CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 18: Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen looks on at Wrigley Field on April 18, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was hardly even a question, thrown in at the end of a radio interview, but Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen went out of his way to give a definitive, strong statement on his trade deadline plans.
“I’m planning on buying,” Hazen said, in the waning seconds of an interview with Arizona Sports 98.7’s Wolf & Luke show.
He isn’t missing bats with the knuckle curve as he has in the past. And with this, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller tags him as the club’s most scrutinized player.
“A month ago, the choice would have been Ketel Marte. But while the three-time All-Star second baseman has turned things around in a big way, Gallen has gone from bad in 2025 to worse in 2026. He entered the year averaging 7.5 hits allowed and 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. The former rate has ballooned to 11.1 while the latter has plummeted to 5.9. His velocity has been fine, but the knuckle curve that used to be his go-to out pitch simply isn’t fooling anyone anymore.”
According to the transaction log on his MLB player page, the Triple-A Reno Aces have officially released former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman and DH Luken Baker.
Baker, 29, has played in 76 major league games — 73 for the Cardinals in parts of three seasons from 2023-2025. He was signed to a minor league contract by the Diamondbacks in the offseason ahead of 2026, and made three major league appearances with Arizona.
Negotiations between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association continue for the next collective bargaining agreement. Today, MLB proposed significant changes to the draft. J.J Cooper of Baseball America was among those to cover the developments.
The league’s proposed framework would be a significant drawdown of the way the draft has operated for years. High school players would no longer be eligible to be selected. In fact, anyone under 20 years old by September 1st of the draft year would not be eligible, so that would take many college and junior college players off the table as well.
The Angels placed their 34-year-old center fielder on the 10-day injured list before Thursday’s game against the Athletics after he suffered a right hamstring injury while running to first base during his final at-bat in Wednesday afternoon’s loss in Arizona.
“It felt like a cramp and just didn’t get any better. Achy last night, so woke up this morning and got it looked at,” Trout said before the game.
The 2026 MLB Home Run Derby is turning back the clock and saying goodbye to it simultaneously. MLB officially announced Thursday that the midsummer slugging competition is set to return to a swing-based system for the first time since 2014.
While timed rounds have been part of the past 11 iterations of the Derby, hitters’ bouts will again have no time limit.
ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: Sean Berry of the Houston Astros during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals on July 12, 1998 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) | Sporting News via Getty Images
Sean Berry made an immediate impact upon his arrival to Houston in 1996. Originally acquired in a trade from the Expos, Berry would join the “Killer B’s” lineup and drive in 95 runs in his debut season in the dome. Along the way that first season, he’d also hit a pair of grand slams. Berry is our 27th installment of our exclusive Legends Series.
Q: What do you remember about being dealt to Houston?
A: You know, it benefited me that the trade happened during the offseason, so I was able to get a full spring training under my belt and get to know the superstars that I was around in Craig and Jeff and everybody else.
It was a perfect fit. I kind of fell right into the framework and mindset that they had. They all hustled, and it was a great feeling. It was perfect because you knew there was something special with that team on day one.
Q: “Killer B’s” still resonates all these years later down here. How great were Biggio and Bagwell?
A: I think for me, just seeing those guys play as hard as they did, day in and day out, and to do it at that level. Those guys were great players, but what impressed me was the hard work they put in when no one was watching. I never even played a full 162 game schedule like those guys. The turf at the Astrodome wasn’t really turf (laughs) it was more like concrete and they kept their bodies in tune.
Q: Was there any doubt in your mind that they’d eventually wind up in Cooperstown?
A: I came up through the Royals organization, and I got to know this guy by the name of George Brett. Those guys had the same competitiveness as George did and they all had long careers. eff’s numbers would be even more impressive if he didn’t have the arthritis in his shoulder. He would’ve had another 2 or 3 years with great numbers.
Q: What did you like about taking the field for Larry Dierker?
A: When I got there, he was a new manager of sorts but the one thing that they don’t do these days but that Larry always instilled was with our staff, he’d say don’t be looking in here during the 5th or 6th inning for me to come and get you out of the game.
We had Mike Hampton and Shane Reynolds and Darryl Kile, and they always took us deep into games. They were our best guys, so Larry’s belief was to keep them out there even if the metrics didn’t bear it out. He was that way. Larry in his own right had some incredible complete games as a pitcher, so he brought that to the table as a manager.
Q: I heard a rumor that during the first week of the season, you attended a game as a fan for the first time. Is that true?
A: It is (laughs). It was against Boston in April. It was weird, very strange. I was sitting there and there were so many strikeouts and guys not putting the ball in play. It bothered me and watching guys not break up double plays was a little hard. We never tried to hurt anybody, but the second base play stuff doesn’t feel right when I watch it, it just feels wrong.
Q: What did you think of seeing Yordan Alvarez for the first time in person?
A: He’s pretty impressive. Wow. When I did that for a living, I did it pretty okay at times, but then I see a guy like him and I’m like, I never looked that polished at the plate.
When the Blue Jays were last at Wrigley Field in August 2024, thousands of Jays fans followed them to Chicago. I found them to all be passionate fans, but also friendly and unfailingly polite.
As we are near the beginning of summer travel season, I’d expect more Jays fans at Wrigley again this weekend — and in fact, I have heard all three games are already near-sellouts. So, welcome!
This series matches two teams that were supposed to be World Series contenders, but at this time both are struggling. For more on the Blue Jays, here’s Tom Dakers, manager of our SB Nation Blue Jays site Bluebird Banter.
What can I say about the Blue Jays? Well, they have been incredibly average. They can hit, unless, of course, there are RISP, and then they hit much as you or I would. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the ‘face’ of the team, has been in a deep slump and an even deeper power outage. Earlier in the season, he was hitting well, just not hitting home runs. Now, if you look at his stats, you’d see he has three home runs, and that’s not a typo. Three.
The starting pitching has been pretty good, other than Max Scherzer, whom you are unlucky enough to miss out on seeing. The team has been getting starting pitchers back from the IL, so we weren’t going the ‘bullpen days’ two times out of five. Louis Varland has been amazing in the closer role, after Jeff Hoffman had enough blowups to lose the job. Hoffman has a great strikeout rate (36.1 percent) and a roughly equal home run rate (well, not really, but he does seem to give up home runs at the worst possible moments). On the good news side, Alejandro Kirk and Nathan Lukes are back and hitting well.
We Jays fans are hanging our hopes on the fact that they are in about the same spot as they were at this time last year, and that turned out pretty good.
Fun facts
The Cubs have played only nine previous games at home against the Blue Jays, their fewest vs. any current big league team.
They played more against three long-defunct National League clubs: 10 vs. the Hartford Dark Blues, 11 vs. the Louisville Grays and 11 vs. the St. Louis Brown Stockings, all in 1876-77, the league’s first two seasons.
The Cubs are 6-3 at Wrigley Field vs. the Jays. They lost two of three in 2005, swept three in 2017 and won two of three in 2024, missing a sweep when they lost the finale, 1-0.
