SAN ANTONIO, TX. - MAY 2026: Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) before Game 5 against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs, NBA Western Conference Semifinals, Game 5. NBA Playoffs. (Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images) | Star Tribune via Getty Images
Julius Randle has a simple message for anyone setting expectations for the Brooklyn Nets this season: prepare to be surprised.
Shortly after the Nets acquired Randle in June, first-round rookie Mikel Brown Jr. shared with reporters that the three-time All-Star had told him Brooklyn was going to “shock the world.”
So, when NetsDaily caught up with Randle on Saturday at a community basketball event, we asked him what he meant by “shock the world.”
“Exactly that,” Randle said. “Whatever your expectations are, whatever expectations that are put upon us, we’re gonna exceed them and we’re gonna do things at a very high level. We’re gonna build, come in with the right habits every single day, and we’re gonna do exactly that.”
The 31-year-old spent Saturday afternoon at the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center, hosting a back-to-school clinic for 75 local middle and high schoolers.
Randle is no stranger to New York City, having spent five seasons across the East River with the Knicks before playing two years with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Nevertheless, he understands the importance of giving back to the community.
“It’s really just about giving my time to the community,” Randle said. “Really just, you know, touching the community, touching the kids, just being a part of the community. Anytime I can give back, put a smile on a kid’s face or a parent’s face. These are the people who support us year-round, whether we know it or not, and they make the game what it is, so it’s how I can give back.”
“So many people have poured into my life and helped me become who I am, and idols that I’ve looked up to, so I feel like it’s my job to pay back as well,” he continued.
Despite being acquired in June, Randle said he wasted no time familiarizing himself with Brooklyn’s youngsters.
The veteran worked out in Texas this summer with Egor Dëmin, Mikel Brown Jr., and Josha Jefferson, giving him an early look at how they look before training camp begins.
“Egor, Mikel, Joshua, all those guys, like extremely, extremely hard workers,” Randle told NetsDaily. “Attention to detail, but just really, really hard workers. Competition level is really high. Whether it’s, you know, playing one-on-one or we’re in a shooting drill, whatever, like everything is done, you know, at game speed. Attention to detail. Smart, high-IQ basketball players.”
Dëmin is gearing up for his second NBA season after an encouraging rookie year and an even stronger summer, leaving fans excited for what his future in the league holds. Brown is getting ready to anchor Brooklyn’s backcourt around Dëmin in his rookie campaign, while Jefferson is also a first-year pro.
Randle also spent time with the youngsters away from the court, including one particularly memorable round of golf in the Texas heat.
“Played a little golf in the Texas heat, which was a little interesting for them,” Randle said. “I think about the third hole; they were all trying to take their shirts off on a golf course, and you can’t do that. So we got a little warning in the middle of playing golf.”
At the end of the day, Randle said he is building relationships with his teammates that are over a decade younger than him. And he’s enjoyed that, particularly their energy.
“It’s refreshing being around youthful energy like that,” he said. “Definitely refreshing for me.”
Randle’s experience is valuable to have in the building, but there is no doubt he can still produce. During the 2025 season, he averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 33 minutes per game across 79 outings.
Most importantly, though, production aside, he has clearly embraced a leadership role… before even suiting up for the Nets.
Now comes the hard part: actually shocking the world as the veteran promises.
Such a contract typically transfers to a G-League deal. The Knicks did not confirm the signing.
Igor Milicic of Poland in action during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 qualifier match. ADAM WARZAWA/EPA/Shutterstock
Milicic, a 6-foot-10 forward who hails from Croatia, played four NCAA seasons for three schools — including a senior campaign at Tennessee — before going undrafted in 2025.
Last season, Milicic played with the Sixers’ G-League squad.
The Knicks still have to fill one roster spot and could sign three two-way players.
Tyler Nickel, their second-round pick, remains unsigned but logic indicates he’ll get a deal.
The team’s other second-round pick — Jack Kayil — is playing overseas next season.
New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek drives to the basket during Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, May 4, 2026, at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks defeated the 76ers 137-98.
Tyler Kolek isn’t making any predictions or declarations about cracking a crowded championship backcourt. As he said Saturday, the goal is just “every day be consistent.”
But the third-year Knicks guard also understands he needs to be more aggressive when given the opportunity.
“Early on in the season, I was finishing at a high level. And then later on in the year, I was getting in there, maybe I was looking a little too passive,” Kolek said Saturday. “So just looking for my shot, being more aggressive in the paint, and then that opens everything else up. Having the defense collapse, and then finding sprays for our guys.”
Kolek enjoyed success and acclaim during a brief foray in the Knicks rotation last season, when injuries to Miles McBride and Landry Shamet left him as Jalen Brunson’s first backup.
Kolek shined in December — including during the NBA Cup championship run — and quickly evolved into a fan favorite.
But the 25-year-old also was out of the rotation after Jose Alvarado’s arrival at the February trade deadline.
With Alvarado, Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Shamet, McBride and Jordan Clarkson all returning, Kolek faces another uphill battle for consistent playing time.
