BOISE, ID - MARCH 17: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #22 of the Kentucky Wildcats gestures during the first half against the Buffalo Bulls in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Taco Bell Arena on March 17, 2018 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA’s official MVP announcement is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. ET, where Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama were named finalists for the 2025-26 Kia NBA MVP award.
Gilgeous-Alexander delivered one of the most dominant seasons in recent NBA history, leading the Thunder to an NBA-best 64 wins despite Oklahoma City dealing with the third-most games missed due to injuries across the league. The former University of Kentucky standout averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game while continuing to establish himself as one of basketball’s elite superstars.
The accomplishment places Gilgeous-Alexander in rare company. He became the first player to win consecutive MVP awards since Nikola Jokic won in 2021 and 2022 and the first guard to accomplish the feat since Stephen Curry did so in 2015 and 2016. He also became the first guard in NBA history to average 30 points per game while shooting at least 55% from the field in a single season.
Gilgeous-Alexander joined Michael Jordan as the only players in league history to average at least 30 points, five assists, and 50% shooting over four consecutive seasons. Even more impressive, he did not score below 20 points in a single game this season, joining only Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor in accomplishing that milestone.
Before becoming an NBA MVP, Gilgeous-Alexander starred for Kentucky during the 2017-18 season under John Calipari. He earned All-SEC Second Team honors and helped lead the Wildcats to an SEC Tournament championship while averaging 14.4 points and 5.1 assists per game. His breakout postseason performances quickly elevated him into lottery-pick status before eventually being selected 11th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Breaking: Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has won his second consecutive NBA Most Valuable Player award, becoming the 14th player in league history to win back-to-back MVPs, multiple sources tell ESPN.
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 26: A detailed view of an NBA New Era hat during the 2025 NBA Draft - Round Two on June 26, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Things are bad, objectively bad. The Nets have lost 118 games in two years, having missed the post-season three straight seasons. There’s not an All-Star, past or current, on the roster. No matter what you believe, their decision to draft five rookies in the first round continues to be excoriated. Going back further, they haven’t won more than 45 games in any of the last ten seasons. They’ve won a single playoff series in that stretch.
Then, there’s this non-fun fact from Nets Insider if you want to go wayway back…
Since joining the @nba after the ABA merger in 1976, the Nets have accrued the most losses and trail only the T-Wolves by a single % point for worst winning %.
Well, something didn’t give on Lottery night so going into the 2026-season, a couple of Nets losses and Timberwolves wins and Brooklyn moves to the top of that list. Ugh.
While the plan to get into the top three of lottery odds succeeded, the tank ultimately failed Sunday when the Nets fell to No. 6 in the Draft, three spots lower than what they had hoped for. The effect on everyone from the owner to lowest fan was devastating.
Read what Bucks beat writer Mike Owczarski, the Bucks beat writer who was in the Draft Room, wrote about Joe Tsai’s reaction when, by just one ping pong ball, the Nets’ season-long hopes were dashed.
The most expressive reaction, however, came Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai who slumped in his chair and stared dejectedly at the board.
Fans, of course, did more than slump in their chairs. They threw them.
Of course, the palpable fan anger is about more than Lottery luck. The drop has become the most recent manifestation of the team’s history of not just bad luck, but bad losses, bad trades, bad picks and now a growing reputation as a cursed franchise. It is the cumulative effect. (When NBA writers see your team as cursed and pitiable, that’s pretty bad.)
Plans for the coming season may have to be adjusted, too. After all, the Nets had hoped that getting a top three or four pick would improve their ability to snag free agents or players unhappy with their current situations.
And so, fans want the GM fired and/or the owner to sell, a new start! This week we saw this being marketed…
Not very flattering. The reality is there’s no indication that Sean Marks is in trouble. Tsai has been telling people he is patient as an owner and just two days ago, the Nets hired a third assistant GM, Makar Gevorkian, after going with two for well over a decade. That’s a commitment to the current front office.
Falling from a top three or four pick to the sixth isn’t necessarily devasting, as history shows. Hell, it looks like the NBA Finals may feature lead guards who were picked 11th (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and 33rd (Jalen Brunson.) Plus the drop was bad luck. You can recover from that. The next five picks or so are seen as solid prospects if not franchise-changers. And it will be years before we know just how lucky or unlucky the Nets were in Chicago.
They could still succeed. They have plenty of money and play in New York. Also, the Nets could wind up with a terrific player at No. 6 or move up or down or add a second first round pick, get a steal in the second round.
But all the positives that the Nets enjoy — money, picks, location, etc,, respected performance and medical teams, .— are not likely to assuage anyone at the moment. Fans are neither naive nor stupid. They want wins and considering their loyalty, they (aka we) deserve them.
Performance now
So, our next chance to gauge success in this Draft and the rebuild will be the two, count ’em, two Summer Leagues, which start July 4 with a back-to-back-to back holiday weekend at the California Classic in Sacramento. Then, after a three-day respite, they’ll move to Las Vegas for the NBA Summer League which will run from July 9 through 19. The Nets will play a minimum of five games there.
So at the least, the front office, pundits and fans will have eight games to measure all the Nets youngsters which will likely include whoever they take in the Draft plus the Flatbush 5 and some but not all of the various two ways and 10-days who played for them last season, players like Chaney Johnson, E.J. Liddell, Malachi Smith, Tyson Etienne, maybe Grant Nelson. Of the group, all but Etienne are 25 or younger. He turns 27 in September.
Yes, Egor Demin has suggested that his situation is uncertain, but we’d be surprised if he doesn’t play. After all in their March medical update on his plantar fascia issue, the Nets stated they expected him to be “a full participant in the summer development program.”
Don’t expect Josh Minott or Ochai Agbaji to play. They are approaching their fifth career years. Also, Minott has a player option and Agbaji will be restricted free agent.
Sounds like a lot and certainly it could be … but that’s why you play in two leagues. With two leagues comes the possibility of slightly different rosters and rotations, as well as minutes.
Bottom line: we’ll be able to gauge the readiness of who they picked in the Draft and what improvements last year’s players had made. It’s a lot of basketball. Hopefully good basketball.
We may see different coach or coaches, too. Steve Hetzel who handled Summer League last season, is a serious candidate for the head coaching job in New Orleans. We should know more about that this week.
Draft Sleeper of the Week
Despite the fall, Tankathon still ranks the Nets current draft picks at Nos. 6, 33 and 43 the fifth best in the NBA, behind the Memphis Grizzlies, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards and Oklahoma City Thunder. We could speculate that there’s no better partner for the Nets in various scenarios than OKC with the 12th, 17th and 37th picks and apron issues, but that’s a discussion for a different day and one unlikely to have much relevance for a month or so.
