The second apron era of the NBA is here and it’s forcing teams to make tough decisions. The Knicks are no stranger to difficult choices. This offseason, the club did not retain backup center Mitchell Robinson in free agency due to the second apron.
That problem won’t disappear anytime soon as New York has one of the most expensive teams in the NBA. Looming contract extensions for Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart are on the horizon. A solution to the salary cap crunch is player development and the Knicks will need young players like Mohamed Diawara and Pacome Dadiet to grow into legitimate rotation players in the future.
Currently, Diawara and Dadiet are set to earn a combined $5.6 million for the 2026-27 season. So far, the development of both players has varied. A second-round pick in 2025, Diawara had some stints in New York’s rotation before being glued to the bench for the latter part of the season and the playoffs.
Overall, the 21-year old forward was a pleasant surprise. Diawara has a good feel for the game. His three-point shooting was much further along than expected, as he shot 36.9 percent from beyond the arc. The Knicks were impressed enough by the forward to re-sign him to a four-year, $11.2 million contract. He has the potential to be a three-and-D wing for the Knicks going forward.
Dadiet has played just 247 total minutes in two seasons with the Knicks and hasn’t been able to earn any trust. At just 21 years old, Dadiet still has potential to evolve, but time is running out for New York to decide whether to keep him around long-term. The Knicks have two first-round picks over the next four years, so that is another way they could find cheap talent.
With 13 players on the roster, New York is currently $3.3 million away from the $221.7 million second apron. The Knicks will eventually have to sign a 14th player to the roster cutting into that already-thin wiggle room.
Future flexibility
Knicks owner James Dolan made it clear earlier in June that the Knicks will not be going into the second apron, which penalizes teams through various mechanisms. This includes not being allowed to aggregate salaries in a trade or having future first-round picks frozen.
Going forward, New York will be dealing with the second apron for the next few years. The Knicks' starting lineup is particularly expensive, earning a combined $191.7 million during the 2026-27 season. It’s created a salary structure where no one on the bench makes more than $5.5 million next season.
Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby are both extension eligible in 2027. Brunson’s future salary will be important to watch. The 2026 NBA Finals MVP will earn $37.7 million for 2026-27. After sacrificing some money by avoiding free agency, Brunson is sure to sign for a max contract in the future and could annually earn $60 million or more depending on when he signs a new contract.
To avoid the second apron in future years, New York might have to alter its starting lineup by dealing away a key starter like Hart or Mikal Bridges. That makes it even more important for Diawara and Dadiet to emerge.
Both players provide size on the perimeter, something New York’s current bench is lacking. Currently, New York’s reserve rotation will include 6-foot Jose Alvarado, 6-foot-2 Miles McBride and 6-foot-5 Landry Shamet.
After a short summer break, it’s very possible Knicks head coach Mike Brown opts to keep his starters fresh by limiting minutes and also giving stars like Brunson, Towns and Anunoby the occasional night off.
In that case there should be plenty of opportunities for Diawara and Dadiet to crack the rotation. But they will need to play well to help the Knicks compete for a championship next season. But their play could also dictate what the future makeup of the team will be years from now.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 09: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver gets ready to present the championship trophy for the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament to the Los Angeles Lakers after they defeated the Indiana Pacers 123-109 at T-Mobile Arena on December 09, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Ethan Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Much of that has happened under Adam Silver’s watch. While he isn’t responsible for the Buss family, he hasn’t done much to tamp down the flames of a situation threatening to boil over throughout the years either.
Owner oversight, in fact, has not been a particularly strong aspect of his performance as commissioner. Some might say it’s an area he’d Aspire to improve.
All that makes it a bit funny that it sounds like he’s going to attempt to step in and fix the latest, and maybe final, Buss family drama. Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal, in a piece on the recent influx of sales of NBA teams, reported that Silver is expected to try to help calm things down in Los Angeles.
The Lakers’ situation isn’t as clear cut, with sources believing Commissioner Adam Silver — who has always been close with Jeanie Buss — will try to help smooth over the Buss family chaos.
Hey man, good luck!
Based on how he’s handling the situation with Steve Ballmer and the Clippers, is there any confidence that he’ll figure things out? In his defense, it’s different situations with different relationships. He has a much better relationship with Jeanie after years of working together than he would Ballmer, if we comparing them.
But at the same time, what’s he going to say to her? He may have a good relationship with Jeanie, but he also has a good relationship with Bob Iger.
This all just feels like a mess that Silver won’t be able to fix. He had a decade to try to calm things down with the family, if he was really worried about it. All that he’s worried about now is that one of his friends might not be able to buy an NBA team.
Color me skeptical that he’s going to have any luck smoothing things over. It’s way, way too late for that now.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 19: The sneakers worn by Dink Pate #28 of the New York Knicks during the game against the Washington Wizards during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 19, 2025 at the Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Last postseason, Aaron Gordon pushed himself to play through an injury to get back on the court for Denver, but it wasn't enough for Denver as it got bounced in the first round of the playoffs by Minnesota.
