Category: NBA

A few years ago, I came on this site to write about Nickeil Alexander-Walker and how he was worth believing in for the Minnesota Timberwolves. That piece eventually got back to Nickeil and he thanked a Canis staffer at his introductory press conference, saying it meant the world to him.

Now I am decidedly not as bullish on today’s topic as I was on NAW a few years ago. However, I tell you what: if I had a nickel for every time the Utah Jazz dumped a young player in Minnesota only for them to revive their career and become a fiercely important and valuable member of the Wolves, all while wearing number nine, well, I guess I’m saying there’s no reason I can’t have two Nickeils (Canis is back, baby!).

While the appeal for Nickeil was as much an emotional and aesthetic one as it was an on-court one, the argument for Cody Williams is built entirely on who he was as a prospect and what he needs within a team structure. Remember, this is a former top-10 pick who has been branded among the worst players in the league just two years into his career. The expectations are really low.

Have not been a big fan of what I've seen from Cody Williams when I've watched Utah over the past few seasons.

Talked about that and some of the metrics that are not kind to Williams' play. https://t.co/AaanjpHexxpic.twitter.com/rfjnWtbSFC

— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) August 31, 2026

Williams came into the league with an outlier body type in every regard. Despite being 6’8 with a 7’1 wingspan, Williams weighed only 180 pounds. Ironically, his weight-to-size ratio only really compares to one player: former Timberwolves lottery pick and 2024 draft classmate Rob Dillingham.

Even Brandon Ingram, a common comparison for Cody, was reported at 198 pounds, over 15 pounds heavier than Williams.

Effective athleticism alongside usable mass is king in the NBA. That’s exactly why Dillingham was bound to fail. As Williams’ first year dragged on, this lacking of a frame became abundantly clear. While Williams had been drafted to be a big wing with some point forward skills, his handle was not good enough to be a factor on offense, and his body prevented all of his biggest strengths on defense. As such, he was branded, as Dane Moore mentioned, the worst player in the NBA.

There’s a statistical argument to defend that take. In fact, it’s pretty easy to make. Williams had an offensive rating of 112.9 and a defensive rating of 124.4 in 2025-26, making the tanking, dreadful Jazz lose the minutes he was in the game by 11.5 points per 100 possessions.

By comparison, Josh Green, whom the Wolves traded to acquire Williams, had a net rating of +8.3 last year.

This numerical glance was never the argument with Cody, though. It rarely is for second-draft candidates. They’re bad; that’s why they’re available in the first place.

No, the argument for Cody Williams is this. He is a 6’8 wing with a +3-inch wingspan who played as a point forward in college at Colorado (ignore the 1.6 assists per game, that does not tell the full story). During that time in college, he averaged 12 points per game, largely by attacking the rim and running in transition.

Many of the answers to who the Wolves will want Williams to be can be found in his college tape. They will want him to hit his threes. He hit 41.5% from deep on 43 attempts in college. They will want him to be able to attack closeouts. He made 59% of his shots within the arc, coming largely at the rim after attacking rotations. They will want him to defend interchangeably. That was his largest appeal coming into the draft.

Awesome showing from Colorado freshman Cody Williams tonight #NBADraft

Has the tools to be such an intriguing talent with SERIOUS upside. Raw but really exciting tools that are going to be fun to watch develop this year.

Finished with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists on 6/9… pic.twitter.com/RfCxjpAQVa

— Tyler Rucker (@tyler_rucker) November 15, 2023

Notably, they’ll want him to play off of LaMelo Ball in transition. While this is an admittedly imperfect comparison, Williams’ freshman year came next to KJ Simpson, a pace-pushing point guard with far less size and talent than the mercurial Ball.

Williams was stuck on one of the worst teams in the league, being asked to do far more than he probably should have been doing. Maybe more structure on the Wolves will help him in that regard. Importantly, after a freshman year that was marred by injury, Williams has played in 117 of a possible 164 games.

Strong performance from Colorado freshman forward Cody Williams last night against Oregon #NBADraft

Continues to be a name that could start to make some serious noise as a potential top-5 pick this year.

Finished with 23 points, 3 assists and 2 blocks on 10/13 shooting (3/4… pic.twitter.com/O4xkBAHGtK

— Tyler Rucker (@tyler_rucker) January 19, 2024

Considering NAW got his shot in Minnesota by nature of being one of the few wings that were healthy by the start of the playoffs – after Jaden McDaniels broke his hand punching the tunnel wall – Cody’s best chance at seeing the floor is availability.

We could very well be sitting here next year with Williams cut, his option declined, and his career functionally over. That’s how it always is with these types of players.

But there’s a tantalizing upside play here. With how weak the Wolves’ forward rotation is (Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga, TJ Shannon, Jaylen Clark, and… who’s next? Is Trey Lyles cracking the rotation?), there should be some minutes available to him during the duldrums of the season, when innings eaters are needed.

The ideal version of Williams is similar to a Gen Z Lamar Odom. Cody is reportedly still underweight, sitting at 200-odd pounds, but progress is being made. Odom served as a rebounding pivot point and was at his best moving in transition and finishing opportunities he either scrounged around or had created for him.

There are real reasons for hope as well. After the All-Star break, Williams had impressive averages while doing things that should lend themselves to winning basketball as well.

There is obviously the Josh Jackson effect to consider (when talented top picks break out late in the season, when their teams are incentivized to lose and give their worse players a ton of reps), but some of this stuff looks replicable. He had his bad games, bad enough to be crowned their tank commander, but the aesthetics of what he can do truly pop in moments.

If you want a statistical argument, Williams does not provide it. If you want hope, you can find it pretty easily.

And isn’t that what it means to be a fan? To hope.

Here’s some bottled hope, all packaged up in the form of a two-minute cut-up. Stay hopeful, Wolves fans. Maybe Cody Williams will be the next NAW. Maybe, just maybe, he could be even more.

Cody Williams really found a groove towards the end of the season last year. Post all-star break, he averaged 13.6 PPG, 4.0 REB, 3.9 AST. Also only 21 years old

Konchar is nice depth and will be someone that can come in and play solid minutes if needed pic.twitter.com/b2mCeUZaJ0

— Timberwolves Talk (@LetsTalk_Wolves) August 29, 2026

The Los Angeles Lakers entered their post-LeBron James era this summer after the four-time NBA champion informed the team he wouldn’t be returning for the 2026-27 season.

There are contrasting opinions on how the Lakers will perform without the 41-year-old superstar, who spent eight consecutive seasons with LA.

But former Lakers star Derek Fisher doesn’t believe the team is doomed without James.

