Category: NBA

If there’s one question that has captured the attention of Celtics fans and the greater NBA this month, it has been this one (see title). So I thought I’d pose it to the writers of your favorite Celtics site. Here’s what the staff came up with.

Ian Inangelo

I don’t think I would trade Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo and I don’t think it happens. Brown is at the peak of his value right now after having a First-Team All-NBA level season and it could be smart for the Celtics to sell high on him right now. Giannis is one of the few players in the NBA that I would be willing to trade Jaylen Brown for just because of how talented he is and I think a lineup of Tatum at the 4 and Giannis at the 5 would be an incredibly overpowered duo.

However, for as much as I love the idea of Tatum and Giannis on the floor together, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Brown and Tatum have built in chemistry with years of playing together that could take time to develop with Giannis. Giannis is also on a 1-year deal so Boston would have to give him an extension and the Celtics could be in the same place they are now cap wise with two max contracts and not a lot of depth.

In my mind though, I just don’t think this move happens unless Brown comes out and requests a trade on his own accord. I feel like he’s so intertwined with the city of Boston and the culture of the Celtics that Brad Stevens would only move him if it was a mutual decision. But maybe I’m wrong, Stevens has shown in the past he doesn’t make deals off of emotion (i.e. Marcus Smart) so if its the right decision to improve this Celtics team I think they would trade Brown.

Mark Aboyoun

No. I think we’re being a little too emotional after the elimination. Jaylen hasn’t helped his standing with some poorly timed streams, but trading Brown isn’t the answer, even if it’s for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
When Brown and Tatum are both healthy, they’ve proven they’re good enough to win a lot of games together, including a championship. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and I don’t think this situation is dead enough to justify moving on from him.

Grant Burfeind

Why does this feel like I’m being asked whether I’d trade my childhood home for a mansion? You’ve made fun of the mansion for years. Scoffed at it as you walked by. A saltwater pool and a hot tub? Tacky much? But then a real estate agent comes knocking and says, with your childhood home and a few other assets, the mansion could be yours. You’d be ridiculous not to consider it, but the childhood home has brought you memories and joy to last a lifetime. You don’t just shrug that off because the other place has a nicer kitchen.

Okay, I’ve taken this analogy as far as it can go. Back to basketball. I love Jaylen, and there are maybe nine or ten players in the world I’d even consider moving him for. Giannis is one of them. My general trade philosophy is a popular one: in a superstar deal, I want to walk away with the best player. At his best, Giannis is the best player in any realistic version of this conversation.

It would hurt. Brown was the Finals MVP of Banner 18, just had an MVP-caliber season and has become part of the fabric of this era of Celtics basketball. But if Brad Stevens is serious about finding more rim pressure like he said in his end-of-season presser, Giannis is the final boss version of that idea. I tried to rearrange the letters in “we need a gosh darn rim attacker” into Giannis Antetokounmpo and got nowhere, but spiritually, it checks out. Pairing Giannis’ rim-pulverizing, transition-wrecking force with Tatum’s smoother, jazz-like offensive skillset would give Boston a different ceiling than the Tatum-Brown pairing, as painful as that is to admit.

So yes, I’d do it if the framework is Brown plus a couple first rounders (I’m not trying to lose any other pieces this summer if JB is leaving in this hypothetical), especially if the alternative is watching Giannis land with another East contender. The injury concerns are fair, but fear of what might go wrong can’t outweigh the chance to add one of the 75 greatest players ever while Tatum is still in his prime. I wouldn’t trade Jaylen just because the playoffs ended badly. I wouldn’t trade him for a collection of solid role players. But I’d trade him for Giannis.

And for those wondering what you can spell with all the letters of the Greek Freak’s name: “To tie a sunk moon: no gain.” Let that sink in.

Rich Jensen

We’re herd animals, and once there’s a sufficient level of buzz around, say, buying a pet rock, people stop talking about how stupid the idea is, and start talking about what they’ve named their pet rock.

But that doesn’t change the fact that buying a pet rock is stupid.

So it goes with the sudden flood of Jaylen-Giannis trade speculation. Talk of various trade packages has saturated the air so much so that people have seemingly stopped looking closely at where Giannis is at this point in his career, and are exclusively focused on what trade packages for him should look like. The unspoken assumption is ‘well of course, you’d trade for Giannis.’

There are real concerns with Giannis. He missed 46 games last season with a variety of injuries, he seems to have developed a bit of an attitude problem, and I have questions about how well he’d fit on the Celtics.

That’s what I’m focused on, and for that reason, I don’t think dealing for Giannis is the right move for Boston.

Mike Dynon 

No, I wouldn’t make that trade. There are the obvious reasons: Giannis’ age (31, vs. Jaylen, 29); his many injuries in recent years; and the fact that even with Giannis on the roster, the Bucks haven’t won a single playoff series in the past four seasons.

So let’s focus on a different reason: How the Celtics are perceived across the league. It wasn’t too long ago that Isaiah Thomas had that heroic season in which he was top-five in MVP voting, persevered through the death of his sister just as the playoffs began, and led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. At that point, a hip injury ended his season – and then he was traded to Cleveland during the summer.

The Celtics franchise was widely criticized as being untrustworthy, doing wrong to a player who had given his all for Boston. Soon after, the father of superstar Anthony Davis used that episode as the reason his son – who then was trying to force a trade out of New Orleans – would not consider Boston as a potential destination. It was a bad look for a franchise that honestly has never been a magnet for available talent.

Now, after the All-NBA season of leadership that Jaylen just delivered, trading him could harm the “Different Here” Celtics’ culture. Critics (logical or not, there are always critics) could again question the loyalty of the franchise. Some might say that’s superficial, but the Davis episode demonstrated the real consequences. Plus, the actual splitting up of the Jays would let all the hot-takers win, and I’m too stubborn to accept that. Jaylen says he wants to play in Boston for another 10 years, and I believe him. Let’s make that happen. 

Jack Anderson

I would trade Jaylen for Giannis. I think what the Sixers series and then Knicks sweep of the Sixers showed us is that the Celtics aren’t good enough as it. Brad Stevens even said so in his press conference.

This is Giannis Antetokounmpo, man. He makes you better than Jaylen Brown makes you. I love JB, he is an awesome player and he and Tatum have had awesome results.

However, the Celtics have to get better, the window is open as long as Jayson Tatum is Jayson Tatum. You have to strike when given the chance.

Trading Jaylen would be sad and I wouldn’t deal him if Antetokounmpo isn’t an option. Yet, if Giannis is an option, I think Boston needs to strike.

Nirav Barman

If I had it my way, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would be Celtics for the entirety of their careers. At this point, I don’t see any realistic trades that would make me change my mind on that, including trading JB for Giannis. Giannis is the better player – you won’t find any argument from me on that. That being said, big swings like this don’t always yield the expected results.

Giannis, as exceptional as he is, hasn’t had a fully healthy playoff run since 2022. In fact, he’s only played 8 total playoff games since then, 3 in ’23 and 5 in ’25. Playing as physical of a game as Giannis does, and that too as a freak athlete of a near 7-footer, is bound to have some harsh wear and tear over the course of a season, and over the course of a career. He will be 32 next year, He will also be expecting a contract extension while making $58.5M in 26-27 and holding a $62.8M player option in 27-28. The extension would probably be in the range of $65M-70M per year going into his year 36 season. That’s a hell of a gamble to take.

More than Giannis, I think Jaylen’s value on the Celtics is severely understated. We’re talking about trading the longest-tenured player on the team. The guy who has made enormous efforts to take his team to new heights, while also making his mark on the city of Boston off the court. He studied his teammates’ birth signs to learn how to better communicate with them. He takes accountability after each loss, and takes every opportunity to uplift his teammates, whether that be praise or direct coaching. He has made his commitment to the team and its success very clear.