"You've got to remember, he didn't finish the season. He didn't play in the playoffs. He was dealing with a hamstring injury, soft tissue injury. And when you're dealing with those injuries, you have to be very careful in your return. Guys want to play, and you have to protect them from themselves in that moment. Because you're up for a contract and it's the playoffs, and I've had a pretty good year, so I need to play. And it's important to protect that."
There were reports during the playoffs that other Nuggets teammates were frustrated with Watson for not pushing through his injury to play. Now we know why. Paul's answer also may not sit well with Nuggets fans, especially in the wake of what Gordon did, but it's also what an agent should be doing — looking out for the long-term health and what is best for his client.
It's fair to wonder if one reason the Nuggets didn't meet Watson's salary demands — which were less than what they paid Christian Brown the summer before — was that he didn't push to get on the court for the playoffs. Although the larger issue was Denver's finances, it remains over the second apron.
Cleveland needs him on the court this playoffs, with James Harden and Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt, they need his perimeter defense. His offensive game stepped up for a stretch last season, now Watson needs to show that wasn't an excuse.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 22: Chaney Johnson #31 of the Brooklyn Nets warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on March 22, 2026 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 License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As players begin to return to the HSS Training Facility for pick-up games and workouts prior to to the opening of training camp at the next of next month, it’s typically a time when word begins to trickle out about how each has developed throughout the offseason … who’s looking good, who will surprise.
That intrigue becomes even more prevalent when a player didn’t appear in Summer League, as was the case with Nolan Traoré, who enters his second season in Brooklyn after an up-and-down rookie year as the league’s sixth youngest player.
Nets two-way forward Chaney Johnson has had an up-close look at his teammates in recent weeks and he’s excited about the French guard’s progress since the last time they took the court together back in mid-April.
“Honestly, I’m going to have to say Nolan,” Johnson told me when asked about what he’s seen . “All the guys have improved, but I feel like Nolan … he’s a different guy now. He done put on some mass. He’s walking around with a sleeveless hoodie on, looking at the biceps, you know what I’m saying? He done put on some strength.”
Traoré didn’t play in Summer League, recovering from a knee scope, although he is expected to make a full return for training camp. While he wasn’t active on the floor, he’s has still been active in the gym and the weight room all offseason long, evidenced by Johnson’s comments.
We got only a brief look at him in Las Vegas when the Nets opened up the gym to the media …
Nolan Traore isn’t playing in Summer League because of his knee scope, but he made the trip to Vegas and is progressing well. #netspic.twitter.com/uhNP3GvqrX
After a rookie season in which he looked skinny playing against NBA competition, a bulk-up is expected to help Traoré’s game as he looks to take a Year 2 leap. Traoré finished the year on a high note, indicating he has plenty of upside and room for growth. Over the past month and half of the season (31 games), Traore averaged better than 11 points a game along with four assists, putting up individual games of 23 points, 12 assists and five 3-pointers. Even before that, in February, Traore led the 2025 rookie class in assists with 67.
Johnson had good things to say about the other members of the Flatbush 5 as well.
“All the guys have improved,” he added. “Drake has gotten stronger. Danny has gotten stronger. He’s gotten a lot more mobile. He’s moving a whole lot better. I can just tell the confidence that he’s [showing] in his workouts and the way that he’s operating. Ben has gotten stronger.”
Johnson spoke as well of the two veterans, Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle, who he said will bring needed “grit” aka physicality
“You know, I got to be around MPJ a solid bit toward the end of the season last year, and then just getting to meet Julius Randle and being around him a lot more. Julius Randle, for sure, just brings a grit that I’m not going to say we don’t have, but just a grit that we need,” he said.
“He brings — like, Jordi is a hard-nosed, dive-on-the-floor, play-hard, but at the same time make sure we take care of the basics type of coach. I feel like Julius brings that. He just brings an added benefit on top of what Jordi already wants out of his players.
“He’s a cool dude. I feel like he’s a lot bigger in person — pause. But muscle-wise, this man is, like, [unclear], man. He just brings strength. He brings a toughness that I feel like is going to pay off this year.”
Johnson experienced an encouraging offseason of his own. The 24-year-old averaged 13.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and a Summer League-leading 3.3 steals per game in Las Vegas as he continues to strengthen his case for an expanded role with Brooklyn.
Currently on a two-way contract, Johnson is looking to earn a standard NBA deal with the team, and his Summer League showing was certainly a step towards accomplishing that.
“I just wanted to go out there and have fun,” Johnson said of his own performance. “Of course, we wanted to win it all, but we fell short. The camaraderie that we had, we just enjoyed it. I feel like that kind of showed on the court.”
That alone didn’t leave him satisfied, though. Since returning to Brooklyn, he has continued working to round out his game ahead of training camp.
“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger, a lot more athletic,” Johnson told me. “My touch has improved. I feel like my shot has improved a good bit since last year.”
