PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 07: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets and Dillon Brooks #3 of the Phoenix Suns react during the first half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sorry.
It’s the start of the NBA season this week, meaning Phoenix Suns basketball is back. But the most talked-about topic in Suns basketball right now is the comments from someone who’s not on the team anymore, Kevin Durant, who had a back-and-forth with team owner Mat Ishbia on the framing of the former Finals MVP’s tenure with the team.
So despite the fact that Suns basketball is returning in two days, we’re gonna start with the back and forth between the team’s owner and the Houston Rockets superstar for questions we want your answers on.
If not Kevin Durant, what should the Suns have done to improve the roster?
It’s February of 2023.
Mat Ishbia buys the team, and the team still has their draft picks, Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, and Cam Johnson. INSTEAD of trading for Kevin Durant, which Ishbia has deemed a mistake since the decision, what should the team have done with the assets at their disposal to improve the roster as the Suns were struggling and coming off a disappointing playoff performance that saw them embarrassed on their home court in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks?
You be the GM.
The opening night starting center will be?
Both Khaman Maluach and Oso Ighodaro started at least two of the team’s five games this preseason, with Maluach starting at center in the final three games, with the last one being alongside the team’s four other presumed starters, Jalen Green, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, and Miles Bridges.
While Ighodaro didn’t play in the team’s final two games, he should be ready for the start of the season, so let’s not factor in health. If you’re the coaching staff making the decision between the two, who are you picking and why?
What are your Suns predictions for the season?
The start of the regular season calls for prediction time, and in a Western Conference that’s lost LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Anthony Davis since the start of last season, there’s been a lot of turnaround over the past 12 months when the Suns began the 2025-26 campaign. Last year, the Suns surprised many when they won 45 games and made the playoffs after losing Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in the previous offseason. This year, they’re not gonna take as many by storm, as reflected by their win total projections by the sportsbooks and prediction markets.
What are your predictions for the 2026-2027 Suns season?
On the Suns’ Plate This Week
The regular season is here!
Phoenix has two games this week. On Wednesday at 7 pm AZ time, they’ll play the new-look Portland Trailblazers for their first game of the season. Then on Saturday at 7 pm AZ time, the Suns will host the Golden State Warriors in their regular-season home opener in a rematch of the 8/9 play-in game from a season ago.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Landry Shamet #44 of the New York Knicks reacts after being fouled by Ja'kobe Walter #14 of the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden on October 15, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last year’s Toronto Raptors were one of the most fun teams in the league, a whirling dervish on defence that could be absolutely devastating in transition. But, the team’s lack of shooting hamstrung its halfcourt offence, forcing athletic slashers like Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett to operate in a phone booth, leading to some close losses at the end of fourth-quarter slogs. While swapping Brandon Ingram for Kawhi Leonard will undoubtedly give the offence a boost, the question remains: have the Raptors done enough to address their shooting deficiency?
Outside shooting is a force multiplier in today’s NBA. Not only can a hot shooter flip a scoreline in an instant, but the threat of a marksman with a quick trigger pulls defenders away from the paint, giving his teammates more room to attack the paint, especially important for teams like Toronto who are built around a young star who lives at the rim.
Leonard, the headline-grabbing new addition, knocked down 38.7% of his outside shots last year and was above 41% the three seasons before that. He’s an excellent three-point shooter, but he really makes his money in the midrange, where he’s one of the game’s premier iso scorers. In some ways, he’s a more physically strong and deadlier version of Brandon Ingram. His shooting skill will be a boon and he shot more threes (6.8 per game) than ever last season, but, for the Raptors, whether or not his teammates can space the floor for him is just as vital as whether or not he can space the floor for others, since he’ll have plenty of the ball at the end of the shot clock.
If we assume that the Raptors’ last preseason starting lineup (Leonard, Barrett, Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and Jakob Poeltl) will be their regular season starting unit, only two of those players (Leonard and Quickley) shot above league average from three last year. Barrett has had a 40% season in his past, but has only shot 36% or better one other time in his seven seasons in the league and, like Leonard, he doesn’t toss them up at particularly high volume. Barnes is a career 30.1% shooter from beyond the arc and will be treated as a non-shooter in the playoffs, and Poeltl’s range barely extends beyond the basket. Quickley has a fast release and is unafraid to pull up from well beyond the arc, but he’s more streaky than automatic. He’ll probably need to up his three-point volume even more (he was at 6.8 attempts per game last year, the same as Kawhi) to really move the needle for a team that was just 26th in three-point attempts and 21st in percentage last season.
In fact, of the top eight Raptors in minutes per game last season, only Ingram (gone, but accounted for by Kawhi’s arrival), Quickley, and Sandro Mamukelashvili (also gone) shot better than league average from deep and only one other regular (Ja’Kobe Walter, at a sizzling 40.9% on 3.7 attempts per game) did so. Even if the Raptors opt to finish games with Collin Murray-Boyles at centre instead of Poeltl, CMB is still an unproven shooter who hit 34% last year on less than one try per night. Even a super small-ball lineup with Barnes at the five might not have particularly great spacing, unless Walter has a breakout season or Barrett finds consistency from deep. Jamison Battle can really shoot, but it’s not clear he’ll have a big enough role to make a significant impact and their best defensive guard, Jamal Shead, has only made 32.2% of his threes in the NBA.
This year’s Raptors team will still be plenty dangerous and they’ll be an absolutely miserable team to have to play against, whether in the regular season or the playoffs, but it may take another roster move, or a breakout shooting performance from CMB, Walter, or Shead, for them to have enough offence juice to take down the league’s elites in a playoff series.
SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 29: NBA referees Jacyn Goble, Bill Kennedy, and Brett Nansel discuss a call during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings on March 29, 2024 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In late September, the NBA announced its points of emphasis and areas of focus for officiating, which included videos with narrated examples of the league’s new “points of education.” A week later, NBA.com’s Jeff Zillgitt broke them down in prose. So, with NBA Opening Day on October 20—and the Bucks’ season officially starting on October 21—it’s time fans hit the books. Of course, that’s arduous. So here, condensed for your convenience, are the “Cliff Notes.”
Offensive off arm
The point of emphasis: The league is cracking down on offensive players using their off arm to push off and create space.
Why you should care: Defenders might finally be able to, you know, have some semblance of a chance to defend again. And with Taylor Jenkins prioritising a return to defensive aptitude—and Bucks fans wanting a return to the dawg days—this could work in their favour. Then again, as Zillgitt wrote, “There is some leeway, a fine line in which the player can use his off arm against the defender as the player with the ball uses his off arm to firm up or feel for the defender.”
The point of emphasis: Screeners better do so legally—and that means without two hands.
