What has happened since July 1, the day the Sixers made the blockbuster move to acquire Jaylen Brown from their conference rival, Boston Celtics?
A lot of questions have been raised over the past two months about his relationship with the Celtics and, more importantly, his former teammate of nine seasons, six-time All-Star, Jayson Tatum. On August 6, Brown held his introductory press conference with the Sixers at the Francis J. Myers Recreation Center in Philadelphia, where reporters asked if he and Tatum were still in touch.
“Not really,” he responded.
Despite the lack of communication between Brown and his former teammate, he’s doing his best to leave his former city on good terms.
Let’s fast forward earlier this week. Brown organized a single-day farewell block party – the 741 Frequency Fest – a free public thank you event and goodbye celebration for Boston fans after playing ten seasons with the Celtics.
Brown’s farewell party was also livestreamed on his FCHWPO Twitch channel, where he also streamed again once the event concluded.
Brown wasted no time diving right into his offseason with the Sixers.
“It’s been a great summer,” he said. “We’ve been working, don’t let it fool you, don’t let nothing fool you, we’ve been in the gym, we’ve been working. I know y’all seen some of the workouts and stuff like that.”
Yes, yes, we have Jaylen.
On Aug. 19, NBA trainer Chris Johnson posted an Instagram video that featured Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and LeBron James working out together. The video has 10.8 million views — one of the most-viewed videos on Johnson’s page.
During the stream, Brown disclosed that the workout took place in the “birthplace of The Bean,” referring to the late, great Kobe Bryant and the city of Philadelphia.
“We’ve been working, building chemistry with the guys,” he said. “Maxey is a dawg, LeBron is the f****** — don’t even need to say what LeBron is, he looks good, healthy.”
Aside from Brown working out with Maxey and James, he also gave a shoutout to the youngsters.
“Been working with the young guys. Labaron [Philon Jr.], VJ [Edgecombe]. Dogs. Even [Dominick] Barlow, [Adem] Bona, Anfernee [Simons]. I worked out with everyone on the team constantly.
“I’m grateful to the city of Philadelphia already and I ain’t even been there for that long. I’m grateful that they’ve just been a warm embrace.”
The season hasn’t even begun yet and it seems like Brown is already enjoying the City of Brotherly Love.
Brown then went on to express how he has been perceived, discussed and handled by those within the basketball world. Was he talking about the Celtics organization? USA Basketball? The media? He doesn’t say for sure and leaves it up to the viewers to interpret.
“For reasons I don’t need to share, I just feel like people don’t be understanding.”
“There is politics and so much stuff that goes on behind closed doors … It is what it is, but that just only motivates me even more to come out and show you who I am versus you trying to create these narratives and create these storylines because, in reality, you know what it is.”
But the narratives still linger about the type of person he is.
“And now they create these narratives that I’m saying ‘I’m the smartest person in the room’ or ‘I got a disease.’ Colin Cowherd, you know, to quote him, he said ‘it’s a disease’ or to quote one of his sources. Like these people is crazy, bro, and y’all got to see it.”
“These companies they be crazy. Corporations they be crazy, they be lying to us, they be putting stuff, propaganda out, putting out false statements, stuff that’s not even true. That’s why I started streaming in the first place. Because these industries be so corrupt bro, we force the hand. I want the chat to be able to see it, be able to stand up.”
Jaylen Brown exposing the behind-the-scenes realities of the NBA. He says most players have handlers who won’t let them invest in their communities, and help build the next Black Wall Street. Once you start doing that, he says, they begin attacking you media personalities like… pic.twitter.com/QD5s9bVj4R
If there’s one thing the Sixers are going to get from Brown, it’s intensity.
We saw a glimpse of that intensity between him and Embiid in Game 7 of the first round of the NBA playoffs, when the Sixers overcame a 3-1 deficit to take the series at TD Garden.
“My mentality is kill … I feel like I want blood this year,” he said. “I feel like that’s the mentality, I want blood.”
As a Sixers fan, that’s a sentence that makes your mouth water. To have a player as driven as Brown makes all the difference for a team like the Sixers. This is a player who is already an NBA champion, Finals MVP and five-time NBA All-Star. For him to be this motivated going into his first season with Philadelphia is a scary sight.
Jaylen Brown: “My mentality this year is to kill. I want blood this year. That’s the mentality.” pic.twitter.com/knmnKr5928
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 21: Ja'Kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors dunks the ball against Noah Clowney #21 of the Brooklyn Nets during the third quarter at Barclays Center on December 21, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Pamela Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Noah Clowney and the Brooklyn Nets surely have greater ambitions than winning social media, fan-voted awards, especially on the cusp of a new season. However, it still would’ve been nice to do so.
This week, the NBA announced the winners for its 2026 NBA ID Fan Favorites, which fans vote on across the NBA App, its website and social handles to determine the best moments from the 2025-26 season. The awards up for grabs were Dunk of the Year, Photo of the Year, Assist of the Year, Block of the Year, Handle of the Year, Performance of the Year, Clutch Play of the Year and Drip of the Year.