(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Friday: Ben Brown, RHP (3-2, 1.74 ERA, 0.968 WHIP, 2.36 FIP) vs. Kevin Gausman, RHP (4-4, 3.41 ERA, 1.034 WHIP, 3.20 FIP)
Saturday: Colin Rea, RHP (5-5, 5.35 ERA, 1.459 WHIP, 5.03 FIP) vs. Patrick Corbin, LHP (2-3, 4.57 ERA, 1.475 WHIP, 4.41 FIP)
Friday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network, also streaming on Peacock (outside the Cubs and Blue Jays market territories)
Saturday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Sunday: 1:20 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Prediction
The Cubs have had their struggles of late, but now they are facing a team that has had trouble winning on the road. The Jays are 16-20 away from Toronto, though they now have a winning record this month, 8-7, while the Cubs are 7-8 so far in June.
The pitching matchups seem to slightly favor the Jays, but I still think this is a series the Cubs can win. Two of three. If the Cubs can do that, that would be three straight series wins.
Up next
The Cubs head to New York for a four-game series against the Mets beginning Monday evening.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 16: Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards drives to the basket in the third quarter against guard Gary Payton II #0 of the Golden State Warriors at Capital One Arena on March 16, 2026 in Washington, DC. 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 G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you haven’t seen it already, Greg Finberg wrote about reports about Trae Young planning to decline a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Go ahead and read that article and come back because I’m not going to rehash all the details — I’m here to look at what the Wizards should do.
The calculus for Young looks straightforward. He can get a new contract, the free agent pool is shallow, and he and his agent figure he’ll get a maximum contract. I suspect they’re correct. Several teams have money to spend and want to get better. And there’s a still pervasive view that Young is an elite offensive weapon.
If Trae Young truly opts out so he can sign a maximum contract, the Wizards would be wise to let it be with someone else. | Getty Images
The Wizards are at least somewhat in agreement — team presdient Michael Winger said they viewed Young as the top free agent this summer, so they traded for him to get him early.
But being the best free agent this summer is not the same thing as being worth a maximum contract. Being an elite offensive weapon (assuming that’s true) is not the same thing as being an elite player. Or being worth a max deal.
The question the Wizards front office needs to answer is whether the team would be better off over the next 3-5 years paying Young a maximum salary than they would be to either a) negotiate a lesser deal (if possible), or b) letting him depart and using the financial flexibility to acquire future assets.
I think the Wizards essentially answered this question when they traded for him. And you’ve probably already guessing which direction I’m leaning, but let’s go through it anyway.
Let’s start with this: the Wizards paid next to nothing of any meaningful value to acquire Young. They gave up Corey Kispert, a limited wing who offers good shooting and not much else, and CJ McCollum, a good player mostly in the deal due to his large salary and expiring contract.
That the Wizards got Young for so little is meaningful in at least couple ways. First, it’s testament to Young’s perceived value at a maximum-level salary. And second, the acquisition cost is low enough that the Wizards don’t need to think about it when making the should he stay or should he go decision. Their are no future picks dangling overhead — they gave up nothing of consequence.
There was a time when Young really was among the game’s best players. In my all-around production metric, Player Production Average, where average is 100 and higher is better, Young scored a 195 one season, which followed a 160, which followed a 165. That’s serious production — All-Star level in that 160s range, All-NBA bordering on MVP-conversation level at 195.
But that 195 was in 2021-22. Four years ago. Since then, four seasons, 7,606 minutes and a 142 PPA. Still pretty good but a long way from that elite status of 2022. During that time, the Atlanta Hawks were better on offense with Young on the floor by about the same amount they were worse on defense. In terms of driving wins, the Hawks were about the same whether he played or not.
Over that span, Young’s offensive possession usage stayed high while his efficiency sagged back to around average. It’s kind of impressive that he was able to remain even that efficient given his heavy offensive load and small stature. It’s also apparent that the drop in efficiency makes him less able to drive high-level team offense.
Young is a genius passer, though the creativity does come with turnovers. The shift in officiating has contributed to a modest reduction in trips to the free throw line, which is a further drag on his efficiency. The big issue is his shooting — subpar conversion rate on twos, and below average shooting on threes.
Some of the three-point shooting is the level of defensive attention he gets. Some of it shot selection. Which is to say, he takes a lot of hard shots — extreme range, heavily covered, stepbacks off the dribble. Sometimes all of those things on the same shot.
What happened in his brief appearance in a Wizards uniform last season is barely worth talking about. It totaled five games and 104 minutes, and while he looked pretty good personally, a) the sample size was too small to be meaningful, b) the team was worse on offense and better on defense when he was on the floor, and c) the sample size was too small to make item B mean anything.
That’s the past. The Wizards are buying the future — ages 28 to 31 or 32. Broadly speaking, this is an okay time to spend heavily on a player. The “normal” career arc is for a player to peak in their mid-20s (for a smaller guard like Young, peaks typically happen a little earlier) and then maintain into their early 30s.
Young’s career arc is already more like an exaggerated version of the small guard trajectory than the broader NBA population. Meaning: his best season was probably that 195 at age 23. His production has been down since then. Still pretty good, but not close to that elite level.
I haven’t talked much about Young’s defense, but it has to be addressed. Because, depending on the metric you use, he could well be the NBA’s worst defender. I’m not quite willing to go with absolute worst, but it’s fair to say he’s among the worst. As Bum Phillips once said of Earl Campbell, “He may not be in a class by himself, but it don’t take long to call roll.”
Young’s offense is still good enough that he’s probably a net positive overall — at least in the regular season — despite the defensive woes. We can worry about the postseason when the Wizards get back there.
At this stage in the rebuild, I think it’d be a poor decision to give Young a maximum contract, even if it’s for “only” three years. In my estimation, it would instantly be a bad contract that would saddle Washington with an expensive, declining player for however long the contract runs.
If Young can truly get a maximum contract from another team, the smart business decision would be to do one of two things: 1) facilitate the move and try to extract draft picks or young players, or 2) let him leave. The financial flexibility will pay off — there are always more opportunities to be had, and they’ll probably come along sooner than we’d think.
Bottom line: the Wizards are trying to build a contender. Now is not the time to make a multi-year, $200 million dollar bet on a small guard who’s already declining.
DENVER, CO - MARCH 26: Christian Braun #0 of the Denver Nuggets drives to the basket during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 26, 2025 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Yesterday, I discussed ways the Bucks could upgrade the roster around Giannis while again dipping into their draft cupboard. For those of you who were against this, today is for you. We’re going to explore ways the Bucks can upgrade the roster, whether or not Giannis stays, without losing a pick in any future draft…. and maybe even gain picks. In this scenario, they can still acquire some really talented players, but without Giannis, they’re not big-time needle movers. None of them by themselves can make the team meaningfully contend.
Since the Bucks have ample room under the tax line and the first apron, they should be in the business of taking on bad contracts if it also nets them draft assets. You might remember that in order to sign Myles Turner last summer, Milwaukee had to create every bit of cap room they could. That meant trading Pat Connaughton’s $9.4m expiring salary to Charlotte, and giving them two future second-round picks for the trouble. Now they’re going to be in Charlotte’s place, taking on teams’ unwanted money.
We begin in the Rocky Mountains, where you’ll find a squad with significant financial concerns this summer…
Christian Braun
The Nuggets need to cut a lot of payroll if they want to keep Peyton Watson in restricted free agency this summer. Braun’s five-year, $125m rookie-scale extension starts in July, but swapping him for Kyle Kuzma would only save them $1m in 2026–27, which is when they need the flexibility most, to say nothing of the future. Receiving Bobby Portis would instead save them $7m, and with five years remaining on that deal, Denver would have to give Milwaukee at least one of the firsts they control in 2026, 2031, or 2033. Their firsts from 2027–30 are encumbered by protections. Braun took a step back after his breakout third season, but he’s just 25 and is a nice player overall.
