Category: NBA

They call him "Captain Clutch" for a reason.

After Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson erupted in the fourth quarter Wednesday, June 3 to propel New York to steal Game 1 of the NBA Finals over the San Antonio Spurs, his reputation as one of the premier clutch players of this generation is only growing.

The one thing missing from his résumé in the clutch, however, is an NBA title. And with the Knicks now just three wins away from that, presuming more close games are coming, a championship would instantly catapult Brunson to the top of the list of his contemporaries. Whether it’s alongside two-time consecutive Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or in line with aging stars like Stephen Curry or even compared to some of the game’s icons like Michael Jordan, Brunson, 29, would reach a new level if the Knicks win their first title in 53 years.

By any objective measure, Jabari Walker’s first season with the Philadelphia 76ers was a success. Signed last July to a two-way contract after spending three seasons with Portland, Walker ended up playing an important role for a Sixers team that often found itself thin in the frontcourt. He appeared in 64 regular-season games for Philadelphia, averaging 4.3 points and 3.0 rebounds. Walker’s efforts earned him a standard NBA contract in mid-February; he is now set to make $2.58 million for the upcoming 2026-27 season, with $250k guaranteed and the deal fully guaranteed on Jan. 10, 2027.

Jabari’s calling card would have to be his rebounding, which was useful on a Sixers team that struggled mightily in that area. His mark of 9.1 rebounds per 36 minutes ranked 43rd across the entire NBA. With his work on the glass and ability to guard a couple positions, you see the makings of a glue guy in Walker. However, there are some holes in his game that bear examination.

First, Walker is not a shot blocker. He only blocked 13 shots total during the regular season and has never averaged even 1.0 block per 36 minutes across his NBA career. Nick Nurse played some minutes with Walker as a small-ball five, but if he’s not going to offer any rim protection, that can’t be anything more than a change-up option for limited minutes.

The likelier path forward for Walker is as a 3-and-D big at the power forward position, with particular scrutiny on the “3” part of that equation. Jabari was neither an effective, nor high volume shooter from deep during his season as a Sixer, shooting 32-of-95 (33.7 percent) in total. The team believes in him in that area and could point to a couple random successful nights during the season (4-of-8 against Milwaukee in December or 4-of-7 against Utah in March). However, Walker needs to be a lot more consistent from behind the arc, both in shooting it slightly better and pulling the trigger enough that opposing defenses won’t completely play off him and clog the lane to stymie his teammates’ attacks.

Finding Walker as a two-way guy on the proverbial NBA scrap heap undoubtedly counts as a win for former Sixers lead executive Daryl Morey. Having someone on a minimum contract capable of giving you reliable minutes in a pinch has real value for an NBA club. Mike Gansey and new decision makers will be in the front office, though, and might have a different opinion on Jabari’s value in Philadelphia. With only a partial guarantee next season, it’s no sure thing that he sticks around. It will be up to Walker to prove his worth and do more to remain with the Sixers and maybe progress towards being a full-time rotation player.

What did you think about Walker’s first season in Sixers’ red, white and blue? Are you excited to see more from him in the fall or ready to turn the page and find the next diamond in the rough? Let us know in the comments.

After a Game 1 Finals loss that felt all too familiar in more ways that one, I continue our fourth installment of Fraternizing with the Enemy with the editor-in-chief of our Knicks sister site, Posting and Toasting, Russell Richardson. The Spurs didn’t look anything like themselves, but the good news is they have shown they can make adjustments and flip the switch after poor performances in each of the previous three rounds. The bad news is the Knicks were far from the greatest version of themselves and have plenty of room to improve as well, so we discuss what to expect from both teams in what will be a vital Game 2, particularly for the Spurs.

Click the link if you missed part 1 and would like to catch up.

J.R. 

After one game, we’re a lot closer to your prediction than we are mine. If San Antonio doesn’t fix the problems I’m about to address, you’re in a great position to see Wilco with your wife without having to miss a Finals game. Great performances from your team. Truly. And not a very good showing from the hometown boys, which was not at all what I was expecting. In some ways it looked like San Antonio didn’t prepare any kind of Knicks-specific approach to the game. Which seems puzzling. 

So puzzling that I’m reminded of the last time I was puzzled like this, Game 1 of the 2017 playoffs second round series against Houston. The Spurs didn’t cater their standard game plan to the Rockets. They came out with a plain-vanilla offense and defense, and got absolutely trucked. Lost by almost 30. Do you remember Mike D’Antoni’s, “three is more than two” press conference? That was after Game 1. The overwhelming narrative leading up to Game 2 was the antiquated nature of the Spurs system and how inevitable Houston’s victory was. 

Then Gregg Popovich made adjustments based on what he saw after Game 1 and the Spurs won four of the next five games, with an overtime win in Game 5 that ended with Manu Ginobili’s over-the-back block of James Harden‘s three-point attempt and led to a Game 6 in which Harden failed to show up in any meaningful way. (You may experienced something like that from Harden yourself.) So San Antonio has had this kind of weird series start before, and they’ve come out smiling. 

While I have no insight to the adjustments being cooked up by Mitch’s Coaching Staff (MCS?), here are the things I noticed that I would like to see addressed.

First, Victor had his first truly disappointing game of the playoffs. Some people would say that Game 5 of the WCF qualifies, but for me that was passive Wemby and Wednesday night was … I dunno what to call it. Hyperactive Wemby? Whatever it was, it can’t happen again if SA wants to win. Since February 1, there have only been three games in which Wemby has been a minus in his minutes on the court. And two of those have come against the Knickerbockers, which is not very confidence-inducing when all of the games for the rest of the season are against the same team. Expect angry-but-composed Wemby for Game 2.

Second, in a game-on-the-line, clutch situation, your go-to play can’t be a Wemby isolation from outside the 3 point line. A couple of hours before the game I was talking with one of my writers, and I said that Wemby’s favorite play is probably freelancing. Well, if you default mode is letting him have his favorite play, that’s fine. He can have it for 43 minutes of the game. But when it comes down to the final 5 minutes of a nip and tuck Finals game, how about we run some kind of action; some kind of pet play that we like our chances with? Expect a firm let hand from Mitch in these situations going forward. Or at least expect the guys to get an earful and handle it differently next time. 

Third, against a lineup without OG, the Spurs allowed Brunson and Shamet to stay on the floor without running any offense at them. That should probably not be allowed to stand. There are so many ways to get them involved in actions that it’d be silly to even start a list. Either play Shamet off the court or tire him out. Force Jalen to exert himself in his own end and even if he’s still fresh as a daisy in crunch time, at least you’ll be scoring points along the way which would be a far cry from posting 18 in the fourth like in G1. Expect SA to do more targeting of NY’s weaker defenders. 

Fourth, more Harper, and a greater range of actions run for him during said more. What did the kid try to do in his Finals debut that he couldn’t do? I can’t think of anything realistic that could’ve asked of a player that he didn’t deliver on. I could go on, but that’s over 600 words already and I don’t want to try your patience. 

What did you see that you liked from the first Finals game, and what concerns you?

R.R.

It was a thrilling Game One, from our vantage at least. We thought San Antonio played well enough to win, especially given how rusty the Knicks were on offense. After a promising start, we didn’t expect them to finish the first quarter with 19 points. They had played eight games in 23 days, and it showed in the halftime numbers.

Nor did we think this game would so closely resemble the NBA Cup Final, in which New York rallied from a double-digit third-quarter deficit and held the Spurs to 19 points in the fourth to win. Uncanny similarities!

I agree that the series is far from over, if San Antonio makes your recommended adjustments. I was surprised at how underutilized Harper was in the second half, and that Brunson wasn’t hunted more — especially when he was initially injured. Shamet’s a better defender than his reputation suggests, but admittedly one of the weaker links in the chain. Targeting him makes sense. 

