As it currently stands, the Los Angeles Lakers’ center room features Walker Kessler, Kevon Looney and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Kessler, of course, is a locked-in starter while Looney and Mamukelashvili will split time as the reserves depending on matchups and game flow, given Mamukelashvili is a small-ball 5 and Looney is the traditional option.

But according to Jake Fischer, it doesn’t sound like the Lakers are content to enter the season with just those three as their big man rotation. Fischer reports they’ve been linked to a bouncy Eastern Conference center in an aim to also trim down the roster.

“The Lakers, meanwhile, have been engaged in trade talks to try to get their roster down from 16 to 15 standard contracts and perhaps even acquire some additional frontcourt help in the process,” Fischer wrote.

“League sources say that the Lakers and Bucks have held exploratory trade discussions on a framework that would ship former first-round selection Dalton Knecht to Milwaukee (along with second-round draft capital) in exchange for big man Jericho Sims,” Fischer continued. “Yet it must be said that I’ve also heard some pessimism from sources briefed on those talks that such a trade will actually go through.”

Now entering year six, Sims has spent time with both the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks but hardly entrenched himself as a rotation player at either spot. He did, however, appear in a career-high 67 games last season en route to a career-high 1,318 minutes. He’s a sprightly, athletic, undersized center whose offensive arsenal is very limited beyond dunks and plagued by turnovers (career 24.1% turnover rate).

It should not be undersold how dominant of a dunker he is, though. According to Basketball Reference, nearly 60% of all his made field goals (59.5%) have been dunks; he’s totaled 250 of them across five seasons, averaging just under one per game and one every 15.6 minutes.

Furthermore, 82.1% of his career shots have come between 0-3 feet and he’s converted 80.3% of them. Alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, his above-the-rim play-finishing could have value in a small role, and he’s a pretty lively mover whose defensive imprint is often undone by poor positioning and underwhelming size at 6 feet 10 inches.

Acquiring Sims wouldn’t likely be much of a needle-mover for Los Angeles. But it would diversify the center room a bit, bring in an efficient play-finisher who helps generate a good deal of offensive rebounds and offer Sims the most favorable offensive environment of his career. That could help on the margins.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

With the NBA season kicking off on Tuesday, here are 10 bold predictions, including the Knicks' biggest competition in the East, surprise teams in the West, and standout players.

1. Jared McCain wins Sixth Man of the Year

Oddsmakers are pointing to McCain’s teammate, Ajay Mitchell, as the favorite to win this award, but it has historically gone to scorers. More times than not Mitchell will be the one setting up bench units and moving into the starting lineup when needed, while McCain possesses the larger three-ball volume and can be the more explosive scorer at times. 

2. Scoot Henderson wins Most Improved Player

With respect to Collin Murray-Boyles, Egor Demin, Khaman Maluach, Jarred Vanderbilt and the many breakout players to emerge, Henderson has slowly and quietly begun to creep back into the spotlight after struggling early as a third overall pick. Last season he displayed a career-high efficiency, now he’s learning under two All-Star point guards and shined in the preseason.

3. Darius Acuff Jr. wins Rookie of the Year

Most are expecting one of the freaks at the top of the draft — AJ Dybantsa, Cam Boozer or Caleb Wilson — to take this award. However Acuff is especially situated where he can be an offensive engine but not relied upon too heavily, won’t be bogged down by major defensive responsibilities, and could have an efficiency edge with his deep ball and guard play. 

4. Lakers miss the playoffs

Los Angeles spent its summer building a team in the vision of its superstar, Luka Doncic, after moving on from the LeBron James experience. While they’ve captured that essence, most will admit they don’t possess contender-level talent, but the situation may be even worse than that.

Their “Big Three” have had health issues in recent years, their supporting cast leaves you wanting more, and they have limited flexibility to maneuver away from this construct. They could be a solid team, but when you have Quentin Grimes penned in as your fourth starter, the potential downside should be considered in greater depth. 

5. Victor Wembanyama wins MVP and DPOY

The Knicks’ nemesis during their march to last season’s championship will take the experience of that loss and wreak fresh havoc on the league, winning his first MVP behind incomparable numbers and the best record in the NBA. He came in third last season before keeping that production up through a trip to the Finals and will come back improved and extra motivated this season.

That effect will primarily be felt on the defensive end, where Wembanyama dominated last season and is sure to this year as well. There’s a good chance nothing but an injury can keep Wembanyama from repeating as Defensive Player of the Year. 

6. The Mavericks and Blazers are the West surprise teams 

On this rare occasion, the East actually dwarfs the West in terms of depth of strong teams, with two clear contenders at the top — Oklahoma City and San Antonio — unmatched by the many unproven teams below. This environment is perfect for a young upstart team to break out and surprise experts, in this case Dallas and Portland.

The Mavericks are casually walking into this season with second year Cooper Flagg, a recovered Kyrie Irving,and a deep reserve of legitimate NBA role players, combined with a new head coach, which gives them a real shot to be a surprise Play-In or better team. The Blazers made a splash move in acquiring Ja Morant, whose fit with Damian Lillard is being questioned, but they have the defensive core to protect that backcourt and a lot of momentum coming off last season’s postseason appearance. 

7. The Sixers fall short 

All eyes will be on Philadelphia to start this season, after sweeping changes to the 76ers roster including the additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. On paper, this roster reads like a 12-year-old’s 2K team or an Olympic lineup, enough so that they’ve become a favorite to make it out of the East.

But as recent NBA history has shown, you can’t just stick star names together and hope a championship team comes out the other side. Contenders need grit, defense, luck, and cohesion, and if the 76ers want to be a true contender, they’ll need all of their superstars to commit to this script.

They also need to be healthy enough to do so, as LeBron turns 42 and Joel Embiid comes off three consecutive years of under 40 games played. Many don’t see the ceiling on this team, but it’s difficult to see them making it past the second round, let alone reaching it. 

8. The Pistons regress 

A familiar foe to the Knicks, the Pistons dragged them through six tough games in the 2025 playoffs and demolished them during the 2026 regular season. However, everything that’s transpired since has weakened them as a threat.

They lost much of their toughness and veteran reliability moving off Isaiah Stewart and Tobias Harris, while not addressing their biggest weaknesses — a lack of secondary creation and spacing. They’re likely to have another successful regular season, but expect a step back from 60 wins and another early postseason ouster unless things radically change. 

9. The Raptors and Pacers are the Knicks’ biggest threats in the East

Oddsmakers favor the Sixers or Celtics to advance to the NBA Finals if not the Knicks, but they have it wrong. The health and combustibility of Philadelphia and recent postseason stagnation from Boston make them pushovers in the face of other opposition.

Indiana is a team when, last healthy, was in Game 7 of the Finals after topping this very Knicks team, and they’ve since upgraded at center. Toronto went seven games with a Conference Finalist then added Kawhi Leonard.

The regular season may tell a different story, but barring injury the two teams New York needs to watch out for come the postseason are Indiana and Toronto. 

10. The Knicks repeat

No NBA team has been able to win back-to-back championships since 2018, but the Knicks are in a terrific position to do it this season, as half their conference will spend a good part of the season getting used to fresh faces.