But injuries or trades happen every season, and Kolek will have a chance to impress in the preseason starting Oct. 5 in Philadelphia. He also has the ideal archetypal teammate to study as an undersized point guard.
New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek drives to the basket during Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers on May 4, 2026, at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Obviously, Jalen is amazing in the midrange, amazing with floaters, finishing at the rim,” Kolek said. “So taking that aspect of the game as a smaller guard — I need to be really efficient in the paint and around the rim. And that’ll open everything else for us.”
In the meantime, Kolek is enjoying the waning days of a championship offseason. In and around New York City, the players still are being treated like kings. Proof of Kolek’s popularity was displayed Saturday at a FlexWork Sports camp at the House of Sports in Ardsley, N.Y., where youngsters mobbed the point guard on the court.
Kolek, like his teammates, warned against turning the adulation into complacency, which might be more difficult on ring night for the Oct. 20 regular-season opener.
“The first game will feel like a great celebration. But internally we got to block out what the fans are thinking and everything that the media is going to say,” Kolek said. “Even though we may not be picked to be the favorites, New York fans are still going to say we’re the champs and we should run it back, we should win again. But we got to stay locked in. … At this stage, though, we shouldn’t have to be motivated. We’re champions. We know what it looks like. And we’re not just satisfied with one.”
New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek puts up a three-point shot in the first half at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York on Feb. 4, 2026. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
Plus, the Eastern Conference got tougher with expected improvement from Philadelphia, Miami, Indiana, Orlando and Toronto — not to mention the potential contenders in Detroit, Boston and Cleveland.
“It happens every year in the NBA. The Thunder won the year before; everybody loads up to try to beat the Thunder. We win, [and the same thing happens],” Kolek said. “It happens every single year. It’s a copycat league. Teams are trying to beat the best and compete with the best. So they do what they can.”
Julius Randle meets with the media after visiting The Brooklyn Basketball Training Center for their Back to School Clinic on Saturday, September 12, 2026, in Brooklyn, NY.
Julius Randle wasn’t kidding when he told rookie Mikel Brown Jr. that the Nets plan to “shock the world” this season.
“Exactly that,” Randle said Saturday when asked what he meant.
The optics — including an over/under of 24.5 wins on BetMGM, a 20-62 record last season, an influx of first-rounders from the last two years trying to mesh on the fly, and an organization trying to take its rebuild to the next stage — suggest otherwise.
But Randle, in his return to New York City after five seasons with the Knicks and two away in Minnesota with the Timberwolves, has a vision to make those an afterthought. He will, of course, be at the center of that, along with Michael Porter Jr., the type of player Randle said he loves playing with.
If Randle can replicate his numbers from the last time he was a primary scorer with the Knicks in 2023-24 (24.0 points per game), he could position himself to become just the second player — joining Michael Ray Richardson — to earn an All-Star Game nod with both the Nets and Knicks.
“Whatever your expectations are, whatever expectations that are put upon us, we’re gonna exceed them and we’re gonna do things at a very high level,” Randle said Saturday at the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center while hosting a back-to-school basketball clinic for 80 kids. “We’re gonna build, come in with the right habits every single day, and we’re gonna do exactly that.”
Julius Randle meets with the media after visiting The Brooklyn Basketball Training Center for their Back to School Clinic on Sept. 12, 2026, in Brooklyn. J.C. Rice for NY Post
Randle, 31 years old and carrying a contract with a player option at the end of the year, said he hasn’t thought too much about the rare spot he’s in — with the chance to carve out a legacy with two NBA teams in one city. He doesn’t spend time thinking about possible trades and rumors, either.
When the Nets acquired him ahead of the draft in June, Randle’s exit in Minnesota gave the Timberwolves some needed cap space and his arrival gave Brooklyn another needed focal point of the offense. But as with anything in a rebuild, stints might not last long.
This also marked a return to the city where Randle thrived for half a decade with the Knicks. There he was Saturday, cycling around the basketball courts, going through drills with the kids at his camp. There he was, posing for pictures and walking around in his clinic T-shirt.
“It’s definitely a place that just feels like home,” Randle said, “and I’m happy to be back here.”
When the season starts, Randle and Porter will be tasked with sparking the Nets offense, and Randle — who has already spoken with Porter a lot — said they can “really complement each other.” Porter, who averaged 9.3 3-pointers per game last season and hit 36.3 percent of them, can move away from the ball and serve as a catch-and-shoot wing.
Randle, who averaged 21.1 points per game last year while playing alongside Anthony Edwards in Minnesota, has thrived when creating off the dribble and with his passing.
Julius Randle shoots over Jalen Brunson during the first quarter of the Timberwolves’ blowout win over the Knicks on Nov. 5, 2025 at Madison Square Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I told him that like players like him, I love playing with because of how well he can space the floor,” Randle said of Porter. “He loves big shots, big moments, and, like, they always seem to know exactly like where to be. He does it at an extremely high level, so I’m excited.”
