Category: Basketball

The Hawks will host their annual preseason media day on Monday, signifying the unofficial end of the offseason and the unofficial start of the 2026-27 season.

Atlanta is looking to lean into their development program that has produced the last two Most Improved Player award winners — a feat that no other franchise has ever accomplished.

As such, many eyes will be on the progress of the 21 or so players in camp leading into their first preseason game on Monday, October 5 against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Yesterday, the Hawks announced their training camp roster, something that is always subject to change based on waivers and other processes. The camp itself will be held out of the state entirely — instead based on Vanderbilt University’s campus in Nashville, Tennessee.

So without further ado, here are the players currently signed up for preseason basketball action:

As the Lakers move on from the franchise’s LeBron James era, they understood many things would depart with the league’s all-time leading scorer.

The biggest among them: the four-time league MVP’s voice. And his leadership after achieving virtually every accolade in the NBA. 

James’ guidance, and his two-decades-plus of playing experience in the NBA, can’t be replicated. 

But the Lakers are ready for their current stars to step up as leaders in light of James’ departure. 

And Luka Doncic is ready to take that mantle as the Lakers fully entrench themselves in their next era.

If that wasn’t already clear, Doncic made it evident during the Lakers’ minicamp in his home country of Slovenia last month.

“Probably the leadership role,” Doncic responded when asked what matters to him more now compared to five years ago toward the end of a 24-minute video posted on his YouTube page Friday about the camp in Slovenia. 

Doncic added: “Trying to be a leader. Five years ago, I was [three years in] the league. I wasn’t the leader I was supposed to [be]. So, leadership is an important part in my case now.”  

The Lakers already had an idea of what Doncic brought to the table in this regard since being traded to the franchise in February 2025. 

Him treating his teammates to a Porsche Driving Experience in October 2025 during the preseason and surprising Lakers players, coaches and basketball operations staff with e-bikes as a Christmas present last year showcased his growth since arriving in Los Angeles. 

But the Lakers got a closer look at what the team’s leadership could look like moving forward with Doncic as the face of the franchise.

The Slovenian superstar organized a five-day trip for his teammates, which included a chartered flight, multiple dining experiences at Doncic’s favorite restaurants, tours of the sights in Ljubljana (river cruise and Ljubljana Castle among them), golfing, rowing at Lake Bled and basketball activities. 

His teammates raved about the experience.

To the point where they wrote Doncic handwritten notes to show him their appreciation for the experience. 

“I’m definitely coming back,” Collin Sexton said. “We had an amazing time. Great experience. Nothing but good vibes, nothing but love. Luka, man, appreciate you for bringing us out to your country and taking us back where it all started.”

Leadership will be paramount for the Lakers moving forward. 

James was among nine Lakers from the 2025-26 team who didn’t return for this upcoming season. 

Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes and Luke Kennard were among the other departures.

Doncic, Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt and Jake LaRavia are the only four players from last season’s team who played at least 600 regular-season minutes that are returning for 2026-27. 

Coach JJ Redick stressed the importance of connectedness during Thursday’s joint availability with president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka. 

In his eyes, the NBA’s best teams over the last six to seven years have also been the most connected teams. 

And because that isn’t a coincidence, that’ll be part of his messaging to the team throughout 2026-27 as Redick enters his third year as Lakers coach. 

“There were times last year, there were times my first year where the team was connected,” Redick said. “I really believe this group is gonna be connected from Day 1. And they already are.”

And they are, in part, because of Doncic stepping up as a leader.

“There’s a lot of new guys on the team,” Doncic said. “Building chemistry is very important. That was the first thought, just to get the guys together. That’s why I wanted to do it.”

You may not know his name. You may not know his face. 

But you know his voice. 

If you’re a Lakers fan, you’ve likely heard longtime PA announcer Lawrence Tanter, who died at age 76. 

Tanter was a huge part of the in-game experience. 

His smooth, silky baritone voice echoed throughout the arena for 43 years before he suffered a stroke in March and moved into an advisory role in June. 

The way he said each player’s name. The way he said Lakers girls. The way his voice became part of the tapestry of Los Angeles. 

Tanter was behind the scenes but front and center. He was 6-foot-7 but in the shadows. He had been part of the Lakers’ organization since 1982 but was unrecognizable to most. 

But his impact was deeply felt. 

Tanter was a part of 10 Lakers championships. He made calls for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James and Luka Doncic.

After his death, current and former Lakers took to X to write tributes. 

Johnson called him “the sound of the Lakers franchise,” adding that he was “an integral part of many Laker championships, right alongside us players.”

James added that he “made home games SPECIAL.”

Former Laker and current radio analyst Mychal Thompson said, “Maybe God’ll use LT’s voice to announce new arrivals to heaven.”

Tanter had a way of not only making games feel special but also making people feel special. 

Behind the scenes in the media room at Crypto.com Arena, he was a friendly face with a warm smile. He greeted reporters, including once telling this writer that he liked the way she carried herself. It meant a lot to her. 

Flea, the bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and a Lakers super fan, wrote on X that Tanter always talked to him about jazz at games. Flea added that he’s “a great vibe dude” as well as “the best announcer in the NBA.”

He was kind. He cared deeply about his work. And he had the respect of everyone in the arena. 

