Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson was a standout for Sweden in FIBA World Cup qualifying this summer. He scored 23 points against France (not enough for the win, but he outscored Victor Wembanyama). He completely outplayed Lauri Markkanen, leading Sweden past Finland with 31 points on 9-of-17 shooting and adding five boards.
Miami is banking on more of that kind of play from Larsson around Giannis Antetokounmpo in the coming years, which is why they have locked him up with a four-year, $60 million contract extension, something first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania and confirmed by other sources. The final year of this deal is a mutual option. That extension kicks in for the 2027-28 season, Larson will make $2.3 million this season on the remainder of his rookie contract.
Larsson was a second-round pick out of Arizona in 2024 and has shown real growth in his game in his two NBA seasons. In 70 games last season, 54 as a starter, Larsson averaged 11.4 points and 3.5 rebounds a game, and while he's not a great 3-point shooter yet (32.3% last season), he is an efficient scorer overall, with a 60.5 true shooting percentage last season. Erik Spoelstra is a big fan and called him the ultimate glue guy. While he started last season, it's expected he will begin this season coming off the bench behind Klay Thompson.
Larsson has sort of taken over the role Miami hoped Nikola Jovic would fill, but Jovic fell out of Spoelstra's rotation last season. About a year ago, the Heat and Jovic agreed to a four-year, $62.5 million extension that kicks in this season. On that front, the Larsson contract is a real value (the Heat are hoping for more from Jovic this season).
The Warriors are locking in for the 2026-27 NBA season, where their goal is to return to being true title contenders. But they will run things back with virtually the same roster as last season, with players like Draymond Green set to play a big role once again. Things could look much different for Green this season, though.
Golden State has a lot to prove this season and used the offseason to regroup and reset, understanding that players’ roles will have to change if the franchise wants to be a part of the playoff conversation. Over the offseason, head coach Steve Kerr shared what a new role could look like for Green on The Tom Tolbert Show.
Green spoke about Kerr’s comments on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show, and gave a candid response about how the team wants him to play this coming season.
“As far as shooting threes, for the first time in my career, Coach Kerr told me towards the end of last year, he pulled me to the side and he’s like, ‘Draymond, I want you shooting the three.’ And I was like, ‘Oh s—.’ It was like an out of body experience, because I had never really heard him like confidently look me in my eye and say to me, ‘Yo, I want you shooting the basketball,” Green said on his podcast. “Even when I was shooting the ball great. It was just something that I had never heard. When he told me, the confidence level rose immediately.
“That was great for me, and now being able to go into the season with that mindset of like, I catch, I’m open, I’m firing. For me, ultimately, it’s going to help my shooting percentages, because it’s a lot different shooting the three when you catch and you’re not sure if you should shoot the three, or when you catch and you’re looking for the next action because that’s kind of your role in the offense. It’s a lot different shooting that three, because then it’s no longer a rhythm three.”
Green, a second-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, is one of the greatest defensive players to ever grace a basketball court but is not the most effective scorer. Averaging a career high of 14 points per game back in 2015-16, he has not averaged double figures in scoring since 2017-18. Steph Curry has been the Warriors’ top scorer in this era, but nearing the twilight of his career, the Warriors need to find ways to help Curry and take some pressure off of his shoulders.
Green has shown signs that he can shoot the ball well over the course of his career and has a career 3-point percentage of .321. The Warriors will face very good scoring teams this season, so if Green is able to work on his shooting ability even more, Golden State could be even more competitive in a wide-open NBA.
Green is entering his 15th season in the NBA and with the Warriors, hungrier than ever to add a fifth ring to his collection. A four-time All-Star, nine-time NBA All-Defensive team pick and the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, Green’s career is Hall of Fame worthy, and a fifth ring would surely cement his status. Re-signing with the Warriors on a one-year deal this offseason, it is safe to say that Green and the Warriors are going all-in.
So, who is this guy the Lakers mortgaged their future on?
Here’s what we know about Walker Kessler.
The 7-foot-2, 245-pound center is considered one of the NBA’s elite rim protectors and rebounders. Luka Dončić made it clear to the Lakers he wanted him as his center.
And the Lakers responded by emptying their treasure trove, giving up two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps in a sign-and-trade with the Jazz, signing Kessler to a four-year, $130 million deal.
Los Angeles Lakers Walker Kessler throws out the first pitch before a game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
That means the Lakers don’t have a tradable first-round draft pick for the next seven years.
How should Lakers fans feel about this?
They should be relieved.
