Category: NBA

Thoughtful reporter Hannah Beam enumerated several Rangers front office blunders, starting with the man behind the bench.

"The Rangers paid for the privilege of hiring the highest-paid coach in the league. And what did they get out of it last season, Sullivan had a record of 34-39-9. But that's not on Sully, that's on the man who built the roster."

The Knicks' highly-successful roster-builder, Leon Rose, even took time to write a serious letter to his fan base: "To be successful in the NBA," Rose wrote to fans in 2020, "you need the best talent, a tireless work ethic, a winning  culture and a total commitment to the development of both the individual and the team."

Beam: "Six years  later, he was standing in Cleveland, watching his team reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. The man was in tears, but he'd earned them!"

Like all of us who care – and who have watched the Knicks pull off playoff miracle after miracle – we are left wondering why the Rangers can't match their brethren's success. 

"The blueprint is right across the MSG hall," Hannah Beam concludes. "Same building. Same owner. For his Knicks, he finally figured out – you hire the right person and then get the heck out of the way,"

Then, one final Hannah Beam pause: "Last question: can the Rangers find their Leon Rose before Igor Shesterkin runs out of time?"

Larry Nance Jr. might have been a great fit with this version of the Cleveland Cavaliers in previous years. But last season, nearly all of his value came in the form of locker room leadership. That’s somewhat underwhelming.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Regular Season Stats

• 3.7 points
• 2.7 rebounds
• 1.0 assists
• 42% FG
• 33% 3PT FG
• 46% FT

The Cavs have sorely needed a player like Nance to reinforce the frontcourt behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. Athletic, 6’9” forwards with plus wingspans haven’t fallen their way very often this decade. Add a touch of playmaking and three-point shooting, and Nance should have fit like a glove.

Sadly, injuries and Father Time have caught up to Nance. He’s not the same athlete he was in previous years, no longer providing a vertical threat around the basket and having trouble moving his feet defensively. Those are two skills he couldn’t afford to lose.

Cleveland couldn’t find any use for Nance. He wasn’t an effective pick-and-roll partner or defender, and he even regressed as a three-point shooter. Nance shot just 33% from deep after consecutive seasons shooting above 40%. At no point in the season did it feel like Nance’s jumper was going to return. That, again, is a skill he couldn’t afford to lose.

Nance appeared in just 35 games, racking up DNP’s as the on-court results spoke for themselves. Cleveland was 9.5 points worse per 100 possessions when Nance was on the floor. That ranked in the 11th percentile.

Now let’s be fair and offer the positive spin.

Nance hasn’t been fully healthy recently. He only played 24 games in the ‘24-25 season due to hand and knee injuries. He then tweaked his knee again at the start of the ‘25-26 season, only to then strain his calf a few weeks later. You can argue he never got his feet under him in Cleveland — and that a full summer of recovery could offer rejuvenation.

A healthier version of Nance might be on the table. The Cavs could talk themselves into that possibility as a low-risk, moderate-reward gamble. Of course, this most recent season wouldn’t leave anyone feeling great about a winning outcome.

Nance deserves credit for taking his lumps in stride. This wasn’t an easy season for him if he expected to play real minutes. Still, he never complained about DNP’s and remained a positive influence in the locker room. It’s easier than you think to grow resentful. Nance avoided that and brought nothing but good vibes off the floor.

It’s possible my expectations were too high for Nance. After all, he was a late addition on a veteran minimum contract. Maybe it’s unfair to grade him as if he were going to play meaningful minutes this season.

Still, it’s impossible to deny that I was disappointed.

Grade: D

As things currently stand, the Dallas Mavericks have two picks in the first round of the NBA Draft later this month, namely their own #9 and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s #30. In what is clearly a deep draft, the Mavs would do well to get as many bites of the apple as possible to build around Cooper Flagg, and the Thunder are an excellent candidate to help them out.

We previously considered swaps with the Sacramento Kings for Malik Monk and the Philadelphia 76ers for former MVP Joel Embiid, both of which featured incoming picks. Today we take another approach at an optically smaller, but no less meaningful, swing.

Joining me for this potential transaction are MMB’s Jack Nowicki and Bryan Porter.

The trade proposal

The Mavericks use their Traded Player Exception (TPE) and their 2026 #30 pick (which ironically belonged to the Thunder originally) to move up to #17 by way of taking on the contract of Isaiah Joe.

The discussion

Mike: I like this trade a lot. I am very hopeful the Mavs will actually take advantage of the TPE. If they can get an improved pick while retaining all other tradable assets, that is a major win and possibly the best asset management this franchise has demonstrated in years. If we could do OKC a favor by taking that salary off their books and they reciprocated by helping us jump 13 spots in this year’s draft, we ought to be sending a limo north to pick Joe up.

Brian: Yeah, I’d love to upgrade in this way and make use of our TPE to absorb a deal like this to move up in the draft. If I could quibble with it a bit, I would rather Aaron Wiggins than Joe because he’s bigger and cheaper, but the lesser of the two is probably the only one OKC considers accepting a deal like this for if they can’t move them into someone else’s space.

Jack: This would be an amazing trade for the Mavericks for multiple reasons. First, moving up to #17 allows them to take another blue chip player that could compliment #9, with Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie being my first choice. Second, adding another useful role player that fits next to Cooper Flagg is a large bonus, as Joe is an elite shooter who could open driving lanes for both Kyrie Irving and Flagg. I agree with Bryan’s point on preferring Wiggins, but I believe the Thunder would want to move Joe instead. Overall this is the type of opportunistic trade the Mavericks should be seeking this offseason.

Bryan: As slanted as this is towards us, considering Joe has some value and could probably net OKC a couple of second round picks on his own, the real question is how much would you comfortably add to this deal to make it happen? A second round pick? Two? Maybe a player would be too much, considering the idea is to cut money on OKC’s end.

Mike: I’m hoping OKC’s loss in the Western Conference Finals changed their thinking. If they repeated, I could have seen them paying out the nose to largely stay together. Now, I feel like ditching $11M would be very appealing to them. If we had to add a second round pick (even two), I’d generally be very open to that. That said, OKC certainly must realize they have a plethora of picks in the near future and not enough roster spots for them. I’d like to believe they’d be inclined to swap spots. And Jack, your commentary makes me want this to happen even more now!
Switching gears, I suspect one or more of P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall and Klay Thompson are moved this offseason. Closing thoughts to each of you on which of the three you’d prefer it being, assuming Joe is incoming?

Bryan: Washington is the one that makes the most sense. He likely has the highest value of the three, has reached the highest individual peak over the last two years and is still only 27 years old on a good, long term contract. Also his particular archetype should be very enticing to teams like OKC, the Spurs, etc. with versatile offensive bigs like Victor Wembanyama, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Nikola Jokic, contenders need big, defensive forwards who can hit corner threes, attack off the catch, be defensive playmakers, etc. His skillset is very much in demand right now.

Mike: I feel like Thompson is surely gone either way – I just can’t imagine he’d want to stick around for a rebuild. Ironically, Joe would be a solid one-to-one replacement for him in a lot of ways. That said, this trade proposal makes moving Washington sensible. I’d hate to see it as a fan, but in practical terms, this trade brings back value without moving player assets, and Washington could bring a lot back and really bolster this proposed trade if he was moved in a separate transaction. I also have an unsubstantiated hunch that Marshall sticks around here to take some of the offensive load off Flagg and whatever rookie(s) are added.

Join the conversation in the comments section below!

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Your 2026 New York Knicks: Shot no good. The Tip. It’s Good! It’s Good! It’s Good.

