After being drafted and stashed, then going on to win MVP and, for the second year in a row, the Top Prospect Award in Serbia’s Adriatic League, the Milwaukee Bucks committed to Bogoljub Markovic early this offseason, signing him to a four-year, $9.3m rookie contract. 

The timing was both right and wrong. Markovic does have talent (more on that in a moment), plays a position of need, and, at just 21 years old, fits the Bucks’ current timeline. So, if he’s ever going to become an NBA player, now, while the Bucks have no pressure to win, is the time to find out. On the other hand, signing Markovic so early in the offseason undoubtedly contributed to the Bucks’ roster logjam, leaving them in the position they are now, needing to trim two players without many appealing pathways to do so. In hindsight, waiting until after his Summer League evaluation would’ve retained at least some roster flexibility. But I digress; Markovic is here—at least for now. 

In Summer League, Markovic put up decent counting stats: 8.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.2 SPG, 1.0 BPG, and 1.2 TPG, to go along with .381/.364/.667 shooting splits. He had some moments too, including a 16-point, eight-rebound showing against the Phoenix Suns. But he also went MIA for stretches—or even entire games, like the 1/9 stinker against the Philadelphia 76ers to wrap up SL play. In the end, his play earned him a C- on our official Summer League report card.

Offensively, Markovic has some chops. He’s a gifted passer who can create from the high and low post and, under the right circumstances, even off the dribble. He’s more explosive than you’d think too—no, I’m not going to call his athleticism “sneaky”—able to quickly flush home dunks. He’s also a capable shooter, though he needs to improve his consistency to become a legitimate floor-spacing big in the NBA. This, it seems, is his most likely avenue to a real NBA role. 

On the defensive end, it’s a different story. If Markovic was a cricket bat, he’d be applauded for his defensive stroke play—how vertical he is. Unfortunately, he’s a basketballer and he’s just far too upright as a defender to make much of an impact. Like a cricket bat, he’s also still far too thin and narrow, meaning he’s too easily pushed around. He’ll get some boards and blocks by nature of his length, but he’s no deterrent at the rim and gives up far too many second chance opportunities. Put it this way, Markovic is strictly a four and should only ever see minutes at the five in blowouts. 

Looking ahead, a successful season for Markovic would be one in which he hits the gym, hard, and polishes the stroke enough to earn semi-consistent court time; 40 games at about 10 minutes per would mean he’s made significant strides. Anything more would be a bonus. 

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With Markovic snicking one to slips and on his way back to the changerooms, which Buck will be next to join him?

Editor’s Note: Today is a perfect day to announce the debut of another one of Canis’ very own, JetAllen! Jet Helmbrecht is introducing a series of articles called the “What If” Wolves, beginning all the way back with the beginning. You are in for a treat!

You can also say hello to Jet on BlueSky @coachjet!

Volume One: Let’s Begin

$32.5 million dollars.

That was the purchase price of an NBA expansion team in 1987.

Harvey Ratner and Marv Wolfenson put some dough together to bring a pro basketball team back to Minnesota. We all know the story of the Minneapolis Lakers leaving town for greener pastures in Los Angeles way back in 1960. Some people even know about the Muskies and Pipers that played in the ABA. But finally, thanks to “Harv and Marv”, the NBA would be coming back to Minnesota.

The Minnesota Timberwolves were born.

For those of you who don’t know, the Minnesota Timberwolves, or the Wolves, or the T-Wolves (please don’t use this one) have not always been the cream of the NBA crop. They’ve been teams that were not that talented, with poor decision-making, and flat-out illegal transactions by the front office that have kept the Wolves near the bottom of the standings for most of the team’s history.

I am going to break some of these issues down and offer an alternative history. Basically, this is what I would have done instead. Obviously, almost every instance of me changing history would have led to a championship… Who are you to doubt me?

This series is purely for entertainment purposes. Try not to take things too seriously, and we should have some fun. With that being said, let’s get started with the creation of the team and the first season.

Franchise Creation

Like I stated before, Harv and Marv, the original owners of the Timberwolves, put up $32.5 million dollars to purchase an expansion team. Considering what the NBA expansion fee is today ($7-10 billion), this was a bargain.

Harv and Marv would still need to find a permanent place to play, hire front office staff, and field a team. But there were more pressing items that needed to be dealt with, namely, finding a team name.

The “Minnesota NBA Team” decided that they would leave the naming up to the great people of Minnesota. I’m sure you can guess how that went. A “Name the Team” contest was sent out to the masses. 6,076 entries came back with 1,284 different names. There was a group of current NBA team names submitted. The Cavaliers (Cleveland), Kings (Sacramento), Hawks (Atlanta), Mavericks (Dallas), Pacers (Indiana), Warriors (Golden State), Nets (New Jersey at the time), Bucks (Milwaukee), and of course the Lakers (Los Angeles).

None of these names would be selected or approved by the NBA, even though the Lakers should be in Minnesota. I’ve never even heard of a lake in Los Angeles, outside of an Andrew Garfield movie.

Anyways, a slew of cold-weather nicknames were submitted, like the Frost, the Chill, Tornadoes, the Blizzard, the Snowdrift, and the Abominable Snowmen. I’ve never been a fan of the non-plural nicknames or team names that, to me, are nonsense. Team names like the Miami HEAT, Orlando Magic, and especially (I know I will get hate for this) the Minnesota Wild.

What the hell is a “a Wild”?

There were Minnesota state-specific mascot names like the Loons (which would become the name of the Minnesota Major League Soccer team), Mallards, Mosquitoes (of course), Gnats, Bullheads, Walleyes, Minnows, Oofdahs (or Uffdas depending on your Scandinavian heritage), and my favorite, the Mississippi Mud Monsters (now a minor league baseball team).

All the entries were cut down to the two most popular, the Timberwolves and Polars. These names were then sent to the 842 city councils throughout Minnesota for their votes. The Timberwolves were the runaway winner (again, what is “a Polar”?).

With the name selected, a logo and uniforms would be next. Mark Thompson designed the first logo: a majestic wolf looking off into the distance, which we now refer to as “Old Shep”. What is he looking at? Maybe prey of some kind. Maybe he is looking at a Wild or a Polar. It’s really not important; this logo is classic and still my preferred logo out of all that the team has had.

The Timberwolves made a deal to play their inaugural season at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. 10-year-old me thought this was the most magical place in the entire world (I didn’t get out much back then). This was a smart choice for many reasons.

First, the dome was awesome. I remember the first time I went to the dome to see a Minnesota Vikings game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The atmosphere was electric; the Vikings won, Boomer Esiason got booed, and when we left, I got expelled from the building by a huge gust of wind that always happened when exiting the Metrodome (Factor in that I was maybe 50 pounds at the time… I flew).

No matter if you were prepared for the wind or not, it always took you by surprise.

The dome was huge as well. Somehow, the Timberwolves set an NBA record for single-season attendance in their first year. 1,072,572 people attended Wolves games that year. The only negative of holding games at the dome was the men’s bathroom trough. If you don’t know what that is, basically a giant urinal that a bunch of guys use at the same time.

Think of what a horse drinks water from. Now, instead of horses, imagine dudes expelling all the beer that they drank while cheering on their favorite team. Even worse, now picture me standing maybe at 3 feet tall, and where my eye line would have been while trying to go to the bathroom. Get rid of those troughs, and we are good to go.

I read once that those troughs were auctioned off. One of the troughs was sold for $375! What are you going to do with that thing?

Former University of Minnesota Coach Bill Musselman was named the first Head Coach for the Timberwolves. Musselman may have seemed to some as a hometown discount type of pick, but he had some recent success that made him a decent candidate. He left the University of Minnesota with a .683 winning percentage, including a Big Ten Championship in 1972.

The 1972 team included future NBA players Jim Brewer and Ron Behagen, and, most bafflingly, Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, who averaged 7.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

Before being named Head Coach of the Timberwolves, Musselman won four straight titles in the Continental Basketball Association (Tampa Bay Thrillers twice, Rapid City Thrillers, and the Albany Patroons).

The Wolves’ new coach shared personnel decisions with Director of Player Personnel Bill McKinney and CEO Bob Stein.

So, it is no coincidence that several of the Albany Patroons players, including Tony Campbell, Sidney Lowe, Tod Murphy, and Scott Brooks, played for the early Timberwolves teams. We’ll keep them in place, why not?

The First Drafts and Free Agency

Because the Timberwolves were/are an expansion team, they have zero players at this point in time. The Wolves and the Orlando Magic, being the other expansion team in 1989, would take turns selecting up to 12 players from an existing pool of NBA players.

Only one player could be selected from an existing team, and each team had several players that were “protected” and could not be selected.

So, no Michael Jordan on the Wolves.

There was a coin toss to see which team would select first in the expansion draft or have the higher pick in the regular NBA Draft. The Magic won the coin toss and elected to have the first pick in the Expansion Draft, allowing the Timberwolves to have the higher draft pick in the NBA Draft (#10 overall).

Orlando chose power forward Sidney Green from the New York Knicks. The Timberwolves, with their first selection, made their first front office blunder.

The Wolves drafted power forward Rick Mahorn from the Detroit Pistons. Great pick, right? Mahorn was a quality role player with trade value and on-court strengths. Wrong! Mahorn refused to go to the Timberwolves.

There are no take-backs in the draft, so the Wolves end up trading Mahorn to the Philadelphia 76ers for a first-round draft pick (Don’t get excited. The pick was used on Gerald Glass.) and two second-round picks. A whole lot of nothing. The rest of the draft wasn’t much better. Here are the Timberwolves selections:

1. Rick Mahorn PF Detroit Pistons
2. Tyrone Corbin SF Phoenix Suns
3. Steve Johnson C Portland Trailblazers
4. Brad Lohaus PF/C Sacramento Kings
5. David Rivers PG LA Lakers
6. Mark Davis SF Milwaukee Bucks
7. Scott Roth SF San Antonio Spurs
8. Shelton Jones PF Philadelphia 76ers
9. Eric White SF LA Clippers
10. Maurice Martin SG Denver Nuggets
11. Gunther Behnke C Cleveland Cavaliers

Any names ring a bell? Maybe three? Yeah, it’s not good. Mahorn refused to play for an expansion team. Mark Davis was selected only because the Bucks gave the Wolves a second-round pick to take him off their books. Only four of the players selected played for the Wolves that first year, and only Ty Corbin played for more than one season for the team. Hell, Gunther Behnke never even played for one second in the NBA!

