Category: NBA

Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.

Ryan Dunn

Forward, 6’7”, 217 lbs., 23 years old, 3rd season

Oh, Ryan Dunn. Where do we start with you?

Dunn has had a very up-and-down two-year career thus far. The highs have been high, and the lows have been low. He enters a pivotal third season. This will be the first season he has had the same head coach since Budenholzer was canned after his rookie season.

Dunn was selected 28th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, and was joined by Oso Ighodaro (pick 40) as a pair of young, athletic, defensive-minded prospects hitting a roster which at the time had approximately *checks notes* zero players like that.

Now, with a year in Jordan Ott’s system, we can only hope that everything starts to “click” for him offensively. On defense, he was good, but was not the defender we had all hoped he would be.

Last Season

Ryan Dunn appeared in 70 games for the Suns last season, including 16 starts. He did not take the leap that many had hoped for in year two, specifically on the offensive side. His free-throw numbers remained atrocious at 48.9%, giving him a sub-50 FT% for the second consecutive season. His three-point clip slightly improved from 31.1 percent to 33.1 percent.

He only had two games of scoring 15+ points all of last season, once against the Spurs (17 points) in November and the other time being that April regular season finale game against the Thunder (20 points). Dunn had 8 games of 20+ minutes played with 2 points or less. It’s not all about points per game, but when the efficiency is shaky and teams are sagging off you entirely, it’s a problem.

There were some positive moments without a doubt, especially defensively. It was easy to see a vision of him and Rasheer Fleming wreaking havoc together defensively. He still has the ability to be a very useful rotation piece, and could get there as soon as this season.

Contract and Roster Context

Dunn, the 28th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, remains on a rookie contract. He signed a 4-year, $12,998,353 contract with the Suns, including $5,188,560 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $3,249,588.

In 2026-27, Dunn will earn a base salary of $2,784,240, while carrying a cap hit of $2,784,240 and a dead cap value of $2,784,240. Phoenix has a $5,025,553 club option for 2027-28 that they have to exercise by October 31st, 2026. The clock is ticking!

What He Brings

Right now, the one thing you know Ryan Dunn will bring is effort and energy. Defensively, he has some serious flashes, whether it’s being a pest on the perimeter, deflecting passes, or meeting people at the rim for a weakside block. One thing I never question is his hustle or heart when he hits the floor. It’s always there.

The defensive instincts are there, but he just needs to learn how to piece it all together more consistently, and not let his offensive struggles creep into his confidence when he’s on the other side of the floor. He brings athleticism and has put several stars on posters, including Giannis. His fearlessness when in attack mode is a strong suit, and I wish he pursued entering that mode far more often.

To put it simply, Phoenix needs Ryan Dunn to be a (bigger) bodied forward who can defend multiple positions and not hurt them offensively. If he can get to the point where he’s even justnet-neutral offensively, and his defense continues to strengthen with experience, then the path to get there could be sooner than you think.

What Needs to Improve

It’s pretty clear at this point that Ryan Dunn needs to improve offensively. More specifically, shooting the ball. He and Oso have been left wide open for extended stretches, which kills spacing and gives the defense an advantage to contain other offensive threats by sending extra bodies or having the help defense loom a couple steps closer. Those two steps could be the difference. He has to be a threat to the point where he at least has *some* respect from the defense.

As we noted above, his three-point clip slightly improved from 31.1 percent to 33.1 percent. Progress, right? Not exactly, once you realize it came on 1.2 fewer attempts per game.

Can we get the volume back up a bit on a 34.1% clip this year? I think most Suns fans would take that.

Confidence is everything for Dunn. He thrives off it. When it’s lost, it shows on both ends.

Prediction

I want to be optimistic on Dunn, but now with Koa Peat in the mix along with Miles Bridges and a more experienced Rasheer Fleming… it may be difficult for him to find consistent minutes. Royce O’Neale is gone and took a lot of his potential minutes, but Bridges figures to get more and slot into that same spot. Can those two co-exist?

Floor spacing is already a concern for this team, so that’s where things get tricky.

If he makes the rotation and gains confidence early, this could be a breakout season for Dunn. If he gets buried on the bench and doesn’t get consistent time and his confidence is shot, this could be a season where he fades into the background.

And that is why it is a make-or-break year for the Virginia product as he enters year three.

Stat Prediction: 72 Games, 20.1 MPG, 6.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 47/33/55 shooting

Final Word.

Success for Ryan Dunn looks like continuing to terrorize opponents defensively while showing he is not a complete offensive liability.

We don’t need him to shoot like Luke Kennard, but he must be some sort of offensive threat. If he isn’t, it will be tough for Jordan Ott to keep him on the court consistently.

Just play confident, show that you put a ton of work into your shooting with real results, and the rest will take care of itself.

The offseason is about stories. There is no NBA basketball to analyze, so all the enjoyment of the sport comes from conversing about hypotheticals. Football is back, which means Cowboys-fueled disappointment has activated my basketball brain. It is time to turn away from an embarrassing Cowboys loss on Sunday Night Football and turn towards a compelling Mavericks season ahead. Here are five storylines to follow this season in Dallas:

Cooper Flagg’s sophomore leap

Arguably the most important offseason for any young superstar is the one between his rookie and second year. LeBron James was a prodigy, but he became LeBron James in year two. His scoring jumped from 20.7 points per game to 27.2 and didn’t dip below 24 until last year, his 23rd season. It was a similar story for our own Luka Doncic, who was exciting and fun in his first go-around, but became Luka Doncic with a similar scoring jump in year two and never looked back.

