Despite reaching the Western Conference Finals in 2024, the Minnesota Timberwolves front office decided they needed to move on from Karl-Anthony Towns (and his contract) if they were going to make one more step forward. They traded KAT to the Knicks, betting that the combination of Julius Randle with the depth of Donte DiVincenzo would be the upgrade they needed.
If one thing became clear in the six games against San Antonio that ended Minnesota's season (despite the injuries they faced), it's that there is a large gap between the young, improving Spurs and the Timberwolves.
What's next for Minnesota? How does it take that next step forward?
Minnesota to pursue Antetokounmpo
Minnesota was one of the teams in conversation with Milwaukee about Giannis Antetokounmpo at the trade deadline, and the two-time MVP reportedly had interest in pairing with Anthony Edwards. However, at that time, the Bucks were gauging the market more than looking for a deal, league sources told NBC Sports.
That vibe has changed this offseason, with the Bucks sounding serious about a clean break. Expect the Timberwolves to be back in the conversation for Antetokounmpo, reports Jon Krawczynski at The Athletic.
One key question in this: Milwaukee is going to ask for Jaden McDaniels as well as a matching salary (Randle at $33 million or Rudy Gobert at $36.5 million are the most likely fits), plus draft picks. A third team likely has to be involved to add picks and make it work. Would Minnesota be willing to trade McDaniels, who, along with Naz Reid, makes up a core part of the Timberwolves' identity?
Even if they do, will that be enough? Will Antetokounmpo want to play with Edwards badly enough to push for this, or will he decide his best path back to the Finals is to stay in the East and push for a trade to a team there? Everything is still up in the air with Antetokounmpo, but Milwaukee will be in the mix.
If not Antetokounmpo, then what?
About the only thing that feels certain in Minnesota this offseason is that the team will focus on re-signing free agent Ayo Dosunmu, whom the Timberwolves acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline and who has become a key shot-creation option.
Aside from that, look for team president Tim Connelly to go big game hunting, Krawczynski reports.
Nearly every big name that has come available over the last few years, from Durant to Antetokounmpo to Ja Morant and James Harden, has at least been discussed internally. That will only shift into overdrive now.
For his part, Edwards thinks Minnesota's roster can compete with San Antonio and Oklahoma City (when healthy).
"I feel like we good," Edwards said at exit interview day when asked about adding another star.
There are parts of this core that the front office also believes can win, Krawczynski reports.
As disappointing as the finish to this season was, the Timberwolves do feel good about the core of Edwards, McDaniels, Reid and [center Joan] Beringer going forward. They will have some big decisions to make, but were encouraged by how the team did pull together to play for one another in the playoffs.
(Beringer was Minnesota's first-round pick last year and a player the team likes to take a big step forward next season.)
Expect changes, maybe big changes, around that core. Minnesota got an up-close look at where San Antonio is setting the bar in a West where it may not even be the best team. And a conference that still has Luka Doncic with the Lakers and Nikola Jokic with the Nuggets.
Minnesota is a good team, but the next step is the hardest one to take. They are going to try to take that step this summer.
DETROIT, MI - MAY 13: Paul Reed #7 of the Detroit Pistons and Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers go up for the rebound during the game during Round Two Game Five of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 13, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This has been a rollercoaster of a series. The Cavs started poorly, giving away Games 1 and 2 with a combination of untimely turnovers and wilting down the stretch of both contests. Then, they flipped the script in Games 3 and 4. They were the far superior team in nearly every aspect. Superstar performances from both Donovan Mitchell and James Harden helped as well.
Game 5 felt like the signature win of this era of Cavs’ basketball. They battled back from a nine-point deficit in the final three minutes on a night their best player didn’t have it going. The road overtime win showed a level of resiliency we’ve never seen from this group.
Then, Game 6 threw that all away. The Cavs didn’t come with the necessary focus or intensity to get the job done. Throw in a dreadful performance from Mitchell and a great showing from all of Detroit’s role players, and you get a 21-point loss for the Cavs.
Now, everything comes down to this. We’ll see which version of the Cavs show up in Motor City on Sunday.
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Jaylen Brown controls the ball against Tyrese Maxey. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
As heartbreaking as it is to watch a team with legitimate championship aspirations fall in the first round to a rival, there is a silver lining for grieving Celtics fans.
With the extra few weeks, the Celtics can allocate even more time to an area that separates them from the bulk of other NBA teams: player development. OK, maybe it doesn’t remove the pain of the loss entirely, but hey, it’s something.
As they turn the page – with the caveat that some of these players may head elsewhere – here’s one area of improvement for each member of the Celtics this offseason.
Jayson Tatum: full strength
I still find it truly remarkable how fluid, strong and polished Tatum looked given all that transpired. You really felt for the guy when he missed Game 7 and can’t help but wonder what would have happened if he had been out there.
Tatum should use this offseason to ensure he’s 100 percent good to go, feels like himself and is fully comfortable heading into next season. Give him all the credit in the world for responding the way he did, but that chapter of his career is in the past now, and it’s time to fortify the future.
3 YEARS AGO TODAY Jayson Tatum scored the most points ever in a Game 7: 51!
Tatum's Career Highs ▪️ Regular Season (60) ▪️ Playoffs (51) ▪️ All-Star Game (55) ▪️ Play-In Tournament (50) pic.twitter.com/YSxHpu13W8
Brown improved in almost every area, both with the eye test and statistically, and proved he’s more than capable of being “the guy.”
This is nitpicking, because he was so outstanding, but he needs to improve his decision making slightly for the Celtics to take the next step. Sometimes it felt like Brown made up his mind that he was going to shoot and would miss open teammates in the corner.
He averaged 3.6 turnovers per game, which was the fifth most in the NBA. When you account for the fact that Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Cade Cunningham are right above him, it doesn’t look so bad, but it’s still an area worth monitoring. Yes, he has the ball a lot, and yes, turnovers are going to happen, but he can still cut down on them slightly.
Derrick White: consistent shooting
White is one of the most likable Celtics ever, and he still contributes in so many ways when his shot is off, but it’s fair to say his shooting hurt the Celtics last season.
