BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 26: Pacome DaDiet is drafted 25th overall by the New York Knicks during the 2024 NBA Draft - Round One on June 26, 2024 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks enter the 2026 NBA Draft with a luxury few championship teams enjoy: patience. The draft will be held June 23-24, and New York, fresh off a title run that ended a 53-year drought, is scheduled to make the 24th, 31st, and 55th selections.
The champsionship core is in place. The challenge now is finding affordable contributors who can strengthen the bench, fit the culture, and grow alongside the vets. Over the next week, Posting and Toasting will profile prospects who could hear their names called by the Knicks, breaking down the strengths, weaknesses, backgrounds, and potential fits. Bookmark this page to track who we profile, and if there’s someone you’d like us to spotlight, drop the name in the comments below.
Players Profiled
Isaiah Evans Evans, a 6’6” sophomore, emerged as one of college basketball’s top shooters last season, averaging 15 points per game while shooting 38% from three-point range and nearly 19 points per game during Duke’s NCAA Tournament run. His deep-range shooting, off-ball movement, and positional size makes him an intriguing fit for a championship roster that could benefit from offense off the bench.
Chris Cenac, Jr. Houston freshman Cenac is an intriguing big man who could be available at the 24th or 31st spots. Standing nearly 6’11” with a 7’5” wingspan, he combines elite physical tools, strong rebounding instincts, and emerging perimeter skills. He averaged 9.5 PPG and 7.9 RPG while leading Houston in rebounding as a freshman, showing the ability to finish at the rim, stretch the floor, and defend multiple actions. His offensive skills are raw and his playmaking and rim protection need development, but he profiles as a long-term frontcourt project behind Mitchell Robinson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
A 19-year-old combo guard from the University of Arkansas who projects as a mid-to-late first-round pick and could be available when the Knicks select at No. 24. Thomas averaged 15.6 points per game while shooting an impressive 42% from three-point range and 84% from the free-throw line, showcasing one of the best shooting profiles among guards in this draft class. Beyond his perimeter shooting, he offers secondary shot creation, strong defensive instincts, and a competitive edge on both ends of the floor. What’s not to like?
“BORD$ still values him as a high-end reserve, with his $9.4 million valuation falling well short of the contract dollars,” Hollinger wrote. “I could see the Hawks picking up the option to use his contract in a trade, but it’s more likely that they decline it and either re-up at a lower number or move on.”
BORD$ is Hollinger’s proprietary player valuation system, which factors in regular-season production, age, injury history and projected minutes to estimate what a player is actually worth on the open market.
Kuminga averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range across 36 games with the Hawks after being traded by the Warriors in February. The 23-year-old was selected No. 7 overall by Golden State in the 2021 NBA Draft, a pick the Warriors hoped would develop into a long-term frontcourt piece next to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green before injuries and inconsistency stalled his rise.
The numbers tell only part of the story. Kuminga was in and out of Hawks coach Quin Snyder’s rotation for much of the season — a pattern not unlike his up-and-down role under Kerr in Golden State, where his minutes fluctuated wildly from game to game despite flashes of real talent.
The Hawks have until June 29 to make their decision. If they decline the option, Kuminga becomes an unrestricted free agent — though Hollinger’s valuation suggests his next contract may once again fall short of what he believes he’s worth.
Apr 22, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) reacts during the second half against the Orlando Magic during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The offseason is officially here, and for the Detroit Pistons, no decision is more consequential than the future of big man Jalen Duren. Duren bet on himself last offseason by not being willing to sign an extension in his first opportunity with the Pistons. That bet paid off to the tune of the best season of his career and All-NBA Third-Team honors.
The Pistons want to re-sign Duren to be the big man complement to star guard Cade Cunningham for the foreseeable future. He’s eligible to sign a five-year $287 million contract courtesy of making All-NBA. He won’t get that much money from Detroit or anyone else, but how much less will be a sticking point.
Duren had a great season, and showed his offensive game is not just limited to his already valuable rim pressure as a roll man alongside Cunningham. He can face up. He can use both power and touch near the rim. He can hit his free throws.
But he has limitations, and we certainly saw those limitations in a disappointing playoff run that cost him some money on his next deal. He’s not an offensive hub, he doesn’t stretch out to the perimeter, and he doesn’t play all-world defense.
There are questions about how much money is worth in today’s NBA if you’re serious about building a contending team. Well, when you’re 22 years old and maybe just scratching the surface like Duren seems like he might be, that number is going to be nine digits and probably start with a two.
In his valuation of Duren’s season, John Hollinger pegs Duren as worth approximately $44 million a year. Hollinger’s analysis is a mix of analytics, playing time data, and projection. Hollinger, being a human who saw said playoff struggles, gives Duren’s deal a bit of a haircut and lands on five years and approximately $200 million.
That is a lot of money. A lot, a lot. It would rank Duren behind only a handful of the centers in the NBA. In terms of age and percentage of the salary cap, it would be nearly identical to the deal Alperen Sengun signed with the Houston Rockets.
Whether Hollinger is correct in his valuation or not, the team must also be careful that Duren isn’t suddenly motivated to sign an offer sheet with another team. That’s a scenario Hollinger also calls out.
“On the other hand, Duren is only 22 and coming off an All-Star regular season, and cap-room teams like Brooklyn and Chicago will be circling with offer sheets if the Pistons get cold feet.”
If the Pistons draw a hard line at around the $200 million mark, then a team like Brooklyn and Chicago can come in and offer something closer to the $230 million that Duren would be eligible for on a typical post-rookie max deal. That would leave the Pistons with an extremely difficult choice between overpaying for a potential cornerstone player or losing them for nothing.
For a contending team like Detroit, it’s a decision that effectively dictates your path for the next several years. Choose correctly and you can reasonably fight for an NBA title. Choose wrong, and you’ve cemented your status as close but never was.
Regardless of the path chosen, the choices only get harder from here on out.
THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 2305 -- Pictured: New York Knicks Championship Team on Monday, June 15, 2026 -- (Photo by: Rosalind O'Connor/NBC via Getty Images)
The Knicks have scheduled their parade for Thursday at 10 a.m.
Mikal Bridges might not make it there.
See for yourself.
"Put your hands together For the Kings of the comeback A team of history A team of destiny Our dream team Please welcome The 2026 NBA Champions Your New York Knicks" pic.twitter.com/HRY8DEv6i2
“This stuff is harder than what you think, and … you have to have great assistants. You have to have great players. But I was gassed. I’ll never forget, in 2003, as an assistant (with the Spurs), and when we won the championship (against the New Jersey Nets) … I was on the other bench when the buzzer went off, (and) I was sitting on my chair. All I did was lean back in my chair and I sat there, I felt like, for 10 minutes. It was probably 30 seconds, but I just wanted to breathe. I wanted to breathe. And that’s what I wanted to do today. It was surreal. I was tired, and then I went to find my family. I went to find (his partner) Ro, my grandson, my son Elijah, my step-kid, my mom, my sisters, I went to find my family and enjoy it with them.”
On the Knicks’ coaching search:
“No. I mean, I’ve been around a long time. This business is just as crazy as any other business. I’m pretty good at trying to control what I can control. I had zero control over who else was interviewing, who was denied permission. I had zero control over that. I just did the best I could in the interview process. I went about my business and waited until it was either going to progress or end . . . I just let it unfold the way it unfolded.”
