The Minnesota Timberwolves raced out to a 3-1 lead, but it might have cost them everything.
Yes, Game 5 on Monday, April 27, when the Denver Nuggets outpaced Minnesota, 125-113, in the first round of the NBA playoffs, was just one game. But it also served as an indicator of just how much Minnesota is missing without Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.
Denver outscored Minnesota by a margin of 37-24 in a third quarter avalanche, as the Nuggets are trying to become just the 14th team in NBA history to win a playoff series after trailing 3-1.
All of this prompts one question: can the Timberwolves make a run without Edwards and DiVincenzo? Can they even get out of this round?
The Nuggets are now playing with significantly more confidence and momentum than they did earlier in the series. Denver’s bench had scored just 16 points in the crushing Game 4 loss; on Monday night, the reserves scored 27. Cameron Johnson and Spencer Jones, the pair of key Denver forwards, combined to drop 38 points in Game 5 just two nights after they scored just 9.
The Nuggets harassed Minnesota’s ball-handlers, forcing them into 25 turnovers Monday night, which was three more than Minnesota’s combined total in Games 3 and 4.
But, more than anything, the Timberwolves played tight and pressed, seemingly hyper-aware of the players they were missing.
“I thought we started the game wanting to make all of the home run plays, instead of wanting to make the plays that help us get into the ball game and make the rhythm plays,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said.
This is where Edwards’ absence hurts the Timberwolves. He’s a stabilizing presence and one of the dynamic scoring threats in the NBA. He averaged 28.8 points per game during the regular season, which ranked third in the league. He can handle the ball, his shooting range helps space the floor and he’s the preferred option in the clutch.
And while backup guard Ayo Dosunmu emerged as a breakout player in Game 4 with his historic 43-point masterpiece, it’s clear the Timberwolves won’t be able to count on that kind of production every night from here on out.
Dosunmu scored 18 points in a solid performance, and the Timberwolves did shrink a 27-point deficit to 10 midway through the fourth, but that run came when Denver eased its pressure and intensity.
So, what’s the path forward for Minnesota?
For one, the Timberwolves should hope that Edwards heals quickly. Because even if they get past the Nuggets, their likely opponent in the second round would be the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs, who are a legitimate threat to win the West. But, practically speaking, the Timberwolves will essentially need to play pristine defense like it did during its three-game winning streak in the series, especially in the paint.
In Games 2, 3 and 4, the Timberwolves limited Denver to an average of just 38.7 points in the paint per game. In Game 5, that figure ballooned to 62.
Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was masterful against Nikola Jokić. Forward Jaden McDaniels irritated Jamal Murray and Denver’s other ball-handlers. More of that will be required.
Because without Edwards, the short-handed Timberwolves are not only suddenly vulnerable, they might be marching toward a historic exit.
“I think we were all just trying to press and make plays a little bit too much,” Timberwolves forward Julius Randle said after the game. “The formula was still the same, so we don’t have to change that. We’ll be better next game.”
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars looks on against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA Draft class of 2026 appears to be absolutely nothing like the 2024 draft class, and for that, we give thanks to the basketball gods. Tangible star power that bleeds beyond the top pick has forced nearly a third of the good citizens of the league to sabotage this year’s crop for the prospects of a more plentiful harvest in the future.
Simply put, there ain’t no scrubs at the top of this year’s NBA Draft. Players who project as perennial All-Stars are up for grabs at the top, and “eh” inspiring consolation prizes are in very short supply.
The Utah Jazz tanked for good reason. As did the Indiana Pacers. As did the Washington Wizards. As did Dallas, Memphis, and Sacramento (does it count as tanking if you’re actually that bad by default?). That reason is simple: just as the Nintendo Switch has games, the class of ‘26 has hoopers. Teams want those hoopers, and since the NBA is not very pro-sharing in that regard, many teams had to wake up early and tank for a chance to be first in line for, well, the future.
Leave it to the Jazz, the NBA’s poster child of the tanking epidemic, to spend the whole regular season dreaming of the NBA Draft. As an organization that has never moved up since the introduction of the lottery, Utah has plenty to dream about.
Not all players are created equal, and not every location will bring out the same level of production or development in any given player. Considering the fact that Utah doesn’t plan to dilly-dally at the bottom of the standings next season — playoffs, ho! — it’s important that the Jazz come away with a player who can both contribute to winning basketball on day one and potentially blossom into a franchise-defining centerpiece. Keeping this in mind, here are the players who I believe will fit best in Utah, ordered by who I believe will make me throw the fewest fits.
Utah Jazz 2026 NBA Draft Wish List
5 – Brayden Burries | G, Arizona
Yeah, maybe I’m higher on Burries than most, but if the Jazz intend on building a well-rounded competitive team, they need a defensive presence in the backcourt. And after a very impressive freshman season that saw him post 1.8 steals per night (not to mention 19.4 points, nearly 3 assists, and 6 rebounds). Utah needs a defensive cushion for Keyonte’s — *ahem* — shortcomings on that end, and Burries is a solid pickup if Utah drops from their 4th spot.
4 – Cameron Boozer
Father Carlos has probably been preaching the gospel of his National Player of the Year offspring since joining the Utah Jazz as a scout, but as a power forward on a team stuffed with bigs, Cameron would almost certainly come off the bench behind the three-headed (and very, very tall) dragon of Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler.
A stabilizing presence off the bench, Boozer brings underrated shooting and playmaking ability — both of which could be very appealing for Will Hardy’s ball-movement-heavy offensive game plan — but other players would fit more seamlessly onto the current roster still on the board, so the family reunion may have to wait.
3 – Caleb Wilson | F, North Carolina
Wilson has been building buzz since the end of the college basketball season, and for good reason. There is a lot to love about his game, and he could project to be one of the best two-way players in this class. I mean, you must be joking with season averages of 1.6 blocks and 1.7 steals as a forward, right? As UNC’s primary offensive option, to boot.
He’s improving as a ball handler, and I feel sincere terror considering how great he may become if the Jazz choose to pass on him.
As a natural power forward, though, Utah is far too dense at that range to freely let Wilson stretch out and get the in-game experience a player of his talents deserves. I’ll send you away White Fang-style if I have to. Now go on, get out of here! Go!
FOMO aside, there are still two players that I like just a touch more as a fit with the Jazz.
2 – Darryn Peterson
Probably the most polarizing figure in the draft, Peterson is also the most natural addition to Utah’s lineup, slotting next to Keyonte George in the backcourt effortlessly. No, he doesn’t really pass the ball, and no, I’m not entirely confident that his selective play time was just a “we all tried things in college” type of phase for the Kansas guard. Peterson’s role on Bill Self’s team became more and more secondary as the season progressed, and that’s concerning for any team that hopes to build its future on his back.
