Category: Basketball

Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we look at Kevon Looney.

Regardless if you agree or disagree with the Lakers’ offseason moves, all of their additions at least make sense when viewed through the lens of a new roster ideology. Well, at least, most of them.  

As each signing became official, it became clear the team prioritized getting more versatile, athletic and younger this summer. 

Excluding their rookies and two-way players, the Lakers added seven new players to the roster. Six of the seven have a collective age of 26.3, which better aligns with their 27-year-old superstar, Luka Dončić. 

The sole outlier in the group in both age and physical makeup is Kevon Looney. 

While 30 is far from old in human years, Looney immediately is the elder statesman on the team. He has already played in 11 seasons and has more mileage on his odometer than his peers given how many postseason minutes he’s logged with the Golden State Warriors throughout his career. 

In a vacuum, Looney would be a harmless add on most benches around the league. But on a team that has invested heavily in Walker Kessler remaining healthy and productive, combined with the departure of Jaxson Hayes, the Lakers actually need Looney to contribute rather than just be a veteran presence.

Whether or not he can could be one of the more underrated storylines of the upcoming season.

What is his best-case scenario?

How much optimism you have in the Looney signing paying off likely depends on how much of last season you think could be written off.

In his first season away from the Bay, Looney appeared in just 21 games with the New Orleans Pelicans due to a combination of injuries and the team shifting toward a younger rotation. 

And when he was on the floor, Looney also looked noticeably limited. Was this due to the veteran lacking motivation on an aimless team? Or further evidence that he is on a steep decline? 

If the answer for his drop-off proves to be the former, there’s a chance Looney can shore up the team’s backup center void. 

Despite appearing antithetical to the team’s aforementioned ethos shift, Looney does still offer a helpful skillset and background. 

For one, he is extremely nuanced operating within a 5-out, free-flowing offense thanks to his time with the Warriors. It’s an alignment that head coach JJ Redick has utilized in the past. 

Looney is also an excellent screener, a skill that could open up driving lanes and space for the team’s star backcourt. When he does touch the ball, he remains a good connecting passer and elite offensive rebounder (83rd percentile or better in his last five seasons). 

While his stat sheet will never turn heads, Looney has made a career out of impacting the games on the margins. 

If he can return to doing the things that made him an underrated part of the Warriors’ run, there is still a path toward him adding value. 

What is his worst-case scenario?

If Looney’s short time with the Pelicans was a precursor to this stage of his career rather than a blip, there is a chance he falls out of the rotation completely. 

For as good of an intangibles player he’s been, there should still remain question marks about how he fits on the roster tangibly. 

On offense, Looney is nowhere near the lob threat or finisher that Doncic craves from his bigs. 

The veteran has converted just 63.5% of his shots at the rim over the last two seasons. It’s a woefully low number, and in comparison to Jaxson Hayes (who never shot worse than 79% at the rim during his tenure with the Lakers), the stylistic drop-off could end up being severe. 

Beyond his limitations in the half court, there should also be concerns about how he fares athletically within a league that is only getting faster. 

Can he still hold up as a drop big? Perhaps. But if he’s caught on the perimeter or forced to get back in transition, he may not have enough left in the tank to hold down the fort while Kessler sits. 

On that note, there is no guarantee Kessler is able to play the majority of the year. If he misses any time, whether due to foul trouble or injury, having to rely on Looney to play significant minutes could prove costly.

What is his most likely role on the team?

In an ideal world, Looney is able to turn back the clock and become the playoff-caliber member of the rotation the Lakers need.

However, that’s likely an unrealistic outcome and expectation for Looney at this stage of his career. 

Instead, a more practical outcome is that Looney is used only situationally. Whether that’s in the form of defending the post, setting a bone-crushing screen, or helping grease the wheels of the offense, his lasting impact may boil down to his veteran leadership.

As a result, the Lakers will likely have to hope Sandro Mamukelashvili can allow them to go small in the minutes Kessler is off the floor. And if not, they will be forced to find someone who can effectively fill the role Looney was expected to.

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

We’ve reached the inevitable almost-conclusion of the standoff between Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons as the young center looks to secure a lucrative long-term contract. The latest is a threat that has been levied before — Jalen Duren is seriously considering signing the $9.6 million qualifying offer so he can be an unrestricted free agent next season.

The threat might not be new, but it is being treated with more urgency because we truly are running out of time for a resolution to the JD situation. The deadline for him to take his qualifying offer is Oct. 1. That means one of the following is going to happen:

1. Jalen Duren signs his qualifying offer, plays out the season in Detroit, and leaves in the offseason.
2. Jalen Duren signs his qualifying offer, plays some of the season in Detroit, and is traded for a marginal return to a team that wants to re-sign Duren in the offseason using their cap space.
3. The Pistons believe so deeply that Jalen Duren is going to sign his qualifying offer that they organize a sign-and-trade now to get a bit of a better return instead of losing him for nothing.
4. The Pistons sign Jalen Duren to a new multi-year deal.

Which is the most likely? I have no reason to believe that it is still not No. 4, especially in light of the standoff being quantified with alleged contract numbers.

The Athletic reports that the Pistons’ offer to Duren stands at five years and $190 million for an average annual value of $38 million. Duren’s camp wants a contract at or beyond $200 million. That would be an AAV of $40 million. So we’re arguing over something that could be as little as $2 million per year.

However, the Athletic story goes a bit further in contextualizing what might make Duren’s willingness to sign the QO more realistic. The story notes that Duren opted out of a minicamp Cade Cunningham organized. On the one hand, you don’t want to run afoul of a franchise cornerstone. On the other hand, Cade knows Duren’s just trying to handle his business.

Perhaps more significantly, the Athletic reports that the Kings are interested in signing Duren to a max contract next offseason. The story also alleges two more unnamed suitors willing to go to the max. But a max from Detroit and a max from another team are entirely different animals. A max in Detroit might be $287 million, and it’s true the Pistons are offering way under that. But after he signs a qualifying offer, the max he can get from another team is $187 million over four years. Add the $9.6 million from Detroit to play out this season, and it would be $196 million over five years.

I’m sorry, I just can’t believe Duren is willing to risk the security of Detroit’s $190 million offer for an extra $6 million at the end of the deal. He’s not only risking the potential for an injury to blow up his ability to secure a future long-term deal, but he’s also banking on the dynamics of the NBA staying consistent to the point that the three alleged max offers on the table today will still be there a year from now. I don’t buy it.

This is what it always has been — a staring contest over $10-$15 million between a team and a player. There is zero downside for either side to take these negotiations down to the 11th hour. If you’re the one who blinks, you lose. There is nothing to gain by saying yes today as compared to saying yes on September 24th.

