Mar 30, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan looks on in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Since making their first NBA Finals appearance in a dozen years, the Spurs have done some retooling. Before the season even ended, Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney was offered the head coaching position with the Orlando Magic. With a hole on the coaching staff, the Spurs brought in some heavy artillery in the form of Billy Donovan.
Donovan just completed his sixth season as the Chicago Bulls head coach. Before that, he was at the helm of the Oklahoma City Thunder for five seasons.
In a recent interview, Donovan discussed receiving the invite to come to San Antonio.
"San Antonio had called during the playoffs… I'm just hoping in some way that I can help and bring value." – Spurs assistant coach Billy Donovan on joining the Spurs. pic.twitter.com/JLjfCxCzeR
The Chicago Bulls have also reset their front office this offseason, and although Donovan was asked to stay on, he felt that letting the new management choose their head coach was the right thing to do. He planned on taking a year off before looking for another position.
“And then San Antonio had called during the playoffs there was some thought that they may lose some staff members, and I didn’t really know what to think of it, but after talking to Mitch Johnson, the head coach, who I have a lot of respect for, I’m just hoping that in some way I can help and bring value.”
After serving as a head coach for over thirty-three years, he’s looking forward to giving back, serving as a mentor, and hoping to help expand the success the Spurs have experienced over the last season.
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TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 15: Darko Rajakovic, head coach of the Toronto Raptors, talks with Scottie Barnes #4, Immanuel Quickley #5, and RJ Barrett #9 during the second half of their NBA game against the Boston Celtics at Scotiabank Arena on January 15, 2024 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Raptors fans and fans across the country.
This week’s survey asks Toronto Raptors fans how far they think this year’s team can go.
Assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade officially clears whatever hurdles remain, the Raptors project to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Last year, they pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to a thrilling Game 7 before ultimately bowing out in the first round. That same Cavaliers squad made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the eventual champion New York Knicks.
Toronto replaces Brandon Ingram – who was unfortunately a non-factor during the Cleveland series – with one of the best players in the NBA. But will that be enough to counter all the moves made by Eastern Conference rivals?
Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with more Reacts.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 2: Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers is guarded by Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics during the game during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2022 Celtics were carried into the NBA Finals on the back of their defense. Sure, they had Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to carry the offense, but that team had a lot of offensive flaws, including turning the ball over way too often.
Unlike that team, this Celtics team doesn’t have a clear number 2 offensive option (unless Payton Pritchard can grab it with a big season). They also won’t turn the ball over and get a lot of offensive rebounds.
Like that team, this Celtics team should have one of the best defenses in the NBA.
The offseason additions of Paul George and Mitchell Robinson should accentuate last year’s top-5 defense. As CelticsBlogger Nate Moskowitz wrote in July, George and Robinson create turnovers, something that the Celtics did not do last season.
Boston was 5th in the NBA in defensive rating last season, according to Cleaning the Glass but were 23rd in creating turnovers. Creating more turnovers is something that the Celtics clearly put an emphasis on this summer.
Last season, George ranked in the 89th percentile in steals percentage for forwards while Robinson was in the 95th percentile for bigs.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 05: Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks gurards Paul George #13 of the LA Clippers in the first half at Staples Center on January 5, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have evidence that elite defenses can win in the playoffs — the 2022 Celtics and the 2025 Thunder were built around their defenses and got to at least the NBA Finals with OKC ultimately winning the whole thing.
The Robinson and George additions are going to open up Derrick White to be even better on that end of the floor as well.
For a lot of last season, White was used as a perimeter defender to guard one of the better players on the other team. Now, George, Jayson Tatum and a cast of others can do that. Robinson, meanwhile, is one of the best switching bigs in the NBA, which allows the Celtics to play him and have Derrick White roam off of the ball so he can do what he does best: blowing up plays and blocking shots.
Neemias Queta was a player who improved a ton last season on defense and should look to take another leap as well. He did a great job and protecting the rim and cleaning up the glass on that end last season and should look to continue to improve next season as well. There are a lot of options for Joe Mazzulla to go to on defense. Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh off the bench have also shown to be plus defensive options, too.
I have a lot of optimism for the Celtics this season because of what should be one of the best defenses in the league.
HOUSTON, TX - MARCH 21: Alperen Sengun #28 & Jabari Smith Jr. #10 of the Houston Rockets smile before the game against the Miami Heat on March 21, 2026 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country.
Last week, Holly posted the ESPN predictions for the upcoming NBA season. In it, ESPN predicts the Rockets for 51 wins ands tied for third in the NBA’s Western Conference. If given the option, are you taking the over, under or is ESPN right on the money?
Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with the results!
AUBURN HILLS, MI - 1990: Larry Bird #33 of the Boston Celtics looks to pass during a game circa 1990 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1990 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
People who never saw great athletes play frequently can’t believe the claims about them. We’ve seen this recently with some who doubt that Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single NBA game, apparently because there’s no video. In 1962, though, not only was the NBA not on TV a lot, TV cameras looked like this (he did score 100, by the way, as his teammate, Al Attles, attested).
More recently, there is a bizarre theory that Babe Ruth didn’t actually exist because, again, there’s not much video. Well, of course there wasn’t much video in the 1920s.
This is what those sorts of cameras looked like about 100 or so years ago. You had to advance the film manually, there was a lot of technical expertise involved, the film wasn’t necessarily cheap, and you also had to have a certain level of expertise to develop it.
And of course you had to get lucky to an extent because it’s not like they filmed every minute of every game.
Which brings us to a more recent misunderstanding: could Larry Bird play in today’s game?
Which is a really dumb question.
The argument is that Bird was too slow and too unathletic to play in today’s game, which is just foolish. People had the same concerns when he came into the league in 1979. There were plenty of freak athletes in the NBA in the 1980s – Clyde Drexler, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and Michael Jordan, to name a few. All of those guys have talked about what a nightmare it was to play against Bird.
Beyond that, though, today, Luka Doncic and Kon Knueppel are slow, unathletic players, and they’re thriving.
Also, in the 1980s, guys like Bill Laimbeer and Charles Oakley made their living essentially mugging opponents. In today’s game, you can’t do that.
But that’s not the main reason Bird would thrive.
