Category: Basketball

There are few things that make my blood boil more than being gaslit. It’s a term people use a lot more these days now that it’s been more clearly defined, and at its core, it’s pretty simple. You witness something with your own two eyes, you experience it in real time, and then somebody turns around and tells you that what you saw was wrong or that you somehow misinterpreted it. In essence, they’re attempting to devalue what you saw or experienced, and in the same breath, dismissing it entirely.

We see it everywhere these days, especially in politics. But I won’t go down that road.

The latest blatant example came courtesy of Adam Silver, who stopped by Pat McAfee’s show yesterday and proceeded to say that NBA “officiating is incredible”.

No sir, it’s not.

There will always be conversations about officiating in the NBA. The game moves too fast. There’s too much physicality and too much happening in real time for officials to catch everything perfectly. Everybody understands that going in, and there’s an accepted level of missed calls or imperfect moments that come with the territory. That’s part of basketball.

When your sport is in the national spotlight during its biggest and most important stretch — the postseason — and one of the dominant talking points becomes whether flopping has become too prevalent, that’s usually a sign things have drifted a little too far. And that’s where the conversation is right now, as made apparent by McAfee posing the question.

The best team in the NBA and the defending champions are a team that leans heavily into embellishment. People who watch the sport night after night see it. They recognize it immediately. And the frustration comes from watching that behavior continue to be rewarded. It doesn’t feel natural. It feels like a team identifying the flaws in an imperfect system and pushing against them every chance they get. And at this point, it feels like they’re pushing it a little too far.

Adam Silver’s response? 

“Even as I sit in the stands at games, players may be falling down, players may be reacting to a call. But to me, if they’re not fooling the referees, it’s OK. Players are taught to sell calls these days.”

Then what in the name of Vlade Divac’s shoelaces is this shit?

It’s a tone deaf statement. If players aren’t fooling referees, then what exactly are we watching? Are modern NBA players simply so uncoordinated and frail that the slightest bump sends them flailing to the hardwood? Perhaps the NBA should partner with milk and focus on calcium intake.

And why are players “taught to sell calls”, Mr. Commissioner? Seems counterintuitive to the integrity of the game to me. Seems that if players are being taught to take advantage of poor officiating, the root cause is poor officiating. But you just said officiating was “incredible”. I can read it back to you. Did you order the code red?!

Players are taught to sell calls because officials allow themselves to be duped. And rather than acknowledging that referees are being manipulated over and over by blatant embellishment, Adam Silver doubled down. That’s the frustrating part. It undermines the sport. It undermines fan bases across the league. And yeah, it feels like gaslighting.

We watch multiple members of the Oklahoma City Thunder hit the ground over and over in clear and obvious fashion, trying to sell contact and draw whistles, and then we’re told that’s not what’s happening. Come on. At some point it starts feeling like the league is insulting the intelligence of the people watching.

It has come to the point that analysts are tracking the number of times Shai Gilgeuos-Alexander (whom I affectionately now call FTA) falls down on his shots. Per Tom Haberstroh, who is out there doing God’s work, the two-time reigning MVP falls on 17.4% of his shots (through Game 3 of the Western Conference playoffs, counting only the postseason).

“Incredible.”

And no, Oklahoma City isn’t the only team that does it. Every team has a guy or two who leans into embellishment. Look at the NBA Finals-bound New York Knicks. Jalen Brunson has built a reputation for drawing contact and snapping his head back on drives to the rim. I often wonder if he’s playing basketball or galvanizing around the mosh pit while Metallica performs “Creeping Death”.

The difference with OKC is volume. They have so many players doing it that it becomes impossible to ignore. Watching them can feel like watching five Brunsons on the floor at once. One guy flopping around is annoying. An entire team kicking legs out on jumpers, throwing themselves backward on contact, and crumbling to the floor the second they feel any physicality, that’s something else entirely.

From Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to backup big Jaylen Williams, and everyone in between, the embellishment shows up constantly. And it’s embarrassing.

For those of us on the front lines who love this sport and spend so much time covering it, it’s hard to defend. This is the time of year when casual fans show up. The people who haven’t been watching all season. The people who naturally tune into the NBA once the postseason begins.

And when they come to me and ask, “What is this?”, I don’t have a great answer for them. Apparently, neither does Adam Silver.

Silver did go on to say the league plans to use artificial intelligence to assist with officiating. “We’re going to move to a system like [Hawk-Eye],” the gaslighting commissioner stated on The Pat McAfee show. “[Objective] calls will be done by an AI automated system with cameras lined around the court…You won’t have to deal with challenges on those calls.”

And hey, I’m open to that. If it helps speed up challenges and makes the review process cleaner, great. I didn’t think I’d be a fan of the ABS system in Major League Baseball either, and that’s worked out pretty well. It’s quick. It’s efficient. It gets you an answer.

That still doesn’t touch the core issue.

If AI is helping correct calls after the fact, at what point do we address the people responsible for getting the call right in real time? At what point is there accountability? At what point does the league truly live up to the standards it keeps talking about, where players aren’t rewarded for embellishment, for unnatural shooting motions designed to bait a whistle, for flopping all over the floor?

That’s the real issue. That’s what fans are frustrated by. And instead of acknowledging any of that, the commissioner looked at all of us and tried to tell us everything is fine. That’s why this lands the way it does. Because it doesn’t feel like the problem is being addressed. It feels like we’re being told not to believe what we’re watching.

And that’s where the disconnect keeps growing between the league office and the people actually consuming the product. Fans can handle missed calls. Players can handle occasional inconsistency. Basketball is chaotic, and nobody expects perfection.

What wears people down is when an obvious issue becomes impossible to ignore, and the response from the top feels dismissive. The postseason should be about brilliance, shot-making, adjustments, and stars delivering on the biggest stage. Instead, too often the conversation drifts toward whistle hunting and whether contact was exaggerated enough to earn two free throws.

