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Jimmy Butler's performance in Warriors' Game 5 loss criticized by NBA analysts

Jimmy Butler's performance in Warriors' Game 5 loss criticized by NBA analysts originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors forward Jimmy Butler didn’t live up to his “Playoff Jimmy” moniker in Golden State’s final two losses of its Western Conference semifinals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Butler, under the weather during Games 4 and 5, attempted 20 combined shots and scored 31 total points, well below what was expected from the six-time NBA All-Star.

With Steph Curry moving closer to returning, the Warriors needed to win just one game to extend the series long enough for the 37-year-old to have a chance to play in Game 6.

But Butler wasn’t able to put the Warriors on his back. His performances on Monday and Wednesday were criticized by a pair of ESPN analysts on Thursday morning.

“You weren’t asked to win the war. You were asked to hold the damn line,” Jay Williams said on “Get Up” on Thursday. “Right? For one game. One game. Not two games. Not three games. Just one game. Give the sun in your solar system a chance to rise again for Game 6. That sun is Steph Curry. And what we came off last game, where he took nine shots, the fact that Jimmy Butler only took 11 shots when you needed him … the most in this game, it’s shocking to me. It’s shocking to me.

“It’s the biggest question I have from this series. This is a guy who is going to get paid $120 million over the next two years. $120 million. Took only 11 shots. Now, I know the game got away. But [Udonis Haslem], you’re going to swing. If you’re going to go out, you’re going to go out swinging, not taking two more shots than the nine shots you took in the game you didn’t come out for [two nights] before.”

While Stephen A. Smith believes the Warriors’ trade for Butler lived up to expectations, he echoed Williams’ sentiments, though in a more toned-down manner.

“When Butler first arrived in Golden State, a lot of us didn’t think much of it because we said, ‘How does this really pair with seeing a guy like Steph with a guy like Klay [Thompson]? How does this mesh? How does this work exactly?’ And then they were playing lights out together and so we got our hopes up. But then it came crashing down once Steph hurt his hamstring. And it is what it is.

“Here’s what makes this look bad. Butler obviously forced his way out of Miami. We know you didn’t want to be a No. 1 option. You wanted to play with someone who’s a No. 1. You didn’t mind being that ‘Robin.’ Then you go to Golden State and y’all have major success. Steph gets hurt. You got your money. And Joe Lacob and the Golden State Warriors, all they needed was one game.

“See, it ain’t like Steph went down like [Boston Celtics star Jayson] Tatum did [with a ruptured Achilles] and he’s out for the next year, at least. It’s not like that. Everybody had projected, it’s going to take about a week. Steph Curry should be back for Game 6. All you got to do, being [Game] 3, 4 or 5, give me one game and he couldn’t do it. Eleven shot attempts last night. Twenty shot attempts over the last two games.”

Butler’s arrival jump-started the Warriors’ season and helped them secure the No. 7 seed. But his last impression wasn’t good and he left himself open to sharp criticism.

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Warriors will be ‘incredibly aggressive' retooling roster, per Shams Charania

Warriors will be ‘incredibly aggressive' retooling roster, per Shams Charania originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry’s Grade 1 hamstring strain proved to be helpful for the Warriors.

Curry’s injury showed coach Steve Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy that they need to upgrade the role players on the roster.

Without Curry, the Warriors lost four consecutive games and saw their promising 2024-25 NBA season end at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

So, what is the Warriors’ offseason plan? ESPN’s Shams Charania provided insight into Golden State’s mindset.

“The Golden State Warriors have up to four first-round picks they can trade,” Charania said on “SportsCenter” on Thursday. “They have tradeable contracts, pick swaps as well. Sources told me in the last few hours, the Warriors will be incredibly aggressive in the marketplace to go find help, to continue to retool around their big three of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.

“I’m told their priority is finding a play-making wing defender or a center to add to this group. A lot of it will come down to someone that Steve Kerr and the big feel like will help this team and fits their culture and their identity.”

In addition to the assets Charania mentioned, the Warriors have 22-year-old forward Jonathan Kuminga, a restricted free agent who they potentially could move in a sign-and-trade to acquire pieces that fit around Curry, Green and Butler.

Kuminga was in and out of Kerr’s rotation and has had an uneven four years with the Warriors, but the young forward averaged 24.3 points in the four games Curry missed against the Timberwolves

So, while Kuminga might not fit the Warriors’ roster, another team might value him and provide Golden State with the pieces it desires.

“One key player to keep an eye on on this roster right now is forward Jonathan Kuminga,” Charania said. “I’m told he’s going to have a strong sign-and-trade market coming up. He’s an exciting young wing player. Both sides are expected to have conversations commencing over the next several weeks ahead of free agency to see, is there a potential sign-and-trade landing spot that gives him a lucrative deal while also potentially bringing the Warriors some additional help for their roster so that both sides end up as winners.”

The Warriors’ window to win a title with Curry, Green and Butler is closing and the front office understands the team wasn’t good enough to win games without their two-time NBA MVP.

So, changes around the three superstars are coming this summer.

Buckle up.

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Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney desire Warriors return but understand NBA business

Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney desire Warriors return but understand NBA business originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – When the Warriors’ dreams of getting Stephen Curry a fifth NBA championship ring ended on a chilly night in Minnesota on Wednesday, thoughts immediately turned to what’s next for the franchise.

The core of the team – Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler – almost certainly will come back for another title run. There are questions, however, about the rest of Golden State’s roster.

Restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga obviously is priority No. 1 in the offseason for general manager Mike Dunleavy. Fringe players like Quinten Post and Gui Santos have deals ending, too, although the Warriors have team options for both players.

Then there are key role players like Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney.

Both have played essential roles on the Warriors’ championship teams and were instrumental in helping Golden State get as far as it did this season.

Payton, one of the Warriors’ best on-ball defenders, would seem to be a no-brainer to bring back. The 32-year-old guard has expressed a desire to remain with Golden State, but after earning nearly $18 million over the last two seasons, he likely will have to take a pay cut or move on.

“Hopefully I can run off a couple more years in the league,” Payton said Wednesday. “It would be great to do it here. I love this organization. I love playing for Steve (Kerr). Love the guys they bring in to try to help win.

“They know how I feel. We’ll take it one day at a time.”

Payton isn’t a big scorer in Kerr’s offense but he does a lot of the little things that don’t show up in a box score. He is the Warriors’ top utility guy, a player who will guard anyone and do anything it takes to stay on the floor.

That was somewhat of a challenge this season as Payton dealt with left knee soreness, torn ligaments in his left thumb and a non-displaced noose fracture.

Through it all, Payton missed 20 games but improved his numbers for scoring, assists, rebounding and shooting percentage from the 2023-24 season.

About the only thing Payton fell short on was helping Curry get one for the thumb.

“I know everybody on this team is sad, disappointed that we couldn’t even give him a chance to come back and help out and do what he does,” Payton said. “That’s the biggest thing, that we’re disappointed and that we didn’t give him a shot.”

Looney, Golden State’s first-round pick in 2015, had to accept a backup role this season while Kerr experimented with his different lineups. Green absorbed most of the minutes at center when Kerr went with a small lineup, while Post had some extended looks as well.

The 29-year-old Looney said he’s already had preliminary discussions with the Warriors front office about returning, and the feeling seems to be optimistic that a deal will get done.

“But it’s the NBA, things always change, especially when you don’t win it all,” Looney said. “I’m just ready for whatever.”

Looney averaged 4.5 points and 6.1 rebounds this season in his reduced role. A consummate teammate and the ultimate definition of a true professional, he never once publicly voiced any displeasure or frustration and simply showed up to work every night.

Looney just completed the final year of a three-year, $22.5 million deal that paid him a cool $8 million for this season.

Because of his size (6-foot-9, 222 pounds) and age (29), Looney should garner decent attention on the open market. To stay with the Warriors, however, he might have to take a pay cut because the team has so many other needs.