We already know Jaylen fits into the Celtics, including right next to Tatum, who Boston is most definitely focused on building around. Why break up a good thing when you don’t need to? The Celtics over-achieved this season, and fell due to some inefficiency and a lack of experienced depth, or at least a lack of willingness to use it. They can get back to serious contention by tinkering around the edges instead of making drastic changes.

I say no JB for Giannis trade. 

Robby Fletcher

As tempting as the prospect of a Giannis-Tatum pairing is, I still don’t see a reason for Boston to break up the Jays. Maybe there’s a time to consider a trade as seismic as that, but I definitely don’t think we’re there yet.

The play of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum this postseason was not my primary concern after the 3-1 collapse to the 76ers, and I don’t think it’s Brad Stevens’ either. We’ve seen a range of extreme highs and stunning lows with Brown and Tatum leading the way, but we know the right supporting cast automatically makes them a contender together in the East.

True, the needs of this current roster align with what Giannis presents: a stronger two-way presence inside the paint. But I don’t anticipate Boston taking that big of a swing to address it. With some wiggle room to evade the repeater tax, along with draft assets and tradeable contracts to work with, the Celtics can still be active this offseason to improve what’s already a pretty promising roster.

I’m mostly expecting a similar core outside of a few new additions in the middle of the rotation. Pair that with a healthy Tatum ready for opening night, and Boston still looks like a legitimate contender entering next season.

A trade notification involving Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo would immediately enter the conversation as one of the most franchise-shifting deals in Celtics history. Do I expect this offseason to produce that reality? Probably not. But it’s intriguing to think about. We’ve seen plenty of summer trade rumors surrounding JB over the years. I’m ready to add this one to the file.

Ryan Paice

As much as it would hurt, I would trade JB for Giannis — if there is some kind of guarantee that he signs an extension to stay in Boston long term. The Greek Freak’s current contract is only guaranteed through the 2026-27 season, as he has a player option for 2027-28 that he will likely decline to seek what could be his last max contract. If the Lakers or Heat play it right, they could have max slots open to sign him when that happens and — no matter how much I think Giannis would like playing in Boston — the pull of LA and Miami on free agents is too strong to ignore when considering moves like this. So, if the Celtics are going to part with their 2024 Finals MVP to get Giannis, Brad better make sure that he’s staying in Boston when his current contract expires.

Cost-wise, I think the C’s can and should do whatever it takes to facilitate a JB for Giannis swap as long as the deal does not exhaust the team’s flexibility moving forward. JB, Max Shulga and a pair of first round picks would work for me. Boston would be able to maintain its shooting depth (as opposed to the White/Hauser/Pritchard idea) and keep a FRP to potentially add onto the newly souped-up core. Despite the fact that Giannis would definitely see time as a 5 under Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics may still need another center — hopefully one who can wrestle with trees like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic — so maintaining assets for such a deal is important.

Overall, the potential in trading for Giannis is just too high to pass up on, even if that means trading one of my favorite players of the last decade. He’d add a much needed interior scoring dynamic, bolster Boston’s defense and make the team an instant title favorite. What more could you ask for?

Jeff Clark

Admittedly, I go back and forth on this topic daily. I would like to say that my final stance is that I would not do it because I want Jaylen to retire a Celtic (but if it happened I would talk myself into it in about .034 seconds). But I don’t think it is that simple.

Sure, we’ve seen Jayson and Jaylen win a title together, so we know that formula can and does work. We’ve also seen them get bounced pretty early in 3 of the last 4 playoffs. So maybe the formula is a little more unstable than we’d like to believe. I very much trust Joe Mazzulla and his system, but also recognize that he’s not flawless and has some work to do on his own game. I think Brad Stevens has a good feel for what this team needs and he thinks we need to put more pressure on the rim. Perhaps that can be accomplished with a focus on play style and a few interchanged pieces. However, it is hard to deny that adding Giannis to a roster with Tatum (who can play with anyone) would unlock a lot of what Brad is trying to accomplish.

The freak sized caveat is “if he’s healthy.” The leg injuries should scare anyone considering this investment. Are we just signing up for the death rattle of his career? Or are the next few years of his prime worth the risk? Can we count on a KG type of impact? Or is it more of a Kemba Walker situation?

Ultimately if I had to choose, I would say I do want to trade for Giannis (but if it doesn’t happen, I’ll be perfectly happy keeping Jaylen). It is a gamble, but fortune favors the bold. Unless it doesn’t. You can see now why I’m a blogger, flip flopping my opinion even in the course of writing one down, and not the GM of our favorite team.

So now the question goes to you fine folks. Would you trade Jaylen for Giannis?

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey revealed where he stands on NCAA Tournament expansion.

At the APSE Southeast Region meeting in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Sankey answered whether he thought expanding the men's and women's basketball field from 68 teams to 76 was necessary.

“Addition seems appropriate...” Sankey said.

Opinion: NCAA Tournament expansion won't kill March Madness but will make it worse

'Why and who cares?' Rick Pitino questions expanded March Madness pushback

The new opening round will grow from eight teams to 24, be played Tuesday/Wednesday prior to the first round for men and Wednesday/Thursday for women and feature at-large teams and automatic qualifiers.

Sankey’s said the NCAA Tournament should feature ”the top 50 analytically, committee-determined teams.”

“You know, there’s a combination eligible to participate. What we do is give away spots for automatic bids, because that’s the ethos of the term. It seems a reasonable balance,” Sankey said. “And I think all the criticism and negativity, that’s the way social media rolls.”

The move has been anticipated since conversations began in 2025 as NCAA president Charlie Baker has strongly vouched for expansion. Multiple college athletic directors and coaches confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on April 28 there’s an “expectation” for it to grow.

“The apple cart hasn’t been upset, burned, thrown down the hill and discarded,” Sankey said.

“It’s a bit of a change.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey backs NCAA Tournament expansion to 76 teams

In Monday night’s Brotherhood Playoff Action, Cleveland took out Detroit, 112-103, behind a dstunning 22-0 run. Tyrese Proctor got in at the end, but did not score. The series is now tied 2-2.

In the nightcap, Oklahoma City eliminated Los Angeles, 115-110. Jared McCain scored 13 points and had 2 assists for OKC, while Luke Kennard finished his season with 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists.

At 8-0, the Thunder look increasingly inevitable, and may push the 1983 Philadelphia 76ers. When someone asked Moses Malone how his team would do, he famously said, “Fo’, fo’, and fo,” meaning the Sixers would not lose in the playoffs.

Close: Philadelphia finished 11-1 in the postseason.

On Tuesday, The T-Wolves and the Spurs tangle in Game 5. Mason Plumlee is on the Spurs’ roster, but he’s essentially depth at this point, and we don’t expect to see him going forward.

• Inside the third quarter Cavalanche that turned Rocket Arena into chaos for Detroit
• Pistons allow 22-0 run in loss to Cavs; series tied 2-2
• Tyrese Proctor Drops Duke Mt. Rushmore, Leaves Out Natty-Winning Legend
• Thunder sweep Lakers after stunning ending to Game 4
• Luke Kennard with the great assist!
• Luke Kennard’s time with the Lakers may have ended at the hands of the Thunder
• Jared McCain is always having fun
• LeBron James, Lakers Eliminated from NBA Playoffs, Fans React as SGA, Thunder Complete Sweep
• Report: Joel Embiid was not happy with 1 trade by the 76er

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series, where we revisit every player who suited up during the 2025–26 campaign through the lens of expectation, reality, and what it ultimately meant.