That doesn’t mean the NBA is broken. The game itself is still incredible. It does mean the league owes people a more honest conversation than pretending the product on the floor and the frustration surrounding it somehow aren’t connected.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are looking for ways to upgrade their roster this offseason after a premature elimination from the playoffs at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs.

The Wolves have a pressing need at the point guard position, so they need to scour the rest of the league to see if there are any upgrades available. One player that could be on the move is Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving. CBS Sports contributor Sam Quinn listed the Wolves as a potential destination for Irving this offseason.

“Minnesota could match money with Randle and DiVincenzo. It doesn’t have much draft capital remaining, but the front office can offer No. 28 this year, first-round swap rights in 2028 (valuable since Dallas currently owes a swap to Oklahoma City, so almost any secondary swap would be helpful), and an unprotected pick in 2033, when Irving will likely be retired. If Dallas likes the long-term prospects of Joan Beringer or Terrence Shannon, that greases the wheels here,“ Quinn wrote.

The Wolves should be willing to move on from DiVincenzo, who has an expiring contract and an injury that will keep him out for part of the upcoming season. As for Randle, he would be hard to move on from, but if the Wolves wanted to land a player of Irving’s caliber, they have to make a big splash.

Another reason why a move like this makes sense is because it allows the Wolves to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu in free agency. Dosunmu could act as the team’s sixth man, while Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid and Rudy Gobert join Irving in the starting lineup.

Canis Hoopus community, what do you think the Wolves should do this offseason? Do you want Kyrie to come to Minnesota? Chime off in the comments section below.

It’s been a tough two-week stretch watching a team the Detroit Pistons probably should have passed get stomped on by the New York Knc

That’s not to say Detroit would have beaten New York in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the fight would have been there. Ultimately, the same glaring shortcomings that lingered throughout the season kept them from truly entering the conversation.

Now the Pistons enter one of the most fascinating offseasons the franchise has had in years, and the decisions ahead could define their future as a contender.

What makes it especially interesting is how interconnected everything feels. On paper, the core of this team already exists, and it seems likely Trajan Langdon’s focus will be on filling holes around the young stars already in place. Still, there’s a lingering feeling that a bigger swing could be brewing.

We’ll explore Detroit’s biggest offseason needs and why each move makes sense. The real intrigue will come from how those deals get done and which players the organization is willing to part with.

1. Re-signing Duren

An underwhelming postseason should impact the overall price tag of Jalen Duren’s next contract, but it still feels clear he is firmly part of Detroit’s future. If the team decides to let Duren go into restricted free agency, only a few teams will have enough cap space to be able to offer Duren a hefty contract. During the 2022 NBA offseason, the Indiana Pacers signed Deandre Ayton to a four-year, $133 million maximum offer sheet—the largest in league history at the time. However, the Suns matched the offer within hours, retaining the center and keeping him on their roster for the next season. Duren would command more money but this could be a similar representation of what we end up seeing.

For the record, I do think there’s some danger in automatically penciling in Duren and Ausar Thompson as long-term fits next to Cade Cunningham. Building around those three means the Pistons have to be extremely intentional with the type of players they place around them, which can make the roster more one-dimensional offensively.

Still, the upside Duren displayed this season was undeniable and earned him Third Team All-NBA honors. The fourth-year big man has improved steadily every season, and this year represented by far the biggest leap of his career, even if some of his best traits disappeared in the postseason.

With a little time removed from Detroit’s collapse against Cleveland, it’s easier to identify why Duren struggled. Most productive playoff big men benefit from better spacing and more offensive balance around them. We even saw during last year’s Knicks series that Duren looked far more comfortable with additional shooting on the floor.

There’s also another leap Duren can realistically make at just 22 years old: shooting.

It’s rare for centers to suddenly develop a consistent jumper midway through their career, but Duren has shown flashes and is only 22 years old. His free throw percentage jumped from 67 percent to 75 percent while taking three more attempts per game. That doesn’t mean he’s about to become a stretch five overnight, but over the course of his next contract it would not be surprising if he develops into at least a respectable mid-range or perimeter threat.

2. Finding a secondary creator

Detroit’s lack of shooting was exposed in the postseason, although there were still stretches where the offense looked functional. The larger issue came whenever Cade Cunningham left the floor. The offense often looked lost, to the point where Detroit had no choice but to overextend him.

It’s difficult to blame Cunningham entirely for the volume of mistakes late in games, even if many of them were careless. It became easy to forget that he entered the playoffs still recovering from a collapsed lung. The workload eventually piled up to a point where the mistakes felt inevitable.

Finding additional shooting is manageable in today’s NBA. Finding someone who can actually organize an offense for stretches and be trusted in a playoff setting is more difficult.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Detroit needs to swing for a superstar like Devin Booker or Kyrie Irving. They simply need someone who can fill a similar stylistic role. Atlanta’s trade for CJ McCollum at the deadline completely changed the trajectory of their season. A low-risk, high-reward veteran addition can raise both the floor and ceiling of a contender.

It’s still frustrating for Pistons fans to think about what this playoff run may have looked like with another secondary creator on the roster. At least now the need is impossible to ignore, and fortunately it should not be overly difficult to find help in that area.

3. Adding frontcourt shooting

Tobias Harris proved he can be a secondary scorer on a playoff team, but probably not on a true championship-level roster. His postseason success may have also played himself into a contract Detroit either cannot or will not entertain.

That means Langdon will need to get creative replacing what Harris brought to the lineup, if it comes down to that.

Depending on how aggressive Detroit gets this offseason, the role Harris played could be completely reimagined. The Pistons already proved they can defend at a high level throughout the roster, and Harris was part of that identity. But everyone understands they need more offensive firepower.

If sacrificing a little defensive versatility makes Cade Cunningham’s life easier offensively, it is probably worth it. That should be the mindset entering the summer.