Injury concerns and a questionable competitive motor are cause for pause, but if you get his best career timeline, you may just be drafting an MVP.
If you want buttery scoring, a silky one-motion jump shot, delicious dribble combos, and perhaps the most obviously talented guard prospect we’ve seen since Kyrie Irving (another eccentric with a tendency to miss playing time and make bad PR moves), you have that in Peterson. He’s a strong defender, a nonchalant assassin. If he lands in Utah, the Jazz are in business.
1 – AJ Dybantsa | F, BYU
It’s no secret that Utah wants Dybantsa. Owner Ryan Smith has been instrumental in keeping the collegiate superstar and consensus All-American in the Beehive State with his commitment to BYU (arriving along with a notable NIL package). Still, Dybantsa is on record saying he’s loved his time in Utah, prefers quieter settings, and probably has mutual feelings about the Utah Jazz picking him on draft night, given the chance.
Face it, Utah. I know you. You know you. And I know that you know that I know you. If the Jazz land the number-one overall pick, they’ll be buzzing Adam Silver’s cell phone with their submission nonstop from midnight until the commissioner finally announces their selection from the podium.
Still, understanding that Utah’s current lineup probably has no wiggle room for demoting Markkanen, JJJ, or Kessler to the second unit, if Dybantsa stays in Utah, it’ll probably be Ace Bailey who slips to sixth man. Is AJ equipped to defend NBA-quality 2-guards? That’s yet to be determined, but he has the physical tools and the drive to figure it out if he’s not quite there right away. Bailey’s development may decelerate a tad if Dybantsa starts taking his reps, but if that becomes a problem, you don’t pass up on a potential MVP and perennial All-Star for a player with a lower ceiling — you trade the lesser prospect and build your roster around Dybantsa.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 23: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets reacts in the first half against the Utah Jazz at Toyota Center on February 23, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
According to Michael Pina, the Utah Jazz would be one of many teams that would have a varying degree of interest in Kevin Durant if he becomes available.
Nothing is off the table in Houston. Giannis? Kawhi? Another KD trade? The only thing the Rockets should rule out is running this back.@MichaelVPina: https://t.co/czHvEWH4rx
The Rockets thought that KD was their missing piece, and instead, there’s a chance they’ll turn him into a stepping stone this summer. It turns out that your best player shouldn’t also be a mercenary. But despite that, the Heat, Timberwolves, Blazers, Mavericks, Pistons, Knicks, Raptors, Hawks, Magic, Lakers, Nuggets, Hornets, Bulls, Wizards, Warriors, Pacers, Jazz, Sixers, Celtics, Cavaliers, Bucks, and Clippers would all have varying degrees of interest—pending how the rest of these playoffs go.
So basically, the entire league would have interest then? That sounds about right. Pina mentions it and it bears mentioning that the last handful of seasons for Kevin Durant have not been great. With a mix of burner accounts, trade demands, and persistent passive-aggressiveness, Durant has not been worth it to his former teams.
That said….
At the risk of sounding like Tobias Funke, “But it might work for us!”
If the Jazz were able to get Durant without giving up one of their own picks, or perhaps figure out how to keep their core of players, it could be a fascinating gamble. Durant is still playing at a high level and on a team like the Jazz, who have depth, talent, and youth on their side, could it be the final piece for a surprise title run? It’s easy to imagine Durant being able to pick his spots with the Jazz. He could play off all the different players on the team and dominate matchups as needed. He also wouldn’t have to be playing 36+ minutes per game with the Jazz. For Utah, he could play something like 24-28 minutes and could be fresh for a playoff run. It makes a lot of sense, but it does depend on what the Rockets would ask for in a trade. It could be interesting this offseason if the Jazz go for a big-time move.
PHOENIX (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, Chet Holmgren added 24 and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Phoenix Suns 131-122 on Monday night, capping a four-game sweep in the first-round series.
The Thunder — who have a 12-0 record in the first round over the last three seasons — will face the winner of the Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets series in the Western Conference semifinals. The Lakers have a 3-1 lead, though the Rockets won Game 4.
Phoenix has a 10-game losing streak in the playoffs, dating to 2023.
The Thunder closed the series with an overwhelming offensive performance — making 17 of 34 (50%) 3-pointers — and their big men played particularly well. The 7-foot-1 Holmgren shot 9 of 16 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds, while the 7-foot Isaiah Hartenstein added 18 points and 12 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.
Ajay Mitchell added 22 points and made four 3-pointers. Alex Caruso finished with 14 points and hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter.
Gilgeous-Alexander was reliable as usual. Two days after scoring 42 points in Game 3, he had another efficient performance, shooting 10 of 17 from the field.
The Suns showed some fight in the second half, cutting a 15-point deficit to 106-98 entering the fourth. Devin Booker scored 12 points in the third quarter on 5-of-8 shooting.
But every time the Suns got within a few possessions, the Thunder responded. Cason Wallace hit a corner 3 with 5:54 left to extend the Oklahoma City lead to 120-106. Gilgeous-Alexander followed with a spectacular layup, somehow getting the shot to fall over three defenders.
Booker led the Suns with 24 points while Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green added 23. Collin Gillespie added 20 points while making six 3-pointers.
The Thunder pushed to a 75-67 lead by halftime after shooting 61.4% from the floor and 60% from 3-point range, hitting 12 of 20 behind the arc. Gilgeous-Alexander had 17 before the break, making a wide-open 3-pointer just before halftime.
That offset a hot shooting start for the Suns, who made 11 of 20 3-pointers. Gillespie scored 17 before the break, making all six of his shots, including five 3s.
The Thunder were without starter Jalen Williams, who missed his second straight game because of a left hamstring strain. Suns center Mark Williams (foot) and guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) were also out.
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 27: Chet Holmgren #7 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball during the game against the Phoenix Suns during Round One Game Four of the 2026 NBA on April 27, 2026 at PHX Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The first-round series between the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder is finally over. Oklahoma City is a machine that barely broke a sweat to take care of business against one of the better “feel-good” stories of the year in the Suns.
The Suns fought hard and shot the ball well, but their defense and inability to rebound and take care of the basketball cost them again. It was the same old story.
It was a quiet first half for Devin Booker, with the Thunder defense draped on him again; he struggled to get anything going. Dort and Caruso had him in jail in the opening half, holding him to just 2 points. He poured in 22 in the second half, but it was too little too late. Booker, Green, Brooks, and Gillespie all had 20+ points in a balanced scoring attack for the Suns, but the defense just couldn’t get enough stops to make it a game.
Shai had 31 points, and the Thunder had 6 players in double figures and shot 53% from the field.