We’ve written this week about both Darius Acuff and Mikel Brown Jr. who sit at around No. 6 in most mock drafts. So what about Keaton Wagler, the 6’6” Illinois combo guard. In our latest survey of mock drafts, written two days after the Lottery, he finished second to Acuff with three out of 10 sites liking him as a future Net. NBADraft.net wrote this:
Brooklyn continues its long-term rebuild by adding one of the premier upside swings in the class in Wagler, a dynamic scoring guard with outstanding pace, shot-making ability, and offensive creativity. At No. 6, the Nets can afford to prioritize talent and star upside, and Wagler offers the type of offensive centerpiece potential the franchise has lacked in recent years. His ability to operate both on and off the ball gives Brooklyn lineup flexibility moving forward, while his advanced feel and shot-making instincts allow him to impact games.
Of course, there are others who warn that despite his height, his smarts and his maturity, Wagler has issues with his athleticism particularly if you pair him with Egor Demin who while 6’9.5” in shoes and a great volume shooter for his age, is not known for his atheticism.
Troubling to some was this stat…
Keaton Wagler infamously had zero dunks last college season. Here's his best standing vertical leap (second out of three jumps) pic.twitter.com/RZBWKN20L1
He hit 36.0” in that vertical leap. Overall, his combine numbers were only okay but as our Collin Helwig noted in his excellent break down among the five lead guard prospects, he was fifth and last in the shuttle run, the three-quarter court sprint and max vertical leap. Among the 70 Combine participants, his worst performance was in the shuttle run, he finished 50th. Surprisingly, he finished last in spot-up shooting (44%) but first among the five in shooting off the dribble (83%) which was the second best overall at the Combine.
Compared to historical numbers, that’s not awful, as Billy Reinhardt pointed out…
Russell Westbrook had a 36.5’’ max vertical.
Over the past two years the following key NBA draft prospects had a 36’’ vertical or less: Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Collin Murray-Boyles, and even Dylan Harper was only 36.5’’ vert.
But like any prospect, his game is not about his numbers. He is a smart, poised, mature player who has overcome whatever physical deficits he may have. Take this breakdown from Sam Vecenie’s Game Theory.
I believe Keaton Wagler could be a future MVP candidate. I think he’s going to make multiple All-Star teams and All-NBA teams if all breaks right.
His excitement about Wagler is based on his basketball history so far:
The quick synopsis is that he went to public school in Kansas, played AAU for a non-shoe-sponsored program, and wasn’t even a Top 100-ranked prospect coming out of high school. Kansas and Kansas State didn’t even recruit him, even though he played in-state. He committed to Illinois, had a ridiculous freshman season that led the Fighting Illini to the Final Four, and was named a consensus All-American and won the Jerry West Award, just to name a few of his accolades.
Ghim even compares Wagler favorably to Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton.
Sounds ever so Sean Marks-ey. He met with the Nets in Chicago on Thursday.
Another set of numbers
Stefania Rizzo was a veteran member of the Nets performance staff for years, in charge of rehabilitation therapy among other things. She was also a founder of the NBPTA, the National Basketball Physical Therapists Association, which tries to point up the value of their craft. This week, they looked at what physical theorists look for at the Combine…
While the scouts have their stopwatches out at the NBA Combine, we’re looking at a different set of numbers.
Beyond the vertical jump and the lane agility times, a Physical Therapist’s eye is tuned to the subtle durability markers that often fly under the radar. We aren’t just watching how high an athlete jumps: we’re watching how they land, how they decelerate, and how they manage asymmetrical loads.
Scouting for movement means identifying the biomechanical patterns that translate to a long, healthy career versus those that might signal future risk. It’s about bridging the gap between elite performance and sustainable health.
Whether it’s ankle dorsiflexion during a squat or pelvic control during a change of direction, these details are the foundation of professional success.
The point being that the draft process is more detailed and complex than most fans understand. It all feeds into the team database and their discussions.
Final Note
Jordi Fernandez is still head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons meet in a winner-take-all Game 7. The winning team will advance to the Eastern Conference finals to face the New York Knicks. The Pistons are favored by 4.5 points. Detroit forced the decisive final game with a 115-94 victory in Game 6.
How to watch Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 5, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) gets a high-five from Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) after he scored and was fouled during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Crypto.com Arena on February 5, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The career Austin Reaves has had so far has been special. Not only has he gone from being a kid from Oklahoma to a superstar in Los Angeles, but the progression of his career has been a dream.
Every year, Reaves’ role has increased, and his production has continued to grow alongside it. His minutes played, points and rebounds per game have gone up every single season. Reaves has gone from being an undrafted player back in 2021 to one who is set to earn a huge payday this summer.
One person who has been along for every step of Reaves’ Lakers journey has been LeBron James. Having played more basketball than anyone ever, LeBron has seen the start and end of many careers and is well aware of how special Reaves’ journey has been.
“Just seeing AR grow over these five years, it’s been nothing short of amazing,” LeBron said in his exit interview. “I mean, he’s just a hard worker. He loves the game. He wants to get better and he’s not afraid of constructive criticism, and, and I kind of knew that. I saw the talent, but I also saw that he was willing to put the work in and he wasn’t afraid of the moment.
“To see where he is today’s, it’s awesome. I knew he could be a big-time player for our ball club. I knew if he just got the opportunity and also he gained the confidence in himself that he knows he belongs in this league that he could do some special things in this league. He’s, obviously, showed that.”
It’s got to feel great for Reaves to get such a glowing endorsement from not only a teammate, but a player who’s in the argument for the greatest of all time. LeBron has seen all of Redick’s great moments, like his “I’m Him” game to his game-winner against the Warriors on Christmas.
What’s even more important than those moments, though, is the work LeBron is talking about that we don’t see. Reaves is willing to get coached hard and he puts in the work in the gym to get better.
LeBron is notorious for his physical regimen, and even his podcast “Mind The Game” focuses on the details of the sport. If he appreciates the time you’re putting into your craft, that says a lot about you as a player.
While Reaves is already a leader, LeBron has remained a guide for him. After Reaves missed his game-tying shot against the Thunder in Game 4, LeBron was the first to encourage him.
"'Helluva shot. Keep your head up.'" Austin Reaves said LeBron James found him after missed the game-tying shot and encouraged him. "…He's meant a lot to my career."
The LeBron-Reaves journey has been an incredible one. Over five years, LeBron has seen every moment of Reaves’ career, and hopefully, there are more seasons together to come.
But, even if they never step on the court together again, it’s been an amazing journey.
Reaves has more years left in his career, and LeBron will most certainly be rooting for him, whether he’s playing with him or not.
As we move closer and closer to the NBA Draft next month, the free agency and trade rumor mill is heating up — and there's more than just Giannis Antetokounmpo talk (although there’s plenty of that, too). Here's the latest on some other fronts.
