Category: NBA

The most infamous moment in LeBron James’ career remains “The Decision,” in which the then-25-year-old turned picking a new team into an overblown one-hour TV special that will never be repeated. Now, we’re getting the modern equivalent of it — and it’s sad as hell.

Rather than just picking a team and moving on, the entire LeBron courtship has turned into fuel for Rich Paul’s podcast, and that fire was given more oxygen on Tuesday when Sixers president Bob Myers went on the show to make a public pitch to LeBron, rather than talking to him in private.

It’s one thing to watch the greatest basketball player on the planet self-produce his own free agency broadcast, but it’s on a whole other level to see an NBA executive fawn over LeBron like the contestant on a dating show. It’s all so sad, and so transparent — because Rob Myers doesn’t give a rat’s ass about Rich Paul’s podcast, but understands it’s the cost of doing business when it comes to trying to land LeBron.

Frustrating, execs like Myers understand that James legitimately does give them a better chance of winning. At this point in his career the 41-year-old has become the ultimate glue guy who can functionally fit into any lineup and be a factor, which is an incredible proposition for a team like the Sixers who now have Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — but critically miss the connective piece that could really push them over the top.

Now we need to wait and see if any other NBA general managers follow suit. Will more line up to appear next to Rich Paul and make their pitch? I hope not, but in this era … yeah, it’s going to happen.

The NBA Rookie of the Year award is a rare honor for a prospect whose game translates immediately to winning play at the pro level. Development is rarely linear, and blue-chip athletes can have a leg up in the rookies’ first time playing through an extended NBA season. The past nine ROY winners have all been top-four draft picks, with Malcolm Brogdon the rare exception after playing lead ball handler for a Bucks team making a leap around Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

Narratives will also cycle through favorites as players get hot and teams go on runs. Kon Knueppel seemed to run away with the award last year as an immediate three-point specialist with movement skills in Charlotte, but Cooper Flagg’s steady growth into his larger role in Dallas made him inevitable after back-to-back 51- and 45-point outings in April. 

FanDuel’s odds on the NBA Rookie of the Year award voting show a few top draft picks who’ve landed in ideal roles for their current and developing skill sets. These are also the players most likely to be crashing the playoffs with breakout performances sooner than later.

Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies (+250)

Cameron Boozer was rated as the top prospect by many entering the draft, and he’s joining a Memphis lineup that is set up to thrive around him. Zach Edey provides supplementary size; and Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward earned ROY votes the past two seasons, and could help Boozer accelerate Memphis’ timeline back to competitiveness. 

Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz (+270)

Darryn Peterson’s uneven season in Kansas and subsequent fall to Utah with the No. 2 draft pick might have been for the best long-term. Some analysts note that last season’s physical limitations led Peterson to become a lethal shooter and more accustomed to operating as part of a system. The Jazz are embarking on a new phase of their rebuild, and Peterson profiles as an ideal fit alongside Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markannen, and Jaren Jackson Jr. (and Walker Kessler). 

AJ Dybantsa, Washington Wizards (+470)

The Wizards are another team rolling out a re-imagined roster, and AJ Dybantsa will have a chance to thrive playing alongside Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Washington also has a trove of young guards who can help create space for Dybantsa to operate, and he could easily lead all rookies in scoring and separate himself as the league’s best newcomer.

Darius Acuff Jr., Sacramento Kings (+500)

Acuff Jr. is an alpha guard who landed on a team in need of one. He’ll be more than just a spiritual successor to Russell Westbrook after falling to Sacramento with the seventh pick, but Acuff showcased a soft touch and finesse around the rim during his season with Coach John Calipari in Arkansas. He’ll be surrounded by a couple All-Star caliber talents in Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis with a long leash to compete and develop.

Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls (+1000)

Wilson combines rare athleticism with high marks in IQ and professionalism, and he’s joining a Bulls team that can make things easier for him – particularly running alongside Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. The UNC product has already invoked comparisons to Michael Jordan, and (especially after the renaissance season that the Knicks just finished) the hype in Chicago will be generating steam if Wilson can be an impactful force at the core.

Longshots

Mikel Brown Jr., Brooklyn Nets (+2000)

The Nets have a crowded backcourt after drafting four guards in 2025, but Mikel Brown Jr. showed impressive playmaking and bounce off the dribble that could gel well alongside new teammates Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. 

Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State Warriors (+2500)

Lendenborg is a do-it-all, two-way forward for a Golden State team hoping to assemble another title contender around Steph Curry. The 23-year-old rookie could earn starter’s minutes for a team that will attract a lot of media attention.

Keaton Wagler, Los Angeles Clippers (+3500)

Wagler’s rapid ascent from the No. 150 recruit to the No. 5 pick means there are still areas of his game that are less explored (or exploited). He’ll start his career playing alongside Darius Garland, though the rest of the lineup could still get shaken up with a potential Kawhi Leonard trade.

Brayden Burries, Milwaukee Bucks (+6000)

Coach Taylor Jenkins will have a lot to sort out as the new-look Bucks take the court, and Burries is the centerpiece of the team’s first draft post-Giannis. Burries projects to have an immediate and well-rounded impact, with the opportunity to emerge as a leading scorer like he did in his one season at Arizona.

Well, if you were hoping for a resolution in the LeBron James sweepstakes, it doesn’t appear you’re getting it soon.

But if you’re holding out hope The King eventually chooses to play for the Sixers, you were provided a glimmer of hope Wednesday morning.

Bob Myers, who is the president of sports for HBSE and hired president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, was a guest on Rich Paul’s show Game Over on Netflix. The two have an existing friendship, Paul noted, surely crossing paths many times over their respective careers.

First, we have to get out of the way that this is unprecedented — a current executive (I know not technically a direct executive) talking to a current agent openly about a player for the world to see. On some levels, it’s cool for them to be this transparent, but it’s also a little strange.

You have to give Myers credit here. When Paul asked him to do this, he likely didn’t hesitate. This by no means is an indicator LeBron is coming here and it ultimately might not help — but it certainly doesn’t hurt. Myers acquitted himself well on there, making the Sixers look serious about their pitch to LeBron without being condescending to Paul or the audience.

It felt like host Max Kellerman was hoping to turn this into a recruitment circus and Myers never took the bait. He just kept reiterating he believed the Sixers gave LeBron his chance to win while continuing to make it clear James has already weighed these things and nothing Myers is going to say on this show is going to be the thing that sways the decision. Myers repeatedly complimented LeBron’s knowledge of the league and its players — again, couldn’t hurt.

Myers also took a question about newest Sixer Jaylen Brown, in which he reminded everyone a crucial member of his championship Golden State Warriors wasn’t an analytics darling: Klay Thompson.

Again, Myers deserves respect for doing this and acquitting himself well. He made the Sixers sound like a serious organization that’s ready to win. It was refreshing.

This, of course, comes on the heels of ESPN’s Shams Charania essentially narrowing James’ list down to three teams: the Sixers, Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.

This whole saga has given me Godfather III vibes.

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.

Minnesota Timberwolves basketball is back!

Sure, you won’t be seeing LaMelo (or LeBron) in action. It’s going to be a handful of games from last year and this year’s rookies, but let’s not kid yourself. You’ve been starved for our Wolves basketball. If you’re reading this or are a regular at Canis Hoopus, then you’re surely the demographic for Summer League action.

As a prize for clicking here, I pronounce to you:

The Ultimate 2026 Wolves Summer League Companion!

We’re here to get you up to date on all things Las Vegas Summer League so you can keep this virtual program handy when tuning in. When and how do I watch the next game? Who’s that tall guy starting next to Rocco Zikarsky? Who’s number 15 and why isn’t he on an NBA roster right now? Ever heard of Al Ahly Ly?

You will have all the fun facts that you can casually drop to impress your friends, family, and significant others.

Table of Contents

1. Summer League Schedule
2. Full Roster Breakdown
   • Tier 1 – Roster Relevant Guys
     • Joan Beringer (F/C) | Rocco Zikarsky (C) | Isaiah Evans (G)
   • Tier 2 – Potential Two-Way Prospects
     • Zyon Pullin (G) | Enrique Freeman (F) | Trey Kaufman-Renn (F)
   • Tier 3 – G-League Journeymen
     • Nate Santos (W) | Dajuan Harris (G)
     • Damion Baugh (G) | Donovan Williams (W) | Jaylin Williams (F) | Chris Mantis (F)
   • Tier 4 – Undrafted Dreamers
     • Trey Campbell (G) | Aidan Mahaney (G) | Toby Harris (F) | Devin McGlockton (F)
3. Storylines to Watch
   • Big is In
   • Calling All Forwards
   • Shoot Your Shot

Summer League Schedule

If this is your first rodeo, then let me explain the format of Las Vegas Summer League to you.

Every team plays four pre-determined games to determine who the top four teams are. The top four are generally determined by win-loss record and point differentials (tiebreakers may come into play). These teams then move on to a single-elimination tournament to crown a champion. The teams that miss out on the bracket will get a fifth and final exhibition game.

For your information, it’s not uncommon for high lottery picks or important rotation players to play just a few of the games early in the schedule before being shut down to avoid potential injury.