Game Flow
First Half
The teams traded buckets early on, with Phoenix showing signs of life on offense. The ball movement was crisp, and they were generating several clean looks.
Then a pair of threes from Collin Gillespie and Dillon Brooks gave them a four-point lead, 17-13. That led to an OKC timeout to regroup. As one would expect, the Thunder responded, and the game quickly tied back up.
A 7-0 run after a Cason Wallace three led to a Suns timeout as OKC took a 3-point lead. An Alex Caruso three made it a 10-0 run to push the Thunder’s lead to six, 27-21.
Collin Gillespie continued to hunt for his shot offensively, pouring in 11 points in the first 9 minutes and 15 seconds. Alex Caruso was killing the Suns with a steal, deflection, and three triples in the quarter, making an impact off the bench.
Phoenix trailed 37-33 after the opening quarter. They closed out the quarter on a 7-0 push, capped off by a deep Grasyon Allen three right before the clock expired.
Despite the Thunder getting plenty of production from Caruso and Chet, Phoenix’s shooting kept them in it. Grayson Allen was providing an offensive punch off the bench, getting to the cup and knocking down threes, starting the game a perfect 4-of-4 from the field with 12 points in his first 8 minutes of action.
Phoenix’s defense was locking in, and the ball was zipping. A Jalen Green triple forced a Thunder timeout as they extended their lead to seven, 55-48, with 5:32 left in the half. Devin Booker (at the time of this score) had just 2 points on 0-3 shooting with 4 turnovers.
A 5-0 run by Shai made it a two-point game out of the timeout quickly. Every punch Phoenix threw was responded to by the Thunder.
Despite Phoenix shooting 60% from the field and drilling 11 threes on 55% shooting, the Suns trailed 75-67 thanks to 61/60/100 shooting splits from the Thunder. Collin Gillespie led all Suns with 17 points, Brooks had 14, and Grayson Allen chipped in with 12. Devin Booker had just 2 points on 0-4 shooting with 5 turnovers to just 3 assists.
Second Half
The second half was more of the same early on. Phoenix would knock down an impossible shot, then OKC would immediately respond.
Booker’s struggles continued, and the Thunder continued to get whatever they wanted offensively. OKC jumped out to a 15-9 edge in the 3rd to push their lead to 14, 90-76.
They were just once again simply… better. In every facet. Quite literally every time Phoenix looked to make a run, they were matched. And whenever they put together a great defensive possession, the rebound seemed to go straight to the Thunder for an extra possession and resulted in a bucket.
Rasheer Fleming FINALLY got some burn, checking in with 3:30 in the 3rd and got a block right off the bat. And what do you know, after a sarcastic round of applause from the very aware Suns fans, they went on a 5-0 run immediately.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Desmond Bane scored 22 points, Franz Wagner had 19 in three quarters and the Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 94-88 Monday night to take a 3-1 series lead, putting the East’s No. 1 seed on the brink of elimination.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in Detroit.
Orlando, which had to win an elimination game at home in the play-in tournament, is on the verge of becoming just the seventh No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 in a series in league history. It’s happened only four times since the playoffs were expanded to a best-of-seven series for all rounds in 2003.
Desmond Bane celebrates during the Magic’s Game 4 win over the Pistons on April 27. AP
Paolo Banchero scored 18 points for the Magic on 4-of-18 shooting. Orlando shot just 32.6%, with Jalen Suggs going 1 for 13, including 1 for 11 from 3-point range.
The Magic overcame their shooting woes by protecting the ball. They had only 12 turnovers to 20 for Detroit.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 25 points and Tobias Harris had 20.
Wagner left with 1:34 left in the third quarter due to right calf soreness.
Jamal Cain replaced Wagner and electrified the crowd with a driving dunk over Caris LeVert early in the fourth quarter. He also had a one-handed tip-in dunk that made it 87-85 with 4:55 to go.
Suggs missed his first eight shots before nailing a 3-pointer from the corner for an 85-80 lead. But Ausar Thompson’s layup tied it before Cain’s putback.
With former Grizzlies teammates Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. cheering him on courtside, Bane banked in a 3-pointer to extend Orlando’s lead to 92-86 with 1:16 remaining.
Jama Cain dunks the ball during the Magic’s April 27 win over the Pistons. NBAE via Getty Images
The 45-win Magic haven’t won a playoff series since 2010, when they lost in the Eastern Conference finals. The 37-year-old franchise has never won an NBA title.
The Pistons, who won 60 games in the regular season, have an even longer series drought. They haven’t advanced to the second round since losing in the East finals in 2008
The teams traded double-digit leads in the first half and the Magic led 54-52 going into the third quarter.
Cade Cunningham reacts during the Pistons’ loss to the Magic on April 27. Imagn Images
Riding a wave of energy from a frenzied, blue-clad crowd, the Magic scored the first eight points and led 19-7 before missing 13 straight shots during a 20-5 run by Detroit.
The Pistons had a 40-30 lead midway through the second.
The Magic improved to 8-1 at home in the playoffs over the past three seasons.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 09: Head coach Jordi Fernandez of the Brooklyn Nets looks on during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Barclays Center on April 09, 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 the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s that time of year again for us: time to update things just as we’ve done for 19 straight seasons. We aren’t going to count them up, but this is around our 4ooth report through thick (mostly) and thin. Like many previous ones, it will be numbers-heavy. Deal with it.
This year, off-course, is different. It is, as Jordi Fernandez said during the season, “this is the summer of our lives.” Ever since the Nets decided to go into a full rebuild sometime back in the early months of 2024, everything pointed to this summer — and to be more specific the 2026 Draft Lottery and the 2026 NBA Draft. They will take place May 10 in Chicago and June 23-24 in Brooklyn.
So how things going?
At the moment, you’d have to say reasonably well. The franchise seems prepared although as we know, luck plays a huge role. The moment could pass, could change, etc. but so far, so good.
The first piece of the off-season is the Lottery, the NBA’s annual house of cards. The Nets’ plan was always to secure a top three seed primarily by depriving Jordi Fernandez of talent, including fielding the youngest NBA roster in 20 years including a unique draft class. That mission was accomplished the last week of the season after some brutal, brutal losses.
Then comes the Draft itself. Largely because of the tank and what the Nets did on June 25, 2024 with the Mikal Bridges trade and the exchange of picks with the Houston Rockets, Sean Marks & co. have more draft capital than anyone else. To reiterate: that’s 13 firsts — nine of them tradeable; 19 seconds — all of them tradeable; plus two first round pick swaps. In each case, it’s the biggest number in the NBA. It’s not quite unprecedented. If memory serves us, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Sam Presti once had 36. (He still has 27.)
