Category: Basketball

Chris Bosh revealed just how frightening a recent medical emergency was.

In an interview with Hoops Hype, Bosh shared that he suffered another pulmonary embolism in January and explained that he nearly died as a result.

“I almost dropped dead pretty much and came back to life. I’m not joking,” Bosh, 42, said.

The former Heat star mentioned that he passed out in his bathroom after feeling a numbing sensation shoot down his leg. Upon waking up, he was in a pool of his own blood. His wife had called 911 and Bosh was hospitalized for a week to recover.

Bosh battled blood clots during his 13-year career, which ultimately forced him to officially retire in 2019. He won two NBA championships alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in Miami.

“After coming back from the darkness, there was no euphoric clarity. No life montage flashing before my eyes. No voice in my ear telling me it’ll be ok and what to do next,” Bosh said. “Just the gratitude for still being alive, and a newfound, sobering awareness of how everything actually is. What did change was an immediate outlook on life that was simpler and more honest.”

Bosh said the scare was a tough reminder of the need to take his medicine and care for his body, despite not having any symptoms before the incident.

Bosh previously discussed the scare in February.

“It was crazy. It was fast. It was instant. There was no warning,” he said in a video posted to his social media. “I was getting ready to go on a date with my wife and the next thing you know I was on the ground.”

The incident changed Bosh’s view on life.

“No matter what it is, make sure you don’t wait. That’s the thing that I get from this. Don’t wait to take action because it could come fast,” Bosh said. “And now I’m thinking about how I live my day-to-day life. That’s really it. But don’t wait.”

For this installment of the Staff Roundtable, I asked the crew “Who makes the biggest developmental leap next season?” Below are the answers:

Ian Inangelo

I feel like Hugo Gonzalez will make the biggest developmental leap going into next season. After a rookie year where he was able to show a lot of potential more specifically on the defense end, I feel like we will see more from him on the offensive side of the ball. Boston really believes him and he showed some real offensive flashes when he played for Spain in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers. If he can become a consistent average three point shooter from the corners on top of his already great defense and hustle, he will get a lot of playing time and continue to develop into a star in his role for Boston.

Trevor Hass

I think Ron Harper Jr. has a chance to emerge as a very solid backup point guard. The genes are there, and watching his brother emerge as a star has surely added more fuel to the fire. He’s explosive, makes sound decisions and can really shoot it. Give him the rock and see what happens.

Jake Issenberg

The battle for minutes among the development pieces on the Celtics roster will be a bloodbath. Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr, Jordan, Walsh, and Baylor Scheierman all have a claim to more playing time after impressing in their minutes last season. For that reason I am choosing Neemias Queta. Despite finishing fourth in the Most Improved player race I expect Queta to continue to make significant strides in his second season in a featured role. We can start with eliminating the head scratching fouls he picked up in the first round of the playoffs. What we saw from Queta in Game 7 against the 76ers is what I want to see every night.

Nate Moskowitz

I think it’s hard to go wrong answering this question. Hugo feels like a clear option, especially with some of the on-ball reps we saw from him in summer league. If the minutes are there, Harper Jr. taking the biggest leap could definitely be on the table in terms of the limited sample we’ve seen of him in comparison to the type of player I think he can become. My darkhorse pick might actually be Chris Cenac Jr. though. His flashes are very encouraging, and the Celtics are extremely intentional about how they use and develop bigs. I can picture him making major strides throughout the year if he can find his way onto the floor as a rookie like Hugo did.

Grant Burfeind

I know Hugo is going to be the popular answer, but give me Baylor Scheierman.

Last year was really his first season getting consistent NBA minutes, and I think having a full offseason knowing exactly what’s expected of him could make a big difference. I’d love to see him play with a little more freedom and confidence to do Baylor things instead of playing not to make a mistake. Hugo probably has the higher long-term ceiling, but if we’re talking about this season, I think Baylor has a better chance to surprise people.

Robby Fletcher

Hugo Gonzalez has been under the spotlight this offseason after his name was attached to speculation regarding the Giannis trade. It’s gotten the causal fan worked up over what makes Hugo so special to not be a blockbuster throw-in.

Those fans will learn this year why Gonzalez  wasn’t someone the Celtics have been so willing to move. Hugo showed impactful defensive instincts and game-shifting hustle in his rookie season, quickly establishing himself as a player that needed to see the floor before we even finished with the preseason. More opportunities await Hugo, who will look to show improved shooting/driving confidence in a more consistent bench role.

And to think he’s only 20 years old.

Jeff Clark

Ok, hear me out. How about Jordan Walsh? He’s already one of the best defenders on the team. He came into the league at age 19 and is entering his 4th season. The Celtics believed in his progress enough to give him an extension. He shot 38.4% from 3 last year. He only played 17.8 minutes a game last year and he’ll be fighting for minutes with a lot of wings again. But what if he just adds the ability to attack the paint off a close out? What if he starts setting monster screens and cuts backdoor and finishes with more comfort around the rim? What if the game just slows down a little bit more for him this year? He’s going to out-hustle anyone he faces up with on a night to night basis. All he needs is a little more offensive comfort level and he could be the leap guy.

Mike Dynon

Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman seem like the most ready guys, and Ron Harper Jr. was impressive when called upon. But if we could put a twist into the question, Sam Hauser and Derrick White need to develop their shots back to what we know they can be. Sam was below 40% on threes for the first time in his career, and Derrick was below 40% for field goal shooting overall, by far his worst season. Celtics can’t afford that again.

Rich Jensen

I’m a sophomore leap guy, so I’m going with Hugo Gonzalez. I think there’s a ‘there’ there with Hugo that might catch a lot of people off guard next season. He’s fearless and dedicated to the game. That’s a potent combination.

Ryan Paice

I’d bet on Baylor Scheierman taking the biggest leap, even over Hugo. I think Baylor’s ability to improvise and make plays for himself and others is going to be crucial for the C’s in lieu of Jaylen Brown. As I’ve said before about Boston’s lack of a strong tertiary playmaker, I think there are going to be several possessions where our first options get shut down and our role players will be asked to finish them. Outside of the Celtics’ top four players (Tatum, White, Pritchard, George), I don’t know if I trust anyone more than Baylor to answer that call. And I think we’ll see him blossom into a starting caliber player because of that. He’s shown a lot of flashes on the court, but he’s yet to eclipse 20 minutes per game, so his opportunities to shine have been limited. Give Baylor 25+ per game and I think we’ll see some magic.

Your Turn – How would you answer this question?

Will Richard finds voice as leader during Warriors' NBA Summer League title run originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LAS VEGAS – Will Richard’s goal going into his second NBA Summer League was to build off what he was best at as a rookie for the Warriors: Cutting, hitting open shots and guarding at a high level. 

Sitting at the Chase Center podium for Warriors Summer League Media Day at the end of June, Richard then listed another area of his game he was focused on. 

“I want to improve my communication,” Richard said. “I feel like this is an opportunity to step up and use my voice and be a leader in that area.”

Summer league rosters mostly are filled with rookie draft picks, two-way contracts and those trying to impress ahead of training camp with a G League opportunity. Richard was one of the summer’s rare players who came with experience. Colby Jones technically has one more NBA game to his name than him – 70 to 69 – but all of Richard’s experience comes from the Warriors’ system. 