This is what Cooper Flagg will aim to do. There is a lot of leeway for rookies because of their inherent team situations and the learning curve the NBA demands, but year two is much less forgiving. For a lot of the game’s best, what we think of them today is what we thought of them in their second season, with fine tweaks around the edges. Flagg averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists last year. He was the Rookie of the Year. There is pressure on him to build on that. It will be both exciting and nerve-wracking to watch as he attempts to become the next guy to establish himself as one of the game’s best.

Kyrie Irving, Maverick for life?

When Kyrie Irving was traded to Dallas in 2023, I do not think any of us expected him to both stick around this long and be as universally loved by the fanbase. He was a character shrouded in uncertainty and had a closet full of skeletons when the Mavericks got him. In fact, that’s partially why the Mavericks were able to get him for the price they did. Now, three-and-a-half years later, Irving is a beloved member of the team and one who has stated he loves being here. He made sense on the team he was traded to, but now that the circumstances have changed, his future here is unclear.

The NBA 2K answer would be to trade him for picks or young players to help with the rebuild. But NBA 2K does not factor in human emotion and real-life variables. Maybe Irving wants to compete for a championship somewhere else, but maybe he just wants to play out his career here. Maybe he gets the option to choose, but it’s possible the decision will be made for him under this new regime. As February approaches, I am sure we will have a clearer picture of where Irving will be in March. Wherever that is, Irving has made his mark on Mavericks history.

Masai Ujiri must reconcile this roster

Speaking of the new regime, the sunshine and rainbows that came with simply not having Nico Harrison in charge are starting to fade. We have a month or so until the Mavericks actually play basketball, and the team has four guards signed to standard contracts. One is Irving, coming off of an ACL injury; one is Max Christie, who barely counts as a guard; and the other two are rookie Sergio de Larrea and newly acquired Marcus Sasser. Telling Irving to carry the load as point guard after he just missed 19 months would be irresponsible, which would leave Sasser and de Larrea to handle it, who have a combined 17 games started in their careers.

I am sure the Mavericks will likely go with a “point guard by committee” approach instead, with Flagg taking some of the duties and letting some other big guys dribble it up as well. But having 11 forwards/centers to just four guards on the team to start the year is already putting their competitive viability behind the eight ball. All summer there has been an assurance of “don’t worry, the offseason isn’t over; there are surely more moves coming”. Well, no moves have come yet. Ujiri, you’re up. Time to show us you’re not just Nico Harrison with better PR.

The Mavericks may be competitive this season

I know I just got done grilling Dallas for their lack of a sensible roster, but it may not really matter in a lot of regular-season games. They have a ton of talent, and while it may not fit together super well, a lot of nights their talent will just beat the other team who isn’t trying that hard. If Flagg makes a leap and Irving looks good, the Mavericks may be a solid team. They aren’t winning a playoff series or anything like that, to be clear. But I do not think a play-in berth is out of the question, despite their low win total of just 33.5 on FanDuel. Don’t be surprised if Dallas challenges a .500 record.

Dereck Lively has to be healthy

It is time we talk candidly about Lively’s health. Of the 246 possible games he could have played in his career, he has dressed for just 98. That is less than 40 percent. He played just seven last season and 36 the year before. When he has played, he has shown signs of being really good. He was invaluable, as a rookie no less, to an NBA Finals team. But the injury history cannot be ignored. Lively is a seven-footer with multiple leg and foot problems, the most recent of which has sidelined him since November 21st of last year. And no one has ever said that your legs get healthier as you get older. Dallas picked up his team option for this season but has not extended him. If he cannot prove that he can stay on the court at just 22 years old, the Mavericks will have to get real about whether or not Lively should be in their plans going forward.

Per a Spurs press release:

“Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) today announced that Dr. Charles Harris Jr. has joined the organization as vice president of technology. In this role, Harris will lead SS&E’s enterprise technology strategy and operations across its teams, venues and business functions, including infrastructure, cybersecurity, venue technology, ticketing systems and fan-facing digital experiences. He will also provide strategic oversight for the technology components of SS&E’s new downtown arena project.”

The mission in hiring Harris is specifically to help modernize Spurs Sports & Entertainment’s technology ecosystem and support the systems that power games, concerts and other live events across the organization’s franchises and facilities. 

RC Buford stated,

“Charles has spent his career overseeing the technology and systems that help organizations operate, grow and adapt, and we’re excited to welcome him to SS&E. His expertise will help us continue creating seamless and engaging experiences for fans across our teams and venues.”

Harris joins the Spurs family after serving as vice president of technology for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He holds a Ph.D. in Modeling and Simulation from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Science in Technology from Purdue University.

Harris commented,

“The best technology creates possibilities for people. That’s why I am excited to join SS&E and become part of the San Antonio community. I look forward to shaping what comes next together, using technology and innovation to create meaningful experiences for our fans and community.”