For now, Randle was focused on his camp Saturday, on the present, on his return to the New York City community, on the new place he just moved into Monday and the school year that began Tuesday for his kids.
“That’ll definitely wake you up a little bit,” Randle said.
But later this month, the roots of Randle’s Nets vision will start to take shape in training camp. Offseason chatter will fade. And then the real tests — the ones that’ll gauge the ultimate success of his homecoming and his ability to carve out a legacy with two teams in the same city — will come into focus.
“It was like, actually, kinda refreshing because it was like I lived here for five years but it felt like a fresh start,” Randle said. “And I was kinda like a newbie again.”
The NBA suspended Clippers owner Steve Ballmer for one year from all league and team activities. AP
Clippers beat writer Joey Linn believes the team has an insecurity problem surrounding the Lakers. On SiriusXM NBA Radio, Linn discussed why the manner in which the organization operates isn’t typical of a professional sports franchise.
“This is an organization, that whether they want to admit it or not, have operated as if they are trying to get out of the Lakers’ shadow. And look no further than right after they acquired Kawhi Leonard and they ran this L.A. Our Way campaign across the city of Los Angeles basically trying to establish themselves as their own team in LA.
“But it’s a lot deeper than that. Some of the things that go on, some of the tactics that are used to control the narrative on the Clippers’ side of things, at least in the way they’re carried out, aren’t exactly typical of what you would see from a professional sports organization.
“And that’s just where it does seem like an insecurity problem.”
“Whether they want to admit it or not.”
Why did the Clippers feel the need to go through the Kawhi Leonard saga?@joeylinn_ tells @BGeltzNBA & @SamMitchellNBA it’s because they were trying to separate themselves from the Lakers.
Kawhi Leonard of the Los Angeles Clippers in action against the Sacramento Kings at Intuit Dome in Inglewood. Getty ImagesKawhi Leonard (right) and Steve Ballmer (left) alongside Paul George. MediaNews Group via Getty Images
The Clippers have tarnished their reputation over the ongoing Kawhi Leonard saga. Leonard was fined $700,000 due to his involvement in violating the NBA’s salary cap rules. One could argue the franchise’s desire to be seen as the premier basketball team in LA propelled the downward spiral into the NBA’s investigation.
Bronny James’ contract with the Lakers became fully guaranteed the day before LeBron James informed the Lakers he would leave the organization. Getty Images
He is set to be Real Madrid’s lead guard after spending the last three years carving out a bench role in the NBA.
As for James, his tenure with the Lakers continues despite his father signing with the 76ers. James’ $2.3 million contract with the team became fully guaranteed the day before LeBron James informed the Lakers he would not return with them for the 2026-27 season.
Bronny James will continue his Lakers tenure without his father, LeBron James. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
Out of his father’s shadow, James has the chance to blossom into his own NBA player donning the Purple-and-Gold.
The 23-year-old joined Minnesota on a two-year, $12.4 million deal despite the Lakers offering a deal that would allow Kuminga to earn roughly the same amount annually.
Timberwolves forward Jonathan Kuminga listens to questions during an NBA basketball news conference at Target Center. AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt
But the forward has been adamant that he made the right decision, saying he wanted to join a winning culture. The Timberwolves have never won an NBA championship, let alone an appearance in the Finals.
Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas didn’t mince words when he discussed Kuminga’s puzzling decision on his podcast.
“Someone is getting you paid to look the other way because there’s no f–king way that you should have been signing these bulls–t deals,” Arenas said.
“There’s no way [Kuminga] should be signing these bullsh*t deals!”
“Now you’re talking about you’re in a two-year deal. You signed a podcast deal, like I said. You’re playing with two max players, three max players. You’re the fourth, fifth option. And you think you’re gonna do what?”
Kuminga joins LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards in Minnesota as part of the backcourt. The Lakers’ pitch to the wing was starting alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Gilbert Arenas criticized Jonathan Kuminga for signing with the Timberwolves. @GilsArenaShow/XWith Jonathan Kuminga going to the Timberwolves, the Lakers will have to pivot to other options. Getty Images
Throughout the offseason, the Lakers and Kuminga had gone back and forth on a potential contract but never reached an agreement.
Nick Smith Jr. of the Los Angeles Lakers takes a foul shot during the second half of a game against the Phoenix Suns. Getty Images
The guard has agreed to a one-year deal with Real Madrid, according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. Klutch Sports agents Lucas Newton and Calvin Andrews negotiated the deal.
Smith averaged 7.6 points in 17.5 minutes across three NBA seasons with the Hornets and Lakers. Now, he’ll be Real Madrid’s primary guard in the Euroleague.