He shot a career-low 39.4 percent from the field and saw his 3-point percentage plummet from 38.4 in 2024-25 to 32.7 last year. One interesting note: Those numbers increased to 47.8 and 42.4 in April. With Tatum back in the mix, White’s scoring numbers went down and his efficiency went up.
While aggressiveness is important, sometimes less is more for White. The most important part is to not overthink it and just play the game. Easier said than done. He’s unquestionably the biggest X-factor on the team with the way the roster is currently constructed.
Payton Pritchard: defensive versatility
The guy really needs to get better at end-of-quarter shooting. He missed one against the Sixers. Inexcusable. But seriously, Pritchard had an excellent season all around. While he has many admirable traits, for me, No. 1 is that he truly makes concrete improvements to his game every year.
You want every player to do that, but the reality is that some do and some don’t. Pritchard legitimately gets better every year. This offseason, the point of emphasis should be defensive versatility. Pritchard is a solid defender, and he plays extremely hard, yet it still feels like teams pick on him in the paint sometimes.
Part of that is just the fact that he’s 6’1, and it is what it is, but there are ways to counteract it: avoid switching in the first place, beat your defender to the spot, gamble at the right moments to get steals. He’s not a liability on that end, however there is still room to grow.
The top 5 guards in Luck Adjusted Offensive RAPM (advanced plus/minus)
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 1.7 2. Cade Cunningham 1.5 3. Sam Merrill 1.3 4. Payton Pritchard 1.3 5. Luka Doncic 1.2
Imagine it. Queta sets a screen at the top of the key, both defenders swarm toward ball-handler Tatum or Brown and the big rotates to clog the paint. Queta simply stops near the free-throw line, catches the over-the-shoulder pass and sticks a mid-range jumper.
He can do it. He really can. No one is asking him to attempt five 3-pointers a game – not yet, anyway – but establishing himself as a legitimate threat to shoot would give the Celtics yet another option and make defenses scramble even more. The fact that Queta has improved so much in the past couple years means he’s capable of adding another trick to his steadily growing repertoire.
Sam Hauser: minimize cold spells
Give Hauser a lot of credit. The Celtics asked him to improve his defense and he did. They asked him to add playmaking to complement his shooting and he did. They asked him to shoot without a conscience and he did.
The next step is to ensure he doesn’t have cold spells throughout the season. It’s easier said than done (trust me, I know all too well), but Hauser is capable. For instance, he shot 27.5 percent from 3 in November, 45.1 percent in January, then 33 percent in March.
Shooting in the high-30s to low-40s consistently, rather than in spurts, goes a long way.
Baylor Scheierman: continue to play with confidence
As a big-time Scheierman believer since his college days, it was very cool to see him come out of his shell and establish himself as a consistent NBA role player.
You could see something shift with him, where he started to realize he truly belonged just played, rather than thinking about how he was playing. The goal now is to do that for an entire season. He deserves to be out there, logging heavy minutes on a talented team, and he needs to continue to believe in himself and his abilities.
Everything we thought we knew about Vucevic was true. Great teammate, great spacer, great veteran … not a great defender.
That’s OK. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. That’s life, and I’m sure he’s worked incredibly hard behind the scenes to become less of a liability on that end. But, the unfortunate reality for both Vucevic and the Celtics is that he truly is a liability on that end. So, how do you compensate for that? With all-out hustle and intensity. That’s not to say he’s not hustling, because he is, but I think becoming a bit more of a maniac on that end would benefit him.
Dive for a loose ball, foul someone with conviction, pound your chest. See what happens.
Jordan Walsh: develop your bag and look to drive
I’ve written about this before, but Walsh has come a long way. He used to think “Should I shoot it? Should I shoot it?” Now, he just shoots it, and it’s been fun to watch his growth.
The next step is to become more of a playmaker. Walsh is long, athletic, versatile and rangy. He’s capable of beating guys off the dribble. It would be fun to see him throw an upfake, accelerate to the rim, spin to his left hand and finish in traffic at the rim, for instance. He can do it.
Luka Garza: defend without fouling
I’m not sure there’s a player on the roster who maximizes each ounce of athleticism in his body more than Garza. Not to say he’s not athletic (he is), but relatively speaking, he’s someone who makes the most of each window he has. That’s an admirable trait.
With that in mind, anything here is trivial, but I would say defending without fouling would help Garza moving forward. He averaged 2.3 fouls per game in 16.2 minutes, which equals out to more than fouling out per 48. Slicing that number to, say, 1.5, would help significantly.
Barring a surprising twist, González isn’t going anywhere and is a key part of the equation in the years to come. He’s already a menace defensively, and improving his offensive crispness would go a long way. He’s still a baby, so it will take some time, but that’s the next step.
Ron Harper Jr.: make yourself indispensable
Harper Jr. is better than I thought he was. That kid is legit. Use the fuel you have of constantly hearing that about how great your brother and dad are and continue to prove you belong. Make it so the Celtics can’t put you in a trade package, and if they keep you, make it so they can’t take you off the floor.
Dalano Banton: showcase your versatility
Banton is a pretty unique player. Not many guys are that tall and find themselves playing point guard when they enter the game. Beat guys off the dribble, back them down, make the extra pass, block shots, get steals and run. Prove you can do it all.
Amari Williams: fine-tune your post moves
Williams is long and athletic and he can disrupt bigs and get them out of a rhythm. I personally would have tried him against Joel Embiid for a few minutes to see what happened (no one else could guard him, so they had nothing to lose). He likely would have roasted him, but it would have been an interesting experiment. Williams is a promising player who should work on his post moves to earn a spot on the floor.
Max Shulga: 3-point shooting
In order to last in the league, Shulga has to prove he can consistently hit the 3-ball. While he’s a solid passer, and a smart player, shooting efficiently is imperative.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 15: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs are 2-0 in elimination games this postseason. The Silver and Black smacked the Minnesota Timberwolves 139-109 in Game 6 to secure a spot in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2017. In a series that felt incredibly close through all six games, the Spurs won three games by 29 points or more. Now they’ll get a chance to play the Oklahoma City Thunder with an NBA Finals appearance on the line.
