Category: NBA

We’re at the point of the NBA offseason where the discourse has turned to ring chasing.

Now that LeBron James, set to enter his record 24th NBA season, has joined Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, a segment of fans have derided James for chasing another title.

One of the game’s all-time greats, Shaquille O’Neal, pushed back on that.

“The man is not chasing a ring; he has already gotten rings the right way,” O’Neal told For the Win’s Prince Grimes in an interview. “Towards the end of your career, if you can join up and help somebody else get a ring and continue to get rings – I call it ring continuancy, not ring chasing.”

Although James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game last season with the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s no longer the dominant force that he was earlier in his career. James will turn 42 in late December, but, despite that, he continues to be a valuable complementary player, and one who gives the 76ers another play-making creator.

“Ring chasing would be ‘I don’t have a ring, I’ve been doing it my whole (career), now I’m going to get on a superteam to win a ring,’ ” O’Neal continued.

“Nah, somebody did ring chasing during the middle of their career, I’m not going to say no names, and it got them a couple of rings. Hey, LeBron played the right way. He put the team together in Miami. A lot of people don’t like that, but it worked. Went back to Cleveland and got one. Got one in L.A.”

Despite the contempt associated with the ring chasing term, the reality is that every single NBA player wants to win a championship. These are hyper-competitive athletes and winning a title is the culmination of their physical, mental and emotional investments.

Every player, by definition, is chasing championships.

O’Neal played 19 seasons and won four NBA titles, winning three NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards. Despite that previous success, O’Neal signed with the Celtics ahead of the 2010-11 season, joining a team that already featured Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.

“I actually did it,” O’Neal admitted. “When I went to play at Boston, I was like, ‘Hey, Kobe (Bryant) got five (championships), let me try to get five.’ I wasn’t going out there to be the man, I was just going to do my part to help them get a ring and get me number five, because when it was over, I would’ve loved to say I have five instead of four.”

Yet, with his stature in the league, most everything James does gets dissected. This decision to sign with the Sixers is no different.

Philadelphia was unceremoniously swept in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the eventual-champion New York Knicks, who snapped a 53-year title drought. NBA championships are hard to come by. And just because James joined a stacked team doesn’t guarantee anything.

“People don’t understand: when this thing is over for him, it’s going to be over,” O’Neal said. “There will never be another LeBron again.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is LeBron James chasing a ring? An all-time NBA great pushes back

In theory, winning the 2026 NBA championship should have lifted all possible pressure off this Knicks team. The daunting expectations have been replaced with incredible achievement, and no member of that roster will have to worry about employment prospects or paying for a drink in New York ever again. 

But life moves on, and unfortunately the hope of maintaining this championship roster can be outgunned by the realities of the NBA’s salary cap restraints. The Knicks faced this firsthand as they watched Mitchell Robinson leave for the Boston Celtics.

They’ll now have to negotiate some team-friendly extensions, primarily for Karl-Anthony Towns, but also Miles McBride, the two-way backup guard who has competed on one of the best bang-for-your-buck deals in the league these past few seasons. He became extension-eligible last December, and has until the end of this upcoming season on June 30, 2027 to ink a new deal before hitting unrestricted free agency. 

So despite the victory lap this team intends to go on, the stakes are higher than ever for McBride. He secured an NBA career with his previous three-year, $13 million extension, but now he’ll be looking to secure his future as an already-established player in a contract year. 

When McBride first joined the Knicks, he was a defensive specialist who saw little playing time under head coach Tom Thibodeau. Every time he saw an NBA court, his impressive shooting from college, the G-League, and the practice gym wouldn’t translate. 

That all changed when New York traded for OG Anunoby, crippling their guard depth in the process and pushing McBride into a more consistent reserve role. Suddenly, he was able to find some rhythm playing real minutes and getting open looks from his star teammates. 

LeonRose got McBride's extension as soon as the trade hit, making a small bet on his ability to step up and cashing out huge. McBride finished the season averaging 8.3 points in 19.5 minutes per game and shooting 41 percent from three, while still bringing that hounding defensive presence.

His next two seasons continued the trend up as his minutes and counting stats climbed. Last season was a career-high 12 points per game, with him attempting 6.6 threes per contest at a 41.3 percent clip. 

McBride quickly boasted the most team-friendly contract in the league -- a legitimate bench contributor and fill-in starter at the price of a late first-rounder. There were still some question marks, though.

His rim pressure is a non-threat to defenses, largely because he doesn’t have a strong enough handle to create any. He isn’t on the tail end of his career at the age of 25, but many hoped for more of a developmental jump these past few seasons that never came.

McBride’s a staunch on-ball defender of guards and can even switch on wings, but doesn’t force a great deal of turnovers or make a huge impact on help defense. This caps his ability short of being a playoff starter for a team.

Speaking of the postseason, though reliable, these flaws definitely stuck out, especially late in the 2026 run when he McBride made limited contributions. Despite this, should he enter 2027 free agency, McBride would have a number of suitors, likely at prices that the Knicks wouldn’t be able to match.

On the flip side, the Knicks are developing his replacements. Tyler Kolek is no high-level defender, but he’s proven himself a capable guard in big moments.

New York also traded for and re-signed Jose Alvarado, and drafted two interesting pieces in Tyler Nickel and Jack Kayil. Landry Shamet is returning, giving New York a host of guards who could eventually supplant McBride, lending them leverage in negotiations.

Getting this settled before the season at a price the Knicks could bear while maintaining this roster looks like a pipe dream at this point. This makes 2026-27 a major prove-it year for McBride, who New York could weigh trading over losing outright.

The thrill of the championship may last decades, but the realities of trying to win another one won’t allow the team that luxury. The Knicks have some big decisions to make, and McBride has a massive season ahead of him if he wants to earn his worth.

Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2025-26 player reviews! The series will look at the players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts and who played consequential minutes and/or a vital role (so no two-way players because we hardly saw them this year, no players who were traded away, and none of the deep bench centers, since they were both irrelevant and are now all gone).

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Keldon Johnson

2025-26 stats: 82 games, 23 MPG, 13.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 51.9 FG%, 36.3 3P%

Contract status: 1 year, $17.5 million remaining

Age: 26

If I really wanted to, I could probably copy-paste Keldon Johnson’s 2024-25 Player Review almost verbatim here, with only a few positive tweaks, and no one would be the wiser. Of course, I respect my fellow Pounders too much to do that, but it would not be that far off. Not only did KJ repeat last season by doing everything that was asked of him off the bench, but he actually improved on his few areas of weakness on his way to winning Sixth Man of the Year, beating out Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tim Hardaway Jr. while becoming just the second Spur to win the award, along with Manu Ginobili.

He surpassed his own Spurs record from last year for points off the bench with 1,081 points in the regular season, in large part thanks to being an iron man by appearing in all 82 games, as well an improved three-point shot. Not counting his rookie season — in which he only appeared in 17 games and broke out in the bubble — this was his second-best season from beyond the arc, where he hit 36.6%, up from 31.8% last season on a similar number of attempts. His overall FG% of 51.9 was a career-best (again, outside his rookie season), as was his finishing from 3-10 ft out at 53.6%, showing an improved ability to adjust when he couldn’t quite get all the way to the rim.

And of course, there’s his leadership. Beyond being the longest-tenured player on the team and the heart and soul of the locker room with his contagious energy and sense of humor, he was also their emotional leader on the court. Finally, one of the biggest needs for the Spurs coming into this season if they wanted to take another leap was get better in the non-Wemby minutes. Of course, it’s impossible to expect the bench to maintain the same level, but simply not falling off a cliff when he rested was all that was needed, and the second unit did more than enough of that under Keldon’s guidance — although here comes the caveat again: in the regular season.

Like Luke Kornet and every other bench player not named Dylan Harper, Johnson’s production plummeted in the playoffs. He went from a net positive in the regular season to a negative one, with his numbers dipping to 7.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting just over 40% from the floor in 18 minutes per game. About the only thing he did well enough was maintain 36% shooting from three, but on fewer attempts. He had some stretches where he came up huge, like that all-important Game 7 in OKC, where he scored 8 of his 11 points in the first four minutes of the 4th quarter as the Spurs built a cushion that would be vital for holding on down the stretch, but the Finals were especially rough, where he only averaged 4.4 points per game.

