Category: Basketball

One of the biggest takeaways from the New York Knicks’ come-from-behind win in Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals is that the San Antonio Spurs blew it by leaving rookie guard Dylan Harper on the bench in crunch-time.

The Spurs chose to ride with their $230 million man De’Aaron Fox in the last four minutes of regulation, and he missed an easy jump shot and then bailed out the Knicks with a stupid foul that helped swing the game for New York. Fox ended the night with seven points on 3-of-13 shooting in 38 minutes, while Harper was electric off the bench with 16 points. Right now, Harper feels like the better player even though he’s just 20 years old.

A strange TikTok popped up on Dylan Harper’s page the day after the game. Harper reposted a video with the title “De’Aaron Fox seen honoring playoff James Harden after shooting one of his statline.” The video showed Fox’s 3-for-13 box score line next to Harden’s 3-for-13 line in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons in the first round. The video is no longer on Harper’s page, but multiple people confirmed it was indeed there earlier.

Watch the video here:

Dylan Harper’s latest repost on TikTok 😳 pic.twitter.com/vctXS23FXf

— The Strickland (@TheStrickland) June 4, 2026

The most likely explanation here is that Harper accidentally reposted the video to his page without realizing what he was doing.

Harper played 28 minutes in Game 1. Fox played 38 minutes. If Harper continues to be more effective, head coach Mitch Johnson will have to make a tough decision to sit a veteran for a rookie.

Harden is a famous playoff dropper. I wouldn’t put Fox in that category yet, but he hasn’t been very good during this Spurs run. In his defense, Fox has been playing through an ankle sprain that he suffered in the Western Conference Finals. Harper is also playing through an abductor injury.

I wouldn’t blame Harper is he felt frustrated with his role in Game 1 especially after such a hot start. He can’t air his grievances on social media, even if it was by accident. Chalk this up to a rookie mistake by Harper. He doesn’t make many of them.

Jalen Brunson might not have been the only person who dealt with the vitriol of a Spurs fan. 

A man potentially involved in an incident with Brunson late in Wednesday’s Knicks win in NBA Finals Game 1 against the Spurs, allegedly “harassed” one of the viral female Spurs fans during a previous game at Frost Bank Center.

The NBA is investigating the incident, which reportedly involved two fans using profanity and making “flopping” remarks toward Brunson.

But a woman, who goes by @bluebeari3 or Blue, posted a video on X showing a man possibly involved in the Brunson incident insulting her at a previous Spurs game. She alleges he “harassed and assaulted me and my friend.” 

The incident occurred during Game 6 of the Western Conference finals, according to James B., who identified himself as the manager for Blue and fellow viral fan Julie J. Swan. 

In the video she posted, a man is seen leaning over a railing and talking to Blue and another woman with her. 

As Blue shifted to bring the man into view, he turned his attention to her and told her that “it’s absolutely disgraceful that you sit like that” and gestured with his finger toward her. 

Blue asked the man not to touch her, and then he proceeded to tell her, “Everyone in the stadium agrees.” 

“He came up to us at halftime and he was very suddenly in our face and we thought it was like a joke,” Swan told The Post in a phone interview on Thursday. “We thought we were on ‘Punk’d’ or something because he proceeds to tell us that we are disgusting, what we’re doing is disgusting and that the whole stadium hates us. He was just repeating that very, very aggressively, and then Blue starts recording him, and then he grabs her.

This is the same family that LITERALLY harassed and assaulted me and my friend the previous honest game. pic.twitter.com/kLD6UDUeOE

— Blue! (@bluebeari3) June 4, 2026

Heartbreaking loss but Spurs in 5!!!! pic.twitter.com/oYlcZ16GgH

— Blue! (@bluebeari3) June 4, 2026

“She tells him ‘don’t touch me,’ and kind of shoves him off a bit,” Swan added. “He backs off a little. It was just very jarring and it happened all at once.”

In subsequent social media posts, Blue alleges the man approached her and her friend and started “calling us names, cursing at us.” She also alleges that he was trying to get her attention, but she ignored him.

