Category: NBA

Coming in at four in our Ranking the Roster series is the second most accomplished of the four players the Bucks got in the Giannis trade: Jamie Jaquez Jr. The former UCLA Bruin is one of the league’s most unique young players. Jaquez likely won’t develop into a star, but he’s become one of the NBA’s best glue guys. It’s rare for a player his age to be mature enough to not only understand his role, but excel at it the way JJJ has. To borrow a phrase from my friend and fellow Brew-Hooper Finn Kuehl’s blog, he’s a “Bench-Mob All-Star.” Not in the same vein as the more end-of-the-bench guys Finn generally focuses on, but in the sense that Jaquez has been an All-Star in his role in Miami. The question now is: how does he fit on a rebuilding team?

But before we answer that, let’s look back at what Jaquez has accomplished over his three years in the association. Following in the footsteps of other middle first-round picks the Miami Heat have made, Jaquez made an immediate impact, finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. Remarkably, he also added a top-10 finish in Sixth Man of the Year voting in the same season (!), averaging 11.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 2.6 APG, and 1.0 SPG while shooting .489/.322/.811. That said, the following year (2024-25) was a step back for Jaquez, as he played only 66 games while dealing with an ankle injury. That injury played a key role in his scoring numbers dipping into the single digits (8.6 PPG), and his shooting dropping marginally to 46.1% and 31.1% from three-point range.

As much as the 2024-25 campaign was a rocky one for Jaquez, he came back strong last year, setting a bunch of career highs, including scoring (15.4 PPG), rebounding (5.0 RPG), assists (4.7), assist percentage (24%), shooting percentage (50.7%), minutes per game (28.3), and field goal attempts (12.2). He also finished the season with strong shooting from beyond the arc, shooting 39.0% on 3.5 attempts over the final 20 games. Those improved numbers propelled him to a second-place finish in the Sixth Man of the Year voting behind the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson.

Now, the question for Jaquez is: can he replicate that type of success in a totally new environment? Or, for my baseball fans, will Jaquez become the proverbial San Francisco Giants of the mid-2010s and only be good every other year? While this Bucks team has many moving parts heading into the season, Jaquez should be one of the more consistent and reliable players. Over the last few years, I’ve felt like Jon Horst has brought in too many players at important spots whose performance can vary widely from game to game (Kevin Porter Jr. and Kyle Kuzma are prime examples). Jaquez will be a steady, reliable option for the Bucks, and they sorely need that.

To answer the initial question, though, I reckon head coach Taylor Jenkins will find plenty of ways to utilise Jaquez. He’s already coached other versatile players like Jaylen Wells in Memphis. While the starting lineup will likely take the whole of training camp to figure out, I predict Jenkins will keep Jaquez where he’s most valuable: off the bench as a fantastic sixth man. How long he’s actually a Buck will be another question. Jaquez becomes a restricted free agent at the end of this season, and if he puts up a good first half, I can imagine Horst moving on to pick up more future pieces, especially if the team isn’t tracking well. Otherwise, Jaquez could be a long-term piece for the next good Bucks team, considering he’ll only turn 26 this February.

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Who is next up at three?

The Dallas Mavericks enter the 2026-2027 season with numerous questions, but Cooper Flagg isn’t one them.

The 19-year old enters his second season with sky-high expectations, fueled by his incredible play in the back-half of last season.

The jump from year one to year two is often massive, especially for generational talents such as Flagg. For example: LeBron James went from 20.9 points per game, to over 27 points per game, while also improving his efficiency. Obviously it is unfair to levy these expectations on Flagg, but most superstars show tremendous growth in their first real NBA offseason.

Flagg averaged 23 points, 5 assists, and 7 rebounds in his final 51 games, including multiple 40+ point games. Flagg’s comfort level and confidence grew exponentially, quickly becoming one of the most dangerous downhill scorers in all of basketball.

But at just 19-years of age, there is still ample room for growth. Flagg shot just 29% from three on the season, and often turned down open threes to settle for tougher shots. His defense was also somewhat inconsistent, as even though he averaged nearly 2 steals and blocks per game, the advanced metrics suggest he was only average on that end.

Flagg’s potential is truly limitless, and he has already shown incredible development in his young career. All of this leads me to believe that a special season is ahead for the former number one overall pick.

Big Question

This one is easy; Cooper Flagg has to shoot the ball better in 2026.

Flagg was an all-around bad shooter last season. He shot 29% from three with only attempting 3.5 threes per game. He also took far too many “long mid range” jumpers, which are defined as two point attempts that are attempted from farther than 10 feet.

This combination of poor shot selection and poor shot-making cratered Flagg’s efficiency last season, as he was in the 25th percentile for league-wide true-shooting%.

This lack of shooting also effected his ability to get downhill, with many teams simply ignoring him on the perimeter to load up on his drives. His sheer unwillingness to attempt these shots was the biggest issue, as he would often settle for 18 footers rather than simply taking an open three.

If Flagg can extend the defense to beyond the three-point line, he becomes truly un-guardable. We even saw an example of this last season against the Orlando Magic when Flagg scored 51 points. He made six threes in nine attempts, including a barrage or tough threes in the fourth quarter.