My father was born in 1955 and grew up in Queens…

“You could feel the abundance of joy from everyone at one time. The collective joy that came out of everybody for that one moment, to hear the buzzer going off and not to see the ball go in the basket, I think we all felt something, like that emotion that was special.” -Karl-Anthony Towns [The Athletic]

…his big brother was a fan of the Yankees, NY Football Giants, Rangers and Knicks…

“It’s something that MSG hasn’t had, that kind of moment, in a long time, so shoutout to our fans for real.” -Karl-Anthony Towns [The Athletic]

…so my father became a fan of the Yankees, NY Football Giants, Rangers, and Knicks…

SOMEONE CHECK ON KNICKS FAN TYLER ADAMS https://t.co/ISvTYiYAiepic.twitter.com/2yy3qpec1S

— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 11, 2026

…but when my father was 7 years old, a new team came to Queens…

…being a typical 7 year old and a typical younger brother; my father decided to ditch the Yankees and root for the new team in Queens. He also decided to ditch the Giants and become a fan of the New York Jets when they began playing at Shea Stadium…

“That has to be the most iconic shot in the history of New York basketball.” -Knicks coach Mike Brown [ESPN]

…I was born in 1985 and because my father was a fan of the Mets, Jets, Rangers, and Knicks. I never considered not rooting for the Mets, Jets, Rangers, and Knicks……

“Right hand from God.” -Karl-Anthony Towns [ESPN]

…these 4 teams have played over 300 combined seasons; winning a combined 9 championships with 3 of them being before World War II, I was alive for two of those titles but, to be fair, I was a 1 year old and wasn’t that into hockey when I was 9 years old …

“That’s a game where you sit there and you say you had the type of personnel that you had, you shot the ball decent, played a pretty clean game. Then kind of didn’t finish the job.” -San Antonio coach Mitch Johnson [The Athletic]

…as a kid my family had an annual tradition of tailgating a Mets game in the parking lot of Shea Stadium with a ton of both family and friends who’ve been in my families life for so long, I never conceived that addressing them as Aunt and Uncle and their kids as my cousins was technically not accurate…

“We’re a resilient group. We’ve been through a lot. We’ve come back plenty of times when we’re behind. Just staying with it, weathering the storm, not being too down or angry or frustrated.” -OG Anunoby [ESPN]

…and the Mets lost literally every game I personally attended until I was 16 years old…

“You look at it when you’re down 29 of, ‘OK, let’s get it to 20.’ There’s three minutes left in the third quarter, we’re down 18, you’re thinking, ‘Let’s get it to 10.” -Josh Hart [ESPN]

…and when I was a young child, I legit would cry that they lost some insignificant game in July in a more likely than not lost season…

“In the fourth quarter, you’re like, this is winning time. Anything can happen.” -Josh Hart [ESPN]

“I think [The Spurs collapse] began before (the fourth quarter). I can’t really explain it right now. I don’t know. We clearly weren’t the most hungry in the second half.” -Victor Wembanyama [ESPN]

…I remember once they lost the second game of a day-night doubleheader and, of course, we had tickets for the night game. I cried on the drive home and my mother tried to cheer me up by saying at least they won the first game but that wasn’t the point for me at the age…

“Just to be part of the journey is amazing. I appreciate Coach and everybody giving me my flowers, but this is what I worked hard for, to be in moments like this and shine with it. -Former Queens High School Basketball Player Jose Alvarado [NBA]

…my father, a man of few words, tried to console me in his own way and said “the most important part isn’t that your team wins, it’s that you stick with them no matter what.” That was it. He didn’t add something along the lines of ‘then that makes it so much sweeter when they do finally win’ because what he said was exactly what he wanted to say to me. To him, the most important aspect of being a fan is to stay loyal even if your team stinks and, for most of my life, my teams have been awful…

“I’m glad it went our way today, and I’ll definitely remember this for the rest of my life. But you know, next game. We’ve got to worry about when we play over there.” -Former Queens High School Basketball Player Jose Alvarado [NBA]

…being older I now see the irony that myself, my siblings, my wife, my sons are all Mets fans is because my father’s ‘importance of staying loyal’-rule wasn’t in effect for himself as a 7 year old…

“Basically, I went in there at halftime and said, ‘Regardless of the outcome, these next 24 minutes, we better bring it and show them how we really play basketball’ and that’s what we did.” -Former Queens High School Basketball Player Jose Alvarado [NBA]

…my father retired from being a MTA subway driver over 10 years ago and moved down south for warmer weather with my mother but we always talk sports and watch whatever game is on when we’re together…

…for the past two weeks, my wife has been traveling for business. My parents drove up to sleep on our couch bed so they could see their grandkids and help their son with childcare. This was planned months ago and I never considered one of MY teams would be in the middle of a championship run while my parents were staying at our home…

“I told OG as big, as strong, as athletic as he is, he’s got to be a monster on the offensive glass tonight,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “I don’t know if there was a play bigger than any other play in the history of Knicks basketball.” -Mike Brown [NBA]

…my father and I were watching Game 4 in the living room but, living in a typical Queens co-op, we had to be quiet because my boys were asleep in the room next to us. At halftime, my father said we could turn the game off because the Knicks were down big and my mother was falling asleep but my mother said “you never know, you should watch” before she fell asleep…

…my father and I kept watching and kept watching and in the fourth quarter I started quietly repeating, whenever the Knicks made a stop or made a shot, that “my teams don’t do this.” I started getting louder as the Knicks really started signs of making a comeback. “My Teams Don’t Do This.” Toward the end of the game after a big shot, I loudly said “MY TEAMS DON’T FUCKIN’ DO THIS” which clearly irritated my father because he hates hearing anyone, let alone his own son who should know better, curse plus people are sleeping; so he put his finger on his lips and then pointed to my son’s room and my mom indicating I needed to be quieter to avoid waking them up. I apologized and promised that I’m would not only not curse for the rest of the game, I wouldn’t even say a single word (kind of hoping “the universe” would somehow help my team through vibes if I kept my end of the bargain [exhibiting irrational behavior is part of being a fan of these teams])

When OG made that tip in, my stoic father didn’t say a word per se but jumped to his feet and let a kind of celebratory grunt/yell sound that I’ve never heard him make and it was so loud I’m pretty sure it woke up the entire apartment building.

OG Anunoby reveals he grew up collecting baseball cards and is a big New York Mets fan 🔥

"He listed Carlos Delgado as one of his favorites to watch… He also liked José Reyes, Pedro Martínez and, essentially, the entire Mets roster of the late 2000s."

(via @TheAthletic) pic.twitter.com/iAZya5BXJd

— Topps (@Topps) June 11, 2026

My advice to Wemby, you should give up. My team is going to do this.

“What’s going through my mind right now? I think it’s going to go one of two ways. … A bad one and a good one. The bad one would be giving up. The good one would be getting stronger through this, getting more together. I know this is what we’re going to do.” -Victor Wembanyama [The Athletic]

It has been very difficult to pinpoint where Michigan Basketball’s Yaxel Lendeborg may end up on draft night. He has taken a unique path to get to the NBA Draft, but now he is a certified top-15 pick who has attended private workouts with seven teams, and he has two more scheduled for next week.

On Thursday, Lendeborg was in San Francisco, California for a private workout with the Golden State Warriors, who hold the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. With a roster that stars a 38 year-old point guard and a 36 year-old power forward, the Warriors need to get young, and they are very much in a position to draft an already-polished college player who can be a plug-and-play weapon right away.

Lendeborg’s 6-foot-9, 241-pound frame makes him one of the more versatile front court prospects in this class. He can reliably guard on the perimeter or protect the rim, and his offensive game has evolved steadily over his college career to include consistent shooting, passing and off-ball movement.

What comes through just as clearly, though, is his understanding of what role he’s being asked to fill — no matter who drafts him in two weeks.

“My versatility, I can bring a lot of different things to the game, and being able to play multiple positions for these guys and do whatever I need to do to win,” Lendeborg said after his workout with Golden State on Thursday.

“I think (my skillset) fits perfectly (as a passer). (The Warriors) do a lot of off-ball moving sets, a lot of action to get Steph (Curry) open, and playing off his gravity will make it a lot easier for me to make reads and for the other guys to get open as well. So I think it’ll be perfect.”