The Wolves opening schedule is as follows:

• Game 1: Thursday, July 9 @ 2:30pm CT vs New Orleans Pelicans (Prime)
• Game 2: Saturday, July 11 @ 6:30pm CT vs Denver Nuggets (Prime)
• Game 3: Tuesday, July 13 @ 10:00pm CT vs Portland Trail Blazers (ESPN2)
• Game 4: Wednesday, July 15 @ 2:30pm CT vs Indiana Pacers (Prime)
• Game 5: TBD
• Game 6: TBD

You might be asking yourselves: Has Minnesota ever “won it all” before? The answers is no. They went 4-0 last year, but just barely missed out on the “championship bracket” due to point differential. However, I detailed just how close they’ve gotten in last year’s summer league preview:

The Timberwolves have made it to the finals twice, but fallen just short. In 2016, Tyus Jones lost to the Chicago Bulls thanks to a Denzel Valentine buzzer beater in overtime. Then in 2019, Naz Reid and Jordan McLaughlin nearly overcame a 10-point deficit with less than two minutes left, but fell to the Memphis Grizzlies by just three points.

As usual, the Canis Hoopus team will have previews, game threads, and recaps for all you sickos.

Wolves Roster Breakdown

The initial Wolves Summer League roster rollout is incomplete due to the pending Julius Randle, Naz Reid, LaMelo Ball traffic jam of a trade. Currently omitted on this roster is the 33rd pick of the 2026 NBA draft, Isaiah Evans. By all accounts, Evans will be present and active as Vegas.

Last year, two-thirds of Minnesota’s roster consisted of former Iowa Wolves players. This time, less than half of team are former Iowa players. There’ll be a good mix of fresh faces which is always fun to see. Who’s going to be the next Coty Clarke or Deonte Burton (Real ones know)?

The Wolves Summer League Head Coach will be Nathan Bubes, a current Wolves assistant coach. He’ll be flanked by a team of assistant coaches such as James “Flight” White, Iowa Wolves head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah, and others.

Interestingly enough, the Wolves listed Đorđe Adžić as a “guest coach.” Adžić was an assistant coach for KK Cedevita Olimpija during Joan Beringer time overseas.

Tier 1: Roster Relevant Guys

Joan Beringer (F/C)

Glass ceiling comp: Ultimate Giannis Antetokounmpo
Boring mezzanine comp: Fast Jarrett Allen
Dark basement comp: Tall Bismack Biyombo

The Big Question: Can he stay on the floor by staying out of foul trouble?

Your eyes do not deceive you. That “F” next to Beringer’s name stands for “forward.”

Coach Bubes made some waves when he declared that Joan Beringer would “play some at the four” next to fellow seven-footer, Rocco Zikarsky. Given Minnesota’s the King-sized hole at that position, there were plenty of eyebrows that were raised here. However, Zikarsky has quite a bit more floor spacing capabilities than someone like Rudy Gobert so is this just a fun summer experiment?

The other note that drew attention was the 19-year-old’s listed weight. A year ago, he was listed at 230 pounds. This year, that has increased by 15. It’s only natural to expect a teenager, who’s hardly played professional sports, to bulk up in due time. It was obvious in his sparing rookie opportunities that he lacked the girth to battle with bigger bodies in the paint. Will his new found strength be on display in his second summer league campaign?

There’s also been murmurs of the Frenchman working on his perimeter touch and off-the-dribble skills. It will be very intriguing to see how much truth there is to that, but regardless, he will be the primary player Wolves fans will be watching. You can already tell that year two Joan seems far more comfortable than he was in year one.

Rocco Zikarsky (C)

Glass ceiling comp: Healthy Kristaps Porziņģis
Boring mezzanine comp: Less athletic Jay Huff
Dark basement comp: Shorter Tacko Fall

The Big Question: Can physically keep up with the speed of the game?

Our favorite giant Australian joins the Wolves for his second summer league experience after spending most of last season with the Iowa Wolves. In his 42 games in the G League, he averaged 14.8 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in just 25.1 minutes per game. The per 36 numbers go crazy.

One of the most interesting aspects about Rocco, other than the fact that he was the tallest player (7’4”) of his draft class despite being just 19 years old, was his potential to spread the floor. The Aussie shot 45.5% from perimeter on nearly two attempts per game in his first 18 games with Iowa. That tailed off significantly as his season progressed, including a ghastly 0 for 15 mark in February. There’s still something there to find out, though.

Zikarsky’s rim protection is obvious. He has tantalizing passing potential, despite some accuracy issues. He’s going to have to prove he can play at an acceptable speed due to his lumbering gait. He turns just 20 on the Wolves second summer league game this season, so hopefully Rocco will ball out on his birthday.

Isaiah Evans (G)

Glass ceiling comp: Young Trey Murphy III
Boring mezzanine comp: Lankier Tim Hardaway Jr.
Dark basement comp: Cool Matt Ryan

The Big Question: Can he be passable on the defensive end of the floor?

Though Isaiah Evans isn’t currently listed on the summer league roster, he is expected to be present once the trade is processed. That said, it’s not often you would give a rookie who was the 33rd pick a chance to crack the rotation of a playoff team. It’s even less likely when you consider how deep that team already is at their position. But Isaiah Evans finds himself in this tier because of an elite skill that he is.

“Showtime Slim” can shoot the leather off the ball.

By many advanced metrics, Evans measured in as one of the best movement shooters of his draft class. He’s built like Corey Brewer which teases at his potential on both ends of the court, but as of now, he seems to mostly be a specialist.

Evans was a five-star recruit out of high school from North Carolina, then had to play behind Kon Knueppel during his first year at Duke. He grinded at getting better on the defensive end of the court, helping him secure a larger role in his second and final year of college, averaging 15 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.7 three-pointers made for an Elite Eight team.

Isaiah will need to demonstrate he can be more than just a one-dimensional offensive player, but more importantly, prove that he can hang on the defensive side of the floor this summer. If he wants to earn scrap minutes for the Timberwolves, he’ll need to understand the assignment.

Tier 2: Potential Two-Way Prospects

Zyon Pullin (G)

Glass ceiling comp: Explosive Ajay Mitchell
Boring mezzanine comp: Offensively skewed Tre Jones
Dark basement comp: Devin Carter

The Big Question: Can he prove himself to be a primary point guard and organize the team?

Let’s not pull any punches about this. Zyon Pullin was one of the most dominant players in the G League last season. Had he not suffered a wrist injury that forced him out of action for a couple of months, he surely would’ve won more than just one Player of the Month award. Hell, in his first week back from a long absence, he won Player of the Week. If Pullin was healthy all season, Iowa would’ve been in significantly better playoff position instead of dropping down to face the finals-bound Stockton Kings in the first round.

He’s 25 years old. Stands at six foot four inches tall, with a strong 206 pound build. Posted unbelievable shooting splits of .584/.534/.824. Has an elite 2.86 assist-to-turnover ratio. Possesses an incredible first step. Uses masterful craft to draw contact or finish in the paint. Wields a deadly, if not low volume, trey ball.

So why is Zyon here?

Coach Bubes shared that he wants to see if Zyon can develop into a true point guard. Yes, he’s a reliably capable ball mover, but he more often opts to call his own number. Pullin is plenty good at that, but what else can he bring? I’m a big believer in him.

I think Zyon’s primed for a special summer league performance, especially after he inexplicably played his worst game of his G League season in a win-or-go home playoff game against the Kings two months ago.

Enrique Freeman (F)

Glass ceiling comp: Poor man’s Paul Millsap
Boring mezzanine comp: Slimmer Jared Sullinger
Dark basement comp: Poor man’s Craig Smith

The Big Question: Can he truly space the floor consistently?

Enrique Freeman is an interesting prospect, to say the least. The six foot, nine inch forward has nights where you can clearly see the vision and path for him to be an NBA player. On other nights, he looks destined to be a G League journeyman.

So what does it look like when it’s going well for the Puerto Rican-American?

Enrique is a high motor, physical big. He’ll always hustle for loose balls and hit the glass hard. But when it’s his night, the three-pointers are splashing in. He can operate as an offensive hub who can coordinate things from the high post. His athleticism will pop for some wild defensive plays.

But on nights the soon-to-be 26 year old isn’t on? Freeman quickly becomes one of the most frustrating players to watch on the floor. Low IQ decision making on both ends of the floor. It often made me want to tear my hair out.

He most recently signed a new two-way contract with the Timberwolves, but those contracts can quickly be pulled and replaced at a moment’s notice. Enrique has to show consistency in what may be his last attempt to make a standard NBA roster. He ended his final two months of his G League season shooting 38% from distance and 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio which may be good foreshadowing.

Trey Kaufman-Renn (F)

Glass ceiling comp: David Lee with a more unique name
Boring mezzanine comp: Less athletic, offensively-skewed Brandon Clarke
Dark basement comp: Short Kosta Koufos

The Big Question: Can he do anything other than score around the rim?

I want to call Trey “Crab Man” because he said he spent draft night crabbing with his family members instead of celebrating achieving his childhood dream. Or maybe “The Philosopher” since he was a Philosophy major in college, and how he cites that he uses it to guide himself as a teammate. It’s little things like this that intrigue me about a player I did not know existed until 24 days ago.

After the initial scan of draft expert analyses and some highlight videos, he seems like a curious player in today’s NBA game. TKR doesn’t seem capable of scoring outside the paint, isn’t an outstanding playmaker, and is undersized without elite athleticism. So what did Tim Connelly and his team see in him?

The NCAA West All-Region Team honoree was uber productive once Zach Edey left for the NBA, averaging 17.1 points on 58% shooting between his final two seasons at Purdue. He was also tasked with more decision-making responsibilities, often operating at the nail with success.