Obviously, it’s not fair to blame losing the championship entirely on one player — if we’re being brutally honest, it was the stars who bungled the final minutes, which is where the games were lost — but Johnson is among those whose image suffered a bit from the sour ending. However, we still have to pull back and remember the bigger picture of the entire season, which was a massive success and far exceeded expectations. They don’t get the second seed and make the Finals without depth and leadership, and the Sixth Man of the Year brought both in spades.

Looking ahead

It’s probably safe to say that Keldon is officially in his prime and therefore is who he is as a player at this point: a hardnosed bulldog who uses his strength to force is way to the basket and get rebounds. He added (recovered?) a level to his game by being enough of a threat from three that defenses had to respect his shot, which in turn opened driving lanes, but he could still be more consistent in that area.

Now comes the hard part that I don’t even want to discuss because I always have that favorite role player who epitomizes everything the Spurs are about. Before, it was Derrick White, and since it has been KJ. That being said, despite being a Keldon Stan, I can see the big picture. He has one year left on his contract, and while he’s already on a good deal, his next one may have to be even more team-friendly if he wants to remain a Spur after next season — if he isn’t used as a trade chip first.

My guess would be based on the offseason, the Spurs want to run back the same team next season and go for the championship again, so barring something going awry or a need for change, I don’t see a big trade during the season. But next summer might be a different story. I want Keldon to be a Spur for life, and I’m sure he does too, but he may need to take a discount to make it happen. That’s the new reality with the current CBA and ever-shrinking “middle class” of the NBA, especially for contenders who have to pay their stars then fill out with cheaper contracts. That moment of reckoning is coming for the Spurs.

In the meantime, the best thing Keldon can do is keep being himself, continue to show his importance to the club, and a make his goal for next season to be a bigger factor in the playoffs. After that, the chips will fall where they may.

Top performance

January 7 vs. Los Angeles Lakers: 27 points, 6 rebounds, 11-13 FG, 2-3 from three

I chose to go with KJ’s best regular season performance instead of playoffs to help show why he won Sixth Man of the Year, which was determined before the postseason. It was actually hard to pick one since he had several big performances off the bench (of course), but we’ll also give a shoutout to his best playoff performance, which was Game 5 vs. the Timberwolves, where he had 21 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals as part of a full team blowout.

Final Score: B+

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Up next: Harrison Barnes

Previous Reviews

Jordan McLaughlin

Carter Bryant

Luke Kornet

Dylan Harper

It’s been a busy summer for Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey. From arriving in Philly just a few months ago, to trading for Jaylen Brown and then LeBron James, he’s had a whirlwind start in the City of Brotherly Love.

It continued this week with Gansey making the rounds with the other local sports teams, stopping by an Eagles practice earlier in the week and throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Phillies game on Tuesday evening, after which he stopped by the broadcast booth with Tom McCarthy and John Kruk.

The topics were what you would imagine, as the broadcasters picked Gansey’s brain on the major headlines of the offseason. (And yes, they were sure to poke fun at him for jinxing Jesus Luzardo’s no-hitter the last time he appeared on the broadcast.)

Gansey fielded questions on luring LeBron to Philly, the impact of the Brown trade and more, providing some insight into what really went down this summer behind the scenes.

Check out some of his answers below!

Gansey on the entire organization being involved in trying to convince LeBron to choose Philly

Mike Gansey on Phillies broadcast on luring LeBron James to Philly

"The Jaylen Brown trade, if that doesn't happen I don't think we get that.

Our players did a great job. Tyrese, Joel, Nick [Nurse], our ownership, everyone tried to talk to him and sell him on Philly." pic.twitter.com/KUdb3mCIHj

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) August 4, 2026

“It was a month-long process, almost. I think obviously, being able to get him… the Jaylen Brown trade, if that doesn’t happen I don’t think we get that. We’re excited. I always thought we’d be in the mix there just because we had a team that could really contend with him, and obviously his relationship with some of our players. Our players did a great job. Tyrese, Joel, Nick [Nurse], our ownership—everyone tried to talk to him and sell him on Philly and obviously he picked us and we’re super excited.”

Gansey on the Jaylen Brown trade being what opened the door to seriously going after LeBron

Mike Gansey talking about how getting Jaylen Brown opened the door for LeBron

"I called Rich [Paul] right away and said 'hey, we got Jaylen, is there a chance LeBron wants to come to us?' 'This changes some things'.

We don't get LeBron without Jaylen." pic.twitter.com/dBZMbMprvE

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) August 4, 2026

“[After the Jaylen Brown trade] I called Rich [Paul] right away and said ‘hey, we got Jaylen, is there a chance Lebron wants to come to us?’ and obviously they said, you know, ‘yeah, this changes some things’. So they talked about it and then the whole process of three weeks or whatever it was, they were doing all their due diligence with LeBron, talking to all our players, other teams, their representation. It was a long process but yeah, we don’t get LeBron without Jaylen, that’s for sure.”

Gansey on what Jaylen Brown brings to the table

Mike Gansey on Phillies broadcast talking Jaylen Brown

"He's just a winner. He's a two-way player. He brings toughness, he can go get a bucket, he's been in big games, he's been the Finals MVP.

[The Celtics] had a surprise year and he carried them. He can carry a team or fit… pic.twitter.com/sneHAxJIIH

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) August 4, 2026

“[Brown] is just a winner. He’s got the most wins int he NBA since he came in the league, playoffs and regular season. He’s a two-way player. He brings toughness, he can go get a bucket, he’s been in big games, he’s been the Finals MVP. He can play a lot of different roles.

“And look what he did this year in Boston. Jayson Tatum was out most of the year and they had a surprise year, and he carried them. So he can carry a team or he can fit in. That’s where it’s interesting with our team with the group we’ve built now that any given night anyone can step up and be the guy.”

“He’s intense, he’s focused, he just wants to win. Talking to him a bunch since we acquired him, that’s his main focus, ‘I want to win.’ He wants to get another championship and that’s all really his focus, which is exciting.”

Gansey on LeBron James

Mike Gansey on Phillies broadcast talking LeBron James

"I don't think Philly knows what they're getting, because he's special. Our games are going to be — every game he plays in it's just like a different atmosphere that you can't replicate." pic.twitter.com/m6otLT27wL

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) August 4, 2026

“Having the chance to work with him in Cleveland those four years, went to four Finals, won a championship for the city of Cleveland—just being around him everyday, he’s incredible. All his stuff on the court is impressive but it’s more impressive off the court, the stuff he’s done in the community and just the family man he is.

“I don’t think Philly knows what they’re getting, because he’s special. Our games are going to be—every game he plays in it’s just like a different atmosphere that you can’t replicate.”

Gansey on what ultimately pulled LeBron to Philadelphia

Mike Gansey talks what pulled LeBron to Philly

"I think the reason why he came is Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe. Our ownership's incredible. Nick Nurse.

Then obviously the fanbase. The fans are hungry here. They're passionate. They love their sports." pic.twitter.com/s2ffBAwAej

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) August 4, 2026

“Maybe there’s some comfort level because we’ve worked together … but I think the reason why he came is Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe. Our ownership’s incredible. Bob Myers. Nick Nurse. So I think just top to bottom the alignment in our organization probably sold it.

“And then obviously the fanbase. The fans are hungry here. They’re passionate. Just being here two months—they love their sports.”

For most of last month, being a Timberwolves fan meant refreshing your browser and waiting for a grown man in Los Angeles to decide whether Minneapolis was worth his last two winters. We talked ourselves, out loud and in public, into the idea that a four-time MVP was going to pick the coldest market in the league for his farewell tour because the roster fit was kind of perfect.

Then LeBron signed with Philadelphia, and that was that.

So here’s what August looks like for Minnesota. No introductory press conference. No jersey number announcement. Instead, the thing that actually moved the needle this week was a clip out of the practice facility: Anthony Edwards on one end, LaMelo Ball on the other, and Olivia Miles getting shots up on the court next door.

the future is bright in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/VHdfClO1YY

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) August 4, 2026

I know how that reads. July workout footage is the screensaver of the sports calendar. It fills the screen when nothing is actually running. Every team in the league posts the same video of the same guy draining the same catch-and-shoot threes over the same assistant coach’s outstretched hand, and it means precisely nothing in November.