The Warriors are chasing one more championship window around Curry, and what they need alongside him is someone who can defend multiple positions, make smart reads and keep the offense running when the ball isn’t in Curry’s hands.

At Michigan, Lendeborg was asked to do just that. He had the ability to become a primary ball-handler on a moment’s notice, but he was also content with taking a step back and drawing the defense in his direction as his teammates took over. When asked where he thought he could make the biggest impact as a rookie, his answer reflected that same awareness.

“I would say, five assists a game maybe to start off, you know, just a lot of defense, fast-break kind of bucket opportunities for me. And depending on if I’m (with Golden State) or anywhere else, my role would be a lot different, but if I was here, I’d be more like a secondary ball handler,” Lendeborg said. “Whenever Steph is getting taken out of the game, I’ll be there to assist, maybe provide a little bit more offense or instant offense in a way.”

Lendeborg spent three years at a junior college before transferring to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for two seasons and ending his career at Michigan. He was unquestionably one of the top players in college basketball last year, as he was a consensus First-Team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year.

After winning the National Championship, Lendeborg has proven to NBA scouts he knows what it takes to win. For a team like Golden State that has seen consistent success over the last decade, an addition like Lendeborg could be the perfect culture fit for the last few years of the Curry era.

“A lot of people like winners, so me being in the position that I was in this past year, it just showcased that I’m willing to put aside any stat or anything about myself to win,” Lendeborg said. “Being in a winning culture, a winning program shows you a lot of different things that you have to do, not just as far as sacrifice, but just as far as everyday living to bring a spark and bring kind of good energy to the squad.”

The questions surrounding Lendeborg heading into draft night are more about his ceiling, not floor. His three-point shooting has improved the last three years, but it still isn’t at the level required of a small forward in the NBA, according to him. His defensive versatility is an area he also identified as needing further development. And not to mention, he will be 24 years old come the start of the season, which is nearly six years older than the projected top three picks. 

For Golden State, however, that debate may matter less than it would elsewhere. A team built around established veterans is an environment designed to maximize exactly the kind of player Lendeborg projects to be. He’s polished enough to contribute immediately, versatile enough to fit multiple lineup configurations and culturally oriented toward winning.

“Man, it would be amazing (to play with Steph Curry),” Lendeborg said. “He provides so much gravity on the court that it really makes it super easy for other guys to score, other guys to just showcase any ability that they have.

“I’ll be very excited to get the opportunity. He’s a great player, and a great human being as well. I got to meet him twice, so it’s really nice, and I feel like I will learn a lot playing with him as well.”

Lendeborg has met with the Thunder, Heat, Bulls, Bucks, Hornets, Mavericks and Warriors. He has just the Clippers and Hawks left. There are a multitude of possibilities for where he could go, but given how critical this year’s draft is for the Warriors, it is hard to see Lendeborg get past No. 11.

The 2026 NBA Draft takes place June 23-24 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

The New York Knicks are one win away from their first championship since 1973. You read that right, folks.

That also means it is officially time to argue about the Finals MVP award, which will likely be handed out at around midnight on Saturday.

The Knicks lead the Spurs 3-1, are beating them up and down, left and right, and without any sort of help from the refs, and not only that, but they are about to get beatified after a miraculous Game 4 in which they came back from a 29-point deficit and got the Hand of God on their side.

At this point, we all have a pretty clear idea of who’s who in the race for the Finals MVP. Jalen Brunson is the 1A superstar even though Becky Hammon would never be able to deal with that. The Knicks won’t have arrived at MSG with a 2-0 lead had Karl-Anthony Towns not played at the top of his powers for a couple outings. Victor Wembanyama looked good, then great, then dirty, and is not even remotely close to being the Alien we were sold, at least on winning terms.

But man, oh man. Are we in for another underdog Finals MVP a la Iggy or Cedric Maxwell? OG Anunoby, step in.

OG'S TWO-WAY IMPACT 🔥

▪ Clutch block on one end trailing by 1
▪ Game-winning putback on the other end

What a night for OG Anunoby in New York's historic Game 4 comeback win! https://t.co/IcOqBvwmnPpic.twitter.com/7GUQxAuy9P

— NBA (@NBA) June 12, 2026

1. OG Anunoby, Knicks

Excuse me if you are a Brunson stan—understandable, we all are—or if you don’t agree with me, but with four games in the rearview mirror, Anunoby leads this race.

Although FanDuel sides with you and still has Brunson as the best-odds candidate at -115 compared to OG’s +230, the proof is in the pudding as oddsmakers are finally placing Ogugua in a hunting position.

So far, OG has put together the best combination of production, efficiency, defense, and most importantly momentum heading into a potential title-clincher.

Through four Finals games, OG is averaging 23.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 58% from the field, 55.6% from three, and 92% from the line. That is already absurd, but Anunoby still had his moment waiting for him in G4 as he dropped 33 points on 10-for-15 shooting, hit 7 of 9 threes, blocked De’Aaron Fox’s dumb layup attempt late, and ultimately went on to win the game himself by tipping in Brunson’s miss with 1.2 seconds left to finish the largest comeback in Finals history.

Bow down.

6'2 over 7'4, 8 ft wingspan, 10 ft standing reach

I couldn't believe he took it and made it pic.twitter.com/zNlbY1hkNi

— Shax (@ShaxNBA) June 11, 2026

2. Jalen Brunson, Knicks

Brunson has had a kinda tough Finals for his standards. That said, he remains and will ever be an obvious candidate to win the award simply because the Knicks run through this little big-headed man, and the Spurs are spending more time trying to stop him than doing anything else.

Brunson is averaging 29.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.0 steals, and his 36-point Game 4 kept the Knicks alive long before Anunoby finished it. The case against him is down to his awful efficiency during the past four games. Brunson is shooting 39.6% from the field—six other Knicks have better averages—and 34.5% from three—worst than Josh Hart’s 35.7% clip—while his one-man tendencies have gotten the offense a bit stagnant at times.

Still, this is the classic true superstar and team-leader pick, so you can never rule him out. Plus, it’s fair to say we have yet to watch a bona fide Brunson game this series, and he might be saving it for last.

Victor Wembanyama in the 4th Quarter:

10:41 Missed alley oop layup
10:40 Missed tip shot
10:37 Made FT
10:37 Missed FT
9:38 Missed floater
9:36 Missed top shot
9:33 Made two point shot
8:51 Missed alley oop layup
8:21 Missed jump shot
3:31 Made jump shot
1:47 Missed FT
1:47… pic.twitter.com/CzdCvwvxI8

— Underdog (@Underdog) June 11, 2026

3. Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

If Brunson might get the benefit of voters, you bet Wembanyama would do the same if the Spurs pull off the historic 3-1 comeback. Not happening, so not even discussing it, let alone after all this crap went down in the last week… Sorry, not sorry.

KAT GETS HIS FINGERTIPS ON IT!

WHAT A PLAY ON THE LAST POSSESSION 😮

KNICKS TAKE A 3-1 SERIES LEAD IN THE NBA FINALS. https://t.co/1NBoXPrKC2pic.twitter.com/0iHZGvo4MA

— NBA (@NBA) June 11, 2026

4. Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks

Not gonna lie here: Towns looked like my Finals MVP pick after the first two games of the series, both ending in road wins at San Antonio.

KAT’s size, shooting, rebounding, and work against Wembanyama on both offense and defense gave the Knicks their early lead and pretty much put the Spurs to bed. Towns is averaging 15.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and a block per game, which keeps him in the conversation, but the award has started to move away from him of late.

Right now, if you ask me, I’d hand it to the one and only OG. Brunson can still take it with a strong Game 5, and a closeout performance like we’re accustomed to watching him put together could easily swing the whole thing. KAT? Still probable if he has an OG-like experience shortly.

So, who do you have winning the award? Let us know in the comments section below, and Let’s Go Knicks!

This summer is the first time in Austin Reaves’ career where he can have himself a big payday. Thanks to his yearly improvement over five seasons with the Lakers, he should be able to get that huge salary increase and be set.

