Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson goes up for a shot between New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and New York Knicks guard Josh Hart during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post)
Klay Thompson’s tenure with the Mavericks has ended — and he’s expected to join an Eastern Conference contender.
Thompson and the Mavericks agreed to a buyout agreement, the team announced Friday, and one of the greatest 3-point shooters in NBA history is expected to sign a two-year, $13 million deal with the Heat — who won the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes back in June — after clearing waivers, according to ESPN.
His stint in Dallas concluded after two seasons, and Thompson had one year remaining on his three-year, $50 million deal from back in 2024.
Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson goes up for a shot between New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns and New York Knicks guard Josh Hart during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Klay is one of the great players and competitors of his generation, and we are grateful for everything he brought to the Mavericks organization,” Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said in a release. “We have tremendous respect for Klay and all that he has accomplished throughout his career, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Thompson, a five-time All-Star four-time champion while playing alongside Stephen Curry with the Warriors, joined the Mavericks ahead of the 2024-25 campaign as part of a sign-and-trade.
He struggled while averaging just 11.7 points per game last year, shot 38.3% from behind the arc and mostly settled into a role as a Dallas reserve — only starting eight games.
It marked a stark difference — for both role and production — from when he averaged 21.9 points per game and shot 41.2% from 3 during the 2022-23 campaign with Golden State.
Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors drives past D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers during Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. Getty Images
But once he signs with the Heat, he’ll instantly join another contender serving as one of the Knicks’ most daunting obstacles in their quest to repeat and have a chance to carve out a sizable role again.
Miami landed Antetokounmpo from the Bucks in exchange for three first-round picks, a pick swap, a second-rounder, Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis.
And while he’s not the same star he once was with Golden State, Thompson has still made the fourth-most 3-pointers in NBA history — passing Damian Lillard during a January game and now sits just 74 behind Ray Allen for the third-most in league history.
For the second time in nine days, an NBA owner’s stake in their franchise has been flipped after a period of brief control.
Marc Lore is selling his majority stake in the Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx to businessman Marc Stad, making Stad the controlling owner of the franchise. This comes just 14 months after Lore bought the Timberwolves alongside former Major League Baseball star Alex Rodriguez.
Lore will retain a minority stake in the franchise, and Rodriguez will also increase his minority shares in the Timberwolves with the transaction. Stad had been a minority investor in the team.
According to ESPN, the transaction was agreed to with a $4.5 billion valuation.
“We have been working together for years with a shared goal of building the Timberwolves and Lynx into the best organization in basketball on and off the floor,” Stad, Rodriguez and Lore said Friday, Aug. 21 in a joint statement. “Our priority is and always will be championships. Our new agreement, pending league approval, is an evolution of the partnership we have built together and strengthening of our commitment to our team and our culture.”
Stad is the founder of a California investment management firm, Dragoneer Investment Group.
According to ESPN, Lore opted to reduce his exposure and involvement in the Timberwolves and Lynx as his company, the Wonder Group, plans to make a push for an initial public offering.
This also follows a new trend of owners flipping their investment in a very short period to net a significant profit.
On Aug. 12, Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner and TWG Global CEO Mark Walter agreed to sell his shares of the Los Angeles Lakers to businessman Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Robert Iger at a record $12.5 billion valuation. This was just 10 months after Walter’s purchase of the Lakers had been approved at a valuation of $10 billion, generating a 25% return on his investment in his short tenure.
The Lore and Rodriguez purchase of the Timberwolves was unanimously approved in June 2025, at a valuation of $1.5 billion. Given that Lore sold his stake at the $4.5 billion valuation — which ranks fourth-most in NBA history — Lore stands to make a massive 200% return on his investment in just 14 months.
“One of the great joys I’ve had in my career is spending the last few years helping build the Timberwolves and Lynx with my friend and partner Marc Lore. I’m very excited to announce that this incredible journey reaches a new level today,” Rodriguez said on Friday, Aug. 21 in a statement posted on social media.
“Marc and Elisa Stad, who have been our partners and friends since we bought the teams, will be increasing their investment and joining me as Co-Chairman. I will also be increasing my investment and spending even more time with the teams as Co-Chairman, Governor of the Lynx, and alternate Governor of the Timberwolves, pending league approval.”