“They’re going to try to do whatever is best to make the team better,” Looney said. “Hopefully I’m in those plans.”

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Reggie Miller shares Jayson Tatum's message to Celtics fans after injury

Reggie Miller shares Jayson Tatum's message to Celtics fans after injury originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jayson Tatum’s 2024-25 season came to a heartbreaking end in Game 4 of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Knicks when he suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon late in the fourth quarter Monday night.

Tatum underwent a successful surgery Tuesday, and he is expected to make a full recovery, per the team.

The Celtics were able to stave off elimination with a Game 5 win over the Knicks on Wednesday night at TD Garden. Derrick White (34 points) and Jaylen Brown (26 points) led the way as the C’s earned a 127-102 victory.

During TNT’s broadcast of the game, analyst Reggie Miller shared a text exchange he had with Tatum earlier Wednesday.

“I was talking to him earlier, seeing mentally where he was,” Miller said. “I said, is there anything you want to tell your fans, the fanbase? He said, ‘I’m devastated by this. I appreciate all the love and support from everyone.’ But he wanted people to know, ‘This injury will not define me, and I can’t wait to be back in Celtic green to show you why.'”

Tatum posted a picture of himself in the hospital to his Instagram page on Wednesday, along with a caption that read “Thankful for all the love and support.”

Tatum was leading the Celtics with 28.1 points, 11.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game in the playoffs at the time of his injury.

The Celtics will try to extend their season once more Friday night when they take on the Knicks in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden. The C’s have won five straight elimination games on the road, while the Knicks have lost five straight series-clinching games at home.

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Seven top potential Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spots in a trade

Legendary NFL coach Bill Parcells once said, "If you're thinking about retirement, you're already retired." That logic can be applied to a lot of monumental changes we face in life, from relationships to jobs.

It also might apply to a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo split with the Milwaukee Bucks. The two-time MVP is reportedly “open-minded” to a trade for the first time, and while that is not yet asking to be moved, it feels like if he's thinking about asking for a trade, he's asking for a trade.

What would be the best Antetokounmpo landing spots? All 29 teams will call, but here are seven to keep an eye on.

BEST OFFERS

San Antonio Spurs

If Antetokounmpo is serious about winning another ring as his highest priority, he should push for a trade to San Antonio, pairing with Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox.

With the Greek Freak next to the still-improving Wembanyama, this team would be elite defensively from Day 1 and could be a real threat next year, even in the deep West. There would be a few years when both Antetokounmpo and Wembanyama would be top-10 players in the league at the same time. Then, while Antetokounmpo's game fades, Wembanyama's will continue to rise and keep the Spurs in contention for years.

Thanks to the NBA Draft Lottery ping pong balls, the Spurs may be able to put together the best trade package, too. San Antonio can offer this year's No. 2 pick (which will be Dylan Harper) and the No. 14 pick (Atlanta's), the reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, plus Harrison Barnes and Keldon Johnson to balance the salaries. The Spurs also have their own 2029 first-round pick that could be part of the package. That package is a jump start on a rebuild.

(Note: The Spurs have leaked that they like Harper and want to keep the pick, and he likely would fit well, but that's also exactly what they should say even if they are open to trading the pick.)

Houston Rockets

Houston is another team that can offer Antetokounmpo instant contention for a title and send a package of players and picks back to Milwaukee that would fit the haul it seeks.

Houston finished as the No. 2 seed in the West this season and played high-level defense, but showed in the playoffs that it lacked a true No. 1 option on the offensive end. Antetokounmpo fits that bill perfectly — the Rockets' defense would remain elite, they would be a transition terror off of turnovers and missed shots, and Antetokounmpo gives them a half-court offensive focus.

Houston has optionality, this trade can be structured in many different ways. Houston would be open to trading Alperen Sengun, league sources told NBC Sports, but the Bucks may be higher on a Jalen Green-based trade (depending on how they rate Green). Jabari Smith Jr. is likely part of any deal, and the Rockets have a lot of future first-round picks — their own and others, such as Brooklyn and Phoenix picks — that could be part of the trade. It likely takes a third team to make the math work, but it's very doable.

Brooklyn Nets

Trading for Antetokounmpo is Brooklyn’s Plan A. They have a lot of future draft picks they can throw into the deal (including No. 8 this year), with Cameron Johnson (and maybe D'Angelo Russell) at the heart of the player package that goes back to Milwaukee.

The bigger question: Is this a trade Antetokounmpo would support? While there have been reports about him seeking a bigger spotlight — and being in New York is a bright spotlight — this would be moving from one team that can't contend right now despite having him on the roster to another team that would not be ready to contend despite having him on the roster. Still, the Nets must be near the top of the list of contenders.

GLAMOUR FRANCHISES

There are reports that after a dozen years in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo is interested in a bigger market and a brighter spotlight. However, these trades are more complex to construct and might require Antetokounmpo demanding to go to a specific franchise ("Trade me to X or nothing") to make it happen. Still, here are some teams to watch.

One note: The Bucks do not control their own first-round pick for the next five years after a series of win-now moves (such as trading for Damian Lillard), so they want a lot of picks back as part of any trade. That is an issue when talking to other contenders.

Golden State Warriors

As evidenced by the Jimmy Butler trade, the Warriors are all-in to win another ring during the Stephen Curry era. Landing Antetokounmpo would undoubtedly make them contenders, even in a deep West. That said, the most reliable reports after the Warriors’ Curry-less playoff exit are that Golden State is not likely to be involved in the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, the Warriors want to round out the roster around Butler and Curry. That said, never count out Joe Lacob suddenly pushing for it.

If the Warriors get involved, a trade likely consists of a sign-and-trade of Jonathan Kuminga plus other players (Buddy Hield and Gary Payton II are options) and some of their own future first-round picks for Antetokounmpo. How excited the Bucks would be about that depends on their feelings about Kuminga (he is polarizing), and even then it's not the best offer out there because of the picks. Antetokounmpo would have to push for it. (In theory, the Warriors could extend Jimmy Butler then trade him straight up for Antetokounmpo, but in reality there is no way the Bucks trade for a disgruntled Butler who would not want to be there.)

Miami Heat

Miami is a glamorous destination that has been mid for a couple of years, and needs to shake things up to win now, so they will kick the tires on an Antetokounmpo trade. The problem is that the Heat do not have the draft picks that the Bucks will seek in any rebuild to make this trade likely. Salary-wise, a trade of Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson, and Nikola Jovic works (although the Bucks likely want Tyler Herro over Wiggins), but Miami can only trade one or two future first-rounders — their own in 2030 and beyond — and that's not going to entice a rebuilding Bucks team.

Still, expect the Heat rumors to swirl because Pat Riley has a way of making things happen.

Los Angeles Lakers/New York Knicks

We're combining the two biggest market teams in the NBA into one because it's essentially the same story: Yes they would be interested; Yes they are good enough that adding Antetokounmpo could put them over the top; But no, they do not have the picks and players to pull this trade off.

The Lakers could base a trade around Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, plus other smaller-salaried players (Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht), and likely would have to get a third team involved. However, the real problem is that the Lakers only have one first-round pick they can trade, their own in 2031 (or 2032, after July 1). The Bucks will want multiple first-rounders, ideally from multiple teams (so as not to have all their eggs in one basket, so to speak), and the Lakers can't offer that.

New York is in the same situation — they traded every pick they could last year to Brooklyn in the Mikal Bridges deal and have no first-rounders they can offer that will interest the Bucks. A trade could be constructed around OG Anunoby and others, but a deal with New York doesn't bring the young players and picks the Bucks will seek.

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Jonathan Kuminga talks uncertain Warriors future after up-and-down fourth season

Jonathan Kuminga talks uncertain Warriors future after up-and-down fourth season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Almost to a man, Warriors coaches and players spent much of the 2024-25 NBA season praising Jonathan Kuminga’s development and growth.

Despite being in and out of coach Steve Kerr’s rotations due to injury and scheme fit, Kuminga still managed to make a big impact and was a key reason the Warriors made it as far in the postseason as they did.

