Category: Basketball

Former Villanova standout Cam Whitmore might finally be catching a break in the NBA, and he’s making the most of it.

After bouncing from Houston to Washington, briefly landing in Cleveland for all of two minutes, and ultimately signing a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets in September, the 22-year-old is starting to look like a pretty interesting pickup.

Whitmore is fresh off a 17-point (on 7-of-13 shooting) effort in Denver’s 122-110 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, adding four rebounds and a steal in 24 minutes off the bench.

That came just over a week after he scored 14 points in only 15 minutes against the Utah Jazz.

Not too shabby for a guy who was looking for a more permanent situation a month ago.

Whitmore’s career has been a little frustrating to follow since Houston selected him 20th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. The former five-star recruit and Big East Freshman of the Year has shown plenty of scoring ability, but injuries, inconsistent playing time, and questions about his all-around game have kept him from establishing himself.

Now, he has a legitimate opportunity in Denver.

The Nuggets waived veteran guard Lonnie Walker IV earlier this week, leaving their 15th roster spot open for the taking. Whitmore is currently on a two-way deal, which limits him to 50 NBA games and makes him ineligible for the playoffs unless his contract is converted to a standard one.

It’s worth watching whether Denver eventually gives him that final spot.

Through four preseason games, Whitmore is averaging 10.3 points in just under 16 minutes per contest. He’s shooting 47.2% from the field, although his limited playmaking and inconsistent outside shooting remain areas to improve (and he’ll need to hit the freebies more consistently from the charity stripe — 10-of-14, or 71.4%).

Still, the Nuggets could use another athletic wing/scorer off the bench, and Whitmore is doing a pretty good job reminding everyone why he was once considered a potential top-ten pick.

There’s obviously a difference between putting up points in the preseason and earning meaningful minutes on a team with championship aspirations.

But after three NBA seasons without much stability, Whitmore is at least giving Denver something to think about.

Hopefully, this is the start of something good for the former Wildcat. But with professional athletes apparently being allowed back into college sports these days, maybe he’ll find himself back on the Main Line if things don’t work out.

The Milwaukee Bucks venture to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to take on their mid-west rival Indiana Pacers in both sides’ preseason finale tonight. The Bucks have looked expectantly up and down this preseason, as Taylor Jenkins tries to find cohesion within an essentially brand new roster—11 of the 19 rostered players weren’t with the team to begin last season—and determine the right rotations heading into the regular season. Following their blowout loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Bucks are now 1-3 in their preseason games.

The Task Ahead

Last season, with franchise point guard Tyrese Haliburton recovering from a torn Achilles, the Pacers tanked played not to win—and they did a great job at it, winning just 19 games. This season, with Haliburton back, the Pacers are expected to contend for postseason play, if not make it outright. To help their cause, they added free agents Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr., who will provide depth and athleticism that will suit Rick Carlisle’s up-tempo game.

During preseason play, the Pacers have gone 1-2. They beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in their opening matchup on the back of lights-out shooting overall—53% from the field and three, 91% from the line—and in particular from Aaron Nesmith (7/9 FG), along with unexpected playmaking from Jarace Walker (10 assists). They followed that up with a two-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks, where seven players scored 10-or-more points despite no one playing more than 22 minutes. So, despite some names changing, Indiana is very much back to the deep roster it had when it went to the NBA Finals less than a year and a half ago. More promising signs emerged in their two-point overtime loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Halliburton looking like his old self, posting 24 points and three assists in just 18 minutes. For the Bucks, this all spells trouble.

Injury Report

As is the case with preseason play, there is no official injury report—and with this being both sides’ final game before the regular season it’s well and truly anyone’s guess who will suit up. Still, here’s who we have more of an idea about.

Bucks:

• Nate Ament: doubtful (ankle)

Pacers:

• Aaron Nesmith: out (hamstring)
• Johnny Furphy: out (ACL)
• T.J. McConnell: questionable (undisclosed)
• Jarace Walker: questionable (undisclosed)
• Andrew Nembhard: questionable (undisclosed)

Player to Watch

Myles Turner struggled in four games against his old team last season, averaging just 10.3 PPG on .395/.280/.667 shooting splits. He also totaled more turnovers (6) than assists (4). This offseason, Turner stepped up off the court, embracing a role as a veteran leader for the young Bucks. But his leadership is needed on the court too—he needs to produce. He played well against the Oklahoma City Thunder—19 points, five rebounds, two blocks—but was largely invisible against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets. What better time to put it all together than the preseason finale against his old pals in Indiana?

Projected Starters

Who: Milwaukee Bucks (record) vs. Indiana Pacers (record).

When: 6:00 p.m. CDT.

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse—Indianapolis, IN.

Watch: MY24.

Listen: Check local listings.

Prescient Prediction

The Bucks have been chucking up the three ball throughout the preseason—a third-in-the-league 45 attempts per game!—but have largely been inaccurate doing so, shooting just 30.6%. Tonight, they’ll find the bottom of the net, hitting 40% or better on their way to 20+ threes. Turner will make five of ‘em.

At long last, the 2026-27 NBA season is nearly upon us, and with so much anticipation surrounding the official tip-off, awards predictions are hot in the search engine optimization world. 

Some categories are easy to narrow down. Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic will all have something to say about the Most Valuable Player award. Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren will swat their way into Defensive Player of the Year consideration. 

