Category: Basketball

After leading the Knicks for five seasons, including back-to-back 50-win seasons and their first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years, Tom Thibodeau was surprisingly fired by team president Leon Rose at the end of the 2025 season.

The move raised many questions about New York's direction as it felt like Thibodeau was a driving factor in the team's growth and success. 

Firing Thibodeau was critiqued even more after Rose decided on hiring longtime coach Mike Brown, who's best season came back in 2007 when a young LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals (which they lost 4-0 to the San Antonio Spurs).

Fast forward 12 months, Rose's hire of Brown proved to be a major difference maker as he was able to guide the Knicks over the hump to their first NBA title since 1973. 

Speaking with 2026 NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson and teammate Josh Hart on an episode of their Roommates Show podcast, Rose opened up about the "tough" decision to fire Thibodeau after the team lost to the Indiana Pacers in the ECF and the choice to hire Brown.

"It was tough. Thibs is a great coach. Did so much for the organization," Rose said. "We were right on the doorstep. Just felt that, just needed a change in voice, a change in philosophy. It was a tough move.

"Mike is a guy that really fit what we were looking for. He’s somebody that I’ve known for a long time. I represented LeBron when he coached him in Cleveland. Knew him and kind of followed him through his career. Didn’t know him that well but he always was a guy that was a good guy, that you could talk to, that you really felt good about. That was just your gut."

Rose went on to explain what made Brown an attractive hire over other candidates, mainly pointing to his open-minded approach.

"First of all, just his openness and his willingness to share ideas," Rose said. "And share ideas with the front office, his staff and the inclusion of everyone. I think you guys probably saw that. He really was open to things, open to people’s suggestions, open to ideas.

"I believe that’s what led to some of the changes that were made throughout the season. We started out a certain way, he may have had an idea about how something was gonna work and how he wanted it to work, but he kind of evolved throughout the season, as did our team. I think that all went into the fact that we went into another gear in the playoffs."

It's clear the players and rest of the organization adapted and worked well with Brown in his first season with the team. By winning the Finals, he became just the sixth head coach since the NBA/ABA merger (1976) to win a title in their first year with a team (the Toronto Raptors' Nick Nurse in 2019, Cavaliers' Tyronn Lue in 2016, Golden State Warriors' Steve Kerr in 2015, Los Angeles Lakers' Pat Riley in 1982, and Lakers' Paul Westhead in 1980).

While it may have been hard for Rose to move on from Thibodeau after helping get the Knicks back on the winning track, it worked, and will go down as one of the best in his tenure as team president. 

The floaters, the left-hand bias, the unorthodox release, the unique basketball IQ and the genuine will to win were all cornerstones of Nick Martinelli’s game in his career as a Wildcat. Another program legend will deservedly enter the biggest stage no matter what, whether that be through a selection or as an UDFA. For more details on his draft profile, our very-own Drew Christmann does a great job breaking it all down here. What follows is about fit: which organizations genuinely make sense for a player like Martinelli, and why, based on what each team is currently and what they need going into 2026-27 beyond.

The brief version of the case for Martinelli: he is a 6-foot-7, 223-pound forward who spent four years at Welsh-Ryan Arena turning an unconventional skill set into something specific and real. He led the Big Ten in scoring for the second straight year as a senior, averaging 23 points on 51/41.7/80.9 splits, and set a new Northwestern single-season record with 759 points. His improved three-point numbers are the ones that matter most for his draft case. He shot 32.2% from deep across his first three seasons, then jumped to 41.7% on 108 attempts, including 39.7% on guarded catch-and-shoot looks. Whether those numbers survive against athletes who close faster and contest higher is the central question every evaluator has about him. His release is not textbook, and it is not quick. The shot falls because of elite touch and a high release point, which tend to translate better than mechanics that rely on creating separation. The honest answer is that nobody knows for certain how it holds up, which is part of why he is in the second round at all.

The case against him is equally specific. Martinelli is not going to beat anybody off the dribble at the next level, and he will be targeted on switches. His combine athleticism measurements backed that up, posting a 26.5-inch no-step vertical. He is not a four and not quite a three, and whatever organization selects him Wednesday is betting that his scoring craft and IQ cover that gap. Given what his former Northwestern teammate Brooks Barnhizer did last year, going to the then-reigning-champion Thunder at pick 44 and earning legitimate two-way trust in a system built around second-round culture, the precedent for that kind of outcome exists at this exact stage of the draft. On Wednesday, somewhere between picks 31 and 60, the hope is that someone is going to make the same bet on Martinelli.

Here are the landing spots that make the most sense:

Minnesota Timberwolves, Picks No. 33 and No. 59

At the combine, Martinelli publicly named the Timberwolves as a team he had already spoken with, the first organization he confirmed by name and that was widely reported across outlets. In draft terms, that kind of acknowledgment usually means something was genuinely said between both parties, not just a formality.

Minnesota’s offseason is defined entirely by the recently-executed Julius Randle move. On the eve of the draft, the Wolves sent Randle and pick No. 28 to Brooklyn in exchange for pick No. 33, then immediately locked up Ayo Dosunmu on a long term deal. They arrive Wednesday night owning the third pick of the second round and the penultimate selection of the entire draft at No. 59. Timberwolves president Tim Connelly walked away from Tuesday’s first round visibly frustrated, saying the night was “not the action or activity we were hoping for.” The framework for 2026-27 is now built around Anthony Edwards with Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Dosunmu redistributing the offensive load Randle carried. Connelly said both McDaniels and Reid “have been clamoring for more opportunities and more responsibility and I think they’re going to get it.”

Martinelli does not solve Minnesota’s most pressing need, which is a legitimate point guard. Donte DiVincenzo’s injury status is uncertain, Mike Conley is a free agent at 38, and finding a ball-handler who can take pressure off Edwards is the organization’s most clearly identified roster hole heading into Wednesday. That said, at pick 33, you are not neccesarily drafting for immediate need so much as long-term value. Martinelli’s maturity and sponge-like learning ability makes him one of the higher-floor prospects available in general for a team that has repeatedly found useful players in unexpected places. Jaden McDaniels himself came at No. 28. Terrence Shannon Jr. was an undrafted add. The Wolves have shown they can identify players who make sense structurally even when the profile looks weird on paper. A forward who is physically ready, shoots at a real rate and plays without demanding touches is a sensible supporting piece for a team built around Edwards.

At pick 59, nearly the last selection in the draft, expectations are essentially nothing. This is the more likely slot between the two of them. But Martinelli is a more credible lottery ticket at 59 than most players available there. The combination of confirmed organizational contact and a specific skill set that fits next to Edwards’ star-centered offense gives both Minnesota picks some logic. The former might be a reach, but the latter would be considered a home-run considering the high-IQ and work ethic that coaches rave about with Martinelli. If he’s considered at 33, he could realistically still be there 26 spots later.

Miami Heat, Pick No. 41

This is the most contextually fascinating landing spot on the list, and it arrives slightly earlier in the second round than most boards project Martinelli.

The Heat just acquired Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from Milwaukee in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks and pick swaps. Miami is now hard-capped at the first apron, with roughly $18 million in space and up to five roster spots to fill heading into free agency. Pick 41 via Golden State is the only draft capital they have, and it comes at one of the more interesting points of the board, right before Martinelli’s consensus range begins.

Here is where organizational history matters. The Heat traditionally do not draft at this range because they are usually trading picks to chase stars. Pat Riley has made only 14 first-round picks in 26 drafts as team president, with three of those traded on draft night, and has made significantly less second-round picks compared to the average franchise as well. The way the Heat have stayed functional through those years of sacrificed draft capital is by developing players nobody else wanted. Udonis Haslem went undrafted and played in France before making the roster. Duncan Robinson started his career at Division III Williams College, went undrafted, and eventually signed a five-year, $90 million contract as one of the sharpest perimeter shooters in the league. Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, Max Strus and Haywood Highsmith were all undrafted contributors who became rotation staples during Miami’s Finals runs. Back in 2022, Spoelstra described the organization’s search criteria plainly. All they want are “people that are committed to the work and [the] process,” and draft position is irrelevant to that simple standard.