The way Trey finishes on offense reminds me a lot of the late, great, Brandon Clarke. Yes, the man who dominated the Wolves in the 2022 playoffs. TK isn’t the high flyer that BC was, but he will position himself in the right spots and dink and dunk you to death. He constantly punishes smaller or low effort/concentration defenders.

Trey’s inclusion in this tier is more out of speculation than actual fact though. The Wolves still have a hole at the power forward position and the front office drafted a power forward. I find it unlikely that he can overtake someone like Enrique Freeman or Zyon Pullin for a two-way spot, but it’s also not impossible that he magically turns into Kevin Love. By all accounts, he’s a hard worker and always rises to the level of competition.

He literally performed so well in the G League Combine in May that they invited him to the NBA Draft Combine.

Tier 3: G-League Journeymen

Nate Santos (W) | Dajuan Harris (G)

The only two non-Wolves roster or two-way Iowa players on this roster are Nate Santos and Dajuan Harris. They’re fairly simple players to understand on the court.

Santos is is your prototypical 3&D utility wing. He was one of the designated perimeter shooters for Iowa, though he wasn’t particularly reliable in that role. From November to March, he vacillated from distance every month. Nate would shoot low 30% or worse, then bounce back to high 30% or better. The 24 year old landed at a respectable 36.3% on decent volume. The Puerto Rican-American does stand at six foot, seven inches tall and wasn’t terrible as a slasher. I would comp him as a Kelan Martin type.

Meanwhile, Dajuan Harris is your small, feisty, “live in your jersey” defensive menace. He’s a ball mover on offense and not much of a play finisher, and certainly not a shooter. Think Rajon Rondo archetype. The former Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year was often subbed in to inject energy into the lineup, often spurring positive runs for Iowa. He’s 25 years of age and seems destined for a career in the G or overseas.

Damion Baugh (G) | Donovan Williams (W) | Jaylin Williams (F) | Chris Mantis (W)

Just like most other teams do, the Wolves added some G League rotation players to their summer league team. Most of these guys will likely be used as practice bodies, but are also auditioning for their next roles. It could be for Iowa, another G League team, or even abroad.

Damion Baugh is the only guard of this bunch. He was by-and-large the best player for the Valley Suns, leading them in scoring. He wasn’t particularly efficient (.486 eFG%), but did excel as a playmaker. The six foot, four inch guard averaged 8.0 assists per game which was good for 10th in the entire G League. Damion was also selected to take part in the NBA All-Star Weekend G League Next Up game, playing for the team that ultimately won the tournament. He most recently played in the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and Canadian-Elite-Basketball-League (CEBL).

Donovan “Stretch” Williams is an athletic six foot, five inch wing who can also fill up the box score. He’s much more of a “pure scorer” who can bomb away from three or finish with authority. Think prime Trevor Ariza. He’s played for six different G League teams and even had a quick drink of water with the Atlanta Hawks in 2023. Since the G season ended, he’s also taken his talents to the BAL where he’s third in the league in scoring (21.6).

Sadly, this Jaylin Williams is not the half-Vietnamese Jaylin Williams on the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, he is also an undersized big who makes hustle plays and has shown flashes of spacing the floor. He spent last year with the runner-up Stockton Kings where he was an integral part of their rotation. The way he plays reminds me of Jalen “Stix” Smith, of the Chicago Bulls.

I was a bit surprised to see Chris Mantis pop up on the summer league roster. He played limited minutes in the G League last year for the Capital City Go-Go (Wizards affiliate). He’s essentially a three-point specialist who doesn’t do much else.

The two guys who stand out most to me are Baugh and Donovan Williams. Ironically, they both played on the same ‘24-‘25 Westchester Knicks team. They both also played on the same BAL team (Al Ahly Ly) a couple months ago. It seems they are a combo who are on the cusp of being too good for the G League. I’ll be curious if they can challenge for a potential two-way contract with the Wolves.

Tier 4: Undrafted Dreamers

Trey Campbell (G)| Aidan Mahaney (G) | Toby Harris (F) | Devin McGlockton (F)

Minnesota’s summer league roster is rounded out by four undrafted players trying to get a chance. They all vary in terms of college programs they played at, but all have similarly underwhelming simple box score numbers.

Trey Campbell and Aidan Mahaney look to be very similar type of players. Point guards with decent size, and ability to shoot the deep ball on relatively high volume. On one hand, Campbell played in a lot lower level of competition in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), but had a very decorated four years there. He was the MVC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, following in the footsteps of former NBA sharpshooters Doug McDermott and Kyle Korver. He also made the MVC All-Defensive Team last season.

Mahaney, on the other hand, bounced around three different programs. He was a standout West Coast Conference (WCC) player at Saint Mary’s, then earned a shot with the University of Connecticut Huskies. The big leagues! Though he gained valuable experience in his 34 games there, mostly off the bench, he returned to California to play for UC Santa Barbara (my wife’s alma mater). He made All-Conference First Team in three of his four years in college, including his final year at UCSB where he was fifth in the conference in three-point makes.

Toby Harris and Devin McGlockton are two fairly different players. Toby Harris, not to be confused with Tobias Harris and no relation to Dajuan, is another three-point specialist who cut his teeth in Division III basketball at Brandeis University before going D1. The 23 year old shot nearly seven three-point attempts per game while knocking them down at a over 41% clip!

McGlockton is more a traditional big who rebounds the hell out of the ball. He has some semblance of a jumpshot, but is more of a cleanup guy. I assume him and Trey Kaufman-Renn could recreate the “Spiderman Pointing” meme.

Storylines to Watch

Big is In

Just when you thought Tim Connelly’s Timberwolves were going to “zig” when the rest of the league is “zagging” towards big (Thanks a lot, Wemby), Coach Bubes announced the aforementioned two-big look that they’ll be experimenting with. Two (basically) 19-year-old seven foot monsters? Why the hell not!

To clarify, he did say that Beringer would be functioning primarily as a power forward on defense, but center on offense. Vice versa for Zikarsky. Still, watching these two behemoths hammer other teams on the boards is going to be hilariously fun. They may also both set the record for fouls per minute by a starting frontcourt.

Let’s actually talk real hoops for a second. Rocco’s potential shooting prowess will be something that Wolves fans should be keeping their eyes on. Meanwhile, seeing Joan confidently in space on both ends of the court should also draw your attention.

Calling All Forwards

LeBron James hasn’t come to save Minnesota from their power forward shortage yet, has he? Can 30-year-old Trey Lyles handle 30 minutes of action? Will Jaden McDaniels add 50 pounds this summer to handle the bulky power forwards that roam the league?

Until any of that is confirmed, the Wolves see their first auditions in Las Vegas. I’m sure the front office will be taking notes on Freeman, Kaufman-Renn, or even Jaylin Williams, Chris Mantis, and Toby Harris. Surely they won’t be considered potential starters, but they have to harvest frontcourt talent somewhere. Spread some seeds and see if anything sprouts.

Shoot Your Shot

The loss of Donte DiVincenzo can’t be replaced by a single player. That said, just like the lack of power forwards, the Wolves have to recoup some of their perimeter scoring from somewhere. LaMelo Ball, Ayo Dosunmu, and Bones Hyland are all talented jump shooters to their own right. However, any injury issues they potentially suffer (knock on wood) could leave the Wolves devoid of three-point threats.

Isaiah Evans could see a role sooner than expected, if things shake out in a particular way. Zyon Pullin, a personal favorite of mine, also showcased an absurd shooting touch last season with Iowa, so perhaps he could be next in line. Maybe even one of the G League journeymen like Baugh or one of the Williams experience a hot few weeks from beyond the arc and secure their ticket to the roster, much like Johnny Juzang did during preseason a year ago.

There you have it. Nearly 4,000 words about the Timberwolves summer league team. I assure you that no other fanbase does it like this. We were born as sickos and remain proud sickos!

So who are you most excited to see most? Was there anyone that deserved more shine? I’ll see you in the comments section as usual!

In a March 15th win, one of just 32 in 2025–26, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo threw down a one-handed jam over Pacers center Jay Huff with 3:49 remaining in the third quarter, breaking an 81-81 tie. He landed awkwardly on his left leg and remained on the floor beneath the basket briefly before rising. Play had already moved to the other end, where an Indiana turnover was corralled by Myles Turner, who then flipped the ball to Ryan Rollins. Giannis hardly jogged ten feet, and with his hands held up, Rollins found him for another dunk via a touchdown pass that traveled a good 70 feet. An easy one.

Giannis ran gingerly back up the floor on defense, and after a Pacers miss, back again on offense. He cut parallel to the baseline to receive a Turner entry pass, and though it was a bit long, he drew a foul from Kobe Brown. He hit his first free throw and clanked the second front rim. That was his last point in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform, and after a stoppage in play about 50 seconds later, he walked off the Fiserv Forum floor for the final time.

That day, I sat in section 209 (media seating) and wondered, as he left the game, whether or not I had just seen Giannis’ final points and game action as a Buck. Nearly three-and-a-half months later, we got our answer: it sadly was. What I wasn’t really wondering at the time was whether or not that would be my final game covering the Bucks for Brew Hoop and SB Nation. But nearly four months later, I have an answer to a question I wasn’t even asking.

