Category: NBA

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Steve Kerr says he’s “excited to keep competing” after the team makes his return official via a press release on Tuesday.
• ESPN’s Wright Thompson shared the full details behind Steve Kerr’s decision to return to the Warriors.
• Cavaliers beat the Pistons, 117-113, in Game 5 Wednesday night to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Golden State Warriors made it official on Tuesday, announcing the return of head coach Steve Kerr after the two sides agreed to terms on a multi-year contract. In a press release posted by the team, Kerr expressed his gratitude to the organization and said he is “excited to keep competing” with the Warriors once again.

Warriors and Head Coach Steve Kerr agree to a multi-year contract: pic.twitter.com/gv95uocwiI

— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) May 12, 2026

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue coaching this team,” Kerr said via the team’s press release. “This organization has meant so much to me for the last 12 years — from ownership to our players, our staff and our fans — and it’s an incredible privilege to be a part of something so special. I’m excited to keep competing with this group.”

Kerr’s return brings stability to a Warriors organization entering a pivotal offseason after finishing the 2025-26 season with a 37-45 record and missing the playoffs. Despite the disappointing finish, Golden State is clearly still placing its trust in the coach who helped lead the franchise to four NBA championships and help build one of the NBA’s greatest dynasties.

So with Kerr now officially back in the fold, attention quickly shifts to the Warriors’ offseason plans and how the front office decides to build around Steph Curry for what could be one final run at another championship.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, May 14th:

Warriors News:

Why Steve Kerr stayed with the Warriors | ESPN

STEVE KERR WALKED into the lobby of the Beverly Wilshire with a secret. Win or lose, he’d decided to retire as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. It was a Tuesday morning in mid-April, the day before the team’s first postseason play-in game in Los Angeles. When this season ended, his 12-year run with the Golden State Warriors would end, too. In the airy hotel restaurant behind the concierge desk, Kerr gave his name and room number, 516 — “Johnny Bench Joe Montana” — and a hostess showed us to a table by the window. He looked around and lowered his voice.

“I think it’s over,” he said, almost mouthing the words.

The latest NBA Intel … most notably the view from Chicago on where Philadelphia goes from here | The Stein Line

It was stressed to me Tuesday night that Myers — although he is scheduled to arrive soon in Chicago to dive into his various pressing tasks — will step back into an advisory role once Morey’s successor is named.

I’m also told Myers will interview candidates internally as well as externally to take over … but also that it’s far too early to name any possible favorites for the role.

One item, however, that has been spelled out rather definitively: For all the recent rumblings about Myers’ affinity for former Golden State Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, I’m told Philadelphia does not plan to consider the ex-Sixer and current executive director of the NBA Players Association as a potential candidate for its new front office.

Draymond Green talks Clippers following the results of the NBA Draft Lottery: “Are they gonna move Kawhi Leonard?”

Draymond on Pacers losing their pick to the Clippers in the NBA Draft Lottery

“Are they (Clippers) gonna draft the fifth pick and put him next to Kawhi Leonard or are they gonna move Kawhi Leonard, try to get more draft assets and start a rebuild?… but I will say, tough luck… pic.twitter.com/AxROfKLGKz

— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) May 13, 2026

NBA News:

4 takeaways: Cavaliers earn overtime victory and 3-2 edge over Pistons | NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers won a road playoff game and did so despite shaky shooting from Donovan Mitchell.

It’s hard to tell which one was more disbelieving, but both happened in the swing game of their semifinal series, and because of that, the Cavs can close out the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in Cleveland on Friday.

The Cavs, who won on the road for the first time in these playoffs, had most of the answers in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and in overtime. They were scrappy, determined, unbothered by their previous mistakes.

Baylor’s Cameron Carr among standouts in NBA Draft combine scrimmage

Baylor's Cameron Carr went OFF in the NBA draft combine scrimmage:

30 PTS | 9-18 FG | 6-12 3PT | 7 REB pic.twitter.com/nFc3R4H9Bq

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) May 13, 2026

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Warriors had a lot of ‘Giannis conversations’ at draft lottery

But the Warriors also don’t have a lot of options better than taking a home-run swing on Antetokounmpo if they want to maximize the rest of Steph Curry’s career, and trading for Antetokounmpo is probably more likely than convincing LeBron James to take a substantial pay cut to relocated 350 miles north.

It’s still quite early to be making moves, but as a wise man from Tupelo, Mississippi, the Warriors need a little less conversation, and a little more action.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

Here are the NBA playoff games for Thursday, May 14, 2026:

• New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers — 7:00 PM ET (ESPN)
• San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves — 9:30 PM ET (ESPN)

Enjoy the hoops tonight!

Officiating has been a topic of conversation during the entire second-round series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons.

At the start of the series, there was discussion about Donovan Mitchell not getting to the foul line enough. In the second half of the series, the discussion turned to Pistons’ head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, bemoaning the free-throw disparity between the two teams.

That trend continued after Cleveland’s Game 5 victory.

Bickerstaff believed that his team was on the wrong end of a few missed calls down the stretch, including a possible loose-ball foul on Jarrett Allen in the closing seconds of regulation.

“[Allen] fouled Ausar [Thompson],” Bickerstaff said postgame. “It’s clear. He trips him when he’s going for a loose ball. End of game situation, that’s tough.”

If it had been called a foul, the Pistons would’ve been awarded two free throws in the final second to break what was a tie game.

Tony Brothers, the crew chief from Game 5, defended his call afterward in the Pool Report with Coty Davis of Detroit News.

“During live play, both players were going for the ball and there was incidental contact with the legs with no player having possession of the ball,” Brothers said.

He then confirmed that a foul shouldn’t have been called when asked to clarify.

“No, there was no incidental contact on the play,” Brothers said. “The play will be reviewed by the league office tomorrow and will be posted in the L2M (Last Two Minute Report).”

Well, the Last Two Minute Report is out, and it backs up Brother’s statements. This wasn’t a foul.

According to the report:

“Allen (CLE) and Thompson (DET) legally step to the same spot while pursuing the loose ball [before either player has possession], and both lose their balance from the marginal contact.”

Additionally, the report states that there were no missed calls in the final two minutes of either regulation or overtime of Game 5.

One of the other controversial calls from the end of overtime was a foul called on Paul Reed against James Harden with 24 seconds left in overtime. Harden was drifting out of bounds, but a foul was called before he went out.