Cavaliers to extend Harden
Whatever happens in Game 7 on Sunday night between Cleveland and Detroit, however James Harden performs in that game, expect the Cavaliers to reach a contract extension with Harden this offseason.
Harden wanted contract certainty after this season, and the Clippers made it clear at midseason that they hadn't decided whether to pick up his $42 million team option — $13 million guaranteed — for next season. When both sides showed their cards, Harden's representation got permission to find a team willing to commit to him.
The Cavs were willing. Though a formal agreement is not allowed to be completed before the offseason, there is an understanding that the Cavs plan to work out a new deal to retain Harden, sources said.
There is zero chance Harden and his team okay that trade unless a handshake deal is in place for his next contract (and teams don't go back on those kinds of deals, it's bad for their reputation and getting other free agents to come). Cleveland will re-sign Harden this summer, and next summer will give Donovan Mitchell a new max — essentially locking the team into this core. (While Mitchell is extension eligible this summer, if he waits a year, he gets to 10 years of service and becomes eligible for a 35% of the cap max, as opposed to the 30% now, plus he can get a no-trade clause. It's in his interest to wait.)
That means if Cleveland wants to shake things up (especially if they fall in Game 7 on Sunday and again don't get out of the second round), the focus will shift to Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen potentially being put into the trade market.
If you think that all of this makes the Cavaliers sound expensive, you're right — and they are already the only team over the second apron right now. Which ties into our next note...
Also, around the league, the general consensus is that he will play one more season, and very possibly not for the Lakers (who are prioritizing rebuilding the roster around Luka Doncic). Marc Stein at the Stein Line listed four possible new teams: Golden State, Cleveland, New York or the LA Clippers.
However, then Stein gets to the real point (which we have written about at NBC Sports): What matters most is how big a pay cut is LeBron willing to take off of the $52 million he made last season because most of the teams Stein mentioned can offer a veteran minimum contract or maybe the taxpayer mid-level exception ($6.1 million).
The Golden State Warriors, who league sources say have maintained a longstanding interest in bringing James to Northern California, will be severely limited in what they can offer. James' hometown Cleveland Cavaliers have even less financial flexibility than the Warriors and are so far away from all the Tinseltown ties that LeBron and his family have established during this run as a Laker...
James' deep fondness for Madison Square Garden has been known for years, but the Knicks — suddenly favorites to win the East and go to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 — could certainly opt to stay on their current path. The only other team you could credibly add to the shortlist is the Clippers, who employ James' former Cavaliers coach (Tyronn Lue) and do play in Los Angeles.
I'll start with the Clippers — it's not happening. Never say never in the NBA, and yes, this move would allow LeBron to stay in his adopted hometown. However, it would not play well. First, the Clippers are not going to be contenders next season (barring landing Giannis Antetokounmpo, which is unlikely at best) and they have a massive cloud hanging over them with the Aspiration investigation; the Lakers are better positioned to win in the short term with LeBron as a third option. More importantly, in Los Angeles, this would be seen as a betrayal by the league's largest, most vocal fan base. The backlash would be tremendous. All for what?
LeBron is going to have to let the Antetokounmpo saga play out before he makes his call, in part because the Warriors and Cavaliers are two teams that could get in the running for the Bucks' two-time MVP. Would LeBron go to the Knicks on a cheap contract and be a third option behind Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns (and does that really help New York's defense)? Right now, the future for LeBron is foggy, he's going to be patient and wait for the fog to lift, then he can make his call.
Wizards trade No. 1 pick to Utah?
There is a desire among the Utah Jazz fan base to keep AJ Dybantsa in the state — he went to prep school there and then BYU. With that, Utah has reached out to Washington about potentially trading for the No. 1 pick in June's NBA Draft, reports Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
Don't bet on this happening. Washington is going to ask for a lot to swap picks — they really liked Ace Bailey in last year's draft, the Jazz selected him at No. 5, so the Wizards likely ask for him and another first-round pick. Even if Bailey isn't on the table, the price is going to be a good young player and an extra first-rounder.
That only makes sense for Utah if it grades Dybantsa out as dramatically better than Kansas' Darryn Peterson (or even Duke's Cameron Boozer) — and I don't know any scouts or front office people who see it that way. Most have Dybantsa on top of their boards because he is a combination of a very high ceiling with a pretty high floor — what a GM really fears with a high pick is missing altogether. Peterson, with his cramping and health issues last season, is seen as having a similar (or, often, higher) ceiling than Dybantsa but also a considerably lower floor. That's not worth the risk. (Boozer has the highest floor of the group but is not seen as having as high a ceiling as the other two.)
Expect the draft order to stay the way it is — and Jazz fans are going to love Peterson next to Keyonte George in the backcourt.
Over the course of the regular season, it became clear Stephon Castle was not going to suffer a sophomore slump following up his Rookie of the Year season. Castle, at only 21 years old, improved in every nearly counting stat he could. From points (14.7 per game to 16.7), rebounds (3.7 to 5.3), assists (4.1 to 7.4), and effective field goal percentage (47.6 to 52.1), Castle improved his marks. And of course, his trademark trait, his defense, only continued to strike fear into the hearts of the rest of the league.
The combo-guard appeared to have only one flaw to his game: shooting. From his first to second year, he rose from 28.5 to 33.2 percent from three; however, it remained at several ticks below league average.
And then the playoffs happened. Through two rounds, Castle is now shooting at an outstanding 44.0 percent on 4.5 attempts per game. If he can continue to make teams pay from deep, there is no telling the limit on the offensive capabilities of this Spurs team. The only question is if he can keep it up.
Over the recent history of the league, there have been several players who have developed their perimeter shot, turning from complete non-shooters to deadly if left unguarded. Remaining consistent with it, though, that’s another story altogether.
For a recent example, look to the Spurs’ previous opponent. Anthony Edwards in Minnesota entered the league as a promising young two-guard, but his three-point shooting was slightly below average. Over time, he built on that. In the 2024-2025 season, he came out of the gate launching from deep, attempting over 10 per game and sinking them at a 41.4 percent clip pre-All-Star break. Time would tell if he could remain consistent. He did. Over his last two seasons, he remained at 39.6 percent at 9.5 attempts per game.
Edwards is a case of a player finding his shot and keeping it, but there are examples of a player finding a shot for even a full season, only to then regress towards the mean. Keldon Johnson has had an interesting relationship with his shot in this regard.
In Johnson’s third year, it was looking like he might be on the verge of turning into one of the league’s best shooters. He finished the season averaging 39.8 percent from three and 49.5 percent from the corners. But that wouldn’t stick, averaging 33.8 percent over the last four seasons. Still an efficient player, but now in more ways than just shooting.
