SACRAMENTO, CA - FEBRUARY 4: Santi Aldama #7 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket during the game against the Sacramento Kings on February 4, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks acquired Santi Aldama early in the offseason to give them some additional versatility in the form of a big that can shoot. Daniel Gafford is not a deep threat, and although Dereck Lively has shown behind the scenes that he is working on his 3-point shot, it is likely not game-ready and neither is he. Although Aldama is arguably better suited as a power forward, he can certainly play some center minutes, bringing an intriguing element that Dallas has not had at the five spot in quite some time.
Any concerns that Aldama would not be ready for the upcoming season due to an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right knee this past March while still a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, were largely unfounded. Although that procedure ended his season, he was expected to be ready to go when training camp opened. We now know that the native of Spain had been accelerating his rehab in an effort to join his national team in the FIBA World Cup 2027 qualifying games taking place later this month. Spain is set to take on Portugal on August 28 and Greece on August 31. It has now been reported that Aldama is dashing those intentions.
The belief in Dallas, I'm told, is Santi Aldama will be ready for training camp when practices start (Sept. 23-ish). Aldama had mid-March knee surgery.
The Mavs and Rockets are able to hold practices before the leaguewide Sept. 29 start because they play preseason games abroad. https://t.co/gL1zXeMD7S
Fear not, however. This apparently is not a case of any sort of setback or new injury. Rather, Aldama and the Spain national team thought better of hastening his return, opting instead to prioritize the upcoming NBA season over a rush to play in the qualifiers. This is great news for the Mavericks on multiple fronts.
The fact Aldama was progressing well enough to seriously consider a late-August return is an excellent sign. The Mavs are almost certainly going to start the season without the services of Lively, so having Aldama ready when the season tips off is important. Dusty May having too many options to tinker with is a much better option than him having too few.
Moreover, this scenario keeps Aldama rehabbing while simultaneously preventing him from any new in-game injury. While I would never begrudge a player wanting to represent his nation in international play – a true honor indeed – I am not a particularly big fan of it either. Tacking on more milage and fatigue via high-level competition in the offseason is problem enough, but should an injury occur during international play, the risk of the NBA team bearing the burden of such injury is real.
We will never know what would have transpired in the event Aldama played those two games, but it is welcome news that he will instead continue his rehab at pace and is expected to be ready for training camp in September.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.
Jun 25, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards first round draft pick and number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa speaks to the media during a press conference at InterContinental Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, we asked if you thought Washington Wizards forward AJ Dybantsa will win the 2026-27 NBA Rookie of the Year. Our respondents were split, but a majority of 56 percent believe that Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 Draft, will be the Rookie of the Year when it is all said and done.
BOSTON, MA - 1992: Kevin McHale #32, Robert Parish #00, and Larry Bird #33 stand on the court during a game played in 1992 at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1992 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As we celebrate History Month here at CelticsBlog, we just had to ask who would win a round robin of the Celtics greatest championship teams. Despite some crossover, we divided the franchise’s rich history into five squads by the stars that powered them: Bob Cousy and Bill Russell; Dave Cowen and John Havlicek; Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish; Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen; Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The 80s Celtics were the resounding winners. Coincidentally, we’re right in the middle of that Big Three’s championship run with the ’84 banner to close out Week 3 of CelticsBlog’s History Month.
If the Lakers were the 80s personified, then the Celtics were the foundation and the first few floors of NBA history. They were run by Red Auerbach, who had been a fixture in the league from its inception. He had won fourteen championships by this point in time—nine as a coach and five as a general manager. They wore uniforms that were barely distinguishable from the ones that the team was wearing when Red was hired to coach them more than thirty years earlier. Their arena was a relic—a cramped relic painted mostly yellow, without air conditioning, with seats that were jammed together and placed behind columns and every one of them had been occupied for every single game the Celtics played for the past three seasons.
The Celtics played on a parquet court that had been trod by the league’s legends going back to the first year after World War II. It was a scarred and uneven surface that matched the tough and gritty character of the arena built around it.
The Celtics played in Boston—a crowded city where the past was present everywhere, where landmarks from the beginning of the nation were part of the fabric of everyday life, a city somehow nicknamed ‘Beantown.’ It had everything that L.A. lacked—history, tradition, cultural institutions—and it was hopelessly, helplessly uncool.
The 1984 Finals were a culture clash as well as a basketball contest.
There’s certainly a mystique surrounding those Bird teams. Part of it was the rivalry with the Lakers. Part of it was the personal history between Bird and Magic. And part of it was how the identity of the team perfectly mirrored the character of the city.
But there was also just the basketball part of it and how that team that also included Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge could play different styles and handle the halfcourt ground war of the 80s and run-and-gun with the modern and old school NBA.
I’m probably biased because I grew up with the Bird teams, but I think they hit the sweet spot of being able to play the modern game (Bird and Ainge were great shooters, while McHale eventually learned to shoot a few threes and DJ would have if he’d come along a bit later) but also being able to match up well in the paint with the old-school teams.
We could argue about it over a thousand dinners or fire it up on NBA 2K, but ultimately, it’s an unanswerable question of who is best. Looking forward, Boston’s future next season is just as unpredictable, but our friends at FanDuel still have the Celtics (+1400) with the fifth highest odds to win a championship behind the Thunder (+230), Spurs (+280), Knicks (+900), and Sixers (+1000).
If Banner 19 goes to the rafters next spring, we might have to reignite this debate featuring Bird vs. Tatum.
The Tigers have four players listed on the 2026-27 roster, published on the school’s official website. I’m not great at math, but as classes begin Monday, Wade is set for his own Norman Dale moment.
And if SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has his way, it’s going to be more difficult for Wade to fill out his 2026-27 roster with real, live college basketball players.
Wade and LSU are awaiting eligibility rulings on numerous players, part of which flies in the face of Sankey’s edict that schools move carefully when adding players seeking a fifth year of eligibility through the court system.
The same court system that on Wednesday gave a group of former players — whose eligibility expired at the end of last season — a temporary restraining order to gain a fifth year in response to the NCAA’s new eligibility standard of five years to play five seasons.
The NCAA recently passed the standards, and has since been picking and choosing which appeals from the class of 2022 to approve and deny. Which, of course, is stupid.
Not surprisingly, those moves have led to multiple lawsuits against the NCAA — which eventually brings us back to LSU vs. the SEC. The inevitable we all knew was around the bend.
