Jordan Walsh already was going to be back in Boston next season, the team had picked up his $2.4 million option, but now he is going to be a fixture on the wing there for years.
Walsh and the Celtics agreed to a three-year, $16 million extension, something first reported by NBA insider Chris Haynes and since confirmed by other reports. The first two years of this deal are fully guaranteed, with the third being a team option. This locks Walsh in with Boston for at least three more years at a very affordable price for a rotation player.
Walsh played in 68 games last season for the Celtics, averaging 5.4 points and four rebounds a game, and his 3-point shot has improved, with him knocking down 38.4% from beyond the arc last season. However, his defense was really his calling card. He is a high-level on-ball defender on the wing, which is where Joe Mazzulla leaned into him.
LOOK AT THE DEFENSE FROM JORDAN WALSH
Celtics are 8-2 with Walsh in the starting lineup and he's showing why on Prime!
Walsh is a credit to Boston's player development program. He was drafted No. 38 in the second round and traded to the Celtics a week later, and they signed him to a minimum contract and brought him along slowly (he played just nine games his first year). By last season, he had a steady role with the Celtics.
While Jaylen Brown is out the door, Celtics president Brad Stevens has been locking up a group of affordable wings who can play a role for the team. Walsh joins Ron Harper Jr. as getting a new, longer-term deal this summer, Boston still has Hugo Gonzalez on a rookie contract for three more years, and a year from now they can extend Baylor Scheierman.
While the high may still be coming down for Knicks fans experiencing their first championship in 53 years, the rest of the league is back to usual business, re-shuffling their rosters in pursuit of New York’s throne. Opposing fans are already touting their new acquisitions and downplaying the Knicks' run as flukey, but they may be in for a rude awakening.
With how dominantly and cohesively New York ran through the playoffs, the league should be more fearful they’ll come in even better than they were last season. Here’s why we shouldn't be surprised if the Knicks continue their tear with a 60-win regular season.
The manner in which New York steamrolled the playoffs - 12 consecutive wins, only three total losses by a combined six points, massive closeout blowouts and a historic point differential - suggests it wasn’t just a heater, but an all-time great team finding itself. Something clicked that allowed them to elevate to a new level, one that, if sustained, should have a similar impact on the regular season.
Guys playing multiple roles selflessly, committing on defense, and openly moving in and out of the rotation to answer the team’s needs at the moment. This, on top of the standout on-paper talent that’s almost entirely been retained, should make for a standout group.
If this team could sweep the best of the Eastern Conference last year, and walk the Spurs down over five games in the Finals, hitting 60 wins shouldn’t be an especially outsized challenge. They’ve historically dominated lesser teams and had to fight against the league’s top dogs, and so long as they can stay relatively healthy, they’re atop the food chain now.
They will also have less holding them back this year. The weight of trying to secure the city’s first championship in a half-century is lifted, and so are the challenges of figuring out how to be that caliber of team.
Head coach Mike Brown spent training camp implementing a new offensive system that he had to spend months of the regular season adjusting to his personnel, and the same with the defensive side. At times this caused friction, and it required a lot of trial and error to perfect.
Now they’re coming into his second training camp with the answers to the test already, and won’t need to spend so much of the regular season trying new things. Brown will still dabble in new schemes and rotations as other teams adapt and the Knicks try to further raise their ceiling, but at least now the roster will be used to it and can see the ultimate vision.
This will be year three of this core starting five, so while New York comes into 2026-27 familiar with themselves, the rest of the league will spend some time discovering their identities. Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Toronto and Indiana all made big trades in the last year and will go through adjustment periods figuring out their new teams.
Oklahoma City and San Antonio are still the behemoths out West, but the rest of the conference is noticeably worse. The Knicks will have an edge right from opening night.
If they can continue playing at the level they ended last season on, without the pressure or major schematic changes, while the rest of the league needs time to figure itself out - watch out. Their dominance didn't just end with the 2026 championship, in fact it may be just beginning.
Mar 29, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers mens basketball head coach Will Wade looks on against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
LSU Tigers men’s basketball head coach Will Wade has a clear vision for what he wants the program to look like as they continue rebuilding the roster.
Speaking about the roster overhaul with Brendon Fairbairn of Louisiana First News, Wade said the emphasis was on bringing in players with the size, athleticism and skill needed to compete in one of college basketball’s toughest conferences.
“Long, athletic guys that can compete in the SEC,” Wade said. “You need some skill and shooting at the guard spot, and we feel like we’ve accomplished a lot of that.”
The comments highlight the philosophy driving LSU’s roster construction throughout the beginning of this new era. In today’s SEC, where teams regularly feature elite athletes and NBA-caliber talent, Wade believes length and versatility are essential. At the same time, adding guards who can stretch the floor with consistent outside shooting was another major priority during the rebuilding process.
While the Tigers will feature several new faces this season, Wade’s confidence suggests LSU has assembled a roster capable of fitting the style of play he wants to implement.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 30: Luguentz Dort #5 of the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrates during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Seven of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 30, 2026 at Paycom Center 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Atlanta Hawks have been the masters of the trade system this offseason, and with it, they’ve acquired players who have the chance of elevating the team this upcoming season. With the financial flexibility the Hawks have, they’ve been able to take on contracts while also not having to give up much in return.
In Onsi Saleh’s latest deal, he acquired Lu Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team trade with the Dallas Mavericks. The Hawks moved Zaccharie Risacher to the Mavericks, and Ryan Nembhard was sent to Atlanta. For the Hawks, the big acquistion was Dort, who’s played with the Thunder for the past seven seasons, and helped them win a championship just two seasons ago.
Dort is definitely the type of player you hate to play against, but love when they’re on your team. The Hawks can say they’re on the right side, and Dort will bring toughness and grit that had been missing from the team for some time.