“You think about the few organizations where LeBron has been, you tell me where their record has gotten dramatically better after he left. So it’s not going to fall off that much because Luka is there,” Fisher said on 97.1 The Fan LA.

“I think Luka and Austin Reaves are basically an All-Star backcourt that you can roll out every night, and then Walker Kessler is a young developing almost All-Star-ish type of big in terms of his elite defense and rebounding. So I think you have a chance…45 to 50 wins, a lot of things are going to have to go right, but it feels fair to me.”

General manager Rob Pelinka revamped the roster this offseason, headlined by the four-year, $130 million deal for center Walker Kessler. There have been several questions pertaining to the roster, specifically whether Luka Doncic can lead his teammates on a deep playoff run.

He’s already proven he can do just that with the Dallas Mavericks, but the city of LA demands winning sports teams. Doncic will have to show he can pull the full weight of the Lakers without James this season.

And it appears Fisher believes Doncic is capable.

What is a Clipper? Have you ever asked yourself that question? Well, my unnautically aware friend, it’s a ship. More specifically, a 19th-century merchant ship. And seeing as the Los Angeles Clippers originated in San Diego after moving from Buffalo in 1978, it makes sense that a team in one of the greatest port cities on Earth would be named after one.

Following the circumvention death sentence the Clippers received as a result of the Kawhi Leonard acquisition in 2019, that ship is doing more than taking on water. It’s sinking. They lost five first-round draft picks in the process, and those penalties don’t even begin until 2029 because they didn’t own their 2027 or 2028 picks to begin with. Their ability to build through the draft or utilize those picks in trades is essentially null and void.

I know plenty of people are concerned that the Phoenix Suns don’t control their own first-round pick until 2032. That’s a long time away. But that isn’t the same as not having first-round picks. The Suns still have them; they’re simply heavily swapped and will likely find themselves outside of the lottery. For the Clippers, those assets no longer exist.

Imagine being a member of that team. Imagine waking up this morning and thinking about your future as a basketball player. If winning matters to you, that ship may have sailed. Pun intended.

So as the Clippers try to figure out how to move forward and salvage something from the wreckage, there could be an opportunity for the Phoenix Suns to make a run at an asset or two if they deem one worth pursuing. And one asset worth exploring, the subject of today’s thought exercise, is Darius Garland.

It’s perceived as the primary concern for the Suns as they prepare for the 2026–27 season: the lack of a traditional point guard. The plan appears to be a backcourt of Devin Booker and Jalen Green, which on the surface looks like a pair of duplicative players. They’re both shooting guards, although they operate in much different spaces. Booker is a midrange assassin, while Green uses his athleticism to get downhill and put pressure on the rim. Both are below-average three-point shooters, and from a distribution standpoint, neither possesses elite passing as a primary skill. Booker probably doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to make those around him better, while that is something Green has struggled to do consistently throughout his career.

Add to that the fact that this is a full evaluation year for Green. The Suns appear ready to hand him the keys to the facilitation role and see what he does with it. He’ll make $36.3 million this season and has a $36 million player option for next year. With extensions beginning to kick in elsewhere on the roster, his production needs to match the expectations attached to that contract.

So the question becomes, do the Suns bypass all of that uncertainty and make a run at Darius Garland from a decimated Clippers organization?

Garland, a 6’1” combo guard who is 26 years old, carries some similarities to what Jalen Green brings. He’s quick, can get to the rim, and finishes with creative shot-making. He’s a smaller guard than Green, but he also brings something Phoenix could use more of. Shooting. Garland is a career 38.9% three point shooter on 6.1 attempts per game, and he can facilitate as well, averaging 6.7 assists across his seven-year career. He’s tough, tenacious, and someone who could potentially blend into the identity and culture the Suns established last season. He is also a more polished and consistent NBA player, someone who could elevate the offense immediately.

Defensively, the size is a concern. At 6’1”, there are going to be matchups where he can be targeted. But given the Suns’ current construction, with Dillon Brooks available to handle point of attack responsibilities and Khaman Maluach potentially providing rim protection behind him, Garland is someone Phoenix could hide when needed. He graded out as a C- in Perimeter Isolation Defense last season, according to BBall Index, landing in the 43rd percentile. For context, Green graded as a B- and finished in the 60th percentile.

When you look at Garland’s contract, that’s where the crux of the conversation really exists. He’s owed $42.6 million this season and $44.9 million next year before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2028–29. So essentially, he’s on the same availability timeline as Jalen Green, only he costs roughly $6 million more per year. That means a straight-up swap for Green doesn’t work. Phoenix would have to add more salary, and with so many players re-signed this offseason, most of those contracts can’t be moved until January 15, 2027.

That doesn’t mean the idea isn’t worth exploring. So, like an admiral aboard a clipper, let’s explore it.

Any deal with Los Angeles would start with Jalen Green going out for Darius Garland, but Phoenix would still need to add roughly $6 million in salary to make the numbers work. The most logical piece is Luke Kennard. If the Suns sent Green, Kennard, and their 2027 first-round pick to the Clippers, that could get the framework moving. If Los Angeles wanted another first, Phoenix could also include its 2028 first-round pick. Both of those picks are heavily swapped.

Kennard is a newly signed free agent, so any possibility of pulling the trigger on a trade like this wouldn’t become plausible until at least December 15. That timeline could actually align with Phoenix’s plans. The Suns want to give Jalen Green some runway at the point guard position and see what he looks like in that role. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, a deal like this could become a potential out for the team.

One thing is clear. Any transaction involving the Clippers moving forward has to include draft assets. This is an organization that was stripped of half a decade of picks, so replenishing that draft cupboard is going to matter. In this scenario, the Clippers would get two players and at least one first-round pick, potentially two.

Adding Garland would also help define roles across the roster rather than asking Jalen Green to suddenly become a quality, consistent facilitator. It would give the Suns a player whose archetype better fits their needs and remove some of the uncertainty that comes with another year of Devin Booker’s prime. 

Because one thing is certain. Booker’s prime has already been squandered to some degree by poor decisions and roster construction over the previous four years. Last season, the ship finally started moving in the right direction. If the Suns want to keep pushing that way, Booker should be allowed to play his natural position as a shooting guard rather than continually hoping that someone like Bradley Beal or Jalen Green can take over the facilitation role. Too often, that responsibility falls back on Booker as the season progresses, ultimately taking away from what makes him most effective.

In this hypothetical, I don’t know if the Clippers would bite. If they’re serious about moving Garland, there are probably teams that can offer more attractive draft assets. The Suns simply don’t have anything particularly sexy when compared to what other teams could put on the table. But given the situation the Clippers now find themselves in, it would still be worth picking up the phone and seeing whether there’s any interest.

