The Warriors don’t have their hilarious in-house back-and-forth between Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield anymore, but a new frenemies situation might be developing in its place.
And it appears that college rivalry isn’t lost on these two new teammates, who already have an ongoing beef on social media.
Here’s how it started. During Lendeborg’s introductory press conference on Friday, the first-round pick was asked if he had already talked to Green and Steph Curry yet.
“Steph actually welcomed both of us in the group chat the night of the draft, so when [Lajae Jones] got drafted and I got drafted,” Lendeborg told reporters. “And I reached out to him yesterday. I asked one quick question, and then I reached out to Draymond as well. I haven’t got that response back yet from Draymond, but …”
Lendeborg laughed, while general manager Mike Dunleavy interjected to add, “Don’t worry, [Green] doesn’t respond to me, either.”
Yaxel said Steph Curry welcomed him and Lajae to the Warriors groupchat:
“Steph actually welcomed both of us in the groupchat the night of the drafts, when he (Lajae) got drafted, I got drafted. And I reached out to him yesterday I asked one quick question and then I reached out… pic.twitter.com/PiwaYs53oZ
However, Green then pulled out some receipts, posting a screenshot of texts between him and Lendeborg in an Instagram story. The four-time NBA champion also added some commentary of his own, saying “Rookie Hazing heating up for these lies Rook,” as well as a barb at Michigan.
Lendeborg then refuted Green’s attack in an IG story of his own; it seems to be all in good fun, though, based on the amount of laughing emojis from both sides.
Rob Pelinka, the Lakers' general manager and president of basketball operations, glances to his left during a news conference. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
If only. If Rob Pelinka could use the Dodgers’ blueprint to renovate, Lakers fans wouldn’t even be sweating this summer.
But, you know. Baseballs and basketballs, apples and oranges.
The windup and sales pitch are the same, though: Deliver a sustainable, high-rising, championship build. On time and … about that budget. One team has none. The other’s is tight.
In baseball, they wear caps. In the NBA, they’re compelled to stay under them.
In baseball, they can swing freely (for now). In basketball, they’re hamstrung by aprons.
Ned Colletti had it easier, and he lasted only two relatively successful seasons in his role as Dodgers general manager after Mark Walter’s Guggenheim Baseball Management group bought the ballclub in 2012.
Pelinka has it tougher as the Lakers’ general manager and president of basketball operations. But like Colletti before him, with Walter having purchased the majority stake in the Lakers, Pelinka is going to have to crash the hourglass and build a winner with haste. Er, the winner.
If the Lakers lay anything but an 18th brick on their championship foundation in the next couple seasons, Pelinka’s story probably is going to go a lot like Colletti’s.
When free agency opens Tuesday, Pelinka is just going to have to show us how creative he can be, how clever and cunning.
He already hit a grand slam with the Luka Doncic trade in 2025. In one of the NBA’s all-time heists, Pelinka brought the then-25-year-old Slovenian superstar to L.A. from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for essentially an aging and injury-prone Anthony Davis and just one first-round draft pick.
Before that, Pelinka hit another home run with Austin Reaves; a four-bagger so deep that Doncic’s undrafted backcourt-mate has now procured the proverbial bag. (Four years, $185 million worth of baggage to the Lakers.)
With those pillars cemented, Pelinka’s job is delivering the A-list center Doncic reportedly desires.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic. Can Pelinka build a winner around Doncic? (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Doesn’t matter that all the perceivable candidates — from the Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler to the New York Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Myles Turner, the Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen, the Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford, even old friend A.D. — sit on a spectrum of unlikely to unwise.
Still, the best plan: Make Doncic happy; make a run at Kessler.
He’s a 24-year-old, defensively adept big man who would be a great pickup, just hard to get. But whether it’s overpaying in restricted free agency or working out a sign-and-trade deal, pry him away from the Jazz.
After nailing down a center, Pelinka also needs to really hit on the margins. Because in the modern NBA, the marginal is major.
The current contenders have depth borne of seasons spent tanking and loading up in the draft on athletic, affordable young talent or, in the case of the recently crowned Knicks, having a leading man take $113 million less than he was eligible for, as Jalen Brunson effectively did, to be able to play with his best buds.
In L.A., the Lakers don’t really have the first option and shouldn’t ever expect the second.
But Pelinka doesn’t have to swing for the fences every time; he doesn’t need to wow us now, he needs to have wowed us later. Take swings like he did trading for Rui Hachimura or netting sharpshooter Luke Kennard.
Former Laker Pau Gasol, right, speaks with GM Rob Pelinka during a Lakers practice in 2025. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
No one bats 1.000, of course, not even Andrew Friedman, the architect of the Dodgers’ three World Series titles since taking over as president of baseball operations in 2014.
But for the Lakers’ potential $51 million of cap space, for all of this summer’s much-hyped optionality, Pelinka’s competitive new boss isn’t the type to forgive errors that are forever front of mind for the Lakers’ faithful.
Pelinka can’t strike out on free agent signees like Gabe Vincent and Kendrick Nunn. Can’t let someone like Alex Caruso walk. Can’t whiff on draftees like Dalton Knecht or Jalen Hood-Schifino — and better hope he hasn’t on this year’s selection, Cameron Carr, who fell to the Lakers at No. 24.