The Heat’s talent identification pipeline does not run through lottery picks. It runs through the combine, the G League, summer league, and exactly the kinds of pre-draft workouts that teams conduct for second-round candidates like Martinelli. When Miami has a pick in this range, which is rare, they use it the same way they use undrafted signings: find a ready-now contributor with a specific skill, plug them into Spoelstra’s system, and let the development infrastructure do the rest.

The roster Miami is building around Giannis and Bam Adebayo also has a very specific problem. Analysis after the trade immediately flagged the projected starting lineup as relatively light on shooting, noting Adebayo shot only 32% from three last season. Antetokounmpo himself, despite everything else he does, has never been a reliable perimeter shooter. The Heat are going to win games through defense, transition and physicality, which is exactly the identity Spoelstra has built. But they need players on the floor who can catch, decide quickly and make the open look when Giannis draws help. Norman Powell, assumed to re-sign, projects as the roster’s primary perimeter scoring option, and beyond him the shooting depth is thin. Martinelli is specifically the missing piece: he does not need creation, does not demand touches, catches in the corners and midrange, makes the right read, and shot 41.7% from three in his final college season on real volume.

The skeptic’s argument is that the slot is too early relative to his board position, and that Miami with Giannis on the roster has no patience for a developmental second-round forward. Both points are fair. But the organizational track record says the Heat have always found ways to integrate ready-now contributors regardless of draft profile, and Martinelli at 22 with an NBA-ready body, a proven shooting leap and four years of growth at the peak of Northwestern basketball history is almost precisely the profile Spoelstra’s program has turned into rotation players for decades. The Heat do not reach for upside. They find specific, useful, hardworking players and deploy them correctly. Martinelli fits that description better than almost anyone available at pick 41.

San Antonio Spurs, Picks No. 42 and No. 44

Of any organization in the draft, the Spurs have the clearest structural argument for taking Martinelli, and two chances to do it.

Built almost entirely through the draft, with Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper all taken as consecutive top-four picks, the Spurs went 62-20 in the 2026 regular season. They then took down the reigning champion Thunder to make the NBA Finals before falling to the Knicks in five games. It was an extraordinary rebuild for a historic brand. But the franchise’s history of identifying value at the back of the draft predates this current core by decades. Manu Ginobili was drafted 57th overall in the second round of the 1999 draft and went on to win four championships, a Sixth Man of the Year award, two All-Star selections and eventually a Hall of Fame induction. Tony Parker went 28th in 2001 and became a Hall of Famer and Finals MVP. The 2011 draft, when the Spurs traded George Hill to Indiana for the 15th and 42nd picks, yielded Kawhi Leonard at 15. The point is that San Antonio’s draft identity is not just about hitting on lottery picks. It is a franchise that has consistently found useful contributors in the lower portions of the board and trusted them with real minutes.

That said though, in that final series versus the Knicks they shot a very poor 33.9% from three: Wembanyama 27.3%, Castle 30%, Harper 28%, Fox 25%. Only Vassell and Champagnie shot above 40%. That is a historically poor shooting performance from a team with that many talent advantages, and it exposes a very specific depth problem. When those two reliable shooters were off the floor, San Antonio had no reliable third option who could keep the spacing functional. Martinelli just shot 41.7% from three in his final college season, gets to the line at a high rate, and does not need touches to be useful. The profile is almost tailor-made for what the Spurs were missing in June.

Harrison Barnes, Kelly Olynyk and Mason Plumlee are all entering free agency, meaning forward depth has to come from somewhere. With picks 42 and 44, San Antonio can allocate one slot to a ready-now contributor and one to a raw developmental player. The Thunder built their dynasty in significant part on second-rounders: Aaron Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, Ajay Mitchell and Jaylin Williams all became genuine rotation contributors from that tier. San Antonio has watched that model closely and tried to replicate it. A franchise that turned Ginobili at 57 and Parker at 28 into Hall of Famers is not going to be shy about betting on a player whose profile looks unconventional. The cool part is that those two slots average out to the exact range they are drafting in 2026. Of course, correlation is not causation, and nobody is expecting Martinelli to be a hybrid of the two. Equally, nobody would complain if the Spurs take a player who is already 22, physically complete, and basketball-smart. It is the lower-risk version of the second-round bet, not a concession. There is not much to develop here. There is just a role to deploy him into correctly.

Orlando Magic, Pick No. 46

The Magic put their build-through-the-draft blueprint on hold when they traded multiple future first-round picks for Desmond Bane last summer, a logical decision after assembling one of the league’s best young cores. The reward has not yet arrived.

They blew a 3-1 lead to Detroit, for the second time this century, flailing out of the first round for a second straight year which directly led to the firing of head coach Jamahl Mosley.

Orlando are also without their own first-round pick in 2028 and 2030, both unprotected to Memphis, and their 2029 pick is top-two protected with a swap favoring the Grizzlies. For the first time since 2011, they entered a draft without a first-round selection. Magic President Jeff Weltman’s track record of identifying players who fit the system is real: Tristan da Silva at No. 18 in 2024 drew skepticism on draft night and has carved out a rotation role with his shooting and feel. Jase Richardson at No. 25 in 2025 was a value selection whose stock had slid after the combine but fit Orlando’s backcourt need precisely. Both picks reflected an organization that evaluates systematically rather than chasing athleticism.

The specific problem it needs to address now is not subtle. The Magic ranked 27th in three-point accuracy at 34.3% as a team despite Bane’s 39.1% leading the roster. Banchero, Wagner, Suggs, Anthony Black and Carter Jr. all shot between 30.5 and 34.5% from three. That is a full starting lineup of players who do not shoot the ball well from deep, plus one imported shooter who did not change the team’s playoff fate.

Orlando is still developing Anthony Black, along with previously mentioned da Silva and Richardson, all of whom are roughly the same age as incoming rookies, which tells you the organization is comfortable adding young pieces and letting them develop in the background.

This team is built entirely on defense and physical dominance at the rim, and they have now failed twice in the first round because they cannot score in a half-court game when it gets late and tight. Adding Desmond Bane was supposed to change that. It did not change it enough. Pick 46 is everything they have to work with on Wednesday, and it lands squarely in Martinelli’s consensus range. He is not going to fix the spacing problem. He is one 22-year-old second-rounder who will likely start next year in the G League. But he represents the right kind of thinking at a position in the draft where there are not many options available, and the Magic are a team that should be thinking about every conceivable way to add shooters to a roster that, even after adding a legitimate 40% three-point shooter at considerable cost, still ranks near the bottom of the league from deep.

New York Knicks, Picks No. 31, 47 and No. 55

The defending champion Knicks walked out of Tuesday’s first round without taking a player, executing a series of trades through the Lakers, Mavericks and Suns to accumulate picks at 31, 47 and 55. With Landry Shamet and Mitchell Robinson both heading to free agency and James Dolan treating the second apron as an absolute ceiling, the three second-round slots represent essentially the only avenue New York has to replenish depth.

The Knicks’ championship is worth understanding because of what it was, not just what it accomplished. The Knicks did not draft a single starter on their championship roster. Their build started with a point guard drafted 33rd overall by Dallas, available in free agency only because the Mavericks declined to offer him an extension. Miles McBride, the one homegrown drafted player who contributed meaningfully in the run, was taken 36th overall in 2021, spent years bouncing between Westchester and 12-minute bench cameos, and eventually became their sixth man before injury. The organization’s track record with second-round picks is not glamorous, but McBride’s path tells you exactly what the Knicks believe is possible when they identify the right player, put him in Westchester, and let the situation develop. He didn’t force his way into the rotation. The moments came, and he was ready.

Jalen Brunson himself, the champion’s centerpiece and Finals MVP, was a Villanova two-time national champion who fell to the second round in 2018, went 33rd to Dallas, and spent two seasons coming off the bench before his breakout. The irony is not lost on Mavericks fans, but the lesson is: the Knicks know better than most franchises that second-round picks can become franchise cornerstones when the system is right.

