SAN ANTONIO, TX -MAY 12: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs high fives Stephon Castle #5 after a basket against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half of Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals NBA 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 terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA has arrived at the very best part of the calendar. Four teams are left standing in the race for the 2026 championship, and it should produce the highest possible level of basketball played this season.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are trying to become the first team since the 2018 Golden State Warriors to win back-to-back championships. They’re facing an upstart contender in the San Antonio Spurs who can threaten their potential dynasty. The Spurs have 22-year-old 7’5 sensation Victor Wembanyama. If the mythical Best Player in the World title belongs to Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander right now, it sure feels like Wemby is on the brink of claiming it as its own for the foreseeable future.
In the East, the New York Knicks are rolling, and playing the best basketball the franchise has seen since its last championship in 1973. The Cleveland Cavaliers are standing in their way after surviving a seven-game series against the Pistons.
Let’s rank the four teams still alive by their championships chances.
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs and Knicks were expected to be the last two clubs left standing in the East at the start of the year, and that’s exactly what happened even if there were some twists for Cleveland that no one could have seen coming. The Cavs left no doubt in Game 7 against the Pistons despite another clunker from their trade deadline addition James Harden in a big game. It’s a testament to Cleveland’s talent level that Harden can no show and the team can still win a blowout. Harden will have better games against the Knicks, and he’ll need to for Cleveland to keep pace. The Cavs got Evan Mobley more involved in the offense after going down 0-2 to Detroit, and his continued growth represents Cleveland’s best chance to pull off an upset in the conference finals. Mobley and Jarrett Allen have the ability to give Karl-Anthony Towns fits defensively, and Mobley in particular should be able to hold up better than most bigs when switched onto Jalen Brunson. Donovan Mitchell probably has to be the best player in the series for Cleveland to make the NBA Finals, and he’s capable of getting to that level. This will be a huge series for Sam Merrill and Max Strus, the designated movement shooters for the Cavs who need to stay hot to match buckets with a powerful Knicks offense. New York has clearly been the better team in the playoffs, but Cleveland is still learning who it is, and there’s a chance it can still discover its best level in the conference finals.
3. New York Knicks
Remember when the Knicks were trailing the Atlanta Hawks 2-1 in their first-round series and all of New York was ready to fire head coach Mike Brown? Since then, the Knicks have rattled off seven straight wins to look like a realistic championship challenger out of the East. The Knicks have been the favorite in the conference going back to the preseason, but it feels like they’re just starting to hit their stride and play their best ball at the best possible time. OG Anunoby’s right hamstring strain hangs over the team’s ascent, but he’s reportedly in line to play in Game 1 of this series. Anunoby is the skeleton key that makes New York go, providing spacing and three-point shooting around Jalen Brunson’s shot-creation and excellent defense next to two offensively-slanted stars in Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. While lineups with Brunson, KAT, and Anunoby are pretty mid on the season, Anunoby with one star on and the other star off crushes everything in its path. Brunson remains as good as it gets in crunch time: he’s always ready to pick out the weakest defender and attack them relentlessly, and it’s almost impossible to stop him from getting to his spots. This series and potentially the next one feel pivotal for Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson as players who bring unique strengths off the bench. If Anunoby is back and regains the level he’s played at so far in the postseason, the Knicks are a big favorite in the East and could have a decent chance against the Thunder or Spurs.
2. San Antonio Spurs
It’s wild to think that Victor Wembanyama had never played in a playoff game entering his third season this year. All San Antonio did this season was win 62 games (second-most in the NBA), with Wemby ascending to a top-3 player in the world, and posing problems no one has a solution for. Wembanyama isn’t just 7’5 with an 8-foot wingspan, he also plays with an incredible motor and enough skill to hit shots all over the floor. Wemby alone would make this team a contender, the Spurs also moved up into the top-4 of the draft lottery the next two seasons after landing the best prospect of the generation. Put Wemby on the floor with Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper, and the Spurs outscore opponents by 38.7 points per 100 possessions. Take Wemby and Castle off, and lineups led by Harper are still out-scoring opponents by +4.5 points. I’ll drop the fancy numbers for a second and just say the Spurs are much more than a one-man show. Luke Kornet provides elite rim protection as Wembanyama’s backup, and Julian Champagnie has grown into high-volume and accurate three-point shooter. Oh yeah, De’Aaron Fox is here too, and while he’s often frustrating, his shot-creation is still nice to have in a pinch. The Spurs have three losses throughout the playoffs, and two of them came when Wembanyama was either concussed or ejected. The Spurs already showed they could beat the Thunder in the regular season by winning the season series 4-1. No one should be surprised if this team wins the championship, and then wins a whole bunch more in the coming years.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder are 8-0 in the playoffs entering the Western Conference Finals, and six of those eight wins have been by double-figures. The Spurs will be a much tougher opponent than the Suns or Lakers, and in many ways this is the first real chapter of what should be the defining rivalry in the NBA for the foreseeable future. While the Spurs won four of the five games during the regular season, teams usually have to take their lumps before breaking through for a championship. Beyond that, OKC has answers for everything San Antonio can do outside of Wembanyama. The Thunder’s defense is one of the best units in league history, and players like Fox, Castle, and Harper won’t have such an easy time creating looks against them. San Antonio has some good defenders, but they don’t have anyone who can slow down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. SGA scored 20+ points in literally every game this season on the way to back-to-back MVPs. Chet Holmgren is the closest thing to Wemby the United States has produced, and while he’s not nearly as good as his French counterpart, Holmgren still feels like a top-10 player in the league right now. Jalen Williams will reportedly be ready to go for game one, but he’s missed so much of this season with a hamstring injury that it’s hard to know how much he can be counted on. Of course, Ajay Mitchell has basically replicated the scoring and shot-creation Williams was providing, so the Thunder should be just fine either way. Gilgeous-Alexander is the best player in the world right now, and while Wembanyama will probably grab that title from him soon (maybe even in the next two weeks), I think SGA has enough juice to get the Thunder over the finish line this year. This is an elite team in its prime, and they’re ready to break the NBA’s no repeats streak.
