The 2026 Western Conference Finals return to Oklahoma City on Tuesday, May 26 for a pivotal Game 5, with the series now tied 2-2 after San Antonio seized momentum with a commanding Game 4 win. The Thunder also still face the possibility of being without star forward Jalen Williams for Tuesday's game.
Williams remains questionable for the critical matchup against the Spurs due to a lingering left hamstring strain, which has already kept him out of the last two games. His absence looms large for Oklahoma City, as Williams averaged a little over 28 minutes and 17 points per game during the regular season.
The Thunder, who will already be missing key reserve Ajay Mitchell tonight, are hoping to rebound from a tough 102-82 defeat to the Spurs on Sunday, May 24. Oklahoma City's offense struggled to find rhythm, resulting in a postseason-low point total. San Antonio sensation Victor Wembanyama was a dominant force, posting an impressive 33 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks in the decisive victory.
Following Game 5 in Oklahoma City, the series will shift back to San Antonio for Game 6 on Thursday, May 28.
Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs will start at 8:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday. It will be broadcast on NBC and available for streaming on Peacock.
BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 26: Bob Myers looks on during the 2025 NBA Draft - Round Two on June 26, 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s been a minute, friends.
After some time to digest things, I’m back with a mailbag. We’ll make this a weekly thing again now that the Sixers’ offseason is in full swing — with a lot of business to attend to.
The most important first step for the Sixers is finding a new president of basketball operations. It appears Bob Myers has narrowed it down to four reported candidates — Mike Gansey (GM, Cleveland Cavaliers), Matt Lloyd (GM, Minnesota Timberwolves), Nick U’Ren (GM, Phoenix Mercury (WNBA)) and Jameer Nelson, the only internal candidate.
The positive, in my humble opinion, is there are no retreads on this list. Myers appears to be targeting people behind the curtain who are due for a turn running their own team. Nelson feels least likely, but all indications suggest he will have a large role in the organization, no matter who gets the POBO role. The three external candidates seem to have good track records as far as scouting, something the Sixers desperately need either for their current roster or their eventual rebuild.
As far as the current playoffs, the New York Knicks have already emphatically punched their ticket to the Finals while the WCF return to Oklahoma tied at 2-2. Anything you’re gleaning from the playoffs? Feeling better or worse about the current Sixers?
The NBA Draft is also less than a month away. The Sixers have the 22nd overall pick and need as much depth as possible. We’re going to start our prospect previews in earnest next week, but I’ve been cramming, so hit me with any of your draft questions!
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives against Texas Longhorns forward Nic Codie (10) in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
The 2026 NBA Draft is coming up in less than a month. And with the Washington Wizards holding the No. 1 pick, they have a chance to get a true franchise player for the rest of the 2020s into the 2030s. The consensus No. 1 pick is former Brigham Young star AJ Dybantsa. And here, let’s be DMV Dybantsa-stans for a second and say why he is the perfect franchise player for Washington.
Dybantsa fits the prototype of a future superstar scoring wing
The league has increasingly revolved around big perimeter creators. Teams spend years tanking and rebuilding, hoping to find a player like this. Dybantsa projects as a 6’8″-6’9″ wing who can create offense, defend multiple positions, and eventually carry an offense late in games. Washington has not had perimeter talent of that caliber in …. a long time.
Yes, John Wall was an elite floor general. Yes, Gilbert Arenas was elite offensively in the 2000s. But the Wizards need someone who has the potential to be a future Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic or even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Dybantsa is the prospect closest to reaching that level of potential.
If Dybantsa reaches even 80 percent of his ceiling, the Wizards suddenly have the most important asset in the NBA right now: a true franchise wing.
The Wizards desperately need star power and marketability
As you know, the NBA brought back John Tesh to play “Roundball Rock,” not to show Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen dominate with the Chicago Bulls. Now, it’s to show LeBron James, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama dominate with their teams.
How many times did you hear “Roundball Rock” every two minutes on WRC-TV, our local NBC station show Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly? None.
It’s not just that the Wizards were bad in 2025-26. The Wizards have been systemically bad or irrelevant. Remember 2013-14 when the Wizards made the playoffs? Sure the playoff games were on national TV, but during the regular season? They had NO games on ESPN or TNT. So it shouldn’t be surprising that the Wizards are left out of a lot of national TV games when they have:
0 conference finals appearances since 1979
0 50-win seasons since 1979
Poor attendance and weak national TV relevance compared to similar large NBA markets
A true superstar changes revenue, ticket sales, jersey sales, sponsorships, and national relevance. If Dybantsa becomes a 25-points-per-game caliber scorer, that changes the entire trajectory of the franchise for the next decade. And we’ll get to see John Tesh play his song at Capital One Arena too.
The Wizards are probably drafting Dybantsa anyway
Well, let’s look at the betting market with our partners at FanDuel. Remember to play responsibly.
Anyway, when we are looking at who could win the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder, the San Antonio Spurs and the Eastern Conference Champion New York Knicks, the Thunder, Spurs and Knicks all have a wing player in Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson, respectively, who Dybantsa could be like in the future.
Hopefully, Dybantsa isn’t a late bloomer like Brunson. And yeah, the Thunder are the favorites per FanDuel’s odds. We should be seeing odds on the Wizards’ selection at No. 1 as we get closer to the NBA Draft itself. And if those odds were out there, they’d still say that if the draft was right now, Dybantsa is playing for Washington this fall given what most NBA draft gurus are thinking.
Now, this is just one piece singing praises to Dybantsa. There are three players whom the Wizards COULD pick at No. 1. So, let me ask you all. Do you think Dybantsa fits the perfect franchise player profile for Washington? Let us know in the comments below.
May 25, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) shoots in the first quarter against the New York Knicks during game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images
CLEVELAND — There were stretches throughout the postseason when Donovan Mitchell didn’t quite look himself. The burst and explosiveness to the basket weren’t there like we’ve become accustomed to in the past. So much so that it led to commentators speculating that maybe he was injured.