In the moment, the Pistons argued that he went out of bounds before the foul, but the Last Two Minute Report stated that Harden remained “in bounds with possession of the ball prior to the illegal contact. by Reed.” As a result, Harden was awarded two free throws.

In the end, the league confirmed that everything was called correctly on the court at the end of Game 5.

The Cavs will have a chance to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday evening.

Former Celtics star Isaiah Thomas is joining the organization as a pro and college scout, as first reported by the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. Thomas will remain based in Seattle and serve as one of several regional scouts for the Celtics, working closely with Brad Stevens and the Celtics front office.

Thomas is currently at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago with Celtics executives and will assist with scouting in the year ahead. (The Celtics already have regional scouts in Atlanta and Dallas).

Thomas, who played for 11 different NBA teams, became a star during his three-year tenure with the Celtics. Thomas’s best season came in 2016-2017, when he averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game and finished fifth in MVP voting.

Thomas sat courtside alongside new Celtics owner Bill Chisholm at a December home Celtics game and has routinely spoken positively about his relationship with the team, even though his tenure ended abruptly, with him being traded for Kyrie Irving in 2017 after he suffered a hip injury.

Isaiah Thomas is in the house and just received a massive standing ovation

He’s sitting next to Bill Chisholm, who was encouraging the crowd to get louder pic.twitter.com/i8SCRI2Q1R

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) December 20, 2025

Thomas recorded a voiceover for a Celtics hype video earlier this year and wrote the foreword for the Boston Globe’s 2024 Celtics championship book. And, a few weeks after the Celtics won the 2024 NBA title, Thomas told CelticsBlog it’s been an honor to still be so connected to the Celtics fanbase.

“It means everything,” he said. “It’s a blessing. I always talk to my friends about it — you would think I played 10 years here, you would think I won multiple championships. The love I have with the city, and vice versa, it’s just genuine.”

Talked to Isaiah Thomas about seeing people donning his jersey at the Celtics championship parade:

“It means everything. It’s a blessing… you would think I played 10 years here, you would think I won multiple championships. The love I have with the city, it’s just genuine.” pic.twitter.com/zDi99iAdV2

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) July 14, 2024

Now that love has been formalized into an official working relationship.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way, man. Dorian Finney-Smith was supposed to be a difference maker for the Houston Rockets.

An impact player, if you will. The Rockets’ brain trust even tabbed Finney-Smith as Dillon Brooks’ replacement. (And we know how valuable he became and how important he was for this Rockets ball club).

And justifiably so. The Los Angeles Lakers viewed him as a potential missing piece. DFS started on a Dallas Mavericks team that went to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and averaged 11.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 47.1 percent from the field, 42.6 percent from deep, 61.8 percent effective shooting and 63 percent true shooting during the Mavs’ title chase that year.

Sadly, that feels like forever ago. Frankly, it was forever ago.

Finney-Smith didn’t fare well for the Rockets in his debut season. And that’s being kind.

In fact, a farewell would be a much greater contribution. In all seriousness, Finney-Smith was clearly bothered by an ankle injury that he underwent surgery on last offseason.

His shot looked off (again, that’s being kind) — to the tune of 27 percent from long-range. His mobility was significantly affected, which limited his effectiveness on defense. Finney-Smith even logged DNP-CD’s in the playoffs. 

Again, it wasn’t supposed to be like this, man.

Finney-Smith did have a few highlight blocks here and there.

(Okay, maybe just like two, but again, we’re being kind here).

Finney-Smith looked like one of Rockets’ GM Rafael Stone’s worst pickups since his arrival as Houston’s GM and it was a bit perplexing hearing Houston’s end of season presser by Stone and Rockets coach Ime Udoka, as the two stated that they were caught off guard by the amount of time it took for Finney-Smith to rehab and recover from the surgery.

One would think the front office would have done their due diligence on something of that magnitude. Especially since they gave him a four year deal worth $52.7 million, which consumed Houston’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

The positive, however, is that Finney-Smith just has one more year of guaranteed salary, which is next season, which gives him valuable on the trade market as expiring salary.

DETROIT — Trading Darius Garland for James Harden was as much a bet on this current group as it was on Harden. Specifically, it was a gamble on Evan Mobley being good enough to handle postseason pressure right now, not in three or four years.

In Game 5, he showed that he was ready for the challenge.

Mobley dominated the paint in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 5 victory over the Detroit Pistons, but they made him earn it. The new cut he sported near his left eye afterward was proof of that.

Defense has been Mobley’s calling card since he came into the league. That proved accurate again as he continually deterred shots at the rim down the stretch and overtime, while also outplaying opposing All-Star center Jalen Duren to the point that Pistons’ head coach J.B. Bickerstaff decided to close with Paul Reed instead.

Offensively, Mobley’s seven points to close the fourth quarter will get the headlines. He hit a clutch triple and two free throws to tie the game in regulation. Both are areas he’s struggled with throughout the regular season.

More than that, his decision-making was what kept the Cavs’ offense afloat on a night Detroit was selling out to stop Donovan Mitchell and Harden.

Bickerstaff has had an up-close look at the best and worst versions of Cleveland’s core group. He knows from first-hand experience how the Cavs’ offense can bog down when you trap the guards and force the bigs to beat you in the short roll. After all, that’s the strategy the New York Knicks used against him back in 2023.

Back then, Mobley wasn’t ready for the moment. He was simultaneously sped up to the point he wasn’t making the right decisions, but also wasn’t moving quickly enough to capitalize on the mismatch blitzing the ball handler brings. This led to an underwhelming playoff debut.

Three playoff runs later has proven to be a different story.

Bickerstaff deployed the same strategy that Tom Thibodeau used against his group three years earlier, but it didn’t work this time.

In Game 5, Mobley continually made the right play whenever he was asked to create in the short roll by reading the defense and correctly getting the ball to where the help defense was coming from.

There was a decisiveness with Mobley’s rolls that made him difficult to guard. He attacked the rim with a purpose, but also kept his eyes up to see what the defense was presenting him. When the backline defender stepped up, he found Jarrett Allen three times for easy baskets around the rim.

If the help defense came from the corners, Mobley made the pass out to the shooters who were there.

This evolution is where head coach Kenny Atkinson has seen Mobley make strides this season.

“That’s been a big part of his development piece,” Atkinson said of Mobley’s playmaking. “Getting him to make the right reads, helping him make the right rights. I think he’s getting better at it.”

