Category: Basketball

The Los Angeles Lakers are not lacking for offensive firepower throughout their perimeter rotation. Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves are among the NBA’s foremost backcourts overall, especially offensively. Collin Sexton is a dynamite scorer off the bench. Quentin Grimes is a valuable floor-spacer who capably attacks closeouts.

To compete for home-court advantage and a top-four seed out West, though, they must prove they can competently defend on the perimeter. That is not a strength for Dončić, Reaves or Sexton. Grimes’ on-ball defense has ebbed and flowed throughout his career. Reinforcements in that department must arise elsewhere for Los Angeles to properly complement what should be a potent offensive unit led by Dončić and Reaves.

Enter Ziaire Williams, whom the Lakers inked to a one-year, $2.8 million deal earlier this summer. During a recent interview with Benjamin Royer of The Orange County Register, Williams laid out the role Lakers head coach JJ Redick and President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka envision for him. Their priority, according to initial conversations he’s had with them, centers on “first and foremost, being a main defender, point-of-attack defender.”

Thus far in his career, Williams has shown some standout lateral agility and ability to navigate screens effectively. But he’ll need to find consistency on offense to amplify his defensive flashes.

Throughout his first five NBA seasons, he’s largely struggled as a shot-maker. He’s knocked down 42.2% of his field goals, including 32.2% beyond the arc, which compose more than half (55.4%) of his total attempts. He has, however, flashed keen off-ball movement, converted a career-high 34.3% of his triples last season and is a career 54.6% shooter inside the arc. He’s hoping all of those skills fit seamlessly alongside the Lakers’ primary creators.

“Obviously Luka (Doncic) and AR (Austin Reaves) are going to be the main primary ball handlers,” Williams told Royer. “So just playing off them, being able to shoot, cut, make plays in transition, stuff like that. They thought it was a great fit for me to be here, and the feeling was mutual.”

Williams will have the chance to compete for heavy minutes in the Lakers’ crowded, yet mostly unproven wing rotation this upcoming season. While the likes of Grimes, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt Matisse Thybulle, Adou Thiero, Dalton Knecht and rookie Cameron Carr will all similarly look to earn significant playing time, any definitive claim to minutes — save for maybe Grimes — seems dubious currently. If Williams expands upon his career-best year in 2025-26, the chance to carve out a prominent role is absolutely available.

“I just thought it was a great opportunity,” Williams said of why he chose to sign with the Lakers after averaging a career-high 10.2 points per game for the Brooklyn Nets last season. “Being that big wing, versatile player that they needed, I just thought it was a great opportunity for me to be a Laker. Even if the same team was in New Orleans or Milwaukee, wherever – just the opportunity that was here and the team that they had, I just thought it was the best fit. And then just being back home in L.A. is the cherry on top. Being able to play in front of my family and my friends, and I’m super excited.”

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

Megan Thee Stallion is making one thing clear: Her breakup with Klay Thompson has not been a fun ride.

The “Savage” rapper admitted in a recent interview with InStyle that her split from the former Golden State Warriors superstar has caused her to “feel like I’ve been put through the washing machine and the dryer with tins, shovels, and a cactus.”

Megan began dating Thompson last year, and for months, they looked to be on the path of marriage. The two were constantly together, and she even showed up to a number of his NBA games to cheer him on from a courtside chair.

However, in April, Megan announced the pair had separated, writing in an Instagram post that Thompson had cheated on her.

During her chat with InStyle, Megan called the whole situation “very rough.”

“How do I want to say this gently?” she said. “What’s meant for you is always going to work out. And if something is constantly making you feel uncomfortable, just on edge all the time, you probably are not supposed to be there.

“God will always make you uncomfortable when something is not meant for you. I think I just kept trying to make pieces fit that didn’t belong, trying to fit myself into someone else’s life. I was losing myself a little bit. I am now in the space of finding me again.”

Megan added that she’s now seeking a relationship in which she and her boyfriend are on the same pedestal.

“I cannot be minimized,” she said. “I will not be behind any man. I will have a partner. I will be equals with my partner. I’m never gonna take the backseat to anything. So just going forward, I think I’ve just learned this is the type of person that I want to be with, this is what I will tolerate, this is what I won’t tolerate. And if you can’t take that, we just gotta respectfully go our separate ways.”

As for how the single life is treating her, Megan said she’s learning that “being by yourself is OK.”

“Like, I ain’t smiled so much in so long,” she said. “Like, I’m outside twirling in the grass like, ‘Wow, it’s a beautiful day outside!’

“I don’t know the last time I did that.”

All-time great players achieve that status by continually defying norms, yet Father Time remains undefeated.

James Harden will be remembered as one of the ten best guards in league history when all is said and done. His peak as a one-man offense in the 2010s with the Houston Rockets hasn’t been topped by many; neither has his incredible longevity. He’s 189 assists away from becoming the only player besides LeBron James to rank in the top ten all-time in both points and assists. But even all-time greats have an expiration date.

The Cleveland Cavaliers made a gamble earlier this summer that Harden would continue to play at or near an All-Star level by signing him to a new deal that will pay him an average of $32 million annually over the next three seasons.

Harden’s game has aged gracefully over the last handful of years. He isn’t the one-man offense he was in his prime, yet he has continually found ways to fit into and elevate groups as a supporting piece.

That carried over this past season to Cleveland. The Cavaliers played their best in the playoffs when Harden was on the floor. His ability to orchestrate the offense and take over late in games when needed is one of the reasons why the Cavs were able to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time in eight seasons.

If we judge his new contract on how he just played, this would be a good deal for Cleveland.

Every dollar matters in a salary cap league. That’s especially true for a team like the Cavs that has been doing everything in its power to cut costs after spending last season in the second apron. However, you aren’t going to get a guard playing at or near an All-Star level that isn’t on a rookie deal for cheaper.

To evaluate the contract, let’s first try to pinpoint where exactly Harden is from a skill perspective going into this season.

Player ranking guides shouldn’t be taken as gospel truth, but they do provide a general consensus for where someone stands in the league hierarchy. Currently, The Ringer and NBA 2K27 have him as the 31st-best player. HoopsHype lists him as the ninth-best guard.

This is in line with where some of the catch-all stats have him as well. Dunks and Threes’ actual estimated-plus minus has him at 38th (93rd percentile) last season. Basketball-Reference’s catch-all stats view him a little more favorably, as he was 21st in player efficiency rating (20.7), 19th in box-plus-minus (3.9), and 14th in value of replacement player (3.6).

How much stock you want to put into any of that is up to you. What we can comfortably say is that ranking him as the 31st-best player in the league is completely reasonable.

Now, let’s look at where he stacks up in annual value on his contract. Harden’s contract is expected to start just below $30 million for this upcoming season and should escalate to $34.9 million on the third and final year of his deal.

The $29.7 million he is expected to earn next season would give him the 64th-highest annual salary in the league. That placement is good value for what you’re expecting to get from him, especially considering the quality of many of the players making more than him. Jimmy Butler ($56.8 million), Trae Young ($49.5 million), Zach LaVine ($50 million), Domantas Sabonis ($45.5 million), and Brandon Ingram ($40 million) are all set to make $10 million more than Harden next season. This list puts into perspective how bad some contracts are, and how this isn’t one of them, based on how Harden has been playing.

However, that evaluation is contingent on Harden still being at or near his recent level. NBA history suggests that he won’t continue to do so over the next three years.

Finding a recent comparison for Harden is difficult. Few guards have sustained the consistent level of play for as long as he has. One that comes to mind is Chris Paul.