Now I’m not going to expect a massive jump in efficiency, nor will I expect a massive jump in attempts. But if Flagg does not at least try and extend his range, his scoring potential will be capped underneath a hard-ceiling.

Best-Case scenario

Simply put, the best-case scenario for Cooper Flagg this season is joining the conversation for the best player in the world.

This may seem completely far-fetched, but Mavericks have seen this exact scenario play out before with Luka Doncic. Both players had record-breaking rookie seasons, and entered year two with sky-high expectations, with Doncic becoming a top-5 player in the world overnight.

So how could Flagg reach that seemingly impossible level?

Well it would take some significant development, but not it would not be impossible. First, Flagg would have to go from a bad shooter to a very good one. Outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo, all of the other players in the top 5 are elite shooters from either the three or mid-range. Flagg would have to double his three-point attempts while also increasing efficiency.

A similar jump was seen with Jayson Tatum, as he went from attempting 3.9 3PA at 37%, to over 8 threes per game at 40% from his second to third season.

Along with improvements in his shooting, Flagg would also have to improve his ball-handling. While Flagg did not produce many turnovers overall, he was top 10 in the league in lost balls that resulted in turnovers. These issues were exasperated when Flagg went up against the truly elite perimeter defenders in the league, as he often struggled to create space against these players.

Finally, Flagg would have to adjust to defenses having a year of film on his game, and deal with the amount of attention he will receive. I imagine defenses will try and pressure him as much as possible, throwing lots of bodies in his direction. If he has the composure to deal with this pressure consistently, defenses will be completely out-of-luck when playing the Mavericks.

Worst case scenario

The worse case scenario for Cooper Flagg is staying stagnant.

I think it’s very unlikely Flagg will regress in year 2, especially because he didn’t have unsustainable outside shooting.

If spent his entire summer at the beach this scenario could happen, otherwise, I don’t think its very likely.

Season goal

The goal for Cooper Flagg in his sophomore season should be to make an all-star team, and compete for an All-NBA selection.

This may seem like a very high bar, but it really shouldn’t be that hard for Flagg to reach. If he’s able to slightly increase his volume and efficiency in both scoring and playmaking, being an all-star should be relatively easy.

But past getting recognition from his peers and fans, another bar he needs to reach is in his leadership.

Flagg is already a vocal player who plays with a tremendous amount of energy and hustle, so becoming the leader of this team shouldn’t be that hard. Obviously Kyrie Irving is the team’s leader, but he isn’t the future of the franchise.

Flagg doesn’t need to be a perfect leader as a 20-year-old, nor does it really matter for this season. But whether wants it or not, the team will be molded in his image, both in their playstyle, and the mentality of the team.

Overall

It cannot be overstated how excited Mavericks fans should be for Cooper Flagg’s second season. He has every tool to be a superstar, and has shown the hunger to improve over his entire career.

The roster construction could hold him back from truly reaching his potential this season, as he will more than likely be forced to play another season at point guard.

But I’m confident Flagg will excel.

Why?

Because it’s all he’s ever done.

There are 41 Spurs home games…but one is being played Paris and three are being played in Austin, so make that 37 home games here in San Antonio. While that seems like a lot, it isn’t. Not for a season as exciting as this one promises to be. So we’re going to all want to get there as often as possible.

Since the drafting of Victor Wembanyama, demand for tickets has risen significantly, which means prices for tickets have also risen. Add in parking, food, and drinks, and it’s not just a whimsical night out, it is an event. And the Spurs have added themes to some nights to level up the revelry.

For those of us who appreciate the swag, the Spurs have also spiced up their schedule with a ton of theme gear and some giveaways. They recently released the 2026-2027 Promotional Offers.

T-shirts, hats, heritage jerseys, and the annual “ugly sweater” are all on the calendar. There are still nights honoring military and veterans, which not only reflects San Antonio as Military City, U.S.A., but maintains the relationship the organization has with USAA. Last season the Spurs had individualized evenings set aside for various branches of the military. Be on the look out for additions over the course of the season.

Box Out Cancer Night, always a hit with fans, takes place on March 31st this year.

Nights dedicated to celebrating Filipino, Hispanic, French*, Mexican and Black heritage not only highlight the vast backgrounds of the team members, but the multicultural diversity of the city. There is no mention of a Native American Heritage Night, something Jacob Tobey and Lindy Waters III piloted last season.

*It is unclear from the wording if it is “French Heritage” or Harry Potter French Heritage.“ I can only imagine it is two separate themes, as Harry Potter French Heritage must have a very narrow scope.

The Spurs have foregone their long-standing Star Wars Night for Space Jam. They have also scaled back Peanuts and sesame Street while keeping Barbie and Hello Kitty.

No matter what you are into, there is a night for you and your loved ones to enjoy. Faith and Family, Pride, School Employees, and Dia De Los Muertos are all on the schedule this season.

So head on out to the Frost bank Center and cheer on your Spurs this season.

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NBA training camps are in full swing, and the first preseason game is nearly upon us.

The Miami Heat will head to Quebec City, Canada, to face the Toronto Raptors Saturday, Oct. 3. Both teams have been revamped, with Miami pulling off the blockbuster to land star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, while Toronto reunited with Kawhi Leonard.