This season has been a journey for Mobley as a playmaker. The Cavs started the year trying to run the offense through him. That experiment didn’t go well, as he often got stuck dribbling the ball too much below the free-throw line and wasn’t able to adjust when the help defense came.

The coaching staff responded by scaling his usage back after a short experiment. Even though the results didn’t pay off right away, you’re seeing the fruits of going through that struggle now.

“You rewind to the beginning of the year, it was probably more head down scoring and maybe not finding that balance,” Atkinson said. “Some of that was intentional, but I think he’s gotten to a nice equilibrium where he’s aggressive to score, but can read the geography of the court. [He] can read the swarms. We call them swarms. They swarm, and you’ve got to find windows.”

Mobley was continuously finding the windows to the point of picking up a team-high eight assists in the win.

Making the right read also requires you to call your own number when the situation calls for it. When the Pistons’ defenders stayed home and forced Mobley to beat them as a shooter, he confidently took those shots by canning two crucial triples when the “swarms” went away from him.

Mobley is one of the most difficult players to judge.

On one hand, the flaws in his game — self-creation, dribbling, lack of strength — are obvious and can be frustrating to watch. On the other hand, what makes him elite are the more underappreciated skills that he’s mastered so well, such as defense, finishing well at the rim, and being a good secondary playmaker. Mobley is considerably better than the loudest detractors would lead you to believe, but also not as skilled as you’d like from a number one franchise player — at least not yet. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t win with him if he’s in the right context, as the Cavs are showing right now.

The Cavs have been in a weird spot as a team. They’ve tried to thread the needle between winning now and having the longest runway possible. That’s how you’ve gotten a two-timeline approach between Mobley (24-years-old) and Mitchell (29). Moving a 26-year-old, two-time All-Star for a point guard a decade his senior committed them to one path. This team is trying to win now in a two to three-year window.

For that to happen, Mobley needs to play like an All-NBA caliber player in the postseason. When he has, as was the case in Game 5, the Cavs look like a team that very well could come out of the Eastern Conference.

Reps like the ones Mobley got in Detroit, where he’s consistently making the right play and coming up big in the crunch, is only going to help him when he’s called upon to do so again.

“Just boost his confidence to another level,” Harden said about Mobley’s performance. “He’s versatile, he can protect the rim, he can generate steals, he can do a little bit of everything defensively and offensively. … With an opportunity to present yourself, he’s available. Tonight, he came up big for us.”

Is it time for another Suns trade verdict? I think so, as the rumblings of who the Suns should pursue keep on growing. Isn’t that the fun of the offseason? Anyway, this series has been fun to construct, and today’s article will dive into another popular name. One that has taken the Suns’ social media discussion by storm. Zion.

Do you think the Suns should try to buy low on Zion Williamson? pic.twitter.com/zcPyy45Sm0

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) May 13, 2026

Now this is cool to see, as even though I am one of the last to bring it up, this has been an article stashed in the bin waiting to get done (you can even ask John). After exploring the scenario with Dejounte Murray and reviewing the Pelicans roster, this name stood out as one to monitor. Little did I know that the Suns’ world would act on it faster than I, and personally, it is a fascinating discussion.

I made a case for why the Suns should trade for Zion: https://t.co/aq9AcEnVfg

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) May 12, 2026

An acquisition that would definitely shake up this roster is bringing in Zion Williamson. The power forward could fit right in and be a nice running mate for Devin Booker. As we know, though, there are always questions surrounding Zion, and do those rise too big for Phoenix to make a move? Well, only time will tell, even if he does become available, but it is definitely something to dive into.

How could the Suns get it done?

For the Suns to get this done, it isn’t that hard; there are just a lot of possibilities. If you have been reading these articles, you know the main targets that could be traded in these deals. The easiest option is a one-for-one swap, trading Jalen Green for Zion Williamson.

Another route involving Green, along with Royce O’Neale, includes Royce O’Neale. The key difference here is that the Suns would also shed some money.

The last one includes two players who haven’t been mentioned yet but have come up in this series. Those are Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen. In most renditions, there is a deal of both Allen and O’Neale’s salaries combined, but in this situation, it is not enough. If Allen is added to Green, it is also too much going to New Orleans. Therefore, this is the only combo for these two.

Which would most likely get done?

Well, I think it is safe to rule out the third option in my eyes. Brooks’ value to the Valley is unmatched, so much so that they are already reporting they want to extend the wing this offseason. With him trolling at Lakers games or supporting the Phoenix Mercury, it is clear that both parties want to keep this relationship going. Therefore, this one does not make sense to me.

Dillon Brooks is also here for the Mercury season opener.

BIG SMILE OUT HERE @PHNX_Mercury 😁. pic.twitter.com/lMBA7SnXkT

— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) May 13, 2026

The other two, though, have a framework that can work. With Green’s shakiness to be a true number one option, New Orleans can allow him to grow. At the same time, it has been clear that Willimason has outgrown the rebuild that was founded around him. Could a change of scenery give him that boost?

That is where I think both teams would be intrigued by either deal. If the Suns could get another player in return, with O’Neale included (Saddiq Bey, anyone), then I’d say pursue that, but I think the Pelicans could be reluctant to do so. Swapping both of them makes the most sense.

Why does it not get done?

This one is a bit of a weird one, as I can truly see it going either way. The Suns have the leverage here, even if the Pelicans have not stated they want to trade Zion. He is past his tenure there, so a change would benefit both parties. Is the question, are the Suns ready for another risk?

Personally, I do not think so. Even though we expect some changes, taking this big swing in a year may not be the right move. Yes, it’s a buy-low option with Zion and could be the best offer they get for Green on this deal. Yet I still think the uncertainty of his career should shut that door.

For starters, Williamson, who has had injuries throughout his career, has been limited by them. He did suit up in 62 of the Pelicans’ games this year, his second-most in his career. This could be a sign that the big is finally getting over those obstacles, or it could be a one-of-a-kind season.

In a team that saw Green out for a majority of the season, this would be nothing new, and plugging a healthy Zion in this year could have helped in a lot of ways. Even with that, the concern that he might do that next year worries me.

You could also bring up his contract; he is owed $87 million over the next two seasons. There are, of course, stipulations to it, weight-wise and injury-wise too. If any of those were to trigger, the Suns could either pay less or get out of the contract more easily if it became non-guaranteed. Compared to Green, who could want an extension, the uncertainty with getting off him at max value could make this a solution. Those concerns outweigh the positive. He has these asterisks because he had past issues that could resurface.