Clowney was one of six finalists for Block of the Year with this rejection he had on Ja’Kobe Walter in a late December game last season. Clowney finished that contest with 19 points, nine boards, two assists, and two blocks. He was also a team-high +28 in what was Brooklyn’s eight win of the season.
Clowney was the only Net nominated for an NBA ID award this year. The last time a Brooklyn player received a nomination and won one came after the 2022-23 season, when Kevin Durant has his double crossover on Daniel Gafford celebrated as the Handle of the Year.
Clowney will surely be on the prowl for more suffocating rejections in the upcoming season, motivated by falling short for this award … and his expiring rookie contract. I’ll go out on a limb and say the latter is probably more compelling than the former.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 17: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts to a three-point shot against the Phoenix Suns during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 111-96. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Warriors fans and fans across the country.
Golden State Warriors fans have been blessed to get to watch Steph Curry play for 17 years now. It’s been one hell of a journey, filled with four championships, two MVP awards, and the most made threes in NBA history.
Thankfully for us, there’s no end in sight. Curry is preparing to lace up his sneakers for an 18th season, and is in talks with the Warriors regarding a contract extension.
On the one hand, he’s still one of the best players in the NBA, and clearly still has a love for the game. On the other hand, he’ll turn 39 during this upcoming season. So it’s no secret that he has more games behind him than ahead of him.
So, Dub Nation: how many more years will we get the gift of watching The Chef?
The Los Angeles Clippers were fined $30 million and star player Kawhi Leonard was hit with a $700,000 penalty by the NBA on Wednesday for violating salary cap circumvention rule, the league officially announced after ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news.
The NBA announced today that the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard have been penalized for violating the salary cap circumvention rules contained in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with the National Basketball Players Association.
The league came down hard on the organization after a nearly year-long investigation. The Clippers had said multiple times that they had done nothing wrong and expected to be exonerated.
Los Angeles maintained that stance after the league’s announcement.
“We vehemently reject the NBA’s findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence,” the team said in a statement. “What the league told us privately differs from what it announced today publicly, and they have not held themselves close to the standard Commissioner (Adam) Silver set at the start of this investigation to ensure it’s fairness and accuracy.”
The Clippers said they will “now fight just as hard to demonstrate our innocence. We intend to vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to us and look forward to an ethical and impartial arbitration process.”
The NBA opened the investigation in September 2025 into whether a $28 million endorsement contract between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC — a company that filed for bankruptcy last year — broke league rules, following a report by podcast journalist Pablo Torre. Earlier this year, Aspiration co-founder Joseph Sanberg was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to defrauding investors and lenders of at least $248 million.
“I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family,” Leonard said in a statement issued through his new agent, Harrison Gaines.
The NBA said Leonard, through his former business manager and uncle Dennis Robertson, “violated the circumvention rules by pressuring the Clippers to assist him in obtaining off-court income opportunities, successfully obtaining those opportunities, and failing to reimburse payments by the Clippers for personal expenses.”
“I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith, fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent on anyone’s part to circumvent the salary cap,” Leonard said in his statement.
The league said Ballmer was suspended for “knowingly seeking to help Mr. Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities,” among other issues.
Leonard’s trade to the Toronto Raptors has been on hold pending the outcome of the investigation. The Raptors had said they still want Leonard, and he apparently is just as eager to return to the team where he won an NBA title in 2019, when he was Finals MVP.
“As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate,” Leonard said in his statement.
The Los Angeles Clippers were fined $30 million and star player Kawhi Leonard was hit with a $700,000 penalty by the NBA on Wednesday for violating salary cap circumvention rules.
The league came down hard on the organization after a nearly year-long investigation.
Owner Steve Ballmer has been suspended for one year, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has been suspended without pay for six months and president of business operations Gillian Zucker was suspended for one year, all for their involvement.
NBA 2K27 is a towering achievement and a testament to how good a game can be when developers listen to their players. The series has always been great, but often falling victim to resting on its laurels too much — afraid to upset the established player base, at the expense of bringing in new fans to the franchise. With a focus on MyPlayer it’s been understandable from a business perspective, but not one that pushes the series forward.
It’s with profound joy that I tell you that NBA 2K27 has flipped the script. Mammoth overhauls to defense, shooting, dunking, and dribbling has breathed new life into the franchise. 2K27 is not just the best sports game of the year, but the best 2K there has ever been — and I say this as an old head who has been playing this series since NBA 2K on the Dreamcast in 1999 with Allen Iverson on the cover.
A focus on defense shines
There’s been very little reason to play a big man in past iterations of 2K. A lack of defensive tools, particularly in the paint, paired with inconsistent shot blocking and steals meant that the only functional way to play defense was to try to contest shots — and even then it was iffy at best.
This year everything feels different. The revamped animations in NBA 2K27 make the defensive side of the ball feel more chaotic and realistic than ever before. Canned block animations that often left a big man soaring away from the ball and looking like an idiot are gone. Instead, blocks are much more contextual, with defenders rising straight up to meet slashers at the rim, low blocking scoop layups, and even coming up under shots where appropriate to knock the ball in the air, hoping a teammate can come down with it. There’s a real skill and nuance that comes with knowing when to jump up for a block, and on one occasion my timing was perfect, leading to Victor Wembanyama meeting Lauri Markkanen in the air, and snatching the ball one-handed — leading to an easy outlet assist.