One of Johnson’s biggest offseason priorities has been developing his shooting game. He has worked closely with Nets shooting consultant Dave Love to fine-tune his mechanics.
“I’ve been getting a lot of reps in,” Johnson said. “I’ve been working with Coach Dave Love, just working on loading my wrist, getting my hand under the ball and making sure my balance and everything is keyed in. My confidence with shooting has come a long way.”
Despite standing at only 6’7”, Johnson spent significant time at the 5 throughout Summer League games in Sacramento and Las Vegas, and despite being undersized for the position, he believes the way Brooklyn uses the center spot fits him.
“I feel like it suits my strengths,” said Johnson regarding the way Brooklyn utilizes the five. “Playing at the 5, driving on DHOs, you just can’t be loose with it. You’ve got to make sure you’re getting below the defender so you can make the handoff easier and make the guy coming off the DHO open for three or for the attack.”
Given that he is undersized, he’s faced challenges defensively, but Johnson has learned to lean on his athleticism and instincts as much as possible.
“Since I am shorter than the average NBA center, I just use my athleticism as much as I can, use my quickness and try to use my mind to get every advantage,” Johnson said of his 40+“ vertical. “One thing you can’t get is height, so I’m just trying to use all my strengths — my strength, my quickness and my athleticism — to my best advantage.”
At the end of the day, though, Johnson’s goal is to see the NBA floor as much as possible. After signing with the team in December on a two-way contract, he knows exactly what it takes to battle for recognition.
He had to make his mark with the Nets’ G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, before earning an NBA chance. Prior to that, he was with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ G League team.
Johnson played in 24 games for Long Island (four starts), averaging 14.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals in 26.9 minutes while shooting 56.1% from the field.
His journey began, though, in the Division II ranks at the University of Alabama at Huntsville before transferring to Auburn, where he helped lead the team on a Final Four run in 2025.
“I’m just attacking every single day, attacking every weight-room lift, attacking recovery and trying not to take any days for granted,” Johnson said. “If I get the opportunity, I’m going to go out and play hard. I’m not leaving anything on the court.”
Johnson can’t control how many minutes will be available when the season begins. For now, he remains focused on making sure he is ready to give 110% whenever his name is called.
At the end of the day, his path for minutes won’t be easy. Brooklyn has eight players on rookie contracts, not counting second-round rookie, 6’9” shooter Tyler Bilodeau, who is also on a two-way deal.
There will be no shortage of competition for playing time, but Johnson has already shown he will put in the work and make the most of whatever comes his way.
Bottom line, Johnson said he and his teammates want “to win every game” after last year’s 20-win season which he described at “terrible.”
“I just feel like we’re hungry,” he said. “They know — we realize how terrible of a team we were last year, or how terrible we did. I know ‘terrible’ is a strong word, so I don’t want to — but we weren’t the best team last year. So I feel like we’ve got that chip on our shoulder now, and we’re ready to prove some people wrong.”
The New York Knicks’ first championship in 53 years came in such dominant fashion, fans are quickly turning towards the next one, with all but Mitchell Robinson returning and the season under two months away.
Their oldest rotation piece is 31-years-old and the front office can realistically keep them in place for at least the next two seasons, so their championship window remains open.
Although the league bolstered up and these guys aren’t exactly young, they only hit their peak during last year’s playoff run and it’s possible their ceiling is even higher. Just how long can New York keep this core team together and competitive?
Leon Rose and team have already suffered a loss in keeping under the second apron, as Robinson left for the Boston Celtics with the Knicks unable to match their offer. On the bright side, they locked in Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet for the next three seasons, and Mikal Bridges is under contract for that long as well.
New York’s immediate concerns are Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Miles McBride. Towns has a $61 million player option for next year but fans are hoping he and the Knicks can come to terms on a fair extension before the season following a legendary postseason run.
A team-friendly deal in the $50 million a year range, short of his near-$70 million max, would lock him up well past his prime and help the Knicks duck the apron in the years to follow. The alternatives would be losing a key starter or trading Towns before he could flee in free agency.
Hart has a team option for next season at $22.3 million, but just became extension eligible. The Athletic reports a likely three-year offer in the range of $20 million per year, which tracks with offering long-term security at a lower price to maintain this aging roster.
The league could throw gaudier numbers Hart’s way, but the Jalen Brunson connection makes a departure hard to imagine. His skillset and culture-setting are perfect for this team, which makes every dollar worth it even if his game starts to slip towards the back end.
New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) reacts with guard Jalen Brunson (11) and guard Mikal Bridges (25) against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena / Kyle Ross - Imagn Images
McBride is a different story, as he and the Knicks didn’t reach an extension before the deadline, setting him up to his free agency this summer. Teams are likely to throw valuable role player numbers at him after New York all but swindled him the past few seasons, so retaining him would make retaining the rest of their rotation near impossible.
It would make sense for the Knicks to shop him this trade deadline to teams interested in picking up his bird rights in exchange for somebody still on their rookie scale or a similarly priced deal. If not, they run the risk of losing him in free agency, though seem to have their backup plans in Tyler Kolek and Jack Kayil (who will play overseas during the 2026-27 season).