However, the question remains: at what number will he be paid? It’s been reported that Reaves is expected to make at least $40 million annually. While that number might bring sticker shock to fans, the market is the market. If the Lakers aren’t prepared to pay it, someone else will.

Dan Woike of The Athletic published an article on Friday morning stating that the Pistons, Hawks and Nets are all interested in bringing Reaves to their franchise.

Multiple front-office sources around the league, granted anonymity to freely discuss an opposing player, expect Reaves to have interest from the Brooklyn Nets, with a four-year, $178.5 million contract expected to be offered. League sources said the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are among a group of interested teams that can create space to make competitive offers. Other teams could also emerge.

At the same time, league sources said teams are approaching free agency with increased caution because of the restrictions tied to the league’s first and second tax aprons, potentially leading to more conservative spending than in previous summers.

Acquiring Reaves makes sense for all these Eastern Conference teams. All of them need backcourt scoring, and Reaves would be the guy in Brooklyn and Atlanta, and a huge part of the offense in Detroit, helping Cade Cunningham in his attempt to be a champion.

The good news for the Lakers is that they have the edge over these teams thanks to their established relationship with Reaves. This is the only team he’s played for, it appears it’s been a great relationship and LA is set to be a successful franchise for years to come with a Reaves and Luka Dončić backcourt.

If the Lakers offer Reaves a similar deal to what the Nets offer, it’s hard to imagine he leaves a successful winning franchise for Brooklyn. If he does, then clearly all that mattered was the dollar amount, and Reaves has always cared about winning.

It’s also important to remember that this is part of all contract negotiations. Reaves has made it clear that he wants to be a Laker and LA loves him. Both sides should be able to work out a deal that gives Reaves a nice payday and allows the Lakers to build a winner.

Still, other teams can and likely will make offers, so this doesn’t seem like a scenario where the Lakers can low-ball Reaves. Los Angeles is a great place to be, but $178.5 million dollars goes a long way in Brooklyn or elsewhere.

So, expect other teams to make a call to Reaves and for us to hear about it once free agency officially begins.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Let the free agency rumors begin!

Dan Woike, the veteran Los Angeles Lakers beat writer, turned Nets — and Lakers — fans’ attention from the NBA Draft to impending free agency Friday with a report that Sean Marks & co. are “expected” to offer unrestricted free agent Austin Reaves a max of $178.5 million over four years when free agency begins on June 30.

Writing for The Athletic, Woike reported that Brooklyn is ready to move on the 6’5” 28-year-old shooting guard.

Multiple front-office sources around the league, granted anonymity to freely discuss an opposing player, expect Reaves to have interest from the Brooklyn Nets, with a four-year, $178.5 million contract expected to be offered. League sources said the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks are among a group of interested teams that can create space to make competitive offers. Other teams could also emerge.

That’s the headline, of course, and it follows other speculation about the Nets and Reaves.

Two weeks ago, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps wrote about a possible link-up between the Nets and Reaves. Like Woike, Bontemps singled out the Nets and only the Nets as serious rivals to the Lakers in a Reaves sweepstakes.

One potential bidder to watch this summer, sources said, is the Brooklyn Nets, who will enter the offseason with more than enough salary cap space to accommodate a max-type player.

And like Woike, Bontemps noted the prevailing wisdom is that when all is said, done and signed, the once undrafted Reaves will likely be very, very rich and wearing purple-and-gold rather than black-and-white.

The majority opinion is that Reaves will remain in Los Angeles — and on a massive raise. But after playing on one of the best value contracts in the league the past few seasons, what number gets that done?

While the Nets could offer Reaves up to $178.5 million over four, the Lakers can give him $239 million over five. The question Woike raises, as did Bontemps, is whether the new ownership in L.A. — Mark Walther and his Guggenheim Partners — will be willing to pass their first test and pay the full cost.

If the Lakers were competing against no one, maybe they could be more frugal in the negotiations and try to save every penny possible to throw at players who fit their other needs. If they do that, they risk losing Reaves to a better offer somewhere else.

“You can’t let a talent like that walk,” one Western Conference executive said. “That would be a disaster.”

Having another team willing to lay down big dollars would complicate the Lakers’ bidding, particularly since they have to consider future deals with Luka Doncic and LeBron James as well as a whole slew of lesser lights. And the Nets have the wherewithal to make a credible offer. They will have somewhere around $35 million in cap space and could probably generate more if needed. And if a sign-and-trade evolves, giving the Nets an opportunity to pay Reaves at or near what the Lakers can, they have all those draft assets at the ready.

The first indication of how things will go could come as early as Sunday. If the Knicks beat the Spurs Saturday night in San Antonio, Sunday will be the first day teams can talk to their own free agents. Will the Lakers seize the opportunity and provide Reaves with that $239 million over five sheet? If not, or if Reaves simply wants to listen to the Nets or other teams offers, the Lakers will have to wait till June 30 starting at 6:00 p.m. ET. 

Reaves would be difficult to replace in Los Angeles both in tangibles and intangibles, as Woike writes. He averaged 23.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists in an offense that revolved around Doncic and James. Perhaps at least as important is the intangibles.

“He started his journey here as a Laker and has made it very clear to us that he wants his journey to continue as a Laker. And we feel the same way. We want his odyssey to continue to unfold in the purple and gold,” GM Rob Pelinka said in his end-of-season interview. “There’s rules and timing to all of that, but I think both sides have made it abundantly clear that we want to work something out where he continues his prolific career here.”

Also, Woike writes that Reaves has great relations with Doncic, James and his head coach, J.J. Redick.

He does, after all, want to remain with the team. He does, after all, have a real relationship with Dončić, a real relationship with fellow free agent LeBron James and a real relationship (and shared respect) with his coach, JJ Redick. He does, after all, love to play golf and love to drive down the 405 South to his country club on off days to play until after the sun sets over Los Angeles.

What might be attractive to him in Brooklyn? With that contract , he’d likely be the Nets’ lead guy, not stuck behind Doncic and James. Of course, there’s another point in here beyond Reaves free agency: does this signal that the Nets are going to swing for the fences and try to acquire a star or superstar? Remember, the franchise had hoped that getting a top pick in the Lottery would make them more attractive to free agents or unhappy stars.

Bottom line, based on what we know, is that there should be a lot of healthy skepticism about Reaves leaving L.A. for Brooklyn. Then again, weird stuff is happening all over New York nowadays…

Knicks fans were celebrating and threw this cone perfectly on someone’s head

The perfect granny shot.
pic.twitter.com/qh3GEFie8f

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) June 12, 2026

Stay tuned.

• NBA rumors: Nets preparing $178.5 million offer to steal Austin Reaves from Lakers – Malik Brown – Clutch Points

Thanks to everyone who participated in our community draft board series, where we essentially ranked the top 18 prospects in this month’s NBA Draft. While it wasn’t exactly a mock draft, it’s nice to see a decent consensus among our readers as to who people think is the surer bet as opposed to others. Here’s what we came up with, through pick 18:

1. AJ Dybantsa – BYU
2. Darryn Peterson – Kansas
3. Cameron Boozer – Duke
4. Caleb Wilson – North Carolina
5. Keaton Wagler – Illinois
6. Darius Acuff – Arkansas
7. Kingston Flemings – Houston
8. Mikel Brown Jr. – Louisville
9. Brayden Burries – Arizona
10. Yaxel Lendeborg – Michigan
11. Aday Mara – Michigan
12. Nate Ament – Tennessee
13. Cameron Carr – Baylor
14. Labaron Philon Jr. – Alabama
15. Morez Johnson Jr. – Michigan
16. Hannes Steinbach – Washington
17. Karim Lopez – New Zealand (NBL)
18. Jayden Quaintance – Kentucky

As mentioned, we stopped at 18 mainly because the Bucks are rumored to be operating as if they’ll have two selections this year. While that rumor never specifically stated first-round selections, if we go with that assumption, it seems plausible they’d have two picks in the top 18. That’s not only because a possible Giannis trade could get them pick 13 from Miami, but also because OKC and Charlotte own two picks in the teens: the Thunder at 12 and 17, and the Hornets at 14 and 18. So if the Bucks traded down with one of them, they’d pick no worse than 18.