Those are just two of the teams to have undergone massive changes, and they’re not even the ones that had the most seismic offseason; the Philadelphia 76ers went all-in on their championship window and added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

While it’s safe to expect veterans to play limited minutes during preseason games, here are five storylines I’m tracking as we inch closer to the 2026-27 NBA regular season:

The vibes are seemingly high in Miami, but how will the Heat offense actually look?

New addition Klay Thompson took the team out on a boat to cruise around Biscayne Bay. Earlier in the month, captain Bam Adebayo and point guard Davion Mitchell organized a players-only week of training they started calling “pain camp,” for all the cardio work they did. Players have said all the right things.

By all accounts, the vibes around the new-look Heat are high. But what will their play look like, in practice? One thing that struck me from the early footage coming from their camp at Florida Atlantic was the pace. Miami led the league last season in that stat, generating 104.22 possessions per 48 minutes. And now with Antetokounmpo, that emphasis on fastbreak offense should only intensify; Antetokounmpo ranked second in the NBA with 5.5 fast break points per game. Antetokounmpo sucks in the defense when he attacks in transition, and his vision allows him to find open shooters.

I expect the Heat to continue to play fast, and I expect Antetokounmpo to put up huge assist numbers, if he stays healthy. The big question here is whether Miami’s shooting holds up and whether it can sustain this style for an entire season.

2026-27 SCHEDULE: 10 matchups we can't wait to watch this season

It’s Luka’s team now. Can he lead the Lakers to the top of the West?

The Los Angeles offense, at times last season, looked rather disjointed, particularly when both Luka Dončić and LeBron James were on the floor at the same time.

Both are players who thrive when the ball is in their hands, and both are among the game’s best passers. The issue, then, became: what was one supposed do when the other had the ball? Most often, the player without the ball was relegated to standing off to the side, away from the action.

But now with James moving onto the 76ers, the bulk of Los Angeles’ play-making will fall to him. Last season, Dončić led the NBA in usage rate (36.8%), or the number of possessions that end with that player taking a shot or committing a turnover. Dončić also ranked sixth in assist percentage (38.7%), or the rate of teammate field goals a player assisted while on the floor – among all players with at least 50 games.

'FEELS LIKE HE'S NOT HERE': Bronny James adjusts to Lakers' life without LeBron

Being as ball-dominant as Dončić is (and being as talented as he is when he initiates actions), I suspect both those figures will be even higher this season. I also suspect that, if healthy, Dončić will play his way into the Most Valuable Player conversation even more so than he has in recent seasons.

Shooting guard Austin Reaves is the other play-maker for the Lakers, and one who should excel even further when Dončić takes a blow on the bench. But when both are on the floor, expect Dončić to be the one to orchestrate everything.

I’m not worried about alphas or top dogs in Philadelphia. But Nick Nurse has some work to do.

During 76ers media day, when asked who the “alpha” would be on the roster, newly acquired All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown wasn’t having any of it. “Next question,” he said, with sober indifference.

I understand why the question was asked, but I think framing this team in that way is flawed. This isn’t LeBron James willing the 2017-18 Cavaliers to the NBA Finals. This isn’t Brown taking on the biggest role of his career last season while Jayson Tatum was out, recovering from an Achilles tendon tear. It’s not Tyrese Maxey carrying the Sixers two seasons ago as Philadelphia contended with debilitating injuries.

The reality is this team doesn’t need to worry about alphas or No. 1s, and if that’s where the discourse ever goes to, coach Nick Nurse will have failed. Top to bottom, this Sixers team is as talented as it has been in decades. This is Philadelphia’s best shot to win a title in the Joel Embiid-Maxey window.

The task at hand is to get the new faces (and old, too) to buy into a team mentality that foregoes individual accolades in favor of collective success. In practical matters, James, Brown, Maxey and Embiid may see their scoring averages dip a touch. I think that would be a good sign that things are working. As long as this team stays healthy, and as long as they share the ball, a championship should be within reach.

'NO INSTANT OATMEAL': Why sacrifice is key to 76ers' title aspirations

Young Spurs seem loose and confident. Can San Antonio learn from last year’s disappointment?

San Antonio’s stars may be young, but they appear to have embraced trolling, to a certain degree. In an interview with GQ, Stephon Castle downplayed the energy at Madison Square Garden during the Finals, calling the first game “underwhelming.” For the most part, I think this is a good thing. I would want my players to be confident and bold.

But talk is just talk, and the real test here is whether the Spurs can become the first team since the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors to win a title the season after losing the NBA Finals.

It will come down to the continued development of Victor Wembanyama, Castle, Dylan Harper and how veteran De’Aaron Fox bounces back from an uneven Finals. But more than anything, the Spurs need to learn from their loss against the Knicks, when they couldn’t close out games because they stopped attacking the paint, became too passive and fell in love with a 3-point shot that wasn’t dropping.

