Category: NBA

A few days ago, I put out a call for Golden State Warriors mailbag questions. We didn’t get a ton this time around, but what we lacked in quantity we made up for in quality, with some excellent questions.

The boring answer is that it’s pretty rare for first-round talents to have these types of workouts. HoopsHype has been doing a fantastic job tracking all the reported workouts across the league, and a quick glance at their list reveals that only a small handful of first-rounders have had individual workouts, while the vast majority of workouts are for potential second-round picks and undrafted players.

Why is that? Because these sorts of workouts are fairly meaningless, and almost entirely meaningless for top prospects. Individual pre-draft workouts are, in essence, going through the movements of a very basic workout, with a softball job interview attached. That can still have value, but the value is primarily for deciding who to target for Summer League rosters and camp invites, and who could be a quality two-way addition. It also goes both ways: it’s an opportunity for those players to decide what team to sign with if they go undrafted.

The Warriors probably have 10-15 names they’re considering with the No. 11 pick. At this point, the Warriors have presumably seen all of them play in person, have watched virtually all of their college games, have talked with their college coaches, have had conversations with them, and have seen them at the combine. Nothing is going to change with 45 minutes of cone drills and a 10-minute interview, and so neither side is particularly interested (most projected lottery picks flatly refuse individual workouts).

That’s not to say that the Warriors haven’t gotten to know all of their potential draftees well (there’s a joke to be made somewhere in here about having dinner with them all and seeing what foreign languages they speak). But there are avenues to do that beyond the reported workouts. And while a mild-mannered workout isn’t going to impact how the Warriors feel about the 10-15 players they’ve done extreme due diligence on for their first-round pick, it can be a difference maker for the 200-300 players they’re considering for their second-round pick, two-way contracts, and Summer League roster, all of whom have had significantly less time making an impact on the organization than the first-rounders have.

Indeed, as our own Sean Keane noted in his article about the new rules, the Warriors would have had a 5.4% chance at the top pick under the new format, as opposed to the 2.0% chance they actually had. I think you hit the nail on the head: it’s going to reduce super-tanking, which is really the issue. No one cares about teams that aren’t good and aren’t making maximum effort to change that in the short term; it’s the teams that are blatantly trying to lose games that are ruining the fan experience (looking at you, Utah), and hopefully this will help keep that at bay.

NBA scouting is still nothing compared to the intense and rigorous scouting that you see in baseball, but it is still a very big deal. According to RealGM’s database, the Warriors have two scouts, two pro scouts, two international scouts, and one advance scout, but that underscores just how many hands and eyeballs are at work leading up to the draft. Assistants, special assistants, and video coordinators are all playing huge roles here, along with part-time employees. And, ultimately, everyone up to Steve Kerr and Mike Dunleavy Jr.

In general, though, these things work like a pyramid. The lowest-level people in the process compile massive amounts of info on massive amounts of players, and as it moves up the chain, players are eliminated and the fat is trimmed from the data. It’s a process that starts as soon as the college basketball season begins, and doesn’t stop until draft day.

But seriously, it’s nothing compared to baseball: according to the San Francisco Giants’ directory, they have 64 different full-time employees with the word “scout” in their title.

9ergold:
I understand you may not be able to answer this …

How can the NBA roll into the draft without first holding the Clippers accountable for hiding player payroll off the books and away from the NBA with zero draft pick penalties (as was levied against the penalty for the T-Wolves when they cheated the league on payroll hidden off the books) as well as the next season status of Kawhi, who was at the center of the matter?

It’s like Silver doesn’t plan to penalize the Clippers or Kawhi at all and acting like just nothing terrible even happened? To me, this undermines the credibility of the league, makes a joke of the NBA’s payroll & salary tier structure, and spits in the eye of every other team that didn’t cheat.

It’s a great question, and one that only Pablo Torre will be able to get to the bottom of. The simplest answer — though surely not the entire story — is that the NBA just hasn’t finished their investigation. It’s a massive investigation, and they’ve hired a huge, respected law firm to handle it. It’s going to take a while, and the league isn’t going to act until the investigation is completely concluded.

With that said, it wouldn’t surprise me if the league is waiting until after the offseason to do anything, regardless of the investigation. Assuming that they do find Kawhi Leonard and the LA Clippers guilty, it would make sense that they would seek to punish both. But what if Leonard gets traded, as has been rumored? If Leonard stays on the Clippers, the league could punish both parties in one fell swoop by suspending Leonard for a lengthy period (they would, presumably, further punish the Clippers with a fine and/or draft pick penalties).