But let’s just go with the order we currently have. The way we asked these questions was essentially “who would you draft with pick x?” We removed all names that had previously been drafted. We didn’t specify teams, because even if we think Aday Mara, for example, is the 11th best prospect, Golden State might rather pick someone else at 11. In any case, here’s how a mock would shake out with our board…

1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa
2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson
3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer
4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson
5. LA Clippers: Keaton Wagler
6. Brooklyn Nets: Darius Acuff
7. Sacramento Kings: Kingston Flemings
8. Atlanta Hawks: Mikel Brown Jr.
9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries
10. Milwaukee Bucks: Yaxel Lendeborg
11. Golden State Warriors: Aday Mara
12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Nate Ament
13. Miami Heat: Cameron Carr
14. Charlotte Hornets: Labaron Philon
15. Chicago Bulls: Morez Johnson Jr.
16. Memphis Grizzlies: Hannes Steinbach
17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Karim Lopez
18. Charlotte Hornets: Jayden Quaintance

So what do you think about this? Would these teams make these picks? How about from the Bucks’ perspective? Personally, I’m a big fan of Lendeborg, but I’d only do that at 10 if I knew Giannis was staying. I like Mara in either situation, but I might opt for Carr, since he probably has the most star potential of anyone left on the board. If they also had 13 in that situation, I might take Lendeborg there, but Philon and Johnson appeal to me more with their upside.

If the Bucks traded down from 10, Ament and Lopez wouldn’t make much sense if they had 12 and 17, given the positional overlap and big question marks about each. I’d again go with Carr at 12 and then take Quaintance or Dailyn Swain at 17 over Lopez. Ament would be a good pick at 12 too, and then I’d probably lean more towards Swain or Allen Graves at 17. If Milwaukee had 14 and 18, Philon and Quaintance would be great.

Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we continue our series with a look at LeBron James.

Nearly eight years ago, in the summer of 2018, I was driving in my car when I got a text message that just said “LEBRON JAMES!”

Shortly after, the floodgates of additional texts and social media posts broke open and confirmed what had been hinted at as a real possibility, but never really believed, at least by me: LeBron was coming to the Lakers.

LeBron, now 41 years old, has done about everything he could have ever set out to do while with the organization he chose to come to alone on that fateful July day.

He’s won a championship, made multiple All-NBA teams, was an All-Star every season, broken countless individual records — including becoming the league’s all-time leading scorer and winningest player — and has even gotten to play with his son Bronny. He also helped shape the trajectory of the franchise beyond himself, serving as a major factor in getting the Lakers to trade for Anthony Davis after his first year with the team, which then, six years later, became a deal for the player James himself had said was one of his favorites in the entire NBA when Davis was flipped for Luka Dončić.

James has essentially played four careers — two with the Cavs, one with the Heat, and this one with the Lakers. He’s been a Hall of Famer in each of those stops, racking up accolades and statistical milestones that will likely never be matched, much less eclipsed. The phrase “nothing left to prove” is often thrown around too loosely for too many players, but there’s no athlete it ever applied to more than LeBron.

Judging James on what he continues to accomplish, then, can feel a bit strange, but also so ingrained into all of us for so long we know no other way. In many ways, then, this year was both a major success, but also a reminder of the dual realities that exist for a player who remains this good as a 23-year veteran but is no longer the version of the player that came to the Lakers eight seasons ago — even while making a max contract.

So, James is both a player who continues to impact winning, but no longer the singular driver of victories whose franchise’s every move is designed to supplement and be enhanced by him. Yet, even at this stage of his career, he still wows and amazes, just in different ways and a bit less frequently than before.

The Lakers and the league, however, are still lucky to have him. Whether that will continue to be the case remains to be seen. And in more ways than one…

How did he play?

James had both an unfathomable year for someone of his age and longevity in the league and his least productive season in his tenure with the Lakers. His counting stats — 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists — were, again, excellent when contextualized by his age and his role, but they’re also his fewest points since his rookie season and his third-lowest rebounds per game of his career.

And while his shooting percentage overall of 51.5% remains well beyond respectable, the dip in his three-point percentage down to 31.7% was a substantive and meaningful in the style of game he played and how he could be most effective for the Lakers this season.

This was also the first season of his career LeBron was not available to the team on opening night, missing the first 14 games of the year with a sciatica injury that cost him all of training camp and the preseason. When he did return, he showed signs both of rust and age, working his way back into shape and searching for his game in the midst of the Lakers rolling through the first part of their season.

That said, LeBron did ultimately find his way and, over the course of the season, flashed his trademark adaptability that only comes from being one of the best and versatile players to ever play this game. With both Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić missing time over the course of the year, LeBron oscillated between primary and secondary roles, switching between being an on- and off-ball worker whose position in the pecking order was first to be adjusted whenever one of Luka or Reaves was removed from or returned to the lineup.

This culminated with James leading the Lakers into the playoffs as the last man standing as Reaves and Dončić were sidelined with injuries. Facing off against the Rockets as a huge underdog, James set the tone and led the Lakers to an upset, proving to be the perfect mix of productive player and puppeteer, pulling the strings to dictate the flow of the game while fostering focus and game-plan discipline within the rest of the team.

In one of the more memorable stretches of the series win over the Rockets, LeBron and Bronny teamed up for a flurry of 10-straight points.

This LeBron to Bronny lob 🥹

🎥 @NBApic.twitter.com/cW8d77e22e

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) April 25, 2026

These are the sorts of moments that will live on forever, while also serving as a reminder of what LeBron was still capable of as an impact playoff performer.

What is his contract situation moving forward?

For the first time in his Lakers’ tenure, LeBron enters the summer as an unrestricted free agent whose contract naturally expired. The Lakers still have LeBron’s Bird rights and can pay him up to his max salary, but he is also free to go into the marketplace and seek out the best deal he can from any other team.

Further, it remains to be seen what the Lakers plans are for LeBron and those Bird rights they hold with him. Will they keep his cap hold on their books and try to work out a deal with him early in free agency that will allow them to still go out into the market and either sign additional free agents or try to use cap space for a trade? Will they instead go full bore into the market as a cap space team and renounce LeBron’s rights early on, with the possibility of holding back some of that space to sign LeBron after they’ve already made other moves?

Needless to say, this is uncharted waters for both LeBron and the Lakers. And while there’s nuance in both of those scenarios above, it’s not a given that LeBron will be back at all, whether by his choice or the Lakers.

Should he be back?

This is the million-dollar question that, honestly, has no straightforward or easy answer.

LeBron is still good enough to help a team compete at the highest level. He showed in the Houston series he can impact winning and that his smarts and general know-how can be especially valuable in a playoff environment.

LeBron will also turn 42 next season and relying on him to be an every-night contributor in the regular season while still having enough juice to be a high-level difference maker in the playoffs does not feel realistic. If there’s one thing we’ve seen consistently in the playoffs for years, it’s that the habits you form in the regular season help determine the team you will be in May and June.

Threading the needle with the oldest player in the league to be both a regular season habit-former and being rested enough for a deep postseason run will be a challenge. Not impossible, but not easy.

Somewhat related, LeBron remains one of the most important and critical leaders in the league for whatever team he’s on. And while he showed he’s more than capable of thriving as a third option behind Luka and Austin, the full transition to this being Luka’s franchise will never fully happen with LeBron on the roster because of the inherent weight his status brings.

This isn’t necessarily negative or bad. It’s just the realities of a roster’s natural ecosystem. The degree to which it matters to those who make the decisions, however, will play a role in whether LeBron is back.

And, then, of course, there’s the question of salary. Beyond any role LeBron would be slotted into, what he’s paid matters a great deal when it comes to team building and how to put together the best roster possible.