The point is, players’ shooting abilities are malleable. Plenty have developed into real threats: Edwards, Al Horford, and Kawhi Leonard, to name a few. While others have a more fluctuant relationship with their shooting from year to year: Johnson, Jrue Holiday, and even LeBron James have had seasons and post-seasons drifting below and above average shooting.
Right now, for Castle, he has the hot hand. And by its nature, the playoffs are a very small sample size. The only thing that will tell if he can keep it up is time. So far, he’s gotten great looks, and he’s picking his spots well. All of his post-season threes are with a defender, at minimum, four feet away, and a good majority are from catch-and-shoot attempts.
If he continues to make teams pay for leaving him open, the next level will be how he adjusts to defenses guarding him closer and closing out harder on him. All he needs to do is make them pay for leaving him open. Because even if his percentage goes down due to defenses responding, that just means more levers to pull for Coach Mitch Johnson and the Spurs.
Castle has already shown that he has the athleticism to attack closeouts and the basketball IQ to find the right play. Even if his being more closely guarded leads to the ball not ending up in his hands on the perimeter, that only means more space for De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper to slash and one less defender to bang and hang on Victor Wembanyama down low.
For now, the Spurs and Castle can only take it one game at a time, but they show no signs of slowing down entering the conference finals. Oklahoma City’s defense is fast and twitchy; it will be their toughest playoff challenge yet.
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James takes questions from reporters after a 110-106 loss to the Sacramento Kings on April 30, 2021 at the STAPLES Center.
(Screenshot via Los Angeles Lakers)
OK, picture this: It’s Opening Night in October, and the Boston Celtics are lined up on the bench for pregame introductions. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown sit waiting for their turn to rise, strut onto the floor, and go through their usual handshakes and routines. Sitting right beside them, suited up in green… LeBron James?
Longtime basketball analyst Jeff Goodman proposed that the Celtics pursue James this offseason. Granted, in Goodman’s version of the next grand Brad Stevens masterplan, Boston also trades Brown to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“What about this: You get Giannis for Jaylen Brown, and then you get LeBron,” Goodman said on CLNS Media’s “Bob Ryan & Jeff Goodman.”
But for this exercise, we’re going to focus solely on the LeBron-to-Boston portion of the hypothetical.
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 8: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics before the game on March 8, 2025 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Jim Poorten/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
James — a 22-time All-Star, four-time MVP, and four-time NBA champion — will enter his age-42 season in December. He remains an athletic anomaly in the mold of Tom Brady, avoiding Father Time in a way few athletes ever have. That reality means his market value, while no longer what it was during 2010’s “The Decision,” still carries significant weight.
Last season, James averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists across 60 games last season, playing alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. He ranked second in the Western Conference in assists, shot 51.5 percent from the field, and logged 33.2 minutes per game.
That production is more than serviceable by NBA standards — let alone a player in his 40s.
So to begin, there are a few things to consider:
James would need to signal interest in joining the Celtics to get the wheels in motion first and foremost.
Boston does have a traded player exception (TPE) worth roughly $27.7 million, but any realistic path would likely require a complex trade framework — potentially involving a sign-and-trade with Los Angeles.
Historically, James has not spoken fondly of Boston, though he has publicly praised both Tatum and Brown.
The window to maximize LeBron’s value in Boston is narrow, given the future Hall of Famer’s impending farewell tour is scheduled to begin at any moment.
Next to every Celtics fan’s shrine honoring Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Tommy Heinsohn, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen, there could theoretically be a framed photo of Tatum, Brown, and James.
Insane? Yes.
Potentially beneficial in more ways than meet the eye? Also yes.
Boston eliminated James twice early in his career, before he responded by ending the Pierce, Garnett, and Allen Big Three’s run in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, twice getting the better of the Isaiah Thomas-led Celtics in 2015 and 2017, and then closing out Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Game 7 of the 2018 Conference Finals.
Speaking just a few days after Boston’s colossal collapse and first-round exit from the postseason, the organization’s president of basketball operations himself made it clear that improvement would be necessary moving forward.
“Though we did a lot of good things, we lost in the first round, and we were also 3-11 against the top three seeds in the West and the other top two in the East.” Stevens told reporters during his end-of-season press conference last week, “And so, we’ve gotta get better, and that’s been the communication in here.
“Just talking to the team, obviously, these guys are really committed to growth. I thought the coaches did a really good job of helping guys all get better. But there’s another step to take, whether you’re in my shoes, or you’re in any of our support staff’s shoes, or if you’re in our coaches’ shoes, or if you’re in our players’ shoes, we gotta get better. So that’s gonna be the charge and the focus. We’ll figure out how best to do that.”
Last offseason, the Celtics were forced to plaster their yard sale signs outside TD Garden to get under the second apron of the luxury tax and drop their payroll from $512 million to $274 million.
That meant bidding farewell to many of the 2024 championship team’s primary contributors, including Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford. It also meant that Stevens would have his work cut out for him down the line to upgrade the roster and return it to its previous dominant state, equipped for immediate contention.
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 25: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game on December 25, 2023 at Crypto.Com Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When it comes to the great Celtics roster architects — Red Auerbach, Danny Ainge, Brad — there’s always been a common thread: putting winning ahead of everything else. Ainge, Stevens’ predecessor in Boston, was notoriously cutthroat when it came to making difficult decisions. That mentality rubbed off on Stevens three years ago, when an Eastern Conference Finals loss to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat prompted him to trade Marcus Smart for Porziņģis, then move Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon for Holiday.
Those decisions aren’t easy to make, but without them, it’s hard to imagine the Celtics are in the NBA Finals months later, clinching their 18th title at home against the Dallas Mavericks.
This time, Stevens and the organization find themselves in a similar spot. Losing to the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers, after taking a 3-1 series lead, while facing a wounded Joel Embiid, weeks removed from emergency appendectomy surgery, wasn’t acceptable — not by the franchise’s historically upheld standard, and certainly not in the eyes of Stevens. So that needs to be addressed through roster improvement first and foremost.
In terms of depth, the Celtics are in a great spot. Joe Mazzulla and his staff did tremendous work developing the team’s bench unit over the course of the season. Luka Garza, Hugo González, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. each took steps forward while helping stabilize the roster during Tatum’s 62-game absence. There was also the growth of first-time starter Neemias Queta, whom Mazzulla texted during the offseason to inform him he would be replacing Porziņģis, Horford, and Luke Kornet with the biggest elevated role of his career.
That spoke volumes about Mazzulla’s ability to make the most of a bad situation. But flaming out in the first round also confirmed that reinforcements are needed.