But let’s say that the Clippers trade Leonard to, oh, I dunno … the Warriors. It’s hardly fair if the NBA then suspends Leonard for 25 games and punishes the Dubs, right? So I suspect sometime after the offseason chaos is over, the league will announce a conclusion to the investigation and some punishments that likely won’t faze Steve Ballmer.

MidcoastPerson:
Kerr emphasized that the Warriors need players who are regularly on the court. Does this mean they move on from both KP and Horford? If so, who would you replace them with?

I don’t think so. I think they very much hope that Al Horford opts into his deal, and they’ll be interested in bringing back Kristaps Porziņģis at the right price. The Dubs can talk all they want about having players regularly on the court, but at the end of the day, they’re an old team, and they’re in need of talent more than availability, so…

That said, I do think they target younger and more available players to round out the bench. They’re not bringing back both Gary Payton II and Seth Curry. But another way to address availability is to just have more players who deserve playing time. Part of why the Warriors have felt like they don’t have enough healthy bodies is because players like Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jonathan Kuminga, Quinten Post, Will Richard, and Buddy Hield fluctuated between being deserving of minutes and being glued to the bench. Get better players and it makes it easier to put up with Horford only playing 55 games.

RIP Thunder the mascot:
Steph Curry has gifted Warrior fans and the entire bay area an unquantifiable amount of sporting success and general philanthropy over the last decade and a half. Unfortunately, but predictably, there has been a diminishing return of success as his growing supermax salary has engulfed a larger % the team’s salary cap. No thanks to injuries nor Father Time, either..

It’s rare but we’ve seen players sacrifice a hit on their salary for the greater good of the team. Look no further than Jalen Brunson and the Knicks who are, not coincidentally, in the finals this year. ESPN reported that Steph is eligible to sign a 2-year 136.7 million dollar extension in August. Do you see Steph taking a pay cut via a contract extension? If so, what can we offer this game breaking talent without insulting him… without insulting the players union.. and without stirring up a Kawhi cap circumvention controversy? It’s almost sacrilege to wonder.. but I think we all know how competitive our team will be without.

I wouldn’t expect a pay cut, but you never know with Steph Curry. If someone is willing to do it, it’s him. Though they will be very careful about not circumventing the rules, as you mention.

But here’s why I don’t expect it to happen: it usually doesn’t actually do anything. When players do take discounts, it’s usually when all the pieces are in place and a star is sacrificing a few million to make it easier to retain everyone (you might recall that Kevin Durant did this when he was with the Warriors). But for a team in Golden State’s situation, Curry taking a slight discount on an extension isn’t going to change things. It’s not going to give them the money to chase a free agent this year (where his max contract is already set), and it’s unlikely to make a tangible difference in the books next offseason. In all likelihood, taking a discount really only accomplishes one thing: saving Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, the two people in the organization with more money than Curry, a few million.

Thanks for the questions, everyone!

Mike Breen had a chance to call last year’s Eastern Conference finals, even though the series was on TNT.

The longtime Knicks play-by-play announcer on MSG Network has been a prominent fixture in the NBA as the lead play-by-play caller on ESPN.

But last year, TNT’s Kevin Harlan offered Breen a chance to call the Knicks ECF series against the Pacers despite Breen’s status with the Worldwide Leader.

Breen explained the situation with The Post’s Dexter Henry on a recent episode of “New York Got Game.”

“We had the West and TNT had the East,” Breen recalled, citing that he’d be calling the series between the Thunder and Timberwolves. “Kevin Harlan, the great Kevin Harlan, who is a dear friend, they’re calling the Knicks-Pacers [series].”

Breen continued: “He calls me couple of days before the series and he says, ‘You know what?’ He goes on, ‘You’ve been waiting almost three decades for the Knicks to be in a conference final because it was the first in 25.’ He goes, ‘I want you to call the games for TNT. I’m going to go to my bosses. I’m going to tell them you should do it, and I’ll go do the West for ESPN.'”

Breen, when asked by Henry, confirmed that Harlan was serious.

“‘I know my bosses would love to have you, you deserve it,'” Breen remembered. “‘This is the team you’ve followed all this, you deserve it.’ And he goes, ‘”And even if ESPN doesn’t want to use me, and they want to use one of their announcers, whether it was Dave Pasch or Mark Jones, I’m fine, I’ll sit it out.’ That’s the kind of man Kevin Harlan is. I was so touched by that.”