He is who the Warriors leaned on this summer, from their first practice to celebrating a championship in Las Vegas. Richard, 23, is who brought the Warriors together before they broke the huddle every game. He encouraged teammates during games and was first to get off the bench for a timeout. 

The Warriors mic’d up Richard for their first game in Las Vegas, and how he leads was seen and heard in a game where the young Warriors wing had six points on 3-of-5 shooting with four rebounds, a team-high seven assists and a team-high two steals as a game-high plus-26 in an 11-point win against the Dallas Mavericks. 

Just us on three! Richard says to lead the Warriors onto the court. 

Be aggressive! Come on! Richard encourages LaJae Jones on his way to a three-point play. 

Knock-down, boy! Richard says after finding an open Yaxel Lendeborg right before making a three. 

LJ! Way to hoop, boy! Richard immediately says after the Warriors win, dapping up LJ Cryer, who scored a team-high 25 points. 

Yeah Yax! Richard yells into an ESPN microphone, messing with Lendeborg after his first summer league game in Las Vegas. 

Sounds of a Summer League W with Will Richard 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/rtLPRkU8zj

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) July 10, 2026

Richard’s three summer league goals were executed in the Warriors’ first game of their championship run in Las Vegas. So was the fourth. He cut, he hit open shots and he defended at a high level while leading the way outside of the box score. 

“He’s definitely taken on a pretty big vocal leadership role, and we’ve encouraged him,” Warriors summer league coach Khalid Robinson said after practice on June 13. “We’ve encouraged him in practice, in games, in the locker room and he has taken on that challenge. He’s been a really good leader and a good teammate in this environment.” 

There’s a great clip from Warriors training camp last year that exemplifies why Richard made an impact as a rookie, and why the team has high expectations for his 2026-27 NBA season. Richard sets a screen on Gary Payton II for Draymond Green in practice and immediately slips for an easy bucket. After praising Richard for his cut, Kerr turns to Jimmy Butler on the sidelines and whispers “That kid is pretty good!”

Kerr and Butler come to the same conclusion: He knows how to play.

Only three players were picked below Richard in the 2025 NBA Draft, yet he ranked 11th in win shares by the rookie class. Richard was fifth in steals per game among all rookies (1.2) as he easily cemented himself as one of the steals in the draft. 

The Warriors liked Richard enough to move up in the draft for him, and even they admittedly were surprised by his early contributions. Richard wound up ranked third on Golden State in games played (69) and started 21 of them, averaging 20 minutes a night after being one of the last picks in the draft. 

This summer, Richard played in seven of a possible nine games and averaged 10.3 points on 48.1-percent shooting (26 of 54) and 48.3 percent (14 of 29) from 3-point range. Adding strength in the weight room was another primary focus since the season ended, which was evident as part of Richard’s team-high 13 steals.

Richard came full circle after winning the championship in Las Vegas when he emphasized his growth in leadership. 

“This was a great opportunity for me to find my voice on the team,” Richard told reporters. “That’s not just talking and all that but leading by example. Making sure I’m coming here doing the right things and being a voice where the coaches can connect to the players.” 

Instead of going outside of himself throughout summer league, Richard expanded on his role and jumped into bigger shoes after a year of learning from all-time greats. His services will be needed even more in Year 2, and the Warriors should be able to rely on him even more with confidence in his game and his communication.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

9 thoughts on Sixers' offseason as LeBron James news sinks in originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LeBron James is a Sixer and the team’s 2026-27 schedule should be here soon.

With the fireworks finally in the rearview mirror, here are nine thoughts on the Sixers’ offseason: 

1. The Sixers haven’t earned 50 regular-season victories since Doc Rivers’ tenure as head coach. The 2026-27 team looks capable of hitting 50. The Sixers should care about racking up wins, too. Every day of playoff rest will matter for a team featuring James and Joel Embiid. James will be 42 years old by the time the postseason rolls around, Embiid 33 and with an injury-cursed past. No deep playoff run is effortless, but the Sixers will aim for the smoothest possible road. 

2. The Sixers should pose major physical problems to just about every opponent. Embiid, Jaylen Brown and James are all well-versed at targeting defenders who can’t cope with their size and strength. Tyrese Maxey’s speed is a world-class tool. Offensive rhythm and balance sounds nice, but the Sixers’ smartest option will sometimes be as simple as tossing the ball to whoever has the best chance of beating his man 1-on-1. James should enhance their ability to identity those mismatches and exploit them over and over again. 

3. With James on board, it’s so much easier to envision Maxey benefiting from greater offensive variety. Even if he remains the Sixers’ primary ball handler and continues to see heaps of pick-and-roll blitzes, there’s no question Maxey should have a lighter on-ball load. Cleaning the Glass classified Maxey as playing 100 percent of his minutes at point guard each of the last three seasons.

“This series was definitely tough for me,” Maxey said at his May exit interview after the Sixers were swept out of the playoffs by the Knicks. “They made it tough on me. I can’t even sit here and lie. I saw multiple bodies every single night. Every single pick-and-roll, it was a trap. Every single (Jalen) Brunson action, it was a trap. Every single time I got downhill, the entire team was in the paint and I was trying to kick out. … Next year I want to do some things off the ball and just not have to be in front of the defense all the time. 

“When you’re in front of the defense all the time, it gives them opportunities to trap me a lot. It gives the entire team opportunities to kind of load up. I feel like that’s one thing that really good players and great players can do. They can be on the ball and make plays on the ball, but they can also be off the ball and contribute that way, use their gravity that way.” 

4. In a strange way, Embiid and Maxey are uniquely equipped to adjust to all the day-to-day buzz that comes with James. They’ve each endured true sagas as Sixers — Markelle Fultz’s damaged shot; Ben Simmons and James Harden’s traderequests; health woes ranging from Bell’s palsy to appendicitis. James will bring a different sort of spotlight. However, strictly in terms of riding the season’s rollercoaster and handling intense moments, Embiid and Maxey should be relatively unfazed. 

5. Mike Gansey’s outlandishly productive first summer as the Sixers’ president of basketball operations is hard to fully fathom. Jameer Nelson has also made a substantial impact this offseason. 

The Sixers promoted Nelson to executive vice president of basketball operations in June. Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul named him as an “X-factor” when discussing the Sixers as a potential landing spot for James on the “Game Over” podcast. And when new Sixers guard Anfernee Simons explained why he’d chosen Philadelphia, he mentioned that the team’s recruitment included Nelson calling … his parents. 

“I think it’s showing his level of seriousness in trying to get me to come to Philly,” Simons said in a July press conference on Zoom. “That’s one thing other teams didn’t do. That was one of the big selling points with me coming to Philly and feeling like I’m needed here and wanted here. That helped the pitch out pretty good for sure.” 

6. The Sixers will surely fall short of expectations in certain areas. Even if James thrives and his fellow stars stay healthy, the Sixers might underwhelm defensively or struggle to rebound at an adequate level. We still think it’s safe to project that the Sixers will be great at drawing free throws. After finishing last season sixth in free throw rate, they may very well lead the league in that category. James and Brown combined to shoot 12.8 free throws per game last year. 

7. Before all of his summer dealmaking, Gansey emphasized “internal development” as a core part of the Sixers’ plans. 

“With Tyrese, VJ (Edgecombe) and some of our other young guys, they’ve got to get better, too,” Gansey said at his introductory press conference. “I think it’s internal growth, (the 22nd pick), free agency, and trying to add as much depth as we can to this roster.”

