Category: NBA

Steve Kerr summed up the Golden State Warriors’ current state in two sentences.

“What we had is gone, but we’re trying to hang on to it,” Kerr told ESPN’s Wright Thompson. “I don’t know if anybody really knows if it exists anymore.”

That’s where the Warriors are in an uncertain 2026 offseason. Steph Curry and Draymond Green are still around, but in older, slower, more injury-prone versions of themselves. The team can’t stop trying to compete while they still have the greatest player in franchise history, and Kerr himself worries he “can’t walk away.”

Kerr resigned with the team on a two-year contract that may well align him with the last years of Curry, if not also Green. The deal came nearly a month after the Warriors’ season ended with a play-in game loss, a sign of Kerr’s deep ambivalence about returning to what he called a “fading dynasty,” though he insists there’s “beauty in the struggle” of “trying to fight until the last breath.”

It’s an interesting intellectual approach for a team that’s clearly a level below the best teams in the Western Conference. They’re raging against the dying of the light with the odds and the actuarial tables against them. It’s kind of like when Curry would read critical tweets about him during halftime, only this time the primary hater is Father Time.

The marketing department asked Kerr to stop talking about this concept while they were trying to push season-ticket renewals, because apparently “dying” is not a word that gets fans excited to spend money.

“Dying Dynasty” isn’t quite as compelling as “The Last Dance,” the name for the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls, who had Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, coach Phil Jackson, and a guy named Steve Kerr all on expiring deals. That team was united to win a final championship and also stick it to the team and its management that seemed insistent on breaking them up. (R.I.P. Jerry “Crumbs” Krause)

However, it seems to be the way everyone is going forward, at least for the next two seasons. Owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy seem excited about the plan, and still believe that as long as they have Curry, they can beat anyone. Maybe not for four straight series, or even a full seven-game series — the Warriors would have rested Curry, Green, and Al Horford for the first game of the playoffs had they gotten past the Phoenix Suns — but they can still be competitive.

That seems to be what’s keeping Kerr going. Realistically, it’s not about winning a fourth title. It’s about remaining competitive and having nights like the play-in win against the Los Angeles Clippers. And it seems to be about coaching Steph Curry for as long as he can and probably Draymond, too.

Given his comments about wanting to give the franchise a “clean start” after Curry is done, it sounds like Kerr is committed to being there for the messy ending. The dynasty might be dying, but Kerr is there to go down with the ship.

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It’s do-or-die for the Detroit Pistons, who must win Game 6 on the road to keep their season alive.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a chance to close it out at home and secure their first Eastern Conference Finals berth since 2018.

After a crushing Game 5 loss, Detroit comes in on shaky footing, and my Pistons vs. Cavaliers predictions lean toward Cleveland taking care of business in convincing fashion on its home floor.

Here are my best NBA picks for Friday, May 15. 

Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6 prediction today

Who will win Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6?

Cavaliers: This is it for the Pistons. Detroit broke the hearts of the Magic when Orlando surrendered a comfortable lead in Game 6, and Cleveland did the same after an improbable comeback victory in Game 5.

Playing at home has been the deciding factor for the Cavaliers, whose postseason home-road splits have been a complete 180 from one another. Cleveland is a perfect 6-0 in front of its home crowd, and after seizing momentum in Game 5, I expect the Cavs to close this one out and advance.

Pistons vs Cavaliers best bet: Cavaliers -3.5 (-120)

The Detroit Pistons have to be heading into Rocket Arena completely demoralized after blowing a nine-point lead late in Game 5 and ultimately losing at home in overtime.

As a result, the Cleveland Cavaliers have gone from down 2-0 in this series to being one win away from the Conference Finals.

The Cavaliers rank in the Top 3 in points, 3-pointers, efficiency, offensive rating, and fewest turnovers at home, and they're a perfect 6-0 at Rocket Arena in the playoffs.

Evan Mobley’s emergence as a facilitator and his work in containing Jalen Duren have been instrumental in Cleveland’s success, and Donovan Mitchell — who has been much better offensively at home — should bounce back after a relatively quiet Game 5.

COVERS INTEL: Although Detroit averaged the eighth-most points per game in the regular season (117.8), Cleveland has held the Pistons to fewer than 110 points in all three head-to-head matchups at Rocket Arena in 2026.

Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6 same-game parlay

Cleveland’s 120.4 offensive rating at home is third-best in the playoffs, and its 118.0 points per game at Rocket Arena ranks second. Cleveland has scored 107 points or more in all six of its home playoff matches, and I expect that trend to continue in Game 6.

Mitchell has averaged 30.2 points on 50.8% shooting at home compared to just 22.3 points on 40.2% shooting on the road this postseason. He’s scored 27+ in four of six games at Rocket Arena, and he’s reached that mark in three of five in the Eastern Conference semis.

Pistons vs Cavaliers SGP

• Cavaliers -3.5
• Cavaliers team total Over 106.5
• Donovan Mitchell Over 26.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Spreading the Love

James Harden has averaged 6.8 assists in the Eastern Conference semis, handing out 7+ in three of five contests, including each of Cleveland’s two at home versus Detroit. Meanwhile, Evan Mobley has dished 5.2 helpers per game in this series, and he’s reached 4+ assists in six straight. 

Sam Merrill and Max Strus have been more efficient from long range at home than on the road this season. Both 3-point specialists have averaged career-high makes from beyond the arc, and each hit the Over on their respective lines in Game 5.

Pistons vs Cavaliers SGP

• James Harden Over 6.5 assists
• Evan Mobley Over 3.5 assists
• Max Strus Over 2.5 threes
• Sam Merrill Over 1.5 threes

Pistons vs Cavaliers odds for Game 6 today

• Spread: Pistons +3.5 (+100) | Cavaliers -3.5 (-120)
• Moneyline: Pistons +145 | Cavaliers -170
• Over/Under: Over 209 (-110) | Under 209 (-110)

Pistons vs Cavaliers betting trend to know

Cleveland is 5-1 ATS at home in the 2026 postseason. Find more NBA betting trends for Pistons vs. Cavaliers.

How to watch Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6

Pistons vs Cavaliers latest injuries

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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr decided to continue his tenure with the organization on a multi-year deal to keep him as the NBA's highest-paid coach.

But that almost didn't happen. He seriously contemplated retirement, according to ESPN.

Although he never went through with the decision, there have been multiple instances where retirement has crossed his mind, per ESPN.

ESPN says he discussed retirement for the first time in June 2025, about a month after the Warriors lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals in five games, losing star Stephen Curry to injury in the process.

"My wife and I have been talking about it a lot," Kerr told ESPN's Wright Thompson then. "I have a year left on my contract. Maybe one more season. Maybe two. When Steph Curry and Draymond Green leave, the franchise deserves a clean start. We are one injury from completely falling apart."

That's nearly what happened during the 2025-26 campaign. The huge blow was losing Jimmy Butler to a torn ACL in January, especially as the team was starting to roll.

Even before then, retirement had crossed Kerr's mind. The Warriors lost an overtime game to the Toronto Raptors, a contest they led for most of the game. The loss didn't sit well with Kerr.

"I think things have run out here," he said. "It's just time to move on. For me and for them. I'm probably being too emotional after yet another close loss, but it's probably true. ... We will commiserate and drink beer and watch the game on our computers and complain about all the dumb plays we made."

That loss was in late December. Golden State turned into one of the better teams through January until Butler got hurt. About a week and a half later, they lost Curry for 27 straight games to runner's knee.

The battered Warriors scraped their way to the 10th seed, somehow finding themselves still in NBA Play-In contention, as the season drew to a close. Even then, Kerr said he had his mind made up on calling it quits after the season, before the Warriors played a March 25 game against the Nets.

He told ESPN's Thompson that he spoke with his wife, Margot, at the time and they both agreed that the 2025-26 season would be his last. All Kerr wanted was a classy ending.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Steve Kerr says he’s “excited to keep competing” after the team makes his return official via a press release on Tuesday.
• ESPN’s Wright Thompson shared the full details behind Steve Kerr’s decision to return to the Warriors.
• Cavaliers beat the Pistons, 117-113, in Game 5 Wednesday night to take a 3-2 series lead.

