Anthony Edwards used the commercial debut for his latest Adidas signature shoe to take playful shots at fellow NBA stars in a hilarious roast for some of his rivals.
The Minnesota Timberwolves star cracked jokes at the expense of LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and even new teammate LaMelo Ball as part of a commercial released on social media on Thursday, Sept. 17. Edwards morphed into the host of a TV show called, "Minnatlantasota," with a DJ behind him, a laugh track for his punch lines and a warning delivered over a smile on his face.
"We old school," Edwards said. "We ain't going to play it safe."
Anthony Edwards jokes about LeBron James, LaMelo Ball in Adidas ad
The 25-year-old took his most direct shots at James, his 2024 Paris Olympics teammate who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. The Timberwolves were reported to be one of the teams James considered. Edwards also appeared to reference new 76ers acquisition Jaylen Brown when he teased James about his receding hairline.
"You see where big dog ended up?" Edwards said of James. "He was gonna join me in Minnesota, but I guess his knees couldn't handle the cold weather. It's cool, though. We know why he really made that decision. Philly got some of the best barbers in the world. Between him and ol' boy from Boston, they gonna have a whole lot of enhancements going on in the locker room. I'm just playing, ya'll. No pun intended."
The full ad announcing the arrival of the Anthony Edwards 3 shoe in stores as of Sept. 18 runs more than two minutes. It also features Edwards welcoming Ball as his new backcourt mate while joking about his well-documented driving mishaps.
"I'm excited about my road dog. They brought my twin to the Twin Cities," Edwards said of Ball. "We've been working out together and doing all type of things. But one thing we ain't doing is carpooling if he driving. I ain't riding with him ya'all."
What other NBA players did Anthony Edwards mention?
Edwards included a "shoutout to my boy for winning the chip," a comment that appeared to be in reference to former Timberwolves teammate Karl-Anthony Towns. Edwards set career highs in points per game (28.8) and shot a career best 48.9% from the field and 39.9% from 3-point range last season and promised viewers in the ad, "I'm gonna be there soon, ya'll. Just wait on it."
"Everybody and they mama been asking me, 'Ant, what's the mindset this season?' It's simple, ya'll. The cage is open, and the dog is unleashed," Edwards said before displaying the Anthony Edwards 3 shoe to the audience.
"We ain't playing fair this year," Edwards said. "If you on the court against me, anybody could get it. Even your daddy. I don't care if he your assistant coach."
The commercial concludes with one more bit of intrigue that appeared to be a vehicle to fuel the Anthony Edwards 3 ad campaign moving forward once the 2026-27 NBA season begins in October.
"When I lace these up, it's over for all ya'll. Especially you know who," Edwards said as the camera did a close-up on his face.
The commercial closes without revealing who Edwards was talking about, and fans in the social media replies have already started to speculate about the mystery target.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers celebrates with Justin Edwards #11 against the Boston Celtics during game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 108-100. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Whether he knew it or not, that shooting performance would propel him to a two-way deal with the Sixers later that season, and eventually a three-year contract extension following his rookie campaign in 2025.
A hometown kid, Edwards grew up in Philadelphia and attended Imhotep Charter School, where they won the city championship when he was a sophomore. As a junior, he led them to a class 5A state championship.
As a Sixer, Edwards has seen inconsistent minutes, especially last season, but his shooting, size and length make him a valuable bench piece for the new-look team.
With the top seven roster spots practically secured, Edwards finds himself in a tier with Dominick Barlow of holdover role players who will be competing for end-of-rotation minutes.
Edwards shot 37% from deep last season, a notch above his rookie-year mark, and will need to duplicate or improve that efficiency if he wants to continue being a vital piece for the team.
His perimeter defense has been steady, but a jump as an interior defender and rebounder could go a long way for this version of the Sixers who will presumably be searching for frontcourt help on the glass wherever they can get it. Edwards rebounding average fell over 50% from his rookie year (3.4 rpg) to last season (1.5 rpg). An uptick will be crucial if Edwards wants consistent minutes from Nick Nurse this season.
The undrafted Kentucky product has displayed an ability to finish at the rim, but an offseason bulking up and getting stronger could make him intriguing as an off-ball option off the bench. I am watching to see how strong he goes to the rim amidst taller defenders. If he can show a confidence and ability to fight through contact, as well as make an impact on the glass, there is a potential we see him play some power forward and help ease the load on guys like LeBron James and Dean Wade.
After a down year, it is very intriguing to see if Edwards can play his way into a consistent role for Nurse with the new additions. On paper, he should fit in easily off-ball and create the play that is available to him. An improvement cutting from the arc to the paint could be crucial, as the Sixers are equipped with great passers who can also draw multiple defenders themselves.