The Lakers needed to make Dončić happy. They had to get an elite center. And they needed to pay whatever it cost. It’s a gamble they had to take.
The 25-year-old Kessler only played five games last season after suffering a torn labrum in his left shoulder that required season-ending surgery.
So, we don’t have a large enough recent sample size to judge Kessler’s growth.
Kessler, who was selected by the Grizzlies with the 22nd pick in the 2022 draft before he was traded to the Jazz, has career averages of 9.5 points on 68.1% shooting, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks.
Having him down low makes the Lakers much better defensively. He’s the type of player who takes up space and has great footwork. According to NBA.com, he contested 7.5 shots per game at the rim in 2024-2025, which tied him for the fifth most in the NBA.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Walker Kessler is seen as the team visits Ljubljana, Slovenia, for camp on Friday, August 21, 2026. REUTERS
But with the price tag the Lakers paid, they don’t just need a solid center. They need a star down low.
In order for Kessler to make good on the deal, he needs to turn into an All-Defensive player. He needs to be a borderline All-Star. He needs to be great.
The good news is that Kessler is fully aware of what his development means to the Purple-and-Gold.
“It definitely makes you feel a certain way when you know an organization believes in you,” Kessler said during his introductory news conference in Las Vegas in July.
“And I think what they’ve invested, they’re showing that belief in a monetary value, not just with money, but … assets. And for me, I’m somebody that if I know that they have that belief in me, I’m gonna run through a brick wall for them. That’s just how I’ve been wired my whole life.”
Kessler has a lot to prove.
He needs to be the team’s defensive anchor. He needs to set screens that open up Dončić and Austin Reaves. He needs to become a pivotal piece of the Lakers’ Big Three.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 18: Kylor Kelley #61 of the Orlando Magic wears Nike shoes against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half of a 2025 NBA Summer League game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 18, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Mavericks defeated the Magic 92-69. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images) | Getty Images
DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 6: Matisse Thybulle #4 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts to a play in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on April 6, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the Lakers’ four presumed starters, all other spots in the rotation are up for grabs as training camp begins. A summer defined by change and considerable turnover moved in a hopeful direction toward more defense with some key acquisitions.
Veteran Marcus Smart walked to Houston in free agency, leaving behind a clear position of need. Enter Matisse Thybulle, who on arrival instantly becomes the highest-pedigree perimeter defender on the roster. Health permitting, he brings elite disruption ability with an improved outside shot for much-needed two-way play around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
Thybulle entered just 30 games last season for the Trail Blazers and 15 the season before that. That’s why he was available to LA to sign on a minimum contract. While still just 29 years old, he’s a player LA will need to manage throughout the regular season.
When he’s on the floor, he’s no short of a defensive monster. The 6’5” wing boasts a 7’1” wingspan to terrorize offensive players. He made Second Team All-Defense in 2021 and 2022 as a Philadelphia 76er.
One of the league’s most chaos-inducing defensive playmakers. His excellent hands help obstruct diverse offensive actions. Watch below as he defends the guard-to-guard screen against superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The screener slips the screen to counter the switch. Thybulle not only reads it, but also times it to put his hand out, deflect the pass and catch the turnover.
He can also prey on unsuspecting offensive players. Watch below as Giannis Antetokounmpo looks to take advantage in the post near the baseline. Thybulle quickly rushes over to swarm and his cat-like swipe pokes the ball out of his hands before he can begin his attack.
For players averaging under 20 minutes per game, Thybulle led the league with 3.9 deflections per game. Alex Caruso came in second with 3.1. He also led the Blazers’ talented perimeter defensive personnel with two steals per night.
Throughout his career, Thybulle has been a thorn in the side of the league’s top ball-handling playmakers. In his limited games, Portland matched him up on all types of stars and he held his own. Whether it’s against isolation or ball screen actions, his wingspan and textbook technique give him the tools to be an elite on-ball defender.
In the clip below, he’s matched up with Jaylen Brown. He chases him around the screen, negating any first-step advantage. While attached to the hip, he contests with his right hand and blocks the shot, forcing a jump ball.
In the next clip, he does the same to Jamal Murray coming off a dribble handoff action. Thybulle goes under the screen, beats Murray to the spot, and gets the block.
Thybulle gave up just 0.54 points per possession when defending pick-and-roll ball handlers, putting him in the 100th percentile league-wide. He has a knack for getting timely blocks on contests from behind when players think they’ve created separation.
Portland had a 113.5 defensive rating, good for 12th in the league last year. It shifted to an elite 99.8 when Thybulle was on the floor, where he led the team in overall net rating at a +9.
