PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 17: Jordan Goodwin #23 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after scoring against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 111-96. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yes, Jordan Goodwin is dearly loved and not taken for granted by Suns fans. Even then, I make the case for him still being criminally underrated.
A hill I will die on is that Goodwin’s absence was the most critical absence of the first round matchup against the Thunder. They missed him more than they did Mark Williams or Grayson Allen. I firmly believe he was one of their most important and impactful players last season and deserves much more credit for their turnaround season from a cultural perspective.
The man in the mask was everything they could have imagined him to be and more last season. And he is not done.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 17: Jordan Goodwin #23 of the Phoenix Suns reacts to a three-point shot ahead of Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 17, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The proof is right there in the numbers. Goodwin played 70 games for Phoenix in 2025-26, appearing in nearly the entire slate while logging meaningful minutes.
His production jumped across every meaningful category. He posted a career-high 8.7 points per game, up from his career average of 7.0. But here’s where it gets interesting for anyone actually watching rotations: his efficiency spiked to 51.4 effective field goal percentage, a real jump from his career 48.7 mark. On three-point shooting, he hit 37.1 percent from distance, a significant leap from his career 33.9% entering the season. That total rose to 34.6% after this season, of course. This isn’t even his specialty we’re talking about, it’s a luxury if you get offense out of him
For a player not expected to bring much offensively, he was visibly more confident and more reliable with his jumper last season. Let’s not forget when he turned into Steph Curry against the Thunder, draining 8 threes, which led to the eventual Devin Booker game-winner.
Now the Thunder series. This is where the story breaks your heart a little. Goodwin barely appeared in one playoff game against Oklahoma City. He played five minutes total before a calf injury sidelined him for the rest of the series. The Suns got swept 4-0. Was it the only reason? Of course not. But it matters significantly more than the national narrative gives it credit for. He would have been the one shading Shai all series long. Matching Caruso’s scrappy intangibles. Diving on the floor for loose balls. Hitting timely threes. All wiped away. That stuff stacks.
This is their best point-of-attack defender we are talking about here. He was their second-best offensive rebounder. Read that again. He’s 6’3”, 6’4” on a good day. Only Mark Williams had more offensive rebounds per game, and that’s kind of his job!
People talk about the offensive firepower Phoenix was missing. They rightly point to shot creation and spacing. What they miss is the fungibility of what Goodwin was doing for 70 regular-season games: he was reliable on-ball movement, he was executing the defensive switching schemes without fouling out, and he was hitting open threes at a clip that actually opened driving lanes for others. Not to mention how terrible of a time it looked to dribble a basketball against him. He picked up full-court. He made sure it was not an enjoyable experience to play against the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns’ turnaround season in 2025-26 was built on consistency and depth. Goodwin was part of that foundation in a way that doesn’t show up in isolation. He was available. He stayed healthy until the playoffs. He shot better. He ran the offense. He defended without getting punished for it. When you’re trying to overtake the Western Conference, that’s the kind of player you lean on.
Let’s all just take a moment to collectively thank the Los Angeles Lakers for Goody again.
What makes the Thunder series loss hit different is the ripple effect of losing a guy like that mid-rotation. You don’t just lose the steady, impactful minutes he would’ve provided. You lose the rhythm of your bench unit. You lose a decision-maker on the floor. You lose a guy who doesn’t need the ball to be effective. Goodwin’s value is in making everyone else’s job easier. Against the Thunder’s suffocating defense, that matters exponentially more.
Underrated players often stay underrated because their impact is collaborative, not individual. Goodwin’s 8.7 points and 4.9 boards won’t make the top headlines any time soon. His ability to move the ball, set his man up for better positions, and execute pick-and-roll coverage won’t trend on social media. But watch the tape from the regular season, then watch the Thunder series footage, and the lack of that third-unit glue. The difference is stark. Suns fans who paid attention last season know just how vital he is to this team.
And boy, are we glad he’s back at a team-friendly rate.
Free agent guard Jordan Goodwin intends to sign a three-year, $19 million deal to return to the Phoenix Suns, with a player option in the third season, sources tell ESPN. Goodwin made the Suns roster out of training camp on a non-guaranteed contract and emerged as a key reserve… pic.twitter.com/1AIhm2BuEL
Going into next season, Goodwin deserves to be in the conversation about core rotation pieces. He is not a star. But he is a star role player.
His presence or absence fundamentally shifts how the entire team functions. And in a league where depth and availability win championships, that’s the most valuable thing you can be.
The Suns know what they have. I just wish more people outside the building understood it, too.
The Mavericks just went through one of the strangest offseasons in the NBA. Dallas changed leadership, hired Dusty May, added several useful young players and role players, but never made the massive roster-altering move some expected. After months of debating what Masai Ujiri is building, whether the Mavericks have enough guards and which veterans could eventually be traded, it feels like the most important part of their entire outlook has gotten lost.
Cooper Flagg might be about to take a ridiculous leap.