Mitchell has been asked repeatedly throughout the postseason about whether he was injured. He’d shrug the questions off every time. He was asked again after the Cleveland Cavaliers’ season-ending Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks, and his answer was mostly the same.
“Everybody’s beat up,” Mitchell said after scoring 31 points. “Everybody’s got something. It is what it is. I looked fine today, right? So if you’re out there between those lines, it doesn’t really matter. I’m fine.”
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With the season over, there’s no reason to try to cover up a possible injury. It’s worth taking Mitchell at his word when he says this.
Mitchell has pointed to himself and the team being worn down after the previous two losses. That’s something that they could’ve avoided.
“The two series before having to go seven, that’s our fault, we did that to ourselves,” Mitchell said. “That puts you in a tough position against a team that’s not only been to the conference finals, knows what that takes, but also has the rest, mental preparation, and then on top of that, having Game 1 happen, and we didn’t execute, that’s on us, and we couldn’t control that, that’s what happened.”
Mitchell also noted that there’s a “mental toughness” that’s needed to play their best this late in the playoffs. “Physically, we’re all beat up, everybody’s beat up.” The issue was the “mental focus” not being there at times, which led to costly turnovers.
Mitchell and this Cavs group achieved more playoff success than they have at any point in the past eight years. However, that success also showed how much farther this group needs to go if they want to be the ones lifting a trophy on their home floor.
After completing a four-game sweep of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals Monday night, the Knicks brought the NBA Finals back to Madison Square Garden for the first time since 1999.
The Knicks have nine days off before the series begins June 3, and will face either the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Outside Madison Square Garden Knicks fans celebrate winning Game 4 of the Eastern conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers to advance to the NBA Finals on May 25, 2026. Aristide Economopoulos for NY Post
The Western Conference finals is tied at 2-2 heading into Tuesday’s Game 5.
The New York/New Jersey area is already going to be congested as one of the hosts of the World Cup starting June 11, with MetLife Stadium hosting the World Cup final on July 19.
There could be commuting chaos at New York Penn Station for fans on Tuesday, June 16 — when a potential Game 6 of the Finals could take place at The Garden on the same day France and Senegal will be playing a World Cup match at MetLife Stadium, which was temporarily renamed New York/New Jersey Stadium for the tournament.
Outside Madison Square Garden and New York Penn Station Knicks fans celebrate winning Game 4 of the Eastern conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers to advance to the NBA Finals on May 25, 2026. Aristide Economopoulos for NY Post
The France-Senegal matchup is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
Despite being hours apart, fans returning from the World Cup match and fans heading to a potential Game 6 could be in for a nightmare commute.
New York Penn Station and NJ Transit have made major changes for commuters.
A “We are New York New Jersey” banner is displayed at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 9, 2026 ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. AFP via Getty Images
During the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches at MetLife Stadium, New York Penn Station will restrict access for New Jersey Transit commuters for four hours prior to kickoff in order to safely accommodate the high volume of match-day travel.
New Jersey-bound trains from Penn Station will prioritize those who have World Cup match tickets.
New Jersey Transit advised commuters not attending a match to avoid traveling on match days unless travel is essential.
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Knicks fans flooded 7th Avenue outside of Madison Square Garden after New York’s 130-93 Game 4 clincher in Cleveland.
NYPD had their hands full as some fans climbed street lights, brought brooms to the pavement and stood on top of subway structures.
Jalen Brunson of the Knicks handles the ball during the game against the Cavaliers during Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 25, 2026 in Cleveland. NBAE via Getty Images
Imagine just how raucous it would be with Knicks fans near New York Penn Station during the NBA Finals and the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The Knicks shot the lights out of the Rocket Arena, but nobody took that old adage literally.
That was until the lights really went out during a postgame interview Monday night.
Landry Shamet, the sharpshooting Knicks guard, was around one minute into his interview with ESPN’s “Inside the NBA” when it appeared most of the lights in the arena shut off.
Knicks guard Landry Shamet at the start of his interview on ESPN’s “Inside the NBA” on May 25, 2026.
During the interview, Shamet praised his entire team for its shooting successes throughout the playoffs.
“The beautiful thing of this group is it could be a different guy every night,” Shamet said.
“Josh Hart had a great shooting night this series when they were sagging off him, he made a bunch of shots. It could be Duece, it could be anybody off the bench.”
Landry Shamet after the lights appeared to go out during his “Inside the NBA” interview on May 25, 2026. YouTube/NBA on ESPN
Shamet went 11-for-12 from 3-point range over the four games, a hot streak that nobody in NBA playoffs history has ever matched percentage-wise.
Coincidentally, the last time the playoffs saw a lights-out shooter like Shamet in a series was in 2017, when Cavaliers guard Kyle Korver went 11-for-20 from beyond the arc against the Raptors.
Shamet’s sharpshooting was a key piece in the Knicks’ Eastern Conference finals sweep.
Landray Shamet in the second quarter of Monday night’s win Getty Images
Out of the 11 3s he made, none were more important than his game-tying 3-pointer with just 47 seconds left in Game 1.
That crucial shot helped propel the Knicks to win in overtime, setting the momentum for the rest of the series.
Shamet shooting a three-pointer in game one of the Eastern Conference Finals. Getty Images
The Knicks secured their Finals spot for the first time since 1999 by beating Cleveland by double-digits in every game of the series.
They became the first team the first team to win by such margins in a sweep preceding the NBA Finals since the 1950 Lakers.
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The Knicks also hold a +19.4-point differential throughout the playoffs, the highest in NBA history since the 2017 Golden State Warriors’ +16.3.
The team will now have a long stretch off until the finals start June 3.
The players and fans will continue to wait to see who their opponent is, as the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are tied 2-2 in the Western Conference finals.
One thing is certain: The lights are still on in the Knicks’ quest toward an NBA championship.
"The Western Conference Finals are the real NBA Finals."