The NBA will hold its annual fall board of governors meeting in September in New York, when the transaction might be put up for a vote of approval.
“While Marc Lore will be reducing his role and ownership to focus on his business, he remains an investor and a key part of our partnership,” Rodriguez continued. “I could not be more energized about this evolution and what we’re all going to do together for the Twin Cities.”
The Timberwolves have been a consistent threat in the Western Conference playoffs, though they have failed to break through to the NBA Finals. The team underwent a minor overhaul this offseason after it traded away Julius Randle and Naz Reid in separate deals that returned former Hornets guard LaMelo Ball. The move is meant to provide some offensive relief for star guard Anthony Edwards, who has become one of the more dynamic scorers in the NBA.
The Lynx currently have the best record in the WNBA at 30-7, which is four games clear of the next closest team, the Golden State Valkyries. Minnesota has been one of the more consistent franchises in the WNBA, having won four championships from 2011-17.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 07: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks looks on during the first quarter of an NBA game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome on April 07, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks are buying out veteran guard Klay Thompson, the team announced Friday afternoon. Thompson will become a free agent, and reportedly sign with the Miami Heat.
This was a long-rumored scenario, especially when it became clear the Mavericks were moving in a new direction around Cooper Flagg when ownership hired Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz to run the basketball operations, fired Jason Kidd and hired college coach Dusty May.
Thompson played two seasons in Dallas, and they were far from the memorable experiences that Mavericks fans envisioned when it felt like a coup the Mavericks signed him in the first place away from the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers in 2024. Dallas was fresh off an NBA Finals loss to the Celtics that featured multiple role players failing to knock down shots or properly space the floor around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Enter Thompson: statistically the second-greatest three point shooter of all time, someone with championship experience to help Doncic and the Mavericks get over the hump. We all know what happened next, and the team Thompson signed up for was very much not that team after the trade of Doncic last February.
Despite it all, Thompson was a good soldier. We didn’t hear too many whiffs of discontent from Dallas media, and Thompson took on the role of veteran leader as the Mavericks cycled through various young players in the last two seasons due to the Doncic trade and injuries. Thompson never played a playoff game with the Mavericks, that’s a damn shame. But it was fun to see him continue to light it up regularly.
Thompson wasn’t his old self after the two major leg injuries, but he still provided the shooting and spacing the Mavericks desperately needed. Thompson shot 38.7 percent on threes in his two seasons with the Mavericks on 7.7 three point attempts per game. At times he was the entire floor gravity for a Mavericks team that was injured and cramped with inconsistent shooters.
Mavericks fans might lament Thompson being let go for nothing, but it’s the right call: Dallas is fully rebuilding around Flagg, and it’ll be hard to give younger guys more burn if all the veterans hang around the roster. Obviously there needs to be a balance, and teams need adults in the room, but the Mavericks have adults in large supply — moving on and freeing up some of the wing logjam will only help Dallas get a better picture of their roster and evaluate it as time moves on.
SPRINGFIELD,MA - AUGUST 15: Joey Crawford and Mike D'Antoni talk during the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on August 15, 2026 at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Marion/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
First we must start with the image. All the best photos of NBA Hall of Fame coach Mike D’antoni feature him with a mustache. I would call this a Mike D’Antoni Mustache Mandate. With that out of the way, we can discuss these results.
Mike D’Antoni has defeated Rick Adelman by a fairly wide margin. I wouldn’t call it a D’Antoni voter mandate, but it’s close to one. I think this is a fair result for two reasons.
One, the Houston Rockets best ever season in terms of wins, 65, came under MDA’s coaching. Adelman’s best season only saw the Rockets notch 55 wins. That’s good for a tie (with D’Antoni) for 4th highest regular season wins by the Rockets (57 is 2nd under Rudy T, 56th is 3rd, under Kevin McHale). A ten win margin is pretty significant, but you might look to post season performance as your standard. Again, MDA wins, with his teams reaching the NBA Western Conference Finals in a series most of us (and MDA in a recent interview) remember painfully. If you are going by titles, well, it’s Rudy T and no one else.