It helps that the Northwestern connection in this building is real and documented. Boo Buie, the program’s all-time leading scorer who played with Martinelli for two seasons, signed a two-way contract with New York in November 2024. He was waived on December 24 after playing exclusively with Westchester, and was eventually traded to the G-League’s Capitanes the following August. Buie’s path did not work out, but his presence in the organization signals that the Knicks were at minimum comfortable enough with Northwestern’s program to put that trust into a roster spot. Martinelli is a considerably different player physically: heavier, stronger and more equipped to handle contact from NBA-level bodies. And the specific shooting profile the Knicks would be drafting, a pick-and-pop forward who catches and shoots, plays off others’ creation and does not need the ball in his hands, fits naturally behind the championship core’s existing structure. At pick 47 or 55, in the middle of his realistic range, a team like the Knicks could do considerably worse.

Dallas Mavericks, Pick No. 48

Martinelli confirmed both an interview with the Mavericks and a formal pre-draft workout with the organization, making Dallas one of a small number of teams with documented hands-on evaluation time. After taking Morez Johnson Jr. ninth overall on Tuesday and trading the No. 30 pick to the Knicks for stash prospect Sergio De Larrea, pick 48 is Dallas’s final live selection and lands one slot after Martinelli’s most commonly mocked projection.

The Mavericks are in a transitional state that is simultaneously exciting and uncertain. Cooper Flagg won Rookie of the Year and looks like a genuine franchise cornerstone. He shot just 29.5% from three as a 19-year-old last season, which means defenses are still not fully respecting his perimeter shot, and the Mavericks need off-ball players who can punish that, catch the corner kick-outs he generates with his drives and make defenses pay for collapsing. Kyrie Irving is 34 and coming off a torn ACL, and Dallas has essentially no solidified guard depth beyond Ryan Nembhard if Irving misses significant time. A forward who plays off others, does not demand creation, gets to the line and spaces the floor is a reasonable complementary add in that environment.

The workout history with the organization is what elevates Dallas from theoretical to credible. Teams do not put prospects through formal workouts without moving them up the internal board, and the fact that Dallas as a team has plenty room to grow would allow for Martinelli to simultaneously grow at his own pace.

Toronto Raptors, Pick No. 50

Toronto is the most underrated team on this list, and pick 50 lands almost exactly in the middle of Martinelli’s consensus range.

The Raptors finished 46-36 in 2025-26, returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2022, and pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to a deciding Game 7 in the first round. The foundation for what comes next is a genuine two-way frontcourt in Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles, who helped Toronto finish fifth in defensive rating. The problem is everything else offensively. The Raptors finished 26th in made threes, 26th in three-point attempts and 21st in three-point percentage at 35.4%. Barnes himself is not a reliable shooter. He hit just 27.1% from deep in his final season before making the All-Star team, and that weakness has been a structural limitation on everything Toronto tries to do offensively.

The organizational track record on pick development is relevant. Immanuel Quickley himself was the 25th overall pick in 2020, developed under the Raptors’ infrastructure into a reliable starting guard, and became one of the more important pieces in their playoff push. General manager Bobby Webster has shown a consistent willingness to identify players who fit the system and trust the environment to develop them rather than expecting instant contribution from second-rounders. Ja’Kobe Walter, taken 19th in 2024, started the year averaging 7.5 points before growing into one of Toronto’s most reliable perimeter threats by season’s end, finishing at 40% from three on over three attempts per game, the only Raptor consistently meeting that volume and efficiency.

Walter is the most important reference point here. He was the only reliable shooter on a playoff team, and the Raptors’ entire offensive ceiling ran through whether he was making threes. Adding another player who can do that job, even in a bench role, even in the G League initially, directly addresses the single most glaring offensive deficiency on the roster. Martinelli at pick 50 on a cheap second-round deal is the specific answer to a specific problem for a team that has demonstrated it can develop players into that role when the fit is right.

Chicago Bulls, Picks No. 38 and No. 56

The Bulls are the wild card on this list, and Martinelli is the most locally resonant name they could possibly call with their second-round picks. As a Chicago-native myself, my fingers are crossed for this outcome, and the story has plenty of reason to root for it regardless.

Martinelli grew up in Glenview, Illinois, attended Glenbrook South High School, and spent four years at Northwestern just down the road in Evanston. As he described it himself, Evanston became an extension of Glenview over those years, his brother Jimmy having moved back to the area, his parents at every home game. Glenbrook South is roughly 20 miles from the United Center. Evanston is closer still. If the Bulls choose him at either of their two slots, his name would span across the digital boards at Barclays Center as a representation of the most Chicago-adjacent player in this entire draft class.

The basketball argument is real too, if complicated. Chicago selected Caleb Wilson fourth overall, then took Texas standout Dailyn Swain at 15, adding size and athleticism to a core already featuring Matas Buzelis, Josh Giddey and the recently-added Nic Claxton. Media covering the pick immediately flagged the looming shooting question: despite drafting multiple wings, the Bulls have assembled a roster full of players whose jumpers need work, and spacing is now a significant concern heading into 2026-27. Wing depth with shooting is explicitly identified as one of Chicago’s two main remaining roster needs heading into the second round. Martinelli is specifically that. He does not attack off the dribble. He does not need creation. He catches, he makes the right read, and he shoots at a legitimate rate that none of the players drafted above him in Chicago can match.

Pick 38 is early for where most boards have him, and the Bulls under new GM Bryson Graham have shown a strong preference for length and athleticism in their selections. Martinelli is the opposite of that profile on paper. But he worked out for Chicago, and the narrative of a Glenview kid walking into the United Center as a Bull rather than a visitor is the kind of thing that occasionally moves front offices in ways analytics do not fully capture. If Graham saw enough in his evaluation process to either reach or let him fall to them at 56, the story writes itself: the kid who grew up going to Bulls games, played his college ball 12 miles north, and never needed anyone else’s blueprint to become good enough could extend his Glenview bubble yet again. This time to the Madhouse on Madison.

He’s no longer a cute little kid.

He’s a $185-million man.

He’s no longer a quintessential underdog routinely pardoned for his bad defense, his questionable durability and his tendency to tighten up in the playoffs.

He’s a big dog who needs to own it.

Austin Reaves, the most beloved Laker, became the most scrutinized Laker on Wednesday with the news that he agreed to a maximum four-year, $185-million contract to remain with the team.

Kudos to him for becoming the highest-paid undrafted player in league history.

Read more:Lakers' Austin Reaves opts out of contract, plans to re-sign for four years

Props to him for declining a rich extension offer last summer to play out the season and bet on himself.

Congrats to the Lakers for turning a homegrown talent into a budding superstar.

Seriously, it makes you just want to hug that unkempt, headband-wearing dude and let him know how his everyman story resonates with the masses.

Except that story is finished. That book has been closed. A new volume has begun.

It’s called, “Is Austin Reaves Worth It?”

Thus far, the answer has been no.

Flash back to May, the opener of the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a week after he had returned to the court following a monthlong absence with an oblique injury.

The Lakers needed Reaves to set the tone. He instead laid an egg, shooting three for 16 from the field and zero for five from beyond the arc, his body knocked clear to Tulsa by a physical Thunder defense.

Two games later, same thing, he shoots five for 13 and one for five from deep, allowing the Thunder to pound him to a pulp.

With Luka Doncic out and LeBron James exhausted, the Lakers desperately needed Reaves to pick up the slack. He dropped it, again and again, and the Lakers were swept.

It was the same thing in the spring of 2025, when Reaves crumbled in the first-round series-clinching loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, shooting five for 14 and two for 10 in a performance that was, as usual, generally overlooked because he tried so hard and accepted his shortcomings so honestly.

That’s not going to work anymore. That’s not going to be enough anymore.

With this new deal, Reaves becomes the Lakers’ second cornerstone along with Doncic. They are now officially a one-two punch. They are now a twin-engine scoring machine that can rival any similar duo in the NBA.