Former St. John’s star player RJ Luis, who left for the NBA after the 2025 season and signed an NBA two-way contract, has committed to play for LSU and has taken the friendly local judge route to do so.
There, in the same East Baton Rouge courtroom where a group of former players were given the TRO, Luis asked the court for a similar exemption. Sankey filed an affidavit in the Luis case, and said allowing athletes who have signed professional contracts to return to college disrupts the ecosystem of college sports — and harms other players in search of roster spots in the process.
I’m not sure any of us fully understand the legal gymnastics currently playing out, including the parties involved. But I do know this: LSU blatantly ignoring an edict from the SEC commissioner — the man works in lockstep with the league’s presidents and chancellors — is bad for business.
Bad for the SEC’s reputation as a win-at-all-cost conference, and bad for Sankey’s ability to herd 16 member institutions in the same direction in other future, critical structural moves. Like the SEC playing by its own rules if Congress can’t pass the Protect College Sports Act.
How does the conference believe it can get all 16 to play together and play fairly by the same rules, if LSU — and maybe others — can’t agree to the current, simple ask from Sankey and the presidents and chancellors to tread carefully?
Any by treading carefully, they mean don't do it.
When a single institution decides nothing will deter it from competing at the highest level, with the best coaches money can buy, and the best players money can buy — rules or edicts or simple professional courtesy be damned — not even the executives of its own conference can stop it.
LSU could end this charade by telling Luis we wish you luck on your appeal to gain an extra year of eligibility, but you can’t play here. That, and other member schools doing the same with the group of athletes that received the TRO ― three of whom played football last season at Ole Miss.
That’s what Sankey wants and expects.
But he better not get caught watching the paint dry on what could be the last shot at preserving order.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB. Listen to him daily, from 12-2 p.m., on 1010XL-Jacksonville.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 08: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball during Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on May 08, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Young Sixers are doing their best to get you a basketball fix while we wait through the summer for this team to make its return. VJ Edgecombe, Labaron Philon and Dominick Barlow are playing in Rico Hines Runs and putting together their fair share of highlights.
Of course, we can’t take summer workouts and scrimmage videos too seriously (how many years did we have to endure videos of Ben Simmons making offseason jumpers and pretend it meant something?). It’s clearly a long way from NBA competition. Nevertheless, it’s fun to see how guys look, and get some indications of what players have been working on over the summer.
Edgecombe in particular has been standing out in the footage shared, from smooth threes to how he looks creating off the dribble. Him tightening his handle would be one way for him to take another step up as a creator off the dribble and playmaker, and unsurprisingly he seems to be heading that way with the footage we’ve seen from him this summer. He’s certainly looking fluid handling the ball inside the arc and creating space for pull-ups here.
VJ Edgecombe was frying at Rico Hines Runs 😮💨🔥 Y'all see a breakout season for him this year?? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/B75wDTuBDl
It won’t be remotely surprising to see Edgecombe go up another level next season with the work ethic, drive, upside, and growth he’s already shown in the NBA. And even if he isn’t always handling the ball as much with LeBron James and Jaylen Brown now on the team, Edgecombe has thrived as a secondary attacker and play finisher anyway. If he can pair that explosive complementary scoring, dynamic transition play, and his high-energy defense with improved play as a ball-handler whenever he has to initiate alongside a pair of his star teammates (who can be staggered effectively every night now given the Sixers’ top-end depth), Edgecombe should be in for a stellar sophomore year.
You can watch the full Rico Hines Run footage here:
Labaron Philon had his moments, too. The Sixers’ new rookie is joining a seriously stacked squad now in terms of offensive creators, but there’s still room for Philon to get some run as a backup behind Tyrese Maxey and Edgecombe. Not to mention the inevitable games where LeBron and/or Joel Embiid are out resting and there are extra touches to go around.
Philon is arriving with plenty of talent as a three-level scorer and pick-and-roll creator. But he’ll need to be able to operate effectively as more of a connector, secondary passer, and off-ball shooter as well on a team like this. Extra time working off Edgecombe this summer can only be a good thing as the young guards start building their chemistry.
The first of many Rico Hines Runs to come, featuring VJ Edgecombe, Labaron Philon, and many more. pic.twitter.com/LjvgBKpqe9
Dominick Barlow is in the mix too, and the form on his jumper is looking smoother. If he can improve at all on the 25.6 percent from three he shot last season, mainly being reliable enough from the corner with the easy spot-up opportunities he’ll have next to LeBron and Co., that would make a big difference to his potential as a contributor.
As Barlow mentioned in his recent interview with Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice, he’s been putting a lot of work into his corner three this offseason. Especially because of LeBron’s arrival to create opportunities for Barlow to benefit with extra space when playing off James’s top-tier passing. Barlow’s going to find himself open in the corners whenever he plays, and LeBron will be able to set him up with ease.
As for Edgecombe, he’s had a pretty busy summer. Apart from getting into these Rico Hines Runs and all the work he’s putting into training, VJ has also been stepping up and recording some impressive numbers for the Bahamas in the FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers.
Bahamas needed a couple of huge games from V.J. Edgecombe, and he absolutely DELIVERED 📫
Klay Thompson, who spent the last two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks after 13 unforgettable years with Golden State, intends to sign with the Miami Heat upon clearing waivers, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Friday.
BREAKING: Klay Thompson is expected to sign with the Miami Heat after he clears waivers upon a contract buyout with the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/jV40iKTyEz
This comes after it was announced that Thompson and the Mavericks reached a buyout agreement, making the four-time NBA champion an unrestricted free agent.
Exploring the open market apparently didn’t last very long for Thompson, as he’ll pack his bags for South Beach and join the Eastern Conference for the first time in his NBA career.
Thompson averaged 12.9 points on 40.3-percent shooting from the field and 38.7 percent from 3-point range in 141 games (80 starts) with Dallas.
“Klay is one of the great players and competitors of his generation, and we are grateful for everything he brought to the Mavericks organization,” Mavericks president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said in a statement shared Friday. “We have tremendous respect for Klay and all that he has accomplished throughout his career, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Thompson enters Year 16 in the league with a fresh start.