James, who’s arguably the greatest player of all time, would salute him before every home game because he believed Tanter deserved his flowers. 

One of Tanter’s most memorable moments came after Los Angeles was heartbroken following the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash in January 2020. 

When the Lakers played their first game following that tragedy, Tanter paid homage to the five-time champion who spent his entire 20-season career with the Purple-and-Gold. 

He introduced all five starters using the same line. 

“Number 24, 6-6, 20th year out of Lower Merion High School, Kobeeee Bryant.”

It was powerful. It was memorable. It was moving. 

Tanter seamlessly knew when to stand out and when to blend in. Some other public address announcers around the league are bombastic. Tanter was melodic and understated. 

As the Lakers enter their 80th season and try to win their first championship since 2020 behind superstar Doncic, one thing will be sorely missing at home games.

Tanter’s voice. 

In it, so many people found joy. 

So many people found the Lakers. 

Back-to-back daily Notes posts are all you need to know to start believing the season is right around the corner, starting with Monday’s media day. Can’t wait!

• Karl-Anthony Towns’ contract situation remains the biggest storyline entering Knicks training camp. SNY’s Ian Begley reported the Knicks and Towns have remained in regular contact throughout the offseason, with discussions described as positive and the organization making clear it wants Towns in New York long term. However, no agreement is imminent.
• Salary-cap expert Yossi Gozlan told Begley that extending Towns, Hart and McBride while also planning for future Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby extensions will require difficult financial decisions unless the salary cap rises faster than projected or James Dolan changes his stance on going over the second apron.
• ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon believe the two sides remain far apart financially, with the former saying there’s “tens of millions” separating them and MacMahon suggesting the gap could even be eight figures annually.

• The Knicks’ final roster spot remains one of training camp’s biggest competitions, with Begley expecting veterans Bruce Brown, John Konchar and Ochai Agbaji to battle for a wing spot while Drew Eubanks and James Wiseman compete for the reserve center role. Unless New York sheds salary in a trade (looking at you, Paco), only one of those five veterans is likely to make the standard roster.
• Keeping it Begley, the pundit also expects rookie Tyler Nickel to receive one of the remaining camp spots and believes Kevin McCullar will eventually earn a place on the roster as well.
• Jalen Brunson shared the defining moment that shaped his basketball career during an appearance on the “Things No One Tells You” podcast. His parents told him he could only choose two of three priorities: school, basketball, or a social life. You know what happened next.

• Salty ESPN “analytics pioneer” Dean Oliver isn’t buying the consensus on Brunson’s standing among the league’s elite. While ESPN’s Top 100 panel ranked Brunson No. 6 overall, Oliver said his statistical models place the Finals MVP “around the No. 25 range” and argued New York media attention inflates public perception.

“I love Brunson’s game, but his lofty ranking benefitted not only from recent bias but also from the New York media bias. (That bias might also help you forget that Brunson missed the shot in the most iconic image from the Finals, when OG Anunoby swooped in for the putback game-winner to clinch Game 4.)

“The metrics place Brunson around the No. 25 range heading into the season. That’s not a huge gap. He’s elite, just not No. 6 — at least not during the regular season.”

• Stephen Curry has agreed to a two-year, $116 million extension with the Warriors that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season. Curry, set to turn 39 midseason, still had one year left in his deal, meaning he could get to complete a nicely rounded 20-season career in The Bay if he retires at the end of his next pact.
• Greg Oden admitted he never expected to be selected ahead of Kevin Durant in the 2007 NBA Draft and actually wanted to return to Ohio State.
• North Macedonia great Pero Antić can only joke about making the Rising Stars Challenge at age 31. “I was already a falling star. Everyone was laughing, including my mom and dad.”

President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick spoke at length on several topics at Thursday’s season-opening presser. A central theme was personnel. They wanted to recruit players whose profiles match Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves at their primes.

Acquiring a new big-man anchor and younger athletes this offseason will help implement a more aggressive defensive identity than last year.

​Despite winning 53 games, the Lakers finished with the tenth-worst defense. Every other 50-win team finished at least in the top seven, except the Nuggets (21st) and the Cavs (15th).

​An identity shift will begin this season at the center position with Walker Kessler.

“I think Walker’s a perfect fit for Luka and [Reaves],” Redick said. “Just in terms of his rim protection and really being an anchor for our defense. It’s an area we’ve struggled with.”

​Struggled is an understatement. The Lakers ranked second-to-last in opponents’ shooting percentage at the rim last season, giving up 72% in the restricted area. Not unrelated, the team traded away starting center Deandre Ayton and backup big man Jaxson Hayes was not re-signed.

​While the Lakers offense has clear direction with Luka and Austin leading the charge, the defense now does too. Players will all be funneled toward Kessler at the rim.

​The gap in rim protection is canyon-sized. LA got 1.8 blocks per game total out of their main centers last season, while Kessler averaged 2.4 himself in his last healthy campaign. He pairs elite timing with a quick jump and a 9’5” standing reach to erase attempts like the one shown below.

​His addition alone instantly turns the Lakers from a poor rim-protection team into an elite one. This is predicated, of course, on whether they can keep the big man near the basket.

​“I know we have switched a lot one through five the last two years,” Redick said. “That has been by necessity.”