Why you should care: Jericho Sims committed 28 offensive fouls last year, tied with Victor Wembanyama for the 10th most in the entire league. But Sims isn’t called for the same type of offensive fouls that Giannis was—he’s not barreling through opponents on his way to the cup. No, Sims’ come mostly from illegal screens. Don’t believe me? Just ask the Gyro Step podcast’s Rohan Katti:
F it Jericho Sims illegal screens from last season https://t.co/KdYgh3Gwve
Get your nose in the books and your reps in the lab, Jumpman!
Flopping
The point of emphasis: Players called for flopping will receive a non-unsportsmanlike technical foul and the opposing team will be awarded a free throw. But for such a foul to actually be called, it has to meet the STEM criteria:
Secondary
Theatrical
Exaggerated
Movement
Head snaps do not. They are embellishments, drawing attention to something that is illegal, so they are permissible.
Why you should care: Call me defeatist, but you probably shouldn’t. How can a referee possibly process a call that has its own set of four criteria in an instant? This will likely go the way of past points of emphasis—called several times early in the season only to be forgotten by December.
Reckless closeouts
The point of emphasis: Don’t be reckless when closing out. Simples.
Why you should care: If the Bucks’ preseason is anything to go by, they’ll be hoisting up a lot of long-range bombs this season. With that, they’ll face an increased number of closeouts. And with that, they’ll (potentially) face an increased number of reckless closeouts. Notably, “the shooter can fall to the floor in a sitting motion if he feels he’s protecting himself on a closeout.” Moreover, doing so “is not considered a flop.” So, pull up a pew, fellas. Stay safe!
Want more on these? Check out the NBA’s official video:
The point of emphasis: This one’s on the defensive team. They—players and coaches—need to stop time-wasting once a foul is called. Either challenge the call or don’t. Any filibustering will result in a delay of game violation.
Why you should care: For all the joy that NBA games bring, at times they drag on so much that it’s as if you’re back in the year 2000 listening to The Opposite of H20. This point of emphasis, then, might give you a few of those oh-so-precious minutes back. Paired with the absence of Giannis’ free throw routine, you might even find yourself looking for things to do!
And, just in case you truly are a sicko and want the tape, here it is:
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 15: Blake Wesley #14, Jeremy Sochan #10 and Malaki Branham #22 of the San Antonio Spurs pose for a portrait during 2022 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on July 15, 2022 at UNLV Campus in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 2022 NBAE (Photo by Michael J. LeBrecht II/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Back in 2022, the San Antonio Spurs drafted three players in the first round — Jeremy Sochan (9th), Malaki Branham (20th), and Blake Wesley (25th). The pick that brought Branham was acquired from the Toronto Raptors and the Wesley pick from the Boston Celtics.
All three joined the Silver & Black and began developing. Sochan in particular was shuffled through various roles as the team developed, but never locked into a position. As the Spurs continued to grow, Branham and Wesley found themselves with diminishing roles as the team built around Victor Wembanyama. The emergence of Stephon Castle and a monster trade for De’Aaron Fox left the 2022 drafted duo in the dark.
On July 9, 2025, Branham and Blake Wesley were traded to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kelly Olynyk. Last February, the Spurs waived Sochan. He went to the Knicks and picked up an NBA championship.
The NBA season starts Tuesday. On October 17, all three of the Spurs 2022 draft picks were waived by their respective teams.
Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham oraz Blake Wesley.
Panów łączą dwie kwestie. Każdy został wydraftowany przez Spurs w 2022 oraz zwolniony z NBA w przeciągu ostatnich 24H.
After picking up his championship ring, Sochan signed with the Portland Trail Blazers but was waived after four preseason games. Branham, who’d been with the Washington Wizards since being traded in 2025, he signed with the Orlando Magic in September. Wesley, who landed in Portland after initially being traded to the Wizards, signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on a one-year contract.
All three were waived within 24-hours of one another on Saturday.
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The Boston Celtics’ 2026-27 season officially begins Tuesday afternoon as they’ll take on the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.
These C’s will take some getting used to. That’s because Jaylen Brown, a franchise cornerstone since 2016, was shipped to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in a shocking offseason trade. Boston acquired Paul George in the deal, hoping the veteran will fit seamlessly in the starting lineup alongside superstar Jayson Tatum.
The Celtics also upgraded their frontcourt by signing ex-New York Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson. In addition, they inked widely respected veteran guard Mike Conley to a one-year contract.
Will that be enough for them to maintain their reputation as a threat to win the Eastern Conference? Better yet, should they still be considered NBA championship contenders?
Here’s how the Celtics stack up against their competition heading into the new campaign, according to NBA experts’ power rankings:
“The Celtics made a carefully considered decision to trade All-Star forward (Jaylen) Brown to the 76ers, but the potential for that to backfire is still enormous. Just imagine the anger and outrage in Boston if the 2024 Finals MVP helps the 76ers win their first championship since 1983.
“While that worst-case scenario became more plausible when LeBron James joined Philadelphia on a veterans minimum contract, Boston should remain one of the East’s top contenders after adding Paul George and Mitchell Robinson this summer. Jayson Tatum should be back to his All-NBA level form now that he’s 18 months removed from his Achilles tear, and coach Joe Mazzulla has established a winning, high-effort culture that has delivered at least 56 wins in each of his four seasons.”
“This ranking feels a little low for a Boston team that is going to win a lot of regular season games, but this first ranking is focused on title contention, and I don’t believe these Celtics, as constructed, are as serious a postseason threat (I am higher on the potential of the Pacers and Rockets).
“That said, just having Jayson Tatum back on the court will be welcome, he is a joy to watch. Plus, this team will defend, has depth and athleticism, and will be disciplined under reigning Coach of the Year Joe Mazzulla.”
“This offseason was about the shocking Jaylen Brown trade. But now that real games are about to be underway, the focus needs to be on who is here, and that’s Jayson Tatum, who Boston decided was the star worth keeping. Joe Mazzulla showed that he is going to get his team to win in the regular season. Everyone focuses on the high volume of 3s, but the focus should be on how Boston dominates the possession battle and makes things hard on opposing offenses consistently. This can be a special season for Tatum individually, and Boston should assume its customary spot near the top of the East standings even if Paul George takes another step further from his prime.
“The question for Boston is what it will do when the jump shots go cold in the playoffs. But even in a tough conference, the Celtics shouldn’t be doubted when it comes to hosting a game on the opening weekend of the playoffs.”
“The Celtics shocked the world by trading Jaylen Brown during the offseason. They shouldn’t experience much of a decline. Jayson Tatum’s return should fill the void left by Brown. Paul George is a perfect fit in Joe Mazzulla’s system, where he can capably switch on defense and shoot a high percentage from 3 on offense. Mitchell Robinson might be the most underrated addition of the offseason, both weakening the Knicks and adding to an already-elite offensive rebounding team.”