And it won’t take long for the Warriors to face him and his new squad. Golden State hosts Miami on Nov. 5 at Chase Center.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 30: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets walks off the court after being defeated by the Minnesota Timberwolves 110-98 in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on April 30, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers feel like mirror images of each other in opposite conferences entering the 2026-27 season. Both teams are really good, but feel a step below their biggest rivals. Both have huge payrolls built around max superstars without much flexibility to tinker with the roster formula. Both have had frustrating offseasons before they came together to swap Peyton Watson as part of a massive five-team trade this week.
The Cavs will hope Watson can be the fifth starter they’ve long been missing while adding wing defense, transition scoring, and spot-up shooting. The Nuggets feel like they’re taking a step back this season with the deal, but they’re adding a valuable long-term asset by landing Cleveland’s unprotected 2031 first-rounder. The Clippers got involved to add Max Strus, while the Hornets picked up Dennis Schroder as part of the deal.
‘Who’s No. 4?’ remains the most interesting question in the NBA
Any dummy can see that the Thunder, Spurs, and Knicks are the best teams in the NBA in some order entering the season. Ask 10 people who should be No. 4 in the power rankings, and you might get seven different answers.
I’m favoring the Timberwolves here because of their playoff upside. I don’t expect them to be the NBA’s fourth-best regular season team this season, but I like their ability to advance in the postseason more than some of the other contenders for that spot. I’m always been a bit LaMelo Ball guy, and he’s quietly turned into a borderline top-20 player when he’s healthy. Obviously LaMelo’s health is a big if, but you can same thing for Aaron Gordon in Denver and Joel Embiid in Philadelphia. Ball is at least the youngest of that trio.
I’m intrigued by the Timberwolves apparent plan to try to beat the Spurs and/or Thunder with pull-up threes. Those are very tough shots to defend, and if they fall in a short series, it gives Minnesota some upset potential against the conference’s elite. I’m a bit worried about the Wolves’ depth, I don’t think the Ayo Dosunmu contract will age well, and there should be some concern about age-related decline from Rudy Gobert. The Wolves’ grip on the No. 4 spot is far from firm, but I still like their upside with Anthony Edwards and Ball leading the offense, and Gobert and Jaden McDaniels leading the defense. Let me know who you would have at No. 4 in the comments below.
I’m still not buying the Cavs even with Peyton Watson
I detailed my thoughts on the Watson deal for Cleveland in my trade grades, which is linked in the first paragraph of this story. In short, Watson feels like a better fit for the Cavs on paper than he will be in reality. I’m not convinced he’s a more impactful player than Max Strus, and I’m worried about Cleveland’s depth after giving up Strus and Dennis Schroder to land him.
The Cavs have been an Eastern Conference contender since trading for Donovan Mitchell. They should be trending up after a conference finals berth following two second-round exits, but to me it feels like other teams in the conference are passing them. James Harden — now inked to a new three-year, $97 million deal — should start to decline at age-37. I’ve long been a big Evan Mobley fan, but I’m a bit discouraged with his lack of offensive development the last two seasons. Watson could potentially be a really good fit for Cleveland, but they need him to buy into being an impactful defender and spot-up shooter when his defense has always been a little overrated, and he prefers to shoot from mid-range rather than maximizing corner three attempts (where he knocked down 52% last year).
I would take the Raptors with Kawhi over the Cavs, and I think I would take the Pistons over them too. Detroit addressed its lack of shooting over the offseason, and their core is still getting better while I’m not sure that’s the case for Cleveland. Ultimately, the Cavs move up one spot in my rankings from last time. I decided to flip flop on Toronto and Detroit because while I feel like the Pistons are a better regular season team, the Raptors have more playoff upside to me with Leonard in tow.
Obviously, I could be wrong about Cleveland. All these teams are pretty close. The Cavs are good every year, and in some sense I feel like that’s the best way to eventually breakthrough: just keep fielding competitive teams until you get the luck you need for things to break your way. For now, I like the Cavs more as a regular season team than a playoff team, and that’s why they can’t crack the top-10 of my power rankings.
Are the Nuggets done competing for championships around Nikola Jokic?
The Nuggets have done a lot wrong since winning the 2023 championship. Zeke Nnaji and Christian Braun are among the worst contracts in the league. Aaron Gordon is constantly hurt, and that might be Denver’s biggest issue. Jamal Murray is very good, but he feels a bit overpaid at $50 million this year, equating to the league’s 17th highest paid player. They traded an unprotected 2032 first-round and Michael Porter Jr. for Cameron Johnson only to watch Porter have a significantly better season in Brooklyn than Johnson had in Denver. They just lost Peyton Watson for nothing after originally giving up their 2027 first-round pick to get him. It’s been bleak.
I still think the Nuggets have a chance to build a contender around Jokic again even if this year could be another small step back. Of course, they have to extend Jokic for that to be possible, and right now he’s slated to be a free agent next summer despite continually saying he’ll spend his whole career in Denver. I’d rather have the Cavs’ unprotected 2031 pick than Watson in a vacuum. That can be a valuable trade chip in the future. I’m imagining a world where Braun bounces back this season, and Denver trades him plus the pick for a real contributor moving forward. I also wouldn’t be shocked if Denver eventually does its version of the Jaylen Brown trade with Murray.
Teams aren’t meant to stay together forever under this CBA. Front offices almost have to pitch a perfect game to keep the championship window extended, and Denver didn’t even come close to that. Still, all things are possible through Jokic, and now they have an actually valuable trade chip with the Cavs pick to flip for someone better than Watson. I don’t love where Denver is at this year, especially if Gordon’s body keeps breaking down. I’m just not ready to write their obituary for the Jokic era just yet.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JUNE 7: An overall view of the court before the Minnesota Timberwolves unveil new logo, uniforms and court on June 7, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It was fairly clear from the comments section and social media that the Timberwolves community strongly believe there aren’t any currently retired/soon-to-be retired players who’s jerseys should follow Kevin Garnett’s number 21 to the Target Center rafters.
Based on the list that was provided to fans, Ricky Rubio was the strongest contender. That said, there were significant arguments against all four of these players. Most of which were based on their individual accomplishments and/or lack of playoff success appearances.
For example, though Kevin Love’s best statistical seasons were spent in Minnesota, he had an unhappy breakup here. Most concurred that Gorgui Dieng was indeed a great humanitarian, but hardly worthy of basketball recognition. Good ol’ Sam Mitchell is still just good ol’ Sam Mitchell.
