It’s a big day for NetsDaily. Today, the SB Nation app is live, and it’s the best way to follow the Nets. 

You can download it by searching SB Nation for iOS or Android.

A year ago we made some big changes to our community, including offering fewer ads and the addition of the Feed. Today, we want to give you even more community tools and fewer ads with this app. It will make starting and joining conversations here as simple as posting to your favorite social media platform.

You can check out the video below showing off some of the useful features of the app, and we’ll dig into them below. 

Why should I download the app?

The app will be the easiest way to interact with everybody else in the community: 

• All your favorite teams’ posts in one dedicated feed
• Notifications when someone replies or recs your post
• New game thread section, with an  experience that’s smoother and faster
• Fewer ads
• Easily navigating between your favorite communities with a swipe

It will be the fastest way to read every post from our community.

How do I download the app?

Head over to the Apple store or the Android store to download the app. Today, the app is only available for US users.

When I wrote about the NBA teams with the most to prove last summer, the first entry on the list was the New York Knicks. The Knicks had just fired Tom Thibodeau coming off a conference finals appearance, and they struck out on numerous head coaching candidates to replace him before settling on Mike Brown. A final four berth wasn’t good enough for New York; they traded away too much to build a perfect team around Jalen Brunson, and anything less than a trip to the NBA Finals was going to be a failure in a diminished Eastern Conference landscape with Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum both recovering from torn Achilles injuries.

The Knicks were good, not great, during the regular season, before finding a special level during the playoffs and winning their first championship since 1973. New York answered their biggest questions on the way to a title, but not every team was so lucky.

The upcoming 2026-27 season feels wide open. The NBA has had eight straight unique champions, and there’s a great chance that streak can extend another year. Some teams are facing more pressure than others. Here are the teams with the most to prove next season.

Philadelphia 76ers

Need to prove they can make the most of all this talent.

The Sixers haven’t even made the Eastern Conference Finals since before 9/11. Philly has been flirting with building a contender for Joel Embiid’s entire career, cycling through co-stars like Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, James Harden … dare I bring up Markelle Fultz? To say it’s been a wild decade for the Sixers would be an understatement, but in many ways it all feels like it’s built toward this season. Embiid is in a diminished state at age-32 due to injuries, but at this point he’s more of an extra ingredient than the meat and potatoes of Philly’s stew. The Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown, signed LeBron James, and added some nice depth pieces in Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and Labaron Philon over the summer. The expectation will be that the Sixers are the biggest threat to the Knicks in the East come playoff time, but with a loaded conference and legitimate questions about fit and durability, there are plenty of pitfalls before they get there. The Sixers won’t meet expectations if Embiid’s body keeps falling apart, and LeBron declines steeply at age-42. They need Jaylen Brown to buy into a lower usage role than the one he had last year in Boston, and they need the bench to plug the holes in a top-heavy starting lineup. It feels like Philly enters the season with more variance than the typical contender due to Embiid’s injury history, LeBron’s age, and Brown’s fit. Their championship window won’t be cracked open for long. That makes them the team under the most pressure this season.

Boston Celtics

Prove that trading Jaylen Brown was worth it.

The decision to trade Jaylen Brown was never about just this season for the Celtics. They got back potentially valuable first-round draft picks in 2028 and 2031 in the deal, which they hope will set them up with a younger co-star for the end of Jayson Tatum’s prime. Given how quick the public is to rush to judgment, though, it sure would help Boston if it at least maintains the level it showed last season. I’m buying the Celtics as a very good regular season team once again. They’re essentially replacing Brown with a full year of Tatum, Mitchell Robinson, and Paul George. I could see Payton Pritchard taking a leap in production with more on-ball opportunities, and I could see Derrick White shooting the ball better with more in-rhythm attempts available without Brown’s ball-dominant style around. It’s inevitable that anyone who hated the Brown trade for Boston will take a victory lap if and when the Celtics’ season ends in the playoffs, but it’s important to remember this team lost in the first-round last year even with Brown. The Celtics can come out of this trade looking great if they get one of the top seeds in the East, and potentially finish with more wins than Philly during the regular season. The book on this trade can’t be written until those future picks pay off, but it will be hard for the Celtics to deal with the bad PR if this team falls on its face. The East is loaded, and there’s certainly a chance Boston misses Brown’s rugged physicality, durability, and volume scoring. It may not be fair, but the Celtics can’t take a huge step back in their first season without Brown if they want to avoid a black eye.

Los Angeles Lakers

Prove that this is the best place for Luka Doncic long-term.

The Lakers were already going to be facing a ton of pressure this season even before their messy ownership changes. Lead executive Rob Pelinka made one of the boldest bets of the summer by trading two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round swaps to the Utah Jazz for Walker Kessler. It’s easy to see the vision: LA wanted a young, rim protecting center behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and it’s hard to do better than Kessler in that regard. They just gave up a lot for him, and now can’t trade a future first-round pick for seven years. Doncic has a huge spotlight on him this season. In an era where everyone is winning championships — even Doncic’s former backup in Dallas — it would be odd and kind of embarrassing if he can’t get one. Luka will be extension eligible after this season. He’ll probably take the money and lock in long-term, but it’s no guarantee if things go sideways for the Lakers this year. It’s easy to forget that this team won 53 games last year even with Doncic missing a lot of time. They will have a way better center this year, but the forward room is a major question mark. The Lakers obviously need perimeter defenders around Doncic and Reaves, and I think they made a few good bets in there with Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Adou Thiero, and Chris Manon even if they’re mostly long-shots. A first-round playoff exit won’t be good enough for the Lakers this season. They need to show they can push the Thunder and Spurs for being the best in the West.