The Spurs got a full-team effort in the victory. All but one player who logged a minute got a bucket, and six players scored double digits. They were led by Stephon Castle, who had his best game of the playoffs so far. They’ll need similar performances in the next round, where they will be underdogs for the first time this postseason. The Thunder are -260 favorites to win the Western Conference on FanDuel.
Since the Spurs won an elimination game, these player grades will be on a curve. As a quick reminder, player grades are based on each player’s on-court performance, going beyond just the stat sheet. A “B” grade represents the average performance for an individual. If a player logs fewer than 5 minutes or plays only in garbage time, their grade will be incomplete.
Wembanyama didn’t need to carry the weight offensively thanks to the all-around performance of his teammates. Still, he was super efficient, mainly taking shots inside the paint, scoring over the top of the Wolves on lobs or put-backs. He had a good whistle on Friday, as he got to the line 9 times, converting 7 free throws.
Defensively, it was the same story as it has been all series. He took away a lot of looks in the paint, and almost every floater or mid-range jumper outside of it. Minnesota never found any answers for Wemby in this series, and that’s a big part of why the Spurs won it.
This was Fox’s best game of the series. He was in total control from tip-off. He got to his spots with ease and scored at will in the paint. His three-point jumper was finally working. Maybe it was because he was left wide open by the Wolves on most of his three attempts. Got to his spots and hit shots. He continued to be a strong point defensively, funneling Minnesota’s ball-handlers into Wembanyama. This is two straight elimination games where Fox has played well, which is a good sign for San Antonio’s next series.
This might have been the best game of Castle’s playoff career. He set the tone early, scoring 14 first-quarter points. The Wolves came out guarding Castle with Gobert in an effort to get him roaming for blocks on defense. It did not work. Castle still got into the paint when he wanted, and he made Gobert pay for sagging off of him, making 5-for-7 of his three-pointers.
Castle has kind of been the enforcer for the Spurs throughout the playoffs. It’s fitting that he closed it out by enforcing his will on the Wolves.
Champagnie was an eye-popping +35 in this game. His defense off the ball was fantastic, as he got into the passing lanes for steals. He hit devastating shots from three (including one right in front of Alex Rodriguez) and got to the rim for a sweet finish in traffic. Champagnie has been doing exactly what contenders need from their role players – hit shots and defend well.
Vassell hit timely shots as the Spurs were making their large runs in the second and third quarters. It’s great to see some of his threes start to fall after going so cold from deep for most of the playoffs. He should be commended for his efforts guarding Anthony Edwards in this series. That was a very difficult matchup, and he rose to the test. It bodes well for the Spurs, who will likely need him to spend some time guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the WCF.
Harper continues to thrive as a defender. He’s so strong and athletic, and his motor is much higher than a lot of guards his age. Guarding at the point of attack and grabbing contested rebounds were some of the most impactful things he did in this series. On the other end, he is developing into one of the league’s most promising young scorers. He can just finish in the rim in a variety of ways – through contact, over the top of shot blockers, or putting English on the ball to get it around the defense. Harper was fantastic on Friday and is going to be a very special player moving forward.
It wasn’t Johnson’s best night. He was benched after some poor on- and off-ball defense in the second quarter. Teams with athleticism and length are a tough matchup for him. We’ll see if he can turn things around against OKC.
Kornet was excellent at protecting the rim on Friday. He was in the right places positionally and got his hands on enough balls to stop the Wolves from scoring at the basket. He becomes a very important player for the WCF. The Thunder have big, physical centers like Isaiah Hartenstein, who Kornet will need to contend with inside.
Barnes played some fun minutes in the fourth quarter. He knocked down a corner 3 and was active on the glass. He’s largely been out of the rotation in the playoffs. We’ll see if he has a role in the next round against OKC.
Bryant’s energy was incredible off the bench. He was a big part of the second-quarter run that built a big lead. His defensive effort on Edwards was great. He’s so physical, fast, and long that he can really pester opposing guards. He still needs to work on being better positionally, and he can overplay on the ball, but the effort and athleticism make up for those mistakes. He’s going to be a quality player when he puts it all together.
OG Anunoby appears to be ready for the Eastern Conference finals.
For the second straight day, he practiced fully, and while the standout two-way wing wouldn’t guarantee he would be available for Game 1 on Tuesday against either the Cavaliers or the Pistons, it sure sounds that will be the case.
For starters, he is able to sprint.
“Getting better each day,” Anunoby said after Saturday’s practice, which included some full-contact work. “Feel good today.”
OG Anunoby has been working his way back from an injury. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Knicks may have dodged a bullet, unlike two years ago when a hamstring injury sidelined Anunoby early in a second-round series loss to the Pacers.
He injured the hamstring in Game 2 of that series and tried to play in Game 7, but clearly wasn’t healthy. When this injury happened, he didn’t get flashbacks.
“It wasn’t like the previous ones, for sure,” he said. “So, it was better than before. … I never think about the past. Just dealing with it in the moment. It didn’t feel as bad as it had in the past when it happened, so just knowing that, just trying to improve it day-by-day.”
Getting Anunoby back is obviously a major plus for the Knicks, even if they did crush the 76ers by a combined 44 points in the two games that he missed. Both Landry Shamet and Miles McBride played well in his absence. But Anunoby is a difference-maker at both ends of the floor.
At the time of his injury, he was averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks in the playoffs. He was also shooting a sensational 53.8 percent on 4.9 attempts from 3-point range, and the Knicks were outscoring the opposition by 20 points per 100 possessions with him on the court.
“To go through that is not fun during this time of the year, because a lot of things come into play. We’re trying to get to the top of the mountain during this time of the year. You need some luck, you need some skill, you need everybody to be healthy to a certain degree,” coach Mike Brown said. “All that stuff, you want, knock on wood, to be going the right way for you whenever game time comes.”