Outside of those intangibles, the one thing that sticks out about Dort is his defensive prowess and ability to guard almost anybody on the floor. Dort is just 6’4, but you would think he was a few inches taller the way he can disrupt an offense with his physicality. The Thunder have several above average defenders, but Dort seemed to always be the one tasked with guarding the best player on the opposing team, whether it was Luka Doncic one night or Victor Wembanyama the next.
Yes, Dort has that kind of range.
It’s mostly because of his bulky figure, and that allows to keep his assignment in front of him. He has good hands to easily swipe the ball, and he’ll go for an occasional block here or there. Opposing players would probably say it’s hard to get past him, and he does it all without fouling as much, which is good attribute. There’s a reason he earned All-Defensive honors two seasons ago, and he could’ve been on the list several other years.
His versatility on defense alone will allow the Hawks to do a lot of different things on that side of the ball. Dyson Daniels and Dort on the court together could cause havoc for backcourts or even frontcourts, as they have the same kind of range to where they can defend almost anybody on the floor. Dort could also allow Daniels to save some of his energy on defense, which will only make him more efficient in other areas on the floor.
On offense, Dort is more of a spot-up shooter than anything else, and he thrived in that role with the Thunder. His 3-point percentage shows it over the past three years, and he’s hit some big shots at big moments for them. Dort found himself open in a lot of situations due to the gravity of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but their style of offense feels similar to the Hawks, where they share the ball a lot and always find the open man.
Dort should be able to have the same kind of success on offense, especially since the Hawks pride themselves on getting up three-pointers. Outside of the 3-point shooting, Dort doesn’t have much offensive versatility, but his physicality gives him the ability to put pressure on the team.
It’s uncertain what lineups will look like right now, but Dort might be utilized best coming off the bench for the Hawks. He has been starting for most of his career, but with the Hawks’ starters returning this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he were sent to a reserve role.
In the end, the Hawks definitely got better with the Dort acquisition, and the next thing is seeing how he meshes with the team.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JUNE 15: LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat and Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs embrace after the San Antonio Spurs victory in Game Five and winning the 2014 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center on June 15, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As we count down the days until LeBron James finally makes his free agency decision, it seemed like a good time to count down the Spurs’ top five moments against the 23-year vet.
#5 – Ginobili gets gold; Pop makes an impact
Just a few months after LeBron split his first two games against San Antonio as a Cleveland rookie, he joined Tim Duncan on the USA roster in the 2004 Summer Olympics. The Spurs’ Manu Ginobili, of course, stole the show as Argentina downed the United States in the semifinals and Italy in the gold medal game. Despite the Americans’ third-place finish, that Olympic run forged LeBron’s longtime vocal respect for San Antonio legend Gregg Popovich, a U.S. assistant coach in 2004.
#4 – LeBron laments Kawhi sub
Late in the second quarter of Game 5 in the 2013 NBA Finals (which the Spurs won to go up 3-2 in the series), James famously grimaced at the free throw line when Kawhi Leonard checked back into the game. The clip became a popular GIF and spoke to Leonard’s burgeoning impact, which reached its apex a year later when the Spurs won their fifth championship with Kawhi as Finals MVP.
In Game 1 of the 2014 NBA Finals, the Spurs began their romp through the series with some help from the broken air conditioning in the AT&T Center. With temps in the arena exceeding 90 degrees, James cramped up and missed the last 4:00 of the fourth quarter. Leading just 94-92 when James left the game, the Spurs turned up the heat and won going away, 110-95.
#2 – Timmy’s ‘trash talk’ caps Spurs’ sweep
The Spurs claimed their fourth championship by sweeping LeBron’s Cavaliers in the 2007 NBA Finals. After Game 4, Tim Duncan joked with LeBron, “This is gonna be your league in a little while … but, uh, I appreciate you giving us this year.” The future Hall of Famers shared laughs and backslaps as Duncan prophetically poured salt in the wound: James would later appear in eight straight NBA Finals (and nine of 10), winning four titles … one less than Timmy!
#1 – Sweet revenge!
LeBron’s missed three-pointer that would have tied Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals definitely would be in our top 5 had the Spurs grabbed that rebound. But alas … we know what happened after that. The “Beautiful Game” Spurs wouldn’t be denied the next year, however, dominating the Heat 4-1 in the 2014 Finals rematch. The Game 5 clincher saw Miami jump out to a 22-6 lead before the Spurs went on a 59-22 run. Ginobili’s poster dunk to cap a 14-0 second-quarter run was the biggest of many highlights as San Antonio won its fifth NBA title.
Overall, the Spurs are one of just two teams LeBron has a losing record against. He’s 30-33 vs. San Antonio (including playoffs) and 28-34 vs. Denver.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Tobi Lawal, Morez Johnson Jr. and Sergio De Larrea of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 15, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Less than six months ago, The Mavericks fielded a team that included Anthony Davis (age 33), Dante Exum (age 31) and D’Angelo Russell (age 30). They shipped out those players (and Jaden Hardy; 24) for Khris Middleton (age 34) and Marvin Bagley (age 27) (and AJ Johnson; 21). This cleared up a major financial crunch and made the Mavs a touch younger. Since then, all three of Middleton, Bagley and AJ Johnson have also moved on, furthering the youth movement.
Following those moves, the Mavericks have spent the offseason loading their team with athletic, rangy players who are age 25 and under. Following is a list of the current roster.
