Category: Sports News

For most NBA teams, a uniform unveiling is a relatively simple affair. The team releases a few photos. Social media argues for 48 hours. Some people love them. Some people hate them. A few months later everyone has moved on and the jerseys just become part of the routine.

For the Minnesota Timberwolves, this past week’s unveiling felt different. Partially because the jerseys and logo had already leaked online days before the official reveal, taking some of the surprise out of the process. By the time the team officially pulled back the curtain, most Wolves fans had already spent the better part of a week debating fonts, trim packages, color schemes, and whether the black uniform was worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence as the legendary Black Trees jersey.

Even with the surprise element largely gone, however, one thing became immediately apparent once the dust settled. Wolves fans overwhelmingly seem to agree on one thing: These are a massive upgrade.

After nearly a decade of what many fans affectionately, or not so affectionately, referred to as the “sailor suit” era, Minnesota has finally returned to looking like the Minnesota Timberwolves again.

And honestly? It was overdue.

The uniforms the Wolves have worn since 2017 were never terrible. They were clean. They were perfectly acceptable NBA uniforms. The problem was that they never felt particularly Timberwolves. They felt like something generated by a focus group tasked with creating the safest possible basketball jersey.

They lacked personality. They lacked history. Most importantly, they lacked any meaningful connection to the eras that fans actually loved. The new look changes that.

What stands out immediately is how intentionally the organization blended together multiple chapters of franchise history rather than simply recreating one specific era. Instead of choosing between the original expansion-era identity, the Kevin Garnett years, or the modern look, Minnesota essentially took pieces from all three and built something that feels familiar without feeling like a pure throwback.

The original blue, green, and white color scheme is back. That alone feels significant. For longtime Wolves fans, those colors are synonymous with the franchise’s roots. Before the redesigns, before the multiple rebrands, before the highs and lows and playoff heartbreaks, those colors are where everything started.

There’s something comforting about seeing them return. At the same time, the Wolves didn’t simply copy and paste their 1989 uniforms. The jersey typography carries clear influences from the Kevin Garnett era. Not to the extreme degree of the late-90s and early-2000s uniforms, but enough to evoke that era without becoming a nostalgia act. The black uniform takes things a step further with the inclusion of the trees trim, perhaps the most iconic visual element in franchise history.

Meanwhile, the logo itself feels like an intentional bridge between generations. The howling wolf profile remains recognizable from the most recent logo iteration, but there’s also a noticeable callback to the original Wolves “Old Shep” identity. It’s almost as if someone took the current logo and ran it through an old-school filter, giving it just enough of that original expansion-era DNA without sacrificing modern design principles.

Too often teams either go completely retro or completely modern. Minnesota found a middle ground. The organization essentially looked at every era of Timberwolves basketball and asked a simple question: “What parts actually worked?” Then they built around those answers.

Of course, the next question immediately became which uniform fans liked best. The Canis Hoopus poll results were fairly decisive.

The blue uniform emerged as the clear favorite, and honestly, it’s not hard to understand why.

The royal blue jersey is gorgeous. It’s vibrant without being loud. The green wordmark and numbering pop beautifully against the blue backdrop. It immediately evokes the original road uniforms from 1989 while still feeling contemporary enough to fit today’s NBA aesthetic. Perhaps most importantly, it feels uniquely Timberwolves. You could glance at it from across an arena and instantly know which team is wearing it.

In an NBA increasingly filled with alternate uniforms, city editions, statement editions, and designs that sometimes seem determined to hide team identities entirely, there’s something refreshing about a uniform that unapologetically screams “Minnesota Timberwolves.”

The black uniform finished second in the voting, and this is where things become a little more complicated. Last year’s Black Trees throwbacks were one of the most anticipated uniform releases the franchise has had in years. Those jerseys occupy a unique place in Wolves history. For an entire generation of fans, they are the Timberwolves uniform.

Kevin Garnett wore them. The franchise experienced its greatest success wearing them. They’re iconic.

Which is exactly why this new black uniform faces an almost impossible challenge. It’s competing against perfection. The updated version isn’t bad. Far from it. But personally, I find myself agreeing with many fans who feel something is slightly off.

For me, it’s the addition of the blue accents. The original black Trees uniforms worked because they were remarkably clean. Black. White. Green. That’s it. Simple. Elegant. Timeless.

The new version introduces blue striping and blue outlining around the numbers and wordmark. It isn’t enough to ruin the look, but it does create a sense that the design is trying to add something extra to something that was already complete. It’s like remaking a classic movie. Even if the remake is good, you’re still inevitably comparing it to the original. That’s a battle most remakes lose.