Duren is going to play the only card he has left to play — the threat of taking the qualifying offer. Is it legit? Anything is possible when pride is involved, I suppose. But I still think this ends with Duren and Detroit coming to terms on a new long-term deal for less than $200 million.

It started with yelling about toilets. Steve Ballmer was so serious about turning the Los Angeles Clippers into a serious franchise for the first time in their existence that he wanted to make sure no fan ever waited in a long line to use the bathroom when the team opened its new arena. Ballmer’s drive to win eventually led the Clippers to courting Kawhi Leonard in free agency, fresh off leading the Toronto Raptors to a 2019 NBA championship. Leonard wanted to live in Los Angeles, yes, but he also wanted Paul George as his running mate, so the Clippers shipped out a boatload of draft picks and future two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to get him.

Leonard’s people also made it known that their client wanted the type of big endorsement deals his off-putting, robotic personality couldn’t land legitimately. Leonard’s now infamous Uncle Dennis Robertson never tried to be subtle about his desire to secure similar off-court bags to the ones Kawhi’s contemporaries like LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant were landing on their own accord, and leaks of his demands circulated as soon as Leonard hit free agency.

The Clippers became so entangled in pleasing Leonard that it led to blatant salary cap circumvention, first reported by investigative journalist Pablo Torre. The NBA found enough evidence supporting Torre’s claims that it hammered the Clippers with the most severe penalty in league history, stripping five future first-round draft picks, suspending executives including Ballmer, and more. That figured to be the end of the story, with the Clippers spending the next decade trying to climb out of the abyss. Torre continued to hint that there was another shoe to drop, and now that it’s here, the Clippers might be in much bigger trouble than anyone first believed.

The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the Clippers, according to the New York Times, and it’s already issued one subpoena. While the scope of the investigation is unclear for now, the fact that the feds are watching the Clippers for under-the-table dealings potentially makes this a much bigger deal than simply breaking NBA rules.

How does breaking NBA rules amount to a federal crime by the Clippers? While there’s a lot left to come out, the main idea is that the Clippers committed some level of fraud. Daktronics was a publicly traded company, the only one of the four tied up in the Leonard scandal to fit that description, while Aspiration, Lockton Insurance, and Boingo Wireless were not. Publicly traded companies have a fiduciary duty to their shareholders to disclose big investments, and it sure feels like that never happened when dealing with Leonard.

There’s all types of potential avenues for a federal investigation. It could be securities fraud and misleading investors. It could be tax fraud in some capacity. It could be wire fraud, or labor racketeering. The feds are just poking around for now, but there are numerous ways their investigation could go.

It’s easy to question the motives of the DOJ here. Ballmer’s history of political donations is usually targeted to left-of-center causes. Is this the Trump administration trying to put extra heat on this because it involves a somewhat left-leaning billionaire? Aren’t there more important things to worry about?

Torre said that he was anticipating the federal investigation into the Clippers with the DOJ previously looking into Aspiration, as well as SEC probes into Aspiration and Daktronics. Watch Torre’s video here:

A federal criminal investigation into the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard is reportedly underway.@PabloTorre reacts: "There is a lot more." pic.twitter.com/uKi9gFBC2S

— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) September 11, 2026

There could be on-court ramifications from this, too. Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors before the NBA issued its penalty. That trade was put on hold, and it’s still on hold at the moment because everyone running the Clippers has been suspended. Will Kawhi actually play for the Raptors this year? Toronto looks like a fringe title contender with him, and the Clippers sure need the draft picks they got back in the deal if they’re ever going to build a good team again.

The NBA dropping the hammer on the Clippers felt like an exclamation mark to end this story. Apparently, there’s so much that could still be to come. The Clippers scandal was always a bombshell, and it keeps getting bigger.

Defending a championship changes the vibe during regular-season play. When the goal is to repeat a championship in June, Tuesday night games in February can feel like a formality. Nobody wants to overexert a key player in a meaningless game on the off chance that he’ll blow a hammy. However, Mike Brown’s offense, built for another deep playoff run, can’t help but generate eye-popping stats all season long.

Between the exploding scoreboards, higher possession counts, and New York’s elite playmakers and scorers, several Knicks records are suddenly at risk. Some of these benchmarks have survived nearly 40 years, while the ink for others is still wet in the books. A closer look at the roster and statistics suggests five specific franchise records could realistically fall this season. Let’s dive in.

Single-Season 30-Point Games

• Current Record: 36 games – Richie Guerin (1961-1962), Patrick Ewing (1989-90), Jalen Brunson (2023-24)
• 2026-27 Season Target: 37 games

The current franchise mark for the most 30-point contest in a regular season is a three-way tie spanning three distinct eras of Knicks basketball. Richie Guerin established the benchmark during the fast-break pace of the early 1960s. Patrick Ewing matched it during his prime, dominating the post game-in and game-out while carrying the team on his broad shoulders and aching knees. Captain Jalen Brunson joined the two Hall of Famers two seasons ago during his rise to All-NBA status.

Of every record on this list, this one is the most wobbly. Brunson remains the undisputed engine of New York’s half-court offense, combining incredible footwork with elite basketball smarts.

In Mike Brown’s five-out system, defenses can no longer load up in the paint without leaving deadly perimeter shooters uncovered. Having Karl-Anthony Towns at center pulls defensive anchors 25 feet away from the basket, giving Brunson wider driving lanes, fewer double-teams, and access to his mid-range spots. Assuming he’ll be healthy all season (knock on wood and cross yourself), Brunson claiming sole possession of this record with 37-plus 30-point games feels more like a matter of when, not if.

Single-Game Scoring Record

• Current Record: 62 points – Carmelo Anthony (January 24, 2014 vs. Charlotte Bobcats)
• 2026-27 Season Target: 63 points

First, a moment of silence for the Charlotte Bobcats. . . . Okay, we’re good to go.

Carmelo Anthony’s 62-point masterclass against Charlotte has stood untouched for 13 years. In a legendary isolation clinic, Melo shot 23-of-35 from the floor without recording a single assist or turnover. Surpassing a single-game point total like that requires the blend of crazy shot volume, incredible efficiency, (no small degree of selfishness,) and a game that’s competitive enough to keep starters on the floor late into the fourth quarter.

New York’s current roster is different because it features two distinct creators who can completely go off in a single game. Brunson already came within a single point of the record, dropping 61 points on 47 shot attempts against the Spurs in March 2024. Meanwhile, Towns brings a personal career-high of 62 points from his time in Minnesota, with an outside stroke that can cause box score chaos. If Towns hits six or seven early threes while dominating the glass, or if Brunson takes over a high-paced track meet, Carmelo’s iconic record could melt like a stick of butter on a sunny afternoon.