But others are far more wide-open. Like, you guessed it, the Sixth Man of the Year award. To be considered for this honor, you not only have to be one of the best players coming off the bench in the league, but you also need the cards to fall in a way where you don’t end up having to start so many games that you are omitted from contention. 

Projecting this race can be a tall task. But never fear, there is a way to narrow down the playing field, so long as we follow the lead of all great philosophers, and let history be our guide. 

Who Usually Wins Sixth Man of the Year?

From looking at past winners, you realize that there are two key ingredients to a 6MOY year candidacy. First, you need to score a lot of points. And second, you need to play on a team that wins a lot of games.

To put some color on these two elements, since 2001-02, every player who has taken home the award has eclipsed the 13 points per game mark, even last season’s winner (Keldon Johnson, 13.2 PPG). And of those 25 winners, 20 of them (80%) played on a team that ended the season with a top four record in their respective conference. 

With these parameters in place, let’s look at a couple of names that could fall under this description. 

[Sidebar:The exceptions to this second point are Lou Williams (twice), Jason Terry (2008-09), Mike Miller (2005-06), and Antawn Jamison (2003-04), who all still played on teams that made the playoffs.]

Ajay Mitchell (+490, 16.9%)

We’re going to do this in order of their odds on FanDuel Sportsbook. As of right now, Ajay Mitchell is the leader in the clubhouse, which makes sense since he plays for one of the best teams in the Western Conference (the Oklahoma City Thunder) and averaged 13.6 PPG last year. For what my money’s worth, he was the best bench player in the league last year, but his candidacy took a hit because he missed 25 games. If he can stay healthy this year, he’s got as good of a chance as anyone. But if you want better odds for a Thunder player, Jared McCain (+3000) could be a nice pick if injuries force Mitchell to start too many games. 

Dylan Harper (+600, 14.3%)

Dylan Harper should be a starter. In his inaugural postseason run (23 games), Harper averaged 14.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.0 SPG on 61.1% true shooting. But the politics of De’Aaron Fox’s reputation and contract make that switch easier said than done. So, the least the San Antonio Spurs can do is reward Harper for his sacrifice by helping him follow in the footsteps of the franchise’s most famous Southpaw: Manu Ginobili. 

Ayo Dosunmu (+1800, 5.3%)

After an offseason makeover, the fully-realized version of the Minnesota Timberwolves have a chance to be the third-best team in the Western Conference behind the Thunder and Spurs. Despite all the changes they made, they decided to keep Ayo Dosunmu, who thrived after coming to the team in a midseason trade. In 24 games (15 coming off the bench), Dosunmu averaged 14.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1 SPG on 61.9% true shooting. The only worries with Dosunmu are whether Jonathan Kuminga will be good enough to keep him on the bench and the Timberwolves don’t take too long to find their footing in a loaded West. 

Sam Merrill (+5000, 2%)

Even if Peyton Watson continues his improved shooting from last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers new starting five of him, Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley is going to be sorely lacking in that department. This means that Sam Merrill, who will start the season coming off the bench, is going to have a big part to play in helping to balance their lineups. Head coach Kenny Atkinson has always valued Merrill’s ability to space the floor (he shot 42.1% from three last season) while also connecting the dots of their offense, so expect the seventh-year guard to factor heavily into the rotation. Plus, in the past, we’ve seen white-hot marksmen make a serious bid for this award in the past – just look at Malik Beasley, who finished as the runner-up just two seasons ago. 

Sandro Mamukelashvili (+7500, 1.3%)

On paper, it seems like Collin Sexton will be the team’s sixth man. However, on a recent episode of the Dunc’d On Podcast, Lakers insider Jovan Buha compared Sandro Mamukelashvili’s projected role on the team with that of the one Naz Reid played in his time with the Timberwolves (a tenure that included a 2023-24 6MOY award). I just can’t quit that possibility. Mamukelashvili is probably one of the team’s five best players, but the lack of lateral quickness from Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic will likely forbid him from joining the opening group. And since the team doesn’t have a viable backup big, this leaves Mamukelashvili to act as both the team’s second power forward and center. With the Lakers finally fielding an appropriate team around Doncic, Mamukelashvili could emerge as a surprise contender for this award. 

Miles McBride (+7500, 1.3%)

The New York Knicks are trying to become the first back-to-back champion since 2018. To do this, they need to balance winning guys with also making sure their top five guys (Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns) don’t get run into the ground. But how to do this? Rely on your depth. And with Mitchell Robinson now gone, their most productive bench player is Miles “Deuce” McBride. Injuries limited him to just 41 regular season games, but when he did play, he was averaging 12 PPG. If McBride can boost that number up a bit and the Knicks can continue their dominance of the Eastern Conference, he has the exact type of microwave, bucket-getter profile that we’ve seen win this award so many times in the past (Jamal Crawford, Williams, Terry, etc.).  

Some Guys You Should Stay Away From

Right now, we’re targeting players who will be on teams that project to be at the top of their conference. So, naturally, we should avoid those guys whose teams we don’t believe in.

Looking at the current top ten in odds, there are four guys who come to mind. The Portland Trail Blazers had to participate in the play-in tournament last year, and their main additions this offseason are two players (Damian Lillard and Ja Morant) who don’t really make sense for this roster. Both of those guys are perceived candidates for this award, but even if one of them sucks it up and comes off the bench, I doubt Portland will be good enough for them to get serious consideration. The Denver Nuggets were the third-best regular season team in the Western Conference, but they are another year older and shed some key depth pieces (Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr.) this summer. Nikola Jokic is a wins machine, but with the Timberwolves, Lakers, and Utah Jazz all taking steps forward, regression could be in their future. Beware of DeMar DeRozan. Lastly, I’m personally fading the Philadelphia 76ers (the superteam model is antiquated), so I think Anfernee Simons is getting too much love from the books.