Barring catastrophe here, the Knicks can keep their non-McBride minutes the same and continue competing through the next two seasons. They’d have a starting five of 32- and 33-year-olds, but can still keep the math working for even longer.
The assumption is Brunson inks a max extension with New York ahead of time, setting him up to make over $70 million a year starting in 2028-29. This is why the front office needs to pinch pennies with every extension so far.
OG Anunoby’s final year player option also hits in 2029 at $48 million. The magic annual number to keep the party going is somewhere below that - $45 million should work but $40 is even better.
This third year out is the tightest with Brunson’s and potentially Anunoby’s extensions kicking in. If Towns insists on closer to $60 million, or any of the others want bigger bumps, this plan goes awry quickly.
It’s possible this team isn’t worth keeping together past that point as they start to show their wear-and-tear or naturally drift apart like other "superteams." In that case there’s little to worry about here as the Knicks would just pivot, retool or rebuild.
But if it still looks like they could win, they just need to extend Bridges at the $40 million his contract ends on and reload the bench, and they could theoretically keep this team going for the next five seasons. It’s hard to imagine them wreaking havoc for that long, but many didn’t imagine them winning a championship in the first place.
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 24: Collin Murray-Boyles #12 and Ja'Kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors smile during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on October 24, 2025 at the Scotiabank Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Beyond Kawhi Leonard, the Toronto Raptors likely won’t see another needle-moving (even by a centimetre) type of player walk through the doors of the Scotiabank Arena before the start of the 2026-27 season.
This is especially true after DeMar DeRozan signed with the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
That means the answer must already exist inside Toronto’s locker room. Leonard is still a superstar, but for the Raptors to make a meaningful run in an uber-competitive Eastern Conference, he needs the supporting cast to step up.
After Leonard hit the game-winner against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2019 championship run, injuries temporarily slowed him down. Leonard’s teammates picked him up until he was ready to save the day. Fred VanVleet went nuclear from deep against the Milwaukee Bucks. Pascal Siakam ascended and hit the last field goal in the title-clinching game. Game Six Kyle Lowry went berserk in the opening minutes.
On this team, especially when Leonard misses time, it will again take a village. But for the Raptors to truly take advantage of however many years Leonard has in the tank, fans believe Ja’Kobe Walter must unlock another level.
Walter has the potential to be a more dynamic version of what Danny Green was in 2019. The third-year guard averaged one steal last season and should continue to grow into one of the better perimeter defenders on the team. He’s also one of the best shooters on the roster after averaging 40.9 per cent from deep in his sophomore season. If Walter can continue to develop his in-between game, he’ll play a significant role in reducing the scoring droughts that have typically plagued the Raptors in the past.
With the start of pre-season beginning on Oct. 3, Raptors fans can continue to voice their expertise, knowledge, and concerns about the upcoming year on FanDuel.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 19: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles against Landry Shamet #44 of the New York Knicks during their game at Madison Square Garden on January 19, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Do you have a retirement plan? A 401(k)? Is your portfolio properly diversified? Have you considered when you might retire, maybe leaving yourself time to walk into the sunset with some quality years still ahead of you? Or do you plan to cling to a job you enjoy for as long as you can, before AI pries it from your fingers, and maybe provide some mentorship to the younger generation?
Here’s what some famous old guys are up to. May you be so financially fortunate in your later years.
Klay Thompson is expected to sign with Miami after clearing waivers following a buyout with Dallas. NBA.com reports that he averaged 11.7 points last season and 12.9 points while shooting 39% from three across his two Mavericks seasons. If everything goes according to plan, Miami would be adding him specifically to improve the spacing around Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
James Harden has agreed to return to Cleveland on a reported three-year, $97 million deal. Harden averaged 20.5 points and 7.7 assists in 26 games after arriving from the Clippers in February.
DeMar DeRozan has agreed to join Denver on a one-year, $3.9 million deal after Sacramento waived him. He averaged 18.4 points in 77 games last season and remains 16th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
LeBron James signed a two-year, $8 million veteran-minimum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, with a player option for the second year. Taking a historic pay cut after making nearly $53 million last season, the 41-year-old superstar joined the Sixers to chase another NBA title alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown.
Brown arrived in Philadelphia in another summer blockbuster, with the Boston Celtics acquiring Paul George and draft capital from the 76ers in return. George has two years remaining on his max contract, with a $54.1 million cap hit for 2026-27 and a $56.6 million player option for 2027-28.
George is 36. Thompson is 36. Harden turns 37 next week. DeRozan is 37. LeBron turns 42 in December. None qualifies as old in ordinary human terms, but by NBA standards these are some serious graybeards. Each has reached the point where a team is paying partly for the player who exists now and partly for what opponents remember about him.
We sometimes see guys defy Father Time and continue to perform at the highest level. Verlander and Scherzer are still hurling in the MLB, and Messi was the talk of the World Cup. I’d wet my pants to see Djokovic across the tennis court from me.