​The hopeful advantage of one-through-five switching is to negate any screen action. It can help slower foot players, since chasing over and around screens takes a lot of effort, and switching conserves energy.

Good offenses took advantage by controlling the terms of engagement. They consistently got the matchup they wanted with little to no resistance and forced LA’s big man out of the paint.

​Watch below as the switching scheme the Lakers go to on Christmas Day lets Kevin Durant find Ayton with ease. He backs up helplessly, giving Durant the space to knock down his patented jump shot.

Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard were all in the top eight of minutes last year and now are on different franchises. Smart was the only one with a defensive reputation, but he turned 32 with a ton of playoff miles and needed to be load-managed.

Superstar LeBron James, who turns 42 in December, also walked in free agency, bringing a brand new perimeter and forward rotation.

“We have the guys who can pick up full court, guard, and be disruptive,” Redick said. He specifically named Ziaire Williams,Matisse Thybulle, Adou Thiero and Quentin Grimes as main contributors in this area.

​They all bring different styles and skill sets, with Thybulle having the highest pedigree as an NBA All-Defensive member for two seasons. Together, they form a rotation of defensive playmakers and attackers.

​Williams and Thybulle led their respective teams in deflections a year ago and having an elite center behind them gives them the freedom to play more aggressively, knowing protection is there.

The ​Lakers will hope screen navigation is a strength this year, with players fighting over and bothering the league’s top playmakers. They have the personnel to get deflections and force turnovers as shown below, a place they were middle of the pack last season.

Ball pressure and great rim protection are synergistic on the defensive end and accentuate each other.

​The starting backcourt won’t be asked to do that, given the offensive burden on their shoulders. Even so, they need more consistent effort and attention to detail on that end. There’s no world where the Lakers have a good defense without Luka and Reaves contributing.

​Reaves has shown to be a strong “chaser,” navigating off-ball screens effectively and staying attached to his man in different actions. Depending on who the fifth starter is, he likely will be the one the Lakers put on speedy guards.

​Luka’s effort has increased and is better than his reputation suggests as he led the Lakers in deflections last season, but he still has major room for improvement. With a slimmer frame, there’s optimism for more consistent investment.

With LeBron out the door, they are the two leaders, and setting the tone begins with them.

​Pelinka stressed that he built this roster through the prism of what Luka needs and Redick’s basketball philosophies. Adding Kessler and moving toward a younger, more athletic roster should shift the defense from passive to more active.

“With this group, probably the first time in my three years here that I feel like the pieces actually fit together,” Redick said.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu.

​

Despite all the disappointment years ago when the Toronto faithful were so convinced the Raptors got it wrong at number 4, Scottie Barnes has done nothing but exceed expectations and lead the Toronto Raptors through an, at times, awkward rebuilding stage. Now, after a disappointing game seven exit, Toronto has swung for the fences in an effort to construct a team that will prove lightning can strike twice. 

In order for that to happen, Scottie will have to continue improving again this year. First, let’s dish out expectations of Scottie. Then, talk about how he will meet them.

The Ceiling

Regardless of who he’s sharing the floor with, Scottie will need to spend at least part of the season as “the guy”. At his best, Kawhi might play 65 games and at his worst that could be closer to 50. When it comes to the playoffs, matchups and homecourt advantage are everything. This past year proved that. Making sure that easily winnable games are in the bag and they’re able to compete with teams above 0.500 when Kawhi is resting will be imperative. Scottie will have to be the key to that. Expecting numbers closer to 20-8-8 would be an adequate ceiling. 

The Floor

We would need a Pascal Siakam version of Scottie. Now that might sound like an insult to PSkills, but the year the Raptors won the chip, he was only averaging 17-7-3 shooting 55% from the field and 37% from three. Compare that to Scottie last year, 18-8-6 shooting career highs of 51% and 30% from three. Fairly similar, with Siakam having the edge in efficiency but Scottie in overall numbers. Scottie also boasts better defence, so this feels like an easily manageable statline for him, especially when sharing the floor with Kawhi who will pull defenders aware from Barnes. 

Of course, that range doesn’t allow much wiggle room for a rough start or dips statistically. Make no mistake, the expectations are extremely high. He has a habit of doing the expected though. 

Scottie the scorer

Two seasons ago, approximately 58% of the points Scottie scored were on two-point makes. The following year that ballooned to 67% and in the most recent season was 80%. This drastic increase shows how Scottie is developing his game. His size and physicality make him a dominant force in and around the paint, something we have undoubtedly enjoyed watching.

Plays like that one prove his ability to overpower opponents, something that he wasn’t this confident doing at the beginning of his career, but now make him someone defenses have to be extremely worried about. 

Becoming a human highlight reel with poster dunks like this is one thing, but Scottie has also consistently been developing a midrange over the last couple seasons. Two years ago 7% of his scoring came from the midrange, this past season that figure is now 12%. Now, when defences collapse on him in an effort to block paths to the basket, he has another option. 

His long range shooting is still a work in progress. The percentage of his points that come from beyond the three-point line is steadily decreasing from 25% two years ago to a mere 14%. In some ways, that’s not a bad thing as he’s taking more of the shots that he is more efficient at, but does hurt in the way of spacing. 

His next stage as a scorer will hopefully be to continue to improve that shot. This past season was his career best at 30.4%, but if he could eventually improve that number closer to 33 or 35 that would be far more impactful, especially in minutes shared with Poeltl who has no long range either.