Returning players age 25 and under
Max Christie – Age 23 – 6’5”
John Poulakidas – Age 23 – 6’6”
Dereck Lively – Age 22 – 7’1”
Moussa Cisse – Age 23 – 6’11”
Cooper Flagg – Age 19 – 6’9”
New players age 25 and under
Marcus Sasser – Age 25 – 6’1”
Zaccharie Risacher – Age 21 – 6’8”
Jett Howard – Age 22 – 6’8”
Morez Johnson – Age 20 – 6’9”
Tobi Lawal – Age 23 – 6’8”
Santi Aldama – Age 25 – 7’0”
Sergio De Larrea – Age 20 – 6’5”
Tarik Biberovic – Age 25 – 6’7”
Vsevolod Ishchenko – Age 21 – 6’3”
That is nine new players age 25 or younger joining a roster that retains five other players that are 25 or younger. Of those 14 total players, the shortest is Sasser at 6’1” but he has an insane 6’7” wingspan.
Will all of these players be rotation-ready to open the season? No. Is every one of these players going to be on the team in five years? Unlikely. Is this roster destined for greatness? Maybe. Lively may still be recovering from injury by the time the season starts, while Howard, Lawal, Ishchenko and others may be on two-way deals (or altogether waived). None of that is the point, however.
The point is that the newly built Mavericks’ front office, led by Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, clearly have a vision for the type of team they want to build around Cooper Flagg. Moreover, they have constructed that team with a paucity of assets thanks to the last regime. Despite that, they have found ways to get clever by moving up in the Draft to get a player like De Larrea, trading virtually nothing to get a former #1 pick in Risacher, matching an incredibly favorable contract for Cisse, manufacturing a favorable trade to pick up Aldama, using second round draft assets for Lawal and Ishchenko, and snatching a proficient marksman from overseas in Biberovic.
Only time will tell what will work and what will not, but Mavericks fans can take a few things to heart. They have a young, long athletic team, many of whom are on favorable contracts. They have a front office that had a plan and creatively executed that plan. And gone are the days of sneaker connections and covert coffee house trades or an owner who overrules his defacto GM to leave a generational talent on the draft board.
This is what a rebuild from a barren wasteland looks like. Young guys, many of whom you’ve never heard of, hopefully providing some excitement and a growth trajectory to root for. Oh, and those players on the roster over age 26? All of them currently remain intact as either veteran leadership or trade pieces. For now, the Mavs have a team the likes of which they’ve rarely featured, with some remaining assets and most of the summer remaining to do more.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens continues to lock up his team’s fleet of young wings.
The Celtics reportedly agreed to a three-year, $15 million extension with 22-year-old Jordan Walsh. Boston previously picked up Walsh’s $2.4 million option for the 2026-27 season, and now has Walsh on the books through the 2029-30 season. HoopsHype reported the deal includes a third-year team option.
Ron Harper Jr. inked a four-year, $13.7. million extension at the start of the summer. Baylor Scheierman is extension eligible next summer, while Hugo Gonzalez has three years remaining on his rookie deal. The Celtics will pay none of those players more than three percent of the salary cap in any of those seasons.
For Walsh, there’s a bit of security after riding a bit of a playing time roller coaster in his first three seasons in Boston. For the team, it’s a low-cost, high-reward opportunity given that Walsh is still young for his experience level and has had moments where he displayed All-Defense potential on the court.
Walsh appeared in 68 games for Boston last season, including 25 starts. The majority of those starts came in November and December when Walsh had rivals raving about his defensive potential. Lakers guard Austin Reaves went as far as to suggest that he could see Walsh “being one of the best defenders in the league,” after an early December tilt.
Walsh’s playing time ebbed and flowed during calendar year 2026, but he finished the 2025-26 campaign strong and carved out a playoff role. Walsh might have been the team’s best defender against Tyrese Maxey and logged 12.7 minutes per game in seven appearances against Philadelphia.
Walsh and the rest of Boston’s stable of young wings will get every opportunity to step into a larger role after the Celtics traded away All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown this summer.
Walsh was the 38th pick in the 2023 draft. He appeared in just nine games during his rookie season when Boston’s talent-filled roster won the 2024 title, then played 52 games in his sophomore campaign. Last season he averaged 5.6 points, 4 rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks over 17.8 minutes per game.
Walsh ranked in the 84th percentile among wings, holding opponents to 2.3 percent below expected output during his floor time.
It's Day 24 and still no sign or peep from LeBron James about where his next NBA destination will be for his 24th season.
If it feels like this process has been drawn out, it's because it kind of has. And that could be intentional.
It's been thrown out into the realm of possibilities that James and company are purposefully stalling the decision to stick it to NBA commissioner Adam Silver after he pleaded for James to rush into his choice so the season schedule can be finalized and released.
"LeBron's crew was probably ready to make an announcement... they were probably comfortable making an announcement as early as last week that they were there (in New York) and then people were like telling them what to do," Baskin said. "There's a little bit of irritation. Irritated was the word that I was told, irritated by the commissioner pushing them."
James is no longer courting teams and has all the information he needs to make a decision, according to USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes.
USA TODAY Sports is tracking the latest news, rumors and updates for all the things happening in real-time and behind-the-scenes for LeBron James' next major basketball decision. Here's everything you need to know on Thursday, July 23 about James and his impending decision:
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 05: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second quarter of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 05, 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA world is waiting on LeBron James to announce his next move, but thus far he remains determined to take his sweet, sweet time. Adam Silver is reportedly growing frustrated with James for delaying his free agency decision, because the league literally can’t make the 2026-27 schedule without knowing where he’s playing. Meanwhile, his agent Rich Paul is resolute that James won’t be rushed. It’s possible this could drag into August at this point.
Everyone is trying to put their own spin on why James is waiting so long to sign, and the latest rumor actually makes quite a bit of sense. James might be hoping one of his suitors will trade for Kyrie Irving or Anthony Davis, according to a report by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports. James won championships with Irving and Davis as his top sidekicks earlier in his career, and he already knows he’s a great fit alongside them. The same can’t be said for James Harden or Jaylen Brown or Giannis Antetokounmpo right now.