SPRINGFIELD, MO - APRIL 08: Liam Doyle #19 of the Springfield Cardinals pitches during the game between the Tulsa Drillers and the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field on Wednesday, April 8, 2026 in Springfield, Missouri. (Photo by Kaylee Vaughan/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Last week, I shared how the hitting prospects in the system were doing. Wasn’t really planning for it to be a weeklong thing, it’s just that the Cardinals seem to have that many prospects worth monitoring. And I definitely didn’t cover everyone too. This week, I’ll cover the pitching prospects. Let’s get started.
Maybe it’s because he got to Memphis so fast, but I am truly confused as to how long it is taking Mathews to adjust to AAA. Maybe it’s the ball and he’s uniquely affected. Maybe it’s just that some pitchers need more development time at some level. Whatever it is, I really wish he could get his walk rate to a level where I would feel comfortable promoting him to the big leagues. 18% is a nonstarter and it’s not like his other stats are good right now either.
I am suddenly not concerned about Mathews at all after seeing how Hence has pitched this year. He is not currently in Memphis to the best of my knowledge, being sent to the complex league to work out whatever exactly is affecting him right now. The talent is still there. Either the mechanics or the health isn’t however. Hopefully, it works out as well as the Joshua Baez experience.
Tekoah Roby, RHP – 24 (VEB’s #11 prospect)
Underwent Tommy John surgery on July 28th last season. If he pitches at all this year, I doubt he’ll have much time to do more than be a multi-inning relief pitcher.
Mautz hasn’t really had a walk problem before this season, so there really does seem to be something to having to adjust to pitching with a different ball. And of course harder competition. I’m not worried about Mautz only because he wasn’t really ever on my radar to pitch at the big league level this season except maybe a spot start later in the season. Would have surprised me more if he was immediately good in Memphis.
Ixan Henderson, LHP – 24 (VEB’s #17 prospect)
Henderson was shut down due to a flexor strain in his elbow and was slated to miss at least the first two months of the season. I haven’t heard any updates since spring training.
Hunter Dobbins, RHP – 26 (acquired in the Sonny Gray trade)
Dobbins is currently a bit of a confusing pitcher. His Memphis stats suggest we basically have another Andre Pallante waiting in the wings. Which… actually it’s support by his lone MLB start too. He got a ton of groundballs, but couldn’t locate the zone. Pallante, despite lacking control, walks less than you would think. I don’t think Dobbins is exactly kicking down the door with his performance, though it’s good enough that he’s the clear choice if you need a starter.
Richard Fitts, RHP – 26 (acquired in the Willson Contreras trade)
I understand that Zimmermann is this year’s version of Curtis Taylor. I kind of want to see what he’s like in relief though. His K/BB numbers are excellent and it’s clear he can’t start at the MLB level – he’s just too homer-prone. He allowed three homers in yesterday’s game so that FIP is going to get way worse. He had a 6:1 K/BB so that xFIP won’t be hit that badly. Anyway, he was a reliever for 7 total games at the MLB level and he had a 14:0 K/BB ratio. I see more potential in him than Jared Shuster.
Hansen began the year injured, but has worked his way back to full heath at this point. If you focus on his batters faced, they have steadily increased to a season high of 22 in his most recent start, even though he only went 4.1 IP and he managed 5 innings in a previous start. It got momentarily derailed when he got rocked in a start where he lasted just 1.2 IP, hence the high ERA. It’s going pretty well for Hansen so far though. Would like to have another viable player to call up if needed in the Memphis rotation. It’s pretty much just Dobbins right now.
Sem Robberse, RHP – 24
Robberse underwent Tommy John surgery on May 14th of last season, so it’s entirely possible he could be starting rehab in the near future. Very far from being an MLB impact of course.
The Cardinals are kind of playing the in-between game with Rincon, where he’s not a starting pitcher, but he’s a little more than a reliever. He has started 3 games, but not been asked to face more than 15 batters in any appearance. I’m not sure if his innings are being limited or if he’s truly not a starter anymore, but I do find it a bit strange they seem to have given up on him as a starter.
His lone start wasn’t a real start, Rajcic is a full-blown reliever. Just wanted to put that out there. Jake Wood has been a big advocate to consider promoting him to the big league and it’s easy enough to see why. Probably not future as a starter and excelling as a reliever at the moment.
Winquest somehow has three hit by pitches in his three innings of work which do factor into his overall stats. It’s a similar negative penalty to a walk. Despite a solid K%, he hasn’t actually had a good appearance in Memphis yet – he’s allowed a run in each one. He had 2 Ks and no walks or HBPs in one appearance, but also allowed a homer. He is also now injured with an undisclosed injury. So much for bullpen help here.
For a minor league Rule 5 pickup, this is as good of a start as you can ask for. Yes, I know his ERA and FIP are ugly in Memphis. And it’s unfortunate he’s already allowed four homers this year. But he proved to be too good in AA pretty much immediately which is encouraging for a guy who spent last year pitching only rehab innings essentially.
Ryan Fernandez went from someone they couldn’t send down because he needed to work out his issues at the MLB level to a guy who can’t get called up even if he’s pitching well in Memphis (and a brief time at the MLB level) despite the Cardinals having a bad bullpen pretty quickly honestly. It is nice to have someone who I think deserves to get called up if a spot is needed at least.
I mean… Roycroft has to be getting close to entering DFA territory if a 40 man spot is needed. In his last four appearances, including last night, he’s allowed 10 earned runs in 4.1 IP. He may have been the punching bag on May 9th because innings were needed and he faced 13 batters, which is 5 batters more than he’s faced in any other appearance. He allowed six runs in that appearance.
People have suggested Gastelum for the MLB bullpen. He doesn’t appear that close to being MLB ready to me. It does not help his case that he is not on the 40 man roster. Typically if you are on the outside looking in with regards to the 40 man, you need to have great stats to get the call-up. He does not have that.
Good news. I can adjust many stats based upon how a pitcher pitched the night I’m writing this, but FIP and xFIP are not those stats. And Hales pitched a great inning yesterday and his FIP and xFIP will both drop. He struck out 2 in a scoreless innings with no walks and only a hit allowed. The bad news is that his BB% only dropped to 16.9%, so that’s going to need to fall a lot farther down before you consider a promotion.
Okay we at least have two relief pitchers worth promoting if they are needed. Obviously Blewett is a bit more complicated, not being on the 40 man and not having any options if promoted. The team BABIP in Memphis must be .330 because I am seeing a lot of high BABIPs.
