Category: Basketball

Guerschon Yabusele will forever go down as a weird blip in Knicks history. Many years down the line, the Frenchman’s name will be brough up in trivia and reminiscing conversations, not just for his very tumultuous time as a Knick, but also for the incredibly selfless gesture he made that allowed the Knicks to acquire Jose Alvarado.

Yabusele, the player, left a lot to be desired. There’s really no way around it. He was put in a difficult situation where he was used in a way that maybe didn’t fully highlight his strengths. And he was playing in a very limited and inconsistent role that likely made getting into a rhythm difficult. But he did himself no favors. Yabusele started off by coming into the season a bit heavier than in the season prior. When the season began, while the effort was there, not much else was. The shooting was inconsistent, if not downright bad. The paint looks, be it in transition or off of a PnR, didn’t feel or look much better. And he just didn’t offer much in any specific area of the game.

But Yabusele unexpectedly won over the hearts of fans by doing them an incredibly big favor on his way out. To make the Knicks’ trade for the Brooklyn-native possible, he amended his contract to remove his $5.8 million player option. He didn’t need to do it, especially after the way his time with the club had gone. By that point in the season, Yabusele had fallen out of the rotation, racking up occasional DNPs and playing very sparing minutes even when he did enter the game. The Knicks have the option of presenting Yabusele with a ring and he fully deserves one after the role Alvarado had in bringing the city it’s first NBA championship in 53 years.

Recently, Yabusele spoke with as.com about his decision to leave the NBA again. “I spoke with my wife, my agents, my mentor. It’s an important decision. And it’s not something I’m saying easily; it was a long process, there were many questions.” Yabusele said. “I remembered French teammates who had gone through the same thing, who were there without playing for years. I can’t do that. And it was me who decided to leave, not them. I prefer to be the one who decides .”

On his time in New York, the reserve big man did open up about how tough it sometimes was. While he still has fond memories of the city, he did candidly say, “In New York, after two or three bad games, they’re already asking to trade you”.

On conversations he had with head coach Mike Brown about his playing time and role, he revealed that, “[Mike] explained that he wanted his five starters to play 38 minutes each, plus Mitch, who deserved his 26 minutes. And that already gives you an idea of ​​what to expect. What puzzled me most was what the coach didn’t mention about others . He talked to me about the five starters, he talked to me about Mitch, but he didn’t talk about Landry, he didn’t talk about Jordan Clarkson, he didn’t talk about all the others who were also there. If you add all of them up, technically there are no minutes left. So I understood very early on that it was going to be a very complicated year.”

One interesting point was what Yabusele said about the offensive system the Knicks were running. “ What’s curious is that when I was there, if we had moved the ball like we did at Real Madrid, a bit like in Europe, moving it around, shifting it … New York would have finished first in the conference ,” Yabusele said.

The Knicks did not finish first in the regular season, but did hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy, thanks in part to adopting a more ball-movement and player-movement oriented offense for large portions of the postseason.

Yabusele concluded the interview by speaking briefly about public enemy number one in New York, Victor Wembanyama. Having played with Wembanyama on the national team, Yabusele knows him and his game well. “It’s a problem with no apparent solution. He’s still so far from his best. Every summer you come back, play against him again, and he has a new trick up his sleeve. Just when you think you know him, something new comes out.”

Yabusele, the player, ended up being a disastrous mistake, arguably for both sides. But he seems to be a genuinely selfless, caring, and team-first kind of guy. While it’s unfortunate that the signing, which at the time brough excitement, didn’t work out. Fans should be thankful for his gesture, and root for him as he becomes one of the top three highest paid players in European basketball.

Earlier this week we had a poll up asking you to grade the Dallas Mavericks’ offseason. This was a question where I simply assumed fans would give the team an A. The results were really interesting!

There’s a lot to derive from results like this. Make no mistake, the vast majority of respondents thought Dallas had a good offseason, with 73% giving either an A or a B. But the differentiation here interests me. I am the site grump; I tend to be negative about the team, and when looking at the offseason so far, I really like what they’ve done! I voted A. There are elements of what the team’s done that I am lower on, take the Morez Johnson Jr. selection for example, but by and large I am impressed with where the team started before the draft and where the team is right now. And that doesn’t factor in any additional moves to occur before the season starts.

That a significant portion voted either B or incomplete says to me that they still want more from the team. Which is understandable, given how many things are still up in the air with the roster. Perhaps if any of these more confusing logjams at forward get sussed out, then anyone feeling less than excited about the offseason will have more reason for optimism.

