It’s been a long playoff run for the Knicks’ WAGs, but they surely wouldn’t have it any other way.
After a long playoff run starting in mid-April and culminating in a breathtaking NBA championship, Ali Brunson, wife of Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, unloaded her camera roll.
In a 12-picture Instagram post, Ali shared images of their goldendoodle Kona and rescue Stevie, as well as their 11-month-old baby daughter, Jordyn James Brunson.
Ali, who became a doctor of Physical Therapy in 2021, and the other Knicks WAGs have been in the news lately after James Dolan jokingly asked Knicks players to be celibate during the playoffs in a now-famous speech.
Ali Brunson takes a picture with the mirror. Instagram alibrunson11
“I had this idea that maybe you should give up sex for the next 10 weeks,” Dolan told the Knicks on April 3 before the playoffs began. “You don’t have to give up sex for the next 10 weeks, but like Spartans — do you know what Spartans are? — They denied themselves to gain an edge. Get the edge.”
Jalen Brunson was photographed with the Larry O’Brien. Instagram alibrunson11
Ali added a few behind-the-scenes pictures of her and her husband celebrating with the Larry O’Brien Trophy and the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award Trophy.
Chayka checked off multiple boxes for the Maple Leafs in that deal, bringing in a young defenseman who will improve the team's ability to advance the puck up the ice. However, more moves should be expected for Toronto this off-season.
Matthew Knies has surfaced in trade rumors, but the player who has ramped up in trade discussions is defenseman Morgan Rielly.
Knies has been included in off-season trade boards, and it was even revealed that he was almost dealt at the NHL trade deadline last season. Though nothing has come to fruition yet, teams around the league have been eying the 23-year-old left winger.
Aside from captain Auston Matthews and right winger William Nylander, Knies is probably the next player who would bring in the biggest trade package for the Maple Leafs.
The possibility of a Rielly trade, however, seems to be much greater based on recent reports.
The Maple Leafs trading away the veteran blueliner appears to be the next likely scenario for Chayka and the organization this off-season. In fact, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun wrote, "all signs indeed point to a potential trade this offseason," regarding Rielly, and that both the player's camp and the team are working together on making a deal happen.
Because of that clause in his contract, Rielly cannot be traded without his consent to the team he is going to, or for a trade to happen at all. With that, LeBrun reported that Rielly's agent, J.P. Barry, has given Leafs management a list of teams that the player could be interested in moving to.
"My understanding is that most of those teams are all in the Western Conference, but there’s also a sense that there could be flexibility as talks evolve," LeBrun wrote. "For instance, if Leafs GM John Chayka comes back to Barry with a team that’s not on the list but that made a decent trade offer, it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s a 'no.'"
The NHL insider also said that the San Jose Sharks make plenty of sense as a possible destination for Rielly. He also doesn't believe his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks, is on the list.
Nonetheless, it appears a divorce between Rielly and the Leafs could be in the cards this off-season.
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 27: Maliq Brown #6, Isaiah Evans #3, Cameron Boozer #12 and Dame Sarr #7 of the Duke Blue Devils look on against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half of the CBS Thanksgiving Classic at the United Center on November 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Every year we do a DBR Mock Draft and The 2026 version is complete, with Jason Evans as Commissioner and @-jk, @CDu, and @brevity deputized to run things in his absence. Notable picks including AJ Dybantsa to Washington, Darryn Peterson to Utah, and Cameron Boozer to Memphis. Fellow Blue Devils Isaiah Evans and Maliq Brown were also selected.
Here is the draft order and the GMs who signed up for each team/pick.Keep an eye on Stickdog!
FIRST ROUND 1. Washington (@coldriver10): AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU 2. Utah (@kinghoops): Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas 3. Memphis (@pfrduke): Cameron Boozer, F, Duke 4. Chicago (@CDu): Caleb Wilson, F, UNC 5. LA Clippers (@brevity): Cameron Carr, G, Baylor 6. Brooklyn (@Daddylawman): Keaton Wagler, G, Illinois 7. Sacramento (@toughbuff1): Darius Acuff Jr, G, Arkansas 8. Atlanta (@JasonEvans): Aday Mara, C, Michigan 9. Dallas (@JNort): Mikel Brown Jr, G, Louisville 10. Milwaukee (@DukeFan1986 defaults, now @phaedrus): Kingston Flemings, G, Houston 11. Golden State (@stickdog): Yaxel Lendeborg, F, Michigan 12. Oklahoma City (@accfanfrom1970): Hannes Steinbach, F, Washington 13. Miami (@tommy): Morez Johnson Jr, F, Michigan 14. Charlotte (@roywhite): Jayden Quaintance, F, Kentucky 15. Chicago (@CDu): Dailyn Swain, G/F, Texas 16. Memphis (@pfrduke): Brayden Burries, G, Arizona 17. Oklahoma City (@accfanfrom1970): Nate Ament, F, Tennessee 18. Charlotte (@roywhite): Chris Cenac Jr, F/C, Houston 19. Toronto (@jam): Labaron Philon Jr, G, Alabama 20. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Allen Graves, F, Santa Clara 21. Detroit (@scottdude8): Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke 22. Philadelphia (@TheBrianZoubekExperience): Henri Veesaar, C, UNC 23. Atlanta (@JasonEvans): Christian Anderson Jr, G, Texas Tech 24. New York (@Billy Dat): Zuby Ejiofor, F, St. John’s 25. LA Lakers (@Whutadrag): Joshua Jefferson, F, Iowa State 26. Denver (@Kdogg): Bennett Stirtz, G, Iowa 27. Boston (@Furniture): Koa Peat, F, Arizona 28. Minnesota (@pokeresqdefaults, now@phaedrus): Meleek Thomas, G, Arkansas 29. Cleveland (@MrJeffSchwartz0): Luigi Suigo, C, Mega 30. Dallas (@JNort): Karim Lopez, F, New Zealand Breakers
SECOND ROUND 31. New York (@Billy Dat): Trevon Brazile, F, Arkansas 32. Memphis (@pfrduke): Ebuka Okorie, G, Stanford 33. Brooklyn (@Daddylawman): Pavle Backo, C, Mega 34. Sacramento (@toughbuff1): Baba Miller, F, Cincinnati 35. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Tarris Reed Jr, C, Connecticut 36. LA Clippers (@brevity): Maliq Brown, F, Duke 37. Oklahoma City (@accfanfrom1970): Sergio de Larrea, G, Valencia 38. Chicago (@CDu): Ugonna Onyenso, C, Virginia 39. Houston (@godins): Emanuel Sharp, G, Houston 40. Boston (@Furniture): Tobias Jensen, G, Ratiopharm Ulm 41. Miami (@tommy): Nick Boyd, G, Wisconsin 42. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Alex Karaban, F, Connecticut 43. Brooklyn (@Daddylawman): Braden Smith, G, Purdue 44. San Antonio (@BlueDevilDog): Ryan Conwell, G, Louisville 45. Sacramento (@toughbuff1): Jack Kayil, G, Alba Berlin 46. Orlando (@House P): Quadir Copeland, G, NC State 47. Phoenix (@powellhill1981): Tobi Lawal, F, Virginia Tech 48. Dallas (@JNortdefaults, now@AGDukesky): Jaden Bradley, G, Arizona 49. Denver (@Kdogg): Dillon Mitchell, F, St. John’s 50. Toronto (@jam): Felix Okpara, F, Tennessee 51. Washington (@coldriver10): Milos Uzan, G, Houston 52. LA Clippers (@brevity): Tyler Bilodeau, F, UCLA 53. Houston (@godins): Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky 54. Golden State (@stickdog): Richie Saunders, G, BYU 55. New York (@Billy Dat): Nick Townsend, F, Yale 56. Chicago (@CDu): Jaden Henley, G, Grand Canyon 57. Atlanta (@JasonEvans): Tyler Nickel, G/F, Vanderbilt 58. New Orleans (@pcal6vb): Tobe Awaka, F, Arizona 59. Minnesota (@pokeresq defaults, now @AGDukesky): Izaiyah Nelson, F, South Florida 60. Washington (@coldriver10): Keyshawn Hall, F, Auburn
Giving captain the summer off ‘would be the right thing to do’
Van Rensburg set for England debut despite Test ineligibility
Steve Borthwick will rest the England captain Maro Itoje this summer unless injury strikes in the second row over the weekend.
Itoje is set to be stood down for next month’s Tests against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina following a year that saw him lead the British & Irish Lions to a series victory against Australia, play in the autumn and Six Nations campaigns and mourn the death of his mother.
May 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) and pitcher Payton Tolle (70) celebrate after a victory over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Boston Red Sox do not deserve to have any representatives at the 2026 MLB All-Star Game.
It’s going to happen, though…
Major League Baseball, in an effort to maximize fan engagement across all of its markets, requires that each team is represented by at least one player at the Midsummer Classic. Cesar Izturis, Michael Lorenzen, Ty Wigginton, and Brock Holt are some of the names you may or may not know to earn the honor by way of technicality — which is exactly where the local nine should be, no matter how many decent individual performers are on the roster.
Willson Contreras (.304/.396/.570 | 16) has undoubtedly been the club’s best player, but there’s no world in which he should get the nod over New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (.293/.387/.611 | 19) and Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (.240/.378/.560 | 20). Aroldis Chapman (0.44 ERA | 14 SV) barely ever pitches despite being the most dominant reliever in the American League, so he could be edged out by some other guys like Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith (2.48), Tampa Bay Rays closer Bryan Baker (1.91), and Texas Rangers reliever Jacob Latz (1.62 ERA). Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu have been good, but they’re not going to edge out the popular vote guys like Aaron Judge, Mike Trout, Byron Buxton, or Julio Rodriguez.
If they’re going to push to send anyone, it should be Payton Tolle.
Tolle hasn’t been their most consistent starting pitcher (Sonny Gray), doesn’t have the best numbers (Ranger Suarez), and wasn’t the obvious choice coming into the season (Garrett Crochet) — but he’s the best possible representative for a club that needs to improve the vibes!
Tolle hit a speed bump last night but is having a remarkable rookie campaign overall — 2.93 ERA, 60 K, 58.1 IP — and happens to be the only human being on this baseball team that can bring a smile to one’s face. If you want someone who can show you just how fun playing in this market can be, go send that guy!