At the moment again, Brooklyn holds three picks in the 2026 Draft, the third best odds at getting one of the top four picks including the overall No. 1 as well as the No. 33 (their own) and the No. 43 (the Los Angeles Clippers’ second) in the second round. In its Draft Power Rankings, Tankathon puts the Nets combination at No. 3 behind the Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls. Moving up or down on May 10 will change that. So will any trades. As we’ve noted many times, Marks has made trades both big and small within 48 hours of the draft nine times in his 10-year tenure.
There are other positive numbers of course beyond the draft: they have third biggest cache of cap space, somewhere between $30 and $50 million depending on what they do with various team options and contract renewals … and how high they finish in the Lottery. (The difference between the overall No. 1 and worst-case-scenario seventh pick is nearly $7 million in 2026-27 and $30+ million over the course of the four-year rookie deal.)
They also have an ownership with a record of paying the luxury tax when needed. Bobby Marks estimated that Joe Tsai has paid out $323 million in luxury taxes between when he bought into the Nets in 2017-18 as a minority owner and the last time the Nets paid any tax in 2022-23.
One underappreciated aspect of the rebuild is that by keeping their payroll low the past three seasons, the Nets will avoid the dreaded repeater tax over at least next four years. That tax goes into effect when a team goes over the tax threshold three out of four years and includes multipliers that restrict teams in various ways. It helps when you have seven players on rookie deals as Brooklyn likely will next year with Noah Clowney, the Flatbush 5 and their lottery pick making somewhere between $36 million and $42.8 million, again depending on how the little plastic balls fall. If you want to have “sustainable success,” one of the team’s mantras, avoiding the luxury tax and aprons will be key.
The Nets do not operate in a vacuum of course. What the other front offices do matters a lot and a little more than midway through the first round of the playoffs, there are other encouraging signs for Nets fans, particular regarding the fate of three teams the Nets have done business with.
—The Knicks fate is one the most closely tied to the Nets. With three first rounders and a first round swap still owed, it’s given. The firsts are in 2027, 2029 and 2031, the swap, also unprotected, is in 2028. If the Knicks falter, it could be a windfall for the Nets. As the moment, the Knicks and the Hawks are tied 2-2 in the best of seven series and worse for Knicks fans, the guy who they received in that monumental trade is having a terrible series.
The question is what if the New Yorkers fail to meet James Dolan’s high standards — him standing, champagne-drenched and teary-eyed with the Larry O’Brien Trophy clutched in his hands. What will be the next step at the Garden? The Knicks have the fourth oldest roster in the NBA and as a result of the Mikal Bridge and Karl-Anthony Towns trades bereft of first round picks. While the Nets have 13 firsts over the next seven years, the Knicks have four. They also have big contract extensions coming due. Bridges’ four-year, $150 million deal kicks in next season and they’re only $370,000 shy of the second apron. The Nets are $56.5 million under. Other decisions are closing in as well, like Mitchell Robinson’s unrestricted free agency this summer. Be interesting to watch.
—The Rockets too could be at an intersection. The Nets may have to swap firsts in 2027 with the Rockets as a result of the pick exchange that permitted Brooklyn to reclaim their firsts in 2025 and 2026. But they’re down 3-1 to the Lakers even with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves on the bench. Moreover, Kevin Durant is hurting and there’s word their locker room isn’t a model of probity. It’s long been assumed that the swap will greatly favor Houston who could wind up with a top Nets pick, aka Jayson Tatum in 2017. But suppose the Rockets decide to part ways with KD and try a modified rebuild, hurting their draft stock in 2027. Better to swap a No. 15 pick for a No. 10 than having to swap a No. 10 for a No. 3, even in a mediocre draft. Another interesting watch.
—Then, there’s the Nuggets who were down 3-1 to the Timberwolves Monday night and not looking like the contender everyone thought they would be. They have big decisions as well, but the urgency is less and they do have Nikola Jokic who is a three-time MVP and an O’Brien trophy winner of recent vintage. But should they team head to Cancun early, ownership and the front office will have to sit down and wonder what went wrong and what’s next.
No, they won’t trade Jokic, but they need to figure out how to get younger and that includes keeping restricted free agent Payton Watson whose breakout year had made him one of the top targets this. He’s also close to MPJ. For Denver to keep him and still find of modicum of flexibility, they may have to find a way to dump Johnson, who is an expiring now at age 30. It won’t be easy. He’s owed $23 million and hasn’t played in 60 games in any of the past four seasons. If another team wanted him, they might ask for a first in return, but at the moment, Denver doesn’t have. They traded their last first along with Porter to the Nets.
Finally, there was word today that Adam Silver likes an anti-tanking plan that would essentially flatten the odds making it possible for even playoff teams to have a chance at winning the overall No. 1 in the future. Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote about the new proposal and its implications.
[A]ccording to league and team sources, a heavy front-runner has emerged among the three proposed solutions to curb the widespread tanking problem that put such a stain on this season: Option No. 1, in which 18 teams would be part of the draft lottery (rather than the current 14) and the bottom 10 teams would all have an 8 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick. The remaining odds — 20 percent in all — would be divided among the remaining eight teams. In the current system, the bottom three teams all have a 14 percent chance of landing the No. 1 pick and the odds decline from there.
Nothing is final, but the league will be talking to GMs on Tuesday about the plan. Silver has said reforming the lottery is a top priority. With so many traded first rounders and swaps, the Nets should get a small advantage if, as Amick reported, the odds are flattened. For example, if in 2027, the Knicks made it to the playoffs but with the 15th, 16th, 17th or 18th worst record, under the old rules the Nets would not be in the lottery, but under the revised rules laid out by Amick, they would have a shot, albeit a small one, at moving up. The more picks, the more chances, the more opportunities to move up.
Amick noted that while this option has legs, it could be modified before the NBA Board of Governors votes on tanking reform next month. At least 23 of the 30 governors — aka the owners — must approve the final package. Silver has said that he expects reforms to be implemented by next season, telling GMs earlier this year, “You should assume for next season your only incentive will be to win games,”
Steve Hetzel getting offers?
The Athletic also reported Monday that Nets assistant coach Steve Hetzel, Jordi Fernandez’s No. 2 and long time friend, has been interviewed by the New Orleans Hornets for their open head coaching position.
Brooklyn Nets assistant Steve Hetzel has conducted an interview with the Pelicans for their vacant head coaching position, league sources tell @TheAthletic
Wait? Didn’t Hetzel just get extended by the Nets along with Fernandez and his eight fellow assistants coach?!? Indeed he did but the extension doesn’t prohibit him or other assistants to be interviewed for better jobs elsewhere. It is standard operating procedure for teams to permit their assistants to talk to other teams about head coaching openings elsewhere. Indeed, in 2024, the Nets interviewed Fernandez, then a Kings assistant, for the top job in Brooklyn with Sacramento’s permission.
