Category: Basketball

Rocket Arena reserved one of its loudest roars of the year for a late January 30-point blowout.

That cheer wasn’t for anything that happened on the floor; it was instead for the hometown hero, who was playing possibly the last game on the court he had reigned on for over a decade.

LeBron James doesn’t break composure often, but this was different. The ovation and genuine love moved him to tears.

This stood in stark contrast to everything happening in Los Angeles. Instead of being welcomed as a hero, he was celebrated as merely a good basketball player who had his best achievements come in different uniforms.

Based on what was reported, the love he got from Cavs fans was what James really craved. And if so, this latest move is just a repeat of the mistake that had him feeling like this in the first place.

After a month of reiterating that the final chapter of his career would be about happiness and his family, LeBron chose to shamelessly ring chase with the Philadelphia 76ers — a city he has no ties to and is far from a sure thing to win a championship.

On its face, this move is surprising if James is looking for appreciation and praise.

Choosing the Cleveland Cavaliers would’ve provided the perfect storybook ending for the local kid who grew up to become the best basketball player of all-time. There would’ve been 82 more opportunities for moments like that one in January to happen. All the while, he would’ve still had a shot at competing for a championship. After all, the Cavs are just two months removed from playing in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Yet, this all operates under the assumption that James and those around him actually understood what made that connection possible in the first place. Maybe they don’t. After all, this is someone who’s spent their whole career trying to craft the greatest narrative, but has ended up weaving a convoluted tale about someone who bounces from city-to-city based on who can provide the quickest short-term gain.

So from that perspective, this move shouldn’t have been that surprising.

America’s capitalist society has long confused money and attention for cultural relevance and artistry. Commercial success is the standard movies, shows, books, and music are judged. Quality and whether there’s an actual message being conveyed through it don’t matter. This is how we find ourselves in the endless cycle of franchise reboots and empty live-action remakes of things we once loved, but have now lost the core of what made them special.

Hollywood isn’t the only one chasing the ghost of once great things.

Winning is the currency of basketball. LeBron has spent his whole career in Michael Jordan’s shadow. That was inevitable with him entering the league a year after Jordan retired. Why he’s still there now, and probably always will be in the court of public opinion, isn’t because of anything he’s done on the basketball court.

Another championship, or even two, wouldn’t change that because it was never about the rings.

People get invested in stories because they want to feel something. Sports, at their core, are just an ongoing narrative that you hope will invest you for the time you put in. Watching players and teams meet, fall, and maybe one day overcome the obstacles in their way is where the entire joy comes from. And it’s also where we get our idea of what makes someone truly great from.

This part is what James and those around him haven’t understood and probably never will. There’s more to this than just winning at all costs.

Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s greatness came from their play, but also the continuity of their stories. The bond between player, team, and city went through peaks and valleys, but it persisted for decades. The endurance of that marriage made their triumphs more meaningful for everyone and easier to appreciate for outside observers.

LeBron and the athletes who followed his lead threw that playbook out the window. Instead of enduring the natural ups and downs of an organization, they took control of their own narratives.

There are benefits to that. James probably doesn’t win consecutive championships in 2012 and 2013 if he doesn’t join the Miami Heat. Kevin Durant isn’t a back-to-back Finals MVP if he doesn’t go to the Golden State Warriors.

Those choices are completely understandable and what I would do if in that position. Taking ownership of your situation instead of leaving it up to people who may not have your best interests in mind makes sense, but that doesn’t mean the general public has to like it. Every choice, even logical ones, has drawbacks.

Everything LeBron has done throughout his career has been calculated. He’s constantly thought one or two steps ahead of everyone else to put himself and his brand in the best position to succeed. That includes surrounding himself with the best teammates and situations on and off the court to lead to winning. But again, even calculated moves have consequences.

If success is just about winning and making money, then there’s no viable criticism for anything LeBron has done, including this move. After all, LeBron’s Sixers jersey has already sold out. His brand will grow in a large coastal market, which will certainly open up new business ventures. On top of that, the Sixers should do plenty of winning on the court. However, winning alone doesn’t buy adoration. If it could, Durant wouldn’t feel the need to continue making burner accounts to defend his honor.

James found this out during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers.

What was supposed to be an expansion of his kingdom ended up being an eight-year footnote. He won a championship, put his name on top of the scoring list, and shared the court with his son. All of those things should’ve been celebrated as once-in-a-generation achievements, but they weren’t. He — predictably — didn’t get the treatment from the fans or team personnel that Kobe did at the end of his two decades spent in one uniform. Not even close, which reportedly influenced him to leave.

James now seems destined to repeat that mistake in another city that has no connection to him. If the Sixers win, the credit will go to Philadelphia’s guys, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. And if they lose, that will fall on LeBron.

By making this entirely about winning one more ring, LeBron has validated the narrative that he’s still chasing Jordan because of the title count. It’s an admission that he isn’t viewed as the greatest, despite being better at basketball than anyone else who’s ever lived.

LeBron doesn’t owe anyone anything. He especially doesn’t owe anything to Northeast Ohio after all he’s done for the community. But viewing things through that prism misses the entire point of why sports matter.

In an idealistic world, you’d like to think the bond between an athlete and a city is what drives decisions. I’m not naive enough to think that it actually does — but there are exceptions to that rule. LeBron and Cleveland seemed to be one in that January moment, and when he yelled “Cleveland, this is for you!” with tears in his eyes after delivering the city’s first championship in over half a century.

This latest decision, and whatever comes down the line, don’t change what happened in the past. Relationships aren’t static. They’re always evolving.

The bond between Cleveland and LeBron will endure past this. He will still return as a hero at some point. Yet, it does complicate things further than they already were.

How James’s last game in Cleveland will look is anyone’s guess. It could come in an inconsequential regular-season game. Maybe this whole summer is swept under the rug, as we do with Jordan’s Wizards jersey. Or, it could come in one of the last games of the conference finals with James trying to end the season in the one place he still calls home. That situation wouldn’t be swept under the rug as quickly.

What we can say with certainty is that moment on that cold January night in Cleveland won’t be replicated again there. At least, not while James is still wearing a jersey. It probably won’t happen at his new home court in Philadelphia either, based on how we’ve seen this story play out in the past. That is the true cost of this last-ditch attempt at one more championship.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The pressure was on Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka this summer to build a roster around Luka Dončić. He didn’t disappoint.

Pelinka went to work, first executing a trade to bring Walker Kessler before signing Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Quentin Grimes.

Those were the bigger moves done, but the Lakers weren’t finished. They also added another center in Kevon Looney and some wing depth with Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle while continuing to monitor Jonathan Kuminga’s free agency.

Considering the whirlwind of activity, for our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans if their opinion on Pelinka has changed. The results are in, and his approval is up.