Now the fit at power forward would be nice, and his much-needed size would help out the Suns on the court, but is this to get off Green’s deal? If we proceed, there are better options that don’t involve a larger risk.

Last offseason Mat Ishbia and Brian Gregory looked the media and fans in the eyes and told them the type of team they’d build.

They did exactly that.

This offseason they did the same preaching continuity and internal growth.

For some reason people don’t want to listen.

— Espo  (@Espo) May 13, 2026

For the Pelicans, this deal would make sense, as I illustrated in the Dejounte Murray trade. Their front office is clueless, not only tossing Atlanta the 8th pick in this year’s draft to move up 10 spots and select Derick Queen last year, but also lost the 5th overall pick. Yes, that pick that wound up going to the Clippers was originally the Pelicans before they traded back to Indiana during their finals run.

With that knowledge, they would do anything to change this roster. Does that mean trading their best players who have value, or is it buying young talent? At this rate, no one knows, but I am sure it will be a combination of both, winding into a weird year once again.

Selling off Zion would make sense for the franchise, but do they even do that? It has been stated that for him and Queen to grow as a dynamic duo, they need time. Yet they both play the same position and offer a lot on the court. To me, it seems that a guy like Green would entice them, but at this point, who knows?

Ultimately, I think they take the flyer on Geren, hoping he can translate next to Jeremiah Fears as a new guard duo. This risk would free them from Zion, and if they are desperate enough to do so, could add other pieces. Even if they want to do it, Phoenix sees this risk as too big. With Green not having a healthy season here so far, he can still grow into the piece they want, or, if not, provide them with a better security blanket as an investment.

Let me know your thoughts down below, though. What do you think of this possible deal, and should the Suns be intrigued by it?

One of the most interesting storylines of the 2026 NBA Draft is not the players in the class but those who decided to return to college.

This year, only 71 players declared as early entry candidates to turn pro. Among that list, 42 received invitations to participate in the NBA draft combine in Chicago. All of these prospects who were early entry candidates are currently receiving feedback from evaluators on whether or not they should turn pro or return to the NCAA.

Obvious early entry candidates projected within the top 20, including NBA draft combine breakout star Cameron Carr, were not included in this list.

Other early entry candidates not currently projected inside the top 20 but who said before the combine that they plan to turn pro, including Chris Cenac Jr. and Tounde Yessoufou, were also not included.

German-born guard Jack Kayil, who committed to Gonzaga, was not at the 2026 NBA Combine because he is playing overseas in Serbia. However, per Jonathan Givony, he will stay in the draft rather than play in the NCAA.

Thomas Haugh (Florida), Braylon Mullins (UConn) and Patrick Ngongba II (Duke) are among those who were widely considered potential first-round picks but opted to not enter the pre-draft process. Others, including Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska), Alex Condon (Florida), Joseph Tugler (Houston) and David Mirković (Illinois), made the same decision.

Players can remain as early entry draft candidates through 11:59 p.m. ET on May 27 if they want to maintain their collegiate eligibility or they can decide to join the players above who opted to return to college.

Top 22 NBA draft decisions from 2026 combine

Note: The following list is sorted by our internal consensus rankings based on trusted mock drafts and big boards. These rankings are likely to change significantly after the conclusion of the NBA Draft Combine.

1. Dailyn Swain

• CONSENSUS RANK: 19
• TEAM: Texas
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Ohio
• HEIGHT: 6'6.5"
• WINGSPAN: 6'10" (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 20"

Swain told reporters he is "two feet in" about turning pro and decided to withdraw from the second day of pre-draft scrimmages. (via Jeff Borzello)

2. Morez Johnson Jr.

• CONSENSUS RANK: 20
• TEAM: Michigan
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Illinois
• HEIGHT: 6'9"
• WINGSPAN: 7'3.5" (+7)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

"To be honest, I haven't even talked to my agents about that," the NCAA champion told Andy Katz. "I've just been focused on this, right here, the combine, the task at hand, and performing my best and showing everybody what I can do and then I'll talk to them and see what they're saying. They'll give me their best advice and that's what I hired my agents for, so I'm going to trust them."

"I have to talk to my agents and … see what type of feedback they've been getting," Johnson said, via ESPN. "Dusty [May] has been very supportive. He's not pressuring me to come back at all. He wants me to attack this thing with two feet in until otherwise."

3. Christian Anderson Jr.

• CONSENSUS RANK: 21
• TEAM: Texas Tech
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Georgia
• HEIGHT: 6'1
• WINGSPAN: 6'6.25" (+5)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

The star Texas Tech guard said he’s “100% invested in [the draft]” but, per Kevin Sweeney, reportedly "didn’t completely shut down the chance" to go back to school.

4. Koa Peat

• CONSENSUS RANK: 23
• TEAM: Arizona
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Arizona
• HEIGHT: 6'7"
• WINGSPAN: 6'11.25" (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

Peat told reporters he is "fully focused on the NBA draft" but according to SI.com, "speculation" abut a return to Arizona and head coach Tommy Lloyd has "increased" recently.

"Tommy has supported me with whatever I do," Peat said, via CBS Sports.

5. Allen Graves

• CONSENSUS RANK: 24
• TEAM: Santa Clara → Transfer Portal
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Louisiana
• HEIGHT: 6'7.75"
• WINGSPAN: 7'0" (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

“Obviously with NIL, there’s still some decisions to make, but definitely at this point, I want to be in the NBA this year,” Allen said, via SI.com.

If he returns to college, he is most seriously considering LSU and Duke and added that Kentucky also reached out to his agents.

6. Ebuka Okorie

• CONSENSUS RANK: 25
• TEAM: Stanford
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: New Hampshire
• HEIGHT: 6'1.25"
• WINGSPAN: 6'7.75" (+7)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

“I already talked with [Stanford coach] Kyle Smith and I talked to my agents and my family," Okoro said, via Jeff Borzello. "I'm staying in the draft."

He added to CBS Sports that there is "no chance" of him returning to college next season.

7. Isaiah Evans

• CONSENSUS RANK: 26
• TEAM: Duke
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: North Carolina
• HEIGHT: 6'5.5"
• WINGSPAN: 6'8.75" (+3)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

"I’m fully in," Evans told reporters, via Jeff Borzello, adding he has had no conversations with Duke about a return.

8. Amari Allen

• CONSENSUS RANK: 27
• TEAM: Alabama
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Wisconsin
• HEIGHT: 6'5.25"
• WINGSPAN: 6'8" (+3)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

“Obviously first round," Allen said, per Isaac Trotter. "If it was second round, I would go back to school. I definitely feel I can go back to college and be a 20 and 10 guy. Ultimately, though, I want to go to the NBA.”