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby speaking to the media after practice at the Knicks Training facility in Tarrytown, New York on May 16, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
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While much has been made of the Knicks’ extended, nine-day layoff following their sweep of the 76ers, the one major bonus is it has given Anunoby time to get healthy.
He will have had 12 days off by the time Game 1 rolls around on Tuesday.
“He’s been back. He looks good to me,” Mikal Bridges said. “So, I think maybe the crowd, maybe the fans and media worried a little bit more, but I know how OG works and how his body is. I think he’ll be alright.”
Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves ended their playoff run with Friday night’s 139-109 loss to the Spurs.Photograph: Abbie Parr/AP
The Minnesota Timberwolves are out of the NBA playoffs. It’s a miracle it took this long. In their first-round series against the Denver Nuggets, they saw two starters and another key reserve suffer significant injuries. The Nuggets entered the series on a 12-game winning streak and were favored from the jump. After somehow winning that series in six games, finding Denver’s weak points and pummeling them until they broke, the Wolves met an even more daunting opponent in the San Antonio Spurs. Though they’d have been forgiven for tiredly accepting a sweep, the Wolves swiped Game 1 on the Spurs’ home floor, then a close Game 4 at home. After that, the tank finally ran empty. But even in the losses – including Friday night’s in Game 6 – the Wolves found ways to frighten. They’d go down 18-3 and then tie the game by the end of the first quarter. They’d tighten a 29-point deficit to 12 entering half-time. The tenacity and spite they played with was a finite resource, but at times this postseason it was potent enough to convince me otherwise.
The Wolves were not the deepest team in these playoffs, nor the most consistent. They may lie closer to the bottom of those categories than the top. After their elimination, coach Chris Finch and players alike admitted they’d failed to take the regular season seriously enough, failing to set themselves up well for the high-stakes games of April and May. (My old teachers probably shared a similar sense of disappointment in me before finals.) And yet this odd bunch regularly play some of the most soulful basketball in the NBA. Anthony Edwards can take over a game at any time, either by shooting deep threes or acrobatic layups. French albatross Rudy Gobert anchors the defense, which the team plays with astonishing vigor at its best. The best athletes are sometimes so clinical that they produce a rather emotionless watching experience, but certain passages of Timberwolves basketball inspire in me feelings of pure glee.
The Wolves are also mercifully resistant to caring about how others perceive them. A segment from a news conference after Game 2 against Denver played out like a scene from The Office. Edwards chose the phrase “beat that shit” to describe his aspirational rebounding performance, making teammate Julius Randle dissolve into giggles. During the Nuggets series, Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels announced the team’s plan: they would go right at the opposition, attacking the rim, because Denver’s players were “all bad defenders”. McDaniels then proceeded to list several Nuggets, including those who are generally considered good defenders. (Naturally, he wore a black hoodie while delivering this quote, hood up.) At the end of Game 4, McDaniels hit a layup with two seconds left, the Wolves’ lead already safe, which angered the Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić into sprinting down the court to get in McDaniels’s face with a vigor rarely seen in his defensive efforts. McDaniels simply laughed, untroubled by the seething 6ft 11in man-mountain. Then he coolly scored 32 points in Game 6, the best performance of anyone that night, to close out the series.
Nikola Jokic sprints after Jaden McDaniels layup highlights
Even against the Spurs, the Wolves showed their cunning. After losing the opener, the Spurs took the next two games and appeared in full control. “I’m built for this,” an elated Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs’ irreplaceable 7ft 4in dynamo, said of the challenging physicality of the playoffs. “I love this more than anything else.” Just as everyone was talking about Wemby’s implacable calm, his God-given mindset, the Wolves made him snap. In Game 4, McDaniels and Naz Reid picked and poked away at Wemby’s inflatable-bendy-man body until the typically calm Frenchman nailed Reid in the face with a vicious elbow. Wemby was ejected, and in his absence the Wolves secured a narrow win. “Today is Mother’s Day,” Edwards said after the game, his mother having died in 2015. “I couldn’t lose this game for her.” As for Reid, don’t worry about his neck. “Pain is weakness leaving the body,” he declared, to chuckles from his teammates.
It’s a small tragedy that the Wolves almost certainly won’t win a championship without drastic changes to their roster. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who eliminated the Wolves en route to winning the Larry O’Brien last year, are primed to begin a dynasty. The Spurs are young and have almost no playoff experience; they may already be good enough to win the title this year, but they’re still nowhere near their final form. In those transcendent moments when the Wolves are operating with full intensity in sync with one another, they can match those teams. But they can’t do it over the course of a seven-game series. Talk now will turn to trading Randle, who could rarely get his offense going during these playoffs.
Still, the Wolves’ legacy as an occasionally brilliant motley crew who delight in upset victories is a good one. Very few analysts picked them to beat the Nuggets this year, or the Lakers in last year’s playoffs, or the Nuggets the year before that, but the Wolves won all those series. Though they don’t have the silverware to show for it, they’re as responsible for injecting entertainment into the playoffs as any other team. I look forward to furiously defending their honor when NBA fans of the 2040s blame them for not going deeper into the playoffs during this era.
The Wolves’ run ending here is probably for the best. Oklahoma City are waiting in the next round, and since December, it’s been clear that only the Spurs are capable of asking the Thunder potentially unanswerable questions. The entire season has been building towards that dialogue spread over a series, and now we’ll get to see it. I’ll relish those games when they come, but for now, I’m sad I won’t get to watch the playoff Wolves again until next year.
Did someone leak the “script” for the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals?
In a mistake sure to motivate the Pistons and provide fodder for conspiracy theorists who believe sports are fixed, ABC affiliates from Alabama to California, South Carolina and Nebraska aired a commercial promoting the Knicks-Cavaliers conference finals series, according to Awful Announcing.
The only problem is that the Pistons beat the Cavaliers, 115-94, in Game 6 of their conference semifinals series Friday night, setting up a winner-take-all Game 7 at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday.
ABC wants to get you hyped up for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Knicks and the… Cavaliers? pic.twitter.com/YLj9NvDXTA
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 16, 2026
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts after scoring during the first quarter during Game 4 against the 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Pistons are a 4.5-point favorite at FanDuel.
