Category: NBA

It feels like the league is waiting for the Giannis Antetokounmpo shoe to drop before the rest of the transactions can get started, so why not try to put together an offseason plan? There’s no way my 5’10” frame can fill Trajan’s Langdon’s shoes at his height of 6’4”, but I’ll do my best.

Pre-Draft

With the recent news that Detroit may be a third-team to help facilitate the Giannis deal between Milwaukee and Miami, I’m going to get in on the action. With Miami not wanting to extend Herro and Milwaukee looking to send him elsewhere, I’m happy to bring him to Detroit – for the right price.

This trade needs to be done before the draft since Miami’s pick at 13 will most likely be sent to Milwaukee, but I’m not giving up assets for a player that neither team wants. If I’m doing you the favor of taking on that player, you can have expiring contracts. Detroit does have two Milwaukee seconds – one in 2027 and one in 2029 – that the Bucks could ask in return that I would be willing to throw in if needed.

TRADE (without all the other details of a Giannis trade):

• Pistons send out:
  • Duncan Robinson ($16.8 million)
  • Caris LeVert ($14.1 million)
  • 2027 Milwaukee second and/or 2029 Milwaukee second
• Pistons receive:
  • Tyler Herro ($31 million)

Tyler Herro instantly becomes the best scorer Cade Cunningham has ever played next to throughout his career. Herro would instantly become the #2 option on offense and JB Bickerstaff could stagger Cade and Herro so one of them is on the court at all times. I believe both Cade and Jalen Duren would help Herro be the best offensive version of himself, similar to his All-Star season two years ago when he averaged 24 points, five rebounds, and five assists while shooting 38% from deep on almost nine attempts per game. His defense and availability are certainly legitimate question marks, but his offense is not. While he’ll be an unrestricted free agent with one year left on his deal, Detroit holds his Bird Rights if they want to re-sign him next summer while being over the cap.

Draft

Shoutout to DBB’s very own Wes Davenport for selling me on this guy.

I’m staying put at #21 and I’m selecting Joshua Jefferson from Iowa State.

Jefferson is listed at 6’9” and 240 pounds and he’ll turn 23 years old this November. He is a four-year college player with his first two years at Saint Mary’s before playing his final two years at Iowa State. During his senior season with the Cyclones, Jefferson averaged 16.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. My player comparison for him is a bigger Draymond Green.

I’m a huge fan of high-IQ basketball players and Jefferson’s IQ is sky high on both ends of the floor. I’m a huge fan of guys that want to make the right play. I want guys that want to give up a good shot of their own to find a great shot for a teammate, and Jefferson certainly does that. His best skillset may be his IQ, but his passing isn’t far behind. Trajan Langdon said he wants to find additional playmaking, so why not find it from a point-forward at pick 21?

He’s incredibly strong, can switch defensively, and even shows the potential to be a tertiary ball handler. Jefferson’s biggest question mark is his shooting as his final year of 34.5% from deep on 3.1 attempts per game were both career-highs throughout his college journey, but his form looks good. There’s enough there that I feel confident Fred Vinson can turn him into a catch-and-shoot threat quickly. I believe he’s ready for NBA minutes today.

NBA Free Agency

While it’s possible Detroit can use their NTMLE of $15 million on free agents like Coby White, CJ McCollum, Ayo Dosunmu, or Anfernee Simons, I’m convinced that those kind of guys can get more money on the open market. The good news is you could still absorb a player into the NTLME via trade so that’s how I plan to use it.

TRADE:

• Pistons receive:
  • Isaiah Joe ($11.3 million)
• Thunder receive:
  • 2027 DET second
  • 2030 DET second

Isaiah Joe instantly becomes the Duncan Robinson replacement off the bench. He’s under contract for two more years at $11.3 million each year. Joe is on the outside of the OKC rotation, but he has played in 71 or more games the past four seasons while shooting more than 41% from deep throughout that same time frame. This sure seems like a Trajan Langdon type of guy based on his shooting and availability.

OKC does this deal because they already have 15 players on their roster, they have two first round draft picks, and the rookie-max extensions for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are set to begin. This deal saves them $11 million and opens up a roster spot while getting two seconds in return. Detroit would have roughly $3.7 million left of the MLE.

Next…

TRADE:

• Pistons receive:
  • Naz Reid ($23.3 million)
• Timberwolves receive:
  • Marcus Sasser ($5.2 million)
  • Isaiah Stewart ($15 million)
  • 2027 unprotected Detroit first

I will admit that I’m a pusher of Naz Reid propaganda, but man, I would love him in Detroit. I think this is a great pivot if Trey Murphy III is too expensive to get.

Naz is listed at 6’9” and 260 pounds and can play both PF and C. We could finally see Ausar Thompson playing next to a stretch big again since Mike Muscala left the team a few years ago. Reid is still only 26 years old and has played in 77 or more games in each of the past three seasons. He received 6MOY votes in each of those seasons and I think it’s time he gets promoted to the starting lineup. Naz is shooting 37.1% from deep in his career and attempted a career-high 5.8 threes in back-to-back seasons. Just like Isaiah Joe, this feels like a Trajan guy – someone who’s always available and always consistent from deep. Call me crazy, but I’d define Naz as a ball-handler, too.

Minnesota does this deal because they are EXPENSIVE. This deal saves them $3.1 million in salary, yet Naz is only their 5th most costly player behind Edwards, Gobert, Randle, and McDaniels. Both Sasser and Stewart can be expiring deals to get off of Naz’s long term money of 4-yr/$104m left, while Sass can offer them some needed guard play and a duo of Gobert/Stew gives them the best defensive big combo in the NBA. As great as Trey Murphy III’s contract is, Naz’s deal is pretty good, too.

I believe Minnesota would rather move Julius Randle, but I’m not sure any team wants to take on his remaining 2-yr/$69m without assets attached. They could keep Stew the following year on his team option and Stew could play C next to Randle or PF next to Gobert in spurts. The 2027 Detroit first-rounder could eventually help them land a starting PG to play next to Edwards.

Detroit’s Free Agents

I’m bringing back Javonte Green, Tobias Harris, and Jalen Duren. Green can get another minimum deal. With Jefferson planning on being my Tobias replacement at some point, I’d sign Tobias to a two-year deal worth $20 million including a team-option in the second year.

I’m signing Jalen Duren to a five-year $200 million contract. If Duren gets the same percentage of the cap as Alperen Şengün, who got a 5-yr/$185 million deal starting last season, it would equal 5-yr/$197 million, so a $200 million deal feels fair for both sides.

I’m also extending Ausar Thompson to a five-year $150 million deal. I’ve heard a potential deal for AT being similar to what Jalen Suggs or Dyson Daniels got. Daniels starts a 4-yr/$100m contract this year and Suggs is on his second year of a 5-yr/$150 million deal. I’d be happy pushing Ausar up to $160 million total if needed.

I would not be surprised if Daniss Jenkins’ and Paul Reed’s deals are restructured to get them under contract for multiple years as well.

2026-2027 Roster

PG: Cade Cunningham | Tyler Herro |Daniss Jenkins

SG: Tyler Herro | Isaiah Joe | Javonte Green

SF: Ausar Thompson | Ron Holland | Tobias Harris

PF: Naz Reid | Tobias Harris | Joshua Jefferson

C: Jalen Duren | Naz Reid | Paul Reed

—————

Don’t stress, Trajan – I did the work for you!

What’re your thoughts at my attempt at an offseason, DBB? What changes would you make?

Go Stones.

Karl Towns Sr. is the proud papa of NBA champion Karl-Anthony Towns, who was a key component in the team’s playoff run — which snapped a 53-year championship drought.

Papa Towns take a shot at some Father’s Day Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. 

Q: Why do you think New York City fell in love with your son Karl-Anthony?

A: Because he’s humble, caring, loving. And he wanted to bring something to New York that they’ve been thirsting for 53 years. When he puts on that jersey, he knew every time he put it on he was representing his mother, the city, and he wanted to give them a chance to be where they were yesterday.

Q: What is the most memorable Father’s Day you’ve had with KAT?

A: Ready for this? It’s gonna be this Sunday, being a part of my son winning an NBA championship.

Q: What are your plans?

A: I don’t need any plans. You know what my plans were? The parade yesterday, sitting there crying, emotional, seeing my son hold that trophy — something I dreamed it would happen one day, and to see it fulfilled, he don’t have to do anything for me Father’s Day. He just did it. Seeing him fulfill his mother’s dream and me being a part of his dream … I’m good. 

Q: What was the highlight of the parade for you?

A: The highlight of the parade was watching my son finally hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. It was emotional for me because it was always a dream of his mother for him to play for the Knicks in a season. It was not only his dream of being an NBA champion, but his mother’s dream. The whole thing was beautiful, but watching him walk out of City Hall with the trophy up high, that’s when it hit me that he was a champion. It was a day I’ll never forget. When he walked down the steps, it really hit me that my son had reached the pinnacle of the basketball world.

Q: What was it like on the float?

A: The float was a beautiful thing, because over the years, you watch all these other teams go down the Canyon of Heroes, but to know that this was a parade for the New York Knicks basketball program that never had a parade, and knowing that the whole city was honoring us, it was so emotional. And to see all these old players that played for the Knicks, it was so emotional that they could finally be part of a parade. And it was a parade for the entire Knick unit over the years, it wasn’t just for us. And to see all of them come back, it was a great moment to be on that float and look behind me and see all of those former players who made the program what it was be a part of the biggest Knick celebration for basketball. … You could see the joy in their face, as in our players … a family reunion. 

Q: What were your emotions on the float with your son?

A: I was crying and hugging him, saying, “Thank you for being yourself, and giving me a chance to be here, experiencing this moment with you. You made this possible for all of us, and I say, thank you, son. I love you, and you earned this day.”