Free agent guard Nick Smith Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal with Real Madrid, agents Lucas Newton and Calvin Andrews of Klutch Sports told @hoopshype. He averaged 7.6 points in 17.5 minutes during three NBA seasons with the Hornets and Lakers. He’ll be Real Madrid’s lead guard. pic.twitter.com/nDJo7H65hb
The Lakers initially signed Smith to a two-way contract in September 2025 after he was waived by Charlotte. In April 2026, the team converted Smith’s deal into a standard NBA contract to make him eligible for the playoffs following injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The Lakers declined Nick Smith’s team option this offseason. NBAE via Getty ImagesNick Smith Jr. was drafted by the Hornets in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
While Smith provided backcourt depth for the Lakers last season, LA declined his $2.5 million team option. His most memorable moment as a Laker was when he had 25 points and six assists in a thrilling Nov. 3 win against the Trail Blazers.
The 22-year-old was once a highly touted prospect: The Hornets drafted the guard 27th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. There’s no confirmation that Smith didn’t receive an NBA opportunity in free agency, but it appears he’s chosen to play overseas for Real Madrid after attempting to carve out a role as a bench-scorer stateside.
Fans react after New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) puts up a three-point shot during the first quarter of Game 6 of the NBA Playoffs on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Secondary ticket prices to the New York Knicks home opener have shot up more than 500% from last year — now costing over $1,300 to get in the door.
The cheapest seats on the secondary market for the Oct. 20 opening night game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden cost $1,346 a piece, including fees, according to data company TicketIQ.
That is a massive 526% increase from the 2025 home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, which had a final get-in price of $215, according to the company.
Knicks fans will be shelling out more than 500% more for opening night this season than last season. Aristide Economopoulos for NY Post
Opening Night get-in price is higher than all Knicks playoff games last season except for Game 3 and Game 4 of the NBA Finals, TicketIQ reported.
“The championship has completely reset the Knicks ticket market,” said Jesse Lawrence, CEO of TicketIQ.
The get-in price for games at MSG will be roughly 47% higher than last year — jumping from $234 last season to $344 this upcoming season, according to TicketIQ.
The opening night will see the Knicks raise a championship banner into the rafters thanks, in part, to NBA Finals hero OG Anunoby (left) and Karl-Anthony Towns (right). Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Driving the price surge for the home opener are two major basketball milestones.
The Knicks will raise a championship banner into the rafters in MSG for the first time in 53 years — when the team last won the NBA Finals in 1973.
The game will also be the debut of LeBron James as a 76er after he ditched the Los Angeles Lakers for the City of Brotherly Love this past off season.
The market for tickets on opening night is still fluid and the get-in price is down 5% over the last four days from $1,417, according to TicketIQ.
The Post reached out to MSG for information regarding ticket prices for the 2026-27 season.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: The sneakers worn by Skal Labissiere #64 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
Welcome to Inside the Suns, a deep down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team in which the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: Last season, Devin Booker’s shooting was his 4th least-effective (.507), and his three-point shooting (33.0%) was his second-worst ever. How important is it for him to get to at least above his career averages in these areas in 2026-27?
GuarGuar: Definitely was a down year shooting-wise for Book last season. His high free throw rate and percentage is what kept him a decently efficient player last year still. He’s going to need to figure out the three-point inconsistency. There are plenty of guys later in their careers who became more consistent from three, and we need Book to achieve that. His shooting form is different in some way since he came into the league. I think it was to maximize his midrange percentage, but the cost has been consistency from 3. It’s really off-the-dribble threes where he struggles, catch and shoot he’s been solid historically. He’s gotta regain confidence from behind the arc, and I believe in him to do it.
zenzino: Very important. Next question.
For reals, Ishbia has unequivocally stated on numerous occasions that he is ride or die with Devin Booker. Great! Then build the team around him rather than having him adjust to the players that are brought in.
He spent a lot of time last season getting his teammates involved, which is great and what was needed last season, but I agree with many that point Book is not the most effective Book.
The ball is always going to go through Book, and that’s fine. But run some sets that get Book open looks and then, when he gets blitzed (top 10 in getting blitzed), open up passing lanes so the other guys can use his gravity to get open shots.
I’d really like to see Book be more offensively minded this season. Be slightly more selfish about getting his shots. I’d also like to see him be more selective with his 3-pointers. He shouldn’t try to be a high-volume shooter. If he averages around 28 per game, I’d be fine with his assists staying around 6 per game.
For him personally, I really hope he does and puts an end to the ridiculous narrative that he is declining.
Ashton: This feels almost like a loaded question because any self-respecting Suns fan would read this and go “of course this a problem!”
So, I reached for my contrarian hat to try to put this in context. Let’s start with this. Every now and then I get a job description interview from a recruiter that is a literal laundry list of hard to master skills that concludes with “and the kitchen sink”. I wonder what type of job description they would have to write up for Booker? Must be an all-star, must be an able defender, must be able to take over the game in the final minute, must be a play-making facilitator, must be a leader in locker room presence and mentor to players, must lead a winning team to the finals, and the list goes on, finishing with “and the kitchen sink”. This is how the Suns fans would want to write up their HR job description for Booker.