“Then he went into a full-on rant,” she wrote on X. “Calling us who++*, sl*is, etc etc. Then actually TOUCHING me.” 

Blue also said she had called security, but added that nothing was done. 

“So this past game security escorted us to our seats because of last time and (from what we we’re told) they were told to stay away from us.  The guy literally PUT HIS HANDS ON ME but was STILL allowed to stay at the game even though it’s against the code of conduct,” she wrote in another post. 

The Spurs did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Post.

Blue and Swan are the OnlyFans models who have become internet sensations after being spotted behind the Spurs bench during the conference finals. 

Blue and Swan were back in their seats on Wednesday for Game 1 of the NBA Finals and once again were seen behind the Spurs bench. 

The NBA is investigating a man and one other person as the ones allegedly involved in the Brunson incident, and not a woman whom the internet speculated was a possible offender, according to The Post’s Stefan Bondy. 

Brunson seemed ready to move on from the whole thing when he spoke to reporters on Thursday. 

“I’m all good about talking about that,” he said.

Even as the Golden State Warriors publicly discussed taking a step back from the “championship or bust” mentality that has defined them for the past decade, this team is never actually far from taking a big swing. According to a report by Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, there is growing momentum toward the Warriors making a legitimate run at signing legendary forward LeBron James this offseason. In fact, Siegel reports that Steph Curry plans to meet with LeBron prior to the start of free agency.

“League sources telling us at ClutchPoints that the Warriors are very much open to pursuing LeBron James and they plan to do so this offseason in free agency,” Siegel said. “LeBron James, at the end of his career, he could still contribute a high level, we saw that in the playoffs. Pairing him with Stephen Curry is going to be something that the Warriors look to pursue over the next few weeks… It seemed very doubtful, it seemed low percentage, now it’s kind of questionable. Now there’s going to be some legs to this… That same source told us that Steph is planning on meeting and talking with LeBron about potentially joining the Warriors over the course of the next few weeks leading up to free agency.”

This is far from the first time the Dubs have tried to bring LeBron to the Bay Area. The Warriors have consistently checked in with the Lakers about LeBron’s potential availability via trade over the past couple seasons, per reports. Two years ago it seemed obvious that James would finish his career with the Lakers, but the league-shattering blockbuster that brought Luke Dončić to Los Angeles significantly changed the dynamic. While LeBron still will likely have the best chance at receiving the most money from the Lakers,

The Warriors clearest path to signing James is with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception (worth roughly $15 million per season), which would still mark a 70% pay cut for LeBron. A sign-and-trade could be a different path to paying James more, but that would require Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, or Kristaps Porzingis heading out in the deal.

Butler’s exorbitant salary and ACL injury likely makes any deal a non-starter. On paper, Green could fit with the Lakers as they look for a defensive anchor, but his longstanding close relationship with James and their shared agent (Rich Paul) makes that seem less likely. Porzingis seems like the most likely of the three. Sign-and-trades require three-year contracts, but they can include non-guaranteed years.

Given Porzingis’ upside the Lakers may be willing to role the dice on a three-year, $75 million deal with only the first season guaranteed. A deal like that would allow the Warriors to pay LeBron around $30-$35 million next season. Green could also decline his player option and re-sign an extension with a lower salary in 2026-27 to leave the Dubs more space below the first apron to use their mid-level exception for another addition.

Time will tell if the Warriors are a serious contender to sign James or if LeBron is simply using Golden State as leverage to get more guaranteed money from the Lakers. However, the Dubs have few easy options to add premium talent to a roster that is sorely lacking exactly that. Even if the odds are low, a hail mary to land LeBron is worth a shot.

SAN ANTONIO — It’s unusual for Jalen Brunson to be so visibly upset. 

There was a reason for it. And the league has gotten involved. 

The NBA is investigating two fans who allegedly made profane comments toward Brunson, The Post confirmed, at the end of the Knicks’ 105-95 Game 1 win over the Spurs Wednesday night at Frost Bank Arena. 

As OG Anunoby shot free throws with just 20.6 seconds left in the game, Brunson could be seen talking with fans near the sideline. After the game, Brunson spoke with referee Scott Foster near the sideline and motioned toward the crowd.

