BROOKLYN, NY - MARCH 1: James Harden #1 and Head Coach Kenny Atkinson of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 1, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Last regular season was a step backwards for the Cleveland Cavaliers. They struggled through injuries and lacked much of the cohesion that made them a 64-win juggernauts the year before.
It’d be easy to blame Kenny Atkinson for last regular season being a disappointment. Many of the things that worked the previous year simply didn’t this time. The Cavs never established an identity, the offense struggled to find flow, and key players like Evan Mobley and De’Andre Hunter couldn’t find their place within the offense early on. All of those things reflect poorly on the coaching staff.
Despite that, I would argue that Atkinson did a better job last season than he did when he won Coach of the Year.
Atkinson made the best of a bad situation. The Cavs had plenty of chances to throw in the towel but didn’t, thanks in part to Atkinson. They kept their heads above water until a trade came through to save their season.
Acquiring James Harden at the deadline for Darius Garland changed everything. Bringing in a talented and healthy point guard in Harden raised the Cavs’ floor and ceiling, making a deep postseason run possible. It also meant that they had to completely overhaul how they played just two months before the start of the playoffs.
Atkinson’s willingness to cede control of the offense to Harden’s heliocentric style allowed them to hit the ground running. Atkinson’s preferred motion-based offense that worked the year before was thrown out in favor of more traditional high pick-and-rolls.
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Schematics and in-game adjustments aren’t the most important skills for NBA coaches; establishing trust with your players and getting them to buy into your vision is. Atkinson did that by putting his personal preferences aside to do what was best for the players actually on his team.
“He’s the ultimate player’s coach, he gets it, he understands his team,” Harden said at the close of last postseason. “I think he did an unbelievable job of getting me acclimated as fast as possible.”
This all added to the Cavs’ most successful postseason run with this group as they advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2018. Yet, their inability to go further could be due to the fact that there wasn’t an identity to this team besides just Harden-centric basketball.
When things got difficult late in postseason games, the Cavs repeatedly just went to high pick-and-rolls without any alternatives. That worked late in Game 3 against the Detroit Pistons. It didn’t in the Game 1 collapse to the New York Knicks.
You could justify the team sticking to the basics given how chaotic last season was. You can’t anymore.
Atkinson has had a full summer with this backcourt. That’s more than enough time to figure out how he wants this offense to function — and more importantly — get both guards on board with executing that vision.
On top of that, Atkinson needs to figure out how to get Jarrett Allen and Mobley more involved on a consistent basis. We saw repeatedly in the playoffs that the Cavs were at their best when they were focal pieces of the attack and not just bystanders. Yet, getting them and the guards to realize this and make this a priority every game has been an overall losing battle. Changing that and getting the bigs into the flow of the game more consistently would do wonders for the Cavs on both ends of the floor.
The Cavs have been successful with Atkinson over the last two seasons; however, that might not be enough to shield him from being the fall guy if things go sideways this year. This team is all in on a two- to three-year window after trading away another first-round pick this summer and giving a 37-year-old $97 million guaranteed. If things go wrong, it’ll be much easier to change the coach than it would be to drastically overhaul the roster again.
This could be a make-or-break year for the Cavs. It almost certainly will be for Atkinson. He’s answered the call the last two seasons, putting this team in the best position to win. We’ll see if he can do so again in what will inevitably be a very different test than either of the previous two campaigns.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: Labaron Philon #00 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on July 14, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Greathouse/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Much of the conversation around the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason has revolved around the star-studded projected starting five, with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown joining the incumbent trio of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe.
However, depth is vital over the course of a long NBA campaign. Mike Gansey addressed that issue in part with the free agent signings of Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons and Ariel Hukporti. With Wade and Simons in particular, those veterans bring known elements to the table that should prove valuable for the Sixers. Something that is more of an exciting unknown, though, is what role Labaron Philon will fill for this group with championship aspirations.
Taken with the 22nd overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Philon’s selection was well-graded by draft pundits. Some saw him as a projected lottery pick after an All-America Third Team sophomore season at Alabama that saw him average 22.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals. While evaluations formed in Vegas should largely stay in Vegas, Philon looked the part of an NBA player in averaging 18.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists across four appearances in Summer League.
While Philon was the main attraction for the Sixers in the desert, he’s extremely far down in the pecking order back east. He’s the clear fourth option at guard behind Maxey, Edgecombe and Simons, with James and Brown also assuming a ton of ball-handling responsibilities. On the one hand, it’s a positive that Philon won’t be thrown into the deep end right away to sink or swim. Conversely, there likely won’t be very many opportunities for the rookie to spread his wings and experiment with different parts of his game at the NBA level. (I’m recalling rookie Tyrese Maxey scoring 39 points in his first NBA start when the Sixers only had seven players available due to a COVID-19 outbreak.)
Part of me knows Philon isn’t of legal drinking age until November so there’s no harm in bringing him along slowly. However, I also have some scar tissue from Doc Rivers burying rookie Maxey on the bench far too often, and Nick Nurse not trusting Jared McCain to the extent that Daryl Morey felt compelled to trade him to recoup value (ironically now bringing Philon into the fold as a result). On the flip side, Nurse did give rookie VJ Edgecombe an obscene amount of minutes last season.
When it’s all said and done, the Sixers’ season isn’t going to be judged by the progression of Labaron Philon in his rookie season. If he proves ahead of schedule and can serve as a valuable rotation piece, all the better. Maybe Gansey can then use Simons as a trade chip at the deadline to shore up another area of need. More than likely, though, he’ll see spot minutes here and there, maybe even the occasional DNP-CD if everyone is healthy and available for a big game. Come next summer, we’ll hopefully have a couple key moments to look back upon as signs of bigger things to come and Philon can ascend to a third guard role next season.
SAN FRANCISCO – Expectations for the Warriors entering the 2026-27 NBA season are as low as they’ve been in years. That’s the way Gary Payton II likes it, too.
“It’s funny,” Payton said Sunday to NBC Sports Bay Area on the ninth floor of Chase Center. “It kind of gives, in a sense, a ‘22 feeling. We’re not expected to do anything, but we still got a pretty good veteran core, and we got some talented young guys.
“The goal this year, the motto for me, is stay healthy and have fun.”
Nobody saw a championship parade coming down Market Street going into the 2021-22 NBA season. They saw a Warriors team that didn’t have Kevin Durant anymore, still was without Klay Thompson recovering from an Achilles injury, questionable youth and a group of veteran castoffs. Payton sees the similarities five years later.
The Warriors’ last championship team was coming off a 39-win season that fell short of the playoffs. This season’s group is coming off a year of 37 wins and no date with the playoffs.
Steph Curry’s co-star, Jimmy Butler, is rehabbing from injury like Thompson was. But this team also has to deal with another major loss to injury in Moses Moody’s rehab.
