Category: Basketball

With the Knicks ramping up their preparations to defend their NBA title during the coming season, head coach Mike Brown has pinpointed a player who he thinks has what it takes to earn a more significant role this go-around: Mo Diawara.

Diawara, still just 21 years old, returns to Knicks training camp following the "best summer of [his life]" back in his hometown of Paris, France.

Originally drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 51st pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, Diawara was traded to the Knicks ahead of a rookie season that ended with a ring on his finger, but included plenty of learning from the team's veteran core.

"Now I know the physicality I need for this league, how I need to prepare my body," he explained in a news conference on Saturday. "I still look a lot to those vets, just helping me with a routine to get ready for this new year."

"Now that I've been in the league a year, it is a little bit easier," Diawara declared.

Will the Knicks starters see the floor in their preseason opener against the Philadelphia 76ers on the night of Oct. 5?

"Probably, but not much," Brown answered.

With that in mind, Diawara could be one of the players who is given the leash to show off what he's learned in that game.

Brown outlined what he's looking to see on the floor from his guys and how to set the tone ahead of the regular season. The Knicks host the 76ers in that game, too, at Madison Square Garden, which will include raising a banner to the rafters.

"You're going to make some mistakes, and I'm okay with that," Brown explained. "But when someone makes a mistake, how quickly do they try and make up for it?"

"I'm huge on next-play speed. Guys can't drop their heads or hesitate. Boom: right away, move on. It's the little things. Boxing out, competing for offensive rebounds, and sprinting to the corners in transition."

Diawara and Brown seem aligned on the key areas for the young swingman to focus on improving.

"Last year, you could see he was a little jittery when he was out there, because he didn't know what to do."

"His cadence is better, he has a better feel not only for what he should do, but what his teammates should be doing," Brown continued. "He's one of those players who needs to take a step forward."

"I'm shooting a lot of threes, working on that a lot to improve it going into my second year," Diawara added.

During the 2025-26 regular season, the 6'9" forward shot a respectable 36.9 percent from behind the arc on 1.9 attempts per game, averaging 3.6 points and 1.4 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per contest, which included seven starts across 69 games played. However, his role off the bench shrank significantly during the team's title run, as he only played in six of the team's 19 playoff games.

That production led to Diawara signing a four-year contract worth slightly more than $11 million in total with the Knicks.

Keon Ellis is one week into his first Nets training camp, and Jordi Fernández is already seeing what he expected.

“He’s got the best hands in the NBA, and that’s hard to teach,” Jordi Fernández said at Friday’s practice. “At the same time, you want to be disciplined and follow the schemes, whatever the game plan is. I trust him. I know he’s very diligent with his work and everything, and I know he can perform at a high level. He’s going to help us a lot at the defensive end.”

The connection between Ellis and Fernández goes back to Sacramento, where the two were together from 2022-24 while Fernández worked under then-Kings head coach Mike Brown. That familiarity was part of what made Brooklyn an appealing destination for Ellis this offseason, when the Nets signed him to a two-year, $18 million contract with a full mutual option for the second season.

“You have a guy with many intangibles, is a super pro. He has probably the best hands in the NBA, can shoot the ball, can handle, is a good human,” the Nets coach said. “He’s coming here and is about business. It was a no-brainer.”

Ellis knows the mutual respect benefits both of them.

“In this game — and it is a business — having someone like Jordi being the head coach, someone you’re familiar with, [is big]. You know all the schemes, you know what he’s about, you know what they want to run,” Ellis said Friday after practice. “It’s a safe space right there. He’s familiar with my game, I’m familiar with how he rocks. That was the No. 1 thing.” 

He added, “He [Jordi] knows how I play, and I know how he wants his team to play. I know I can have a big impact in that way.”

Ellis enters Brooklyn coming off a season in which he averaged 6.7 points while splitting time between Sacramento and Cleveland following a February trade. He also shot 36.3% from three last season after hitting on 42.9% over his first three NBA seasons.

“It’s not for me to say [how much of an impact he will make],” Fernandez said. “It’s for me to believe every time he guards he’s going to be good on that player, and every time he shoots the ball, I believe it’s going to go in.” 

Michael Porter Jr. has noticed it, too.

“Strong start. Keon has been hooping these first two days. He plays the right way. He plays defense. He can really shoot the ball, and he’s been just overall very solid,” Porter said at Friday’s practice.

He’s also made an impression on Nets sophomore Drake Powell.

“Keon’s been great overall so far, not just on the court, but off the court as well,” Powell said at Media Day. “I think what I can take from him defensively is just how active he is with his hands and, you know, just being in the right spot. The ball will just naturally come to him defensively, get a steal and from there we’re just out and running.”

The Nets held their first scrimmage of training camp Friday, giving Ellis and the rest of the roster their first chance to compete in a game-like setting.

One week of training camp won’t tell us everything. For now, Ellis has already given Fernández and his teammates plenty to like.

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• Keon Ellis finds Nets ‘safe space’ in Jordi Fernandez reunion – Zach Braziller – New York Post

Apparently, no one told Wizards guard Bub Carrington that the first rule of tanking is to never admit to tanking.

The former first-round pick said in an interview this week that the Wizards intentionally “held back” the team last season in order to maximize their odds of landing the No.1 overall pick, which they ultimately used to grab BYU forward AJ Dybantsa.

“We’ve all, in a way, been held back just because, like you said, we were trying to get AJ Dybantsa. That’s no secret,” Carrington, the 14th overall pick in 2024 out of Pitt, told WUSA’s Marshall Kramsky. “But now, no one has handcuffs. Everyone’s shackles-free. So, that alone is already a conversation starter.

