For the past four years, the NBA has played a preseason game in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, as the league tries to expand its fan base in the region (and cozy up to the kind of monied families that the NBA always wants to keep close).
This should not be a surprise, especially considering Iran has launched missile and drone attacks into the UAE targeting military and oil production facilities. The NBA isn't the only sports league facing this situation. Formula 1 had already postponed its Bahrain stop (now taking place in Malaysia in October), and it still has yet to announce plans for races scheduled in Abu Dhabi and Qatar later this year.
The NBA did not announce preseason games in Abu Dhabi this year, as it has in the past. The NBA is still going overseas this preseason with the Mavericks and Rockets playing a couple of games in October at The Venetian Arena in Macao, China. The NBA also will play regular season games, one in Paris and one in Manchester, England, in January.
MILWAUKEE, WI -MAY 06: Jimmy Haslam, Co-Owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, introduces new head coach Taylor Jenkins on May 06, 2026 at the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In the span of three weeks, teams owned by Jimmy Haslam traded DE Myles Garrett and SF/PF Giannis Antetokounmpo in deals that included players and draft compensation. For the Cleveland Browns and Milwaukee Bucks, Haslam’s teams, the trades reset their rosters and turn their attention toward the future.
Both big trades were similar. The Browns acquired DE Jared Verse and three draft picks, while the Bucks added Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, four draft picks, and one pick swap.
According to Haslam, he believes it is more difficult to rebuild in the NBA than the NFL:
Cleveland fans are aware that Haslam’s Browns have made the playoffs just twice, their only two seasons with a winning record during his ownership tenure, and his 14-year record as owner is 78-150-1. If rebuilding is more difficult for Haslam in the NBA, we send our condolences to the fine fans in Milwaukee for what their process might look like.
What do you think? Is it harder to rebuild in the NFL or the NBA? Do you feel bad for Bucks fans or glad to have someone to experience Haslam ownership struggles with?
This much is not in dispute: The Moda Center needs upgrades. The 31-year-old home to the Portland Trail Blazers feels dated the moment you walk in, both for a fan experience and the back of the house. Everyone agrees that renovations and upgrades are needed, with the NBA pushing to get it done.
The question of who is going to pay for that has led to a bit of an Old West showdown between the City and the Trail Blazers — in particular, new owner Tom Dundon — and has raised questions about whether his real goal is to move the Trail Blazers out of Portland.
What is the core issue?
The Trail Blazers want $600 million from various government agencies for renovations and upgrades to the Moda Center, which is owned by the city of Portland (it purchased it for literally $1 from the Paul Allen estate).
The Trail Blazers and billionaire owner Tom Dundon plan to contribute none of their own money.
"It feels like we're making a pretty big investment by staying here and paying these tax rates," Dundon reportedly said at a meeting of the Portland Metro Chamber being held at the Moda Center.
Government agencies have stepped up. The Oregon State legislature already approved $365 million in funding for the upgrades, but it's contingent on the City of Portland ($120 million) and Multnomah County ($88 million) pitching in as well. If either of the local entities does not pony up, the state money goes away at the end of 2026.
The Portland City Council has said that before it votes to approve its $120 million for the renovation, it wants a few things, including the Trail Blazers to tell them how they are going to spend that money and what the upgrades look like. The Trail Blazers have given no such plans, saying they already had a handshake agreement with the city to approve the funding, plus the city should pay for an architect to help come up with the plans for the building it owns.
That is not all. The city also wanted the Trail Blazers to sign a 20-year lease to stay in Portland, commit to using union workers for the renovations and at things like concession stands during games, and pay a $3 million-a-year fee to help offset the property taxes. The Trail Blazers have said those final two demands are a non-starter.
It should be noted that the city takes the bulk of the parking revenue from the building and there is a six percent fee on every ticket sold to a Trail Blazers game, with that money going back to upgrade the arena (reportedly $4 million last year).
This is usually the part where the two sides negotiate and come to a compromise, and a deal gets done. Except, there seems to be no negotiation and the Trail Blazers are playing hardball. With the state money going away at the end of the year, Dundon and the Trail Blazers believe they have all the leverage.
Would the Trail Blazers move?
What has some people on edge is that the Pacific Northwest has seen this movie before. From the outside, it's easy to see how Dundon appears to be using the Clay Bennett ownership playbook — he and his group bought the Seattle SuperSonics with the intention from the start of moving the franchise to Oklahoma City. Get in a fight with the city because the billionaire wants massive arena upgrades, and if you don't get your way, move the team (and the other owners will back you because they will want to leverage their cities in the future).
Maybe that is Dundon's ultimate plan, but executing it would be very difficult.
First, where would the Trail Blazers go? The two most logical destinations — Seattle and Las Vegas — are about to get expansion teams, and the other owners are not going to let Dundon get in the way of those expansion fees that will be a cash windfall for owners and franchises. One suggestion was that he could move the team across the country to Raleigh, North Carolina, where Dundon's NHL team, the Hurricanes, play. The problem there is the Charlotte Hornets are just 150 miles away and would have a say. Dundon lives in Austin, but the Dallas Mavericks are a couple of hundred miles away.
Second, speaking of expansion, the NBA is finally moving another team to the Pacific Northwest with the Seattle expansion team coming in a couple of years, helping deal with a travel issue for the league and the Trail Blazers — no team is more geographically isolated than Portland. Move them out and move Seattle in and the league has the same issue.