In Doyle’s last three starts, he has a 37 K% and 5.6 BB%, so I think he’s at the right level. His advanced stats for the whole season are solid, though nothing special and I would expect a higher GB% at some point. But yeah if you were concerned about his first few starts, his last few starts make me think he’ll see Memphis sooner rather than later.
Not the most impressive stats, and you can really see the value in not walking guys when comparing him and Doyle. Doyle doesn’t have a particularly low BB%, and yet he has a significantly lower xFIP than Cjintje pretty much just because of walks. Cjintje also has four HBPs and man I really wish HBPs wasn’t playing such a big role in some of these pitching lines, because a 12.2 BB% is high, but I found it weird how bad his xFIP was. If you add the HBPs to the walks, it’s a 14.6 BB/HBP% which is really bad. He did strike out 10 in his most recent appearance so clearly there’s a lot of potential here.
Cooper Hjerpe, LHP – 25 (VEB’s #15 prospect)
Hjerpe underwent Tommy John surgery on April 15th last season. I haven’t seen any updates on his rehab, but he should probably pitch this season and I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing him in the MLB bullpen in September.
Everyone raise your hand if you thought Lin was going to outpitch Cjintje after a month and half of play. Now stop lying because you guys did not vote him onto the top 20 prospect list this past season. He’s still walking too many batters, but at least he’s striking out nearly a third of hitters and his walks are in a better place than last season certainly. Let’s hope he keeps this up.
Molina is now in his third organization and at least two of them have been pretty aggressive in promoting Molina, which is interesting because he was a 7th round pick. He’s advanced like a Day One pick. He started 11 games at Low A for the Rangers before they promoted him, and 12 total games at High A before the Cardinals put him in AA. Because the dude can miss bats.
If I wrote this before yesterday’s start happened, there’d be a lot more reason for optimism about Davis, but he had a horrendous start yesterday, walking five and only striking out two while giving up 5 runs. His FIP is going to be a lot worse and so will his xFIP. So that one’s a bummer. I also felt they were particularly aggressive with Davis, as he made just 8 starts at High A last year.
I can’t be the only one whose first instinct on seeing this guy and his stats and thought: “Who’s this guy?” Honestly, there wasn’t much reason before this year to pay attention. He was a 17th rounder in 2024 and spent most of 2025 in A ball, only striking out 19.8% of hitters in Low A. He struck out 39% of batters in High A, but it was just 15 innings. But he also was promoted to Springfield as well, and had a 1.00 ERA, albeit with a 15% K rate. Clearly that 39% K rate told us more than I think I would have guessed at the time as well as his permanent promotion to Springfield. These are great stats. This is a late round gem, even if he ends up hitting a wall. He’s not even old for his level. Score one for the scouting department on this one.
Saladin appears to be a full-time reliever, which is a bummer after his 2024 season, but appears to be the right choice. He didn’t have a great 2025, he would have started being old for his level if they kept him at High A, so they both promoted him and moved him to the bullpen. He’s been wild. Hasn’t allowed a homer, but a crazy high BABIP. Yesterday he threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts, so his FIP and xFIP will see some improvement. Just needs to control the walks.
Okay, well the Cardinals know more than me. News at eleven. Love has been pretty bad lately, and in fact gave up four runs in a relief appearance yesterday. I don’t know if he’s working on something, I don’t know if he’s fighting through an injury, but the Love I wanted to promote has exited the building.
Most of you probably know this – hell most of you probably don’t pay attention to this – but when I list the age of a player, I am listing the age they are considered for that year. Which can lead to thinks like me calling Watson 24-years-old despite not turning 24 until June. If he was born a month later, he’d be considered 23. That’s just the way it works. Anyway, he actually allowed three of his four homers in his last appearance, which really dragged down his numbers.
Oh hey I made a good call. In a post earlier this year, I said Love should be promoted to Memphis. That has not aged well, I also said Findlay should be promoted to Springfield. It happened less than a week later. And Findlay has rewarded that promotion so far.
Again, let’s give a hand to the scouting department. Burns was drafted in the 14th round of the 2024 draft. Granted, if you told me a later round draft pick had made it to AA, I wouldn’t be that shocked if it was a reliever. Thompson is shocking to me because he’s a starting pitcher. That’s taking nothing away from Burns however, who has been a three true outcomes guy: strikeout, groundball, or walk. He’s allowed two homers in 19.1 IP and has been supremely unlucky to do so since 25% of his flyballs allowed have been homers (average is 12%)
Uhhhh, what in the hell? How is this line even possible? This is legitimately an unbelievable line. I don’t know what to do with this. He has allowed 24 balls in play, which is a crazy low number considering he’s thrown 13.1 IP. Out of those 24, 16 have been hits. Does he occasionally just want to make things hard and just yell “I’m throwing three fastballs right down the middle” because how can you be this unhittable and have a .667 BABIP against. I want to write 2,000 words about this.
Anyway, that’s a good place to end. Hunter Hayes does not have stats worth sharing but he did strike out four and walk none a 2.1 inning relief appearance yesterday, so hopefully that means he turned a corner.
Rory McIlroy clashed with a fan on Sunday in the final round of the US PGA as chanting from the gallery once again drew his ire.
McIlroy was among the challengers on the final day but found heavy rough on the 16th as his bid for victory petered out. His next shot rebounded into a bunker, although he would go on to par the hole.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MAY 17: Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox returns to the dugout following the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on May 17, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What we don’t have going for us at the moment, though, is quality outings from Brayan Bello. The birthday boy was unfortunately shelled on Sunday, as he gave up eight earned runs in five innings en route to the loss against Atlanta. Bello will not be pitching in this upcoming series in Kansas City, which is set to begin tonight at 7:40 p.m. EST.
My question to you folks is simple: what’s next for Bello?
He had two very solid outings preceding yesterday’s disaster, as both of those appearances featured an opener from the bullpen eating the first inning before handing things over to number 66. Is this simply a matter of reverting back to that strategy, or do you think the problems with Bello go deeper than that? Do we have to ride things out with him—especially with Crochet still on the mend—or do we have to consider sending him down to Worcester to get his act together? I want to hear from you.
