Category: Sports News

When the Wizards selected Tristan Vukcevic with the 42nd overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, I thought it was something of a steal. He was 25th in my YODA rankings — the last player in 2023 to notch a first-round grade in my stat-based prospect evaluation process.

So, I had hopes. Not exactly high but perhaps a bit higher than would be the norm for a second round pick.

Three years in, those hopes are not dashed, but they’re not met either. According to my PPA metric, Vukcevic has improved each of his three seasons — 55 to 66 to 73. That’s creeping into useful territory, but not stomping in and demanding attention. The year-to-year increments are small at an age when they’d typically be expected to be large. And that move from 66 to 73 is so small it might just be some statistical noise.

Note that his year two and year three PER scores were the same. On the other hand, PER says Vukcevic has been a bit above average each of those seasons, which I’d suggest is a view not shared by many.

Vukcevic is on his way back for a fourth season because…well…I was about to write “strengths,” which would not be completely accurate. He seems to have one strength, which is shooting. At least I think he’s good at shooting. His on-court behavior and the treatment he gets from teammates suggests they also think he’s good at shooting.

The problem, he has not actually made shots at a high level during NBA competition. Through three seasons, he’s finished well on at-rim attempts, been down-down-and-WAY-up from floater range, and not so good on longer twos. His three-point shooting (34.8% on 282 career attempts) is basically league average.

That three-point shooting is probably good enough for a center to make defenses at least pay attention, though it’s not likely to change game plans.

Vukcevic seems to enjoy setting up teammates, but the creativity comes at a cost. He’s had more turnovers than assists each of the past two seasons, and has a negative assist-to-turnover ratio for his career.

Vukcevic rebounds a little, though his career low in rebounding was last season.

Defense has been an adventure. The on/off metrics haven’t been atrocious, and he does generate blocks (better than two per 100 team possessions) and steals. The defensive playmaking comes with fouls, though — 5.9 per 100 team possessions for his career.

The positive-seeming on/off metrics are probably illusory. Throughout Vukcevic’s career, Washington’s defense has been historically bad when he’s been off the court. In his minutes — many of which have come during garbage time and blowouts — the team defense has been slightly less historically bad. I don’t think that “improvement” has been caused by Vukcevic.

As the team transitions to what they hope will be a competitive posture, Vukcevic faces increased competition for even the modest minutes he’s received. Alex Sarr, Anthony Davis, and DeAndre Ayton likely will take most of the big forward and center minutes. Vukcevic may be the fourth big, though the team could also choose to play smaller lineups when one of those guys can’t play. In other words, Vukcevic will also be battling Justin Champagnie, Keyshawn George, Will Riley, AJ Dybantsa, and others for playing time.

Okay, that’s a lot of preamble — we’re here for Statistical Doppelgangers. For the uninitiated, this is the latest installment in this year’s annual trip through the Statistical Doppelganger Machine, which is an algorithm I cooked up to tell me which player seasons (since 1977-78) were most like the reference player. In this case, Vukcevic. Keep up!

The Machine uses 14 categories, including various stats (per possession), age and playing time. While it doesn’t use position or size, comparison seasons tend to come from the same position grouping.

By the way, the player most similar to Vukcevic in 2026-26 was Vukcevic in 2024-25. This happens less often than you might expect. At least more often than I expected. To the doppelgangers:

1. Mortiz Wagner | 2021-22 | Orlando Magic | Age: 24 — This was the fourth season and fourth team for Wagner. He’d spent the previous two seasons getting on opponents’ nerves for the Wizards. In subsequent seasons, he worked himself into a chippy, physical, annoying, and decent backup big man before tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
2. Rodney White | 2003-04 | Denver Nuggets | Age: 23 — This season and the next were about as good as it would get for White, who I remembered as a PF type but Basketball-Reference lists as a SF and SG. I think my memory is right — he was 6-9 and 24o pounds. He had enough ball skills and shooting ability to play a stretch-four role in the aughts, but only just.
3. Henry James | 1990-91 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Age: 25 — Nothing much to see here. This was James’ rookie year, and he made appearances in seven different NBA seasons. That could be Vukcevic’s fate — good enough to bounce around for a few years on minimum deals, but not good enough to secure a role. Kinda the next Thomas Bryant.
4. Naz Reid | 2022-23 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Age: 23 — This would be the dream scenario for Washington, though I do think Reid has been more than a little overrated throughout his career. He’s had value as an off-the-bench scorer, though his overall production has been only so-so. His next above average season will be his first in my PPA metric.
5. Jonathan Bender | 2003-04 | Indiana Pacers | Age: 23 — Bender’s mix of physical tools and ball skills were enough to make him the fifth overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft — skipping college and making the leap straight to the NBA. He never lived up to the hype, and by 23 was already declining.

The honorable mentions don’t trend any better — seasons from Wang Zhizhi, Jordan Nwora, Cam Whitmore, and (weirdly) Lawrence Moten. Michael Beasley makes an appearance.

Probably the best hope not too far down the list is Ryan Anderson, who had a few superb three-and-D seasons in 20-teens before his career got waylaid by a back injury and personal tragedy. The game has evolved away from the more specialized role Anderson played, but there’s still room for a center who can shoot, pass, and block a few shots.

From its inception in 1956 until 1980, NBA’s coveted Most Valuable Player award was dominated by centers. Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain alone garnered nine of the first thirteen honors. Add it Wes Unseld, Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (credited the first time as Lew Alcindor), Dave Cowens, Bob McAdoo, Bill Walton, and

Moses Malone and it was almost a lock to go to the man in the middle. 

The emergence and recognition of the other positions on the court created a shift in the early 80s that saw Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and many other in who received the hardware.

In fact, from 1984 until the 2020 pandemic, only three times has the award been given to a center – Hakeem Olajuwan (1994), David Robinson (1995), and Shaquille O’Neal (2000). 

Basketball legend Julius Irving stated that he believes Victor Wembanyama will usher in a resurgence of centers in the mix for the MVP award.

“I think Wemby is going to change that. Today, wings and guards dominate the game. In my era, basketball was dominated by centers. In fact, between 1966 and 1982, every MVP was a center. Oscar Robertson was the one before that period, and I was the exception during it. Then, suddenly, guards and wings became the league’s MVPs, and that trend has continued to this day. But I think Wemby is going to change that.”

Since the pandemic, that shift has begun. Nikola Jokic has won the award three time and Joel Embiid took home the award as it was renamed the Michael Jordan Trophy in honor of the five-time winner.Wembanyama and Jokic were two of the finalists last season, but they lost out to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

As we head into the 2026-2027 season, Victor Wembanyama is Vegas the odds-on favorite (+200) to win this season. The question will be just how many times will he win if he stays healthy and plays with the same passion he has exhibited in his first three seasons. 

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Welcome to the first official installment of Moneyball Mailbag! Here we will be answering reader questions pertaining to all things Dallas Mavericks, gathered from far and wide (namely, our Feed, social media and maybe even some that were asked face-to-face).

If you asked a question, we’re grateful and thank you for joining in. If you haven’t, please both spread the word and also let us know what’s on your mind – We’ll have a post in The Feed where you can easily post questions to us.

We are on the cusp of training camp so there are plenty of expectations and things to ponder about the upcoming season. We’re excited to hear from you! Special shoutout to our reader, fabian_84, who goes down in Mavs Moneyball history as the provider of our first Moneyball Mailbag question. Without further ado, let’s hear what’s on your minds!

“Do you think Cooper Flagg is on a trajectory to win MVP at one point in his career? What would he have to show in year two to believe that he is on track?”

-Fabian_84

Winning MVP is no easy task. There are a lot of NBA legends who have never done it – Isiah Thomas,  John Havlicek, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, George Gervin, Chris Paul, Scottie Pippen – just to name a few. To do it takes a special combination. The player has to at least be exceptional, well-regarded (it’s difficult to believe there is no bias in the vote) and playing for a great team.