He exchanged a few more words with the fans before Jose Alvarado and other Knicks teammates pulled him away. 

A day later, he had no interest in revisiting it. 

“I’m all good about talking about that,” Brunson said on Thursday when asked if something was said that crossed the line. “All good.”

Video that went viral on social media speculated that a woman sitting courtside was the culprit who Brunson had the exchange with. But that is not who the league believes was involved and is investigating, according to The Post’s Stefan Bondy. They are instead investigating a man and one other person. 

“I didn’t even see what happened,” Josh Hart said on Thursday. “I heard something about it. I didn’t really see it. I don’t know. He’s always pretty calm, pretty composed. I’m sure the fans probably said something crazy to kind of get him going. I wish I could answer that a little bit better, but I didn’t see the interaction.” 

Not only is President Donald Trump going to the NBA Finals once the games hit New York's Madison Square Garden, he also has opinions on the series — including about Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama.

Speaking Thursday, June 4 to reporters from the Oval Office, the 47th president of the United States was asked about the series between the Knicks and Spurs, after New York escaped Game 1 with a 10-point victory Wednesday, June 3.

“I saw the beginning of the game, and it was not looking good,” Trump said. “I missed the middle because I talk to generals all night long now, but I watched the end of that game and they were dominant, really amazing."

“Wemby is a great player,” Trump continued. “I say: ‘How do you guard this guy?' — 7-foot-5 and he’s got a great shot, right? They find a way to do it. They’re a great team, and I’m happy for Jim (Dolan) because Jim has been fighting really hard to produce such a team.”

Trump confirmed that Knicks owner James Dolan invited him to attend Knicks home games, though he did not provide firm specifics; New York will host the Spurs for Game 3 Monday, June 8 and Game 4 Wednesday, June 10.

“The answer is: yes, he has invited me and I’m going,” Trump said. “Could be Monday — maybe I’ll do both.”

The Knicks will be playing their first home NBA Finals games since 1999, and New York is seeking its first title in 53 years. The games at Madison Square Garden are quickly becoming some of the most expensive tickets in sports history, and the crowd — both inside and outside the arena — is expected to be frenetic.

Trump on going to the NBA Finals: Wemby's a great player. He's going to be a great player and he is already a great player. I’m going. Could be Monday. Maybe I’ll do both. pic.twitter.com/SBeDujD3vt

— Acyn (@Acyn) June 4, 2026

With Trump also in attendance, security will be bolstered in kind, which could create longer-than-normal waiting times to get into the venue.

“Well, I’ve been a Knick fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan,” Trump said. “He’s a nice guy, OK? He spent a long time wanting to win, and he’s a competitive guy. He’s got a team that’s amazing.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump impressed by Victor Wembanyama: 'How do you guard this guy?'

Since February 1st, Wemby has only finished a game with a negative plus/minus three times. Once was in game five of the West Finals against OKC, and the other two times were both against the Knicks, including Wednesday night.

It’s undeniable that New York has a matchup advantage against the Spurs, and it all starts with KAT. Big Purr was undoubtedly the best player in game 1, but San Antonio also made some head-scratching mistakes when guarding him, which should be easily correctable moving forward.

Give the KAT some space!

KAT’s one of the best big man shooters ever, but he still shouldn’t be guarded like Steph Curry.

There were a handful of possessions in game 1 where Wemby or Kornet were glued to his hip, which made it easy for him to drive or pass to cutters.

pic.twitter.com/sEoD8OcrtA

— Bill Huan (@bill_huan) June 4, 2026

pic.twitter.com/hCRGHDTrc7

— Bill Huan (@bill_huan) June 4, 2026

The Spurs should not sag off KAT, but rather stay close enough to contest shots without giving him the ability to easily blow by on drives. This would also give San Antonio’s bigs an easier time navigating screens, as they would have more room to operate.

