Category: Basketball

Green Bay Packers DE Micah Parsons (knee) is not expected to return to practice this week, according to sources. The team hopes that Parsons will be able to return at some point this month but there is no definite timetable.

SOURCE: Adam Schefter - ESPN

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Micah Parsons expected to remain sidelined

The Golden State Warriors-Kristaps Porziņģis saga continues to get even more mysterious.

“The Warriors say they don’t know where Kristaps Porziņģis is, exactly what he’s dealing with health-wise, or when he might be able to return to the court,” Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard wrote Sunday.

This puzzling update arrives just a few days after Warriors head coach Steve Kerr admitted that the 31-year-old forward wasn’t at Golden State’s practice on Friday and added, “Yeah, we’ve texted. Seems to be doing okay, but we haven’t gotten into into depth… He’s got to take care of his health, and again, we’ll support that and keep moving forward with the team.”

Kerr admitting that Porziņģis isn’t with the team for one practice is one thing. The fact that the organization doesn’t know where he currently is, now that’s another matter entirely.

Porziņģis was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, in 2025. The belief is that his absence from the team is a byproduct of his health, but that has not been confirmed by the org.

The Warriors and the rest of the NBA were aware of this diagnosis when signing Porziņģis to a two-year, $40 million extension this offseason, yet they surely were hoping to have some more clarity about his status than they’ve received at this point.

Porziņģis is sure to turn up eventually. The Warriors don’t appear to know when that will be.

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It’s only been 16 years since Joe Lacob led an investment group that, using an exploding offer, shockingly purchased the Golden State Warriors for $450 million.

And now, less than two decades later, Lacob and Co. have seen their investment not double, not triple, but … 32uple? I’m not sure there’s a word for that.

Sportico recently released their valuations of the major sports franchises, and the Warriors topped the NBA at a staggering $14.5 billion, more than 32.2 times larger than the figure that Lacob, Peter Guber, and a group of investors gave to Chris Cohan in July of 2010.

Which brings us to an intriguing question: how much higher can they go?

The Warriors have, it seems, utilized every tool to max out their valuation. They employ one of the most popular players on the planet, Steph Curry, who recently signed an extension. With a dynasty still fresh in everyone’s minds, they remain supremely popular with a loyal fanbase, and led the NBA with nearly $900 million in revenue last season. And then there’s the big kicker: the state of the art arena, the Chase Center, that the ownership group erected in 2019, and the other supremely popular basketball team that plays there.

Just two years into their existence, the Golden State Valkyries top Sportico’s WNBA valuations at a whopping $850 million. While the Valkyries are also owned by Lacob and his team of investors, they are a separate entity from both the Warriors and the Chase Center. Which means that when calculating the value of the Warriors, one has to delve into the highly unlikely hypothetical that Lacob sells the Warriors but not the Valkyries. In that case, the new owner would be purchasing the Dubs and the Chase Center (which was privately funded), knowing that the Valkyries are a money-printing tenant at the arena.

The Valkyries, of course, aren’t the only outside entity bringing money to the ownership group via the Chase Center. By building a high-end arena in a trendy part of town, the Warriors have become the landlords to the biggest concerts in the Bay Area. Just in the next few weeks, the Chase Center will play home to Doja Cat, Phoebe Bridgers, the Jonas Brothers, and Journey, among others.

It’s hard to imagine how the Warriors could maximize their franchise valuation any more than they already have, which brings us to a final point: when will the NBA bubble burst? In 2014, Steve Ballmer purchased the LA Clippers for what was, at the time, considered an outrageous price of $2 billion. Fast forward 12 years and the least valuable team in the NBA, the Memphis Grizzlies, is valued at $4.2 billion. The market is, quite simply, exploding. Curry is a year older and the Dubs are a year further removed from their dynasty, and yet their valuation rose by 28% year-over-year.

For now, there’s no end in sight, but eventually the bubble will pop. Until that happens, we’re left to wonder just how high it can climb.

Then again, I’m reminded of a quote that Lacob had the first time the Warriors’ valuation surpassed the 10-figure mark. When asked how he felt about the team being valued at that figure he said, in essence, that the number was false, because there’s no chance he would sell the team for that figure. All these years later, that remains true. Offer Lacob $14.5 billion for the Warriors and the Chase Center and he’ll say no in a heartbeat; offer him $850 million for the Valkyries and he’ll say no just as quickly.

But everyone has a price. I wonder what Lacob’s is?

Traditionally, the point guard has one job: make everyone better.

Few guards have embraced that role more than James Harden. He’s brought his masterful blend of scoring and playmaking to an 18th season, making it easier for all of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ moving parts to fall into place.

“You don’t have to worry about who is out there with [Harden],” said head coach Kenny Atkinson. “He makes the game look so easy… he makes everyone better, that’s the biggest compliment you can give someone.”