We all read that or heard it on a podcast just a week ago, before the two conference finals rounds tipped off. Versions of it have popped up again in the past handful of days to push back because exuberant Knicks fans, who are feeling themselves after watching their team destroy Cleveland and everyone else in their path and returning to the NBA Finals for the first time since "Livin' La Vida Loca" was the No. 1 song in the nation.
The argument that the Knicks were a doormat for the West winner is not that the Knicks were a bad team, it's that they were playing in the JV circuit. Meanwhile, the 64-win defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder with MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, going up against the 62-win San Antonio Spurs with Victor Wembanyama was the varsity.
That argument would have merit if we were talking about the regular season Knicks, a 53-win team with a +6.5 net rating — a quality team, a contender, but a step below the Spurs and Thunder.
These Knicks are different
These playoff Knicks are different. This team can compete with the best — they have won their 12 games so far by 273 points and lost two games by one point each (on CJ McCollum shots). This is a team that has shown the grit and resilience needed in the postseason. Think about what The Kincks have going for them.
• Jalen Brunson is being Jalen Brunson, an All-NBA player, an elite shot creator and scorer. • Karl-Anthony Towns has thrived as the hub of the offense, but more importantly, even when the Cavaliers did a good job of forcing the Knicks away from that offense, Towns impacted games, hit the boards hard (12 rebounds a game against the Cavaliers) and continued to play the best defense of his career. He's not been a target as he has been in the past and has shown real range on defense. • Mikal Bridges has become the two-way force the Knicks envisioned when they gave up a Brinks Truck full of picks to land him — 18.5 points a game on 54.7% shooting against Cleveland. • OG Anunoby has been a two-way force and shot 36.8% from 3 against Cleveland. • Landry Shamet can't miss off the bench — he hit 11-of-12 3-pointers against the Cavaliers. • Mitchell Robinson has been healthy and a force on the glass and defensively throughout the playoffs. • The Knicks are a legit eight deep in guys Mike Brown can trust in the Finals (sorry Jordan Clarkson and Jose Alvarado, it might be a rough next round for you). • Brown can coach. Casual fans may try to slander him with the "journeyman" tag, but this guy coached the Cavaliers to the Finals (2007), has won rings as an assistant with the Warriors (who was occasionally forced into the big chair because of Steve Kerr's back), and whose best coaching job may have been getting the Kings to the playoffs for the only time in two decades. • The Knicks offense clicked with KAT as a high-post hub, and when the Cavaliers — with two quality big-men defenders — took that away, the Knicks comfortably adjusted to going back to the trusted "have Jalen Brunson hunt weak defenders" offense of years past, and the Cavaliers provided James Harden and other targets.
Over the past couple of years, we have seen flashes of this peak version of the Knicks, but they could never sustain it. That’s changed — they have won 11 straight games, and there is confidence around this team, a swagger we see from champions. Playing like this on both ends, they can hang with anyone. Now the Knicks get a week to rest and recover before the NBA Finals start June 3, while the two teams in the West continue to beat each other up.
These New York Knicks absolutely can win the franchise's first NBA championship since 1973.
Facing the West will be very different
Enjoy this moment, Knicks fans, but also know the cakewalk sweeps are over — whichever team comes out of the West is light years ahead of any team New York saw in the East (with a nod to Joe Lacob for the light years reference).
The Knicks are not going to be the favorites in the Finals, nor should they be — they are going to have to prove they did not just beat the JV teams.
There is no James Harden or Donovan Mitchell to isolate and hunt on the Spurs or Thunder. Both West teams have the size and physicality to make life difficult for Towns as the hub of the offense in the high post. Both West teams have elite rim protectors. Both West teams have elite guards who can target Brunson and force him to defend. The dramatic advantage the Knicks had on the wings against the Cavaliers will not be there against the Spurs or Thunder. No team in the East has a shot creator on the level of SGA right now, and no other team in the universe has a Victor Wembanyama. Both West teams have more versatile rosters than anything the Knicks have seen.
Most importantly, the Knicks have not had to play at near the level of intensity or physicality that we have seen in the West Finals. It's going to be a shock to the system going against that level for the first few minutes — driving lanes aren't there, and passing lanes close up fast. The Knicks can reach that level the way they are playing. Bridges and Anunoby can match up with any of the wings in the West. The Knicks starters are finally clicking (after a couple of years of waiting), and the bench of Robinson, Shamet and Miles McBride gives them the depth that can hang with those West squads. When the Knicks beat the Spurs in the NBA Cup Finals, one thing was critical — New York cleaned up on the offensive glass. Mitchell Robinson was at the heart of that, and he is going to have to have a monster series against either West team.
It's a tall order for the Knicks — but these Knicks are capable of reaching those heights. John Hollinger of The Athletic compared them to another champion that meshed at the right time — the 2011 Dallas Mavericks, led by Dirk Nowitzki — and that feels apt.
The real NBA Finals are still ahead of us and the Knicks are relaxing at home, waiting for them to start. When it does, these Knicks are capable of winning it all.
After an uncustomary loss, BetMGM’s anonymous ladder bettor scored more than $300,000 in profit as the New York Knicks advanced to the NBA Finals.
The bettor, who had won roughly $1.6 million since the start of the NBA playoffs, won $500,000 worth of tickets on Monday night.
Key Takeaways
The bettor won nearly $1.2 million from the Eastern Conference Finals alone.
BetMGM’s anonymous user suffered a rare loss on Sunday when the Spurs beat the Thunder.
The Thunder are still favored to win the NBA Finals.
The bettor – whose identity still hasn’t been revealed – has frequently wagered six figures on laddered spread lines throughout the NBA postseason. The bettor bought back in ahead of the Knicks’ Game 4 showdown with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday, backing New York on lines ranging from +3.5 to the original line of -2.5.