It is easy to forget just how absurd his rookie season actually was. Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals while starting 70 games and winning Rookie of the Year. Those numbers alone put him alongside some ridiculous company. LeBron James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists as a rookie. Kevin Durant averaged 20.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Luka Dončić averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists.
Flagg did all of that while entering the season as the youngest player in the NBA.
And the counting stats almost undersell how crazy his season became. Flagg scored 51 points against Orlando, becoming the first teenager ever to score 50 in an NBA game. He finished his rookie season with the three highest-scoring games ever by a teenager at 51, 49 and 45 points and became the first teenager in league history with four 40-point games. He also became the youngest player ever to record three straight 30-point games and finished with back-to-back 51- and 45-point performances that tied Wilt Chamberlain for the fifth-most points over a two-game span by a rookie.
That isn’t just a great rookie season. That is historically great production from a player who was younger than almost everyone he played against.
And now he gets an NBA offseason.
That is the part I think people are underestimating.
Young superstars rarely develop linearly. Luka jumped from 21.2 points per game as a rookie to 28.8 in Year 2. LeBron went from 20.9 to 27.2. Durant jumped from 20.3 to 25.3. Those players entered their second seasons having already proven they belonged, then used another summer of physical development, NBA-level training and experience to take enormous steps forward.
Flagg is starting from essentially the same place.
Nobody should automatically pencil him in for 28 points per game or pretend improvement is guaranteed. But given what he was already doing at 18 and 19, a significant jump should probably be the expectation rather than some optimistic scenario.
That is why Dallas’ quiet offseason feels so strange.
We have spent months wondering if the Mavericks understand how urgently they need to reshape this roster around Flagg. Meanwhile, there is a very real chance Flagg himself speeds up their timeline.
He might not need three or four years before Dallas should worry about winning.
So, when Lendeborg was asked recently on his Kick stream if he’s excited to match up with Brooks this season, his answer was essentially music to Dub Nation’s ears.
“I’m finna give Dillon Brooks belt, man. Stop playing, bruh,” Lendeborg responded without hesitation.
“I’m finna give Dillon Brooks belt.”
Yaxel Lendeborg speaks on whether he is excited for the matchup against Dillon Brooks 😳
Lendeborg’s first opportunity to do just that will come almost right away. In their third game of the 2026-27 NBA season, the Warriors are scheduled to face the Suns — Brooks’ current squad — on Saturday, Oct. 24 in Phoenix.
And just nine days later, the Suns will make a return trip to Chase Center to face the Warriors on Monday, Nov. 2.
If there wasn’t already enough anticipation for the first matchup between Brooks and Golden State this season, Lendeborg only has fueled it even more.
He is a five-time All-NBA player, six-time All-Star and the 2003 Rookie of the Year who averaged 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds a game over 14 NBA seasons. He, along with fellow inductee Mike D'Antoni, was at the heart of the seven-seconds-or-less Phoenix Suns that changed the NBA game and put everyone on the path to the modern game.
At the podium Saturday night, he talked about how he started on the path to here.
“The first basketball I got was from my mom as a gift, and that basketball became my best friend, became my therapist.”@Amareisreal on the very first basketball he ever owned
It was fitting that this was the summer in which Amar’e Stoudemire became a Hall of Famer.
For a generation of younger fans, he was the first star who made the Knicks relevant again after years of anguish. He was officially inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday night in Springfield, Mass., just more than two months after the Knicks won the championship.
At the moment, the Knicks are as relevant as ever. In many ways, the championship and Stoudemire’s induction completed the long-term journey that he started.
“New York, the Garden, there’s nothing like it,” Stoudemire said in his speech. “When you hear MVP chants every night, they’re chanting your name, the arena is rocking, New York is the No. 1 place to play. And I know that as a player. But before I got there, no one else wanted to go to New York. So that’s why I was like, ‘The Knicks are back, and we’re gonna do this.’ It was good to see those guys win the championship this year.”
As a 27-year-old superstar in his prime, Stoudemire signed with the Knicks in 2010 — after the Knicks had just gone 29-53. That same offseason, LeBron James and Chris Bosh went to the Heat.
At the time, stars were avoiding the Knicks and their dysfunction. But Stoudemire, after emerging as one of the league’s best bigs with the Suns, embraced it.
“You walked into the Garden when nobody else would,” Carmelo Anthony said in a tribute video posted by the Knicks, “and told the whole league the Knicks was back.”
Amar’e Stoudemire speaks at his Hall of Fame induction speech on Aug. 15, 2026 in Springfield, Mass. Getty Images
Stoudemire spent four-plus seasons with the Knicks, who made the playoffs his first three seasons with the team — after the franchise had reached the postseason just twice the previous 10 years. During his first year with the team, he was named to the All-NBA Second Team and set a franchise record by scoring 30 or more points in nine straight games.
The Knicks traded for Anthony midway through Stoudemire’s first season with the team. The two led the Knicks to the second round in the 2012-13 season, but never quite reached the massive expectations for the duo. Stoudemire was plagued by knee injuries, which cut his prime short.
Stoudemire was a six-time All-Star and rookie of the year. He made All-NBA First Team once and the Second Team four times.