But according to Kevin Sweeney, Alabama told him he would “have the ball in his hands a lot” next season.

“That’s a key factor,” Allen told SI.com. “It’s hard to turn that down. We’re going to be a top team in the country, so just being able to be the head of the snake, run offense for a top team in the country … it’s definitely something I have to [consider].” 

9. Henri Veesaar

• CONSENSUS RANK: 28
• TEAM: North Carolina
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Estonia
• HEIGHT: 6'11.25"
• WINGSPAN: 7'2" (+3)
• DRAFT AGE: 22

"I’m all-in on staying the draft," Veesaar said, via Jeff Borzello. "It’s 100% my decision to stay. I think it’s the right decision, basketball-wise."

10. Meleek Thomas

• CONSENSUS RANK: 29
• TEAM: Arkansas
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Pennsylvania
• HEIGHT: 6'3"
• WINGSPAN: 6'6.75" (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

"I'm just going to say TBD when it comes to that," Thomas said, via CBS Sports. "I'm enjoying everything I'm going through right now. The process has been treating me great. Decisions that I will have to talk about on deadline day, then that's a different talk for a different day."

11. Tyler Tanner

• CONSENSUS RANK: 31
• TEAM: Vanderbilt
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Tennessee
• HEIGHT: 5'10.75"
• WINGSPAN: 6'4.25" (+6)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

“Right now, I'm just pushing for the NBA. Me, my agent, my family, we’ll have a conversation closer to the deadline, Tanner said, via Jeff Borzello. "But right now, we're really not worried about college. Vanderbilt's a great spot, but my dream is to play in the NBA.”

According to Rob Dauster, this decision is the "biggest" among all players on the list.

12. Luigi Suigo

• CONSENSUS RANK: 35
• TEAM: International → NCAA target
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Italy
• HEIGHT: 7'2.75"
• WINGSPAN: 7'5.5" (+3)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

The Italian big man told reporters his draft range to stay in the pre-draft process is "probably top 20" with Villanova and BYU mentioned as potential destinations.

13. Milan Momcilovic

• CONSENSUS RANK: 36
• TEAM: Iowa St. → Transfer Portal
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Wisconsin
• HEIGHT: 6'8"
• WINGSPAN: 6'9.25" (+1)
• DRAFT AGE: 21

“If I can get [drafted in] the first round, late first round, I’m going to stay [in the draft],” Momcilovic said, via SI.com. “A second-round team that can guarantee me a good contract, I’d probably stay [in the draft].”

Some teams potentially in the mix should he decide to return to college include Louisville, Kentucky, UCLA and St. John's.

14. Rueben Chinyelu

• CONSENSUS RANK: 39
• TEAM: Florida
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Nigeria
• HEIGHT: 6'9.25"
• WINGSPAN: 7'7.5" (+10)
• DRAFT AGE: 22

According to SI.com, he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college.

Isaac Trotter wrote: "Florida big man Rueben Chinyelu was non-committal on his stay-or-go move. Florida’s retention of Tommy Haugh and Alex Condon is a factor, though."

15. Flory Bidunga

• CONSENSUS RANK: 42
• TEAM: Kansas → Louisville
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: DR Congo
• HEIGHT: 6'7.75"
• WINGSPAN: 7'3.25 (+8)
• DRAFT AGE: 21

The former Kansas big man transferred to Louisville and seems excited about the decision.

"They're putting together a superteam," Bidunga told CBS Sports.

According to SI.com, he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college.

16. Malachi Moreno

• CONSENSUS RANK: 43
• TEAM: Kentucky
• POSITION: Big
• BORN: Kentucky
• HEIGHT: 6'11.25"
• WINGSPAN: 7'1.5" (+2)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

Kentucky big man Malachi Moreno originally committed to participate in five-on-five scrimmages but ultimately changed his mind.

"After talks with my brother and my agent, they said they thought I was in a good spot," Moreno said, via CBS Sports. "Got Pro Day coming up after this in L.A., and they wanted me to be full-strength for that. Then I got a couple more workouts set up after that."

"This is my dream to be in the NBA, so I'm trying to put my best foot forward," Moreno added. "I'll have a lot of talks with my brother because he's probably going to be the biggest factor in the decision. Talks with family, talks with inner circle, and then see what's the best decision for me."

17. Billy Richmond III

• CONSENSUS RANK: 44
• TEAM: Arkansas
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Tennessee
• HEIGHT: 6'5.75"
• WINGSPAN: 6'8" (+2)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

"I just have to come to a clear mind and have talks with my family and go from there," Richmond said, via CBS Sports. "This process has been surreal. Teams really like me."

18. Matthew Able

• CONSENSUS RANK: 57
• TEAM: N.C. State → UNC
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Maryland
• HEIGHT: 6'3.75"
• WINGSPAN: 6'8.25""(+5)
• DRAFT AGE: 19

“It’s definitely a tough decision. I love UNC, I’m excited to get over there at some point," Able said, via Jeff Borzello. "I’m still back and forth on it. I gotta think about it some more, get with my camp and figure it out.”

“A promise would be nice, but that’s not just it, because things definitely change,” Able added, per SI.com. “Not just one team, but several teams … having that reassurance [would be] big time.”

19. Andrej Stojakovic

• CONSENSUS RANK: 58
• TEAM: Illinois
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: California
• HEIGHT: 6'5.5"
• WINGSPAN: 6'8.25" (+3)
• DRAFT AGE: 21

According to SI.com, he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college.

"Making it to the NBA has been a dream of mine since I was young," Stojakovic said, via 247 Sports. "Doing this for myself and committing to it until I'm not anymore is something I've been approaching constantly. Just looking forward to the feedback I'll get moving forward."

20. Jeremy Fears Jr.

• CONSENSUS RANK: 65
• TEAM: Michigan St.
• POSITION: Guard
• BORN: Illinois
• HEIGHT: 6'0"
• WINGSPAN: 6'4" (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 21

According to SI.com, he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college.

"If I'm able to get some good feedback, I believe I'm a first-round talent," Fears Jr. told Andy Katz. There are a lot of players in the first round I played against or probably have seen throughout college but that's a big thing if I could get a first round spot. I would love and my dream is to play professional in the NBA. So that's for sure a big dream and if not then go back to college and try to work my way up and get that."