If LeBron isn’t in love with any of his current options, it stands to reason that he would keep applying pressure to his suitors to mold the roster to his whims. He has plenty of time on his side: training camps don’t open until late September, and the first preseason games aren’t until October. The longer James waits, the more leash he has to try to force teams to trade for Irving or Davis.
James is basically the patron saint of player empowerment. He’s always used every bit of leverage to get what he wants from his teams, and when he starts losing leverage, he usually dips to a new franchise. James always has a long-term plan in mind when he changes teams, whether it’s teaming with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, trading the rights to No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love, or laying the groundwork for Anthony Davis’ trade to LA. It certainly passes the sniff test that he could be trying to pull some strings behind the scenes before he decides where he’s playing next season.
O’Connor’s report is mostly based on conjecture from people who work in the league. This isn’t a definitive demand from his camp yet. After 23 seasons of LeBron and counting, it just feels wholly reasonable that LeBron knows he has all the leverage in this situation, and he’s ready to use it to try to chase his fifth ring.
Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are calling LeBron to join the Wolves
Minnesota has a strong case as the best basketball fit for LeBron. They have an elite backcourt in place with Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, they have a dominant defensive center in Rudy Gobert, and they have one of the league’s better defensive wings in Jaden McDaniels. The Wolves could use a playmaking power forward, and LeBron is still as good as it gets for that archetype.
Edwards and Ball are calling James to try to convince him to come to Minnesota, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic:
Unfortunately, the idea of LeBron in Minnesota just doesn’t feel realistic to me. Is he really going to move his family to Minnesota? Is he really going to stay in the West? I don’t see it. It’s fun to dream about LeBron to the Wolves, but I’d be absolutely shocked if it happens.
LeBron odds now favor the Miami Heat
My local sportsbook app has the Heat as a 2-1 favorite to sign LeBron. This is only interesting in the sense that most people have viewed Cleveland as the frontrunner since he entered free agency. If you think LeBron is going anywhere other than Miami, there’s some money to be made right now.
I don’t care about gambling odds. If LeBron had to choose right now, I would agree that the Heat feels like his best landing spot. But what if he drags this out another month? At that point, the Warriors could trade for Anthony Davis, the Cavs could figure out a Kyrie Irving for James Harden trade, or a new suitor could do something else to pique his interest.
Why Aug. 6 looms as an important date
Anthony Davis is extension eligible on August 6. At that point, he can ask the Washington Wizards for a four-year, $275 million deal. It would be kind of crazy for the Wizards to give him that deal considering he still has two years left on his current contract, and he’s literally never played a game for the franchise. A four-year extension would lock up Davis until he’s 39 years old. Given that he’s already one of the least durable stars in the league, handing him that type of money that late in his career just feels like bad business for any team.
Of course, the Wizards also gave Trae Young $212 million this summer without another serious suitor for his services, so who knows what that franchise is ever thinking.
Let’s say the Wizards tell Davis they won’t give him an extension. At that point, does Davis try to force his way out of town to somewhere he can get paid? Could that location be to the team that will eventually sign LeBron?
Davis is represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, just like LeBron. If LeBron drags this out, it’s possible he can get Davis paid, which means another big commission check for Paul.
LeBron James free agency prediction
I’ll say LeBron is going to the Heat. It just feels like his best chance to get his fifth ring. Where do you think he’s going? Vote in our poll below:
It really feels like LeBron is putting a lot of pressure on the Cavs in particular right now. Cleveland is coming off a conference finals appearance, but it doesn’t feel like the best fit at the moment. Harden and LeBron both like the ball in their hands, and Harden is completely incapable of being a high-volume spot-up shooter.
Can the Cavs pull off a trade for Kyrie? Would they possible trade Evan Mobley for Anthony Davis? It sounds wild, but it could be the difference in LeBron ending his career in Cleveland versus anywhere else.
LeBron has his thumb on the scale right now. It’s not about money. He’s still good enough to be a major contributor to a championship team. It’s sure starting to feel like he needs to use his influence, because he doesn’t have an obvious option on the board.
The Phoenix Suns have positioned themselves well heading into this upcoming season. With an underdog mentality last year, they proved the doubters wrong and exceeded every preseason expectation. This led them to the playoffs, and even if it was a sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, it was a refreshing year compared to some previous ones.
By making this leap, though, it gave the fans something to root for and be excited for heading into this offseason. That is when we saw most of our players retained, along with some new faces, including Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard. That said, with this season full of excitement and the Summer League now over, the waiting period begins for all of us. So today we are going to dive in and explore three parts of this Suns team that I think will be exciting to dissect once the fall does eventually hit.
1. The Center Rotation Debate
Obviously, this is going to be a discussion that will be talked about all season long. As we know, the Suns have three bigs on their team, and all will be eyeing some playing time this year. Mark Williams was brought back on a solid deal that presumably makes him the starting center. Still, we also saw flashes of Khaman Maluach in the summer league, and we trust Oso Ighodaro.
Restricted free agent Mark Williams intends to sign a three-year, $38 million contract to return to the Phoenix Suns, sources tell ESPN. The deal is fully guaranteed for Williams, who averaged 11 points, 8 rebounds and 1 block in 23.6 minutes per game as the Suns starting center. pic.twitter.com/3hpQ9KlZNi
This will definitely lead to some nights where one guy starts but another finishes, either because of performance or because one of them is in foul trouble. With Ighodaro’s contract also being so cheap on the club option, there is no reason to sell him at this point. Maluach, since he performed well in the Summer League, also needs some room to develop, as he is the future at the center position if he pans out to be what the front office expects.
