Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid were the people who brought LeBron to Philly, LeBron says.
"I love the way [Brown] approaches the game, too. You know, both sides of the floor, what he brings to the game, his insight on the game. I watched him kind of [be] misunderstood, and that is absolutely okay. I think we're all individuals for a reason. Everyone's always trying to put everybody in the same box, and I love what he stands for and what he brings to the table.
"And one of the most important [reasons], to be honest, is the big fella [Embiid], and the only thing he has not done and that's win a championship. And I want to try to help him get that first one. He's been an MVP of our league, has a gold medal, All-Stars, signature shoes, bunch of money, beautiful [family]. He has everything. He has a city on his back.
"It's been the process, you know, for what 10 years, 12 years, or however long he's been there. I think it's time now that we even dig even deeper into the process, and I hope that I can be kind of that final little piece that can help him get over the hump and maybe just see it a little bit differently than he's seen it in his career, as far as like the day-to-day process, the day-to-day what it takes to get there."
LeBron's longstanding relationship with fellow Klutch client Tyrese Maxey also played an outsized role.
"My relationship with Tyrese Maxey goes beyond the court... I just love everything about Tyrese Maxey, man. Like every day, you get the same person, and that is very rare in sports, and obviously super rare in life. And I've always talked about how great of a person that he is, and obviously we know what he brings to the basketball court. He was definitely, when I became a free agent and we decided to let the Lakers know that I wouldn't be returning, he was one of the first people that was on my line calling me, "Yo, what we doing? Yo, what's up? What's up, OG? What's up? What's up, old head? You know, come on down here, man. We can use you down here."
That process with Embiid and the entire 76ers roster starts next week when training camp opens. How those people LeBron trusted come together — and if they can stay healthy — will determine if Embiid really has a shot at that ring.
Cooper Flagg one-of-one Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card on display Aug. 11 at the Baseball Cards of Rhode Island. (Erica Denhoff / Associated Press)
A Friday morning rush hour of intense bidding sent the one-of-one Cooper Flagg Topps Rookie Debut Patch Card skyrocketing at auction, selling for a record-setting $8.04 million. The price more than doubled during the feverish close of the auction presented by Fanatics Collect.
The card of the Dallas Mavericks star forward became the third-most expensive NBA card ever, trailing only the dual Kobe Bryant–Michael Jordan and Jordan–LeBron James cards that each sold for more than $10 million last year.
It also ranks as the fifth highest sports card sale, according to Card Ladder. A Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps card sold for $12.6 million at a Heritage auction in 2022, and an ungraded Shohei Ohtani 2026 Topps Chrome Gold Logoman patch autograph card fetched $11 million July 30 in a private sale.
Flagg, the first pick in the 2025 NBA draft out of Duke, was Rookie of the Year at age 19 and set an NBA record for teenagers by scoring 40 or more points four times, breaking the record of three set by James in the 2003-2004 season.
At a Fanatics Fest in New York in July, Flagg signed the Rookie Debut Patch Autographed (RDPA) card then took the stage with ESPN’s Kevin Negandhi.
“I was a little nervous,” Flagg told Negandhi. “I’ve signed a lot of cards, but that one was a little nerve-wracking.”
Why? The card features a patch that Flagg wore on his Mavericks jersey during his first NBA game. Pairing the game-used memorabilia with a rookie’s signature has almost overnight made the RPDA cards the most sought after by collectors on the market.
The previous high paid for a Flagg card was $366,000 — a mere 4.55 percent of $8.04 million.
Two RPDA cards besides Flagg’s also sold for millions at Friday’s auction: San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper‘s card went for $2.88 million, and Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel’s card fetched $2.34 million.
RPDA cards are the latest brainstorm from Fanatics, which acquired the Topps sports and entertainment trading cards and collectibles business for approximately $500 million in January 2022.
The company leveraged partnerships with the NBA, MLB, NFL and Union of European Football Associations by announcing in 2023 that MLB rookies would wear a Debut Patch on their jersey sleeve during their first game. The patch is removed, authenticated and packaged with a trading card autographed by the player.
The existence of the Debut Patch cards spurred immediate excitement from the NBA when Topps resumed printing licensed cards for the NBA in October 2025 for the first time since 2010. Introducing Debut Patches to rookies and producing RPDA cards was a no-brainer.
“You know it’s such a simple idea, but fits perfectly into sort of like the ethos of the trading card world,” Matt Holt, NBA vice president of merchandising partnerships Matt Holt told the Athletic.
Rather than risking damage to the cards, a redemption card bearing a code serves as a placeholder in the pack. The result is that the Flagg card was graded a PSA Gem Mint 10 with a 10 autograph grade — as close to perfect as possible.
The Flagg card was randomly inserted in a pack of Topps 2026 Chrome Basketball Update Series and placed on the market Aug. 6. Jason Williams, 50, of Clover, S.C., acquired the card after spending $515 to land a spot on RhodyBreakers, a retail shop affiliate that opens boxes of trading cards on a livestream.
Williams was watching the stream on a television as his wife and son were getting ready for bed when a life-changing fortune became theirs.
“They slid that card over, and I just slid to the floor crying,” Williams told ESPN. “It took me about five seconds to realize what I was looking at on that screen.”
The World Champion Knicks begin training camp on Monday.
Here are three things to keep an eye on while the team prepares to defend its title...
EXTENSION TENSION?
Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and Miles McBride are all eligible for extensions.
As noted earlier this week, Towns’ side and the Knicks have been in regular contact throughout the offseason about the extension. Per a league source familiar with the matter, the talks have been positive. And the Knicks have made it known that they want Towns in New York for a long time.
Towns has also previously said that he wants to be a Knick for a long time, yet no deal has come to fruition.
ESPN reports that negotiations have become stagnant and an agreement ahead of camp is unlikely. I’m not refuting that reporting, but I’d be surprised if the situation hung over the team like a cloud during camp, as ESPN suggested.
Towns, per SNY sources familiar with the matter, has been at the Knicks facility ahead of the start of camp.
Based on recent history, I think any issue like this will generate much more noise outside of the Knick locker room than inside of it. The team is just coming off of a timeless championship run. Towns and the Knicks have until June 30 to come to an agreement, but it’s also worth pointing out Towns’ negotiations may impact extension talks for Hart and McBride.
Towns is making $57 million this season, he has a $61 million player option for next year, and is eligible for a four-year extension worth as much as $276 million.
At one point in offseason discussions, the Knicks made offers to Towns that started between $45 million and $50 million per season, per league sources. The length of those offers is unknown. Clearly, those offers were rejected. If Towns and the Knicks don’t find common ground on an extension, he won’t opt out of his $61 million player option for 2027-28.
Towns opting out would give the Knicks much more flexibility under the second apron to extend Hart, and possibly, McBride. But if he opts in for 2027-28, the Knicks will have much less financial flexibility under the second apron for other extensions.
To get more perspective on potential extensions for Towns, Hart, and McBride, I reached out to my friend and salary cap guru Yossi Gozlan, founder of The Third Apron.
For our hypothetical, Gozlan uses $75 million as a combined annual salary for the first year of Towns and Hart extensions. With this number, the Knicks would have roughly $13-$14 million in second apron space to offer McBride.
Feb 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) is greeted by guard Josh Hart (3) during a timeout in the second quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Let’s say the first year of Towns and Hart extensions are a combined $65 million (**not realistic, in my view but we'll use it for purposes of the exercise). The Knicks in this scenario would have roughly $23 million in space under the second apron. This, as Gozlan notes, should be enough to sign McBride and a good backup big man.
The Knicks have to project these extensions out further than next season, obviously. And when you look ahead to 2028-29, the numbers look a bit different, since Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby are eligible for extensions during the 2027 offseason.
Let’s say Brunson signs a max extension. If you take Brunson’s deal and combine it with a total $75-$80 million in extensions for Towns and Hart, the Knicks would have around $10 million under the second apron for either McBride or another player. In this example, Anunoby does not sign an extension. That $10 million is certainly below McBride’s market value. So that’s where the situation gets tricky.