Doncic has lived up to his end of the bargain. Will Reaves?

And what about defense? For $185 million, you’d think you could get some defense. Doncic needs his running mate to compensate for his questionable defensive skills, and Reaves has yet to do that.

Simply by earning his way onto the Lakers roster five years ago, Reaves has been a great role model for everyone who has ever been ignored or shunned or marginalized. But did the Lakers fall in love with his legend and ignore his frailties?

Yes, he averaged 23 points per game last season. But he only played in a career-low 51 games because of calf and oblique injuries, and will he add the muscle required to fend off such problems in the future?

Yes, he has been a great interview while admirably and publicly holding himself and his teammates accountable. But he’s always been able to lead from the shadows. How will he react when 185 million microphones are pointed at him?

In a postgame interview after the Lakers’ final loss against Oklahoma City this spring, Reaves was at his aw-shucks best.

“I take life day by day and I’m just blessed to have an opportunity to play for this organization, play a kid’s game,” he said, “I make good money. But like I said, I don’t think about what I’m really going to do in the future, just day by day.”

That tone has to change. He now has to think about the future because he is the future, of this team, of this organization, of the hopes of this city.

With all of Reaves’ shortcomings, one can almost see the unsentimental Dodgers officials looking at Wednesday’s news and saying, “Wait, they did what?”

But in the end, the Lakers didn’t really have a choice. There wasn’t a free agent available who could match Reaves’ prolific shooting, and nobody who could match the Laker-centric story of his personal journey.

Renowned softie Rob Pelinka, who should count Reaves as one of his greatest successes, was so moved by the opportunity to bring him back that he mentioned the Lakers colors when answering a question about him.

“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker,” Pelinka said during exit interviews this spring. “We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold.”

And so it will, for at least several more years, Reaves now occupying a Lakers leading sidekick role made famous during their championship years by the likes of Anthony Davis and Pau Gasol.

How sweet. How scary.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Greetings, BBN!

It’s been quite the roller coaster of an offseason for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Basketball program. Following a 22-14 season that ended with a blowout in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. Pope watched much of his roster leave Lexington, then struggled to fill it out when the transfer portal first opened.

Thankfully, Kentucky was able to end it on a high note thanks to the addition of Iowa State star Milan Momcilovic, while also retaining a potential All-SEC center in Malachi Moreno after he tested the NBA Draft waters.

But even the best of offseasons can only do so much when it comes to a coach’s hot seat. Wins and losses are ultimately what affect that the most, and Pope is entering a critical year that could very well decide how his Kentucky tenure goes.

So, we wanted to ask the BBN their thoughts on what it will take to keep Pope off the hot seat this season.

Do the Cats need to make a run to the second weekend of the Big Dance?

Will a good regular season and one NCAA Tournament win be enough?

Does he just need to make the Big Dance to keep his job?

Or maybe you actually think Pope has done enough through his first two years to earn a fourth season so long as he doesn’t have a Kenny Payne-level disaster in Year 3.

Let us know your thoughts in the poll below and in the comments section!

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in UK fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.Be sure to add us to your “Preferred Sources” on Google to get all of the latest Kentucky Wildcats news and views! And Go CATS!

The Cleveland Cavaliers will forever be linked to LeBron James. The King hasn’t played for his hometown team since 2018, but could return for the final chapter of his career if the Los Angeles Lakers agree to facilitate a trade.

The asking price? Jarrett Allen.

“I think if the Cavs were willing to do that, they’d have LeBron,” said Brian Windhorst on ESPN Cleveland. “The Lakers would kill for Jarrett Allen; they would do that deal in seventeen-tenths of a second.”

This makes sense. James is the oldest player in the NBA and will turn 42 later this year. Wherever he plays next season, there’s a good chance that it won’t be for long. If the Lakers were able to flip him for a 28-year-old center who fits like a glove next to Luka Doncic — they’d do it yesterday.

The question is, why would the Cavs even consider this?

It would take some real desperation to part ways with Allen for the final year(s) of LeBron’s career. As much as we all love James, there is no winning against Father Time. He can’t have much more gas left in the tank. This would be the definition of a short-sighted move. Especially, after Allen came up huge in consecutive Game 7’s in his most recent playoff run. This isn’t someone you want to kick to the curb for a 42-year-old.

James is still an elite player. He averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds last season. But, as a general rule of thumb, you shouldn’t make a deal with someone who would kill to shake your hand and put ink to paper. That indicates that you’re giving up way more than you should. The Lakers would jump to make this deal for a reason.

Unfortunately, the Cavs don’t have many other options for bringing back James. He has a $52 million dollar player option this summer. It’s hard to see him declining that in favor of a much, much smaller deal in Cleveland. He’d have to be desperate to join the Cavs in that scenario. Just as desperate as they’d have to be to trade Allen for him. And if that were true, we wouldn’t be having this discussion, to begin with.

Until Tuesday night, only one Mexican-born player had been an NBA draft pick. Eduardo Nájera was selected 38th overall in the second round by the Houston Rockets in 2000 and enjoyed a 12-year career as a backup forward with five teams.

Karim López joined him when the Detroit Pistons snapped him up at No. 21, making him the first Mexican-born first-round draft selection.

Lopez donned the Pistons’ cap handed to him by NBA commissioner Adam Silver, then was immediately traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.

López, a 19-year-old 6-foot-9 forward, became emotional when Silver announced the pick. He sobbed beneath the cap.

“It’s just super special,” he said. “I’m blessed. I mean, I have no words.”

Born in Hermosillo in the Mexican state of Sonora, López joined the prestigious Joventut Badalona youth academy in Badalona, Spain, at age 14 to accelerate his development. The academy counts former NBA players Ricky Rubio, Rudy Fernández and Raül López among its alumni.

During his post-draft television interview, he displayed a custom design inside his suit jacket: Mexico’s tricolor flag.

Read more:Lakers swap picks with Knicks, select wing Cameron Carr

“I just wanted to represent my culture, represent where I’m from, represent my faith, and just represent myself, basically,” López said. “Show who I am.”

Memphis clearly targeted López while adroitly obtaining five second-round picks in the process. They received three picks from the Pistons and two from the Oklahoma City Thunder in return for moving back from the No. 16 draft position.

Whether López fulfills his potential and becomes the fifth Mexican-born player to take the court with an NBA team remains to be seen. Reviews are mixed.

Draft experts John Hollinger and Sam Vecenie of the Athletic differed in their evaluation, with Hollinger giving the pick a thumbs-up while Vecenie expressed reservations.

“I had Karim López rated quite a bit higher than [the No. 21 pick] and was surprised to see him slide this far,” Hollinger wrote, giving the pick an “A” grade partially because the Grizzlies also collected the five second-round picks.

Read more:NBA draft: Clippers select Keaton Wagler at No. 5; AJ Dybantsa goes No. 1

Vecenie pointed out that López doesn’t shoot well and has defensive deficiencies, saying that his game might be better suited for European leagues than the NBA.

“I’m not sure how he gets on an NBA court early in his career,” he wrote. “I love his frame and physicality. I love that he rebounds and attacks with aggression. But I’m not sure he’s good enough without the ball to make an early impact in the NBA.”

Should López make the Grizzlies’ roster, he would join Horacio Llamas, Gustavo Ayón, Jorge Gutiérrez and Nájera as the only NBA players born in Mexico.

“It means a lot to me,” Lopez said. “It’s just a great opportunity for me and my country to have this platform and have this opportunity. So super blessed and definitely take it with a lot of pride.”

Noteworthy NBA players of Mexican descent born in the United States include former UCLA standout Jaime Jaquez Jr. and former Lakers reserve Juan Toscano-Anderson.

Jaquez averaged 15.4 points a game in 2025-2026, his third season with the Miami Heat. Toscano-Anderson played five seasons in the NBA — including winning a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2022 — and now is with Pallacanestro Trieste of the top Italian league.
López is already a veteran of international basketball, having spent the last two seasons with the New Zealand Breakers in Australia’s top pro league. He averaged 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds last season.