Breen added that he thought about it overnight, and Harlan called him the next day, but acknowledged they both decided it might not have been the best for their employers, ESPN and TNT, respectively.

The NBA Board of Governors met on May 28 and passed a comprehensive lottery reform intended to stop tanking that will take effect starting with the 2027 draft, the league announced. Only the Memphis Grizzlies voted against the proposal, commonly referred to as the “3-2-1” model, which significantly alters how the lottery will work going forward and has some retroactive effects.

It’s not a surprise the proposal passed, as there have been rumors outlining the model and suggesting it had broad approval. Here’s all you need to know.

How the new lottery works

• The lottery will be expanded to include 16 teams.
• One of the reform’s main goals is to dissuade teams from bottoming out. To do so, the league will punish the teams with the three worst records by awarding them only two lottery balls each, out of a total of 37. Teams from fourth to 10th will receive three balls each. The ninth and 10th seeds will receive two balls, just like the bottom three. The losers of the seventh vs. eighth play-in will receive one each.
• Previously, only the top four picks would be decided by the lottery. Now, the order of all 16 picks will be decided by the lottery, but the bottom three teams can’t pick lower than 12th. Picks from 12th to 15th can’t be protected in trades.
• In hopes of deterring long rebuilding processes and preventing anyone from getting too lucky, teams won’t be able to get the top pick in consecutive drafts or to pick in the top five three times in five years. The rule starts counting from the 2025 draft and includes traded picks.
• The commissioner will have more power when it comes to curbing tanking, up to changing lottery odds or where teams pick.
• The reform includes a sunset provision, which means the changes will be in place until the 2028/29 season. After that, the league will decide whether to stick to it or make other tweaks.

Why the reform could be good

Tanking has always been a controversial topic in the NBA, where a single player can change the fate of a franchise, and the draft is the best way to secure elite talent at a cheap price and have control over it for years. The league has seen extreme versions of it before, but it was getting worse lately.

Not only were there teams that built their roster with as little proven talent as possible, but also some that had talent but were either holding healthy players out from games or sitting them in second halves to secure losses, which was even worse for optics. Something had to be done to prevent the regular season from being completely meaningless and from having games that became farces. Change was needed, and decentivizing teams from being the worst in the league should at least help avoid the most embarrassing tank jobs.

The worst teams still have a chance of getting the top pick, so anyone who tries to win but simply can’t is not automatically doomed, and the teams that were previously stuck in mediocrity because they were too good to get the best odds but not good enough to make the playoffs have a path to finding a centerpiece without having to bottom out. The draft should still provide fan bases hope, but now full teardowns won’t be as enticing, which could help with parity.

The changes are drastic, but the sunset provision shows that the league is not committed to them. If they don’t work, they can reverse them or find another solution.

Why the reform could be bad

The plan might have been discussed for years, but there wasn’t a lot of time between the news coming out that change was likely and this sweeping reform. Teams made moves thinking something similar to the now old lottery system would remain in place. The best example is the Grizzlies, which traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Jazz for a pick that now has zero chance of landing in the top five, because Utah has picked there twice already in the past two drafts.

As for the future, even if some of the changes might deter tanking at the lowest spots, it might incentivize it near the play-in range, as it might be better for teams to finish just below the 10th seed and get an extra lottery ball. That’s just one of many potential unintended consequences of a plan that might implement some good changes, but it is so comprehensive that it could alter how the league works in unpredictable ways, at least for the next few years. A more gradual approach might have been better.

Ultimately, even if someone agrees with all the changes in a vacuum, there should have been reforms to free agency and trading to go with them. The reason franchises in small or non-glamorous markets were more likely to tank is that it was the best and arguably the only way they could land foundational stars. Restricted free agency keeps young players with the team that drafted them, and established superstars normally dictate where they land. Tanking isn’t a good thing, and it provided no guarantees, but it at least gave franchises that can’t normally attract top-tier talent a plan on how to get it.

The changes don’t really matter for the Spurs

The Spurs already had their top three picks in five years and have a core in place that should keep them in contention for a while. The Hawks’ pick they own in 2027 seemed unlikely to land in the lottery now that Atlanta has reshaped its roster. The swap right to the Celtics’ pick in 2028 is the only one that falls into the window where the changes are guaranteed to be in place, but Boston was never expected to be a bottom-three team, and that hasn’t changed.

If anything, the reform helps the Spurs. No one will be able to land near the top of the draft consistently in the next few years and build a core that could rival San Antonio’s. The Silver and Black will be fine with these changes. Whether they are good for the rest of the league remains to be seen.