When it comes to youth, the Warriors can hope Brandin Podziemski in Year 4 can take the kind of offensive leap Jordan Poole did in Year 3. Yaxel Lendeborg should be much more ready to contribute as a rookie than Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman or Moody ever were.
It actually might be Brandon Williams who reminds fans of Poole the most with the way he’s able to beat a defender off the dribble and get to the basket.
Payton, who will be 34 in December, just played 73 games last season, which was a new career high and his most since playing 71 in the Warriors’ championship season – the year he found the perfect team to keep his career alive as a fan favorite. Other role players surrounding Payton five seasons ago included Damion Lee, Kevon Looney, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Nemanja Bjelica and Otto Porter Jr.
Now, it’s more or less a group of veterans like De’Anthony Melton, Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford and Georges Niang.
Williams will be 27 in November, Charles Bassey will be 26 at the end of October, Lendeborg will be 24 at the end of September, as will Will Richard at the end of December, and Gui Santos is 24 all season. As Podziemski enters his fourth year as a pro, he still remains the youngest Warrior, turning 24 in late February.
“Down the line, young guys are gonna win some games for us and give our vet guys some time to rest and chill,” Payton said. “And when it’s time, when it matters, I think you know we’re always going to show up. We got 30 [Curry], we got [Draymond Green]. When we get Jimmy and we get Moses back, you never know.
“We just got to play the right ball until the right time and see what happens.”
The Warriors’ comeback win against the Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in tournament didn’t bring them another title. It didn’t even bring them an appearance in the playoffs after losing to the Phoenix Suns two days later. But it did bring them the taste of glory for one more game.
Curry scoring 35 points in a do-or-die situation, including 27 in the second half, was a reminder around the league and to themselves. As was Green’s incredible defense down the stretch, locking up Kawhi Leonard to seal the win. So were Porziņģis’ 20 points and monster putback dunk, Horford’s four threes in the fourth quarter, massive contributions from Podziemski (17 points) and Santos (20 points), and Payton’s two steals as a plus-8 to lead the bench.
Can they maintain that kind of performance for long stretches instead of a single game? Soon enough, we’ll find out. In the meantime, Payton and the rest of the Warriors are embracing the challenge of being completely counted out.
“It really doesn’t matter. If we get there, we got Wardell, we got Dray, we get a healthy Jimmy back and we got Al and KP,” Payton said. “You got problems if we’re all healthy when the time comes.
“It doesn’t matter if we’re eighth or we’re first, you got problems.”
NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 28: Cam Whitmore #22 of the Villanova Wildcats in action against the Seton Hall Pirates during a game at Prudential Center on February 28, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. Villanova defeated Seton Hall 76-72. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Former Villanova 5-star forward/wing — and Big East Freshman of the Year — Cam Whitmore is getting another shot in the NBA, this time with the Denver Nuggets. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported the news on Friday:
The Denver Nuggets are signing 2023 first-round pick Cam Whitmore on a two-way NBA deal, sources tell ESPN. Whitmore enters his fourth NBA season after averaging 10.5 points and 3.3 rebounds over 119 career games — and has already joined the Nuggets for workouts in Denver. pic.twitter.com/WBhDfTIhOQ
Denver signed Whitmore to a one-year, two-way contract after the 22-year-old was traded from Washington to Cleveland in a five-team deal (which ironically involved the Nuggets) and was subsequently waived by the Cavaliers almost immediately.
Technically, Denver i Whitmore’s fourth NBA team in four years. Realistically, it’s his third stop. He never played for Cleveland, so I’m not counting that one as legitimate.
Either way, the former Villanova five-star has reached an interesting point in his young, once-promising career.
Whitmore’s career hasn’t exactly gone according to plan after being taken 20th overall by the Rockets in the 2023 Draft, but his production hasn’t been terrible either. He averaged 10.5 points in 17.3 minutes across 119 games with Houston and Washington. Per 36 minutes, his counting stats jump to 21.8 points and 6.8 rebounds. Not terrible.
The question in Denver will ultimately become whether he’s the type of player a good team with championship aspirations trusts with regular minutes or not.
Whitmore has a respectable 34.9% from three over his career that dipped to 28.6% during an injury-shortened season in Washington last year. He also only has 97 career assists (0.8 per game), which feeds the “tunnel vision” criticisms the 6-foot-6, 230-pounder hasn’t been able to shake thus far. He needs to show he can contribute elsewhere on the court, either through cutting/driving/slashing and using his brute strength and athleticism or by leaning into being a secondary playmaker.
But playing with superstar center Nikola Jokic could also be exactly what Whitmore needs to finally take off.
Whitmore still has all the good that made him a first-round pick in 2023. He shot 54% from inside the arc last season and remains a dangerous finisher around the basket. In Denver, he won’t need to create everything himself. Cut, run the floor, knock down open threes and don’t stop the offense when the ball finds him.
Then there’s defense. Whitmore doesn’t need to suddenly become the defensive player Peyton Watson was for the Nuggets, but becoming more serviceable on that end would make it considerably easier for Denver to find minutes for him.
His talent has never really been the issue. Whitmore now needs to show he can complement other talented players instead of simply being one himself. If he does, Denver could finally be where his NBA career gets back on track. Nova Nation will be rooting for him.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Kyrie Irving #11 and Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks pose for a picture during the game against the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2026 NBA Summer League game on July 11, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks are less than a week away from kicking off training camp in advance of Cooper Flagg’s second season in the NBA. Flagg’s personal trainer, Matt MacKenzie, sat down with RG.org to discuss what Flagg has been up to this offseason and what we can expect from his pairing with Kyrie Irving in year two. The discussion was a deep dive worth reading in its entirety, however a few key points stuck out and all of them should make Mavs’ fans excited for what is to come.
The offseason regimen
MacKenzie indicated that Flagg has been going hard all off season. In so doing, Flagg managed to go coast-to-coast throughout the summer, with time spent in California, Texas and Maine, amongst other locales. Of particular note is Flagg’s time spent in Dallas where he developed some familiarity with his new teammates and coaching staff.
“He spent a lot of time in Dallas with getting acclimated to the new coaching staff and some of his future teammates. He’s learning a little bit about what they’re all about. So it’s been a really good offseason.”
A young player having the wherewithal to do this is a great sign. Putting aside the sheer magnitude and duration of work, Flagg was smart to spend some of that time in Dallas. Plenty of players have their own plans for the offseason, both personal and professional, and there is nothing wrong with that. Training camp is a great way to get to know new faces and new systems. Getting a leg up on that as Flagg has done will surely pay dividends, making training camp less of an introduction and more of a continuation.
Refining his game
Virtually every NBA player that has enjoyed sustained success in the league has done so by way of adding to their game every offseason. Mavericks’ fans are intimately familiar with this concept after 21 years of Dirk Nowitzki. It appears that in his first chance, Flagg is proving to be cut from the same cloth. In what MacKenzie describes as a well thought out, collaborative and thorough process, Flagg is adding to his game in a variety of ways. Most intriguing of those is the three-point shot.