The wrinkle, this offseason: Last year’s Lakers — 41-year-old LeBron James, Hachimura, Kennard and, if he opts out, Marcus Smart — will be among the most attractive free agents on the market, and they’re proven fits for a team that reached the second round of the playoffs.
But merely re-signing those guys won’t improve the Lakers’ odds of getting past the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs.
And simply outspending those teams isn’t an option, either. So Pelinka is going to have to go bargain hunting, he’s got to find some hidden gems, pull some tricks out of his sleeve. Surprise us, like great general managers are supposed to do.
This is Pelinka’s opportunity to show us his blueprint for bringing another title to Los Angeles, to build a case for himself.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 24: Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks looks on during a break in the action during the first quarter of the game against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden on October 24, 2022 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After spending a week, if not two, celebrating the 2026 NBA championship nearly non-stop, the New York Knicks are back in business.
New York and Jose Alvarado pacted a delay to his player option, and on Friday, Alvarado finally rejected it only to, reportedly, sign a three-year deal. Up next, things will get a bit more serious as the Knicks will need to deal with the free agencies of many players, most importantly, sixth-man and backup center Mitchell Robinson.
The uncertainty about Mitch’s future in New York has grown in recent days, with the big man expected to depart and sign elsewhere once he becomes a free agent on June 30, if only because James Dolan wants it like that.
Now, we’ve heard from Robinson himself. In an interview with WGNO (h/t New York Basketball, Robinson was asked about the possibility of returning to New York and building on the franchise’s first title in 53 years.
“We can see what happens. It would be great, try to do it, try to run it back again, try to go back-to-back… Defending champs, so we’ll, that’s very a possibility.” — Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson’s comments arrive as multiple reports continued to emerge throughout Saturday, all of them doubting whether a reunion is financially realistic, and pointing toward the center’s days in New York being numbered.
WGNO "Free agency…Do you hope to be back with the Knicks…maybe build a dynasty in New York?"
Mitchell Robinson "We can see what happens. It would be great, try to do it, to run it back again, try to go back to back…defending champs, so we'll…that's…very a possibility" pic.twitter.com/AMiPn26k8F
According to the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, Robinson is “unlikely to return to the Knicks next season,” with the decision tied directly to Dolan’s stance against crossing the NBA’s second apron.
That self-imposed restriction will inevitably shape the Knicks’ offseason approach and New York’s roster for the upcoming season. The front office already traded out of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft to avoid adding guaranteed salary, signaling an obvious intent to preserve flexibility under the apron, and ended up taking a couple of second-round fliers.
Even with those moves, and following the Alvarado news, retaining Robinson remains complicated. Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, New York has only about $14 million to fill four roster spots before hitting the second apron, set at $222 million. For context, Robinson just completed a four-year, $60 million contract with an average annual salary of $15 million per year, already more than the Knicks can offer, let alone leaving room to fill the rest of the roster.
SNY’s Ian Begley was optimistic in writing that the Knicks may be able to keep one of Robinson or Landry Shamet, but “not both.” It’s actually going to be hard to even bring Shamet back at a reasonable price, given his market is expected to be good following his title run with the Knicks, and still have enough money to build a competitive bench.
At the same time, Robinson’s market appears strong. League-wide interest has already surfaced, with teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings linked as potential suitors.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst summarized the situation earlier this week, noting: “There is a real possibility that they won’t keep Mitch Robinson… I would say Mitch Robinson is 50/50… maybe 51/49 to come back.”
Front Office Sports later confirmed Bondy’s report and cited Robinson’s injury history and free-throw struggles as additional factors in New York’s reluctance to commit long-term money at a higher cost.
Fred Katz, meanwhile, wrote a story about the Knicks’ second-apron saga, revealing that New York’s front office, led by Leon Rose, wants to get into the second apron while Dolan is simply refusing to allow them to.
Despite all of the reports, rumors, and speculation, Robinson’s own stance suggests he has not closed the door to a return. The 28-year-old center, the longest-tenured Knick after being drafted in 2018, remains open to returning to the title-winning Knicks, as impossible as that looks from the outside.
Free agency is set to open on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 27: Assistant Coach Amile Jefferson and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics embrace after the game against the Indiana Pacers during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 27, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Things have seemed somewhat quiet lately for former Duke star and assistant coach Amile Jefferson since moving from Durham to Boston to be an assistant with the Celtics, but that’s from the outside.
He’s an assistant. By definition, he’s a background figure for the team, at least as far as the public is concerned. That will change soon, however.
Among other things, this will be their first time seeing draftee Chris Cenac on the court, and Jefferson might be the ideal guy to mentor him.
When he was a freshman at Duke, injuries forced him into action too soon, and he took his lumps.
After that, he bulked up, and emerged as a force for the Blue Devils, and was a key to Duke’s 2015 national championship. That should resonate with Cenac, who arrives after just one year at Houston.
It’s not clear who else will be on the roster yet, but if Cenac is smart, he’ll listen to Jefferson, because that guy can really help.
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars dribbles the ball while being guarded by Nic Codie #10 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the first pick in the 2026 draft, the Washington Wizards got the guy they think will spearhead the team’s offense and lead them into contention over the next decade-plus. Now comes the hard, fascinating, long-term work of turning AJ Dybantsa’s many strengths into an elite NBA player.
