Clippers general manager Trent Redden has “emerged as a candidate.”
Lloyd is “expected to interview” and “has the backing of a few key members of the Sixers’ organization.”
The Hawks denied Myers’ request to interview Atlanta GM Onsi Saleh last week.
Nelson starred at Chester High School and St. Joseph’s before his 14-year NBA career. Sixers GM Elton Brand hired him in 2020 as a scout and an assistant general manager for the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats.
“Obviously you try to use data,” he told NBC Sports Philadelphia in an April 2024 phone interview. “I’m not a huge analytics guy, but you have to use them to help back up some things that you see. And you can make the best decision in terms of the upside and all that stuff when it comes to young guys.
“But it’s also when you see a guy, you have to know who this guy is as a person. At the beginning of it, they’re people. … In the G League, we’ve been successful with just saying, ‘This is how we see you becoming successful.’ Some guys fight it, some guys don’t, but we have a good track record of identifying talent and also putting them in positions to be successful for themselves and for the team. … So it’s identifying what a guy has and how we can help them get better at their skills and some of their weaknesses.”
Lloyd was widely reported to have been a finalist for the Bulls’ executive vice president of basketball operations job that ultimately went to Bryson Graham. At the moment, Lloyd is the No. 2 in Minnesota’s front office under president of basketball operations Tim Connelly.
“He’s one of the most well-respected guys in our profession,” Connelly told The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski in 2024. “He’s got the acumen and the work ethic and he’s got a wonderful emotional IQ. Someone really smart is going to hire him as their president.”
“A lot of executives have backgrounds in strategy or evaluation. Trent brings expertise and agility in both,” Frank said in the Clippers’ press release on Redden’s promotion to GM. “Since he joined us, Trent has scoured the globe in search of amateur and pro talent while serving as an integral advisor on every major decision and acquisition we’ve made.”
Frank called Redden “a respected leader with strong relationships throughout the league.”
When Donnie Nelson was fired in 2021, and Rick Carlisle stepped down shortly after, no one argued whether or not this was the correct decision. Nelson had failed to put together a functional roster, and Carlisle’s relationship with Luka Doncic grew sour. The question revolved around who they hired to replace them. And, as history will now tell us, the skepticism was rooted in some amount of truth.
Jason Kidd and Nico Harrison were hired as a coach/general manager packaged deal before the 2021-22 season. At the time, there was a lot of caution exhibited when trying to project the tenures for both hirings. Kidd was a Hall-of-Fame point guard, but his head coaching resume to that point was far from stellar and included a lot of crucifying anecdotes from his time in Milwaukee. Harrison had no prior experience working in basketball and was the poster boy for Nike’s botched shoe deal pitch to Steph Curry. Needless to say, the Mavericks had a lot of hope in their young superstar in the summer of 2021, but the support from the coaching staff and organization remained to be defined.
It was always a “wait-and-see” with those two. There was no clear-cut floor, and the ceiling was like one of those drawings of a tunnel on a wall. This time around, however, there is both a concrete expectation and an endless possibility of hopeful outcomes. Masai Ujiri is an accomplished basketball professional. He has the respect of a lot of players and personnel league-wide, and the way he has spoken to the Dallas media in two short press conferences is already leaps and bounds above the slop that Harrison produced.
Ujiri has won a championship, something that most general managers around the league cannot say. With the coaching search now underway following his dismissal of Jason Kidd, it feels different than it did in 2021. There is an adult in the room now, something that was not true of the past five years, which was made very clear in retrospect. Ujiri’s first hire, Mike Schmidtz, is a widely celebrated, draft-centric savant who adds a level of care for scouting and an emphasis on building through the draft. When looked at in conjunction with Ujiri’s comment about making decisions based on the future and not winning now, it paints a picture that the foundation of the organization is far more stable than the one they put in place the last go around.
After 15 months of chaos, anger, and uncertainty, it seems like the Mavericks have rebounded incredibly from an unprecedented situation. There is a hierarchy in place that has voiced a commitment to time. Letting time build, connect, and improve the organization and the city of Dallas. The old regime made no such pledge. They promised a quick win and could not deliver. This time, the Mavericks are doing it right. And they’re doing it in a way that lends itself to a long run of success.
It’s been almost a week since the Minnesota Timberwolves season came to a flaming end. Though the final on the court memory of the Wolves was them getting smacked with eight minutes of garbage time left, there were still plenty of good parts to the journey. Let’s not lose sight of all that.
So let’s walk through Canis Pulsus Vol. 50 – Memories Edition together!
SAN ANTONIO, TX – MAY 4: The Minnesota Timberwolves huddle before the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 4, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photos by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to Canis Pulsus Vol. 50!
For those of you who have been ignoring this series since the 2021 season — Canis Pulsus is designed to give our Canis Hoopus community a published voice.
A pulse, if you will.
We all know that if CH occupied all seats of the Minnesota Timberwolves front office, we would be celebrating our 36th consecutive championship this year. But for now, it’s time for us to exercise our right vote. How would you grade the performance of our pups?
It’s a simple concept, really. Just submit your vote as honestly or sarcastically as you would like. All individual submissions will remain anonymous so no one will know if you were the one voter who enjoyed Spurs-Wolves game 6. The results as a whole will be published on Canis Hoopus and (in theory) be texted to all the Wolves staffers and players.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 26: Jaden Bradley #0 of the Arizona Wildcats dribbles the ball against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Since my last article on second round prospects, we’ve seen the ping-pong ball gods reward the Wizards, and the draft combine gives us a better understanding of the physical tools of the players the Suns might select at 47.