'ABSOLUTELY NOT': Wembanyama takes strong stand against promoting sports betting

I think two teams are lurking. Both could be Finals-worthy

It seems like no one is talking about the Indiana Pacers. Tyrese Haliburton is back and healthy, and if not for his Achilles tendon that snapped in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, we might be talking about them in a very different way. The roster has changed somewhat. And while I think Indiana will continue to miss Myles Turner’s perimeter shooting, I actually think Ivica Zubac is an excellent fit with Haliburton’s passing ability. But there’s still a lot to work out, so the preseason will be telling to see how the Pacers gel with Zubac providing rim protection, defensive rebounding and rim running.

PACERS: Tyrese Haliburton declares himself '100%' healthy for season

Out West, I think it’s the Minnesota Timberwolves who are flying a bit under the radar, overshadowed by the Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. But with LaMelo Ball in place, Anthony Edwards finally has another player who can both create his own shot and initiate actions. This should take a huge burden off of Edwards, and it should make Minnesota more consistent against better defenses in the playoffs.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Heat vibes, Alpha Sixers, Doncic domination? Top storylines for NBA preseason

The NBA's preseason schedule is set to begin, and the first game could be a showcase for the blockbuster moves that shook up the league this offseason.

Every team in the league returned to the court this week for the start of training camps, and the opening exhibition game of the 2026-27 season is slated for Saturday, Oct. 3 with an NBA Canada game featuring the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat in Quebec City.

Though the availability of star players remains to be determined, it could be the first opportunity to see Giannis Antetokounmpo in a Heat jersey and the return of Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors. Both Antetokounmpo and Leonard were acquired via high-profile trades in recent months.

Preseason action continues on Sunday, Oct. 4 when the Golden State Warriors face the Los Angeles Clippers in Honolulu and the Utah Jazz take on the Denver Nuggets in Boulder, Colorado.

Here's a breakdown of the NBA's preseason schedule, as well as key dates on the league calendar heading into the 2026-27 season:

When does the NBA preseason begin?

The preseason begins Saturday, Oct. 3 with an NBA Canada game when the Miami Heat face the Toronto Raptors in Quebec City.

• Saturday: Heat vs. Raptors, 7 p.m. ET | NBA TV | NBA League Pass

When are the next NBA preseason games?

The preseason continues Sunday, Oct. 4 with two games: Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers in Honolulu and Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets in Boulder, Colorado.

• Sunday: Warriors vs. Clippers, 7 p.m. ET | NBA League Pass
• Sunday: Jazz vs. Nuggets, 7 p.m. ET | NBA TV | NBA League Pass

Full NBA preseason schedule

The NBA preseason runs from Oct. 3 through Oct. 16. Click here for the full schedule.

When does the NBA regular season begin?

The 2026-27 regular season begins on Tuesday, Oct. 20 with three games, including an afternoon tilt between the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons. That matchup will be followed by an evening doubleheader when LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers visit the reigning champion New York Knicks and the Spurs host the Thunder in a Western Conference Finals rematch.

NBA OPENING WEEK: Ranking all the national TV games from worst to first

• Tuesday, Oct. 20: Celtics at Pistons, 3 p.m. ET | NBC | Peacock
• Tuesday, Oct. 20: 76ers at Knicks, 7 p.m. ET | NBC | Peacock
• Tuesday, Oct. 20: Thunder at Spurs, 9:30 p.m. ET | NBC | Peacock

Stream all three NBA opening day games on Peacock

When does the NBA Cup begin?

The 2026 Emirates NBA Cup begins Wednesday, Oct. 30 group play featuring 10 games. Group play concludes on Friday, Nov. 27.

2026 NBA Cup schedule

• Group play begins: Wednesday, Oct. 30
• Group play concludes: Friday, Nov. 27
• Quarterfinals: Friday, Dec. 4 and Saturday, Dec. 5
• Semifinals: Tuesday, Dec. 8 and/or Wednesday, Dec. 9
• Final: Friday, Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis

When is the NBA trade deadline?

The trade deadline for the 2026-27 NBA season is Thursday, Feb. 11.

When is the NBA All-Star break?

The All-Star break for this season will run from Feb. 19 through Feb. 24.

When is the 2027 NBA All-Star Game?

NBA All-Star weekend is Feb. 19-21 in Phoenix. The 76th NBA All-Star Game will take place at Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns, on Sunday, Feb. 21.

When does the NBA regular season end?

The 2026-27 season ends Sunday, April 11 with a full slate of 15 games.

When does the NBA postseason begin?

The SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament runs from Tuesday, April 13 through Friday, April 16. This will be followed by the 2027 NBA playoffs.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA preseason tips off with Heat vs Raptors: 2026-27 key dates, schedule

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The once proud franchise known as the Chicago Bulls has been in the wilderness for a decade now. There have been many issues in Windy City, but perhaps their biggest fault is them not picking a direction. For far too many years, the Bulls spent their season finishing between 35 and 40 wins, finishing right on the fringes of the playoffs, and either getting spanked in the first round or picking late in the lottery. It’s hard to improve when, as a franchise, your ethos is being too good to stink while also being too bad to be actually good.

Enter last year’s Bulls, who finally decided to pick a direction after the All-Star Break. That direction was down, so tank commander Donovan and the group of guys they pulled out of the morning run on the Blacktop courts at Jackson Park lost many games down the stretch. Heck, even the tanking Mavericks couldn’t help but beat them by a million in game 82. Of course, that loss put the Bulls into a coin flip for ninth in the lottery, which they went on to win. Naturally, they then jumped into the top four of the draft. Quite the turn of events!