It’s true that he wasn’t fast or athletic by the normal definition of those things, but his hands and his mind were extraordinary.
He made decisions incredibly quickly and ruthlessly, and he moved the ball like no one else has ever done.
When Stephen Curry signs another contract with the Warriors, as he surely intends to, the significance of that moment will extend far beyond continuing his journey with the Bay Area’s NBA team.
Whether that signature becomes official this month or in October or in February 2027, it’ll reaffirm Curry’s commitment to the Bay Area, to people he’ll never know and to causes local and global for which he has no mandatory obligation.
Curry’s multigenerational wealth – he has earned nearly $500 million in basketball salary alone – has allowed him and his wife, Ayesha, to build programs that bless people with food, books, toiletries, computers, playgrounds and more. Underrated Golf is paving a path for broader inclusion in one of the world’s most exclusive institutions. With Unanimous Media, he and his partners are creating content that might otherwise not be supported elsewhere.
Why?
Because it’s Curry’s mission. He’s not the next Muhammad Ali, but he was a deserving winner in July of the Sports Humanitarian award named after The Greatest. He was among thousands walking the streets of Oakland in protest in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. Curry’s benevolence stems from his faith-based disposition and innate desire to drive societal progress.
“It’s such a grounding aspect of my life because it allows me to make sense of all this in a way that wouldn’t necessarily otherwise could,” Curry said of his faith Sunday at the University of San Francisco. “I don’t understand why I’m on the stage. I love to play basketball. I was blessed with a gift from an early age, and I love to do it. And the doors that have been opened, there has to be some reason, some outcome that is beyond my imagination. I’m walking in that purpose.
“And that’s been a huge part of being able to connect with people, to see God in each one of us. I think the idea of being passionate about who you are, what makes you different, and leaning into that is . . . you’ve got to live an authentic life. And just the idea of there has to be something bigger than myself because none of this really makes any sense.”
Curry was among those sharing the stage at USF’s Sobrato Center for a screening and panel discussion of an upcoming Netflix documentary, “The Baddest Speechwriter of All.” The film chronicles the life of Clarence B. Jones, a soldier on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement and a confidant and advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King.
Curry’s involvement began in January 2025 when Jones visited the Warriors at Chase Center. Jones, who passed away in May at age 95, was honored as an “Impact Warrior” for a lifelong quest for racial and social equality that included eight years writing speeches and providing legal counsel for Dr. King.
Jones had asked to meet Curry, and the two spent enough private time that a friendship was born. They found they were in many ways kindred spirits.
“There’s a big point in the film about choosing your teammates, and I asked Dr. Clarence Jones about that,” Curry said. “About him and Dr. King’s team chemistry, if you will. On the surface, (he said) they couldn’t be further apart. He didn’t know that they would have that gel and that bond.
“But everything that you do great in the world, you do with a team. Finding that team is as important as anything. Being able to find it with these people on the stage right here, Ben (Proudfoot) and EP (Erick Payton), the entire Jones family, I want to thank you all for allowing us to be able to be a part of this.”
The team behind the documentary includes Curry, making his debut as a director, and Academy Award-winning co-director Proudfoot, for Breakwater Studios, and Payton, the CEO of Unanimous Media, who co-founded the company with Curry in 2018. Proudfoot and Payton flanked Curry at the Sobrato Center.
Unanimous Media represents an expansion of Curry’s zeal to educate, to give people tools of growth. It’s a step beyond the “Eat. Learn. Play.” foundation Stephen and Ayesha started a few months later – a few years after the couple was quietly serving Oakland and the Bay Area community.
There was a time when Warriors coach Steve Kerr wondered if Curry, by loaning his time and contributing money to so many people and causes, was spreading himself too thin. That was early in the 2015-16 NBA season.
“Then I saw how much it meant to him,” Kerr, sitting at an outdoor table at the team’s former practice facility in Oakland, told NBC Sports Bay Area. “He needs to do these things. It’s part of who he is. It brings him joy, and I’m not about to take that away – especially since it hasn’t hurt how he plays.”
The Warriors won an NBA-record 73 games that season. Curry was the MVP, the first – and only – to win the award by unanimous vote.
Almost 11 years later, Curry only has added to his off-court repertoire. His fuel is basketball, but it allows him to reach the places essential to make a difference beyond the game. To go places he never dreamed of and touch people in ways he barely could imagine.
“I didn’t create this,” Curry said. “But I’m walking in the direction that was made for me.”
Still making my way through the Atlantic Division as I explore the world of basketball around us. I feel like LeVar Burton doing Reading Rainbow, except instead of riveting children’s stories, I’m learning about why nobody has won back-to-back titles since the Golden State Warriors last did it between 2017 and 2018. One of those teams that had an opportunity and squandered it is the Boston Celtics, who won in 2024 and then suddenly have a roster that looks markedly different than that squad.
Golden State and Boston played twice last season with Boston winning both. Jaylen Brown had a triple-double in one and dropped 32 in the other. Brown was the one lighting the match both times, much to Golden State’s chagrin. But it makes sense as Brown was Finals MVP two years ago and finished sixth in MVP voting last season. He’s 29 and in his prime, and led the Celtics after his running mate Jayson Tatum got injured.
So naturally, Boston’s offseason move was to trade him. And Boston sent him to their division rivals in Philadelphia for Paul George and four draft picks: two firsts, two seconds. FASCINATING. I mean I love Playoff P’s game as much as the next guy, but I did NOT see that trade coming.
Celtics owner Bill Chisholm admits he needed to be convinced to trade Jaylen Brown
“I needed to be convinced. I definitely have a level of trust in Brad Stevens and his team… But as a fan, that was tough"
So what’s the roster now? Jayson Tatum, still working his way back from the Achilles tear that cost him the first 62 games of last season. PG13, on an expensive deal, with health a real question at this point in his career. They’ve got Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta manning the paint, with the timeless wonder Mike Conley running point at 38 years old.
But I wonder if that means the Celtics didn’t just trade Jaylen Brown; did they trade title contention this year too? What does Boston know about Jaylen Brown that the rest of us don’t?
Brown and Tatum won a title together and Brown’s the healthier player as of late. Unless Brown is constantly acting like the smartest guy in the room (lol) every clue in my mind keeps coming back to money. Reading between the lines, this feels less like Boston souring on Brown as a player and more like Boston deciding it couldn’t afford him at the same time as Tatum and everything else on the books.