Fine. All true. Now look at the clip again anyway.

Here is the entire history of this franchise, compressed: the talent gets grown here and cashes out somewhere warmer. The issue was never that nobody good played here. The wound is that the good ones treated Minnesota as a place you pass through on your way to becoming who you were going to be. The building emptied out every summer for as long as anyone around here can remember.

So when a guard the Wolves surrendered an unprotected 2033 first and three pick swaps to acquire spends the dead middle of his offseason getting shots up in Minneapolis, at a time of year when nobody is required to be anywhere, that does not land as filler to me. He could have spent July anywhere on the planet.

They didn’t have to talk him into the room. He was already in the room.

Strip the sentiment out and the basketball case stands on its own. For the past two seasons, every conversation about this team dead-ended at the same complaint: Anthony Edwards needed help. Not because the coaching failed him, but because the roster left him no choice. With Mike Conley aging into a smaller role, Minnesota never found a second guard who could reliably run the offense. The results was that the whole operation funneled through Ant. By January of last season he was getting double-teamed on nearly 20 percent of his possessions, one of the highest rates in the league, and he still put up 28.8 a night and dragged a 49-33 team into the Western Conference Semifinals before San Antonio ended it in six.

That’s the ceiling of one man doing two jobs. LaMelo is the second job walking through the door. A 25-year-old lead guard who bends a defense before Edwards ever touches the ball is the difference between Ant hunting and Ant getting hunted. The upside is a top-tier backcourt in the sport and a shot at the first Finals trip in franchise history. The downside is real too, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise. LaMelo’s injury history is the whole reason this was a gamble, and the roster is still one legitimate forward short of making defensive sense. Nothing about a July gym changes the odds on it.

But it does tell you the bet is bought in.

And then there’s the third figure in the frame. Olivia Miles, on the next court over, doing the same thing everyone else in the building was doing. The picture, taken plainly, is a Minneapolis practice facility in July with high-level basketball players in it, on purpose, at a time of year when this building used to be where people had packed up their lockers.

Yes, this is just a video. It’s the offseason. The power forward hole is unsolved, and the games that count are still a hundred-plus days out. But I’ve watched this franchise for a long time, and I know the shape of its disappointments by heart. The shape of this one isn’t one of them. The talent didn’t leave. The talent didn’t have to be begged. The talent flew back early and turned the lights on itself.

We spent all summer waiting for a name to walk through the door.

Turns out the door was already open.

Turns out somebody was already inside.

On August 5, 2004, the Knicks acquired Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Othella Harrington, Frank Williams, Cezary Trybański, and Dikembe Mutombo. 

The Knicks were already a few years into a plague of nine-straight losing seasons when Crawford’s ship reached our shore. Those teams rarely gave you much to care about. Jamal, at least, gave you a reason to look up from a book while the TV played in the background.

The former Michigan Wolverine arrived as a gifted young scorer whose imagination occasionally exceeded the structure that contained him. Drafted eighth in 2000 by the Cleveland Cavaliers, he won Sixth Man of the Year in his second season with the Knicks and would win it twice more before retiring. 

It’s fair to wonder what Crawford might have become in a healthier basketball ecosystem. The Isiah Thomas years were dark, dark, dysfunctional times. During his four-plus seasons in New York, Jamal played under six different head coaches and averaged 17.6 points in 299 games before being traded to Golden State in November 2008.

There were nights when ‘J-Crossover’ rose above the morass and brought some beauty to the disorder. Like when he dropped a career-high 52 points on Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat (1/26/2007). 

Crawford’s NBA career lasted 20 seasons, spread out over nine teams. In retirement, he still has a toe in the Knicks world. Last season, he served as a part-time analyst for MSG Network, covering around 10 games (filling in while Clyde enjoyed the island life). His growing national broadcasting profile may limit those appearances going forward, but whenever he returns, Crawford serves as a welcome reminder of one of the few bright lights from a particularly gloomy chapter in franchise history.

Go Knicks.

Last November, Bexar County residents voted in favor of Propositions A and B which helped fund Project Marvel in San Antonio. Prop B included $311M in county funds toward building a new arena for the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs committed at least $500 million toward construction of an arena, plus overruns while paying rent. That money is designed to offset a proposed $489 million contribution from the city.

Last week, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones — who has been in opposition of funding a new Spurs arena — called for a measure to give locals an opportunity to vote on whether city money could be used in the initiative.

On Tuesday, this letter was sent out by Spurs CEO R. C. Buford on behalf of the Spurs.

From Spurs Sports and Entertainment CEO RC Buford: pic.twitter.com/7S0UKrWgXr

— Chuck Miketinac (@MaxSportsSA) August 4, 2026

“Believing in What’s Next for San Antonio
Last November, the people of Bexar County made their voices heard. They approved a shared vision that invests in a new downtown home for the Spurs, strengthens the East Side and creates new opportunities across our
community. We committed to respecting that vote, and we will.
Now is the time to move forward together.
This project is about strengthening San Antonio for the next generation. Over the past several years, the City,
County, Rodeo and Spurs have worked together to develop a plan that creates jobs and brings new investment to
our community. This is a responsible public-private partnership built around clear commitments. The Spurs and
our development partners are investing more than $2 billion and covering every dollar of cost overruns.
The City’s contribution comes from visitor-based revenue, collected at the Texas State level, that is legally
restricted to venues and tourism-related projects. It cannot be redirected to streets, schools, public safety or other
general services.
That is not a burden placed on local families. It is a way to keep visitor dollars in San Antonio, leverage billions in
private investment and create new revenue that can support the services our community depends on.
We have already seen what Spurs basketball means to our economy. During the 2026 playoffs, visitors filled hotel
rooms, restaurants welcomed more customers and downtown came alive. An economic analysis estimated $164
million in net spending to the City of San Antonio and $3.4 million in City tax revenue, including $1.4 million toward the general fund.
We want that momentum rooted in our downtown for decades.
The people who will build this project live here. Our neighbors will benefit from it. Local entrepreneurs will
welcome new customers. Young people will see new career paths. Small businesses will have more opportunities
to grow. That is money staying in San Antonio. That is opportunity people can feel.
The $75 million community benefits program funded by the Spurs and managed by the City and County will
support workforce development, future generations and small businesses. Local hiring and vendor goals will help
ensure that the people who call San Antonio home share in the project’s success.
Our responsibility is to honor the legacy that brought us here while building the next chapter with care. San Antonio does not wait for someone else to dream for us. We build our own future.
The vote has taken place. The commitments have been made. The work is underway.
Now I ask you to join us in building something worthy of San Antonio so that we can shape the next chapter of our legacy together.”

There has been some confusion in social media as to the difference between county money, city money, and the commitment made by the Spurs and their partners. A few sources have pointed out that city money is coming from an added hotel tax and does not involve an added tax to local residents. The nuances have been part of the ongoing debate. If you live within the city limits and end up with an opportunity to vote, you can attend town halls and Q&A sessions in the weeks before to get up to speed on specifics. Last year, the Spurs hosted many forums and discussions as did local city council members.

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country.

There’s been a couple lists making their rounds on social media discussing some of the biggest NBA Draft busts of the last 20 years. One of the names that stood out to me was Jabari Smith Jr.

Smith fell to third overall with the Rockets in the 2022 NBA Draft after the Orlando Magic ran a feint and took Paolo Banchero first overall, and then infamously, Smith had not a single play run for him during the Stephen Silas years in Houston. He’s been more involved since Ime Udoka came over, with Smith’s defensive effort and versatility earning him some top minutes for Udoka, but he’s still carrying career averages of just 13.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1 block per game. That being said, he’s coming off of the best season of his career, averaging 15.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1 block. He had a career-high 36.3 percent shooting from deep.

Do you consider Smith a draft bust being that he was regarded as possibly the best player in the draft coming into it in 2022?

Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys:

Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with the results.

The biggest moves of the NBA offseason, by and large, have been completed.

There are still a few key free agents and moves that need to be made, yes, but the calendar is settling into something of a summer lull. And, not surprisingly, this offseason did not lack monumental moves.

None were bigger than trades that brought Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat and Jaylen Brown to the 76ers. Joining Brown in Philadelphia, no less, is LeBron James, who will be joining his fourth different team in his 24th NBA season. There’s plenty to sort through.