ABC and ESPN will air the entire Eastern Conference finals.
“The Cavs eye another upset,” the commercial began, showing video of the Cavaliers with an advantage over the Pistons, “while the Knicks carry the dreams of all of New York.”
The tease then showed a promo for Cavaliers at Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, when it would have been the standalone game.
All that would have been the case if the Cavaliers had finished off the Pistons in Game 6 at home Friday night, but Detroit rebounded from a tough home overtime loss in Game 5 to force Game 7.
The promo that aired … for a game that won’t happen. @awfulannouncing/XCleveland Cavaliers’ James Harden (1) shoots between Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren (0) and Daniss Jenkins (24) in the second half of Game 6 of a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Friday, May 15, 2026, in Cleveland. AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
Star Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 21 points in a balanced effort, while Donovan Mitchell had a rough night for the Cavaliers with a minus-25 rating despite scoring 18 points.
Instead, the series will start Tuesday night — either with the Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden or with the Knicks visiting the Pistons in a rematch from last year’s first-round series.
So, the network has plenty of time between Sunday night’s Game 7 in Detroit and Tuesday night to promote the correct two teams squaring off without getting button-happy.
It's looking more and more likely that OG Anunoby will be ready to return when the Knicks start the Eastern Conference Finals next week after going through another full round of practice Saturday.
Anunoby, who has missed the final two games of the 76ers series due to a right hamstring injury sustained late in the Knicks' Game 2 win, got through a full practice on consecutive days and told the media afterwards, including the Associated Press' Brian Mahoney, that he feels good.
“It didn’t feel as bad as the past when it happened,” Anunoby said. “So knowing that, just trying to improve it day by day.”
Anunoby isn't a stranger to injuries, but this particular strain seemed less severe from the start. SNY's Ian Begley reported last week that the strain was "minor" and there was optimism Anunoby would be back sooner rather than later.
The Knicks listed Anunoby as questionable for both Game 3 and 4, but the forward's services were not needed as New York handled their business in completing the four-game sweep of the Sixers. Now, with the series between the Cavaliers and Pistons going the distance, wrapping up on Sunday, Anunoby and the Knicks will have until Tuesday before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals begins.
“I think everyone’s excited for the games to start, so just letting the other series play out,” Anunoby said. “So if it was tomorrow — it’s going to be Tuesday now — just be ready whenever it is.”
“He’s been back and he looks good to me,” Mikal Bridges said. “So I think maybe the crowd, maybe the fans and media worried a little bit more, but I know how OG works and how his body is, so I think he’ll be all right.”
Anunoby is averaging 21.4 points in the postseason while shooting 61.9 percent, including 53.8 percent from three-point range. He's also been the team's best defender and overall best player through the first two rounds of the postseason. They'll need Anunoby's production and defense to go up against either Cleveland or Detroit if they hope to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time in almost three decades.
LeBron James should retire from the NBA, according to one Hall of Famer.
But his reasoning has nothing to do with James’ current skillset.
Paul Pierce said James should hang up his sneakers because he believes critics are harsh on him as a 41-year-old in the NBA.
Pierce added the believed some of the NBA’s greatest players in James’ class did not receive the same treatment in the twilight years of their respective careers.
Paul Pierce says he thinks LeBron James should retire:
“Just like for the simple fact that at the age that he still receives the criticism that he still does. The greats wasn’t getting this criticism late. Nobody was criticizing Kobe when he wasn’t going to the playoffs in his… pic.twitter.com/1gzMrMvQwi
“Yeah, I think he should, man,” Pierce said on former Celtics and Nets teammate Kevin Garnett’s “KG: Certified” podcast. “Just like for the simple fact that at the age that he still receives the criticism that he still does. The greats wasn’t getting this criticism late. Nobody was criticizing Kobe [Bryant] when he wasn’t going to the playoffs in his last year. They was just enjoying his moments. Like, the same with [Michael] Jordan in Washington.”
The Lakers’ season ended in the second round of the playoffs earlier this week when they were swept in four games by the defending champion Thunder.
Following the loss, James said he wasn’t sure what his future in the game held.
Sources told The California Post the same message, that James was unsure and had not yet decided what his next steps were.
“Obviously, we’re still fresh from losing — I don’t know what the future holds for me as it stands right now,” James said. ”I got a lot of time. I’ll sit back, like I said last year after we lost to Minnesota, I [will] go back and recalibrate with my family, talk with them and spend some time with them. And then when the time comes, obviously, you guys will know what I decide to do.”
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers slams the ball during the first half at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Brooklyn, NY. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
The four-time league MVP and 22-time All-Star still played at a high level for Los Angeles this year with 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
In the Game 4 loss to OKC, he recorded a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Pierce added that he believes the critics who have harped on any of James’ issues have not put his age into the right perspective.
“For the simple fact that the man is 41, and we still critiquing him like he 25 and should be winning championships still,” Pierce said. “Just the criticism he gets still. He still gets criticism.”
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: The sneakers worn by Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The highlights speak for themselves; if this was any other year Caleb Wilson could very well go #1 overall in the NBA Draft. This year just so happens to be stacked with NBA ready talent. This draft in particular has been touted as a “Big 3” draft between Cam Boozer, AJ Dybantsa, and Darryn Peterson, but I’m here to tell you that Caleb Wilson belongs in that same class.
Wilson dealt with some injury issues during his time at North Carolina but what he displayed in 24 games can’t be denied: nearly 20 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and nearly 3 stock (steals + blocks) a night. His shooting splits aren’t something that will be heralded but what he lacks in 3 point shooting he more than makes up for everywhere else.
What We Know
The NBA Draft Combine was a few days ago and what we know for sure are the measurables:
6’9.25” barefoot
210 lbs
7’ wingspan
9’ standing reach
39.5” max vertical
34.5” standing vertical
11.17 second in the lane agility drill
3.11 seconds in the shuttle run
3.23 second in the 3/4 Court Sprint
All of this information only confirms what we know: he’s a long, athletic, agile PF with huge defensive upside. It seems like there are a lot of pretty easy comparisons that I could make, and it looks like I’m not the only one.