Outside of a breakdown in extension talks or a devastating injury, there’s no reason New York shouldn’t be favored out of the East once again. They know what they have to do, how to do it, and are prepared to win that next trophy. 

The Detroit Pistons are headed in the right direction as the preseason concludes. Jalen Duren saw preseason minutes, and man, did the Minnesota Timberwolves feel his presence. He ragdolled whoever, whenever. The Toronto Raptors function much differently than the newly formed run-and-gun Wolves, but we will see if Detroit gets the full version of Toronto tonight.

After a 122-120 loss to the New York Knicks last night, how many starters play is in question for the Raptors. This is their last preseason game too, so maybe we get a mucked up first half with two of the projected stingiest defenses.  

GAME VITALS

Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI

When: 7:00 PM EST

Watch: TV20 Detroit/DAZN-DET

Odds: Pistons (-9.5)

That’s how you respond to noise, JD. Whether the sound alarms were self-inflicted or not is irrelevant now. You’ll win over skeptics with performances like that, while carrying it over to the playoffs. But we’re taking it game by game. He treated the Timberwolves like he was a D1 player returning to their high school, scrimmaging against the JV kids.

From the opening tip, it was curtains. Slick right-to-left push dribbles, aggressive up-at-the-level defense, and a “what a future Detroit has” lob to Ausar in transition. Those first few minutes got you out of your seat. The lob to Ausar was an exclamation point because it showed what this team can be.

This Pistons build goes as far as those two go. Cade is going to be an MVP candidate (and winner) for a long time. An aggressive, better-defending Duren and all-around threat Ausar will take this team to another level.

The more Ausar can initiate the offense while being a threat defenses respect, the more freed up Cade will be. You love to see that instinctive behind-the-back dribble leading to a Duncan Robinson trey ball. That’s who Ausar can be!

While the Raptors are still filling out their roster, we may see more reserves fighting for a spot tonight. On the key player front, their Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, and Collin Murray-Boyles lineups will not be pleasant for anyone. That’s a hellacious defensive nucleus.

Hopefully Isaiah Joe can get some string music going tonight if the Pistons reserves play extended minutes. I won’t overreact to his preseason slump because historically he’s a can’t-leave guy. He’ll snap out of it, and teams will forever treat him like the career 40 percent range shooter he his. His two-point scoring is intriguing because he might be the guy taking grenade shots in certain lineups. We’re going to see how much wiggle he has with an expanded role quickly.

Ron Holland, Kevin Huerter, Paul Reed, Daniss Jenkins, Javonte Green, and Ebuka Okorie need to be plus-contributors for Detroit to go further than last year. We’re monitoring Holland’s offensive growth and Huerter’s shooting. Both have clear pathways to scale up there. Should we expect Okorie to get unlimited run on a team contending for a Larry O? No, but his microwaveness could swing games in certain spots.

Detroit’s identity is still intact. They’re physical across the board and can now run more offensively slanted lineups. With J.B. Bickerstaff’s defensive principles, it’s hard to imagine any Detroit lineup trotting out a *bad* defense. They have some pieces to play with and can sacrifice some D for more offensive juice. Those things will be ironed out as the season progresses, but for now, we get through the preseason finale and get ready for the real thing.

Projected Lineups

DetroitPistons: Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, Jalen Duren

Toronto Raptors: Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl

Question of the day

How would you define a successful season?

Who or what has impressed you the most during the Spurs’ preseason so far?

Marilyn Dubinski: I was just hitting publish on an article about Tarris Reed’s impressive play when these questions came out, so I’ll change things up and go with Carter Bryant. He looks so much calmer and more comfortable, isn’t lost on defense, is contesting well without as much fouling, and while 6-12 from three while missing a game (as of Thursday) is not a huge sample size, his willingness to let it fly and lack of hesitation is a huge improvement over last season.

Mark Barrington: I don’t know if you can learn much from preseason, especially since the Spurs haven’t let their starters play much, and they have looked pretty rusty for much of the time they’ve been on court. The biggest surprise for me has been Tarris Reed. I figured he’d be in the Spurs’ plans this season, but he’s making a case for being in the rotation on opening day. He’s the most NBA-ready rookie I’ve seen on the Spurs since … maybe Tim Duncan? There have been plenty of really good players that have started their careers in the Silver and Black uniform, but most of them weren’t quite fully developed when they arrived. I’m excluding Victor Wembanyama from this assessment, because his talent level defies analysis.

Devon Birdsong: I won’t say that I’m surprised by how good Carter Bryant looks, after he held his own in the postseason as a rookie who had uneven regular season minutes, but he has looked every bit the 3-and-D forward of the future that the Spurs will need him to be. It’s easier to see with Harrison Barnes, but Tobias Harris is also into the back nine of his career, and age is, as always, undefeated. I loved seeing the Spurs inject youth into their big man rotation in the draft, but forward is such a critical position in this era of the NBA, and the Spurs proving they can still find contributors at that part of the draft (14th) and bolster the roster with young talent bodes well for a club with impending depth departures and cap gymnastics in their future. 

Jeje Gomez: The storyline I was the most excited to follow heading into preseason was the battle for minutes at the forward spots, and especially how Carter Bryant looked. So far, Bryant has impressed. There are no signs of a major leap that foreshadows stardom, but that wasn’t really what anyone was looking for. The main things he needed to show were the ability to play under control and to show not as much fear of shooting, and so far, he’s done well in both areas. Teams still leave him open often, but that’s just going to happen until he develops consistency as a marksman. I’m not sure if he’ll start the season getting major minutes, but he has looked like a genuine option.

Have you seen anything so far that has you worried about the Spurs heading into the regular season?

Dubinski: This is where you really can’t overreact to the preseason.  It was easy to half-joke about the Spurs blowing yet another double-digit lead to open the preseason considering how the Finals went, but we’ll worry about that if it continues to be an issue in the regular season.  I was also (jokingly) working to not let my Battered Aggie Syndrome from the way Texas A&M’s football season is going sneak over to the NBA side – from playoff team to this?! You better not do this to me too, Spurs! – but I know they’re just shaking off the rust, and they appeared to start finding their rhythm again by the home game against the Suns (albeit with none of Phoenix’s starters playing, but when talking about rhythm, opponent doesn’t matter).  I trust they’ll be in form by the regular season opener.

Barrington: I’m not worried! Yes, the level of play has been haphazard and inconsistent in preseason, which is basically meaningless. This team went to the Finals last year, and they might have a bit of a slow start to the regular season after a short off-season, but no team has ever won a championship before the All-Star Break*. [Except for the Knicks, who won the NBA Cup and then won the Larry O’Brien trophy, becoming the first team ever to win both in the same season.] This team is supremely talented, and Reed and Quaintance address the major weaknesses in the roster. Will this come together again in Mitch Johnson’s second full year as a head coach in the NBA? I think a lot of that depends on how well Billy Donovan can implement his system in his first year on the staff. I have a good feeling about that.