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Player Snapshot

• Position: SF/PF
• Age: 32
• 2026-27 Contract Status: $10.9 million
• SunsRank (Preseason): 7
• SunsRank (Postseason): 9

*SunsRank is based on Bright Side writers’ ranking.

Season in One Sentence

Royce O’Neale somehow represented everything the Suns did well this season, but also everything they were missing.

By the Numbers

GP	MIN	PPG	RPG	APG	STL	FG%	3PT%	FT%	OFFRTG	DEFRTG	+/- (TOTAL)
78	28.4	9.8	4.8	2.7	1.1	42.1%	40.8%	71.1%	111.4	115.1	-113

The Expectation

Coming into this season, we expected O’Neale to be one of the Suns’ best 3-point shooters and a positive contributor defensively, as a marginal rotation player.

The Reality

O’Neale was an integral part of the Suns’ rotation this season because of his shooting and connectivity on bot ends of the floor, but his time as a plus defender has faded with age, and his lack of athleticism was exploited because he was asked to play a role he is no longer suited for.

What It Means

Moving forward, the Suns need to find more athleticism than they have from Dillon Brooks and Royce O’Neale on the front line. O’Neale was asked to be a power forward this season despite being another 6’5” player on the roster. If the Suns expect to ascend as a team, filling his role with someone who has more athleticism and defensive capability might be the most important thing to accomplish on the Suns’ checklist this offseason.

Whether that player comes in a trade for an Aaron Gordon or Cam Johnson type player, in the draft, or Rasheer Fleming taking a sophomore leap. O’Neale is another flawed but valuable player the Suns have on the roster and will be on the trading block all summer because of his contract, 3-point shooting, veteran poise, and high IQ.

Defining Moment

O’Neale’s most memorable moment is easy.

ROYCE O'NEALE GAME-WINNER 🎯🎯🎯 pic.twitter.com/QuSN37cUg1

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 27, 2026

Grade: A-

Now this grade might be way, way, way too high and a shock to the system for many of you reading this. I know what the numbers and the advanced analytics say about Royce O’Neale. What the Suns asked him to be this year, compared to his ability, may have been the widest gap on the roster this season. In my grading for O’Neale, I am not going to penalize him for being asked to bite off more than he can chew. For what the Suns are paying O’Neale and at his age, he outperformed expectations this season despite being an obviously flawed player on an obviously flawed team.

O’Neale had a career year in scoring, shot over 40% from the three-point line, and started 67 games for the Phoenix Suns this season. Heading into the season, every Suns fan or team member would have signed up for what O’Neale produced this year, even if we disagreed about him getting minutes over Ryan Dunn and Fleming.

He has his flaws, which were glaring this season when it came to rebounding and defending on the ball. His weaknesses were only exacerbated by a poorly constructed roster that forced him into a role he simply cannot fill anymore. For the Suns to continue to ascend, he will need to have a diminished role next season, but this season, O’Neale was integral to the Suns’ success. There was a reason Jordan Ott continually chose the grizzled 10-year veteran despite his limitations.

The Suns won 10 more games this season than last year and started O’Neale in place of Kevin Durant. That alone locks in a high grade from me.

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When Daniel Gafford boarded the plane from Washington to Dallas in February 2024, it was believed he was one of the missing pieces to being a true title contender. The Mavericks witnessed in real time what Luka Doncic could do with a lob threat center in rookie Dereck Lively II, and adding a second threat would solidify the Dallas backcourt. That wet dream came true.

In his first game as a Maverick against the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder, Gafford recorded 19 points and 9 rebounds. Dallas took Oklahoma City to the woodshed in Gafford’s debut, beating them in front of a raucous AAC crowd 146-111. In his first season with Dallas, the big man averaged 11.2 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, in 21.5 minutes.

During the 2024 title run, Gafford’s size and athletic ability proved to be an advantage for the Mavs, as he was a matchup nightmare for the Clippers, Thunder, and Timberwolves, especially off the bench. However, his inability to defend in space proved problematic against the champion Celtics, and he became all but unplayable.

That high-and-low seesaw has been the soundtrack of the past two seasons for Gafford. His moments of dominance are typically followed by stretches of poor play with frequent injuries sprinkled throughout.

The Nico Harrison vision

When Nico Harrison traded for Anthony Davis, the vision was that the Mavericks would bolster an ultra-big lineup that would be impossible to score on (at least in the paint). Anthony Davis was slated to play the power forward next to either Daniel Gafford or Dereck Lively II. The vision blew up seven games into the season after Lively suffered a season-ending foot injury. Injuries to Dallas big men have unfortunately become the norm, and Gafford was no exception.

Gafford was coming off his 2024-2025 season of playing only 57 games, his lowest since the COVID bubble 2020-2021 season. Fresh off a 3-year/$54 million extension in the summer, Gafford came in with something to prove. Minus Lively, and with the runway of the full season, it was his time to shoulder the load.  He had shown in flashes what he could do with an expanded role. Shortly after Doncic went out (forever) on Christmas Day 2024, Gafford showed signs of excellence.  In January 2025, he averaged 14.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. He was beginning to show signs that he could be a solid and consistent starting center.

But then everything fell apart. Gafford missed the next two months due to a knee injury, only returning for the last few games of the season, as the Mavericks tried to make a play-in run. He wasn’t the same and hasn’t really been the same since.

Season in review

Gafford had a plethora of other nagging injuries this season, the most severe being multiple ankle sprains that have not allowed him to stay on the court consistently. He played 55 games this season. His averages were still near normal for him, at 9.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game. But the eye test said he wasn’t right.

Whether it was the fit alongside Davis, lack of a true point guard, or being bothered by injuries, Gafford had another season to forget. It was probably all three of those factors. He’s an effort and energy guy that the fans love, and players feed off of. But his biggest strength in showcasing his athleticism was largely suppressed this season. Maybe it was the ankle, or the knee, or just mental exhaustion from all the drama (I get it), he just didn’t look the same.

He had stretches once again of good play, with his best game coming on a March 12 win against the Memphis Grizzlies. Gafford posted 22 points, 14 rebounds, and a block. It was the only win for the Mavericks in a span of over a month. March was his best month, putting together averages of 15.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game in 12 games. December was his worst month at 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game in nine games.

After another season riddled with injuries, it’s probably safe to say Gafford is at best a good backup center. He’s a touch undersized for a starting-caliber center, but if he’s healthy, he provides great minutes off the bench. As he proved, he can be a rotation piece on a contending team.

Contract status

If he can stay on the floor, Gafford is a value piece. His 3-year contract extension kicks in this upcoming summer, as he’ll be making $17.2 million in 2026-2027, $18.1 million in 2027-2028, and $18.9 million in 2028-2029. With swirling questions around Dereck Lively II, what the Mavericks do next with Gafford will be interesting. He was a player teams called about at the trade deadline, and if he bumps up his value next season with health, the offers might become too good to say “no” to.

Looking ahead

Not to beat a dead horse (okay, bad pun), but the big question next year for Gafford and Dallas will be his health. He’ll turn 28 in October and is not getting any younger. If he can be on the court back to old Daniel Gafford, he’s probably a piece worth keeping around. If the injuries continue to pile up, Dallas may once again take phone calls. In the era of Cooper Flagg, health and youth are of the utmost importance.

Grade: C+

Gafford played fairly well when he was at his healthiest, but that didn’t happen often enough. The Mavericks need much more from Gafford if he’s on the roster going forward.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has an ultimatum from Milwaukee Bucks ownership: either sign a contract extension this summer, or get traded. The long-rumored divorce between the two sides might finally come to fruition as the NBA prepares to enter the offseason, and the Bucks are making it known they’re ready to hear offers.

