Category: Basketball

It’s taken a little under three weeks for former Louisville guard Ryan Conwell to endear himself to Miami Heat fans both on and iff the court.

On the court, Conwell was Miami’s clear standout during its three games at the California Classic Summer League. Conwell led the team in scoring at 21.0 ppg, while also adding 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per contest.

On a team in need of exactly the type of niche player that Conwell can be at the next level, it certainly appears that Conwell has a very good shot at not just making the Heat’s opening night roster but cracking the team’s rotation.

You can count former NBA standout turned podcaster Jeff Teague among Conwell’s believers.

Off the court, Conwell also has received praise for the way he has handled the Heat adding superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, a player who expressed a desire to wear Conwell’s No. 7 for Mimi.

“Giannis, I mean, he get whatever he wants,” Conwell said on Tuesday. “I’m just now coming into the league. I got a lot of work to do and I’m trying to get to where he’s at. So whatever number Giannis wants, he can have it. And I’m going to take whatever number the team gives me.”

He was an easy guy to root for here, and he’ll be an easy guy to root for at the next level.

The second round of Summer League games ended Tuesday night with the completion of the Utah Summer League. Like the California Summer League, the Utah Summer League had a limited number of teams that got some extra reps in before all 30 NBA teams head to Las Vegas for the main event and conclusion of Summer League play. However, unlike the California Summer League, the Utah Summer League only had four teams and only one Tar Heel was represented. So without further ado, here is a look at that one player, a guy a lot of North Carolina fans were hoping might still be wearing Carolina blue this upcoming season instead of the uniform he will be donning instead.

Henri Veesaar, Atlanta Hawks

Veesaar, playing in his first Summer League as second round pick of the Hawks, played in all three games during the Utah Summer league and even started his third game. The former UNC center had an auspicious start in his first two games combing to score just seven points while shooting 3 for 8 from the field and just 1 of 4 from downtown while also grabbing 10 boards across the two contests.

Veesaar finally looked like a rotation player in his third game, the one he started, scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds in 23 minutes of action. Veesaar hit 2 of 5 from three-point range and also had four assists, a block, and a steal. Veesaar also had four turnovers but it was a promising sign for the rookie big man as he will look to improve on those numbers in Las Vegas and become an important part of an Atlanta Hawks rotation in desperate need of some quality size after getting exposed by the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.  

From 2015-18, the rivalry between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers was at its peak.

LeBron James and the Cavaliers historically pulled off a incredible comeback in the 2016 NBA Finals after facing a 3-1 series deficit, ultimately winning the title in a Game 7 thriller.

Throughout that period of Warriors and Cleveland basketball for four straight postseasons, Bob Myers was the general manager of Golden State.

Myers was the architect behind the Warriors dynasty, drafting players like Draymond Green and recruiting superstars like Kevin Durant. He also hired head coach Steve Kerr, who remains in the position to this day.

In 2026, Myers oversees operations for the Philadelphia 76ers.

After facing James as an opponent for years, Myers has made a pitch to welcome him to Philadelphia.

“If he was here, I’d say I honestly believe this is your best chance to win. You have to decide all the other things that are equally important,” Myers said on the Game Over podcast with Rich Paul and Max Kellerman.

“What I would just say is, if it’s about winning, let’s talk about this team. Because you can win here in Philadelphia.”

Just about every team in the league would welcome James with open arms, including the Sixers. The organization is considered a favorite to land the veteran, but his free agency remains the biggest mystery of the summer.

At 41 years old, the four-time NBA champions remains a hot commodity on the free agent market.

Ultimately, James will make the final decision on where he goes next, but that won’t stop teams from making public pitches for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

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After their free-agent spending spree, the Lakers are effectively out of spending power.

They’re currently projected to be only $1.9 million below the cap before re-signing Austin Reaves, signing Collin Sexton with the room mid-level exception and signing Kevon Looney to a veteran-minimum deal. That’s not even enough for a minimum contract.