The Cavs look very different than they did a year ago.

In addition to seismic changes at the previous trade deadline, they also added a new member to their starting lineup (Peyton Watson) while pivoting to rely on a handful of unproven role players to fortify their bench. All of this means Atkinson is trying to push the right buttons with different lineup configurations to see what sticks.

“I don’t know if I call it experimenting, but just seeing what stuff looks like,” Atkinson said of his mix-matched rotations during the preseason.

Harden makes that process seamless. Whether it’s building chemistry with new teammates or polishing his relationship with the others. He can do it all.

“He’s one of those players for me; it’s kind of easy to play off him,” said Jaylon Tyson. “Just because [Harden] can make every pass in the book and, obviously, his scoring ability. Everyone is so worried about him offensively that a player like me, catch-and-shoot, just playing off the cut, it makes it so much easier when he’s on the court.”

Having a generational talent, even at 37 years old, is something that unlocks new possibilities for an offense.

Harden, paired with Donovan Mitchell, gives the Cavs two crowned jewels to play off of. Their creativity breeds innovation within an offense that can be hard for defenses to contain.

“Unpredictable,” answered Peyton Watson on how Cleveland’s offense differs from Denver. “In this offense, it’s all about instincts and knowing how to play the game around two elite offensive players — whereas with [Nikola Jokic], I knew every time down he was gonna have the ball… and the play would be for me to do this or that… here, there are more possibilities and things that I can do.”

Finding where you fit is easier when you have a leader like Harden. That’s one aspect of his game that his teammates say goes unnoticed.

“When you’re his teammate, it brings it to a whole new level,” said Donovan Mitchell. “Seeing his influence on the group, seeing his passion and intention behind what he does, it really puts into perspective how BS a lot of the narratives [about Harden] are.”

When Fred VanVleet went down with a season-ending injury before the start of the Houston Rockets’ 2025 training camp, the Rockets looked for a backcourt player to step up and replace their on-court leader.

The Rockets tried multiple players, including Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, and even Aaron Holiday. Each player had different levels of success, but overall, the Rockets couldn’t find anyone to replace the significant loss of VanVleet. The Rockets lacked the backcourt flexibility and depth to withstand the loss of their starting point guard.

That issue reared its ugly head in the playoffs as the Rockets watched multiple late-game leads evaporate. It played a big part in the Rockets’ second straight first-round loss, this time to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers were without their best player, Luka Doncic, but they still had LeBron James, who did what he has done his entire career: led his team to a playoff victory.

However, it wasn’t just James who helped lead them to a series win; Marcus Smart also contributed significantly, especially early in the series. Smart did a little bit of everything in their first-round victory, and the Rockets coaching staff and front office had front-row seats to what Smart brings to a team.

Marcus Smart gives the Rockets the flexibility they need in the backcourt

In their first-round matchup, the Rockets saw a player who could run an offense one minute, grab an offensive rebound for an easy basket, guard a center the next, and then hound a point guard for 84 feet, forcing a turnover. Smart has built a career as a multifaceted player; like a utility player in baseball, he can do whatever a team needs.

Smart gives the Rockets not only backcourt insurance but also a player who can help win games in more than one way. Smart can play either guard position and, as needed, small forward. He can lead the offense or shut down the opponent on defense. In his Rockets debut on Sunday, Smart led the Rockets with 20 points and added five rebounds and four assists, but the Rockets fell to the Mavericks 132-117 in China.

Yes, it is just preseason, and you can never take too much from these games, but Smart did exactly what he’s done his entire career: fill the box score. The Rockets’ coaching staff, especially Ime Udoka, knows Smart’s game well, since he won Defensive Player of the Year in the 2021-22 season with the Boston Celtics, a team Udoka coached. Smart has made every team from the Grizzlies to the Lakers better, and even though that seems like a skill every player should have, it isn’t always the case.

That made signing Smart this offseason an easy decision, even with VanVleet returning. Smart gives the Rockets another defensive-minded veteran that you need to win close games, especially in the playoffs. Smart’s addition may have been buried by bigger moves this offseason, like LeBron James going to the Philadelphia 76ers or LaMelo Ball heading to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Still, it could be one of the offseason’s biggest moves.

The Dallas Mavericks wrapped up a two-game preseason set against the Houston Rockets in Macau, China over the weekend, splitting the outcomes. Kyrie Irving had been ready to go for some time now, just awaiting the opportunity to take the court in an official capacity after sustaining an ACL injury on March 3, 2025. Despite fans and players alike anxious to welcome him back, the Mavericks sat a few players in the first of two games, extending the lengthy wait just a bit longer. When it was time to tip-off the second of the two games, there we found Irving, starting alongside Cooper Flagg for the first time.

In what easily could have been a cameo appearance where Irving saw a shot go down and maybe set up a teammate for an easy bucket before taking a seat, we instead got to see Irving get some real burn. In fact, only three Mavs’ players logged more minutes that Irving in the game, and none of them outscored him.