Those who voted C, I’d like to know more. What has the team done that you didn’t like to grant that kind of grade? I’m curious if it’s more draft or free agency-focused. If you’re high on team there’s a number of win-total bets you can make over at our partners at FanDuel.

This week’s national poll centered on the Eastern Conference. The results, particularly following LeBron James heading East, are interesting.

I think the Knicks as clear favorites here is wild; while I don’t totally believe in the 76ers, I think the Knicks got hot and played well at the ideal time. Making it last for a playoff run is different (and harder) than being the best team in a division for the regular season. But that’s why we play the games.

As the Knicks continue their prolonged search for a third string center, Jeremy Sochan, who came over to New York midway through last season, remained an option to fill that spot. The big man played very sparingly, appearing in only 16 regular season games. But out of all of the remaining options, his youth and defense, along with the fact that he already knew the team, made his return possible. Evident by his lack of playing time, Sochan has some very glaring holes in his game.

He is both an unwilling and poor three-point shooter, rendering him somewhat useless offensively. He is the kind of player that you kind of have to build a lineup around given his lack of spacing. Unfortunately, he’s not good enough to warrant doing that. Playing him despite those weaknesses usually meant hindering the offensive abilities of everybody else sharing the floor with him.

His defense though, still gave people hope. During some of the more turbulent portions of the season, fans had wondered if Sochan could provide a bit of a defensive spark for a team that on some nights, looked like they badly needed it. During his four-year career, the 23 year-old has done one thing well-defend. He isn’t a defensive playmaker. He doesn’t block a lot of shots or force a lot of turnovers. But he is an athletic and versatile defenders that has the motor, size, and athleticism to defend multiple possessions.

Like so many of the other options the Knicks had though, Sochan is now also off the board. Late Saturday night, Sochan signed a one-year non-guaranteed deal with the Portland Trail Blazers. Sochan will have a fair opportunity to win a roster spot and break camp with the team. If he does, having a full training camp, and doing so with a team that isn’t nearly as loaded talent wise as the Knicks, could give him a much better chance at actually being in the rotation.

On a team that finished the regular season with the 12th best defensive rating in the league, Sochan could provide even more defensive versatility, while having a bit more of a leash to continue developing offensively. The Trail Blazers will want to make the playoffs once again, but they aren’t tasked with having the same kind of win-now mentality the Knicks are currently in.

The non-guaranteed aspect of the contract does leave open for a reunion though. If the Knicks really liked Sochan, they would’ve re-signed him. And if Sochan wanted to really stay, he may have waited. So the chances Sochan returns is unlikely. But is isn’t fully out of the window. If the Knicks end up not finding the right options, or signs someone to a non-guaranteed contract of their own, and it doesn’t work out, maybe they view Sochan as a last resort option if he gets cut at some point. Again, very unlikely, but it’s possible.

For now though, the Knicks, who probably never had any intentions of bringing Sochan back, have to continue their search.

This article from SI.com’s NBA Draft page takes a look at Duke big man Patrick Ngongba and what he needs to work on.

They’re correct to say that, while he’s a good athlete, he’s not elite. However, intelligence is a more valuable asset than raw athleticism. Look at some guys who have carved out nice NBA careers despite limited athleticism, at least by NBA standards: Jared McCain, Jalen Brunson, and Luka Doncic, to name a few. Now look how many great athletes have washed out of the league or failed to live up to expectations.

Never bet against smart players.

Ngongba needs to prove he can stay healthy, but assuming he can do that, he has a lot to offer, and not just post play: “Ngongba will have to be much better to overcome his age, and potentially even add some skills not yet seen. Though it’s not out of the question the NBA values his play-making big archetype, and ancillary skills, enough to take a shot on him in the late-lottery.

“Regardless, he should be a locked-in first-round selection with even limited improvement.”

The ancillary skills include his passing game, which is superb. He brings a lot to the table for any team, and we may see aspects of his game this season that we haven’t see before.

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After two series of signature shoes and a childhood spent as a sneakerhead, Phoenix Suns All-Star Devin Booker is partnering with Rizzoli Publications to release a book titled In My Shoes: Hardwood to Concrete, chronicling the creation of his signature shoes.