From my understanding, it will probably be Williams who gets the short end of the stick once Maluach or Ighodaro proves to be the true starter and the other is a solid backup. That, though, will take time and most likely not occur this season, leaving the possibility of one of them getting the lesser end of the stick at some point of the season.
Will Ott utilize some double-big options with Ighodaro and Maluach, as well as Khaman’s ability to stretch the floor? That will also be something to keep a keen eye on, especially against bigger teams or ones that play very physically.
2. Jalen Green in a fully healthy year?
As we all know, Jalen Green arrived in Phoenix and, before the preseason even started, was dealing with a hamstring injury. This left some questions for the guard before he even stepped on the court for the team. Many were already looking at the fit with star Devin Booker and didn’t like it; this, for sure, didn’t help that case.
That said, we did see Green return to the team, even if only for 32 games; he showed glimpses of growth. He did have some stretches where he was hot from three (and cold), but he also made some nice plays defensively, using his quickness to generate steals and points on the other end.
His transition game seemed to be the spark his game needed and what the team needed when he was out. So, looking ahead to this year, I hope to see some of that still translate in his second year in the Valley. I hope to see him also develop a bit more of a passing touch, so he doesn’t have so many “I get the ball, I am going to shoot it” moments.
Will he be the perfect fit on this team? I don’t know, but I am willing to see it through this year and see if he can have a healthy season if it all comes together.
Jalen Green Game Is Beautiful 🥹🔥.
Jalen Green is one of the NBA’s most explosive young scorers, known for his elite athleticism, quick first step, and ability to create his own shot. A dynamic three-level scorer, he thrives in transition, attacks the rim with authority, and… pic.twitter.com/rLltgvhvQW
Both players impressed in the summer league and seem poised to grow in an area of need for the Suns: the power forward position. Even with them trading for Miles Bridges to presumably start on day one, I do believe that long-term, either Peat or Fleming will take that job, maybe even by the season’s end.
Fleming brings exactly what this team needs off the bench to replace Royce O’Neale’s value. He is a solid three-point scorer and uses his size and length to generate turnovers and get even more buckets. I fear he is going to be someone the Suns want to utilize early in the year to fill that void if they lose by giving up so much three-point shooting.
Rasheer Fleming has some freakishly long arms and it's sick to watch him protect the rim as a 6'9 rookie…
With Peat, I do think he will be stuffed down the rotation to start, but with that impressive summer league run, he proved he was way better than his selection at pick 30. The former McDonald’s All-American was said to be a high lottery pick before going to the University of Arizona, so this seems like a home run swing from Brian Gregory and company.
If Peat can be another interior scorer for this team alongside Bridges and even Ighodaro in some double-big instances, then the Suns fill a huge void from last year’s roster. Having the size, especially with the youth in the frontcourt, is key; as they grow, they need more help to go at guys like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, so this is a smart decision in my eyes.
I do predict that both will see plenty of time off the bench, as the Suns will be going deep into it this year. This will be a huge plus, as the young guys can get reps, while also allowing their key role players to get some rest and not overwork themselves throughout the season. Last year, a ton of injuries came late for Phoenix, and, partially, I think some of it was because the rookies did not get as much leeway as many anticipated.
My "Most Impressed By" Summer League First Team:
G- Jack Kayil G- Brayden Burries F- Chaney Johnson F- Koa Peat C- Khaman Maluach
MILWAUKEE, WI - JUNE 25: The Milwaukee Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins and General Manager Jon Horst pose for a photo with the 2026 draft picks Brayden Burries and Nate Ament during the Bucks Draft Press Conference on June 25, 2026 at the Pieper-Hillside Boys & Girls Club in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
From at least one perspective, the Milwaukee Bucks’ offseason isn’t among the best in the Eastern Conference. Following the trade of the franchise’s best player ever and the Gary Trent Jr. fiasco, CBS Sports contributor Sam Quinn gave Jon Horst and the Bucks a C- for their efforts.
“Without control over their own first-round picks, they should have no fear of the relegation zone. They should be trading any veterans with a shred of value – most notably Myles Turner and Tyler Herro – for whatever draft capital they can get. They haven’t. They set themselves up for a disappointing offseason by waiting too long to trade Antetokounmpo, and sure enough, that’s how things played out,“ Quinn wrote.
Still, the Bucks weren’t given the worst grade in the conference, with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets receiving D+ and D grades, respectively.
Milwaukee might have dodged the basement of Quinn’s Eastern Conference grades by taking the Heat’s offer for Giannis instead of the Boston Celtics’, which was highlighted by Jaylen Brown (who was ultimately dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers). While the Heat package didn’t bring the Bucks back an All-NBA talent, it did give them multiple assets—players and picks—that they can work with down the line, whether they keep them on the roster or flip them for future assets. On top of that, they selected Brayden Burries with their number 10 overall pick, whose impressive play in the Las Vegas Summer League already has him looking like a draft steal.
Ultimately, while Quinn’s perspective might be that the Bucks aren’t in a good position, the Summer League play of Brayden Burries and Nate Ament, along with the expected growth of Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakučionis, and Jaime Jaquez—not to mention Tyler Herro’s impending second act—gives Bucks fans reason for hope that they should lean into as the 2026-27 approaches.
One thing that might make Quinn retroactively change his grade would be if the Bucks got Peyton Watson. Of course, there is a real possibility that, in order to acquire Watson, the Bucks might need to give up Ryan Rollins. What say you?
Brew Hoop community, what would you grade the Bucks’ offseason? Get your grading pens out and use them in the comment section below.
Well, people use numbers to lie. Guns don’t kill people. People kill people with guns, and it’s harder to kill people without guns, so guns are still part of the problem.
Some NBA fans have an almost instinctively negative reaction to numbers. They’re quite sure that statistics are a pox upon basketball analysis. “Watch the games”, goes the refrain.