And sometimes there’s a strange temporal overlap, where reputation is more of an active force. You can see it on the court. Defenders do not react only to present ability, but also to accumulated memory. A shooter who once rained triples on the league may still produce a tingle of the old willies when he curls around a screen.
Imagine Klay standing motionless in the corner. He’s got some silver whiskers. He’s coming off an 11.7-point season. Everyone knows his Splash Brother-ing days are behind him. And yet the defender still thinks: Klay Thompson. For a fraction of a second, the defender’s body remembers something his CPU knows is old data. Can’t give him room. Chase him over the screen. Stay on his hip. That fraction of a second still has basketball value in today’s NBA.
More often, older NBA players are becoming specialists in pieces of the game they once dominated completely. It makes for a respectable second act, and it keeps them employed in an association with only 450 standard roster spots, 90 two-way spots, and a fresh flood of players arriving every summer who aren’t yet old enough to buy alcohol.
For Knicks fans of a certain vintage, seeing these older guys donning new jerseys might trigger some PTSD. There was a time when New York was more than willing to gamble on a risky player who might still contain enough of the old mojo to win a few more games, to pack a few more seats.
In February 2006, under Isiah Thomas, the Knicks acquired Steve Francis from the Orlando Magic for 20-year-old Trevor Ariza and the expiring contract of an aging, injured Penny Hardaway. Francis was 29, averaging a career-low 16.2 points amid declining athleticism and knee problems, and was still owed roughly $49 million over the following three seasons. He never regained his old form in New York, where injuries limited his effectiveness, and was traded little more than a year later. The Knicks had traded a younger asset in Ariza for a famous name whose best basketball had already been played.
Four years later, Donnie Walsh made a different calculation with another fading superstar. In February 2010, the Knicks acquired Tracy McGrady and Sergio Rodríguez in a three-team deal with Houston and Sacramento. New York sent Jordan Hill and Jared Jeffries to Houston along with a protected 2012 first-round pick and 2011 pick-swap rights, while Larry Hughes went to Sacramento. I, for one, was excited at the prospect of adding the former scoring champ and perennial All-Star, but McGrady was coming off major knee problems and a long absence from the Rockets. It became quickly apparent that he was no longer T-Mac in anything but name.
Truth be told, that deal was more about finance than talent, and McGrady’s enormous expiring contract was the point. Moving Jeffries helped clear more than $9 million in additional cap space and positioned the Knicks to chase LeBron and the much ballyhooed 2010 free-agent class (which also included Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amar’e Stoudemire, Dirk Nowitzki, and Carlos Boozer). McGrady played only 24 games for New York, averaging 9.4 points, but his basketball production was almost incidental to the transaction.
Then came Andrea Bargnani. In July 2013, the Knicks traded Marcus Camby, Steve Novak, Quentin Richardson, a 2016 first-round pick and second-round picks in 2014 and 2017 to Toronto for the former number one overall selection. Bargs was only 27, so he hardly qualified as a graybeard, but the melody line was similar. He was injury-prone, pricey, and several years removed from the promise attached to his draft pedigree. New York nevertheless paid future assets for the possibility that the recognizable name might become the recognizable player again.
He didn’t. Bargs spent two injury-plagued seasons in New York and was gone by 2015. Toronto eventually used the Knicks’ 2016 first-rounder to select Jakob Poeltl, who later became part of the package that brought Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors. (BTW, Leonard turned 35 this summer and is coming off arguably his best season yet. Go figure.)
The history lesson helps explain why this summer’s parade of distinguished thirty-somethings (and one forty-something) might feel eerily familiar. All that makes me appreciate the business acumen of Leon Rose & Co. all the more. The front office didn’t make a big swing for LeBron or Embiid and his shoddy knees when they were building a championship roster. Instead they made a series of shrewd moves and careful decisions, step by step, to bring just the right arrangement of Avengers together.
We’ll see if the aforementioned players on the move this summer will pan out for their new teams. With measured expectations, the odds are favorable. Miami is not paying Klay Thompson to become the gunslinger of 2016. Denver does not need DeRozan to become a 27-point scorer again. Philadelphia certainly is not paying LeBron as though he were 28. These teams don’t need the whole ghost, they just need a respected face to haunt the defense for a few possessions at a time.
Michael Jordan, right, of the Chicago Bulls goes to the basket past Jeff Hornacek, left, of the Utah Jazz on June 7 at the United Center in Chicago. The seven-game series is tied at 1-1. (AFP)
The owner of Michael Jordan’s Game 3 1998 NBA Finals jersey has predicted it could fetch a jaw-dropping $100 million — shattering the record for the most expensive piece of game-worn sports memorabilia ever sold.
Sports investor and actor Rob Gough is selling the one-of-a-kind white, game-winning jersey four years after he purchased it, The Post can exclusively reveal.
“I think this will be the first jersey to hit $100 million,” he said.