Birdsong: I still have questions about that three-guard lineup (four, if you count Wemby) they’ve been trotting out, especially on the defensive end. Wemby’s going to be able to smother a lot, but teams with quality stretch bigs have figured out that they can scheme him to the perimeter. Now, that’s not a lot of teams, thankfully, but Spurs brass can’t just depend on Wemby to bail schemes out defensively. I need to see how that (and other) lineups/schemes fare in the regular season, but that’s about as nitty a pick as I can find for now. Preseason disclaimers aside, the team looks really locked in. We’ll know exactly how locked in (and schematically sound) they are soon enough. 

Gomez: Preseason can be a good gauge of how teams with a lot of roster turnover are gelling, but that’s not the Spurs, especially after Harris’ injury, so there’s not much to worry about. I’ll admit that since we know how they look when they are trying, I haven’t been watching the games as attentively as I do when they count, but I have noticed some up-and-down moments that are expected of a team that went so far in the playoffs and probably isn’t taking these games as seriously. The three-guard starting lineup is new, but it seems like it’s here to stay, so I’ll worry (or get excited) about it around 15 into the regular season, when we’ll have a better understanding of its strengths and weaknesses.

Do you think preseason performances will change the projected rotation or result in a signing using the last roster spot?

Dubinski: I don’t think there will be another signing right away considering they have to wait a bit to stay under the cap, but of all the players who weren’t rotation players last season, Reed is the one who will make Mitch Johnson have to start thinking. I don’t think he’ll be in the main rotation right away, but it should mean a shorter leash for Kornet, and Johnson shouldn’t hesitate to throw Reed out there against bigger centers that give Kornet trouble.

Barrington: As I mentioned above, I believe that Tarris Reed has earned himself a spot in the regular rotation. Other than that, nobody has really distinguished themselves. I feel bad for David Jones-Garcia, who has played poorly in preseason. If he sticks as a two-way player, hopefully he can pick up his game during the season and earn more playing time. 

The Spurs aren’t going to fill that last spot with anyone on the preseason roster, but there’s always the chance that they’ll pick up a player that gets waived by another team. I feel like it’s most likely that they keep that spot open until the trading deadline so they can pick up a player for the playoff run if someone good becomes available.

Birdsong: Maybe, but outside of Reed (who has all but locked down the role of 3rd big man), I don’t see much happening that isn’t due to injury. It’s a long season, so I fully expect there to be games where players like Reed and Bryant get a lot of run, but that extra slot feels like flexibility insurance. Whether for trade purposes or waiver pickups, who knows? I’m not sure it’ll matter much, because this team is so insanely deep that it would take a medieval plague for the Spurs to get desperate. *knocks on wood* Still, it’s fun to hypothesize. I choose to believe that they’ll hold it open in case Timmy decides to fundamentally flex on another generation, five minutes or so per game, just for fun.  

Gomez: I don’t see many changes to the rotation. I really doubt a couple of preseason performances would change the plan to go with the three-guard starting lineup; the battle at forward is intriguing, but no one has played so well as to separate themselves from the pack; Reed is a beast, but I doubt he’ll beat out Kornet for backup center, at least to start.

The one spot in which I can see a change is with the third two-way spot. The Spurs have gotten a really good look at David Jones-Garcia, and if they feel like they need more depth at a different spot or someone intriguing is available, I could see a world in which they give someone else a shot. But even that would surprise me. San Antonio seems ready for the season.

The Toronto Raptors fell to the New York Knicks 120-122 at Madison Square Garden. Despite coming off a 50-point victory against the Knicks on Tuesday, the Raptors couldn’t produce a similar performance.

The Knicks fielded a significantly stronger lineup tonight, which featured their usual starting five, except for guard Josh Hart, who did not suit up due to injury. The Raptors would do the same, starting the same five from the last game.

Raptors forward Scottie Barnes would get things started, scoring nine out of the 12 baskets and going 4/4 from the field. Both teams continued to trade baskets as the quarter progressed. The Knicks were finding a lot of success with their ball movement, whereas the Raptors ‘ three-point shooting was difficult to slow down. The Knicks would carry a three-point lead into the break.

The second quarter showed the Knicks bench carrying the load as they jumped out to a quick eight-point lead. The Raptors eventually found their footing and would battle back. Barnes remained the focal point for the Raptors as he would continue to play well. He finished the half with 15 points, two rebounds, and three assists, while being 6/10 from the field and 3/3 on three-pointers.

For the Knicks, centre Karl-Anthony Towns was giving the Raptors all sorts of trouble with his scoring ability in the paint and his flashy passes, contributing to the 63-58 halftime lead.

Coming out of half, it was a committee of Raptors, including forward Kawhi Leonard and former Knicks duo RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley, who would contribute to an eight-point lead. The Raptors had more success on offence when Quickley, Barrett, Leonard, Barnes, and centre Collin Murray-Boyles were the five on the floor, something to keep an eye on when the regular season starts.  

The quarter would resume with both teams trading baskets, though Toronto looked to be the stronger team. This would be the case until New York exploded for a nine point unanswered run late in the frame to take the 87-79 lead into the final quarter of play.

The final quarter of play started with both teams still having their strongest lineup out there. Barnes and Barrett would continue to add to their strong outings, though it seemed that everything the Raptors did well, the Knicks would do even better. Both teams would opt to put in bench players late in the game to give them valuable minutes.

This would prove worthy to the Raptors, as guard Malachi Smith would hit two crucial three-pointers and a three point play from second-round pick Jaden Bradley would cut the Knicks lead to two. A crucial backcourt violation error for New York would give the Raptors a great opportunity to win the game, though some inspiring Knicks defending would shut the door as time out run out.

An unfortunate result for the Raptors tonight as they played well for the majority of the game. They struggled heavily with on-court communication. Barnes (23 points, three rebounds, four assists and four blocks) and Barrett (21 points, eight rebounds, four assists) were the Raptors standouts and the younger guys in the squad showed reliability, resulting in some positive takeaways from tonight’s match.

The Raptors will have one more preseason game to fix their mistakes as they take on the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Tip-off is set for 7 pm.

No more fake basketball for the next eight months, folks!

The Knicks wrapped up the preseason with their most solid performance, defeated the Raps in New York, and will next see the banner(s) rise to the rafters of MSG.

Here’s the latest from everybody and their mothers.

Mike Brown

On the Knicks’ progress over the past year heading into their title defense:

“I’m going to keep it real that there’s something in front of us. I’m not a fan of having an elephant in the room. I’ll address it: It’s about the process. It’s not about the end result. We can’t think about the end result right now. We have a ways to go. This is a new season, new team and we’re gonna have challenges in front of us.

“It’s like climbing a mountain. Sometimes you go a 100 yards, but you might get knocked back five yards. Hopefully, it’s not 50 yards, but you might get back five or 10 yards, and you regroup as a team, and you figure out how to keep going forward the right way.

“But making sure we embrace the process without slippage in that is going to be huge. And if I see us slipping up, it’s my job to let us know as a team that we’re off track. We need to get back on hopefully sooner than later.”

On why Jalen Brunson is the NBA’s best leader, as voted by GMs:

“He studies the game, and that helps a lot because you can always grow in any field you do. But he walks the talk. He works extremely hard, and he strives for perfection from himself. And when you do that, your peers see you do that, and you’re looked upon as the best player on the team, and it gives you credibility to tell somebody else when they’re not given their all or when they need to do this a little bit better or that a little bit better.”

