Category: Basketball

The Golden State Warriors have had a rather quiet offseason that returned many familiar faces from last season's roster. Now, they have added two newcomers at the guard and forward positions.

The Warriors agreed to sign 6-foot-1 point guard Brandon Williams to a one-year, $2.6 million deal, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania. Golden State also agreed to sign free agent forward Georges Niang to a one-year, $3.9 million deal, Charania reported.

Williams spent the 2025-26 season with the Dallas Mavericks, where he averaged career highs with 13 points and 3.9 assists in 66 games. Williams averaged 22.2 minutes per night, the most playing time he's seen since joining the NBA as an undrafted rookie signing in 2021.

Williams was on the Mavericks' roster the previous three seasons. He first entered the league playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, where he averaged 12.9 points in 24 games in 2021-22.

The veteran Niang has averaged 7.4 points per game across 544 NBA games, but did not play in 2025-26 due to injury.

How Brandon Williams fits with Warriors

The fifth-year NBA player joins a guard-heavy team already featuring the likes of Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Will Richard, LJ Cryer, Gary Payton II and De'Anthony Melton.

Williams will seemingly be a spark off the bench for Golden State. It's a role Williams is familiar with and the Warriors know how dynamic he can be torching other second units − they got a taste of that work last season.

Williams had one of his best games against the Warriors on Christmas Day 2025, while with the Mavericks. Williams seemingly couldn't miss that day. He tallied 26 points on 9-for-12 shooting from the field.

He scored a career-high against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 7, 2025 when he went off for 31 points on 10-for-15 shooting, including 4-of-8 on 3-point field goals. He added six assists, five rebounds and a steal to his stat line. Williams showcased his ability to get to the rim and draw contact that game, getting to the free throw line eight times, making seven.

How Georges Niang fits with Warriors

If healthy, Niang brings another 3-point shooting threat to the Warriors roster. He fits in all too well.

After a decade in the NBA, Niang has proved to be a reliable role player and credible 3-point shooter who connects from deep at a 40% clip for his career.

Niang missed the 2025-26 season due to a foot injury. The Warriors were all too familiar with injuries last season, with Curry, Moody, Jimmy Butler III and Al Horford among the big names impacted.

Niang has played for the Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks. He was going to return to the Jazz after a trade last offseason because the team felt his veteran presence would benefit their young core. Niang joining the Warriors' mix of veteran leadership and young reserves should be the perfect storm.

Plus, Niang should be somewhat familiar with the Warriors' organization and development system having played for their G-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, during the 2017-18 season.

Reuniting old teammates

Williams won't have too much of a time getting acclimated with the Warriors and how they operate. He is already familiar with a member of the team.

Williams is a 26-year-old guard from Los Angeles. He attended Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California, where he was teammates with Melton. They dominated the floor when they shared the space. Melton averaged 20 points and Williams averaged 15.8 points as they led the Celts to a 33-5 record and won the CIF Division I state championship.

The two celebrated Williams' signing, posting a screen grab from their FaceTime video call showing both smiling as Williams quoted the tagline for hip-hop producer Chandler "Turbo" Durham.

"RUN IT BACK TURBOOOO @DeAnthonyMelton," Williams posted on X, formerly Twitter, with blue and yellow hearts symbolizing the Warriors' color-scheme.

Although not Southern California, Williams is back on the West Coast, so that has to be a breath of fresh air for him. His familiarity with Melton should help make for a smooth transition to the Bay Area.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors signing Georges Niang, Brandon Williams: How they fit with Golden State

The Golden State Warriors filled the final spots on the roster Tuesday.

After signing Brandon Williams to a $2.6 million deal in the morning, the Warriors have inked another deal with free agent forward Georges Niang.

Niang, who missed the entire 2025–26 season because of injury, signed a one-year, $3.9 million contract with the Warriors.

The forward is the ultimate role player and journeyman. The Warriors will be Niang’s sixth team in 11 NBA seasons.

The 33 year old is a career 40% 3-point shooter and is widely known for his stretch four abilities. He’s a solid shooter, can space the floor and gives Golden State another gritty player.

