Category: NBA

While chances of the West’s No. 1 seed are mighty slim for the Los Angeles Lakers, with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder seemingly lording over the conference, the possibility of a top-four seed and hosting a first-round playoff series is assuredly on the table — despite some skepticism in mainstream circles.

Yet plenty of other teams are contending for one of those spots in what should be another busy Western Conference middle class this season. Mainstays like the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets will once again be in the picture. Upstart, youth-laden teams like the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers are aspiring to assert themselves. The Golden State Warriors are old and highly flawed yet talented and still led by a top-10 player in Stephen Curry. The Phoenix Suns will hope to build on their surprising 2025-26 campaign.

To sort this all out, I’m ranking four teams I deem as Los Angeles’ grandest rivals for securing a top-four seed and home-court advantage this spring. Let’s get to it.

4. Utah Jazz

The Jazz are very young. They’ve won 39 games combined over the past two seasons. A top-four seed would be an incredibly dramatic improvement from last year’s 22-60, 15th-place finish out West.

But I am not particularly enamored with the Phoenix Suns, whose starting five feels incongruent (Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges lack reliable shooting and high-feel decision-making), or Portland Trail Blazers, who have major unknowns in projecting what key players such as Ja Morant and Damian Lillard may look like and how they’ll mesh.

Plus, both teams are already bitten by the injury bug; Mark Williams is out indefinitely with a torn labrum while Shaedon Sharpe will be re-evaluated in roughly five months following a torn right meniscus (though this unfortunate setback could help declutter Portland’s guard room).

More than anything, this is a bet on the talent and offensive upside of Utah’s roster. Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson ooze shooting and should fit snugly into head coach Will Hardy’s offensive scheme rich with off-ball movement. Youngsters like Ace Bailey, Kyle Filipowski and Isaiah Collier can fill useful roles. Veteran wings in Josh Okogie and Josh Green will inject athletic and defensive juice into the roster. Jusuf Nurkić‘s screening, passing and rebounding are valuable commodities.

This team will be hard-pressed to vie for home-court advantage but is certainly the most likely of its play-in peers to rise above that tier.

3. Denver Nuggets

The steady erosion of a championship-winning core reached a nadir for Denver last season when the injury-riddled Timberwolves bounced them in the first round. During that series, the Nuggets required more secondary ball-handling, point-of-attack resistance and sprightly athleticism, the latter two of which Peyton Watson, if healthy and available, could’ve instilled. Now, Watson has departed for the Cleveland Cavaliers, leaving them light on the wings and defensively.

In an attempt to remedy some of those shortcomings this offseason, Denver added DeMar DeRozan, Marvin Bagley III, Lonnie Walker IV and Alpha Diallo, all of which feel like fairly half-baked solutions. Despite the Nuggets’ drop-off from title contention, they remain a formidable foe out West.

Nikola Jokić churns out All-NBA First Team campaigns every year. Jamal Murray enjoyed a career-best season in 2025-26 and is just damn good. Aaron Gordon is perhaps the pinnacle of the league’s role player realm: not quite a star but much more than a mere starter. Cam Johnson needs to assert himself more offensively this year but is still a good player whose shooting and movement lather up the Nuggets’ attack.

Although their depth is pretty unproven and Christian Braun must bounce back from a disappointing fourth season, they’ve won at least 50 games and been a top-five offense the past four seasons. They will likely be right back in the mix for a top-four seed alongside Los Angeles.

2. Houston Rockets

Were this a ranking of each team’s postseason prospects, I’d consider dropping Houston down a spot because of my doubts about its playoff offense, even with Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams back healthy. However, VanVleet should stymie some of those turnover woes while Adams can keep mashing on the offensive glass.

Regardless, the Rockets’ brash, athletically charged style of play on both ends is a winning recipe for the regular season. They’ve hosted a playoff series and won 52 games each of the last two years. I expect them to win a ton of games in 2026-27. VanVleet, Adams, Kevin Durant, Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Marcus Smart, Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard is a tremendous top nine.

VanVleet’s return should slot Thompson and Sheppard into more favorable offensive roles and reduce Durant’s ball-handling load, treating him as a premier play-finisher rather than someone expected to initiate tons of possessions. Adams elevates Houston as an all-time great offensive rebounding group instead of simply a very good one. The Rockets are going to rack up wins this regular season and hope healthier playoff fortunes enable them to finally break through that first-round barrier.