Cam Johnson
Johnson was widely discussed as a potential Buck last offseason and has a $23.1m expiring deal. Swapping the 30-year-old straight up for Portis is legal and would save Denver $8.6m. He shook off a slow start and actually set a career-high in three-point percentage, though he dealt with injuries a fair bit too, missing 28 contests. Perhaps Milwaukee could squeeze a couple second-rounders out of Denver for helping them save. The Nuggets only have two available to trade: no. 49 this year and their 2033 pick. They also have their 2028 second, but it’s protected only for picks 31–33, so if they don’t have one of the league’s worst records, it goes to Washington.
Zeke Nnaji
The forward has two years left (the second a player option) on his rookie-scale extension signed back in 2023. He showed some promise as a 22-year-old back then, but probably not enough to justify the four years and $32m he received. Denver would certainly like this one back. Milwaukee can help them here too, in the event that any of Gary Trent Jr., Gary Harris, or Taurean Prince opt into the final year of their minimum contracts. Swapping one of them for Nnaji could save the Nuggets up to $11.1m over the next two seasons. That’s definitely worth multiple seconds.
These Denver moves would be smart regardless of whether Giannis leaves or stays, particularly if Milwaukee can get a future first for bailing them out. But now I want to talk about some truly distressed assets. Admittedly, you’d have to squint for these to make sense, but if the Bucks can get some picks out of them, it softens the blow.
Ja Morant
I don’t think Giannis plus Morant necessarily makes the Bucks a top-tier contender in the East, but despite the baggage, I could learn to live with it. There are obviously long-term maturity/off-court issues with him, plus significant injury problems in recent years. There was some belief that Morant and Taylor Jenkins didn’t get along well by the end, though I’ve also heard those reports may be overblown. It’s anyone’s guess how they’d gel with a new franchise.
With two years and $87.1m remaining on his contract, the 26-year-old will probably fetch a similar return as Trae Young this past deadline: salary matching without picks attached. Morant is owed $38.1m more than the value of Young’s 2026–27 player option, which he reportedly plans to decline. Memphis would save $48.4m between now and 2028 if they took back Kuzma and Portis in return.
If I’m Jon Horst, I’d insist on the Grizzlies including draft assets for that bailout. Memphis has 14 firsts and 9 seconds in their cabinet between now and 2033. From a business perspective, getting any additional value alongside Morant, without trading picks, is a sound move. On the court? Maybe not, but a 32-50 team doesn’t exactly have a leg to stand on when debating how good the fit would be.
Kyrie Irving
Another option in a similar vein is Irving, whom Jeremy discussed late last month. Again, there are baggage and health concerns: he’s coming off a torn ACL that has sidelined him since last March. He also just turned 34, a full year older than Lillard was in 2023. He’s guaranteed several million less than Morant, but unlike him, Irving can opt out of his $42.4m final-year salary next summer. The age and injury demerits make for a trickier case: Dallas would only save about $7.5m next season if they swapped him with Portis and Kuzma, so what’s in it for them? They’re not facing financial constraints. They might need a pick to be convinced, and I’d only do that if it’s heavily protected or a swap.
Like I said yesterday, the Bucks are going to do something. But whatever happens with Giannis, I would really like them to deal with Denver. Yes, I wish the Nuggets had more than some crappy seconds to offer for Nnaji, but one of their future firsts in any deal would be an absolute coup. Whatever calls are being made, it would be a missed opportunity to restock if trades like the above aren’t being discussed.
Hiller's introduction to the Maple Leafs caps an abundance of decisions with the purpose of reshaping the organization. And Raddysh joining Toronto's blueline is a big change to the team's D-core.
In other words, it's the beginning of a new era for the Maple Leafs.
The start of this new era in Toronto began last off-season when Mitch Marner departed from the Maple Leafs in that sign-and-trade with the Vegas Golden Knights. But as the year went along, there were plenty more changes on the cards, and maybe some were not anticipated at the conclusion of the 2024-25 campaign.
Here are some of those notable changes and decisions that led to this new era for the Maple Leafs organization.
Joe Bowen's Retirement
After being the voice of the Maple Leafs for over 3,800 games and over 40 years of broadcasting, Joe Bowen has just wrapped up his final year in the booth.
It won't be the same for Leafs fans with Bowen no longer behind the microphone. But the 75-year-old will be in retirement as a new era of Maple Leafs broadcasting begins, starting next season.
The Maple Leafs have been a perennial playoff team in the NHL. In fact, this past season was the first time Toronto missed the post-season in nine years.
Until last year, the Leafs have consistently made the playoffs since 2016-17. In other words, they've never missed out on the post-season in the Auston Matthews era.
That change last season when Toronto ended their campaign as the last-place team in the Atlantic Division and fifth from the bottom of the entire NHL standings.
With that, the organization finds themself in a situation that it hasn't experienced in a decade, marking a new timeline for the Leafs.
John Chayka And Mats Sundin Hiring
Following that disappointing 2025-26 campaign by the Maple Leafs, ownership believed it was time for a change in the front office.
Former GM Brad Treliving was fired in late March, and current GM John Chayka and senior executive advisor Mats Sundin were named the successors to the previous management.
It was an interesting and unpredictable decision for MLSE to hire Chayka as the GM when he hadn't been in the league since 2019-20. To add to that, they brought in Sundin, a former captain and icon of the Maple Leafs, but he never experienced a role in an NHL front office or in any league, for that matter.
This different approach and assignment of roles is something the Maple Leafs organization hasn't gone through in recent years, and certainly marks a new era for the hockey club.
2026 First Overall Pick
In the aftermath of misery from the end of a poor regular season and the initial backlash from MLSE's front office hires, Toronto's spirits were reborn when they surprisingly won the 2026 NHL draft lottery.
Toronto had the fifth-best odds and an 8.5 percent chance of winning the lottery, and with a little bit of fortune, that hope became a reality. It marks the first time the Leafs will get the first overall pick in a draft since they selected Matthews in the 2016 draft.
With the likelihood of taking left winger Gavin McKenna in this year's draft, or even left winger Ivar Stenberg, Toronto is sure to get a talented youngster to boost a franchise that was trending downward at the end of the last campaign.
Hiller was another surprise hire by the Maple Leafs, both because of the lack of reports that included his name and also his previous tenure with the Los Angeles Kings.
Nonetheless, Hiller returns to the Maple Leafs after four years as an assistant coach from 2015-16 to 2018-19. And the word is, Toronto's stars are a big fan of Hiller.
As an assistant, he ran the power play, and over the course of his Leafs tenure, he guided them to be a top-five power play. With someone like Matthews dropping in production over the years, maybe Hiller can bring the best out of him.
Additions To Blueline
The latest move Chayka has executed is a sign-and-trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning for Raddysh. They acquired him from the Bolts for a 2026 fifth-round pick, and then reportedly inked him to an eight-year extension worth $8.5 million per season.
Raddysh, a Toronto native, was one of the top players in the 2026 UFA class, making this a big grab by the Leafs and a boost to their back end.
With that, throw in the trade with the Philadelphia Flyers when Toronto received 24-year-old defenseman Emil Andrae and sent away Simon Benoit. This improves the Leafs' ability to advance the puck up the ice with Andrae's puck skills, along with his ability to skate.