This was a good summer for Pelinka. He finally landed an A-list center, a need since before the Anthony Davis trade.

Doing that alone probably makes this a good offseason. When you also add in that the Lakers were able to keep Austin Reaves and added a ton of new young talent, it’s clear why fans are happy with Pelinka.

And it’s not just fans that are pleased with the changes as Dončić is excited about the moves. Considering that he’s the franchise player, that’s good news for Pelinka.

The Lakers didn’t just try to run it back with an old team that was fourth in the Western Conference. Instead, Pelinka made bold moves to shake up the roster.

Another positive for Pelinka, based on this poll, is that only 5% have a worse view of him. That’s a relatively low number and is more evidence that fans have approved of the job he’s done this summer.

In the end, though, what matters most is what ownership thinks of Pelinka and how the Lakers perform this season.

Still, it’s always a plus to have support from the fans. With all the moves Pelinka has made, he is currently in their good graces and that’ll continue to be true if the Lakers play well during this upcoming season.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has entered a new chapter in his career, joining the Miami Heat after 13 years and one NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks. While Antetokounmpo has said he is ready to embrace the opportunities ahead, he has also openly expressed some concerns as he prepares to take on a leading role in Miami.

In a candid conversation on the Greek podcast AnesTea The Podcast with Anestis Evangelopoulos, Antetokounmpo explained that leaving Milwaukee was a difficult but necessary step for his professional growth.

Despite acknowledging the necessity of this next chapter with the Heat, Antetokounmpo expressed hope that he might one day return to Milwaukee, "if they would have me."

"I love the city of Milwaukee," he said. "When the Miami chapter comes to an end – I don’t know when that will be, but it will happen because I’ll retire at some point – I hope I can return to Milwaukee."

Warriors fans will forever imagine what could have been had LeBron James chose to play in the Bay Area.

Would Golden State have won a title? Probably not.

But the next two seasons for the Warriors would have been a movie. Everyone knew it, including James.

On the Game Over podcast, Rich Paul discussed how difficult it was for the 41-year-old to say no to the Warriors.

“That was a very tough one,” Paul told co-host Max Kellerman.

“Who wouldn’t want to play with Steph Curry and Draymond Green in the Bay Area?” he added.

The Warriors were once seen as the favorite to sign James this summer after rumors swirled surrounding a trade for Anthony Davis. That would have given the veteran a chance to reunite with one of his former teammates while also taking the court with Steph Curry following their magical gold medal run at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

But the Washington Wizards were content to keep Davis and the Warriors weren’t willing to strike a deal for the big man. That left Golden State as a dark horse in the sweepstakes for James.

LeBron ultimately chose to sign a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers after a month-long free agency saga that left the league holding its breath.

The NBA’s all-time leading scorer will likely end his career in Philadelphia as he pursues one last NBA championship before retirement.

Golden State is left with a glaring hole on the roster and James joining the Warriors is, as they say, history.

Fifteen years ago, amid another promising summer, an Eagles backup quarterback named Vince Young surveyed the talent on hand – new acquisitions like himself, Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Jason Babin, added to a Michael Vick-led core – and declared the Birds a “Dream Team.”

Turned out that none of the new guys (least of all Vince Young) made a significant difference. Those Eagles finished 8-8, then tumbled to 4-12 the following season, spelling the end of the Andy Reid Era.

The point being that we all need to pump the brakes on what the addition of LeBron James might mean for your 76ers. That as rosy as things appear to be, it might all prove to be a summertime dream.

But sure, have your fun. Marvel at a roster that, following the additions of LeBron, Jaylen Brown and others now features players who have won five MVP trophies (four by LBJ), made 29 All-NBA teams (21 by James) and appeared in 36 All-Star Games (22 by his ownself).

Rest assured, this team is as talented as any the Sixers have ever assembled. It rivals the Julius Erving–Moses Malone 1982-83 team, the last one to win a title, and the ‘66-67 championship bunch, which started three Hall of Famers in Wilt Chamberlain, Chet Walker and Hal Greer and brought another, Billy Cunningham, off the bench. (The other starters, Luke Jackson and Wali Jones, weren’t too shabby, either.)

And certainly the mission is clear – especially to the 41-year-old James. He tweeted Friday that after this past season, the last of eight he spent with the Lakers and the 23rd of his career, he thought his playing days were over. But then he added the following: “I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship. I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time.”

Still, there are questions. Of course there are questions. Questions about fit and ego. About spacing and sharing. About who will take, much less make, a big shot from downtown. (Check the three-point percentages of potential Sixers starters not named Tyrese Maxey or VJ Edgecombe.)

And the biggest of all is this: What can they get out of Joel Embiid? How much will he play, and how effective will he be?

After all this time and all these roster machinations, that is the long and short of it: They need the big fella to deliver … something. That does not mean they need vintage, MVP-level Embiid; that guy doesn’t exist anymore. What it does mean is that they need him on the floor, engaged and efficient, when it matters most. Because even in an era when the center position has been devalued, a capable big is still a must. And after Embiid, all the Sixers have are Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti.

Certainly those guys will see their share of action. Embiid, 32, has played 96 of a possible 246 games the last three seasons, including 38 in 2025-26. And certainly Nick Nurse can spackle over Embiid’s regular-season absences by using a center-less closing lineup. (You will recall, for instance, that there were times Boston used Brown as a center on defense against the Sixers.)

But to navigate the postseason company they now figure to keep, they will need Embiid. While it is obvious that his creaky knees will not allow him to be what he once was, he can still be an on-court presence. He can still counter the Karl-Anthony Townses of the world (and, if it comes to that, the Chet Holmgrens and Victor Wembanyamas as well). Even at this late stage of his career, Embiid can be the difference between a berth in the conference finals and something far, far greater, no matter who is arrayed around him.

It is not a question of whether the Sixers will be good this season. It is, rather, a question of how good. And to be at their very best – to be something more than a summertime dream – they will need to maximize Embiid. For all the talent they have, there is no one else like him on the roster, even now. He still holds the key to what they might become.

A lot has been said about homecomings this offseason. Kyle Lowry retiring a Raptor, Kawhi Leonard in limbo, but ostensibly one step away from joining the team. However, all this talk about the greatest Raptors has left me feeling like there’s something missing. And that’s because my favourite Raptor of all-time might potentially be back on a squad, facing off against his greatest rival in LeBron James. And I’m here for all 82 games of it.

DeMar DeRozan has had a long NBA career that has, frankly, been characterized by unfortunate flame-outs in Toronto, unrealized team potential in Chicago, and being traded away from the Raptors in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and our championship. In many ways, I feel that this is the Faustian bargain or original sin of the Raptors, that we had 20 years of stars wanting to leave, and we traded one of the only stars that wanted to stay so we could win. But now, things are different, and it looks like we might be able to have our cake and eat it too.