Asa Newell is coming into Year 2 of his career, and there’s a good chance that he’ll have a bigger role when looking at the frontcourt. In his rookie season, Newell was fighting for minutes with players such as Mouhamed Gueye and Jonathan Kuminga, but with the former currently rehabbing from injury and the latter on a different team, it opens up the door for more playing opportunities.

Newell showed growth throughout his rookie season, and that was thanks to the College Park Skyhawks, where he spent most of his time. When he was with the Hawks, he was usually at the five, where he struggled defensively, but he was able to work on that when he went to the Skyhawks during his stints.

At Media Day, Newell shared the things that he worked on during the summer, and his defense was one of them.

“My defense. I’ve been working on that all summer, trying to move my feet. Also my dribbling, I feel like where I came from, from college into year one, I just been a gym rat. My shooting ability, too. Those three are the main keys,” Newell said.

The Hawks mostly want Newell at the four with a center beside him, but he still has the ability to interchange if he has to. This season specifically, he should be seeing a lot of minutes when Jalen Johnson is off the floor.

The one thing that will help Newell get consistent minutes this season is not only his defense but also his shooting. That was an area where he definitely grew during his rookie season, as he shot 38.7% from the 3-point line and had a nice feel on the perimeter. When the Hawks needed more offense on the floor and Newell was available, Quin Snyder put him in the game over Gueye, who was better defensively.

It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out for Newell when Gueye does return from his rehab, and whether he can lose minutes during that time. That’s why it may be crucial for him to get off to a fast start to the season.

Again, defense will be the No. 1 key for Newell if he wants to see an increase in minutes this season. Throughout the preseason, he’s had his ups and downs on that side of the floor, but he’s been able to maintain some consistency on offense at times.

Coming into his second year, the Hawks definitely want to see improvements from Newell across the board, and he could be on the way to being a solid rotational player for the Hawks this season.

Per a Spurs press release:

“The San Antonio Spurs announced the launch of @LosSpurs, a dedicated Spanish-language Instagram account for the organization. The platform will serve as a digital space catered to Spanish-speaking Spurs fans, with curated content, storytelling and fan engagement efforts. Fans are encouraged to follow the @LosSpurs account to catch the latest news from the team, view exclusive content in collaboration with the Spurs main social accounts and receive information on watch parties, giveaways and more.”

The San Antonio Spurs have made concerted efforts to take the NBA to global heights. They invest time, resources, and energy into efforts in Mexico — everything from basketball camps to community initiatives. And a large percentage of their fanbase back here in San Antonio identify as “crazy Hispanic Fans.”

Said Jordan Mandelkorn, vice president of marketing, creative and retail for Spurs Sports & Entertainment,

“Our Spanish-speaking fans are a big part of what makes the Spurs family so special, and we want them to feel connected to the team in the language they call their own. Los Spurs gives us a new way to celebrate their passion, share stories that resonate with them and bring fans across San Antonio, Mexico and beyond closer to the Silver & Black.”

The team’s @LesSpurs account, launched in 2025 to cater to French-speaking fans, is the most followed French NBA team account in the league.

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I just want to put this out there right up front. Something about the way the Dallas Mavericks are handling Santi Aldama’s recovery from an undisclosed(?) injury is telling me we should be more patient than we think we must with the player and more skeptical than we usually are about anything the team says about his status as the season approaches.

Something smells awfully funny here. Even under the Masai Ujiri/Gina Miller administration (campaign slogan: “You can trust us this time. We promise.”), this team will find a way to remain somewhere on the spectrum between coy and disingenuous about injuries like these, and that “undisclosed” designation is our first clue.

What exactly is not being disclosed here? Everyone knows about the knee issues that limited Aldama to 43 games last season. Everyone knows about the arthroscopic stem cell shot procedure he underwent in March to try to relieve prolonged pain in that knee. Did Aldama injure something else after arriving in Dallas? Is the knee issue still nagging, six months after the procedure? Either way, the outlook is murky at best.

The Dallas Morning News reported recently that “it appears they’ll take the same [patient] approach with Aldama [as they are with Dereck Lively II’s recovery timeline].” He did not suit up for either of the two preseason games in Macao, China, and it seems less and less likely that Aldama will be ready to go when the regular season starts.

The Mavericks sent AJ Johnson, a top-20 protected 2030 first-round pick via Golden State, and two future second-round picks to Memphis for Aldama. The deal was folded into a six-team trade that became official on July 8.

Big question

Which brings us to the biggest question surrounding Aldama’s arrival in Dallas for the upcoming season. With such a vague recovery timeline in place, when can Aldama realistically be expected to be a meaningful contributor for the Mavericks, and what role does he fill when that time comes?

The question lurking behind the question is, did the Mavericks trade for someone destined to become the second broken seven-footer taking up a roster space, or is this actually going to work? The fact that so much is being kept under wraps does not portend well at this point. Again, we’re going on seven months with this knee issue at this point.

Aldama brings shooting and size, the ability to stretch the floor and be a weapon along the perimeter. He scored 14 points per game last year in the 43 games he managed before the knee issues flared up. He shot nearly 48% from the floor and 35% from 3-point range. He can be dangerous, but will it pan out in any sort of meaningful way for the Mavericks? It’s hard to say when the team won’r say anything about him.