As if we’ll reach the same conclusions.
There’s been a statistical analysis making the rounds on X lately that does not look kindly upon the Udoka-era Houston Rockets. Analyst David Lee has compiled a study suggesting the Rockets have the worst offensive environment for player development in the NBA over the last two seasons.
Got some questions about where different teams ranked, so here's the entire league ranked (in reverse order) by Dev Environment Score*
Firstly, a caveat: I have some issues with Lee’s framing. It’s not a methodological complaint (although I’d be lying if I said I knew what Moreyball % was, but Lee is generally smart and I’m sure it means something)*. It’s not about the findings.
*Probably it’s threes and layup volume?
I just don’t understand how this isn’t a broader analysis of each team’s offensive environment. It seems to me that Lee is extrapolating under the assumption that a better offensive environment is a better developmental environment. To that end, there are relevant measurable variables – available on-ball reps, average age of roster, probably more – that I’d like to see factored into the study.
Nonetheless, I won’t throw the baby out with the bathwater (which is one of my favorite expressions, because what an egregious mistake it would be to discard a human baby in the process of throwing out bathwater). Any Rockets fan with working eyes knows that there’s something here. If we take Lee’s study to broadly analyze offensive environment, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Rockets are at the bottom.
What’s to be done?
Rockets must improve offense
Here’s where it gets tricky: By the numbers, the Rockets’ offense under Ime Udoka has been good.
Last year, their 117.5 Offensive Rating was 8th in the NBA. Their 2024-25 114.9 rating was 12th. It turns out that replacing Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green with Kevin Durant will bolster your offense even in the absence of your starting point guard.
A system’s complexity shouldn’t be mistaken for its effectiveness. The Rockets’ playbook is bare-bones. We all know that offensive rebounding buoyed the team’s rating. Their 52.3% Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) ranked 23rd.
Does it matter how the sausage is made? Well, it depends on what’s in the sausage. Put differently, it depends on whether we think an NBA offense can be largely carried by isolation reps and offensive rebounding.
Frankly, it probably can – with the right roster. Therein lies the issue. On a points per possession (PPP) basis, the Rockets’ best isolation player last year was 37. Durant’s 1.02 PPP landed in the 78.8th percentile. Alperen Sengun was in the 50.5th, and Amen Thompson in the 68.7th on lower volume.
Out of all Lee’s stats, Assist Percentage feels like the most significant. The Rockets don’t care much for moving the ball. A more sophisticated system would leverage Sengun’s surplus positional playmaking to use motion to create open shots.
So, we arrive at a crossroads. The Rockets can reshape their roster in Udoka’s image, find a coach who’s going to build a system around Sengun and Thompson, or at least impose on Udoka (and/or his staff) to throw some wrinkles into the game plan).
This piece isn’t designed to advocate for either direction. It’s simply saying that building an offense around isolation and offensive rebounding isn’t going to work if you don’t have elite isolation players.
There’s no sense in crunching many numbers to come to that conclusion.
Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) warms up before the 2026 NBA Playoffs game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
There’s a reason those videos hold us. Restoration is patient work. It rewards the eye that sees what a thing could be instead of what it has become. Anyone can buy new. It takes a craftsman to look at distressed wood and know the distress is a surface problem.
On Sunday, the Mavericks pulled Zaccharie Risacher off the curb.
The find
The deal itself is simple from the Dallas side. Oklahoma City needed off Lu Dort’s money, because that’s what happens when a champion tries to stay together under the second apron. The hard choices come for everyone eventually, even the model franchise. Atlanta wanted Dort. And the Mavericks, seeing two teams that needed each other, inserted themselves as the facilitator and walked out with a 21-year-old former No. 1 overall pick.
The outgoing price: Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta and Chicago’s 2027 second-round pick to Oklahoma City. Dallas even got a deeply protected 2027 second back from Atlanta in the deal, while Risacher’s $13.8 million salary slid into the traded player exception created in the Anthony Davis trade.
Nembhard had real moments as a rookie and a rough Summer League, and trading him from the thinnest position on the roster tells you Dallas valued this upside swing more than its current point guard depth. That exchange amounted to a guard the front office was willing to move and a reshuffling of second-round equity for a player who went first overall two years ago.
What’s under the finish
Here is what the league sees when it looks at Zaccharie Risacher: a No. 1 pick from a weak draft who went backwards in year two. Points down. Minutes down. Phased out of the rotation by spring. In a redraft, he doesn’t go first. Maybe he doesn’t go in the lottery.
Here is what else is true.
Risacher came over from France at 19 and put together a genuinely decent rookie season: 12.6 points a game, four 30-point nights, more than any rookie in the league that year, and a runner-up finish to Stephon Castle for Rookie of the Year. Then came the sophomore campaign, and it was a disaster. The organization lost confidence in him, and somewhere in there, you have to wonder if he lost confidence in himself.
We look at a draft slot and a stat line and we expect the graph to ascend, year one to year two, like the player is a software update. These guys aren’t robots. Imagine being 19, in a foreign country, trying your best, doing pretty well, and then having the floor drop out in year two while most of the league writes your basketball obituary at 21.
It is worth noting that the executive who led the decision to draft him first overall was gone. Atlanta fired Landry Fields after Risacher’s rookie year, leaving the people who moved him on Sunday without the same reputational stake in defending the pick. That’s how a former No. 1 selection ends up priced like distressed wood. The people selling it weren’t the ones who paid the original price.
The acquisition price is distressed. The contract decision is not entirely. Dallas must decide by October 31 whether to exercise a $17.4 million option for 2027-28, before the restoration has had much regular-season time to reveal itself. The bet is still favorable. It simply isn’t costless.