Earlier this month, Shams Charania reported that DeMar DeRozan was waived after the Kings couldn’t trade him, meaning that their most reliable scorer would be hitting the open market, and potentially, making his way back to Canada. Insider Jake Fischer has suggested that this certainly could be the case, with DeMar on a veteran’s minimum potentially heading either North to Toronto or South to South Beach.

DeRozan has always been adamant about his love for Toronto, and I believe that if he had never been traded, he’d never have left the team. And I think now, the best thing for both parties here is to get DeRozan back – ideally off the bench – and try and make a push for a championship. Toronto would be a crowded place for him, with Kawhi theoretically slotting in at the 3 ahead of DeRozan. Kind of like moving into your ex-wife’s basement while she lives on the main floor with her new guy. But, I believe that professional maturity will win out, and DeMar could successfully embrace a reserve role and do very well in it. I like DeMar for a lot of reasons. The guy is California Cool. He’s played in the Michael Jordan archetype, dropping in middies and dunks that scratches the old-school itch for me. He’s upfront about mental health, and wrote a damn good book on the subject. And he reps Toronto better than maybe anyone else ever has.

Bill Russell said it best: “What these young bloods have to understand… that this game has always been, and always will be, about buckets.” And Toronto does a lot of things really, really well. Defending, passing, playing team basketball. But when it comes to getting buckets? Sometimes, that just doesn’t seem like a priority for us. The whole point of getting Kawhi Leonard is doing just that, getting someone to score and do the heavy lifting our guys can’t quite do. And from a bench perspective, DeMar DeRozan might be the best guy for that. Our most productive bench scorer was Sandro Mamukelashvili, who averaged 11 points in 22 minutes. I find it hard to believe that with him and Gradey Dick gone, Demar couldn’t give us at least 15 off the bench and be a real flamethrower. Since 2011, DeRozan has made his living off of being able to score, and even at 36, he can still do just that.

For me, this isn’t just a basketball decision. It’s a morale pick: it’ll be good for the fans and good for the city to have a star from the days of a real, entrenched culture of Raptors Basketball to be back. I’m not suggesting we go back to We The North; those days are long gone. But, DeRozan still has gas left in the tank, and to have him get one last chance to team up with Lowry, to play actual meaningful basketball (sorry Kings), and to have a chance to exorcise his demons on the hardwood would be a really great thing for everyone involved. But, the matter that now looms over a potential DeRozan return is the new reality of the old wolf of the Eastern Conference, LeBron James, back in his old hunting grounds for at least 2 more years.

I am not someone who wants to sit around defending the Raptors’ playoff collapses of yore, but we were being quite simply outmatched and outclassed by what the Akron Hammer in his prime was doing. And now, we seem to be staring down the barrel of the most loaded Philadelphia team that’s been assembled since 1983. LeBron James has been the kryptonite of the Toronto Raptors, and of DeMar DeRozan at that. But, at the same time – James is getting older, and would not be feasting on a young Raptors squad. Rather, he’d be facing off against the team he lost his 10-point streak against, a team that would be adding Kawhi Leonard, a player he famously doesn’t like to play against, paired with Scottie Barnes, for some of the most suffocating forward defence in the league. All that’s been said by the front office about assembling a real two-way team is going to be put to the test in the crucible that is Philadelphia this year. But, with a good enough team around him, it’s entirely possible that DeMar DeRozan could use his talents and make it to the NBA Finals, and past LeBron James, finally closing a chapter in a book written in blood, that is shamefully titled “LeBronto.”

Bench spots in Philadelphia just became much more appealing.

Ex-LeBron James teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is negotiating a buyout with the Grizzlies with the plan to sign with the 76ers and reunite with the future Hall of Famer, according to Chris Haynes.

The 33-year-old previously exercised his $21.6 million player option for the 2026-27 season in June.

Caldwell-Pope and LeBron spent three seasons together with the Lakes from 2018-21, helping deliver the franchise’s last championship in 2020.

They also have shared the same representation in Klutch Sports.

Caldwell-Pope added another championship to his resume in 2023 with the Nuggets, but would be slated for a backup role with the 76ers.

Philadelphia would hope that the veteran could provide strong shooting and defense in a reserve role, although he’s coming off a down year from beyond the arc.

Caldwell-Pope made just 31.6 percent of his 3-point attempts, a notable dip from his 40.3 percent five-year average spanning the 2019-20 season to 2023-24 campaign.

A change of scenery could perhaps help after Caldwell-Pope played for a poor Grizzlies team, and he averaged 8.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game spanning 21.3 minutes last season.

Memphis acquired Caldwell-Pope last year in the blockbuster that sent Desmond Bane to the Magic, with the former lasting just one season with Orlando after signing a three-year, $66 million deal in 2024.

The idea of veterans joining James-led teams is not a new concept, with veterans on the downside of their career often joining contenders in hope of winning another ring.

Philadelphia has an incredible starting five featuring James, former MVP Joel Embiid, star guard Tyrese Maxey, ex-Finals MVP Jaylen Brown and emerging second-year guard VJ Edgecombe, but recent NBA history has shown that teams need deep benches to make sustained postseason runs.

Caldwell-Pope is set to join a 76ers reserve unit that potentially features Anfernee Simmons, first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr., Dean Wade and ex-Knick Ariel Hukporti.

LeBron James wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t care about money when assessing his options in NBA free agency. Any team in the league could have landed James for essentially the veteran’s minimum if they could make the case that they gave him the best chance to win a fifth championship.

In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron sweepstakes. James is joining a lineup that already includes Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. The bench is pretty strong too with Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, and Ariel Hukporti. I predicted the Sixers were the favorites to sign James last weekend, but it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.

The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have to be heartbroken over James’ decision. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves must be kicking themselves that they couldn’t make a couple more moves to woo LeBron. Do the Boston Celtics suddenly regret the shocking Jaylen Brown to Philly trade that set LeBron’s decision into motion?

I released by way-too-early NBA power rankings two weeks ago, and now they’re already irrelevant after LeBron’s decision. With the Oklahoma City Thunder also trading Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, it feels appropriate to refresh the rankings. Here’s our latest power rankings for the 2026-2027 NBA season. One note: this is based on championship chances, not regular season performance. We’ll have more notes on the changes after the table.

Let’s dive into some changes from the last edition of power rankings.