The attention to detail extends to the perimeter as well. It’s now easier to fight through screens with players who are able to in real life, and even this is contextual. Jalen Brunson will use his quickness and athleticism to squeeze around the big man to continue locking down the ball carrier, while James Harden will force his way around, making more contact with the screening player to get back on the ball.
Turning up both the skill required to play good defense, as well as putting more abilities in the toolbox of players makes it equally entertaining to play either side of the ball — which is something the game has often struggled with. There’s legitimate value in playing with premier defensive players now, and it really makes lockdown two-way players like Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, or Amen Thompson feel special.
Shooting is much tougher, and that’s a good thing
One of the worst aspects of NBA 2K26 was how easy shooting had become. A factor of both a more generous shot meter, paired with a faster game pace, meant that after a few games you could lock down your timing and consistently shoot 80% from three without concern. That’s all gone in NBA 2K27 with much narrower shot timing on contested shots to “green” releases (resulting in a guaranteed make).
There are still very large green windows on wide open threes, rewarding the work that goes into shaking a perimeter defender or executing a good screen — but now there are myriad factors that go into the size of the green release window on most shot occasions. As soon as you go up for a shot the game runs through an advanced algorithm to determine how easy the shot would be. It takes into account:
Player rating
Was the shot contested or not?
The height of the defensive player contesting the shot
How they contested the shot with either a timed jump or arms up on the floor
Did the shooter set their feet?
The location of the shot on the floor
What happened immediately before the shot? Did the player execute an advanced Iso dribbling chain, or was this a catch and shoot?
Player fatigue
All of these determine the size of the window for a perfect release and a make. Use someone like Steph Curry and contested threes will still be generous; try to fade away a three after crossing the ball over with LeBron James and the timing window will be a single pixel, making the shot near-impossible to hit. There’s always the slimmest of chances it will still go, adding heightened excitement — but don’t expect it to be happening on the regular.
On the flipside the 2K team has made dunking much easier than in last year’s iteration. NBA 2K26 introduced the dunk meter, which brought the shot meter to driving on the rim, determining whether or not a dunk was successful. The major criticism with this is that the meter wasn’t contextual, meaning that far too often a big under the rim would miss a wide open dunk after getting a rebound, simply because a player’s timing was off.
That’s gone now as well. The dunk meter is still here, but context has been given to the experience. Catch the ball under the rim with a big and nobody contesting them — they’re going to dunk it. The entire dunk meter will be green, with only the smallest pixel on the meter resulting in a miss. Similarly, the dunk meter can shrink when you’re driving to the rim with a slasher. It might be very difficult for even someone like Anthony Edwards to put Joel Embiid on a poster, but the chance is still there — nail the dunk and it will pull off a highlight moment, which feels incredible and earned in a way that past dunks simply didn’t.
MyPlayer is largely the same, for better and worse
Full disclosure that I’m not the biggest fan of the online, competitive MyPlayer experience. I like to tinker around, play a few games here or there — but I’m not someone who researches ideal player builds, follows the meta, or invests too heavily.
The city from NBA 2K26 was extremely good, and it’s the same layout this year. There is now skill-based matchmaking in runs, as well as the addition of Rucker Park, which are both fantastic additions to the mode. The biggest gripe from players who deeply invest in MyPlayer are twofold: Once again it’s going to cost you anywhere from $60-80 in additional microtransactions to upgrade a player to the point where you can actually compete online, and also that this is one area where the changes to the shot meter is really frustrating players. The whole online MyPlayer meta is based around consistency and predictability, so adding a wild card like the changing shot window is a pain point.
There’s also a fully realized story that follows the trials and tribulations of a former 5-star prospect on a path through the G-League and into the NBA. It’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s not exactly memorable either. There are also some weird moments contrived for the story that really don’t make sense in real-world basketball. Upon arriving at a street ball tournament at Rucker Park everyone is immediately aware of who the player character is, despite him being a high school prospect from California who was set to attend Duke, but never did. People really don’t follow five-star recruits like that outside of college hoops nerds, unless they’re in close proximity. If the player character went to high school in Brooklyn, or if they committed to play at St. John’s then there would have been some reason that everyone recognized me. Also, I understand it’s for dramatic effect — but upon arriving in the G-League people tell you that “everyone is fighting for a chance at making the NBA,” which is totally understandable; however the amount of in-fighting and an attempted sabotage inside the team is beyond the pale.
More options on the women’s side, but we’re just not there yet
This year allows for women to be created in MyPlayer, so games inside the city are co-ed. This is a really good move that’s nice to see. Also the same attention to the on-court action has been applied to the WNBA, making the game feel better than it ever has before.
Still, there remain some pain points. There isn’t a fully fleshed-out story mode for a female create-a-character, which can be partially forgiven due to the budget required to make it happen — but the lack of real-world commentary for WNBA games is simply inexcusable.
For the second straight season, we have complete, NBA-realistic announce teams, two of them, with Kevin Harlan, Greg Anthony, and Doris Burke — as well as Brian Anderson, Stan Van Gundy, and Richard Jefferson on another. The NBA also gets a pseudo Inside the NBA halftime show with Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith.