That hasn’t stopped the Lakers from pursuing Jonathan Kuminga in free agency, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN.

Slater reported that the Lakers have been “subtly improving their offer in recent days while reiterating to Kuminga his importance to what the Lakers are building around [Luka] Dončić, a likely starting role and what the opportunity could do for his career.” However, Kuminga and his agent believe “there are still avenues to better deals as the offseason dominoes continue to fall.

Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Timeslater reported that the Lakers have offered Kuminga a two-year, $20 million deal. That allows us to connect some dots.

How the Lakers can create more cap space

The Lakers’ easiest path to creating more cap space would be salary-dumping Jarred Vanderbilt or waiving him and stretching the dead cap hit from his remaining contract over the next half-decade.

If the Lakers managed to dump Vanderbilt’s $12.4 million contract into another team’s cap space or a salary-cap exception, they’d have plenty of spending power to offer Kuminga a $10 million annual salary.

A waive-and-stretch would get them in that ballpark as well.

Vanderbilt has a $13.3 million player option next year, so the Lakers would have to stretch the remaining $25.7 million on his contract on their books evenly over the next five years. That comes out to a dead cap hit of roughly $5.1 million, giving the Lakers another $7.3 million in spending power this offseason.

Combine that with the $1.9 million that they currently project to have, and they’d be up to nearly $9.2 million in cap space. That would allow them to offer Kuminga a two-year, $18.8 million deal.

The Lakers could create even more cap space by dumping Dalton Knecht for a minimum contract, or moving the recently acquired Jaden Hardy for someone earning less. If they need to manufacture a bit more cap space for Kuminga or another free agent, President of Basketball Operation Rob Pelinka has outs.

The question is how he can sweeten any offer.

The Lakers have already traded away all of their first-round draft capital through 2033 aside from a 2032 pick swap and all of but one of their own second-rounders. They did acquire two second-rounders from the Washington Wizards (2031 and 2032) in the Deandre Ayton trade, but those three picks are the only tradable picks that they have in either round.

Perhaps a team would be willing to take a free flier on Knecht, whom the Lakers selected with the 17th overall pick two years ago. He hit 37.6% of his three-point attempts as a rookie, but his shooting percentage plunged last year, and his playing time went right along with it.

There’s always a chance that the Lakers have slightly more cap space than estimated, too. They haven’t made any of their signings official yet, and contract reports tend to round up generously in favor of agents at this time of year.

But after sign-and-trading for Walker Kessler and signing Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton, the Lakers are more or less out of cap space and exceptions. With only one open roster spot left, the Lakers will need to create more spending power to entice Kuminga or another free-agent target.

The Lakers’ lack of tradable draft picks could impact their ability to outright salary-dump Vanderbilt. They’d have to determine whether signing Kuminga would justify giving up the 2032 first-round swap rights or any of their tradable second-round picks. If not, a waive-and-stretch would be their most likely path forward.

Either way, the Lakers do have a feasible path to offering Kuminga or another free agent somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million per season. Anything beyond that would likely require moving one or both of Hardy and Knecht. And anything north of $20 million is a pipe dream.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

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The Celtics have finalized their Summer League roster, and it’s loaded with young talent. Here’s the full list of 16 players that will appear on the team:

1. Hugo Gonzalez (SG/SF)
2. Chris Cenac (C/PF)
3. Dillon Mitchell (SF)
4. Amari Williams (C)
5. John Tonje (SG/SF)
6. Curtis Jones (SG)
7. Tucker DeVries (SF)
8. Milos Uzan (PG)
9. Alondes Williams (SG/PG)
10. Caleb Grill (SG)
11. Kyle Mangas (SG)
12. Hank Morgan (SG)
13. Mo Amini (SF)
14. Nick Pringle (PF/C)
15. Day Day Thomas (PG)
16. Chauncey Wiggins (SF/PF)

7 notable Summer League Celtics players to watch

All 16 rostered players will get at least some run at Summer League, but there are 7 players I’m most eager to watch.