Edwards has seen the hype around him come back to earth after being named the top recruit in the nation by ESPN in 2023. But he has all the tools and measurables to stick in the NBA, and a chance to be a crucial piece to the Mike Gansey experiment happening on the South Philadelphia hardwood.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 12: Julius Randle signs memorabilia for a fans during the Brooklyn Nets Back To School clinic on September 12, 2026 at The Brooklyn Basketball Training Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Avery J. Munroe/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As we’ve written recently, we don’t put a lot of stock in off-season rankings and ratings, particularly those posted so close to Opening Night. After all, the real measure of a team’s off-season moves — wins and losses — are so close at hand. We’ll know soon enough exactly where things stand and said rankings and ratings will be forgotten.
Still, there have been some predictions of late that while not changing the overall belief that the Nets will be bad, they represent a bit of pundit pull-back, particularly in ESPN’s latest rankings of team futures. It was only a few weeks ago that the worldwide leader predicted 18 wins, which would be two less than last season’s tankathon and the third worst in the franchise’s history.
On Wednesday, an ESPN insiders’ panel released its rankings of NBA futures … where each team will be in three years time. The Nets ranked 24th, up from 27th last year. Progress?
The bottom line, written by Zach Kram, described the Nets outlook this way:
[T]he Nets rank near the top of both the draft and money categories. But beyond the frontcourt pairing of Michael Porter Jr. and new Net Julius Randle, this is still a roster devoid of win-now talent, as Brooklyn is still primarily focused on the development of a half-dozen recent first-round picks. That timeline means it’s hard to expect too many wins from this team in the near term.
Dean Oliver, an ESPN consultant, suggested that history is not on the Nets side.
The Nets are top five in both money and draft for the third straight season but bottom five in players. Usually, teams in that situation are two years away from being about average or better. But given Brooklyn’s low win predictions for this season, the franchise might have actually been two years away from being two years away back in 2024.
The big long term prediction by Oliver also stings:
Nets will get bored of rebuilding and make an all-in play for a superstar during one of the next two summers. This is just the natural life cycle for Brooklyn, which sold the farm for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in 2013 and landed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in 2019.
The rankings take into account teams’ current roster, management, draft, money and market. (Oddly and without much explanation, the panel dropped Brooklyn as a market from No. 7 to No. 11. A function of the Knicks’ championship?)
A great deal of the season preview focuses on the acquisition of Randle in what is generally seen as a salary dump. Kram sees the arrival of Randle as a short-term positive but nothing more.
Their largest outlay came from trading Claxton in a deal that brought back former All-NBA forward Randle, which should improve the team next season — because of Randle’s availability and floor-raising talent — but doesn’t do much to aid the Nets’ murky longer-term outlook.
Golliver offers a similar take.
Although Brooklyn acquired Randle in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the 31-year-old forward isn’t talented enough to carry a contender or young enough to shepherd the Nets’ next era. Randle should help Brooklyn make progress in the standings, but plugging him in as a stopgap doesn’t qualify as a long-term plan.
However, Oliver raises some flags even for this season, citing analytics, his specialty.
Randle’s decline in the second half of last season was plain to see. He posted plus-2.2 net points per 100 possessions in the first half of the season, just 0.0 in the second half, along with 10 negative games out of 13 in the playoffs. Such a sudden drop-off was probably either due to injury or the situation in Minnesota demotivating him. However, he should be solid and make the Nets a bit more competitive this season.
Injury? Randle did play 79 games.
Surprisingly, there’s little in the season preview about either Egor Demin or Mikel Brown Jr. which considering their age (20) and likely big role is a bit mystifying. Meanwhile, over at the mother ship, SB Nation, Ricky O’Donnell offers positives about both lottery picks and the man who will coach them, Jordi Fernandez
His assessment is in large part based on confidence in Fernandez.
I trust the Nets to beat their very low expectations coming into the season … provided they don’t trade Michael Porter Jr. before opening night. Porter enjoyed a career-year under Jordi Fernandez in Brooklyn last season one year after Cam Johnson enjoyed similar success.
Fernandez is one of the best young coaches in the game, and he has a little more talent to work with this season with the arrival of Julius Randle. Add in a potential sophomore leap from Egor Demin, a possible center upgrade with Day’ron Sharpe taking over for Nic Claxton, and the arrival of rookie guard Mikel Brown Jr., and I like Brooklyn more than the early prognostications. Fernandez will get the most out of this group as long as it doesn’t sell off parts.
Again, we will know in a little more than a month how the pundits’ views turn out. Not to mention the players own views. Ben Saraf is on the record as saying he and his teammates expect to make the playoffs and Porter Jr. thinks 50 is good round number.
LeBron James speaks onstage during the Mind the Game panel at Fanatics Fest NYC 2026. Getty Images for Fanatics
Edwards hasn’t forgotten about the Minnesota snub and went all in on roasting James in a new Adidas commercial promoting his third signature sneaker.
“Speaking of old school, you see where big dog ended up? He was gon’ join me in Minnesota. But I guess his knees couldn’t handle the cold weather,” Edwards said.
“It’s cool though. We know why he really made that decision.
“Philly got some of the best barbers in the world. Between him and ol’ boy from Boston, they gonna have a whole lotta enhancements going on in the locker room.”