Offseason work hasn’t suddenly become irrelevant for the Sixers. Can Maxey improve even more as a long-range shooter, pick-and-roll passer and do-it all guard? What kind of offensive progress will Edgecombe make ahead of Year 2 in the NBA? Could a young role player like Dominick Barlow enter the season with sharpened skills and establish himself as a valuable, dependable piece on a star-heavy team? 

8. The Sixers went 21-23 last regular season without Embiid and 1-3 in the playoffs. He expects to have a healthier season and everyone associated with the Sixers hopes his luck finally turns. Regardless, there still appear to be valid reasons for concern about the Sixers when their seven-time All-Star center is out. The 23-year-old Adem Bona and 24-year-old Ariel Hukporti are right behind Embiid on the Sixers’ depth chart. Both Bona and Hukporti have two years of NBA experience and, to this point, they’ve been foul-prone, offensively limited players. The Sixers do have others capable of sliding up to center on occasion, including James, Barlow and Dean Wade, but picking up another big man during the season might make sense. 

9. With three hefty salaries on their books in Embiid, Brown and Maxey, the Sixers will need some bargain players. James is an obvious candidate; he’ll play on a minimum salary of approximately $3.9 million. He’s not the only one, though. After starting 59 games last season, Barlow is set to make $3.4 million. Edgecombe ($11.7 million), Simons ($6 million) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($3.9 million) are among the other contenders. 

Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2025-26 player reviews! The series will look at the players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts and who played consequential minutes and/or a vital role (so no two-way players because we hardly saw them this year, no players who were traded away, and none of the deep bench centers, since they were both irrelevant and are now all gone).

---

Dylan Harper

2025-26 stats: 69 games, 22.6 MPG, 11.8 points, 3.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 50.5 FG%, 34.3 3FG%

Contract Status: 3 years, $43 million remaining (team option for 2027-28 and 2028-29)

Age: 20

The San Antonio Spurs went from a plucky young team to a full-blown contender, largely thanks to the addition of rookie guard Dylan Harper. In his first season, Harper established himself as an untouchable part of the Spurs’ core, the future running mate of Victor Wembanyama, and a potential All-NBA-caliber player. (spoiler alert: he’s getting a good grade!)

One of the biggest questions coming into the regular season was how Mitch Johnson would handle his guard rotation. The Spurs had just traded for De’Aaron Fox and signed him to a max contract, Stephon Castle was coming off a Rookie of the Year season, and Harper was selected with the second-overall pick. That logjam left Harper with a bench role, despite his pedigree. He accepted that role and instantly transformed the Spurs’ bench, giving them a downhill scoring threat who could seemingly get to the rim whenever he wanted this season.

It’s rare to see rookie guards with Harper’s combination of poise, patience, footwork and finishing ability at his age. Harper shot 66% at the rim this season, converting around the basket with both hands going through and around defenders. His combination of size and athleticism makes him not only a difficult player to contain offensively, but a positive defender with room to grow as he gets used to the NBA game.

His regular season performance earned him All-Rookie first-team honors in a loaded class. What fans will remember most from Harper’s rookie year is his postseason performance. It’s not that bold of a take to say the Spurs might not have made it out of the first round of the playoffs if Harper hadn’t stepped up. After Wembanyama went down with a concussion in Game Two against the Blazers, the Spurs found themselves down big in Game Three on the road. Harper responded with a second-half explosion that gave San Antonio the series lead and completely revived the Spurs.

Harper went on to be one of San Antonio’s most reliable players in the playoffs. In fact, he may have been the Spurs’ best player in the NBA Finals. By the end of the series, San Antonio was actively going to Harper in the clutch to get them buckets. At 20 years old, Harper was scoring 20+ points on the biggest stage against the NBA champions. In just one year, Harper established himself as one of the league’s most exciting young players.

Looking ahead

Harper’s playoff performance actually raised more questions about his future with the team than it provided answers. Yes, Harper is undeniably a centerpiece for San Antonio moving forward. The question is how long can the team afford to wait to be given the responsibilities that come along with being a core piece? It’s assumed that Harper will play a bench role in his sophomore season, with Fox and Castle still blocking him from a starting spot. Harper has said publicly that he’s fine with that, but there is already growing pressure from media and fans alike to give him more opportunities.

Harper will likely be the Spurs’ sixth man next year, and finish a majority of games. We should see more of the three-guard lineup with Harper, Castle, and Fox that San Antonio didn’t really utilize until it needed the extra scoring pop in the Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals. Harper will be their primary option off the bench and likely the third or fourth option in the closing lineup. That is a gradual, and earned step up in responsibilities from his rookie year, and should be a nice stepping stone to an eventual spot in the starting lineup in the years to come.

He still needs to improve in a few key areas if he’s going to get more responsibility. Harper isn’t as strong of a playmaker as Fox or Castle yet. If he’s given the keys to the second unit, it would be great to see him make strides in running the offense and making his teammates better. His three-point shooting started to improve as the season went along, as he shot 48% from three in 26 games after the All-Star break. He also had some big shooting games in the playoffs. He’ll need to continue improving as an off-ball player with all the other scoring options on San Antonio’s roster.

The expectations for Harper next season will be extremely high. He showed extreme promise as a rookie. If the Spurs want to get back to the NBA Finals and this time leave with a trophy, Harper is sure to be a big part of that. No matter what his role ends up being next season, Harper is sure to make an impact. The question remains how big that impact has to become before he forces the Spurs to adapt the team to maximize his potential.

Top Performance

27 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 4-5 from three in Round 1, Game 3 @ Portland Trail Blazers

Final Grade: A

---

Up next: Keldon Johnson

Previous Reviews

Jordan McLaughlin

Carter Bryant

Luke Kornet

There’s a lot to learn from the Knicks' run to their third championship in franchise history. New York went 16-3 during the playoffs, winning 13 games in a row -- the second-longest postseason winning streak in NBA history.

What made the Knicks’ title win so unique was how unexpected it was after New York finished third in the East with a 53-29 record during the regular season. It was a very good record, but not in the elite tier of teams.

The adjustments the Knicks made, such as featuring Karl-Anthony Towns as a passer, were an example of new habits that could be applied to New York’s 2026-27 regular season. 

Let’s analyze three of them...

Point KAT

One major takeaway from the championship run was that the Knicks have figured out how to utilize Towns on offense. With their backs against the wall and down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks in the opening round, head coach Mike Brown and the club altered the offensive strategy, having Towns operate as a facilitator at the top of the key. 

What followed was a revelation. Towns had at least five assists in the next eight games, all wins. Overall, the All-Star center averaged 4.9 assists through 19 total playoff games. He’s never averaged more than 3.6 assists in a season where he’s played more than 60 games.

Towns is a really strong passer, and his ability to shoot the ball forces defenses to extend out, opening up the paint for his teammates. Towns as a playmaker won’t work against every team, though. He only averaged 2.5 assists against the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. But it adds another tool to New York’s offensive arsenal. 

Coming off a short summer break and an offseason surgery, there’s a chance that the Knicks could rest Jalen Brunson more often to keep him fresh throughout the season. Going through Towns as a playmaker and shot creator could help keep the Knicks' offense afloat in moments when Brunson is either drawing attention or is off the floor.