This isn’t Niang’s first stint with the Warriors organization as he was with their G-League affiliate during the 2017–18 season. Niang has spent time with the Indiana Pacers, Utah Jazz, Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Hawks.

After a quiet offseason, the Warriors have made two signings in the same day. Golden State targeted both Williams and Niang over the last month to fill its two open regular-season roster spots.

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In one corner, you have the Lakers, who desperately need an athletic wing. 

In the other?

You have an athletic wing who’s desperate to prove himself. 

The Lakers and Jonathan Kuminga need each other. It would be a symbiotic relationship.

It would infuse the lineup of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler with some explosiveness and speed. And it would give Kuminga a chance to rehabilitate his image after a very public clash with Warriors coach Steve Kerr followed by the Hawks declining to pick up his $24.3 million team option in June.

While Kuminga’s camp rejected the Lakers’ initial two-year, $20 million offer, it behooves both sides to figure something out via a sign-and-trade despite the Lakers’ significant financial constraints. 

After the Lakers overhauled their roster this summer, acquiring nine new players, there are some major holes on the squad. 

The most glaring? The wing position. 

The Lakers’ starting lineup doesn’t have enough speed. Or defensive power from the perimeter. They need a two-way wing. 

Kuminga is the best player on the market who fits that bill. 

And even though Kuminga’s camp is hoping for something more in the ballpark of $20-$25 million annually, it benefits both parties to reach an agreement. 

After Kuminga was selected by the Warriors as the No. 7 pick in the 2021 draft, he wanted to become a star. But the Warriors needed him to star in his role on a veteran-laden team that included Steph Curry and Draymond Green. 

There were times when Kuminga shined, such as when he stepped up in the second round of the 2024 playoffs while Curry was sidelined with an injury, finishing with 30 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks in Game 3 of that series. 

Or when he went 11-for-11 from the field, finishing with 25 points, nine rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots in a two-way masterpiece against the Hawks in January 2024.

But he also struggled with inconsistency. He resented being pigeonholed. And eventually the relationship between him and Kerr soured past the point of no return, leading to him being dealt to the Hawks in February 2026. 

After only playing 16 games for the Hawks while averaging 12.3 points on 47.6 percent shooting, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists, they declined to pick up his team option, making him an unrestricted free agent.

The Lakers and Timberwolves are among his top options. 

The offense wouldn’t run through Kuminga on either of those teams, but he’d have a starting role on the Lakers alongside Doncic, Reaves, Kessler and likely Quentin Grimes. 

It’s unclear if he’d be a starter on the Timberwolves alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert. He could possibly snag that fifth spot, though Ayo Donsunmu could also be in contention for it. 

Kuminga, who’s 23 years old, is going to have to accept a hard truth in the NBA. 

It doesn’t matter what he can do. What matters is what a team wants him to do. 

That’s where an NBA player’s value lies. Not in his abilities.  Not in his potential. But in how he fits on a team. How selfless he is. Whether he’s willing to plug the holes in the way that management sees fit. 

Now’s Kuminga’s chance to prove that he can do that. 

The Lakers need someone who can attack the rim and defend multiple positions. Kuminga’s services wouldn’t be additive, they’d be essential. 

If Kuminga chooses to join the 17-time champion Lakers, he wouldn’t be the team’s star but he’d firmly be in the spotlight. 

Los Angeles is a much bigger market than Minnesota. It would give Kuminga a chance to prove to the world he’s selfless enough to play a role, while also giving him national attention when he shines. 

The Lakers need Kuminga. 

And if he chooses to come to the Lakers, he could begin really making a name for himself. 

He’d be playing on the second-most successful franchise in the NBA. He’d be playing on a team that has worldwide recognition. And he’d be playing on a squad that really needs him. 

While it remains to be seen how this will all play out, one thing is certain. 

The Lakers and Kuminga could both help take each other to the next level. 

Before he joined the Lakers in 2018, a limited liability company controlled by former franchise superstar LeBron James borrowed almost $300 million from a couple of life insurers that were being advised by Guggenheim Partners, the California Post confirmed Tuesday. 