On James Dolan’s speech:
“It’s a pretty serious mood going into the playoffs. When he said that, I was like, ‘Mike, hold yourself together. Do not fall out. Focus on his words. Focus on his words. Try to keep this as serious as you can. And let’s see how it plays out with the players.’ But there was no way that I could get that done.”
On Dolan’s impact:
“His speech was effective ’cause it was powerful. It was impactful, and it added to what messaging we’ve been giving our guys from Day 1, from the Opening Night dinner going into training camp, it added to it.
“And it added to it on another level because now you have the top guy, the ultimate leader, the guy that owns the team, that writes the checks, saying how he feels in a deep-felt message.
“They took it very seriously. We had shirts made up with ‘2026 Playoffs,’ and on the back we had ‘10 Weeks.’ And we even had the slogan ‘10 Weeks’ on the wall in the locker room, and as time went on, guys would say, ‘Hey — we got three weeks left, three weeks, let’s lock in.’
“If you can break it down to where, ‘Hey, this is 10 weeks of your life. … 10 weeks of your life to reach the mountaintop.’ ”
On feeling supported by James Dolan:
“One hundred percent this man has my back and we’re aligned. And that’s what I needed to hear. Our business, it’s a tough business, there’s too many different opinions that everybody can see and feel that can create separation or divide amongst a group. And I felt when he said those words, especially about me, that our players and everybody that was around during that speech, knew that we were truly aligned, vertically and horizontally, and it was a strong bond.”
On Knicks fans after the championship:
“You can’t go anywhere without people hugging you and telling you how long they’ve been waiting. You see grandpas saying, ‘When I was 20-something years old that happened.’ Then you see parents saying, ‘When I was a little kid and my parents used to take me,’ then you see their kids saying, ‘This is great!’ They don’t understand how long 54 years is ’cause they’re 10 years old.
You can feel how passionate and how truthful and how much pain they had over this team not winning all those years.”
On having family around during the Finals:
“It’s awesome having family around. Look, I’m a big family guy. To be able to have that support, whether you’re at home or on the road, and that love for anybody, it can uplift them. Whether you win or you lose, they don’t care. They just want to be there for you, and they want to support you. It’s always good to have that around, especially being in San Antonio.”
On his father:
“He definitely has that Air Force background. I think that’s where I got my OCD [obsessive-compulsive disorder] from. Dad, sorry. He’s pretty meticulous with whatever he goes about in his business.”
On getting another NBA opportunity:
“I obviously interviewed a couple times [for other NBA jobs], didn’t get them. Then Sacramento came. That gave me an opportunity, which I appreciate.”
On traveling after being fired by Sacramento:
“After I got fired, I wasn’t thinking about it, because my wife and I were running all over the world. We were in Sydney, we were in New York, Mexico, St. Barts. Next thing I know, they’re asking me to interview here.”
On the origin of the ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ chant:
“I was an assistant (coach) in San Antonio many moons ago, a reporter who asked me a question, he said, ‘What did you learn during your time here when you coached the seven-year-old Dogs Flying Football team?’ I said, ‘I learned the cheer.’
We used to have the parents all come in the huddle, all the kids come in the huddle before every game, we put our hands in, and I go, ‘Who let the dogs out?’”
og really taking this nation by storm thats my hearthrob right there everyone is inlove with him pic.twitter.com/CNRkzwLg0M
— sports live tweeter yadira (@jonmoxIeys) June 16, 2026
Karl-Anthony Towns
On his meesage to future generations of hoopers:
“As long as you believe in yourself and you are willing to put the work in—anyone, kids growing up in New York, kids growing up all around the world have the chance to be a New York Knick as long as they want to do it and they gotta be willing to put the work in.”
On Victor Wembanyama:
“I mean, he’s taller, but for sure, you know, he’s a great player. He’s a once-in-a-generation player, someone that the league is honored to have. And to be able to see that kind of size and skill is something that we haven’t been able to see in the game of basketball before.”
“Honestly, it was like a lifetime, honestly, that’s what it felt like. I knew I had to because I knew that face would look crazy on TV.”
On his teammates:
“I think the best part about it is that these guys have my back night in and night out. Made that moment 10 times more special.”
On Mikal Bridges’ Instagram Live:
“Someone take Mikal’s phone away.”
On Josh Hart’s missed layup in Game 4:
“A lot of great things happen there. When we’re down one, and you miss wide-open layups.”
On not retaliating against Victor Wembanyama:
“I think it starts, honestly, with my parents, how they raised me. I’ll start there. I wanted to [retaliate] but at the same time, I knew that being a leader, understanding the moment, understanding the situation, you have to keep your composure. No matter when it’s being too high or being too low, you gotta stay even-keeled. That’s something I had for a long time.”
On Josh Hart being only his work-best-friend:
“I was ready to admit it, but after hearing that. I’m good.”
On Mike Brown’s ‘Who Let The Dogs Out?’ chant:
“We’ve got to put that to bed.”
Everything Mikal said on his drunk IG live today 😂
• Shouted out Atlanta for pissing him off and turning him up
• Called Ariel Hukporti “35” and joked that he lied on his birth certificate
• Called Jalen Brunson the GOAT and said his big-ass head needs a statue.
“Just take over the Knicks and get a chip. That’s some savage talk.”
On James Dolan:
“He could be a bigger savage if he built a practice facility in the city. But he still a savage.”
On Brunson deserving a statue:
“JB. Baaaaa. Goat. Baaaaa. Build him a statue. Build that little big-headed a statue, bro.”
On Becky Hammon’s comments on Jalen Brunson:
“And about Becky. No disrespect for Becky, man. She’s a m—-rf—-r for real, and she’s a savage for sure… Becky’s a savage, too. I appreciate Becky [Hammon], no cap. The words she said about can’t win with JB being a ‘1A’, ‘1B’, ‘he too little’, all that did is fuel that n—- bro.”
On Jalen Brunson’s mentality:
“I don’t care what y’all say or what he says, but I know him. And he ain’t gonna tell y’all. He knows what she said. It fueled that n—- to go be him, go be f—ing great….. Don’t f—k with Becky, bro, don’t disrespect Becky. She’s the GOAT.”
On his goal for the championship parade:
“I just want to bring my dog on the float; that’s it.”
“For me, I just wanted to set up an epic last possession. We wouldn’t have that OG tip-in without that missed layup. I was willing to sacrifice that layup so OG could get the tip-in. I was trying to be a good teammate.”
On Mikal Bridges drinking at 9 a.m. on a Monday:
“At 9 o’clock? Call the hotline.”
On Jalen Brunson as a work-best-friend:
“Well, you always have, like, work best friends. You go to school, and you have a friend there, and when he’s not there, you’re like, ‘Dang, where is he at?’ But when you go home, you don’t think about him.”
On his first impression of Brunson after meeting him in Villanova:
“I thought he was an entitled, privileged five-star recruit, [and] I wasn’t really a fan.”
On Brunson’s personality:
“It’s kind of the same now. People think that I’m the childish one, but he is like the annoying friend… He is probably the most annoying person I know behind the cameras.”
Mitchell Robinson shares his mental health battles (and an adorable picture of himself a child) in an IG post this afternoon pic.twitter.com/Mmq846SVds
“I don’t even know where to begin the battles, the sacrifices, the mental breakdown, the disbelief in myself, the injuries, the surgeries, the mistakes and to be able to stay strong and bounce back from being in hell was all worth the ride I appreciate the fans and my friends and family for helping me get through all of that while fighting to get it done the sacrifices yall made for me throughout the years will never go unnoticed and unappreciated I can’t thank you all enough for everything y’ll got me through.”