Catch-all stats are flawed, but they can be used as guideposts for where a career is going. Harden finished 32nd in ESPN’s Player Efficiency this past season at age 36. At the same point in his career, Paul ranked 38th.

Paul made his final All-Star appearance at age 36. He was coming off another impressive season, helping lead the Phoenix Suns to 64 wins. There wasn’t much in his game at that time that would suggest he would begin to decline. That inevitably started during his age-37 season.

Paul was still good at 37. His overall points, assists, and efficiency were down from the year before, but he was still a high-quality player. However, a closer look at some of the advanced stats would suggest a noticeable drop-off that would continue

Paul went from 38th to 76th in ESPN’s Player Efficiency Rating between his age-36 and age-37 seasons. That slide continued as he finished 148th in Player Efficiency Rating during his age-38 season and then 170th in his last full season at age 39.

Harden has more size than Paul, which should help him age better. However, there’s no denying the simple fact that we don’t typically see good guard play from guys at this point in their careers.

There aren’t many examples of someone playing at or near an All-Star level at age 37. Only 12 players in league history have been on an All-Star team at age 37. The list keeps getting smaller the older you get. Only five players have been All-Stars at age 38 (LeBron, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), and just three at age 39 (LeBron, Jordan, and Abdul-Jabbar).

More to that point, it’s rare for 39-year-olds to even be in the league. There are only three currently rostered players who will be 39 or older at the start of the season: Mike Conley, Al Horford, and LeBron.

Just because there isn’t a historical precedent for guys playing at a high level in their late 30s doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Last season, Kevin Durant made the All-NBA Second Team, and Steph Curry was still playing at an elite level at age 37. Both are expected to be All-Star-quality players again this upcoming season. Harden certainly has the talent to follow in their footsteps.

Overall, history isn’t on Harden’s or the Cavs side. A significant drop-off in play comes for everyone at some point. That’s true even for all-time great guards like Harden. Odds are this happens for Harden sometime over the lifetime of this new contract.

Still, this is a deal the Cavs felt they had to make. They mortgaged future money in 2028 for more flexibility now to get out from under the second apron and execute a sign-and-trade for Peyton Watson. Neither of those things would’ve been possible if Harden had simply opted in to his $42.3 million player option.

Now, we’ll wait and see whether or not this short-term gamble ages like Harden’s gas station wine or a French Sauvignon Blanc.

I’m back this week and ready to answer your Sixers-related questions.

It’s been relatively quiet, but the Sixers did make a series of Exhibit 10 signings. For those unfamiliar, an Exhibit 10 deal is essentially a training camp contract with an added financial incentive for the player to join the signing team’s G League affiliate. So, these guys will likely end up in Delaware suiting up for the Blue Coats, but it’s worth noting the Sixers have an open two-way spot and an open standard spot (though they can’t fill the latter until December).

The four players include the 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall, Jameer Nelson, Jr., the son of Sixers executive Jameer Nelson, Saint Thomas, who spent last season with the Blue Coats, and Dillon Jones, the former first-round pick and two-time NBA champion with the Thunder and Knicks. Since none of the aforementioned players have more than four years of NBA experience, they’re all technically two-way eligible. While this could be a competition for that final slot, the Sixers could still look at outside candidates as well.

Hit me in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer as many questions as possible.

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 Jarred Vanderbilt.

It might be hard to believe, but with the massive overhaul of the Lakers roster this offseason, Jarred Vanderbilt is now the second-longest tenured Laker behind only Austin Reaves. After being traded to the Lakers in February 2023, this will be the fifth season in which Vando’s rocked the Forum blue and gold, outlasting every other player who was acquired with him in the trade that shipped Russell Westbrook out and catapulted the team on their run to the conference finals later that spring.

All these seasons later, though, it’s fair to say that Vanderbilt has lost ground in his pursuit of a lasting role commensurate with his salary. After solidifying a spot in Darvin Ham’s rotation as a chaos-inducing defensive ace, Vando has never gained a footing under JJ Redick, going stretches of seeing two to three shifts a game and then racking up DNP-CD’s after his production (and skill set) on both sides of the ball proved a bit too inconsistent and lacking to not chase an alternative.

With a remade roster that still lacks an established starter at the forward spot opposite Luka Dončić, however, Vanderbilt might not be buried yet. Yes, there are alternatives in-house who, at first blush, feel like they’d have the upper hand in the race for a role. But as long as he’s on the roster, Vanderbilt should not be counted out. Particularly when roster changes might make Vando a better fit than he was the previous two seasons under Redick.

What is his best-case scenario?

When it comes to how Vanderbilt can best find a role, it feels easiest to point to any sort of improvement offensively — especially as a shooter from behind the arc — as the key to him finally sticking. And while I won’t argue against the importance of Vando knocking down shots as being meaningful for his overall utility, I think it’s disingenuous to put all the emphasis on an improvement on that side of the ball leading to him playing more.

Instead, I turn the focus to Vando’s defense and how finding the right role — and the right scheme — can do more for his place in the pecking order than his ability to hit a handful more threes in his minutes. This isn’t an exaggeration, either.

Last year, Vanderbilt connected on just 29 of his 99 threes on the season, 29.3%. If he’d made just six more of his attempts from deep, his percentage would have gone up to 35.3%. Does anyone believe six more makes would have changed his reputation at all as a shooter or that it would have impacted the way defenses treated him? Yeah, me neither.

I’d argue, then, what really impacted Vanderbilt was that he never really found a way to be the impact defender he’s billed as. There are many reasons for this, including his penchant for over-aggressiveness at the point of attack, his gambling in passing lanes, and a general lack of off-ball discipline. But, even more than those things, I’d argue that the Lakers’ penchant to switch as much as they did and the fact that their big man rotation did not have much shot blocking proved to be a poor fit for Vando’s defensive approach and allowed defenses to remove him from the action too easily.

This season, with Walker Kessler now in the fold, not only do I imagine that the team will switch less, but I also believe the coaches can move from a more contain defense at the point of attack to a more aggressive approach that encourages ball pressure and disruption. These are the exact sorts of shifts in defensive identity that would suit Vanderbilt’s style.

And with Vanderbilt having another healthy offseason to further work on his body and his game, I don’t think it’s out of the question that he could return to the form he showed in his first season and a half in Los Angeles.

Vando locked in & locked down. pic.twitter.com/1AHhLIY6Qc

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 3, 2023

In getting back to the offense, I don’t think there will ever be a point where Vanderbilt’s skill level and overall utility as a finisher will clear the bar Redick wants. That said, if Redick does commit to playing him a couple of shifts a game in lineups that can somewhat protect him offensively while catering to what he does best defensively, there’s a real possibility Vanderbilt can play as the best version of himself.

There’s a precedent for this, though the samples are not large at all. Last season, per Cleaning the Glass, Vando played 79 possessions while flanking both Luka and Austin Reaves. In those minutes, the Lakers had a +5.1 net rating.

However, 32 of those possessions had Luke Kennard on the floor, which makes sense since his shooting can serve as a counterbalance to Vando’s struggles in that area. However, when you remove Kennard from the data, the Lakers net rating jumps to +33.2 in those remaining 47 possessions, with many of the best-performing groups having either Marcus Smart or Jake LaRavia as the other perimeter defender.

In other words, pair Vando with another perimeter defender and then put them next to Luka and Austin and those groups showed some viability, albeit in small samples. Vando getting more chances in those sorts of lineups next season feels like something to at least try out in order to see if they can find something more lasting.

What is his worst-case scenario?