Welcome to Minnatlantasota. The Cold Blooded Anthony Edwards 3 drops tomorrow.
The biggest news of the NBA offseason was where James would finish his career. Miami and Cleveland appeared to make the most sense on the outside looking in.
But teams like the Timberwolves and 76ers presented a new opportunity for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. One thing was clear, James would not don the purple and gold for the 2026-27 season.
The veteran informed the Lakers he would not return for a ninth consecutive season at the end of June, kickstarting the free agency saga of the summer. While James didn’t end up teaming up with Edwards, it appears the two have kept things lighthearted ahead of the upcoming season.
Anthony Edwards roasts multiple NBA players in his latest Adidas commercial. Adidas HoopsAnthony Edwards’ third signature sneaker with Adidas is set to be released. Adidas Hoops
Center Adem Bona has picked up an injury late in the offseason, the Sixers announced Thursday.
An MRI confirmed that Bona has “suffered a left foot sprain,” the team said in a statement. He’s “expected to be re-evaluated at the start of training camp.”
Bona made 71 regular-season appearances last year in his second NBA season and averaged 4.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 17.4 minutes per game.
While the Kawhi Leonard trade to Toronto will forever be linked to the Clippers salary cap circumvention findings and punishments, the motivations for it were never fully — or even mostly — about that. The Clippers already were pivoting away from the Leonard/Paul George era before everything hit the fan, and they had no intention of giving Leonard the massive extension he wanted. He then wanted to go to a team that would pay him.
Enter the Toronto Raptors.
Leonard and the Raptors "have held advanced discussions and are nearing an agreement on a contract extension," reports NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. Those talks were always expected but, like the trade to Toronto itself, were put on hold as the Raptors waited for the NBA investigation to play itself out.
To answer the first question: Leonard has a different agent handling these negotiations, Harrison Gaines of SLASH Sports. "Uncle" Dennis Robertson has been banned from doing any business in the league for five years, not that he had any clients outside Leonard.
The bigger question here is money. Leonard will make $50.3 million this season in the final year of his current contract, and is eligible for a max extension of two years, $126 million. The Raptors are likely looking for something below the $100 million mark for two years, because paying big money to a 35-year-old with a lengthy injury history is a massive risk.
When healthy, Leonard is still elite: Last season in 65 games, he averaged 27.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, shot 38.7% from 3 and played high-level defense. Having him and Scottie Barnes at forward gives the Raptors two All-NBA-level players who can lift them into the top four and make them a threat in the East.
The risk is Leonard being on the court enough to have that impact. Both the Raptors organization and its fans understand the need to prioritize recovery and give him days off during the season to maximize his chances of playing 65 games again (and being good to go for the playoffs).
Whatever the final number, look for Leonard to sign a two-year extension, which will take him to age 38. He says he wants Toronto to be the last stop in his career.
The Knicks committed a ticketing turnover and are working to get back possession of more affordable prices.
After their individual game tickets were listed Wednesday with eye-popping prices — including a $1,000-plus minimum for the season opener against the Sixers — the Knicks suspended sales because of an internal mistake, The Post has learned.
The team plans to restart sales early next week with more modest prices. The new markups will be roughly 12% above last season’s prices, which is the same hike for season-ticket holders.
The Knicks and their fans celebrate their Game 4 win over the Spurs at MSG. NBAE via Getty Images
Fans who already purchased individual tickets will be refunded the difference to the roughly 12% increase.
“We are pausing Knicks individual ticket sales due to a mistake in our pricing,” an MSG spokesperson told The Post. “We are rolling back to last year’s prices plus an average increase of 12%.
“We will restart sales with new prices shortly, and anyone who already purchased individual tickets will be refunded the difference. Our intention was never to overcharge our loyal fans, and we thank everyone for their support of the Knicks and their patience as we get this right.”
In other words, the prices will drop dramatically from the $2,500 average initially released for opening night.
Fans cheer during the second quarter of Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the Knicks and Spurs. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
A source close to the situation said the pricing error was a first-time mistake for MSG and it was never the intent to price gouge fans after a championship season.
Under owner James Dolan, the Garden’s policy was to not raise prices if the team failed to qualify for the postseason. But upticks have become commonplace since Jalen Brunson’s arrival, with the Knicks advancing to the playoffs in four straight years – including last season’s title run.
The result is expensive tickets at MSG for Knicks games — just not as expensive as the prices mistakenly listed Wednesday.
MSG and the Knicks have tried to counter price gouging with their Fan First program, which is intended to weed out the marauding brokers.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 05: Collin Sexton #2 of the Chicago Bulls looks on against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at the United Center on April 05, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jayden Mack/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we look at Collin Sexton.
If we’re being honest, when the flurry of reports that the Lakers were acquiring Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton came in rapid succession, the signing that had people almost instantly second-guessing was the deal for Sexton.