Two, I’d pick MDA because he utterly changed how NBA basketball is played. Rick Adelman was an excellent coach, with a deep well of NBA stratagems in his bag. So excellent he, too, is in the NBA Hall of Fame. His motion offense could be a wonder when it was working well, and it was a good offense for getting more out of limited players.
MDA did something else. He broke the NBA paradigm of fixed positions, and inside, post dominant, play. Even if Mike D’Antoni didn’t win an NBA teams that bear his imprint (particularly the Warriors with MDA disciple Steve Kerr) have wib quite a few. The “No Jump Shooting, Small Ball, Team Can Win A Title” mantra is long dead. I’ve always thought of MDA as the basketball equivalent of Earl Weaver.
Earl Weaver was a Baltimore Orioles manager long ago when the Baltimore Orioles fairly regularly won World Series. Weaver essentially intuited almost all of the basic, original, conclusions of the baseball analytics movement. (Bunts waste outs, getting on base, with power in the lineup, is key, etc). We know he did this because he wrote a book about it
MDA did much the same. Early shot clock offense is generally more successful. Higher pace leads to more points. Three is more than two, and there’s no law that says you can’t shoot a lot of threes. The offensive advantages of a lot of smaller players on the court are quite often superior to the other advantages provided by bigger players. You don’t necessarily need the center under the basket, or need a center at all. Pulling a center away from the basket, on offense, provides more space to attack the paint. Pulling defenses away from the paint doesn’t necessarily make long range shooting harder, but it does make defending the paint harder. Scoring is best either at the rim, from three point range, or at the free throw line.
You can see all of these ideas start to bloom with his Seven Seconds or Less Phoenix Suns (perhaps the team most beloved of all time by neutral fans, unless it’s the Showtime Lakers). The ideas bore fruit with the Houston Rockets, and James Harden, a player who could push MDA theories to what seemed at the time, extremes. (Those vaunted offenses would only count as middling at best today. That’s how much the MDA Way has taken over the NBA.)
Some of these ideas have been countered, as all innovations in competitive endeavors are countered, but that doesn’t mean they were wrong.
So to me, Adelman was excellent as a coach, but Mike D’Antoni was a visionary, and that’s a fair result.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 16: The sneakers worn by Jahmir Young #17 of the Chicago Bulls during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 16, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers and Timberwolves may share Minnesota roots, but one is a worth a heck of a lot more than the other.
Businessman Marc Stad will become the controlling owner and largest shareholder of the Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Lynx in a deal valued at $4.5 billion, according to ESPN.
The move comes shortly after last week’s bombshell that the Lakers would be sold to businessman Josh Kushner and ex-Disney executive Bob Iger for an American sports record $12.5 billion.
The $4.5 billion figure ranks fourth in NBA history among ownership pacts and is pending approval from the Board of Governors, with its next meetings set for Sept. 15-16, per ESPN.
Marc Stad attends the 2024 Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on April 13, 2024. Getty Images
“We have been working together for years with a shared goal of building the Timberwolves and Lynx into the best organization in basketball on and off the floor,” Stad and co-owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore said in a joint statement Friday, per ESPN. “Our priority is and always will be championships.
“Our new agreement, pending league approval, is an evolution of the partnership we have built together and strengthening of our commitment to our team and our culture. While we’re proud of the great work we’ve done, there’s so much more to do and we’re just getting started.”
Stad reportedly is buying the majority of Lore’s stake. Lore will remain a minority investor in the franchises.
He opted to sell the team to focus on his Wonder Group company with the hope of establishing the best foot forward for the franchise in the long term, per ESPN.
Rodriguez is increasing his equity percentages, and it’s uncertain what percentage he and Lore will own once the deal is finalized.
“One of the great joys I’ve had in my career is spending the last few years helping build the Timberwolves and Lynx with my friend and partner Marc Lore,” Rodriguez wrote Friday afternoon on X. “Marc and Elisa Stad, who have been our partners and friends since we bought the teams, will be increasing their investment and joining me as Co-Chairman. I will also be increasing my investment and spending even more time with the teams as Co-Chairman, Governor of the Lynx, and alternate Governor of the Timberwolves, pending league approval. While Marc Lore will be reducing his role and ownership to focus on his business, he remains an investor and a key part of our partnership. I could not be more energized about this evolution and what we’re all going to do together for the Twin Cities.”