Finally, there is a process for moving a team. It involves the Trail Blazers formally applying to move (and paying $250,000), Commissioner Adam Silver putting together a committee of other owners to study the move, then that committee would make a recommendation to the other owners for a vote. One of the questions that committee asks is whether the city's fan base still supports the team, and that is without question in Portland. The fan base loves the Trail Blazers, this is a passionate group.
This process has stopped a team from moving before: In 2013, a group wanted to purchase the Sacramento Kings and move them to Seattle, but the league stepped in. Ultimately, with Silver in a lead role (as a deputy commissioner, David Stern was still running the show), they found a local owner in Vivek Ranadive who not only bought the team and kept it in Sacramento, but he ultimately built a new arena that is one of the best in the league.
What happens now?
Negotiations and votes.
Multnomah County commissioners have scheduled a vote on Aug. 6 on its $88 million in funding. Next, Portland's city council is scheduled to vote on its $120 million on Aug. 12, although that could be pushed back depending upon negotiations.
The real deadline is the end of the year, when the state funding goes away if the city and county haven't approved their deals.
Just like their NBA counterparts, the Long Island Nets are in rebuild mode. Of course, in the G League, teams are always in rebuild mode. Here’s what’s been going on.
The Nets’ organization has added another international prospect to its development pipeline as the Long Island Nets have selected French guard Tidjiane Dioumassi with the 13th overall pick in the G League’s International Draft, a source told NetsDaily.
SOURCES: The Long Island #Nets selected French guard Tidjiane Dioumassi with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NBA G League International Draft.
I'm told he is expected to make the team's roster.
The selection gives Long Island Dioumassi's G League rights if he chooses to…
Dioumassi went undrafted in June NBA Draft, prompting him to enter the pool for the G League’s International Draft, where Long Island swooped him up at No. 13 overall.
Long Island now owns Dioumassi’s G League rights if he elects to play in the league this season. A league source told ND that he will participate in training camp with Long Island and that he is expected to make the roster.
MacDonald in line for chief scout?
I’m told the decision to select Dioumassi was made by Long Island’s front office rather than Brooklyn’s. That office is spearheaded by Long Island GM Matt Macdonald and assistant GMs Kory Jones and Kyle Hines. who have good reputations around the NBA, particularly MacDonald.
All three are praised for their high character, while Jones and Hines are commonly referred to as fast risers in the front-office realm.
As we’ve reported, Macdonald’s name has circulated as a candidate for the Nets’ chief scout role, which has been vacant since Acie Law IV left the organization in May for Chicago. Based on what we’re hearing, I would tab him to be the favorite to earn that role.
Building a roster
It’s important to keep in mind that a lot can change before Long Island finalizes its final roster, including will the Nets find any players at team’s local tryout next month. Players they have rostered following the local tryout route include Terry Roberts, who has spent three years with the team; Patrick Gardner, a 7-footer on Egypt’s National Team; Jordan Minor, who had a rotational role during the 2024-25 season, and Craig Randall II, the league’s Most Improved Player in 2021-22.
We’re also told that Long Island utilized “practice players” last season. Players who didn’t earn roster spots but would practice with the team at the “Yes We Can Center” in Westbury. One of those players, James Montgomery, had first been discovered at the team’s local tryout last year, according to one source. So the local workouts can help the franchise and get locals an alternate route to pro ball.
The Newest Guy
Dioumassi, a 24=year-old French national who stands at 6’5” and 200 pounds, last played at Western Carolina University in the 2025 NCAA season. He averaged 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 36.4% from three in 29 games.
Prior to that, he spent two seasons at Southern University following two years in the JUCO ranks. Overall, he spent five seasons in the NCAA, putting him on the older side for a draft-eligible player.
Following training camp, Dioumassi and his independent representative, Stacey Leawood, will evaluate their options to see if it’s worth sticking around on Long Island or pursuing a career overseas.
Core emerging?
Beyond Dioumassi, Long Island’s core this season is beginning to become clearer.
Second-round rookie Tyler Bilodeau is expected to spend significant time with Long Island. Bilodeau signed a two-way contract right after being selected.
Chaney Johnson the other two-way, was excellent in Summer League, averaging 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.3 steals per game leading the 2026 NBA Summer League in that final category. He — and Bilodeau — can only be active for 50 NBA games before the team has to decide whether a standard deal with Brooklyn is in order.
The Nets still have one two-way spot vacant. Based on what we’re hearing, Grant Nelson appears the favorite to earn that contract. While he continues to recover from patellar tendinitis, also known as “jumper’s knee,” the Alabama product couldn’t participate in Summer League although he traveled with the team and was on their roster.
Dain Dainja has also emerged as a name worth monitoring. A Summer League invitee for Brooklyn, he popped in Sacramento and Vegas, the only non-contract player in the team’s rotation. He averaged 6.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 stocks (steals plus blocks) while flashing his physicality at 6’9” and 260 pounds along with a whopping 7’6” wingspan.
The 24-year-old spent last season with the Sioux Skyforce in the G League, the Miami Heat’s affiliate.
Beyond that, Long Island is expected to have multiple players on Exhibit 10 contracts, as has been the case in recent seasons. Three other players on the Summer League roster: 6’4” guard Dion Brown out of St Louis, 6’10” big man Duke Brennan from Villanova, and 6’9” forward Ben Humrichous a shooting specialist who player at Illinois.