Amar’e Stoudemire played four-plus seasons for the Knicks. REUTERS
There was another lull for the franchise after Stoudemire and Anthony’s Knicks tenures were over, but they are now the place to be for stars.
“I wanted to bring players to New York to experience what I experienced in the city,” Stoudemire said. “We were able to bring in Carmelo and I think the energy of having me there showed the rest of the league, hey, New York can be a destination place.”
It’s poetic that Stoudemire was enshrined in the same class as Mike D’Antoni, who coached him with both the Suns and Knicks.
Amar’e Stoudemire (L.) and Carmelo Anthony NBAE via Getty Images
D’Antoni spent four seasons with the Knicks, leading them to a playoff berth in 2010-11 — their first since 2003-04.
“New York’s a special place,” D’Antoni said Saturday.
Doc Rivers, Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne, Chamique Holdsclaw, Mark Few and Joey Crawford were the other inductees in this year’s class.
As the Knicks continue to celebrate their championship, two important figures who helped put them back on the map are now enshrined in immortality.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 02: Kimbra Walter and Mark Walter attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat at Crypto.com Arena on November 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, 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 Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This offseason, it became increasingly clear that the Lakers and Dodgers were morphing into one brain trust. As more and more front office executives jumped from the baseball team to the purple and gold, it was clear that Walter envisioned a very collaborative approach between the two teams.
There are obviously lots of questions that will come with the sale to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, but little has been discussed about what becomes of the Lakers’ front office now. Will the multiple people who moved on opt to go back to the Dodgers? Will the team continue its plans for renovating the practice facility?
“They were in the process of ‘Dodgerizing’ the Lakers. All of the brains and all of the apparatus that had been installed with the Dodgers to make them the most successful franchise in baseball the last few years was being implemented with the Lakers…Until this goes through, that’s still going on, right? Like everyone who’s been hired, everyone who’s been put in place here, they’re still going to keep doing what they’re doing. So it doesn’t mean anything in the beginning here, but I think your question about Iger and Kushner about now running a team like the Lakers, I think it catapults it into the next stratosphere.”
To a certain extent, this makes sense. There will still be a number of months before the sale is finalized, so things have to keep running until then.
But don’t expect much more crossover between the two LA staples anymore. In fact, it wouldn’t be a surprise if there weren’t many — or any — hires at all until new ownership comes in. Generally in these situations, there’s a hiring freeze when someone new is coming in.
Will a ripple effect of that be that the Lakers don’t end up hiring a second assistant general manager for multiple more months? Will they hire one at all now with new owners?
It’s a laundry list of questions that I’m sure Walter put a great deal of thought into before selling the team.
Amar'e Stoudemire, who is being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, was one of the handful of high school players to make the jump to the NBA and be successful.
He was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns and made an immediate impact, winning the 2002-03 NBA Rookie of the Year.
As one of the catalysts of Mike D'Antoni's "Seven Seconds or Less" philosophy, along with fellow Hall of Famer Steve Nash, Stoudemire blossomed into one of the league's best power forwards before knee injuries slowed his career.
Stoudemire averaged 21.4 points and 8.3 rebounds during his first eight seasons with the Suns, then signed a five-year, $99.7 million contract with the New York Knicks.
Stoudemire finished his 14-year NBA career (2002-16) averaging 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds, making six All-Star appearances.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will induct eight individuals and one team that has contributed to the growth of basketball - domestically and internationally - becoming one of the best, surpassing milestones and having a worldwide impact.
One of the inductees for the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame is none other than head coach Doc Rivers.
Other inductees include Joey Crawford, Mark Few, Amar'e Stoudemire, Mike D'Antoni, Candace Parker, Chamique Holdsclaw, Elena Delle Donne and the 1996 USA Basketball Women's National Team.
They will be joined by many fellow Hall of Famers, basketball stars and contributors to the game who will gather to celebrate the newest group of the sport’s iconic figures.
The Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will be formally enshrined into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame at Springfield Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts. The broadcast event begins at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) on NBA TV and streaming on the NBA App.
He became one of the winningest NBA head coaches of all-time. He has amassed 1,195 wins in 27 seasons as a head coach. Rivers ranks sixth all-time in coaching wins, behind Pat Riley, Jerry Sloan, Lenny Wilkens, Don Nelson and Gregg Popovich. Rivers passed George Karl during the 2025-26 season.
He has 114 playoff victories, which ranks fourth all-time, behind Popovich, Riley and Phil Jackson.
Rivers coached the Celtics to a pair of NBA Finals appearances against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008 and 2010, with a team headlined with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. They won the championship in 2008, but lost the title in 2010.
He was named NBA Coach of the Year in 2000.
First father-son coach-player duo in NBA history
As the Clippers head coach, Rivers made NBA history when the team signed his son, Austin, making them the first-ever father-son coach-player duo in league history.
Austin was traded to the Boston Celtics in a Jan. 12 three-team trade involving the Pelicans and the Memphis Grizzlies. But days later on Jan. 15, he joined his father on the Clippers after he was traded in a three-team trade involving the Celtics and the Phoenix Suns.