The Bucks are “open for business ”on Antetokounmpo trade offers, and the team is reportedly seeking “young blue-chip talent and/or a surplus of draft picks,” according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Charania’s report comes on the brink of the 2026 NBA Draft Combine, historically a place where early trade conversations happen as the entire league is gathered in Chicago. Antetokounmpo essentially asked out of Milwaukee ahead of the trade deadline, but a deal never materialized, and the trade landscape feels different this time.

The San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, and Oklahoma City Thunder were reportedly not interested in a Giannis trade at the deadline. Does that change for Houston after a first-round exit? Will San Antonio or OKC also change their mind on a potential trade if they fall short of a championship? The Boston Celtics are another team to watch in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes now after a first-round exit in the 2026 NBA Playoffs when they were supposed to be the favorites in the East.

Here are six potential Antetokounmpo trade packages that make sense, plus two darkhorse surprise teams at the end.

Miami Heat’s best Giannis trade offer

Bucks receive: Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, No. 13 overall pick in 2026 NBA Draft, 2030 first-rounder, 2032 first-rounder

Heat receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Taurean Prince

It will be tricky to make the salaries match, but there’s a framework in place for the potential Giannis trade to the Heat this summer. Miami has three first-round picks available to trade, including No. 13 overall this year, where we have Karim Lopez projected in our mock draft. Kel’el Ware had a solid second season even if he falls short of the “blue chip” prospect Milwaukee covets. If Mikal Bridges and Rudy Gobert were traded for five first-round picks, why is Giannis only fetching three? Well, it’s a different trade landscape these days, and Antetokounmpo’s constant late season injury issues feel like a real problem at age-31. The Heat are also chasing stars, and at this point it feels like they’ve maximized their current group. An all-in trade for Giannis makes sense for Miami, and it might be the best package Milwaukee can get.

Cavs’ best Giannis trade offer

Bucks receive: Evan Mobley, Sam Merrill, 2030 and 2032 first-round picks

Heat receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

This trade is not currently legal because the Cavs are in the second apron, and thus cannot aggregate salaries to match Giannis’ massive deal. It’s possible Cleveland can get under the apron for this deal during the summer, and subbing in Jaylon Tyson for Merrill would make it even more appealing if they can square the salaries. Mobley is potentially the best young player on the market for Milwaukee. The big man turns 25 years old next month, and feels like he stagnated a bit offensively this season. He remains an incredible defender as a mobile 7-footer, and Milwaukee could probably flip him for a ton of assets if they wanted a longer view of their upcoming rebuild. Those Cleveland picks could be pretty valuable too with an older core in place should the Cavs do this deal.

Celtics’ best Giannis trade offer with Hawks to form 3-team deal

Bucks receive: No. 8 pick in 2026 NBA Draft, Celtics’ first-round picks in 2027 and 2032, Zaccharie Risacher, Hugo Gonzalez, Corey Kispert

Celtics receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Hawks receive: Jaylen Brown

This is admittedly a rough draft what a three-team trade would look like between the Celtics, Hawks, and Bucks. The general framework would have Jaylen Brown landing in his hometown of Atlanta, Giannis going to the Celtics, and the Bucks getting Atlanta’s No. 8 overall pick and more future first-rounders. The salaries do work out in this deal according to the trade machine, so something like this could make sense. Risacher was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but he already lost his spot in the Hawks’ playoff rotation, so this doesn’t feel like too much to give up for Atlanta to get Brown. The Celtics upgrade from Brown to Antetokounmpo and push for a championship next year. The Bucks land a second top-10 pick in this trade, and Gonzalez would be a nice get after a surprisingly strong rookie year.

Wolves’ best Giannis trade offer

Bucks receive: Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, Donte DiVincenzo, 2032 first-round pick

Wolves receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis

The Wolves were reportedly interested in Giannis at the trade deadline, and they could have interest again this summer should they fall short in the playoffs. This package features neither a blue chip young player or a bundle of picks, but it would give the Bucks a lot of flippable assets. McDaniels will be 26 years old next season and is one of the best wing defenders in the league. Gobert is still a defensive stud, and he’s on a more affordable deal now. DiVincenzo is out for the year sadly with an Achilles tear. Milwaukee could flip McDaniels and Gobert for 1-2 more future first-round picks each if they take this deal, and that Minnesota 2032 first-round could be spicy down the line.

Blazers’ best Giannis offer

Bucks receive: Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson, Yang Hansen, 2028 and 2030 Bucks swaps returned, 2032 Blazers first-round pick

TrailBlazers receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

New Blazers owner Tom Dundan said the team has a big trade offer available at the trade deadline that the team chose to not pull the trigger on, but that things might be different under his watch. Was he talking about Giannis? The Blazers have always felt like a natural trade partner for Giannis because they own two future Milwaukee pick swaps. This deal has Portland unloading bad money in Jerami Grant, and cashing in Scoot Henderson and Yang Hansen, while returning the swap rights to Milwaukee for Antetokounmpo. Henderson is starting to come on lately even if he hasn’t yet lived up to his draft hype, and he’s exactly the type of player who could intrigue Milwaukee. This is probably too much to give up for Portland, but it could potentially win a bidding war.

Knicks’ best Giannis trade offer

Bucks receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek, 2032 first-round pick

Knicks receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma

The Knicks seem very likely to go to the Finals, but I won’t put a trade like this past them if they get smoked by the Thunder or Spurs once they get there. I do think it’s too much to give up for New York given Giannis’ injury history. Milwaukee wouldn’t get a pick surplus or any good young players from this haul, but it could immediately turn around and trade Anunoby and KAT for value.

Two surprise teams who could trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo

• Orlando Magic: How about a Paolo Banchero for Giannis package as a starting point? I don’t think that’s going to solve Orlando’s shooting and injury woes, but it would be an instant talent upgrade for a team that’s already all-in on the present.
• Charlotte Hornets: The Hornets could offer a huge package of picks, and they certainly need more physicality inside. Charlotte already had the best net-rating in the NBA after Jan. 1. Would they really empty the clip to trade every available pick for Giannis? Miles Bridges, Tre Mann, and Josh Green would match salaries.

After the 115-110 Game 4 second round playoff loss to the Thunder on Monday night at Crypto.com Arena to end the Lakers’ 2025-26 season, superstar LeBron James expressed uncertainty about his NBA future. 

James, 41, has spoken about retirement and not knowing what his would entail at the end of each of the last few seasons. 

That was once again the case on Monday after wrapping up an unprecedented 23rd year in the NBA.  

“Obviously, we’re still fresh from losing – I don’t know what the future holds for me as it stands right now,” James said.
”I got a lot of time. I’ll sit back, like I said last year after we lost to Minnesota, I [will] go back and recalibrate with my family, talk with them and spend some time with them. And then when the time comes, obviously, you guys will know what I decide to do.”

For the first time in James’ career, he doesn’t have a guaranteed deal or option in his contract following this season, which is unchartered territory as he enters unrestricted free agency.

“None of us knows what the future holds,” James said. “Nobody has any idea what the future holds, and I don’t either. I’ll take time to recalibrate, look over the season and see what’s best for my future. I get to that point, everyone will know.”

"I don't know what the future holds for me." – LeBron James pic.twitter.com/ay6Ph6ZkmQ

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) May 12, 2026

James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 60 regular season games, with the Lakers going 53-29 and clinching the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference standings.

“I left everything I could on the floor,” James said. “I control what I can control and I can leave the floor saying ‘S–t, even though I hate losing obviously, but I was locked in on what we needed to do. Made sure that, I tried to make sure, our guys were locked in on what we needed to do throughout the postseason, throughout 10 games. And obviously we fell a little short obviously, but I don’t, I’m not looking at, my year as a disappointment, that’s for damn sure.”

James stepped into a third option role behind star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves post All-Star break, with the Lakers having their most successful stretch from late February-late March, when they won 16 of 18 games.