On asking the Knicks to communicate their postseason commitment to their family:
“Go home, talk to your wives. Don’t tell them you’re not going to have sex, and don’t tell them it was my idea. But let them know what this is going to be like, what your commitment is going to be like.”
On what a championship would mean:
“I don’t know if you understand what it would mean to win the NBA championship. It would be life-changing. … It will stick with you the rest of your lives. And if you don’t win, you’ll be thinking about it the rest of your lives.”
On the Knicks’ legacy:
“You will forever be important to New York City. No matter where you go and what you do the rest of your lives, when people introduce you, even if you become the president of the United States, they’ll start off with ‘NBA champion, 2026.’ … That’s what’s at stake here.”
On the need for sacrifice:
“The big word is sacrifice. You’re going to have to sacrifice if you want to achieve this.”
On his belief in the Knicks:
“I know you can do it. You know you can do it. I believe you know you can do it.”
On accountability and preparation:
“At the end of these 10 weeks, what you achieve is what the public’s gonna think of you — not what you say in the press conferences, etc.”
On building daily habits from the get-go:
“You need to bump your practice. You need to pay more attention to your diet. You need to sleep better. You need to be ready for every game. … That’s not something you start on the first game of the playoffs. That is something you start right now, today!”
On his particular demand for sacrifice:
“I had this idea that maybe you should give up sex for the next 10 weeks — you don’t have to give up sex for the next 10 weeks — BUT — like the Spartans, you know what Spartans are? They denied themselves, right? So that they can have an edge. Get the edge. Go home, talk to your wives and tell them — don’t tell them you’re not gonna have sex, don’t tell ’em it was my idea — but let them know what this is gonna be like, what your commitment is gonna be like, and how they’re gonna have to sacrifice too. Those concerns at home, they can’t come on the court. It’s not who we play, it’s how we play. Because I believe this team can beat ANYBODY in the NBA.”
On rewarding Knicks players’ families:
“When we win the championship, we will get rings. And when we get rings, so will they. I will buy a ring for each one of your significant others, because their contribution is gonna be very important to this team winning.”
On the areas to improve:
“The next 10 days, fix those three things as part of your focus, because those are our Achilles’ heels, and they’ll stop us in the playoffs.”
On demanding commitment from everybody:
“You gotta try like you’ve never tried before. It’s only 10 weeks, guys. You gotta go for it. You gotta leave nothing on the table. You must go for it. Do it. Commit to it. Go for it.”
On Mike Brown building a relationship with Jalen Brunson:
“The first thing he did was drive down to Jalen’s house and go to dinner with him in Jersey Shore. And I had told him, ‘Build a good relationship with Jalen, and he’ll run through a wall for you.’ That’s what they both did (this season). This is amazing, man. Mike’s been amazing. He gives way too much credit to everybody else. This is Mike Brown.”
On helping Jalen avoid his mistakes:
“You just take the experiences that you had, and the mistakes that you made, and try to instill them into your kids and make sure they don’t go down that same path.”
On his goals for Jalen:
“My only goal was that, ‘Hey, I wanna help my son reach his dream and play in the NBA.’ And our only goal was to get a guaranteed contract and be successful. It wasn’t to be this, you know? I’d be lying to tell you I knew it would come out to this. No way!”
On coaching Jalen in New York:
“I say this to him all the time, ‘Me coaching you the last four years, I never had a bad day. It’s going to work, looking at you, so I don’t expect you to have a bad day.’”
On lessons learned from his own career:
“I’ve been there not knowing if you’re gonna be there the next day. So I’ve always instilled that in him, and he took that… The credit goes to your children; they listen, they learn, and they want to be great.”
“When we first acquired him, I would’ve been happy with 20 points and six assists, because they talk about his height and having no speed. I thought in a playoff situation, opponents would put taller guys on Jalen and he would have trouble.”
On Brunson’s playoff success:
“But he found a way. In every series, he found a way. The Spurs have excellent defenders on the perimeter, and they were frustrated and devastated by Brunson. It’s a testament to his sagacity. His game is right between the ears.”
"I've never heard him talk about any other Knick team with the kind of reverence he talks about this team."
Mike Breen shares Clyde Frazier's thoughts of this Knicks championship team with @RichEisen 💪
On the origin of his ‘Go ahead and cry’ comment after the final buzzer:
“The cry line was from all the fans that I’ve talked to. It started the last three or four seasons when there was hope that this team might actually win a championship. They all said the same thing. ‘If that ever happens, I’m going to cry.’ They all said it. I figured that is a good time to let them know, ‘It’s OK to cry.’ That’s where it came from.”
On Leon Rose’s roster construction and long-term vision:
“It really starts with Leon [Rose]. I’m so impressed with his vision to put this together. I think the guys he went out and got, Karl-Anthony Towns and [OG] Anunoby, [Landry] Shamet — Mitchell Robinson fit in that way, even though he had him. He went out and got those kinds of guys like Josh, Mikal and Jalen that were about winning and about the team. It sounds simple, but that’s really hard to do today. All of those guys sacrificed parts of their games.
“It was specifically Leon’s plan to get those kinds of guys. It was a great vision and it took a lot of courage, because you know it was not something anyone else in the NBA had done. If it didn’t work, he would’ve been highly criticized.
It started with Jalen, and then bringing in Donte [DiVincenzo] and Mikal, the trade for Karl-Anthony Towns. He was doing it to get all the same type of character. He had a vision for that type of character and that type of player, that I don’t think anybody else has ever done in the NBA.”
On the Finals comeback and celebration:
“Thank God I didn’t leave. Being with 19,800 people, singing Frank Sinatra’s ‘New York, New York,’ Jay-Z’s ‘Empire State of Mind,’ being down on the court hugging Jalen, Mikal and Josh, and Spike Lee and Tim Thomas and [Stephon] Marbury, just being a part of that New York Knicks scene was one of my great memories all time in sports.”
On whether he also deserves a ring:
“I have been on such a great ride with these guys, that’s enough for me.”
“He did something that a bunch of great guards were never able to do, he did something that James Harden, as a starter on his own team, never even made the finals and fell short over and over again. Steve Nash, who was an unbelievable player, two-time MVP, through no fault of his own, could never quite get the team there. Chris Paul finally did it in the 2021 finals late in his career, but they lost. Jason Kidd; two straight finals, but he lost, and then finally gets one later as a role player starter in Dallas.”
On Brunson’s championship run:
“What Brunson did was up there with Dwayne Wade in 2006. It was up there with Walton in 1977. You can go on. through, but we’re just dragging a team to the finals, and he is somebody that I never in a million years would have thought would make the pyramid. He was the guy over and over again who could create the best offense for them, and he got better when it mattered…I have him at 40. I have him above Nash, Kidd, Sam Jones, Harden, George Gervin, and Luka Doncic.”
NEW: Today, Pope Leo XIV posed with the New York Knicks jersey.
After asking Leo for a miracle, Spike Lee credits the U.S.-born pontiff’s blessing over the team with helping them win their first NBA title since 1973. pic.twitter.com/1NsdBnzV8m
On Victor Wembanyama not shaking his hand with the Knicks:
“I think Wemby got exposed in a variety of ways here. I think he came off as petty. I think he came off occasionally as a guy who would give a cheap shot. I didn’t like sort of how he ended the series. Go find Jalen Brunson. I mean, Jalen Brunson was all class.”