It ended up being one of the user’s most sweat-free days in recent months, as the Knicks crushed the Cavaliers by 37 points to send them packing. The bettor ended up profiting $305,533, with the largest individual win being $75,000 from a $150,000 wager on the Knicks at +3.5 (-200).
A bettor at @BetMGM wagered $500,000 on @nyknicks to cover in Game 4
$150,000 on Knicks +3.5 (-200) ✅ $75,000 on Knicks +3.5 (-185) ✅ $75,000 on Knicks +2.5 (-175) ✅ $50,000 on Knicks +2.5 (-160) ✅ $35,000 on Knicks +1.5 (-145) ✅ $35,000 on Knicks +1.5 (-150) ✅ $20,000 on…
Monday’s matchup was not competitive at any point. The Knicks raced out to a 12-point lead after the first quarter and were ahead 68-49 by halftime before eventually winning 130-93. They did all of that without having a single player reach 20 points.
The Knicks must hold a soft spot in the BetMGM bettor’s heart after they secured close to $1.2 million in wins during the conference finals. That included a leading mark of $466,718 from $775,000 in wagers that were obtained after the Knicks became the second team in NBA playoff history to recover from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit.
NEW YORK WENT ON A 44-11 RUN TO COMPLETE A 22-POINT COMEBACK WIN IN GAME 1 💨
DOWN 22 WITH UNDER 8 TO PLAY IN Q4. 30-8 RUN TO FORCE OT. WON BY 11.
The BetMGM customer’s wins by game were as follows.
Game 1: $466,718 from $775,000
Game 2: $176,883 from $300,000
Game 3: $217,172 from $350,000
Game 4: $305,533 from $500,000
Rare losses and NBA Finals odds
The ladder bettor has been nearly flawless throughout the playoffs. Though, a rare loss occurred on Sunday when the user lost $350,000 backing the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs tied the series at 2-2 after securing a 103-82 victory.
BetMGM reported that the user went 0-for-6 on bets that night, including a $150,000 loss on Thunder +6.5.
The Spurs were favored on their home court when they broke the bettor’s hot streak in their most dominant victory of the series. They find themselves back on the road for Game 5 as a 4.5-point underdog with +150 moneyline odds on Tuesday.
Although the Thunder are still the team in power, their odds are sliding. Ajay Mitchell was already ruled out of tonight’s action, and Jalen Williams is questionable with a hamstring strain. The 4.5-point line is the shortest of the series among games played at OKC, and the Thunder have slipped from being odds-on favorites to +105 in NBA Finals odds.
The Knicks are second in odds to win the Finals at +220, while the Spurs are third at +270.
Spurs vs. Thunder betting trends
There are very few trends to judge by entering Game 5. Both the Thunder and Spurs are 1-1 as favorites, underdogs, at home, and on the road in this series.
The Game 5 winner of an NBA playoff series that is tied 2-2 wins the series more than 82% of the time. The outcome of tonight’s matchup will put one team on the doorstep of competing for a league championship and the other on their last leg.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 10, 2026: Los Angeles Lakers guard Chris Manon (30) is helped up by teammates Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9), Los Angeles Lakers forward Adou Thiero (1) and Los Angeles Lakers forward Drew Timme (17) in the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena on February 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Welcome to our annual Lakers season in review series, where we’ll look back at each player on the team’s roster this season and evaluate if they should be part of the future of the franchise. Today, we begin with a look at the team’s two-way players, Drew Timme and Chris Mañon.
Last year, the Lakers relied heavily on their two-way signings, namely their bigs Trey Jemison and Christian Koloko, a byproduct of the team shipping out a center from an already shallow front court for a ballhandler midway through the season.
This season, a more balanced roster meant the Lakers need not rely on their two-way players in the same way. While Nick Smith Jr. stepped up in a couple of games — more coming on him this week — their other two signings, Drew Timme and Chris Mañon were able to develop behind the scenes in the G League.
Let’s take a look at their two seasons and whether they can parlay that into success with the parent Lakers.
How did they play?
The pair had strong enough seasons with South Bay to earn awards with Timme earning G League Second Team honors and Mañon being named to the G League All-Defensive First Team.
Timme averaged 23.7 points per game on 56.3% shooting. By the end of the season, he had worked his way into spot minutes in the rotation with the parent Lakers. It went well enough that there were some calls for him to get the team’s final roster spot heading into the playoffs.
For Mañon, his moment never came with the parent Lakers, largely due to his offensive limitations. He wreaked havoc defensively, averaging 2.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. However, he shot just 31.5% from the 3-point line and averaged 2.5 assists per game as a point guard.
There is still hope that he can develop enough of an offensive game to get on the court. But there certainly weren’t many signs this season of that being close to reality.
What are their contract situations moving forward?
Both players signed one-year two-way deals, so both are set for restricted free agency this season. Each can still sign a two-way deal as they have fewer than four years of NBA experience.
It would be a surprise if either got an actual NBA contract. It wouldn’t be a surprise if either got an opportunity elsewhere. The situation would play the biggest role.
Should they be back?
Neither player showed enough to be considered irreplaceable. While Timme showed some impressive moments during the regular season, it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be found elsewhere in the league. And his play didn’t really warrant a standard contract.
It’ll come down to whether the Lakers’ revamped and bolstered front office finds someone in the draft or floating around the league worth the gamble over them. But it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if either, both, or neither were back next season.
Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack guard Matt Able (3) scores as Virginia Cavaliers forward Devin Tillis (11) defends in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Today it was announced that NC State transfer Matt Able withdrew from the NBA Draft, and he will officially play for UNC for the 2026-27 season. His decision to officially make his way to campus is the break that Michael Malone and his staff needed after Henri Veesaar decided that he was done with college.