The white uniform finished third, although that says more about the strength of the blue jersey than any weakness in the white version. In many ways it feels like a cousin of the throwback uniforms Minnesota wore during the franchise’s 35th anniversary celebration. Those jerseys were a little more faithful to the original home design, while this updated version incorporates some modern tweaks.

Personally, I have the white and blue uniforms nearly tied. They’re essentially mirror images of one another, and both succeed because they embrace the franchise’s original identity without becoming trapped by it.

Ultimately, ranking the three uniforms feels almost beside the point. The bigger takeaway is that Minnesota finally has a cohesive visual identity again. For years the franchise felt stuck between eras.

Not anymore.

While jerseys don’t win basketball games, they do matter. Sports are emotional. Fans connect to imagery. They connect to memories. They connect to eras. A great uniform becomes part of a team’s identity. It becomes part of the story.

When you think of Jordan, you picture the Bulls red.

When you think of the Showtime Lakers, you picture gold.

When Wolves fans think about Kevin Garnett, they think about the Trees.

Now Minnesota has an opportunity to create a new visual era, and the reality is that these uniforms will likely become associated with Anthony Edwards. These aren’t just the jerseys for next season. These are potentially the jerseys of Ant’s prime. The jerseys that will appear in highlight packages for years. The jerseys that will define the next chapter of Timberwolves basketball.

And who knows? Maybe someday they’ll become something even more significant. Maybe years from now we’ll look back at these uniforms the same way fans currently look back at the black Trees era. Maybe they’ll become synonymous with the greatest stretch of basketball the franchise has ever played. Maybe these are the uniforms Anthony Edwards is wearing when he finally brings the Larry O’Brien Trophy to Minnesota.

That remains to be seen.But for now, after years of looking like a team trapped in an identity crisis, the Timberwolves finally look like themselves again.

And that’s a pretty good place to start.

Speaking of the Larry O’Brien Trophy… Hopefully Karl-Anthony Towns will be hoisting it tonight! If you’re looking for one last bit of NBA betting action before the off-season begins, FanDuel Sportsbook has you covered for your Finals wager!

Today is Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs. New York leads the series 3-1 and the series heads back to San Antonio. Watch it at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC (WJLA-TV in the DMV). Yes, I know I posted this in the morning.

In this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, you can definitely see that a clear majority of NBA fans nationwide who responded that they are following the NBA Finals more than the draft. But as Washington Wizards fans, we are definitely in that 26 percent minority. Same with Utah Jazz fans.

While we are in the minority, that doesn’t mean that we don’t care about the Finals. There will be a lot of money changing hands during the game. The odds are in favor of the Spurs extending this series to a Game 6 per FanDuel* and others.

Anyway, enjoy the game tonight!

*FanDuel is an SB Nation partner.

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: A case can be made that the true potential for this Suns team is not known (mostly due to injuries), and making big roster changes this offseason could be a mistake. Do you agree?

GuarGuar: I agree we were so hurt during the season last year that it was hard to build a consistent system. There’s a case to be made that better health and continuity could bump us up to a top-5 seed and a potential second-round run in the playoffs. I do believe if we are healthier with this same group, we will be better than last year. I have faith in the rookies improving and a better on-court team chemistry.

Ashton: I have been leaning more and more into running it back as much as possible, but I understand the arguments for making major and minor shifts. Does anyone remember when basketball was fun? All you have to do is see the game. Not playing cap gymnastics and advanced math equations. If the owner wanted to burn a money hole in his pocket, so be it. I just want to watch the game as a fan!

But, now, I think frugality is the Suns’ best option. Stay under the repeater tax, and yes, the fans will probably not get the best product on the floor for next season. Let the MI build up for the 2028 season, where he can light his wallet on fire. I can wait.

OldAz: This sounds to me like “copium” for those that had hopes of a major makeover and then read John’s more realistic offseason article and have decided running it back is probably what will happen. On the other hand, it may very well be true. This entirely hinges on how Jalen Green and Booker finally mesh when both are playing 30 minutes a game.

We saw flashes of Green’s athleticism, and since he had no real injury concerns until last season, there is certainly reason to hope he will be more available next season, and it is certainly possible that a backcourt of Booker and Green provides a diverse enough offensive threat to take the focus off the other. It also may be more of the same from the last 3 seasons, where all the money spent on the backcourt (and extra rotation level guards on the roster) limits the options of getting longer, younger, and more athletic along the front court.

