Category: NBA

Mikal Bridges chose the perfect time to find his mojo. After a tepid close to the regular season, and an alarming first few games in the playoffs, the Knicks' wing has played some of his best basketball lately. 

With the Cleveland Cavaliers standing between the Knicks and an NBA Finals appearance, Bridges will be an X-Factor in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Bridges’ offense has taken off. In the last five games, he’s averaging 18.8 points on 67.8 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from the three-point line. 

The Knicks have needed the offense from Bridges with OG Anunoby missing the last two games of the second round with a right hamstring injury. Anunoby is expected to play in the Conference Finals, but it’s unclear how he will look both physically. Also, it will be important to see if he can quickly shake off the rust of not playing for nearly two weeks. 

That makes Bridges’ offensive role even more important. He’s not a playmaker for the Knicks, but he’s proven to be a very good play finisher. He can score both as a cutter and outside shooter. 

As New York's assists and passing have increased since center Karl-Anthony Towns’ emergence as a playmaker, Bridges has become one of the main beneficiaries of the stylistic shift.

Defensive pest

Defense is where Bridges should have an even larger role. He will check Cleveland's star perimeter duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden throughout the Conference Finals. Both Mitchell and Harden are dynamic with the ball in their hands and are capable of creating scoring opportunities for themselves and their teammates.

Bridges’ playoff defense has been a strength to the Knicks during these playoffs, hounding the likes of Tyrese Maxey and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the first two rounds. In the second round sweep against the Philadelphia 76ers, Bridges led the charge in defending Maxey. He and New York did a good job on the 76ers All-Star, limiting him to 18.3 points on 43.3 percent from the field.

Now, Cleveland presents some different challenges for New York’s defense. During the Knicks’ February loss to the Cavs, Bridges guarded Mitchell for much of the game, so expect him to take on that challenge again for Game 1.

Mitchell is a tough cover. He can be electric on the drive with power reminiscent of a tailback striding through the teeth of an NFL defense. Mitchell can also pull up from three as a shooter. He’s not the best playmaking guard in the NBA, but he’s shown he can both score and distribute. In Cleveland’s 125-94 rout of the Detroit Pistons in Game 7 of the second round, Mitchell had 26 points and eight assists. He consistently knifed into the lane and found Cleveland big men Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley for drop-off passes.

Bridges’ skills on defense are bolstered by length. Armed with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, he can get into passing lanes and disrupt offenses with deflections and steals. As New York blitzed Maxey in the pick-and-roll, Bridges’ anticipation created some deflections to slow down Philadelphia’s offense. New York’s defense is allowing 104.8 points per 100 possessions through 10 playoff games, the second-best number among all 16 playoff teams.

Though New York’s trade of Bridges nearly two years ago continues to be debated, he’s proven to be a key cog in the playoffs. For the Knicks to advance to the NBA Finals, they will need him to have a significant impact in this series.

As anticipated, the Cleveland Cavaliers are expected to re-sign guard James Harden once free agency starts, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. The Cavs traded Darius Garland at the trade deadline to acquire Harden, a major shake-up that shifted the outlook of the team for the near future. That includes more than the current season.

Windhorst says the Cavs traded for Harden with the intent of getting multiple seasons out of him, along with greater certainty that he would be healthy enough to play in the playoffs. Garland, for as much of a fan favorite as he was, described his injury as like playing with nine toes. Harden, despite being ten years older than Garland, has had a cleaner bill of health. Of course, Harden also wanted contract certainty heading into next season — something his former team, the Los Angeles Clippers were not willing to provide.

The Cavs were willing to work out a new deal with Harden and his representation, according to Windhorst, with the understanding that it would be a multi-year deal. Harden has a $42 million player option (with $13 million guaranteed), and the rebuilding Clippers were not willing to absorb that. Cleveland, who is all-in to win right now, saw it as an opportunity.

While no contract agreement is allowed to be announced, the Cavs appeared willing to play ball with the former MVP and his team to work out a deal. Besides, Harden would have rejected any deal that did not have this handshake agreement as part of the trade.

Despite several uneven playoff performances already for Harden, the overwhelming expectation is that he will remain in the wine and gold for a few more years to come. There could be more changes on the way as well, and some big ones at that.

Big upgrade? How Celtics can find center help via free agency, trades, draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Eastern Conference Finals matchup between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers is a good reminder that for the Boston Celtics to get back to a championship level, they need to upgrade their frontcourt.

The Knicks and Cavs have plenty of very good guards, but they also benefit from strong frontcourts. New York has Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson at center, while Cleveland has Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen.

The center duo of Neemias Queta and Luka Garza did a nice job for the Celtics during the regular season. Queta was even a legitimate candidate for Most Improved Player of the Year. But in the playoffs, this duo got exposed as not being good enough for a team with title aspirations.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens talked about his team’s need to be better at the rim offensively during a press conference earlier this month.

“One of the things that we’ve got to figure out is how to have more of an impact at the rim, and I think we do need to add to our team to do that,” Stevens said. “Everybody plays a role in that, but at the end of (Game 7), (Joel) Embiid is standing at the rim on all those possessions or a lot of those possessions.”

He also added: “I think the biggest thing is, can we generate looks at the rim? Yeah, everybody wants to do that, and every one of us would prefer a dunk over a 3. Every single one of us. Those are hard to get, and we struggle to generate them.”

So, how can the Celtics improve at center this offseason? Let’s look at some of their best options in free agency, the trade market and the 2026 NBA Draft.

2026 NBA Draft

The Celtics, unlike several contenders, own their 2026 first-round pick. But after finishing as the second-place team in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, they won’t pick until No. 27 overall in Round 1.

It’s not easy to get an impact player at the end of the first round, but the C’s have done a nice job finding competent role players in this range in recent seasons. The best examples include Robert Williams (No. 27, 2018), Payton Pritchard (No. 26, 2020), Baylor Scheierman (No. 30, 2024) and Hugo Gonzalez (No. 28, 2025).

Here’s a list of centers who might be available by the time the C’s are on the clock.

Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina

Veesar averaged 17 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, while shooting 42.1 percent from 3-point range last season.

Zuby Ejiofor, PF/C, St. John’s

Ejiofor is a physical force who can protect the rim, but his lack of a 3-point shot could make him a bad fit for Joe Mazzulla’s offensive scheme. He also averaged 7.7 rebounds per game over the last two seasons.

Tarris Reed Jr., PF/C, UConn

Reed is listed at 6-foot-11 and grabbed 9.0 rebounds per game for a Huskies team that reached the national championship game last season.

NBA trade market

The best player who could be traded this summer is Milwaukee Bucks superstar big man and two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on May 11 that the Bucks are “open for business on trade calls and offers” for Antetokounmpo.

Any potential Celtics trade involving Antetokounmpo would likely have to involve Jaylen Brown due to salary reasons and the fact that the cost to get the Bucks’ star will be high.

But trading a player of Brown’s caliber is a huge risk. He again proved this past season that he’s an All-NBA caliber player after setting career highs with 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. His fantastic season resulted in him finishing sixth in MVP voting.