Because Dybantsa will be just 19-years-old for the first half of his rookie season, and NBA history tells us that teenagers entering the league are unlikely to be great immediately. The league is arguably the most challenging in pro sports — the difference between the NBA and the next level down is bigger than any other league.
Playing big minutes with reasonable production would set AJ Dybantsa up for a long and productive career with the Washington Wizards. | NBAE via Getty Images
Even being the top pick doesn’t eliminate the growing pains of young players entering the NBA. The exceptions underscore the rule.
Through NBA history, just three players age 20 or under produced at least 10 Win Shares in their rookie season, according to Basketball-Reference (NOTE: per Basketball-Reference methodology, this will be Dybantsa’s age 20 season, so I’m using 20 and under as the cutoff):
Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers | 10.5 — 1979-80
Shaquille O’Neal, Orlando Magic | 10.4 — 1992-93
Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets | 10.4 — 2005-06
Only five players total had at least eight Win Shares. Just 20 had five or more. Number 20 on that list? LeBron James, who lands just above a few other prominent names who just fell short of the 5.0 cutoff, including Luka Doncic, Derrick Rose, James Harden, and Kevin Garnett.
Wunderkind Victor Wembanyama had 3.7 as a rookie. Wizards guards Bradley Beal (3.0) and John Wall (2.2) were tops for 20-and-under rookies in Washington.
Under the leadership of Michael Winger and Will Dawkins, the Wizards have invested heavily in player development, from expanding their developmental infrastructure to hiring coaches with a record of helping young stars. Their goal should not be to maximize Dybantsa’s rookie statistics but to make sure he’s great from 24 to 33.
While there are no firm rules when it comes to 20-and-under rookies, there are some indicators worth tracking. Rather than points per game or other standard metrics, I’ll be keying on three things:
Offensive involvement.
Availability and minutes.
Overall production.
The Wizards will do everything in their power to set Dybantsa up for a successful career. The question today is what might be some signals that he actually is succeeding, even if his on-court performance is uneven.
Let’s start with this: Lots of playing time. As the cliche goes, the number one ability is availability. While missing games has become more common and minutes totals have declined as teams try to maximize career length, the most productive under-20 rookies played a lot both in terms of games played and minutes. They also had more productive careers.
This isn’t about gifting minutes to a youngster. Being talented enough to win a starting job (even if it’s not to begin the season), good enough to convince the coach to keep him on the floor, and conditioned enough to play significant minutes and not miss games are positives for a youngster and bode well for how his career may unfold.
Whether I look at under-20 rookies using a simple volume metric like total minutes or games played or a rate production stat like PPA, the trend is clear: production begets minutes begets production. The big the Wizards don’t want to see from Dybantsa is missing games due to injuries.
Benchmarks I’d like to see: 70+ games played, 60+ starts, 2,200+ total minutes. If he’s getting 32 minutes a night as a teenager, it’s because coaches think he helps them win possessions and ultimately games.
The next big indicator: Production. Once again, whether I look at totals or rates, the guys who became truly elite tended to be productive as young rookies. Here’s the top 10 in PPA for 20-and-under rookies:
Nikola Jokic
Chris Paul
Zion Williamson
Karl-Anthony Towns
Anthony Davis
Chris Webber
Shaquille O’Neal
Magic Johnson
Victor Wembanyama
Kawhi Leonard
The only guy on that list I’d classify as unlikely to make the Hall of Fame is Williamson. He played just 24 games and 668 minutes as a rookie and has gone on to miss similar chunks of subsequent seasons. He’s one of the reasons playing a lot is the first indicator.
Sort the list by total production (total PPA) and the result is similar:
Shaquille O’Neal (played 81 games as a rookie)
Chris Paul
Magic Johnson
Karl-Anthony Towns
Elton Brand
Chris Webber
Dwight Howard
Joe Smith
LeBron James
Victor Wembanyama
No specific standard box score category (such as points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, etc.) stands out as being particularly predictive of future success. Overall production — however the rookie does it — does matter, though.
A benchmark I’ll be watching: PPA of 70 or higher (in PPA, 100 is average and higher is better). There are exceptions — youngsters who rated below a 70 and went on to be excellent like Kobe Bryant, Shawn Kemp, DeMarcus Cousins (sorta), Alperen Sengun, Jamal Murray, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dirk Nowitzki, Devin Booker, DeAaron Fox, and Zach LaVine. But the “hits” are much less frequent the further down the PPA list you go.
One “advanced” category to watch: usage. While efficiency is what drives winning in the NBA, for a 20-and-under rookie, trying to do stuff seems to matter more than actually doing stuff. Think Doncic with a 32.8% usage rate and an effective field goal percentage of 49.7% or LeBron at 28.4% usage and 43.8% eFG%.
There are exceptions, of course, though they’re usually smaller guards who burned possessions on horrific efficiency like Dennis Smith (28.6% usage and an offensive rating more than 15 points per 100 possessions below average) or Scoot Henderson (27.9% usage and a -21 relative offensive rating).
For a benchmark, I’ll be watching 20% — the league average rate. Given Dybantsa’s skills and athletic tools, and the Wizards roster, I’d expect him at or around that level as a rookie. Below that wouldn’t be much of a concern, unless his usage goes ultra-low (sub-14%).