Q: He looked like he was having quite a fun time.

A: Best day of his life. Besides getting engaged to Jordyn [Woods]. 

Q: You were doing a lot of crying during the parade.

A: You don’t know emotional it is seeing confetti coming down on your kid, and people showing your kid the love, the respect, saying thank you for giving us the championship we’ve been waiting for for 53 years. I’m getting emotional now even talking about it. As a father, you only want the best for your child [daughters Malaika and Lachelle, and son Brandon]. When you’re on that float, and you look up, and you see that confetti coming down, it’s very emotional … Because they only do that for heroes. Imagine them seeing your son as a hero to the city. 

Q: You lost your wife Jacqueline “Jackie” Cruz-Towns, and Karl-Anthony his mother, to COVID in 2020. Tell me about the two of you that day.

A: She was his mom and I lost my partner. I was more worried about his emotional state because that was his everything. Just know that he had to make a decision to let her go [from life support]. It was very hard. I hugged him and I told him, “Don’t worry, I will ride with you until the day I die. You’re never gonna be alone, I’ll be there for you all the time. I know how hard it is for you, but she always told you no matter what to be strong.” … This championship healed him a lot. He was able to release a lot of the stuff that he couldn’t see emotionally, but he released it to everybody, let them know that his mother is there, he could feel her presence. You don’t forget it, the feeling never leaves you, but you have to be strong and move on, and I think that this championship and her being there healed him in a way that he really needed this to move forward.

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Q: Describe her for me.

A: His mother was a ray of sunshine in his world … a very hard-nosed, driven, outspoken, straightforward, straight shooter. Out of any Spanish mom, don’t mess with her kids. You better come correct, because she will defend her kids to the end. She fought for every right for all her kids. She was a great woman. 

Q: What was it like when the Knicks traded for your son right before the 2024-25 season?

A: Knowing that we had been somewhere [Minnesota] for nine years, it was like we were moving, so I was emotional, but at the same time it’s part of the business. I was more worried about how he felt. As a dad, you always want to support your son. As long as he was OK, I was OK. But we really weren’t going to a new area, we were just going home [Piscataway, N.J.], because we were going back to the East Coast and we were from here anyway.

Q: You were in Minneapolis for the whole nine years with him?

A: Every basketball season I spent with him, yes.

Q: What were those nine years?

A: Cold! You know what, I call it probably the best years with me and my son because we were always there and we bonded. Every basketball season I was out there for all the games, just like the Knicks this year. I went to every game for the last two years. It was a chance for us to just do father-son time. When his mom passed away I just wanted to spend more time with him just for his emotional and mental state, make sure he had somebody there he could always talk to if he ever felt like he needed someone there.

Q: What kind of child was he?

A: I call him a perfectionist. Everything had to be right. He always was reading, he always was knowledgeable and stuff, and he was very, very on point, so when you talk to him you have to have all your facts because he already knew what the right answer would be. To this day he’s the same way. 

Q: How else would you describe your son?

A: Extremely humble. He takes everything to heart. He wants the best for everyone. He just wants to be a friend to you. He’s not arrogant, none of that. He’s down to earth. He’s relatable to anybody, it don’t matter who you are.

Q: Best piece of advice you ever gave him?

A: Be yourself. Make all your own decisions. Don’t let anybody make answers and decisions on your life for you, Be your own man. 

Q: Describe the day he won his first state championship in high school.

A: Magical moment. He wanted to leave high school knowing that he had played on the No. 1 team in the state, and that night, I’ll never forget in Trenton, they pulled it off.

Q: His decision to go to Kentucky.

A: He had settled down to Rutgers, Duke, Seton Hall, North Carolina State and another one. I think that the decision to go to Kentucky was a little bit better being that he played on the national team for Cal [John Calipari]. He wanted the challenge of having a chance to get to the next level. My wife loved Kentucky. Duke was in it, but she didn’t like the fact that he had to walk across campus.

Q: He played for the Dominican National team when he was 16.

A: He will not play for another team but the Dominican team because the Dominican team is his bond with his mother.

Q: What was draft day like in 2015?

A: Magical moment. Knowing that we were sitting there knowing that Minnesota was gonna have the first pick. He had a great workout in Minnesota. I’ll never forget it. [Kevin] Garnett and everybody watched him, and just to hear his name called first — after all those years of playing in high school, college, all the great players around the country, to know that they felt that you were the No. 1 pick in the draft, you can never take that away from him. He will always be considered a No. 1 pick for the rest of his life.

Q: Your son’s first NBA game.

A: Los Angeles Lakers in L.A. The thing I recall was watching him get his first basket as an NBA player, he made a steal and dunked. It’s the most vivid memory because as a father, you never ever think your son’s gonna make it to the NBA. Once you score one basket in the NBA you’re officially in the record books. I knew when he made that basket, his name was gonna be etched in the books forever.

Q: What were your emotions when you were cut by the Knicks.

A: I wasn’t cut, I got hurt, so I didn’t go to attend the camp. My ankle, unfortunately, I got injured. It hurt, but what was I gonna do? It wasn’t meant to be. God has different plans for everybody. And the plan came out to be my son was supposed to play for the Knicks and win a championship. 

Q: His first game as a Knick.

A: Magical moment. Because to me it was the moment — it was a full circle thing. It didn’t happen to me, it happened to him. But to know that when he walked out there in that uniform that night he represented … and this was his mother always wanted him to be — represent the New York Knicks and play in New York. To me it was an emotional night because he fulfilled her dream. She wasn’t here … but she was here. Because she’s part of him. It was a moment I’ll always remember. And she told him, “One day you’re gonna play for New York and win a championship.” It was a magical moment for everybody to see him come out in his first game in a Knick uniform.

Q: Near the end of Game 5 in San Antonio, your emotions.

A: I was right across from him, I looked at him, and the first thing he did was look up to the sky to his mom and said, “We did it!”

Q: And when you first saw him when the game ended? 

A: We hugged, and I said, “She would be so proud of you right now.” … He said, “She’s here.”And you know what I told him? “I know.”

Q: As a 6-foot-5 power forward, what kind of a player were you at what was then Monmouth College in the mid-1980s?

A: I was a double-double — I [regularly] had 10 points, 13 rebounds. … He mastered it in a way I didn’t. He definitely gets a lot of rebounds because he’s always reading the ball. I had to go get it, he maneuvers his way to get it. He’s a way better scorer than I was. I was a brute. He’s a gifted scorer. I was an opportunity scorer. 

Q: You were a Knicks fan growing up. Did you go to the Garden?

A: Never had an opportunity to go to the Garden. My parents didn’t have the money to send us back then — they were trying to take care of four kids. I didn’t start going to the Garden until I got in college.

Q: Did you take your son to the Garden?

A: My son ended up taking me to the Garden, how ’bout that?

Q: Do you remember the 1985 draft lottery when the Knicks got Patrick [Ewing]?

A: Yes I do. The year he got drafted to the pros, I played him [in college[. They [Georgetown] beat us by 50 points [actually 85-53]. We were just happy to be on the floor with these guys. 

Q: What was it like trying to guard him?

A: We lost by 50, what does that say? They laughed at me, but I had a 40-inch vertical so we jumped center, he didn’t know that. So I beat him on the tip. 

Q: Three dinner guests?

A: My wife, my mother, my brother Kenny.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: “Love and Basketball.”

Q: Favorite actors.”

A: Denzel Washington. Spike Lee.

Q: Favorite actress?

A: Sandra Bullock.

Q: Favorite entertainer?

A: Michael Jackson.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Spaghetti and sausage.

Q: What stands out to you about KAT’s on-court mentality?

A: Pinpoint. Magic [Johnson] was always his idol. You could see out there he’s always navigating like a GPS system, he’s trying to make the right decision, right pass. I’m awed by some of the passes that he can get through to his players. 

Q: Jalen Brunson.

A: Great player, great teammate. Call ’em Batman and Robin. I love the kid. The kid plays the game the way it’s supposed to be played. Plays hard, plays to win, he’s a great leader and a great person.

Q: What did you like best about these Knicks?

A: That nobody cared who starred, they just wanted to win. 

Q: As a longtime high school coach, why do you appreciate Mike Brown?

A: Because he came in with a plan and it was fulfilled. And he’s a coach’s coach. Respected the players, listened. Great dude. 

Q: What do you know about KAT’s fiancé Jordyn’s designer bag?

A: That it was a lucky charm. Her collection is one of the best collections that I’ve seen because everything is about today’s woman. When the bag started winning games, she had to have it. But I think the bag is going into retirement now. The bag did its job. You don’t want to overdo it. I’m happy for her because the bag was something that became inspirational to a lot of people.

Q: They’re engaged now. Do you think she reminds your son of his mother?

A: Absolutely — loving, caring, humble, dedicated, she’s by his side, she’s there for him just like his mother was. She’s been his rock.

Q: Do you think these guys can win it again next year?

A: Absolutely. Because you know what they built a lot of teams don’t have? A bond. Once you taste it, it’s hard to let it go.

The Celtics would love to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it’s not going to be that easy.

Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam said previously that the team would like to have the superstar’s future resolved before the NBA draft, which is now just three days away.

And while the Celtics are interested in adding the two-time MVP, new reporting suggests that Boston and Milwaukee are not exactly on the same page.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that “if Boston had its way,” the Celtics would nab Antetokounmpo, 31, by simply sending Jaylen Brown the other way in a one-for-one swap.

However, Amick added that it’s “unclear” whether the Bucks would want to build around the 29-year-old Brown, and said it’s “widely believed” that further players and/or picks would be required in an Antetokounmpo trade.

It is also said that the 2021 Finals MVP would be comfortable signing an extension with Boston.

Nonetheless, the Bucks will want to find a resolution to Antetokounmpo’s situation soon amid continued speculation and innuendo from his side.