Not to mention, the biggest change to Toronto's back end may be yet to come. With talks of Morgan Rielly potentially being moved this summer, that would be the most era-changing move Toronto could make, considering he is actively the longest-tenured Maple Leaf on the team.
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PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 14: Joey Bart #14 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the fifth inning during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Christopher Denver/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Pirates made a late-night trade on Thursday night that will shift the landscape of two areas of the team.
Pittsburgh dealt catcher Joey Bart to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for reliever Hunter Stratton.
A familiar face, Stratton was a 16th-round pick of the Pirates in 2017 and pitched for the club for three seasons.
Stratton made his MLB debut in 2023 and only allowed three runs over 12 innings.
He totaled a 3.58 ERA in 36 appearances the following season, but struggled in 2025. Stratton allowed seven runs in 2.2 innings with the Bucs last year for a deeper and higher-regarded bullpen staff.
The Pirates DFA’d Stratton and traded him to Atlanta, where he posted a 2.20 ERA in 12 appearances. He was DFA’d by Atlanta earlier this week and opened the door for the Pirates to make the trade.
Stratton will begin his second tour with the Bucs in Triple-A Indianapolis.
Currently on a rehab assignment for a left foot infection, Bart was in line to be the odd-man out of the Pirates catching rotation.
The former No. 2 overall pick of the San Francisco Giants was rumored to be a potential trade piece dating back to the start of spring training, and now exists Pittsburgh after two and a half seasons.
Bart hit .259 with one double, two home runs, six RBIs, and 21 strikeouts in 58 at-bats in 2026.
He performed well against left-handed pitching, but started off slow and was on pace for his worst season as a Pirate.
Bart recorded nine hits in his final six games before the injury, including a four-hit day in his final game as a Bucco.
Endy Rodriguez stepped up in Bart’s absence and didn’t look back. Rodriguez was recalled following Bart’s injury and is slashing .267/.413/.467 with three doubles, three homers, and eight runs driving in over 60 at-bats.
He’s also shown good plate discipline with 15 walks compared to 17 strikeouts in 23 games and is beginning to emerge as the Pirates’ No. 1 catcher. Henry Davis remains on the roster and has caught every Paul Skenes start in 2026.
Stratton primarily pitched in Triple-A Gwinnett, posting a 4.38 ERA and 16 walks compared to 24 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.
The Pirates need Stratton to channel his early Pirates career and help a bullpen that has been the Achilles heel of the team the entire year.
Pittsburgh plays the first of a three-game series in Colorado against the Rockies on Sunday at 8:40 p.m.
On June 12, three Giants pitchers, Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker, broke MLB protocol by altering their uniforms with Bible verses on their Pride Night caps, which featured a rainbow Giants logo. And another pitcher, Sam Hentges, did not even wear his Pride Night hat. The players received a warning from MLB for violating the uniform policy.
The DOJ said they were referring Major League Baseball to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in a letter written to Commissioner Rob Manfred.
"The three players expressed their opposition to MLB's pro-Pride orthodoxy," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in the letter. "The Civil Rights Act prohibits MLB and its franchises from unreasonably burdening the rights of players with religious objections to serving as the League's vehicle for pro-Pride messages.
“Federal law is clear: employers must modify their uniform requirements to reasonably accommodate their employees’ exercise of religion,” Dhillon added in the letter. “The Trump administration is committed to combatting religious discrimination."
On June 16, Vice President JC Vance publicly weighed in via social media, responding to a Sports Illustrated social media post, Vance said, “Trump won; we don’t have to do this anymore.”
The Giants said after incident that "they are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ community" but also respect that individuals may make "personal choices about team activations," while also adding that the players caused "pain and anger for many in the LGBTQ community."
This 2025-26 New York Knicks season finally concluded last weekend, surprisingly and euphorically, in the middle of a month that fans have long awaited watching their team compete in. It was a dramatic, grueling road to the NBA Finals that climaxed in a 4-1 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, and the franchise’s first NBA championship in 53 years.
Looking back and trying to grade each individual player on their season will be impossible without a curve, as they accomplished what they and 29 other teams set out to at the start of the year. Here are the final end-of-season grades for the Knicks...
What more can you say about Brunson? The savior fans craved and sought out in the likes of LeBron James in 2010, Kevin Durant in 2016 and Kawhi Leonard in 2019, actualized in this 6-foot-2 second-round pick. He averaged 26 points and seven assists a game during the regular season, leading the team to 53 wins through an evolving offensive system and a catastrophic 2-9 stretch.
In the playoffs, he had a historic performance, encapsulated by a dominant 32 points, 36 points, and then 45 points to close out the NBA Finals.
For someone who couldn’t seem to find his role throughout the season, Towns shook that off along with any noise surrounding his game and put together the best 100-game defensive campaign of his life. He turned around the Knicks 2-1 hole to the Hawks in the first round, outperformed Joel Embiid, and helped his team take control of the Finals from the outset.
If he didn’t dominate Victor Wembanyama in New York’s back-to-back road wins to kick off the championship round, it’s possible they aren’t holding the trophy right now.
Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) are seen prior to game five of the 2026 NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Knicks fans can take their pick as to why Anunoby deserves this grade. His full season of elite two-way play, his 49 percent three-point shooting in the playoffs, his 21 points per game in the NBA Finals, or the ridiculous tip-in that gave his team the championship edge in Game 4.
He wasn’t everybody’s favorite for the last two seasons, but Bridges has proven himself ready for the big moment time and time again. From the closeout game of the first round through the Conference Finals, Bridges averaged 19 points on a ridiculous 68 percent effective field goal rate and had big shooting performances in Games 2 and 5 of the NBA Finals, locking up every guard he faced along the way.
Hart brought what he usually does all season: a little bit of everything, all-out hustle and heartbreaking hustle plays for the opposition. But this time, he got to do it on the biggest stages and came through with a lights-out 26-point on five threes in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and hit 40 percent of his threes in the NBA Finals to keep Wemby and the Spurs honest.
May 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) shakes hands with New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the fourth quarter of game two of the eastern conference finals of the 2026 NBA playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Robinson was pivotal to this championship chase, stepping up against the arguable best player in the world with Towns in foul trouble, and securing an offensive rebound of a missed free throw in Game 5 that helped the Knicks seal the deal.
He had his lowlights, and the free throws desperately need work, but nonetheless, he helped get them over the line.
Deuce’s injuries kept him from establishing a strong rhythm, but given enough time, he performed to expectations, lacing threes and defending his tail off. Unfortunately, a muted playoffs (outside of a monster Game 4 in Philly) and worse NBA Finals left it on a sour individual note, but his contribution to this chip shouldn’t be dismissed.
Shamet shook off another shoulder injury and early postseason benching to help the Knicks pull off one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. His sweet shooting carried into the NBA Finals with some big buckets in Games 1 and 2.
Despite falling out of the rotation and only seeing spot playoff minutes, Alvarado was always prepared to step up if Brunson needed a breather or extra ball handler. He’ll forever be a New York legend for two huge shots down the stretch of their miraculous Game 4 NBA Finals comeback.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts against the San Antonio Spurs in the first half during game two of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. / Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Came into the season known for being a sparkplug scorer, Clarkson struggled and fell out of the rotation after big games to win the NBA Cup, then completely reinvented himself. He worked his way back through defense, paint touches and veteran steadiness that proved key in the postseason, even if it didn’t jump off the stat sheet.