The question now is whether the Warriors deem Kuminga valuable enough to bring him back. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft is a restricted free agent now, meaning he’s free to sign with any other NBA team. Golden State can match any offer and keep him, work out a sign-and-trade with another team or let him walk away after four seasons at Chase Center.

Speaking to reporters a day after the Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs following their Game 5 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals, Kuminga said he hadn’t given much thought to what happens next.

“I don’t know how those things go,” Kuminga said. “I’ll learn more going through the summer. It don’t really matter. I’m going to let my agent handle things like that. I’ll just listen to what he’ll tell me.

“I just tell him to take his time. I’m going to take my time too, figure out what I’m going to do with my day because I’m bored.”

The Warriors made an earlier-than-expected departure from the postseason largely due to the hamstring injury that Stephen Curry suffered in Game 1 against the Timberwolves.

Kuminga helped pick up the slack and averaged 24.3 points a game over the final four games of the series, a spirited run through the playoffs during which he displayed his phenomenal athleticism.

For a player whose career has been a journey through peaks and valleys, Kuminga’s postseason performances were a sharp reminder of just how meaningful he can be under the right circumstances.

“I think he’s grown a lot,” Curry said. “He’s been dealt a very tough hand, to be honest. He’s handled his business in terms of just getting better, just trying to focus on what it means to become a better version of himself and the way that he plays.

“I commend him on staying ready. Seeing what he did the last couple of games, that’s not easy to do to not know if your number is going to be called and then go out and climb that ladder at his own pace.”

Since joining the Warriors four years ago, Kuminga has been a lightning rod for debate. Supporters point to his natural and pure athleticism, while detractors will focus on his injuries and inconsistencies.

He missed 31 games this season due to an ankle injury and saw his playing time reduced when the Warriors traded for Jimmy Butler in February. Kuminga also sat out Game 5 against the Houston Rockets because of a migraine.

When he’s healthy, however, there’s no denying that Kuminga can be a steady force for the Warriors.

In 47 regular-season games with 10 starts, Kuminga was the Warriors’ fourth-leading scorer at 15.3 points a game. Curry, Jimmy Butler and Andrew Wiggins averaged more but Curry is the only one of the three to play all season for the Warriors, like Kuminga.

As a bonus for how well we played in the postseason, Kuminga became the youngest player in franchise history to score 20 or more points in three consecutive playoff games while coming off the bench.

The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the Warriors are leaning toward a sign-and-trade deal with Kuminga, although Draymond Green would prefer that the 22-year-old stay with Golden State.

“His future is bright, whether it’s here or whether it’s somewhere else,” Green said. “That type of talent usually figures it out. I think he’ll figure it out. I don’t know where that will be but wherever it’ll be, he’ll be just fine. When I look at his four years, I think he’s grown a ton.

“In this business that we’re in, there’s no way to be certain that’ll be here or somewhere else. But the beautiful thing about it is when you’re a talent like that, people usually find a way to make it work. Whether that’s the Warriors finding a way to make it work or another team finding a way to make it work, he has my utmost love and support because I want to see him do well. In an ideal world, that’ll be here.”

The Warriors had the option of extending Kuminga’s deal last season but passed on the opportunity. His price tag has risen since then and it will be interesting to see what other teams around the NBA feel his value is.

Kuminga definitely is open to returning and made it a point to mention how he and Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke in the aftermath of Wednesday’s loss. The two didn’t always see eye-to-eye this season, especially after Kerr benched Kuminga late in the year.

“I talked to Steve about how he wanted me to get better at rebounding,” Kuminga said. “I feel like I was doing better before I got hurt. And I liked where he was going with it.”

Techniques and fundamentals will be conversations to be had down the road. For now, the only meaningful discussion between Kuminga and the Warriors will be about his future with the team.

“I’ve grown a lot,” Kuminga said. “When I look back from Day 1 when I got here compared to now, it’s a lot of things that people don’t see. Me personally. I feel like I’ve grown a lot, as a player and as a person.”

As for remaining with the Warriors, Kuminga essentially shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t know. I still got to figure it out,” Kuminga said. “Just finished playing one day ago. I don’t know what the future is going to be. I still got a long summer to go to figure things out.”

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Thunder vs. Nuggets Game 6 predictions: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for May 15

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets Preview

It’s Thursday, May 15, and the Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14) and Denver Nuggets (50-32) are all set to square off from Ball Arena in Denver.

After a hard-fought win, the Thunder lead the series 3-2. Tuesday's win was back-to-back wins for the Thunder.

The Thunder are currently 32-8 on the road with a point differential of 13, while the Nuggets have a 4-6 record in their last ten games at home.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Thunder vs. Nuggets live today

  • Date: Thursday, May 15, 2025
  • Time: 8:30PM EST
  • Site: Ball Arena
  • City: Denver, CO
  • Network/Streaming: ESPN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Thunder vs. Nuggets

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Odds: Thunder (-195), Nuggets (+162)
  • Spread:  Thunder -4.5
  • Over/Under: 216 points

That gives the Thunder an implied team point total of 109.49, and the Nuggets 107.14.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Expert picks & predictions for Thursday’s Thunder vs. Nuggets game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s Thunder & Nuggets game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Denver Nuggets at +4.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 216.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Thunder vs. Nuggets on Thursday

  • The Thunder have won 4 of 5 games at divisional opponents
  • The Under has cashed in the Nuggets' last 3 games
  • The Nuggets have covered in 4 of their last 5 home games

Back the over in this Game Six clash. While lower-scoring affairs have developed over the last three games of this series, the opening contest was a 121-119 win for Denver and Game 2 saw Oklahoma City prevail 149-106. Expect fireworks from two teams blessed with talent on offence.

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insight weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

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- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

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Daryl Morey's full history of 1st-round draft picks

Daryl Morey's full history of 1st-round draft picks originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Until Monday night, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s extensive NBA experience had not included the draft lottery.

He has no plans on being a repeat guest. 

“That was one thing (Sixers general manager Elton Brand) and I said after the evening: ‘Let’s just never come back here.’ That was my first lottery. I hope it’s my last lottery,” Morey said on the Takeoff with John Clark podcast.

While Morey is unaccustomed to owning high picks, his draft track record does span nearly two decades. With the Sixers set at No. 3, here’s Morey’s full history in the first round:

2007: Aaron Brooks, 26th overall 

Brooks was the 2007 draft’s smallest player at 5-foot-10 without shoes and 161 pounds. He became the Rockets’ full-time starting point guard by the middle of his second season and had a big Year 3, earning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award by averaging 19.6 points and 5.3 assists. Morey traded Brooks to the Suns in exchange for Goran Dragic and a first-round pick at the 2011 trade deadline. 

2008: Nicolas Batum, 25th overall (traded) 

Batum moved to the Trail Blazers in a three-team draft-night deal that sent Donté Greene and Joey Dorsey to the Rockets. Fifteen years later, Batum suited up for Morey’s Sixers. 

2010: Patrick Patterson, 14th overall 

Patterson developed into a stretch four with Houston. The Kentucky product averaged 8.4 points and 4.3 rebounds during his Rockets tenure. 

2011: Marcus Morris, 14th overall 

As a rookie, Morris played for Rio Grande Valley Vipers head coach Nick Nurse in the D League. The two were together again on the 2023-24 Sixers.

2011: Nikola Mirotic, 23rd overall (traded) 

The rights to Mirotic were traded twice on draft night — first from the Rockets to the Timberwolves, then from Minnesota to the Bulls. He left Real Madrid and joined the NBA three years later.

2012: Jeremy Lamb, 12th overall 

Houston slid up from No. 14 to No. 12 through a trade with the Bucks. Lamb didn’t last long there, since Morey put him in his 2012 deal to acquire James Harden. 

2012: Royce White, 16th overall 

White had disputes with the Rockets on how to accommodate his anxiety disorder, which included a fear of flying. He played three career NBA games, none for Houston. 