Let that sink in for a moment. A 34-year-old coming off an ACL injury that kept him sidelined for 586 days was the team-leader in scoring. That is not an indictment of the rest of the team, mind you, as the Mavs shot an impressive 48.2% overall, including 37.5% from downtown, while hitting nearly 90% of their free throws. Perhaps some consideration must be given to this being a preseason game in a foreign country, but even still, what Irving did left virtually nothing to be desired. As if to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind, Irving scored the first bucket of the game only 14 seconds into the contest. Better still, it came by way of his trademark wizardry in handling the ball, getting him a lane to drive and finish a reverse layup, then falling on the way down.

After 586 days… KYRIE. IS. BACK.

He led the @dallasmavs in scoring with 17 points in 22 minutes to help Dallas secure the Game 2 victory at the NBA China Games 2026 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yhaPrN9knv

— NBA (@NBA) October 11, 2026

It was as though Irving wanted to send a specific message immediately. As though he wanted to prevent anyone from saying “yeah, but he didn’t…” In that one play, Irving showed he still has the handle, still has a quick first step and can change direction, still can take it amongst the trees and still can get lift for a crafty finish close to the rim. From there, he showed just about everything else, including a shot-clock beating three-ball from well beyond the arc.

Although there may be some days off on back-to-backs and there will surely be the less impressive games that every player experiences, Irving left little to debate about whether or not he is back. If that painfully early (local time) game showed us anything, it’s that he most definitely is back. Irving finished 6-of-13, including 2-of-6 from deep and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line. He also had two rebounds, three assists and zero turnovers in 22 minutes.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

In June 2025, the Buss family agreed to sell majority ownership of the Lakers to Mark Walter at a valuation of roughly $10 billion. Less than one year after he was officially confirmed by the NBA’s board of governors, Walter sold his share of the Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner at a $12.5 billion valuation.

The sale raised plenty of questions at the time, some of which have since been answered. There was at least one outstanding question, though: Did the value of the Lakers really increase by $2.5 billion in only one year?

As it turns out, the answer to that question indeed may be yes.

On Friday, Sportico put out its latest batch of NBA franchise valuations. The Lakers landed at exactly $12.5 billion, which put them behind only the Golden State Warriors ($14.5 billion) and New York Knicks ($12.8 billion). For now, those three are the only NBA teams worth at least $10 billion, although the upcoming Las Vegas expansion team figures to change that.

It might seem like a no-brainer that the Lakers are valued at $12.5 billion since they were just sold at a $12 billion valuation. But the notable takeaway from Sportico’s latest projections is how much valuations are on the rise across the entire NBA, not just L.A. Each of the 10 most valuable teams jumped by at least 20% year-over-year.

That’s particularly noteworthy given what happened amidst the Lakers’ latest sale. While Walter, Iger, Kushner and the Buss family have dominated the headlines, minority owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, who owns 4% of the team, isn’t going anywhere.

Chuck “Tiger” Kenworthy, the Soon-Shiong family attorney, told Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times that Soon-Shiong believes “they are still undervalued.” To that point, Iger and Kushner have been telling prospective investors that the Lakers could be worth $30 billion within the next decade, according to Jessica Toonkel and Mark Maurer of the Wall Street Journal. That projection is built on the assumption that “TV and streaming rights double in value,” Toonkel and Maurer added.

Turmoil with regional sports networks has roiled the NBA’s financial ecosystem in recent years. The league is considering creating a “local League Pass subscription,” according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic, and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro has already gone on record as being interested in that.

The question is whether the “Line Always Goes Up” strategy is sustainable moving forward, particularly with cost-of-living concerns rapidly increasing these days.

With cord-cutting on the rise and more streamers wanting a piece of the live-sports business, the NBA and other major sports have begun splitting their broadcast rights between more partners. That means more revenue for the league — the latest national TV deal tripled the value of the previous one — but it’s not exactly a consumer-friendly strategy, to say the least. (Unless, of course, you enjoy looking online and/or asking your AI agent to figure out where to watch your favorite team’s playoff games.)

How many ways can the NBA divvy up their broadcast rights before fans start tuning out? How many streaming services will fans have to subscribe to? What’s the limit?

Granted, those inside the industry don’t appear particularly concerned about whether franchise valuations are a multi-billion-dollar bubble.

“There’s nothing magical going on,” Zach Baran, the managing director of Arctos Partners (a private equity fund that purchases stakes in sports teams), told Sportico’s Kurt Badenhausen in September 2025. “It’s perfectly explainable by fundamentals and in the context of the rest of the financial market.”