The general consensus was that none of the KG era, nor the pre-Karl-Anthony Towns era, players were worthy enough to have this distinguished honor. Karl-Anthony Towns seemed to be a divisive name, but players such as Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert often came up as the next names they’d like to see enshrined in Target Center.
Others such as Jaden McDaniels or Naz Reid fell more in the Towns tier, depending on how things shake out in the future.
No matter what, a Naz Reid towel certainly belongs up there.
If Joan Beringer turns into the next Kevin Garnett soon, then he might see his number 19 up there one day as well. Maybe he’ll show off a little shimmy-shake mid-range number. Turn into a Defensive Player of the Year. Make Tim Connelly overpay for a few of his French friends. Start a feud with Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 23: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
NBA 2K is always one of the more highly anticipated games to release every year, and it’s always in August where they drop everything people want to know. The one thing everyone looks forward to before the game is seeing where the players rank, and for NBA 2K27, they’ve released player ratings for the top 100.
The Atlanta Hawks always happen to have a few players to crack the top 100, and this year is no different. Here are the players who made the top 100 list for the Hawks.
Onyeka Okongwu is listed at No. 97 and is an 81 overall. The center is one of the more versatile players at his position, as he’s able to knock down the 3-point shot as well as defend multiple positions. Okongwu was one of the constants on the team last season for the Hawks, and the hope is that he’ll continue to improve.
Of course, everyone loves to talk about his height, but he does a lot for how tall he is.
Dyson Daniels is listed at No. 94 and is an 81 overall as well. There’s no doubt that Daniels’ defensive ratings have to be some of the best in the game after seeing what he’s been able to accomplish over the past two seasons with the Hawks. Offensively, his 3-point shooting was not great last season, but his driving and playmaking were key for the team.
CJ McCollum is the next player to make it into the top 100, and is listed at No. 74 and is an 83 overall. McCollum has been a bucket for most of his career, and when he was traded to the Hawks, he gave them a much-needed boost that helped them go on their run in the second half of the season.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if McCollum’s shooting numbers in the game are off the charts, especially his ball handling.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is No. 70 on the list and is an 83 overall, which is fitting for the Most Improved Player of last season. Alexander-Walker showed that with more responsibility on his plate, he could deliver at any moment the Hawks needed him in, whether it was hitting a late bucket or getting a defensive stop to win the game.
Alexander-Walker still has room to grow his game, and it’ll be interesting to see what he does next season.
To end the list for the Hawks, Jalen Johnson comes in at No. 28 and is an 87 overall. Johnson took the leap that many expected him to last season, and once Trae Young was traded, he elevated his game even more. It was obvious that he would be the person to count on for the Hawks, and that will be the case for the future.
Johnson ended the season on an All-NBA team, and it might be a little shocking that he was ranked a little higher in the game. Nonetheless, Johnson will have the chance to move up the ranks this season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he reached a 90 overall at some point.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MARCH 21: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Mortgage Matchup Center on March 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Bucks defeated the Suns 108-105. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As we find ourselves buried in the unrelenting sands of the desert known as the NBA offseason, we can’t help ourselves. We begin projecting forward, wondering what could happen with the Phoenix Suns during the 2026–27 season. It’s only natural to dive into the statistics we already have and attempt to project what they might mean moving forward. Such is the cycle of sports.
We’ve already looked at five reasons why the Suns could fall short next season, so now it’s time to explore the other side of the equation. Why might they exceed expectations?
And what exactly are those expectations? We can all set our own. Maybe it’s securing a playoff spot and a top-six seed. Maybe it’s making a run to the Western Conference Finals. Maybe it’s winning a championship. All are viable expectations depending on how optimistic you want to be. For this exercise, though, I’m going to use the baseline provided by the oddsmakers in Las Vegas, where the Suns’ win total sits around 38.5.
So let’s talk about the five biggest reasons why Phoenix could exceed that number.
The Suns don’t need traditional positions
Yes, I understand the argument that the Suns don’t have a true point guard or a true power forward if you’re looking at the traditional expectations, archetypes, and historical significance of those positions. But this is where I remind everyone that simply because we don’t view this roster as having a traditional point guard or power forward doesn’t mean those roles don’t exist within the confines of the modern NBA.
Look at the two teams that played in the NBA Finals last season. Would you define Jalen Brunson as a traditional point guard? Maybe in terms of size, sure, but that’s about it. He ranked 16th in the NBA in assists last season at 6.8 per game. Since becoming a primary starter in 2021, his final season in Dallas, he has averaged 6.3 assists per game, which ranks 21st over that span.
He was also 14th in the NBA in scoring last season at 26.0 points per game. Brunson is a score-first point guard who possesses the ability to create for others, but distribution isn’t his primary role. That sounds very similar to what Devin Booker has been asked to do in the past, what he’ll be asked to do again this season, and something he has done successfully. Booker averaged 26.1 points last season, which ranked 13th, along with 6.0 assists, which ranked 29th. What separates Brunson from Booker is his ability to operate effectively in the clutch, but from an overall archetype standpoint, they aren’t all that different.
Then look at the power forwards who started in the NBA Finals last season. Were they big, bruising, 6’10” traditional power forwards? No. They were 6’7” OG Anunoby and 6’7” Julian Champagnie. So the idea that the power forward position has to be filled by some massive bruiser is rooted more in how we historically think about the position than how it functions in the modern NBA, where the ability to spread the floor is at a premium.
And yes, I understand that spreading the floor and consistently shooting the three point ball at a high percentage could be a weakness for this team. Of that there is no doubt. But that’s exactly why I think No. 2 on this list is so important.
The Suns’ depth gives them a margin for error
The Phoenix Suns are deep. In my opinion, it’s unbelievably impressive how they’ve navigated the cap sheet while still maintaining that level of depth. I guess that’s what happens when Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are no longer on the roster. Sure, you’re still paying Bradley Beal $19.4 million not to play for the team, but you’re no longer paying him roughly $30 million more than that. That creates a significant amount of money to work with, and over the past two seasons, the Suns have done a stellar job of filling out the roster with both veterans and young prospects.
That depth is going to matter. From a three-point shooting perspective, Phoenix has options. Luke Kennard, Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and the potential of what Rasheer Fleming can become all give the Suns shooting that can come off the bench and contribute.
They’re deep at the five. They have multiple wings that can come in and confidently contribute. The guard room has options as well, and all of that exists while the team also has two-way players capable of filling similar roles.