On the Spurs’ lack of sportsmanship after the Finals loss:
“(Wembanyama,) look your killer in the face. Look your killer in the face. You got to look them in their face. By the way, if you leave the court and you don’t look me in my face and I just beat you, I actually know that I owned you forever because you couldn’t even look me in the face.
“And so to see them walk off the court, it was disheartening. And I blame it on youth. I blame it on lacking the leader to show them that, hey, this is what you do, not walk off. I blame it on that. I blame it on that.
“Lacking the leadership, the leader to show them that, no, no, no, there’s a way to win and there’s a way to lose. There’s a way to win and there’s a way to lose. And walking off the court, not looking your killer in his eyes, ain’t the way to lose.”
“You talk about Jalen Brunson and what he just accomplished, he cemented himself as the greatest Knicks ever. Jalen Brunson just cemented himself as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Jalen Brunson just cemented himself as one of the greatest winners in sports. Jalen Brunson just cemented himself a top 5 player in this league. Jalen Brunson just cemented himself as one of the greatest offensive players that this game has ever seen.”
On Brunson’s clutch performances:
“When you talk about coming up clutch, put him up there with the all-time greats. Averaging over 11 points in the fourth quarter. Averaging over 32 points in the NBA Finals. Magic Johnson didn’t do that. Steph Curry didn’t do that. Isiah Thomas didn’t do that. And I’m talking about point guards. Now, we’re talking about a man that is sitting at the table with Isaiah Thomas and Steph Curry, as far as guards that’s listed under 6’3 leading their team to an NBA championship, and a Finals MVP.”
“I can’t pick anyone out because everyone had a part in it. The coaching staff, everyone had a part in it, so I won’t do that. I won’t single anyone out, but Brunson [the team captain] is the King of New York right now. The people have spoken.”
On Brunson as a Ghostbuster:
“There’s something strange in your neighborhood. Who you gonna call? Jalen Brunson!”
On his emotions after the title:
“I broke down a lot. I wasn’t the only one. Everyone in there was. Fifty-three years [the last time the Knicks won the championship was in 1973], everyone let it all out, everyone felt joyful, they were tears of joy.”
On what the title means for New York:
“It means we’re over the hump. The curse is over, and this is the first time in a long time that I’ve really seen the city happy.”
On New York’s resilience:
“We’ve been through a lot, and we have something to really, really be proud of.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - NOVEMBER 30: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers waits during the first quarter against the Boston Celtics at Rocket Arena on November 30, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Donovan Mitchell is extension-eligible for the Cleveland Cavaliers this summer. The seven-time All-Star has given no indication that he wants out of Cleveland, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll take this opportunity to extend.
“I think the Cavs and Donovan are in a very good place,” said Windhorst. “And I think everyone should be prepared for the eventuality that he does not extend.”
Mitchell choosing not to extend could frighten some fans. We all have PTSD from the LeBron years. But this does not mean that Mitchell is getting ready to demand a trade or jump ship the following season. Instead, it just means he’s got maximum money on his mind.
“He is in a maximum leverage situation,” said Windhorst. “He has one year left in his contract, and next year he can sign with all of the goodies that come along with a brand-new contract because he’ll be a 10-year veteran.”
What’s the difference between signing a deal this summer and waiting another year? A 5% bump in how much Mitchell can make. Signing next year, after he’s completed his ninth NBA season, will make Mitchell eligible for 35% of the Cavs cap space as compared to the 30% available to him now.
Mitchell averaged 27.9 points per game last season and reached his first conference finals. He’s been an All-NBA member in three of his four seasons with Cleveland. To this point, Mitchell’s time in the wine and gold has been mutually beneficial.
Of course, not signing an extension this summer will bring another wave of rumors. Speculation will run rampant no matter what Mitchell intends with this decision.
“The only incentive that Mitchell has to sign right now is to do the Cavs a favor,” said Windhorst. “If Donovan does not extend, it doesn’t mean that he’s leaving, it doesn’t mean that he’s unhappy, it doesn’t mean that the Cavs should lose sleep, it does mean that he’s maximizing his situation.”
No one can predict what next summer will bring. As of now, all we know is that it makes the most sense financially for Mitchell to hold off on signing an extension. That seems to be the path he will take.
As we are one week out from the NBA Draft, the unofficial deadline for a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, and talks around that trade — and rumors of trade talks — are heating up.
That much we know. Where Antetokounmpo gets traded and for whom — or if there is a surprising twist still to come — remains undecided. But it seems to be a two-team race. Here's the latest.
Miami or Boston?
The Heat and the Celtics remain not just the frontrunners to land Antetokounmpo but really the only teams in the race. However, which one is in the league depends on who you ask: Miami not only remains the most likely option according to the league sources NBC Sports has spoken with, but also those sources have grown increasingly confident that the Heat ultimately will be the spot. There is growing skepticism about Boston's seriousness, as reported by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe during an appearance on NBC Sports Boston.
The Bucks seem to not be in love with the Heat's offer(s) and continue to discuss trade packages with other teams, team sources say. That said, Miami has been able to improve what it can offer since the trade deadline.
Miami's offer reportedly focuses on Tyler Herro (a Wisconsin native), Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and a couple of first-round picks, including No. 13 in this draft. Herro is the oldest of those players at 26. The buzz that the Bucks don't like it sounds like spin and public negotiation, as Milwaukee tries to get the most out of this deal — they want to pressure the Heat to add more.
Boston provides that pressure. The Celtics' offer reportedly could involve All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown, coming off the best season of his career, plus other players and a number of picks. Boston made an offer, according to Bill Simmons of The Ringer, but did not provide details on what it included.
The first question becomes: Do the Celtics really want to do this trade? They get older, Antetokounmpo has had a concerning injury history that has hit hard in recent playoffs, and he wants a max extension, with the last couple of years of that deal potentially being an expensive anchor.
Plus, this would force Boston coach Joe Mazzulla to play a different style — which may be the point. At his end of season press conference, Celtics president Brad Stevens said he wanted the team to attack the rim more, one way to force that adjustment is to bring in a player who only attacks the rim and is not a guy you want shooting 3s.
Is breaking up a Brown and Jayson Tatum pairing that is entering its prime and has already won a ring wise? On top of all that, it would take at least a third team to get a trade done, because Brown is not on Milwaukee's new timeline, the Bucks don't want him as a player, they will want to flip him for younger players and picks.
Miami's offer is at least as good, if not better and is more straightforward. That said, it's Milwaukee's job to get the best offer it can, so why wrap it up now? Wait until close to the draft, just in case.
Houston Rockets fans largely do. Rafael Stone is the devil incarnate. The root of all evil. The sole reason why the Rockets were not the 2025-26 NBA champions.
This won’t be another full-fledged Stone defense piece. I will quickly note the cognitive dissonance between fans and peers when it comes to Stone. He’s regularly voted among the best GMs in the league – by other GMs. Most Rockets fans wouldn’t let Stone manage a junior high group project.
Who’s right? Are fans just close enough to the situation, or a bit too close? For my money, the track record is complicated. Green over Mobley was an abject disaster, and an own goal no less. Otherwise, fans tend to underrate how rare it is to land both Alperen Sengun and Tari Eason in the middle of consecutive drafts, and understate luck as a factor. This exact roster with Cade Cunningham is earning him universal praise.