Best case scenario

The dream season for Aldama is only missing the first five games of the year, taking the next step offensively and getting more than seven rebounds per game this year. He played in a career-best 77 games in 2022-23, his second year in the league, so getting to 70 this year would be amazing. Forcing his way into the lineup for around 25 minutes a night would be ideal, too. Under those circumstances, Aldama would maximize his potential without being exposed as a potential liability against bigger, more physical frontcourts.

“Lineup versatility: He gives us a different dimension if we want to go with it,” first-year Mavericks head coach Dusty May said of Aldama. “An elite shooting lineup. But Santi’s not just a shooter. He can really close out. He’s learned to play against perimeter guys — shotmaking, driving, getting to the paint. That will be one of the many pieces we have to put together if we’re going to be really good.”

Worst case scenario

The worst case for Aldama is if the knee injury is something larger than the Mavericks have disclosed and it limits him from playing in half the games this season. He’s a role player on the rise, but only if he gets in enough games to make an impact. If he doesn’t, sure, that leaves more minutes for Morez Johnson Jr., but it makes the Mavericks’ second unit more one-dimensional. It limits the threat from beyond the arc, which is something this team drastically needs to be better at this season. Adding one or two shooters in Kyrie Irving and Sergio de Larrea is nice — much needed. But building a roster with shooting depth is really what the doctor ordered.

Season goal

Can Aldama make himself an indispensable part of the Mavericks’ rotation? Can he continue the upward statistical trajectory his career arc has assumed through his first five years? Can he space the floor and be a part of the equation that keeps opposing defenses from sticking two defenders on Cooper Flagg? These are the things we want to see. He has the ability to be more than just “a guy.” But he’s also a guy who could easily get relegated to the role of “a guy” if things swing a certain way this season.

If he can inch closer to 40% from 3-point range and score at a rate similar to what he did across his 43 games last year with the Memphis Grizzlies, he’ll be a meaningful contributor. If not, he’ll make it easier for the team to avoid picking up his option next season.

Overall

Everything hinges on Aldama’s health, and it’s an uncomfortable place to be as the regular season approaches. Truly, any outcome is on the table for what is essentially a one-year rental with a team option for a second year. You can squint and see whatever you want with this relationship: a chance to step into a meaningful, much-needed role on a team with a chance to improve vastly in Flagg’s second year, or someone who needs two months to get right before settling into a diminished role on a new team.

Hope for the best, sure, but this team’s recent history has also taught fans to prepare for the worst.

Every yea, all the NBA general managers are given 48 questions in an annual survey about their predictions on the new season. This year is a special occasion as it is the 25th anniversary of the survey. These questions range from best teams, players, coaches, offseason moves and more. The Celtics show up a good amount in this year’s survey, so lets go over it.

Standings Predictions

Starting in the predictions portion of the survey, we have the Eastern Conference standings predictions. With 60% of the vote, the GMs predicted that the New York Knicks would be the first place in the East. This was followed by the new look Philadelphia 76ers in second place and the Cleveland Cavaliers in third. The Boston Celtics find themselves as the fourth best team in the East with 27% of the voters predicting them to finish there. This ranking is an improvement from last year’s survey where the Celtics finished eighth. Boston only received a 7% chance to finish in first place at the top of the East, tied with Cleveland.

Coaching

Out of all the categories in the survey, coaching was the one that saw the Celtics appear the most. When asked which head coach was the best manager/motivator, Joe Mazzulla was tied for first place in the voting along with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra at 23%. When it comes to which head coach makes the best in game adjustments, Mazzulla was voted in fifth place at 7% of the vote while Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle was number one at 30%.

Mazzulla also received votes in the categories of which head coach runs the best offense and the best defensive schemes. The craziest thing to me is out of all the things Joe Mazzulla was voted for, the reigning Coach of the Year in the NBA received zero votes for the best coach in the NBA. Although if you asked Joe, I don’t think he would care.

When asked who the best assistant coach in the NBA was, Sam Cassell finished tied for 5th place at 7% while former Celtics senior consultant and current Clippers assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy finished first with 17% of the vote. Cassell has been seen as a hot head coach candidate in the NBA for a while now and has been with Boston since 2023 so its cool to see him get respect from around the league.

When asked which active player will make the best head coach someday, Celtics guard Mike Conley was the winner by a big margin, finishing with 50% of the votes while Derrick White also received votes. Conley was brought in to Boston to be a veteran presence for the young guys on this team and has gotten glowing reviews from every player and coach so far. He also seems to have a great relationship with Payton Pritchard and that is a dynamic I can’t wait to see this season.

Players

Next up we have the players portion of the survey where the GMs were asked to name their MVP pick, breakout candidates, and the best player at each position. For MVP, the Spurs Victor Wembanyama is an overwhelming favorite, finishing with 77% of the vote. Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards followed him in the rankings but we also saw Jayson Tatum received votes as well.

Coming back from his torn Achilles last season, Tatum looked just as good as he did before the injury, averaging 21.8 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 16 games played last year. This season, Tatum said he had a full offseason of rest and recovery and with Jaylen Brown being traded, we could realistically see Jayson Tatum take a run at the MVP.

When asked “Which player is likely to have a breakout season in 2026-27,” the Spurs young guard Dylan Harper was voted number one with 27% of the vote. There was a tie for second place between Maine native and Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, Raptors forward Collin-Murray Boyles, the Rockets guard Amen Thompson, and Thunder guard Cason Wallace at 17%.