Not only the numbers, but his reputation and resume have Thybulle as one of the best defenders on the roster, if not at the top behind big-man addition Walker Kessler. The offense is where he, like many others vying for minutes, will need to be serviceable to earn ample playing time.
He will not be asked to do anything outside of his comfort zone. Playmaking and shot creation are accounted for, allowing him to do what he does best. He shot 38.8% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season, including 44% on wide-open attempts.
Thybulle should get more of those attempts than he could dream of on this roster. Defensive schemes haven’t caught up to or respected the percentages, and he will likely still be the guy teams leave wide open when given the choice.
He has limited offensive versatility, as 69% of his shot attempts came from behind the arc. He drives less than three times per game and doesn’t get to the line often.
Even with those offensive limitations, the Lakers desperately need a player with his skill set and playoff experience. With the offensive load Luka and Reaves will carry, finding defensive talent to pair around them was crucial this summer. Thybulle slides in as an elite option…if he can stay relatively healthy.
Mar 30, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers executives Jason Hillman (left), Koby Altman (center) and Brandon Weems (right) watch a game against the Dallas Mavericks in the third quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
The Cleveland Cavaliers are not done making off season moves. This time the changes are coming in the front office. It was reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania on Friday morning that the Cavaliers are promoting Brandon Weems to the role of General Manager under President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are promoting executive Brandon Weems to General Manager under President Koby Altman, sources tell ESPN. Weems has been in the Cavaliers organization for the last decade, rising through scouting and personnel roles before becoming assistant GM in 2022, and…
Weems, who has been with the Cavaliers organization since 2015, has taken the long road to becoming the Cavaliers GM. In the past decade, Weems has held the roles of director of scouting, director of player personnel, and most recently assistant general manager.
With Mike Gansey joining the Philadelphia 76ers this past offseason as their president of basketball operations, there became a vacancy for the Cavaliers GM role. Having served under Gansey, it became a natural transition for Weems as the team would look to continue the trajectory of the franchise and maintain consistency in their approach.
During the offseason there was the narrative that the Cavaliers would use Weems’s pre-existing relationship with LeBron James to lure him back to his third stint to Cleveland. This, as pointed out by Brian Windhorst, is a disservice to the body of work that Weems has put together and his standing within the organization. With LeBron taking his talents to the city of brotherly love, it only has become apparent that Weems’s rise in the organization is based on his own merit and not who he happened to play basketball in high school with.
Weems’s promotion already seems to be making waves across the local fan base.
Suns head coach Jordan Ott high-fives guard Jordan Goodwin (23) during a game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, on Feb. 5, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
How do you define an X-factor? When you look up and down a roster, what skills or characteristics are you searching for in a player before giving them that designation? As we prepare for the 2026–27 Phoenix Suns season, our writing staff decided to take on that question. What makes someone an X-factor? And who will fill that role for the Suns this season?
I’ll start with my own definition. Pulling out my personal basketball dictionary, an X-factor isn’t one of your primary stars. Yes, your season may ultimately sink or swim based on how those players perform, but that doesn’t make them X-factors. That makes them primary factors. An X-factor, at least in my mind, is a role player who has the ability to significantly alter the outcome of a game or even the direction of a season. They are the needle movers; those opposing teams don’t gameplan against but wish they did. And when you look at this Suns roster, there are plenty of candidates.
Last year, in my opinion, it was Collin Gillespie. He took a real step forward as a player, and while he faded down the stretch, what he gave Phoenix through the first two-thirds of the season changed the energy, effort, and outcomes of games on a consistent basis. He was given the opportunity to become an X-factor, and for most of the season, he ran with it. When opposing fanbases are asking who you are, you did the right thing.
So when I look up and down this roster and ask who can be this year’s X-factor, and certainly no opposing fan doesn’t know who he is (for unfortunate reasons), I keep coming back to Miles Bridges. I think what he brings has the potential to change the Suns’ entire offensive ecosystem. You can also make the argument that he sits just outside the primary core, with Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks representing the main trio. Our recent SunsRank rankings reflected that as well, with Bridges landing outside that group. So, yes, Miles Bridges absolutely qualifies as an X-factor.
Bridges adds another layer of complexity, gravity, and pressure to the offense. He can attack downhill, create advantages, and force defenses to account for him in ways that should open the floor for everyone else. And if he can turn that into 18 or more points per game while remaining an efficient threat, it raises the ceiling of what this offense can become. Because if Bridges plays well enough that defenses have to treat him like a legitimate scoring threat, it creates more room for your primary factors. That means better opportunities for Devin Booker. Better opportunities for Jalen Green. And potentially a much more dynamic Suns offense.