The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade

The Thunder traded Lu Dort to save on their tax bill, and even Sam Presti admitted as much. I thought Dort was borderline unplayable late in the playoffs last year with a shaky handle, poor passing vision, and an inconsistent three-point stroke, but his defense was still impactful to opponents who feared his physicality. Losing Dort means more minutes for Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain, which should be a very good thing for OKC. It also means some of the young guns need to step up behind them, and the pressure is now on Nikola Topic and Bennett Stirtz, as well as Aday Mara and Thomas Sorber, to turn into decent rotation pieces.

I thought about moving OKC off the No. 1 spot with this update. The Spurs whooped them all season, right? The Knicks deserve the benefit of the doubt after a championship run, don’t they? The thing that keeps bringing me back to OKC is that we didn’t really get to see this team fully healthy all year, not with Jalen Williams and Mitchell both suffering untimely injuries. I hate the way Chet Holmgren looks in the Spurs matchup against Victor Wembanyama, but to me he’s still a top-15 player against anyone else. At the end of the day, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still the best guard in the game, and I’ll take my chances with him fully in his prime.

There is part of me that thinks losing Dort could be addition by subtraction for the Thunder. Their season will be determined by Williams’ health, Holmgren’s mindset, and Mitchell’s ability to level up again. I still think this is the strongest roster in the NBA, so they’re No. 1 entering the season to me.

The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?

I don’t love the fit with LeBron on the Sixers. Sorry. There are a lot of guys here at their best with the ball in their hands, with Philly’s five projected starters totaling 140% in usage rate. The defense is even more worrisome. Scaling down can be as hard as scaling up, and I just don’t think Jaylen Brown or Joel Embiid as it in their game to do it. Those two will need to prove me wrong for Philly to walk away from this season with a championship.

Can Brown adjust to a more off-ball role where he maximizes his three-point rate and locks in off-the-ball defensively? He only hit 33.1% on 2.5 catch-and-shoot attempts from three per game last year, and he’s always been inattentive defensively when he’s not guarding the ball. Can Embiid forgo his need for post touches and instead use most of his energy to get back to being a monster rim protector? I’m skeptical he’s interested in doing that. The Celtics shopped Brown to the entire NBA and no one wanted him enough to beat Philly’s offer. LeBron is seeing something that the nerds in rival front offices aren’t seeing, and that makes this move feel like a big bet on “Jaylen Brown, the superstar” as much as anything else.

The media is going to expect this team to be really good, but there’s quite a bit of downside here. James is going to need to have a big time shooting season after hitting just 31.7% from deep last year. He’s going to need to push himself as a leader to get Brown and Embiid to buy into their best roles. I still trust LeBron’s ability to problem-solve in the biggest moments, and this team will need it. I like Philly a lot better as a playoff team than a regular season team, but only if they’re healthy. That’s a big if with this collection.

Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision

Don’t look now, but the Heat and Cavs might be fighting to just get out of the play-in tournament after LeBron decided against a reunion with both franchises.

The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their depth is poor and they don’t really have any future assets left to continue building out the team. Miami is always so good at developing players on the margins, and this will be the biggest test yet of their ability to do it again. The Cavs are coming off a decidedly unconvincing run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they’ve only gotten worse this summer. Dean Wade is gone, and the only addition to the roster is second-round pick Meleek Thomas. I don’t care how great Thomas looked in summer league, this roster is in big trouble, and James choosing to go elsewhere is a huge indictment.

I’m liking the Hawks roster as much or more than the Heat and Cavs’. With New York, Philly, Boston, and Toronto (assuming they land Kawhi) all looking like better regular season teams, the pressure is on the front offices for Miami and Cleveland to pull a rabbit out of their hat at some point to up their ceiling and give their teams a real chance come playoff time.

Yes. He can. Next question.

…

Oh, you’re still here? You want an explanation?

…

I’ll start by saying we’re officially in the summer cycle of speculation. So I guess I have the time to give you one.

As we enter the void where there’s no basketball for the next two and a half months, all we can do is sit around, think through different scenarios, and debate why they will or won’t work. It’s very similar to what we did last offseason, when we tried to project what a team featuring both Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks would look like in the post-Kevin Durant era. 

Now we find ourselves asking whether acquiring Miles Bridges was the right basketball move to help elevate the Suns’ offense. After all, this was a team that finished 26th in points scored last season and 28th in field goal percentage. While I facetiously answered the question of whether Miles Bridges can elevate the offense by simply saying, “Yes,” the reality is far more layered than that.

There are two truths here. First, we won’t know the answer until we actually see it. Second, it won’t be a perfect fit, because there’s no such thing as a perfect fit. If you operate under that premise, there’s a flaw in the thinking. Perfection isn’t a destination you ever reach. Every roster construction comes with strengths and weaknesses, tradeoffs and compromises.

There are aspects of Miles Bridges’ game that will unquestionably make the Suns better. There are also areas where he falls short, and those deficiencies could create challenges for Phoenix. Overall, I believe his acquisition trends in a positive direction for the Suns’ offense.

To comprehend who Bridges is on the court, I think it’s important to start by looking backward before looking forward. We need to look at who he was in Charlotte and what his role was. We’ll dive into shooting percentages, eFG’s, shot profiles, and all of the numbers that help paint the picture, but those statistics don’t exist in a vacuum. They were shaped by the environment in which he played prior to landing at Sky Harbor. Understanding that context is essential if we’re going to fairly evaluate what Bridges might become with the Suns.

Bridges, the 12th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has spent his entire career adapting to change. The team that drafted him featured Kemba Walker in his final season with the Hornets and Tony Parker in the final year of his career. The following offseason, Charlotte pivoted. Walker departed, the franchise shifted toward a younger core, and Devonte’ Graham and Terry Rozier became the primary offensive options. Bridges responded by starting 64 of his 65 games and averaging 13.0 points in his sophomore season.

The next year brought even more change. LaMelo Ball arrived as the No. 3 overall pick, Gordon Hayward signed in free agency, and P.J. Washington took over as the starting power forward, pushing Bridges into a reserve role. A season later, he was back in the starting lineup and leading the Hornets in scoring, averaging 20.2 points while starting all 80 games he played. Then came his self-induced interruption as Bridges missed the entire 2022–23 season following his domestic violence case. 

After returning, he averaged a career high 21.0 points per game, once again adjusting to a roster that had changed around him. That’s my point. There has been very little stability or continuity throughout Bridges’ NBA career.  The pieces around him have constantly shifted. Lottery pick after lottery pick arrived in Charlotte. His role changed from complementary starter to leading scorer, from sixth man back to featured option. Through all of it, he continued to produce.

He’s played for multiple head coaches on teams searching for an identity, yet he leaves Charlotte with career averages of 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 stocks while shooting 46% from the field, 34% from three, and 83% from the free throw line.