In Game 3, the Bulls beat the Jazz by 42 points, the record for the biggest blowout in NBA Finals history. AFP via Getty ImagesThe Post revealed the owner of Michael Jordan’s Game 3 1998 NBA Finals jersey is sports investor and actor Rob Gough. Courtesy of Joopiter
Gough went on a “wild treasure hunt” to get his hands on the jersey — from Jordan’s “The Last Dance” season when he won his sixth and final championship with the Chicago Bulls.
The Indiana native said he went on the quest because he always looks “for pieces that sit at the intersection of the greatest athlete, the greatest stage and a defining moment.”
“It’s not like I knew where it was or it was easy to find … this person led to this person, which led to the other person,” he added.
“Unfortunately I never got to the actual owner of the jersey, I got to a middle man who probably made millions of dollars [off the sale].”
Gough, 42, never found out who the original owner was and had to sign an NDA in the deal, so is unable to disclose how much he paid for jersey — which he displayed at his house in Puerto Rico for two years before he put it in a vault to keep it safe.
The jersey was worn by Jordan during Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Courtesy of Joopiter
“It’s interesting, because I have a lot of great art. And when people come to the house, they skip right over the art and go right to the jersey,” he said.
“That’s when I realized that this stuff is the new modern art.”
Gough, 42, had the jersey displayed in his home for two years before he put it in a vault. Courtesy of Rob Gough
“You’re a steward of these iconic pieces of history. When I had it in the house, it was tremendous. But when it was in the vault … what’s the point of being a steward of something if you’re not gonna let people see it and enjoy it?” Gough said.
Jordan’s jersey from Game 1 of the ’98 Finals currently holds the record for highest sale at an auction, having fetched $10.1 million in 2022 at Sotheby’s.
“He lost Game 1 … I don’t personally buy games where a guy loses because you’re saying, ‘That jersey on the wall, remember when Michael Jordan lost that game?’ You just don’t say that,” Gough said.
In Game 3, the Bulls beat the Utah Jazz by 42 points, setting the record for the biggest blowout in NBA Finals history.
Gough, who recently purchased the Miami-based World Jai Alai League, made a name for himself in the collectibles industry after buying a rare 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card for a then-record $5.2 million in 2021.
“No one knows that I actually sold [the card] for eight figures,” he said. “So this [jersey sale] would be the second at-least-eight-figure transaction.”
The avid sports collector, who also owns the jerseys of GOATs like Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, Tom Brady and Wayne Gretzky, said he’s unsure if Jordan is following the history-making sale.
“Oh man, I have no idea. I wish I had the guy on speed dial,” he said, laughing.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 12: Koby Brea #14 of the Phoenix Suns sets the play in front of Brooks Barnhizer #23 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center on April 12, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 William Purnell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There are things in life you’d rather have and not need than need and not have. Jumper cables. A plunger. An alibi? And in the case of a professional basketball organization, two-way contracted players.
If your two-way players are getting substantial minutes with the big league club, something probably went wrong along the way. Injuries would be the most obvious culprit, but you could also add roster additions that didn’t work out, players who didn’t fit within the scheme, or a team that has shifted its focus toward development rather than winning in the present.
The Phoenix Suns are a team that, in recent years, has fully utilized all of its two-way roster spots. As part of the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2023, teams were allowed to expand from two two-way contracts to three. Two-way contracts were introduced prior to the 2017–18 season to strengthen player development. Of course, there are restrictions. Players on two-way contracts must have fewer than four years of NBA service time, and each player can be active for a maximum of 50 regular-season NBA games. That means available, not necessarily playing.
This change has also come at a time when the Suns have shifted their strategy regarding the draft. In the past, you could punt second-round picks because you assumed they weren’t going to be part of your future. Now, there is a legitimate developmental path for those players. You can draft them, develop them, and hope they eventually become depth pieces or even rotational players for the big league club.
When you look back at last season, the Suns did make use of their two-way contracted players. Koby Brea and CJ Huntley combined for 124 minutes, while Jamaree Bouyea logged 644 minutes across 46 games. Bouyea joined the Suns on a two-way contract in November before being converted to a regular contract in early March. That is exactly how you want to utilize your feeder system, providing minutes, development, and opportunity to players who can potentially grow into something more.
Now look at this year’s crop of two-way players, and you’ll find two familiar faces. Both Brea and Huntley return under the same premise. Joining them is Pat Spencer, who enters his fourth NBA season and has followed a path similar to Bouyea’s. Spencer signed a two-way deal with the Golden State Warriors before eventually being converted to a regular contract, a pattern that has held in each of the last two seasons. And Golden State needed him. The Warriors were riddled with injuries last season, and Spencer ultimately appeared in 66 games, starting 14.
Now he finds himself with the Phoenix Suns, and the fan base clearly believes he has the best chance of earning meaningful minutes with the big league club. In our latest survey, 78% of the community believes Spencer will see time with the Suns this season.
It’s an interesting outcome to the poll, and I think people voted that way because Pat Spencer feels like the most NBA-ready player of the group. We’ve already seen it from him, and he is easily the most experienced of the Suns’ three two-way contracted players.