On Brunson’s toughness and willingness to hold teammates accountable:

“He’s not afraid because, as a leader, sometimes you can be on an island because you have to always be conscious of ‘I got to do more, I got to do more’ in terms of work harder, focus, everybody’s going to make mistakes, but those little things. And so when you tell your teammates, they can get pissed at you, or they can be like, ‘hey, screw him because who is he to tell me what to do?’ And so you have to have some thick skin because it’s not going to always be you telling somebody to do something, then they embrace it. And I think Jalen has that thick skin and a toughness about him to be in a seat like this.”

On Brunson potentially becoming an NBA head coach after his playing career:

“I think Jalen has that thick skin and toughness about him to be in a seat like this. You won’t need to, though. My view? If you don’t want to… It’s up to you, Jalen.”

On what he expects from the Knicks’ final roster spot:

“If one of those guys makes our team, at least right now, they may not even play seven minutes — you know, seven straight minutes. And then at the end of the day, we just have to make a decision.”

On the mentality required from the Knicks’ third-string center:

“We just hope that there’s a passion and an energy and a focus coming from that spot because, I’m sure at times that person will start, at times they may be the first backup and at times they may be second backup. So as the minutes are fluctuating, you’re going to have to generate some internal energy at times, to go play in a low-minute game.

“Sometimes he’ll maybe not play one or two, maybe three games in a row. You look for that, and then you know, you just look for somebody that’s going to play hard at the end of the day – try to do the things that you’re asking on both sides of the floor. And bring a little something different than what the two guys in front of you bring.”

On Bruce Brown’s experience, toughness and versatility:

“Bruce has been through a lot with a lot of different teams at a pretty high level. His toughness, his experience, his feel, all those things — he’s a winner. It seems like every place he’s gone, he’s won, but all those things can add a lot to the program, and then he’s versatile both ends of the floor. He could play a few different positions offensively; he can guard a few different positions defensively. So a guy like that, especially a veteran winner, can be helpful to any team.”

On James Wiseman’s potential and development:

“He’s young, he’s talented, you know, he’s raw, still. I think he’s still trying to establish a foothold in this league. But with the God-given attributes he has, in terms of athleticism and length and quickness, [they] can bode well for him on both ends of the floor. And at 25 years old, he hasn’t even reached his prime, especially knowing he hadn’t played a ton of basketball; having a vertical threat at the rim will help [the Knicks], or could help everybody else play the game a little bit easier, whether it’s driving the basketball or playing pick and roll.”

Jalen Brunson

On his recovery from wrist surgery:

“I had nine different casts. I was able to take it off if I ran or worked out with it. So I had one for workouts, one for showering and obviously one for everyday use.”

On maintaining the Knicks’ championship-winning approach entering a new season:

“I think what’s most important is that last year we took everything one day at a time. We were talking about — obviously, the topic was getting back to the conference finals and trying to advance. And I think for us now, the way we approached it last year was to take it one day at a time, every single day. So not talking about certain things.

“Obviously, we know what it takes, but just going into this with the same mindset for this journey. Even though it’s a new journey, it’s a different journey; the approach has to be the same, if not better.

“The first couple of weeks of the season is going to show us who we are and where we are. No matter what we’re doing, whether we’re playing great, playing bad, how are you going to be able to learn? And so, I mean, we’ll find a way. We’ll hold each other accountable, just like we did last year, and then we’ll be better.”

On the Knicks’ preseason progress and preparing to defend their championship:

“Each game got better and better. Just happy to be back. I feel like it’s a learning experience for us. We have to turn the page on last year and figure out how to get better every single day. It’s gonna be a different journey for us. Our mindset has to be different, and we’ll be ready to go.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On the Knicks’ preseason finale and preparing for opening night:

“I thought today was a good dress rehearsal. It was cool, it was very nice to get back out there and get back into our flow and be really good. Obviously we have a lot of things to work on. But it was a good way to end the preseason.”

On how he feels physically and his rhythm entering the regular season:

“Yeah, I feel good. I feel really, really good.”

On who’s the biggest complainer to referees among Knicks:

“Josh Hart. Why’d y’all laugh? Did y’all agree with that or something? Everyone behind the camera, I just want y’all to know: y’all just clowned Josh Hart. That’s crazy for y’all to say — in New York, too.”

On choosing between winning another NBA championship and a World Series:

“Win a World Series, for sure. I already won an NBA championship.”

On his pregame routine:

“Before the game starts, I always give everyone at the table, including the fans behind, a chance to really get into the game. Just giving everybody a fist bump down the line of the table, and then go on the court.”

On his favorite all-time big man:

“I think Hakeem. I feel like, in a way, he kind of is mythical, like Wilt Chamberlain… but I’ve been able to talk and meet Hakeem, and he’s an amazing, amazing human.”

Ian Begley

On the Knicks’ roster decisions involving Bruce Brown, James Wiseman, Pacome Dadiet and Tyler Kolek:

“Brown and James Wiseman have made it through preseason cuts. The Knicks clearly like both players. But New York only has room under the second apron in team salary to keep one player. In order to keep both Brown and Wiseman, the Knicks would need to trade a player on a standard contract without taking back salary.

“My read heading into the weekend: Wiseman is a lock to make the roster. There is strong support to add Brown as well. The Knicks would need to make a trade by Monday afternoon if they want to keep Brown. I think they will explore all avenues to make that happen.

“It’s logical to assume that the Knicks will move third-year wing Pacome Dadiet. But I believe New York will explore other deals — including trades involving third-year guard Tyler Kolek — this weekend and Monday.

“The Knicks will be asking teams to take on a player without sending back salary. To get a deal done, New York may need to attach its own second-round picks (New York will have at least 11 second-round picks in the next seven drafts).”

Carmelo Anthony

On the Knicks’ handling of Karl-Anthony Towns’ contract negotiations:

“So, it was smart to dead the conversation. Now, how you deaded the conversation is the problem. I can’t find out on Twitter if that’s what happened…So if that’s the case (Towns learning from the media that the Knicks paused negotiations), then that’s a communication thing right there. [The Knicks] dropped the ball on that one for one. You don’t let that get outside. So again, I don’t know that. The only thing I’m saying is you don’t break up the family. That’s all I’m going to say. You don’t break up the family.”

Amar’e Stoudemire

On fulfilling his childhood dream of becoming a police officer:

“It’s something I always wanted to do since I was a kid. I remember back when I was in grade school, elementary school. They asked you on career day, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ And my initial response was a police officer.”

On his family’s history in law enforcement:

“It runs in the family. My uncle was a captain. His brother was a deputy. My cousin is a captain. My sister’s in the academy. So, it’s a family tradition, basically.”

On the physical demands of police academy training compared with the NBA:

“Yeah, it was a little bit [more] challenging actually because now I’m running a lot more than I had before. Obviously, in the NBA you run short distances, right? And the police academy, you’re running more long-distance mileage.”