“Microscopic sample size be damned, Jayson Tatum and new pick-and-roll partner Mitchell Robinson formed a lethal pairing in the preseason that opposition defenses can’t decipher. Robinson’s rim-rolling repertoire will create countless corner threes for the trigger-happy Celtics.”
“Could this be the best version of Jayson Tatum we’ve ever seen? There’s no ambiguity that it’s his team now, so it’ll be fascinating to see how he handles that responsibility. But it’s also possible that Tatum’s usage stays close to the same and it’s a committee of players that fill what’s lost from Brown.
“Will Derrick White have a bounceback year? He forgot how to shoot last year, but he could have refound it this summer. Could Payton Pritchard take a leap? Last season, Pritchard averaged 26.7 points and 7.6 assists per 75 possessions without Brown on the floor. What will Baylor Scheierman or Hugo González look like with more chances? And could George end up having a healthy season that builds on his strong finish in Philadelphia? There are a lot of paths for the Celtics to end up even better.”
The rebuilt Lakers will feature (from left) Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic and Walker Kessler as starters for coach JJ Redick. The other two starters are still to be determined. (Photo illustration by Tate Rudisill / Los Angeles Times; photos by Chris Carlson / AP Photo, Lynne Sladky / AP Photo, Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo, Nick Wass / AP Photo)
He is unwavering in his belief that the newly constructed Lakers can compete for an NBA championship this season and that is the conviction coach JJ Redick has instilled into his group.
It is why the Lakers play the game, Redick mused, and it is the standard this organization has set.
The Lakers have won 17 NBA championships — the second most in the league — with the last coming in 2020.
So, as the Lakers prepared to open the regular season Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena, Redick explained why he believes these Lakers are championship contenders.
“Well, I think that every season,” he said. “Unless somebody blatantly tells me that we’re not trying to win, I think that every year. That’s why I say I’m confident. I said the same thing last year and for all of January and February that we were going to figure it out at some point and we did. And then we had some injuries. So, being a championship-level team or being a — I don’t like the word ‘contender’ — but being a team that can make a run and can play in the playoffs and can play different ways in the playoffs, those things take time and it doesn’t mean you’re going to be in the NBA Finals.
“It’s just not the way this works, particularly with the way the playoffs work in terms of just matchups and what you can exploit and what you can’t exploit versus certain teams. But I think because of our talent, because of our fit, because of our depth, I really like our team.”
Luka Doncic said his first glimpse of what the Lakers could become was when he invited his teammates to his home country of Slovenia for a bonding experience.
As the unquestioned leader of the Lakers now that LeBron James has departed to Philadelphia, Doncic organized the trip. It was basketball, golfing and rowing. It was dinners and get-to-know-you conversations.
It was over these four or five days in August that Doncic also saw a Lakers team with championship potential.
“Since the first day. That simple,” Doncic said. “Since the first day everybody came together in Slovenia, I believed that we can win a championship.”
Yet this is a team with nine new players and Redick is trying to incorporate them on a Lakers team that is playing in the uber-tough Western Conference that most experts believe the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are the creme de la creme of the NBA.
The Lakers acquired Walker Kessler, a 7-foot-2 center they received from Utah in a sign-and-trade deal in which he was paid $130 million over four years and in which L.A. sent two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round swaps to the Jazz.
Lakers center Walker Kessler tries to block a shot by Warriors center Yaxel Lendeborg during a preseason game last week. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
The Lakers added depth in Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney.
They join Doncic, Austin Reaves, Jake LaRavia, Adou Thiero and others to form the 2026-27 Lakers.
“I think in terms of integrating all the new guys that have been available, which I think is everybody except for Collin in live play, it’s been pretty seamless,” Redick said. “It’s a smart group. … We’ve been able to probably install more, particularly on the defensive end, than we have in the last couple years.
“Last year we had six total practices in the preseason because of the amount of games and the back-to-backs and the travel and all that. And we played opening night, so that’s another day that we didn’t get to practice. So I think we end up with 12 [practices] this year. We get double the amount of practice time, so I think that’s a blessing when you have new guys.”
The starting five is still unclear.
Doncic, Reaves and Kessler are the sure things, but the other two spots are not certain. Those three started alongside Williams and Thybulle in the final preseason game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. Grimes started the first four preseason games.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, bring the ball upcourt under pressure from Nuggets guard Christian Braun their final preseason game on Friday. (Ben Liebenberg / Associated Press)
“I think we have a lot of guys that could start,” Reaves said. “Unfortunately there’s five guys that are gonna start. Like JJ said a while back, he’s pretty sure of three of them. The other two, regardless of who we roll out there, we have high confidence in.”
Reaves is the longest-tenured Laker entering his sixth season and he knows the high expectations that come with playing for the iconic franchise.
Last season, he had James to lean on, Marcus Smart was steady and Rui Hachimura was part of the fabric.
But they are all gone and now Reaves, who signed a four-year, $180-million contract extension, is one of the leaders.
“Yeah, I don’t know anything else,” Reaves said. “This is what I came to, but obviously it’s the Lakers, and it’s one of the most covered sports organizations in the world. So they’re gonna praise you when you’re doing good and not when you’re not.
“So you just gotta [know] whatever that goes on outside these walls doesn’t really matter. It’s just what goes on inside these walls. And if anybody has any questions, I’ll give them the best knowledge I have. But like I said, they’re high character guys that care about the right things. So, I think that’ll take care of itself.”
Lakers guard Austin Reaves gets past the Warriors defense for a left-handed layup during a preseason game last week. (David Becker / Associated Press)
The Lakers were 53-29 last season, finishing fourth in the West and getting knocked out in the second round by the Thunder.
They have two more days of practice before the journey begins.
“I think you’re always trying to get better,” Redick said. “And even later in the season, you tweak plays, you tweak the offense and you tweak coverages. It’s just constantly evolving. There’s no like, ‘Oh, we’re done. Now we’re going to go play.’
Boston, MA - September 28: Boston Celtics forward Paul George speaks at a press conference during media day on September 28, 2026. (Photo by Meleck Eldahshoury/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
We’re 24 hours out. A day away from tangible, real, meaningful Boston Celtics basketball gracing the court and our screens for the first time in 170 days. With that, there’s only one thing to do.
I invited Feed followers to exorcise all of their excitement and angst by sharing their “Hot Takes” about the upcoming Celtics season. Let’s analyze the spiciest of those takes, judge how likely they are to come true, and get ourselves riled up one last time before we embark on that long journey to Banner 19.