The Clippers are sinking, and the Suns should be checking the water for anything valuable that floats their way. Garland would give Phoenix something it has been searching for since Chris Paul left: a legitimate point guard who can organize the offense while allowing Booker to be Booker. The price matters, especially with Phoenix’s limited assets, but the opportunity is worth exploring. If the Clippers are selling pieces to rebuild their ship, the Suns should at least see what it costs to bring Garland aboard.

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Documents have been released and bombshell text messages have been revealed in the Kawhi Leonard salary cap circumvention scandal involving billionaire Clippers owner Steve Ballmer.

The Clippers were fined $30 million, Ballmer was suspended for one year and the team was docked five first-round draft picks in a poison-pill punishment for what the league believes proves the team’s guilt.

According to documents released by law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, notes from Clippers president Lawrence Frank dated April 2020 reveal that Leonard’s then-manager, the infamous “Uncle Dennis” Robertson, expressed frustration with the team for what he perceived as a lack of effort by the Clippers to make good on promised off-court business opportunities.

Robertson reportedly complained to Ballmer about president of business operations Gillian Zucker making “introductions” for “bulls-t deals.”

“I can’t wait on [Ms. Zucker],” Robertson said, according to notes from Frank included in the documents published by the law firm. “I have to get paid.” 

Balmer allegedly responded by telling Robertson that Clippers personnel were all “collective workers to try to help Leonard achieve his financial goals.”

Leonard entered free agency nine months before those conversations, so Robertson was presumably getting frustrated by the lack of movement after he signed.

Leonard inked a three-year deal with a player option for the third year in 2021.

The documents also reveal that Aspiration, the sustainability tree-planting company indicted on wire fraud and conspiracy charges in October 2025, agreed to pay Leonard $48 million in cash and stock ($12 million per year for four years) as part of his Clippers contract.

In return, Aspiration allegedly dangled business contract opportunities with the Clippers’ arena, The Forum. 

Ballmer bought the Forum in 2020, and Aspiration was expecting a deal with the Arena. 

Aspiration founder Joe Sanberg sent an ultimatum to an unnamed business agent under retainer with the Clippers who appears to be one of the whistleblowers in the scheme.

“Kawhi deal is not happening without this Forum deal,” Sanberg said in texts to the unknown business agent. “ZERO CHANCE there is a Kawhi deal if this isn’t fixed. You know that right? I told Scott Sonnenberg [Clippers Chief Commercial Officer] that I’ll need to break the deal with Kawhi and explain why, which is that we got f–ked by the Clippers. Scott asked me not to do that.”

The closest that the documents come to implicating Balmer’s direct knowledge is Leonard’s willingness to stay with the Clippers, which comes from former CFO Eric Chan in an email on March 31, 2022.

“Steve knows that when this deal blows up, Joe is calling Kawhi and telling him his $12M deal is no longer because of Clippers management, right? I think so, but just double-checking,” Chan said. 

Ballmer told investigators he was aware of Sanderg’s ongoing threats to blow up the endorsement deal with Leonard if the Forum Agreement was not executed in a timely manner.

The Clippers formally approved the execution of the Forum Agreement in April 2022, which investigators called an act of facilitation that violates the NBA’s circumvention rules.

The Forum Agreement was worth at least $28 million, and it was estimated that this sum was needed to offset the team’s carbon emissions, though the documents make it unclear whether that was the contract’s true value.

Ballmer previously said in a statement that the initial reports of the illegal tactics, reported by Pablo Torre on his podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” were “provably false.”

This latest bombshell report hasn’t stopped the former Microsoft CEO from pleading innocence despite the evidence presented.

“We vehemently reject the NBA’s findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence,” Ballmer said in a statement.

“We intend to vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to us and look forward to an ethical and impartial arbitration process.”

Leonard received a relatively light punishment of just a $700,000 fine and he was not suspended by the league.

There is more to come on this investigation.

“A credible witness with direct knowledge told investigators that the consulting agreement one company signed with the Clippers was in fact a ruse,” the law firm’s document stated, “designed and intended to be a vehicle for the team to provide the company with funds to be paid to Mr. Leonard.”

The Los Angeles Clippers have been punished for violating salary cap circumvention rules when the team signed Kawhi Leonard to an extension in 2021.

According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, the NBA received overwhelming cooperation from companies with ties to the Clippers’ investigation and even received key information from president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank without the use of a subpoena.

“There was even cooperation from within the Clippers’ own building. Lawrence Frank, their team president, he handed over notes that he took about making illicit deals with Dennis Robertson six years ago,” Windhorst said.

“He held the notes for six years and turned them over. And in response, he was given leniency.”

"These companies came forward and gave this information because they want to keep doing business with the NBA." @WindhorstESPN weighs in on the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard being punished over salary cap circumvention violations pic.twitter.com/eyXIJmgAUx

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) September 3, 2026

Robertson, who was Leonard’s uncle and business manager until this summer, played a key role in propelling an NBA investigation into the team and his nephew.

The league has since banned Robertson from engaging with any team for five years.

The Clippers rejected the NBA’s conclusions in its investigation and has vowed to “vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to us and look forward to an ethical and impartial arbitration process.”

Owner Steve Ballmer is suspended from all league and team activities for one year, while Frank was accused of failing to report Robertson’s illegal requests and facilitating them. He is suspended for six months without pay.

The Clippers stand to lose much, including forfeiting five first-round draft picks and getting fined $30 million. Organization and personnel will also be subject to a compliance and monitoring program overseen by the league office for a period of five years.

While the Long Island Nets don’t begin their 2026-27 season until November 6, the team’s roster is beginning to take shape.

As shared in a Thursday press release, Long Island has acquired guard Dwight Murray Jr. and a 2026 first-round pick in the G League Draft from the College Park Skyhawks in exchange for a 2026 first-rounder (via Cleveland) and a 2027 second-round pick.

The Long Island #Nets have acquired G Dwight Murray Jr. and a 2026 first-round pick from College Park in exchange for a 2026 first-rounder (via Cleveland) and a 2027 second-round pick.

Murray averaged 8.9 PPG and 5.0 APG over two G League seasons and played for Brooklyn at…

— Connor Long (@connor_long15) September 3, 2026

Standing at 6’0” and 181 pounds, Murray has appeared in 90 career G League games (51 starts) across two seasons with the Skyhawks. Throughout his career in the G League, the 26-year-old has averaged 8.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 23.5 minutes per game. A Georgia native, he played college ball at Rider in Lawrence Township, N.J.

