PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 21: Duop Reath #26 of the Portland Trail Blazers looks to pass the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns during the In-Season Tournament on November 21, 2023 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 2023 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns are acting fast to address the hit that Mark Williams’ shoulder injury last week did to their front court depth. The team is signing center Duop Reath, according to ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania. Reath, 30 took a circuitous path to start his NBA career. Starting in community college and then transferring to LSU for his final years in the NCAA, he played overseas in China, Serbia, and Lebanon before making his NBA debut with the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2023-2024 season.
Reath spent the 2022 summer league with the Phoenix Suns but will now have a chance to prove it on the regular season roster. With Williams expected to be out for a majority of the season, Reath is expected to be behind 2025 lottery pick Khaman Maluach and third-year big man Oso Ighodaro in the center rotation.
Averaging 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 36% shooting from three as a rookie, Reath’s productivity and playing time have declined since his first season, with Portland drafting Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen in the 2024 and 2025 drafts to play ahead of him. His playing time went down in the following two seasons, and he missed the final half of the 2025-2026 campaign after suffering a stress fracture in his right foot in the middle of January.
A willing three-point shooter, Reath has a chance to make the roster considering the team’s front court injuries and his willingness and ability to take and make threes, something Ighodaro and Maluach have seldom shown early in their careers. Expect his minutes to come along the team’s reserves if the team’s front court players are having foul issues or are hurt.
The Suns’ preseason is less than three weeks away, and their regular season begins on October 21st.
Feb 24, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams (15) against the Boston Celtics in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The news that Mark Williams tore his labrum during a recent scrimmage, with the possibility that he could be out until at least the All-Star break, is not how the Suns wanted to begin the season.
Every team needs health to remain competitive, and Phoenix already enters the year with limited flexibility. The Suns are carrying $23.2 million in dead cap money and currently sit $1.7 million below the second apron, where they are hard-capped. That makes replacing production even more difficult. It also accelerates the timeline for players like Khaman Maluach and forces the organization to alter the developmental path it likely envisioned for him entering the season. Instead of bringing him along gradually, Phoenix may now need meaningful production from him much sooner than expected.
We’ve already talked about what Williams’ injury means for both Khaman Maluach and third-year big Oso Ighodaro. We’ve also explored why Maluach should ultimately get the first crack at the starting role. But there’s another exercise worth exploring. Should the Suns look to the free agent market to fortify their center depth while Williams is out?
As things currently stand, the center rotation consists of Maluach and Ighodaro. Behind them, there isn’t much. Rasheer Fleming could theoretically play some small ball five if needed. Phoenix also has two-way big CJ Huntley, who can be elevated and remain available for up to 50 regular season games. If Phoenix chooses to lean on Huntley as the primary depth option behind Maluach and Oso, that 50-game threshold would carry them to roughly the All-Star break, which could line up rather conveniently with the current timeline surrounding Williams’ return. So yes, that is a viable path.
When you look at the free agent market for centers, there really isn’t a whole hell of a lot out there. You’ll see a few former Suns sitting around. Bismack Biyombo. Mason Plumlee. Drew Eubanks. And no thanks. I’m not really interested in running back old ideas simply because they’re familiar. Dwight Powell is out there too, but he’s 35. Xavier Tillman is probably the one name that gives me a little pause. He’s a quality screener, and BBall Index gave him an A- grade in rim protection. But he’s also only 6’8”, and at that point I start wondering whether you’re better off giving Rasheer Fleming some minutes at small ball five and seeing what you have there.
The free agent market at center probably brings more risk than reward, especially when you consider how tight the Suns already are financially. I don’t think this is the time to spend money simply to say you added another center.
If the Suns do decide to make a move for another center, they would most likely have to move off Jamaree Bouyea’s contract to create the room. Bouyea is owed $2.6 million this season, but that money doesn’t become guaranteed until January 10, 2027. If Phoenix waives him before then, it would create roughly $4.3 million in flexibility to go shopping for another big.
And I think that’s the important starting point in this conversation. The Suns do not need to make that decision right now. They can push it into January. By then, we’ll have seen plenty of Maluach and Ighodaro as the primary centers. We’ll have seen Rasheer Fleming get some small-ball five minutes if needed. And we’ll probably get a look at CJ Huntley in spot situations along the way, especially when foul trouble becomes an issue.