“But then you put that on top of the coaching, on top of the vets that we have. That’s a playoff team, and that’s gonna happen.”

The Wizards finished with the worst record in the NBA last season at 17-65, giving them a 14.0 percent chance to win the draft lottery and a 40.1 percent chance for a top-three selection.

The 6-foot-9 Dybantsa averaged 25.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game as a freshman last year at BYU.

During last season, the Wizards made two significant trades for injured All-Stars Anthony Davis and Trae Young, but they combined for just five appearances (all by Young) for Washington.

Bub Carrington said the quiet part out loud.

“We were trying to get AJ Dybantsa. That’s no secret.”

Carrington says the Wizards’ young core was “held back” last season — but now the “handcuffs” are off. pic.twitter.com/3DxaDeJsTq

— Marshall Kramsky (@marshallkramsky) October 2, 2026

The NBA implemented strict rules and fined both the Jazz and the Pacers for alleged tanking violations last season, but The Athletic reported that the league is “not expected” to penalize Carrington or the Wizards.

Davis, a 10-time All-Star and Young, a four-time selection, are currently healthy and participating without limitations during Wizards training camp.

Carrington has appeared in all 82 games in each of his first two seasons, averaging 10.7 points and 4.6 assists in 27.7 minutes per game in 2025-26.

Cooper Flagg had a stellar rookie season, but one blemish on his campaign was his lackluster advanced numbers.

While Flagg had great counting stats, the advanced metrics suggest his impact was below average, but it can definitely be improved. One metric that Flagg can improve on is his lack of offensive rebounding, which Dusty May has already commented on.

“Getting him to take advantage of his offensive rebounding ability,” said May in his media availability after the first training camp practice. “ When we’re connected as a group where we’re playing off of each other, I think it will organically happen.”

Winning the possession battle has become incredibly important in the modern NBA, with offensive rebounds being specifically important. Teams like the Houston Rockets have had tremendous regular season success while being a medicore offense, in large part to winning the possession battle.

It’s simple math, if you shoot more shots than your opponent, it will often lead to more points.

Flagg was in the 38th percentile for his OREB%, a lackluster mark for a 6’9 forward with elite athleticism. Flagg getting on the glass would not only help the team win the possession battle, but also will help him get more easy rim attempts.

“But just playing better basketball, I think it will afford him more opportunities,” said May.

Flagg had to work tremendously hard for most of his scoring opportunities last year, whether it was the terrible spacing or lack of teammate-created buckets.

On the other hand, putback’s are one of the most efficient play types, with players average 1.14 points per-possession on average last season, according to Synergy.

This focus on more analytically-driven basketball is a major departure from the previous coaching staff, with the Mavericks consistently being behind the times.

Last season the Mavericks were towards the top of the league in mid-range attempts, and were towards the bottom in three-point attempts.

But while all Mavericks fans want more three-point attempts, there is nuance in this discussion.

“If we have an elite mid-range shooter, he’s going to shoot the right mid-range shots,” said May. “Obviously, we want as many quality threes as we can get, but if guys are incredibly efficient at something very specific, I’m definitely not going to look at a spreadsheet and overrule guys with what we call mastery shots.”

This approach to team-wide shot diets is the correct approach in the modern NBA.

Forcing all players into threes or rim-attempts can severely limit a star player and prevent them from feeling comfortable in an offense.

The Mavericks are also uniquely affected by this, as both Flagg and Irving are mid-range maestros.

All of this comes back to a simple math equation, if a player can average greater than 1 point-per-possession on any given shot type, they should shoot that shot

May’s approach throughout his career has been to maximize what his players do best, rather than forcing them into an uncomfortable role.

Last weekend without basketball, fellas, so here’s a quick summary of a bunch of stuff that popped up recently around the NBA before we get down to (yeah, I know, preseason, but still…) business.

• James Wiseman has emerged as the early favorite for the Knicks’ 14th and likely final standard roster spot, according to the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy. Nothing new considering we’ve been talking about New York prioritizing a third center for months on end. In Bondy’s eyes, Tony Bradley and Drew Eubanks are Wiseman’s primary competition up front, while Bruce Brown and Ochai Agbaji are also fighting for the last spot in the Knicks’ roster.
• Mike Brown, however, isn’t ready to declare Wiseman—or anybody else—the winner of that roster battle.

“I’m just going to let it unfold. I got no expectations. I’m not trying to forecast anything. I’m just taking this literally one practice at a time, one game at a time. And at the end of the day, when it comes time for us to figure out who’s going to be on the final roster, we’ll do it.”

• The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III identified whether the Knicks can maintain their edge after winning the championship as New York’s biggest question entering the new season.
• In another piece published over The Athletic, multiple reporters assembled three perspectives on the Knicks’ chances of repeating, and none were especially bullish.
• Anne Hathaway would sacrifice another Oscar for another Knicks championship.

Jimmy surprises Anne Hathaway with a signed @nyknicks jersey from OG Anunoby 🥹 #FallonTonightpic.twitter.com/knOnx45Dwe

— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) October 1, 2026

• New court documents revealed additional allegations behind OAKAAK J.R. Smith’s arrest in Texas.
• The Pistons and Jalen Duren finally found common ground, with the big boy and postseason no-shower inking a five-year, $200 million deal… without a weight clause on it.
• Get ready for a whole lot of “Inside the NBA” this season, likely the last one with Charles Barkley on board.
• Victor Wembanyama hasn’t even won an NBA title, but he’s already thinking about running for President of France. Oh, là là!