Denver Nuggets

Prove they’re still a Western Conference Contender.

The Nuggets felt like a championship threat entering the 2026 playoffs. Then they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round in six games, and had the rest of the league questioning whether they’ve been passed by their Western Conference rivals. Nikola Jokic remains as great as any player in the game, but it sure feels like the arrow is pointing down for most of his supporting cast. Aaron Gordon can’t stay healthy, Cam Johnson had a disappointing first season, and Christian Braun suddenly looks like one of the most overpaid players in basketball. The only real notable thing the Nuggets did this offseason was lose Peyton Watson to the Cavs in restricted free agency, and while I like that deal for Denver long-term, it provides another big hit to this year’s rotation. All things are possible through Jokic, so I’m not going to write the Nuggets off yet, but it sure feels like the vibes are bad heading into this season. If things go poorly, there could be some fretting over Jokic’s future as he enters a contract year without an extension. Jokic sure seems committed to Denver, but he also wants to win. Can he still do that with the Nuggets?

Minnesota Timberwolves

Prove they can beat the best of the West.

I’m old enough to remember when the Wolves were one of the worst franchises in the league, going 13 years between playoff appearances. Now Minnesota has been to the playoffs five straight years, and they’ve won five series over their last three trips. This is a consistently very good team with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert, but they still haven’t gotten over the hump in the West. The Wolves made a bold trade for LaMelo Ball this summer for a few reasons. His elite playmaking should help cover up Edwards’ deficiencies in that area, his pull-up three-point shooting introduces more variance against elite defenses, and it’s possible his arrival could deter some of the vultures potentially circling around Edwards if he ever requests a trade. I hated the LaMelo trade for Charlotte. I liked it, didn’t love it, for Minnesota, mostly because his durability is such a big question mark. I already had Minnesota at No. 4 in my preseason power rankings even before they added Jonathan Kuminga. I’ve never been high on Kuminga as a player, but for some reason I find myself buying into the fit in Minnesota. The Wolves needed a little more size and physicality in the front court, and Kuminga is a bit underrated as a rebounder and defender when he’s not trying to be an iso scorer. It feels like so much of this season falls on the shoulders of Gobert, and I worry he could be starting to decline. There are some real question marks for this team, but their upside feels like it’s higher than anyone in the West this side of OKC and San Antonio. The pressure is on to put it all together.

Indiana Pacers

Prove they can get back to being an East contender.

The last time the Pacers were healthy, they went on one of the most magical NBA Finals runs in league history. They might have won it all if Tyrese Haliburton didn’t tear his Achilles in Game 7 against the Thunder. After a 19-win season as their star guard recovered, Haliburton is back and so are Indiana’s expectations. The Pacers made an extremely bold trade for Ivica Zubac at the deadline that ended up costing them the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 draft. There was probably no path back to immediate contention without a center upgrade, though, and Zubac is very good even if he has a different skill set than Myles Turner, the man he’s replacing. Haliburton is one-man offense in many ways with his rare ability to push the pace without turning it over. Does that system still work with a slower, more rim-oriented big man in Zubac who doesn’t stretch the floor like Turner? Can the role players who were so key during the 2025 Finals run find the same magic again? It feels like Haliburton has a huge range of outcomes this year. He could be First-Team All-NBA, or he could fail to make the All-Star team coming back from the injury. The Pacers aren’t expected to be one of the East’s best teams by the sportsbooks, and Haliburton’s return game somehow got buried at New Orleans. No one knows what to do with the Pacers entering the season, but this team knows how good it can be.

Portland Trail Blazers

Prove that last year was no fluke.

The Blazers were one of the feel-good stories of the league last season, making the playoffs for the first time in five years despite their head coach getting arrested after the opening game of the season. It’s hard to feel good about anything that’s happened to the franchise since Tom Dundon bought the team, and that makes keeping their positive momentum going even more imperative this year. The Blazers have a deep collection of guards, but sometimes I think they might be better off starting the two that are slated to come off the bench in Scoot Henderson and Jrue Holiday. How do Damian Lillard and Ja Morant fit together? Can Donovan Clingan take a leap to turn into one of the West’s better centers? Can Deni Avdija’s All-Star brand of bully ball keep thriving with a different head coach and new supporting cast? The West is really tough as always, which means a step back is on the table for Portland. They need to prove that last year was just the start of something bigger.

Hey there, Dub Nation. I’m here to let you know that it’s a big day for Golden State Of Mind. Because today, the SB Nation app is live, and it’s the best way for you to follow the Warriors, read about the Warriors, comment on the Warriors, and argue about the Warriors.

You can download it by searching SB Nation for iOS or Android.

A year ago we made some big changes to our community, which included limiting our ads, and implementing the Feed. Today, we want to give you even more community tools and, yes, even fewer ads with the arrival of our app. It will make starting and joining conversations here as simple as posting to your favorite social media platform.

You can check out the video below showing off some of the useful features of the app, and we’ll dig into them below. 

Why should I download the app?

The app will be the easiest way to interact with everybody else in the community: 

• All your favorite teams’ (not just the Warriors!) posts in one dedicated feed
• Notifications when someone replies or recs your post
• New game thread section, with an  experience that’s smoother and faster
• Fewer ads
• Easily navigating between your favorite communities with a swipe

It will be the fastest way to read every post from our community, and any other communities that you’re a part of.

How do I download the app?

Head over to the Apple store or the Android store to download the app. The app is currently only available for US users.

It’s a big day for SLC Dunk. Today, the SB Nation app is live, and it’s the best way to follow the Jazz. 

You can download it by searching SB Nation for iOS or Android.

