Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we wrap our series with a shift away from the players and towards the head coach, JJ Redick.

Maybe it’s a product of the internet-fueled brain rot that distorts the passage of time these days, but it feels like five years have passed since the debates about JJ Redick’s qualifications to be an NBA head coach, spurred on by his post-playing days podcast career and never having coached at any level beyond his grade-school-aged sons’ teams.

Or maybe it’s the fact that after two full NBA campaigns under his belt, Redick has so quickly and thoroughly dismissed those concerns as irrelevant, it seems like ancient history that ever mattered in the first place.

Either way, it’s no small feat that Redick has put all of that talk behind him to the point that it is hard to imagine him doing anything else besides coaching now. Consecutive 50-win seasons and playoff appearances with home court advantage in the first round do have a way of shifting the perception of a coach under the type of scrutiny Redick was just two years ago.

The degree to which this matters at this point may not be very much at all.

After all, I think JJ would be the first to tell you that, beyond even the wins and losses, he simply wants to be judged on whether he has maximized the group of players he coaches in a specific season. But the fact that we’ve gotten to that point with Redick at all this early into his career is worth mentioning as meaningful — and the fact that this seems to be the only standard he’s being held to at all now even more so.

Yes, there have been growing pains and things have been far from perfect, but I think it’s abundantly clear now that Redick is viewed only as a coach. And, after two seasons, it’s fairly clear he’s a pretty good one.

How did he coach?

Coming off a rookie season that saw his roster upended by a franchise-altering trade, Redick’s second year was also a challenging one due to injuries and player availability impacting a roster that, even with multiple holdovers, did introduce three new rotation players, including two starters.

Whether it was LeBron missing all of training camp and the team’s first 14 games with sciatica, Austin Reaves missing substantial time with two calf strains and an oblique injury, and Luka Dončić missing the team’s final five games and the entire playoffs with a hamstring strain, Redick had to navigate a season where his best three players rarely played together and, when they did, were adjusting to the ever-shifting roles borne from that lack of shared court time.

Redick, though, handled this deftly, creating an environment where roles were backed by communication, understanding, and belief in the players’ abilities to take on whatever was put in front of them. This was exemplified both by the team’s incredible month of March and then in the team’s playoff upset of the Rockets.

In the former, a string of good health was backed by a redefined pecking order that saw Redick cater to Dončić and Reaves as his primary ball handlers and shot creators while LeBron took on a more supportive role as an off-ball worker who focused on doing more with less. Credit the players — particularly LeBron — for being able to adapt on the fly, but Redick also deserves his flowers for formulating this sort of plan and for having the wherewithal to organize the team in a way that, in one stroke, optimized the group while also diminishing the role of a player whose reputation and cachet is as substantive as LeBron’s.

And then, in the latter playoff stretch, with both Dončić and Reaves injured, Redick not only turned back to LeBron as an on-ball creator and primary leader, but crafted offensive game plans that prominently featured Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard as primary scorers and ball-handlers and defensive schemes meant to play into Houston’s lack of experience and guard play by pressuring the ball and forcing turnovers.

In essence, Redick took two totally different groups with different strengths on both sides of the ball and created environments where both experienced great success. Because this is a player’s league and the Lakers were obviously led by historically great individual players, Redick really did not get the credit he deserved in real time. But hindsight really does reveal how much of a strong coaching job the dichotomy of these two stretches required.

Overall, then, it’s more than fair to say that Redick had an excellent year coaching.

He wasn’t perfect by any means and you could certainly nitpick some of the decisions he made over the course of the year, but there were very few, if any, times where I could honestly say I didn’t understand a choice he made, even if I disagreed with it. Which, honestly, is all you can ask for from a coach as an outsider. Can this be explained rationally? If the answer is yes, you don’t have to agree.

Further, I’d argue there was a general adaptability and willingness to change course when something wasn’t working, which really mattered towards the team’s success this year.

Whether it was the aforementioned reorienting of the team’s hierarchy around Luka and Austin or the ultimate shift he made to bring Rui off the bench in favor of Smart, Redick often got to where he needed to be with this roster rather than stubbornly sticking to ideas that would have been easier to stomach politically. And while it’s fair to wonder if he could have done some of these things sooner, I think it’s more important you get there eventually — because some coaches never do.

So, credit to Redick. He still has learning and refining to do, but the trajectory he’s on is positive and I believe in where this team can go with him as the head coach.

What is his contract situation moving forward?

By all accounts, Redick is under contract for several more seasons after receiving a contract extension following his first season that reportedly tacked on two more years to what was originally a four-year deal. That would leave Redick with four years still on this deal now, which positions him well to be the Lakers’ coach for the foreseeable future.

Even beyond that contractual security, though, it is also clear that Redick has a strong relationship not only with Dončić, but with LeBron and Austin. This sort of alignment with your team’s best players can often mean more than the number of years left on your deal or even the sort of support you might have from your general manager.

Should he be back?

Unequivocally, yes. While this is clearly Luka’s team from the player side of things, Redick feels nearly as indentured as the team’s head coach. And just as the team will clearly try to acquire the sorts of players who best complement Dončić and his skill set, I also believe the team will target players who fit into how Redick wants to play while possessing the character and skill set that Redick has established as pillars for the team.

You can follow Darius on BlueSky at @forumbluegoldand find more of his Lakers coverage on the Laker Film Room Podcast.

Depending on how the board falls, Spanish guard Sergio de Larrea could be available when New York is on the clock on draft night next week. Should the Knicks consider him with their 24th or 31st selection?

The Basics

• Team: Valencia Basket (Spain’s Liga ACB)
• Position: Guard
• Height: 6’6″
• Weight: 204 lbs
• Age: 20
• 2025-26 Stats: 8.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.4 APG, 40.9% FG, 36.7% 3PT, 81.3% FT (in ACB play)
• Projected Draft Range: Late first to early second round (Picks 25–35)

The Numbers

De Larrea has built one of the cleaner international profiles heading into the 2026 NBA Draft. He played meaningful professional minutes for Valencia Basket in Spain’s ACB and a bit smaller role at the EuroLeague. In any case, he gave scouts more than a large sample against professional, older, stronger, and truly more experienced competition for the past few months.

His ACB production stands out because it came in a rotational role, with De Larrea averaging around 18 minutes per game while shooting 36.7% from three and 81.3% from the free-throw line. At the end of the day, however, this is a guard whose value is found in his passing and decision-making.

De Larrea averaged 3.6 assists per game in ACB action, showing good court vision and building him into one of the more intriguing bigger guards in the class, and the best guard outright coming from overseas. That said, De Larrea is not a high-volume scorer or explosive downhill athlete. But he has size, polish, shooting indicators, and something the Knicks might like in his professional experience, giving him a strong baseline.

Making things more intriguing is the fact that the Knicks have already been linked to him, as Jake Fischer reported New York’s interest in the Spanish guard, writing, “I’m told that the Knicks, like the Timberwolves, have interest in Spain’s Larrea.”

What Does He Do Well?

• Advanced Playmaking: De Larrea’s biggest appeal is his feel. He sees passing windows early, plays with pace, and can operate in ball-screen actions without rushing. At nearly 6’7”, he can see over smaller guards and make live-dribble reads that many late-first prospects cannot consistently make yet.
• Reliable Shooting: The shooting profile looks a bit of a work-in-progress, but his three-point shooting in ACB play, combined with his free-throw touch, gives him a strong foundation as an NBA spacer in time. He can punish defenders who go under screens, hit spot-up looks, and operate away from the ball.
• Positional Size: De Larrea has legitimate guard size. He is big enough to play next to a smaller lead guard and skilled enough to handle secondary creation duties.
• Professional Polish: He has already played in a structured European system against veteran competition, both at the domestic and continental levels. That does not guarantee immediate NBA success, as we very well know around these places, but it lowers the developmental risk compared to prospects who still need to learn some basics of the pro game.

What Are the Concerns?

• Limited Burst: De Larrea is not an explosive athlete. He does not consistently win with a lightning first step, and NBA defenders may test whether he can create separation without a screen.
• Physical Strength: He still needs to add a good deal of strength, which matters as a finisher, ball-handler under pressure, and defender against bigger NBA guards and wings.
• Defensive Ceiling: His size will help on D, but he is not a high-level defensive disruptor for now. De Larrea projects as a smart positional defender more than someone who blows up actions with elite athleticism.
• Scoring Creation: De Larrea is more of a connector than a takeover scorer. He can shoot, pass, and make smart reads, but he is unlikely to become an offensive engine.