Single Season Team 3-Pointers

• Current Record: 1,168 made three-pointers (2025-26)
• 2026-27 Season Target: 1,169 made three-pointers

New York set a new record last season, draining 1,168 three-pointers. And Mike Brown’s Knicks are just getting started.

Brown’s scheme relies heavily on five-out principles that are designed to distort perimeter coverage. With movement shooters on the bench (Shamet, McBride, and occasionally Alvarado and Clarkson), the sheer volume of perimeter attempts is bound to increase. Averaging roughly 14 made threes a game across a full schedule, and thereby breaking their own team record for a second straight season, seems like the natural trajectory for this squad.

Individual Single Season 3-Pointers

• Current Record: 283 made three-pointers – Donte DiVincenzo (2023-24 season)
• 2026-27 Season Target: 284 made three-pointers

When Donte DiVincenzo poured in 283 three-pointers during his lone full season with the Knicks, he shattered Evan Fournier’s previous mark of 241, setting an incredible bar for perimeter volume. Reaching that total requires a player to average roughly 3.5 made threes per game while appearing in almost every matchup.

DiVincenzo and Fournier are long gone, but the team has redistributed the heavy perimeter workload across its primary offensive tools. Both Towns and Brunson shoot near 40% from beyond the arc and often get the green light in Brown’s system. If KAT maintains a high-volume, trailing-center role in transition, or if Cap takes even more off-dribble pull-up jumpers, DiVo’s record could easily be squashed before the season’s end.

Single Season Point Total

• Current Record: 2,347 points – Patrick Ewing (1989-90 season)
• 2026-27 Season Target: 2,348 points

Ewing’s 1989-90 campaign remains the ultimate test of single-season scoring in franchise history. Piling up 2,347 total points, Ewing averaged 28.6 points per contest and played all 82 games. Obviously, the big fella served as the team’s primary generator and carried most of the load that year.

Surpassing Ewing’s record is hands-down the most grueling challenge on this list of beatable benchmarks. Per-game averages mean little if a player misses games due to load management or minor injury, so any absence from the floor will interrupt the scoring pace needed to top Patrick.

Across 77 appearances in 2023-24, Brunson recorded 2,212 points, which put him within spitting distance of the record. To beat out Ewing, Jalen would need to maintain a scoring average north of 28 points per game, while playing in at least 80 contests. Requiring a combination of elite offensive production and availability, the 2,348 points in a season is the hardest to crack, and as Jalen enters his thirties, Coach Brown is likely to play Jalen for shorter stints in unimportant games, to preserve him for the offseason. Still, it is mathematically within reach.

Some franchise records are so incredible that they’re unlikely to be toppled, given the changes in play-style, rules, and rosters over time. However, Mike Brown’s team, based on a high-volume, high-efficiency attack, is not your father’s Knicks. In the 1995-96 season, the ‘Bockers averaged 97.2 points per game and attempted 1,285 three-pointers; thirty years later, they averaged 116.5 PPG and took 3,133 threes. And that’s not even top-five in the league! (The Warriors tried 3,616.) With the firepower currently employed at MSG, some of these historical benchmarks are truly at risk.

Which records do you think will fall this year? Talk about it below!

A winning culture comes before actually winning. Good coaches and winning players know this, and new Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May just made sure to emphasize how that’s exactly what they are building in Dallas right now. 

“We’re not having to teach all of these guys how to win and what it takes, they’re already well-versed,” he said last week in an interview with Dallas radio station 105.3 the Fan.

Looking at the current NBA Champions, the New York Knicks, we see one of the greatest examples of the power of a winning culture in recent history. The Knicks don’t have superstars. They don’t have an NBA MVP or the scoring leader. The Knicks have a well-built team, a strong leader in Jalen Brunson, who was brought up in the team-oriented culture of Villanova. He knows how to make a team work together and take the lead when needed, and a team with a very firm winning culture. 

The interesting part of this, with Dallas glasses on, is that this specific mental aspect of basketball, which is just as important as individual skillset – a winning culture – has clearly been a priority by Dallas Mavericks president and GM Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz since they took over. 

We see that in who they drafted this summer, who they acquired, and who they kept on the roster. 

Here’s Dusty May again:

“Sass (Marcus Sasser) coming from the Houston program out of college and the Pistons last year, coming from a winning organization. He’s used to winning.”

May highlights the new players as more than capable of helping to (re)establish that culture in Dallas. 

“That’s the majority of our roster, especially the newly acquired players. You look at Tarik (Biberovic), going to the EuroLeague finals. Morez (Johnson Jr.) winning a championship.”

“Zacch (Risacher) with an Atlanta Hawks team that had the Knicks down in the playoffs, before the Knicks caught fire and figured some things out,” he said, making a point to note how building a winning culture may be a top priority as the pre-season begins. 

“We have a lot of guys who know what winning requires,” May said and repeated that they don’t have to teach all these young guys what it takes. They already know. 

And may I add Sergio De Larrea? Coming fresh off a Spanish championship win with Valencia over Spanish powerhouse Barcelona, he also won Best Young Player 2026 in the Spanish ACB league. He knows how to win, as well. 

Creating a winning culture, which we probably saw in Dallas the last time in 2024 during the Finals run, also takes veterans and leaders on and off the court setting the tone. 

Here, Dusty May mentioned two players especially, two names which probably won’t be a big surprise to anyone. The first one had him “blown away” after watching him practice. 

“We all know how talented Kyrie (Irving) is with a ball in his hand, not in his hands. But to see his preparation, attention to detail and IQ, it’s something that I’ve never seen at the level he works.”

You expect a player like Kyrie Irving to be over the hill right now, when you think about his long and successful career, to be a locker room presence and vet. But the impressive part about Kyrie, May pointed out, is that he is still one of the best players in the league when healthy – as well. 

“For someone to still be able to impact the day to day like he does, and also be able to have the leadership role, it’s gonna prove invaluable,” May said. 

The second player is Cooper Flagg, of course. The young number one draft pick, who’s entering his second season, and in some way managed to live up to all the hype. A guy who struggled losing as much as Dallas did last season and – or but – still carries that special winning player competitive spirit to everything he does. 

“To be 19 years old and to have everything thrown at him as he has,” the Dallas Mavericks head coach said, “it’s a real testament to his maturity and to the people around him to keep him grounded, because he is just a normal guy.”

And to Dusty May, being his coach comes with a special obligation. 

“There’s a real responsibility that he becomes the absolute best he can be.”

“At every level of basketball, he’s affected winning. So that’s what we expect of him. It’s going to be fun to be part of his journey,” Dusty May said and once again, we’re back at the topic at hand. 

Because this seems to be the general point Dusty May and the Mavs want to push and put out there. ‘We’re building a winning culture here. Through the players we acquire, through the players we retain, through the way we build the team and how we communicate’. 