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The Wizards will be better in 2026-27 than they’ve been the previous three seasons. Low bar, I know. But at least they were trying to be bad unlike a previous season almost 20 years ago where the basketball operations group were tasked by ownership with competing for a championship and assembled a roster that was so bad the only sane move was to trade away all the veterans. They finished the season 19-63.

That’s the reason I’m a Bullets fan…

sigh

The official over/under betting line is 33.5 wins, which seems perfectly calibrated for wagering because who the heck really knows what this team will do. Under is plausible — a couple injuries to key guys (hi there Anthony Davis and Trae Young) a few youngsters who don’t progress as hoped, and voila we’re watching 28 minutes a night of Anthony Gill for the final 17 games of the season.

The over is also seriously plausible because the team is so young. My research into “typical” NBA career patterns (which is similar to research by others) shows that players make their biggest improvements at ages 20-24 — biggest jumps coming at ages 21, 22, and 23 (in order).

Here are Wizards players in that age group expected to be on the roster this season:

• AJ Dybantsa | 20
• Will Riley | 20
• Tre Johnson | 20
• Alex Sarr | 21
• Bub Carrington | 21
• Bilal Coulilbaly | 22
• Tristan Vukcevic | 23
• Kyshawn George | 23

That’s half the roster. Some are more likely to leap than others, and some won’t. One or two might jump big. One or two might regress hard. I put “typical” in quotes above because career trajectories are averages based on a large sample of players. When it comes to individuals, there’s variation — lots of it. So these average effects are best guesses based on historical patterns. Players can (and will) defy the averages for the good and bad.

For example, a couple seasons ago, Sarr posted a 77 PPA as a 19-year-old rookie. (For the uninitiated, PPA is my all-around production metric, which accounts for things like pace, role, and defense. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better, and replacement level is 45.) The forecast using my career trajectory calculator guesstimated his year two PPA at 85 — a modest improvement.

Sarr’s PPA last season: 132. A big jump a year or two ahead of “schedule.” That jump bumped his guesstimated peak from multi-time All-Star and borderline All-NBA type to someone who could be a genuine MVP candidate for a few seasons. Heady stuff.

If he makes the “regularly scheduled” age 20 to age 21 improvement, he’ll be an All-Star knocking on All-NBA status this season. If he jumps like that, going over 33.5 wins would be child’s play.

Coulibaly is an interesting case. He posted a near-replacement level 49 PPA as a 19-year-old rookie. The career trajectory calculator suggested he’d improve modestly the following season (54 PPA) — with gains continuing to an average season at age 22 (this season) and a career peak as a solid NBA starter.

Except, Coulibaly’s production climbed to a 75 PPA in year two, which boosted his “forecast” to a likely All-Star and maybe All-NBA type in his peak years. Last season, his PPA was 101 and The Calculator’s updated guesstimate keeps the All-Star and drops the All-NBA from his future.

George entered the NBA a couple years older — he was 21 as a rookie, posting a 53 PPA. With the biggest jump year already in the rearview mirror, The Calculator suggested he’d spend his career as a useful but a bit below average reserve. He improved more than is “typical” — leaping to an 87 PPA, which boosts the guesstimated forecast to that of a solid starter at his best. He could be average next season.

With Tre Johnson, I’ve written in the past about worries I have about deficiencies in his game. Guess what: that’s all normal for a teenager in the NBA. He posted a 61 PPA as a 19-year-old rookie, which suggests someone who could peak at a borderline All-Star level. If he’s “typical,” next season will see modest improvement (think a PPA in the high 60s or 70s), he’ll reach average the season after, and then…who knows.

A guesstimate like that suggests he won’t drive much winning next season. But a bigger leap (similar to those for Sarr and Coulibaly) is possible.

Johnson’s year two could be more like Carrington’s who posted a respectable 59 PPA at age 19 and then improved less than is “typical” — reaching a 61 PPA last season. A more “typical” progression from this point would still suggest Carrington as an above-average starter in the best years of his career.

This is the same basic trajectory guesstimated for Riley, who produced a 57 PPA as a 19-year-old rookie. If he follows the average improvement track, he’ll be in a mid-60s PPA range next season and progress to a solid starter in a few years.

The last three — Johnson, Carrington and Riley probably won’t drive winning next season, though they could be low-end contributors. Investing in them might pay off in a few years…right around the time Young is entering the age-related decline portion of his career.

So far, there’s one major youngster I haven’t talked about: AJ Dybantsa. It’s difficult to predict how good anyone so young will be as a rookie, though Dybantsa was a special prospect — a deserving number one overall pick.

My best guess is he won’t be terrible (like say Devin Booker, who put up a 45 PPA at age 19) and maybe won’t be great (like his teammate, Davis, who posted a 178 PPA at 19). But it’s reasonable to think he could be around average by the end of the year. And it’s not unreasonable to think he could be better than average — perhaps rating around 120 or higher, which is right around where LeBron James was as a rookie.

What the Wizards can reasonably expect next season would be All-Star level play from Davis, above-average starter production from Young, strong backup big man play from DeAndre Ayton, and then…wildcard stuff from the kids.

Sarr will probably be good and perhaps entering the All-Star conversation. Coulibaly could be an above-average starter. Mix in average-to-average plus production from Dybantsa and George, and some decent contributor minutes from some mix of Carrington, Johnson, Riley, and veteran Khris Middleton, and it’s not unrealistic to think the Wizards could be a better than .500 team, even in a competitive East.