That part interests me. That’s why you have two-way players, right? That’s why you have the G League. That’s why you have a development system in the first place. To identify talent, develop it, and then allow those players to prove whether that development actually took hold.
So while some people may be beating the drum for the Suns to dig through the scrap heap that is the current free-agent center market, I don’t think they need to do that right now. The optionality is there to wait. Let the season tell you what you actually need. See what Maluach looks like. See what Oso looks like. See whether Huntley can give you anything. See how Williams’ rehabilitation progresses. Heck, if you want to try Koa Peat at the five, go for it. And then, if January rolls around and you still need help, you make the move. There’s no reason to force it today.
Williams’ injury changes the equation, but it doesn’t require Phoenix to solve it immediately. The Suns built a developmental pipeline for moments exactly like this, and now it’s time to see whether that investment pays off. Give Maluach the opportunity. Let Oso handle his role. See what Huntley can provide. January will arrive soon enough, and by then Phoenix will know whether it needs another center or whether the answer was already sitting on the roster.
It’s not every day that an NBA star offers to pay a fine levied against a player who wears a helmet and spikes.
Yet, Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving did exactly that Wednesday, Sept. 16, when he offered to pay for Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair’s $11,492 fine for an unauthorized message written on his eye black.
During Houston’s 36-31 loss Sunday, Sept. 13, Al-Shaair had “Hind Rajab” written on his eye black, referring to a Palestinian girl who appeared to have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in January 2024, according to The Washington Post.
The NFL has strict rules against personal messages. Per the league’s rulebook, “players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office.”
In a social media post that was responding to the news of Al-Shaair’s discipline, Irving replied, “I’ll take care of his fine.”
Al-Shaair had previously been fined a similar amount during the 2025 playoffs for writing “STOP THE GENOCIDE” on his eye black, a pro-Palestinian message alluding to the death toll resulting from Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.
Irving has similarly shown solidarity with the pro-Palestinian movement.
In February, at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, he wore a navy blue T-shirt that read “PRESS” in white letters, in support of Palestinian journalists who have died while covering the conflict.
In the past, Irving has also worn a chain with the Palestinian flag and, in a separate occasion during a post-game press conference, a keffiyeh, which is a headdress worn across the Arab world.
“I’m not really championship chasing trying to find the best team I could win (with),” Leonard said on the Raptors’ Open Gym YouTube channel.
LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard drives to the basket against the Atlanta Hawks. USA TODAY Sports
“I didn’t want to put on a thousand jerseys. The city took a liking to my family, I took a liking to the city. Really enjoyed it. My son was born here and he’s been asking me forever when he’s going to come back.”
Leonard, who was fined $700,000 for his involvement in the Clippers’ scandal, is already in Toronto preparing for his second stint with the Raptors. In 2019, the star forward led the organization to an NBA championship and earned his second Finals MVP award.
This time around, Leonard isn’t looking to be Toronto’s clear-cut leader.
“I’m not here to take over anything,” he said. “I’m just here to win. If it’s Scottie’s team, it’s his team.”
The Raptors have already put Leonard’s locker next to that of Scottie Barnes, Toronto’s budding star. Since the NBA opened its investigation of the Clippers, Leonard has said little publicly.
Now that he has moved on to Toronto, Leonard has been quick to express his feelings about returning to the city he once led to an NBA championship.
Kawhi Leonard discussed the trade to the Raptors for the first time. Getty ImagesThe Clippers got clarity on their future on Monday by trading Kawhi Leonard back to the Raptors. AP
Luka Doncic (77) of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring during the first half at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
He was raised by hostile crowds of nearly 20,000 screaming fans while playing for Real Madrid from the ripe ages of 13 to 19 years old.
He was tested by the Dallas Mavericks, with whom he was selected as the third overall pick in the 2018 draft and transformed into a top-four player in the league, leading the franchise to the 2024 NBA Finals.
He was sharpened by the shock, betrayal and humiliation of the Mavericks pulling the rug from under him, making the virtually unheard of decision to trade a superstar of his caliber in his mid-20s to the Lakers in February 2025.
He was vindicated by a revenge tour that included getting in arguably the best shape of his career last summer ahead of leading the league in points (33.5) and finishing third in assists (8.3) last season.
Now the stakes are even higher.
Even though the Lakers have technically been his team for the last season and a half, he always had a shield. It was in the form of LeBron James, who has been the face of the league for two decades and is arguably the greatest player of all-time.
Doncic was the brightest star. But James was a supernova.