Phoenix doesn’t need him to be its best player. It needs him to make life easier for the players who are. If his downhill pressure, physicality, and scoring force defenses to give him additional attention, the ripple effect could touch everything around him. Booker and Green get cleaner opportunities. The offense gains another dimension. And Miles Bridges becomes exactly what an X-factor should be, the variable that changes the equation.
Now, onto the rest of our Bright Side writing team. Let’s see how they define the term and who they’ve identified as their X-factors for the season.
Holden Sherman: An X-factor is the player who has the largest impact on driving your team’s wins and losses. Typically, that is your squad’s best player, but not always. Take the KD Warriors as an example. Steph Curry was the player who drove the most winning but Durant was the best.
For the Phoenix Suns, however, the team’s X-factor also happens to be their best player, which is Devin Booker. Turning 30 at the start of the season, he’s in the middle of his prime, and if he plays closer to the player we saw in 2023 than the one we’ve seen the past few seasons, the Suns could potentially be a top-six seed in an uncertain Western Conference. Along with staying healthy after not qualifying for All-NBA awards this past season, he needs to be an offensive engine not just for himself but for the team. While the roster has a good amount of continuity from a season ago, there will at minimum be two new starters from a season ago to begin the year, with Miles Bridges at the four and whoever replaces Mark Williams while he deals with his shoulder injury.
Booker needs to be the team’s leader off the court, find his own offense, especially late in games, put Dillon Brooks in a position to build off his offensive career year, allow Jalen Green to fully acclimate himself after an injury-packed first season on the Suns, and work in the team’s new starters around him, Green and Brooks
Brandon Duenas: The X-Factor term has so many different meanings. To me, it is someone who doesn’t jump off the page as a headliner. They are not the person you go to an arena to watch play. It is not Devin Booker (sorry Holden). It’s not even Dillon Brooks anymore.
It’s the player who can not only swing a game, but it’s the player who does the little things throughout. It’s the player who doesn’t get the recognition they deserve. It’s the player that mimics the phrase “you don’t know what you got til it’s gone.” To me, that is Jordan Goodwin.
We all saw what happened to the Suns’ perimeter defense without him against OKC. He is indispensable. He is the heart and soul of this team, and when he’s on offensively, very few can impact the game on both ends as he does. The silent assassin. When he goes, boy are the Suns tough to beat.
Bruce Veliz: An X-Factor for me is someone who will truly change or help shape a better season for this team. Last year, the X-Factor made that clear when he got here and shook up the culture and stepped up to the plate when injuries came to play. That is someone I am looking for this year to really help change the narrative once again on what people expect for this team, and the X-Factor to me is the person who changes that trajectory.
That’s why this year for me the X-Factor has to be Khaman Maluach, and even more so, I think now with the recent injury to Mark Williams. Maluach has to step out and really show some signs of progress after his rookie year, where he didn’t get as much of an opportunity as people may have expected/wanted. Now, after a solid summer league and being a lottery pick, the eyes are all on him to truly help this team make it to the next level, even if it’s not immediate. He will be the true catalyst in a lot of discussions surrounding this team, regardless of whether he does or doesn’t pan out.
If he can pan out, he’s that center the Suns have been wanting since the Ayton draft pick and someone who can truly be that dominant big man to Booker’s game, bringing a solid 1-2 punch. If he can reach that, not only does the future look bright for Phoenix, but the KD trade looks even better in hindsight for the team’s direction it pivoted to.
Kevin Humphries: An X-factor to me is a role player, often unproven, that will swing games for the Suns in their favor consistently. Last season, Oso Ighodaro was the ultimate X-factor to me because he was not a star player but arguably starred in his role better than anyone else on the team. He was one of the Suns’ top 5 players last season and won many games for Phoenix.
While I want to go with Ighodaro again, I believe Collin Gillespie is this year’s X-factor for Phoenix. Gillespie started 58 games last season and logged heavy minutes throughout the season, often playing through visible discomfort. In 2025-26, he had the 7th-most made threes in the NBA and was 10th in attempts. He shot a blistering 40.1% from long distance. He also averaged 4.6 assists, which was second on the team.