Payton Pritchard was also recognized. Pritchard is coming off a career season last year with career highs of 17.0 points, 5.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 79 games between starting and coming off of the bench. He was also just awarded with a contract extension of 2 years and $44.2 million on October 13th, showing the Celtics strengthened belief in the guard. There is a chance we could see Pritchard running away with the Most Improved Player Award this year and maybe even take a leap into being an All-Star in 2027.

In the position rankings portion of the survey, when asked who the best small forward in the NBA was, it was a tight battle between Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic of the Los Angles Lakers. Sadly, Doncic was voted the favorite at 37% while Tatum finished with 33%. Tatum did also receive votes for the best power forward in the NBA, but that was dominated by new Miami Heat star Giannis Antetokounmpo at 70%.

Offseason Moves

When it comes to offseason moves, it feels right the Boston appears a lot throughout this section in one way or another. Boston received some votes when it came to which team made the best offseason moves overall with former Celtic and current 76er Jaylen Brown being voted as the second best player when it comes to making an impact on their new team. Paul George did not receive any votes for any of the categories, which is a little disappointing because he could make a real impact for Boston this season.

The question that was the most interesting to me in this section was the most underrated player acquisition of the offseason. In that ranking, Mitchell Robinson finished in second place with 17% of the vote, only beat of by Tobias Harris of the Spurs at 20% of the vote. Robinson signed with the Celtics back in July after spending 8 seasons with the New York Knicks and even winning a championship with them in 2026. In 60 games last year Robinson finished with averages of 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks while being a major presence on the glass and finished 8th in Sixth Man of the Year Voting. We have seen Robinson’s impact on the Celtics throughout the preseason so far and baring any major injury, will be the defensive anchor of this team moving forward.

Other Notable Mentions

Starting with the rookies and international portion, Chris Cenac Jr. was tied for fifth place with the Grizzlies Cameron Boozer, the Lakers Cameron Carr, the Warriors Yaxel Lendeborg, and the Bulls Caleb Wilson when it came to the biggest steal of the draft at 7%. The Milwaukee Bucks 30th overall pick Brayden Burries was voted number one at 30%.

Cenac Jr. was the 27th overall pick by Boston out of Houston and it was a surprise that he fell that far. In his freshman season at Houston, Cenac Jr. averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds in 37 games. At only 19 years old, he has a chance to develop into a legit piece for the Celtics moving forward, especially with Boston’s reputation at developing big men in Big Fella University.

When it comes to defense, Derrick White received votes in the category of best perimeter defender in the NBA but no other Celtics appeared on the list in any category. In the miscellaneous section, the Celtics finished in fourth place when it came to which team was going to have the leagues most efficient offense at 13%. Boston also received some votes in the category most fun team to watch but didn’t get any votes for best home court advantage. Finally, Jayson Tatum got some votes when it came to the best leader in the NBA while Jalen Brunson of the Knicks finished number one at 53%.

Takeaways

The biggest takeaway I have from the 2026-27 NBA GM Survey is that almost everyone believes there are maybe four contenders in the NBA: the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder. Almost every category had one of those four teams as the number one answer.

In a way, it feels like other great teams like the Celtics are getting outshined a little bit. It makes sense in a way but I feel like we will look back on these answers next year and laugh at some of these answers.

For the Celtics, I definitely think they are getting underrated by the league as a whole. Not being voted for almost any defensive categories seems really weird given they were the fourth best defense in the NBA last year in defensive rating and added George and Robinson alongside White who was on the All Defensive 1st Team. I guess just like last season, no one really knows what to expect from Boston, and I hope it works in their advantage to sneak up on teams once again.

After seemingly being held hostage by Giannis Antetokounpo ever since they won the NBA finals in 2021, the Milwaukee Bucks have finally decided to send Giannis to his long rumored destination on the beaches of Miami. The package that the Bucks got in return was probably less than what a player of his caliber should command, but admittedly they did alright given the circumstances. It’s most definitely a rebuild in Milwaukee, but the real question is: For how long?

Milwaukee Bucks: Over/Under 25.5 wins (-120/-105)

To win Central Division: 100/1

To win Eastern Conference: 500/1

To win Finals: 1000/1

Last season: 32-50, 11^th in the Eastern Conference

Key additions: Most of last year’s Miami Heat rotation, Brayden Burries (10^th pick in Draft), Nate Ament (13^th pick in Draft)

Key losses: Thanasis Antetokounmpo and his slightly better brother, Giannis

Coaching change: Doc Rivers OUT (now analyst for NBC), Taylor Jenkins IN (previously fired by Memphis in March 2025)

Correctly, this Bucks franchise has given new coach Taylor Jenkins a clean slate to work with. This roster is very young, and there is a lot of promise with the players that they drafted, along with the guys they acquired via the Giannis trade. Kasparas Jakucionis, Kel’el Ware and Jamie Jacquez Jr. all need reps to continue their development after some uneven seasons in South Beach. While Brayden Burries is seemingly ready to be a plug and play combo guard in the NBA, Jenkins might want to poke and prod at his abilities as an on-ball creator throughout the season.

Perhaps most importantly, Nate Ament needs to have his development and role prioritized. He was one of the best prospects in the country coming out of high school, but an up and down year at Tennessee sent him falling further in the draft than many thought. The talent and skillset are still there, and still remarkable for someone who is nearly seven-feet tall. However, Ament is closer to a ball of Play-Doh than he is a finished NBA product. If the Bucks are going to be good in the future, it’s likely because Ament is who many think he can be.