Lastly, it’s crucial that the Spurs keep their bigs on KAT, for now. Sure, they can always have them sag off of Hart, but KAT proved in game 1 that his size is too much for any other player to handle, which resulted in a number of offensive rebounds and lobs for New York.

pic.twitter.com/FQRgIgP2nZ

— Bill Huan (@bill_huan) June 4, 2026

Even in this play, Wemby overplayed the pass from Hart when he should’ve been in a deep drop. This is a very easy mistake to fix, and once Wemby understands his assignments better, the Spurs should bounce back nicely moving forward.

The 3-guard lineup and other rotation changes

Even though Harper played too few minutes and Fox was bad, the answer is not to replace the veteran with the rook, but rather to play them together. This accomplishes several things at once: it decreases the erratic minutes from Bryant and Barnesy, limits Brunson’s opportunities to hunt Champagnie, and gives the Spurs more chances to run actions with another ballhandler on the floor. Most importantly, it allows the Spurs to play arguably their second-best player more, who should be fresh given that he’s a 20-year-old who has averaged under 26 minutes during the postseason.

Even in game 1, Harper played just 27:31, while Barnes and Bryant combined for 16:34 of straight cardio. Harper can absorb more than half of those minutes alone, and at this point, the Spurs should only be playing him, Kornet, and Big Body consistent bench minutes. Defensively, the rookie arguably had the best game guarding Brunson, and starting a lineup that includes all three guards would give Captain Knick fewer chances to hunt Champagnie, who was his favorite target in game 1. Matching Harper with Brunson also frees Castle up to guard a bigger player like Anunoby, who can play bully ball against the Spurs’ wings.

To be clear, Harper should take minutes away from Bryant and Barnes, not Champagnie. The latter should still play his usual amount, but more with bench units. Mitch Johnson also needs to match Kornet and the bench with the Knicks’ secondary unit. Brunson got going in game 1 by attacking Bryant and Kornet in the non-Wemby minutes, and the Spurs need to prevent that from happening again by matching the stars’ rotations.

These are all trickle-down effects of playing all three guards together, and we haven’t even gotten to the most exciting part yet: the offense.

Hunt New York’s small guards

Landry Shamet played over 33 minutes in game 1, which was more than both Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. Even Alvarado and Clarkson got some run, combining for 16:36 in the opening match.

The Spurs did a decent job of hunting New York’s small guards when they had favorable matchups, like what Castle did on this possession.

pic.twitter.com/vY7j9OrRBW

— Bill Huan (@bill_huan) June 4, 2026

However, they didn’t manage to make the Knicks pay enough, resulting in Shamet going 3-6 from deep when the rest of New York shot 8-33. If the Spurs do play more three-guard lineups, they need to hunt the Knicks’ backcourt ruthlessly, forcing Mike Brown to try other lineups.

Specifically, San Antonio needs to put both Knick guards in the action whenever possible. One of the main reasons why New York’s point of attack defense has held up surprisingly well during the playoffs is because they’ve perfected protecting Brunson and other small guards through hedging and recovering. However, if you put two poor defenders in the same action, they won’t have anywhere to hide, and that’s what happened in the play below, where New York successfully recovers Brunson from being hunted, but Shamet is forced to be the one scrambling back onto Fox.

pic.twitter.com/Iw3NUHuuyB

— Bill Huan (@bill_huan) June 4, 2026

That play worked with Champagnie as the screener. Now, can you imagine how much more lethal it would be if all three guards took turns hunting, with one of them screening? That would open up so many more options offensively and there would be nowhere for New York’s guards to hide. In turn, the Knicks would be forced to play Shamet and co. fewer minutes, thus decreasing their spacing on the other end, too.

Replace the Wemby isos with screening actions, please!!

Speaking of screens, the Spurs need to replace Wemby isos with them as well. KAT is big and mobile enough to prevent the Alien from getting to the rim, and the Knicks can replace him with an equally tough matchup in Anunoby too.