A year ago we made some big changes to our community, including offering fewer ads and the addition of the Feed. Today, we want to give you even more community tools and fewer ads with this app. It will make starting and joining conversations here as simple as posting to your favorite social media platform.

You can check out the video below showing off some of the useful features of the app, and we’ll dig into them below. 

Why should I download the app?

The app will be the easiest way to interact with everybody else in the community: 

• All your favorite teams’ posts in one dedicated feed
• Notifications when someone replies or recs your post
• New game thread section, with an  experience that’s smoother and faster
• Fewer ads
• Easily navigating between your favorite communities with a swipe

It will be the fastest way to read every post from our community.

How do I download the app?

Head over to the Apple store or the Android store to download the app. Today, the app is only available for US users.

Since making their first NBA Finals appearance in a dozen years, the Spurs have done some retooling. Before the season even ended, Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney was offered the head coaching position with the Orlando Magic. With a hole on the coaching staff, the Spurs brought in some heavy artillery in the form of Billy Donovan.

Donovan just completed his sixth season as the Chicago Bulls head coach. Before that, he was at the helm of the Oklahoma City Thunder for five seasons.

In a recent interview, Donovan discussed receiving the invite to come to San Antonio.

"San Antonio had called during the playoffs… I'm just hoping in some way that I can help and bring value." – Spurs assistant coach Billy Donovan on joining the Spurs. pic.twitter.com/JLjfCxCzeR

— JeffGSpursZone (@JeffGSpursZone) August 31, 2026

The Chicago Bulls have also reset their front office this offseason, and although Donovan was asked to stay on, he felt that letting the new management choose their head coach was the right thing to do. He planned on taking a year off before looking for another position.

“And then San Antonio had called during the playoffs there was some thought that they may lose some staff members, and I didn’t really know what to think of it, but after talking to Mitch Johnson, the head coach, who I have a lot of respect for, I’m just hoping that in some way I can help and bring value.”

After serving as a head coach for over thirty-three years, he’s looking forward to giving back, serving as a mentor, and hoping to help expand the success the Spurs have experienced over the last season.

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Raptors fans and fans across the country.

This week’s survey asks Toronto Raptors fans how far they think this year’s team can go.

Assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade officially clears whatever hurdles remain, the Raptors project to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Last year, they pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to a thrilling Game 7 before ultimately bowing out in the first round. That same Cavaliers squad made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the eventual champion New York Knicks.

Toronto replaces Brandon Ingram – who was unfortunately a non-factor during the Cleveland series – with one of the best players in the NBA. But will that be enough to counter all the moves made by Eastern Conference rivals?

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Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with more Reacts.

The 2022 Celtics were carried into the NBA Finals on the back of their defense. Sure, they had Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to carry the offense, but that team had a lot of offensive flaws, including turning the ball over way too often.

Unlike that team, this Celtics team doesn’t have a clear number 2 offensive option (unless Payton Pritchard can grab it with a big season). They also won’t turn the ball over and get a lot of offensive rebounds.

Like that team, this Celtics team should have one of the best defenses in the NBA.

The offseason additions of Paul George and Mitchell Robinson should accentuate last year’s top-5 defense. As CelticsBlogger Nate Moskowitz wrote in July, George and Robinson create turnovers, something that the Celtics did not do last season.

Boston was 5th in the NBA in defensive rating last season, according to Cleaning the Glass but were 23rd in creating turnovers. Creating more turnovers is something that the Celtics clearly put an emphasis on this summer.

Last season, George ranked in the 89th percentile in steals percentage for forwards while Robinson was in the 95th percentile for bigs.

We have evidence that elite defenses can win in the playoffs — the 2022 Celtics and the 2025 Thunder were built around their defenses and got to at least the NBA Finals with OKC ultimately winning the whole thing.

The Robinson and George additions are going to open up Derrick White to be even better on that end of the floor as well.

For a lot of last season, White was used as a perimeter defender to guard one of the better players on the other team. Now, George, Jayson Tatum and a cast of others can do that. Robinson, meanwhile, is one of the best switching bigs in the NBA, which allows the Celtics to play him and have Derrick White roam off of the ball so he can do what he does best: blowing up plays and blocking shots.

Neemias Queta was a player who improved a ton last season on defense and should look to take another leap as well. He did a great job and protecting the rim and cleaning up the glass on that end last season and should look to continue to improve next season as well. There are a lot of options for Joe Mazzulla to go to on defense. Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh off the bench have also shown to be plus defensive options, too.

I have a lot of optimism for the Celtics this season because of what should be one of the best defenses in the league.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Rockets fans and fans across the country.

Last week, Holly posted the ESPN predictions for the upcoming NBA season. In it, ESPN predicts the Rockets for 51 wins ands tied for third in the NBA’s Western Conference. If given the option, are you taking the over, under or is ESPN right on the money?

Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys:

Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with the results!

People who never saw great athletes play frequently can’t believe the claims about them. We’ve seen this recently with some who doubt that Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a single NBA game, apparently because there’s no video. In 1962, though, not only was the NBA not on TV a lot, TV cameras looked like this (he did score 100, by the way, as his teammate, Al Attles, attested).

More recently, there is a bizarre theory that Babe Ruth didn’t actually exist because, again, there’s not much video. Well, of course there wasn’t much video in the 1920s.

This is what those sorts of cameras looked like about 100 or so years ago. You had to advance the film manually, there was a lot of technical expertise involved, the film wasn’t necessarily cheap, and you also had to have a certain level of expertise to develop it.

And of course you had to get lucky to an extent because it’s not like they filmed every minute of every game.

Which brings us to a more recent misunderstanding: could Larry Bird play in today’s game?

Which is a really dumb question.