Sure, people could quibble with the dollar amounts or the player options in the contracts for Grimes and Mamu, and there was certainly some debating about the price paid in draft capital for Kessler, but the basketball fit for all of those players seemed straightforward and easily explainable.
For Sexton, though, the nitpicking and questioning were nearly immediate.
Not because Sexton is a bad player. In fact, I think it’s universally understood that the former Cavalier, Jazz, and Bull is a good player who, in a vacuum, could even be looked at as a value contract on the terms the Lakers got him at.
But, on a team that already had Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, using the team’s room exception on a small, shot-creating guard like Sexton instead of going after a big wing who could help fill the void in the frontcourt was certainly a choice.
And now, over two months later, with the team’s offseason functionally over, training camp just weeks away, and the hole at the forward spot vacated by LeBron James still without a clear candidate universally believed capable of filling it currently on the roster, the Sexton signing remains top of mind for those looking to be critical of the choices President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka made when trying to build out this team.
So, though he might actually be the most established player the Lakers signed when it comes to production and ability to fill the job he’ll be asked to on opening night, it feels as though Sexton might actually have the most to prove. The reason is as simple as to show he can be more than a luxury as the team’s backup point guard, and more of a necessary rotation piece who allows head coach JJ Redick to establish the sort of offensive dominance he’s not yet been able to get to in his two seasons as Lakers head coach.
What is his best-case scenario?
Much of Sexton’s career has been spent playing on bad teams whose lethargic pursuit of wins, combined with the broader offensive limitations of those rosters, has put too much responsibility on his shoulders to be a main shot creator and offensive fulcrum. This has led to Sexton having some strong individual seasons as a scorer, but in the macro sense, too many campaigns where his overall efficiency and shot creation for others have come into question.
The hope for Sexton on these Lakers is that this sort of paradigm shift allows for him to take a meaningful step forward in ways that impact winning. Said another way, this season’s Lakers should have a particularly dynamic offense that makes Sexton’s life easier to a degree in which he can not only thrive as a scorer, but his efficiency and playmaking increase simply because the decisions and scenarios he’s put into will be so favorable.
Whether playing next to Luka or Austin, Sexton will have more opportunities to be a second-side creator who gets the ball in more advantageous situations where he can either take open catch-and-shoot threes or attack closeouts that lead to easier scoring chances. And when Sexton starts possessions with the ball, the attention Dončić and Reaves require should free him up to be the best on-ball version of himself too.
Further, coming off the bench should allow Sexton to play in the parts of games where the flow is looser and the general level of competition is not the same as when both teams’ starters are in. This should also allow him a bit more freedom overall, and offer more chances to succeed and thrive.
What is his worst-case scenario?
Sexton has never averaged fewer than 14.3 points and has only shot under 45% from the field once, all the way back in his rookie season. In other words, as a scoring guard coming off the bench, a baseline level of production has historically been baked into Sexton’s minutes.
So, rather than viewing what would be considered an outright bad season through a lens of box score stats, what would constitute a worst-case is much more likely tied to his role or fit within this roster not coming to fruition in ways where he’s positively impacting the team.
In other words, there’s a scenario in which Sexton ends up not getting as many opportunities to impact the game offensively and instead becomes more of a watcher and low-volume spot-up shooter who never quite finds his rhythm or flow. And while he still might find ways to get his numbers, those come mostly by playing on island when Luka or Austin is resting/taking possessions off or in transition rather than being a cog in a machine that keeps the defense on tilt.
And then, in this scenario, his lack of clean fit on offense exacerbates the challenges he has on defense, ultimately leading to even more inconsistency with his minutes and playing time. This, then, only reinforces the original critiques of his signing, leading to more second-guessing and questioning of him as a player and his fit, which impacts chemistry and generally brings the vibe of the team down, to say nothing of creating challenges for Redick to find and play the best lineups more often.
What is his most likely role on the team?
Sexton was signed to be the backup point guard who can serve as a spot starter should Luka or Austin miss time. I see very little in either his makeup as a player or his history of production to dissuade me from believing he can and will be able to fill this role well — maybe even to the point where he distinguishes himself as one of the better backups in the league.
Beyond that, I think his presence on the team and the discussions it fosters will be more fodder for the talking heads than it will actually matter negatively for the Lakers. I understand there were some inherent tradeoffs of signing him vs. chasing a different archetype of player, but I also believe he’ll be well worth his salary and that he’ll be truly helpful to the team.
Does that mean the Lakers couldn’t use another type of player too? Of course not, but multiple things can be true at once. Fact is, it was always going to be difficult — if not impossible — for the Lakers to fill every need in a single offseason on a roster they purposefully stripped down.
And if they didn’t have Sexton, they’d likely be relying on Bronny or a minimum-level player to fill that role while plugging their starting forward slot with a player of similar or lesser quality to Sexton.
That they went this route could be viewed as the wrong choice, but my gut says Sexton will be good enough in his role to justify his spot on the team even though it won’t erase the needs the roster has in other spots.