The WNBA gets … three voice actors who call the high school game in the men’s career mode. It’s absolutely not a knock on the three voice actors, who are genuinely good at their jobs, but it’s a slap in the face to WNBA fans. It would be the most minor of investments to get real TV commentators like Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, and Holly Rowe, who call the WNBA for ESPN — even using Michael Grady, Lisa Byington, and Mike Watts, who call the game for Amazon. Ideally it would be both, but there needs to be better representation of the women’s game and further investment to make it feel like more than a perfunctory add-on.
Final thoughts
NBA 2K27 is a monumental achievement that requires a lot of deep nitpicking to find fault with as it pertains to playing the game of basketball. The developers have created something truly special that will be on the Mt. Rushmore of greatest versions of the game ever created. Fresh defensive options paired with less-consistent shooting and an overall slower pace makes NBA 2K27 feel more realistic than last year’s entry in the series.
The cracks appear online. MyPlayer remains a frustrating cash cow for those who are invested, gatekeeping anyone who doesn’t want to shell out more money to make a player good enough to hang on the court. Honestly, it’s just not even worth trying to play in the city if you haven’t spent the money to upgrade your character, and while technically possible to grind VC on your own, it takes so long to level up that it’s worth ignoring.
If you come to the series to play NBA quick games, run a team season, or create a player to do a solo career then you will find immense joy in this game. NBA 2K27 is brilliant, and absolutely worth your time — from there it just depends how much more time and money you want to invest.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics passes the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on April 28, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome back to our in-depth schedule preview for the Sixers’ 2026-27 season (here’s a look back at part one and part two). Part three will be picking the schedule back up in the middle of January and stretching through the beginning of March. It’s another spread out part of the season as it contains the trade deadline and the All-Star break.
It’s a 20-game stretch that contains three back-to-backs, with most of the travel being short trips to the middle of the country. It starts with one of the biggest road trips of the season, shipping up to Boston to take on the Celtics on January 21. Jaylen Brown will have already played his former team once, but all eyes will be on him when he plays in TD Garden as an opposing player for the first time (in the regular season at least, the Sixers are also scheduled to play in Boston in the preseason.) Unsurprisingly, that game will be on national television.
It’s a bit of a wonky two-game trip as they’ll head over to Chicago for a game on the 23rd, but the Bulls should present a much easier opponent. They’ll get two more games at home against opponents that should be easier games in the Clippers and Kings before hitting the road again, this time for a back-to-back against the Pelicans and Heat.
By this point in the season, how the Sixers stagger their stars in back-to-backs will be clear, but this looks like one where they can play everyone in Miami and feel confident about that Pelicans game as well. Of course how healthy the team is generally will dictate those decisions as well.
They’ll get their fill of the Pelicans that week, playing them again at home on February 1, then they’ll wrap up their series with the Grizzlies on the 3rd. That trip to Memphis is sandwiched between five games at home, and tricky ones at that.
The Pistons come to town on the 5th, then another nationally televised matchup against the Celtics on the 7th. Things lighten up only a bit when they take on the Brooklyn Nets on the 8th, before the defending champion New York Knicks play Philly on the 11th.
February 11 also marks the trade deadline, so that’ll be a big day in several areas for the team. Not only should those three games be a pretty big measuring stick for the team, but it’ll be their last day to make significant in-season changes to the roster.
Life doesn’t get much easier as the Sixers’ next game will be in Oklahoma City on the 13th. After the Thunder they’ll just have to get through the Mavericks on the road and the Suns at home before getting to the All-Star Break.
After the time off and hopefully some participation in All-Star Weekend, the Sixers start one of their lightest road trips in terms of travel, albeit with two tough opponents. They’ll start the unofficial second half of the season in Brooklyn on the 25th before wrapping up their season series with the Knicks on the 27th at MSG. That sound you heard is every traveling Sixers beat reporter celebrating such a convenient trip. They’ll wrap up the trip with a flight to Cleveland, wrapping up that season series on March 1.
This stretch of games concludes with a home back-to-back against the Hornets and Lakers. Those certainly aren’t the two hardest opponents listed but with the lack of rest it won’t be an easy one either. This stretch of games will tell the Sixers a lot about how they stack up with the rest of the Eastern Conference and for the most part, they’ll be well rested enough to show it.
Sep 30, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes (40) poses for photos during Media day at Victory Capital Performance Center in San Antonio. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
For years now, Harrison barnes has shown he more than a basketball player. Together with his wife Brittany, the Barnes have made many charitable donations. Since moving to San Antonio and joining the Spurs, they donated $250,000 to AlamoPROMISE, $50,000 to the San Antonio MLK Commission, and another $150,000 across ten nonprofit organizations. They were involved with court renovations in Austin, Texas and Saltillo, Mexico.
Now Barnes has invest $25M into a bank in Paton, Iowa, a small town of approximately 250 people. The bank is located just over 40 miles from where he grew up. He has previously served on bank boards and studied at the Iowa School of Banking. His interest in community banking blossomed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This is not a vanity project,” Barnes said. “We want to be Iowa’s next great bank.”