He will most likely start this season on the bench, but will be the first player off it and will start games when any non-center is injured. He will be the head of the snake for the bench this season, which will once again swing games. The Suns could have the best bench unit in the NBA because of Gillespie, and he could easily earn 6th Man of the Year award votes at season’s end. The big question for Gillespie is whether he can repeat his level of shooting and playmaking again this season. And if he maintains or improves his play this season, there is a case for him to start over Jalen Green to balance out the rotation for Jordan Ott. If that happens, it could force the front office’s hand to move on from Green because Gillespie is the better player.
Tom Mildenberger: X-factor means to me someone who, if they do well or play poorly, can affect the Suns’ win totals. My X-factor is Jordan Ott.
There were a lot of things to love about Ott’s first season in terms of buy-in and culture. He was not able to scheme even a game in the postseason where Devin Booker was free to be the number one scoring option. In his second year, he needs to be more intentional about which players he wants taking shots.
Mark Bowser: I am framing an X-factor as someone who is less predictable, and could also sway the season with a high-end outcome. I considered Man Man because of the extended time on the court he’s likely to get. I understand Booker, but I feel like we mostly know what we’re getting with him.
While not probable, let me submit that a best-case Jalen Green playing a high fraction of the 82 games, being a better distributor (not saying CP3 or KJ here), quicker ball movement, and improving three-point accuracy with improved chemistry year two in the system would easily be our #2 player and a likely All-Star. It would have positive ripple effects on other players, including Book. While also not likely, another injury-plagued season and reduced efficiency, potentially even pouting if there are fewer shots for him with the Bridges addition, could weigh down the team’s hopes. High variance player and our 2026-27 X-factor.
What did members of our community say?
There’s probably no single right way to define an X-factor, and that’s what makes the conversation interesting. It can be the role player who swings a game, the player whose absence exposes a weakness, the guy who takes a leap, or even the coach responsible for putting everyone in the right position. For the Suns, there are plenty of candidates, and everyone has a different reason for putting their name on the list.
So now we want to hear from you. How do you define an X-factor, and who is your X-factor for the 2026–27 Phoenix Suns? Is it one of the names mentioned above, or is there someone we overlooked? Let us know in the comments.
Celtics fans are still trying to adjust to the idea that their team traded away Jaylen Brown. Even Brown admitted he's still adjusting to playing for a new team in a new city.
"For me, I love that guy. What we were able to accomplish together in nine years, right, went to the conference finals five times, we went to the championship twice, we won a championship, we've shared All-Star games together. You can't talk about him without talking about me and vice versa, the success that we've had as just two young kids growing up in this league and really just pushing each other.
"Unfortunately, the business of basketball is always going to play a part. Nobody has ever played together forever, but it's not like a thing to be sad or upset about, it's a thing to celebrate what we were able to do."
As for this coming season, Tatum admitted, "I was nervous every game I played in," not fully trusting his Achilles yet after returning from rupturing it. That has changed now, he added.
"I'll be back to myself when we get out there this October."
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 25: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game on December 25, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Philadelphia is undeniably a huge sports town and certain fans preen about their “4 for 4” status. Still, there exists a hierarchy, and who sits atop it is a certain combination of what part of the season we’re in, current competitiveness of each club, overall likeability of the team.
The last time the Sixers unquestionably sat atop the hierarchy was all the way back in 2001 for the Allen Iverson-led NBA Finals run. Between AI, still one of the city’s most popular athletes ever, an underdog status that you know Philadelphia loves, and a lunchpail defensive attitude that further endeared the squad to fans, it was a perfect combination for what became a magical playoff run. Could this be the year the Sixers ascend back up the Philadelphia sports mountain? Let’s examine.
First and foremost, Philadelphia is an NFL city. The Eagles dominate coverage and conversation across the greater Delaware Valley. For anyone to pass the Eagles in the current hierarchy, it has to be a combination of another team being really good and the Birds greatly disappointing. This could be a tough hurdle for the Sixers to overcome, because the Eagles should be pretty good, currently sitting with the seventh-best Super Bowl odds, per Fanduel.
Still, the narrative is easy to construct. Despite winning a Super Bowl MVP, Jalen Hurts is a somewhat divisive quarterback that a section of the fanbase would be happy to move on from. Last year left a bitter taste in fans’ mouths with a bunch of ugly wins that overshadowed the huge flaws in the offensive scheme. Sean Mannion is in as offensive coordinator this season, but the opening win over Washington was uneven, and the offensive line looks like it could be an ongoing issue. There’s every chance some tweaks are made and the Eagles go on to have a very successful season, but you can envision a scenario where things go off the rails and fans demand a major shakeup.
