Category: Basketball

The Cleveland Cavaliers have finally made their big move of the offseason. After a month and a half of speculation, the Cavs now have an answer at small forward: Peyton Watson.

The soon-to-be 24-year-old, 6’8” wing is coming off the best season of his career with the Denver Nuggets. Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in 54 contests. Those 14.6 points per game were six and a half more than he averaged the year before. That jump is mostly due to his growth as a shooter.

Watson connected on 41.1% of his 3.6 three-point attempts last regular season and 36.8% of them in the playoffs. This included converting 52% of his three-point looks from the corner (97th percentile).

That three-point shooting is coupled with being an outstanding defender for his position. Watson does a great job of using his size and athleticism to effectively guard one through four. This should make him an incredibly good fit in a frontcourt anchored by Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley.

Support us and Let ‘Em Know with Homage!

Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Believeland shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.

The Cavs had to pay a premium for getting Watson to come to Cleveland.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that the Cavs will be sending out Max Strus, an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, Tre Mann, cash, and a second-round pick to complete the deal. This will end up being a three-team deal with the first-rounder going to Denver and Strus reuniting with Darius Garland on the Los Angeles Clippers.

Watson is also signing for a four-year, $88 million deal in Cleveland, which includes a player option.

Strus spent three years with the Cavs and was a starting small forward for most of that time. He played a large role both on and off the court. Strus averaged 11 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 132 games with the Cavs over the last three seasons.

Cleveland doesn’t own their 2027, 2029, and now 2031 first-round picks. They also still owe a pick swap for their 2028 first as part of the Donovan Mitchell trade with the Utah Jazz.

The Cavs have been looking for a permanent answer at starting forward for years. They thought they had something with De’Andre Hunter when they traded for him in 2025, before dealing him the following season. We’ll see if Watson ends up being the long-term solution.

Once again, we have a whole host of news, rumors and updates around the Buss family’s feud, Mark Walter and even a cameo from Shams Charania to defend himself against a claim from Jeanie Buss.

All that and it’s not even been 24 hours since we posted one of these roundups. What an exhausting week.

Let’s dive into the latest headlines and reports.

Jeanie Buss buying sibling’s shares?

While it seems like the Buss family drama may be destined to end in a courtroom, there are other ways things could play out. One of them could involve Jeanie effectively taking control of the Buss Family Trust.

In a piece by Dan Woike and Sam Amick of The Athletic on Wednesday, they raised the possibility of Jeanie buying the shares from the rest of the family.

Could there be a way for the rest of the siblings to sell and Jeanie to remain as governor? That would require her finding a way to still own at least 15 percent of the shares, but it is possible. Per a league source, Jeanie would be open to exploring that scenario.

The first reaction to this is ‘Duh, of course Jeanie is open to it.’ The second reaction is that it feels like there is no chance the family is interested in selling those shares to Jeanie.

That said, we don’t know the siblings’ intentions. Perhaps they just want to cash out it doesn’t matter whether Jeanie gives them that money or Bob Iger and Josh Kushner do. Does Jeanie even have enough money to do that, though?

While this option is on the table, it doesn’t feel particularly likely.

The contract to keep Jeanie as governor

Another aspect of this is whether Iger and Kushner have an interest in even keeping Jeanie as governor. However, it might not be under their control.

In the same piece for The Athletic, Woike and Amick reported that the contract she signed with Mark Walter to remain governor for at least five years might be part of the deal for Iger and Kushner.

It’s fair to wonder how Iger and Kushner see this situation, with some wondering whether they’d want to choose a different governor simply because of the messiness of it all. But Walter’s choice to have Jeanie serve as governor for the next four years is known to be part of the contractual agreement from the sale 14 months ago, and a league source close to the situation indicated that it is now considered part of the deal with Iger and Kushner. In essence, if that proves to be the case, Iger and Kushner would be assuming Walter’s ownership role and the governor that comes with it.

If so, it makes sense why Jeanie is fighting so hard to maintain that 15% ownership stake. If she believes she’ll remain the governor no matter who owns the team, then her stance makes more sense.

It doesn’t make it any less desperate or annoying to watch as fans on the outside looking in, but at least there’s a little bit of logic to it.

Shams Charania fires back at Jeanie

One of the wilder strays of the letter from Jeanie’s lawyer was directed at Shams Charania of ESPN and his report on Monday morning that the Buss family would be selling their stake.

As you know, this afternoon, Shams Charania of ESPN falsely reported that the six Buss siblings voted to sell the 17.8% ownership stake in the Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, and that my client, Jeanie Buss, is “out” as controlling owner. This is just the latest instance of a years-long pattern whereby Joey and Jesse Buss leak false, defamatory and pernicious “information” to Mr. Charania for the malicious purpose of doing harm to the Los Angeles Lakers so long as Dr. Buss’s chosen successor, Jeanie Buss, carries out her father’s wishes.