All three had their moments in Summer League, although Humrichous showed the most scoring-wise and Dion Brown appeared to be a defensive sparkplug. He also finished Summer League with a triple-double.
Under the NBA’s current CBA, teams can carry up to six Exhibit 10 players into training camp. Exhibit 10 contracts include a bonus worth up to $85,000 if a player is waived and spends the required time with the organization’s G League affiliate. Sources told ND that the Nets are one of only a handful of organizations that fully guarantee every Exhibit 10 they sign, making Brooklyn an especially attractive landing spot for players who fit that mold.
Multiple agents have also told us they view E10 contracts as more player-friendly than two-way deals in certain situations. While two-way contracts pay way more (half of the league’s minimum every year), some teams can use them to build fences around players and rarely promote them to the NBA, which limits other teams from poaching them.
E10 players, though, remain NBA free agents. They can continue developing in the G League while remaining eligible to sign a two-way or standard NBA contract with any franchise at any point during the season. Over the past few years, Long Island has established a reputation as one of the best development systems in the league.
Big Question
Last year, with a record five first rounders, Brooklyn shuttled four of them to Long Island and back multiple times to help get minutes needed for development. Ben Saraf logged the most – 15 games. Will any of the players not named Egor Demin find themselves playing at Nassau Coliseum again? The same question can be posed about Joshua Jefferson.
Coaching changes
While Mfon Udofia, former LI head coach and a huge part of that, is now an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic, the organization promoted from within to land their next HC, Shawn Swords, who was Udofia’s No. 2 for the past three seasons.
Long Island also lost an assistant coach, Steven Kaner. He is now assistant video coordinator for the Atlanta Hawks.
Home Opener
Long Island’s home opener is Friday, November 13, at Nassau Coliseum.
Boston, MA - May 31: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla talks with Brad Stevens, president of basketball operations during practice at the Auerbach Center. (Photo By Matt Stone/Boston Herald) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Give us a minute. It’s been a summer.
Let’s get this straight. After coughing up a 3-1 lead to the 76ers in the first round of last year’s playoffs, we traded Jaylen Brown to Philly AND they added LeBron James? The Knicks are defending champs and Kawhi Leonard might be a Toronto Raptor again?
Like I said, give us a minute.
It’s now August and the dust has settled. We’re officially starting our offseason deep sleep until training camp in October, but before we go into a two- month basketball hibernation, let’s take stock of where we’re at.
First, the team deserves all the skepticism that the fans have had over the last few weeks. You don’t trade away a franchise cornerstone and MVP candidate without some blowback. Now, with some perspective, the move makes a little more sense. There’s a clearer three-year plan in place and we’re all slowly getting on board.
NBA media and analytics seem to be catching up with the Celtics’ summer, too. Considering everything that’s happened with roster and taking stock with the rest of the conference, Boston is still poised to have a very good season next year with the veteran additions of Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and Mike Conley Jr. And with the continued development of the young core that pushed the Celtics to 56 wins last season, there’s no reason to think they’ll be any drop off.
Only time will tell if they’re championship level. Our friends at FanDuel have the Celtics (+1300) just behind the Knicks (+950) and Sixers (+1000) to raise Banner 19. Get on the bandwagon. I’ll save you a seat.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 18: Gilbert Arenas speaks onstage during the Gil's Arena panel at the Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics) | Getty Images for Fanatics
Former Washington Wizards star guard Gilbert Arenas was one of the NBA’s best scorers for much of the 2000s. Now that his career is over, he has gradually begun to reveal more about his life as Washington’s superstar during that time.
Recently, he was interviewed by Justin Edelman who hosts the Games With Names podcast. One of Arenas’ unwritten rules was that if a player didn’t make at least $5 million, that player couldn’t speak to him directly. A player who made at least $5 million could be an intermediary.
Gilbert Arenas says he made a rule that Wizards teammates could not speak to him directly if they made under $5,000,000
“I was a rock star, baby. You couldn’t tell me nothing. I even put in a rule with the team. It wasn’t a hard rule, but it was a rule”
On the one hand, this rule can make Arenas look pretty bad. From the outside, we think that players on a sports team will at the very least will speak to each other when needed. But at the same time, Arenas gave insight on how superstars could effectively control a locker room. Let’s face it, a player on a minimum level contract just trying to make it in the NBA just wasn’t going to have the same cache as a player making a near maximum contract during that time.
While it is good to see Arenas reminisce his career now that it is in the rear view mirror, I think some things are best left off the record. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Newton, MA - February 3: Boston Celtics President Brad Stevens watches his son Brady Stevens play for Newton North. (Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Next in the series of roundtables is a question about what’s coming next. Specifically I asked them to predict the next major roster move between now and the trade deadline (something beyond 2-ways or camp invites). Here’s what we came up with.
Ian Inangelo
Between now and the trade deadline I think the next major roster move will be the addition of another guard coming off the bench. I don’t see a major move like trading for a Trey Murphy in the cards as of now but if there’s a scoring guard on the market that can provide bench scoring I feel that is the route the Celtics should go.
Trevor Hass
I’ll predict that the Celtics will trade Sam Hauser, Luka Garza and a pick for Cameron Johnson. Johnson would fit in well from a stylistic standpoint and is one of the more underrated players in the league.