Minnesota Timberwolves owners Marc Lore (l) and Alex Rodriguez (r) are seen during their team’s game against the Brooklyn Nets in the first half at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Thursday, April 3, 2025. JASON SZENES/NY POST
The Timberwolves have changed hands twice in short succession.
Rodriguez and Lore previously agreed to purchase the team for a $1.5 billion valuation in 2021 before they officially assumed ownership last year.
Stad, 47, is the founder of Dragoneer Investment Group, which Forbes lists as one of the “largest growth investment firms,” and previously served as a minority investor for the two Minnesota franchises and joined the ownership group of the Kraken of the NHL, according to ESPN.
His wife, Elisa, reportedly will serve as the team’s governor once the transaction is finalized, with Rodriguez acting as the alternate governor.
Stad inherits a Timberwolves team featuring one of the sport’s best players in Anthony Edwards, but Minnesota has yet to make the NBA Finals.
Last year’s team went 49-33 and finished sixth in the Western Conference before bowing out against the second-seeded Spurs in the conference semifinals.
Throughout Aaron Holiday’s NBA career, he was known as a reliable guard, a great locker-room presence, and, of course, one of the three Holiday brothers in the NBA.
Even though Holiday never reached the heights of his older brother Jrue, he was always a sought-after player throughout his eight-year career because of his ability to be not only a reliable ball handler but also an above-average 3-point shooter and, as mentioned before, a great teammate. Even though he never averaged double digits in a season, he was the type of player any contender would love to have on their bench.
That’s exactly what Holiday provided for the Rockets in his three seasons with the team. Holiday only started five games during that time, but Ime Udoka knew Holiday would come in and provide steady play even if he hadn’t played meaningful minutes in weeks.
It isn’t easy finding players like that in today’s NBA, and that is why Udoka trusted him in some late-game situations. Holiday’s best season with the Rockets was the first season in 2023 when he averaged 16.3 minutes, 6.6 points, and 1.8 assists per game.
The Rockets called on Holiday when they wanted a veteran presence on the court or were dealing with injuries, especially in his first season with the team. That is why the Rockets brought him back year after year. However, with Fred VanVleet returning this season, the addition of Marcus Smart, and the emergence of Reed Sheppard, there wasn’t much room left in the backcourt.
Aaron Holiday to play overseas this upcoming season
Holiday entered the 2026 offseason as a free agent, and after weighing his options, the veteran decided to take his talent to Europe, signing with Maxima Roma in Italy’s top league. Even though it hasn’t been reported why Holiday decided to forgo the NBA for the time being, the opportunity to play more minutes more than likely factored into his decision.
Holiday will join other former NBA player Xavier Moon, who played a few seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers but mostly with their G League team before eventually making his way to Maxima Roma, signing earlier this month.
Holiday, however, has not closed the door on an NBA return, as several NBA teams reportedly showed interest in the guard this offseason. Holiday has an out clause in his current contract that lets him return to the NBA if all requirements are met, so there is a chance we see Aaron Holiday back in the NBA at some point in the 2026-27 season. Holiday is still only 29, and with his willingness to play any role a team needs and his reliability when called upon, dont be surprised if Holiday isn’t back contributing in the NBA next season.
“I’ve always felt like the best players, they want to be coached,” Handy told Spears in 2020 after the Lakers clinched the championship. “They want to be challenged, too. And I think it’s a two-way street, so our job is to coach. It’s not about necessarily being friends. It’s about coaching the game. Stick to the facts of what it is.”
SANTA MONICA, CA - APRIL 5: Elisa Stad and Founder of Dragoneer Investment Group Marc Stad attend the 11th Annual Breakthrough Prize Awards and Ceremony at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica of Los Angeles, California, United States on April 5, 2025. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx have a new majority owner after founder and partner of the Dragoneer Investment group, Marc Stad, bought majority shares from Marc Lore to become the controlling owner.