Yes, it’s the last of the NBA doldrums before Houston Rockets season kicks off. They begin training camp on September 23 — six days away — because they are one of the teams playing international games in the preseason. The rest of the NBA starts September 29. Our yearly player preview series is mere days away. But for the next couple of days, it’s still the offseason, and this is the kind of news we have. ESPN just put out a future ranking of every NBA team, and the Rockets are ranked fourth overall in the NBA. The future rankings are designed to mean 30 years out. Here’s what ESPN said about our hometown boys:

Three-year outlook: Despite a fairly underwhelming 2025-26 campaign, Houston is still in strong position for this season and beyond. The Rockets have an enviable mix of high-upside youth and proven veterans — including Fred VanVleet returning from injury — and they’ve been one of the NBA’s best front offices in terms of financial management, routinely saving money with firm negotiations on extensions. Add in an unprotected pick swap with the Nets next summer, and Houston could be back in business quite soon. — Kram

Roster question looming: Amen Thompson just got his new deal, but what will happen with Kevin Durant if this Rockets team fails to advance past the first round again or struggles during the regular season? The soon-to-be 38-year-old has a $46 million player option next season, and Durant last season played his second-most games since 2013-14 and has not averaged fewer than 20 points since entering the NBA in 2007. — Marks

FPR nugget to know: In January 2023, when I was a coach on the Wizards bench, I remember being down 19 points in the first half to a young Rockets team. I felt confident that we would come back and beat them because they were not just young, they were a chaotic group that didn’t know how to play together. Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun still had a lot to figure out. We did indeed come back to win. That anecdote illustrates why you should forgive ESPN for ranking the Rockets 26th in the Future Power Rankings after that season, when they ended up compiling the eighth-best record in the NBA over the following three seasons. By the eye test or numbers test, those Rockets had a long way to go. — Oliver

Bold prediction for 2027-29: Durant won’t retire with the Rockets. The 16-time All-Star still has plenty of high-level basketball left in the tank, but it’s debatable whether Houston makes sense as a long-term home. Durant’s fit with Sengun is clunky, and the 2014 MVP has drifted from team to team after two or three seasons throughout the second half of his career. Could his last dance unfold as an Oklahoma City homecoming or a storybook return to the Seattle SuperSonics if the NBA expands to 32 teams? And will Durant be the NBA’s second-leading all-time scorer when he finally hangs it up? — Golliver

Previous ranking: 2

It’s definitely interesting that the Rockets have slipped a little for the future rankings, but I’m sure at least part of that can be explained by trading 23-year-old (at the time) Jalen Green for 38-year-old Kevin Durant. Barring the Rockets winning a title, Durant likely has one more year in H-town after this at the most. His player option also means Durant could easily go after this year unless the Rockets make a major leap this season. The fit is awkward, the chemistry is off, and even though $46 mill is a lot of money, the NBA’s ultimate loyalty-less gun for hire can make close to that pretty much anywhere, provided his game doesn’t fall off of a cliff this year. The other question is, if the Rockets aren’t where they hope they’d be by the new year, do they move KD at the deadline rather than lose him for nothing if he opts out in the offseason?

Anyway, enough about the future. The Rockets are about to start basketball. Here are your dates to watch:

Sept. 22: Media Day

Sept. 23: Training camp begins

Oct. 9: Rockets vs. Mavericks — Macao

Oct. 11: Rockets vs. Mavericks — Macao

Oct. 15: Rockets vs. Thunder — Houston

Oct. 21: Regular-season opener vs. Mavericks — Houston

We all remember May 12th, 2025 when Jayson Tatum fell to the floor in Game 4 of Round 2 against the New York Knicks. To that point, it had been one of the been one of the best games Tatum had played in his career with 42 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks.

The 2024-25 version of Jayson Tatum is the best Tatum we have seen in his career. He had become the best scorer, passer and rebounder on the Celtics and was playing as well as any player in the league.

That is the Jayson Tatum the Celtics are betting on getting this year, the Jayson Tatum they need this year.

Tatum’s return from his Achilles tear was an overwhelming success. Sure, the end was disappointing with the blown 3-1 and him sitting out Game 7 but for Tatum to look as good as he did coming off of that major an injury under a year after it happened shows that Jayson Tatum is ready to reach the levels he once did.

Tatum’s play improved as the season went along and his numbers were vastly better in the playoffs than the regular season. His points, rebounds, assists and shooting percentages were all up in the first round series against the 76ers than they were in the 16 regular season games he played.

He got stronger as his return to the court went along and he really started to find himself before a knee issue held him out of Game 7.

I do think him missing Game 7 is notable, he was recovering from a major injury which likely lead to the new injury. That is something that should be addressed but I am not worried about it entering this year.

The subtraction of Jaylen Brown means that Tatum is the guy in Boston. There no more Jays and no more duo, this is the Jayson Tatum and friends show. His ‘friends’ are very good but that doesn’t matter if Tatum doesn’t preform to his highest capabilities.

His tools are very important to this team.

Tatum’s rebounding has reached a level where it isn’t underrated anymore. Everyone knows that Jayson Tatum is awesome on the glass. He was awesome on the glass in his return averaging 10.0 rebounds per game in the 16 regular season games he played and 10.7 in the six playoff games. The Celtics should be really good on the defensive glass this year and Tatum is going to be a big part of that.