He will join No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer with the Grizzlies, who are rebuilding after finishing 25-57 and 13th in the Western Conference last season.

“A goal of mine is to hopefully reach young people in Mexico,” Lopez told ESPN in March when he declared for the draft. “Trying to grow the sport and inspire athletes and people in general to follow their dreams. Show people that it doesn’t matter where you’re from.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Yaxel Lendeborg reacts to the Warriors selecting him with the No. 11 pick in the first round of the NBA Draft.
• Mike Dunleavy Jr. explains his viral draft war room interaction with Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob.
• Austin Reaves agrees to a four-year, $185 million extension to remain with the Lakers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Golden State Warriors welcomed their newest addition to the team after selecting Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 overall pick in Tuesday night’s NBA Draft. Shortly after being drafted, Lendeborg spoke with the media and shared his excitement about joining Golden State.

One of the biggest takeaways from Lendeborg’s first press conference as a Warrior was his initial thoughts on his new teammates. The forward jokingly admitted that he “used to hate Steph Curry” while growing up because of his fondness for former Cleveland Cavaliers star Kyrie Irving. Now, however, he appreciates the opportunity to be teammates with one of the greatest players in NBA history.

Yaxel Lendeborg on playing alongside Steph Curry after being drafted to the Warriors 😂 pic.twitter.com/TnKAJWbQir

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 24, 2026

There is a similar dynamic at play with Draymond Green as well. Lendeborg spent last season at Michigan, which shares one of college basketball’s fiercest rivalries with Green’s alma mater, Michigan State. That history should make for an amusing pairing as Lendeborg discussed his excitement to learn from Green.

Yaxel Lendeborg, post-draft podium, on getting to learn from Draymond Green:

"He's a good guy. I know he's a Michigan State guy; I'm really not too fond of that. But I'm definitely excited to be able to meet him and speak to him in person and learn. Just learn everything I can." pic.twitter.com/owbxpNZz95

— Kenzo Fukuda (@kenzofuku) June 24, 2026

Despite the lighthearted comments, Lendeborg spoke highly of both veterans and appeared genuinely happy about the opportunity to learn from them. More importantly, his first interview as a Warrior offered an early glimpse into his personality. Lendeborg came across as an upbeat, personable, and competitive person who is eager to embrace this new opportunity — qualities that should make him a natural fit within the Warriors’ culture as he begins his NBA career.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Wednesday, June 24th:

Warriors News:

Kawakami: ‘He can play everything’ — How the Warriors locked in on Yaxel Lendeborg | The San Francisco Standard

One team source indicated that the Warriors had Lendeborg rated about even with Burries and only had Duke’s Cam Boozer clearly placed on a higher level in this draft.

That might or might not be some slight retro-editing of their true big board (they weren’t going to take a lead guard in this draft and that position dominated the top nine selections). But either way, the Warriors definitely always were very high on Lendeborg and definitely always weren’t so worried about his birthdate.

Even if Lendeborg was actually the fifth or sixth player on the Warriors’ board, this was a strong enough draft to make the selection a happy one. If Burries had slipped to 11, I imagine it would’ve been an even giddier draft room, and Burries, at 20, simply has more practical upside than Lendeborg.

Grading Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg selection with No. 11 pick in 2026 NBA Draft | NBC Sports Bay Area

Can Lendeborg be the Warriors’ OG Anunoby? Big wings who can play all over the court are every franchise’s best friend.

The Warriors could have shot for more potential. They chose production for their most important pick in over a decade. 

Grade: A-

Mike Dunleavy addresses the viral draft interaction with Warriors’ owner Joe Lacob

Mike Dunleavy explained his viral interaction with Joe Lacob in the Warriors' draft room tonight 😅 pic.twitter.com/DzYawbAvzg

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 24, 2026

NBA News:

Round 2 NBA mock draft: Best available players, predictions | ESPN

Strengths: Lawal is one of the best all-around athletes in the draft, with a 45-inch max vertical. He’s a good rebounder who can block shots and play above the rim.

Weaknesses: His offensive skill is rudimentary and limits his ability to impact the game, and he is largely restricted to dunks and finishing plays around the basket. He’s more of a project than your typical 23-year-old prospect.

The verdict: Lawal is a late-blooming player who grew up in London and has made some strides with his all-around game over the past couple of years. His elite physical gifts make him an intriguing developmental pick, but he’s raw offensively and projects as a high-energy depth player at best.

Lakers and Austin Reaves agree on a $185 million extension, per ESPN’s Shams Charania

Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to return to the franchise, with a player option for the final season in 2029-30, sources tell ESPN. Reaves declined his $14.9M player option for the new max deal. pic.twitter.com/5T8Ze6v0kF

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2026

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Takeaways from Yaxel Lendeborg’s draft night interview

Lendeborg concluded, “I can do everything in my power to make sure my mom knows how much she means to me. I can make sure she understands that I’m so grateful for everything she’s done. And that all I’ve ever wanted was to be someone who my mom could be proud of, someone she is proud to call her son.”

I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is in the books, and SB Nation draft expert Ricky O’Donnell graded every pick from the first round. A total of eight teams managed to nail the first round in his eyes, earning an A-grade or higher for their selections.

Grading was a blend of two factors: Where the player was on the NBA big board ahead of the draft, as well as the team fit. The perfect storm is this coming together to lead to an elite fit, which we saw last year as Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Kon Knueppel all earned A-grades a year ago, and turned into being pivotal players for their teams. So let’s dive into this year’s top picks and see if they can continue their path to NBA stardom.

Cameron Boozer to the Memphis Grizzlies, No. 3 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade A+

Best player in the draft. Boozer lacks vertical explosiveness and some shake in the middle of the floor, but he’s excellent at just about every aspect of basketball. He was unanimously considered the best player in college hoops, despite also being one of the youngest, which is the ultimate sign of star potential. This is reminiscent of Luka Dončić slipping to the third pick in 2018, though in this case, Dybantsa and Peterson are much better than DeAndre Ayton and Marvin Bagley. I still think Boozer was in a class of his own at this draft because of his special processing, knockdown three-point shooting, monster rebounding, powerful isolation driving, and ability to find open teammates as a passer all over the floor.

It’s astonishing that such a brilliant, do-everything facilitator from a proven Duke program fell to No. 3 overall solely because of a perceived lack of upside. This was a home-run pick for the Grizzlies, who not only get the best player in this class — but someone who can be a culture-shaping player in Memphis.

Caleb Wilson to the Chicago Bulls, No. 4 overall

Ricky’s take

Grade: A

This was the easiest pick in the draft. Wilson turned the big three into a big four during an electric freshman year at North Carolina, where he established himself as the draft’s most explosive athlete. Wilson dunked the hell out of the ball at every opportunity this past season with 67 slams in 24 games. His playmaking also looked far better than other freak athletes in his mold. If he can make any sort of leap as an outside shooter or ball handler, it could take his offense to the next level. It will also be fascinating to monitor his defense after a freshman year full of highlight reel takeaways that also included some ugly lapses of ball watching. Read my in-depth feature on his past, present, and future.

The thing you keep hearing raving about with Caleb Wilson is his character. A gym-rat with an endless desire to keep getting better, there’s unquestionably improvements that can be made to his game — but the drive to make it happen as well. It’s going to be so much fun to see Wilson and Matas Buzelis jumping out of the arena together.

Kingston Flemings to the Atlanta Hawks, No. 8 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A

Flemings lacks ideal length and strength for an NBA point guard, but he’s super athletic, super smart, and has an ability to play bigger than his listed size at both ends of the floor. Flemings is an awesome driver who can change directions on a dime, throw live dribble passes on the money, or rise-and-fire into mid-range attempts. He’s probably the best defender of this loaded point guard group despite his lack of size due to his disruptive hands, sharp instincts, and high motor.

This is a really interesting fit as the Hawks continue to move on from the Trae Young era. It gives them a player who can be an impact distributor to accompany Atlanta’s high-end scorers, and a great veteran in C.J. McCollum to help hone his game. It’s impossible to hate on this pick as need met value for Atlanta.