The Golden State Warriors made it official on Tuesday, announcing the return of head coach Steve Kerr after the two sides agreed to terms on a multi-year contract. In a press release posted by the team, Kerr expressed his gratitude to the organization and said he is “excited to keep competing” with the Warriors once again.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue coaching this team,” Kerr said via the team’s press release. “This organization has meant so much to me for the last 12 years — from ownership to our players, our staff and our fans — and it’s an incredible privilege to be a part of something so special. I’m excited to keep competing with this group.”

Kerr’s return brings stability to a Warriors organization entering a pivotal offseason after finishing the 2025-26 season with a 37-45 record and missing the playoffs. Despite the disappointing finish, Golden State is clearly still placing its trust in the coach who helped lead the franchise to four NBA championships and help build one of the NBA’s greatest dynasties.

So with Kerr now officially back in the fold, attention quickly shifts to the Warriors’ offseason plans and how the front office decides to build around Steph Curry for what could be one final run at another championship.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Thursday, May 14th:

Warriors News:

Why Steve Kerr stayed with the Warriors | ESPN

STEVE KERR WALKED into the lobby of the Beverly Wilshire with a secret. Win or lose, he’d decided to retire as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. It was a Tuesday morning in mid-April, the day before the team’s first postseason play-in game in Los Angeles. When this season ended, his 12-year run with the Golden State Warriors would end, too. In the airy hotel restaurant behind the concierge desk, Kerr gave his name and room number, 516 — “Johnny Bench Joe Montana” — and a hostess showed us to a table by the window. He looked around and lowered his voice.

“I think it’s over,” he said, almost mouthing the words.

The latest NBA Intel … most notably the view from Chicago on where Philadelphia goes from here | The Stein Line

It was stressed to me Tuesday night that Myers — although he is scheduled to arrive soon in Chicago to dive into his various pressing tasks — will step back into an advisory role once Morey’s successor is named.

I’m also told Myers will interview candidates internally as well as externally to take over … but also that it’s far too early to name any possible favorites for the role.

One item, however, that has been spelled out rather definitively: For all the recent rumblings about Myers’ affinity for former Golden State Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, I’m told Philadelphia does not plan to consider the ex-Sixer and current executive director of the NBA Players Association as a potential candidate for its new front office.

Draymond Green talks Clippers following the results of the NBA Draft Lottery: “Are they gonna move Kawhi Leonard?”

NBA News:

4 takeaways: Cavaliers earn overtime victory and 3-2 edge over Pistons | NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers won a road playoff game and did so despite shaky shooting from Donovan Mitchell.

It’s hard to tell which one was more disbelieving, but both happened in the swing game of their semifinal series, and because of that, the Cavs can close out the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in Cleveland on Friday.

The Cavs, who won on the road for the first time in these playoffs, had most of the answers in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and in overtime. They were scrappy, determined, unbothered by their previous mistakes.

Baylor’s Cameron Carr among standouts in NBA Draft combine scrimmage

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

Warriors had a lot of ‘Giannis conversations’ at draft lottery

But the Warriors also don’t have a lot of options better than taking a home-run swing on Antetokounmpo if they want to maximize the rest of Steph Curry’s career, and trading for Antetokounmpo is probably more likely than convincing LeBron James to take a substantial pay cut to relocated 350 miles north.

It’s still quite early to be making moves, but as a wise man from Tupelo, Mississippi, the Warriors need a little less conversation, and a little more action.

Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.

Here are the NBA playoff games for Thursday, May 14, 2026:

• New York Knicks at Philadelphia 76ers — 7:00 PM ET (ESPN)
• San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves — 9:30 PM ET (ESPN)

Enjoy the hoops tonight!

Officiating has been a topic of conversation during the entire second-round series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons.

At the start of the series, there was discussion about Donovan Mitchell not getting to the foul line enough. In the second half of the series, the discussion turned to Pistons’ head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, bemoaning the free-throw disparity between the two teams.

That trend continued after Cleveland’s Game 5 victory.

Bickerstaff believed that his team was on the wrong end of a few missed calls down the stretch, including a possible loose-ball foul on Jarrett Allen in the closing seconds of regulation.

“[Allen] fouled Ausar [Thompson],” Bickerstaff said postgame. “It’s clear. He trips him when he’s going for a loose ball. End of game situation, that’s tough.”