For something like this to work, however, it is important that everyone involved, including the fanbase, understands that it is not a quick fix. It’s a long process of building a roster and a culture around a guy, who they feel – and rightfully so – that they have a responsibility to help fulfill his potential. 

So if the Knicks win last season serves to prove a point here; about how a team can be better than the sum of its parts when trust, connection and leadership are on point and a roster is made to work together – then this new Dallas Mavericks leadership may just be on to something.

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

The Sixers are bringing in four players on Exhibit 10 contracts: Dillon Jones, Saint Thomas, Jameer Nelson, Jr. and, easily the most recognizable of all, Tacko Fall.

As a refresher, an Exhibit 10 contract is essentially a camp invite where the signee is financially incentivized by the signing team to join its G League affiliate. It’s not the norm for a player to parlay this type of contract into a roster spot, but it’s far from impossible.

Let’s break down all four players and rank them as far as intrigue to earn a spot with the Sixers.

Saint Thomas

Thomas is a Swiss Army knife wing with great size at 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds. He finished his college career at USC after two seasons at Loyola and one at Northern Colorado. He spent last season with the Delaware Blue Coats after going undrafted in 2025. He was also with the Sixers in the Vegas summer league.

There’s nothing that really jumps out about Thomas’ raw numbers. He stuffs the stat sheet, posting above-average rebounding and assist numbers for a big wing. Like most big wings, shooting is the swing skill. He shot 33.1% from deep in 36 G League games last season.

Barring a serious shooting improvement that he flashes at camp, Thomas is the most likely of this bunch to spend the year in Delaware. He’s interesting enough that it makes sense to keep him in the pipeline.

Jameer Nelson, Jr.

Like his dad, Jameer Nelson, Jr. is trying to make it in the NBA as an undersized guard. After two years each at George Washington and Delaware, Nelson finished his collegiate career at TCU. He’s spent the last two seasons playing in the G League and leagues in Canada, Puerto Rico and China.

The odds are against him at 6-foot-1, but the younger Nelson has clear skills, including the ability to create his own shot. He led the CAA in scoring his final year with the Blue Hens and was second on the Horned Frogs in his lone season there. He’s also displayed quick hands, notching over two steals a game throughout his NCAA career.

The chances of Nelson cracking the Sixers’ roster feel low, especially when you factor in depth at guard. But like Thomas, Nelson is an interesting guy to keep around who can help keep the Blue Coats competitive and guide the players on the team.

Dillon Jones

Jones comes with the best pedigree of any of the four players. He starred all four years at Weber State — he won the conference’s ROY as a freshman and POY as a senior. Despite his bulky frame (6-foot-5, 235 pounds), Jones was an outstanding playmaker with an impressive bag throughout his college career. He was a first-round pick (26th overall) of the Washington Wizards and was eventually traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

He saw action in 55 games as a rookie, but wasn’t a consistent part of the Thunder’s loaded rotation. He was traded back to the Wizards the following season, was subsequently waived, and then picked up by the New York Knicks on a two-way deal. That means Jones has won a championship in each of his first two NBA seasons. Here’s hoping for a third!

It’s been a weird NBA road for Jones, but there’s talent here. He was used as an offensive hub in college, a role he won’t be afforded at the NBA level, but his passing and ability to create shots are intriguing at his size. He’s also an outstanding rebounder. The concerns with Jones are a lack of elite athletic ability to guard on the wing and below average shooting at the NBA level.

Despite the Sixers fortifying their depth at the four, Jones should still be a candidate for that final two-way slot. He’s a versatile player, and his passing and rebounding could be nice traits for this current roster.

Tacko Fall

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re aware of Tacko Fall. The 7-foot-6 Senegalese big man enjoyed a four-year career at UCF, famously playing a hard-fought game against Duke in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament. He finished with 15 points, six rebounds and three blocks before fouling out.

Fall went undrafted, but signed — you guessed it — an Exhibit 10 contract with the Boston Celtics, which was converted to a two-way spot. After two seasons in Boston, Fall signed a two-way deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He didn’t get much NBA time, appearing in only 37 contests across three seasons. He’s spent most of his time since playing in China, save for an 18-game stint in Australia.

Fall’s strengths and weaknesses are obvious. His size makes him an elite rim protector and rebounder, but he’s also extremely limited offensively. He’ll finish everything around the rim, but has no other real offensive skill. He’s also still a rough free throw shooter.

I have him as the most intriguing because backup center is the biggest question mark on a deep Sixers roster. Is Fall better than Ariel Hukporti or Adem Bona? Probably not — there’s a reason he’s been in China — but having a guy like Fall as an extra option on a two-way wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. He has experience, he’ll rebound, block shots and finish lobs. That might be enough to get the Sixers through a Tuesday night against the Kings.

Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.

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Pat Spencer

Point guard, 6’2”, 205 pounds, 30 years old, 3rd season

Wanted: a player considered one of the greatest college lacrosse players of all time, who somehow turned 1 year of college basketball into an NBA career. Must possess grit, toughness, tenacity, and the willingness to make every possession feel like a bar fight. Oh, and one hell of a savage mustache.

That’s right, Pat Spencer is who the Phoenix Suns signed this offseason when they brought him in on a two-way contract. He’s somebody who set the NCAA men’s lacrosse record for career assists before ultimately making his way to the NBA. Spencer originally attended Loyola University Maryland, where he played lacrosse. But after graduating, he still had a year of basketball eligibility, so he transferred to Northwestern for the 2019–20 season.

Since then, he’s worked his way through the G League, spending time with the Capital City Go-Go and Santa Cruz Warriors before earning meaningful minutes with Golden State last season. It was enough to catch the attention of the Suns.

Spencer may not be someone who regularly impacts the NBA roster, but he can be a foundational piece for the Valley Suns. He can set the table for others, bring toughness and organization to the floor, and help reinforce the identity Phoenix wants throughout the entire organization.

Last Season

GP	MIN	PPG	RPG	APG	STL	FG%	3PT%	FT%	OFFRTG	DEFRTG	+/- (TOTAL)
66	18.6	7.2	2.4	3.5	0.7	42.7%	35.7%	77.2%	112.1	115.6	-95

The Golden State Warriors were riddled with injuries last season, with their players missing a combined 330 games, the eighth most in the NBA. And when injuries happen, opportunity follows. That’s where Pat Spencer’s story really began.

He played 10 games in November without making a start. Then, on December 6, he made his first NBA start of his career. By February, Spencer appeared in 10 games and started seven of them, eventually forcing Golden State to convert his two-way contract into a standard deal out of necessity. All told, Spencer played 66 games for the Warriors last season, starting 14 and averaging 18.6 minutes per game. He finished seventh on the team in total minutes and third in assists with 232.