The argument is that Bird was too slow and too unathletic to play in today’s game, which is just foolish. People had the same concerns when he came into the league in 1979. There were plenty of freak athletes in the NBA in the 1980s – Clyde Drexler, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and Michael Jordan, to name a few. All of those guys have talked about what a nightmare it was to play against Bird.

Beyond that, though, today, Luka Doncic and Kon Knueppel are slow, unathletic players, and they’re thriving.

Also, in the 1980s, guys like Bill Laimbeer and Charles Oakley made their living essentially mugging opponents. In today’s game, you can’t do that.

But that’s not the main reason Bird would thrive.

It’s true that he wasn’t fast or athletic by the normal definition of those things, but his hands and his mind were extraordinary.

He made decisions incredibly quickly and ruthlessly, and he moved the ball like no one else has ever done.

Look at this collection of some of his best assists, and ask yourself: could he do this in today’s game?

And the only answer, with the rules favoring the offense, is yes.

You’ll never get tired of watching these 🔥

50 Amazing Assists by Larry Bird! pic.twitter.com/VWEDhDWbVq

— Larry Legend☘️ (@LarryBirdDaily) August 31, 2026

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Steph Curry's benevolence inspired by ‘something bigger' than Warriors star originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

When Stephen Curry signs another contract with the Warriors, as he surely intends to, the significance of that moment will extend far beyond continuing his journey with the Bay Area’s NBA team.

Whether that signature becomes official this month or in October or in February 2027, it’ll reaffirm Curry’s commitment to the Bay Area, to people he’ll never know and to causes local and global for which he has no mandatory obligation.

Curry’s multigenerational wealth – he has earned nearly $500 million in basketball salary alone – has allowed him and his wife, Ayesha, to build programs that bless people with food, books, toiletries, computers, playgrounds and more. Underrated Golf is paving a path for broader inclusion in one of the world’s most exclusive institutions. With Unanimous Media, he and his partners are creating content that might otherwise not be supported elsewhere.

Why?

Because it’s Curry’s mission. He’s not the next Muhammad Ali, but he was a deserving winner in July of the Sports Humanitarian award named after The Greatest. He was among thousands walking the streets of Oakland in protest in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in May 2020. Curry’s benevolence stems from his faith-based disposition and innate desire to drive societal progress. 

“It’s such a grounding aspect of my life because it allows me to make sense of all this in a way that wouldn’t necessarily otherwise could,” Curry said of his faith Sunday at the University of San Francisco. “I don’t understand why I’m on the stage. I love to play basketball. I was blessed with a gift from an early age, and I love to do it. And the doors that have been opened, there has to be some reason, some outcome that is beyond my imagination. I’m walking in that purpose.

“And that’s been a huge part of being able to connect with people, to see God in each one of us. I think the idea of being passionate about who you are, what makes you different, and leaning into that is . . . you’ve got to live an authentic life. And just the idea of there has to be something bigger than myself because none of this really makes any sense.”

Curry was among those sharing the stage at USF’s Sobrato Center for a screening and panel discussion of an upcoming Netflix documentary, “The Baddest Speechwriter of All.” The film chronicles the life of Clarence B. Jones, a soldier on the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement and a confidant and advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King.

Curry’s involvement began in January 2025 when Jones visited the Warriors at Chase Center. Jones, who passed away in May at age 95, was honored as an “Impact Warrior” for a lifelong quest for racial and social equality that included eight years writing speeches and providing legal counsel for Dr. King.

Jones had asked to meet Curry, and the two spent enough private time that a friendship was born. They found they were in many ways kindred spirits.

“There’s a big point in the film about choosing your teammates, and I asked Dr. Clarence Jones about that,” Curry said. “About him and Dr. King’s team chemistry, if you will. On the surface, (he said) they couldn’t be further apart. He didn’t know that they would have that gel and that bond.

“But everything that you do great in the world, you do with a team. Finding that team is as important as anything. Being able to find it with these people on the stage right here, Ben (Proudfoot) and EP (Erick Payton), the entire Jones family, I want to thank you all for allowing us to be able to be a part of this.”

The team behind the documentary includes Curry, making his debut as a director, and Academy Award-winning co-director Proudfoot, for Breakwater Studios, and Payton, the CEO of Unanimous Media, who co-founded the company with Curry in 2018. Proudfoot and Payton flanked Curry at the Sobrato Center.

Unanimous Media represents an expansion of Curry’s zeal to educate, to give people tools of growth. It’s a step beyond the “Eat. Learn. Play.” foundation Stephen and Ayesha started a few months later – a few years after the couple was quietly serving Oakland and the Bay Area community.

There was a time when Warriors coach Steve Kerr wondered if Curry, by loaning his time and contributing money to so many people and causes, was spreading himself too thin. That was early in the 2015-16 NBA season.

“Then I saw how much it meant to him,” Kerr, sitting at an outdoor table at the team’s former practice facility in Oakland, told NBC Sports Bay Area. “He needs to do these things. It’s part of who he is. It brings him joy, and I’m not about to take that away – especially since it hasn’t hurt how he plays.”

The Warriors won an NBA-record 73 games that season. Curry was the MVP, the first – and only – to win the award by unanimous vote.

Almost 11 years later, Curry only has added to his off-court repertoire. His fuel is basketball, but it allows him to reach the places essential to make a difference beyond the game. To go places he never dreamed of and touch people in ways he barely could imagine.

“I didn’t create this,” Curry said. “But I’m walking in the direction that was made for me.”