If it had been called a foul, the Pistons would’ve been awarded two free throws in the final second to break what was a tie game.

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Tony Brothers, the crew chief from Game 5, defended his call afterward in the Pool Report with Coty Davis of Detroit News.

“During live play, both players were going for the ball and there was incidental contact with the legs with no player having possession of the ball,” Brothers said.

He then confirmed that a foul shouldn’t have been called when asked to clarify.

“No, there was no incidental contact on the play,” Brothers said. “The play will be reviewed by the league office tomorrow and will be posted in the L2M (Last Two Minute Report).”

Well, the Last Two Minute Report is out, and it backs up Brother’s statements. This wasn’t a foul.

According to the report:

“Allen (CLE) and Thompson (DET) legally step to the same spot while pursuing the loose ball [before either player has possession], and both lose their balance from the marginal contact.”

Additionally, the report states that there were no missed calls in the final two minutes of either regulation or overtime of Game 5.

One of the other controversial calls from the end of overtime was a foul called on Paul Reed against James Harden with 24 seconds left in overtime. Harden was drifting out of bounds, but a foul was called before he went out.

In the moment, the Pistons argued that he went out of bounds before the foul, but the Last Two Minute Report stated that Harden remained “in bounds with possession of the ball prior to the illegal contact. by Reed.” As a result, Harden was awarded two free throws.

In the end, the league confirmed that everything was called correctly on the court at the end of Game 5.

The Cavs will have a chance to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday evening.

Former Celtics star Isaiah Thomas is joining the organization as a pro and college scout, as first reported by the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. Thomas will remain based in Seattle and serve as one of several regional scouts for the Celtics, working closely with Brad Stevens and the Celtics front office.

Thomas is currently at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago with Celtics executives and will assist with scouting in the year ahead. (The Celtics already have regional scouts in Atlanta and Dallas).

Thomas, who played for 11 different NBA teams, became a star during his three-year tenure with the Celtics. Thomas’s best season came in 2016-2017, when he averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game and finished fifth in MVP voting.

Thomas sat courtside alongside new Celtics owner Bill Chisholm at a December home Celtics game and has routinely spoken positively about his relationship with the team, even though his tenure ended abruptly, with him being traded for Kyrie Irving in 2017 after he suffered a hip injury.

Thomas recorded a voiceover for a Celtics hype video earlier this year and wrote the foreword for the Boston Globe’s 2024 Celtics championship book. And, a few weeks after the Celtics won the 2024 NBA title, Thomas told CelticsBlog it’s been an honor to still be so connected to the Celtics fanbase.

“It means everything,” he said. “It’s a blessing. I always talk to my friends about it — you would think I played 10 years here, you would think I won multiple championships. The love I have with the city, and vice versa, it’s just genuine.”

Now that love has been formalized into an official working relationship.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way, man. Dorian Finney-Smith was supposed to be a difference maker for the Houston Rockets.

An impact player, if you will. The Rockets’ brain trust even tabbed Finney-Smith as Dillon Brooks’ replacement. (And we know how valuable he became and how important he was for this Rockets ball club).

And justifiably so. The Los Angeles Lakers viewed him as a potential missing piece. DFS started on a Dallas Mavericks team that went to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and averaged 11.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 47.1 percent from the field, 42.6 percent from deep, 61.8 percent effective shooting and 63 percent true shooting during the Mavs’ title chase that year.

Sadly, that feels like forever ago. Frankly, it was forever ago.

Finney-Smith didn’t fare well for the Rockets in his debut season. And that’s being kind.

In fact, a farewell would be a much greater contribution. In all seriousness, Finney-Smith was clearly bothered by an ankle injury that he underwent surgery on last offseason.

His shot looked off (again, that’s being kind) — to the tune of 27 percent from long-range. His mobility was significantly affected, which limited his effectiveness on defense. Finney-Smith even logged DNP-CD’s in the playoffs. 

Again, it wasn’t supposed to be like this, man.

Finney-Smith did have a few highlight blocks here and there.

(Okay, maybe just like two, but again, we’re being kind here).