In another case of “I hate being right”, most of the players I identified as possibilities back in April have seen their draft stock steadily rise. As a result, players that intrigued me the most (Jefferson, Okorie, Ejiofor, Veesaar, and Chinyelu in particular) now appear to be late first or early second round picks, and likely to go about 12-15 spots too high unless the Suns trade up. Another player (JT Toppin) has elected to go back to college after an injury shortened his senior year. Flory Bidunga seems likely to follow.
The draft combine measurements were kind to Baba Miller, Rueben Chinyelu, and Zuby Ejiofor. The latter may sneak into the late first round as a result. Josh Jefferson and Milan Momcilovic did not do themselves any favors, however. Momcilovic may well slip all the way back to 47 now. Bruce Thornton also fared poorly and may fall out of the draft altogether.
After all this movement, four players have been popping up in mock drafts for the Suns that look both interesting and potentially available at 47. While I loved Ejiofor, Veesaar, Okorie, and Chinyelu, they’re very unlikely to be available when the Suns pick. I think Ejiofor, in particular, could contribute right away. I’m much less excited about these next four: they mostly seem like two-way players who might develop into useful reserves.
So, in order of best first, here are four more players that would make sense for the Suns, and that I’ve seen go to them in one or more mock drafts. The analysis of draft positions is based on 16 recent mock drafts and big boards from various well-known sources.
Trevon Brazile (Arkansas, Senior, PF)
Trevon Brazile is a highly athletic, 6’10”, 226-pound power forward with an elite 7’4” wingspan and notable bounce, profiling as a modern stretch-four and vertical spacer. He brings immense physical upside and defensive versatility but is often evaluated as a developmental project due to inconsistent offensive aggression and fluctuating half-court feel.
Elite Physical Profile: Possesses NBA-level size and length, highlighted by a massive wingspan and a 41.5″ vertical, allowing him to play well above the rim.
Vertical Spacing: A dynamic lob threat and explosive rim runner who thrives in the dunker spot, on pick-and-rolls, and in transition.
Shooting Upside: Capable of stretching the floor as a stretch-big, showing the ability to knock down catch-and-shoot threes and project as a floor-spacer.
Defensive Versatility: Uses his length and impressive foot speed to switch onto smaller guards on the perimeter, while offering strong weakside shot-blocking and transition defense.
Weaknesses
Offensive Creation: Lacks a highly creative handle and struggles to generate his own offense in isolation, relying mostly on set plays or put-backs.
Inconsistent Motor & Feel: Can drift in games and sometimes lacks aggressiveness off the ball, leading to quiet stretches where he isn’t heavily involved in the offense.
Defensive Discipline: Has shown tendencies to be foul-prone, which has at times mitigated his overall impact as a rim protector, though this has improved over his college career
Injury History: Dealt with a significant ACL tear in his sophomore season, but recovered well enough to dominate the draft combine
Age: 23.45 years at the time of the draft; his remaining upside is an open question, given his lack of feel for the game.
Draft Range
Between 36 and 57 in the 13 mock drafts he appeared in.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Trevon Brazile absolutely annihilated the combine as perhaps the best athlete there, tying for the top overall score at Tawny Park Metrics. Standing reach equal to Rasheer Fleming, big wingspan, leaps out of the gym, agility and acceleration better than most point guards, 8 inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter than him. Oh, in addition to being a long, athletic, mobile big man who can switch on all five positions, he shoots threes at a respectable percentage, and his mechanics are smooth with high release, good arc, and good back spin. He shoots 43% from three when left unguarded. He doesn’t turn the ball over, has his foul rate under control, and posts a respectable Box Plus Minus.
The reason he’s not a lottery pick is that he’s more of an athlete than a basketball player. He lacks killer instinct, his attention waxes and wanes, and his fundamentals are “meh”. He has the physical tools to be a number one pick, but his issues are all between the ears. He’s a 5th-year senior, and it’s debatable if he will ever “get it”. However, of all the players in this article, he has by far the most upside. If it ever does “click” for him, he could be a surprise all-star or all-defensive team player.
NBA Comparison
Amir Johnson most likely, but Aaron Gordon if it all comes together for him.
Jaden Bradley (Arizona, Senior, PG)
Jaden Bradley is a highly experienced, 6’3″ pass-first point guard who established himself as a premier floor general and the Big 12 Player of the Year at the University of Arizona. Known for his physical downhill play, elite free-throw rate, and on-ball defensive tenacity, he projects as a reliable, high-IQ backup guard in the NBA.
Yes, the Suns will have a pre-draft workout with Arizona PG Jaden Bradley. https://t.co/7uEYYvnccj
Rim Pressure & Free Throw Drawing: At around 205 pounds, Bradley possesses excellent size and strength for his position. He uses a quick first step, body control, and clever footwork to get downhill and initiate contact. He is elite at drawing fouls and consistently gets to the charity stripe.
Playmaking & Pace: He operates as a traditional, pass-first floor general. He avoids over-dribbling, plays at a steady, controlled tempo, and excels at running the pick-and-roll.
Defensive Tenacity: Bradley plays with a high motor and gets after it on the defensive end. His strength and 6’6″ wingspan allow him to pressure the ball full-court and guard multiple positions.
Winner’s Mentality: He brings significant championship DNA, having played meaningful roles for title-winning and contending teams at Alabama, Arizona, and throughout his final season
Weaknesses
Perimeter Shooting Consistency: While he has shown flashes of improvement, outside shooting remains a primary concern. Teams may sag off him and dare him to shoot from beyond the arc.