Next, we have the Phillies, and I have a much easier case to make than I would have needed a couple weeks ago. After a recent rough patch, a couple wins have settled things a bit, but there’s still plenty of concern with the postseason approaching. Jesus Luzardo was just placed on the injured list, bringing into question the one surefire advantage the team had in a playoff series, which was the starting rotation. The bullpen is a mess and all the same questions exist about the lineup that have caused them previous postseason swoons, namely there aren’t enough patient hitters and they’re easy to gameplan around in a playoff setting. Vibes are very low at the moment. Fans were already getting antsy with this current core after the recent postseason defeats, and an early exit this fall could spell full-on emotional removal from the Phils with the emotional hierarchy.
The Flyers have some exciting young players, highlighted by Porter Martone. The front office certainly looks to have things on the right track, and beating the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs last season was enjoyed by one and all east of Harrisburg. Still, the sweep to Carolina showed this group still has some growth steps ahead of them. The Flyers are in the fun come up stage of a franchise rebuild cycle, but it’s hard to say they’re a threat to being atop the city hierarchy.
So, let’s make the case for the Sixers?
Before this offseason, I would have said there was no chance. With his injury history and huge contract, half the fan base wants Joel Embiid gone, and the other half is always internally wincing for the next injury report to drop. Tyrese Maxey is and always has been terrific, but he’s not enough to overcome all the scars of the playoff heartbreaks, tough injuries, and bizarre off-court situations that have plagued this franchise in recent years. No, we needed something big to reset the table and Mike Gansey arrived to provide it. The trade for Jaylen Brown immediately put the Sixers put into the short list of true contenders. Fans took notice. Then, LeBron James chose to come to Philadelphia on a minimum contract. Money was not a factor, and the greatest player of at least his generation…chose…the…Sixers. Sure, he’s 41 years old with a bad back, but LeBron is still playing at an All-Star level and he’s here on a minimum deal.
Things still need to break right. There’s injury luck involved and pieces needing to gel and all the rest of it. But the Sixers are now tied with the defending champion Knicks for the third-best NBA title odds, per Fanduel. They’re objectively the most fascinating team in the league, as evidenced by their having the maximum number of nationally televised games this season. It’s the potential for the perfect storm of competitiveness and intriguing storylines that could catapult the Sixers back atop the Philadelphia sports hierarchy for the first time in decades.
One of the bright young stars of the NBA — and perhaps a player you’ve never even heard of — just locked in a massive extension that affirms his status as an essential piece on an ascending team.
The Utah Jazz and Keyonte George have agreed to a five-year, $157.5 million rookie-scale contract extension, a person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.
The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the deal because it had not been formally announced.
As with all contract extensions, the instant question becomes: is it worth it?
There had been some speculation that Peterson, who like George can play both point guard and shooting guard, would make George redundant. This deal confirms that the two will be simultaneous features.
That grants Utah immense flexibility with its offense, as the Jazz are poised to become a breakout team in 2026-27 and beyond.
Utah has missed the playoffs the last four seasons and has won just 107 of a possible 328 games in that span, including only 39 of 164 across the last two seasons. The Jazz tanked their way to the No. 2 selection and now have an intriguing, young roster that could make some noise, even in the crowded Western Conference and even as soon as this season.
George averaged career highs in points (23.6 per game), assists (6.1), field goal percentage (45.6%), 3-point percentage (37.1%), win shares (3.3), player efficiency rating (18.5), steals (1.1) and other metrics last season.
He became one of only nine players in the league last season who surpassed the 23-point, 6-assist threshold on a per-game basis. The others: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, Luka Dončić, Tyrese Maxey, Cade Cunningham, Devin Booker, Jamal Murray and James Harden. Those eight players, for reference, have 34 combined All-Star appearances.
George has become a three-tier scorer who is as comfortable slashing past defenders and finishing in the paint as he is lacing stepback 3s. His midrange game is fluid and he can operate off the ball. He’s a plus defender.
This deal is a reward for George's past performance, but it's also an investment in the future. At an average of $31.5 million per season, it could become a relative bargain. By comparison, that average annual salary puts him just below Magic guard Jalen Suggs, who averaged 13.8 points and 5.5 assists per game, and Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon.
For a young Jazz team that should suddenly compete, that's good business.
“Keyonte has changed all of our expectations for him, and I think that's a good thing,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said Dec. 15, 2025, after George dropped 37 points in an overtime victory against the Mavericks. “I think that does make us feel differently about him in terms of our roster and what that could mean moving forward.