Here are grades for every NBA team’s offseason:

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics

Mitchell Robinson is a solid addition. He’ll bolster the low-post defense and will provide a spark without demanding the ball on offense. Can he be dependably available as a starter? That remains to be seen. The bigger problem here was the team’s move to ship Jaylen Brown.

While there were some inefficiencies to Brown’s game, Paul George, at this stage of his career, is not an upgrade. Over the long run, if the Celtics didn’t want to pay Brown, it does make some sense to move him. But does this get Boston any closer to the Knicks, 76ers or the other top teams in the league? The answer is pretty clearly no.

■ Grade: C-

Brooklyn Nets

It stings any time an in-city rival wins a championship. It must’ve really stung when all of New York City erupted when the Knicks snapped a 53-year drought to do so. The Nets, however, still appear a ways away from legitimate contention, even with the trade that brought Julius Randle over from the Timberwolves.

No. 6 overall pick, point guard Mikel Brown Jr., flashed in Summer League play and could be the creator and shot-making combo point guard the Nets have been seeking for some time. Keon Ellis was a decent addition, but the Nets clearly still need a star to threaten in the East. That, or they need their crop of young guards – Brooklyn has five who are 20 years old – to develop.

■ Grade: C+

New York Knicks

It’s tough to be too harsh when they just snapped a 53-year title drought, but New York’s avoidance of the second apron did force the front office to make some tough choices. Namely, the Knicks did not make a push to retain backup center Mitchell Robinson. Though New York replaced him with Andre Drummond, Robinson going to the rival Celtics will sting.

Re-signing Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson and Mohamed Diawara retains this core in place and puts the Knicks in a legitimate spot to repeat.

■ Grade: B

Philadelphia 76ers

No team was more aggressive in reshaping its good (though not great) roster than the 76ers. It became clear after the Knicks unceremoniously swept Philadelphia in the conference semifinals that changes were needed. Bob Myers and Mike Gansey turned Paul George’s cumbersome contract into Jaylen Brown, and luring LeBron James suddenly gives the Sixers a potent Starting Five.

It was also smaller, low-cost moves like adding Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope that help round out the roster. Even first-round rookie Labaron Philon Jr. presented significant value at No. 22. Philadelphia should be considered one of the short favorites to win the East. Now this veteran roster just needs to stay healthy.

■ Grade: A

Toronto Raptors

This assessment is wholly incomplete with the conclusion of the Kawhi Leonard investigation hanging in the balance. If Leonard does end up with the Raptors and if he avoids significant discipline, then the trade is a stellar, win-now move. If Toronto is forced to eat any suspension or – even worse – if Leonard’s contract is somehow voided, then Toronto will have waited around for nothing, and its offseason will have been wasted.

■ Grade: B+ (assuming Leonard trade is executed)

Central Division

Chicago Bulls

No incoming rookie shined brighter than No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson, who starred in Summer League with both his perimeter shooting and dominant play down low. Wilson will need some time, but he looks like he could blossom into a legitimate star. He’s also built, with length and fluid athleticism, for the modern NBA.

Elsewhere, low-cost addition of center Nic Claxton Jr. shores up the center spot, and veteran two-guard Norman Powell rounds up the roster quite nicely. The Bulls may not be ready to compete in the East, but they have clear momentum for the future, especially with the solid coaching hire of Tiago Splitter.

■ Grade: A-

Cleveland Cavaliers

It should be no surprise that the Cavs are mostly running it back; the team’s front office more or less hinted at that. Losing out on LeBron James does sting, and forward Mario Hezonja should be considered more of a flyer than anything. James Harden remains unsigned, but that seems mostly because he’s trying to give Cleveland some flexibility in case it should be in position to land another starter.

Could either Jonathan Kuminga or Peyton Watson be available in sign-and-trades? That would certainly boost Cleveland’s grade.

■ Grade: C-

Detroit Pistons

The Jalen Duren contract situation is still lingering over the Pistons – and it may for a while longer. Duren is a restricted free agent, and recent precedent has shown that it’s in the best interest of teams to wait, as the market dries up, further driving a player’s price down.

John Collins was a solid addition, and Detroit needed it after it traded away backup center Isaiah Stewart. Isaiah Joe brings much-needed perimeter shooting. Still, the Pistons need to figure out the future of Duren – and determine what a fair price for him is, after he disappeared in the postseason. Either way, Detroit could probably still use another secondary shot creator.

■ Grade: B-

Indiana Pacers

As they have been since star point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in the 2025 NBA Finals, the Pacers have been in something of a holding pattern. Indiana, like most teams, clearly does not want to creep over apron thresholds, so the offseason was mostly quiet.

The big losses were during the draft lottery, when the No. 5 selection was conveyed to the Clippers in the Ivica Zubac trade. Signings Larry Nance Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr. are role players, so this is all about Haliburton returning to full health and Zubac being a force down low.

■ Grade: C

Milwaukee Bucks

Any time you lose the greatest player in franchise history, it’s going to be a difficult offseason. It became painfully obvious, however that the Bucks were eventually going to lose Giannis Antetokounmpo. That said, Milwaukee was able to recoup some decent young assets from the Heat. Whether the Bucks extend Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. remains to be seen, but Kel’el Ware has potential and No. 10 overall draft pick Brayden Burries flashed in Summer League, so he could be a nice piece for the future.

■ Grade: B-

Southeast Division

Atlanta Hawks

One of the surprise teams last season, the Hawks focused on adding depth at key positions – and depth with a championship pedigree. The Hawks retain their starting five, but added Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins from the Thunder.

No. 8 overall selection Kingston Flemings gives the Hawks yet another complementary guard, one who can slash to the rim with explosion. Depth was an issue in the postseason, as the bench often underwhelmed. That should no longer be the case.

■ Grade: B+

Charlotte Hornets

These moves were all about resetting culture and establishing a more efficient style of play. Trading away LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges are significant departures, but Ball was a high-volume, shoot-first point guard and Bridges’ off-court issues hung over the franchise for some time.

Naz Reid is a solid piece, and the doubling down on Coby White reaffirms Charlotte’s emphasis on perimeter shooting. The Hornets were a surprise in 2025-26. Now it’s up to Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller and Reid to carry that culture forward.

■ Grade: B

Miami Heat

Losing out on LeBron James certainly stings, but the Heat finally landed the star they had been chasing. And Giannis Antetokounmpo was unquestionably the premier player available this offseason. He’s dynamic in transition and, alongside captain Bam Adebayo, Miami suddenly boasts a dominant defensive frontcourt.

The Heat may still be active in the buyout market if Klay Thompson becomes available, and Bradley Beal is another low-cost option, as shooting continues to be a priority. Second round rookie Ryan Conwell flashed in Summer League and he could find some minutes. Either way, Miami was never competing with its previous roster build. Now with Antetokounmpo, the Heat should be far more interesting in the East.

■ Grade: A-

Orlando Magic

The best move here was probably the coaching change. Former Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney takes over a team whose defensive identity helped lock down opponents. But the lack of consistent perimeter shooting was unsustainable. Despite that, the Magic are essentially running it back.

And while Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs are still young and can develop further, adding Nikola Vučević won’t nearly be enough to solve the offense. Sweeney should bring new ideas, but most of the East got significantly better while Orlando still faces big questions.

■ Grade: C-

Washington Wizards

Landing the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft was the big move in an otherwise uninspiring offseason. AJ Dybantsa does indeed look like he could become a consistent scorer and franchise player, but the $212 million contract Washington gave to Trae Young is a risk. The team also has to determine whether it will pay Anthony Davis.

Either way, the additions of Deandre Ayton and Khris Middleton (who is returning after a brief stint with the Mavericks) won’t elevate the franchise all that much. Now it’s about the availabilities of Young and Davis and the continued development of Dybantsa, Alexandre Sarr, Kyshawn George and the other young Wizards.

■ Grade: C+

Western Conference

Northwest Division

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets looked old and slow in their first round loss against the Timberwolves, and tight cap constraints have limited Denver’s ability to improve. The Nuggets did re-sign forward Spencer Jones, who emerged late last season, but it put the Nuggets over the second apron after the Thunder shrewdly signed him to an offer sheet.