“The bar seems like Kevin Garnett, the ceiling seems more like Giannis.”👀
Now with Kevin Garnett being my favorite player of all-time and THE reason that I even like the NBA at all I would make the argument that Giannis should be the bar and Kevin Garnett should be the ceiling, but I digress. Regardless of which Hall of Fame player you could compare him to, he has all of the tools to potentially live up to the hype. Now I have a personal rule that I’ll never judge a player that’s on his Rookie contract; there’s just so much that goes into evaluating a player that it would be unfair to judge a 22-23 year old and say that he’s capped out as a player. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t see major upside in his potential selection. He also brings the right attitude to the game.
Caleb Wilson:
“I will change your franchise, your culture, your program, your city. I did that at North Carolina.”
Even more than that he seems to show up when the lights are the brightest. In his limited play at UNC he was able to go up against two of the top 3 aforementioned players and he certainly didn’t disappoint.
24 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 9/11 FG against Darryn Peterson and Kansas
23 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 stocks against Cam Boozer and Duke
So, just to recap, we have a kid with a great wingspan, he’s a great athlete, he passes the eye test with his highlight reel, he’s already drawing comparisons to two former MVP and Hall of Fame caliber players, he has a great mentality when it comes to the game of basketball, AND he shows up when it matters most. I guess the only question we have to answer now is this; Why would we draft Caleb Wilson over two of the “Big 3”?
Why We Should
If everything I’ve said so far isn’t reason enough, maybe this will be enough to sway you: he’s by far the most versatile defender in this entire class. He finished his season at UNC with a 97.8 defensive rating, he can guard 1-4, he’s strong enough to hold his own against more bruising players in the league, he’s got the wingspan to alter any shot, and while other people might think that Kevin Garnett is his floor, I’m more of a realist and think that Evan Mobley is his floor, which in case we forgot is a former Defensive Player of the Year.
I understand why people, especially after this playoff series against the Pistons, would be skeptical of drafting an elite defensive prospect who needs some work on the offensive end. I hear you, and I understand you, but Caleb Wilson and Evan Mobley are not the same kind of animal on the offensive side of the ball. Now, I want to be as clear as I can about my position on Evan Mobley. I am in no way saying that averaging 18/9/3.6 and nearly 2 blocks a game is a bad thing, but the way that Evan gets his shots are not the same as the way Wilson does. These two players are fundamentally different.
I’m no psychologist but there’s something between the ears that separates the two. I believe that Evan had “it” at one point but after playing with Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and now James Harden, I think that his drive to be this offensive force has died down quite a bit. I will refer you back to the video at the top of this article and ask you the simple question: does that look like someone who doesn’t have that drive to be a force on both sides of the ball?
Their shot diets are similar, yes, but between his transition game, his faceup game, his catch and shoot ability (despite the percentages), the fact that he shoots 72% at the rim and 44% from midrange (which would be comparable to what Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, and Jamal Murray shoot from that range), AND his shooting mechanics which are as sound as they come, there’s a real chance that Wilson could become a dominant two-way force in this league if given the time to develop.
Speaking of time to develop, I think we could offer that to him here in Utah. After the acquisition of Jaren Jackson Jr. at the trade deadline, our forward/center rotation will be filled with veteran players who are ready to contribute right away. If we were to select Caleb Wilson #2 overall we could give him a chance to develop behind a former Defensive Player of the Year AND a phenomenal rebounder and shot blocker in Walker Kessler (assuming everyone comes back). He wouldn’t need to help us win a championship immediately, and he could be a valuable piece off our bench for the first part of his career. Not to mention the fact that if I know anything about Trader Danny it’s that if he thinks we can get better without someone he won’t hesitate to pick up the phone. Maybe he starts to develop a little more quickly than expected and he’s able to outperform Jaren Jackson Jr. We could get younger in the process, insert a defensive demon in his place, and potentially get even more draft capital in return without missing a beat. If that doesn’t sound like a Danny Ainge masterplan, I don’t know what does.
Why We Shouldn’t
Having that impressive frontcourt I just mentioned does complicate things a little bit. I’m not one that believes we need to draft for fit this high in the draft, but the more natural selection we would make would be either Darryn Peterson or AJ Dybantsa; whoever is available at the time. A Keyonte George/Darryn Peterson backcourt is enough to make my mouth water, and we could very easily slide Ace Bailey in at the shooting guard slot and run AJ Dybantsa at the 3. Drafting a player like Caleb Wilson at No. 2 when we already have JJJ and Walker Kessler on the roster wouldn’t exactly be maximizing our roster, and after the years of strategically tanking it seems like we’re ready to make a playoff push, and I think that Peterson or Dybantsa would help us more in that effort.
Something else that will be in question is his three point shooting ability. We’ve seen players be successful in the league without really making 3’s, but it is now becoming more and more of a requirement to be able to stretch the floor. There are rare exceptions, like what we’re seeing in Detroit with Ausar Thompson. Suffice it to say he is NOT a threat from deep (25% this year on VERY limited volume), but he’s able to be impactful on offense by living in the dunkers spot, slashing towards the rim, and getting active on the offensive glass. His athleticism helps him in that effort, and while I think that Caleb Wilson is indeed a great athlete, he’s not a 0.1% athlete like Ausar is. Wilson will be a good athlete in the NBA but he will undoubtedly need to add dimensions to his game if he wants to be great in this league, and without solid proof (other than open gym shooting drill videos) there is some level of skepticism to have about his offensive game.
If you couldn’t tell by this 1500 word article, I do think that Caleb Wilson will be great in this league for a long time, there is a part of me that isn’t sure that he’ll be great in this league while in Utah. I did an instant reaction mock draft after the Draft Lottery order was announced, and I have him slated to go No. 4 overall to the Chicago Bulls. That has not changed in the past week, and unless there is some MASSIVE news that drops between now and the NBA Draft, I don’t expect that to change. I still think that we’ll end up taking either Peterson or Dybantsa, but if we did select Wilson I certainly wouldn’t mind.