Rod: I agree to a certain point. No more wild swings at big names that could just as easily backfire as improve the team. The Suns just don’t have the assets to make a trade for a big-name player who doesn’t also come with some baggage (like Ja) or flaws of some sort that make them available at something of a bargain price. Keep the team mostly intact and give these guys at least half of the upcoming season to see how it all gels together this year before doing anything drastic.

Q2: There’s a lot of talk about the Suns possibly moving up in this year’s draft. If they do so, would you prefer they get a late 1st round pick or an early second-rounder?

GuarGuar: I know the early second would save some money compared to a late 1st but I really am indifferent as to what route they decide to take. I just hope we can continue our late draft magic and find another quality player in the back half of the draft. We don’t have many other avenues to improve the team.

Ashton: I was penning my comments on this question, and Kellan Olson dropped a very in-depth article over on Arizona Sports on this very topic. It turns out we agree, but he introduced points that I have not even considered. At the risk of plagiarizing, I wanted to highlight a few of his points that caught my attention.

1. Suns can now use cash considerations because they are under the second apron to package with the 47th pick. That is about $3.5 million left to move up into the 30th range of the draft.
2. What used to be a solid second-rounder pick is now a late first-rounder due to pre- and post-NIL. I particularly like this observation, as I have mentioned the same in comments.
3. Picks in the early thirties have a higher chance of success in recent years to pan out.

I can’t do the article justice with just those three bullet points, but I would avoid the guaranteed money involved with a first-round pick, so I clearly side with trading up into the second round. That, and I am not sure what it would take to get a first-round pick. Perhaps the 47th and Suns-owned 2029 second-round pick? That pick is going to be valuable.

OldAz: I am far from a draft expert, so I don’t know what the incremental difference is between a player in the mid 20’s and #47, but it sure feels like the odds of NBA prospects at any draft position making it are better correlated to the organization making the pick and developing the player than it does to their draft position.

I remain hopeful that the Suns are becoming an organization that makes better picks at all spots, and then is more successful in developing (and hopefully playing) those prospects. If this becomes true, then I am not sure it matters, but if BG sees someone he wants, then I just hope the “juice is worth the squeeze” and the cost to move up makes sense.

Rod: On most occasions, I’d say that the higher the pick, the better, but maybe not this year. With the financial constraints they have to work under, a high 2nd round pick (with a lower, non-guaranteed salary) could work out best. As indications are, the Suns aren’t planning any big roster changes this offseason, so I wouldn’t want to add another player for a guaranteed salary that might mostly just occupy bench and cap space.

If there’s someone on their radar who they’re really high on and believe won’t make it to the 2nd round but is likely to be there late in the 1st, then I’d be okay with it. So far, Gregory’s been good at moving up in the draft far enough to get a player he’s wanted. If the Suns move up again this year, I’ll be good with either a late 1st or an early second, though, as I believe that the front office has gotten pretty good at planning their strategies out in advance.

Q3: The NBA Summer League is less than a month away. Maluach and Fleming aren’t just likely to play, they’re likely going to the main guys on that team. Given that role, what would you like to see from each during those games?

GuarGuar: I’d like to see Fleming be the offensive star of the team and be aggressive. He’s the biggest key to our season next year, in my opinion. We desperately need him to make a leap. For Maluach, I’m hoping to see an improvement offensively and overall, him just looking way more comfortable. I’m excited to watch them both.

Ashton: Last I checked (NBA.com), the Summer League schedule wasn’t even released yet. Plus, we have no idea which team will be drafting whom in a couple of weeks. What I want to see is good player-versus-player matchups at the C and PF positions.

So does KM get to draw Flagg, or the top two centers in the 2026 draft in Aday Mara and Jayden Quaintance? Okay, that last one was more for the ASU fans on the board. I can’t even remember the last time he played.

Does Sheer get to play against Boozer, Nate Ament, or Yaxel Lendeborg? Granted, I am naming a lot of first-year rookies, but my point is that I want to see them grow and dominate competition (if not straight up posterize them.

But also keep in mind, dear readers, that Summer League really is more about stat hogging, guard play, and less about team play that gets the ball to the bigs.

OldAz: Don’t get hurt is like 7 or 8 of the top 10 things I would like to see from them. The others include not looking overwhelmed by the pace of play, dominating other players who are not yet at the NBA level, and showing so much in a game or two that they pull them and move on. I think both showed that they are close to NBA-ready last season, so I just don’t want them hurt by some wild kid trying to go nuts and make a roster.