Playstyle Limitations: He thrives with the ball in his hands and in college-style systems. It remains to be seen how smoothly he will transition to an off-ball, floor-spacing role in the NBA.
Half-Court Scoring Versatility: He prefers driving right and can be reliant on mid-range pull-ups when the lane is clogged, making him somewhat predictable against set NBA defenses.
Draft Range
The highest draft position in 13 mock drafts was 41. He went undrafted in three of the 16.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Jaden Bradley is one of those generally unexciting players who made it this far based on his discipline and basketball IQ more than raw physical talent or supernatural situational awareness. He graded out at the combine as slightly above average athletically as a point guard. Defensively, he’s aces with a great feel for the game at both ends. The most common criticism of him was his shooting, but in 2025-26 he raised his three-point percentage to more than respectable 39.4%.
The biggest problem with Bradley is that it is tough to look at him and find anything he’s elite at. His profile kind of screams perennial third-string point guard. That’s not the worst thing in the world, but his upside seems very limited, but with a solid floor. Given how well Booker did in the past next to a defensively solid, pick-and-roll point guard, Bradley might be a good fit culturally.
NBA Comparisons
Aaron Holiday, Derrick White
Izaiyah Nelson (South Florida, Senior, PF/C)
Izaiyah Nelson is a 6’9”, 219-pound center/forward high-motor defensive specialist and rim-runner. After transferring from Arkansas State, Nelson dominated the American Athletic Conference during his senior year, taking home AAC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year honors. He recently reinforced his draft stock at the NBA Draft Combine, showcasing a rare mix of elite length and functional lateral quickness that projects well into a modern NBA energy-big role.
Elite Physical Tools & Motor: Nelson optimizes every inch of his length, utilizing a 7’3″ wingspan and a massive standing reach to heavily impact the game on the borders. He plays with an incredibly high, relentless motor, making him a constant double-double threat.
Pick-and-Roll Defensive Versatility: Unlike many traditional low-major bigs, Nelson boasts exceptionally smooth footwork and excellent lateral speed. He tracks smaller guards tightly on switches, possesses the baseline recovery time to execute clean drop blocks, and can confidently defend out to the three-point line in five-out schemes.
Offensive Glass Mastery: Nelson is an absolute menace on the offensive boards, hunting out-of-area rebounds and easily converting physical putback dunks over heavy traffic.
Pro-Ready Screening: Out of handoffs and high pick-and-rolls, he acts as a hard “wall-setter”. He absorbs defensive contact rather than slipping early, creating direct separation advantages for his ball handlers before rolling aggressively to catch lobs.
Weaknesses
Lack of Perimeter Modernization: Nelson’s offensive utility is strictly confined to the paint. He shot an abysmal 14.3% from beyond the arc on low volume as a senior, signaling that he offers virtually zero floor-spacing threat out of the gate.
Self-Creation Limitations: He cannot reliably generate his own look off the bounce and relies almost entirely on drop-offs, cuts, lobs, and second-chance opportunities to score.
Lack of Ideal Center Bulk: Weighing 219 pounds, he can still give up deep post positioning against heavier, physical NBA interior bigs and occasionally struggles to finish inside if he cannot exploit his initial vertical pop. He projects as more of a 4 in the NBA.
Draft Range
His highest position was 44th in one of the 10 mocks he was picked in. Went undrafted in six out of 16 mocks.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
The Suns desperately needed rebounding, length, and defense from a power forward this year. Nelson is extremely raw offensively, but he’s an exceptional offensive rebounder and great at generating steals.
Defensively, he fits the Suns’ switching defensive scheme, and his aggressive, high-energy style is seemingly “aligned” with Ott’s philosophy. The plus-minus statistics suggest he’s great at setting screens and slipping them for amazing dunks. Izaiyah Nelson also had a very good showing at the draft combine (though not as good as Trevon Brazile), both in terms of vertical leap and agility.
The downside is that he doesn’t space the floor at all, and it’s hard to see how he would mesh with Ighodaro or Williams. However, he might be an intriguing fit next to Maluach if Man-Man keeps developing his three-pointer. All in all, Nelson projects as a potential two-way player upgrade over Isaiah Livers.
NBA Comparisons
Nic Claxton, Onyeka Okongwu
Jeremy Fears, Jr. (Michigan State, Sophomore, PG)
Jeremiah (Jeremy) Fears, Jr.is an undersized (6’0” barefoot, 196 pounds), gritty point guard with elite playmaking vision, a high motor, and advanced ball-handling skills. He excels at generating paint touches, slashing to the rim, and drawing fouls, but he struggles with outside shooting consistency and can be prone to turnovers with a high offensive usage rate. Note: it is widely expected that Fears will return to MSU.
Dynamic Slashing & P&R: Exceptional at navigating ball screens and using creative change-of-pace dribbles to get to the basket. He scores efficiently at the rim for his size.
Elite Free Throw Creation: He draws contact at a very high rate and converts efficiently at the free-throw line (historically shooting around 85%).
Playmaking Vision: Possesses great court vision, frequently executing drive-and-kick passes, wraparounds, and no-look feeds.
Weaknesses
Shooting Limitations: His three-point shooting remains a work in progress. Defenses are known to sag off him, which can clog the half-court spacing when he operates off the ball.
Physical Profile: Measured at around 6’2″ barefoot with average length, he is slightly undersized for a modern NBA lead guard. He isn’t the most explosive athlete, making it occasionally tough for him to finish over length in the paint without relying on floaters or drawing contact.