Development, not wins, will be at the forefront of the Bucks year. I expect the record to show that accordingly.

Prediction: under 25.5 wins (+100)

Jumping the gun after three games can be a bit over the top, especially when those games are preseason exhibitions.

But the Boston Celtics are earning every bit of the hype and anticipation surrounding them after a near-flawless three-game stretch entering the regular season — and that’s no exaggeration.

Both behind the scenes and on the court during their preseason trail runs, the restructured Celtics are starting to click. It’s only been two weeks since training camp began, but head coach Joe Mazzulla’s crew is already taking shape. By now, the newcomers have a strong feel for Mazzulla’s world and what it takes to thrive in it.

“He gets on my ass a lot,” Mitchell Robinson told reporters after Wednesday night’s 114-93 win over the Charlotte Hornets, improving their perfect 3-0 preseason record.

“The way that he takes everything in and gives us all the information, literally down to a T, those are things that can help us be successful,” Robinson continued.

For the team’s preseason home finale, Mazzulla unexpectedly paired Robinson with Neemias Queta, introducing an intriguing double-big combination. Together, Robinson and Queta showed flashes of their potential as a co-existing option Mazzulla can lean on. They challenged Charlotte on both ends of the floor, particularly with their rotations, helping Boston’s offense operate more efficiently.

“Mitch is one of the smartest players I’ve been around,” Mazzulla told reporters.

Robinson and Queta combined for 28 points, unlocking a new option for a team already built on flexibility.

The Celtics, much like last season, aren’t committed to a fixed rotation night in and night out. Rather, as they’ve shown throughout the preseason, they’ll attack in a variety of ways to maximize their roster’s strengths and wear down opponents.

Experimenting with the clipboard is a strong suit for Mazzulla that made last year’s counted-out Celtics into winners of 56 games, good for second-most in the Eastern Conference.

Getting Robinson and Queta accustomed to playing alongside each other wasn’t the end of Mazzulla’s trail runs with Boston’s big men. Queta, who attempted eight 3-pointers all of last season, totaled three attempts against the Hornets, each with plenty of room but off the mark.

Nevertheless, the 7-footer is confident he’ll turn those attempts into a reliable source of offense.

“I think it can help us,” Queta told reporters postgame. “It can be a weapon that we can use at certain points. Obviously, it’s not gonna derail my attention span off what I do best on the court, but it can still be used as a weapon and a strength.”

Needing to adjust and get a new group going comes with pressure, but Mazzulla doesn’t see it that way. Giving Queta and Robinson an audition in the preseason is just a snippet of Boston’s preparation and philosophy. There’s a buy-in that all Mazzulla-led teams, including the 2024 championship group, need to invest in. And so far, that’s exactly what last season’s Coach of the Year winner has received with less than a week until Opening Night.

Paul George, the organization’s return piece for Jaylen Brown, too, has bought in.

Poised for a role with greater responsibility than was demanded in Philadelphia, George has passed the eye test. Outside of shooting a combined 5-for-20 from the floor in two preseason appearances, George has played the part needed from him.

He’s allowed team leader Jayson Tatum to shine while complementing the rest of the group seamlessly. George’s shooting slump hasn’t deterred him from grabbing six rebounds against the Hornets or five steals Saturday night against the Sixers.

George and Tatum have challenged each other during training camp, avoiding playing together during scrimmages to make their preseason debuts their first official time sharing the court as teammates.

Tatum and Mazzulla have already expressed their excitement to acclimate George to the team, aware that a nine-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer still has plenty left to offer, even at 36 years old. In return, George has also expressed his excitement to be a Celtic.

“It definitely fuels you,” George told reporters after debuting on Saturday night. “It makes you play hard. It makes you want to win for everyone in that arena, and it is like a badge of honor to wear that green.”

Once the shots start to fall, George’s contribution will carry even more weight.

In the background, the reserve unit has made plenty of noise this preseason.

Devin Carter made an immediate impression, scoring 17 points in the team’s preseason opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Hugo González has attacked the basket with greater confidence. Baylor Scheierman has experimented with his range while slinging passes that channel his inner Jason Williams, and Luka Garza has remained a lead-by-example presence, always ready to step in and deliver.

Mazzulla also made note of Jordan Walsh’s defensive strides, which made him integral at points last season.

“Jordan continues to be really good at the start of games, guarding the team’s best player, getting off to a good start defensively, something he’s done well for us those last couple of games,” Mazzulla told reporters on Wednesday night. “It’s a huge role for him that we’re going to need from him.”

With one final preseason game left against the Sixers on Friday night, the Celtics have checked every box.

Turning their scrutinized offseason into a contender capable of a deep playoff push will require everything the Celtics have shown so far. Getting the fanbase on board after a heartbreaking front office decision is difficult — and a challenge much deserved — but Mazzulla’s group has proved it’s possible.

There’s a lot to unlock in the versatile Celtics.

Whether they can sustain that promise over 82 games is the bigger challenge ahead.

Folks, we’ve got a full plate of news in today’s edition of Heard ‘em Say, including fresh intel on how the Bucks are trying to whittle down their roster to 15, another draft-related horror story, and a Bucks fan favourite has started a podcast. Let’s rip into it!