Finney-Smith looked like one of Rockets’ GM Rafael Stone’s worst pickups since his arrival as Houston’s GM and it was a bit perplexing hearing Houston’s end of season presser by Stone and Rockets coach Ime Udoka, as the two stated that they were caught off guard by the amount of time it took for Finney-Smith to rehab and recover from the surgery.

One would think the front office would have done their due diligence on something of that magnitude. Especially since they gave him a four year deal worth $52.7 million, which consumed Houston’s non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

The positive, however, is that Finney-Smith just has one more year of guaranteed salary, which is next season, which gives him valuable on the trade market as expiring salary.

DETROIT — Trading Darius Garland for James Harden was as much a bet on this current group as it was on Harden. Specifically, it was a gamble on Evan Mobley being good enough to handle postseason pressure right now, not in three or four years.

In Game 5, he showed that he was ready for the challenge.

Mobley dominated the paint in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 5 victory over the Detroit Pistons, but they made him earn it. The new cut he sported near his left eye afterward was proof of that.

Defense has been Mobley’s calling card since he came into the league. That proved accurate again as he continually deterred shots at the rim down the stretch and overtime, while also outplaying opposing All-Star center Jalen Duren to the point that Pistons’ head coach J.B. Bickerstaff decided to close with Paul Reed instead.

Offensively, Mobley’s seven points to close the fourth quarter will get the headlines. He hit a clutch triple and two free throws to tie the game in regulation. Both are areas he’s struggled with throughout the regular season.

More than that, his decision-making was what kept the Cavs’ offense afloat on a night Detroit was selling out to stop Donovan Mitchell and Harden.

Bickerstaff has had an up-close look at the best and worst versions of Cleveland’s core group. He knows from first-hand experience how the Cavs’ offense can bog down when you trap the guards and force the bigs to beat you in the short roll. After all, that’s the strategy the New York Knicks used against him back in 2023.

Back then, Mobley wasn’t ready for the moment. He was simultaneously sped up to the point he wasn’t making the right decisions, but also wasn’t moving quickly enough to capitalize on the mismatch blitzing the ball handler brings. This led to an underwhelming playoff debut.

Three playoff runs later has proven to be a different story.

Bickerstaff deployed the same strategy that Tom Thibodeau used against his group three years earlier, but it didn’t work this time.

In Game 5, Mobley continually made the right play whenever he was asked to create in the short roll by reading the defense and correctly getting the ball to where the help defense was coming from.

There was a decisiveness with Mobley’s rolls that made him difficult to guard. He attacked the rim with a purpose, but also kept his eyes up to see what the defense was presenting him. When the backline defender stepped up, he found Jarrett Allen three times for easy baskets around the rim.

If the help defense came from the corners, Mobley made the pass out to the shooters who were there.

This evolution is where head coach Kenny Atkinson has seen Mobley make strides this season.

“That’s been a big part of his development piece,” Atkinson said of Mobley’s playmaking. “Getting him to make the right reads, helping him make the right rights. I think he’s getting better at it.”

This season has been a journey for Mobley as a playmaker. The Cavs started the year trying to run the offense through him. That experiment didn’t go well, as he often got stuck dribbling the ball too much below the free-throw line and wasn’t able to adjust when the help defense came.

The coaching staff responded by scaling his usage back after a short experiment. Even though the results didn’t pay off right away, you’re seeing the fruits of going through that struggle now.

“You rewind to the beginning of the year, it was probably more head down scoring and maybe not finding that balance,” Atkinson said. “Some of that was intentional, but I think he’s gotten to a nice equilibrium where he’s aggressive to score, but can read the geography of the court. [He] can read the swarms. We call them swarms. They swarm, and you’ve got to find windows.”

Mobley was continuously finding the windows to the point of picking up a team-high eight assists in the win.

Making the right read also requires you to call your own number when the situation calls for it. When the Pistons’ defenders stayed home and forced Mobley to beat them as a shooter, he confidently took those shots by canning two crucial triples when the “swarms” went away from him.

Mobley is one of the most difficult players to judge.

On one hand, the flaws in his game — self-creation, dribbling, lack of strength — are obvious and can be frustrating to watch. On the other hand, what makes him elite are the more underappreciated skills that he’s mastered so well, such as defense, finishing well at the rim, and being a good secondary playmaker. Mobley is considerably better than the loudest detractors would lead you to believe, but also not as skilled as you’d like from a number one franchise player — at least not yet. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t win with him if he’s in the right context, as the Cavs are showing right now.