So far, I think it’s fair to say Flagg has two of those three things. I also expect he will continue to improve. I think he is a truly special talent with a drive that is unique even amongst professional athletes. Think back to the night he was drafted and the expectation his offensive game was going to need polish. Then think through November and into December and January. He almost instantly outperformed offensive expectations and improved significantly just over the first two or three months of the season. He did most of that as an 18-year-old.

So yes, I do think he is on an MVP level trajectory. To get there (in year two and beyond) he’s going to have to do what all the greats do, which is improve some aspect of his game every season. For year two in particular, I think it has to be an improved three-point percentage along with improved points per game. He has every tool imaginable to fill up virtually all statistical categories, so it’s just a matter of staying healthy and improving year-over-year. Hopefully the team will eventually be good enough to leave little doubt for him.

“How many games do you think Kyrie Irving will play this year”

-Various

I don’t expect him to play any more than 66 games this season for one simple reason. No, it’s not based on his recent history of average games played per season (which is brought low in some part due to New York covid-19 rules and Dwight Powell inflicting a fluke teammate-on-teammate injury). The reason I’m at or below 66 games is because the Mavericks have 16 back-to-back sets this season and I’d be surprise if he plays a complete set of any of them. I have to imagine he will rest on either the first or second night of all of them as a precaution.

That said, I do have what some call an irrational expectation he is going to be much better and much more available than people think. He has had a massive recovery window and everything about him screams “craft” to me. I just can’t envision a scenario where a guy like that didn’t go above and beyond the grueling task of rehabbing on another level.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

We are entering a new era in Boston Celtics basketball.

You can argue guys like Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr., and Amari Williams all had breakout seasons in a way last season. With Jayson Tatum out for most of the year, these guys got a chance to play more minutes and were solid contributors for different stretches throughout the 56-win season. With the addition of 2026 draft picks Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell, the Celtics have a treasure trove of young talent looking for a chance to contribute this season.

With the dust seemingly settled from the nuclear fallout of the Jaylen Brown for Paul George trade, the NBA draft and Summer League have come and gone, and as the calendar flips to September, Celtics basketball is on the horizon. With that, I wanted to pose a question for this upcoming season: which young guy on the Celtics roster will have the biggest breakout season?

Baylor Scheierman

Out of all of the young guys from last season, Baylor Scheierman was the guy who arguably had the biggest breakout in his sophomore year with the Celtics. In 77 games last year, Scheierman finished with stats of 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists on 45.3% shooting from the field and 39.9% from three in 18.6 minutes per game.

He was a completely different player in Year 2. In his rookie season, it took a minute to get acclimated to the league, but he finished hot. Last year, we saw Scheierman flourish in a bigger role where he was able to showcase not only his talent, but his personality as well. From the thumbs up celebration after threes to the hype he showed on the court, we saw Scheierman find comfortability in a recurring role in the Celtics rotation.

Scheierman’s best game of the season came in Game 82 on April 12th in a stunning win against the Orlando Magic. He was given the keys to the Celtics offense as the number one option for Boston and finished with a career high 30 points with 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals on 8-20 FG and 6-14 from three.

Going into the 2026-27 season, I don’t think it would be far out of the realm of possibility if we see Scheierman getting even more minutes than he did last season and maybe even get some 6th Man of the Year votes at some point. He is going into his age-26 season, so there might not be a lot of room for further development, but we could see an inflation in his numbers this year given more minutes regardless.

Hugo Gonzalez

Going into his rookie year as the 28th overall pick in the 2025 draft, many people didn’t know what to expect from Hugo Gonzalez. However, over the course of the season, we saw Gonzalez become an instant fan favorite due to his motor and defensive abilities at only 19 years old. In 74 games, he averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds on 47.6% from the field and 36% from three in 14.6 minutes per game.

We saw Gonzalez step into his role as a spark plug off the bench right from his NBA debut when he was tasked with guarding Jalen Brunson in Madison Square Garden and he held his own. As the season went on, we saw Hugo continue to be an energy shifter in Boston’s rotation anytime he stepped on the floor. His best game of the season came on March 2nd in Milwaukee when Jaylen Brown was out. Gonzalez finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 blocks on 7-15 shooting. His play time was sporadic by the end of the season and in the playoffs but anytime he was on the court, he would make a positive impact, leading all rookies in plus-minus at a +283.