Having the gravity he does on the floor also opens up his teammates. Scottie has proven time and again to have a high basketball IQ and find the open man when he has drawn a second defender. This fits perfectly into the brand of basketball that Toronto has been playing the last two seasons under Darko. 

Scottie the Facilitator

Last season, Scottie had a 2.26 assist to turnover ratio on almost 6 assists per game. Solid numbers for someone who isn’t even playing the point, but showing his skill and smart decision making as a facilitator nonetheless.

Some of them are plays almost no one would be able to see, like Ja’Kobe Walter sprinting the floor for a wide-open dunk:

He can do it through traffic and without looking:

And even behind his back:

With the face-paced ball-movement oriented system that is developing in Toronto, Scottie is the perfect prototype of what the Raptors need. Unselfish, smart basketball. If he can score, he does. If there’s a better shot available, he’ll pass. He makes things easier for everyone who shares the floor with him.

All of that before even mentioning his impact on the other end of the floor. 

Scottie the defender

Last season, a lot of people (including me) felt like he was being snubbed from DPOY conversations. Not to say that Wemby didn’t deserve it, but to be left out of discussion entirely felt a little bit insulting. Then to be delegated to the Defensive Second Team was adding insult to injury.

He ranks 15th in the League for defensive win shares, but is one of only five on that list that played more than 60 games. He ranked ninth in the league for total steals, sixth for total blocks, and helped Toronto become the fifth-best defence in the League.

He leads the team in defensive rebounding, steals, and blocks per game. It’s unsurprising that you can find mixtapes just of his defense all over the internet proving his prowess at that end of the floor. 

His timing, fearlessness, and effort make him able to guard virtually anyone. Including guys taller and longer than him:

Even if they beat him initially, his ability to recover for a block has also repeatedly been on display:

This was enough of a case for First-Team last year, but hopefully if he’s able to put together another year like this he will finally get that nod. 

Despite additions and changes to the roster, Toronto will undeniably have to rely on Scottie to continue to do what he is capable of. His role as a defender, facilitator, and scorer means that he is a critical piece of this roster as they seek their second title. If he is “the guy” or if he is the “Pascal” to Kawhi, either way Toronto won’t have another title this year without him.

Flawed analogy: An NBA team is like a video game build.

Each team has attributes, and each team has to choose which attributes to prioritize. Although that’s where the flaws in the analogy begin. In most video games, the limitations on attribute distribution are stricter. It’s typically smart to punt on strength entirely if your build is charisma-focused. The NBA is less capped: Ideally, you’d max out in everything.

Yet, there’s still something of a cap. There are only so many good players. It can be sensible to triple down. That’s what the Houston Rockets have mostly done. They’ve sunk most of their attribute points into defense and rebounding:

Bogdan Bogdanovic is the exception.

Bogdanovic brings much-needed skills to Rockets

Historically, Bogdanovic has been a knockdown shooter who can also handle the ball and make plays for teammates. He’s not a great defender. We’ll get into that, but first, let’s address the elephant in the room:

Bogdanovic may not be good anymore.

We all know it. Last year, Bogdanovic appeared in just 23 games. He averaged 7.4 points with a 52.5 True Shooting % (TS%), and per DataBallr, the Clippers were -5.1 when he was on the floor.

If we’re being charitable, Bogdanovic was playing hurt. He got injured in EuroLeague over the summer. If we’re being less charitable, some injuries don’t really heal, and at 34, it’s possible that Bogdanovic’s goose is irrevocably cooked.

With that ugliness out of the way…

In 2024-25, the Bogey Man had a strange season. He struggled for 24 games with the Hawks, got traded to the Clippers, and started lighting it up, averaging 11.4 points per game while hitting 42.7% of his 4.8 threes per game in 30 games with the Los Angeles Aspiration*.

*Shout out to Pablo Torres.

Is it so inconceivable that we’re getting that Bogdanovic? Thirty-four is old, but it’s not old old. It’s possible that Bogdanovic is healthy again and ready to give the Rockets an injection of floor spacing and secondary ball-handling.

If Ime Udoka is even willing to play him.

Bogdanovic may not fit Rockets’ vision

Even at his best, Bogdanovic has never been much for defense.

The Rockets also signed Marcus Smart this summer. He’s not as dynamic as (the best version of) Bogdanovic offensively, but the gap is wider on defense, and Ime Udoka being who he is…

Time will tell how often Bogdanovic even sees the floor.

If anything, the Bogdanovic signing signals that Rafael Stone has (at least some) understanding of what this team needs. That’s a positive. Otherwise, Bogdanovic may need to wait for an opportunity, and all we can do is hope that he’s ready for it:

You don’t get infinite lives in the National Basketball Association.

The Knicks finally broke a 53-year drought that haunted generations of their city with one of the most dominant runs in recent playoff history this past June. At the center of that cathartic, magical few months was Karl-Anthony Towns. 

When Leon Rose swung the blockbuster trade to bring KAT in, skeptics questioned whether he could withstand the crucible of the New York expectations and the defensive requirements of a championship run. The 2025-26 season proved them wrong, as Towns put on a two-way show for 16 wins, making history. 