If the above feels too optimistic, I don’t blame you. There’s a reason Vanderbilt has consistently fallen out of the rotation for Redick and to act as though those same circumstances won’t reappear simply because the roster has changed to the degree it has is could simply be wish-casting.

After all, Redick is still the coach and while there’s a likelihood the schemes on both sides of the ball will shift some to account for the new players and what they do best, until we see new playbooks on both sides of the ball (or least the sorts of shifts that cater more to him), I envision Vanderbilt running into some of the same challenges he’s experienced.

Namely, that even if they don’t switch all screens one through five, they still switch enough screens that don’t involve the center for offenses to manipulate matchups and get Vanderbilt off their biggest offensive threats, neutralizing him in the process. And then, on the other side of the ball, his overall lack of finishing and poor outside shooting prove too frustrating for Redick to invest in with a real role.

Ultimately, then, the team goes in a different direction, investing minutes into Zaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, and even Adou Thiero instead of Vando. And while he might get spot minutes here or there, Vando mostly becomes a fixture on the bench whose salary makes it unlikely he even gets traded this season because of the remaining season still on his contract.

What is his most likely role on the team?

If having to choose between the two scenarios above, I have to admit the latter feels much more likely than the former. We simply have too much history with Vanderbilt under Redick to forecast that he’s suddenly going to shift into a more prominent role.

That said, I truly do believe that the circumstances of this team are the most conducive they have been for Vanderbilt to have a successful season with Redick as head coach. And while it feels like a stretch for Vanderbilt to be a starter or to be a guy relied on to play three to four shifts a game, I do think that in the sorts of lineups where he can play to his strengths defensively while also having enough offensive talent around him where he can be a connecting player more than a finisher, he can play 10 to 12 minutes a night and be a positive player.

And while I’m not going to advocate that he jump to the front of the line or that he should be prioritized over other players at that spot, I do hope he’s able to compete with the other wings and forwards on this roster to show that he’s capable of helping this team.

Because if he does get that chance, I do think he’ll show he can do something with it.

You can follow Darius on BlueSky at @forumbluegoldand find more of his Lakers coverage on the Laker Film Room Podcast.

Things are going well for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, so I think it’s safe to touch on a topic from a time when things were much more…turbulent. The reason? Former Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo has been hired as an advisor by Italian professional club BC Roma.

Two-time NBA Executive of the Year Bryan Colangelo and Hall of Famer Chris Mullin are now advisors to the BC Roma team co-founded by Donnie Nelson and Luka Dončić.

Colangelo and Mullin join an advisory board also featuring ex-Spanish NT coach/Raptors assistant Sergio Scariolo. pic.twitter.com/JD7Jj2kgSF

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 9, 2026

First off, it’s nice for Bryan to still get the “Two-time NBA Executive of the Year” lead-in and not, you know, the other stuff which we’ll touch on momentarily. If you’re recalling a strong tie between Colangelo and Italy, you are correct. While the lead executive for the Toronto Raptors, he famously selected Italian Andrea Bargnani with the first overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, rather than seven-time All-Star LaMarcus Aldridge, taken second overall by the Chicago Bulls and traded to Portland. As Sixers fans unfortunately know, poor decisions with the first overall pick were not limited to Colangelo’s time in Toronto; in 2017, he traded with Boston to move up and select Markelle Fultz first overall, with the Celtics taking Jayson Tatum with the third overall pick.

In addition to getting absolutely schooled by Danny Ainge, Colangelo made a pair of trades during his time in Philadelphia that if not for divine intervention and other people picking up the pieces, would have cost the Sixers Tyrese Maxey. Back in 2016, he traded Jerami Grant and a top-20 protected 2020 first-round pick to Oklahoma City for Ersan Ilyasova. Of course, Mike Muscala’s heroics in the bubble meant that the Thunder moved up into the top-20 and the Sixers were able to retain that pick and select Maxey.

However, Colangelo had even traded that top-20 protected pick away in 2017 in order to draft Anzejs Pasecniks 25th overall (!!!!). Pasecniks played 28 career NBA games (all for the Wizards), while the Sixers could have drafted Derrick White or local favorite Josh Hart. Thankfully, in 2019, Elton Brand would get that Thunder pick back by trading Fultz to Orlando, cleaning up two Colangelo messes in one fell swoop. In my opinion, Brand does not get enough credit for ensuring Maxey eventually arrived in Philadelphia.

Before we go though, one more Colangelo-Italy connection to recall. His wife, Barbara Bottini, is from Northern Italy (as a side note, Colangelo’s famous high collars were credited to his wife’s Italian fashion influence). It’s strange that every Sixers fan reading this knows the name of a former executive’s wife, but then, she’s the only one I know of who ran secret burner Twitter accounts disparaging players and revealing team-sensitive information. We can take Bryan’s word that he knew absolutely nothing about the activities by Barbara (aka Eric Jr, Honest Abe, and Still Balling), but I’ll personally always be skeptical. Still, he had to resign as a result in one of the more embarrassing NBA sagas in recent history.

With that strong draft record and drama-free home life, I can see why BC Roma came to Colangelo in search of advice. I’m just glad the Sixers have brighter days ahead.

Why Kings' Ben Simmons signing is ‘great' for Darius Acuff, per Draymond Green originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After a year away from the NBA, Ben Simmons has returned to the league on a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Kings.

While the addition of the 30-year-old might not be a season-altering move for Sacramento, Warriors forward Draymond Green believes the signing could play a significant role in helping the Kings’ first-round 2026 NBA Draft selection Darius Acuff Jr.

“When I look at this signing, I think this is great for Darius Acuff,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show.” “You have a Ben Simmons who’s eager to make it right, he’s going to give you the game. And he’s going to work his ass off. I think this is great for Darius Acuff. Let’s face it, Ben Simmons is Ben Simmons.

“This will take some of the pressure off Darius Acuff. If Ben Simmons isn’t playing well, people are going to want to point to Ben Simmons and say, ‘Hey, he’s not playing well,’ and if he is playing well, people are going to point to Ben Simmons and say, ‘Yo, look, he’s back.’ And so, I think this ultimately takes a lot of pressure off Darius Auff going into a Sacramento Kings situation that is not as great as one would like.”

The Kings finished the 2025-26 NBA season 22-60, but went 8-10 the final 18 games of the campaign to push themselves out of a top-five lottery spot.

Sacramento selected Acuff with the No. 7 selection in the draft. With Russell Westbrook retiring, the Kings likely will slot Acuff into the starting point guard role and give him the keys to proverbial castle.

”I think this is a good move for Darius Auff that will allow some of the pressure to come off of Acuff and allow him to grow like rookies need to grow,” Green continued. “This is not the most ideal situation for a rookie to be in. Obviously, you got the ball alot. That could be good or bad, right? But, you know, this is a good move and I don’t think people will value this move enough.”

Simmons was the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year and played on three straight All-Star teams from 2018-2021 while with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 2016 No. 1 overall pick also is a two-time All-Defensive selection and, in addition to helping Acuff’s growth, could help a Sacramento team that has struggled on that side of the court for several seasons.

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Tyler Herro is in the middle of a custody battle in court with ex-girlfriend Katya Henry, TMZ reported Tuesday, after the couple split up this month.

The two share a daughter, Zya, born in 2021 and a son, Harlem, born in 2023.

Before dismissing his case all together, Herro, who claimed he had been voluntarily paying Henry since she gave birth, asked the court for a parenting schedule. The former All-Star also asked the court to determine how much he should be giving in child support.