In the 2025 Tip-Off Tournament, Murray tallied 96 assists, tied for the ninth-most in the G League. He earned an invite to the Brooklyn Nets’ Summer League squad, appearing in two games while averaging 5.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on 33.3% shooting from the field and a 40% mark from beyond the arc throughout 15.7 minutes.

It’s also important to keep in mind that Long Island’s first-year head coach, Shawn Swords, was an assistant on Brooklyn’s Summer League staff, so there’s already some familiarity between him and Murray.

This wasn’t the only trade of the week for Long Island, as the team announced Tuesday that they acquired a first-round pick in the 2027 NBA G League Draft from the Santa Cruz Warriors and the returning player rights to guard Joey Calcaterra from the Memphis Hustle in a three-team trade. Long Island traded the returning player rights to guard Yuri Collins to Memphis.

The Long Island Nets have acquired a first round pick in the 2027 NBA G League Draft from the Santa Cruz Warriors and the returning player rights to guard Joey Calcaterra from the Memphis Hustle in a three-team trade. Long Island traded the returning player rights to guard Yuri… pic.twitter.com/SwjX0DbAXY

— Long Island Nets (@LongIslandNets) September 1, 2026

Calcaterra, 27, hasn’t produced at the same level Murray has throughout his G League career. Across 28 career games, Calcaterra has averaged just 3.0 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 10.8 minutes per game, shooting 37.5% from the field and 32.1% from deep.

Long Island’s roster is starting to come together. Aside from Murray and Calcaterra, Brooklyn has filled two of its three two-way spots with forwards Chaney Johnson and second-round rookie Tyler Bilodeau.

The Nets also signed 6’9” Nick Pringle out of Arkansas to an Exhibit 10 contract, putting him in line to spend time with Long Island.

In July, the organization selected 6’4” guard Tidjiane Dioumassi in the G League’s International Draft.

Then, there is Grant Nelson. The 24-year-old has agreed to a training camp deal, according to Chinese media, although NetsDaily can’t confirm that report. He spent time with both Brooklyn and Long Island last season, but his year was cut short due to patellar tendinitis.

Also, it is fair to assume that some members of the Flatbush 5 will spend some time at the Nassau Coliseum this year along with the No. 28 overall pick in this year’s draft, Joshua Jefferson. And three other members of the Nets Summer League roster have also reportedly agreed to Exhibit 10 deals: Dion Brown, a 6’4” combo guard out of St. Louis and two 6’9” bigs: Ben Humrichaus, a wing who played for Illinois last season, and Dain Dainja, a power forward/center who played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s G League club.

Overall, there should be no shortage of young talent cycling through Long Island this year.

Amen Thompson's rise in the NBA will continue with the Houston Rockets.

The Rockets and Thompson have come to terms on a new lucrative contract extension that will make the 23-year-old a franchise cornerstone for the foreseeable future, according to multiplereports on Thursday, September 3.

Thompson has agreed to sign a 5-year, $208-million contract extension with the Rockets, ESPN reported. The uber-athletic two-way guard was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He just completed the most productive season of his career, despite being playing out-of-position at point guard at times.

Here are more details on Thompson's new contract extension, as well as what it could mean for the Rockets this season and into the future:

CLIPPERS: What punishment did they get? NBA releases full list of penalties

Amen Thompson contract details

Thompson agreed to a 5-year, $208-million contract extension with the Rockets and it includes a 10% trade kicker, according to ESPN.

The deal carries an average annual value of $41.6 million, which is below what Thompson would have received had he signed a max contract extension. The new deal won't begin until the 2027-28 season. Thompson is set to earn about $12.2 million for the 2026-27 season as part of his rookie contract.

What Amen Thompson's contract extension means for Rockets

This contract locks Thompson in as one of the Rockets' foundational players moving forward along with Alperin Sengun, who the team signed to a long-term extension in October 2024. Thompson is already one of the league's best perimeter defenders and his athleticism can change the momentum of games on both ends of the floor.

That Houston got Thompson to agree to a deal below the maximum salary level is notable for future salary cap flexibility. It could become a relative bargain if Thompson's upward trajectory continues and he develops more as a shooter and ballhandler.

Amen Thompson stats

Thompson is coming off the best statistical season of his NBA career. He averaged a career-high 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.5 steals while appearing in a career-high 78 games for the Rockets during the 2025-26 season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amen Thompson gets huge contract extension: What it means for Rockets

Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we start with a look at the team’s three two-way players, Chris Mañon, Arthur Kaluma and AK Okereke.

Throughout his brief tenure with the Lakers, head coach JJ Redick has been more than willing to give two-way players a chance.

Last season, it was Nick Smith Jr. who stepped up early in the season to help win a game and, eventually, earn a regular contract at the end of the season. Drew Timme also saw a stretch in the rotation in the middle of the season to help with the team some games. In Redick’s first season, Trey Jemison and Christian Koloko got plenty of playing time, particularly after the Luka Dončić trade.

That foundation leads to optimism that a pair of intriguing two-way options for the team this season in Chris Mañon and Arthur Kaluma could find their way onto the court. Both were not just part of the surprisingly fun Summer League Lakers, but standouts.

Both also possess unique skill sets not seen elsewhere on the team’s roster. Is that enough of a path to lead them to minutes this season? And can the team’s third two-way player, AK Okereke, find his footing in the G League and blossom into the team’s next diamond in the rough?

What is his best-case scenario?

Chris Mañon

Defensively, Mañon has been league-ready since last season. The questions have largely centered on the other side of the court. At Summer League, Mañon had some promising offensive flashes.

If he’s able to hit threes at a league-average rate, excel off the ball as a cutter and weakside playmaker or be able to get downhill and finish at the rim, then things become more interesting. He very well may be the team’s best perimeter defender and if he can survive offensively, he wouldn’t be far removed from a standard contract.

Arthur Kaluma

Kaluma’s advantage this season is the gaping hole at the forward spot in the starting lineup and rotation overall. Multiple players are going to get chances in that position, with Kaluma likely one of them. If he can prove in the preseason and training camp that Summer League wasn’t a flash in the pan, then I think there’s a real chance he gets a chance in the regular season.

The Lakers need front court bodies. Kaluma is a big that can stretch the floor and still be physical. If he can make that work in real NBA minutes, then it’s going to be hard to keep him off the floor.

AK Okereke

Even in the most glass-half-full outlook, it’s hard to see Okereke doing much more than developing in the G League this season. He also had moments in Summer League, but they were much shorter and surrounded by a lot more examples of the development he needs.