While he has yet to publicly demand a trade, he reportedly approached the Bucks for a trade on at least two occasions this past season.

The Bucks also held some brief talks with the Knicks over a potential Antetokounmpo trade last summer, ESPN’s Shams Charania previously reported.

Milwaukee decided to hold onto the Future Hall of Famer past this season’s trade deadline, despite the team being out of contention, but the organization has now found itself “underwhelmed” by the offers on its table, Amick reported, citing anonymous executives.

The Heat are also reportedly interested in Antetokounmpo.

Statistically, it was another strong season for him as he notched 27.6 points per game to go along with 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in just 36 games.

But the roster was lacking in talent around him and finished just 32-50 before getting the No. 10 pick in the NBA draft lottery.

Brown, meanwhile, finished sixth in MVP voting as he led the Celtics to a strong season with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season due to injury.

But there are suggestions that Brown, 29, may finally want to lead his own team.

Leading into the post-season, there was a large discussion about whether the Spurs needed to lose in order to win. That is, many thought they were too young, they didn’t have the playoff defeats to learn from, and therefore were not ready to win a championship.

San Antonio made a very deep playoff run, nevertheless, knocking off the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, only to fall short and suffer defeat at the highest mountain top to the New York Knicks. Along with the scars suffered along the way, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs have now very much bled their own blood. Now, will they bounce back?

It’s certainly possible. History has plenty of examples of teams facing defeat in the Finals, often thanks to their own miscues, only to come back better and stronger the next year. Here are some of the most famous examples of redemption championship teams.

Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers 1980s

There is no greater rivalry in professional basketball than the Celtics and Lakers. The two teams have met in the finals 12 times. As far as bounce-back teams, there are plenty to choose from. The best example would be 1985. Magic Johnson, who already had two Finals MVPs at that point, arguably cost the Lakers the series. He had bad turnovers, missed free throws, and even forgot about the shot clock on a crucial possession at the end of game two, earning him the infamous nickname “Tragic Johnson.” But he and his teammates redeemed themselves, winning the 1985 championship over Boston.

Then, not to be discouraged, Boston bounced back themselves in 1986 with one of the best teams of all time, winning a championship over the Houston Rockets.

Miami Heat 2011-2012

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh had formed their triumvirate in Miami and were ready to take over the league as “The Heatles”. But it would take them until their second year together to realize that potential. In their first season together, they faced a tragic defeat at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. James averaged only 17.8 points, a far cry from his 26.7 regular-season average, leading many to wonder if the moment was just too big for him (and if karma had caught up to him for The Decision and their cocky declaration of “not two, not three, not four….” championships at their introduction parade). Ultimately, he and Miami would bounce back for a championship the following season, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, with James being crowned with his first Finals MVP.

The Beautiful Game Spurs 2013-2014

And of course, what is perhaps the best example of a bounce-back season is the 2014 San Antonio Spurs. San Antonio suffered a brutal defeat in 2013 at the hands of the Miami Heat, losing in seven games after snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in Game 6 thanks to series of late blunders and the “Ray Allen Shot”.

Then, as is well known, they came back with a vengeance the very next year. They finished first in the West with the best record in the league, Gregg Popovich won Coach of the Year, and they toppled the same Heat team in the Finals in only 5 games. It was not only a redemption, but perhaps the sweetest icing on top of the cake of several Hall of Fame careers.

These are just a few examples. Overall, it’s a question of perseverance. While it would be nice for Victor Wembanyama to have a perfect Finals record, comparable to a certain all-time great everyone thinks about, the fact is that just isn’t the case. But he shouldn’t be discouraged. Many, if not all, of the other all-time greats have fallen short. It’s a fact of basketball and a fact of life. Setbacks are going to happen; it’s a question of whether you bounce back or bounce backwards.

Depending on how the board falls, Kentucky wing Otega Oweh could be available when New York is on the clock on draft night next week. Should the Knicks consider him with their 24th, 31st or 55th selection?

The Basics

• School: Kentucky (transferred from Oklahoma)
• Position: Guard/Forward
• Height: 6’4.25” (barefoot)
• Weight: 216 lbs
• Age: 23 (June 21, 2003)
• 2025-26 Stats: 20.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.0 SPG, 46.5% FG, 33.3% 3PT, 73.1% FT
• Projected Draft Range: Mid-second round

The Numbers

Oweh has taken one of the more interesting long roads in this draft class. He began his career at Oklahoma as a raw athletic defender, became a legitimate two-way contributor as a sophomore, transferred to Kentucky, and eventually turned himself into one of the SEC’s most productive wings.

The scoring jump is the first thing that stands out in Oweh’s resume, as he is coming off a senior season in which he averaged 20.5 points per game while carrying a major offensive role for the Wildcats.

The defensive numbers also pass the eye test. Oweh posted a career-best 1.8 steals per game and has been one of the better perimeter defenders in college basketball for multiple seasons.

The shooting remains the swing number. Oweh hit 37.7% from three as a sophomore at Oklahoma, 35.5% during his first Kentucky season, and roughly 33% as a senior, in a steady regression that has been going on for three consecutive seasons. Although Oweh’s mechanics are not clean, the willingness is there, and his free-throw shooting improvement going from Oklahoma to Kentucky is notable.

Skills That Pay the Bills

• Point-Of-Attack Defense: Oweh’s clearest NBA skill is defense, as he can guard opposing wings, pressure ball-handlers, navigate screens, disrupt passing lanes, and use his strength to knock drivers off their spots.
• Physical Slashing: Oweh has a strong frame, broad shoulders, and downhill burst. He can get into the paint, absorb contact, draw fouls, and put pressure on the rim.
• Transition Scoring: His athleticism pops in the open floor, with Oweh turning steals into runouts, sprints the lanes, and can finish above the rim when he gets space.
• Defensive-Event Creation: Oweh does not just stay in front of players; he hunts and haunts them. His career steal production is one of the strongest indicators that his defense can translate into a real NBA role.
• Catch-And-Shoot Growth: The jumper is not perfect, but he has become a credible enough shooter to keep defenses honest. He relocates well, can hit standstill threes, and has improved enough over four college seasons to make the shot projection worth buying into.

Concerns

• Shooting Mechanics: Oweh’s release has a hitch and can be slow. NBA defenders will close space faster than his fellow amateurs, so he needs to speed up the shot or become more consistent when contested.
• Finishing Touch: He is powerful and athletic, but his layup touch remains inconsistent. Some of his rim efficiency comes from dunks, transition chances and physical advantages that may not happen often in the NBA.
• Decision-Making: Oweh has improved as a passer, but he can still force drives, settle for contested midrange shots, or miss quicker reads when the defense loads up.
• Offensive Role: He is not a primary creator and probably will not become one. His current NBA value depends entirely on defense, slashing, transition play, secondary passing, and little shooting.
• Age and Upside: Oweh will be 23 as a rookie after four college seasons. Teams may view him more as a ready-made role-player bet than a long-term upside swing.

The Knicks Fit

Oweh fits a very specific type of Knicks target in that he’s tough, physical, older, defensive-minded and ready to compete for a role from the jump.

The Knicks enter the 2026 NBA Draft with picks No. 24, No. 31 and No. 55 and are coming off a championship, which means there is little pressure to nail drafting any sort of plug-and-play dude. That changes the calculus. New York needs affordable players who can defend, survive in playoff-style basketball if they crack the rotation during the first 82 games, and avoid being overwhelmed by NBA physicality.

Oweh has the body to play through contact, the mentality to guard tough assignments, and enough offensive development to avoid being a complete liability. He could give Mike Brown another wing defender behind OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, while also providing athleticism in transition and pressure at the rim.

However, the Knicks already have exactly that: high-level defensive wings. With those champs already in the roster and under contract, does Oweh have a clear path to instant rotation minutes? Not really, although he could spend time with Westchester, sharpen the jumper, tighten the handle, and become a useful depth piece if injuries or roster changes open minutes.

NBA Comparison

• Best-Case Comparison: Josh Okogie (Physical point-of-attack defender with transition scoring but a lack of true shooting)
• Median Outcome: Bigger Gary Payton II (Defensive disruptor, cutter, transition finisher in a low-usage role)
• Low-End Outcome: Stanley Johnson (Strong defensive wing with a capped role due to the lack of offense)

The Verdict

Consider at 31st if all other targets are gone: Legitimate option at the start of the second round, only if New York completely misses out on all of their higher-ranked targets and wants a tough two-way wing who can compete immediately in camp but not have a big role throughout the 2026-27 season.

Draft at 55th: Assuming the Knicks keep one of their first two picks, Oweh at 55th is a win. He should have heard his name called around the 40-50 clip, so finding him available here would provide real value without risking having to wait for him to go UDFA and sign him there.

Draft at

Read all our draft profiles here.

Go Knicks!

Stephen A. Smith wasn’t just wrong about Jalen Brunson and the Knicks.

“I’m a grown-ass man,” Smith said. “I was beyond wrong.”

Appearing as a guest on a live episode of “The Roommates Show” podcast with NBA champion teammates Brunson and Josh Hart at Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden, Smith ate his humble pie after Hart brought receipts about all the times Smith doubted Brunson.

Including opining that the 2016 Villanova national title team didn’t have a legitimate NBA prospect, when Brunson, Hart and Mikal Bridges – three Knicks starters – were on the roster.

And that Brunson “isn’t the answer” – and, worse, no Kevin Durant – for the Knicks after he signed his free-agent contract in 2022.

“We are now sitting here with this golden trophy there to your right,” Hart, who pushed for Smith to be a guest on the podcast. “Can you sit here and admit you were wrong?”

“Apologize!” Brunson demanded.

Smith, an ESPN analyst and lifelong Knicks fan, admitted he was wrong after playfully pretending he did not understand the request.