Yet in the modern NBA, celebrations immediately yield to balance sheets, as the Knicks experienced first hand this summer when they lost Mitchell Robinson to their rival Celtics. They now face three open extensions in Miles McBride, Josh Hart, and Towns, with Jalen Brunson’s overdue raise and the second apron restrictions looming.

ESPN reported a stall in Town’s extension talks, perhaps signaling a gap in valuation, but this isn’t the time for the front office to be pinching pennies -- there’s no championship without Towns, and there’s no contending in the years to come without him either. 

The meltdown in the 2025 East Conference Finals made fans forget, but Towns has been championship caliber since his arrival. He was an All-Star and All-NBA Third Team member in his first year with the Knicks, averaging 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds while shooting 57 percent from two and 42 percent from three, despite a late arrival to training camp.

That playoffs, he put up 21-and-12, bailing the Knicks out with clutch shooting in the first round against the Pistons, and displaying defensive versatility against the Celtics in round two.  After New York replaced head coach Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown, it took Towns some time to adjust to a new offensive scheme.

He still finished the 2026 regular season with an efficient 20 points and 12 rebounds a game, but his year really took off after the Knicks fell down 2-1 to the Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. In Game 4, Brown finally found the right formula for Towns as an offensive hub, which contributed mightily to their ensuing 14-1 march to the chip.  

Not only was Towns one of the best shooting bigs in the league, he became a primary facilitator and reliable defender, finishing the playoffs with 15.9 points, 10.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, shooting 59.2 percent from two and 45.6 percent from three. He outperformed Joel Embiid, Jarrett Allen, and Victor Wembanyama on this path, cementing his place among the best centers in the game.

This run has quickly dispelled the tropes that have surrounded Towns for years. In fact, pundits from ESPN’s NBA Rank and HoopsHype.com, among others, now categorically rank him as the third-best center in the league behind Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic. 

That level of player, already in full sync with your lead star and your surrounding weapons, is not easily replaceable. Towns and Brunson formed a formidable cohesion, in large part thanks to KAT’s ability to space, pass, drive, finish and adapt to what the coaching staff asked of him.

Look around the league for somebody else that can fit that bill and you’ll be disappointed. Elite centers don’t grow on trees and teams are paying out hand over first for eligible fives.

New York lost Robinson because of his price tag, the Lakers committed multiple picks and major salary to Walker Kessler who played five games last season and Isaiah Hartenstein re-upped for another near-$30 million annual deal. That the Knicks would risk losing this rare blend of talent and chemistry, the one that brought them the championship that eluded them for decades, over a financial reality they can avoid is confounding. 

There are other means of avoiding the second apron if push came to shove. Once Brunson gets his max extension, if Towns is re-signed at $55 million annually, they’ll still have over 30 percent of the cap to fill out the roster and other large salaries to move that aren’t as central to the team as Towns. 

Championship windows have not been common for the Knicks, so prematurely closing one that finally appears would be sending fans back to the dark ages after they enjoyed the briefest glimmer of sunshine. Finding that alignment of talent, timing and health is so rare, your only choice is to maximize how many years you can hold that together. 

Towns came to New York, answered every critique, adapted his game, locked in defensively, and helped deliver a Larry O'Brien trophy to Madison Square Garden. Leaving him open to a potential departure instead of giving him years to fight for more would cost the franchise more in opportunity than they’d ever earn in apron savings. 

The Celtics and their fans have to be pleased with the way last season went. It was supposed to be a reset year in the absence of Jayson Tatum, but instead turned into a surprise playoff run as the two-seed. They lost in seven games to Philadelphia, but the confirmation that they had a rock-solid group around their superstar was enough to feel good about an otherwise lost year. 

Trade rumors started circulating as soon as the Celtics walked off the floor after game seven. These eventually led to the biggest trade of the last few seasons, sending Jaylen Brown, the Finals MVP just three seasons ago, to the 76ers for Paul George. It was cited as a financially driven move, but with Jayson Tatum in his prime, there is still pressure to compete for championships every season. With a revamped roster, Boston is seeking their sixth straight 50-win season, and they’re looking to do it without the guy who carried them to 56 wins last year. 

Boston Celtics: Over/Under 50.5 wins (-115/-110)

Last Season: 56-26, lost E. Conf first round

Key Additions: Paul George, Mike Conley, Mitchell Robinson

Key Losses: Jaylen Brown, Anfernee Simons

Championship Odds: +1500

If you ask 100 NBA fans who won the swap of Jaylen Brown and Paul George, 90 or more are going to tell you the 76ers. Sometimes, when the crowd is so resolved in an opinion like that, the opposite is true. That is how I feel about Boston’s outlook this year. Getting rid of Brown certainly has some addition by subtraction, allowing Jayson Tatum to once again be the alpha lead for this squad. But people are writing George off as some old bag of bones that is going to play five games a month. George averaged over 17 points a game over 37 minutes while shooting almost 50 percent from the floor against this very Celtics team in the playoffs five months ago. He is still a good player, and arguably a better fit with what the Celtics want to do.

The most important thing for Boston is that Jayson Tatum is going to be fully healthy again. He is one of the best players in the league, and they still have a core around him similar to the one that won the NBA Finals in 2024. With Joe Mazzulla at the helm and plenty of talent to go around, this team can be penciled in for 51 wins at the very least every year.