On-Court Discipline: His intense competitive nature has occasionally boiled over into visual frustration or controversial physical plays, including multiple highly scrutinized technical fouls during rivalry games.
Draft Range
His highest position was 47th in two of the three mocks he was picked in. Went undrafted in 13 out of 16 mocks, though he showed up in the low 60s in three other mock drafts.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Former GM James Jones and others have observed in the past that prospects need to have at least one elite skill to survive in the NBA, and Fears’ skill is playmaking. He might have been the best pure point guard in college basketball last year, leading the nation at 9.4 APG. However, assists and assist-to-turnover ratios historically have been mediocre predictors of success in the NBA. For every Ja Morant or Trae Young, there are two Yuri Collinses or Jalen Moore’s. Fears’ mediocre three-point shooting, below-average height, wingspan, and reach are all red flags in the modern NBA for a point guard.
However, I noticed something looking at historical data. Players who lead NCAA Division 1 schools in APG fall into one of two categories: guys who went to major schools and go on to really good NBA careers (Morant, Young, Ball), and guys who went to smaller schools and never panned out (Moore, Collins). While APG isn’t a great indicator of success by itself, APG and school size together are. Fears led the NCAA in APG, and he went to a big school and faced top-level competition, which bodes well for his future.
That said, I think there’s a significant chance the Suns take him at 47 if he doesn’t withdraw from the draft and return to MSU for several reasons.
First, there’s the Michigan State connection with Owner Matt Ishbia. He loves his Michigan State guys, and there’s a zero percent chance he hasn’t been watching Fears. If Fears unexpectedly decides to stay in the draft, I would take it as a huge sign that Ishbia has made Fears a promise of a guaranteed NBA contract, especially given his feisty, tough, intense play style is aligned with the Phoenix team concept.
Fears’ weaknesses also aren’t as they appear at first glance. His super-high free throw percentage and relatively young age strongly suggest that his three-point percentage will improve over time. He’s still 6’1 or 6’2 in shoes, and the advanced metrics say he isn’t a liability on defense due to his excellent agility, strength, and vertical leap, which all graded well at the combine. His defensive box plus minus was a stronger positive than his (slightly) negative defensive rating, per Tankathon.
NBA Comparisons
Jaden Ivey, Markelle Fultz, Tyus Jones
Final Verdict
Most of the players I was really stoked about when I started looking at the draft have either returned to college or risen out of range of the Suns’ pick. All of the players here project as two-way players, except perhaps Fears, if Ishbia has decided that he’s willing to make promises of guaranteed, multi-year money for an MSU alumnus. (Seriously, I wouldn’t put it past him: if Fears doesn’t drop out of the draft, I’d drop a wad of money on the Suns picking him, it’s the only reason he wouldn’t).
Multiple mocks have shown the Suns picking each of these new players, and which one the Suns select says a lot about what the Suns are looking for. Brazile is a swing for the fences, take a flyer on a guy kind of move, and he’s the only one I could see developing into a high-quality starter. Izaiyah Nelson is a safe pick if you’re looking for the next Lou Amundson, high-energy, low-skill power forward to provide a spark from the deep bench and keep practice competitive. Jaden Bradley is a low-risk, low-reward sort of deep bench, third-string point guard who you can trust to not do anything incredibly dumb in limited minutes. Jeremy Fears has a higher ceiling than Nelson or Bradley if he figures out his three-point mechanics. Given his free-throw percentage, I believe he will.
If you made me rank these four players in terms of my own personal preference, I’d say Brazile, Fears, Nelson, and Bradley from most to least.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 14: AJ Dybantsa smiles during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 14, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The 2026 NBA Draft Combine was held from May 10-17 in Chicago with the Washington Wizards being the center of attention. Obviously, when Washington has the No. 1 pick, that is to be expected.
However, in the last week, we have heard rumblings of the Utah Jazz looking to trade up to No. 1. The Jazz have the No. 2 pick and consensus No. 1 pick and former BYU star AJ Dybantsa has played in their state.
But if the Wizards think Dybantsa will be the best fit at No. 1, they will select him, and he will play in D.C.
Or will they?
Josh Robbins and David Aldridge of The Athletic polled front office executives during the draft combine and found that out of 10 executives in an anonymous poll, seven indicated that Dybantsa will go at No. 1.
There is also an indication that there are four prospects who stand out, including Dybantsa. Darryn Peterson of Kansas, Cameron Boozer of Duke and Caleb Wilson of North Carolina are also part of this “Fantastic Four” group. It would be who Washington to take a deep look at the other three players as well.
Jeremy Woo of ESPN released a post combine mock draft with the Wizards selecting Dybantsa. But if Washington begins to covet one of the other three players in the “Fantastic Four,” then we can expect trade talk to heat up more than it already has.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 20: Jared McCain #3 of the Oklahoma City Thunder dribbles the ball during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 20, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Oklahoma City Thunder evened the Western Conference Finals Wednesday evening with a 122-113 win. The series is now tied 1-1
Jared McCain came off the bench to score 12 points, hitting 4-14 overall and 3-9 from behind the three-point line.
Mason Plumlee did not get off the bench for San Antonio.
Victor Wembanya continues his assault on the league, scoring 21 points, pulling down 17 rebounds, passing out 6 assists and blocking 4 shots.
This has quickly become the most interesting rivalry in the NBA, but the future belongs to Wembanyama and OKC will have to find a way to counter him. They can either find someone who can more or less match his abilities, which is a long shot at best, or they can find some modern equivalent of the Jordan Rules, and that might mean substantially altering their roster.