That depth also matters because every team eventually faces adversity. We can sit here all summer and project what this team is going to be, but you never truly know until you get punched in the mouth. You have to adjust to what the season gives you, and one thing the season will undoubtedly provide is injuries. That’s unavoidable. The fact that Phoenix has depth across multiple positions is something to appreciate because it gives them the ability to absorb injuries, provide rest when needed, and still remain competitive on a nightly basis.
And that’s especially important because of the new anti-tank rules. Which brings me to point No. 3.
The Western Conference has opened the door for Phoenix
You can already see it in the preseason projected over/unders across the league. The new anti-tanking rules, which will ultimately incentivize winning rather than losing, are going to have a profound effect on how teams operate. If you finish with one of the three worst records in the league, you no longer get more lottery balls. You get fewer.
What that means is a struggling team in March is no longer going to sit all of its starters in an effort to improve its lottery odds. Those teams are going to compete because they’ll want to avoid falling into that relegation zone. Which means there are no nights off.
For a team like the Suns, which did a good job beating up on bad teams last season, that creates some concern. But when you look at the entire landscape of the Western Conference, not only the teams projected to live near the bottom, I think the conference is weaker than it was a season ago.
Thunder – Sold off role players for picks Denver – Lost only young, defense talent Minnesota – Double ? At PF Lakers – Entirely new roster Rockets – Banking on healthy FVV Portland – 100000 PG’s Warriors – Old & no LeBron pic.twitter.com/Mb9pZYcroT
Oklahoma City is now flirting with the second apron and has to move off key pieces in an effort to become more fiscally responsible. Lu Dort is now with Atlanta, as is Aaron Wiggins. Isaiah Joe was sent to Detroit. Yes, Oklahoma City has players waiting in the wings to replace them, but I don’t think this is the same plug-and-play Thunder team we saw a season ago.
The Denver Nuggets also appear to have taken a step backward. They traded Peyton Watson because they couldn’t afford to keep him after making a poor financial decision to re-sign Christian Braun. Minnesota completely pivoted as well. LaMelo Ball, who has never won a playoff game, is now running point for a team that once possessed tremendous size and depth but no longer has Julius Randle or Naz Reid.
Who knows what the Lakers are going to be? Having Luka Doncic on your team feels like it guarantees you 50 wins, but Luka and Austin Reaves as a defensive backcourt isn’t something I’m particularly afraid of. Houston is relying on a healthy Fred VanVleet to improve its chances next season, and there’s something about having Kevin Durant on your team that reminds us success is never guaranteed.
The Western Conference is weaker. Players like LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, several Thunder players, and Julius Randle have gone East. That creates an opportunity for Phoenix. And part of that opportunity leads me to reason No. 4.
Continuity could be the Suns’ biggest advantage
This is one of the biggest reasons I believe the Phoenix Suns are going to be better than they were last season, and why I’m happily taking the over on 38.5 wins.
Yes, there were periods of instability last year, and much of that was driven by injuries. You can show me all of the statistics from the back end of the season and try to point the finger at Jalen Green as the primary reason things didn’t work. I don’t buy that.
Green played a grand total of 32 games, but only 27 of them came with Devin Booker, 12 with Dillon Brooks, and 16 with Mark Williams. You can look at last season and pull whatever conclusions you want from that sample size, but my response is that there simply wasn’t enough time to fully understand what this team was or allow them to showcase what they could become while learning from the mistakes they made along the way.
Now you’re bringing back four of the five starters from last season, and that matters. There is familiarity. There is an understanding of spacing. There is camaraderie that you can’t quantify on any website. Basketball Reference isn’t going to show you a chemistry metric, and that is where opportunity exists for Phoenix. So many teams across the NBA will spend the first couple of months figuring out the basics of chemistry. The Suns already possess a good portion of that, and I think that advantage will manifest itself throughout the season.
The other side of the conversation is that Phoenix is still relying on progress to improve. Several players had career years, and now you’re asking them to improve again. You’re asking the youth to showcase development and continue fanning the flames of one of the pillars this organization is trying to build around.
Easier said than done? Absolutely. But continuity makes that progression easier to obtain. Roles are more established. Expectations are clearer. There is less instability. And for the first time since Monty Williams, the Suns are bringing back the same head coach for a second season. That matters too.
Although there is one guy who wasn’t on the team last season…
Miles Bridges changes what the Suns can do
I honestly believe this one. I understand who and what Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen were, but in my opinion, Royce O’Neale plus Grayson Allen does not equal Miles Bridges plus Luke Kennard. That is an upgrade for this team. You now have more offensive options, players who can do more than stand in the corner and wait for a three.
Miles Bridges possesses a gravity that is going to affect everyone around him, and players like Devin Booker and Jalen Green should benefit from it. If Bridges has the ball, whoever is defending Booker has to be cognizant of what is happening. Miles isn’t going to stand behind the arc like Royce O’Neale and wait to fire away. He can put pressure on the rim, and when he does, defenses will naturally collapse. When defenses collapse, they’re doing it off of other players on the floor. Booker, Green, Brooks, and Williams can all benefit from that. Bridges can be a willing passer, and I expect him to be one within this offense.
Bridges is also a reclamation project, someone looking to resurrect his career, and I believe Phoenix is the right place for him. This is an organization that will do everything it can to put him in a position to succeed. Ultimately, it comes down to him executing both on and off the court, and that could be a defining factor for the Suns as a whole next season. Bridges has shown throughout his career in Charlotte that he can play in a multitude of different ways. That Swiss Army knife ability may need to shift from night to night depending on the opponent, and, given his experience, I believe he can adapt.
I’m looking forward to seeing what he looks like within the confines of this offense, these schemes, and this roster.
Yes, it’s all speculation at this point. We won’t truly know what this team is until they tip off on October 21 in Portland. But I do believe there is reason for optimism.
I can also recognize the arguments for why this team could falter. My challenge with many of those arguments comes from something I’ve learned over multiple years of doing this. We tend to look at previous statistical results and use them to project forward. And that makes sense. You identify trends and assume those trends will continue in the same direction. The problem is that I did the same thing last offseason, and I was wrong. I did it the two offseasons before that as well.
The lesson I’ve learned is that you can’t rely solely on previous statistical results to dictate what will happen next in the NBA. Continuity and chemistry don’t have clean metrics attached to them, yet both play vital roles in the success or failure of a team. Last year’s Suns had an abundance of chemistry. The team before that was almost completely devoid of it.