The duo of Brown and Jayson Tatum has already won a title, and there’s no reason why the C’s can’t build around those two stars and chase Banner 19 as early as next season. Brown is also two years younger than Antetokounmpo and less injury prone.

Antetokounmpo is still an elite player, though. He has averaged 30.1 points, 11.5 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game over the last five seasons. He is an absolute force in the paint both offensively and defensively. If the C’s really want to create more dunks and improve their rim protection, a trade for Antetokounmpo is probably the most impactful move possible. Antetokounmpo leads all players in dunks per game over the last two years.

But the more likely route for the Celtics from a trade perspective is probably acquiring a big man via the $27.7 million traded player exception (TPE) they created as part of the Anfernee Simons trade with the Chicago Bulls back in February. It’s a sizable chunk of money the Celtics can use to absorb a large salary.

Let’s take a look at the best potential big man trade targets with salaries that fit inside Boston’s largest TPE.

Nic Claxton, C, Nets

• 2026-27 Salary: $23.1 million
• 2025-26 Stats: 57.1 FG%, 11.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.1 bpg (69 games)

The Nets are still in rebuild mode, so flipping Claxton for draft picks and/or a player(s) would make sense for them. Claxton is listed at 6-foot-11 and has averaged 7.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game in his career.

Wendell Carter Jr., C, Magic

• 2026-27 Salary: $18.1 million
• 2025-26 Stats: 51.2 FG%, 31.9 3P%, 11.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 0.6 bpg (78 games)

The Magic have a ton of huge salaries, so it would benefit them to move out some money. Carter is a reliable double-digit scorer and a good rebounder. He’s not a dominant shot blocker but does bring good size (6-foot-10, 270 pounds) to the frontcourt.

The Magic ranked 28th in 3-point percentage during the regular season, and given Boston’s abundance of good outside shooters, these two teams make sense as potential trade partners.

Daniel Gafford, PF/C, Mavericks

• 2026-27 Salary: $17.2 million
• 2025-26 Stats: 65.5 FG%, 9.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.3 bpg (55 games)

Gafford is an athletic center listed at 6-foot-10 and 255 pounds. He can reliably provide 10-plus points (a true lob threat, too) and around 7-8 rebounds per game. He’s also a good shot blocker. Gafford plays his role very well, but he’s missed more than 20 games due to injury each of the last two seasons.

He is signed through 2028-29 with an average annual salary of about $18.2 million, which is a team-friendly deal for the value he brings.

Isaiah Stewart, PF/C, Pistons

• 2026-27 Salary: $17.2 million
• 2025-26 Stats: 55 FG%, 10 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.1 apg, 1.6 bpg (58 games)

Jalen Duren is an RFA this summer and could get a massive raise from the Pistons. If that happens, would Detroit be willing to give Stewart a large deal of his own in the summer of 2028? Stewart is signed for just $15 million in 2026-27 with a team option for 2027-28. It’s a great contract.

Stewart had a rough conference semifinals series versus the Cavaliers, but overall, he had a strong 2025-26 campaign for the Pistons. He averaged 10 points per game and played exceptional defense. He’s a little undersized at 6-foot-8, but the combination of very good defense, physicality, shot blocking and the ability to provide double-digit scoring would make him a nice fit for Boston’s play style.

NBA free agency

The free agent market for centers, at least among unrestricted free agents, is pretty weak. The Celtics are expected to have access to the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which should be around $15 million. 

Here are some players who might fit into the MLE.

Mitchell Robinson, C, Knicks

• 2025-26 Stats: 72.3 FG%, 5.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 1.2 bpg (60 games)
• 2025-26 Salary: $13 million

Robinson is an intimidating figure in the paint at 7-foot and 240 pounds. He also averaged 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game for one of the league’s top 10 defenses. He doesn’t shoot 3-pointers and struggles at the free throw line, but the defense, physicality and rebounding he brings more than make up for those two weaknesses.

Robinson made an average yearly salary of $15 million over the last four seasons, which is about what the Celtics have available with the MLE. If he wants a good-sized raise, the Celtics probably won’t be able to afford him.

Andre Drummond, C, 76ers

• 2025-26 Stats: 47.2 FG%, 6.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 0.8 bpg (60 games)
• 2025-26 Salary: $5 million

Drummond is a big body in the paint at 6-foot-11 and 280 pounds. He’s still a very good rebounder but doesn’t provide a ton of offense.

Robert Williams III, C, Trail Blazers

• 2025-26 Stats: 70.8 FG%, 6.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.5 bpg (59 games)
• 2025-26 Salary: $13.2 million

Williams was a fan favorite in Boston from 2018 through 2023. He’s a very good defensive player and a top-tier shot blocker with impressive athleticism. The problem is durability. Williams has been injury prone throughout his career. He has missed 20-plus games in all but one of his eight pro seasons.

Jock Landale, C, Hawks

• 2025-26 Stats: 51.5 FG%, 10.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 0.5 bpg (68 games)
• 2025-26 Salary: $2.3 million

Landale averaged a career high in scoring last season, and he improved his 3-point shooting to an impressive 38 percent. He plays with great energy and physicality at 6-foot-11 and 255 pounds. Landale would be an upgrade over Luka Garza.

Jaylen Brown is skeptical about the NBA’s Social Justice Champion award, challenging the idea of honoring players for what he considers a basic responsibility.

Brown, the NBPA Executive Committee’s Vice President since 2019, sees paying it forward as a moral obligation rather than a commendable chore. Each season, the NBA selects five players nominated for the award, and this season, Brown joined Bam Adebayo, Tobias Harris, Harrison Barnes, and Larry Nance Jr. as the finalists in the running.

“I’m not sure why the NBA decided they needed to create this award,” Brown said Sunday night on his FCHWPO Twitch livestream. “They’ve actually asked for my participation over the course of the last five or seven years, and I turn them down every time. I don’t really feel like you need to be rewarded for your responsibility. I honestly feel like it’s a responsibility to my community. I know some people don’t feel like that.”

Five years ago, the NBA introduced the Social Justice Champion award in honor of Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the six-time champion’s lifelong efforts in social activism. Last season, then-Celtics guard Jrue Holiday won the award, which came with a $100,000 donation to the charity of his choice — the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Impact Fund (JLH Fund), an organization founded in 2020 to assist Black-owned small businesses, entrepreneurs, and Black-led non-profits.

Brown, who shared the floor with Holiday for two seasons as Celtics teammates, remains connected to Jrue and his wife as the three continue to carry out their mission in Boston by investing in the Boston Creator Accelerator — a partnership between Holiday’s JLH Fund and Brown’s Boston XChange (BXC).

That’s fulfilling enough for Brown, who, throughout his decade-long stint in Boston, has strived to empower the city’s underrepresented communities.

Brown does, however, recognize Abdul-Jabbar as a pioneer worthy of admiration for both his basketball accolades and his role as a catalyst in the fight against social injustice.

“Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the one who highlights that and emphasizes that,” Brown said. “Kareem was also a great player, one of the players that I also grew up looking up to — on and off the court.”

