“First of all, my relationship with Tyrese Maxey goes beyond the court,” James began an extended response to Nash’s question about his free agency decision.
“I just love everything about Tyrese Maxey, man,” James said. “Every day you get the same person, and that is very rare in sports and it’s obviously super rare in life. I’ve always talked about how great of a person he is. And we obviously know what he brings to the basketball court.
“When I became a free agent and we decided to let the Lakers know that I wouldn’t be returning, he was one of the first people that was on my line. ‘Yo, what are we doing? What’s up, OG? What’s up, old head? Come on down here, man. We could use you down here.’ … There’s a lot of times that I don’t answer the phone for some phone calls, because I don’t even want to be swayed one way or I already know what you’re calling about. But he’s such a great person. I cannot not talk to him.”
James recalled first meeting Maxey ahead of the 2020 NBA draft.
“He’s been the same person since the moment I met him, before he was drafted into the NBA,” he said. “The same exact person. He came to my house and at that point in time he was 19 years old, so he was actually hanging with (my sons) Bronny and Bryce. They were playing video games inside the house. So I met him and said what’s up to him when he was going into the draft. But he was closer to Bronny and Bryce than he was to me, so he was hanging with them.
“He came in and he was super respectful to me, super respectful to my wife, super respectful to everyone in the house. Bright smile and just super down to earth. From the moment he’s gotten drafted to the perennial All-Star, superstar that he’s becoming, nothing has changed. Nothing has changed in his demeanor.
“And we all know how people can be the humble kid coming in, and then some success happens and they’re totally different. The kid has been the same person, man. It’s hard sometimes, too. I’m not faulting anyone for having some change. … But this kid — this young man now — is beyond his years for sure.”
Maxey and the Sixers’ pitch ultimately yielded a 22-time All-Star.
According to James, he wasn’t always sure whether he’d be suiting up for another NBA season after the Lakers’ second-round playoff exit.
“There were a lot of moments,” he said, “once we lost to OKC, of, ‘Is this the end?’”
James still felt driven to play.
“I think the only thing that I’d continue to say to myself was, if you still have an opportunity to do what you love, then why just say I’m done? Do you have a real reason? … I think that’s what it came down to,” he said. “And I’m not going to cheat it. I’m not just going to show up to practice, no stretch, no workout, no weight room, no recovery, no nothing — just go on the court and play.
“There’s no way I could do that and be successful in this game. … Once the curtain is closed, the curtain is closed. And if you still have an opportunity to play at a high level and compete at a high level, then why not?”
“One of the most important (parts), to be honest, is the big fella,” James said. “He’s done everything in our league and the only thing he has not done is win a championship. I want to try to help him get that first one. He’s been the MVP of our league, he has a gold medal, All-Stars, signature shoes, bunch of money, beautiful family. He has everything. He has the city on his back.
“It’s been The Process for 10 years, 12 years, however long he’s been there. But I think it’s time now that we dig even deeper into the Process, and I hope I can be that final little piece that can help him get over the hump and help him see it maybe a little bit differently than he’s seen it in his career as far as the day-to-day process, the day-to-day of what it takes to get there.”
It’s almost time for James to get formally rolling as a Sixer.
The team’s media day is set for Monday morning and training camp will start Tuesday.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 27: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles as he prepares to shoot before an NBA game against the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena on March 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Kevin Terrell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Parsing through the NBA’s over/under win totals is a meaningful way to establish expectations for every team entering the new season even if you have no interest in gambling. At this point, it would be easy to look back on the San Antonio Spurs and believe their ascent atop the Western Conference was all but preordained last season with Victor Wembanyama, but in reality expectations were pretty meager. The Spurs’ win total was only 44.5 games before they roared to 62 wins and a trip to the 2026 NBA Finals.
The sportsbooks are really good at setting these lines. I went 4-3 on NBA my over/under picks last season, but it ended up being 3-4 for the lines in my story because the New York Knicks’ win total was one game higher at time of publish. That’s how thin the margins often are.
This season is particularly difficult to project because of the NBA’s new anti-tanking rules. There were a lot of free wins on the schedule last year against teams trying to prioritize ping pong balls in the lottery. Teams can’t game the system anymore with the lottery odds now almost completely randomized, especially when the league’s three worst teams actually have worse odds at the No. 1 pick. With the 2026-2027 season just around the corner, here are my best bets for the NBA over/under win total lines. All lines are via FanDuel.
Chicago Bulls under 29.5 wins
There’s finally some optimism around the Bulls with the arrival of a potential star rookie in Caleb Wilson and a new front office led by Bryson Graham. Graham signed Norm Powell, traded for Nic Claxton, and drafted Dailyn Swain with his second first-round pick, but there’s still a lot more work to be done. It’s hard to see many Eastern Conference teams worse than the Bulls this year. Chicago projects as a below-average team in rebuilding, three-point shooting volume, and defensive turnover creation, and that’s a tough way to win when you don’t have a true star player to fall back on. It’s likely that Powell is traded in Feb., and I wouldn’t be surprised if a few more veterans follow him out the door as Graham looks to put his stamp on the team. The Bulls could be fun-bad with Wilson and Matas Buzelis both among the league’s most explosive athletes, but this line still seems too high unless Wilson is an impact two-way player right away.
Houston Rockets over 46.5 wins
The Rockets won 52 games last year without Fred VanVleet for the whole season and without Steven Adams after January. Adams will be an injury risk every year, but he’s healthy to start this season, and that gives Houston its greatest strength back on the offensive glass. I’m buying improvement from both Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson this year, and even if that doesn’t happen, any of Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard could also take a leap. Kevin Durant will suffer age-related decline eventually, but he was pretty damn good last year and I wouldn’t expect him to fall off too much yet. The Rockets will turn every game into a rock fight. It won’t be pretty, but I do think it can be effective.
Los Angeles Lakers over 44.5 wins
The Lakers won 53 games last year with Austin Reaves being limited to 51 appearances and Luka Doncic limited to 64. This year’s team won’t have LeBron James to fall back on when Doncic and/or Reaves are out, but they majorly upgraded the center position while fortifying the rotation with players who should be more effective in the regular season than the playoffs. Walker Kessler will be there to protect the rim every time Doncic and Reaves get burned, and it won’t be hard for him to be more effective than Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes were last year. Sandro Mamukelashvili was an excellent offensive weapon in Toronto last season, and I like his pairing with Luka whether he’s at the four or the five. Matisse Thybulle also feels like a good buy-low candidate whose shortcoming won’t be exposed until the playoffs. Even if Doncic plays a similar number of games to last year, I think the Lakers have the star-power and the coaching to clear this win total with relative ease.