If that’s the real answer, it’s a lot less interesting than “we don’t believe in him anymore,” and honestly worse for the rest of the league, because it means the sixth-place MVP finisher is walking around for the price of an expiring vet and picks purely because of the way the new cap rules bite. I defer to an SB Nation article by Ricky O’Donnell to shed some light on this topic:
The simple version for why the Celtics traded Brown is because he’s a good player, but a bad asset. He’s owed $180 million over the next three years, and the Celtics decided their team wasn’t good enough right now with him on that deal to win a championship. Why did the Celtics trade Brown? I don’t think it’s because he believes he’s the smartest guy in the room, or because they couldn’t repair the relationship. It’s more because Brown finished with a -1.6 RAPM last season. By time decay RAPM, Brown ranks No. 270 in the league.
Regardless of where you fall on the Jaylen Brown debate, it is pretty remarkable that the Boston Celtics were better with him off the court than on the court over his entire 10-year tenure with the team pic.twitter.com/J2dUkBU8vr
Well if his RAPM was so bad why did Boston just throw him a farewell block party?! We’re talking ten thousand people on Boston Common and a key to the city. Did you see that street sign that says “Jaylen Brown Way”? They traded him in July but they named a street after him in August. Boston, pick a lane!!
He’ll walk back into that building wearing a Sixers jersey this season. Good luck figuring out whether that crowd is supposed to cheer, cry, or boo. So thanks, Boston. You finally found a way to stop Jaylen Brown from kicking the Warriors’ (regular season) ass in a Celtics jersey.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 14, 2026 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In the spirit of Bill Simmons and his NBA trade-value rankings, I wanted to rank the Utah Jazz players by how valuable they are as prospects.
Just like with Bill Simmons’ trade value rankings, this isn’t ranking players from best to worst (even though that is a consideration) but rather a list of who is the “most untradable” based on multiple factors. From Bill Simmons, here are the considerations:
Rule no. 1: Salaries matter (more than ever in the Apron Era, by the way).
Rule no. 2: Age matters.
Rule no. 3: Contract length matters.
Rule no. 4: Happiness matters; so does durability.
Rule no. 5: Bizarre real-life trades SHOULD affect the list.
Rule no. 6: Concentrate on degrees.
Basically, you can sum this up as the likelihood that the Jazz will trade this player. With that out of the way, let’s get started.
10. Josh Green | 26’ $14.6m | Age 26 | Drafted 18th overall
With a list of players ranked by how untradable they are, the first on the list has to be the guy who was signed because of how tradeable his contract is.
That said, Green does bring a lot to the table as a role player. He has good size at 6’6” and shoots 42% from three. He’s not all-defense, but he’s a positive defender. Considering all of that, and that he’s still just 26, he has a chance to make himself much more untradeable. Although, in a weird way, him playing well makes him more tradeable? Look, it’s a weird paradox here, and I don’t know the witchcraft that can help him. But let’s just say Green playing well helps the Jazz in a variety of ways, whether it’s winning games or helping Utah make a big trade come trade deadline.
If this were a player ranking list, Svi Mykhailiuk would be higher. His shooting is consistently great, and he brings a fearlessness backed up by real production. His contract is also incredibly affordable. You could argue the value you get for the cost makes him one of the best values in the league.
The defense is the biggest liability here. If he was more impactful on that end, he’d be even more untradable. Ironically, if Svi wasn’t so low in salary, he’d be more tradable. His $3M+ contract is difficult to move because it’s hard to find a salary match for Svi with comparable winning production. Unless Svi is added to a multi-player trade, it’s not likely to see him be moved.
This is a tough one. Collier would typically be higher in the rankings because of his age and lower salary. The issue is that Collier hasn’t proven he can shoot the three consistently, or that he can impact the game in a winning way. Dunks and threes has him as a negative on the offensive and defensive end with a -3.6 overall EPM. What does that mean? He’s the #553 ranked player in the league.
Alllllll that said, Collier is in the 98th percentile in assist rate. He’s also just 22 and is still in the “potential” zone as a player. He’s tantalizing enough now that there may be a team interested in that potential. The best case for Utah is if he can improve while on the Jazz and can become the third guard in the Jazz rotation.
Okogie was a nice addition to the Jazz this offseason with the sole purpose of improving Utah’s defensive intensity. Okogie has also shot 38% from three last season. If he keeps up that production, it makes him incredibly valuable. Like Mykhailiuk, Okogie’s contract isn’t big at $6M, so he’s probably only going to be in a multi-team deal if that happened.
But Utah isn’t as interested in moving this contract unless they have to. Okogie is the perfect type of role player for the Jazz.
This was not on purpose, but I like that Brice Sensabaugh comes in at #6 on this list because he has the potential to be a fantastic 6th man in the league. Sensabaugh has got to work on his consistency, but on some nights you’ll see Sensabaugh play and he’ll look like one of the best shooters in the league.
Sensabaugh is a career 38% shooter and shoots 45% from the field. He’s also not just a catch-and-shoot player, he can handle the ball and score in the mid-range. He’s the type of player that can get you 30 on any given night. That type of scoring punch is really valuable off the bench, and the more that Sensabaugh develops alongside Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson, the more likely he is to be a valuable contributor.
Here’s where things get interesting. Markkanen is one of the more proven players on the Jazz with his three-point shooting, his transition play, his cutting, and his improved mid-range post game. The Jazz have had him as the cornerstone player during the entire tank and now come out of it with Markkanen proving to be a complementary star rather than the focal point of a winning team. And when I say complementary player, that’s not a slight. Markkanen, when he’s playing well, is one of the best off-ball players in the league on the offensive end.
The issue with Markkanen is that he makes a LOT of money for a complementary player. For a team that is not interested in winning, that’s not an issue. When you’re playing to win, that salary can get scary. If Darryn Peterson and Keyonte George look like a star duo next year, Markkanen looks more expendable. If Ace Bailey takes off, it might be only a matter of time before a move happens.