The sky is the limit for what Gonzalez can develop into as a player this season and his stellar play with Spain in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers should have Celtics fans excited. Even if he doesn’t turn into an elite offensive player, his defense will keep him Boston’s rotation for a long time. I could see Gonzalez tapping into his inner Marcus Smart this season and continuing his elite defensive play while continuing to improve his three-point shot. Either way, Celtics fans will always have love for Gonzalez with his effort on the court every night.

Jordan Walsh

Going into his third season, Jordan Walsh was going to be given a chance to play more minutes than he had at any other point in his career. Through his first two seasons, we saw flashes of the elite defense he provided but the offense was still a little behind. That changed in 2026 when Walsh showed maybe the biggest improvement out of everyone. In 68 games (25 starts), he averaged 5.4 points and 4.0 rebounds on 50.9% shooting from the field and 38.4% shooting from three in 17.8 minutes per game.

Walsh got a long run as a starter last season from November 12th to January 1st where we saw him play the best basketball of his career, including his best game of the season where he finished with 22 points and 7 rebounds on 8-8 shooting against the Wizards on December 4th. His defense was elite while also being able to consistently hit the three-ball, shooting 44.7% from beyond the arc. However, Walsh had a little bit of a problem when it came to staying in games, getting into foul trouble often and went back to a bench role for the rest of the season where he continued his solid play.

Walsh is going into the 2026-27 season in a similar position as last year where he has a chance to play another solid role in the Celtics rotation. Boston reinforced their belief in Walsh when they signed him to a three-year, $15 million contract extension on June 23rd that has him under contract through the 2029-30 season. Numbers-wise, I think we will see another season similar to last year but he is only 22 years old, so there is a chance his development is nowhere near its peak.

Ron Harper Jr.

Ron Harper Jr. hands down had the best story out of everyone on the Celtics last season. Harper Jr. went from the Maine Celtics to starting in Game 7 of Boston’s first round playoff matchup. There was a lot that happened in between these two points of Ron Harper Jr.’s season but after being thrown into the fire in his first NBA start guarding Kevin Durant, he turned himself into a very nice depth piece for the Celtics off the bench. In 29 games, he averaged 4.2 points on 41.8% shooting from the field and 35% shooting from three.

Similar to Scheierman, he had his best game of the season on the final game of the season on April 12th against the Magic, dropping a career high 27 points with 7 rebounds, and 3 steals on 10-20 shooting from the field and 5-12 from three. Boston rewarded his efforts last season with a new four-year, $13.7 million deal to return to the team. Harper Jr. proved that he is a legit NBA player last season and is looking to once again be a solid wing option for the Celtics next season.

Amari Williams

The hype around Amari Williams going into his rookie year was small, but it was enough to gain some traction. Williams was the Celtics 46th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Kentucky and was known for his passing ability as a big man. In the regular season with the Maine Celtics, he performed really well, averaging 17.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks on 57.3% shooting from the field. Williams had a few cups of coffee with Boston last season as well where he appeared in 22 games and averaged 1.4 points. His biggest play of the season for Boston was in the Celtics double overtime victory against the Nets on January 23rd where Williams made the game saving block after sitting for almost the entire game.

Williams might have another season similar to his rookie year when it comes to playing time with Boston. With Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, and Luka Garza ahead of him on the depth chart, there isn’t a lot of room for him in the Celtics rotation at this moment. However, this shouldn’t be a discouragement for Williams, because Boston has done an incredible job when it comes to the develop of their big men. Queta is a great example of being the 4th string center on the 2024 championship team now being the starter in 2026. I feel like Williams is another year or two away from being in the rotation, but it will be fun to track his development this season.

Chris Cenac Jr.