In her own filing, Henry has asked for primary custody as she claimed she has been the primary caregiver and has been making most of the decisions surrounding the children.

Additionally, she “intentionally omitted” information about Herro’s “historical conduct” out of repect for the Milwaukee player as Henry insisted to the court that “safeguards and parameters should be implemented on a temporary and permanent basis in order to ensure the safety and well-being” of the two children.

The case remains ongoing.

Henry, a fitness model and founder of VelAura, connected with Herro on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

A year later, the former couple welcomed their daughter before breakup rumors hit the fan in 2022.

During that time, Henry posted on social media alleging Herro’s cheating.

“If you cheat on someone willing to do anything for you, you cheated yourself out of loyalty,” she wrote before deleting it, per Yahoo.

In June, Herro was traded to the Bucks as part of a blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami.

The Bucks also sent Bobby Portis in exchange for Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis along with unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, the No. 13 pick in the 2026 draft, and a 2033 second-round pick and a pick swap in 2030.

Herro was in Paris when he heard the news he was being shipped off to his hometown team.

“Back to the motherf–king crib, dog. Y’all did lost your motherf–king mind,” he said as a warning to the Heat on his YouTube channel.

The 26-year-old guard went to Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Wis. where he earned a four-star ranking and finished his career with over 2,000 points. He was also named the Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year.

He went on to play at Kentucky under John Calipari before he was chosen at 13th overall by the Heat in 2019.

Last season, Herro averaged 20.5 points on 48 percent percent shooting.

Sixers pre-camp questions: What role will Jaylen Brown play on his new team? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers’ new era is on deck.

With LeBron James and Jaylen Brown on board and training camp set to begin in late September, we’re taking a look at key questions for the 2026-27 Sixers. 

We first asked: Just how dramatic of an impact will James make?

Next up: What role will Brown play on his new team? 

It’s not going out on a limb to say that the 2026-27 Sixers should have many paths to efficient offense. Head coach Nick Nurse and his stars will experiment and aim to find reliable routes by the time the playoffs roll around. Defensively, they’ll plan to establish a culture of consistent effort and adaptability.

Brown has the tools to boost the Sixers on both ends. He cares about day-after-day commitment, too. 

“I think we’ll figure it out as time goes on, as we start to spend time with each other, get on the court and have conversations,” the 2024 NBA Finals MVP said at his introductory press conference in August. “But I’m excited to just be myself. That’s one thing I can promise the city, the organization and the coaching staff, that I’m going to come in every single day and be myself. 

“Put my best foot forward, lead with my integrity, lead with my mentality and lead with my capacity and my will to win. So we’ll figure out the X’s and O’s, the ins and outs, but winning is the agenda. That’s the first thing that’s on my mind.” 

Brown’s game has attracted a wide range of opinions in recent years. Whatever you make of his numbers, he has several major strengths the Sixers will plan to showcase. 

The five-time All-Star is a strong driver who loves to pressure the defense in the open floor. He’s a powerful finisher who drew a career-best 7.5 free throws per game last season. The 29-year-old is capable of draining tough, tightly guarded shots and the Sixers surely won’t mind tossing him the ball late in the shot clock and asking him to generate offense.

Brown is a talented on-ball defender who will hustle, work hard to stop his man, and take pride in guarding stars. He also possesses the physical strength to occasionally blow up opponents’ actions, power through off-ball screens, and generally access places others simply cannot get to. 

How will the Sixers apply all of that?

Even on a star-loaded team, we imagine Brown will continue to receive a healthy dose of isolation touches. Brown ranked sixth in the NBA last season in isolation points per game at 5.8. He scored with good efficiency (1.01 points per possession — 77th percentile), especially given his high isolation volume and the context of co-star Jayson Tatum being sidelined for most of the regular season. Isolating Brown against a smaller defender will be an appealing option for the Sixers.

All of the Sixers’ projected starting five enjoy playing in transition besides big man Joel Embiid. Brown averaged 6.7 transition points per game last season, which was fourth in the league behind Giannis Antetokounmpo and new teammates James and Tyrese Maxey. Coaching that aspect of the Sixers’ offense shouldn’t be too challenging for Nurse. He’ll encourage the Sixers to run off of live-ball turnovers, throw the ball ahead quickly after defensive rebounds, and fill lanes in transition once the team is rumbling forward. 

We also anticipate that Brown will have a more fruitful time off the ball with the Sixers. He’s far from a zero as a cutter — Brown got a few backdoor layups in the Celtics’ first-round playoff series loss to the Sixers — and James is the sort of player who rewards anyone that darts into open space. 

Brown’s weaknesses are well-chronicled. He tends to be deliberate with the ball and take contested jumpers. When it comes to passing against double teams, there are plenty of superior stars. He’s had some poor turnovers and been regularly whistled for off-arm pushes. Brown has made just 33.6 percent of his three-pointers over the last two years. He’s known to have off-ball lapses defensively. 

The Sixers won’t view any of those areas as massive liabilities. 

Brown should receive a bit less defensive attention and have easier passing reads as a result. All the Sixers’ stars will share the burden of offensive creation late in the clock, which may very well benefit Brown’s shooting percentages. On defense, James will presumably serve as an on-floor coach and help Brown stay sharp with the details.

The Sixers will be glad that Brown has grown accustomed to firing away beyond the arc in the Celtics’ three-point-heavy offense. They’ll tell him to keep shooting open deep jumpers and believe he’s due for a better year from long range. Brown hit 17 of his 42 threes (40.5 percent) in last year’s Celtics-Sixers series and he’s made 35.8 percent of his career threes. His shot looks balanced and unbothered when he’s clicking.

Of course, best-case scenarios will not always manifest for Brown and the Sixers. Certain lineup combinations won’t pan out. Certain play calls won’t be executed as Nurse envisioned. On-paper ability isn’t destined to translate to heaps of wins.

Still, the Sixers will expect two-way greatness from Brown. Broadly speaking, he appears equipped to provide it. 

Editor’s Note: One of the most fun parts of the Canis Hoopus of the past was the sheer creativity and eccentricity of the writers that would baffle and surprise me, but clearly carried the care and love that this site should be home to.

It is my pleasure to introduce Anand Balasubrahmanyan, who embodies that concept perfectly. Please give him a warm welcome!

While hiking in the Blaine Wetland Sanctuary, a Canis Hoopus staff writer encountered an accursed bog witch and took the opportunity to peer into her acrid crystal ball for answers about the upcoming Minnesota Timberwolves season. The following transcript of their conversation was mailed to Canis headquarters on a wretched parchment hewn from human skin.

Hey Wolves fans, feeling hungry for 26/27 season predictions?

Will Anthony Edwards win MVP?

Canis Hoopus Representative: Anthony Edwards has one of the best supporting casts he’s ever had, and finally seems set to do the things he’s great at instead of being forced to fill in gaps. Are awards within grasp for the young Wolves superstar?

Accursed Bog Witch: *adds eye of newt to burbling caldron*

The best part of being a Timberwolves fan has been watching Ant add to his game each year. From ‘wow, that rookie gets to the rim like a next-level athlete’ to ‘hey, Ant’s three-point release is much more consistent’ to ‘oh my God, did he just hit his head on the rim while blocking that shot?’ to last year’s ‘man, this guy has the smoothest step through floater I’ve ever seen,’ A1 from Day 1 is significantly better on Day 2,190. 

At age 25, Ant is entering those golden years when the truly elite ballers rip off peak seasons and gatecrash the MVP conversation. Ant has gradually increased his scoring average each year, and a 30-point-per-game season is well within his grasp – this would guarantee a slot as an MVP finalist. 