4. Jaren Jackson Jr. | 26’ $49M, 27’ $50M, 28’ $52M, 29’ $53M | Age: 27 | Drafted 4th overall
Jaren Jackson Jr. was easily the biggest surprise from last season. In a year where fans expected to be losing games to get the best player possible in the draft, the last thing they expected was to trade for a former All-Star and DPOY.
Utah’s biggest need this upcoming season is more defense. Jackson’s two-way ability is exactly what Utah needed, as well as some proven star power and veteran leadership on the floor. Jackson is arguably the best player on the Jazz, and Utah was able to get him for three picks, which shows just how valuable he is. But that does mean he’s tradable. Jackson is in the middle of his prime on a max contract, and Utah is hoping he can find his DPOY form this year. If he does, it takes Utah to another level. If he doesn’t and isn’t living up to his contract? We might start seeing some trade rumors. That seems extremely unlikely. Utah has the firepower to allow Jackson to focus on what he does best and doesn’t have to be the focal point of the offense. That would put Jackson into the complementary player category. Utah can only have so many complementary players on the roster making max money. At some point, Utah will likely have to choose between Jackson and Markkanen.
No one on the Jazz rocketed up in the rankings more last season than Keyonte George. He was a frontrunner for Most Improved Player last season, thanks to his incredible leap in production. He had a legitimate shot until he was pulled so Utah could tank for Peterson. That potential he showed, along with his age and cheap contract, makes him extremely unlikely to be traded.
There’s also more to George’s game than just production. He’s looked like a real leader for the Jazz on and off the court and has been a big part of the Jazz in Utah’s offseason workouts. George is completely bought into Utah and is poised to get a big contract this season. Depending on that contract, he may rise and fall on this list. If he has an all-star season and meshes well with Darryn Peterson, he becomes invaluable to the future of the Jazz and becomes almost untradeable.
Before Utah had the luckiest night in team history, Ace Bailey was the potential savior of the franchise. Even with Darryn Peterson on the team, Ace Bailey is the player that could swing everything for Utah towards a championship. At 6’8” with his athelticism, defensive potential, and scoring, he’s got as much a chance as anyone to be a true star in the league. His rookie season wasn’t Rookie of the Year caliber, but he did show enough signs that he could become something special.
This is a big year for Bailey, and he needs to show improvement. If he does, he’s probably as untouchable as Peterson. Wings with his talent and size are impossible to get outside of the draft, and there’s almost zero chance Utah would take a call with someone asking for Bailey.
This was a difficult list to think through, but this was the easiest of all the choices. The list of players the Jazz would consider in a trade for Peterson right now is extremely small. It may only be one and rhyme with … Memben…pama?
Peterson has the talent and upside to be one of the literal best players in the league. His skill level is the type that just needs refining rather than developing. He should destroy opposing defenses this upcoming season, and it’s scary to think of how good he can become when he improves his decision-making and acclimates to the grind of the league.
Utah has some tough decisions ahead with other contracts, but building the team around Peterson is one of the easiest they’ll ever make.
Inglewood, CA - April 15: Forward Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers fights for the ball against forward Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors and forward Gui Santos, right, of the Golden State Warriors in the first half of a NBA play-in tournament basketball game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
I’ve been hanging out in the Western Conference doing my division by division analysis, until my phone started blowing up from my college buddies in the Eastern time zone. They wanna hear what the Gold Blooded King is seeing with their teams too apparently. Ask, and you shall receive my friends!
But where to start? I’ll tell you where, the storied Atlantic division. Why you ask? Wellp, that’s where the Toronto Raptors play. And that’s the team Kawhi Leonard is trying to escape to after Draymond Green’s Warriors banished his Clippers out of the play-in tournament and into the off-season. And if he gets there legally or illegally, it doesn’t matter!
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers-Toronto Raptors trade centered on Kawhi Leonard will not be finalized until the NBA investigation into the Clippers is complete, per @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/hYB2w5S1Na
Golden State did not handle Toronto well last season. The Raptors swept the season series 2-0, and imposed their length, athleticism and physicality on the Dubs. If there was ever a time the Warriors fans would wish for James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga picks to have panned out, it was these games where the Warriors just had no answer for the swarming, bouncy style of play Toronto has. They averaged 140+ points on Golden State last year…that’s insane!
Toronto went 46-36, third in the Atlantic, and lost in the first round to Cleveland in seven games. Then the front office looked at a team that finished 5th in the league in defense and 15th on offense and decided the fix wasn’t patience. Rather, it’s THE KLAW. They decided to send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft capital out the door to the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard, come on back to the North!
And Toronto didn’t really have to rip the foundation out to get him. Ingram was probably the worst defensive starter they ran out there. Not that he’s a slouch so to speak, but that’s just how good that Raptors squad is on that side of the ball. So if this trade goes through…they are basically just trading their worst defensive starter for Kawhi Leonard???
Think about how many times last season the Raptors offense boiled down to a late shot clock shot for Brandon Ingram.
Kawhi was top 10 in FG% on shots in the last 4 seconds of the clock last season. https://t.co/a2qNYgNdh4
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) July 4, 2026
Kawhi isn’t walking into some tired roster squeezing out one last run either. They’ve got a great mix of youth and vets with playoff experience. RJ Barrett is 26, former Warrior prospect Trayce Jackson-Davis is also 26, and then you’ve got that monster Scottie Barnes at 25. Immanuel Quickley is back and reportedly healthy after missing the whole postseason and he’s only 27. Their oldest player is Kyle “SloMo” Anderson at 32! This team is primed for a run.
The one thing standing in the way is the league itself. The Clippers are still under investigation for alleged cap circumvention in how this deal got structured. If the NBA unwinds it, Brandon Ingram has to walk back into Raptors training camp next month after everybody already watched Toronto trade him away. Toronto’s operating like the trade sticks.
Everyone is talking about Year 6 Scottie, but Immanuel Quickley running the offense with a full offseason of health is what unlocks this entire roster.
And look Dub Nation, I know none of us wants to hear “Kawhi Leonard” and “Toronto Raptors” in the same sentence again. The last time that combination showed up in June, it ended with a title and the Finals we don’t talk about at family dinners. KD’s Achilles, Klay’s ACL, Oracle’s last game, and a banner in Toronto. All bad for the Bay.
I hope this trade sticks so the Dubs can get some measure of vengeance.