Rod: What I most hope to see from both of them is aggressiveness, on both ends of the court, and some leadership. For Fleming, a little over 60% of his FGAs last season were 3s. I want to see more from him on offense than camping out at the three-point line to take those shots. 27.9% of his shots were within 3 feet of the basket, but I’m hoping that he’s working on developing something of a mid-range game too. If he can become more of an all-around threat offensively, I don’t see any way Ott can keep him on the bench for more than necessary rest breaks.

For Maluach, I just want to see him more confident and decisive on both ends of the court. Per 36 minutes, he was the team’s best shot blocker last season, and I want that reputation to grow. Part of that is knowing when to go for the block and when not to do so and keep your feet on the ground. If he can master that part of the game, opponents will start thinking twice about even challenging him. I’d love to see some progress from him offensively, too, but I’d be super happy to see him someday become the next Dikembe Mutombo, wagging his finger at guys who try to slip a shot by him at the rim.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

Suns Trivia/History

On June 13, 1993, the Suns were down 0-2 to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals after losing Games 1 and 2 at home in America West Arena. The series moved to Chicago Stadium, where the Suns pulled off a 129-121 triple overtime win behind Dan Majerle’s team-high 28 points, a 24-point, 19-rebound game by Charles Barkley, and a 25-point, 9-assist night by Kevin Johnson. Johnson also set a Finals record by playing 62 minutes, and teammate Dan Majerle set a mark that still stands by playing 59 minutes without committing a personal foul. This was only the 2nd time in NBA history that a Finals game went into three overtimes, the first was played in 1976 by the Suns and Celtics in the Suns’ first trip to the NBA Finals.

On June 13, 2021, with a 125-118 win, the Suns completed a 4-0 sweep of the Denver Nuggets in their Western Conference Semifinals playoff series. It was their first playoff sweep since they swept the San Antonio Spurs 4-0 in the Western Conference Semis back in 2010. It was also only the third 7-game playoff series sweep in team history. (The Suns also had 4 more first-round series sweeps, but those were back when they were still best-of-five series.)

On June 17, 1992, the Suns traded Jeff Hornacek, Andrew Lang, and Tim Perry to the Philadelphia 76ers for Charles Barkley. As stated in one article following up on that trade, “The Suns didn’t actually acquire Barkley from the Sixers, they stole him.”

Important Future Dates

Mid-June (date TBD) – Teams can begin negotiating with their own free agents (following the Finals)
June 23 – NBA Draft First Round, 8 ET (ABC/ESPN)
June 24 – NBA Draft Second Round, 8 ET (ESPN)
June 30 – Teams can begin negotiations with all free agents
July 1 – Official start of the 2026-27 league year and moratorium period
July 6 – Moratorium ends, official free agent contract signings can begin
July 9-19 – NBA 2K Summer League 2026 in Las Vegas
Late September (dates TBD) – NBA Training Camps open

There’s an angel looking out for the New York Knicks.

Beatrice Reilly-Jordon, a Staten Island widow and devoted Knicks fan, left a bit of her late husband’s ashes on an empty seat at Madison Square Garden — and her family believes his spirit has been lifting the Knicks as they strive for their first championship in 53 years.

“She sprinkled a little on an empty seat next to her at Madison Square Garden recently, so he could enjoy the game with her, watching from heaven,” the couple’s daughter Domonique told The Post.

“He loved the Knicks so much and so does she. Like my mom says, he’s the angel on their shoulders.”

The family didn’t mention which game Dave’s ashes attended, but his powers from above seem to have worked their magic — the Knicks are one win away from sports immortality.

If the Knicks can close out the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 on Saturday in Texas, they will end their 53-year championship drought — and Beatrice believes Dave will be right there for every second of it, she told SIlive.com.

Dave Jordan, a US Army veteran who later worked in health care, died of cancer in 2022, three months before his 69th birthday. Ever since, Reilly-Jordon, 61, leaves a special chair open for Dave when she watches games on TV.

“There’s my chair, because you know, you always need a chair when a person’s not here,” she told the outlet.

The empty seat is a painful reminder of loss, but also a symbol of a love story death could not erase.

“I’m sorry my husband won’t be here, but he’s still here. He’s in the Garden right now,” she added. “And he’s going to watch it with us.”

The Knicks weren’t just a favorite team for the couple. They were woven into the fabric of their marriage.

Nearly 40 years ago, when their romance was just beginning, MSG became the backdrop for countless memories.

“We started off going to Knicks games together,” she recalled to the Staten Island-based paper. “He said he never went to a Knicks game with anyone, did I want to go?

“And I said yes. It became our thing to go to the Garden.”

Then came the devastating diagnosis that changed everything.

As Dave’s health deteriorated, Beatrice stood by his side through every agonizing moment, caring for the man she loved as his condition worsened.