Ever since being drafted third overall in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Celtics, Brown has grown in a similar trajectory to Kareem — both as a player and a community leader. He’s immersed himself in Boston’s culture and has never shied away from calling out areas where he believes the city can improve. In 2024, Brown launched BXC to help combat the city’s racial wealth gap by supporting Black and Brown entrepreneurs and collaborating with institutions including MIT, Harvard, and Roxbury Community College.

Annually, Brown also hosts the Bridge Program, which, through his 7uice Foundation, helps students of color prepare for college by exploring STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).

After Brown signed his then-record-setting $304 million contract extension with the Celtics in July 2023, he stated his desire to create “Black Wall Street” in Boston. Soon after, BXC was founded.

Coming from humble beginnings in Atlanta and raised by his single mother, Dr. Mechalle Brown — who earned her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan — Brown understands the challenges of overcoming adverse circumstances. In his mind, efforts to help the next generation carve out opportunities of their own far exceed any trophy the NBA is willing to hand out.

“I feel called to do this type of work,” Brown told his stream.

“What I do with education and STEAM, it’s a weird thing to feel like you should be compensated. I have a platform, I’ve been blessed. God has blessed me, so I take the responsibility, and I pour it to my community.”

The NBA playoffs are down to just four teams. And what a battle it's shaping up to be.

The Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off a stunner in the Eastern Conference by dominating the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in Game 7. Now the Cavs will look to knock off a well-rested New York Knicks team coming off a sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers that seems to be peaking at the perfect time.

In the Western Conference, the No. 2 seed San Antonio Spurs eliminated the No. 6 seed Timberwolves on the road in Minnesota. This series had been a back-and-forth affair, but the Spurs took command in Game 5 at home then clinched a trip to the conference finals on the Timberwolves home court in Game 6. The Spurs will take on the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who haven't lost in these playoffs. The Thunder started this postseason by sweeping the Phoenix Suns, and then they did the same to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals.

Here’s a look at the bracket and upcoming schedule for the Eastern and Western Conference finals:

I’ve said before that one of my favorite things about being editor-in-chief of this website is reaching out to the writers that cover other teams and having conversations with them. The Fraternizing with the Enemy series is one of the things of which I’m most proud from my tenure at PtR. So when I say that I very nearly took this series off, you’ll understand what a big deal that is.

See, running this website has brought me not only a lot of joy since 2010, but also a lot of friendships. Of those relationships that have developed over the years, none have been more important to me than the one that grew between J.A. Sherman and me. J.A. used to run Welcome to Loud City when it was a part of S.B. Nation, and we met as fellow blog managers. We frequently Fratted together, and even did so through the Western Conference Finals of 2014 which Spurs fans remember fondly and Thunder fans less so.

As time went on and he left the sports blogging world, he became one of my closest friends. Last year, at the age of 49, he died. I don’t currently have the words to express what losing him has meant to me. Those of you who have experienced the loss of someone close to you know how foundation-shaking a thing it can be.

I wrestled with the idea how best to honor him, and finally settled on continuing the series. I reached out to one of his former contributors, Cray Allred, who currently runs the excellent Daily Thunder and has agreed to accompany me as our teams battle it out on the court. Please enjoy and discuss, but also remember my friend. His family misses him terribly, and so do I. This is for him.

Cray:

Nice to meet you, J.R.! I actually used to write and podcast a bit for J.A. at Welcome to Loud City (rip). Great guy. 

12 years ago, but it seems like yesterday. The Spurs battles from that era were some of the best (i.e. most grueling and miserable until they were over) for Thunder fans. I still have nightmares about Derek Fisher guarding Tim Duncan in the post in 2014. And I bet Anthony Edwards’ in-game congrats in Game 6 didn’t wash away your memory of KD hugging his family in the final moments of the 2012 G6. Or maybe you’re a more well regulated fan than I am lol. 

J.R.

I’ll admit that I’d completely forgotten Durant’s 2012 celebration. Candidly, 2014 put a lot of negative memories to rest. In some ways, it does seem like yesterday. And in other ways it’s been long enough that it feels like forever. The DeMar DeRozan years. The Dejounte Murray years. The misses in the draft like Lonnie Walker and poor Josh Primo. Tearing down the team meant losing Derrick White and Jakob Poeltl; bottoming out meant learning to actually pay attention to the lottery. Not much fun. 

Nightmares aren’t fun either, so I’m sorry that last year’s championship didn’t cleanse your subconscious of the trauma that the Beautiful Basketball Spurs inflicted on you and your fanbase. That’s the thing about zero sum games like professional sports. There’s no ultimate celebration for thee without misery for me. And it’s not just a single me. Every title-clinching team leaves a collection of bitter opposition fans in its wake.

It’s hard to remember, in the midst of our fond memories of victories last, that every series we remember with nostalgia is a painful memory for up to four different communities — and speaking of painful memories, the loss of J.A. Sherman is something I’m still dealing with. He had become one of my closest friends, and I miss him terribly and daily. The time I was fortunate enough to spend with him is both a source of joy and pain, but I’m so glad you knew him too, and this conversation helps me to not focus on that loss. 

Which brings me to the series, and what now seems like the inevitable clash of these two young teams that has all of the markings of an epic (and potentially annual) conflict. What do you think of the series? What are you looking forward to and what concerns you? 

Cray

I suggest we dedicate this article to J.A. He was the rare sports media member, able to voraciously follow every play and story without losing his positive, good-natured outlook. We could all stand to be a little more like him when yelling at the TV, muting our @s, and writing from the rollercoaster that every fanbase rides.

As for the series, my Thunder optimism has provoked the “blind homer” label from a loyal reader. I know the Spurs are capable of reaching OKC’s level in the very near future. I know Oklahoma City looked just as spooked as the rest of the league when struggling against Victor Wembanyama and the talent orbiting him in their matchups this regular season. I know Wemby might be the most inevitable force of nature the sport has ever seen.  (Is he still growing? Please tell me he at least stopped growing.)

But I know the Thunder are in a historic tier of excellence in their own right. Specifically, their defense has become one of the most relatively dominant of all-time, as has their lead bucket-getter. If a reigning champ was ever built to withstand an alien invasion, it’s the basketball team in Oklahoma City.

If healthy.

That’s my main concern for the conference finals: that Jalen Williams’ fourth return from injury this season will not be shortlived like the others. OKC needs his size and rim pressure on the mix in order to hold up against Wemby on both ends. Ajay Mitchell has been a revelation, and there are plenty of bright spots throughout the postseason roster I could point to for the Thunder hopeful. But only JDub adds the kind of perimeter and paint force on the level of SGA and Chet Holmgren.

As for the matchup dynamics, I think the biggest game-by-game swings will come from corner shooting volume (San Antonio’s bread and butter, which OKC de-emphasizes in their defensive scheme) and midrange proficiency (Shai’s all-time bread and butter, which only doubles and triples have been able to slow thus far in 2026).

What do you think? Should I feel like the Spurs are more of an existential threat than my interpretation of the numbers has convinced me?

J.R.