SEATTLE, WA - MAY 17: Gavin Sheets #30 of the San Diego Padres celebrates with teammate Manny Machado #13 after hitting a solo home run in the first inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Sunday, May 17, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Rod Mar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Last week saw to divisional matchups in the National League West, and NL West teams lost the two series against other NL teams outside the division. The San Diego Padres dropped two of three against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Colorado Rockies lost two out of three against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
But the division mostly took out any such frustration against the American League. The Dodgers and Padres, the two teams at the top of the standings and the only two teams in the division with a winning record, swept the Angels and Seattle Mariners, respectively, over the weekend. The San Francisco Giants won two out of three against the A’s in West Sacramento. The Arizona Diamondbacks did lost two of three to the Texas Rangers, but overall the division went 9-3 in interleague play for the week.
Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly at age 37 pitched the first complete game of his career on Thursday night, his 178th career start, in a 9-1 rout of the Colorado Rockies. The folks at AZ Snake Pit have more. Kelly had just the second complete game at Coors Field since the start of 2023, along with Stephen Kolek of the San Diego Padres on May 10, 2025. There are 94 complete games in the history of the ballpark, which is now in its 32nd season.
Jake Cronenworth out with a concussion. Padres have gotten contributions from other players, like Miguel Andujar and Gavin Sheets (three go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning), which Thomas Conroy chronicled at Gaslamp Ball.
Rockies right-hander Chase Dollander exited his Thursday start and was placed on the injured list on Friday. There’s no timetable yet for his return, but optimism that he won’t need surgery. From Evan Lang at Purple Row:
Dollander described his injury as “just a very minor UCL sprain. That’s just what the MRI showed. I have a little information around the ligament, nothing to be too concerned about. Just thanking God that it wasn’t more than that. Obviously, it’s probably the best case scenario. Trying to look at the positive side.”
England defender thanks Prince of Wales for his support
William expected to be in Istanbul for Europa League final
Ezri Konsa has said the Prince of Wales referring to him as a “Rolls-Royce” counts as the greatest compliment of his career and that Aston Villa are grateful for his royal backing. Prince William, arguably Villa’s best-known supporter and a patron of the Football Association, is expected to be in Istanbul for Wednesday’s Europa League final. Villa are seeking their first trophy since the League Cup in 1996 and will face the German side Freiburg in Turkey.
Konsa has opened up on the surreal nature of support from the heir to the throne. William was in the Villa Park directors’ box for Villa’s second-leg 4-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, which cemented Villa’s place in a first major European final since 1982.
Benhard Janse van Rensburg in 42-man training squad
England consider resting Itoje and other senior players
England have called up the former South African U20 centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg to train with the national squad ahead of this summer’s inaugural Nations Championship. The Bristol Bears midfielder has been picked ahead of the omitted Bath pair Ollie Lawrence and Max Ojomoh despite not being officially available for England until 8 July.
Janse van Rensburg will become eligible on residency grounds on the grounds he has been in the UK for five years since joining his former club London Irish. This means he will not be available for England’s Test against the Springboks on 4 July but could potentially make a full debut against Fiji at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium the following weekend.
The 29-year-old, may also feature in a non-cap game against a France XV in Vannes on 19 June, assuming he makes a good impression in training. He did not have the best of nights in Northampton last Friday when Bristol suffered a record 94-33 defeat and were repeatedly cut apart by a rampant Saints backline.
The Rugby Football Union had to make a special appeal to World Rugby for dispensation to consider Janse van Rensburg, who played 21 minutes as a late replacement for South Africa’s U20 side back in 2016. This made him technically ineligible to qualify for England on residency grounds, until the RFU successfully argued that it was unfair for that brief appearance to bind him to South Africa in perpetuity.
Borthwick is clearly seeking fresh ways to inject momentum into his squad following the team’s fifth-placed finish in the Six Nations which saw England lose four of their five games. There are also call-ups for the impressive young Northampton scrum-half Archie McParland and Saracens’ fast-rising No9 Charlie Bracken, along with a recall for the rapid Leicester wing Adam Radwan.
Radwan has nipped in ahead of the unfortunate Arundell with Saracens’ Noah Caluori also included in a 42-man squad. Up front there are call-ups for the uncapped Bath front-row duo of Vilikesa Sela and Kepu Tuipulotu, prominent members of England’s U20 side who are now pushing for senior recognition. There may well be opportunities this summer with Borthwick understood to be considering resting some of his senior pros including the captain Maro Itoje for some or all of England’s July games.
This offseason, the Philadelphia Flyers will be spending the bulk of their finances re-signing their own free agents, rather than those coming from other teams.
Established core players like Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale are pending restricted free agents in need of new contracts, and it's possible the Flyers retain the likes of Nikita Grebenkin (upper-body), Sam Ersson, and Emil Andrae.
The Flyers already re-signed Aleksei Kolosov, so that is one piece of relevant business done for the summer. Now, they won't have to worry about AHL goaltending for the 2026-27 season.
As for the names above, though, their contracts are going to be less straightforward than Kolosov's one-year deal worth $850k.
In regards to Zegras and Drysdale specifically, those two players are going to be the talk of town in terms of contract value and length.
We can all expect the Flyers' exciting duo to sign for another couple of years, though what a "couple of years" means depends on the person.
NHL analytics mavens Evolving-Hockey have made their widely anticipated contract projections for the 2026 offseason available, and we can reference their data model to see what kind of contracts we can expect for all the Flyers' free agents.
To establish some precedent, Evolving-Hockey projected Kolosov's most likely contract to be two years for $866.5k. The Belarusian was assessed to have a 48% chance to sign for two years, and a 42% chance to sign for one. So, they were pretty close to the mark on this one.
At the time of this writing, Zegras is given a 23% chance to re-up with the Flyers for four years, which Evolving-Hockey predicts to come with a $7.589 million annual cap hit.
Notably, their model also gives Zegras a 19% chance to sign for five and eight years, and those lengths would then carry cap hits of $7.919 or $9.654 million, respectively.
Personally, I would expect Zegras and the Flyers meet somewhere in the middle, like seven years and $8.5 million annually, give or take.
However, the Flyers will have a smaller margin for error with Drysdale's next deal, especially given that this past season was the best, and objectively the only good, season of his NHL career.
The 24-year-old defenseman's most likely contract comes in at five years and a $6.155 million annual cap hit, which will certainly carry some sticker shock.