That being said, fellow two-way signee Kaluma painted a pretty clear picture of how to spend a year behind the scenes developing and turn that into an opportunity.

What is his worst-case scenario?

Chris Mañon

This is pretty obvious, but everything about Mañon’s playability hinges on his offense. If he can’t find his shot and struggles without the ball in his hands, then it’s going to be hard to keep him on the floor, no matter how good he is defensively.

As much as the Lakers need defense, Redick has shown that there aren’t many minutes to be had even for good defenders if it’s 4-on-5 on the other end of the floor.

Arthur Kaluma

What if Kaluma’s strong summer was just a hot streak? He wouldn’t be the first player to play well in Las Vegas and then struggle months later when the games actually matter.

No one is expecting him to hit threes at the insane clip he did in Summer League, but if he becomes someone who can’t space the floor and teams don’t respect him from the perimeter, then most of his value is lost. Suddenly, he can’t drive by defenders on hard closeouts or splash home open threes.

And matched up against NBA forwards, the speed and intensity can overwhelm guys. If Kaluma can’t adjust on that end, then he’s not just another Laker who can’t defend, but one who can’t at least make up for it on the other end.

AK Okereke

It’s no secret that Okereke is the two-way signing closest to the chopping block. That adds a small sense of urgency to his development.

If he isn’t coming along early or another, more intriguing option comes along, then it’s unlikely the Lakers would hesitate to part ways with Okereke and use his two-way spot on someone else.

It wouldn’t spell the end of Okereke even in the Lakers’ system, but it would put more pressure on him to find his role in the league.

What is his most likely role on the team?

With how preseason games typically shake out, there’s going to be real chances for Kaluma and Mañon, specifically. As guys rest and rotate through games, those two are likely going to be some of the guys who benefit from some extra minutes with the actual rotation players.

If they can impress in those outings, then I think there’s also a real chance they get opportunities in actual games, too. For both, it feels like a strong preseason could parlay into minutes in the season. Otherwise, they’ll be playing from behind and have to wait for an opportunity to open up.

As for Okereke, his two-way spot is far from secure. One wave of injuries to the parent Lakers or an unexpected roster cut — a la Smith Jr. last year — could mean his two-way contract is gone.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The Kawhi Leonard saga came to a head on Wednesday, Sept. 2, when the NBA released the results of an 11-month investigation that concluded the Los Angeles Clippers knowingly circumvented the league's salary cap through "no-show" endorsement deals for their former star forward.

The Clippers are being fined $30 million, and the team will forfeit five first-round picks in the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 NBA drafts. Leonard has been fined $700,000, but will not be suspended. The league, however, is suspending Ballmer, the team's owner, from all league activities for one year.

It's perhaps the harshest punishment in NBA history. Here's what we know.

What did the Clippers do?

The official investigation report from the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz explicitly lays out why the organization was hit with such harsh penalties.

Throughout the 36-page document, investigators state the three individuals most responsible for the Clippers’ rule-breaking are team owner Steve Ballmer, president of business operations Gillian Zucker and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank. Among their transgressions:

• The Clippers were punished for circumventing the NBA salary cap before. The team was fined $250,000 in 2015 for trying to facilitate an endorsement deal for free agent DeAndre Jordan.
• The Clippers denied agreeing to requests from one of Leonard's relatives for additional benefits prohibited under the CBA.
• The Clippers introduced Leonard to representatives of companies who later became corporate sponsors of the team and who signed endorsement deals with Leonard at almost the exact same time.
• The Clippers executives repeatedly delayed and attempted to obfuscate the NBA's ability to obtain information about the case.

How does the punishment affect the Clippers' future?

The Clippers roster over the next several years will be severely impacted by the NBA's ruling.

Most important is the loss of five-first round draft picks − in 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033.

In addition, the team's proposed trade sending Leonard to the Toronto Raptors is currently on hold.

If the trade goes through, L.A. will receive Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and two unprotected first-round picks, two second-rounders and a first-round pick swap in 2027. After that, roughly half of the Clippers' cap space this season will be tied up in two players, guards Ingram and Darius Garland, who are set to make over $82 million combined this season according to Spotrac. 

Is this the end of the Kawhi Leonard saga?

Maybe not.

Independent journalist Pablo Torre, whose reporting spurred the NBA's investigation of the Clippers, said on his Sept. 2 "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast: “There is more to come than is in the NBA report ... This is not everything.''

Torre pointed out that the NBA's report did mention an unidentified second player, and that the league issued a statement acknowledging "more information will likely surface over time."

Winners and losers of NBA's Kawhi Leonard investigation

Certainly, Torre comes out as one of the biggest winners. His efforts struck a huge blow for investigative journalism, especially in the face of repeated criticism from NBA and media personalities.

Leonard himself seemingly got off easy, considering he is allowed to keep the millions he received for "sponsorship duties."

The Clippers, on the other hand, paid a hefty price.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA punishes LA Clippers over Kawhi Leonard deals: What we know

The Los Angeles Clippers circumvented the salary cap to funnel extra money to Kawhi Leonard for his commitment to the team, and they were caught red-handed. The NBA dropped the hammer on the Clippers on Wednesday after a one-year investigation into the allegations first uncovered by journalist Pablo Torre. The NBA decided to dock the Clippers five future first-round draft picks while suspending governor Steve Ballmer for a year as punishment for Leonard’s no-show endorsement deal with Aspiration and other companies. This is a massive penalty, and it could ruin the Clippers for the next decade.

The NBA had precedent to punish cap circumvention with the 2000 Joe Smith scandal that stripped the Minnesota Timberwolves of five first-round picks back when David Stern was commissioner (though two picks were eventually returned). Adam Silver followed through after a thorough investigation by top-rated law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, & Katz. While Leonard and Ballmer came away with relatively small fines compared to their level of wealth, Clippers fans and players suffer after receiving this devastating penalty.

Still, the NBA got it right. This was a job well done by Silver and the league office. Let’s go through the winners and losers of this historic NBA story.

Winner: Pablo Torre

Torre was named in the first sentence of the report on the NBA’s findings. His independent reporting started this investigation and led to the one of the biggest punishments in sports history. He went after a billionaire for cheating the system, and he was completely vindicated. This ruling is an incredible victory for Torre, yes, and also for journalism. At its core, journalism isn’t about scooping a press release by a few hours — it’s about finding the truth, holding power accountable, and giving unbiased, verified information to the public. Torre did that by taking on one of the richest billionaires in the world and continuing to stand strong in his reporting despite a massive smear campaign against him. Hopefully, he inspires a younger generation of journalists to keep searching for the truth in a dying field.