Hugo Gonzalez: Hugo Gonzalez is, to me, the most notable player in the field. The 20-year-old had a good rookie season with the Celtics, and he’s looked really solid playing with the Spanish national team this month. Gonzalez averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game as a rookie, and was one of the NBA’s plus-minus darlings. Gonzalez never spent a second in the G-League.

Everybody knows that the Celtics did not want to trade Gonzalez this offseason to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo. How that decision ages remains to be seen, but every scout I’ve talked to around the NBA has gushed about what they’ve seen from Gonzalez so far. I’m excited to see how he looks at Summer League, especially when compared to last summer.

Chris Cenac: Chris Cenac is the Celtics’ highest-profile rookie; the 19-year-old forward is coming off of his freshman year at Houston and was selected 27th in the draft last month. He’s a highly-recruited 7-foot center who was one of the top interior prospects in his recruiting class, and he’ll take one of the Celtics 15 roster spots this year.

While Brad Stevens indicated he did not necessarily expect Cenac to play much next season, we’ve already seen his last two first-round picks (Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman) become impactful rotation players in their first two seasons. Just how raw is Cenac? And how does he hold up defensively? Summer league should shed some light on where he’s at in his career.

Dillon Mitchell: Dillon Mitchell is the Celtics’ other drafted rookie; the 22-year-old, drafted 40th overall, is coming off of a standout season at St. John’s. Mitchell is a super-athlete who is a good finisher, rebounder, and defender, though his inconsistent shot hurt his draft stock.

My big question is: just how good of a defender is he in this context? And, how can he fit in offensively despite effectively being unable to shoot? Mitchell is likely to end up on a two-way contract with the Celtics this season, so he’s one of the players I’m most interested in

Amari Williams: Williams was the Celtics’ 46th overall pick last season and was on a two-way contract for most of the year. He finished the year on a standard deal (mostly due to the Celtics working to stay under the luxury tax line) but did have some stellar moments with the parent club.

Williams will again be on a two-way contract with the Celtics this season, as the Celtics look to continue developing him into a center of the future. He’s currently behind Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, and Luka Garza in the depth chart, but showed he could be impactful in spots last year.

John Tonje: John Tonje was on a two-way contract with the Celtics last year (acquired in the midseason trade that sent Chris Boucher to the Utah Jazz). While he hasn’t agreed to a two-way contract with Boston next season, he remains in the mix and could return in the same role. Tonje is a bucket-getter who looks to carve out a role in the NBA after an elite season at Wisconsin. He didn’t get much run in Boston, but scored a career-high 13 points in the season finale last year.

Tucker DeVries: Tucker DeVries is on an Exhibit 10 contract, so he’ll be joining the Celtics for training camp (and potentially competing for a two-way contract). DeVries is an undrafted rookie out of West Virginia who is 24 years old and a proven sharpshooter. He’s a polished offensive player with a high basketball IQ that could ultimately (one day) end up being a Sam Hauser replacement.

Milos Uzan: Milos Uzan is also on an Exhibit 10 contract, so, like DeVries, he’ll be joining the Celtics for training camp when Summer League is over. Uzan is a 22-year-old point guard out of Houston, where he was teammates with Cenac. He’s a poised point guard who is known for steady decision-making and veteran leadership.

Another Summer League note: Hank Morgan returns for his second consecutive Summer League with the Celtics. Morgan, who laced up for the Maine Celtics, was the G-League’s only former Division III player last year.

Jaylen Brown is here, the splashiest acquisition in a very splashy Sixers offseason orchestrated by new personnel chief Mike Gansey.

Anfernee Simons, a willing and much-needed bench scorer, is also here. Same for Ariel Hukporti, an intriguing big man coming off a title run with the Knicks.

Hey, and LeBron James might end up here, too. Never say never, right?

Against that backdrop, Dean Wade has fairly tiptoed into town, lunchpail in hand and valuable toolkit in his back pocket. 