That felt pretty far out of left field, but clearly there was some pent-up anger from Jeanie in this situation. On Tuesday, Charania appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” and defended his reporting on the matter.

Look, Shams’ method of reporting deserves criticism and I’m not going to be defending him. But I also think Jeanie throwing shots his way in this situation felt out of place, mean-spirited and just odd.

Mark Walter tried to take loans out against Lakers’ stake

Lastly, we have our daily “What crazy way did Mark Walter try to get money” update, this time being one that feels like it was serious.

On Tuesday, Eric Platt, Sun Yu, Oliver Barnes, James Fontanella-Khan and Lee Harris of the Financial Times reported that Walter attempted to take out a loan against his Lakers’ stake with conversations carrying on all the way to him agreeing to sell the team.

Mark Walter held discussions with private investment giant Apollo Global Management about a multibillion-dollar loan against his Los Angeles Lakers stake, in a sign of the billionaire’s rush to raise cash this year.

The talks took place throughout the summer and continued until former Disney chief executive Bob Iger and venture capitalist Josh Kushner offered to buy Walter’s stake in the Lakers, according to people familiar with the matter.

The more we learn about Walter, the more it feels like the sale, when it came, was one of the better options on the table.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Draymond Green has spent 14 NBA seasons standing his ground against some of the most imposing athletes in the world.

A giant goose apparently presents a different challenge.

The Golden State Warriors star was caught completely off guard when a fan approached him from behind with a lion-head goose during his offseason tour of China.

Green was seated outdoors at a table covered with local dishes while a large crowd gathered around the NBA star. He turned around to find the enormous bird suddenly inches away from him.

“Oh s–t! No! No!” Green shouted as he jumped out of his seat and scrambled away from the table.

The crowd erupted in laughter as Green attempted to create distance between himself and the fowl visitor. Once the initial shock passed, the four-time NBA champion smiled and laughed off the unexpected encounter.

Video of Green’s reaction quickly spread across social media.

In fairness to Green, this was not an ordinary goose.

The lion-head goose, also known as the Shitou goose, is native to the Chaoshan region of China’s Guangdong province. The breed can weigh between 20 and 26 pounds, making it the largest cultivated variety in China and one of the largest in the world.

The breed gets its name from the prominent knob above its bill and the loose skin beneath its throat, which combine to create an appearance resembling a lion’s mane. Lion-head geese are also known for being loud and territorial.

Green was visiting Shantou, where the breed is a prominent part of the region’s culture and cuisine. The Warriors forward has spent his tour of China meeting supporters, filming content and sampling regional food.

The 6-foot-6 forward has challenged opponents, officials and occasionally the league itself without much hesitation.

All it took to send him flying out of his seat was a fan, a sneak attack and approximately 25 pounds of goose.

August brings the dog days of baseball, doubly so in New York these days. Whether the Yankees win the World Series or lose every game left, Aaron Boone will be back in 2027 and likely 2037, job security even Clarence Thomas envies. Meanwhile, David Stearns’ golden sombrero of an offseason last winter won’t stop Steve Cohen from handing him the keys to another hot stove league — Stearns has yet to sexually harass someone or be found by police black-out drunk behind the wheel of his running car, so he’s still the best hire Cohen’s made (other than Buck Showalter, fired by . . . Stearns).

August also means the dog days of NBA coverage. Free agency is over and done with, unless you’re a restricted free agent, in which case *makes the sign of the cross*. It’s too early to know what training camp injury will significantly alter the league landspace. Wanna taste hate and spiteful joy rise up in your throat at the same time? Tyrese Haliburton can’t believe the NBA isn’t treating his return to action like when Magic Johnson came out of retirement. Or Michael Jordan. Or Michael Jordan again.

In honor of this month’s mailbag invite — acknowledging as always that all questions are welcome — I’d specifically like to get some questions from y’all about lists or rankings, inspired by the one and only instance I ever had of an editor at P&T telling me “no” on something.

P&T Hall of Famer Joe Flynn once put the kibosh on a f***/marry/kill question someone submitted to a mailbag. He was right to. I know there’s a lot of annoyance whenever the comment section isn’t left to grow wild and free as some metaphor for freedom of speech, but sir, this is a Wendy’s. An infinitude of more meaningful fights are out there, waiting for you to join the cause. The only thing that sucks about this job besides the criminal wages care of SB NationVoxRupert Murdoch Penske Media is comment section moderation.

Since I’m asking for rankings and lists, I’ll get the ball rolling and give you one of my own. I realized recently that after the Knicks won the title my all-time Knick starting five — players I’ve actually seen play — has changed in one position and is unresolved at another. Patrick Ewing is the constant. Jalen Brunson made it a few years ago. Carmelo Anthony is the small forward. My power forward had been Julius Randle, but I realized Karl-Anthony Towns is about to enter his third season with the Knicks. Randle played four-plus seasons in New York; between KAT’s central role in last year’s playoff orgasm and him nearing Randle in length of tenure (fingers crossed), I’m cool putting him there.