The Knicks Fit

The Knicks enter the 2026 NBA Draft with picks No. 24, No. 31, and No. 55, and there has already been reporting that New York could look to move one of its first-rounders if only to save themselves some dough.

If the Knicks keep one of their late first-round picks, de Larrea fits the type of cost-controlled, high-IQ contributor who makes sense for a team smacked right in the middle of their contending window and coming off winning a championship. De Larrea would not need to dominate the ball at all, could play next to Brunson, splitting minutes with Deuce McBride and Tyler Kolek, and function with the second unit while honing his skillset in Tarrytown and watching from the pine most of the time.

The most obvious angle to consider regarding the little Spaniard has to do with the Knicks’ long-term roster building. If New York wants to maintain some flexibility while managing an expensive championship core, a late-first/early-second rookie who can provide guard depth on a controlled contract has real value.

NBA Comparison

• Best-Case Comparison: International Malcolm Brogdon (Steady guard who wins with strength and decision-making but lacks burst)
• Median Outcome: Tomas Satoransky (Tall European guard who can pass, organize, play on or off the ball, and survive as a rotation player without scoring that much)
• Low-End Outcome: Frank Ntilikina (Welp)

The Verdict

Pass at 24. New York may have access to higher-upside prospects, especially if someone like Meleek Thomas, Isaiah Evans, Chris Cenac Jr., or Morez Johnson Jr. slips. But at No. 31, de Larrea’s combination of size, shooting, passing, and professional polish is hard to ignore.

Think twice at 31. If Sergio de Larrea is still on the board when the Knicks pick early in the second round, he makes some sense. The Spaniard may not have star upside nor a legit role during his first days in Manhattan, but that is not necessarily what the Knicks need right now. De Larrea profiles as a smart, skilled, low-maintenance guard who can help a good team stay organized, space the floor, and develop into a reliable rotation piece. We don’t know what will happen to Deuce McBride once his deal expires, and the only long-term option at the point is Tyler Kolek. Considering de Larrea will likely be gone at No. 55, the Knicks would need to make a tough decision here.

For our other Draft Profiles, go here.

Go Knicks!

The Celtics may not be sitting still at No. 27.

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, Boston is looking to trade up in the first round of next Tuesday’s NBA Draft. The Celtics currently hold the No. 27 pick and the No. 40 pick, but Fischer reported that they have been exploring a move higher on the board.

There are two obvious ways to read that.

The first is pretty straightforward: Brad Stevens and the Celtics may have found a player they like and do not believe he’ll be there at 27. That is the normal draft-week explanation.

The louder version is the one you’re probably already sick of hearing about. We’ll get to…him…later.

Maybe the Celtics are trying to jump a few spots for a frontcourt prospect they think fits the next version of the roster. Or perhaps they’re trying to improve their draft capital before the rest of the offseason starts moving. Maybe they are doing both, because Brad Stevens has never seemed like someone who enjoys having only one door available to him.

Either way, Boston exploring a move up feels like the first move in what figures to be a busy offseason.

Who could Boston be targeting?

Henri Veesaar feels like the cleanest name to watch.

ESPN’s latest mock draft has the North Carolina big going No. 24 to the Knicks, which puts him close enough to Boston’s range for a trade-up conversation to make some sense. At 7 feet, with shooting touch and pick-and-pop potential, Veesaar checks a lot of the obvious boxes for a Celtics team still trying to solve its frontcourt issues.

A big who can keep the floor spaced, rebound enough and do more than simply occupy space would give Boston a better answer than hoping the current rotation solves itself.

Jayden Quaintance is another interesting name if the Celtics are comfortable with the medical risk tied to his knee. If Boston wants to jump higher, names like Chris Cenac Jr., Hannes Steinbach and Morez Johnson Jr. could come into play, but that would require a more aggressive move. Aday Mara is probably the dream version of the idea, though ESPN has him at No. 11, which feels like a different conversation entirely unless something much larger is about to happen.

If the Celtics stay put, Tarris Reed Jr. could still make sense as a more physical, ready-now big. But if Fischer’s report is tied to a specific frontcourt target, Veesaar is the easiest name to connect.

My big fat Greek trade rumors

You didn’t think we were getting through a Celtics offseason report without Giannis Antetokounmpo showing up, did you?

Fischer’s note also mentioned Boston as a team very much still looming in the Giannis conversation, which gives the trade-up report a second layer to consider. Moving up could be about drafting a player. It could also be about improving the quality of an asset before a larger deal takes place.

A better first-round pick is more attractive than No. 27 in almost any trade conversation with the Bucks. That does not magically make a Giannis deal realistic, simple or even likely. Nothing about acquiring a player of that caliber is ever straightforward. But if Boston is trying to keep every door open, turning No. 27 into something slightly more appealing would at least fit the larger logic of the offseason.

That is probably the cleanest way to look at this for now. The Celtics are trying to give themselves more options.

Maybe they want to move up for a big who can help answer the frontcourt question. Maybe they want a better asset before taking a bigger swing. Maybe nothing happens, because draft-week rumors have a long history of being just that: rumors.

Still, for a team with limited easy ways to improve, exploring a move up makes sense.

The Celtics can stay at No. 27 and hope the board cooperates. Or they can try to make sure it does.

We saw quite the rise in impact from Paul George through 2025-26. The season started in typical Sixers fashion, with their star wing sidelined due to injury for the first 12 games. His play from mid November to the end of January was solid, yet he only averaged 16.0 points per game in this 27-game span. Even with the arrival of VJ Edgecombe to give the team’s offense a major uplift, that’s simply not the kind of production the Sixers expect or pay for from George.

Then came the startling, embarrassing moment: George being suspended 25 games for violating the terms of the NBA’s anti-drug policy. It left him just 10 games of availability at the end of the regular season to get back into form and ramp up for the playoffs.

Yet sure enough, he did. He used the time to get right physically and came back with a clear extra spring in his step. From his first game post suspension putting up 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting with six made threes (a scoring tally he’d reached just twice in the previous 27 games), George suddenly hit a higher level than probably anyone saw coming. And he maintained it, putting together the kind of play that showed why the Sixers wanted him — and wanted to pay him star money.

George got started with 10 games to close the regular season after his return. In this stretch, he averaged 21.0 points on 47.2 percent shooting (including 41.5 from three, with his 8.2 attempts being the more notable number), 5.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists and a highly disruptive 2.2 steals per game.

The epitome of George’s performance — and what makes him more important if he can replicate it enough moving forward — was his first-round series against the Celtics. He was phenomenal at both ends of the floor, showcasing his varied offensive skillset and stellar defense against a tough Celtics squad. Like the Sixers as a whole, the steam ran out in the second round against the eventual champion Knicks. But the Celtics series was a perfect example of what George is still capable of.

Through the first round, George averaged 17.4 points on 48.9/55.0/77.8 shooting splits, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

The scoring output didn’t need to be huge with Tyrese Maxey going off and Joel Embiid dominating after his return. George was efficient in the ways he needs to be as a secondary creator and dangerous shooter, all while pairing that with sound playmaking. He reliably made crisp extra passes to keep the offense humming, and composed passes to find cutters or kick out to shooters when initiating or running pick-and-rolls.

His shooting showcase was exactly what you want to see too, with his three-point volume up at 5.7 attempts per game for the series including two games with nine attempts. Quick-trigger threes from anywhere around the arc off movement, step-backs and side-steps when in isolation, smooth pull-ups when operating in pick-and-rolls. His driving downhill still leaves something to be desired, and needs to be an area of improvement next season if he can build on this play/improved health, but everything else was on display.

George had it all going in a reminder of what he can do.

Defensively, George was everywhere. He played both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum well, using his length, physicality, sharp anticipation against drives, and improved mobility to give them trouble. From guarding effectively on the ball and breaking up passing lanes, to contesting threes or providing timely help rotations around the paint, George was brilliant in all areas defensively.

If this PG can remain healthy and consistent next season, and maybe add a bit more dynamism attacking downhill, great. A healthy offseason could help him continue this momentum. The Sixers would be a better team — and more enjoyable team — for it. But for now, there isn’t enough evidence to show that George can sustain this healthy version of himself longterm at this stage of his career. We can only wait and see if George can show up at this level more often.