So what does that frontcourt change actually look like?

If Detroit plans to re-sign Duren, they need a high-level shooter on the floor with him at all times. Too often during the playoffs the spacing collapsed because there simply were not enough complementary offensive players around him.

Cleveland provided a perfect example in the second round. Evan Mobley’s perimeter development completely changed the geometry of the floor and opened opportunities for everyone else.

Maybe Detroit solves multiple issues at once by targeting a dynamic scoring forward who can also space the floor. Someone like Lauri Markkanen immediately comes to mind.

No matter what direction they choose, frontcourt shooting has to become a priority.

Bonus

Detroit needs more perimeter scoring, and this draft gives them an opportunity to find an immediate contributor.

Last year the Pistons played it safe by drafting a more one-dimensional prospect in Chaz Lanier, but the 21st pick in this class appears to hold more value. Some names connected to Detroit include Baylor’s Cameron Carr, Duke’s Isaiah Evans, and Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz.

Expectations have followed Karl-Anthony Towns since he entered the league. This isn’t unique for a former No. 1 overall pick, but it always felt different with Towns.

He’s been far from a bust. Six All-Star appearances, three All-NBA selections, three trips to the conference finals. Most front offices would be beyond themselves at the prospect of drafting a player with this kind of resume. But Towns has always left people wanting more.

Historically, he’s been at his best offensively at the center position. But his physical limitations gave his teams a hard ceiling on defense when they went with this alignment. If you play him at the four spot, he tends to disappear on the offensive side of the ball. How can you build a true contender with this sort of conundrum on your hands?

Well, this postseason, Towns has given us the answer to this seemingly unsolvable riddle, and now, we’re finally getting the fully-realized version of him that we’ve all been waiting for. 

Mike Brown Has Optimized Towns

A critical flaw of Towns is that he often gets tunnel vision whenever he puts the ball on the floor to attack, making it easy to load up on him without fear of him burning the extra help with a pass. Of the 161 players with at least five drives per game in the regular season, Towns touted the fourth-lowest pass rate (18.8%, per NBA.com). 

However, Towns has always had a knack for feathering pretty passes in tight windows when he can survey the floor from a standstill position. To maximize this, after their Game 3 loss to the Atlanta Hawks (the inflection point of the New York Knicks’ season), head coach Mike Brown started running more five-out offense with Towns initiating from the perimeter (often referred to as “delay”). 

If you spent any amount of time watching the Sacramento Kings when Brown was their coach, you’ve probably seen some form of this with Domantas Sabonis. However, it works even better with Towns on the perimeter because his all-time shooting prowess makes it so that the player guarding him (usually a center) must stay attached to him, nullifying their ability to sink back and protect the paint. Couple that with how hard it is for teams to switch off-ball screens featuring the bruising OG Anunoby and the slippery Jalen Brunson, and you have a recipe for offensive dominance (the Knicks are first in offensive rating this postseason).

Towns Deserves Some Flowers 

To say that Towns is playing the best basketball of his career simply because of decisions made by his coach would be a major disservice. After all, the Cleveland Cavaliers did a great job of defanging the Knicks’ delay offense (as seen in the Knicks’ first offensive possession of the series). Yet, Towns was still immensely effective, finishing a +79 in four games. At the end of the day, Towns’ success is firmly his own doing. 

For starters, quick decisions have never been a strong suit of his. Too often, it seems like he overcomplicates the game, allowing smaller players to get under his skin and bait him into silly offensive fouls, when he should just enable his blend of size, quickness, and skill to make him a walking mismatch.

Conviction has gone from a question mark to a weapon for Towns this postseason. His dribbles per touch are the lowest they’ve ever been, evidence of his decisiveness as an attacker. When a tilt in the defense presents itself, he no longer waits for the floor to re-balance; he exploits it and cashes in.

This is another reason why Towns, the passing hub, has worked so well. Since he’s bullying his way through tinier players, you have to guard him with a big man. Cross-matching assignments is no longer a choice; it’s a death sentence. 

Part of the reason Towns is flourishing on offense is that the Knicks have allowed him to operate as the sole big man on the floor (only sharing 27 minutes with Mitchell Robinson this postseason, per PBP Stats). Only this time, it isn’t the detriment to their defense that it once was. 

I want to say that Towns is defending is you know what, off. But since this is a family-friendly website, I’ll just say he’s defending his tail off. 

A picture-perfect example of this came in Game 3 against the Cavaliers. Early on, Cleveland was doing a great job of punishing his soft hedge/at the level coverage by hitting the roll man and unlocking a 4-on-3 power player (first clip in montage below). The Knicks adjusted by having Towns switch to drop coverage (which he executed perfectly, second clip). But Towns also maintained the presence of mind to know when to switch to a hard hedge/trap when ballscreens were angled toward the sideline (like he did to force a jump ball on James Harden). 

It isn’t a perfect measure, but one way to get a glimpse of Towns’ impact is through Basketball Reference’s Box Plus-Minus (BPM). Through two rounds, Towns was one of only four players to maintain a BPM over 14 while playing at least ten playoff games. Since then, that number has dipped a hair, but he is still at a level that few players in NBA postseason history have ever reached.

Now, is Towns actually in the same player classification as the names listed in that tweet? Absolutely not. But is Towns playing at a borderline All-NBA level right now? Probably.

And most importantly, the Knicks are the closest they have been to ending their championship drought that they have been in the last three decades, thanks in large part to Towns unlocking the best version of himself.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Victor Wembanyama may be in only his third year in the NBA, but it is hard to imagine the San Antonio Spurs’ superstar letting the Western Conference Finals end short of seven games.

Of course, the Oklahoma City Thunder hope to end this series tonight, but these Thunder vs. Spurs props and NBA picks put too much trust in San Antonio’s role players on Thursday, May 28.

For more analysis, read our complete Thunder vs. Spurs predictions.