His best game of the season? On February 5, Spencer went 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, scored 20 points, grabbed six rebounds, and added four assists in a 101–97 victory. The opponent? The Phoenix Suns.

Contract and Roster Context

Spencer signed a two-way contract with Phoenix and will become an unrestricted free agent next summer, with the Suns not retaining his Bird rights.

What He Brings

Pat Spencer is the type of player every organization should want in its system. He proved last season that, when called upon, he can step in and provide productive basketball. He isn’t elite in any one area, but the collection of skills he brings can serve as a positive foundation for an organization that doesn’t need to rely on him every night to be successful.

It’s kind of like building a house. You have the foundation, the frame, the electricity, the piping, and the aesthetics. Spencer is like the piping. Absolutely necessary, rarely noticed, and built to hold up over time.

He brings energy, a touch of playmaking, a smidgen of shooting, and reliability in the areas that don’t always show up in a box score. Those intangibles matter. And he’s the type of player you want in your system because he helps reinforce the larger vision of the organization.

For the Phoenix Suns, that identity is built around toughness, tenacity, playing hard on both ends of the floor, and refusing to quit. That is where Pat Spencer shines. He may not have great size, elite athleticism, or a particularly high ceiling as a player. But he has that dog in him, and that can benefit both Spencer and the organization at the G League level, and whenever he is called upon with the big club.

What Needs to Improve

Pat Spencer is limited, and that is the primary reason he can’t be counted on for a larger role. He isn’t a big guard. And while we’ve seen throughout NBA history, and even on this current roster, that size can sometimes matter more in the heart than on a physical attribute sheet, it’s still nice to have a little bit of it.

Spencer has limitations as an isolation scorer against elite length and athleticism. Put a quality point of attack defender on him while he’s trying to facilitate, and you can jam him up rather quickly. That forces him to rely more on basketball IQ, angles, and opportunities rather than on breaking down defenders one-on-one.

He also isn’t a great shooter. Spencer is a career 33.9% three-point shooter, though that comes on only 65-of-192 from deep, so the volume isn’t massive. Defensively, there is no doubt he plays aggressively and with a chip on his shoulder. But he can still struggle with rotational instincts and off-ball awareness.

There are multiple areas of his game that can improve, from finishing to shooting consistency to defensive rotations.

Prediction

I don’t think we’ll see much from Pat Spencer this season, and ultimately, that could be a good thing. It would mean the Suns stayed relatively healthy and didn’t have to reach into their G League treasure chest and pull out Pat “The Pipe” Spencer. Yeah, I just made that nickname up. And I like it!

If he does get an opportunity, I expect his role to look somewhat similar to Jamaree Bouyea’s a year ago, although Spencer may not be as effective offensively right away. What he does bring is a different layer, and that could become something worth watching as the season moves along. Bouyea’s contract isn’t guaranteed beyond January, which could eventually create competition for that final roster spot. If the Suns like what they see from Spencer in the G League, and if he performs well in spot opportunities with the big club, Phoenix could eventually have a decision to make: Do you stick with Bouyea? Or do you go with Pat Spencer?

Stat Prediction: 13 games, 5.4 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 41/31/75 splits

Final Word

When you look at the three two-way spots, I think this represents an upgrade for the Phoenix Suns. For an organization that didn’t make a ton of moves this offseason, swapping Pat Spencer into the Isaiah Livers spot makes sense. The Suns now have three two-way players who bring three distinct skill sets, and Spencer might be the clearest embodiment of what this organization wants to be: tough, competitive, smart, and willing to do the dirty work.

You build an organization by selecting players who represent what you want to become, and Spencer fits that mold. He may not have a large role with the Suns, but he should have a meaningful one with the Valley Suns. And if his NBA career has taught us anything, it’s that you probably shouldn’t bet against a guy who went from being one of the greatest lacrosse players in college history to earning a spot in the NBA. He’s going to give a shit every single day, and sometimes that’s exactly the kind of player you want in your organization.

And we’re off, starting with a familiar face to the people of Milwaukee. Look, as we sit here today, Jones’ path to NBA minutes seems miles away, given that he has to beat out ~15 guards to even get a sniff. Still, as a pure value play, it was worth the Bucks taking a flyer on someone who not only has NBA bona fides as a former early second-round pick, but also a tangible connection to the city, having played at Marquette—and Fiserv Forum, specifically—for four years.

Unlike most players in his position, Jones already has substantial NBA experience, having gotten a chance to play a decent amount on the Pacers last season (yes, the team was also ruthlessly tanking, but let’s just ignore that). Even after beginning last year with a long stint on the sidelines dealing with a back concern, the 24-year-old appeared in 37 games and posted averages of 4.4 PPG and 3.2 APG. He didn’t shoot the ball well—40.2% from the floor and sub-30% from three—but still, that is great experience for a rookie (even if he may well have been tactically deployed as a tank commander some of the time).

Now, it’s no secret that Jones’ game is slower and relies heavily on feel and craft rather than power and athleticism, but he performed well at Summer League playing that way. Will it work in the NBA? I have my doubts. I referenced Jones struggling from three last year with Indy, but it’s worth noting that he shot nearly 37% from deep throughout his four years as a Golden Eagle. If the Memphis native is to have any chance of locking in a future in the association, he’ll need to rediscover that form, given the other concerns. If Jones can get his shooting to that level, defenses will need to play him tighter, and it’ll open up his passing game, which is a legit strength of his (200 assists in his senior year).

Ultimately, if I were to look into a crystal ball and predict Jones’s future right now, I’d lean toward him having a really solid overseas career; I just find it tough to picture a long-term NBA future given his size, lack of burst, and unproven shot-making ability, but I’d love to be proven wrong. It would be terrific for someone with this man’s connection to the city to succeed there at the highest level. He’d be true fan favourite.

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OK, we’ll catch you Monday morning with the next one…

Ramp to Camp: Predicting the Celtics' starting five for 2026-27 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t afraid to shuffle his starting lineup.

Mazzulla utilized 23 different starting combinations during the regular season last year, routinely rotating players at the wing position while Jayson Tatum rehabbed from Achilles surgery. Four five-man combinations started at least 10 games apiece; 18 other combinations played two games or fewer.

In Game 7 of a first-round playoff series against Philadelphia, with Boston on the brink of fumbling away a 3-1 series lead, Mazzulla boldly trotted out a lineup that hadn’t played a single minute together all season.

For Day 4 of our Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel a question that might not have a firm answer: Predict the Boston Celtics’ starting five for the 2026-27 season.

Last year’s opening-night starting five lasted two games before Mazzulla started making alterations. Sometimes coaches land on their preferred lineup right out of the gate, but most years they spend much of the regular season trying to determine the best mixes of personnel.