Now, Denver faces a tough reality: it may have to trade away a key veteran – someone like Aaron Gordon, perhaps – if it wants to re-sign Peyton Watson, a promising, two-way forward who is only 23. Watson is a restricted free agent, but teams know the dire salary cap situation facing Denver. So if the Nuggets are forced to deal Watson in a sign-and-trade, they’re operating from a position of low leverage. This is the problem when stuck in the second apron.

■ Grade: D+

Minnesota Timberwolves

This was all about providing another ball-handling and shot-creating outlet for Anthony Edwards. The biggest hurdle facing Minnesota has been how teams in the playoffs forced Edwards to be stellar. Put another way: his supporting cast failed to deliver consistent scoring.

Now with Donte DiVincenzo set to miss most (if not all of the 2026-27 season), the Timberwolves are wagering that LaMelo Ball can be that outlet to relieve pressure off of Edwards. Naz Reid is a more significant loss than Julius Randle, who was dealt mostly to clear cap space, but the re-signing of Ayo Dosunmu and emergence of Jayden McDaniels hint to bigger roles.

■ Grade: B

Oklahoma City Thunder

It’s tough to doubt Sam Presti, but the Thunder had to make a few tough decisions. They did retain center Isaiah Hartenstein, a key part of their identity. Oklahoma City also aced the draft by adding 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara at No. 12 and the much-needed shooting of Bennett Stirtz at No. 16 – both of which shore up weaknesses (and also are direct moves to compete against the Spurs).

But the Thunder had to clear cap space by unloading Luguentz Dort (to the Hawks), Aaron Wiggins (Hawks) and Isaiah Joe (Pistons). They are significant losses. But no team has been better at developing its homegrown talent than the Thunder, who still have promising, young players from previous draft classes.

Presti even made a sly move that forced the Nuggets into the second apron when the Thunder extended an offer sheet with Denver forward Spencer Jones. The Nuggets matched it and now face massive limitations and tax penalties.

■ Grade: B+

Portland Trail Blazers

They were the only team to fail to make a single pick in a draft loaded with talent, so the big move was the trade for two-time All-Star Ja Morant. Pairing him next to Damian Lillard masks some of Morant’s shooting inadequacies. Morant is still 26 years old and comes relatively cheap, so if he can be reliably available, this could be a sneaky good move. There’s just a lot of uncertainty.

Micah Nori is well respected as a coach, but his one-year contract is unconventional. Possible relocation is looming over the franchise, but Portland has a glut of guards between Lillard, Morant, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, which may suggest more moves to come.

■ Grade: C+

Utah Jazz

Considering they were unlikely to pay Walker Kessler, Danny Ainge and the Jazz did recoup some serious draft capital in the sign-and-trade that shipped him to the Lakers. Jaxon Hayes is a low-cost option, but Utah didn’t really need to do too much to the roster, after its midseason trade for Jaren Jackson Jr.

Landing Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 overall pick suddenly gives the Jazz a very interesting roster, one that could potentially surprise next season. Utah was always rebuilding for the future. The time to compete has now arrived.

■ Grade: A-

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors

Regrettably, there’s nothing worse in the NBA than a team without a clear direction. The Warriors are caught in the middle of rebuilding for the future but retaining a bunch of aging veterans, none bigger than Stephen Curry. And now that Golden State lost out on the Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James sweepstakes, this franchise is deep in purgatory.

The Warriors are the only team in the league to fail to add a player either in a trade or free agency. No. 11 overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg, who was named Summer League MVP, is a solid, plug-and-play rookie and he somewhat saves the offseason. Either way, Curry deserves far better.

■ Grade: F

Los Angeles Clippers

The mandate was clear for the Clippers: after entering last season as the oldest team in NBA history, they needed to get younger. Los Angeles has done that, but the lingering uncertainty of the Kawhi Leonard trade to the Raptors is hanging over the franchise. The problem with this, too, is that if the trade falls through for whatever reason, it’s so late in the offseason that the Clippers will have to scramble to save face.

The main addition from that trade, Brandon Ingram, will get the chance to lead, but No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler is a balanced play maker at guard and could blossom into a star.

■ Grade: C+ (assuming Leonard trade is executed)

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers, frankly, are a tricky team to project simply because there are so many new pieces to factor in. This is a completely different roster, though it is one that is now built around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton are solid, role playing additions, but for this offseason to be considered a success, the Lakers will need center Walker Kessler to justify the first-round draft picks and $130 million contract the team gave him in the sign-and-trade.

Center was a position of need, and Dončić tends to do well with a rim-running big. But is Los Angeles any closer to legitimately competing for a championship? That’s unclear, and it will likely take a decent chunk of season for all the new players to assimilate, anyway.

■ Grade: C

Phoenix Suns

The big move was the one that shipped Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale for Miles Bridges, who should immediately enter the starting lineup and provide some scoring and rebounding at the power forward slot. During his introductory press conference, Bridges took accountability for his off-court past, so he’ll have to follow through.

It was an otherwise quiet offseason for Phoenix, which took Koa Peat at No. 30 in the draft. Peat might need more time to develop, but the key for the Suns will be if they can get more out of center Mark Williams, who was fine, if unspectacular, last season.

■ Grade: C

Sacramento Kings

The Kings tied for the worst record in the Western Conference and still have not addressed some of their bloated contracts. They did waive DeMar DeRozan, but have yet to figure out whether they can move or buy out Zach LaVine. It’s also unclear, after he was a name frequently thrown around in recent trade cycles, whether Domantas Sabonis figures to be a long-term fixture on this team.

The saving grace here is rookie No. 7 overall selection Darius Acuff Jr., who is a promising player at a position of need, albeit one with defensive weaknesses. Sacramento feels like a team without a clear direction. The Kings need to figure that out quickly.

■ Grade: D

Southwest Division

Dallas Mavericks

It may take some years, but the Mavericks are retooling. Hiring Dusty May away from Michigan is an interesting choice; May doesn’t have any experience coaching in the pros, though he should be able to bring out improvements in Cooper Flagg’s game.

With the addition of Santi Aldama, the Mavericks now have superb height. Dallas will try to revive the career of 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, and No. 9 overall pick Morez Johnson Jr. may have been a reach, though he did play for May during the Wolverines’ NCAA title run. Kyrie Irving should return, so he’ll provide much needed-play making, easing pressure off of Flagg. This entire offseason was all about building around the 19 year old NBA Rookie of the Year.

■ Grade: B

Houston Rockets

It appears the Rockets believed that a healthy Fred VanVleet would’ve solved their offensive issues. Kevin Durant was tasked with far too much shot creation, and the team could never find a capable replacement to initiate offense. VanVleet, 32, should return from his torn ACL, but Houston didn’t do enough to shore up the point guard position.

The Rockets may be banking on Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson to refine their play-making skills, but there was also some awkward tension in the locker room. If left unresolved, it could implode Houston’s chances.

■ Grade: C-

Memphis Grizzlies

With a couple of key moves, the Grizzlies looked to change the guard. Memphis finally found a trade partner for Ja Morant, and No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer is a polished, plug-and-play forward who embodies a winning culture. Alongside Zach Edey, Boozer won’t face as much pressure to be a rim protector.

Memphis otherwise aced the draft with Karim Lopez at No. 21 and Richie Saunders at No. 32, and the move to get backup center Isaiah Stewart further bolstered the frontcourt. The Grizzlies are young, but are clearly emphasizing efficiency. It’s a nice change for a franchise that needed a reset.

■ Grade: B+

New Orleans Pelicans

This was a 26-win team that won just one of its last 10 games in the season. And yet, the Pelicans barely made any moves. Granted, New Orleans did suffer some key injuries, so the full return of Dejounte Murray could stabilize the team’s performance. But the Pelicans didn’t have a first-round pick after their 2025 trade for Derik Queen, and the lone signing was for reserve guard Kobe Bufkin.

Plenty of teams are interested in forward Trey Murphy III, and New Orleans is insisting on getting what it deems fair value. That’s commendable, but it’s also a risk, if Murphy’s value does decline. Either way, while the Pelicans do have some nice young pieces, questions about roster construction and availability won’t go away.

■ Grade: D

San Antonio Spurs

When San Antonio was at its best last season, it was knocking down perimeter shots and using Victor Wembanyama and its speedy guards to attack the paint. When the Spurs were at their worst, they fell in love with the 3.

