefore is who he is as a player at this point: a hardnosed bulldog who uses his strength to force is way to the basket and get rebounds. He added (recovered?) a level to his game by being enough of a threat from three that defenses had to respect his shot, which in turn opened driving lanes, but he could still be more consistent in that area.
Now comes the hard part that I don’t even want to discuss because I always have that favorite role player who epitomizes everything the Spurs are about. Before, it was Derrick White, and since it has been KJ. That being said, despite being a Keldon Stan, I can see the big picture. He has one year left on his contract, and while he’s already on a good deal, his next one may have to be even more team-friendly if he wants to remain a Spur after next season — if he isn’t used as a trade chip first.
My guess would be based on the offseason, the Spurs want to run back the same team next season and go for the championship again, so barring something going awry or a need for change, I don’t see a big trade during the season. But next summer might be a different story. I want Keldon to be a Spur for life, and I’m sure he does too, but he may need to take a discount to make it happen. That’s the new reality with the current CBA and ever-shrinking “middle class” of the NBA, especially for contenders who have to pay their stars then fill out with cheaper contracts. That moment of reckoning is coming for the Spurs.
In the meantime, the best thing Keldon can do is keep being himself, continue to show his importance to the club, and a make his goal for next season to be a bigger factor in the playoffs. After that, the chips will fall where they may.
Top performance
January 7 vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 27 points, 6 rebounds, 11-13 FG, 2-3 from three
I chose to go with KJ’s best regular season performance instead of playoffs to help show why he won Sixth Man of the Year, which was determined before the postseason. It was actually hard to pick one since he had several big performances off the bench (of course), but we’ll also give a shoutout to his best playoff performance, which was Game 5 vs. the Timberwolves, where he had 21 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals as part of a full team blowout.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - AUGUST 04: Philadelphia 76ers President of Operations Mike Gansey throws out the ceremonial first pitch before prior to the game between the Washington Nationals and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Derik Hamilton/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s been a busy summer for Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey. From arriving in Philly just a few months ago, to trading for Jaylen Brown and then LeBron James, he’s had a whirlwind start in the City of Brotherly Love.
It continued this week with Gansey making the rounds with the other local sports teams, stopping by an Eagles practice earlier in the week and throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Phillies game on Tuesday evening, after which he stopped by the broadcast booth with Tom McCarthy and John Kruk.
The topics were what you would imagine, as the broadcasters picked Gansey’s brain on the major headlines of the offseason. (And yes, they were sure to poke fun at him for jinxing Jesus Luzardo’s no-hitter the last time he appeared on the broadcast.)
Gansey fielded questions on luring LeBron to Philly, the impact of the Brown trade and more, providing some insight into what really went down this summer behind the scenes.
Check out some of his answers below!
Gansey on the entire organization being involved in trying to convince LeBron to choose Philly
Mike Gansey on Phillies broadcast on luring LeBron James to Philly
"The Jaylen Brown trade, if that doesn't happen I don't think we get that.
Our players did a great job. Tyrese, Joel, Nick [Nurse], our ownership, everyone tried to talk to him and sell him on Philly." pic.twitter.com/KUdb3mCIHj
“It was a month-long process, almost. I think obviously, being able to get him… the Jaylen Brown trade, if that doesn’t happen I don’t think we get that. We’re excited. I always thought we’d be in the mix there just because we had a team that could really contend with him, and obviously his relationship with some of our players. Our players did a great job. Tyrese, Joel, Nick [Nurse], our ownership—everyone tried to talk to him and sell him on Philly and obviously he picked us and we’re super excited.”
Gansey on the Jaylen Brown trade being what opened the door to seriously going after LeBron
Mike Gansey talking about how getting Jaylen Brown opened the door for LeBron
"I called Rich [Paul] right away and said 'hey, we got Jaylen, is there a chance LeBron wants to come to us?' 'This changes some things'.