With Doncic sidelined for the entire playoffs because of a left hamstring strain he suffered on April 2 and Reaves sidelined for the first four games of the playoffs because of an oblique injury, James stepped back into a primary option role.

He led the Lakers to a first round playoff series victory over the Rockets in six games.

“I was put into some positions I never played in my career,” James said. “Actually in my life. I’ve never been a third option in my life. So to be able to thrive in that role for that period of time and then have to step back into the role that I’ve been accustomed with over my career, over my life, playing a sport and being able to thrive under that, and then just my teammates allowing me to lead them under extreme circumstances, that was pretty cool for me at this stage in my career.” 

James opened up on the factors that he’ll consider.

“For me, it’s about the process,” James said. “If I can commit to still being in love with the process of showing up to the arena 5 ½ hours before a game to start preparing for a game, giving everything I got, diving for loose balls and doing everything that you know that it takes to go out and play. Showing up to practices, 11 [a.m.] practice, I’m there at 8 [a.m.] preparing my body, preparing my mind, preparing to practice, to put the work in. So I think for me, I’ve always been in love with the process. And the aftermath of, ‘OK, we won that game or we won a championship.’ I’ve always enjoyed the process and not the outcome, so I think that would be a big factor.”

James added: “And then also, I’ll have a conversation with my 12-year-old daughter, that’s a big factor. And my 19-year-old son [Bryce] is entering his second year at Arizona. And my wife as well. They’re a huge factor in any decision I’ve made, so they’ll be a big part of it as well.”

James wrapped up his eighth season with the Lakers – the longest stretch of consecutive seasons with a single franchise in his career. 

“There’s a lot,” James responded on the special accomplishments of his Lakers tenure. “I mean, obviously winning a championship [in] 2020, stands at the top. 
I mean, that was the reason why I came here: To restore that level of play and restore this franchise back to what it was known for – winning championships and playing at a high level. To be out there with that group, go out there and win a championship and us competing at a championship level was something I kind of envisioned and was able to accomplish that. So that woud stand at the top for sure.”

The NBA Draft lottery just happened which means we are one step closer to the actual NBA Draft. There are events going on all around the NBA to prepare the next crop of stars. Guys like Braden Smith are getting weighed and measured, how tall is he anyway? TKR is playing in the G-League Combine and doing a great job, enough to even move up a level in the combine hierarchy. Fletcher Loyer even showed up some of his skills at that same event. So what does this mean for the three Purdue seniors? We chat about that on this episode of the Boiler Alert podcast.

Then, we look at Daniel Jacobsen and I ask Ryan about Jacobsen’s impact for next season and if he’s the biggest question mark of all the returning players. DJ did some great things this season but I think many of us came away disappointed with his play, but was that on our expectations or his play? We discuss on the latest episode.

LeBron James talked about steps he’ll take before deciding whether to play again next season, but is there one missing from the list?

Spending time with his family. Talking to his 12-year-old daughter; his 19-year-old son; and his wife. Reflecting on this past season and deciding what’s in his best interest. And ...

What he didn’t cite explicitly is how his role changed this past season, during which he averaged 20.9 points, the fewest since he averaged the same in his rookie season.

Opinion: If this is it for LeBron James, appreciate how unprecedented he was

"I'm not looking at my year as a disappointment, that's for damn sure," James, 41, told reporters after the Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 115-110, Monday, May 11 and got swept in the Western Conference semifinal playoff series. "Especially, I was put into some positions that I've never played in my career before, actually in my life.

"I've never been a third option in my life."

This season, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves emerged as the NBA’s highest-scoring backcourt, and in March, Lakers coach JJ Redick officially asked James to accept the role of the team’s third scoring option.

He agreed.

With James in that role, the Lakers thrived.

That is, until Doncic suffered a hamstring injury in February and Reaves strained his oblique muscle April 2, during 139-96 loss to the Thunder.

Suddenly James was the Lakers’ No. 1 option again, and he led them past the Houston Rockets in their first-round playoff series.

"So to be able to thrive in that role (as the team’s third option) for that period of time and then have to step back into the role that I've been accustomed with over my career, over my life ... that was pretty cool for me at this stage of my career," he said.

More: Has LeBron James' tenure with the Lakers been a failure? Fans weigh in.

But would it be cool to go back to being the third option next season, which would be his 24^th in the NBA?

It could be a complex assessment.

When asked about the love for the game, James said, "I don't think it ever goes away."

More imporantly, James said, is maintaining his love for "the process." That entails arriving for games 5 1/2 hours early to start getting ready. And arriving three hours before practice.

"...giving everything I got, diving for loose balls and doing everything that you know that it takes to go out and play," he said.

James played a co-leading role Monday night, finishing with 24 points and 12 rebounds while Reaves had a team-high 27 points along with seven rebounds and six assists.

James took 18 shots. Reaves took 16 shots. Luka remained sidelined.

The highlight of James' eight-year tenure with the Lakers, he said, was leading the Lakers to the NBA title in 2020. He mentioned competing for championships again Monday.

“I think that's a motivating factor, it's always been since I've – probably the first time I touched the postseason in ‘06 – was like, how can I compete for a championship?" he said.

Does accepting the role of third option give James and the Lakers third best chance to win an NBA title?

Is it something he thinks is in his best interest?

Would he still love showing up 5 1/2 hours before games and three hours before practices?

The process of figuring it out all out has officially begun.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is LeBron James willing to be Lakers’ third option again?

After the Los Angeles Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals on Monday night, Luka Doncic took to Instagram to announce he will not be joining the Slovenian national team this summer. Instead, he shared that he plans to devote his time to his daughters.

The message, initially written in Slovenian and later translated into English, emphasized that being a father to his two daughters is his top priority. Doncic explained that over the past eight months, it has been challenging to spend time with them as he works toward a joint custody agreement with his ex-fiancée, Anamaria Goltes. The couple shares a three-year-old daughter, Gabriela, and a five-month-old daughter, Olivia.

“I love my daughters more than anything, and they will always come first in my life. As I continue working toward joint custody of my daughters, I have been forced to make a difficult decision between traveling and playing for the Slovenian national team and being with my daughters this summer,” Doncic wrote in the post. “Unfortunately, it has been made extremely difficult for me to see them over the past eight months.”

When Mike Schmitz was hired as the Dallas Mavericks’ new general manager under the newly minted head man Masai Ujiri, he was hailed as a master talent evaluator.

Now, with the Mavericks landing the No. 9 overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft after Sunday’s Draft Lottery, we turn our eyes toward some of the moves he had a hand in as assistant GM for the Portland Trail Blazers and some of his hotter takes on incoming NBA talent during his time analyzing the draft for DraftExpress and ESPN.

This year’s draft is full of electrifying, potentially franchise-shifting talent at the top, but there are tiers. It’s levels to this shit, as a wise man once said. The Mavs will not be operating on the tippy top level if they keep the ninth pick and select from the leftovers after the top two tiers are all but gutted. It is, on its face, a disappointing result given the season Mavericks fans just endured.

As Ujiri himself said in a recent sit-down interview with Mavericks Chief Comms Officer Gina Miller, “[The NBA Draft Lottery is] a moment where we’re all human beings. You feel it. You know what the odds are, but you still feel like you are the one [to move up].”

And when it doesn’t happen, like for the Raptors in 2025 or for the Mavs this year, you may find yourself kicking rocks with your head hung low on a lonesome stretch of highway as a tumbleweed drifts by.

But at the very least, there are smart people in charge now. They are formulating a plan. These are people who have an actual vision; they’re not manufacturing one for spin after dropping a nuke on the thing you love.