🤔 Wembanyama : "Un rôle politique dans le futur ? Oui, j'en suis sûr"#NBAextrapic.twitter.com/szNeGmOBLf

— NBAextra (@NBAextra) October 2, 2026

• It looks like the Las Vegas Whatevers are a very real thing and will get a franchise approved before Seattle does, but that could come with the con of having to wait an extra year to enter NBA play, contrary to the SuperSonics 2.0 making their comeback in time for the 2028-29 campaign.
• JaVale McGee has joined the Shanghai Sharks, teaming up with D’Angelo Russell in China. Yes, that’s a real headline.
• LeBron stans are already aboard the #lbjmvp train. Meanwhile…

LeBron James putting up absolute BRICKS in open runs 😭 pic.twitter.com/2ZhYxfdzsK

— Yaxel LendeBeast (@GMZeroOG) September 22, 2026

In recent years, the Lakers have run into a problem.

They’ve taken a few successful inexpensive fliers, including Malik Monk and Dennis Schröder, but they’ve lacked the ability to retain those guys after they popped. That might not be the case next summer, which could bode especially well for the likes of Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle.

The NBA recently updated its salary-cap projection for the 2027-28, bumping it up from the initial $174 million to $176 million. The luxury-tax line and the aprons will also rise by roughly $2 million, which will give every team in the league extra financial wiggle room.

That’s particularly valuable for the Lakers, who structured their books to make one more big splash next offseason.

Austin Reaves took $5 million less than a max contract this summer to give the Lakers “more future flexibility.” He did so by taking roughly a 4% raise in 2027-28 rather than the full 8% raise that he was eligible to receive. The Lakers also structured Sandro Mamukelashvili’s contract in a unique fashion, making it dip by $650,000 in 2027-28 before going back up by $650,000 in each of its final two years.

In case you have Windhorst Face right now, the Lakers’ intentions aren’t exactly top-secret.

Reaves’ decision, sources told ESPN, will give LAL more financial flexibility moving forward – making it possible to pursue a player with the non-taxpayer midlevel exception next summer. https://t.co/7AHGDG2Pbu

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 13, 2026

The new cap projection could make it easier for them to maintain access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, too.

Could Ziaire or Matisse stick?

Since both Williams and Thybulle signed one-year deals this offseason, the Lakers will only have non-Bird rights on them next summer. That means they can’t offer them more than 120% of a minimum contract or their previous salary (whichever is greater) without dipping into another salary-cap exception.

If either one has a breakout season in L.A., the Lakers could use either some or all of their MLE to re-sign them next summer. If they do have access to the full non-taxpayer MLE, they could always look to split it between Williams and Thybulle, too. Teams don’t have to spend the full MLE on one player. The Philadelphia 76ers split theirs this past offseason between Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons, for instance.

The Lakers should also have access to the bi-annual exception, which is currently projected to land at roughly $5.85 million. That alone might be enough to re-sign one of Williams or Thybulle, allowing them to preserve the MLE for another target.

However, using either the non-taxpayer MLE or the bi-annual exception will hard-cap the Lakers at the first apron, which is projected to land at roughly $222 million. They’d need to leave themselves with at least $22 million of wiggle room under the first apron to preserve access to both the non-taxpayer MLE and bi-annual exception next summer.

If Jarred Vanderbilt and Collin Sexton pick up their respective player options for 2027-28, the Lakers will already be up to $181.6 million in guaranteed salary. If they pick up their team options on Dalton Knecht ($6.45 million), Jaden Hardy ($6.0 million), Bronny James ($2.5 million) and Adou Thiero ($2.5 million), they’d be up to $199.1 million with 12 players under contract. That would leave them with just enough space under the first apron to spend both the non-tax MLE and the bi-annual exception if the current projections hold.

Granted, the Lakers could easily decline their team option on Hardy next summer if they decide that they need a few extra million dollars in breathing room. They have to decide on Knecht’s option by the end of October, but they have until June 29 to decide on Hardy, Bronny and Thiero.

The Lakers could also wipe out this flexibility with a midseason trade, of course. Just because they’re currently projected to have enough room for the non-taxpayer MLE next summer doesn’t mean that they’ll enter the offseason with the exact same roster.

Still, the way that they structured Reaves and Mamukelashvili’s contracts suggests that they’re eyeing next summer as their chance to make another medium-to-big splash. If that doesn’t pan out, they could at least have those cap exceptions to spend on either Thybulle or Williams if needed.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

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It’s hard to believe we’ve finally made it through the summer and tonight, the first preseason game of 2026-2027 season tips off for the Toronto Raptors. As is customary, it is one of two NBA Canada Series games, tonight being hosted by Quebec City. This has been a great tradition since 2012, allowing more of the country to be able to watch Canada’s team in person. Previous hosts have included Ottawa, Calgary, Montreal, Edmonton, and Winnipeg, but this will be the first held in Centre Vidéotron. 

The new-look Miami Heat has travelled to face them, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Klay Thompson, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bobby Portis Jr. having joined over the summer.  

While preseason games are often about getting organized and making those final roster decisions, we can hope to get a bit of a look at Kawhi, Scottie, Giannis and Bam, a harbinger of what could be an excellent matchup throughout the season.