Memphis Grizzlies over 29.5 wins
The Grizzlies were shamelessly tanking to end last season, but it worked out wonderfully for them by moving up to the third pick to draft Cameron Boozer. I didn’t just call Boozer the best prospect in the draft, I also said he’ll be the next American-born player to win MVP! No pressure, man. Boozer will be the youngest player in the NBA this season, but I think he’s ready to rock from the jump. Zach Edey feels like the real swing factor in Grizzlies’ optimism. He’s consistently battled injuries during his short NBA career, but he’s super effective when he’s healthy and should be a great fit next to Boozer in the front court. I’m pretty high on Memphis’ collection of guards with Ty Jerome — one of the league’s most underrated players — leading the charge, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Cam Spencer makes a big leap this year too. Cedric Coward is another breakout candidate. Memphis is expected to be among the worst teams in the West this season, and while I get it, I think they’re going to be a lot better than that.
Golden State Warriors under 38.5 wins
I was really high on the Warriors last year at this time, but they were basically dead-on-arrival after Jimmy Butler tore his ACL in January. Butler will spend the first part of this season continuing his rehab, and it’s hard to believe the Warriors will hit the ground running without him. Stephen Curry remains spectacular, but can the Warriors really count on him for a full season at age-38? Draymond Green is still awesome on defense, but his offense gets worse every year and pretty close to unplayable. Kristaps Porzingis is really good when he’s healthy, but he’s never healthy. I really like Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Brandin Podziemski, and I can talk myself into a De’Anthony Melton comeback. The Warriors could make me look stupid if Curry plays 70+ games — he’s done it two of the last three seasons — but this line is still a little too rich for my blood.
Toronto Raptors over 46.5
The Raptors turned Brandon Ingram into Kawhi Leonard this summer, and I’d bet that’s enough to win one more game than last year to clear this line. Leonard was a top-5 player in the league last year, and he’s a huge upgrade over Ingram if he can stay on the floor. Obviously that’s always a big if when it comes to Kawhi, but I’d like to think he has motivation to show fans he can still ball out after his reputation took a hit from the Clippers’ cap circumvention scandal. Scottie Barnes suddenly looks like one of the best second bananas in the league, Collin Murray-Boyles should be in for a sophomore leap, and the Raptors’ bench has an intriguing mix of defensive bulldogs (Jamal Shead) and floor spacers (Ja’Kobe Walter). I’m worried about the center and point guard play, but still think this team should be very good if Leonard can get to around the 65-game mark.
Wizards under 33.5 wins
Okay, I have the Wizards at under 35.5 wins at my local sportsbook, and I much prefer that line. I’m still willing to fade this team even after bringing in Anthony Davis and Trae Young. Davis could still be one of the better players in the NBA if he’s healthy and motivated, but I just don’t see how he’s happy in Washington even if this team meets their meager expectations. Young was very good a few years ago, but his margin for error was always slim given his lack of size, and it feels like he’s endured enough injuries to slip just enough athletically to cut his peak short. A.J. Dybantsa should be awesome as the No. 1 overall pick, but I’m skeptical of the fit between him and Young. I like all the young guys here, from Kyshawn George to Tre Johnson to Alex Sarr to Will Riley, but I’m not sure they’re ready to impact winning. I also can’t believe head coach Brian Keefe is back. The defense is probably going to be terrible barring a vintage AD season, and there’s not a lot of floor spacing on offense. I’ll pound the under on the Wizards wherever the line is.
Jazz to make playoffs (+120)
FanDuel has the Jazz over/under at 37.5 wins, and I think I like taking them to make the playoffs as the better bet because the odds are more favorable. It’s hard to imagine the Jazz can crack the top-6 of the West this year, which means they will have to make it in via the play-in tournament. That’s always a scary proposition, but I like Utah’s combination of top-end talent and coaching better than some of their rivals for the last two West playoff spots like the Suns, Blazers, and Warriors. This is a big bet on Will Hardy, but after years of tanking, he should be ready to show world that he’s one of the league’s best head coaches. I’m a bit worried about the lack of playmaking on this team, and they will need Jusuf Nurkic to stay healthy if they want to compete on the glass, but there’s a lot of offensive firepower here, and it should be enough to sneak into the playoffs.
ORLANDO, FL - APRIL 17: Miles Bridges #0 of the Charlotte Hornets passes the ball during the game against the Orlando Magic during the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament on April 17, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. 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 Fernando Medina/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.
Miles Bridges
Power forward, 6’7”, 225 pounds, 28 years old, 8th season
The Phoenix Suns are a team with numerous decisions to make during the upcoming season and subsequent offseason. And when it comes to the decisions that could have a long-term financial impact, much of the focus will be on two former lottery picks. One is entering his second season with the Suns, Jalen Green. The other? Newly acquired Miles Bridges, who comes to Phoenix with athleticism, ferocity, and plenty of off-court baggage.
Bridges has an opportunity in a new city and with a new organization to reset his path as an NBA player. He has an opportunity to showcase his basketball talents under the scrutinizing eyes of a fan base that has every reason to question the decision to bring him here.
There may not be another player on the Phoenix Suns facing more pressure this season than Miles Bridges. Every time he performs poorly, those who opposed his addition to the roster will beat that drum loudly. If he plays well, the Suns could become a viable threat in the Western Conference. If he struggles, his presence will remain a divisive talking point throughout the fan base.
Now that’s pressure.
Last Season
GP
MIN
PPG
RPG
APG
STL
FG%
3PT%
FT%
OFFRTG
DEFRTG
+/- (TOTAL)
77
31.0
17.1
5.8
3.2
0.6
46.0%
33.3%
82.2%
118.3
114.8
+147
[Recap the previous season in roughly 3–5 paragraphs.]
Cover the important parts of the player’s previous year without turning this into a game log.