A couple of things can change here -- the salary cap numbers for future seasons can come in higher than current projections, which would give the Knicks more room under the second apron. Or the Knicks could change course and decide to spend above the second apron in team salary, but owner James Dolan has said that the organization will not spend above the second apron this season.
If the cap projections are accurate and the Knicks want to stay below the second apron, it will be difficult to extend Towns, Hart, and McBride under current configurations.
In that case, it will be interesting to see how the organization approaches McBride’s future. There are pathways to retain McBride via extension or via free agency -- but each pathway requires additional decisions/moves. I assume teams have -- and will continue to -- ask the Knicks about the possibility of trading for McBride.
CAMP CONFRONTATIONS?
As of Friday morning, the Knicks have 18 players under contract -- teams can have a maximum of 21 players under contract during training camp. I expect that rookie Tyler Nickel will take up one of the remaining spots, and I expect versatile third-year wing Kevin McCullar will eventually have a roster spot, as well.
Will the Knicks add another veteran ahead of camp?
Earlier this month, they signed veterans Bruce Brown Jr., John Konchar, and Ochai Agbaji to compete for a wing position. They also signed big men Drew Eubanks and James Wiseman to compete for a center position.
Mar 20, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Ochai Agbaji (30) runs up court after a basket against the New York Knicks during the first half at Barclays Center. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
It will be interesting to watch those veterans during training camp and preseason games (you can expect Knicks regulars to play fewer minutes this preseason, so the team will have a chance to get an extended look at other players).
If the Knicks decide that they need a veteran center and wing on the roster, they will need to make a trade to shed salary.
As things currently stand, the Knicks only have room for one veteran minimum contract if they want to remain under the second apron in team salary. So, for example, if they wanted to keep Eubanks and Konchar, they would need to shed salary via trade.
They were in this situation last year with Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon, and Garrison Mathews.
They only had room to keep one of those veterans, but were considering keeping two of them. Brogdon decided to retire (at the time of his retirement, there was no guarantee he was going to make the roster, despite reports to the contrary). So the Knicks kept Shamet and the veteran responded with a great season, making pivotal plays throughout the title run.
ROTATION ALTERATION?
Speaking of Shamet, I’ll be interested to see how Mike Brown deploys his bench this season -- maybe we get some clues about his bench approach during preseason games.
The defending champs (it still feels a bit foreign to type that phrase) have a deep bench with Shamet, McBride, Jose Alvarado, and Andre Drummond. They also have a pair of young players in Tyler Kolek and Mohamed Diawara who showed that they can contribute last season.
The Knicks showed their commitment to Shamet (four years, $24 million), Alvarado (three years, $14.3 million), Diawara (four years, $11.2 million) and Clarkson (one year, $3.8 million) by re-signing them in the offseason. Kolek is under contact this season with a team option for next season (deadline to decide is June 29, 2027).
But Brown last season made it clear that he doesn’t play favorites/politics with his rotation minutes. He’s not going to play someone who isn’t producing just because they have a strong financial commitment from the Knicks.
He benched Clarkson early in the 2025-26 season and went back to him later in the year and in the postseason. Same goes for Alvarado. He benched free agent signee Guerschon Yabusele early in the 2025-26 season, as well. So the players who start the season in Brown’s rotation will not necessarily be the players who finish the season in it.
On this date 25 years ago, a 38-year-old Michael Jordan announced his return as a player with the Wizards. “I’m doing it for the love of the game,” he said at the time. “Nothing else. For the love of the game.” The Wizards sold out every home game in his two seasons there but never made the playoffs.
I asked a few of my colleagues to share some thoughts about Jordan’s final un-retirement.
Sam Amick: As a kid who was a maniacal MJ fan despite growing up in the San Francisco Bay during the Warriors’ Run TMC era, his choice to put that Wizards jersey on hurt almost as bad as those Golden State years before Timmy, Mitch and Mully arrived. He had some good moments, but you just knew that nothing would compare to the (last) Bulls chapter that should have been his swan song.
Mirin Fader: I can’t get over that he was still a pretty productive player. That was truly remarkable, all things considered. But him in that blue jersey just looked wrong to me.
Jason Jones: I’m glad he eventually had his farewell tour, even as a Wizard. Things ended so abruptly in 1998 for someone of his stature; it was good the NBA could thank Jordan properly.
Law Murray: I still have mixed feelings about this comeback. I’m focusing on how it started, not how it ended. I know, hindsight is 50-50. But it is certainly one of the greatest flexes ever by a GOAT candidate. The man was the part owner and basketball president and decided to wear THAT uniform, for the love of the game!
Marcus Thompson II: All I even remember about the Michael Jordan era with the Wizards was Mariah Carey’s Wizards dress at the All-Star Game.
Joe Vardon: It was April 8, 2003. I was a young reporter covering Cleveland sports. The now-Guardians had their home opener during the day, and MJ and the Wizards were in town that night. I was late to the basketball game. I walked through the tunnel and behind the hoop close to the Wizards’ basket, on my way to my media seat.
There was a stoppage in play. Michael was at the elbow, with his hands on his shorts. He glanced up and looked right at me, right into my eyes, and held his gaze for a few seconds. It felt like an eternity. It was the only time I ever saw Michael play in person. He scored 26 points that night, and the Wizards won.
It was one of the few times in my career I was actually star-struck — the greatest player ever stared directly into my soul.
The last 24
📈 Upside. Which teams will exceed their projected win totals this season? John Hollinger has his picks — including the rebuilt Bucks.
⏰ Dame Time again? Damian Lillard is back for the Trail Blazers this season after sitting out with a torn Achilles tendon. Early reports are that he’s looking like his old self.
Mariah Carey’s famous jersey dress was actually more of a jersey gown, and man, was it glorious!
Carey wore the floor-length, fitted, blue Wizards jersey to honor Jordan at his final All-Star Game in Atlanta in 2003.The diva’s dress — OK, maybe it was her performance — made the GOAT emotional; Jordan looked like he was holding back tears.
But Carey’s isn’t the only iconic jersey dress. Singer Mya actually wore a powder blue North Carolina Tar Heels jersey dress (No. 23, of course!) in her video for “Best of Me, Part 2” with Jay-Z three years earlier, and it is the earliest instance of the dresses that I remember. Stylist June Ambrose tailored the dress, and it remains one of the style’s greatest moments. (The video was also considered really fly for that era.)
Here’s a little history: Jersey dresses were the result of one of the (in hindsight!) funniest eras of fashion. During the early 2000s, the trend for men was to wear oversized clothing. And I mean, extremely oversized. People were buying the largest sizes possible!
According to the New York Times in 2003, the dress style was created when Mitchell & Ness, the sporting goods brand, decided to use smaller jerseys that were sitting in the warehouse and turn them into dresses. And of course, due to its lack of sleeves and lower neckline, the basketball jersey is the best option of all sports for something like this.
So while Joe Vardon may have a moment where Michael Jordan looked into his eyes to remember the early 2000s, I’ve got the jersey dress.
WNBA playoffs
The field is set
It’s one of the best times of the sports calendar! (Yes, I will say this multiple times a year, and I am always right.)
The WNBA playoffs start Sunday, and I’ve got to be honest, y’all: I’m pretty pumped. This season has been so interesting, and the games have been good. There’s something for everyone. You’ve got young players — generational talents! — helping turn organizations into winners. A former soccer player turned basketball player putting on a show. (They don’t call her The Spectacle for nothing.) A team and an M’VP trying to repeat. A really tough expansion team (Golden State) in the playoffs for the second time in just their second season. Two bona fide MVP candidates who can give you 30 apiece on a good night, and 20-plus on a normal one. I couldn’t hit everybody, but this is all really riveting stuff!
And yet, everybody can’t win.