1. Minnesota Timberwolves

I do have some reservations about Minnesota. Donte DiVincenzo’s injury and the departures of Julius Randle and Naz Reid do leave it light on 3-point volume (and the point-of-attack depth is shaky), both in terms of those who can get them up and create them. LaMelo Ball satiates some of that need but cannot do so alone.

Beyond Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert and Ayo Dosunmu, the rotation is thin and in flux. A few names from the Bones Hyland, Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, Joan Beringer and Jonathan Kuminga quintet must solidify themselves as trustworthy contributors, particularly in the frontcourt.

But man, those first five names are dynamite and I’m delighted by the Ball-Edwards backcourt. That’s two offensive infernos who will symbiotically operate together to mitigate each other’s flaws and ease life for the litany of surrounding play-finishers.

Maybe Ball and Edwards don’t gel immediately and Minnesota’s youthful depth doesn’t hit the ground running. The Timberwolves’ win-loss record will suffer as a result. I still believe in their core, though, and expect a big season ahead, one that should pose quite the challenge for Los Angeles to topple for home-court advantage.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

Last season the Knicks had several veterans in camp competing for a bottom of the roster spot.

This year, it appears they'll be taking the same approach. 

Just hours after signing John Konchar and Drew Eubanks, New York announced that they've also agreed to Exhibit 9 deals with a trio of veteran free agents. 

James Wiseman, Bruce Brown, and Ochai Agbaji will join the club for training camp. 

As noted by SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, the Knicks would have to trade a player on the NBA roster if they decide they want to keep two of the veteran additions into the regular season. 

If not, they'll likely have to choose between holding onto a big man or a wing. 

Wiseman is a former second overall pick who hasn't quite panned out, averaging just 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game across five NBA seasons. 

He appeared in a combined five games the past two years with the Pacers. 

Brown is a former NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets (2023), and he has been praised by many around the league as a glue guy who can contribute on both ends of the court. 

The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 7.9 points and 3.3 boards last season in Denver.

Agbaji split last season between the Nets and Raptors, averaging career-lows in scoring (5.1 PPG) and three-point percentage (26.6 percent).  

Kawhi Leonard is officially a Raptor.

The Clippers traded Leonard to Toronto in June, but the deal was put on hold amid the NBA’s investigation into the LA organization violating salary cap circumvention rules.

The league found wrongdoing and the Clippers’ punishment includes losing five first-round picks and a $30 million fine.

The trade became official following the NBA’s penalties for the Clippers. Leonard reportedly surrendered more than $7 million in order to “facilitate the trade.”

Leonard waived his 15 percent trade kicker in the deal, which was worth $7.45 million. The bonus was reportedly not allowed because it would have put the Raptors above the first apron hard cap.

The 35-year-old has been at the center of the NBA’s biggest scandal this summer. But Leonard, who was fined $700,000 after the NBA’s findings in the Clippers investigation, has managed to cut ties with LA and rejoin the organization he won an NBA championship with.

Meanwhile, the Clippers are left floundering from the investigation with a potential federal criminal probe in their near future.

Owner Steve Ballmer initially spoke out against the league’s findings and stated that he would fight for the truth. However, Adam Silver discussed Ballmer’s change of heart on Tuesday at the NBA Board of Governors meetings.

“Putting aside the precise words he chose to use, most importantly he indicated a willingness to accept the league’s decision in this case and the accompanying sanctions,” Silver said.

“There are other inquiries that have nothing to do with the NBA that the Clippers and Steve Ballmer are now dealing with.”

After the NBA’s punishment for their salary cap circumvention pushed them back several years, the Clippers took a step in the right direction by completing the long-awaited trade of Kawhi Leonard back to the Raptors.

But make no mistake about it: The draft capital the Clippers received from the Raptors doesn’t absolve their cardinal sins on the salary cap.

It for sure doesn’t make up for the penalties the league brought down on the franchise.

And even though NBA Commissioner Adam Silver doesn’t believe the Clippers’ punishments have done “permanent damage” to the franchise, the setbacks are too steep for one trade to help them overcome. 

In addition to owner/chairman Steve Ballmer being suspended for a year (plus a $30 million fine to the franchise), president of business operations Gillian Zucker being suspended for a year and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank being suspended for six months, the Clippers also forfeited five first-round draft picks – one in each in the 2029-33 drafts. 

The type of punishments that could make the franchise irrelevant for years to come.

The Clippers were already entering their version of a rebuilding before trading Leonard.