Hart and Smith had a feud earlier this year when Smith criticized Bridges and Hart jumped to his defense.

“I apologize to this brother (Brunson) on national television, I’m apologizing to you (Hart), I’m apologizing to the entire Knicks organization,” Smith said. “But let me be very, very clear: I have never been more happy to be wrong in my entire life.”

The crowd booed Smith anyway.

Brunson has teased firing back at his critics multiple times since leading the Knicks to the title last weekend but stopped just short. He applauded Smith’s apology.

Smith also flirted with taking some credit for his words firing up the Knicks for their 13-game playoff winning streak.

“I’ll apologize for being wrong,” Smith said, “but let me be very clear: If it means another championship, I’d do it again.”

The NBA Finals showed that Dylan Harper can go bucket for bucket with the sport’s best.

And the former Rutgers star wants the Spurs to know that he’s ready for an increased role at a time when some wonder about De’Aaron Fox’s future with the team after a dismal showing versus the Knicks.

Harper’s camp is expected to push for him to join the Spurs’ starting rotation for the 2026-27 season after his Finals breakout following a campaign coming off the bench, according to ESPN.

Making the situation all the more intriguing are the recent revelations that Harper had some issues with the team’s plan for him after being selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Teammate Devin Vassell said after the team’s series-ending Game 5 loss to the Knicks that Harper had problems with his playing time during the season.

ESPN further reported that Harper “voiced displeasure” earlier in the season with his role, although his minutes eventually picked up.

Harper appeared in 69 games but started just four, averaging 22.6 minutes per game while scoring 11.8 points per game.

He started two of the team’s 23 postseason games — both with Fox sidelined — and his playing time increased to an average of 26.8 minutes per game, including 31 in the Finals.

Harper averaged 14.1 points per game in the playoffs.

“He was upset with playing time and different roles that he was in,” Vassell said, “but when we needed him most, he stepped up. We have a star in the making.”

The issue for Harper and the Spurs is that the team already has two starting guards in the embattled Fox and Stephon Castle.

The Spurs acquired Fox before they landed Harper in the draft, and the four-year, $229 million extension they signed him to last year begins next season.

Fox’s stock has only gone down after the NBA Finals, which included his disastrous layup attempt in the last minute of Game 4 that resulted in an OG Anunoby block and his 3-for-15 performance in Game 5.

The Spurs “remain committed” to Fox as their starting point guard, per ESPN, but the Finals showed that keeping Harper in a reserve role may be an issue.

Fox receiving more crunch-time minutes than Harper in Game 1 drew criticism toward coach Mitch Johnson, and Harper had a sensational Game 5 while Fox couldn’t hit water if he was on a boat.

The issue for Harper is that there may not be much he can do except voice his frustration, since there’s no chance the Spurs would trade him.

Harper notably reposted a TikTok video bashing Fox after Game 1 during the Finals.

“But it’s not an issue San Antonio needs to address right away,” ESPN’s Michael C. Wright wrote. “Fox’s contract won’t become a potential eyesore until after (Victor) Wembanyama’s upcoming rookie extension kicks in, and when the Spurs are looking next summer to extend Castle to what should be a max deal.”

Jake Fischer reported early Saturday, June 20, that Boston is not actively shopping Jaylen Brown or Derrick White, but is fielding inquiries about both with greater openness than in previous offseasons. It’s a small distinction in wording, but the Celtics do seem to be building momentum toward some significant deck shuffling.

A Brown trade still appears most plausible as part of a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo, a move which would theoretically raise Boston’s ceiling. Dealing away White would be a different story. The nine-year veteran supplies defense, shooting and connectivity that helped to keep Boston competitive while Tatum nursed his Achilles, yet his salary could be used to obtain size or rebalance the roster. 

According to Fischer, Boston wants frontcourt upgrades and has maintained interest in Isaiah Stewart of the Detroit Pistons. The Celtics have also previously inquired about Rudy Gobert, most recently at February’s trade deadline. Now Minnesota’s reported interest in White creates a speculative framework for further discussions. 

Replacing White’s contributions would be harder than replacing his box-score stats. He suited up for 77 games (starting all) and averaged 16.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 34.1 minutes per game. Further, he shot 39% from the field (including 33% from three) and a career-high 90% from the free-throw line, while posting 98 blocks (noteworthy for a guard) and earning NBA All-Defensive First Team honors plus a 6th-place finish in DPOY voting. And, he received the NBA Sportsmanship Award. 

Not a bad regular season, at all. In Boston’s first-round playoff exit, however, White stumbled, averaging 11.1 points on 32.1% shooting (27.3% from three) over seven games.

As for the Gobert smoke, I dunno. . . . From Fischer: 

I don’t think that the Wolves are actively shopping Gobert, either way, but Minnesota is said to be as exploratory and open-minded as Boston when it comes to shaking up the roster around the team’s clear alpha (Edwards).

Minnesota seems content with their Eiffel Tower. Just because Boston inquired about him at the trade deadline and the T-Wolves now seem interested in White does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that a swap is imminent. But I’ll play along: Sure, the Shamrocks would gain a barricade around the basket while removing one of the guards who lent creedence to their perimeter defense. The problem would be replacing White, who’s been a gluey piece for them, and will he be enough to get the deal done? It seems like Minny might want more return on their investment. Rudy’s playing as well today as he was in 2022, and this is what they gave up for him back then:

• Malik Beasley
• Patrick Beverley
• Leandro Bolmaro
• Walker Kessler
• Jarred Vanderbilt
• a 2023 1st round draft pick (Keyonte George was later selected)
• a 2025 1st round draft pick (Will Riley was later selected)
• a 2026 1st round draft pick
• a 2027 1st round draft pick
• a 2029 1st round draft pick.

To me, Stewart seems like the more obvious get. He is entering the second year of a four-year, $60 million extension, with a guaranteed salary of $15 million for the 2026-27 season and a $15 million team option for 2027-28. His salary makes him far easier to acquire without touching one of Boston’s core guys, while also providing the defensive versatility and frontcourt depth they desire.

During the 2025-2026 season, Neemias Queta started 75 games at center and was a key contributor (averaging 10.2 PPG and 8.4 RPG). To back him up, Beantown nabbed Nikola Vučević (and a second-round pick) from the Chicago Bulls at the trade deadline, in exchange for Anfernee Simons and a second-round pick. It was crafty on Stevens’ part. The move used the Kristaps Porziņģis trade exception, helped them dip under the first apron for financial flexibility, and added veteran frontcourt depth behind Queta. Consider it a rental, though. A free agent and turning 36 soon, Vooch is most likely done with the club.

Meanwhile, our sister site CelticsBlog has had a lot to say about all this. Jack Anderson argues that Boston should not be trying to build a Big 3 around Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. As Anderson states, building around three super max players, who make 35% of the cap, is not realistic.

Anderson argues (wisely) that it would likely cripple the Celtics’ ability to build a championship roster under the NBA’s apron rules. To acquire Giannis without trading Brown, Boston would likely have to surrender Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, future draft picks, and young prospects while becoming hard-capped at the first apron. The result would be three superstars consuming most of the payroll with little flexibility to add quality depth (similar to the Kevin Durant-Devin Booker-Bradley Beal Suns). Please, Brad, cripple the team!

From our vantage, we like that the Celtics are contemplating structural change instead of simply adding around the edges. This is not, say, sprinkling on a Jordan Clarkson to lend a dash of scoring to a team that’s READY TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. (You bet I plan to do that until they’re dethroned (which could be never).) Anyway, count on Boston to do something. If it’s Giannis, they improve their odds for a title; with Gobert, they upgrade the frontcourt but stand to lose a lot on the backend; and Beef Stew is a solid reserve who won’t break up the band or bank, but won’t significantly elevate the team.

Slather on your sunscreen, the offseason is just heating up. Prepare for all the slop!

Go Knicks.

Moments after the buzzer sounded on Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, Victor Wembanyama couldn’t hold back tears and it was very telling to Josh Hart.

He had just led the Spurs past the reigning champion Thunder, and the young San Antonio team celebrated profusely — almost as if they had just won the NBA title.

And that’s when Hart knew the Spurs made a critical mistake ahead of their Finals clash with the Knicks.

“Everyone’s talking to them about, ‘Yo, they’ve got to beat OKC. OKC’s going to repeat,’” Hart said Friday during a live “The Roommates Show” episode with teammate Jalen Brunson at MSG. “They beat OKC. For a young team, I feel like that was the mountaintop for them.

“That’s when I looked at (Brunson) and I was like, ‘You see that reaction? Because like they think they’re going to win it. They think it’s over.'”

As every Knicks fan knows, the Finals were anything but over.

The experienced and underdog Knicks ultimately bested the Spurs in five games, rallying from double-digit deficits in all four of their wins.

Perhaps the veteran poise ultimately mattered, with the Knicks excelling in crunch time — particularly in the record 29-point comeback in Game 4.

But, as Hart pointed out, the Knicks had a vastly different mentality than the Spurs after securing their first Finals bid in 27 years by sweeping the Cavaliers.

“You look at our reaction after we beat Cleveland – it was tough to celebrate because we were like, ‘We got four more.’ Obviously winning the Eastern Conference is an amazing accomplishment, but we all looked at this like this is just a step. This isn’t the destination. This is just a step.

“The reaction after Game 4 in Cleveland like showed that.”

The Knicks ultimately kept that businesslike approach throughout the series, not getting ahead of themselves as they inched closer and closer to the franchise’s first title in 53 years.

When they finally did clinch the championship last Saturday night in San Antonio, that’s when they finally let all the emotions pour out.

Hart’s celebrations continued through Thursday’s parade, with the wing celebrating wildly with the fans and even firing off a rather raunchy tweet about his wife.