When the Lakers struggled, fingers pointed at the 41-year-old, who has dominated news cycles long enough for fathers and sons to cycle through the league.
He spent the summer readying himself for that responsibility.
Luka Doncic signs autographs for young fans during the Los Angeles Lakers’ visit to Slovenia on Sunday, August 23, 2026. Andrej Tarfila/Shutterstock
He hand-selected his teammates.
Doncic wanted Austin Reaves to remain by his side. The Lakers signed him to a four-year, $180 million extension, the richest contract in NBA history for a player who went undrafted.
He wanted Walker Kessler to be his partner down low. The Lakers mortgaged their future to get him, emptying their cupboard by signing him to a four-year, $130 million deal, including giving the Utah Jazz unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030. (The Lakers don’t have a tradeable, unencumbered first-round pick until 2034.)
He’s foaming at the mouth to win his first championship. That was never more obvious than last March when he put up video game stats, averaging 37.5 points, eight rebounds and 7.4 assists, leaving the league blinking in disbelief as the Lakers tornadoed to a 15-2 record over that stretch.
He desperately wants to win his first MVP Award. That was never more obvious than when his face was streaked with pain while talking about how he fell in the NBA’s MVP rankings despite his superhuman performance last spring.
“The better I play, the more I go down in ratings,” Doncic said in March. “So I don’t know what more I can do.”
Well, make no mistake about it: That slight lit another fire under him. It’s dangerous, considering he has been smoldering since the trade.
Doncic is ready to explode.
And he has the perfect conditions to do it.
He’s playing for one of the most celebrated franchises in sports. He’s next in line behind a who’s who of household names, including Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and James.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic messes with New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson during the first quarter of a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
He’s used to the pressure, having experienced it from raucous crowds since he was a teenager. He responded by becoming the youngest player to win the EuroLeague MVP Award at age 19, while also carrying his team to a championship.
Over the last two seasons, he has been insulted. He has been embarrassed. He has been overlooked.
Now he wants to make his detractors pay.
We watched Bryant thrive under those conditions, becoming a five-time champion with the Lakers. We also watched Bryant see something in Doncic when he playfully trash-talked him in Slovenian during a Lakers game in 2019.
That moment seems prophetic now.
Bryant was the last Laker who really excited a city inured to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the back-to-back world championship Dodgers and enough sunshine to keep people away from their televisions and arenas.
Unlike James, who had won three championships before joining the Lakers in free agency in 2018, Bryant became a champion in front of our eyes.
Doncic has the opportunity to do the same thing.
He can become LA’s next superhero.
Or he can fade into being an embarrassing footnote.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 11: Head coach JJ Redick of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, 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. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
During January 2025, wildfires ravaged much of the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles. Among the thousands of people affected and displaced by this disaster was Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick, who lost his and his family’s home in the fires 20 months ago.
Since moving there in the summer of 2024, Redick has embedded himself in the Palisades community and signed up to coach his sons’ basketball team at the Palisades recreation center, which also burned down in the fires.
Earlier this week, a groundbreaking ceremony to unveil a new Palisades Rec Center — featuring indoor basketball and pickleball courts, and outdoor courts and playgrounds — was held, with Redick, who was critical to these rebuilding efforts, in attendance. LA Sports Strong, a foundation he co-founded, hosted various fundraisers to ensure the recreation center would come back to life and re-emerge as a pillar of the Palisades.
“This place was very special to us. It was special to our kids,” Redick said. “… My kids were here every day. I was here almost every day. This has always been sort of the hub of the Palisades.”
The fires devastated the Los Angeles area. The Lakers were forced to postpone games against the Hornets and Spurs and went nearly a week without playing.
“It didn’t really get normal again for a long time,” Redick said in January, via Dan Woike of The Athletic. “And I think a lot of people are still going through that. And that was the angst that we felt as a family. I know my boys felt it for months and months after. And it wasn’t until we felt settled again. And even that took two to three weeks of, ‘Oh, OK, we can actually turn off that valve of anxiety that we’ve had for the last 10 months.’”
He gets that Celtics fans were not excited to see him come to town. It's not personal, but he was the big contract and big name who came to Boston when Celtics president Brad Stevens sent the much-beloved Jaylen Brown to a rival in Philadelphia. That trade — made for financial reasons because of the tax aprons, Stevens said — left a bitter taste in Celtics fans' mouths. One week, those fans thought they were in the mix for Giannis Antetokounmpo, a few weeks later, the man who finished sixth in MVP voting a season ago was gone and replaced by the 36-year-old George.