Guggenheim Partners, to which former Lakers owner Mark Walter is the CEO, is under federal investigation over potential hidden, related-party transactions. It is widely believed that the federal scrutiny prompted Walter’s shocking sale of the Lakers after owning the team for less than a year.

Nothing indicates the loans to James are connected to those inquiries.

The securitization, which was first reported by Bloomberg, happened in 2017 while James with playing for the Cavaliers. 

The deal was structured to provide immediate cash to James and “backed by a stream of future revenue tied to his earnings outside basketball” such as the lifetime partnership deal he secured with Nike in 2015. 

There was a follow-on securitization in 2022 after James joined the Lakers. 

The initial bond taken by James came with a 4.8% interest rate, and is not due back until 2049.

Four years later, Midwestern insurers (North American Company for Life and Health Insurance and Midland National Life Insurance Company) flushed LeBron’s LLC (King James Funding) with nearly $60 million worth of 34-year bonds at an even-higher 5.75% interest rate.

The two insurance companies were owned by Sammons Financial Group. Guggenheim was in charge of picking the assets for the firm’s portfolio until 2021, Bloomberg reported.

The initial securitization occurred before James joined the Lakers as a free agent in July 2018. And before Mark Walter, the CEO of Guggenheim, became a minority owner of the Lakers in July 2021.

James signed a two-year, $97.1 million contract extension with the Lakers in August 2022.

“The 2018 and 2022 transactions were a securitization done by Mr. James with his personal, non-NBA salary, assets and income which is a very common financial structure for an individual with this level of earnings and assets,” a James spokesperson said in a statement to the California Post.

“Both transactions were fully approved by the NBA. Mr. James has no affiliation with Guggenheim, Sammons Financial, North American Life or Midland National beyond their participation in these transactions.”

Guggenheim is also listed among the investors in SpringHill Co., a media venture started by James and business partner Maverick Carter.

Walter agreed to purchase the majority ownership of the Lakers from the Buss family in June 2025 for a then-record valuation of $10 billion.

He officially acquired a majority stake in the franchise last October before selling his shares to businessman Josh Kushner and ex-Disney executive Bob Iger at the historic valuation of $12.5 billion.

The Financial Times reported last week that Walter and his business partner, Todd Boehly, are looking to sell their minority stakes in Chelsea Football Club.

The recent news surrounding Walter has prompted speculation that the Lakers sale was a quick way to liquify assets for any potential legal troubles facing Walter.

Walter remains the controlling owner of the Dodgers after purchasing majority ownership in 2012. Dodgers president Stan Kasten has stated the Dodgers aren’t for sale.

Klay Thompson likens Giannis Antetokounmpo's impact to Warriors star Steph Curry originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Klay Thompson officially is the newest member of the Miami Heat, where he joins a team hungry for a deep NBA playoff run after revamping its roster, also acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks.

Thompson is a star in his own right, winning four NBA championships in 13 seasons with the Warriors and five All-Star nods. But Antetokounmpo is one of the biggest stars of the modern era, and for Thompson, the Greek Freak has the same impact as Steph Curry, especially with the way he plays.

“They both have a similar impact on the game,” Thompson told reporters Tuesday in Miami. “I think Giannis would be the third [NBA] MVP that I have been able to play with now, which is really cool. His interior scoring is one of the best ever and his jump shot is greatly improved. You can’t sag off him like you used to. He will punish you, and he’s just an incredible talent who has a great will to win. And I love being around guys like that who leave it out on the floor and really care about their craft.

“That’s what attracted me too, is just like wow, I get to play with another MVP-caliber player, and that’s rare. I don’t take this role I have lightly. Whatever it is, I’m not just happy to be here but I’m just thrilled to have a defined role on this team to try to help guys with my experience and help guide the team through a roller coaster of a season because it’s never easy when you’re trying to chase what we’re trying to do.”

Thompson joins the Heat after spending the previous two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. Signing a three-year deal with the team in 2024, major roster turnover and a diminished role led to Thompson and the Mavs agreeing to a contract buy-out, allowing him to hit NBA free agency a year early.