“You know, he has become a real centerpiece of our organization, and it’s because of the work he has put in as a player and the work he has put in on himself as a young man.”
Sweetney rose to prominence in basketball circles as the latest in a long line of legendary Georgetown big men. In 2002-03, he averaged 22.8 points and 10.4 rebounds per game and was a finalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year award. Sweetney remains fifth all-time at Georgetown in career rebounds (887), seventh in career blocks (180) and ninth in career points (1,750).
Prayers to the family of Georgetown men’s basketball alum Michael Sweetney.
Sweetney was selected No. 9 overall by the New York Knicks in 2003 and went on to play four years in the NBA with the Knicks and Bulls.
Our Bulls family extends our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of former Bull Michael Sweetney, who has passed away at 43. pic.twitter.com/UwXMTQ6cEt
Sweetney also played some in the Big3 after his NBA days. Most recently, Sweetney worked as an assistant coach at Division III Yeshiva University in New York.
The world lost a giant today. I lost a close friend. The basketball world lost a beloved star. Our Jewish community lost an ally and someone who knew exactly how to show up.
Mike Sweetney wasn’t just a friend. He was family. When you needed him, he was there. Always. You didn’t… pic.twitter.com/mwRh9UQgjA
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 18: Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after a game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum on December 18, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
But given his role in Toronto and likely few Lakers fans having watched him last season, we reached out to our friends over at Raptors HQ and asked their site manager, Julian Apolinario, for a scouting report on Mamu.
What are his strengths?
Mamu is a versatile offensive player who can be trusted to get a bucket, while often punching above his weight class — both from a height standpoint and a roster position one. He has experience playing both power forward and center, and is a great locker room guy.
With him, it’s just as much about the intangibles as it is about the stuff you see on the court. Of late he’s developed into a solid shooter with an outside shot that does really need to be respected.
What are his weaknesses?
For someone who is often slotted into the five, Mamu is a bit small at only 6’9″. In a traditional world, he’s really more of a power forward. While he’s not a cone on defense, it’s not what I’d say stands out about his game.
From an outsider’s perspective, how do you see him fitting with the Lakers?
I think his tandem with both Luka Doncic and Walker Kessler will be worth looking out for. Mamu can space the floor while maintaining interior presence in a way that could benefit Kessler if he’s slotted in next to him.
Playing off-ball with Luka facilitating for both interior looks and 3-point shots will be able to keep him as a smoothly running part of the offensive engine.
Anything else to know about him?
The fans tend to love Mamu a lot wherever he goes.
The first paragraph about any story involving Cavaliers executive Brandon Weems includes the phrase "LeBron James' high school teammate," but that can undersell the time and effort Weems has put into carving his own path.
That path now includes being the general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He will be the No. 2 man in the organization and work directly under head of basketball operations Koby Altman.
OFFICIAL: Brandon Weems has been promoted to General Manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers. #LetEmKnow
"Brandon has earned this opportunity through more than a decade of exceptional work with the Cavaliers and by consistently demonstrating elite judgment and the expertise required to help lead our basketball operations," Altman said in a statement announcing the move. "He has been instrumental in our player evaluation and roster-building processes, has a deep understanding of our culture, and has grown into a tremendous leader."
Weems replaces Mike Gansey, who left Cleveland last offseason to take over the Philadelphia job (then recruited LeBron James away from the Cavaliers).
Weems joined the Cavaliers as a scout in 2015 and started working his way up in the organization. Before that, he worked in college, including as Kentucky's assistant director of basketball operations under John Calipari, then at Drexel and Oakland University in Michigan.
The Cavaliers also promoted team Jon Nichols to Associate General Manager, and Brendon Yu and José Calderón to Assistant General Managers.
Mar 8, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) looks up in the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
The Houston Rockets have turned the page on their 2025-26 campaign after an up-and-down season. The Rockets made the biggest move of the 2025 offseason when they traded for future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, hoping he would be the missing piece in their championship hopes.
Unfortunately for the Rockets, those plans were derailed before they even started, as Fred VanVleet, the Rockets’ on- and off-court leader, had his season ended before it started when he suffered a season-ending injury during an offseason workout. The Rockets spent the entire season trying to make up for the absence as they struggled at times to build any consistency throughout the season.
Despite those struggles, the Rockets won 52 games, the same mark as the season before. Like the season before, the Rockets saw their season end in the first round—this time at the hands of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Rockets now head into season two of the Kevin Durant era and hope to do it with a fully healthy team. VanVleet wasn’t the only Rocket who missed significant time last season, as the Rockets’ best rebounder and screen setter, Steven Adams, suffered a season-ending injury in January.