What is LeBron willing to play for? What are the Lakers willing to pay him? Is there a scenario where LeBron takes the minimum? What about a salary equivalent to the mid-level exception? What if he wants closer to $20 or $30 million? What plans do the Lakers have this summer and how are those impacted by the huge variance in these sorts of numbers?

Fact is, the answers to all of these questions (and many more) from both LeBron’s and the Lakers’ perspectives make it very difficult to project whether he will be back. Now, if you’re asking whether I’d want him back, I’ll be honest and say it depends.

I think it’s hard to imagine the Lakers being a better team without LeBron. That said, I also firmly believe that this summer is the Lakers’ best chance to take major steps forward in building the next great team that can compete for a title. And building that sort of roster means taking long-term considerations, which do not necessarily align with having the oldest player in the NBA as a central part of the roster build.

I ultimately believe, then, that if the Lakers could functionally create an environment that does not need LeBron to be great, but then could add him on top to help push it forward, that would be the best outcome. That, however, likely means him taking as little money as possible and surrendering even more real estate in terms of role and cachet both on the court and in the locker room. How viable that is…I don’t know.

Like I said, finding the right answer isn’t so easy.

You can follow Darius on BlueSky at @forumbluegoldand find more of his Lakers coverage on the Laker Film Room Podcast.

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if you click or buy through our links. Featured pricing is subject to change.

For the first time since the OJ chase and the last World Cup in the United States 1994, the New York Knicks are one win away from an NBA title.

On Saturday, June 13, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges will take on Victor Wembanyama’s San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Frost Bank Center.

And, while this is a potentially historic series-ending contest — New York is up 3-1 after their jaw-dropping, record-breaking, comeback 107-106 Game 4 victory at MSG — last-minute ticket prices somehow continue to drop leading up to the tip-off.

Just yesterday, the lowest price we could find on seats was $1,764 including fees on SeatGeek.

Now, a mere 24 hours later, prices start at $1,390 including fees.

In the off chance you don’t have your trusty TI-84 calculator on hand, that’s a cool $374 in savings.

Throw in that you can chop off another $10 if you use promo code NYPOST10 at checkout and you have a true steal of a deal (Editor’s Note: this discount is only valid for users’ first purchase on SeatGeek).

Not bad considering you might see the Knicks get to be in the building where the Knicks secure the Larry O’ Brien Trophy for the first time since the Nixon administration.

Should you take the plunge and travel, you won’t be the only Knicks fan at the Frost Bank Center.

The Post reported “New York is the top-billing state for Game 5…even though the game is in San Antonio, according to SeatGeek. 31% of the billing is from Knicks territory, New York and New Jersey, while just 20 percent is from the Spurs’ home state of Texas.”

Still need a bit more information before smashing that buy button?

We’ve got your back, Brunson burners, OGs, Towns residents, Hart heads and Bridges and Tunnellers.

Our team has everything you need to know and more about grabbing tickets for Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at the Frost Bank Center below.

What do tickets cost for Spurs NBA Finals games in San Antonio?

All Spurs playoff home game dates at the Frost Bank Center and the cheapest tickets available are listed here:

San Antonio Spurs home game dates	Ticket prices start at
Game 5 Saturday, June 13 7:30 p.m.	$1,390(including fees)
Game 7 Friday, June 197:30 p.m. (if necessary)	$4,166(including fees)

What do tickets cost for Knicks NBA Finals games at MSG?

The only hypotherical remaining Knicks NBA Finals home game date and the best price on tickets can be found below.

New York Knicks NBA Finals home game dates	Ticket prices start at
Game 6 Tuesday, June 16 (if necessary)	$11,373(including fees)

How can I watch the Knicks and Spurs in the NBA Finals on TV?

Fans hoping to catch Mike Brown’s ballers on the tube can watch all NBA Finals games on ABC and ESPN.

Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.

If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.

Huge concerts at MSG in 2026

Sticking around NYC and want to catch a show or three once the season ends?

MSG has you covered.

The legendary venue has booked a number of exciting acts to entertain audiences all summer long.

Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.

• Bon Jovi (July 7-9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26)

• Earth, Wind, and Fire with Lionel Richie (July 11)

• Phish (July 22, 24, 25, 27, 29)

• RUSH (July 28, 30, Aug. 1, 3)

• J. Cole (Aug. 2, 4)

Want to see who else is Big Apple-bound? Check out this list of all the upcoming events at Madison Square Garden to find the show for you.

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Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

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Here is my latest conversation with J.R. Wilco of Pounding the Rock. Through the Finasl, J.R. Wilco and I have spent a lot of time discussing basketball, but also writing, family, perspective, and the emotional bargain we make when we invest ourselves in sports. The chat flowed easily while our teams traded punches and neither side faced elimination. Now the stakes are different: one fanbase is preparing for a parade, the other is preparing for a postmortem. With that in mind, we return to our regularly scheduled fraternization.

Here are links if you missed part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4.

J.R. 

My friend, I think I can call you my friend. We’ve spoken on the phone. We’ve exchanged self deprecating remarks. We’ve laughed at each other‘s expense. Yeah, although our friendship isn’t as long as others I have, I think it’s safe to call you my friend. I just hope I can keep you as a friend.

I’m not changing the stakes of this. I hope I’m not changing anything at all. But I am going to admit one of the basic assumptions of our friendship, and more largely an assumption that under lies every Fraternizing with the Enemy post and series I’ve ever done: this can’t end well for both of us.

I’ve gone on record to say that the Game 4 loss will be good for the team in the long run. It might even be great. I’d rather that they lose playing stupid & learn to play smart over time, than to develop the long-term bad habits that come from expecting your talent to bail you out. Rule number one for

sports with a clock: when you’re up big, the clock is your primary enemy, not the opponent. Under those circumstances, slow it down, work the ball inside, get 2s & FTs. Win. When you’re in the bonus, all of that goes double. 

I mean, the team kept on shooting threes early in the clock. Sometimes they even avoided driving an open lane just because a three-pointer was open. As I was saying over and over to the point that I’m sure my parents (who I watched the game with as my family is still in Colorado) were tired of hearing me say “slow it down and work the ball inside,” and the team steadfastly refused to do that.

If no one on the team knows this or can get it across to the rest of the team, then suffering the embarrassment of giving up the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history would be worth it, as long as everyone learns from it. I hated the outcome of this game, and hopefully the team hates it enough to extract every bit of improvement they can from it. 

All that said, I need to quote a friend of mine who is fond of saying, “The Spurs have yet to lose a lost game this postseason in which they haven’t shot themselves in the foot.” I believe that the above is true, and I also think that since this amazingly talented, phenomenally confident, outrageously resilient team has spent all season doing things that no team has ever done before while setting all kinds of records, they could still come back from trailing 3-1. That’s as ridiculous as it is scary, but I think it’s completely true.

And that is why I started this section the way that I did … because if that happens, I had to make sure that we’re both prepared for it so that we can remain friends.

And now it’s time for me to talk about how amazingly awesome that game was. I have no attachment to the city of New York or its residents, but when the comeback was happening, I had the strangest thing happen to me. I found that I was actually happy for the people celebrating at the potential demise of my team. Not the celebs or anything outrageous like that, but the wide shots of the arena all cheering and celebrating at the unhinged and bizarre event that was unfolding in front of them and in which they were participating — I felt good for them. 

It was so surreal to have that level of empathy in a moment like that. I’m not saying I had an out of body experience and I’m definitely not going to claim enlightenment. It wasn’t anything that felt particularly spiritual or benevolent or unnerving. I just was able to be happy for people being happy that I didn’t and don’t care about at all. It was so strange and yet I definitely recommend it. It’s the kind of thing that takes the edge off losing, for sure.

R.R.