Miami’s size will undoubtedly be a factor. Their frontcourt includes a near-seven-foot Nick Richards and Giannis, 6’10” Nikola Jovic, and Bam Adebayo and Bobby Portis Jr. who are both 6′ 9” and over 250 pounds.  This will be advantageous on both ends of the court, as defensively their size and physicality will be an asset rebounding, but they can also play bully-ball at the other end of the court. The other major change to their roster, adding a pair of excellent veteran shooters in Hardaway Jr. and Thompson mean that if anyone gets jammed up in the paint, there will be one or both of them set from outside the arc and ready to shoot. 

Toronto won’t have the size advantage, but can rely on the defensive prowess of Scottie Barnes, Kawhi Leonard, and Collin Murray-Boyles. While undersized, their wingspans and athleticism allow all of them to guard guys bigger than them. Kawhi has already proven he can make life difficult for Giannis, and CMB seems to love to play as an undersized center. The wing defence will need to be on a string tonight to shut down the options outside of the paint. Ja’Kobe Walter, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley will all have to be on top of closeouts and shut down shooting opportunities. 

More likely than not, this game will come down to the bench though. Both teams will be interested in seeing what the last few guys on the roster can do. Newly-extended Jamal Shead, rookie Allen Graves, and guys like Tyreke Key, Chucky Hepburn, and Alijah Martin could all see solid minutes. They will have to be the difference makers if they want to win the game.

Luckily for Toronto, they’ve all proven to be solid defenders, with the right mindset to want to go out and win games. Especially in a situation like this where they’re auditioning for minutes during the regular season. 

Either way, it’s incredibly exciting to see the Raptors back out on the court, especially in Quebec City!

Injury Report

While it’s a little unclear during the preseason, some of Toronto’s players did sit out of the open scrimmage due to various ailments, but it’s unclear if they’ll be suiting up tonight. This could affect Jamison Battle, Kyle Anderson, and Allen Graves. 

For Miami, the only two clear missing players will be Keshad Johnson and Dru Smith, sidelined by a right hamstring strain and a calf strain, respectively. 

Probable Starters

Toronto: Kawhi Leonard, Scottie Barnes, Jakob Poeltl, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley

Miami: Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo

Where to Watch

Tune in at 7:00pm ET on TSN.

CONTINUATION OF THE “WHAT IF” WOLVES SERIES. IN THIS SERIES, I PLAY THE ROLE OF TIMBERWOLVES OVERLORD AND GO BACK IN TIME AND RIGHT SOME OF THE WRONGS OF OUR FAVORITE FRANCHISE. SINCE THIS IS THE TIMBERWOLVES, THERE ARE A LOT OF WRONGS. THIS SERIES MAY GO ON FOREVER.

“What If” Wolves Volume Three: We got our big man, but who will get him the ball?

If you weren’t alive to witness the glory of 90s basketball, you missed out.

Play was dominated by big men in the post, point guards that controlled the game, and the GOAT (don’t get me started with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant talk). Since there was only one Michael Jordan, teams tried to build around the post and the man who could get him the ball. Almost every team was looking for their own version of “John Stockton to Karl Malone”, a dynamic duo that would lead their team to the championship (despite the fact that neither Stockton nor Malone ever won a title, or were remotely decent people, for that matter).

The Minnesota Timberwolves were no different.

The Wolves had just drafted the greatest player in franchise history, Kevin Garnett. “KG”, “The Kid”, The Big Ticket”, and “The Franchise” (Man, the nicknames for big guys in the 90s were outstanding: “The Dream”, “The Mailman”, “The Round Mound of Rebound, ” and my favorite big man of the time, “The Admiral”).

With the power forward position in good hands after drafting “Ticket”, what the Wolves lacked was any semblance of respectable point guard play. The franchise already crushed my dream of drafting Tim Hardaway when they drafted Pooh Richardson out of UCLA. Pooh was still probably the best PG in franchise history up to the 1996 NBA draft. Granted, the list of point guards that had played for the Wolves up to that point is pretty gross. Let me know if you remember any of these floor generals. Pooh Richardson (only played three seasons with MN), Sidney Lowe (terrible coach), Scott Brooks (better coach), Michael Williams (still holds the NBA record with 97 consecutive free throws made), Corey Williams, Winston Garland, Darrick Martin, Howard Eisley, and my childhood hero, Spud Webb.

That list is hot garbage. The franchise needed better play from the PG spot, and the 1996 draft was a great place to start.

After finishing the 1995-96 season with a 26-56 record, the Timberwolves had the fifth-best odds to win the lottery. Did they get lucky and move up? Uh, no. They ended up with the fifth pick. The Wolves have only moved up once in franchise history (still the best thing any point guard has ever done for the Wolves. Probably the best thing D’Angelo Russell has done in his career as well. Thanks, DLo!).

The real Timberwolves missed out on drafting their franchise point guard with the fifth overall pick. They used the pick to draft future Hall of Fame player and NBA Champion Ray Allen. Allen was awesome coming out of UConn. He was uber-athletic and had an incredible jumper that would only get better throughout his career.

But the Wolves already had JR Rider on the roster, whom the team was still pretty high on at this point, as was I (JR was probably high as well).

The Milwaukee Bucks had the fourth overall pick. Milwaukee knew they wanted Ray Allen. They also knew that the Wolves wanted their PG of the future, so the Bucks did what any smart franchise should do and has done: take advantage of the Wolves’ front office.

The Bucks drafted PG Stephon Marbury from Georgia Tech with pick number four and dangled him in front of the Wolves GM Kevin McHale. McHale would go on to trade Ray Allen and a 1998 first-round pick for Marbury. I watched this draft live with my best friends Dan and Jason.