Fortunately, they have a ton of options.
They could, for instance, build a frontcourt specifically to cage Wembanyama, at least offensively. We’re just using hypothetical examples here, but if you threw Steven Adams, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Zion Williamson at him, that’s a frontcourt that would expose his biggest weakness, which is his pipe-cleaner frame. When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar entered the league, his physique was somewhat similar, but by the time he retired, his body was much thicker. But it took him years to muscle up.
Alternatively, they have a ton of draft picks to work with. Over the next five years, the Thunder have up to 11 first-round picks and between 12-15 second-round picks.
Already one of the deepest teams in the NBA, Oklahoma City clearly can’t use that many picks. It’s possible they could put together a deal for, say, Antetokounmpo, who would help a lot. Or they could look for another emerging young big man.
Or to go another route, the Thunder could just ruthlessly pursue great three-point shooters to counter Wemby. With great ball movement, you could just bomb away, and as freakish as Wembanyama can be, he can’t chase the ball around the perimeter. Again, this is hypothetical, but imagine if you hit him with Steph Curry, Kon Knueppel, and Luka Doncic.
Everyone is going to have to figure out how to deal with Wembanyama as the future of the league. OKC probably has the best chance of actually doing it.
Deandre Ayton is the Lakers’ biggest X-factor in the offseason. NBAE via Getty Images
Ayton is one of three Lakers, along with Austin Reaves and Marcus Smart, who have a player option for the 2026-27 season.
The expectation around the NBA is that Reaves will opt out of his $14.9 million option for next season and become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career. He’ll be eligible to sign a maximum five-year contract worth $241 million with the Lakers or a four-year, $178 million deal with another team.
Smart, who has a $5.4 million player option for 2026-27, should be able to sign a more lucrative deal this offseason — including one with the Lakers — if he opts out after having his best season in a few years.
But Ayton, and his $8.1 million player option, will be a pivot point for the Lakers’ offseason as he weighs his options after saying after the season ended that he didn’t know what decision he’d make.
“Just being honored and happy to be on this platform,” Ayton said. “And another chance, and all of that. There’s great players I learned [from] here. I haven’t really thought about nothing else, to be honest. I have a little break to myself.”
Ayton added: “I trust my agents. That’s about it. That’s really out of my hands; I love it here regardless. Fans and everybody that’s been around me, the coaching staff. They treat me like family.”
But Ayton, and his $8.1 million player option, will be a pivot point for the Lakers’ offseason as he weighs his options after saying after the season ended that he didn’t know what decision he’d make. AP
With the Lakers looking to “retrofit” the roster around superstar guard Luka Doncic, there’s a heightened spotlight on the team’s big man rotation — especially the starting center.
Doncic has been at his best when playing alongside a rim-running, lob-threat center who’ll also protect the rim defensively, evident during his run to the 2024 NBA Finals when the Mavericks had a center rotation of Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.
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Ayton and his style of play don’t fit that archetype.
There was a push-pull dynamic between what Ayton had been and wanted to be versus what the Lakers needed from him throughout the season — which Ayton acknowledged after the Lakers’ playoff run ended.
Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, “had to adjust” his style of play after joining the Lakers. NBAE via Getty Images
Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, is used to being the featured option within an offense and have the opportunities to impose his scorer’s mentality.
But that wasn’t what the Lakers needed from him most games. They needed his presence on the boards. A stout rim protector and defensive anchor. Even when his offensive touches were limited and consistently infrequent.
This dynamic is why Ayton said he came to the Lakers with a “different mindset” and “had to adjust.” And why he referred to 2025-26 as “humbling.”
This dynamic is why Ayton said he came to the Lakers with a “different mindset” and “had to adjust.” And why he referred to 2025-26 as “humbling.” Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
It reflected in his career-low averages of 12.5 points and eight rebounds. But to his credit, Ayton also shot a career-high 67.1% from the field. The Lakers were better at protecting the rim when Ayton was on the floor during the regular season and a significantly better rebounding team with Ayton playing during the playoffs.
“I came in here with a scorer’s mentality, and we don’t really need that,” Ayton said. “We have the best players on the team and the best playmakers. Kind of had to break down my game where just rebounding, defending the rim was what the team wanted. It’s not what I want, but it’s what the team wanted the most.”
This is why he’s the X-factor for the Lakers’ offseason. Getty Images
This is why he’s the X-factor for the Lakers’ offseason.
If Ayton opts out and signs with another team, it would help open pathways for the Lakers to sign or acquire another starting center who is a better fit alongside Doncic.
Ayton opting in or re-signing with the Lakers on another deal would make those pathways narrow and murkier.
It’s important to note that Doncic and Ayton are represented by longtime agent Bill Duffy of WME. And that Doncic recruited Ayton to the Lakers last summer after Ayton was bought out of his contract with the Trail Blazers.
The Lakers have been searching for the right center to pair with Doncic since they acquired him last February.
And they’re still searching.
How simple or complicated that search will be this summer will depend on Ayton.
The Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama (1) led his team to victory in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Thunder. Getty Images
He rubbed it in our faces. He made it impossible to second-guess. He all but etched his name on the metaphorical baton.
It happened in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals between the Spurs and Thunder. The evening began with Wembanyama watching NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hand Shai Gilgeous-Alexander the MVP Award he coveted.
It ended with our jaws on the floor.