As for Wemby, we agree again: bombing threes late in a tight game (or freelancing, as you say) seems a suboptimal use of his talent. Keep sending that big fella to the cup! He’s more likely to get three points that way (with an and-one) and stop the clock.

Tell me, do you communicate suggestions to Mitch Johnson by text or email? For Thibs, I used to hide video messages on VHS tapes, mislabel them (randomly, e.g., “Portland vs. Pacers, Jan. 5, 1982”), and leave them on the sidewalk outside the practice facility. VHS is Thibs’ catnip. 

Regrettably, Mike Brown has a restraining order against me.

We liked plenty of what we saw in this first contest. New York remains confident and resilient. It’s reassuring to know Captain Clutch still has his mystical powers. KAT was pretty sweet, too. When New York runs the Towns-Brunson pick-and-roll, it opens multiple scoring options for them. Why they don’t spam it 100 times per game baffles me. That said, the Spurs had real trouble containing Towns whenever Victor rested. Come to think of it, Wemby didn’t do much to slow him, either.

Bridges and Hart combining for 12 points wasn’t too concerning. I wrote about Josh in the postgame piece:

“By the end of the game, Josh would have three points on 1-of-5 shooting, which looks bad. But run your eye across the stat line and let the truth reveal itself: 14 rebounds, six assists, four steals, a block, and a team-high +22 in his 27 minutes. His relentless energy rescued this game from the loss column.”

New York won’t have many more off-shooting nights in the series. Wait till you see these guys really cook with gas! Not only has New York won 12 games in a row, but 11 of those were by double digits. Impressive stuff from a team that’s considered the underdogs.

Brunson’s shooting reminded me of 1994’s Game One. In that tilt, Patrick Ewing went 10-for-26, and in this one Brunson shot 12-of-31. Same stinky, different outcomes. Even after a janky shooting performance by Jalen, we can sing his praises. Yet again, his shots fell in the clutch.

The Knicks have so many weapons that when Brunson is cold, someone else can step into the void. You saw it in Game One. KAT carried the team through the middle of the game. Anunoby was kind of a dud through three quarters, then knocked down eight points to swing the game. Another night, Bridges will drop 20 points on eight shots. Or Shamet might go 5-of-9 from yard, or Clarkson contributes 15. Mike Brown has a lot of cool toys!

Were you surprised by the contributions of your supporting cast, namely Fox, Vassell, and Johnson? I see they combined for 19 points. Also: Champagnie loves shooting three-pointers against the Knicks, making 18-of-34 in four games against NY this season. Finally, at last, Mike Brown schemed to stop this kid, limiting him to one point post-intermission. You’ve watched more of him than I—does he just go gonzo for Knicks games, or is he a ‘for real’ gunslinger? (I could look this up on Basketball-Reference, but stats can be suspicious…and I’m falling asleep.)

J.R.

The last time I had a mode of secret communication with a Spurs coach, it was Bob Hill. And I don’t need to tell you how that turned out. Suffice to say that there was nothing else for it but to work my way into the blogging business and lob my thoughts to the team that way. 

In the game, San Antonio has a lead and loses a lead because they only score 19 in the fourth while Brunson goes off; I can’t tell whether I’m talking about Wednesday night or NBA Cup Final. That’s far too uncannily similar, but I have a solution. We need more cans in this series asap! Now, I just need to figure out what a can is in this context, and we’d have something. I know! I’ll make a VHS tape and — my wife is shaking her head … apparently I don’t have a camcorder anymore. That’s unfortunate. 

Instead, let’s talk about Wemby’s defense on Towns (besides a few choice words I have that I won’t share here — suffice to say they aren’t complementary). I’d love to see Vic never leave his defensive stance while guarding a shooter on the perimeter unless his man is already off the ground in the middle of his jump shot. It’s not that Wemby can’t block three pointers, it’s that it’s just so rare that anyone does. In the meanwhile the number of times he’s been blown by for a layup this season is measured in the dozens! I don’t see anything of value being accomplished by Vic hunting blocks so far from the basket when he gives up far more total points when his timing isn’t perfect and he jumps too soon. I’d love to see what KAT can accomplish if Wemby simply plays solid perimeter defense on him. If he still goes off, then something structurally will need to change, but I doubt that. And it seems like Victor agrees because one of his post game quotes was about how he needed to just make normal plays.

Next to Brunson, who I will get to in a minute, I thought Hart was the MVP for New York. Relentless energy isn’t enough to explain Hart’s impact. Plus/minus isn’t enough either. He’s got that thing. The one where you know when you see it. It jumps off the screen as you watch on TV and it smacks you in the face when you’re viewing in person. Alex Caruso has it too. After seven games of seeing a one of Those Guys in the right place at the right time with the exact play, maybe the only play, that would stop the Spurs’ score or play or run, San Antonio fans have run right into another! Hart is a guy you hate but would love him in an instant if he was on your team and I don’t want to say another word about it right now. 

Jalen’s late hot streak cures all — you can shoot as bad as possible IF you’re able to can the looks that matter. (There’s another “can.”  I told you they were important!) Shooting is important too, and by the time your guys are cooking with gas, then Wemby will need to be operating at fully operational arrow station levels, or it’ll get ugly. 

I wasn’t surprised by the inability of Fox, Vassell and Johnson to score more. Fox will have a bad game even when he’s healthy, and his ankle is obviously still limiting him. He bounces back regularly though. Vassell has played great in the playoffs and while he had an off night from deep (1-6) he hit 3 of 5 from the field, dished 3 assists and grabbed 9 huge boards. I’m not concerned about him. Johnson’s the one that’s weird to me. He only saw 8 minutes of play time and I didn’t see much of a reason for that. Sure he was 1-4, but he was the lone Spur with a positive +/-. Mitch obviously saw something he didn’t like. Gotta hope that turns around. 

Which brings us to Julian Champagnie, who doesn’t just like shooting against the Knicks. Julian is now a certified flamethrower, and while he had a cold spell during the season and an early lull against OKC, he’s firing on all cylinders and will need to occupy a good amount of New York’s defensive attention. 

R.R.

I’m glad you ‘can’ (ouch) maintain your humor after the opening loss. Surely the Spurs will reward your confidence soon. Despite their 12-game win streak, I still doubt New York will sweep. There’s too much talent on your side of the court.

The mismatch tortured us the last time these two fought in the Finals, back in 1999. Compared to then, this is already basketball nirvana. Cynicism aside, it is pretty cool that the NBA will have a different champion for the eighth straight year.

Your comparison of Caruso to Hart is dead on. I feel the same about Caruso (and used to about Jose Alvarado): that stinker is insufferable until he’s on your team, when he becomes your favorite player. Whether that holds true for Dillon Brooks, we’d have to ask a Phoenix or Memphis fan. And I stand by my solemn vow not to root for any team that employs the services of Kelly Oubre Jr. It’s an irrational dislike, but real.

I don’t know what to make of Keldon Johnson. He must have played some great games this season to earn Sixth Man of the Year honors, but he’s underwhelmed in the small sample size I’ve witnessed. Vassell impresses me more, and I’m bracing for him to perform better in his second chance. Your comments about Wemby seem to point to the immaturity of youth. The more he hangs out with the monks, the more disciplined he’ll become, and then the league will really be screwed.

A note about Champagnie. We are spoiled to have Mike Breen and the great Walt “Clyde” Frazier as our commentators for Knicks games. Clyde is in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice, as a player and broadcaster, and our SB Nation site is named after one of his colorful colloquialisms. One of his most endearing qualities is his singular ability to mangle names. To hear him say “Julian Champagne-y” is one of life’s joys.