2012: Terrence Jones, 18th overall 

Jones made 180 of his 234 NBA appearances with the Rockets. The lefty power forward posted 10.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. 

2014: Clint Capela, 25th overall 

Capela grew into a key piece of the Rockets’ core and frequent recipient of Harden’s lobs. Now 30 years old, he’s averaged a double-double (12.0 points and 10.5 rebounds) in the NBA.

2015: Sam Dekker, 18th overall 

Montrezl Harrell was the 32nd pick in the same draft. Both Dekker and Harrell headed to the Clippers in Morey’s 2017 trade for Chris Paul. 

2020: Tyrese Maxey, 21st overall 

Five years after his last first-rounder, Morey was thrilled that Maxey slipped to No. 21. He’s one of four players to have made an All-Star Game from the 2020 draft class. 

2021: Jaden Springer, 28th overall 

At 22 years old, Springer is on his third NBA team in the Jazz. 

2022: David Roddy, 23rd overall 

The Sixers used the 23rd pick and Danny Green to pick up De’Anthony Melton. Roddy actually wound up playing three games for the injury-cursed Sixers last season. 

2024: Jared McCain, 16th overall 

Before he suffered a season-ending left lateral meniscus tear, McCain’s play was one of very few positives for the 2024-25 Sixers. The team also appears to have done quite well after the first round with No. 41 pick Adem Bona and undrafted wing Justin Edwards.

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Building around Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Warriors' offseason priority

Building around Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Warriors' offseason priority originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Draymond Green sat on the Warriors’ bench during their season-ending loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night and began talking with assistant coach Jerry Stackhouse.

Their conversation was both a look back and a look forward. 

“I’m like, man, if this group had training camp together, some of the mistakes that we make, we just wouldn’t make,” Green shared Thursday at his exit interview at Chase Center. “Especially on the defensive end. We just wouldn’t make those mistakes if we had a training camp.” 

By now, everybody knows the guarantee Green made during NBA All-Star weekend in San Francisco. Never shy to make a headline, Green said he was going to ride Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler to a championship. The Warriors were one game above .500 and tied for ninth in the West. A contender, they were not. 

Not then, at least.

But Green, soon after Butler became a Warrior, knew this team had a chance if they could remain healthy. He always liked the Warriors’ chances even more for the 2025-26 season. 

The Warriors now will have a full offseason to reassess and build around Curry, Butler and Green. Butler will have a full training camp to get an even better grasp on concepts and how he can best be used next to Curry. The hard part has already been completed.

“I think the biggest change that needed to be made was we needed someone like Jimmy Butler, and we made that change,” Green said. “I think the hardest part is done.

“It’s harder to get guys like that through trades, through free agency. It just doesn’t come up often. I think that part is done. It puts us in a much better situation going into this offseason than last year, where we were kind of looking for that.” 

When the Warriors had Curry, Butler and Green on the floor together, they were as good as it gets. Their net rating together was even better in the playoffs than in the regular season, but the trio only spent seven of the Warriors’ 12 playoff games together. Butler, in one of those games, left with an injury in the first quarter, and Curry’s season ended in the second quarter of Game 1 in the conference semifinals. 

The Warriors went 23-7 with Curry and Butler in the lineup and willed their way to beating the No. 2-seeded Houston Rockets over a taxing first-round series that took seven games. They aren’t ones to make excuses. They also firmly believe they could have beaten the Timberwolves at full strength and had a real chance at contending for a fifth title, and a first for Butler, during this decade-plus dynasty. 

“I think just you look at the sample size the last two months, and even the Houston series when we had our mind focused on a goal, we had enough to accomplish it and get to a point where we were playing pretty high-level basketball,” Curry said. “Does that mean we can win a championship? We hope so. 

“That’s really all you want, is a fighter’s chance. You look at the league right now, I know there’s a lot of youth taking over, but we were one of the last eight teams that realistically had a shot, and if you can run that back, make some tweaks that can help our overall roster – obviously you’ve got to get through an 82-game season, like I said, and you want to be in a position where you’re not chasing, but I feel like we had enough that we showed we could be that team. That’s all you really want.” 

Father Time isn’t being forgotten inside the walls of Chase Center. Curry is 37. Butler will enter next season at 36, and Green is 35. No team has won a championship with players as old as the main core and Big Three to lean on.

All three of their contracts are lined up through the 2026-27 season. Steve Kerr is on the same timeline, too. 

Age, at least to Butler, remains nothing more than a number. 

“I don’t think this age thing is anything the way that everybody is taking care of their bodies, doing right,” Butler said. “I think the potential is there. With the full season we’ve got coming up ahead, I think we’ll be able to find out.”

The ages of those three also put a heavier urgency on the Warriors’ front office to build around them. Curry says the Butler move gives Golden State more “clarity” this summer as to how the rest of the roster can be constructed. He acknowledged the Warriors need to get bigger across the board, and that their shooting struggles became paramount, especially when he was sidelined. 

Playoff basketball is about 16-win players who can impact winning at the highest stakes. The Warriors needed more 82-game players as well. 

Curry played 70 games in the regular season in back-to-back years for the first time since doing so in five straight years, which were his ages 24 through 28 seasons. Green became a full-time center once Butler arrived and his body can only take so much after withstanding a pounding from players who tower over him for so long. Butler was held to 55 regular-season games because of multiple suspensions from the Miami Heat, but he has an injury history and plenty of wear and tear of his own. 

Playing such high-stakes basketball months before the playoffs even begin takes its toll. Having to do so as a team that has spent so many years going through the postseason with three players closer to 40 than 30 is diving into the shallow end of shark-infested waters.

That’s where general manager Mike Dunleavy makes his money. Since stepping into impossible shoes to fill, Dunleavy hasn’t been afraid to shake things up. As a former player himself and son of someone who was both a coach and general manager, he understands the importance of having a pulse on the Warriors as a whole. He isn’t just crunching the numbers, he’s having the side conversations that keep a group together and make the wheels turn.

“I have the utmost confidence that Mike will do the right things, and the job that he’s been doing of just keeping this thing together and moving it forward and helping it grow, collectively as an organization but also the work he does with individuals and the conversations that he’s walking around having with individuals, he understands it.” Green said. “He gets it, which puts us in a really good spot.”

Standing on a battlefield and eyeing younger, longer and athletic teams will be another uphill climb the Warriors must overcome. They have their Big Three. They took a swing and feel like they could have been rounding the bases if everything fell in their favor.

It didn’t, and now it’s back to the drawing board of an optimistic offseason that’s bound to create more questions on how to support the three names that make everything go: Steph, Draymond and Jimmy. They’re the appetizers, dinner and dessert. Everybody else is fixings, either fitting for a toast or spitting out the sour taste of disappointment.

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2025 WNBA Season Preview: Napheesa Collier, Paige Bueckers among top contenders for individual awards

When Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier was speaking to the reporters on media day, she was asked how she balances her ascending career, and all of the accolades that come with it alongside prioritizing the success of her team.

The four-time WNBA All-Star and reigning Defensive Player of the Year explained that for her, individual awards are secondary to making sure her team is doing all it can to win. Her philosophy is clear: if she focuses on winning, individual recognition should follow.

“If the team is not doing well, you’re not going to get those individual accolades anyway,” she said. “So what you’re so selfish about, you’re never going to even get it if you’re not working for your team and helping them win. So the individual accolades aren’t even my goal, the team stuff is my goal.”

But for the purpose of this exercise, and contrary to Collier’s focus, the individual accolades are our focus. Heading into the 2025 WNBA season which tips off officially on Friday at 7:30 p.m ET, who are the players favored to earn Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Player of the Year and Most Improved Player by the season’s end?

With seven teams hiring with new head coaches during the offseason, which one is best poised to win coach of the year? Which front office leaders are positioned to be recognized as executive of the year for their work constructing and drafting rosters during the winter and spring?