Of the many surprises this postseason, two were the biggest. One was to discover that the Knicks are the team of destiny, chosen by the universe to finally win a championship, hallelujah, amen. The other was to strike up such a rich and enjoyable friendship with an SBNation colleague who, until these Finals, I knew by name only. Thank you again for initiating this incredibly rewarding collaboration. I expect our friendship will extend far past the Knicks’ victory in Game Five.

And if the improbable occurs and your Spurs win three straight, our friendship will stand—but given that I will surely be comatose, you might find it unfulfilling and one-sided.

Now for the game. Whattagame. There have been numerous times this postseason when I have stumbled to bed, disbelieving what I’d seen and convinced that this—THIS—was the greatest game ever played. But then the Knicks do it again.

It had an inauspicious start. Mike Brown’s gameplan for tonight was going to feature Karl Anthony Towns. Mitch Johnson knew it, which is why Fox went right at him on the opening possession. The refs called a questionable brush-by foul, which clearly benefited your side. Then on the other end, they overturned a Wembanyama foul that could go either way because of mutual hooking. It went against Towns, which seemed wrapped in an NBA bow. The card attached read, “Let’s see what New York does with KAT’s hands tied behind his back and his big butt on the bench. Bwa-ha-ha! Love, Adam”

Meanwhile, someone Manchurian Candidate-d the Knicks in the first half. There were reports of a shadowy figure in a trenchcoat who blew a whistle on the concourse. After that, the whole team turned into zombies.

So the Knicks were not playing with their usual physicality because they expected a whistle. Making matters worse (or better, depending on your rooting interest) was San Antonio’s historic first-half shooting.

With the fouls piling up, Mike Brown had to go deep into his bench. How excited were you to see yer old pal Jeremy Sochan take the floor? Having watched a little of Sochan’s game, I suspect you were salivating.

On the subject of benches: yours scored 28 points. Brown employed seven reserves and they contributed 12 points. Worse (or better, depending on your rooting interest), Hart and Bridges combined for 13 points on 13 shots in 61 minutes. That means the Knicks offense basically was composed of Brunson, Anunoby, and a smattering of Towns. And still…an epic turnaround…how??

Everyone knows that the only way to break a Manchurian Candidate trance is to evoke the powers of the Wu-Tang Clan. Lucky for us, they were booked as the halftime entertainment! Thus explains the historic comeback that undid the historic first-half shooting. All credit belongs with the Wu.

Btw, to hold the Spurs to 14 points in the third quarter was impressive. To then limit them to 16 in the fourth? Astounding.

Someone in your Game Thread (I was lurking!) wrote, “Brunson is going to win the MVP, but OG has been the Knicks’ best player.” That is one hundred percent accurate. OG has been the most consistent player all postseason, full stop. His defense tonight was incredible, and his block on Fox not only kept two critical points off the board, it set up the final possession—where he scored the two winning points. I’ve had an Anunoby jersey in the shopping cart all season long. It’s time for me to checkout.

The Knicks executed their last scoring play to perfection. OG inbounded the ball and took off running—it helped that no one guarded him, so he had an unencumbered runway. Meanwhile, Brunson knew that OG was coming in case of a miss and the timing was critical. Shoot too early and OG would not arrive in time; wait too long, and there might be nothing left on the clock for the tip-in. Oh, and he had to release high enough to clear Wemby’s reach. I’d estimate the likelihood of that play working successfully at 10%, or 1-in-10 times. Which was still more probable than a 29-point turnaround!

My wife, newly interested in the sport, said, “This must be so painful for the creepy bald man.” (She meant Thibs.) She’s right, I’ll bet Tom took this one hard. He was supposed to be on the sideline in the Finals, not that smiley Mike Brown. Grumbling to himself, Tom stops the recording on the VCR and rewinds it. He will re-watch from the beginning with a fresh notebook, keeping track of all Mitch Johnson’s mistakes.

There were a number of gaffes for Thibs to tally. You mentioned a few of them (quick trigger, forsaking the easy buckets, etc.). The Spurs were so far ahead, they could have just committed shot-clock violations throughout the second half to kill time and still would have secured the win. Where do you place the most blame for this collapse? Mitch? Or the players who kept chucking? 

J.R.

When it’s time for a post event analysis on a simple disaster (you know, like the Titanic or the Hindenburg), you might be able to place a percentage of blame with a number of the participants in place. But when you’re talking about something like a 29 point lead that evaporates in a game as big as finals Game 4, there’s no such thing as more or less blame. Everyone gets all of it. Which is nice, cause they can share. And as everyone knows, sharing is caring.

The thing is, there was something like 17 different individual, group, and systemic failures that happened in order for the Spurs to blow that lead, and if any of those failures doesn’t happen then the Spurs win. Parceling out blame when there are so many key moments that were butter-fingered is a Sisyphisean task. There’s no end to it.

If everyone gets the blame, then everyone improves 1%, and then hopefully it never happens again. For me there is enough even if the team doesn’t come back to win it all this year. For others, I know that talk rubs them the wrong way.

Some people hear this kind of talk and equate it with a lack of caring, and here’s my response to that. I don’t get to choose whether San Antonio wins or loses, I only get to decide how I’m going to respond to it. 

That choice is mine and I choose to believe that the Spurs can (like Wemby said he would after G2) take this on the chin, dust themselves off, and learn from it to go on to greatness. I’m not saying that they must lose this series in order to learn how to play with a modicum of humility and a dose of BBIQ, because teams have come back from 3-1 and this Spurs team could make the necessary changes and take it this year. I’m saying that IF they don’t I will see it as a good thing for them even if there’s no guarantee that they ever make it back. 

My point is that my choosing to think that there can be a positive to their losing doesn’t mean I’ll assume that they will make it back, nor does it mean that I WANT them to lose. It simply means that I’m continuing to believe in this core truth: one of the best human traits is to find the good amidst the bad and use a negative event as fuel to power eventual triumph. That’s the story I want to tell myself and others, and I refuse to abandon myself again to wallowing in the pain of loss instead of lifting my head up and expecting better things going forward. I’ve lived the other way and I won’t do it any more. It was miserable. 

Being down 3-1 isn’t insurmountable, but if it turns out to be too much for this team this year, then I choose to view it as an opportunity and not a hopeless thing. Because this team isn’t behind in this series because they’re not good enough to win. They’re down after four games and on the brink of elimination because they haven’t valued every possession; because they weren’t willing to avoid the easy three and drive; because they haven’t harnessed their immense talent and worked the problem in front of them step by step before celebrating and taunting and reveling in their opponent’s certain defeat; because they’ve yet to learn that some teams don’t have any give-up in them and will come back to beat you if given the chance. 

R.R.

We see it similarly: everyone shares responsibility for the loss. Recency bias tends to cast the last mistakes in the worst light, and Fox has caught flak for not running out the clock. But Wemby missed 16 shots and three free throws. Champagnie shot only three times in the second half, and Castle shot once. Vassell was a team-worst -28 plus-minus after intermission. The team committed two turnovers before halftime and nine after. Mitch Johnson mismanaged the game and could have done more to slow the opponent’s momentum.

The Fox layup attempt will live forever because of the timing, but it capped a disastrous stretch of execution. The play distilled San Antonio’s biggest problem in this series, which is trying to win spectacularly when simple game management would have been enough. Sometimes boring is best, boys. (I hope that’s true; it’s one of my defining characteristics.)

Where we differ is that I (unashamedly biased) give more credit to New York. At halftime, Brown didn’t show them any video clips, but chose to let the players discuss the situation among themselves. They decided to try for singles rather than home runs, and Alvarado was a cheerleader, encouraging them to build momentum that could carry over to Game Five.

While the Knicks bunted to get on base, San Antonio scored just 14 points in the third quarter, settled for jumpers, stopped getting into the paint, and never adjusted when OG Anunoby took on the Fox assignment.

Brunson led the comeback, finishing with 36 points and seven assists. He and Anunoby repeatedly delivered big baskets as the Knicks erased a 15-point deficit in the final period. Mike Brown deserves credit, too, for leaning on Alvarado and switching Anunoby onto Fox.