I don’t think it’s my place to try to dial up your fear of San Antonio. Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, my Fraternizing partners have been very upfront about their doubts as to whether they could keep pace with the Spurs. So your confidence is not only refreshing, but well-founded, I think. I’ve never thought it was wise to put too much faith in regular season success when trying to predict how a postseason series would go. As a result, I’m trying to maintain my balance in the face of so many people I respect picking the Spurs, or at least calling the matchup even. 

The Western Conference Finals is a reality now, but at the beginning of the season it was just dream, and a remote one at that. I feel a bit like I should be thankful for how far the team has come, but what kind of fan can satisfy themself with nearly making the finals? No, fanatics are never satisfied. Which means we have to get our hands dirty and dive into the nitty gritty. 

But where to begin? How about Wemby’s dislike for Holmgren! What does it mean to you that there’s some unfulfilled animosity brewing under the surface before the games even get underway?

Cray

I can relate to your capacity for greedy discontent. The Thunder vaulted into the 1 seed two years ago, way ahead of schedule. Pushing Luka and the Mavs, the eventual Finals representatives from the West, to six games was way beyond our expectations for OKC. And it felt awful. As soon as you can sniff title contention, you stop counting moral victories. (Not to mention those 2012 Thunder, who appeared primed to leave San Antonio and the rest of the league in the dust. We know how that worked out.)

I’m a total hypocrite when it comes to Wemby and Chet. I love the rivalry, and I enjoy it getting as petty and charged as possible. It wouldn’t feel like Thunder/Spurs if everyone seemed to be having a good time. But I still find Wemby’s disdain for Chet to be pretty annoying since it’s never felt provoked by Holmgren, let alone reciprocated. Maybe Chet starts to take it more personally this time around. That might be a good thing for OKC, since he’s been far from his best against San Antonio of late.

One thing to track is SGA tiptoeing into the petty wars. Known for his class, SGA has developed a routine of avoiding verbal spats and sticking to the high road *during* the series, only to flex at the opponent after besting them. See: Dillon Brooks and the Los Angeles Lakers. If he pulls out this win, you can expect Shai to finally trade a barb or two with Wemby on their budding MVP and championship rivalry about which Victor has been much less bashful.

All that is to say, I think the animosity between our fanbases will be raging in the very near future. There is no way out of this postseason without us locked into another very bitter feud in place for the years to come. And this time around, the algorithms are here to make it even nastier.

Aside from Wemby, I expect to be most tormented by Dylan Harper and Devin Vassell. They’re both gamers I’ve been admiring from a distance up until now. Are you worried about any Thunder players outside of Shai driving you insane?

J.R.

Two words. First word. First syllable. Sounds like “Eww.” Second word. First syllable. Sounds like “Fort.”

I don’t think that there’s anyone I’m more primed to dislike than Lou Dort, and it’s not a new thing because I’ve had a decades-long dislike for guys that are a danger to the health and well being of their fellow players. It started when I was a kid watching a game with my day and I was so upset at the player who was killing our team with these baseline jumpers. He kept getting open and simply refused to miss. 

I finally blurted out, “Someone kick him in the knee!” and my dad had a talk with me about what we do and don’t do as fans. It was a lesson in sportsmanship and mutual respect. About playing hard but also recognizing that it’s better to take your lumps and learn from it than it is to give in to your worse instincts and lash out, endangering the career and livelihood of your fellow competitor. 

That lecture is something that guided me as a student athlete, and it guides me as an editor-in-chief. Every writer on PtR called out Wemby’s shot at Naz Reid’s neck as being unjustified. I was horrified that Vic was about two inches below what might have shattered the dude’s jaw. 

So when I see a guy that’s not just going to the edge of what the refs will allow (never the line that I think should be the limit for a player) but into the realm of what could take an opponent out of a game, I get uncomfortable. 

So here are my questions: is Dort’s reputation earned, or does he get a bad rap? Am I right to be concerned that he could injure one or the Spurs, or has that threat been blown out of proportion?

Cray:

Wow, most other fans LOVE Sweet Lu.

Jokes aside, I get it. Dort is the Thunder most prone by far to actual, outright flopping. And he lost the benefit of the doubt with many after tripping Nikola Jokic this season. He’ll be scrutinized even more closely as a result of taking such a blatant action out in the open. So I wouldn’t call his rap sheet unfounded. (And props to you for holding Wemby to the same standard.)

While he’s even admitted to crossing the line, I do think his reputation as a goon or even an enforcer is overstated. (Jaylin Williams has a lot more fun doing the latter.) No one who has seen his multitude of finishing fails would accuse him of masterful body control that could mask constant dirty intent. Referees are always trained on his matchup, and he racks up a small fraction of the uncommon fouls that other boundary-pushing, sly defenders like Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks are notorious for. If he were as sneaky and capable as his reputation, he would be capable of more than standing in the corner on offense. He’s guilty of more reckless hustle plays than cheap shots, though that’s little consolation if your favorite player is at the bottom of the pileup. 

What I think is underrated: Dort’s genuine, elite on-ball defense. It’s not just driven by his physicality; he’s not just good because he fouls. He’s thrived through the changing winds of what refs call too much or too little over the years. And he isn’t the one turning halfcourt into football. Opposing offenses run him through a gauntlet of screening collisions to free their best scorers from Dort’s ball denial. Of course they’d rather he let up when facing the first, second, or seventh pick of a possession; his coaches don’t, and that’s why he’s got a starting gig in the NBA. 

But when his dreads go flying on one end after he brushes your big’s shoulder, followed by an ugly, swished moonball after the ball swings his way on the other end…I get that the Dort experience is annoying at best.

With the conference finals almost underway, here’s to a healthy series free of any dangerous swinging limbs. I hope De’Aaron Fox and Luke Kornet join Jalen Williams in flipping from questionable to active when Game 1 tips later tonight. Strength for strength, I’m ready to find out who’s got whose number.

Good news, everyone!

Marquette fans everywhere still have a rooting interest in the 2026 NBA Playoffs! Our lone entrant in the Conference Semifinals advanced to the Conference Finals, so we’ve still got something to latch onto here.

Tyler Kolek — New York Knicks

Look, I’m not trying to tell head coach Mike Brown how to do his job here, but the fact of the matter is that New York is a perfect 6-0 when Marquette’s very own Tyler Kolek gets on the floor for the Knicks in these playoffs. Fair’s fair, so I have to remind myself that the Knicks are 2-2 when Kolek does not play, and .500 in the playoffs isn’t that far from advancing anyway. It does mean that the Knicks have only lost when Mike Brown does not get Kolek into the game though, so perhaps I’m more right than I realize.

We should also point out that Kolek has played in six of the Knicks’ last seven games, all of which have been a part of the most overwhelming 10 game point differential stretch in NBA Playoffs history.

Tyler Kolek is helping the Knicks mollywhop the opponents, and I will not accept explanations that challenge this information. I mean, come on, like anyone could possibly believe that the Knicks would have beat the Sixers by 30 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals without Kolek giving them four points, three rebounds, and two assists in 13 minutes?

Anyway, that level of Kolek-led domination has the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year. Oooh, that means Tyler Kolek is a two-time Eastern Conference Finalist! Take that, almost every single other pick in the 2024 NBA Draft!