Contenders and under-the-radar candidates will both be discussed in each award category. Let’s get started.

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2025 WNBA Most Valuable Player

Top Contenders: Napheesa Collier, A’ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark

While Collier doesn’t want to talk about winning accolades, she’s the frontrunner for MVP. After finishing second in MVP voting last year to Wilson and losing a heartbreaking WNBA Finals Game 5 to the New York Liberty, Collier has a chip on her shoulder and showed that in the offseason 3x3 league Unrivaled, which she co-founded, where she averaged a 26-10 double-double.

Wilson, who was the first player in league history to score 1,000 points in a season, faces the uphill battle of doing the unprecedented. Never in league history has a player won MVP four times. But if Wilson builds upon her 2024 season and the Aces struggle once again to lessen her load, potential for Wilson to win a fourth MVP rather than a third championship still remains.

The expectations of Clark in her sophomore season are sky high. But if the Fever aim to become full-fledged contenders, Clark is going to have to step up while so many new players including Natasha Howard, DeWanna Bonner and Sophie Cunningham continue to get settled.

Dark Horses: Satou Sabally, Jonquel Jones, Sabrina Ionescu

Sabally is in a situation in Phoenix where the Mercury aim to play to her strengths. Head coach Nate Tibbets has been moving the Mercury toward a more modern style of offense that is reliant upon pace, space, and positional versatility. Sabally, nicknamed “The Unicorn,” has the potential to play at an MVP level if she stays healthy. She announced last week that she won’t be playing in EuroBasket for the German National team, and that alone will give her an opportunity to play closer to her potential.

When it comes to both Jones and Ionescu, two of the Liberty’s three franchise players, when a team is as deep, balanced, and talented as the Liberty, a clear MVP front runner often doesn’t emerge. What I will be watching out for is who does the Liberty’s more modern five-out offense that will prioritize space even more this season maximize more? We’ll have to see.

2025 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year

Top Contenders: Napheesa Collier, Ezi Magbegor, A’ja Wilson

While Collier was mum about her MVP candidacy, she did state how she aims to be in the conversation for defensive player of the year (DPOY) once again. “[Lynx head coach] Cheryl [Reeve] said last year if you’re in the conversation of defensive player of the year we have a chance of winning,” Collier said. “I definitely want to keep that up for sure. The defense is something that I know needs to stay and I want to be in the conversation for that again this year.”

Magbegor, who finished third in DPOY voting last season, is still just 25 years old. Playing alongside a starting lineup of potentially Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Alysha Clark and Gabby Williams could give the Seattle Storm one of the league’s best defenses. Magbegor will be quarterbacking that defense with her rim protection and excellent footwork that thwarts players scoring on a post up.

Unless the Las Vegas Aces have a defense that ranks below the top-five, there is little reason to believe that Wilson, a two-time DPOY, won’t also be in the conversation. Las Vegas had the fifth-best defense in the league in 2024 after having the W’s best the year prior. Wilson’s cat-like athleticism and superb help-side instincts make it so difficult for opponents to put pressure on the rim.

Dark Horses: Alyssa Thomas, Natasha Cloud

It seems wild that Thomas has never won Defensive Player of the Year Award. She was the league’s best defender in the 2020 bubble season, but due to tactical campaigning from the Sparks at the time, that went to league-great Candace Parker. Could being in Phoenix rather than Connecticut make Thomas even more hungry for recognition she’s struggled to receive? She noted last week that she felt stuck in Connecticut, the league’s smallest market, and being in Phoenix has restored her joy for the game.

Cloud will be in a position to be guarding opponents’ best perimeter threats on one of the league’s best teams this season while on the Liberty. She’s going to be expected to make winning plays for New York on the defensive end. But, she’s a dark horse simply because the last time a guard took home the award was when Alana Beard won it in 2018.

2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year

Top Contenders: Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, Monique Akoa Makani

The Rookie of the Year Award is Bueckers’ to lose, as she will probably be relied upon like a veteran rather than a rookie. But if there’s anyone who will get the most opportunity to make an impact it will be Citron, who Mystics head coach Sydney Johnson explained has become “a pretty important player” for the Mystics quite quickly.

While Storm rookie Dominique Malonga could be the most talented first-year in the 2025 draft class, she most likely won’t see a lot of run in the starting lineup barring injury. She has often practiced alongside the bench unit while sharing the floor with back-up center Li Yueru. Monique Akoa Makani, however, is a probable starter in Phoenix. Akoa Makani is an undrafted guard from France who shot 41.8% from three this season for her French club Charnay. The Mercury needed shooting desperately, and Akoa Makani will play a huge role in giving their new big three in Sabally, Thomas and Kahleah Copper space to work.

Dark Horses: KiKi Iriafen, Carla Leite

Like Citron, Iriafen will have ample opportunities to show out especially with Aaliyah Edwards and Shakira Austin still working their way back from injuries that limited them during training camp. She was impactful in preseason averaging just under 10 points and over 5 rebounds in 18.3 minutes over two games.

While French guard Leite is a longshot for ROY honors, she might not be for the league’s All-Rookie team. In the Valkyries’ final preseason game against the Mercury, Leite broke through scoring 11 points in 14 minutes on 4-of-7 shooting including two three-pointers. Expect the 21-year-old to provide quality bench minutes and primarily backup Tiffany Hayes when she needs a breather.

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Check out Rotoworld’s newly-launched WNBA Player News section, the best place to keep up to date with transactions, injuries, and game results around the W this season!

2025 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year

Top Contenders: Marine Johannès, Sophie Cunningham/ DeWanna Bonner

After participating in her first WNBA training camp ever after years of arriving in the United States late due to overseas commitments from club teams or the French national team, Johannès has looked really comfortable and settled on the 2025 Liberty.

“I think I’m more comfortable with the team and the way we are playing,” she said following the Liberty’s first preseason game. “I think I know a little bit more of Sandy [Brondello] too, like what she’s asking us to do on court. Right now I’m feeling good. I’m playing with confidence and I will try to keep the same confidence on court.”

Who could challenge Johannès for this award could be either Cunningham or Bonner. That depends on how long Cunningham is out after tweaking her ankle during the preseason. But once Cunningham returns, who will be starting? While Bonner might be more productive defensively, Cunningham spaces the floor better. With much more proven talent this year in Indiana, it would be hard to believe that the Fever don’t boast a candidate.

Dark Horses: Maddy Siegrist, Jessica Shephard

The Dallas Wings’ front court situation is incredibly confusing. They want to run a spaced out offense meanwhile they have a center in Teaira McCowan who isn’t a shooter. They also roster NaLyssa Smith and Myisha Hines-Allen who are both limited power forwards and then there’s Maddy Siegrist, the swingwoman who could have a breakout season. Siegrist has been deployed in the preseason as the Wings’ microwave scorer off the bench who can take some of the pressure off Dallas’ backcourt in Paige Bueckers, Arike Ogunbowale and wing Dijonai Carrington.

Shepard makes her return to the WNBA after opting to play overseas last season. In order to keep DPOY and MVP favorite Napheesa Collier as fresh as possible prior to a deep playoff run, the Lynx are going to need to trust who they deploy in her place. Shepard averaged 26.9 minutes and 8.1 points per game in 2023. Expect her to take a jump in 2025.

2025 WNBA Most Improved Player

Top Contenders: Aaliyah Edwards, Kamilla Cardoso, Jacy Sheldon

With the Mystics being in a rebuilding year, Edwards will have all the opportunities to shine once she’s ready to play. The sophomore has been sidelined for two weeks of training camp with a lower-back contusion. But after showing out during Unrivaled, including almost winning the league’s 1v1 competition in February, Edwards proved she’s more than a back-to-the-basket power forward. There’s a step-back three in her bag as well.

Another sophomore in Cardoso will have so many greater opportunities to shine with a new offense and a new point guard in Courtney Vandersloot to help her get into better situations to score and rebound the basketball. While it’s Angel Reese who has more star power out of the two young Chicago bigs, Cardoso has the opportunity to put herself on the map in 2025.