Yaxel Lendeborg to the Golden State Warriors, No. 11 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A

Lendeborg felt like the second best player in college basketball behind Cam Boozer this past season — and he probably should have been, considering he was a super-senior who is a month older than Josh Giddey. I usually don’t like older prospects, but I love Yaxel. He’s long and strong enough to play in an NBA front court and skilled enough to play on the perimeter on both ends of the floor. He probably could have put up monster scoring numbers at any other school, but instead he embraced his role as an floor spacer, connective playmaker, and versatile defender, and it led to a national championship. Read my feature on Yaxel’s stunning rise from JUCO player to NBA lottery pick.

The Warriors are desperately trying to push their window back open, and Lendeborg is a guy who can contribute immediately to achieve it. We don’t know what the future holds for Draymond Green, but it feels as though Lendeborg can come in and be a worse defender, but vastly better offensive player from the jump. That might be enough to get Golden State back in the picture if they can stay healthy.

Aday Mara to the Oklahoma City Thunder, No. 12 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A-

There are only so many humans in the world who stand 7’3 with a 9’9 standing reach. Mara was the single biggest stock-riser of March Madness, showing off his elite passing ability and trusty rim protection in drop coverage on Michigan’s run to the national championship. He’s not a shooter at the moment, and there are questions about his quickness on the perimeter, but I’m willing to bet on Mara’s size, passing, and shot-blocking. The Thunder just got another big body to throw at Victor Wembanyama in future playoff matchups. This is a great landing spot for him with so many ferocious perimeter defenders hounding the ball in front of his drop defense.

It’s really wild to think that teams in the West are already needing to strategize ahead to find their “anti-Wemby,” but it makes perfect sense. The Thunder are at a point now where they’re just looking to get specific tools to add to their toolbox, rather than needing complete stars. The fact they were able to do that at No. 12 overall is perfect.

Hannes Steinbach to the Charlotte Hornets, No. 14 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A

Best rebounder in the class. His offensive rebounding might be the best skill in this class, and he’s also major transition threat. I’m buying his shooting upside. He’s not exactly a defensive anchor, so he’ll probably work best in a twin-towers front court. The Hornets needed some more beef inside and they got it.

The Hornets were desperate to add size and consistent rebounding to complement Moussa Diabate, and they got it. This likely spells the end to Miles Bridges’ time in Charlotte, and trades athletic dunking, for a rim-hound who can mitigate the downside of LaMelo Ball’s volume shooting.

Ebuka Okorie to the Detroit Pistons, No. 18 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A

I love it. Okorie has star upside with the best first step in the class and the ability to extend the advantage with elite acceleration on his way to the rim. He took a lot of threes this year and looked good making them off the dribble. He’s small for a guard and he’s not the best playmaker, but who did he really have to pass to at Stanford? I like the idea of getting Cade Cunningham off the ball a little bit more. Okorie’s ability to generate paint touches could be super valuable for what was an ugly halfcourt offense at times.

Cade Cunningham had a major breakout season that caused the former No. 1 pick to ascend to a legitimate MVP-caliber player. Anything that helps him progress even more will be extremely fun to watch. Okorie’s ability to stretch the floor with teams needing to respect his shot is much-needed when the Pistons’ only reliable threat from beyond the arc is Duncan Robinson.

Jayden Quaintance to the San Antonio Spurs, No. 20 overall

Ricky’s take:

Grade: A-

This is a major roll of the dice, but I love it. Quaintance seemed destined to be a top-5 pick coming into the season after an amazing freshman year at Arizona State where he looked like a special defensive big man. He tore his ACL at the end of that season, and he was never healthy at Kentucky, shutting it down after four games. His offense is a major question mark, but his power, length, and movement skills give him massive coverage versatility and a really high defensive ceiling. Wemby at power forward? You’re going to see it more and more if Quaintance reaches his potential.

Picking a big man to pair with your already MVP-caliber big man? Stop if you’ve heard this one before with San Antonio. The defensive prowess he brings to the middle will take pressure off Wemby to do everything on his own on both ends of the floor. We know he’s going to do that anyway, because it’s just how he plays — but it opens up opportunities to use the phenom in creative new ways.

Austin Reaves got his big payday from the Lakers, who forked over $185 million over the next four years to retain him.

It was always the expectation that Reaves would re-sign with the team. While the numbers on his new contract are high, it seems that if the Lakers weren’t prepared to pay that amount, other teams would be.

On Wednesday morning, longtime NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Pistons were legitimately interested in acquiring Reaves had he been available.

The Lakers today secured Austin Reaves' commitment on a new deal after rising interest from Detroit, league sources say.

I'm told the Pistons began maneuvering to make a real run at Reaves that would've required, among other moves, trading Isaiah Stewart for needed flexibility. https://t.co/cYZLzjSheJ

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 24, 2026

In an article by Shams Charania of ESPN, he also discussed the Pistons’ interest in Reaves.

Reaves was expected to receive free agent interest from multiple teams, including the Detroit Pistons, on a maximum-level salary, so the Lakers stepped up on Wednesday to lock in their homegrown talent.

It’s not a surprise that the Pistons might’ve wanted Reaves. Early in this offseason, there were rumblings that the Nets, Pistons and Hawks were interested in him.

For those who watched the Pistons in the playoffs, it was clear that they needed another offensive weapon.

Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris were the only two players on Detroit who could consistently be counted on to score. And that’s a big reason why, despite winning 60 games and being the No.1 seed in the Eastern Conference, they were knocked out in the second round by the Cavs.

The Pistons paying Reaves would’ve given them another backcourt player who can not only score but also create for themselves and others. And players who can consistently do that in the playoffs earn top dollars.

The Lakers didn’t risk losing their starting guard by trying to be tough negotiators.

Sure, the numbers on Reaves’ deal are high, but this is a player who averaged 23.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game last season. He has gotten better every year, and if the Lakers didn’t like the idea of Reaves at the max, the Pistons or another team would likely try to make it happen.

LA already did the hard part: finding an undrafted talent like Reaves and developing him into a top player. Really, paying the tab at the end is the easy part.

Now, the Lakers have their starting backcourt secured and don’t have to worry about another team reaping the benefits of the work they put into Reaves.

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

The first round of the 2026 NBA Draft is officially in the books, and if you have too short of an attention span to fully dive into the 30 players who heard their names called Tuesday night, here’s one fact about each player you can wow your friends and colleagues with:

1. AJ Dybantsa (Washington Wizards)

Dybantsa was extremely close with former Kentucky star Terrence Clarke, who tragically passed away in a car accident just weeks before the 2021 NBA Draft. The pair grew up in the same Boston area neighborhood, and Clarke took Dybantsa under his wing and served as a mentor for the future No. 1 pick. On draft night, Dybantsa’s suit featured a blue pin shaped like a heart that read “TC5” in honor of Clarke, who wore No. 5 at Kentucky.

2. Darryn Peterson (Utah Jazz)

Peterson became the first high school athlete to sign a name, image and likeness deal when he inked one with Adidas at just 16 years old. Shortly after, he signed another deal with Fanatics, becoming the youngest athlete to ever sign a trading card deal.

3. Cameron Boozer (Memphis Grizzlies)

Boozer didn’t capture a national championship during his one and only season at Duke, but he still continued his lengthy history of accumulating individual accolades and other titles. He’ll head to the NBA with an outrageous resume that includes being the 2025-26 consensus national Player of the Year, the ACC Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year, three-time Florida Mr. Basketball, two-time Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year (including one at the age of 15 in 2023), four state championships, two gold medals with Team USA, two FIBA World Cup MVP Awards, a McDonald’s All-American Game co-MVP award and three Peach Jam championships.

4. Caleb Wilson (Chicago Bulls)

Wilson is a lego enthusiast who built a Lego Lamborghini Countach during his one season at North Carolina.

“I didn’t commit to Carolina to come here and go to karaoke night,” Wilson said last October. “I came here to be a great basketball player, so I do things that are kind of mentally freeing off the court because I feel like it is definitely important for you to have a mental balance and you can’t put all your mental cards in one deck.” 