Prediction: Over 50.5 wins (-115)

Last year, former Duke star Kon Knueppel missed a game and remarked that it was the first time he had ever missed a game. The guy is nothing if not durable.

Unfortunately, he’s going to miss a few games now, as the second-year Charlotte Hornets star has suffered a hamstring injury. It may keep him out for all of the preseason, and possibly some of the regular season as well.

It’s a tough break for Knueppel, obviously, but it’s not the worst timing for the Hornets. They’ll get a chance to look more closely at Christian Anderson (get ready for a lot of puns about his hands – Hands Christian Anderson, get it?), and how players like Grayson Allen, Liam McNeely, and the newly acquired Buddy Hield could fit in.

When Knueppel gets back, the Hornets could be better for the experience.

• Hornets star Knueppel sustains injury before training camp. Here’s the prognosis
• Hornets G Kon Knueppel (hamstring) could miss start of season
• Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams to miss entire Hornets preseason due to injuries
• Hornets star Kon Knueppel sidelined with hamstring injury
• Hornets Hit With Double Injury Blow as Two Key Starters Ruled Out Ahead of Season Start
• Hornets’ Knueppel to miss entire preseason
• Ex-Warriors guard Buddy Hield gets sudden Hornets boost after Kon Knueppel injury
• Hornets’ Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams sidelined by hamstring injuries
• Hornets news: Kon Knueppel to miss start of 2026-27 season with hamstring injury
• Hornets announce key injuries to Kon Knueppel, Grant Williams ahead of preseason

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Welcome to Inside the Suns, a deep down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team in which the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: This Monday is Media Day. What are the top 3 questions you would ask IF you were guaranteed to get 100% honest answers to them?

zenzino: Oooh! 100% honesty? Who shot JR? Where’s the beef? The mind boggles. (Yeah, I’m an 80s kid)

This is actually pretty tough. 100% honesty doesn’t help if they honestly don’t know the answer. You can’t ask about how players will work out. Most things they’ll just try and see.

Here’s my try at it:

1. Jordan Ott: What are the key things you learned from your first season as a head coach, and what are you changing this season based on that?
2. Mark Williams: Why do you keep breaking? Jordan Ott: Do you think Maluach and Fleming are ready to make significant contributions this season? If not, what do they need to show you, and what is the projected timeline?
3. Devin Booker: You’ve been dedicated to the Valley your whole career, and Mat Ishbia says he is ride or die with you. Is there any reasonable situation where you would consider asking to be traded?

Ashton: To start, I hope it is live-streamed on YouTube, as the comment section can be hilarious and stupid at the same time. Also, I hope that BSotS is well represented in this one and can get a question in or two. But Monday is going to be softball week for questions with long Mat Ishbia dialogues. I like the fact that this question asks for 100% honest answers and that could make me as ruthless as a reporter with a hypodermic syringe full of CIA-grade truth serum under the bright media lights. Ah, who am kidding? I would just need a bucket of water and a towel.

But I would not do that (I think), but I am sure the commentators might. Let’s get the softballs out of the way.

Coach Ott: Do you see a scenario where your starting line-up includes Collin Gillespie?

Coach Ott (again): Now that we know that Mark Williams will miss most of the season, what is the strategy for the front court? Will there be smaller lineups?

Devin Booker: The modern NBA has shifted to more of a three-point shooting offense. Where do you see yourself in this offense? As a 3pt shooter or a ball-moving facilitator?

The entire room: I actually want this one answered with a pre-and-post truth serum injection. You get the softball answer, and then after the truth serum, you give your real answer. Let’s include media in this as well.

How many games do you honestly expect the Suns to win this season?

BSoT writers, I hoped it helped, but you should just pull a Dave King-like article asking the board for questions.

Rod: First off, I’d like to state that I wouldn’t waste one of these questions on Mat Ishbia. A lot of the things he says sound like pure hype, but I’m not at all certain that he doesn’t actually believe them himself and, as with anyone, what people actually believe is true isn’t always factual. I believe Jordan Ott’s views of this team would be the most realistic.

1. To Ott: What do you see as the most realistic goal for the Suns this season?
2. Also to Ott: Do you think a Jalen Green/Devin Booker backcourt has a real chance of actually working out well?
3. To Book: How does this team compare to the 2020-21 Suns team that went to the NBA Finals?

Q2: Preseason games start in just over a week. What are you most looking forward to seeing in the first game?

zenzino: SUNS BASKETBALL!! Next question.

Between NBA and NFL, I think preseason is getting increasingly pointless, with starters often being mostly or even completely held out. I would like the new-look starting lineup to get some minutes together in preseason rather than start to work it out as the season begins.

What I hope I see is the Suns play at least the first half of each preseason game as it matters. I’d like to see an old-school preseason so the Suns can hit the ground running when the regular season starts. I don’t think they (or any team in the West) can afford a slow start while they figure things out.

That being said, I’m looking forward to seeing the young guys getting minutes with full NBA players to see if they can continue what we saw in Summer League.

Oh, and no injuries!

I’m looking forward to seeing the new-look starting lineup and how they mesh together. And Oso making some free throws.

It would be interesting to see if he can take that year-two leap into being a starting center.