Alvarado was quietly huge. The Knicks needed a second ball handler to take pressure off Brunson, and Deuce McBride has been a dud in the playoffs. Alvarado filled that need, made a couple of big shots, and brought relentless defensive intensity, using all five of his fouls. They wouldn’t have come back without him.

This has become the Knicks’ identity. It was their second massive comeback of the postseason after rallying from 22 down against Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals. They have repeatedly taken on a putrid stench of death and somehow risen like Lazarus.

As for the recurring theme of San Antonio building big leads and failing to protect them—with maturity, they will learn to stop doing that.

Take it from a long-suffering Knicks fan: the productive response is collective accountability and improvement. If everyone learns from the failure, the loss can have value regardless of the season’s outcome. It’s 100% true: fans cannot control wins and losses; they can only control how they interpret and respond to them. Finding meaning and growth in defeat is more healing than picking at a scab.

It’s time for my prediction, I suppose. Given that the Knicks already won twice at Frost Bank Center and have the wind at their back from Wednesday’s win, it’s a wrap. The basketball fan in me would love a competitive game, and maybe even a sixth contest before the season concludes. As a Knicks fan, my heart can’t handle any more stress. Saturday night, the Knicks win, they end the 53-year drought, and I still get to jam with Wilco on Tuesday. What say you?

to be continued …

For the next month before the 2026 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at No. 22. Next up in this series is Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz.

If you watched any college basketball the last couple years, you probably know the name Bennett Stirtz. Iowa coach Ben McCollum is one of the rising names in college coaching and Stirtz played for McCollum at each of his previous two jobs before Iowa. It started at a Division II school, Northwest Missouri State. Stirtz was then the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year in his lone season at Drake in 2024-25 and a First-Team All-Big 10 selection with the Hawkeyes. So with just one season of high-major Division I basketball under his belt, what makes Stirtz a first-round pick?

Profile

2025-26 Stats: 37 games, 37.7 minutes, 19.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.2 blocks, 47.7% FG, 35.8% 3P, 84.8% FT

Team: Iowa Hawkeyes

Year: Senior

Position: PG

Height & Weight: 6’4” | 190 lbs

Born: October 3, 2003 (23 years old at start of 2026-27 season)

Hometown: Liberty, Missouri

Strengths

The most obvious strength that stood out for Stirtz in a positive way in college was his outside shot. He doesn’t need much time to let it fly from beyond the arc, he’s got deep range and his form looks pretty smooth. For a player projected to go in the back half of the first round, you would expect Stirtz to at least begin his NBA career off the bench and his shooting ability gives him a nice floor as a rookie that can play anywhere from 10-to-20 minutes per night and knock down some shots.

However, Stirtz is more than just a spot-up shooter. He’s pretty effective in the pick-and-roll offensively both as a scorer getting to the basket and as a playmaker finding his teammates in the paint. It’s this combination of skills from the outside in that could make him a pretty effective offensive player at the next level. If he were to receive a lot of ball screens far away from the basket, defenses would have to respect the fact that he’s a more than capable outside shooter and honor his ability to make deep threes. But paying too much respect to his shot could allow Stirtz some room to maneuver past defenders on the perimeter and get inside where he’d be both an effective finisher and passer. He also shot free throws very well in the Big 10 last season. In general, he’s a very good decision maker which again makes him a threat in the pick-and-roll game.

Weaknesses

Despite his high basketball IQ and shooting ability, Stirtz is not an elite athlete. Inherently, this could lower his offensive ceiling in the NBA as he may not be able to get to the right spots in halfcourt sets if he’s being guarded by someone that’s quicker and more athletic. McCollum’s teams were known for their slow pace too and so don’t expect Stirtz to thrive in transition either. Plus, at just 190 pounds, scoring in the paint could certainly be more complicated for the soon-to-be 23-year-old guard. His ability to create off the dribble against better athletes might make or break his NBA career.

Naturally, when you’re not a great athlete, there are going to be concerns about your defensive upside. It’s one thing to be able to get by offensively with a good feel for the game and smart timing instincts. But those things are harder to rely on when you’re guarding someone that’s probably just faster than you or would more easily be able to take you to the basket and finish above you and get more vertical. This is also where Stirtz’s age might hurt him in the draft as there are going to be concerns about if there’s anything left as far as physical development for someone that turns 23 before the season starts.

Positional Fit

It’s hard to argue for Stirtz anywhere other than point guard in the NBA. If he was a better athlete or an inch or two taller, perhaps there would an argument for him as an effective combo guard. But his skillset is best utilized as a point guard who is playing mostly on the ball offensively. Granted, his shooting is good enough to potentially use him in some smaller lineups as a shooting guard. But in those lineups, don’t expect Stirtz to do much offensively other than catch and shoot. The best fit for Stirtz is a team that needs both shooting and playmaking offensively, and has a couple of good athletic wing defenders to play with Stirtz on the other end of the floor.

Draft Projection

SB Nation Mock Draft: No. 19, Toronto Raptors

In this mock, Stirtz lands in the Atlantic Division, but plays north of the border with the Toronto Raptors who select him at 19^th overall. It looks like his projection is right around Philly’s 22^nd overall pick in the first round. If you’re not interested in re-signing Quentin Grimes, then suddenly Stirtz becomes an intriguing option for the Sixers. Wouldn’t that be something after one of the reasons for trading Jared McCain was that Philly had too many guards?

As a backup to Tyrese Maxey, Stirtz could make some sense for the Sixers. He could spell Maxey ,who always plays a ton of minutes, and give Philly some much-needed scoring punch off the bench. But if you’re looking for someone like Maxey who was drafted outside of the lottery, started on the bench, and became an impact starter later in his rookie contract, Stirtz might not be your guy. There’s simply no world in which lineups of Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Stirtz would ever make sense.

Consider Stirtz more of a floor option than a ceiling option for the Sixers in this month’s first round. He could come in and be a useful seventh or eighth man in a playoff rotation come next spring and there’s no denying Philly needs those kinds of players. But if you’re looking for someone that has a mix of a high enough floor to play early and upside to grow into a much bigger role with the team, you should probably look elsewhere.

Taylor Swift’s Knicks fandom was a topic of conversation at the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony Thursday night in New York.

While on the red carpet, Evan Lamberg, President of Universal Music Publishing, was heard thanking Swift for her loud support of the Knicks the night before — when the superstar and singing sisters, Este and Alana Haim, were unofficial Knicks cheerleaders on Celebrity Row during Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

“Thank you for our Knicks good luck, think you won the game for them,” Lamberg said after the Knicks pulled off the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history in a 107-106 win over the Spurs.

| President of Universal Music Publishing, Evan Lamberg, thanking Taylor for supporting the Knicks last night

"Thank you for our Knicks good luck, think you won the game for them"

"Oh my gosh, you know what I did what I can, just gotta keep the energy up. Never a doubt!" pic.twitter.com/UCGZN4lyIu

— Taylor Swift Updates (@swifferupdates) June 11, 2026

“Oh my gosh, you know what I did what I can, just gotta keep the energy up. Never a doubt!” Swift said with sarcasm before she let out a big laugh.

Swift made history as the youngest-ever woman to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame at age 36 during the ceremony, which took place at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Her fiancé, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, was there, as well as their respective mothers, Andrea Swift and Donna Kelce.

The night before, Swift was just a few blocks down at Madison Square Garden cheering for the Knicks and wearing matching blue and orange t-shirts with “Law & Order: SVU” actress Mariska Hargitay.

Swift’s fandom has been a hot button topic after she and the Haim sisters nearly stole the spotlight on Celebrity Row.

The 14-time Grammy winner was heard telling someone that she was going to bring the energy in a video taken of her and the Haim sisters walking into MSG.

Swift and Kelce reportedly paid an estimated $3 million to rent out the world’s most famous arena for their July 3 wedding.

The Knicks could close out the series in Game 5 in San Antonio on Saturday to win their first championship in 53 years.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Mavericks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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