At present, I am in the interview process for a position within the league. While I can’t say much more yet, when the time comes, I’ll share more on social media (you can find me @lohausfan on Twitter and @vanfayaz on Bluesky) and provide an update on Brew Hoop. Needless to say, I can no longer be the managing editor of a fan-centric site focused on the Milwaukee Bucks if I’m making such a career move, one which I’m pretty excited about. If you’ve followed my work here over the past five-plus years, you know I’m a cap/CBA wonk, and I’ve grown curious about putting that knowledge to use in a non-media role.

I’m pleased to be turning over the reins here to Jack Trehearne and Zac Day, whom I’ve greatly enjoyed working with the past couple seasons. Both hail from Adelaide, Australia—but coming to Bucks fandom and Brew Hoop entirely independently—and are gifted writers and keen basketball minds whose work elevated the site once I brought them into the fold. You’ve already enjoyed reading their prose and ball knowledge in the last few seasons, and now they’ll be applying that even more broadly as co-managing editors. While bittersweet to leave, I’ll rest very easily knowing the site is in their capable hands.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank a whole slew of people before I go. My predecessors, Mitchell Maurer and Adam Paris, for hiring me six years ago and entrusting me to take over when they left. Frank and Alex for starting the site. SB Nation director of basketball content Harrison Faigen and all other SB Nation NBA site managers for their assistance and collaboration. Dan Smyczek, Barry Baum, Kate Reed, Eric Kohlbeck, and Amanda Janczak from Bucks media relations for all their help. Eric Balkman and John Leopold from The Score in Appleton for the years of radio hits. Justin Garcia and Camille Davis from Locked On Bucks for many podcast appearances. Lisa Byington, Melanie Ricks, Jim Paschke, Marques Johnson, Kris Johnson, and Monis Khan for generously giving their time to help us make content. To everyone who’s read and considered the hundreds of thousands of words I’ve penned for this site about my basketball thoughts.

But most importantly, my sincerest thanks to every Brew Hoop contributor during my tenure as a contributor, editor, and manager (and wasn’t it awesome that we got to experience a championship along the way?). Without their efforts, the site wouldn’t have maintained the tradition of excellence established almost 20 years ago by Frank Madden and Alex Boeder. That tradition will absolutely continue, because we’ve found the right voices to shepherd it onward. From Frank and Alex, through Mitchell and Adam, then myself, I know Jack and Zac will continue to steward what we’ve built—the most comprehensive and free Bucks coverage on the internet—into the post-Giannis era.

When I began hiring staff after taking over for Mitchell, I had him sit in on a Zoom interview. He mentioned to the candidate that one thing he took great pride in from running Brew Hoop was giving new people a voice in basketball, even using me as an example. I then realized that was my main responsibility as site manager, and I also take pride in how I’ve accomplished the same. As I’ve told Jack, I think that’s what we’re here for, beyond simply writing about the Bucks.

Each staff member on Brew Hoop today is one I’ve hired, and I’m humbled that I’ve played a part—even if a small one—in their journey through basketball and writing. I’m proud that I’ve sent our credentialed writers to the NBA All-Star Game, the draft lottery and combine, NBA Summer League, and of course, hundreds of NBA games in Milwaukee and elsewhere. Some have even already moved on to other positions in media, and I hope their time here helped propel them to bigger and brighter things. Even as I move into a different area of basketball, I’m excited to see how those who remain guide the site and what they’ll accomplish further along their paths.

As always, I’ll be reading. I know you’ll do the same.

There was a moment — one of many — in the Nets-Kings game that showed just what the new and improved Egor Demin can do. Mikel Brown Jr. wasn’t playing and for many fans, the contest was disappointing. There would be no faceoff between Brown Jr. and Darius Acuff, taken just after him in the June Draft.

But that gave Brown Jr.’s prospective backcourt mate, the 6’9.5” Russian, a chance to show his stuff against the 6’2.5” Acuff. The Kings scouting report may have indicated that Demin wasn’t likely to touch the paint, being more comfortable with his 3-point shot. If so, the report was outdated. Demin blew past Acuff and went directly to the rim for the score.

It’s no wonder that was a surprise for Acuff, the Kings and yes, a lot of Nets fans. In last year’s abbreviated Summer League showing, Demin was 1-of-2 at the rim. In the Kings’ California Classic, he finished 11-of-12. The 20-year-old had reinvented himself once again. After the Nets surprised last season by taking him at No. 8 in the Draft, the rub on Demin was that he couldn’t shoot. Instead, he proved to be one of the best rookie 3-point shooters in league history, setting a record for most consecutive games with a three at 34 and becoming the second fastest player ever to 100 threes behind only Kon Knueppel.

Demin spoke about his doubters recently on a BYU centric blog … and that included Nets fans.

“Don’t worry about me, he told Washed Up. ”I’m not going to show you how I’m getting better. They probably all think I’m not doing anything but I might, you know, be better. I will be better next season.“

So far, so good, as Brian Lewis wrote this week in stories on both Demin and Brown Jr. Demin averaged 23.0 points per game in Sacramento, second only to Acuff’s 23.5 but with a much higher shooting percentage. Acuff shot 16-of-48 in two games while Demin hit on a much more efficient 15-of-27. All those shots at the rim can improve your percentages …. if you make them.

“Drives — a lot of drives, physicality,” Dëmin said of his offseason priority. “Obviously, I must keep working on my shot and defense, details like that.”

That was the physical side of his off-season so far. There’s also been a noticeable improvement in his mental approach to his second year in the NBA.

“I don’t want to say ‘pressure’ of being a leader, but kind of embracing the role of a guy who’s spent a year in the NBA already,” Dëmin said. “I want to take that role on myself. I want to be here and lead the team mentally, on the bench and on the court as well. I just tried to do what I’ve been working on all summer. I think that’s a great opportunity right now to get those habits in and get that working before the regular season.”

The change — and his instant chemistry with of the Nets five other 20-year-olds, Mikel Brown Jr., has gotten Nets fans excited. “Backcourt of the future” has a been a description tossed around. Brown Jr. feels it too.

“That’s my guy. We talked about … how we can play off each other and make each other better and make this team go,” Brown Jr. said. “That was the biggest thing for us is we’ve got to be the leaders to step up and lead this team to wins.

“So, to be able to show out and share the floor with him, you got to see what he can do. You could clearly see the growth from last year to now. He’s grown a lot just watching him. And my job is to make life easier on him.”

Nets fans while enthusiastic about the future are, not surprisingly, also a bit (but not much) skeptical. Demin after all, missed 32 games last year to plantar fasciitis, being shut down February 27 while Brown Jr didn’t play for Louisville after February 28 because of a back issue. Both say no worries.

“I’m good now, and that’s all I’m worried about,” said Demin, “I’m doing good.”

After being shut down, Demin underwent a non-surgical procedure neither he nor the Nets would describe in any detail but he said it’s helped.

“Getting healthy and making sure I’m doing great with that,” he added. “And then the lifting room was probably the biggest priority, since I could do it anytime. I could do pretty much anything out there, gaining some weight, making sure I’m good with my nutrition and getting as much as I can do on the court, being dialed in with that.”

He’s put on the proverbial 12 to 15 pounds of muscle which is clearly evident to anyone who watched him last season. Same with his nascent mustache and goatee.

Jordi Fernandez noted all the changes, including the hair, on the Flatbush 5.

“Yeah, they all look older, and it’s not just the facial hair,” Fernández said of the class. “It’s also, you know, the amount of time they spent in the gym and how much stronger they are. The eye test, you will see it in Vegas when you will see [Dëmin] wearing our jersey.

“They look stronger, have done a great job. And not just strong where they don’t move the same way. It’s very [much] stronger and efficient. … Egor, Ben [Saraf], Nolan [Traoré], Drake [Powell], Danny [Wolf], all of them have done a very, very good job. And hard work pays off, and we’re going to see it in summer league.”

Next up will the Knicks on Friday evening in Las Vegas which will be available on YES as well as national outlets, the first of at least five games in the gaming capital. Demin may or may not play in all of them. He’s certainly proved he doesn’t need much more seasoning but he’s also said he wants to win the Summer League.

Fernandez noted what else he’s like to see, including a willingness to face up to bullying.

“I think that being on-balance and touching the paint and playing off two feet, you needed that strength. And he’s done an unbelievable job just working in the weight room. And right now you see him move around and he looks more like a grownup. He’s going to obviously do things way better than he did last year.”

However many minutes Demin and his new sidekick play together will be doing Nets fans a solid. They are ready.

• Egor Dëmin’s more muscular summer outing shows he understands his next Nets step – Brian Lewis – New York Post
• Mikel Brown offers a tantalizing Nets glimpse of what’s to come ($) – Brian Lewis – New York Post

I cut my teeth on this league watching Steve Nash. That’s not a comparison I make lightly, and I’ll say up front: this isn’t one. But every generation of watching basketball needs a guy who makes you lean forward for reasons that have nothing to do with size or draft slot or highlight-reel gravity. Nash was mine. This season, heading into the Suns’ 2026-27 campaign, Collin Gillespie is the one doing it again.

That’s the whole premise of this piece. Not a preview. Not a “here’s what to expect” breakdown. Just an honest accounting of why one player’s arc has hooked me more than anything else on this roster, and why I can’t wait to see what the next chapter looks like.