While Tyler Kolek’s playing time is the clear key to the Knicks’ success, we do have to acknowledge that Jalen Brunson led New York in scoring against the Sixers, averaging 29.0 points thanks to 45% three-point shooting. However, the Knicks’ point guard in name was not their assists leader in the series, as that went to Karl-Anthony Towns. The self-proclaimed best shooting big man in NBA history beat out Brunson in the helpers department, 7.5 per game to 6.0. KAT also shot 55% on threes, which is some Markus Howard freshman year level nonsense, and having fun beating the Knicks when Brunson and Towns essentially can’t miss from deep.

After more than a week off, #3 seed New York will face off against the #4 seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavs have had to play two seven game series in the playoffs so far, which means they’ve played 14 games against just 10 for the Knicks. Cleveland went down 2-0 out of the gate against #1 seed Detroit in the Eastern semis, then evened the series out, and then won two road games to close the series out, handing out a 125-94 thumping in Game 7 on Sunday night.

Donovan Mitchell was the Cavs’ leading scorer in the series, putting up 28.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. His three-point shooting was not working in the series, landing at just under 29%, but Mitchell was a 36% shooter in the regular season, so the Knicks will have to watch out for a bounce back from him. Evan Mobley was Cleveland’s leading rebounder at 7.4 per game, while the Cavs were led in assists against the Pistons by James Harden. He had 6.3 assists per game to go with nearly 20 points and just over five rebounds a night in the series. Harden was a shooting liability in the series, hitting just 38% of his shots overall and just 29% from long range. I’m not entirely sure why the 36 year old guard led the Cavaliers in minutes in the series, but that’s a thing that happened, and you gotta wonder if that’s going to start catching up with Harden, who is in his 17th year in the league.

2026 NBA Playoffs

Eastern Conference Finals

All games at 7pm Central on ESPN

Game 1: Tuesday, May 19
Game 2: Thursday, May 21
Game 3: Saturday, May 23
Game 4: Monday, May 25
Game 5*: Wednesday, May 27
Game 6*: Friday, May 29
Game 7*: Sunday, May 31

Follow Anonymous Eagle on social media

Facebook: AnonymousEagle
Instagram: AnonymousEagleSBN
Bluesky: AnonymousEagle

It’s been a long time since the Knicks played a basketball game. By the time the Knicks face the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday, New York will be nine days removed from its last game. Though rest is important, it will be interesting to see how New York looks after a lengthy break.

Led by Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, the Cavaliers just finished a grueling seven-game series against the Detroit Pistons. With four past and present All-Stars on the roster, Cleveland has a good mix of talent and should be a tough challenge for the Knicks. 

Here are three keys to watch in the series-opener... 

The possession game

One category the Knicks can take control of in this series is possessions. Cleveland has the second-highest turnover rate (17.0 percent) among all 16 teams, according to NBA Stats. The Cavs also have the third-lowest defensive rebound rate (65.2 percent).

Cleveland’s starting lineup features two big men in Mobley and Jarrett Allen, but they still are susceptible to giving up offensive rebounds. Knicks centers Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson could both feast on the offensive glass during this series. 

In fact, it was Robinson who dominated with 29 offensive caroms in New York’s 2023 4-1 first round series win against the Cavaliers. We could see more of Towns and Robinson on the floor together in this series. Through the first two rounds, the pairing has only seen the floor for 11 minutes, per NBA Stats. 

Cleveland took care of the ball in the regular season, finishing ninth in turnover rate. But the playoffs have seen their opponents exert extra pressure with strategies like pressing full court. The Knicks could follow suit and apply more pressure. 

OG Anunoby

New York has been able to thrive with or without Anunoby in the playoffs. Though the Knicks won without Anunoby in the final two games of their 4-0 series sweep of the 76ers, they will need the two-way player to have control in the Conference Finals. 

Anunoby is expected to return from a right hamstring injury for Game 1 after being a full participant in practice late last week. Anunoby, who missed Games 3 and 4 against Philadelphia, has been awesome in the postseason. In eight games, he’s averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals.

Anunoby’s ability to space the floor as a shooter and finisher at the rim has been crucial to New York’s playoff run. He’s also a very versatile defender. Anunoby will start games guarding Mobley, but there will also likely be possessions where he checks Mitchell and James Harden.

The first few moments of Game 1 will be important to see how Anunoby looks after the injury and long layoff. 

Hart swing

Cleveland has been one of a handful of teams to guard Josh Hart with a center. In Hart’s two games played against the Cavs, he was primarily defended by Allen.

In a late-February 109-94 win by the Cavaliers, Hart attempted a season-high eight three-point attempts (he made two) in just 26 minutes and 13 seconds of action. Hart had a good season as a shooter, knocking down a career-high 41.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Despite the career year, Hart has not been as effective from deep during the playoffs, shooting 27.5 percent on 40 attempts. Hart can be a reluctant shooter, especially if he misses his first few open attempts. 

New York has found some workarounds for centers defending Hart, such as initiating the offense through Towns. But Allen is a disruptor in the paint, so Hart will have to knock down some shots to keep the defense honest. How Cleveland guards Hart will be something to watch for since his outside shooting will be a swing factor in this series.

With Cleveland’s 125-94 beat-down of Detroit Sunday night, the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Finals are set, and three of the four teams are represented by Duke’s Brotherhood: Cleveland has Tyrese Proctor, San Antonio has Mason Plumlee, and Oklahoma City has Jared McCain.

In other words, if New York falls to Cleveland, a Duke guy gets a ring. OKC is a heavy favorite currently, followed by San Antonio. New York is a somewhat distant third, and Cleveland is the long shot.

So if the odds hold up, Jared McCain may get a ring to show off on Tik Tok.

Given the size of Cleveland’s victory, we were a bit surprised that Proctor didn’t get in, but unfortunately, he got another DNP.

• Last Aussie standing: Tyrese Proctor, Cavs into ECF
• Pistons news: Cade Cunningham reveals painful impact of series loss to Cavs
• James Harden Ends 8-Year Curse After Cavaliers’ Win Over Pistons
• Mitchell, Cavs break through, rout Pistons in G7

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

The ACC massively improved last season, and that trend is expected to continue after how hard it went in the transfer portal.

There may be no conference that did the portal better. Even though teams lost plenty of talent, the ACC restocked it and four of the top seven transfer portal classes hail from the ACC, according to 247Sports. That also includes getting arguably the best available players.

It's clearly become a better conference, but how does the entire league stack up in the transfer market? Let's look at all the addition and losses for the 18 teams heading into the 2026-27 season.

Who has best haul so far? College basketball transfer portal team rankings

Staying put: 10 most-important players who skipped basketball transfer portal

Boston College basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Money Williams (Montana). Luke Murray sure hopes Williams is money after he was cash at Montana. He was the top scorer for the Grizzlies, but he erupted in the Big Sky tournament when he dropped 40, 32 and 19 to nearly get Montana in March Madness. He only had three games of scoring less than 10 points.
• Worst loss: Jayden Hastings (Cincinnati). One of the starters that made solid contributions, Hastings was mostly productive on the defensive end, leading the Eagles in blocks.
• Biggest remaining need: Energy. This program has been in the dumps, last appearing in the NCAA Tournament 17 years ago. Boston College needs to show signs of life and give people a reason to invest in one of the toughest jobs in the sport.