But I rarely encounter the “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves” in these job descriptions smorgasbord. To answer this question, is 3-PT shooting a “must-have”? No. For one, Book was never a volume three-point shooter. We used to joke if this would be the game that Book would put up and make seven or more three-pointers. It was the easiest prop bet in the world to say he wouldn’t. Why? Because teams long ago knew that targeting Book on the offensive end was the key to their defensive scheme. The sweep by the Thunder in last year’s playoffs showed exactly that.
Book is asked to do a lot of things on the court, and improving his three-point efficiency is a “Nice to Have,” but not that relevant in the grand scheme of Ott’s coaching. Playmaking is my “Must Have”. Olympic Book is what I am looking for this year, the same as last year.
Rod: Career averages in those areas would be acceptable but far from optimal. Book doesn’t have to carry this team, but he does have to lead the way…at least on the court. Playing more efficiently while sharing the scoring load with others is the way to do that, in my opinion.
This year, I think he’ll be sharing the court with the best supporting cast he’s had since 2021-22…with a deeper and arguably better bench. The loss of Mark Williams hurts the team, but I think they can make it through his downtime with the depth they have without dropping off too much. I know a lot of fans would be against Ighodaro starting in Mark’s place, but his ability to facilitate could work very well with a starting unit without a true point guard and allow Book to spend less time trying to play point and more time concentrating on putting points on the scoreboard.
Q2: The Suns were 28th in free throw attempts last season (20.3 per game). Do you believe they will get to the line more often in 2026-27?
GuarGuar: I think losing Royce and Grayson will help the team have a higher free throw rate this year. Those guys did not draw many fouls, and adding Bridges, who is a more aggressive slasher, should help too. As aggressive as Brooks is, he’s not much of a foul drawer, and it’s an area I’d like to see him get better at. We basically relied on only Booker to draw fouls last year.
zenzino: I hope so.
Book’s free-throw attempts jumped up by almost 2 to 8.1, which was good for 5th in the league. Hopefully, he can continue his physicality on the offensive end and repeat that.
Green has averaged under 4 per game in previous years. That dropped by half last season because of his injuries. He should be able to bring that up and maybe add 1 or 2 if he stays aggressive.
Surprisingly, Bridges also only averages around 4 per game. I would have guessed more. If he’s concentrating more on putting pressure on the rim, maybe his average goes up too.
I never really count on the Suns getting the benefit of the whistle, though. It’s the curse of the purple and orange since circa 1968.
Ashton: Nope. Sorry to say, Suns fans, but the evidence is just not there. I expect this statistic to be about the same as long as:
There is no dominant frontline to draw fouls
The Suns still have a line-up that is dependent on the mid-range shot. Especially on ISO plays where that is what the player is left with when being defensively shut down.
With Booker’s mouth and Brooks penchant to draw technical fouls, the Suns will not win the Zebra’s favoritism
This ranking may facilitate somewhat, but I just don’t see getting to the FT line in the cards. Oh, yeah, how many times do we play the Lakers again? My nod to the third point. There is just no diplomacy between the Suns players when encountering flopping and maybe phantom fouls and the refs. I am a firm conspiracy theorist that the refs hate us, but the players have a lot to do with that. I am not saying buy the refs flowers before the game, but the way the players conduct themselves on the court is just as important as off the court. Put the egos aside and play the game.
Rod: I think they’ll get to the line more often this year. How much more often? I won’t speculate, but it looks like the Suns are gearing up to attack the basket more often, which generally adds up to more trips to the line than a team that prioritizes three-point shooting. I don’t want the team to seek out contact, though, at least not at the expense of getting off a good shot, but I don’t want them to avoid it either. If they can just be at the league average for FT attempts, I’d be very happy with that.
Q3: Do you expect Koa Peat to get more playing time with the “big team” this year than Maluach and Fleming did in their rookie seasons?
GuarGuar: I don’t expect Koa to play any more than Fleming and Man Man did last year, to be honest. He’s got Fleming, Bridges, and maybe Oso ahead of him on the depth chart for the power forward position. I think the focus is gonna be developing him in the G League until the spring, as we did with Rasheer and Maluach last year. I will say though, Koa has looked way more polished than those two did this time last year.
zenzino: Before the Bridges trade, I would have said 100%.
Now, I’m not so sure. He’s very young with only his freshman season in college under his belt. And now there are thee power forwards on the team. They can afford to be patient even more than they were with the rookies last season.
However, one of the things about Man Man and Sheer was them needing to get their bodies NBA-ready. Koa comes with an NBA body out of the gate. So he has that going for him.
I’d like to see him play a lot with the G-League when the season starts. If he picks up where he left off in Summer League, he’ll soon be dominating. Then he might just earn some minutes with the “big team”.
Addendum: After writing this, news surfaced that Mark Williams will be out for 5-7 months with a torn labrum. I think this might have a bearing on Koa Peat’s playing time.
Because of how the rotations are going to need to be adjusted, I can see situations where the Suns will play a semi-small ball with Bridges and Sheer being the ‘bigs’ and the rest guards. I can also see Peat slotting in for Bridges when he needs a break.