"Listen, I understand the circumstances. I understand how huge J.B. was, not only for the organization but here in the city. So I didn't take it, personal, to be honest..." George said of his reception. "To be honest, it's fair, but just one foot in front of the other. Hopefully, with how we start this year, they understand this is a new team and something that they can be proud of."
George, who played just 78 games across two seasons in Philadelphia due to injuries and a suspension, said he feels "like I've turned that corner" and his body is right again.
He also said he understands he is not the star of this team. Jayson Tatum — returning from his own injury — is that guy.
"We have a superstar, and that's J.T.," George said. "I'm not here to necessarily steal the shine or try to reinvent who I am....
"I'm here to help J.T. And he's the guy, right? I played alongside another superstar wing (Kawhi Leonard, when Paul was with the Clippers), and we co-existed beautifully. I see myself and that with J.T., being able to play off him, being able to help him."
If he can stay healthy, what George brings to Boston is a high-IQ game, defense, and a scoring threat opponents have to respect. He may not be at his peak, but this is still a nine-time All-Star and four-time All-Defense player.
George and Mike Conley, the other veteran introduced in Boston Tuesday, both said all the right things about Boston's winning culture and wanting to be part of it. Neither has a ring, both said that potential is part of what drew them to Boston.
George gets it if Celtics fans need some time — and some proof of concept — to talk themselves into this team (otherwise those fans spend time trying to dissect Joe Mazzulla's facial expressions during a September press conference). George also knows he has to stay healthy and on the court, telling NBC Sports Boston it would be "unacceptable for me, from a personal level, to not be able to play at least 50 games, 60 games in a season."
While the Celtics have interesting younger players — Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr., just-drafted Chris Cenac Jr. — if this team is going to look like a threat in the East, it's because George recaptured much of his form.
It's just a September press conference, few things will mean less when the games start, but George at least gets it.
"I'm all in and I'm happy to pull along and do my part to try to lead this group back to where I think everybody here feels and wants," George said.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: The sneakers worn by Wendell Moore Jr. #54 of the Orlando Magic during the game against the Dallas Mavericks during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 18, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Tom O'Connor/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Apr 19, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) looks down the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Training camp is approaching, which means we’ve reached the end of our preseason administrative duties and completed the process of ranking every member of the Phoenix Suns based on who we believe the best players are right now.
To everyone who took the time to vote throughout the process, thank you. These rankings give us a baseline for how we view this roster before the games begin. And once the season is over, we’ll come back, do it all again, and see how much those perceptions have changed based on what actually happened on the court.
So, without further ado, here is your final preseason SunsRank:
#
Community SunsRank
1
Devin Booker
2
Jalen Green
3
Dillon Brooks
4
Collin Gillespie
5
Miles Bridges
6
Mark Williams
7
Jordan Goodwin
8
Oso Ighodaro
9
Khaman Maluach
10
Rasheer Fleming
11
Luke Kennard
12
Haywood Highsmith
13
Koa Peat
14
Ryan Dunn
15
Pat Spencer
16
Jamaree Bouyea
17
CJ Huntley
18
Koby Brea
One of the most interesting aspects of the final rankings is where everyone ultimately landed on the Cornerstones. You want to talk about narrow margins? In the community rankings, the difference between Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks came down to one hundredth of a point, with Green barely edging him out. That’s about as close as it gets.
Here’s how the final Cornerstone rankings shake out:
Personally, I had Jalen Green comfortably ahead of Dillon Brooks. Again, this is all subjective, but if I’m looking purely at skill set, I think Green is the better basketball player. That doesn’t diminish what Brooks brings to Phoenix. The culture shift. The identity. The toughness. The attitude. The example he sets for younger players. A lot of that is unquantifiable.
But if I’m asking myself which player I would rather have on my team, regardless of contract, I’m taking Green. And I think the larger point is what each player means for the Suns’ ceiling. If Jalen Green is your second-best player, I believe Phoenix can go further and accomplish more. If Dillon Brooks is your second-best player, you’re probably looking at a much lower ceiling. You know, like getting swept out of the postseason.
I also factor upside into the equation with Green. If he can finally turn the talent and athleticism we’ve seen in flashes into consistent production, it changes everything. It raises the Suns’ ceiling and creates some interesting decisions for the front office when it comes to his future and a potential extension.