To be completely honest, we were all thrilled with the trade. I think we even high-fived. Oops.

Outside of watching the draft with my lifelong best friends, what would I do differently as the “What If” Wolves Overlord? The quick fix for the Wolves would be to keep Ray Allen and never have to deal with the future Marbury drama. That fix seems too simple for my taste.

Let’s get into it.

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The first move by the “What If” Wolves in the summer of 1996 is to fire Kevin McHale immediately.

I asked him for an autograph once at a Subway sandwich shop. He yelled at me something along the lines of, “Can’t you see I’m having dinner with my family?!” To which I replied, “You are standing in line at a Subway, *&%#@! (Editor’s Note: not quite sure if this breaks the Subway Sandwich code of conduct).”

I left before he had a chance to yell back at me. I was a punk teenager and thought I was tough, but I still hate Kevin McHale despite him being “one of us” and guest starring in the best episode of Cheers.

To be fair, the acting is actually pretty good.

So the “What If” Wolves make some moves. After the Bucks take Marbury at pick #4 and dangle him in front of me, we make a pivot. We got Rider at shooting guard, so we don’t need Ray Allen. Also, Rider had recently won the dunk contest with his “East Bay Funk Dunk”. The dunk contest was super important to me back then, before it descended into whatever we have today (dear NBA guys, please fix this!).

I thought KG and Rider were building something and was excited to see it through, plus we would get the opportunity to hear more stories like this one about MJ. So instead of taking Allen, we trade the #5 pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers for picks #12 and #20.

Tough to move back, but we picked up an extra first-round pick and screwed over the Bucks at the same time. Nice. Cleveland takes Ray Allen at #5, which is a huge upgrade over their current SGs Bobby Phills and Bobby Sura. Phills would pass away a few years later while a member of the Charlotte Hornets in a tragic car accident.

The actual Wolves took a pretty big risk in the 1995 draft by drafting Kevin Garnett. When your franchise has been dreadful for the last few years, you need to take some risks. Now, the easy thing to do is to say that I took the same risk and drafted Kobe Bryant out of high school for the “What If” Wolves.

Again, way too easy, plus I like extra long articles.

With our newly acquired #12 pick, we take a different type of risk by taking a Canadian point guard from tiny Santa Clara University and future 2-time MVP, Steve Nash.

Coming out of college, the comparisons to John Stockton were everywhere. Small school, played on their respective National Teams, crazy court vision, decent shot, slow defender, and pretty pale. Nash was nowhere near the defender that Stockton was coming out of Gonzaga, but he checked every other box in the Stockton comparison.

Taking Nash at #12 is a bit of a reach and a bit of “drafting for need”. But I’m ok with that here. Take a flyer on a kid who has gotten better each of his four years at Santa Clara. Take a chance on the kid who steps up in the big games. In the NCAA Tournament as a freshman, Nash had 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and hit six straight free throws in the final 30 seconds to beat #2 Arizona.

As a senior, Nash had 28 points and 12 assists to upset #7 Maryland. He was clutch when it mattered most. That is what the Wolves need: a guy who can lead a team against all odds and destroy the powerhouse teams of the late 90s and early 2000s.

For pick #20 of the 1996 NBA Draft, the “What If” Wolves make the same pick as the real Cavs made twenty years ago and select Lithuanian center Zyndrunas Ilgauskas.

Ilgauskas was a giant at 7’3″. Couldn’t move all that well, but did well enough to earn two All-Star appearances. Ilgauskas makes it so the Wolves never sign Stojko Vrankovic, whose nickname on basketball-reference.com is actually “The Human Victory Cigar”.

I am sure that KG would have made Ilgauskas cry after being yelled at for moving too slowly, getting in his way, or speaking with broken English. Point is, KG was going to yell and scream at him (KG did this to everyone and we all love him for it). Not sure how I would handle a giant man sobbing, but if anyone can console him, I bet Steve Nash would be up for the task.

My other thought was to draft Derek Fisher out of Little Rock. This pick wouldn’t have been to solidify the point guard posistion with some solid depth. This pick would have been solely to have KG verbally abuse Fisher on a daily basis that he gives up basketball all together. I’m still bitter about him destroying the Timberwolves in the 2003 and 2004 NBA Playoffs.

So, no Marbury complaining about not making enough money. No Jesus Shuttlesworth to pair up with KG. No dynamic high school duo with Kobe. But we do get an actual floor general that is a fierce competitor, can shoot lights out, and fits in with the MN culture with his Hockey Flow haircut.

Two MVPs on the roster? I’ll take that risk.

Shoutout to the boys of the MSHSL for continuing to inspire this 50-year-old bald man. I bet Steve Nash is jealous.

There is only one thing that the 2026 Raptors share in common with the championship team from 2019: Kawhi Leonard.

The first to leave, yet the only one in Toronto today. A man who has never failed to reach the top of the mountain as a Raptor. Granted, he was only a Raptor for one season, but now that he is back, we can ask: do the Raptors have that same championship trajectory once again?

And with Leonard seemingly still in great shape, coming off one of his best regular seasons ever, are the 2026 Raptors arguably better than the 2019 champions?

Top end talent

In 2019, the team’s leader and best player was Kawhi Leonard. Barring an astonishing Scottie Barnes jump, which is totally possible, Leonard will be the team’s frontman for this upcoming season. Obviously, 2019 Kawhi is going to outclass the current 35-year-old Kawhi in almost every facet. 2019 was his prime. However, Leonard’s offence is still top-notch, and his defence is still amazing too. Even with all the injuries, Leonard’s longevity has been impressive. He is one of the higher-end players in the Association.