His passing has gotten astronomically better since he entered the league and his playmaking is going to be a huge part of this team. The Celtics don’t have a ton of lead ball handlers on this team and Tatum is a big reason for that. He is going to have the ball in his hands more than any other player on the team and it will likely be by a wide margin. They’ll need his passing to be top notch. This team has a lot of good shooters, it will be up to Tatum to get them the ball a lot of the time.

Tatum’s pick and roll partnerships with Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson are also going to be really fun this year. His leap in passing has also lead to a leap in his pick and roll partnerships as he and Luke Kornet were one of the most efficient pick and roll pairings during the 2024-25 season. His ability to play out of that should be something the Celtics really take advantage of this year. I have really enjoyed watching him come off a screen leading to an opening between the screener and the big, which Tatum quickly spits and gets to the cup with ease.

pic.twitter.com/6bQzrDBEkM

— #LetsGoCeltics (@gobosceltics) September 8, 2026

The Celtics defense is supposed to be among the best in the league this year because they have a lot of really good defensive players. At his peak, Jayson Tatum is as good defensively as any of them. Both on the ball and off of it. His ability to guard one through five was the leading reason as to why Boston’s defense was so good in during their 2024 championship season. His switching ability is a big part as to why I think Boston’s defense can be so dominant.

Last but not least is how important Tatum’s scoring ability is. The three point shot has been long scrutinized but he really did start to find it as last season ended, shooting 36.5% in the playoffs from beyond the arc. His pull-up has always been one of his biggest weapons and that shot was a big part of his arsenal last season.

pic.twitter.com/ySpXPHq3nL

— #LetsGoCeltics (@gobosceltics) September 9, 2026

His 2 point scoring is where he has really thrived over the last few years as well as he has gotten stronger. Jayson Tatum’s ability to put the ball in the basket will never be questioned by me because he has always been special at that.

The Celtics have a chance to be really good this year. That starts and ends with Jayson Tatum. If he can find somewhere between 90 and 100% of his peak form, the Celtics are going to be a legit threat in the Eastern Conference this season and I have every confidence he will do just that.

Ramp to Camp: What can Mike Conley contribute to Celtics? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Mike Conley’s biggest contribution to the Boston Celtics during the 2026-27 season is unlikely to be found in the box score. But we wouldn’t sleep on what the soon-to-be 39-year-old guard can bring to the court this season as well.

For Day 8 of our Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel to predict Conley’s biggest impact on this year’s team. Not surprisingly, as Conley prepares to enter his 20th NBA season and is regarded as one of the best teammates in the league, much of the focus will land on the leadership he can bring to a team that should benefit from the veteran additions made this offseason.

It’s hard not to be invigorated just listening to him talk about his desire to pass his knowledge onto the other players on the roster, especially fellow guards Derrick White and Payton Pritchard.

“I’m at that stage where I can pass that [experience] along,” Conley told NBC Sports Boston. “I can give that to Payton and Derrick, to Baylor [Scheierman], to Sam [Hauser], everybody that’s going to be expected to carry the load and the weight of this team. And it’s going to be fun.

“It’s going to be fun because, like for me and Payton, we’re similar-sized guards, smaller guards. So it’s easy for me to relate with him on different shot opportunities, what I’m thinking when I get into the paint, and how our games complement and how they’re different, and in what way can I kind of translate that to make it work for him.

“[White and Pritchard are] killers, man. They really are. Derrick White, I’ve played against him for a long time, both while he was here, he’s in San Antonio, and admired the way that he approaches every game. He’s one of the better defenders in the league, and the way that he plays, individually, but as a team guy, just getting back on defense, doing the right things … Payton, I think he’s just gotten better and better, with more given to him, more opportunities given to him. I think he’s just gonna continue to get better. And I’m excited to see that growth in that jump that he’s gonna make this year, because I think it can be special.”

The Celtics lost a lot of veteran leadership in the aftermath of Banner 18. From Jrue Holiday to Al Horford to Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet, some key locker room voices and guys with extensive basketball resumes went out the door. The additions of Conley, Paul George, and Mitchell Robinson can help restore a bit of that leadership.

The Celtics shouldn’t need to lean too heavily on Conley on the court. But we could see a very Blake Griffin-like role. While Griffin’s primary contribution was leadership at the tail end of his playing days, he still logged 41 games, including 16 starts. Mazulla will trust Conley given his NBA resume. Maybe that gives Boston some flexibility in how it deploys Pritchard at times, too.

Last season, during Minnesota’s playoff run, Conley made 12 appearances and posted a 6.4:1 turnover ratio (32 assists, 5 turnovers). He can still be a steadying presence who creates opportunities for others. He’s had a long history of playing with elite scorers — from Marc Gasol to Donovan Mitchell to Anthony Edwards — and we’re intrigued to see how Jayson Tatum can benefit from his presence.

It’s a bonus if Conley’s 3-point shot perks back up (dipping to 33.7 percent last year after being north of 40 percent during the rest of his Minnesota tenure). But it’s undeniable that his biggest contribution will be simply nurturing the players around them and trying to help Boston’s younger players step into bigger roles of their own.