So here are some of Schmitz’ Greatest Hits. Play these on repeat as you wonder how the Mavericks deal with the 2026 offseason.

The 2018 NBA Draft

Schmitz was all-in on Luka Dončić in the run-up to the 2018 NBA Draft, as he worked as an analyst for ESPN. The headline clipped and shared across social media in the days since his hiring in Dallas reads, “There has never been an NBA draft prospect like Slovenia’s Luka Dončić.”

The first-round draft results from that year are pure comedy with the benefit of eight years’ hindsight. The great debate for many was Ayton or Dončić at No. 1, which has proven over the last eight years to be a complete laugher.

Schmitz called Dončić a “unicorn.” He called the Mavericks the “clear winner” of the draft after all the cards were turned in. He referred to Dončić as a “historic” prospect with unparalleled skill, basketball IQ, and winning experience for his age. He heard the criticism of Dončić’s athleticism and tried to convince the masses that it didn’t matter.

He was 100% right. The deceleration move that Dončić befuddled better athlete after better athlete with has been mimicked and copy-catted to death in the years since.

The 2020 NBA Draft

Morning after draft hot takes:

-LaMelo will be the best player to come out of this draft

-Okongwu will be the best big

-Avdija will be the best INTL

-Tyrese Haliburton went way too low

-Maxey will go top-10 in a re-draft

-Bolmaro will be the 2nd best INTL from 2020 pic.twitter.com/E2G1M3fhdr

— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) November 19, 2020

Schmitz’s soothsaying after the 2020 NBA Draft should be a case study for talent evaluation. He nailed it all in the above post on what was then Twitter (ah, simpler times), save for underselling Anthony Edwards and Franz Wagner a little bit.

LaMelo Ball has proven out. Deni Avdija has proven out, and Schmitz’s hand in bringing Avdija to the Trail Blazers will be covered later. Okongwu has proven out, fresh off a season where he averaged 15.2 points and nearly eight rebounds a game. The Tyrese Haliburton nod was downright psychic. The specificity with which he described Tyrese Maxey’s potential may be the most impressive item on his list, and these last two citations should encourage Mavs fans the most. Picking from a less-than-optimal spot, Schmitz can spot the dog among more highly touted also-rans.

This unique talent could also serve Dallas well at the 30th pick.

Early Wembanyama adopter

Schmitz is such an international talent geek, it’s delicious. Mavs fans in particular, what with the team’s penchant for going and getting great players from overseas, should be salivating at the thought of his finger anywhere near the trigger.

He was among the earliest adopters of one Victor Wembanyama, releasing the following assessment in 2020, three years before The Alien was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs: “The prototypical NBA center is shrinking as the league gets smaller. But Wembanyama is different. Not only does he put a lid on the rim like Rudy Gobert, he also shows the floor-spacing potential of a young Kristaps Porzingis, with a far better handle and passing feel.”

Wembanyama was just 16 at the time Schmitz wrote that. It’s a bit harder to miss Wembanyama, what with his singular frame and skillset, but Schmitz still gets points for being one of the first to recognize the paradigm shifting nature of his potential arrival on the scene.

Spot-on assessment of Jalen Williams

Really enjoyed breaking down film with Jalen Williams. Impressive feel for the game with a really unique trajectory. Undersized PG in high school. Was only 6-3 when he arrived at Santa Clara. Now one of the biggest sleepers in the draft at 6-6 with length and a refined skill set. pic.twitter.com/79UT3K0DjA

— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) May 11, 2022

Schmitz called Jalen Williams the steal of the 2022 draft a month before the picks were in.

“Easy to see him generating substantial 1st round buzz during the pre-draft process,” Schmitz said of the 6-foot-6 prospect with a 7-foot-2 wingspan. He did exactly that and has since proven to, indeed, be the steal of that draft class.

He just seems to have a track record for being in on guys who go on to over-achieve. Schmitz is a seeker. He’ll find you a dude.

Bringing Avdija and Camara to Portland

As then-assistant GM, Schmitz theoretically had at least some input into the trade that netted the Blazers Avdija’s services in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, the 14th pick in the 2024 draft (which ended up being Bub Carrington), a 2029 first-round pick and two second-rounders. This was highway robbery.

Avdija’s jump in production during the 2025-26 season is something many predicted after a couple of seasons playing in Washington. Many Mavericks fans and analysts wished the team could have put together a package for Avdija rather than Daniel Gafford on deadline day in 2024. But Schmitz not only predicted Avdija’s ascension years earlier, he was also part of the team that put together a package to fleece the poor Wizards of the prospect he knew was about to arrive. Chess moves.

A year earlier, following Damian Lillard’s request for a trade after 11 seasons in Portland, Schmitz & Co. were still able to command a substantial haul when the Trail Blazers obliged him. They did not, in retrospect, get held over a barrel in the process. They got Deandre Ayton, Jrue Holliday and Toumani Camara, who was considered at the time something of a throw-in piece but has since developed into one of the best defensive stoppers in the league. He was a second-team All-Defensive Team selection a year ago after being drafted 52nd overall in 2023.

The Yang Hansen of it all

Schmitz’s detractors will point to his role in trading for Yang Hansen, whom the Memphis Grizzlies selected with the 16th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, as evidence that he takes too many risks on international prospects that he likes over surer shots on the draft board. Schmitz was suspended for two weeks without pay by the NBA in April after the team self-reported that Schmitz and his fellow co-general manager, Sergio Oliva, made illegal contact with Yang in 2023, two years before the youngster from China was eventually drafted by the team. The NBA also fined the Blazers $100,000 for that self-reported violation.

That deal may well go down as a mistake, but the Blazers also secured a first-round pick and two second-rounders in the deal. The jury is still out on Yang, who is just 20, by the way. The concern here is that the Mavericks don’t have a bunch of draft capital to experiment with in the next few years. They don’t fully own their first-rounders in either the 2027 or 2028 drafts.

Now that we know where the Mavs stand in the draft order, visions of trade scenarios like Yang-for-Coward will no doubt begin to dance in our collective heads? What could the Mavericks get for, say, P.J. Washington and No. 9? How far could the Mavs move up if they found someone interested in Dereck Lively II and the ninth pick?

The onus is on Ujiri and Schmitz to get it right this year. Good thing they’ve both shown a talent for wheeling, dealing and making the pieces fit.

So not much happened in official Celtics news last week. Brad Stevens gave a press conference which, while not quite promising the Wyc Grousbeckian “fireworks” of 2014 that never quite materialized, suggested that the team would be looking to address shortcomings that revealed themselves in the playoff series against Philadelphia.

On the CelticsBlog Slack, there were a host of Jaylen Brown trade scenarios pitched, along with trade scenarios for Derrick White and Sam Hauser. Jayson Tatum even made a surprise appearance.

And I had to ask myself, “Is this what other fanbases do?”

Because I didn’t particularly enjoy it.

Barring injury, the Celtics have been consistent Eastern Conference contenders for almost ten straight years now. They’ve been to the Finals twice, have won once, and have been the most consistently good team in the NBA since Danny Ainge made the widely panned moves to draft Brown and Tatum in back-to-back years.

In short, we have been spoiled. We have been very, very spoiled.

A long summer stretches out before us, with very little to engage our attention as fans. Shoot. We couldn’t even get excited about the lottery, and with the fourth best record in the league, draft chatter is going to be hard to get into, at least for me, because the farther down the draft you go, the harder it is to rank players.

There may be a consensus #1, but there is never a consensus 27^th pick, and basically the predictions at this section of the draft are white noise. This is the part of the draft where I tend to think that ‘character counts,’ and that comes down to interviews and one-on-one sessions that draft predicters aren’t part of.