American business leader Marc Stad has completed a deal to become the controlling owner and largest shareholder of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx by buying the majority of co-owner Marc Lore’s stake at a $4.5 billion valuation, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EUvuf9SGkQ
In a sale that seemingly came out of nowhere in the eyes of the general public, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Marc Stad bought Marc Lore’s shares to become the majority owner of both Minnesota pro basketball franchices. Lore and Alex Rodriguez started their multiple-year purchase of these teams in 2021 in a unique process from long-time owner Glen Taylor in sections. After the drama that ensued with this agreement between the two groups, culminating in full control of the team just over a year ago, Minnesota will undergo another ownership change.
Marc Stad was a part of the initial group as a minority investor with Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez to purchase the team and has been working for the last few months to become the majority owner per Sharania.
According to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski, Alex Rodriguez is staying on in his same role with the teams and will work in tandem with Marc Stad in a similar capacity to the Lore-Rodriguez pairing. He will remain the “front-facing” member of the ownership group. Another wrinkle, as Krawczynki reported, is that Stad’s wife, Elisa, would be the “designated governor” for the Timberwolves, while Rodriguez remains in that same role with the Lynx.
Marc Lore is expected to stay on as a minority owner.
The franchise valuation was at $4.5 billion dollars which was three times the amount that Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez bought the team for in 2021.
Full joint statement on stunning Timberwolves sale:
“We have been working together for years with a shared goal of building the Timberwolves and Lynx into the best organization in basketball on and off the floor. Our priority is and always will be championships. Our new…
While it is always a bit scary when new owners take over, especially with the recent drama coming from other organizations such as the Portland Trail Blazers and their new owner, or the Los Angeles Lakers Buss Family saga.
Minnesota fans should be encouraged with the continuity of Rodriguez staying on in the same capacity, and the fact that Stad was already a minority owner in the organization. Keeping some semblance of the leadership structure that has been guiding the Timberwolves massive offseason and the Lynx dominant season could be key.
Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez had to go to court, fighting former owner Glen Taylor over the sale of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx. Last June, Lore/Rodriguez were finally approved as the new owners and took control of the franchise.
Stad was a minority investor in the Lore/Rodriguez ownership group, now he and Lore are essentially switching places, with Rodriguez taking on a slightly larger stake — this will be the Stad/Rodriguez ownership group now. Marc's wife, Elisa Stad, will take over as team governor, according to Charania. She has a corporate executive background with a focus on consumer branding.
Rodriguez will remain the public face of the ownership group and be heavily involved with both the Timberwolves and Lynx, according to the reports.
Which means there will be little change on the ground for the franchise. For example, the plans to find a location and build a new arena for the Timberwolves in the Twin Cities will remain — this is not an ownership change where the new guy seems to want to move the team, as feels like the case in Portland. There are no planned shakeups on the basketball side of operations. Ultimately, this should feel more like a reorganization of the ownership group than a dramatic sale, as is ongoing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
That said, Lore is flipping his shares for a nice profit, the team had a valuation of $1.5 billion when he and Rodriguez agreed to a purchase price in 2021. Lore reportedly will step back from the basketball teams to focus on taking Wonder, a food delivery and takeout business he is leading through a public IPO process.
Stad is the founder and managing partner of Dragoneer Investment Group, which manages more than $35 billion in capital, according to Forbes.
Lore and Rodriguez agreed to buy the Timberwolves and Lynx from Taylor back in 2021 for a valuation of $1.5 billion, but it was an unusual three-part installment plan. When it came time for the third installment in 2024 and for Lore/Rodriguez to take control of the team, Taylor tried to pull out of the deal, saying Lore/Rodriguez had not lived up to the terms of the sale. That led to a war of words and then a war of lawyers in court, with Lore/Rodriguez ultimately winning and taking full control of the team last June.
Lore made significant changes in how the franchise was run, not the least of which was mending fences with Timberwolves icon Kevin Garnett. KG's No. 21 will finally be retired this season. Lore also paid up to recruit head of basketball operations Tim Connelly from Denver, and he built a roster that reached two consecutive Western Conference Finals. This past offseason, Connelly made a major and aggressive pivot for the organization, bringing in LaMelo Ball via trade to pair with Anthony Edwards. Under the new ownership, Connelly will still have the freedom to be aggressive in pursuit of winning.