Rivers made his debut for the Clippers on January 16 becoming the first son to play for his father in an NBA game.
They played together for over three seasons until Austin was traded to the Washington Wizards in June 2018.
Doc Rivers NBA playing career
Before he became a Hall of Fame coach, Rivers put together a solid NBA playing career. He played 13 NBA seasons as a point guard, becoming an All-Star in 1988.
Rivers was drafted with the 31st overall pick in the second round of the 1983 NBA Draft to the Atlanta Hawks, after three seasons at Marquette University.
He also played for the Clippers, New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs throughout his 13-year career that ended in 1996. Rivers averaged 10.9 points, 5.7 assists in 864 career games.
SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 25: Head coach Mike D'Antoni of the Phoenix Suns talks with Amare Stoudemire #1 during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Arco Arena on March 25, 2007 in Sacramento, California. The Kings won 107-100. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Former Phoenix Suns Head Coach Mike D’Antoni and former multi-time All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire were inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Thanks to D’Antoni’s fast-paced offensive approach and Stoudemire’s ability to catch lobs and run in transition, the two were focal points in the team’s iconic “7 seconds or less” offense, which was one of the first in NBA history to play with the pace and three-point emphasis that many do now.
In his 30 years as a coach in the NBA and internationally, D’Antoni spent the most seasons of his career as a member of the Phoenix Suns coaching staff, spending the 2002–2003 NBA season as an assistant and 2003–2008 as head coach after he took over for Frank Johnson 21 games into the 2003–2004 season. In his first full year as head coach, the Suns went 31–4 to start, tied for the fifth-best start to a season in NBA history through 35 games, leading to a 62–20 regular-season record, the best in the NBA and the franchise’s second-best regular season ever. While they lost in the Western Conference Finals, it was the start of a run in which Phoenix made the conference finals in three of six seasons.
A key contributor to that squad? Stoudemire. The 2003 NBA Rookie of the Year, a five-time All-Star and a four-time All-NBA selection during his eight seasons as a Sun, the power forward and center became Steve Nash’s pick-and-roll partner, catching alley-oops, attacking the rim and helping shooters and scorers Joe Johnson, Leandro Barbosa and Shawn Marion have ample room to operate as the team ran an offense with one traditional big in the paint surrounded by four perimeter players.
Along with Nash, who won two straight NBA MVP awards, Stoudemire and D’Antoni were referenced extensively in sportswriter Jack McCallum’s book Seven Seconds or Less, which chronicles his experience around the Suns during the 2005–2006 season, when the team finished second in the West and lost in the Western Conference Semifinals to the eventual Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks.
The day before their inductions, D’Antoni and Stoudemire looked back at their time in Phoenix with gratitude, as Stoudemire became the 15th Phoenix Suns player to enter the Hall of Fame and D’Antoni became the second coach. They joined Nash, Grant Hill and Shaquille O’Neal as members of the 2000s Suns to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
They were both filled with excitement as they prepared for their big days.
“I’m soaking in the moment. I’m really cherishing the time. I’m walking slowly. I’m enjoying my family. I’m watching their faces, seeing all the other Hall of Famers who are here, and just really soaking in the moments and really taking my time with that,” Stoudemire said.
D’Antoni is at peace with how his basketball career went and feels that reaching the Hall of Fame confirms that all his dedication to the sport was worthwhile.
“It kind of validates all the stuff that went on all the years, and it’s a great cap-off to a good career. I’m happy with the way it went. I got to be doing something I love for a long time, and it’s the best,” D’Antoni said.
With the two officially inducted, recently retired Chris Paul looks to be the next Sun selected. Second in assists and steals, the “Point God” spent three seasons in Phoenix. In the 2020–2021 season, he helped the team reach its first Finals in 28 years and then helped it achieve a franchise-best 64–18 regular-season record in the 2021–2022 season.
Mark Few, who is being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, has guided Gonzaga from being a nice little Cinderella story to a national powerhouse this century.
He led Gonzaga to NCAA title game appearances in 2017 and 2021, and the Bulldogs currently have appeared in 25 consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
Few, a two-time Naismith Coach of the Year, was an assistant at Gonzaga for a decade before taking over from Dan Monson. He has a 773-156 record in 26 seasons, and his teams have won 23 West Coast Conference regular-season crowns and 21 conference tournament titles.
He has the highest winning percentage of any Division I men's college basketball coach, as Gonzaga has won 20 or more games every year since he took over the program in 1999.
Few was an assistant coach for the 2024 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team that took home the gold medal against France.
Mike D'Antoni has his prints all over the modern game of basketball.
The coach, who began his NBA career as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets in the 1997-98 season before becoming head coach of the Phoenix Suns in the 2003-04 season, is being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday, Aug. 15 as part of the class of 2026.