Winner: Adam Silver

It would have been convenient for Silver to sweep this under the rug. Ballmer has been a great owner for the NBA, pouring tons of money into a stale Clippers franchise and doing everything he can to revitalize a dormant organization in one of the league’s biggest markets. This punishment could potentially turn off other sponsors, who now might worry they’re doing something wrong if they agree to endorsement deals with players, which happens for all 30 teams. Silver has always made his top priority protecting the league’s money, but in some ways it came at the risk of losing integrity. There was simply too much evidence in the report by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen, & Katz to ignore. Silver made the difficult decision to punish the league’s richest owner and stand up for the league’s rules to help ensure competitive balance. I was ready to roast Silver if he let the Clippers off the hook. Instead, I’m applauding his judgment. The NBA has more integrity today than it did yesterday because of this ruling. The other owners are fully put on notice that you can’t just spend your way past the rules. Silver laid down the law, and he deserves all the credit for it.

Winner: Kawhi Leonard

Leonard has to pay back $700K in restitution for improper benefits. Aside from that? He’s getting off scot free despite being the central figure in this entire fiasco. I suppose Leonard can hide behind the idea that it was Uncle Dennis asking for all these endorsement deals, not him. Sure, man. The reality is that Leonard was one of the best players in the NBA at the time, but he wasn’t landing the same endorsements as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant because he has a bizarre, off-putting personality away from the court. Kawhi is a robot. Uncle Dennis made it his mission to get Leonard the money he thought he deserved, but the problem is he refused to do any actual work for any of it. I really feel like the Clippers could have evaded this entire debacle if Leonard would have just shared some Instagram posts, taken a few pictures, and planted a few trees. Instead, Leonard did absolutely nothing. The Clippers essentially funneled money to various sponsors as a way to give Kawhi a little extra. Kawhi’s reputation took a hit in this, for sure, but it didn’t impact his money or his career. The trade to the Raptors will finalize soon, and shortly after that, Kawhi will probably sign the last huge contract extension of his career. I think Toronto is good enough to potentially reach the NBA Finals with Leonard next season. What a story that would be after all this nonsense.

Loser: The Clippers

Obviously. The 2020s are fully cooked for the Clippers, and they’re probably screwed for the 2030s, too. Let’s move on to the next one.

Loser: ESPN

ESPN seemed to get out of the business of journalism a long time ago, but their coverage of this story was lazy at best and flat-out dishonest at worst. This company once had Pablo Torre and many other great reporters on staff. Now all of their money goes to Pat McAfee and Stephen A. Smith. Torre broke this story, and ESPN’s reporters, with far more resources, never advanced it and seemed to spend most of their time covering up for a lying mega billionaire. ESPN’s bad coverage started with Ramona Shelburne’s softball interview with Ballmer shortly after the allegations broke. Go back and watch it now, and it looks totally pathetic for every party involved. Two weeks before the Wachtell report dropped, ESPN published a story with this headline:

Shams Charania’s byline was originally on that story, but it’s not today after the punishment dropped. Weird! ESPN’s report said that there was no evidence of Ballmer funneling money to sponsors to get Kawhi endorsement deals. Wachtell sure found a lot of evidence after Torre pointed them in the right direction. ESPN’s podcasts like The Hoop Collective, which I often listen to, also never really took the story seriously. ESPN’s reporters dropped the ball at every turn. It’s a truly humiliating moment for the company, and it’s the ultimate proof that it has no interest in trying to do actual journalism anymore.

i regularly listen to hoop collective and they were so pathetic on that whole story that i questioned why i listen to them in the first place. completely co-opted and towing the party line

— Bingo! At the Rock'n'Roll club (@whocareenergy) September 2, 2026

I stopped listening to them due that nonsense. The whole ESPN organization stuck its head under a rock. Baxter Holmes only wrote recap stories after each new piece of evidence was released. ESPN’s army of reporters didn’t break a damn thing on the years biggest NBA story.

— Tim Hazard (@TimHazard775) September 3, 2026

Loser: Keaton Wagler

The Clippers were arguably the luckiest team of the 2026 NBA Draft lottery. Los Angeles landed the Indiana Pacers’ first-round pick in the Ivica Zubac trade, but it was top-4 protected. That pick came in at No. 5, which meant the Clippers got it, and they used it to draft Illinois guard Keaton Wagler. I feel for Wagler today more than anyone else. Wagler is now joining a franchise with a dead-end future who won’t be able to pair him with other talented young players moving forward because of this penalty. The Clippers badly need Wagler to turn into a superstar, and it could still happen, but now it feels like he’s destined to spend the first half of his career next to a bunch of cast-offs and veteran free agents. Whatever optimism Wagler felt about his future with the Clippers has to be crushed now.

Loser: Clippers fans

Steve Ballmer is still one of the richest people in the world. Kawhi Leonard got away scot free. The people who will truly feel this punishment are Clippers fans, as if they didn’t have it bad enough already. The Clippers were a terrible franchise in the ‘80s, ’90s, and ‘00s. Things started to tick up when they traded for Chris Paul and drafted Blake Griffin, but those teams never made it out of the second round. It really felt like the Kawhi and Paul George era was going to bring the Clippers sustained success and possibly a championship. They were my 2020 title pick! Instead, Kawhi basically played half a season every season during his time in Los Angeles, and the furthest they ever made it was a conference finals. Now the franchise is totally decimated for at least the next 10 years. First round picks don’t just give teams the ability to acquire good young players, they are also the currency to make transactions. It’s like the Clippers have a gun without any bullets now. If the Clippers have any sense, they should make the tickets and the merchandise much more affordable going forward. The team has no hope for the future because it cheated and got caught. The least they could do entertain their fans for an affordable price. Ballmer doesn’t need the extra money anyway.

They won’t do it, mainly because it’s how nothing in life works, but the Clippers should absolutely lower the price of tickets, concessions, merchandise, etc. for the foreseeable future. The fans, at least, deserve that from them for all of this.

— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) September 3, 2026

Winner: Lakers fans

I’m almost disgusted by how happy Lakers fans are in this. Their joy is palpable. The Clippers have never been a real threat to the Lakers’ dominance inside or outside of Los Angeles, but now the Clippers are completely cooked. Lakers fans couldn’t be happier.