I say this because low-usage 20-and-under rookies have gone on to become All-Stars and better. Here are a few:
Giannis 15.5%
Gordon Hayward 15.2%
Aaron Gordon 15.1%
Domantas Sabonis 15.1%
Joe Johnson 14.5%
Nicolas Batum 14.0%
Kawhi Leonard 14.0%
Some useful players used even fewer possessions as rookies (OG Anunoby had a 12.1% usage rate!), but the cutoff point seems to be around 14%. Side note: that holds out some hope for Coulibaly and his 14.2% rookie usage rate. Only some, though.
High usage means the coaching staff and teammates trust a rookie to create offense. Teenagers capable of carrying that burden — even inefficiently — often develop into stars because they possess skills that can’t easily be taught. Just as important, high usage is a signal that the player is trying to make things happen and that he’s confident in his own abilities. Even if he’s laying bricks or committing turnovers.
These are benchmarks I’ll be watching this season, though I want to emphasize that there are no hard and fast rules. For example, as a 20-year-old rookie, Greg Monroe posted a 150 PPA with a 120 offensive rating on 16.1% usage but never learned to translate individual production into winning basketball. On the other hand, Devin Booker had a replacement level 45 PPA and a 100 offensive rating on 22.1% usage but developed into an All-NBA level player who helped lead a team to the NBA Finals.
While ideally, Dybantsa will be an All-Star level producer (whether he’s selected to the team or not) right away, simply being a competent NBA player at 19-20 years old is a pretty good indicator of future success. The Wizards don’t need him to be a world-killer from day one. For a 20-and-under rookie, staying on the court as a decent player is more than enough.
The Wizards didn’t draft Dybantsa to win Rookie of the Year (he’s currently third in the FanDuel ROY betting odds), though he has a good of chance of winning the award. They want him to be All-NBA level for years to come. History suggests those futures rarely begin with spectacular rookie seasons. They begin with teenagers who stay healthy, earn big minutes, shoulder responsibility and prove they already belong on an NBA court.
SACRAMENTO, CA - NOVEMBER 24: Naz Reid #11 and Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves look on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on November 24, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
To say it has been a shocking week for the Minnesota Timberwolves would be selling it incredibly short.
Heading into the NBA Draft, this offseason had all the makings of being a fairly quiet one for Minnesota. The Wolves were sitting on the 28th overall pick in the first round, the Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors appeared to be drifting toward destinations like Miami or Boston, and there wasn’t much to suggest that Tim Connelly was preparing to light a match under the roster.
Then, in classic NBA fashion, everything happened at once.
Shortly before the draft, news broke that Julius Randle was headed to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a three-team trade involving the Chicago Bulls. The move itself wasn’t necessarily the surprise. After Randle’s disappointing postseason, there had been growing consensus throughout Wolves Nation that Minnesota needed to explore moving him. The surprising part wasn’t that Randle was traded. It was what Minnesota received in return.
Or perhaps more accurately…what they didn’t receive.
Instead of bringing back another established player, the Timberwolves essentially used Randle as a salary dump. Minnesota also shipped out the 28th overall pick while receiving Brooklyn’s 31st selection back in return, moving from the back end of the first round to the top of the second. The immediate return consisted primarily of financial flexibility, a sizeable trade exception, and breathing room beneath the apron restrictions.
From a purely financial standpoint, the move made perfect sense. The move gave Minnesota the flexibility to extend an generous offer to Ayo Dosunmu, who had established himself as an important piece after arriving from Chicago at the trade deadline. Sliding from the 28th pick to the 31st pick also reduced the financial commitment attached to the incoming rookie while still allowing the Wolves to select a player in virtually the same talent tier. If you view the transaction through the lens of roster construction and cap management, you could certainly understand the logic.
The emotional reaction, however, was something entirely different. Julius Randle represented arguably the Wolves’ biggest trade asset. Fans had spent the better part of the spring dreaming about him being packaged in a blockbuster that addressed Minnesota’s glaring need at point guard. Instead, they watched the team’s second-best player disappear into a financial vacuum. Even supporters who understood the salary-cap mechanics couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed.
That disappointment showed up immediately in our SB Nation Reacts poll.
Only 35 percent of Timberwolves fans approved of the Julius Randle trade in the immediate aftermath. The result wasn’t particularly surprising.nViewed in isolation, the trade looked underwhelming. Fans naturally evaluate transactions by asking one simple question: “Did we get better?” At that particular moment, it was impossible to answer yes. The Wolves had lost one of their most talented offensive players, slid back in the draft, and had not yet solved their biggest roster issue. It wasn’t difficult to understand why nearly two-thirds of the fan base felt frustrated.
The important part, though, was recognizing that Tim Connelly almost certainly wasn’t finished. General managers rarely create that much financial flexibility without another move already brewing. Salary dumps don’t happen in a vacuum, especially for contenders. They’re usually the first domino, not the last one.
As it turns out, Wolves fans didn’t have to wait very long for the second domino to fall. Just days later, Minnesota completely reshaped its roster by acquiring LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets. In order to make that happen, the Timberwolves packaged Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, multiple pick swaps, and additional second-round selections to Charlotte. Suddenly, the seemingly confusing Randle trade snapped into focus.