Jake Issenberg
I’m sorry to disappoint with this one. Unless Steph Curry becomes available I don’t see the Celtics doing anything of note until next offseason. They should remain under the luxury tax for one more season to allow them to achieve maximum optionality going into next offseason. Though, I would ecstatic if Payton Pritchard signs the three year $67 million contract extension he will be eligible for in October. (edited)
Nate Moskowitz
To avoid the boring answer of nothing, I will offer that a Sam Hauser trade could be on the table. My rationale is that they might just need the minutes to give Hugo, Walsh, Scheierman, Harper Jr. sufficient playing time. They’re investing in each of those guys, and Hauser’s 25MPG is a reasonable place to pull from.
Grant Burfeind
My real answer would be nothing, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, I’ll throw out Sam Hauser to OKC for Cason Wallace, plus one or two of those draft picks Sam Presti keeps collecting like Pokémon cards.
Wallace feels like such a Celtics player. Imagine rolling out Derrick White and Cason Wallace against guards like Brunson, Mitchell and Cade every night. Good luck. Wallace is already one of the better young perimeter defenders in the league, and his shot has come a long way. During the Thunder’s playoff run last year, Wallace made 2.0 threes per game at a 48.4% clip. The thought of rolling out a lineup with White, Wallace, Paul George, Tatum and Mitchell Robinson brings a smile to my face.
Jeff Clark
Yeah, you guys are all being boring. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the Celtics are poised and ready to use Paul George’s contract and a handful of picks to go get the next star that hits the market. Either because he’s upset with his current situation or (more likely) because the team finds itself in the same 2nd Apron purgatory that started the Celtics “optionality” moves a year ago. Which player will that be? I’m not holding my breath for Jokic or Curry, but I’d keep an eye on the Cavs, Magic, Rockets, and even the T-Wolves. And yeah, keep the Pelicans on speed dial, just in case.
“Not good enough” you say? I can see the comments already: “You call people boring then you don’t give us a name?” Ok fine. I predict things go sideways in Cleveland and we add Evan Mobley for George and 2 first rounders and a pick swap.
Robby Fletcher
I think Boston’s done with major moves in the near-future, at least until next offseason, but I am expecting one championship piece to be on the move in Sam Hauser.
This felt like something that’d get done this offseason, but this general post-LeBron calm feels like a good indication that the Celtics like their current personnel and intend for Hauser to be a Celtic on opening night. That’s far from a bad thing. He’ll more than likely return to the bench and provide his usual sharpshooting influence off-ball. However, his departure makes sense financially and in a team-sense, paving the way for more opportunities for Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman. At the deadline, Hauser’s shooting could convince a playoff hopeful to give up valuable, cost-effective draft capital to help the team’s long-term outlook.
Bill Sy
I’m thinking something like Sam Hauser and Mike Conley Jr. for Ty Jerome and D’Angelo Russell. Grizzlies needs some shooting, Celtics get a better option off the dribble, and Conley retires where it all started for him in Memphis.
Mike Dynon
Nothing expected before the trade deadline (sorry!), unless Brad Stevens decides more help is needed at point guard. Mike Conley should be a perfect fit as a backup, but how much does he have left for his 20th season? He appeared in just 54 games last year, averaging only 18 minutes per game. (Really hope Conley stays, however. The way he plays the game is classic Celtics, and he’ll be the veteran leader in the locker room.)
Ryan Paice
Sorry guys, I gotta be boring here: we ain’t doin’ anything before the trade deadline. The C’s are under the luxury tax and will want to stay that way throughout the 2026-27 season in order to reset the repeater tax moving forward. And, if we do make a move, I’m afraid it’ll only disappoint Boston fans since it’ll probably mean shipping out Hauser for negative value in order to clear up space for the young wings while staying under the luxury tax. I’d love to get a Cason Wallace or Cameron Johnson or Ty Jerome for Hauser, but I have a hard time seeing that realistically happening.
Rich Jensen
I am convinced of only one thing: That anything I predict will be wrong.
The Indiana Pacers just unveiled their new “statement” jerseys for the 2026-27 season. For anyone who has not kept up with the naming conventions Nike introduced a decade ago, the old “home”, “away”, and “alternate” jerseys are now called “association”, “icon”, and “statement”. The Pacers’ new threads are an ode to the 90’s and look fantastic. With Tyrese Haliburton coming back from injury and a revamped squad in a wide-open East, it makes sense why they would switch it up now. I love the new (old?) look of the pinstripes, and, honestly, it makes me a little jealous. The Mavericks have not made any such jersey announcement, which got me thinking: when was the last time Dallas changed their “core three” uniforms?
The answer is 2022-23, when they swapped their navy “statement” jerseys for… navy jerseys with bigger letters? And that is just the last time they literally changed a uniform. Per basketballjerseyarchive.com, their home and away jerseys have been nearly identical white and baby blue threads since 2010-11. And their alternate (which has been referred to as the statement jersey previously) has been some version of navy since the year after. If you quickly scroll through that website, the first three jerseys dating back 15 seasons are nearly indistinguishable. To say Dallas is in need of new uniforms would be underselling the desperation.
To be fair, new is not always better. I look at the Raptors’ rebrand in 2020-21 as a prime example. Who asked for a triangular band across the chest, and why were they not shut down? But Dallas’ jerseys are growing stale, and the blues (both navy and light blue) are uninspiring and boring. The whites are okay, but we have been looking at them for over 20 years (they are the longest unchanged uniform the Mavericks have, introduced in 2001). Something new, even with the risk of pulling a 2011 Wizards or 2020 Raptors, is long overdue for the city and fans of Dallas.