On his wife’s initial concerns about his decision to become a police officer:

“My wife at first was a little bit concerned because obviously being a police officer, there’s some danger to it. But if you are well-trained and you understand your policies and procedures, you’re able to somewhat have officer safety, which is very important, and that’s the goal.”

The Sixers may have been beaten 144-106 on Saturday against the Celtics, but there were still the kinds of positives you want to see from Philly’s young guys as most of the starting five sat out.

As their preseason finale approaches on Friday evening with a rematch against the Celtics, we’ll see if they can end things on a high note as their new stars are set to make another appearance.

While we don’t know exactly how much we can expect to see the Sixers’ starting five on Friday, we should be getting a look at the new group at least until the early second half, according to Nick Nurse when he gave an update after Thursday’s practice.

Nurse originally mentioned wanting to get the starting group to play a couple of games in the preseason, so it makes sense for LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown to return and get a final tuneup before the regular season begins. Even in a preseason setting with lower minutes, it’ll be interesting to see how fluid their cutting and passing looks, how they continue pushing in transition, how others move off the ball while LeBron initiates, and generally how their initial chemistry looks as this group gets started together.

In their brief half together against the Nets, the starters’ offense looked electric with so much firepower and range of styles to attack. Will we see more of the same against the Celtics?

Pure talent alone may carry the offense as the team starts to gel, although the defense may understandably take more time as schemes and communication are polished. That could lead to another strong showing from Jayson Tatum on Friday, after he calmly dropped 23 points on Saturday, with Payton Pritchard leading the team with 25 points and doing most of his damage from range with five made triples.

Apart from seeing the starting group, there’s VJ Edgecombe to focus on who stood out yet again in the Sixers’ last game. He scored a team-high 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting with a pair of threes, plus three rebounds, four assists and four steals. Energetic, impactful and disruptive as always, Edgecombe played exactly how the team would hope.

Jabari Walker continued his strong preseason on Saturday, too. He added 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting with six rebounds and a pair of assists. Walker stepping up comes at a good time as well, what with Ariel Hukporti’s injury shortening the Sixers’ center rotation. As Nurse inevitably experiments with different looks and mixes in more smaller lineups, especially when Embiid misses time, Walker is starting to make his case to be in the mix for more minutes.

We have to keep a close eye on Labaron Philon as well. On Saturday against Boston, he flashed his silky jumper both off the catch and when creating off the bounce, tallied seven assists to only two turnovers with crisp passing, and finished with 14 points (albeit on modest 5-of-13 shooting) and a 4-of-8 mark from three. Even with how stacked their starting lineup is and how they can stagger stars, the Sixers need spark-plug ball-handling, shooting and playmaking off their bench. Philon has such clear upside to be a factor there.

Basically, from the starting five chemistry to young guys like Philon, there’s plenty to monitor in the Sixers’ preseason finale.

Whatever happens with Friday’s result, though, the main thing that matters is we’re only four days away from the start of real Sixers basketball. On Oct. 20, when they open the regular season against the Knicks, we’ll get our first look at LeBron and Co. playing real NBA action.

It’s going to be quite the season.

Game Details

When: Friday, October 15, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
Watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia+, NBA TV
Radio: 97.5 The Fanatic
Follow: @LibertyBallers

What Brandin Podziemski learned from studying Jalen Brunson this offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After a career-best scoring season, Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski was busy learning from NBA champion Jalen Brunson’s film during the offseason.

Talking with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Bonta Hill and Dalton Johnson on “Dubs Talk,” Podziemski highlighted how he and trainer Dustin Van Lieu were focused on Brunson’s game and style of play.

“I know offseason this year was big on Jalen Brunson,” Podziemski said. “Being able to see him play a variety against defenses of different sorts, whether it was the (San Antonio) Spurs or the (Philadelphia) 76ers or whomever you want to call it, just seeing him having to manipulate different coverages and being successful and winning a championship. I think we took a lot from him this off-season and implemented it.”

Podziemski and Brunson are both stockier left-handed guards, and Podziemski said he specifically studied Brunson’s ability to handle the Spurs’ “full-court” defense during the NBA Finals that the New York Knicks won 4-1.

“We looked at a lot of concepts like that, how (Brunson) does that and keeps and creates the advantage,” Podziemski said. “That’s probably the biggest thing we’ve looked at besides obviously the footwork.”

While Podziemski remains a polarizing figure among Warriors fans, his contract and underlying metrics reflect a productive player who has his organization’s trust.

Coach Steve Kerr called him a “big part” of the Warriors’ future, exemplified by the five-year, $110 million extension Podziemski signed on Oct. 10.

Podziemski played all 82 games in the 2025-26 season, averaging a career-high 13.8 points to go along with 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He also ranked fourth in the NBA with 0.28 charges drawn per game.

More importantly, his presence on the floor next to Curry and Butler appears to be positive. Warriors lineups with Curry and Podziemski posted a net rating of +5.7, while Podziemski- and Butler-led lineups were +10.5.

Podziemski likely will have to reprise his larger scoring role with Butler only slated to return around the All-Star break and center Kristaps Porziņģis out indefinitely with an unspecified health issue.

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Doc Rivers believes this Paul George trait could be contagious for Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Former Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers had the same shocked reaction to the Jaylen Brown trade that most fans did — but he also believes the additions of Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and Mike Conley Jr. can help the Celtics remain competitive in a beefed-up Eastern Conference. 

“I think everything [the Celtics] do is intentional. I really do,” said Rivers, who will serve as analyst this season for the NBA on NBC. “When the trade went down, I was like, ‘Whoa, this is an interesting trade,’ especially to the partner that they chose. I was like, ‘I’m glad Tommy Heinsohn is not around right now,’ doing anything with Philly, you know?

“But, at the end of the day, when you take a step back from the shock, and you look at their team, it fits. I think their team is gonna be really good.”

How important is fit in the NBA?

“As a coach, I never worried about it, the fit thing. I was like, ‘I’m gonna make it fit, you know? I’m not giving up on talent,’” said Rivers. “But there’s so much more now with the NBA and the contracts. Like, when you’re taking up 70 percent of your [salary cap with two players] — it just doesn’t work in the NBA anymore. And so every team is scrambling, as you can see. And, to me, what [the Celtics’ front office has] done is they went for that fit and the financial construction. So I think what they did was pretty smart overall.”

Here are more takeaways from Rivers on the 2026-27 Celtics (you can hear the full interview on the latest Celtics Talk podcast, which also features play-by-play legend Mike Tirico): 

PG’s overlooked value: Defense that changes everyone around him

Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Rivers coached Paul George during their time with the Los Angeles Clippers and thinks there’s one primary way that George can still impact winning at an advanced age in Boston. 

“The thing I think you’re gonna be surprised with is his defense,” said Rivers. George has since piled up a team-high 7 steals in 49 minutes of preseason action, routinely sparking fast break opportunities after turning over opponents. 

“On ball, [Clippers teammate] Kawhi [Leonard] was better, but I remember [Clippers current head coach and former Rivers assistant] Ty Lue and I talking one night and I was like, ‘You know, Paul’s an elite defender, and I think he’s even better off the ball.’ What’s happening is elite off-the-ball defenders can be contagious.”