Looking at the entire sequence instead of judging each transaction independently, Minnesota had effectively turned Julius Randle, Naz Reid, future draft considerations, and modest draft positioning into LaMelo Ball while simultaneously creating the financial flexibility necessary to retain Ayo Dosunmu.
Now the picture looked very different. Last season, the defining characteristic of the Timberwolves roster was overwhelming frontcourt depth paired with an obvious weakness at point guard. Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, and Julius Randle were three starting-caliber frontcourt players competing for minutes while Mike Conley continued to age and Anthony Edwards was forced to shoulder increasing ball-handling responsibilities.
That imbalance finally reached a breaking point during the postseason. Against San Antonio, Minnesota desperately needed another creator capable of organizing the offense when defenses loaded up on Edwards. The Wolves could bully teams physically, but they struggled to consistently generate quality offense against elite defensive pressure. It became painfully obvious that while Minnesota possessed an abundance of size, they lacked enough creators.
Connelly clearly agreed, and now the equation has completely flipped. Instead of having too many frontcourt players and not enough guards, the Timberwolves suddenly have a collection of capable guards while creating an obvious hole at power forward. Outside of Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer, there isn’t much size remaining. Whether Beringer is ready for meaningful NBA minutes immediately remains to be seen, and it seems highly unlikely Tim Connelly considers the current roster a finished product. There almost has to be another move coming. Whether that’s another trade, a veteran free-agent signing, or a smaller depth acquisition remains unknown, but it’s difficult to imagine Minnesota entering training camp with so few established rotational big men.
That’s why judging the offseason today probably misses the point. This feels much more like Chapter Two than the final chapter. What is already clear, however, is the philosophical shift.
The Timberwolves have gotten younger. They’ve gotten faster. They’ve gotten considerably more explosive. And perhaps most importantly, they’ve addressed the roster imbalance that had become increasingly difficult to ignore. LaMelo Ball is one of the league’s most gifted passers, capable of throwing passes that most players don’t even see, let alone attempt. It will be fascinating to watch what that means for Anthony Edwards, who suddenly won’t face quite as much responsibility initiating the offense. It could unlock another level for Jaden McDaniels as a cutter. It could create easier baskets for Rudy Gobert, who has spent much of his Wolves tenure waiting for consistent lob opportunities that never quite materialized. Even role players stand to benefit from playing alongside a point guard who naturally elevates everyone around him.
It’s easy to understand why only 35 percent of the fan base approved of the Julius Randle trade when it happened. If the story had ended there, the criticism would have been justified, but basketball transactions rarely exist in isolation. They’re chapters in a larger narrative, and once the LaMelo Ball deal arrived, the opening chapter suddenly looked much more intentional than reactionary. What initially appeared to be a disappointing salary dump now looks more like the financial maneuver that made the franchise’s biggest offseason move possible.
Whether it ultimately works is another conversation entirely. LaMelo has his own injury history to overcome. Minnesota still needs frontcourt reinforcements. Chemistry will have to develop. Chris Finch will have to reshape the offense around a dramatically different roster. There are legitimate questions still waiting to be answered.
But one thing is beyond debate. The Timberwolves are going to look very different when they take the floor for the 2026-27 season. After several years of building around overwhelming size, Tim Connelly has decided to attack the league from the opposite direction. Whether that gamble ultimately pushes Minnesota over the championship hump remains to be seen, but at the very least, this offseason has already become a lot more interesting than anyone expected when June began.
Somehow, I still don’t think Tim Connelly is finished.
Neither does FanDuel Sportsbook, who has raised Minnesota’s 2027 title odds to +2200, a significant bump from the +3000 before the LaMelo trade.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Oziyah Sellers #4 of the St. John's Red Storm reacts during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 27, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fresh off winning the NBA championship and wrapping up the 2026 NBA Draft with a couple of new faces now part of the organization, the New York Knicks keep shaping their roster.
Yes, we’re all still waiting for the literal elephant in the room to announce the inevitable, but for now we’ll have to do with a few low-impact, lower-level additions to the Summer League squad.
According to 247Sports recruiting analyst Dushawn London, Oziyah Sellers signed a Summer League deal with New York after going undrafted on Wednesday.
The move comes a few days after the draft ended, as undrafted guard Sellers didn’t join any team but was able to secure an opportunity to stay on the professional radar until mid-to-late July at the latest, and playing for the reigning champs with the spotlight that’d give him.
Sellers is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard and he’s coming off his senior season at St. John’s Red Storm after starting his NCAA run at USC and spending the 2025 season at Stanford. Seemingly ored of Cali, Sellers moved all the way to the East Coast to land with St. John’s, where he averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 42.9% from the field and 35.1% from three-point range across 37 appearances as a senior.
Blame it on cold weather or whatever, but before finishing his career in Queens, Sellers was a better shooter from all distances than the man who popped up in a Red Storm uniform. His best season came as a junior during his lone year playing ACC ball, but it’s also fair to say he didn’t quite bomb in St. John’s, where he started 36 of the 37 games he played, logging 28.6 MPG.
The Summer League will, at the very least, give Sellers a chance to compete against pros for a few games and prove his talents are good enough to earn him a roster spot, whether that’s with the Knicks or elsewhere, including a potential G League stint before making it to the majors.
The expectation is that New York’s Summer League roster will be filled with NBA-proven players, including Tyler Kolek, Mo Diawara, Ariel Hukporti, Kevin McCullar Jr., and Pacome Dadiet, with true-freshmen Jack Kiyan and Tyler Nickel joining them on the court.