The Mavericks aren’t the only team that has had little turnover through the years, however. San Antonio has effectively had the same white and black home and away outfits since 1978. But the Spurs have won many rings in those jerseys. They are a pillar in the history of the NBA, and it is understandable why not changing them due to legacy would make sense. The Mavericks won a championship in their light blues, of course, but their most recent Finals appearance will be remembered in the city edition black jerseys, and their first Finals loss was in the white ones. The legacy and tradition are not there as consistently to justify keeping the three colorways for years to come.
Plus, they have a chance for something most teams do not: redemption. No, I am not talking about winning a championship, though of course those expectations will come with time. I am talking about the opportunity to rebrand between eras. They had a layup marketing pitch when Dirk Nowitzki retired. New jerseys to be associated with young Luka Doncic made too much sense. Yet, they kept the same ones Dirk wore nearly his whole career. Now, as the franchise transitions from Doncic to Cooper Flagg, they can right their wrongs.
What the players wear matters. When you see the home whites or the light blues, you think of Dirk. When the navy jerseys with comically large letters are out, Luka Doncic comes to mind. Flagg deserves the same opportunity. Get him something fresh and memorable and wear them in big games so we will always be reminded of the good times he brought. Plus, the fans deserve something new to look at on a nightly basis.
MEMPHIS, TN - MARCH 30: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 30, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It wasn’t that long ago that you could define Devin Booker’s place in the hierarchy of the NBA as a “superstar”. He was winning in the postseason, on the cover of NBA2K, and had the inside track in the “best shooting guard in the NBA” argument. But times have changed, the waters around him have risen, and he now resides in the HOA where the stars live.
Devin Booker is a “star”, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Unless you make the argument that he’s being paid like a superstar, and therefore should perform like one. That’s a completely fair point, and one that I agree with. At the same time, he is still a star. If you want your team to be successful in this league, you need at least one of those.
It’s one of the primary reasons I don’t believe trading Devin Booker at this point is a reasonable or prudent move for the Phoenix Suns. What you’re likely getting back in a trade is a player (or two, or three) who isn’t a star, but rather a collection of assets that satisfy financial needs. You’ll receive draft picks, but they’re unlikely to become lottery selections. Considering the Suns don’t control enough of their own draft capital, there’s very little benefit in trying to survive a few losing seasons while waiting for those picks to return and for the dead money to come off the books. You’d be stuck in a state of perpetual losing. And that’s not good for your youth movement. You need a star, and Booker is that.
Booker is still a perennial All-Star and made an All-NBA Team just two seasons ago. But he’s also someone who hasn’t won a playoff game since 2023. Because of that, I can’t currently place the “superstar” label on him at this point in time.
The question is whether he can earn it back. And if so, what would it take?
The opportunity with the 2026-27 Suns will be there. With the addition of Miles Bridges and (hopefully) a healthy Jalen Green for the entire season, there should be more opportunities for Booker to score in an uncontested manner. Defenses have to account for gravity, and the door will be open for Booker, but he needs to do so more efficiently. That’s the key. If he can regain his efficient shooting, a return to superstar status is definitely in the cards.
Take last season, for example. I think everyone would agree it was a down year for Devin Booker from an efficiency standpoint. His 45.6% shooting from the field was his lowest since the 2017–18 season. He shot 33% from beyond the arc, marking the second consecutive season he finished in that range. But this is also a player who has shot 38.3% from three multiple times during his career, so it’s hardly outside the realm of possibility that he returns to that level.
What’s interesting is how small the margin really is between being viewed as a below-average three-point shooter and an above-average one. The average three-point average in the NBA last season? 36%. It would’ve taken only 15 more made three-pointers to raise his percentage from 33% to a very respectable 37%. That’s 45 additional points over the course of an entire season. Those 45 points would’ve increased his scoring average from 26.1 to 26.8 points per game. That’s it. That’s how thin the margin is between an underwhelming shooting season and one that’s viewed as efficient.
Perspective:
For Booker to go from a 33% three-point shooter last season to 37%, he would’ve needed to make just 15 more threes
That’s 45 points over an 82-game season
Sometimes the difference between a “down shooting year” & a “great shooting year” is smaller than you think pic.twitter.com/B2WQKY5wSo
My point? It wouldn’t take much for Devin Booker to regain that efficiency. It’s only a few shots here and there. Granted, it’s the offseason, so we’re looking at this strictly through the lens of numbers, not situations. That’s an important distinction because there’s another area where Booker has an opportunity to improve, and that’s in the clutch. That’s where superstars separate themselves.
It’s also an area where Booker has faced challenges in recent seasons. When clutch time arrives, the weight of the offense too often falls solely on his shoulders, and opposing defenses know it. They load up on him, force difficult decisions, and make every possession as challenging as possible. That’s another opportunity for Booker to reclaim that superstar designation. Not to survive those situations. Thrive in them.
Theorizing how this offense should function next season, as the team could improve in the clutch by relying more on interior penetration and less on chuckin’ three-balls late. We must remember that the Suns were second in the NBA in three-pointers attempted during clutch moments. And they were 17th in points in the paint.
With Miles Bridges providing more penetration and Jalen Green playing more than 32 games and consistently attacking the paint, it’s reasonable to believe Booker will see more clean looks from beyond the arc. Defenses have to respect both Green and Bridges when they put the ball on the floor. As they penetrate, defensive gravity follows them. And that creates open opportunities for Devin Booker. If he capitalizes on a few more of those looks, the conversation surrounding his efficiency could change in a hurry.