The only tough pick for me is the two-guard. John Starks was a fingertip away from making the title-winning shot, a well-rounded player who could drain, drive, dish and defend at an All-NBA level. Allan Houston was the most complete offensive player I ever saw in blue and orange until Melo, and made what was the most famous shot in pre-OG history. Latrell Sprewell joined the Knicks after a decade of smashmouth basketball and brought all of that intensity but with actual athleticism, more multi-faceted than Houston, more consistent than Starks.

Who would you go with, if you saw them all play? If you didn’t, sit and be silent, child. You might learn something from your elders. On the other hand, there was a lotta lead and asbestos back in the day. Odds are some of your elders are real fruit loops, and best left alone.

It’s been an up-and-down couple of years for Maddy Westbeld, who began her WNBA career in the Chicago Sky’s rotation last year but has seen more limited opportunities this season as a developmental contract player.

Now, Westbeld has signed a rest-of-season contract with the Phoenix Mercury, meaning that a greater on-court role could be looming.

Westbeld was drafted 16th overall by the Sky in 2025 and averaged 13.6 minutes per game in her rookie season in Chicago. She averaged 4.1 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 39.5% from beyond the arc. But this year, Westbeld was waived and later signed to a developmental contract. After appearing in 26 games in her rookie season, she played just 3 games for the Sky in 2026.

Before her pro career, Westbeld was a standout at Notre Dame, having averaged 12.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals across five seasons, while shooting 34.9% from beyond the arc. The 6’3 forward was a three-time member of the All-ACC team.

Maddy Westbeld could see a more significant opportunity with the Phoenix Mercury

Now, Westbeld will see an increased opportunity playing on a rest-of-season contract with the Phoenix Mercury. The Mercury, who are 13-23, have had a difficult season on the heels of a finals appearance.

Phoenix traded Monique Akoa Makani and future draft compensation for Kelsey Plum ahead of the midseason trade deadline, but despite the upgrade at guard, they’re unlikely to make the playoffs. The Mercury are currently 7 games behind the Dallas Wings, who currently hold onto the 8th and final playoff spot.

As such, the rest of the season will likely center around player development — of which Westbeld could be a major part — and convincing Plum to re-sign with the team in free agency.

Mariska Hargitay still has Knicks fever.

The “Law & Order: SVU” star, who has enhanced her profile with her Knicks fandom and Broadway debut, has not gotten over the magical months of May and June when the Knicks claimed their first NBA title in 53 years.

She claimed the “world has changed” because of it in a feature with Variety.

Hargitay reflected on the night of the Knicks’ wild Game 4 comeback win when she sat courtside with Taylor Swift, Este Haim and Alana Haim while wearing a “Stevie Knicks” blue shirt.

The three were a highlight of the night, but nothing could top the thrilling game-winning tip-in from OG Anunoby.

“You’re standing in a miracle,” she told the outlet. “The world was changed. New York was changed. The bar of what’s possible has changed. You can be down 29 points and still win — this is what’s in the consciousness of young athletes now.” 

Hargitay, 62, even ended her one-person show “Every Brilliant Thing,” early by four minutes that night and ran about 10 blocks to make to the game on time, refusing the idea of sitting in a skybox if she was late.

“I’m not interested in sitting in a box!” she told Variety. “I need to be there. I need this for them!”

The Knicks went on to clinch the title in Game 5 in San Antonio, which fell on the same night Hargitay had another show.

She even asked to the dismay of the stage manager if Daniel Radcliffe, who’d originated the role, could perform for her that night.

It kept her from watching the first half live, but she was able to tune into the second half from home.

“My heart was in two places — I’m not going to lie,” she said. 

Not only did Hargitay become a favorite among Knicks fans, but she also won the heart of Finals MVP Jalen Brunson throughout the years.

“Mariska is my favorite New York Knicks fan,” Brunson told Variety. “I’m so grateful for the relationship we have been able to build over the last few years. As a lifelong fan of ‘SVU,’ her support means the world to me. I’m truly grateful to have her in my corner.“

Brunson recently told The Post “I can say that I would definitely say yes!” to a guest appearance after Hargitay teased what’s in the works for the star while on the “Today” show last week.

The two shared an emotional moment following Game 4 on the court. They hugged and Hargitay was heard saying, “I love you so much, I’m so happy!”

Prior to that, she sprinted onto the court to embrace Brunson’s father, Rick Brunson, an assistant under head coach Mike Brown and was a member of the ’99 Knicks squad that reached the Finals.

Hargitay was also on Brunson’s float for the Knicks championship parade in lower Manhattan in June alongside her son, August.

It’s a special bond between the two — one long-time Knicks fan and actor Ben Stiller envies.

“The love that Mariska Hargitay gets from you postgame is the envy of every other Knicks fan, Knicks celebrity fan. She gets a hug after a loss,” Stiller said on Brunson’s “Roommates” podcast with Josh Hart.