There’s one more layer of irony worth savoring. Last winter, when the Mavericks were shopping Anthony Davis, Risacher’s name surfaced in trade rumors with Atlanta. Those talks fizzled. Davis went to Washington instead, and that trade created the very exception Dallas just used to bring Risacher in anyway. The wood found its way to the shop after all. It just took the scenic route.
Earlier this month in this space, the argument was that the real brilliance of the six-team Aldama trade was what Dallas didn’t spend. By routing Khris Middleton back to Washington in a sign-and-trade, like a boomerang returning to the hand that threw it, the front office preserved the full Davis exception and kept most of its mid-level spending power intact. The biggest tool stayed on the shelf.
On Sunday, they took it down and used it.
This is what preservation is for. You don’t protect an exception to admire it. You protect it so that when a former No. 1 pick shakes loose from a franchise that stopped believing in him, you can absorb his salary without sending out anyone the new front office considered part of its core rotation. The patience in early July paid for the opportunism in late July. That’s craftsmanship. That’s a shop where the tools are kept sharp and hung where the workers can reach them.
Restoring on a staggered start
Now for the part of this that requires honesty about where the Mavericks actually are.
The draft cupboard isn’t barren, but it’s not what any new regime would want. Dallas’s 2027 first goes to Charlotte unless it lands in the top two. Oklahoma City holds swap rights in 2028. The Mavericks’ own 2029 pick is tied up in the Houston-Brooklyn machinery, leaving Dallas with the Lakers’ first instead, from the trade this fanbase will spend a generation processing. San Antonio holds swap rights in 2030. The first draft in which Dallas fully controls its own first-round destiny is 2031.
In the likeliest scenario, Dallas makes three first-round selections between now and then, and none of them come in the lottery. That’s my forecast, and I’ll own it: unless something unforeseen happens to the teams on the other side of those swaps, or the Lakers crater with the cornerstone Dallas handed them, those picks land closer to the end of the round than the top of it.
That’s not a standing start—that’s a staggered one…well behind a fair starting point to judge a set of decision-makers, but it is also life in the NBA. New front offices don’t inherit blank canvases in this league; they inherit the previous regime’s mistakes and get judged on the cleanup. Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz took this job knowing the assets that should have been in the drawer were spent by the people who came before them, spent chasing a window that the same regime then threw the franchise’s cornerstone out of.
So what do you do when you can’t draft your way back and you can’t trade your way to a second star, because the ammunition for that kind of deal simply doesn’t exist? You work the margins. You take on distressed assets, opportunistically, and you bet on your own eye for grain.
Look at what this offseason has actually cost. The No. 9 pick, which they used. A move from 30 to 25 for Sergio De Larrea that cost two future seconds. Their own second-rounders, which they used. And in the six-team deal: Middleton, AJ Johnson, a couple of seconds, and a Golden State first-rounder so heavily protected it was probably never going to be a first at all.
For that, they’ve added eight players to the organization’s young talent pool: Morez Johnson Jr., De Larrea, Tobi Lawal, Vsevolod Ishchenko, Santi Aldama, Marcus Sasser, Tarik Biberovic, and now Risacher. This is a molting, and we’re watching it mid-molt. Judge it at training camp, or at the deadline, or next summer, when the feathers have finished coming in.
But here’s the bet that makes the Risacher trade the signature move of the whole project. Barring another major move, Dallas has no realistic path to having a first-round pick next June. If Risacher spends this season being coached back into the player who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, if he matures into someone you’d take over most of the bottom half of next year’s first round, then Dallas has effectively manufactured the pick it doesn’t own.
It is not the 2019 blockbuster that shipped out a large piece of the future to pair two young stars and accelerate a timeline. It isn’t the deadline deals that spent first-round picks on the pieces of a Finals run. Those were different tools for a different era, and whether this front office would make those kinds of moves is unknowable, because they haven’t been given the chance. They’re maneuvering on the margins by necessity.
So far, they’re doing it beautifully.
What gets restored first
There’s another video genre I can’t stop watching lately. A crew knocks on the door of a stranger’s house, usually someone older, sometimes someone who just can’t keep up anymore, and offers a deal: let us film it, and we’ll restore your yard for free. Half a day later a home that had become a source of quiet embarrassment is quaint again. Cared for again.
Millions of people watch those videos, and I think it’s the same instinct that keeps me transfixed by the woodworking channels. We love watching hidden potential get realized. We love watching someone kneel next to a thing the world gave up on and put in the elbow grease to find out what’s underneath.
That’s what this offseason has been. No big-names to finish off a nearly perfect roster. A restoration, conducted from well behind the starting line, by craftsmen who understood that the Cooper Flagg lottery night was only ever going to matter if the decisions that followed it were shrewd. Under the people who ran this team before, they weren’t going to be. Under these people, so far, they are.
Whether it ends in a title or just a couple of playoff runs that make this city feel like itself again, nobody can promise. But something is being restored in Dallas right now, and it comes before wins, before relevance, before any of it.
SAN ANTONIO - JUNE 5: (L-R) David Robinson #50 and Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs rest on the scorer's table in practice during media day availability for the 2003 NBA Finals at the SBC Center on June 5, 2003 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2003 NBAE. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Bleacher Report released their “Top 99 NBA Defenders Ever” and 13 of those 99, at some point in their careers, played for the San Antonio Spurs. The #1 overall greatest defender in NBA history (according to their list) is Bill Russell. Even though he played before many of the metrics were recorded and awards were given, he is a top choice. Here’s how the Bleacher Report staff ranked players:
“To determine the best to ever do it, Bleacher Report’s NBA writers and editors convened for a staff vote. Voters were instructed to consider advanced metrics, traditional production, All-Defensive and Defensive Player of the Year accolades, peak dominance, longevity and the good, old-fashioned eye test.”
The Spurs have some great players on this list.