Include:
Games played and starts
Basic statistical production
Role and minutes
Injuries or availability
Major stretches, developments, or setbacks
How the season ended for them
Contract and Roster Context
[1Miles Bridges is entering the final year of his contract and is owed $22.9 million this season with the Phoenix Suns. Next summer, he will become an unrestricted free agent, although the Suns will hold his Bird rights.
What makes his contract situation interesting is that there are essentially two paths Phoenix can go down.
If the Suns opt to extend Bridges within the first six months after acquiring him, the maximum they can offer starts at 120% of his current salary with 5% raises in each additional season, with no more than four total seasons, including the current year. So if Phoenix extends Bridges prior to January 14, 2027, the maximum offer would be three years and $86.3 million.
If the Suns wait until after January 14, the equation changes. At that point, Phoenix could offer Bridges a standard veteran extension, which can begin at up to 140% of the final year of his current contract with 8% annual raises. That would allow the Suns to offer him as much as four years and $143.2 million.
Granted, the Suns have done a stellar job recently of getting what you could define as bargain deals, whether it was Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams, and Jordan Goodwin in free agency or the extension they reached with Dillon Brooks. So the maximum numbers don’t necessarily mean that’s what Bridges will ultimately command.
What He Brings
As I watch Bridges play, there’s one thing I know for sure. You’re going to notice him on the court. He isn’t somebody who consistently fades into the corner and lives there, holding his hands open and waiting for a ball that may never come. He inserts himself into possessions, whether that means bringing the ball up the floor, getting into the paint, or attacking when the ball finds his hands. And when he does get it, he can become electric in an instant.
His ability to throw down highlight reel dunks is what immediately catches your eye, but when you start examining the rest of his offensive game, you see a multifaceted player.
Yes, he’s joining a Suns team that doesn’t particularly shoot the three-ball well, and Bridges isn’t necessarily going to solve that problem. He’s a career 33.8% shooter from beyond the arc and shot 33.3% last season with Charlotte. But he also made 148 of them. So it’s not like he’s a complete zero from deep who defenses can completely ignore on the perimeter.
What stands out to me more is his ability to finish with either hand. Whether it’s dunks or floaters, once he enters the paint, it can be difficult to tell whether he’s right or left-handed. You remember he’s a lefty once he starts shooting the three-ball. That versatility around the basket is going to add another layer to the Suns’ offense that they simply didn’t have last season.
One of the more interesting things about Miles Bridges last season was that he spent much of his time in essentially the Dillon Brooks role, guarding the opposing team’s best offensive threat. Bridges ranked in the 88th percentile in matchup difficulty, which measures the quality of the offensive players a defender is asked to guard while factoring in their offensive impact and usage. He graded out as an A minus.
That gives Phoenix another highly switchable perimeter defender who can take on difficult assignments and fortify different aspects of the Suns’ defense. And within the starting five, that should be an absolute upgrade over Royce O’Neale, who was a liability in this area.
What Needs to Improve
As the shooting chart above showcases, Bridges isn’t much of a midrange player. For his career, he has shot 32.2% between eight and 16 feet from the basket, although only 7.5% of his total attempts have come from that area. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. That’s the space Devin Booker owns, while Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks like to operate there as well. You don’t need too many chefs in the kitchen, and we saw that a couple of years ago when Bradley Beal (cough…cough…when healthy) and Kevin Durant occupied many of the same areas of the floor. Bridges is better served either behind the arc, getting downhill, or operating from the dunker spot.
For somebody who attacks the paint as frequently as he does, however, he doesn’t get to the free-throw line very often. For his career, 48.7% of his shots have come from inside eight feet, yet he averages only 2.7 free-throw attempts per game. Perhaps some of that is a product of playing for Charlotte, a team that ranked in the bottom third of the league in free-throw attempts last season. But if the Suns want to attack the basket more frequently this season, with Green serving as the tip of the spear in that effort, those attacks need to produce something. Either make the basket or get to the line.
Another area where Bridges has room for improvement is his overall shot quality. BBall Index graded him as a D last season, placing him in the 27th percentile. The metric captures the quality of a player’s shots by factoring in distance, openness, and other variables. You would think that in Charlotte, with LaMelo Ball helping set the table for him, Bridges’ shot quality would have graded better than a D.
Prediction
There will be an initial adjustment period as all of the starters get comfortable with their roles. Bridges is going to eat into a chunk of the offensive production that belonged to other players a season ago. But once that comfortability sets in, I believe he’s going to thrive in his inaugural season with the Suns.
When you have Devin Booker as a scoring threat, Jalen Green attacking and penetrating, and Bridges potentially operating from the dunker spot, it should open up different aspects of the Suns’ offense. And I believe Bridges will be one of the primary beneficiaries.
There’s one thing you notice whenever you watch him play. He has a motor. That might be the part of his game that meshes most naturally with this Suns team. The motor. The desire. The competitiveness. You’ll see it on both ends of the floor. The Suns established that tenacity last season, and now they’ll look to fine-tune it with the addition of Bridges.
The longer the summer has gone on, the more I’ve bought into the idea that Miles Bridges is going to be a productive player for Phoenix. Perhaps it’s the long wait. The overanalysis. The hopium that starts setting in after an entire summer spent contemplating what this new offense could look like. Perhaps there’s some bias generated by watching hours of highlights. They are highlights, after all. They’re not lowlights.
Yes, there is plenty to be said about what has occurred off the court. But on it, you generally knew what you were getting from him. There were inconsistencies with the three-point shot, but the attitude and effort were there. And ultimately, that’s what this Suns team is being built to be. Hard-nosed. Competitive. The kind of team you don’t want to see sitting there on your schedule.
The Dallas Mavericks are gearing up for the 2026-2027 season, with players starting to transition their offseason regimens into training camp mode as next week nears. With the roster all but set for the upcoming season, there was still much to do behind the scenes. The Mavericks listed out no fewer than 10 additions or updates to their staff via press release earlier today.