There were a bunch of players who were left unprotected who could have been drafted. Now I know that contract/salary concerns may have kept these players from being selected, but these are the picks I would have made for the “What If” Wolves:

1. Tyrone Corbin SF Phoenix Suns
2. Terry Catledge PF Washington Bullets
3. Scott Skiles PG Indiana Pacers
4. Tony Campbell SG/SF LA Lakers
5. Jerome Lane PF Denver Nuggets
6. Brad Lohaus PF/C Sacramento Kings
7. Larry Krystkowiak PF/C Milwaukee Bucks
8. Dennis Johnson PG Boston Celtics
9. Vinnie Johnson SG/PG Detroit Pistons
10. David Wingate SF/SG Philadelphia 76ers
11. Caldwell Jones C/PF Portland Trailblazers
12. No pick. This guy wasn’t going to play anyways.

So here is my thinking: try to at least draft players that may want to play for the team (thanks for nothing, Mahorn), milk as much talent out of the older players as possible, and draft players that can maybe play a bit.

The toughest decision was drafting Tyrone Corbin instead of Spud Webb. Spud Webb was my favorite player growing up because I was always the shortest kid in my class. I thought that if Spud could dunk at his height (5’7”), I should be able to as well when I grew up (5’8”).

I did manage to dunk (Twice!), but I had to catch the ball off the bounce and kind of smoosh it into the hoop. It wasn’t pretty, but I say it counts. Expansion draft complete! We have 80% of our roster set.

For the NBA Draft, the Timberwolves started a long tradition of messing up royally with their first pick at 10th overall.

Minnesota also had two picks in the second round, the 34^th and 38^th overall picks. When this draft took place, I was 12 years old. Not really the basketball nerd that I would become. But even in my early fandom, I knew who I wanted the Timberwolves to draft: Tim Hardaway.

The only reason why I wanted them to draft Hardaway was due to a short clip that discussed his signature move, the “UTEP Two-Step”. The UTEPTS (acronyms were long back then) was a simple but very effective crossover move that allowed Hardaway easy access to the bucket. That was the only reason I wanted the Wolves to draft him.

Seriously, the only reason.

When Minnesota instead selected Pooh Richardson out of UCLA, this 12-year-old GM was ticked. How could the Timberwolves betray me already? At the time, it really wasn’t that big of a deal, but I do remember a local paper headline that read “Who is Pooh?” or something along those lines.

Tim Hardaway even thought that he would go to the Wolves at 10. Hardaway started to fall a bit and was eventually selected by the Golden State Warriors. But why the slip in the draft? Well, Golden State Head Coach Don Nelson was telling the other teams ahead of the Warriors that Hardaway had bum knees and would most likely be out of the league in four years.

Sneaky coach.

Tim Hardaway would go on to be a multiple-time NBA All-Star, Olympic medalist, and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. I should have been named the GM at 12.

After Pooh Richardson at 10, the Wolves drafted center Gary Leonard from Missouri at pick 34 and wing Doug West from Villanova at pick 38. Leonard would only play a total of 31 games in the NBA. However, Doug West was one of the fan-favorite players on the early Timberwolves teams. He played 12 seasons in the NBA, nine of them with the Wolves.

West was a hard worker, a decent dunker, and didn’t have much of a jump shot. Fun guy to watch. I hope this won’t sound like slander.

So, who did the Timberwolves miss out on? Well, All-Stars like Shawn Kemp, Mookie Blaylock, Dana Barros, Cliff Robinson (RIP), B.J. Armstrong, and Vlade Divac were all selected later on.

The “What if” Wolves should have drafted Tim Hardaway at #10. Easy choice for me. The second round is where we get a bit tricky. I would try to package picks 34 and 38 to try to move up for pick 26 from the Lakers. I think that would have been good enough value for the Los Angeles to accept that trade.

Besides, they stole our team back in 1960; they owe us.

With the 26^th pick, I would take Vlade Divac, same as what the Lakers did. The real reason to draft Divac is to trade him down the line to the Charlotte Hornets for the first-round draft pick that became Kobe Bryant, but he’ll be a decent center in the meantime.

The rest of the roster was filled out by adding some key players through free agency. The Wolves were able to agree to contracts with forwards Sam Mitchell, Tony Campbell, Tod Murphy, and Donald Royal, with point guard Sidney Lowe.

Here was the first roster for the Minnesota T-IF-berwolves:

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
Pooh Richardson	Tony Campbell	Tyrone Corbin	Sam Mitchell	Tod Murphy
Sidney Lowe	Doug West	Scott Roth	Brad Lohaus	Randy Breuer
		Donald Royal	Brad Sellers	Gary Leonard
		Adrian Branch		Steve Johnson

Tony Campbell led the team by scoring 23.2 points per game. Forward Tyrone Corbin led in rebounds at 7.4 per game, and the rookie Pooh Richardson led the team with 6.8 assists per game.

Overall, the team finished dead last in points per game with 95.2, second worst defense in the league, giving up 99.4 points per game. Not exactly world beaters. A decent start? Maybe, but most likely not.

Based on my alternate timeline, the Timberwolves would have drafted a future Hall of Fame player and a solid piece we can trade later. Plus, the fans would have been able to watch Vinnie Johnson cook off the bench, watch the last games of Dennis Johnson’s great career, and witness the team miss a lot of threes (The real Wolves shot 73 for 294 on 3-point shots, 24.8%!).

PG	SG	SF	PF	C
Tim Hardaway	Tony Campbell	Tyrone Corbin	Terry Catledge	Vlade Divac
Scott Skiles	Vinnie Johnson	David Wingate	Jerome Lane	Brad Lohaus
Dennis Johnson			Larry Krystkowiak	Caldwell Jones

The actual Timberwolves finished with a record of 22-60. My “What If” Wolves could have been 40-42, at least I think so.

Maybe it’s ridiculous to use my one pass to go back in time to fix the least consequential era in Wolves history, but that’s not important. Everyone has something they want to change in this franchise’s history, from the Steph Curry draft in 2009, to the idiotic abandonment of Chauncey Billups in 2002.

Me? I just think this whole expansion business was a missed opportunity.

Suns’ fans have been fortunate to enjoy a great history of radio and television coverage. For the last 25 years, Kevin Ray has built his chapter of this legacy with the TV crew and now starts his tenth year as our eyes and ears during games.

In a video interview Friday, I asked him a range of questions about his best memories, how they prepare for the season and individual broadcasts, that day’s breaking Mark Williams news, this year’s team, and yes, even the “BoomRoom”, his patented signature call for special dunks. For what it’s worth, he’s an even “better dude” in person than what you already see on television. Responsive, thorough, willing to spend the time, and sending more thoughts back that evening. Enjoy his stories below.

Broadcasting Memories and Process

There’s been a lot of high points on the court. But what’s one that’s special to you that’s maybe not the obvious one?

Kevin Ray: Oh, there’s a handful, aside from that magical run to the Finals. Getting to call Booker’s scoring mark a few years ago in Portland certainly sits right up there at the top for me as a broadcaster, on any sport or any team, when you have those moments, those milestone and historical moments, it’s something that we all aspire to be a part of.

Unfortunately, on the local TV side, we don’t get to do playoff basketball anymore. So those kinds of moments become even more significant because, and we’ve talked about this in the industry for a number of years now, it is the one true downside of doing local TV.  You don’t get a chance to do the biggest games and potentially call the biggest moments in a franchise’s history. When those kinds of moments and situations come up and develop, you really lean into them more so than ever before.

Getting to call that game with Book, setting the scoring mark. Also, his game-winner in the Bubble will certainly stand out for a number of reasons. One, just because of what it meant for the team, but the unique situation that we were in: broadcasting remotely, and we were doing the games in as unique a setup, and every team experienced it.

But we were in the old Suns Athletic Club, which is just there adjacent to the arena. We had multiple kinds of broadcast setups with the pregame setup. EJ and I were calling basically from, we kind of laughed, like a janitor’s closet. They were trying to set it up and soundproof it as much as possible, so we’re doing that game broadcast from this little room and trying to pull in and create the kind of energy that you might experience if you’re a sold-out arena. Those are two that definitely stand out.

You’re the eyes and ears to so many fans. With the NBA League Pass, you play that role for 29 other teams’ fans too. Given that responsibility, can you walk through some of the things you do to prepare for both the season and then for individual broadcasts?

Kevin Ray: It’s really kind of a matter of paying attention to the draft, depending on who they draft, how many draft picks they’ve got. I will typically try to watch some of the Summer League games just to get kind of an early page on players and get a feel.

And then you start paying attention to NBA free agency. And even if your team doesn’t appear to be in the market in NBA free agency, I always pay close attention to it just based on who’s going where, so you can kind of get an early thumbnail of, like, okay, this guy is moving from this team. For instance, LeBron James going from the Lakers: we would encounter LeBron four or five times a season, sometimes six, because we played them twice in the preseason a couple years, and then you’d face them four times in the regular season, and now, here we are, we’ll see LeBron only twice, with only one of those being in the Valley. So always pay close attention to NBA free agency, and any kind of injury news that may pop up.

I will also go back and will typically try and review some game broadcasts from the previous year as we get closer to this season. I like to go back and rewatch some of our broadcasts and just kind of pick up on things, anything that I’ve missed, anything that I wanted to improve upon. It also provides an opportunity for me to sit down with our directors and producers if there’s an idea that might pop into our head for an endgame element that we might incorporate or something in the pregame. I will often do that.

And then, that kind of leads up to the season in training camp, and then as far as the game broadcast goes, it’s pretty much the same, although it will vary from time to time, depending on if we’re on the road. Let’s say we’ve arrived in a city at 2AM, and you’ve got a game that night. It’s a back-to-back situation. Your prep is kind of tweaked in that regard. I’ll start, depending on the schedule again, semi-prepping the night before. Let’s say the opponent that we’re playing is playing the night before. I will jump on NBA League Pass and try to watch that game if the schedule allows. That gives me live action that I can reference.