I’d also be inclined to ask him to do some recruiting…
*insert Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant gif*
I don’t know how many of these guys will actually hit free agency due to the whole impending lockout situation, but we can get the ball rolling early on some of these guys!
William Contreras might want to come play with his brother! Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, and Ronald Acuña Jr. are opt-out candidates! Murakami’s short-term deal might end up being a detriment to his current club!
If none of that matters, just reward the guy who actually makes your fanbase happy. It could be that easy.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 16: New York Knicks NBA Champions Deuce McBride, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby attend the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match between France and Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 16, 2026 in East Rutherford, United States. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New York Knicks are so good that they attended France’s World Cup game on Tuesday…
…and got a louder ovation than anyone kicking rocks on the turf of MetLife New York New Jersey Stadium.
Here’s a very mixed-up Bulletin as we keep waiting for the most anticipated parade ever.
“It was so amazing to see how this win healed so many people in New York, fan-wise and even to the alumni, and Patrick. When I hugged Patrick, it was like he finally was able to exhale and see a trophy in a Knicks jersey.”
On seeing Ewing with the trophy:
“To finally be able to see that Larry O’Brien in [Ewing’s] hands and not in Michael Jordan’s and all these other people’s hands, I mean, there was just so much healing that I was stunned. I didn’t realize how impactful it really is, and I still honestly don’t think I understand the true magnitude of what we’ve done.”
On the many generations of Knicks fans enjoying this championship:
“You never realize a little kid watched the Knicks play, win a championship with his father, and now he’s the one with his son celebrating the same moment that him and his father.”
On the Knicks’ resilience being key for the title win:
“I think it’s also not just the culture of our team, but the culture of New York City. When you live here in New York City, you have to understand that with a lot of things that happen, and the tides will change quickly. So, for us, just to continue to stay focused, stay disciplined, and continue to appreciate.”
On the Knicks leaving no question unanswered this postseason:
“To win, it’s so difficult just to make it to the conference finals, but it’s a whole another level of difficulty to win the conference final, and then obviously when you’re in the finals, it’s even another level. I just learned a lot about our team, learned a lot about ourselves. There were always questions about all of us, whether our character, our personality, or if we had the mental strength to actually make it happen. I think we answered.”
On his teammates’ contributions through the championship run:
“I could go down the list from everybody on the team. Everyone has such a big part in this season’s success.”
On the title being a healing experience:
“What was so special about this — and I didn’t realize this until after the win — was how much healing that win would do for all of New York City, from the fans to the alumni to even for us as the players in our personal lives. It was a healing experience.”
On James Dolan’s pre-playoff speech:
“I knew the team that [Dolan] was telling that to would hear it because we were all on our first opportunity at an NBA championship, especially after last year, when we didn’t get to see the NBA Finals.”
On confidence and criticism:
“I never needed people’s vindication to feel good about myself. My confidence is built in the work. My confidence is built in the gym in the long hours that no one can see.”
On who the real Knicks celebs are:
“In my mind, the real celebrities are the ones in the 200’s and the nosebleeds.”
🚨 Highlight of the Night 🚨
Throwback to the blockbuster trade that sent Stephon Marbury to the Knicks.
“Even the guys that like don’t like soccer, like they’re watching too, and they’re like enjoying it because like I think as competitors and athletes, you see how hard they’re playing, and then you start seeing the atmosphere, and it’s a beautiful game too, and I think we just appreciate that.”
“We changed coaches at the end of last season because we believed that you, the players, and the rest of the organization, needed to be heard. Needed to work together. Needed to be heard. Not just led or dictated to.
“And Coach Thibs was a great coach. Brilliant. But we thought you needed a coach that would pull you together. That would have you playing as a team. And although that’s not been perfect, we believe that together, a joint effort, would be better. Would give us a shot at winning a championship — rather than relying on one person’s opinion.
“And that’s the team we have now. We believe that instead of relying on the coach that you would discipline each other, that you talk to each other, that you would figure out how to play together with each other. And that was stronger than just hearing that from one voice.”
The kind of beautiful unity that makes you want to drive a warship through land-locked Times Square?
— Pablo Torre Finds Out (@pablofindsout) June 16, 2026
Mike Breen
On the Knicks and their fans:
“It’s a team that pretty much the entire city gets behind and it’s a team that has struggled for so long. But the fans never went away even in the rough years and there were many rough years as we all know so to go from that and stick with them through thick and through thin and see not only a team that have success but a team that that is such representative of the city and the kind of people that you want they’re such high character individuals they’re all about the team the way they carry themselves that’s a big part of it as well and then when you have your star player be the kind of young man that Jalen Brunson is from a player to his toughness to his will of never giving up to overcoming all the yeah he’s good but stuff that’s an important factor as well.”
On Jalen Brunson’s coachability:
“I said this the other day and it might sound a little corny but Brunson has all these these different characteristics that you want in your star player, that you want in your franchise player. One that that sometimes goes underrated he’s extremely coachable. Even at this level, he’s extremely coachable and that’s huge for a team to come together because if if the rest of the team sees okay this guy’s taken some some guff from the coach and and the coach gets on him not just the head coach but of course the assistant namely one Rick Brunson yes then then we can do it too so you put it all together and it just it becomes something really magical and that’s that’s what we always hope for that’s the long long-term dream when we start rooting for a team to have a team like this.”