Trading James Harden to the Cavaliers for Darius Garland kicked off that rebuild. 

Sending Ivica Zubac to the Pacers for a package that included Bennedict Mathurin (now on the Pelicans), a 2026 first-round pick (drafted Keaton Wagler), a 2028 second-round pick via Dallas and a 2029 first-round pick further accelerated the rebuild that the Leonard trade fully entrenched the Clippers in. 

But the Clippers’ loss of first-round picks, and the overall lack of draft capital for the next several years, will make it challenging for the franchise to rebuild.

The Clippers received the Raptors’ unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap and two second-round picks as part of the trade for Leonard, in addition to All-Star forward Brandon Ingram and 2023 lottery pick Gradey Dick.

Those are very important building blocks for the franchise in this new era. 

But that’ll give them just four first-round picks over the next seven drafts after entering the summer believing they’d have up to nine. And if the Stepien Rule applies to forfeited first-round picks, they’ll have zero first-round picks available to trade until the day of the draft for each first-round pick they have left. 

Again, a very challenging place to build back up from. 

The Clippers’ future isn’t completely hopeless.

They still have several young or in-their-prime good players on respectable contracts — players who can either develop or be traded for draft capital. 

But the Clippers’ future appears to be a lot bleaker now than it did even a couple of months ago. 

And even with the franchise receiving a life raft in the form of multiple assets via the Leonard trade that’ll help keep them from drowning in their own mess, the Clippers will continue to swim against the current trying to stay relevant entering the 2030s.

The little brother franchise in Los Angeles appears destined to leave fans frustrated with no hope in sight.

In part two of the Timberwolves Player Previews series, Will dives into the swingmen who may swing the season for Minnesota. If you missed the part one reviewing the guards, it’s just a click away below!

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Jaden McDaniels

When Jaden McDaniels said “They’re all bad defenders” when referencing the Denver Nuggets defense in last season’s first round, he announced himself in a major way to a national audience that may have previously overlooked his talents. Us Wolves fans knew he meant business and he did about as much as anyone could do to back that talk up. This season, the pressure mounts to continue that strong play in order to lead this team back to the heights of the Western Conference Finals.

Fans should expect more usage from Jaden this year, even though last year’s usage rate was his career’s highest at 18.6% (per statmuse.com). Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball will spend plenty of time handling the ball, but Jaden will take pretty dang close to a quarter of the team’s shots not because he will be needed to, but he’s just that good. One of his best offensive traits is his cutting without the ball which will lead to easy tone-setting buckets thanks to LaMelo’s passing. We all know he’s a midrange assassin and a capable three-point shooter. We also know he’s one of the most impactful point of attack defenders in the league. The rest of the league and its fans may not know these things just yet, but they will soon.

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Jonathan Kuminga

Jonathan Kuminga may just be the NBA’s most polarizing player. Undeniable talent, but some weird contract negotiations and an off-putting dispute with one of the game’s best coaches have put JK in a category of players where people just don’t know what to think about them. Here’s what we know: he’s a blazer in transition, can make tough finishes going towards the rim, and has the body to be an excellent defender. If all those three factors come to fruition, it will be a home run signing.

One of my big things is the difference between players who can shoot vs. the players who are shooters. Kuminga is firmly in the “can shoot” category. Hopefully he can be in the ~35% range, which would be a tick above his career average, according to Basketball Reference. You’d have to think he’ll be able to get some quality looks in this Minnesota offense. We’ve seen it go wrong with him before, but what a difference maker Kuminga could be.

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Terrence Shannon Jr.

One of my favorite revelations of the late regular season/playoff stretch was just how effective Terrence Shannon Jr. was with the ball in his hands above the break. Another burner, the upside down jersey bandit can absolutely rock the rim when he gets the motor running downhill. One thing I’d love to see TJ show improvement at is his faith in using his right hand. He gets a little too left-handed dominant while attacking sometimes, and if he had a strong right hand there would be that many more baskets for him at the rim.

This is another guy who could be classified as “can shoot”, but I would love to see him graduate to being a bonafide knockdown “shooter”. Bench guys in this league are all judged on how well they can fill their specific roles. If he brings energy and stays in his lane on both ends of the floor, we can call this season a success for him.