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Still making my way through the Atlantic Division as I explore the world of basketball around us. I feel like LeVar Burton doing Reading Rainbow, except instead of riveting children’s stories, I’m learning about why nobody has won back-to-back titles since the Golden State Warriors last did it between 2017 and 2018. One of those teams that had an opportunity and squandered it is the Boston Celtics, who won in 2024 and then suddenly have a roster that looks markedly different than that squad.

Golden State and Boston played twice last season with Boston winning both. Jaylen Brown had a triple-double in one and dropped 32 in the other. Brown was the one lighting the match both times, much to Golden State’s chagrin. But it makes sense as Brown was Finals MVP two years ago and finished sixth in MVP voting last season. He’s 29 and in his prime, and led the Celtics after his running mate Jayson Tatum got injured.

So naturally, Boston’s offseason move was to trade him. And Boston sent him to their division rivals in Philadelphia for Paul George and four draft picks: two firsts, two seconds. FASCINATING. I mean I love Playoff P’s game as much as the next guy, but I did NOT see that trade coming.

Celtics owner Bill Chisholm admits he needed to be convinced to trade Jaylen Brown

“I needed to be convinced. I definitely have a level of trust in Brad Stevens and his team… But as a fan, that was tough"

(Via @WEEI) pic.twitter.com/hTV5ClS5UH

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) August 19, 2026

So what’s the roster now? Jayson Tatum, still working his way back from the Achilles tear that cost him the first 62 games of last season. PG13, on an expensive deal, with health a real question at this point in his career. They’ve got Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta manning the paint, with the timeless wonder Mike Conley running point at 38 years old.

But I wonder if that means the Celtics didn’t just trade Jaylen Brown; did they trade title contention this year too? What does Boston know about Jaylen Brown that the rest of us don’t?

Brown and Tatum won a title together and Brown’s the healthier player as of late. Unless Brown is constantly acting like the smartest guy in the room (lol) every clue in my mind keeps coming back to money. Reading between the lines, this feels less like Boston souring on Brown as a player and more like Boston deciding it couldn’t afford him at the same time as Tatum and everything else on the books.

If that’s the real answer, it’s a lot less interesting than “we don’t believe in him anymore,” and honestly worse for the rest of the league, because it means the sixth-place MVP finisher is walking around for the price of an expiring vet and picks purely because of the way the new cap rules bite. I defer to an SB Nation article by Ricky O’Donnell to shed some light on this topic:

The simple version for why the Celtics traded Brown is because he’s a good player, but a bad asset. He’s owed $180 million over the next three years, and the Celtics decided their team wasn’t good enough right now with him on that deal to win a championship. Why did the Celtics trade Brown? I don’t think it’s because he believes he’s the smartest guy in the room, or because they couldn’t repair the relationship. It’s more because Brown finished with a -1.6 RAPM last season. By time decay RAPM, Brown ranks No. 270 in the league. 

Regardless of where you fall on the Jaylen Brown debate, it is pretty remarkable that the Boston Celtics were better with him off the court than on the court over his entire 10-year tenure with the team pic.twitter.com/J2dUkBU8vr

— Lev Akabas (@LevAkabas) July 1, 2026

Well if his RAPM was so bad why did Boston just throw him a farewell block party?! We’re talking ten thousand people on Boston Common and a key to the city. Did you see that street sign that says “Jaylen Brown Way”? They traded him in July but they named a street after him in August. Boston, pick a lane!!

And Jaylen Brown got a key to the city. pic.twitter.com/U5klq4TFUq

— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) August 30, 2026

He’ll walk back into that building wearing a Sixers jersey this season. Good luck figuring out whether that crowd is supposed to cheer, cry, or boo. So thanks, Boston. You finally found a way to stop Jaylen Brown from kicking the Warriors’ (regular season) ass in a Celtics jersey.

In the spirit of Bill Simmons and his NBA trade-value rankings, I wanted to rank the Utah Jazz players by how valuable they are as prospects.

Just like with Bill Simmons’ trade value rankings, this isn’t ranking players from best to worst (even though that is a consideration) but rather a list of who is the “most untradable” based on multiple factors. From Bill Simmons, here are the considerations:

Rule no. 1: Salaries matter (more than ever in the Apron Era, by the way).

Rule no. 2: Age matters.

Rule no. 3: Contract length matters.

Rule no. 4: Happiness matters; so does durability.

Rule no. 5: Bizarre real-life trades SHOULD affect the list.

Rule no. 6: Concentrate on degrees.

Basically, you can sum this up as the likelihood that the Jazz will trade this player. With that out of the way, let’s get started.

10. Josh Green | 26’ $14.6m | Age 26 | Drafted 18th overall

With a list of players ranked by how untradable they are, the first on the list has to be the guy who was signed because of how tradeable his contract is.

That said, Green does bring a lot to the table as a role player. He has good size at 6’6” and shoots 42% from three. He’s not all-defense, but he’s a positive defender. Considering all of that, and that he’s still just 26, he has a chance to make himself much more untradeable. Although, in a weird way, him playing well makes him more tradeable? Look, it’s a weird paradox here, and I don’t know the witchcraft that can help him. But let’s just say Green playing well helps the Jazz in a variety of ways, whether it’s winning games or helping Utah make a big trade come trade deadline.

9. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk | 26’ $3.8m, 27’ $4.0m (Team Option) | Age: 29 | Drafted 47th overall

If this were a player ranking list, Svi Mykhailiuk would be higher. His shooting is consistently great, and he brings a fearlessness backed up by real production. His contract is also incredibly affordable. You could argue the value you get for the cost makes him one of the best values in the league.

The defense is the biggest liability here. If he was more impactful on that end, he’d be even more untradable. Ironically, if Svi wasn’t so low in salary, he’d be more tradable. His $3M+ contract is difficult to move because it’s hard to find a salary match for Svi with comparable winning production. Unless Svi is added to a multi-player trade, it’s not likely to see him be moved.