Best Thunder vs Spurs props for Game 6

Player	Pick
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander	Over 7.5 assists	-145
Dylan Harper	Over 3.5 rebounds	-115
Julian Champagnie	Over 2.5 threes	+110

Game 6 Prop #1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 7.5 assists

These Game 5 props included this same bet priced at -130. The Oklahoma City Thunder star then proceeded to dish out nine assists. Thus, this price moving to -145 makes some sense, but it is not enough of a move to scare off the thought.

Frankly, oddsmakers need to move this number to 8.5 in this series, and until they do, it will continue to be a quick bet.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has little choice but to move the ball. Down two backcourt mates — Jalen Williams is again listed as questionable, but consider yours truly skeptical of his availability — SGA has the ball in his hands more, but also has more defensive attention.

Look at his field-goal attempts. The two-time MVP took 23 and 24 shots in the first two games, respectively. He has since averaged 17 shots per game, despite handling the ball more often.

It is no coincidence SGA has now cleared this prop in four of five games, falling short by only the hook in Game 4 and averaging 9.8 assists per game.

Oklahoma City needs the ball in his hands, while the San Antonio Spurs are able to devote the defensive pressure to force it out of his hands.

Game 6 Prop #2: Dylan Harper Over 3.5 rebounds

Since Dylan Harper tweaked his hamstring in Game 2, his scoring has plummeted. Perhaps that is by coincidence, but going just 5-for-16 from the field in the three games since and averaging six points per game is rather notable for someone who was previously shooting 53.5% this postseason and averaging 14.4 points per game.

There is some inclination to take the Under on Harper’s points prop, set at 9.5 (-115 at bet365). But he is still logging minutes, 25 in Game 5, and perhaps he finds a rhythm now eight days removed from that initial injury.

Despite the clear knock on his explosiveness, Harper has still found rebounds. He snagged five in Game 4 and six in Game 5. Credit the rookie for finding ways to impact the game despite losing some of his offensive effectiveness.

That emphasis should continue. San Antonio needs to play Harper, and he needs to keep making those minutes matter in some way.

Game 6 Prop #3: Julian Champagnie Over 2.5 3-pointers

This is somewhat out of the usual want to include at least one plus-money prop. (Many days in the WNBA feature three plus-money props, and those are the halcyon days of spring and summer.)

But it is also recognizing just how many 3-pointers Julian Champagnie has taken in this series. Sure, he went 0-for-5 in Game 4, but the number to notice there is the five. It marked actual reluctance from the gunner.

Otherwise, Champagnie has taken at least seven 3-pointers in each game of this series. He has shot 37.6% from deep in the postseason after hitting 38.1% in the regular season.

When taking seven 3-pointers, it is more likely than not Champagnie will hit at least three of them. This should not be set at plus money.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we continue with a look at Dalton Knecht.

Things can move pretty fast in the NBA. Just ask Dalton Knecht. 

After a strong collegiate career, Knecht was taken 17th by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024 draft. Many analysts pegged the selection as a steal given pre-draft rumblings projecting Knecht to go as high as the lottery. That sentiment seemed wise after his strong preseason and flashes of 3-level scoring ability throughout the year. 

Things seemed to be looking up for Knecht and the Lakers. But then an unfortunate meeting with the rookie wall and a botched trade derailed Knecht’s trajectory. 

The player who looked poised to be a key part of the Lakers’ future now must sit idly with a murkiness that comes next. 

Let’s take a look at how Knecht’s performed this season and what may lie ahead.

How did they play?

In short, not well and not much. 

After playing 76 games as a rookie, including starting 16, Knecht appeared in just 37 games, with one start, this season. His minutes, which primarily came during garbage time, dropped to just 11.3 per game from 18.6 last season. 

Despite the expected ups and downs that come with being a rookie, Knecht shot the ball well in his first year as a pro. Compared to other NBA wings, Knecht’s 57.9% eFG% ranked in the 79th percentile, largely thanks to his ability to finish at the rim (74%) and from the 3-point line (38%). 

Whether mental or otherwise, Knecht has failed to reach a similar level ever since. That was especially the case this season as his conversion rate at the rim fell by 10% and and from beyond the arc by 7%. As a result, his once impressive eFG% dropped by 6.8% as a sophomore (27th percentile). 

Knecht’s offensive slippage wouldn’t be as much of a problem if he were able to offer value in other areas. However, the combination of his defensive deficiencies and general awareness concerns has put more pressure on his offense to keep him afloat.

With the Lakers’ improved depth on the roster, Knecht quickly fell down the team’s rotation. And every missed shot and rotation further sealed his fate.

What are their contract situations moving forward?

The Lakers signed Knecht to a 4-year deal following the draft. With a chance to cleanly cut ties with him, the team instead chose to pick up Knecht’s $4.2 million team option for the upcoming season. He has one more team option left on his deal before he becomes a restricted free agent in 2o28.

While there are those within the organization who hoped Knecht could bounce back, the decision to keep him in the fold was likely to ultimately use his contract as trade fodder.

After rescinding a deal that would have sent Knecht and draft capital to Charlotte for Mark Williams during his rookie season, the Lakers reportedly “aggressively shopped” him at this year’s trade deadline.

With no suitors, the Lakers will presumably scour the market again for a trade partner, either as a part of a bigger deal or in a salary-dumping maneuver to open up maximum spending ability this summer.

Should they be back?

It would behoove both parties if Knecht were on another roster by the start of the season.

Between the trade rumors and unclear path toward minutes, Knecht would benefit from a change of scenery. His landing on a team that can give him continued reps would be the best first step in rehabbing his image around the league.

For the Lakers, their desire to create financial flexibility and bolster their squad makes Knecht all the more expendable. He is already 25, and the team may already have his best-case outcome in Luke Kennard back next year, not to mention housing other younger players who have shown more promise.