The first round starts Monday. Here are the matchups:
The spots are locked and the teams are ready to go 🚨
Check out the official bracket for the 2026 WNBA Playoffs presented by @madebygoogle.
The best-of-five semifinals begin Oct. 4, and the best-of-seven WNBA finals start on Oct. 17.
The same way fans have been arguing incessantly online about end-of- season awards, I think there’s a case for so many teams.
And finally, Sunset: Last night’s game between Connecticut and the Toronto Tempo was the final game for the Sun franchise. The team was sold to Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta in May for $300 million and will relocate to Houston. The Sun beat the Tempo 95-81 before a sellout crowd of 8,911.
Thanks for following along as I filled in for Zach. He’ll be back Monday — when The Bounce returns to five days a week.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 9: Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles against the Miami Heat during the second half in their NBA game at Scotiabank Arena on April 9, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors have high expectations. Immanuel Quickley could be the most important player in their quest to make a deep playoff run. Here are three reasons why:
Explosive Three-point Shooter
Among the litany of reasons why the 2018-19 roster was perfectly crafted to optimize Kawhi Leonard, none was arguably more important than the spacing he was provided on the offensive end. The Raptors finished with the sixth-best three-point percentage (36.6) and made the seventh-most three-pointers (1,015) that season.
Leonard was surrounded by capable shooters in Kyle Lowry (34.7 per cent), Danny Green (45.5 per cent), Pascal Siakam (36.9 per cent), and Marc Gasol (44.2 per cent). Norman Powell (40.0 per cent) and Fred VanVleet (37.8 per cent) were also blistering options off the bench.
Last season, Toronto finished 21st in three-point percentage. Quickley was undoubtedly the most prolific marksman in the starting lineup (37.4 percent) and the best volume shooter on the roster (2.5 threes made on 6.8 attempts).
With RJ Barrett, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl expected to join Quickley and Leonard as projected starters, it’s paramount that Quickley becomes the elite knockdown shooter that he’s capable of being.
New Role, Better Fit
Quickley’s two full seasons in Toronto have differed in terms of on-ball responsibilities. In 2024-25, the point guard nearly matched the career-high in usage he set during his rookie year with the New York Knicks. But last year, playing alongside Brandon Ingram, the evolving Barnes, and the bulldozing Barrett, Quickley recorded a usage rate of 21.1, his lowest since 2022-23.
With Leonard incoming, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Quickley’s recent usage remain the status quo. During two of his best seasons as a pro with the Knicks, Quickley was assisted on 73 per cent of his made threes. He’s always been an electric catch-and-shoot player with dangerous range.
Quickley has undoubtedly grown as a pick-and-roll threat, and that part of his game will still be relied on. Lowry and VanVleet were often asked to run off the offence in extended spurts during the championship run. But if Quickley can consistently make teams pay off-ball, it’ll go a long way in supporting Leonard.
The right side of the ball
While Pat Beverley was telling a story about Leonard on a podcast, he offered some insight into the champion’s mindset. In response to the coaching staff asking him to switch on defence for a specific sequence, Beverley recalled Leonard saying: “If he can’t guard, then why is he in the game?”
The 2019 roster was arguably one of the greatest defensive teams of all-time. While this year’s roster has a few elite (yet growing) defensive minds, it also houses a few question marks. During the playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers relentlessly attempted to hunt Barrett on switches. Teams are expected to try that with Quickley. To his credit, Quickley has been solid on the defensive side, particularly with his effort level and fight through screens. If Quickley can hold his own on a nightly basis, it’ll be a huge win for Toronto.
24 September 2022, Tanzania, Arusha: A warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) kneels on the ground in the Ngorongoro Crater and searches for food with its trunk. The cauldron of the Ngorongoro Crater covers about 260 square kilometers. Like the other giant craters, Ngorongoro is not part of the Serengeti, but was carved out as a protected area in 1956 and declared a Conservation Area because of its habitat for the Masai. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) was declared a Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1971 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa (Photo by Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images)
You know things are gearing up when you cook a fresh list of links and notes spanning just three days’ worth of news, and it already goes up to nearly 1K words. We’re so close to basketball, folks!
Jalen Brunson is hella ready. “I am…” he said, “fully cleared.”
Karl-Anthony Towns’ extension talks with the Knicks have stalled with training camp approaching, and I have you covered here.
Don’t forget that, while the Towns negotiations take center stage, Josh Hart and Miles McBride remain extension-eligible too. McBride’s situation is particularly serious because he can become an unrestricted free agent next summer (Mitchell Robinson situation, anyone?), while Hart has a team option baked into his deal.
Jalen Brunson will officially make his Law & Order: SVU debut this fall. Brunson is scheduled to guest star in Season 28’s fifth episode on Nov. 5, reuniting him with Knicks superfan Mariska Hargitay after his recent Emmys cameo. His role remains under wraps.
OG Anunoby received a major hometown honor this week at Jefferson City High School.
In an interview with GQ Philippines, Jordan Clarkson discussed his up-and-down season with the Knicks, going from featured to end-of-the-bench fodder to postseason performer.
“I didn’t play for like a month, but me just being a pro, I had to stay locked in. I love this game, so I’m always ready. I stayed involved with the coaches, and with the young guys playing every day. My skill never wavered.
“The thing I learned being here this long is that everybody believes they’re the best player. They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t. So being able to put your ego to the side is important. It’s about coming together as a team, helping each other win without getting jealous, and having no ill intent towards any of your teammates.
“The whole season was a story on its own. Getting through adversity early in the playoffs, and not questioning ourselves. We had guys giving up a lot for this.”
Clarkson also wants another run with the Philippines at next year’s FIBA World Cup.
“Another World Cup is coming up, and I want to be there. There haven’t been so many Filipino Americans in the [NBA] league, and Filipinos, period. So knowing that I get to represent that and kind of change the narrative in any way that I can, that’s what I’m trying to do. Hopefully, we can see those dudes [Jalen Green and Dylan Harper] in a Gilas jersey at some point.”
Mitchell Robinson had strong praising words for Jalen Brunson’s leadership after leaving the Knicks for Boston, saying “Jalen is so dialed in.”
The Knicks have hired Ed Flynn as Mike Brown’s new replay and challenge specialist. Flynn spent the previous three seasons as a video coordinator with the Pelicans and replaces Jordan Brink.
The final Knicks roster spot remains a genuine training-camp competition between James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks, Bruce Brown, John Konchar and Ochai Agbaji. The NYP’s Stefan Bondy outlined one possible wrinkle to that roster battle: moving Pacome Dadiet could allow the Knicks to retain two camp invitees instead of one. A larger trade remains another possibility if neither Wiseman nor Eubanks convinces the Knicks they have enough at center, with Bondy identifying Miles McBride as New York’s most valuable expendable trade piece. Go read it all!
The Ringer placed the defending champion Knicks second in its preseason NBA power rankings, behind only San Antonio and ahead of Oklahoma City.
The Knicks have a relatively favorable travel calendar overall, with only 13 back-to-backs and roughly 35,181 road miles, the second-fewest in the NBA.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is not interested in paying championship-inflated MSG prices to attend Opening Night at MSG. “Brother, I do not have $2,000 ready for that ticket.”
Q: "Will Knicks repeat?"
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani: (crosses fingers) “Come on…"
Q: "Will you be there when they raise the banner?"
OAKAAK RJ Barrett admitted there was a little bitterness watching his former team win the championship, but ultimately was happy for his old teammates.
“At first, definitely feel a little salty, but if anybody else were to win it, I’m happy they won it. I still have friends over there.” He added that he hopes to bring some of that success to Toronto.
Jalen Duren and Detroit continue to have one of the stranger contract negotiations of the offseason, with the Pistons offering him a five-year, $200 million offer… that includes weight-based incentives requiring Duren to check his weight monthly.
Steven Adams believes Grand Theft Auto VI could tank pro sports.