“He’s taking not only 3s off the catch, but also 3s off the dribble. He’s using a variety of different screens and actions to get him into different shots.”
Flagg had an outstanding rookie season, good for Rookie of the Year honors. He arguably outperformed even the more ambitious expectations that came with being the #1 pick, but one area of his game clearly needed work. Flagg shot only 29.5% from beyond the arc in his first season. The long ball was an area of some concern for the Mavericks as a whole, with the team only shooting 34.4% against a league average 36%. Flagg was excellent at driving and had a solid mid-range game, so adding a deep threat could be the first steps toward becoming nearly unstoppable, to say nothing for what it will do for the team’s offensive schemes.
The dynamic duo
One of the most exciting things about this upcoming season is the return of Kyrie Irving. To this point, we’ve only been able to imagine how the two players would come together, but now we’re only weeks away from seeing them in game action. There remains some concern here, too. This is clearly Flagg’s team, but Irving is an established veteran player and a star in his own right. He’s proven before that he can share the spotlight and even defer and it’s looking like that will be the case again.
“I know that Kyrie has a ton of respect for the player that Cooper is. Just like Coach May, he wants to continue to help Cooper take that next step in his career… They’ve had a chance to spend some time together on the court and in workouts when they’ve played pickup a little bit. I think they really enjoyed playing with each other.”
Many wanted to see Irving traded in the offseason, but this shows one of the key reasons Masai Ujiri was wise to keep him around. Irving brings plenty to the court and nearly (perhaps more) as much off the court in mentorship. The last thing the team needs is to stymie Flagg’s growth or limit his opportunities on the court in his second year. With Irving as his cohort, that should not be a problem. Irving is a natural leader and a great co-lead that will surely take pressure off Flagg as his game continues to develop. The fact the two are already spending some time together and gelling nicely is an excellent sign of things to come.
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Next up: How many young players will earn minutes?
Let’s start with the numbers.
The Sixers have eight players 25 years old or younger on their standard roster. That goes up to 10 if you include two-way contract players Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert. On the other side, five Sixers will be at least 30 years old by the end of the season. James is easily the oldest of the bunch at 41.
Here’s the full list of the Sixers’ youngsters, with ages as of mid-September:
“He’s a really talented scorer,” Nurse said on draft night. “He’s really fast and explosive and can really get it in the bucket. And I think with a lot of guys that can score, there’s the mentality. The swagger or confidence or something that he has is obviously one of his traits that has served him well. He played in a system at Alabama that is very pro-style. … And I think he’s certainly got two-way capability. I think he can guard.”
Philon’s defense will likely play a large role in whether or not he snags a spot in the Sixers’ rotation. As a rookie who weighed 176 pounds at the draft combine, Philon won’t be anywhere near mistake-free defensively. Nurse will care about focus, effort and attention to detail. And he’ll expect Philon to watch and learn from fellow guards Maxey, Edgecombe, Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
The blueprint for Edwards securing a rotation place appears simple. If he sinks a fair share of three-pointers, plays sturdy defense on the wing and rebounds at a decent rate, that may very well do the trick.
Edwards averaged 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists last season in 15.3 minutes per game. He shot 37.2 percent beyond the arc in the regular season and 22.2 percent in the playoffs, although that postseason number is perhaps a bit harsh because of some garbage-time misses.
Nurse has admired many of the nuances in Edwards’ game over the Philadelphia native’s first two NBA seasons, including his knack for finding open space.
“I think I’m just always in the right spot. … I always put myself in the right position,” Edwards said in April.
If Edwards is playing valuable basketball without posting eye-catching stats, Nurse will recognize it.
Both Barlow and Walker can also play at center, but each served primarily as a power forward last season. As things stand, Barlow has a far higher chance of receiving steady minutes. Only Maxey and Edgecombe started more regular-season games for the Sixers last year than Barlow. He got 59 starts and averaged 7.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.9 steals in 23.8 minutes per game.
His role diminished in the playoffs, however, and new Sixers forward Dean Wade is a proven veteran who’s historically offered much more as a shooter. Barlow should still have plenty of viable routes to substantial playing time. He showed last year that he’s a smart cutter next to Embiid, a useful short-roll passer, and a hustling player who habitually chips in offensive rebounds, steals and blocks.
The Sixers currently have two of their three two-way slots filled with Love and Rupert.
Love is a 6-foot-3 guard who played 49 NBA games last season as a Trail Blazers rookie. He posted 10.4 points and 2.5 assists per game, shooting 38.8 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from three-point range. Rupert is a 6-7 wing with a 7-2 wingspan who’s played 155 times in the NBA over the past three seasons and averaged 4.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 0.5 steals in 14.0 minutes per contest.
It would be quite surprising to see either Love or Rupert jump over more established players to seize regular NBA minutes. Of course, injuries always pop up and preseason projections are never perfect.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 24: Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against Kel’el Ware #7 of the Miami Heat during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on February 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country.
Now that Giannis is gone, the question of who leads the team in trade value is pretty interesting. As you’ll see in my personal trade value rankings (dropping on Wednesday), I happen to believe there is a clear top three: Ryan Rollins, Brayden Burries, and Kel’el Ware, with the first two in a tier of their own. That said, you could certainly make a credible argument for a few others.
I can almost guarantee that inside the Bucks’ four walls, they would be doing similar exercises as the team transitions out of the state of flux it’s currently in. How much do you weigh raw ability, age, contract size, contract status (where they are in their contract), and a slew of other factors? These are complex, nuanced considerations. I don’t want to spoil all my thoughts on the matter, but tell us yours!
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 27: Oso Ighodaro #11 of the Phoenix Suns looks on before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Oso Ighodaro
Center, 6’11”, 235 pounds, 24 years old, 3rd season
Oso Ighodaro has had a lot of discussion surrounding his name in his short tenure here in Phoenix. Early on, he was viewed as a potential draft steal as a second-round pick, but fans ultimately had higher expectations. With last year being his first full season in the rotation, the big man is still looking to make a lasting imprint, as others in his role are in the same position.
With the tenth overall pick in Khaman Maluach expecting more leeway, and Mark Williams on the roster as well, the room does seem crowded. That said, Ighodaro has the trust of head coach Jordan Ott to get more burn, especially since Williams suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder. This then prompted the team to sign Duop Reath to a training camp deal for insurance, but it also gives Ighodaro more competition and a bigger opportunity ahead.
Now, with training camp starting soon, Ighodaro has a chance to take the starting job and never let go of it if he chooses. He has said he is working on parts of his game to help him make that leap in his third season, and every fan is watching: who is the future center for this team?
Last Season
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
BLK
FG%
3P%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/-
82
22
6.5
5.1
2.3
0.7
65.3%
0%
45.3%
114.8
109.7
5.1
The Suns’ big man was the true iron man for this squad, as he was the only one to register minutes in all 82 games this year. This is kind of an anomaly in the Valley, as we have seen the injury bug strike a bunch recently, so Oso dodging it is quite a miracle. With him available for every game, he could build momentum early, especially with Williams being out during the preseason and the first few games.