Anyway, there’s one achievement Stone does not have on his resume: A second-round steal. He has not selected a player in the second round of the draft who has contributed meaningfully to the team:
With the 39th pick in this year’s draft, he should change that.
Rockets must maximize opportunity with 39th pick
Why would a valuable player slip to the second round? What is it about these guys that leads to such egregious misscouting?
Well, it’s a case-by-case question, but often, these guys fall into the defense-only camp. They’re raw, tools-y, and wholly incapable of putting the ball in the basket.
Say Ime Udoka in the mirror three times, and one of them appears.
One prospect I’ve found tantalizing for years is Baba Miller. Then again, put any 6’9″ + wing with defensive versatility and a functional handle in front of me, and I turn into the popular girl in an 80s movie getting picked up by the bad boy on the motorcycle with the leather jacket. Plus, cool name bias could be a factor.
At 6’11”, Miller can guard at least three through five, maybe two. He can handle the ball to an extent. Last year, he shot 34.2% on 3.4 three-pointers per game. Pretty good!
This year, that number fell to 19.2%. Not so good.
Perhaps Ugonna Onyeso is a smarter bet. He has at least one bankable skill. Onyeso’s 17.4 Block Percentage led the entire NCAA last year.
The offense is raw. Onyeso hit 27.8% of his 1.0 threes per game this year, which is indicative of floor spacing development, but any Rockets fan knows that a hypothetical shot is strictly hypothetical until it isn’t. Still, as an off-the-bench energy big, there’s some appeal here.
Otherwise, the Rockets could (if you’re reading this, avert your eyes, Mr. Udoka) draft a player with more of an offensive mindset. Richie Saunders looks like the type of 6’5″ shooter you’d be happy to put on the floor for ten minutes in an NBA Finals game. Trevon Brazile is 6’10” and can shoot, but there are concerns about his Udok-atude (effort).
Don’t look at me. I’m no scout. The point is this: Stone needs this feather in his cap. Adding a homegrown second-round pick to your playoff rotation is a hallmark of quality GMing. It’s a way to extract surplus value, and manage your cap. Unless the Rockets plan on moving this pick, they should take it seriously:
Although even if Stone nails it, some people will hate him anyway.
The popularity of the 2026 World Cup and NBA Finals helped FanDuel Sportsbook achieve multiple new records.
Key Takeaways
USA-Paraguay and Morocco-Brazil are the two most-bet soccer matches in FanDuel history.
The Knicks and Spurs' three-game finish to the Finals were all the most-bet NBA games in company history.
The USMNT will be back in action at the World Cup on Friday.
FanDuel has offered betting odds from a plethora of sports, leagues, and events since sports betting was legalized in the U.S. in 2018, but no soccer or basketball game drew more attention than the events of this past weekend.
It was a record-breaking weekend at FanDuel!
⚽ USA vs. Paraguay and Brazil vs. Morocco are the two most popular soccer matches in FanDuel history.
🏀 NBA Finals Games 3–5 between @nyknicks and @spurs are the top-performing NBA games we've ever seen.
The U.S. men's national team's tournament-opening matchup with Paraguay kicked off the record-breaking stretch Friday evening. The Group D game finished 4-1 in favor of the Americans, who earned a big three points with one of their strongest-ever performances.
Brazil and Morocco - positioned sixth and seventh in FIFA’s world rankings, respectively - carried the momentum through their Group C clash Saturday. The 1-1 draw resulted in one point for each side after goals from Ismael Saibari and Vinicius Junior.
As exciting as the matchups were for fans across the country, they were equally enticing for sports bettors. FanDuel confirmed the two games were the most popular soccer matches in company history.
“Milestones like these are made possible by the teams across FanDuel who deliver exceptional experiences for our customers every single day!” the company wrote in a post shared on social media.
NBA Finals sets brand-new podium
As the World Cup whet the palate of sports bettors, the NBA Finals capped off an unmatched three-game span of basketball betting.
Games 3-5 between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks were the “top-performing” NBA games in FanDuel’s history. Although it was not revealed if that referred to handle or tickets, it reflects the all-time popularity of the matchup.
The Knicks’ five-game series win came against expectations. FanDuel had the Spurs at around 2-to-1 pre-series favorites after they dispatched the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, San Antonio lost four of five games, three as home favorites.
Despite the Knicks’ triumph, the Spurs and Thunder opened as coleaders (+250) in 2027 NBA championship odds. The Boston Celtics (+600) are third, and the Knicks are fourth (+750) at FanDuel.
Finals MVP Jalen Brunson is also +3,500 to win NBA MVP - good for ninth on the board. He’s between the Detroit Pistons’ Cade Cunningham (+2,700) and the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown (+6,500), while Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (+200) is an early front-runner.
More records ahead?
Looking at possible record-setting opportunities on the immediate horizon, the USMNT will return to the pitch to take on Australia on Friday afternoon. The Stars and Stripes are -170 favorites to win the match at FanDuel and sit 11th in World Cup odds (+3,500).
Defending champion Argentina will take on Austria in a matchup between two capable squads next Monday. The U.S. will face Turkiye on June 25, and Norway will cross paths with France on June 26.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 19: Head coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers meets Dean Wade #32 and Keon Ellis #14 of the Cleveland Cavaliers on the court during the second quarter of a game against the New York Knicks in Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers had the most expensive roster in NBA history last season. They’re looking to trim some of those costs this summer.
“The most recent thing that I’ve heard from the Cavs is that they’re looking to shave off some salary,” said Brian Windhorst on ESPN Cleveland. “If anything, they’re just trying to make sure they have some maneuverability with that second apron.”
The second apron is nothing to play with. Sweeping restrictions such as the inability to aggregate contracts in a deal or complete sign-and-trades altogether make it difficult to re-tool a roster when operating above the second apron.
Cleveland has already taken multiple steps towards getting under. Trading De’Andre Hunter and then Darius Garland while reportedly working with James Harden to restructure his deal could help them achieve this. But more needs to be done.
“I think, primarily, they may be investigating if they can move Dennis Schroder,” said Windhorst. “And they are prioritizing re-signing Dean Wade over re-signing Keon Ellis; maybe they can do Ellis too. I guess it depends on what else they can do salary-wise.
Dumping Schroder, who is set to make roughly $15 million a year for the next two seasons, would be an easy way for the Cavs to cut costs. Schroder has been traded to eight different teams throughout his career, so this would be nothing new.
The Cavs have a more difficult decision with Dean Wade and Keon Ellis. Ideally, you don’t want to let talent walk for nothing. But this isn’t a team that has additional money to spend. Wade is reportedly garnering attention across the league as an MLE candidate. That means the Cavs will have to pay to keep Wade, which strains their chances of bringing back both him and Ellis.
Choosing Wade over Ellis, in my opinion, makes sense. Wade is the only true ‘wing’ on this roster, and you can’t afford to lose a 6’9” versatile defender when you have nothing to replace him. Ellis, meanwhile, has much to prove as he struggled to crack the playoff rotation last year. He needs to bulk up and prove he can defend on a string before taking that next step.
Cleveland knows what it’s getting with Wade, for better or worse. Sticking with what’s familiar seems to be a trend with this organization.