Adding Tobias Harris gives the Spurs another capable shooter so he will certainly help. The key for San Antonio, though, is encouraging the continued development of its very young stars.

■ Grade: B-

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who won the NBA offseason? Grading all 30 teams for signings, deals and draft

NBA history spans 80 seasons, and as CelticsBlog readers well know, the Boston Celtics have won a league-high 18 championships. This month, we are recapping each of those title years.

The regular season

Something old and something new were the top stories in the NBA’s 1959-60 season, and both of them affected the Boston Celtics.

The “something old” was yet another meeting in the Finals with the St. Louis Hawks – the third time in four years.

“Something new” came in the form of a 7-foot-1, 275-pound goliath named Wilt Chamberlain, who some observers feared would take over the league. “Can Basketball Survive Chamberlain?” was the title of one magazine article. These proved to be overreactions, but to be fair, the NBA had never seen anyone like “Wilt the Stilt.”

Chamberlain was a native of Philadelphia who spent three years at the University of Kansas, but left school his senior year to play for (and get paid by) the Harlem Globetrotters. That situation enabled the Philadelphia Warriors to claim Wilt as their territorial pick (he went to high school in Philly!) in the 1959 Draft.

With eight teams in the league and the Warriors then being in the East, that meant Boston would face Wilt 13 times during the regular season. The Celtics won eight of those, although they didn’t exactly stop “The Big Dipper.” Chamberlain scored 39 or better nine times, and in one of Philly’s five wins tallied 53 points and 29 rebounds while being guarded by defensive king Bill Russell.

For the season, Chamberlain topped the league with 37.6 points and 27.0 rebounds per game. He was named Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year as the Warriors finished 49-26.

That still wasn’t enough to surpass Boston. The league had increased from 72 games to 75, and the Celtics raised their win total from 52 the previous season to 59, a new league all-time high. And it turned out these rivals would also meet in the postseason Eastern finals.

Eastern playoffs

The Celtics earned a bye for the first round best-of-three while the Warriors knocked off Syracuse, 2-1. Philadelphia brought more than just Chamberlain to the table. They had forward Paul Arizin, a two-time league scoring leader; point guard and twice the league assists leader Guy Rodgers; and high-scoring forward Tom Gola. All are in the Hall of Fame today.

In Game 1, Chamberlain scored 42, but Russell countered with 30 rebounds. The Celtics led by 13 after one quarter and held off Philly the rest of the way. The Warriors evened the series in Game 2 behind Arizin’s 30 points. Game 3 was Russell’s night, with game-highs of 26 points and 39 rebounds, while Chamberlain scored just 12 points, and the Celtics cruised, 120-90.

In Game 4, Boston built a 16-point lead after one quarter and held it all the way to a 3-1 series lead. And just when the Celts were ready to close it, Chamberlain dominated with 50 and 35 as Philly roared back with a 21-point win on the parquet.

Still ahead 3-2, the Celtics returned to hostile Convention Hall in Philadelphia. Rodgers had been ice cold early in the series, but on this night he heated up with 31 points. With 11 seconds left, Rodgers was fouled and had two free throws with the score tied. He missed both. At the other end, the Celtics missed their shot, but Tommy Heinsohn stunned everyone by tipping in the series winner at the buzzer. During his announcing career, Tommy often reminisced about that night when he shut up 12,000 Philadelphia fans.

Since that first meeting of Russell vs. Wilt, basketball observers have debated which megastar was better, and why. That topic will be addressed here later in this series; meanwhile, here’s a preview:

NBA Finals

In two previous NBA Finals versus St. Louis, Bill Russell had twice been the difference-maker: once for the Celtics in winning their first championship, and once for the Hawks, caused by his absence due to injury. Russell was healthy for this rubber match, which could determine which team “won” the draft day trade back in 1956.

Russell was a force in this series, leading everyone in rebounds in each of the seven games played. He set a Finals record with 40 boards (plus 21 points) in game 2 in Boston – which the Celtics lost by 10. These teams knew each other so well, it seemed that either one could win a game regardless of the location, the crowd, the refs, the schedule, anything.

This Finals seesawed each game, Boston going up one followed by St. Louis tying the series. The Celtics could have wrapped up the title in Game 6 on the road, but Cliff Hagan (one of the players traded for Russell) poured in 36 points. The Hawks used a 36-12 third quarter to build a 90-64 lead, only to see the Cs almost steal it with a 38-15 fourth quarter comeback. Nevertheless, it was back to Boston for yet another Game 7.

Turning point

After an even first quarter, Boston’s running game and balanced scoring resulted in a 41-23 second quarter margin and a 17-point halftime lead. The Celtics finished Game 7 with the five players tallying between 18 and 24 points.

It was over when…

Both teams essentially traded baskets for the entire second half, which the Celtics were happy to do. Final score: 122-103. Banner #3 was in hand.

Notable facts and stats

• Bob Cousy scored 19 points and dished out 14 assists. Bill Russell collected 22 points and 35 rebounds.
• For the third time in four years, Tommy Heinsohn led Boston in scoring overall during the Finals.
• Si Green, the player chosen first overall by Rochester when they weren’t interested in Russell, played for St. Louis and averaged 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists in seven games.

Banner Years continues tomorrow with a review of the 1960-61 season and the road to winning Banner #4.

You only get one chance at a first impression, and the WNBA franchise coming to Cleveland in 2028 made a splash on Tuesday, revealing the name of their expansion team: Sirens.

#HEARTHECALL📢 pic.twitter.com/fZMlT3LXdj

— Cleveland Sirens (@clevelandsirens) August 4, 2026

The announcement came at an event held in Rocket Arena, the team’s future home, which would’ve made it perfect had the organization chosen to revive the name of Cleveland’s original WNBA team, the Rockers, which existed from 1997 to 2003. Former Rockers, such as Janice Braxton, were in attendance, however, to inaugurate this new are of women’s professional basketball in Cleveland.

And the Sirens are here to make some noise.

Forged on our shores, this is the story of the Cleveland Sirens. #HEARTHECALL📢

EXPLORE: https://t.co/pZKXPRqv9Upic.twitter.com/fG7laExOOG

— Cleveland Sirens (@clevelandsirens) August 4, 2026

Sirens president of business operations Allison Howard discussed the team’s name and logo, explaining the rationale for both:

The siren is very powerful, unapologetic, relentless, and we see the siren as the epitome of power, but also the best teammate.

Even from the logo, you can feel this energy, this thunderous passion. And you look at the siren’s face; it’s menacing. It’s fearful. You see the power even just in those features. And then with the hair, there’s the five distinctive waves. Those, of course, will represent our five players out on the court as well as our five Great Lakes.

It wasn’t just inside the Rocket Arena where the Sirens made their splash.

It extended to social media with a hype video. Braxton did the voice-over, with her prose syncing perfectly to images as music from Billie Eilish’s song “You Should See Me in a Crown” played throughout.

We are the Cleveland Sirens.

This is HER story. This is HER voice. And the world is listening.#HEARTHECALL📢 pic.twitter.com/w8B3R8M7Of

— Cleveland Sirens (@clevelandsirens) August 4, 2026

Whenever names, logos and/or jerseys are are revealed for new teams, two responses generally emerge.

One will be filled with excitement and enthusiasm, and the other will be nothing but caustic criticism. Overall, the Cleveland Sirens received an overwhelmingly positive response from the WNBA world.

I can’t stand Cleveland, but imma give the Sirens their things. The name and its relation to existing city geography/landmarks/culture. Absolutely A1 branding. The video. The logos. Hear the call. Being eerie in Lake Erie. Including a Rocker and the Monsters. Fantastic roll out.

— Subria Whitaker (@SubriaWhitaker) August 4, 2026

Cleveland absolutely bodied their rollout 🔥🔥🔥
Name: Sirens ✅
Historical references ✅
Cinematic visuals ✅

10/10 no notes. #WelcomeToTheWpic.twitter.com/UEIoXm3VxO

— Renee Montgomery (@ReneeMontgomery) August 5, 2026

Tuesday, will be forever etched in Cleveland basketball history. But there’s still some darkness overshadowing the return of the W to Northeast Ohio.

The Rockers were here, but they didn’t last. What’s going to make this time different?