Hargitay will be one to watch again in the 2026-27 season, in which the Knicks open against the 76ers on Oct. 20.

— Additional reporting by Jenna Lemoncelli

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country.

As quickly as the news has been coming through in recent days, particularly in regardto the Buss family, it’s somehow almost fallen to the wayside that Bob Iger and Josh Kushner now own the Lakers.

Their purchase was abrupt, followed by the equally unexpected news that the Buss family would be joining that sale…maybe. It’s also hard to speculate about what the future may look like when the owners appear to have bought the team without much of a plan for the future.

It all feels like a bit of a mess with a lot of drama, which is often the Lakers way.

Still, there’s a new future awaiting the purple and gold. Not only is it new ownership for the Lakers, but it’s also new sports owners, period. While Kushner has been a minority owner in the NBA, neither he nor Iger has been the lead decision-maker for a sports franchise.

So, that’s where we took this week’s SB Nations Reacts survey question as we asked fans what their feelings are about the new ownership.

On the plus side, the Lakers are being taken over by another owner with lots of money. Kushner’s net worth is measured in the billions, so money should not be an issue, as was the case under Walter.

In Iger, the Lakers are getting someone who revitalized a Disney brand that was once massive but had hit rough times. That feels an awful lot like the Lakers. He’s also someone very familiar with the NBA, even if he hasn’t owned a team in any capacity before.

On the negative, though, is the sort of elephant in the room that we keep noting is that neither of these guys has done this before. There’s a decent chance this doesn’t work.

These two have had success running companies outside of sports. Will that translate? It feels like anyone’s guess.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons. Submit your question in the comments section here or on Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @RobbieBettelon. If you’re on BlueSky, you can also send to @RobbieBettelon.bksy.social.

Join us live on Thursday night as Wes and Robbie go through some thought experiments together, and then draft their versions of an All-Time Pistons team. What questions would you like to add to the show?

Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.

The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.

The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast Vitals:

When: Thursday, August 20th at 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Detroit Bad Boys YouTube Channel

How to submit questions:

• Detroit Bad Boys Website: Comment section of the weekly Pindown episode articles.
• Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message to 45 seconds or less.
• Twitter: @detroitbadboys, @RobbieBettelon, or @therealwesd3
• YouTube: Chat section of The Pindown live recording — Subscribe here

As always, leave any questions or topics you want to be discussed in the comment section below.

Go Stones.

The 2026-27 NBA schedules have been out for about a week now. It’s true, the Dallas Mavericks are something of a question mark this season, but the team’s slate is still chock-full of appointment television. The season tips off on Wednesday, October 21st in Houston and concludes at home against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, April 11th.

In between lay 80 juicy NBA morsels ripe for the watching. Here are five dates that we think stand out on the schedule:

Oct. 21: Irving’s presumptive return

The season opener at the Houston Rockets on Oct. 21 is interesting for a number of reasons. It’s the start of Cooper Flagg’s second season, in which he could vault himself into another tier of stardom in the NBA. It will be our first look at Dusty May and his coaching philosophy as he transitions from a meteoric rise in the college game. Not to mention, our first look at Morez Johnson Jr., who played for May last year during the Michgan Wolverines’ NCAA title run.

But, make no mistake, all eyes will be on Kyrie Irving if the season opener is indeed his first game back after missing the entire 2025-26 season while rehabbing from a torn left ACL. How good can the 34-year-old be in his 15th NBA season?

Irving has looked nice in the workouts he and others have posted to social media, but those are workouts. What will he look like in an NBA game? Will the speed and footwork be intact early in the season, or will he have to work his way back into form? Questions will be answered.

Dec. 17: The next Superteam

Name recognition will not be an issue when the Mavericks travel to Philadelphia to play the new-look 76ers for the first time this season on Dec. 17. LeBron James. Jaylen Brown. Joel Embiid. Tyrese Maxey. VJ Edgecombe. This one could be an ugly result for Mavs fans, but it’s an opponent you simply don’t want to miss.

You may ask, why not Feb. 15, when the 76ers travel to Dallas? Couldn’t it, after all, be James’ final appearance at American Airlines Center? Yes. Yes, it could be. But for whatever reason, I’m choosing to believe that he will exercise the player option for his second season of the two-year deal he signed with the Sixers in July.

Jan. 16: Garden party against the champs

The Mavericks get their first look against the World Champion New York Knickerbockers on Jan. 16, when they travel to Madison Square Garden for the first of two matchups during the 2026-27 season.

That’s right, former Maverick Jalen Brunson is an NBA Champion, as Dallas’ fortunes have gone in the opposite direction lately. Brunson has emerged as one of the best point guards in the game since signing with New York, one of the many sources of angst for Mavericks fans.

The Mavs inexplicably jumped up and bit Brunson and the Knicks, 114-97, at the Garden on Jan. 19 last season. That game remains memorable as one of a handful of wins in the second half of the season that took a few draft lottery balls out of Dallas’ hands when it was already becoming clear they were not a playoff-caliber team.