After the summer, the Bulls look dramatically different and there is no confusion about what the goal is. They want to build a winner around Caleb Wilson, and this year is the start of making that dream a reality.

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Chicago Bulls: Over/Under 29.5 wins (-115/-110)

To win Central Division: 65/1

To win Eastern Conference: 175/1

To win Finals: 1000/1

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Last season: 31-51, 12^th in the Eastern Conference

Key additions: Caleb Wilson (4^th pick in 2026 Draft), Dailyn Swain (15th pick in 2026 Draft), Norm Powell (via Miami), Nic Claxton (via Brooklyn)

Key losses: When you’re terrible, no one is a key loss

Coaching change: Billy Donovan OUT (now lead assistant in San Antonio), Tiago Splitter IN (via Portland)

To be honest, the Bulls new front office did some nice work this offseason. Obviously, the two rookies are headliners for the organization. But beyond that, Claxton is a fun piece to work with at center, especially after years of the Nikola Vucevic experience. Norm Powell and Buddy Hield should be nice vets to have around for this team. Plus, internal development from Matas Buzelis should have fans excited for a Wilson/Buzelis pairing for years to come. And hey, Noa Essengue grew again and, just maybe, is better at the game of basketball.

What can’t be overlooked here is the cultural shift that happened in one offseason. With Brysen Graham heading up basketball ops and Tiago Splitter at head coach, there are actual adults in the room. Combine that with a young core of Wilson, Buzelis and Swain, there’s actually something worth getting excited about in Chicago. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but I’m bullish on the Bulls.

Prediction: over 29.5 wins (-115)

Some NBA players develop a reputation that supersedes their actual on-court impact.

Aging millennial fans will remember Nick Van Exel. Random example: it could have been Rod Strickland. Perhaps it should be Tracy McGrady, but let’s avoid that collective trauma.

The memories are visceral. Van Exel was a joy. He was so talented, but never especially impactful.

Van Exel was ball dominant. He made bad decisions. He wasn’t much of a defender. He was one of the most fun players in the NBA to watch, until he was on your team.

Kyrie Irving has a similar mythology. He’s much better than Van Exel, don’t get me wrong. Irving impacts winning, but somehow, his immense talent outpaces his actual production anyway. He is on an extremely small list of the most skillful basketball players in NBA history.

It’s a matter of scale. In his prime, Van Exel was one of the fifteen-or-so most talented players in the NBA, but he was a fringe top-50 guy at best. Irving is…what? One of the one, two, or three most talented basketball players of his generation? But he’s likely never been a true top-ten player.

The Houston Rockets have been linked to Irving in trade rumors. Sure, they’re linked to just about everyone, but given Rafael Stone’s love of a good bargain, this one feels different.

But should he go after him?

Rockets regularly linked to Kyrie Irving

There’s a temptation to answer with yes, simply for the sake of having an excuse to watch Irving more often without being reminded that Cooper Flagg is yet another future MVP candidate who isn’t on the Houston Rockets.

Yet, that’s not a good reason to advocate for a player acquisition. So, I’ll cop out instead. The Rockets should be interested in Irving at the right price.

When we last saw Irving healthy, he was mostly the same player he’d been throughout most of his career. His 3.4 Box Plus/Minus (BPM) fell short of the 7.7 mark he posted in 2019-20 (wait: Was Irving a top ten player?), but he still scored 24.7 points per game with a very solid 59.4% True Shooting %.

He also makes sound conceptual sense for the Rockets. Insulate two of the best shot creators of their generation in Irving and Durant with a murderer’s row of defensive wings. It also helps that they have long-standing chemistry (although who knows what their personal relationship looks like, given that they’re both, let’s say, interesting guys). Finally, it also helps that they’re both logical partners for Alperen Sengun, given their elite three-point gravity.

There are immediate basketball downsides, but they shouldn’t be enough to dissuade Rafael Stone. Irving will be earmarked for a starting position that will present an obstacle for Reed Sheppard, but Fred VanVleet is already there.

The broader implications are more concerning. Even in 2024-25, Irving managed to suit up for just 50 games. He couldn’t play last year. Will he even get on the floor?

It’s a real concern, but it’s also the reason why Irving’s trade value ought to be relatively low. So, without further ado, here’s my price:

Fred VanVleet, Clint Capela, and the Rockets’ 2028 first-round pick, top five protected.

Take it or leave it, Mavericks fans. The Rockets should protect their pick against abject disaster. If something goes so poorly that they’re picking in the top five in two summers, there’s a reasonable chance it’s at least partly on Irving’s shoulders.

Perhaps that’s not enough. If so, the Mavericks can keep Irving. He’s injury-prone, infamously troubled, and a Rockets team without a clear franchise player moving forward would do well to keep their picks anyway:

But dear God, is the guy talented.

Last season, De’Anthony Melton committed a career-high 1.9 turnovers per game, and made only 29.4 percent of his three-point attempts. You could say he was all thumbs.