What’s interesting about the way Phoenix has structured this group is that each player represents a different archetype. Spencer is a hard-nosed defender at the point guard position. Koby Brea is more of a three-point shooting specialist. CJ Huntley provides size and rebounding while also possessing the ability to stretch the floor as a big.
So while 78% of the community believes Spencer will see the most minutes because he has the most experience, appears the most ready, and brings the most maturity, I think it ultimately depends on where the need comes from. I don’t expect any of these players to come in and materially change the FanDuel over-under win total based purely on their performance. They are fortifications. Something you’d rather have and not need than need and not have. Pat Spencer is a plunger.
If the Suns have issues with their bigs, you bring up CJ Huntley and let him fill some minutes until health is restored. If they need more help shooting the three-point ball, which is something this team could certainly use, Brea might have the easiest path to meaningful minutes. He’s actually the player I voted for. Then there’s Spencer. If Phoenix wants to lean further into its defensive identity, or if injuries hit the guard rotation, he gives them another option with those characteristics.
At the end of the day, it’s a good problem to have because it speaks to the Suns’ strategy around both development and flexibility. They have different types of players waiting in the wings and can adjust as the season throws at them. That’s strategic roster building.
And ideally, that’s where the story ends. Spencer, Brea, and Huntley spend most of the season developing, waiting for opportunities that rarely arrive because the players ahead of them remain healthy and productive. But NBA seasons rarely cooperate that neatly. Injuries happen, needs change, and rotations evolve. When they do, Phoenix has three distinctly different answers waiting. You hope you never need the jumper cables, the alibi, or Pat Spencer. But you’ll be glad they’re there if you do.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 04: Devin Vassell #24 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the third quarter of a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 04, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today is Devin Vassell’s twenty-sixth birthday. What a roller coaster ride for such a young man. In his professional life, he was drafted eleventh overall in 2020. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, his first season was truncated. The team was in disarray, at least by Spurs standards.
The year before Vassell was drafted, the Spurs played their last playoffs. That summer, they drafted Keldon Johnson, now the longest tenured member of the squad. Ever since, they had not had a winning season or played in a playoff game…until 2026. The Spurs went from a 34-48 record in 2025 to a 62-20 record that not only introduced the Spurs draftees to the postseason, it took the team to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.
Vassell commented during a postgame press conference that he and Johnson had been working toward this for a long time. He referred to KJ as his “brother” as he shared a heartfelt moment about the team making the playoffs.
From the drafting of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, and Carter Bryant to the addition of veterans De’Aaron Fox, Harrison Barnes, Luke Kornet, Kelly Olynyk and Bismack Biyombo through the finding hidden gems Julian Champagnie, David Jones Garcia, and Jordan McLaughlin, the team made a huge leap last season. And Vassell was an integral piece to their success.
When not in season, Vassell hosts a variety of basketball camps both in San Antonio as well as in his home state Georgia. He joined some teammates in visiting Victor Wembanyama this summer, indulging in art and culture while working out and staying sharp.
The ceiling on the Spurs is significantly higher than it has been in years, and after their Finals appearance, the next steps promise to be the most exciting.
Happy birthday, Devin, may all your wished come true this year.
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Boston, MA - December 25: Boston Celtics PG Payton Pritchard passes the ball while being defended by Philadelphia 76ers SF Paul George in the first half. (Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
STOUGHTON, Mass. — Payton Pritchard became the second longest-tenured Celtic this summer and projects to gain more offensive responsibility this season. However, he admits he lost ground in Boston’s golf hierarchy following a new arrival.
“I would say Sam (Hauser) is probably first. Me and Mike Conley, we played a little bit in LA,” Pritchard told CLNS Media on the Garden Report from his basketball camp on Saturday. “So, we had some battles, but Mike’s better than I am. We’re 2-1 in our matches, he’s won two, I’ve won one, but I would say I’m third.”
In his conversations with Joe Mazzulla, he told Pritchard that he wants Boston to become more of a player-led team this season — something Pritchard welcomed. Conley and Pritchard squeezed rounds in between casual west coast workouts recently that included Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Hauser and Derrick White. He expects more teammates to meet George there soon, as the Celtics begin their offseason bonding.
Pritchard already has some familiarity with Mitchell Robinson too, who he shared a room with during their youth Team USA experience. They haven’t reunited yet this summer, though Pritchard now expects Robinson, Neemias Queta and Luka Garza’s presence in the front court to become a strength for the Celtics.
Individually, Pritchard wants to reach the free throw line more often in 2026-27. As a team, they want to make better reads while maintaining their hard-playing identity.
“That’s the biggest thing, and we need everybody to take a step,” he said. “Regular season wins, you win by playing hard and then in the playoffs, you win by playing harder and smarter. That’s really the recipe.”