Steven Adams has jokes at media day:
"I will say: you guys should anticipate November. The performance of the league, league-wide. GTA is dropping."pic.twitter.com/OIBnRbDFeL
OAKAAK Kevin Knox is getting another NBA opportunity, signing an Exhibit 10 deal with Orlando for training camp.
NBA expansion is getting closer, with Las Vegas appearing further along than Seattle. The league has already held multiple bidding deadlines for Las Vegas and could reportedly identify a winning group there before settling on its Seattle plans.
Shaquille O’Neal makes around $15 million annually in sports media, Charles Barkley about $21 million, Pat McAfee roughly $30 million, and Tom Brady $37.5 million. Stephen A. Smith tops the list reported by The New York Post, at around $40 million per year across his media deals. Sheesh…
Gregg Popovich married Mary Barth Budenholzer, the former wife of longtime Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer, on Sept. 16 in Texas.
HBD Ricky Davis aka Get Buckets! The only NBA player who would attempt a between the legs dunk in a game, miss it, get his rebound and do a windmill!! pic.twitter.com/YQdBBMxqpT
“First of all, my relationship with Tyrese Maxey goes beyond the court,” James began an extended response to Nash’s question about his free agency decision.
“I just love everything about Tyrese Maxey, man,” James said. “Every day you get the same person, and that is very rare in sports and it’s obviously super rare in life. I’ve always talked about how great of a person he is. And we obviously know what he brings to the basketball court.
“When I became a free agent and we decided to let the Lakers know that I wouldn’t be returning, he was one of the first people that was on my line. ‘Yo, what are we doing? What’s up, OG? What’s up, old head? Come on down here, man. We could use you down here.’ … There’s a lot of times that I don’t answer the phone for some phone calls, because I don’t even want to be swayed one way or I already know what you’re calling about. But he’s such a great person. I cannot not talk to him.”
James recalled first meeting Maxey ahead of the 2020 NBA draft.
“He’s been the same person since the moment I met him, before he was drafted into the NBA,” he said. “The same exact person. He came to my house and at that point in time he was 19 years old, so he was actually hanging with (my sons) Bronny and Bryce. They were playing video games inside the house. So I met him and said what’s up to him when he was going into the draft. But he was closer to Bronny and Bryce than he was to me, so he was hanging with them.
“He came in and he was super respectful to me, super respectful to my wife, super respectful to everyone in the house. Bright smile and just super down to earth. From the moment he’s gotten drafted to the perennial All-Star, superstar that he’s becoming, nothing has changed. Nothing has changed in his demeanor.
“And we all know how people can be the humble kid coming in, and then some success happens and they’re totally different. The kid has been the same person, man. It’s hard sometimes, too. I’m not faulting anyone for having some change. … But this kid — this young man now — is beyond his years for sure.”
Maxey and the Sixers’ pitch ultimately yielded a 22-time All-Star.
According to James, he wasn’t always sure whether he’d be suiting up for another NBA season after the Lakers’ second-round playoff exit.
“There were a lot of moments,” he said, “once we lost to OKC, of, ‘Is this the end?’”
James still felt driven to play.
“I think the only thing that I’d continue to say to myself was, if you still have an opportunity to do what you love, then why just say I’m done? Do you have a real reason? … I think that’s what it came down to,” he said. “And I’m not going to cheat it. I’m not just going to show up to practice, no stretch, no workout, no weight room, no recovery, no nothing — just go on the court and play.
“There’s no way I could do that and be successful in this game. … Once the curtain is closed, the curtain is closed. And if you still have an opportunity to play at a high level and compete at a high level, then why not?”
“One of the most important (parts), to be honest, is the big fella,” James said. “He’s done everything in our league and the only thing he has not done is win a championship. I want to try to help him get that first one. He’s been the MVP of our league, he has a gold medal, All-Stars, signature shoes, bunch of money, beautiful family. He has everything. He has the city on his back.
“It’s been The Process for 10 years, 12 years, however long he’s been there. But I think it’s time now that we dig even deeper into the Process, and I hope I can be that final little piece that can help him get over the hump and help him see it maybe a little bit differently than he’s seen it in his career as far as the day-to-day process, the day-to-day of what it takes to get there.”
It’s almost time for James to get formally rolling as a Sixer.
The team’s media day is set for Monday morning and training camp will start Tuesday.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 27: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles as he prepares to shoot before an NBA game against the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena on March 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, 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 Kevin Terrell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Parsing through the NBA’s over/under win totals is a meaningful way to establish expectations for every team entering the new season even if you have no interest in gambling. At this point, it would be easy to look back on the San Antonio Spurs and believe their ascent atop the Western Conference was all but preordained last season with Victor Wembanyama, but in reality expectations were pretty meager. The Spurs’ win total was only 44.5 games before they roared to 62 wins and a trip to the 2026 NBA Finals.
The sportsbooks are really good at setting these lines. I went 4-3 on NBA my over/under picks last season, but it ended up being 3-4 for the lines in my story because the New York Knicks’ win total was one game higher at time of publish. That’s how thin the margins often are.
This season is particularly difficult to project because of the NBA’s new anti-tanking rules. There were a lot of free wins on the schedule last year against teams trying to prioritize ping pong balls in the lottery. Teams can’t game the system anymore with the lottery odds now almost completely randomized, especially when the league’s three worst teams actually have worse odds at the No. 1 pick. With the 2026-2027 season just around the corner, here are my best bets for the NBA over/under win total lines. All lines are via FanDuel.
Chicago Bulls under 29.5 wins
There’s finally some optimism around the Bulls with the arrival of a potential star rookie in Caleb Wilson and a new front office led by Bryson Graham. Graham signed Norm Powell, traded for Nic Claxton, and drafted Dailyn Swain with his second first-round pick, but there’s still a lot more work to be done. It’s hard to see many Eastern Conference teams worse than the Bulls this year. Chicago projects as a below-average team in rebuilding, three-point shooting volume, and defensive turnover creation, and that’s a tough way to win when you don’t have a true star player to fall back on. It’s likely that Powell is traded in Feb., and I wouldn’t be surprised if a few more veterans follow him out the door as Graham looks to put his stamp on the team. The Bulls could be fun-bad with Wilson and Matas Buzelis both among the league’s most explosive athletes, but this line still seems too high unless Wilson is an impact two-way player right away.
Houston Rockets over 46.5 wins
The Rockets won 52 games last year without Fred VanVleet for the whole season and without Steven Adams after January. Adams will be an injury risk every year, but he’s healthy to start this season, and that gives Houston its greatest strength back on the offensive glass. I’m buying improvement from both Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson this year, and even if that doesn’t happen, any of Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard could also take a leap. Kevin Durant will suffer age-related decline eventually, but he was pretty damn good last year and I wouldn’t expect him to fall off too much yet. The Rockets will turn every game into a rock fight. It won’t be pretty, but I do think it can be effective.
Los Angeles Lakers over 44.5 wins
The Lakers won 53 games last year with Austin Reaves being limited to 51 appearances and Luka Doncic limited to 64. This year’s team won’t have LeBron James to fall back on when Doncic and/or Reaves are out, but they majorly upgraded the center position while fortifying the rotation with players who should be more effective in the regular season than the playoffs. Walker Kessler will be there to protect the rim every time Doncic and Reaves get burned, and it won’t be hard for him to be more effective than Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes were last year. Sandro Mamukelashvili was an excellent offensive weapon in Toronto last season, and I like his pairing with Luka whether he’s at the four or the five. Matisse Thybulle also feels like a good buy-low candidate whose shortcoming won’t be exposed until the playoffs. Even if Doncic plays a similar number of games to last year, I think the Lakers have the star-power and the coaching to clear this win total with relative ease.