Able faced a tough decision following his freshman campaign with the Wolfpack. When Michael Malone was hired at UNC, he decided that taking his talents to Chapel Hill would be the best move for his long-term basketball career. Despite announcing that he was transferring, Able had already built up enough of a case to get selected in the NBA Draft — he finished his lone season with the Wolfpack averaging 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.9 assists while only playing 21.7 minutes per game. His abilities as a shooter attracted a lot of attention, and 247Sports ranked him as the fourth-best shooting guard in the transfer portal. Able clearly has NBA aspirations, and he is hoping that one more college season under a former NBA coach that isn’t plotting to sneak off to LSU during the final leg of the season will help him get drafted in the first round of the 2027 NBA Draft.
Now that Able has announced his return to college, UNC doesn’t have to sweat trying to find another shooter in what is a depleted transfer portal. Malone is looking for one more center to complete the roster, and it could be that we hear more about who that will be sooner rather than later. But for now, how is everyone feeling about Able suiting up for the Tar Heels this fall? Let us know in the comments below.
I've rediscovered the NBA in recent days. Not because NBC has returned to the roster of NBA broadcast partners (which doesn't hurt), but because Victor Wembanyama is the most exciting and unique basketball talent since, in my own personal view, Michael Jordan.
As a result, I've been paying closer attention to the NBA. It was hard to miss the ridiculous remarks made by Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson after Cleveland fell behind 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals. While watching the second half of Monday night's blowout loss to complete the Knicks sweep, I made a simple observation on Twitter: "When is Game 5 in the analytical Eastern Conference Finals?"
I didn't expect anything to come of it. But then, out of nowhere, they used the tweet on Inside The NBA. Complete with the Shaq seal of approval: "Good job, ProFootballTalk. That was funny right there."
The moment (which I missed live because I decided to watch the NHL game) was a big one for me. My son loves that show, and he has sent me multiple clips over the years that have brought both of us to tears. We both appreciate the humor (especially when Charles Barkley sends Shaq into a laughing-coughing fit), the authenticity, the free-wheeling, no-effs-given style. As evidenced by their recent decision to jump with both feet on a potential NFL third rail.
So I'm back on board with the NBA, after years of not really paying much (or any) attention to it. Given that I've got strong opinions about tanking and flopping, that may not be a good thing for the current stewards of the game. Regardless, I'll be watching the rest of the ongoing postseason games, even if the Spurs don't advance to the Finals.
Next season, any Wemby game will be appointment viewing. And maybe it'll spill over to other games — especially the ones on NBC.
Regardless, the horizons are re-broadening. Basketball is back on the viewing menu. Wemby buried the hook, and Inside The NBA reeled me in.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - : Nick U'Ren of the Phoenix Mercury announces Nate Tibbetts as the team's new head coach on October 20, 2023, at the Footprint Center 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 2023 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage / NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Think of an imaginary basketball team — good, but not good enough to make serious noise in the postseason. Not bad enough to have a realistic shot at a top draft pick. A few stars on the roster, but most of them on the wrong side of 30 and headed quickly into the twilight of their careers.
There’s a good chance the Philadelphia 76ers just crossed your mind. They fit the bill — talented but inconsistent, never quite reliable enough for a deep postseason run, with Joel Embiid and Paul George aging out of their primes. But the team I’m describing isn’t the 76ers. It’s not even an NBA team. It’s the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, from 2022 to 2024.
Fresh off a Finals appearance, the Mercury lost in the first round in 2022, missed the postseason entirely in 2023, and flamed out in the first round again in 2024. The aging stars in question were Brittney Griner, Skylar Diggins-Smith and Diana Taurasi.
The decline was swift. After the 2022-23 season, Diggins-Smith departed entirely following a maternity leave dispute that ended with her being cut off from team facilities and services. Griner and Taurasi remained, but Griner was 32 and coming off an enormously difficult year after being detained in Russia. Taurasi had hit 40 and wasn’t getting any younger. Change was needed, and it came.
The Mercury parted ways with head coach Vanessa Nygaard. Long-time GM Jim Pitman announced his resignation. In came new head coach Nate Tibbetts, and on the front office side, Nick U’Ren — a name most people outside of the Golden State Warriors organization had never heard.
On the contrary, if you were around the Warriors organization, U’Ren was hard to miss. He rapidly rose through the ranks, starting his pro basketball career in Phoenix, where he grew up, spending five years with the Suns and Mercury beginning in 2009. He held roles as Suns Director of Video Operations and Mercury Head Video Coordinator before joining the Warriors in 2014 as a special assistant to head coach Steve Kerr.
He later transitioned into the front office, serving as Director of Basketball Operations from 2018 before being promoted to Executive Director of Basketball Operations in 2021. He held that role until leaving for the Mercury in 2023, having been part of four championship teams.
One of U’Ren’s more publicly memorable moments came early in his Warriors tenure, during the 2015 NBA Finals. To set the stage: the Warriors were down 2-1 to Cleveland, and LeBron James had essentially turned the series into a game of 1-on-1. The Cavs were walking the ball up the court and swarming Curry every time he touched it, grinding Golden State’s offense to a halt.
So U’Ren got to work. According to Sports Illustrated, the night after Game 3 he pulled up footage of the previous year’s Finals between the Spurs and Heat, where Gregg Popovich had benched his starting center in favor of a smaller lineup and flipped a deadlocked series into a rout. U’Ren saw the parallel, called assistant coach Luke Walton, and proposed pulling center Andrew Bogut — who had started 65 games that season — for Andre Iguodala, who had started none. Walton was sold. At 3 a.m. he texted Kerr. Kerr liked it enough that he lied to reporters in his pregame press conference, telling them nothing was changing so Cleveland couldn’t prepare.
The Warriors blew out the Cavaliers 103-82 in Game 4. Kerr was asked about the lineup change after the win and publicly named U’Ren on the spot. Per Yahoo Sports, Kerr said, “He’s behind the bench, he’s 28 years old, he’s a kid. We have a staff that is very cooperative. Whoever has the idea, it doesn’t matter. And he brought me the idea.” U’Ren, characteristically, deflected the credit right back. “Steve deserves all of the credit because he has to live and die with the consequences,” he said. “It’s easy to make a suggestion, but he has to make a decision.”