In the 2000s, 'experts' thought D'Antoni was insane for idolizing offense and less defense. D’Antoni influenced the game through his up-tempo, 'space-and-pace' philosophy that helped redefine offensive strategy – emphasizing ball movement, shooting, and efficiency, and shaping the analytics-driven era of the sport.
His Suns' offense was deemed 'seven seconds or less,' meaning that players had the green light to shoot good, high-volume shots within seven seconds of a 24-second shot clock.
D'Antoni's impact spans continents, having coached professionally in Italy for eight seasons before bringing his ideas to the NBA. In addition to his stints with the Nuggets and the Suns, he was also head coach of the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets and an associate head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers before ending his NBA career as an assistant coach with the Brooklyn Nets.
Through his 16 NBA seasons, D'Antoni racked up nearly 1,200 career wins. He was named NBA Coach of the Year twice, in 2005 and 2017. He also served as an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and was recognized as one of the 50 Greatest Contributors in EuroLeague history in 2008.
Longtime NBA referee Joey Crawford, who is being inducted into the Naismith Basketball of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 15, officiated 2,561 regular-season games over 39 seasons, including a record 374 postseason games and 50 NBA Finals games. He worked in 23 consecutive NBA Finals.
Officiating with an iron fist and known for his quick whistle and quicker temper, Crawford got on the nerves of NBA players and fans, including an infamous incident in 2007 when he ejected Spurs star Tim Duncan for laughing from the bench.
Crawford was suspended indefinitely for the incident and sat out the rest of the regular season and playoffs that season.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - DECEMBER 18: Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Los Angeles Lakersdunks the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on December 18, 2025 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Do you remember how nice it was when the Jazz used to have a good defense? I won’t blame you if you say no – 2022 was the last defense Utah has put forth that has been above league average, and even then, everyone knew it was a paper tiger. In recent years, the Jazz haven’t even had the luxury of a fool’s gold defense; over the past 4 years, the Jazz have been rated the 23rd, 30th, 30th, and 29th best defenses, respectively. While frustrating to watch, it was permissible (and maybe even advantageous) for these tanking iterations of the team. But now? The Jazz expect to win, and win they will not unless that defense takes a major step forward. And if defenses are really built on the shoulders of giants, then whichever free agent center Utah brought in this offseason had better be a real gamechanger.
This is, admittedly, an unfair expectation for new Jazzman Jaxson Hayes. However, it is true that competent teams often rely on competent big men – my pick for the best 4 teams last season (Spurs, Thunder, Knicks, Timberwolves) each fielded 48 minutes of above-average center minutes. Hayes will likely be asked to play similar minute totals to fellow Western backups, such as Luke Kornet and Jaylin Williams, and a certain level of dependability is a must if the Jazz want to at least competitively spar with these rival clubs.
The question that naturally follows, then, is “Can he do it?”. In an attempt to find an answer, I went on a journey. NBA.com offers the wonderful feature to watch the plays that accompany every one of a players box score statistics from a season, and of that I took full advantage in conducting my comprehensive Jaxson Hayes deep dive. I streamed each of his shot attempts, assists, steals, blocks, and turnovers, all in very quick succession, to supplement the understanding of his game that I already held with me as a dedicated fan of the NBA. Now, out of the goodness of my heart, I’ll present my findings from this statistical expedition, so no other Jazz fan will have to repeat this rather repetitive task.
Before I begin, Jaxson Hayes’s personal history requires a disclaimer. This article does not attempt to determine the contents of his character, or whether it was “right” for the Jazz to sign him. Hayes’s issues with domestic violence are horrific, and a blemish on him and his basketball career. However, whether one likes it or not, Hayes is on the team now, and will likely play semi-meaningful minutes. For that reason, I will focus my analysis on Hayes as a basketball player, rather than Hayes as a person.
The Basics
Name: Jaxson Hayes
Height: 7’0
Weight: 220 Pounds
Wingspan: 7’3.5
Stats: 66 GP, 9 GS, 18.3 MPG, 7.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG, 76/100/65 (on 2 three point attempts)
Offense
BROOKLYN, NY – FEBRUARY 3: Jaxson Hayes #11 and Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during the game against the Brooklyn Nets on February 3, 2026 at Barclays 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Immediately, I realized that watching every Jaxson Hayes shot attempt would be a much more entertaining exercise than when I did the same for Josh Okogie. While both are fairly simple players who do not deviate from their highly specialized role, Jaxson Hayes’s particular set of skills happened to align perfectly with Lakers superstar, Luka Doncic. So, while I was technically watching Jaxson Hayes interior shot attempts, the real star of most of these plays was Luka, making mincemeat of the defense in the pick-and-roll. This was engaging to spectate, sure, but sparks doubt about just how replicable Hayes’s production would be in a Luka-less offense. Doncic is likely one of the 5 best pick-and-roll operators in league HISTORY, and is one of the best big-man amplifiers in the league today. While Keyonte made huge leaps as a passer this past season, and Collier has immense natural talent, neither come close to any of the poise, accuracy, and creativity of Doncic. This fear of mine is reflected statistically – in the 404 minutes Hayes played without Luka, the Lakers offensive rating was 5.9 points worse than league average. With both of them on the court? 8.9 points better than league average. On-off numbers are finnicky, to be sure, especially in single season samples, but the numbers paint a picture that matches logic and the film.