Dub Nation! This has been a piece I’ve been looking forward to writing for a minute as we finish our recap of the offseason moves of the Southwest division. The San Antonio Spurs won the Western Conference Finals and in my mind would have won the NBA Finals if they had that dawg in them. But if they had met a healthy Golden State Warriors team in the playoffs last year I HAVE NO DOUBT that the Dubs would have tucked the kids in San Antonio to sleep. But that’s just me though.
Golden State and San Antonio split the season series 2-2, but the way it split says everything. The Warriors won both meetings in November ON THE SPURS HOME FLOOR in the span of three days.
The Spurs won both in the second half over the wounded Dubs en route to a magicalish run.
San Antonio went 62-20, beat OKC in a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals, and made a climb to the NBA Finals nobody outside the building saw coming. Then they did the single most un-superstar thing a 22-year-old with a $303 million contract sitting right there in front of him could do. Victor Wembanyama signed for less money on purpose. Woooow that’s quite selfless of the skyscraping giant, very Spursy, very demure. What other Spurs 7-footer does that remind me of? Let’s check in with Sports Illustrated on the details:
Heading into his fourth year as the MVP favorite fresh off a Finals appearance, Wembanyama could have signed a five-year contract worth up to $303 million if he hit MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or All-NBA. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that instead, Wembanyama accepted $252 million with a player option in the fifth year and no escalators to the super max. It’s 25% of the salary cap instead of 30%, and it gives the Spurs a better chance to build a contender around him.
“San Antonio worked in close partnership with Wembanyama and his representatives, offering the full super max and different variations of extensions,” Charania said on Friday afternoon. “But Wembanyama ultimately chose a contract sacrifice rooted in giving him and the organization increased ability to build a sustained title contender around him.”
Tim Duncan would be proud.
The Spurs also added Tobias Harris, a 34-year-old, 6-foot-8 forward who can space the floor and guard bigger wings, exactly what San Antonio didn’t have when their frontcourt depth ran dry in the Finals. Their only real drama is at point guard, and it’s a good problem to have. De’Aaron Fox struggled in the Finals playing through a high ankle sprain, which was tough when you have Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper chomping at the bit to take the wheel.
And then there’s the aforementioned bill they gotta pay to afford these luxurious problems. Our friends at Pounding the Rock have been mulling that this summer:
First, Stephon Castle will become eligible for an extension next summer. Assuming he continues to improve as a player, he’ll want the max. The Spurs would surely love it if he took less and will have the threat of restricted free agency, which gives them control of Castle’s destiny, as a bargaining tool. The issue with wielding that weapon is that it could damage the relationship with Castle, who was a starter on a Finals team. If the front office thinks he’s a part of the untouchable core going forward, keeping him happy and feeling important will be paramount. Can they do that without offering the 25 percent max?
De'Aaron Fox had a NIGHTMARE of a series for the Spurs in the Finals 💀
San Antonio owes the 28 year-old guard $229,000,000 over the next four seasons 😳 pic.twitter.com/A51dp8itCO
Golden State knows exactly what that math looks like on the other side of it, because the Warriors have been paying the tax to keep a core intact since before Wembanyama was drafted. San Antonio’s about to find out what that actually costs. This year, though, they didn’t have to choose. They kept everybody, added a piece, and still own bragging rights over everybody in the conference.
Enjoy the easy offseason, San Antonio. It’s the last one you get for a while. The Warriors absolutely can’t wait to see you again.
Another division, another team that is trying to find a better day now that the Golden State Warriors dynasty is on its last legs. We’re in the Southwest division now; let’s take it straight to the bottom. I’m not just talking about the division standings, I’m talking the Bayou where the New Orleans Pelicans reside. The Warriors took two of three from New Orleans last season, getting the best of a team that went 26-56 last year.
They fired their coach, hired Jamahl Mosley away from Orlando, and then just… stopped for a month. No first-round picks. No major free agency moves. Definitely no significant trades. They LOST Kevon Looney?! What part of the game is that? Even Sports Illustrated couldn’t believe it:
Coming off another disappointing sub-30-win season, the New Orleans Pelicans needed to make swift changes this offseason. That started with a brand-new coaching staff led by former Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, who will try to rebuild the Pelicans’ culture. Many thought sweeping personnel changes would be next after the team won just 26 games last year.
This is a team that won 26 games and acted like it just made the conference finals. At least they resigned DeAndre Jordan? Then, deep into the offseason, New Orleans finally did something. They got Bennedict Mathurin off the Clippers for two years and $16 million.
The Pelicans’ new projected rotation entering next season:
Starters: Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, Derik Queen
Second Unit: Jeremiah Fears, Jordan Poole, Bennedict Mathurin, Saddiq Bey, Yves Missi pic.twitter.com/2iLdEK5vrt
Now here’s what’s curious: New Orleans already has Zion Williamson barreling toward the rim. Derik Queen wants to live down there too. Can’t forget that Dejounte Murray and Saddiq Bey like to get busy around the rim and aren’t exactly keeping defenders awake at night from three. Trey Murphy III can shoot the hell out of it, but somebody’s got to give that man some help. Herbert Jones made an All-Defensive team two years ago, and his three-point shot has cratered to 31 percent over the last two seasons.
So naturally the Pelicans went out… and got another dude who wants to attack the basket?! But don’t take my word for it, just ask the folks from Pelicans Debrief:
The one thing that always seems to elude the Pelicans is three-point shooting. When you look at their current roster, they only have one legitimate three-point shooter, and that is Trey Murphy III. Unfortunately, three-point shooting is not Mathurin’s strongest skill. He did shoot 37% from three in his sophomore season. He was able to replicate that in the first half of last season with the Pacers. However, when he was with the Los Angeles Clippers last season, he shot an abysmal 20% from three.
Twenty percent! I don’t want to use my journalism powers out of turn, but it may be time to do a Perry Mason style investigation of whether or not the Pelicans are in forever tank mode. By the way, as much as people bemoan the Warriors injury issues, the Pelicans REALLY can’t stay healthy. Dejounte Murray played 14 games last year coming back from a ruptured Achilles. Zion playing 60 games still qualifies as a special occasion.