Apart from that, the biggest question around George’s future is whether it takes him to a new team. With the Sixers having so much money tied up in their stars, their only real way to find some financial flexibility and add depth is by trading a contract like George’s, which owes him an eye-watering $54.12 million in 2026-27. Finding any team willing to take that much money, when he also has a $56.58 million player option for 2027-28 which he’ll certainly take at that late stage of his career, won’t be easy whatsoever.

Until we see any reports that indicate that’s actually a possibility, though, I’ll keep focused on George as a Sixer and what that could look like. Hopefully for Philly, that’s something like the version we saw in his comeback after suspension. If he can be that kind of player (emphasis on “if”), that makes the Sixers more interesting.

Pair that with continued growth from Tyrese Maxey and the flourishing Edgecombe, who’s sure to take another step to stardom in his sophomore year, and ideally any extra depth they can find in free agency, and maybe the Sixers can take a step forward from being a 45-win level team.

Health depending, of course. Because, you know… Sixers.

It’s been a long playoff run for the Knicks’ WAGs, but they surely wouldn’t have it any other way.

After a long playoff run starting in mid-April and culminating in a breathtaking NBA championship, Ali Brunson, wife of Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, unloaded her camera roll.

In a 12-picture Instagram post, Ali shared images of their goldendoodle Kona and rescue Stevie, as well as their 11-month-old baby daughter, Jordyn James Brunson.

Ali, who became a doctor of Physical Therapy in 2021, and the other Knicks WAGs have been in the news lately after James Dolan jokingly asked Knicks players to be celibate during the playoffs in a now-famous speech.

View this post on Instagram

“I had this idea that maybe you should give up sex for the next 10 weeks,” Dolan told the Knicks on April 3 before the playoffs began. “You don’t have to give up sex for the next 10 weeks, but like Spartans — do you know what Spartans are? — They denied themselves to gain an edge. Get the edge.”

Ali added pictures of the constant travel by plane she had to do as the significant other of one of the best players in the NBA.

Ali added a few behind-the-scenes pictures of her and her husband celebrating with the Larry O’Brien Trophy and the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award Trophy.

The Knicks will be partying in the streets of Manhattan on Thursday for the parade down the Canyon of Heroes, as fans get to soak in the team after it broke the franchise’s 53-year championship drought.

Every year we do a DBR Mock Draft and The 2026 version is complete, with Jason Evans as Commissioner and @-jk, @CDu, and @brevity deputized to run things in his absence. Notable picks including AJ Dybantsa to Washington, Darryn Peterson to Utah, and Cameron Boozer to Memphis. Fellow Blue Devils Isaiah Evans and Maliq Brown were also selected.

Here is the draft order and the GMs who signed up for each team/pick.Keep an eye on Stickdog!

FIRST ROUND
1. Washington (@coldriver10): AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU
2. Utah (@kinghoops): Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas 
3. Memphis (@pfrduke): Cameron Boozer, F, Duke
4. Chicago (@CDu): Caleb Wilson, F, UNC
5. LA Clippers (@brevity): Cameron Carr, G, Baylor
6. Brooklyn (@Daddylawman): Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois 
7. Sacramento (@toughbuff1): Darius Acuff Jr, G, Arkansas 
8. Atlanta (@JasonEvans): Aday Mara, C, Michigan 
9. Dallas (@JNort): Mikel Brown Jr, G, Louisville
10. Milwaukee (@DukeFan1986 defaults, now @phaedrus): Kingston Flemings, G, Houston 
11. Golden State (@stickdog): Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan
12. Oklahoma City (@accfanfrom1970): Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington
13. Miami (@tommy): Morez Johnson Jr, F, Michigan
14. Charlotte (@roywhite): Jayden Quaintance, F, Kentucky 
15. Chicago (@CDu): Dailyn Swain, G/F, Texas
16. Memphis (@pfrduke): Brayden Burries, G, Arizona 
17. Oklahoma City (@accfanfrom1970): Nate Ament, F, Tennessee 
18. Charlotte (@roywhite): Chris Cenac Jr, F/C, Houston 
19. Toronto (@jam): Labaron Philon Jr, G, Alabama 
20. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara
21. Detroit (@scottdude8): Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke
22. Philadelphia (@TheBrianZoubekExperience): Henri Veesaar, C, UNC
23. Atlanta (@JasonEvans): Christian Anderson Jr, G, Texas Tech 
24. New York (@Billy Dat): Zuby Ejiofor, F, St. John’s
25. LA Lakers (@Whutadrag): Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State
26. Denver (@Kdogg): Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa
27. Boston (@Furniture): Koa Peat, F, Arizona 
28. Minnesota (@pokeresq defaults, now @phaedrus): Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas
29. Cleveland (@MrJeffSchwartz0): Luigi Suigo, C, Mega
30. Dallas (@JNort): Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers

SECOND ROUND
31. New York (@Billy Dat): Trevon Brazile, F, Arkansas
32. Memphis (@pfrduke): Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford 
33. Brooklyn (@Daddylawman): Pavle Backo, C, Mega
34. Sacramento (@toughbuff1): Baba Miller, F, Cincinnati 
35. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Tarris Reed Jr, C, Connecticut 
36. LA Clippers (@brevity): Maliq Brown, F, Duke
37. Oklahoma City (@accfanfrom1970): Sergio de Larrea, G, Valencia
38. Chicago (@CDu): Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia
39. Houston (@godins): Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston
40. Boston (@Furniture): Tobias Jensen, G, Ratiopharm Ulm
41. Miami (@tommy): Nick Boyd, G, Wisconsin
42. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Alex Karaban, F, Connecticut
43. Brooklyn (@Daddylawman): Braden Smith, G, Purdue
44. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Ryan Conwell, G, Louisville 
45. Sacramento (@toughbuff1): Jack Kayil, G, Alba Berlin
46. Orlando (@House P): Quadir Copeland, G, NC State
47. Phoenix (@powellhill1981): Tobi Lawal, F, Virginia Tech
48. Dallas (@JNort defaults, now @AGDukesky): Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona 
49. Denver (@Kdogg): Dillon Mitchell, F, St. John’s 
50. Toronto (@jam): Felix Okpara, F, Tennessee
51. Washington (@coldriver10): Milos Uzan, G, Houston
52. LA Clippers (@brevity): Tyler Bilodeau, F, UCLA
53. Houston (@godins): Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky
54. Golden State (@stickdog): Richie Saunders, G, BYU
55. New York (@Billy Dat): Nick Townsend, F, Yale
56. Chicago (@CDu): Jaden Henley, G, Grand Canyon
57. Atlanta (@JasonEvans): Tyler Nickel, G/F, Vanderbilt 
58. New Orleans (@pcal6vb): Tobe Awaka, F, Arizona
59. Minnesota (@pokeresq defaults, now @AGDukesky): Izaiyah Nelson, F, South Florida
60. Washington (@coldriver10): Keyshawn Hall, F, Auburn

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The New York Knicks are so good that they attended France’s World Cup game on Tuesday…

…and got a louder ovation than anyone kicking rocks on the turf of MetLife New York New Jersey Stadium.

Here’s a very mixed-up Bulletin as we keep waiting for the most anticipated parade ever.

Karl-Anthony Towns

On meeting Patrick Ewing after winning the title:

“It was so amazing to see how this win healed so many people in New York, fan-wise and even to the alumni, and Patrick. When I hugged Patrick, it was like he finally was able to exhale and see a trophy in a Knicks jersey.”

On seeing Ewing with the trophy:

“To finally be able to see that Larry O’Brien in [Ewing’s] hands and not in Michael Jordan’s and all these other people’s hands, I mean, there was just so much healing that I was stunned. I didn’t realize how impactful it really is, and I still honestly don’t think I understand the true magnitude of what we’ve done.”

On the many generations of Knicks fans enjoying this championship:

“You never realize a little kid watched the Knicks play, win a championship with his father, and now he’s the one with his son celebrating the same moment that him and his father.”

On the Knicks’ resilience being key for the title win:

“I think it’s also not just the culture of our team, but the culture of New York City. When you live here in New York City, you have to understand that with a lot of things that happen, and the tides will change quickly. So, for us, just to continue to stay focused, stay disciplined, and continue to appreciate.”