“I know they waited 53 years. I think they might have a little bit more pent-up excitement. But in terms of pride, no one could be more proud of their guys than we all are at Villanova, than I am.”
On Brunson, Hart and Bridges:
“They did the same thing in Villanova. They’re really unique young men. And I just sat back and watched on this one. I feel like a proud papa.”
“First of all, he’s a great guy. He has a winner mentality that makes him different from other players. We talk all the time. We talked before the last game. I said you’ve got one more, and of course, after he won, I congratulated him on the title.”
Nerlens Noel on IG: "Happy for all the Knicks Fans! What a time it was to play there and now see 'We Here' come to life with this group! Congrats!"
“Congratulations Lil Big Man!! If you think you can, you’re right. If you think you can’t, you’re right.”
Mark Cuban
On why he let Jalen Brunson leave Dallas:
“It was really, really simple. We didn’t see JB, as what he would become.”
On Brunson’s development not fitting the Mavs timeline:
“He showed that star potential when Luka [Doncic] got hurt, and he won those games against Utah for us, but we were trying to get a star to put next to Luka, and JB’s star had not risen yet.”
On the Spurs’ decision not to shake hands after the Finals loss:
“People get mad at athletes when they don’t shake hands. You go back, and you start like the 2000s back. Nobody shake hand. We didn’t care. We lost, we don’t want to talk to you. People like, ‘Well, that’s just not sportsmanly.’ Dude, I am mad in the moment that I got my a** whooped. I ain’t trying to be friends with nobody who kicked my a**. So, I don’t understand when everybody that’s never played a sport gets so upset. ‘Oh, you didn’t shake my hand.’ I just lost. I don’t want to talk right now. That’s even after games. They tell us in the locker room to take a minute before you speak because you don’t want to speak out of anger. And so, when guys shake hands, I’m cool if they don’t shake hands. I’m cool they do shake. But me, I ain’t shake your hand. I’m mad. I walked off the court.”
“They walked off. That was disappointing. Bit disappointing. The reason it was disappointing is because when you go mano a mano, toe to toe, blow for blow with a team, and they get the better of you, those that become champions, look them in their eyes and say, ‘Respect, congratulations, well deserved.’ And then you go to the locker room.”
On how champions handle defeat:
“That’s what those that become champions do. If you leave the court and you don’t look me in my face and I just beat you, I actually know that I own you forever because you couldn’t even look me in the face. And so to see them walk off the court, it was disheartening. I’ll blame it on youth. I’ll blame it on lacking the leader to show them that, ‘Hey, this is what you do, not walk off.’ I blame it on that.”
“The lesson is, you can’t buy a championship. You can’t waltz, you can’t get lucky. You’ve got to earn your way to a championship.”
On James Dolan’s apology to NYK fans:
“And it’s just like when we won, Mr. [James] Dolan gave that speech where he was like, ‘I’m sorry, New York, I was trying,’ you know, ‘I’m sorry it took so long to win this chip.’ That’s how hard it is to be a champion. You’ve got to beat the very, very best.”
On Knicks fans traveling during the playoffs:
“But I want to thank everybody, man, for fighting hard — and the fans, man, we went out there. We went to Cleveland. We went to Atlanta. We went to San Antonio. I mean, by the thousands. There was so many New York fans all over. I like to think we willed them some way or another. We willed them. Like, whenever they had doubts, or whenever it was down, we was like, yeah, let’s go.”
On the celebrations in New York:
“These scenes in New York City will never get replaced.”
"As a professional, you gotta shake hands. … You gotta man up."
Cam'ron weighed in on Wemby not shaking hands at the end of the NBA Finals on First Take 🏀 pic.twitter.com/HnTfekzTkk
On where OG’s tip-in ranks in New York sports history:
“I’m No. 1. I’ll let everybody else argue. I would give him No. 2 because I’m a Knicks fan, it’s not even a shadow of a doubt. It’s No. 2 for me. The argument for me is it’s the Super Bowl, undefeated Patriots. What makes OG No. 2 is you talk about the drought the Knicks had been in. That’s what makes this massively over other moments. It’s a stand-alone reality, what basketball means to New York City, what the Knicks mean to New York City.”
On comparing the two iconic moments:
“When you’re talking about football and beating an undefeated Patriots team that’s still looked at as a top 10 NFL team of all time, there’s probably more narratives in our Super Bowl.”
On OG Anunoby’s legacy:
“Yes, absolutely, the scale of which, I don’t know, he’s got a good amount of basketball in front of him. He’s earned that, especially in relation to what the Knicks mean to New York City. He has earned his lore, he has earned his folklore.”
On Brunson and Anunoby’s roles:
“Brunson is the Eli of the story and OG is the Tyree of the story.”
“I think that’s a special thing, to see the energy and just how devoted the fans are to the team and the city.”
On the added motivation:
“It gives us a little bit of added motivation. We’re motivated already, but, man, just watching those guys win that championship, it has to do something for you as a competitor.”