We were glad that Knicks superfans Ben Stiller and Spike Lee made it to Texas. There may still be time for me to buy a ticket, fly to San Antonio, rent a hotel room, grab a secondary-market seat, and attend Game Two. Sadly, the grand total would be cheaper than trying to get into MSG for Games Three or Four. New York has two strata of fans: the wealthy set who can afford astronomical ticket prices, and the unwashed masses who watch from home or behind barricades on the street outside MSG. I proudly represent the latter, although, admittedly, sometimes the greed at the Garden is a nagging stone in my shoe.

Along those lines . . . as a fan, how does it feel when so many at Frost Bank Center are cheering MVP! for Brunson at the free-throw line? Poor Donovan Mitchell may never recover from that particular torment.

Here’s a true, unflattering story to wrap this up. Around the eight-minute mark of the second quarter, my wife texted from the bedroom to ask for help removing a splinter from her foot. Since she’ll never read this: I absolutely considered pretending to miss the message because the game was so good. Luckily, Mitch Johnson called a challenge timeout that allowed me to fulfill my husbandly duties.

Later, Jen texted that she was now streaming the game on her laptop because “everyone is talking about the game.” Hence, down the stretch, I was shouting in the living room, she was shouting from the bedroom, and our house must have sounded bananas from the sidewalk. I imagine things were equally wild at La Casa de Wilco. Let’s hope for more of the same great basketball in Game Two. Good luck to you (but Go Knicks, obviously).

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: What are your thoughts on the following trade proposal?

This trade was suggested in a Hawks column on SI.

Ashton: I think I would do it.

Let’s start with the picks. They are worthless in the second round. It will be all college seniors and international prospects. The Cleveland and New York picks are going to be extremely late in the back half of the draft. But the picks may make some good future trade capital. But it is not the picks that I am interested in, other than some good board (boring for some) draft conversation.

It is the former number one draft pick, Zaccharie Risacher, in 2024. I thought he was rated too highly on draft boards, but Atlanta took him anyway with the first pick. Keep in mind that it was after Wemby-mania the year before, so Frenchmen were in high demand. Fellow Frenchman Alex Sarr was taken second in the 2024 draft.

But this isn’t a hit piece on a country that consistently produces top talent. Call it a hit piece on draft analysts. Zach (look, I am not typing the full name out) saw decreased usage in the Atlanta Hawks system but had some really nice games as a 6’8” small forward that tends to like the mid-range shots. That is the size and current Suns’ offensive system would support that for a change of scenery. The question is, why did the Hawks sour on him?

I think I will stay with the youth movement and take the former number one pick. In fact, I would call it a deal of the day. Which makes me skeptical that it would ever happen. Or even how Rod managed to find this trade, other than a thought exercise.

Voita: This is a very interesting trade proposal, and it’s one I’m not opposed to. Yes, it would be unfortunate to lose the shooting that Grayson Allen provides. At the same time, you’d be acquiring a young lottery prospect along with three second-round picks.

I’m not the biggest fan of Zaccharie Risacher as a prospect. However, for a team with limited avenues to get younger, more athletic, and add players with legitimate upside, he certainly scratches that itch.

A lot of people have been dismissive of the second-round picks included in the deal, and this is where the NBA’s revised draft lottery rules could actually work in Phoenix’s favor. Let’s say the Atlanta Hawks are a Play-In team in 2029. They finish as the ninth seed and ultimately end up in the lottery. That feels completely realistic.

Now, let’s say they wind up with the 15th overall pick in the 2029 NBA Draft. Under the new rules, their second-round pick would suddenly become much more valuable because the second-round order is reversed relative to the non-playoff teams. The team drafting first overall in the first round picks near the end of the second round, while the team drafting 15th ends up selecting near the beginning of the second round. That changes the math.

So while there’s certainly a chance these three second-rounders end up being throwaway picks, there’s also a realistic possibility they become far more valuable than many people assume. And when you’re a team like the Phoenix Suns, one that doesn’t have a surplus of draft capital lying around, that upside is worth paying attention to.

OldAz: “Opinions are like armpits, everyone has them, and most of them stink” (there is a less clean version of this that everyone only has one of, but I tried to keep this PG). In this case, my opinion is totally uneducated because I watched exactly 0.0 minutes of this kid playing last season.

At first glance, I noticed that he was getting a decent number of minutes for a playoff team, but accumulating pedestrian counting stats. This is even more true when the playoffs came, and he barely cracked the lineup. All this made the proposal look more like a salary dump than a trade. However, he is also a younger, longer athletic player who can defend well (according to reports), with an inconsistent offense that needs to be set up by others.

Considering the Suns currently have too many ball dominant players and lack length, athleticism and often defense I could easily be persuaded that this is not a salary dump but a “buy low” trade that accomplishes many things the Suns need to have this off season. All of this hinges on what Risacher really is. For that, you need to ask someone far smarter than I am, or at least someone who wants to watch Hawks games to see him play.

Rod: Risacher hasn’t lived up to the expectations of being the number 1 pick in the 2024 draft, but hasn’t been a bust. Jalen Johnson’s play has made him somewhat expendable in Atlanta. I think I’d do this if such a trade were offered (which I doubt). It would save the Suns $4.3 million in 2026-27 and $6+ million over two seasons while adding another young wing to the roster who, hopefully, can still grow as a player.

The three second-round picks are nice sweeteners, but most are likely to be in the high 40s or 50s (the 2nds they have from New York and Cleveland), which doesn’t make them exceptionally valuable…but still useful.

Q2: For various reasons, some fans think the Suns should either do a sign-and-trade to move Mark Williams or just let him walk (especially if he gets a big offer sheet from another team). A third option is signing him to a new contract and perhaps trading him at the trade deadline. If moving on from Williams is in the Suns’ plans, which option would you prefer?

Ashton: Let’s get our option one out of the way, sign-and-trade. Rod has mentioned in numerous comments that it immediately hard-caps the Suns. Nah, I still want to be frugal here when it comes to the Sun’s future roster plans. (Note: It hard caps the team at the second tax apron.)

Option 2 requires a lot more deliberation. It depends on where you are with the Suns’ finances. I would still like the organization to stay below the repeater tax for a second year or at least have some breathing space to bring back Goody and CG. But this requires a hard player cut in Williams, as I really do not think the Suns have an answerable center position player to fill the role.

Option 3 is more forward-looking and probably the best. Yes, you lose cap flexibility and maybe lose Goody and CG, but if Williams stays healthy (and that is a big if) then he becomes a tradable asset.

I still have to pick one of these options for a three-part question. Let Mark walk or pay the qualifying offer at $9,615,600. Free up some salary space, and then no one has to worry about his injury history. Option 2.

Voita: I wrestled with this decision quite a bit while putting together my blueprint for how I think the Phoenix Suns should operate this offseason. Ultimately, I landed on the qualifying offer.

If Mark Williams wants significantly more than that, it starts putting real financial strain on the roster. More importantly, it could make it difficult to retain players like Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin. At that point, you’re probably crossing into first apron territory. Maybe the organization is comfortable with that. Maybe it isn’t.

For me, the ideal outcome is bringing Williams back, even if the final number comes in a little higher than the qualifying offer, because the goal isn’t necessarily about what Mark Williams is. The goal is finding out what Khaman Maluach is. Williams provides a buffer and provides stability. He gives Phoenix a starting-caliber center while Maluach continues to develop and earn opportunities. Then you reassess.

If Maluach takes a significant step forward, if he proves he’s ready for a larger role, then when the trade deadline arrives, you can start exploring the market for Williams. That’s the beauty of maintaining flexibility.