Then typically, the morning of the game, I’ll get up, and first thing I typically do is try to read through some of the stories, like you guys put out there on the Bright Side of the Sun.

I’ll try to go into any of the different platforms that might have game previews or specific stories written for the Suns, a specific player, the matchup, and then I’ll do the same thing for the opponent, whether you’re going to their local newspaper, or it is often the case, so many teams have different platforms available where you’re able to get content.

The stats are readily available to anybody and everybody. You can get all the stats that you want. So, for me, I really try to find off-court news, notes, anything that can personalize a player for the fan. Because I think that goes a long way in finding out who this guy is as a person, and kind of reminding the fans as well. You can highlight how well-rounded they are, and you maybe find a story about, “Wow, this is how he spends his offseason; he’s working on the New York Stock Exchange”, things like that. I think those are important little notes and nuggets that, for me, I enjoy being able to share with the fans because that’s the kind of stuff that isn’t always something that the fans have time to go find. It’s just something that they can kind of file away and get a better understanding of who this player is, what their mental makeup is, and maybe why they’re so important to their team, aside from the fact that they’re a 20-point scorer.

I tell people, I prep right up until tip time, basically. And we have these devices; I can go on Twitter, I can go on Instagram, because you will oftentimes get those little late tips and nuggets that a beat reporter may have just sent out. So that becomes part of my prep as well.

And then beyond those stories, then it’s a matter of putting together my game boards, and those boards consist of the Suns roster, all the stats there, same thing for the opponent. I do have a service that I use. In fact, it’s a service that, I would say, probably 80% of the guys in the league use it and it’s the old adage, ‘work smarter, not harder’. And it’s a company, and basically what they do is they will put together your game board with the player’s name, height, weight, a lot of the, as I call it, the minutiae, that can take a lot of time. And if you’ve got to do that every single game.

They will provide the template and format, and then they will also customize it for you. If there’s specific things that you want on those game boards, they’ll plug that in for you. And then I will typically get those midday, and then at that point, I can download them, and I can then start editing myself so that I can add some of those stories and notes and any stats that they may not have gotten put on the board. And some of those, I’ll type in my computer. Other times, I’ll handwrite them in, and then print them off, and that’s what I use to do each game.

It’s all kind of customized. Every broadcaster is a little different on how they do their boards. For me, I’m a big color guy, so that’s why I will highlight things, and the names and numbers will be in a certain color. I might have their season stats in red. Once I get those boards done, then it’s a matter of sitting down and looking at them and going over them because much of it you try to commit to memory so that you’re not constantly looking down in the course of the game. Because at the speed the game is played, you don’t really have that much time. It’s just kind of a quick reference. You know where that note is on Dillon Brooks, and those are the things that I try to process throughout the course of the day, so that when I get to the arena, it’s more top of mind than it is looking down and specifically reading.

We get into a situation where there’s a dead ball or a free throw, and that gives me a time to look down and say, “Okay, yeah, this next trip, I want to make sure I bring this up.” Or, “At some point here in the first quarter, I want to make sure that I get that.”

I know there’s the announcement that Eddie Johnson is taking a step back this season. How do you make that seem so seamless from one color commentator to another?

Kevin Ray: Yeah, it really comes down to my broadcast partners, like our entire broadcast team, our director, producer, our graphics people; we have been really fortunate and blessed to have really the same crew for 25 years. Even going back to when I first started doing the pregame and postgame show, we are probably one of the few teams in the league that has not had a massive amount of turnover. And that in itself goes such a long way in what I feel like gets brought out in the broadcast to where the fans just feel comfortable, right? It’s like your favorite pair of jeans or your favorite shoes. They just feel different. They feel right versus anything else.

I worked with Annie on Phoenix Mercury broadcasts, and she is a dear friend. Same thing with EJ. I’ve worked with EJ in one capacity or another now for 25 years. Then a handful of other broadcasters that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with. And so, we really do just have a tight-knit group. It is a group that we take our work serious, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We have the ability to laugh with one another and laugh at ourselves a little bit. I think that setting, that kind of family camaraderie that we’ve been able to build, I take a lot of pride in being able to convey that in our broadcasts. And I think it’s one of the reasons why I do feel like I’ve been able to kind of work seamlessly with any of the new partners that I’ve had.

Is there a funny story that’s shareable, but not widely known?

Kevin Ray: As you know, EJ and I like to go with one another from time to time. And there was one time — I think it was after a game — we oftentimes get meals served there on the plane. EJ had on one of his fine Italian shirts, and I don’t recall what the meal was, but I do remember pulling out one of the linen napkins, and I tucked it into his collar. So that he would not make any kind of a mess. And the flight attendant and some of our crew got a pretty good laugh out of it.

But I think traveling as much as we do together, and experiencing some of those long days and early morning arrivals, we have weathered a lot as a group, and that story just kind of speaks to how close all of us are.

This Year’s Team

Switching to the team on the court, we recently found out Mark Williams would be out for significant time. Any initial thoughts on this and the team?

Kevin Ray: Yeah, it’s unfortunate. You like to think you can get through an offseason without any hiccups. I think what it shows is just a reminder to the fans that, even though the training camp is still a few weeks away, that these guys are constantly working on their craft. They’re trying to get better. And so, in one regard, you love the fact that Mark was working; it was in a scrimmage. You hate the fact that it results in injury, but I’d rather see the injury in that type of situation versus he was vacationing and something happened.

It doesn’t make it any less impactful, but it just, again, kind of underscores they’re putting in work, and sometimes injuries happen in practice. You don’t get to pick when an injury occurs. So, it will certainly be felt.

I think what it does is puts Man Man (Khaman Maluach) in a position to now…and look, I think two months ago, we were all asking, “Well, gosh, Man Man looked so good in Summer League, right?” And I’ve had a chance to be around him a couple times now in the offseason. I’ve seen the muscle that he’s put on. I’ve seen the work that he’s put in. I heard about some of the work that he’s put in and the improvement. And so, two months ago, everybody was asking, “Well, gosh, how are they going to get him on the floor? How are they going to balance the minutes between he and Mark and Oso?”

Well, life has a funny way of kind of opening a door in this case for Man Man to now potentially, most likely, be the starting center. And you hope that he is ready both physically, but more importantly, mentally, and what you have to look at it as now is the team, the fans, is that we’ve all seen the flashes; we’ve seen the promise with this young man. Well, now you’ve got a chance to really jump on the launching pad and absolutely take off.

And so, I’m always an optimist by nature. I try to look at things, glass half full versus glass half empty. You go from being upset and disappointed for Mark. It’s another setback for him and one that, unfortunately, doesn’t look like it’s gonna be a quick return just based on that kind of injury.

Then you shift your focus to Man Man and say, okay, all right, young fellow, go get it done. Go, go take that next step. Go make that leap. And if you can, it creates a different level of excitement.

I do look for Book to take a step forward. Not that he took a step back last year, but the last few years we have asked Book to do so many different things. And knock on wood, with a healthy Jalen Green and Connie Gillespie back, my hope is that we’ll see Book more in his natural position, which is that off-guard coming off screens, pin-downs, where he could really put opponents in the torture chamber. I want for Book to take a step forward this year, especially this three-point shooting. It was a little bit of a struggle last season.

Boom Room Suite

I see your ‘Boom Room’ sign right behind you. If you were to treat the Boom Room as a penthouse and it could house three inhabitants this year, who do you think they are and who’s knocking on the door?

Kevin Ray: I love that question. I’ve never had anybody phrase a question as it relates to the Boom Room quite like that. So kudos to you. I love that!

I got to put our guy Book in there. I mean, Book’s got the penthouse in the Boom Room. What gets a Boom Room call is typically with a big dunk. Something like that on somebody else’s head, on an opponent’s head. But with Book, we’ve seen him bring the boom, which gets him first-class entrance into the Boom Room, just because of the types of plays that he makes.

I think with the news that we just got, it does open a spot for Man Man. We’ve seen him a couple of times take guys to the Boom Room. So, I’m gonna say Man Man is in there. I don’t think you cannot put Dillon Brooks in the Boom Room, right? Just because of everything that Dillon does, even before it took off, with the stare, that glare down at the opponent’s bench before tip-off.

To me, the guy that is not only knocking on the door, but has a chance, I think, to knock the door down is Rasheer. Here’s a guy — talk about seeing a guy just absolutely blow up in front of you — seeing how big he’s gotten in the offseason, knowing his skill set and freakish athleticism, I think for sure has got a chance to absolutely knock that door down and be a longtime resident in the boom room.

After the interview, Kevin messaged me to add Oso Ighodaro and Miles Bridges to those waiting in the hallway. My personal Boom Room of three would have Jalen Green, Oso, and Miles, with Dillon playing the role of doorman.

The Wrap

Many of us, due to geography or budget, depend on the local and/or NBA League Pass broadcasts to follow the Suns. Every game, viewers spend 200+ hours with Kevin and the crew each year; that’s more than 10 days’ worth of waking hours! It’s energizing to hear the professionalism and energy invested. Let’s hope that one of these seasons (soon) we’re all on that championship flight with KRay as our pilot.

Take a quick look at FanDuel’s listed odds for the Eastern Conference Champion and you’ll see the defending-champion New York Knicks there at +340. After them, you have the Philadelphia 76ers (+400), Boston Celtics (+500), Detroit Pistons (+850), and Cleveland Cavaliers (+900) rounding out the top five. 

However, there is one team missing from that top five that may just be better than all of those championship hopefuls, and that is the Toronto Raptors, who currently sit at sixth-place in the Eastern Conference title race at +950 (an implied probability of 9.5%). If you ask me, this is a gross underestimation of their abilities, and the basketball world is going to rue the day they counted out the Raptors.

There’s a reason SB Nation considers Toronto a top-5 championship contender in the entire league entering the season. Now that they have finally officially landed Kawhi Leonard, the Raptors all the pieces necessary to be a darkhorse for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Why the Raptors are so good 

I may be as bullish as anyone I know on the Raptors, but it’s hard not to be after seeing the unique way they were able to improve their team this offseason.