Barnes’ ownership in Community State Bank is designed to preserve rather than overhaul it. Community State Bank’s name, staff and management will remain in place. The bank, celebrating its 70th anniversary, was acquired through Barnes Bancorp, Inc., a company he owns.
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What will Steph Curry’s forthcoming Warriors contract extension look like?
Pretty much whatever he wants it to.
It is no secret that the superstar and Golden State soon will come to terms on a lucrative contract extension before his 18th NBA season, but how will it be structured, with Curry turning 39 years old in March? ESPN’s Anthony Slater shared some insight into the Warriors’ discussions with Curry now that he is, as of Saturday, eligible to sign a maximum two-year, $136.7 million contract extension.
“They’re not like negotiating with Steph Curry right now,” Slater said on the latest episode of the “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective” podcast. They are saying, ‘You can do this, you can do this, you can do this. If you want the one-year max, if you want the two-year max, if you want to wait, here’s your menu. Pick off your menu.”
Curry has made it known that he wants to finish his illustrious NBA career with Golden State, and in all likelihood he will.
“There’s no question I want to be here the rest of my career, and I’m pretty sure that’s going to happen,” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson on Monday.
“The deal and the contract stuff will happen at the right time, and we’re not letting it be a distraction from our preparation for the season, and the fact that the team we’re coming back with has a lot of familiarity.”
Will Curry play for one more season? Two? Three? That remains to be seen, but it is safe to assume the 12-time All-Star is not going anywhere for the forseeable future.
Boston, MA - May 2: Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum looks on from the bench in the first quarter. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
The blog’s own Nik Land posed an important question on X that we’ll surely be talking about heavily throughout the next few weeks: what does the Celtics’ Opening Night starting 5 look like?
Does Payton Pritchard open on the bench? Is it Neemias Queta or Mitchell Robinson setting the tone in the frontcourt? Do one of Boston’s rising wings get an early crack at a starting role?
They’re all valid questions. But constants remain. Every lineup prediction will rightfully lock in Derrick White, Jayson Tatum and Paul George, and every lineup can be looked at under the lens of “how does this group help Tatum run the show?”
It also posed a different question for me: what do the rotations look when JT’s not on the floor?
That is a big question.
Tatum was eased in a bit with 32.6 minutes per game in his regular season return last year, his lowest per game average since 2018-19. In six postseason games, his minutes jumped back up to 36, the regular season norm for his prior five seasons.
It’s a smaller-scale issue to figure out now than it seemed a year ago, when Boston had to endure a Tatum-less existence with Jaylen Brown running the show with a roster built on unproven commodities.
Those guys are unproven no longer. With established depth and a few new pieces, the Celtics are able to put together an impressive combination of bench lineups to steady the ship — or even win their minutes — when Tatum sits.
With the help of Basketball Index’s Lineup Analyzer which uses stabilized lineup data and helps us compare lineups of various sample sizes (as well as some opinionated liberties), let’s look at three lineup combinations that could provide well-rounded, two-way impact even as Boston gives a breather to its star catalyst.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – APRIL 26: Ron Harper Jr. #13 of the Boston Celtics and Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics celebrate during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 26, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Pritchard-Harper Jr.-Hauser-George-Robinson
Whether Payton Pritchard starts or not, the biggest expectation is that he’ll be a massive figure when Tatum’s off the floor.
From his days as a garbage time showman to his Sixth Man of the Year season, Pritchard has never shied away from an opportunity to run offense. He loves being the system’s linchpin, and in this case he certainly is, though he’s working within a 5-man combo that just seems like it can beat you in so many ways.
There’s the Pritchard-Robinson pick-and-roll, there’s the dribble-penetration kickout game to multiple marksmen, there’s PG-13 isolations. This feels close to the very best version of the Celtics when Tatum isn’t out there.
That 2-guard spot can go a few different ways outside of Ron Harper Jr. That could be Baylor Scheierman or Hugo Gonzalez surely, but RHJ was placed here because, along with his on and off-ball versatility next to Pritchard, his strength and 7 ‘1.25 wingspan gives this lineup a bit more help to defend on drives and paint touches.
Basketball Index’s predictive model certainly gives its flowers to the offensive upside of this lineup, though a 114.4 defensive rating would place them in the middle of the road (Golden State was 16th in the league in defensive rating with that same figure).
White-Gonzalez-Walsh-George-Robinson
This lineup would enter me into a defensive nirvana.
Just imagine the possibilities, imagine the frustration of a player on the other end. Guys angrily slamming the ball into the floor after a moving screen, hands thrown futilely into the air after a bad pass, that wide-eyed look of an off-ball teammate watching as not one, not two, but three Celtics collapse the paint and collectively send the ball into the stands.
Yeah, there’s no Tatum, but there are three guys that are houndingly effective screen navigators, one of which is the best shot-blocking guard currently playing the game.
There would be questions about the offensive logistics of this lineup, but the way I’m looking at it is how this becomes an opportunity for George to take the reins as a temporary top option.