However, while the film clearly did show Luka and Hayes having a very synergistic relationship, I do not think that Hayes is completely dependent on Doncic. As a roller, I think Hayes is, while simplistic, rather effective. It all begins with his overwhelming, game-defining athleticism. Hayes covers ground, both horizontally and vertically, with explosive speed and range. His stride lengths are long, he gets off the ground remarkably fast, and he seems to stay in the air forever, which helps him both in the half court and transition. Additionally, while Luka is great at getting the ball to his teammates where they can score, Hayes first has to know where to be. After watching his shot attempts (makes and misses), I was impressed with Hayes’s understanding of space. He fills the areas he needs to fill, and is able to get open to catch Luka’s well-placed lob passes. With his athleticism and length, Hayes always seems to be in range for a dunk, and will place himself around the paint accordingly.
Put this all together, and Jaxson Hayes will perhaps be the best in-game dunker the Jazz have ever had.
(Before people get mad, yes, I know who Darrell Griffith and Jeremy Evans and Donovan Mitchell are. The argument for Hayes would be quantity+quality.)
I compared the simplicity of Hayes’s game to Okogie’s. Just as the majority of Okogie’s halfcourt attempts were catch-and-shoot three pointers, the majority of Hayes’s halfcourt attempts were catch-and-DUNK two pointers. For both, I got pretty good at anticipating how each shot attempt would go. If Okogie started to dribble in the film, I immediately got worried. Likewise, Hayes’s was by-far the most effective when he was asked to do as little as possible. Sometimes, he would fake a handoff to one of the Lakers 3 primary ball-handlers and attempt to drive to the rim, and this was rarely successful. Hayes isn’t the physically strongest guy, and when he’s driving into a set defense, he’s prone to get bodied off of his spots. While in a car, if you want to go forward, you shift to drive. If you want to go backward, you shift to reverse. Hayes functions in a similar way. He clearly has very distinct mindsets on offense that he struggles to switch between. While driving to the rim, you can tell he’s in the “score” gear and will be attempting a shot no matter what. He sometimes flashes pretty impressive passing (nothing crazy, but more impressive than you’d expect for a 0.9 APG center – NBA players are so good), but struggles to merge his passing gear and his scoring gear into one comprehensive offensive gear. For a player as simple as Hayes, this isn’t the biggest problem in the world – he isn’t often making the most complex decisions. In his limited role, it didn’t hurt his effectiveness too much; he still made his shots at a 76% clip, and the shot selection is rarely too abrasive. However, it certainly does limit his offensive ceiling, and means that he will likely continue to be slightly less than the sum of his parts on this end of the floor.
A few miscellaneous offensive notes;
Better touch outside of 3 feet from the rim than I expected. Didn’t take many, but his hooks and floaters were pretty efficient shots.
I don’t love his screening. Maybe it’s due to his weaker frame relative to other centers, but he sets a lot of slip or ghost screens which didn’t lead to much separation. Additionally, he uses his arms a lot in his screening form and sometimes starts to move a bit too early – expect a fair few moving screens this next season.
The offensive rebounding is nothing special, but if he does have adequate positioning down low, his combination of verticality and quick second and third jumps does help him a lot. Just doesn’t have the muscle to be too dominant of an offensive rebounder, however.
Defense
LOS ANGELES, CA – MAY 11: Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers plays defense during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round Two Game Four of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 11, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While far from a perfect defender, this is where Jaxson Hayes provides the majority of his impact. And, just like his offense, the strengths he provide on this end of the floor all rely heavily on his athleticism, which is legitimately in the 99th percentile of the 99th percentile.
Ground coverage is one the best skills you can bring defensively (if combined with some base level of basketball understanding), and Hayes is better than nearly everyone in the league at this one thing. His agility is legitimately freaky for a guy his size, and his motor revs pretty hot for a big man (except after he misses on offense – then, he’s prone to pouting before getting back on defense). He’s got the flexibility to change directions, the length and height to take up space, and the athleticism to get where he needs to be. On his good possessions, it feels that Hayes is nearly omnipresent – he can begin the play by switching onto a guard, following him closely on a drive to the rim, and then immediately pounce on a closeout to a corner shooter. His physical gifts give him such a high defensive ceiling on a play-to-play basis. For an example, look at the nimble feet he showcases following Hart to the rim, and the quick leaping ability to explode upwards and get the block.