Golden State won the next two games and took the championship. Iguodala won Finals MVP.
The Warriors, under Bob Myers and alongside U’Ren, would go on to win four championships. Two of them came with Kevin Durant in the fold. The fourth and final one came in 2022, with Golden State defeating the Boston Celtics on the back of an aging but battle-tested core of Curry, Thompson and Green.
The Warriors were the gold standard. And U’Ren was about to inherit something very different in Phoenix. A franchise that didn’t need a tune-up. It needed a full rebuild.
His first order of business was hiring Tibbetts, the highest-paid coach in WNBA history at the time of his signing. From there, U’Ren got to work rebuilding the roster. He traded for 2021 WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, giving up the third overall pick to pry her from the Chicago Sky, and signed point guard Natasha Cloud in free agency. Taurasi played her final season in 2024 before retiring.
Then came his signature move. In February 2025, U’Ren orchestrated what is considered the largest trade in WNBA history by number of assets moved. A four-team, 13-player deal that landed him five-time All-Star Alyssa Thomas and two-time All-Star Satou Sabally.
The same day the trade was announced, Griner made it official — she was leaving for the Atlanta Dream. One era ended and another began on the same afternoon. U’Ren had seen it coming from day one: “When I took the job and canvassed the landscape of the league in terms of talent that might be available, [Sabally] was a name we focused on for obvious reasons.”
Thomas was coming off her 10th season with the Connecticut Sun, bringing with her five All-Star selections, three All-WNBA nods, six All-Defensive team selections, and the all-time WNBA record for triple-doubles. She was in the MVP race in five consecutive seasons. The two-way star was heading West, and U’Ren had built a quality roster around her.
Copper, already in place from the 2024 season, went on to have an All-Star campaign. Sabally arrived alongside Thomas in the trade and immediately became a cornerstone of the offense. The work on the margins was just as sharp. U’Ren had brought Natasha Mack back to the league in 2024 after she hadn’t played a WNBA game since 2021. Playing alongside Thomas in 2025, Mack had the best season of her career, averaging 4.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 0.9 steals while shooting 57.3 percent from the floor in just 18.3 minutes per game. Then midseason, U’Ren landed DeWanna Bonner, a two-time WNBA champion and six-time All-Star, after she parted ways with the Indiana Fever.
The Mercury finished the 2025 regular season 27-17, good for second in the Western Conference and the fourth seed overall heading into the playoffs. It was their best regular season since 2014, when they won a franchise-best 29 games.
Their reward for that finish was a first-round matchup against the fifth-seeded New York Liberty, the defending champions. They dropped Game 1 at home in overtime, then responded with back-to-back wins to take the series 2-1 and send the defending champions home.
The semifinals brought a stiffer test. Phoenix drew the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx, who had tied the WNBA record with 34 regular-season wins. The Mercury lost Game 1 by 13. What followed was one of the more remarkable stretches of the playoffs. They came back from 20 down on the road in Game 2 to tie the record for the largest road comeback in WNBA playoff history. They won a controversial Game 3 at home. Then in Game 4, trailing by 14 in the first quarter and 13 entering the fourth, the Mercury closed out the series 86-81 to advance.
The WNBA Finals awaited. For the first time in league history, it would be a best-of-seven series. Standing in their way were the second-seeded Las Vegas Aces, who had gone 16-0 to close the regular season and were chasing their third championship in four years. The Mercury’s run ended there. The Aces swept them in four games, including a gut-punch Game 3 where A’ja Wilson hit a game-winner with 0.3 seconds left.
While the Mercury didn’t win a championship, they accomplished one of the more remarkable turnarounds in recent league history. They went from a franchise with little direction to a Finals appearance within the span of a few seasons. Building that kind of team isn’t easy in any league.
Mercury president Vince Kozar put it plainly: “Nick and Nate have rebuilt this team from the ground up. There are no players on this roster from the last time we made the finals in 2021, or even from 2023. So everyone who is here has been hand-picked to be here and has hand-picked us.”
That forward thinking hasn’t stopped. This season saw U’Ren make another creative move, signing Jovana Nogić, a 28-year-old Serbian guard who built one of the stronger international resumes in European basketball playing across the globe. Her most recent stop came with UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia’s Premier Basketball League, where she posted a three-point rate of over 60 percent on 42 percent shooting from beyond the arc, drew fouls at a steady rate, and averaged 2.5 steals per 40 possessions.
The WNBA rookie label didn’t tell the full story. In her debut she scored 19 points on 62.5 percent shooting, going 4-of-5 from three and a perfect 5-of-5 from the free throw line, adding four assists and two steals in 21 minutes. Days later she scored a career-best 27 points, 11 of which came from the free throw line. Sabally has since moved on, signing with the New York Liberty after the Finals run. But it’s moves like Nogić that have kept the Mercury in the conversation and given the roster genuine upside heading forward.
It’s reminiscent of the organization U’Ren came from. A semi-recent example would be when Bob Myers used the 55th pick on Brazilian forward Gui Santos — an international talent few had heard of — and watched him grow into a legitimate starter earning a $15 million extension.
After digging into his history, it makes sense that U’Ren has emerged as a candidate for the Sixers’ president of basketball operations position. The history with Myers is there, but he’s also built a track record entirely on his own.
Bob Myers told The Athletic what made U’Ren stand out: “He’s seen a lot of winning. He cares. He was very, very studious. How many people worked on a bench and in the front office? I think it’s kind of a rare combo. So it gives them a great understanding of an organization, how it operates. There’s an authenticity to him that makes him someone people want to follow. And he’s very humble. It’s really been an awesome kind of validation of his process.”
Time will tell if U’Ren gets the job with the Sixers, or if he’s the right candidate at all. But one thing is for certain: he’s earned a look.
In a pivotal Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs will face off tonight on on NBC and Peacock.