“[After the Jaylen Brown trade] I called Rich [Paul] right away and said ‘hey, we got Jaylen, is there a chance Lebron wants to come to us?’ and obviously they said, you know, ‘yeah, this changes some things’. So they talked about it and then the whole process of three weeks or whatever it was, they were doing all their due diligence with LeBron, talking to all our players, other teams, their representation. It was a long process but yeah, we don’t get LeBron without Jaylen, that’s for sure.”
Gansey on what Jaylen Brown brings to the table
Mike Gansey on Phillies broadcast talking Jaylen Brown
"He's just a winner. He's a two-way player. He brings toughness, he can go get a bucket, he's been in big games, he's been the Finals MVP.
[The Celtics] had a surprise year and he carried them. He can carry a team or fit… pic.twitter.com/sneHAxJIIH
“[Brown] is just a winner. He’s got the most wins int he NBA since he came in the league, playoffs and regular season. He’s a two-way player. He brings toughness, he can go get a bucket, he’s been in big games, he’s been the Finals MVP. He can play a lot of different roles.
“And look what he did this year in Boston. Jayson Tatum was out most of the year and they had a surprise year, and he carried them. So he can carry a team or he can fit in. That’s where it’s interesting with our team with the group we’ve built now that any given night anyone can step up and be the guy.”
“He’s intense, he’s focused, he just wants to win. Talking to him a bunch since we acquired him, that’s his main focus, ‘I want to win.’ He wants to get another championship and that’s all really his focus, which is exciting.”
Gansey on LeBron James
Mike Gansey on Phillies broadcast talking LeBron James
"I don't think Philly knows what they're getting, because he's special. Our games are going to be — every game he plays in it's just like a different atmosphere that you can't replicate." pic.twitter.com/m6otLT27wL
“Having the chance to work with him in Cleveland those four years, went to four Finals, won a championship for the city of Cleveland—just being around him everyday, he’s incredible. All his stuff on the court is impressive but it’s more impressive off the court, the stuff he’s done in the community and just the family man he is.
“I don’t think Philly knows what they’re getting, because he’s special. Our games are going to be—every game he plays in it’s just like a different atmosphere that you can’t replicate.”
Gansey on what ultimately pulled LeBron to Philadelphia
Mike Gansey talks what pulled LeBron to Philly
"I think the reason why he came is Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe. Our ownership's incredible. Nick Nurse.
Then obviously the fanbase. The fans are hungry here. They're passionate. They love their sports." pic.twitter.com/s2ffBAwAej
“Maybe there’s some comfort level because we’ve worked together … but I think the reason why he came is Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe. Our ownership’s incredible. Bob Myers. Nick Nurse. So I think just top to bottom the alignment in our organization probably sold it.
“And then obviously the fanbase. The fans are hungry here. They’re passionate. Just being here two months—they love their sports.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 18: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during an All Access practice on May 18, 2025 at the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx Courts at Mayo Clinic Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
For most of last month, being a Timberwolves fan meant refreshing your browser and waiting for a grown man in Los Angeles to decide whether Minneapolis was worth his last two winters. We talked ourselves, out loud and in public, into the idea that a four-time MVP was going to pick the coldest market in the league for his farewell tour because the roster fit was kind of perfect.
Then LeBron signed with Philadelphia, and that was that.
So here’s what August looks like for Minnesota. No introductory press conference. No jersey number announcement. Instead, the thing that actually moved the needle this week was a clip out of the practice facility: Anthony Edwards on one end, LaMelo Ball on the other, and Olivia Miles getting shots up on the court next door.
I know how that reads. July workout footage is the screensaver of the sports calendar. It fills the screen when nothing is actually running. Every team in the league posts the same video of the same guy draining the same catch-and-shoot threes over the same assistant coach’s outstretched hand, and it means precisely nothing in November.
Fine. All true. Now look at the clip again anyway.