The Golden State Warriors' Zaza Pachulia (27) reacts after he was called a foul against him on San Antonio Spurs' Kawhi Leonard in the third quarter of Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, May 14, 2017. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) (Photo by RAY CHAVEZ/MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
It was a tightly contested match, with UD (representing “Spurs Haters”) just narrowly beating Kawhi (representing “Former Spurs”) 53-47. I mean, how could you choose? Should you vote for Kawhi, the actual player and face of all this scrutiny, or Uncle Dennis, the mastermind behind it all? I would’ve bet my entire life savings on Kawhi dominating the tournament, but after the recent events surrounding the Aspiration scandal, I think the voters got it right.
On the other side of the bracket, Zaza from the “Dirty Players” quadrant edged out Derek Fisher, who led the “Spurs Killers” section. I find it hilarious how both finalists are directly related to Kawhi, yet neither is the Nephew himself. He still lives rent-free in the heads of Spurs fans, and given what’s gone down the past year, that also applies to the NBA as a whole.
The Finals
1. Zaza Pachulia vs. 4. Uncle Dennis Robertson
Zaza coming out of his side of the bracket makes sense. He was the sole reason why we didn’t get to see a more competitive Western Conference Finals in 2017 against the greatest team ever assembled, with the Spurs up 20 when he conveniently slid into Kawhi’s landing zone. Not only was the result a sweep for the Spurs, but Zaza also had the honor of being made an example of with a new rule created that summer.
On the other side, I think the fans got it right by voting for Uncle Dennis, even if the result surprised me. From what we now know, the signs point to him being the puppet master who created all this chaos. That doesn’t mean Kawhi isn’t also complicit (whoever thinks he didn’t know about the Clippers’ side deals is lying to themselves), but Dennis seems to be the one whispering sweet lullabies in Kawhi’s ear and persuading him to go through with all the shady business.
Recency bias also helps both sides. I doubt Uncle Dennis would’ve gotten the support (hate?) he did throughout the tournament if the suspension and reporting dropped later, and Zaza being one of the most recent players in his section helped his case too. With both finalists being connected to the same player, my mind starts to come up with what-if scenarios had neither impacted Kawhi.
Zaza’s case is simple. With Kawhi still playing in the 2017 West Finals, the Spurs would’ve won game 1 and made it a more competitive series before likely still bowing out to the juggernaut Warriors. I know many fans like to believe that San Antonio would’ve beaten Golden State with a healthy Kawhi, but let’s not kid ourselves: that was the greatest team ever assembled, and the series would’ve gone 6 games max.
The Uncle Dennis implications are far more interesting. Without him casting spells on Kawhi, does that mean the latter would’ve remained a lifelong Spur? Personally, I doubt it. It seems like Kawhi always had his eyes set on LA and would’ve made his way there eventually, although the exit wouldn’t have been as messy, and he could’ve waited until 2019 to leave as a free agent.
If that scenario played out, the Spurs would’ve potentially had two more seasons to compete as a legitimate contender. Kawhi would still have dealt with his quad injury heading into the 2017-18 campaign, but perhaps he could’ve healed and come back 100% that season had he listened to San Antonio’s medical staff instead of scheming his way out of town.
Chris Paul was also rumoured to have been interested in joining the Spurs in the summer of 2017, and the Kawhi uncertainty definitely didn’t improve the Spurs’ chances of landing the Point God. The chances of acquiring him were slim to begin with, but can you imagine the 2018 version of CP3 playing alongside a prime Kawhi? In that alternate universe, the Spurs would be the ones taking Golden State to game 7 of the West Finals (and potentially beating them), and not the Rockets.
Alright, enough with the hypotheticals — it’s time to vote for the ultimate Spurs villain! Will it be the man who ended the Spurs’ exhilarating playoff run in 2017, or the infamous uncle who will (hopefully) never be heard from again? Let us know with your final vote!
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 05: Trevor Keels #8 of the Miami Heat in action against the Los Angeles Lakers during their 2026 California Classic Summer League game at Chase Center on July 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards have signed Trevor Keels to an Exhibit-10 contract, per Spotrac’s Keith Smith.
Trevor Keels and the Washington Wizards have agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract, a league source told @spotrac.
The Capital City Go-Go recently acquired Keels' G League rights.
Keels, 23, will spend training camp with the Wizards and likely join the Capital City Go-Go following the preseason. It’s a homecoming for the Duke product, who is from Clinton, Maryland, and played high school basketball at Paul VI Catholic.
The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 15.6 PPG on 40.4% 3PT in the G League last year. His best showing was a 46-point outburst in which he made all 12 of his 3-point attempts with the Sioux Falls Skyforce — the Miami Heat’s G-League affiliate.