Wembanyama had 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocked shots in the Spurs’ 122-115 double-overtime win over the Thunder on Monday. He followed that by a 21-point, 17-rebound, six-assist and four-block performance in the Spurs’ 122-113 loss on Wednesday.
If anything, Wembanyama was underhyped when he was touted as the best prospect since James.
He’s not like anything we’ve seen before.
He was dominant in Game 2, constantly chasing down any missed shots with unreal timing. But Game 1 was his magnum opus. That was his official coming out party He made the reigning champions look vulnerable. He made Gilgeous-Alexander look like he pulled a fast one on MVP voters.
Wembanyama was the human incarnation of opposing teams’ nightmares.
He was the best player on the court. He was the best player in the league. He was the best player of his generation. NBAE via Getty Images
The 7-foot-4 anomaly imposed his will everywhere. The paint belonged to him on both ends of the court. He was an unsolvable math problem for a Thunder team that had the NBA’s top-rated defense two straight seasons.
But what makes Wembanyama especially dangerous is he isn’t chained by the typical restraints of big men. He can dribble. He has a soft touch. He defies the rules.
Wembanyama transformed into Steph Curry in Game 1 with 27 seconds left in overtime and the Spurs trailing by three points, 108-105. He caught the ball just past half court. He fired a 28-foot 3-pointer. The ball swished through the net, forcing double overtime.
Plays like that make you wonder about Wembanyama’s ceiling. What isn’t he capable of doing? If he stays healthy, could he soon nip at the heels of LeBron James and Michael Jordan?
Then, in the second overtime, Wembanyama single-handedly outscored the Thunder, 9-7. He went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. He had as many rebounds (four) as the entire Thunder team.
In the final minute of that period, Wembanyama was fouled on a made dunk and completed the three-point play. He made an alley-oop dunk. And he concluded his one-man symphony by blocking and grabbing a shot attempt by Jalen Williams.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said what impressed him most wasn’t even measurable.
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“His level of physicality and execution through physicality was tremendous,” Johnson said. “His rebounding obviously showed in the box score, but what was off the charts was defensively, he was in his stance almost all night. That’s 49 big minutes, and it was high level for the majority of those.”
Wembanyama has said he wants to be the next face of the league. This season, he argued his case for the MVP Award, finishing third for that honor. He won Defensive Player of the Year.
Wembanyama has said he wants to be the next face of the league. This season, he argued his case for the MVP Award, finishing third for that honor. He won Defensive Player of the Year. AP Photo/Nate Billings
He wants this so bad.
There’s nothing nonchalant about him. There’s nothing halfhearted. He’s all in, and he has the skills to be transformative.
He didn’t even sugarcoat things when asked if Game 1 felt personal after he witnessed Gilgeous-Alexander receive the league’s most prestigious individual award.
“Yeah, for sure,” Wembanyama said. “Everything you just said.”
Watching Wembanyama is exciting for so many reasons.
But above all, he’s this good — and he’s only 22 years old. He became the youngest person to record at least 40 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game on Monday. And on Wednesday, he had game-highs in rebounds and blocks while making three 3-pointers.
This is only the beginning.
It feels as though we’re witnessing magic. We’re watching a masterpiece being painted in real time.
We’re witnessing history.
The 41-year-old James has made it clear he’s going to retire soon. But we can all breathe easy because the league has been handed over to a guy who’s going to take good care of it.
He’s going to give it his all.
And if everything goes as expected, he’s going to become one of the all-time greats.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - OCTOBER 10: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs talks with De'Aaron Fox in the second half of a preseason game against the Utah Jazz at Frost Bank Center on October 10, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs stole home court advantage in game 1, but had no delusions of taking game 2 without a fight.
Oklahoma City reset and were able to recreate the kind of game that kept them at the top of the Western Conference all season.
De’Aaron Fox did not suit up for the second straight game with a right high ankle sprain.
Spurs' De'Aaron Fox is expected to miss his second consecutive contest in Game 2 tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a right high ankle sprain, sources tell ESPN.
Spurs play-by-play announcer Jacob Tobey broke down the entire series of events quite concisely.
The Spurs are being very mysterious again.
They still are not specifying exactly what Dylan Harper injured beyond calling it a “leg injury.”
What’s at least somewhat encouraging is that after heading to the locker room, Harper DID attempt to return before ultimately being… pic.twitter.com/iPMpRNMCuM
If the Spurs are without the services of Fox and Harper, it is likely Jordan McLaughlin will see more minutes. After game 1, Coach Johnson stated he and the coaching staff discussed bringing in J-Mac throughout the game but ultiamtely decided against it. For game 2, however, McLaughlin played seven minutes making an immediate impact on the game shooting 2 of 2 from beyond the arc. McLaughlin’s ball-handling skills may be of greater need for game 3.
Castle took the loss personally, referring to his nine turnovers as a key factor that left the door open for the Thunder to even the series. In his postgame conference, he was slumped behind the microphone. The former Rookie of the Year didn’t make a lot of eye contact and took the brunt of responsibility for the loss.
The 2024 NCAA champion did mention that with a series meeting every two days, there wasn’t time to wallow. A film study, some tweaking of the plans, and the Spurs head into game 3 in less than 48 hours. Memories have to be short as the team look to bounce back in front of the home crowd at the Frost Bank Center on Friday.
Meanwhile, Mitch Johnson called Castle a “warrior” and Victor Wembanyama praised Stephon’s game.
Wembanyama on Castle’s performance and playing through physicality:
One thing for sure, the Spurs agree that whichever five players are on the court, they are connected and ready to play.
Go Spurs Go!