Irwin Kishner, the co-chair of Herrick Feinstein LLP’s sports-law division, told Tania Ganguli of the New York Times earlier this year that he was “absolutely convinced that we have not reached anything close to a ceiling.” Live sports may be insulated from the impact of artificial intelligence, which could only further bolster the NBA’s financial standing. The NBA has also opened the door to sovereign wealth funds buying pieces of franchises, which in turn has driven valuations even higher.  

So, while the $12.5 billion that Iger and Kushner ponied up was an eye-popping, record-breaking price, it might wind up being a steal of a deal in a few years… as long as we aren’t nearing the end of a franchise-valuation bubble after all.

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.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

The Boston Celtics franchise is valued at $8 billion, making it the 7th-highest-valued franchise in the NBA, per Sportico’s latest analysis. That trails the Golden State Warriors ($14.5 billion), New York Knicks ($12.8 billion), Los Angeles Lakers ($12.5 billion), Los Angeles Clippers ($8.2 billion), Chicago Bulls ($8.1 billion), and Miami Heat ($8.05 billion).

For reference, the Celtics were the 5th-highest-valued franchise in 2025 and the 6th-highest-valued franchise in 2024, so this valuation marks a slight downturn.

Trailing the Celtics, the Brooklyn Nets ($7.45 billion), Philadelphia 76ers ($7.15 billion), Houston Rockets ($6.9 billion), and Toronto Raptors ($6.5 billion) round out the Top 10.

The average NBA team is worth $6.64 billion, according to data compiled by Sportico. The Golden State Warriors rank first at $14.5 billion, while the Memphis Grizzlies rank last at $4.2 billion

Full list: https://t.co/QxhBYuxascpic.twitter.com/JhUI7HMXE2

— Sportico (@Sportico) October 9, 2026

The Celtics were sold at a $6.1 billion valuation in 2025, so in just the last year and a half, the value has ballooned. But it’s nonetheless noteworthy to see other, less successful franchises top the list of NBA valuations.

One major reason the Celtics are not valued higher is that they do not own TD Garden or control its in-arena operations, hospitality, and luxury suite revenue, as most teams ahead of them do. The ownership groups of the Warriors, Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, and Bulls all own their arenas.

Will the Celtics build their own arena?

During an appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” in August, Chisholm was asked whether the Celtics needed a new arena to remain financially competitive with other franchises.

“No, but I do think we need to have an arena that is consistent with the quality and the excellence of the Celtics. We need to create the best fan and player experience we can,” he said.

The Celtics have played at TD Garden since 1995, when it first opened as the FleetCenter. The building is owned by Delaware North, which also owns and operates the Boston Bruins.

“I think we’ve got a really good partner right now on that front and we’ve got a really good location,” Chisholm said. “So making sure that we’re all aligned on that objective, which is creating the best fan and player experience possible and make sure we don’t lose focus on what really matters, which is putting up banners.”

Chisholm has previously expressed a preference for the team to remain in the Garden, the 7th-oldest arena in the NBA.

“My starting point is if we can make it work, we’d love to stay where we are,” Chisholm told the Boston Globe in April. “And making it work means improving the fan experience and the player experience. If we can do those things and remain where we are now, that’s great.”

“And if that doesn’t work there, we’ll think about other places. But my goal here is to see if we ideally make it work where we are, and I think there’s a commitment with us, with the Bruins and Delaware North, with all of that. That’s where we want to end up, and we’re working on it as we speak.”

Last week I chose roles and a grading curriculum for the Minnesota starting group. Today, it’s the bench’s turn. Before diving into the individual players, I want to introduce one other stat that will be part of this season-long project: Estimated Plus/Minus (EPM).

You can read about the nitty gritty of EPM here, but I’d offer this big picture overview: EPM is a statistical calculation that looks at a player’s past, their current performance, and most importantly, the context of their plus/minus (game situation, players they shared the court with, etc…) in an attempt navigate all the variables that go into a +10 or -10 night on a basketball court.

As the season goes along, I’ll be tracking the trends of different players in each of the three main EPM categories: Offensive Estimated Plus/Minus, Defensive Estimated Plus/Minus and Total Estimated Plus/Minus. Here are where the numbers stand as we enter the season:

A few standout points:

1. Holy LaMelo. He is an EPM darling with the 3rd best offensive EPM in the league and 7th best overall EPM behind:
   1. Victory Wembanyama: 7.8
   2. Nikola Jokić: 7.3
   3. Kawhi Leonard: 7.3
   4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 7.0
   5. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 6.7
   6. Luka Dončić: 6.4
2. It’s easy to forget how good Donte DiVincenzo was last season and how much of a boon his return will be. 
3. Edwards had a pretty precipitous dropoff from previous seasons where he was the top EPM player on the team. With this roster being built more for him, I’d expect his number to climb back up above 3.0.
4. Kuminga’s defensive EPM really skyrocketed during his Atlanta stint and enters the season as the third-ranked defensive player in the group. His offense… well, safe to say there is a lot of room for improvement!
5. The bench minutes distribution will be fascinating to watch with Ayo Dosunmu’s role being the only one that feels set in stone – EPM numbers are making a strong argument for Bones.