In this humble, demonic bog witch’s opinion, Edwards would make an even stronger case for himself if he unlocked his rebounding potential and averaged one more rebound per game (six boards per game). With inveterate chucker LaMelo Ball as his backcourt partner, I could also see an uptick in assists to five per game. I predict averages of 30 points, six rebounds, five assists, and a shade over one steal – that looks like an MVP to me.

Unfortunately, the NBA MVP is also a narrative award. This means voters will often go with the player who has the best story alongside gaudy stats. There are three players constructing revenge narratives that could distract MVP voters from MN’s beloved ATLien:

• Jaylen Brown: Disrespected scorer sticks it to smug Boston front office. Very appealing outside New England.
• Victor Wembanyama: The tall man is very tall. Appealing on an instinctual level. 
• Jalen Brunson: Finals hero gives doubters a make-up call. Appealing to voters who swear they knew Jalen had it in him the whole time.

What will it be like to root for LaMelo?

CH: Too much of this offseason has been focused on how fans of the NBA struggle to root for Ball because of his colorful personality and dreadful driving. Will that worry materialize?

ABW:

I hate you.

I love you.

I hate you.

I love you.

Grow up.

Stay young forever.

This will be the yo-yo of your heart as LaMelo jacks one-legged threes and dimes up Joan Beringer from the fifth dimension. Why did he take that shot? How did he make that pass? Why does his cherry-red nose resemble a rheumatic mall Santa three drinks in?

My advice? Embrace the crazy; it can’t be worse than Dillingham. 

CH: On a related note, who are the best point guards in Wolves history?

ABW: Stare deep into your soul, for the answers you seek are already within.

• Sam Cassell – If only scrotum reduction surgery had been invented in 2003
• Terrell Brandon – Solid foul line jumper
• Chauncey Billups – Has a hot tip to take the under on the Dallas Mavericks this year
• Stephon Marbury – Always wondered what if the Wolves held onto Ray Allen instead of trading him for Marbury? Could Kevin Garnett and Allen have achieved their Celtics success in Minny, or did they need the bitter taste of defeat first? 
• Ricky Rubio – Spent his NBA career pursuing the mythical 20-assist, zero-point game
• Ancient Mike Conley – Creak of his knees still echoes in the Target Center rafters
• D’Angelo Russell – Feast or famine shooters are no good for a starving fanbase
• Pooh Richardson – Pooh’s the best 
• Tyus Jones – Surely, the next three has to go in
• Jonny Flynn – Still time for him to have a better career than Steph Curry 

In other words, LaMelo is going to awaken things inside of you that you never knew existed.

Did the Wolves make the right choice in restructuring their roster?

CH: Why did the Wolves change their identity from frontcourt giants to zippy ball handlers?

ABW: Why indeed. As a fellow practitioner of sinister blood magiks, I think I can see what Tim Connelly was going for this offseason. The jumbo lineups, which proved so effective vs the Denver Nuggets, have grown obsolete as Denver decided to cheap out and let their role players leave the building. Now it’s the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs we need to worry about. Julius Randle could beat big-boy Draymond, but not Big Vic. 

Last year, OKC provided an enticing glimpse of how to forget the Alamo. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company took San Antonio to seven games without Jalen Williams by pushing them with waves and waves of pesky guards who just kept running. Jared McCain gave Wemby more issues than Rudy Gobert.

This summer, Connelly was the only GM brave enough to ask: what if we constructed an OKC-style, guard-heavy lineup populated entirely by knuckleheads??? Genius is madness with a dash of luck. 

CH: What should I do with my Naz Reid tattoo?

ABW: Ask your tattoo artist if they can laser-fade your Big Jelly tat to look like Amy Klobuchar

Wait are you crying?

CH: I just…I just love Naz so much

ABW: Look, a large portion of the Infernal Bog Witch Analytics Community (IBWAC) ranks Naz as a better player than LaMelo. Over the last two years, Naz has been a better three-point shooter (37% from three vs. 35%), a better rebounder (6.1 rebounds per game vs. 4.8), has played 48 more games than LaMelo, and has been more effective as a road safety instructor than the former Lithuanian league superstar.

CH: Which young Timberwolf will “make the leap”?

ABW: Shout out to the Canis comments section–its Joan Beringer! The Big Beret had an up-and-down rookie season, often looking like the game was moving too fast for him to process. But that’s normal rookie stuff. The potential he flashed got this whole bog wet. Soft hands! Great motor!

Cut down on the fouls and take a deep breath Joan. Its your time to shine.  

(Also, Jaylen Clark is better than Josh Okogie, and he is maybe the ninth-best player on the team? Feels so good to root for a deep Wolves bench [no offense to the Robbie Hummel days…but c’mon!])

Can Jonathan Kuminga be a functional power forward?

CH: What about Jonathan Kuminga? Will his signing work out or blow up? It feels like someone picking the Wolves like this has never happened.

ABW: Back when I was a young hag, still perfecting my hysterical cackle, power forwards ran the NBA. Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Pau Gasol, and Dirk Nowitzki all dominated with some combination of tentpole defense and clinical mid-range jumpers. But in 2026, the role of a power forward has shifted. Let’s explore a few power forward archetypes who’ve seen success in the modern game and what Kuminga could aspire to:

• Aging stars downshifting to cagey role players (LeBron James, Kevin Durant): They might not have the youthful explosiveness that drove their MVP seasons, but age has distilled these savvy vets down to their essence. These PF’s use efficient pull-ups or pinpoint passes to elevate their teammates. Kuminga’s shot selection is not wise enough for this role.
• A center who plays power forward because the word “power” sounds cooler (Giannis Antetokounmpo): Kuminga lacks the necessary cohort of Greek siblings to fill this role.
• Three point threat with upside (Naz, Julian Champagnie, RJ Barrett): Kuminga is not a consistent enough from deep to play this role.
• I punched Jordan Poole and I liked it (Draymond Green): I don’t see Kuminga matching Draymond’s defensive shit-house-ry.   
• Brute-force ball-handler (Paolo Banchero, Deni Avdija): If Kuminga gets the number of touches that Deni needs to get his, then things have gone terribly wrong for the Timberwolves. Not to mention, no Wolves player has ever had the refs support the way Avdija does.
• Young gun with old-man strength (Stephon Castle, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes) OK, now we’re talking. If Kuminga can convince himself to take a backseat to scoring guards, he has the muscle to focus on forceful transition dunks, bait trips to the line, and rebound like he did in Atlanta. How likely is this outcome? Don’t ask Steve Kerr. 

CH: It’s Game 7 in round one vs the Houston Rockets. Who does Chris Finch play in the last five minutes?

ABW: Ant, Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Ayo Dosunmu, and Inflatable Crunch

CH: Will the Wolves finally win 50 games this year?

ABW: The Wolves will win 49 games.

CH: Before we started this conversation, you had me sign a contract, but I didn’t look too closely at it. Should I be concerned about that?

ABW: Don’t worry about it. You’ll be fine; you have such smooth skin. Do you moisturize?

As we prepare to finalize our preseason SunsRank, it’s worth looking back at the list we’ve created so far. 

Overall, I think it’s a solid reflection of where this franchise currently stands. The depth of the roster creates a bit of a bottleneck within the Pillars tier because it becomes difficult to separate players who bring completely different archetypes to the table. You have a backup point guard, a starting power forward, a pair of centers, and a 6’3” guard who plays much bigger than his frame and brings a relentless defensive mentality. That’s a good problem to have. 