So while statistics should always be part of the conversation when trying to understand what a player or team could become, they can’t be the end-all, be-all of the argument. These points of view are much more nuanced than that. They depend heavily on the ecosystem a player is operating within, not simply what he did last season in Charlotte.
And that’s ultimately why I’m willing to take the over on 38.5 and believe they will be better than last season’s 45-37 record. It isn’t because the Suns suddenly solved every problem, or because the numbers guarantee some dramatic turnaround. It’s because the context around those numbers has changed. Phoenix has more depth, more continuity, more versatility and, in Miles Bridges, another player capable of changing how defenses have to operate. Sometimes the best projection isn’t based on what happened last season, but on what has changed since.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 18: Kel'el Ware #7 and Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat high five during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the 2025 SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 18, 2025 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
This week, our attention turned to the quartet of players—Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakučionis—the Bucks acquired as part of the trade that sent Giannis and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat. More specifically, we asked you how many of them you think Taylor Jenkins should start.
Turns out the magic number is two.
Arguably more important than the numbers, however, is the combination of starters. One prevailing line of thinking suggested that combination should be the backcourt/frontcourt tandem of Herro and Ware:
R984: …I selected 2. Herro just bc he’s probably our best offensive player (unless Rollins surpasses him, in which case move Herro to the bench imo), and I would like to see us start Ware, whether that is at the 4 or 5. I care much more about Ware being in the position to develop to his maximum potential than I do about Turner.
retired janitor: Two, Herro and Ware.
Thirty Point Buck: Hopefully there’s a trade before the season so they only have to showcase several for the deadline. Herro will start until traded . Ware will start but depending on matchups will come off the bench.
GBFanBoy: Herro and Ware all day. Keep Jaquez thriving off the bench. Let Turner have his way at the 4. Heck, he’s a better shooter than his sample size for sure. Ware as well in that regard, it’s got Cosby sauce all over it. Rollins and KPJ should get dynamic duo, Herro, Turner, Ware
Two wasn’t the only desirable total, with a fitting third of voters wanting to see three of the quartet start. But it wasn’t always for the same reason:
Knuckles: I went with 3: I still am a firm believer that Jaquez Jr. should start. High IQ, excellent secondary playmaker, and coming off a 6MOY campaign in a contract year. I think there is a very good chance he has a breakout season, and I want to see us either make him a part of the new future core (still 25 and this will be his fourth season) or make him available at the deadline. Same thinking with Herro… Ware is definitely a swingman in the front court, so I not only think he needs to start next to Turner but we want to figure out where his best fit is after we deal Turner.
naveed2000s: Three, only because currently JJJ is our best option at starting SF.
Of course, as R984 noted, some Bucks fans might think none of them should start—in which case those future picks better be great, otherwise we might really need to reevaluate the trade.
In all, as far as the comments go, it seems Bucks fans are set on—or at least accepting of—Herro starting, while also being in on a double-big lineup featuring Ware and Myles Turner. Even more surprising, discussion about who should start for the Bucks at point guard pointed to fans wanting Kevin Porter Jr. as the main distributor. So, is Ryan Rollins shafted to the bench or do the Bucks run with a three-guard lineup?
With trade target Peyton Watson now a Cleveland Cavalier, Jaquez accustomed to a sixth-man role, and the Bucks still searching for answers in the forward slots, that very much remains in play.
That question—and the rest of the small forward puzzle—will be explored in the next instalment of our “Choose Your Own Adventure” starter series, coming Tuesday.
Check out FanDuel, the official sportsbook of SB Nation.
29 November 2023, Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart: One of the two naked-nosed wombats explores the new enclosure at Wilhelma. After a two-month acclimatization period, the two marsupials can now be seen by visitors. They are three and a half years old and come from a zoo in Budapest and a zoo in Tasmania. Photo: Franziska Kraufmann/dpa (Photo by Franziska Kraufmann/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Not the strongest of posts, but better than none. Here’s the latest I’ve gathered from across the interwebs in the past few days. Enjoy and comment!
Karl-Anthony Towns is making it clear one championship has only increased his appetite for another.
“I’m hungrier than ever to get the second one—I’ve said before, I’ll do anything to win that first one. If I was willing to do whatever it took to get the first one, what do you think I’m going to do for the second one?
“This was the first year where I was like, I’m going to put this in God’s hands. I’m going to work, of course, but I’m not going to stress about the things I can’t control.”
Josh Hart and the Knicks are expected to find common ground on an extension, The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III believes, and projects said “common ground” to be in the $60-to-$62 million ballpark. For now, Hart will make $20.9 million next season (he’s got a $22.4 million team option for 2027-28).
Hart and Jalen Brunson are taking the “Roommates Show” to a significantly bigger stage following the Knicks’ championship. Among those expected to appear on it: Jose Alvarado, Mariska Hargitay, Jimmy Fallon, Spike Lee and Landry Shamet, plus performances from Fabolous, Jim Jones, Maino and Dave East.
NYC…THE CHAMPIONSHIP PARTY JUST GOT BIGGER! 🏆🗽@Roommates__Show Block Party Presented by @DoorDash is releasing more tickets and moving to Randall’s Island Park!
Kenny Kluska needs Jordan Clarkson to start doing something better if he wants to retain his spot in the Knicks’ rotation.
SI’s Joseph Randazzo rated the highest and lowest point of New York’s offseason. We all know and agree on the lowest. Can you guess the highest?
New York will have a significant scheduling advantage next season, as Canada Sports Betting did the research and projected the Knicks to travel just 35,135 miles during the regular season, the fewest of any NBA team. No matter that, most of us will keep our routine of couch-watching intact.
OAKAAK and Nova guard Ryan Arcidiacono is heading to Germany to hoop for the Frankfurt Skyliners.
Jeremy Lin posted tributes to both Mike D’Antoni and Amar’e Stoudemire following their Hall of Fame inductions. Lin credited D’Antoni with “changing the trajectory of my life” by empowering him during Linsanity and thanked Stoudemire for treating him with “acceptance and love” even when Lin was at the end of the Knicks’ bench.
Shaquille O’Neal sees Philadelphia as a legitimate threat to the Knicks, but not an automatic one because of the most obvious reason. Emphasis mine:
“The team has enough talent to make a deep run, but the question is whether everybody accepts their role, shares the ball, and stays healthy.”