“I know there’s this desire among some in the fan base to radically change their roster,” said Windhorst. “But that’s not the information I have.”
Teyana Taylor said she had a "f--kin time" while celebrating with the Knicks after they won four of the five games against the Spurs to earn the franchise's first championship in 53 years.
Teyana Taylor said she had a “f–kin time” while celebrating with the Knicks after they defeated the Spurs to earn the franchise’s first championship in 53 years.
The Golden Globe-winning actress, who is a New York native, shared an Instagram carousel post with photos and videos of her dapping up Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson and hugging Knicks forward OG Anunoby.
“Still not over thissssss ,” wrote Taylor, whose divorce with former Knicks guard Iman Shumpert was finalized in July 2024.
“Superrrrrr prada my dawgssssssss @karltowns, @jordanclarksons, the whole squaddddd & @jordynwoods bagggg! Y’all really brought that s–t home! LFGGGGGGGGG @nyknicks .”
Other snapshots showed Taylor with Jordyn Woods, the fiancée of Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, his father, Karl-Anthony Towns Sr. and Woods’ mother, Elizabeth Woods.
Taylor also posed with rapper Fat Joe and his business manager, Rich Player.
She wore an NBA champions hat, a leather Knicks jacket and a bedazzled glove that said New York on her left hand.
One image showed her with her hand on Woods’ orange bag from her own brand, Woods by Jordyn, which became a viral good luck charm during the NBA Finals.
(L-R) Karl-Anthony Towns Sr., Teyana Taylor Jordyn Woods and Elizabeth Woods after the Knicks won the 2026 NBA Finals. Instagram/Teyana Taylor
“The bag,” Taylor captioned the photo.
Shumpert, who is an NBA analyst for ESPN, played for the Knicks from 2011-15.
He won a championship with the LeBron James and the Cavaliers in 2016, and last played for the Nets in 2021.
Iman Shumpert and Teyana Taylor attend Reginae Carter’s 22nd Hot Girl Birthday at Republic Lounge on November 29, 2020 in Atlanta. WireImage
Taylor and Shumpert made headlines last March over reports about their settlement and the splitting of their assets.
The singer filed for divorce after six years of marriage in January 2023, and she announced their separation that September.
In a statement posted to her Instagram at the time, Taylor said shut down infidelity rumors and said she she and Shumpert were “best friends” and were focused on co-parenting their two children.
“Iman and I are separated and have been for a while,” she wrote on Instagram. “To be 1000% clear, ‘infidelity’ ain’t one of the reasons for our departure. We are still the best of friends, great business partners and are one hell of a team when it comes to co-parenting our 2 beautiful children.”
The pair who tied the knot in 2016, have share daughters Iman “Junie” Tayla Shumpert Jr., 10, and Rue Rose Shumpert, 5.
The once-defiant Knicks turncoat who infamously sold his “fanhood” on eBay in 2018 after too many years of agita admits he’s finally hit his limit — and that his ex-team’s NBA Finals win has him sick with remorse.
Evan Perlmutter, 40, told The Post even as recently as last month — after the Knicks made it to the finals — that he had “zero regrets’’ about selling his loyalty to the highest bidder for $3,450 eight years ago and overnight switching his hoops loyalties to the LA Lakers.
But Monday — two days after the Knicks sensationally beat the Spurs to capture this year’s NBA crown — Perlmutter said he’s become a basket case and can’t hold it in any longer.
Former Knicks fan Evan Perlmutter is pictured at Madison Square Garden. Helayne Seidman for NY PostPerlmutter infamously sold his Knicks “fanhood” on eBay in 2018 after too many years of agita. Courtesy of Evan PerlmutterHowever, Perlmutter admits he’s finally hit his limit — and that his ex-team’s NBA Finals win has him sick with remorse. Youtube / Jiedel
“If you would have told me we’re definitely going to win one [championship] within ten years, then that obviously maybe changes things. Hindsight is 20/20,’’ the sports-marketing exec told The Post.
While not admitting he had “regret,’’ Perlmutter said, “It’s more remorseful.’’
Add to that “anger and disbelief.’’
As friends torment him for bailing on their hometown team, Perlmutter said, “To miss being part of history sucks.”
Not to be able to enjoy the moment” with childhood “inner circle” friends is “regretful,’’ too, he said.
A pal acknowledged to him that the moment must be “bittersweet.’’
“If you would have told me we’re definitely going to win one [championship] within ten years, then that obviously maybe changes things. Hindsight is 20/20,’’ Perlmutter told The Post. Youtube / JiedelAs friends torment him for bailing on their hometown team, Perlmutter said, “To miss being part of history sucks.” Courtesy of Evan Perlmutter
Perlmutter shot back, “It’s just bitter, nothing sweet.”
He said it’s too hard to look at his phone or even attempt to bask in the ecstatic feeling in the city awash in a sea of blue and orange pride.
“I’m here biting my lip and getting aggravated,” he said. “There’s a different energy in the air in New York — an energy feeding off each other.
“Everyone in New York has this bond — it’ s very difficult to be a New Yorker and be against all of your peers. It’s a tough environment.
“Everyone in New York has this bond — it’ s very difficult to be a New Yorker and be against all of your peers. It’s a tough environment,” Perlmutter said. Courtesy of Evan Perlmutter
“Everybody’s walking a little taller, shoulders back. And I’m the Grinch over here.”
Still, he said of his fated decision nearly a decade ago, “People called me a fairweather fan who didn’t care.
“But the truth is, I cared too much. I was consumed by a team that couldn’t make competent decisions. It was like staying in an abusive relationship.”
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 14: Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 14, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Trae Young is back in trade rumors just five months after the Washington Wizards acquired him.
Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported on Monday that while the expectation remains that Young will find a long-term deal with the Wizards, several teams, including the Miami Heat, are considering trade avenues to acquire the four-time All-Star guard.
While the expectation remains that Trae Young will find a new, longer-term agreement with the Wizards, sources say several teams — including Miami — are considering trade avenues to add the four-time All-Star guard, while Washington mulls its decision regarding next week’s No. 1…
This comes as the Heat continue attempts to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo — a player who’s also being targeted by the Boston Celtics.
Fischer said Young is another “big fish” target for Miami if it cannot land Antetokounmpo. Kawhi Leonard and Ja Morant were also listed as options for Miami.
Young maintained last week on “The Pivot” podcast that he wants to remain in Washington and take the team’s young core to the next level. However, a move is possible if the price is right.
It remains likely that Young signs a multi-year extension to stay with the Wizards. But if that plan fails, there are a few ways this could play out.
Sign and trade
Miami is a peculiar organization.
It seems every offseason, the Heat is involved in trade negotiations for a star player, yet never actually land said star player. Wizards fans lived this in 2023 when Miami was the frontrunner to land Bradley Beal before the Phoenix Suns swooped in and acquired him.
Reports indicate that this could happen again with Antetokounmpo, which would open Miami as a possible suitor for Young.
Fischer reported that teams would consider “trade avenues” to specifically add Young and didn’t mention the possibility of Young exploring his options in free agency. For a trade to work, Young would either have to opt in to his $48.9 million player option or opt out, become an unrestricted free agent and sign a deal with Washington before the sides initiated a sign and trade, which is the more likely option.
Miami has several large salaries that would need to be included in a potential Young trade. That doesn’t include Bam Adebayo’s $49.5 million salary because Pat Riley said Miami is never trading its star center. That leaves Tyler Herro ($33 million) and Andrew Wiggins ($30 million) as trade pieces.