Third option

Defense has always been OG Anunoby’s calling card. But during the championship run, it became clear that the All-Defensive team honoree is a reliable scoring option, as he averaged 20.1 points in the postseason. The offensive explosion came as somewhat of a surprise, as Anunoby has never averaged 20 points per game in a season or in a playoff series.

Anunoby had arguably the biggest play in franchise history on an offensive rebound tip-in -- the shot that helped the Knicks complete a 29-point comeback victory in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. It was an example of the forward’s value to the club.

Anunoby finds ways to score without dominating the ball, making him the perfect complement to New York’s top two options in Brunson and Towns. He’s not a high usage player, and excels mostly as a play-finisher at the rim or on corner threes.

For this season, there’s a good chance Anunoby can continue to emerge as an offensive star in his role. Averaging 20 points a night is very much in play.

Defensive dominance

Though much of the talk surrounding New York’s playoff run came around Brunson’s shot-making, Towns’ playmaking and the big three-point nights from New York’s role players, the defense was the swing factor. The Knicks had the No. 1 defense in the entire playoffs, giving up 104.5 points per 100 possessions.

In the regular season, New York was ranked seventh in defense, allowing 112.3 points per 100 possessions. In the playoffs, Towns continued to make steady improvements on the defensive end. Opponents weren’t able to expose Brunson’s lack of size as often as in the past. New York’s trio of wings Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart covered a lot of ground and stifled opposing offenses. Reserves Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, Miles McBride, and Jose Alvarado were all effective on the defensive end.

New York will miss Robinson and his rim protection, as he departed for the Boston Celtics in free agency. But there are signs the Knicks can compete on the defensive end, even with recent free agent signing Andre Drummond in Robinson's place. When Robinson was off the floor, the Knicks gave up 100.7 points per 100 possessions during the postseason per NBA Stats.

Continued dominance on the defensive end in the regular season could help the Knicks pile up victories and compete for a top spot in the conference.

After a wild offseason, the Sixers’ roster is set… for now.

LeBron James and Jaylen Brown are now Sixers, as are Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ariel Hukporti. So, where does that leave the Sixers financially? How close are they to the first apron?

We’re partnering with SalarySwish to use their data and help answer every question you have about the Sixers’ financial situation.

We’ll make updates here as the season rolls along, so bookmark this page to keep up on the latest changes moving forward.

Sixers Roster, Salaries, Draft Picks, Cap Space and More

Here’s a table with all of the Sixers’ salary information, courtesy of our friends at SalarySwish:

That’s a lot of information to sift through, so let’s dive into a few key notes.

FAQ

Are the Sixers hard-capped at either apron?

The Sixers are hard-capped at the first apron for almost every reason that a team can hard-cap itself at the first apron.

They used the split the non-taxpayer mid-level exception between Wade and Simons, which triggers a first-apron hard cap. They also used part of the bi-annual exception on Hukporti, which also triggers a first-apron hard cap. And they took back more salary than they sent out in the Paul George-for-Jaylen Brown trade, which also triggers a first-apron hard cap. They just need to acquire someone via sign-and-trade and sign a buyout player who was previously earning more than the non-taxpayer MLE to hit for the first-apron hard-cap cycle.

This year, the first apron is set at $209,015,000. The Sixers are roughly $1.8 million below that threshold right now.

When can the Sixers fill their open roster spot?

A one-year, veteran-minimum contract for someone with two or more years of NBA experience has a cap hit of nearly $2.45 million. The Sixers do not have enough space under their first-apron hard cap to sign anyone to that type of a deal this offseason unless they shed about $650,000 in salary first.

The minimum salary for someone with one year of NBA experience is nearly $2.2 million, so they can’t even fit that under the first apron. They could sign an undrafted free agent to a one-year minimum contract, which would carry a cap hit of nearly $1.4 million, but that would leave them less than $500,000 below the first apron and would give them virtually zero flexibility at the trade deadline.

Veteran-minimum contracts begin to prorate daily once the regular season begins. We don’t know the exact amount yet, but they should decline by roughly $14,000 each day. According to Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron, Dec. 4 is the earliest that they’ll be able to fill that roster spot if they don’t give it to an undrafted free agent. However, Gozlan expects them to “keep it open to maintain flexibility through the trade deadline.”

Luckily, new team president Mike Gansey didn’t just clean up when it came to standard roster spots this offseason. He also landed Caleb Love and Rayan Rupert on two-way deals, both of whom are legitimate NBA players.

Even with a roster spot open heading into the season, depth should not be a major issue for the Sixers this year.

How much will the Sixers pay in luxury taxes this year?

Everyone’s favorite subject!

The Sixers are roughly $6.75 million over the $200.4 million luxury-tax line at the moment. The good news for Josh Harris and Co. is that the current collective bargaining agreement made it far less punitive for teams to go slightly into the tax.

Under the previous CBA, teams owed $1.50 for every dollar they went over the tax line for the first $5 million, and the rates quickly increased from there. Under the current CBA, teams owe only $1 in tax per dollar that they’re over the tax line for the first $6.06 million, and only $1.25 per dollar for the next $6.06 million.

As a result, the Sixers are only projected to owe $6.9 million in luxury tax at the moment. That will increase if/when they fill their 15th roster spot, but not significantly.

That’s effectively a rounding error to Harris and Co. If they try to swing another tax dump at the trade deadline with LeBron James on their roster, the righteous fury that was unleashed upon them for the Jared McCain trade last year will look like a toddler’s temper tantrum compared to the maelstrom they’ll face this year.

What draft picks can the Sixers trade?

After trading their unprotected 2031 first-round pick and either a 2028 pick or a swap to the Celtics for Brown, the Sixers can only trade these first-rounders or swaps:

• 2027 swap
• 2029 swap
• 2030 swap
• 2032 swap
• 2033 pick (their own)

The Stepien Rule, which prohibits teams from going back-to-back drafts without a first-round pick, limits what other picks they can trade. Since they owe their 2031 first-rounder to Boston, they can’t trade their 2030 or 2032 picks outright unless they acquire another pick from another team in either of those years.

The Sixers have also already traded away their own 2028 pick either to the Celtics or Brooklyn Nets. They previously had the rights to the Los Angeles Clippers’ fully unprotected 2028 first-round pick, but that is likely headed to Boston as well as part of the Brown trade. As a result, they can’t trade a 2027 or 2029 first-rounder until it’s confirmed that they do have a first-round pick in 2028.

Additionally, the Sixers can currently trade the following second-round draft picks:

• 2028 Warriors, Bucks or Thunder picks (two least favorable)
• 2028 Pistons pick (top-55 protected)
• 2029 Sixers pick
• 2030 Wizards, Suns or Blazers pick (less favorable)
• 2031 Sixers pick
• 2033 Sixers pick

They can’t trade their 2028 second-round pick for now because it’s tied up conditionally in the first-round pick that they owe to the Nets or Celtics. Memphis also has second-round swap rights with the Sixers in 2032.

If you found this page useful, please bookmark it and/or share, and if you have any questions or information you’d like to see included, let us know in the comments below!

We’re a little more than two months away from Phoenix Suns preseason basketball, which tips off on October 5 in Detroit against the Pistons. Damn, that feels like a long time. I guess that’s because it has been. Sometimes I forget how long the offseason really is. During the season, it feels like the schedule never ends. Then suddenly you hit July and August, and the wait feels endless.