The E-10 contract allows the Wizards to retain Keels’ G-League rights. They can offer Keels a $91,000 bonus if he signs with the Go-Go and stays on the roster for at least 60 days, which provides some incentive for him to sign with them.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 11: James Wiseman #33 of the Golden State Warriors goes up to shoot and gets fouled by Drew Eubanks #24 of the Portland Trail Blazers during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on October 11, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Knicks’ training camp suddenly became vastly more interesting this week when the team signed five veterans to Exhibit 9 deals: Bruce Brown, John Konchar, Ochai Agbaji, Drew Eubanks, and James Wiseman.
As Ian Begley (SNY) observed, “The veteran camp battles at this point are for a backup center spot (Eubanks vs. Wiseman) and a wing spot (Brown vs. Konchar vs. Agbaji).” Right on, a little MMA in the NBA! Are any of those names unfamiliar to you? Rest easy, friend: here’s a brief bio for each of the players named.
James Wiseman is a verrry interesting prospect. Drafted second overall by Golden State in 2020, he debuted as a promising center and averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds before a meniscus injury sidelined him for all of 2021-22. Traded to Detroit mid-2022-23 season, he showed flashes of efficiency (career 56% FG) but struggled with consistency and had limited opportunities. From there, he bounced to Indiana, where an Achilles tear cost him most of 2024-25.
Across 152 career games (56 starts), Wiseman has averaged nine points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Is this the case of a great talent, snakebit by injury, who is ready to finally prove his mettle on the biggest stage? Or is he damaged goods and a quick cut from camp? When a player profiles at 6’11”, 240lb—and since we just watched Mitchell Robinson leave for Boston—we’re excited to find out if he can fill out the center depth.
Drew Eubanks, an undrafted 6’10” big out of Oregon State, signed with the Spurs in 2018 and has carved out a steady NBA career as an efficient, defensive-minded big man across multiple teams. After four seasons with the Spurs, he moved to Portland (where he posted a career-high 14.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game as a starter in 2021-22), then dated Phoenix, Utah, the Clippers, and the Kings.
In 426 career games (86 starts), Eubanks has averaged 5.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in 15.1 minutes while shooting 60% from the floor. He’d bring reliable rim protection and interior scoring off the bench, which would provide nice insurance behind Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond. (We have not confirmed if he’s related to the legendary Bob Eubanks.)
An undrafted 6’5″ wing out of Purdue Fort Wayne, John Konchar signed a two-way deal with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2019 and spent the bulk of his career there as a defensive specialist and sparkplug off the bench (and occasional starter). Over seven seasons mostly with Memphis—plus a mid-2025-26 trade to the Utah Jazz and his brief stop with Minnesota—he has appeared in 363 regular-season games (65 starts), averaging four-ish points, four rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.9 steals in 17.6 minutes. He’s shot 47% from the field and 35% from downtown. He’s a Josh Hart-style rebounder, capable of chasing down impossible balls and stuffing Anthony Davis at the rim (he has, Google it).
Konchar chose the Knicks over several other teams after being waived by the Timberwolves for salary purposes. While the Knicks are flush with guards and wings, he brings a strong defensive skill set that could save some mileage on OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges during the regular season.
Bruce Brown, a wily 6’4″ guard-forward drafted 42nd overall by the Pistons in 2018, has built a reputation as a hard-nosed, cowboy-hat-wearing, multi-positional defender and connector over eight seasons. Following two terms in Detroit and two in Brooklyn, he thrived as a key bench piece for the 2023 champion Nuggets (he averaged 11.5 points that season), then bounced between the Pacers, Raptors, Pelicans, and a return to Denver.
In 539 career games (272 starts), he has averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.9 steals in 24.8 minutes while shooting 47.6% from the field. Last season, he appeared in all 82 regular-season games (starting four), averaging 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, and one steal in 24.4 minutes per game while shooting 48% from the field and 39% from three. He’s also a fan of country music, so it’s only natural that he would get Robinson’s old locker, which, we’re told, still smells of hay.
Ochai Agbaji was drafted 14th overall by the Cavs in 2022 but was traded to the Utah Jazz before the season began as part of the Donovan Mitchell deal. He spent his first two seasons in Salt Lake City (2022–24), then was traded to Toronto in February 2024. In Canada, he posted career-best averages of 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 2024–25. After playing part of the 2025–26 season with the Raps, he was dealt to the Nets at the trade deadline. Through four NBA seasons he has averaged roughly 7.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game.
His shooting percentages are all over the map, but he’s another lanky, versatile defender who could lighten the load for the Knicks starters on the long slog to repeating a championship.
New York has room for two more standard contracts, but keeping two camp veterans would likely require a salary-clearing trade to remain below the second apron. The Knicks also have three open two-way spots—Kevin McCullar Jr. remains under consideration, while second-round pick Tyler Nickel is expected to receive one. Get your popcorn ready!
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: (Editors Note: Tonal effects have been applied to this image) Keaton Wagler #1 of the LA Clippers poses for a portrait during the 2026 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot at UNLV on July 14, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Keaton Wagler is the most important player on the LA Clippers roster.
That might sound ridiculous when we’re talking about a 19-year-old rookie who hasn’t played a meaningful NBA minute yet, but hear me out.