Of course, there is one exception. If Williams stays healthy and starts playing above the level we currently expect from him, then the conversation changes entirely. At that point, you’re dealing with a different set of circumstances. But entering the season, I think the smartest play is bringing him back, preserving continuity, and giving yourself another year to evaluate exactly what you have at the center position.

OldAz: Assuming they move on at some point, I would start with the last option of signing him to a reasonable new contract and then waiting for the deadline. A healthy athletic center on a reasonable contract is highly valuable at the trade deadline, and this would give more time for Khaman Maluach to develop and be ready for a bigger role. A sign-and-trade is also a reasonable option for the right return, so the only option I do not like (assuming they are parting ways) is letting him walk for nothing. I hate that type of asset management by any front office I am rooting for.

Rod: Unless Ott is certain that Maluach, Ighodaro, and a third low-cost free agent center can perform well as the Suns’ big man rotation from the beginning, I’d prefer re-signing him and looking for a midseason trade. My second choice would be going with a sign-and-trade. With a sign-and-trade, they could take back much less in salary (or nothing at all) and create a traded player exception that they could use later on.

Q3: The Suns have been bringing in a lot of players for pre-draft workouts that are projected to go undrafted (a little more than half so far). What are your thoughts on this?

Ashton: I had never considered this until I visited HoopsHype today and pulled the following in context of the question. This is who the Suns have worked out in the UDFA realm.

65 – Bryce Hopkins (PF, St. John’s, 22-269)
70 – Jaden Henley (SF, Grand Canyon, 22-39)
UNR – DJ Armstrong (SG, UMBC)
UNR – Miles Barnstable (PG, Tulsa)
UNR – Tre Donaldson (PG, Miami, 22-174)
UNR – Derrian Ford (SG, Temple, 22-201)
UNR – Sam Hoiberg (PG, Nebraska, 23-73)
UNR – Tramon Mark (SG, Texas, 24-245)
UNR – Robert McCray (PG, Florida St, 23-249)
UNR – Kashie Natt (SG, Sam Houston St, 23-114)
UNR – Grant Newell (SF, Western Kentucky, 23-262)
UNR – Shammah Scott (PG, Akron)
UNR – Corey Stephenson (SF, FIU, 22-28)

I can pick a few names from that list, but the question is whether the Suns intend to package the 47th pick with another player and are heavily considering UDFAs. It would make sense financially. Rod was right to sniff this one out. That is a lot of no-names. It certainly does not look like they will trade up.

Which I think we can kiss goodbye to the Suns’ 47th pick.

At least give Tobe Awaka a workout. One man that Valley Suns fans would love that guy.

Voita: I believe this is standard operating procedure. If you look at what the Phoenix Suns did last year, they followed a very similar approach despite owning both first- and second-round picks. A big part of the process is simply gathering information.

Teams want as much intel as possible on prospects, even those projected to go undrafted. Maybe that player ends up helping your G League affiliate. Maybe he becomes a Summer League addition. Maybe he pops up later in a trade discussion or becomes somebody you’re interested in signing down the road. The more information you have, the better.

And it isn’t limited to the NBA roster. Even at the G League level, there are transactions and roster decisions that require organizations to have quality scouting reports and internal evaluations. That’s why I don’t think there’s anything unusual about what Phoenix is doing.

In fact, if you spend a few minutes looking through the workout lists on HoopsHype, you’ll see every organization doing the same thing. They’re gathering information. They’re building databases. They’re creating relationships. And they’re making sure they know as much as possible about the players who could eventually enter their orbit. That’s all part of the process.

OldAz: As with many questions, “It depends” is the right answer. The new Suns seem more focused on developing players and have done a good job finding fringe players that can contribute. However, last season, these were mainly veterans who came in and contributed. If the Suns are looking to fill up on more UDFAs, then I hope they have an eye for talent and a plan that mirrors the Heat of the last few years, who have more than once fielded a team that greatly overachieved with multiple UDFAs playing a big role.

The more likely answer is that they are trying to build up their G League affiliate so they can identify a diamond in the rough down the road. This is also a good way to do business in the NBA when you are not pitching pennies in the front office.

Rod: To me, it says that they’re mainly looking at players to add to the Valley Suns’ roster, especially players that may turn out to have hidden potential/talents. With the lack of future draft picks the Suns have, this seems essential to me, as they have to turn over every leaf looking for whatever hidden gems they can find. Gregory’s done a pretty good job of it so far, and hopefully he can pull another rabbit or two out of his hat this year.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

Suns Trivia/History

On June 6, 1976, trailing the Boston Celtics 3-2 in the NBA Finals, the Suns lost game 6 at home, 87-80, in a low-scoring contest. The Suns actually outshot the Celtics from the field (41.6% to 38.6%) but allowed Boston to get 16 offensive rebounds to their 8 and lost the overall rebounding battle 53-39. The Suns also sent the Celtics to the FT line 28 times, where the Celtics made 23, while the Suns made just 16.

On June 9, 1993, despite double-doubles by both Charles Barkley (21 pts, 11 rebs) and Richard Dumas (20 pts, 12 rebs), the Suns lost 100-92 to the Chicago Bulls to go down 0-1 in their first return to the NBA Finals since 1976. Barkley (9 of 25) and Kevin Johnson (4 of 13) had uncharacteristically poor shooting nights, while the Bulls shot well from the field, hitting 53.1% to the Suns’ 44.4%.

On June 11, 1993, Charles Barkley of the Suns and Michael Jordan of the Bulls each scored 42 points in Chicago’s 111-108 victory, marking the first time in NBA Finals history that opposing players each scored 40 or more points in a Finals game.

Important Future Dates

Mid-June (date TBD) – Teams can begin negotiating with their own free agents (following the Finals)
June 23 – NBA Draft First Round, 8 ET (ABC/ESPN)
June 24 – NBA Draft Second Round, 8 ET (ESPN)
June 30 – Teams can begin negotiations with all free agents
July 1 – Official start of the 2026-27 league year and moratorium period
July 6 – Moratorium ends, official free agent contract signings can begin
July 9-19 – NBA 2K Summer League 2026 in Las Vegas
Late September (dates TBD) – NBA Training Camps open

For all intents and purposes, the Knicks have already done their job by taking Game 1 in San Antonio in a thrilling opener to the 2026 NBA Finals.

Home court advantage has been flipped, the first punch has been thrown, they’re now -134 to win the series on FanDuel, and the get-in price for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden is up to $8,782.

Big success.

But what they have in their grasp is an opportunity to put a dagger through the hearts of the San Antonio Spurs. Stealing one game on the road is series-changing; stealing two is potentially series-ending. As a result, the Knicks need to treat this game with just as much urgency as they did Game 1.

This whole series is going to be two exceptional basketball teams adjusting to each other, minute by minute, possession by possession. As a result, the plans you have early in the series might be thrown in the garbage just a few days later. At this point in the series, overall strategies are still being fleshed out.

One of them is figuring out if the Knicks want to be the fast team that’s pushing the pace or the slow team that’s methodical about their offense, looking to limit possessions and transition opportunities.

The last several years, they’ve been the slow team, but were unsuccessful in getting the Pacers to play to their style, leading to back-to-back playoff exits at their hands. This year, they played that style against an energetic Hawks team who struggled to generate offense in the halfcourt.

After that? They found something while trying to push the pace. A hobbled Joel Embiid allowed them to push the ball up the floor and generate easy looks in the paint. A lackadaisical and undisciplined Cavs team made it so that leaking out after a missed shot was an easy bucket over and over and over and over and over again.

Every series is different, and specifically for a unique team like the Spurs, there are pros and cons to each approach.