Roster developments

On Wednesday, Jake Fischer reported on social media that Milwaukee is exploring trades to address its roster crunch, as I noted in The Feed. We now have more specifics on how the Bucks plan (or hope) to make those trades happen via another edition of The Stein Line.

Bucks, Lakers discuss Jericho Sims-Dalton Knecht swap

Per Fischer, the Bucks and Lakers have held “exploratory trade discussions” about a deal that would send former first-round pick Dalton Knecht to the Cream City, along with second-round draft capital, in exchange for Jericho Sims. However, Fischer also points out that he’d heard some pessemism that such a trade will actually eventuate.

The Lakers have had interest in Sims for a while now, which I mentioned in my Bucks trade value rankings for 2026-27, where I ranked the bouncy big 11th and said he could fetch an early-to-mid second-round pick. Apparently, he’s worth more than that.

Granted, Sims’ value is somewhat inflated because, well, the Lakers need a viable backup big. Milwaukee’s own Kevon Looney currently occupies that spot, and he isn’t exactly playable anymore. In short, Horst would have the upper hand in negotiations, which I can only assume is why the reported deal is Knecht plus picks.

Fischer notes that if no deal materialises, LA might have to waive the former Tennessee wing before Monday’s deadline. Knecht is guaranteed $4.2m for the 2026-27 season after the Lakers picked up his third-year team option, so they would have to absorb that money if they waived him instead of trading him.

Interestingly, Fischer also reports that Sims is a name to monitor for the Philadelphia 76ers after their original backup centre, Ariel Hukporti, tore his Achilles in the opening minutes of the preseason.

Bucks weigh deals involving Kevin Porter Jr. and Caris LeVert

The other Bucks-related tidbit from Fischer is that Milwaukee has weighed potential deals involving Caris LeVert and Kevin Porter Jr.—along with possible Sims trades—to avoid waiving contracted players. Crucially, Fischer states that the Bucks want to keep fan-favourite Pete Nance and know they risk losing him to another team if they waive him in hopes of re-signing him to their final two-way contract.

(Another) draft-related Horst horror story

Folks, we have another “close, but no cigar” story relating to Jon Horst’s drafting. Last year, I wrote about Washington Wizards wing Kyshawn George’s appearance on the Old Man And The Three podcast, where he revealed he was shocked the Bucks didn’t pick him at 23 in the 2024 NBA Draft after strong workouts and feedback.

Well, it appears the same thing happened (in that same draft!) with OKC Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell. Even more ironically, Mitchell appeared on the same podcast this year to detail his draft story and Milwaukee’s interest in him during the pre-draft process.

“My agents were like, ‘There’s a chance you get picked late first.’ Milwaukee had the 23rd pick. I went in there, they really liked me. My sister lived in Wisconsin, so I could see that connection. My whole family was like, ‘You might be in Milwaukee, and that would be great.’”

Instead, Milwaukee selected AJ Johnson, not Ajay Mitchell. However, Horst still had a chance to save himself: Mitchell wasn’t taken until pick 38, and the Bucks also had pick 33, but as we all know, they used it on Tyler Smith.

But wait, there’s more! In the same article above where I detail the Kyshawn George story, I also share a tidbit from Zach Lowe: the Bucks were basically deciding between Andrew Nembhard and MarJon Beauchamp for pick 24 in the 2022 draft. In the end, they went with Beauchamp, who quickly flamed out. Sigh.

I want to curl up into a ball.

Kyle Kuzma starts a podcast (just like everyone was asking for)

To top it all off, Kyle Kuzma has announced he is starting his own podcast, Read the Room, where he will “sit down with founders, investors, athletes, and creators to talk about the boldest moves, the pivots, and what they learned along the way.”

Do with that information what you will.

I had thought that both the Rockets and Thunder might not play their starters at all tonight. Both teams had a hefty number of “Game Time Decisions” and “Day To Day” players. It seemed like it might be a slightly nonsensical clash of deep benches, and guys who are likely headed to the GLeague.

This was not to be. We certainly saw some deep roster players in action tonight, but the first quarter, and much of the second was more or less starters and rotational players, minus a couple of absences. We didn’t see Steven Adams for the Rockets, nor Chet Holmgren or Jaylin The Other Williams for the Thunder.

The first quarter went the Rockets way, as neither team could really hit jumpers, but Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun could dunk the ball at the rim pretty easily. The R0ckets ended up winning the quarter 33-15. The beginning of this game, the Rockets offense was basically just dunks by Amen on cuts, and clever passes from Sengun. Nice to see that again.

The Thunder came back in the second quarter, winning it 32 to 21, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen The Main Williams got going a bit.

The third quarter saw a switch from starting players (Durant came out at the half in street clothes.) to rotational players, and the Rockets Bogdan Bogdanovich, Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard all made shots, particularly BogBog, who was 5-8 from three, and looked to be moving very well.

We also saw minutes with Marcus Smart, but he wasn’t particularly effective tonight, going 0-3 and notching 2 assists to 2 turnovers. Fred VanVleet was the primary point, and in the distribution role he was again a sight for sore eyes, logging 8 assists and 0 turnovers. His shooting was not as good as the first game, as he went 3-13 overall. He needs to keep shooting, though, as he’s been away from basketball for a year, and we need to see if some consistency will return to his shooting.

We’re also going to have to see if the idea of Marcus Smart being the secondary point guard is a good one. There are other players who might do as well, and offer better shooting.