“It was beyond awful,” she said. “I took care of him the whole time. Fed him. We were together for more than 34 years.”

When Dave died on Dec. 18, 2022, the grief was so overwhelming, she couldn’t even bring herself to watch the team they had loved together for decades, and the TV stayed off.

But over time, the family’s heartbreak turned into determination.

Surrounded by three daughters and an enormous extended family of siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Beatrice’s loved ones refused to let her give up something that had meant so much to both her and Dave, according to the outlet.

“My godbrothers said, ‘No, you have to. You know Dave wants you to go see the Knicks. You can’t stop doing what you normally do,” she said.

Eventually, the family bought her a ticket, recently sending her back to MSG for the first time since losing her husband.

What happened next became one of the most emotional moments of her life.

“At the game, I brought my husband’s ashes with me,” she told SILive. “And I was in section 224, and I sprinkled my husband, and I said, ‘Dave, you’re here with me.’”

As Knicks fans dream of a long-awaited championship, Beatrice has a message for everyone watching the 2026 Finals.

“He’s right on top of them — an angel on their shoulders — and they’re going to do it this year,” she said.

Bill Sy: We’re less than a month away from the NBA Draft and the offseason.  The rumor mill has been churning with trade targets like Peyton Watson and Trey Murphy III heading to Boston to Jaylen Brown being part of a Giannis Antetokounmpo deal.  There hasn’t been any indication that the Celtics front office is ready for a big swing, but Brad Stevens could still make substantial changes to the championship core of the roster.  If the Jays are untouchable, that could mean dealing Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, or even Derrick White.  Unfortunately, White might be our biggest chip to play.

Nirav Barman:  Derrick is currently the third highest paid player on the roster, taking in a whopping $30.3 million next season, but he’s been pivotal to Boston’s success since joining the team. The Celtics have been in the Finals twice since acquiring White, winning the championship in 2024, and were a Tatum ankle-sprain away from what could have been a third trip in 2023. Derrick has blossomed in Boston, and it becomes hard to see him anywhere else purely off of his relationship with the team and the city.

Bill Sy: Don’t get me wrong.  I’m a huge DWhite guy and I’ll always be a huge DWhite guy.  Despite his shooting struggles this season, I have no doubt that that was just a blip and he’ll make a big comeback next season.  However, with two maxed Jays and roster that could use some rebalancing before the front office makes a big push in 2027, White’s salary slot could better be used elsewhere.

Nirav Barman: There’s no question that the Celtics are heading towards crunch time for this core given how hard it’s become to navigate the luxury tax and salary aprons. That being said, there are few players who are both available on the trade market, and possess the skill set which White does. Even if you’re looking to address another area of concern for the team in exchange for Derrick, it’s hard to see the team acquiring a player who provides the same value on a similar deal.

Bill Sy: For a minute, let’s put aside who’s available on the market and concentrate who’s already on the team.  A big part of my confidence in even considering trading White was the development and performance of all the young wings in Boston’s bullpen: Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr.  Admittedly, you can’t play all those guys at the same time, but I think you can create Derrick’s contributions in the aggregate just as OKC did with Ajay Mitchell, Jared McCain, and Cason Wallace in replacing Jalen Williams.

Nirav Barman: I’m extremely excited to see what our group of young guys can do next season after what they just showed us, but I don’t think they’ve showed us enough to make White expendable just yet. As you said, their current skill sets need to be aggregated to make up for Derrick’s impact. When a game reaches clutch time, you need to have your best five players on the court, and those moments are where Derrick shines the most. JB and JT are guaranteed spots in a closing lineup. If we presume White is traded for a big man, that means there are two spots left between Pritchard and the wings. It’s hard for just one of those guys to fill that role and feel like we’re putting out a better lineup.

Bill Sy: Let’s zoom out a little bit.  If we’re going to take Stevens at his word, he’s looking to add rim pressure this summer.  Brown led the league in drives per game last season at 19.1.  Payton Pritchard trailed behind at 11.9 and in his limited return, Tatum drove to the basket 10.9 times.  White?  7.5.

Nirav Barman: It’s true that Derrick doesn’t quite play the way Stevens envisions for the future. However, he’s proven before that he can fit different systems. White fully embraced Mazzulla-ball after joining the Celtics, bumping his 3PA average up from 3.7 per game across 4.5 seasons in San Antonio to 7.0 per game across 4.5 seasons in Boston. There’s no reason why White can’t adjust his shot diet again if the team is looking to drive the ball more.