The Suns’ depth within this tier is broad, and the skill sets are varied. Distribution. Rebounding. Rim protection. Athleticism. And then there’s the unquantifiable attitude that helps reinforce the identity of the team. Phoenix may not be a roster that jumps off the page and intimidates you on paper. But when you play against them, you feel it. 

With only three players left to rank, here’s where we currently stand:

#	2025-26 SunRank	Community SunsRank	Writers SunsRank
4	Collin Gillespie	Collin Gillespie	Miles Bridges
5	Mark Williams	Miles Bridges	Collin Gillespie
6	Grayson Allen	Mark Williams	Jordan Goodwin
7	Jordan Goodwin	Jordan Goodwin	Mark Williams
8	Oso Ighodaro	Oso Ighodaro	Luke Kennard
9	Royce O’Neale	Khaman Maluach	Oso Ighodaro
10	Ryan Dunn	Rasheer Fleming	Khaman Maluach
11	Rasheer Fleming	Luke Kennard	Rasheer Fleming
12	Khaman Maluach	Haywood Highsmith	Koa Peat
13	Haywood Highsmith	Koa Peat	Ryan Dunn
14	Jamaree Bouyea	Ryan Dunn	Haywood Highsmith
15	Koby Brea	Pat Spencer	Jamaree Bouyea
16	Amir Coffey	Jamaree Bouyea	Pat Spencer
17	Isaiah Livers	CJ Huntley	CJ Huntley
18	CJ Huntley	Koby Brea	Koby Brea

I was curious to see where Miles Bridges would ultimately land. The writers ranked him as the fourth-best player on the team, while the community placed Collin Gillespie ahead of him. And this is where my interpretation of the subjective term “best” comes into play.

If you ask me right now who the better player is, I’m going with Miles Bridges. When I do this exercise, I’m not looking at the price relative to the value paid or what a player might become 2 or 3 years from now. I’m looking at what I believe their production and impact will be this upcoming season. From that perspective, Bridges is going to have a much larger impact than Gillespie, and he’ll need to if the Suns are going to be successful. They bring completely different skill sets, but Bridges has more ways to affect the game offensively. He’ll be in the starting lineup, he’ll have more opportunities, and the gravity he creates should open up areas of the offense that Phoenix desperately needs to improve, primarily getting to the rim.

Gillespie will still be vital. His ability to guide the second unit and provide much-needed three-point shooting will matter throughout the season. But if we’re asking who the better player is right now, I think it’s Miles Bridges.

And now we turn to the final three, the Cornerstones. These are the stars, the players with the ability to make an All-Star team. They’re the guys this team is building around, and they’re expected to make a major impact every night. Ultimately, how far the Suns go this season will depend heavily on what they get from this group.

And here they are.

The Cornerstones

Devin Booker

GP	MIN	PPG	RPG	APG	STL	FG%	3PT%	FT%	OFFRTG	DEFRTG	+/- (TOTAL)
64	33.5	26.1	3.9	6.0	0.8	45.6%	33.0%	87.3%	115.9	112.0	+201

Devin Booker is preparing to enter his 12th season with the Phoenix Suns, something only Kevin Johnson and Alvan Adams have ever done. Adams still holds the franchise record, having played 13 seasons in Phoenix. And before this season is over, Booker will pass both Steve Nash and Walter Davis in total games played, moving into second all-time in franchise history.

Yeah, you feel old yet?

The baby-faced kid from Kentucky has been a staple of this franchise for 11 years, and as he prepares for Year 12, he once again finds himself shouldering the responsibility of playing slightly out of position. The Suns can tell us all day that Jalen Green is who they want starting at point guard, but we all know that by 20 games into the season, Booker is probably going to be leading the team in usage and functioning as the primary distributor. The modern NBA is positionless, but it’s still hard not to look back at Booker’s prime and wish he had spent more of those years alongside a better ball handler and distributor.

Still, the roster around him as he prepares to turn 30 years old has something he can feed off of. Fire. Passion. Edge. And Booker still has the elite scoring ability to make all of it work. Now, if he can find his way back to shooting 38.3% from three as he has twice in his career, great things could happen in Phoenix.

Dillon Brooks 

GP	MIN	PPG	RPG	APG	STL	FG%	3PT%	FT%	OFFRTG	DEFRTG	+/- (TOTAL)
56	30.4	20.2	3.6	1.8	1.0	43.5%	34.4%	84.2%	113.7	114.8	-49

The Villain returns this season with a new extension under his belt, something he certainly earned after averaging 20.2 points per game last year, a number I don’t think many of us saw coming. What was more predictable was the attitude he brought and the way he helped forge the Phoenix Suns’ identity into one defined by toughness, grit, and edge.

With Jalen Green hopefully healthy and Miles Bridges now in the mix, Brooks may take a step back in terms of production and offensive involvement. That doesn’t diminish what he brings to this team. The attitude, physicality, and competitiveness still matter, and they remain a major part of what makes this version of the Suns who they are.

Jalen Green

GP	MIN	PPG	RPG	APG	STL	FG%	3PT%	FT%	OFFRTG	DEFRTG	+/- (TOTAL)
32	25.9	17.8	3.6	2.8	1.1	42.2%	31.3%	74.7%	114.2	113.5	+33

This is going to be an incredibly important year for Jalen Green. We’ve seen the potential. We’ve experienced the athleticism. We know the upside of the 24-year-old combo guard is high. At some point, though, upside has to become consistent production. That has always been the challenge with Green. His inconsistency in multiple areas of the game, whether it’s three-point shooting, finishing at the rim, or facilitation, has limited how high his ceiling can actually go.

Could this be the year he puts it all together? Could this be the season where, with the roster built around him, Green finally reaches that potential? If he does, the Suns suddenly have an elite backcourt. If he doesn’t, then you start looking at the open market and asking what you can get for him in return.

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And now it’s your turn to complete the final SunsRank of 2026. We won’t touch these rankings again until the season is over. Then we’ll come back and see how everyone moved based on the difference between preseason perception and what actually happened on the court.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to participate throughout the process, from placing players into tiers to ranking them individually through SunsRank. It’s an exercise I look forward to every year because it captures exactly how we view this team at a specific moment in time.

Now we get to see how right, or how wrong, we were.

As always, the Brew Hoop community came up big, posing some very thoughtful questions. Coaching, projections, perspective, roster construction, team priorities, and more. You hit ‘em all. Here’s our takes; thanks for choppin’ it up.

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Coaching

Harms: Where would you rank Taylor Jenkins right now vs the rest of the league Head coaches?

Zac: This is such a hard question to answer; any coach is only as good as the players they have. Of course, as cliché as it is, a coach has to make their team better than the sum of its parts too. Clearly, that hasn’t happened in Milwaukee for some time. Statistically, 13 current head coaches have a better career winning percentage than Taylor Jenkins, while 15 have a worse career winning percentage. Nick Nurse is tied at 53.9%. But that ignores context.

From my vantage point, Joe Mazzulla, Steve Kerr, Rick Carlisle, Erik Spoelstra, and Mark Daigneault (in no particular order) all deserve recognition as better coaches than Jenkins. Then there’s Mike Brown, who just led the New York Knicks to the championship, but I’m not convinced he’s better. The same can be said for Tyronn Lue and Nick Nurse. On the other end of the spectrum, Micah Nori, Sean Sweeney, and Dusty May are yet to coach a single NBA game, so Jenkins gets the nod as better by default. You can’t convince me he’s not better than Brian Keefe, Tuomas Iasolo, Doug Christie, Charles Lee, Jamahl Mosley, and Tiago Splitter, either.