Although mundane on the surface, these updates are intriguing in that they shed light on a variety of aspects that often go overlooked by team observers. For example, Ally Wade is the Director of Mind Health. The team psychologist is rarely spoken about, but serves a critical role for players relating to both on-court and everyday life situations. Chef John Bauer is the Director of Culinary Operations, because the days of grabbing fast food at the airport have given way to fully catered meals and custom nutrition plans. Joe Touomou will serve as Director of Africa/Player Development & Scouting, bringing nearly three decades of international developmental experience and perhaps indicating Masai Ujiri’s influence stemming from his own involvement in foreign affairs, especially in Africa. Then there are two other names to take note of: Nico Berg and Michael Finley
Nico Berg
Berg is the newly minted Executive Director of Health and Performance. This should be important to any and all Mavs’ fans who: a) watched a team come dangerously close to having to forfeit games on the grounds of not having enough available players; b) anxiously await the return of Dereck Lively, who was rumored to have nearly been put back on the court just before requiring a second surgery; or c) remember the days of Casey Smith and a team that kept their players healthy and their overall health as paramount.
On the heels of a training staff that allegedly in-fought and held atypical qualifications, the Mavericks bring in Berg, a physiotherapist with a resume featuring stints in the NFL and NHL. He also spent 2010-2014 with the Minnesota Timberwolves where he received endorsements from well-known players, including former Maverick JJ Barea, so he is no stranger to the NBA. If Berg can keep players on the floor and assist players like Kyrie Irving and Lively as they work back from injury, it will have a massive positive impact on the outcome of games and will help put the injury bug in the rearview.
Michael Finley
The longtime Maverick player and front office fixture garnered some speculation when Ujiri took over and Mike Schmitz was named GM. It soon became apparent Finley was staying put and now we have details on the role he will be in. Finley will be the Senior Director of Player, Community and Alumni Engagement. If we can properly infer Finley’s role based on the title, he ought to be a tremendous fit. Finley has been part of the Mavericks and the Dallas community with only a few breaks, going back to the 1990’s.
Don’t sleep on this role. The Mavericks experienced a lot of damage to their overall goodwill and community relations on the heels of the Luka Doncic trade. The fallout of that even seems to have put adopted son Dirk Nowitzki at arm’s length. Finley may be the perfect person to rebuild some of what was lost and he will hopefully be able to reengage Nowitzki and others. In the Patrick Dumont ownership era, it was in vogue to distance the team from its past. Dumont has since seemed to recognize that approach was less than ideal and has done a noble job in trying to rectify it. This move could be a key element in cultivating the culture that once was, while continuing to move forward.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 7: Craig Porter Jr. #9 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on February 7, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Point guard is the deepest position in the league, and it’s the hardest position to make a career out of as a role player.
The talent pool for bench guards is incredibly vast. The gap between the third point guard in the NBA and a good G League guard is thin — much thinner than any other position. Just thinking about this for a few seconds explains why.
The height and athleticism prerequisites aren’t as stringent for point guards as they are for centers. There’s only so many coordinated and athletic people in the world who are 6’10” or taller. That’s why older players who are well past their primes, like De’Andre Jordan, Mason Plumlee, and Bismack Biyombo, all spent time on rosters last season. The center depth just isn’t there, especially not at the G League level, where you typically have either severely undersized bigs trying to get by on toughness or appropriately sized bigs that don’t have the coordination or athleticism to make it onto an NBA roster.
Those same issues just aren’t there for point guards. Far more people meet the prerequisites to play point guard, meaning there’s far more people capable and qualified to take your spot. That’s worrying for someone like Craig Porter Jr., who is entering the final year of his four-year deal. Additionally, a prospect coming up from the G League to be the third point guard wouldn’t be making as much as Porter in what would be his fifth season, which is meaningful in a salary cap league.
Porter is certainly qualified to be the third point guard in the NBA. He’s shown this repeatedly throughout his three-year career when he’s been asked to enter the rotation due to injuries. While they aren’t typical point guard skills, his ability to accumulate an exceptionally high steal, block, and rebound percentage for a guard is helpful. That, combined with his ability to finish and create for others in the open court, has made him a quality end-of-the-bench player.
However, if Porter is going to continue collecting an NBA paycheck for multiple more seasons, he will need to prove that he’s more than just an adequate third guard. Ideally, he would show that he can be a solid backup guard that belongs in the rotation on a nightly basis.
There’s a few things keeping Porter from being a quality backup guard. We’ll start first with the offense.
Right now, Porter isn’t an efficient scorer despite having numbers that you would expect from someone who was. Last season, Porter finished 70% of his looks at the rim (86th percentile) and 37% from three (61st percentile). Those are both good numbers for a guard — even though you’d like to see Porter be less hesitant to take threes. The problems come when he drives and doesn’t get all the way to the rim.
Porter isn’t a physically imposing player, which is why he went undrafted out of Wichita State. When he gets cut off from the rim, he doesn’t have many options as a scorer. Last season, Porter took 29% of his shots between the restricted area and the free-throw line (87th percentile) and completed a dismal 32% of them (13th percentile). The floater and in-between game aren’t there. If you cut Porter off from the rim, you’re forcing him into a shot he’s missing two-thirds of the time.
The problems in the short midrange are why Porter finished last season in the 39th percentile for points per shot attempt (1.07). This is an issue when you consider that Porter isn’t a lockdown defender despite accumulating blocks, steals, and rebounds.
Porter struggles to stay with his opponent in the half-court. He doesn’t have the lateral quickness to be a good man-to-man defender and isn’t an adept screen navigator. The coaching staff has tried to compensate for this by having Porter pick up his opponent full court more often. This has led to mixed results, although this was something he became better at later last season.
Porter has been a quality third guard the last three seasons. This year, he’ll possibly have his final chance with the Cleveland Cavaliers to show that he can be more than that. And the stage will be set for him to do so.
The Cavs enter the season with Porter being the most accomplished point guard off the bench. Tyrese Proctor didn’t get many opportunities in his rookie season, and Meleek Thomas — even if he does play — projects more as a two than a one. This leaves the stage open for Porter to show that he can step into this role right now.
Porter will start the year in the rotation since Kenny Atkinson often plays 10 or more at the start of the season. Whether or not he stays there as the year progresses will depend on whether he can improve some of the issues that have plagued him in the past.
Back up point guard is one of the bigger concerns for this group coming into this season. It’s the position they’re most likely to address with a midseason trade. A step up from Porter could change that.