Now, Thompson will look to maximize the last few seasons of his career and win one more ring before he retires alongside another superstar.

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I didn’t think we’d need a second one of these so soon, but I also don’t think any Lakers fan expected the chaos of the last two weeks.

After having just enough time to catch our collective breath from free agency, Mark Walter and the Buss family chose chaos for the rest of the summer. Now, the rest of the offseason will be spent wondering what the future of the franchise is even going to look like.

Naturally, lots of questions will come with that uncertainty. Plus, on top of that, there’s still a team that just finished touring Slovenia and is getting ready for a season. So, fire away with any questions, whether on the team, owners, the NBA, the WNBA or whatever else.

Lastly, keep things friendly along the way!

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James might be moving more solo than he did last year — and not because his father, LeBron, headed to the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency.

Bronny had been dating Parker Whitfield, whom he met in high school, with the couple going public with their relationship around October 2024.

While the couple preferred to keep their relationship mostly private, they were often spotted courtside at basketball games, and they could occasionally comment and appear on each other’s social media posts.

But a major shift has happened regarding social media: Bronny and Whitfield no longer follow each other on Instagram.

It’s an all-too-common sign that a couple has broken up.

Perhaps fans will have to wait and see whether Bronny or Parker says something publicly about their relationship status before confirming this. But given their private nature, it’s unlikely that either will speak publicly about parting ways if they did indeed do so.

It’s unclear exactly when this mutual unfollowing occurred. Bronny just came back from a trip to Slovenia along with the rest of the Lakers’ roster as he gets set for his third season in the NBA.

Whitfield is the daughter of Hollywood producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield and actor Dondré Whitfield. Among their appearances together were when LeBron was playing for Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics, as they were seen attending several games together.

Lakers fans probably shouldn’t expect to see Whitfield at games this season, if this unfollowing is any indication.

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At long last, Penn State has announced that it will stage its annual "white out" spectacle Oct. 10 against USC.

NBC will broadcast the matchup at 7:30 p.m. from Beaver Stadium, where fans will be asked to dress in as much white clothing as possible and turn the venue's typically raucous home environment up a notch.

Fans have long had the game circled as the likely choice to be the next installment of one of the most visually striking traditions in the sport. The Trojans are the highest-ranked opponent on the Nittany Lions' home slate at No. 14 in the LBM Coaches Poll, so it made sense the leverage the environment against them.

Required reading: The view from Penn State's renovated Beaver Stadium is stunning - and dizzying

However, the TV networks waited until this week to confirm the game's network and - most importantly - the time. Fox gets the first pick of Big Ten games weekly for its "Big Noon Saturday" package. Penn State has historically bristled at the notion of staging the white out in the early afternoon, preferring the contrast of the dark night sky with the sea of white for what's become its principal marketing event as a school.

Had Fox chosen the game, Penn State was leaving the option open to pivot the white out to a different opponent. Now, however, it appears they won't have to use that contingency plan and will instead get its biggest home game in primetime as desired.

This will mark the first white out game for the renovated west side of the stadium, which will debut alongside new coach Matt Campbell on Sept. 5 for the season opener against Marshall. Penn State has not yet announced the stadium's new capacity, but athletic director Pat Kraft has said in interviews that it could surpass 108,000 or 109,000 to become the largest stadium in college football.

If that happens, the USC game could set a new attendance record for the building and flirt with some of the largest on-campus crowds ever on a national level.

The Lions beat the Trojans, 33-30, in their most recent matchup two years ago in Los Angeles. Ryan Barker's 36-yard field goal in overtime completed a comeback from a 20-6 halftime deficit.

Also Monday, Penn State announced it will stage its annual homecoming weekend Sept. 26 against Wisconsin.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Penn State announces USC as white out opponent after long delay

Documentary on Warriors star Steph Curry coming to IMAX theaters in October   originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry is the greatest shooter in NBA history, holding the record for most 3-pointers ever made at over 4,200. And this fall, Curry fans can watch the Warriors star’s journey to the record on the big screen with a documentary coming to IMAX in October.