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Jaylen Clark

The Timberwolves have finally added the final piece to the puzzle, a YouTube sensation. All jokes aside, there’s plenty to be hopeful for when watching Jaylen Clark play basketball this season. The only thing he’s proven beyond a reasonable doubt he can do in this league is be a point-of-attack defender. A graduation to being a guy that defenders can’t help off of could make him a stalwart off the bench. He’s also another guy who could benefit from the LaMelo Ball passing abilities based on of his affinity for cutting without the ball.

Remember, pressure on the rim doesn’t always have to come via the ball being driven to the hoop. Constant movement, especially when there’s scoring opportunities coming from a pass, forces the rim to need to be protected. It seems counterintuitive, but off-ball movement forcing rim protection and defensive rotations can be super helpful in opening up the entire floor for an offense. Bench guys fill roles, and that could very well be a role for Jaylen Clark to fill. 

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Isaiah Evans

I’ll never say no to anyone with Duke Blue Devil pedigree. Especially if he has a 6’6” frame and was a proven shooter in college. Isaiah Evans has all the tools to be an effective 3-and-D player in the league, but he’s going to have to put all the tools together. The game looked a little fast for him in summer league, but some grace for adjustments should be given as the procedural dealings that brought him to the Timberwolves weren’t completed until the Wolves were already in Vegas. I mentioned in a previous preview that the Wolves might be looking for some shooting off the bench, and if he can prove he can provide that, we could see a bunch of Isaiah Evans this winter. 

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Cody Williams

A luxury tax dodging move added the former lottery pick to the Wolves roster, and there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to what Cody Williams might bring. We do know that at this current moment he can’t shoot, but there are definitely tools there to be honed. Harmony seems to be a focal point for this team this year, and Cody could prove to be valuable if he buys into being a cog in the defensive machine and staying in his offensive lane. At the very least, Chris Finch can throw him out there to punk his brother when the Thunder come to town.

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Enrique Freeman

Not unlike Zyon Pullin, there are worse guys to have as back-end depth pieces. Enrique Freeman has proven that he can be effective in the scenarios that he’s been given, but don’t expect to see the Puerto Rican-native unless something has gone horribly wrong. He’s more of a traditional power forward, but he’s slightly undersized and the Wolves trotted him out as a small forward for chunks of summer league (for better or worse). Expect Freeman to spend most of his time with the Iowa Wolves.

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Wo do you think will live up to their expectations? Maybe a sneaky breakout candidate? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!

Paul George and Mike Conley Jr.’s introductory press conference at the Auerbach Center on Tuesday delivered on just about everything Boston Celtics fans would’ve expected. Both guys are happy to be in Boston and are eager to try and compete for what would be their first NBA championships.

George gave us all the Joel Embiid special and proclaimed that he’s feeling great and this summer is the healthiest his body has been in a while.

“The past couple of years have been rough from a physical standpoint and that weighs on you mentally,” George said via the Celtics’ YouTube page. “When you wanna do things that you know your body has a limitation to [it’s tough]. I feel great. I feel really good physically and I’ve worked hard this summer.”

He went as far to call his transition to Boston a “rebirth” and added that he’s been able to strengthen his knee during the offseason.

Now, the easy skeptical response here is, “well, what else is he going to say up at the podium?”

That’s a fair point.

But, what fans wouldn’t have expected to see was the moment when George effectively walked the walk when he took a playful jab at Joe Mazzulla — who we all know doesn’t do “playful.”

The veteran forward joked about the Celtics having perhaps underestimated his capabilities in their first-round playoff series against him in the spring. He laughed and turned to Mazzulla who just gave him a hard stare. The still image of this should live forever somewhere in Boston’s practice facility (if George does anything memorable with the franchise, of course).

Joe Mazzulla’s reaction when Paul George brought up beating the Celtics last playoffs 😭 pic.twitter.com/934OW7ECsV

— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) September 15, 2026

That’s a man who’s feeling untouchable. For George to think that he can poke their bear and get away with it, he must be feeling like he’s back on the Indiana Pacers.

I mean, did he not see the viral video of Mazzulla sparring in the octagon back in July? He looked like an absolute weapon.

Had the chance to speak with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and watch him train with the great @Eric_XCMMA.

Really fascinating to hear how much MMA has influenced the way he coaches.

He’s clearly put in the work himself. Far more than just a fan of the sport.

Hard to admit as… pic.twitter.com/AIp1vYigxd

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 14, 2026

George is lucky that Joe didn’t just put him in a guillotine hold right there in the Auerbach Center press room. He should’ve been on thin ice after he earlier had to be corrected by Brad Stevens that the Celtics do, in fact, have more NBA titles than the rival Los Angeles Lakers. Brad had his fastball. He joked that the Cs actually have six more titles than L.A., who subtly claimed five Minneapolis titles from the 1950s.