The Clippers’ future outlook is bleak after being handed the most substantial team penalty in NBA history. The punishment includes fines and suspensions, but the most damaging part is the loss of five first-round draft picks from 2029 through 2033.
The Kawhi Leonard trade helped soften the blow. LA was able to get two unprotected future first-round picks from Toronto, but I don’t think it can be overstated how important it is for Wagler to become a legitimate NBA player.
Over the next seven NBA drafts, the Clippers have only those two Toronto first-round picks that aren’t tied up in complicated swaps, protections or forfeitures.
Unless the Clippers acquire more picks through trades, they simply aren’t going to have many opportunities to add high-level young talent through the draft. Even making those trades becomes harder when half the league can offer a pile of first-round picks and the Clippers are basically searching the couch cushions.
That’s what makes Wagler so important.
If Wagler develops into a star, the Clippers already have the hardest piece of a rebuild sitting on their roster: a young cornerstone they can build around.
If he doesn’t?
Well, then the Clippers have a problem.
They selected Wagler fifth overall in June, making him their highest draft pick since Blake Griffin went No. 1 overall in 2009. At the time, it looked like the Clippers had found an opportunity to inject some young talent into one of the oldest rosters in basketball.
Less than three months later, that pick looks more like a lifeline.
Wagler doesn’t have to become a Hall of Famer. He doesn’t have to become the best player from the 2026 draft. Honestly, he doesn’t even have to become a superstar.
But the Clippers desperately need him to become something.
A 20-point-per-game scorer. A legitimate long-term starter. A secondary creator. Ideally, an All-Star.
Because the normal safety net is gone.
If a normal NBA team misses on a top-five pick, it hurts. But eventually they get another shot. They go back into the draft, take another swing and hope they get it right the next time.
The Clippers don’t have that luxury.
It’s basically the basketball version of Michael Scott declaring bankruptcy. Losing five first-round picks doesn’t magically make all of your other problems disappear. You can’t just yell “I DECLARE A REBUILD” and suddenly have a bunch of 20-year-olds and lottery picks show up.
The Clippers’ next clean opportunities in the first round are years away, and there’s no guarantee those Toronto picks eventually land anywhere near the top of the draft.
That means Wagler’s development could legitimately determine what the next era of Clippers basketball looks like.
Fortunately, there are plenty of reasons to believe in him.
Wagler went from an overlooked recruit to one of the best players in college basketball in a matter of months. As a freshman at Illinois, he averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting nearly 40 percent from three. He led Illinois to the Final Four, became the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and played himself all the way into being the No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft.
Now the Clippers need him to make another leap. And this is where his rookie season becomes fascinating.
Nobody should expect Wagler to walk into the NBA at 19 years old and immediately become the Clippers’ best player. There will be bad games. There will probably be stretches where he looks completely overwhelmed. That’s what happens with young guards in the NBA.
The Clippers can afford patience with Wagler.
What they can’t afford is for him to eventually become just another guy.
Because this isn’t simply a team hoping its top-five pick works out anymore. Every team hopes its lottery pick becomes a star.
For the Clippers, the stakes have changed. They aren’t just developing a promising rookie. They might be developing the player who determines whether this franchise can survive the consequences of one of the harshest punishments the NBA has ever handed down.
Inglewood, CA - February 15: Tyrese Maxey of Team USA Stars drives past LeBron James of Team USA Stripes in the final game of the 75th NBA All-Star game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Sunday February 15, 2026. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Every year, ESPN rolls out “Future Power Rankings,” which are its “projection of the on-court success expected for each team over the next three seasons.” After one of the greatest offseasons in franchise history (if not the best), the Sixers unsurprisingly went soaring up the latest edition of the rankings.
Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Sixers were fourth (!) in the future power rankings after they signed Paul George in free agency. Following the injury-ravaged hellscape that was the 2024-25 campaign, they plummeted to 19th in last year’s edition, which was the biggest drop of any team.
This year? The Sixers are back up to eighth, mostly fueled by a surge in the “players” category.
ESPN’s Dean Oliver noted that “despite having one of the most hyped starting fives in history,” the Sixers only landed sixth in the players category. By contrast, the Brooklyn Nets were first in that category in 2021 when they had Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden; the Milwaukee Bucks were third when they had Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Damian Lillard; and the Phoenix Suns were fourth when they had Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal (even though that was an obvious disaster in the making).
“Apparently, the FPR committee has gotten a bit skeptical of these star-packed lineups,” Oliver added.
Which teams landed ahead of the Sixers in that category, you might wonder? The Oklahoma City Thunder (fair), San Antonio Spurs (also fair), New York Knicks (defending champion bump), Cleveland Cavaliers (lmfao) and Boston Celtics (huh????). Apparently, ESPN’s panel buys into the Cavaliers’ reputation as the NBA’s reigning Analytics Champions, even though they could be in real trouble against the Sixers in particular.