The biggest pro to being the team that pushes the pace and gets out in transition is not letting the Spurs set their physical and imposing defense, especially with Victor Wembanyama in the game. It takes an entire convoluted gameplan to get him out of the paint for an individual possession, let alone a string of them. They’re one of the best teams in basketball at preventing paint points, and you saw with the hesitation of slashers like Josh Hart and OG Anunoby that he can shut off anything within 10 feet.

Pushing the ball off a miss gives you time to generate shots at the rim with him trailing the play. Even if you don’t have numbers in a traditional sense, players like Hart can go coast-to-coast without worrying about going through a 7’5” freak of nature.

That in-game circumstance, though, is only one feature of the benefits of pushing the ball. The Knicks also have the clear advantage of simultaneously being the fresher and more conditioned team.

The top five players in this series in terms of minutes played in the postseason over the last month and a half are all Spurs. Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle have played 100 more minutes than Jalen Brunson, 150 more than Josh Hart, and almost 200 more than OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns. While this is a roster of young guys who can recover from grueling playoff games more easily, these minutes can add up, as we saw in 2025 with the Knicks.

Wembanyama has played 590, which is an entire game’s worth of minutes more than any Knick and at least two more than anyone not named Brunson. He played 38 minutes in Game 1, just the 10th time he’s done that this season and the 16th time in his career.

It’s important to note that Wemby has never played 36 minutes in four consecutive games in his career. The reason he’s avoided that in the playoffs? The multitude of blowouts in both directions has allowed him to rest in the fourth quarter. With a Knicks team that has not lost a game by more than one possession that they actually tried in since March (20 game sample), it’s hard to rely on that right now.

Playoff physicality, combined with the sheer number of minutes he has to play because of the disastrous on-off splits, is going to wear him down. He already looked gassed in the second half of Game 1, and despite extra rest days due to travel later in the series, it won’t get much better if these two teams are consistently going to war.

Making him cover more ground across more minutes in a physical playoff series will wear him out, but there is a flip side to all of this that the Knicks need to account for before deciding to be the faster team in this series.

Their half-court offense is extremely effective, at least in terms of getting quality looks. They’re relatively turnover-averse; they often end a possession in a quality look from 3, a layup, or a shot that Brunson knows he can make. Even with the human eraser in the middle, the team was still able to generate quality looks for much of the game despite battling through rust.

There’s also inherent risk to playing fast. A live ball turnover in transition is free points the other way. A miss usually results in your defense failing to get set, which will probably result in a Julian Champagnie triple.

The Knicks are also just not a fast team at their core. Despite hiring Mike Brown to play faster, the team has a very similar pace to the one they played under Tom Thibodeau. They take 6-7 seconds to get across half-court with Brunson bringing the ball up. They usually haven’t gotten the ball inside the arc until there’s less than eight on the clock. Even when visually playing faster the last two series, they’ve averaged under 97 possessions per game, one of the slowest in basketball.

The answer here might just be as simple as recognizing the situation during the game and adjusting to it. When you have an opportunity to gas them out, go out and run. If you’re flagrantly outexecuting them in the half-court, slow it down. Adjust to the moment.

It’s what the playoffs are all about.

When the Celtics entered the 2025 2nd round vs. the Knicks, it felt like they were on a different level than New York. That was proven wrong and since that point, it has become clear that it is New York who is on a different level than Boston.

Three wins away from their first championship in 53 years, the Knicks look like they tower over everyone else in the Eastern Conference.

It became very clear as the 76ers, who came back from down 3-1 vs. the Celtics, were not only swept by New York, but embarrassed by them, that the gap between Boston and New York was bigger than any of us thought it was.

It is up to Brad Stevens and company to close that gap this summer.

Does making a marginal move like trading Sam Hauser for a center help the Celtics? Yes, but we need to be thinking bigger.

The trio of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White has shown us they are good enough to win at the highest level. Get more of a contribution from the younger players in the playoffs and the Celtics could be back at the top of the East next year. Maybe you think the Celtics’ exit and the Knicks run are both flukey and that Boston shouldn’t panic.

Is that something that the Celtics should be betting on?

The roster is just not good enough as is and when you have Jayson Tatum on your team, you owe it to him and yourself to be doing everything to win the championship every year.

That is why so many, myself included, feel that trading Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo is something Boston should be exploring.

Antetokounmpo would give the Celtics so many different layers to both their offense and defense that Brown doesn’t, including getting to the rim more, which is something that Brad Stevens talked about at his end of season press conference.

Yes, you’d be losing some of the great stuff Brown does like those mid-range shots, but Antetokounmpo gives more than Brown does on both ends of the floor.

You could also keep the Tatum and Brown duo together, and find a way to use Derrick White to upgrade the roster with either a big man or a scoring guard to pair with the Jays. The way the Celtics offense fell apart in the first round was much more worrying to me than their defense was.

The Celtics have four tradable picks and a $27.7 million trade exception. They don’t have to move any of Tatum, Brown or White to make an aggressive move. Maybe the Pelicans would be willing to give you Trey Murphy for Hauser, one or two of the young wings and a bunch of draft picks.

When the Knicks felt they needed to catch up to the Celtics after Boston’s 2024 championship, they traded for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. They took big, risky swings and it is the Celtics’ turn to do just that. I don’t know that Boston has two moves like that in them, but they should be making at least one big time addition to close the gap.

Victor Wembanyama was strikingly calm.

Stephon Castle was markedly confident.

So what that the Spurs trail the Knicks 1-0 in the Finals? So what that those two guys are 22 and 21 years old, respectively? So what that no one thought they were ready for the league’s biggest stage?

They’ve proved everyone wrong, and they’re hellbent on doing it again.

The basketball world winced when Wembanyama suffered a concussion in Game 2 of the Spurs’ first-round series against the Trail Blazers and needed to enter the league’s concussion protocol. There goes the Spurs’ postseason run.

It rolled its eyes when San Antonio lost Game 1 of its second round series to the Timberwolves. So much for being the real deal.

It started writing the Spurs’ obituary when they faced Game 7 of the Western Conference finals in Oklahoma City against the reigning champion Thunder and its two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Welp, it was a good run.

But the Spurs didn’t flinch in any of those moments. They leaned on one another. Their belief in themselves over the last two months has deepened to form a well of confidence form which they now draw after squandering home-court advantage against the Knicks in a 105-95 loss on Wednesday.

Said Wembanyama: “I’m not worried the slightest.”

Added Castle: “We feel like we’re the better team. We didn’t play well, and we still had a chance to win.”

The Spurs led by as many as 14 points in the third quarter before they let their lead slip through their fingers in the final six minutes of that period. They were outscored in the fourth quarter, 29-19.

Spurs coach Mitch Johnson didn’t even need to watch film to pinpoint where they need to improve. It was obvious. It was glaring.

San Antonio gave up a whopping 50 points in the paint. It had only 16 assists. Wembanyama, who shot 51.2 percent from the field and 34.9 percent from beyond the arc this season, shot a woeful 6-for-21 from the field (28.5 percent) and 2-for-9 from deep (22.2 percent) in Game 1.

Gregg Popovich, who coached the Spurs for 29 seasons and led them to five championships before stepping down after suffering a stroke in Nov. 2024, sent Wembanyama a text after watching the team’s implosion Wednesday night.

The gist?

“I’ve been bad,” Wembanyama said. “And I’m better than this.”

The Spurs weren’t good, and they still had a 95-94 lead with 2:16 left. They let Jalen Brunson score 13 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. They committed five turnovers in that period while the Knicks had none. They were careless. They were outplayed.

They got in their own way.

That doesn’t instill fear in the Spurs. If they played their best and lost, that might have shaken them a bit more. But this was not that.