George generated 2.7 steals and a staggering 6.5 deflections per 100 possessions last season with Philadelphia, ranking in the 97th percentile at his position for both marks. George has ranked in the 89th percentile or better in steal rate for his position in each of the past five seasons. 

On the offensive end, Rivers believes George can be maximized as a catch-and-shoot option. 

“He’s a great shooter. And where Jaylen did a lot off the dribble, I think Paul George they use far more as a catch-and-shoot guy. I think he’s elite at that,” said Rivers. “He can take you off the dribble, too. I didn’t use him as that much, when I was with the Clippers, because I wanted him to be catch and shoot. I think he’ll be more back to that catch and shoot stuff.”

George shot 41.6 percent on 4.5 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers per game last season with Philadelphia (compared to 34.1 percent on 2.2 pull-up 3s per game). The shot defied him a bit in his preseason appearances, but it’s clear the attention that players like Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard can attract on drives will lead to many open catch-and-shoot looks for George.

The D-White bounce back

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Rivers admitted there’s a bunch of potential X-factors for the Celtics this season, but the primary one is Derrick White finding his shot again.

“I think Paul George’s health, I think Mitchell Robinson’s ability to rebound is still underestimated — and I think Derrick White returning back to Derrick White,” Rivers said when asked about X-factors. “[White] didn’t have his typical playoff run, he struggled with his shot. That’s a fluke. So I think Derrick White being back to Derrick White is huge.”

Why is Rivers bullish on White finding his stroke again after the shooting woes of a year ago?

‘It’s the NBA, man. Like you get to missing shots and the NBA doesn’t stop and wait for you to get your mind right, you know?” said Rivers. “It just keeps going and there’s times you get left behind, mentally, and I thought that it was as simple as that.”

More Doc thoughts

–Doc loves Joe Mazzulla and his coaching style: “He’s one of my favorites. I mean, he really is, and not because he’s a Celtic. I just love him. I love him because he is who he is and I love coaches like that. You’re not going to talk him out of it. And that makes him a really good, consistent coach.”

–East is wide open — but also incredibly daunting: ” I think the East is wide open. And unfortunately, it’s wide open meaning there’s five teams that I can rattle off that could win the East. In two years, it went from the worst conference to the best conference. And so I think that’s the tough part. I don’t think any team will win as much as they won last year. I also think there’s no tanking teams this year, so you can’t just count 15 wins, you know? So this is gonna be a hard NBA season for the East.

–He’s got one bone to pick with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett: “You know what pisses me off? Paul and Kevin are golfing now. Like, what the heck? That would have been so much more fun … They ridiculed Ray and I for golfing, and now they love it, especially Paul. Paul plays every day.”

Tonight the Raptors’ final preseason game tips off, this time against the Detroit Pistons. So far, Toronto has split the preseason with a 2-2 record. They started off-balance when they lost handily to the Heat, but followed it up with convincing wins over the Clippers and Knicks and a single-possession loss to the Knicks yesterday. The Pistons are 2-1 in the preseason.

Detroit will have both a homecourt and rest advantage, having played their last contest on Wednesday. With this being the last preseason game though, it’s likely the benches will be cleared to cement final roster decisions for both teams before the official start to the season. Plus, both teams still have things they need to work on.

One of the bigger themes of the preseason has been Toronto’s size and rebounding issues. In both losses they were beaten on the boards, and in both wins they controlled them. Not insignificant, especially given their lack of traditional depth at center. This could be a point of concern tonight as Detroit has size and rebounding power. Jalen Duren was 6th in the League last year in rebounds per game, supported by Cade Cunningham, John Collins, and Ausar Thompson who all averaged more than 5 rebounds per game as well. That, all before you even look at their bench or backups. To win the battle, we’ll probably see a lot of Collin Murray-Boyles tonight who has a great presence around the rim at both ends and seems to be able to read exactly where the ball is going. Scottie will have to step up too, especially when Poeltl is on the bench. 

Detroit has tooled their roster for size and space, with Duncan Robinson, Kevin Huerter, John Collins, and Isaiah Joe all strong shooters to complement and provide room to operate for Jalen Duren. Cade Cunningham has done a remarkable job distributing the ball and running their offence, always finding the open man and right play. He was second in the League last year on assists and hasn’t even hit his prime yet.  

Toronto’s defence has looked solid over the last couple of games, especially on the wings. This will be a great challenge for them, as plenty of teams around the League continue to develop similar offensive schemes. 

The Raptors’ offence has also been a lot more polished over the last few games, with Kawhi, RJ, and Scottie all taking turns leading the team in scoring. Quickley, CMB, Shead, Battle, Key, Burnett, and Walter have all managed double-digit performances. 

It would be a great way to start the season above .500 in the preseason. 

Where to Watch

Tune in at 7pm ET on Sportsnet

Probable Starters

Toronto: Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, Kawhi Leonard

Detroit: Duncan Robinson, John Collins, Jalen Duren, Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson

Injury Status

Toronto: Nate Bittle

Detroit: None listed

It’s now been a week-and-a-half since Ariel Hukporti tore his Achilles in the Sixers’ preseason opener, and they’re no closer to finding a viable replacement for him. That could change in the coming days, though.

NBA teams need to have their 15-man regular-season rosters finalized by 5 p.m. ET on Monday, which means teams will be sorting through their end-of-bench options over the weekend. On Thursday night, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line mentioned two players as possibilities for the Sixers: Milwaukee Bucks center Jericho Sims and Dalas Mavericks center Moussa Cissé.

According to Fischer, the Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers have discussed a trade framework built around Sims and Dalton Knecht, although he’s heard “some pessimism from sources briefed on those talks that such a trade will actually go through.” Instead, the Lakers might wind up waiving Knecht, whom they selected with the No. 17 overall pick in 2024, right after the Sixers took Jared McCain. (Remember when that was a divisive choice among Sixers fans? Welp!)

Cissé’s $2.2 million salary became guaranteed on Oct. 1, which hardly suggests that the Mavs will turn around and cut bait on him. However, they’re “known to be exploring pathways to keep Dwight Powell on the roster,” Fischer reported, which could come at the expense of Cissé’s roster spot.

As we’ve already covered, the Sixers are hard-capped at the $209.0 million first apron, and they’re only about $1.8 million below that line at the moment. Outside of an undrafted free agent, they won’t have enough financial flexibility to sign anyone to a fresh contract until early December. If the Mavericks waive Cissé, the Sixers would not be able to sign him without cutting salary somehow.

The Sixers could waive Jabari Walker, who has only $250,000 of his $2.6 million contract guaranteed heading into the season, to free up the money to sign a free agent. However, Walker might be one of their better small-ball 5 options, so waiving him could wind up solving one problem for the Sixers while creating another.

If the Sixers don’t want to go the salary-dump route, they could trade one of their current players for Sims, Cissé or another option. However, even if the Sixers were willing to trade Hukporti as salary-matching ballast, he isn’t trade-eligible until Dec. 15. That makes Justin Edwards ($2.4 million) their most likely trade chip.