The Shape of the Thing

Gillespie’s resumé resists the usual breakout narrative, and that’s precisely the point. Undrafted out of Villanova in 2022 after five college seasons, he spent three straight years on two-way paper before the Suns finally handed him a standard contract. Even then, a leg injury swallowed most of his rookie year in the Valley, limiting him to bench minutes and modest numbers. Nobody hands you a franchise piece with that kind of runway. You have to be discovered in real time, which is exactly what makes the discovery worth something.

The turn, when it came, arrived fast. A 30-point night against Portland in February. A game-winning jumper over Minnesota with 6.4 seconds left. By year’s end, he’d broken Quentin Richardson’s two-decade-old franchise record for made threes. He made 232 of them, on 40% shooting, across 58 starts in 80 games, with career highs everywhere: 12.7 points, 4.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds. I don’t need those numbers to build a case for a “next great Sun.” I need them because they’re proof the league’s read on him in 2022 was simply wrong, and I like being reminded that scouting reports aren’t destiny.

Villain Jr., Explained

The nickname is the part that travels furthest outside Phoenix, and for good reason. It’s rare for a bit invented in a training-camp scrimmage to survive an entire season intact. Dillon Brooks, long ago anointed “Dillon the Villain” for his pest-level defense, spent last fall teasing that there was a “Villain Jr.” somewhere on the roster before revealing it was Gillespie, the product of offseason pickup runs physical enough that Brooks picked up two technical fouls in what was, notionally, a non-contact scrimmage.

I love this not because it’s a good marketing beat, though it is, but because it’s an accurate scouting report wearing a joke’s clothing. Gillespie isn’t a shot-creator in the pick-and-roll sense. He’s closer to a connector and an elite catch-and-shoot threat, ranking sixth among high-volume three-point shooters in catch-and-shoot percentage last season.

But the edge Brooks recognized is real: a point-of-attack defender who competes above his measurables in a backcourt otherwise defined by Devin Booker’s shot-making and Jalen Green’s shot creation. Brooks brought the villain persona to Phoenix by way of the Kevin Durant trade. Gillespie made it a two-man bit, and in doing so became part of the team’s answer to a reputation for being soft that’s followed this roster for years.

The business side backs the story up cleanly, which is its own kind of satisfying. Gillespie re-signed this June on a four-year, $48 million deal, fully guaranteed, team-friendly enough to be viewed around the league as one of Phoenix’s best pieces of offseason business. At roughly $12 million annually, it runs concurrently with Booker’s extension rather than competing for cap space.

The Suns held his early Bird rights, meaning they could have gone as high as $66.6 million over the same four years. They didn’t need to. That’s the rare front office moment of getting exactly what you wanted without overpaying for it, and it means this isn’t a one-year infatuation. There’s a real runway here.

Where the Nash Line Actually Fits

It’s tempting — and I’ll admit, a little absurd — to draw a straight line from Gillespie to Nash. They aren’t the same category of player, and no serious read projects Gillespie toward an MVP trajectory. I want to be careful here, because the lazy version of this essay just says “small unheralded guard, must be the next Nash” and calls it a day. That’s not what I’m doing.

What actually happened is smaller and, I think, more honest: during a nationally televised game last season, an NBA on TNT broadcast caught Gillespie mid-heater and, half-joking, likened his handle and pull-up rhythm to Nash’s. It was a passing comment, not a scouting conclusion. But it’s the kind of moment that explains why a neutral viewer — someone who, like me, learned to love this league through a very specific undersized Canadian point guard — might find something familiar here. An overlooked guard whose value shows up in shot release and tempo rather than measurables. That’s the whole comparison. Not legacy. Not trajectory. Just a recognizable shape.

Gillespie is a five-year college player nobody drafted, who needed two extra seasons on minimum money just to get a real look — while dropping triple-doubles on the daily in the G-League, the kind of stat line that means nothing until someone finally watches — and turned that look into a franchise shooting record and a nickname built on competitive spirit.

Why I’m Actually Here

Phoenix’s season will hinge on what Booker, Green, and a retooled frontcourt become. That’s the analytical truth, and it has nothing to do with why I’m excited for October. In a league obsessed with created shots and star gravity, Gillespie’s game is a quiet rebuttal: near-elite shooting, real defensive competitiveness, and a refusal to back down still buys you a seat at the table, even when nobody sent you an invitation first.

I watched Nash rewrite what point guard play could look like and fell in love with the position because of it. I don’t expect Gillespie to rewrite anything. I just want to watch the next iteration of a player who had to earn every single minute of relevance he’s got, and see how much further that competitive streak takes him.

Collin Gillespie is why I’m watching the Suns this season.

Celtics fans have been dropped into the wilderness.

One minute, Jaylen Brown was one of the defining Celtics of the last decade. The next, he was headed to Philadelphia, Paul George was coming back, two first-round picks were handed over like Advil, and everyone was being asked to find comfort in a word that sounds like it was created inside a front office think tank.

Optionality.

That is where the Celtics live now. Brad Stevens explained the logic Monday. The Celtics wanted more flexibility, more depth, and more ways to build the next version of the team. The new CBA made life harder. Two supermax players eating up that much cap space made the path narrower. Paul George’s contract is shorter. The picks could matter.

For now, Celtics fans are stuck in the fog between the trade and whatever comes next. In situations like these, experts recommend staying put, keeping warm, and resisting the urge to identify every snapping twig as the sound of another move coming.

So grab your emergency whistle, your emotional support No. 7 jersey and a printed copy of the second apron rules you definitely understand.

This is the Celtics fan’s survival guide to optionality.

Stay calm. Panic burns energy.

The first rule of surviving optionality is simple: do not burn all your energy before the team takes the court.

I know, easier said than done. The Celtics have dropped us into the middle of July with a backpack full of pick protections, Paul George fit questions, depth expectations, and one granola bar labeled “Trust me. Love, Brad.” Naturally, the first instinct is to start running in circles until you either find civilization or pass out next to a tree stump muttering, “70% of the cap.”

Resist that urge.

The Summer League Celtics have not even played yet, while the real Celtics are still months from taking the floor. Paul George has not missed a regular-season game in green. The 2028 pick has not revealed itself as treasure, kindling, or a weird rock Brad convinced everyone to carry because it might become useful later.

There will be time to panic. That is what October is for.

For now, conserve your energy. Sip water. Build a small fire. Do not start eating random berries from your backyard when you see the Sixers posting Jaylen Brown highlights on Twitter.

That way lies danger.

Every mention of “flexibility” may still make you want to hop on a moose’s back and whisper, “Take me away from all of this.” Fair. But when you’re lost in the woods, you don’t sprint into the fog because you saw what might be a road. You stop, breathe, and take inventory.

The Celtics chose uncertainty.

That means we must learn how to survive inside it.

Two is one, one is none.

In the wilderness, redundancy keeps you alive. One flashlight breaks, you better have another. One fire starter gets soaked, you better have matches. One person says Luke Kornet is irreplaceable, you better have a Neemias Queta ready to pull out of your backpack.

That appears to be the Celtics’ new operating theory.

For years, the survival plan was simple: when in doubt, trust the Jays. Tatum and Brown were the tent, compass, first-aid kit, bear spray, and the guy who insisted he knew how to hang food from a tree. Everything else was built around them.

That starter pack worked for a long time. After all, Banner 18 is not imaginary. It still hangs there, despite the last week making everyone feel like they dreamt it.

But Stevens looked at the new NBA landscape and decided the Celtics were carrying too much weight in one part of the pack. Too much salary. Too much usage. Too few ways to maneuver if the trail ahead got blocked.

So Boston traded one huge answer for a pile of smaller ones.

Paul George. Future firsts. Second-round sweeteners. Shorter money. More flexibility. More pressure on Pritchard, White, Hauser, Scheierman, Gonzalez, Walsh, Queta, Harper Jr., Robinson, and whoever else gets handed a flashlight and is told, “Get us the hell out of here.”

That is the bet.

Brad Stevens didn’t try to tell us that one player will replace what Jaylen gave them. He told us that with enough smaller pieces, used the right way, the Celtics can replace the version of the team that had started to feel stale and boxed in.

That might be smart, or it could be a front office TED Talk with sneakers on.

Either way, this is the shelter they built.

Everybody get inside before it rains.

Leaves of three, let the overreactions be.

Every survival guide comes with a warning about poisonous plants.

Here’s yours: some post-Jaylen thoughts may look edible. Do not be fooled.

The first is the Payton Pritchard-Jalen Brunson comparisons, which already feels like something Celtics fans are going to find growing behind a log and immediately put in their mouths.

Resist the temptation!

Pritchard can (and should) become more important without becoming Brunson. He can start, create more, bomb threes in transition, irritate opposing guards, talk like every defender in the league called him small at recess, and still not become the best player on a championship team.

Another poisonous plant to avoid: “Paul George had a bad game, so the trade failed.”

This one will be everywhere by late-October. George will miss one pull-up three in the second quarter against Orlando, and someone will be halfway through typing, “We traded Jaylen for this?” before the rebound gets secured.

Leave it alone.

George is being asked to make the toughest first impression of any new Celtic in years. Every missed jumper, quiet quarter, and maintenance day will get dragged back to the trade that brought him here. He is not arriving at a normal campsite. He is walking into camp while everyone is still staring at Jaylen’s empty sleeping bag.

One more poisonous plant to be wary of: “Actually, I never liked Jaylen anyway.”

Stop it.