On the Knicks leaving no question unanswered this postseason:

“To win, it’s so difficult just to make it to the conference finals, but it’s a whole another level of difficulty to win the conference final, and then obviously when you’re in the finals, it’s even another level. I just learned a lot about our team, learned a lot about ourselves. There were always questions about all of us, whether our character, our personality, or if we had the mental strength to actually make it happen. I think we answered.”

On his teammates’ contributions through the championship run:

“I could go down the list from everybody on the team. Everyone has such a big part in this season’s success.”

On the title being a healing experience:

“What was so special about this — and I didn’t realize this until after the win — was how much healing that win would do for all of New York City, from the fans to the alumni to even for us as the players in our personal lives. It was a healing experience.”

On James Dolan’s pre-playoff speech:

“I knew the team that [Dolan] was telling that to would hear it because we were all on our first opportunity at an NBA championship, especially after last year, when we didn’t get to see the NBA Finals.”

On confidence and criticism:

“I never needed people’s vindication to feel good about myself. My confidence is built in the work. My confidence is built in the gym in the long hours that no one can see.”

On who the real Knicks celebs are:

“In my mind, the real celebrities are the ones in the 200’s and the nosebleeds.”

Miles McBride

On attending World Cup games:

“Even the guys that like don’t like soccer, like they’re watching too, and they’re like enjoying it because like I think as competitors and athletes, you see how hard they’re playing, and then you start seeing the atmosphere, and it’s a beautiful game too, and I think we just appreciate that.”

James Dolan

On the firing of Tom Thibodeau:

“We changed coaches at the end of last season because we believed that you, the players, and the rest of the organization, needed to be heard. Needed to work together. Needed to be heard. Not just led or dictated to.

“And Coach Thibs was a great coach. Brilliant. But we thought you needed a coach that would pull you together. That would have you playing as a team. And although that’s not been perfect, we believe that together, a joint effort, would be better. Would give us a shot at winning a championship — rather than relying on one person’s opinion.

“And that’s the team we have now. We believe that instead of relying on the coach that you would discipline each other, that you talk to each other, that you would figure out how to play together with each other. And that was stronger than just hearing that from one voice.”

Mike Breen

On the Knicks and their fans:

“It’s a team that pretty much the entire city gets behind and it’s a team that has struggled for so long. But the fans never went away even in the rough years and there were many rough years as we all know so to go from that and stick with them through thick and through thin and see not only a team that have success but a team that that is such representative of the city and the kind of people that you want they’re such high character individuals they’re all about the team the way they carry themselves that’s a big part of it as well and then when you have your star player be the kind of young man that Jalen Brunson is from a player to his toughness to his will of never giving up to overcoming all the yeah he’s good but stuff that’s an important factor as well.”

On Jalen Brunson’s coachability:

“I said this the other day and it might sound a little corny but Brunson has all these these different characteristics that you want in your star player, that you want in your franchise player. One that that sometimes goes underrated he’s extremely coachable. Even at this level, he’s extremely coachable and that’s huge for a team to come together because if if the rest of the team sees okay this guy’s taken some some guff from the coach and and the coach gets on him not just the head coach but of course the assistant namely one Rick Brunson yes then then we can do it too so you put it all together and it just it becomes something really magical and that’s that’s what we always hope for that’s the long long-term dream when we start rooting for a team to have a team like this.”

Jay Wright

On Villanova’s pride in the Knicks’ title:

“I know they waited 53 years. I think they might have a little bit more pent-up excitement. But in terms of pride, no one could be more proud of their guys than we all are at Villanova, than I am.”

On Brunson, Hart and Bridges:

“They did the same thing in Villanova. They’re really unique young men. And I just sat back and watched on this one. I feel like a proud papa.”

Luka Doncic

On Jalen Brunson’s championship in New York:

“First of all, he’s a great guy. He has a winner mentality that makes him different from other players. We talk all the time. We talked before the last game. I said you’ve got one more, and of course, after he won, I congratulated him on the title.”

Allen Iverson

On Jalen Brunson’s championship:

“Congratulations Lil Big Man!! If you think you can, you’re right. If you think you can’t, you’re right.”

Mark Cuban

On why he let Jalen Brunson leave Dallas:

“It was really, really simple. We didn’t see JB, as what he would become.”

On Brunson’s development not fitting the Mavs timeline:

“He showed that star potential when Luka [Doncic] got hurt, and he won those games against Utah for us, but we were trying to get a star to put next to Luka, and JB’s star had not risen yet.”

Robert Horry

On the Spurs’ decision not to shake hands after the Finals loss:

“People get mad at athletes when they don’t shake hands. You go back, and you start like the 2000s back. Nobody shake hand. We didn’t care. We lost, we don’t want to talk to you. People like, ‘Well, that’s just not sportsmanly.’ Dude, I am mad in the moment that I got my a** whooped. I ain’t trying to be friends with nobody who kicked my a**. So, I don’t understand when everybody that’s never played a sport gets so upset. ‘Oh, you didn’t shake my hand.’ I just lost. I don’t want to talk right now. That’s even after games. They tell us in the locker room to take a minute before you speak because you don’t want to speak out of anger. And so, when guys shake hands, I’m cool if they don’t shake hands. I’m cool they do shake. But me, I ain’t shake your hand. I’m mad. I walked off the court.”

Draymond Green

On the Spurs walking off after Game 5:

“They walked off. That was disappointing. Bit disappointing. The reason it was disappointing is because when you go mano a mano, toe to toe, blow for blow with a team, and they get the better of you, those that become champions, look them in their eyes and say, ‘Respect, congratulations, well deserved.’ And then you go to the locker room.”

On how champions handle defeat:

“That’s what those that become champions do. If you leave the court and you don’t look me in my face and I just beat you, I actually know that I own you forever because you couldn’t even look me in the face. And so to see them walk off the court, it was disheartening. I’ll blame it on youth. I’ll blame it on lacking the leader to show them that, ‘Hey, this is what you do, not walk off.’ I blame it on that.”

Fat Joe

On what he learned from the Knicks’ title:

“The lesson is, you can’t buy a championship. You can’t waltz, you can’t get lucky. You’ve got to earn your way to a championship.”

On James Dolan’s apology to NYK fans:

“And it’s just like when we won, Mr. [James] Dolan gave that speech where he was like, ‘I’m sorry, New York, I was trying,’ you know, ‘I’m sorry it took so long to win this chip.’ That’s how hard it is to be a champion. You’ve got to beat the very, very best.”

On Knicks fans traveling during the playoffs:

“But I want to thank everybody, man, for fighting hard — and the fans, man, we went out there. We went to Cleveland. We went to Atlanta. We went to San Antonio. I mean, by the thousands. There was so many New York fans all over. I like to think we willed them some way or another. We willed them. Like, whenever they had doubts, or whenever it was down, we was like, yeah, let’s go.”

On the celebrations in New York:

“These scenes in New York City will never get replaced.”

David Tyree

On where OG’s tip-in ranks in New York sports history:

“I’m No. 1. I’ll let everybody else argue. I would give him No. 2 because I’m a Knicks fan, it’s not even a shadow of a doubt. It’s No. 2 for me. The argument for me is it’s the Super Bowl, undefeated Patriots. What makes OG No. 2 is you talk about the drought the Knicks had been in. That’s what makes this massively over other moments. It’s a stand-alone reality, what basketball means to New York City, what the Knicks mean to New York City.”

On comparing the two iconic moments:

“When you’re talking about football and beating an undefeated Patriots team that’s still looked at as a top 10 NFL team of all time, there’s probably more narratives in our Super Bowl.”

On OG Anunoby’s legacy:

“Yes, absolutely, the scale of which, I don’t know, he’s got a good amount of basketball in front of him. He’s earned that, especially in relation to what the Knicks mean to New York City. He has earned his lore, he has earned his folklore.”

On Brunson and Anunoby’s roles:

“Brunson is the Eli of the story and OG is the Tyree of the story.”

Geno Smith

On the Knicks inspiring the Jets:

“I think that’s a special thing, to see the energy and just how devoted the fans are to the team and the city.”

On the added motivation:

“It gives us a little bit of added motivation. We’re motivated already, but, man, just watching those guys win that championship, it has to do something for you as a competitor.”