For example, the Celtics apparently saw something in Baylor Scheierman that suggested he would be a far better defender than writers who focused primarily on clips of his role and style of play at Creighton for their evaluations. That ‘something’ didn’t show up on film from a program where Scheierman was asked to do very little on the defensive end of the court.

So I can’t really get into draft predictions.

The rest of the playoffs are a rather flavorless affair for me as well. Perhaps that’s a knock against me as a basketball fan. To be sure, if my Dad were still around, he’d still be watching, and my younger brothers are both still watching, but even the most amazing plays sort of stop at the back of my eyeballs when I’m watching other teams. I can appreciate good offense and good defense up to a point, but it just doesn’t move me the way watching the Celtics does.

Plus, I really don’t like the Thunder. They’ve taken the place of the Warriors as a team to dislike because of their combination of dirty play and favorable whistles. The difference is that they’ve basically ratcheted the whole thing up to eleven. Lu Dort is…well, let’s just say that he makes Draymond Green look like St. Francis of Assisi, and SGA’s whistle is not to be believed at this point in time.

As Celtics fans, we’re on the outside looking in at both sources of entertainment at this point in the season.

It’s an odd place to be.

As I said earlier, we’ve been spoiled.

Boston’s management has been rock solid—they’ve made moves when moves are necessary, they’ve drafted exceptionally well, and they’ve given us plenty to get excited about.

I’m confident that they know what they’re doing, that they—along with Mazzulla—have a pretty good idea what went wrong against Philadelphia, and they’ll find the right combination of patience and action to move the team forward for next season.

But in the meantime, we as fans have to choose between building castles in the air and twiddling our thumbs. We can either cook up crazy trade scenarios that never really pan out, or we can dive deep into the middle of this year’s draft class to see if we can suss out which player the Celtics are likely to land on with their pick, or we can basically mark time until the draft, free agency, and the summer league give us something concrete to talk about.

The C’s might make a couple trades around the draft, but the reality is that the league year ends on June 30, and the team is so dang close to the tax line that any moves they make will have to be very tightly constrained in terms of salary, and in any case, the draft is still six weeks away.

One of the weirder aspects of the abrupt end to this season is that when it comes to improving the team, we’re now talking about trading guys that we spent the past eight months cheering on.

It was a bit understandable last season when the salary cap situation meant that the C’s were going to have to part ways with a lot of money.

It’s another thing when you’re looking at a guy who deserved legit MVP consideration for what he did for the team and saying, “Yeah, but can we get Giannis if we trade him?”

This is where I have to wonder what it’s like for fans of other NBA teams that get caught in this limbo.

Do they really spend months speculating on roster moves that don’t happen and draft picks that don’t get made?

It all seems rather strange to me. Like, how do you go from rooting for Jaylen Brown to shopping him for Giannis and then, when that doesn’t pan out, back to rooting for him next season?

Perhaps I’m too wedded to the concrete, and I need to spend more time using my imagination—perhaps that’s the key to being a fan of a team that isn’t regularly a contender. Perhaps you have to have the ability to imagine your team being a contender because, in reality, they don’t have much of a shot.

That might be my problem.

I haven’t had to imagine the Celtics being contenders. They’ve just been contenders, period.

I get it, you’re still thinking about the Lakers getting swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs.

It was a valiant fight to the end, Monday’s season-ending 115-110 loss. A thriller for naught.

But now we’ve finally reached the big, beautiful offseason the Lakers have been teasing for months. This pivotal moment that’s had them hoarding assets and fencing off their financial flexibility. All but paralyzed by possibility.

Even after jogging in place all this time, they’ve finally caught up with the can they kicked down the road: All indications are that the Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is about to hit the trade market.

And the Lakers — loaded with trade ammunition and cap space and forever wishing on star players — are going to be expected to make a play.

But they should run a different play.

Read more:Lakers fight to the finish but are eliminated by Thunder

For months, they’ve been signaling as if with a searchlight how much they covet the 6-foot-11 Greek forward. So, of course, they’re going to take a run at the two-time NBA MVP, 10-time All-Star, 2021 NBA champion who will earn about $58 million next season, when the 31-year-old will expect a massive, multi-year extension.

They should run the other direction.

The Lakers have stockpiled cap space and picks — as of draft night, they’ll have 2026, 2031 and 2033 first-rounders to offer — like they’re doomsayers outfitting a bunker. If they fill all that available cap space with Antetokounmpo’s salary, they won’t be using it on LeBron James or Rui Hachimura. The Lakers likely also will have to empty their cupboard of those first-round picks.

And, yes, it would be a disaster to dedicate all of that to an aging Antetokounmpo instead of doing the work to build a suitable army of role players to take on OKC’s corps — and to orbit Doncic, the guy who the Lakers already brought in to save the days ahead.

But, wait, you say, this is the Lakers. This is stars shine here.

Sure, but what does L.A. love most? Winners.

You know what constitutes a winning formula in today’s NBA?

Depth. Athleticism. Versatility. Optionality. Think, the 2019-2020 Lakers.

You know what doesn’t win?

Imbalanced rosters. Top-heavy teams. All your dang eggs in one basket. The misfit Russell Westbrook Lakers. These 2026 three-or-D Lakers. And certainly not a flimsy, clunky Luka Doncic-and-Antetokounmpo Lakers.

Sure, those guys are great players. They could figure it out.

But would it be an optimum use of their respective talents?

In Greek: όχι. In Slovenian: Ne.

In Los Angelese: Oh, heck no.

Read more:Plaschke: For the sake of their future, Lakers should bid farewell to LeBron James

Everyone knows to get the best out of a Luka-led team, you surround him with shooters — and Antetokounmpo is 28.5% from deep for his career. But Hachimura — proven playoff riser and certified laser — is a 51.6% three-point shooter in the postseason; the better more-gifted player isn’t necessarily the better fit.

Because everyone also knows Antetokounmpo is at his best when he’s barreling toward the rim with the ball in his hands — during which time Doncic is going to be doing what? Standing in the corner, arguing with the refs?

The last time they waited to catch the big fish, he didn’t bite. Fortuitously. They missed out on injury-prone Kawhi Leonard, who chose the Clippers before the 2019-20 season and left the Lakers to scramble to assemble … a championship roster.

Around James and Anthony Davis — who, fun fact, made just $27 million that season before agreeing to a historic and more cumbersome three-year extension — the Lakers had shooters who could defend, like Danny Green. And defenders who could shoot, like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso. Length all over the court. Athleticism in the post: JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard who could play with or for AD.

It’s the blueprint OKC has been using, the same one the Lakers discarded to go big-name hunting, bringing aboard Westbrook by trading away Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and a No. 22 pick.

Talk about a brick.

Similar story in Milwaukee, where Antetokounmpo’s Bucks went all in for Damian Lillard and have nothing but failure to show for it.

So if — or, well, when — the Lakers go in mad pursuit of Giannis, I will have questions.

I’ll question why the Bucks would have the appetite to send another singular, single-name talent to L.A. after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar came and won five championships here.

I’ll question whether Giannis wants to be in L.A., our “superficial” city, as he called it.

I’ll question why the Lakers would invest so heavily on an aging, oft-injured star whose game is predicated on athleticism and not the out-of-this-world basketball IQ like 41-year-old LeBron.

And, yes, I’ll question the fit and the function and whether the Lakers have fully missed what’s been happening around them — and to them.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 4 win over the Detroit Pistons to even the series confirmed Koby Altman’s vision for the team when he made the blockbuster trade that brought James Harden to town in February.

“It’s hard being the number one option on a championship-level team,” Altman said right after the trade deadline. “The good news for him is he has another number one option right next to him.”

For the second game in a row, the Cavs showed the value of having two guys who can comfortably shift into the number one role.

There’s a trust between Mitchell and Harden that you don’t always see with superstar teammates.