Signed to a reported four-year, $39 million free-agent contract, Wade is the ultimate 3-and-D guy, a sturdily built 6-foot-9 forward who can make open triples and guard all five positions. Whether he starts, or (in the event of a LeBron signing) comes off the bench, those are two very useful skills to possess.

And two things that might escape notice, given everything else that is going on. Or might go on, in the weeks and months ahead.

During a Zoom call with reporters Tuesday, he called defense “a thankless job,” and that is inarguable. Nobody in the Association wants to crouch in a stance, hike up their shorts and joust with the breathtakingly skilled guys headed their way. But Wade, an undrafted free agent signed out of Kansas State by Cleveland in 2019 (where Gansey was an executive at the time), discovered early on that that was his ticket to playing time.

Never mind that Wade had been a scorer in college. Never mind, he said, that he was “never really known as a defender” at that point in his career. He learned to become one. And he has learned to like it.

“I think the most appealing part of defense is … when people iso one on one,” he said. “It is head-up – just who’s better, and I’ve got to play with that little chip on my shoulder. I love that competitive spirit, where it’s just whose will’s going to kind of outlast whose.”

By his second season he was getting regular time, and that remained the case during the duration of his seven-year stay in Cleveland. He averaged a modest 5.3 points and 3.6 rebounds over that time, but shot nearly 37 percent from three and just generally proved to be a useful piece to the puzzle.

Along the way he crossed paths with former Sixer Georges Niang, a Cavalier in 2023-24 and part of 2024-25. And Niang – “maybe the funniest human I’ve ever met,” Wade said – told him a little something about Philadelphia. How, yes, the town’s athletic supporters can be tough, but are ultimately, “the best fans in the world, as long as you’re playing the right way.”

Suffice it to say that Wade will endeavor to do just that, while continuing to keep a low profile – something that comes naturally to him.

He hails from the farming community of St. John, Kansas (pop. 1,200). His dad, Jay, played football at Kansas State and Western Illinois, while his mom, Trish, played basketball and volleyball at Barton Community College and Florida Southern.

She would later win three state championships in 17 seasons as the volleyball coach at St. John-Hudson, while coaching her daughter Teresa, among others. (Trish, who also coached track at her children’s alma mater, now heads the volleyball squad at Nickerson High School.)

So it’s not hard to see where Dean got his athletic ability. Also his competitiveness.

“When I was younger, I hated losing,” he said. “I was the worst loser – like, my parents would beat me in a card game, and I would lose my mind.”

One of the fringe benefits to having a mom in coaching is that she had the key to the high school gym, which according to Dean was just two doors down from the family home.

“I lived in the gym,” he said.

He would ultimately lead his school to three state championships. Still, pro basketball seemed a long way off.

“Even thinking about the NBA when I was growing up was never a real thought in my mind,” he said. “I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a cool dream, but I never really thought I would have the opportunity to play.’”

But he never felt overmatched in AAU competition, and his family fostered his dream.

“Especially my sister,” he said. “She kicked that self-doubt right out of me before I could.”

Kansas State would ultimately unearth him, and he became a two-time All-Big 12 performer while averaging 12 points a game on .498/.386/.711 shooting over four seasons. And before he knew it, the NBA became a distinct possibility.

“Even when I was (on) a two-way (contract as a rookie),” he said, “I was like, ‘Man, I feel like I could still play in this league – compete at the highest level in this league.’ I never had any doubt in my mind.”

Not by then. And not anymore. Now he comes sneaking into town, carrying a mindset and a skillset that could prove very useful. And never mind that nobody else might notice.

The most infamous moment in LeBron James’ career remains “The Decision,” in which the then-25-year-old turned picking a new team into an overblown one-hour TV special that will never be repeated. Now, we’re getting the modern equivalent of it — and it’s sad as hell.

Rather than just picking a team and moving on, the entire LeBron courtship has turned into fuel for Rich Paul’s podcast, and that fire was given more oxygen on Tuesday when Sixers president Bob Myers went on the show to make a public pitch to LeBron, rather than talking to him in private.