Cal basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Jake Wilkins (Georgia). The son of Basketball Hall of Famer Dominque Wilkins, the sophomore is looking for an elevated role in Berkeley. He didn't do a whole lot at Georgia, but he did showcase the explosiveness he has, just like dad.
• Worst loss:Dai Dai Ames (Tennessee). Cal had one of its best seasons in recent memory because of Ames. He started every game and averaged 16.9 ppg on impressive shooting numbers. His late game play will be something the Golden Bears will desperately miss.
• Biggest remaining need: Roster continuity. Again, Mark Madsen is having to retool his roster after star players bolted elsewhere. The guards will again rely on some inexperience, and it makes for a challenge to build upon last season.

Clemson basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Cole Certa (Notre Dame). Certa made big strides in his sophomore season that should pave the way for a staring role with Clemson. He averaged 16.1 points per game, but turned it on down the stretch, asserting himself as a bucket-getter. It also doesn't hurt he's one of the best free throw shooters in the game (89.2%, first in ACC).
• Worst loss:Jake Wahlin (BYU). You knew what you were going to get when it came to Wahlin. He didn't do much in terms of the stat sheet, but he was a consistent presence in the lineup that helped with the frontcourt.
• Biggest remaining need: Frontcourt. Brad Brownell has done well with forwards, and Clemson relied heavily on its bigs last season. They are out of eligibility, making it important for the Tigers to restock the position.

Duke basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: John Blackwell (Wisconsin). The rich get richer. Not only does Jon Scheyer have another elite recruiting class, he adds a certified bucket-getter in Blackwell. His 19.1 ppg was a major reason Wisconsin had one of the best offenses, with the ability to score from anywhere on the court (38.9% from 3-point land). He expands Duke's offense which has focused on getting to the paint.
• Worst loss: Nikolas Khamenia (Connecticut). In addition to the one-and-done departures, Duke loses another five-star prospect. Khamenia had to come off the bench, but he played all 38 games and came up big against quality opponents in terms of crashing the boards.
• Biggest remaining need: Clutch time. A consistent problem for Duke in March is not having the experience needed to avoid late game crumbles, no matter how talented it is. Does the addition of Blackwell and Drew Scharnowski (Belmont) do enough for the Blue Devils to finally capture a post-Coach K national title?

Florida State basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Sebastian Rancik (Colorado). The Seminoles will enjoy the versatility Rancik brings on the floor, able to lead the offense while take on the tough matchups defensively, no matter if its a guard or big. He put up 12.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game with the Buffaloes.
• Worst loss:Martin Somerville (West Virginia). Florida State could have used retaining someone with starting experience. Somerville mostly came off the bench, but he had some games where he was just locked in, including a 23 points outing against Virginia Tech.
• Biggest remaining need: Experienced defenders. Luke Loucks wants to keep the momentum going in Tallahassee, and while he's bringing in several talented freshmen, he'll need more help on the defensive side. It was a struggle last season and there are too many question marks on that side of the court.

Georgia Tech basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Colby Garland (San Jose State). One of the top scorers in the country hopes to inject life into Georgia Tech. Garland's 20.3 points per game was 26th in the NCAA, and he specializes in scoring around the 3-point line with a solid mid-range shot. He's also an ironman having played 40 minutes in eight of the last 11 games of the season.
• Worst loss: Mouhamed Sylla (West Virginia). There was a ton of promise with Sylla before he got hurt, and it was very apparent how much the Yellow Jackets missed him. He was a double-double machine and a catalyst for helping control tempo.
• Biggest remaining need: Wings. Scott Cross has brought a good mix of transfers for his first season, but there's more needed with the forwards. There's not a ton of experience there, and it will mean having to shift lineups that are either big heavy or small.

Louisville basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Flory Bidunga (Kansas). The best transfer leads to the best portal class. The Cardinals stacked their roster and have Bidunga ready to command the paint. He's a menace inside by swatting away about any shot near him (2.6 per game, fourth in Division I), but his offense took a giant leap last season, positioning him to be one of the top players in the country.
• Worst loss:Sananda Fru (Marquette). Louisville could have had one of the best backcourts had Fru stayed. The 6-11-inch forward wasn't as effective toward the end of the season appeared in every game and was a solid post presence, leading the team with 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 block per game, along with his highly efficient 9 points per game.
• Biggest remaining need: Putting it together. There's no debating how loaded Louisville is, but the games aren't played on paper. It has to show it can jell together to be a title contender. If it can shed the inconsistencies that plagued last season, this is team is Final Four bound.

Miami basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Acaden Lewis (Villanova). Jai Lucas gets a young guard to lead the offense after showing promise in his freshmen campaign. Lewis was an excellent floor general, averaging 12.2 points along with 5.3 assists, a Villanova freshmen record and the most for the program in the 21st century, leading to a unanimous choice on the Big East all-freshman team.
• Worst loss:Tru Washington (Xavier). Washington was one of the bright spots on Miami's defense, leading the team in steals with 1.8 per game. You've seen the confidence grow offensively as well, making strides each season to make him a valuable player in the rotation.
• Biggest remaining need: Perimeter defenders. Miami wants to improve on its 3-point shooting, but it also needs to get better at defending it after it was last in the ACC in defensive 3-point percentage (35.8%).

North Carolina basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Terrence Brown (Utah). The Tar Heels are meant to have playmakers, and Brown fits the mold of what's expected in Chapel Hill. He was the star for a struggling Utes team, leading them in points (19.9) and assists (3.8). He did have some off-shooting nights, but if this guy gets in a rhythm, he boosts the offense immensely.
• Worst loss:Derek Dixon (Arizona). There's still a chance Seth Trimble returns, so until then, the biggest departure is Dixon. He was a late bloomer, proving to be extremely valuable down the stretch and earning his spot in the starting lineup for the last 16 games. His 3-point shooting was extremely valuable, asserting himself as one of the top shooters in the Power conference ranks.
• Biggest remaining need: Backcourt depth. North Carolina has addressed its frontcourt, but the forwards and centers are a mystery. There's a lot of hope being put into international center Sayon Keita, but regardless if he lives up to the hype, the Tar Heels need more in the post.

NC State basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Christian Hammond (Santa Clara): A guy that knows how to be the No. 1 player on the court, Hammond flourished leading the Broncos with 15.6 ppg to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996. He can play through contact and creatively finds ways to score, and stepped up his game in the three meetings with Gonzaga.
• Worst loss:Matt Able (North Carolina). It's rough losing a player to an in-state rival. Able was NC State's top recruit last season and showed why with some notable performances in ACC play, including a 19-point effort against the Tar Heels. He was poised to finally crack the starting lineup, and had big upside with more minutes.
• Biggest remaining need: Interior presence. Justin Gainey had to build an entire new roster at his alma mater, and it still lacks some big men. Kyle Evans (UC Irvine) was an underrated get that can become a valuable asset, but there's plenty left to be desired in the department.