The Team Takes
“The Celtics finish top five offensively and top three defensively.” Celtics_fan_in_va
Starting us off, we need to address the elephant in the room. It can be difficult to come up with a truly spicy take when your subject is Joe Mazzulla’s Boston Celtics. Read through 90% of team sites, forums and local media, and a top-five finish on both ends would be suitably hot. UV protection required.
Dig into the data from Joe’s previous iterations of the Celtics and the take starts to feel a little frosty. Check out Boston’s finishes in offensive and defensive rating from 2022–23 through 2025–26, Joe’s full tenure as head coach.
Season
Offensive Rating
NBA Rank
Defensive Rating
NBA Rank
2022–23
117.3
2nd
110.6
2nd
2023–24
122.2
1st
110.6
2nd
2024–25
119.5
2nd
110.1
4th
2025–26
120.0
2nd
111.7
4th
In each of Mazzulla’s four seasons at the helm, Boston has finished comfortably inside the top five offensively, while ranking no lower than fourth defensively. In fact, according to NBA.com, Boston became the first team since turnovers were tracked in 1977 to finish in the top five on both ends in four consecutive seasons.
Nothing is a certainty in the modern NBA, particularly with injuries, but with no true emerging giant joining the ranks of Oklahoma City and San Antonio, I think it’s completely reasonable to expect Boston to rank in the top three defensively and top five offensively in 2026–27.
“Boston go 40-1 at home.” Eaglemike
Now that’s a take! Across four seasons, Boston is 127–37 (.774) at home. During the championship season in 2023–24, the C’s went 37–4 at TD Garden, one of the best home records in NBA history and the best of any team in the 2020s.
Eaglemike predicts that Boston not only surpasses that mark, but that a Jayson Tatum-led Celtics team joins perhaps the greatest team in franchise history, the ’86 Celtics, atop the mountain of all-time regular-season home records at 40–1.
The argument for it would be the degree to which this Celtics roster is optimised to maul teams night after night. There are options on the bench, depth throughout the roster, the added three-point volume of Paul George and Mitchell Robinson attacking the glass on both ends. If you view Tatum as essentially a swap for Brown from last year, I think it’s clear that the team Joe has access to for the majority of this season is far superior to last year’s roster.
This group is also far better equipped to survive cold shooting nights, thanks to its ability to rebound and generate turnovers. That speaks to Boston being a juggernaut both home and away, but I struggle to buy a Celtics team with ammunition still left in the chamber, and a number-one option returning from a serious injury, equalling one of the NBA’s most sacred records.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 14: Neemias Queta #88 of the Boston Celtics reacts after scoring a basket against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half of the preseason game at the TD Garden on October 14, 2026 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. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Big Fella University Takes
“Queta wins 6th man of the year.” PDCeltics
Here’s a cleaned-up version that keeps your tone and structure while smoothing the flow and fixing spelling:
This is the season where Neemias Queta seeks to earn tenure at Big Fella University. Questions around Queta’s quality and consistency from last offseason feel as though they were voiced a long time ago. According to DataBallr, Boston was 6.3 points per 100 possessions better defensively last year when Queta took the court, and he played his part offensively too, scoring an efficient 10 points a night while doing all the big-man basics that helped facilitate higher-usage offensive players. Neemy was pivotal to Boston on both sides of the floor last year.
Rewarded with a $56 million extension, Queta is here to stay, but preseason outings against Charlotte and Philadelphia have suggested that he will take up a new role on this year’s C’s. No coach has employed the “Hack-a-Mitch” ploy more frequently than Mazzulla over the past couple of seasons. To avoid endless trips to the charity stripe in the final two minutes of quarters, it seems Robinson will be the nominal starter for the Celtics this year, opening up an opportunity for Queta to compete for a major accolade.
As it stands, the Portuguese big man can’t be found on either the short or long lists of Sixth Man of the Year candidates. Payton Pritchard has short odds at +400, so in fairness to PDCeltics, this is a hot take.
The case for Queta competing for the award would be an analytically driven one. I’d have to expect him to post magnificent on/off or EPM numbers, while also coming up with huge plays in pivotal moments, to truly vie for honors. Queta’s game doesn’t resemble those of the other bench big men who have walked away with the Sixth Man trophy. Naz Reid and Montrezl Harrell were spark plugs of sorts, with a unique proclivity for juicing an offense. Queta didn’t drag Boston’s offensive rating down when he was on the floor last year, but he didn’t accentuate it either.
The last true-blue big man to win the award for doing big-man things was Roy Tarpley in 1987–88. Queta winning would represent a landmark shift in how the award is judged. For that reason, while I think Queta could be one of the very best bench players in the league this year, his chances of winning 6MOY are rightly astronomical.
“The platoon of Queta and Robinson gives the Celtics the best 48-minute center combination outside of Denver and San Antonio.” Geno-Time
Geno-Time would make a great analyst. This is a brilliant level of hot take. It’s sufficiently spicy but I believe it bares real scrutiny. The Celtics are looking to imitate the success of their former Finals opponents, the 2024 Dallas Mavericks, with their big-man tandem of Robinson and Queta. Neither Robinson nor Queta possesses the skill set to vie for an All-Star berth, but together they provide an insanely high floor at the five for Boston. I’ll list a few other tandems and rotations below that I think are worthy of consideration once you take Denver and San Antonio out of the equation:
Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams
Donovan Clingan and Rob Williams III
Naz Reid, Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner
Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer
Isaiah Hartenstein, Chet Holmgren and Aday Mara
In my view, all of the above rotations possess more raw talent than Boston’s frontcourt. Injury concerns surrounding Steven Adams and Rob Williams, however, raise real questions about their ability to outplay Neemy and Mitch over the course of a season. The likes of Beringer and Aday Mara are also unproven at the NBA level, so there’s certainly an argument that Boston will have a true top-tier rotation at center this season.
The key to Robinson and Queta providing more value than the bigs above lies with Boston’s stars. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving unlocked Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, two non-All-Star bigs, to great effect, helping them outperform their individual talent level and making the Dallas frontcourt imperious throughout the 2024 season.
I don’t think Queta and Robinson will be the third-best big-man rotation in the league this year, but if they are, expect either the best season of Jayson Tatum’s career or a major leap from the subject of our next take to be the key to their success.
CLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 08: Jayson Tatum #0 and Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics sit on the bench during the first quarter of a preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on October 08, 2026 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
The Payton Pritchard Takes
“Payton Pritchard is named to the All-Star team as a coach selection or injury replacement.” Larksnado
PPayton winning Sixth Man of the Year isn’t a hot enough take to qualify for this list, so we have to skip a few steps and get into real Sean Evans, make-your-head-explode territory. Larksnado’s claim that Pritch makes his first All-Star team this year is one I’ve considered and investigated in seasons prior.