As I formulate my expectations for what this team is going to be next season, study the depth chart, and try to understand how all the pieces fit together, there’s one player I consistently overlook. Ryan Dunn.

Two offseasons ago, when the Phoenix Suns drafted him out of Virginia, there was a real level of excitement. Part of that was because he was the first player the Suns actually drafted and kept since Jalen Smith in 2020.

When Ryan Dunn arrived, there was hope that he would be the beginning of the Suns’ next youth movement. We understood his limitations as a shooter and hoped that part of his game would develop over time. In some ways, it has. The one thing Ryan Dunn possesses that you can’t teach is his defensive instincts. He has a natural feel on that end of the floor, and those instincts consistently show up.

The challenge is that the statistical production, combined with the eye test, has been inconsistent through his first two seasons. Last year, he actually played more minutes than he did as a rookie, yet averaged 1.1 fewer points per game, finishing at 5.8 points while shooting 45/33/49. That’s what many of us feared when the Suns drafted him. That the shooting would never come. So far, it hasn’t.

The concern was that he’d become a one dimensional player, and through two NBA seasons, that’s largely been the case. When a player can’t shoot 50% from the free throw line, your mind immediately goes to Shaquille O’Neal. Dunn ranked in the 0%-tile in free throw percentage last season.

As I look ahead and try to project what he’ll be next season, it’s difficult to find a clear path. The addition of Miles Bridges means Dillon Brooks is likely sliding back to the three. The Suns also drafted Koa Peat, who brings intriguing offensive upside along with the kind of physicality and size the roster previously lacked.

Then there’s the power forward spot. According to Cleaning the Glass, Dunn spent 51% of his minutes there last season. The results weren’t encouraging. He posted a minus-8.1 net rating at the position, ranking in the 20%-tile. Because of that, I don’t think Dunn should be the backup power forward. Rasheer Fleming has already shown he can fill that role effectively as a three and D player. At this point, that’s something Dunn simply hasn’t proven he can be.

The advantage of having Ryan Dunn on the roster is that you have a defensive player you can throw into a game to disrupt an opposing offense. That role has value. But for someone entering his third season and trying to establish himself in the NBA, that’s probably not the role he envisioned for himself, nor the one we hoped he’d have by this point in his career. The hope was that he would develop into a consistent rotational player, not a situational defensive specialist or an injury replacement.

That’s my concern for Dunn this season. I’m worried he won’t develop because he won’t get the opportunity to. He’s 24 years old, and he is no longer standing in one foot of water when it comes to competition at his position. The water has risen, and it’s becoming harder to swim. If it keeps rising, you might drown.

Factor in that the Phoenix Suns have potential extensions looming for both Miles Bridges and Dillon Brooks, and Ryan Dunn’s situation becomes even more interesting. Dunn is set to count roughly $5 million against next year’s cap, but the Suns hold a team option. That means a decision is coming. This season will be his proving ground. The question is, how much of a proving ground will he actually get? That’s the Ryan Dunn conundrum.

Ryan Dunn’s future may depend less on whether he’s capable and more on whether the opportunity ever materializes. The Suns are deeper, more balanced, and far more competitive at his positions than they were a year ago. That’s good news for Phoenix. It may not be good news for Dunn. Third seasons are supposed to provide clarity. For him, this one feels like it will determine whether he’s part of the Suns’ long-term plans or simply caught in the numbers game of a roster that’s moved ahead without him.

As you know, Brew Hoop, like our beloved Milwaukee Bucks, is in a state of flux.

Stalwart managing editor Van Fayaz has bid his farewell and Jack and I are grateful—and excited—to have assumed stewardship. Believe me when I say this: we live Bucks basketball. And we love this community.

Of course, while we—not just Jack and I, but Jackson and Finn and Deolu too (and perhaps even you)—remain committed to covering all things Bucks, we don’t want to rest on our laurels either. So, like Jon Horst and Taylor Jenkins do with the Bucks, we too have to search for ways to make Brew Hoop even better.

What we don’t want is change for the sake of change. Change can be hard and uncomfortable and all sorts of awkward—just think back to your adolescence (and for those of you in your adolescence, it will pass; just embrace it). But it can also be beautiful and inspiring and revitalising.

This is where you come in.

For us to even dare tinker with the proven product that is Brew Hoop, we need to hear from the people who make this community what it is: the readership. So, we’re after your thoughts. And ideas. And questions. What you love and what you hate. The must-keeps and the “Wouldn’t it just be better ifs…”

All of it.

At its core, this is the sincerest of invitations for you to tell us what you want.

But before you do, a reminder. Whether you’re here every day or only drop in after games, here’s what you’ll find at Brew Hoop:

• Previews and Game Threads
• Rapid Recaps
• Player Grades
• Bucks Reacts polls
• Breaking news
• Feature pieces (player and team analysis)
• Questions and Antlers (our mailbag type features)
• Roundtables (writer discussion on pressing questions)
• Momentum Moments
• The Feed

Which of these do you enjoy most? What type of coverage would you like to see more of? What tweaks would make these that bit better? And what are we missing?

If nothing, that’s great too. Either way, pull up a chair, come talk to us.

Almost every team in the NBA truly believes it has a chance to win with the right offseason moves right now. The days of Steph Curry vs. LeBron James teams in the NBA Finals every year are long gone, and they’ve been replaced by an unprecedented era of parity that has resulted in eight different champions the last eight years. Add in the NBA’s new anti-tanking rules, and this is shaping up to be one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory. Putting together preseason power rankings is really hard right now.

This has been a wild summer of offseason activity. Giannis Antetokounmpo is now on the Miami Heat, LaMelo Ball is on the Minnesota Timberwolves, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James are on the Philadelphia 76ers, and Kawhi Leonard is maybe, possibly going back to the Toronto Raptors. That’s just the start of it.

With the summer movement slowing down for now, it’s time to start previewing the 2026-27 season. Here are the teams that should be better than last year as they head into the new season.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers won 45 games last year to earn the No. 7 seed in the East, and were knocked out of the playoffs in the second round after upsetting the Boston Celtics in round one. The expectations are going to be way, way higher for Philly this season after a brilliant summer that saw the team trade for Jaylen Brown and land LeBron James as a free agent. I’m a bit skeptical that the Sixers are going to be a great regular season team, but there’s no doubt they have an extremely high playoff ceiling if a few things go right. That of course begins with Joel Embiid and James both being healthy at the right time, which is always a big if. The defense will be a question mark, and I’m not sure how Brown will adjust to a lower-usage role where he might be the fourth option on some nights. It almost doesn’t even matter what seed Philly gets this year. If this team can get to the playoffs in one piece, I like how they could match up with just about anyone in the East, including the New York Knicks. The Sixers haven’t even reached the conference finals since 2001. That needs to change this year with arguably the league’s best starting five. There are plenty of swing factors for this team to reach its true potential, but with LeBron’s leadership and a ton of offensive firepower, they will have a good chance to get there.