That’s it for now with EPM, let’s get to the bench unit’s report card preview! 

A reminder about how the grades work:

1. These grades are roles-based, so the stats I’m looking at for each player are different and meant to highlight their team role. 

2. Roles on the team can change as the roster and playing time changes—I will alter or add statistical categories throughout the season as needed. Especially in a preseason article, the expectation is that some of these initial stats will change as we get to know the team better.

3. The grade ranges and their correlation to stats are educated speculation based on previous career averages, team role, and minutes expectation. Like the categories themselves, if there is a range that is clearly missing the eye test, expect some tweaks as the season goes along.

4. The season is divided into four quarters; twenty to twenty-one game increments. There will be a mid quarter update (10ish games), quarter, semester and final grades throughout the regular season and series grades in the playoffs.

Ayo Dosunmo: The “As You Wish” Bench Superstar

The Stats: Player Impact Estimate, Points Per Shot Attempt, Overall Estimated Plus/Minus

The Why Behind Them: “Hey Ayo, the offense started a little sluggish, could you come in and help us push it in transition and get some easy buckets?”

“As you wish.”

“Hey Ayo, Jaden is in foul trouble, could you come in and spend the rest of the first half as the primary matchup for the opponent’s best perimeter player?”

“As you wish.”

“Hey Ayo, the other team has a much bigger lineup than us and we could really use help boxing out and rebounding from our perimeter guys – could you focus on that?”

“As you wish.”

The role for Ayo Dosunmo really cemented in my mind during Monday’s preseason game when the backup unit was struggling to rebound, leading to Coach Chris Finch calling a timeout. Out of the timeout, everyone’s box-out effort increased, but the player who was noticeably around/going after every missed shot was Ayo Dosunmo.

Ayo’s expansive skillset as a ready short- or long-term sub for any of the Wolves’ starters (sans Rudy Gobert) is going to be invaluable to this team this season. Foul trouble, rest nights, and injuries will impact this franchise so much less because of Dosunmo’s ability to come in and fill the need for the night.

It is this ability that makes choosing stats to track a little bit more difficult. I’ve settled on Player Impact Estimate (PIE), Points Per Shot Attempt and Overall Estimated Plus/Minus.

Last season, Dosunmo ranked 4th on the team in PIE, behind Edwards, Gobert and Randle. In the playoffs, despite a San Antonio series that really hurt everyone’s numbers, Dosunmo was the best player on the team for guys that played in both series (Donte DiVincenzo was #1 overall but didn’t get hit with the San Antonio blowout tax).

Ayo has always been an efficient scorer, but it wasn’t until I looked closing at his Points Per Shot Attempt (PSA) that I realized how good his last season was: In 45 games with Chicago, he was a 96th percentile efficient scorer (128.6), and in Minnesota, he was in the 91st percentile (124.5). This is a player who knows what parts of his game he excels at and finds ways to lean into them while he’s on the court.

The last stat was probably his least encouraging number: Estimated Plus/Minus. His overall EPM last season was that of a middle of the road player, but that feels like a number that’s been pretty damaged due to seasons playing on some bad Chicago teams. I expect this season to be a bit of a market correction for Dosunmo as that number better reflects the quality of player that he is.

Joan Beringer: “Schrödinger’s Prospect”

The Stats: Minutes Per Game, Offensive Rebounds Per 36, Blocks Per 36

The Why Behind Them: Since Joan Beringer was drafted, all us fans have heard are tantalizing nuggets of information about how much the team loves him, his work ethic, and the flashes they see of a future player he could become. To this point, we’ve seen enough glimpses that make us feel very similarly to an accursed bog witch. But the problem is that it all has been short glimpses, theoretical growth, and projected roles. 

It is finally time to set all of that aside, lift open the lid of the box, and finally discover what kind of prospect this franchise has.

There is a reason Beringer is second on this list: After Ayo Donsunmo, he has the most clearly defined role. The Timberwolves will be employing a Frenchman tandem on the center position, and pending foul trouble, (a fair concern) their ideal plan is for their two Eiffel Towers to handle all of the minutes at the center position.

The first and most important stat for Beringer? Minutes per game. I’m choosing this over a fouling statistic because it will prove two things: His fouling isn’t prohibitive to his playing time (cause he will foul!) and his production matches that of an NBA rotation player on a contending team.

The other two are zooming in on two skills that have already flashed in limited playing time: Offensive rebounds and blocks per 36 minutes. For players that played in at least 40 games last season (Beringer’s number), he finished 5th in the league in blocks per 36 and 13th in offensive rebounds. These are the tantalizing glimpses that we’ve seen in limited playing time that if proven to be correct, we’ll have opened the box to find the prospect was alive and thriving all the time.