Either way, small ball haters – prepare to hate. When they traded for Bridges and now with this MW injury, the Suns are going to be playing even more small ball than they did last season.
Ashton: This is the rare instance that I get to suggest a new rule. No Fantable member who actively supports their university as an alum must answer this question due to bias concerns about a former college player. This is out of respect for the Sun’s community that is composed of ASU supporters, people who do not give a damn about college athletics, and our international friends overseas (the University of Arizona beat the Lithuanian national squad before FIBA competition in an exhibition game. Michigan did not). Okay, I know my audience. So, Rod, I will pass on this question.
Ah, screw that. I want Koa to get all the minutes he can steal. Starters, developing bench players in KM and Fleming, it doesn’t matter. Steal those minutes, Koa! Show everyone how to get to the free thorw line (Q2) and be an free throw average shooter (which he is). Sun fans will surely enjoy the effort, though. Koa can quickly become a favorite of the Suns fans.
Will it happen? No. Sheer and KM, rightfully, need their development minutes and will take those minutes away from Koa. But you never know. At this point, I thought it was undetermined if Koa Peat would even play on the “Big Team” but rather spend most of his time tearing it up in G League.
Rod: At this point in time, I’d be very surprised if he got more court time than last year’s rooks but it also wouldn’t surprise me if he does get more. Maluach and Fleming obviously weren’t ready for prime-time minutes last season, but Peat still has time to prove himself worthy of some court time in training camp and in the preseason games.
Right now, I expect Fleming to be Bridges’ primary backup at PF with Peat behind him. Fleming and Peat look like different types of PFs to me, though, with Fleming as a 3&D type and Peat as a driving, attack-the-rim sort. Which type is ultimately going to be the best fit with the other players on the court? I have no idea…yet.
I also don’t know how well Peat is going to be defensively in the NBA, and that could play a big role in his court time as well. I’m hoping that he turns out to be a major surprise for the Suns, but I’m not counting on it.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Suns Trivia/History
On September 12, 2005, the Suns signed former Arizona State University star shooting guard Eddie House to a one-year deal. House didn’t disappoint, appearing in 81 games off the bench; he averaged 9.8 points per game and 38.9% from beyond the arc in 17.5 minutes per game. The Suns would finish the 2005/06 season with a 54-28 record and make it to the Western Conference finals before finally being sent home by Dallas 2-4.
On September 13, 1978, Curtis Perry, a major figure in the Suns’ NBA Finals run in 1975-76, retired after four seasons in the Valley. Perry set career highs during the 1974-75 season of 13.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. His 11.9 rpg that season is the 5th highest single-season rebounding average in Suns history, and his career average of 9.49 rpg for the Suns is 7th on the Suns’ All-Time leaders list.
On September 16, 1974, the Suns acquired Curtis Perry, Dennis Awtrey, Nate Hawthorne and a 1976 first-round pick (Adrian Dantley) from the New Orleans Jazz for Neal Walk and a 1975 second-round pick (Clyde Mayes).
Walk, the Suns’ first-ever draft pick (2nd in 1969), averaged 14.7 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, missed only two regular-season games during his 5 seasons in Phoenix, and in 1973 averaged 12.42 rebounds per game which is the second-highest single-season rebounds-per-game average in Suns history behind only Paul Silas’ 12.53 rebounds in 1971. His career high for the Suns was 42 points vs. the Milwaukee Bucks on January 11, 1972. The Suns won 115-114 and Walk outscored future Hall of Fame member and the man picked first above him in the 1969 NBA Draft, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 42-27.
In 1988, while Walk was living in Phoenix, it was discovered that he had a benign tumor enveloping his spine. Following surgery, he was left in a wheelchair, from which he played wheelchair basketball for the LA-Phoenix Samaritans in the Southern California league of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. In 1990, he was honored at the White House by President George H. W. Bush as the “Wheelchair Athlete of the Year.”
He later worked for the Phoenix Suns in the Community Affairs department and sadly passed away on October 4, 2015, due to an unspecified blood disease.
On September 16, 1994, on the same day that the NBA finally approved a one-year, $1 million deal for Danny Manning, the Phoenix Suns submitted a one-year, $850,000 deal for power forward Wayman Tisdale, arguably making the Suns the deepest team in the NBA at that time.
Important Future Dates
Sept. 28 – Media Day Sept. 29 – Training Camp opens Oct. 5 – Suns @ Pistons (preseason) 4:00 PM Oct. 7 – Suns @ Bulls (preseason) 5:00 PM Oct. 10 – Suns vs. Spurs (preseason) 7:00 PM (ESPN2) Oct. 14 – Suns @ Spurs (preseason) 5:00 PM Oct. 16 – Suns vs. Jazz (preseason) 7:00 PM Oct. 20 – 2026-27 NBA Season Begins Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027
In the slowest point of the offseason — at least until the NBA Board of Governors' meeting next week — here is a quick weekend update on a few topics.