Let me explain. The Raptors and Pistons are not too dissimilar in the sense that they were both elite defensive teams (Raptors were 5th in defensive rating, Pistons were second), lead by their top five picks from the 2021 NBA Draft (Scottie Barnes, Cade Cunningham), who were using this offseason to find ways to get over the hump offensively (15th in offensive rating, 10th). 

For the Pistons, they had to go about this in a very orthodox way. Additions like Isaiah Joe, John Collins, and Ebuka Okorie helped improve their offense. But to get these guys they got rid of Isaiah Stewart (arguably the team’s second-best per minute defender), Tobias Harris (a metronomic veteran presence), and Caris LeVert (67th percentile Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, per Dunks & Threes). Simply put, they improved their offense, but had to take a hit on defense to do so.

The Raptors’ big offseason acquisition (which looks like it won’t be getting rescinded by the league front office) involved trading Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and first/second round draft capital in exchange for two-time NBA champion Kawhi Leonard. 

Dick, while still a promising player in my opinion, hardly factored into head coach Darko Rajakovic’s rotation last season (averaging just 14 minutes per game), so his loss won’t really be felt. That means that from an on-court perspective, the Raptors swapped Ingram for Leonard – a player who is not only a far superior offensive player, but a marginally better defender as well. 

Not only is Leonard an upgrade on both ends of the floor, but he is also an easier fit alongside other high-usage players. Last season, the Raptors were better with Scottie Barnes on the floor on his own than they were when he shared the floor with Ingram. Meanwhile, the 2018-19 Raptors were better with Leonard and Pascal Siakam (a player with similar offensive shortcomings to Barnes) on the floor together than they were when just one of them was on the court. 

The Raptors’ other marquee edition was Allen Graves, who they took with the 19th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. I’m not going to pretend to be some draft aficionado, but everything I’ve seen from Graves thus far screams immediate two-way impact player. At the very least, he certainly doesn’t tilt their team one way or the other.

Allen Graves…

The analytics darling of the 2026 NBA Draft. 6'9, 7'0 wing. Crazy STL% and BLK%. Soft touch. Elite offensive rebounder. Can shoot it. Never turns it over. Plays a hyper-efficient brand of basketball. pic.twitter.com/jE0z6vXfezhttps://t.co/TewtChUvCr

— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) June 1, 2026

Unlike the Pistons, the Raptors were able to build upon their weakness while also avoiding diminishing from their strength. This is without noting that, even with the 35-year-old Leonard, the Raptors are still fairly young. If Rajakovic’s head is in the same place as mine, it’ll mean that the other four players in Toronto’s starting lineup (Barnes, Collin-Murray Boyles, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett) will all be 27 years old or younger. Then, off the bench they’ll have Graves, Jamal Shead, and Ja’Kobe Walter (all of whom are under 24); plus Jakob Poeltl and Kyle Anderson there to provide some much-needed veteran experience. Tons of room for in-house improvement, but also enough steadiness to survive the rigors of the NBA season.

Yes, all of this hinges on Leonard’s health, which, before last season, was as reliable as a restroom soap dispenser. Prior to 2025-26, Leonard had only played over 60 games once since the last time he called Air Canada home. But is that any more risky than the Celtics relying on Jayson Tatum and Paul George, or a playstyle that keeps leading to upsets in the playoffs? Is it more risky than the 76ers starting a lineup with a 42-year-old, the basketball analytics equivalent of a flat Earther, and Joel Embiid (who has an even more checkered availability history than Leonard)? What about a Cavaliers team with three non-shooters in their opening five and two guards with durability concerns and a huge target hovering over them on defense? Is it riskier than that? I don’t think so. 

All the teams favored over the Raptors have some glaring holes (heck, even the Knicks have to overcome the loss of Mitchell Robinson). On paper, the Raptors have the fewest flaws of any Eastern Conference team. And in the playoffs, the team that comes out alive is usually the one with the least amount of weaknesses. 

When the Washington Wizards started their rebuild in 2023, rotation debates centered around Deni Avdija versus Corey Kispert for a starting spot and whether Mike Muscala or Danilo Gallinari would back up Daniel Gafford. 

Three years later, Bilal Coulibaly is the lone holdover from a roster that’s undergone a complete overhaul. Washington’s new-look squad of talented veterans and ascending young players presents head coach Brian Keefe with several questions surrounding his starting lineup and rotation.

But considering the team’s 50-196 record since the start of the 2023-24 season, Keefe’s dilemma is one Washington appreciates the ability to solve.

While Keefe hasn’t formally spoken on his 2026-27 rotation, an educated guess would tab Trae Young, Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr as likely starters when Washington opens against the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 21.

AJ Dybantsa, the team’s No. 1 selection in June’s draft who general manager Will Dawkins hinted could play both shooting guard and small forward, likely slots into one of the openings. That leaves three players — Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson — vying for one starting spot.

Each player boasts a compelling case. The decision comes down to what Keefe values most: elite defense, knockdown shooting, or the best combination of both.

Bilal Coulibaly

Over the last two seasons, Coulibaly has started all 115 games he’s played in.

The French wing is the team’s best perimeter defender. His 86.5-inch wingspan, which ranks in the 99th percentile among NBA guards, allows him to disrupt passing lanes and deny shots. His 1.3 steals, 1.0 blocks and 3.1 deflections per game all ranked in the 90th percentile or better at his position last season.

Coulibaly’s ability to defend the opponent’s top offensive threat could best complement Young, whose elite offensive production often overshadows his lackluster defense.

As the primary defender, Coulibaly held Giannis Antetokounmpo to just seven points on 2-for-7 shooting in Washington’s 129-126 win over the Milwaukee Bucks last December. For reference, Antetokounmpo scored 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting against all other defenders.

(Video via Youtube.com/Byvarunshankar)

Coulibaly’s 41.4% 3-point clip in five games alongside Young provides some additional promise.

But the sample size next to Young — just 29 3-point attempts — is small compared to a relatively poor body of work. Coulibaly is a career 31% 3-point shooter whose inconsistent jumper presents potential spacing issues when paired with other non-shooters like Davis (27% 3PT), Sarr (33.3% 3PT) and Dybantsa (33.1% 3PT).

If Coulibaly outduels George and Johnson, Washington’s starters wouldn’t include a single player who shot over 34% 3PT last season.

Does Coulibaly’s defense outweigh his offensive limitations and the spacing issues those might bring? That’s a question for Keefe to assess and eventually answer.

Tre Johnson

Johnson is a lethal outside jumpshooter who struggles on defense. He’s essentially the opposite of Coulibaly.

The 6-foot-5 guard shot nearly 40% from three before a hip injury sidelined him in November. His percentage dipped after that setback and further dropped following a January ankle injury. He finished his rookie season at 35.8% 3PT.

Tre Johnson, SHOOTER pic.twitter.com/zxfqfsarcN

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) January 28, 2026

Johnson’s jumper would solve Washington’s spacing issues. But his 125.7 defensive rating, which would’ve ranked dead last in the NBA if he played enough games to qualify, suggests a vulnerable defensive backcourt between him and Young.

Alex Sarr defended the most rim attempts per game last season in part because Washington’s poor perimeter defense funneled many drives into their 7-foot center. A starting backcourt of Young and Johnson wouldn’t necessarily solve that problem — if anything, it could worsen it.

While starting Johnson remains possible, it wouldn’t align with the franchise’s goal of overhauling one of the league’s worst defensive units. Starting Coulibaly or George better supports that objective.

Kyshawn George

George is the perfect middle ground.

The third-year wing offers the best combination of size (6-foot-8), shooting (38.1% 3PT), offensive creation (4.5 assists per game), and defensive ability (1.9 stocks per game) among this trio. And unlike the other candidates, George’s game doesn’t include a major deficiency.

Kyshawn George 23-5-5-2-1 (10/24), 1 TOV pic.twitter.com/1yOsL0ge2h

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) January 30, 2026

After an offseason of growth — in both strength and skills — George’s physical defense holds up against guards, forwards and possibly some smaller centers. He offers the defensive versatility that Wizards general manager Will Dawkins preaches.

His 42.8% clip on catch-and-shoot threes last season showed he can space the floor. In a lineup with Young, one of the league’s prolific passers, that percentage could solve potential spacing issues.

The argument against starting George centers around a few things, none of which are indictments of his game. One of those arguments: George’s on-ball play was so promising last season that bringing him off the bench to run the second unit makes more sense.

According to databallr.com, George created 25.4 points per game last season. While impressive, his 2.6 turnovers per contest showcased room for growth in both court vision and decision-making.

Washington’s lack of a true backup point guard has opened the door for George to assume similar offensive creation responsibilities, which might overlap with Young if deployed in the same lineups.

But after acquiring Tre Mann to presumably compete with Bub Carrington for the backup point guard role, George’s on-ball duties no longer appear as vital to the second unit’s success as some previously imagined.

The decision

Keefe’s philosophy will show through this choice.

Are Washington’s spacing or defense concerns so great that it warrants leaving the team vulnerable on one of those ends? Or are those holes so vast that a partial fix to both is better than completely solving one?

The former favors Coulibaly and Johnson. The latter sides with George.

Keefe’s decision looms as training camp approaches.

The Atlanta Hawks are still trying to recreate that glory they found during a 2021 playoff run.

Only one player, Onyeka Okongwu, remains from that Eastern Conference finalist team. Coaches and executives have come and gone, and yet every season the Hawks seem locked in a battle against .500 — not against the elite of the NBA.

Many pointed to the difficulties of building around a small, defensively challenged guard like Trae Young for this, but as the New York Knicks showed, the right team building execution can navigate those challenges (although not a perfect comparison for Jalen Brunson’s brilliance, of course).

As they head into the next season, there doesn’t appear to be much of a path leading to the 2027 NBA Finals for them. The team opted for continuity and long-term flexibility in their moves this offseason — which I believe was the mature and prudent path forward in fairness.

So why is it that the Hawks continue to be stuck in the middle?

They’ve replaced one homegrown, foundational All-Star (Young) with another (Jalen Johnson). Both guys have proven to be elite NBA players as first rounders and former five-star high school players.

But that same first round of the NBA Draft is exactly where the Hawks are otherwise snakebitten, and the main reason why their stuck in mediocrity.