So much has already been said about how vital of an offseason this is for the Minnesota Timberwolves. It is being framed as the last chance to reset for a title window around Anthony Edwards to become an actual reality and not just something that podcast hosts bring up when discussing “dark horses.”

That is why so much of the conversation is: A) Devastatingly pessimistic and B) horrendously hard to find real answers.

The Wolves enter this offseason significantly behind the wagon that is the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. Their roster is by no means talent devoid, even if it doesn’t stack up to those two leaders, with six top 100 players according to the Ringer. However, the general fit is abysmal. The focus has largely been on finding a star to raise the ceiling, but I want to go in a different direction.

While players like Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, and Domantas Sabonis (I have seen this one with my own two eyes and it is horrifying) bring reclamation projects whose bounce backs could result in a much stronger team, the larger issue with the Wolves roster is the way their best players all get in each other’s ways.

Julius Randle’s ball dominance limits the offensive growth of Jaden McDaniels and the ease in shot quality for Anthony Edwards, while his position locks Naz Reid into a bench role. Rudy Gobert’s non-shooting and stone hands mean that any offensive approach must be slowed and that attempts at the rim will often come against multiple defenders.

There are also considerable absences in skillsets that cause even more of these issues. Jaden is forced to be a point-of-attack defender instead of a weakside helper because there are none left on the roster. Why? Because the lack of a point guard has pushed Ant into a higher workload and resulted lower defensive effort.

These problems are all entangled with one another and impossible to cut out without addressing them all at once. To that point, a star, even one who bounces back, will not fix the general problems in this team’s DNA.

Enter Jalen Suggs.

Suggs has fallen out of favor in Orlando largely because of his contract and his overlap with their recent sixth pick Anthony Black. Add in a seeming regression in his scoring and shooting splits and it seems his time in a Magic uniform will soon be coming to an end.

He was also apocalyptically bad in the playoffs against Detroit.

If Suggs is on the market, and Orlando’s interest in Rudy Gobert is to be believed, then there is a real universe where Suggs, a handful of second rounders, and one of their many playable centers offers an incredible return for Minnesota, while still providing the Magic with real value.

But this is not a trade simulator. I’m sure you can do that yourselves if you are so interested. The money is easy to work with and the Magic are a fun suitor.

What I want to get into is the potential fit because all of those overlapping problems that make the Wolves so hard to fix are so easily solved by a player of Suggs’ ilk.

(sidenote, the reason this is about Suggs and not White is because I do not see a reason the Boston Celtics would dump White and the difference in cost between the two guards makes Suggs realistic and White not.)

There are a few main bullet points of what Suggs would bring to the Wolves, each of which have potentially massive domino effects.

First, Suggs is an excellent defensive player, with a strong core and intelligent approach at harassing specifically star ball-handlers, an overwhelmingly common archetype that the Wolves struggle with. He excels at navigating screens and using his low center of gravity, core strength, and excellent athleticism to prevent any sort of ease.

Second, he is also a deceptively good shooter. I know people are seeing the 33% three point percentage, and I refuse to invalidate a full season’s worth of numbers on a whim, but his shot diet last year was the type of thing you’d expect for a shot creator, not a supplementary option like what Suggs is.

He hit 39.2% of his catch and shoot threes last year and shot 40.7% from three overall just three short years ago. Between injuries and inconsistent usage, his numbers have struggled but he is still quite good in that regard.

Lastly, Suggs is still just 25, more than within the relative bounds of a young core around Edwards. Given the recent trend of star guards falling off before they reach 27 years old (think of Trae Young and Ja Morant), it’s helpful that Jalen does not have a game reliant on quick twitch athleticism in the way other players might.

There are, ultimately, two main perspectives on why this Wolves team needs a major change. Either they simply don’t have enough talent to compete or their team does not work together. If you believe the former, then this is not the target for you.

However, if you belong to the second camp, this is the guy for you.

Suggs’ arrival would immediately shift McDaniels to his preferred role, and would reinvigorate Edwards as a secondary POA defender. Offensively, adding a good spot-up shooter and acceptable full court mover would breath life into an offense that will be without a key shooter and was hugely prone to playing slow and not finding good shots.

Even in just a vacuum, imagine the rotation of guards the Wolves could throw out. Ant and Jalen together give you defense and scoring, support systems galore alongside Edwards on both sides of the ball while Suggs simply has to spot-up. When Ayo Dosumnu replaces Edwards, the offense speeds up, and the two make up for each other’s flaws.

High impact, low usage players are hard to come by. Well-suited glue guys that fit into the framework of what the Wolves have are somehow even harder to get. To find both of those things, in the form of a Minnesota native, at a low cost, could be a home run.

Suggs is expected to be dealt at or during the draft on Tuesday, and the hope should be that he ends up being the next lead guard of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Warriors possess the No. 11 pick in this month’s NBA draft.

Who they pick with their highest selection since 2021 could hold the cards to not only the final years of Steph Curry’s career but also the future direction of the franchise.

This week, we are profiling five possible prospects GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. could target.

Continuing with Part 4:

Cameron Carr

Age: 21

Position: Guard

Height/weight: 6-foot-5 / 185 pounds

School: Baylor

Why he’s a fit

As the Warriors seek to bridge the end of Curry’s career with the franchise’s next era, Carr offers an intriguing combination of upside with a built-in skill set that could contribute to winning right away.

A high-flying, slashing wing, Carr would give the Warriors the kind of athleticism they haven’t had in a prospect since … Jonathan Kuminga?

There’s reason to believe taking a flyer on a high-upside scorer and potential impact defender such as Carr will go better this time around. For one, the Warriors are in a different place — reevaluating everything from their offensive system to their championship expectations.

Carr is also ready to contribute right away with a lethal 3-point shot and a quick, lanky frame that should make him a pest on the perimeter. He adds 8 inches with a wingspan that measured a tick over 7 feet at the NBA combine, where he also showed out with 30 points on six 3-pointers in a scrimmage and a 42.5-inch vertical leap — the third highest of any prospect.

The last time the Warriors held the No. 11 pick, it gave them Klay Thompson, and Carr shares some similarities shooting at a 37.4% clip from beyond the perimeter at Baylor while setting up many of those shots by running around screens off the ball.

Like the two Splash Brothers, Carr also has NBA bloodlines through his father, Chris Carr, who played six seasons and passed down the traits that earned him an invite to the 1997 dunk contest.

Why he’ll last until No. 11

With three years of college experience, Carr is only 2 years younger than Kuminga, for comparison’s sake. That makes him one of the older players likely to go in the lottery.

It also raises questions about how much there is left for him to develop physically.

While his length gives him the upside to be an elite defender, his lean stature means he could also get pushed around by a league of players almost universally larger than him. There wasn’t a single impact player lighter than 185 pounds this season — just 12 in total around the NBA.

Carr is also relatively raw for a three-year college player: He averaged 1.4 points in 14 games as a freshman at Tennessee and was limited to four games the following season after fracturing his thumb before transferring to Baylor.

NBA comp: Trey Murphy III

Carr has the skills to contribute as a rookie and the potential to grow into a prototypical 3-and-D player. If he bulks up and improves his handle, he could become even more than that.

ICYMI

Yaxel Lendeborg could be steal of NBA draft

Brayden Burries could be instant playmaker for Warriors

Hannes Steinbach could be impact rebounder for Warriors

The 2026 NBA Draft is on the horizon, bringing one of the most significant dates on the league’s calendar. 

Childhood dreams of making it to the NBA will be achieved. 

Teams will turn draft assets into tangible players who they hope will contribute to winning in the short- and long-term future.

And in the background, teams will continue to explore the options that’ll help them achieve their goals for 2026-27. 

For the Lakers, who have a first-round pick in the draft (No. 25), the opportunity the draft presents as it pertains to roster building can’t be whiffed on.  

In their pursuit of assembling a roster that’ll be competitive against the 2026 Western Conference champion Spurs and 2025 NBA champion Thunder, the Lakers have two main options for their first-round pick: trade it for a player who’s ready to compete for a title now alongside Luka Doncic or select a prospect whom they plan to develop and hope will help now and in the future.  

If the Lakers choose the latter, there isn’t a shortage of options. 

Toward the top of that list should be Santa Clara forward Allen Graves, who would be the steal of the draft if he fell to the Lakers.

Allen Graves, Santa Clara forward

2025-26 stats: 11.8 points (51.2% shooting — 56% on 2s, 41.3% on 3s), 6.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals, 1.8 assists, 0.9 blocks, 22.6 minutes

Measurements: 6-foot-7 ¾ (without shoes), 225 pounds, 7-foot wingspan, 8-foot-10 ½ standing reach  

Why draft Allen Graves?

Lakers coach JJ Redick said next season’s team has to be better with “being able to dribble, pass and shoot.”

Graves excels in these areas, making him a Swiss Army Knife-esque player who can fit into a variety of roles because of his versatile skill set and basketball IQ.

He has high-level passing/playmaking skills for a player his size after being a point guard before his growth spurts. His height helps him see the floor well before making advanced reads. 

Graves can run an offense in doses because of his playmaking ability and will keep the ball moving, helping maintain or create advantages without turning the ball over. 

He’s at his best when playing out of the short roll, elbows, blocks or popping out of pick and rolls. 

His basketball IQ is evident with his playmaking on both sides of the floor — he was the lone player in men’s college basketball to have a steal percentage and block percentage of at least 4.9 in 2025-26. Graves’ quick hands, awareness, length and mobility helped make him one of college basketball’s best defensive playmakers last season. 

And he was a credible 3-point shooting threat for the Broncos. 

Graves is the type of player who’d fit on nearly every NBA roster because of his versatile skill set.

Regardless of other Lakers’ roster decisions, Graves would be additive to their roster. 

Areas of improvement?

His lack of athleticism and explosiveness contributed to his struggles with scoring efficiency near the rim, and that’ll likely only be worse in the NBA. 