Also, credit to Mazzulla for having restraint in that moment. He surely wanted to make it clear that disrespect will not be tolerated.

Sixers single-game tickets go on sale Thursday originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Single-game tickets to watch the new-look Sixers will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Following a tumultuous offseason that included signing superstar LeBron James and trading for former Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, there’s more excitement around the Sixers in Philadelphia than there has been in a long time. 

James and Brown playing alongside the young backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe plus franchise stalwart Joel Embiid gives the Sixers one of the most complete starting fives in basketball. 

After joining the franchise in May, president of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey also acquired notable depth pieces Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade via free agency and drafted guard Labaron Philon Jr. 22nd overall in June’s NBA draft.  

The team will debut on the road against the reigning champion New York Knicks on Oct. 20 before coming back to Philly to host the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Sixers’ home opener on Oct. 22. 

Sixers fans can purchase single game tickets here starting Thursday at 10 a.m. ET. 

New Celtics big man Mitchell Robinson’s brother, Zeek, was hit by a car while out for a jog Tuesday, according to the victim’s grandfather, who shared the news in a Facebook post.

Robinson, who was absent from the Celtics’ press conference Tuesday introducing their new players, reshared the Facebook post and wrote, “Prayers for my little brother my dawg can’t catch a break” with a cross emoji and a somber face emoji.

The Celtics said Robinson was absent due to personal reasons.

The Celtics moved forward with the introductory press conference, which included Paul George and Mike Conley Jr., and said they “look forward to introducing [Robinson] soon.”

Taking to his Instagram Story later that day, Robinson shared a video edit of him getting shots up at his alma mater, Chalmette High School in Louisiana, and a clip of country singer Megan Moroney in her music video for the song, “Wedding Dress.”

Robinson, fresh off a 2026 NBA title run with the Knicks, signed a three-year, $47.4 million contract with Boston in July after spending his first eight seasons with the Knicks.

Robinson played a key role in the Knicks’ road to their first championship in 53 years, when they beat the Spurs in five games in June.

The 7-footer averaged 5.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 60 games (16 starts) last season.

He shot 72.3 percent from the field and averaged 4.2 offensive rebounds per game, the latter ranking second in the NBA.

Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday, breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we take a look at Jake LaRavia.

When the viral moment last season where a Minnesota Timberwolves fan asked “Who is No. 12?” with Anthony Edwards hilariously responding, “That’s what I’m saying! I don’t know,” Jake LaRavia was catapulted into a bright purple and gold spotlight. Excitement filled the air as it seemed the Lakers had found a surprise gem as he torched the Timberwolves for 27 points while shooting 5-6 from behind the arc that night.

He followed that up with a few more impressive games before hitting a brutal slump that lasted through March. His minutes continued to dwindle into the postseason, where he averaged 15 minutes per game against the Rockets and played in just two of the four games against the Thunder.

Now, with the addition of quite a few new players including Sandro Mamukelashvili, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and Quentin Grimes, LaRavia might find himself being outshined by his teammates if he doesn’t tap into his “Who is No. 12?” identity again.

What is his best-case scenario?

The easiest answer is that he finds consistency. While the Lakers played their best basketball in March last season, LaRavia didn’t provide much offensive impact during that stretch. He went 6-25 from behind the arc for the month, only scored in double figures once, and only shot 43% from the field. He did have games, though, where his good effort, hustle and defense impacted the team.

If he could add an offensive bag to his hustle and effort, that would be his best-case scenario. He ended last season shooting 32% from behind the arc. LaRavia found himself open quite a bit, with attention often shifting to Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and LeBron James, and he struggled to knock down those wide-open threes the team desperately needed.

LaRavia turning into a player who can impact the game on all cylinders adds an extra weapon to a new Lakers team that likely won’t struggle offensively but will need players to do a bit of everything.

What is his worst-case scenario?

Head coach JJ Redick went to LaRavia often last season, even in games he played badly, but that was mostly because the team wasn’t particularly deep. This upcoming season, with a team that has much more talent that can contribute in a multitude of ways, LaRavia’s minutes will likely start disappearing if he’s struggling.