Let’s take a brief stroll down memory lane (focused on first-round draft picks because second round picks are a pure crapshoot):

2018

This one will be quick: the Hawks hit both of their top 29 first round picks out of the park (the less that’s said about Omari Spellman at 30, the better). Kevin Huerter has proved to be a quality pick at 19 even as his career has stalled out after a torrid start to his Sacramento Kings career.

Still, this draft will likely be about who the Hawks didn’t come away with than who they did. What does the franchise look like if they had opted for the player with six (!) First Team All-NBA selections before the age of 28 instead of Young — provided they didn’t later trade him to the Lakers for pocket lint.

2019

Here’s where things really began to go off the rails. The Hawks — coming off a 29-53 season — held three first-round picks in the 2019 NBA Draft, no. 8, no. 10 (from the 2018 draft night trade), and no. 17 (fun fact: the pick that became reigning Most Improved Player Nickeil Alexander-Walker).

Instead of bringing in three rookies, the Hawks decided to use no. 8, no. 17, and second round assets to move up for De’Andre Hunter at fourth overall. They rounded out their first round with Cam Reddish at 10. The thought was both guys would bring length, athleticism, two-way impact and position versality to better round the roster around Young and emerging forward John Collins.

With the current Knicks as a parallel, strong wing defense is the best way to cover for a small guard defensively. Between Hunter (6’8” with a 7’2” wingspan) and Reddish (6’8” with a 7’0.5” wingspan), Wingstop should have proven to a great fit around Young.

Hunter was on his way to just maybe living up to that billing, until a knee injury shortened his sophomore season in 2020-21. Multiple setbacks ultimately sapped his athleticism, and he now looks to be on the back end of his NBA career.

To be completely frank, Reddish never even set foot down that path. He didn’t seem likely to accept a complementary role on offense, and his defensively attentiveness and motor waxed and waned like the phases of the moon.

Reddish (just turned 27) is currently set to play in Lithuania for the upcoming season.

2020

Onyeka Okongwu was the pick here at sixth overall. While it’s not ideal to draft a backup center this high in the draft, in the years since grabbing a starting spot, he’s transformed into one of the league’s best stretch centers.

Although he has his critics when it comes to measuring up with other starting centers on traditional contributions like rim protection and rebounding, coming away with a serviceable player is fine, I guess.

2021

Jalen Johnson at 20th overall. Great pick, no notes.

2022

Here’s where things really begin to get wicked.

AJ Griffin slipped from being a lottery selection down into the Hawks’ lap at 16 this draft. Playing time was sparce to begin his career, but he ended his rookie season on a solid note, showcasing his easy shooting motion and clearly NBA-ready body.

His sophomore season didn’t go to plan, however. After a trade and brief stint with the Houston Rockets’ summer league team, Griffin retired from basketball altogether in 2024. He is currently pursuing a career in ministry.

2023

Maybe there’s a comeback in store for Kobe Bufkin yet, but this one is already another wasted draft pick for the Hawks.

After being selected 15th overall, Bufkin suffered a thumb injury and a labrum tear in his first couple of seasons in Atlanta. He has since been traded, waived, and is currently signed to the New Orleans Pelicans after some time with the Los Angeles Lakers last season.

2024

It’s rare when the number one overall pick is on a different team than the one that drafted him just two years into his career (non-Andrew Wiggins or Markelle Fultz division). Number one overall pick Zaccharie Risacher is now trying to establish himself with the Dallas Mavericks after his playing time dwindled to zero with the Hawks last season.

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Not every one of those picks would or should have produced high-level, franchise foundation types of players. Unearthing Jalen Johnson at 20 was a stroke of luck to be sure.

But to not come away with even long-term contributors out of the 2019, 2022, 2023 or 2024 drafts (including no. 1, no. 4 and no. 10 overall picks) has done real damage to a program trying to draft and develop their way into contention.

As a result, the Hawks have had to turn towards free agency and the trade market to find depth in the form of Dyson Daniels, Nickel Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum. And maybe the team can continue the form they found after the All-Star break last season and carry it into the upcoming season.

Teams like the Thunder used their assets to stockpile and develop young and exciting talent that helped lead them to the 2025 title. A team like Knicks instead decided to send their first-round picks elsewhere to bring in Karl Anthony-Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges and others.

But in either scenario, those firsts were used and not flushed down the toilet.

The Hawks have essentially lit a handful of first-round picks on fire, and partly as a result they sit here for another season outside the inner circle of contenders.

President of basketball operations Onsi Saleh has repeated that the Hawks still are not “one player away” and reiterated his intent to continue building his development program. But one thing is clear: the Hawks will remain more than one player away if they can’t quickly turn around their poor first-round draft record.

This one just made me happy.

Saturday night with @TexasFootball 🤘🏈 pic.twitter.com/IWWBVDVB89

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) September 13, 2026

These guys just love hanging out together. In that picture are five young men, still early in their careers and yet in such a great place. Am I right in thinking that this is the most we’ve seen Spurs players hanging out since the Coffee Club?

Don’t get me wrong, one luxury of being a Spurs fan is appreciating how drama free the team can be for extremely long sessions. When a player doesn’t fit the team, they seem to mutually separate. Not every single time, and as time goes on some players may throw more shade on the past, but overall, the parting is amicable.

And those who are the longest tenured and most beloved? Well, those guys were always respectful of each other, but many had families and didn’t socialize in the same way.

From left to right you have Dylan Harper, age 20 who just wrapped his premiere on a tear as one of the best rookies of the season. he threw some crazy numbers in the postseason and handles the spotlight like it was built for him. Julian Champagnie just inked a three-year deal and bought himself one heck of a home. His move to San Antonio was a great pairing, one of those moments where the Spurs get credited for a “steal,” which is saying a lot for their impressive recording of finding hidden gems who were right in front of everyone’s eyes.

Congrats to Julian Champagnie who is putting down serious roots in San Antonio.

The 24-year-old Spurs wing just locked down a $2.34M crib in The Dominion- the iconic neighborhood known for hosting other Spurs legends.

From an undrafted two-way contract to starting 59 games… pic.twitter.com/yXQDBusNQ7

— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) September 14, 2026

Standing center (which feels like exactly the right place for him to be standing) is Keldon Johnson, the elder statesman of the Spurs draftees and the longest tenured member of the squad. He had some postseason challenges, but we know Keldon, and he’s going to come back hard this season. He has motivation from within and now’s he’s got a sense of the weight created through series after series of best of sevens.

Devin Vassell, coming into his seventh season, just twenty-six years-old, and like Keldon, was ready for a taste of the postseason. You know he’s got the itch already to get into the next season. Hitting at 38% from beyond the arc last season, he’s bound to get more open looks when on the floor with Victor Wembanyama on the floor. Tell me he isn’t ready to get back on the hardwood.

And what is there not to love about Carter Bryant? He saw some minutes in the Finals as a rookie. That is etched in his mind for the rest of his life. His smile and charm make him look young and innocent, and then he’ll dunk on you like you tried to steal his lunch money. Close you eyes. Think about what he looked like in season. And thin about what he’s going to look like next season. Yeah, that’s about to happen.

Five amazing young men, in the prime of their lives, taking it all in, and loving every moment. Together.

Like I said, “This one just made me happy.”

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Duke Basketball released some more video of the Brotherhood players who are in town and are scrimmaging with the current Blue Devils.

This time, though we may have missed someone, we see Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Paolo Banchero, and cheering from the sideline, Dereck Lively.

As Caleb Foster explained the other day, it’s not really about winning and losing. It’s about learning.

It’s strikingly clear here that the NBA players are on a different level. They’re playing fairly casually, but also dominating easily.

In fairness, it’s not like this is a serious competition. Everyone is playing and running, but there are plays where no one really puts any effort into defense.

This is more about getting some runs in and maintaining the culture.

Before too long, we may see current Blue Devils Dame Sarr, Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, and Cameron Williams come back to do the same.

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

Ramp to Camp: Which young player will have biggest impact for Celtics? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The roster overhaul that followed Banner 18 didn’t just crack open the door for the Boston Celtics’ youngest players, it launched them through it. Now Boston’s ability to remain competitive may hinge heavily on how quickly that youth grows up.

For Day 6 of our Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel to predict which of Boston’s youngest players will have the biggest impact this season.

In full disclosure, we asked our panel to pick any “younger-ish” player. We wondered if anyone might try to make a case for 28-year-old Payton Pritchard or 27-year-old Neemias Queta, who still feel young(-ish) based on years of service.

But today’s question really boils down to Boston’s collection of wings in Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. Down the road, rookies Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell might muscle their way into the conversation, too.

But each of the young wings on last year’s team got a chance to strut their stuff at various points of the season, and each got an opportunity on the playoff stage.

The question now is which one of them will truly distinguish and separate themselves during the 2026-27 season?

Loyal readers of this space are well aware of how bullish this writer is on Gonzalez’s future. He nearly saved Boston from itself in Game 7, particularly with a willingness to joust with Joel Embiid despite giving up a bunch of size. There’s a Marcus Smart-like quality to Gonzalez, where he thrives on hustle and chaos.

We also can’t help but think back to Brad Stevens’ end-of-the-season press conference when he offered high praise for Gonzalez’s rookie campaign.

“The reality is Hugo had a great rookie year and is, I think, a critical part of us moving forward,” Stevens said in May. “Because his athleticism can meet the moment in big games. That’s a real thing. You can see it.

“His strength is off the charts … he’s one of the strongest guys on our team, pound-for-pound, right now, as a 20-year-old. So, he’s got a bright future.”

The only question, in our mind, is whether Gonzalez’s offensive game develops fast enough for him to win the tug-of-war for minutes with Boston’s other young wings. Even in praising Gonzalez, Stevens noted the need to further distinguish himself.

“[Gonzalez] didn’t separate himself from those other guys,” Stevens said in May. “And so, as a front-office person, I can’t sit here and say that one person should have been playing over another. There was no separation.”

Scheierman’s offensive talents, coupled with a high basketball IQ and defensive versatility, helped him earn coach Joe Mazzulla’s trust last season. Walsh pledged this summer to improve his all-around game to ensure he doesn’t get labeled as just a defensive specialist and wants Mazzulla to feel comfortable playing him in any situation. Harper Jr. started Game 7 in the postseason and should get an opportunity to build off the first consistent minutes of his career (318 minutes in 29 appearances with Boston last season; 69 minutes in 11 appearances over his first three seasons with Toronto and Detroit).

Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

This could truly tip in any direction. The best possible outcome for the Celtics might be that each player makes strides in their own way and then it’s on Mazzulla to figure out how to best deploy that talent.

Walsh was seemingly on an All-Defense track for a month last season but his offensive limitations caused his minutes to fade. Scheierman could be in line for another robust role with the departure of Jaylen Brown, and if he builds off last season then he’ll be an important piece of Boston’s success. Harper Jr. showed in small glimpses how impactful he can be — particularly the night he got dispatched to defend Kevin Durant in his first career start.

We’re still going to lean towards Gonzalez here. We just think the Celtics need his chaos factor. Opponents shot 3.6 percent below expected output against Gonzalez, which ranked in the 94th percentile among all wings. His rebounding was elite for his position, including on the offensive end where his corner crashes helped generate second-chance opportunities.

The Celtics were 9.5 points per 100 possessions better with Gonzalez on the court, per Cleaning the Glass data. Even with his own limitations, Boston’s offensive rating perked up 5.9 points per 100 possessions in his floor time (a reflection of how good the young bench group was overall). The defensive rating dipped by 3.6 points and opponent turnover rate spiked by 2.6 percent in Gonzalez’s minutes.

We think there’s a big leap awaiting for Gonzalez, and it starts during the 2026-27 season.

Max Lederman, Content Producer

I’m tempted to say Scheierman but I really do think the sky is the limit for Hugo Gonzalez. His intensity and offensive rebounding should keep him on the floor as he continues to earn Mazzulla’s trust, and we’ve already seen those traits swing games for the Celtics.

Justin Leger: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Biggest impact? Let’s go with Baylor Scheierman. He showed flashes of his potential throughout the season and topped it off with an incredible season-finale performance versus the Orlando Magic. I’m expecting him to have a key role off the bench this season. If we’re talking biggest breakout, we’ll roll with Hugo Gonzalez. Big things coming for him, especially on the defensive end.

Josh Canu: Editor

Baylor Scheierman. Once again, I think Scheierman is the pick here. His ability to both handle the ball and create shots for himself and teammates makes him a critical piece for the Celtics this season. The defense still leaves a little to be desired, but that will continue to develop with experience.

Nick Goss: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Baylor Scheierman. I’m tempted to say Gonzalez, but Scheierman is further along in his development and actually took a nice step forward last season. He shot just under 40 percent from 3-point range and improved defensively. His playmaking ability is underrated, too. A good-sized uptick in scoring from him this coming season would not be surprising.

Michael Hurley: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

This time I won’t go with the obvious answer of Neemias Queta. Instead I’m going with Jordan Walsh, who’s definitely on the -ish end of the youngish scale as he enters his fourth year. I just think there were some stretches last season, especially early on, when he was quite simply much better than anybody thought he could be. I think back to the way he was locking down Tyrese Maxey on the defensive end early in the season, which came just after he hit a dagger 3 late in a win over Orlando. I think he can take a big step as a key bench piece if he can keep up a level of consistency. We know he has the motor.

Adam Hart: Executive Producer, Content Strategy

Younger(ish) is so ambiguous. That said, Forsberg was clearly hoping for a Hugo sweep here. Doing my part: Gonzalez is the answer.

Kevin Miller: Vice President, Content Creation and Strategy

Hugo Gonzalez

Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations

Hugo Gonzalez

This offseason, the Boston Celtics packed up Jaylen Brown, a franchise legend, and sent him off to one of their historic rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers. In return, the Celtics are bringing in a likely future Hall of Famer in Paul George, to go along with a slew of draft picks. We don’t need to relitigate whether this was a good or bad return for Jaylen Brown; Paul George is a Celtic. The star forward arriving in Boston in the twilight of his career reminds me of another time a future Hall of Famer arrived in Boston, except in that instance it was his second arrival, Al Horford in 2021. 

Brad Stevens’ first order of business as president of basketball operations in 2021 was bringing back Al Horford. A move that foreshadowed Stevens’ brilliance as a front-office executive. Horford’s second act with Boston began in his age-35 season; Paul George will embark on his Celtics tenure in his age-36 season. I think there’s a chance that PG becomes this era’s version of Al Horford, a wing version whose blend of elite shooting and defense complements this current Celtics roster perfectly. There are two obvious barriers to Paul George reaching the lofty heights of Al Horford’s 2021-2025 Celtics stint; that dude was a playoff cheat code. Big Al could switch one through five, protect the rim, stretch the floor and was an elite connector. Those are big shoes to fill for the late-career versatile wing. The first barrier is the obvious health concerns; over the last five seasons, George has played an average of 48 regular-season games. However, it’s notable that PG has played in 125 of 131 possible career playoff games. Five were missed due to injury in 2023, and one was missed in 2022 due to COVID safety protocols. Next, when comparing Horford’s role with the Celtics and George’s potential role, there are similarities, but the Celtics will rely on George far less than they did Horford. The Celtics unfairly burdened Horford with the fate of the Celtics’ frontcourt. Rob Williams took the group to a new level, but his knees gave out; Porzingis was only able to give the team two and a half healthy playoff games, Luke Kornet was a great regular-season minutes eater, and Neemias Queta wasn’t ready yet. The centre job was Horford’s to hold down. The same will not be asked of Paul George. The 2026-2027 Celtics are overflowing with young, athletic, rangy wing depth, who will keep PG fresh throughout the season. For George to actualise his destiny as 2022 Al Horford, I will gladly accept a 48-game season if he is ready to perform as he did in the most recent playoffs, in which he tortured the Celtics on both ends of the court for an entire series. George entered his first offseason healthy in multiple years and is coming off a season in which he performed at an elite level. I expect the Celtics to limit his minutes to at most 28 minutes per game, and invoke Horford’s left big toe injury designation for back-to-backs. Call me a blind optimist, but I expect a relatively healthy season from George on a load management plan. 

When comparing Paul George and Al Horford, there are clear similarities. Ageing veterans whose All-Star days are in the rearview mirror and who are willing to embrace their late-career role-player designations. George, similar to Horford, has a skill set perfectly suited to being a superstar role player. The former MVP candidate is still one of the league’s premier shooters both off the catch and on pull-ups, a capable pick-and-roll operator, and is both a lockdown on-ball defender and a swarming off-ball defender. The Celtics just can’t ask George to do too many of those things too often. For most of the season, I expect George to operate in spot-up situations, providing elite spacing for Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard, while playing high-level team defense. With a sprinkle of on-ball creation and on-ball defense when the timing is right. It will be similar to the way Horford used to pace himself in the regular season by saving a few jumps for rebounds and contests at the rim for when it was really going to matter. Joe Mazzulla shouldn’t ask Paul George (or Jayson Tatum) to guard the league’s elite offensive weapons during the regular season. That’s a young man’s job. That’s a job for Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Ron Harper Jr. 

One piece of the Horford-George parallel that might not line up is the length of their Celtics tenure. It’s no secret that the Celtics are open to using George’s ~$55 million contract to go star hunting. However, that star may not materialise. And while the Celtics are flush with high-value draft assets and intriguing prospects, they may be outbid for this mystery star. Conventional wisdom in that scenario is that the Celtics will pick up George’s 2027-2028 $56 million player option and let it expire. I think there is a high likelihood that the Celtics and George negotiate a decline-and-extend scenario. Something similar to what the Cleveland Cavaliers just did with James Harden. Now, before some Celtics fans throw their computers at the wall, hear me out. This would only happen if we get the Paul George season I laid out above. A successful load management season that results in 50-ish regular-season games and high-level playoff play. If the Celtics make no significant roster moves until next offseason, the team is currently projected to be around $9 million over the luxury tax line going into the 2027-2028 season. Celtics owner Bill Chism has emphasised that it is not a factor when making basketball decisions. However, if the team can stay under the tax and salary cap aprons longer, that is good for the roster’s long-term health. So, a contract could look like a two-year $85 million deal. With $45 million due in the first year and $40 million in the second year. Or it could be a three-year deal somewhere in the $100 million ballpark. Yes, George would be overpaid, but maintaining the rich salary slot is important for making the future trades that will vault the Celtics back into not just contender territory, but title favourite territory. This will also allow the Celtics to use their mid level exception to bring in another free agent like Mitchell Robinson. That smells like optionality to me.

For those who are dubious that the Celtics can benefit from the services of another ageing star, I implore you to embrace the new era of sports medicine we are living in. We live in a world where players are returning from Achilles injuries in record times across all sports. There are stars playing high-level basketball deep into their 30s and early 40s. LeBron James aside, as he is a very clear alien outlier, there are still players impacting winning late into their careers. Kevin Durant turns 38 next month and was just selected to his 12th All-NBA team. Steph Curry is 38 and still one of the best offensive players in the NBA. The Cleveland Cavaliers are asking 37-year-old James Harden to be one of their lead initiators again. That is a bad idea, but if Harden played a more condensed role, he could still be a superstar role player. Kawhi Leonard at age 35 is still a basketball cyborg whenever he takes the court. What stands out among all these players is the dramatic difference in the burden they will be asked to carry relative to Paul George. George is coming to Boston to be the wing version of 2024 Al Horford…or a tall version of 2024 Jrue Holiday. Either way, the nine-time All-Star is overqualified for this role and will thrive as a late-career impact role player for the Celtics. 

With preseason just around the corner and just over a month till the start of the regular season, I figured now is a great time to go over some important dates for the upcoming season, so get your calendars ready!

To start off Media Day will be Tuesday, September 22 with Rockets Training Camp starting the next day (September 23).

Then for preseason this season, the Rockets will only play three preseason games, two of which will be in China. The two games in China will be October 9 and 11 versus the Dallas Mavericks in Macao. The Rockets will then return home to play the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 15. Houston will then start their regular season at home on October 21 to take on the Dallas Mavericks.

The Rockets will begin NBA Cup play on October 30as they take on the Dallas Mavericks on the road. Houston then plays the Utah Jazz at home on November 13, followed by the Denver Nuggets on November 20 at home and finally the Phoenix Suns on November 25 at home. Of course, if the Rockets manage to win their group, there will likely be more games added to their cup schedule.