With an expected influx of new talent this summer, the Lakers have their eyes set on the future. At one point recently, Knecht would have been a part of those plans. But instead, he is just the latest example of how fickle the NBA can be.

All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Bluesky at @alexregla.bsky.social

This Spring, we went from hearing from Jordi Fernández nearly every day, to not hearing from him at all. The coach hasn’t been “ghosting” us. There wasn’t break-up between he and the Nets. In fact, they seem to be more committed to each other than ever. The season just ended, and so did our chance to chat with him for a bit pre and postgame.

This week, however, Fernández reemerged alongside a familiar face from The YES Network, appearing as a guest on Nets Pod with Sarah Kustok. Basketball and Branzino were both discussed in great detail…

Kustok opened the conversation asking Fernández what stood out to him the most from his sophomore season in Brooklyn. His response mirrored the one he gave during his exit interview roughly a month and a half ago — blending honesty with positivity.

“It’s been growth, and I’ve had to learn how to be in this position,” Fernández said. “Obviously, when you get the job, you always believe that you’re ready for it, and even though you’ve coached, and you’ve been a head coach before, probably, basketball is the easiest part of it. But then you have the head coaching duties, and what it means — the amount of people that you’re responsible for, the amount of people that you have to touch every day. I think that’s been a great journey so far. I’ve learned, I’ve grown, and the best thing is being around good people, and this organization is built, and is still building the right thing for the right things, and we believe that we’ll keep taking those positive steps.”

Fernández later called controlling his emotions over results his biggest point of growth last year. He explained how he’s learned to see wins in on-court advancements, specifically with his younger players, rather than merely concentrating on what the scoreboard tells him.

“Egor [Dëmin]’s shooting, Nolan [Traoré]‘s play making, Ben [Saraf]’s touching the paint, Danny [Wolf]‘s versatility, and Drake [Powell]‘s ability to guard the ball — all those things that we have the results and the numbers, those are wins. And it’s not just the rookies, everybody else. Nic [Claxton’s playmaking, and then Mike [Porter Jr.], his usage, and Ziarie Williams’s 3-point percentage is improved a little bit. Those are wins.”

The 42-year-old also slipped in a fun fact. The Nets, noted, had played the rookies 6,400 minutes this season, “which is, I think, the most rookies have ever played.” Add that the fact that the Nets roster this season was the league’s youngest in 20 years and you get a better sense of his challenge.

Fernández also went on to shout out the coaches he’s previously worked under, including Mike Brown, Michael Malone, and Sergio Scariolo, explaining how their “investments” in him empowered him to do well. Positivity remained a theme for the entire discussion as well. When asked about how he and the team kept their heads up even during the prior season’s difficult stretches, he called doing so a non-negotiable whilst continuing to pay homage to his mentors.

“One of my mentors, a retired high school coach, he always said one thing that you can always control is your attitude,” Fernández said. “Positive energy is contagious, and so is negative energy, so you can wake up every day you’re alive, and believe that it’s going to be a good day, and tell yourself that today’s going to be a good day. I’d rather do it this way than the other way.”

Foodie Nets fans might disagree, as much of the podcast’s latter half concentrated on Fernández favorite dishes to cook and restaurants to visit, but in my opinion, the episode reached its high point about a third of the way through. Since his coaching tenure began, Fernández has often talked about how he and Brooklyn’s front office have detailed developmental plans for each player on their team. Here, he finally shared some details on how those are put together.

“It’s very collaborative here, from the front office, to medical performance, obviously nutrition, player development on the court,” Fernández said. “Everybody brings in what the plan should look like, and then the players have to understand. This process works through the year. In season, we do it in different ways, and we can show how their development impacts what they do on the court.”

On the topic of development, Fernández also shared that from what he’s seen, many of Brooklyn’s younger players are progressing down their tracks well already this offseason.

“They already look older, they look bigger, they look like they’ve been working, their bodies look really good, and it’s exciting,“ he said.

The coach also touched on the players Brooklyn could add to the team soon, wisely not giving an inch when it came to revealing the team’s plans for its three picks in June.

“We may get younger, because we’re going to select, most likely, from one to three new players,” he said. “But also at the same time, the ones we’ve had, they’re a year older, so it’s very exciting because you acquire talent, and you develop talent, and there’s the unknowns of the beauty of the NBA. It’s free agency, all that stuff, and which obviously Sean and his group do a great job with, and there’s always the communication day to day on how we want to take the next step.”

The conversation then took a more personal route. Fernández priased the From Badalona to Brooklyn documentary the team put together for him, took us through his upbringings in the kitchen, expressed how Brooklyn’s embraced he and his family, and some of his favorite bands, two of which are based in the area.

The full episode is available to watch on Youtube above. It’s also streamable on Spotify and Apple Music.

Wednesday, May 27^th was the deadline for college players to withdraw from the NBA Draft and return to school. Several big names who had been floated as potential options for the Dallas Mavericks, especially with picks 30 and 48. With everyone’s decisions now made, let’s run through the list of important guys who are staying and going.

Back to school

Amari Allen (F, Alabama)

This is not a surprise, although Allen would’ve very likely been a first-round player. Back to Alabama he goes, where he’ll have an elevated role and a chance to work on improving even further.

Tounde Yessoufou (G/F, Baylor)

Yessoufou was one of those who declared for the draft while also entering the transfer portal. Last year a Baylor Bear, after withdrawing from the draft he will be playing at Madison Square Garden… for the Johnnies. This is a player I would’ve taken at 30 for Dallas.

Milan Momcilovic (F, Iowa State)

After entering the draft, Momcilovic is also returning to school, where he will apparently be making upwards of $5 million next year. Can’t say I blame him, but losing a 49% three point shooter from this class is a bit disappointing.

Billy Richmond (F, Arkansas)

After initially staying in the class, Richmond’s reversal of course sends him back to Fayetteville.