Kevin Miller: Vice President, Content Creation & Strategy

Helping with overall team vibe and professionalism, and a couple sneaky key games where his minutes are noteworthy.

Justin Leger: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Leadership.

The Celtics lost arguably their most prominent leader in Jaylen Brown, and while Jayson Tatum is a bona fide superstar, he hasn’t exactly been a vocal leader throughout his career. The respected veteran Conley can be that guy both on the court and inside the locker room, and his presence will be invaluable even if he doesn’t have much left in the tank in his age-39 season.

Josh Canu: Editor

Leadership.

Conley’s best days are behind him, clearly. His shooting numbers last year were not good. But he’s always been a leader and a positive impact in the locker room. With Jaylen Brown gone, there is a void for a veteran voice to help lead this team. Conley should be part of that.

Nick Goss: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Veteran leadership.

The Celtics have a bunch of young guards and wings, and Conley’s leadership will have a great influence on them. He could also help Tatum improve as a leader following Jaylen Brown’s departure. Conley is a true professional and highly respected throughout the league.

Michael Hurley: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

It’s a basic answer here, but it’s cool to have a guy on the roster who was in the NBA when Hugo Gonzalez was a one-year-old. Rookie Chris Cenac Jr. was a newborn when Conley had 10 points and nine assists against the Utah Jazz. I would expect the on-court impact to be minimal, honestly, but for a team with a lot of youth, Conley should be a useful presence along the journey.

Adam Hart: Executive Producer, Content Strategy

My suspicion: positive voice in the ear of young players, like Hugo Gonzalez, as they shape their talent into NBA savvy. What kind of savvy? How to take care of your body, tactical knowledge, etc.

Max Lederman: Content Producer

Vibes. Everything I’ve ever heard about Mike Conley is he’s a great person. That fits nicely on this team and having a savvy vet like him can only help.

Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations

Greg Oden stories.

The Phoenix Suns are acting fast to address the hit that Mark Williams’ shoulder injury last week did to their front court depth. The team is signing center Duop Reath, according to ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania. Reath, 30 took a circuitous path to start his NBA career. Starting in community college and then transferring to LSU for his final years in the NCAA, he played overseas in China, Serbia, and Lebanon before making his NBA debut with the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2023-2024 season.

Reath spent the 2022 summer league with the Phoenix Suns but will now have a chance to prove it on the regular season roster. With Williams expected to be out for a majority of the season, Reath is expected to be behind 2025 lottery pick Khaman Maluach and third-year big man Oso Ighodaro in the center rotation.

Averaging 9 points, 4 rebounds, and 36% shooting from three as a rookie, Reath’s productivity and playing time have declined since his first season, with Portland drafting Donovan Clingan and Yang Hansen in the 2024 and 2025 drafts to play ahead of him. His playing time went down in the following two seasons, and he missed the final half of the 2025-2026 campaign after suffering a stress fracture in his right foot in the middle of January.

A willing three-point shooter, Reath has a chance to make the roster considering the team’s front court injuries and his willingness and ability to take and make threes, something Ighodaro and Maluach have seldom shown early in their careers. Expect his minutes to come along the team’s reserves if the team’s front court players are having foul issues or are hurt.

The Suns’ preseason is less than three weeks away, and their regular season begins on October 21st.

The news that Mark Williams tore his labrum during a recent scrimmage, with the possibility that he could be out until at least the All-Star break, is not how the Suns wanted to begin the season.

Every team needs health to remain competitive, and Phoenix already enters the year with limited flexibility. The Suns are carrying $23.2 million in dead cap money and currently sit $1.7 million below the second apron, where they are hard-capped. That makes replacing production even more difficult. It also accelerates the timeline for players like Khaman Maluach and forces the organization to alter the developmental path it likely envisioned for him entering the season. Instead of bringing him along gradually, Phoenix may now need meaningful production from him much sooner than expected.

We’ve already talked about what Williams’ injury means for both Khaman Maluach and third-year big Oso Ighodaro. We’ve also explored why Maluach should ultimately get the first crack at the starting role. But there’s another exercise worth exploring. Should the Suns look to the free agent market to fortify their center depth while Williams is out?

As things currently stand, the center rotation consists of Maluach and Ighodaro. Behind them, there isn’t much. Rasheer Fleming could theoretically play some small ball five if needed. Phoenix also has two-way big CJ Huntley, who can be elevated and remain available for up to 50 regular season games. If Phoenix chooses to lean on Huntley as the primary depth option behind Maluach and Oso, that 50-game threshold would carry them to roughly the All-Star break, which could line up rather conveniently with the current timeline surrounding Williams’ return. So yes, that is a viable path.

When you look at the free agent market for centers, there really isn’t a whole hell of a lot out there. You’ll see a few former Suns sitting around. Bismack Biyombo. Mason Plumlee. Drew Eubanks. And no thanks. I’m not really interested in running back old ideas simply because they’re familiar. Dwight Powell is out there too, but he’s 35. Xavier Tillman is probably the one name that gives me a little pause. He’s a quality screener, and BBall Index gave him an A- grade in rim protection. But he’s also only 6’8”, and at that point I start wondering whether you’re better off giving Rasheer Fleming some minutes at small ball five and seeing what you have there.

The free agent market at center probably brings more risk than reward, especially when you consider how tight the Suns already are financially. I don’t think this is the time to spend money simply to say you added another center.