Who do you think we’ll take in the NBA Draft? Do you want Peterson, Dybantsa, or someone else entirely? Sound off in the comments!
As it is by now no secret, I enjoy watching Steven Adams play (also, his dog is cute) but that will not spare him from this article. With his production and injury, Adams, in retrospect, turned out to be one of the most important players for the Rockets this season, but unfortunately, on January 18, he suffered an ankle injury, and just 10 days later, it was announced that he would miss the entire season after surgery. After his injury, the Rockets were left with only Jeff Green and Clint Capela in the backup center’s arsenal.
In the offensive department, he enabled the Rockets, especially in offensive rebounding, since, outside of Kevin Durant, most of the players struggled with shooting, and sometimes it turned out that the best offensive play was to hope that the balls were repelled and the rebound was returned by Adams to another Rocket. As a result of all this, according to StatMuse, the Rockets had a strong net rating with their old man in the lineup. However, their great achievement also extended beyond the box score, as he was able to create second chance opportunities with elite offensive rebounding, protect the paint and be the tough guy on the court, which are not awlays fully calculated in a score.
Defensively, Adams helped make the game easier for Houston’s younger players. He played quarterback on the floor, always talking coverages and getting teammates in the right places. His ability to protect the post without having a ton of help defense gave Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. the freedom to play more aggressively on the perimeter. That defense was a huge reason Houston ascended the standings early in the year.
Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of Adams’ season was his chemistry with Alperen Sengun. On paper, many fans and media members wondered if two classic big men could prosper together in today’s NBA. The pairing often worked because the two players complemented each other’s skill sets. Adams focused on rebounding, screening and interior defense, while Şengün handled playmaking and scoring. The “double big” lineups in Houston physically wore out smaller teams and helped dictate the tempo of games. Houston was able to run some double big lineups with Clint Capela and Sengun, but those lineups were not as effective since truly nobody could replace Big Kiwi.
If you were to ask me for a grade for Adams’s season I would either lean a C, or incomplete since we only saw Adams be avalaible for 40 of the 82 games during the regular season. It was clear Houston missed him when he was off the court, but Adams needs to work on staying healthy, as the ankle is his second season injury in the past five years.
Houston Rockets post season reviews will continue on with Fred Vanvleet and Reed Sheppard, so be sure to check pack at The Dream Shake for most season reviews.
The home team won the first four games of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, but the road team prevailed in Games 5 and 6.
I’m calling for the home team — and its much-criticized center — to deliver a victory in front of the Detroit faithful on Sunday, and my Cavaliers vs. Pistons predictions are backing Jalen Duren and Co. to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Here are my best NBA picks for Sunday’s win-or-go-home showdown on May 17.
Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7 prediction
Cavaliers vs Pistons best bet: Jalen Duren Over 21.5 points + rebounds + assists (-115)
Who doesn’t love a good redemption story?
After getting benched for the entire fourth quarter and overtime of the Detroit Pistons narrow Game 5 loss, Jalen Duren responded with 15 points and 11 rebounds in Game 6.
The Cleveland Cavaliers' interior defense has been exploitable on the road in these playoffs, sporting the second-lowest defensive rebound percentage (63.5).
Among players with at least 30 minutes per game this postseason, Duren ranks fourth in offensive rebounds (3.7) and second in offensive rebound percentage (12.4).
COVERS INTEL:Jalen Duren has averaged 4.7 free throws at home compared to just 1.8 on the road this postseason. The Pistons are 6-2 in the postseason when he’s attempted at least four free throws.
Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7 same-game parlay
Cade Cunningham has dished 9+ dimes in four of seven home games, and the Pistons are 3-1 in those contests.
Cunningham ranks third in potential assists (15) this postseason. His team has also shot more efficiently at home, which should lead to a bump in helpers.
The Pistons nearly won Game 5 before dominating in Game 6, and they’ve got momentum on their side. Detroit is 5-2 straight up at home this postseason with an 8.1 Net Rating, and Cleveland is just 1-5 on the road with a -8.2 Net Rating.
Over/Under: Over 205.5 (-110) | Under 205.5 (-110)
Cavaliers vs Pistons betting trend to know
Detroit has hit the 2H moneyline in 32 of its last 45 games (+12.22 Units / 14% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Pistons.
How to watch Cavaliers vs Pistons Game 7
Location
Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI
Date
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
Prime Video
Cavaliers vs Pistons latest injuries
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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 20: Andre Drummond #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Xfinity Mobile Arena on January 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Arwen Clemans/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve arrived at the final stop on our tour through the unrestricted free agent market this offseason. There are plenty of names available, still, not every positional need has to be addressed by the Phoenix Suns. You could argue the primary focus should be power forward and center if Phoenix decides to use unrestricted free agency to supplement the roster.
It’s an interesting spot the Suns find themselves in. Over the past few years, unrestricted free agency has been one of the primary ways they’ve filled out the roster. With the current emphasis on continuity and development, that approach might shift a bit this summer.
Major roster decisions are looming, and one of the biggest centers on fifth-year center Mark Williams. His restricted free agency situation could end up being one of the defining decisions of the offseason, as his qualifying offer is $9.6 million. It’s a great deal for the Suns, but it does come with repercussions in the larger picture of cap gynastics and tax implications.
If Phoenix prioritizes bringing Williams back alongside guards Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin, that money starts pushing the Suns back into luxury tax territory. More importantly, repeater tax territory. You become a repeater tax team once you’re over the tax in three out of four seasons. Even though Phoenix dipped below it this past year, when you’ve carried the highest payroll in NBA history across multiple seasons, you’re operating in dangerous financial territory regardless.
That’s the balancing act facing this front office. Do you go back into the luxury tax knowing the repeater penalties become even harsher, or do you start reshaping parts of the roster in an effort to avoid it?
As John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports recently noted, there are really three paths the Phoenix Suns can take with Mark Williams.