Memphis Grizzlies over 29.5 wins
The Grizzlies were shamelessly tanking to end last season, but it worked out wonderfully for them by moving up to the third pick to draft Cameron Boozer. I didn’t just call Boozer the best prospect in the draft, I also said he’ll be the next American-born player to win MVP! No pressure, man. Boozer will be the youngest player in the NBA this season, but I think he’s ready to rock from the jump. Zach Edey feels like the real swing factor in Grizzlies’ optimism. He’s consistently battled injuries during his short NBA career, but he’s super effective when he’s healthy and should be a great fit next to Boozer in the front court. I’m pretty high on Memphis’ collection of guards with Ty Jerome — one of the league’s most underrated players — leading the charge, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Cam Spencer makes a big leap this year too. Cedric Coward is another breakout candidate. Memphis is expected to be among the worst teams in the West this season, and while I get it, I think they’re going to be a lot better than that.
Golden State Warriors under 38.5 wins
I was really high on the Warriors last year at this time, but they were basically dead-on-arrival after Jimmy Butler tore his ACL in January. Butler will spend the first part of this season continuing his rehab, and it’s hard to believe the Warriors will hit the ground running without him. Stephen Curry remains spectacular, but can the Warriors really count on him for a full season at age-38? Draymond Green is still awesome on defense, but his offense gets worse every year and pretty close to unplayable. Kristaps Porzingis is really good when he’s healthy, but he’s never healthy. I really like Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Brandin Podziemski, and I can talk myself into a De’Anthony Melton comeback. The Warriors could make me look stupid if Curry plays 70+ games — he’s done it two of the last three seasons — but this line is still a little too rich for my blood.
Toronto Raptors over 46.5
The Raptors turned Brandon Ingram into Kawhi Leonard this summer, and I’d bet that’s enough to win one more game than last year to clear this line. Leonard was a top-5 player in the league last year, and he’s a huge upgrade over Ingram if he can stay on the floor. Obviously that’s always a big if when it comes to Kawhi, but I’d like to think he has motivation to show fans he can still ball out after his reputation took a hit from the Clippers’ cap circumvention scandal. Scottie Barnes suddenly looks like one of the best second bananas in the league, Collin Murray-Boyles should be in for a sophomore leap, and the Raptors’ bench has an intriguing mix of defensive bulldogs (Jamal Shead) and floor spacers (Ja’Kobe Walter). I’m worried about the center and point guard play, but still think this team should be very good if Leonard can get to around the 65-game mark.
Wizards under 33.5 wins
Okay, I have the Wizards at under 35.5 wins at my local sportsbook, and I much prefer that line. I’m still willing to fade this team even after bringing in Anthony Davis and Trae Young. Davis could still be one of the better players in the NBA if he’s healthy and motivated, but I just don’t see how he’s happy in Washington even if this team meets their meager expectations. Young was very good a few years ago, but his margin for error was always slim given his lack of size, and it feels like he’s endured enough injuries to slip just enough athletically to cut his peak short. A.J. Dybantsa should be awesome as the No. 1 overall pick, but I’m skeptical of the fit between him and Young. I like all the young guys here, from Kyshawn George to Tre Johnson to Alex Sarr to Will Riley, but I’m not sure they’re ready to impact winning. I also can’t believe head coach Brian Keefe is back. The defense is probably going to be terrible barring a vintage AD season, and there’s not a lot of floor spacing on offense. I’ll pound the under on the Wizards wherever the line is.
Jazz to make playoffs (+120)
FanDuel has the Jazz over/under at 37.5 wins, and I think I like taking them to make the playoffs as the better bet because the odds are more favorable. It’s hard to imagine the Jazz can crack the top-6 of the West this year, which means they will have to make it in via the play-in tournament. That’s always a scary proposition, but I like Utah’s combination of top-end talent and coaching better than some of their rivals for the last two West playoff spots like the Suns, Blazers, and Warriors. This is a big bet on Will Hardy, but after years of tanking, he should be ready to show world that he’s one of the league’s best head coaches. I’m a bit worried about the lack of playmaking on this team, and they will need Jusuf Nurkic to stay healthy if they want to compete on the glass, but there’s a lot of offensive firepower here, and it should be enough to sneak into the playoffs.
ORLANDO, FL - APRIL 17: Miles Bridges #0 of the Charlotte Hornets passes the ball during the game against the Orlando Magic during the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament on April 17, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Miles Bridges
Power forward, 6’7”, 225 pounds, 28 years old, 8th season
The Phoenix Suns are a team with numerous decisions to make during the upcoming season and subsequent offseason. And when it comes to the decisions that could have a long-term financial impact, much of the focus will be on two former lottery picks. One is entering his second season with the Suns, Jalen Green. The other? Newly acquired Miles Bridges, who comes to Phoenix with athleticism, ferocity, and plenty of off-court baggage.
Bridges has an opportunity in a new city and with a new organization to reset his path as an NBA player. He has an opportunity to showcase his basketball talents under the scrutinizing eyes of a fan base that has every reason to question the decision to bring him here.
There may not be another player on the Phoenix Suns facing more pressure this season than Miles Bridges. Every time he performs poorly, those who opposed his addition to the roster will beat that drum loudly. If he plays well, the Suns could become a viable threat in the Western Conference. If he struggles, his presence will remain a divisive talking point throughout the fan base.
Now that’s pressure.
Last Season
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
77
31.0
17.1
5.8
3.2
0.6
46.0%
33.3%
82.2%
118.3
114.8
+147
[Recap the previous season in roughly 3–5 paragraphs.]
Cover the important parts of the player’s previous year without turning this into a game log.
Include:
Games played and starts
Basic statistical production
Role and minutes
Injuries or availability
Major stretches, developments, or setbacks
How the season ended for them
Contract and Roster Context
[1Miles Bridges is entering the final year of his contract and is owed $22.9 million this season with the Phoenix Suns. Next summer, he will become an unrestricted free agent, although the Suns will hold his Bird rights.
What makes his contract situation interesting is that there are essentially two paths Phoenix can go down.
If the Suns opt to extend Bridges within the first six months after acquiring him, the maximum they can offer starts at 120% of his current salary with 5% raises in each additional season, with no more than four total seasons, including the current year. So if Phoenix extends Bridges prior to January 14, 2027, the maximum offer would be three years and $86.3 million.
If the Suns wait until after January 14, the equation changes. At that point, Phoenix could offer Bridges a standard veteran extension, which can begin at up to 140% of the final year of his current contract with 8% annual raises. That would allow the Suns to offer him as much as four years and $143.2 million.
Granted, the Suns have done a stellar job recently of getting what you could define as bargain deals, whether it was Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams, and Jordan Goodwin in free agency or the extension they reached with Dillon Brooks. So the maximum numbers don’t necessarily mean that’s what Bridges will ultimately command.
What He Brings
As I watch Bridges play, there’s one thing I know for sure. You’re going to notice him on the court. He isn’t somebody who consistently fades into the corner and lives there, holding his hands open and waiting for a ball that may never come. He inserts himself into possessions, whether that means bringing the ball up the floor, getting into the paint, or attacking when the ball finds his hands. And when he does get it, he can become electric in an instant.
His ability to throw down highlight reel dunks is what immediately catches your eye, but when you start examining the rest of his offensive game, you see a multifaceted player.
Yes, he’s joining a Suns team that doesn’t particularly shoot the three-ball well, and Bridges isn’t necessarily going to solve that problem. He’s a career 33.8% shooter from beyond the arc and shot 33.3% last season with Charlotte. But he also made 148 of them. So it’s not like he’s a complete zero from deep who defenses can completely ignore on the perimeter.
What stands out to me more is his ability to finish with either hand. Whether it’s dunks or floaters, once he enters the paint, it can be difficult to tell whether he’s right or left-handed. You remember he’s a lefty once he starts shooting the three-ball. That versatility around the basket is going to add another layer to the Suns’ offense that they simply didn’t have last season.
One of the more interesting things about Miles Bridges last season was that he spent much of his time in essentially the Dillon Brooks role, guarding the opposing team’s best offensive threat. Bridges ranked in the 88th percentile in matchup difficulty, which measures the quality of the offensive players a defender is asked to guard while factoring in their offensive impact and usage. He graded out as an A minus.