The Celtics have some interesting choices to make this season, both with the departure of All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown, and the offseason additions of veterans Paul George and Mitchell Robinson.

Our best September guess for the five that will start on opening day in Detroit: Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Neemias Queta.

Pritchard actually posted slightly better numbers over 29 games as a reserve (17.2 PTS, 42.9 3PT%) than he averaged in 50 games as a starter (16.9 PTS, 34.8 3PT%) but both stat lines were jarringly similar (with only 1.2 minutes more per game as a starter). There’s a case to keep him in the Sixth Man role where he’s clearly comfortable.

The pitch might simply be having another scorer/playmaker on the floor for stretches when Tatum might be off the court. The counterargument is that the Pritchard/Tatum combination has been one of Boston’s most successful two-man combos over the past five seasons while posting a +11.6 net rating in 3,196 minutes together.

Boston’s offensive rating is a robust 122.0 with that tandem on the floor. On a team that needs additional scoring options after Brown’s departure, keeping Pritchard and his rim-attacking ways on the court with the starting group feels important to start the year.

George has started 653 straight NBA appearances. The Celtics will certainly tread cautiously with his games played and minutes played but, when available, it would seem they’ll lean heavily on his ability to fill some of Brown’s void on the wing.

Robinson was Boston’s big offseason splurge, but he’s no stranger to a bench role and averaged 19 minutes per game over his final two seasons in New York. His ability to bring energy and play hard in short shifts might be best utilized in a reserve role. Queta should get every chance to maintain the starting job he held down last season, though he must avoid foul trouble that plagued him during Boston’s first-round exit.

The Celtics need to be mindful of how to stay afloat in non-Tatum minutes. But, over the past five seasons, the Pritchard/White/Tatum triumvirate has posted a +14.4 net rating over 1,138 minutes together. The Celtics should want that trio together as much as possible.

Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

If the Celtics elect to eventually utilize Pritchard off the bench, we’re intrigued by the idea of a bigger starting lineup while adding another wing like Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, or Ron Harper Jr. alongside Tatum and George. The Celtics have some intriguing defensive combos, or can lean on Hauser for his floor spacing.

Ultimately, the more important aspect might be landing on a firm closing five. Which group of players brings out the best basketball in the highest leverage moments? That group almost certainly features Tatum, White, Pritchard, and George when he’s available. Mazzulla is going to have plenty of options for starting and closing five.

And, after Game 7 last season, nothing Mazzulla might decide about how to deploy talent would surprise us.

Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations

Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta

I simply like Pritchard coming off the bench. He gets to be the clear second option with one (or two) of Tatum, PG13, or White resting. I think you have to let Queta start over Mitchell Robinson to begin the season, but that could really change as the season progresses. I like having Scheierman or Hugo Gonzalez start because those guys are high-energy 100 percent of the time, and that’s important to have in the first eight minutes of a game.

Nick Goss: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta

Pritchard has been more effective as a Sixth Man, so I could foresee a scenario where he comes off the bench. But the C’s will need his offense with Brown gone. Queta had a breakout season as a starter in 2025-26, so why mess with that? Mitchell Robinson should still see the floor a lot. If Paul George misses a bunch of games, which is a real possibility given his injury history, then I could see Sam Hauser making a bunch of starts.

In summary, I think the Celtics will use a bunch of starting five combinations this season. Joe Mazzulla, as we saw in Game 7 vs. the Sixers, isn’t afraid to mix things up.

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Michael Hurley: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta

Paul George has started 99 percent of his NBA games after his rookie year, so he’ll start every game he can suit up for this season. I do think coach Joe Mazzulla showed he’ll happily mix and match his starting five as he’ll see fit — nine players started 10 games or more last season, and 16 players started at least one game. And he’ll also pull one of those starters right out of the game if he doesn’t like what he sees in the opening minutes.

Sam Hauser was in the starting lineup on opening night last year but essentially split time as a starter/bench player all year. Jordan Walsh got his run in the starting five, as did Baylor Scheierman — and Josh Minott, and Luka Garza, too. All of that is to say, the starting five may be a bit obvious, but I expect Mazzulla to tinker all season based on current circumstances.

Josh Canu: Editor

Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta

I think the best version of the Celtics this season relies heavily on Payton Pritchard in the starting lineup. Without Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum will be seeing a lot of double teams and to make teams pay, Pritchard has to be the best version of himself. He is the one player on the roster that will make other teams think twice about doubling Tatum.

In terms of consistency, with a player like Paul George who misses a lot of games, I would expect Sam Hauser and Baylor Scheierman to get plenty of opportunities in the starting lineup as well this season.

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Justin Leger: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta

Perhaps Pritchard will revert to his sixth-man role, but this seems like the most sensible starting five to begin the season. Pritchard started 50 of the 79 games he played in last season, and he excelled in the role with 17.0 points and 5.2 assists per game. He’ll be counted on again to provide a consistent offensive spark with Brown out of the picture.

The only other question mark is the center spot with Mitchell Robinson in the mix, but Robinson should maintain the role he had in New York as the first big off the bench. He’ll provide much-needed depth behind Queta.

Adam Hart: Executive Producer, Content Strategy

Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Paul George, Jayson Tatum, Neemias Queta

This starting five creates an impactful second unit that can maintain or grow leads. Putting Scheierman in the starting lineup because he adds a hustle element to the group, and it allows Pritchard to be the lead dog off the bench.

Bismack Biyombo completed his fifteenth season last June. The Congolese big man was drafted in 2011 and spent a large portion of his career with Charlotte. He’s also played for the Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, and Oklahoma City Thunder before joining the San Antonio Spurs in February of 2025.

Biyombo has not signed on for the 2026-2027 season as of this writing, but he has his sights set on other opportunities, or more directly, creating opportunities.

As our students begin this new chapter, I want to take you inside Katanga Elite School and share what these classrooms truly represent.

This school is more than a collection of buildings. It is the story of a promise, a journey, and a belief that every child deserves a future… pic.twitter.com/dnbvq2xqJt

— Bismack Biyombo (@bismackbiyombo) September 9, 2026

Biyombo shared a post announcing the opening of Katanga Elite School, a bilingual college preparatory school located in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo.

“This school is more than a collection of buildings. It is the story of a promise, a journey, and a belief that every child deserves a future without limits.”

This school is not Biyombo’s first foray into philanthropic projects. Biyombo started the Bismack Biyombo Foundation to initiate a positive impact through opportunities in athletics, education, and health. During the pandemic, they donated around $1 million worth of medical supplies to people in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo. Biyombo also pledged his entire salary from the 2021–22 season towards the construction of a hospital in Congo in honor of his father.

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The New York Knicks have Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond positioned atop their center depth chart, but the defending champions remain without a traditional third center as training camp approaches and this saga doesn’t feel any closer to an end.