How legitimate of a candidate is Hetzel? Apparently, he is a serious one. Interestingly, so is another candidate with a Nets background. Sean Sweeney was an assistant under Jason Kidd in Brooklyn, then followed him to Dallas before joining up with the San Antonio Spurs.
Expect the Pelicans as well as other teams with openings to make a decision in advance on the June 23-24 NBA Draft.
Draft Sleeper of the Week: A.J. Dybantsa
How long have we been doing this? Well, our first Draft Sleeper was DeAndre Jordan of Texas A&M back in 2008. The New Jersey Nets did not select him but as we all know and some of us ultimately lament he wound up with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019 as part of the Clean Sweep. Yes, he’s still playing, last season for the Pelicans.
Now, though, the stakes are a lot higher as noted above. Rather than being pessimistic about the Lottery, let’s go for broke and project the Nets winning the Draft Lottery! Huzzah!
So if the aerodynamics of ping pong balls work to our advantage, who would the Nets take with the overall No. 1 in a draft described as both deep and generational??
Beat us! And not just us. There was one piece of intel that the Nets like Kingston Flemings, the 6’5” Houston point guard, burt that’s it. We believe the Nets have started workouts and interviews of prospects. Based on their current picks at Nos. 3, 33 and 43 and what’s known about their history, you’d expect that 60 or more candidates will be brought in and not just for the Draft but for slots on the Summer League, training camp and the Long Island Nets invites. It all goes into the scouting database.
A.J. Dybantsa, the 19-year-old, 6’9” BYU wing, has been seen as one of three franchise changers in the 2026 Draft for more than a year. His skills and NBA fit were being acknowledged in high school! Early this season, the Boston area native, was seen as the second or third of the franchise-changers but a combination of his game and questions about Kansas guard Darryn Peterson’s personality and injuries pushed Dybantsa into the consensus No. 1 spot among draftniks, bypassing Cam Boozer of Duke.
What makes him the top pick? If you go just by the numbers, you can see he had a sensational year for Brigham Young, averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.1 steals in 35 (out of 4o) minutes. He shot 51/33/77 despite being double-teamed a lot of the time.
But he also has the personality indeed a wow factor that as George Steinbrenner once famously said can put “fannies in the seats.“
Some highlights of his season:
They don’t compare him to a Tracey McGrady for nothing.
“I guess you’d rather fail with [AJ] and his upside, than not,” a Western Conference general manager told ESPN this month. “And I know Peterson has upside, maybe Boozer’s upside is a little bit less. … I just think that [AJ], because he’s 6’9” and he could be like 6’10”, 230 [pounds] by the time he’s 25 years old, he could just be a monster. I think you’ve just got to go down swinging with him if you go down.”
Dybantsa also won kudos this week for his good-bye message to the Cougars.
“When I committed to BYU, I knew I was signing up for something bigger than basketball,” he wrote. “A lot of people questioned the decision. For me, the choice was simple. I wanted to go to the place that would best develop me as a basketball player and as a person. BYU was the program that gave me the clearest path to both.”
The sincerity exhibited in the letter belied one concern raised about Dybantsa: his maturity. Could he lead your franchise?
“Dybantsa not the guy you want to set your culture. They’d be better off with lesser talent,” said one league decision-maker (not with the Nets) who did not elaborate
Of course, he is only 19.
Final Note
Congratulations to Mr. Whammy, aka Bruce Reznick. He will join Joe Tsai, Sean Marks and other Nets front office staff at the NBA Draft Lottery. Tsai announced the invitation to Whammy on Monday night in a tweet.
And thanks to Joe Tsai not only for inviting the 90-year-old superfan and Hall of Fame member to the Lottery but for recognizing what Whammy and his late wife, Judy, have done for the Nets going back to New Jersey days. Good all around.
At the trade deadline last February, the Detroit Pistons mostly stayed quiet. Trajan Langdon and the front office made a conscious decision not to make a big move; they wanted to see what this group — which finished with the No. 1 seed in the East — could do in the cauldron of the playoffs. They chose not to add any secondary shot creation, no speed, and just a little shooting from Kevin Huerter (sending out Jaden Ivey).
That lack of secondary playmaking and shooting has Detroit on the verge of being knocked out of the playoffs by the No. 8 seed Orlando Magic.
In a physical, defensive Game 4 on Monday, the Pistons shot just 6-of-30 (20%) from 3-point range and 37.8% overall. And in the face of intense defensive pressure, the Pistons turned the ball over 20 times — eight times by Cade Cunningham, who also shot 7-of-23 on the night. Detroit is just flat-out struggling to score against a quality Orlando defense, they lack shot creators and shooters.
Meanwhile, the Magic were stepping up and making just enough plays.
The result Monday night was a 94-88 Magic win in front of a raucous home crowd, which gives them a commanding 3-1 series lead as everything shifts back to Detroit on Wednesday.
This has been a defensive series and the Magic were not exactly lighting it up — 32.9% shooting as a team. Yet their stars seemed to grind out ways to score, with Desmond Bane having another strong night with 22 points and shooting 5-of-10 from beyond the arc. Paolo Banchero put up 18 points, mostly because he got downhill and got to the free-throw line 13 times.
Franz Wagner added 19 but was out at the end of the game with what the Pistons described as a sore calf. He was replaced by former two-way player Jamal Cain, who was making key shots and defending Cunningham down the stretch. While the Magic stars are finding ways, the Pistons' stars are struggling. Cunningham finished with 25 points, but was 3-of-11 from beyond the arc and had the eight turnovers. Jalen Duren finished the night with 12 points and eight assists, making a real impact on the defensive end but not enough on offense. Duncan Robinson, the best shooter on the team, was 1-of-6 from 3, while Tobias Harris was 0-5 from 3 but still finished with 20 points.
Detroit was slopping from the opening tip with seven turnovers in their first 10 possessions of the night — five in a row at one point — which led to a dozen Pistons points. Combine that with some early fouls by the Pistons and the Magic were up by as many as 12 in the first six minutes. It was the Pistons' bench that settled things down and had them back in the game — behind them the Pistons rip off a 16-3 run. At the end of one quarter, it was 27-26 Detroit.
The Pistons cranked up their defense after the rough start, and in the face of that the Magic settled for a lot more jump shots. With that, Detroit went on a run and led by as many as 10, then it was Orlando's turn to adjust, show some grit and fight back. The result was a 54-52 Magic lead at the half.
This game was close most of the way, but energized at home, the Magic made just enough plays and hit just enough shots in the end to get the win.