Even if you’re not ready to admit it, Jaylen is one of the best players to ever put on a Celtics uniform. You watched him posterize people, win Finals MVP, and grow from a raw 19-year-old into one of the most important Celtics of his era.

All of that happened.

You can understand the logic of the trade without pretending the Jays were some failed experiment. For almost a decade, they shared the floor, absorbed every lazy wedge people tried to drive between them, and kept showing up for each other and for Boston.

Leaves of three, let it be.

Pritchard-Brunson comps, instant George referendums, fake Jaylen amnesia.

Let them be.

Go slow to go fast.

When you’re lost, speed feels productive. Most of the time, it just gets you more lost.

Moving too quick is how you twist an ankle, drop your flashlight, walk past the trail marker, and end up trying to sleep under a damp Celtics poncho while Sixers fans in a nearby tree debate Jaylen’s on/off numbers.

The Celtics have pointed to a trail that fans cannot see yet and asked everyone not to burn the map before anyone knows where it leads.

That is both annoying and the entire concept of optionality.

Optionality is not a player. You can’t throw a lob to optionality or blame it when the bench unit gives up a 14-2 run. It’s a door the Celtics believe they needed to open and step through.

Maybe the trail leads somewhere good. Perhaps there’s a clearing ahead where Brad Stevens is standing with three second-round picks and a handful of acorns, wearing a look that says, “It’s not tasty, but it’ll keep us alive.”

The trail has not revealed itself yet, so go slow.

You do not have to love the trade today. We won’t know for a long time if Brad is a genius, a fraud, a hostage of the CBA, or just a human who sometimes makes mistakes.

Let George play. Let Pritchard’s role breathe. Let Tatum get back to being Tatum. Let the young guys be lovable spark plugs instead of instant proof that the front office knows what it’s doing.

The Celtics made the bet. Fans shouldn’t judge the survival shelter before anyone has slept in it.

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Here is the part where everyone groans and throws their marshmallow fireballs in my direction.

Assets matter. I know. Horrible. Disgusting. Not why anyone fell in love with basketball.

Nobody grew up dreaming of the day their favorite team would have usable future assets. No kid in a No. 7 jersey has turned to their dad in the past week and said, “It’s okay, Papa. Paul George’s shorter contract creates cleaner optionality in a second-apron environment.”

If your kid has said that, congratulations. You are raising Mike Zarren Jr.

But tools do matter, not because they make anyone feel better right now, but because they give the Celtics things to use when the next problem arrives.

A future first-round pick is not a hug, nor does it stare into the Garden crowd after a clutch corner three. It certainly does not make Jaylen in a Sixers jersey any less nauseating.

But it is a flare gun.

A shorter contract? There’s your pocket knife.

A tradable salary? One of those little crank radios everyone buys before a storm without knowing how to use it.

You may not want to build your fandom around emergency supplies. Nobody does. But if the Celtics are stuck later, they will be glad they packed something besides vibes and a framed photo of the 2024 parade.

The Celtics may be right to value the tools. Fans may be right to hate the cost.

It’s snug, but both things can fit in the same backpack.

Do not mistake Summer League for rescue.

Normally, Summer League is for convincing yourself the 13th man has “real rotation equity,” and determining a second-round pick’s ceiling based on seven Vegas possessions.

This year, Summer League feels like someone spotted smoke in the distance. At last, help is within reach! Celtics fans need a distraction in a major way. They need new names, new box scores, new clips, new reasons to stop watching Jaylen Brown meet up with his new 6-year-old best friend.

Distractions can be healthy. But do not make the kids rescue you.

Hugo Gonzalez is not going to erase your grief. Chris Cenac Jr. is not a trained wilderness medic. Jordan Walsh should not have to check into a Vegas gym carrying the emotional weight of everyone who recently Googled “2028 pick protections explained in simplest terms.”

Let Summer League be what it is: a weird little basketball campsite in the desert where everyone talks themselves into at least one player they will later pretend they were always right about.

Enjoy it, but do not build a permanent shelter there.

Just keep walking.

Optionality is not closure. Brad Stevens gave us his best Doctor Strange impression, presenting 14,000,605 possible future outcomes, each one as uncertain and murky as the next.

That is the hardest part. Optionality could become a trade. It might become a better-fitting roster. It might become a cleaner cap sheet, a deeper team, or a path the Celtics could not have taken with Jaylen still on the books.

It might also morph into the word Celtics fans mutter years from now while staring into the abyss and remembering that Boston traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George and picks.

Nobody knows yet.

For now, everyone is still in the woods. The map is illegible. The compass is spinning. The trail markers were removed by a wily bunch of raccoons.

So keep breathing. Watch your step. Do not eat that berry. Avoid trying to explain the 2028 pick to your family unless you packed enough water. And be mindful of the trail marker that now reads, “Under construction.”

A clear head will eventually find itself.

It’s been a busy week for the Spurs. They signed their draftees and sent them off to San Francisco for the California Classic. Starting Thursday, they’ll be competing in Las Vegas. They also finalized the signing of Tobias Harris, the free agency acquisition that will help fill the power forward position the Spurs desperately needed in the postseason.

Harris will wear number 23.

Because numbers have been my thing since joining PtR nine years ago, let’s take a look at some of the players throughout the team’s history that have also worn #23 as their jersey.

Jersey #23, from an NBA standpoint, is most widely associated with Michael Jordan. From a Spurs perspective, it has not been utilized by long term players. Most recently, Zach Collins wore it for the Silver & Black from 2022 to 2025. Over three-and-a-half seasons, he played 196 games. That’s the most he’s played for any NBA team and the most that any Spurs player has worn the jersey.

Austin Daye wore #23 during his stint with the Spurs. In 40 games over two partial seasons, but he did pick up a championship ring in 2014 with the Spurs.

Speaking of rings, Devin Brown picked up a ring in 2005 with the Spurs. By then he’d been wearing #23 for two seasons.

If your memory goes back to the 1970s, you’ll recall Mike Green. He played center for the Spurs over two seasons in 139 games. He rocked #23 while the Spurs were still establishing themselves in the NBA.

Tobias Harris is by far the biggest name to don the jersey. Hopefully he’ll make it memorable.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

With the NBA trade market booming with multiple trades occurring, it’s natural to wonder whether the Rockets would trade any of their young core. Well, it seems we got the answer, as in a Kelly Iko article released in late June, Iko was quoted saying: “Rival teams that have contacted the Rockets recently have been informed that 23-year-old Amen Thompson is the only near untouchable on the roster,” Iko wrote. Houston isn’t actively shopping its All-Stars or other key members, sources said, but is merely expressing more of a willingness to listen than at previous junctures. We already heard that the team has no reservations about shopping Kevin Durant.

This adjustment follows a season in which Houston’s potential was put to the test due to injuries and the constraints of an incomplete squad. The Rockets won 52 games after adding Durant in July of last year, but season-ending injuries to Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams weakened the foundation that had enabled them to control pace and possessions.

Following Iko’s article, a tweet appeared on many people’s timelines, Tim MacMahon of the Hoop Collective Podcast stating

“As high as you think they might be on Amen Thompson, they’re higher. I literally dont know that they’d trade him for anyone but Wemby…”

Now, to some people, this may seem like a wild statement, but to be honest, in a way, it makes sense. It’s almost natural to gas up your own players if you’re a team’s front office to try and get the most you can for your player. Additonally, while the verdict is still out on Sengun, many feel Thompson is the last chance the Rockets have at getting a homegrown superstar from the draft since Jalen Green did not reach expectations before being traded, and Jabari Smith Jr. is likely just a high-end role player. If anything I agree with the statement to a point however, I personally would maybe include a few more players on the list of players I would trade Amen Thompson for, such as Nikola Jokic (yes, the fit would potentially not work because of Sengun, and you would have two centers, but let me cook), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and potentially Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson.

Now here is where the fun begins, now that I have given my opinion on who I would trade Amen Thompson for, I want you, the reader, to list your lists of players you would trade Amen Thompson for. It can be a large list, a small list, or you can straight-up say you don’t want to trade him at all. Bonus points for listing potential trade deals, and the only rule is that, for this exercise, the normal trade rules with salary matching don’t apply since, obviously, Amen’s salary does not match that of any of the players mentioned besides Wemby.

The Boston Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. While it’s a disappointing return, I still like the trade for the Celtics and understand why Brad Stevens pulled the trigger.

The Jays era had run its course in Boston. The current iteration of the team had flamed out in the first and second rounds of the last two playoff runs. It was time to make a significant change, and Brad Stevens decided that change would take the form of sending the 2024 Finals MVP to one of the franchise’s historic rivals. 

The purpose of the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement is to tear down teams like the 2024 Boston Celtics. It started last offseason when the front office said goodbye to Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet. The basketball penalties for staying in the second apron are real. The league is treating that apron as a hard cap. Jaylen Brown is the next casualty of that reality.

Brad Stevens alluded to it in his press conference: building a championship roster when two guys are taking up 35% of the cap is untenable which leads to an obvious follow-up question:

Brad, why were you going after Giannis Antetokounmpo, who would have been due his own supermax extension?

Oh, and Paul George is taking up 32.8% of the cap for the next two seasons.

And here comes the part that some Celtics fans don’t want to hear: Jaylen Brown is making top-five player money, and isn’t producing top-five player impact. While Brown produced at a top-10 level in the 2026 regular season, he has consistently fallen short of that standard in the playoffs. The 2024 Finals MVP played his best basketball en route to that championship. But even that player is hard to justify giving supermax money to. When you zoom out and look at Jaylen’s play in the playoffs over the last four seasons, it hasn’t been good enough to justify his contract.