ESPN's Jeremy Woo wrote that Fears "will likely be better off financially" going back to school.

21. John Blackwell

• CONSENSUS RANK: 79
• TEAM: Wisconsin → Duke
• POSITION: Wing
• BORN: Michigan
• HEIGHT: 6'3.25"
• WINGSPAN: 6'2.25" (-1)
• DRAFT AGE: 21

According to SI.com, he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college. He was spotted wearing Duke gear during the NBA draft combine media availability with reporters.

“Duke is, I think, the biggest brand in the country for if we're talking about basketball. For college basketball, they're the biggest brand in the country. They're playing on national television every single night. So I've been ready for it," Blackwell said, via Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "And I'm excited, if I go back to school and play, playing those games.”

22. Jacob Cofie

• CONSENSUS RANK: 118
• TEAM: USC
• POSITION: Forward
• BORN: Washington
• HEIGHT: 6'8.5"
• WINGSPAN: 7'0" (+4)
• DRAFT AGE: 20

According to SI.com, he is among a group considered "more likely" to return to college.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stay in NBA draft or return to NCAA: Players with biggest decisions

CHICAGO – Illini fans have been patiently waiting and wondering if Illinois’ second-highest scorer last season will be back for one more. 

After David Mirkovic, the Ivisic twins and Jake Davis all announced their plans to return to State Farm Center for the 2026-27 season, veteran guard Andrej Stojakovic followed in their footsteps and stated that he’d be coming back to Illinois for one more year as well. 

But Stojakovic entered his name in the 2026 NBA Draft, and after a few impressive workout sessions, the reality is that neither Illinois fans nor Stojakovic himself will know the definitive answer until May 27.

“The more we get closer to that deadline, I’ll know more,” Stojakovic said. “I think the group around me has done a really good job of kind of evaluating and staying level-headed no matter what kind of feedback we hear.”

During the Combine’s media availability Wednesday, Stojakovic mentioned that making it to the NBA has been a dream of his since he was young. 

“I’m in the draft with both feet in right now,” Stojakovic said. 

#illini Andrej Stojakovic said he is "both feet in right now" with the #NBADraft process, but having the option to return to Illinois and compete for a Final Four again is "extremely special. Just have to make the right decision."

A few minutes on his thought process ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/XPA81kjNhg

— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) May 13, 2026

And the Illini staff is right there beside him, supporting him every step of the way.

“They’ve all shown tremendous belief in what I can do, especially throughout this process,” Stojakovic said. “Something that, you know, the staff has been by my side with. And I’m sure they’ll be by my side no matter the decision.”

Andrej looks at the decision as a win-win.

“I think I’m in a special situation where my option to go back to school is one of a kind,” Stojakovic said. “Not many people in this combine have the option to go back to a Final Four team with most of the guys returning.”

But even with a big chunk of the roster returning, Stojakovic knows that Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell won’t play another minute at State Farm Center. 

“We see each other at the hotel. Um, it still hasn’t hit me that, you know, if I do decide to go back to school, they won’t be in the same locker room as me.”

Although Andrej is bought into the NBA Draft, his main factor in his decision is to go wherever he’ll be able to grow the best. If he decides to stay in Champaign, it’ll be a season of proving what he can do and coming back even more ready for the draft next year. 

A major point of growth for Andrej, whether it be at the college level or in the NBA, is his shooting percentage. It’s also one of the only concerns that the NBA has about Stojakovic. 

“I’ve been very, you know, upfront and realistic with that,” Stojakovic said. “Going back to school is another chance where I can go prove that, you know, shooting the ball is one of my strengths.”

But Stojakovic’s early career revolved more around his shot than driving to the rim. Illinois changed that. 

“Growing up in high school, I was always viewed as a shooter in my class. You know, especially going to Illinois, they kind of unleashed a certain mindset for me to go to the rim. They saw something in me,” Stojakovic said.

“The size we had as a team this year kind of allowed me to, you know, space the floor and drive because we had bigs that could shoot the ball. That was something that we were comfortable with going to in a lot of the games.”

So, why did Andrej announce his return to Illinois if he was uncertain?

“Announcing coming back to Illinois was more so, having a plan either way. I love Illinois, I loved it this year, and if I do go back I’m looking forward to hopefully making more history with the team,” Stojakovic said.

“But yeah it’s just for my peace of mind, knowing that obviously it’s a dream of mine but there is a chance I’m gonna go back and I’m looking forward to participating in another Final Four hopefully.”

Regardless, he won’t forget about the historic year with a special group. 

“I think we’d all love to take a moment and embrace it at some point. If I go back, I’m looking forward to seeing everybody playing at State Farm once again,” Stojakovic said. “And I know moving forward for the rest of our lives when we go back there, it’s going to be all love.”

Assistant coaches Terry Stotts, Jerry Stackhouse reportedly leaving Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steve Kerr is returning as Warriors coach for two more NBA seasons, but it appears he won’t have his top assistants beside him.

Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse are leaving the franchise, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported Thursday evening, citing sources. Both men are interested in pursuing head-coaching opportunities, per Slater.

The Warriors are losing their top two assistant coaches.

Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse are departing the franchise, sources told ESPN. Their contracts expired and both are interested in pursuing head coaching opportunities.

Full details here https://t.co/tAFOlSzuwe

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) May 15, 2026

Both Stotts and Stackhouse joined Kerr’s staff before the 2024-25 NBA season, after the Warriors coach’s former top assistant, Kenny Atkinson, accepted the Cleveland Cavaliers’ head-coaching job.

Stotts brought over a decade of head-coaching experience with him to Golden State and helped provide structure to an offense led by superstar Steph Curry.

This past season, Stotts humorously took the postgame podium for Kerr after the coach was ejected from a Jan. 5 game, telling reporters he was “saving Steve some money.”

Per Slater, Stotts told ESPN he is leaving the Warriors on good terms after informing Kerr late in the regular season that he didn’t intend to return.

“I enjoyed my time with Steve, the staff and players,” Stotts told Slater. “My two years there were fulfilling. Nothing but well-wishes.”

Stackhouse, Kerr’s defensive-minded assistant, former NBA player and ex-Vanderbilt coach, was known for holding Warriors players accountable — especially Draymond Green — during his time with Golden State.

The Warriors also lost another assistant, Chris DeMarco, midseason after he became head coach of the WNBA’s New York Liberty.

Golden State currently is in the early stages of searching for replacements for Stotts and Stackhouse, Slater reported.