Terrance Shannon Jr.: The “Left-Handed Falcon Punch”

The Stats: Free Throws Per 36, Field Goat Percentage Under 5ft, Defensive EPM

The Why Behind Them: My Super Smash playing days peaked in 1999 when I was an unstoppable flying force flying through the air with Pikachu, using a spinning quick attack in tandem with a thunderbolt. But you want to know the player that was always my nemesis? Captain Friggin Falcon.

My far superior (and honestly, more noble) strategy didn’t matter since all Falcon had to do was just spam that “B” button over and over again, inducing his fiery punch of instant death. Cue all my best laid plans laid to waste with the words that still echo in my nightmares: “Falcon PUUUUNCH!!”

In the offseason, Canis’ Thilo Widder wrote a great piece about TJ Shannon’s role and biggest value potentially being as a trade piece. Whether he’s here longterm or is being showcased for trade value, his path to success is clear: Spam that “B” button superpower.

From a defensive standpoint, there would be nothing more frustrating than game planning for LaMelo-Ant pick and rolls, lob threats to the bigs and wings, and just when you think you can take a deep breath, here comes the fiery stick-of-dynamite-like attack of the wing from Illinois, not letting your defenders catch their breath for a moment.

So that’s where I’m starting with Shannon Jr. His first two stats are all about relentless aggression on offense. In the post-season, he averaged 2.7 free throws attempted (FTA) per game in a twenty-two minute per game role – a decent chunk of that coming during Edwards’ injury stretch. Last season he took 1.7 FTAs during the regular season, so the number finds itself in the middle with the context of a healthy Anthony Edwards and a coaching staff that has zeroed in on his ideal role.

The second stat is based on this little known quirk about TJ Shannon’s offensive game: He likes to finish at the basket with his left hand. No, I’m serious. Hours of film study has revefaled this heretofore unknown part of his game… and shockingly, only using one hand around the basket led him to having the 2nd worst FG% around the basket on the team, ahead of only 100-year old Mike Conley (miss you Bite Bite!). He just has to be better and the 60% mark would be a big step up from his 52.9% last season.

The final stat I’ll be tracking is about season-long defensive effectiveness and his “A” range falls in the range of a 60th percentile defender, up a decent step from where he finished last year at -1.1 (22nd percentile defender). The advanced regular season stats were not kind to TJ last year – here’s hoping a narrowed offensive role that involves the repeated use of his greatest strength allows him to thrive off the bench this season.

*Additional note after Wednesday’s preseason game: The problem with “B” button spamming is that good coaches will help to prepare their team to be ready for it. Even in a preseason game, it was clear that Indiana defenders knew what Shannon Jr. most wanted to do and were prepared for it which made it a tougher night for the wing from Illinois. This strategy will work against a decent amount of NBA teams, but the best defenses? There is reason to be skeptical.

Bones Hyland: The Vibes Guy

The Stats: Pace and Skelly Cellys

The Why Behind Them: You’ll notice a change in tracked stats for the final stretch of guys here, and that is because the next three players are projected to be more of spot-rotation guys. If I’m wrong and they carve out regular rotation roles, I’ll excitedly add another stat for any of them to reflect the increase. But my guess now is that while these three will see the court, it will be done more based on matchups, foul trouble, or injuries.

To call Bones a vibes guy isn’t meant to diminish his basketball acumen; he had real moments of brilliance in both the regular season and the playoffs. He will have real moments this season as well. However, when the team is fully healthy and clicking on all-cylinders, he’ll have more of a deeper bench role. But when there’s an injury, foul trouble or an “off” energy night, that is going to be his time to thrive.

Stat number one is all about the turbo button. The doldrums of an NBA season are inescapable. Having a deeper rotation player that can offer some of the same things that makes LaMelo’s game so special can make the difference on any given night. Check into a game with the sleepy starting crew, inject some pace, make a logo three and turn to the crown and do your signature celebration. Speaking of…

The last stat is a first for me: A hand-counted celebration/vibe stat. A reminder that those numbers represented are per quarter, but another caveat to add: A “Skelly Celly” stat also carried over to another play hitting and shot and turning to Bones on the bench and throwing the celebration. ALSO a camera shot of Bones on the bench celebrating.

As the only member of the Skelly Celly analytics department, the number that I end up with will be final and ultimate.

Trey Lyles: The Celery

The Stats: 3-Point Percentage and Defensive Rating

The Why Behind Them: The celery role (and another very timely mid-90s reference) isn’t meant to be a dig at Lyles. I mean, Cory Matthews married Topanga afterall! And celery is good for you. It’s full of nutrients, contains lots of water, and can help lower your blood pressure. It’s just… not all that exciting.