On New York City’s title celebrations:

“Just seeing just the energy of the city and how the fans are just so happy and excited, to have those bragging rights to be the NBA champion and for that to be at home in New York, I think that’s a special thing, to see the energy and just how devoted the fans are to the team and to the city.”

On the impact of the championship on the Jets:

“It gives us a little bit of added motivation. We’re motivated already, but man, just watching those guys win their championship, it’s gotta do something to you as a competitor.”

Breece Hall

On congratulating Tyler Kolek:

“I went to eat wings with Tyler the other day in the city — we were watching UFC fights — and I congratulated him and I’m like, ‘I can’t wait to have that feeling.’”

On positive jealousy:

“So there’s definitely positive jealousy because I want my team to be able to do that as well.”

On seeing the Knicks win:

“I was just talking to some of my boys — it gives you, like, positive jealousy.”

On Mikal Bridges and Tyler Kolek:

“It’s like damn, like I’m very cool with Mikal [Bridges], Tyler Kolek, a lot of those guys, so I was just like, ‘Bro, that’s so lit.’”

On wanting the same feeling:

“I went to eat wings with Kolek the other day in the city and we were watching UFC fights and I congratulated him and I’m just like, ‘I can’t wait to have that feeling.’ So definitely positive jealousy ’cause it’s like I want my team to be able to do that as well. It’s definitely very cool to see.”

On attending Game 5:

“It was crazy. Most of the arena was Knicks fans anyway so I had a suite with some of my boys. I got to chill with Jaxson Dart so me and him got really well acquainted and now we’re really cool, super cool dude. We were there just as fans of another New York team and just cheering the guys on, and after the game went and dapped everybody up.”

Zohran Mamdani

On handing out free tickets to the championship parade:

“From packed watch parties in our parks to joyous celebrations that spilled out onto our streets, this championship belongs to New York City. The Knicks brought together New Yorkers from every borough and every walk of life. That’s why we’re making these tickets free and accessible — so working-class people have a chance to be part of this historic moment and celebrate the team that brought a championship home.”

On the Knicks’ meaning to New York City:

“The Knicks belong to New York City. And this championship belongs to the people who waited 53 years for it.”

As I begrudgingly watched the NBA Playoffs after the Houston Rockets embarrassing effort against the Los Angeles Lakers, it became more and more clear to me that the words 0f the former football coaching legend Bill Parcels were spot on. He once famously said, “You are what you record says you are.”

While the Rockets won 52 games for the second consecutive season, that record was only good enough to put them in the fifth seed in the Western Conference. No one would argue honestly that they were contenders after watching their Round 1 exit. This became clearer after watching both the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks in the Finals.

It’s not as much a talent discrepancy as it is a skillset and structure discrepancy… The Spurs have a plethora of guards, the Knicks gave multiple guards, the Rockets have three guards. Reed Sheppard, Aaron Holiday, and Fred VanVleet. Of those three players, none of them are top tier at creating their own shot, and none of them is taller than 6-feet 2-inches. Of the three, I guess we can call Reed Sheppard the most consistent shooter, but it would be hard to label any of them as consistent.

When it comes to the offensive structure of the teams in the Finals, I watched two teams that were not perfect by any means, but teams that moved the basketball, had players moving without the ball, and with the exception of the Knicks occasionally allowing Capt. Clutch put on his cape in critical moments in the games, there wasn’t a lot of standing around and watching iso ball. If you watched the Rockets this season, then you know there were times that it looked like the Rockets don’t even practice offense. This was especially the case when Kevin Durant was out with injury in the playoffs.

Rockets fans have to ask themselves if at the age of 32 and coming off of a torn ACL is the 6-foot Fred VanVleet going to be enough to transform this team into a high-powered offense? While there is no doubt he will add more structure to the offense, the real issue is he can only contribute to the structure of the offense to the extent that a structure has been put in place by the head coach, and this leads me to what I believe is the biggest shortcoming the Rockets have in comparison to the teams we saw not just in the Finals, but even in the semi-finals.

I watched the New York Knicks fall down double digits in every game of the NBA finals, and I watched Mike Brown and his staff be able to find adjustments that worked. Yes, the Knicks, Spurs, Thunder, and Cavs all had game-plans and looked as if they actually practiced said game-plans ahead of time, but they also were able to deviate from the plan when it wasn’t working, Additionally, when Mike Brown realized that against conventional thought, Jose Alvarado and Jalen Brunson were actually working well on the floor together, he stuck with it and the Knicks made one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history because of it.

Are any of us convinced that Ime Udoka would have sacrificed the defense of one of his main rotation pieces, regardless of how atrocious they were playing offensively, in return for a guy who got hot off the bench? No, in the Rockets scenario their “Jose Alvarado” would be Reed Sheppard, and the role of Josh Hart would be Tari Eason. We were getting Tari Eason no matter how poorly he was playing and no matter how well Sheppard was playing, nearly the entire season.

In Udoka’s defense, that’s probably the right move in most situations when everything is going as planned, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. Sometimes the Spurs decide they are going to put Wembanyama on Amen Thompson to try and bother him with his length, and instead of having him stand on the perimeter while watching Durant or Sengun go iso on someone, or having Amen go iso against a 7-ft 4-inch extra-terrestrial, you have him set some screens and roll to the basket, or free up Sengun, or Sheppard, or KD with those screens for better looks at the basket? I don’t really know because I’m not the coach of an NBA team, but I do know you don’t keep slamming your head into the wall and wonder why you’re concussed.

One of the most telling things about the Rockets organization, as currently constructed, I observed at a game I saw in person this past season. March 5th versus the Golden State Warriors. My wife and I were invited to watch the game from a suite, which is now my absolute favorite way to watch at Toyota Center now. If you know, you know, but I digress. We both felt really good about the Rockets chances going into the game relatively healthy against a Warriors team that featured no Steph, no Jimmy Buckets, no Porzingis, no GP3, and no Moses Moody. That confidence was massively displaced. The Rockets lost in overtime 115-113, but the score did not indicate how troubling the loss was.

What stood out to me immediately was that the Golden State Warriors play the exact same way regardless of who is on the court. The result is not always the same, but they play the exact same way when Brandon Podziemski or DeAnthony Melton are running the point-guard position as they do when Steph Curry is there. Ball movement, off-ball screens, player movement, running players off multiple screens, penetration into the paint and kick-out to shooters… It looks the exact same because it’s a system. The Rockets defense chased them around all game long and were behind most of the game. The difference in the game? Stop me if you have heard it… Lack of execution down the stretch in crucial moments. One might ask is it lack of execution, or was it lack of a system to execute?

Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, I want to be very clear. Not all hope is lost for the Rockets, but they have a lot of work to do. For staters, building the roster in a way that allows you to not have to reinvent the wheel whenever a player is out. Having a system that becomes second nature to those in it so that players are playing and not thinking. Coaching that isn’t too stubborn to admit something isn’t working and make a change to what is working on that particular night. Once the Rockets have that then they can focus on gaining the mental toughness required to go through the gauntlet of the Western Conference to even have the chance at an NBA title. Even then, that will only make you a contender, it doesn’t guarantee that they will win it all with the likes of OKC and San Antonio still here and steadily rising. It would however mean that the Rockets would be close, which they are far from at this time.

The Warriors possess the No. 11 pick in this month’s NBA draft.

Who they pick with their highest selection since 2021 could hold the cards to not only the final years of Steph Curry’s career, but the future direction of the franchise.

This week, we are profiling five possible prospects GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. could target.

Starting with Part 1:

Yaxel Lendeborg

Age: 24

Position: Forward

Height/weight: 6-9 / 240

School: Michigan

Why he’s a fit

The Warriors are looking for a player who can impact winning from the get-go, and who better than a consensus All-American from the national champs?

Lendeborg is the prototypical Steve Kerr draft prospect: A four-year college player, a hard-nosed defender and an offensive connector.

He averaged 14.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks after transferring to Michigan, where he became the first Wolverine since Juwan Howard to score 20 points in three straight NCAA tournament games while leading a national title run.

Before arriving at Michigan, Lendeborg was a two-time American Conference defensive player of the year and all-conference honoree at UAB. He tested the draft waters last year but opted for the transfer portal instead, telling the Associated Press that he turned down a $7-9 million offer from Kentucky for a reported $5 million NIL deal at Michigan.