Wemby can continue shooting when he’s open, but on halfcourt plays, the Spurs operate better when he’s doing big man things. This means using his size to set hard screens (which he failed to do in game 1) and rolling when he can. Such opportunities are hard to come by, but the one play that I’ve yet to see fail is a double screening action that results in Wemby going downhill, which either opens up a lob or a kickout to a corner shooter, who should be wide open since his man will be too preoccupied with Wemby.

pic.twitter.com/eOS1sfQsKL

— Bill Huan (@bill_huan) June 4, 2026

However, if Wemby is forced to be on the perimeter, the Spurs should use him more as a playmaking hub rather than a scorer. Similar to KAT, Wemby’s shooting pulls opposing bigs out, and this leaves the rim open for San Antonio’s slashing guards to attack.

pic.twitter.com/7XwsdFbi6U

— Bill Huan (@bill_huan) June 4, 2026

New York’s length on the wings makes drives much harder than OKC’s smaller guards did, but Point Wemby is still a look that the Spurs should consider using. Still, even that shouldn’t be a priority, as San Antonio can run much more creative things using their guards that yield better looks.

Cutting down on Wemby’s iso saves the Spurs from running an inefficient play, while also preserving the Alien’s energy. I have no doubt that he’ll end up with a huge positive plus/minus by the end of the series, and the Spurs will need to play him as many minutes as possible to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy.

The Cleveland Cavaliers traded away Darius Garland at the deadline this past season, but apparently, this move was in the works as far back as 2024. That season, Garland broke his jaw and had a tough time finding a rhythm next to Donovan Mitchell. That year ended in an anticlimactic five-game series loss to the eventual champion Boston Celtics.

After that series, The Athletic reported that Garland’s agent, Rich Paul, “would have conversations with Cavs officials on potentially finding a new home for the one-time All-Star.”

Garland ended up staying with the team and vehemently denied any reports that he was possibly unhappy in Cleveland by the time the next season rolled around.

“I told [Koby Altman] I wanted to be here,” Garland said during media day before the 2024-25 season. “I really don’t know [where the rumor came from], it came out and it was definitely false.”

He went on to say that he was happy that the Cavs committed to Mitchell that summer and that they have a great relationship off the court.

Earlier this week, Paul said on the Game Over podcast that Garland “wanted to get out” of Cleveland back in 2024 and the San Antonio Spurs were an option before they traded for De’Aaron Fox.

“[Garland] was flustered, he was frustrated and he wanted to get out,” Paul said. “We were having a conversation, and I said to him at the time, you got to get somewhere…I don’t want you to take a dip. And the Spurs, before they got the second pick, they needed a point guard. And I thought next to Wemby, with shooting and all that. And then things changed and he was fine.”

As a point of clarification, the Spurs had the second pick in the most recent draft, not the one before. Based on when the Fox trade happened in Feb. 2025, presumably Paul is talking about the 2024 draft when San Antonio took Stephon Castle number four overall. This also lines up with when Garland was disgruntled.

The Cavs were able to work things out in the 2024-25 season as Paul alluded to. Garland played the best basketball of his career, and the Cavs looked like a threat to win the Finals. Then, that all went away after Garland injured his toe that spring.

Last February, it seemed like the Garland trade for James Harden came out of nowhere. Looking back, it’s clear that this has been brewing for a while. It was just a matter of when, and not if.

The Oklahoma City Thunder finally have some hard decisions to make during the 2026 offseason.

With a very young roster, several of their talented players are due for paydays soon, and that time is coming for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, whose max contract extensions kick in next year.

The Thunder have only two major contract questions this offseason: Isaiah Hartenstein and Luguentz Dort, both of whom have team options.

While it is possible Oklahoma City could restructure Hartenstein’s deal, given that he was an integral part of its Western Conference Finals run, that could leave Dort as the potential odd man out.

Dort is the longest tenured Thunder player, tied with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Dort is known for his elite perimeter defense and high motor. His team option for next year is $ 17.7 million. 

While the price is not too steep for the modern NBA, Dort’s issue is with the roster construction. Right now, the Thunder have three outstanding defensive-minded wings — Dort, Cason Wallace and Alex Curoso make up the trio.

Caruso is already locked in long-term with a contract and Wallace is still on his rookie deal, making him a cheaper option for the Thunder. 

With all that in mind, it seems that the Thunder might be forced to move on from Dort. The two options the team has are to either trade or release Dort. 

But one player on the team is backing Dort to stay.