3 options for Mark. 1. They do like him and if they can get him on a good contract (which is what we have always said) they will have him back. 2. If his price is too high then sign and trade is an option. 3. Can just let him walk and rely more on Maluach next season. Those are… https://t.co/D1lSyALdC5
Option one: bring him back on something around that $9.6 million qualifying offer, depending on where the market settles. Option two: execute a sign and trade if another team values him higher than Phoenix does. Option three: simply let him walk.
That third option is what makes this conversation interesting.
If the Suns decide to move on from Williams, and the organizational focus shifts toward accelerating the development timeline of second-year lottery pick Khaman Maluach, there are veteran names available in unrestricted free agency that could probably be added on minimum deals to provide depth at center.
And those names are?
Player
Age
YOE
Prev Team
Prev AAV
Type
Nikola Vucevic
35.5
14
BOS
$20,000,000
UFA / Bird
Jusuf Nurkic
31.7
11
UTA
$17,500,000
UFA / Bird
Zach Collins
28.4
8
CHI
$17,410,848
UFA / Bird
Mitchell Robinson
28.1
7
NYK
$15,000,000
UFA / Bird
Robert Williams III
28.5
7
POR
$12,000,000
UFA / Bird
Moritz Wagner
29
7
ORL
$11,000,000
UFA / Bird
Andre Drummond
32.8
13
PHI
$5,000,000
UFA / Early Bird
Nick Richards
28.4
5
CHI
$5,000,000
UFA / Bird
Kevin Love
37.7
17
UTA
$4,000,000
UFA / Bird
Dwight Powell
34.8
11
DAL
$4,000,000
UFA / Bird
Bismack Biyombo
33.7
14
SAS
$3,634,153
UFA / Early Bird
DeAndre Jordan
37.8
17
NOP
$3,571,495
UFA / Non-Bird
Jaxson Hayes
25.9
6
LAL
$3,449,323
UFA / Bird
Thomas Bryant
28.8
8
CLE
$3,287,409
UFA / Non-Bird
Drew Eubanks
29.2
7
SAC
$3,080,921
UFA / Non-Bird
Jock Landale
30.5
4
ATL
$2,461,463
UFA / Non-Bird
Xavier Tillman
27.3
5
CHA
$2,392,183
UFA / Bird
Mason Plumlee
36.2
12
SAS
$939,867
UFA / Non-Bird
Tony Bradley
28.3
7
ATL
$17,706
UFA / Non-Bird
Charles Bassey
25.5
4
GSW
$14,146
UFA / Non-Bird
Again, if the Phoenix Suns bring back Mark Williams, then none of these names really matter. If Phoenix lets him walk in unrestricted free agency, or signs and trades him in an effort to recoup draft capital or another player on a cheaper contract who fills a positional need, then this list becomes more interesting. At that point, you’re looking for depth behind Khaman Maluach.
The name that jumps off the page for me is Andre Drummond. Yes, the Philadelphia 76ers hold Early Bird rights on him, still, we saw flashes this postseason of what he can still provide. He’ll be 33 when next season starts. He’s not someone I’d want starting 82 games. As a depth piece though, I’ve always found Drummond intriguing.
Another option would be Thomas Bryant, who has barely seen the floor during the postseason for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Again, strictly through the lens of depth, he’s not a terrible backup center option. Then, of course, there is always Nick Richards…
And don’t hate me for this one, I wouldn’t mind seeing Jock Landale back in Phoenix. Yes, he’s undersized for the position. If he’s your backup center, you know exactly what you’re getting. Energy. Physicality. Chaos in the best possible way. But you are also undersized, which is practically the franchise’s tagline for its puny history.
So let’s play the hypothetical out. The Suns decide they want to avoid becoming a repeater tax team next season, which leads to them moving on from Mark Williams. Looking at this list, who interests you? Is there someone you’d want as a starter? Or are you fully committed to giving Maluach the runway and simply looking for depth behind him?
Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy already have admitted Golden State must get younger entering next season, after their previous campaign was marred by inconsistent player availability.
However, the Warriors also have shown interest in bringing back several veterans, including Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford, who will be 31 and 40 years old, respectively, by the start of the 2026-27 NBA season. Both Kerr and Dunleavy were asked Friday about what’s ahead for both big men.
“Yeah, those are guys that we definitely would love to have back,” Dunleavy told reporters. “They had some really good performances for this year with us. They add an element to our team that we haven’t had in the past. Al specifically with his size, his shooting, his leadership. KP is just a unique, unique player on both ends of the court. I think for us to have that talent back is something we want.
“And so those guys — you know, Al has an option. I think frankly his option is two-fold: One, do you want to keep playing? Two, do you want to be back with the Warriors? Then KP is unrestricted, so we’ll start having the conversations to try and get him back in the fold, but we like what we’ve seen from him. I think next year could be a more healthy, productive year for him.”
As Dunleavy mentioned, Horford has a player option for next season at just under $6 million, though retirement still appears to be on the table for the 19-year NBA veteran. Porziņģis, meanwhile, is an unrestricted free agent, but his injury history remains a question mark.
While the general manager underscored the on-court fit of the skilled centers, Kerr said both players enjoyed their first seasons with Golden State.
“I had an exit meeting with Al a couple of days after the season ended,” Kerr detailed. “Obviously we want him back. It’s his option with the player option. I know he really enjoys it here. I know his family loves it here. I’m hoping he’s back.
“Kristaps, actually we did not have an exit meeting. I gave him a pass on the exit meeting because he had to fly somewhere, like, the next day after our season ended. I do that frequently with veteran players. There’s only so much you need to discuss. He’s obviously unrestricted. I’d love to have him back. I know he enjoyed it here, and he’s a really talented player. I thought showed an awful lot for our team. I’d love to have them both back, but we have to see how it plays out.”
Horford and Porziņģis obviously both fill an important need for the Warriors with their size and versatility. But they also combined to play in just 77 total games last season, which fits a broader, concerning trend on the roster.
So — especially if Horford doesn’t pick up his player option — it will be interesting to see how Dunleavy and the Golden State front office moves forward in the frontcourt.
COVERS INTEL: