Category: Basketball

With the addition of LeBron James to Philadelphia, the Eastern Conference looks to be as competitive as it ever has been in recent memory. Assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade will send him to Toronto and Jalen Duren re-signs with Detroit, it’s time to see where the Pistons could fall by the end of the upcoming NBA season.

15. Milwaukee Bucks

Record last year: 32-50 (11th)

Key departures: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis

Key additions: Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr, Kasparas Jakucionis, Brayden Burries, Nate Ament

Analysis: The post-Giannis era has begun in Milwaukee. Tyler Herro might average 30 PPG, but this team is terrible. Ryan Rollins is fun, and I’ll continue to dream about Myles Turner if Detroit actually moves on from Duren, but any team with Kyle Kuzma in the lineup is going to lose games. Remember, Kuzma: “don’t be that team!”

14. Brooklyn Nets

Record last year: 20-62 (13th)

Key departures: Nic Claxton

Key additions: Julius Randle, Keon Ellis, Mo Wagner, Mikel Brown Jr.

Analysis: I like Brooklyn’s draft by selecting Mikel Brown Jr. and Joshua Jefferson. Egor Demin is an exciting prospect, but who are the Nets building around? Are Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle the kind of vets you’d want leading your locker room? They need one of their young guys to step up as a centerpiece, otheriwse, they’re waiting on the next draft lottery.

13. Chicago Bulls

Record last year: 31-51 (12th)

Key departures: n/a

Key additions: Nic Claxton, Norman Powell, Caleb Wilson

Analysis: The team of consistent mediocrity! Chicago moved on from two of their best players, Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu, to build around Josh Giddey. Matas Buzelis is fun and should make an intruiging pair with Caleb Wilson. Yet, I can’t help but feel this team is destined to miss the play-in once again.

12. Washington Wizards

Record last year: 17-65 (15th)

Key departures: D’Angelo Russell

Key additions: Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Deandre Ayton, AJ Dybantsa

Analysis: If there’s a compliment I can give the Wizards, it’s that their front office is at least trying to be exciting. They gave Trae Young one of the worst contracts in the NBA and have to pay Anthony “Street Clothes” Davis $120 million over the next two seasons. I’m excited about AJ Dybantsa, but it’s hard to have faith in a team highlighted by Trae, AD, and Ayton.

11. Orlando Magic

Record last year: 45-37 (8th)

Key departures: Mo Wagner

Key additions: Nikola Vucevic

Analysis: Orlando is basically running back the same team as last year in an Eastern Conference that is way more competitive now. Detroit and Orlando had similar team builds, but Orlando didn’t acquire any real shooting on a team that has one real threat from beyond the arc in their starting lineup. Put the DBB staff in a 2-3 zone against the Magic and we might stand a chance.

10. Miami Heat

Record last year: 43-39 (10th)

Key departures: Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis

Key additions: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis

Analysis: I’m not sure I can put much faith into Miami yet. The Giannis and Bam pairing is exciting on paper, but Bam’s no Brook Lopez from deep. I think you clog the paint against the Heat and force Davion Mitchell or Tim Hardaway Jr to beat you. They feel a year away and another move (or two) from competing deep into the postseason.

9. Charlotte Hornets

Record last year: 44-38 (9th)

Key departures: LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, Josh Green

Key additions: Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, Dorian Finney-Smith

Analysis: I’m a believer that the Hornets will be a better team without LaMelo Ball. Where Orlando doesn’t have any shooting, Charlotte has a ton of it. I love the additions of Reid and Allen. I’d put the Hornets at the top of exciting teams to watch on NBA League Pass.

8. Indiana Pacers

Record last year: 19-63 (14th)

Key departures: n/a

Key additions: Kelly Oubre Jr, Larry Nance Jr

Analysis: Indiana punted last season away after Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles in Game 7 of the 2024-2025 NBA Finals against the Thunder. This is a well-built team with depth at all positions, but I’ll have to see them produce on the court before I can feel comfortable moving them up the list.

7. Atlanta Hawks

Record last year: 46-36 (6th)

Key departures: Zaccharie Risacher

Key additions: Aaron Wiggins, Lu Dort, Devin Carter, Kingston Flemings

Analysis: If Charlotte weren’t at the top of my “most exciting offseason” teams, Atlanta would be it. Just getting Trae Young off the roster is a plus in itself, but they’ve improved their depth across the board. Jalen Johnson is their most expensive player at only $30 million, and they’re primed to take a big swing at the deadline. Rudy Gobert, anyone?

6. Toronto Raptors

Record last year: 46-36 (5th)

Key departures: Brandon Ingram*, Gradey Dick*, Sandro Mamukelashvili

Key additions: Kawhi Leonard*, Kyle Anderson, Allen Graves

Analysis: Their whole offseason hinges on the league finishing its investigation on Kawhi Leonard. Scottie Barnes is amazing, but the Jakob Poeltl contract is up there with the worst in the league. What happens when this trade gets reversed? Does anyone have any Aspiration inspiration to move them higher?

5. Cleveland Cavaliers

Record last year: 52-30 (4th)

Key departures: Keon Ellis, Dean Wade

Key additions: Mario Hezonja, Meleek Thomas

Analysis: I mean, what are we doing, Cleveland? You whiffed on a homecoming with LeBron and lost your two best defenders. Your two stars in Donovan Mitchell and James Harden can’t defend a traffic cone, and you play in a division with Cade Cunningham. Don’t forget, you have to pay Mitchell $75 million in 2030-2031!

4. Boston Celtics

Record last year: 56-26 (2nd)

Key departures: Jaylen Brown

Key additions: Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, Mike Conley

Analysis: A healthy Jayson Tatum is back and has a new friend riding shotgun. Paul George isn’t better than Jaylen Brown, but maybe he’s a better fit for this roster. They’ve had a Mitchell Robinson-sized hole at center for the past few seasons that is now filled. Boston is always good and I don’t see that changing. Put me down for Payton Pritchard as Most Improved Player of the Year.

3. Detroit Pistons

Record last year: 60-22 (1st)

Key departures: Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, Marcus Sasser

Key additions: John Collins, Isaiah Joe, Ebuka Okorie

Analysis: Detroit should most certainly be a better team offensively. Collins, Joe, and Prince are all 40%+ three-pointer shooters, and they hung onto Robinson and Huerter. While Beef Stew’s rim protection will be missed, I’m excited about having a more fluid offensive backup center in Paul Reed. The Cade/Ausar/Duren trio will be surrounded by the most shooting it has ever had. I’m happy to see what Ausar and Duren can do sharing the secondary playmaker role until Trajan makes the big trade at February’s trade deadline.

2. Philadelphia 76ers

Record last year: 45-37 (7th)

Key departures: Paul George, Quentin Grimes, Andre Drummond

Key additions: LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Analysis: Look, this is the best starting five in the NBA. I mean, their fourth-best player is LeBron James, maybe? This was a great offseason for Philly and there’s no doubt they’re gunning for the Larry O’Brien trophy. I worry about their depth in the playoffs if this team has injury issues, and it feels like someone in their top four will be upset about their lower usage. We’ll see if they can make it work.

1. New York Knicks

Record last year: 53-29 (3rd)

Key departures: Mitchell Robinson

Key additions: Andre Drummond

Analysis: Running it back with the same team after winning the NBA championship? Sounds good to me.

—————

Go Stones.

NBA fans are going to be seeing a lot more of the 76ers whether they like it or not.

Philadelphia is expected to get the maximum amount of national television games allowed after the team signed LeBron James to a two-year, $8 million deal, sources have told Front Office Sports.

The 76ers played in 14 national TV games last season — a total they’ll more than double in 2026-27 at 34 games.

Following along the NBA’s current 11-year, $76 billion media right deal, each of the league’s 30 teams is given at least two national game broadcasts per season.

Each year those with the biggest stars see more come their way, including hitting the 34-game maximum.

In 2025, one of those teams proved to be the eventual NBA champion Knicks, who play in the country’s biggest TV market. Behind them were James’ former team, the Lakers, Steph Curry and the Warriors and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s defending champion Thunder.

At the bottom of the barrel with the minimum two-game requirement sat the Nets, Raptors, Wizards, Jazz and Pelicans.

Additionally, the 76ers should be at the forefront of big events throughout the season including opening week and in the NBA’s five-game slate on Christmas Day.

At a CNBC press conference, league commissioner Adam Silver stated the NBA couldn’t nail down the upcoming schedule without knowing where James would land.

The 41-year-old made his long-awaited decision to head to Philly on Friday, calling it his “last decision” and one that he made because he wanted to “work” and “sacrifice” towards another championship with a fourth team.

Last year, the 76ers finished with a 45-37 record and were swept by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Now with James, the 76ers have elevated their threat level in the East, adding Jaylen Brown to a core of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and VJ Edgecombe.

What’s up y’all? Last weekend, the NBA Summer League concluded, so I thought I’d take a look at how some former Ducks ended up playing.

Player	Games played	Minutes per game	Points per game	Shooting % (FG/3/FT)	Assists per game	Rebounds per game	Steals per game	Blocks per game
TJ Bamba	3	12.8	4	21.1%/18.2%/50%	1	1.3	0.3	0
Brandon Angel	4	12	4.5	53%/66.7%/0%	0	3	0.2	0.5
Nate Bittle	4	20.6	9.8	50%/43.8%/100%	2.2	6.8	0.8	2.8

Now, I know these results aren’t very surprising. But I was legitimately impressed watching Bittle go out and do work. He looked healthy, and played the same style of ball we got to watch him play the last few seasons. Honestly, with how well he performed in Summer League, I have even more confidence he’ll be able to carve out a legitimate career as an NBA role player. Especially considering that you NEED to be able to shoot to survive more than 2-3 years these days. I don’t know if he’ll stay on the Raptors, but I think someone will give him a shot. And when they do, I’m confident he’ll make the most of it.

As always, ‘Sco Ducks

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NBA teams want their top two players to pair well together and have a ton of chemistry.

Ideally, the two working as a unit makes them far greater than they are individually, and that bond results in a ton of winning.

Sure, we’ve seen duos who don’t always get along win. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are probably the most famous example of this. However, it’s always better if everyone is happy with each other.

The Lakers have experienced good vibes with duos turning into titles. Kobe and Pau Gasol won back-to-back championships this way, and LeBron James and Antony Davis are the most recent example of this, winning it all during the 2019-20 season.

Whether Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves can be the next title-winning duo is still to be determined, but their friendship is clearly strong.

There are myriad examples of Luka and Austin getting along. On social media, Reaves and Dončić have both joked with each other in ways only friends can. During media availability, that playful banter, with smiles ear to ear, has also been as clear as day.

Their friendship isn’t just one of convenience. Their bond and conversations don’t come to a halt once the NBA season is over.

In an article by Dave McMenamin on ESPN, Reaves mentioned how he remains in constant contact with his backcourt partner.

“Luka,” Reaves said, “I mean, he’s one of my best friends on this planet. Talk to him almost every single day. He sends me videos of his golf swing and asks me what he can do to get better, and I tell him I’m not a coach.”

It’s amazing that Dončić and Reaves have quickly become so close. There are few people any of us talk to on a near-daily basis, and the fact that LA’s guards do should warm even the coldest hearts.

Seasons are long, and adversity presents itself in different ways. Having a friend by your side to take on those challenges makes that path just a bit easier and hopefully flips things from bad to good faster.

So, expect the Luka and Austin chemistry to only get better from here. With Reaves re-signing and Luka also locked up long-term with the Lakers, they are the present and future of this franchise.

This is their era, and they’ll succeed or fail together as friends.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

The Celtics have had their share of heartache over the years.  At draft time, our thoughts always go back to drafting Len Bias and the sadness not even 48 hours later when the news came that he had died from a cocaine overdose.  He never got to suit up for the Celtics, so there is always that big “what if” to consider, but no memories of him as a Celtic.  

An even bigger heartache for Celtics fans was the loss of Reggie Lewis — we watched him play and Celtics fans loved him.  He was the quiet Celtic with an infectious smile.  He was reserved and somewhat shy, but his actions, both on and off the basketball court, spoke much louder than any words could ever do. He was the captain of the Boston Celtics and their leading scorer. He was a devoted husband, father and a friend to all who knew him well. He was the hope of a new Celtics generation.  Reggie Lewis was only 27 years old when he died of a heart attack thirty-three years ago on Tuesday, July 27, 1993.

Perhaps it was because of the death of Reggie that Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox were diagnosed with a heart problem and were able to deal with it and return to the league. And since I have been diagnosed with heart failure and have been going through a lot of questions and dealing with affairs of the heart, this tragedy hits home a lot more now than it ever has.  Having a heart condition is a constant reminder of one’s mortality. 

Reggie was drafted by the Celtics with the next to the last pick in the first round of the 1987 NBA Draft. Like most Celtics rookies back then, his first year was a learning one and Reggie mostly watched and learned from the future Hall of Fame players ahead of him. He observed and learned and pushed himself in Year One and then, in Year Two, he appeared in 81 of the 82 regular season games and finished his sophomore season averaging 18.5 points per game. More importantly, he stepped in and comforted Celtics fans’ fears and worries, after Larry Bird missed almost the entire season due to surgery.

Celtics fans witnessed true flashes of brilliance in Reggie’s game during the 1991-92 season, as he averaged a career-best 20.8 points per game while playing in all 82 games. He averaged over 20 points again the following season. He posted a spectacular career-high 28.0 points per game in the 1992 playoffs and was the lone Celtic to be named the NBA Eastern Conference All-Star Team.  After Larry Bird retired in 1992, Reggie was named the team’s captain.

On April 29, 1993, the Celtics began a first-round playoff series with the Charlotte Hornets.  The setting for that series was the old Boston Garden. The Boston Garden at the time was the only arena in professional sports that did not have air conditioning. Opposing teams would suggest that the Celtics intentionally turned up the temperature as a way to create an edge over the unsuspecting and unconditioned players who might be visiting. 

Several opponents throughout the years had fallen victim to dehydration and related nausea. The most notable example was Game 4 of the 1984 playoffs when Kareem Abdul Jabbar was seen wearing an oxygen mask to help with the extreme heat.  The Garden created perhaps the greatest home court advantage in all of sports. This night, the Garden was hot and humid as usual. The Celtics were on their way to a blowout victory and it was still early in the first quarter. Their captain could not miss a shot and had already scored ten points within the first three minutes.

After going hard to the basket and grabbing a rebound through several defenders, Lewis began to head back down the court. Suddenly, his body slumped forward towards the court. Although the fall was sudden, it did not initially appear to be concerning because Lewis returned to his feet within a few seconds and checked himself out of the game.  For many spectators, the heat in the building was probably blamed as the reason for the fall. 

Complaining of dizziness and a black out, Lewis sat out the remainder of the first half while team doctor, Dr. Arnold Scheller, attempted to diagnose the cause of the black out. At halftime, Lewis mentioned that he had some grapefruit juice just before the game that tasted too bitter. With the high degree of humidity in the Garden coupled with the possibility of bad juice, Scheller, an orthopedic specialist, recommended that Lewis be allowed to continue to play in the second half. In that half, teammates mentioned that Lewis’ legs were wobbly and he came back out of the game almost immediately.

After the game, Lewis was sent to New England Baptist Hospital where he underwent a battery of tests that were supervised by a “dream team” of 12 of the most respected cardiologists in the Boston area. After thorough testing, the team of doctors diagnosed Lewis to be suffering from ventricular tachycardia, the most dangerous form of arrhythmia. They concluded that Lewis was lucky that his first symptom was not sudden cardiac death but merely a fainting episode.

Reggie was frustrated because the diagnosis meant an end to his basketball career, but he also became angry with the doctors because they kept pursuing possible cocaine use as an explanation.   Perhaps the death of Len Bias, which was caused by cocaine use, influenced their thoughts.  Lewis checked himself out of the care at New England Baptist Hospital in the middle of the night and sought out Brigham and Women’s Hospital chief of cardiology, Dr. Gilbert Mudge.

Dr. Mudge had been following the story and even prior to Reggie’s contacting him, Dr. Mudge claimed to have been suspicious of the diagnosis due to what he believed to be inconsistencies and discrepancies in Lewis’ test results. After performing his own battery of tests, Mudge called a press conference in early May of 1993 and stated that Lewis was not suffering from cardiomyopathy but merely from a curable neurocardiogenic fainting disorder. Mudge prescribed beta blockers as treatment and pronounced Reggie physically fit to return to playing professional basketball the following fall.

On July 27, 1993, Lewis entered the Brandeis arena with a friend to prepare for a full court pickup game that night. After about an hour on the court without even working up a sweat, Lewis crumpled near the 3-point line. Nearly two hours after he collapsed at 5:07 p.m. the hospital announced that Reggie Lewis was dead at the age of 27. In the wake of his death, the heart wrenching news came out that earlier in the day, Reggie’s wife Donna had just found out that she was pregnant with their second child. She never got to give Reggie the news.

Then, over subsequent months and years, it became very ugly. There were unconfirmed reports that cocaine had been at least partly responsible for the tragedy, and a debate arose among doctors whether the death could have been prevented. The reports of cocaine were totally unfounded and left a negative mark on a man who by all accounts was above reproach. “The real tragedy is that right now we should be saying, ‘Reggie has a pacemaker and can’t play basketball anymore,’ ” Kevin McHale said after Lewis’ death. “Instead, we have to mourn him.”

That quote from Kevin McHale has always stuck in my mind and no more so than when I had to have a pacemaker implanted.  I’m happy to say that I am still here to watch and write about the team that I have loved for over 50 years.  But it makes me even sadder that Reggie Lewis isn’t here to love his wife and children and be a part of that team.  I believe that Reggie would have been a lifelong Celtic and that he would have loved working with the new players coming in after his career ended.  He was just that kind of person. 

After his death, still reeling from the personal loss of their captain as well as the loss of Len Bias just years before, the Celtics tried to pick up the pieces and go on. They petitioned the league for relief from his salary but were denied. The Celtics retired #35 in Reggie’s honor on March 22, 1995. He became only the second player for the Celtics to have his jersey retired without having won an NBA title in Boston. Ed Macauley was the other.

Reggie’s accomplishments on the court are well documented.  At the time of his death, he was the only player in the history of the Celtics to have registered 100 rebounds, 100 assists, 100 steals and 100 blocked shots in a single season which he did in the 1991/92 season with 394 rebounds, 185 assists, 125 steals and 105 blocks. Reggie once blocked four shots from Michael Jordan in one game.

Reggie Lewis left fans around the nation with memories of his basketball accomplishments, but also memorable was what he did off the court. His contributions to the community were just as consistent as his mid-range jump shots. Reggie began an annual giveaway where he purchased hundreds of turkeys and gave them to underprivileged families in the area, without any media or fanfare surrounding it. He was always seen with a smile and was a genuine caring person. Reggie’s widow, Donna Harris-Lewis, continued her husband’s legacy of kindness through the Reggie Lewis Foundation, which continued to sponsor the turkey giveaway that Reggie began.

Reggie’s greatest influence on people occurred off of the basketball court. Reggie had strong morals, humility and compassion. After his death, The Reggie Lewis Track and Field Center was opened in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The center was funded partially by Lewis and routinely hosts major track and field competitions as well as home basketball games for Roxbury Community College.

I highly recommend the book Reggie Lewis: Quiet Grace by Craig Windham. This book has a positive, inspiring message, especially for young people (and not just basketball fans). Reggie was not overly-talented, but he made the most of the gifts he had. It’s a wonderful account of his life, from his boyhood in Baltimore to his stardom with the Boston Celtics. It also includes an interesting photo album section. “Quiet Grace” lays to rest the rumors surrounding Reggie’s tragic death. 

It was 33 years ago that Reggie died.  Today, we remember Reggie and can only think of what might have been. As with Len Bias, there will never be a clear method of telling just how good Reggie Lewis would have been or where the Celtics might have gone with their leadership. We were blessed with an all too brief time with him and are left with our memories.

Rest in peace, Reggie. We love you and miss you still.

In addition to Reggie Lewis and the aforementioned Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox, former Celtic Pete Maravich died of a heart attack while playing a pickup basketball game after his playing career was over. I would like to encourage each one of my fellow Celtics fans to take heart health seriously and have regular checkups. Also, follow a heart healthy diet that includes limiting sodium intake.

It’s somewhat strange that in the year 2026, we still have to piece together NBA preseason schedules bit by bit over time from different sources, but we found another part of the puzzle on Monday afternoon, courtesy of the Brooklyn Nets.

The Nets have announced their preseason schedule for the 2026-27 NBA season.

Brooklyn will be playing at the Hornets on Oct. 6, vs. the 76ers on Oct. 8, at the Wizards on Oct. 12, and at the Heat on Oct. 14.

All of the games will be broadcast on YES Network. pic.twitter.com/ZgcZI0xXnp

— Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@SharifKeaton) July 27, 2026

The Sixers will take the floor at the Barclays Center at 7:30pm ET on Thursday, Oct. 8. Brooklyn selected Mikel Brown out of Louisville with the sixth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, so it will be fun to get an early look at him.

As previously announced, Philadelphia will play in Boston on Saturday, Oct. 10, with the Celtics coming back to Philly on Friday, Oct. 16. As things stand then, the game in Brooklyn could be our first chance to see LeBron James and Jaylen Brown in Philadelphia 76ers uniforms.

With the new stars joining the fold, there is bound to be a ton of increased interest around the Sixers this season, to put it mildly. There are already reports of get-in prices for the announced preseason game in Philadelphia well eclipsing the average regular season price from a season ago. Reporting came out today that the Sixers will receive the maximum allowed 34 nationally-televised games this season.

The 76ers are expected to receive 34 national TV showcases this season—the most allowed under the NBA’s current rights deal.

LeBron James signing with the Sixers means NBA fans can expect plenty of Philly on their TVs.

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) July 27, 2026

We’ll await word on any additional preseason contests, in addition to the full NBA regular season schedule. There will surely be plenty of premium matchups on tap. For now, enjoy this time with the Philadelphia 76ers at the center of the basketball universe, for good reasons for a change.

Look. I am not the type of person who overreacts to every Summer League game. But Khaman Maluach may have temporarily lifted that thought process from me. He looked stronger, he looked more confident, his shot looked more fluid, and his movement looked more fluid. He looked too good for Summer League, which is exactly what you want to see from the 2025 lottery pick.

Here is the part that got my attention. This was not one loud night in Vegas that we can wave off as noise. Maluach put up a double-double in every single game he played. Four games, four double-doubles.

He led the entire Summer League in rebounding and finished averaging 19.5 points, 12.8 boards, 2 blocks, and a steal and a half a night. Then he was voted onto the 2026 All-Summer League Second Team, the first Sun to earn that honor since 2021.

Khaman Maluach was a force in the paint at NBA Summer League!

💪 19.5 PPG
💪 12.8 RPG
💪 1.3 SPG
💪 2.0 BPG
💪 40.0 3P%
💪 53.2 FG%
💪 Summer League Second Team

Year 2 in Phoenix up next… pic.twitter.com/X7x0XCyZIQ

— NBA (@NBA) July 23, 2026

Hit the rewind button

Now rewind twelve months. Last summer, in his first crack at Summer League, Maluach went 1-for-6 from three in his opener and barely made a dent protecting the rim. This summer, he dropped a career-best 21 on the Bucks with four blocks and finished plus-18 in a win. That is a full rebuild of a game in one offseason. Weight room, footwork, touch, confidence, all of it, and he showed up looking like a different player.

Remember what we actually watched last season. Forty-six appearances. Three points a night. Barely saw the floor. He spent his rookie year as the third center on the roster, bouncing between the NBA bench and the Valley Suns, buried behind Mark Williams and Oso Ighodaro. Phoenix drafted him as a project and treated him like one. Fair enough. He was 19 and raw. However, being the 10th overall pick in a strong draft comes with certain expectations, project or not.

The project is starting to look closer to coming into fruition in terms of being an impactful contributor.

Here is where I lose some of you. Phoenix just handed Mark Williams a three-year, $38 million guaranteed deal this summer. On paper, that is your starter. The front office has said all the right things too. No pressure on Maluach. Let him progress. Show growth. Brian Gregory basically said the minutes will work out over the course of the season. I hear all of that.

But re-signing Mark Williams and starting Mark Williams are two different conversations. Williams is a good player when he is on the floor. The trouble has always been keeping him on the floor. He has been dragging an injury history behind him for years, and a big man who cannot stay available is a starting job sitting there waiting to open up. Phoenix knows this. It is exactly why they kept four centers and why they protected Maluach’s timeline instead of forcing it. That runway does not vanish the second the kid outgrows it.

And that is the real case here. Forget the idea of handing a 20-year-old the keys on opening night just to make a statement. The honest question is who this team actually needs on the floor to start mattering again. The Suns went 45-37, snuck into the play-in, and got swept out of round one by OKC. This roster is retooling around youth, defense, and Miles Bridges. A rim-running, shot-blocking, floor-stretching center who just bullied an entire Summer League fits that direction cleaner than a hold-the-fort veteran does.

So how does this actually play out? I am not naive. Williams almost certainly starts game one. Jordan Ott gives the veteran the first look, and Maluach opens the year in the rotation, earning trust. But watch the trajectory. One Williams injury, one cold stretch, one week where Maluach’s motor and length are simply the better answer, and the depth chart flips. Once it flips, I do not see it flipping back.

Suns center Khaman Maluach was great in Vegas. Made second team All-Summer League. Was easy to see why.

Looked much more decisive with his footwork and balance on his rolls. Made shots. Felt enormous on defense.

Full 50-minute tape breakdown vs. MIL.https://t.co/syhCEd6n0opic.twitter.com/OpY1Taxxk4

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) July 22, 2026

The tell for me is his belief. Maluach does not carry himself like a kid hoping it works out. He talks about not wasting reps. He plays like he expects to win the matchup every trip down the floor. That is the part you cannot coach, and it is the part that turns a “project” into a starter faster than anyone plans for.

Call it a hunch. Call it Summer League fever if you want. I already told you I do not do this often.

But by the time we hit the meat of this season, Khaman Maluach is going to be the guy finishing games at center in Phoenix. Betting against that is going to look silly a whole lot sooner than people think.

It’s been less than three months since the Dallas Mavericks tabbed Masai Ujiri as their president of basketball operations, giving him the chance to turn things around after former general manager Nico Harrison traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, setting the franchise up for a rebuild.

Ujiri hasn’t been with the Mavs long, but he has made numerous moves that have put the Mavs in a position that’s far different from when he first came on board. This has set the stage for Cooper Flagg to be the true centerpiece of the team moving forward.

“The best part about Ujiri’s first wave of moves is that he targeted players who should make life easier for franchise forward Cooper Flagg: Johnson makes plays on both ends thanks to his motor and physicality, de Larrea creates scoring opportunities with his excellent vision, and Risacher adds complementary spacing. Kyrie Irving’s return from a seasonlong absence should be beneficial, too, even if the 34-year-old guard can’t fully recapture his pre-injury form (torn left ACL),“ ESPN contributor Ben Golliver wrote.

The Mavs are far from a finished product, but they are moving in a defined direction, which is promising to see. The switch from Jason Kidd to Dusty May is one that isn’t guaranteed to work, but it at least signals a new chapter for the franchise, which could be exactly what they need to move on from the Doncic era.

At the very least, Ujiri has made the Mavericks an interesting team to watch going into 2026-27, where he will have a chance to truly shape the roster in his image, one that he hopes will win a championship much like he did with the 2019 Toronto Raptors.

Mavs Moneyball community, what do you make of Ujiri’s high level of activity so far? Let us know in the comments section below.

I’m coming home.

That was the framing behind LeBron James’s second decision in 2014. After winning two titles in Miami with the Heat, he was ready to come home. Northeast Ohio always had a special place in LeBron’s heart. Something bigger than basketball, a calling, an obligation. However, as LeBron began pondering where his “final stop” in his basketball career would be, it was only natural that home would be one of the landing spots.

When it was announced via LeBron’s socials (Instagram and X) that he would be joining the Philadelphia 76ers, it sent shockwaves throughout the league. Since this seismic announcement, teams in the mix (Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, and Cleveland Cavaliers) and their fans are left reading the post-decision nuggets to find out where their pitches fell short.

The Cavaliers and their fans were probably the most heartbroken. Did LeBron owe them or the fans a return? No. LeBron delivered the crowning achievement of the franchise, a title in 2016. That cements a love shared between the fans, the King, and the Cavaliers.

However, there is something unsettling about the decision to join the 76ers. Nothing about the franchise, its players, or fans evokes this feeling of ire. It’s more so LeBron’s summer and the information that is trickling out about this decision that draw questions about LeBron’s intentions not only for 2026, but one cannot help but wonder what 2014 really was about.

2014 was always framed as being about the love LeBron had for Northeast Ohio. A wrong (The Decision) in his life that needed to be corrected. Something that he carried with him during his four years in Miami. This was a decision made out of searching for happiness, fulfillment, and a calling to achieve something higher than basketball.

Even reading through the letter published in Sports Illustrated, it is hard not to remember how incredible it felt that LeBron loved the same area of Ohio as much as its fans and wanted to repair a relationship that was fragmented in 2010.

When you zoom out on LeBron’s past decisions, Miami in 2010, Los Angeles in 2018, and now Philadelphia in 2026. There is a thread that makes his 2014 decision a little less heartwarming if you look deeper.

The allure of talent is what James has been seeking. It’s something that drew LeBron to Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, Los Angeles with Anthony Davis in the works, and now Philly with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown. It can’t be ignored that Cleveland in 2014 offered a similar template: a team with appealing talent (Kyrie Irving and soon-to-be Kevin Love), moveable assets to tinker with the roster (Andrew Wiggins, Dion Waiters, and Anthony Bennett), and a roadmap to a title.

Now, nothing can be said definitively about LeBron’s reasoning; I certainly cannot. I will say to put my tin foil hat on, that the thought that maybe 2014 for LeBron was less about coming home and more about setting up his next chapter at chasing a title. While LeBron achieved this goal, and I’m grateful for everything he’s done for the franchise and the city, the Philadelphia decision and approach to free agency raise questions about the sentimentality of 2014.

While the Philadelphia choice appears jarring, given the context of it being his final chapter, it follows the throughline of 2010-2026 that LeBron wants to be surrounded by the best talent available. The final chapter is about what all other chapters have offered in his career: a chance to win a title.

LeBron spending so much time in Northeast Ohio over the last month or so certainly added fuel to the fire. Stretching it out for so long with Cleveland being in the discussion made it seem like there was more of a chance than not that this final chapter was going to end in wine and gold. Instead, as new articles continue to trickle out, it was clear Cleveland was never really in a position, never mind pole position, to land the franchise icon.

If there was such a connection to the Cavaliers, it would be hard pressed to not end the career at home. The difference in talent between Philadelphia and Cleveland is close enough that going home one last time would be hard to refute. LeBron appears to have moved past this option rather easily and instead is choosing what he perceives as his best chance to win a title.

Whether or not LeBron wins a championship with Philadelphia is yet to be seen. However, LeBron has made Cleveland seem like they were more of a chapter in the story of his career than the place he romanticized in 2014.

In 2014 LeBron wrote, “I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there.” In 2026, this sentence seems slightly disingenuous.

Another summer is flying by, and with that, so is another NBA offseason. Just over a week removed from the Summer League’s conclusion, we still have a roughly two months before we’ll see the Nets in action again. This week, however, we did learn who they’ll be up against once they return.

Monday morning, the team announced its 2026 preseason schedule. It includes the following four matchups:

• October 6th at the Charlotte Hornets (7:00 p.m. EST)
• October 8th vs the Philadelphia 76ers (7:30 p.m. EST)
• October 12th at the Washington Wizards (7:00 p.m. EST)
• October 14th at the Miami Heat (7:30 p.m. EST)

That’s only one preseason game at the Barclays Center. The Nets had only one at home last year as well, although two of their four were played overseas.

preseason hoops soon pic.twitter.com/Xg2MLY3guB

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) July 27, 2026

With these being preseason bouts, there’s no telling who’ll suit up for any of them. That being said, most of Brooklyn’s opponents present compelling cases to watch from a roster standpoint. After the Hornets, its three first-looks at new-look squads: LeBron James and Jaylen Brown with the Philadelphia 76ers, Anthony Davis and AJ Dybantsa with the Washington Wizards, and Giannis Antetokounmpo with the Miami Heat.

One notable Summer League absentee this year was Nolan Traoré, who sat out after having a scope on his right knee. However, C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News reported that the guard should be healthy by the start of training camp, which begins just prior to the preseason. Traoré was also seen getting shots up in Vegas a few weeks ago, even if refraining from any actual game action.

Nolan Traore isn’t playing in Summer League because of his knee scope, but he made the trip to Vegas and is progressing well. #netspic.twitter.com/uhNP3GvqrX

— Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) July 13, 2026

The YES Network will cover and televise each preseason contest this year. The NBA and the Nets released the full regular season schedule on August 14th last year, so keep an eye out for that in the coming weeks as well.

LeBron James finally made the NBA's most intriguing offseason decision when he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, but free agency isn't over.

Nearly three months before the 2026-27 NBA season tips off, a surprisingly large batch of intriguing players still remain available. The wait for James also meant teams waited to know how best to allocate the last remaining spots on their roster within the league's salary cap constraints.

So there are emerging stars dealing with complicated and increasingly contentious contract standoffs like Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons and Denver Nuggets wing Peyton Watson. There are former superstars trying to extend their career like Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal and Kevin Love on the market. There are familiar faces and proven role players who can help a team over the course of the 2026-27 regular season. There are more moves to be made.

James may have been the biggest domino to fall in NBA free agency, but there are more pieces on the board. Here are the 20 best NBA free agents still on the market:

NBA: Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo top free agent class for 2027

Ranking the 20 best NBA free agents still available

Most recent NBA team in parentheses

• 1. C Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons)*
• 2. G James Harden (Cleveland Cavaliers)
• 3. F Peyton Watson (Denver Nuggets)*
• 4. F Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors)
• 5. F Jonathan Kuminga (Atlanta Hawks)
• 6. G/F Benedict Mathurin (Los Angeles Clippers)*
• 7. G DeMar DeRozan (Sacramento Kings)
• 8. G Bradley Beal (Los Angeles Clippers)
• 9. G Russell Westbrook (Sacramento Kings)
• 10. G Bruce Brown (Denver Nuggets)
• 11. G Cam Thomas (Milwaukee Bucks)
• 12. F Jeremy Sochan (New York Knicks)
• 13. F/C Kelly Olynyk (San Antonio Spurs)
• 14. G Gabe Vincent (Atlanta Hawks)
• 15. C Nick Richards (Chicago Bulls)
• 16. G Brandon Williams (Dallas Mavericks)
• 17. G Gary Payton II (Golden State Warriors)
• 18. F Kevin Love (Utah Jazz)
• 19. F Nicolas Batum (Los Angeles Clippers)
• 20. G Seth Curry (Golden State Warriors)

*Restricted free agent

NBA free agency predictions: Where top remaining free agents could sign

• Jalen Duren: Though the Pistons and Duren might not come to terms on a long-term deal this offseason, he doesn't have many options than to play in Detroit for at least the 2026-27 season.
• James Harden: The 17-year veteran is expected to resign with the Cleveland Cavaliers after opting out of his pre-existing contract to allow the franchise more financial flexibility in its pursuit of James.
• Peyton Watson: The Nuggets' salary cap situation got trickier when they had to match the Thunder's offer on restricted free agent Spencer Jones and Denver might decide to shed salary as a result. Doing that, however, would be in an effort to retain Watson, who is still waiting on an offer from another team the Nuggets would have to match.
• Draymond Green: The Warriors are expected to re-sign Green to a new multi-year deal after he opted out of the $27.7-million player option for the 2026-27 season in order to better facilitate the team's pursuit of James.
• Jonathan Kuminga: The Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers remain intriguing landing spots for Kuminga, but it's likely to be at a lower salary figure than he hoped for when free agency began.
• DeMar DeRozan: The Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavalier and a return to the Toronto Raptors have been among the reported possible destinations for DeRozan, who was released by the Sacramento Kings earlier this offseason.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ranking NBA's best remaining free agents after LeBron James decision

The Minnesota Timberwolves are making a push towards the top of the Western Conference after falling short of the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2023.

The Wolves were eliminated in six games at the hands of the eventual Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs, so they opted to try and raise their ceiling by acquiring LaMelo Ball in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets.

“Edwards and Ball have the potential to be the NBA’s most electric guard tandem, but Ball’s lack of playoff experience, injury history and sometimes careless style of play combine to make this a huge gamble,” ESPN contributor Ben Golliver wrote. “How many executives would be willing to bet multiple years of Edwards’ prime on a player with as many questions as Ball? And how many would do so after the longest stretch of sustained success in their franchise’s history?

“[Tim] Connelly’s willingness to buck conventional wisdom has been one of his biggest strengths. Will it come back to bite him this time?“

If Ball emerges as a top point guard in the NBA, it could give the Wolves the best backcourt tandem in the league. That could be the winning formula to get the Wolves to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

It could all come crashing down, but the Wolves should be commended for making an attempt to try and improve their roster even at the risk of falling behind.

Canis Hoopus community, what do you make of Connelly’s decision to trade for Ball? Let us know in the comments section below.

It hasn’t been the earth-shattering offseason that some Houston Rockets fans wanted. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t been consequential.

Marcus Smart is a significant addition. There’s some hope (isn’t there? Some?) that Bogdan Bogdanovic has a bounce-back year. Bruce Thornton looks like he could crack the rotation.

There’s also a returning Fred VanVleet (optimism levels may vary) and Steven Adams, plus the potential for internal development from young players. So, the Rockets have plenty of opportunity to improve on their 2025-26 win total.

According to the results of the latest SB Nation Reacts poll, you mostly agreed.

Rockets expected to improve by fans

So, there it is.

A sturdy 55% of you think the Rockets will get better. A solid 27% think they’ll stagnate, and 18% of you are not invited to my birthday party.

If there’s any valid reason why this team could worsen, it would be the competition rising. The Utah Jazz will be ready to compete. The Minnesota Timberwolves added LaMelo Ball. Even the Los Angeles Lakers might look more cohesive after dropping LeBron James and signing Walker Kessler:

Although they’ll miss Smart very badly.

Likely, the Rockets’ front office isn’t even thinking about regular season wins. They’ve been there and done that at this point. The more meaningful bar for success in 2026-27 will be playoff performance. The Rockets need to win a series, or there will likely be major consequences.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The subject is the upcoming season. You expect the Rockets to get better, and it’s a reasonable expectation. They ought to have better health luck by virtue of sheer probability, and they’ve made some sneaky additions:

Even if they didn’t rock your world.

Want to put your money where your mouth is? Find your way to FanDuel, who are kind enough to sponsor these polls. You can bet on the Rockets’ regular season win total, and lots of other stuff if you’re so inclined.