A number in the $5 million range would be more reasonable for Drysdale, though Evolving-Hockey's model says the Flyers will have to offer between two and four years to get the price down to that level.
As it stands for the other relevant pieces, Ersson is projected to land a two-year, $2.762 million AAV contract if he re-signs with the Flyers, which seems unlikely at this stage.
Andrae and Grebenkin are given whopping 56% and 58% chances to land two-year extensions themselves, accompanied by modest cap hits of $1.462 and $1.127 million, respectively.
Grebenkin's is just about what I personally expected, though a one-year deal feels like the smartest move for Andrae.
He only has a 16% chance to sign one of those, but he is no longer waivers-exempt and won't be an unrestricted free agent until 2029.
If Andrae does remain with the Flyers, it would be surprising if it was for more than a season, even with the team's lack of left-shot defensemen coming up through the pipeline.
The Flyers will have a ton of cap space this summer with Kevin Hayes, Cam Atkinson, and Scott Laughton all coming off the books, so it will be interesting to see how aggressive they get with re-signing their own players as well as with targeting new ones.
The date May 18 this year marks Victoria Day for most provinces and all of Canada's territories. This day last year, however, consisted of a franchise-altering result for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
That result was when the Florida Panthers came to town for Game 7 of the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. With hope from Leafs fans that Toronto was going to see the third round of the post-season for the first time since 2002, the Panthers steamrolled the Maple Leafs with a 6-1 scoreline.
That humiliating loss for Toronto at Scotiabank Arena turned out to be more than just a defeat or elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs. What came to fruition in the aftermath of that loss changed the immediate future of the organization.
What many will remember from that night is that, in addition to being the Maple Leafs' final contest of the campaign, it turned out to be the end of Mitch Marner's tenure in Toronto - and it wasn't memorable in a good way.
In the final moments of that game, fans began to boo Marner whenever he got control of the puck. They would also throw jerseys and garbage onto the ice during play.
This loss marked the seventh straight Game 7 that the Maple Leafs dropped dating back to the 2012-13 post-season.
Florida would go on to win its second consecutive Stanley Cup, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in six games. The Maple Leafs were actually the toughest series that the Panthers had in those playoffs in terms of the length of the series.
Nonetheless, there were a couple of changes to the team in that off-season, highlighted by the departure of Marner, who was signed and traded to the Vegas Golden Knights just one day before free agency kicked in.
Marner's departure marked the end of an era. For the previous nine seasons, Marner, along with Auston Matthews and William Nylander, were the team's top players. But with a third of that trio now gone, the Maple Leafs were always going to be a different team going into the next campaign.
Still with the off-season additions of Matias Maccelli, Dakota Joshua, and Nicolas Roy - who arrived with the Marner deal - the difference was glaring, and not in a positive way.
Toronto ended up missing the playoffs for the first time in nine years and became a lottery-winning franchise for the first time since the Leafs drafted Matthews in 2016.
That Game 7 loss to the Panthers isn't solely responsible for the downfall of the 2025-26 regular season, of course. But it certainly played a role in the organization's trajectory.
Now, exactly one year later, Brendan Shanahan, Brad Treliving, Craig Berube, and some other members of the front office are no longer a part of the franchise.
At any rate, May 18, 2025 was certainly a day for Leafs fans to remember, for all the wrong reasons.
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It has been a rough month for the Detroit Tigers, who have just four wins in 15 tries so far in May after dropping two of three to the Toronto Blue Jays in the first leg of their seven-game homestand. The visitors struck early on Sunday, getting a pair of runs in the first and third innings, and the offense simply could not catch up, resulting in a 4-1 loss.
On Monday, the Cleveland Guardians come to town for a four-game set that is as important as one can be before crossing the 50-game mark of the season. The Guards have won five of their last six, including a series-winning 10-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.
The Tigers have their current de facto top starter taking the mound on Monday night, left-hander Framber Valdez. The 32-year-old is coming off a quality start last time out that saw him allow two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven New York Mets batters en route to a 10-inning team loss.
Amazingly, Valdez has not faced Cleveland since 2023, when he threw a complete-game no-hitter for the Houston Astros back when it was still called Minute Maid Park. What Tiger fans would do to see that happen again…
Opposite him is right-hander Slade Cecconi, who has been more or less replacement-level this season, logging just one quality start while turning in mixed results for Cleveland. The 26-year-old’s last start was solid, throwing four shutout innings on five hits and a walk while striking out seven Los Angeles Angels in a team win.
Cecconi faced Detroit twice last season, turning in a pair of quality starts, allowing one and two runs, respectively. He earned the win in the first game, 3-1, but was saddled with a 2-1 loss in the second.
Take a look below at how the two match up for Monday evening’s American League Central battle.
Detroit Tigers (20-27) vs. Cleveland Guardians (26-22)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:Covering the Corner Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 48: LHP Framber Valdez (2-2, 4.32 ERA) vs. RHP Slade Cecconi (2-4, 5.60 ERA)
BINGHAMTON, NY - JULY 06: Jacob Reimer #23 of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies reacts during the game between the Hartford Yard Goats and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Mirabito Stadium on Sunday, July 6, 2025 in Binghamton, New York. (Photo by Matt Kipp/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Syracuse got on the board in the top of the first on a pair of extra base hits off the bats of Nick Morabito and Christian Arroyo, but Scranton recouped both runs in the bottom of the third. Syracuse took the lead once again in the top of the sixth, this time on a Yonny Hernandez RBI single, but the RailRiders took the lead permanently in the bottom of the inning, scoring three runs off of Alex Carillo and taking a 5-3 lead. The Mets had a couple of opportunities, getting the tying run up in the eighth and ninth, but weren’t able to cash in.
Binghamton trailed early on, at one point as much as 6-1, but the bats came through. In the fourth, they plated three runs, in the fifth, they plated two, and in the sixth, they scored four more, taking the lead. Jacob Reimer had a big game, going 3-3 with two doubles and a homer, raising his batting line from .200/.328/.355 coming into this game to .221/.346/.416; the infielder has quietly been enjoying a solid May after a very poor April and is hitting .279/.373/.581 on the month.