The Cavs have been in a weird spot as a team. They’ve tried to thread the needle between winning now and having the longest runway possible. That’s how you’ve gotten a two-timeline approach between Mobley (24-years-old) and Mitchell (29). Moving a 26-year-old, two-time All-Star for a point guard a decade his senior committed them to one path. This team is trying to win now in a two to three-year window.

For that to happen, Mobley needs to play like an All-NBA caliber player in the postseason. When he has, as was the case in Game 5, the Cavs look like a team that very well could come out of the Eastern Conference.

Reps like the ones Mobley got in Detroit, where he’s consistently making the right play and coming up big in the crunch, is only going to help him when he’s called upon to do so again.

“Just boost his confidence to another level,” Harden said about Mobley’s performance. “He’s versatile, he can protect the rim, he can generate steals, he can do a little bit of everything defensively and offensively. … With an opportunity to present yourself, he’s available. Tonight, he came up big for us.”

Is it time for another Suns trade verdict? I think so, as the rumblings of who the Suns should pursue keep on growing. Isn’t that the fun of the offseason? Anyway, this series has been fun to construct, and today’s article will dive into another popular name. One that has taken the Suns’ social media discussion by storm. Zion.

Now this is cool to see, as even though I am one of the last to bring it up, this has been an article stashed in the bin waiting to get done (you can even ask John). After exploring the scenario with Dejounte Murray and reviewing the Pelicans roster, this name stood out as one to monitor. Little did I know that the Suns’ world would act on it faster than I, and personally, it is a fascinating discussion.

An acquisition that would definitely shake up this roster is bringing in Zion Williamson. The power forward could fit right in and be a nice running mate for Devin Booker. As we know, though, there are always questions surrounding Zion, and do those rise too big for Phoenix to make a move? Well, only time will tell, even if he does become available, but it is definitely something to dive into.

How could the Suns get it done?

For the Suns to get this done, it isn’t that hard; there are just a lot of possibilities. If you have been reading these articles, you know the main targets that could be traded in these deals. The easiest option is a one-for-one swap, trading Jalen Green for Zion Williamson.

Another route involving Green, along with Royce O’Neale, includes Royce O’Neale. The key difference here is that the Suns would also shed some money.

The last one includes two players who haven’t been mentioned yet but have come up in this series. Those are Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen. In most renditions, there is a deal of both Allen and O’Neale’s salaries combined, but in this situation, it is not enough. If Allen is added to Green, it is also too much going to New Orleans. Therefore, this is the only combo for these two.

Which would most likely get done?

Well, I think it is safe to rule out the third option in my eyes. Brooks’ value to the Valley is unmatched, so much so that they are already reporting they want to extend the wing this offseason. With him trolling at Lakers games or supporting the Phoenix Mercury, it is clear that both parties want to keep this relationship going. Therefore, this one does not make sense to me.

The other two, though, have a framework that can work. With Green’s shakiness to be a true number one option, New Orleans can allow him to grow. At the same time, it has been clear that Willimason has outgrown the rebuild that was founded around him. Could a change of scenery give him that boost?

That is where I think both teams would be intrigued by either deal. If the Suns could get another player in return, with O’Neale included (Saddiq Bey, anyone), then I’d say pursue that, but I think the Pelicans could be reluctant to do so. Swapping both of them makes the most sense.

Why does it not get done?

This one is a bit of a weird one, as I can truly see it going either way. The Suns have the leverage here, even if the Pelicans have not stated they want to trade Zion. He is past his tenure there, so a change would benefit both parties. Is the question, are the Suns ready for another risk?

Personally, I do not think so. Even though we expect some changes, taking this big swing in a year may not be the right move. Yes, it’s a buy-low option with Zion and could be the best offer they get for Green on this deal. Yet I still think the uncertainty of his career should shut that door.

For starters, Williamson, who has had injuries throughout his career, has been limited by them. He did suit up in 62 of the Pelicans’ games this year, his second-most in his career. This could be a sign that the big is finally getting over those obstacles, or it could be a one-of-a-kind season.