George scored a respectable 1.03 PPP in isolation last year on 52.6% eFG. He was 11th in the NBA in isolation frequency. As a pick-and-roll ballhandler, he scored an even better 1.18 PPP on 61% eFG. Even at 36, even with his injury history, Paul George can still score at a high level.
With the ball likely finding his hands in this lineup, George would have a quality roller, a reliable off-ball threat in White and two guys in Gonzalez and Walsh that are good off-the-catch shooters, but are even better at cutting into space and crashing the glass.
It’s the defensive possibilities that sell me on a lineup like this, but it would also present the opportunity to see some vintage PG-13 scoring.
Like me, the lineup analyzer adores the defensive potential of this lineup, but surprisingly it’s even higher on the offense. That 125.54 offensive rating is the highest of the three lineups presented here, and it definitely would imply a shooting return to form for White and an even better George-ran offense than advertised.
Conley-Harper Jr.-Scheierman-Hauser-Queta
With three guys that can handle the ball and four that can effectively fire shots from deep, this feels like the kind of lineup that offers a ship-steadying hand in Mike Conley while also encouraging guys like Harper Jr. and Scheierman to take command as go-to creators.
The jury’s still out on what kind of role Conley will have in his 20th season. Chances are it’ll be slightly smaller than his career-low 18.4 minutes per game in Minnesota last year, but even as the 38-year-old guard’s career enters its swan song, I’m still fascinated by the things he offers even as his production has declined.
He’s a true table-setter, he hardly ever turns the ball over, and he’s one of the smartest pick-and-roll guards of his era. He just gets the ball to the right spots. There’s not a selfish bone in his body.
This lineup opens the door for RHJ to create off the dribble, something we saw significantly with the Maine Celtics before he took on more of a 3-and-D role in Boston. Scheierman looked more and more comfortable as a connector as his second season wore on, capitalizing on a bigger role thanks to his efforts defensively and on the glass.
It’s a lineup that’d rely on one big to clean up the glass, and it seems more offensive-minded than defensive, but I look at this as one of many opportunities to foster growth and confidence in Boston’s deep group of wings.
Guys like Conley, Hauser and Queta have pretty established identities, but there’s still a little more to discover about Harper Jr. and Scheierman’s ceilings and what they can do with more opportunity.
With multiple scoring threats, an elite offensive rebounder and some quality defensive pieces, the lineup analyzer seems to have a modest opinion on these five together.
What are the non-Tatum lineups that you want to see? Comment below and let us know.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 27: Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry #30 brings the ball down court as he's guarded by Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. #8 in the first quarter of their NBA game at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
If the Golden State Warriors front office has specialized in anything over the last few seasons, it’s in coming oh-so-close to adding stars, whether in trades or free agency. Now another All-Star has joined the stunning roster of almost-Warriors.
Per @anthonyVslater, the Warriors were exploring a trade for Jaren Jackson Jr at the trade deadline before he ultimately went to Utah
Anthony Slater reported that the Warriors were “exploring a trade” for Jaren Jackson, Jr. at last year’s deadline, before the Memphis Grizzlies ultimately shipped the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year to the Utah Jazz for three first-round picks, two former first-round picks, Kyle “Slo Mo” Anderson and new Warrior Georges Niang, who didn’t actually take the floor for either team last season.
Could the Warriors have matched that offer? It’s possible, since three future Warriors firsts are probably better than picks from the Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers next season, and a Phoenix Suns first in 2031. Jackson made $35M last season, meaning a combination of Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield would have come close to matching his salary.
But the real question is whether this was a real possibility at all. The Warriors are notorious for talking about players they wanted, or almost got, or might get in the future. They’ve gone through this song and dance multiple times with LeBron James and Kevin Durant, not to mention other supposed targets like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brandon Ingram, Lauri Markkanen, Kawhi Leonard, Meadowlark Lemon, and Air Bud.
Plenty of teams explore trades, because simply exploring a trade is easier than anything Dora the Explorer does. The Warriors are one of the few NBA teams who makes sure everyone knows they were totally seriously trying to make deals, you guys, OK? Someone or multiple someones in the front office believe it makes the Warriors look better to reveal that they failed at all their plans, as opposed to not having any serious ones to begin with.
Who knows how far their exploration went, but in the end, the Warriors couldn’t outmaneuver the Jazz or convince Jackson living in San Francisco is superior to Salt Lake City. Or even Atherton — Steph Curry is there to guard against middle-class homeowners.
Assuming Jackson was really a possibility at all, more than an “MDJ + JJJ” doodle in Mike Dunleavy Junior’s journal.
Two former Golden State Warriors employees have sued the organization over allegations of sex, gender and age discrimination harassment, retaliation and defamation, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Lisa Shelley, professionally known as Lisa Meyer, and Jennifer Vasquez filed the joint complaint with the San Francisco County Superior Court of California on Aug. 25, alleging "discrimination, hostility, and retaliation," all violations of the Fair Employment and Housing Act with the California Civil Rights Department.
Shelley joined the Warriors in 2021 serving as Associate General Counsel and Director of Business & Legal Affairs and Risk Management. Vasquez joined Jan. 3, 2022 and served as Vice President of Diversity Equity & Inclusion.