Fans and analysts alike have suggested for years that Pritchard, a game-breaking college guard who has improved in each of his six NBA seasons, could possess the requisite skills to make the jump from high-impact player to perimeter star in the same way Jalen Brunson has since taking up residence in NYC.
To figure out Pritchard’s chances of making an All-Star team, we can look at a few different things. Firstly, let’s consider his competition for places in the East ahead of the upcoming season. Here’s a list of Payton’s stiffest competition:
Jalen Brunson
Tyrese Haliburton
Cade Cunningham
James Harden
Donovan Mitchell
Tyrese Maxey
Desmond Bane
Derrick White
Tyler Herro
Coby White
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
If healthy, Brunson, Cunningham, Mitchell and Maxey are close to guarantees for places on the All-Star roster. I haven’t included Haliburton in that group because we can’t be 100% certain that he returns to his pre-injury level, but his name can at least be pencilled in.
That leaves Harden and Herro, both former All-Stars who will be in contention, followed by Derrick White, Coby White, Bane and Alexander-Walker, all of whom occupy a similar position to Pritchard, on the outside looking in. Typically, there are a maximum of six guards selected per conference, but with injury replacements we could argue that number might rise to seven next season. Crucially, I believe every player listed above is more likely to start for their respective team. Starting leads to usage, usage leads to points, and points lead to All-Star recognition.
The scenario in which Pritchard makes the All-Star team looks something like this: it becomes clear within the opening ten games that Boston needs Pritch as Tatum’s legitimate second option when the two share the floor, as well as the primary option for bench units. That leads to a spike in usage into genuine All-Star territory.
Of the last 14 guards to make their first All-Star appearance, only Fred VanVleet (23.7%) and Tyrese Haliburton (23.8%) posted a usage rate below 27.1%. Pritchard’s career-high usage came last year, when he posted a rate of 21.6%, so we would need to see Payton empowered to a degree that he hasn’t yet come close to before.
Whilst that makes Pritchard’s All-Star case seem a little far fetched his lineup data with JB on the court last year is proof that he can play at an All-Star level:
Stat (per 75 possessions)
With Jaylen 1,665 mins
Without Jaylen 861 mins
USG%
18.5%
27.2%
PTS
16.8
26.7
AST
5.3
7.6
REB
4.4
5.3
TOV
1.3
2.4
TS%
56.6%
60.6%
3P%
36.1%
39.9%
+/-
4.2
9.6
Payton Pritchard’s 2025–26 numbers with and without Jaylen Brown on the floor. Source: DataBallr.
If Pritchard keeps up that form in non-Jayson lineups this year and assumes an Austin Reaves like role alongside Tatum there’s a chance that Larksnado is looking awfully smart come February this season.
The Paul George Takes
“Paul George will play more games than LeBron James” Jeff Clark (That’s right, the Jeff Clark!)
Jeff was too kind commenting this on the Feed. This could be an article unto itself, and I’m sure it’s something we’re all rooting for heading into the season.
The numbers don’t look good. Over the last five years, LeBron has played 73 more regular-season games than George, with PG13 missing half the season or more in each of his last two seasons.
I believe Jeff’s take is rooted in the idea of role difficulty and need. George is entering his seventeenth season, and I believe the last time he had this little on-ball responsibility was his sophomore NBA season, fifteen years ago. George has already done some interesting stuff as a point forward for Boston in the preseason, but first and foremost I expect him to be a plus role player this year.
Hit the role-player shots, switch on defence, occasionally create off the bounce. Games played aren’t all the same. George shouldn’t be required to take on the most physical assignment on any given night this year. He’ll have the widest driving lanes to the rim that he’s experienced since the bubble, minimising the contact that can lead to awkward landings or contact injuries. George can be nursed through the season with a view to contributing each night and building towards playoff impact.
LeBron James, on the other hand, is still, even at 42 years old, LeBron James. Contact at the rim is inevitable. On-ball responsibility, touches and physicality are all givens when your talents, even in year twenty-four, still command the ball. I believe Jeff has read James’ sciatica quotes, empathised, factored in his usage and come to the conclusion that an injury could be on the horizon for James this year, whereas George might simply avoid that same level of wear and tear.
The theory that James will sit more often because of Philadelphia’s star power is also worth considering. With stars in their prime around him, LeBron can afford to skip back-to-backs and manage his schedule, just as his co-star Joel Embiid will. We know Boston will seek to strangle the regular season, and we know Philadelphia will seek to survive it.
“Paul George will be NBA Finals MVP” C’s the day (Great username)
Paul George calling “Ball Game” in the biggest game of his career would perhaps be the highlight of my NBA watching life and a worth while ending to my favoutite Basketball GIF of all time. Lets pray for this one.
The man has an eight year old son. Streaming with Speed feels like a before kids activity.
“Jaylen Brown gets married this year.” Celtics_fan_in_va
Could this be the end of the stream as we know it?
“KP and Horford retire at the end of the season” Celtics_fan_in_va
I thought KP retired in 2024?
“Hugo Gonzales marries Steve Jobs’ widow and buys the Celtics.” Saint Stephen
Lauren Powell Jobs has three kids and hasn’t remarried since Jobs’ death in 2011. Powell would also have to sell her 20% stake in the Washington Wizards to make this happen but let’s be honest… Who wouldn’t for Hugo?
See all the takes in the feed above. Apologies if you didn’t make the cut!
MACAO, CHINA - OCTOBER 8: Head Coach Dusty May of the Dallas Mavericks smiles during practice and media availability as part of 2026 NBA China Games on October 8, 2026 in Macao, China at Venetian Arena. 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 Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Dusty May might be the most fascinating person in the Mavericks organization this season.
Dallas hired him straight out of Michigan after he won the 2026 national championship, and the hire immediately became one of the offseason’s biggest swings. May had already built a reputation as one of college basketball’s brightest coaches after taking Florida Atlantic to a Final Four, then turning Michigan from an 8-24 team into a 37-3 national champion in two years. He also became the first college coach to jump directly to an NBA head coaching job since John Beilein left Michigan for Cleveland in 2019.
That history matters because this transition usually goes poorly.
Brad Stevens worked. Billy Donovan worked. A lot of others did not. John Calipari lasted just over two seasons in New Jersey, Rick Pitino struggled in Boston, and Beilein’s Cleveland experiment ended after only 54 games. The NBA asks coaches to manage adults, egos, travel, and a schedule with significantly less practice time than college basketball allows. May knows all of that.
He also believes the modern college game has prepared him better than some of those coaches. At his introductory press conference, May pointed to NIL and the transfer portal as experiences that forced college coaches to deal with agents, paid players, roster churn, and many of the same relationship-management issues NBA coaches face.