Jan. 19: Coop vs. Kon, Round 2

The Mavericks dropped both games to the Charlotte Hornets last season, including one instant classic wherein former Duke roommates Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel showed glimpses of greatness. In that 123-121 Mavericks loss on Jan. 29, Flagg dropped what was then a season- and career-high scoring mark of 49 points, but Knueppel scored 34 points on 8-of-12 from 3-point range, including two free throws with four seconds left to put the Hornets over the top in their first meeting since college. Flagg nailed his third 3-ball of the game 18 seconds earlier to knot the game at 121-121.

The second Mavs-Hornets matchup of the season wasn’t nearly as dramatic, as the Hornets ran away with a 117-90 win in a game that Flagg missed with a sprained foot. Flagg would go on to narrowly beat Knueppel out for NBA Rookie of the Year honors with an incredible stretch of individual performances to close out the regular season. He would best that 49-point performance with 51 points and six rebounds against the Orlando Magic on April 3.

On Jan. 19, the Mavericks welcome Knueppel and the Hornets to American Airlines Center for a renewal of the friendly rivalry between the first overall and the fourth overall selections in the 2025 NBA Draft. Here’s hoping both of the young stars are healthy and available for that one.

Feb. 28: Luka’s birthday party

Luka Dončić returns to the scene of the crime with the Los Angeles Lakers in tow on his birthday, Feb. 28. What will the tenor of Dončić’s relationship with his team at that point? The Lakers are in the midst of a major roster shift after James left to join the 76ers in free agency and the team signed center Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz.

Two things will be certain. Dončić, if healthy, will receive a warm welcome from the AAC crowd, and he will look to put on a show. There’s no way this one ends up a ho-hum, everyday regular-season date. Expect fireworks reminiscent of Dončić‘s 45-point explosion on April 9, 2025, his first game back after The Trade That Shall Not Be Spoken Of.

Oh, and Flagg should be there, too, having taken the mantle of All-Everything Man for the Mavericks in the wake of said trade.

Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2025-26 player reviews! The series will look at the players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts and who played consequential minutes and/or a vital role (so no two-way players because we hardly saw them this year, no players who were traded away, and none of the deep bench centers, since they were both irrelevant and are now all gone).

Victor Wembanyama

2025-26 stats: 64 games, 29.2 MPG, 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, 51.2 FG%

Contract Status: 1 year, $16.9 million remaining (5-year, $252 million extension kicking in on 2026/27)

Age: 22

LeBron James will likely start the last chapter of an amazing career in Philadelphia, looking for one last ring to add to his resume. Whether Victor Wembanyama will reach the heights of one of the best players ever remains unclear, but Wemby already has one unique thing in common with LeBron: both entered the league with incredible hype and not only lived up to it but exceeded expectations.

Wemby was clearly a once-in-a-generation prospect, but some doubters compared him to Chet Holgrem and even Bol Bol. Despite playing out of position and without a point guard for part of his first year, he proved them wrong by winning Rookie of the Year and finishing second in the Defensive Player of the Year race. By his second season, the question was whether he could expand his offensive game to be more efficient, and he delivered, making his first All-Star Game before having to sit out the last few months after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, an injury that likely cost him a DPoY award and his first potential trip to the playoffs. Then, heading into this past season, after proving he could dominate individually, the challenge was to show he could stay on the floor and win at a high level.

To say Wembanyama was up to the task would be an understatement. Between the regular season and playoffs, he played 87 games, finishing third in MVP voting after leading the Spurs to a 62-win season, the midseason tournament finals, and a trip to the NBA Finals. He battled a calf strain early in the season that sidelined him for 12 games and nearly cost him his first Defensive Player of the Year award, but he reached the threshold, also getting his first All-NBA team berth. His minutes were monitored and reduced during the regular season, but he still managed to post career-highs in points and rebounds while improving his offensive efficiency in both scoring and ball security. There is no longer any doubt that he’s one of the best players in the league, at age 22.

Wembanyama is already so good that it’s possible to discuss his greatness by just listing achievements, even though he’s been in the league for just three years. Most criticisms, even the valid ones, can seem like nitpicking. Still, the fact that he clearly has room to grow after such a fantastic season is mindblowing. The struggles with heavy minutes in the playoffs might not be solvable for a player of his size, but the mental mistakes that resulted from them should be. Similarly, opponents will always try to be extra physical with him, and after showing he’s not scared to retaliate, he should learn how to do so without risking suspensions. Wemby can shoot, but his love of the fadeaway can sometimes take him away from better looks. He can handle the ball, but sometimes tries to pull off spectacular moves or tries to take over by attacking off the dribble instead of focusing on getting the ball close to the basket. Even on defense, he can get better at roaming.

It’s exciting for Spurs fans and scary for the rest of the league to think about how great Wembanyama was last season while having real but solvable flaws that still didn’t prevent him from almost being the best player on a title winner.