Notre Dame basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Logan Duncomb (Winthrop). Notre Dame gets the Big South player of the year after he tore up the conference, averaging a double-double during league play. He will try to impose his physical style of play in the ACC, and not only is he good at getting to the foul line, but he's a solid free throw shooter.
• Worst loss:Markus Burton (Indiana). One of the best players in Micah Shrewsberry's tenure is out. Last season was meant to be a big year, but he was limited to 10 games due to injury and Notre Dame really suffered from it. He was the key toward the Fighting Irish getting out of ACC cellar.
• Biggest remaining need: Scoring guards. The top three scorers from last season are all gone, and they were all guards, so Notre Dame needs that guy that can help Braeden Shrewsberry. Braeden Smith is more of a facilitator, and it can't all fall on Dumcomb in the post.

Pitt basketball transfer portal analysis

• Best add: Baye Ndongo (Georgia Tech). Rebound reinforcements are on the way with Ndongo moving to Pitt. Ndongo is a model of consistency, coming off a season where he averaged 11.8 points and 8.1 boards per game, including five double-doubles. He's as experienced as they come with 90 starts with the Yellow Jackets.
• Worst loss: Roman Siulepa (Ole Miss). One of two players that started all 33 games, the Australian native impressed in his freshman season. He was known for his defensive prowess, but he was a huge asset in getting second chance opportunities, leading the ACC in conference play offensive rebounds (3.8).
• Biggest remaining need: Shooting. Jeff Capel replenished the roster that needs all sorts of fixing, but the main problem will be getting consistent scoring after the offense really set the team back last season. The Panthers also got to make their free throws.

Sixers' front office search: Which sort of executive would be a good fit?  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Nothing was narrow about Bob Myers’ description of the ideal candidate to replace Daryl Morey.

As Myers outlined, he’s not searching for a specialist. 

“I’m a big believer in character and leadership and I’m looking for a person that embodies those things,” Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, said Thursday. “But there’s many characteristics under that which I believe qualify in making a modern GM a success.

“There’s front-facing responsibilities. There’s responsibilities in managing star players. There’s responsibilities in managing up to ownership. There’s contract negotiations, there’s the draft process, there’s evaluating analytics, there’s (working with) the medical staff. 

“You go down the line and these jobs have an enormity to them. So I’m looking to find someone that can check as many of these boxes as possible, but also (someone) that can raise their hands and say, ‘Actually, I’m not good in this space. I’m going to need some support.’” 

So, which front office executives out there would be a strong fit for the Sixers? 

In terms of specific names, Marc Stein reported the following Sunday night on the Sixers’ search: 

• There’s a “widespread belief” that Myers would “want to explore trying to hire (Hawks general manager) Onsi Saleh,” but “the likelihood relayed to me … is that Saleh is expected to remain with the Hawks.”

• “There have also been rumbles about potential Philadelphia interest in (Timberwolves president of basketball operations) Tim Connelly for some time, but the 76ers would naturally face the same obstacles that Dallas did recently if it chose to act on that interest.”

• “Other names that have been mentioned in connection with Philadelphia at this early stage: Sixers consultant Neil Olshey (who has long been close with Myers) and Oklahoma City executive Vince Rozman (who joined Sam Presti’s front office with the Thunder after a lengthy stint in Philadelphia).”

• There’s been “chatter all season about a likely expanded role” for Sixers assistant general manager Jameer Nelson.

Saleh finished second in the NBA’s executive of the year voting for his work in his first year as Atlanta GM. Connelly’s T-Wolves were just eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Spurs. He ran the Nuggets’ front office from 2013 to 2022 and assembled the core of Denver’s 2022-23 championship-winning team. 

Olshey took Damian Lillard with his first pick as the Trail Blazers’ general manager and led the team’s basketball operations until 2021. He was fired after an investigation into a “toxic, hostile work environment in which staff members were allegedly subjected to intimidation and profanity-laced tirades, among other bullying tactics,” according to Yahoo Sports. Rozman worked for the Sixers from 2006 to 2022 before becoming the Thunder’s vice president of identification and intelligence.

On paper, Rozman’s résumé seems like it should naturally draw the Sixers’ interest. 

He’s familiar with the kind of collaboration-heavy dynamic that Myers wants and knows the current ownership group. Rozman spearheaded much of the Sixers’ pre-draft process in 2020 and the team wound up making three excellent selections in Tyrese Maxey (No. 21), Isaiah Joe (No. 49) and Paul Reed (No. 58). 

Rozman’s seen just about every side of NBA life since starting out as a Sixers intern. And it doesn’t hurt that he was part of OKC’s front office as the team rose to contender and then to NBA champion last season. 

“When you’re bad, you can try anything,” Myers said. “And if it doesn’t work, you’re still bad. But if you’re good, you have to risk something to go to great. So that’s why it is harder to go from good to great — because you risk something. You risk making a mistake and falling back to bad. … When you’re bad, if it doesn’t work, you’re still bad.”

One of the essential questions to answer for Myers’ candidates will be just how close the Sixers are to a championship level.

If a candidate has a convincing vision for immediately turning the Sixers into the Eastern Conference’s best team, Myers will surely listen. However, the Sixers were just swept in the second round and the series was bookended by blowout losses.

Being realistic about the state of the team, a win-now move or two might not be sufficient. Regardless, we imagine the Sixers would be glad to add a well-rounded executive with a good draft track record and a sense of how to develop the team around 25-year-old All-Star starter Tyrese Maxey and 20-year-old Rookie of the Year finalist VJ Edgecombe for years to come. 

“The thing I liked … it’s maybe not completely, but we got to see a healthy team, right? At least in the playoffs, for the most part,” Myers said. “Joel (Embiid) came back. And when you’re healthy in the playoffs, the best part is you don’t have any excuses about why you lost. You lost. I didn’t like going into the playoffs with, ‘Well, so and so was hurt, and if he had been healthy …’ Those hypotheticals aren’t helpful. So what is helpful is we played a team, we were mostly healthy, we lost. Let’s just be honest about that. Let’s acknowledge that. 

“After that, leading up to the draft, what are we missing? … And then the question is going to be, with what we have, how do we get better? And then the final question is going to be, ‘We have the mid-level exception. What do we do with that?’ I want to partner with somebody who I can have those discussions with in a meaningful way, and I’m going to have those discussions with potential candidates.”

Mannix: Why Celtics should NOT make a Jaylen Brown-for-Giannis trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Milwaukee Bucks reportedly are “open for business” on trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Boston Celtics are believed to be one of the teams in the market for his services.

From a basketball perspective, the Celtics’ interest in Antetokounmpo would make sense. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens recently expressed a desire for Boston to have “more of an impact at the rim,” and Giannis fits that mold to a tee as a former Defensive Player of the Year who leads the NBA in dunks per game over the past two seasons.

Of course, the cost to acquire Antetokounmpo would be high. And considering he’s set to make $58.5 million next season, the Celtics almost certainly would have to include Jaylen Brown ($57.1 million salary in 2026-27) as part of the return package.