Devin Booker's new book, In My Shoes, is dropping this September. Inside you’ll find roughly 150 pairs of Nike Book 1 releases and PEs that were revealed over a two year span 📖 pic.twitter.com/Eum8dyvq2T

— Sneaker News (@SneakerNews) July 31, 2026

Set to be released on September 8, the book chronicles how the Nike athlete aspired to join the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in having signature shoes with the company. It features initial sketches he made as a kid and present-day, behind-the-scenes looks at some of his most popular colorways, including his “Chapter One” shoes and player-exclusive designs such as “Desert Camo” and “Moss Point.”

Many NBA players have worn Booker’s signature shoe, including Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, who wore it when the two played against each other in December. Booker was trying to recruit Curry to Nike while Curry was a sneaker free agent this past year.

Available in hardcover, the 240-page book is available for preorder on Amazon for $56.98, with free delivery for Friday, September 11th.

While Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Charles Barkley and other Phoenix Suns players have had signature shoes while with the team, only Booker has played his entire career in Arizona, with many of his sneakers featuring purple and orange colorways that represent his Suns ties. His first signature shoe with Nike came out in 2024, with the Book 2s coming out earlier this year.

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Jeremy Sochan has had a strange NBA ride. Originally drafted ninth overall in 2022, he was a bit of a mismatch for the San Antonio Spurs. With his bright-colored hair and intimidating on-court nature, he harkened back to the mid-90s when the Spurs traded for Dennis Rodman. Like Rodman, Sochan never quite fit in with the Spurs culture.

In his first two seasons, while the Spurs were struggling to get their footing, Sochan’s struggles flew under the radar. He averaged between 26 and 29 minutes per game and averaged just over 11 points, but waffled as a power forward against many of the league’s larger, more experienced players. It was during the second season that Gregg Popovich tried him out as point guard, an experiment that ultimately failed. In his third season, he maintained roughly the same amount of minutes and points per game, but lost his starting spot alongside Victor Wembanyama, Chris Paul, and Harrison Barnes, ceding the role to Devin Vassell. He was given some minutes as the center when the Spurs went small, another unsuccessful ordeal.

The 2025-2026 season exposed chinks in the armor as Sochan struggled to find minutes at all. Over 28 games, he averaged just 12.8 minutes scoring 4.1 points. As the trade deadline approached, his name was mentioned in conversations. It seemed a suitable trade could not be found so the Spurs waived him. It was believed in media circles that Sochan’s next destination was overseas. But lo and behold, he signed on with the New York Knicks two days later. Unfortunately, he fared even worse in The Big Apple averaging 6.9 minutes over 16 games scoring 2.8 points per game.

That said, Jeremy Sochan ended up an NBA Champion. That is an honor no one can take away from him. He played in the final minutes of Game 5 and was on the court when the final buzzer ended the season. He hoisted the Larry O’Brien in the same arena he’d played his first three-plus seasons. But his time in New York ended shortly after the festivities.

Sochan entered free agency this summer and has now signed a one-year minimum deal with the Portland Trail Blazers.

From a lottery pick with potential $80M plus extension upside in San Antonio to signing a 1-year minimum deal (~$2.5M) in Portland, the business of the NBA is harsh and moves fast.

Jeremy Sochan now gets a full reset with the Trail Blazers to rebuild his market value and prove… https://t.co/cz8woRBdWY

— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) August 1, 2026

A vet minimum is a far cry from what Sochan may have anticipated a couple of years ago, but time has a way of altering fortunes. And Portland may be the last stop on his NBA ride. The Trail Blazers Organization has been in a bit of a tailspin itself.

First, it was exposed that owner Tom Dundon utilized money saving techniques such as leaving two-way players behind on road trips, forcing staff to check out early from hotels, and reducing treatment staff. Then he eliminated fan experiences such as t-shirt giveaways. He also cut coaching salaries and limited contracts. After Chauncey Billups stepped down due to illegal gambling practices, Tiago Splitter was named interim for the remainder of the season. Splitter was not invited back. They hired Micah Nori, but limited the contract to one season.

In addition to signing Sochan, Portland traded Kris Murphy and Jerami Grant for Ja Morant, adding to the Island of Misfit Toys motif.

Whatever strategy Portland is taking, Sochan’s NBA career got the life support it needed to keep him in the big show for another year. If he can bounce back into form and pick up minutes, he could find himself in the Pacific Northwest for an extended stay.

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The Golden State Warriorsmissed out on LeBron James and immediately pivoted to filling their roster with familiar names in an attempt to run it back — but they hope they stay healthy this time.

The first order of business was bringing back the heart and soul of their team, four-time All-Star Draymond Green, for his 15th NBA season. Green inked a one-year, $27.7 million contract, a person with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.

He averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 27.5 minutes over 68 games during the 2025-26 season. One of his most valuable assets is his level of commitment on the defensive end, where he's compiled nine all-defensive selections and the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year award.

After finalizing Green's contract, the Warriors continued to focus on rounding out the roster with guys who know exactly what to bring to the table.

Golden State remains committed to continuity. The Warriors brought back veteran center Al Horford, who turned 40 in June, on a multi-year contract. The team announced Saturday, Aug. 1, it had signed both De'Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II, bringing both back for the 2026-27 season.

Melton averaged a career-high 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.6 steals in 23 minutes after missing the first 22 games recovering from a torn left ACL. Melton is going into his eighth NBA season.

Payton played a career-high 73 games last season with the Warriors, where he averaged 7.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 15.6 minutes per game. He also led the team with 58.3% field goal shooting.

What's next for Warriors after missing out on LeBron?

It's back to business as usual. The Warriors were reportedly never sold on James truly considering the Bay Area as a home for his 24th season. They hoped James would pick them, but did not lean on that possibility.

So naturally, they move on.

For the Warriors that means looking internally. There's feeling around the Warriors organization that the team could have been in legitimate postseason contention if it had not faced as many untimely injuries. Key players, such as Stephen Curry (jumper's knee), Jimmy Butler (torn ACL) and Moses Moody (torn patellar tendon), missed considerable time. The Warriors acquired Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline, but with injury-riddled lineups, they never got to see the full potential of their addition.

The hope is that they come back healthy for the 2026-27 season and get a true look at what the team could be through the course of the season.

Anticipate moves during summer 2027

As players heal and gear up for the 2026-27 season, it should be noted that many of the Warriors' top contracts expire next summer. That includes those of veterans Curry, Green and Butler.

Melton, Payton and Brandin Podziemski are also in need of new deals. Porzingis has a player option to return in 2027-28 or he could become a free agent.

There is plenty of superstar talent that will potentially be unrestricted free agents next July. That list includes Curry, Michael Porter Jr. and Tyler Herro.

An even bigger list is the number of stars with player options who could become free agents in 2027, which includes superstars like Nikola Jokic, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, to name a few.

Don't expect all those names to become available — some will opt in while others will opt out but are committed to their teams while seeking a bigger payday.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Warriors run it back with familiar faces after missing out on LeBron James

Jeremy Sochan’s tenure with the Knicks has come to an end.

Sochan, 23, agreed to a one-year deal with the Trail Blazers on Saturday, ESPN reported.

The exact details of the forward’s contract with Portland have yet to be released.

Sochan’s deal with the Trail Blazers comes after a brief and disappointing Knicks tenure, in which he averaged just 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in 6.9 minutes through 16 regular-season games.

He did not see much action during the Knicks’ historic championship run, either, averaging just 3.3 minutes through eight postseason games.

The Knicks picked up Sochan in February two days following the Spurs’ decision to waive him after he fell out of the rotation in San Antonio.

Outside of last season, Sochan has had an impactful NBA tenure since being drafted by the Spurs with the No. 9 pick in 2022.

Through his first three NBA seasons, Sochan averaged 11.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 46.8 percent from the field, earning All-Rookie second-team honors for the 2022-23 season.

Despite not being in the Knicks’ rotation during their Finals run, Sochan was valuable with his inside knowledge of the Spurs.

“Whether I’m playing or not, it’s important to feed all the information I have,” Sochan told The Post’s Jared Schwartz in June. “And I think I know quite a lot. I’m watching their games now, I’m seeing the old plays we [ran], when they go up to certain people and at what times, it’s pretty obvious to see. It’s gonna be interesting.”

Sochan also shared the knowledge he had on San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama and his potential weaknesses.

“Being that tall [Wembanyama] gets tired,” Sochan said. “Give him different looks and [not beat him up but] be very physical, and make him run.

“And he’s gonna get tired, he’s gonna have to take some plays off in my opinion.”

A decade ago, superstar forward Kevin Durant made the league-altering decision to join the Golden State Warriors in free agency, forming an unstoppable force in the NBA.

He's seven years removed from that era, having since joined the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns and now Houston Rockets. However, there are a few moments that make Durant reminisce on his days in the Bay Area.

The latest occurred following a USA Basketball practice, when the 16-time All-Star was asked about LeBron James and his decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers for his 24th NBA season, and whether the Sixers are top contenders for the NBA title.