James has not been back to the NBA Finals since 2020. He hasn’t reached the Conference Finals since 2023 and has suffered multiple early postseason exits, including two first-round eliminations and a second-round sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the past three years.
In his eighth season with Los Angeles, James accepted that he wasn’t the guy — and that was fine. The team still finished fourth in the West with a strong 53-29 record and gave itself a fighting chance.
But with the Lakers offering a good, but not great, situation — and with other options potentially on the table — a change of scenery could represent his clearest path back to the biggest stage before taking his final bow.
James earned $52.6 million this past season, and considering the current state of the Lakers, it’ll be hard to rationalize continuing to allocate that much when the team isn’t up to par with the wild, wild West. In LA, James has already done his job in delivering the organization a championship. Ultimately, there have been a few missed opportunities to make that multiple Larry O’Briens, suggesting a split could be in sight.
Los Angeles has already commemorated seven Laker legends — Magic Johnson (in 2004), Jerry West (2011), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2012), Shaquille O’Neal (2017), Elgin Baylor (2018), Kobe Bryant (2024), and Pat Riley (2026) — with statues outside of Crypto.com Arena. When asked if James could eventually join them, Lakers governor Jeanie Buss laughed and replied, “He’s still playing. We don’t talk about statues until someone retires,” in a video.
There’s a cultural difference between Los Angeles and Boston, but a shared desire between both the Celtics and James to win. Few situations across the league offer the position Boston does. Any team with Tatum and Brown is a contender by default. Mazzulla is expected to be named NBA Coach of the Year, and Stevens just secured his second Executive of the Year honor.
So while the organization underachieved and still has clear flaws that need addressing, it remains one of the most well-oiled machines in the league.
As Stevens also mentioned last Wednesday, the rest of the NBA is only getting stronger. There was a tanking epidemic that commissioner Adam Silver was forced to address, and an upcoming draft on June 23rd that could also impact the landscape entering next season. The Celtics are going to have to keep up with those changes and adapt to avoid being left in the dust, watching again from home while others battle for a trip to the Finals.
James has not only the experience but the proven disposition to shoulder the load alongside stars like Tatum and Brown. Horford previously filled that stabilizing veteran’s role before departing for Golden State. Adding a player of James’ caliber and expertise could not only fill that void, but also elevate the Celtics to another level entirely — one that might lead to another two-mile-long duckboat ride across Boston in 2027.
Opportunities alike don’t come around often, and even less frequently does an athlete like James choose to join forces with a long-time archrival.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is expected to be the NBA's Most Valuable Player. Again.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Oklahoma City Thunder guard will win his second consecutive NBA MVP award on Sunday, May 17, holding off a historic run from San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama and another jaw-dropping season from Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
The formal announcement is expected to come on Prime Video on Sunday, one day before the Thunder are set to host the Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points per game, shot 55.3% from the field and led the Thunder to 64 wins and the No.1 seed in the West, even while a steady stream of players around him kept getting hurt. When Oklahoma City needed a basket, he got it. When it needed a stop, he was there to do that, too.
He surpassed Wilt Chamberlain's record for consecutive 20-point games, a streak that eventually reached 126 straight. Chamberlain set that mark in January 1963. Nobody had come close to reaching that record until Gilgeous-Alexander erased it that night with his 127th.
Gilgeous-Alexander put up 42 points on 15-of-18 shooting in Game 3 of the Thunder's first-round series against the Phoenix Suns. He closed out the Los Angeles Lakers in four games with his 26th 30-point playoff game in a Thunder uniform.
Gilgeous-Alexander is now the fourth player in NBA history to win MVP, Finals MVP and the scoring title in the same season. He joins Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. A native of Ontario, Canada, Gilgeous-Alexander is only the second Canadian to win the NBA MVP award, following Steve Nash.
Wembanyama gave him a real scare down the stretch. The 22-year-old Spurs center was otherworldly on defense all season and became the youngest defensive player of the year winner in NBA history. He was the first unanimous selection for that award.
Now, Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander will battle it out on the court in the Western Conference finals.
Jokic, as usual, did things that seemed impossible for a human being. He led the league in rebounds, 12.9 per game, and assists, 10.7, averaging a triple-double for the second consecutive season.
The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers meet for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Detroit won Game 6, 115-94, in Cleveland to tie up the series at 3-3. The Pistons win broke the Cavaliers' undefeated home record.
Detroit shot 52% from the field to Cleveland's 39% in Game 6, plus the Pistons were hot from deep with 44% of their triples made. Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 21 points, but it was about Jalen Duren and his impact after playing his best game of the series. Duren tied a playoff-high with 15 points and posted his fourth double-double with 11 rebounds, plus three blocks. Detroit won Game 7 at home versus Orlando, 116-94, in the first round.
Four out of five starters for Cleveland scored double-digits as James Harden led the pack with 23 points. Outside of those four, the rest of the team combined for 22 points on 7-of-24 from the field (29.1%) and 5-for-16 from three (31.2%). The Cavaliers will need more from their bench in Game 7. Cleveland won Game 7 at home versus Toronto in the first round, 114-102. The Cavaliers are 1-5 in playoff road games with their only win coming in OT at Detroit in Game 5.
Let’s take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Live: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
Date: Sunday, May 17, 2026
Time: 8:10 PM EST
Site: Little Caesars Arena
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest NBA Player News for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Game Odds: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
The latest odds as of Sunday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Detroit Pistons (-185), Cleveland Cavaliers (+154)
Spread: Pistons -4.5
Total: 205.5 points
This game opened Pistons -4.5 with the Total set at 206.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Cavaliers vs. Pistons
Cleveland Cavaliers
PG James Harden
SG Donovan Mitchell
SF Dean Wade
PF Evan Mobley
C Jarrett Allen
Detroit Pistons
PG Cade Cunningham
SG Duncan Robinson (questionable)
SF Ausar Thompson
PF Tobias Harris
C Jalen Duren
Injury Report: Pistons vs. Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
None
Detroit Pistons
Kevin Huerter (hip) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 7. Huerter missed Game 6 after playing three minutes in Game 5.
Duncan Robinson (back) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 7. Robinson played 20 minutes and scored 14 points in Game 6.
Caris LeVert (heel) is listed as QUESTIONABLE for Game 6. LeVert played 29 minutes and scored 8 points in Game 6.
Important stats, trends and insights: Pistons vs. Magic
Detroit is 50-45 ATS on the season
Detroit is 25-22 ATS at home
Detroit is 50-44-1 to the Under
Detroit is 25-22 to the Under at home
Cleveland has the second worst ATS record at 39-56
Cleveland is 9-7 ATS as a road underdog and 7-9 on the ML
Cleveland is 9-7 to the Under as a home underdog
Cleveland is 48-47 to the Under on the season
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Sunday’s Cavaliers and Pistons’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Pistons’ Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Pistons -4.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 205.5
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WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Zuby Ejiofor #24 of the St. John's Red Storm looks on during the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament game against the Duke Blue Devils at Capital One Arena on March 27, 2026 in Washington, DC. Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Draft Lottery and the Combine all happening last week, the question I posed this time was simple: who is your current draft crush? We may ask this one may times over the next few weeks. Keep in mind it doesn’t HAVE to be Dallas Mavericks related either.