He may have a better grasp of his game in 2026-27 thanks to some offseason procedures.

Melton was slowed last season by an injury to his right thumb and apparently, also his left thumb. Not only did Melton have trouble shooting or handling the ball, particularly in the last month of the season, but he was unable to hitchhike, review movies, or efficiently make decisions using a rule of thumb. Not only was Melton not making three-pointers, he wasn’t able to make the classic NBA three-point gesture, holding up his third-through-fifth fingers while making a circle with the pointer finger and thumb.

But now after taking both thumbs in for refurbishing, Melton is poised for a bounceback season, after honestly bouncing back pretty nicely last season, averaging 12.3 points per game in his return from an ACL tear early in the 2024-25 season. Despite going through an undeclared thumb war last year, Melton has been otherwise healthy for the start of the season for the first time in years, after rehabbing a knee last year and working through back problems two years ago.

It’s a shocking update for a team that normally only announces mysterious illnesses, secret surgeries, contract impasses, and sucker punches during training camp. I haven’t thumbed through the GSOM archives yet, but this might be the best preseason news since JaVale McGee officially became a vegan in the fall of 2017.

But Melton truly could be a floor-raising player for the Warriors, if they can get more than the 23 minutes per game in 49 games they got last season. When healthy, Melton has been a very good defensive player, consistently averaging two or more “stonks” (steals + blocks) and an above-average three-point shooter. He’s not a true point guard, but when all his fingers work, Melton can reliably bring the ball up and not embarrass the offense.

If the Warriors are going to find success next season, it’s likely going to be because of their defense. Having a healthy, ten-fingered Melton next season should go a long way to Golden State having a top-10 defense.

Why Tyrese Maxey is telling new teammate Dean Wade to shoot more originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Tyrese Maxey has given Dean Wade a consistent message early in training camp.

Shoot the ball. 

Wade, who signed with the Sixers this offseason after spending the first seven years of his career with the Cavaliers, has heard that before. 

“I’ve been told that a lot in my career,” he told reporters Wednesday. 

Through a couple practices in Camden, Maxey has been on the 6-foot-9 forward to let it fly from deep. 

“I’m going to be on him this year about shooting the ball,” Maxey said. “I want him to shoot a lot of threes.”

“He’s been on me a few times already,” Wade said with a smile. 

Tyrese Maxey is already praising a new Sixer … and it's not LeBron James or Jaylen Brown 👀 pic.twitter.com/EFw3HPukg6

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 30, 2026

A career 36.7 percent long-range shooter, Wade has averaged 3.2 three-point attempts per game and 7.9 per 100 possessions. He fits the 3-and-D moniker to a T, taking over 70 percent of his shots from deep last season. On a Cavaliers team with a number of ball-dominant players, Wade had the lowest usage rate of any Cleveland player in 2025-26. 

His role on the Sixers will be awfully similar given the volume of star facilitators on the team. Wade’s value will be creating space for them to operate because of his gravity as a shooter.

He is a true catch-and-shoot threat. Nearly all (93.4 percent) of his three-point attempts last season came on the catch. Wade made 37.2 percent of those looks. If he doesn’t fire away and force defenses to respect him, his effectiveness as a floor spacer is diminished.

“You’ll never be more open than open. Sometimes … I think the defense is going to rotate and they don’t,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing. I’ve got to shoot the ball. … That’s what [the Sixers] need me to do, is to shoot the ball when I’m open and play defense.”

Dean Wade shot 36.2 percent on three-point attempts in 2025-26, just about entirely on catch-and-shoot looks, though some of them come on the move. pic.twitter.com/SC9jJDMZ4m

— Adam Aaronson's clips (@SixersAdamClips) July 16, 2026

On a team with so much star power, the Sixers’ role players will need to contribute without the ball. Maxey noted that Wade’s effectiveness doing his job has stood out early on.

“He’s somebody who knows how to play a role and he knows how to star in his role, too,” Maxey said. “I think he’s really going to help us on the defensive glass – defensively, period – and then creating space and cutting.” 

Wade’s disruptive on defense. He can both own a variety of matchups and end possessions as a collapsing defender. He has active hands and a 6-foot-10 wingspan that can fill passing lanes. His defensive motor pops as he’s embraced starring on that side of the court since he entered the league. 

Wade was undrafted and on a two-way contract to start his career. At one point, Cleveland coaches Chris Darnell and Josh Broghamer sat him down and told him that playing defense was his meal ticket to surviving in the NBA. 

“Every team has a scorer and a shooter,” Wade recalled hearing. “Every team’s got somebody that can create. Not every team has a defender. You move good enough laterally, that’s where you can stick in this league.”

He took that advice and “dove in headfirst” into becoming a plus defender. Now on a four-year, $38.7 million deal with the Sixers, that investment has paid off.

As for his shooting, Wade knows that taking the open looks he gets will only help the team as a whole. He expects to find his groove the more this new Sixers team plays together. 

“It’ll come along,” he said. “When you get in the flow of games a little more, repetition, time with each other, you kind of see where you fit in and that’ll help a lot.”

If Wade struggles to find his place, Maxey will be there to remind him what to do.

Jalen Duren and the Pistons have agreed on a new contract. 