Now he has to prove that theory in Dallas.
Biggest question
Does Dusty May’s system actually translate to this Mavericks roster?
In theory, I love a lot of what he wants to do. May’s offenses have been built around pace, spacing, ball movement, and shot quality. He wants rim attempts, free throws, and catch-and-shoot threes. He does not want an offense that settles for bad midrange shots or spends 15 seconds watching one player dribble. His Michigan team had one of the most efficient offenses in college basketball last season, and his overall approach is much closer to the modern NBA than most college coaches run.
That sounds great until you look at the Mavericks. Kyrie Irving is basically the only proven high-level ball-handler on the roster, and he’s also one of the best midrange scorers ever. Cooper Flagg can create, but Dallas should not want him initiating every possession. Zaccharie Risacher is still figuring out what he is. The rest of the roster has plenty of wings, forwards, and bigs who attack better than they create.
May’s teams also tend to play with a lot of freedom, and that can lead to turnovers. That is what I worry about with this group right now. Dallas does not have a bunch of elite decision-makers who can constantly make live reads without mistakes.
Best case scenario
May becomes one of the rare college coaches whose style actually looks even better in the NBA. That is the dream. Dallas plays fast. Flagg becomes a monster in transition. Kyrie still gets freedom to use the midrange when it is there, while the rest of the team becomes much more disciplined about generating threes, layups, and free throws. Risacher finds an actual role. Morez Johnson Jr. develops quickly because he already understands what May wants.
May has also always been a relationship coach. Michigan’s culture was built heavily around unselfishness, development, and player buy-in, and that matters as much as any X’s and O’s. If he can get NBA veterans to buy in the same way his college players did, Dallas could establish an identity much faster than most young teams.
The defensive side is interesting too. May has shown he is willing to adapt to his personnel rather than forcing one system. At Michigan, he leaned into size and versatility and built the nation’s top-ranked defense instead of simply copying what worked at FAU. That adaptability is probably why I rate him so highly.
Worst-case scenario
The history wins.
The NBA isn’t college basketball, and May will find out quickly that a good system isn’t the same as having players who can run it.
The turnovers pile up. Dallas struggles to create offense whenever Kyrie sits. May wants to use versatile centers as passing and decision-making hubs, but Dereck Lively II is already dealing with injuries, and the rest of the center rotation may not be built for that kind of responsibility. The offense becomes too theoretical and not practical enough for the roster he actually has.
Then there is the relationship side.
May’s calm demeanor and collaborative approach should help. However, professional players still respond differently than college players. Beilein’s failure in Cleveland is a pretty obvious reminder that even an elite college coach can lose an NBA locker room quickly.
If May cannot adjust quickly, Dallas could spend the season trying to run a system designed for players it doesn’t have.
Season goal
Establish an identity. I do not think this season should be judged entirely by wins and losses. Dallas needs to know what a Dusty May basketball team looks like by April. Does Flagg look more comfortable? Does the offense create easier shots? Do players understand their roles? Can May develop young players while still holding veterans accountable? Can Dallas play with the pace and movement he wants without turning the ball over constantly? That matters more than whether the Mavericks win 39 or 44 games.
Overall
I am high on Dusty May. Part of that is probably because he came from Indiana (Go Hoosiers) and I loved what he did at Michigan, but there are real basketball reasons to believe in him too. His style is modern. His offenses make sense mathematically. He has shown he can adapt to different personnel. Players seem to buy into him, and his college teams already looked more like NBA teams than most.
But this is still a massive gamble. The history of college coaches jumping directly to the NBA is ugly, and Dallas’ roster isn’t built perfectly for what May wants to do. He could be the next Brad Stevens. He could also find out very quickly why almost nobody makes this jump successfully.
MEMPHIS, TN - OCTOBER 16: Kon Knueppel #7 of the Charlotte Hornets & Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies shake hands after the game during a preseason game on October 16, 2026 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. 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 Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s still preseason in the NBA – the regular season doesn’t start until Tuesday – but former Blue Devil Cameron Boozer has made an impression on many people, not least of all, former All-Star and NBA Champion Kevin Garnett.
Obviously, Garnett knows what he’s talking about, and he has nice things to say about Boozer. Check it out:
“I like him, I like him.
“He is really polished. And he plays defense too…
“He is going to be in (Rookie of the Year talks). He got the most give, he got the most – I can get away with anything any night – he can mess up and still (produce).
“He gonna be 20/10.
“He got a little Jokic in his game. He is a little more athletic, he will dunk you. The high-post where he can make decisions.
“He nice, I like him. He got a high IQ too. Shout out to Boozer.”
For people who were sure that Boozer wasn’t athletic enough, there’s a pretty good indication that you might be wrong.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 25: Onsi Saleh of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the Atlanta Hawks New Draft Picks Press Conference and Portraits on June 25, 2026 at Atlanta Hawks Practice Facility 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Onsi Saleh has consistently emphasized financial flexibility, but his latest comments offer an important clarification: Atlanta has the authority to enter the luxury tax when the right opportunity comes.
During an appearance on SiriusXM, the Hawks’ president of basketball operations discussed navigating the NBA’s apron restrictions and making responsible roster decisions.
“Even with us, we could go in the tax and we have full authority on the tax,” Saleh said.
That statement matters because maintaining flexibility can sometimes leave fans wondering whether an organization is willing to spend. Saleh’s explanation suggests Atlanta’s approach centers on choosing the right investment and understanding the consequences that follow.
The luxury tax and the aprons are separate thresholds. Paying the tax carries a financial cost, while crossing the apron levels brings additional roster-building restrictions. At the second apron, teams lose tools such as the midlevel exception and the ability to combine outgoing player salaries to acquire a more expensive player. Those limitations can make improving an already expensive roster considerably harder.
For Atlanta, keeping options available can create opportunities when other teams need to reduce spending. Saleh discussed that advantage, and the Hawks’ offseason already provides an example of how it can work.
"Even with us, we could go in the tax and we have full authority on the tax."@ATLHawks president Onsi Saleh talks to @BGeltzNBA and @SamMitchellNBA about staying out of the second apron
Oklahoma City traded Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe in moves that helped bring the Thunder below the second apron. Atlanta acquired Dort and Wiggins, adding championship experience and perimeter depth while Oklahoma City addressed its financial commitments.
The Thunder were not prohibited from keeping those players. However, the costs and restrictions associated with an expensive roster helped create circumstances Atlanta could exploit. That distinction illustrates why financial discipline can have basketball value beyond the money saved.
Saleh’s challenge is recognizing when preserving flexibility becomes less valuable than using it. Keeping room to maneuver helps Atlanta pursue upgrades, but that flexibility ultimately needs to translate into a stronger team around Jalen Johnson.