Derrick Jones Jr. not seeking trade
After the NBA brought the hammer down on the Clippers, fans across the league scurried to trade machines, thinking LA's players would scramble to abandon a sinking ship. Nowhere is that truer than among the fans of that other franchise in Los Angeles, which did not land Jonathan Kuminga. Said fans are scrambling to come up with ways they think Rob Pelinka should upgrade their roster — often in ways not grounded in reality.
Enter Derrick Jones Jr. A solid veteran two-way forward, he could help 29 other teams around the league, so speculation started flying. One small problem: He hasn't asked for a trade, nor is he expected to, notes plugged-in Clippers writer Tomer Azarly of Clutch Points.
To address a recent post I saw, Derrick Jones Jr. has not requested a trade from the Clippers, per source.
Both he and the team have a great relationship and the two sides are open to extension talks to keep the forward in Los Angeles.
As Azarly and others have noted recently, agents are constantly looking for ways to get their players paid more, or moved into a position where they get more playing time or a chance to chase a ring. It's an agent's job to think that way. However, it's another couple of steps from there to a player pushing for a trade. Jones is in the final year of his contract at $10.5 million and could hit the free agent market next summer, but that always comes with risk. He could extend with the Clippers — clearly a team in a transition phase but a place Jones likes playing — on a tradable contract, then work with them when other teams come calling. Or, he could let the Clippers know he doesn't intend to re-sign and that they should trade him at the deadline. Jones has options. A smart agent keeps all of those in play while working to get the client what he wants.
In this case, that does not mean a trade from the Clippers in the short term.
Hawks waive Devin Carter, Celtics interested
Back in June, Atlanta picked up a second-round pick from Sacramento for taking on Devin Carter's $5.1 million salary. However, the Hawks have a roster crunch so they have officially waived Carter, who will become a free agent once he clears waivers.
Boston is interested in Carter, a point guard, reports NBA insider Jake Fischer. The Celtics have an open roster spot and the money to sign a player to a minimum contract (or slightly more), but Carter also has two-way eligibility, so Boston could be thinking about that if they want to keep that final roster spot open for flexibility.
Carter played two seasons in Sacramento, totaling 74 games, and last season averaged 8.9 points per game when he did get in, but he is not a floor-spacing guard and shot just 26.3% from beyond the arc. Would that be different in 3-happy Boston?
Worth nothing: Atlanta still has 16 players on guaranteed contracts and has to make one more move — a trade or waiving another player — before the start of the season.
Board of Governors meeting
Next Monday and Tuesday, the NBA owners convene in New York for a Board of Governors meeting, and this one should be interesting. On the docket:
• The Clippers findings and punishments. It's unclear as of now who, if anyone, will represent the Clippers at this meeting. Also unknown is whether they plan to take this to court and fight the stiff punishments handed down by the league. One thing teams are asking about, according to Brian Windhorst at ESPN:
One topic rival front offices have discussed is the less-talked-about but draconian-sounding "compliance and monitoring program by the league office for a period of five years" penalty that was also leveled on the Clippers. The terms were nebulous, probably for a reason, and the devil will surely be in the details.
• Expansion. The NBA is in the process of vetting potential ownership groups for both Las Vegas and Seattle. What we know is there are more bidders for Vegas, the price tag is expected to be higher and it is expected to be approved first, with Seattle to follow. One interesting note about this from ESPN's Windhorst:
Some teams have been projecting the per-team payout for expansion to be $500 million to $600 million, which would put the combined expansion fee at around $15 billion to $18 billion.
• NBA Europe. This is the one owners appear to care more about than domestic expansion, and the league is still on track to open NBA Europe in October of 2027. That said, there are still a lot of questions that remain.
Those start with a potential partnership with EuroLeague, the current peak of European basketball. EuroLeague team owners are meeting in Italy on Oct. 5, and there will be more clarity about that partnership (or lack thereof) after that, Windhorst notes.
The league will have 12 permanent members and another four teams that will play their way in. Exactly what that will look like and who the permanent members may be will come into focus in the coming weeks.
The Lakers may not be finished retooling their roster.
Last month, the entire Lakers roster traveled to Slovenia for a four-day minicamp hosted by Luka Doncic. It appears that two players in attendance for the bonding experience may be on the trade block.
Jarred Vanderbilt has been a trade candidate prior to this offseason. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
The Lakers are reportedly looking to trade Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht before Opening Night, according to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer. The Lakers have 16 players on their roster and need to trim it to 15.
Trading or waiving a player is a possibility with Vanderbilt and Knecht seemingly top candidates.
In February 2025, the Lakers traded Knecht to the Hornets for center Mark Williams. Three days later, Williams failed his physical and Knecht was sent back to LA.
Dalton Knecht could be traded by the Lakers as general manager Rob Pelinka continues to recreate the roster. NBAE via Getty ImagesLakers general manager Rob Pelinka may not be done retooling the roster. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Vanderbilt has two years remaining on his $48 million contract, which makes trading or waiving the forward more difficult for the Lakers. Knecht is entering his third year in the league and is still on his rookie deal.