Unfortunately for Ighodaro, he ran into top-tier big men in Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Jokic early in the year, and those proved to be tough battles from the jump. This prompted many fans to turn on him and switch their stance from “draft steal” to “not needed.” Fortunately for Ighodaro, he didn’t let that get in his way in his sophomore season.
He proved that when Ott trusted him in big-time minutes, he could deliver, and he quickly formed a strong pick-and-roll duo with guard Collin Gillespie. This connection helped him on the court by letting the bench unit generate easy looks and points on these plays. With this tandem on the court, they elevated the bench play and brought promise to both of their games in this new system.
Contract and Roster Construct
Ighodaro is in the third year of his rookie-scale contract. He signed a 4-year contract just shy of $8M when he was drafted a few years back. Next year, he is on a club option, allowing the team to decline it and sign him to a comfortable extension or bring him back for just under $ 2M as they work out whether he will be part of the future.
Regardless, it seems he will remain in Phoenix, as the contract is too good to pass up; the extension will depend on how well he does this year.
What He Brings
Ighodaro brings a lot to the bench unit as a complementary big man who helps in most areas. His strengths, though, are definitely his passing and strong defensive utility. The big is truly one of the league’s better passers, and that is why his connection with Gillespie is so influential to their success. He is a very smart basketball player with a great IQ for knowing what to do or where to be in certain scenarios. This is why Ott does trust him and can see the light at the end of the tunnel for Oso.
He is also a sound defender who, with his high IQ, knows how to do it well. He can be a solid rim protector and block shots; he can switch and guard on to smaller defenders and be solid on the perimeter. He has quick feet and can match those who try to beat him to the basket. These areas prove he has a role in this league; it just may not be the grand one everyone envies.
What Does He Need to Improve
His shooting. Flat out in every area, he has to be better at making his shots. The big man has shied away from taking threes, which has limited the plausibility of having a stretch five here lately. Malauch has been working on it (and we have seen the growth), but Ighodaro also has to attend that camp alongside him. This truly limits his ability to grow as a player, so not having it in his bag limits the potential he can reach.
Not to mention, he is also a terrible free-throw shooter. Last season, opponents sometimes played “Hack an Oso” late in games, and it cost the Suns their lead or their ability to get back into the contest. This is one area of his game that Ighodaro knew he needed to improve this offseason and has been working on.
If he can at least pick up his free-throw shooting, then it is not a catastrophe if he is left in the game for a crunch-time moment. If the Suns are injured and need Oso (like they are now), this needs to be something they can bank on. As much as we want to see Malauch get more time, we can not throw him recklessly into the fire this season if we were against it last year. That means Ighodaro has to be more of a vet in this space and be ready for these moments.
Prediction
As I said last year, Ighodaro will have a bigger role than people anticipated heading into this season once again (even without the Williams injury). Even if he is relegated to the bench at some point this year, he will show he can be a solution at center for years to come and become a staple for fans.
Ighodaro has a lot to prove this year, as he can earn a long-term extension if everything pans out this season. Now, with Malauch behind him, he needs to earn a real role, but he doesn’t need to be the best in the building. As long as he shows he can keep growing and be someone worth investing in, he will find himself a nice paycheck from Mat Ishbia and crew, which will bring a smile to his face and mine.
Oct 24, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Ausar Thompson (9) and twin brother Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson (1) stand on the court during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Athleticism is not a blanket term when it comes to its application in NBA games. There are a thousand different ways athleticism can manifest itself on a basketball court beyond slamming home an alley-oop. These days, it feels like NBA teams are looking less at how a player tests on their max vertical leap, and more at their balance, deceleration, and body control. I realize the incoming exercise is a bit silly for this reason, but I’m going to do it anyway.
A year ago at this time, we previewed the best shooters in the NBA. While that list doesn’t feel like it’s changed much over the last 12 months, any look at the sport’s best athletes has significantly more fluidity. Zion Williamson, Aaron Gordon, and Zach LaVine would have been a lock a few years ago, but they aren’t on this list today. It might seem obvious that someone like Ace Bailey should have been on this list a year from now, but he was one of the final cuts this year.
With the start of the 2026-27 NBA season just around the corner, here’s our list of the best athletes in the NBA. The focus here was mostly on explosiveness. Who did I overlook? Leave your snubs in the comment section below.
Amen Thompson, G, Houston Rockets
Thompson was one of two players to dunk 200+ times last season despite being only 6’7 and lacking a jump shot that defenses have to respect. The 23-year-old should be a staple on All-Defensive teams moving forward, and his ridiculous explosion gives him a strong foundation to continue to develop his skill level offensively. I predicted Thompson would be the most athletic player in the league from day one when he was entering the 2023 NBA Draft, and I think I nailed it.
Ausar Thompson might be a tenth of a step below his twin brother in terms of burst, but he’s still an overwhelming athlete on the wing for the Detroit Pistons. He could be the scariest on-ball defender in the league going forward while also being excellent as a defensive playmaker away from the ball.
VJ Edgecombe, G, Philadelphia 76ers
It was easy to see Edgecombe was going to be a freak athlete during his one year at Baylor, and he’s already making game-breaking plays in the NBA after one year in the league. It’s going to be fascinating to see how he’s deployed as the Sixers’ fifth option this season.
Daniels is perhaps the NBA’s best thief on the defensive end, setting several age-based steals records during his first season in Atlanta in 2024-25. He can’t shoot at all, but his athleticism still makes him a pretty decent offensive player with his ability to hit the glass and fly in transition.
Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat
Adebayo is a wrecking ball defensively in the middle of the Miami defense with rare mobility for a player who is so strong with such a low center of gravity. His intersection of size, strength, quickness, and explosiveness allows him to play so much bigger than his size, and serves as the foundation for one of the NBA’s best overall defenders.
Beringer basically got redshirted by the Wolves as a rookie last season, but he has some ridiculously fluid highlights for an NBA center whenever he steps on the floor. Minnesota will be counting him on him to backup Rudy Gobert this season, and I bet he’ll produce some spectacular moments.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Miami Heat
Giannis is the oldest guy on this list at age-31. He still has incredibly rare movement ability for his size. It will be fascinating to see how he ages into his mid-30s with a game so dependent on being the biggest athletic freak around.
Scottie Barnes, F, Toronto Raptors
Barnes has become one of the best forwards in the league, and he could be primed for an All-NBA season next to Kawhi Leonard this year in Toronto. He’s so long and strong and mobile, and plays with a ferocity on the glass, all of which should make him an annual contender for an All-Defense spot. I can’t wait to see Barnes, Leonard, and Collin Murray-Boyles defend together.
Kel’el Ware, C, Milwaukee Bucks
Ware is a great lob threat with a huge catch radius and crazy bounce for a 7-footer. Helping Ware put it all together will be one of the top objectives of new Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins after the Giannis trade.
Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs
I wouldn’t keep Wemby off this list. Guys who are 7’5+ are usually statues, but Wembanyama is ridiculously flexible and fast. There’s never been anyone like him before, and his overall athleticism is a huge part of the appeal.
AJ Dybantsa, F, Washington Wizards
Dybantsa is truly a quick-twitch athlete at 6’9, 220 pounds, with a 7-foot wingspan. His wicked first step and explosion around the rim is going to make him an elite scorer before long.
Ron Holland, G, Detroit Pistons
Holland hasn’t really established himself yet as he enters this third season, but his crazy explosiveness makes him one of the league’s better per-minute wing defenders and a great transition scorer. He may have too much overlap with Thompson as non-shooters to make it in Detroit, but if the Pistons move on, some team should be willing to take a chance on him as a “second draft” type. Read my feature on Holland’s journey to the NBA here.
Minott has been a super disruptive defender who flies in the open floor and can jump out of the gym when he gets the chance. He’s improved his shooting and handle enough to get a real chance this season in Brooklyn.
Castle looks like a linebacker playing basketball, only there’s never been a linebacker who could detonate one of the greatest tomahawk dunks of all-time in the NBA Finals. Like many of the players on this list, he’s another great defender and poor shooter. The Spurs should hope he can cut down on the turnovers as much as improve as a shooter.
Peyton Watson, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
Watson is the platonic ideal of a toolsy wing who needed to grow into his body and his game. He took some strides over a small sample last year with the Nuggets, and now the Cavs are betting big on him to help take their team to the next level.
Ja Morant, G, Portland Trail Blazers
I was on the fence about putting Morant on this list, but ultimately still believe he’s one of the league’s most explosive guards. I kind of hate the fit next to Damian Lillard in Portland this year, but at the same time Morant still feels like a good bounce-back candidate after a couple disappointing seasons.
Buzelis finished No. 7 in total blocks last year while also crushing 79 dunks in 77 games. Him and Wembanyama were the only players in the NBA with such a lofty intersection of dunks, blocks, and made threes.
Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons
Duren looks like he was cut out of stone as a 250-pound big with a 7’5 wingspan and rare explosiveness. He crushed 189 dunks last year, fourth most in the league, but his athleticism often shows up in more impressive ways when he’s attacking off the dribble.
OG Anunoby, F, New York Knicks
Anunoby still deserves a spot on this list at age-29. He plays with great balance on both ends for someone with such a strong frame. His tip-in to win Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals will be replayed for as long as the NBA exists.
Derrick Jones Jr., F, Los Angeles Clippers
Jones felt like the most explosive guy in the league in his young days, and he’s still a freak at age-29. He won the 2020 dunk contest, and not just because Dwyane Wade rigged it.
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 01: Ja'kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors reacts after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-110 in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on May 01, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In his first two seasons with the Toronto Raptors, Ja’Kobe Walter has put up solid numbers. His rookie campaign saw him average 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in 20 minutes of action. He followed that up with a sophomore season averaging 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in similar floor time.
It’s easy to panic when looking at the slight decrease, but in reality, the slight drop isn’t concerning at all. The opposite actually. Despite a marginal decline, there was actually a drastic increase in his efficiency. His field goal percentage climbed from 40.5% his rookie year to 44.6% his sophomore season. Considering exclusively long range shots, that goes from 34.9% to 40.9%.
He was actually making more of the shots he was taking, even though he wasn’t taking as many.
And this is where Ja’Kobe’s biggest value to the team lies. He may not get a ton of shots every night, but he will make the ones he does get.
October vs. April
Early on in the season, some fans were raising concerns over the decrease in the offensive abilities of Walter, amongst some of the other young Raptors. To some extent, the numbers were worrying. Shooting below 29% from long range on barely 2 points per game, the start of the season looked rough for Ja’Kobe. He showed some gradual improvement, but prior to the All-Star break, he was scoring 5 points per game and only 35% from long range.
There was a steady improvement upon returning though, and by April, he was shooting 50% from 3-point range and scoring almost 10 points a game. His post-season was solid too, as he managed two 20-point appearances in the seven playoff games the Raptors had.
This shows the continuous effort and development not only throughout the season, but also holistically as a player.
It has to be everyone’s hope that he will continue on this trajectory.
The 3-Point Shooter
Floor spacing is a commodity in the NBA that teams will pay top dollar for. It’s not a positional skill anymore either, with even centers developing an outside shot.
This is an area that Toronto has struggled in the last few years. They’ve brought a few people in over the years like Bruce Brown and Ochai Agbagi, took chances with draft picks like Gradey Dick, and even tried to develop their own players, but nothing has looked more promising than Ja’Kobe Walter.
Ja’Kobe started in the same spot everyone does, by developing a solid corner 3-pointer:
He shoots about 50% from both corners, more than 12% better than the league average. His teammates clearly trust him out there, as they continue to feed him the ball. More than 99% of his 3-point shots were assisted. He’s not creating the shot entirely on his own, he’s creating opportunities, and capitalizing on them. He’s almost as good from the left wing, where he is also significantly better than the league average:
It’s clear he’s found his niche. In his rookie year almost 37% of his shots were inside the paint, where now less than a quarter of them are. They’re not coming from the midrange either, where only 1% of his points are generated. Ja’Kobe is developing his long range game from every location on the floor. It’s not situational either. He is happy to get out in front of the action or trail and wait at the top of the arc for a long range opportunity:
While he is predominantly a spot-up shooter, he’s starting to find ways to be incorporated in more complex actions that involve single and double screens for him to get open from almost anywhere:
If he continues to excel as a long range shooter, he could be one of the Raptors’ most valuable pieces, either as a starter, or coming off the bench. His ability to spread defenses out to open up space for guys like Kawhi, Scottie, RJ, and Poeltl who all like to operate in and around the paint could be crucial for Toronto’s success this season.
The (not) 3-point shooter
With the Raptors’ continued push towards ball movement under Darko Rajaković, everyone has seen some dramatic changes. Across the board, almost every Raptor has seen a significant drop-off in the points they’re scoring unassisted. Scottie’s unassisted scoring fell from 50% to 40% in only one season, while Barrett, Quickley, and Walter all simultaneously saw similar >10% drops.
Once teams find out how good you are at shooting, noting that your team keeps finding you, they’re going to start running you off the line. Ja’Kobe is showing the ability to adjust to this, and score anyways:
This movement makes him harder to guard outside the arc since he isn’t relying only on that shot. He’s becoming more versatile and adjusting to what defences are giving him. If they are giving him the long range shot, he’ll take it. If they’re not, he’s happy to find other ways to score.
The Clutch Scorer
Close games are never an easy thing for a young player to navigate. Even tight possessions can wreak havoc on players’ shooting splits, as the added pressure can greatly affect performance. Already as a sophomore this didn’t seem to bother Ja’Kobe though, as he led the team in 3-point shooting efficiency with less than 4 seconds on the shot clock. Shooting 9-for-24 in those circumstances, he’s pretty young to already have the confidence and ability to knock down shots like that. Despite how poorly a possession can go, having someone you can kick the ball out to as a last option and actually have them convert it is invaluable.