Sheldon was one of the many players traded over to the Connecticut Sun in the massive four-team blockbuster trade that sent Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas over to the Phoenix Mercury. Like with Edwards, Sheldon has an opportunity to establish herself as a reliable two-guard in the league. In two pre-season games, Sheldon averaged 10.5 points while shooting 53.8 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from three.

Dark Horses: Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Kennedy Burke

Yet another Connecticut Sun in Olivia Nelson-Ododa is primed to take a huge step this season. Nelson-Ododa is the probable front court starter alongside league legend Tina Charles and as a result she’ll have more opportunities to stuff the stat sheet and make a two-way impact on the game. Nelson-Ododa’s decision making and execution in the pick-and-roll has often been impressive in addition to the rim protection she provides with her long outstretched arms. This could be a career year for the former UConn Husky.

Burke is another dark horse simply because of her increased role on the 2025 New York Liberty and how she will most likely be the first frontcourt player off the bench. New York’s new offense is going to be predicated on bigs being able to handle the ball and make reads in the halfcourt offense. In two preseason games, Burke has done that comfortably especially while Breanna Stewart continues to ramp up from getting a minor surgery this past March. Will Burke’s statistical impact be obvious enough for her to be a real contender for this award? That’s hard to tell, but Burke is poised to make a substantial impact regardless of if she wins this honor.

2025 WNBA Coach of the Year

Top Contenders: Stephanie White, Tyler Marsh

White has a tall task, turning the No. 7 seed Indiana Fever into a top-four seed and potentially a WNBA finals team. How does she manage the new set of personalities that have arrived in Indianapolis along with the players that are already there in Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston? How quickly does this team buy into White’s vision, and can she make lineup decisions that reflect the desire to win rather than to please players? If White can accomplish buy-in and find lineups that prioritize proper spacing, then she’s a shoe-in for her second Coach of the Year Award.

New Sky wing Rebecca Allen called the team’s offense from 2024 directionless and “ad hoc.” If first year head coach Tyler Marsh can transform a Chicago offense that was aimless into well-functioning and top-five in the league, he might be a formidable challenger of White.

Dark Horses: Karl Smesko, Sandy Brondello

Smesko, the former 22-year college coach from FGCU, has the potential to prove how pro-ready he’s always been. At FGCU Smesko was playing a more modern style before it really infiltrated into the WNBA. If Smesko can find a way to integrate more old-school centers Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones into his system and develop both their perimeter games simultaneously, he will become my frontrunner for coach of the year.

“They both have been working on extending their range,” Smesko said about both bigs following the Dream’s first preseason game. “They both have been really consistent shooters in practice. I think that can be part of what they do for us. Obviously we don’t want to take away from the way they can dominate near the basket, but I really expect that both of them will shoot a really good percentage from three. It may not be total high volume but I think it will be an added plus.”

The case for Brondello is can she have the defending champions the New York Liberty playing at an even higher level than they were in 2024? Does New York’s more NBA inspired offense allow them to thrive as the hunted in 2025? If so, Brondello ought to be considered.

2025 WNBA Executive of the Year

Top Contenders: Amber Cox, Jonathan Kolb

On paper this award should go to Fever GM Cox who helped recruit multi-time All-Stars and champions in Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner to sign with the Fever. Cox made sure to fill in a lot of roster’s gaps from last year which included more shooting and more veteran leadership to help steward the Fever’s young core in Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell. Also, Cox and team President Kelly Krauskopf helped lure former Connecticut head coach Stephanie White who specializes in modern basketball scheming.

But just because a team looks good theoretically doesn’t mean they live up to expectations. If the Fever become a top-four playoff seed in 2025, then yes this is a no-brainer. But if Indiana finishes only a bit better than last year, Cox winning this award looks more questionable.

Kolb is in this discussion simply because of the job he did to replace the talent the Liberty lost in free agency, the expansion draft and to injury. Kayla Thornton is now in Golden State, and his solution to fill her void on the floor is a combination of Kennedy Burke and Rebekah Gardner. Courtney Vandersloot play making is replaced by Natasha Cloud who the team traded two late first round draft picks to acquire. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton’s playmaking, defense and shot creation are replaced by the duo of Cloud and Marine Johannès who looks as comfortable as ever in the Liberty’s offense.

Dark Horses: Jeff Pagliocca, Nick U’ren

Pagliocca was given orders to surround his two young stars in Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso with more shooting and more veteran leadership. He successfully did both even if it meant giving up valuable draft capital in the future. Ariel Atkins, Rebecca Allen and Kia Nurse are all wings that provide some spacing.

Vandersloot’s return to Chicago will provide the sophomore bigs in Reese and Cardoso with one of the most successful pick and roll guards of all time. And just like Cox, Pagliocca hired one of the more sought out assistants in Tyler Marsh who multiple WNBA executives wanted to hire.

If the Mercury’s new big three in Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper somehow works very quickly and their lack of reliable depth isn’t a problem, then sure U’ren could be in the running for this. Getting projected starter and All-Rookie team candidate Monique Akoa-Makani to come over is also worth recognition.

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Hield details joy he felt playing in ‘happiest' season with Warriors

Hield details joy he felt playing in ‘happiest' season with Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Buddy Hield enjoyed every bit of his first NBA season with the Warriors.

There were high-highs and low-lows, but Hield cherished his 2024-25 campaign with Golden State, despite it ending in heartbreak with a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals on Wednesday at Target Center.

The veteran guard spoke to reporters Thursday at his end-of-season press conference, where he was asked how he viewed his first year with the Warriors.

“This is the happiest I’ve ever been playing basketball, and I tell the guys ‘This season went by so fast’ because of how much fun I had, there was a lot of joy being around Steve [Kerr] and his group, being around the players, the training staff,” Hield said. “They all made me feel welcome.

“And I feel like it went by so fast, and most teams I’ve been on, it feels like it’s very long, like ‘When am I getting out of here?’ This organization, I never felt one day I was like, ‘I can’t wait for summer.’ I’m like really mad I have to go enjoy summer because basketball was so fun.”

Hield came to the Warriors last offseason from the Philadelphia 76ers in a multi-team sign-and-trade deal that landed franchise icon Klay Thompson with the Dallas Mavericks.

He started the season red-hot, but struggled throughout the middle part of the campaign. In 82 regular-season games (11 starts), Hield averaged 11.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 41.7-percent shooting from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range.

In Golden State’s 12 playoff games this season, including a historic 33-point performance in Game 7 of the Warriors’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets, Hield averaged 12.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game on 41.6-percent shooting from the field and 42.9 percent from distance.

“Meaningful basketball was so fun,” Hield added. “Preparing every day for the playoff game was fun. And I really enjoyed being here, man.”

Hield signed a four-year, $37.7 million contract with Philadelphia last offseason and is under contract for two more seasons, with a $10.1 million player option for the 2027-28 season. Barring a trade this summer, it appears his fun with Golden State could continue.

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Cooper Flagg still is just a kid from Maine, and he’s out to silence all doubters

CHICAGO — The town of Newport, Maine, has a population of about 3,200 people. There’s a bowling alley, a popular local diner that serves breakfast all day, a hunting club and it costs only $6 to license your dog.

It is a quintessential small New England town. It is not known for developing NBA stars.

Cooper Flagg was undeterred.

Flagg played his lone college year at Duke, finished high school in Florida at Montverde Academy and presumably soon will be moving to Dallas to play for the Mavericks, the team that has the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. But he’s still just an 18-year-old from Maine, a small-town kid who says “please” and “thank you” and seems completely unphased by being labeled basketball’s next big thing.

“It doesn’t matter where you’re from,” Flagg said at the draft combine. “If you have a goal, if you have a dream and you put your mind to it ... I mean, honestly, for me it wasn’t real until I was in high school, but I always loved the game of basketball. I always put the work in. I always wanted to be the best that I could be.”