Superstar Gilgeous-Alexander wants Dort, who is the NBA MVP’s teammate on Team Canada, to remain in OKC.

Tim MacMahon of the “NBA Today Show” reported that Gilgeous-Alexander has spoken with General Manager Sam Presti about keeping Dort on the roster. 

“He will at least remind Sam Presti and the Thunder management just how much he values having Lu Dort as his teammate,” MacMahon said earlier this week. 

With Shai on Dort’s side, that could add a wrinkle to the saga. But Gilgeous-Alexander has been adamant that he will not meddle in player signings or trades. 

Still, even with support from teammates, there is a belief that Dort could be used as a trade piece or let go to find his new team.

The 2026 NBA Draft is less than three weeks away, and sifting through the speculation is especially intriguing this year.

There's a consensus top four of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson, but no consensus on what order in which they will be chosen. Dybantsa remains the trendy pick to go No. 1 in recent mock draft updates, but there is little agreement on the pecking order for the group of guards expected to be picked beginning as early as the fifth pick in the first round. Potential choices diverge even more from there now that the withdrawal deadline for prospects to return to college has passed.

AI is trying to figure out what's what just like the humans that feed its information capabilities, based on the latest mock draft curated by USA TODAY Sports using Microsoft Copilot's artificial intelligence chatbot. Though its top-four stayed the same, the rest of the first round is almost completely different from its analysis last month after the conclusion of the NBA draft scouting combine. It's a reflection of the changing perception of draft experts as workouts continue and new intel emerges.

Here's a breakdown of Microsoft Copilot AI's latest 2026 NBA mock draft, including the chatbot's reasoning for making each first-round pick:

HIGH SCHOOL: How projected NBA draft first-round picks ranked as recruits

2026 NBA mock draft by USA TODAY Sports

You can compare AI's picks to the latest USA TODAY 2026 NBA mock draft by clicking here.

2026 NBA mock draft: AI picks first round after scouting combine

USA TODAY Sports asked Microsoft Copilot AI to generate a mock draft for the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft featuring only players eligible this year now that the NBA draft withdrawl deadline passed for college players. The chatbot was asked to base its selections on current mock drafts from reputable websites, as well as the latest intel on team needs, prospect analysis and potential draft withdrawals.

Note: AI models still have issues with accuracy as seen in the mock draft below. Of particular note, Microsoft Copilot needed additional prompts after several picks were inaccurately assigned to teams. The average mock draft pick referenced for each player was compiled by USA TODAY Sports using 12 of the latest mock drafts from national websites around the country, including USA TODAY.

1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa

• Average mock draft pick: 1
• AI analysis: "A franchise devoid of elite wing creation takes the class’s best scoring forward archetype to anchor its rebuild."

2. Utah Jazz: Darryn Peterson, Kansas

• Average mock draft pick: 2
• AI analysis: "Utah secures a jumbo lead guard who can scale alongside or beyond its current young backcourt."

3. Memphis Grizzlies: Cameron Boozer, Duke

• Average mock draft pick: 3
• AI analysis: "Memphis bets on elite production and feel to stabilize its frontcourt with a high-floor offensive hub."

4. Chicago Bulls: Caleb Wilson, North Carolina

• Average mock draft pick: 4
• AI analysis: "Chicago adds a mobile, two-way forward who can defend multiple positions and elevate lineup versatility."

5. Los Angeles Clippers: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas

• Average mock draft pick: 7
• AI analysis: "With an aging core, L.A. lands a dynamic shot creator to begin transitioning toward its next offensive engine."

6. Brooklyn Nets: Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville

• Average mock draft pick: 7
• AI analysis: "Brooklyn prioritizes pure scoring upside and perimeter creation for a roster still searching for a centerpiece."

7. Sacramento Kings: Keaton Wagler, Illinois

• Average mock draft pick: 7
• AI analysis: "Sacramento adds a combo guard who can both initiate offense and space the floor next to its stars."

8. Atlanta Hawks: Kingston Flemings, Houston

• Average mock draft pick: 7
• AI analysis: "Atlanta targets a true lead guard to fill its post–Trae Young offensive void, prioritizing pace control and primary creation."