It’s one thing to watch the greatest basketball player on the planet self-produce his own free agency broadcast, but it’s on a whole other level to see an NBA executive fawn over LeBron like the contestant on a dating show. It’s all so sad, and so transparent — because Rob Myers doesn’t give a rat’s ass about Rich Paul’s podcast, but understands it’s the cost of doing business when it comes to trying to land LeBron.

Frustrating, execs like Myers understand that James legitimately does give them a better chance of winning. At this point in his career the 41-year-old has become the ultimate glue guy who can functionally fit into any lineup and be a factor, which is an incredible proposition for a team like the Sixers who now have Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — but critically miss the connective piece that could really push them over the top.

Now we need to wait and see if any other NBA general managers follow suit. Will more line up to appear next to Rich Paul and make their pitch? I hope not, but in this era … yeah, it’s going to happen.

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

As the dust begins to settle on free agency (and the Giannis trade), we can at least begin to evaluate how the roster is shaking out; when you do that, one thing stands out: there are a lot of guards on the team right now. I mean, not even counting Gary Trent Jr. and that whole clusterf**k of a situation, I can count a total of 6/15 guys who operate at either guard spot (excluding Ousmane Dieng and Caris LeVert, who also need the rock):

• Ryan Rollins
• Kevin Porter Jr.
• Kasparas Jakucionis
• Tyler Herro
• Brayden Burries
• AJ Green

If you add two-ways in Kam Jones and Cormac Ryan, that number of guards reaches eight.

This is not ideal for a range of reasons. There is the obvious concern about not having enough minutes to go around while also keeping one eye on developing key future players like Jakucionis and Burries. In addition, you need to consider the mental impact of players not feeling comfortable in their roles on a game-to-game basis, and their performance suffering as a result. For example, if Burries is never sure when he’ll sub in because he plays 20 minutes one night and 10 the next, how can he be expected to perform?

I understand that on some level, talent is talent, and rebuilding teams really just need to acquire as much talent as possible, position be damned, but there are tradeoffs to that line of thinking. Therefore, my Brew Hoop brethren, I’ll put it to you: is it a good idea to start the season with this many guards, or does Jon Horst need to make some moves to balance this roster out?

The Celtics’ urge to trade Jaylen Brown appears to be becoming clearer after his shocking move to the rival 76ers last week.

Boston traded Brown for what most consider to be less than market value, landing Paul George – whom most consider to be a negative asset – and four draft picks after failing to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo.

ESPN is now reporting that Brown had an increasingly distant relationship with co-star Jayson Tatum despite winning the title together in 2024.

Shams Charania said that Brown and Tatum’s relationship was “as close to nonexistent as you could have” off the court.

He pointed out that Brown and Tatum have had excellent chemistry on the court, but their off-court dealings left much to be desired.

A large part of this could certainly be related to the fallout from Tatum’s torn Achilles, which he suffered in May 2025 and forced him to miss most of the 2025-26 regular season.

While Tatum was out, Brown stepped into the lion’s share of the work for Boston and averaged career-highs in points (28.7), assists (5.1), and rebounds (6.9) per game.

After the campaign, Brown infamously called this his “favorite season” of his NBA career despite blowing a 3-1 lead in a first-round series against the 76ers.

Brown won the NBA Finals MVP in 2024, a decision that was highly controversial, as Tatum is widely regarded as the best player on the Celtics, and the two consistently had Boston as title contenders.

As Brown trade speculation unfolded, Tatum was mostly quiet and issued a brief statement after his now-ex-teammate was sent to Philadelphia.

“From first-round exits to winning a chip together, I’m thankful for it all. Nothing but love and respect for you as a player and as a person,” Tatum said. “Looking forward to see how you attack this next chapter of your career and wish nothing but the best for you! Continue to be special!”

Celtics President Brad Stevens explained the trade by saying they weren’t comfortable paying Brown and Tatum in this current second apron salary cap era.