The only player who lists Maine as his birthplace and played in the NBA this season is Miami Heat guard Duncan Robinson. There are a couple of players — current Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle among them — who went to the NBA after spending at least some of their college career at the University of Maine. But the basketball history, at least at the NBA level, of the Pine Tree State isn’t exactly rich.

Flagg — who should be a high school senior right now in Newport, then decided to reclassify and go to college early — could soon change that.

“I’m so proud of this guy, what he’s done,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said at the Final Four. “I have to remind myself it’s a year early. He should be graduating high school now. To have the season that he’s had, I think the stats speak for itself. I think how hard he plays, the highlights, all those things speaks for itself. But it’s the person he is every day.”

Flagg is starting to settle into his new reality.

He’s been considered the presumptive No. 1 pick in the NBA draft for some time and now knows that pick is held by the Mavericks — winners of the draft lottery. Flagg was at the lottery along with a handful of other draft picks, all of whom met NBA Commissioner Adam Silver briefly before the event started.

It’s a rare Texas two-step of No. 1 picks for Dallas. The Dallas Wings had the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft and took UConn’s Paige Bueckers, and now the Mavericks will follow as holders of a No. 1 pick.

This one-city, two-No. 1-picks double has happened only once before — 2003, when the Cleveland Rockers chose LaToya Thomas and the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted LeBron James two months later.

“I’m grateful to get this opportunity, any opportunity to any team, to be able to hear my name called on draft night and shake Adam Silver’s hand,” Flagg said. “I’m just really excited for this whole opportunity. The environment, just go through this process, not everybody gets to do this, so I just feel really blessed.”

In Dallas, Flagg could join a roster with fellow former Duke players Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II — and be part of a new chapter for the Mavericks, who saw their fan base rocked in February by the decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

“As far as Dallas goes, they’ve got a lot of really good pieces,” Flagg said. “D-Live, coming from Duke, that’s pretty cool. So I think it would be a really cool opportunity.”

Flagg has gone through the rigors of the draft combine, getting height, weight, vertical leap and various sizes measured, along with hitting the court for some shooting, agility and speed drills.

He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists while leading Duke to the Final Four in his lone college season. He shot 48% from the field, 39% from 3-point range, 84% from the foul line and was The Associated Press’ national player of the year.

He’s done Duke, and Montverde, and Maine proud. He has no plans on stopping now.

“Growing up in Maine, there’s people that told me I would never be able to make it to the next level or play Division I basketball because I’m from Maine and nobody plays up there,” Flagg said. “I think just that message of ‘it doesn’t matter where you’re from,’ as long as you work hard and trust yourself and trust your ability, then you can really accomplish anything.”

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Milwaukee Bucks 2024-25 fantasy basketball season recap: Title window slammed shut in Brew City

While the NBA Playoffs are in full swing, now is a good time to recap the fantasy basketball season for all 30 teams.

In the following weeks, we will provide a recap for each team, starting with the team with the worst record and concluding with the NBA champion in June.

Today, we’re doing a deep dive on a team whose future is very much in flux after another heartbreaking finish to the season.

Milwaukee Bucks 2024-2025 Season Recap

Record: 48-34 (5th, East)

Offensive Rating: 115.1 (10th)

Defensive Rating: 112.7 (12th)

Net Rating: 2.4 (11th)

Pace: 99.92 (14th)

2025 NBA Draft Picks: 47th pick

Just four short years after winning the title, Milwaukee looks like a team headed to the lottery in the 2026 NBA Draft. Damian Lillard suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs, and it’s unlikely he plays at all next season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready to play for another team, and the Bucks could lose key contributors in the offseason.

Milwaukee will likely be one of the busiest teams of the summer, and this roster could get a complete overhaul in the coming months. With limited cap space and a dearth of future picks, the Bucks' front office will have to get creative with its roster management, and it’s anyone’s guess what the starting five will be on opening night of the 2025-26 campaign.

Let’s recap last season’s fantasy performances and look ahead to 2025-26 (as best as we can).

Fantasy Standout and Revelation: Damian Lillard

There were no revelations on this team outside of Dame, who was also the team’s best player from a fantasy perspective. The Bucks’ roster exemplifies the term “top heavy,” thanks to many unremarkable performances across the board.

Lillard finished his second season in Milwaukee with averages of 24.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 1.2 steals and 3.4 triples while shooting 44.8% from the floor, 92.1% from the charity stripe and 37.6% from downtown.

The superstar guard’s numbers were similar to those he produced in his first season with the Bucks, though he was limited to just 58 games. Lillard missed the final 14 games of the regular season due to a blood clot in his calf, and he tore his left Achilles in Game 4 of the first round of the playoffs on April 27.

Lillard will turn 35 this offseason, and he faces an uphill climb to get back on the court following such a severe injury. He could miss the entire 2025-26 campaign, but Lillard will likely stick around in Milwaukee through the end of his current contract. He has a player option for the 2026-27 campaign for a cool $58 million.

Fantasy managers can leave him undrafted in 2025 and keep a close eye on his recovery process throughout the year.

Fantasy Disappointment: Kyle Kuzma

The 2024-25 campaign was among the worst in Kuzma’s career, as he averaged 14.8 points, 5.7 boards, 2.3 assists, 0.9 “stocks,” and 1.5 triples across 29.8 minutes in 65 games.

He was dealt to Milwaukee midseason and appeared in 33 games for the Bucks. His minutes got a bump from 27.7 to 31.8, but his production wasn’t much better with his new team.

There wasn’t much to write home about for Kuzma as a Buck, and the low point of his season came in Game 1 of the playoffs against the Pacers in which he logged the Tony Snell donut special line of straight zeroes across 22 minutes.

Despite a disappointing performance to close out the season, the future could be bright for Kuzma in Milwaukee. With Giannis Antetokounmpo’s sights set on greener pastures and multiple frontcourt options potentially leaving in the offseason, Kuzma could earn a featured role for Bucks in 2025-26.

Keep an eye on the team’s offseason moves. If Kuzma is the proverbially “last man standing” when the dust clears, he’ll be worth a look as a mid-rounder in 25-26 fantasy drafts.

Fantasy Recaps/Look-Aheads

Giannis Antetokounmpo:

Have we seen the last of the Greek Freak in a Bucks uniform? If so, it’s been a crazy, wild and beautiful ride.

Antetokounmpo finished the 2024-25 season with averages of 20.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.2 swats and 0.2 triples. He logged 34.2 minutes per game across 67 appearances and shot 60.1% from the field, 22.2% from three and a career-low 61.7% from the charity stripe.

Giannis finished 53rd in per-game fantasy hoops value due to his abysmal free-throw percentage and his lofty number of attempts. The huge number of misses at the charity stripe sank his fantasy value, but if you drafted him, you were surely using a punt FT% build. For managers punting Giannis’ worst category, he ranked third on a per-game basis.

The efficiency suffered, but Giannis’ counting stats were off the chart once again, as he averaged at least 27/11/5 for the seventh straight season. He finished with a monster 59/14/7/2/3 line against the Pistons on November 13 for the second-highest point total of his career.

Giannis posted 11 triple-doubles to set a new personal best after posting 10 of them a season ago. On April 3, he demolished the Sixers with a 35/17/20 line to set a new career high in the assist department.

Fit certainly matters, but Giannis will be a fantasy stud wherever he lands this offseason.

Brook Lopez:

Bro Lo defended his title as “Fantasy’s Most Boring Player,” extending a run of monotonous dominance unmatched by any of his peers. The veteran ended his 17th season with averages of 13 points, five rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.9 blocks and 1.7 triples with 50.9/82.6/37.3 shooting splits and just 1.1 turnovers. He ranked 65th in per-game fantasy hoops value.

The big man’s highlight of the season came on November 13 against the Pistons when he went for 29/8 with five blocks and five triples.