And to add insult to injury, the one guy other than Murphy who I would really believe is supposed to be a stone cold shooter is a champion and Warriors fan-favorite Jordan Poole! What did he shoot from beyond the arc last season? 33%?! Nononono this can’t be. Somebody free my dawg JP!
— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) April 8, 2026
If the Warriors want to make any kind of noise in the playoffs next season, beating teams like the Pelicans is mandatory. Even one misstep against a team like this can put a team on the bubble straight out of the sixth seed and into the play-in tournament, which the Warriors haven’t had the best of luck in since its inception. #FreePoole
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - APRIL 07: Cody Williams #5 of the Utah Jazz walks backcourt during the first half of a game at Smoothie King Center on April 07, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The only thing less rewarding than watching Cody Williams play basketball was holding to the hope that he could develop into a talented NBA-level contributor.
The second lottery pick of the tanking era, the Utah Jazz selected Williams with the 10th overall pick in what was a putrid NBA Draft class. We knew it would be a comparatively garbage crop of talent — you could smell the stench months in advance — yet Utahns still celebrated Williams’ selection at the time.
A former 5-star McDonald’s All-American with an elastic wingspan, a 41.5% clip from three-point land in his freshman season at Colorado, and stardom in his DNA, Williams was a great proposition at that point in the draft. In theory, he was a low-danger prospect dredged from a draft pool of filth.
In practice, however, it took no time at all for Jazz fans to wallow in the melancholy of a rebuild apparently prolonged for yet another season.
He was incredibly disappointing in his first two years with the Jazz, posting stat lines that should be buried in the archives, far away from the eyes of impressionable, vulnerable youth.
Williams isn’t the worst basketball player ever, nor should he be treated as a villain or disease that must be eradicated. I tend to exaggerate for effect.
In fact, I have long been a supporter of Williams. Call it homerism, blind optimism, or poor player evaluation skills, but I still believe that there’s a world in which Williams develops into a good or even great piece of a competitive team.
He’s still only 21 years old. And though the “young = good” fallacy is still prevalent in NBA circles, I still believe that given the right training and plenty of patience, Cody Williams has the potential to be an effective NBA-level player. Patience runs thin at the highest level of basketball, and the Jazz apparently burned through their supply when they dealt Williams for a role player and a stack of bills.
The Jazz saw him in practice. They saw him in games. They had seen enough, and they quit on the second lottery pick of the post-Gobert-Mitchell era just seven months after trading Taylor Hendricks.
The key difference between the Hendricks and Williams trades? Hendricks played a key role in bringing Jaren Jackson Jr. — a multiple-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year — to Utah. Williams yielded Josh Green, a player suspected to be little more than a situational outside weapon in the short-term and a tradable contract in the long-term.
Not exactly a resume-builder.
Though it spanned just two seasons, the era of Cody Williams dug up feelings in his supporters akin to the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Please allow this article to serve as a therapy session. A moment of safety from the harsh realities of Utah Jazz basketball in the past 24 calendar page flips or so, and a calming gulp of oxygen as we move toward a better future.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – APRIL 1: Cam Johnson #23 of the Denver Nuggets strips the ball from Cody Williams #5 of the Utah Jazz during the second half of their game at the Delta Center on April 1, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Five Stages of Cody Williams
Denial
On draft day, Cody Williams was seen as an underwhelming but promising prospect. He has fantastic measurables, standing at 6’8” with a 7’1” wingspan; he fit comfortably into the archetype of a modern NBA wing. Toss into the mix the fact that Williams hit 41.5% of his three-pointers at Colorado, and it seemed all he needed to transform into a dependable 3-and-D player was a few hundred hours in the weight room.
As unrefined as his game still was, Williams was always going to be a project. Surely, given enough time, he could gain the physicality and ball skills of his older brother, Jalen, right?
Anger
It didn’t take long before Williams’ uninspiring production frustrated Jazz fans, many of whom (Williams’ ride-or-die supporters) clung to denial while the remainder slipped into the second phase.
He had basically fallen out of Will Hardy’s rotation in the early stages of his sophomore season, never leaving the bench in 5 of the first 14 games of the season. Cody had visibly lost all confidence in his jump shot, and for good reason — 21.4% is an abysmal three-point rate for a wing, and even worse for a player who knocked down a sizzling rate from distance in college.
…On just 1.7 attempts per game. That’s a low sample size that might have been a bit deceptive for Utah’s scouts, considering 41.5% looks much more appealing than 0.7 made three-pointers per game. Now shooting more than that at the NBA level, Williams can’t seem to find the net on open looks (he gets plenty of those).
He just scored 35 points in a G League game — where is that guy when he suits up for the Jazz?
The Jazz could have just gone the safe route and taken Matas Buzelis. Heck, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski are outplaying Williams, and they were drafted 20 picks later.
It seems the Jazz had been fooled or simply missed in the 2024 NBA Draft lottery.
Bargaining
But he’s not even a real top-10 pick anyway, right? After all, his draft class was atrocious. Remember Zaccharie Risacher? Tijaun Salaun? Reed Sheppard? Rob Dillingham? These were all top-10 picks, and none of them have behaved as such since entering the NBA. The number-one overall pick, Risacher, was unceremoniously traded from Atlanta this offseason, and it wasn’t headline news in the slightest.
When you think about it in this frame of mind, Cody Williams isn’t a true top-10 prospect when compared to prospects typically in his draft range. He’s a project, after all, so it would be unrealistic to expect him to play well in just his second season.
These are the lies we told ourselves. These are the rationalizations we voluntarily internalized to protect ourselves from the truth that we expected more from a lottery pick.
We celebrated every routine positive. Praised him for making the right play on defense or for dunking when he had a gently obstructed runway to the basket. Williams wasn’t what we hoped, so we moved the goalposts to qualify him as a success, even if unknowingly.
Depression
In his third year at the Summer League, he was still a non-factor. Look at who AJ Dybantsa has to keep help defense at bay: Tre Johnson and Will Reily have been awesome during the Summer League.
Yet with Darryn Peterson claiming the defense’s attention, and against lesser competition, Cody Williams still shrank. He crept in the shadows. He was timid, cautious, and sickeningly irrelevant on the court.