Lakers fans may find themselves asking who number 12 is again, and this time it won’t be a fun viral moment. Was all that hype in the first half of last season just some random momentum he picked up? When his slump kept going and he showed no signs of improving, his worst-case scenario, you could say, started as soon as the lights shone too bright.

What is his most likely role on the team?

With Luka and Austin as the obvious two starters out of the five, LaRavia’s most likely role will be a battle with the newbies as well as Adou Thiero and rookie Cameron Carr, who shined in the Summer League. The best way he can earn minutes is by becoming a player who can contribute immediately when called upon, instead of someone who comes in, steals the ball a few times, but can’t consistently knock down triples. The Lakers likely have better versions of that type of player, particularly in Thybulle.

For many seasons, the Lakers have been in dire need of wing players. We saw LaRavia’s capabilities early on with a few stellar games and then a nice hustle performance here and there, so if he finds consistency, he’ll find the important minutes again.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

Pablo Torre is taking a victory lap for his reporting on the Clippers scandal.

The Pulitzer-winning journalist took aim at ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, for the network’s false reporting that stated the NBA found no wrongdoing in the Clippers investigation.

“All those people on that byline, I know them personally,” Torre said. “They had the ability to see so much that should have made them pause before publishing that. And I will say that they did not reach out to me for comment. I provided a comment afterwards in a discussion with them when the story came out. They did not include that comment.

“Generously, it is something that will haunt them because they did not intend for this. Less generously, it speaks to the question: How did you guys not smell this earlier when I have been doing this for a year? Why did you not trust the journalist, but instead trusted the source that leaked it to you?”

Pablo Torre calls out ESPN for trying to cover up for Steve Ballmer and the Clippers

“Generously, it is something that will haunt them. Less generously, it speaks to the question: How did you guys not smell this earlier when I have been doing this for a year? Why did you not… pic.twitter.com/bj3aIlIMQo

— NBABase (@TheNBABase) September 16, 2026

ESPN’s Don Van Natta Jr., Baxter Holmes and Ramona Shelburne incorrectly reported the league found no evidence owner Steve Ballmer funneled money to Kawhi Leonard via sponsors. Torre had been reporting the exact opposite on his podcast, Pablo Torre Finds Out.

A few weeks later, the NBA released its findings and penalties for the Clippers, which included stripping the team of five first-round picks and a $30 million fine.

ESPN also reported Leonard had no knowledge of the salary cap circumvention, which Torre quickly responded to with a document that the former Clippers star had signed with Aspiration.

There have been several doubters surrounding Torre’s reporting throughout the Clippers saga, but it appears the journalist has been one of few reliable sources regarding the LA organization.

He previously worked for the sports giant from 2012 to 2023, appearing regularly on programs like Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption.

https://t.co/lwzJJ9Tzwqpic.twitter.com/iSuFOADfVS

— Pablo Torre (@PabloTorre) September 3, 2026

Dominick Barlow went above and beyond what you’d ever expect for a player on a two-way contract last season. He started 59 games for the Sixers and averaged 23.8 minutes per game, as well as 10.8 minutes across nine games in the playoffs.

High motor, rebounding at both ends, sharp defense against guards and forwards, and some disruptive defensive playmaking — Barlow brought a lot to the table. Despite having little to offer on offense apart from play finishing, some improving driving against closeouts, and strong offensive rebounding (1.9 per game and an impressive 2.8 per 36 minutes), Barlow proved his value. He finished the season averaging 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.

The way Barlow plays within his role is key to his success. He has excellent agility and size with his 6-foot-9 frame, defensive versatility and playmaking potential as a defender and rebounder, so that’s what he focuses on. He doesn’t try to do too much, and he’s carved out a role as an impactful forward because of it. Combine that focus with his high motor and an IQ to generally be in the right spots at the right time (at both ends of the floor), and Barlow ticks a lot of boxes. There’s always a space for that on a team.

His career night against the Clippers in February with 26 points, two steals and 16 rebounds — including 10 (!!) offensive boards — was a perfect encapsulation of what his athleticism, knowhow and hustle can do.

Even with Barlow’s offensive weaknesses showing in the playoffs, he still had some high-energy plays in some key moments. Take Game 2 against the Knicks, where he chipped in with six points on 3-of-3 shooting, two rebounds, one steal, and two blocks in 15 minutes as he provided a boost and stepped up at center too.

Moving forward, the question for Barlow as 2026-27 approaches is what can we expect from him on these new-look Sixers?