On New York City’s title celebrations:
“Just seeing just the energy of the city and how the fans are just so happy and excited, to have those bragging rights to be the NBA champion and for that to be at home in New York, I think that’s a special thing, to see the energy and just how devoted the fans are to the team and to the city.”
On the impact of the championship on the Jets:
“It gives us a little bit of added motivation. We’re motivated already, but man, just watching those guys win their championship, it’s gotta do something to you as a competitor.”
“I went to eat wings with Tyler the other day in the city — we were watching UFC fights — and I congratulated him and I’m like, ‘I can’t wait to have that feeling.’”
On positive jealousy:
“So there’s definitely positive jealousy because I want my team to be able to do that as well.”
On seeing the Knicks win:
“I was just talking to some of my boys — it gives you, like, positive jealousy.”
On Mikal Bridges and Tyler Kolek:
“It’s like damn, like I’m very cool with Mikal [Bridges], Tyler Kolek, a lot of those guys, so I was just like, ‘Bro, that’s so lit.’”
On wanting the same feeling:
“I went to eat wings with Kolek the other day in the city and we were watching UFC fights and I congratulated him and I’m just like, ‘I can’t wait to have that feeling.’ So definitely positive jealousy ’cause it’s like I want my team to be able to do that as well. It’s definitely very cool to see.”
On attending Game 5:
“It was crazy. Most of the arena was Knicks fans anyway so I had a suite with some of my boys. I got to chill with Jaxson Dart so me and him got really well acquainted and now we’re really cool, super cool dude. We were there just as fans of another New York team and just cheering the guys on, and after the game went and dapped everybody up.”
Jalen Brunson left a short message on this trading card 👀
On handing out free tickets to the championship parade:
“From packed watch parties in our parks to joyous celebrations that spilled out onto our streets, this championship belongs to New York City. The Knicks brought together New Yorkers from every borough and every walk of life. That’s why we’re making these tickets free and accessible — so working-class people have a chance to be part of this historic moment and celebrate the team that brought a championship home.”
On the Knicks’ meaning to New York City:
“The Knicks belong to New York City. And this championship belongs to the people who waited 53 years for it.”
One year ago today, those of us associated with the Florida Panthers were feeling pretty darn good.
It was on June 17 of last year that the Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final to claim their second consecutive championship.
The victory capped off an impressive playoff run that saw Florida reel off 16 wins in just 23 games, one less than it took them to claim the franchise’s first Stanley Cup a year prior.
Similarly to the first time, Florida’s second Cup clinching win over the Oilers came in front of their home fans at Amerant Bank Arena.
This time, it was the Panthers who had to come from behind in the series after dropping Game 1, an overtime thriller in Edmonton.
Florida responded by reeling off four wins over the next five games, with their only defeat coming during a Game 4 that the Panthers blew a 3-0 lead and lost on a funky deflection in overtime.
They followed that up by smothering Edmonton by a combined score of 10-3 in Games 5 and 6, with five of those 10 goals coming off the stick of Sam Reinhart.
For as much of a nail-biter as their first championship turned out to be, this one felt more like a coronation.
Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; The Florida Panthers celebrate after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Apr 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
As I begrudgingly watched the NBA Playoffs after the Houston Rockets embarrassing effort against the Los Angeles Lakers, it became more and more clear to me that the words 0f the former football coaching legend Bill Parcels were spot on. He once famously said, “You are what you record says you are.”
While the Rockets won 52 games for the second consecutive season, that record was only good enough to put them in the fifth seed in the Western Conference. No one would argue honestly that they were contenders after watching their Round 1 exit. This became clearer after watching both the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks in the Finals.
It’s not as much a talent discrepancy as it is a skillset and structure discrepancy… The Spurs have a plethora of guards, the Knicks gave multiple guards, the Rockets have three guards. Reed Sheppard, Aaron Holiday, and Fred VanVleet. Of those three players, none of them are top tier at creating their own shot, and none of them is taller than 6-feet 2-inches. Of the three, I guess we can call Reed Sheppard the most consistent shooter, but it would be hard to label any of them as consistent.
When it comes to the offensive structure of the teams in the Finals, I watched two teams that were not perfect by any means, but teams that moved the basketball, had players moving without the ball, and with the exception of the Knicks occasionally allowing Capt. Clutch put on his cape in critical moments in the games, there wasn’t a lot of standing around and watching iso ball. If you watched the Rockets this season, then you know there were times that it looked like the Rockets don’t even practice offense. This was especially the case when Kevin Durant was out with injury in the playoffs.
Rockets fans have to ask themselves if at the age of 32 and coming off of a torn ACL is the 6-foot Fred VanVleet going to be enough to transform this team into a high-powered offense? While there is no doubt he will add more structure to the offense, the real issue is he can only contribute to the structure of the offense to the extent that a structure has been put in place by the head coach, and this leads me to what I believe is the biggest shortcoming the Rockets have in comparison to the teams we saw not just in the Finals, but even in the semi-finals.
I watched the New York Knicks fall down double digits in every game of the NBA finals, and I watched Mike Brown and his staff be able to find adjustments that worked. Yes, the Knicks, Spurs, Thunder, and Cavs all had game-plans and looked as if they actually practiced said game-plans ahead of time, but they also were able to deviate from the plan when it wasn’t working, Additionally, when Mike Brown realized that against conventional thought, Jose Alvarado and Jalen Brunson were actually working well on the floor together, he stuck with it and the Knicks made one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history because of it.