9. Dallas Mavericks: Brayden Burries, Arizona

• Average mock draft pick: 9
• AI analysis: "Dallas pairs Cooper Flagg with a versatile scoring guard who can handle, create, and space the floor, giving its new franchise centerpiece a dynamic perimeter partner to grow alongside."

10. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament, Tennessee

• Average mock draft pick: 11
• AI analysis: "Milwaukee injects youth and athleticism into its wing rotation with a high-upside developmental forward."

11. Golden State Warriors: Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan

• Average mock draft pick: 12
• AI analysis: "Golden State opts for a polished, high-IQ forward who can contribute immediately in a win-now ecosystem."

12. Oklahoma City Thunder: Aday Mara, Michigan

• Average mock draft pick: 10
• AI analysis: "OKC swings on size and skill, adding a 7-footer with defensive and playmaking upside to its long-term core."

13. Miami Heat: Labaron Philon, Alabama

• Average mock draft pick: 14
• AI analysis: "Miami selects a tough, downhill guard whose physicality and mindset align with its developmental model."

14. Charlotte Hornets: Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers (NBL)

• Average mock draft pick: 16
• AI analysis: "Charlotte gambles on international upside with a versatile wing who fits LaMelo Ball’s pace-and-space style."

15. Chicago Bulls: Isaiah Evans, Duke

• Average mock draft pick: 26 (appeared in 11/12 mock drafts)
• AI analysis: "Chicago doubles down on perimeter scoring with a shooter who can stretch defenses and create off movement."

16. Memphis Grizzlies: Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky

• Average mock draft pick: 19
• AI analysis: "Memphis reinforces its defense with a disruptive, switchable big who thrives in modern schemes."

17. Oklahoma City Thunder: Chris Cenac, Jr., Houston

• Average mock draft pick: 22
• AI analysis: "Oklahoma City continues stockpiling length and athleticism with a rim-running, defensive-minded big."

18. Charlotte Hornets: Koa Peat, Arizona

• Average mock draft pick: 25 (appeared in 11/12 mock drafts)
• AI analysis: "Charlotte adds physicality and toughness with a power forward capable of balancing its finesse-heavy lineup."

19. Toronto Raptors: Bennett Stirtz, Iowa

• Average mock draft pick: 21
• AI analysis: "Toronto secures a steady, efficient lead guard to bring structure to its evolving offensive identity."

20. San Antonio Spurs: Hannes Steinbach, Washington

• Average mock draft pick: 17
• AI analysis: "San Antonio adds another mobile, high-feel big to complement Victor Wembanyama, leaning into jumbo, position-less frontcourt versatility."

21. Detroit Pistons: Cameron Carr, Baylor

• Average mock draft pick: 15
• AI analysis: "Detroit adds a versatile wing defender who fits its identity shift toward length and two-way play."

22. Philadelphia 76ers: Meleek Thomas, Arkansas

• Average mock draft pick: 27 (appeared in 11/12 mock drafts)
• AI analysis: "Philadelphia grabs instant offense off the bench in a high-volume shooter to support its star guards."

23. Atlanta Hawks: Allen Graves, Santa Clara

• Average mock draft pick: 23
• AI analysis: "Atlanta targets a high-feel forward who can connect lineups and contribute without needing heavy usage."

24. New York Knicks: Dailyn Swain, Texas

• Average mock draft pick: 20
• AI analysis: "New York adds a switchable two-way wing with size and defensive versatility, aligning with a roster built around length, physicality, and lineup flexibility."

25. Los Angeles Lakers: Henri Veesaar, North Carolina

• Average mock draft pick: 26 (appeared in 11/12 mock drafts)
• AI analysis: "Los Angeles prioritizes frontcourt versatility with a big who can stretch the floor and fit modern spacing needs."

26. Denver Nuggets: Sergio de Larrea, Valencia (Spain)

• Average mock draft pick: 34 (appeared in 6/12 mock drafts)
• AI analysis: "Denver adds another high-IQ playmaker to sustain its ball-movement-heavy offensive ecosystem."