Duren, 22, agreed to terms on a five-year, $200 million contract that is fully guaranteed and keeps him in Detroit for the long haul, ESPN reported late Thursday night.

It ends a long-running contract battle that started earlier in the summer and has run right into the start of training camp, after he remained unsigned and skipped the first practices of camp. 

He was a restricted free agent after the end of his four-year, $19.5 million rookie deal ended and he had not received an offer sheet from another team. 

Duren had until 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday to take a one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer that would have allowed him to be an unrestricted free agent next summer when the deal ended. 

The Pistons star had the best regular season of his career in 2025-26, when he averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 65 percent shooting in 70 games as Detroit secured the No. 1 seed in the East. 

His playoff performance was not as strong, with his stats dropping to 10.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game.

The Portland Trail Blazers fired broadcaster Braiden Bell just hours after announcing they had hired him, as the team was made aware of some misogynistic and racist social media posts Bell made as a teenager.

The 29-year-old Bell was previously employed as the play-by-play announcer for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.

“The Portland Trail Blazers have zero tolerance for racist, sexist, or harmful comments," the team said in a statement. “Social media posts made by our recently announced play-by-play announcer are in clear violation of team and league policies, as well as our values and expectations. Therefore, we will not be moving forward with this broadcaster."

According to KGW-TV, the social media posts were made in 2012 and 2013. One of the tweets from Dec. 9, 2012, stated, "I'm not racist at all.. But not gonna lie.. Asian people piss me off! Hahaha #Honest."

Bell, set to start his job next week and to work with color commentator Lamar Hurd and sideline reporter Brooke Olzendam, was supposed to replace Kevin Calabro, who was let go this summer as the team underwent a broad range of layoffs earlier this year under owner Thomas Dundon. Calabro had spent the past nine seasons as the team's television broadcaster.

“The play-by-play role carries a long legacy of excellence, on the broadcast and in character, and we hold that standard without exception. We did not meet our own bar in this process, and for that we apologize to Blazers fans and to Rip City,’’ the team said. “We believe strongly that everyone who is part of Rip City should feel welcome and safe, and we will make sure that our new broadcaster reflects these values. We will do better."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA team fires broadcaster hours after hiring him over racist social posts

Injured Mikel Brown Jr. can’t wait to play. But he might have to. The rookie is the biggest key to Brooklyn’s rebuild. 

That’s why his rehab and return have to be right, not rushed. 

Brown rolled his left ankle last week and has gotten back out on the court on a limited basis in practice. But as of Thursday, he hasn’t been cleared for contact. 

“Yeah, as of right now they’re just telling me you could get back moving a little bit, really just trying to get the strengthening it up back,” Brown said. “I mean, I am back on the court moving. That’s all I’m really worried about right now. I’m just taking it one step at a time.” 

Brown said the Nets training staff hasn’t told him exactly what the next step is. He wouldn’t exactly call patience his strong suit, but he’s learning. 

“I feel like I have no choice but to be patient,” Brown said with a wan smile. “I want to be out there so bad, but they’ve just been emphasizing to me, ‘Let’s take our time with this stuff and get you back 100 percent,’ which me, I’m trying to play as soon as possible. So really just attacking this rehab, focusing on stuff that I can control.” 

The Nets open the preseason Tuesday in Charlotte and have offered no clarity on the severity of Brown’s injury or his timeline. 

Brooklyn also has three other preseason games before the regular-season opener Oct. 21 in Brooklyn against the Hornets. When asked if he expects to get at least some live action in the preseason, Brown was non-committal. 

“I mean, that’s up to the performance staff,” Brown said. “I’m just doing what I can to get back on the court as of right now.” 

When asked to pick out who has impressed him the most since camp started or who has taken a step forward, Michael Porter Jr. pointed out Keon Ellis. 

“Keon has been hooping these first [few] days,” Porter said. “He plays the right way. He plays defense. He can really shoot the ball, and he’s been just overall very solid.” 

Porter and Julius Randle have been playing on different sides so far in camp, kept separated by Jordi Fernández. 

And they didn’t play together Thursday, with Fernández switching things up and going no-contact to rest his players’ legs before a lot of playing Friday. 

“When you’re tired, you can lose it easily. And [Thursday] being a non-contact session and a session that it’s more mental with the film and the walk-throughs and installing new things, your brain needs to be there,” Fernández said. “It was very positive like an active recovery where you still need to advance. … It was a great day. And then [Friday], it’s going to be a big high-load game day with a lot of playing. with a lot of playing. And players, they love to play, so they’re excited about tomorrow.”

Praise has been heaped in bundles to countless Lakers win throughout the first days of training camp. A new name was added to the mix on Monday and is one Lakers fans will likely be excited to hear about.

While head coach JJ Redick admitted he’s still young and going through the struggles any rookie would, Cameron Carr also was on the receiving end of some of that acclaim on Thursday.

“Cam, we see a player in Cam,” Redick said. “We’re really excited about him. You can also see through three days that he’s a rookie. There were times where we kind of had to stop a drill or, at one point a minute into the second scrimmage, I had to call timeout and bring him over and just teach him a little bit.

“He picks up things quick so very confident that he’ll have opportunities this year.”