It all came to a head when he posted a zero-point effort in 23 minutes of playing time. This was rock bottom for those still holding to the tattered remains of their Cody Williams stock. Dejected, sobbing, and crumpled into a heap on the concrete, we clenched our fists upon understanding what we saw wasn’t a larval stage of his development — it was an unforgiving telegram from reality.
Acceptance
This didn’t fully arrive until he was dealt to Minnesota.
Discarded for a bench wing who scored fewer than 5 points per game last season, Cody Williams was packaged with John Konchar in a trade that sent the pair to Minnesota.
Maybe Cody Williams will become a shade of the player many hoped he could become in Utah. The T-Wolves could have a plan to dig out the perfect version of the 21-year-old wing, and that perfect version may come back to haunt the Jazz in the years to come. Maybe.
But in Utah, the nightmare is over now. You’re safe. The Utah Jazz have traded Cody Williams, and he cannot hurt you anymore.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan and has covered the NBA and college athletics since 2024.
Let’s keep it rolling like a runaway train Dub Nation, alllll through the divisions as we break down what these other franchises have been up to this summer. I remember back during the dynasty’s heyday I would smirk and chuckle as other teams spun the wheel of transactions looking for a prayer against the Golden Empire. Now, I peer with furrowed brows as the league tries to leave Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors in the dust. Let’s take a peek at the Southwest division. That’s where former Warriors hero and future Hall-of-Famer Kevin Durant is a part of that league wide effort to beat the Dubs, as his Houston Rockets took two of three from Golden State last season.
Currently, Houston is heading into Year 2 of the KD experiment. Last season ended in shambles for the Rockets (as it always has since 1995), this time with a first-round exit to a severely depleted Lakers team in what would be LeBron James’ final series victory in the Western Conference. But the Rockets were missing point guard Fred VanVleet and center Steven Adams, while KD missed a ton of time in the series.
Then Giannis hit the market and Houston had the assets to make a real run at him. In the end, a deal wasn’t made per ESPN:
Rafael Stone isn’t Daryl Morey. Back in Morey’s days as general manager from 2007 to 2020, the Rockets seemingly relished cycling through star players in pursuit of a championship: Dwight Howard, James Harden, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook all took turns.
Even though the Rockets were embarrassed by the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers in a first-round series loss, Stone resisted the temptation to blow up his coaching staff or roster. Instead, he retained Ime Udoka as coach, re-signed Eason, acquired veterans Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic, and shipped out Finney-Smith, who barely contributed last season.
Everything else this offseason is Houston choosing depth and continuity. Tari Eason got a five-year, $81.5 million extension, while Smart and Bogdanovic came in for toughness and shooting. Chip Engelland, the shooting coach who won two titles in San Antonio, got hired. Fred VanVleet is running it back after a torn ACL cost him all of last season.
"I think Houston is actually being a little under-rated. Now that Fred VanVleet is back, I think they jave a chance to win alot of games.." – Zach Lowe[@ZachLowe_NBA] on your Houston #Rockets
Steven Adams is also back after ankle surgery in January ended his season early. And when Laci Watson of Roundtable Sports published a Houston-centric priorities piece back in May and then graded it, there was some guarded confidence:
I questioned whether Fred VanVleet represented Houston’s long-term answer at the position. VanVleet remains under contract after exercising his player option, but the Rockets clearly wanted additional options. Smart’s another experienced ballhandler, Bruce Thornton gives Houston a developmental guard, and Reed Sheppard stays part of the equation.
So, did they solve the long-term point guard question? I’m not ready to give myself that one yet. But they certainly acknowledged it.
Of course, when a team has Durant they carry the immediate weight of championship expectations. The Warriors were the only franchise that was able to take that weight and use it to club their foes on the way to multiple championships, but that’s what they do. They did it before he was there, and after he left. For the Rockets trying to press the KD button and watch a championship materialize, this season could be the moment KD wins his first non-GSW title, or it’s another referendum on just how hard it is to win it all in the NBA.
If their young guard Amen Thompson provides the consistent two-way punch this team needs, that dream could be realized. He’s a guy who can be an absolute monster defensively and then give you 40 points on the other end.
Amen Thompson is listed as the 4th best SG in the NBA on this list:
I think this is the year he can make his first all star team….
Golden State knows exactly what this bet looks like from the inside. A team deciding the roster doesn’t need an overhaul, it just needs everybody healthy at the same time. Now Houston’s betting VanVleet’s knee, Adams’ body, and the roster they already had can prove Rafael Stone right. We’ll find out if that’s enough.
On Saturday, Stephen Curry became eligible for a two-year, $136.7 million contract extension, which would be added after the $62.6 million he will make this coming season. Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy has been unequivocal: Golden State wants Curry back at any price. While some fans have wondered if Curry would get a wandering eye and consider chasing a ring elsewhere, Curry told Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area he wants to stay right where he is.
"There's no question I want to be here the rest of my career, and I'm pretty sure that's going to happen," Curry said to NBC Sports Bay Area in an exclusive interview...
"The deal and the contract stuff will happen at the right time, and we're not letting it be a distraction from our preparation for the season, and the fact that the team we're coming back with has a lot of familiarity."
This only echoes what Curry has said all along. He has given no signs he's looking around.
The timing of the extension is where things get interesting — and could lead to more speculation. If Curry signs the extension before the start of next season, all the chatter goes away.
However, it may be more advantageous for the Warriors next summer if Curry waits. Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green are all in the final year of their contracts, and they make a combined $147 million this season. Take that off the books and the Warriors have the cap space to chase major free agents. They have more flexibility to make moves and hopefully not strike out like they did this past summer with LeBron James.
Waiting into the season or after it, however, will lead to increasing speculation around the league about whether Curry really is going to stay in the Bay. Even if he has every intention of doing so and keeps saying it, the deeper into the season it goes without his name on a piece of paper, the louder and louder the speculation will get. It would be a distraction for a team already not getting two key contributors — Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody — back from injury until midseason.
Ultimately, Curry is unconcerned about the extension, which means Warriors fans should be, too. People may be looking for drama where there is none.
SALT LAKE CITY - MAY 26: Robert Horry #5 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts in the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz in Game Three of the Western Conference Finals during the 2007 NBA Playoffs at the EnergySolutions Arena on May 26, 2007 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Villains bracket continues, as we try to find the biggest villain in Spurs history. We’ve already covered Spurs Killers and Dirty Players. This time we’ll discuss the most bittersweet region: Former Spurs. We’ll look at players who once wore Silver and Black but, through their actions or their words, earned the ire of the fans that once rooted for their success.