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In his end-of-the-season news conference, Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens noted he has a sign in his office with three questions that guide his roster-building process.
It reads: What do you want? What’s true? How do you get there?
And the third question? Well, the fastest path back to true title contention might be patience.
Maybe that reads like an oxymoron. But as the Celtics navigate the NBA’s new financial minefield, a second season outside the luxury tax could open up the sort of big-splash pathways that recently paved the way to Banner 18.
Roll the clock back to the last time the Celtics dropped a Game 7 at home against a lower-ranked opponent. In the aftermath of a loss to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, Stevens made the bold choice to overhaul the team’s core, shipping out Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III while bringing back Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
The Celtics don’t have that sort of financial freedom this summer — but they might soon. If Boston stays below the tax for the 2026-27 season, it would open avenues to spending more aggressively in future seasons.
The Celtics saw a new punitive collective bargaining agreement steamrolling toward big-spending teams back in 2023 and got ahead of the curve. They launched into the 2023-24 campaign knowing their new-look core likely only had two seasons to chase a title. They got one and might have made a more serious charge at another if not for health woes.
Everyone knew a roster overhaul loomed last summer. Jayson Tatum’s rehab from an Achilles injury made it a little bit easier to stomach the possibility that Boston might take a step back. And while most expected the Celtics to morph into a lottery team, the Celtics stiff-armed all gap-year suggestions and stormed to the No. 2 seed in the East.
The 2026 playoffs, which ended in a first-round exit after Boston built a 3-1 lead against the Philadelphia 76ers, exposed some vulnerabilities that were otherwise masked during a vibes-filled regular season. The Celtics can start the process of patching some of those holes this summer and might still be a legitimate threat to emerge in the East, but it will be just the running start of what might evolve into a full cannonball back into the big spenders’ pool.
Let’s be clear here: The Celtics don’t do gap years. Their 56 wins last season — most of which came while Tatum rehabbed — proved that. We’re not saying they should punt on the 2026-27 season. The suggestion here is simply that, with one more year of financial restraint, Boston can position itself to splurge in a way that most contenders won’t often dare in the apron era.
If green runs deep in Boston, patience runs scant. The goodwill of the 2024 title is already erased by the team’s season ending earlier than expected in three of the past four seasons. No one wants to waste the prime years of the Jays. Not when Jaylen Brown will turn 30 in October, and with Tatum only 17 months behind him.
Alas, the new collective bargaining agreement, in the league’s never-ending quest to enhance parity, has created endless obstacles to crafting a roster that can compete for anything more than a two-year window. Teams that build through the draft could extend their windows — which is why San Antonio and Oklahoma City appear so daunting at the moment — but most teams will be doing the second-apron Hokey Pokey given the cost of carrying multiple stars.
We can see a pathway forward where the Celtics spend a bit this offseason, perhaps bolstering their frontcourt while hunting for players of all sizes who can help put pressure on the rim. Boston could utilize available exceptions to tweak their roster, scale above the luxury tax to start the season, then make an assessment of their title potential before the February trade deadline, with a willingness to trim salary if they’re not definitively in the title mix at that point.
The Celtics were trending toward a $540 million total roster spend if they had kept their 2024 title team intact entering the 2025-26 season. Hindered by repeater penalties for big spending while chasing titles in recent seasons, Boston was on pace to owe $240 million in luxury tax payments. Stevens won Executive of the Year, in large part, by trimming $350 million off the books, all while the Celtics remained competitive in the aftermath despite Tatum’s absence.
The Celtics need to examine all avenues this summer, even trade possibilities for core members like Brown and Derrick White. We suspect they’ll ultimately find it hard to deliver surefire upgrades to this roster, at least without taking on enormous risk.
Boston can shore up some weaknesses and utilize next season to figure out how to maximize both 1) a healthier Tatum and 2) a supercharged Brown coming off an MVP-caliber season where he was in the driver’s seat most of the year.
The Celtics can straddle two tracks. They can be competitive next season and be one of the favorites to emerge in the East, all while setting up the kinds of big additions that might position them to throw haymakers with Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder during the 2027-28 season.
One more year of keeping costs manageable might allow the team to load up the slingshot back to deep-pocket spending.
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
On episode 205 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Justin and Connor welcome on Jam Hines from No Ceilings NBA to talk about the NBA Draft. Hines is one of the top NBA draft minds in the industry, and we picked his brain about all things Ohio State.
We talk with Hines about Bruce Thornton, John Mobley Jr., Anthony Thompson and Amare Bynum, as well as the overall 2026 NBA Draft and the current state of NIL and how it affects the draft.
Before that, we discuss John Mobley Jr. officially withdrawing his name from the NBA Draft pool and returning to Ohio State for his junior season.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! We have episodes every Thursday morning.
Former Bulls GM Jerry Krause has never fully gotten the credit he deserved for building the Chicago Bulls into the second-greatest dynasty in basketball, behind only the Boston Celtics of the Bill Russell era, and it’s partly his own fault.
He was indeed a brilliant GM, but he was also an insecure man who wanted to make sure he got credit for his work. Champions, he insisted, were built by the front office, not the players. There’s truth to that, but it offended his players, notably Jordan, who derisively called Krause Crumbs, because he saw a bit of breakfast on Krause’s shirt one day.
But while Krause got very lucky when he got Jordan, since Houston and Portland both took big men in the 1984 draft, he built around his immense talent brilliantly.
Perhaps the greatest example of this was when Chicago traded for Scottie Pippen in the 1987 Draft, giving up Olden Polynice and some future draft picks.