In seven seasons with Milwaukee, Lopez has been a steady contributor, posting 12.9 points, 5.1 boards, 1.2 dimes, 0.6 steals, 2.0 swats, 1.7 treys and 1.0 turnovers. He’s logged at least 68 games in six of seven seasons with the Bucks. After playing just 13 games in the 2021-22 season, he’s logged 78, 79 and 80 games across the last three.

Despite turning 37 during the season, Lopez logged his most minutes in nine seasons with 31.8 per game during the 2024-25 campaign. A slow and steady producer throughout his career and especially since joining the Bucks, expect more of the same from Lopez in 2025-26.

He’s set for unrestricted free agency, and the veteran shot-blocker and floor-spacer could look to join a contender in the autumn years of his career.

Bobby Portis:

Big Bobby P logged a career-low 49 games in 2024-25 due in large part to a 25-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs. When on the court, however, he was productive as usual.

Portis finished the 2024-25 campaign with averages of 13.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.5 blocks and 1.3 triples across 25.4 minutes per game. He shot a career-best 83.6% from the free throw line to go with a 46.6% mark from the field and a 36.5% mark from beyond the arc. Portis committed just 1.2 turnovers, and his numbers were good for a finish of 106th in per-game fantasy hoops value.

Portis played primarily off the bench this season, but he averaged 22.1 points, 12.9 boards, 4.9 dimes, 1.3 steals, 1.3 swats and 2.3 triples across seven starts.

Portis has proven to be quite durable throughout his career, and the 30-year-old should have plenty of potential suitors if he chooses to decline his $13.4 million player option for 2025-26. He could be a top-100 guy depending on his landing spot.

Gary Trent Jr.:

Trent Jr. signed a one-year deal with Milwaukee last offseason to address spacing and shooting concerns, and he finished the season with 2.4 triples on 41.6% shooting from beyond the arc.

Trent also averaged 11.1 points, 2.3 boards, 1.2 dimes and a steal while committing just 0.6 turnovers. The biggest moments of his season came in Games 3 and 5 of the first-round playoff series with Indiana in which he dropped 37 with nine triples and 33 with eight triples, respectively.

He’ll likely test the waters of free agency this summer. Where he lands will matter, but fantasy managers know what they’re getting from GTJ at this point. He’s a threes and steals specialist whose offense is hot and cold from night to night.

Taurean Prince:

Prince joined the Bucks on a one-year deal, and he played on a third team in as many seasons. He averaged 8.2 points, 3.6 boards, 1.9 dimes, 1.0 steals and 1.8 triples across 27.1 minutes for Milwaukee in 80 games.

Prince shot a career-high 43.9% from beyond the arc, and he’ll likely be on the hunt for a new team in unrestricted free agency this summer. The elite floor-spacer should have no problem landing a new deal outside of Milwaukee, but he’ll be a better on-court option than fantasy hoops contributor.

Kevin Porter Jr.:

After an arrest in 2023, KPJ missed the entire 2023-24 campaign before landing with the Clippers on a two-year deal last offseason. He was dealt to the Bucks and logged 30 games with Milwaukee to close out the campaign.

In those 30 games, Porter Jr. averaged 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and a triple cross 19.9 minutes. His 49.4/87.1/40.8 shooting splits were the most efficient of his career, and he had some notable moments with Milwaukee.

Porter Jr. logged a 10/11/14 triple-double on March 5 against the Mavericks and a 28/4/5/1 line against the Hawks on March 30. KPJ has a $2.5 million player option for the 2025-26 season, and he could see big minutes if he chooses to stick around in Brew City.

Ryan Rollins:

Rollins was drafted in 2022 by the Warriors, and he’s played for three teams across the last three seasons. He averaged career highs across the board with 6.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.9 triples while shooting 48.7/80/40.8 splits across 14.6 minutes.

The young guard appeared in 56 games and posted slightly better numbers across 20 starts. He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer, and the Bucks may choose to bring him back, especially with Lillard set to miss most if not all of next season.

AJ Green:

Green wrapped up his third NBA season with career highs across the board, going for 7.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.1 triples across 22.7 minutes in 73 games. He shot 42.9/81.5/42.7 splits, marking the most efficient season of his career from beyond the arc.

Green earned seven regular season starts, and his numbers were similar to the rest of his games. The highlight of his 2024-25 campaign was his final game. Green logged 46 minutes in the closeout Game 5 against Indiana and went for 19/4/1 with a block and six triples.

Heading into Year 4, Green may be in line for a big boost in playing time due to Damian Lillard’s severe injury.

Restricted Free Agents: Ryan Rollins

Unrestricted Free Agents: Stanley Umude, Gary Trent Jr., Taurean Prince, Jericho Sims, Brook Lopez

Club Option: None

Player Option: Pat Connaughton, Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis

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Steph ‘sad' Game 6 return plans were spoiled with Warriors' loss

Steph ‘sad' Game 6 return plans were spoiled with Warriors' loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – All Steph Curry needed was the Warriors to win one of their four final games. They couldn’t. 

The Warriors lost four straight games to be dropped by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the Western Conference semifinals in a five-game series. Curry the day before Game 5 was ruled out because of his strained left hamstring. He also was cleared for light on-court workouts and shooting drills, something Curry had already begun doing. 

There was a light at the end of the tunnel. Curry could see it, so could the rest of his Warriors teammates. 

But so did the Minnesota Timberwolves. They knew the monster who was lurking in the shadows and never let him out of his cage. 

“Everything was kind of aligned for Game 6,” Curry said Thursday at his exit interview. “I had some testing to do, and who knows how that would have went because I haven’t gone live since Game 1. 

“First time dealing with this injury. I was pretty optimistic, but there were a couple more checkpoints to get through. But it’s the great what-if.” 

Curry was working round the clock to make his return, spending eight to nine hours of rehab every day to get his hamstring in good enough shape to play again. The Warriors would have had three days in between Game 5 and Game 6, perhaps the perfect amount of rest and rehab for Curry to play hero once more.

He was lively on the bench, but also couldn’t fully hide his sadness, shaking his head at a Julius Randle 3-pointer in Game 5. He was at shootarounds, rebounding for teammates and remaining engaged. 

As Curry walked off the Target Center court Wednesday after shootaround ahead of Game 5, he got up one last shot. Steph caught a bounce pass from his personal bodyguard, Yusef Wright, and let it fly from the right wing. In mid-air, Curry knew, as he always does, yelling “Yes!” before the ball kissed the bottom of the net. 

The rest of the night was a no for the Warriors. No Curry, no wins. The Warriors played the Timberwolves nine times between the regular season and the NBA playoffs. They went 4-1 with Curry, and 0-4 without him. 

From the moment the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, they were in playoff mode. There wasn’t any time to take their foot off the gas. Curry had two 50-point games in that span and was playing like his MVP seasons at 37 years old. But he also had to go through the play-in tournament and seven games in the first round of the playoffs while battling injuries to his right thumb, his backside and then his unfortunate hamstring strain to open the second round of the playoffs.

Curry just wanted a chance. He was given one, and then his hamstring said otherwise. He’s proud of the fight the Warriors displayed, but isn’t going to hide his other feelings. 

“Definitely disappointed, and frankly just sad that I wasn’t out there able to play,” Curry said. “We have hopefully a bright future in terms of coming back next year and trying again.” 

The phrase “gut punch” has been thrown around to describe Curry’s injury. He knows what it takes to even make it to the playoffs, and then to have that taken away was mentally exhausting. His mind and body need a break. 

This is the man who played hero for Team USA basketball at the Paris Summer Olympics and carried the weight of a franchise at lowly times before Butler came aboard. He’s a father of four of who wears too many hats to count. The what-ifs will persist. 

They also don’t change a thing, and Curry is ready to hit the reset button ahead of doing it all over again. 

“It’s going to be just about rebuilding – one, getting rest, like you said, getting away from the game a little bit, and then rebuilding everything for another great run,” he said.

“I’m going to take full advantage of the offseason knowing I’ve been playing a lot of basketball for the last year, and have a lot left in the tank to prepare for, so I’m excited about it.”

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