"Golden State prides itself on its commitment to maintaining an inclusive environment grounded in mutual respect and professionalism. We take all workplace concerns seriously. The lawsuit filed by two former employees contains allegations that are false, misleading, and unsupported by credible evidence," the team said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. "Many of the allegations have been previously reviewed or investigated and found to be without merit.
"Golden State intends to vigorously defend against these baseless claims and is confident that an examination of the facts will confirm that Golden State, its leadership, and the employees targeted in this lawsuit have at all times operated with the highest levels of integrity and fairness."
Here's what you need to know about the complaint:
Workplace survey complaints
According to court documents, Shelley and Vasquez made complaints concerning workplace practices and fallout from an NBA-wide anonymous employee survey that reflected significant dissatisfaction within the organization's Legal, Finance and People Operations.
Shelley and Vasquez allege that survey results showed an employee dissatisfaction within the Legal and People Operations departments and leadership sought to identify and question employees who provided critical responses, the lawsuit states.
Leadership allegedly questioned Vasquez regarding her survey responses. An investigation that ultimately found no wrongdoing, the court document says.
Discriminatory promotion, compensation practices
Shelley alleged she was not compensated accordingly for additional duties related to arena operations, including concerts, private events and special events.
According to court documents, Shelley was promised promotions she never received. She also alleges that she was up for promotion for a Senior Director of Business and Legal Affairs position but was passed over for a younger, male candidate with less experience.
Shelley alleged that their promotion process requires each candidate's photograph to be displayed to the SeniorLeadership Team during a closed-session vote, according to the court document. Employees have allegedly been denied promotion based on subjective criteria such as "likability" or "fit," which often translates to physical appearance and how they fit into the organization's aesthetic, the lawsuit said.
According to court documents, Shelley was aware throughout her employment that female employees’ bodies, weight, clothing, attractiveness and appearance were routinely scrutinized. The lawsuit said a manager in the Sales' Department allegedly commented on a female employee's ability to sell saying, "sex sells," in reference to her attire. The employee reported the comment but no action was taken, according to the lawsuit.
Further allegations say that Shelley learned that two male colleagues with less experience were paid more than she despite starting at the same title around the same time.
She warned leadership that inconsistent application of vague standards to employees in protected classes created legal risk, but concerns were disregarded, according to court documents.
Shelley alleges that a white woman was hired as Director of Guest Experience at an annual salary range between approximately $135,000 to $145,000. When later promoted and it came to fill he role, an African-American woman was considered but the organization allegedly refused to authorize a comparable salary range and limited compensation to $125,000.
Age discrimination, sexual harassment
Vasquez is over 40 years old, according to court documents. She alleged that she was ridiculed for her age. Additionally, she alleged that she "observed an overly amorous and unprofessional atmosphere among members of senior leadership" during social gatherings.
She described executives engaging in "awkward and overly familiar physical contact with one another," according to the lawsuit.
Two executives began a romantic relationship and repeatedly engaged in unprofessional exchanges and comments containing sexual double entendres in front of Vasquez, making her uncomfortable, the lawsuit said.
The court documents allege that Vasquez routinely saw instances that women of color, women with disabilities andwomen with larger body types were subjected to consistent harassment.
Termination
Shelley was terminated on Dec. 4, 2025. She alleges that her termination constituted retaliation for raising safety and workplace concerns and for her role in connection with the 2025 NBA league-wide survey, the lawsuit states. She was the second of three employees who had raised related concerns to be terminated by the organization.
In June 2026, Shelley allegedly had a conditional offer from another NBA team in California, but the offer was rescinded, believing that the withdrawal resulted directly from false and damaging statements made by Warriors personnel regarding her performance and professional conduct.
Vasquez felt her job was at risk when the new presidential administration slashed all DEI-initiatives in Jan. 2025. She was employed with Golden State for another year before Vasquez was effectively terminated, weeks after Shelley, in Jan. 2026.
Shelley and Vasquez are seeking general, special and punitive damages, costs, interest and all otherrelief available, according to the court document.
The Warriors are facing a legal fight just weeks before training camp, with two former employees accusing the organization of discrimination, retaliation and fostering a hostile workplace.
Former associate general counsel Lisa Shelley, who is also professionally known as Lisa Meyer, and former vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion Jennifer Vasquez filed the lawsuit Aug. 25 in San Francisco County Superior Court.
The complaint alleges a workplace “marked by discrimination, hostility and retaliation” and includes claims involving gender, race and age discrimination, as well as defamation.
Golden State Warriors championship banners hang above the seating and basketball court at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Monday, August 26, 2019. The Warriors will play the Brooklyn Nets at home Thursday night, March 12, 2020, in the first NBA game without fans since the outbreak of the coronavirus. AP
The Warriors strongly denied the allegations.
“The lawsuit filed by two former employees contains allegations that are false, misleading, and unsupported by credible evidence,” the organization said in a statement. Golden State added that many of the complaints had previously been investigated and “found to be without merit.”
Shelley worked for the Warriors beginning in 2021 and eventually held responsibilities spanning legal affairs and risk management. According to the lawsuit, she raised concerns about workplace practices and the handling of a 2025 employee-engagement survey that workers allegedly had been told would be anonymous.