Now Detroit heads home for a must-win game and a lot of questions.
The No. 8 Orlando Magic have taken a commanding 3-1 series lead over the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, but they may have some trouble brewing.
Star forward Franz Wagner missed the entire fourth quarter of Orlando’s 94-88 victory in Game 4 on Monday, April 27 with right calf soreness. The Magic have taken control over the first-round series against Detroit, and Wagner had been a steady factor in that; he posted an efficient, all-around performance Monday night, scoring 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting, adding 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals in just 24:11 on the floor.
But Orlando could find it difficult to fill in for Wagner, who is one of the team’s key offensive threats. Despite the injury, however, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley didn’t seem too concerned about Wagner’s status moving forward.
“I talked to him a little bit (after the game), but that’s about it,” Mosley said. “But he’s in good spirits right now.”
The Magic eventually listed Wagner as questionable to return after he was removed from the game. Though he sat the entire fourth, Wagner was present on the bench, cheering his team on as they repelled a Detroit rally in the final minutes.
Wagner appeared in just 34 games this season. He averaged 20.6 points on 48.1% shooting, adding 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Alongside Paolo Banchero, Wagner is the other top offensive threat for the Magic, who have defended Detroit well in the first round.
In Wagner’s absence, backup Magic forward Jamal Cain stepped up massively in the fourth quarter, and he and Tristan da Silva likely figure to have larger roles if Wagner misses time.
Cain scored 8 points on 4-of-8 shooting Monday night, including a thunderous dunk on Pistons rim protector Jalen Duren.
“We’ve put ourselves in position to try to get four (games), but right now, it means nothing,” Mosley said. “We have the advantage, and now we just have to make sure we try to keep that advantage.”
Phil Jackson used his first post in more than a year to propose a way to improve the NBA game.
It is actually one the legendary head coach said he has pitched to the league for more than a dozen years.
The topic became relevant after one of Jackson’s former players with the Bulls and current Warriors coach Steve Kerr broached the idea of eliminating the 3-pointer altogether.
The 80-year-old Jackson, who won 13 NBA championships as a player and coach, doesn’t want to go that far, but he does want to see an adjustment made to the 3-point line.
Phil Jackson is pictured in May 2017. NBAE via Getty Images
“15 years I’ve been asking the NBA rules committee to widen the court apron. Corner shot b-comes 23.9,” Jackson wrote Monday on X.
Jackson’s suggestion would make the 3-point line uniform around the entire court and eliminate the enticing and easier-to-hit 22-foot trey from either corner.
While the switch could disincentivize teams from sticking with the 3-point-happy offenses that now dominante the league, it’s not a simple one to make. It would mean eliminating some pricey front row seats from arenas everywhere.
It does seem a little odd coming from someone who was a 3-point specialist as a player and coached two of the most prolific 3-point shooters in NBA history in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson with the Warriors.
Steve Kerr reacts during the Warriors’ April 5 game. NBAE via Getty Images
“I would never do a four-point play,” Kerr said. “In fact, I would even consider getting rid of the three-point line.”
Kerri helped Jackson win three of his championships, playing a key role in the Bulls’ second three-peat from 1996-99.
Jackson stepped away from the spotlight after his failed tenure as Knicks president from March 2014 to June 2017.
The Dallas Mavericks capped off a rough season with a silver lining, as rookie phenom Cooper Flagg was named 2025-2026 NBA Rookie of the Year Monday night. In what was a polarizing race between he and Charlotte Hornets’ Kon Knueppel, we saw one of the most historic rookie campaigns from the former, pitted against one of the most efficient rookie shooting seasons from the latter.
A straw poll just days before the season ended had Knueppel winning the award, completely befuddling Mavs’ fans who thought their guy was the obvious winner. Whether or not a poor showing across two PlayIn Tournament games for Knueppel swayed some voters (it technically shouldn’t have factored into their decision, but unseeing something isn’t exactly realistic) is anyone’s guess. When all was said and done, Flagg grabbed 56 first place votes to Knueppel’s 44, it what was the second smallest margin of victory since the 2002-2003 season when the current voting format took effect.
Mavs’ fans got a little something to feel good about, and a very tight, intriguing race feels like it ended positively for all involved. Knueppel made a real name for himself and received a ton of recognition in the highly contested race, while Flagg’s truly remarkable (and in some cases, one of a kind) accomplishments earned him the highly coveted award.
Then, seemingly before the corks from the champagne bottles found their landing spot, we were given a take that was even more unpredictable than the Rookie of the Year race itself. Speaking on NBA Showtime Monday night, studio analyst and former NBA player Carmelo Anthony gave a surprisingly unexpected shoutout… to former Mavericks’ GM Nico Harrison.
Carmelo Anthony shouts out Nico Harrison for Cooper Flagg winning ROY 💀
"Shout out to Nico Harrison for seeing this right here. For understanding his vision. Whatever happened or how it happened, Dallas got something back. They got the #1 pick and a rookie who led the squad in… pic.twitter.com/Bg9qyrANsv
“Shout out to Nico Harrison for seeing this right here; for understanding this vision,” said Anthony, in what is likely one of the most far-fetched interpretations of a scenario you’re likely to see in a long time.
When I first heard the comments, my immediate instinct to cover the topic was quickly tamped down by the thought that bringing it any attention at all would only exacerbate the problem. Still, it is Mavericks-related news that is what we are here for. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I have no interest in squabbling about such things with a member of the media, allow me to offer a counter point: this is insane.
Anthony is basically suggesting that Nico Harrison’s trade of Luka Doncic was all part of an overarching vision to draft Cooper Flagg. That Harrison’s ability to see Flagg’s talent and choose him with the number one overall pick was a shoutout worthy effort. Break it down for a moment. Harrison traded Doncic for Anthony Davis in what was a win-now move that he expected to net Dallas at least one championship in the ensuing years. At no point, in any way, shape or form, was Harrison’s plan to tear the team down – a team coming off an NBA Finals appearance – so he could later draft Cooper Flagg and rebuild it. This is not subjective interpretation, but rather, it’s fact. Harrison so much as told us.
Further, Harrison could not have possibly predicted the incredibly bad injury luck the Mavs would encounter (although his personnel changes could have given him a hint of things to come), or that the Mavs’ 1.8% chance would actually put them in position to move up to the top spot in the draft. Once all of that did happen, it certainly was not a shoutout-worthy event to draft Flagg, the by-far consensus number one pick that year.
Anthony’s comments echo Harrison’s own absurd declaration after the Draft Lottery that got Dallas the top pick – something along the lines of “fortune favors the bold.” While that may be true, getting the number one pick was not the result of bold moves with intent. It was the result of extremely fortuitous lottery results on the heels of an epically disastrous post-trade outcome.