For anyone who ranked Brooks ahead of Green, I don’t fault them at all. What Brooks brings to this team is incredibly valuable and hard to quantify. I just don’t know if I see him as the second-best player on a team that wants to seriously compete.
And that’s ultimately what SunsRank is supposed to capture. Not who has the better contract or who we appreciate more, but who we believe is the better player today. Green has more to prove, while Brooks has already shown exactly how valuable he can be. Now the rankings are locked, the debates are documented, and the baseline is established. The fun part comes next. Basketball gets to tell us how wrong we were.
Wiseman was the No. 2 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Warriors. He has failed to live up to expectations after opportunities with the Warriors, Pistons and Pacers.
The Knicks are currently at 13 standard NBA contracts – one under the required 14.
James Wiseman #13 of the Detroit Pistons looks on during the game on February 10, 2024 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NBAE via Getty Images
Teams are allowed up to 15, though the Knicks only have room — unless other moves are made — for one more deal to stay under the second apron.
So, it’s a battle for that 14th spot. Whoever wins the competition will convert to a standard contract ahead of the season.
It’s similar to what the Knicks did last year, letting a few veterans – mostly Landry Shamet, Malcom Brogdon and Garrison Matthews – compete for their final standard contract.
Bruce Brown #11 of the Denver Nuggets reacts after a dunk against the Phoenix Suns in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena on April 29, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Getty Images
After Brogdon’s sudden retirement, Shamet beat out Matthews and ended up being a key bench piece during the team’s championship run. The last roster spot is certainly something that can matter down the line.
NBA training camps tend to be boring in terms of the roster. Nearly every team enters camp with 14-15 standard guaranteed contracts and little drama about who will suit up on opening night. This isn't "Hard Knocks" (at least back when that show had drama).
New York Knicks training camp this year is going to be spicy.
New York has agreed to terms with veteran guard Bruce Brown, bringing him into training camp on a non-guaranteed deal, the team announced.
Brown played in all 82 regular season games for Denver last season, averaging 7.9 points per game and shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc.
This comes a day after the Knicks signed veteran guard John Konchar to the exact same kind of deal. The Knicks also signed big men Ochai Ogbagi and James Wiseman to Exhibit 9 deals on Wednesday.
What that means is that Brown, Konchar, Ogbagi, Wiseman and Drew Eubanks all will enter Knicks training camp on non-guaranteed deals and be fighting for essentially one final roster spot. While there will be some agent spin that the Knicks could keep two of them — they have just 13 standard contracts and two open roster spots — the reality of them staying below the second apron (as mandated by owner James Dolan) means only one roster spot is truly available.
The Knicks did something similar a season ago, with Landry Shamet winning the camp battle and then going on to play a meaningful role in the team's championship run.
It will be interesting to see how this year's Knicks training camp plays out. Will the Knicks lean toward guard depth or another big? Is it simply who plays best? It's going to be an interesting camp in New York.
HOUSTON, TX - APRIL 10: Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves & Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets talk after the game on April 10, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While chances of the West’s No. 1 seed are mighty slim for the Los Angeles Lakers, with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder seemingly lording over the conference, the possibility of a top-four seed and hosting a first-round playoff series is assuredly on the table — despite some skepticism in mainstream circles.
Yet plenty of other teams are contending for one of those spots in what should be another busy Western Conference middle class this season. Mainstays like the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets will once again be in the picture. Upstart, youth-laden teams like the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers are aspiring to assert themselves. The Golden State Warriors are old and highly flawed yet talented and still led by a top-10 player in Stephen Curry. The Phoenix Suns will hope to build on their surprising 2025-26 campaign.
To sort this all out, I’m ranking four teams I deem as Los Angeles’ grandest rivals for securing a top-four seed and home-court advantage this spring. Let’s get to it.
4. Utah Jazz
The Jazz are very young. They’ve won 39 games combined over the past two seasons. A top-four seed would be an incredibly dramatic improvement from last year’s 22-60, 15th-place finish out West.
But I am not particularly enamored with the Phoenix Suns, whose starting five feels incongruent (Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges lack reliable shooting and high-feel decision-making), or Portland Trail Blazers, who have major unknowns in projecting what key players such as Ja Morant and Damian Lillard may look like and how they’ll mesh.