So that’s who Miles Bridges was. The question we’re really trying to answer is who he’s going to be. For the first time in his career, he’ll be playing alongside Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks in the starting lineup. He’s in a new city, with a new organization, surrounded by teammates who are coming off a playoff appearance, something Bridges never experienced during his seven seasons in Charlotte.

So what does that mean? It starts with understanding who he’s replacing.

The majority of the starts at that position last season belonged to Royce O’Neale, who shot an outstanding 40% from three across his 67 starts. But while O’Neale was efficient, he averaged 9.9 points on 8.2 field goal attempts per game (as a starter). He simply wasn’t asked to shoulder a significant offensive workload. Royce was the fourth option. He spaced the floor, lived in the corners, and served as the release valve whenever Devin Booker and Jalen Green bent the defense.

Miles Bridges won’t be that. He brings his own gravity. And that’s the first reason I believe he’ll positively impact the Suns’ offense.

Royce was one of the team’s most efficient three-point shooters, but he wasn’t one of its highest volume shooters. Among the 10 Suns players who started at least 10 games last season, O’Neale ranked seventh in field goal attempts per game. When you add in the fact that 82% of his attempts as a starter came from beyond the arc, it paints the picture of a very one-dimensional shot profile. It was an efficient role. It just wasn’t one that consistently stressed opposing defenses.

The second factor is Dillon Brooks. Brooks averaged 17.1 field goal attempts per game last season, and while that number was understandable given the circumstances, it was probably a little too high. That’s not a knock on Brooks. He spent a significant portion of the season playing without Devin Booker or Jalen Green in the lineup, forcing him to shoulder a larger offensive burden. With Miles Bridges now in the starting lineup, that shot profile should normalize. Prior to arriving in Phoenix, Brooks averaged 12.5 field goal attempts per game over seven seasons with the Grizzlies and Rockets. That’s much closer to the role he should occupy moving forward.

And that’s my first reason for believing Bridges will elevate the Suns’ offense. The shots he’ll absorb will come from two places: the 8.2 attempts Royce O’Neale leaves behind and the handful of attempts Brooks no longer has to force. Those are simply more dynamic offensive possessions than the Suns had available last season. 

If you combine the production of Brooks and O’Neale from last season, they posted an effective field goal percentage of 53.6%. Bridges owns a career effective field goal percentage of 53.0%. That’s essentially a wash. If we project Bridges to average roughly 14.2 field goal attempts per game, using his career shooting profile of 12.9 attempts and 5.2 three-point attempts per game, his career efficiency projects to approximately 15.1 points per game. That’s about five more points than Royce O’Neale provided as a starter last season.

Is this a simplified exercise? Absolutely. There are plenty of variables a calculator can’t account for. My goal isn’t to create a perfect projection. It’s to quantify the type of offensive impact Bridges could have within this roster. At the end of the day, if the question is whether Miles Bridges is a better overall offensive player than Royce O’Neale despite being a less accurate three-point shooter, I think the answer is clearly yes. He provides far more optionality.

That leads to the second reason I believe he’ll improve the Suns’ offense. Miles Bridges puts pressure on the rim.

Analytics will tell you that three is worth more than two over the course of a season, and they’re right. But basketball is still rooted in common sense. The closer you are to the basket, the easier it is to score. Bridges has built his career on understanding that. Since entering the NBA, nearly half of his shot attempts, 48.7%, have come at the rim, where he’s converted 59.4% of them. Compare that to Royce O’Neale, who took only 13% of his shots at the rim last season. That’s a massive difference in offensive profile.

That leads to the second reason I believe he’ll improve the Suns’ offense. Miles Bridges puts pressure on the rim. Analytics will tell you that three is worth more than two over the course of a season, and they’re right. But basketball is still rooted in common sense. The closer you are to the basket, the easier it is to score. Bridges has built his career on understanding that. Since entering the NBA, nearly half of his shot attempts, 48.7%, have come at the rim, where he’s converted 59.4% of them. Compare that to Royce O’Neale, who took only 13% of his shots at the rim last season. That’s a massive difference in offensive profile.

Bridges can create his own shot. He can put the ball on the floor, attack the paint, and finish through contact. Last season, the only Suns player who consistently created that kind of downhill pressure was Jalen Green, and he only appeared in 32 games.

Bridges isn’t a player who simply parks himself in the corner waiting for a kick out. He’s someone who forces defenses to react. Opponents still have to respect him as a three-point shooter, even as a career 34% shooter, but they also have to account for his ability to attack the basket, cut into the dunker spot, and beat defenders off the dribble. That changes how the entire defense rotates. When Royce O’Neale was spaced in the corner, one defender stayed attached to him, and the rest of the defense could remain focused elsewhere. If O’Neale had the ball, Booker’s defender could stay glued to Booker because help defense usually wasn’t necessary.

That’s not the case with Miles Bridges. When Bridges catches the ball on the perimeter, secondary defenders have decisions to make. Do they stay home on Booker? Or do they slide over to help against Bridges’ drive? Those split-second decisions matter. And when both Bridges and Jalen Green are capable of collapsing the defense off the dribble, it becomes much harder for opponents to load up on Devin Booker. The help has to come from somewhere, and every rotation creates another opening for one of the league’s best scorers.

I  understand this isn’t a perfect fit. The biggest concern is the three-point shooting. I like the optionality of adding someone who can space the floor while also putting pressure on the defense by attacking the rim, but it would certainly be easier if Bridges were a better three-point shooter. That’s one of the biggest perceived challenges facing the Suns this season. Four players on the roster attempted more than five three-pointers per game last year and shot below 35% from deep. There’s a legitimate reason for concern.

That said, I think there’s another side to the conversation. If this team truly commits to attacking the basket, if it climbs from 30th in the NBA in shot attempts within five feet of the rim, those paint touches should naturally create cleaner looks from beyond the arc. Whether the Suns convert those opportunities will ultimately determine how successful they are, but improved shot quality matters. And with lineup combinations featuring Collin Gillespie and Luke Kennard, the hope is that Phoenix can still be a respectable three-point shooting team.

Last season, the Suns finished fifth in the NBA in three-point attempts but only 12th in three-point percentage. I’d like to see more offensive balance. How many times did it feel like the offense settled for a contested three late in games when attacking the rim and forcing contact probably would have been the better decision? That’s where Bridges changes the equation. He may not be an elite three-point shooter, but he gives Phoenix another player capable of creating offense inside the arc instead of simply waiting beyond it.