The Emperors scored a pair of runs off of Brady Miller in the second and one more in the third; that would end up being all they needed to win, as the Cyclones managed just a single run on the afternoon, a Trace Willhoite RBI single in the seventh. With the loss, the Cyclones lost the series two games to four and have just four wins in the entire calendar month of May.
St. Lucie got on the board in the bottom of the first on an AJ Salgado RBI double and held onto the lead for the rest of the ballgame. Branny De Oleo plated two more in the bottom of the fourth to give the Mets a little breathing room, which came in handy when Nicolas Carreno allowed a run in the sixth. That run ended up being the only one that the Hammerheads would score on the afternoon, and all’s well that ends well.
WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA - MAY 17, 2026: Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles circles the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of an interleague game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on May 17, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. The Nationals beat the Orioles, 7-3. (Photo by Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Happy Monday, Camden Chatters! I hope you had a nice weekend. Things started off poorly for the Orioles with two losses to the Nationals, including an embarrassing 13-3 rout on Saturday. But they finished the series with a solid 7-3 victory to salvage one game.
The offense yesterday was powered by home runs from guys who had been struggling. Gunnar Henderson, Coby Mayo, and Colton Cowser all went deep yesterday, which felt pretty good. If those guys can rebound, it would work wonders for the offense.
No offense to Cower or Mayo, but Henderson is the one who matters most. And he had himself a fine weekend. On Friday, in the team’s 3-2 loss, Henderson singled and doubled in five trips to the plate. But he hit the ball hard four times up, with exit velocities of 97.5, 100.1, 106.1, and 111.9. He went hitless on Saturday, but did pick up a walk. And yesterday, Henderson had a four-hit game, including a double and a home run. His exit velocity in those four hits? 100.3, 100.3, 105.6, and 106.7.
It has only been one weekend’s worth of games, and I am not declaring Gunnar to be back. But I feel like I am ready to start asking the question. If he keeps hitting the ball hard, we’ll have our answer soon. He has been in the 57th percentile of exit velocity this year, averaging 89.1. In 2023-25, he was around the 90th percentile. A hard-hitting Gunnar is a good Gunnar.
He and the rest of the team will face a tough test over the next 10 days, where six of their nine games will be against the red-hot Tampa Bay Rays. They have won every series they’ve played this month and have only lost four all year. Weirdly, all of those series losses have come against the NL Central. They have not been swept. You can check back to this website at 10 a.m. to read Paul Folkemer’s series preview, which will tell you all the ways the Rays will beat the Orioles this week.
One last thing: former Oriole Grayson Rodriguez made his 2026 debut yesterday. It had been 655 days since his last start back on July 31, 2024. I wish I could say he had a triumphant return. Against the Dodgers, Rodriguez allowed seven runs on seven hits and four walks in just 3.2 innings. Here’s hoping he feels good physically after the start and that he can keep going.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have four Orioles birthday buddies, including the legendary Brooks Robinson. Robinson spent his entire 23-season career with the Orioles. He won 16 Gold Gloves, was an 18-time All-Star, won two World Series, was named American League MVP, World Series MVP, All-Star Game MVP, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983. He was also the nicest human of all time. Brooks Robinson passed away in 2023 at the age of 86.
Believe it or not, Brooks Robinson isn’t the only former Oriole and Hall of Famer born on this day. Today is Reggie Jackson’s 80th birthday. Jackson spent one season, 1976, with the Orioles.
Also born on this day is 2026 Oriole, Trey Gibson. Gibson has pitched in two games with the Orioles this year, and is currently with Triple-A Norfolk. We’ll see him in Baltimore again this season, I’m sure. Happy 24th birthday, Trey!
Last (and also probably least, sorry), today is Luis Terrero’s 46th birthday. Terrero appeared in 27 games with the 2006 Orioles.
On this day in 1957, the Orioles and White Sox were playing in Baltimore with a 10:20 curfew put in place to ensure the White Sox could catch the last train out of town. At 10:19, Oriole Dick Williams hit a ninth-inning, game-tying home run. The game was called for curfew as he touched home plate. The two teams later replayed the game, and the Orioles won. Why didn’t the White Sox pitcher just stall for one minute? That’s what everyone else wondered too.
In 1983, the Orioles and White Sox were again playing, and White Sox pitcher Rich Dotson pitched a one-hitter against the Orioles. Unfortunately for him, the one hit was a home run by Dan Ford. Storm Davis and Tippy Martinez combined to pitch nine shutout innings for the O’s.
In 1990, the Orioles tied an American League record with eight straight singles in the first inning against the Rangers’ Bobby Witt (who wouldn’t become Bobby Witt, Sr. for 10 more years). The Orioles scored seven runs in that first inning and went on to win, 13-1.
And on this day last year, the Orioles lost to the Nationals, 10-4. Zach Eflin started for the Orioles and was torched for eight runs, including a six-run second. The Orioles had nine hits, including solo home runs by Jackson Holliday, Gunnar Henderson, and Cedric Mullins.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 02: Dougie Hamilton #7 of the New Jersey Devils celebrates his goal with teammates on the bench during the first period against the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center on April 02, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here are your links for today:
Devils Links
“Everybody knows the Hughes brothers want to play together. Maybe Jack wants to come to Minnesota now to join forces with Quinn rather than wait or have it the other way around. It would be complicated, though, because it’s hard to believe Jack would leave their youngest brother, Luke, behind with the New Jersey Devils. That may be why, per league sources, the Wild made a pitch to former Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald to acquire Luke this past season.” [The Athletic ($)]
“While he’s still young enough to improve, it stands to reason Nemec may not be looked at as a long-term core piece by Mehta. If that’s the case, here are a few landing spots that could make sense:” [Infernal Access ($)]
What should the Devils do about Dougie Hamilton?