Kawhi Leonard’s had two main co-stars on his championship run. Kyle Lowry was an All-Star that season and meshed incredibly well with Leonard. Pascal Siakam had his breakout season in 2018-19, averaging over 16 points per game. These two players in that specific season, who are all-time Raptors legends, cannot compare to modern-day Scottie Barnes. Barnes has been getting a lot of positive attention this offseason. Many people are praising not only his regular-season performance but also his incredible playoff production in the series against the Cavaliers. Receiving comparisons to Scottie Pippen and his new teammate Kawhi Leonard, it is fair to say people have high expectations for Scottie Barnes this season.

Role players and depth compared

The projected lineup for the Raptors in the 2026-27 season consists of Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Jakob Poeltl around Leonard and Barnes.

Quickley and Barrett are the players that the Raptors got in return for OG Anunoby. Both are early into their primes and have shown promising flashes, but play more selfishly compared to Lowry and Green. They swirled around in trade rumors all of last year and will likely continue to be in the rumour mill, unless they sacrifice their own production for the betterment of the team. As for Poeltl, he has not been the same since he injured his back. Compared to Serge Ibaka, who was having some of his best offensive seasons in Toronto and was still a great defender, Poeltl is quite subpar.

The 2019 champions have a difficult bench to match. Fred VanVleet, Norman Powell, OG Anunoby, and Marc Gasol. There were also all of the quality players who had lesser roles: Jeremy Lin, Chris Boucher, and Patrick McCaw for example.

Collin Murray-Boyles was a great defensive asset for the Raptors last year. Any bench with him will be productive. Rookie Allen Graves should add a fun dynamic this year. Jamal Shead and Ja’Kobe Walter have been good contributors over the last couple of years too. They, especially Walter, will assume bigger roles with Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick shipped off to Los Angeles. There are also other guys, like veteran Kyle Anderson, rejoining Kawhi Leonard. It would not hurt to acquire more depth, especially at centre. This would allow CMB to play a more natural position of forward, instead of in the intense role of a centre.

Could the 2026 Raptors yield the same results?

This article is kind of premature. Right now, this team and its season are a mystery. Once this season starts, we will get a feel for how this ensemble is going to perform, how Darko Rajaković will manage things, how the chemistry develops, and who else the front office can add. According to speculation, there could be a guy like Domantas Sabonis added to the team. Players like Collin Murray-Boyles could get increased roles. Bottom line: there is time for adjustments to be made.

The competition is also much different in the current NBA. Now, the NBA is much deeper than the 2019 NBA landscape, partly due to the new collective bargaining agreement which disperses talent more effectively than ever. There is also the reality of so many new stars. The emerging stars from the time the Raptors won in 2019 have matured and have great squads next to them now. Not to mention, the Eastern Conference is much stronger than it usually has been, arguably more stacked than the Western Conference. The Warriors were a worthy opponent in 2019, but the competition all around the league has become more respectable.

We will see how the year plays out. There will be twists and turns, just as the 2019 champions had when Kevin Durant got injured in the Finals, making victory even more tangible. There will be roster adjustments, just like when the front office traded for Marc Gasol. The team will have to learn how to play together. Kawhi adjusted quickly in 2019 and won a championship in his first year in Toronto, so why wouldn’t he mesh with the squad this year? The road to success will be strenuous, but the ceiling is as high as ever.

Media Day is often filled with empty or generic quotes, buzzwords, and clichés. It’s inevitable every year.

But sometimes, if you read between the lines after getting to know players over the years, you pick up on things. Oddities. New perspectives. Previews of what could be to come through words converted straight into action. These things can be hard to spot to the naked eye, but if you pay close enough attention, you can see them.

Devin Booker had several quotes that stood out to me in a way that I haven’t really heard before. Book is usually more reserved and doesn’t really throw out quotes like this one too often. In the most nonchalant tone of voice possible, Book sounds as excited as we’ve heard him sound since… the CP3 days? It would be remiss to not mention the early days of KD as well, because there was some buzz then too. But it’s been a minute.

Booker said: “I love the game more than ever. Honestly, my body feels better than it’s ever felt going into a training camp. So, I think, you know, as you get older you know, you learn new ways to train, new ways to take care of your body… I’ve been a sponge to, you know, a lot of guys that have had success and played a lot of years in their career.”

"I love the game more than ever." – Devin Booker

Training Camp presented by @Verizonpic.twitter.com/FtVMnAko6y

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) October 2, 2026

Booker’s body feeling the best it ever has means something. He played in 64 games a season ago, and over the course of his 11-year career, he averages 67 games played per season. He typically hovers in the mid-60s, so if we can get that number closer to the mid-70s, that would be great. Those extra 10 games could be the difference between fighting in the play-in and securing a spot outright.

This next quote also spoke to me. Devin said he wants to “fall into shooting too much,” which is quite an unusual comment from him. When Booker is in “killer” mode, that’s when the Suns are at their best. It doesn’t mean forcing bad shots, dribbling into traps, or over-dribbling. Quite the opposite.

Every time he touches the ball, he is making quick, decisive moves to either attack downhill in a straight line or use one or two dribbles to get into his spot and put defenders on his hip in the midrange.