We’ve seen some flashes of what Barlow’s been working on this summer. As you’d expect, his three-pointer is a focus, which he’s talked about with PhillyVoice’s Adam Aaronson. In his Rico Hines Runs with fellow young Sixers, Barlow has been showing off smoother form with his corner threes.

Dominick Barlow’s corner three looks noticeably smoother. pic.twitter.com/r0asKZmyNj

— HG (@Harrison_Grimm) August 20, 2026

It has to be the priority for Barlow if he’s going to maximize his minutes on this newly stacked team. His lack of threat from distance (only shooting 25.6 percent from three for the year on 1.2 attempts per game) is also what held him back from being more useful in the playoffs. Pair this offseason work with Barlow being able to get over the elbow injury that bothered him earlier last season and messed with his shooting mechanics, there’s reason for the Sixers and their fans to be hopeful that he can improve as a shooter.

With the addition of Jaylen Brown on the wing and LeBron James, who’ll spend his time running point and shifting between positions (including the 4 and maybe the 5 in bursts), there’s potential for Barlow to not just keep hustling at the 4, but carve out a role as a smaller, switchy option at the 5 and form some dynamic frontcourts with LeBron.

Clearly the need for traditional centers behind Joel Embiid won’t go away. The Sixers will be at their best if they can get some reliable performance from Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti, so they have more size and traditional rim protection when they need it off the bench. But depending on how Bona in particular performs, and when Embiid inevitably misses time, there will still be opportunity for Barlow to keep building on what he showed last season. That includes run at center.

Plus, what with the arrival of Dean Wade as a quality new option and super versatile defender as a backup 4, the potential for Barlow to offer more value as a smaller, switchier 5 increases again. How about a lineup like Tyrese Maxey, Brown, Wade, LeBron and Barlow for loads of offensive creation and switchability?

Of course, we can’t realistically expect a leap in jump shot variety from Barlow. However, him at least becoming a somewhat reliable corner threat would be huge to him being more useful when sharing the floor with Embiid, providing space when Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and now LeBron and Brown are attacking the paint as they will frequently, and being viable in the playoffs.

Without trying to make every conversation come back to the jumper, as it so often has with too many Sixers in the past, that’s the swing factor for Barlow now. We know he can do plenty of little things well.

Command some respect from defenders at the arc to keep the floor a little more spacious for LeBron and co., and there’s upside for Barlow to be an even more valuable role player when he’s on the floor. Even if those minutes decrease a little at times due to the sheer wealth of top-end talent and lineup versatility with these new Sixers.

And on his now standard contract with the team, for just $3.41 million in 2026-27, you can bet Barlow will remain one of the best value deals in the NBA.

As much as NBA teams are trying to have success in any given season, the real tell of being a great organization is if they can set themselves up for sustained success over a longer period. The Dallas Mavericks looked as if they were set up for that success just two short years ago. After making the 2024 NBA Finals, the Mavs were fifth in ESPN’s Future Power Rankings, which ranks teams on a forward-facing three-year timeline.   

After falling to 16^th overall in the rankings last offseason, Dallas slid once again in ESPN’s 2026 offseason edition of the ranking, slotting in at 17^th in the NBA. Here is what the experts said on Dallas’ position.

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Three-year outlook

The Mavericks rank near the middle of the pack in almost every subcategory, so they’re a proper fit for the middle of the pack. On the plus side is the presence of 19-year-old Cooper Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year and one of the NBA’s most promising prospects. On the negative side is uncertainty around Dallas’ competitive window, as it’s unclear when Flagg and friends will actually start pushing toward the playoffs. – Kram

It continues to baffle me that Dallas hasn’t been able to get draft capital for some of the veteran players who are on the roster. For a team who isn’t going to compete for anything real in the next few years, they have no reason to be in the bottom third of the league in draft assets. Really, it’s an indictment of the organization that the only category they rank in the upper half of the league in is the thing they can’t control: The city they operate out of. But again, imagine where this roster would be without Cooper Flagg.

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Roster question looming

What happens with Kyrie Irving? The nine-time All-Star has not played an NBA game since tearing an ACL in March 2025 and has two years remaining on his contract. With a new front office in place, is Irving on the roster next summer or is he a trade candidate in February? Irving was on pace to average at least 20 points for a ninth straight season before the knee injury. – Marks

Perhaps the biggest question that the Mavericks face this year is the question about Irving. By the time late October rolls around, it will have been 18-months since he last played NBA basketball. No longer a spring chicken, and not getting any younger, will Irving have the tolerance to stick around if this team isn’t a play-in contender?