This year’s NBA All-Star weekend is February 19 – 21, so the NBA will be on break from the 19 to the 24 of February this upcoming year. Also in February is the NBA Trade Deadline, which occurs on February 11, 2027.

Unfortunately, this season the Rockets do not have either a Christmas Day or an MLK Day game, but there are still plenty of exciting matchups. A game I have circled on my calendar is the November 25 game versus the Phoenix Suns in Houston, as that is the one time Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks will play in Houston! I will also be looking forward to all four Rockets-Spurs matchups, with one occurring on October 23, 2026 (Austin, Texas, one on January 26, 2027 (in San Antonio), and two in March, with both games being in Houston (March 5 and March 16)

With all that said, what are you excited to see playing this upcoming season? Let us know, and make sure to check back at The Dream Shake for more Houston Rockets basketball news.

It’s not often you find a player three seasons removed from a lottery selection on an Exhibit 10 deal, yet on Monday morning, the Celtics found someone in that exact situation in Providence product Devin Carter. 

It hasn’t been easy sledding for Carter entering his third NBA season, but he couldn’t have found himself in a better situation. 

Welcome to Celtic University. 

Devin Carter's deal with the Boston Celtics is an Exhibit 10 contract, a league source told @spotrac.

If Carter earns a regular season spot, deal becomes a standard non-guaranteed contract. It can also be converted to a two-way deal. Or Carter can get a bonus for joining Maine.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 14, 2026

Everyone loves a redemption story. A discarded lottery pick quietly attached to a second-round pick seven years from now and dumped soon after by the second team is an intriguing setup. The thing is, despite having trouble getting his career off the ground, Carter has never really looked like a traditional bust. 

The Kings — for all their bad contracts and bizarre roster choices compounded by a poor track record of draft hits — didn’t give Carter all that much opportunity across his two seasons. For a lottery pick, there never seemed to be a clear vision of where he fit into the SacTown circus. 

His jumper has yet to translate like his 38% 3-point shooting indicated as a junior, and he can be erratic with the ball in a way that wasn’t as prevalent in his college days, but in 74 career NBA games, 25 of which he played 20 or more minutes, Carter has 11 multi-steal appearances and four with 20+ points. Those four games of 20 or more points all came with efficiency above 50% (he was a combined 60% FG in those four contests). 

Those are real flashes. For Boston, that’s all you need to see to offer an Exhibit 10. 

In particular, we’ve seen the defensive flashes that played a major role in his lottery selection. 

Boston is not lacking for defensive hounds. Far from it, in fact. This is the rich getting richer, while adding to the one position that was in need of an extra depth piece. 

Even before this move, Boston’s perimeter defense looked like one of its greatest strengths on paper. Derrick White is coming off his third All-Defensive Team honor. Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman more than held their own in a full-season sample, while Ron Harper Jr. flashed exciting potential in his brief time in Boston. And that doesn’t factor in a full season for Jayson Tatum, a true jack of all trades defensively, and the addition of Paul George and two-way rookie Dillon Mitchell.

At guard and on the wings, they have options everywhere. Carter, if he can take advantage of this move with either a two-way contract or standard deal, only adds fuel to the fire.

Carter ideally fits the archetype of a ballhandling lead guard, with legitimate slashing burst and a pick-and-roll acumen, but it’s unclear where those chances will come in the short-term. White, Tatum, and Payton Pritchard will lead multiple units bringing the ball up the floor, and the addition of Mike Conley adds another steady hand. 

Just the idea of Carter being an understudy to Derrick White should fire up the synapses. That might be the absolute perfect guard for him to take notes from. 

Garbage time or a G League setting would be where we’d really see Carter develop as a point guard, but that doesn’t have to be the sole reason to give Carter time on the floor for Boston. In his brief time in the NBA, he’s proven to be an impactful rebounding guard and a pickpocketing, lane closing menace. It’s in these two areas where Carter would get his opportunity. His offense, for all the potential it could bring, is likely the side of the floor that’d require the most patience from a developmental standpoint. 

Good thing he’s in Boston, where his shooting development can become a priority, while an avenue to minutes still remains a possibility. We saw it all last year, Joe Mazzulla is hardly afraid of rotational experimentation or the chance to throw out a new starting five on a given night. If you can defend, rebound or hit open shots, you have a chance to see the floor.

For his long-term outlook, the clearest template to follow would be that of Davion Mitchell, who survived his own ordeal as a Sacramento lottery pick, found an opportunity to run offense on a middling Raptors team, and rediscovered his identity as a defensive menace and capable shooter with the Heat, who he started 70 games with last season. 

With an already deep group of guys currently under contract, I don’t want to put too much expectation on Carter immediately carving out a significant role. That feels unfair for anyone entering a season on an Exhibit 10. Chances are, he’ll find himself on a two-way contract to start the season, with a standard deal offered later near the trade deadline.

But this is a 24-year-old, lottery-level talent we’re talking about. Someone who was rightfully considered a top talent out of a good draft class, a player the Celtics can afford to be patient with that has considerable skill already built in.  

To happen upon that without sacrificing any draft assets or players makes it the exact type of move that, if successful, looks utterly ridiculous in hindsight. 

“How did the league let him be a Celtic?” 

Don’t be afraid to get excited about the future possibilities of Carter in green. This could be a perfect marriage between a player looking for a clear path forward and a team that would embolden the things he does well and offer patience in the areas that need work.

Last week, the Utah Jazz fandom found a new, shiny object of desire. It wouldn’t be the summertime without this tradition; I’ll remember fondly the days when I would contemplate longingly the backcourt fit of Donovan Mitchell and Jrue Holiday, or how Jerami Grant’s length could potentially shore up our perimeter defense. However, the new member of this storied club is not sparking my imagination in quite the same way.

Enter Myles Turner.

Now, do not be fooled by the headline, because I do understand from where this fascination originates. The offseason is long, the tanking was arduous, the highlights are tantalizing – I get it.

Myles Turner is a center and our center is Jusuf Nurkic.

Myles Turner is a center who shoots three pointers and the two 2026 NBA finalists both had centers who shoot three pointers.

Myles Turner was the starting center on a team that very nearly won the championship.

I understand all of these points, but still – I do not want Myles Turner on my team. Some of my reasons are logical, some of them less so. And who knows? Maybe all of them will prove hilarious in hindsight when Turner is wearing Jazz purple and hoisting the Larry O’Brien.

Nevertheless, I will attempt to explain, in 4 points, why I do not think that Myles Turner is the answer to Utah’s troubles, before quickly outlining the course of action I would prefer the franchise take as they trek into their next era of relevance.

1. Myles Turner does not fit what we need on offense

While it is true that I can’t name more than a handful of centers who can hit three pointers more effectively than Myles Turner, I do not think this offensive quirk is enough to constitute a proper fit in the Utah Jazz offense. Much of my concerns with Turner stem from his physical weakness. This flaw isn’t obvious while looking at his physical profile – he’s 6’11, 250 LBs, and appears reasonably well-built – but makes itself very evident with any extended time watching his game. Combining the last two seasons, Turner is taking less than 20% of his shots near the rim, and this past season, in the minutes Giannis was on the bench and Turner was on the court, the Bucks attempted 4 less shots at the rim every 100 possessions. Additionally, Giannis-only lineups attempted more shots at the rim that Giannis+Turner lineups, and this trend extends for several years into the past. That number may not jump off the screen, but it is a huge swing for a single player to generate. Turner does not play with force (especially damaging as a center in a league once again becoming more physical), and that leads to his units not taking advantage of the most physical areas on the court. Additionally, this playstyle is harder to accommodate against elite defenses – versus the Thunder in the finals, Turner posted the 3rd worst shooting percentage in a finals series by a center post-merger, at 36.8% (credit @carsobi on Twitter for the stat). One series sample sizes aren’t worth too much, but it is indicative of the type of offensive profile Turner has demonstrated his whole career.

This is already a problem that I anticipate the Jazz to have. Jaren Jackson Jr. loves his floaters and short mid range jump-shots, and has a similar impact on his teams rim frequency (albeit less severe). Keyonte George has slimmed down across his NBA career and prefers operating from the perimeter without putting too much pressure on the rim. At least early on, Darryn Peterson will be too slight to strain defenses with his slashing. In a league where force is becoming a prerequisite amongst the contenders of the highest echelon, the Jazz are already lacking, and Turner would do nothing to but add another player who is not always looking to put consistent pressure on the defense.

However, it’s not like Nurkic is leading a steam engine to the rim with his basket pressure, so what gives? Turner’s poor offensive fit is compounded by two facts: he is a horribly poor offensive rebounder, and he doesn’t bring any semblance of passing to a lineup. His rebounding woes are well documented – except for old man Brook Lopez, Turner posted the worst total rebounding percentage among centers who started any meaningful number of games, and that is buoyed significantly by a respectable enough defensive rebounding percentage. The possession battle is key to good offenses, and Turner is a detriment in that regard while Nurkic is a bit more positive. Second-chance opportunities off of offensive rebounds are some of the most efficient possessions in basketball, so while pulling them down isn’t necessarily sexy, it is a guaranteed way to significantly bolster your overall offensive footprint. The Jazz already are lacking in this department (hopefully, Markkanen can once again be quietly pretty good at this at the small forward position), and likely cannot afford another significant negative at their center position.