Every season is make-or-break for players at the end of NBA rosters. There’s always someone coming up behind you, willing to take your spot while demanding less money to do so. Porter has some intriguing tools. He just hasn’t put them together for an extended enough time to prove that he can be a legitimate backup point guard and rotation player on a contender. We’ll see if that changes this year.
CLEVELAND, OH - FEBRUARY 20: Bob Petit of the 75th Anniversary Team is introduced during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game as part of 2022 NBA All Star Weekend on February 20, 2022 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There are players who leave their stamp on the sport of basketball and then there are those who become synonymous with the sport itself. The NBA world lost a quintessential legend on Wednesday. Bob Pettit, 93, was one of the earliest superstars of the game. In 1954, the LSU standout was drafted second overall by the Milwaukee Hawks. He was named 1955 Rookie of the Year.
He and the Hawks made a move to St. Louis that summer and the following season he was named the league’s inaugural Most Valuable Player, an honor he picked up again three years later.
In 1958, Pettit and the Hawks won their only NBA championship, though Pettit appeared in four NBA Finals series during his career. He garnered eleven All-Star appearances, every season of his career, and was the league’s scoring champion in 1956 and 1959, the same years he was named MVP.
Pettit holds the top two NBA All-Star Game rebounding performances – 26 in 1958 and 27 in 1962 as well as the second-highest All-Star Game points per game average. Pettit averaged over 20 points and 12 rebounds per game in each of his eleven seasons. Pettit is the only retired player in NBA history (with more than two seasons) to average more than 20 points per game in every season they’ve played.
He was the first NBA player to hit the 20,000 point mark. And in 1970, Pettit was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Pettit, along with Bob Cousy, George Mikan, and Bill Russell is one of four players who was named to all four NBA anniversary teams.
Pettit’s #9 was retired by the Hawks, one of only five players in the franchise history.
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American basketball player Bob Pettit, #9 for St Louis Hawks (now known as Atlanta Hawks) free throws during a match, St Louis, Missouri, US, circa 1960. (Photo by Jack Zehrt/FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NBA legend Bob Pettit died on Wednesday. He was 93.
Pettit was a blend of many things. Born in Louisiana during the Great Depression, Pettit attended LSU, and was one of the first great players in the NBA. Drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks in 1954, Pettit averaged 20.4 points and 13.8 rebounds per game that season, and won Rookie of the Year. He also had to move from center to forward, a position he had never played.
In 1958, the Boston Celtics had Bill Russell, and were building the greatest dynasty in the history of American professional sports. The St. Louis Hawks (the team moved after Pettit’s rookie season) nipped the Celtics in Game 6, 110-109, to win the title. Russell played injured for much of the series, but no one could control Pettit, who scored 50 points in that game.
His game was surprisingly modern. He was a good enough ball handler to drive and score, or he could shoot from well outside. And, as noted above, he was an excellent rebounder. If he played today, he’d be called a Stretch 4.
He earned a lot of respect during his career, notably from Russell, who said that Pettit invented the concept of second effort, and praised his fierce play.
In a small, kind, but still crushing anecdote, Russell once brought his grandfather to an NBA game. When Russell introduced his grandfather, who was born not all that long after slavery ended, Pettit shook his hand and said “Nice to meet you, Mr. Russell.”
On the way home after the game, the elder Russell told his grandson that that was the first time a white man had ever called him Mr. Russell.
In a small twist, Boston traded Ed MacCauley to St. Louis in order to obtain Russell, who the Hawks took with the #2 pick of the 1956 NBA Draft. Odds are Russell wouldn’t have lasted long in St. Louis, with the racism woven into the city at that time, but it’s fun to wonder what the Hawks would have been like with Russell and Pettit.
BRIGHTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 15: Head Coach Joe Mazzulla, Paul George #13, Mike Conley #45 & General Manager Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics pose for a photo during a press conference on September 15, 2026 at The Auerbach Center in Brighton, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Paul George has a Hall of Fame resume.
Entering Year 17, George is a 9-time All-Star, 6-time All-NBA forward, 4-time All-Defensive Team member, an Olympic gold medalist, and is one of the most recognizable stars of his era.
And yet, it’s a tricky legacy.
No one will dispute PG’s impact on the game. He’s one of his era’s most dynamic two-way players, and he’s been recognized as such. When it’s all said and done, George has made a good argument to be considered a top-100 player all-time.
But true championship opportunities have always eluded him.
A lot of George’s legacy has been defined by what could have been, or in some cases, what should have been.
No one would fault George or the Pacers for falling short in three straight battles with Miami’s Big 3, two of which were during George’s ascension into superstar territory and one that went down to a Game 7 in Miami, but George’s era as a Clipper is more complicated.
Their 3-1 collapse to Denver in the bubble was an all-time choke job, and it robbed us of what would have been a genuinely interesting series with a Lakers team they matched well with in the regular season. After that, Leonard and George played just 13 playoff games together across their next four seasons in LA, never seeming to find a way to stay on the court at the same time.
There was also the weaponization of his “Playoff P” moniker, which has mostly settled into an outdated reference, especially after his admirable performance in the 2021 postseason without Leonard, and his revitalized play against Boston this past year as a 76er. Especially during his LA tenure though, if you were a true PG supporter, chances are you were having to fight against the notion that George was a playoff dropper.
As it stands now, he’s fighting within the category of “greats without a NBA championship,” but where he fits in that conversation can feel a little complicated.
Legends like Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Patrick Ewing and Reggie Miller are some of the loudest names in that category, yet they all reached that final stage for at least one chance to capture a title.
Maybe the closest situation to George’s would be that of Carmelo Anthony, who like PG, had a long and productive career with six All-NBA nods, is an Olympic gold medalist, and only made it as far as the conference finals. Both players aren’t just missing that ring, they’re missing the chance at even proving themselves on the defining stage of the Finals altogether.
His injury history, the playoff highs and lows, and even his podcast have played some role in the way George is both talked about and regarded within the upper echelon of NBA players. You can have dozens of All-Star appearances, you can be All-NBA ten times over, but nobody wants to be in the conversation of greats who never won the big one.
“Yeah he’s great, but he was never a champion.”
But what if he was?
How does the perception of his career shift if PG-13 leads to Banner 19?
BRIGHTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 15: Head Coach Joe Mazzulla & Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics speaks to the media during a press conference on September 15, 2026 at The Auerbach Center in Brighton, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“I’m a guy that, when it’s all said and done, where my legacy falls being compared to guys in my category, I’ve yet to have something to show for it,” George said at his introductory press conference. “So for me, that’s where that chip lies on my shoulder.”
The Celtics, now a third season removed from Banner 18, still have championship DNA left over from that historic 2024 team. They’ll hope that past identity combined with impactful new faces and budding young talent will be enough to get them back to the main stage.
The Celtics have done their best to get with the times. They’re trying to make a team that’s deep, captained by a true superstar, and isn’t held at gunpoint by the second apron. They’re trying to build a winner without sacrificing all paths to future improvement. He’s no longer the face of a franchise, but George’s impact and availability will be a vital element to a title chase.
However long George’s Celtics tenure ends up being, this feels like the inevitable last chance as a major player to win a championship. And maybe it’s his best chance.
At his current level of production, it feels like George’s Celtics tenure will have a contending window that goes at least into next season to capture that 19th championship. He’ll be 38 years old by the time his current deal ends, far removed from his prime. Perhaps by then he’ll slide into the “overqualified role player” archetype and provide the veteran savvy Al Horford left behind.
Like Melo, who entered the Hall of Fame in 2025, George doesn’t need a ring as proof of his distinctive greatness on a basketball floor. A championship doesn’t fundamentally change just how good George became and just how fast he rose to prominence in the league.
He doesn’t need to prove he’s a great player, or a Hall of Famer, or where his place rests among the era’s best.
And yet there remains that chip on his shoulder because he knows that, for how great his career has been, it’s missing something.
It’s missing a storybook ending, that last perfect sendoff to wrap up his NBA journey with one defining image on a podium, engulfed by green and white confetti. The mission finally accomplished.
“The chip on my shoulder is, I’m a winning player,” George said. “I believe I’m all about winning, being a winning teammate, a winning locker room guy.”
What would a title do for Paul George’s legacy? It’d complete his story, while adding another chapter to Boston’s own.
Perhaps he’ll find that storybook ending as a Celtic.
After getting swept in the second round of last year's playoffs and losing LeBron James to free agency, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka was emboldened by Mark Walter's heavy investment in building out the front office to overhaul the roster around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
The first swing was the biggest one: trading for Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for two first-round draft picks and two unprotected first-round pick swaps and immediately signing him to a four-year, $129.47 million contract. It may have cost everything, to quote Thanos, but the Lakers secured the best available center this offseason to pair with Dončić for the long-term.
Pelinka used almost all of the cap space created by James' departure on depth, adding Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. All solid signings, but there are still questions on what this Lakers team's ceiling truly is, especially in a stacked Western Conference in which they'll have to go through the likes of the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
Almost all of that was overshadowed by Walter's shocking decision to sell his majority stake in the Lakers to Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger for a record $12.5 billion amid a federal investigation into disclosures involving Walter-controlled insurers and related investments. This all just 10 months after buying the team from the Buss family, the majority of whom in turn voted to sell their remaining 17.8% in shares to Kushner and Iger. The entire transaction, however, is on hold as Lakers governor Jeanie Buss contested her sibling's plans in court.
With no clear resolution to the Succession-esque power struggle seemingly in sight, it looks as if the re-tooled Lakers will start this season with just as many questions off the court as they have on it.
Here's a breakdown of the Los Angeles Lakers' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
JJ Redick told reporters at the Lakers' start of the season press conference on Thursday that he feels good about three of the five starting spots: Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler. That leaves two spots open on the wing. Assuming Reaves starts at shooting guard alongside Dončić in the backcourt, they'll need guys to slot in at the 3 and the 4. The biggest name, and contract, is Sandro Mamukelashvili, who became a favorite in Toronto among the fanbase, in the locker room and around NBA scouting departments due to his size and his 38.9% 3-point percentage. There are questions about his defense, however, and depending on how healthy Kevon Looney can stay, there's a real chance Mamukelashvili gets a chunk of minutes as a backup center. Sierra Canyon High School alum Ziaire Williams was signed to a one-year flier and fits the 3-and-D bill that the Lakers have badly needed over the last few years. He's also reportedly added muscle to his slender 185-pound frame, but will it be enough to withstand big minutes over a full season? There's also Jake LaRavia, who struggled mightily down the stretch of the regular season and in the playoffs last year to the point where his minutes dropped to just 14.3 per game. He does, however, have a year of experience playing alongside Dončić and Reaves, and he played relatively well in the first half of 2025-26. That chemistry is hard to dismiss on a roster that's been as overhauled as the Lakers' has. Matisse Thybulle is probably the best defender of the bunch; he could slide in at the 2 if Reaves were to move over to the 3, but that would leave Dončić (6-8) as the team's tallest starter outside of the 7-foot-2 Kessler and with his injury history, would it even be worth it? The one thing we do know? "The other two spots will not be two white guys," Redick joked to reporters on Thursday.
There's also another question to be answered about who makes the roster at all. The Lakers currently have 16 players signed to guaranteed contracts; they'll need to get down to 15 by opening day. The obvious solution is to simply waive one of the fringe players on the roster, but Pelinka told reporters Thursday he's looking into all options, including a consolidation trade. That would allow the Lakers to get something back − while preferably addressing an area of need − instead of letting a player go for nothing. Pelinka does, however, want to let camp play out before making his decision on how to move forward.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
G Luka Dončić
G Austin Reaves
F Quentin Grimes
F Ziaire Williams
C Walker Kessler
Rotation players
G Collin Sexton
G Matisse Thybulle
F/C Sandro Mamukelashvili
F Jake LaRavia
F Jarred Vanderbilt
C Kevon Looney
What to expect in 2026-27 season
JJ Redick has led the Lakers to back-to-back 50-win seasons but enters his third year as head coach with a bit more uncertainty and an almost entirely new supporting cast built around Luka Dončić. Rob Pelinka shelled out nearly $480 million, thanks to cap space created by LeBron James' departure, to tailor the roster around the Slovenian superstar.
Pelinka and Redick made their offseason intentions clear during their press conference on Thursday: 1, Re-sign Austin Reaves; 2, acquire a franchise-level center; 3, get young guys who can dribble, pass and shoot. They checked all three of those boxes.