With all that in mind, I have him somewhere between sixth and 21st. That’s a huge range, I know. But, like so many of the players on this roster, Jenkins also has a lot to prove. For what it’s worth, I think he’s up to the challenge—as I outlined in my April dive into the Bucks’ coaching search and Jenkin’s past. Let him sow.

Player projections

Harms: Who will be the most improved buck? Some recent articles and podcasts have been talking up Dieng as a possibility.

Zac: This is another legitimately tough one. With so many unproven players, it could be nearly anyone—besides the rookies, of course (you need a baseline to judge improvement). To your point, Ousmane Dieng showed a lot after coming over at the trade deadline last season, but I just can’t see him having as much responsibility—at least with the ball—to make a run at this title. Kasparas Jakučionis is someone I’m really intrigued with, but he doesn’t seem to have a pathway to enough minutes to take it, either. Jaime Jaquez Jr., on the other hand, figures to get plenty of opportunity at both of the forward positions. He also offers something this squad lacks—downhill attack and paint scoring.

On the flip side, there are numerous veterans who have a realistic shot at being MIB (that’s most improved Buck). After playing so poorly last year, Myles Turner is due to bounce back. Then again, would this really be improvement? Herro, playing for the first time in his career as a number one option, could potentially explode too. But would that be improvement, or just increased opportunity and usage?

You know what? I think Ryan Rollins doubles down on his improvement from a year ago but this time gets the recognition for it (at least from a league-wide perspective). He increases his points to about 20 a night—those off-season workouts with James Harden pay dividends at the stripe—and, more importantly, becomes one of the leaders on the team, cementing his place as the team’s point guard of the present and the future.

Harms: What do you anticipate the roles of vets like Trent, Green and kuzma to be to start the season?

Jack: OK, so for Trent—who we hope is cleared of any wrongdoing, LOL—I think they’re going to have to play him at least 15 minutes per game (certainly at the start of the season) to not make his contract look even fishier? Like, it would look pretty suspicious to pay someone $64m and then not play them, even if they haven’t warranted minutes. The more I think about it, the more I realize you just cannot do that; the optics are horrible. This annoys me a fair bit because those minutes should go to younger players, but instead they’re going to a guy who has no future on this team because Horst made a deal with the devil. Tough.

Gosh, I feel like AJ, through no fault of his own, is now the odd man out? So many combo guards need to play. Like, Rollins, Herro, Porter, LeVert, Burries… where does Green fit, and how can you find him minutes? At 26, does he fit into the “next wave,” or is he more valuable as a trade chip? I just feel like at least one of these guards has to be traded, which was why everyone was floating Green as the guy to go out in any potential Peyton Watson deal. Do I think “choosing” others over Green would be the right choice? I am far from sure. What I will say is that AJ has probably hit his ceiling as a player, so if you value what he brings, that’s great, but there probably isn’t much more evolution to come.

I reckon there’s a decent chance Kuz starts at the four at the beginning of the season and plays 25-30 minutes per night. It feels like he’s going to take on a leadership role as a vet on this young team. Other commenters have mentioned this before, but I think this team will try its hardest to win up until the trade deadline; however, it might shift to a more developmental focus after that (even though there’s no value in tanking since they don’t have their first-round pick). Ergo, if Kuzma isn’t traded at the deadline, I could see his minutes cut substantially as they wait for his contract to expire.

Statistically speaking

Harms: How many assists and turnovers per game do you anticipate? Who will lead in each category?

Jack: To the first question, the Bucks averaged 25.8 assists per game last season, ranking middle of the pack (16th). I found this interesting because I don’t feel like the team moved the ball particularly well last season, but I guess that’s what happens when you have Giannis; you’re just naturally going to rack up assists because he— being the physical presence he is—demands multiple defenders, which creates open looks. Without Giannis, I am confident the team will move the ball better, but still end up with a similar number of assists per game, if that makes sense. Like, the assists they get will “look better” because the ball has moved in a more typical fashion, but the number itself won’t shift much.

As for turnovers, the Bucks finished last season ranking 21st at 15.2 per game (meaning they averaged the ninth-most in the NBA). Funnily enough, my prediction for this is similar to my prediction for assists: they will land in a similar spot, but for a different reason. Last season was a mess; nobody really knew their role, and Giannis was often injured, which led to a chaotic style of play and thus, many turnovers. This season, the team is basically brand new and has little to no continuity, so I predict similar chaos and a similar number of turnovers per game.

Regarding the leader in each category, Ryan Rollins is my pick to lead in assists, closely followed by Kevin Porter Jr. As for turnovers, the obvious answer is KPJ, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are some teething issues with Kel’el Ware as he tries to expand his offensive game.

Coverage and perspective

Wisconsin Sam: I would like to know if you feel your “outsider” perspective (as referenced in Jack’s articles about how Giannis CLEARLY should have been traded a year earlier, as opposed to us sentimental locals who wanted to hang on to our precious Freak as long as we could and never never let him go… maybe that’s just me) affects your coverage at all. Also if it makes you say things like “chinwag.”

Zac: Honestly, it has to, right? But I don’t see“affects” as a negative. Not being from Milwaukee (I have visited though—on my honeymoon no less!), we don’t have the same ties to the city as locals do, but don’t for a second confuse that for a lack of care or investment in this team. In fact, I’d say it’s the opposite. Following (and covering) a team from afar is arguably more difficult—games air during the workday, we don’t get to see them in person, and most people we encounter have only a very casual relationship with the NBA—let alone the Bucks—so fandom can be isolating. You don’t commit to a team like the Bucks without doing so wholeheartedly and some of my greatest memories are because of this team. So, trust me, we are sentimental (see my Bobby Simmons piece and, more pertinently, this and this about just what Giannis means to me). But, again, my sentimentality is not the same as yours. It can’t be.

As for “chinwag,” I wouldn’t say it’s a part of my daily vernacular, but it is a great term—just think of the imagery! Plus, I’ve grown rather protective fond of chin-related nomenclature—my high school PE teacher nicknamed me “Jaws” for my, uh, substantial jaw (and it’s still a running joke in my circle). Let the chins wag!

Roster and contracts

BarryDort: With it being rookie extension season, should the Bucks offer the rookie extension to Jaime Jaquez Jr. and what type of deal should they offer?

Jack: I don’t think the Bucks should be in any rush to extend Jaquez. If he wants to accept a “below-market deal”—maybe like 5/100 or 4/88—I might do it, but I’d probably prefer to wait and let him hit RFA. Horst and co. need to gather more data on JJJ to discern if they see him as part of the “next great Bucks team” or if they view him more as a bridge player that could help a contender now. Also, unethical as they are, restricted free agency rules have proven an effective tool for teams to force players into signing below-market contracts (see: Josh Giddey, Jonathan Kuminga… maybe Jalen Duren this offseason). If the Bucks can save a few… bucks… they should do exactly that. Don’t hate the player, hate the game.

BarryDort: Everyone assumes Ryan Rollins is going to be a Buck for a long time. However, after this season he will most likely opt out of his deal and become an unrestricted free agent. How much is it going to cost to keep him and will it even matter if he decides he has a better opportunity somewhere else in the league?

Zac: How much it costs to keep him largely depends on his play this season. Was last year’s growth for real? Does he take another step? My answer to both is “Yes,” but there’s a very real chance that he regresses too. Looking at league-wide players salaries, and assuming Rollins does continue his ascension, it’s hard not to see him in the mid-20s annually. If not more. As for a better opportunity elsewhere? I don’t see it, certainly not in terms of touches and role—and Rollins doesn’t seem to be at the point in his career where he’d prioritise winning over those. He’s also had a lot of instability in his young career—three teams and plenty of time in the G-League in just four seasons as a pro—so you’d think (hope?) he’d value continuity.