The challenge is whether he can knock down those shots. Last season, Booker shot 30-of-92 on wide-open three-pointers, good for 32.6%. That number has to rise if his statistical output is going to rise with it. If it does, he’ll find himself back in the conversation as a superstar, at least from the standpoint of how he’s performing and the numbers that support that discussion.
But it’s important to remember that superstar status isn’t driven solely by statistics. It’s driven by production. It’s driven by the ability to elevate the players around you. Above all else, it’s driven by winning. Can Booker push the Suns far past their 38.5 projected win total this season? There isn’t a long list of superstars on losing teams. Players who put up gaudy numbers while their teams consistently lose tend to receive different labels. Like… looters in a riot?
I think he can. I’m part of the 42% who believe Devin Booker can regain that superstar status. Part of that is the optimism that naturally comes with being a fan. Part of it is because I believe the environment around him is going to create opportunities for him to elevate both his own game and the players around him.
Let’s not forget that Steve Nash didn’t win his first MVP until he was 30 years old. I’m not saying Booker is going to win an MVP. But I believe Booker can become a top-10 player in the league again if the pieces around him come together the way I think they can.
The path back to superstardom is there, but it runs through more than a percentage point or two. Booker has to rediscover his efficiency, elevate the talent around him, and push Phoenix back toward the top of the Western Conference. The numbers can reopen the conversation. Winning is what settles it. He doesn’t need to become a different player. He needs to remind everyone why the label once fit so comfortably and justify the 34.6% of the salary cap attached to his name. Because that is what superstars do. They make the production match the compensation.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 18: AJ Dybantsa speaks onstage during the Draymond Green Show podcast at the Fanatics Fest NYC 2026 at Jacob Javits Center on July 18, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Fanatics) | Getty Images for Fanatics
Thanks everyone for voting in our SB Nation Reacts poll this week. Going forward, these polls will also be posted separately in The Feed, which is the evolution of FanPosts and FanShots before our migration to WordPress just one year ago.
First, let’s get to the most important question. How do you feel about AJ Dybantsa only playing two Summer League games? Though Kevin Broom and I feel like he should have played more, we were the minority.
Just 36 percent of respondents felt the rookie needed to play more Summer League games, suggesting that most fans were satisfied with what they saw in two games. Rather than chasing extra minutes in July where Dybantsa would have likely been among the best players on the court anyway, most fans would probably prefer that he minimize risk for injury and get ready for the season this fall.
Meanwhile, league-wide perceptions in the East have shifted dramatically. The New York Knicks received 49 percent of the vote as the conference’s best team, comfortably ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers at 35 percent. FanDuel would also add that the Wizards’ odds of winning the East are like your odds of winning Powerball. Not surprising because the Power Rankings project that the Wizards will still be at the bottom. They just won’t be … as bad talent-wise as last year.
Gulp.
Or … let’s just see AJ, AD and Trae prove everyone wrong!
DALLAS, TEXAS - OCTOBER 22: A detailed view of the Nike sneakers worn by Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on October 22, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. 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 Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is a lot going on this off season for Victor Wembanyama. Earlier this week he was in France cutting ribbon on the refurbished Nanterre court. Yesterday it was announced he signed a long-term contract with Nike.
San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama has signed a new long-term contract extension with Nike — including a new signature shoe line, per sources. After 3 NBA seasons, Wembanyama has run to the Finals, MVP finalist season, Defensive Player of the Year, max deal and a signature shoe.
The shoe brand and The Alien have already shared in a fruitful partnership, but this deal is next level. Wembanyama’s deal includes a new signature shoe line.
“We are proud to continue supporting Victor Wembanyama’s journey with Nike,” the company said, via Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “As one of the most unique and influential athletes in the world, Victor is a generational talent who continues to inspire the game’s next generation. We are excited about all that we’ve built together and look forward to more wins ahead.”
With all the accolades accumulating, Wemby should be raring to go into the next season. The opportunity to extend beyond the successes of 2025-2026 has elevated. The enlarged shoe deal just reflects Wemby’s global appeal both on and off the court.
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VALENCIA, SPAIN - JUNE 19: The new beluga whales that have been rescued from the NEMO aquarium in Kharkov, at the Oceanografic, on 19 June, 2024 in Valencia, Valencian Community, Spain. Specialists in marine mammals from the Oceanografic de Valencia and the American aquariums of Georgia Aquarium and SeaWorld have carried out an international operation to rescue two beluga whales from the NEMO Dolphinarium in Kharkov, Ukraine, and transfer them to the Valencian aquarium. (Photo By Jorge Gil/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images
For a day smacked in the middle of the summer, kicking off August, and with most definitely nothing going around, I can’t believe I got this thing to go past 850 words. Links and notes.
James Dolan expects the Knicks’ title defense to be the most enjoyable season of his ownership, following a summer in which New York’s squad is “coming back pretty much intact.” Keywords: Pretty much.
In the eyes of everybody reading this and also New York Post pundit Jared Schwartz’s, the Knicks are now the team everyone else is building to beat. After using Boston as a blueprint during their own rise, New York will now have to adjust to fresh challenges from across the League as the 76ers, Heat, and other contenders all made moves to try and counter the Knicks’ greatness. Schwartz discussed them all and highlighted the main thing that might prove the biggest challenge for New York to deal with from each of those new contenders. An example:
“The 76ers’ length: The ‘Wingstop’ duo of OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges was brought in with the Celtics’ wing duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in mind. The need to stop elite wings has become increasingly pivotal in the modern NBA, and the Knicks ensured they had the personnel to do so.