Carr will certainly have an uphill battle to playing time. Given the little we have to go on right now, it seems that a number of wings are excelling early in training camp. It will come down to impressing in the moments Carr will have during preseason games.

But even if that doesn’t happen in the exhibition slate, it’s a long season and, as Redick noted, opportunities will come.

Mysterious injuries

Redick has alluded a couple of times during training camp that a couple of players were limited. On Thursday, he was asked a bit more about it and provided very little more insight.

“Everybody did something,” Redick said of practice. “Again, we’ve had to modify a couple guys. We had an extended scrimmage today and cleaned up some things offensively for the first time since, really, last Wednesday when we were doing our small group work. We’ll continue to have an emphasis on that over the weekend on Saturday and Sunday before we go to [Sacramento].”

When asked if those unspecified injuries would keep players out of games, Redick said that was to be determined but that it was nothing they were worried about long term.

Best training camp ever

Ziaire Williams hasn’t been in the NBA long, but this training camp has left an impression. After years of training camps on teams without a focus on winning, joining a Lakers side focused on winning has been a change of pace.

“It’s a little different, for sure,” Williams said. “This is a winning culture, a winning culture, a winning team, a team that has high standards, so it’s a little different. Guys have been more experienced, more in the league so it’s a little less teaching and more just concepts and schemes versus Brooklyn, it was eight rookies or however many we had…so it was a lot more teaching.

“But training camp here has been great. I’m comfortable. Guys have helped me work my way in and I just feel like I belong. I’m happy where I’m at and we just got to keep doing it.”

Multiple players have said this training camp has been great. For basically every team outside of the Kings, vibes at this point in the season probably are good. Another theme that has gone hand-in-hand with that, though, has been the competitiveness during camp, too.

“This has been a very physical, competitive, intense training camp,” Jake LaRavia said. “I think it’s been the best one that I’ve been a part of since I’ve been in the league and this third day just really put a stamp on what we’ve been doing.”

Other notes

• Redick spoke about Dalton Knecht, who he said has “been a pro” during training camp. He credited his offseason work and said he was hungry to earn a rotation spot.
• Add LaRavia to the list of people who have singled out Adou Thiero this summer. He said the second-year player had been “really good,” praise he also gave Williams.
• Speaking of LaRavia, Redick talked about his conversations with him this summer, saying they spoke a lot in the first six weeks of the offseason, both about shooting and the “mental side of things.” To that point, Redick said LaRavia is in not just a good place physically this traning camp, but mentally as well.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The Jalen Duren drama is officially in the past. The All-NBA big man agreed to a fully guaranteed five-year, $200 million contract, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The move ends months of drama and seeming animosity between the Pistons and Duren’s agent Chafie Fields. Fields was the one to pass news of the deal along to Charania.

Fields, representing Duren, seemed to use every bit of negotiating leverage he could, waiting until 90 minutes before the deadline to accept a $9.6 million qualifying offer or accept the $200 million deal on the table. While there had been reports that the two sides were far apart, all indications are the Pistons’ first serious offer in the offseason landed between $185-$190 million. So the months of drama, meeting with teams in free agency, leaking interest from other NBA teams, threatening to sign the qualifying offer, and trying to engineer sign-and-trades netted Duren the $200 million deal he was seeking.

While Duren was technically eligbile for a $287 million max contract, there was never any indication that Detroit was interested in that number. Detroit made little headway in an extension last offseason, and there was thoughts it might have soured the relationship between player and organization permanently. It didn’t help that media leaks were obviously coming from Duren’s camp, and Detroit earned plenty of bad press by reportedly trying to include a weight clause in Duren’s contract. That provision was allegedly removed, and is not part of the $200 million deal.

If Duren had accepted the qualifying offer and then gotten a max deal in free agency next summer, he would have earned less than the $200 million the Pistons were offering. In the end, the Detroit deal always made the most sense, and that is the deal Duren decided to sign.

Now, we can focus on basketball.

Duren was a key cog in the Pistons’ resurgence over the past two seasons. In Detroit’s 60-win campaign last season, he averaged a career-high 19.5 points, earning an All-Star nod and All-NBA honors. He was a great rim threat for Detroit and added a face-up game that added versatility to his high-efficiency offensive game.

The problem, as yet unresolved, was a tremendous struggle in the playoffs. The hope is that at 22 years old, Duren will be able to build on that playoff experience and better understand what it will take to have the kind of success in the postseason that he had in the regular season.

The Pistons certainly added the kinds of pieces that should make life easier for Detroit’s core of Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Duren. All three are now on lucrative long-term deals, with the latter two signing new deals this offseason. The Pistons had great success last year despite having just one serious three-point threat in Duncan Robinson.

Now, Robinson will return and be joined by John Collins, Isaiah Joe, and Taurean Prince. Kevin Heurter, added at the trade deadline last season but slowed by injury in the playoffs, will also return.

The hope is that with two of the league’s best and most prolific movement 3-point shooters in Robinson and Joe, and reliable veterans who are efficient perimeter marksmen, there will be less congested lanes and more room to operate for Detroit’s three core players.

There is a lot more to say, but for now, I’ll just say I’m glad it’s over.