Mitchell has reiterated during this playoff run that he’s more than happy to get out of the way if Harden has it going.

“With the way they’re guarding me, it’s kind of like four on four in a sense,” Mitchell said after Game 3. “They’re not leaving me so he can create the way he can. He gets in the paint, there’s no help.”

Mitchell willingly ceded control of the offense out of the gate, just as he did down the stretch on Saturday. Harden scored or assisted on Cleveland’s first 11 points, which helped them avoid digging a hole at the start of the game, as they did in their previous three games.

That was much needed on a night Mitchell struggled to get anything going early when he tried to. He compiled just four points on 1-8 shooting in the first half. Despite the strong overall start, the Cavs found themselves down by four at the break.

Mitchell determines the ceiling of this team. We’ve seen this repeatedly throughout the playoffs. The Cavs barely scraped by a Toronto Raptors team that they were far more skilled than, partially because they contained Mitchell.

“Toronto was unique in how they sold out on taking him (Mitchell), and James away,” Cavs’ head coach Kenny Atkinson said before Game 4. “Detroit has a little more comfort in their base defense and what they do.”

Mitchell made a compelling argument that the Pistons should shift out of their base defense.

Mitchell’s game is predicated on getting into the paint. He scored the first five points of the third quarter by getting to his floater in the lane, finding a rhythm he wasn’t able to discover in the first half. And once he gets the defense on its back foot, the outside shot opens up.

A three off a Harden assist, a pull-up triple, and then a step-back with his foot on the line took Mitchell’s strong start to the quarter into the stretch that essentially ended the game.

This all led to a 22-0 run for the Cavs that saw them turn a four-point deficit into an 18-point advantage. Mitchell provided 15 of those 22 points during that span.

In total, Mitchell poured in 21 points on 8-9 shooting in the third quarter alone. That mark tied him with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving for the most in a quarter for a Cavalier in the postseason.

Anytime your name is mentioned with those two, you’re in pretty good company.

That impressive third-quarter run was only possible because of Cleveland’s defense, specifically Evan Mobley’s.

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year reminded everyone how impactful he can be, as he registered five blocks and three steals in what his head coach called possibly the best game he’s seen from him defensively.

Mobley has done a great job of controlling the paint and making life difficult for Detroit’s All-Star center, Jalen Duren.

This was another tough outing in what has been a rocky road for Duren. He was limited to just eight points and two rebounds on Monday.

Both Mobley and Jarrett Allen have done a good job of not ceding offensive ground to Duren. They’ve contained him in the pick-and-roll and have been physical with him when he’s gotten the ball on the block.

Limiting Duren has forced more of the scoring burden onto Cunningham’s shoulders. He wasn’t able to carry it like he needed to on a day when Cleveland’s backcourt had it going.

The Cavaliers won the possession game. They had five fewer turnovers and five more points off opponent giveaways. Additionally, they won the second-chance points battle by five.

Detroit’s two wins have come off dominating both categories. The Cavs have done a much better job of cleaning this up since the series shifted to Cleveland.

Mitchell didn’t stop with an impressive third quarter.

The onslaught continued in the fourth until he put up 43 points. His 39-second-half points tie a league record for the most points scored in a half of a playoff game.

“He’s electric,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said afterward. “You let him get going, we know what he’s capable of. He hit some tough shots, but that’s what he does.”

Part of Mitchell’s effectiveness came from his ability to get to the line. He attempted 15 free throws while the Pistons as a group took just 12. That is something Bickerstaff took issue with, calling the free-throw disparity “unacceptable.”

“Ever since coming to Cleveland, the whistle has changed,” Bickerstaff said. “There’s no way that one guy on their team shoots more free throws than our team. We’re not a settle team. We’re not a jump shooting team. We drive the ball, attack the paint. … It’s frustrating, but we can’t allow that to be the reason why [we lost]. Because we didn’t play well enough or to the best of our capabilities.”

Mitchell was on the other end of this issue earlier in this series, but has changed how he’s played since initially complaining.

“You can control what you can control,” Mitchell said. “And I can control getting downhill. Like I told y’all, I can’t say something about not getting calls and then shoot jump shots.”

Cleveland’s backcourt has done a good job of finding ways to be impactful at the same time.

Even though Harden didn’t have the same scoring numbers in the second half as he had in the first, he still was orchestrating the offense with 11 assists and finished with 25 points.

The current duo has struck a balance that Mitchell and Darius Garland weren’t able to discover.

One of the common criticisms of the Mitchell and Garland backcourt was that only one of them could be at the top of their game at a time. Something about their styles didn’t mesh as cleanly as it should’ve. While it’s true the pairing disproved some of those concerns last regular season, they were never able to actually do so in the playoffs.

Conversely, Harden and Mitchell have already shown numerous times this postseason run that they can, due to the quick chemistry they’ve developed in just three months.

“You have to learn to play together with somebody like that,” Jarrett Allen said about the current backcourt. “You have to learn how to share the ball and co-exist with two excellent players on your side. I feel like every single game, they learn something different about each other. They’re willing to take a step back and let the other one shine…it’s incredible to watch.”

The Cavs have defended their home court and have evened the series at two. Now, they need to find a way to steal at least one game in Detroit — a place they’ve melted late in the first two games.

So what’s it going to take to get it done in Game 5?

“Everything,” Mitchell said. “It’s been a hostile environment. We need each other. We’ve had two good games to build off of. … It’s going to be a lot of fun. I know we’re ready for the challenge.”

For the first time in five years, the Houston Rockets had no direct stakes in the NBA Draft Lottery.

Sure, indirectly, they’re affected by the Brooklyn Nets’ pick slipping to sixth. Rockets fans will be rooting against the Nets throughout 2026-27. Even if the league flattens the draft odds, a bleaker future for the Nets means a brighter one for the Rockets.

The Nets will likely take whoever the fifth-overall Clippers pass on between Keaton Wagler and Darius Acuff Jr. They’re both fine prospects, but they’re not on the level of an AJ Dybansta, who FanDuel has as the favorite to be taken by the Wizards (number one) at -550. Even being positioned to take Dybansta (or Cameron Boozer, or Darryn Peterson, or Caleb Wilson) would have made the Nets a more attractive destination for win-now veterans looking for a new home.

So, the Rockets did benefit from the draft. Still, it was a foreign feeling for the lottery to shake out without the Rockets’ name being called. For context, here’s the full lottery order:

1. Washington Wizards
2. Utah Jazz
3. Memphis Grizzlies
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Los Angeles Clippers (via Pacers)
6. Brooklyn Nets
7. Sacramento Kings
8. Atlanta Hawks (via Pelicans)
9. Dallas Mavericks
10. Milwaukee Bucks
11. Golden State Warriors
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Miami Heat
14. Charlotte Hornets

If you’re a pessimist, there’s a negative to be found here. The Grizzlies are likely to walk away with Boozer, and if not, they’ll land Peterson. That means there will be another team in the Rockets’ division with a young player who’d arguably be the Rockets’ crown jewel.

Moreover, the Jazz are suddenly positioned at least as well as Houston. The Clippers got exceedingly lucky here. The Western Conference is an arms race, and the Rockets had better hope they get some weapons via the Nets next summer.

In the meantime, they can still add some intriguing young players.

Rockets set to draft in second round

The Rockets have a pair of second-rounders, with the 39th and 53rd overall picks.

Does that amount to much? History says no. Still, if Rafael Stone is crafty, he can make some hay here. If there’s a guy he especially likes, he could try to package these picks to move up in the second round.

Let’s be honest: This is a side quest. The Rockets are exceedingly unlikely to bring in a franchise-altering talent in this class. Walking away with a solid role player would be a tremendous win.

It feels weird, doesn’t it?