With the 27th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Celtics selected Chris Cenac Jr. out of the University of Houston. The 6’11” freshman averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds on 48.5% shooting from the field in his one college season and was considered a lottery pick before falling to Boston. Cenac Jr. was the 6th ranked player in the high school class of 2025 and chose Houston, who is known for their hard work and rebounding, over blue bloods like Kentucky.

Cenac Jr. played with the Celtics Summer League team this season and looked really solid in the three games he played in, averaging 10.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks. The most notable moment from his Summer League performance was when he hit a game-tying three with under one second to go in his debut in a game the Celtics would eventually win in overtime. Cenac Jr. has the profile to be a big contributor to the future of this Celtics team with his strong defensive abilities and upside offensively, but I don’t think he will get a lot of playing time this season. However, by the end of the season, there is a chance he could play a big role for Boston in the final stretch before the playoffs.

Dillon Mitchell

With the 40th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, the Celtics selected Dillon Mitchell out of St. John’s. In contrast to Cenac Jr. who was a one and done freshman, Mitchell played four years in college, two at Texas, one in Cincinnati and finally with St. John’s. In his senior season, Mitchell averaged 8.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists on 55.9% shooting. Mitchell is defined by his freakish athleticism, being a high flying forward for St. John’s and being known for his motor.

Mitchell put up some great performances in the Celtics Summer League, averaging 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.7 steals. His best game for Boston came in his second game against the Hornets, finishing with 24 points, 8 rebounds, 6 steals, and 2 blocks on 10-20 shooting from the field and 2-5 shooting from three. There is a good chance that Mitchell will spend most of the season with the Maine Celtics this year but he will be a human highlight reel all season.

My Breakout Pick

If I had to choose out of the seven players highlighted, I will say Hugo Gonzalez has the biggest breakout season. He looked to already be a pro in his rookie season and after an offseason playing for Spain, it wouldn’t surprise me if his offensive game improves to new levels. His defense is already great for a player going into his age 20 season and if he can get his three-point shooting up to maybe 38%, the Celtics will have one of the best elite, young role players in the NBA. Although I chose Gonzalez, it wouldn’t surprise me if any of these guys end up being contributors for Boston next at some point throughout the season.

Ramp to Camp: What will the Celtics miss most about Jaylen Brown? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics launch into training camp in three weeks. Their first preseason game is 30 days away. Opening day in Detroit, when the Celtics and Pistons tip off the NBA’s 2026-27 regular-season campaign, is a mere six weeks out.

Basketball is almost back after a summer that turned out to be a lot longer and a lot more tumultuous than anyone could have expected before Boston coughed up a 3-1 series lead and got unceremoniously bounced by the Philadelphia 76ers in Round 1 of the 2026 playoffs.

Soon after, those same rival Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown in a swap that left much of the NBA slack-jawed.

We’ve all had the past two months to process the trade. Brown even held a going-away party on Boston Common with enough Sixers No. 7 jerseys in the crowd to hammer home that Brown will soon play his first NBA game in a jersey that isn’t green.

The biggest question might be how Boston plots a path back to title contention with a roster now firmly centered around Jayson Tatum. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens made a bold decision to split up his All-NBA tandem and must maximize the assets obtained in Brown’s departure. 

A more pressing question is how the Celtics replace what Brown provided on the court, particularly coming off a season in which Brown finished sixth in NBA voting and earned his second All-NBA nod while propelling Boston to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference.

And that’s where we start this year’s Ramp To Camp series. 

Every September for more than a decade, I’ve assembled an All-Star cast of coworkers to help tackle the biggest questions surrounding the Celtics before training camp arrives. We’ll examine the summer’s biggest storylines, we’ll ponder what newcomers can add to Boston’s roster, and we’ll make bold predictions about the season ahead.

It seems almost unfair to ask anyone to distill Brown’s impact down to one single area. A five-time All-Star, Brown crammed an awful lot into his decade in Boston — both on the court and off. So as we turn the page on Brown’s departure, and as the conversation shifts to how exactly the team can fill those many voids, here are the three areas that immediately popped to our mind as we pondered how Boston moves forward without their former Finals MVP. 