Cleveland is paying 37-year-old James Harden a fully guaranteed $97 million over the next three seasons. Good luck making the Eastern Conference semifinals, folks!
I missed this one, so I’m not sure if it really went as viral as some are saying, but there was a report earlier this week claiming the Knicks had traded Mikal Bridges, Miles McBride and draft compensation for Zion Williamson and Jordan Poole. #lolwut
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 31: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers reacts during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Rocket Arena on December 31, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Cavs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Fans haven’t lost faith in the Cleveland Cavaliers. Nearly 90% of Fear the Sword voters said they believe the Cavs will pass their 47.5-win total prediction on FanDuel.
And that was before the Peyton Watson trade was finalized.
This is a roaring seal of approval for Cleveland. The fans aren’t feeling discouraged by whiffing on LeBron James or the widespread improvements made to the Eastern Conference this summer. The Cavs are still operating with a fanbase full of hope.
Passing the 47-win mark won’t be easy. The East has gotten stronger and new lottery reforms mean the teams at the bottom of the conference have fewer incentives to tank games. The schedule won’t get much easier in the dog days of the season as every team will have something to play for.
That puts the Cavs in a tight position. They’ve won more than 47 games in each of the past three seasons. But they’ve never had to face an Eastern Conference that was this loaded.
Still, there’s plenty of reason to think Cleveland will win 48+ games that aren’t rooted in homerism.
For starters, the Cavs have some of the best continuity in the conference. Their star trio of Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen has been together for years. James Harden, who arrived last year, has fit right in. That type of chemistry matters, especially in the regular season.
Then there’s the trade for Watson, which gives the Cavaliers a dose of athleticism and three-point shooting on the wing.
Previously, we polled fans on which trade target they would prefer. Jonathan Kuminga or Peyton Watson. A whopping 85% of fans voted in favor of Watson. It seems they got their wish.
Watson should help push the Cavs to more wins in the regular season despite all of the factors working against Cleveland.
In fact, FanDuel has already increased the Cavs win total to 48.5. A small difference, but worth noting nonetheless.
Fans cheer as Lakers guard Luka Doncic takes the court before a game against the Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on March 10. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
One of Los Angeles’ celebrated professional sports franchises was owned by one local family for more than 45 years. Catering to Hollywood royalty and leaning into its “Showtime” charm, the Lakers became synonymous with the star-studded city. Two quick transactions later, the team now belongs to a New York-based venture capital titan who made his billions in technology and software.
Joshua Kushner, founder of venture capital firm Thrive Capital, and former Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger agreed to buy a majority stake in the Lakers last week. The Buss family’s grip on the NBA’s glamor franchise loosened in 2025 when they relinquished their majority share to Mark Walter. His businesses are under federal investigation for undisclosed insurance loans and Walter flipped the team after just 14 months.
In 1979, Jerry Buss bought the Lakers, the Forum and the Los Angeles Kings for $67.5 million. Now the Lakers alone are worth $12.5 billion.
“It used to be, ‘Hey, I’m in this for the love of the game,’” said Ross Williams, a private-equity attorney and partner at law firm Reed Smith. “Like I measure the success of my investment based on whether we win championships. … And now it’s becoming apparent that these are really, really good financial investments.”
Mark Walter, left, talks with Jeanie Buss while the Lakers play the Bulls at Crypto.com Arena on March 12. Walter sold his majority share in the Lakers, while Buss is fighting to keep her family's minority stake. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
The booming business of sports has attracted a flood of private-equity investment, and even the most notable franchises require the influx of cash to keep up in the arms race.
As of May, more than 74 North American professional teams had some level of private-equity involvement, according to the CFA Institute, an organization providing finance education to investment professionals. Private-equity-backed consolidators have been responsible for 61% of all mergers and acquisition transactions in the sports industry since 2019, according to Oaklins, a global M&A and financial advisory company.
“The real attraction of professional sports is it seems somewhat recession-proof,” said James Adams, director of CFA program curriculum and an adjunct professor at New York University. “It has had a very successful run, a high rate of growth, it’s not as subject to the fluctuations of the business cycle as maybe other things are.”
For private equity — in which investors buy into companies that aren’t available on the public market — sports offers safe harbor. Media deals provide predictable revenue over several years. The NBA’s current deal that stretches to the 2035-36 season is worth $6.9 billion per year. Additional revenue streams with merchandise, sponsorships and ticket sales pile on. Owning an arena, which the Lakers do not, opens the floodgates for concerts and events that add to the revenue.
“Sports is one of those rare instances where you can invest in something cool that also makes money,” Williams said.
The NBA averaged at least 22 million fans during each of the last three seasons, according to Sports Business Journal. Last season’s nationally televised games drew 170 million viewers, the most in 24 years and an 86% increase from the previous year. The NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs were the most-watched Finals since 1998. And the outlook for future profits is strong, if fans’ appetites are any gauge.
The trend is prevalent across many sports. WNBA viewership is at an all-time high. Fox and Telemundo dominated the summer with their FIFA World Cup broadcasts. Of the top 100 TV broadcasts in 2025, 96 were sports, according to Neilsen data, including 48 NFL games and seven World Series games (between the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays).
Investors are clamoring to find the next venture that will hit it big with consumers. Live sports already have a dedicated market and more stability than other ventures constantly affected by technical developments.
“You read a lot about AI and there are a lot of companies that their fundamental existence is being questioned because of AI and what it can do,” Williams said. “We don’t want to watch robots play basketball.”
The NBA adopted its first private-equity ownership framework in 2021. Individual firms can own up to 20% of an NBA team, according to Sports Business Journal, and 30% of a single team can be owned by private-equity firms. Such firms were limited to five teams in 2021, but the number grew to eight in 2025.
Private equity even infiltrated the most exclusive ownership club in 2024 when the NFL was the last major U.S. league to open its doors. The league allowed preapproved firms to own up to 10% of a single team, up to six teams total with each stake being at least 3%.
The permanence of sports franchises were behind the formation of Kushner’s Thrive Eternal venture, a permanent holding company launched under Thrive Capital in April. Although venture-capital firms generally focus on turning profits from the most early stage companies, Thrive Eternal is “concentrated in a small number of assets that we can own and steward over many decades,” the company’s website says.
“These are assets with qualities that cannot be replicated by technology,” the homepage reads. “Iconic franchises and cultural institutions rooted in tradition, identity, and shared experience.”