Here is the entire history of this franchise, compressed: the talent gets grown here and cashes out somewhere warmer. The issue was never that nobody good played here. The wound is that the good ones treated Minnesota as a place you pass through on your way to becoming who you were going to be. The building emptied out every summer for as long as anyone around here can remember.
So when a guard the Wolves surrendered an unprotected 2033 first and three pick swaps to acquire spends the dead middle of his offseason getting shots up in Minneapolis, at a time of year when nobody is required to be anywhere, that does not land as filler to me. He could have spent July anywhere on the planet.
They didn’t have to talk him into the room. He was already in the room.
Strip the sentiment out and the basketball case stands on its own. For the past two seasons, every conversation about this team dead-ended at the same complaint: Anthony Edwards needed help. Not because the coaching failed him, but because the roster left him no choice. With Mike Conley aging into a smaller role, Minnesota never found a second guard who could reliably run the offense. The results was that the whole operation funneled through Ant. By January of last season he was getting double-teamed on nearly 20 percent of his possessions, one of the highest rates in the league, and he still put up 28.8 a night and dragged a 49-33 team into the Western Conference Semifinals before San Antonio ended it in six.
That’s the ceiling of one man doing two jobs. LaMelo is the second job walking through the door. A 25-year-old lead guard who bends a defense before Edwards ever touches the ball is the difference between Ant hunting and Ant getting hunted. The upside is a top-tier backcourt in the sport and a shot at the first Finals trip in franchise history. The downside is real too, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. LaMelo’s injury history is the whole reason this was a gamble, and the roster is still one legitimate forward short of making defensive sense. Nothing about a July gym changes the odds on it.
But it does tell you the bet is bought in.
And then there’s the third figure in the frame. Olivia Miles, on the next court over, doing the same thing everyone else in the building was doing. The picture, taken plainly, is a Minneapolis practice facility in July with high-level basketball players in it, on purpose, at a time of year when this building used to be where people had packed up their lockers.
Yes, this is just a video. It’s the offseason. The power forward hole is unsolved, and the games that count are still a hundred-plus days out. But I’ve watched this franchise for a long time, and I know the shape of its disappointments by heart. The shape of this one isn’t one of them. The talent didn’t leave. The talent didn’t have to be begged. The talent flew back early and turned the lights on itself.
We spent all summer waiting for a name to walk through the door.
Jamal Crawford of the New York Knicks during "Reebok Now Playing" Featuring Nelly, Daddy Yankee, Mike Jones and Lupe Fiasco - After Party at Marquee in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Carley Margolis/FilmMagic)
On August 5, 2004, the Knicks acquired Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Othella Harrington, Frank Williams, Cezary Trybański, and Dikembe Mutombo.
The Knicks were already a few years into a plague of nine-straight losing seasons when Crawford’s ship reached our shore. Those teams rarely gave you much to care about. Jamal, at least, gave you a reason to look up from a book while the TV played in the background.
The former Michigan Wolverine arrived as a gifted young scorer whose imagination occasionally exceeded the structure that contained him. Drafted eighth in 2000 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, he won Sixth Man of the Year in his second season with the Knicks and would win it twice more before retiring.
It’s fair to wonder what Crawford might have become in a healthier basketball ecosystem. The Isiah Thomas years were dark, dark, dysfunctional times. During his four-plus seasons in New York, Jamal played under six different head coaches and averaged 17.6 points in 299 games before being traded to Golden State in November 2008.
There were nights when ‘J-Crossover’ rose above the morass and brought some beauty to the disorder. Like when he dropped a career-high 52 points on Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat (1/26/2007).
Crawford’s NBA career lasted 20 seasons, spread out over nine teams. In retirement, he still has a toe in the Knicks world. Last season, he served as a part-time analyst for MSG Network, covering around 10 games (filling in while Clyde enjoyed the island life). His growing national broadcasting profile may limit those appearances going forward, but whenever he returns, Crawford serves as a welcome reminder of one of the few bright lights from a particularly gloomy chapter in franchise history.