Now, it’s the 76ers — not the Celtics — who present potential wing problems in LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. In a matchup between the two teams, Anunoby assuredly would guard one of those, though the other is a bit more of an open question. Bridges spent much of the postseason as the Knicks’ point-of-attack defender, guarding opposing guards rather than wings. Against the 76ers in particular, he did a terrific job on Tyrese Maxey.”
Kendrick Perkins didn’t rank the Knicks as the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference heading into the 2027 NBA season.
Same Perk didn’t call Jalen Brunson the Knicks’ “most important player” after he led New York to its first championship in 53 years.
ESPN’s Vince Goodwill said Towns was and still is “disappointed” that the Knicks did not offer him an extension during the season nor in the early days of the offseason, although the situation is obviously expected to be resolved sooner rather than later.
“Go back to during the season when Karl-Anthony Towns wanted an extension from the Knicks. The Knicks did not offer him one. He was disappointed, but he says he wants to be a Knick for life. He said, ‘These are the things that handle themselves in the offseason as long as I handle myself on the floor. The Knicks won the championship. Karl-Anthony Towns was a hub. He’s expecting some resolution to that soon.”
Could an overperforming Miles McBride put the Knicks in a difficult position? That’s what Daily Knicks’ Jack Simone believes, with Deuce coming off a disappointing end to the postseason and is entering his final year under contract in New York.
Fellow Daily Knicks scribe Kenny Kluska thinks Tyler Kolek — and the Knicks’ needs — might have played his way out of New York.
Per ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, Minnesota has an interest in signing former end-of-pine Knick Jeremy Sochan. Alright, then. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Siegel also reported that Golden State would welcome Kevin Durant back if he becomes available at some point next season.
Shaquille O’Neal is convinced the Knicks’ championship came down to “a lot of luck” during their run. At least he called out the Spurs and, namely, De’Aaron Fox for their fooliness.
On a positive note, Shaq also compared Brunson’s postseason mindset to Kobe’s Mamba Mentality.
“Kenny and I cornered (Brunson). We had a show right before the playoffs, and I like to mess with guys. I said, ‘Hey man, you going to win a championship this year?’ He had that look in his eye like when I used to ask Kobe. Like he really had that look where I was like ‘Hey, they were going to do it.’ And then when they played Atlanta and lost those games, I got nervous. But the way they stepped up, came back, and were beating teams, they actually did it the right way.”
Now welcome to the Dillon Brooks corner.
Brooks accused LeBron of doing “everything he can” to secure another championship and “get more footage” for his own Last Dance documentary. For context, LeBron and Maverick Carter had already pushed back (falsely, likely) on the reports that they are nearing an agreement with ESPN to film such a thing. Related to this, Rich Paul has suggested that playing in Philadelphia could energize James enough to play anywhere from two to four more seasons.
Brooks also wants to fight Jimmy Butler in a boxing match. “I always feel the animosity.”
Brooks described Russell Westbrook as an uncoachable dude, for not entirely bad reasons.
Brooks claimed the delayed Kawhi Leonard trade to Toronto will never happen.
The BIG3 is now valued at approximately $290 million and is targeting major expansion. Ice Cube revealed the league will eventually expand to between 24 and 34 teams, although he emphasized that growth must happen responsibly.
Every time Klay Thompson’s name shows up in a trade rumor that doesn’t involve Golden State, there’s a version of me that flinches a little. Watching him drain threes in a Mavericks jersey on Christmas Day was already enough of an adjustment for one lifetime. But if the sharpshooter with the quickest release we’ve ever seen is headed somewhere else this time, Miami might be the one address on the list that doesn’t feel like a betrayal.
Here’s why. Andre Iguodala left Golden State’s launch pad and found a second wind in Miami, helping drag that Heat team to the Bubble Finals against all logic. Andrew Wiggins, a guy this fanbase watched grow up in real time, has planted his own flag down there too. A landing spot like the Lakers or Celtics would always feel like Klay playing in someone else’s shadow. Miami is different. Pat Riley’s organization has a track record of taking a Warriors name that needed a reset and building a role around what still works, not what used to.
If Andre Iguodala ever ran a franchise, he's taking the culture from the Miami Heat. 💯
"You don’t hear players get in trouble in Miami. That’s all you need to know…in MIAMI. Out of all the places."
The forgotten man in Dallas may be getting a lifeline out of town.
The Dallas Mavericks would prefer to trade veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson this offseason, longtime NBA writer Marc Stein reported this week. Stein also adds that the Miami Heat are one of the teams hoping… pic.twitter.com/5bnhArGmCS
The reporting on how this actually happens is simple once you strip out the accounting. Klay takes a buyout from Dallas. Miami signs him using what’s left of its midlevel exception. Dallas doesn’t want that. That’s the whole standoff, according to Anthony Chiang’s mailbag for the Miami Herald.
Dallas believes a team built around Cooper Flagg can hang around the play-in picture, and a shooter like Thompson still has value to them, whether that’s minutes or a trade chip down the line. There’s no reason for Dallas to rush toward giving that away for nothing.