The fourth quarter was basically the deep benches, but the Rockets deep bench could hit 3pt shots, and the Thunder couldn’t. The Rockets put up 53 three pointers tonight, which is far beyond their average of 31.6 last season. We’ll see if that holds up in any way.

I’m not sure there are any particularly surprising takeaways from individual play, but there were some changes in approach from the Rockets we might hope to see continue.

The first is, not setting up in the same spot every time, and very few screens being called up anywhere, and certainly not as a reliable certainty. Last year screens mainly served to drag another defender into the area of the ballhandler, congesting their movement. Right now the Rockets are staying spread out. They don’t move, but they do actually space the court, forcing defenses from the paint.

The second is, the Rockets are attacking on offense early in the clock, with very little surveying and pounding the ball. Certainly some of this is attributable to Fred VanVleet, but the set up is simply different as well, from the past two seasons. I’m cautiously optimistic. Attacking a defense like the Thunder early is the way to go. The Thunder want to swarm and slap on defense, and the longer a team holds the ball, the worse it gets. They’re good at it. What they aren’t, in general, is big and powerful, or even especially quick. Decisive attacks that force reactions, and might lead to passes off cuts, like Sengun to Amen, are a way to break them down. Sure, it’s preseason, but that’s a good recipe no matter when.

Third, we’re seeing an actual fast break attack. Despite the Rockets size and athleticism, they were one of the lower ranked fast break teams in the league last season.

Finally, are they going to shoot more threes? They might well have better personnel to do it than anytime since The Harden Centuries.

Anyhow, preseason is now over, and the Rockets start the real season at home, against Dallas, on Wednesday the 21st. See you there.

Karl-Anthony Towns was facilitating like it was the 2026 playoffs. 

The All-Star center collected six assists and five points in the first 7 ½ minutes of Thursday’s 122-120 preseason finale victory over the Raptors, setting the tone for a stat-stuffing evening while using his height and vision to create from the top of the key. 

It was a flashback to the dominant postseason run from Towns, who unlocked a dominant Knicks offense by transforming into a triple-double threat midway the first round. 

Coach Mike Brown said he would revisit Towns as the hub this season and Thursday’s evidence was on display early. Towns, whose stagnant extension negotiations have hovered ominously over preseason, finished one assist shy of a triple-double with 15 rebounds and 13 points in 28 minutes. 

“Yeah, I feel good,” said Towns when asked about his rhythm. “I feel really, really good.” 

It represented KAT’s best performance of preseason, and also New York’s as a team as it finished 1-3. But the lone win arrived with a caveat. 

Towns was unstoppable unless guarded by Toronto’s top defender, Scottie Barnes, who drew the assignment in the third quarter and subsequently shut down KAT. 

It was the type of adjustment that is sure to define the start of the Knicks season. Towns as the hub was a new wrinkle in the playoffs, and the opponents are equipped with enough film to discover ways to counter. 

The Knicks start the real games against the Sixers on Tuesday’s Banner Night, when Towns as the hub will resurface as a strategy that the opponent will have to deal with. 

Thursday showed it can work again. 

“I thought today was a good dress rehearsal,” Towns said. “It was cool, it was very nice to get back out there and get back into our flow and be really good. Obviously we have a lot of things to work on. But it was a good way to end the preseason.” 

Josh Hart was the only starter who did not play in Thursday’s preseason finale. He had a sore right ankle but Brown said it shouldn’t impact Hart for the season opener Tuesday.

The Knicks’ regular-season roster is taking shape. The only remaining question is: will there be room for Bruce Brown?

Brown and James Wiseman have made it through preseason cuts. The Knicks clearly like both players. But New York only has room under the second apron in team salary to keep one player. In order to keep both Brown and Wiseman, the Knicks would need to trade a player on a standard contract without taking back salary.

My read heading into the weekend: Wiseman is a lock to make the roster. There is strong support to add Brown as well. The Knicks would need to make a trade by Monday afternoon if they want to keep Brown. I think they will explore all avenues to make that happen.

It's logical to assume that the Knicks will move third-year wing Pacome Dadiet. But I believe New York will explore other deals — including trades involving third-year guard Tyler Kolek — this weekend and Monday.

The Knicks will be asking teams to take on a player without sending back salary. To get a deal done, New York may need to attach its own second-round picks (New York will have at least 11 second-round picks in the next seven drafts).

Something worth noting here: multiple teams (Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers and others) are trying to attach second-round picks to work through a roster crunch. So the Knicks have competition in that regard. But given their plethora of second-rounders, they have the draft capital to get a deal done.

Here's what Knicks head coach Mike Brown likes about the veteran combo guard:

“Bruce has been through a lot with a lot of different teams at a pretty high level,” Brown said of the NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets. “His toughness, his experience, his feel, all those things — he's a winner. It seems like every place he's gone, he's won, but all those things can add a lot to the program, and then he's versatile both ends of the floor. He could play a few different positions offensively; he can guard a few different positions defensively. So a guy like that, especially a veteran winner, can be helpful to any team.”

Here’s what Brown likes about Wiseman:

“He's young, he's talented, you know, he's raw, still. I think he's still trying to establish a foothold in this league,” Brown said of the former No. 2 overall pick. “But with the God-given attributes he has, in terms of athleticism and length and quickness, [they] can bode well for him on both ends of the floor. And at 25 years old, he hasn't even reached his prime, especially knowing he hadn't played a ton of basketball; having a vertical threat at the rim will help [the Knicks], or could help everybody else play the game a little bit easier, whether it's driving the basketball or playing pick and roll.”