Tyler Tanner (G, Vanderbilt)

One of my absolute favorites, Tanner will return to Vanderbilt as a preseason All-American and one of the five best players in the SEC. While it is a bummer he is no longer in the class, he will be a joy to watch in college one more time.

To the league

Allen Graves (F, Santa Clara)

Graves was an interesting case, as his draft range could be awfully wide. However, instead of taking a large NIL bag from LSU or Duke, the Santa Clara product will head to the NBA as a likely top 25 pick.

Read our draft profile of Allen Graves here.

Christian Anderson Jr. (G, Texas Tech)

There were rumblings that Anderson might enter the portal earlier this offseason, but once that didn’t happen it was pretty clear that he was headed for the NBA. He will likely be a top 25 selection as well.

Koa Peat (F, Arizona)

This was an interesting case, as most NBA executives polled by the Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman said Peat should return to school. Alas, he stays in the class.

Meleek Thomas (G, Arkansas)

While no official announcement was made, ESPN’s Johnathon Givonny reported on Thursday that Thomas is indeed keeping his name in the draft. He is a likely first round pick, and depending on where Dallas goes at pick nine, he’s very much in play for them in the late first.

What’s next

It’s officially workout season for these prospects. As reports surface on who the Mavericks are bringing in, we’ll keep you posted right here at Mavs Moneyball.

Fraternizing with the Enemy continues to go back-and-forth just as much as this wild Western Conference Finals series. After the Spurs appeared out of gas in Game 5 against the Thunder and now face an elimination game in San Antonio, I discussed with Cray Allred of the Daily Thunder what he observed and any potential concerns going forward — both about the teams on the court and the flaws this series has exposed in certain NBA procedures (such as *cough* the rudimentary way coaches have to call for a challenge).

J.R. 

The night that Wemby misses a dunk in transition isn’t your night. The night that Castle smokes a wide open layup isn’t your night. And when the refs miss an OKC goal tending call plus two out of bounds calls (one that Mitch Johnson tried to challenge and they didn’t grant resulting in a three-point play on the other end, including Mitch’s tech) then you might want to consider the possibility that the evening in question doesn’t belong to you. 

I’m not going to gripe about the calls the refs make because once you start that it’ll never end. Literally. You become convinced that the refs and the league are against your team and down that path, madness lies. And by madness, I mean becoming convinced that every call that goes against you is part of a conspiracy that the league has to fulfill vengeance against your team for some undefined grievance. I know, because I lived that. But that’s a story for another day.

So I don’t let myself go there again, but I do allow myself to criticize the systems the league has in place, because the league changes rules and that can make the games more fair. (Or at least more difficult to complain about.) Point in case, I griped about Zaza Pachulia sliding under Kawhi Leonard and taking him out of the series. Then they changed the rule. Now shooters are protected. You might say they’re overly protected, but there’s not such thing as a “make it fair” button. It’s either going to be too dangerous or too safe. So, you might as well err on the side of safety. 

Here’s my new gripe. The league needs to have a button that coaches can press to stop the play from starting or a flag to throw on the court. That way we’re not subject to refs hearing or acknowledging a coach in order for a challenge to officially granted. 

How about you? What gripe do you have that a new rule would alleviate and improve the game?

Cray

One thing I hope we can agree on: the San Antonio and Oklahoma City markets are not where Adam Silver and the NBA want to conspire to. The reason the league will run through our teams is that they have acquired and developed the best talent, without needing the free agency and trade levers used by bigger market teams that used to rule the league. (Lakers, Clippers, Rockets, Wolves, and Warriors, to name a few). The teams that the Thunder and Spurs have left in the dust.

I’d be okay with giving coaches a cleaner play stoppage lever for challenges. Teams already stall and delay the game while coaches decide whether to call timeout and twirl their fingers, which feels silly to watch as a viewer.

I’m actually against rule changes by default. I’m a bigger believer in the law of unintended consequences than I am of the idea we can shape the way the game looks and feels with more policy work.

I much prefer legitimate points of emphasis within the rulebook. In the second half of the 2023-2024 season, the refs obviously started swallowing their whistle to allow defenders to crowd and all-but-handcheck perimeter offensive players. It pissed everyone off because they denied it loudly in public before quietly acknowledging in a league memo to the governors. Then in the 2024 offseason, the NBA told its teams that this was the new reality: referees would be using their judgement to favor more physical and contact-heavy play, slowing the runaway offensive numbers getting juiced by three-point spamming.

Rick Carlisle warned us. Teams like the Pacers, Thunder, and Spurs leaned into the advantages that physical defenders like Nembhard, Nesmith, Caruso, Cason, Castle, and Vassell gave them. Fans watching their teams get ripped to shreds by these elite modern defenses aren’t blaming their front offices, of course, because blaming the refs is a much more soothing pastime.

So I’m dubious of rule changes, but I don’t hate change. What I hate is the unwillingness to make things better within the rules. We all know that the typical summer “points of emphasis” usually last through the preseason and then fade away when the games matter. Meanwhile there are tools to counter plenty of things jeopardizing the competition and NBA product; the league just doesn’t use them. Cap circumvention. The rot of gambling influence. Flopping fines. Injuries to stars piling up in the war against DNP-TV. But instead, the league is spending most of its fix-it energies concocting a new formula for ping pong balls.

It definitely wasn’t your night, just like Game 4 wasn’t ours. I’m surprised that the consensus reaction is that we’ve advanced even further into the greatest chess match ever. Don’t you think it’s more simply that the teams with the most desperation have played much better at home? That’s how I’d chalk up most of the individual performances, including from our two most valuable players: Victor Wembanyama and Jared McCain

J.R.