Masterful games on Christmas and the NBA Cup show he’s ready to fill some shoes in the coming years. Didn’t get his chance these playoffs, but he will soon.
Stepped up when called upon in the regular season, and didn’t get the call much in the playoffs. But when he did, he helped hold the Knicks defense down, even coming up with a massive block in the clinching game of the NBA Finals.
Was brought in to be more collaborative, more dynamic offensively, but most importantly, to get the Knicks over the hump. He did it in year one, under enormous expectations with little room for error.
Jaxson Dart's girlfriend Marissa Ayers is over the moon that her rookie year in New York began with a Knicks championship.
Jaxson Dart’s girlfriend Marissa Ayers is over the moon that her rookie year in New York began with a Knicks championship.
Taking to her Instagram, the model, who recently moved to New York City, shared some behind-the-scenes moments of the couple’s trip to San Antonio for Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals — a 94-90 Knicks win over the Spurs on June 13 to clinch their first title in 53 years.
“My new york rookie year is off to a great start,” Ayers wrote, adding New York Knicks as the geotag.
Marissa Ayers at the 2026 NBA Finals. Instagram/Marissa Ayers
Other photos showed the pair on a private plane and sporting Knicks baseball jerseys.
Ayers, who was a ring girl for the Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua fight in December, also included snapshots of her and Dart at Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio.
Marissa Ayers and Jaxson Dart at the 2026 NBA Finals. Instagram/Marissa Ayers
Ayers shared that she was moving to New York City in a TikTok video in February, explaining that it was the right place for her to live with her career as a content creator.
Her career has taken off since she went viral as a ring girl for Joshua’s knockout win over Paul.
Ayers made her runway debut at Miami Swim Week earlier this month when she walked in the White Fox Boutique swim show at The Setai, a luxury hotel in Miami Beach.
Dart was seen standing near the runway while filming Ayers as she strutted down the runway in a purple bikini and kitten heels, as seen in a TikTok video on her page.
Dart and Ayers, who were first linked last fall, confirmed their relationship on social media in January following months of dating rumors.
They made their first red carpet appearance together at the NFL Honors ceremony in February.
CAMDEN, NJ - JUNE 8: Mike Gansey speaks as the Philadelphia 76ers introduce him as their new President of Basketball Operations on June 8, 2026 at The Penn Medicine Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mary Kate Ridgway/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Less than one week away from the 2026 NBA draft, we still don’t know much about the Sixers’ plans.
We’re starting to get word of some prospects whom the Sixers have brought in or will bring in for a predraft workout. We can make guesses based on big boards and their biggest needs, but the draft is unpredictable. Especially down at No. 22, expect the unexpected.
Adding to the intrigue of this year’s draft is the front office turnover, with Mike Gansey replacing Daryl Morey as the Sixers’ president of basketball operations. Jameer Nelson replaced Elton Brand as the No. 2 in charge, too, while Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment president of sports Bob Myers plans to be involved in high-leverage decisions including the draft, trades and free agency. Got all that?
Gansey said during his introductory press conference that he helped run the Cleveland Cavaliers’ draft in recent years. His previous picks could hint at where he’d be leaning at No. 22, and how (if at all) that might differ from Morey and Co.’s past approach.
The Sixers hit two home runs with Tyrese Maxey at No. 21 in 2020 and VJ Edgecombe at No. 3 in 2025. Jared McCain (No. 16 in 2024) looks like a solid double at least—albeit for the Oklahoma City Thunder now—while Isaiah Joe (No. 49 in 2020), Paul Reed (No. 58 in 2020) and Adem Bona (No. 41 in 2024) are all clear steals based on their draft slot. The jury remains out on Johni Broome (No. 35 in 2025), and I still believe in Charles Bassey (No. 53 in 2021), damn it.
Year
Prospect
Pick
Class
Age
2025
VJ Edgecombe
3
Freshman
19
2025
Johni Broome
35
Senior
22
2024
Jared McCain
16
Freshman
20
2024
Adem Bona
41
Sophomore
21
2021
Jaden Springer
28
Freshman
18
2021
Filip Petrušev
50
Sophomore
21
2021
Charles Bassey
53
Junior
20
2020
Tyrese Maxey
21
Freshman
19
2020
Isaiah Joe
49
Sophomore
20
2020
Paul Reed
58
Junior
21
One thing jumps out about the Sixers’ draft history under Morey: They drafted freshmen with all four of their first-round picks (Maxey, Edgecombe, McCain and Jaden Springer). They always preferred upside over more established options in that range.
When the Sixers were on the clock at No. 16 in 2024, both McCain and Dalton Knecht were still on the board. Knecht, a fifth-year senior, was a first-team All-American at Tennessee after averaging 21.7 points per game while shooting 45.8 percent overall and 39.7 percent from deep. McCain averaged only 14.3 points per game at Duke, but he shot 41.4 percent from deep.
When the Sixers took McCain, some fans were frustrated that they didn’t take Knecht since he was seemingly more of a sure thing. This past season, Knecht averaged 4.2 points in 10.2 minutes per game with the Los Angeles Lakers. McCain was the right pick at the time, and he continues to be so.
If the Sixers continued their freshman-only ways in the first round, they could take Chris Cenac Jr., Allen Graves, Koa Peat or Hannes Steinbach. Jayden Quaintance is also younger than all four of them despite being a sophomore. At least one of those players figures to be available at No. 22, if not more.
Will Gansey follow in those same footsteps, though?
The Cavs’ history with Gansey
It’s unclear exactly when Gansey took over the Cavaliers’ draft room. But since he ascended to assistant general manager in 2017, the Cavs had draft picks all over the first round, giving Gansey plenty of experience with a bunch of different scenarios.
On the high end, the Cavs took Evan Mobley (No. 3 in 2021) and Darius Garland (No. 5 in 2019), both of whom developed into All-Stars. Granted, they also whiffed on the No. 5 overall pick in 2020 (Isaac Okoro) while Onyeka Okongwu, Deni Avdija, Devin Vassell and Tyrese Haliburton were all still on the board.
The Cavs did snag Jaylon Tyson with the No. 20 overall pick in 2024, and he turned into a quietly key contributor for them in his sophomore season. In 66 games (42 starts), Tyson averaged 13.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists in only 26.9 minutes per game while shooting 49.3 percent overall and 44.6 percent from three-point range.
Tyson is more akin to the type of prospect whom the Sixers should realistically hope to land at No. 22 rather than a miracle like Maxey. Finding a future star at that spot would be incredible, but if nothing else, the Sixers need a solid single or double there. They can’t afford a total whiff.
“With the draft coming up, for example, you’re talking to plenty of coaches and people who have been around these [prospects],” he said. “You want to bring in good people. If they don’t want to be here or you don’t feel they fit our culture, then we don’t want them.
“We want people who want to be in Philadelphia. I want competitiveness. I want toughness. I want guys who hate to lose. Those are the kinds of people I’m going to target and want to bring onto this roster.”
With that said, there’s no easy way to gauge intangibles like competitiveness and toughness. That’s where the Sixers need to do their due diligence by talking to coaches and staffers who worked with those prospects.
Luckily, the Sixers already seem to have begun placing a premium on those characteristics even under Morey. Edgecombe’s ferocity on the court might have helped separate him from Kon Knueppel and Ace Bailey as the Sixers deliberated who to take at No. 3 last year.
So, as you’re poring over draft profiles and big boards for the next few days, pay close attention to the prospects’ character reports. As much as the Sixers will prioritize upside and fit, they’ll also be hunting for prospects with that dawg in them.