The experience provided Lendeborg more than a big stage and a big payday.

“This year at Michigan was pretty much trial and error with everything I did — press conferences, post games,” he told Mavs.com at the draft combine last month. “I’ve learned what to say, what I can’t say, actions that I can’t do.”

Simply put: Lendeborg is as polished of a final product the Warriors will find at No. 11.

Why he’ll last until No. 11

Lendeborg took a circuitous path to becoming the oldest prospect likely to be taken in the lottery. He didn’t start playing organized basketball until he was 15 years old.

He was cut from his high school team because of poor academics and started his college career at Arizona Western — a JuCo — before beginning his climb up the ranks at UAB.

His age means NBA teams may project a lower ceiling, but Lendeborg could also be seen as a late bloomer whose relative inexperience gives him more room to grow.

NBA comp: OG Anunoby

Lendeborg is slightly undersized for an NBA big man but makes up for it with the largest wingspan-to-height ratio in the draft class — measuring nearly 7-foot-4.

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Rumored Warriors trade target Trey Murphy III reportedly could be more available originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

One longtime rumored Warriors target could be available this offseason.

No, not the superstar in Milwuakee. And no, not the veteran stars in Los Angeles.

Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, who Golden State reportedly has had interest in over the past two years, could be a more realistic option this offseason with New Orleans, who does not own its first-round pick, potentially looking to jump into the first round, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported in a story published Wednesday, citing league sources.

“New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III could be more obtainable in this transaction cycle, league sources said,” Slater wrote. “Murphy is a player the Warriors front office has circled for years as a prime wing who fits a need, the [Steve] Kerr system and, at 25, accomplishes the goal of getting younger.

“The Pelicans have clung to him tightly, but league sources said New Orleans has been signaling a desire to jump into the first round of next week’s draft. The Warriors have the 11th pick and control of their future firsts.”

New Orleans traded its first-round pick this year to the Atlanta Hawks in a draft-night deal last year to move up from pick No. 23 to 13 and select center Derik Queen.

In 66 games last season, Murphy averaged a career-high 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game on 47-percent shooting from the field and 37.9 percent from 3-point range.

The 25-year-old’s trade value could be at an all-time high, so if New Orleans is open to dealing him, it likely will cost the Warriors a significant package of current and future assets.

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Wolves fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

As the NBA Draft draws near, I thought it would be fun to go on a little journey. I had no idea it would take me to the corners of Basketball Reference and NBA dot com, spending countless hours mining data, comparing players and eras, and learning more about the vast 80-year history of the NBA. What started as a stroll through previous drafts to answer my own simple question became a maniacal quest that has eaten up weekends. But it’s 111° outside, so I ain’t going out there.

Every now and then, I like to disappear down a basketball rabbit hole. The last time I did that, it turned into an entire book as I explored the Phoenix Suns All-Time Pyramid.

This time, I figured I’d create something I can keep coming back to for years. Whenever the draft season rolls around, and the Phoenix Suns find themselves selecting at a particular spot, I always wonder the same thing: What’s the ceiling of that pick? Who is the best player ever selected there? And so begins my adventure to answer these questions.

The Suns aren’t often drafting first overall. In fact, they’ve only done it once in franchise history, which is 1.7% of the time if you include the 2026 NBA Draft. Considering they don’t control many of their own future first-round picks, there’s a good chance we’ll continue seeing them draft from some interesting positions over the coming years. Perhaps they’ll do something they’ve never done: make a draft selection at 41, 37, 26, 12, or 3. After all, if everything holds true, the Suns will be selecting at 47th overall for the first time ever.

Understanding who might be available at a given draft slot is important. Having historical context is fun too. So with that in mind, I decided to put together a list of the best players ever drafted at every draft position in NBA history. All of them. One through 60.

What follows is a six-part series in which I work through every draft slot and make the case for who I believe is the greatest player selected at that position. In the same breath, I’m dishing out some Suns history lessons as well, as we explore everyone the Suns drafted at that position.

There will be plenty of subjectivity involved. There will be bias. There will certainly be some personal attachment to a few players along the way. And in some cases, there simply won’t be many strong options. Once you get into the back half of the second round, NBA history becomes a strange place. Many of those selections were international prospects who never came over, players who spent their careers overseas, or players who never appeared in an NBA game.

That’s part of what makes this exercise interesting. Some picks are loaded with Hall of Famers. Others feel like a scavenger hunt. Either way, the goal is the same: To identify the best player ever selected at every draft position and create a reference point for future draft nights.

So with that, let’s begin the countdown. From 60 to 1. The best player from every draft slot in NBA history.

60. Michael Cooper (1978)

Honorable Mentions:

• Isaiah Thomas (2011)
• Drazen Petrovic (1986)

Suns Taken at 60:

• Ronnie Robinson (1973)*
• Dwayne Collins (2010)**

*opted to stay in the ABA
**pick acquired from Cleveland for Shaquille O’Neal

How did the Showtime Lakers become so successful? They made all the right moves, which included drafting Michael Cooper with the 60th overall pick in the third round of the 1978 draft. Sure, you can appreciate that Isaiah Thomas was a two-time All-Star and that Drazen Petrovic, a Hall of Famer (the only Hall of Famer drafted 60th), averaged 15.4 points in his tragically shortened NBA career. But Michael Cooper was a five-time NBA champion who played a major role on those teams.

Cooper didn’t do it on the offensive end, where the team was revolutionary. No, he was the steadying wing defender that allowed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to be so effective on the interior. Cooper won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 1987 and was an 8-time All-Defensive Team recipient. Not bad for someone drafted 60th.

59. Pat Cummings (1978)

Honorable Mentions:

• Jimmy Black (1978)

Suns Taken at 59:

• Matt Gantt (1972)
• John Campbell (1980)*
• Murray Jarman (1984)
• DJ Strawberry (2007)
• George King (2018)**

*pick acquired from Washington for Steve Malovic
**pick acquired from Toronto for PJ Tucker

Wow. 1978, a great year for late-round talent, eh? Well, not really.

The 59th pick has generated a deeper collection of players who carved out meaningful professional careers, just not in the NBA. While it has not produced a Hall of Fame-caliber NBA player, it has produced an NBA All-Star, multiple long-term starters, championship contributors, and several international legends.

The Milwaukee Bucks selected Pat Cummings 59th overall in 1978 and set in motion a solid NBA career that would last 12 seasons. The 6’9” power forward from the University of Cincinnati would play 683 games in the NBA, starting 308. He did so for the Bucks, Mavericks, Knicks, Heat, and Jazz. He averaged 9.6 points and 5.6 rebounds. These ain’t numbers that jump off the screen, but at pick 59, I’d taken them. I’d take Cimmings’ longevity and productivity, especially in an era in which he was drafted in the 3rd round.

58. Kurt Rambis (1980)

Honorable Mentions:

• Ned Twyman (1961)
• Henry Bibby (1972)
• Earl Cureton (1979)

Suns Taken at 58:

• Rich Jones (1969)*
• Randy Allan (1974)
• Sam McCants (1975)

*opted to stay in the ABA

“Rambo”, who played for the Phoenix Suns from 1989 to 1992, is yet another late-round steal that assisted in fortifying the Showtime Lakers run. With his iconic goggles and non-stop hustle, Rambis helped the Lakers win 4 championships in the 80s, with his best postseason run being in the 1985 playoffs. He started 19 games for Los Angeles, doing so alongside Magic Johnson, Byron Scott, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He essentially was the Lakers’ Dillon Brooks of the time.

He’d play 14 years in the NBA, doing so with the Lakers, Hornets, Suns, and Kings. While he had numerous memorable moments, none was more memorable than being clotheslined by Kevin McHale in the highly physical 1984 NBA Finals.

“I would probably be in jail right now if I had been able to do what I wanted to do after he upended me because I was going after him,” Rambis told Michael Cooper in a 2022 podcast interview. “If you look at the tape, I was headed right towards him. Worthy pushes me into the reporters, I ended up falling down, and Larry Bird ends up helping me up. By then, I was too tired to do anything else.”