"For sure! You don't think so?" Durant responded to a reporter's question. "The last time they put three 20-point scorers on a team, they said it was unfair, which was the (Warriors) team I was on. (The Sixers) have got four 25-point scorers on this team. So, hell yeah, I think they’re going to be a contender. They're going to be a great team to watch."

Now that LeBron James has chosen the 76ers as his next NBA franchise, the question has become what the Sixers’ ceiling is with him on their roster.

There’s no doubt that this team is loaded with talent after having added James and trading for Jaylen Brown. But some seem to think that there might be too much talent in Philadelphia because only one person can have the ball at a time.

Rockets star Kevin Durant doesn’t seem to think so, which was made clear by the comments he made when asked about James’ decision on Saturday.

“For sure! I mean, you don’t think so?” Durant said when asked whether he believes the Sixers are contenders, per an X post from Ben Golliver of ESPN.

“[The] last time they put three 20-point scorers on a team, they said it was unfair, which was the [Warriors] team I was on. They’ve got four 25-point scorers on this team. So, hell yeah, I think they’re going to be a contender. They’re going to be a great team to watch,” Durant added.

Kevin Durant on LeBron James’s 76ers: “The last time they put three 20-point scorers on a team, they said it was unfair, which was the [Warriors] team I was on. They have got four 25-point scorers on this team. So, hell yeah, I think they’re going to be a contender.” pic.twitter.com/aFcSyDoEq1

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 1, 2026

Of course, Durant is referring to when he joined the Warriors in July 2016, a move that paired him with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

Durant received a ton of criticism for this decision, especially because the Warriors had just defeated his Thunder in the Western Conference finals a few months prior.

Durant’s decision led to two NBA championships for Golden State, which also won a title before he arrived and won another after he left.

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James’ decision hasn’t been met with the same backlash. Then again, the Sixers didn’t beat the Lakers in the postseason earlier this year.

We finally have confirmation that the Golden State Warriors will indeed be re-signing Gary Payton II. While rumors have swirled for weeks that the Dubs and Payton were expected to agree to a veteran minimum deal to return, Marc Stein of SteinLine reported on Saturday morning that the two sides were expected to finalize a deal by the end of the weekend. Minutes later, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Warriors had agreed to re-sign Payton to a one-year deal at the veteran’s minimum.

Already 33, limited, and with an extensive injury history, Payton only further solidifies Golden State’s attempt to run it back with the 37-win 2025-26 roster. A perplexing approach given the team’s struggles and age. Nevertheless, Payton is a favorite of head coach Steve Kerr and face of the franchise Steph Curry.

A basketball journeyman for most of his twenties, Payton found his place as a high-energy role player who has the ability to lockdown players on the perimeter. Payton has played with the Warriors for each of the past six seasons (although he did also have a short stint with the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2022-23 season). Despite his long injury history, Payton has been quietly one of the Dubs healthiest role players over the past two seasons.

In 2025-26, Payton averaged 7.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.9 steals in 15.6 minutes per game across 73 appearances on 58.3%/29.1%/65.0% shooting. For his career, Payton has averaged 5.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.0 steal in 15.1 minutes per game on 56.4%/32.8%/63.0% shooting.

The Los Angeles Lakers will have a new look on the court next season, after LeBron James joined the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency after spending the past eight years in Tinseltown.

Thankfully, Lakers fans still have superstar guard Luka Doncic to be excited about in the wake of James’ exit. But it appears that Luka might also have a new look on the court.

The Lakers’ social media accounts posted a photo of Doncic shooting a free throw during a practice on Friday. But the kicker was that the 27-year-old was wearing a headband in the photo, which is something he doesn’t typically do.

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Headband Luka

via @lukadoncicpic.twitter.com/zDKH45sd0p

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 31, 2026

Perhaps Lakers fans just needed something excited about, and are using this photo as an excuse to do so. Whatever their reasoning, the prevailing response to this photo is Lakers fans forecasting a successful upcoming season, both for Luka individually and Los Angeles as a whole.

“MVP and Championship soon I can smell it,” wrote @yearlyfire.

“PLEASE ROCK THE HEADBAND NEXT SEASON @lukadoncic ,” added a Doncic fan page.

“Lakers gone be sneaky good this upcoming season,” added @real1jimmyy.

Regardless of whether Doncic debuts this headband once next season rolls around, him now having the keys to the franchise will bring a lot of expectations. Not that he wasn’t dealing with pressure before, and has always been able to navigate the spotlight in the past.

The more pertinent question is whether Doncic’s supporting cast is good enough to help him bring Los Angeles back to the postseason in their first campaign in nearly a decade without LeBron.