The other area worth mentioning is rebounding. Bridges isn’t an elite rebounder, so this isn’t a major upgrade in that department. Last season, he posted a 10.6% total rebound percentage and a 3.6% offensive rebound percentage. Royce O’Neale finished at 9.3% and 2.9%, respectively. There is improvement there, but not enough to fundamentally change who the Suns are on the glass. That’s important because Phoenix’s starting lineup ranked 20th in total rebounds and 21st in rebound percentage last season. The one bright spot was offensive rebounding, where the starters ranked seventh in the NBA. So while Bridges should help in a variety of ways offensively, rebounding remains an area where the Suns still have room to grow.

As I see it, the addition of Miles Bridges brings far more complexity and optionality than the Suns had with Royce O’Neale in the starting lineup. Royce was a one-trick pony. He was damn good at that one trick, but he didn’t shoot with enough volume (nor was he asked to) to make a significant impact from the power forward position. His inability to put the ball on the floor and create offense ultimately limited parts of the Suns’ attack because opposing defenses didn’t have to account for him beyond the initial closeout. That’s where Bridges changes the equation.

Ultimately, Phoenix has to become a more efficient offensive team. That’s the needle they have to move. Ironically, it’s the same conversation I found myself having last season. How do the Suns become more efficient from their primary scorers? This time, however, the answer isn’t centered on the stars. It’s centered on the complementary pieces around them. The Suns are replacing a secondary offensive player with someone who may be slightly less efficient on a per-shot basis but projects to generate more points, create more scoring opportunities, and command far more defensive attention.

That’s why I believe Miles Bridges elevates Phoenix’s offense. He adds versatility. He adds pressure. Not necessarily at the point of attack, but in the split-second decisions secondary and tertiary defenders have to make. Do they help? Do they stay home? Do they rotate? Do they gamble? In the NBA, that’s all it takes. One hesitation. One late rotation. One defender making the wrong read for half a second. That’s enough for great offenses to capitalize, and I believe Bridges gives the Suns more opportunities to create those moments than they had a season ago.

There’s one thing you can’t quantify with effective field goal percentage, three-point attempt rate, or any advanced metric. It’s the way Miles Bridges plays. His grit. His tenacity. His motor. Brian Gregory spoke about those qualities during Bridges’ introductory press conference, and I think they align perfectly with what the Suns are trying to become.

This is a team that wants to hustle. A team that wants to apply pressure and dictate the pace rather than allowing opponents to do it to them. They want to be the fly in the ointment, the team you circle on the schedule because you know you’re going to be in for a physical, exhausting night.

That’s who Miles Bridges has been throughout his career. You may think he’s a little undersized. You may not love his three-point percentage. Those are fair criticisms. What you’ll grow to appreciate is the way he competes. He cares about how he plays the game. He plays hard every possession. He attacks with purpose, and his effort rarely fluctuates. Those are qualities that don’t show up in a box score, but they influence winning just the same. More importantly, they’re exactly the type of habits Phoenix is trying to instill throughout the organization.

Veteran players establish culture. Young players absorb it. If the Suns are serious about building an identity rooted in effort, physicality, and relentless energy, Bridges is the kind of player who reinforces those standards every time he steps on the floor. That’s why I believe he’ll elevate the Suns offensively. Not simply because of the shots he’ll make, but because of the pressure, movement, and controlled chaos he’ll create every possession he’s on the floor.

The fit won’t be flawless, and the shooting concerns are real. But Phoenix didn’t acquire Bridges to replicate what Royce O’Neale provided. They acquired him to expand what the offense can become. More rim pressure. More creation. More difficult decisions for opposing defenses. Bridges doesn’t solve every problem, but he changes the questions defenses have to answer. For a Suns offense searching for greater balance and efficiency, that represents meaningful progress.

The Washington Wizards have very recently finished their 2026 NBA Summer League campaign. In our SB Nation Reacts survey for this week, we asked you to grade them.

Check out the X post below.

FanDuel will probably not predict that the Wizards are winning a championship next season. But I’m happy to see that over 80 percent of fans give the Wizards good grades for their summer performance, even if AJ Dybantsa only played two games.

Well, it was fun while it lasted, huh?

So LeBron James isn’t a Timberwolf. That’s unfortunate. But life moves on! We checked the rules and the Minnesota Timberwolves will, in fact, still need to participate in the 2026-2027 NBA season without The King. Wolves-centered publications can all stop writing offseason filler content about him, so I think we can all agree to be happy about that.

Let’s move on to the next overplayed commonly discussed topic of the season: Who will be the stopgap fifth starter for the Timberwolves?

Barring another vintage Tim Connelly surprise before the start of the season, the Wolves currently have filled 16 of their 18 maximum roster spots (including the two-way spots). They have just about enough money to spend on a minimum contract or two for the last openings if they wish to stay under the second apron.

Let’s do a quick review in order of contract size (percent of cap):

1. Anthony Edwards (29.7%)
2. LaMelo Ball (24.7%)
3. Rudy Gobert (22.1%)
4. Jaden McDaniels (15.9%)
5. Ayo Dosunmu (11.7%)
6. Josh Green (8.9%)
7. Donte DiVincenzo (7.6%)
8. Joan Beringer (2.7%)
9. Jaylen Clark (1.9%)
10. Bones Hyland (1.7%)
11. TJ Shannon (1.7%)
12. Trey Lyles (1.5%)
13. Isaiah Evans (1.5%)
14. (Vacant)
15. (Vacant)

1. Rocco Zikarsky (TW)
2. Zyon Pullin (TW)
3. Enrique Freeman (TW)

There isn’t a traditional “power forward” that jumps off that list to join Ball, Edwards, McDaniels, and Gobert. You can make the argument that the only player who naturally plays that position is recently signed Trey Lyles, who is on a veteran minimum contract and was not on an NBA roster last season.

This conversation naturally flows to: Do we start Jaden McDaniels as the power forward and bring another wing into the starting rotation?

I’ve decided to fixate on that question and the potential solutions. The Wolves have an awful amount of “wings,” or even guards, that I wanted to categorically compare. Most of the options only check certain boxes of what an ideal candidate should have. Some overlap. I realized a visualization would be helpful to a simpleton like myself.

Let’s talk stopgaps, or more like “Wing Stop.”

Table of Contents

1. Menu of Wings
2. Wing Flavors
   • Scorer/Creator
   • Shooter/Spacer
   • Defender/Hustle
3. Conclusion

Menu of Wings

When looking at players that could slide in as a shooting guard or small forward, I sorted six players between six foot four inches to six foot six inches. Upon pulling measurements from NBA.com and databallr, I decided to include Bones Hyland due to his abnormally long wingspan, and you can’t just include one half of the Twin Turbos without the other. I also looped in the aforementioned Jaden McDaniels and Trey Lyles just for reference.

Wing Flavors

Obviously basketball players shouldn’t and can’t just be deduced down to just three subjective “flavors.” However, for the sake of this exercise, I’m going to do it anyway. I created a Venn diagram of “Scorer/Creator,” “Shooter/Spacer,” and “Defender/Hustle” and categorized the players named above.