In a team that saw Green out for a majority of the season, this would be nothing new, and plugging a healthy Zion in this year could have helped in a lot of ways. Even with that, the concern that he might do that next year worries me.

You could also bring up his contract; he is owed $87 million over the next two seasons. There are, of course, stipulations to it, weight-wise and injury-wise too. If any of those were to trigger, the Suns could either pay less or get out of the contract more easily if it became non-guaranteed. Compared to Green, who could want an extension, the uncertainty with getting off him at max value could make this a solution. Those concerns outweigh the positive. He has these asterisks because he had past issues that could resurface.

Now the fit at power forward would be nice, and his much-needed size would help out the Suns on the court, but is this to get off Green’s deal? If we proceed, there are better options that don’t involve a larger risk.

For the Pelicans, this deal would make sense, as I illustrated in the Dejounte Murray trade. Their front office is clueless, not only tossing Atlanta the 8th pick in this year’s draft to move up 10 spots and select Derick Queen last year, but also lost the 5th overall pick. Yes, that pick that wound up going to the Clippers was originally the Pelicans before they traded back to Indiana during their finals run.

With that knowledge, they would do anything to change this roster. Does that mean trading their best players who have value, or is it buying young talent? At this rate, no one knows, but I am sure it will be a combination of both, winding into a weird year once again.

Selling off Zion would make sense for the franchise, but do they even do that? It has been stated that for him and Queen to grow as a dynamic duo, they need time. Yet they both play the same position and offer a lot on the court. To me, it seems that a guy like Green would entice them, but at this point, who knows?

Ultimately, I think they take the flyer on Geren, hoping he can translate next to Jeremiah Fears as a new guard duo. This risk would free them from Zion, and if they are desperate enough to do so, could add other pieces. Even if they want to do it, Phoenix sees this risk as too big. With Green not having a healthy season here so far, he can still grow into the piece they want, or, if not, provide them with a better security blanket as an investment.

Let me know your thoughts down below, though. What do you think of this possible deal, and should the Suns be intrigued by it?

One of the most interesting storylines of the 2026 NBA Draft is not the players in the class but those who decided to return to college.

This year, only 71 players declared as early entry candidates to turn pro. Among that list, 42 received invitations to participate in the NBA draft combine in Chicago. All of these prospects who were early entry candidates are currently receiving feedback from evaluators on whether or not they should turn pro or return to the NCAA.

Obvious early entry candidates projected within the top 20, including NBA draft combine breakout star Cameron Carr, were not included in this list.

Other early entry candidates not currently projected inside the top 20 but who said before the combine that they plan to turn pro, including Chris Cenac Jr. and Tounde Yessoufou, were also not included.

German-born guard Jack Kayil, who committed to Gonzaga, was not at the 2026 NBA Combine because he is playing overseas in Serbia. However, per Jonathan Givony, he will stay in the draft rather than play in the NCAA.

Thomas Haugh (Florida), Braylon Mullins (UConn) and Patrick Ngongba II (Duke) are among those who were widely considered potential first-round picks but opted to not enter the pre-draft process. Others, including Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska), Alex Condon (Florida), Joseph Tugler (Houston) and David Mirković (Illinois), made the same decision.

Players can remain as early entry draft candidates through 11:59 p.m. ET on May 27 if they want to maintain their collegiate eligibility or they can decide to join the players above who opted to return to college.

CHICAGO – Illini fans have been patiently waiting and wondering if Illinois’ second-highest scorer last season will be back for one more. 

After David Mirkovic, the Ivisic twins and Jake Davis all announced their plans to return to State Farm Center for the 2026-27 season, veteran guard Andrej Stojakovic followed in their footsteps and stated that he’d be coming back to Illinois for one more year as well. 

But Stojakovic entered his name in the 2026 NBA Draft, and after a few impressive workout sessions, the reality is that neither Illinois fans nor Stojakovic himself will know the definitive answer until May 27.

“The more we get closer to that deadline, I’ll know more,” Stojakovic said. “I think the group around me has done a really good job of kind of evaluating and staying level-headed no matter what kind of feedback we hear.”

During the Combine’s media availability Wednesday, Stojakovic mentioned that making it to the NBA has been a dream of his since he was young. 