The 25-year-old has failed to be a reliable or relevant piece for the Lakers, though, since the Hornets trade was rescinded. Knecht had received less playing time because of the lack of production, which is likely why the Lakers are shopping their once highly touted first-round pick.
The Lakers missed out on Jonathan Kuminga, who would have given the the squad a versatile wing defender. LA still has a hole on the roster, but the Lakers evidently still are looking to address their biggest need before the start of the season.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 23: Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers high fives after the game on March 23, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the world in February 2025 by trading championship-winning franchise icon Anthony Davis, keeping it quiet to almost everyone involved — including Davis — essentially blindsiding one of the most important figures of the franchise’s future.
Davis, rightfully so, felt betrayed by Los Angeles for a moment. (“They traded me,” Davis said in the team’s group chat the night he was swapped for Luka Dončić).
Now, sit back and consider this hypothetical:
Imagine if the season after Davis was traded, Deandre Ayton was given permission to wear No. 3.
Utter blasphemy.
The Los Angeles Clippers just did this, perhaps to an even grander scale, to the most important player in the history of their franchise by allowing Bradley Beal to use Chris Paul’s No. 3 this season, a jersey number the NBA universe almost unanimously assumed would be untouched and hanging in the rafters at Intuit Dome.
The Clippers’ latest misstep is not only another wrinkle in a tumultuous offseason, but it’s what seems to be a nail in the coffin of what’s been a turbulent swansong for the franchise’s icon.
Paul’s accomplishmentswith the Clippers may not pale in comparison to Davis’s with the Lakers, considering Davis got a title during his tenure. But relative to the history of both franchises, Paul was infinitely more of an impactful figure to his than Davis, plain and simple.
And the Clippers sent him on his way as if he never existed.
Los Angeles scheduled the latter giveaway for when it hosts Davis and the Washington Wizards on Sunday, Jan. 24, honoring the six-year-old Finals win with one of its most important figures.
AD, like nearly every Lakers fan, probably expected to retire in the purple and gold. Despite an at-times bitter departure that is validated by the NBA simply being a business, the Lakers are making it a point to ensure that Davis is secure in his standing and place in the franchise’s history.
It’s been deduced that, behind closed doors, both sides were ready to move on from each other (perhaps the Lakers more than James’ side is willing to accept). And yet, the Lakers treated the league’s all-time leading scorer with the same respect throughout. Unlike the Clippers, who sent Paul home while the team was in Atlanta during a December road trip.
The Nos. 3 and 23 will be left untouched until they are sent to the rafters, an example of how Los Angeles has made a routine effort to treat its former stars with the utmost esteem, no matter how ugly the departure.
A few examples of Lakers handling past stars
How could we forget how acrimonious Shaquille O’Neal’s departure was? The split still sparks some tension over 20 years later — O’Neal still feels Lakers fans “didn’t love [him] like Kobe” amid contention within the fanbase as James left the franchise in August — but he is still held in high regard by the franchise. O’Neal’s No. 34 is retired and he has a statue outside of the arena.
On the other hand, after Paul’s first departure from Cliptown, Blake Griffin was set up to be the guy moving forward. Los Angeles signed him to a five-year extension and sold him to fans as the next franchise icon. Seven months later, they traded him to Detroit.
Franchise legends like Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Pau Gasol have all been treated with the same dignity in their post-playing careers. It’s the mark of a storied and serious franchise.
Sure, the Clippers don’t have the lineage of players that the Lakers do, but Chris Paul was the closest thing to that.
And now Bradley Beal is wearing his jersey number.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 02: Maxi Kleber #14 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center on April 2, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since then, the roster has been transformed and includes Siena, Italy native Nico Mannion, who was selected 48th overall by the Golden State Warriors in 2020. Among others who could reportedly fill out the roster for BC Roma SPQR (previously Vanolia Cremona) is former Los Angeles Laker and a teammate of Dončić’s, Maxi Kleber, as reported by the Slovenian news outlet SportsKlub.
According to Italian media, former German international and Dončić’s long-time teammate in Dallas and Los Angeles, Maxi Kleber, is also in talks for a possible move to Rome”
Kleber spent his first seven-and-a-half seasons in the NBA as a member of the Dallas Mavericks before joining Los Angeles in February 2025 as part of the shocking Dončić-Anthony Davis trade. He played a key reserve role for the Mavericks in 2022, when they made the Western Conference Finals, and 2024, when they made the NBA Finals.
Across 483 career games, he averaged 6.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists, providing Dallas with floor-spacing and versatile defense off the bench.
Injuries played a role in Kleber never finding a consistent spot in the Lakers’ rotation, though he did help the team pick up some wins last season in spot duty. Heading into free agency this summer, rumors suggested his next stop would be in Europe.
Having that stop be a team owned by Luka, though, would be a cool plot twist.
Bronny showing love to Nick Smith Jr. after his Real Madrid signing:
(@PurpGoldLakers) 