1. Rim pressure and free throws

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

From an on-court perspective, this is our biggest curiosity. Brown averaged 7.5 free throw attempts per game last season. Not only was that the best of his career, but it was easily tops for a Boston team that averaged an NBA-low 18.7 free throw attempts per game.

What’s more, Brown finished second in the NBA at 19.1 drives per game. That was one spot ahead of Oklahoma City’s MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (18.8) and trailed only Portland’s Deni Avdija (19.4).

A healthier Tatum can surely offset some of Brown’s rim impact. Tatum’s drive numbers should increase after he averaged just 10.9 drives in his 16 regular-season appearances after his late-season return. Payton Pritchard could likewise be key to filling that rim-pressure void, after finishing second on the team at 11.9 drives per game last season.

Still, the Celtics produced the lowest free-throw attempt rate of the postseason (.228). That number was even worse (.207) during the regular season, ranking last — and by a notable margin — among all 30 teams. 

For a Celtics team where much has been made about how heavily they rely on shot-making, particularly beyond the 3-point arc, it feels imperative that Boston’s new-look roster finds ways to consistently get to the line and generate the free-throw output that can limit some volatility on Boston’s poor shooting nights.

Brown simply plays with a force that few players in the NBA routinely display. The Celtics need others to kick up their own physicality. 

2. Big-stage performances

Brian Fluharty/Getty Images

You can quibble about Brown’s overall efficiency, and ball security was certainly an issue at key junctures. He’d be the first to admit he didn’t live up to his own standard in Boston’s first-round crumble against Philadelphia last season. 

But what we’ll miss most about Brown was his ability to embrace the big stage.

Brown always seemed to have just a little bit more juice when the lights were brighter. That could be as simple as a midseason showdown with Kawhi Leonard and a surging Clippers squad, when Brown delivered a season-high 50 points during a January meeting in Los Angeles last season. Or it could be Brown taking on the two-way challenge by hounding Luka Doncic throughout the 2024 Finals, and earning Finals MVP honors for his role in Boston’s five-game triumph to deliver Banner 18.

He might not have been perfect on the playoff stage, but Brown was surely not afraid of the moment. 

3. Leadership and availability 

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

In a league perpetually battling load management and the absence of stars in marquee regular-season games, Brown always wanted to be on the floor. 

Brown averaged 67.4 games over the last five seasons. His 11,569 regular-season minutes over that five-year span were the 20th most in the NBA. Only Derrick White, at 12,098 minutes, had a higher total among Celtics players, while Jayson Tatum was 24th at 11,254 despite missing 66 games last season. 

With Tatum sidelined last year, Brown did everything he could to embrace a new-look roster and bought into being the leader. He nurtured younger players and set up preseason field trips aimed at fostering chemistry. Brown was never shy in expressing his emotions and thoughts.

All this and we could spend 1,000 more words on what Brown meant to the community of Boston off the court. The bottom line: There are big shoes to fill. 

Here are the most notable voids that our panel believes the Celtics must fill after Brown’s departure: 

Michael Hurley: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

I would estimate roughly 28.7 points per game, give or take a few.

Tatum can obviously absorb the bulk of that responsibility, and he should be considered a lock to average over 30 points for just the second time in his career.

Nick Goss: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Brown was a great scorer, a leader, a tremendous perimeter defender and brought a ton of passion and energy to the team. The C’s need someone else to bring that fire. And who will step up offensively? Payton Pritchard could take on a larger scoring role.

Brown also made a ton of clutch plays in several of Boston’s playoff runs and won Finals MVP in 2024. Someone needs to help Jayson Tatum and give him a reliable No. 2 option in high-pressure playoff moments.

Justin Leger: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Secondary scoring.

Who steps up, offensively, when it isn’t Jayson Tatum’s night? There’s no obvious answer to that question without Brown.

Paul George, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard will have their big games, but none of them can be counted on to take the pressure off Tatum night in and night out.

Josh Canu: Editor

High-percentage scoring.