5. Keaton Wagler (L.A. Clippers)

Perhaps the best story of the draft, Wagler became the first player of the “scouting network” era to not be a top 100 recruit according to any of the three major scouting services and still be a one-and-done lottery pick. Only 247 Sports had Wagler as a top 150 prospect in the class of 2025, and they had him No. 150.

6.Mikel Brown Jr. (Brooklyn Nets)

Despite playing in just 21 games because of a lingering back injury, Brown Jr. still made history in his first and last season at Louisville. His 45-point effort against NC State in February set the record for points in a game by an ACC freshman, and matched the single-game scoring record at Louisville, held by the legendary Wes Unseld.

7. Darius Acuff Jr. (Sacramento Kings)

The 2026 Bob Cousy Award winner for being the top point guard in college basketball, Acuff joined the immortal Pete Maravich as the only players in SEC history to lead the league in both scoring and assists in a single season. Naturally, Acuff brought home SEC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors as well.

8. Kingston Flemings (Atlanta Hawks)

Not only did Flemings said the Houston freshman scoring record when he dropped 42 points on Texas Tech in January, but he finished the 2025-26 campaign as the first freshman in college basketball history to average 16+ points, 4+ rebounds, 5+ assists, and fewer than 2 turnovers per game.

9. Morez Johnson Jr. (Dallas Mavericks)

In being drafted by the Mavericks just two days after Dusty May’s shocking departure from Michigan to the Mavs, Johnson Jr. became the first player since 2014 to be drafted by a team with the same coach the draftee played for in college. The last time it happened was when Fred Hoiberg and the Bulls drafted Cameron Bairstow, who had starred for Hoiberg at Iowa State.

10. Brayden Burries (Milwaukee Bucks)

While Burries now owns most of the family bragging rights, his older brother, BJ, still owns the title of being the leading all-time scorer in Arizona boys high school basketball history (3,387 career points). BJ Burries spent last season as a graduate assistant at Arizona.

11. Yaxel Lendeborg (Golden State Warriors)

At 23 years old, Lendeborg was the oldest player selected during Tuesday night’s first round. Lendeborg spent three years at a junior college and then two more at UAB before wrapping up his college career by helping Michigan win the 2025-26 national championship.

12. Aday Mara (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Measuring 7’3 without shoes at the NBA Draft combine, Mara was the tallest player selected in the first round. His 103 blocks last season at Michigan set a new single season school record.

13. Nate Ament (Milwaukee Bucks)

Ament’s mother, Godelive, is a nurse who was born and raised in Rwanda. Ament frequently wears shoes featuring Rwanda’s flag colors (light blue, yellow, and green) with a golden sun to honor her heritage. Despite being just 19 years old, he has already traveled to the country multiple times and hosted basketball clinics there.

14. Hannes Steinbach (Charlotte Hornets)

The native of Germany led the entire NCAA in rebounding (11.8 rebounds per game) last season, and registered 22 double-doubles in 30 games. He also became one of just 14 freshmen in NCAA history to record 550 points and 350 rebounds in a season.

15. Dailyn Swain (Chicago Bulls)

After spending two seasons at Xavier, Swain blew up in his first season and only season at Texas. He was the only player in the country last season to lead his team in every major statistical category (points, rebounds, assists, steals, and minutes played).

16. Bennett Stirtz (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Stirtz’s college career was spent following head coach Ben McCollum from Division-II Northwest Missouri State for two seasons, to Drake University for a season, and then finally to Iowa for the season that would make him a household name.

17. Ebuka Okorie (Detroit Pistons)

Okorie was committed to Harvard, where both of his parents went, before convincing them that he was good enough at basketball to potentially make a career out of it. When he expressed the desire to play at a power conference school, his parents agreed, but only if it was a power conference schools with academic standards similar to Harvard’s. After one season at Stanford, he’s now off to the NBA.

18. Christian Anderson (Charlotte Hornets)

Anderson was named the Big 12’s Most Improved Player after an all-conference season that saw him set a new Texas Tech record for assists in a single season (244).

19. Allen Graves (Toronto Raptors)

From 1947 through 2021, Santa Clara had just three players in program history who were selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. They’ve now had three first round picks in the last five years (Jalen Williams in 2022, Brandin Podziemski in 2023, and Graves in 2025).

20. Jayden Quaintance (San Antonio Spurs)

Quaintance is the youngest McDonald’s All-American history, making the 2024 roster at the age of just 16. His young age forced him to play two seasons in college (one at Arizona State and one at Kentucky) before being eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft.

21. Karim Lopez (Memphis Grizzlies)

Lopez if the first Mexican-born player selected in the first round of the NBA Draft, and just the second Mexican-born player to be drafted, period.

22. Labaron Philon Jr. (Philadelphia 76ers)

As a sophomore last season at Alabama, Philon became the only Division-I player in the country to average at least 22.0 points and 5.0 assists while shooting 50.0 percent or better from the floor.

23. Zuby Ejiofor (Atlanta Hawks)

Ejiofor made history in 2025-26 by becoming the first player in Big East history to win the league’s Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Tournament Most Outstanding Player, and Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards in the same season.

24. Cameron Carr (Los Angeles Lakers)

Carr’s father, Chris, played six seasons in the NBA and was the runner-up to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant in the 1997 NBA Slam Dunk Contest when Bryant was just 18-years-old. Carr’s mother, Tanya, was a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ dance team.

25. Sergio De Larrea (Dallas Mavericks)

He was named Best Young Player after spending the 2025-26 season playing for Valencia Basket in Spain’s Liga Endesa.

26.  Tarris Reed Jr. (San Antonio Spurs)

Reed has the unfortunate distinction of being a member of the Michigan Wolverines while the UConn Huskies were winning the 2023 and 2024 national championships, and then transferring to UConn where his college career ended with a loss to Michigan in the 2026 national championship game.

27. Chris Cenac Jr. (Boston Celtics)

Boasting a massive 7’5 wingspan, Cenac grabbed at least one offensive rebound in 33 of the 37 games he played for Houston in 2025-26.

28. Joshua Jefferson (Brooklyn Nets)

A super versatile 6’9 point forward, Jefferson became the first player in Iowa State and Big 12 history to record multiple triple-doubles in a single season during conference play. He recorded the first against West Virginia on Jan. 2 and then repeated the feat against Central Florida 18 days later.

29. Alex Karaban (Sacramento Kings)

UConn’s all-time leader in made three-pointers (276), Karaban was the only player selected Tuesday night who was a member of multiple national title winning teams in college.

30. Koa Peat (Phoenix Suns)

Peat is the youngest of seven siblings, and his older brother, Andrus Peat, was a three-time Pro Bowl NFL offensive lineman with the New Orleans Saints. “Koa” means “strong warrior” in Hawaiian.

The Spurs knew they were taking the long approach when they drafted Jayden Quaintance with the 20th overall pick. While he fits the exact big man prototype they were missing last season, he only played in four games for Kentucky this year after suffering a torn ACL and meniscus in February of 2025 with Arizona State, never quite returning to his usual self and causing his slide from lottery prospect to the back of third of the first round despite being the top defensive prospect in the draft.

He confirmed Tuesday that he expects to undergo one more medical procedure to clean up his knee and get right once and for all. That may seem daunting, and such a procedure usually requires about a 6-month recovery period, so it’s very possible we don’t see him in a Spurs uniform until the 2027 portion of next season, if at all, but the good news is one well known NBA doctor told On3.com that the procedure would be a long-term solution, and once he recovers, that should be the end of any issue with that knee.

Dr. Riley Williams III — head team physician and orthopedic surgeon for the Brooklyn Nets and famous for performing surgery on Paul George’s gruesome open tibia-fibula fracture with USA Basketball in 2014 — gave a second opinion on Quaintance’s injured right knee that limited him to four games in Lexington and recommended a follow-up procedure that could keep him off the floor for six months. The 6-foot-11 prospect’s ACL remains fully intact and his knee can be maintained at its current state, but a clean-up is preferred for a permanent resolution.