Hockey Links
Hurricanes have had a long break:
The Carolina Hurricanes will have 12 days off between games, the longest layoff in NHL playoff history 🤯
By the time the Eastern Conference Final begins, Carolina will have played just eight games in 36 days. pic.twitter.com/GaAWqsRszz
Quinn Hughes on the idea of resigning in Minnesota: “I can say that I really like it here. I love the team. I love the city and the fans. Just being in that locker room, it’s a special group. Would definitely be open to re-signing here with the guys that we have in the room and just the people we have in the room. A lot of trust with Billy, as well, and love (coach John Hynes) and (associate coach Jack Capuano) and the coaching staff.” [The Athletic ($)]
“The Vegas Golden Knights have been stripped of their second-round pick in this year’s draft, with coach John Tortorella also receiving a $100,000 fine, for ‘flagrant violations’ of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoff media regulations, the league announced Friday.” [ESPN]
“It’s safe to say the ‘Yzerplan’ has not worked out. And as the Detroit Red Wings enter a critical off-season, they need to change up their methods, even if that doesn’t include Steve Yzerman.” [The Hockey News]
Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 06: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks is defended by Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on April 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After sweeping away the hapless Philadelphia 76ers last Sunday, the Knicks were able to spend the last week in a rare spot as spectators, watching the seven-game clash between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers while resting, practicing, and rehabbing for the series. Ultimately, it was Cleveland that prevailed on Sunday night in the Motor City, finally finalizing our Eastern Conference Finals clash.
It’s the No. 3 seed New York Knicks (53-29) against the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30) for a spot in the NBA Finals, kicking off on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Here’s everything you need to know about this matchup.
Season Recap
You know how the Knicks’ season has gone. After all, you’re reading this on a Knicks site, but just to sum it up.
After firing Tom Thibodeau, engaging in a long coaching search, and keying in on Mike Brown, the Knicks mostly ran back the same team, albeit with new faces Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele, while drafting Mo Diawara. It was supposed to be a deeper, offensive powerhouse, and, for the most part, it was. The Knicks started 23-9 and even got some hardware along the way, beating the Spurs in the NBA Cup Final in December. Everything was coming up New York as 2025 turned into 2026.
And then everything fell apart. Starting with a New Year’s Eve collapse in San Antonio, the Knicks lost nine of their next 11 games, capped off by a terrible effort on Martin Luther King Jr. Day at MSG against the tanking Mavs. The sky was falling, we had podcasters saying he couldn’t wait to blow up this core, we had loud calls for Mike Brown’s job, the defense was abhorrently bad, and the season was in a tailspin.
Then, they mollywhopped the Nets by 54 and everything calmed down. After going from 23-9 to 25-18, the Knicks won 28 of their final 39 games, powered by the NBA’s second-best defense over the final 2.5 months of the season. They swapped the disappointing Yabusele for Jose Alvarado and finished the season strong. After struggling through three games with the feisty Hawks, they made the last three games look like varsity playing JV. They then proceeded to make a talented Sixers team look just as helpless, sweeping them in uncompetitive fashion.
Coming off a tremendous 64-win regular season, expectations were high for the Cavaliers with both Boston and Indiana diminished. They were considered co-favorites in the East alongside the Knicks, even amidst the shakiness of prior postseason failures and the increasingly worrying health of Darius Garland’s toe.
A 12-6 start bled into an alarming 17-16 record shortly after Christmas, and the discourse surrounding the team was getting louder. Evan Mobley wasn’t properly progressing, the depth was in and out of the lineup, and Garland was struggling badly when he wasn’t in street clothes. Aside from Donovan Mitchell, this was a concerning operation.
All that changed as soon as January hit, as Cleveland got hot. They were 29-21 entering February, but fully sent things into hyperdrive after a blockbuster move to flip Garland to the Los Angeles Clippers for James Harden, pushing all of Cleveland’s chips into the middle for an all-in push right now. The move was a big success, as the Cavs pushed for the No. 3 seed with a 23-9 finish to the year. They lost more games before New Year’s than they did afterwards.
It hasn’t been easy for them in the playoffs. A tougher-than-expected seven-game battle with the Toronto Raptors took a lot out of them, but they were fortunate to run into a similarly beaten-up Pistons team that they similarly battled to seven games, prevailing on the road despite a blowout home loss with a chance to close it out on Friday.
Two of the three meetings with Cleveland had the eyes of the entire world on them on big days. The first matchup came all the way back in October to open the season, where both teams were banged up (no Garland, Mitchell Robinson, or Josh Hart).
The Knicks took two separate 15-point leads, but the Cavs had a response to both, ultimately taking the lead early in the fourth quarter. Despite seeming to have all the momentum, a 14-0 run early in the fourth spearheaded by OG Anunoby and Deuce McBride buried Cleveland to open the season. Jalen Brunson struggled, but Anunoy picked up the slack with an impressive 24/14 performance, while Donovan Mitchell scored 31.
The next meeting on Christmas could not have started worse for the Knicks, as Cleveland burst out to a 19-5 lead early in the first before the Knicks’ second unit slowly ate away at the deficit. The home team somehow managed to take the lead at the half, but once again was blitzed in the third quarter and trailed by as much as 16 with just eight minutes to go.
A Blue Christmas quickly shifted into a White Christmas at MSG, however, as a fourth-quarter avalanche by Tyler Kolek dragged the Knicks back into the game until Brunson brought it home by finishing off a 34-point gem. Kolek and Jordan Clarkson combined to score 41 points on 14-for-26 and 9-for-15 from three, while they survived another big game by Spida (34/7/6) and a big game by Jaylon Tyson.
The third meeting came underway in different circumstances. Harden was in, Garland was out. As the season series shifted to Cleveland in late February, the energized Cavs dominated action for 48 minutes and stifled the Knicks’ offense that couldn’t buy a shot. Mikal Bridges and Brunson combined to go 12-for-36 as a balanced attack from Harden, Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, and Dean Wade proved just enough for a commanding win.
Playoff History
(Cavaliers)
1978 East 1st Round: Knicks won 2-0 1995 East 1st Round: Knicks won 3-1 1996 East 1st Round: Knicks won 3-0 2023 East 1st Round: Knicks won 4-1
Trends: Knicks since 1/20: 118.5 ORtg (6th), 108.2 DRtg (2nd), +10.3 net rating (3rd) Cavs since Harden trade: 22-9, 120.8 ORtg (4th), +5.7 net rating (9th)
Coaching Breakdown
Mike Brown (NYK): Season with team: 1st Season as head coach: 12th Career teams coached: CLE, LAL, SAC, NYK Career record: 507-333 (.604) Career playoff record: 54-42 (.563) Best finish: 2007 Cavaliers (Finals appearance)
Mike Brown is entering the postseason as the head coach of a third different team. He’s never won a game past the Eastern Conference Finals, but he’s certainly experienced deep playoff runs as an assistant under Gregg Popovich from 2001-03 and an assistant under Steve Kerr from 2017-22, winning four championships as an assistant coach.