His lack of lateral quickness and mobility will make it difficult for him to stay in front of quicker guards on the perimeter and defend in space. 

Graves also will need to get stronger to defend bigger forwards without having to foul. He averaged 5.5 fouls per 40 minutes in college.

He also isn’t a versatile scorer — he’s more of a play finisher than creator, and his finishing abilities were limited to 3-point shooting or scoring after an advantage was created.

There are also questions — ones that can’t be answered — on how much his efficient statistical production and great analytics are a result of coming off the bench for a mid-major program instead of playing against more elite collegiate competition.

Goodbye, second round. Hello, first round.

Sure, we’re beginning at the back end of the first round, but the draft has operated under this structure for more than 20 years now. That gives us a pretty healthy sample size to evaluate what these draft positions have historically produced and what teams can reasonably expect when selecting in this range.

This is typically where the league’s most successful teams draft. If you finish with the best record in the NBA, you’re selecting 30th overall. If you’re consistently competing for championships, you’re often living in this neighborhood of the draft. As a result, success in this range is heavily dependent on an organization’s ability to identify talent, develop players, and find contributors who can outperform their draft position.

That’s easier said than done.

Many of these players are ultimately traded before they ever have a chance to contribute. Championship contenders often need proven veterans more than they need rookies, making first-round picks valuable trade assets rather than developmental projects. It’s one of the reasons this portion of the draft can be so fascinating to study.

The players who do break through often find themselves in ideal situations. They join stable organizations, earn opportunities, develop properly, and eventually become contributors to winning basketball. When you look at the best players drafted at the back end of the first round, that’s a common theme you’ll see over and over again. Talent matters. Opportunity matters too.

Before we begin our journey through the final 30 picks of the first round, let’s take a moment to look back at where we currently stand and the players who earned the title of best player selected at each draft position from No. 31 through No. 60.

Got that? Okey dokey. Let’s get into the First Round…

30. Jimmy Butler (2011)

Honorable Mentions:

• Gilbert Arenas (2001)
• Nate McMillan (1986)
• David Lee (2005)
• Josh Hart (2017)

Suns Taken at 30:

• Floyd Kerr (1969)
• Al Fleming (1976)
• Nemanja Nedovic (2013)

There were some good names drafted 30th overall. In fact, there are a few players who have strong arguments for this spot and who put together impressive NBA careers. Jimmy Butler is the answer, however. The reason is simple. He’s been the driving force behind two teams that reached the NBA Finals, and that level of impact is hard to ignore.

The Chicago Bulls selected Butler with the final pick of the first round in 2011. He wasn’t an immediate star, but it didn’t take long for him to establish himself as a valuable player. By his second season, he was already making a meaningful impact. By his third season, he earned All-Defensive Second Team honors, showcasing the toughness and competitiveness that would eventually define his career. Butler won the NBA’s Most Improved Player award and earned the first of four consecutive All-Star selections with Chicago. He had evolved from a role player into a franchise cornerstone, becoming one of the league’s premier two-way wings.

His career path would eventually take him to Minnesota, where things became complicated. Butler famously wanted out, frustrated by what he perceived as a lack of urgency and competitiveness from some of the team’s younger stars, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. It’s funny looking back on that now. Both Towns and Wiggins eventually won championships. Butler still hasn’t.

After Minnesota, Butler landed in Miami in 2019, and that’s where his legacy truly took shape. He immediately transformed the culture of the Heat and led the franchise to two NBA Finals appearances. While Miami ultimately fell short both times, Butler’s postseason performances became the stuff of legend. He wasn’t merely making the playoffs. He was dragging teams deep into them.

Even now, at 36 years old, Butler remains one of the league’s most respected competitors. Before his injury-shortened last season, he was still averaging 20 points per game and proving that he could impact winning basketball at the highest level.

The résumé speaks for itself. Six All-Star appearances. Five All-NBA selections. Five All-Defensive Team selections. A Most Improved Player award. A steals title in 2021. Multiple Finals appearances as the best player on his team.

For the 30th overall pick, that’s an incredible return. Jimmy Butler may not have the championship ring that some of his peers possess, but when it comes to maximizing a draft position, few players have ever done it better.

29. Dennis Johnson (1976)

Honorable Mentions:

• Toni Kukoc (1990)
• Derrick White (2017)
• Dejounte Murray (2016)
• PJ Brown (1992)

Suns Taken at 29:

• Antonio Lang (1994)
• Alando Tucker (2007)
• Day’Ron Sharpe (2007)*
• Liam McNeeley (2025)**

*traded to the Nets on draft day for Landry Shamet
**traded to the Hornets on draft day for Mark Williams

Dennis Johnson is one of those players who, as NBA history rolls on, tends to get lost in the shuffle. Part of that is probably because he passed away far too young at age 52. Part of it is because there aren’t endless highlight packages floating around social media showcasing what he did between 1976 and 1990. And part of it is because he wasn’t the loudest star on the floor. He wasn’t somebody who demanded attention. He simply won.

If I’m being honest, my guess is that if I had been old enough to watch Dennis Johnson play in real time, he would’ve been one of my favorite players. He feels like the type of guy I would’ve gravitated toward. The unsung hero. The player who does all the little things. The guy who shows up every night and gets the job done.

The Seattle SuperSonics selected Johnson 29th overall in the 1976 NBA Draft, and it didn’t take long for him to establish himself as one of the league’s premier guards. By his third season, he was already an All-Star and a First Team All-Defensive player. He spent four seasons in Seattle, and his final year there was his best. In 1979, the SuperSonics won the NBA championship, and Johnson was named Finals MVP.

Then came the trade that brought him to Phoenix. In the summer of 1980, Seattle dealt Johnson to the Suns in exchange for Paul Westphal. Once he arrived in Phoenix, he continued playing at an elite level. In his first two seasons with the Suns, he earned two more All-Star appearances, an All-NBA First Team selection, and two additional First Team All-Defensive honors.

He was everything you could want from a guard. He could score. He could facilitate. He could defend. Most importantly, he could win.

Unfortunately for Suns fans, his time in Phoenix didn’t last long. After only three seasons, the organization traded Johnson to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Rick Robey. Looking back, it’s one of the most painful trades in franchise history. Boston essentially acquired the final piece of its championship puzzle.

Johnson immediately became a critical component of Celtics teams that won championships in 1984 and 1986. Surrounded by Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, he did exactly what he had always done. He defended, facilitated, made winning plays, and elevated everyone around him.

If you want to build a championship team, Dennis Johnson is exactly the type of player you want on your roster. And for the Suns, it’s another reminder of where they failed to identify that unique trait, and it ultimately hurt their trajectory for a few seasons.

Need the résumé? Five-time All-Star. Three-time NBA champion. NBA Finals MVP. Two-time All-NBA selection. Nine-time All-Defensive Team selection. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.

His career may not get the shine it deserves, but for 14 seasons, Dennis Johnson was a force in the NBA. The stars got the headlines. DJ got the wins.

28. Tony Parker (2001)

Honorable Mentions:

• Dan Roundfield (1975)
• Leoandro Barbosa (2003)
• Jordan Poole (2019)
• Jaden McDaniels (2020)

Suns Taken at 28:

• Rod Foster (1983)
• Andrew Lang (1988)
• Ryan Dunn (2024)*

*draft rights acquired from the Nets

How did the San Antonio Spurs win five championships? A big part of the answer is Tony Parker.

Selected 28th overall in the 2001 NBA Draft, Parker became another example of the Spurs’ ability to identify talent where others weren’t looking. Yes, San Antonio had already won a championship in 1999. That title felt like the culmination of the David Robinson era, even if Tim Duncan had already become the driving force behind the franchise.

But great organizations don’t stop after finding one star. They continue finding talent.

The Spurs were one of the NBA’s early pioneers when it came to identifying international players and giving them opportunities to succeed. Parker arrived from France as a skinny teenager with plenty of talent and plenty of questions surrounding him.

The questions didn’t last long. Parker developed into one of the smartest and most efficient point guards of his generation. He wasn’t overwhelming physically. He wasn’t a great three-point shooter. He simply understood how to play the game. He knew how to attack defenses, get to his spots, and make winning plays. Most importantly, he won. Again and again.

Parker spent 18 seasons in the NBA, 17 of them with the Spurs. During that time, he earned six All-Star selections, made four All-NBA teams, won four championships, and became one of the defining players of an era of San Antonio basketball.

His crowning achievement came in 2007. The Spurs defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to capture their third championship in five seasons, and Parker was named Finals MVP. For a player selected 28th overall, that’s the kind of accomplishment most franchises can only dream about finding.

His best statistical season came in 2008-09 when he averaged 22.0 points and 6.9 assists per game while finishing among the league’s most efficient guards. Night after night, he carved up defenses with that devastating first step and relentless ability to get into the paint.

And if you’re a Suns fan, you probably remember all of it. Parker always seemed to be a thorn in Phoenix’s side. Every time the Suns needed him to miss a shot, make a mistake, or have an off night, he usually delivered the opposite. He was clutch, composed, and frustratingly effective.

That’s why he’s the perfect example of what happens when elite organizations draft well at the back end of the first round. The Spurs found a future Hall of Famer at No. 28. And the rest of the league paid for it for nearly two decades.

27. Dennis Rodman (1986)

Honorable Mentions:

• Pascal Siakam (216)
• Rudy Gobert (2013)
• Kenrick Perkins (2003)
• Elden Campbell (1990)

Suns Taken at 27:

• Mario Bennett (1995)
• Sergio Rodriguez (2006)
• Bogdan Bogdanovic (2014)

Pascal Siakam. Rudy Gobert. Kendrick Perkins. Those are all nice players, and each had a meaningful impact on the NBA. But when it comes to the greatest player ever drafted 27th overall, this isn’t much of a debate. The answer is Dennis Rodman.