Since the Sixers are under the first apron, they are allowed to take back more salary than they send out. That wouldn’t be an issue with Cissé—in fact, trading Edwards for him would help them carve out an extra $225,000 in flexibility below the first apron—but Sims is earning $2.8 million. Fortunately, they’d be allowed to trade Edwards for Sims without including additional salary. (It might cost them a second-round pick to do so, though.)

Sims and Cissé aren’t the only two backup bigs to watch as cutdown day approaches. A handful of camp battles could help the Sixers find a stopgap option via their last two-way spot if they aren’t able to land a more permanent solution. Fischer and Marc Stein reported Sunday that the Sixers “are unlikely to add a big man on a standard NBA deal before early December” due to their proximity to the first apron, although they were referring to a free-agent signing rather than a trade addition.

If Cissé does shake loose from Dallas, he’d be eligible for a two-way spot. Since Sims already has four years of NBA experience, the Sixers couldn’t sign him to a two-way deal. The same goes for Drew Eubanks and Tony Bradley, both of whom the New York Knicks waived on Thursday.

The Sixers will likely fill that last two-way spot with another backup big and hope to make do at that spot for the first six weeks of the season. They can reevaluate their options once December rolls around, although it wouldn’t be surprising if they look to push that out as long as possible to maintain roster flexibility heading into the trade deadline.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

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Former Villanova standout Cam Whitmore might finally be catching a break in the NBA, and he’s making the most of it.

After bouncing from Houston to Washington, briefly landing in Cleveland for all of two minutes, and ultimately signing a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets in September, the 22-year-old is starting to look like a pretty interesting pickup.

Whitmore is fresh off a 17-point (on 7-of-13 shooting) effort in Denver’s 122-110 preseason loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, adding four rebounds and a steal in 24 minutes off the bench.

That came just over a week after he scored 14 points in only 15 minutes against the Utah Jazz.

Not too shabby for a guy who was looking for a more permanent situation a month ago.

Whitmore’s career has been a little frustrating to follow since Houston selected him 20th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. The former five-star recruit and Big East Freshman of the Year has shown plenty of scoring ability, but injuries, inconsistent playing time, and questions about his all-around game have kept him from establishing himself.

Now, he has a legitimate opportunity in Denver.

The Nuggets waived veteran guard Lonnie Walker IV earlier this week, leaving their 15th roster spot open for the taking. Whitmore is currently on a two-way deal, which limits him to 50 NBA games and makes him ineligible for the playoffs unless his contract is converted to a standard one.

It’s worth watching whether Denver eventually gives him that final spot.

Through four preseason games, Whitmore is averaging 10.3 points in just under 16 minutes per contest. He’s shooting 47.2% from the field, although his limited playmaking and inconsistent outside shooting remain areas to improve (and he’ll need to hit the freebies more consistently from the charity stripe — 10-of-14, or 71.4%).

Still, the Nuggets could use another athletic wing/scorer off the bench, and Whitmore is doing a pretty good job reminding everyone why he was once considered a potential top-ten pick.

There’s obviously a difference between putting up points in the preseason and earning meaningful minutes on a team with championship aspirations.

But after three NBA seasons without much stability, Whitmore is at least giving Denver something to think about.

Hopefully, this is the start of something good for the former Wildcat. But with professional athletes apparently being allowed back into college sports these days, maybe he’ll find himself back on the Main Line if things don’t work out.

The Milwaukee Bucks venture to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to take on their mid-west rival Indiana Pacers in both sides’ preseason finale tonight. The Bucks have looked expectantly up and down this preseason, as Taylor Jenkins tries to find cohesion within an essentially brand new roster—11 of the 19 rostered players weren’t with the team to begin last season—and determine the right rotations heading into the regular season. Following their blowout loss to the Chicago Bulls, the Bucks are now 1-3 in their preseason games.

The Task Ahead

Last season, with franchise point guard Tyrese Haliburton recovering from a torn Achilles, the Pacers tanked played not to win—and they did a great job at it, winning just 19 games. This season, with Haliburton back, the Pacers are expected to contend for postseason play, if not make it outright. To help their cause, they added free agents Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr., who will provide depth and athleticism that will suit Rick Carlisle’s up-tempo game.

During preseason play, the Pacers have gone 1-2. They beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in their opening matchup on the back of lights-out shooting overall—53% from the field and three, 91% from the line—and in particular from Aaron Nesmith (7/9 FG), along with unexpected playmaking from Jarace Walker (10 assists). They followed that up with a two-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks, where seven players scored 10-or-more points despite no one playing more than 22 minutes. So, despite some names changing, Indiana is very much back to the deep roster it had when it went to the NBA Finals less than a year and a half ago. More promising signs emerged in their two-point overtime loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder, with Halliburton looking like his old self, posting 24 points and three assists in just 18 minutes. For the Bucks, this all spells trouble.

Injury Report

As is the case with preseason play, there is no official injury report—and with this being both sides’ final game before the regular season it’s well and truly anyone’s guess who will suit up. Still, here’s who we have more of an idea about.

Bucks:

• Nate Ament: doubtful (ankle)

Pacers:

• Aaron Nesmith: out (hamstring)
• Johnny Furphy: out (ACL)
• T.J. McConnell: questionable (undisclosed)
• Jarace Walker: questionable (undisclosed)
• Andrew Nembhard: questionable (undisclosed)

Player to Watch

Myles Turner struggled in four games against his old team last season, averaging just 10.3 PPG on .395/.280/.667 shooting splits. He also totaled more turnovers (6) than assists (4). This offseason, Turner stepped up off the court, embracing a role as a veteran leader for the young Bucks. But his leadership is needed on the court too—he needs to produce. He played well against the Oklahoma City Thunder—19 points, five rebounds, two blocks—but was largely invisible against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets. What better time to put it all together than the preseason finale against his old pals in Indiana?

Projected Starters

Who: Milwaukee Bucks (record) vs. Indiana Pacers (record).

When: 6:00 p.m. CDT.

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse—Indianapolis, IN.

Watch: MY24.

Listen: Check local listings.

Prescient Prediction

The Bucks have been chucking up the three ball throughout the preseason—a third-in-the-league 45 attempts per game!—but have largely been inaccurate doing so, shooting just 30.6%. Tonight, they’ll find the bottom of the net, hitting 40% or better on their way to 20+ threes. Turner will make five of ‘em.

At long last, the 2026-27 NBA season is nearly upon us, and with so much anticipation surrounding the official tip-off, awards predictions are hot in the search engine optimization world. 

Some categories are easy to narrow down. Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic will all have something to say about the Most Valuable Player award. Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren will swat their way into Defensive Player of the Year consideration. 

But others are far more wide-open. Like, you guessed it, the Sixth Man of the Year award. To be considered for this honor, you not only have to be one of the best players coming off the bench in the league, but you also need the cards to fall in a way where you don’t end up having to start so many games that you are omitted from contention. 

Projecting this race can be a tall task. But never fear, there is a way to narrow down the playing field, so long as we follow the lead of all great philosophers, and let history be our guide. 

Who Usually Wins Sixth Man of the Year?

From looking at past winners, you realize that there are two key ingredients to a 6MOY year candidacy. First, you need to score a lot of points. And second, you need to play on a team that wins a lot of games.