His comments do not establish a spending timetable or identify a particular move. They do, however, indicate that entering the tax is an available option rather than a boundary the front office has been instructed never to cross.
That leaves the central decision with Saleh and his staff: determining which opportunity justifies the commitment. Spending on a roster that still needs substantial work could leave Atlanta paying more while making its next improvement harder. Spending when the right pieces are in place could help sustain a team capable of competing deeper into the postseason.
For now, Saleh’s message remains consistent. The Hawks want to make smart decisions, benefit from opportunities elsewhere and preserve the ability to act decisively. His willingness to discuss entering the tax adds substance to that approach. When Atlanta believes the moment has arrived, Saleh says the authority to spend is there.
(Photo illustration by Tate Rudisill / Los Angeles Times; photos by Elizabeth Ruiz Ruiz / Getty Images, Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo, Jae C. Hong / AP Photo, Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The Clippers will have their hands full when the season opens trying to contend in the always tough Western Conference after being slapped with the harshest penalties in league history for violating salary cap circumvention rules.
With Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac gone from last season’s team, they’ll focus on developing a new core of stars, including rookie Keaton Wagler, when they open play Wednesday by hosing the Sacramento Kings at Intuit Dome.
Another positive for the team: Tyronn Lue is a proven asset as coach and he’ll be tasked with developing and blending in the younger players. Wagler spent the summer building up his body and has potential to be a strong defender.
The league’s year-long investigation is over and the Clippers have a clear path, albeit rocky, to move on and again become competitive in the West. They finished ninth in the conference last season and were eliminated by the Warriors in a play-in game.
Now fully recovered from a foot injury, two-time All-Star guard Darius Garland will be counted on to provide floor leadership. Also returning are former All-Star guard Bradley Beal, guard Kris Dunn, forward Derrick Jones Jr. and center Brook Lopez.
“I think we can surprise a lot of people,” Garland said.
Garland is fully recovered from toe and foot ligament injuries. In 19 games last season, he averaged 19.9 points with 6.4 assists. With a full offseason and training camp, Garland is expected to be one of the team’s top players.
Other young players to watch are guard Kobe Sanders, who had a productive rookie season when averaging 7.3 points and nearly 20 minutes a game as part of the rotation, and center Yanic Konan Niederhauser, who had his rookie season end early because of a foot injury but he showed promise over 41 games.
Forward Brandon Ingram, driving against Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. last season, is now a teammate after the Kawhi Leonard trade was completed following the salary cap circumvention investigation. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
Additions include All-Star forward Brandon Ingram and guard Gradey Dick, who were part of the Leonard trade to Toronto, wing Max Strus, guard Jalen Pickett, forward Baba Miller, forward Isaiah Jackson and forward Nick Martinelli.
“I know [there are] little to no expectations for us this year,” said Ingram, who will miss the start of the season while recovering from May surgery for a partially torn Achilles. “We have enough in the building to compete. This is what we love to do. So, we’ll go out and compete every single night, learn, go on to the next game and get better and better.”
Strus also will be out for a while after injuring his right foot during training camp.
Departed from the team are forward John Collins, guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, forward Nicolas Batum and wing Bennedict Mathurin.
Also noteworthy: owner Steve Ballmer won’t be sitting courtside after being banned by the NBA for a year as part of the team’s steep punishment for circumventing salary-cap rules. Top basketball executive Lawrence Frank has been banned for six months. The penalties included the loss of five first-round draft picks.
“I give our players a lot of credit … the leadership is great [and] the morale is great, even in these tough situations,” Lue said at the start of training camp. “That’s good to see, when you have your players coming in every day, giving everything they have; a lot of teams don’t have that.”
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Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.
Yet, no team has repeated as NBA champion in eight seasons, not since the Golden State Warriors did so in 2018.
The NBA, however, did see some seismic changes in the offseason, none more impactful than in the Eastern Conference, where the Miami Heat acquired two-time Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, where the Philadelphia 76ers pried away LeBron James and Jaylen Brown and where Kawhi Leonard is returning to Toronto to lead the Raptors.
In any case, it’s a new day, and optimism abounds. The title pursuit begins now.
With that in mind, here are the record predictions for the entire 2026-27 NBA season, with a sneek peek at the playoffs below.
NBA regular-season record projections
Predicting how each division will shake out following 82 games in the 2026-27 season:
NBA playoff projections
Our predictions for the 2026-27 NBA postseason from the first round in each conference to the NBA Finals:
Kawhi Leonard is back for a second spell with the Raptors. Photograph: Cole Burston/Getty Images
When Kawhi Leonard became a Toronto Raptor for the first time in the summer of 2018, he looked shellshocked. “There’s just more questions you have to ask me in order for me to tell you about myself,” he said, introducing himself to an organization and city he reportedly had no interest in joining.
Leonard had fallen out with his former team, the San Antonio Spurs – one of the most respected franchises in professional sports – due to differences in opinion about an injury that had limited him to just nine games in the 2017-18 season. The Los Angeles native had hoped to end up in southern California, but instead the Raptors risked it all by swapping franchise cornerstone DeMar DeRozan for one year of an injured, malcontent Leonard. It worked: Leonard led the Raptors to their maiden championship on the back of a historic playoff run, averaging 30.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.7 steals en route. Leonard won his second finals MVP to go alongside the one he had claimed with the Spurs when he helped them to the title in 2014.
“The narrative of not wanting to come to this city is gone,” the team’s president, Masai Ujiri, said at that 2018 press conference, speaking to insecure Raptors fans who had watched American players like Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady, and Chris Bosh leave Toronto since the franchise opened its doors in 1995. “We should move past that. Believe in this city. Believe in yourselves … We are proud of who we are.”
But even a historic season wasn’t enough to convince Leonard to stay north of the border. After a long and contentious free-agency period managed by his uncle, Dennis Robertson, Leonard spurned the reigning champions in favor of his hometown Los Angeles Clippers. “There wasn’t as much anger in 2019 as there was with Vince Carter or some of the other guys who left,” says Bruce Arthur, who has covered Leonard since 2018 for the Toronto Star. “I think he was given a little bit of special dispensation because he was going home, because he had delivered a title, and because I never felt like there was ever a connection outside of Kawhi the basketball player, with Toronto.”
Raptors fans’ anger was instead directed towards the Clippers, who not only showed up to almost every Raptors game during the championship season, but who also, we now know, went under the table to ensure Leonard signed lucrative endorsement deals totaling over $50m – violating the NBA’s salary cap rules.
Robertson was suspended for five years and Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was handed the harshest punishment in NBA history, including the loss of five first-round draft picks and a year-long suspension. However, thanks to a side-deal between the NBA and its Players Association executed to avoid arbitration, Leonard was given a relatively light $700,000 fine (he has earned $375m in salary so far in his career).