The Nets, it would seem, are more than like to take one of two lead guards on the night of June 23 at Barclays Center, either Mikel Brown Jr. or Darius Acuff. The are the most mentioned candidates for the No. 6 pick by draftniks and assorted pundits. And indeed, both are worthy of such consideration.

But, no one is claiming to know Sean Marks & co. thinking as we sit down a little more than three weeks away from the NBA’s big event. No one seemingly has the goods on who the Nets have had in HSS Training Center nor when they might work out and sit from interviews. There’s been no leaks from the annual May meeting of scouts that was featured in last year’s SCOUT docu-series.

So it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that speculation about the Nets’ likes and dislikes is rising along with fan interest. On Friday, Brian Lewis profiled Keaton Wagler who most have penciled in at No. 5 to the Clippers, while ESPN’s Jeremy Woo added some intelligence on the full-range of prospective picks between Nos. 5 and 10, suggesting the Nets may have interest in Brown, Acuff and Wagler as well as the 6’9” Karim Lopez of the New Zealand Breakers, 6’4” Houston point guard, Adary May, the 7’3” center and anchor of Michigan’s NCAA champs and Nate Ament, the 6’10” wing whose draft stock has been up and down and now up again all year long.

Lewis highlights both Wagler’s positives — his height and wingspan plus his winning ways — as well as negatives — his lack of athleticism and whether he fits with Egor Demin.

There’s a very real possibility Wagler could be available for the Nets when they’re on the clock at Barclays Center. And as many non-Peterson guards as there are in this class, Wagler is confident he’s the best of the lot.

“I think I’m just super-versatile, being able to play multiple positions, not just a point guard or just shooting guard, but being able to play on or off the ball,” Wagler said. “And then also being able to play with other really good players is a skill that I think I have, knowing when it’s my time or when it’s someone else’s time.”

Despite middling athleticism and explosion, that versatility would be useful for the Nets.

Wagler met with the Nets at the NBA Combine and they’re expected to have him in, but there are issues, chief among them his athleticism. As our Collin Helwig reported after the Draft Lottery measurements were released, he not only finished fourth among the quarter in 3/4- court sprint but placed 50th among the 70 participants. He doesn’t worry about that hurting him. The rest of the game compensates, he says.

“I mean, I’ve heard it my whole life, that I’m not the most athletic, not the fastest,” Wagler told Lewis. “I think all last year I showed that you don’t have to be the most athletic to score the ball or be a really good player. And that’s kind of what I did. I just find different ways to use my body, even though I’m not the strongest, but being the aggressor, using my pace [of play] and then getting into the lane.

“I’m definitely super-versatile, can play multiple positions — the 1, 2 right now — and I continue to put on weight and get stronger, even the 3,” Wagler told Lewis. “So, my ability would also be my playmaking ability to be able to pass the ball, make the right play, take care of the ball.

“I definitely say my vision, going along with my height, being a tall guard, is something really good to be able to come off ball-screens and read defenders, see over defenses, and … make the right play.”

And he said all the right things about playing in the Big Apple.

Woo wrote about the Nets possible interest in Wagler as part of his top 100 rankings out Friday.

Wagler’s positional size, versatility and unique trajectory have continued to set him apart as a prospect worth investing in, with teams including the LA Clippers and Brooklyn Nets closely studying his case at No. 5 and No. 6 and his draft range unlikely to stretch far beyond those teams.

Wagler wasn’t the only prospect Woo linked to the Nets eith. Of Acuff, he wrote you have to consider the Nets as possibility as well.

Acuff’s range as relatively narrow, with his best-available case beginning with the Clippers at No. 5 and Nets at No. 6, and the Sacramento Kings at No. 7 considered by many to be his floor.

His ability to score at all three levels and increased willingness to involve teammates have greatly boosted his profile as a player potentially worthy of shouldering heavy responsibility and driving good offense.

And Flemings:

Although his mechanics aren’t textbook, he has continued to flash enough shooting growth to excite teams long term, drawing consideration from teams inside the top 10 after a breakout freshman season, with his range starting at No. 5 with the Clippers

And Ament:

He continues to draw looks throughout the lottery, with the Nets and Milwaukee Bucks viewed as possible destinations — two teams that could afford him time and minutes to develop immediately. Finding the right fit will be imperative for his long-term growth.

And Mara:

Rival teams consider him to be in play as high as No. 6 for Brooklyn, with the Hawks, Warriors and Thunder also viewed as potential landing spots in the lottery. Landing with a team that wants to lean into his playmaking skills will give him the best chance to maximize his impact.