The top two seeds in the West have split the first four games of the series. When a best-of-seven series is tied
2-2, the winner of Game 5 has advanced 81.8% of the time (198-44).
In Game 5s with a -2 tie in their franchise histories, Oklahoma City is 10-8 (.556), and San Antonio is 14-10 (.583).
With a 3-2 lead, Oklahoma City is 12-2 (.857) in best-of-seven series, but the Thunder are 3-11 (.214) after they fall behind 3-2. They've won three series in such scenarios: the 2014 West first round against Memphis, the 1980 West semifinals vs. Milwaukee (as Seattle) and the 1979 West Finals vs Phoenix.
Oklahoma City won last year's NBA championship over the Indiana Pacers after the series was tied 2-2.
San Antonio is 17-3 (.850) all-time with a 3-2 series lead in a best-of-seven series, but the Spurs are 1-13 (.071) after falling behind 3-2. San Antonio's only comeback from a 3-2 deficit was in the 2008 Western Conference Semifinals over the Hornets.
This marks only the fourth time since 2011 that the Western Conference Finals have been tied 2-2 and the first time since 2018 when Golden State went on to beat Houston 4-3 en route to a championship.
See below for additional information on the Spurs-Thunder game and how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Announcing team: Mike Tirico (play by play), Reggie Miller (analyst), Jamal Crawford(analyst), Zora Stephenson (courtside reporter) and Ashley ShahAhmadi(courtside reporter).
San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, Game 5 preview:
Superstar center Victor Wembanyama has been the key in both of the Spurs' wins. The First-Team All-NBA selection scored a game-high 33 points with eight rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals in the Game 4 victory, which was Wembanyama fourth playoff game with at least 30 points.
Wembanyama is averaging 30.3 ppg and 13.3 rpg in the series, becoming one of three players in NBA playoff history to average at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the first four conference finals games of their career (joining Hakeem Olajuwon in 1986 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1970).
His most impressive shot in Game 4 was a halfcourt swish at the the halftime buzzer. "I was just thinking, 'Shoot to score,'" Wembanyama said. "I wasn't messing around at halftime."
The Spurs have an average scoring margin of plus-12.5 points with Wembanyama and are minus-11.5 without him on the floor.
“He felt — not speaking for him, but from my perspective — an obligation to set a tone for us in a variety of ways," Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson said. "He wants that responsibility, and he’s built for it.”
Injuries rermain a concern for the Thunder, who have listed Ajay Mitchell as out with a right calf strain. Star wingman Jalen Williams will be questionable with a left hamstring strain.
Oklahoma City is coming off a Game 4 loss of being held to 82 points, which is the fewest for the team in a single game since Dec. 2, 2021 (when the Thunder lost 152-79 to the Grizzlies ,a 73-point loss that is the largest loss in NBA history).
The Thunder's 82 points were were also their fewest in a playoff game since Aug. 29, 2020. Oklahoma City hasn't been held under 100 pts in back-to-back games since Feburary 2022, the longest active streak in the NBA. Oklahoma City will need to improve its shooting after making 33% of shots from the field and 18.2% from 3-poit range i Game, both of which were their worst shooting percentages in a single game this season.
"I thought we left a lot to be desired on that end of the floor tonight," Okklahoma City head coach Mark Daigneault said. "We didn’t have the sharpness, force or precision necessary to crack them. And they were really good defensively with just their energy and their physicality.”
No Thunder player scored more than 20 points for the second time in the playoffs. Two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was held under 20 points after no games with fewer than 20 points during the regular season.
“We’ve got to do a better job of starting the games," Gilegous-Alexander said. "Obviously it’s a little more challenging on the road, and we know that, but we’ve got to go out there and do it."
How to watch the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock:
NBC Sports will present the San Antonio Spurs vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals. All games will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock. Here is the series schedule:
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The NBA’s Western Conference Final is tied at two games apiece as the series moves back to Oklahoma City for tonight’s Game 5 between the Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs.
Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs dominated Game 4 to even the series Sunday evening. Wemby’s stat line illustrated that dominance: 33 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks. A definite factor in that dominance, though, was the absence of Ajay Mitchell (calf)and Jalen Williams (hamstring) for OKC. That said, this is now a Best-of-3 series.
Those injuries have forced Shai Gilgeous-Alexander into heavier ball‑handling duties and limiting his off‑ball effectiveness. In Games 3 and 4, SGA shot a combined 12‑for‑32, a sign of how effectively San Antonio has disrupted his usual flow. The OKC offense has seemed a little clunky as a result. The Thunder’s bench—normally a major strength—also struggled in Game 4, posting a collective -9.4 after previously leading the postseason in bench scoring. Couple their bench woes with San Antonio’s starting five outscoring OKC’s starters by an average of 31.7 points in the series—and you can see why the Spurs have momentum heading back on the road.
The difference in what is now a Best of 3 may well be which Chet Holmgren shows up. He has shot 58.8% in OKC’s wins but only 33.3% in their losses. His efficiency and his involvement looking to score makes a difference.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Game 5 Live: Thunder vs. Spurs
Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Time: 8:30PM EST
Site: Paycom Center
City: Oklahoma City, OK
Network/Streaming: NBC/Peacock
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Game 5 Odds: Thunder vs. Spurs
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Oklahoma City Thunder (-198), San Antonio Spurs (+164)
Spread: Thunder -5.5
Total: 216.5 points
This game opened Thunder -5.5 with the Game Total set at 215.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups for Game 5: Thunder vs. Spurs
Oklahoma City Thunder
PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SG Cason Wallace
C Isaiah Hartenstein
SF Luguentz Dort
PF Chet Holmgren
San Antonio Spurs
PG De’Aaron Fox
SG Devin Vassell
SG Stephon Castle
PF Julian Champagnie
C Victor Wembanyama
Injury Report: Thunder vs. Spurs
Oklahoma City Thunder
Thomas Sorber (knee) has been declared OUT of tonight’s game
Ajay Mitchel (calf) has been declared OUT of tonight’s game
Jalen Williams (hamstring) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
San Antonio Spurs
David Jones Garcia (ankle) has been declared OUT for tonight’s game
Important stats, trends and insights: Thunder vs. Spurs
The Thunder are 39-8 at home this season
The Spurs are 34-14 on the road this season
The Spurs are 55-41-2 ATS this season
OKC is 46-47-1 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in 53 of the Thunder’s 94 games this season (53-41)
The OVER has cashed in 45 of the Spurs’ 98 games this season (45-53)
Alex Caruso took just 1 shot in Game 4 after averaging over 8 per game through the series' first 3 games
Jared McCain was 1-10 from the field in Game 4 after shooting 17-41 in the first 3 games of the series.