While the Board of Governors must approve this sale, with Stad already being vetted as a minority owner of the team, this will be more of a formality.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 16: Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on March 16, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In mid-August, we’re still a little far away from nailing down precisely how the Wizards will set up their rotation. The question remains as to how the Wizards will fill their final roster spot, whether with DeMar DeRozan, Anthony Gill, or somebody else.
But with a new-look roster likely featuring three new starters, there are some interesting questions lingering about how the Wizards will align their rotation. They are now attempting to toe the tricky line of rising up the standings quickly while also empowering a group of young players.
Let’s talk through some of the most interesting questions.
How often do they pair Trae Young and Tre Johnson?
Depending on Johnson’s development, this question could quickly become a defining one for this era of the Wizards. It is harder than ever now in the NBA to put two small guards who are below-average defensively on the court together for heavy minutes.
Young’s defense comes and goes, to be charitable, and Johnson faces an uphill battle to reach a passable level on that end given his slight frame. But Johnson is also likely too good to be shunted off to play only when Young sits, which might only be for around 15 minutes a game.
The most interesting (temporary) solution here is stealing a few minutes each game where Young and Johnson play alongside as many good defenders as the Wizards can muster at a time. This could even mean pulling a Cleveland Cavaliers and pairing the two guards with the two star bigs, though with Johnson coming off the bench, it could be difficult for Brian Keefe to organize the rotation that way.
Still, the idea of Johnson playing alongside a distributor like Young is an intriguing one. Johnson often worked off the ball last season as a movement shooter, coming off pindowns and dragging his defender around. By heavily staggering the two, Johnson would naturally step into a role as the backup point guard, which could orient him away from his strengths as a shooter.
Could Bub Carrington’s role diminish?
There is a crowded group of Wizards that need and deserve minutes off the bench. I wonder if Carrington and his unusual set of strengths and weaknesses could be minimized.
The central question of Bub Carrington is whether it’s possible for an on-ball guard to make a positive impact while treating the paint like lava. (This is very Pelicans-era Lonzo Ball coded.) Carrington shoots 40 percent from three on good volume and managed 4.6 assists last season, but he almost never shot the ball near the rim.
Instead, he often hot-potatoed the ball away or launched a (relatively efficient) pull-up. He shot just 0.8 times per game inside five feet, one of the lowest numbers in the league. Most of the others in that range are low-usage role players or specialty shooters. Carrington, by contrast, was running frequent pick-and-rolls.
The Wizards need more offensive diversity and off-the-dribble creation that empowers the collective. Carrington works hard on defense, but he’s only 6’4 and can have trouble staying attached to the elites of the league. He’ll have to expand his game and settle into a different niche to fit into a Wizards team that wants to play winning basketball.
How does Bilal Coulibaly fit into the new-look set-up?
The status of Coulibaly, whose development has somewhat disappointingly stalled, is now in question as the Wizards plan to start Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis. Coulibaly’s struggles to space the floor make his fit dicey in the Wizards’ best lineups.
Of course, no one is assuming that Davis is going to be healthy all year. Despite the presence of Deandre Ayton, there will be plenty of single-big minutes to go around. Keefe will have decisions to make about how he’ll integrate Coulibaly, but it would make sense to pair him with Sarr and minimize the impacts on spacing.
Kyshawn George and Will Riley, though, are going to get their shares of minutes around AJ Dybantsa. That’s a lot of forwards. Coulibaly is more defense-oriented and a more natural power forward than those guys, but he’ll likely have to show more juice offensively to beat out those guys for minutes.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 18: Sandro Mamukelashvili #54 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball against Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena on January 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors 110-93. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The constant turmoil of the Buss family feud continues to linger around the Lakers franchise, but as they say, the show, or in this case the basketball, must go on.
Amid the noise, superstar Luka Dončić’s mini camp begins this week. All the participating players were pictured boarding and taking off to Slovenia on Wednesday.
A hopeful key contributor this season on board is Sandro Mamukelashvili, general manager Rob Pelinka’s most out-of-the-box signing of the summer. Listed at 6’9 and 240 pounds, the sharpshooting big man brings an essential stretch-five element with versatility at the forward position the Lakers have been in dire need of.