57. Manu Ginboli (1999)

Honorable Mentions:

• Marcin Gortat (2005)
• Frank Brickowski (1981)

Suns Taken at 57:

• Marcin Gortat (2005)*
• Emir Preldzic (2009)**
• Alex Oriakhi (2013)***

*traded to Orlando for future considerations
**player rights sold to Cleveland
***traded to Sacramento for Isaiah Thomas

Noticing a trend early in this series? Great teams (and Suns’ rivals) have done a stellar job hitting on late-round draft picks. And while the Suns drafted Marcin Gortat in 2005, they traded him to Orlando on draft night. The Spurs? They certainly didn’t trade a man who would come to live in the Suns’ side for 16 years, Manu Ginobili.

Manu was drafted by the Spurs in 1999, but he continued to play abroad, in Lega Basket and the EuroLeague, for three seasons before joining the Spurs in 2002. He entered the NBA as a polished 25-year-old player and instantly made an impact. 4th in Rookie of the Year voting, 3rd in Sixth Man of the Year voting in year 2, and an All-Star in year 3.

Manu was a four-time champion as he played his entire career with the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 13.3 points while coming off the bench for 67% of his career. He was a two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA Team recipient, and won Sixth Man of the Year in 2008. He is easily the best player drafted 57th overall, and it’s not even close.

56. Amir Johnson (2005)

Honorable Mentions:

• Ramon Sessions (2007)
• Mickey Johnson (1974)

Suns Taken at 56:

• Jerry Everett (1985)
• Chris Carr (1995)
• Kevin McCullar, Jr. (2024)*

*draft rights traded to New York for Oso Ighodaro

We’re still navigating the back end of the draft, so every now and then, we’re going to run into players we aren’t overly familiar with. As I worked through the research and compared careers, Amir Johnson emerged as the clear choice at No. 56.

Selected by the Detroit Pistons, Johnson carved out a long, productive NBA career. Across 14 seasons with the Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, and Philadelphia 76ers, he averaged 7.0 points and 5.4 rebounds while appearing in 870 games. Not bad for the 56th pick.

The 6’9” big man entered the NBA directly out of high school and built a reputation as a dependable, available contributor. During the 2009-10 season with Toronto, he appeared in all 82 games. Years later, he started nine of Boston’s 14 playoff games during the Celtics’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017.

Johnson was never a star. He was never the face of a franchise. He wasn’t carrying the torch for anyone. What he was, however, was exactly what teams hope to find late in the second round: a reliable NBA player who sticks around for more than a decade and consistently provides value. When you’re evaluating the 56th pick, that’s the standard. And Amir Johnson set it.

55. Luis Scola (2002)

Honorable Mentions:

• Patty Mills (2009)
• Larry Brown (1963)

Suns Taken at 55:

• Kenny Gattison (1986)
• Rodney Johns (1988)

Luis Scola, who spent the 2012-13 season with the Phoenix Suns, was another example of an international prospect choosing to continue his career overseas before eventually making the jump to the NBA.

It was also clear that the San Antonio Spurs had their finger on the pulse of Argentine basketball, as they were the team that originally selected Scola in the 2002 NBA Draft. Rather than joining the NBA immediately, Scola remained overseas until 2007. By the time he was ready to make the jump, his draft rights had been traded to the Houston Rockets.

The move worked out well for Houston. Scola became a steady and productive contributor for five seasons with the Rockets. He played all 82 games in three consecutive years, finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in 2007-08, and earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Eventually, Houston waived him, and he landed in Phoenix. In his lone season with the Suns, Scola once again appeared in all 82 games before being traded to the Indiana Pacers for Gerald Green, Miles Plumlee, and a 2014 first-round pick.

Now, this one was close. Patty Mills has a very legitimate case to be considered the best player ever selected 55th overall. He won a championship with the Spurs and played 16 seasons in the NBA. But this is where a little subjectivity enters the equation. And maybe a little bias, too.

Perhaps the fact that Scola spent time in Phoenix and that I genuinely enjoyed watching him play influences the decision. That’s part of the fun of an exercise like this. Not every selection is determined solely by accolades and championships. Sometimes, a personal connection serves as the tiebreaker.

And in this case, that tiebreaker pushes Luis Scola to the top of the list at No. 55.

54. Sam Mitchell (1985)

Honorable Mentions:

• Mark Blount (1997)
• Shake Milton (2018)
• Shandon Anderson (1996)

Suns Taken at 54:

• Bayard Forrest (1975)
• Byron Wilson (1993)
• Alec Peters (2017)

Sam Mitchell has an interesting story. He was selected 54th overall in the 1985 NBA Draft, a third-round pick of the Houston Rockets. The Rockets ultimately cut him, which wasn’t uncommon for players drafted that late at the time. So Mitchell took a different path. He headed to the Continental Basketball Association, where he spent the next four seasons. During that stretch, he won a championship with the Rapid City Thrillers and continued working toward another shot at the NBA.

Eventually, that opportunity came. Mitchell made his NBA debut as a 26-year-old rookie with the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves, proving that there is more than one path to making it in professional basketball.

From there, he carved out a long and productive career. Mitchell played 13 NBA seasons, retiring in 2002 at age 38. Over that span, he averaged 8.7 points and 3.7 rebounds while logging 22.4 minutes per game.

That’s impressive value from the 54th overall pick, especially considering how long it took him to reach the NBA. And his basketball story didn’t end when his playing career did. Many fans probably recognize Mitchell’s name because of what came next. After transitioning into coaching, he won the NBA Coach of the Year award in 2007 as the head coach of the Toronto Raptors.

53. Anthony Mason (1988)

Honorable Mentions:

• Emmette Bryant (1964)
• Greg Buckner (1998)

Suns Taken at 53:

• Winston Crite (1987)

When it comes to the history of the 53rd overall pick, there’s Anthony Mason, and then there’s everybody else. Mason was a one-time All-Star, a one-time All-NBA selection, the 1995 Sixth Man of the Year, and a member of the 1997 All-Defensive Team. That’s a pretty impressive résumé for the 53rd pick.

He was originally selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1988 NBA Draft, but opted to spend a season playing in Europe instead. As a result, Portland released his rights. After a stint with Anadolu Efes in Turkey, Mason returned to the United States and signed with the New Jersey Nets. He was waived shortly thereafter, then signed by the Denver Nuggets before bouncing around once again.

Everything changed in 1991 when he landed with the New York Knicks. That’s where my memories of Anthony Mason begin. Those mid-1990s Knicks teams were built differently. They were physical, tough, and fully prepared to turn every game into a rock fight. Mason fit that identity perfectly. The 6’8” power forward was one of the toughest players in the league and a key part of those Knicks teams that routinely battled deep into the postseason.

While New York never reached the mountaintop, Mason’s career continued to flourish. He was eventually traded to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Larry Johnson and later earned an All-Star selection with the Miami Heat in 2001, averaging 16.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

When it was all said and done, Mason played 13 seasons in the NBA, appearing in 882 games while averaging 10.9 points and 8.3 rebounds.

52. Rasual Butler (2002)

Honorable Mentions:

• Fred Hoiberg (1995)
• Toumani Camara (2023)

Suns Taken at 52:

• Greg Grant (1989)
• Anthony Goldwire (1994)
• Toumani Camara (2023)*
• Alex Toohey (2025)**

*traded to Portland in the Deandre Ayton trade
**draft rights traded to Golden State in the Kevin Durant trade

Oh, pick No. 52. This is one that Suns fans might kick themselves over, at least in a roundabout way, because it’s where Toumani Camara was selected. And while Camara could someday become the best player ever drafted at No. 52, his career is still too young for me to hand him that crown. Instead, the honor goes to Rasual Butler, who stands out in a draft slot that doesn’t offer a ton of compelling options.

Butler carved out a long NBA career, playing 13 seasons with eight different franchises. He was the definition of a journeyman, finding ways to contribute wherever he landed. His most productive seasons came in the middle of his career with the New Orleans Hornets and the Los Angeles Clippers. Along the way, he was involved in the massive five-team trade that sent Antoine Walker to the Miami Heat.

There aren’t a lot of accolades attached to Butler’s name. No All-Star appearances. No major awards. No lengthy list of accomplishments. What he did have was longevity. He stayed in the league for more than a decade, carved out a role for himself, and consistently found ways to contribute.

In many ways, that’s representative of the 52nd pick throughout NBA history. You’re usually not finding stars. You’re hoping to find someone who sticks. Rasual Butler did exactly that, which is why he gets the nod at No. 52.