Heck, even if that had happened, this Spurs team would likely still believe in themselves.

If there’s anything this playoff run has taught us about them, it’s that they’re unflappable.

The Spurs’ stars might barely be of drinking age, but they’ve proved they’re mature enough to block out noise that can be deafening for players who are accustomed to big stages.

Too young? Too inexperienced? They’ve made a mockery of those narratives.

Counterintuitively, it makes you wonder if their youth is their superpower. There’s a certain cockiness that can come with not knowing any better.

Castle was quick to shut that down.

“I don’t know if that’s our youth talking,” he said. “It might just be more of what our character is like. I don’t think we’ll ever change from being this way, having this kind of confidence in each other, no matter how young we are.”

That deep belief in themselves is what has gotten the Spurs through three series. It has gotten them to the championship round earlier than anyone thought possible.

They’ve faced a 1-0 series deficit before. That didn’t faze them.

They dethroned the defending champs who many believed would become the league’s next dynasty. You think they’re afraid of the Knicks?

Wembanyama already indelibly stamped his name into postseason lore with a 41-point, 24-rebound, three-block performance against the Thunder in Game 1 of that series. You think he’s going to get in his head about a mediocre Finals debut?

Think again.

There’s a fearlessness about the Spurs.

No one thought they’d be here this quickly. They have nothing to lose.

And that makes them very dangerous.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

The NBA Draft is in less than three weeks, and the speculation about Cam Boozer is hitting new heights.

Part of it may be gamesmanship, as various front offices try to push players up or down to get their true target.

Subterfuge is actually one of our favorite parts of the whole process. In Boozer’s case, though, we’re not sure that’s necessarily what’s going on.

He’s been through the combine, and he’s done the interviews. Teams have a much better idea of who he is now.

The top three picks, as you probably know, are Washington, Utah, and Memphis, and there’s the consistent rumor that Oklahoma City would like to trade up to get him.

It’s not a bad position to be in, really, other than going to the Wizards. In our opinion, it’s less important to be an early pick than it is to be picked by a stable franchise. Memphis and Utah are remaking their teams, but management appears to be competent. And it would be hard to do much better than OKC.

• 2026 NBA Draft Profile: Cameron Boozer’s Unique Blend of Size and Skill
• Why Cam Boozer Might Be The Perfect Franchise Player For Utah
• 2026 NBA Prospect Profile: Cameron Boozer
• A look at Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson as potential No. 2 picks
• Cam Boozer’s ‘safety’ & ‘massive upside’ may make him NBA Draft’s top prospect
• Why Cam Boozer might be the perfect franchise player for Utah
• NBA Draft expert makes case for Cameron Boozer to go No. 1 overall
• “He’s going to make a run as an All-Star as a rookie” – Draft expert reveals Cameron Boozer is No. 1 on all NBA analytics draft boards
• Would Wizards Draft Cam Boozer? I BMitch & Finlay
• New Cameron Boozer Rumors on Wizards’ Interest amid AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson Buzz
• Duke Basketball: Analyst thinks Oklahoma City Thunder should move up for Cam Boozer
• Why Cam Boozer Might Be The Perfect Franchise Player For Washington
• NBA Teams Still View Duke’s Boozer As Potential No. 1 Pick
• Disappointing Thunder Star Could Allow OKC To Draft Cam Boozer: NBA Insider
• NBA Playoffs are revealing that Cam Boozer is the ideal fit for rebuilding Grizzlies

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

Last month, St. John’s announced the signing of Senegalese forward Babacar Sane. Rick Pitino was quoted as being “extremely impressed” with Sane’s athletic ability. At 6-foot-8, Sane possesses the prototypical NBA forward frame, but his freakish 7-foot-2.5 wingspan places him alongside NBA champion Kawhi Leonard and Knicks forward OG Anunoby. The Senegal-born forward didn’t take the traditional route to college basketball. Instead, he joined the NBA Academy in Africa and was placed on Dakar Université Club, where he thrived.

Sane ended up joining G League Ignite alongside Pistons guard Ron Holland and other NBA talent. In 75 career games, Sane averaged 8.9 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. The consensus around Babacar Sane has always been that he’s a prospect who has the raw tools to become an NBA forward but hasn’t taken that step just yet. Sane possesses freakish vertical jumping while still being able to create his own shot. Granted, his shooting splits across all levels haven’t been eye-popping; Sane has a viable jumpshot.

When watching film across three different continents for Sane, one thing is evident: He’s a phenomenal athlete. Sane’s film shows multiple clips of him finishing above the rim and impacting plays on both ends. Sane should thrive in Rick Pitino’s transition offense. His long strides and grab-and-go ability allow him to cover ground quickly, making him a threat in the open floor.

That downhill pressure often draws multiple defenders, creating open looks from beyond the arc, as seen during the 2023 FIBA Intercontinental Cup. Sane averaged 13.3 points and 7.7 rebounds in the Intercontinental Cup, and those marks are pretty impressive because most of those G League Ignite players were kind of just looking for their buckets and not making the extra passes.

Sane works more in the off-ball player role, where he finds himself in a bunch of motions and is constantly cutting to the basket. The reason he’s gonna do well in this role at St. John’s is that Babacar has never had a point guard of the same quality as Quinn Ellis in terms of playmaking. Ellis has a special ability to find the right player at the right time, and I could count on multiple occasions how many times I saw a guard miss a wide-open Sane cutting to the rim. If Quinn Ellis can consistently find Babacar in transition or on cuts, this could be a lethal Big East pairing. Sane is nearly impossible to contain once he’s going downhill, and even when defenses do, he still gets to the free-throw line, where he converts at an above-average rate.

One of the big questions heading into this season will be how many minutes Sane will get. In 17 minutes per game at MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg, Sane had 16 double-doubles in 28 games and had three games with 20-plus points. So if we adjust Sane’s minutes and he ends up playing 20–25 minutes, he could definitely average around 12 points per game off the bench and could be a big momentum shifter when he checks in.

The make-or-break attribute for Sane and his playing time will be directly tied to his three-point shooting, where he was about average everywhere he played. His jumpshot is not broken; it is actually workable. His base looks good, his arms are tucked in, and he’s not a stiff shooter. So knowing how Pitino gets the best out of all his players, there’s nothing stopping Babacar Sane from becoming Big East Sixth Man of the Year besides himself.

Sane has been a successful international player with Senegal and has been a solid role player on three different continents. But it’s time for him to break out of his shell and live up to the potential most scouts think he has. Look what Rick Pitino did for Dillon Mitchell—he wasn’t an NBA-ready player at the beginning of the season, and now he’s projected as an early-to-mid second round pick.

I’ll say this one last time: Babacar Sane is gonna be must-watch TV at Madison Square Garden with his glamorous dunks and ability to create offense through his movement alone. He is one of many new pieces for the Johnnies this season, and we should all be excited to see how Pitino uses him.

It’s June. The second game of the NBA Finals is later today. But here we are, still think about the 2026 NBA Draft on June 23-24, 2026.

FanDuel Sportsbook will say that AJ Dybantsa is the No. 1 pick and so will everyone’s mom, dad, sibling, better half and dog. Even Dybantsa thinks so himself. Ari Alexander of WHDH-TV in Boston (yes, BOSTON) had an interview with him which goes into depth about his thoughts about the Wizards, Utah and where he will be in the draft.

But let’s just take a step back. The Wizards don’t just have the top pick. They have the No. 51 and No. 60 picks thanks to previous trades. It’s possible Washington could trade these picks more higher draft selections or use them for a pick in 2027 or later. That said, let’s assume Washington stays put with the No. 51 and 60 selections.