In the 2023, 2025 (knee injury noted), and 2026 playoffs, Brown’s play cratered when the Celtics needed him most. In his press conference, the part that Brad refused to say out loud because he didn’t want to disparage Jaylen, is that it’s not that he believes that two 35% of cap guys can’t win a title, it’s that if one of them is Jaylen Brown and not someone of Jayson Tatum’s or Giannis Antetokounmpo’s caliber, you can’t win a title. On the Paul George side of things, the shorter contract and the additional premium picks provides the Celtics flexibility to build out the roster down the line. We will dive into this side of the trade shortly.

Moving on to the basketball mind of Brad Stevens. If you had polled Celtics fans and the basketball intelligentsia a month ago about Stevens’ basketball acumen, the consensus would have been that he is a basketball savant. Did Brad have a lobotomy last week or does he still know what he’s doing? There is no one on planet Earth who knows Jaylen Brown’s game better than Brad Stevens, from coaching the star forward in his first five seasons, to overseeing his prime as the President of Basketball Operations. Stevens has watched every second of his career. Given that knowledge, not only was Brad willing to trade Brown, but he was willing to trade him to an arch nemesis in the Philadelphia 76ers, a team the Celtics will face six times next season, including the preseason.

As I wandered through the history of this era of Celtics basketball, something jumped out at me. At the end of the 2021 season, Brad Stevens stepped down as head coach and into his current role. The following season, the Celtics hired Ime Udoka, and the Celtics proceeded to go on a magical run to the 2022 NBA Finals, which ended in heartbreak after going up 2-1 on the Steph Curry Warriors. This version of the Celtics went further than Brad ever did as head coach. It was the most successful season of the Jays era. There was no reason to be anything but utterly optimistic about the future of the Celtics.

A month later, Brad Stevens attempted to trade Jaylen Brown for Kevin Durant. The deal ultimately did not go through and was quietly swept under the rug as the team prepared for their 2023 campaign. I can’t help but wonder whether Brad has wanted to move on from Jaylen Brown for a while now.

If you continue to follow me down this rabbit hole, it brings us to the decision to sign Brown to a supermax extension after the disastrous Eastern Conference Finals series against the Miami Heat. Sidebar: to those who say that the Celtics have treated Jaylen poorly. The Celtics signed Jaylen to, what was at the time, the richest contract in NBA history, coming off his worst playoff series as a Celtic.

I digress. Brad, I believe, thought two things: one, Jaylen would have more value on a longer contract, even if it was somewhat bloated, than on an expiring contract; and two, he wanted to make sure that everyone on the 2024 team had no contract questions hanging over them so they could focus on achieving their goal of winning the title. That’s why the Jrue Holiday extension got done as well. I went down this rabbit hole because I wanted to answer the question of why trade Jaylen now and not last season (or before that). It would have made sense to tank the 2025-2026 season knowing what we know now.

But if we cast our minds back to the end of the 2025 season, Tatum had just torn his Achilles, and Jaylen had his own meniscus surgery, a procedure that has derailed numerous NBA careers. I think Brad believed he could pull off a Jaylen pump-and-dump scheme which almost worked. Jaylen had a career season in both raw box-score production and accolades. The problem was that the league was not particularly interested in trading for that Jaylen Brown. 

The number one source of frustration among Celtics fans, and the criticism from the national media, is that the return for Jaylen Brown fell drastically short of most people’s expectations. The market is the market. The Celtics front office could not force teams to give up more for Jaylen Brown. The league is telling us that the most toxic thing a team can do in the current CBA climate is to have a supermax contract on the books that considerably outpaces the production.

A common sentiment shared over the last week is “the Celtics should have waited because this deal or similar deals would have still been there in September.” It’s possible that this deal would have been there in a month or two. However, I don’t understand ignoring the possibility that the offers could have gotten worse.

When we get to July 26th, and the Celtics tell Jaylen Brown they are not offering him a supermax extension, that gives the Celtics even less leverage in trade negotiations. And if they do give him the extension, then there is no market for Brown. If they wait until next offseason, Jaylen can start leaking to teams whether he will or will not extend.

This was the time to make the trade. After Jaylen finished sixth in MVP voting, this was the peak of his value. Whether Celtics fans can accept that or not, that is the reality. Brad Stevens didn’t look at four different offers and decide to take the worst one. Stevens took the deal that he believes will give the Celtics the best chance to win the title. 

Let’s look at the incoming assets for the Celtics. Starting with public enemy number three, Paul George — Brad Stevens and Bill Chisolm are currently occupying spots one and two. If you did this exercise in December of last season, George would have ranked very highly on the league’s worst-contracts list. Fast-forward to July, and Paul George is coming off a playoff run in which he comfortably outplayed Jaylen Brown. 

Let’s be clear. The trade is not really about Paul George though. It’s about the future, and as Brad put it over and over again in his press conference, “optionality.” That’s what the two draft picks and shorter contract do for the Celtics.

However, when healthy, Paul George is still an elite basketball player. While Jaylen Brown is the better basketball player, George is a better fit on this Celtics team. Joe Mazzulla’s strategic philosophy is clear – shoot threes, defend, suppress offensive turnovers, and crash the offensive glass. We’ll start with the shooting. George is an elite shooter both off the catch and off the dribble, a career 38.4% three-point shooter on high volume and high difficulty. On just catch-and-shoot three-pointers over the past nine seasons, George is shooting a blistering 41.3%. For context, over the last five seasons, Jaylen Brown’s overall three-point percentage has been below league average at 34.4%. When isolating his three-point catch-and-shoot numbers, it sits at 34.9%. This leaves defenses with a very different decision when helping off Jaylen versus helping off PG.

Moving through the Mazzulla Ball tenets, next up is defense. Despite Jaylen claiming that he is the “best two-way player in the league,” that has never been close to true. The five-time All-Star can be an elite on-ball defender when he is locked in, but even that part of his game waxes and wanes, as seen in the first round of the playoffs, when Tyrese Maxey and Paul George fried his face off. But where Brown’s defense really falls apart is his off-ball defense. There is no perfect stat to encapsulate Jaylen’s disappointing off ball defense. However, it is a part of Jaylen’s game that I have been critical of for years. Here is a seven-minute film session on Jaylen’s off-ball defense from January 2025. 

With all that being said, the analytics conversation around Brown has gone too far. We have the now infamous assertion from an anonymous analytics guy that Jaylen was the seventh best Celtic on the team last season. Nonsense.  However, one analytic that has often matched the eye test is the swing on the defensive end of the court. Over the past three seasons, the Celtics have had a 113.4 defensive rating with Jaylen on the court, which would have ranked 8th in the league last season. With Jaylen off the court, the team had a 110.7 defensive rating, which would have ranked third in the league last season.

I believe this swing is largely to do with JB’s weakness when playing off the ball. Conversely, looking at Paul George’s defensive on/off swing, with George on the court for the 76ers over the past two seasons, the Sixers had a 114.1 defensive rating, and a 117.6 defensive rating with him off the court. When healthy, Paul George is still a high level two-way basketball player, and I think will be maximized in a streamlined role in Mazzulla’s system.

Admittedly, the “when healthy” part is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. I expect George to be on the Al Horford programwith 28 minutes per game and no back-to-backs. If you get 50 games out of PG with him healthy going into the playoffs, that’s a win to me. The Celtics are a regular season wins machine who can afford to load manage both George and Mitchell Robinson while racking up wins. 

The last piece of the Mazzulla Ball puzzle is the contrast in how Paul George affects the team’s turnover rate in comparison to Jaylen’s. Mazzulla typically gets attention for his infatuation with the three-point shot, but the secret sauce is the Celtics’ league leading turnover rate. It’s simple. You have a 0% chance of scoring if you turn the ball over, and you exponentially increase the likelihood of the opposing team scoring when you turn it over yourself.

Jaylen’s biggest weakness on offense has always been his ability to hold onto the ball. The magnum opus was Game 7 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. When we compare the impact of each player on their team’s turnover rate, George has the edge here as well. In his time in Philly, the 76ers had a 13.1% turnover rate with George on the floor and a 13.2% turnover rate with him off and recorded a near identical number in his five seasons with the Clippers. If we look at Brown’s last three seasons, the Celtics’ turnover rate was 12.6% with Jaylen on the court and 11.6% with Jaylen off the court. If you isolate to the most recent season, that swing swelled to a swing of 1.4%. You might be thinking these margins are negligible. Joe Mazzulla and Brad Stevens would disagree. 

Another angle that sceptics of the Jaylen trade have brought up is how this further limits the Celtics ability to generate rim attempts. While it’s true that Jaylen himself gets to the rim more than Paul George, George creates more overall rim attempts with his passing, while also turning the ball over significantly less.

Moving on to Brad Stevens’ word of the offseason: optionality. While I think the Paul George fit is perfect for Mazzulla Ball, the trade was made for the picks that were acquired and the fact that George has one less year on his contract. Under the new lottery reform, both picks acquired have the upside of being top five picks. Under the new lottery rules, the Clippers are the type of team that should slot into the three lottery balls zone. They’re a bad team, but not bad enough to be in the bottom three in the league, but bad enough to miss the NBA Playoffs and likely the Play-In.