8. Isaiah Collier | 26’ $2.7M, 27’ $4.9M, 28’ RFA | Age 22 | Drafted 29th Overall

This is a tough one. Collier would typically be higher in the rankings because of his age and lower salary. The issue is that Collier hasn’t proven he can shoot the three consistently, or that he can impact the game in a winning way. Dunks and threes has him as a negative on the offensive and defensive end with a -3.6 overall EPM. What does that mean? He’s the #553 ranked player in the league.

Alllllll that said, Collier is in the 98th percentile in assist rate. He’s also just 22 and is still in the “potential” zone as a player. He’s tantalizing enough now that there may be a team interested in that potential. The best case for Utah is if he can improve while on the Jazz and can become the third guard in the Jazz rotation.

7. Josh Okogie | 26’ $6M, 27’ $6M | Age: 28 | Drafted 20th overall

Okogie was a nice addition to the Jazz this offseason with the sole purpose of improving Utah’s defensive intensity. Okogie has also shot 38% from three last season. If he keeps up that production, it makes him incredibly valuable. Like Mykhailiuk, Okogie’s contract isn’t big at $6M, so he’s probably only going to be in a multi-team deal if that happened.

But Utah isn’t as interested in moving this contract unless they have to. Okogie is the perfect type of role player for the Jazz.

6. Brice Sensabaugh | 26’ $4.8M, 27’ RFA | Age: 23 | Drafted 28th overall

This was not on purpose, but I like that Brice Sensabaugh comes in at #6 on this list because he has the potential to be a fantastic 6th man in the league. Sensabaugh has got to work on his consistency, but on some nights you’ll see Sensabaugh play and he’ll look like one of the best shooters in the league.

Sensabaugh is a career 38% shooter and shoots 45% from the field. He’s also not just a catch-and-shoot player, he can handle the ball and score in the mid-range. He’s the type of player that can get you 30 on any given night. That type of scoring punch is really valuable off the bench, and the more that Sensabaugh develops alongside Keyonte George and Darryn Peterson, the more likely he is to be a valuable contributor.

5. Lauri Markkanen | 26’ $46M, 27’ $49M, 28’ $53M, 29’ UFA | Age: 29 | Drafted 7th overall

Here’s where things get interesting. Markkanen is one of the more proven players on the Jazz with his three-point shooting, his transition play, his cutting, and his improved mid-range post game. The Jazz have had him as the cornerstone player during the entire tank and now come out of it with Markkanen proving to be a complementary star rather than the focal point of a winning team. And when I say complementary player, that’s not a slight. Markkanen, when he’s playing well, is one of the best off-ball players in the league on the offensive end.

The issue with Markkanen is that he makes a LOT of money for a complementary player. For a team that is not interested in winning, that’s not an issue. When you’re playing to win, that salary can get scary. If Darryn Peterson and Keyonte George look like a star duo next year, Markkanen looks more expendable. If Ace Bailey takes off, it might be only a matter of time before a move happens.

4. Jaren Jackson Jr. | 26’ $49M, 27’ $50M, 28’ $52M, 29’ $53M | Age: 27 | Drafted 4th overall

Jaren Jackson Jr. was easily the biggest surprise from last season. In a year where fans expected to be losing games to get the best player possible in the draft, the last thing they expected was to trade for a former All-Star and DPOY.

Utah’s biggest need this upcoming season is more defense. Jackson’s two-way ability is exactly what Utah needed, as well as some proven star power and veteran leadership on the floor. Jackson is arguably the best player on the Jazz, and Utah was able to get him for three picks, which shows just how valuable he is. But that does mean he’s tradable. Jackson is in the middle of his prime on a max contract, and Utah is hoping he can find his DPOY form this year. If he does, it takes Utah to another level. If he doesn’t and isn’t living up to his contract? We might start seeing some trade rumors. That seems extremely unlikely. Utah has the firepower to allow Jackson to focus on what he does best and doesn’t have to be the focal point of the offense. That would put Jackson into the complementary player category. Utah can only have so many complementary players on the roster making max money. At some point, Utah will likely have to choose between Jackson and Markkanen.

3. Keyonte George | 26’ $6.5M, 27’ RFA | Age: 23 | Drafted 16th overall

No one on the Jazz rocketed up in the rankings more last season than Keyonte George. He was a frontrunner for Most Improved Player last season, thanks to his incredible leap in production. He had a legitimate shot until he was pulled so Utah could tank for Peterson. That potential he showed, along with his age and cheap contract, makes him extremely unlikely to be traded.

There’s also more to George’s game than just production. He’s looked like a real leader for the Jazz on and off the court and has been a big part of the Jazz in Utah’s offseason workouts. George is completely bought into Utah and is poised to get a big contract this season. Depending on that contract, he may rise and fall on this list. If he has an all-star season and meshes well with Darryn Peterson, he becomes invaluable to the future of the Jazz and becomes almost untradeable.

2. Ace Bailey | 26’ $9.5M, 27’ $9.9M, 28 $12.6M, 29’ RFA | Age: 20 | Drafted 5th overall

Before Utah had the luckiest night in team history, Ace Bailey was the potential savior of the franchise. Even with Darryn Peterson on the team, Ace Bailey is the player that could swing everything for Utah towards a championship. At 6’8” with his athelticism, defensive potential, and scoring, he’s got as much a chance as anyone to be a true star in the league. His rookie season wasn’t Rookie of the Year caliber, but he did show enough signs that he could become something special.