And Lopez, assuming the Nets wind up with a pick lower than No. 6:

Lopez is drawing interest from a number of teams in the lottery, including the Clippers, Nets, Bucks and Warriors, with rival teams viewing him as more of a trade-back candidate later on in the case of the Clippers and Nets.

He was helped by his combine measurements, affirming his size to play both forward positions capably and massive hands. He continues to improve and has positioned himself as an intriguing development bet coming off a strong second season in the NBL.

That covers, it would seem, the range of Nets possibilities, but as a close reading of Wo0’s reporting shows, he’s not quoting anyone inside the Nets organization. The most common sourcing is “rival teams.”

Woo hints at the possibility of a Nets move out of No. 6 or finding a way to add another pick — OKC’s two picks at Nos. 12 and 17 have often been mentioned and certainly, the Nets have the assets to make a move with 32 picks, including nine tradeable first rounders. Moreover, the Thunder have some interesting decisions to make with the payroll and rotation. Remember, they’ll be adding two former first round picks next season who have been laid low by illness — point guard Nikola Topic — and injury — big man Thomas Sorber. Both are 20. So adding two more rookies might not be the most efficient development planning. They might want to move those picks back a year or more and the Nets have the bulk of their firsts starting in 2028.

It will take a while for things to work out or even come out. It’s a rare thing for the Nets to telegraph who they like, the two exceptions being Dzanan Musa in 2018 and Day’Ron Sharpe in 2021. So as we keep saying, stay tuned and be patient.

The post-Daryl Morey era of 76ers basketball is underway.

The team has hired Mike Gansey as its new president of basketball operations after a 15-year stint with the Cavaliers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Gansey had worked his way up the Cavs front office for years and was the team’s general manager since 2021 after a four-year stint in the same role with the Cavaliers’ G League team.

Gansey, 43, helped build the current Cavs roster, which earned its first Eastern Conference finals appearance since LeBron James left in 2018, though they were swept by the Knicks.

The Cavaliers have been a playoff mainstay in the Eastern Conference, making the postseason in each of the last four seasons, which they hadn’t done since 2014-18 during James’ second stint.

Gansey is assuming a 76ers roster entering the offseason with many questions after Morey’s firing.

Joel Embiid is going to make a combined $120 million for the next two seasons, with a $67 million player option in 2028-29.

Embiid, 32, would turn 35 that March.

Paul George enters the third year of a four-year deal, pocketing $54 million next season with a $56.6 million player option for 2026-27.

Tyrese Maxey has three years left on his contract and is scheduled to make north of $40 million next season.

Philly also has Kelly Oubre, Quentin Grimes and Andre Drummond as notable free agents to be.

The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.

The offseason ahead forces the Phoenix Suns into a delicate balancing act. There is a very real temptation to shake up the backcourt following a season that left everyone wanting more despite exceeding expectations. Still, Jalen Green shouldn’t just be cast aside as expendable trade bait. That is, unless the perfect deal comes along.

Arriving in Phoenix in late June as a part of the blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston, Green was brought in to provide a premium athletic punch next to Devin Booker. 

Green is a high-octane offensive motor with immense upside, but it’s clear his first year in the Valley wasn’t entirely a smooth ride. He has far more to his game than a standard isolation scorer; he is a legitimate athletic downhill threat who puts massive structural pressure on the paint when he attacks. While a recurring hamstring injury sidelined him for a significant chunk of the calendar, and his raw efficiency was highly erratic, Green still showcased why he is one of the most dynamic young assets on the team, posing a physical problem for opposing defenses that few others on this roster can replicate.

He was critical during the play-in games against Portland and Golden State, keeping Phoenix’s playoff hopes alive for just a bit longer.

Expanded Role + Growing Pains

Green’s 2025–26 season naturally requires us to look through an optimistic yet grounded lens. This wasn’t a flawless debut campaign, to say the least. Missing all of December and most of January with a recurring hamstring injury disrupted his rhythm significantly, and watching his three-point efficiency slide to a cold 31.3%, alongside a 42.2% overall field-goal percentage, are glaring yellow flags of caution to monitor.

Across his 32 regular-season appearances, Green averaged 17.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. However, the efficiency split between wins and losses tells the real story: in Suns victories, he shot 45% from the field and 33.6% from deep, but in losses, those numbers plummeted to 39% and 28.3%. When Jalen isn’t hitting shots, his tendency to “hijack” the offense can stall out ball movement, occasionally leading him to take more field goal attempts than Devin Booker, which is a structural flaw this team cannot afford.