Ja’Kobe is starting to prove he can be that guy.
The Perfect Fit
Besides ball movement, the Raptors also capitalize on fastbreak points and defence. When Ja’Kobe is on the floor, 1.3 of his points per game (almost 18% of his scoring) comes from a fastbreak. Most of these are generated off of steals, which he is continuously getting better at as well. When he’s on the floor, he accounts for almost 26% of the Raptors’ steals.
He fits their system and is continuing to develop within it.
Next Steps
Ja’Kobe has now had a fairly long summer to work and develop. There’s already been a few videos surfacing online showing some of the work he’s been doing, but it’s pretty clear that his development, skills, and fit within Toronto’s system will make him a huge asset that they’re willing to invest in.
What would benefit him more than anything else is continued defensive development. In his rookie season, he held a 111 defensive rating. That improved marginally to 110.7 this past season. He’s not necessarily a liability, but there is definitely room for improvement.
He also needs to continue to develop his shot from the right wing, the only spot in 3-point territory that he has been struggling.
While small goals, hopefully those were his points of focus over the summer.
Ja’Kobe doesn’t need to be able to do everything, but if he can defend and continue to be a scoring threat from anywhere beyond the arc, he could help the Raptors be a championship contender, providing space for everyone else to operate, and knocking down crucial baskets when he’s needed.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 29: Gary Trent Jr. #5 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against Kris Dunn #8 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the third quarter at Fiserv Forum on March 29, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hoo boy. OK, so the obvious place you have to start with Gary Trent Jr. is his contract. It is the elephant in the room. There’s natural resentment toward Trent because of the contract. I get that. However, to me, the ire of fans shouldn’t go toward the player; it should go toward the GM, who—in his flailing desperation to put the best team possible around Giannis last offseason—made a deal with the devil that could have much harsher implications than simply having what is, for all intents and purposes, $64m of dead money on your cap over the next four seasons.
Selfishly, I hope the league cannot prove a handshake deal was made and thus chooses not to prosecute, but as I understand it, they don’t need to. All the NBA needs to deduce is that, aside from cap circumvention, there is no other reasonable conclusion for why one of the NBA’s worst players last year inked such a lucrative deal. Look, there are smokescreens Jon Horst can throw out that are at least somewhat plausible—“he took minimums to play with Giannis, and now the Bucks have cap space and have to spend it on someone”—but none of them pass the smell test. That said, I also want to highlight that the “take consecutive minimum deals to get early Bird rights and then sign a big contract” tactic has been used by everyone over the years; GT’s deal just stands out more because he played so poorly the season before signing it.
In any event, it happened, and we will see what transpires from here. If the Bucks are penalised—and especially if the penalties are severe—Horst should be on thin ice; it’s tough to have much faith in his decision-making after this whole fiasco (if it wasn’t before that). Now let’s move on to the basketball side of things. As has been well-documented, Trent is coming off what was essentially his worst year in the league last season. Other than his rookie campaign, the 27-year-old has never had a worse shooting season. He averaged just 21.8 minutes per game—also the lowest since he was a rookie—and even spent stretches out of the rotation completely. Anecdotally, Trent’s defensive effort and engagement were some of the worst I’ve seen—and it’s not as if the bar for him was all that high.
Having said all of this, it’s worth mentioning that the team was a complete and utter mess all year—both on-court and off it—with Doc Rivers constantly switching up the starting lineup, rotations, etc. One could be forgiven for failing to find a groove amidst that mess. Crucially, Trent isn’t a player who thrives regardless of context; he’s at his best when he plays off elite talent and knows where his looks are coming from, which was far from the case last year. And to top it all off, there was some pseudo-tanking going on towards the back end of the year as well, which wouldn’t have helped.
Let me say this: I feel confident that in a more settled environment where the team 1) understands what is trying to be achieved from an on-court standpoint, and 2) doesn’t have to deal with rampant off-court drama, Trent will revert to the mean somewhat. Now, will he play to the level that he ends up being worth the coin he’s earning? There’s just no way; that contract is a howler. All I’m trying to say is that this man isn’t as bad as he played last season. He’s just not. This will be a bounce-back season for the eight-year vet—you heard it here first.
Maybe you’ve spent the better part of the past three months wondering why Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens elected to trade Jaylen Brown to an in-division rival. Maybe you refuse to worship at the altar of Optionality. But the arrival of a new season demands that we all stop obsessing about what happened, and shift the focus to what comes next.
While many panned Boston’s decision to trade Brown, fresh off a top six finish in MVP voting, for 36-year-old Paul George and a pair of future first-round picks, the reality is that the trade can’t fully be judged until we see what Stevens does with the assets acquired in the swap.
To kick off the third and final week of our annual Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel to predict Stevens’ next big move.
Trading Brown certainly highlighted the roster reshuffling the Celtics have embarked upon in the aftermath of Banner 18. But it’s still very much a work in progress. Entering the 2026-27 season, Boston is banking that a healthier Jayson Tatum, coupled with increased opportunity for players like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, along with the arrival of newcomers Paul George and Mitchell Robinson is enough to keep the Celtics competitive near the top of the East.
But the team’s ability to truly chase Banner 19 might hinge heavily on what Stevens does next.
Stevens hasn’t been bashful in admitting there’s risk involved in a deal of this magnitude. He’s suggested that, even after finishing second in the East last year, the team simply didn’t feel it was truly positioned to chase another title. Boston struggled against the league’s elite then fumbled away a 3-1 series lead to the same 76ers team that they’d eventually deal Brown.
“At the end of the day, you just have to do what you think is the best thing for the organization. And it’s not always gonna be the popular thing,” Stevens said during an appearance on Sirius XM last week. “And it may be right, it may be wrong, who knows, right?
“But I think that, ultimately, we were really lucky. We had Jaylen Brown here for 10 years. And 10 years is a long run in the NBA. And 10 years with that kind of success, and the experience that he brought to the table, and all of his teammates around him brought to the table, and what they were able to do collectively, was a heck of a run. And we’re just trying to sustain this now, so that we can be sustainably in the mix moving forward.”
The Celtics essentially decided that their best path forward was to reshape the core around Tatum. With the pieces acquired in the Brown trade, Boston can now at least get in the conversation for any player that lands on the trade market. Couple that with the potential to reset pesky repeater tax penalties if Boston spends another season below the tax line, and there are multiple pathways to adding impact talent moving forward.
The question is who would be the sort of player that they’d cash in their optionality to pry away and could pair best with Tatum.