Indiana Pacers

This one is obvious. The Pacers reached the 2025 NBA Finals only to see superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton tear his Achilles in Game 7. Haliburton missed all of last season, and Indiana only won 19 games. Now he’s back and already doing between-the-legs dunks, giving the Pacers hope that they can regain their spot at the top of the East. Indiana made a bold trade for Ivica Zubac at the deadline last season, which ended up costing them the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. For as much pain as the lottery caused, Zubac is an excellent defensive center who fits this team to a tee. The rest of the supporting cast from the 2025 Finals run is still in place, with Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and Aaron Nesmith rounding out the lineup around Haliburton. The East feels so much better right now than it did the last time Haliburton was healthy, but he’s proven to have such a big impact on winning that you can’t count out Indiana developing into a contender yet again.

Miami Heat

The Heat have been in the play-in tournament four years in a row, and last season was the first time they failed to make it out, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Miami needed a big swing this summer, and they landed the best player available on the market by trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis joins Bam Adebayo for what should be the NBA’s best frontcourt, but the rest of the roster has plenty of questions. Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell should be starters, and maybe Tim Hardaway Jr. fills the fifth starter spot. The bench looks like a major problem, but it’s important to remember that the Heat are better than anyone at developing diamonds in the rough. Pelle Larsson and Dru Smith could both take a real leap playing off Giannis, and knowing Miami, Myron Gardner and Ryan Conwell will be solid rotation pieces come playoff time, too. Last season, the Heat won 43 games and were the No. 10 seed heading into the postseason. They should clear that easily this year as long as Giannis’ body doesn’t fall apart.

Toronto Raptors*

Are the Raptors actually getting Kawhi Leonard this summer? The trade was announced on June 30th only to be held up 10 days later because the NBA’s ongoing investigation into the Clippers’ cap circumvention. It’s absolutely ridiculous that the law firm hired to do the investigation hasn’t finished its work yet, and it leaves both Toronto and the Clippers in an extremely tough position for the rest of the offseason. I tend to believe Kawhi will still end up in Toronto, and if that happens, I really like their playoff ceiling. The Raptors have two great young pillars in place with Scottie Barnes and Collin Murray-Boyles, and Leonard was essentially playing at a top-5 level in the league last year with LA. That’s the formula for a better team than last year, when the Raptors won 46 games before getting knocked out in the first round in Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Kawhi, I can honestly see Toronto winning the East if everything breaks right — which starts with Leonard staying healthy, and includes bounce-back seasons from Jakob Poeltl and Immanuel Quickley. The Raptors’ 2019 season proved all things are possible through Kawhi. They just need to hope they get him.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies were decimated by injuries last season, then tanked hard to give themselves a chance at finding a future franchise player in the draft. Memphis got the luck it needed by moving up to the No. 3 pick, and landing the best player in the class in Cameron Boozer. Boozer will be the youngest player in the NBA this season, but he’s so good that I expect him to immediately be a top-100 player at minimum. With Boozer driving the offense with his brilliant passing, bully-ball scoring, and sweet three-point stroke, the Grizzlies have the potential to push for a play-in spot in the West if everything goes right. I love the pairing of Boozer and Zach Edey in the frontcourt if Edey can finally stay healthy. He’s a punishing interior scorer and a monster offensive rebounder who can also help fix some of Boozer’s rim protection issues. Add in a solid collection of guards led by Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Cam Spencer, plus a potential leap from Cedric Coward in year two, and I think the Grizzlies are going to surprise a lot of people this year before eventually developing into one of the West’s better teams in due time.

Washington Wizards

The Wizards finally got the lottery luck they needed after years of tanking. Washington landed A.J. Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick, and now it’s time to start winning. Washington traded for Anthony Davis and Trae Young midway through last season to help complement a young core that already includes Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, and Will Riley. The Wizards handed out a ridiculously bad max extension to Young already, and Davis might be next, but for the point of this exercise both players will help Washington improve this season. It would honestly be hard to get any worse after only winning 17 games last year. I wonder how Dybantsa and Young will mesh since neither plays well off the ball, and Davis’ health is always a major concern. Either way, the Wizards will have a good chance to double their win total and push for a play-in berth this season.

Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn is projected to be the worst team in the NBA heading into the season with an over/under win total of 21.5. I’m pounding the over as long as they don’t trade Michael Porter Jr. before the end of the summer. Jordi Fernandez is one of the best head coaches in the league, and he got Porter playing the best ball of his career last season. The Nets picked up Julius Randle for free this summer, and he’s still a solid player even if he’s no longer an All-NBA caliber talent. I also think losing Nic Claxton will be addition by subtraction, because backup Day’Ron Sharpe, who now moves into a starting role, has been a better player the last couple years. I’m also loving what I saw out of Egor Demin at summer league. The Nets might not be actually good, but they’re going to clear last season’s 20 wins with ease.

The Hawks could have gone ‘big whale fishing’ for a bona fide star over the past 12 months — but every step of the way, they’ve indicated they prefer their youth and continuity.

They were heavily rumored to be a suitor for the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, and surely they could have gotten in the mix for the Jaylen Brown sweepstakes (although it would have been difficult without a Paul George-sized salary in return).

In the end, Atlanta never seemed particularly interested in luring in a big-salaried fish.

So with the Hawks instead making moves around the edges for Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins, and drafting Kingston Flemings while retaining a lot of their spring rotation, they’ve indicated that they believe in the current makeup of the team.

With the Eastern Conference now extremely deep, the likelihood of the Hawks making the Finals in 2027 are rather small. But the clear focus is on maintaining flexibility for the long haul.

But what if the ‘big whale’ superstar already exists on the roster?

Jalen Johnson finally put together a healthy season in his fifth year in the NBA at the age of just 24. Johnson was thrust into being the central focus of the offense in the wake of Trae Young sustaining an injury then summarily being traded to the nation’s capital.

He was rewarded by averaging an astounding 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game in 72 contests in 2025-26 and being named both an All-Star and an All-NBA player. Only five players have ever averaged at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists per game in a season in NBA history: Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook, and Nikola Jokic.

Any time you’re on an exclusive list with only former MVPs, you’re doing something right.

Still, individual counting stats don’t equal impact on team success. This much we should know by now in NBA discourse.

But why is it that Johnson is seen as more of a top 20 player but not an MVP candidate? Well, for a lot of reasons that also plagued the reputation of Jaylen Brown, for example — a player who, despite finishing sixth in MVP voting, was shipped off for two first-round picks and a well past his prime Paul George. Of course, Brown makes roughly twice the salary as Johnson, so it’s not quite an apples-to-apples comparison, but I digress.

Has scaling Johnson’s offensive usage up over the past few seasons really improved his impact on winning? He’s obviously an elite transition player, but how effective is he really in the halfcourt? How big a negative is his defense?

Well, for starters, Johnson showed some struggles in the postseason. His true shooting percentage dipped a bit from 58% in the regular season to 55% in the six-game series against the Knicks. Even more alarming was his passivity, going from 17.5 field goal attempts per 36 minutes to 15.5 from the regular season to the postseason.

Team pace does also dip between the two, of course, but it was evident the player the Knicks feared the most down the stretches of games was 34-year-old CJ McCollum and not Johnson.

He shot 39% on pull up shots during the regular season, just a smidge below McCollum. But that mark capsized in the postseason to just 25%. For Johnson to be an elite player in this league, he has to find ways to get his shot off against halfcourt ball pressure.

He also dished out 10.6 assists against 4.6 turnovers per 100 possessions in the regular season, but against the Knicks in the first round those two figures were 7.2 and 3.3 respectively.