In yet another update on the situation, according to SNY’s Ian Begley, veteran free agent Tony Bradley has emerged on the Knicks’ radar as New York continues evaluating potential additions for its remaining roster spots, with a competition for those expected to take place throughout camp and the preseason.

“One other note on free agent signings ahead of training camp: veteran center Tony Bradley has also been a player on the Knicks’ radar,” Begley reported.

From @IanBegley: “Note on free agent signings ahead of camp: vet center Tony Bradley has been…on Knicks radar. Knicks do not currently have a 3rd center, but strong degree of confidence internally in KAT- Drummond duo”

👀 More Ian including Deuce update: https://t.co/EwZO418PHepic.twitter.com/J3xYk8b23l

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) September 10, 2026

If you’re like me, you probably though Bradley was 35 already. Turns out he’s only 28!

Even then, and while Bradley would provide an experienced third option behind Towns and Drummond, don’t expect TB (or whoever ends up landing in New York) to find a clear and open path into coach Mike Brown’s established rotation.

Begley noted that the Knicks are comfortable with their current top two options despite the absence of another traditional center, making it even tougher for Mystery Man to get any potential playing time.

“The Knicks do not currently have a third center, but there is a strong degree of confidence internally in the Karl-Anthony Towns-Andre Drummond duo at the position,” Begley reported.

Bradley spent last season with the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks, appearing in 41 games and averaging 4.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in 11 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-10 center has eight seasons of NBA experience after entering the league as the No. 28 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Bradley owns career averages of 4.3 points and 3.8 rebounds in 234 regular-season appearances.

Begley previously reported that New York has also shown interest in free agents Drew Eubanks and John Konchar while evaluating its remaining roster openings, hinting at the openness of the Knicks’ brass to land a variety of player types ahead of their title defense.

For now, the Knicks’ next step is opening training camp before they face the Philadelphia 76ers in the first game of the preseason.

It’s really cool when you can see the Brotherhood in real time. 

In this video, Cooper Flagg and Jared McCain return to Duke to get some runs in with the current team, which is good for everyone. 

Flagg and McCain are professionals now, of course, and they are used to a higher level of competition. 

Even so, they’re playing against some very talented young players, and it’s a good tune-up for the upcoming season. 

As for the current Blue Devils, they get a chance to test their mettle against two guys who are among an elite number of players who not only have played in the NBA, but are valuable pieces on their teams. 

And that’s an important distinction. Plenty of guys get to the league, and might play for a year or two, but just can’t stick. 

These guys have, and they’re helping the younger members of the Brotherhood understand what it takes to get there, and just as importantly, how hard they’ll need to work. 

It’s a great partnership on both sides. 

This what I’ve been saying do for awhile! Get our guys in the NBA to come play pick up with the current roster 🤷🏾‍♂️ https://t.co/RPCnKbAIAS

— Donté J Harvey (@dontejharvey) September 11, 2026

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

I did not write anything about the Brooklyn Nets’ play at Las Vegas Summer League. Nor the California Classic, for that matter. Let’s amend that and a look at an assortment of Brooklyn’s young players, examining what we saw during the summer and what we’d like to see in 2026-27. Again, limited to those that played this summer. Sorry, Nolan Traoré. I like the haircut though.

Mikel Brown Jr.

Like you, I cannot wait to watch Mikel Brown Jr. this season.

Mikel hitting this gear with ease vs traps/hedges is not something Nets fans are very familiar with.

The whole sports car simile is overdone, but… pic.twitter.com/VPZaUhFbrq

— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) July 14, 2026

I’m most curious about his long-range 3-point shooting. Over four games this summer, the #6 overall pick shot 9-of-26 from deep in 86 minutes of player. At Louisville, he shot a pedestrian 34.4% from deep, but half of his makes were self-created and he took nearly 15 attempts per 100 possessions. It’s the variety, the volume, and the 84.4% from the line that drives optimism for his 3-point shooting.

Brown Jr. wasn’t shy to pull this summer, but I stillfelt like he left opportunities on the table…

Mikel will suffer from a lack of upper body strength as a near-teenage guard in the NBA, no question. He is at his most exciting when he hits second gear going north-to-south, going around/by defenders rather than through them. And Brown Jr. will find more of these opportunities if he proves himself a capable shooter (on pull-ups especially) from 25+ feet, shots we’ve seen on his highlight tapes as well as in summer workouts…

Brooklyn Nets Mikel Brown Jr. working out with Chris Brickley pic.twitter.com/svOVXSFfzd

— NetsKingdom 👑🗽 (@NetsKingdomAJ) September 6, 2026

Though Mikel Brown Jr. shot around 65% at the rim (depending on your source) for Louisville, it was on fairly low volume, and I expect his rim-scoring to be subpar in his rookie NBA season. He’s a fine vertical athlete, but he’s lacking the strength to excel down there, for now. Not a long term worry.

As such, I hope to see Brown Jr. stress-test his 3-point shooting for the Nets. Ben Saraf and Nolan Traoré were all but explicitly banned from shooting pull-up threes last season (rightfully so), while Egor Dëmin played off-ball more than Mikel will this season. How much license will the #6 pick have to fire? How many long-distance threes can he shoot while forcing defenses to play up on him?

If defenses feel the need to apply pressure, it gives Mikel Brown Jr. more opportunities to make the type of plays that’ll have you making irresponsible comparisons down in the comments…

Chaney Johnson

It’s always wise to be wary of late-season ballers who do NBA damage in March and April. I’m pretty sure Noah Clowney blocked more shots during the spring of his rookie season than he’s blocked since. Alas, Chaney Johnson was out there hooping for the tanking Nets, enough to earn a two-way contract with Brooklyn heading into 2026-27. He was great at Las Vegas Summer League as well.

There are plenty of reasons to doubt Johnson’s NBA future. He is currently a 24-year-old 6’7” center who hasn’t been a consistent 3-point shooter at any point in his career. Even during his inspiring run of play last season, the Auburn product still had one of the highest foul-rates in the NBA. I appreciate that Johnson tries to dunk everything, but he still wasn’t a great finisher (nor rim protector) at the NBA level, and there’s no reason to think that’ll change with a bigger sample size.

Still, he plays hard as hell. Bucking the lineage of gangly, thin-chested Brooklyn bigs, he is compact and physical, living on the offensive glass but passing and ball-handling well enough to evince his past as a wing. He was the same player — but better — against lesser competition this summer. He made threes and free-throws in a small sample, sure, but he also racked up 15 steals and 24 offensive rebounds in six games!

Chaney Johnson is undersized but he plays hard and physical. Can he outsmart opponents as well?