One of those two players must be included for monetary reasons.
Herro has one year and $33 million remaining on his rookie extension. Wiggins has a $30.1 million player option for the 2026-27 season that he would have to opt into to initiate a trade.
Herro, the younger and more talented of the two, makes more sense for Washington. But that doesn’t necessarily make sense for Miami, because a Young-Adebayo duo isn’t much better than a Herro-Adebayo duo. And if the Heat trade Herro, they’re essentially replacing him with Young and running back a roster that went 43-39 and missed the playoffs last season.
That’s why shedding Wiggins’ salary makes more sense for Miami. But if the Wizards take on the $30.1 million expiring contract of a 31-year-old forward who doesn’t fit their timeline, they would likely require additional compensation.
Enter the No. 13 pick, which, if attached to a player like Wiggins in a potential sign-and-trade for Young, could prove enticing enough for Washington.
If the package is Wiggins’ expiring salary plus the No. 13 pick for Young, that means the Wizards essentially turned CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert into a lottery pick, which would be incredible asset management.
Could Young leave in free agency?
Fischer noted that the renewed interest in Young could position him to command a salary on his next deal “approaching the similar maximum contract he enjoyed with Atlanta,” which was a five-year, $215 million deal.
Trae Young, sources say, is among the crop of “big fish” backup targets for the Heat if Miami cannot land Giannis Antetokounmpo, in addition to Kawhi Leonard and Ja Morant.
The renewed interest in Young could well have the current Wizards guard in position to command a salary… https://t.co/8suo676TZj
This signals Young’s camp could use the renewed interest as leverage in extension talks with the Wizards. However, Young only maintains that leverage if the alternative to an extension is him opting out and signing as a free agent with the Heat or another team.
The issue is that it’s unlikely Miami can afford Young on a salary close to the maximum contract he was on in Atlanta, or the maximum contract — $212.9 million over four years — he can sign as a free agent this summer, if they keep both Wiggins and Herro.
Miami currently has ~$33 million in luxury tax space. They are ~$40 million under the first apron and ~$52 million under the second apron.
Factoring in the projected salary for the No. 13 pick, which is $5.7 million at 120% of the rookie scale, Miami falls to just $27.3 million under the luxury tax, $34.3 million under the first apron and $46.3 million under the second apron.
If Young opts out and signs with Miami on a similar deal to the one he signed with Atlanta, the Heat would not only be above the luxury tax but would also creep above the first apron and flirt with reaching the second apron.
Washington could lose Young for free if he opts out and signs elsewhere, but that remains unlikely. That’s why a trade, as Fischer mentioned, is the more likely avenue if a team like Miami attempts to acquire Young.
Why Young’s departure remains unlikely
The most likely avenue remains Young reaching a multi-year extension to stay with the Wizards.
Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said the team acquired the All-Star guard to be their floor general. And Young has maintained his desire to be in Washington. He said last week he wanted to come to the Wizards when he discovered he would be traded.
Trae Young said he wanted to come to the Wizards when he discovered he would be traded last season.
“I wanted to go [to Washington]. It’s not like [Atlanta] just shipped me to Washington. Because that wasn’t the case.”
Young has a June 23 deadline to exercise his $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season. That falls on the same day of the NBA Draft, where Washington owns the No. 1 pick.
Clarify will emerge over the next week on not only Young’s future but also Washington’s future as a monumental decisions remains at No. 1.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MARCH 23: A rear view as Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts and celebrates against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on March 23, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we continue our series with a look at Luka Dončić.
After getting a half-season look at a shell-shocked version of him, Lakers fans got the full Luka Dončić experience this season.
And yet, the season ending with him on the sideline will be one of the lasting visuals as the team heads into the offseason. Injuries, which have certainly played a role in Luka’s career, robbed him and the Lakers of any real chance of competing in the postseason.
Luka is unquestionably one of the league’s elites. The Lakers are heading into an offseason focused on maximizing the roster for him. Can he take them to the promised land?
How did he play?
The Lakers have seen a who’s who come through The Forum and Staples Center across decades. To do things no one has ever done means something more in Los Angeles.
That’s the type of season Luka had. The highlight of an incredible campaign was his March performance in which he became just the 10th player in league history to score at least 600 points.
If there were any lingering reservations about what he could do after an underwhelming 2024-25 season — at least by his standards — Luka aggressively swatted those away. He still is, without question, one of the game’s top offensive forces.
On top of leading the league in usage rate, Luka also finished with the second-best true shooting percentage of his career at 61.6%. He was fifth in the league in assist percentage and fourth in box plus/minus, finishing behind just the three MVP finalists.
In short, the Lakers put a lot on his plate and he did what alphas in the NBA do and carried them to another 50-win season. There is no doubt that, when healthy, he is one of the greatest players in the world.
It’s that caveat, though, that is left hanging over the season. Through the first 77 games of the season, Luka was mostly healthy. But a hamstring strain, an injury that has popped up at times in Luka’s career, cost him the end of the regular season and the entire playoffs.
While all the questions about production were wiped away, questions about withstanding the rigors of the season remain. Luka has once played fewer than 61 games in a season, that coming last year due to a calf strain. At the same time, he’s only once played more than 70 games and that was in his rookie season.
Perhaps another offseason of further working on his body will help him be able to handle the rigors of the NBA. Perhaps the Lakers make life a bit easier by surrounding him with players that maximize him, like athletic wings and lob-catching centers.
But no matter what, he has to be on the floor when it matters. Otherwise, an incredible season, like the one he had, still ends with a bitter taste in the mouth.
This is the simplest, quickest and most authoritative “yes” response on the roster to this question. As President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka noted in his exit interview, the hardest part of building a title contender is getting the superstar everything orbits around.
The Lakers have that in Luka. The question this summer, then, is whether the front office can build the right roster around him. At any available opportunity, Luka will speak of his love of playing in Los Angeles and being a Laker. An offseason in which the team can surround him with talent to further maximize him, and them, could lead to LA returning to the title-contention conversation.
From there, it’ll be Luka’s job to carry them to the mountaintop.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 26: Chris Cenac Jr. #5 of the Houston Cougars shoots the ball against Tomislav Ivisic #13 of the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Toyota Center on March 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks enter the 2026 NBA Draft (June 23-24, 2026) with the 24th, 31st, and 55th picks. Fresh off a drought-breaking championship run, Leon Rose & Co. don’t need to hunt for star power. Instead, they can focus on low-risk / low-cost depth and high-upside development.
Depending on how the draft board falls, Houston freshman big man Chris Cenac, Jr. could be available when New York is on the clock late in the first round or early in the second. Adding such an impressive physical specimen to the frontcourt pipeline is always a promising idea. Should the Knicks consider him as an understudy to Mitchell Robinson?
The Basics
School: Houston
Position: Power forward / center
Height: 6’11” (6’10.25″ barefoot at the NBA Draft Combine)
Projected Draft Range: Late first to early second round (Picks 20–35)
The Numbers
Maybe 9.5 points per game on 49% shooting doesn’t scream first-round lock. But you have to view those numbers through the lens of Kelvin Sampson’s veteran-heavy system at Houston. Cenac wasn’t a featured offensive hub as a freshman learning to grind.