Wait so the Clippers had to give up more first round picks than the number of playoff series they won with Kawhi? Lmaooooooooo

— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) September 2, 2026

Winner: NBA integrity

The NBA still has plenty of problems, to be sure. The regular season is too long (this is the biggest one), the style of play leads to too many injuries, officiating is inconsistent (hey, it’s the hardest sport in the world to officiate), the end of games drag out forever with commercial stoppages and challenges, etc. I do think the NBA has more integrity today than it did yesterday with this Clippers punishment, though. It would have been really easy for Adam Silver to essentially sweep this under the rug with a light punishment. He didn’t do that. He made an example out of the Clippers, which was absolutely essential given that the league now basically operates with a hard cap. The league had to come out with an iron fist to deter this type of thing from happening again. In this case, the punishment fit the crime. Add in the new anti-tanking rules (which I don’t like, but hey), and the NBA might actually have some good PR on their side for the first time in years.

Winner: Players’ Union

The union is the reason that Kawhi got away with all this with a slap on the wrist. If the NBA tried to void Kawhi’s contract, the league was going to have a major fight on its hands with the union, and this would have been tied up in arbitration forever. The NBA Players’ Association kind of took one on the chin in the last CBA negotiations by allowing the second apron to create a subtle hard cap, but this case showed its power. The union protected Kawhi from punishment for his many misdeeds while the Clippers got hammered. We should all be lucky enough to have a union like the NBAPA on our side.

Loser: Steve Ballmer

He’s still rich, but his reputation is ruined. He thought the rules didn’t apply to him, and he was caught red-handed. He was supposed to be the man to bring the Clippers out of the dark ages, and instead he’ll forever be remembered in NBA circles as the guy who cheated, lied about it, and got busted. All that money can’t buy a good reputation. Ballmer’s is finished.

Media reports of Bob Iger’s future “ownership” of the Los Angeles Lakers appear to have been greatly exaggerated, On The Money has learned.

Three weeks ago, a flurry of headlines from major outlets – the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the LA Times, you name it – reported that “Bob Iger and Josh Kushner,” in that order, will be buying the iconic NBA franchise.

The natural implication would be that Iger is poised to own at least 50% of the team under terms of the $12.5 billion, blockbuster deal, which was cut with embattled Guggenheim Partners boss Mark Walter.

The deal is still under review by the NBA, but the fact is, it’s Kushner – the 41-year-old brother of President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared – who will be the lone controlling shareholder of the Lakers, sources close to the situation said. Under NBA rules that requires him to personally own at least 15% of the franchise, so Kushner himself will plunk down at least $1.875 billion to get the deal done.

How much will 75-year-old Iger be investing? That’s what a lot of folks in Tinseltown are wondering. 

Consider the fact that Forbes hasn’t weighed in on Iger’s net worth since 2019, when it pegged it at about $690 million. It’s not clear what Iger is worth now, but given that much of his wealth has been tied up in underperforming Disney shares, most doubt it’s more than $1 billion.

Kushner, meanwhile, has seen his fortune skyrocket to $16.7 billion this year, according to Forbes – up from $5 billion last year – as his venture firm Thrive Capital’s shares in OpenAI have gone through the roof.

Here’s the reality: Iger is indeed poised to become a major player with the Lakers when it comes to being a face of the team and an executive overseeing its operations – general manager, maybe. But he won’t be the “governor” in NBA parlance who makes the final decisions, a source close to the talks told me.

“Bob will not be the control person,” one person close to Kushner told me. “It is expected that Bob will be a minority owner, an alternate governor, and lead the management of the team day-to-day, but not the governor of the team.”

Another source close to the NBA who asked not to be identified: “There can only be one governor per team and that will be Josh Kushner. He will be putting up the 15% ownership stake.”

Iger, meanwhile, will be among a consortium of investors who are buying smaller slugs in a deal led by Kushner to acquire Walter’s 64% stake in the Lakers. Walter’s business partner Todd Boehly, who also owns the UK’s Chelsea Football Club and a chunk of the LA Dodgers, currently remains a limited partner in the Lakers, sources said.

In many respects, Iger looks like the perfect Lakers co-owner, having run Disney and its ESPN subsidiary and having crafted TV rights deals with the NBA in the past. He is known to be close to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

The latter should be a positive when owners change hands since the league must bless the purchase. And yes, Silver really wants the Lakers to be sold from its current ownership given Walter’s financial issues, which likely sparked the sale just 14 months after he bought the team.

Both parties have been scrambling to set the record straight on exactly who will be controlling the Lakers since news broke last month that suggested that Iger and Kushner are going to split their ownership stake in the Lakers. 

Indeed, if this deal is going to proceed smoothly, the participants might want to improve their communication. Last month’s flurry of Iger-Kushner headlines set tongues wagging in sports business circles, with some asking how Silver could possibly justify allowing Iger a controlling role in the team. 

“I can’t see Adam bending the rules, but none of this makes sense,” said one top sports-media executive who also owns a major franchise.

Another top executive notes that Silver and Iger are close. Before naming D’Amaro his successor at Disney, Iger and the board reportedly considered Silver for the job. Disney also was one of three media companies in 2024 that paid up for an 11-year media rights deal with the NBA, with the company forking over $2.6 billion a year in one of the most lucrative sports packages in history.

“These guys have a lot of history,” the executive noted – tactfully, one might argue.

Through a spokeswoman, Iger declined to comment as did Kushner. An NBA spokesman said Silver had no comment. Walter didn’t return a request for comment.

Just 71 days ago, the Los Angeles Clippers selected star All-American guard Keaton Wagler with the No. 5 overall pick.

A lot has changed in the roughly two months since they made that pick, however, and right now is not a great time to be a Clippers fan.

There have been speculations for a long time that the team’s owner Steve Ballmer and the organization as a whole did some shady things to circumvent the salary cap and sign forward Kawhi Leonard.

These theories started to gain even more traction this summer, and just today, Commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA levied their official punishments.

The Clippers will lose five first-round picks, be fined $30 million, Ballmer will be suspended for a year and Leonard will be forced to pay back $700,000 in restitution.

And now, enter Wagler, caught in the middle of it all.

The 19-year-old former Illini is weathering a heck of a storm for his first year in the league, something that could end up having an impact on his rookie season.

But Illinois fans and Clippers fans agree on one thing, they’re hopeful that it won’t.

The NBA brought the hammer down on the Clippers for circumventing the league’s salary cap rules by “initiating off-court income opportunities” for star forward Kawhi Leonard.

And the impact of the harsh penalties after the yearlong investigation will be felt for years to come. 

Among the punishments the NBA dished out out Wednesday: a $30 million fine for the Clippers; franchise owner Steve Ballmer (one year), President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker (one year) and President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank (six months) being suspended for their roles in Leonard’s impermissible endorsement deals; Leonard having to pay the league $700,000 for his connections with the violations. 