The safe answer here is the next disgruntled star. Maybe that’s Nikola Jokic pondering his future if things go sideways for Denver. Maybe that’s Anthony Edwards if the LaMelo Ball experiment fizzles in Minnesota. Or maybe there’s a non-max player that Stevens believes best complements Tatum, while preserving the cap flexibility that didn’t exist with Tatum and Brown commanding such monster slices of the cap.
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Nikola Jokic hasn’t advanced past the second round since Denver’s 2023 title.
With George soon to be an expiring contract, and with two attractive future picks acquired in the Brown swap, the Celtics can kick around a bunch of possibilities that didn’t exist before the trade. We get it: Optionality isn’t a whole lot of fun until there’s a tangible return. Tom Petty told us the waiting is the hardest part.
The next big name available on the open market might be a surprise; the fact that someone lands there shouldn’t be. It happens every year, but we act surprised when a Luka Doncic or a Jaylen Brown get dealt. Especially now in the apron era, teams are going to be forced to make tough roster decisions and pivoting even faster than ever.
The Celtics clearly entertained some big-name hunting this summer with the Giannis Antetokounmpo flirtation. It’s hard to see any of the NBA’s biggest names seeking new homes now, but things change fast in the association. A bad start, some roster drama — it doesn’t take much to ignite the next trade rumors.
What sort of timeline might the Celtics operate on? Again, that might depend on the player that becomes available. If a megastar hits the market before the end of the 2026-27 season, the Celtics have to at least kick it around. George is probably easier to move once he’s truly an expiring contract but, again, the Celtics have options moving forward.
Our guess would be Boston hunts the big swing, knowing that competing with teams like Oklahoma City and San Antonio in the near term is going to require the most talent possible. But it’s also possible that the pathway to the deepest team possible involves pondering options outside the top 20 players in the NBA.
If the Magic don’t ever figure things out, can we rule out someone like Paolo Banchero becoming available? The Thompson twins just signed big-money extensions but this armchair GM would be tripping all over himself if one of them eventually got disgruntled. There’s some very intriguing pathways to building the deepest roster possible alongside Tatum, all while not getting sucked into the two max-contract vortex again.
The better question on this pathway is maybe who does Stevens believe is the next Derrick White? Can Stevens and Co. hunt another All-Star-level contributor who doesn’t make All-NBA money?
Stevens’ next move feels especially important. It could dictate whether this team is truly capable of competing for titles through Tatum’s prime. When you make the bold decisions to move off Brown, you better have faith in your plan to get back to a spot where you’re a legitimate championship contender.
Josh Canu: Editor
Steph Curry or Nikola Jokic If you want to try to win again in Jayson Tatum’s prime these are the two names that come to mind. Both are on aging teams that appear far away from contention and both players could be looking for one last run at a championship. The Paul George contract will be very valuable next season being a large expiring deal and could be used to land either Curry or Jokic.
BIG move? Let’s have fun with this one. Stevens and the C’s send a package headlined by Paul George and draft capital to New Orleans in exchange for Trey Murphy, who was heavily linked to Boston throughout the offseason. Mark it down as my official trade deadline prediction.
What are you new here? You think I, or anybody on this planet, can predict anything Brad Stevens is going to do? I’m not answering this question. I know what I don’t know.
Kevin Miller: Vice President, Content Creation & Strategy
It seems like it will be centered around the 2028 pick they got in the Jaylen Brown trade. Obviously, they don’t control exactly what that pick becomes but I think it will become a very important chip for whatever the next big move is. And that may include using it in the draft for a top 5 player, or moving it as part of a trade package.
Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations
It’s the obvious move: Package Paul George and other assets next summer for the next star that wants to be traded. Anthony Edwards? Devin Booker? Does San Antonio see the cap trouble coming for them fast and move Stephon Castle? J-Dub? It’s going to be fascinating to see who it will be.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 30: Buddy Hield #8 of the Atlanta Hawks plays defense during the game against the New York Knicks during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The preseason is approaching fast, but it sounds like the roster for the upcoming season is still fluid.
Atlanta has signed and waived four names (Devon Higgs, Keyshawn Bryant, Lamont Butler, and Will Baker) in recent days — names that will likely end up on the roster of the College Park Skyhawks.
But even the 15 standard NBA contract spots are up in the air. Earlier this offseason, the team made the curious decision to guarantee Buddy Hield’s full $9.7 million or so salary as opposed to eating $3 million to waive him. But with his 2027-28 salary partially unguaranteed ($3 million again), he becomes an interesting trade chip going forward.
Now, Jake L. Fischer of both Yahoo and the Marc Stein substack reports that the Hawks have had discussions with the Hornets on a swap for Dorian Finney-Smith
The Toronto Raptors and Kawhi Leonard have held advanced discussions and are nearing an agreement on a contract extension, according to league sources. Leonard is eligible to sign for upwards of two years, $126 million.
The Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets both have moves to make to get into regular season roster compliance next month. That hasn’t stopped the two teams from discussing a trade of veteran players who are on the roster bubble.
Atlanta and Charlotte have discussed swapping Buddy Hield for Dorian Finney-Smith. The Hawks could be acquiring Finney-Smith with the idea of adding another defensive-minded player to the roster. Finney-Smith’s contract for the 2027-28 season is non-guaranteed. That means it would have no impact on Atlanta’s plans for cap space next summer.
Hield’s contract is partially guaranteed for just over $3 million for the 2027-28 season. It’s unlikely that Hield would make the Hornets regular season roster, as Charlotte is currently carrying 16 fully guaranteed contracts.
Finney-Smith, an aging 3-and-D forward, is coming off an injury-riddled last season after signing with the Rockets on a four-year, approximately $52.7 million contract. He is owed about $14.2 million this season, then north of $13.3 million unguaranteed the next two with the final year a player option per Spotrac.
It’s possible the Hawks can think they can get a bounce back season from Finney-Smith for cheap return while also shedding $3 million in future salary.
What do you think? Would this be a good move for the Hawks?
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 1: Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics during the 2026 Pioneers Classic Championship on February 1, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
February 11, 2027. The NBA trade deadline. Between now and then, contenders will emerge, sellers will reveal themselves and new names will hit the market. In this February Forecast, we’re identifying potential Celtics targets before the deadline picture comes into focus. First up: Ryan Rollins.
Who?
Rollins is a 24-year-old, do-it-all guard with good size who has steadily worked his way up the NBA ladder. Drafted 44th overall in 2022 by the Golden State Warriors, he spent his rookie season struggling to crack a championship-calibre rotation before the team from the Bay moved on from him ahead of year two.
Without the cachet that comes with being picked in the lottery, it can be easy to fade into G League obscurity as a second-rounder. Before his second NBA season had even finished, Rollins had already donned two more jerseys. A short stint in Washington was cut short by legal trouble before the 6-foot-3 point guard eventually found his way to Milwaukee.
With the Bucks thinner than Ariana Grande on a press tour, opportunity finally arrived. Rollins played just under 15 minutes per game in his third NBA season, but he began to pop up in some of the nerdier corners of NBA Twitter. He knocked down shots, generated steals and shot well from the charity stripe. The buzz wasn’t mainstream, but Milwaukee’s coaching staff liked what they saw.