To put some color on these two elements, since 2001-02, every player who has taken home the award has eclipsed the 13 points per game mark, even last season’s winner (Keldon Johnson, 13.2 PPG). And of those 25 winners, 20 of them (80%) played on a team that ended the season with a top four record in their respective conference. 

With these parameters in place, let’s look at a couple of names that could fall under this description. 

[Sidebar:The exceptions to this second point are Lou Williams (twice), Jason Terry (2008-09), Mike Miller (2005-06), and Antawn Jamison (2003-04), who all still played on teams that made the playoffs.]

Ajay Mitchell (+490, 16.9%)

We’re going to do this in order of their odds on FanDuel Sportsbook. As of right now, Ajay Mitchell is the leader in the clubhouse, which makes sense since he plays for one of the best teams in the Western Conference (the Oklahoma City Thunder) and averaged 13.6 PPG last year. For what my money’s worth, he was the best bench player in the league last year, but his candidacy took a hit because he missed 25 games. If he can stay healthy this year, he’s got as good of a chance as anyone. But if you want better odds for a Thunder player, Jared McCain (+3000) could be a nice pick if injuries force Mitchell to start too many games. 

Dylan Harper (+600, 14.3%)

Dylan Harper should be a starter. In his inaugural postseason run (23 games), Harper averaged 14.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, and 1.0 SPG on 61.1% true shooting. But the politics of De’Aaron Fox’s reputation and contract make that switch easier said than done. So, the least the San Antonio Spurs can do is reward Harper for his sacrifice by helping him follow in the footsteps of the franchise’s most famous Southpaw: Manu Ginobili. 

Ayo Dosunmu (+1800, 5.3%)

After an offseason makeover, the fully-realized version of the Minnesota Timberwolves have a chance to be the third-best team in the Western Conference behind the Thunder and Spurs. Despite all the changes they made, they decided to keep Ayo Dosunmu, who thrived after coming to the team in a midseason trade. In 24 games (15 coming off the bench), Dosunmu averaged 14.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1 SPG on 61.9% true shooting. The only worries with Dosunmu are whether Jonathan Kuminga will be good enough to keep him on the bench and the Timberwolves don’t take too long to find their footing in a loaded West. 

Sam Merrill (+5000, 2%)

Even if Peyton Watson continues his improved shooting from last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers new starting five of him, Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Jarrett Allen, and Evan Mobley is going to be sorely lacking in that department. This means that Sam Merrill, who will start the season coming off the bench, is going to have a big part to play in helping to balance their lineups. Head coach Kenny Atkinson has always valued Merrill’s ability to space the floor (he shot 42.1% from three last season) while also connecting the dots of their offense, so expect the seventh-year guard to factor heavily into the rotation. Plus, in the past, we’ve seen white-hot marksmen make a serious bid for this award in the past – just look at Malik Beasley, who finished as the runner-up just two seasons ago. 

Sandro Mamukelashvili (+7500, 1.3%)

On paper, it seems like Collin Sexton will be the team’s sixth man. However, on a recent episode of the Dunc’d On Podcast, Lakers insider Jovan Buha compared Sandro Mamukelashvili’s projected role on the team with that of the one Naz Reid played in his time with the Timberwolves (a tenure that included a 2023-24 6MOY award). I just can’t quit that possibility. Mamukelashvili is probably one of the team’s five best players, but the lack of lateral quickness from Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic will likely forbid him from joining the opening group. And since the team doesn’t have a viable backup big, this leaves Mamukelashvili to act as both the team’s second power forward and center. With the Lakers finally fielding an appropriate team around Doncic, Mamukelashvili could emerge as a surprise contender for this award. 

Miles McBride (+7500, 1.3%)

The New York Knicks are trying to become the first back-to-back champion since 2018. To do this, they need to balance winning guys with also making sure their top five guys (Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns) don’t get run into the ground. But how to do this? Rely on your depth. And with Mitchell Robinson now gone, their most productive bench player is Miles “Deuce” McBride. Injuries limited him to just 41 regular season games, but when he did play, he was averaging 12 PPG. If McBride can boost that number up a bit and the Knicks can continue their dominance of the Eastern Conference, he has the exact type of microwave, bucket-getter profile that we’ve seen win this award so many times in the past (Jamal Crawford, Williams, Terry, etc.).  

Some Guys You Should Stay Away From

Right now, we’re targeting players who will be on teams that project to be at the top of their conference. So, naturally, we should avoid those guys whose teams we don’t believe in.

Looking at the current top ten in odds, there are four guys who come to mind. The Portland Trail Blazers had to participate in the play-in tournament last year, and their main additions this offseason are two players (Damian Lillard and Ja Morant) who don’t really make sense for this roster. Both of those guys are perceived candidates for this award, but even if one of them sucks it up and comes off the bench, I doubt Portland will be good enough for them to get serious consideration. The Denver Nuggets were the third-best regular season team in the Western Conference, but they are another year older and shed some key depth pieces (Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr.) this summer. Nikola Jokic is a wins machine, but with the Timberwolves, Lakers, and Utah Jazz all taking steps forward, regression could be in their future. Beware of DeMar DeRozan. Lastly, I’m personally fading the Philadelphia 76ers (the superteam model is antiquated), so I think Anfernee Simons is getting too much love from the books.

Asa Newell is coming into Year 2 of his career, and there’s a good chance that he’ll have a bigger role when looking at the frontcourt. In his rookie season, Newell was fighting for minutes with players such as Mouhamed Gueye and Jonathan Kuminga, but with the former currently rehabbing from injury and the latter on a different team, it opens up the door for more playing opportunities.

Newell showed growth throughout his rookie season, and that was thanks to the College Park Skyhawks, where he spent most of his time. When he was with the Hawks, he was usually at the five, where he struggled defensively, but he was able to work on that when he went to the Skyhawks during his stints.

At Media Day, Newell shared the things that he worked on during the summer, and his defense was one of them.

“My defense. I’ve been working on that all summer, trying to move my feet. Also my dribbling, I feel like where I came from, from college into year one, I just been a gym rat. My shooting ability, too. Those three are the main keys,” Newell said.

The Hawks mostly want Newell at the four with a center beside him, but he still has the ability to interchange if he has to. This season specifically, he should be seeing a lot of minutes when Jalen Johnson is off the floor.

The one thing that will help Newell get consistent minutes this season is not only his defense but also his shooting. That was an area where he definitely grew during his rookie season, as he shot 38.7% from the 3-point line and had a nice feel on the perimeter. When the Hawks needed more offense on the floor and Newell was available, Quin Snyder put him in the game over Gueye, who was better defensively.

It’ll be interesting to see how things pan out for Newell when Gueye does return from his rehab, and whether he can lose minutes during that time. That’s why it may be crucial for him to get off to a fast start to the season.

Again, defense will be the No. 1 key for Newell if he wants to see an increase in minutes this season. Throughout the preseason, he’s had his ups and downs on that side of the floor, but he’s been able to maintain some consistency on offense at times.

Coming into his second year, the Hawks definitely want to see improvements from Newell across the board, and he could be on the way to being a solid rotational player for the Hawks this season.