There is definitely room for the chess match, no doubt. And I’ll tell you that I’ve dived deeper into the pool of analysis videos in an attempt to better understand the tactics behind this game I’ve been watching for the last 40-some years. (Wow that’s a long time.) But Tuesday night seemed to pivot largely on effort. So many plays were made by OKC in which the same force just wasn’t being exerted by the visiting team in general, and oddly Wemby specifically. 

There were far too many plays where I expected Vic to elevate and swat the ball away from the basket, but he just watched his opponent take a trip to the rim. Definitely not what I’ve grown accustomed to over the year, and I think I have to put my vote in the “he’s exhausted” group. 

Oddly, that doesn’t make me feel less optimistic about Game 6. After the Thunder win in San Antonio, I found myself having issues maintaining my hope, but I don’t feel that right now. Maybe that’s delusion, but it feels like San Antonio will take the next one. I’m definitely concerned about his Game 7 but why should I even be thinking about that when the Spurs are facing elimination for the first time since DeMar DeRozan was a Spur? Maybe I’m exhausted too.

Ok, tell me what concerns you about G6 and how you’re dealing with it. 

Cray

To be clear, I love the Thunder’s chances to win one of two. I’m in the “Wemby’s exhausted” camp with you, and San Antonio hasn’t put together two straight games with the intensity needed to best the champs. The Thunder have thinned, but they’re still deeper and fresher. And I believe in Shai+whoever to land a knockout punch, given two shots at the up and comers.

There’s still plenty of cause for concern. Game 5’s offensive explosion masked some cracks in the defense for OKC, which had kept them in the series through four. An elimination Game 6 should be the boost of all boosts for the Spurs, even if they’re gassed. And if you get to a Game 7, anything can happen. Cold shooting. Foul trouble. Injury. Lemon booty. And if it’s close, the kind of game-deciding bad call we’ve somehow avoided so far. The kind of stuff you can’t get over for 40 years of fandom. And all of that is more likely with Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell still unavailable. 

Outside of random, crazy, heartbreaking playoff possibilities, both Wemby and Dylan Harper still scare me. The Spurs hung close for most of Game 5 with both of them struggling. Wemby digging deep to find another gear is something the greats all eventually get around to. Harper could recover more health, or energy, or confidence, whatever combination of those things are holding him back.

Though I do sense a shift in the Spurs’ self-belief, an essential part of what has made them so great this season. I told you I admired you that Wemby practicing against simulation hack-a-defense and Mitch Johnson’s refusal to make excuses after Game 2. I’ll add to the list Devin Vassell’s jovial comments about each team getting away with what the refs allow after Game 4. I’m not going to pile on Stephon Castle for complaining about the whistle, or Wemby for skipping the postgame, or Thunder legend Mason Plumlee for doing goonwork in Game 5’s closing moments (as quoted by NBA media correspondent and TikTok sensation, Jared McCain). But taken together, I don’t think the vibes from the Spurs reek of confidence and composure as they face down elimination.

Feel free to stand up for any of those guys if you think I’m being unfair, or recommend me your favorite Spurs alternate mascot or side story that helps lighten your spirits amid the grind of the playoffs. Are the nuns the most fun? The jackals? A deeper cut? (We disavow Thundor in my household but McCain, the public figure, brings us joy.)

Former 49ers WR Jauan Jennings compares joining Vikings to Durant's Warriors fit originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jauan Jennings played a big role for the 49ers as one of the team’s most reliable third-down options over the past several seasons, but when San Francisco added Hall of Fame wideout Mike Evans this past offseason, the writing was on the wall in big bold letters.

Now, with a new one-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings, the 28-year-old wide receiver has high praise for his new group – and himself.

“I feel like Kevin Durant with the Warriors,” Jennings told reporters on Wednesday when asked how he felt about joining Minnesota.

“Big three, man,” Jennings answered when asked why he compared himself to the 16-time All-Star. “There’s just a lot of talent over here. Top down, head to bottom, a lot of talent.”

In addition to Jennings, the Vikings’ wide receivers room boasts one of the NFL’s top pass catchers in Justin Jefferson, as well as Jordan Addison.

Jefferson has begun his NFL career with six-straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons and continues to be considered a top wideout in the game, while Addison’s production has dropped year after year in his three seasons amid an array of off-field troubles.

Jennings’ confidence isn’t anything new. The wideout played the 2025 season under a one-year “show-me” type contract and hit every benchmark to earn almost $4 million in incentives before his departure.

As for the comparison, Durant joined a Warriors team that finished their 2015-16 season with a record-breaking 73-9 record, while Jennings joined a Vikings team that went 9-8 in 2025 and failed to reach the postseason.

Same, but different.

Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

Tyrese Haliburton can’t hear Knicks fans.

The star Pacers guard who earned villain status in New York after eliminating the Knicks in back-to-back postseasons said the Madison Square Garden crowd is too celebrity-centric and not loud enough.

“A place like New York, they have a lot of passionate fans, and people love the Knicks, but there are a lot of celebrities in there who sometimes get too cool to be super loud,” Haliburton said on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday.

Haliburton then made an exasperated face when describing the Oklahoma City environment and how hard it is to play there, with Indiana having lost to the Thunder in seven games in last year’s Finals.

He suffered a torn Achilles in Game 7 that ultimately sidelined him for the entire 2025-26 season.

“I think OKC does a great job with kind of having that like college environment in there,” Haliburton continued. “It’s pretty ridiculously loud, so I would say it’s the best environment.”

McAfee joked with Haliburton about the comments regarding the Knicks fans being too cool for school.

“Well, you’re saying that Ben Stiller is not going crazy?” the former punter said. “(Timothée) Chalamet was losing his mind! You better watch your mouth if you talk about Tracy Morgan like this, OK!”

Haliburton has quite the history with New York and its fans.

He and the Pacers defeated the Knicks in six games in the conference finals last year as the local ran out of gas behind former coach Tom Thibodeau.

The Pacers also eliminated the Knicks in the semifinals in seven games the previous season.