Yet, when he got his legs underneath him, the aggressiveness and high-intensity vertical pop were undeniable. Let’s not forget his true ceiling: he saved the Suns’ season in the do-or-die play-in game, putting together a masterclass to lift Phoenix past the Golden State Warriors. He has an elite first step and vertical bounce that force opposing coaching staffs to respect him, even during an objective shooting slump.

3 Reasons the Suns Should Keep Him

With the Suns’ influx of guard depth, it is incredibly easy to fall into the trap of viewing Green as expendable trade bait, similar to Grayson Allen. Just on a larger scale, from a role and salary-wise. But trading away a high-upside athletic weapon to clear a positional logjam could be a panicked mistake if the return doesn’t check several boxes.

1. Perimeter Gravity + Paint Pressure

Even in a down shooting year, Green still commanded defensive attention. Teams don’t completely leave him open on the perimeter because they are terrified of his lightning-quick first step and ability to explode downhill.

When Booker is running the offense, the floor geometry completely changes if Green is loaded on the wing. If he can tighten up his shot selection, his ability to aggressively attack closeouts and pressure the rim will transition from an erratic luxury into necessity. It comes down to being a make-or-miss league sometimes, and when Green is “on,” he is nearly impossible to stop.

2. Physical Engine

This Suns team has historically been plagued by athleticism and toughness gaps, often leaning too heavily on perimeter finesse.

Jalen Green possesses the exact explosive, high-motor archetype that every contending front office craves to puncture modern defensive shells/sets. He is a constant downhill threat with an explosive first step and athleticism to get where he wants on the court more often than not.

While his defense and playmaking still require major development and discipline, having that raw vertical power already in-house is a massive competitive advantage you don’t just throw away.

3. The Moveable $36.3M Sweet Spot

What makes Green even more vital is his financial structure heading into next season. He is under contract for ~$36.3 million for the 2026–27 campaign. In an era where the restrictive second apron can completely paralyze a front office, Green’s contract sits in a highly productive mid-tier sweet spot. It is a highly movable asset. For that exact reason, his name surfaces in potential trade rumors. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a large chunk on the surface, but it’s not one of those impossible-to-move type of deals. Especially at his age, with the flashes he’s shown.

If the front office can find a premium blockbuster deal where combining his salary with another contract nets an elite, high-level forward that perfectly aligns with our timeline, you absolutely pick up the phone. But trading him for pennies on the dollar just to clear the runway is a mistake.

Closing Thought

As mentioned in my Grayson Allen piece, guard depth is a position of strength, not a flaw that requires a panicked offseason over-correction. Unless it makes sense.

Jalen Green is far from a finished product; his health history and shot selection are entirely valid concerns that keep this team’s ceiling volatile. However, unless a landscape-altering frontcourt piece becomes available via a consolidated trade package, keeping Green’s transition pressure, elite physical ceiling, and competitive fire in the Valley is the smartest path forward.

Let’s see if he can take the leap in year two with the Suns. If the perfect deal comes along that moves the needle, you look at it. Otherwise, let’s welcome Jalen back to the Valley with open arms.

The Thunder will be without one of their stars for their biggest game of the season thus far.

Oklahoma City shooting guard Jalen Williams has been ruled out for Game 7 of the Western Conference finals against the Spurs with a left hamstring sprain, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Friday.

Williams, 25, initially suffered the injury during Game 2 of the Thunder’s first-round series against the Suns.

Despite missing the Thunder’s next six games following the injury, the swingman returned for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.

Williams put up 26 points and seven rebounds while playing 37 minutes in the series opener, but left Game 2 after playing just seven minutes due to re-aggravating the lingering injury.

After missing the following three games, Williams retuned for Game 6, but saw just 10 minutes of action and took only one shot during the Thunder’s 118-91 loss to San Antonio.

During Thursday’s Game 6 loss, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said that Williams’ Game 7 status would be up to him and how his body is responding to the ongoing injury, The Athletic reported.

“He’s been hellbent on trying to get himself to this point. I give him credit,” Daigneault said. “He’s a big team guy, big competitor. He’s obviously not 100%. He didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know what to expect.

“So it was a matter of getting him out there in an insulated role and see what he could bring to the team. … He hasn’t done a full return to play the way that he would.”

Injuries have already derailed Williams’ fourth year in the NBA, with the All-Star missing time to start the 2025-26 season recovering from a wrist injury, along with a right hamstring strain causing him to be sidelined for roughly 30 regular season games.