Jaxson Hayes with the huge block, leading to a Luka Dončić lob to Rui Hachimura for the slam dunk (with replays) pic.twitter.com/mPpAOKcIoi
It’s easy to slot Hayes into the rim runner, drop defense archetype, but defensively, that isn’t quite right. He really doesn’t spend too much time in the paint, and isn’t the most effective when trying to function as a traditional defensive anchor. He doesn’t have the most core strength, and can get bumped from his interior positioning by bigger drivers. Additionally, his timing and positioning in drop defense isn’t really anything special. He does not attempt to play defense like Rudy Gobert or Walker Kessler, but this does not mean that he is not effective. He actually seems to be more in the ilk of a Jaren Jackson Jr., flying in from the weak side to help his teammates and make momentum shifting blocks. Switching appears to his preferred pick-and-roll coverage, as opposed to the more traditional drop. While I didn’t count while watching all 52 of his 2025-2026 blocks, it seemed to me that the majority of his blocks came off of these switches – the ball handlers sizes Hayes up, gets a step on him, and gets blocked from behind once he reaches the rim. This defensive style clearly benefits his athletic makeup; his ground coverage and agility aren’t maximized if he is consistently staying as close as he can to the basket. This switching style helps get rid of open midrange shots (his opponents shoot 2.5% worse in that area while he is on the court), but is less effective near the rim, where his opponents shoot 1.7% better while he’s out there. Overall, opposing offenses are less effective while Hayes plays, largely because he’s so able to muck things up and semi-competently play a variety of different defensive roles (fine at drop defense, positive as a switcher, positive as a help side defender).
Once again, though, Hayes is not perfect. He’s rather jumpy at times, biting on fakes that he really shouldn’t be biting on. His weaker physical frame leads to issues rebounding, and likely means he will need to be paired with a strong rebounder in the front court. His positioning is sometimes off – defense is a game of inches, where being one step to the left determines whether your opponent scores or misses. The best defenders make that seemingly inconsequential step more often than the only slightly above average defenders, but the impact those steps make over a season are immense. It’s why it’s sometimes difficult to see just what makes a prime Rudy Gobert or Draymond Green substantially better defensively than their peers – at some point on the defensive possession, they made a step, which causes their opponents to, rather inconspicuously, miss more shots every game. Hayes simply makes that step less than the best of the best.
Still, he is an overall positive on this end, even if we shouldn’t be expecting some game-changing force. He produces big, momentum shifting plays, and those have value. When Keyonte George is on a hot streak during game 3 of the first round of the 2027 Western Conference Playoffs, and Jaxson Hayes swats a Reed Sheppard floater into the fifth row, The Delta Center will be rocking. That big-play potential means something to me, and solidifies my slightly positive evaluation of Hayes’s defense.
Conclusion/How It All Fits
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 11: Jaxson Hayes #11 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a slam dunk against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, 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 Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jaxson Hayes makes stuff happen – you can feel when he’s out there – and the Jazz do need someone like that (the team seemed to recognize this, with another signing, Okogie, also being a real shaker). However, does he make enough good things happen to play in the postseason? I’m not as sure about that. I appreciate the battle-tested dynamicity that Hayes brings to the team. He’s not going to fade into the background like Filipowski or Cody or Brice or Bamba tend to do. Instead, he’ll inject around 15 minutes per game of chaos, and I believe that is valuable. I just don’t think he does anything quite good enough to project him as someone that can certainly play on the biggest stage, especially offensively. While his defense is loud, I worry how tangible his offense will be against strong interior opponents without the buoy of Luka’s dominant playmaking. In the playoffs, the Jazz can’t afford to be playing 4v5 offensively, if the weak link isn’t guaranteeing a rather impressive level of defensive fortitude. So, while Hayes is good enough defensively to be be a regular season positive, will that be enough in a 7 game series against the Spurs? The Thunder? That remains to be seen.
Luckily for the Jazz, they do have a rather versatile front court, with different options that they can mix and match. I’m particularly excited to see minutes with both Hayes and Filipowski on the court, as I think their strengths and weaknesses are pretty synergistic with each other. With his shooting, Filipowski can play at the power forward, and provides the front court rebounding to mitigate Hayes’s rebounding in that department. Hayes’s switching and ground coverage, on the other end, insulate some of Filipowski’s defensive weaknesses. I’d also like to just have a taste of a Nurkic+Hayes front court – in his younger years, Hayes nearly split his minutes 50/50 between power forward and center, and would provide a jolt of athleticism next to Nurkic’s more ground bound style. This only makes sense is Nurkic can maintain and improve his shooting numbers next year.
After this deep dive, I believe I am in the camp that Hayes will provide good, dependable production in the regular season, eating minutes at an above-replacement level. I also expect his minutes to decline precipitously in the playoffs, where Jaren Jackson Jr. may play more as a backup center (much of the synergistic benefits Hayes provides to Filipowski can be given by Jackson as well). While much has been said about the problems that arise from JJJ center minutes, it’s not like Hayes is some dominant rebounder either – will the Jazz be losing that much by replacing his minutes with Jackson? This is not an indictment on Hayes – the team isn’t paying him very much money, so if he is just a regular season minute eater, you can’t really complain. He dunks, he blocks, and he tries, all of which will be appreciated by a Delta Center crowd anxious for things to, once again, begin to happen.
This past week, the Portland City Council approved $120 million to pay for much-needed renovations to the Moda Center, home to the Portland Trail Blazers. Combined with already approved state and county funds, that totals $586 million for the renovations.