Bill Sy: The bigger question for me is whether White can be more of an alpha that can make the game a little easier for Brown and Tatum (think Holiday circa 2024) or if he’s the best supporting role player.

Nirav Barman: To your point, I wouldn’t call White an alpha. As great as he is, he doesn’t have the ability to take over games on a consistent basis. That being said, there are only so many slices of the pie available, and it already feels like the world has been trying to drive a wedge between Tatum and Brown because they’re both alphas. Having a high-level supporting role player like Derrick seems to me like the best path to success with the Jays as the foundation.

Bill Sy: Unlike the Knicks, because we have two max players, we have to be really deliberate with roster construction.  And don’t get me wrong. The thought of trading an All-Defense First Teamer from a team with championship aspirations seems silly, but I’m just wondering if we’re not in the same spot we were in with Marcus Smart.  At the time, the approach was to surround the Jays with more senior, more proven veterans like Holiday and Porzingis.  Now, I’m wondering if we go younger with the Jays in their prime.  Could this be those crossroads?

Nirav Barman: It does feel like we’re reaching a point where we’re going to have to make some tough decisions again. The Celtics simply have to improve the roster to keep up with the rest of the top teams. I do think that there are paths to do that which don’t require trading Derrick, though – at least as of now. Boston has a $27.7M TPE from offloading Anfernee Simons, and while they’d have to include some assets to get a good player back, it gives the team a lot more flexibility to address areas of concern while keeping White and allowing the cream of the crop to rise to the top from the selection of young wings. (edited) 

Bill Sy: Depending on a handful of team options, the Celtics are projected to enter free agency with a $180-185 million payroll and their first round pick is ticketed for $3 million.  Stevens will have the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception and that $27 million TPE at his disposal, but ultimately, they’re most likely going to try and duck under the luxury tax line at $201 million again to restart the repeater.  So, in reality, they’ve got about $15-20 million in wiggle room.  White’s $30 million slot might need to be in play.

Nirav Barman: Even while toeing the luxury tax line, Boston can’t let money override their on-court success. If the right deal comes around, I definitely think trading Derrick can and should be on the table – he’s well loved, but certainly not untouchable. If the expectation is that the young guys will fill in for him, though, it hasn’t quite gotten to that point yet. Until proven otherwise, which could happen by the trade deadline, Derrick gives the Celtics the best chance at staying competitive.

Bill Sy: I guess my thinking is that White’s $30 million and that $15-20 million are the best tools to makeover the roster.  Here’s a very hypothetical trade: let’s say Stevens strikes a sign-and-trade deal with Danny Ainge with Walker Kessler going east and White joining Utah’s backcourt.  Then, with the MLE, Coby White replaces Derrick White as Boston’s rim-pressuring point guard.  Mazzulla would roll out a rotation of:

• Coby White – Sam Hauser – Jaylen Brown – Jayson Tatum – Walker Kessler
• Payton Pritchard – Baylor Scheierman – Hugo Gonzalez – Jordan Walsh – Neemias Queta
• Ron Harper Jr. – 27th pick – Amari Williams – Luka Garza

Rebalancing the front court and back court with younger players sets them up for the immediate and long-term future.

Nirav Barman: I definitely see the appeal in a trade like that. As you pointed out earlier, Brad Stevens isn’t opposed to swapping a fan favorite for someone with clear potential that’s been stuck on a bad team. I’m sure he’ll be doing his due diligence, but I would find it difficult to make a deal predicated on a potential signing since it could create a bigger void if Boston gets outbid. As of now, the free agent market is pretty sparse for both the Celtics areas of need, PGs and Cs. If the Celtics are able to comfortably address one of those needs, then a Derrick trade could become more viable.

Bill Sy: I will admit after seeing OG Anunoby tip in the Jalen Brunson miss, the first thing I thought about was DWhite rebounding Smart’s miss and forcing a Game 7 against the Heat. Who would want to trade a guy like that?

Last June, Gonzaga fans had it easy. Whichever team won the NBA Finals, one former Bulldog was bringing home a ring: Andrew Nembhard and the Pacers on one side, Chet Holmgren and the OKC Thunder on the other. This year it all comes down to one guy: Kelly Olynyk, the Spurs’ lone Zag, going up against a Knicks roster with none. However the series ends, Olynyk gets to say he was part of it.

Five other former Bulldogs wrapped up seasons of their own well before the playoffs started, and each one tells a different story. One of the league’s most dependable big men fought through the toughest injury stretch of his career. Another strung together his best run in years before a foot injury ended things early. One had the best season of his career, full stop, even if the team around him couldn’t capitalize. A rookie went from undrafted to a franchise rookie assist record that had stood for three decades. And a guy who spent three years grinding through the G League finally got the call that stuck.