Are any of us convinced that Ime Udoka would have sacrificed the defense of one of his main rotation pieces, regardless of how atrocious they were playing offensively, in return for a guy who got hot off the bench? No, in the Rockets scenario their “Jose Alvarado” would be Reed Sheppard, and the role of Josh Hart would be Tari Eason. We were getting Tari Eason no matter how poorly he was playing and no matter how well Sheppard was playing, nearly the entire season.
In Udoka’s defense, that’s probably the right move in most situations when everything is going as planned, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. Sometimes the Spurs decide they are going to put Wembanyama on Amen Thompson to try and bother him with his length, and instead of having him stand on the perimeter while watching Durant or Sengun go iso on someone, or having Amen go iso against a 7-ft 4-inch extra-terrestrial, you have him set some screens and roll to the basket, or free up Sengun, or Sheppard, or KD with those screens for better looks at the basket? I don’t really know because I’m not the coach of an NBA team, but I do know you don’t keep slamming your head into the wall and wonder why you’re concussed.
One of the most telling things about the Rockets organization, as currently constructed, I observed at a game I saw in person this past season. March 5th versus the Golden State Warriors. My wife and I were invited to watch the game from a suite, which is now my absolute favorite way to watch at Toyota Center now. If you know, you know, but I digress. We both felt really good about the Rockets chances going into the game relatively healthy against a Warriors team that featured no Steph, no Jimmy Buckets, no Porzingis, no GP3, and no Moses Moody. That confidence was massively displaced. The Rockets lost in overtime 115-113, but the score did not indicate how troubling the loss was.
What stood out to me immediately was that the Golden State Warriors play the exact same way regardless of who is on the court. The result is not always the same, but they play the exact same way when Brandon Podziemski or DeAnthony Melton are running the point-guard position as they do when Steph Curry is there. Ball movement, off-ball screens, player movement, running players off multiple screens, penetration into the paint and kick-out to shooters… It looks the exact same because it’s a system. The Rockets defense chased them around all game long and were behind most of the game. The difference in the game? Stop me if you have heard it… Lack of execution down the stretch in crucial moments. One might ask is it lack of execution, or was it lack of a system to execute?
Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, I want to be very clear. Not all hope is lost for the Rockets, but they have a lot of work to do. For staters, building the roster in a way that allows you to not have to reinvent the wheel whenever a player is out. Having a system that becomes second nature to those in it so that players are playing and not thinking. Coaching that isn’t too stubborn to admit something isn’t working and make a change to what is working on that particular night. Once the Rockets have that then they can focus on gaining the mental toughness required to go through the gauntlet of the Western Conference to even have the chance at an NBA title. Even then, that will only make you a contender, it doesn’t guarantee that they will win it all with the likes of OKC and San Antonio still here and steadily rising. It would however mean that the Rockets would be close, which they are far from at this time.
The 2026 series is locked at one all after Queensland defeat NSW thanks to a stunning second-half onslaught
Tonight’s referee is Ashley Klein, but there have been calls the NRL should have found a replacement. Klein took centre stage in Origin I for his decision to send off Kalyn Ponga, and he has since been the subject of media stories due to his historic gambling activities. His performance will be scrutinised like no whistleblower before.
Laurie Daley is delighted to have Payne Haas back in his XIII: “the best front row in the game”, according to the NSW coach, and he’s relieved to be able to call upon the game management and kicking prowess of Mitchell Moses.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 16: Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets walks across the field in the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on June 16, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets lost 5-3 to the Reds, losing the series as well. Kodai Senga lasted just four innings, giving up four runs on two hits and four walks while striking out five.
Buster Olney listed 12 baseball executives under the most pressure ahead of the trade deadline, and David Stearns (unsurprisingly) ranked very high.
The Mets made a handful of roster moves, including activating Kodai Senga fromt he injured list and designating Vidal Bruján for assignment.
Despite the shaky—and short—start last night, Kodai Senga will likely remain in the Mets rotation.
Around the National League East
The Phillies soundly defeated the Marlins 8-2. Jesús Luzardo went seven innings and gave up just two runs, striking out nine Marlins in the process.
The Nationals narrowly beat the Royals 6-4. Curtis Mead drove in three of the Nationals six runs on one big swing, a three run home run in the seventh inning.
The Giants were beating the Braves 3-2 before the game was suspended in the second inning due to rain. The game will be completed today at 2 PM, ahead of the 7:15 PM series finale.
Around Major League Baseball
The Giants are open to offers for major players such as Matt Chapman and Rafael Devers, though they don’t plan on trading Logan Webb or their young players.
Jeff Passan lamented the seeming parallel course the beginning of this labor dispute is taking to 1994—a fight that nearly derailed baseball permanently.
Passan spoke to Tom Glavine about these concerns that Glavine (a former executive subcommittee member and face of the players during the 1994 strike) shares.