“Sometimes I fall into passing too much and this year, hopefully, I fall into shooting too much.” – Phoenix Suns superstar Devin Booker (@DevinBook) on how he hopes to play this season. pic.twitter.com/bcH4ytvuMI

— Wolf & Luke on Arizona Sports (@WolfandLuke) September 29, 2026

Another gripe that I mentioned in the comments of a recent article was that whenever he gets cold, he can oftentimes settle for jumpers. We’ve seen those dry spells; they can be rough.

What I’d like to see more of in those early-game situations, especially, is for him to go straight into attack mode if his first two jumpers don’t fall. Get to the line and make a pair of free throws, or make an easy shot at the rim to build confidence. That’s how you get a rhythm going.

Because once he hits his stride and he sees it go in, it can snowball in a positive way.

“To start the season, we’re gonna be definitely ahead of where we were to start the season last year,” said Booker.

This team sounds fired up. The energy is right. The talent is there. Who else is ready for some Phoenix Suns basketball?

Complex? Somewhat. All-encompassing? Yes. Personalised? Definitively. This week, following all the change the Milwaukee Bucks have undergone this offseason, we asked you who you want them to become. More specifically, we sought clarification regarding what identity you want for this new era of Bucks basketball. Well, it turns out the ghost of P.J. Tucker still lingers over Milwaukee.

We want dawgs.

Yes, with 43% of the vote, fans want a return to the days where playing against the Bucks was tough. Think 48 minutes of Eric Bledsoe hounding every dribble. Then upgrading to Jrue Holiday. Think Wes Matthews getting into your chest. Think getting by perimeter defenders only to meetBrook Lopez at the rim—and then watching as he directs the scorers to record his block. Think Giannis tracking you on the fast break, prepping to eviscerate your dreams. And, yes, think P.J. Tucker’s fleet feet, quick hands, bruising physicality—and dawg mentality.

Of course, these Bucks aren’t those Bucks. But they certainly have some defensive upside. On the court, this mainly comes in the form of moldable youth and athleticism—Kel’el Ware, Jericho Sims, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Ousmane Dieng, Brayden Burries, Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., and even Nate Ament—but they also have one of the league’s best rim protectors in Myles Turner. Kyle Kuzma, Pete Nance, and AJ Green are all willing, albeit limited, defenders too.

More importantly, in Taylor Jenkins they’ve got a self-proclaimed “teacher” who prioritises effort and accountability, winning the possession battle, and working as a team, things the Bucks, much to the chagrin of fans, have struggled with in recent times. And in case you missed it, all of this is captured in the team’s new mantra: Compete. Together. Get Better.

But it’s not just a defensive identity fans want from the Bucks. In fact, 33% of voters long for a game predicated on ball movement and fluidity, while 12% would like to see Milwaukee push the pace. Notably, just 2% want to see the Bucks imitate the Lob City Los Angeles Clippers. Given their lack of success in comparison to the other stylistic examples—those Clippers never made it past the Western Conference semifinals—this is completely understandable.

Beyond these stylistic archetypes, 10% of fans want something else, a sentiment captured in the comments:

Mitchell Maurer: There is no one existing model to adopt that would make sense to emulate; Coach Jenkins needs to see what he has and what he can make work, knowing that there will be some trial-and-error.

retired janitor: One of my biggest mistakes as an early coach was trying to have the players fit my system, vs finding the system that fits them best. It is the coach’s job to nurture improvement, and put them in the best situation to succeed. Basketball is a game of unconscious competence. Do, don’t think… To the question of what I want to see? The staff figures out the strengths and weaknesses of the clay, and small victories are repeated through good habits.

GBFanBoy: It has to be a blend of all of those if it makes sense. 7 seconds is ideal, but we have the versatile pieces that can defend at a high level. 

Lockdown terrors, offensive maestros, or something else, the good news is we don’t have long to wait to start to see who these Bucks are—preseason ball begins Monday!

The Spurs are back to having fun with each other. After surpassing expectations and making the NBA Finals in 2026, the core of the team have returned for training camp looking closer than they did before having a break. Overall, there always seemed to be camaraderie in some form or fashion all summer long. From the group that met Wemby in France to the GQ article that released at the end of September, these guys have been bonding when many take time to themselves.

Apparently someone on the team is giving out nicknames, and Harrison Barnes received the name “Drizz.”

That’s Hector Ledesma of Clutch Points relaying Julian Champagnie’s question “what’s it like to be referred to as Drizz?”

Harrison’s response sent Champagnie into the locker room in haste. Are they messing with each other or do I detect a hint of beef? An obscure and interesting joust to say the least.

Let the interpretations begin.

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The Celtics have developed a reputation as one of the NBA’s best player-development organizations, and that has extended to improving the shooting of players who arrived with questions about their jumper. Over the years, Boston has helped several players very recently make significant strides from three, and the results speak for themselves. 

It’s safe to say the Celtics already have a proven track record of developing shooters. But if Boston can turn Dillon Mitchell into a 32-percent-or-better three-point shooter, it could be the organization’s most impressive shooting-development success yet regarding the starting point. 

The 23-year-old Mitchell (22 on Draft Night) was selected with the 40^th overall pick in this year’s draft. He spent four years in college, with stops at Texas and Cincinnati before finishing his career at St. John’s. The 6-foot-7 forward was undoubtedly one of the better defenders and athletes in his draft class, using those traits to be a disruptive defender and reliable rebounder on both ends of the floor. However, after diving into his college film following the draft, it became clear that some of the more understated aspects of his game were intriguing as well. 