“Kawhi’s … gotten away really clean from what is obviously out-of-bounds behavior,” says Arthur, who reported that Leonard – as much as he pleads ignorance to all this – was in the room when Robertson asked the Raptors for an ownership stake in the Toronto Maple Leafs and at least $10m per year in no-show sponsorship deals in 2019. “So, perfect heist-type stuff from Kawhi.”
Despite being one of the greatest players of his generation, the 35-year-old has burned bridges on his way out of every franchise he’s played for. Spurs fans are still upset by the way his injury was handled in 2017-18, while Clippers fans are distraught about being left holding the bag without even a genuine apology from Leonard. But Raptors fans have much more complicated feelings towards the seven-time All-Star – arguably the best player in franchise history.
On the one hand, “There was a sense of defiance, especially the first year after Kawhi left [when the Raptors lost to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals] ... and there was a great deal of pride that went into that,” says William Lou, the host and creator of the Hello and Welcomepodcast. But as time went on, “The Clippers were humbled in a basketball sense. They never could get that version of Kawhi … that Toronto got in their one year, and so it’s hard to be too mad.”
Arthur says Raptors fans will always associate Leonard with the championship win. “I think the bottom line isn’t necessarily about a lack of moral reckoning by Raptors fans as much as: this guy’s so good that you forgive him, right?” says Arthur. “The [championship] was the greatest moment in franchise history by galaxies. Two and a half million people on the streets of Toronto for the parade. That was one of the best days Toronto’s ever had.”
The sentiment was seemingly shared by the organization. Despite being frustrated by the way his previous free agency unfolded, the Raptors front office couldn’t pass up the opportunity to grab the lifeline Leonard represented – even in his mid 30s. The Raptors have failed to win a playoff series since 2020, a stretch that includes three grim seasons of 30 wins or fewer. Last season, the franchise pulled itself out of the dregs of the league thanks to a star leap from 25-year-old Scottie Barnes and a handful of smart trades and draft picks, but the Raptors looked like a relatively expensive, middle-of-the-pack team with a difficult path towards contention until Leonard not only became available, but pushed his way towards Toronto.
“This city took a liking to my family, and I took a liking to this city,” Leonard said in the team-owned documentary series Open Gym after the Raptors traded Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a pick-swap for him in mid-September. “Hopefully they embrace me back and [I] give them my all again, and we can make something special happen once again.”
Although there were extenuating circumstances leading to Leonard’s return – he and the Clippers are under investigation by the Justice Department – it is meaningful that he chose the Raptors over big-market championship contenders like Miami, Minnesota, and Detroit. It’s also important that he proclaimed his desire to retire a Raptor before signing a two-year, $115m extension with the franchise. “He deserves to have his jersey retired somewhere,” says Lou. “But due to the circumstances of his career, he kind of was a player without a home.”
Leonard now has a chance to rewrite his complicated legacy with a familiar franchise. Leading the Raptors back to anywhere near the promised land would ensure him a jersey retirement ceremony, a first-ballot Hall of Fame induction, and Canadian sports immortality.
The Raptors, meanwhile, aren’t just getting an upgrade at the wing position; they are getting an all-time great coming off one of the best seasons of his career – an American superstar who experienced all the small cultural discomforts of playing in Toronto and still had such positive memories of the fans, organization, and city that he chose to return to.
“It’s a little surreal having this guy who leaves after a championship, and you think the story’s done there, and then he becomes the biggest scandal in the NBA, and then somehow forces his way to the Raptors,” says diehard Raptors fan Imman Adan. “But I definitely think him coming back cements Toronto’s legacy.”
It’s complicated, of course. It always will be so long as the Raptors are the lone NBA franchise outside of the United States. But no matter how Leonard’s second tenure in Toronto plays out, his return is a stamp of approval – one that many Raptors fans have been waiting for since the franchise began.
SAN FRANCISCO – The worst of all fears for the Warriors and their fans flashed before their eyes Sunday afternoon during an open practice at Chase Center.
Everything seemed normal as Curry was dribbling up the court, darting from the left wing to the right wing. But when he stopped to pivot, he suddenly froze, took two more dribbles and tossed the ball behind him as he left the court favoring his right leg. The immediate concern was that this could be a reoccurrence of the runner’s knee diagnosis that sidelined him for nine weeks last season.
That is not the case, according to the Warriors, who say Curry tweaked his right ankle.
“He said he’s fine,” coach Steve Kerr said, unusually tersely, nearly an hour later.
How sad is it, though, that Curry tweaking an ankle allows the Warriors and their fans to breathe easier? That it could have been worse?
“Always, always,” Kerr said when asked if his heart skipped a beat when Curry limped into the locker room.
“But he’s fine. I went and talked to him after he went downstairs, and I went in the training room. He’s doing fine.”
If Curry is indeed “fine,” the Warriors and their fans can restore their most optimistic hopes for successful start to the regular season that begins Wednesday night against the Lakers in Los Angeles.
Yet the momentary scare on Sunday is an overt reminder of Golden State’s fragility as it prepares for the next 82 games. Neither Jimmy Butler III nor Moses Moody is expected to be available before 2027. The availability of Kristaps Porziņģis, who missed training camp and all six preseason games, is an ongoing mystery. Butler and Porziņģis represent 40 percent of the projected starting lineup, and Moody started 49 of the 60 games he played last season.
Age is an obvious issue for these Warriors, but it’s only one factor within the overall health that can dictate how high they can fly. Most NBA observers see their roster and immediately dismiss them as non-contender.
“We don’t really pay attention on that much on this,” Gui Santos said. “It doesn’t matter a lot what the big noise or what they say about us because at the end of the day, what really matters is what we show on the court. if we have, like they say, ‘the old guys,’ but it’s Steph . . . Steph can go there and drop 30 every night. And Dray (Draymond Green) is one of the best passers and the best defender of the league.
“We still have those guys with us.”
When everyone is healthy, the Warriors have a roster that can beat any team in the league. On paper, general manager Mike Dunleavy has done a commendable job of integrating accomplished veterans with intriguing youngsters. In reality, Golden State will enter the season with the most injury-weakened starting lineup in the league.
The plan is for the available veterans like Green (36), Al Horford (40), Gary Payton II (33) and Georges Niang (33) and – hopefully Curry (38) — to stay upright and prop up youngsters like Santos (24), Brandin Podziemski (23) and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg (24).
No one is more essential than Curry to ensuring Golden State will have a fighting chance against all opponents. His presence still scares the rest of the NBA.
On Sunday, seeing him come to a halt and limp off the court put a scare into the Warriors and their fans, who understand how they’d look without him.