This is a big year for Bailey, and he needs to show improvement. If he does, he’s probably as untouchable as Peterson. Wings with his talent and size are impossible to get outside of the draft, and there’s almost zero chance Utah would take a call with someone asking for Bailey.

1. Darryn Peterson | 26’ $13.1M, 27’ $13.8M, 28’ $14.5M, 29’ $18.3M, 30’ RFA | Age: 20 | Drafted 2nd overall

This was a difficult list to think through, but this was the easiest of all the choices. The list of players the Jazz would consider in a trade for Peterson right now is extremely small. It may only be one and rhyme with … Memben…pama?

Peterson has the talent and upside to be one of the literal best players in the league. His skill level is the type that just needs refining rather than developing. He should destroy opposing defenses this upcoming season, and it’s scary to think of how good he can become when he improves his decision-making and acclimates to the grind of the league.

Utah has some tough decisions ahead with other contracts, but building the team around Peterson is one of the easiest they’ll ever make.

I’ve been hanging out in the Western Conference doing my division by division analysis, until my phone started blowing up from my college buddies in the Eastern time zone. They wanna hear what the Gold Blooded King is seeing with their teams too apparently. Ask, and you shall receive my friends!

But where to start? I’ll tell you where, the storied Atlantic division. Why you ask? Wellp, that’s where the Toronto Raptors play. And that’s the team Kawhi Leonard is trying to escape to after Draymond Green’s Warriors banished his Clippers out of the play-in tournament and into the off-season. And if he gets there legally or illegally, it doesn’t matter!

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers-Toronto Raptors trade centered on Kawhi Leonard will not be finalized until the NBA investigation into the Clippers is complete, per @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/hYB2w5S1Na

— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 9, 2026

Golden State did not handle Toronto well last season. The Raptors swept the season series 2-0, and imposed their length, athleticism and physicality on the Dubs. If there was ever a time the Warriors fans would wish for James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga picks to have panned out, it was these games where the Warriors just had no answer for the swarming, bouncy style of play Toronto has. They averaged 140+ points on Golden State last year…that’s insane!

Toronto went 46-36, third in the Atlantic, and lost in the first round to Cleveland in seven games. Then the front office looked at a team that finished 5th in the league in defense and 15th on offense and decided the fix wasn’t patience. Rather, it’s THE KLAW. They decided to send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and draft capital out the door to the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard, come on back to the North!

And Toronto didn’t really have to rip the foundation out to get him. Ingram was probably the worst defensive starter they ran out there. Not that he’s a slouch so to speak, but that’s just how good that Raptors squad is on that side of the ball. So if this trade goes through…they are basically just trading their worst defensive starter for Kawhi Leonard???

Think about how many times last season the Raptors offense boiled down to a late shot clock shot for Brandon Ingram.

Kawhi was top 10 in FG% on shots in the last 4 seconds of the clock last season. https://t.co/a2qNYgNdh4

— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) July 4, 2026

Kawhi isn’t walking into some tired roster squeezing out one last run either. They’ve got a great mix of youth and vets with playoff experience. RJ Barrett is 26, former Warrior prospect Trayce Jackson-Davis is also 26, and then you’ve got that monster Scottie Barnes at 25. Immanuel Quickley is back and reportedly healthy after missing the whole postseason and he’s only 27. Their oldest player is Kyle “SloMo” Anderson at 32! This team is primed for a run.

The one thing standing in the way is the league itself. The Clippers are still under investigation for alleged cap circumvention in how this deal got structured. If the NBA unwinds it, Brandon Ingram has to walk back into Raptors training camp next month after everybody already watched Toronto trade him away. Toronto’s operating like the trade sticks.

Everyone is talking about Year 6 Scottie, but Immanuel Quickley running the offense with a full offseason of health is what unlocks this entire roster.

Are you buying an All-Star leap? 👀 pic.twitter.com/OGYpq7YZ6A

— SleeperRaptors (@SleeperRaptors) August 25, 2026

And look Dub Nation, I know none of us wants to hear “Kawhi Leonard” and “Toronto Raptors” in the same sentence again. The last time that combination showed up in June, it ended with a title and the Finals we don’t talk about at family dinners. KD’s Achilles, Klay’s ACL, Oracle’s last game, and a banner in Toronto. All bad for the Bay.

I hope this trade sticks so the Dubs can get some measure of vengeance.

Dub Nation! This has been a piece I’ve been looking forward to writing for a minute as we finish our recap of the offseason moves of the Southwest division. The San Antonio Spurs won the Western Conference Finals and in my mind would have won the NBA Finals if they had that dawg in them. But if they had met a healthy Golden State Warriors team in the playoffs last year I HAVE NO DOUBT that the Dubs would have tucked the kids in San Antonio to sleep. But that’s just me though.

Golden State and San Antonio split the season series 2-2, but the way it split says everything. The Warriors won both meetings in November ON THE SPURS HOME FLOOR in the span of three days.

The Spurs won both in the second half over the wounded Dubs en route to a magicalish run.

San Antonio went 62-20, beat OKC in a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals, and made a climb to the NBA Finals nobody outside the building saw coming. Then they did the single most un-superstar thing a 22-year-old with a $303 million contract sitting right there in front of him could do. Victor Wembanyama signed for less money on purpose. Woooow that’s quite selfless of the skyscraping giant, very Spursy, very demure. What other Spurs 7-footer does that remind me of? Let’s check in with Sports Illustrated on the details:

Heading into his fourth year as the MVP favorite fresh off a Finals appearance, Wembanyama could have signed a five-year contract worth up to $303 million if he hit MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or All-NBA. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that instead, Wembanyama accepted $252 million with a player option in the fifth year and no escalators to the super max. It’s 25% of the salary cap instead of 30%, and it gives the Spurs a better chance to build a contender around him.