Mitchell is really good with the ball in his hands, an underrated passer that averaged a career high-three assists per game in his final year and is someone that consistently showed an ability to read the game at a high level. On offense, that high basketball IQ manifests itself through timely cuts, a strong understanding of spacing, and freelanced screen setting. On defense though, it’s the anticipation skills that lead to him being able to cut off drives and get steals in passing lanes.  

So, if Mitchell was an elite athlete and defender in his class, a strong rebounder and high-level processor of the game, and a capable handler and passer, what ultimately pushed him to the middle of the second round? 

The answer is simple: his jumper. 

Mitchell shot just 6.7 percent from three on 15 attempts during his senior season and connected on only 49.4 percent of his free throws. Those numbers weren’t much of an isolated dip, either. He finished his college career shooting just 13 percent from three and 47 percent from the free-throw line, leaving a glaring question for NBA teams. Some questions possibly revolve around the concern of him ever being able to shoot.  

Although the numbers are more than damning, Celtics Vice President of Basketball Operations Mike Zarren had no reservations about Mitchell’s ability to improve as a shooter. 

“He’ll get better at his shot. We don’t have any doubt about that,” Zarren said after the Celtics drafted Mitchell.  

Guaranteeing the upgrade of someone with the priors of Mitchell was very bold, but the progress the rookie seems to be making already has Zarren looking like a genius.  

I definitely understood how far the staff would have to go with Mitchell as a shooter, but I never viewed his shot as a broken one.  

The first moment that caught the attention of Celtics fans came during Summer League, when Mitchell knocked down 2-of-5 three-point attempts in his second game after again, only hitting one his entire senior season.  

Even some of his misses offered encouraging signs, suggesting subtle changes to his shot, the fluidity, and a growing confidence in it. 

Mitchell gave reporters some insight into that exact topic during a Summer League practice saying, “Yeah, I think so,” when asked if his jumper has changed since being drafted. He then elaborated, pointing to two key areas: “I think as far as just shooting on the way up, and then just having confidence with it.”  

Across the three games he played during the summer, Mitchell shot 3-of-8 from beyond the arc while also displaying unexpected comfort with the in-between game, knocking down several mid-range jumpers. 

Fast forward to training camp and his work with development coach Craig Luschenat has his shot looking even better.  

Dillon Mitchell’s turn: https://t.co/sxJFjw8TdWpic.twitter.com/6D7tzEqE5n

— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) October 2, 2026

The Celtics rookies, Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell, working together with Director of Player Development, Craig Luschenat pic.twitter.com/2zy3k9CQbw

— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) September 29, 2026

At yesterday’s practice, Mitchell offered some valuable insight into what he has been working on and how he feels about his progress. Shooting has been a major focus of his workouts, and he said his confidence has grown alongside the changes he has made to his form. 

“Even [in] the little time we’ve had how much I feel like my form has changed it’s helping me with a lot of confidence just moving forward.”  

Most importantly, we still need to see that progress come to fruition in real games, but the strides Mitchell has already made, especially given where he started, are extremely encouraging. 

Now, it’s no secret that I love watching Steven Adams. I mean, who else has written all his season previews and season reviews? I mean, how can you not love the guy? He’s a great teammate, and he was even kind enough to warn media about the drop in production due to the release of GTA 6.

Houston Rockets center Steven Adams on GTA VI releasing during the NFL and NBA seasons:

“For the month of November, performance is gonna go down.” pic.twitter.com/hQ6Aj4dcZe

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) September 22, 2026

However, despite my fandom, I will do my very best to keep this as objective as possible.

To recap last season, load management and a season-ending injury in 2025-2026 unfortunately hampered Adams last season. He averaged 22.8 minutes per game, scoring 5.8 points and bringing down 8.6 rebounds in 58 regular-season games. Even though he only played limited minutes, he made an impression. He produced one of his best offensive rebounding percentages of his career.

Adams will undoubtedly back up Şengün at center, but he’ll get similar opportunities compared to 2025-2026, pending health. I expect to see more Adams, particularly in games when Houston wants more rebounding or physicality. He can also space the floor a bit, especially if Houston wants to play Adams and Şengün together. He will be used sparingly, especially in big inside matchups or in the second unit.

Adams is a great screen setter and physical presence on the paint. His intangibles — boxing out, getting help, changing shots — should add value beyond the box score, even if his counting stats are low. With Şengün, he can anchor the rim defensively, giving more switching or help with perimeter defense. Houston will probably be on a minutes restriction — coming off a couple of injury-plagued seasons and easing back last season — especially in back-to-backs.

He’ll undoubtedly have “maintenance” or rest days, particularly in less critical games to safeguard his body for the rest of the season. This is because for the Rockets to be successful, Adams has to stay in good health. Any hiccup might see his role shrink or other guys (Clint Capela) may need pick up more minutes, who is esentailly just a worse Steven Adams, or cause a roster move to happen (this is unlikely in my opinion). Adams isn’t a star, but he’s a tough, industrious veteran who can make a difference. The Rockets will gain from having him in He can aid on the boards, offer toughness to the paint and reinforce center depth if Houston uses him smartly (controlling his load, using him in favorable matchups and playing to his strengths).

If all goes to plan, Adams could see a largely similar amount of playing time, and hopefully some increased counting stats, especially in postseason games or against teams with little interior strength. But his biggest impact will likely come in those intangible areas, like screens, boxouts, speeding up the game, and giving Şengün a breather without sacrificing interior defense.

Be sure to check back here at The Dream Shake for more Rockets player season previews.