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Bold prediction for 2027-29

Flagg will be the first American-born MVP since Harden in 2018. Can the Mavericks forward reach the summit by 2030? That’s a tough ask given that Wembanyama, Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander and Doncic will be drawing votes for years to come. But Flagg was incredibly productive as an 18-year-old rookie, and his two-way game should quickly transform Dallas into a winner. LeBron James captured his first MVP during his age-24 season; don’t be surprised if Flagg gets there at a younger age. – Golliver

A Flagg MVP campaign would surely mean the Mavericks are good again, so we can only hope this comes to fruition!

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What are your thoughts on the Mavericks’ ranking overall? Personally, I think it feels about right but admittedly, I’m a bit lower on their future than most.

Check out the full set of rankings from ESPN here.

With the season fast approaching, I decided to switch up from the usual and veer into a different lane: footwear. I wanted to investigate what shoes the Bucks wore last season, which will, by and large, inform what they wear this season. Players are creatures of habit and generally like to stick to the same makes and models once they find something they like. And while I’m certainly no expert, I do happen to know a bit about basketball shoes, so this was an enjoyable article to write. Let’s get into it.

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Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Bogoljub Markovic: The Sabrina squad

These guys all love the Nike Sabrina model, which, of course, is WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu’s signature shoe. Of the four players, Tyler Herro is the only one contractually obligated to wear Nike, while the other three choose to rock the brand. Below, you can see both Herro and Kel’el Ware showing off their Sabrina 3s.

Myles Turner, Ryan Rollins, Brayden Burries, and Jericho Sims: The Kobe crew

The only group that can rival the “Sabrina squad” in numbers is the “Kobe crew.” Myles Turner, Brayden Burries, Ryan Rollins, and Jericho Sims have all rocked a heap of Kobes. The Kobe 6 was Turner’s shoe of choice throughout last season, and as you can see, he owns some dope colourways. Rollins, for his part, wore a fair few Kobe 4s.

Caris LeVert: Anta Kai 3

At the start of last year, Caris LeVert signed an endorsement deal with Chinese brand Anta. Since that point, LeVert has been lacing ‘em up in Kyrie Irving’s signature “Kai” line.

Kevin Porter Jr: Li-Ning Sonic 13

After signing an endorsement deal with Puma when he was drafted—and wearing the brand until about a year ago—KPJ has often been seen rocking the Chinese brand Li-Ning. Here he is seen in their Sonic 13 model.

Ousmane Dieng: Adidas Harden Vol. 9

Dieng inked a deal with Adidas when he was drafted 11th overall in 2022. Since then, he’s mostly been rolling with with James Harden’s line. Here he is in the Harden Vol. 9.

Nate Ament: Reebok Engine A

For those who didn’t know, Nate Ament has been with Reebok since late 2024, when he signed a deal while still in high school. Yes, high school. As the once-heralded brand tries to break back into an increasingly saturated market, it targeted top players at all levels, with the Bulls’ Matas Buzelis, Kings’ Darius Acuff Jr., and Sky’s Angel Reese also joining as ambassadors. And for those wondering, no, the legs on the right aren’tAment’s. I had some copyright issues attaching the photo I wanted to use. Argh.

Gary Trent Jr: Adidas Adizero

Trent has been with Adidas since late 2020, rocking a variety of their kicks over the journey, including the aforementioned Harden line. Last season, GT mainly stuck to their Adizero range, as shown below in a purple colourway.

Jaime Jaquez Jr: Jordan 40-14 Ferrari

Jaime Jaquez Jr. is the only Buck signed with Jordan Brand. Jaquez has worn many of Jordan’s basketball shoes, but he chose to flex the 40-14 Ferraris for the Play-In game last season against the Hornets.

Kyle Kuzma: Nike Zoom Freak

Kuzma is currently a sneaker free agent after his five-year deal with Puma expired in late 2024. With the Bucks, Kuz has mostly worn Nike. He rocked a good number of Kobes last season, but his most common shoe was probably the Freak line of now-former teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo.

AJ Green: Nike LeBron NXXT Gen

Green doesn’t have an official shoe deal, but he’s laced up a slew of Nike kicks throughout his NBA career. These have ranged from the GT Cut to LeBron’s signature line, as shown below.

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Of all these kicks, which struck your fancy? Let us know in the comments.