Looking ahead

Wembanyama signed an extension for the flat 25 percent of the cap, foregoing the escalators that could have paid him up to 30 percent if he reached what, for a player of his caliber, were very attainable goals. It’s not a discount yet, because there was also a chance he didn’t reach the 65-game threshold required for the distinctions he needed to earn the most, but his decision does give the Spurs’ front office predictability for the future, which is huge in the apron era. The gesture also shows how committed Wemby is to the franchise and sets the tone for others.

As for Wembanyama’s future, we’ll see if he has added any new weapons to his arsenal after having a mini-camp in Paris with some of his Spurs teammates when he suits up for the French national team for the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in late August. Ideally, he’d have a jump hook ready, but Wemby prefers perimeter moves, which is fine. If he continues to get more comfortable operating around the free-throw line (AKA The Dirk Spot), he could develop go-to moves from there and delay the post work for later in his career. With Team France having other good big men, he might get a chance to practice sharing the floor with a center, something that didn’t always work last season. In general, it’s safe to assume Wembanyama will show up to training camp as a better player, since his competitiveness and work ethic are top tier.

Barring something unforeseen, Wembanyama will be one of the top players in the world for a long time, and the Spurs will be contenders as long as he’s around.

Top Performance

May 18 at Oklahoma City Thunder, Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals: 49 minutes, 41 points, 24 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 9 points in 2OT.

There are so many great Wemby performances to choose from, but the sheer impressiveness of the numbers and the fact that the Thunder were at full strength for Game 1 makes this one special.

Final Grade: A+

Previous Reviews

Jordan McLaughlin

Carter Bryant

Luke Kornet

Dylan Harper

Keldon Johnson

Harrison Barnes

Julian Champagnie

Stephon Castle

Devin Vassell

De’Aaron Fox

By no means are we trying to be fatalistic as we trudge along through the middle of August and wait for Sixers training camp to open in late September. However, it’s at least worth pondering what MIGHT not work for Philly in a season that’s probably got more hype than any season we’ve seen for the franchise in over two decades. So, where do we begin?

The most obvious concern that comes with the Sixers this season is one that gets paraded out rather frequently whenever LeBron James changes teams. Will the “LeBron Show” get in the way of the team actually winning games? Could there be too much emphasis on playing through James? At 41, set to turn 42 at the end of the calendar year, James being a team’s top option is certainly not a strategy conducive to winning a championship.

The “LeBron Show” concerns extend beyond the on-court X’s and O’s. James is (reportedly, though it’s been refuted) going to have a film crew with him throughout his time in Philadelphia as his end-of-career documentary gets captured. How much of a distraction could that and James not even living in the Philadelphia area (again, reportedly) pose for the rest of the roster?

Despite the countless pictures that have been breaking social media lately, Joel Embiid’s health will always be a question mark on Philadelphia’s ceiling. Is Ariel Hukporti finally a viable backup to Embiid in order to weather the storm when the inevitable absences arise for the former MVP? This has been a problem for most of Embiid’s career. The Sixers do not win enough of the minutes he’s not on the floor and as Embiid continues to age, it’s even harder to count on him being available.

The 2026 postseason is a good example of the “Jekyll & Hyde” nature Embiid performs with in his 30s. In the first round series against Boston, Embiid did not play in the first three games. He then went on to become the first player in NBA history to score 100 total points in a playoff series without playing in the first three games and the Sixers pulled off the crowning postseason achievement of Embiid’s career, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to eliminate the Celtics. However, Embiid simply wasn’t able to hold up and the only game the Sixers were even competitive in during the Knicks series in the next round was Game 2, a game that Embiid did not play in.

Bear in mind that going into the 2026 playoffs, the Sixers still had to get out of the play-in tournament having finished seventh in the Eastern Conference. Knowing that Embiid is essentially guaranteed to miss at least 30 games in the regular season, will the Sixers have enough in the tank from Hukporti or someone else to finish top-four in the East? Not only does a high seed allow for an easier path in the playoffs, but an easier path would probably allow the Sixers to take it easy with Embiid’s minutes for at least one round. That’s all stuff that needs to be factored in when it comes to discussing just how high the ceiling is for the 2026-27 Philadelphia 76ers.

Is it possible VJ Edgecombe’s development is stunted? Not that acquiring Jaylen Brown and James was a mistake by Mike Gansey and company, but maybe Edgecombe doesn’t take the next step. Nick Nurse will likely want to find some minutes for Labaron Philon and certainly for Anfernee Simons and does playing time for the two of them compromise the rising star?

Maybe Nurse doesn’t handle the backcourt rotation well enough. As we sit here in the middle of August, with recently-drafted guards in Edgecombe and Philon in the fold and Simons having just signed, you would think there’s a path towards minimizing Tyrese Maxey’s minutes in the regular season. However, Nurse has always been one to ride his starters and maybe that’s a needle he can’t or doesn’t want to thread and Maxey gets worn out in February or March.