The Warriors finished the 2025-26 season with a 37-45 record as the Western Conference’s No. 10 seed, before their campaign came to an end in the NBA play-in tournament.

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In a series of moves the last few days, the Brooklyn Nets gained a new assistant general manager and lost their head scout. The moves are typical of this time of year and don’t seem to be related.

The Nets promoted Makar Gevorkian, their capologist the last several years, to assistant GM joining long-time front office veterans B.J. Johnson and Andy Birdsong. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls hired Acie Law IV, the Nets player personnel director, for a similar position in the Windy City. The job is essentially the organization’s top scout.

The changes may not end there. Steve Hetzel, Jordi Fernandez’s No. 2 assistant coach, is seen as a leading candidate for the New Orleans Pelicans open head coaching job Hetzel also got recent mention as a possibility for the Trail Blazers top spot.

Gevorkian, who’s close to Sean Marks, has held a number of jobs related to the salary cap and has been part of trade discussions over the past several years. Having recently completed his sixth season with the Nets, Gevorkian joined the franchise in 2020 as a basketball operations assistant. He went on to serve one season as a salary cap and strategy associate and two seasons as the director of salary cap before being promoted to his most recent position, vice president of basketball operations alignment & strategic planning, in 2024.

Gevorkian, 32, is a lawyer. He graduated from the prestigious University of Chicago Law School where was a researcher for Appellate Court Judge Richard Posner, seen as one of the top legal thinkers on the federal bench. Prior to joining Brooklyn, he had worked at one of Silicon Valley’s top law firms, Wilson Sonsini. He also holds a bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount in economics and a minor in applied mathematics

Two years ago, he was named to The Athletic’s NBA 40 under 40.

Gevorkian only joined the Nets organization in 2020; he began his professional career with a law degree from the University of Chicago and was an associate at two white-shoe law firms, only to join the Nets as a basketball operations assistant. He has since climbed the ranks in Brooklyn and was promoted this summer by general manager Sean Marks to a higher-ranking position in the front office running the Nets’ cap strategy planning, as the franchise navigates a new forward-looking path.

Said Sean Marks of the hire: “Makar’s strategic, forward-thinking mind, along with his comprehensive knowledge of the league’s salary cap structure, have made him a valued voice within our front office and we are excited to elevate him to this well-earned role.”

The Nets press release didn’t detail what parts of the front office would be Gevorkian’s responsibility. Johnson and Birdsong have essentially served as Mr. Outside and Mr. Inside, with Johnson responsible for the team’s outward facing aspects and Birdsong managing team operations.

Meanwhile, Law is leaving after a year in the job as director of player personnel, aka top scout. He arrived last season from Oklahoma City where he had been director of amateur scouting. Although neither Nets nor the Bulls have made any announcements yet, beat reporters in Chicago suggested that Law’s hire shouldn’t be surprising. Bulls newly minted GM Bryson Graham is filling out his front office and Law and he have been good friends going back to their days playing together at Texas A&M.

The timing however is surprising. It’s expected that Law will be in the Chicago Draft Room on June 23-24 rather than the Nets but no official word.

Law’s replacement as top scout will be the team’s fourth in four years, following J.R. Holden, Drew Nicholas and Law. One name suggested by league sources is Matt McDonald, currently the general manager of the Long Island Nets who also has some scouting responsibilities and was previously the Nets scouting operations coordinator.

Earlier this week, another veteran Brooklyn international scout Richard Midgley was named assistant GM of the California Berkeley men’s basketball team. Midgley credited the Nets and Marks with providing valuable experience. He and Marks traveled together to Australia on a scouting tour last year.

“My time with the Brooklyn Nets, learning from Sean Marks and the front office group there, was incredibly valuable,” Midgley added. “The perspective I gained — especially in roster construction and organizational alignment — will stay with me as I step into this role at Cal.”

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The second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs has been … interesting. On one hand, there’s been two yawner series, with the Thunder comfortably (albeit not dominantly) sweeping the short-handed Lakers, while the Knicks swept a tired, limping 76ers team in the East. On the other, you have two thrilling (but not “beautiful”) series heading into Game 6’s on Friday, with the Spurs up 3-2 on the Timberwolves, while the Cavaliers upset the Pistons in Detroit in Game 5 to take the series lead (in part thanks to a controversial no-call at the end of regulation).

Spurs-Timberwolves has been by far the more interesting series (of course, I could be biased) in large part thanks to its unpredictability, differing factors in each game, and strange outliers. It all started with no one knowing that status of Anthony Edwards coming in, and everything has stayed weird since. For example in Game 1, Victor Wembanyama set an NBA playoffs record with 12 blocks, which you would think would doom an offensively-challenged team like Minnesota, but instead, the overexertion he caused himself chasing blocks robbed him of any energy on the offensive side, and a historic defensive performance still resulted in a Spurs loss.

Then, Wemby getting himself ejected early in the second quarter of Game 4 was arguably the biggest factor leading to that loss, but otherwise the Spurs have won the other three games in which he has stayed within himself by a combined 74 points, playing like the superstar he is without doing too much or too little.

However, Wemby isn’t the only factor that has helped determine how the games have gone. It certainly helps when at least two of the guard trio of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper have above average games, and Keldon Johnson finally having his postseason breakout was huge in putting Game 5 away after Minnesota had rallied back, but perhaps the most interesting stat line to follow for both teams has been three-point shooting.

Both are shooting a poorly from the arc in this series, with the Wolves hitting 53-156 (34%) and the Spurs an even worse 55-166 (33%). It isn’t too surprising to see Minnesota struggling outside the arc with Donte DiVincenzo out and Edwards hobbled, but that is a surprising stat for the Spurs. Even so, you might be thinking, “But if the Spurs have only hit two more threes than the Wolves in the entire series and at close to the same rate, how is this a big factor?

Good question, and the answer is probably what you expect: because of the way it influences the rest of the Spurs offense. When you break it down game-by-game, it generally follows a pattern. In the three games they won, the Spurs hit 39-104 (including tying a franchise record for makes in a playoff game with 16 in Game 2) for 37.5%, which is better than the 36% they averaged in the regular season. Overall, they have hit a total of 7 more threes than the Wolves in those games, with the outlier being Game 3 when the Wolves hit two more thanks to strong shooting off the bench from Naz Reid and Ayo Dosunmo. Interestingly, the Spurs still won this game because they were more accurate in seven fewer attempts.