So this ends up being a harder question, but it’s fun nevertheless. Who are your favorite prospects at No. 51 and No. 60? And yeah, you can always say who your favorite pick is at No. 1 as well. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

On Thursday, a project involving the NBA, San Antonio Spurs and Emirates unveiled a newly renovated space at Denver Heights Community Center. Jacob Tobey hosted a panel including NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, R. C. Buford, and Spurs players. Attendees involved NBA’s executive vice president, head of basketball operations James Jones, local politicians, families, and attendees of the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA basketball camps.

Renovations included roof and ceiling repairs, fresh paint, new court flooring, a scoreboard, backboards, wall tile improvements, technology, and gaming equipment to the center’s gymnasium and multipurpose room.

Following the ceremony, a clinic took place involving local youth. They and the families visited the library and received an introduction to the technology.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Karl-Anthony Towns has taken full control of the New York Knicks offense this postseason.

NY is essentially playing Towns as a point-center and allowing him to both distribute the basketball but also find his own shot depending on the matchup.

That method has worked incredibly well for the Knicks as they find themselves up 1-0 over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.

Not only is Towns playing great offense, though, but he was pretty impactful against the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama on Wednesday night at the defensive end of the court.

His two-way ability has shined and in the win, the former Kentucky Wildcat felt his late mother’s presence.

“I don’t know what it was, but I just felt a calm and a peace that, I don’t know, had to be coming from the woman above,” Towns said on ESPN.

“I felt really confident about today, I felt good,” Towns said. “I felt like a kid. It was just fun out here. This is something that as a kid you always dream about. You always hope to be an NBA player, let alone to be in the NBA Finals.

“All day, it was just a weird feeling. It felt like I was a kid getting ready to play my Saturday AAU games and my Sunday AAU games. In a way, it felt like I was seeing her in the stands. It was fun, it was really fun, and it was really comforting.”

His mother passed away in 2020 due to complications with COVID-19. The Knicks will suit up for Game Two of the Finals tonight in San Antonio and are 5.5-point underdogs.

Tweet of the Day

Kentucky will play at a top-15 Virginia Cavaliers team next season!

Headlines

Devin Burkes becomes latest former player to join Kentucky’s baseball staff – KSR

Love it.

NBA eyes interaction between Jalen Brunson, fans in Game 1 – ESPN

Investigation update.

New mock draft has Otega Oweh getting drafted, Jayden Quaintance to the Knicks – KSR

What do we think?

Two fans get lifetime bans over selfie quest at NBA Finals Game 1 – ESPN

Sheesh.

Matt Ponatoski is Two Wins Away from a Baseball State Title – KSR

Pretty awesome.

Packers, WR Christian Watson reach $110.5M extension – ESPN

Big bag.

Pump It Up: Kentucky baseball enters offseason mode – KSR

The latest.

George Pickens’ status for minicamp, plus true competition at left tackle, more – CBS Sports

More drama.

Andrew Toney is somewhat overlooked today, which is really a shame.

Drafted out of the University of Lousiana by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1980, Toney quickly established himself as a superb offensive guard.

He was particularly lethal against the Boston Celtics, to the point where Beantown media called him The Boston Strangler.

He was a key part of the 1983 Philadelphia championship team, starting alongside Maurice Cheeks, Bobby Jones, Moses Malone, and Julius Erving.

Sadly for Toney, his career ran into real problems after about five years. He was having serious pain in his feet, and he and the Sixer disagreed about the cause. Ultimately, he was found to have stress factures in both feet, and the last three years of his career were difficult, personally and professionally. His relationship with the 76ers deteriorated and has never fully recovered.

He retired in 1988, because he never recovered from his feet problems.

His contemporaries knew how good he was. Charles Barkley said he was the best player he ever played with, and since he was teammates with Malone and Erving, that’s really saying something. Larry Bird and Sidney Moncrief thought he was right there with Michael Jordan.

Here are some of his career highlights. Keep in mind that Toney was just 6-3 and most of his scoring was not near the basket. Nonetheless, he shot 50% for his career.

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

Karl-Anthony Towns did not arrive in New York needing to prove he could play, but the Knicks surely enhanced his game, and the partnership saw the Big Bodega reach a stage he could never quite grace during his time in Minneapolis.

If we’re talking legacies, Towns couldn’t have had a better start to building his. KAT was drafted with the No. 1 pick coming off one year of college ball at Kentucky. He went on to win the Rookie of the Year award. Would eventually partake in the All-Star game six times while on his way to earning three All-NBA selections.

And career-wide, Towns never took the pedal off the metal, boasting averages nearing 23 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists per game while shooting above 50% from the floor and nearly 40% from three.

That is a real résumé, to say the least. Winning an NBA championship with the Knicks, however, would make it read differently and put KAT in a completely different stratosphere.

Ask Towns himself, who has always made the loudest shooting case among modern bigs and has not even been a tiny shy about proclaiming himself an all-time great the GOAT at it.

“Honestly man, I ain’t gotta play like nobody. I’m me. I’m the greatest big man shooter of all time. That’s a fact,” Towns said back in December 2021, while still a Timberwolves hooper. “You can see the stats. I ain’t got to play like no one else. Everyone trying to find themselves to be the second version of me when I’m the first version. I don’t got to be the second version of someone else. I’m already an original. I don’t have to be a duplicate of someone else.”

Like it or not, the numbers surely support the argument. Towns became the first center to win the NBA Three-Point Contest in 2022, has cleared 42% from deep two different seasons separated by seven years, has notched more than 40% of his threes in six of his 11 years in the Association, and he’s now giving the Knicks a kind of frontcourt spacing and playmaking ability that both 1) Knicks fans spent years looking for, 2) pretended they could live without and win in the current basketball economy, and 3) was simply unheard of in KAT Land.

His Minnesota years were never empty, even though the franchise’s struggles made them look meager, and started to build a wrong narrative about Towns’ true talent.

Towns spent nine seasons with the Timberwolves, became the first bona fide face of the franchise after Kevin Garnett’s prime, and helped them reach the playoffs in 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The biggest breakthrough came in 2024, when Minnesota beat the defending champion Denver Nuggets in Game 7 and reached the Western Conference finals for the first time since Garnett’s 2004 Wolves did it.

Then came the homecoming.

Towns grew up in New Jersey, starred at St. Joseph High School and returned to the area with the Knicks via trade before the 2024-25 season. In New York, his numbers carried immediate weight: 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists while shooting 52.6% from the field, 42.0% from three and 82.9% from the line.

Now he is in the 2026 NBA Finals as a central piece and 1B to Jalen Brunson’s 1A. KAT entered the series averaging 16.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists in the playoffs while shooting 57.2% from the field and 48.9% from three, then opened his first-ever finals with 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in New York’s Game 1 win over the San Antonio Spurs. That’s all FanDuel needed to turn the Knicks into the new favorites to win the title, listing them at -134 odds.

Speaking of legendary big-man shooters, it’s fair to say that a ring might not place Towns in Dirk Nowitzki’s tier. Dirk still has an MVP award, a Finals MVP, 14 All-Star selections, 12 All-NBA selections, and also won a title in 2011, leading the underdog Mavs team against the mighty Heatless.

But a ring would make Towns a champion in New York, and bulk up an already-packed résumé and help him overtake a few big shooters out there. Outside of Dirk, it’s fair to say that KAT would have done more than enough to consider him a better big-boy shooter than walking-glass Joel Embiid, perhaps the second-best ever only behind Dirk (best shooting PF) and legitimately the No. 1 and undisputed top shooting center in history, breezing past Nikola Jokic.