Scorer/Creator

^{*Isaiah Evans statistics from last season in NCAA
*Trey Lyles statistics from last season in NBA}

First and foremost, I opted not to pick the low-hanging fruit of “points per game” as it doesn’t necessarily capture what I was looking for here. This category is meant to capture who initiates the offense, whether it’s for themselves or others. Thus, I pulled usage percentage, assist percentage, and percentage of field goals that are unassisted.

Bones Hyland obviously pops here. He’s the only true ball handler of the bunch and is functionally a point guard. Two-thirds of his two-pointers are unassisted, the third highest on the team behind Anthony Edwards and Johnny Juzang. Bizzy Bones was also second on the team in AST% among rotation players. He’s not a realistic starting wing option, but I’ve listed him here just for comparison more like I have with Jaden and Trey.

Then comes TJ Shannon. The playmaking numbers aren’t great for him, but he creates a ton of offense for himself. Finch famously mentioned after the Wolves eliminated the Denver Nuggets in the postseason that he had been using Shannon wrong as a spot-up player instead of putting the ball in his hands. He had the third highest percentage of unassisted three-pointers behind the aforementioned Edwards and Juzang. The soon to be 26-year-old is nearly unstoppable once he gets a head of steam, which is even more impressive when you consider he’s as left hand dependent as Julius Randle.

If you score 43 points in a playoff game where two of your team’s most important players go down, you automatically qualify as a “Scorer.” Those are actually the rules. Ayo Dosunmu has also demonstrated an ability to create for others, especially in the postseason where he shouldered a heavier load. He averaged a team best 4.1 assists per game in the 2026 playoffs. Ayo’s ability to be an offensive hub is why many are hoping he remains a sparkplug off the bench especially in lieu of Naz Reid.

Shooter/Spacer

^{*Isaiah Evans statistics from last season in NCAA
*Trey Lyles statistics from last season in NBA}

Shooting ability is a must in today’s NBA roster construction, and the Wolves have no shortage of that (Hi, Miami!). This may not be the Dynasty Warriors vs Morey Ball days of chucking up as many threes as possible (Hi, Boston!), but teams are wiser as to how to generate efficient three-point shots. I looked at general three-point shooting ability (overall three-point percentage, catch-and-shoot three-point percentage, and corner three-point percentage), as well as volume (three-point attempt rate).

Let’s all take a minute to pour one out for Donte DiVincenzo. He’s one of the premier volume three-point shooters in the NBA and the Wolves will surely miss his floor spacing gravity next season. He had the second highest three-point rate on the team (Shoutout Mike Conley, besting him by literally 1%) and converted at a good rate, despite a down year. In clutch situations, he was never shy.

The “throw-in” that came in the LaMelo Ball trade needs to be discussed. Josh Green posted elite numbers across these categories. Converting on 42% of your triples with a three-point rate of 76.2% is bonkers. The Aussie is excellent at catch-and-shoot opportunities, and is one of the best corner three-point shooters in the game. This is something he relentlessly developed over his basketball career. He was known in high school as a non-shooter, then grinded his way during his time at University of Arizona to become respectable. Now in the NBA, he’s a dangerous weapon from beyond the arc.

Bones Hyland deserves a shoutout here too. Again, he won’t be a starter, but his strength as a floor spacer is still undeniable. He takes and makes them at a very high rate. It’s impressive especially considering how he often has the ball in his hands. The offense talent is there.

I mentioned Twin Turbos earlier, right? The case for Ayo Dosunmu as a “Shooter” is interesting. His three-point rate is on the low end, but he converts them at a premium caliber. We’re talking team-best caliber (Sorry Joe Ingles and Enrique Freeman). He’s amazing as a catch-and-shoot threat to boot. Ayo isn’t usually in position as a corner shot taker, but his strong numbers at converting threes overall makes me feel comfortable labeling him as a shooter.

The Wolves rookie Isaiah Evans will remain an unknown for now. He was one of the best three-point shooters in the NCAA last season (3rd in ACC), but struggled in Summer League (26.7%). Evans likely won’t be in the rotation for now, but considering that shooting is the main reason he was drafted, we can give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

Veteran Trey Lyles is by-and-large a stretch big. His numbers weren’t great during his final season with Sacramento, but that team was a mess and his role had diminished at that point. The season prior, he had a much higher conversion rate (38.4%) on higher volume (68.2% 3PAr). He was also 40% on catch-and-shoot opportunities from perimeter. More recently, Lyles shot 39% from distance last year overseas with Real Madrid.

I struggled to determine if TJ Shannon deserved to be here. Similar to Ayo, he shot over 40% from perimeter last season on a slightly higher three-point rate. However, I would categorically consider Shannon to be more of a threat attacking the paint as opposed to as a spacer. His catch-and-shoot numbers were significantly lower so it just didn’t feel right to label him a “Shooter.”

Defender/Hustle

^{*Isaiah Evans statistics from last season in NCAA
*Trey Lyles statistics from last season in NBA
*Stocks & deflections listed are per 36 minutes}

It has historically been difficult for box score statistics or a singular catch-all measurement to determine a player’s overall defensive impact. Simple “blocks and steals” numbers aren’t close to capturing one’s complete defensive footprint. Even deflections, which has become a more popular statistic recently, though useful, is just looking at one aspect of defense. Based on what was available to me, I did pull Defensive Win Shares and Defensive Box Plus Minus numbers for reference.

Based on these measurements, you can still squint and see some patterns. You have Jaylen Clark, who is clearly the highest overall achiever in this category (DWS is impacted by how many minutes someone plays). He’s elite at getting deflections or finishing defensive plays. It’s as obvious as when he swoops in to steal an inbounds pass, as it is when rides an opponents hip into a tough shot. There’s not much debate here for Clark County’s placement here.

Then you have Josh Green and Donte DiVincenzo. They’re similar in their ability to muck things up on the defensive end. They’ll get in your jersey even if it forces the official to call a foul. Dive for a loose ball even if your legs are in the way. Run down a rebound way outside their zone which sends them flying into the first row. They’re here to irritate you. That said, they still differ in their own unique ways. DiVincenzo is more athletic and agile, while Green is more physical and strong. It’s no surprise that Connelly targeted someone like Green this offseason with DiVincenzo out.

Similar to his case as a “Shooter,” Ayo Dosunmu as a “Defender” can also been debated. The numbers don’t paint a plus defender. He’s never been elite at generating steals or blocks, but he’s one of those “solid as they come” players. Ayo might not wow you, but he will stick to the assignment. He can fight over screens well. He can contest without fouling. He can make quick and on time rotations. He can finish possessions with defensive rebounds. This singular play sequence against Jaylen Brown last season always left an impression on me. It’s why I’m a believer in him as a defender, even if not a top percentile one. Ayo takes pride on defense.