Well, for starters, the Sirens are establishing their own identity by clearly separating themselves from the NBA’s Cavaliers. The colors, logos and slogans are not at all similar. The Sirens are their own team and will approach things their way.

“We don’t want to be the Lady Cavaliers.”

Cleveland Sirens exec Allison Howard explains why the city’s new #WNBA franchise chose to go a different direction from the Cavs brand and colors. pic.twitter.com/tDwzvKfcQa

— Jeremy O’Brien (@thejeremyobrien) August 4, 2026

Things seem to be off to a great start for the Sirens.

They have reportedly sold 9,000 deposits for season tickets, and with the interest surrounding the new name and logo, that number will undoubtedly go up between now and when they begin play in 2028.

The WNBA has seen tremendous growth in recent years, resulting in expansion teams like the Golden State Valkyries, Toronto Tempo, and Portland Fire having success early on, proving the league is in a great place.

The Sirens will ride that WNBA wave, and when they land in 2028, the plan is for them to stay for good this time. So far, things are going swimmingly.

After practice, George Gervin wanted to go home. He was a rookie playing for the Virginia Squires of the upstart American Basketball Association, and the sleek, Detroit-born hooper didn’t yet know what being a pro quite meant. He didn’t know that the real workouts often started after practice. But his teammate Julius “Dr J” Erving quickly showed him the ropes.

“Doc would say, ‘Hey, young fella! Where you going? Me and you ain’t done!’” Gervin tells the Guardian. “Me and him would play one-on-one after practice. It was beautiful, probably one of the most beautiful experiences I had as a young pro.”

Today, Gervin is remembered as being one of basketball’s great scorers. Known as the Iceman, his finger roll is still studied by the best in the game. A Hall of Famer, Gervin led the National Basketball Association in scoring four out of five years from 1978 to 1982. But before that, he was considered damaged goods.

A fistfight in college saddled Gervin with a bad reputation. And though he averaged nearly 30 points per game for Eastern Michigan University as a sophomore in college, he was not an NBA prospect. So, he played a year in the CBA before earning a tryout in the ABA.

Still thought of as a subpar league in the 1970s, the fledgling ABA was hoping to force a merger with the more established NBA. The ABA needed all the talent it could get, so guys like Gervin got a shot. Gervin wasn’t drafted – instead, he impressed in his tryout and the Squires signed him. “Because I shot the ball well,” Gervin remembers.

Turns out, the ABA was just the step the scoring wing needed. “I came in a little young, inexperienced,” Gervin says. “Coming into a world that I needed to have some kind of guidance.” But those one-on-one games between the Iceman and Dr J proved to be beneficial for both mind and body.

“He’d throw me the ball and say, ‘Me and you are playing one-on-one,’” Gervin says. “At the same time, he wasn’t really competing against me. He was getting me ready. Seeing what I was made of. I tell him today that I owe him. Because he helped build my self-confidence and self-esteem. He helped me understand I had the ability to play in the league.”

Fifty years after the ABA merged with the NBA, ending the upstart league’s nine-year run, players like Gervin remain living reminders of its enduring influence. The merger, finalized in the summer of 1976, brought only four ABA franchises into the NBA, but many of the league’s innovations – and some of its brightest stars – would permanently reshape professional basketball.

Even now, Gervin and Erving remain close friends. Their paths have crossed countless times since those one-on-one practices in Virginia. But one day that especially stands out is 27 January 1976 – the day of the first modern pro basketball dunk contest.

The ABA, which was founded in the late 1960s as a rival to the NBA, soon became known as the more flamboyant and fun of the two. Though it didn’t have the national TV contracts and history the NBA did, what the ABA offered fans was high-flying dunks, a red-white-and-blue basketball, the three-point shot, and fashion out the wazoo, from muttonchop sideburns to afros. And no one symbolized the ABA’s cultural heft quite like Dr J.

A star on and off the court, Erving and the ABA made history on that January night in 1976. With no money for a half-time performer at the ABA All-Star game, officials organized a dunk contest, which featured, among others, Erving, Gervin, and leaper David Thompson. In the end, it was Dr J who won the trophy, flying from the free-throw line like Superman.

“Awful!” says Gervin, laughing, thinking about the contest. “I was awful! I couldn’t beat them. You’re going into a contest knowing you can’t win. I knew I couldn’t beat David Thompson or Doc. So, it was just being a part of the show. I was brave enough to accept defeat – part of something that was bigger than I ever thought.”

Still, despite the lack of hope to win, Gervin knew his name attached to the contest would draw eyeballs, even if he wasn’t known as a creative dunker as his peers. “I’m thankful that I said OK,” he says. “The game is basically entertainment. Being ABA, that’s what we were all about – entertaining.”

The NBA in the early 1970s was largely resistant to change. So, the ABA took on the job of pushing the game forward. Though the NBA did have high-wattage players like Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson and others, it was nevertheless known as being slower, stodgier.

It also didn’t allow underclassmen to join its ranks – until Spencer Haywood.

Despite the NBA’s self-imposed four-year rule, the ABA drafted the 1968 Olympic gold medalist before he’d graduated from college. And Haywood, whose mother was working in poverty picking cotton in Mississippi, suited up. As a first-year player, he won both the Rookie of the Year and MVP trophies in Denver. His success opened the doors for other underclassmen like Ralph Simpson.

“Spencer and I played high school ball together in Detroit,” Simpson tells the Guardian. In college, Simpson starred for a season at Michigan State, averaging nearly 30 points. But then his father had a heart-attack and got sick. “Spencer said, ‘Well, why don’t you come out here with me.’ We didn’t have any money and things were getting kind of hard. I wanted to stay at school, but I got offered a little money and that’s how I got to Denver.”

A sweet-scoring swingman with a knack for rebounding, Simpson became a five-time ABA All-Star playing for coaches like Hall of Famer Larry Brown. “The ABA gave us a chance to develop,” says Simpson, who is also the father of Grammy-winning artist India Arie. “I probably wasn’t ready to play in the NBA, but after a year or two, I started to develop.”

Thompson was one of Simpson’s teammates in Denver. And Simpson was with his friend at the 1976 dunk contest. “I told Julius I thought David would beat him!” Simpson remembers. “But I think David got a little nervous looking at Dr. J and his status. Going into the last round, David was leading and missed a 360-degree dunk. And Julius—he didn’t miss any.”

Dr J capped the competition with that leaping dunk from the foul line. “Julius ended up winning it, taking off from the free-throw line,” says Simpson, with a laugh. “I thought his foot was on the line. But I wouldn’t tell Julius that! He’d get mad, probably.”

The ABA’s restless existence meant teams came and went, from the Miami Floridians, the San Diego Conquistadors and other oddball franchises. But if the teams were fleeting, the personalities were unforgettable. Every season seemed to introduce another larger-than-life figure, from the troubled Marvin “Bad News” Barnes to the politically minded Warren Jabali.

But Simpson remembers the strong camaraderie the league offered its workforce. Players were friends, despite the heated competitions. “Warren Jabali, he taught me a lot when he was in Denver for those two years,” Simpson says. “He probably was the best all-around guard.”

Jabali was a fire hydrant of a man. He was also militant in his political convictions. Simpson remembers going to an All-Star game in Virginia. The hotel they stayed at required the ABA players to room in the basement. “Warren really got upset about it and wanted us to boycott,” Simpson says. “We didn’t end up boycotting, but the owners got ahold of it, and when we got back to Denver, they cut Warren.”

Jabali later moved to Africa, phoning Simpson just before his plane took off to offer some last words of praise before the journey. “He told me, ‘Ralph, you’re the best one-on-one player in the ABA,’” Simpson says. “That came out of his mouth. That was exciing to me, he knew ball.”

In the summer of 1976, some 50 years ago, the ABA merged with NBA. Four of the remaining seven ABA teams were absorbed – the Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, New York Nets and Denver Nuggets. Simpson says part of the condition of Denver’s acceptance into the NBA was that he be shipped to Detroit to play for the Pistons. Whether that’s fact, he also says one of the greatest thrills of his career was putting on his hometown uniform.

“That brought tears to my eyes,” Simpson says. “I saw up in the stands, my dad was crying, too.”