In just 33 games played this season, Williams, averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting 48.4 percent from the field.

The Philadelphia 76ers are hiring Mike Gansey as their new president of basketball operations, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Gansey had spent the past season as the Cleveland Cavaliers’ general manager.

He joined Cleveland’s front office in 2011-12 before rising through the ranks. He was promoted to assistant general manager in 2017, serving under Koby Altman. He was then promoted to general manager in 2022, still under Altman.

The Cleveland Cavaliers finished this season with a 52-30 overall record and were fourth in the Eastern Conference. The New York Knicks swept the Cavs in the conference finals.

The Knicks also swept the 76ers in the conference semifinals. Philadelphia, which had a 45-37 overall record, fired Daryl Morey after the season.

Jonquel Jones grew up a fan of the Detroit Pistons. 

Their success during the early 2000s, known as the franchise’s “Goin’ to Work” era, inspired a young Jones. 

The Pistons, anchored by Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Ben and Rasheed Wallace, went to six consecutive Eastern Conference finals from 2003-2008.

They went to back-to-back NBA Finals, winning it all in 2004. 

But it wasn’t just the results that drew Jones in. It was the way the Pistons produced those results. 

“I loved the way that they played,” Jones said Friday before the Liberty’s 75-68 win. “I feel like it was a very different style for what was really popular back then.” 

The Los Angeles Lakers had Kobe Bryant. The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted LeBron James in 2004. 

The Pistons didn’t have an obvious individual superstar. But together, they shined. 

Detroit relied on their chemistry and togetherness. 

“I just felt like the Pistons were, to me they looked like a basketball team through and through,” Jones said. “They played that way and they all were rewarded for that, like, going to the All-Star game and being able to start the All-Star game with their starters, and I don’t know, just being a really successful team, Eastern Conference Finals, championships, all that stuff and they just played the right way, they moved the ball and they relied on each other and you saw it.” 

With the Liberty’s lineup acting like a revolving door, Jones has gone back to what made that Pistons team she admired when she was a pre-teen. 

Sabrina Ionescu is set to miss her third consecutive game — second with back soreness. That leaves Pauline Astier as the team’s only true point guard. But there are plenty of other players who can handle the facilitating responsibilities, including Jones. 

“It’s just my game,” Jones said after tallying four assists in back-to-back games. “I’m the type of player, I see two or I see teammates open, I just want to move the ball because that’s just the type of basketball that I love to play. And I grew up being a huge Detroit Pistons fan, watching Rip and Tayshaun and Chauncey, and they played team ball and so that was always the type of basketball that I wanted to play, and I wanted to be a part of so I just try to play the way that I want our team to play.” 

Jones probably embodies more of Rasheed Wallace’s skill set, with her accurate passing and ability to stretch the floor as a big. 

Her favorite player of that Pistons’ era, though, was Hamilton. 

“I know that probably nobody’s probably ever said that before, but Rip was my favorite,” she said. “But it was just that whole Pistons team, like, I feel like I could take a little bit of something from everybody. So Chauncey Billups, like, when I was younger I was a guard. Tayshaun, just getting up and down the court, ball handling, obviously just being elite in every level, Rip midrange, Rasheed Wallace tough in the paint. Ben Wallace rebounder. So I feel like you can kind of see aspects of each of those starters in my game now.” 

The Liberty might be getting close to having an empty injury report but they will need Jones to continue to embrace the Pistons’ blue-collar grit and teamwork for the team to be successful. 

“When JJ is aggressive, we’re a better team,” coach Chris DeMarco said. “Sometimes it’s more than that. Sometimes, there’s other variables throughout the game and maybe she hasn’t touched the ball, maybe defensively sees a couple bad calls, she’s in foul trouble, has to play differently, so sometimes it’s outside things that hurt her, but again, especially third quarter [Wednesday], she made that little run, she’s really aggressive. Ill say it again, she’s been fantastic.” 

Jalen Williams has been ruled out of Game 7 of the Western Conference finals, according to the NBA injury report released on Friday, May 29.

He will not play as the Oklahoma City Thunder host the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, May 30 in an attempt to return to the NBA Finals.

The Thunder guard/forward, who averaged 17.1 points per game this season, reinjured a hamstring injury in Game 2. He sat out Games 3, 4 and 5 and returned to the court for Game 6, where the Spurs evened the series to force Game 7. He played just 10 minutes off the bench and had one point, a free throw.