13 current/former Spurs players made Bleacher Report's list of greatest defenders in NBA history:
#2 — Tim Duncan #7 — Dennis Rodman #11 — David Robinson #12 — Kawhi Leonard #24 — Bruce Bowen #29 — Chris Paul #36 — Victor Wembanyama #37 — Alvin Robertson #51 — Maurice Cheeks #77… pic.twitter.com/gNy7HRm9c6
Let’s start with Tim Duncan listed at #2 despite never winning a Defensive Player of the Year title. He did, however, garner 15 All-Defense selections — eight NBA All-Defensive First Team and seven NBA All-Defensive Second Team — the most for any player in NBA history. Man, could a player be more robbed than Duncan? No DPOY and honestly, I’m still salty that he only got credit for eight of his ten blocks in the 2003 NBA Finals, robbing him of a quadruple-double. The fact that fans and pundits care more than Big Fun alludes to the temperament that led him to greatness in the first place.
While Dennis Rodman (#7) may have been an awful fit in San Antonio from a personality standpoint, there is no denying his amazing defensive talents. Rodman, a two-time DPOY, made seven All-Defensive First Teams. The Worm was the rebounding champion for seven straight years. From 1992-1998, no one was more aggressive on the boards that Rodman. He was so adept defensively that teams didn’t even need him to score.
Dennis Rodman made history without needing to score.
He had seven career games with 20+ rebounds and zero points.
David Robinson (#11) is the second Spurs player on the list to have spent his entire career in San Antonio. Together with Tim Duncan, the Spurs won their first two NBA titles. In 1992, The Admiral claimed his DPOY award after being the league’s rebounding leader (1991) and blocks leader (1992). He added a scoring championship (1994) and MVP (1995) to his accolades showing he was one of the most athletic and well-rounded players of his time.
Following directly behind Robinson in the #12 spot is Kawhi Leonard. While Leonard’s time with San Antonio ended on strained terms and much of his post-Spurs career has been riddled with injuries, The Klaw landed back-to-back DPOY honors in 2015 and 2016 while leading the NBA in steals in 2015. His current playing status is uncertain as an investigation of a “no-show” endorsement deal is holding up the trade that would send him back to Toronto.
Bruce Bowen (#24) was known for his defensive acumen during his time with the Spurs. After receiving his first NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2001 with the Miami Heat, he signed with the Spurs picking up two more Second Team honors before grabbing five consecutive NBA All-Defensive First honors and three championship rings.
Victor Wembanyama, who just nabbed the first ever unanimous DPOY award this past season, is #36 on the list, and sure to move up as the years go by. He has been the blocks leader every year since he was drafted and currently sits 223rd in NBA blocks. That’s all-time. He’s accumulated more career blocks than guys who played more than a decade. Names like Nikola Jokic, Ivica Zubac, and James Worthy have been passed as he continues to dominate the paint and reshape the game.
Alvin Robertson (#37) won DPOY in 1986 and was the NBA steals leader three times during his career. He’s the only player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double with steals as one of the categories.
Artis Gilmore (#77) has a magnificent set of stats that he racked up in the 70s. Unfortunately for the Spurs, he played in San Antonio in the mid-80s. Same goes for Paul Pressey (#85) who shined in the mid-80s and spent two post prime seasons with the Spurs at the top of the 90s with limited play.
Chris Paul (#29), Maurice Cheeks (#51), and Theo Ratliff (#87) each played one season with the Spurs and while their defensive resumes are impressive, most of their accolades were accumulated before their time with the Silver & Black.
Derrick White (#89) has the opposite issue. While he was a great player for the Spurs, he’s shined while in Boston picking up his defensive honors while playing with the Celtics.
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.
TUCSON, ARIZONA - MARCH 02: Anthony Dell'orso #3 of the Arizona Wildcats reacts during the second half of the NCAAB game against the Iowa State Cyclones at McKale Center at ALKEME Arena on March 02, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the Hawkeyes 73-57. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Anthony Dell’Orso came to the United States from Australia four years ago in hopes of improving his pro prospects. After a successful college career, one that culminated with helping Arizona return to the Final Four, he’s going back home.
The ex-UA guard has signed a 3-year contract to play for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League, the top professional league in Australia and New Zealand.
The Perth Wildcats have agreed to terms with Australian guard Anthony Dell'Orso on a three-year contract, pending NBL approval! 🤝
Fresh off a stint with the Sacramento Kings at the 2026 NBA Summer League, Dell'Orso arrives in Perth following a standout college career at the… pic.twitter.com/3yfH1aPfNQ
The 6-foot-6 Dell’Orso spent the past two seasons with Arizona, appearing in 66 games with 28 starts, averaging 7.9 points per game. He came off the bench as a senior and averaged 8.5 per contest, hitting 100 3-pointers in his UA tenure.
Dell’Orso, who began his college career at Campbell, shot 35.2 percent from 3-point range in the collegiate ranks. He scored a career-high 26 against Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals in March, draining six triples, and had back-to-back 22-point performances in February when Koa Peat and Dwayne Aristode were unavailable.
Undrafted last month, Dell’Orso signed with the Sacramento Kings for the NBA Summer League. He appeared in four games, two in the California Classic and two in Las Vegas, and scored 12 points with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Per Olgan Uluc of ESPN, Dell’Orso’s contract with Perth includes opt-outs for him to return to the NBA if another opportunity presents itself. For now, though, he’ll be joining a Wildcats team that went 33-21 during the 2025-26 season and reached the semifinals of the NBL Playoffs.
The Perth Wildcats have won 10 championships in the 10-team NBL, most recently in 2020. Other Arizona alum who have played in the NBL include Parker Jackson-Cartwright, who has been with the New Zealand Breakers for parts of the past three seasons, as well as Chase Jeter and Keanu Pinder.