51. Kyle Korver (2003)

Honorable Mentions:

• Corey Brewer (1998)
• Monte Morris (2017)

Suns Taken at 51:

• Dereck Whittenburg (1983)
• Mike Morrison (1989)

As we close out the first installment of this series, we end with a good one. Kyle Korver. The sharpshooter out of Creighton University put together a 17-year NBA career and remains one of the greatest shooting specialists the league has ever seen.

Korver finished in the top 11 of Sixth Man of the Year voting four different times and earned a lone All-Star appearance during his career. He retired with a career 42.9% mark from beyond the arc and was one of the players who benefited most from the NBA’s evolution into a more spread-out, three-point-oriented game.

Four times, Korver led the league in three-point percentage. His most efficient season came in 2009-10 with the Utah Jazz, when he shot an absurd 53.6% from three. Granted, that came on only 2.1 attempts per game. As the league evolved, so did Korver’s role. By the end of his career, he averaged 4.6 three-point attempts per game and served as one of the NBA’s premier floor spacers.

Korver played for six different franchises throughout his career, although his most memorable years came with the Atlanta Hawks. He was part of that memorable Hawks starting lineup that produced four All-Stars in a single season, a rare accomplishment that reflected just how successful Atlanta was during that stretch.

For a player selected 51st overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2003, Korver represents tremendous value. A 17-year career. An All-Star appearance. One of the greatest shooters in NBA history.

That’s it for our journey today.

The back end of the second round is a fascinating place when viewed through the lens of NBA history. Prior to the late 1980s, it was often where teams took chances on international prospects, hoping that one day those players might make their way to the United States and contribute at the NBA level. Then came Drazen Petrovic. Not that international players weren’t being drafted before him, but his success helped accelerate a shift in perception. More and more international prospects began making the jump to the NBA, and the league is unquestionably better for it.

Even so, the back half of the second round remains a difficult place to find meaningful NBA talent. What this exercise has shown us is that the potential is there. You can find long careers. You can find starters. You can even find All Stars. But those players are the exception, not the rule.

Finding value this late in the draft requires patience, development, and opportunity. Talent alone isn’t enough. Organizations have to invest in those players and give them a pathway to grow. That’s what makes draft night so intriguing. Every pick carries a little bit of hope. And every once in a while, a player selected deep in the second round turns into something much more than anyone expected.

Tune in tomorrow as we continue the countdown and explore picks 50 through 41.

The 2026 NBA Draft is on the horizon, bringing one of the most significant dates on the league’s calendar. 

Childhood dreams of making it to the NBA will be achieved. 

Teams will turn draft assets into tangible players who they hope will contribute to winning in the short- and long-term future. 

And in the background, teams will continue to explore the options that’ll help them achieve their goals for 2026-27. 

For the Lakers, who have a first-round pick in the draft (No. 25), the opportunity the draft presents as it pertains to roster building can’t be whiffed on. 

In their pursuit of assembling a roster that’ll be competitive against the 2026 Western Conference champion Spurs and 2025 NBA champion Thunder, the Lakers have two main options for their first-round pick: trade it for a player who’s ready to compete for a title now alongside Luka Doncic or select a prospect whom they plan to develop and hope will help now and in the future. 

If the Lakers choose the latter, there isn’t a shortage of options.

Toward the top of that list, should he be available for the Lakers to draft, is Kentucky big man Jayden Quaintance.

Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky big

2025-26 stats (Kentucky): 5 points (57.1% shooting), 5 rebounds, 16.8 minutes in four games

2024-25 stats (Arizona State): 9.4 points (52.5% shooting — 60% on 2-pointers, 18.8% on 3-pointers), 7.9 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 29.5 minutes in 24 games

Measurements: 6-foot-9 (without shoes), 253 pounds, 7-foot-5 ¼ wingspan, 9-foot-1 standing reach  

Why draft Jayden Quaintance?

The defensive potential is what makes Quaintance such an intriguing prospect. 

His blend of size, length, athleticism, quick-twitch and strength made him a versatile and formidable defender in college. 

Quaintance can play drop coverage and prioritize protecting the rim with his long arms and leaping ability, as well as switch out on the perimeter and stick with opposing ball handlers because of his coordination, lateral-movement fluidity and quickness. 

And his strength makes it challenging for bigger players to bump him off his spots.

Quaintance’s simply physically imposing: As a rebounder. As a rim protector. As a screener. As an over interior presence on both ends of the floor. 

He’s a forceful player who should be ready for the NBA’s physicality from Day 1. 

It doesn’t take much imagination to envision Quaintance developing into the type of player who can be a rim-running lob threat on one end and defensive anchor on the other, controlling the boards and helping win the possession battle with his knack for steals and offensive rebounds. 

And as one of the younger players in his draft class — he played his entire freshman seasons at 17 years old and doesn’t turn 19 until July — there are reasons to be optimistic about his ability to further develop the passing and self-creation he showed glimpses of in college. 

It’d take development and patience, but Quaintance fits into the archetype of big man Doncic thrives alongside. 

Areas of improvement?

Before focusing on the medical side of things, Quaintance has pretty clear areas of improvement.

His poor free-throw shooting in college (45.2% — 38-of-84) makes it challenging to see him develop into a reliable shooting threat outside of the paint. He made 6-of-32 3-point attempts during his freshman season with the Sun Devils. 

And Quaintance already could use improvement with finishing around the basket and having a softer touch around the rim on non-dunks/contested finishes that require more finesse. 

Outside of taking slow-footed big men off the dribble, he wasn’t much of an offensive creator in college. 

And there’s an overall refinement of his game on both ends of the floor that’ll take time to hone in on — which isn’t surprising considering his age and the fact he played just 28 games/776 minutes in college. 

But the biggest concern about Quaintance, who’s a draft-lottery-level talent, will be on the medical side, which is something teams should get clarity on ahead of the draft. 

He only played 67 minutes across four games with Kentucky during his sophomore season due to swelling in his right knee — the same knee in which he suffered a torn ACL in February 2025 during his freshman year. 

Quaintance told the Lexington Herald-Leader at the combine last month that his knee felt good but wasn’t fully participating in the running, conditioning and “high-impact stuff” activities. 

He took part in his agency’s pro day in May. 

Quaintance will likely be drafted before the Lakers are on the clock with the No. 25 pick. But if Quaintance is available, the Lakers should take a shot on his upside despite the concerns.

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Warriors reportedly anticipate LeBron James will return to Lakers this offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LeBron James’ decision on his future remains one of the biggest uncertainties heading into this NBA offseason.

With the 41-year-old superstar not ruling out retirement just yet, several teams likely will jump on the opportunity of landing a future Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee on their rosters.

The Warriors have been one of the teams considered to be a likely suitor for James in free agency, but Golden State reportedly anticipates the four-time NBA MVP to return to the Los Angeles Lakers.

“Openness does not equal anticipation,” ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported Wednesday, citing team sources.

“All the intel that Warriors decision-makers have gathered continues to point toward James’ return to the Lakers, team sources said, and they are currently plotting their summer under that premise,” Slater wrote.

“The Warriors’ pitch, if the door cracks open, would be simple. They can clear room for the full $15.1 million nontaxpayer midlevel — a team-friendly, low-risk bargain with on-court and off-court financial upside.”

James is coming off a two-year, $101.4 million contract that he signed with the Lakers in 2024 and expired after the conclusion of the 2025-26 NBA season.

The 22-time NBA All-Star selection reportedly is in negotiations with the Lakers, making his return to Los Angeles the likeliest scenario ahead of James’ potentially 24th career season.

However, if the two sides do not come to an agreement, Golden State is expected to enter the sweepstakes to acquire James.

“James is an obvious top free agent target at that price point,” Slater also wrote. “The Warriors could theoretically tack on a second-season player option and get Stephen Curry in on the recruitment process, if required. But they haven’t knocked on that door because they’ve been given any indication it can be unlocked.”

With James’ history of playing with Curry during the 2024 Olympics and friendship with Warriors star Draymond Green, it would make sense for James to join Golden State for another potential championship run.

But with a return to Los Angeles being the likeliest scenario for James this offseason, it might be more difficult now to imagine the 21-time All-NBA selection donning a Warriors jersey at least once before his illustrious career comes to a close.

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