Domantas Sabonis | Sacramento Kings | 15.8 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 4.1 APG

Domantas Sabonis played 19 games this season, after suiting up at least 70 times in each of his first three years in Sacramento. When he was out there he still looked like himself, averaging 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 54.3% shooting. Finding him out there was the issue.

He missed the opener with a preseason hamstring strain, then strung together 11 games at 17.2 and 12.3 to start the year, capped by a season-high 34 points on 14-of-24 shooting at Minnesota on Nov. 15. The next night his left knee gave out, a partial meniscus tear initially written off as soreness. The Kings, already 6-21, played the next 27 games without him, covering all of December and half of January. He returned off the bench against Washington on Jan. 17, then held to a restricted-minutes plan the rest of the month while shooting 62.1%. His final game, Feb. 5 against Memphis, saw him put up 24 points and 15 rebounds in 24 minutes before Sacramento shut him down for surgery.

The Kings finished 22-60, and Sabonis has spent most of the last two years as the centerpiece of someone else’s trade idea, with the Hornets reportedly holding exploratory talks about a deal involving Miles Bridges, Josh Green and a first-round pick. Sabonis says he expects to be back at an “All-NBA level” next season. Where that season is played remains an open question.

Zach Collins | Chicago Bulls | 9.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.5 APG

A wrist fracture from the preseason finale kept Collins out until December, and once he got on the floor, the production looked like nothing he’d done before. Over 10 games he shot 57.8% from the field and 42.9% from three, both career-best marks by a wide margin, averaging 9.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.4 minutes a night. The Bulls went 6-4 with him in the rotation.

The highlights came in bursts: 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting in a win at Charlotte on Dec. 13, a 3-of-3 night from deep at Cleveland a week later, and a 15-point, 19-minute cameo off the bench in a win over Philadelphia on Dec. 27 in which he missed just three shots all night. The next game, against Milwaukee, he logged a season-high 24 minutes and grabbed 10 rebounds, his only double-digit rebounding night of the year. He didn’t play again. A sprained right toe turned into season-ending surgery in February.

Collins finishes the year as an unrestricted free agent, his extension from San Antonio having carried him through last year’s midseason trade to Chicago and now run out. Ten games isn’t much to go on, but by efficiency it’s the best stretch of his career. Unfortunately, the run ended before he ever got a chance to build on it.

Andrew Nembhard | Indiana Pacers | 16.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 7.7 APG

With Tyrese Haliburton out for the year recovering from his heartbreaking mid-finals Achilles tear last season, Nembhard took over point guard duties and delivered a career year across the board – 16.9 points and 7.7 assists a game, both well clear of his previous bests, on 44.2% shooting and a career-high 36.1% from three. His shot attempts jumped from 8.3 a game to 13.2, and he started all 57 games he played.

The season opened with trouble. Three minutes into the opener against Oklahoma City, guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he strained his left shoulder and finished with four points in 17 minutes of a double-overtime loss, then missed close to two weeks. Once back, the highlights stacked up: 32 points on 11-of-20 shooting at Cleveland in late November, a 28-point, 12-assist game against Sacramento in a December win, and a season-high 19 assists in a March loss to the Lakers. January was his best month across the board, 48.9% from the field, 40 percent from three, 9.2 assists a night.

But none of it moved the win-loss column much. The Pacers finished 19-63, a year removed from the NBA Finals, and a back and neck issue ended Nembhard’s season early, costing him the final seven games. 

Ryan Nembhard | Dallas Mavericks | 6.6 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 5.3 APG

Nembhard went undrafted in 2025, signed a two-way deal, and spent the first six weeks of the season in spot minutes before a real opportunity opened up. Over a 16-game stretch as a starter he looked like a keeper, peaking on Dec. 2 in Denver with 28 points on 12-of-14 shooting and 10 assists, then following it two nights later with 15 points and 13 assists against Miami.

His role shrank through January, still in the rotation but down to 16.5 minutes a night, and by February he’d been pushed out almost entirely, appearing in just two games before a bizarrely miscalculated stretch with the Texas Legends. The roster kept shifting around him and Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg (Anthony Davis dealt to Wizards at the trade deadline, Tyus Jones eventually waived), and on Feb. 28 the Mavericks converted him to a two-year standard contract with a team option for 2026-27.

March and April made the case for why. His minutes climbed back to nearly 30 a night, and the regular-season finale against Chicago was the exclamation point: 15 points, 9 rebounds and 23 assists in a 149-128 win, breaking Jason Kidd’s 31-year-old franchise rookie assist record by six. 