Before the Jonathan Kuminga signing, I was ready to make a case for Trey Lyles as a starter and his excellent skillset fit between Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert. His 3-point shooting is a real NBA skill and is theoretically better than every other big on the Wolves roster. 

The problem is, that may be the only good-to-great NBA skill that Lyles has to offer outside of experience. He deserves time to get his NBA-feet back underneath him, but to go from Europe to a rotation player on an NBA contender is a large ask. He’s got to prove that he can still do it on the defensive end which includes being an effective player at boxing out and ending possessions.

If Lyles can show some improved defensive acumen and physicality on the glass, he has a chance to prove he’s more than just celery: He’s ants on a log.

Jaylen Clark: The Relief Pitcher

The Stats: Steals Per 36 Minutes and Offensive EPM

The Why Behind Them: Confession: There is still a Nickiel Alexander-Walker sized hole in my heart that my gut tells me Jaylen Clark is the most likely candidate to fill. Defensive effort and will is a skill that he has in bunches and one that I will always place a bet on for a long-term prospect. His ideal role on a contending squad is to act like a middle innings reliever – come in for the starter (McDaniels), “pitch” an inning or two guarding the other team’s best player, and sub out with a readiness to come in whenever game situation allows.

His struggles defensively have most to do with seasoning. Knowing when to go off-script and chase a splash play (a block or a steal), and when to calmly move your feet, use your physicality, and stay within the scope of a defensive gameplan. He chases big defensive plays a lot which is fun to watch, but also seems to get him some early hooks to the bench if it leads to being out of position and giving up an easy bucket.

On offense, Clark just needs to be better. Of all the players that saw significant time for the Wolves last season, his -1.8 offensive EPM would rank last on the team and would make him a 22nd percentile offensive player in the league. His cutting is a real skill that should be better utilized with better passers around him, but his longevity on the squad is going to come down to hitting open 3-point shots.

Donte DiVincenzo: The Return of the King

The Stat: Games Played

The Why Behind It: The only expectation that is being placed on our Ginger King is the hope that we get to see him play meaningful basketball. Should he return and prove to be healthy? Well, we’ll start planning for some impactful stats for a playoff run.

Cody Williams: Role Loading…

The Stats: Pending

The Why Behind It: Cody Williams has flashed enough in the first two preseason games that he is a late addition to the projected rotation. These flashes have been a bit of a warning shot to Jaylen Clark believers like myself because if he can come close to matching Clark’s defensive potential, Williams clearly has a much larger offensive bag that includes bits of ball handling and playmaking. The committee is keeping a close eye on the newest young wolf.

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And there it is. The report cards are set for the 2026-2027 Timberwolves. I’ll be back after 10 games to offer an update on where these numbers are falling, explain any alterations or tweaks based on early season performance, and have a ton of fun overreacting to small sample size numbers. Happy Wolves season everyone!

This past Saturday, the shorthanded Sixers got blown out by the Boston Celtics’ regulars in a preseason game. It was the first of two preseason meetings between the two teams as Philadelphia will host the Celtics this coming Friday in the preseason finale. 

By now, it’s well known by sports fans everywhere that the Sixers and Celtics made the biggest trade of the NBA’s offseason this past summer in a move that saw Jaylen Brown go from Boston to Philadelphia and Paul George go the other way. Fans are understandably excited about what Brown can do as a Sixer, but we wanted to take a moment to think about George and how fans feel about him.

The former Sixer was the team’s marquee offseason acquisition just two years ago in the summer of 2024. By almost every objective measure, his two years in Philadelphia were a failure and Sixers fans united in their jubilation not only to bring in Brown, but to wash their hands of the final two years of George’s massive contract. But, in case you missed it after Saturday’s preseason game and got caught up in more losing from the Eagles and Flyers on Sunday, George had this to say about his time in Philadelphia. 

Paul George on the #Sixers: “I love those guys…Jo, Tyrese, VJ, JE. I think these long-lasting relationships that you build along the way of this journey here. VJ calls me almost every other week.” pic.twitter.com/nDwpZrPCYd

— Ky Carlin (@Ky_Carlin) October 11, 2026

It did make me wonder, how is George going to be received when he plays a regular season game in Philadelphia in 2026-27 in front of a capacity crowd? Was George merely the biggest source of frustration for fans when it came to the job former President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey was doing or did fans truly dislike George? It certainly seems like George left Philadelphia on good terms with lots of the players in the organization.

Most fans knew Morey was rolling the dice when he unloaded the cap space that had been vacated by the expiration of the Tobias Harris contract and used it all on an aging George. Availability had been a concern for George before he arrived in Philadelphia, so the fact that he wasn’t always in the lineup shouldn’t have surprised anyone. Granted, his performance certainly dipped as well, but George did likely rebuild some of his trade value with a strong postseason this past spring.