That’s a pivot for a team that there’s no difference between the regular season and the playoffs. A 3-1 collapse against the 76ers still irks Pritchard, because he saw no desire on Philadelphia’s end to continue the series while trailing in the second half in Game 5. Then, the Celtics let up and allowed them to become comfortable. That set up a difficult Game 6 on the road and a Game 7 which always feels like a toss-up.
Then, the Celtics traded Jaylen Brown, a long-time mentor for Pritchard who he gave enormous credit for his development. They spent the past six seasons together while Pritchard emerged as the Sixth Man of the Year and a rotation staple in Boston. But the move didn’t stun Pritchard, given what he’s already seen in his career.
“It’s part of the business. Nothing’s actually that shocking to me anymore,” Pritchard said. “You’re just used to seeing big things and I think changes happen all the time. It always sucks to see a brother and a teammate that you played with for a long time go, but you move on and you get ready to go to war against him.”
Pritchard liked the George addition and expects him to be great for Boston given his pedigree. Robinson provides exactly what they needed in the front court, he believed, adding offensive rebounding and physicality. He sounded most excited about the Conley addition, however.
Conley, 39 this year, signed a minimum contract to depart Minnesota after parts of four seasons while spurning other free agency offers. Pritchard, who previously learned from longtime friend Blake Griffin and Al Horford whose lockers his sat next to, plans to pull from Conley throughout this year.
And while many have expected Pritchard will make up for most of what Brown left offensively, he’s not looking at it that way. He just wants to continue making the perennial leaps that got him to this level. Because, as he observed, once you stop doing that, you’re gone.
“I look up to Mike and the career he’s had,” Pritchard said. “If I could have remotely close to the career he’s had, then that’s a very successful career. It’s somebody I’ll take a lot of things from and hopefully have a great friendship and mentorship with that. I’m going to be picking his brain all the time.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 06: Anthony Davis #3 and Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks laugh during a timeout in the second quarter against the Boston Celticsat the TD Garden on February 06, 2025 in Boston, 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. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this week, Klay Thompson’s rocky tenure in Dallas came to an end as he agreed to a buyout with the intention of signing with the Miami Heat once he clears waivers.
It puts an interesting sliding doors moment back into focus with the 2024 offseason. The Lakers aggressively pursued Thompson with LeBron open to taking a pay cut to help the team sign an impact player.
Back in the summer of 2024, Thompson’s representatives had discussions with the Lakers about him winding up there. It would have made sense on several levels. Thompson has deep ties to Los Angeles. He spent much of his childhood in the city and still owns a home there.
But one of the reasons Thompson chose the Mavericks over the Lakers was that he had concerns about Davis’ availability, a source with knowledge of his thinking said.
Obviously, Luka and Thompson only played about two dozen games together before the former was traded. In a bit of irony that ultimately may have proved Thompson right, he and Anthony Davis only played 27 games together across a season-and-a-half due to injuries to the latter.
AD was mostly healthy prior to being traded, playing in 42 of 47 games for the Lakers after playing 76 games the season prior. Lingering doubt has long surrounded AD and his availability, but he was in the healthiest stretch of his time in LA when Thompson opted not to join.
Ultimately, I don’t think the Lakers would have changed anything, given that they landed Luka in this timeline, but that makes it an even more interesting sliding-doors moment. How differently would things have looked for both teams if Klay was donning the purple and gold?
Would Dallas have still looked to trade Luka? Would LA still be the team they secretly negotiated with? It’s a butterfly effect we’ll never know about, but I think Lakers fans are happy with how things played out.
ESPN NBA insider Tim MacMahon indicated this during an episode of “The Hoop Collective Podcast” on Friday, as he said, “Just like Joker [Nikola Jokic] can profess his loyalty to the Nuggets, there’s still going to be teams that are positioned themselves and monitoring that and all that kind of thing. It’s the same thing with Luka Dončić.”
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts on the court during the first half at Barclays Center on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Brooklyn, NY. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
“[Dončić has] done nothing but express optimism and excitement about the Lakers since he signed that extension,” MacMahon added.
“But it’s not that long term of an extension, and you better believe there’s teams around the league that are looking at that situation and saying, ‘Hey, if this thing goes sideways, we’d sure like to get Luka in the midway through his prime.'”
Granted, this report from MacMahon isn’t anything more than speculation. And the fact that Dončić has indicated his willingness to remain with the Lakers should be seen as a very good sign.
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic leaves the InterContinental Hotel for a team dinner on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The dinner was held during the Lakers’ team mini camp. Andrej Tarfila/Shutterstock
But this sentiment from MacMahon makes sense if the Lakers’ season doesn’t go according to plan. If this team gets hit with an injury bug or otherwise doesn’t perform up to its capabilities both this season and in the future, putting Dončić on the trade block to kick-start a full rebuild might be the most likely path forward.
Thankfully, Lakers fans don’t have to worry about this potential future scenario quite yet. But it’s a story that will be worth following once the upcoming NBA season tips off.
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LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: The sneakers worn by Maozinha Pereira #45 of the Chicago Bulls during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 16, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