…This procedure could lead to a delayed start to his rookie season, but the long-term reward of a healthy 15-year career in the NBA is the prize on the table. It kept teams in the lottery and late teens intrigued, despite rumors of a potential fall to the second round. Sources close to Quaintance felt San Antonio at No. 20 was a backstop for the talented forward going into draft night, an educated hunch that proved to be accurate.

This may sound familiar to some Spurs fans. Back in 2000, Tim Duncan tore his meniscus late in the regular season. He felt he could play through it, but the Spurs decided to sacrifice those playoffs and the defense of their 1999 title for the sake of his long-term career and forced him to get surgery then and there (much to his chagrin at the time). Had he not done the surgery or delayed it for the playoffs but caused even more damage to his knee, it’s quite possible we aren’t talking about an all-time top 10 player and five championships across what would become a 19-year career.

While we obviously aren’t giving Quaintance Duncan-level expectations (that’s Victor Wembanyama’s job), Timmy is a shining example of what taking care of yourself early to avoid long-term impact can lead to, even if your young body thinks you can handle it.

The Spurs already knew they could afford be patient and let Quaintance get healthy, and without the pressure that the lottery brings of choosing THE right guy, they showed they were willing to take a chance on a player with extremely high upside if he can get healthy. Assuming he does, he should end up being well worth the risk. If not, they added an insurance policy by trading up to the 26th pick to select Tarris Reed, another defensive minded big man who is NBA-ready and can help fill the gaps behind Wemby and Luke Kornet on day 1.

Both Austin Reaves and the Lakers have always stated their desire to continue their relationship that started when he was an undrafted prospect five years ago.

They will.

Reaves intends to re-sign with the Lakers for a maximum deal of four years and $185 million, people not authorized to speak on the matter confirmed to The Times on Wednesday.

Reaves opted out of his deal that was to pay him $14.8 million next season and would have become one of the top free agents on the market.

Instead, he will sign the richest contract in NBA history for an undrafted player. The deal also includes a player option for the final season in 2029-30.

Reaves’ representatives and the Lakers began working together on a deal in recent days when teams were able to negotiate with their own free agents at the conclusion of the NBA Finals.

Reaves, 28, will earn about $46 million per season, starting with making $41.3 million in the first year.

Read more:Lakers swap picks with Knicks, select wing Cameron Carr

After the Lakers lost in the second round of the playoffs to Oklahoma City, Reaves had this to say when asked about his future and returning to the Lakers.

“I’ve been around for five years and y’all I would say, but I don’t think about [it] much,” Reaves said. “I take life day by day and I’m just blessed to have an opportunity to play for this organization, play a kid’s game. I make good money. But like I said, I don’t think about what I’m really going to do in the future, just day by day.”

The Lakers, on the other hand, made it clear that they wanted Reaves back.

The Lakers were aware that several teams, including Brooklyn and Detroit, had expressed interest in Reaves, and L.A. didn’t want to let him get away, making sure they didn’t by agreeing to a deal to keep him.

During his exit interview with the media last month, Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka spoke about Reaves.

“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker,” Pelinka said. “And we feel the same way. We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold. As you know, there’s rules and timing to all of that but I think both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out where he continues his prolific career here.”

Reaves averaged career highs in points (23.3) and rebounds (4.7) last season, and 5.5 assists.

But he appeared in a career-low 51 games, a calf and oblique injuries keeping him out of games.

He missed the last five regular-season games with the oblique injury suffered on April 2 at Oklahoma City and the first four first-round playoff games against the Rockets. But he worked hard to return in the last two postseason games against the Rockets and the four against the Thunder.

In those six playoff games, Reaves averaged 20.0 points, 5.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds and shot 40.7% from the field, 25.7% from three-point range.

“That’s the beautiful thing about basketball is there’s always opportunities and areas that you can continue to grow,” Reaves said during his exit interview. “You’re never going to be complete in the full game. So, I’ll take some time off, get back in the gym and continue to get better.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Austin Reaves is officially coming back to the Lakers.

On Wednesday, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Reaves agreed to a four-year, $185 million max contract with a player option in 2029-30. Other teams couldn’t have offered him more than a four-year, $177.4 million deal, but the Lakers could have given him a five-year, $239.25 million deal by tacking on a fifth year worth nearly $54.5 million.

The best news of all? Reaves’ new contract has zero bearing on the Lakers’ potential spending power this offseason.

Reaves has a $20.9 million cap hold, roughly $20.3 million less than he’s set to earn in 2026-27 under his new contract. His $41.25 million max salary won’t go on their books until he officially signs that deal, though.

As we’ve been telegraphing for nearly 18 months, the Lakers will first spend however much salary cap space they decide to manufacture this offseason. Once they’re out of cap room, they can officially re-sign Reaves via his Bird rights, even though that will push them well over the cap.

The Sixers pulled off this same strategy two years ago with Tyrese Maxey, which is what enabled them to sign Paul George. The Lakers won’t have quite as much cap space this summer as the Sixers did heading into the 2024 offseason, but they could still have $50-plus million to spend.

However, there’s a reason why “rival teams look at the Lakers as having ‘phantom’ cap space,” according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Getting up to that $50 million figure would require renouncing their rights and/or parting ways with LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard and the rest of their free agents.

What can the Lakers do this offseason?

As of now, the Lakers technically do not have any cap space. LeBron’s cap hold alone ($57.75 million) wipes out all of their potential spending power.

In other words, order of operations will be critical for the Lakers once free agency begins.

Before they officially do anything else, the Lakers must decide on LeBron’s future. If they re-sign him, his new salary would replace that $57.75 million cap hold, which could open up some spending power. If they renounce their rights to him or he signs elsewhere, that cap hold will be wiped off their books entirely.

To a lesser extent, the same holds true for Hachimura ($27.4 million cap hold), Maxi Kleber ($20.9 million cap hold), Kennard ($13.2 million cap hold) and Jaxson Hayes ($6.6 million cap hold). The Lakers will have to make decisions on Hachimura, Kleber and Kennard before they’ll officially have any cap space.

If the Lakers plan to bring back LeBron, Hachimura, Kennard, Kleber and/or Hayes, there’s a non-zero chance that they won’t have cap space at all this summer. In that case, they’d likely choose to operate as an over-the-cap team, which would give them access to the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception as long as they stayed below the first apron. If they go the cap-space route, they’ll have the $9.4 room MLE instead.

That’s where Reaves’ contract could impact L.A. the most for now.

How does Reaves’ contract impact the Lakers?

While Reaves won’t cut into the Lakers’ potential free-agency plans, he’s one piece of a much larger cap-space puzzle. Knowing what they’ll be paying him could help give the Lakers clarity about how much they’d be willing to spend on their other free agents.

If the Lakers go over the first apron, they’d lose access to the non-taxpayer MLE and would only have the $6.1 million taxpayer MLE. If they went over the second apron, they wouldn’t have a mid-level exception at all.

The Lakers are now hard-capped at the second apron after sending cash to the New York Knicks in their trade-up for Cameron Carr. That’s projected to land at $222 million, so that’s the upper limit of the Lakers’ spending power this offseason.

While the second apron might not sound like a real concern given their ability to manufacture $50-plus million in cap space, money could add up quickly for them. For example, if they re-signed LeBron to a deal starting at $35 million and re-signed Hachimura to a deal starting at $20 million, they could be less than $20 million away from the first apron and roughly $32.5 million away from the second apron.

There are too many moving parts right now to accurately project what the Lakers’ cap sheet might look like once the dust settles on free agency. They might be able to stay below the first apron and spend the full non-taxpayer MLE, or they might get close enough to the second apron that they won’t be able to spend their MLE at all. It’s rare for teams to have that much potential variance heading into free agency, but that’s what happens when this many key players become free agents at once.

So, while Reaves’ contract won’t affect the Lakers’ potential cap space this offseason, his new salary could affect which mid-level exception they have to spend.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM. All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

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