Brad is also betting that a team that has 80%-85% of its cap tied up in 35-year-old Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe are likely to be a Play-In team as well. With those picks, the Celtics now have seven first round picks and swaps to be used to build the next title team. Whether that’s swinging for Nikola Jokic next offseason, or a younger star in someone like Franz Wagner, the specifics are irrelevant. This trades gives the Celtics optionality in a way they did not have before. 

The last concern I will address is the concept that this trade went down because Bill Chisolm is a private equity guy, and private equity guys only do things to make money. Firstly, if I ever think Bill Chisolm is cheaping out on the roster, I will be at the front of the line accusing him of being a broke boy.

However, we do not have the answer to whether or not Chisolm is willing to spend into the luxury tax and into the second apron…yet. The basketball penalties for staying in the second apron are severe. Not a single team in the NBA has been willing to stay in the second apron for an extended period. Every team in the league would be attempting to reset the repeater tax like the Celtics did last season and will likely do this upcoming season, too. That was the purpose of the current CBA. As Chisolm told the media in his and Brad’s state of the union, “I will also prove it to you. When we have the opportunity, we’re gonna spend.” Time will tell. 

I understand Celtics fan’s emotional and practical attachment to Jaylen Brown. Brown will deservedly have his jersey retired in TD Garden once it’s all said and done. The positive impact he has had on the Boston community cannot be overstated. However, the Boston Celtics’ title window with Jaylen Brown had closed.

The Celtics blew the franchise’s first ever 3-1 lead in the first round to a mediocre Philadelphia 76ers team. It was time for change. Up until this point, it has been easy to have faith in Brad Stevens. Don’t lose faith now. 

Coming off an unexpected rise to prominence midway through the 2025-26 NBA season, Julian Reese begins his next chapter in professional basketball. The Maryland men’s basketball alum will return to the Washington Wizards for the 2026 NBA Summer League.

Reese came in on the backend of Washington’s season but quickly made an impact. He played in 13 games and started in 10 of them, averaging 11.8 points and 10.5 rebounds on 30.9 minutes per game. His size and paint presence were much needed for a faltering Wizards team with large portions of their frontcourt sidelined with injuries.

Despite averaging a double-double, Reese was only a part of a single victory in his 13-game stint. That win came in 133-110 fashion over the Golden State Warriors, where he scored 27 points and grabbed 17 boards. 

But with those struggles comes an upside, as Reese will now have the chance to play on the same frontcourt as No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybansta and 10-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis, among other talented pieces. But first, the former Terp will have to once again fight for a roster spot against some of the NBA’s most promising young talent.

In other news

Former Terp Anthony Cowan signed with Cedevita Olimpija in Slovenia.

Maryland men’s basketball’s Pharell Payne and Baba Oladotun were placed on JaBiiird’s All-Big Ten projections list.

Once again, it’s time to pass judgement prematurely. After all, I would have my basketball writer card revoked were I to not evaluate before the dust has fully settled: that’s why they pay me the modestly-sized bucks, I’m told. So, without further ado, the Winners and Losers of week one of 2026 NBA free agency.

The winners

Philadelphia 76ers It must feel strange for Sixers fans to be on the right side of one of these incredibly lopsided, head-scratching transactions. But here we are: Philadelphia may end up as the biggest winners of the week after somehow (!) landing 2026 MVP candidate, 2024 NBA finals MVP and bona fide second-team All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown in exchange for just two first-round picks, two second-rounders and Paul George – whose contract is widely regarded as one of the league’s worst. The 36-year-old, injury-prone former superstar is still owed roughly $110m over the next two seasons. At the time of writing, the Sixers remain in the LeBron James sweepstakes, but even if they strike out, they’re in terrific shape. A George-for-Brown swap gives them far more insurance against the inevitable Joel Embiid absences during the regular season, while adding a battle-tested champion to help shepherd Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe through the postseason and show them what it takes to reach the mountaintop. Additionally, after being unceremoniously dumped on a division rival for the basketball equivalent of a bag of chips, Brown will arrive about as motivated as possible heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Hats off to the Sixers’ brass for pulling off what looks like the biggest heist since Nico Harrison since Nico Harrison was employed.

Los Angeles Clippers Self-awareness is a virtue. The Clippers were going nowhere in a hurry, and as heartening as last season’s late push was, the Kawhi Leonard era had, by any reasonable measure, been an abject failure. The reckoning actually began before the offseason. At the trade deadline, the Clippers cut bait on James Harden, landing the much younger Darius Garland while adding draft capital. They also dealt longtime center Ivica Zubac for a package that ultimately yielded fifth overall pick Keaton Wagler. The housecleaning continued this summer when they sent Leonard back to his old home in Toronto, receiving a respectable haul of picks along with two intriguing younger pieces in Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick. They even poached three-point sniper Rui Hachimura from the neighboring rival Lakers. In all likelihood, the Clippers won’t be very good next season. But now, what was once an empty cupboard of future assets has been restocked, the foundations of a genuine rebuild are finally in place, and, a year after watching former Clipper-turned-trade-chip Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy, the franchise can at last start moving forward. That is, until tree-planting-gate is fully adjudicated.

LeBron James It is absolutely preposterous that the hottest commodity on the free-agent market is a man who turns 42 this December, whose beard now contains more grey than not. But that’s the reality LeBron James has created. As of this writing, he is still a man uncommitted, and once again the news cycle is being consumed by breathless speculation over his next move. For anyone else his age, merely making an NBA roster would be remarkable, never mind serving as a key contributor to a title contender. But James, one year removed from a sixth-place MVP finish and a few months off a first-round playoff series victory he all but willed into existence, has never been anyone else. His time with the LA Lakers had clearly run its course. In some ways, it probably would’ve been simpler if he’d declined on a more conventional timeline and quietly finished his career in Los Angeles a year or two ago, as so many expected. But James is quite simply still too good to retire. So, for what can only reasonably be the final time, he once again finds himself the belle of the free-agency ball.

The losers

Boston Celtics For every winner in a blockbuster trade, there’s an equally clear loser. This time, it might just be the Celtics, who left the basketball commentariat scratching their heads by shipping homegrown NBA finals MVP Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for a return that can only be described as underwhelming (see the Philadelphia 76ers above). It’s widely accepted that Paul George’s contract was so burdensome the Sixers would’ve had to attach draft compensation just to move it. Viewed through that lens, Boston essentially turned Jaylen Brown into one first-round pick, two second-rounders and a negative-value contract. Even worse, Boston are hardly in a rebuild: they were the No 2 seed last year, even with their franchise cornerstone Jayson Tatum on the mend from an achilles tendon rupture, and they’re only two years removed from a championship. Yes, the relationship with Brown appeared beyond repair after reports emerged that Boston (unsuccessfully) tried to package him for Giannis Antetokounmpo. But unless there’s another shoe still waiting to drop, the Celtics look markedly worse than they did a few months ago — and with precious little to show for it. Not great, Bob!

Detroit Pistons The Pistons had a truly remarkable turnaround last year, going from setting records for historical ineptitude just two seasons earlier to sitting pretty atop the Eastern Conference. The regular season was an unambiguous success. The playoffs, however, exposed a fundamental flaw in the roster: outside of MVP candidate Cade Cunningham, there simply wasn’t enough secondary playmaking. Not only has that glaring need gone unaddressed, you could argue the team has actually gotten worse. Tobias Harris, a key contributor to last year’s resurgence, set sail for the Western Conference champion Spurs. Isaiah Stewart, an important defensive piece and culture-setter, was shipped to Memphis. And there remains reported disharmony in negotiations with restricted free-agent All-Star center Jalen Duren, who, at the time of writing, has yet to agree to a new deal. They did sign John Collins as a would-be Harris replacement, but that’s hardly the sort of move that gets the blood pumping. Instead of building on a 60-win season, the Pistons look to be doing little more than maintaining the status quo ... or, even worse, taking a step backwards.

Los Angeles Lakers Let’s get the good out of the way: the Lakers landed their guy this summer, signing-and-trading with Utah for their longtime white whale (no pun intended), 24-year-old Rudy Gobert-esque defensive wunderkind Walker Kessler. The bad? Where to begin? Let’s start with the price. The Lakers surrendered two unprotected future first-round picks and two potentially valuable first-round swaps – assets that could become especially painful if they convey after Luka Dončić’s prime or, even worse, after his Lakers tenure. They then handed Kessler a four-year, $130m extension. That’s not an outrageous AAV for a potential franchise cornerstone, but it’s still a massive bet on a player who, for all his talent, remains relatively unproven. Even after emptying the cupboard for Kessler, the Lakers failed to dump any of their undesirable contracts, leaving themselves in a salary-cap crunch. Retaining Austin Reaves was ostensibly a success, but it required a four-year max worth $46m annually to keep him from testing the market. Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton are perfectly reasonable additions, but with the possible exception of Sexton, all were signed to long-term deals that feel a touch rich and don’t obviously project as long-term fits. For reasons known only to Rob Pelinka, every single one of those deals also includes a player option. Meanwhile, key contributors Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes and Marcus Smart all walked out the door, with Smart taking the team’s defensive identity and emotional heartbeat with him. Throw in the apparent divorce from LeBron James, and it’s difficult to see how a Lakers team squarely in Luka’s championship window hasn’t taken a significant step backward. And with the draft cupboard now almost completely bare, it’s even harder to see a path back.