The impact of NIL
Even if Morey had stayed in charge, the Name, Image and Likeness era would have forced them to change their draft approach regardless.
Now that players can (legally) rake in millions in college via their NIL rights, deciding whether to stay in the draft is much tougher for those who aren’t projected to be high lottery picks. The number of early-entry candidates has plummeted accordingly in recent years.
Florida forward Thomas Haugh, UConn guard Braylon Mullins and Arizona big man Motiejus Krivas were all showing up as possible mid-first-round picks in mock drafts during March Madness. All three chose to return to school for another year, which thinned out the back half of the first round.
In March, former Memphis Grizzlies vice president of basketball operations John Hollinger noted at The Athletic that “most draft model will say that you shouldn’t really draft” seniors, “especially the 23-year-old ‘super seniors’ coming off their fifth year.” He added that “those draft models are now almost certainly wrong” because of NIL.
It used to be a red flag if players returned to school for that many years. Now, the allure of NIL money might be too tempting to turn down for those who aren’t projected to go in the top 10 or 15, particularly if the following class isn’t expected to be as strong.
So, while Morey and Co. prioritized freshmen in the first round, don’t be surprised if the Gansey-led Sixers take a wider view of prospects. NIL is effectively forcing their hand.
Matt Renshaw’s all-round show with an unbeaten 89 and a wicket helped Australia with a seven-run win over Bangladesh in the second T20 in Chattogram on Friday to seal the three-match series.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 15: A view of the fans attending the San Antonio Spurs game against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Round Two Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2026 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the New York Knicks crowned champions and parading down Broadway, the other 29 teams can now focus on what’s next. With the 2026 offseason set to begin with the NBA Draft on Tuesday and Wednesday, let’s take a look at which teams project to have the best and the worst futures.
The general idea is that if you were to pick an entirely new team to root for, which team would you pick so that you would have the most enjoyment for the next five or so years?
The factors I considered when ranking these teams include: how likely is the team to win the championship?, how many regular season and playoff wins will they give their fans to enjoy?, how many draft assets, current and future, do they have to build or rebuild their team?, and do they have a superstar or young player with the potential to be a superstar on their roster?
I’m sure there will be plenty of disagreement with my rankings, whether I have a certain team too high or too low, so let me know how stupid I am down in the comments.
1. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs were so incredibly ahead of schedule this last season. They were projected to win 43.5 wins before the season and ended up blowing that number out of the water with 62 wins and a trip to the NBA Finals. While they did lose in five games to the Knicks, they still project to be one of the best teams in the NBA for years to come.
San Antonio has the best young superstar in the NBA, Victor Wembanyama, who at age 22 is already one of the best players in the league. They have an incredible amount of young talent around Wemby, including fellow lottery picks Stephon Castle and another potential star, Dylan Harper.
The only issue they currently have is De’Aaron Fox’s four-year, $221 million contract after playing so poorly in the Finals. This will not be an issue now, with most of San Antonio’s best players on rookie deals, but they will likely need to trade Fox away before guys like Wembanyama, Castle, and Harper get expensive.
The combination of the Spurs’ incredibly young and talented roster, Wembanyama especially, while being currently tied for the best odds to win the 2027 title, puts them at the top of these rankings.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
Sitting narrowly behind the Spurs are the Thunder. The two teams that won the most games in the 2025-26 season are currently tied for the best odds to win the 2027 championship.
If the Thunder don’t make any cost-cutting moves, they will owe a luxury tax bill upwards of $210 million on top of the almost $260 million in player salaries they have on the books. If they want to get under the second apron, they will have to move on from players like Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort. If they stay at their current salary level, making in-season trades will become very difficult, if not impossible.
OKC has the draft assets and cost-controlled players like Ajay Mitchell and Jared McCain to keep its team intact while also being affordable under the second apron, but its stockpile of first-round picks is not as unwieldy as it once was.
A case could be made to put the Thunder at the top of these rankings, but the Thunder just have a few more questions to answer than the Spurs do, which lands them at number two.
3. New York Knicks
Each of these teams in the top three could be interchangeable with their ranking. While the upside for the Spurs and Thunder is rooted in players and picks, the case for the Knicks being this high is more of a subjective one.
They don’t have the draft assets or young players like some other teams, but they are coming off of one of the most joyous playoff runs in the history of sports. That feeling will likely carry over into next season as they attempt to defend their title.
The second apron will likely cost them players like Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet, but with Jalen Brunson on his below-market deal, the Knicks will be able to retain their top-five players while still having flexibility to add smaller pieces to replace the bench pieces they might lose.
Ultimately, the Knicks are the reigning champions who will be running back their team for at least another season, if not longer. Given that, the third spot on this list is the lowest they can be.
4. Boston Celtics
The next five teams on this list could all arguably be put in this spot. The reason I have the Celtics is that they have proven to be able to put together a high-quality team almost regardless of circumstance.
Boston has won 50 or more games in five straight seasons, including last season, in which they were missing Jayson Tatum for most of the year. They are also just two years removed from winning the championship in dominant fashion.
The Celtics have also been one of the teams on the list to potentially trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo and are seemingly the only team that would be able to trade for him while still being able to compete at a championship level, with Jaylen Brown likely being the main trade chip.
The only downside with the Celtics is that they may look to stay below the luxury tax next season to reset the repeater tax, which would greatly hamper their ability to improve the team for next season while saving ownership a boatload of money.
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
Despite a disappointing regular season, an unceremonious end to their playoff run in the second round, and little to no draft capital, the Timberwolves are still in as good a spot as any team moving forward, including a superstar player entering his prime, talented young pieces like Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid ready for larger roles, and few players on above-market rate contracts.
The Wolves have been one of the most successful teams in the NBA for the past five seasons. While they do not have an NBA Finals appearance to show for it, they are the only team to make the playoffs each of the last five seasons and win at least one round in each of the last three.
Their previous playoff success and the ever-growing superstardom of Edwards are the main reasons for optimism moving forward. The Wolves still have a lot of questions moving forward, including what to do with Julius Randle after an excruciatingly bad playoffs, but they have proven to be an extremely competitive team, even with an ill-fitting roster.
6. Los Angeles Lakers
Like many teams around them in this area of the rankings, the Lakers have a superstar in Luka Dončić, but do not have many draft assets. What they do have, unlike many other teams, is financial flexibility and potentially cap space this summer.
LeBron James and Austin Reaves are both set to be free agents. While losing James, and especially Reaves, would be a big hit for the team and the fan base, it might be the reset the Lakers need as they build around Dončić.
What the Lakers do with that flexibility, and if they can retain one or both of James and Reaves, this offseason will determine whether they rise or fall in these rankings come the start of next season.
7. Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokić is the sole reason the Nuggets are this high, and the good reason. The three-time MVP and one-time Finals MVP continues to stack up historic seasons as he has finished in the top two in MVP voting each of the last six seasons and in the top ten each of the last eight.
The downside is that Denver had a spectacular flameout against the Wolves in the Playoffs while having the fewest draft assets in the NBA to improve the team. They also have an owner seemingly unwilling to spend big money on the team, which may cost them Peyton Watson in free agency this offseason.
The Nuggets still have the fifth-best odds to win the 2027 title, so they can’t be put lower than seventh on this list, but they seem to be on thinner ice than any other time in the Jokić era.