Plus, both teams are already bitten by the injury bug; Mark Williams is out indefinitely with a torn labrum while Shaedon Sharpe will be re-evaluated in roughly five months following a torn right meniscus (though this unfortunate setback could help declutter Portland’s guard room).
More than anything, this is a bet on the talent and offensive upside of Utah’s roster. Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson ooze shooting and should fit snugly into head coach Will Hardy’s offensive scheme rich with off-ball movement. Youngsters like Ace Bailey, Kyle Filipowski and Isaiah Collier can fill useful roles. Veteran wings in Josh Okogie and Josh Green will inject athletic and defensive juice into the roster. Jusuf Nurkić‘s screening, passing and rebounding are valuable commodities.
This team will be hard-pressed to vie for home-court advantage but is certainly the most likely of its play-in peers to rise above that tier.
3. Denver Nuggets
The steady erosion of a championship-winning core reached a nadir for Denver last season when the injury-riddled Timberwolves bounced them in the first round. During that series, the Nuggets required more secondary ball-handling, point-of-attack resistance and sprightly athleticism, the latter two of which Peyton Watson, if healthy and available, could’ve instilled. Now, Watson has departed for the Cleveland Cavaliers, leaving them light on the wings and defensively.
In an attempt to remedy some of those shortcomings this offseason, Denver added DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Bagley III, Lonnie Walker IV and Alpha Diallo, all of which feel like fairly half-baked solutions. Despite the Nuggets’ drop-off from title contention, they remain a formidable foe out West.
Nikola Jokić churns out All-NBA First Team campaigns every year. Jamal Murray enjoyed a career-best season in 2025-26 and is just damn good. Aaron Gordon is perhaps the pinnacle of the league’s role player realm: not quite a star but much more than a mere starter. Cam Johnson needs to assert himself more offensively this year but is still a good player whose shooting and movement lather up the Nuggets’ attack.
Although their depth is pretty unproven and Christian Braun must bounce back from a disappointing fourth season, they’ve won at least 50 games and been a top-five offense the past four seasons. They will likely be right back in the mix for a top-four seed alongside Los Angeles.
2. Houston Rockets
Were this a ranking of each team’s postseason prospects, I’d consider dropping Houston down a spot because of my doubts about its playoff offense, even with Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams back healthy. However, VanVleet should stymie some of those turnover woes while Adams can keep mashing on the offensive glass.
Regardless, the Rockets’ brash, athletically charged style of play on both ends is a winning recipe for the regular season. They’ve hosted a playoff series and won 52 games each of the last two years. I expect them to win a ton of games in 2026-27. VanVleet, Adams, Kevin Durant, Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Marcus Smart, Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard is a tremendous top nine.
VanVleet’s return should slot Thompson and Sheppard into more favorable offensive roles and reduce Durant’s ball-handling load, treating him as a premier play-finisher rather than someone expected to initiate tons of possessions. Adams elevates Houston as an all-time great offensive rebounding group instead of simply a very good one. The Rockets are going to rack up wins this regular season and hope healthier playoff fortunes enable them to finally break through that first-round barrier.
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
I do have some reservations about Minnesota. Donte DiVincenzo’s injury and the departures of Julius Randle and Naz Reid do leave it light on 3-point volume (and the point-of-attack depth is shaky), both in terms of those who can get them up and create them. LaMelo Ball satiates some of that need but cannot do so alone.
Beyond Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert and Ayo Dosunmu, the rotation is thin and in flux. A few names from the Bones Hyland, Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, Joan Beringer and Jonathan Kuminga quintet must solidify themselves as trustworthy contributors, particularly in the frontcourt.
But man, those first five names are dynamite and I’m delighted by the Ball-Edwards backcourt. That’s two offensive infernos who will symbiotically operate together to mitigate each other’s flaws and ease life for the litany of surrounding play-finishers.
Maybe Ball and Edwards don’t gel immediately and Minnesota’s youthful depth doesn’t hit the ground running. The Timberwolves’ win-loss record will suffer as a result. I still believe in their core, though, and expect a big season ahead, one that should pose quite the challenge for Los Angeles to topple for home-court advantage.
Last season the Knicks had several veterans in camp competing for a bottom of the roster spot.
This year, it appears they'll be taking the same approach.
Just hours after signing John Konchar and Drew Eubanks, New York announced that they've also agreed to Exhibit 9 deals with a trio of veteran free agents.
James Wiseman, Bruce Brown, and Ochai Agbaji will join the club for training camp.