After turning the ball over 19 games in the first 2 games of the series, Stephon Castle has committed just 2 the last 2 games.
De’Aaron Fox has 17 rebounds and 11 assists over the last 2 games
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Thunder and Spurs’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Spurs +5.5
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 216.5
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BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - MAY 08: A general view outside the arena prior to the season opener between the New York Liberty and the Connecticut Sun at Barclays Center on May 08, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of 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 Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA Finals begin Wednesday in either San Antonio or Oklahoma City, then return to New York for the first time since 1999 the Monday after that. It will be a raucous time in the city, with celebrities jockeying for air time and masters of the universe sucking up any ticket at any price.
In the meantime, while keeping one eye on MSG, Nets fans will be looking forward to an number of critical events for their team’s future, the Draft, free agency and two summer leagues. There are also some things still TBA, like the ground breaking for the Liberty training facility in Greenpoint and the Long Island Nets local workouts. As soon as we know, you’ll know.
—May 26: Coach of the Year announcement, Peacock, 7:30 p.m. ET. Will Jordi Fernandez get any votes?
—May 27: 11:59 p.m. ET. NCAA Early Entry Withdrawal Deadline. College underclassmen have until today to withdraw from the NBA Draft and retain their college eligibility. With a big disparity in terms of talent between the 2026 and 2027 drafts, some players might postpone their NBA career in hopes of getting taken higher in a weaker draft.
—June 3: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 1 on ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET
—June 1-17: WNBA Commissioner’s Cup tournament.
—June 5-7: Adidas Camp in Treviso, Italy, not far from Venice. The overseas equivalent of the NBA Combine. Not a big year for Euros.
—June 13: 6:00 p.m. ET. NBA Early Entry Withdrawal Deadline. Last date for international players to opt out of the 2026 Draft.
—June 19: NBA Finals 2026 – Game 7 if necessary. Last possible end date for Finals.
—June 20 or day after last finals game: Michael Porter Jr. eligible for a four-year $234 million extension starting in 2027-28. The final agreement is likely to be a bit smaller, but bigger than the $40.8 million he will make in 2026-27. One suggestion posed by Yossi Gozlan of capsheets.com and Bobby Marks of ESPN is a contract starting at round $49 million then decreasing over the course of four years, offering the Nets more flexibility with cap space going forward.
—Nic Claxton eligible for three-year, $95 million extension starting in 2027-28. Seems unlikely. Similarly, the Nets can start talking to other free agents.
—June 21: Sean Marks 48-hour trade window opens. Marks has made moves within 48 hours of the Draft nine times in his 10-year tenure as GM. No reason to think he won’t be active again this year.
—June 23-24: Draft night(s). June 23 for first round: June 24 for second round of the NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Nets currently have the Nos. 6, 33 and 43 picks.
—June 28: Deadline for Nets to exercise options on Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams’ $6.25 million options, unless they’ve been extended.
—June 29: Deadline for Nets to exercise option on Josh Minott’s $2.5 million option, unless they’ve been extended.
—Last day for teams to make qualifying offers to players eligible for restricted free agency. In Nets case, this applies to Noah Clowney.
—June 30: Teams can begin negotiating with free agents from other clubs starting at 6:00 p.m. ET. Rumors of deals start to get reported at 6:01 p.m. ET. Nets are currently projected to have between $40 and $50 million in cap space entering free agency, likely in top two or three in the NBA.
—WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship
—July 1: Teams can begin signing players to one- or two-year minimum-salary contracts; teams can begin signing players to two-way contracts; teams can begin signing first-round picks to rookie scale contracts and second round picks to second-round pick exception.
—July 2: deadline for WNBA non-guaranteed deals to be guaranteed.
—July 4-6: California Classic Summer League in Sacramento. The Kings, Warriors, Nets and Bucks will compete. The Nets play back-to-back-to-back games with the first game vs. the Warriors at 5:00 p.m. ET on July 4. First look at whoever the Nets take in the 2026 Draft plus three games to measure how Flatbush 5 and others have progressed since end of the season.
—July 6: Free agent contracts can be signed, starting at 12:oo p.m. ET. The 24-hour period for matching a restricted free agent offer sheet begins at 12:00 p.m. as well. First day many complicated trades become official.
—July 13: Last day for teams to unilaterally withdraw qualifying offers to restricted free agents.
—July 9-19: NBA Summer League, Las Vegas. Minimum of five games. Schedule TBA.
—July 23-27: WNBA All-Star Weekend (Chicago)
—July 25: WNBA All-Star Game
—August 2: 3:00 p.m. ET. WNBA trade deadline.
—August 5: Last day for teams to issue required tenders to unsigned second-round picks.
—August 31 – September 16: FIBA World Cup break for WNBA players, coaches.
—September 24: Last day of WNBA regular season.
—September 27: WNBA Playoffs begin.
—September 30: Likely date for Nets Media Day.
—October 1: Terance Mann eligible for three-year, $72.6 million extension starting in 2027-28. Again, highly unlikely.
—Likely date for Nets training camp opening.
—October 14: Nets play preseason game vs. Heat at Kaseya Center, Miami. 7:30 p.m. ET. Only one scheduled so far.
Kurt Helin