8. Detroit Pistons
It’s really tough for me to square the 60-win regular season with their performance in the Playoffs. The 60 wins signal that Detroit was a championship-caliber team, but at no point during the postseason did they look like one.
In the end, the Pistons did win a ton of games last season, including a Playoff series. They also have a more-than-solid young superstar in Cade Cunningham, plenty of financial room to add talent and salary, and they also have all of their draft picks to upgrade their roster.
9. Houston Rockets
These next three teams have talented rosters, but all have large looming questions to answer. For the Rockets, it is what happened to their locker room in the second half of the season. Watching them both in person and on TV, it seemed like everyone involved hated playing with each other.
Losing both Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams was a huge blow to the team’s chances in the Playoffs. An offseason to refigure the roster should help to fix the positional deficiencies they had by the end of the season, but the flameout in the Playoffs against a Laker team missing both Dončić and Reaves leaves a really poor taste in everyone’s mouth.
Unlike many teams in this area of the rankings, the Rockets do have plenty of draft capital they could trade to help improve the roster. Also, unlike other teams, their best player will be 38 years old next season and just missed five of his team’s six Playoff games.
10. Cleveland Cavaliers
Similar to the Timberwolves of the past couple of seasons, the Cavaliers were disappointing during the regular season, but did enough during the Playoffs to make the Eastern Conference Finals before being absolutely decimated by the Knicks. The Darius Garland for James Harden might end up being the correct move for the Cavs, but it did move up the team’s timeline somewhat significantly.
Kenny Atkinson might disagree, but Cleveland, as currently constructed, will need to improve on their current roster to jump into true championship-contender status. What makes it tough is that if Harden opts in to his $42 player option, the Cavs will enter the offseason over the second apron with multiple roster spots still left to fill.
The Cavaliers could look significantly different heading into next season. How they navigate this offseason will determine whether they are a whole lot higher or lower on this list 12 months from now.
11. Indiana Pacers
The main reason the Pacers are not higher is a small bit of skepticism that they can replicate the type of team they were two seasons ago, when they came a win away from winning the title. Most of my worry would be with Tyrese Haliburton’s health and how quickly he can return to his 2024 and 2025 form.
Giving up a pair of first-round picks, including what ended up being the number five overall pick, for Ivica Zubac is a tough trade, although Zubac should be a good fit for the Pacers, who lost Myles Turner last offseason. The Pacers, injury report willing, should once again be one of the better teams in the East and have most of their picks remaining to re-tool their roster if needed.
12. Utah Jazz
The Jazz are the first team on this list whose ranking has as much or more to do with their assets and the future of their roster.
I don’t know how good they will be this upcoming season, but they have a very talented roster that includes Jaren Jackson Jr, Lauri Markkanen, Ace Bailey, and the number two overall pick that is most likely to be either Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer. Utah also has extra draft picks that could come in handy as the team gets more expensive.
Utah does have contract negotiations with Walker Kessler and Keyonte George that have already seemed to hit a bit of a snag, which will likely be a large focus of their summer after next week’s draft.
13. Dallas Mavericks
If I had done these rankings before the NBA Draft Lottery in 2025, I think the Mavericks would have been dead last. With the trade of Luka just months prior, the Mavs fan base was in one of the worst spots imaginable.
While the pain from losing Luka is probably still felt in Dallas, winning the Cooper Flagg lottery has helped heal those wounds at least a little bit. Replacing Nico Harrison with Masai Ujiri and moving on from Jason Kidd have also likely improved the vibes in Mavs land.
The Mavs are still in rebuilding mode and will need to continue to stack talent on their roster, but Flagg is as good a rebuild head start as a team could ask for. It will be interesting, especially from the Timberwolves lens, to see if Dallas trades Kyrie Irving or decides to hold on to him
14. Charlotte Hornets
For the first time in a long time, things seem to be looking up for the Hornets. Kon Knueppel had an outstanding rookie season, setting 3-point records all over the place as Charlotte finished the season going 28-10 in the second half of the season.
Along with a solid roster that should compete for a top-six next season, they are also among the teams with the most draft capital in the NBA, including the 14th and 18th picks in this year’s draft. They are still a move or two away from contender status, but things are looking up in Charlotte.
15. Washington Wizards
Last month’s Lottery results played a big role in the ranking for many teams, none more so than the Wizards, who won the number one pick. They will likely select AJ Dybantsa and add him to their young core that includes Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, and others.
The weirdest part about the Wizards’ roster is the trades for Anthony Davis and Trae Young. It’s hard to fault them for buying low on two former All-NBA players, but their fit with a team that seems to be rebuilding is an awkward one. Young has also indicated that he is going to decline his nearly $49 million player option, but that might not be the right thing for the Wizards.
Washington is likely still years away from competing, but Dybantsa (or whoever they take) alone puts them in the top half of this list.
16. Philadelphia 76ers
I think the 76ers best represent the middle-of-the-road team in the NBA. Like they did this last season, they should again have a pretty solid team that can compete and in the Playoffs, but it’s tough to see the path to greatly improving their team that got swept by the eventual champion in the second round.
Joel Embiid and Paul George make a combined $110 million, which makes building around the team’s two young stars, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, a bit precarious. Embiid and George are still good to great players, but due to injuries and age, neither will likely live up to their lofty salaries.
17. Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers had a nice bounce-back season as they made the Playoffs for the first time since trading Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. They also have access to future Milwaukee Bucks picks, which have a chance to be super valuable if/when the Bucks move on from Antetokounmpo.
The worrying part is the new owner, Tom Dundon, who has been cutting costs left and right to a worrying degree. Maybe that worry will become unfounded as Dundon’s Carolina Hurricanes did just win the Stanley Cup, but the concern is that when the Blazers’ roster requires spending extra money, ownership might not be willing to do so.
18. Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks had two chances at a top-four pick in the lottery with both the Pelicans and Bucks picks, but neither came through. Still, they had had a solid 2025-26 season and took two games off the Knicks in the Playoffs, something no one else was able to do. With no standout asset or superstar, though, the Hawks are in the bottom half of the fan rankings.
19. Memphis Grizzlies
Speaking of the Lottery, after fullying bottoming out and embracing the rebuild following the trades of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr, the Grizzlies won the number three pick and will likely end up with either Cameron Boozer, Darryn Peterson, or Caleb Wilson.
They also have a ton of extra draft capital after liquidating their roster, and still have one more trade to make with Ja Morant still on their roster. They have done a good job getting value with their trades, but they can’t be any higher on this list as they project to be one of the worst teams in the NBA next season.
20. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are a very difficult team to rank. Recently re-signed head coach Steve Kerr said it best when he called his team a “fading dynasty.” Steph Curry and, to a lesser extent, Draymond Green are still great players, and the Warriors will get Jimmy Butler back healthy next season, but lack the roster depth beyond their top players.
Maybe the Warriors can swing some crazy transactions this offseason. There have been rumors of LeBron heading to Golden State if he leaves the Lakers. Even so, this current version of the Warriors seems far away from competing at the highest levels in the Western Conference, and the future seems rockier than it’s been in over a decade.
Curry still being on the roster keeps the Warriors out of the bottom ten, as fans can still watch their franchise legend play great basketball on a good but not great team.
21. Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers are also a very difficult team to rank. They made a home run trade, swapping Ivica Zubac for Benedict Mathurin, who ended up being the number five overall pick in a great draft, and a future Indiana first-round pick. The James Harden for Darius Garland trade also made a ton of sense for them.