If the Suns do decide to make a move for another center, they would most likely have to move off Jamaree Bouyea’s contract to create the room. Bouyea is owed $2.6 million this season, but that money doesn’t become guaranteed until January 10, 2027. If Phoenix waives him before then, it would create roughly $4.3 million in flexibility to go shopping for another big.

And I think that’s the important starting point in this conversation. The Suns do not need to make that decision right now. They can push it into January. By then, we’ll have seen plenty of Maluach and Ighodaro as the primary centers. We’ll have seen Rasheer Fleming get some small-ball five minutes if needed. And we’ll probably get a look at CJ Huntley in spot situations along the way, especially when foul trouble becomes an issue.

That part interests me. That’s why you have two-way players, right? That’s why you have the G League. That’s why you have a development system in the first place. To identify talent, develop it, and then allow those players to prove whether that development actually took hold.

So while some people may be beating the drum for the Suns to dig through the scrap heap that is the current free-agent center market, I don’t think they need to do that right now. The optionality is there to wait. Let the season tell you what you actually need. See what Maluach looks like. See what Oso looks like. See whether Huntley can give you anything. See how Williams’ rehabilitation progresses. Heck, if you want to try Koa Peat at the five, go for it. And then, if January rolls around and you still need help, you make the move. There’s no reason to force it today.

Williams’ injury changes the equation, but it doesn’t require Phoenix to solve it immediately. The Suns built a developmental pipeline for moments exactly like this, and now it’s time to see whether that investment pays off. Give Maluach the opportunity. Let Oso handle his role. See what Huntley can provide. January will arrive soon enough, and by then Phoenix will know whether it needs another center or whether the answer was already sitting on the roster. 

It’s not every day that an NBA star offers to pay a fine levied against a player who wears a helmet and spikes.

Yet, Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving did exactly that Wednesday, Sept. 16, when he offered to pay for Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair’s $11,492 fine for an unauthorized message written on his eye black.

During Houston’s 36-31 loss Sunday, Sept. 13, Al-Shaair had “Hind Rajab” written on his eye black, referring to a Palestinian girl who appeared to have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in January 2024, according to The Washington Post.

The NFL has strict rules against personal messages. Per the league’s rulebook, “players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office.”

In a social media post that was responding to the news of Al-Shaair’s discipline, Irving replied, “I’ll take care of his fine.”

I’ll take care of his fine https://t.co/RUo9jXkCFu

— Kyrie🤞🏾 (@KyrieIrving) September 16, 2026

Al-Shaair had previously been fined a similar amount during the 2025 playoffs for writing “STOP THE GENOCIDE” on his eye black, a pro-Palestinian message alluding to the death toll resulting from Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Irving has similarly shown solidarity with the pro-Palestinian movement.

In February, at the 2026 NBA All-Star Game, he wore a navy blue T-shirt that read “PRESS” in white letters, in support of Palestinian journalists who have died while covering the conflict.

In the past, Irving has also worn a chain with the Palestinian flag and, in a separate occasion during a post-game press conference, a keffiyeh, which is a headdress worn across the Arab world.

Israel has repeatedly rejected claims of genocide, including during a January 2024 hearing at the International Court of Justice at The Hague, citing “legitimate” self-defense following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyrie Irving offers to to pay Azeez Al-Shaair's fine for unauthorized message on eye black

Kawhi Leonard made his intentions clear.

“I’m not really championship chasing trying to find the best team I could win (with),” Leonard said on the Raptors’ Open Gym YouTube channel.

“I didn’t want to put on a thousand jerseys. The city took a liking to my family, I took a liking to the city. Really enjoyed it. My son was born here and he’s been asking me forever when he’s going to come back.”

The Clippers traded Leonard to the Raptors in June, but the deal was put on hold amid the NBA’s investigation into the Los Angeles organization’s circumvention of salary-cap rules. Now that the league has released its findings and penalties for the Clippers, the trade has been made official.

Leonard, who was fined $700,000 for his involvement in the Clippers’ scandal, is already in Toronto preparing for his second stint with the Raptors. In 2019, the star forward led the organization to an NBA championship and earned his second Finals MVP award.

This time around, Leonard isn’t looking to be Toronto’s clear-cut leader.

“I’m not here to take over anything,” he said. “I’m just here to win. If it’s Scottie’s team, it’s his team.”

The Raptors have already put Leonard’s locker next to that of Scottie Barnes, Toronto’s budding star. Since the NBA opened its investigation of the Clippers, Leonard has said little publicly.

Now that he has moved on to Toronto, Leonard has been quick to express his feelings about returning to the city he once led to an NBA championship.

In a little over a month, the Lakers’ torch will officially be passed to Luka Doncic. 

It’s impossibly heavy, bearing the weight of 17 championships. 

It’s impossibly unforgiving, putting its holder under an unforgiving microscope.

It’s impossibly fickle, transforming whomever’s carrying it into a hero or a failure with every polarizing dribble or shot they take. 

The good news?

Doncic is ready. 

He was raised by hostile crowds of nearly 20,000 screaming fans while playing for Real Madrid from the ripe ages of 13 to 19 years old.