Strip away the money and the standoff for a second, because the basketball logic here writes itself. Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo are two players who live in the paint. They need someone defenses have to honor beyond the arc without needing plays run for him. That’s the exact profile Thompson has spent his whole career perfecting, going back to a Warriors era where he built his game around cutting and relocating rather than dribbling into pull-ups.
The decline is real and worth naming honestly. His overall game slipped last season as he posted career lows across the board with Dallas. But he still knocked down 38 percent of his threes, and there just aren’t many players alive who scare a defense standing still the way Klay Thompson does.
On ESPN’s “NBA Today” this past Wednesday, Shams Charania said flatly, “Klay is the Heat’s number one priority right now to acquire,” while noting that several other contending teams are reportedly still monitoring the situation, keeping both a trade and a buyout in play.
Shams reiterates Klay Thompson being Miami’s top priority.
The Heat are clearly sending Klay’s camp they got the money for him and to work out that buyout 👀 pic.twitter.com/cP7jUQfKui
So here’s where it sits. Dallas has rejected Miami’s preferred mechanism. Miami has no obvious next move beyond waiting it out. And somewhere in the Bay, there’s a fanbase that will be checking up on the younger Splash Bro, rooting for a next chapter that finally feels like Klay’s story again.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 26: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before a game against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on January 26, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
LeBron James.
Say that name to anyone, and it’s going to garner a response. Sometimes it will be overwhelmingly positive, and in other scenarios it will be very negative.
Given how long LeBron played for the Lakers, his era had plenty of highs and lows that can alter how one evaluates his time in LA.
The best moment has to be the 2020 title. He got it done and left a legacy. In such a tough situation, he helped LA dominate in the bubble and was named Finals MVP.
The lows have to be the losses.
Despite his All-Star-level play, the Lakers were unable to make it out of the Western Conference again after 2020. They had two losing seasons, three postseason first-round exits, four different head coaches and too much drama to ever count.
Now that the Lakers chapters are completed in the book of LeBron’s career, for our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans if his time in LA was a success. The answer was an emphatic yes.
Winning matters. It’s so hard to do.
The list of great teams and players who never won it all is enormous, and the number that got it done is finite.
LeBron talked about championships, and he hung a banner inside Crypto.com Arena. He ended the Lakers’ title drought and arrived in LA when the franchise was at a low point.
Thanks to his arrival, they became winners. With LeBron on the Lakers, they attracted stars like Anthony Davis and remained one of the better teams in the NBA.
LeBron left the Lakers better than he found them. If that’s not a success, then I don’t know what is.
Should the Lakers have won more? Maybe.
In hindsight, the Russell Westbrook trade was a disaster. It broke up a team that should’ve been left alone. The blame game involving that move and how much of it falls on the Lakers front office, or LeBron, is still debated today and remains a touchy subject.
Still, the good far outweighed the bad.
He won’t retire a Laker, but he left his mark. Now that it’s done, the only thing left to say is goodbye LeBron, and thanks for the memories.
Now it’s Luka Dončić’s turn. Let’s see what he does with it.
STOCKTON, CA - APRIL 11: Head Coach Dylan Murphy of the Osceola Magic looks on during the game against the Stockton Kings during Game 2 of the 2025 G League Finals on April 11, 2025 at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Mike Boynton Jr. continues to fill out his coaching staff in Ann Arbor, as he has hired Dylan Murphy as an assistant coach for the Michigan men’s basketball program. The news was first reported by 247Sports.
Michigan men’s basketball is hiring Dylan Murphy, most recently the head coach of the Osceola Magic NBA G League Team, as an assistant coach, I’ve learned.
Murphy is a promising offensive mind who has led the Orlando Magic affiliate to two first-place conference finishes in his…
Murphy brings a diverse background in both NBA and G League coaching and analytics to a Wolverines staff that is working to defend a national championship in 2026-27.
He spent the last five seasons in the NBA with the Orlando Magic organization, serving in two distinct capacities. From 2018-20, he worked as a basketball operations analyst, providing analytics support to the coaching staff. He then transitioned into a full-time assistant coaching role from 2020-23, giving him three seasons of NBA bench experience at one of the league’s franchises.
His path to Orlando was built on a strong foundation in the G League. Murphy spent three seasons from 2013-16 as an assistant coach with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants — the Indiana Pacers’ G League affiliate — where he was part of one of the more successful runs in league history. The Mad Ants posted a league-best 34-16 record in 2013-14 and went a perfect 6-0 in the playoffs to win the G League championship.
After his time in Fort Wayne, Murphy spent the 2016-17 season as an NBA G League scout for the Atlanta Hawks, where he was responsible for identifying potential call-up candidates, a role that sharpened his eye for talent evaluation and player development at the professional level. He then served as a graduate assistant at Ball State in 2018 before joining the Magic organization.
Murphy’s background is particularly well-suited to what Boynton is building at Michigan. His blend of NBA analytics experience and on-court coaching provide him with a versatile skillset that can impact both the strategic and developmental sides of the program.
The analytics component of his profile is especially worth highlighting. Murphy spent two seasons as a dedicated analytics support staffer with Orlando before moving to the bench, meaning he very likely understands the data side of the game. In an era where analytics are playing an increasingly significant role in roster construction, game planning and player development, someone being on the coaching staff who has lived that world in the NBA is a great asset to have.
Boynton is assembling a staff with diverse backgrounds and complementary skillsets as he works to keep the Wolverines competitive at the highest level, and Murphy’s hire is another piece of that puzzle.