The New York Knicks are mostly at full-strength as they prepare for the franchise's first NBA Finals since 1999.

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson suffered a broken pinky earlier in the week, according to reports. However, it is still unclear how Robinson sustained the injury.

Knicks coach Mike Brown told reporters Friday that Robinson did not sustain the injury in a game or practice, and added that he's aware that Robinson has had surgery.

"I don't know much about the details, obviously I know that he had surgery and all that," Brown said. "For me it's the same thing, I don't want to know. Just let me know if he can play and when he can play. Just like we normally would, we're getting everybody else ready to go."

He added: "For me, I'm always going with who's available today and (Robinson) didn't practice today, so we're getting whoever we need ready to go."

When a reporter asked Brown a follow-up inquiring exactly how Robinson was hurt, a member of the Knicks' media relations staff interrupted and said "we're not going to get into specifics."

Robinson reportedly plans to play. The NBA Finals begin Wednesday, June 3. The Knicks are preparing to face the winner of the Western Conference finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Robinson has been a key contributor off the bench for New York, providing size and an interior presence defensively when Karl-Anthony Towns is off the floor.

Despite battling numerous injuries in his career, Robinson has been a stud for the Knicks during the postseason, averaging 5.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.6 bocks and 0.5 steals in just 14.2 minutes per game in 13 playoff games this year.

Robinson has made the most of his sparing minutes, giving the Knicks additional scoring opportunities by grabbing 2.5 offensive rebounds per game.

It’s been over two weeks since we last saw Austin Reaves on a basketball court.

On Friday morning, Reaves was joined by his girlfriend, Jenna Barber, posing for a photo with a cake that read “Happy 28th,” as the couple was celebrating his birthday. But what was notable in the photo was Austin’s new haircut.

Austin was seen rocking a buzzcut on top of his head.

The news of his new look comes after the Lakers’ season ended on May 11, following a 115-110 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The reaction of the Lakers’ guard rocking a buzzcut got some attention across the internet.

One of Austin’s friends from high school, Kelly Harriete, commented on the post saying, “I guess it’s the same haircut 2014,” showing a picture of Austin repping a buzzcut.

Other reactions on the post included X account @BallKnowerSquad commenting, “Two evolutions away from becoming Ivica Zubac.”

While Reaves is kicking back and enjoying his birthday with a new hairstyle, this offseason will have major implications for a Lakers team that is looking to win its 18th NBA title.

Reaves has to make a decision soon about whether he wants to come back to the Lakers for $14.9 million or elect to utilize his player option and hit free agency.

Last season, he appeared in 51 games for the Lakers, averaging 23.3 points per game with 4.7 total rebounds and 5.5 assists.

The Lakers will also have other areas they will need to address this offseason, such as what the future has in store for future Hall of Famer LeBron James.

On top of that, the Lakers have also been considered serious contenders in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, as reports indicate they will look to trade some draft capital for the former MVP.

The Magic have chosen their next head coach.

Spurs associate coach Sean Sweeney is finalizing a deal to move to the Sunshine State after the conclusion of the postseason and join Orlando, according to multiple reports.

Sweeney beat out two other candidates for the position — former Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy.

Sweeney has been coaching in the league since 2011, but this is his first head coaching job. 

In the past, he worked for the Nets, Bucks, Pistons and Mavericks before joining the Spurs this season. Sweeney played college basketball for both Green Bay and St.Thomas. 

Sweeney takes the reins over from Jamahl Mosley, who was fired after blowing a 3-1 series lead in the first round of the playoffs to the Pistons. Mosley built a strong foundation in Orlando, reaching the playoffs in three straight years but never getting past the first round. 

“We’re grateful to Jamahl for all he’s done for the Orlando Magic,” Magic president Jeff Weltman said in a statement after the firing. “We appreciate his leadership and the positive contributions he made as head coach. While this was a difficult decision, we feel it’s time for a new voice and fresh perspective. We wish Jamahl and his family nothing but the best.”

After the firing, Mosley was quickly hired by the Pelicans.

Now, Sweeney is tasked with taking the core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane past the first round of the playoffs. 

Sweeney is viewed as one of the best up-and-coming defensive minds and has played a key role in the Spurs’ long playoff run. Sweeney turned the 25th-best defense in the league into the third-best with a 108.5 defensive efficiency this season.

Sweeney was also able to fully harness Victor Wembanyama’s defensive abilities. He helped the forward become the first-ever unanimous winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award. 

Sweeney and the Spurs will head to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder in Game 7 on Saturday, hoping to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014.