Brown’s philosophy is a stylistic change from former head coach Tom Thibodeau, in that he prioritizes ball movement, spacing, and a drive-and-kick to open shooters (which he calls “sprays”). He was mostly unsuccessful in increasing the Knicks’ pace, showing that the team’s slow play is rooted in the way their captain operates in the offense, rather than the scheme. His biggest success has been increasing three-point attempts, but those have slowly decreased as the season has gone on.
Defensively, Brown has been flexible in his scheme. While Thibodeau always required a true rim protector on the floor, Brown has been more willing to mix up lineups in certain areas. After starting the season with a scheme that funneled the ball towards the middle of the floor into the help, Brown switched the scheme to look to send the ball towards the sidelines after the Knicks endured a month-plus stretch of abhorrent defense, powered by other teams driving and kicking to open shooters.
Kenny Atkinson (CLE): Season with team: 2nd Season as head coach: 6th Career teams coached: BKN, CLE Career record: 234-248 (.496) Career playoff record: 14-14 (.500) Best finish: 2026 Cavaliers (ECF and counting)
Atkinson got his start in NBA coaching with the Knicks, serving as an assistant under Mike D’Antoni from 2008-12 before D’Antoni’s spats with Carmelo Anthony wound up leading to a coaching change. After four good years, he latched onto Mike Budenholzer’s staff in Atlanta in 2012, where he helped groom a future No. 1 seed with four all-stars. It eventually led to him being hired by the Brooklyn Nets in the midst of their deep rebuild.
That deep Brooklyn rebuild finally bore fruit in 2018-19, when a fun collection of players spearheaded by All-Star D’Angelo Russell emerged as a playoff team in a soft Eastern Conference. The tremendous progress that Brooklyn made as a franchise made them a desirable landing spot for Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving that summer in the “Clean Sweep”, but Atkinson never saw them through. He was canned midway through the next season while Durant recovered from Achilles surgery.
He rehabilitated his coaching prospects as a lead assistant under Tyronn Lue in LA with the Clippers, and later joined Steve Kerr’s staff and won a championship in 2022. After JB Bickerstaff was canned in Cleveland in 2024, he has spearheaded a balanced Cavs attack for the last two years, winning NBA Coach of the Year in 2025.
Projected Rotations
Knicks: Jalen Brunson Mikal Bridges Josh Hart OG Anunoby Karl-Anthony Towns – Jose Alvarado Deuce McBride Landry Shamet Jordan Clarkson Mitchell Robinson
Situational: Mo Diawara, Ariel Hukporti, Jeremy Sochan
Cavaliers: James Harden Donovan Mitchell Max Strus Evan Mobley Jarrett Allen – Dennis Schroder Sam Merrill Jaylon Tyson Dean Wade
Situational: Thomas Bryant, Keon Ellis
Injury Report
For the Knicks, it’s all centered around OG Anunoby. He missed the last two games of the second-round series in Philadelphia with a balky hamstring, but all signs point to him suiting up on Tuesday night. Will it look like Game 7 against Indiana two years ago, or will the eight-day layoff heal all wounds?
For the Cavs, they are pretty healthy, but are surely aching from playing 14 high-intensity playoff games in a little over four weeks. The only concern right now is that there’s a stomach bug running through the locker room, but no major player has missed time.
Broadcast Schedule
(The full schedule has yet to be released, this will be updated)
Game 1: Tues, May 19, 8 pm (ESPN) Game 2: Thu, May 21, 8 pm (ESPN) Game 3: Sat, May 23, 8 pm (ABC) Game 4: Mon, May 25, 8 pm (ESPN) Game 5*: Wed, May 27, 8 pm (ESPN) Game 6*: Fri, May 29, 8 pm (ESPN) Game 7*: Sun, May 31, 8 pm (ESPN)
May 17, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander speaks during a press conference after the announcement he won the 2025-2026 NBA Most Valuable Player award. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
I don’t know if there is a way to write this article on a Spurs site without it coming off automatically as sour grapes, but I am going attempt to do it anyway.
First, I will say congratulations to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He’s an incredible player who has had an incredible year. For those who remember, he was traded in 2019 from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Oklahoma City Thunder with Danilo Gallinari, five first-round draft picks, and the rights to swap two other first-round picks.
The trade is considered one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history. And the picks the Thunder acquired still haven’t fully conveyed, but the addition of Jalen Williams via the 2022 pick has been an essential piece of their success.
I will also add if I was a fan of any of the other 29 teams, I’d probably be more supportive of SGA picking up the MVP for the second year. Alas, I am a Spurs fanatic and a Wembanyama devotee and have to admit he is my choice for MVP.
But Victor Wembanyama did not start the year with MVP statistics, and the trophy is based on the entire season. I believe Maxime Aubin, who covers the Spurs and Wembanyama for the French publication L’Equipe, said it best. (See translation below.)
Maintenant que Shams a spoilé l’info, je vous révèle mon vote pour le titre de MVP :
“Now that Shams has spoiled the news, I’m revealing my vote for the MVP award:
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
2. Victor Wembanyama
3. Nikola Jokic
Victor Wembanyama experienced an incredible surge over the course of the season—to the point where, in my view, he became the best player in the NBA during the final few weeks. However, I believe the MVP trophy is meant to reward the best player over the entire regular season, and SGA demonstrated exemplary consistency, in addition to finishing with the best team record in the league.“
SGA was the favorite all year, and Wemby made his case in the latter half of the season. It was an uphill battle to get the voters to change their minds. I believe his making the top three was a win in an of itself.
The other difficult selling point for Wemby was his playing time. He averaged under 30 minutes compared to SGA’s 33.2 or Jokic’s 34.8. While I believe Victor does more with less time, voters often see the MVP as the player running most of the game.
So maybe Wembanyama wasn’t truly in a position to entice the voting reporters to chose him this year, but should it have been Shai Gilgeous-Alexander?
These stats suggest Jokic should have earned his fourth MVP award.
Game 1 of Western Conference Finals begins tonight. Expect a fast-paced, competitive, and often heated series.
Nothing else to say, but-
GO SPURS GO!
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