“I’m in the draft with both feet in right now,” Stojakovic said. 

And the Illini staff is right there beside him, supporting him every step of the way.

“They’ve all shown tremendous belief in what I can do, especially throughout this process,” Stojakovic said. “Something that, you know, the staff has been by my side with. And I’m sure they’ll be by my side no matter the decision.”

Andrej looks at the decision as a win-win.

“I think I’m in a special situation where my option to go back to school is one of a kind,” Stojakovic said. “Not many people in this combine have the option to go back to a Final Four team with most of the guys returning.”

But even with a big chunk of the roster returning, Stojakovic knows that Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell won’t play another minute at State Farm Center. 

“We see each other at the hotel. Um, it still hasn’t hit me that, you know, if I do decide to go back to school, they won’t be in the same locker room as me.”

Although Andrej is bought into the NBA Draft, his main factor in his decision is to go wherever he’ll be able to grow the best. If he decides to stay in Champaign, it’ll be a season of proving what he can do and coming back even more ready for the draft next year. 

A major point of growth for Andrej, whether it be at the college level or in the NBA, is his shooting percentage. It’s also one of the only concerns that the NBA has about Stojakovic. 

“I’ve been very, you know, upfront and realistic with that,” Stojakovic said. “Going back to school is another chance where I can go prove that, you know, shooting the ball is one of my strengths.”

But Stojakovic’s early career revolved more around his shot than driving to the rim. Illinois changed that. 

“Growing up in high school, I was always viewed as a shooter in my class. You know, especially going to Illinois, they kind of unleashed a certain mindset for me to go to the rim. They saw something in me,” Stojakovic said.

“The size we had as a team this year kind of allowed me to, you know, space the floor and drive because we had bigs that could shoot the ball. That was something that we were comfortable with going to in a lot of the games.”

So, why did Andrej announce his return to Illinois if he was uncertain?

“Announcing coming back to Illinois was more so, having a plan either way. I love Illinois, I loved it this year, and if I do go back I’m looking forward to hopefully making more history with the team,” Stojakovic said.

“But yeah it’s just for my peace of mind, knowing that obviously it’s a dream of mine but there is a chance I’m gonna go back and I’m looking forward to participating in another Final Four hopefully.”

Regardless, he won’t forget about the historic year with a special group. 

“I think we’d all love to take a moment and embrace it at some point. If I go back, I’m looking forward to seeing everybody playing at State Farm once again,” Stojakovic said. “And I know moving forward for the rest of our lives when we go back there, it’s going to be all love.”

Assistant coaches Terry Stotts, Jerry Stackhouse reportedly leaving Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steve Kerr is returning as Warriors coach for two more NBA seasons, but it appears he won’t have his top assistants beside him.

Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse are leaving the franchise, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported Thursday evening, citing sources. Both men are interested in pursuing head-coaching opportunities, per Slater.

Both Stotts and Stackhouse joined Kerr’s staff before the 2024-25 NBA season, after the Warriors coach’s former top assistant, Kenny Atkinson, accepted the Cleveland Cavaliers’ head-coaching job.

Stotts brought over a decade of head-coaching experience with him to Golden State and helped provide structure to an offense led by superstar Steph Curry.

This past season, Stotts humorously took the postgame podium for Kerr after the coach was ejected from a Jan. 5 game, telling reporters he was “saving Steve some money.”

Per Slater, Stotts told ESPN he is leaving the Warriors on good terms after informing Kerr late in the regular season that he didn’t intend to return.

“I enjoyed my time with Steve, the staff and players,” Stotts told Slater. “My two years there were fulfilling. Nothing but well-wishes.”

Stackhouse, Kerr’s defensive-minded assistant, former NBA player and ex-Vanderbilt coach, was known for holding Warriors players accountable — especially Draymond Green — during his time with Golden State.

The Warriors also lost another assistant, Chris DeMarco, midseason after he became head coach of the WNBA’s New York Liberty.

Golden State currently is in the early stages of searching for replacements for Stotts and Stackhouse, Slater reported.

The Warriors finished the 2025-26 season with a 37-45 record as the Western Conference’s No. 10 seed, before their campaign came to an end in the NBA play-in tournament.

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