ESPN’s Zach Kram correctly pointed out that LeBron James and Joel Embiid “might not help the 76ers for the entirety of the three-year span under consideration for these rankings, but they’re key members for a title contender in 2026-27.” Even without those two, the trio of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Jaylen Brown give the Sixers a solid foundation to build around for the next few years.
The Sixers’ lack of financial flexibility hurt them in these rankings—they’re 25th in the league in that category—as having Embiid, Maxey and Brown on max contracts will limit what they can do moving forward. Right now, they’re only $1.8 million below their first-apron hard cap, which means they can’t even sign someone to fill their last remaining open roster spot until December at the earliest.
With that said, the NBA recently issued an updated salary-cap projection for the 2027-28 season that was $2 million higher than the initial projection. While the Sixers aren’t going to waltz into the offseason with significant spending power as long as they have three max contracts on their books, it’s possible that they could have access to most or all of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception next summer.
The Sixers also jumped from 16th in the “management” category last year to 10th this year, which is likely a reflection of what new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey was able to pull off during his first offseason in charge. And hilariously, they went from 14th in market last year to ninth this year. It’s amazing what signing LeBron to a minimum contract can do for the perception of your franchise.
Honestly, it’s hard to pick too many nits with the Sixers’ placement in the latest future power rankings. No one in their right mind would put them behind the Charlotte Hornets (ranked seventh) in power rankings strictly for this year, but it’s at least feasible that the Hornets are in a better place than the Sixers two years from now. The same goes for the Houston Rockets (fourth) and Detroit Pistons (sixth), both of whom have more young talent to build around.
Still, the Sixers’ 11-spot jump from last year’s rankings to this year’s is a testament to work that Gansey and the rest of the new front office did this offseason. If they can cash in on that this coming season, they figure to crack the top five in the next edition of these rankings.
Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons. Submit your question in the comments section here or on Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @RobbieBettelon. If you’re on BlueSky, you can also send to @RobbieBettelon.bksy.social.
Join us live on Friday afternoon as Wes and Robbie discuss Pistons news late into September. What questions would you like to add to the show?
Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.
The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.
Dereck Lively II works out at the Duke University campus during Duke Brotherhood offseason sessions. | Courtesy Dallas Mavericks
We polled the Mavs Moneyball readership a couple of weeks back on how many games the readership expected Dereck Lively II to play in 2026-27, a year removed from a lost season of just seven games.
I was shocked at how many of you answered “zero” and seemed to mean it.
If Lively plays zero games this year, keeping him around for the promise of “next year” after two straight full seasons lost would seem like a fool’s errand.
But perhaps you were wise to keep your expectations at a minimum. After all, our Feed post came roughly a month after Lively himself admitted, on June 26, that he’s “not able to run and jump yet” and that he’s “taking my time… more time than I need to make sure that I don’t have to deal with this foot again.”
Dereck Lively talks about how he’s feeling physically:
“I’m not able to run and jump yet. I’m taking my time. I’m taking more time than I need to make sure that I don’t have to deal with this foot again.” pic.twitter.com/oSnInhFXoy
Those were not inspiring words at the time. Lively played his final game of the 2025-26 season on Nov. 21 last year against the New Orleans Pelicans, in what ended as a 118-115 win. The team announced Lively’s season-ending surgery on Dec. 10 after persistent discomfort and swelling dogged his recovery.
So what do these photos of Lively working out on campus at Duke, where he played his lone season of college basketball, as part of this year’s Brotherhood offseason sessions, mean? Lively certainly appears to have put in some upper-body work while his right foot has been out of commission.
Mavericks center Dereck Lively II works out on campus at Duke University in September 2026. | Courtesy Dallas Mavericks
Sure, the photos of Lively from last weekend are still images. He’s not featured in the scrimmage highlights that the Duke social media team has put out there, like his teammates Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg are. He’s still not ready for that kind of run, which, yes, still gives massive doubt as to whether and when he’ll be able to return to full-speed action on an NBA court any time soon.
But we’re searching. We’re seekers. We’re searching for any signs of optimism in Lively’s recovery arc here. And we’re finding it at the Gun Show. He looks absolutely yoked, relative at least to the skinny, athletic youngster we knew him as when he last consistently gave the Mavs any real minutes.
We love to see it. They put a little more wind in our sails as the offseason begins to feel more and more like the preseason.
Dereck Lively II works out at Duke University’s offseason Brotherhood sessions. | Courtesy Dallas Mavericks
Irving and Lively are our last link to that recent iteration of the Mavericks that made fans feel anything at all. We need to see them contributing to something worthwhile on the basketball court, if only for our own sanity at this point.
The next hopeful signal from the Mavericks’ front office or coaching staff concerning Lively’s recovery from the foot injury will be the first. We don’t expect him to be ready to go when the season starts on October 21 at the Houston Rockets, which is just over a month from now, by the way.
But we need to see more from Lively in relatively short order, and these recent photos are the only thing delivering at the moment. There’s literally more of him, get it? Because of all the added muscle?