That gives Phoenix another highly switchable perimeter defender who can take on difficult assignments and fortify different aspects of the Suns’ defense. And within the starting five, that should be an absolute upgrade over Royce O’Neale, who was a liability in this area.
What Needs to Improve
As the shooting chart above showcases, Bridges isn’t much of a midrange player. For his career, he has shot 32.2% between eight and 16 feet from the basket, although only 7.5% of his total attempts have come from that area. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. That’s the space Devin Booker owns, while Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks like to operate there as well. You don’t need too many chefs in the kitchen, and we saw that a couple of years ago when Bradley Beal (cough…cough…when healthy) and Kevin Durant occupied many of the same areas of the floor. Bridges is better served either behind the arc, getting downhill, or operating from the dunker spot.
For somebody who attacks the paint as frequently as he does, however, he doesn’t get to the free-throw line very often. For his career, 48.7% of his shots have come from inside eight feet, yet he averages only 2.7 free-throw attempts per game. Perhaps some of that is a product of playing for Charlotte, a team that ranked in the bottom third of the league in free-throw attempts last season. But if the Suns want to attack the basket more frequently this season, with Green serving as the tip of the spear in that effort, those attacks need to produce something. Either make the basket or get to the line.
Another area where Bridges has room for improvement is his overall shot quality. BBall Index graded him as a D last season, placing him in the 27th percentile. The metric captures the quality of a player’s shots by factoring in distance, openness, and other variables. You would think that in Charlotte, with LaMelo Ball helping set the table for him, Bridges’ shot quality would have graded better than a D.
Prediction
There will be an initial adjustment period as all of the starters get comfortable with their roles. Bridges is going to eat into a chunk of the offensive production that belonged to other players a season ago. But once that comfortability sets in, I believe he’s going to thrive in his inaugural season with the Suns.
When you have Devin Booker as a scoring threat, Jalen Green attacking and penetrating, and Bridges potentially operating from the dunker spot, it should open up different aspects of the Suns’ offense. And I believe Bridges will be one of the primary beneficiaries.
There’s one thing you notice whenever you watch him play. He has a motor. That might be the part of his game that meshes most naturally with this Suns team. The motor. The desire. The competitiveness. You’ll see it on both ends of the floor. The Suns established that tenacity last season, and now they’ll look to fine-tune it with the addition of Bridges.
The longer the summer has gone on, the more I’ve bought into the idea that Miles Bridges is going to be a productive player for Phoenix. Perhaps it’s the long wait. The overanalysis. The hopium that starts setting in after an entire summer spent contemplating what this new offense could look like. Perhaps there’s some bias generated by watching hours of highlights. They are highlights, after all. They’re not lowlights.
Yes, there is plenty to be said about what has occurred off the court. But on it, you generally knew what you were getting from him. There were inconsistencies with the three-point shot, but the attitude and effort were there. And ultimately, that’s what this Suns team is being built to be. Hard-nosed. Competitive. The kind of team you don’t want to see sitting there on your schedule.
The Dallas Mavericks are gearing up for the 2026-2027 season, with players starting to transition their offseason regimens into training camp mode as next week nears. With the roster all but set for the upcoming season, there was still much to do behind the scenes. The Mavericks listed out no fewer than 10 additions or updates to their staff via press release earlier today.
Although mundane on the surface, these updates are intriguing in that they shed light on a variety of aspects that often go overlooked by team observers. For example, Ally Wade is the Director of Mind Health. The team psychologist is rarely spoken about, but serves a critical role for players relating to both on-court and everyday life situations. Chef John Bauer is the Director of Culinary Operations, because the days of grabbing fast food at the airport have given way to fully catered meals and custom nutrition plans. Joe Touomou will serve as Director of Africa/Player Development & Scouting, bringing nearly three decades of international developmental experience and perhaps indicating Masai Ujiri’s influence stemming from his own involvement in foreign affairs, especially in Africa. Then there are two other names to take note of: Nico Berg and Michael Finley
Nico Berg
Berg is the newly minted Executive Director of Health and Performance. This should be important to any and all Mavs’ fans who: a) watched a team come dangerously close to having to forfeit games on the grounds of not having enough available players; b) anxiously await the return of Dereck Lively, who was rumored to have nearly been put back on the court just before requiring a second surgery; or c) remember the days of Casey Smith and a team that kept their players healthy and their overall health as paramount.
On the heels of a training staff that allegedly in-fought and held atypical qualifications, the Mavericks bring in Berg, a physiotherapist with a resume featuring stints in the NFL and NHL. He also spent 2010-2014 with the Minnesota Timberwolves where he received endorsements from well-known players, including former Maverick JJ Barea, so he is no stranger to the NBA. If Berg can keep players on the floor and assist players like Kyrie Irving and Lively as they work back from injury, it will have a massive positive impact on the outcome of games and will help put the injury bug in the rearview.
Michael Finley
The longtime Maverick player and front office fixture garnered some speculation when Ujiri took over and Mike Schmitz was named GM. It soon became apparent Finley was staying put and now we have details on the role he will be in. Finley will be the Senior Director of Player, Community and Alumni Engagement. If we can properly infer Finley’s role based on the title, he ought to be a tremendous fit. Finley has been part of the Mavericks and the Dallas community with only a few breaks, going back to the 1990’s.
Don’t sleep on this role. The Mavericks experienced a lot of damage to their overall goodwill and community relations on the heels of the Luka Doncic trade. The fallout of that even seems to have put adopted son Dirk Nowitzki at arm’s length. Finley may be the perfect person to rebuild some of what was lost and he will hopefully be able to reengage Nowitzki and others. In the Patrick Dumont ownership era, it was in vogue to distance the team from its past. Dumont has since seemed to recognize that approach was less than ideal and has done a noble job in trying to rectify it. This move could be a key element in cultivating the culture that once was, while continuing to move forward.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Craig Porter Jr. #9 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on February 7, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Point guard is the deepest position in the league, and it’s the hardest position to make a career out of as a role player.
The talent pool for bench guards is incredibly vast. The gap between the third point guard in the NBA and a good G League guard is thin — much thinner than any other position. Just thinking about this for a few seconds explains why.
The height and athleticism prerequisites aren’t as stringent for point guards as they are for centers. There’s only so many coordinated and athletic people in the world who are 6’10” or taller. That’s why older players who are well past their primes, like De’Andre Jordan, Mason Plumlee, and Bismack Biyombo, all spent time on rosters last season. The center depth just isn’t there, especially not at the G League level, where you typically have either severely undersized bigs trying to get by on toughness or appropriately sized bigs that don’t have the coordination or athleticism to make it onto an NBA roster.
Those same issues just aren’t there for point guards. Far more people meet the prerequisites to play point guard, meaning there’s far more people capable and qualified to take your spot. That’s worrying for someone like Craig Porter Jr., who is entering the final year of his four-year deal. Additionally, a prospect coming up from the G League to be the third point guard wouldn’t be making as much as Porter in what would be his fifth season, which is meaningful in a salary cap league.
Porter is certainly qualified to be the third point guard in the NBA. He’s shown this repeatedly throughout his three-year career when he’s been asked to enter the rotation due to injuries. While they aren’t typical point guard skills, his ability to accumulate an exceptionally high steal, block, and rebound percentage for a guard is helpful. That, combined with his ability to finish and create for others in the open court, has made him a quality end-of-the-bench player.
However, if Porter is going to continue collecting an NBA paycheck for multiple more seasons, he will need to prove that he’s more than just an adequate third guard. Ideally, he would show that he can be a solid backup guard that belongs in the rotation on a nightly basis.
There’s a few things keeping Porter from being a quality backup guard. We’ll start first with the offense.