As noted by SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, the Knicks would have to trade a player on the NBA roster if they decide they want to keep two of the veteran additions into the regular season.
If not, they'll likely have to choose between holding onto a big man or a wing.
Wiseman is a former second overall pick who hasn't quite panned out, averaging just 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game across five NBA seasons.
He appeared in a combined five games the past two years with the Pacers.
Brown is a former NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets (2023), and he has been praised by many around the league as a glue guy who can contribute on both ends of the court.
The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 7.9 points and 3.3 boards last season in Denver.
Agbaji split last season between the Nets and Raptors, averaging career-lows in scoring (5.1 PPG) and three-point percentage (26.6 percent).
The Clippers traded Leonard to Toronto in June, but the deal was put on hold amid the NBA’s investigation into the LA organization violating salary cap circumvention rules.
The league found wrongdoing and the Clippers’ punishment includes losing five first-round picks and a $30 million fine.
Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers in action during a game against the Sacramento Kings. Getty Images
The trade became official following the NBA’s penalties for the Clippers. Leonard reportedly surrendered more than $7 million in order to “facilitate the trade.”
Leonard waived his 15 percent trade kicker in the deal, which was worth $7.45 million. The bonus was reportedly not allowed because it would have put the Raptors above the first apron hard cap.
The 35-year-old has been at the center of the NBA’s biggest scandal this summer. But Leonard, who was fined $700,000 after the NBA’s findings in the Clippers investigation, has managed to cut ties with LA and rejoin the organization he won an NBA championship with.
Meanwhile, the Clippers are left floundering from the investigation with a potential federal criminal probe in their near future.
Owner Steve Ballmer initially spoke out against the league’s findings and stated that he would fight for the truth. However, Adam Silver discussed Ballmer’s change of heart on Tuesday at the NBA Board of Governors meetings.
LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard reacts on the court during the fourth quarter of a game against the New York Knicks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostLos Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer congratulates Kawhi Leonard at Intuit Dome. Getty Images
“Putting aside the precise words he chose to use, most importantly he indicated a willingness to accept the league’s decision in this case and the accompanying sanctions,” Silver said.
“There are other inquiries that have nothing to do with the NBA that the Clippers and Steve Ballmer are now dealing with.”
But make no mistake about it: The draft capital the Clippers received from the Raptors doesn’t absolve their cardinal sins on the salary cap.
It for sure doesn’t make up for the penalties the league brought down on the franchise.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addresses the media following the Board of Governors meetings on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City. NBAE via Getty Images
In addition to owner/chairman Steve Ballmer being suspended for a year (plus a $30 million fine to the franchise), president of business operations Gillian Zucker being suspended for a year and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank being suspended for six months, the Clippers also forfeited five first-round draft picks – one in each in the 2029-33 drafts.
Sending Ivica Zubac to the Pacers for a package that included Bennedict Mathurin (now on the Pelicans), a 2026 first-round pick (drafted Keaton Wagler), a 2028 second-round pick via Dallas and a 2029 first-round pick further accelerated the rebuild that the Leonard trade fully entrenched the Clippers in.
But the Clippers’ loss of first-round picks, and the overall lack of draft capital for the next several years, will make it challenging for the franchise to rebuild.
Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer sits on the sideline before an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. AP Photo/Ryan Sun
The Clippers received the Raptors’ unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap and two second-round picks as part of the trade for Leonard, in addition to All-Star forward Brandon Ingram and 2023 lottery pick Gradey Dick.
Those are very important building blocks for the franchise in this new era.
But that’ll give them just four first-round picks over the next seven drafts after entering the summer believing they’d have up to nine. And if the Stepien Rule applies to forfeited first-round picks, they’ll have zero first-round picks available to trade until the day of the draft for each first-round pick they have left.
Again, a very challenging place to build back up from.
The Clippers’ future isn’t completely hopeless.
They still have several young or in-their-prime good players on respectable contracts — players who can either develop or be traded for draft capital.
Brandon Ingram’s arrival is a reason for Clippers fans to have a little bit of optimism for the future. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
But the Clippers’ future appears to be a lot bleaker now than it did even a couple of months ago.
And even with the franchise receiving a life raft in the form of multiple assets via the Leonard trade that’ll help keep them from drowning in their own mess, the Clippers will continue to swim against the current trying to stay relevant entering the 2030s.
The little brother franchise in Los Angeles appears destined to leave fans frustrated with no hope in sight.