The Vegas Summer League runs from July 9 through July 19 in Sin City, with the Knicks scheduled to play four games (from July 10 through July 16) that might or might not see them advance to the playoffs of the little hot tiny tournament.
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 21: Tamar Bates #7 of the Grand Rapids Gold dribbles the ball during the game against the Cleveland Charge on November 21, 2025 at Cleveland Public Auditorium in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Utah Jazz have a lot of signings happening for the upcoming Summer League and offseason. Here’s a list of everything they’ve been up to.
Utah Jazz sign Tamar Bates to two-way deal.
According to Michael Scott, the Jazz signed Tamar Bates to a two-way deal.
Sources: The Utah Jazz plan to sign Tamar Bates to a two-way deal. He was sidelined with a foot injury as a two-way rookie for the Nuggets after averaging 19.5 points on 55% overall and 44% from 3-point range, 4.4 boards, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 steals in the G League last season. pic.twitter.com/hdQHMz6S7d
Scotto mentioned that Bates was sidelined with a foot injury as a rookie for the Nuggets, where he averaged 19.5 points with great percentages in the G League (55% overall and 44% from three).
Bates stands 6’4″ and weighed in at 195 pounds at the Draft Combine. He also measured a 6’10.25″ wingspan. Those are the types of measurements and percentages that are worth investing time in.
Utah Jazz sign Micah Handlogten to Exhibit-10 deal
Micah Handlogten is the son of Ben Handlogten, who played for the Utah Jazz in the early 2000s. Handlogten stands 7’1″ and played four years in college, the last three seasons for Florida. It’s just an Exhibit-10 deal, so he may be playing for Utah in the Summer League, but you never know when a player might show more. It’s mildly interesting when you consider the Walker Kessler situation that continues to develop, but it’s more just needing players for offseason training and possibly summer league.
Kyle Filipowski will wear #2 for the Utah Jazz
Filipowski obviously gave Darryn Peterson the #22 jersey, and Peterson mentioned that he had to give something to get it. We’ll probably never know. But it was a great gesture by Kessler to be willing to give that up. It’s not always something a player would be willing to do.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Orlando Magic waived Jonathan Isaac on Saturday, ending the former first-round pick's injury-shortened time with the team.
The Magic took Isaac with the No. 6 pick in the 2017 draft. After playing in 75 games in 2018-19 in a promising second season, the 6-foot-10 forward tore his left ACL in August 2020 during the NBA's restart and missed the next two seasons while recovering from surgery.
Isaac played in 52 games this season, averaging 2.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 10 minutes per game. He didn't appear in Orlando's first-round playoff series against Detroit because of a left knee strain.
Isaac appeared in 328 games for the Magic, averaging 6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. He is sixth on Orlando's career blocked shots list with 391.
The Sneaker Reporter, Travis Singleton, joins Two Words: Wolves Pod to break down the Minnesota Timberwolves trading away Naz Reid to the Charlotte Hornets for LaMelo Ball, as well as the Wolves drafting Isaiah Evans with the 33rd pick, and much more.
— Naz Reid was and will remain a Timberwolves legend. He stands out as the franchise’s greatest developmental player and is as beloved an athlete as has ever been with the Timberwolves and in the state of Minnesota.
— Reid became a cult hero of sorts for Minnesotans and Wolves fans, spawning lasting memories including a beach towel night, $20 tattoos, a sign in front of a pizza place imploring people to honk if they love Naz Reid, and the name of this podcast.
— In exchange for Reid and a bunch of draft capital, including the team’s 2033 first-round pick, the Wolves received LaMelo Ball to pair in the back court with Anthony Edwards.
— While there are questions about Ball’s ability to play on a winning team, how dedicated he will be on the defensive end of the court, and whether or not the Wolves can keep him healthy, there is no denying Ball’s talent and skill, which are a perfect fit on this Wolves roster
— After trading both Reid and Julius Randle, the Timberwolves are now without a power forward. Finding one with the little financial flexibility Minnesota has left will likely be the focus of the rest of the offseason.
— The Wolves were excited about the opportunity to draft Evans early in the second round of the NBA Draft. Timberwolves General Manager Matt Lloyd said the team was attempting to draft Evans late in the first round before their pick moved back, and they were glad to see the 6-foot-6 guard from Duke fall to them with the 33rd pick.
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown has had lots of time to respond to anyone who doubts his game, his abilities and contributions to winning basketball – and NBA media members aren't exempt.
Brown went off on X, formerly Twitter, in a series of posts including a response to ESPN NBA Front Office Insider Bobby Marks about the 2024 Finals MVP being viewed as the "seventh-best player" on a team by analytics.
"Analytics nowadays used to discredit and control narratives - Roll the ball out none of these guys better than me on both ends who does he work for," Brown said in a post.
Analytics nowadays used to discredit and control narratives - Roll the ball out none of these guys better than me on both ends who does he work for https://t.co/ql3skXAutM
"Nobody has won more combined regular season and playoff games since I entered the league 10 years ago," Brown continued in a pair of posts. "Analytics have / are ruining the game we playing AI hoops."