Right now, Porter isn’t an efficient scorer despite having numbers that you would expect from someone who was. Last season, Porter finished 70% of his looks at the rim (86th percentile) and 37% from three (61st percentile). Those are both good numbers for a guard — even though you’d like to see Porter be less hesitant to take threes. The problems come when he drives and doesn’t get all the way to the rim.
Porter isn’t a physically imposing player, which is why he went undrafted out of Wichita State. When he gets cut off from the rim, he doesn’t have many options as a scorer. Last season, Porter took 29% of his shots between the restricted area and the free-throw line (87th percentile) and completed a dismal 32% of them (13th percentile). The floater and in-between game aren’t there. If you cut Porter off from the rim, you’re forcing him into a shot he’s missing two-thirds of the time.
The problems in the short midrange are why Porter finished last season in the 39th percentile for points per shot attempt (1.07). This is an issue when you consider that Porter isn’t a lockdown defender despite accumulating blocks, steals, and rebounds.
Porter struggles to stay with his opponent in the half-court. He doesn’t have the lateral quickness to be a good man-to-man defender and isn’t an adept screen navigator. The coaching staff has tried to compensate for this by having Porter pick up his opponent full court more often. This has led to mixed results, although this was something he became better at later last season.
Porter has been a quality third guard the last three seasons. This year, he’ll possibly have his final chance with the Cleveland Cavaliers to show that he can be more than that. And the stage will be set for him to do so.
The Cavs enter the season with Porter being the most accomplished point guard off the bench. Tyrese Proctor didn’t get many opportunities in his rookie season, and Meleek Thomas — even if he does play — projects more as a two than a one. This leaves the stage open for Porter to show that he can step into this role right now.
Porter will start the year in the rotation since Kenny Atkinson often plays 10 or more at the start of the season. Whether or not he stays there as the year progresses will depend on whether he can improve some of the issues that have plagued him in the past.
Back up point guard is one of the bigger concerns for this group coming into this season. It’s the position they’re most likely to address with a midseason trade. A step up from Porter could change that.
Every season is make-or-break for players at the end of NBA rosters. There’s always someone coming up behind you, willing to take your spot while demanding less money to do so. Porter has some intriguing tools. He just hasn’t put them together for an extended enough time to prove that he can be a legitimate backup point guard and rotation player on a contender. We’ll see if that changes this year.
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 20: Bob Petit of the 75th Anniversary Team is introduced during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game as part of 2022 NBA All Star Weekend on February 20, 2022 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There are players who leave their stamp on the sport of basketball and then there are those who become synonymous with the sport itself. The NBA world lost a quintessential legend on Wednesday. Bob Pettit, 93, was one of the earliest superstars of the game. In 1954, the LSU standout was drafted second overall by the Milwaukee Hawks. He was named 1955 Rookie of the Year.
He and the Hawks made a move to St. Louis that summer and the following season he was named the league’s inaugural Most Valuable Player, an honor he picked up again three years later.
In 1958, Pettit and the Hawks won their only NBA championship, though Pettit appeared in four NBA Finals series during his career. He garnered eleven All-Star appearances, every season of his career, and was the league’s scoring champion in 1956 and 1959, the same years he was named MVP.
Pettit holds the top two NBA All-Star Game rebounding performances – 26 in 1958 and 27 in 1962 as well as the second-highest All-Star Game points per game average. Pettit averaged over 20 points and 12 rebounds per game in each of his eleven seasons. Pettit is the only retired player in NBA history (with more than two seasons) to average more than 20 points per game in every season they’ve played.
He was the first NBA player to hit the 20,000 point mark. And in 1970, Pettit was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Pettit, along with Bob Cousy, George Mikan, and Bill Russell is one of four players who was named to all four NBA anniversary teams.
Pettit’s #9 was retired by the Hawks, one of only five players in the franchise history.
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.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
American basketball player Bob Pettit, #9 for St Louis Hawks (now known as Atlanta Hawks) free throws during a match, St Louis, Missouri, US, circa 1960. (Photo by Jack Zehrt/FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NBA legend Bob Pettit died on Wednesday. He was 93.
Pettit was a blend of many things. Born in Louisiana during the Great Depression, Pettit attended LSU, and was one of the first great players in the NBA. Drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks in 1954, Pettit averaged 20.4 points and 13.8 rebounds per game that season, and won Rookie of the Year. He also had to move from center to forward, a position he had never played.
In 1958, the Boston Celtics had Bill Russell, and were building the greatest dynasty in the history of American professional sports. The St. Louis Hawks (the team moved after Pettit’s rookie season) nipped the Celtics in Game 6, 110-109, to win the title. Russell played injured for much of the series, but no one could control Pettit, who scored 50 points in that game.
His game was surprisingly modern. He was a good enough ball handler to drive and score, or he could shoot from well outside. And, as noted above, he was an excellent rebounder. If he played today, he’d be called a Stretch 4.
He earned a lot of respect during his career, notably from Russell, who said that Pettit invented the concept of second effort, and praised his fierce play.
In a small, kind, but still crushing anecdote, Russell once brought his grandfather to an NBA game. When Russell introduced his grandfather, who was born not all that long after slavery ended, Pettit shook his hand and said “Nice to meet you, Mr. Russell.”
On the way home after the game, the elder Russell told his grandson that that was the first time a white man had ever called him Mr. Russell.
In a small twist, Boston traded Ed MacCauley to St. Louis in order to obtain Russell, who the Hawks took with the #2 pick of the 1956 NBA Draft. Odds are Russell wouldn’t have lasted long in St. Louis, with the racism woven into the city at that time, but it’s fun to wonder what the Hawks would have been like with Russell and Pettit.
BRIGHTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 15: Head Coach Joe Mazzulla, Paul George #13, Mike Conley #45 & General Manager Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics pose for a photo during a press conference on September 15, 2026 at The Auerbach Center in Brighton, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Paul George has a Hall of Fame resume.
Entering Year 17, George is a 9-time All-Star, 6-time All-NBA forward, 4-time All-Defensive Team member, an Olympic gold medalist, and is one of the most recognizable stars of his era.
And yet, it’s a tricky legacy.
No one will dispute PG’s impact on the game. He’s one of his era’s most dynamic two-way players, and he’s been recognized as such. When it’s all said and done, George has made a good argument to be considered a top-100 player all-time.
But true championship opportunities have always eluded him.
A lot of George’s legacy has been defined by what could have been, or in some cases, what should have been.
No one would fault George or the Pacers for falling short in three straight battles with Miami’s Big 3, two of which were during George’s ascension into superstar territory and one that went down to a Game 7 in Miami, but George’s era as a Clipper is more complicated.
Their 3-1 collapse to Denver in the bubble was an all-time choke job, and it robbed us of what would have been a genuinely interesting series with a Lakers team they matched well with in the regular season. After that, Leonard and George played just 13 playoff games together across their next four seasons in LA, never seeming to find a way to stay on the court at the same time.
There was also the weaponization of his “Playoff P” moniker, which has mostly settled into an outdated reference, especially after his admirable performance in the 2021 postseason without Leonard, and his revitalized play against Boston this past year as a 76er. Especially during his LA tenure though, if you were a true PG supporter, chances are you were having to fight against the notion that George was a playoff dropper.
As it stands now, he’s fighting within the category of “greats without a NBA championship,” but where he fits in that conversation can feel a little complicated.
Legends like Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing and Reggie Miller are some of the loudest names in that category, yet they all reached that final stage for at least one chance to capture a title.
Maybe the closest situation to George’s would be that of Carmelo Anthony, who like PG, had a long and productive career with six All-NBA nods, is an Olympic gold medalist, and only made it as far as the conference finals. Both players aren’t just missing that ring, they’re missing the chance at even proving themselves on the defining stage of the Finals altogether.
His injury history, the playoff highs and lows, and even his podcast have played some role in the way George is both talked about and regarded within the upper echelon of NBA players. You can have dozens of All-Star appearances, you can be All-NBA ten times over, but nobody wants to be in the conversation of greats who never won the big one.
“Yeah he’s great, but he was never a champion.”