The heavily offensively-lenient big man comes in immediately as a dream fit around Luka and Austin Reaves. As with any supporting player, it starts with his ability to shoot and spread the floor. In a career year with the Raptors last season, Mamu shot 38.9% from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts per game.
He gives the Lakers a pick-and-pop option they didn’t have. In the clip below, Mamu is the center in a small-ball group for the Raptors, something he did often.
Toronto is spaced five out to maximize driving lanes. Mamu sets a ball screen up high with the opposing big man in drop coverage, sitting back in the paint waiting for the ball handler to engage. It’s an easy drive and kick back pass for a spot-up 3-pointer against a late contest.
He hits 3-pointers from all over the floor in any situation. He has a quick release with solid footwork on relocation and movement shots on off-ball screen actions. Playing with constant downhill forces like Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, he used their attention to become a release valve.
The shooting opens the door for Mamu to show off his versatility. Modern big men not only must hit shots from the perimeter but handle the ball and make quick dribble-pass-shoot decisions. Mamu fits the bill.
In the Raptors system, he’d have offense run through him as the ball handler, showing comfort in coming up and making decisions in a variety of inverted actions. He collected dribble hand-offs like shown in the clip below, able to put the ball on the floor for drives and attacking closeouts.
Mamu finished 71% of his shots in the restricted area for the Raptors, second best on the team.
He also averaged just under two assists per game last season, exhibiting the ability to read and take advantage of defenses. He found teammates on kick-out passes or nifty back door bounces on overplays like the one below.
LA clearly opted for more youth and athleticism this summer, hoping to play a faster style with their dynamic backcourt. Mamu is an elite finisher in transition and brings an uptempo flair with his push-the-pace game.
He scores 21.7% of his points on the break and is in the 85th percentile in efficiency. He changes ends seamlessly as a fluid athlete and is versatile, able to hit 3-pointers as the trailer or collect posters, as shown on the unsuspecting Derrick White.
Mamu had career numbers across the board for the Raptors last season in 21.9 minutes per game, including 4.9 rebounds a night. At 27, the Lakers hope those numbers scale up with a bigger role and more minutes.
LA signed Mamu to a four-year, $52 million deal, and most, if not all, is tied to his offense.
Defense is where the question marks arise, and it’s the main reason his minutes dropped precipitously in the playoffs. He was targeted in the postseason on switches and ended up earning just under nine minutes in the Game 7 loss to the Cavs.
Toronto finished with a top-10 defense last season and was better on that end overall with Mamu on the court. All the smarts he uses on the offensive end transfer over when he crosses the half-court line. As a team defender, he has good hands, quick feet and fits an overall scheme. However, he can get in trouble when matched up against top-level playmakers on switches and can’t be relied on as a rim protector in high-leverage games.
The vision for LA is the small ball groups do just enough on defense while being an inferno on the other end. In two big lineups, the hope is he’s protected playing next to LA’s biggest addition this summer, Walker Kessler, as the defensive anchor in the middle while he spaces the floor.
Even with the defensive concerns, Mamu is an elite fit next to the star backcourt, and his stretch ability can be a main catalyst in taking a Lakers offense from good to great.
SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 4: Santi Aldama #7 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on February 4, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks acquired Santi Aldama early in the offseason to give them some additional versatility in the form of a big that can shoot. Daniel Gafford is not a deep threat, and although Dereck Lively has shown behind the scenes that he is working on his 3-point shot, it is likely not game-ready and neither is he. Although Aldama is arguably better suited as a power forward, he can certainly play some center minutes, bringing an intriguing element that Dallas has not had at the five spot in quite some time.
Any concerns that Aldama would not be ready for the upcoming season due to an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right knee this past March while still a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, were largely unfounded. Although that procedure ended his season, he was expected to be ready to go when training camp opened. We now know that the native of Spain had been accelerating his rehab in an effort to join his national team in the FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifying games taking place later this month. Spain is set to take on Portugal on August 28 and Greece on August 31. It has now been reported that Aldama is dashing those intentions.
The belief in Dallas, I'm told, is Santi Aldama will be ready for training camp when practices start (Sept. 23-ish). Aldama had mid-March knee surgery.