Stunting the growth of Edgecombe and Nurse finding the right mix with his entire rotation can be combined into one commonly-voiced concern around the NBA when it comes to the Sixers. Maxey, James, Brown and Embiid are all high-usage players. All four players have been the focal point of offensive attacks at various points in their careers. Winning press conferences by saying things like, “I’ll do whatever it takes to win,” is one thing. But can those words actually be turned into tangible actions during an 82-game regular season plus the postseason? Will the stars of the Sixers be able to set their egos aside once the ball goes up in the air in October and the games start counting for real? It’s always going to be a concern any time a “superteam” takes the court for the first time.

Lastly, how does Brown handle the pressure of playing in another highly intense sports market, after being traded to the Sixers from one of their rivals? Yes, Brown is a former NBA Finals MVP, but we all know it wasn’t the cleanest of exits for Brown from Boston. If the Sixers get out on the wrong foot, there could be some mental hurdles that Brown will have to clear.

Perhaps none of these concerns are legitimate. It would be great if none of them were and the Sixers coasted to 55+ wins and were a top three seed in next spring’s Eastern Conference playoffs. But we’ve seen examples in every sport of teams that look good on paper before the season starts that can’t put it all together during the season. Anyways, enjoy the rest of the offseason, Sixers fans. 

Last week, I spoke with OG Anunoby about his new partnership with Essentia Water and an upcoming, mysterious ‘supercharged’ event that would give Knicks fans a chance to relive one of the defining moments of the team’s championship run.

On Tuesday, Anunoby and Essentia revealed their surprise. The Knicks forward appeared at the Essentia Supercharged Court, a temporary basketball court installed in Times Square between 42nd and 43rd streets. The free event brought basketball, music and interactive activities to the middle of Manhattan, but the main attraction was OG recreating his Game Four tip-in from the NBA Finals.

With the Knicks trailing the Spurs and 1.2 seconds remaining, Anunoby tipped in the winning basket to complete New York’s comeback from 29 points down. That hand-of-God moment proved the capper for one of the wildest games of NBA postseason history, and the play immediately became part of Knicks legend.

Yesterday in Times Square, Anunoby recreated the scene for large crowd of excited fans. One difference: this time OG played the role of Jalen Brunson, taking shots while players from the legendary Gersh Park Basketball program tried to tip in his misses.

And we have a winner! This side-by-side video, courtesy of Courtside Buzz, puts Tuesday’s attempt next to the real thing:

The event was part of Essentia’s “Change the Equation” campaign, which the company has built around taking risks, pushing through pressure, and pursuing ambitious goals. According to the company, Anunoby’s championship season made him a natural fit.

When I spoke with him ahead of the event, Anunoby told me that Essentia was his “favorite thing to drink” and said the partnership provided an opportunity to give something back to the community. The Times Square court allowed fans something most of us couldn’t afford in the Finals: front row seats to the action. For those of you who couldn’t make it, here’s video from the event:

Go Knicks.

August. Continues. To. Stagnate. Still, there are bits and pieces—rumours and news and everything in between—that you might have heard about (yes, it took a lot of resistance not to force a deer-related pun in there—and for the headline). Let’s catch up.

Brayden Burries keeps balling

You love basketball. I love basketball. Brayden Burries loves basketball. Playing for team Problems, Burries has proven to be a problem, carving it up in the Drew League:

• 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists on July 20
• 24 points, five rebounds, one assist on July 26
• 40 points, 12 rebounds, two assists on August 9
• 23 points, six rebounds, eight assists on August 17

He’s gone to the line 40 times over the four outings, so, as you’d expect, it seems no one can guard him. But, having made just 26 of those (65%), perhaps we are destined to have stars who struggle at the line. Eek. Regardless, his play was good enough for Week 6 Player of the Week honours.

Speaking of Burries, ESPN published its rookie-focused Summer Forecast, projecting just how well the 2026 draft class will fare next season and beyond. While he didn’t feature as prominently as the top picks, Burries was voted the rookie most likely to be the biggest draft steal:

Burries got the most votes by a big margin here after the Bucks snatched him up at No. 10. It was not surprising that he was the last of the talented freshman guards picked in the lottery: Burries (who turns 21 in September) was significantly older than his peers by draft standards and is viewed as more of a true combo guard at 6-foot-4. He should have a good opportunity to spread his wings in Milwaukee, with the Bucks entering a full rebuild post-Giannis and sorely needing the injection of backcourt talent.

Between his offseason play, stature and positional uncertainty, and physicality—and, more likely, my unbridled offseason optimism—I can’t help but see flashes of Dwy— No, I won’t go there. I just won’t. Yet.