The film, which will focus on Curry becoming the NBA’s all-time leader in threes while also exploring the hard work and skillset that goes into his shooting, was directed by sports documentarian Gotham Chopra and produced by Religion of Sports. Curry changed the game of basketball with how he shoots, and now fans can really see what goes behind his greatness.

Curry was selected by the Warriors No. 7 overall in the 2009 NBA Draft, and despite injury issues early in his career, particularly with his ankles, he evolved into the face of the Warriors’ franchise. The focal point of all four of Golden State’s championship teams, Curry is a 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection and a two-time NBA MVP Award recipient, among several other accolades. A member of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, Curry’s legacy as a legend is cemented.

Curry is 38 years old and nearing the end of his career, but playing at a high level still, he hopes that he can lead the Warriors on a deep playoff run this season and surprise the rest of the NBA. The Warriors enter the 2026-27 season with an older roster, but as long as Curry keeps doing his thing, they should be just fine.

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Former Warriors great Klay Thompson explains why he chose to sign with Heat originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

For the second time in three years, Klay Thompson is on the move. But this time, Thompson is taking his talents to South Beach to join the Miami Heat on a two-year, $11.5 million contract. Thompson is the second big-name player the Heat have acquired this offseason, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Thompson held his introductory press conference on Tuesday and shared why he chose to join Miami, emphasizing his desire to play for head coach Erik Spoelstra even with no prior relationship.

“Not really, but I know Coach Spo’s story,” Thompson told the media. “I know the respect he commands in the world of basketball is very high. We’re from the same city, so I’ve heard great things. He went to Jesuit just like my brother did and they got a lot of family friends who have known him for a long time. And nothing but great things have been said. I know him and Steve Kerr worked together for a couple of stints with Team USA and Steve had nothing but great things to say and so did my friends who have played for the Miami Heat.

“I know it’s a demanding atmosphere and it’s one that’s really competitive and that’s what attracted me to being here. That’s something that I think reflects my mindset to a tee, so that was an easy choice for me.”

Thompson was set to enter the final year of a three-year, $50 million contract that he signed with the Dallas Mavericks in 2024, but after agreeing to a buy-out, he agreed very early on to join Miami. Thompson left money on the table when he signed with the Heat, instead choosing a destination where he could compete for another NBA championship.

“The opportunity to play high-level basketball throughout the season and a chance to make a deep postseason run,” Thompson said. “Those things were so attractive to me. Obviously, you want to maximize your earning potential as an athlete, but I’ve tasted winning before and there’s really nothing like it. Even getting there and failing is better than not even having a shot at it. I’m not saying that’s gonna happen, I’m just saying the opportunity to win again at a very high level was attractive to me. Looking at the roster, it looked like a great fit as far as me being able to space the floor and attack from the perimeter and have great help defenders behind me.

“And especially at this stage in my career, I get to play a specific role and my voice will go a long way hopefully with this team and lead by example.”

Thompson, a four-time champion with the Warriors who spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the franchise, developed into one of the NBA’s best shooters and formed the Splash Brothers with Steph Curry. A five-time All-Star and a multi time All-Defensive team selection, Thompson’s career in Golden State was a legendary one. But after missing both the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons with injuries, Thompson’s performance slowly declined and the Warriors chose not to re-sign him following 2023-24.

Thompson is 36 years old and in the twilight of his career, but the Bay Area legend is eager for one last ride with one of the NBA’s most historic franchises.

The Los Angeles Lakers have returned from their four-day minicamp in Slovenia, hosted by superstar Luka Doncic.

Their trip to Doncic’s home country — which featured working out, playing pick-up games, golfing and exploring Ljubljana — was evidently a fun time. So much so, that Jarred Vanderbilt is considering getting a Slovenian passport.

“The trip was great,” Vanderbilt said. “Not gonna lie, didn’t know much about [Slovenia] before I came here, but it’s definitely a spot I will revisit.

“I’m looking to get Slovenian passport. We’ll see. Might be part Slovenian.”

The minicamp was an opportunity for the new-look Lakers to get a chance to build a rapport with one another, on and off the court. Chemistry is an important aspect of any championship team and the Lakers will have a different feel after LeBron James left for the 76ers in free agency.