Pippen, if you didn’t know, came out of Central Arkansas, and while he was the #5 pick, he was the furthest thing from a sure bet. How could you know? How could you be sure that a guy who spent four years off the radar at a minor NAIA school would turn out, that he could play at the NBA level and do so brilliantly?
Jordan was obviously the better player, but Pippen’s athleticism was not far behind, and when they decided that something wasn’t happening, well, it just didn’t happen.
This video starts with what they did to Toni Kukoc in the Barcelona Olympics, and goes on to show that these guys were nearly impossible to attack when they were fully engaged. And that was the vast majority of the time.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 01: Reed Sheppard #15 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket against LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second quarter in Game Six of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 01, 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 Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The next Steph Curry. The next Steve Nash.
The next Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf…the next Brent Price.
The first Reed Sheppard – existentially speaking. He is not a Kevin O’Connor comparison – He is a solitary unit.
But what is he?
It seems like Rafael Stone has some lofty expectations. Rumors suggest that he sees Sheppard as a Nash-level talent. Stone publicly stated that this year, Sheppard made the Rockets’ offense better “whenever he was on the floor”.
Did he, though?
Rockets’ Reed Sheppard needs to grow
CleaningTheGlass says otherwise. The Rockets were -0.1 points per 100 possessions (PPP) worse when Sheppard was on the floor.
That’s nothing to worry about. Sheppard was a sophomore, and he got precious few reps as a rookie. Still, there’s no reason for me (and every reason for Rafael Stone) to exaggerate.
As a pick-and-roll ball-handler, Sheppard was fine, generating 0.90 PPP in those sets (62.1st percentile).
(Side note: Writing about this team is getting depressing. It feels like whenever I find a playtype stat, the Rocket in question is in the 60-something-ith percentile. Victor Wembanyama is probably in the 90th percentile in most defensive metrics before he gets out of bed. Le sigh).
Anyway, that’s a competent mark for a sophomore. For context, Tyrese Haliburton was in just the 51.4th percentile in pick-and-roll PPP as a sophomore.
That felt good to type. Of course, Tyrese Maxey was in the 85.1st. Oh God, the demons in my head! Sorry. Realistically, player development is too varied to expect much linearity. The lesson here is that Sheppard still has a lot of developmental paths he can take.
That makes assuming the best just about as irrational as assuming the worst. If we were to assume the median (which is either more rational or equally irrational, it’s a hard call), Sheppard is likely Abdul-Rauf-ish, or Payton Pritchard, or someone in that general tier. That’s fine, but the cornerstone Stone seems to see.
How does Sheppard hit that level?
Sheppard must be an all-time shooter
As a rookie, Sheppard hit 33.8% of his 2.7 triples per night. As a sophomore, he connected on 39.8% of his 7.0. That’s a massive leap:
He needs to make another one.
There’s ample room for Sheppard to generally improve. He needs to tighten up his handle as well. Yet, almost paradoxically, we’re looking at a shooting specialist whose swing skill is his shooting.
Sheppard is dangerous, but he needs to be lethal. Defenses respect his shot, but they need to fear it. It needs to consume their thoughts like the Telltale Heart. It needs to be understood that a Sheppard three that’s anything less than tightly contested is a worst-case scenario for any defense.
If that were the case, Sheppard’s handle suddenly matters less. A simple pump fake should be enough to free him up. He’s also a smart enough passer to run point if – and only if – his shot is that type of nuclear-level event.
Put differently: Sheppard has sufficient point guard chops to exploit an overly aggressive defense. He doesn’t (at least, currently) have enough in his bag to break down defenses that are responding to him relatively normally. We’ll never see another Steph Curry, but Sheppard’s shooting gravity needs to have a similar geometry-warping impact on the game.
Defensively? This may be who he is. Sheppard is small, and he’s not getting much bigger. He gets the steals and the blocks, and he also gets picked on. It makes him a questionable fit with Alperen Sengun, but that’s another article. Nobody should rule out any developments at this juncture, but the Rockets should be preparing for a world where he’s a long-term defensive liability.
So…Nick Van Exel? Mark Price? Chauncy Billups? Am I just practicing the ancient masculine arts of naming old athletes? Perhaps.
The point is there: There’s a large margin between Steve Nash and Payton Pritchard. Where Sheppard lands within that (arbitrarily defined) binary will determine whether he’s a star or a role player. If he falls into the latter camp, he’s simply not a cornerstone player.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the 14th NBA player to win back-to-back MVP awards [Getty Images]
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 30 points to inspire his side to a 122-113 victory against the San Antonio Spurs as the reigning NBA champions levelled the Western Conference final at 1-1.
Gilgeous-Alexander - who has won the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for a second year in a row - also provided nine assists in their second home game of the best-of-seven series.
Spurs star Victor Wembanyama scored 41 points in the opening game but was limited to 21 in the second match.
"The guys brought it tonight, knowing what it would have meant if we lost this one," said Gilgeous-Alexander.
"We brought the energy from the jump."
The game was level at 31 apiece after the first quarter before Thunder moved into an 11-point lead at half-time.
The Spurs did level the match midway through the third and got to within two points of their rivals in the fourth quarter but Thunder pulled away each time on the way to victory.
"We got a W, it's all you can ask for. Now we got to go on the road against a really good team and go get one," said Gilgeous-Alexander.
Games three and four will take place in San Antonio on Friday and Sunday.
The New York Knicks lead the Cleveland Cavaliers 1-0 in the Eastern Conference final with game two in New York on Thursday.