Schedule release geeking

With both the preseason andregular season schedules released, we finally have something tangible to fawn over (okay, so maybe I couldn’t resist after all). I can’t wait for all of these, but here’s what has me most geeked:

• Opening the preseason against the new-look Minnesota Timberwolves. My strategy? Feature Kyle Kuzma and convince Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly that he’s the answer to their hole at power forward following the trades that sent out Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Anything less than 20 shots will be a failure. Seriously (not seriously).
• Every game against the Miami Heat. Duh! Giannis will probably go for 40+ each time, but the Bucks will split the series—if not win it.
• Wednesday, January 27 at Utah. In a loaded draft class featuring a bevy of guards, Darryn Peterson was the consensus best. How does Burries stack up? In fact, while we’re at it, let’s add Thursday, November 8 vs. Mikel Brown Jr. and the Brooklyn Nets; Tuesday, December 1 vs. Kingston Flemings and the Atlanta Hawks; Friday, January 8 vs. Keaton Wagler and the Los Angeles Clippers; and Thursday, January 21 vs. Darius Acuff and the Sacramento Kings. Bring the smoke. I want all of it—and I’m sure Burries does too.

Hall of Fame enshrinement

Despite no former Milwaukee Bucks being enshrined into the Hall of Fame—how Marques Johnson continues to be snubbed is ludicrous to me—there was a certain former coach who got inducted. Yes, Doc Rivers’ time with the Bucks was uninspiring, but they did claim the 2024 NBA Cup title, which is at least something. And, in all honesty, you don’t win as many games as he did as coach—1,194, the sixth-most ever—by accident, regardless of how many good players you’ve had.

In a Q&A with Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, Rivers provided insight into all things coaching, with some particularly notable remarks about Rajon Rondo, who worked with the Bucks last season:

The guy that is not a part of the tree yet, but I think Rajon Rondo is going to be one hell of a coach. He’s the smartest human being I’ve ever coached, and he works at it. He was with me all this [past season in Milwaukee]. Now he’s a savant — and that doesn’t go well at times, because he sees [the game differently].”

On another note, Rivers didn’t seem particularly concerned with any of the criticism that has come his way coaching in the social media era:

I don’t say anything to anybody. I don’t care. Social media is what it is — a lot of cowards. A lot of people make comments. I wish everybody would love me. And the ones that I don’t, I don’t care either. You know what I mean by that? I don’t care about all that stuff. It definitely changed players for sure, but it has had no effect on me.

Ultimately, Rivers reflected on his enshrinement with humility, ending by speaking to the simple truth that too often goes overlooked when it comes to professional sports:

I’m uncomfortable. I love it, but it’s just too much attention. But it is cool. But come on. If you’re anything in sports, and they tell you you’re in the Hall of Fame, there is no other higher honor that you can get to. It’s the highest of the highest honors, and I embrace that. I fully understand the magnitude of it. But it makes you very humble more than anything. And as a coach, you just know how hard coaching is, and how hard it is to win. People don’t give winning enough credit. Winning is hard.

Congratulations on all that you’ve achieved in this game, Doc.

Oxymoronic: Restricted free agents

The Bucks are apparently still sniffing around on restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin, but the stagnation continues here too, according to Marc Stein:

Not much has changed, I’m told, on the Bennedict Mathurin front. Sources say that the restricted free agent’s representatives remain engaged with the Pelicans, Bulls and Bucks. And the door on a return to the Clippers, according to one source briefed on the process, remains open even after LA re-signed Bradley Beal earlier this week.

The same can be said for Peyton Watson. Still, The Athletic’s Sam Amick believes that there is a plot twist yet to come and continued delays might actually benefit the Bucks:

As for Watson’s leaguewide suitors, the Bucks would benefit from a longer delay here because it would open up sign-and-trade options that might be more amenable to their priorities. More specifically, Sept. 6 looms as the first date on which they can aggregate players acquired in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade with Miami. If they were looking to avoid sending a first-round pick (or two) Denver’s way, as our Eric Nehm reported recently, the prospect of sending rotation players instead would be a possible solution. That route could allow them to avoid using the $25.5 million trade exception that was created in the Antetokounmpo deal (that scenario would require the Nuggets to be out of the second apron).

So, while nothing appears imminent, there are at least a few reasons to believe the quiet might not last forever.

Not so tantilising trade speculation

One last one—just for a laugh. In my perusal of all things Bucks, I kept stumbling across this trade idea from Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes:

Golden State Warriors Acquire: Tyler Herro*, Myles Turner, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kevin Porter Jr.

Milwaukee Bucks Acquire: Jimmy Butler, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Will Richard, 2027 first-round pick (top-4 protected), 2031 first-round pick

Look, I love a frivolous trade idea as much as the next person, especially in August. But seriously? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised—they did predict the Bucks to go 18-64.

That’s a wrap on Bucks-related news, folks—for now at least. Which of these has grabbed your attention? Share your thoughts in the comments and, if I’ve missed something, be sure to spread the word (perhaps even via a post in The Feed). While you’re there, don’t forget to vote in this week’s Bucks Reacts poll and stay tuned for the shooting guard installment of our “Choose Your Own Adventure” starter series, coming tomorrow.