Yankees prospect Kaeden Kent was born to play baseball—especially given the fact that his dad is impending Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Kent.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JUNE 10: Relief pitcher Ryan Yarbrough #33 of the New York Yankees pitches during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on June 10, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Yankees defeated the Guardians 8-3. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
As the Yankees’ bullpen has come under fire over the past few months and emerged as arguably the team’s biggest weakness*, they have continued to carry both Paul Blackburn and Ryan Yarbrough — two pitchers who have spent most of their career as starters (or, well, in Yarbrough’s case, starter-adjacent, thanks to the Rays frequently pairing him with an opener) in their bullpen since Opening Day.
*At least before two-thirds of the starting outfield hit the shelf at the same time.
While not, at the start of the season, a bad move — veteran depth capable of starting is hardly ever a bad thing, and having multiple pitchers capable of going multiple innings while starters are still ramping up early in the season can help teams get through the early season without overusing their bullpen — this decision has frustrated fans over the last month or so. As the high-leverage arms have been overworked, does the team really need to have two low-leverage long men?
Last week, we took a look at Blackburn’s season, breaking down how the Yankees have tried to convert him into a middle reliever, with some success. This week, though, I want to take a dive into Yarbrough’s metrics, and see if he might be a better choice for those medium-leverage innings that Blackburn has been getting. Because, well, Yarbrough’s metrics have been…pulling in different directions, to say the least.
Out of pitchers with at least 20 innings pitched this season, only dominant San Diego closer Mason Miller has allowed less hard contact than Yarbrough, 17.6 to 14.0 percent (these numbers come from FanGraphs’ Statcast heading, which has different values than the ones in the chart above, but the percentiles are the same). His average exit velocity is better than any pitcher except Philadelphia’s Orion Kerkering. The only way his batted-ball profile would be better is if he generated more groundballs — he ranks 214th out of the 375 pitchers that we’re looking at — but at the end of the day, soft contact is soft contact.
At the same time, though, thanks to a fastball that tops out at 87.5 mph, Yarbrough struggles to get strikeouts. He does not get batters to chase pitches out of the zone, he does not generate whiffs inside of the zone, and on top of it, his walk rate is up three percentage points from last year (7.2 to 10.2 percent). While, as we saw last week with Blackburn, pitchers don’t need to have high strikeout rates to be relatively successful, even as relievers, it does leave less room for error.
What we need to remember when looking at Yarbrough’s performance, however, is the fact that he has only made 14 appearances this season, mostly in low-leverage situations; in fact, in 11 of those games, his primary task was “eat the final one to three innings so the rest of the bullpen can get some rest.”*
*This was all written before last night, when Yarbrough made yet another low-leverage appearance, pitching three scoreless innings to close out a 12-2 blowout of the White Sox.
In these situations, regardless of whether you’re up or down big, the primary goal is to just throw the ball over the plate and try to get some (ideally soft) contact in order to reach the finish line as quickly and painlessly as possible. As such, much of this data can be a bit skewed; therefore, it we want to see whether or not Yarbrough can be used in more high-leverage spots, we need to look a bit deeper.
So far this season, Yarbrough has been much better against lefties than he has against righties: right-handed bats have slashed .245/.333/.321 in 60 plate appearances, while lefties have slashed .091/.211/.182 in 38. These are, admittedly, extremely small sample sizes, but this does reflect a pattern. Last year, left-handed bats managed just a .198/.216/.360 line against Yarbrough, compared to a .263/.341/.481 line against righties. To put it another way, over the last two years, Yarbrough turns all righties into 2026 Cody Bellinger (130 wRC+), and all lefties into 2026 Caleb Durbin (53 wRC+).
If the Yankees are inclined to use Yarbrough more often and turn him into a more high-leverage threat, the best route to take would be to use him as a lefty specialist, lining him up to minimize the amount of right-handed batters he faces. However, this isn’t exactly something the bullpen is lacking. Tim Hill has absolutely decimated lefties this year (.177/.190/.210), but has been prone to give up the long ball against righties (.357/.440/.595, with three home runs). Fernando Cruz may not be a southpaw, but his splitter absolutely flummoxes lefties (.120/.267/.200). On a day-to-day basis, there are better options than Yarbrough if they need a left-handed specialist.
As such, for the time being, it’s probably best for the Yankees to continue using Yarbrough as a long man out of the ’pen, solely for the purpose of keeping him stretched out in case they need to dip into the rotation depth again while Max Fried is on the shelf. He may be behind Elmer Rodriguez, and possibly also Brendan Beck, but as we’ve seen, depth can dissipate at the drop of a hat.
Yaxel Lendeborg averaged 14.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks in leading Michigan to the 2026 NCAA championship.
The Warriors possess the No. 11 pick in this month’s NBA draft.
Who they pick with their highest selection since 2021 could hold the cards to not only the final years of Steph Curry’s career, but the future direction of the franchise.
This week, we are profiling five possible prospects GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. could target.
With the 2026 NBA Draft set for Tuesday, June 23, the Golden State Warriors must target former Michigan big man Yaxel Lendeborg, the oldest player in draft. NBAE via Getty Images
Starting with Part 1:
Yaxel Lendeborg
Age: 24
Position: Forward
Height/weight: 6-9 / 240
School: Michigan
Yaxel Lendeborg averaged 14.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks in leading Michigan to the 2026 NCAA championship. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Why he’s a fit
The Warriors are looking for a player who can impact winning from the get-go, and who better than a consensus All-American from the national champs?