How Kushner and Iger plan to finance the purchase of the Lakers has yet to be determined. Kushner, already a minority owner in the Miami Heat, must first divest from that team before the Lakers sale can be finalized, and the transaction must be approved by the NBA board of governors.
The board of governors announced last year that Jeanie Buss would remain in charge of the Lakers’ decisions after the Buss family’s sale to Walter. The family’s future is in limbo as Jeanie Buss contests her five siblings’ plans to sell their remaining stake of the team. The family feud over their remaining 17.8% stake is not expected to influence the sale from Walter to Iger and Kushner, a source familiar with the situation but not authorized to speak publicly told The Times, although it could affect who would represent the team on the board of governors going forward.
While analyzing the sale transaction, the board could look at where the money is coming from, Williams said: how much money from Kushner and Iger personally, how they are moving assets to provide the billions of dollars, and how much potential private-equity money from Thrive.
Thrive Enternal’s first entry into sports was purchasing a noncontrolling stake in the San Francisco Giants. Four months later, it is set to add the Lakers.
Private-equity firms can have a sliver of a team, but are not to have a controlling voice. Their influence trickles down to fans in other ways. Deep-pocketed new owners can help build stadiums or upgrade existing venues to maximize revenue from luxury suites. Ownership decisions also can lead to signing or retaining star players as teams hope to contend for championships. The influx of cash into sports has helped women’s sports take off with unprecedented investment and growth.
But just as a team’s valuation goes up, so has the price tags for fans. Just getting in the door to Dodger Stadium can cost a family of four nearly $250. In one season under Walter, season-ticket price increases rankled Lakers fans. A second row of courtside seats during the Lakers postseason changed what used to be an exclusive feel to a game.
Yet at each game, the seats were full.
Lakers star LeBron James hugs governor Jeanie Buss after winning the NBA championship on Oct. 11, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Douglas P. DeFelice / Getty Images)
“Passionate sports fans are not as price sensitive,” said Arianna Uhalde, an associate professor of clinical marketing at USC’s Marshall School of Business. “I think not as sensitive to some of these decisions that are getting made by ownership. It doesn’t mean that fans are not going to get upset, but they love their teams. They’re likely to still show up in good times and in bad.”
The business of sports has been great for owners, but isn’t guaranteed to last. A change in state or federal administrations and policies could affect tax laws that are advantageous for team ownership, said Mark Conrad, a director of the sports business concentration and professor of law and ethics at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. Labor issues such as the one threatening Major League Baseball could put a freeze on valuations. A recession or another global pandemic could tank the economy. Even the NBA Finals ratings during the COVID-19 pandemic were at an all-time low, averaging just 7.45 million viewers for the Lakers’ six-game, bubble series win over the Miami Heat.
Fans have steadily marched back ever since.
“They’re going to pay for it,” Conrad said. “They can. They do. … And if that’s the case, the lords of the sport are going to be mighty happy.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 23: Dyson Daniels #5 of the Atlanta Hawks blocks a shot by Jordan Clarkson #00 of the New York Knicks during the third quarter of game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at State Farm Arena on April 23, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yes, it’s that point in the offseason where there isn’t much to talk about, but NBA 2K always comes through at the right moment. NBA 2K27 is set to release on Sept. 4 (Aug. 26 early access), and for the entire month leading up to the date, the company always gives tidbits of either new game modes, fresh face scans, and player ratings.
One of the first things that they decided to release this year was attribute ratings, and several Atlanta Hawks players were part of the list. Here are some of the attributes where those players rank top 10 in the game.
Jalen Johnson – No. 2 in driving dunk
In all honesty, this should come as no surprise, as Jalen Johnson is hard to stop when he has a head full of steam. Adding to that, he’s caught a couple of poster dunks throughout the past few years that some people won’t forget, and it’s obvious that NBA 2K didn’t need to be reminded.
Johnson’s driving dunk is rated at a 96 overall, and he’s just behind Anthony Edwards for the No. 1 spot. This is the perfect spot to put Johnson, and he’ll show at times during this upcoming season why he’s rated so high when it comes to throwing the ball down. It might even motivate him to participate in the dunk contest.
Kingston Flemings – No. 10 in speed with ball
Having a rookie in this category is huge, especially when looking around the league and thinking about all the other fast players. Most of the players on this list are point guards, and Flemings fits right in with them after realizing how fast he actually is. One of the things that was mentioned about Flemings coming out of the draft was his speed, and he’s said that he models his game after guards like Derrick Rose and Tyrese Maxey.
Maxey has already found himself on this list at No. 2, and Rose has always been known as one of the more athletic guards to play the game. Flemings’ speed with ball is a 90 overall, and he’ll be blowing past a lot of defenders in real life and on the game.
Dyson Daniels – No. 4 in perimeter defense
This is another rating that shouldn’t be a surprise, but it could almost feel disrespectful in a sense. Dyson Daniels has proved over the past two seasons that he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the league, so much that he could be rated higher than fourth on the list.
Ausar Thompson, Derrick White and OG Anunoby are all ranked above him, and it’s well deserved. Daniels’ perimeter defense is a 94 overall in the game, and he’ll continue to be a pest on the floor. It is a little surprising that Lu Dort didn’t make the top 10 in this category, but his former teammate, Cason Wallace, cracked the list.
Dyson Daniels – No. 4 in steals
Daniels may need to be ranked top 10 in all defensive categories, and it is also not a surprise that he’s high on this list. At the same time, he could have a high rating in this category, considering the fact that he averaged the most steals per game last season, which was also tied with Ausar Thompson. Some of the players on the top list in this rating weren’t even top 10 in steals per game last season.
Daniels led the league in steals per game two seasons ago, and he basically followed it up again by doing the same thing. He’s rated a 98 in steals along with Wallace, Thompson and Matisse Thybulle, but it wouldn’t have been a stretch to give him the 99.
Kingston Flemings – No. 8 in rookie rating
This is a fair rating, considering that Flemings was actually drafted with the No. 8 pick. All of the other players above him are rated where they were picked in the draft as well, so it looks like everyone may have gotten a fair rating when it comes to rookies.
Flemings is a 74 overall in NBA 2K, and it will be interesting to see if he can bring that rating higher during the season. It will all depend on what he does with the opportunity when he gets in the game, and how much he actually plays throughout the season.