Kaz5: If no trades happen before the season starts (which is kind of what I’m assuming now), who makes the team and who gets cut?

Jack: If no trades happen, I’d bet a lot of money they convert Pete Nance back to a two-way, since he has one year of two-way eligibility left (I think). From there, I can’t see how they take this many guards into the season; Horst could very well eat KPJ or LeVert’s expiring contract, and voila, you’re at 15 players.

Zac: I’ll jump in on this one too. I agree that a trade this late is unlikely—but you never know (just see the Damian Lillard trade to Milwaukee, which happened on September 27). In that case, I assume Pete Nance is one of the unlucky roster cuts, mainly due to him having a non-guaranteed contract. As for the other one, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bucks waive Caris LeVert. His $14.8m salary would be handy in future trade scenarios, but he just feels too much like the odd man out in this team (age, position etc.).

Team priorities

BarryDort: What should the Bucks prioritize for next year, winning or development? I believe you can only do one or the other at the same time. Development is playing 10-12 guys 20-25 minutes a game to get better and determine who is going to be part of the team going forward. Playing veterans 30 plus minutes a game doesn’t accomplish that goal.

Jack: I believe Milwaukee should prioritise development. When I weigh the upside vs. the downside of trying to win every game, the upside is that fans, by and large, are generally more content (which leads to higher ticket sales) and that the Bucks don’t give up such a high draft pick (but then again, with the flattened draft odds, who really knows). Additionally, as I’ve mentioned before, this draft is not great, so giving up a high pick is not nearly as costly/embarrassing as it ordinarily would be.

On the other hand, the downside of going all out to win every game is that you lose valuable opportunities to collect data on the young guys and expose them to NBA basketball, which, three years down the line, could prove costly. Also, as a fan, I want to see these guys play more than I do your Kyle Kuzmas or Caris LeVerts. Even if it’s not pretty, I want to see the “kids” play and would get a lot of joy out of it.

Mayor of Ding Dong City: My question is a two parter- which three players do you feel like are most likely traded during the season (bonus points for making rough % chance each get traded) and which players would you most likely look to trade if you were Horst?

Zac: I can’t go past Tyler Herro, Myles Turner, and Kyle Kuzma. For one, these guys don’t fit the Bucks’ timeline for contention—Herro will be 27 in January, Turner will be 31 in March, and Kuzma already is 31. While these ages don’t make them old, they are getting up there, at least in terms of playing prime. Moreover, as skillful veterans (yes, even in Kuzma’s case), they are more likely targets for teams looking for impact players now, especially around the trade deadline when teams have a clear indication of where they sit and are therefore more likely to go “all in.” And while I’m someone who really values veteran leadership on the roster—just see my Culture setters piece from earlier this offseason—if the Bucks can turn them into picks or younger assets, they certainly have to go for it. Percentage-wise, I’ll go Kuzma at 70% (his expiring contract helps here), Turner at 55%, and Herro at 35% (just know I am not a gambling man).

As for the second part of your question, if I’m Horst, I want to build with and around guys who want to be here. For all their warts, Herro (via public comments), Turner (through hosting the team in Texas), and Kuzma have all made steps in showing that desire. Having said this, I’m supremely cognisant to the fact that at least two of these guys (Herro and Turner) stand directly in the way of the two Bucks with the most upside, Brayden Burries and Kel’el Ware. Kuzma, with Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nate Ament, and even Ousmane Dieng, presents a similar situation. So, all things considered, I’d honestly stick with the same three names, with the caveat that it depends on what everyone shows early on in the season (and that there are no takers for Gary Trent Jr.). Outside of these three, I’d look at freeing up some of the guard room, in which case AJ Green and Kevin Porter Jr. seem the most likely candidates—they offer an enticing combination of strong talent and low salary to interest a number of teams.

Kaz5: The Bucks are obviously rebuilding. What is a realistic timeline to be a championship contender again? Five years? So, who will be a part of that future? Similar to what others have said, I’d love to see a roster analysis. I’d especially be interested in hearing insights on which guys they will try to trade in the very-near future. I have no issue with these guys as Milwaukee Bucks, but I feel like the following guys don’t fit that 4-5 year timeline:

• Tyler Herro
• Kyle Kuzma
• Caris LeVert
• Gary Trent Jr.
• Myles Turner

I think each of those guys can contribute to a winning team, but that’s not the Bucks right now. Which of those guys will be traded pre-season? Mid-season? Next off-season?

Jack: Sorry, this turned into a much longer answer. Yeah, I’d say the Bucks are looking at a 4-6 year window for when they hope to contend again. At the very least, they’d want to be showing signs that they’re getting close by the fourth or fifth year. With that said, this is made much more difficult due to Milwaukee having precious few first-round picks over this timeline. Now, what they have is a pick surplus from 2031 onward thanks to the Giannis trade, and those Heat picks could be very valuable.

That gives you two options: 1) be patient with the rebuild and maybe even extend your timeline a year or two and make one or both of those Heat picks yourself in 2031 and 2033, or 2), trade those picks over the next few years in exhange for immediate help—whether that be through the upcoming drafts or in a trade for an established player—and speed up the process. I don’t know the right answer; what I will say is that the hasty nature of Horst’s operations over the past eight years has naturally made me more inclined to see the front office exercise patience. It’s not about constructing a team that can merely win a few playoff games in the first round; it’s about building something that can have sustainable success at the highest level.

As for the guys you mentioned, I agree that in an ideal world, all of them would be traded. However, as you’ll see in an upcoming article, not all of them have great trade value. Herro’s a good chance to be dealt to a win-now team mid-season if he plays OK for the first 50 games and doesn’t get injured. Kuzma is an expiring, so he’ll either get dealt mid-season for some middling picks or just expire—LeVert same thing. Nobody’s touching Trent’s contract for at least two years, I’m sorry to say. Turner, if he plays well to start the year, could be moved mid-season; the contract isn’t great, but it’s not awful either.

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How’d we go, folks? Agree with our takes or think that we’re trippin’? Either way, let us know in the comments and thanks again for your questions. Questions & Antlers will return in November, at about the quarter mark of the season, where we can chat about early season impressions.

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Los Angeles Sparks star Cameron Brink came to San Antonio last season to catch a game. She recently shared a funny story with Sydel Curry-Lee on her Straight to Cam podcast. The moment involved her mom’s reaction to Devin Vassell three-pointer while in attendance at that Spurs game.

Cameron Brink Reveals Her Mom Embarrassed Her Courtside During A Spurs Game

Cameron Brink: “But the funniest thing was… Um, there’s this guy on the Spurs, his name is Devin Vassell.”

Cameron Brink: “Whenever he makes a three, he does a celebration where he takes his fingers… pic.twitter.com/Jit2wwWdlL

— TrueNorth (@Franco_Vision) September 6, 2026

“But the funniest thing was… Um, there’s this guy on the Spurs, his name is Devin Vassell. Whenever he makes a three, he does a celebration where he takes his fingers and he’ll put it over his eye, kind of. And all of a sudden, my mom’s like, ‘Kind of looks like he’s doing…’ No, she literally did it, courtside! Cameras on us, me mic’d up, and I just look at her and I’m like… I remember just like turning bright red. I was like, ‘Mom!’”

It just goes to show, you never know when the camera is on and the Jumbotron is live.

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