The Lakers also added star center Walker Kessler, swing man Quentin Grimes and forward Sandro Mamukelashvili.

The Lakers’ overseas trip came also as the franchise was sold by Mark Walter for $12.5 billion to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner.

The Lakers are looking for Doncic to lead the team to glory, a tall task for any player under the bright lights of Hollywood.

But the 27-year-old’s leadership is already on display with the four-day minicamp in Slovenia and it’ll have to continue at training camp next month.

We’ve finally, mercifully reached the quiet part of the NBA calendar, James Harden’s latest eye-popping contract notwithstanding. That triggered a fresh batch of power rankings and standings projections across the basketball internet in recent days.

On Monday, Law Murray of The Athletic put the Sixers fourth in his latest power rankings, trailing only the reigning champion New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. Right after LeBron James signed with the Sixers, he had them fifth, behind those three teams and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Although I anticipate a slow start for the 76ers, like all LeBron James teams, I am already doing what I said I would not do last month: raising expectations for Philly. Why? If nothing else, because they have their team in place.

While James was the player the broadcast partners wanted, Brown was an All-NBA selection last season. It’s Brown replacing George in the salary bracket, and it’s Brown who must show he can defend at the level that helped him earn the 2024 NBA Finals MVP. James should be the kind of connector who makes Philadelphia’s offense easy for everyone else, especially Tyrese Maxey. More succinctly, James replaces Kelly Oubre Jr.

The bench ensures Philadelphia’s depth will be strong. Wade replaces Watford, Simons supplants Grimes, Caldwell-Pope is in for Terry and Philon is an upgrade for the recently retired Lowry. Philadelphia still has significant vulnerabilities, and many of them trace back to whether Joel Embiid is playing and how often he is available. Head coach Nick Nurse has some things to figure out. But the 76ers have more talent, and that’s after being good enough to win a playoff series last spring.

SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell is similarly bullish on the Sixers’ prospects this year. He put them fifth in his latest power rankings, trailing the Thunder, Spurs, Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves.

I’m favoring the Timberwolves here because of their playoff upside. I don’t expect them to be the NBA’s fourth-best regular season team this season, but I like their ability to advance in the postseason more than some of the other contenders for that spot. I’m always been a bit LaMelo Ball guy, and he’s quietly turned into a borderline top-20 player when he’s healthy. Obviously LaMelo’s health is a big if, but you can same thing for Aaron Gordon in Denver and Joel Embiid in Philadelphia. Ball is at least the youngest of that trio.

Notably, Ricky has the Cavaliers at 11th even after their acquisition of Peyton Watson. On a related note, Ricky knows ball.

You know who doesn’t know ball? ESPN, apparently. Their “NBA insiders” joined together to project the full Eastern Conference standings on Monday, and they had the Sixers finishing fourth in the East at 50-32. That’s just behind the Knicks (53-29), Detroit Pistons (53-29) and Cavaliers (51-31), although they’re notably ahead of the Boston Celtics (48-34), whose roster is “s–t,” according to none other than Jayson Tatum’s father. (Did that playoff series create a rift in the space-time continuum? That is the only logical explanation for what’s happened over the ensuing three months.)

ESPN noted “health and cohesion will be among Philly’s biggest concerns”—you think?—but added that “the 76ers have by far the biggest upside of any team in the East.”

In the immortal words of Walter White: You’re goddamn right.

All jokes aside, the Sixers’ placement in these latest power rankings and standings projections feel relatively fair. The youth of the Spurs and Thunder should propel them to a better regular-season record than the Sixers, who will need time to gel, especially early on. The Knicks are getting the defending-champion bump because apparently everyone memory-holed how up-and-down their regular season was before they touched God in the playoffs, but that’s beside the point.

The Sixers didn’t assemble this roster to win 60-plus regular-season games, though. They have their eyes on April, May and June. And as ESPN noted, if everything breaks right for the Sixers, no team in the East has more upside than them.

They just need to make it there in one piece first, preferably sans egos.

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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