His Twin Turbo brother Bones Hyland is an interesting case too. By the eye test, he is surely a weak link on defense. He struggles to keep his man ahead of him, fouls a lot (second most behind Jaden McDaniels per 36), and is often lost on rotations. However, he generated a surprising amount of deflections and stocks, probably due to his absurdly long wingspan. Remember all those chase-down blocks he had? All to say, it still doesn’t feel honest to put Bizzy Bones in the “Defender” category.

In Conclusion

Does this exercise help us determine who the final starter will be? It may depend on what the matchup calls for. Coach Chris Finch alluded to this as much, going to far as to show hesitation with inserting Jaden as the full-time power forward.

If you want to skew towards defense and spacing, you may be looking at Josh Green.

If you want to skew towards offense and creation, you may be looking at TJ Shannon.

If you want a more well balanced approach, you may be looking at Ayo Dosunmu.

We all know our friends over in New York is still celebrating his 2026 championship. The Knicks famously acquired defensive-minded wings on their team who were integral to raising a banner. They had previously earned the nickname “Wing Stop.” Do the Wolves have their own “Wing Stop” brewing? It might be a little early for that, but they have options.

Maybe this is just a stopgap.

Maybe it’s just “Wing Stop, Just Young”.

Julian Champagnie has been with the Spurs now for just over three seasons. This summer he signed a 3-year/$45M contract that should keep the 3-point assassin decked out in Silver & Black for the foreseeable future. Never one to shy away from the community aspect of the Spurs Organization, Champagnie made a surprise visit to USAA recently to spend some time with families who have lost a parent serving in the military.

During his presser, he expressed his interest in playing with the Spurs for the rest of his career.

Sure, every player is semi-required to say that where they are is where they always want to be, but considering the mutual respect between Champagnie and the Spurs, this makes sense. He was pulled off waivers two days after being released by the Philadelphia 76ers while they cleared a roster spot for Mac McClung. The Sixers got a Dunk Contest winner and the Spurs added a key piece to their team. Champagnie has not only been one of the best shooters in for the franchise, his rebounding has become an essential element of the Spurs defense.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

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LeBron James has chosen the Philadelphia 76ers as the next team he will play for in his illustrious career. As James has been wont to do over the past two decades, he once again took his time in making a decision before joining up with the newly reloaded 76ers who benefited from the acquisition of Jaylen Brown earlier in the offseason.

It was widely believed that James all but halted the offseason for the entire league, as other transactions were put on hold pending the outcome of his latest decision. Some teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, operated around such roadblocks, but now that there are at least four more teams – more than 10% of the league – no longer in play for James’ services (the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves were all rumored as serious suitors), it’s widely expected further transactions will now take place.

As things took shape, the Mavericks were doing work. They quite literally scoured the earth for talent in an effort to get younger and more athletic around franchise cornerstone, Cooper Flagg. Much of those efforts took place in the margins, but with James’ stranglehold on the proceedings now released, Dallas may very well be poised to move some of their now-redundant pieces as they continue to rebuild. Following are arguably the three most likely candidates to find themselves in different uniforms by the start of next season.

Klay Thompson

Thompson may be the most obvious candidate to be moved off the Dallas roster. He came to Dallas as the missing piece in a championship team, only to watch those prospects dissolve mere months later at the hands of Nico Harrison. Since that time, Thompson’s presumably limited remaining playing career has been spent on an oft-injured 26-win team. He has remained a professional through it all, but one has to assume he’d like a chance to join a team on his own terms and pursue immediate playoff basketball.

Where Thompson would go is anyone’s guess, but a reunion with the Golden State Warriors (who are now free of James’ hold) would be charming, assuming Thompson reconciles his differences with them. The Miami Heat (also out of the James running) make a lot of sense, too. Both clubs offer Thompson a chance to win now, rather than spend the remaining years of his career in a rebuild. Whatever the case, it would be nice to see Thompson get a chance to play past April, and it would afford Dallas the chance to let their younger players get necessary reps. Moving Thompson is a win/win.

Daniel Gafford

I am a fan of Daniel Gafford and have long been an advocate for keeping him in Big D. While I remain a fan, one of the biggest reasons I wanted him to stick around was because the prospect of having zero capable centers on the roster was far from ideal. That scenario has now changed with the acquisition of Santi Aldama, the return of Moussa Cisse, the selection of Morez Johnson, Jr. in this summer’s NBA Draft and an overall influx of size. Not all of these players are centers in the truest sense, but the Mavericks have gotten taller and longer overall and should be more than capable of going big even in the absence of Gafford. If Derek Lively returns healthy, they will be better positioned still.

It feels as though the writing is on the wall for Gafford, as rumors have swirled around him since last season’s trade deadline. At this point, it is probably for the best for both sides to find a new destination where he fits the timeline better, and where the Mavs can restock some draft capital or obtain some guard depth. The latest rumors have him packaged with none other than…

P.J. Washington

Whether or not Washington is packaged with Gafford, it seems there is a real chance he could be shipped out. He (along with Gafford) is one of the higher paid players on the team but still has a tradable contract. Moving him, especially in light of the glut of forwards on the team, which has only increased in size this offseason, could potentially offer the Mavs financial flexibility or at least the opportunity to pick up some equally-paid talent or picks. It’s difficult to envision the Mavs stripping out all of their veteran leadership, but with Naji Marshall’s presence and his ability to ball-handle and create his own shot, there is a strong case to be made that he sticks around over Washington.

Rumors are now circulating that both Washington and Gafford could be moved in the same transaction, albeit to different locations. The rumored framework sends Washington to the Portland Trailblazers, Gafford to the Utah Jazz and Jrue Holiday to the Mavericks along with a lottery-protected first round pick and three second round picks. If such a transaction comes to fruition, it would be a solid move for Dallas. They would move out two slightly older players that don’t necessarily fit long term for an even older player, but one that fits a current need and comes along with much needed draft capital. Holiday could be a boon for the Mavericks, as they work Kyrie Irving back from injury. He would also replace the veteran leadership lost in Washington and Gafford, while serving as a mentor to young guards Sergio De Larrea and Marcus Sasser. He has two years remaining on his contract, which frankly, is massive ($35 million plus each year) and the primary drawback to such a deal.

For now, all we have are rumors and speculation, but with the brakes off for the remainder of the summer, it’s fair to expect one or more of Thompson, Gafford and Washington will be playing elsewhere come October. Stay tuned to Mavs Moneyball for all the latest transactions as and when they become reality.

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