That’s a great defensive play. I hope Johnson gets some small chance to make an impact for the Brooklyn Nets this season; is he the third-string center right now? I think he’s earned an opportunity, however small, to prove his strength + smarts can play at the highest level, even if there are plenty of reasons to doubt him.

Drake Powell

When is Drake Powell going to play? That’s a serious question. He seems prime to be a victim of perhaps the most interesting team-building storyline following the Brooklyn Nets this season: When do you start to give up on draft picks? The Nets want to take a step toward competitiveness this season, and there’s seemingly a million guys on the roster who have a case for minutes.

I felt bad watching Powell this summer. He had that brutal streak of misses from the field, unable to even get a cheapie in transition. But while his jumper needs improvement, that was a secondary concern. If NBA Combine scores were hidden from the public, would Powell still have a reputation as an elite athlete? I don’t think so. He is laterally explosive, to be sure, though the absence of a threatening handle hides that trait on offense.

Against lesser competition this summer, Drake Powell just didn’t pop as either a player or an athlete. He actually finished pretty well at the rim last season, of course on low volume, but there are still so many plays like this in his catalogue…

Powell has an angle with a live dribble, an opportunity to let his renowned athleticism shine and get up at the rim. Instead, an awkward fading jumper that smears the glass. It’s the lack of explosive finishes, deflections, and rebounds that worry me. I understand Drake Powell is raw, but I’m not sure he’s an elite basketball athlete either.

Egor Dëmin

Egor Dëmin has his jorts, his jewelry, his new haircut, and that wispy mustache + goatee combo, fully assimilated to the North Brooklyn young professional lifestyle. Look at our boy go. He’s also been in the weight room, which he credits for his newfound comfort as a driver and overall 2-point scorer.

I have my reservations, you’ll be thrilled to hear. Dëmin wasn’t just missing strength last season. The Russian then-teen had some other deficiencies, also present this summer and — hey, whatever. He shot 22-of-29 on two-pointers over five games in July. Nets fans should be excited for his sophomore year, even as NBA defender occasionally exploit his relative lack of shake. Still, the most encouraging sign is that Dëmin seems simultaneously stronger and quicker…

Egor can dump that off to Chaney Johnson (who dunks it anyway), but doesn’t he just feel snappier in that clip? Slow-to-fast-to-slow-to-fast.

My hope for Dëmin isn’t solely that he makes more layups and dunks, it’s that his improved ball-handling + strength allow him to explore the paint and make more high-level passes. I harped on the lack of assists leading to shots at the rim last season, and in general, I thought we didn’t see the number of high-level passes commensurate with his reputation as a prospect.

But Dëmin should have the ball in his hands more moving forward, and Mikel Brown Jr. should bring more passing ability and scoring gravity than any backcourt partner Dëmin played with last season. I can’t wait to judge his improvement.

Danny Wolf

Danny Wolf is approaching his age-22 season. He is graded on a stricter curve than any other young Net. Will he find minutes as a third-string center (in addition to playing next to Day’Ron Sharpe + Moe Wagner) instead of Chaney Johnson? Is he strictly a big wing that can shoot and attack closeouts?

It’s easy to get lost in the positional weeds with Wolf, but the key for 2025’s #27 overall pick is finishing at the rim. Then we can talk about everything else. Per Synergy Sports:

• Wolf took more shots at the rim (as a % of his overall diet) than 66% of the NBA last season.
• Wolf was more efficient at the rim than just 17% of the NBA last season.
• Additionally, Wolf shot 9-of-21 on runners and hooks.

His archetype as a multidimensional mismatch just doesn’t work if he’s not scoring on the interior. Wolf shot 16-of-26 from two in Las Vegas Summer League, a more important sign than small-sample frigidity from three, but there were still worrisome, ground-bound plays…

Joshua Jefferson

Brooklyn will presumably start Julius Randle and Day’Ron Sharpe together in the front-court this season. They ran pick-and-roll less frequently than the vast majority of NBA teams last season, but ran more dribble-handoff action than any other team in the league. Now they have both a center and a bulky forward who can get Brooklyn into those actions — I’m curious to see the split, and what Sharpe is doing when, for example, Randle and Dëmin and playing a two-man game. Does Jordi Fernández trust Sharpe to space and shoot corner threes? Dunker spot?

Joshua Jefferson will see plenty of minutes in Long Island early, but I have the same questions about his usage. How often will he play as a dribble-handoff hub, how often will he be attacking closeouts and shooting threes?

In Brooklyn, Jefferson will not be the point-forward he was for Iowa State. I look forward to seeing his vision in the open-court — hopefully he maintains strong defensive rebounding numbers — but I am most excited for plays like this…

Jefferson had the ball in his hands a lot in college. He should get the opportunity to hit cutters and play the DHO game with Brooklyn’s shooters early on. But if Jefferson can make 0.5-second decisions off the catch and read the floor from there, it’ll be a lot easier for Fernández to get him on the floor.

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The Brooklyn Nets will hold Media Day on September 28, and NetsDaily will once again have you covered. Training camp and the preseason soon follow, and the Nets tip off preseason on the road against the Charlotte Hornets on October 6. Suddenly, we’re almost there, folks.

Fallout for the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard from the NBA's salary cap circumvention investigation may be far from over.

U.S. Department of Justice prosecutors have opened a criminal inquiry regarding the matter, according to the New York Times.

News of the federal probe follows the revelation through a separate NBA investigation that the Clippers circumvented the league's salary cap rules, secretly helping arrange sponsorship contracts for Leonard that provided him income beyond the three-year, $150 million contract he signed with the team in 2024.

The U.S. Attorney’s office in Brooklyn is running the investigation, which the Times reported to be in its earliest stages, according to sources familiar with the matter. It remains unclear if criminal charges will result from the federal investigation.

The NBA announced disciplinary action against the Clippers on Sept. 2, after a law firm commissioned by the league shared its findings with Commissioner Adam Silver.

The Clippers were hit with a $30 million fine and have to forfeit five first-round draft picks (2029-2033). Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and two of the team's top executives were suspended for up to a year.

Leonard was fined $700,000 for restitution related to covered personal expenses, but the star player was not suspended from playing during the upcoming 2026-27 season.

The federal investigation began before the league came forward with its findings last week, according to the Times report.

Leonard's status with the Clippers remains unclear for the upcoming season. He's expected to be traded by Los Angeles to the Toronto Raptors in a deal that was put on hold pending results of the NBA investigation.

The Clippers were expected to receive forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks (2031, 2033), two second-round picks (2030, 2033), and a 2027 first-round swap in the trade.

The trade was initially agreed on and reported on June 30. The teams acknowledged the deal but held off on executing it while the NBA investigation was ongoing.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Clippers for comment but has not heard back.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Department of Justice opens criminal inquiry into Clippers, Kawhi Leonard | report