“San Antonio worked in close partnership with Wembanyama and his representatives, offering the full super max and different variations of extensions,” Charania said on Friday afternoon. “But Wembanyama ultimately chose a contract sacrifice rooted in giving him and the organization increased ability to build a sustained title contender around him.”

Tim Duncan would be proud.

The Spurs also added Tobias Harris, a 34-year-old, 6-foot-8 forward who can space the floor and guard bigger wings, exactly what San Antonio didn’t have when their frontcourt depth ran dry in the Finals. Their only real drama is at point guard, and it’s a good problem to have. De’Aaron Fox struggled in the Finals playing through a high ankle sprain, which was tough when you have Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper chomping at the bit to take the wheel.

And then there’s the aforementioned bill they gotta pay to afford these luxurious problems. Our friends at Pounding the Rock have been mulling that this summer:

First, Stephon Castle will become eligible for an extension next summer. Assuming he continues to improve as a player, he’ll want the max. The Spurs would surely love it if he took less and will have the threat of restricted free agency, which gives them control of Castle’s destiny, as a bargaining tool. The issue with wielding that weapon is that it could damage the relationship with Castle, who was a starter on a Finals team. If the front office thinks he’s a part of the untouchable core going forward, keeping him happy and feeling important will be paramount. Can they do that without offering the 25 percent max?

De'Aaron Fox had a NIGHTMARE of a series for the Spurs in the Finals 💀

San Antonio owes the 28 year-old guard $229,000,000 over the next four seasons 😳 pic.twitter.com/A51dp8itCO

— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) June 14, 2026

Golden State knows exactly what that math looks like on the other side of it, because the Warriors have been paying the tax to keep a core intact since before Wembanyama was drafted. San Antonio’s about to find out what that actually costs. This year, though, they didn’t have to choose. They kept everybody, added a piece, and still own bragging rights over everybody in the conference.

Enjoy the easy offseason, San Antonio. It’s the last one you get for a while. The Warriors absolutely can’t wait to see you again.

Another division, another team that is trying to find a better day now that the Golden State Warriors dynasty is on its last legs. We’re in the Southwest division now; let’s take it straight to the bottom. I’m not just talking about the division standings, I’m talking the Bayou where the New Orleans Pelicans reside. The Warriors took two of three from New Orleans last season, getting the best of a team that went 26-56 last year.

They fired their coach, hired Jamahl Mosley away from Orlando, and then just… stopped for a month. No first-round picks. No major free agency moves. Definitely no significant trades. They LOST Kevon Looney?! What part of the game is that? Even Sports Illustrated couldn’t believe it:

Coming off another disappointing sub-30-win season, the New Orleans Pelicans needed to make swift changes this offseason. That started with a brand-new coaching staff led by former Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, who will try to rebuild the Pelicans’ culture. Many thought sweeping personnel changes would be next after the team won just 26 games last year.

This is a team that won 26 games and acted like it just made the conference finals. At least they resigned DeAndre Jordan? Then, deep into the offseason, New Orleans finally did something. They got Bennedict Mathurin off the Clippers for two years and $16 million.

The Pelicans’ new projected rotation entering next season:

Starters: Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Zion Williamson, Derik Queen

Second Unit: Jeremiah Fears, Jordan Poole, Bennedict Mathurin, Saddiq Bey, Yves Missi pic.twitter.com/2iLdEK5vrt

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) August 26, 2026

Now here’s what’s curious: New Orleans already has Zion Williamson barreling toward the rim. Derik Queen wants to live down there too. Can’t forget that Dejounte Murray and Saddiq Bey like to get busy around the rim and aren’t exactly keeping defenders awake at night from three. Trey Murphy III can shoot the hell out of it, but somebody’s got to give that man some help. Herbert Jones made an All-Defensive team two years ago, and his three-point shot has cratered to 31 percent over the last two seasons.

So naturally the Pelicans went out… and got another dude who wants to attack the basket?! But don’t take my word for it, just ask the folks from Pelicans Debrief:

The one thing that always seems to elude the Pelicans is three-point shooting. When you look at their current roster, they only have one legitimate three-point shooter, and that is Trey Murphy III. Unfortunately, three-point shooting is not Mathurin’s strongest skill. He did shoot 37% from three in his sophomore season. He was able to replicate that in the first half of last season with the Pacers. However, when he was with the Los Angeles Clippers last season, he shot an abysmal 20% from three.

Twenty percent! I don’t want to use my journalism powers out of turn, but it may be time to do a Perry Mason style investigation of whether or not the Pelicans are in forever tank mode. By the way, as much as people bemoan the Warriors injury issues, the Pelicans REALLY can’t stay healthy. Dejounte Murray played 14 games last year coming back from a ruptured Achilles. Zion playing 60 games still qualifies as a special occasion.

And to add insult to injury, the one guy other than Murphy who I would really believe is supposed to be a stone cold shooter is a champion and Warriors fan-favorite Jordan Poole! What did he shoot from beyond the arc last season? 33%?! Nononono this can’t be. Somebody free my dawg JP!

Pelicans Jordan Poole 34 PTS (12-23 FG, 7-16 3P), 4 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK vs. Jazz https://t.co/cgxn8Z8pk7pic.twitter.com/qlWeBPalMz

— Role Player Performances (@BenchHighlights) April 8, 2026

If the Warriors want to make any kind of noise in the playoffs next season, beating teams like the Pelicans is mandatory. Even one misstep against a team like this can put a team on the bubble straight out of the sixth seed and into the play-in tournament, which the Warriors haven’t had the best of luck in since its inception. #FreePoole