On top of that, and with a title under his belt, Towns would no longer be just labeled an elite shooting big with a questionable playoff track record and just a few monster regular seasons. He would be the Knicks center who helped end a title drought dating back to 1973 alongside Jalen Brunson and the rest of the Manhattan Mob. He won’t be even remotely close to joining the absolute best centers to ever grace hardwood courts around the L—although he will have a solid case to crack the top-20 easily—but he will once and for all get his name legitimazed and shut all of his naysayers’ mouths in one fell swoop.

And for Towns, that’s all that’s missing.

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

Blue and orange are pretty popular colors around New York City these days.

For the first time in 27 years, the New York Knicks are in the NBA Finals, and after a thrilling Game 1 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, one thing’s for certain — even if basketball wasn’t your thing before, we’re all Knicks fans now, and we have to dress the part.

Luckily, the world of sports merchandise goes far beyond jerseys and a lot of what’s available looks just as at home on the streets of NYC as it does in the stands at MSG, and naturally, with the Knicks making a run this deep into the playoffs, fashionable merch is in high demand.

Both in store and online, Knicks gear is flying off the metaphorical shelves.

“I feel like we made the best bet ever,” Danielle Snyder, the co-founder of DannijoPro, a premium label that combines fashion and sports fandom, told The Post ahead of Game 2. The brand’s Knicks bestsellers include the Game Day tee, satin bomber jacket and and a letterman half zip with a crocheted collar, but Snyder notes that it’s been difficult to keep things in stock and many of its top products are currently sold out.

She cites “the power of the Knicks brand” as a reason why DannijoPro’s designs have caught on with regular New Yorkers and famous fans alike. Gary Vaynerchuk and Spike Lee have received custom-made pieces from DannijoPro and Brooke Shields and her daughter Rowan Henchy were spotted in DannijoPro at The Garden.

“It’s not just a garment…” Snyder said. “It’s a premium product that’s tied to emotion, experience, a specific roster, historic run.”

Terez, founded by Zara Tisch, is another brand in the premium sportswear space. Its Knicks bomber jackets, baby tees, and crewneck sweaters have been bestsellers throughout the recent postseason run.

“I never knew I wanted to even be in the sports category, but our mission has always been about bringing people together,” Tisch said. “In the male-dominated industries, we need to celebrate the women behind the athletes, the women at home, the women in the field and the women on the team.”

Knicks fans aren’t just searching for new merch; vintage Knicks gear is in-demand, too.

“After last year, which was an incredible run, this year has doubled that,” Michael Spitz, owner/operator at the East Village vintage shop Mr. Throwback, told The Post.

Mr. Throwback stocks vintage hats, T-shirts and more, in addition to new customs the shop is designing and selling.

“You can’t walk into any other store and find what you want,” Spitz said. “You would need a DeLorean to take it back to 1994 and go to Sports Authority or Champs or Modells and buy it, but you could buy it now.”

DANNIJOPRO

New York-based label Dannijo, known for statement crystal work, bold silks and powerful storytelling, is taking fandom fashion to a new level with Dannijopro — “a new era for premium fandom.” The officially licensed NBA gear is inspired by the founders’ “love for sport, style, artistry and nostalgia with the power of being on a team.”

While styles are selling out quickly, these are still available in most, if not all, sizes:

• The Captains Crewneck ($115.00)
• The Letterman Pull-over ($275.00)

Terez

Terez is a woman-owned sportswear brand catered toward women “designing clothing the fan wants to wear not only to the stadium, but during their everyday lives,” per founder Zara Terez Tisch. The brand counts Anne Hathaway among its famous fans; Hathaway was spotted at MSG last year in a Terez x Knicks bomber jacket.

While that style is sold out (as are many of the brand’s other Knicks best sellers), these are still available to add to your cart now:

• Unisex NY Knicks Sweater in Blue Tie Dye ($298.00)
• Knicks Technicolor Crew ($165.00)
• New York Knicks Marquee Stripe Crew ($198.00)
• NY New York Knicks Embossed Crew in Light Gray ($230.00)

Mr. Throwback

You don’t have to be in NYC to shop vintage from East Village shop Mr. Throwback. The brand’s vintage and custom designs are available to shop online, too. In fact, they’ve been fielding more online orders than normal since the Knicks secured their spot in the NBA Finals.

New York or Nowhere

It will always be New York or Nowhere, but right now, it’s NBA Finals or Nowhere. The iconic NY brand dropped some new Knicks-inspired designs especially for the Finals, including “The Finals or Nowhere” tee and a “Knicks 6th Borough (Finals Edition)” design.

The NBA Finals pieces are available to preorder now, but if you’re looking for something in stock, these pieces are available in a range of sizes now:

• Knicks Always Crewneck ($145.00)
• Knicks Downtown Varisty Jacket ($315.00)
• Knicks Trophies Hoodie ($155.00)

Mitchell and Ness

Mitchell and Ness is one of the leading brands for licensed athletic apparel, and if you’re looking for a vintage jersey, this is the place to get it. In addition to fun New York-themed T-shirts, you can snag jerseys from every era of Knicks basketball, from the ’50s through the early ’10s.

• New York Knicks Cream Concrete Apple T-Shirt ($50.00)
• Carmelo Anthony New York Knicks 2010-11 Blue Swingman Jersey ($150.00)
• New York Knicks Black Hardwood Classics Coffee T-Shirt ($38.00)

Faherty x Jalen Brunson

Ahead of the NBA Finals, Faherty teamed up with current NY Knicks captain Jalen Brunson on a capsule collection with seven pieces.

Most of the pieces in the collab are only available in one size and have extremely low stock, but this hoodie with Brunson’s personal mantra — “the magic is in the work” — is available in nearly every size offered. If you’re looking for a cozy way to show off your Knicks fandom, this might be it.

• Jalen Brunson High Standard Fleece Hoodie ($198.00)

Off Season

Founded by NFL wife Kristin Juszczyk, inspired by designs she’d create for herself and other NFL WAGs, Off Season is “a new vision for sports-inspired style” that has expanded into the NBA. Off Season’s Knicks designs blend sport and style seamlessly for your new favorite blue and orange pieces perfect for any season.

• New York Knicks Off Season x NBA Unisex Track Pants ($185.00)
• New York Knicks Off Season x NBA Women’s Halter Top ($105.00)
• New York Knicks Off Season x NBA Unisex Standard Puffer Jacket ($375.00 $265.00)

Guizio

Just a few weeks after the brand went viral when Kylie Jenner wore one of its Perfect Classic Tanks on Celebrity Row, Guizio dropped its New York Forever Shrunken Hoodie ($168) — a cozy, cropped zip-up hoodie in Knicks blue with an orange applique.

Jill Martin

Temps are rising in NYC, but if you’ll be watching the games from home, a blanket hoodie from Jill Martin is the perfect way to relax and cheer on the Knicks from the comfort of your own couch. The brand calls it “the best hoodie in the world” and notes it’s “the perfect blend of lounge and streetwear.”

Just in time for the NBA Finals, the brand dropped a new hoodie with a New York Knicks 2026 NBA Finals embroidered chest design in four different colors.

• New York Knicks 2026 NBA Finals Unisex Blanket Hoodie ($89.00)
• New York Knicks Regulation Size Fanny Pack ($49.00)
• New York Knicks Remix Logo Cropped Sherpa Lounger Jacket ($210.00)
• New York Knicks Cropped Sherpa Hoodie ($99.00)

Daphne

While “Giggly Squad” host Paige DeSorbo’s fashion line Daphne doesn’t have anything outwardly sporty among its catalogue of “ready to lounge” basics, Knicks fans can get free orange embroidery on white or navy Hannah tees ($68.00) with the code GOSPORTS.