Ashton: After Mark Williams’ injury, my attention completely pivoted to the C position. I normally would have inserted Miles Bridges into the starters here (my Fantable peers will cover me), but now I am looking at the Big Men in Oso and KM. I would not mind a two-fer as an answer to this question with split minutes between them both, but I will take Khaman Mulauch as the one to watch.

It would be interesting to see if he can take that year-two leap into being a starting center.

Rod: I want to see how well Book. Green, Brooks, and Bridges mesh in the starting unit. Obviously, we still have no idea whether Oso or Khaman will be the 5th starter yet, and whichever one does start will have an impact on how well the starting unit plays together, but due to injuries, we never really got a good look at how well a Booker/Green backcourt would work together, and the addition of Bridges adds yet another new wrinkle.

And while the starting unit is weak in three-point shooting, I wouldn’t call it “bad”…but it is something to be concerned about. Seeing how they play as such will be something I’ll keep an eye on. They’ve got some guys who can get hot from three in the starting unit, but will they rely on the uncertainty of that happening and fire away from three or concentrate on getting to the basket more?

Q3: To keep Doup Reath on the regular season roster, the Suns would have to waive Bouyea or Highsmith OR one of the two-way contract players (Brea, Huntley & Spencer). If they decide to keep Reath, who would you waive to create a roster spot for him?

zenzino: This would be super easy to name a knee-jerk person.

It seems like most people think Bouyea would be the obvious choice. But I say, “Not so fast!” Bouyea got his chance on a roster loaded with guards because of injuries. The Suns are still loaded with guards, but not as much as it appears. We lost GA and gained Kennard. While the 3-point bump was improved, the rest of what GA brought will be mostly missing. I don’t see Kennard bringing the versatility GA brought.

Granted, Kennard filled in admirably for the Lakers in the playoffs, but that is a small sample size against a team missing their best facilitator and best scorer. And, as soon as they put Thompson on him, he was shut down.

While many are high on Spencer (I also think it was a good signing), I still think Bouyea is a proven asset within this system and with these players. Especially if we get the pre-concussion version.

Unless health is an issue, I am not swapping Highsmith for Reath. Nope. A healthy Highsmith is the 3-and-D this team needs off the bench.

That leaves the two-way spots. I’m sure we’ll see some Spencer in pre-season. I’m not sure about Brea and Huntley. Brea was so good shooting in college; I would love to see him find the range in the NBA. Especially since the Suns offloaded almost half of their 3-point shot-making and replaced them with one shooter who barely shoots 4 a game. I suspect there will be more than a few games this season where the Suns die by the 3.

Because of Huntly’s injury, we didn’t get to see him in SL. I have no idea where he’s at with his development or how much runway he’s going to get.

To sum up: No for Bouyea and Highsmith. If Reath does really well in camp (and preseason?), I’d like to see him on a 2-way. I’ll let the coaches decide whose spot he gets.

Ashton: I am really not sold on any of the names given and wouldn’t lose sleep if any of them were waived. I would say keep Highsmith for size, and Bouyea is just a fan favorite all around. I have not seen enough of Spencer to have any type of judgment, and maybe I should have made him the focus of Q2 as the Suns will need 3pt shooting, badly.

When it is all said and done, I guess Huntley is the odd-man out, as I hold out hope the Brea’s long-range shooting percentages increase.

Rod: Since Mark Williams will likely return about the time a two-way player’s eligibility would run out, I’d prefer that the Suns waive one of the two-way players and sign Reath to a two-way contract. If it was done that way, I’d waive Brea to open up a spot for him. Out of all the possibilities, Brea has just impressed me the least and would likely not be missed…even by the Valley Suns. It’s also possible that they could bring Brea back on a G League contract to play for the Valley Suns as they did with Huntley last season.

If they want to get him on a standard NBA contract, the decision becomes a little harder. I think Highsmith might be the more valuable player overall, but I’d hate to lose the PG depth by waiving Bouyea…but then the Suns also have Spencer on a two-way contract, so the need to hang on to Bouyea might not be as great as some might think. All things considered, I suppose I’d go with waiving Bouyea, unless Highsmith’s still not back to 100%.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

Suns Trivia/History

On September 27, 1972, Al McCoy called his first game for the Phoenix Suns, a 128-102 preseason win at the ABA’s Utah Stars to move to 3-0 following 2 wins vs NBA teams in Puerto Rico. The game was played under ABA rules, which included the three-point line __ years before the NBA adopted it. Utah was 0-10 from 3 with the Suns not even attempting a shot from downtown.

On September 27, 1983, the Suns signed Paul Westphal as a free agent to a 2-year contract. Three years earlier, Westphal had been traded by Phoenix to Seattle for Dennis Johnson. He would play only one more season with the Suns before being waived and subsequently retiring.

On September 28, 1993, Phoenix signed 30-year-old power forward A.C. Green as an unrestricted free agent. Green, who played his first 8 seasons for the Lakers, played 3.5 seasons for the Suns and averaged 10.6 ppg and 7.7 rpg while starting 162 of 273 games played.

On October 1, 1991, the Suns traded Xavier McDaniel to the New York Knicks for Jerrod Mustaf, Trent Tucker, a 1992 2nd-round draft pick, and a 1994 2nd-round draft pick. McDaniel had been acquired by Phoenix the previous season from the Seattle SuperSonics for Eddie Johnson, a 1991 1st round draft pick, and a 1994 1st round draft pick.