Marks responded to Brown on the social media platform saying that his full statement wasn't posted in the aggregator platform on X, The Dunk Central or NBA Central, a page non-affiliated with the NBA.
"But what wasn’t posted was the 2m of saying I’m not an analytics person but an eye test guy. That I would want Jaylen Brown on my team. That you impact winning (191-80 in the last 4 years), is a top-10 player and would help any team looking to win a championship. That part of course didn’t make it. But that’s the media in 2026," Marks said.
What actually was said about Jaylen Brown
Brown didn't let it go. After Marks' explanation, the Celtics forward replied, "state your source."
Sirius XM NBA Radio Brian Geltzeiler replied under Brown's "state your source" comment explaining how the comment on his radio show with former NBA player and coach Sam Mitchell originated.
"Jaylen, I asked Bobby the question. His full answer acknowledged the absurdity of the comment he REPEATED from someone else. It is not (Marks) opinion, mine, or my co-host (Mitchell)."
For full context of what was said on Geltzeiler and Mitchell's radio show, Marks was introduced and immediately Geltzeiler dived into the situation in Boston after Brown was included in trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo, which ultimately didn't work out. However, there is belief that Brown still will be traded.
"From what I understand, it's a pretty vibrant market out there for him, no?" Geltzeiler asked. Marks' response was less than assuring.
"Mmm, I wouldn't say vibrant," Marks said. "There's mixed feelings about him when you talk to teams. We had a spirited debate, I brought up the point on NBA today with Danny Green and Chiney (Ogwumike), you know, former players, and the debate was, the analytics of Jaylen Brown is not good."
Marks continued: "Listen, I'm more of an eye test guy, like (he) impacts winning, 29 years old, has played in 60 more games, four to five last year, they're 191-80, the last four years in place. Okay, he's a top 10 player. But, here's what the analytics say, a negative net rating the last four years, when he was on the court this year, they were -10.6. So, there are some people out there that look at that a little bit more deeper than you know than what the eye test says."
Marks said there isn't a line of teams looking to get Brown, especially due to having to take on his contract, which pays him $57 million this season and $61 million and $64 million in the following two years of his deal. He believes Portland could be a wild card contender for Brown.
Mitchell asked how front offices make the decision of eye test versus analytics, considering winning, the team a player is with and other variables.
"I agree, because like who is he on the court with? I mean, you really gotta like really go like deeper, it's just not throwing out a number and everything like that. Who's he on the court with? Was it at the end of games? You know, like, there's a lot more into it than just saying, like, got a net rating," Marks said. "Like, I mean, as I said, like, in that period of four years, they won an NBA championship. He was voted sixth in MVP. He basically carried a Celtic team without Jayson Tatum this year, and he had career numbers off the board, and everything like that."
Mitchell added: "And all the players around him played well, got better. You look at some of them, like (Payton) Pritchard."
"I know, I agree, Sam," Marks said. "You got three years left, and I know it's max money, but it's a deal that there's no player option in it, so I think you have to be careful as far as where you weigh it. You know, it's funny, that's a thing that's been brought up. I had one, not an executive, but an analytics guy saying, 'we view (Brown) as like the seventh-best player on a team.' I was like, 'holy crap'. Literally, like I get it, there's a role for analytics and stuff, but well, I guess they call.. I joked, I guess we call that strategy now."
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 18: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts prior to the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 18, 2026 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. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While Deandre Ayton’s debut season in Los Angeles wasn’t the perfect fit, it was still a strong season for the big man, all things considered.
His numbers were, naturally, down from previous season, but given his role as the fourth fiddle on offense, that’s to be expected. He still had his most efficient season as a scorer and his highest block total since the 2020-21 season.
However, his playstyle didn’t mesh with the Lakers’ pick-and-roll ballhandlers and his inability to be a lob threat has left the team searching for just that this summer. But even if the team is ready to move on from him, he likely won’t be facilitating that transition.
According to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports, Ayton is expected to pick up his player options for his second season.
It’s no secret the Lakers are looking to upgrade at center (it should be noted Deandre Ayton is expected to pick up his player option and be back with the team).
Again, he had a good season last year and will have trade value. The Lakers can look to move him for a piece that fits better on the roster, whether that’s a lob-catching center or an athletic wing.
Even if the fit didn’t work between him and the Lakers, it was still a fun season with some fun moments. Theoretically, he could remain on the roster as a backup, but it’s probably in everyone’s best interest to part ways to find Ayton a team he better fits on and LA a player who fills a need.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Ron Harper Jr. #13 of the Boston Celtics during Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After declining his $2.6 million team option to clear the path for negotiating a long-term deal, the Boston Celtics have signed former Rutgers basketball standout Ron Harper Jr. to a three-year deal worth $9 million, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
This season, Harper appeared in 29 games for Boston and performed well overall despite seeing limited minutes. In those 29 games, he averaged 4.2 points on 41.8% from the field. He split time with Boston and their G-League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, this year. For Maine, Harper averaged 24.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the floor. He saw his time in the major leagues increase over the season and played relief minutes in the team’s playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Harper earned his opportunity after spending much of the past three seasons in the NBA’s G League, where he sharpened his skillset. Coming out of Rutgers in 2022, Harper was signed to a two-way contract by the Toronto Raptors, where he made his NBA debut, before getting waived in December of 2023. He then signed with the Boston Celtics on a two-way contract before signing a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons on January 6th, 2025. He was then resigned by Boston in August of 2025 on a training camp contract that turned into a two-way contract. His performance for the team last season turned that two-way contract into a full three year deal.