Defensively, Johnson’s tape from last season is a mess. Steals and blocks aren’t everything, but his steal percentage slipped a tad (2.0% in 2024-25 to 1.7% in 2025-26) and his block percentage careened off a cliff (2.6% in 2024-25 to 1.1% in 2025-26).

DunksAndThrees estimated his defense to be worth +0.1 points per 100 possessions against the average NBA player last season — good for the 64th percentile. But there’s clearly still some fat left on the bone there.

But for all his exploits, his offense only came in at +1.4 points per 100 possessions, in the vicinity of Devin Vassell and Jrue Holiday — outside of the top 10 percent (or roughly 50 players) of the NBA.

What gives?

Jalen Johnson’s simply isn’t a game-breaking offensive player in the halfcourt. His handle — while quite good for his size — doesn’t create advantages like the elite ball-handling forwards in the league. His pull up shooting is still not that much of a threat despite his 35% shooting mark from deep.

I’ve long maintained that his malleability and versatility is truly his best asset — the ability to do everything well to shift in an out of offensive roles. And that quality makes him a great 1B to a 1A in the mold of Jalen Williams of the Thunder or Scottie Barnes of the Raptors.

But, man, I sure hope I’m wrong here. Because that could change everything.

The Hawks are at risk of backsliding after a 46-36 season where they secured a top 6 seed in the East for the first time since 2020-21. Many in the media have remarked that this is a great roster of roles players just waiting for the next superstar to become available, especially after the moves for Dort and others.

But there’s no guarantee that an attainable superstar matches the timeline. And the Hawks aren’t likely to get a top 4 pick — a possible ticket to a homegrown star — soon given the changing lottery odds and the franchise’s desire to stay relatively competitive (unless the Pelicans want to gift them another superpick).

If Johnson can hit another gear with one more developmental leap as he enters his age 25 season, maybe that star already calls Atlanta home. He has improved at every step of his basketball journey to this point, so it’s much too early to say that the incredible season we saw from him last season is his true peak.

Even in a stacked Eastern Conference, the Hawks just may be able to make some noise if Jalen Johnson can ascent from All-NBA caliber player to MVP caliber player.

One of the surest signs that we’ve entered the NBA’s annual dog days: The Ringer’s Zach Lowe has gone on vacation. The only major piece of unfinished business on the league’s to-do list is a ruling on the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard allegedly conspiring to circumvent the salary cap.

I guess Jalen Duren being currently without contract is something of a big deal too, but it’s fairly foregone that he’ll re-sign with the Detroit Pistons. They’re just haggling at this point.

The Washington Wizards have a few bits of potential business — guys who could return but probably won’t, and three players who are eligible for contract extensions (or soon will be). The extension eligible: Anthony Davis, Bilal Coulibaly, and Cam Whitmore.

Whitmore is the easiest. The team won’t offer an extension, and he wouldn’t accept an extension at any number they’d conceivably offer. It’s more likely the team would decline the fourth year option on Whimore than give him a new deal.

Beginning Aug. 6, Davis could sign a four-year extension worth $275 million. It would pay him $76 million in his age 37 season.

He could also choose to decline his player option for the 2027-28 season and become an unrestricted free agent.

Media reports indicate the Wizards and Davis will begin talks on an extension in the weeks ahead.

My message to the Wizards would be to exercise caution. Davis has been an elite defensive player when healthy. But health has been an issue, and he’s at an age where declines are the norm. Plus, he seems to have lost the ability to shoot since a hot streak in the bubble, which corresponded to the championship run he had with LeBron James and the Lakers.

To my mind, the Wizards dealt for Davis and Trae Young last season to serve as veteran bridges to the next era. The acquisition cost for each was low, and each had expensive contracts that ended soon. Then the front office went and gave Young a maximum extension, so I’m less sure that I understand the front office’s thinking.

I think it would be lunacy to give Davis the ginormous extension. But I thought the same about Young, and he’s the proud owner of a ginormous extension.

My best guess: Davis will decline to sign an extension and preserve his opportunity to become a free agent next summer. Several teams are expected to have substantial cap space in 2027, and Davis could benefit from someone willing to overpay the out years of a new deal in hopes of getting a couple years of championship contending before the aging curve really gets sharp.

A Coulibaly extension could be interesting. My salary formula pegs his value last season at around the midlevel exception (just over $15 million). Here’s the extension math (assuming a starting point of $15 million with annual raises of 8%):

• 2 years, $31.2 million | average annual value: $15.6 million
• 3 years, $48.6 million | AAV: $16.2 million
• 4 years, $67.2 million | AAV: $16.8 million
• 5 years, $87.0 million | AAV: $17.4 million

Now, I was in favor of the team picking Coulibaly in the first place. I see improvement in the numbers and in watching the games, and I still think he could be a very good player. But I also note that he hasn’t progressed as quickly or as much as I would have hoped. And the persistent deficits — shooting, extended stretches of offensive passivity — are a concern.

More specifically, Coulibaly’s defensive impact (or at least what I think it could be in a competitive environment) and athletic tools are genuine assets in the regular season. Those deficits could make him borderline unplayable in the postseason. The league has figured out how to deal with wings who aren’t threats to shoot. Specifically, sag off to crowd the paint and have a ready help defender and dare the non-shooter to take any three he wants.

Can any team be competitive paying MLE money to someone who can’t play extended postseason minutes? I’m dubious.

That said, he just turned 22, which indicates he has some runway. He was more active and aggressive offensively last season, though I have to note that his usage was higher later in the season when a) more established teammates were on the sidelines, and b) the team was trying to lose. Was the aggressiveness real?

He also shot the three better later in the season — 40 makes in his last 109 attempts of the season, which works out to 36.7%. That’s about league average. Better, but a) still not good (unless it’s at a high enough volume that opponents have to defend him at the three-point line, b) defenses weren’t exactly taking the Wizards very seriously in February, March, and April, and c) 109 attempts isn’t enough to say one way or the other if his shooting actually improved. It’s encouraging that he shot better, but this is another “it it real” category?

During the “aggressive” phase of Coulibaly’s 2025-26 season, opposing defenders seemed to have a lot of trouble staying in front of him. His length, burst, and just good enough ball handling seemed to get him into the paint almost any time he wanted. The finishing was an adventure, but this development suggests the possibility of an effective second-side attacker. Was it real, though?

The “is it real” question is one of the problems with tanking. Another is bad habits and not learning what kind of effort it takes to truly compete in the NBA. I’m less concerned with the latter because winning habits are something everyone needs to learn.

The need to question nearly everything about a player after three seasons is a bigger issue because the team needs to make significant decisions. In Coulibaly’s case, an extension decision must be made by Oct. 31 — before the season starts. At least they’ll have training camp to evaluate.

The team has a wager to make. They can skip an extension and wait until next summer when they’ll have a season of (hopefully) competitive basketball to evaluate.

They could offer Coulibaly what he’s shown he’s probably worth to this point. Would he be willing to take the long-term financial security of a three-year, $48.6 million deal that would make him a free agent at age 26? Maybe. What if the Wizards make that third year a mutual option and give him a shot at a more lucrative deal a year earlier?

I’d be reticent to go longer than three years for either side. Many of these midlevel deals become bad contracts pretty quick. The Wizards don’t need to be saddled with a cap-clogging deal going into the distant future.