Finally, the playmaking. I sometimes feel like the only one worried that the Jazz are constructing a roster that is being marketed by fans as one with top-5-in-the-league potential, and yet has very few good passers. Keyonte is a plus, Collier is a plus, and Nurkic is a plus. The rest of the roster ranges from inconsequential to actively damaging distributors. This next year, Ace and Darryn and Lauri and Jackson and Svi and Hayes and Green and Okogie and Hinson will all clearly be at their best being set up by a playmaker. These guys are play finishers, who are valuable to have, but are an archetype that starts to bring in diminishing marginal returns ESPECIALLY if your team doesn’t feature an all-world level playmaker. I anticipate Nurkic, once again, being a key hub in coach Hardy’s system – he sets up shop on top of the key while the stars run in circles around the perimeter or cut to the basket. This system will do some to limit the heavy pressure that will already be put on Keyonte’s shoulders, as well as allow Darryn Peterson to climatize to the offense in a more natural manner. I hesitate when I see proposals for lineups where Keyonte is the only passer who is better than the league-wide positional average, and I struggle even more when the players around him also can’t create for themselves off the dribble. A team of Keyonte-Darryn-Lauri-Jackson-Turner is, on the surface, tantalizing (and would likely play many minutes together) – there are 5 strong shooters, and most are solid athletes. But when you really dive into how they would function together offensively, questions start to arise. Keyonte is the only above average passer. Keyonte is the only above average ballhandler (Jackson is close, but it isn’t an uber-impressive skill either way). No one listed has shown the ability to consistently reach the basket and collapse the defense off of the dribble. That is 4 play-finishers and 1 playmaker who has playmaked positively for 1 season on a destitute roster. When the Jazz inevitably run into the Spurs or the Thunder (both of which are unavoidable if contention is the goal), the team will get torn to shreds without more positive decision makers on the floor next to George, and for that reason, I anticipate Nurkic’s DHO offense being a sneakily-important option come playoff time. So yes, Turner’s shooting is immediately appealing, but his flaws on offense overlap too harshly with flaws already present on the roster for me to be too excited about his fit in Utah.

TLDR: Myles Turner is inefficient, doesn’t take enough shots near the rim, is a poor passer and offensive rebounder, and amplifies the flaws already present on the roster. The shooting is cool, but doesn’t make up for his deficiencies.

2. Myles Turner does not fit what we need on defense

This section will be shorter, because the problem is less damning. I have never been overly impressed with Myles Turner as a defender (he always seemed to me more of a shot-blocker than a paint-defender), but that does not mean he is bad. For most years of his career, his teams have been better defensively with Turner on the court. This was not true in either of the Pacer’s deep playoff runs in 2024 and 2025, but I digress – Turner would not actively hurt the Jazz on defense.

However, due to his overlap with Jaren Jackson Jr., I think the fit of Turner on the Jazz defense is not worth the opportunity cost. Be it Steven Adams, or Zach Edey, or Jonas Valanciunas, the Grizzlies had the right idea – pair JJJ with a bruising interior presence to unlock the best version of him. I do not think Turner is that presence. I, once again, think back to his physical weakness. He is often unwilling to bash and brawl in the paint with the biggest and the baddest, and that is reflected in his poor rebounding numbers. Per my eyes, and despite his position, he functions less like a true defensive anchor and more like a shot-blocking roamer. That isn’t, in a vacuum, a bad thing – Kevin Garnett and Andrei Kirilenko are two of my favorite defensive players ever, and they functioned similarly. Additionally, Myles Turner has been a positive defensive player in his career – I am not trying to deny that. However, I do not think the type of defensive player that Myles Turner is will support or magnify the type of defensive player that Jaren Jackson Jr. is. Combined this with the fact that I think other options more additive to JJJ will become available at some point on the trade market (I’m looking at you Jarrett Allen), I think that trading for Turner would be too hasty a solution to Utah’s defensive issues.

TLDR: Myles Turner is a good defensive player, but we should hold out for a good defensive player who is a better defensive fit.

3. I do not want to pay Myles Turner in 2029

This point is short and simple. Myles Turner is 30 years old, and his birthday is in March. During any potential playoff run the Jazz will be on in 2029, Myles Turner will be 33 years old, and will be owed 29 million dollars. Historically, defensive big men display some of the worst longevity of any archetype in the league. If Turner plays anywhere near the level he did last season, his current contract appears to be an overpay, and considering his age, the contract could very well get worse before it becomes better. Above all else, I do not want to be attaching draft assets to move off of Myles Turner so we can pay our young guys when extension season comes up. This, combined with the fact that he isn’t clearly additive to our current group of players, really make the trade idea risky in my mind.

TLDR: Just read it.

4. I do not like watching Myles Turner play basketball

I told you not all of these would be logical.

At the end of the day, I trust my eye, and my eye is consistently frustrated whenever Myles Turner is on the basketball court. He’s tall, and fast, and can shoot, and can jump, and yet he always leaves me wanting something more. He’s too jumpy on defense when his wingspan doesn’t require him to be. He’s too soft on offense when his athleticism could help him be a force. His hands are big but he can’t catch. He doesn’t move the ball, except in the direction of the hoop when he is contested and behind the three point line. He whines, and whines, and whines. He’s never giving me enough.

This tweet describes my feelings well;

He’s the starting center of a finals team but Myles turner is still raw in year 10 lmfao

— Gavin (@freewave3) June 6, 2025

Part of this is an aesthetic bias – I like my big men to be big men – and maybe part of this could be waved away if I watched more Pacers and Bucks games this past decade. However, my eyes have told me the same story for the majority of Myles Turner’s career; he’s missing something. Maybe it’s strength or toughness or decision making or something else entirely, but whatever it is, it has put a cap on just how positive he can be on the basketball court.

This isn’t to say that Myles Turner is a negative player, because I don’t think that’s true. His defense is a plus and his shooting can unlock certain offenses. I do not hate Myles Turner. However, it is to say that the type of player that Myles Turner is is not a player that I want to watch for 82 games and a playoff run. He’d block some big shots and hit some big threes and maybe even get a singular offensive rebound, but his flaws prevent me from ever being excited to add him to the roster. He can continue to do his thing for the rest of his career… but just not for my team.

TLDR: Watching Myles Turner makes me mad and I like to be happy.

So…what SHOULD the Jazz do?

For this season? Likely stand pat. With the additional cap flexibility that comes from trading Walker Kessler, the team has been afforded the luxury of patience. This season can be one for development while Nurkic fills in as a flawed but only short term option at center. We can attempt Jaren Jackson Jr. at center and verify if power forward really is his ideal position. Additionally, who knows which centers are available next trade deadline? Or the offseason after that? Perhaps the Thunder think it’s time to move on from Isaiah Hartenstein, or the Cavaliers cut ties with Jarrett Allen? It could be Wendell Carter or Neemias Queta or (don’t laugh at me) Nikola Jokic. We do not need to hurry into a player who doesn’t fit and a contract with downward potential.

We do not need to expect the Jazz to be contenders this year. It’s a fun exercise, but perhaps one not quite deserved. We’ve rooted for a losing team for so long, that the moment any marginal improvements are made, we naturally over-index. I do not believe that trading for Myles Turner would make us any more likely to contend for a title, but it is nonetheless a move that a team with aspirations for a deep playoff run would make. So let’s see what we have, at least at first; no need to trade our birthright for a mess of pottage.

What do you think on Myles Turner? Would you be in favor of a trade to add him to the team? Sound off below.

Kawhi Leonard returns to Toronto as Raptors and Clippers complete long-awaited deal originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The trade sending Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto is finally complete, with the Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers getting league approval on Monday to close the deal that was agreed to earlier this summer.

In the end, the deal was the same as what was agreed to 2 1/2 months ago: Leonard returns to the Raptors, with the Clippers getting Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round draft picks, two second-round picks and a pick swap.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Kawhi back to Toronto,” Raptors general manager and executive vice president Bobby Webster said. “His impact on our organization, our city, and our country is undeniable, and he embodies the competitiveness and championship mindset that we value. We believe his leadership, experience and talent will help us as we continue building toward our next championship.”

It’s a huge move for Toronto, which won the 2019 NBA title with Leonard leading the way and is expecting to contend in the Eastern Conference. But the sides put the agreement on hold in early July pending any resolution of NBA’s investigation into whether the Clippers circumvented salary cap rules with regard to Leonard’s compensation.

The NBA hit the Clippers earlier this month with massive penalties as a result of that probe, suspending owner Steve Ballmer for one year, fining the team $30 million and forcing it to forfeit five first-round draft picks, among other sanctions.

Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, was hit with a $700,000 penalty as a result of that investigation. But he was not suspended and his contract was not voided, and the Raptors evidently are certain that his status will not be affected.

Leonard, 35, spent one season in Toronto — and led the Raptors to their lone title. He is coming off the highest-scoring season of his career, averaging 27.9 points for the Clippers in 65 games.

Leonard is a seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, a two-time NBA champion (also winning in 2014 with San Antonio) and is considered one of the game’s top defensive players. He is expected to sign an extension with the Raptors once the trade is finalized.

Toronto visits the Clippers on Nov. 2 and hosts the Clippers on Jan. 1. The teams are also scheduled to meet at Vancouver in a preseason game on Oct. 10.

Kawhi Leonard returns to Toronto as Raptors and Clippers complete long-awaited deal originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The trade sending Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto is finally complete, with the Raptors and Los Angeles Clippers getting league approval on Monday to close the deal that was agreed to earlier this summer.

In the end, the deal was the same as what was agreed to 2 1/2 months ago: Leonard returns to the Raptors, with the Clippers getting Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round draft picks, two second-round picks and a pick swap.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Kawhi back to Toronto,” Raptors general manager and executive vice president Bobby Webster said. “His impact on our organization, our city, and our country is undeniable, and he embodies the competitiveness and championship mindset that we value. We believe his leadership, experience and talent will help us as we continue building toward our next championship.”

It’s a huge move for Toronto, which won the 2019 NBA title with Leonard leading the way and is expecting to contend in the Eastern Conference. But the sides put the agreement on hold in early July pending any resolution of NBA’s investigation into whether the Clippers circumvented salary cap rules with regard to Leonard’s compensation.

The NBA hit the Clippers earlier this month with massive penalties as a result of that probe, suspending owner Steve Ballmer for one year, fining the team $30 million and forcing it to forfeit five first-round draft picks, among other sanctions.

Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, was hit with a $700,000 penalty as a result of that investigation. But he was not suspended and his contract was not voided, and the Raptors evidently are certain that his status will not be affected.

Leonard, 35, spent one season in Toronto — and led the Raptors to their lone title. He is coming off the highest-scoring season of his career, averaging 27.9 points for the Clippers in 65 games.

Leonard is a seven-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, a two-time NBA champion (also winning in 2014 with San Antonio) and is considered one of the game’s top defensive players. He is expected to sign an extension with the Raptors once the trade is finalized.

Toronto visits the Clippers on Nov. 2 and hosts the Clippers on Jan. 1. The teams are also scheduled to meet at Vancouver in a preseason game on Oct. 10.