“I think when you choose the term ‘optionality,’ you’re talking about just length of contract and assets, so that’s where the increased optionality comes from,” Stevens told reporters after the trade. “And listen, we’re going to have to lean on our depth. This is a big part of this.”

What Celtics fans need to know about 2026 NBA Summer League originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The 2026 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas begins this week, and the Boston Celtics should be a fun team to watch throughout the tournament.

The action begins July 9 and goes through July 19. All games will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center and the Cox Pavillion on the UNLV campus.

The Celtics have never won a Summer League championship. They were last in the title game in 2021, when they lost to the Sacramento Kings.

Can the C’s end that drought and leave Las Vegas with a title?

Here’s what you need to know about the Celtics’ Summer League competition.

Summer League Roster

The Celtics announced their roster Wednesday. It features three players — Hugo Gonzalez, John Tonje and Amari Williams — who saw time in Boston last season.

Gonzalez is by far the best player on the roster after an impressive rookie season for the C’s. He also played well for Spain in two FIBA qualifying games last week.

The 2025 first-round pick has great potential and should play a larger role in Joe Mazzulla’s lineup next season. This will be Gonzalez’s second appearance at Summer League. He averaged 10.8 points per game in last year’s tournament.

Another player of note is Chris Cenac Jr. The Celtics drafted the University of Houston center with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Second-round pick Dillon Mitchell out of St. John’s should be fun to watch, too. He’s a very good defensive player and a strong rebounder, but how much can he impact the game offensively?

Celtics assistant coach Amile Jefferson will be the head coach of the Summer League team.

Summer League Schedule

The Celtics will play their first four games in a six-day span, and three of their first four opponents are against Eastern Conference teams, including the defending Summer League champion Charlotte Hornets.

A four-team playoff will determine a Summer League champion. The semifinal round will be on July 18 and the title game will be July 19.

The 26 teams that don’t make the playoff will play a fifth game on July 17, 18 or 19.

The NBA Rookie of the Year award is a rare honor for a prospect whose game translates immediately to winning play at the pro level. Development is rarely linear, and blue-chip athletes can have a leg up in the rookies’ first time playing through an extended NBA season. The past nine ROY winners have all been top-four draft picks, with Malcolm Brogdon the rare exception after playing lead ball handler for a Bucks team making a leap around Giannis Antetokounmpo. 

Narratives will also cycle through favorites as players get hot and teams go on runs. Kon Knueppel seemed to run away with the award last year as an immediate three-point specialist with movement skills in Charlotte, but Cooper Flagg’s steady growth into his larger role in Dallas made him inevitable after back-to-back 51- and 45-point outings in April. 

FanDuel’s odds on the NBA Rookie of the Year award voting show a few top draft picks who’ve landed in ideal roles for their current and developing skill sets. These are also the players most likely to be crashing the playoffs with breakout performances sooner than later.

Cameron Boozer, Memphis Grizzlies (+250)

Cameron Boozer was rated as the top prospect by many entering the draft, and he’s joining a Memphis lineup that is set up to thrive around him. Zach Edey provides supplementary size; and Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward earned ROY votes the past two seasons, and could help Boozer accelerate Memphis’ timeline back to competitiveness. 

Darryn Peterson, Utah Jazz (+270)

Darryn Peterson’s uneven season in Kansas and subsequent fall to Utah with the No. 2 draft pick might have been for the best long-term. Some analysts note that last season’s physical limitations led Peterson to become a lethal shooter and more accustomed to operating as part of a system. The Jazz are embarking on a new phase of their rebuild, and Peterson profiles as an ideal fit alongside Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markannen, and Jaren Jackson Jr. (and Walker Kessler). 

AJ Dybantsa, Washington Wizards (+470)

The Wizards are another team rolling out a re-imagined roster, and AJ Dybantsa will have a chance to thrive playing alongside Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Washington also has a trove of young guards who can help create space for Dybantsa to operate, and he could easily lead all rookies in scoring and separate himself as the league’s best newcomer.