But what if he was?
How does the perception of his career shift if PG-13 leads to Banner 19?
BRIGHTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 15: Head Coach Joe Mazzulla & Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics speaks to the media during a press conference on September 15, 2026 at The Auerbach Center in Brighton, Massachusetts. 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 Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“I’m a guy that, when it’s all said and done, where my legacy falls being compared to guys in my category, I’ve yet to have something to show for it,” George said at his introductory press conference. “So for me, that’s where that chip lies on my shoulder.”
The Celtics, now a third season removed from Banner 18, still have championship DNA left over from that historic 2024 team. They’ll hope that past identity combined with impactful new faces and budding young talent will be enough to get them back to the main stage.
The Celtics have done their best to get with the times. They’re trying to make a team that’s deep, captained by a true superstar, and isn’t held at gunpoint by the second apron. They’re trying to build a winner without sacrificing all paths to future improvement. He’s no longer the face of a franchise, but George’s impact and availability will be a vital element to a title chase.
However long George’s Celtics tenure ends up being, this feels like the inevitable last chance as a major player to win a championship. And maybe it’s his best chance.
At his current level of production, it feels like George’s Celtics tenure will have a contending window that goes at least into next season to capture that 19th championship. He’ll be 38 years old by the time his current deal ends, far removed from his prime. Perhaps by then he’ll slide into the “overqualified role player” archetype and provide the veteran savvy Al Horford left behind.
Like Melo, who entered the Hall of Fame in 2025, George doesn’t need a ring as proof of his distinctive greatness on a basketball floor. A championship doesn’t fundamentally change just how good George became and just how fast he rose to prominence in the league.
He doesn’t need to prove he’s a great player, or a Hall of Famer, or where his place rests among the era’s best.
And yet there remains that chip on his shoulder because he knows that, for how great his career has been, it’s missing something.
It’s missing a storybook ending, that last perfect sendoff to wrap up his NBA journey with one defining image on a podium, engulfed by green and white confetti. The mission finally accomplished.
“The chip on my shoulder is, I’m a winning player,” George said. “I believe I’m all about winning, being a winning teammate, a winning locker room guy.”
What would a title do for Paul George’s legacy? It’d complete his story, while adding another chapter to Boston’s own.
Perhaps he’ll find that storybook ending as a Celtic.
After getting swept in the second round of last year's playoffs and losing LeBron James to free agency, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka was emboldened by Mark Walter's heavy investment in building out the front office to overhaul the roster around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
The first swing was the biggest one: trading for Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for two first-round draft picks and two unprotected first-round pick swaps and immediately signing him to a four-year, $129.47 million contract. It may have cost everything, to quote Thanos, but the Lakers secured the best available center this offseason to pair with Dončić for the long-term.
Pelinka used almost all of the cap space created by James' departure on depth, adding Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. All solid signings, but there are still questions on what this Lakers team's ceiling truly is, especially in a stacked Western Conference in which they'll have to go through the likes of the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
Almost all of that was overshadowed by Walter's shocking decision to sell his majority stake in the Lakers to Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger for a record $12.5 billion amid a federal investigation into disclosures involving Walter-controlled insurers and related investments. This all just 10 months after buying the team from the Buss family, the majority of whom in turn voted to sell their remaining 17.8% in shares to Kushner and Iger. The entire transaction, however, is on hold as Lakers governor Jeanie Buss contested her sibling's plans in court.
With no clear resolution to the Succession-esque power struggle seemingly in sight, it looks as if the re-tooled Lakers will start this season with just as many questions off the court as they have on it.
Here's a breakdown of the Los Angeles Lakers' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
JJ Redick told reporters at the Lakers' start of the season press conference on Thursday that he feels good about three of the five starting spots: Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler. That leaves two spots open on the wing. Assuming Reaves starts at shooting guard alongside Dončić in the backcourt, they'll need guys to slot in at the 3 and the 4. The biggest name, and contract, is Sandro Mamukelashvili, who became a favorite in Toronto among the fanbase, in the locker room and around NBA scouting departments due to his size and his 38.9% 3-point percentage. There are questions about his defense, however, and depending on how healthy Kevon Looney can stay, there's a real chance Mamukelashvili gets a chunk of minutes as a backup center. Sierra Canyon High School alum Ziaire Williams was signed to a one-year flier and fits the 3-and-D bill that the Lakers have badly needed over the last few years. He's also reportedly added muscle to his slender 185-pound frame, but will it be enough to withstand big minutes over a full season? There's also Jake LaRavia, who struggled mightily down the stretch of the regular season and in the playoffs last year to the point where his minutes dropped to just 14.3 per game. He does, however, have a year of experience playing alongside Dončić and Reaves, and he played relatively well in the first half of 2025-26. That chemistry is hard to dismiss on a roster that's been as overhauled as the Lakers' has. Matisse Thybulle is probably the best defender of the bunch; he could slide in at the 2 if Reaves were to move over to the 3, but that would leave Dončić (6-8) as the team's tallest starter outside of the 7-foot-2 Kessler and with his injury history, would it even be worth it? The one thing we do know? "The other two spots will not be two white guys," Redick joked to reporters on Thursday.
There's also another question to be answered about who makes the roster at all. The Lakers currently have 16 players signed to guaranteed contracts; they'll need to get down to 15 by opening day. The obvious solution is to simply waive one of the fringe players on the roster, but Pelinka told reporters Thursday he's looking into all options, including a consolidation trade. That would allow the Lakers to get something back − while preferably addressing an area of need − instead of letting a player go for nothing. Pelinka does, however, want to let camp play out before making his decision on how to move forward.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
G Luka Dončić
G Austin Reaves
F Quentin Grimes
F Ziaire Williams
C Walker Kessler
Rotation players
G Collin Sexton
G Matisse Thybulle
F/C Sandro Mamukelashvili
F Jake LaRavia
F Jarred Vanderbilt
C Kevon Looney
What to expect in 2026-27 season
JJ Redick has led the Lakers to back-to-back 50-win seasons but enters his third year as head coach with a bit more uncertainty and an almost entirely new supporting cast built around Luka Dončić. Rob Pelinka shelled out nearly $480 million, thanks to cap space created by LeBron James' departure, to tailor the roster around the Slovenian superstar.
Pelinka and Redick made their offseason intentions clear during their press conference on Thursday: 1, Re-sign Austin Reaves; 2, acquire a franchise-level center; 3, get young guys who can dribble, pass and shoot. They checked all three of those boxes.
But with an overhauled roster come question marks, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
"To me, this has not been — and it never will be — a full rebuild around Luka in one offseason," Redick told reporters. "That’s not the way the NBA works, and particularly with free agency the way it is now. But I like everything we did this summer to build around him, to build around AR, and to provide us with a ton of depth.”
Walker Kessler is "a perfect fit" alongside Dončić and Reaves, in Redick's own words. He'll step in as the best rim protector the Lakers have had since trading away Anthony Davis, but his acquisition from Utah came at a steep cost − what was left of their tradeable draft capital and a four-year, $129 million contract extension. Redick told reporters on Thursday that he plans to run a different defensive scheme this year and use Kessler in a way similar to how the San Antonio Spurs use Victor Wembanyama − keeping him close to the paint to clean up around the rim from one-on-one matchups around him.
The Lakers added depth, with Collin Sexton now running the offense of the bench. He should pair nicely with Mamukelashvili if the Georgian big man doesn't crack the starting five as a power forward. The gaping hole at center has been filled. They have size now. Some solid defenders have also been added, such as Quentin Grimes and Matisse Thybulle, but they're still lacking an athletic wing despite being linked heavily to Jonathan Kuminga throughout the offseason.
It'll take time for these new-look Lakers to jell but if and when they do, their actual standing in the stacked Western Conference is still anyone's best guess. Redick, on the other hand, feels good that they'll have something to say about that.
"I’m confident we’re going to develop into a championship-level team this season," he said.