After the survey produced poor marks for several departments, the lawsuit claims an executive attempted to determine who had submitted critical responses.
Shelley was fired in December 2025 as the Warriors told her their legal department was being “reimagined,” according to the complaint.
Golden State Valkyries and Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob sits court side during the second quarter of a game against the Toronto Tempo on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
She also alleges Golden State later damaged her prospects of landing a job with the Clippers by providing “false and damaging” information when contacted as a reference. Shelley claims she received a conditional offer from Los Angeles in June before it was withdrawn.
Vasquez, who joined Golden State in 2022, alleges she encountered a “climate of isolation and intimidation” shortly after arriving and was twice told by executives she needed to “play the game” to succeed.
Her allegations also include age-related comments and what the complaint describes as disparate treatment involving employees’ bodies, clothing and appearance, particularly women.
Fans walk outside of Chase Center before a preseason NBA basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, in San Francisco. Officials banned large gatherings and events in San Francisco, including Golden State Warriors games, to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus. AP
Vasquez says she joined Shelley in recommending an investigation into how criticism from the employee survey was handled. Less than two weeks after Shelley’s dismissal, Vasquez was informed that Golden State was eliminating its DEI function and her position along with it, according to the lawsuit. She was formally terminated in January.
The suit takes particular aim at Warriors executive Erin Dangerfield, who had served as senior vice president of people and culture. Golden State announced Dangerfield’s promotion to chief people officer two days after the lawsuit was filed.
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An overall view of the arena is seen during the 74th NBA All-Star Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NBAE via Getty Images
The legal battle arrives during an already consequential period for a franchise trying to determine what comes next around Stephen Curry. The 38-year-old superstar has repeatedly expressed his desire to finish his career with Golden State, even as speculation about his Warriors future has intensified.
Golden State is also attempting to rebound from a difficult season in which Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending torn ACL and injuries repeatedly stripped the aging roster of its biggest names.
Now, before the Warriors can turn their full attention toward another season, they have a far more serious dispute unfolding away from the court.
The lawsuit seeks damages for lost wages and emotional distress, along with an injunction intended to prevent future workplace discrimination. It does not specify a dollar amount.
Golden State said it intends to “vigorously defend” itself against what it called “baseless claims.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 06: Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens (left) and lead owner Bill Chisholm speak during a media availability at The Auerbach Center on July 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What a privilege it is to root for a team that has so much great history that we can dedicate a whole month to it on the blog and merely scratch the surface. What a pleasure it was to read Rich Jensen, Mike Dynon, and others as they walked us through the Banner Years.
Now that the calendar has turned to September, we turn our attentions forward. The past is prologue according to Bill Shakespeare. There’s a lot to go through, so rather than try to sum it all up into one overarching preview article, we’re going to take a whole month to preview the upcoming season.
We’ll look at new faces, familiar faces returning to form (hopefully), people in different roles, developing talent, coaching strategies, and roster decisions (and much, much more).
We will debate each other, dive deep on specific topics, and of course make fun of ourselves and our takes from 12 months ago (so young and naive).
Feel free to join in the fun, creating your own preview topics and discussions in The Feed.
Training camp is just around the corner. Let’s take this journey together. Go Celtics!
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 9: Head Coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics, Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics, and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during Game 2 of the 2024 NBA Finals on June 9, 2024 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
All apologies to our early voters in this week’s poll. The Celtics weren’t eliminated in the first round in two straight years; they were eliminated by the Knicks in Round 2 in 2025 and lost to the 76ers in seven games back in May.
That’s our bad, but it sure felt like two straight too-early exits.
Obviously, there’s context to both playoff losses. New York seemed to have Boston’s number two years ago when they came back from 20 points in Games 1 and 2 at TD Garden and the Celtics lost Jayson Tatum to his Achilles’ tear in Game 4. And after going up 3-1 in Tatum’s return to the playoffs, Philly got hot and JT sat out the series finale.
The Celtics will now head into head coach Joe Mazzulla’s fifth season without Jaylen Brown. They’ll lean into the same identity that unexpectedly won them 56 games last year and if you buy into CelticsBlog’s Trevor Haas theory, they should be even better:
1) Jaylen Brown had a terrific season last year and took his game to the next level as the clear-cut No. 1 option.
2) Jaylen Brown is an excellent basketball player, but Jayson Tatum is an even better all-around basketball player.
3) Jayson Tatum looked sharp in his return and is poised to have a monster season as the clear-cut No. 1 option.
4) While Paul George has his limitations, a healthy Jayson Tatum and a healthy Paul George pairing is more dangerous than just Jaylen Brown by himself.
Mazzulla won Coach of the Year for last year’s overachievement and if they’re better on paper heading into 2026-2027, the expectations are even higher now. That’s just the price of constantly raising the bar on yourself.
But what if Boston falls short again? Mazzulla’s job seems safe, right? Banner 18 buys him time and beers with the fans. Nobody expected much after all the injuries and roster turnover. Now, after the Eastern Conference has beefed up in Philadelphia and Cleveland and the defending champion Knicks still in their way, this could be the biggest test of Mazzullaball since he took the helm in 2022.