So while the Spurs aren’t necessarily winning by the three, they have shown they are capable of losing by it. In their two losses in Games 1 and 4, they shot a combined 16-66 from the three (24%), including a combined 0-12 showing from Wemby and Fox in Game 1 and Fox, Castle and Julian Champagnie combining to hit just 3-18 in Game 4, which still accounted for half of the team’s makes. In other words, while they can win this series by merely being average from three, they can certainly shoot their way out of it. Often, their worst stretches on offense come when they get rushed or anxious, which results in them jacking up threes early in the shot clock, usually missing, instead of running some offense.

As the Spurs have shown throughout the season, they don’t always need Wemby to be a generational offensive player to win games. Instead, their best offense often comes not directly from him, but rather by the gravitational pull he has on opposing defenses, which generates more open looks and driving lanes for his teammates. Once defenses have to respect his teammates (which also requires them to make their shots), then it becomes easier for him to get clean looks.

Overall, you can’t point to three-point shooting as the deciding factor of this series because it has been relatively even, and the Wolves have actually been more consistent from game-to-game. However, the Spurs are slightly more dependent on the three and therefore have been better in the games when they shoot well. While that may seem like a “well, duh” point, the point is it has still mattered more than the overall series stats suggest.

Jalen Brunson’s 2025 postseason run was, once again, special.

Just like pretty much every other playoff appearance he’s made as a Knick, he made history, joining lists filled with names like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, and Steph Curry. Statistically, it was his second-best one, inferior only to the year prior’s, as he averaged 29.4 PPG, 7 APG, and 3.4 RPG while shooting 46.1% from the field. Pretty insane stuff. But somehow, Brunson, as he’s made a habit of doing, has one-upped himself.

While his scoring average is down nearly two whole points at “just” 27.4PPG, Brunson’s game has taken a turn for the better. In years prior, whether by choice or by necessity, Brunson had not just been the focal point of the offense, but at times, the only offense. When Julius Randle and RJ Barrett turned into shells of themselves in the postseason, nobody could blame them. When Randle was hurt, he didn’t really have a choice. But last year, a combination of Brunson’s playstyle and Tom Thibodeau’s heliocentric offense led to a stagnant offense that resembled more of a slog than the well-oiled machine that the Knicks’ offense resembles today.

The good news for Brunson, the Knicks, and their fans is that not only is this a more fun product to watch, but it’s also a better brand of basketball, and a much more sustainable version of it. And that may be why this current postseason run has been more impressive. Brunson has reached the pinnacle of scoring, where he has maximized his on-ball isolation ability, while also mixing in his deadly off-ball game. It is a beautiful combination that requires immense skill and a high level of basketball IQ, balanced with sacrifice and commitment to his head coach.

Heading into the Eastern Conference Finals, Brunson is actually averaging more points per 36 minutes (28.4 points) due to the fact that he’s playing over three full minutes less per game these playoffs. Not only that, his willingness to allow the Knicks to play through Karl-Anthony Towns and utilize his gravity for the betterment of the team has led to a very significant rise in the percentage of Brunson’s field goals that have come assisted. Last postseason, only 19.3% of Brunson’s makes came off of assists. While incredibly impressive, that often meant a lot of tough, if not downright bad shots, made by the captain. This season, though, that number has risen all the way 35.7%. That’s nearly double what it was last year, and over a third of his shots made.

Brunson is also displaying such an extremely high level of shot-making right now that only 18.6% of his points have come at the free-throw line, which is lower than the 22.6% he was at last postseason. Not that the foul-baiting narrative ever made much sense, but he’s proved that nonsense as a farce. For reference, Kevin Durant (34.8%), Shai-Gilgeous Alexander (30.4%), James Harden (29.4%), Joel Embiid (29.3%), Jamal Murray (27.5%), Paolo Banchero (27.2%), Cade Cunningham (26.1%), Nikola Jokic (25.9%), and Jalen Johnson (23.9%) are all noticeably higher. In fact, Brunson ranks 81st out of the 230 qualified players this postseason.

The Knicks averaged 283 passes per game in the second round vs. Philly

That's their highest in any series in the Jalen Brunson era… The first round vs. Atlanta was their second highest pic.twitter.com/1jZjDUR6ja

— Lev Akabas (@LevAkabas) May 11, 2026

That doesn’t mean Brunson’s ability with the ball has declined at all, though. He’s become even better in isolation situations. Last playoffs, Brunson scored 1.11 points per possession on 4.8 isolation plays per game. This year, though, he’s scored 1.16 points per possession on 3.8 isolations per game. As we’ve seen these playoffs, when the Knicks need a basket, they, rightfully so, feel very confident in giving Brunson the ball and asking him to get them a bucket. It may not be the smartest or easiest shot, but there’s a luxury in having a player you can trust to almost always get off a shot, and one that often has a chance of going in. But unlike in the years prior, the “clear everyone, and let Brunson make something out of nothing” offense is no longer the go-to default; it’s now just the “only break in case of emergency” button.

Jalen Brunson ISOs getting it done on the biggest stages… pic.twitter.com/yXm8J261DLhttps://t.co/rybnmlOuht

— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) May 12, 2026

Brunson’s selflessness, growth, and skills have allowed the team overall to flourish, while still giving them the safety blanket that Mike Brown mentioned last week. That’s led to Brunson being fresher and more efficient than ever, while also squeezing out as much from the rest of the team as possible. And for maybe the first time during Brunson’s tenure in New York, the offense looks to be significantly better than the sum of its parts. Obviously, Brown, as well as the collective buy-in and the play of Brunson’s teammates, deserve significant praise as well.

Jalen Brunson is asked if he, as a star, is bothered at all by not having the ball in his hands as the Knicks' offense adapts:

"One, I'm not a star. Two, I want to win." pic.twitter.com/h0hLqcFEjJ

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 13, 2026

The Knicks head coach has done a great job of blending his patented motion offense with the strengths of his players. And the collective group of OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, and the aforementioned Towns have risen to the occasion and have played incredible basketball over the last seven games. But there’s no denying that Brunson remains the engine of this team, especially when the going gets tough, and the game comes down to the final moments.

Brunson is on another magical run, which has been a welcome sight after so many around the league, including an odd number of Knicks fans, claimed that he was on the decline due to an up-and-down end to the regular season. He’s once again saved his best for the playoffs, and if the Knicks want to lift their first Larry O’Brien trophy in over 50 years, chances are, he’ll have a little bit more saved up his sleeve.