The younger Nembhard spent a season doing what he’s always done: demolishing expectations and making all doubters look dumb for underestimating him.

Malachi Smith | Brooklyn Nets | 8.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.3 APG (15 games)

After winning WCC Sixth Man of the Year, Malachi Smith went undrafted from Gonzaga. He tthen spent three years working through four different G League affiliates: the Rip City Remix, the Wisconsin Herd, the Memphis Hustle, and finally the Long Island Nets, where he put up 14.4 points on better than 52% shooting this season. That got the attention of Brooklyn’s front office.

He signed two consecutive 10-day contracts in mid-March and made his case over the following nine games, shooting 51.1% from the field and an absolutely absurd 47.1% from three. The NBA run was highlighted by an 18-point night on 7-of-9 shooting against Sacramento on March 23. The Nets converted him to a two-year deal in early April, and his best game followed almost immediately: 19 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists against Milwaukee, a near triple-double in 43 minutes of action. He finished the season averaging 8.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists on 48.5/43.5/100 shooting splits.

One detail worth filing away: if you pull up Malachi’s ESPN player page right now, the photo is still him in a Gonzaga jersey. The NBA hasn’t gotten around to a real headshot yet, but the two-year contract’s already signed.

The Spokane to NBA pipeline shows no sign of slowing down for Gonzaga. The 2026-27 roster could feasibly already have three to four future NBA draftees already on the roster, which would be the biggest class the program has ever produced. Massamba Diop, a 7-foot-1 rim protector arriving via Arizona State, is close to a lock. Davis Fogle is a strong maybe after the kind of breakout freshman season that gets pro scouts circling. And if Izan Almansa clears the NCAA’s eligibility hurdles, a big year barreling through the new-look Pac-12 could put him back in the conversation after a near-miss draft process last year. Lots to look forward to once this roster finally, blissfully, reassuringly fills out.

Perhaps it was the pure exhilaration, the adrenaline running high after the Knicks completed the greatest comeback in Finals history.

Maybe it had to do with the reality that the Knicks are now one win away from ending a 53-year championship drought after decades of incompetence.

The euphoric — and even legally problematic at times — celebrations by Knicks fans from the average Joes to Hollywood A-Listers on Wednesday night and into early Thursday morning provided just a brief preview of the mayhem that may descend upon New York City on Saturday.

For the first time since June 22, 1994, the Knicks take the court Saturday night in San Antonio for Game 5 of the NBA Finals needing just one win to claim their third championship.

The Knicks famously failed to do so in two attempts in 1994, losing Games 6 and 7 to the Rockets in heartbreakers.

This time around, thanks to their Game 4 heroics, they have three chances to win one game and wash away the memory of John Starks’ Game 7 to forget.

Should they knock off the Spurs, there surely will be a celebration for the ages.

Post-game celebrations outside Madison Square Garden have become a staple in recent years when the Knicks have been in the playoffs, but these Finals outbursts have felt different.

Fans did not leave Madison Square Garden for some time Wednesday night, showering in every last second from a once-in-a-lifetime win thanks to OG Anunoby’s heroics.

The celebrities, from Taylor Swift to Ben Stiller, showcased sheer joy throughout the night while watching courtside and then celebrating after the game.

Clips from outside MSG showed a fan on a bicycle being held in the air, with the fans below surely not feeling any pain while on such a sports high.

They chanted, “Thank you, OG” after his last-minute brilliance, including a block on De’Aaron Fox in the final 15 seconds that set the stage for his later heroics.

Fans ran through the streets as cars beeped their horns, not giving a damn about traffic after watching Jalen Brunson finally break through against a tough Spurs defense.

The tops of a police car and a taxi became a dance floor.

Some celebrities even took to the streets in celebration.

Rhianna shot a basketball in a Carnival-like game alongside rapper husband A$AP Rocky.

Even former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson celebrated with some fans.

And to think this all happened after a third Finals win.

It’s been 15 years since the last championship by a Big Four New York City sports team — the Giants won Super Bowl 2012, while the Liberty won the WNBA title last year — and the city is waiting to erupt again.

If you give some Knicks fans truth serum, perhaps they would admit they’d rather the Knicks clinch at home in a potential Game 6 on Tuesday night.

Regardless of the venue, should the Knicks finish off the Spurs, Wednesday’s post-game festivities may seem like child’s play.

The City That Never Sleeps will host an all-night party, full of joy and bedlam, that rings out from Manhattan to Brooklyn to Staten Island to Queens and The Bronx.

The watch is on.