While Brown just finished sixth in NBA MVP voting after a career year with the Celtics, Antetokounmpo is still the more talented and accomplished player who will fill a glaring need for Boston in the frontcourt.

But if you ask Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, swapping Brown for the two-time NBA MVP still wouldn’t be worth it for Boston.

“I would not trade Jaylen Brown for Giannis straight up. I wouldn’t do it,” Mannix said recently on NBC Sports Boston. “Giannis is too unpredictable. These soft tissue injuries would terrify me. He’s 31 years old, looking for a max contract, coming off his history of injuries. The injury history of Giannis would scare the crap out of me.”

To Mannix’s point, Antetokounmpo played in just 36 games this past season while dealing with significant calf and knee injuries. He’s missed at least 15 games in four of the last five seasons and will turn 32 in December.

Beyond Antetokounmpo’s availability issues, however, Mannix doesn’t see the need to break up Brown and Jayson Tatum, who won a title together just two seasons ago and have helped the Celtics become a perennial contender.

“Don’t mess with success, man,” Mannix added. “Look what you’ve got here. You’ve got success in Boston. Do not screw it up.

“Everybody in the league is trying to get their hands on versatile two-way wings like Jaylen Brown. Somebody will happily take him off your hands if you make him available. As much as I love Giannis, I wouldn’t take him right now over Jaylen Brown.”

As Mannix reported earlier this month, several teams are expected to have interest in trading for Brown this summer, including Brown’s hometown Atlanta Hawks. Brown’s trade value has never been higher, so the Celtics could get massive offers if they make the five-time All-Star available this offseason.

The counterpoint? The C’s have two top-10 players in their primes in Brown and Tatum and absolutely have a path to title contention in 2026-27 if Stevens can surround them with the right supporting cast.

According to Mannix, Boston’s best path forward is keeping the Jays intact rather than hoping Antetokounmpo can regain his MVP form.

After falling to the ninth pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks now enter a very different section of the board than they were hoping for a few months ago. The top-end “future franchise centerpiece” tier is likely gone by the time Dallas picks, meaning the Mavericks now have to focus on identifying high-level complementary players who fit around Cooper Flagg long term. That shift makes Dailyn Swain one of the more fascinating names in the Mavericks’ range.

Swain’s breakout junior season at Texas was one of the best all-around wing seasons in college basketball. He became the first player in Texas history to win SEC Newcomer of the Year, earned Second-Team All-SEC honors, and finished as a finalist for the Julius Erving Award. More impressively, he became the only player in a major conference to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and minutes played. Swain averaged 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals while shooting 54.2% from the field and 81.5% from the free throw line. He also helped lead Texas to the Sweet 16, where he finished with 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists in a narrow loss to Purdue.

The production is impressive, but the way Swain plays is what really stands out.

The good

Swain feels like one of the safest “winning basketball” bets at the end of the lottery or in the middle of the first round because of how many different ways he impacts the game. At 6-foot-6.5 and 211 pounds with a near 6-foot-10 wingspan, he already has NBA-ready size and physicality for a modern wing. He constantly pressures the rim, plays through contact, rebounds extremely well for his position, and thrives in transition.

The downhill pressure is probably the biggest selling point offensively. Swain consistently creates paint touches, collapses defenses, and forces rotations without needing isolations built around him every possession. He attacks closeouts quickly, pushes the ball after rebounds, and plays with a pace that keeps offenses moving. The advanced metrics back that up, too, as Swain graded near the very top nationally in rim pressure and rim assists among wings.

What makes him especially interesting next to Cooper Flagg is how connected his game feels. Swain does not need the ball for 15 seconds to impact a possession. He rebounds and initiates transition offense, makes quick reads, cuts hard, attacks gaps, and keeps the ball moving naturally. Those are the types of players that elevate lineups around stars rather than slowing them down.

Defensively, there is a lot to like, too. Swain generated steals at a strong rate, consistently disrupted actions without gambling himself out of possessions, and projects as a versatile multi-positional defender. Dallas badly lacked perimeter size, physicality, and point-of-attack resistance for much of last season, and Swain could help solve all three problems immediately.

The bad

Swain’s swing skill is clearly the jumper. While the free-throw percentage at 81.5% is encouraging long-term, the three-point shot itself still feels more functional than truly dangerous. Defenses will likely dare him to shoot early in his NBA career until he proves he can consistently punish teams from outside.

There are also questions about the ceiling of his half-court creation. Swain is extremely effective attacking advantages, but he is not someone you currently project to become a primary offensive engine. He thrives attacking downhill against bent defenses, but creating difficult offense against set NBA defenses remains more theoretical than proven.

That creates some archetype risk. Wings who rely heavily on physicality, transition scoring, and connective offense can sometimes become difficult to maximize if the jumper never fully develops. Dallas also already has several players who prefer to operate inside the arc, so long-term spacing around Flagg remains one of the most important questions the front office must answer.

Player comp

Swain’s game honestly resembles a blend of several different NBA wings. There are shades of Josh Hart and Jaime Jaquez Jr. because of the rebounding, toughness, downhill pressure, and constant activity he brings every night. Offensively, there are stylistic flashes of Gordon Hayward and Evan Turner in the secondary creation and connective playmaking from the wing position.

The higher-end outcome probably looks something like a more athletic version of Jaime Jaquez Jr., where the value comes from versatility, feel, physicality, and two-way impact rather than elite shot creation. Even if he never becomes a true offensive star, Swain feels like the type of wing playoff teams are constantly trying to find because of how naturally he contributes to winning basketball.

Fit with the Mavericks

Swain feels like one of the cleaner fits for what Dallas should be trying to build around Cooper Flagg moving forward. The Mavericks desperately need perimeter athleticism, rebounding, defensive versatility, and secondary playmaking after the roster looked so disjointed last season. Swain addresses all four areas almost immediately.

More importantly, his game complements Flagg naturally. He can defend multiple positions, attack closeouts, rebound, push in transition, and function as connective offensive tissue without requiring heavy usage. That matters on a team where Flagg is clearly going to become the primary offensive engine long term.

He also feels like exactly the kind of player Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz would gravitate toward. Swain checks almost every “winning basketball” box organizations prioritize: effort, feel, versatility, physicality, transition offense, and defensive flexibility. Even if the jumper never becomes elite, the baseline NBA role already feels very real.

And if Dallas is serious about building a tougher, longer, more defensive-minded roster around Cooper Flagg, Dailyn Swain feels like exactly the type of player the Mavericks should be paying close attention to throughout the pre-draft process.

Final Thoughts

Dailyn Swain may not have the flashy offensive upside of some of the guards projected near the top of this class, but he feels like one of the safer bets to become a meaningful NBA player. He already impacts games in multiple ways without needing high usage, and those types of players become incredibly valuable in playoff environments.

If Dallas is serious about building a tougher, more versatile, defensive-minded identity around Cooper Flagg moving forward, Swain feels like exactly the kind of player the Mavericks should be paying close attention to throughout the pre-draft process.