But with an overhauled roster come question marks, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
"To me, this has not been — and it never will be — a full rebuild around Luka in one offseason," Redick told reporters. "That’s not the way the NBA works, and particularly with free agency the way it is now. But I like everything we did this summer to build around him, to build around AR, and to provide us with a ton of depth.”
Walker Kessler is "a perfect fit" alongside Dončić and Reaves, in Redick's own words. He'll step in as the best rim protector the Lakers have had since trading away Anthony Davis, but his acquisition from Utah came at a steep cost − what was left of their tradeable draft capital and a four-year, $129 million contract extension. Redick told reporters on Thursday that he plans to run a different defensive scheme this year and use Kessler in a way similar to how the San Antonio Spurs use Victor Wembanyama − keeping him close to the paint to clean up around the rim from one-on-one matchups around him.
The Lakers added depth, with Collin Sexton now running the offense of the bench. He should pair nicely with Mamukelashvili if the Georgian big man doesn't crack the starting five as a power forward. The gaping hole at center has been filled. They have size now. Some solid defenders have also been added, such as Quentin Grimes and Matisse Thybulle, but they're still lacking an athletic wing despite being linked heavily to Jonathan Kuminga throughout the offseason.
It'll take time for these new-look Lakers to jell but if and when they do, their actual standing in the stacked Western Conference is still anyone's best guess. Redick, on the other hand, feels good that they'll have something to say about that.
"I’m confident we’re going to develop into a championship-level team this season," he said.
The NBA's reigning defensive player of the year enters the 2026-27 NBA season as the early betting favorite to win MVP honors. Wembanyama also agreed to a new contract extension in July in which he took less money than he could have received had he waited until next year to sign. This will help San Antonio maintain a young core that showed during last year's postseason run it's capable of being a title contender for the next decade.
The emergence of 2025 No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper and the addition of veteran forward Tobias Harris have further fueled optimism (and expectations) concerning the Spurs' future. But their immediate NBA title hopes, and long-term dreams of forging another franchise dynasty, ultimately hinge on Wembanyama.
Is this the year he officially becomes the NBA's best player?
Here's a breakdown of the San Antonio Spurs' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
F Jayden Quantenance (No. 20 pick in 2026 NBA Draft)
C Tarris Reed Jr. (No. 26 pick in 2026 NBA Draft)
Key roster losses
C Kelly Olynyk
Biggest question entering training camp
Is the Spurs' backcourt too crowded?
Dylan Harper's ascent during the Spurs' postseason run has intensified speculation about whether the Spurs can effectively divvy up minutes between Harper, Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox, and whether the franchise can afford to keep Fox in the fold with both young players emerging as stars. Harper needs more than the 22.6 minutes per game he received as a rookie, and Fox could be the player most affected. It will be a delicate balance for coach Mitch Johnson this season if all three players are healthy.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
G De'Aaron Fox
G Stephon Castle
G/F Devin Vassell
F Tobias Harris
C Victor Wembanyama
Rotation players
G Dylan Harper
F Carter Bryant
F Julian Champagnie
F Keldon Johnson
F Harrison Barnes
F/C Luke Kornet
What to expect in 2026-27 season
The Spurs will have a target on them in the Western Conference after making the NBA Finals, but that should matter little if Wembanyama's evolution into perhaps the sport's most dominant player continues. The reigning NBA defensive player of the year still has room to grow offensively, and the added scoring punch from Harris, combined with the expected development of Harper and Castle, make San Antonio a trendy NBA title pick again. Anything less than a run to the Western Conference finals would be viewed as a disappointment.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder appeared poised to become the first team to repeat as NBA champions since 2018 before injuries took their toll.
And it was the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City’s newest rival, who were ready to capitalize.
But now it’s a new season for the Thunder, who have most of their core returning for what should be another push for a title. Much of that will depend on two-time consecutive Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. But for the Thunder to get back to the NBA Finals, role players will have to do their part, too.
Here's a breakdown of the Oklahoma City Thunder's offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
With the Spurs still lingering, can the Thunder reclaim dominance in the West?
In what’s becoming the best rivalry in the NBA, the Spurs had Oklahoma City’s number last year, beating the Thunder four of the five times they played in the regular season. Then, in the Western Conference finals, a brutally physical series went seven games. Injuries played a crucial role for the Thunder, as both Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell — key offensive threats — missed significant time. That put immense pressure on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, significantly restricting Oklahoma City’s offense. Now, the Thunder rotation will look a little different, after tough decisions needed to be made to stay under the apron. That also means younger players — ones like Mitchell, Cason Wallace and Jared McCain — will need to step up.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
G Cason Wallace
F Jalen Williams
F Chet Holmgren
C Isaiah Hartenstein
Rotation players
G Jared McCain
G Ajay Mitchell
G Alex Caruso
C Jaylin Williams
F Kenrich Williams
G Bennett Stirtz
G Nikola Topić
C Thomas Sorber
What to expect in 2026-27 season
Expect one of the best teams in the NBA to have a laser focus on returning to the top of the league. Even though they paid their top stars, the Thunder are still built to compete with the NBA’s very best. Gilgeous-Alexander is a perennial Most Valuable Player candidate, the Thunder play a smothering brand of defense that has led the league in rating the last two seasons and they have an established culture in which players selflessly embrace their roles. Despite that, some of Oklahoma City’s supporting stars, players like forward Chet Holmgren, have disappeared in the playoffs. With plenty of elite teams, that can no longer happen. The Thunder were the most dominant team for large parts of the last two seasons. Will they be able to return to championship form? As long as they stay healthy, there’s no reason to expect them not to.
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Jalen Johnson averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Atlanta Hawks last season, a career year that came together as the franchise stopped trying to build around anyone else.
The Hawks were 19-21 and ninth in the East when they dealt Trae Young to Washington. They went 27-15 the rest of the way and took the eventual champion Knicks to six games, the only team in the postseason to beat New York twice.
So Onsi Saleh, Atlanta's president of basketball operations, left it alone.
The Hawks made no move this summer for a starter. They shopped the clearance rack instead, taking Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins off a Thunder team drowning in luxury tax, at a cost of five second-round picks between the two deals. Wiggins alone cut $61 million off Oklahoma City's tax bill. Atlanta stayed at No. 8 in the 2026 NBA Draft and selected Houston point guard Kingston Flemings, brought back CJ McCollum for one year and $21 million and declined Jonathan Kuminga's $24.3 million option.