And the penalty that’ll have the biggest impact on the Clippers’ short- and long-term futures: having to forfeit five first-round draft picks in 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033.

One of the harshest penalties in league history. 

But in the eyes of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, an appropriate punishment considering the violations the league found that the Clippers committed. 

“The NBA’s collectively bargained system for determining player compensation is a fundamental component of the basketball competition that the league oversees for the benefit of the teams and players and ultimately the fans,” Silver said in a statement. “I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers’ institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct. The severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations.”

The league didn’t hold back on the Clippers. 

The fine issued against the team is the largest in league history against a franchise — nearly 10 times more than the $3.5 million the Timberwolves were fined in 2000 (around $6.7 million in 2026 when adjusting for inflation) for circumventing salary cap rules with Joe Smith. 

But Ballmer has the money to pay for it. 

The suspensions will result in the Clippers not having a few of the most important individuals in the organization involved in their day-to-day operations for a significant period. 

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But eventually, Ballmer, Zucker and Frank will be allowed to do their jobs. 

The deduction of first-round draft picks is where the Clippers will feel the most impact for at least the next half decade.

The Clippers were set on a new era entering this offseason, already having traded James Harden for Darius Garland and Ivica Zubac to the Pacers for a package that included Bennedict Mathurin (now on the Pelicans), a 2026 first-round pick (drafted Keaton Wagler), a 2028 second-round pick via Dallas and a 2029 first-round pick. 

And by agreeing to a trade with the Raptors that’ll send Leonard back to Toronto for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and multiple draft picks, the Clippers made it clear they were embracing being able to rebuild their franchise around younger talent after the seven-year Leonard era didn’t produce the desired results. 

But the loss of first-round picks, and the overall lack of draft capital for the next seven years, will make it challenging for the Clippers to set themselves up for a more successful future.

If the Clippers and Raptors go through with the Leonard trade as they agreed to in late June, the Clippers will get the Raptors’ unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 first-round pick swap and two second-round picks.

But that’ll give them just four first-round picks over the next seven drafts after entering July believing they’d have up to nine. And if the Stepien Rule applies to forfeited first-round picks, they’ll have zero first-round picks available to trade until the day of the draft. 

A very challenging place to build up from. 

It appears the Clippers are going to fight against the NBA’s ruling, even though, as has widely been reported, that there isn’t an appeal or arbitration process available to the franchise. In other words, if the Clippers want to fight against the punishments, they’ll have to take it to court.

The Clippers’ future isn’t completely bleak.

Once the trade goes through as anticipated, they’ll have several young or in-their-prime good players on respectable contracts — players who can either develop or be traded for draft capital. They’ll still draft picks at their disposal.

But the Clippers’ future appears to be a lot bleaker now than it did even a couple of months ago. 

Which is the biggest punishment of them all.

Following last year’s historic run to the NBA championship, there’s little a critic can say to Jalen Brunson. New York’s captain averaged 28.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 6.1 assists en route to a Knicks championship, hitting clutch shots and stringing together all-time performances along the way.

With training camp still a month out, fans have had to occupy their free time with the sort of debates a run like that naturally sparks. One of those debates is where Brunson now ranks among the best point guards in the league.

Truthfully, 45 points in a close-out Finals game against the best defense in the league should earn you best player in the world discussions, but much of that talent resides at his position anyway. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was one win away from being New York’s Finals foe after winning the 2925 championship. Luka Doncic is still a machine when healthy. Cade Cunningham had another stellar year, and Tyrese Haliburton is returning from injury after absolutely haunting the Knicks in back-to-back Playoffs. 

Let’s break down the competition and see where Brunson shakes out.

Honorable mentions are owed to Stephen Curry and Tyrese Maxey, but consensus puts them just outside this group. Curry’s aging has caused his rim pressure and durability to decline, while Maxey’s playmaking and defensive limitations were exposed against Brunson in the Playoffs.

Haliburton is a legitimate wild card. The last we saw of him, he piloted the NBA’s most dangerous offensive system and was nailing big shots in a legacy-defining Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

His size and playmaking advantages over Brunson are indisputable, there’s few passing equivalents to him, and he’s proven the ability to take over with his scoring, especially in the clutch. The only question is if he can walk back into this production coming off injury with a slightly rejiggered roster.

A big argument for Brunson is his aversion to disappearing. Haliburton had a handful of high-stakes single-digit performances, whereas Brunson will shoot his way out of just about any stupor, never shrinking to the sidelines. 

Cunningham, keeping with the trend, also has an advantagel of height and weight on Brunson. His production is also especially impressive working with spacing similar to Brunson’s before Karl-Anthony Towns and Mike Brown arrived. 

But there’s a clear separator between the two, and that’s ball control. Cunningham’s averaged four turnovers a game over his career and closer to six in the Playoffs, the latter making for a much worse assist-to-turnover ratio compared to Brunson’s.

That poise was much of the difference in Brunson facing the Cavaliers in this year’s Conference Finals instead of Cunningham’s Pistons. While Brunson rose to the occasion, Cunningham faltered in the biggest games of his career, though he’ll surely be back more motivated than ever.

The real conversation is where Brunson belongs in the MVP tier of guys - Doncic and SGA. Unfortunately when the latter is on and healthy, there’s almost nobody that can outplay him.

But Brunson’s been more available, and more dependable on the biggest stages defensively. Doncic got worked in the 2024 NBA Finals on that end, couldn’t do enough in the first round of the 2025 Playoffs to top Minnesota, and outright missed the 2026 postseason due to injury.

While he’s a walking 30-point triple-double, he is entering somewhat of a prove-it year with the major milestones of MVP or a championship still in reach. Brunson spent last season proving all he needed to in ways Doncic never has, such as on the defensive side of the ball or as an off-ball offensive threat.

For those reasons, one can argue Brunson over Doncic in a battle over former teammates.

But what about Gilgeous-Alexander?

That’s a tougher argument to make. The reigning MVP has the added inches but none of the drawbacks when put side-by-side with Brunson.

His shot making is unreal, his passing and defense is reliable, and he has the resume to back up the complete package. He put together his own heroics against the Spurs last Playoffs, scoring 35 points and dishing nine assists in his Game 7 loss despite a lack of secondary weapons.

Brunson is the bigger threat to pull up from three and is less free throw dependent, but Gilgeous-Alexander is the superior defender with gaudy efficiency numbers. At the very least, last year made this a real race.

Wherever you place Brunson in the rankings, 2026 was validation that he belongs among the best names this league has to offer at the position. And this upcoming season should only need to serve as a reminder.