As we prepare for the start of another season, George is gone and more importantly in the eyes of many Sixers fans, so is Morey. We’ll see if the Celtics can contend at a high level in 2026-27, but it feels like most Sixers fans have shifted their attention to the Knicks as the team’s biggest rival with both teams likely vying for the Eastern Conference championship this season. 

Make no mistake, any Sixers fan that boos George this season when the Celtics come to town would certainly have every right to do so. George’s first season in Philadelphia was a disaster and his second season wasn’t much better until the playoffs. There was a lot more bad than good. But time heals all wounds and with what’s transpired over the last 5-6 months, dating back to some of those good playoff performances from George while he was still in a Sixers uniform, George’s lasting memory in Philadelphia was something we were thinking about.

He’s certainly not going to get any kind of standing ovation this season and we’re not suggesting that either. But Sixers fans, is this someone you’re going to boo vociferously this season or is he just another former Sixer whose tenure in Philadelphia maybe wasn’t as good as you had hoped it would be?

It hard, almost impossible to have a real, encouraging win in the NBA preseason…but the Brooklyn Nets just got one! The Nets defeated LeBron and the Super Sixers on Thursday night. That means we’re also now halfway through the preseason. In this episode of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we discuss takeaways from those first two games, recap Nets Fest and look at what’s coming on NetsDaily. Let’s talk some ball!

In Episode 48 of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we touch on:

• Mikel Brown Jr. injury concern level
• Why the preseason win over Philly matters
• Why we’re betting on Keon Ellis being a great Net

You can also check out the episode for free on Spotify and Apple Music. Make sure to follow us on X, Instagram, and TikTok as well.

ESPN is sleeping on the Nets. Shocker!

(w/ @connor_long15) pic.twitter.com/4c0leSAPfX

— The Brooklyn (@thebrooklynpod) September 5, 2026

We also recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers on YouTube. Thank you to everyone who has supported us thus far!

4 NBA teams reveal Classic Edition uniforms honoring the ABA for 2026-27 season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

What’s old is new again in the NBA.

When the ABA merged with the NBA in 1976, four teams were added to the revamped NBA. This season, those four franchises are bringing back classic uniforms honoring their ABA roots 50 years later.

The Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs officially debuted their Classic Edition uniforms for the upcoming 2026-27 season on Monday. The uniforms are nearly identical replicas of what was worn half a century ago when they entered the NBA, and now they’ll be worn again in select games this season.

Here’s a look at all four of the new/old looks:

Brooklyn Nets

Formerly known as the New York Nets, the Brooklyn-based franchise will wear its throwback red, white and blue uniforms in 16 games this season. The jerseys and shorts are white with red letters and numbers, along with red and blue down the sides. The Nets will also have a classic court design for games at the Barclays Center.

Bringing a timeless look back to celebrate 60 years of Nets Basketball. pic.twitter.com/m8BwhyiNj8

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 12, 2026

The 2026-27 Classic Edition Court, celebrating every era and player that's shaped our story. pic.twitter.com/XWyxJVd9if

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) October 12, 2026

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets are completely switching up their color scheme with the throwbacks, using orange jerseys and black letters and numbers. Denver wore these uniforms from 1967-71 when the team was known as the Rockets. They rebranded to the Nuggets in 1974 with a fresh color palette, but the old orange and black will be back for seven games this season with a throwback court design.

Adding Orange to our palette pic.twitter.com/uTvuIU3i4V

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) October 12, 2026

https://t.co/zIVqvKXKdHpic.twitter.com/3t7lasuSXH

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) October 12, 2026

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers’ old uniforms aren’t all that different from different iterations they’ve had over the years. Still, the look is a nod to their ABA days with the lighter blue, yellow racing stripe and numbers and white “Indiana” across the chest. They’ll also have a throwback court design when wearing these jerseys at home. Indiana will wear these uniforms in 15 games this season, including seven times at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Classic threads. Timeless pride.https://t.co/fkQ1Eg0FlYpic.twitter.com/2U83haUf9J

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) October 12, 2026

Celebrating our ABA history with the Classic Court 🔥https://t.co/fkQ1Eg1dbwpic.twitter.com/iX0l9aGR5Q

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) October 12, 2026

San Antonio Spurs

Similar to the Pacers, the Spurs haven’t undergone any drastic uniform changes over the last 50 years. The Classic Edition is gray with the old “Spurs” font on the chest, harkening back to the days of George Gervin leading the team in the 1970s. San Antonio will wear these uniforms five times at home this season. The throwback court will feature red, white and blue accents in honor of the ABA basketballs that were used and their former logo when they were the Dallas Chaparrals.

The silver ABA-era road jersey, back for the 50th season 🤩@Ledger | #PorVidapic.twitter.com/AiIcDZZfT2

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 12, 2026

A classic uniform called for a classic court this season 🔥🏠@Ledger | #PorVidapic.twitter.com/jeFvRcrsZS

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 12, 2026