Brent: Zuby Zuby Zuby! Just so I can say that when he checks in the way the Kaiser Chefs would. Gosh, I am old.
Zuby Ejiofor is my current pick. He’s a Garland native and tested with a massive 7’2” wingspan. He also seemed interested in the Mavericks and might be there at 30!
Bryan: Morez Johnson and Ebuka Okorie have taken over the hearts and minds of the people. Morez being Center height at 6’10.25” in shoes and Okorie having a 6’7.75” wingspan were pretty big combine developments for both players. I dream of a Mavericks team full of skilled athletes and defenders under 25!
Michael: I have gone on the roller coaster of everything from “who’s that?” to “I like him way more than I thought” to “don’t you dare start liking the guys under 6’4″” to “that’s THE guy – how do we trade up?” to “this guy wants to be here, I just know it” to “I really like this dude; but I’m going to hate him when he’s playing for the Clippers”… With that many destinations in my GPS, I decided to just go back home and wait a little longer!
To actually answer the question though, Wagler and Brown Jr. Wagler has been there for a while, but I suddenly (and possibly irrationally) feel like Brown is healthy – the one thing that concerned me – so now he’s jumped way up the list.
Ben: It’ll probably be Wagler for me up until the draft. I’m a little worried about his athleticism but he’s got NBA-ready moves with the ball. He feels like a slightly less explosive Shaun Livingston, and that’s a player I’m interested in.
Tyler: A guy who I found myself liking more and more over course of combine week was Cam Carr out of Baylor. He made obvious headlines when he recorded a seven-foot wingspan while standing just 6’4”, and then proceeded to test very well and dominate the scrimmages late in the week. Baylor was gross this year, but Carr went and showed he wasn’t held back by the situation.
Matt M.: The more and more I think about it, I really like both Lebaron Philon and Dailyn Swain. Philon delivered in big games and is a guy I trust with the ball in his hands. He creates. He can do that thing that god NBA guards do, get the defender on his hip and dictate the rest of the play from there. He makes 3-pointers. On Swain, he’s just so athletic. He can get downhill, he can defend, and he’s not a ball-stopper. Lots of upside with Swain, I think. These guys could be perfect trade-down targets if all the guys the Mavericks want really badly are gone before the ninth pick. Marshall your resources and get after it.
Matt: One draft pick? That player could become anything! The skies the limit. Ah, but TWO draft picks? My draft crush is trading down. At 9, Dallas seems unlikely to be able to nab any of the truly top-tier guards in this draft. Not to say a guy like Philon or Burries can’t be great, but taking them at 9 also feels like leaving a little value on the table if you could be taking them at 12. The dream is to swap the 9 pick with an OKC team who has too many picks to even consider adding to a roster that’s already a title favorite – that means acquiring the 12th and 17 pick, STILL getting to draft Philon and ALSO a guy like Allen Graves, who is this year’s mid-round darling. Dallas needs to take as many swings as they can in these early roster-building years, especially with how bare our draft cabinets are moving forward.
Kirk: I went from being open-minded about players to falling head over heels for Mikel Brown Jr. Pair his size and willingness to shoot and he’s the guard for me. Unfortunately, there’s no way he’s going to be there for the Mavericks at nine and I’m going to have to find another love.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 15: Jalen Duren #0 and Caris LeVert #8 of the Detroit Pistons defend James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter in Game Six of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Rocket Arena on May 15, 2026 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. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Game Vitals
Where: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI When: Sunday, May 17 at 8:00 PM EST Watch: Amazon Odds: Pistons (-4.5)
TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 28: Jalen Brunson #11 and the New York Knicks huddle before the game against the Toronto Raptors on January 28, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Nothing better than a Game 7, amirite?
Actually, there’s something even better about today’s matchup, as the Knicks aren’t involved and will be just enjoying the bloodbath from afar!
Here’s the latest from Tarrytown as New York patiently waits to know its ECF foe.
On supporting Mikal Bridges amid benching questions:
“I was just telling the truth. He can play, he’s been in this situation before, we’ve had success with him. So I was just basically answering the questions regarding him. He’s earned the right to be there. He’s earned the right to do a lot of different things. And I was just reiterating it. He’s definitely an important piece of what we’re trying to do.”
On adapting offensive schemes during the playoffs:
“It’s a little complicated from the standpoint that we came in with what we wanted to do offensively. Then we had to scale it to a certain degree because it didn’t fit everybody. Then you fast-forward to the playoffs and you bring some of it back and you bring some new. We are not just adding stuff we did in the preseason. We added some new stuff that is similar to what we are doing, but it fits better with the personnel. Usually if you have a veteran team, especially at this time of year, they lock in a little bit better.
“The moral of the story is it’s the playoffs. So guys do things come playoff time, especially if they are veterans, that they may not do in the regular season or they may take for granted during the regular season. Maybe a little bit of that is mixed in. I don’t know. Maybe our group is locked in. They’ve been open all year to a lot of different things I’ve thrown at them. They are grasping or holding on to this tight, which has given us a chance to have some success.”
On his revelation about pairing Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson:
“I came to a little bit of a revelation with those guys. We feel it’s a little easier to play with them — not just defensively, but offensively, too.”
On how the playoffs force adjustments in real time:
“The playoffs — they make you think and adjust, and they make you do it in real-time because if you don’t, your season can end. You have some time in-between to mess around with things.”
On the importance of point-of-attack defense and team coverages:
“We have to make sure that at the point of attack, there’s ball pressure with a little bit of physicality, but without fouling, without sending a guy to the free-throw line. And then knowing it’s not just the guy that’s at the point of attack, but it’s all five guys guarding the basketball. And whenever the ball moves, all five guys have to move with it. And then lastly, mixing up your coverages but being able to understand the different coverages and being able to go back and forth between them pretty seamlessly.”
On uncertainty about whether the nine-day break is an advantage:
“I’ve been in both situations, playing while a team’s waiting and I’ve been waiting while a team’s playing. You can say a lot theoretically. You can say they’re going to be tired, but you can also say they have a competitive edge because they’ve been going at it for seven games and we’ve been off. You keep trying to do different things during the course of the downtime to keep them sharp, keep them focused and try to keep their competitive edge up as much as you can.”