The quiet, lunch pail forward out of Southeastern Oklahoma State was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the third pick of the second round, 27th overall, in the 1986 NBA Draft. What the Pistons received was one of the most unique players the sport has ever seen.

Rodman couldn’t score. At least not compared to the stars of his era. What he could do was completely take over a game without scoring. His ability to rebound, defend, and disrupt opponents was unlike anything the NBA had seen before.

Early in his career, Rodman was relatively quiet. The colorful hair, off-court antics, and larger-than-life personality came later. Initially, he was simply a relentless worker who attacked every possession as if his life depended on it. And nobody rebounded like him.

Rodman led the NBA in rebounding seven different times during his 14-year career. Seven. That’s an absurd accomplishment when you consider the Hall of Fame big men he competed against every night. His dominance on the glass translated directly to winning.

Rodman won championships with the Detroit Pistons in 1989 and 1990 as part of the Bad Boys era. After a few turbulent seasons and plenty of headlines off the court, he eventually found himself joining Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen in Chicago at age 34. It was a perfect basketball marriage. The Bulls didn’t need Rodman to score. They needed him to do everything else. So he continued doing what he had always done, attacking rebounds, defending multiple positions, and making life miserable for opponents.

The result was three more championships.

When his career was over, Rodman had won five NBA titles, made two All-Star teams, earned eight All-Defensive Team selections, and captured Defensive Player of the Year honors twice. He also put together one of the most absurd rebounding résumés in league history.

His best season came in 1991-92 with Detroit when he averaged 18.7 rebounds per game. Think about that for a second. Not 18.7 points. 18.7 rebounds. And that wasn’t the only season he averaged more than 18 rebounds a game. As a Suns fan, it’s almost impossible for me to process those numbers. The best rebounding season in franchise history belongs to Paul Silas, who averaged 12.5 rebounds per game in 1970-71. Rodman was grabbing six more rebounds than that every single night.

That’s how impactful he was. That’s how he affected winning. And that’s why Dennis Rodman isn’t merely the best player drafted 27th overall. He’s one of the greatest values the NBA Draft has ever produced.

26. Vlade Divac (1989)

Honorable Mentions:

• Kevin Martin (2004)
• Charlie Ward (1994)
• George Hill (2008)

Suns Taken at 26:

• Phoenix has never drafted from this position

It’s funny how you’ll look at one draft slot and find four or five players that send you down completely different rabbit holes. You end up comparing résumés, accolades, championships, and impact, trying to determine who truly deserves the spot. Then you arrive at a pick like No. 26.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some good players here. Heck, we’re about to discuss a Hall of Famer. It simply doesn’t feel as loaded as some of the other draft positions we’ve covered. That Hall of Famer is Vlade Divac.

The Los Angeles Lakers selected the big man out of Serbia with the 26th overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, arriving at the tail end of the Showtime era. The timing couldn’t have been better. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had retired following the previous season, leaving a massive void in the middle. The Lakers didn’t waste any time throwing Divac into the fire. He became their starting center almost immediately.

For those of us who watched basketball in the 1990s, Divac is a player we all remember. He was skilled, intelligent, and one of the first international centers to demonstrate that passing and playmaking could be part of a big man’s game. He also happened to be what many of us considered the original flopper. At the time, it felt like he brought a soccer mentality to basketball, constantly exaggerating contact and searching for whistles. Looking at today’s NBA, it’s funny how much the game has eventually evolved in that direction.

Divac spent eight seasons with the Lakers before becoming part of one of the most famous trades in league history. On draft night in 1996, Los Angeles sent him to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for the rights to a teenager named Kobe Bryant. That worked out pretty well for the Lakers.

Divac’s career, however, was far from over. After a stint in Charlotte, he found a second act with the Sacramento Kings. Those Kings teams became one of the most entertaining groups of the early 2000s, challenging the Lakers year after year in the Western Conference playoffs. And we all know how that story ended. The Lakers advanced, although many Kings fans will forever argue that outside influences helped determine the outcome.

Divac earned the lone All-Star appearance of his career in 2001 with Sacramento and remained a key contributor deep into his 30s. By the time he retired, he had played 16 seasons in the NBA while averaging 11.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.

The numbers aren’t overwhelming. The impact was. Divac helped pave the way for future generations of international players, enjoyed a long and productive NBA career, and ultimately earned induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. And he taught the NBA how to flop and get rewarded.

25. Mark Price (1986)

Honorable Mentions:

• Nicolas Batum (2008)
• Clint Capela (2014)
• Al Harrington (1998)
• Gerald Wallace (2001)

Suns Taken at 25:

• Jake Tsakalidis (2000)

The best player ever drafted 25th overall? The Price is Right, Mark Price. The 6’0″ point guard out of Georgia Tech was one of those players who, if you followed Eastern Conference basketball in the late 1980s and early 1990s, you knew all too well. He was a shooter, and he was incredibly productive.

Unfortunately for Price, he played in an era loaded with heavyweights. The Eastern Conference featured the Detroit Pistons, the Boston Celtics, and eventually Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. Breaking through that gauntlet was nearly impossible, which is one of the reasons Price’s teams never reached the mountaintop. That doesn’t diminish how good he was.

Ironically, Price was originally drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1986. Dallas quickly traded his rights to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a 1989 second-round pick, a move that turned into one of the better acquisitions in franchise history. Price spent the next nine seasons in Cleveland and became the engine behind some of the best teams the Cavaliers had ever assembled. Alongside players like Brad Daugherty and Larry Nance, he helped transform Cleveland into a perennial playoff contender.

His individual accomplishments were impressive. Price earned four All-Star selections, made the All-NBA First Team once, and landed on the All-NBA Third Team three times. He averaged 15.2 points, 6.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game during his career while establishing himself as one of the premier point guards of his generation.

What truly separated Price, however, was his shooting. Long before the three-point revolution changed basketball, Price was demonstrating the value of elite perimeter efficiency. He was one of the best shooters the game had ever seen, particularly from the free throw line. He led the NBA in free-throw percentage three different times and retired with a career mark of 90.4%, one of the highest percentages in league history.

While he may not receive the same recognition as some of the superstars from his era, Mark Price was a terrific player, an elite shooter, and one of the best point guards of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

24. Sam Cassell (1993)

Honorable Mentions:

• Kyle Lowry (2006)
• Latrell Spreewell (1992)
• Arvydas Sabonis (1986)
• Terry Porter (1985)
• Andrei Kirilenko (1999)

Suns Taken at 24:

• Gene Williams (1969)
• Johnny High (1979)
• Anthony Cook (1989)
• Rudy Fernandez (2007)

*opted to stay in the ABA

Okay, now we get to have some fun. When you arrive at the 24th overall pick, the debate becomes a lot more interesting. This isn’t one of those draft slots where there’s an obvious answer sitting at the top. There are multiple players with legitimate cases, and whichever direction you go, you can make a compelling argument.

You could make the case for Sam Cassell. You could make the case for Kyle Lowry. Latrell Sprewell deserves consideration. So does Arvydas Sabonis. Honestly, none of those answers would be wrong.

If you’re talking strictly about peak performance, Sprewell has a strong argument. For a stretch of about seven years, he was one of the most dynamic guards in basketball. He could score, defend, and carry an offense. At his best, he was a problem.

If you’re looking at longevity and accolades, Kyle Lowry deserves plenty of attention. He’s a six-time All-Star, an All-NBA selection, an NBA champion, and one of the most accomplished point guards of his generation. He also produced the most points over the course of his career among this group.

Then there’s Sabonis. His NBA career doesn’t compare statistically because he arrived in the league after much of his prime had already passed. But if you’re willing to include his international accomplishments, the conversation changes dramatically. In that context, he might be the strongest candidate of all.

So who did I choose? I went with Sam Cassell.

Part of it is the championships. Three rings matter, especially when you consider that two of them came during his first two seasons in the NBA with the Houston Rockets. He entered the league out of Florida State and immediately found himself contributing to championship teams. And he hurt my feelings along the way. So there is that bias.

Years later, he would add a third title with the Boston Celtics. Granted, he wasn’t a primary contributor on that championship team, but the ring still counts.

What ultimately pushes Cassell over the top for me is the totality of his career.

He wasn’t merely a role player riding shotgun on great teams. He became an All-Star, an All-NBA selection, and one of the toughest, smartest point guards of his era. Everywhere he went, he won. Whether it was Houston, Milwaukee, Minnesota, Los Angeles, or Boston, Cassell consistently found ways to impact winning.

That’s why he gets the nod. In a draft slot filled with worthy candidates, Sam Cassell is my choice as the greatest player ever selected 24th overall. But the question is…who do you think should get it?

23. Alex English (1976)

Honorable Mentions:

• OG Anunoby (2017)
• AC Green (1985)
• World B. Free (1975)
• Tayshaun Prince (2002)
• Bobby Jackson (1997)

Suns Taken at 23:

• Wesley Person (1994)

I began writing this series in early June in preparation for draft week, and I did have to circle back and revisit the 23rd overall pick after watching what OG Anunoby accomplished during the NBA Finals. That being said, Alex English still gets the nod.

The Milwaukee Bucks selected English with the 23rd overall pick in the 1976 NBA Draft as they attempted to navigate life after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He showed flashes during his time in Milwaukee, but not enough to convince the organization he was part of its long-term future. After two seasons, the Bucks moved on.

English signed with the Indiana Pacers in 1978, spending two years there before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in 1980 for George McGinnis (more on him very shortly). That transaction changed everything.

Once he arrived in Denver, English became the face of the franchise and spent the entirety of the 1980s filling up the stat sheet. Night after night, season after season, he produced at an elite level. To this day, he remains Denver’s all-time leader in games played, minutes played, field goals made, field goal attempts, and points scored.