Harper Jr. left Rutgers basketball as one of the most legendary figures in the program’s history, highlighted by his buzzer-beating three-point shot to beat No.1 Purdue. He earned second-team all-Big Ten honors his senior season and was named an AP All-American honorable mention as well.
He now joins his brother Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey as former Rutgers players with a spot on an NBA roster.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JUNE 26: Darryn Peterson arrives at the airport after being drafted as the second overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft at Salt Lake City Airport greeted by fans on June 26, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Everything has been coming up Millhouse for Utah Jazz fans the last two months, and the last week has been no different. It started with a successful draft night, when the Jazz got their guy, Darryn Peterson.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 23: NBA commissioner Adam Silver shakes hands with Darryn Peterson after he is drafted second overall by the Utah Jazz during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a draft with a legitimate debate between two incredible prospects over who should be the #1 pick. Either way it went, Utah was going to come out with a top-tier, top-pick caliber prospect to add to their young, exciting core.
Draft night was a whirlwind of events, but it was a breath of fresh air listening to Darryn Peterson, who looked legitimately happy to come to the Utah Jazz, even excited.
Darryn Peterson's father always knew he was going to make it to the NBA 🥹
"When you look back at all those workouts that your dad put you through, did you guys ever think it would lead to this? The number two pick in the NBA Draft?"
Darryn Peterson says he wanted to be picked #1, but Happy to be picked by Utah. Met with the Jazz in Chicago and had great conversations.. but adds about being drafted along with other freshman, "I'm coming for these guys like I've been coming for them my entire career." pic.twitter.com/Xzevf4CViX
With the draft over, Peterson was immediately caught up in the rush of joining the Utah Jazz. He talked with the front office and was ready to get started right away.
It was a great job by the Jazz and Jazz fans to meet Peterson. The excitement online for him is palpable, and it was nice to see that visualized when he dropped down in Utah.
And with that, the next day would be the press conference, and the Jazz did a great job with that as well. Utah has done a great job of rising for this moment, probably the biggest moment in the last twenty years.
The press conference was today and it’s well worth the watch.
Peterson has been fantastic as he’s joined the team, and each soundbite feels like confirmation of what Jazz fans have wanted for a long time: a player ready to go for a title, and is happy to do it with the Jazz.
Darryn Peterson into press conference. Jazz have the practice facility completely decked out. This is way different from past rookie intro pressers. DP is a lot different than most rookies too pic.twitter.com/BD4kuigZ0X
It’s hard not to get excited about all of this with everything that’s happened over the last five years for Jazz fans.
Yes, Jazz fans have gone through four years of rebuild/tanking/losing (whatever you want to call it), but it wasn’t just the last four years. The final years of the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell era were not fun either. With infighting among teammates and players clearly trying to work their way out of Utah behind the scenes, it’s been rough.
But all that feels like a distant memory now, and Darryn Peterson is healing a lot of wounds. His infectious smile, competitive attitude, and obvious love of basketball have been music to Jazz fans’ ears. And despite him saying and doing everything perfectly, there’s still that small part of you that wonders if it’s all a dream. Well, Jazz fans, it’s real. Peterson is now in Jazz gear and in Utah, the place he’s calling home.
So, Jazz fans, I give you permission to pinch yourselves all you want because you aren’t waking up. This is all real. Go buy that jersey you’ve been waiting for, get those tickets for Summer League and the regular season. Jazz basketball is back, and so are all the fans that might have taken a sabbatical. I, for one, am ready, and I hope you are, because this is going to be a lot of fun. It’s time to now soak it all in and enjoy the ride.
Could LeBron James return to the Heat this offseason? According to an NBA insider, he doesn’t rule out the possibility of a reunion between James and the Heat.
NBA insider Brian Windhorst spoke about how much he admired the Heat organization and said he believes James feels the same.
“I admire the Heat organization so much. And I value the relationships that I created those years, and I look back, and I learned so much covering that team. And I learned so much listening to Pat Riley,” Windhorst said. “… I learned so much about the Heat mentality, which I still have so much admiration for.”
LeBron James is an unrestricted free agent and will decide his future this summer. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
Windhorst went on to say positive things about the Heat: “By the way, I think LeBron might feel somewhat the same, because he still mimics some of the stuff that Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra would say.”
During the 2010 offseason, James made his infamous free agency announcement, “The Decision,” in which he announced on live TV that he would take his talents to South Beach to join the Heat.
As James departed for South Beach, so did Windhorst, who covered the Heat from 2010 to 2014.
When James left the Cavaliers to play in Miami, that’s when the Heat created their “Big Three.”
The “Big Three” consisted of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
The trio helped James win his first NBA title in 2012, when the Heat defeated a young Thunder roster that featured Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
During James’ time in Miami, he won two NBA titles with the “Big Three” and also won two NBA MVPs and two Finals MVPs.
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NBA insider Brian Windhorst believes LeBron James still has a strong admiration for the Heat.
After an NBA Finals loss to the Spurs in 2014, James departed Miami and made his way back to the Cavaliers. He delivered on his promise of bringing Cleveland an NBA title.