However, all the funding hinges on the Trail Blazers agreeing to a new lease that would keep the team in Portland through 2050. The Trail Blazers — particularly owner Tom Dundon — and the city disagree over some key terms of that lease and are entering negotiations. There is a deadline to sign that lease by the end of the year, or the state money ($365 million) goes away.
There are two ways this is likely to play out: Either, by Dec. 17 (a deciding City Council vote on the lease terms), the City of Portland and Dundon's Trail Blazers will have agreed on a new lease that will keep the beloved franchise in Portland for another two decades; or we will know that Dundon bought the team with the intention of moving it, a script the Pacific Northwest has seen before.
What does Dundon want?
Notice that the Trail Blazers themselves are not on the list of groups contributing to the Moda Center refurbishment — Dundon said at a meeting in Portland he thought the team contributed enough by the taxes it pays in the state. That follows his pattern since buying the team.
Dundon has not made friends in Oregon since buying the Trail Blazers — and absolutely wasted the honeymoon period new owners usually get with fan bases. He has come off as entitled, a billionaire penny-pincher treating the team like a private equity asset, not acting as a steward of a brand and franchise important to the community.
There have been so many penny-pinching moves. There was the public relations mess of not bringing two-way players to a postseason game. There was the story of the team masseuse and other Portland personnel waiting for hours in a hotel lobby because he wouldn't pay for late checkouts. There was the lowballing of coaching offers — something he denied but was discussed plenty around the league — that ultimately saw a successful coach in Tiago Splitter head to Chicago (while they found a good coach in Mica Nori, he had to sign an owner-friendly contract, essentially a one-year deal, that the coaches' association decried). A lot of team staff was let go on the business side. Most recently, long-time and popular Trail Blazers television play-by-play voice Kevin Calabro walked after refusing a "subprime" offer, while analyst Michael Holton, studio hosts Neil Everett and Jamie Hudson, radio voice Travis Demers, and Tom Haberstroh, who brought a statistical take, were all let go.
Dundon and the Trail Blazers say the organization has been losing money, and argue this was cutting out fat and waste. The team says the primary reason it is losing money is an unfavorable lease deal. Dundon and the Trail Blazers argue that in negotiations with the city, they need to get the best deal possible to make the team profitable. To fans in Portland? It all reads as what people nationwide have come to despise about billionaires and private equity.
The City Council approved a term sheet with the money, and that's what the negotiations over the coming months will be about. The city sees its term sheet as putting in protections for itself in this process, but Dundon has already dismissed the sheet out of hand.
What are the expected issues with the negotiation?
• It's going to start with the $3 million annual rent charge.
Portland City Council approves amended Moda Center by an 8-4 vote.
Added more than $3m annual rent to a term sheet that Blazers already scoffed at, so some tough negotiations ahead. But it's a term sheet nonetheless.
• Taxes. The city gets a six percent tax on each ticket sold and every parking fee at the building. The team wants that number reduced.
• The city wants the Trail Blazers to agree to hire union workers for the renovations and construction process, as well as for concession workers and others on game night.
• The Trail Blazers want increased security in and around the arena on game night and for the city to pay for that.
The Trail Blazers see all of this as costing the team money.
Could Dundon move the team?
Never say never, but this would be an incredibly tough sell to the NBA league office and the 29 other owners. While the term sheet can be negotiated, local and state governments stepped up with money to do the renovations. That matters.
Also worth noting, one of the challenges with the Trail Blazers has been that they are isolated on the map, there is not another team in the Pacific Northwest, which makes travel much longer. That appears likely to change in the next few years if (really, when) an expansion team in Seattle is approved — the league doesn't want to put a team in Portland and have them be the ones isolated.
Where would Dundon move the team? With expansion teams — paying massive franchise fees — targeted for Seattle and Las Vegas, the league is not going to let another team swoop in and take over those markets. Maybe he wants to move the team to Raleigh, North Carolina, where his NHL team, the Hurricanes, play. That, however, is about 170 miles from an existing NBA team in Charlotte, and you can bet that ownership group would push back about having another team in what they see as their market.
Also, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, back when he was David Stern's deputy, led the push to find an owner and keep the Kings in Sacramento. He didn't let that team move to a bigger market in Seattle. Silver likes stability. Finally, make no mistake, moving the team out of Portland would be a public relations disaster for the league.
Never say never with the NBA, but Dundon finding the political will with the league and the other 29 owners to sign off on him moving the team is a long shot.
That is not going to make the negotiations over the next couple of months any easier. Expect both sides to try to negotiate through the public in the coming months, there will be contentious moments, but in the end, the money is on the table to get the upgrades done. A deal should be struck.
Unless Dundon never had any intention of striking a deal.
CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 14: San Diego Padres pitcher Bradgley Rodriguez (72) and San Diego Padres catcher Freddy Fermin (54) celebrate following the Major League Baseball interleague game between the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Guardians on August 14, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
San Diego Padres (66-57) at Cleveland Guardians (59-64), August 15, 2026, 4:10 p.m. PST
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