The number that should pop for Knicks fans is 7.9 rebounds in just 24.8 minutes per game. Cenac led Houston in rebounding as a true freshman—the first player to do so in nearly 15 years. His 26% defensive rebounding rate is a metric that instantly translates to an NBA rotation.
Efficiency-wise, Cenac is a tale of two zones. At the rim, he was explosive, converting 78% of his looks at the basket, heavily propped up by crushing 37 dunks on 40 attempts. However, his overall field goal percentage was dragged down by his perimeter frequency; he took 90 three-pointers on the season. While a 33% clip from deep is not bad for a 19-year-old near-7-footer, his 62% mark from the charity stripe line suggests his shot is still a work in progress.
What Does He Do Well?
Elite Physical Profile and Functional Athleticism: Cenac was a standout at the 2026 Draft Combine. Standing just a shade under 6’11” with a massive 7’5″ wingspan and a 9-foot-0.5″ standing reach, he possesses the prototypical frame of a modern NBA big. He’s fluid, moves like a wing in transition, and boasts a 37-inch maximum vertical.
Relentless Rebounding: Cenac doesn’t just rely on height to clear the glass, but also seeks out contact. He recorded 13 double-digit rebounding games this past season. He tracks looseballs well and has an excellent second jump to secure contested balls.
Modern Face-Up Potential: He’s solid, but he ain’t Shaq. Few humans are. Unlike Shaq, Cenac is comfortable facing up from the perimeter and has a decent handle from his earlier days of playing point-forward. That allows him to attack slower bigs off the bounce or stretch the floor in pick-and-pop scenarios.
What Are the Concerns?
Raw Offensive Polish: Outside of finishing lobs, cutting hard to the rim, and hitting occasional spot-up triples, Cenac’s half-court offense is largely theoretical. He ran very little P&R as the roll man at Houston (just seven tracking possessions all year). He will have a steep learning curve anchoring an NBA offense.
Playmaking and Decision-Making: The point-forward idea might have been a little pie-in-the-sky. With a 0.7 assists per game against a much higher turnover rate, Cenac showed tunnel vision when he decided to drive. He needs to learn to read rotating defenses and make the kick-out pass.
Defensive Discipline: While playing under Coach Sampson likely gave him a phenomenal foundation in defensive positioning and rotation, Cenac averaged just 0.5 blocks per game despite his 7’5″ wingspan. He occasionally played too conservatively as a rim protector or got caught out of position trying to help on the perimeter.
The Knicks Fit
Cenac’s ability to hit the occasional, open spot-up three gives some hope for a stretch-five option that the Knicks’ bench lacks. He would not crack the active rotation on opening night, but maps out as a promising long-term project. Think of Cenac as insurance for the center rotation. With Mitchell Robinson’s injury history and contract talks looming, the Knicks need a few reliable, physical, defensive-minded bigs behind or beside Karl-Anthony Towns. Cenac has the physical tools you’d want in a drop-coverage rim protector, mixed with a modern—if theoretical—scoring punch. He could challenge Ariel Hukporti and Pacome Dadiet in training camp for third-stringer spots, and most likely get reps with the Westchester Knicks this season.
NBA Comparisons
Best-Case Comparison: Kel’el Ware / Christian Wood (with a better defensive motor)
Median Outcome: Mo Bamba
Low-End Outcome: Damian Jones
The Verdict
At No. 24: Consider. If the top-tier guards and wings are off the board (Isaiah Evans, e.g.), taking an upside swing on a five-star freshman with a 7’5″ wingspan who survived the Houston developmental gauntlet is a smart asset play.
At No. 31: Run to the podium. If Cenac slips into the second round due to his raw offensive numbers, Leon Rose should draft him without hesitation.
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 21: Isaiah Evans #3 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on against the TCU Horned Frogs during the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 21, 2026 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the next month before the 2026 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at No. 22. Next up in this series is Duke’s Isaiah Evans.
Isaiah Evans was a five-star recruit and one of the top high school players in the country when he committed to Duke. He joined a loaded freshmen class featuring Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach. Evans likely didn’t have the year he was hoping for as senior Tyrese Proctor and Tulane transfer Sion James were the other Blue Devils starters. Still, he turned a solid first year, nailing over 41% of his threes.
He decided to come back to Durham for a second season with an expanded role. He became an important cog for Duke as a sophomore, earning Third Team All-ACC honors while helping his team advance to the Elite Eight. Known for elite movement shooting, Evans showed marked improvement in his second collegiate season, but will it be enough to get him taken in the first round?
As soon as Evans steps on the floor he’s a threat to shoot. As a freshman, he shot 41.6% from deep on 4.1 attempts while only playing 13.8 minutes a game. That’s 12 threes per 40 minutes. The sheer volume is impressive. As a sophomore, the efficiency dipped (36.1%), but he was taking 7.4 triples a night while taking on a much larger role.
If Evans goes in the first round, shooting will be why. He’s an excellent shooter off movement and is in constant motion on the floor. He understands spacing and played extremely well off the dominant Cam Boozer in 2025-26. His form is fluid and repeatable and his release is lightning quick. He’s arguably the best pure shooter in the class.
What you like to see is his improvement from inside the arc. He jumped from 50% on twos as a freshman to 56.7% as a sophomore on way more attempts. He punished sleeping defenses with well-timed back-door cuts and made defenders pay for overaggressive closeouts. He’s not a playmaker by any means, but showed some ability to comfortably put the ball on the floor.
Other things Evans has going for him are height and length. He measured nearly 6-foot-6 without shoes at the combine with a 6-foot-9 wingspan. A sharpshooter with the versatility to play guard or wing would be invaluable. While he was listed at 175 pounds at Duke, he weighed in at 186 at the combine, perhaps a sign he’ll be able to gain muscle going forward.
Weaknesses
The reality is all of Evans’ game could use work outside of his shot.
As mentioned, he’s not a creator off the dribble. His ability to move without the ball is crucial. While movement shooting is an NBA skill every team covets, he’s a limited offensive player overall.
And while he has height and length, he is quite skinny. He was often pushed around by bigger players, casting doubt on his ability to viably guard NBA wings — or really guard anybody. He’s going to need to gain muscle to hang with NBA players for 82-plus games a season. He’s also just an OK athlete.
Positional Fit
Evans profiles best as a two. He doesn’t handle well enough or playmake enough to be a point guard and he’s likely too skinny to play the wing. For the Sixers, there could certainly be a fit as a sharpshooter off the bench. The New York Knicks just won the NBA Finals in part because of how they outshot their opponents — including the Sixers — from three. Having a guard like Evans who can come in firing would be a plus. His shooting can legitimately be game-changing (watch his game against St. John’s in the Sweet 16).
The issue is going to be how he can fit next to Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. It’s funny because Evans has shades of a taller and longer Isaiah Joe. Again, if Evans can add strength — the pounds he seemingly added ahead of the combine are encouraging — and improve defensively, perhaps he can play the wing. That would make him much more valuable, especially to a team like the Sixers. The other concern is usage. Nick Nurse never seemed to find a way to use Jared McCain, who thrived in OKC. Would Nurse be able get the most out of Evans?
Most mocks have Evans going somewhere in the 20s. Here he’s taken with the last pick in the first round. Going to Dallas and reuniting with his former Duke teammate in Flagg would make a good bit of sense. They need all the spacing they can get for their budding superstar and Evans already has experience playing off of him.
,” wrote Taylor, whose divorce with former Knicks guard Iman Shumpert was finalized in July 2024.
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