The Mavs and Rockets are able to hold practices before the leaguewide Sept. 29 start because they play preseason games abroad. https://t.co/gL1zXeMD7S
Fear not, however. This apparently is not a case of any sort of setback or new injury. Rather, Aldama and the Spain national team thought better of hastening his return, opting instead to prioritize the upcoming NBA season over a rush to play in the qualifiers. This is great news for the Mavericks on multiple fronts.
The fact Aldama was progressing well enough to seriously consider a late-August return is an excellent sign. The Mavs are almost certainly going to start the season without the services of Lively, so having Aldama ready when the season tips off is important. Dusty May having too many options to tinker with is a much better option than him having too few.
Moreover, this scenario keeps Aldama rehabbing while simultaneously preventing him from any new in-game injury. While I would never begrudge a player wanting to represent his nation in international play – a true honor indeed – I am not a particularly big fan of it either. Tacking on more milage and fatigue via high-level competition in the offseason is problem enough, but should an injury occur during international play, the risk of the NBA team bearing the burden of such injury is real.
We will never know what would have transpired in the event Aldama played those two games, but it is welcome news that he will instead continue his rehab at pace and is expected to be ready for training camp in September.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Jun 25, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards first round draft pick and number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa speaks to the media during a press conference at InterContinental Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, we asked if you thought Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa will win the 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year. Our respondents were split, but a majority of 56 percent believe that Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 Draft, will be the Rookie of the Year when it is all said and done.
BOSTON, MA - 1992: Kevin McHale #32, Robert Parish #00, and Larry Bird #33 stand on the court during a game played in 1992 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1992 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As we celebrate History Month here at CelticsBlog, we just had to ask who would win a round robin of the Celtics greatest championship teams. Despite some crossover, we divided the franchise’s rich history into five squads by the stars that powered them: Bob Cousy and Bill Russell; Dave Cowen and John Havlicek; Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish; Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen; Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The 80s Celtics were the resounding winners. Coincidentally, we’re right in the middle of that Big Three’s championship run with the ’84 banner to close out Week 3 of CelticsBlog’s History Month.
If the Lakers were the 80s personified, then the Celtics were the foundation and the first few floors of NBA history. They were run by Red Auerbach, who had been a fixture in the league from its inception. He had won fourteen championships by this point in time—nine as a coach and five as a general manager. They wore uniforms that were barely distinguishable from the ones that the team was wearing when Red was hired to coach them more than thirty years earlier. Their arena was a relic—a cramped relic painted mostly yellow, without air conditioning, with seats that were jammed together and placed behind columns and every one of them had been occupied for every single game the Celtics played for the past three seasons.
The Celtics played on a parquet court that had been trod by the league’s legends going back to the first year after World War II. It was a scarred and uneven surface that matched the tough and gritty character of the arena built around it.
The Celtics played in Boston—a crowded city where the past was present everywhere, where landmarks from the beginning of the nation were part of the fabric of everyday life, a city somehow nicknamed ‘Beantown.’ It had everything that L.A. lacked—history, tradition, cultural institutions—and it was hopelessly, helplessly uncool.
The 1984 Finals were a culture clash as well as a basketball contest.
There’s certainly a mystique surrounding those Bird teams. Part of it was the rivalry with the Lakers. Part of it was the personal history between Bird and Magic. And part of it was how the identity of the team perfectly mirrored the character of the city.
But there was also just the basketball part of it and how that team that also included Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge could play different styles and handle the halfcourt ground war of the 80s and run-and-gun with the modern and old school NBA.
I’m probably biased because I grew up with the Bird teams, but I think they hit the sweet spot of being able to play the modern game (Bird and Ainge were great shooters, while McHale eventually learned to shoot a few threes and DJ would have if he’d come along a bit later) but also being able to match up well in the paint with the old-school teams.
We could argue about it over a thousand dinners or fire it up on NBA 2K, but ultimately, it’s an unanswerable question of who is best. Looking forward, Boston’s future next season is just as unpredictable, but our friends at FanDuel still have the Celtics (+1400) with the fifth highest odds to win a championship behind the Thunder (+230), Spurs (+280), Knicks (+900), and Sixers (+1000).
If Banner 19 goes to the rafters next spring, we might have to reignite this debate featuring Bird vs. Tatum.