That made an already short-handed Rockets bench even thinner and played a huge part in the Rockets’ early playoff exit. The Rockets didn’t make any big offseason splashes this time around, but they are banking on a healthy VanVleet, and Adams will be exactly what they need to get over the hump this season finally. That said, what three things must happen for the Rockets to have a successful season?
Three things the Rockets must do this season to take that next step
The Rockets performed well in some areas last season. They were again the NBA’s best rebounding team, as they have been for the last few seasons. They were also a top-10 defense all season. Despite those stats, the Rockets still did not finish in the top four in the Western Conference. The Rockets must improve in several areas this upcoming season. Here are the three areas the Rockets must change or improve.
Limit Kevin Durant’s Minutes
Last season, with VanVleet out, the Rockets leaned heavily on the remaining starters, especially Durant. The Rockets, of course, plan on leaning on Durant, considering that even at the age of 36 at the time, Durant is still one of the best players in the league. However, without a traditional point guard, the Rockets had to rely on Alperen Sengun and Durant to not only be their leading scorer but also their point guard at times.
That led to Durant playing not only the second most minutes on the Rockets but in the entire NBA. It was the most total minutes Durant had played since the 2013-14 season. Ime Udoka spoke for most of the season about hoping to limit the former MVP’s minutes but was not able to for obvious reasons. Now the Rockets must limit Durant’s minutes, as they need him as healthy as possible going into the playoffs, unlike last season.
More production from their bench
As mentioned earlier, the Rockets are hoping for a much improved bench this upcoming season. With VanVleet out and eventually Adams gone, players like Reed Sheppard and, at times, Tari Eason had to enter the starting lineup. That severely limited bench production, which led the Rockets to rank last in points per game by a wide margin. The Rockets averaged only 27.6 points per game from their reserves.
The Rockets hope the return of Adams and VanVleet, along with the additions of Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović, means they will not have to rely so heavily on their starters again this season.
Cut down their turnovers
One of the main reasons the Rockets brought in VanVleet was how much they struggled with turnovers. VanVleet’s first season saw the Rockets have one of their best seasons taking care of the basketball in franchise history. That wasn’t the case last season, as the Rockets ranked near the bottom of the league in turnovers.
The Rockets’ lack of ball security hurt them most late in close games, when teams pressured them full court and forced errors that cost them several games. The most egregious of those turnovers happened at the worst time in a must-win playoff game at home vs. the Lakers.
With the Rockets holding a late lead, LeBron James pressured Reed Sheppard, forcing the turnover that helped the Lakers force an improbable overtime, which the Rockets would go on to lose. That play was a microcosm of the Rockets’ ball security issues all season. To get past the first round, the Rockets must take care of the basketball, and VanVleet’s return should go a long way toward reducing turnovers.
The Rockets kick off training camp starting on the 23rd of this month and hope to lay the groundwork for a successful 2026-27 season, but they must improve in these three areas for that to happen.
We know what Utah's backcourt of the future will look like — Darryn Peterson and Keyonte George.
That is more set in stone than ever after George and the Jazz agreed to a five-year, $157.5 million extension of his rookie contract, a story broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon and since confirmed by other reports. NBA insider Jake Fischer says the true contract value, excluding incentives he may or may not earn, is $155 million. The deal does not kick in until the 2027-28 season (George will make $6.6 million this season in the final year of his rookie deal).
George, who had emerged as part of the future in Utah long before the lottery balls bounced its way, gets starting point guard money at more than $30 million a season. Utah locks up a player who, if he continues to grow on his current trajectory, will be a good value at this price.
George joins Victor Wembanyama and Amen Thompson as the first players from the 2023 draft class to sign rookie extensions.
George, the No. 16 pick in 2023 out of Baylor, averaged 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game last season, while shooting 37.1% from beyond the arc in the 54 games he played on the tanking Jazz. His production has steadily improved each of his three NBA seasons, although his perimeter defense remains a serious concern. That said, George emerged as part of Utah's future long before last year's lottery.
That lottery brought in No. 2 pick Peterson, who showed his star potential at both the Salt Lake City and Las Vegas Summer Leagues.
How Peterson and George will mesh as a backcourt where both can handle the ball and create, and both can shoot, will be a work in progress this season for coach Will Hardy. But mesh that backcourt with Lauri Markkanen, Ace Bailey and Jaren Jackson Jr. and this could be an interesting team in Utah this season.