Darius Acuff Jr., Sacramento Kings (+500)

Acuff Jr. is an alpha guard who landed on a team in need of one. He’ll be more than just a spiritual successor to Russell Westbrook after falling to Sacramento with the seventh pick, but Acuff showcased a soft touch and finesse around the rim during his season with Coach John Calipari in Arkansas. He’ll be surrounded by a couple All-Star caliber talents in Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis with a long leash to compete and develop.

Caleb Wilson, Chicago Bulls (+1000)

Wilson combines rare athleticism with high marks in IQ and professionalism, and he’s joining a Bulls team that can make things easier for him – particularly running alongside Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. The UNC product has already invoked comparisons to Michael Jordan, and (especially after the renaissance season that the Knicks just finished) the hype in Chicago will be generating steam if Wilson can be an impactful force at the core.

Longshots

Mikel Brown Jr., Brooklyn Nets (+2000)

The Nets have a crowded backcourt after drafting four guards in 2025, but Mikel Brown Jr. showed impressive playmaking and bounce off the dribble that could gel well alongside new teammates Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. 

Yaxel Lendeborg, Golden State Warriors (+2500)

Lendenborg is a do-it-all, two-way forward for a Golden State team hoping to assemble another title contender around Steph Curry. The 23-year-old rookie could earn starter’s minutes for a team that will attract a lot of media attention.

Keaton Wagler, Los Angeles Clippers (+3500)

Wagler’s rapid ascent from the No. 150 recruit to the No. 5 pick means there are still areas of his game that are less explored (or exploited). He’ll start his career playing alongside Darius Garland, though the rest of the lineup could still get shaken up with a potential Kawhi Leonard trade.

Brayden Burries, Milwaukee Bucks (+6000)

Coach Taylor Jenkins will have a lot to sort out as the new-look Bucks take the court, and Burries is the centerpiece of the team’s first draft post-Giannis. Burries projects to have an immediate and well-rounded impact, with the opportunity to emerge as a leading scorer like he did in his one season at Arizona.

Well, if you were hoping for a resolution in the LeBron James sweepstakes, it doesn’t appear you’re getting it soon.

But if you’re holding out hope The King eventually chooses to play for the Sixers, you were provided a glimmer of hope Wednesday morning.

Bob Myers, who is the president of sports for HBSE and hired president of basketball operations Mike Gansey, was a guest on Rich Paul’s show Game Over on Netflix. The two have an existing friendship, Paul noted, surely crossing paths many times over their respective careers.

First, we have to get out of the way that this is unprecedented — a current executive (I know not technically a direct executive) talking to a current agent openly about a player for the world to see. On some levels, it’s cool for them to be this transparent, but it’s also a little strange.

You have to give Myers credit here. When Paul asked him to do this, he likely didn’t hesitate. This by no means is an indicator LeBron is coming here and it ultimately might not help — but it certainly doesn’t hurt. Myers acquitted himself well on there, making the Sixers look serious about their pitch to LeBron without being condescending to Paul or the audience.

It felt like host Max Kellerman was hoping to turn this into a recruitment circus and Myers never took the bait. He just kept reiterating he believed the Sixers gave LeBron his chance to win while continuing to make it clear James has already weighed these things and nothing Myers is going to say on this show is going to be the thing that sways the decision. Myers repeatedly complimented LeBron’s knowledge of the league and its players — again, couldn’t hurt.

Myers also took a question about newest Sixer Jaylen Brown, in which he reminded everyone a crucial member of his championship Golden State Warriors wasn’t an analytics darling: Klay Thompson.

Again, Myers deserves respect for doing this and acquitting himself well. He made the Sixers sound like a serious organization that’s ready to win. It was refreshing.

This, of course, comes on the heels of ESPN’s Shams Charania essentially narrowing James’ list down to three teams: the Sixers, Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.

This whole saga has given me Godfather III vibes.

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.