If Coulibaly believes he can shoot better and maintain his level of aggressiveness with better teammates and in a more competitive environment, he’d be foolish to lock himself up until he’s 27 or 28 years old.

My best guess: The Wizards and Coulibaly engage in friendly extension discussions and agree to pick up talks in 2027. So much is still unknown — on both sides — that it would be smarter to wait and see.

Eighteen months ago, it was hard to imagine Dallas Mavericks fans feeling genuinely optimistic about the future. If you’ve followed my work for the better part of a decade, you know how serious a statement that is, because one thing I’ve never had anyone tell me is that I’m not optimistic enough.

The baffling decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t just pull the rug out from underneath the franchise. It fractured the trust between the organization and one of the NBA’s most passionate fan bases. Every move that followed was viewed mostly with frustration instead of excitement. There was far more skepticism than there was hope. It was more than just losing Luka. A team that so many had invested so much into had all of a sudden completely lost its identity.

It has taken several months of three-level organizational reconstruction to bring back a genuine sense of excitement and hope to the fan base, but the Mavericks are finally fully back on track. Cooper Flagg has the potential to be the best player in the NBA for the next decade-plus, and the roster has been filled out with intriguing young talent with upside. There is a clear sense of direction now that the two-timelines approach has been left behind. There are still questions that need to be answered, of course, but at least the hope and excitement that the fan base is feeling going into this season doesn’t feel forced like it did last year.

Here are five reasons why Mavericks fans should be excited about the 2026-27 season.

1. It Starts At The Top

On a surface level, saying the Mavs improved their front office wouldn’t seem like much, given how far the bar had been lowered by the end of the Nico Harrison era. Even with that being the case, though, it really feels like the Mavs hit it out of the park with the hirings of new president Masai Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz. That’s not to say that both of those guys are perfect NBA executives–Ujiri, despite his championship pedigree, had some questionable moves at the end of his Toronto Raptors tenure–but for the most part, both have an elite scouting eye for talent and are well-respected around the NBA. That last part might be just as important as identifying talent as the Mavs continue to build back toward being a championship contender again.

2. Coop’s Second-Year Leap

This one was a given, but if you’re a Mavs fan or even just a basketball fan, it’s hard not to be excited for what we could see from Flagg in year two. The reigning Rookie of the Year dazzled in his first season, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.1 stocks while shooting 46.8 percent from the floor, and if there’s any player I wouldn’t be worried about having a potential “sophomore slump,” it would be Flagg.

Consider this: over the last 14 games of his rookie year when he played at least 30 minutes per game, Flagg averaged 25.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 2.7 stocks. To me, that felt like an indicator of what Flagg’s overall stat line might look like during the 2026-27 season. I think it’s a reasonable expectation to have, given that he’s a gym rat and still just 19 years old–which is younger than nine of this year’s 14 NBA Draft lottery picks.

3. Intriguing Young Talent

The Mavs have an influx of new, young talent this year, and it starts with Morez Johnson Jr., who was the No. 9 overall pick for Dallas and is coming off an impressive sophomore year at Michigan that ended with a national championship. In 40 games for the Wolverines, Johnson averaged 13.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 62.3 percent overall. The area Johnson might end up helping the Mavs the most, though, might not actually be within the stat sheet. His relentless energy, physicality and overall defensive influence will likely be felt from day one.

Two other additions I’m personally excited about are 20-year old Spanish guard Sergio De Larrea and 25-year-old Bosnian/Turkish sharpshooter Tarik Biberovic, both of whom Dallas acquired during this year’s draft. De Larrea opened a lot of eyes during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas with his natural, Doncic-like feel for throwing lobs.

Omg… Sergio De Larrea with a HIGH lob. What a pass. pic.twitter.com/7TJW99h4eB

— Dalton Trigg (@dalton_trigg) July 12, 2026

It was an extremely complicated situation for Biberovic to be bought out of his Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul contract in order to join the Mavs for this coming season, but it all got worked out, and now Dallas can find out if Biberovic’s 42.3-percent 3-point shooting over eight seasons in Europe can translate to the NBA.

Getting 25-year-old stretch-big Santi Aldama from the Memphis Grizzlies for essentially next to nothing via trade might end up being the most underrated Mavs move of the offseason before it’s said and done. One big area the Mavs were lacking in last season was floor spacing, and having a 7-footer who can do normal 7-footer things while also providing some floor spacing certainly helps the cause. Last season, Aldama averaged 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 stocks while shooting 47.6 percent overall and 35.0 percent from deep. If you can’t beam ’em, trade for ’em. After years of giving the Mavs fits, here’s to hoping he can do the same against Mavs’ opponents.

One other addition to keep an eye on is Zaccharie Risacher. Some might not have super high hopes for him, at least when it comes to him living up to being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. However, just because he hasn’t lived up to that billing doesn’t mean he’s a bad player. At the end of the day, he’s a 21-year-old 6-8 wing coming off a season in which he shot 45.5 percent overall and 36.8 percent on 3s. The Mavs don’t need Risacher to be who the Hawks needed him to be; they just need him to be a serviceable role player. This was yet another low-risk, potentially high-reward move from the Mavs’ front office.

4. New and Hungry NBA Head Coach

It has yet to be seen how it will translate to the NBA, but the college game has been becoming more and more pro-like for the last several years, and I’d be shocked if Dusty May doesn’t become one of the better head coaches in the league over the next 3-5 years. May’s coming off winning a national championship with Michigan, and he’ll have some instant chemistry with Johnson, who was a major part of that Wolverines roster.

On paper, May checks all the boxes for what you want in an NBA head coach: championship pedigree, player development, offensive creativity, ability to build a strong culture, and a relatable personality. It also helps a lot when you start your NBA coaching career with Cooper Flagg as your franchise player. Helping Flagg develop into an MVP-caliber player and, hopefully, an NBA champion as well, may ultimately become May’s defining legacy. He has a long way to go to get to that point, but the potential is certainly there.

5. Kyrie is Back, Baby!

There are several returning players to be excited about, but a handful of them–PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford, for example–have been in trade rumors all summer, so who knows if they’ll actually be on the roster by the time the season opener rolls around. But above all, the returning player everyone should be most excited about is Kyrie Irving.

Irving missed the entire 2026-27 season due to tearing his ACL the season prior, but he’s reportedly made a full recovery and is 100 percent ready to roll for this coming season. I mentioned earlier about how floor spacing was such a grind for the Mavs last year, and not having Irving on the floor played a big part in that. During his 128 games played in Dallas over a three-year span, Irving averaged 25.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while having near-50/40/90 shooting splits–49.0 percent overall, 40.4 percent from deep and 91.7 percent from the free-throw line. Even if he can come back and give the Mavs 75 percent of that kind of production, it will be a massive shot in the arm for this offense.

Obviously, we don’t know how many games Irving will end up playing this year–the last time he played more than 60 games in a season was in 2018-19. But if he can find a way to play 55 games or more, I feel like that, in addition to Flagg taking a big Year 2 leap and all the other offseason additions, will have the Mavs in a good position to surprise a lot of critics by being a playoff team in 2026-27. The offseason is a time when everyone across the league believes they can do something special, but the Mavs have real reasons to believe they can take a decent-sized jump this year due to making some great moves at every level of the organization since last November.

Are the Mavs so back? Maybe not all the way, but it’s sure starting to feel like getting to that point sooner rather than later is inevitable.