To be fair to Anthony, his fellow analysts chuckled (as did he), and none of them reacted with the stunned shock the commentary actually warranted. To that end, it would not surprise me if everyone was aware of what Anthony would deliver, and maybe he did it with tongue in cheek. Anthony and Vince Carter (who was sitting beside him) have a friendly relationship with Nico Harrison and have previously vocalized support for their friend during the unrelenting backlash he received in the post-trade era.
While showing support for your friend, especially in the off-chance it was deliberately facetious to a degree, is a noble gesture, re-writing actual reality into a ludicrous Bizarro World version of reality is plainly irresponsible. Not because Nico Harrison deserves to be treated like Hester Prynne for all time – he doesn’t; better to just move on – but because we should carry a responsibility to truth and this was not that, however much jest may have been baked in (if any). This all could have been time better spent commending the folks who truly did have the vision, and that is the award winner himself and his family who put in endless reps and tons of work to get to this point. That’s where the real story lies.
I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks
Two Lakers guards were fined by the NBA because of their criticism and interactions with the referees after Sunday’s Game 4 loss to the Rockets.
The league announced on Monday that Marcus Smart was fined $35,000 for “questioning the integrity of game officials”, while Luke Kennard was fined $25,000 for “directing inappropriate language toward game officials”.
Smart said after Sunday’s loss in the best-of-seven first round series, which the Lakers are leading 3-1, that Deandre Ayton’s ejection midway through the third quarter was “BS” after Ayton was assessed a Flagrant 2 foul for elbowing Alperen Sengun in the head.
“That’s what we felt,” Smart added. “He was just trying to brace himself. Two guys who are sweating their butts off playing the game, arm slips up, right? But we’re proud of the way he handled it, and I think that just speaks volume about who he is and his progression.”
Kennard was in the midst of a postgame verbal back-and-forth between the Lakers and Rockets.
“Hilarious, very hilarious,” Smart said of the postgame scene.
Luke Kennard was fined $25,000 for “directing inappropriate language toward game officials.” IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectMarcus Smart was fined $35,000 for “questioning the integrity of game officials.” NBAE via Getty Images
After the final buzzer sounded the Lakers had words with several Rockets players and the officials. Including Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt. JJ, Luka, and Austin Reaves also went to talk to the head official James Williams pic.twitter.com/xyLBEWF3mB
Apr 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets players react after game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard were handed fines of $35,000 and $25,000, respectively, for separate issues involving the officials. Smart’s fine came for “questioning the integrity of game officials,” while Kennard’s was “for directing inappropriate language toward officials.”
Kennard’s incident likely came at the end of the game. During the little altercation between the two teams, Kennard also yelled some expletives at the officials, which lip readers will be able to pick up.
dude luke is not what I expected him to be😳 he was so furious it made vando change habits and hold him back😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Kerkdb0gFY
As for Smart’s, it’s a bit more unclear. The phrasing of his fine usually comes after a player criticizes officials to the media postgame. However, this was basically as critical he was of the officials when talking about Deandre Ayton’s questionable ejection.
“Then, obviously, the ejection, we all understood it was some BS,” Smart said. “That’s what we felt. He was just trying to brace himself. Two guys who are sweating their butts off playing the game, his arm slips up, right? But we’re proud of the way he handled and I think that just speaks volumes about who he is and just his progression.
“He’s learning and he could have just as easily – it probably would have been justifiable if he went off. But to keep his composure and stay positive, I think it’s only going to help him and his team.”
Relatively speaking, that’s a pretty tame criticism of officiating and doesn’t feel like one that warrants a fine. He, too, could have said something to the officials on the floor, but that’s typically going to result in phrasing that came with Kennard’s fine.
Nevertheless, this is now $95,000 in fines in the last four days tied to James Williams and his officiating crew. Devin Booker was also handed a $35,000 fine for calling out Williams by name in his postgame presser.
In that instance, the league also rescinded all the technical fouls handed out that game. This time, it doesn’t appear that move came with the fines. But it’s pretty clear this officiating crew shouldn’t officiate another postseason game.
Yet, just five years ago, the NBA announced 363 players had filed as early entry candidates – reportedly the highest number in league history. And the numbers have dipped every year since then.
There’s little mystery behind the trend. The Name Image and Likeness (NIL) era began in July 2021, allowing college athletes to cash in like never before. Clearly, it’s made staying in school more appealing for players not guaranteed to be picked high enough – or at all – during the two-round NBA draft that determines a rookie's salary. The year's draft will be held June 23-24.
Last year, Cooper Flagg, by virtue of getting picked No.1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, was guaranteed a four-year deal worth more than $62 million, according to spotrac. Getting picked No. 30, the last pick of the first round, guaranteed a four-year deal worth $14 million, according to spotrac.
By contrast, not all second-round picks are guaranteed contracts.
Rasheer Fleming, the top second-round pick last year, was guaranteed about $6 million for a four-year, $8.7 million contact, according to spotrac.
Those who go undrafted, good luck.
The case of Florida Gators star Thomas Haugh
The Athletic helped spotlight the new dynamics when Thomas Haugh, a rising senior forward at Florida who was considered potential draft lottery pick, recently diclosed he will return for a fourth season with the Gators.
“Haugh is expected to be among the highest earners in college basketball next season, with sources familiar with the decision projecting that he’s in line to make around what he’d earn in his first two NBA seasons combined if he’d been drafted in the top 20 in this year’s draft,’’ The Athletic reported.
Meanwhile, the number of early entry candidates likely will shrink further before the NBA draft lottery, which is May 10 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC. That’s when the order of selection will be determined for the 14 teams who qualified for the lottery.
In its release, Monday, April 27 the NBA explains the process if a player wants to withdraw his name. Under NCAA rules, in order to retain college basketball eligibility, college players who have entered the 2026 NBA Draft must withdraw by May 27. Players who have applied for early entry have the right to withdraw their names from consideration for the draft by notifying the NBA of their decision in writing no later than 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 13
That could include Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan), Ebuka Okorie (Stanford) and Meleek Thomas (Arkansas), according to Kalbrosky.
Alijan Arenas likely to return to USC despite being on early-entry list
Alijah Arenas, the son of retired NBA Al-Star Gilbert Arenas, will return for his sophomore season at Southern California, the Los Angeles Times has reported. He was a five-star high school recruit who seemed likely to opt for the NBA draft after one season with the Trojans, and his name appears on the early-entry college list the NBA released Monday.
In April 2025 Arena was placed in an induced coma after a car crash, and the accident resulted in a slow start to his freshman season.