He was tested by the Dallas Mavericks, with whom he was selected as the third overall pick in the 2018 draft and transformed into a top-four player in the league, leading the franchise to the 2024 NBA Finals. 

He was sharpened by the shock, betrayal and humiliation of the Mavericks pulling the rug from under him, making the virtually unheard of decision to trade a superstar of his caliber in his mid-20s to the Lakers in February 2025. 

He was vindicated by a revenge tour that included getting in arguably the best shape of his career last summer ahead of leading the league in points (33.5) and finishing third in assists (8.3) last season. 

Now the stakes are even higher. 

Even though the Lakers have technically been his team for the last season and a half, he always had a shield. It was in the form of LeBron James, who has been the face of the league for two decades and is arguably the greatest player of all-time. 

Doncic was the brightest star. But James was a supernova. 

When the Lakers struggled, fingers pointed at the 41-year-old, who has dominated news cycles long enough for fathers and sons to cycle through the league. 

Doncic no longer has protection. 

After eight seasons with the Lakers, James left in free agency for the Philadelphia 76ers. That means Doncic will be standing alone under one of the brightest and most unforgiving spotlights in sports. 

He spent the summer readying himself for that responsibility.

He hand-selected his teammates. 

Doncic wanted Austin Reaves to remain by his side. The Lakers signed him to a four-year, $180 million extension, the richest contract in NBA history for a player who went undrafted. 

He wanted Walker Kessler to be his partner down low. The Lakers mortgaged their future to get him, emptying their cupboard by signing him to a four-year, $130 million deal, including giving the Utah Jazz unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030. (The Lakers don’t have a tradeable, unencumbered first-round pick until 2034.)

Doncic made it clear he’s all in, too. 

For the first time in his career, he paid for the entire Lakers roster to come to Slovenia so he could host a mini camp to build team chemistry. 

He’s foaming at the mouth to win his first championship. That was never more obvious than last March when he put up video game stats, averaging 37.5 points, eight rebounds and 7.4 assists, leaving the league blinking in disbelief as the Lakers tornadoed to a 15-2 record over that stretch. 

He desperately wants to win his first MVP Award. That was never more obvious than when his face was streaked with pain while talking about how he fell in the NBA’s MVP rankings despite his superhuman performance last spring. 

“The better I play, the more I go down in ratings,” Doncic said in March. “So I don’t know what more I can do.”

Well, make no mistake about it: That slight lit another fire under him. It’s dangerous, considering he has been smoldering since the trade. 

Doncic is ready to explode. 

And he has the perfect conditions to do it. 

He’s playing for one of the most celebrated franchises in sports. He’s next in line behind a who’s who of household names, including Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and James. 

He’s used to the pressure, having experienced it from raucous crowds since he was a teenager. He responded by becoming the youngest player to win the EuroLeague MVP Award at age 19, while also carrying his team to a championship.

Over the last two seasons, he has been insulted. He has been embarrassed. He has been overlooked. 

Now he wants to make his detractors pay. 

We watched Bryant thrive under those conditions, becoming a five-time champion with the Lakers. We also watched Bryant see something in Doncic when he playfully trash-talked him in Slovenian during a Lakers game in 2019. 

That moment seems prophetic now. 

Bryant was the last Laker who really excited a city inured to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the back-to-back world championship Dodgers and enough sunshine to keep people away from their televisions and arenas. 

Unlike James, who had won three championships before joining the Lakers in free agency in 2018, Bryant became a champion in front of our eyes. 

Doncic has the opportunity to do the same thing. 

He can become LA’s next superhero. 

Or he can fade into being an embarrassing footnote. 

It’s up to him. 

And he appears ready. 

During January 2025, wildfires ravaged much of the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles. Among the thousands of people affected and displaced by this disaster was Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick, who lost his and his family’s home in the fires 20 months ago.

Since moving there in the summer of 2024, Redick has embedded himself in the Palisades community and signed up to coach his sons’ basketball team at the Palisades recreation center, which also burned down in the fires.

Earlier this week, a groundbreaking ceremony to unveil a new Palisades Rec Center — featuring indoor basketball and pickleball courts, and outdoor courts and playgrounds — was held, with Redick, who was critical to these rebuilding efforts, in attendance. LA Sports Strong, a foundation he co-founded, hosted various fundraisers to ensure the recreation center would come back to life and re-emerge as a pillar of the Palisades.

“This place was very special to us. It was special to our kids,” Redick said. “… My kids were here every day. I was here almost every day. This has always been sort of the hub of the Palisades.”

The fires devastated the Los Angeles area. The Lakers were forced to postpone games against the Hornets and Spurs and went nearly a week without playing.

A number of players, including both LeBron James and Anthony Davis, were forced to evacuate their homes. Redick was not the only Lakers staffer to lose his home, either. It was a tragedy that had a lasting impact on Redick and his family.

“It didn’t really get normal again for a long time,” Redick said in January, via Dan Woike of The Athletic. “And I think a lot of people are still going through that. And that was the angst that we felt as a family. I know my boys felt it for months and months after. And it wasn’t until we felt settled again. And even that took two to three weeks of, ‘Oh, OK, we can actually turn off that valve of anxiety that we’ve had for the last 10 months.’”

The response from Redick and his family, though, has been to make Palisades their home and help rebuild it. Wednesday’s groundbreaking was an encouraging start to that process.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

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