27. Boston Celtics: Alex Karaban, UConn

• Average mock draft pick: 32 (only appeared in 4/12 mock drafts)
• AI analysis: "Boston selects a proven connector whose shooting and decision-making fit seamlessly into its contender core."

28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Morez Johnson, Jr., Michigan

• Average mock draft pick: 17
• AI analysis: "Minnesota bolsters its frontcourt depth with an athletic big capable of developing into a rotation piece."

29. Cleveland Cavaliers: Ebuka Okorie, Stanford

• Average mock draft pick: 23
• AI analysis: "Cleveland bets on a dynamic downhill guard to add much-needed shot creation and offensive pressure."

30. Dallas Mavericks: Luigi Suigo, Mega (Serbia)

• Average mock draft pick: 29 (appeared in 6/12 mock drafts)
• AI analysis: "Dallas closes the round with a long-term upside swing on a towering international big."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA mock draft 2026: AI predicts every first round pick

Doc Rivers may have some grudges to settle.

The longtime NBA coach appeared on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” following the Knicks’ Game 1 NBA Finals win over the Spurs. And as he praised the Knicks’ team-building, he took the opportunity to criticize some front office executives around the league.

“I don’t wanna take shots at anybody, but I will say this. There are a lot of front office guys who can go out and get the stars,” he began. “There’s very few of them that can then build a team into a championship team. That’s what you have to do.”

He continued: “You can go out and get these names. But can you make the other moves? You look at Danny Ainge, he’s done it a ton. Brad Stevens has done it, Sam Presti, it took him a while… and he finally kind of figured it out.”

I wonder who Doc is talking about pic.twitter.com/jd7iH1Hcmt

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Notably, Rivers — who spent parts of the last three seasons with the Bucks — did not mention Milwaukee general manager Jon Horst or his previous bosses: ex-Sixers president Daryl Morey and Clippers exec Lawrence Frank.

The 2008 champion, who earned his lone ring as a coach with the Celtics, praised the Knicks for filling out their roster with “role players” such as Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges.

He claimed not to know who the role players are on the Spurs’ youthful roster.

While Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 48 points on Monday, the Knicks got plenty of contributions elsewhere.

OG Anunoby hit some extremely timely shots in the fourth quarter and scored 17 points. Bridges was a plus-11 with nine points, and Hart grabbed 15 rebounds and dished out six assists.

Rivers, 64, finished this season 32-50 with Milwaukee before the two sides agreed to part ways.

He previously indicated to Simmons that he was done coaching after stints with five different teams.

There’s only one event Jalen Brunson would go off the wall for.

Fresh off leading the Knicks to a Game 1 win over the Spurs in the NBA Finals, Brunson was asked by a reporter during a Thursday press conference if there’s a show he’d spend Finals at Madison Square Garden-level money on.

As of Thursday afternoon, the get-in price for Monday’s Game 3 in New York was $7,520, per TickPick.

“That’s a good question,” Brunson replied before taking about 15 seconds to consider his answer.

“A live Michael Jackson performance,” he said.

While a posthumous performance would be an expensive thriller, the “King of Pop” did not charge nearly such an exorbitant amount for his concerts.

One

The Knicks’ first NBA Finals appearance in 27 years has generated significant buzz, and ticket prices have matched the rising excitement.

After the Knicks clinched a Finals berth with a sweep of the Cavaliers, a pair of courtside tickets sold for nearly $280,000.

Days later, get-in prices for Games 3 and 4 were set at $3,745 and $3,464, respectively, making them “the most expensive NBA tickets on record.”

The Knicks are also auctioning a pair of courtside tickets for Game 3, with proceeds going to MSG’s Garden of Dreams foundation.

With a 1-0 series lead after Thursday’s gritty comeback against the Victor Wembanyama-led Spurs, those prices have nearly doubled.

After trailing at halftime, the Knicks rallied from down 14 to seal a 105-95 win in San Antonio — New York’s 12th consecutive postseason win.

Despite an injury scare and arguments with referee Scott Foster and some “vulgar” fans, Brunson finished with a game-high 30 points.

The series resumes Friday night at Frost Bank Center as the Knicks go for a 2-0 series lead.