In 2025-26, Milwaukee’s depth chart bordered on translucent. With Damian Lillard waived (still can’t believe I’m saying that) and resources invested in the frontcourt, Rollins earned a spot in the starting lineup and hasn’t looked back. In 32.1 minutes per game, the former Toledo guard’s production exploded:
Forty percent from deep. A 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Thirteenth in steals. In a desert of an NBA season for the Bucks, Rollins was one of the few springs of hope in an otherwise desolate year. Despite an unorthodox path, Rollins is entering year five of his NBA career as one of the more well-rounded backcourt players in basketball.
As the Bucks look to rebuild in a post-Giannis world, one might think Rollins would be at the center of their plans, but I’m not so sure. Here’s the case for why he’ll be available in February and why Boston should pull the trigger.
Why he’ll be available:
Rollins is on an expiring deal and set to become a UFA in the summer of 2027. I don’t know about you, but if I were a 24-year-old who had just enjoyed the best season of his career, I wouldn’t necessarily look at Milwaukee as the place to be as I enter my prime. To keep Rollins, the Bucks would have to pay him handsomely. Conventional wisdom dictates that rebuilding teams should latch onto whatever young talent is already in the building in the wake of a mega-trade, not move it on, so perhaps Milwaukee will fork out the big bucks. I’m just not convinced that would be the smartest use of their resources.
In pulling the trigger and relinquishing franchise legend Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, the Bucks acquired not one but two guards in return for their star. One-time All-Star and Milwaukee native Tyler Herro made up the bulk of the salary in that transaction and, while some may view him as little more than salary matching, there’s a good case to be made that he can be this season’s billboard player. A spaced-out paint and increased touches could give Herro the platform to re-enter the All-Star conversation, secure his next big payday or perhaps rehabilitate enough value to net Milwaukee something meaningful in a deadline deal further down the line.
The major sticking point in the negotiations was 20-year-old Lithuanian-born Kasparas Jakucionis. Jakucionis was projected as a lottery-level talent for much of the 2025 draft cycle and, while his counting stats weren’t earning him All-Rookie plaudits, his 42.3% three-point shooting and defensive resilience offered signs of encouragement. That development contrasted with his freshman season at Illinois, where he profiled far more clearly as an on-ball creator than a useful off-ball player. Add Milwaukee’s No. 9 pick, Brayden Burries, another guard who was incredibly exciting in his Summer League showings, and the Bucks suddenly have a very crowded backcourt.
Yes, Herro could be moved instead of Rollins, but he doesn’t have first-round-pick value at the moment. While Milwaukee acquired as many picks as it could from Miami in the Giannis trade, three firsts and a swap, they’re still roughly pick-neutral over the next seven years. A small-market team looking to create another title contender needs to operate from a position of pick superiority. More bites at the apple, particularly in a league with flattened lottery odds, represent Milwaukee’s clearest route back to relevance without an all-time great already in the building. Their route to becoming pick-positive runs through trading current members of the roster for future assets, or taking on bad salary as their financial flexibility increases.
Right now, Rollins is the player on the roster who could bring in picks. Any contender can realistically find a way to acquire his $4 million salary, while paying him in the coming offseason would eat into the flexibility Milwaukee should be trying to create. He is simultaneously cheap enough to be accessible to almost every contender, productive enough to attract real interest and young enough for the Bucks to justify demanding meaningful draft compensation. For that reason, I expect that, much like Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu with the Bulls last year, Rollins will be available at the deadline.
The Fit:
Much like his contract is easy to fit into a trade, Rollins’ skill set is easy to fit into just about any roster in the association. As mentioned above, he’s a capable defender with on-ball talent, a great spacer and a player who, over the last two seasons, has flourished with increased on-ball responsibility. Teams could look at Rollins as a Swiss Army knife-type player who can play off stars, or bet on him as something more, with untapped on-ball upside in a different situation.
I think that with Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson as Boston’s primary options at center this season, the Celtics will be less reliant on Derrick White’s unique rim-protection ability at the guard spot. With less switching versatility from those two at the five than Boston enjoyed with, say, Al Horford in past seasons, the need for point-of-attack defense increases, and that’s where Rollins could really come into his own. Milwaukee was five points per 100 possessions better defensively with Rollins on the court this year.
Rollins is a great halfway house between Pritchard and White. A better defender than Pritchard, a more dynamic self-creator than White and the kind of guard who would thrive playing in an offense focused on Jayson Tatum, while also carrying second units when he sits. Want proof of concept? Just check out his numbers last year depending on whether or not he shared the court with Giannis in Milwaukee:
The jump in usage with Antetokounmpo off the court, coupled with the stability of his efficiency, indicates that Rollins really may be a late bloomer with star upside still in the tank.
Some of that star upside can be seen down below in Rollins’ career night against the Dubs last year:
The Cost:
Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu arguably set the market for players in the Rollins archetype with a year left on their contracts, but he’s a better player than both former Bulls on an even cheaper deal. I expect that, if Rollins were made available at the deadline, he’d attract interest from multiple teams and be particularly valuable to those dealing with apron or tax issues.
Any of Houston, Toronto, Atlanta, Detroit, Charlotte or Denver could pounce, with all of those teams a little short in the backcourt and possessing the picks to acquire Rollins if they want to strengthen prior to the postseason. With that healthy market and Rollins’ talent, I expect it would take more than a singular first-round pick to get Milwaukee’s attention. I’d suggest the following trade makes sense:
Boston Celtics receive: Ryan Rollins
Milwaukee Bucks receive: Jordan Walsh Boston’s 2027 first-round pick The less favorable of Boston’s two potential 2028 first-round picks, lottery protected
If the 2028 first does not convey, Milwaukee instead receives the less favorable of Boston’s two 2031 first-round picks, top-eight protected. If the 2031 first also fails to convey, the obligation converts to three future second-round picks.
This move would take advantage of Boston’s surplus on the wing, give Milwaukee another entry into the first round of the 2027 draft and maintain the upside of the Philadelphia trade for Boston. It’s a high price to pay, but one I think is worth paying.
The Verdict:
If Boston wants to build the next great Celtics team sustainably, they’ll have to make smart moves rather than simply going all-in on sure things. Trading for Rollins isn’t the kind of star move that breaks social media, but it reminds me of the Derrick White trade Brad Stevens made in 2022. Both were analytics darlings languishing on rebuilding teams, with the potential to ascend to another level in a winning context.
Trading for Rollins isn’t without risk, but it’s a move that strengthens the Celtics for next season while preserving financial flexibility. It’s a move that could soften the sting of Derrick White’s expected decline over the next few seasons. It’s a move that would still allow Boston to use its full mid-level exception next offseason, utilizing Rollins’ $7.6 million cap hold.
If I were in Brad Stevens’ shoes, I’d be looking to bring Rollins in. What do you think?
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