The conference finals began with a heart-wrenching buzzer-beater from Haliburton in Game 1 to send to the contest to overtime, with the guard grabbing his throat to signal a choke, channeling longtime Garden villain and ex-Pacers star Reggie Miller.

While the Knicks have mostly the same roster this season, this team is completely different.

The Knicks employ lineup 11 players deep and get excellent use of their bench under coach Mike Brown, who invested in his bench from the get-go and has seen dividends pay off in the postseason.

Brown has elicited phenomenal performances from Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, Miles McBride and more en route to a dominant NBA Finals run.

Knicks fans have rallied behind them, creating one of the loudest home crowds in the NBA and traveling well to Cleveland and Philadelphia during this raucous run.

After the Game 1 comeback win over the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals, Ringer founder and podcaster Bill Simmons said that the Knicks fans were “the best crowd of the year” as they cheered their squad to a 22-point comeback in less than eight minutes.

Do not underestimate the power of cultural awareness and understanding in the international world of basketball. For Masai Ujiri, new Dallas Mavericks president and alternate general manager, navigating in multiple languages, customs, cultures and traditions is nothing new. 

Born in England, raised in Nigeria, an executive in the American National Basketball Association over the last decades, Masai Ujiri is about as international as it gets. 

Back when he was traveling the world as an international scout – at the time he got to know new Dallas Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz – it must have given him an advantage compared to many in that world because of his background and exposure to different cultures early on. 

One of the side effects – or bonuses – of being born into a world of multiple nationalities and cultures, is the fact that you learn how to adapt and adjust quickly. You learn the skill of observation – how do people do things here, what’s the unwritten rules, what is frowned upon – and you learn how to fit in no matter where you go. 

That must have served as a major advantage for Masai Ujiri, as he found his footing in the international world of global basketball and started putting those skills to good use, both when scouting – and when networking. Something he is reportedly very good at. 

Ujiri, who’s described as well-respected and charming, has always been good at making and keeping connections. Acquaintances even call him “very sweet” and “very thoughtful”. And very good at finding talent and creating an atmosphere that allows players to reach their full potential. 

He started out as an unpaid scout with the Orlando Magic back in 2002 and moved to a paid scouting position with the Denver Nuggets in 2003. Seven years later, he was named the team’s general manager.

After winning the NBA’s Executive of the Year award with the Nuggets, he moved to Toronto. The Toronto Raptors then made the playoffs eight times during his 12 years in charge. Oh ya, and won their only championship in franchise history in 2019.

Understanding talent, and not being afraid to look outward and in new places to find hidden gems, Ujiri was part of drafting international players from places most people wouldn’t even have considered. 

There’s Jakob Poeltl, an Austrian center, who the Raptors picked in 2016 with the number nine pick. And that same year, they used their number 27 pick to get a completely unknown wing player from Cameroon, who hadn’t played organized basketball for very long. That was Pascal Siakam, now a four-time NBA All-Star. 

Ujiri’s international background has clearly helped make him a good judge of character. He also earned the reputation of being bold. 

Working in the trenches of the scouting world for years, he met, connected and built relationships with numerous people all over the world. One of them is Mike Schmitz. And as soon as Masai Ujiri was offered the job as Dallas Mavericks president, he knew he wanted to bring Mike Schmitz along.

“You track people along the way, you pin-point those that stand out or those that have the talent you want for particular jobs, and he’s one of them,” Masai Ujiri said of Schmitz right after it became public that he had hired him as general manager earlier this month. 

“I’ve done a lot of scouting internationally,” Schmitz said of Ujiri when he was introduced, “and when I first got in the scouting space and was out and about on the road, we’ve been in the same gyms for years and years.”

“Whether that’s in Africa, in Europe or in the states, I’m really thankful for that relationship and him bringing me on.” 

According to Ujiri, Schmitz has a talent for finding hidden treasures and is not afraid to make bold decisions. Traits Ujiri seems to value highly. 

Mike Schmitz worked as an assistant general manager for the Portland Trail Blazers the last four seasons, and was part of finding talents like Deni Avdija from Israel, who made the All-Star team this season. They also drafted a long list of future NBA talent. Before that, Schmitz worked as a draft analyst for ESPN and DraftExpress.com. 

“I’ve known him (Mike Schmitz) for many, many years,” Ujiri said. “He’s an incredible scout, an incredible leader. He digs deep into work, data, and what you want to know about really scouting a player, team building, all those things.”

“Treating people well, scout organizing, managing people, it’s a whole package you want and it’s very important that we set a tone now for this organization because the fans, the organization, you (media) guys, everybody deserves that.”

And going back years also matters when it comes to something pivotal in business: trust. 

“Obviously, we’ve had a long-standing relationship,” Schmitz said. “And I think just him being able to trust in me, and me being able to lean on him in a variety of different areas, so I think it’s going to work great.”

And hopefully, with this new leadership that doesn’t seem afraid to look outward and to try new things, hidden gems, diamonds in the rough and already successful players from other leagues will be considered in the same way as players who take the traditional route to the best league in the world. 

Since parting ways with the Toronto Raptors last year, Masai Ujiri has spent most of his time working with his nonprofit, Giants of Africa, which puts on basketball camps, builds courts and provides education opportunities to children around Africa and in Nigeria, where he was raised. 

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

The biggest news of the day came via a Passan bomb at 6AM yesterday morning. Travis Kelce is now a minority owner of the Cleveland Guardians.

Guest contributor, Mike Mahoney, gave his scouting report of the Lake County Captains Position Players.

The Guardians were able to avoid the sweep, taking yesterday’s game behind Gavin Williams. The game recap can be read here. Tonight is a much needed off day for the team with Boston coming to town for a weekend series.

MLB Network listed out their José Ramírez award for most underrated players. There is one current Guardian and one former Cleveland player on the list:

The MLBPA has made their first proposals for the collective bargaining.