On recalling LeBron James taking over during the 2009 playoffs:
“I was like, ‘There’s no way in hell I’m going in that huddle to tell him anything right now the way he’s cooking, I’m just gonna let him cook. I’m not saying anything to him.’ And he went out there and he just — he was amazing. That was the best seat in the house to watch.”
On building chemistry with Mitchell Robinson in the frontcourt:
“I think it’s been great to have more time with [Robinson] and to be able to understand ways to help him succeed on the court. That comes with just chemistry, time on the court, playing with each other. Throughout the year we’ve had those moments, and in the last year where we were able to build that chemistry — and it’s paid dividends when we were on the court together this playoffs. So it’s great where you could see that improvement actually happening and see the fruits of our labor.”
On not carrying over regular-season success into the postseason mindset:
“I’m super honored to say this is my third straight consecutive conference finals but in the last two conference finals, it’s been teams we’ve had a lot of success against in the regular season and found ourselves losing in the conference finals. You cannot see anything as an opportunity — ‘Oh, well the regular season said we had success, so it should translate in the postseason.’ It doesn’t work like that.”
On the value of strong perimeter defense for the bigs:
“Point of attack is important, it’s the most important thing. To have our wings and our guards playing defense at the perimeter at a high level, it makes my job easier but also makes our team better. Shout-out to them.”
On his recovery and readiness for the Eastern Conference finals:
“Getting better each day. Feel good today.”
On the current hamstring strain compared to his 2025 injury:
“It was weird. I stepped, I felt something a little bit. Tried to dunk… It wasn’t like the previous ones, for sure. So it was better than before. I never think about the past. Just dealing with it in the moment. It didn’t feel as bad as it had in the past when it happened.”
On staying ready while waiting for the other series to conclude:
“I think everyone’s excited for the games to start, so just letting the other series play out. So if it was tomorrow—just be ready whenever it is.”
"I've spent half my life with the Knick organization…I have not worked a day in my life the last 40 years…I cant wait for the game"
–– Walt Clyde Frazier is awarded Doctorate of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at Long Island University's Centennial Commencement in Brooklyn pic.twitter.com/heykNGsGbi
On OG Anunoby’s progress during the hamstring rehab period:
“He’s been back. He looks good to me. So, I think maybe the crowd, maybe the fans and media worried a little bit more, but I know how OG works and how his body is. I think he’ll be alright.”
On the impact of the Towns-Robinson pairing:
“[Their] rebounding for sure, and then KAT being able to roll and he can space, and Mitch just being an impactful lob threat just spaces the floor. And if you leave KAT open, I don’t think he misses if he’s wide-open. [The duo] just builds a lot for us.”
On embracing Brown’s trust amid lineup questions:
“It’s always great when your coach has got trust in you. Yeah, that’s great. And teammates staying with it, keeping me confident, as well. I think we all know the end goal is just trying to win games and do whatever it takes to win. Even in my mistakes, just try to do whatever it takes and know that I just gotta bounce back and learn from them.”
On staying present and improving each game:
“Just continue to play. I think that’s really what it is. You can’t look at the past. You learn from it, but just be present and do what you gotta do to get better. I think that’s really it. Just learn from each game and try to get better every single game. And that’s really it. I always try to play to help [the team] win and just keep trying to get better. That’s been the outcome.”
On the pros and cons of the extended break:
“I know you’re eager to go out there and play, but I think it’s just good to rest, get the body right and just keep working on your craft and working on what we have to do. So, obviously there’s positives, negatives in this situation, but I just try to look at the positives.”
On defensive responsibility in big matchups:
“It starts with defense. I think that’s the biggest key. Just do what my coaches ask and play hard, knowing the scout [report]. Just me personally, just trying to do the right things and then always knowing I got four guys behind me. Such a team defense that we’re [playing] and everybody just knowing what we’re supposed to be doing and playing on a string.”
BREAKING: A trader has place $10,000 on Alex Caruso NOT winning Finals MVP.
On the Knicks’ offensive flexibility heading into the conference finals:
“I think in terms of offensively, we can play fast. We can play slow. We can play through JB. We can play through [Mikal]. We can play through KAT. OG has been amazing. So we’re able to do that. Defensively, we’ve been able to put guys on really anybody. We had obviously KAT, Mitch [Robinson], Ariel [Hukporti], OG to guard [Philadelphia’s Joel] Embiid. When you have those kind of guys able to do that and then you’re able to throw multiple guys at a [Tyrese] Maxey, a [Paul George], it just allows your team to kind of play the game how that particular game is needed to be played. Then the other team makes adjustments and you’re able to adjust to that.”
On standing by his comments about Philadelphia as a sports town:
“You can’t be a sports town if another team’s fan base takes over your arena.”
— Walt Perrin Sees the Future (@KnickedupFan) May 16, 2026
Miles McBride
On the importance of perimeter defense in the Eastern Conference finals:
“It’s huge. Obviously, every round gets tougher. Different opponents, different challenges, so having a great point-of-attack [defense] on the perimeter is super important. And then trusting our guys at the rim to make plays or rotations. But it’s about energy and effort and just the whole team locking in.”
On comparing the Towns-Robinson duo to the Towns-Gobert one in Minny:
“I think this [duo] is better. Mitch is mobile. He could guard pretty much one through five. KAT is just — he got better now. That was early in his career. So now he’s better, and it works out nice.”
On how Towns and Robinson complement each other:
“[That lineup] is important. [Towns and Robinson] complement each other really well. Obviously KAT is not a traditional big — [well] now he is, in this league. He can shoot 3s, post-up and pass, and Mitch covers up defensively for him. So it’s complementing each other at a high level, and I’m glad it’s clicking at the right time.”
This Julius Randle crashout is HILARIOUS in every way 😂 😂😂
Gilgeous-Alexander is just the fifth player to pull off the feat at age 27 or younger.
Here’s a look at all the repeat MVP winners in NBA history:
Bill Russell (1960-61, 1961-62, 1962-63)
The first repeat MVP winner was actually a three-peat. Russell’s three straight MVPs came in the midst of the Boston Celtics‘ eight straight NBA titles. He was 27 to 29 years old during this span, averaging 17.5 points, 23.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game over the three seasons (232 games).
Wilt Chamberlain (1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68)
Soon after Russell’s three-peat, Chamberlain matched his feat over his ages 29, 30 and 31 seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers. He posted absurd statistics over these three years, averaging 27.3 points, 24.2 rebounds and 7.2 assists over 242 contests (at 46.5 minutes per game!). The Sixers won the title in 1967 but lost to Russell’s Celtics in 1966 and 1968.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1975-76, 1976-77)
Abdul-Jabbar’s first two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, when he was 28 and 29, both ended with MVPs. After winning a title with the Milwaukee Bucks, Abdul-Jabbar continued to elevate his game with the Lakers — although more championships wouldn’t come until the 1980s. He averaged 27.0 points, 15.1 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.7 blocks during this run.