Lendeborg is the prototypical Steve Kerr draft prospect: A four-year college player, a hard-nosed defender and an offensive connector.
He averaged 14.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks after transferring to Michigan, where he became the first Wolverine since Juwan Howard to score 20 points in three straight NCAA tournament games while leading a national title run.
Before arriving at Michigan, Lendeborg was a two-time American Conference defensive player of the year and all-conference honoree at UAB. He tested the draft waters last year but opted for the transfer portal instead, telling the Associated Press that he turned down a $7-9 million offer from Kentucky for a reported $5 million NIL deal at Michigan.
The experience provided Lendeborg more than a big stage and a big payday.
“This year at Michigan was pretty much trial and error with everything I did — press conferences, post games,” he told Mavs.com at the draft combine last month. “I’ve learned what to say, what I can’t say, actions that I can’t do.”
Simply put: Lendeborg is as polished of a final product the Warriors will find at No. 11.
Lendeborg has the largest wingspan-to-height ratio in the draft class — measuring nearly 7-foot-4. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Why he’ll last until No. 11
Lendeborg took a circuitous path to becoming the oldest prospect likely to be taken in the lottery. He didn’t start playing organized basketball until he was 15 years old.
He was cut from his high school team because of poor academics and started his college career at Arizona Western — a JuCo — before beginning his climb up the ranks at UAB.
His age means NBA teams may project a lower ceiling, but Lendeborg could also be seen as a late bloomer whose relative inexperience gives him more room to grow.
NBA comp: OG Anunoby
Lendeborg is slightly undersized for an NBA big man but makes up for it with the largest wingspan-to-height ratio in the draft class — measuring nearly 7-foot-4.
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One longtime rumored Warriors target could be available this offseason.
No, not the superstar in Milwuakee. And no, not the veteran stars in Los Angeles.
Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, who Golden State reportedly has had interest in over the past two years, could be a more realistic option this offseason with New Orleans, who does not own its first-round pick, potentially looking to jump into the first round, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported in a story published Wednesday, citing league sources.
“New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III could be more obtainable in this transaction cycle, league sources said,” Slater wrote. “Murphy is a player the Warriors front office has circled for years as a prime wing who fits a need, the [Steve] Kerr system and, at 25, accomplishes the goal of getting younger.
“The Pelicans have clung to him tightly, but league sources said New Orleans has been signaling a desire to jump into the first round of next week’s draft. The Warriors have the 11th pick and control of their future firsts.”
New Orleans traded its first-round pick this year to the Atlanta Hawks in a draft-night deal last year to move up from pick No. 23 to 13 and select center Derik Queen.
In 66 games last season, Murphy averaged a career-high 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game on 47-percent shooting from the field and 37.9 percent from 3-point range.
The 25-year-old’s trade value could be at an all-time high, so if New Orleans is open to dealing him, it likely will cost the Warriors a significant package of current and future assets.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 12: Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dribbles during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game Five of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 12, 2026 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. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 16: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, June 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Tuesday was as low scoring of an affair as one could as for, as the Dodgers came away with their second 1-0 win since June 5.
In what has been an unbelievable offensive stretch since May 12, Shohei Ohtani kept it going as he provided the only offense for either side, blasting a solo home run against Drew Rasmussen in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ohtani has now homered four times over his last six games and has hit nine home runs over the last five weeks.
Dave Roberts noted post-game that Ohtani has made some recent adjustments at the plate that are helping him not just see the ball better but helping hit the ball with authority to all fields, per Courtney Hollmon of MLB.com.
“It’s just near missing the baseball in the sense of, he was hitting the ball hard — doubles, some singles — and then if he was just missing it a little bit, there was going to be slug,” Roberts said. “Seeing the baseball well, swinging at good pitches. When he uses a big part of the field, there’s just no holding him back.”
There was some concern about Ohtani’s status on the mound after he missed Friday’s game against the Chicago White Sox due to left knee inflammation, but he is cleared to make his scheduled start Wednesday, per Doug Padilla of the Orange County Register.
Justin Wrobleski provided much of the heavy lifting on Tuesday, out dueling Rasmussen with six shutout innings and bouncing back after a rough start in Pittsburgh.
Wrobleski’s pitch count was at just 67 (50 for strikes) after six innings, and Dave Roberts commended the left-hander for his ability to persistently attack the zone and remain ahead in the count, per Hollmon.
“He was attacking all night. That’s who he is,” Roberts said of the left-hander. “Just the dependability with Wrob in the sense that you know that he’s going to go after guys. His first pitch is like his last pitch and he’s the epitome of go as hard as you can for as long as you can — until the manager takes the ball from you. Tonight, we asked [for] six innings and he did that and he passed it to the ’pen and they were fantastic.”
Kyle Tucker has been enjoying a nice little stretch on this current homestand, hitting his first home run at Dodger Stadium in two months on Monday while having three hits and three RBI in the two games against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tucker spoke to the media on Monday where he acknowledged the lofty expectations his contract placed upon him, noting that his time as a Dodger has gotten off to a lethargic introduction, per Fredo Cervantes of The Sporting Tribune.