The accolades followed. English was an eight-time All-Star, the NBA scoring champion in 1983, and a three-time All-NBA selection. During his 837 games with the Nuggets, he averaged 25.9 points per game, establishing himself as one of the most prolific scorers of his era.

When people think about 1980s Nuggets basketball, they think about Alex English. He wasn’t merely a great player who happened to play in Denver. For an entire decade, he was Denver.

22. George McGinnis (1973)

Honorable Mentions:

• Reggie Lewis (1987)
• Norm Nixon (1977)
• Scott Skiles (1986)
• Bobby Portis (2015)

Suns Taken at 22:

• Kyle Macy (1979)
• Oliver Miller (1992)
• Casey Jacobsen (2002)
• Daron Holmes II (2024)*

*draft rights traded for Ryan Dunn

George McGinnis has one of the more impressive collections of nicknames you’ll find on Basketball Reference. Big Mac. Baby Bull. McGinnis the Magnificent. Big George. The Hammer. The 6’8” power forward out of Indiana University lived up to every one of them.

McGinnis was originally selected 22nd overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1973 NBA Draft. But like many talented players of the early 1970s, he chose the ABA over the NBA, beginning his professional career with the Indiana Pacers. What followed was an incredible start to a career.

The Pacers won ABA championships in each of McGinnis’ first two seasons. During the 1973 postseason, he was named ABA Playoffs MVP after averaging 23.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game en route to a title. He quickly established himself as one of the league’s premier players, earning three ABA All-Star selections while becoming the face of the Pacers franchise.

By 1975, McGinnis had reached the peak of his ABA career. That season, he shared the league’s final MVP award with Julius Erving, cementing his place among the greatest players the league ever produced. When the ABA began collapsing, McGinnis signed with the team that had originally drafted him, joining the Philadelphia 76ers in 1975.

His success continued in the NBA. McGinnis earned two more All-Star selections with Philadelphia while adding an All-NBA First Team selection and an All-NBA Second Team honor. He remained one of the league’s most productive forwards before the 76ers traded him to the Denver Nuggets.

His stint in Denver lasted only a season and a half, but he still managed to earn another All-Star appearance before being traded back to Indiana in 1980. The player Denver received in return was Alex English, a trade that would have a lasting impact on both franchises.

He finished his career as a six-time All-Star, a two-time ABA champion, a two-time All-NBA selection, an ABA MVP, and an ABA Playoffs MVP. And despite Basketball Reference assigning him only a 1.1% Hall of Fame probability, he ultimately found his way into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

21. Rajon Rondo (2006)

Honorable Mentions:

• Tyrese Maxey (2020)
• Michael Finley (1995)
• Boris Diaw (2003)
• Morris Peterson (2000)
• Mark Bryant (1988)

Suns Taken at 21:

• Dick Cunningham (1968)
• Jayson Williams (1990)
• Michael Finley (1995)
• Nate Robinson (2005)*
• Rajon Rondo (2006)**

*traded on draft night to the Knicks for Kurt Thomas
**traded on draft night for future FRP

Pick No. 21 gives us some interesting names, and plenty of them have ties to the Phoenix Suns. Michael Finley was drafted here. Boris Diaw, a key piece of the Seven Seconds or Less era, was drafted here. So was Mark Bryant, who not only played for the Suns but later coached for them.

And while Tyrese Maxey may ultimately claim this spot one day if his career trajectory continues, my choice is Rajon Rondo.

What’s funny is that Rondo was technically drafted by the Phoenix Suns. The Suns selected him with the 21st overall pick in 2006, a time when the organization was pinching pennies despite fielding one of the most exciting teams in basketball. Rather than investing in a young player who could help sustain the team’s future, Robert Sarver chose to save money. The rights to Rondo were dealt to the Boston Celtics on draft night in exchange for a future first-round pick, effectively kicking the decision down the road.

The irony, of course, is that the eventual return never amounted to much. The Suns ultimately turned that asset into Rudy Fernandez, who never played for Phoenix. His rights were later moved, along with James Jones, to Portland for cash considerations. Meanwhile, Rondo became exactly the kind of player the Suns could have used for years.

When you think about what Phoenix lacks today, Rondo checks a lot of those boxes. He was a pass-first point guard who controlled the pace of a game, distributed at an elite level, rebounded well for his position, and could score when the situation demanded it. His primary gift, however, was making everyone around him better.

Three times he led the NBA in assists per game. Over a 16-year career, he averaged 8.5 assists against only 2.8 turnovers per game. He earned four All-Star appearances, led the league in steals in 2010, made an All-NBA team, and was selected to four All-Defensive teams.

Rondo was a key cog in the machine that helped the Celtics win the 2008 championship. In his second season, he started every playoff game and averaged 9.3 points and 6.7 assists during the NBA Finals. More than a decade later, he added a second championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in the bubble.

Everywhere he went, he impacted winning. By the time his career ended, Rondo had played 16 seasons for nine different teams. He wasn’t always easy to coach, and he wasn’t always easy to play with. But he was productive, intelligent, and fiercely competitive. He was the type of player every contender wanted, and every opponent hated facing.

What a career. And what a reminder of what might have been for the Phoenix Suns.

The deeper we move into the first round, the harder these decisions become. The talent pool gets stronger, the résumés get longer, and the debates become a lot more subjective. That’s what makes this part of the draft so much fun. There isn’t always a clear answer. Sometimes it’s championships. Sometimes it’s peak performance. Sometimes it’s longevity. And sometimes it’s the painful reminder of a player the Suns once drafted, traded, or passed on altogether.

One thing is certain, though: if the first 10 picks have taught us anything, it’s that draft position matters a lot less than what an organization does with it once the card is turned in.

Since 2023, the Washington Wizards front office’s plan was simple: lose games, accumulate draft assets, develop young players, and wait for the moment when the rebuild finally produced a legitimate cornerstone. Or at least the chance to draft one.

That moment has arrived. The Wizards hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Now comes the hard part.

For the first time since the organization committed to “deconstruction,” Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger and Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins are under genuine pressure to make decisions that move the franchise forward rather than simply accumulate future possibilities.

The pressure is amplified by three factors: the pick itself, winning expectations and trade rumors around their best veterans.

The No. 1 pick itself

The mock drafts have the Wizards picking AJ Dybantsa from Brigham Young. I would draft Dybantsa. My mom would too.

But sometimes, a former franchise player and some timely reporting has to make this choice more interesting than it has to be.

The Wizards are reportedly seriously considering taking Kansas guard Darryn Peterson at No. 1 instead. To be clear, Peterson is still going in the Top four, full stop. But when mock drafts and insiders have scouted Peterson and Dybantsa in some form for years, why is this debate happening to the points where insiders are chattering about it?

Debates will happen inside any front office. But when Dybantsa is the consensus No. 1, I’m not sure why the Wizards would waver.

Just take Dybantsa next Tuesday and let everything fall into place from there.

The Wizards have (at least some) winning expectations. FINALLY!

With the No. 1 draft pick and some timely trades which I’ll get to later, the Wizards are now expected to compete for something in 2026-27. Ownership, fans, and the broader NBA landscape all understand that perpetual rebuilding is not a viable strategy.

So what does competing for something mean? For the Wizards, their goal should be making the playoffs, something they haven’t done since the 2020-21 season. At a bare minimum, making the Play-In Tournament should be an expectation now that the Wizards have some consistent young players with Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington and Tre Johnson among others. The No. 1 draft pick will be a cornerstone, hopefully with their two veteran acquisitions: Trae Young and Anthony Davis.

Yes, teams want to escape the Treadmill of Mediocrity. But the Wizards have been on the Treadmill of Suckitude for three years. I’ll take mediocre because that’s the next step en route toward championship basketball.

How good are the Wizards truly expected to be in 2026-27? It’s very early because free agency hasn’t happened yet. But the Wizards have +20000 odds of winning the title according to FanDuel. Sure, +20000 or +10000 odds mean that a team has very little chance of winning a championship. But those odds are better than seven teams, three of which have +100000 odds. Last year, I would imagine the Wizards were dead last.

Progress folks, progress!

Trae Young and Anthony Davis will keep Washington on their toes

The Wizards acquired two All-Stars earlier this calendar year. Young played a few games for the Wizards while Davis never suited up for them due to injuries.

And because Young and Davis have played a lot more in winning environments, it should be no surprise that Young, or Davis, or both are trade targets. Or maybe they’re looking for a more winnable situation. Maybe it’s all of those things.

Young already declined his player option. Sure, reports are saying that the Wizards are high on his list for a potential new contract. But let’s say Peterson is drafted at No. 1. If so, that’s a sign that Young should hit the road given that both are guards.

Davis presents a different situation. Even at this stage of his career, he remains one of basketball’s premier defensive players when healthy. Pairing an elite defensive big with the young talent already on the roster could dramatically accelerate the Wizards’ timeline. The concern, of course, is his durability and the cost of acquisition. Also, there will be no shortage of suitors for him.

All of that said, if the Wizards select Dybantsa while Young, Davis and the recent core (Sarr, Coulibaly, George, Carrington, Johnson) all remain, then this Wizards team has a decent shot at the postseason. They won’t win the championship. But they could play basketball into May 2027.

When a franchise owns the first overall pick, every decision becomes magnified. The front office cannot hide behind another developmental year. It cannot point to a lack of talent. It cannot promise that success is still several seasons away.

What the Wizards do with their pick could very well define the franchise for the next decade. Do they stay patient and build around the top pick with their existing young and veteran players? Do they package Davis and/or Young for an established star or … more picks? Do they attempt to thread the needle between these options.

The Wizards’ front office has spent years preparing for this moment. Now that the No. 1 pick is finally in hand, the era of deconstructing is over. And now, the pressure to win begins.