NBA draft early-entry college players
Non-international players from colleges who have applied for early entry into the 2026 NBA Draft, with player name, school, height and class (FR=freshman, SO=sophomore, JR=junior).
Matt Able, N.C. State, 6-6, FR
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas, 6-3, FR
Amari Allen, Alabama, 6-8, FR
Nate Ament, Tennessee, 6-10, FR
Christian Anderson Jr., Texas Tech, 6-3, SO
Alijah Arenas, USC, 6-6, FR
Flory Bidunga, Kansas, 6-10, SO
Finley Bizjack, Butler, 6-4, JR
John Blackwell, Wisconsin, 6-4, JR
Shane Blakeney, Drexel, 6-5, JR
Anton Bonke, Charlotte, 7-2, JR
Cameron Boozer, Duke, 6-9, FR
Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville, 6-5, FR
Rowan Brumbaugh, Tulane, 6-4, JR
Brayden Burries, Arizona, 6-4, FR
Elliot Cadeau, Michigan, 6-1, JR
Cameron Carr, Baylor, 6-5, SO
Chris Cenac Jr., Houston, 6-11, FR
Rueben Chinyelu, Florida, 6-10, JR
Jacob Cofie, USC, 6-10, SO
Cruz Davis, Hofstra, 6-3, JR
Kennard Davis Jr., BYU, 6-6, JR
Keanu Dawes, Utah, 6-9, JR
AJ Dybantsa, BYU, 6-9, FR
Gabe Dynes, USC, 7-5, JR
Eian Elmer, Miami (Ohio), 6-6, JR
Isaiah Evans, Duke, 6-6, SO
Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State, 6-2, SO
Kingston Flemings, Houston, 6-4, FR
Colby Garland, San Jose State, 6-0, JR
Allen Graves, Santa Clara, 6-9, FR
Juke Harris, Wake Forest, 6-7, SO
Isiah Harwell, Houston, 6-6, FR
Lou Hutchinson, Alabama A&M, 6-7, JR
Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan, 6-9, SO
Acaden Lewis, Villanova, 6-2, FR
Aday Mara, Michigan, 7-3, JR
Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State, 6-8, JR
Malachi Moreno, Kentucky, 7-0, FR
Paulius Murauskas, Saint Mary’s, 6-8, JR
Ebuka Okorie, Stanford, 6-2, FR
Dennis Parker Jr., Radford, 6-6, JR
Koa Peat, Arizona, 6-8, FR
Darryn Peterson, Kansas, 6-6, FR
Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama, 6-4, SO
Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky, 6-10, SO
Sebastian Rancik, Colorado, 6-11, SO
Billy Richmond III, Arkansas, 6-6, SO
Hannes Steinbach, Washington, 6-11, FR
Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois, 6-7, JR
Dailyn Swain, Texas, 6-8, JR
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt, 6-0, SO
Meleek Thomas, Arkansas, 6-5, FR
Aiden Tobiason, Temple, 6-5, SO
Bryson Tucker, Washington, 6-7, SO
Henri Veesaar, North Carolina, 7-0, JR
Keaton Wagler, Illinois, 6-6, FR
LeJuan Watts, Texas Tech, 6-6, JR
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina, 6-10, FR
Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor, 6-5, FR
NBA draft early-entry international players
International players who have applied for early entry into the 2026 NBA Draft, with player name, team (country of team in parentheses) and date of birth):
Mohammad Amini, Nancy (France), 6-7, 2005
Pavle Backo, Mega (Serbia), 7-0, 2007
Bassala Bagayoko, Bilbao (Spain), 6-10, 2006
Francesco Ferrari, Virtus Bologna (Italy), 6-9, 2005
Marc-Owen Fodzo Dada, Nancy (France), 5-11, 2006
Vsevolod Ishchenko, Lokomotiv (Russia), 6-3, 2005
Jack Kayil, Alba Berlin (Germany), 6-3, 2006
Sergio de Larrea, Valencia (Spain), 6-6, 2005
Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers (Australia), 6-8, 2007
The 2026 NBA Draft lottery will be held in Chicago on Sunday, May 10 at 3 p.m. ET on ABC. The lottery will determine the order of selection for the 14 teams who have qualified for the so-called lottery picks.
The 2026 NBA draft will take place June 23-24 in New York at the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets.
The first round will be held at Tuesday, June 23 at 8 p.m. ET (ABC and ESPN)
The second round will be on Wednesday, June 24 at 8 p.m. ET (ESPN).
Landry Shamet has been replaced by Jose Alvarado in the Knicks' rotation.
Landry Shamet’s tumble out of the Knicks rotation was a multistep process.
Sure, his struggles — during both the postseason and end of the regular season — played a factor.
Since March 1, he has shot 26-for-86 (30.2 percent) from 3-point range.
He played 18 and 10 minutes in the first two games against the Hawks before logging three minutes in Game 3 and not entering Game 4 until garbage time.
Landry Shamet dribbles during the Knicks’ April 25 game against the Hawks. NBAE via Getty Images
Jose Alvarado has usurped him in the rotation.
“It’s a little bit of a story of how it evolved,” coach Mike Brown said after practice Monday. “We won Game 1 with Landry as the backup point guard. I made a shift in Game 2 and put ‘Deuce’ [Miles McBride] as the backup point guard, and it threw our guys off a little bit when they came out on the floor. So we needed a true point guard on the floor to settle us once we got a little bit discombobulated. And when we threw Jose out there, he played well. And so I gave him another opportunity and then another, and he played well. So that’s kind of where we are.
Jose Alvarado looks to move the ball during the Knicks’ April 25 game. NBAE via Getty Images
“I said this before: Everybody has to be ready to play because anybody’s number can be called at any time. Similar to Jordan Clarkson during the course of the year, Jose wasn’t playing at the end of the year. He didn’t play the first game of the playoffs. But he stayed present, and when his number was called, he performed.”
Jalen Brunson said he spoke with Donte DiVincenzo, who ruptured his Achilles tendon during the Timberwolves’ Game 4 win over the Nuggets on Saturday.
Brunson has a long history with DiVincenzo, with whom he was teammates on both the Knicks and Villanova.
“He seemed in good spirits,” Brunson said Monday. “He’s formulating a plan, and [I] wish him nothing but the best. It sucks to see it. Honestly, after [the Knicks’ Game 4], that was like the first thing I heard, and looked it up and saw it. That’s my brother. Tough to see, but he’ll be back stronger.”
The Knicks have a clean injury report for Game 5, while Jock Landale (high ankle sprain) remains out for the Hawks.
Brunson briefly went to the locker room during the third quarter of Game 4 after Dyson Daniels fell on his left leg, but returned later in the quarter.