Moses Malone (1981-82, 1982-83)
The only player to be on two different teams for his repeat MVPs, Malone won it as a Houston Rocket and then as a 76er. At ages 27 and 28, Malone averaged 27.8 points and 15.0 rebounds. His numbers dropped by almost seven points per game in his second MVP season, but the Sixers were the league’s best team and swept the Lakers in the Finals.
Larry Bird (1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86)
The most recent three-peat MVP, Bird accomplished this from age 27 to 29 by averaging 26.2 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.7 assists and missing just five games. The Celtics made the Finals in all three of these seasons, winning it during the first and third year but losing to the Lakers in between.
Magic Johnson (1988-89, 1989-90)
With Abdul-Jabbar in his final season in 1988-89, Johnson took full control and began his run of consecutive MVPs. He was already a five-time champion and three-time Finals MVP, but Johnson put a stamp on his legendary career with this achievement at ages 29 and 30. He averaged 22.4 points, 12.1 assists and 7.1 rebounds during the two seasons.
Michael Jordan (1990-91, 1991-92)
Immediately after Johnson’s back-to-back, Jordan did the same thing. MJ averaged 30.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists during his age 28 and 29 seasons, leading the Chicago Bulls to championships both years. He was the first player to win regular season and Finals MVP in consecutive years, a list that SGA is looking to join in 2026.
Tim Duncan (2001-02, 2002-03)
The most dominant two-year stretch of Duncan’s career, at ages 25-26, culminated in his second NBA title for the San Antonio Spurs. He missed just one game in two seasons, averaging 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 blocks. While these were the only two MVPs for Duncan, he went on to win three more Finals before retiring in 2016.
Steve Nash (2004-05, 2005-06)
Nash is the oldest player to accomplish this feat, doing so at age 31 and 32 for the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 17.2 points, 11.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds over that span as the “seven seconds or less” Suns helped popularize up-tempo basketball. Phoenix lost in the Western Conference Finals in both seasons.
LeBron James (2008-09, 2009-10 and 2011-12, 2012-13)
The only player to go back-to-back twice, James did so for two different franchises. First with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 24- and 25-year-old James averaged 29.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.9 assists but couldn’t get over the hump in the postseason. He then joined the Miami Heat in 2011, finishing third in MVP before going back-to-back with consecutive Finals MVPs at ages 27 and 28 (joining Jordan as the only player to do so).
Stephen Curry (2014-15, 2015-16)
Few players were more of a spectacle during their MVP runs than Curry, who was (and still is) a threat to shoot it from anywhere. His first MVP coincided with his first Finals win at age 27, then the Golden State Warriors won a record 73 games during his 28-year-old MVP season before losing in the Finals to James’ Cavaliers. Curry averaged 26.9 points, 7.2 assists and 4.8 rebounds on 45% shooting from deep during this stretch.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (2018-19, 2019-20)
The Greek Freak burst onto the scene with consecutive MVPs at age 24 and 25. He averaged 28.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists over the two years while also winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. The Bucks were upset in the playoffs in both of these seasons, but they did win the title in 2021 with Antetokounmpo taking home Finals MVP.
Nikola Jokic (2020-21, 2021-22)
Antetokounmpo’s run was immediately followed by Jokic, who went back-to-back at age 26 and 27. Like Antetokounmpo, Jokic’s Denver Nuggets didn’t win a championship until the year after his MVP run. Jokic did add a third MVP in 2024, though, and he was a finalist in 2023, 2025 and 2026 in what’s been a dominant run. During his consecutive MVP seasons, the Joker averaged 26.7 points, 12.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2024-25, 2025-26)
His run has been well-documented, but Gilgeous-Alexander still has a chance to make this run more impressive if OKC can win another title. He could join Jordan and James as the only back-to-back MVP and Finals MVP winners, and he would be the youngest to do so at age 27. Over these last two seasons, he has averaged 32.0 points, 6.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds.
The Oklahoma City Thunder guard will be named NBA MVP for the second straight year on Sunday after another dominant season. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news, with an official announcement coming Sunday night.
The 27-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander is the 14th player to win consecutive MVP awards, joining recent stars Nikola Jokic (2020-22), Giannis Antetokounmpo (2018-20) and Stephen Curry (2014-16) to do so over the past decade-plus.
In the 2025-26 season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists over 68 games. He was named Clutch Player of the Year for the first time in his career and made his fourth All-Star Game.
Other finalists for MVP included Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.
Despite the other worthy challengers, Gilgeous-Alexander set himself apart to repeat as the award winner. He was the first guard in NBA history to average at least 30 points with over 55% shooting in a season. He also extended his record streak of scoring at least 20 points to 140 games, joining Wilt Chamberlain (1961-62, 1963-64) and Elgin Baylor (1961-62) as the only players to score 20 or more in every game of a season.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise to stardom has come as the Thunder have emerged as the league’s most dominant team. He led the franchise to its first title in Oklahoma City last season while being named NBA Finals MVP, and the Thunder are still aiming to repeat this year. The team is a perfect 8-0 in the playoffs so far with Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 29.1 points and 7.1 assists per game.
It’s been an extended break for Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder after their second-round sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Western Conference Finals against Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs begins Monday.
The Oklahoma City Thunder guard will be named NBA MVP for the second straight year on Sunday after another dominant season. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news, with an official announcement coming Sunday night.
The 27-year-old Gilgeous-Alexander is the 14th player to win consecutive MVP awards, joining recent stars Nikola Jokic (2020-22), Giannis Antetokounmpo (2018-20) and Stephen Curry (2014-16) to do so over the past decade-plus.
In the 2025-26 season, Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.6 assists over 68 games. He was named Clutch Player of the Year for the first time in his career and made his fourth All-Star Game.
Other finalists for MVP included Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.
Despite the other worthy challengers, Gilgeous-Alexander set himself apart to repeat as the award winner. He was the first guard in NBA history to average at least 30 points with over 55% shooting in a season. He also extended his record streak of scoring at least 20 points to 140 games, joining Wilt Chamberlain (1961-62, 1963-64) and Elgin Baylor (1961-62) as the only players to score 20 or more in every game of a season.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise to stardom has come as the Thunder have emerged as the league’s most dominant team. He led the franchise to its first title in Oklahoma City last season while being named NBA Finals MVP, and the Thunder are still aiming to repeat this year. The team is a perfect 8-0 in the playoffs so far with Gilgeous-Alexander averaging 29.1 points and 7.1 assists per game.
It’s been an extended break for Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder after their second-round sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers, but the Western Conference Finals against Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs begins Monday.