The Celtics are already perceived as a team that launches too many 3s. Jaylen was the one player on the roster who sought out higher-percentage shots, whether they were his patented midrange jumper or attacking the rim. Without his consistent offensive output, the Celtics will need other players to fill that void.

Adam Hart: Executive Producer, Content Strategy

The desire to spackle the chip on his shoulder by claiming tough defensive assignments in the playoffs. (Luka Doncic, Paul George). 

Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations

The mindset.

It’s rare in the NBA to have that old-school mindset of “we’re not friends” once the ball is thrown up. The Gravedigger was looking to bury you. I hope as Jayson Tatum becomes the clear leader, he shows a bit more of a cutthroat attitude out there.

Imagine if Michael Jordan had been a few inches taller.

That’s not the hypothetical you typically hear. More often, it’s Allen Iverson. Or, it’s Giannis Antetokounmpo with Steph Curry’s jump shot. More broadly, the formula usually involves fixing a player’s lone imperfection to make them the perfect basketball player.

Michael Jordan was tall enough. Imagine if he’d been taller. He would have been the perfect basketball player.

As it stands, there has never been a perfect basketball player.

There’s no prototype, but there are prototypes. Jordan was the prototypical scoring guard. LeBron James is the prototypical point forward. The Houston Rockets’ Kevin Durant is the prototypical shot maker.

But one flaw has held him back from perfection.

Rockets’ Kevin Durant is a limited playmaker

Recall the 2016 NBA Western Conference Finals. Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder (boy, does that make you feel old) faced Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors (maybe not that old yet).

Durant averaged 30.0 points per game. He was not, by any measure, bad. Yet, if you recall the series, something was markedly missing from Durant’s game.

He fired midrange shot after midrange shot. Some nights they fell; other nights they did not. Ultimately, Durant finished the series with a somewhat pedestrian 53.9 True Shooting % (TS%). What stands out in the memory is middy, after middy, after middy.

You will not recall a dazzling Durant pass from that series, because that is the hole that he has never plugged in his game.

The Warriors denied Durant’s jumper to the fullest extent of natural law, and it worked as well as it could have. Durant did not have the playmaking juice to counter. Where James would look to get teammates involved when his jumper wasn’t falling, Durant could only look to keep firing his jumper.

Durant isn’t a ball-hog. That would be unfair. The objective in basketball is to get the best shot, and his shot is often the best, so he ought to take it.

His career high in Assists Per Game (APG) isn’t even bad (6.4, in 2021-22 with a loaded Brooklyn Nets team), but it came with 3.5 Turnovers Per Game (TPG). It’s not Durant’s willingness as a passer that’s on trial:

It’s his ability.

Rockets’ Kevin Durant has room to improve

This is something of an aggregation piece. A quote from Durant’s trainer inspired it in this recent Rockets Wire piece about Durant;

“It’s about making sure that he develops as a passer through the double team”

-Jamal Lovell

The Rockets played 2025-26 without Fred VanVleet. He’s never a candidate for the “if he was taller” hypothetical. VanVleet isn’t a superstar; he’s simply solid. Turnover suppression is his single strongest quality as a player.

In his absence, Durant’s limited playmaking and turnover-proneness were on full display. For a man who’s spent his career so close to the zenith of the sport itself, Durant sure isn’t much of a playmaker.

But what if he were?

There’s another player that comes to my mind in the hypothetically perfect basketball player discussion: Blake Griffin. With the Los Angeles Clippers, he was able to assert his will through sheer outlier athleticism. An injury sapped his superpowers, and he reinvented himself with the Detroit Pistons as a far more skilled player. How close to perfect could he have been if those two timelines had intersected?

The point is that veterans can still learn new tricks. It isn’t too late for Durant to channel his inner playmaker. He’s not going to be 7’0” Andre Miller with a lethal jump shot, but any growth in this area could be huge given how generally dangerous Durant is.

Imagine it. Durant spends his summer memorizing passing reads. He averages, say, 6.0 assists and 2.5 turnovers per game in 2026-27, and his signature scoring efficiency does not wane.

He’d be as close to perfect as we’ve ever seen.