Here's a breakdown of the Atlanta Hawks' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
Atlanta got outscored by 51 points in the closeout game against New York, the version of this team nobody in the building wants to talk about. Johnson is the engine, Dyson Daniels finished as runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker just won Most Improved Player after averaging 20.8 points as a starter. But, none of them has ever been the guy a defense builds its game plan around in May. McCollum, who turns 35 this month, was that guy three teams ago.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
G CJ McCollum
G Dyson Daniels
G Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F Jalen Johnson
C Onyeka Okongwu
Rotation players
G Luguentz Dort
Aaron Wiggins
Kingston Flemings
Ryan Nembhard
F Asa Newell
C Jock Landale
What to expect in 2026-27 season
Atlanta is going to be miserable to play against. Daniels and Dort on one roster gives Snyder two of the five best on-ball defenders alive, and Okongwu and Jock Landale can both shoot enough at center to keep the lane open for Johnson.
The shooting behind them is a real question. Atlanta gave up 116.0 points a game last season, and an offense that lives on drive-and-kick needs shooters standing in the corners. The Hawks also have more players than roster spots and will have to cut somewhere before opening night. Fifth seed feels about right in a conference that got considerably heavier at the top.
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But the Cavaliers can't prove much else in the regular season at this point. They're banking on Mitchell's long-term viability as a premier scorer, internal improvement and Watson's potential to turn this conference finalist into a real contender once the playoffs start again.
Here's a breakdown of the Cleveland Cavaliers' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
Can Donovan Mitchell be the best player on a championship team?
Though concerns about Mitchell's capabilities as a No. 1 option in the playoffs aren't new, they were amplified by the Cavaliers' disappointing exit from the playoffs and the massive contract extension he signed this offseason. Mitchell's four-year, $273 million deal ties him to the Cavaliers for the foreseeable future, but will also limit the front office's flexibility given the restrictive NBA salary cap rules.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
G James Harden
G Donovan Mitchell
F Peyton Watson
F Evan Mobley
C Jarrett Allen
Rotation players
G Tyrese Proctor
G Sam Merrill
G Meleek Thomas
G/F Jaylon Tyson
F Mario Hezonja
F Nae'Qwan Tomlin
What to expect in 2026-27 season
The Cavaliers gave up some of their depth in order to add Watson to the fold and re-sign Mitchell and Harden, but they should have one of the best records in the Eastern Conference again if their core stays healthy. The challenge remains the playoffs, where Watson's help on the wing won't fix that the team's title hopes still ultimately hinge on Mitchell and an aging Harden.
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The Knicks did suffer some roster losses this offseason, but the core remains in place. Another thing that remains in place are expectations. And now that this fan base has tasted a title, it’s clear Knicks faithful will want another — and soon.
Here's a breakdown of the New York Knicks' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
The roster is returning nearly all its key contributors, with Robinson being the lone departure of the core rotation. So, after New York celebrated a championship all summer, where does this team go from here? The NBA hasn’t seen a repeat champion since 2018, so the Knicks have a tall task. Players have publicly said all the right things about maintaining their desire to compete and their hunger to win, but that is much harder in practice, especially when they’re just months removed from an emotional championship run. A bit of a hangover or letdown might be in order, if not expected. But with the roster boasting the best continuity in the NBA, perhaps fans won’t have to wait that long for another banner.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
G Jalen Brunson
G OG Anunoby
F Mikal Bridges
F Josh Hart
C Karl-Anthony Towns
Rotation players
G Miles McBride
G Landry Shamet
G Jose Alvarado
G Tyler Kole
G/F Jordan Clarkson
C Andre Drummond
C Mohamed Diawara
What to expect in 2026-27 season
In short: a highly competitive team, looking to capitalize on a shrinking window to win championships. The Knicks, aside from the offseason coaching change over the summer of 2025 that ushered in Mike Brown, have been the roster with most continuity in the entire NBA. The problem for New York, however, is that it’s incredibly challenging to win a title in the NBA, and it’s even more difficult to do so in consecutive seasons. We are in an era of parity in the league that has failed to produce back-to-back champions since the Golden State Warriors did so in 2018. So, the odds are indeed somewhat against the Knicks to repeat. Either way, the facts remain: New York has a star guard and closer in Jalen Brunson, a nightmare matchup in center Karl-Anthony Towns and role players who understand their respective duties. The Knicks may not win another championship, but they should be elite competitors.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 22: Jae'Sean Tate #8 of the Houston Rockets poses during media day at Hilton Americas-Houston on September 22, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I think we all remember rookie Jae’Sean Tate as one of the few bright spots of the 2020-2021 season, but now, six seasons later, his role looks very different, so what can we expect from the captain of The Stay-Ready Crew this year?
Throughout his Rockets career, Jae’Sean has frequently struggled with injuries, but when he has been available, he has demonstrated consistency. You are aware of what Jae’Sean Tate will give you. You won’t see Tate whining about not receiving playing time, and Ime Udoka won’t ever have to bench him for lacking consistent effort. He had the option to leave the Rockets in free agency, but he made the decision to see the process through to the end, which he and the rest of us hope will result in an NBA title. The ultimate “Ime Udoka Guy” is him.
Last season, Tate barely saw playing time, and only played more than 20 minutes in a game during the last game of the NBA season where the Rockets took on the Grizzlies. Jae’Sean Tate did, however, score 13 points and 6 rebounds in that game, but it was mostly due to the Rockets having rested their starters. Tate did also see some playing time post all star break, but again that was likely due to the season-ending injury of Center Steven Adams.
As usual, Tate’s health will be crucial to helping the Rockets achieve their goal of a championship. He will have opportunities if he can stay healthy. With Kevin Durant turning 38, Steven Adams recovering from a season-ending ankle injury, and Fred VanVleet recovering from an ACL rupture, there will unavoidably be more ailments that give Tate more playing time, which is why having him on the team is such a luxury.
So if Tate somehow happens to be reading this, I recommend lots of yoga, stretching, and, if it calls for it, a nice ice bath to get those joints loose.
That’s all we have for today, but for more Rockets player season previews, make sure to check back here at The Dream Shake.