On October 1, 1997, as part of a 3-team trade, the Phoenix Suns traded a 1998 1st round draft pick, a 1999 1st round draft pick, a 2000 2nd round draft pick, a 2001 1st round draft pick and a 2002 2nd round draft pick to the Denver Nuggets and then sent Tony Dumas and Wesley Person to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers sent back a 2005 1st-round draft pick, and the Nuggets sent Antonio McDyess to Phoenix.

Important Future Dates

Sept. 28 – Media Day
Sept. 29 – Training Camp opens
Oct. 5 – Suns @ Pistons (preseason) 4:00 PM
Oct. 7 – Suns @ Bulls (preseason) 5:00 PM
Oct. 10 – Suns vs. Spurs (preseason) 7:00 PM (ESPN2)
Oct. 14 – Suns @ Spurs (preseason) 5:00 PM
Oct. 16 – Suns vs. Jazz (preseason) 7:00 PM
Oct. 20 – 2026-27 NBA Season Begins
Oct. 24 – NBA G League Draft
Oct. 26-Nov. 5 – NBA G League Training Camp
Nov. 6 – NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament begins
Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded
Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed
Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season
Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded
Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline
Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027

The NBA is a league defined by legacy. Who has a ring, and who doesn’t. Who beat who in what finals, and what makes them the real G-O-A-T. Fans don’t just care who the best player was at any given time, but rather, what they represented, what they meant to a city, and whether or not they stuck around for the long haul. If a player is lucky, the team invites them back when they’re old and grey to sit courtside and pose for photos, as younger men play in the colours they wore in decades past. If they’re luckier, when they go back to the stadium they sweat and bled in throughout their twenties and thirties, they’ll be able to look up and see a banner with their jersey number on it, maybe even the year they hoisted the Larry O’Brien for their team.

And if they’re the luckiest, then maybe, just maybe, their likeness will be immortalized in stone and granite in front of the arena, a monument to their greatness like they’re some kind of god of basketball. Or, if they’re really unlucky, they hire a sculptor who screws up their face, and people squint in the Miami sunlight trying to see if that really is them. Sorry D Wade.

Toronto has never really had a player get to a point where that was a concern. Vince Carter was a young love who left the franchise too early for it to count. His jersey number hangs in the rafters of Scotiabank Arena, but there’s a threshold of meaning to the organization that he never quite crossed. DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry never got it done together, and while in time, they will both go on to receive those same honours, the Compton-Philly tandem did not immortalize themselves in the annals of basketball history. And then, there was Kawhi Leonard… Kawhi, who had the greatest single season with the greatest single team in franchise history, who brought the franchise its first championship before leaving for sunny California, and home. A few months ago, Kawhi Leonard’s legacy in Toronto would have been a confusing mess for the next generations of fans to parse out, before ultimately deciding that he was simply the one who got away, a “what if” who was no good dwelling on.

Obviously, things are different now.

Shams Charania has indicated that Kawhi Leonard believes he has reached the final destination of his NBA career. In other words? The Klaw will retire a Toronto Raptor.

“Mercenary” was a term thrown around to describe Leonard, selling his talents to the highest bidder (and in the case of the Aspiration accusations, perhaps taking the latter sentiment a little too literally). But, by coming home to Toronto, Kawhi is not merely ring chasing with an established core, but attempting to establish an undisputed legacy of service to a singular team. Toronto is a place of family ties for Leonard: his son was born here, and he has a Scarborough basketball court dedicated to him. And, the cheers of fans proved that the people of Toronto wants Kawhi in town just as much, if not more, than he does. Leonard, who left both San Antonio and Los Angeles under messy circumstances, might get to write an ending to his story where things don’t go up in flames. And Toronto might finally have a superstar that they didn’t draft or trade for, but rather, who chose them.

The story between Kawhi Leonard and the Toronto Raptors can be best understood as a burning romance a-la The Notebook. There are moments of passion, and long periods of distance, and people hurt, and are hurt in turn. But ultimately, the storybook ending for Leonard’s career could only really happen in Toronto, where he won his most important championship. And the Raptors, while they certainly could have ascended to the heights of the National Basketball Association without him, are both advantaged by Leonard’s return, and might very well have some psychological scars from 2019 finally healed. Leonard gets a real legacy rooted in a single place, and Toronto (maybe) gets a championship, but certainly gets the gratification of knowing they were chosen by the player who seemed like he never would.

Found this post on Instagram. Hope you enjoy it:

Stephon Castle was asked in an NBA2K interview about which teammate he’d rate a “99” for various skills and personality traits. When asked who the best scorer on the team is, Castle immediately named Julian Champagnie agreeing that he should have made the NBA’s list of best three-point shooters.

He stated the biggest on court trash-talker was Dylan Harper adding that “he gets into a lot of altercations.” As for off-court trash-talking, Castle pointed to Kelly Olynyk.

The 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year also praised Carter Bryant for his music diversity as well as for his sense of humor naming him the class clown on the Spurs roster.

The Silver & Black Scrimmage is just eight days away. The Gregg Popovich Coach the Coaches Clinic taking place earlier that days still has some available spaces for those who want to study with Spurs staff member. Registration is available HERE.

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