For Gervin, the 1976 merger between the ABA and NBA was ultimately good. While there were downsides – dozens of players were left without jobs – pro basketball benefited from the union. The ABA had put people like Gervin and Simpson on the big stage, but after the merger, there was still more to prove on the hardwood. “We played with chips on our shoulder,” Gervin says. “We played to let the NBA fans know that we were for real and that we could play.”

But it worked. Among the 24 roster spots at the NBA All-Star game in 1977, just a year after the merger, half were filled by former ABA players, including Erving, Gervin, Thompson, and more. “I think that’s an indication of we wasn’t lying,” says Gervin.

The New York Knicks found a couple of promising young players in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft one day after moving entirely out of the first round to preserve some cap space and avoid stepping into second-apron territory.

Both Jack Kayil and Tyler Nickel topped expectations last month during the Summer League, potentially giving the Knicks two inexpensive prospects (one likely bound for a standard contract, the other for a two-way deal) while the franchise operates under owner James Dolan’s second-apron mandate.

Obviously, with the roster still needing to be fully filled before the start of the regular season and the limitations imposed by beloved Dolan, both rookies’ immediate NBA futures were always uncertain, to say the least. New York could offer either or both players two-way contracts to preserve the roster spot and save some money, and on top of that, it’s always been reported that while Kayil wants to remain in America, he’s likely going to be stashed overseas in Germany for another season.

Now, however, the Knicks might have a Tyler Nickel situation right when the rookie looked like a lock for one of the final roster spots and off-the-bench, deep-rotation minutes.

According to CBS Sports’ Isaac Trotter, the No. 47 overall pick is “expected to explore” returning to college rather than beginning his professional career with the Knicks during the 2026-27 season. Emphasis mine:

“Former Purdue All-American Braden Smith is not considering a return to college basketball in the fallout of Friday’s injunction that cleared a path for a fifth year of collegiate eligibility for the Class of 2022, his representatives at Priority Sports told CBS Sports.

“Smith was the No. 38 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, who traded his draft rights to the Indiana Pacers. He is one of five second-round picks who have not signed a rookie contract yet, joining BYU’s Richie Saunders (No. 32 to the Memphis Grizzlies), Vanderbilt’s Tyler Nickel (No. 47 to the New York Knicks), St. John’s Dillon Mitchell (No. 40 to the Boston Celtics) and Florida State’s Lajae Jones (No. 54 to the Golden State Warriors). Nickel and Mitchell are expected to explore their college options, but Smith’s record-setting career is over.”

Hours before Trotter’s report emerged, Nickel already did something intriguing by posting (now deleted, captured below) a single thinking emoji on X.

The possibility follows a recent legal ruling allowing players to compete for five college seasons. Nickel already entered the NCAA’s transfer portal in April and could reportedly earn more through name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities back in college than he would on a two-way contract.

The Nashville Post estimates Nickel’s NIL valuation between $1 million and $1.4 million, and it’s fair to say that Nickel strengthened his case to either get a bigger NIL deal or snatch a roster spot with the Knicks following his performances at the Las Vegas Summer League. He averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds while making 41.3% of his three-point attempts.

Nickel’s quick release and shooting ability gave him a clearer path toward an NBA role than many second-round selections, and he showcased exactly that skill set in Vegas to the surprise of no one, seemingly paving his way to the pros if all went (it could still go) according to plan. The fact that Nickel performed better than expected defensively during those hot exhibition games also helped his case.

While a return to college would not cost New York his rights (the Knicks have a year to negotiate with the player and sign him, starting to count from draft day), it could leave the Knicks without one of their two latest draft picks next season, or two if Kayil indeed returns to Germany.

In separate deals, Andre Jackson Jr. and Cole Anthony have agreed to terms with new teams, with A-Jax heading north of the border to the Toronto Raptors and Anthony travelling across the pond to Australia’s Melbourne United.

Per HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Jackson is heading to the Raptors in an attempt to prolong his NBA career after failing to establish himself with the Bucks over the last three seasons.

The Toronto Raptors and Andre Jackson Jr. have agreed to a deal, league sources told @hoopshype. He’ll compete for a roster spot with the Raptors. He spent the past three seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks. pic.twitter.com/2r6BxS8yVe

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) August 5, 2026

A second-round pick in 2023, Jackson projected as an athletic wing stopper for the Bucks and a position was there for the taking. But despite his stifling defence in the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Final against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and some occasional highlight plays—rumour has it his putback dunk against the Kings still reverberates in Sacramento—he just wasn’t able to put it together in Milwaukee. In total, he played 172 games for the Bucks, averaging 2.7 PPG, 2.1 RPG, and 1.0 APG in 11.4 MPG.

On the other hand, Cole Anthony, last season’s reserve point guard for the Bucks—at least to start the season—has signed with Melbourne United in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL), per a release from the team. According to the release, Anthony is thrilled about his new adventure:

I’m super excited to begin this journey with Melbourne United. This is a great opportunity to continue growing as a player and compete for a championship. I’m ready to get to work and can’t wait to represent the club and meet the fans!

Drafted 15^th overall in 2020 by the Orlando Magic, Anthony was a welcome signing by the Bucks last offseason after negotiating a buyout from the Memphis Grizzlies. With Milwaukee, he played 35 games—all off the bench—averaging 6.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, and 3.5 APG in 15.1 MPG. He was particularly effective in the opening week and a half of the season, with standout games in wins against the Toronto Raptors (23 points, seven assists) and the Golden State Warriors (16 points, two assists).

But Anthony couldn’t maintain his form and his minutes dwindled. In February, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns along with Amir Coffey in a three-team deal that brought Ousmane Dieng to the Bucks. Just 22 days later, he was waived.

While Jackson will likely have to earn a roster spot with the Raptors and Anthony has had to leave the NBA to continue his career, they’ll forever hold a place in Bucks history.

All the best, fellas.

---

While Anthony’s exit from the NBA points to Jon Horst’s continued masterwork as a trader—the Bucks clearly got back the best player in that deal—Jackson’s Raptors lifeline raises another question about his drafting resume. Agree?

The planned launch of a bespoke European NBA league has the potential to take basketball in the United Kingdom to the "next level", says the New York Knicks' OG Anunoby.

With the working title of NBA Europe, it is planned for launch in October 2027 and will consist of between 12 and 16 European teams - with London and Manchester expected to be included.

The deadline for final bids to own franchises was in June and it is hoped the identities of teams that will feature will begin to be announced this year, with the NBA receiving bids between $500m (£372m) and $1bn (£745m) for each target host city.

Anunoby is the standout current player of UK origin in the NBA, having played a starring role in the Knicks' first NBA title win since 1973.

Alongside the Portland Trail Blazers' Jeremy Sochan, the Boston Celtics' Amari Williams and Tobi Lawal, who is set to make his NBA debut this season for the Dallas Mavericks, Anunoby makes up part of the NBA's UK quartet.

"I think it is amazing," Anunoby told BBC Sport when asked about the NBA Europe plans.

"Basketball continues to grow, especially here in London and in Manchester.

"It's exciting and I think it is going to take basketball to another level out here."

Plans for the league's launch in just over a year's time remain "on track", with the league set to start in tandem with the 2027-28 NBA season.

"Planning is going really well. We've had an amazing amount of demand in the last couple of months for NBA Europe, particularly as bidding closed," said Laura Pinnell, vice-president of Consumer Group and head of marketing for the NBA across Europe and the Middle East.

"I would say the UK is one of the biggest opportunities for us out of the whole project.

"The growth opportunity is incredible and actually a London franchise, there is discussion about a Manchester franchise. All of which are great opportunities for fans and also, youth and participation."

Anunoby eyes back-to-back NBA titles

Anunoby, a two-time NBA Championship winner, has spent time in his birth city of London this week during his off-season break.

As well as investing his own money as part of a grassroots court development in Camden, Anunoby has been eyeing the prospect of helping the Knicks win a second NBA title in as many years next season.

The NBA has had eight different champions in as many years, with no team being able to produce back-to-back titles since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.

"That's our goal this year," said Anunoby in response to the prospect of ending the run of consecutive different winners.

But asked which of the Knicks' 29 NBA rivals will pose their biggest threat, the 29-year-old said challenges will come from across the competition.

"The whole league," added Anunoby.

"It is a very tough league and every team is capable and everyone is a threat."