For this exercise, we’ll focus exclusively on the basketball side of things and not their personal lives or legal troubles, so some names you expected to see will likely be missing.
Now Let’s look at the field, and don’t forget to vote!
1. Kawhi Leonard vs. 8. Marcus Morris
Unsurprisingly, The Nephew gets the top seed. You know the story. Leonard was fantastic for the Spurs in the first years of his career, reinvigorating an aging team and helping the Silver and Black raise their fifth banner. Then he got injured in the playoffs in 2016 by fellow Spurs villain Zaza Pachulia, and nothing was the same.
A quadriceps injury limited Leonard the following year, and he distrusted the team’s medical personnel who cleared him. He went to rehab in New York and avoided people from the franchise, actually hiding when they tried to check up on him. The rumors from his camp started flying, and they painted the Spurs in a bad light. As the relationship got worse, and with the help of Uncle Dennis Robertson, he forced his way out in the messiest way possible after suiting up for just nine games in 2017/18.
Despite the terrible ending, Kawhi at least had some great moments with the franchise. His first-round opponent never wore the jersey. Technically, he was never officially a Spur, and the fact that he used that technicality is what makes him a villain.
The betrayal left the franchise in a precarious position, because after agreeing to terms with Morris using the mid-level exception, the front office engineered a trade sending out Davis Bertans, who had been helpful in the regular season, and bringing in DeMarre Carroll while opening a roster spot. Once Morris backed out, they found themselves without Bertans and with no mid-level exception target late in the offseason, and had to settle for Trey Lyles.
The 2019/20 was not going to win a title no matter what but was made worse by Morris getting cold feet and not honoring his word.
2. Stephen Jackson vs. 7. Dennis Rodman
Another once-beloved and successful Spur who has done his best to lose every ounce of goodwill with the fanbase as a high seed. Jackson found his place as a starter for the 2023 title team, making big plays in the postseason, but unfortunately, he refused to sign a lucrative extension with the Spurs, hoping to get more money as a free agent.
Still, the fans loved Jackson and were happy when he found his way back in 2012. Jack was in the tail end of his career but still contributed in the playoffs. The next year, however, things took a turn. Jackson really struggled and saw his minutes reduced. Jackson wasn’t happy about it. To solve things, Gregg Popovich called him into a meeting in which he asked him to accept that he was not better than Manu Ginobili, but Jackson refused to do it and was unceremoniously cut. He retired a year later and has spent his entire career as a podcaster criticizing the Spurs every chance he gets.
A quick look at the numbers and the accolades would suggest Rodman’s Spurs years were good. He led the league in rebounding and made All-Defensive teams. The problems, as they typically did with him, didn’t have to do with his skills but his attitude.
Rodman clashed with then-coach Bob Hill, whom he never respected, and general manager Gregg Popovich, whom he later claimed hated him. He routinely skipped shootarounds and didn’t pay attention in huddles. Rodman started his second season suspended for conduct detrimental to the team and was benched in Game 5 of the 1995 Conference Finals after arriving late to practice. It was such a horrendous culture fit that even the normally diplomatic David Robinson actually said he was glad Rodman got traded.
What made it all hurt more was that Rodman went on to help the Bulls win the titles the Spurs hoped he’d help The Admiral win.
3. Robert Horry vs. 6. Derek Anderson
Just like Leonard and Jackson, Robert Horry was once an integral part of title teams in San Antonio, and just like them, he has gone out of his way to squander the love and respect his success earned him from the fanbase. Ever since retiring, he has taken every opportunity to downplay the excellence of Tim Duncan, once saying that Hakeem Olajuwon was “20 times better” than The Big Fundamental and criticizing his work ethic. In the same segment, he took shots at Manu Ginobili.
Horry’s opponent in this round is someone who broke fans’ hearts not with his words but with his actions. Anderson had a terrific 2000/01 season with the Spurs. The guard started all 82 games and was the team’s second-leading scorer behind Tim Duncan. Despite playoff struggles and an injury, the Spurs wanted to bring the 27-year-old back to help an aging San Antonio core continue to contend. They offered the journeyman a six-year deal, but Anderson wasn’t happy with how long it took for the team to negotiate with him and refused it, verbally agreeing to a deal with the Trail Blazers instead and leaving the Spurs with no choice but to trade him for an aging Steve Smith.
Things didn’t work out for Anderson in Portland, so there’s a case to be made that the Spurs dodged a bullet, but at the time it felt like Anderson let his pride ruin what could have been a great partnership.
4. Richard Jefferson vs. 5. Dejounte Murray
Jefferson’s Spurs tenure could be kindly described as just unfortunate. The team thought he’d be the 3-and-D wing San Antonio needed, and he simply wasn’t. The experience of watching Jefferson, however, was extremely unenjoyable.
Jefferson was a disappointment and looked so out of place that Gregg Popovich personally supervised his workouts in the summer of 2010, hoping to make things work. They didn’t, and Jefferson became an overpaid specialist who couldn’t really be trusted in big moments. The Spurs had to actually attach a first-rounder to get him off the books on a trade. What makes it all worse is that even though the Spurs unarguably extended his career by helping him transition from volume scorer to role player, he has seemingly taken shots at the franchise in his post-retirement media career.
Dejounte Murray’s tenure was completely different. He was a late first-round pick who exceeded expectations, and there was genuine fan excitement about the duo of Murray and Derrick White becoming the backcourt of the future. Unfortunately, the Spurs were never particularly good with Murray, and when the Hawks came in with a trade offer that was too good to pass up, they accepted it. Murray didn’t handle things well after, taking to social media to describe how happy he was with being traded, then bashing the organization while arguing with fans, saying the Spurs were “gonna be losing for the next 15 years.”
Those words came close to the trade, and Murray was an emotional guy, so they could have been excused had he not doubled down later. On Stephen Jackson’s podcast, he said the Spurs tried to “break him” and participated in Jackson’s favorite hobby: bashing Tony Parker, whom Murray accused of not mentoring him.