The Kawhi Leonard Aspiration scandal and the penalty they will possibly receive from that still looms over the franchise. The Clippers feel like a team stuck between competing and a rebuild. Maybe a potential trade or not of Leonard will signal which way they plan to go.
22. Orlando Magic
I could be ranking the Magic too low, given that most teams do not have a trio of players at the same caliber as Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Desmond Bane. Unfortunately, Orlando’s talent only translated to 45 wins and the eighth seed.
While the Magic likely would have upset the Pistons if not for an injury to Wagner, their offense performance in Games 6 and 7 was so putrid it signals that something needs to change in Orlando. The problem is that already sent out multiple draft picks to acquire Bane and are already bumping up the second apron, which makes improving a roster during the season nearly impossible.
23. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors feel like a team stuck in the middle. A solid enough roster that won 46 games and took Cleveland to a Game 7, but they lack a true superstar who could carry a team through the playoffs, and will be paying Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickley, and R.J. Barrett a combined $102 million next season. They don’t have any extra future draft picks, but have all of their own as well.
With the new lottery rules, maybe being stuck in the middle isn’t so bad anymore.
24. Brooklyn Nets
Likely the biggest loser on draft night (along with the Pacers) was the Nets. They finished with the second-worst record in the NBA and ended up with the sixth pick to show for it. On top of that, their roster is devoid of any standout talent and is a long way away from putting together a quality team.
On the bright side, the Nets have the best treasure trove of draft assets available to them, with multiple first-round picks coming to them each of the next few years. That saves them from the bottom of the fan rankings, but it still projects to be a long time before the Nets can turn that draft capital into an actual winning team.
25. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls finally bottomed out and cleaned house. It is a welcome sign for a franchise that has been stuck in the Play-In tournament for far too many seasons. Next season, Chicago will have a new front office, a new coaching staff, and what at the moment seems to be one of the least talented rosters in the league.
The saving grace is that the Bulls got lucky on lottery night and have the number four pick, a great spot to be in a draft that appears to have four top-tier prospects. They also have the number 15 pick in this year’s draft, but that is the only extra first-round pick they currently have from another team.
While the teardown is a welcome sign, it also came a year or two too late. Now with the new flattened lottery odds, it may be tough for the Bulls to add talent after this year’s draft.
26. Phoenix Suns
The Suns had a very successful 2025-26 season, given the expectations. They won 45 games and made the playoffs before being swept out by the Thunder. It was likely a welcome sign for Suns fans that the team rebounded after the disaster of the season prior.
Still, the Suns are still recovering from the Kevin Durant trade in many ways. They have multiple of their first round draft picks that are out the door and did not receive nearly as much value from the Rockets as they sent out for Durant a few years prior.
The half-decent team they put together keeps them out of the cellar of the fan rankings, but still might be a rough few years ahead for the Suns.
27. Miami Heat
While the Heat might be in a pole position to trade for Giannis, everything else about where their franchise is going does not inspire confidence. Their roster is okay, as they won 43 games last season, but it is fairly uninspiring past Bam Adebayo. Even if they do swing a Giannis trade, I don’t see how they are able to put a quality team around him and Adebayo with what is left.
If the Heat do acquire Antetokounmpo, I will revisit this ranking. Until then, not really sure what the plan is down on South Beach.
28. Milwaukee Bucks
It made sense for a while for the Bucks to wait until the last possible moment to part with Giannis, but now feels like the right time. The Bucks are still many years away from controlling their own first-round pick, and their roster is in really rough shape talent-wise.
If Milwaukee does move on from Giannis, their ranking could move up if they get a good package back, but could also hit rock bottom if the Heat’s reported offer is all they get. If they do hold on to Antetokounmpo heading into the season, things might get ugly.
29. Sacramento Kings
I’m sorry, Kings fans. They do have some extra draft picks, including the Timberwolves 2031 first-rounder, and Domantas Sabonis could get a half-decent return in a trade, but with this being the fan rankings, I kinda have to put the Kings about as low as possible.
It feels that until the Kings get new ownership, nothing is going to change.
30. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans have some talent on their roster, but as we saw this last season, it just does not work well together. Zion Williamson, mostly due to injuries, has not lived up to the hype for him coming into the NBA, and probably needs a change of scenery at this point.
We will see if Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Trey Murphy III, or Herg Jones are on the move this summer. Maybe with the new lottery rules, the Pelicans will elect to keep much of that talent on the roster to avoid finishing at the bottom of the standings.
With a better-run organization, there would be some hope that they could either turn things around with this roster or flip certain pieces into better-fitting ones, but that’s the problem. Ownership does not seem invested in turning the team around, and the front office has made many poor decisions, including trading away the team’s first-round pick before a 26-win season.
With the 2025-26 season in the rear-view mirror, the first order of business for the NBA in 2026-27 is the 2026 NBA Draft, which begins on Tuesday, June 23, in Brooklyn. Given the firepower at the top of the draft, many consider this to be one of the deepest draft classes in recent memory. There may be a clear separation between the top four and the rest of the class, but teams picking later in the first round should struggle to find value.
Here is our big board ranking the top 75 prospects in the 2026 draft class, with BYU's AJ Dybantsa leading the way. And for those who may be new to the big board experience, this is not a projection of where each player will be drafted.
1. G/F AJ Dybantsa, BYU
2. G Darryn Peterson, Kansas
3. F Cameron Boozer, Duke
4. F Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
5. G Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
As noted above, many perceive Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer and Wilson as a class of their own in this draft. Washington holds the first overall pick, and there has been a push from Peterson's camp to get him into the conversation. Will the availability issues at Kansas continue in the NBA? Regardless of where he's selected, that's a question the franchise in question will have to address. Dybantsa sits atop the board because of the combination of size, athleticism and skill set. And with the Wizards adding Trae Young in January, Dybantsa may be an easier player to fit into the team's rotation.
Boozer offers a high floor, while Wilson's ceiling makes him a highly intriguing prospect despite his freshman season ending prematurely due to injury. After the top four, there's likely to be a rush on guards. Acuff was sensational during his lone season at Arkansas; does Jalen Brunson's rise in New York affect how team executives view the reigning SEC Player of the Year?
6. G Kingston Flemings, Houston
7. G Mikel Brown Jr., Louisville
8. G Keaton Wagler, Illinois
9. G Brayden Burries, Arizona
10. F Nate Ament, Tennessee
11. F Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
12. C Aday Mara, Michigan
13. F Dailyn Swain, Texas
14. F Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
15. C Hannes Steinbach, Washington
Among the guards in this portion of the rankings, Brown may offer the highest upside. His lone season at Louisville ended in late February due to injury, but that doesn't take away from what he brings to the table as a shooter and playmaker. However, Brown does need to get stronger, and the same can be said for Illinois' Wagler. After coming off the bench to begin his freshman campaign, the Fighting Illini's loss of Kylan Boswell to a broken hand opened the door for the 6-foot-5 guard to truly flourish offensively.
After that quartet of guards, frontcourt players become the focus. Ament's upside makes him one of the more intriguing prospects at his position, but the Michigan trio of Lendeborg, Mara and Johnson may be better equipped to help teams win now. Steinbach is a high-level rebounder and finisher around the basket with good size and coordination.
16. G Cameron Carr, Baylor
17. G Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama
18. G Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
19. G Ebuka Okorie, Stanford
20. C Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
21. F Koa Peat, Arizona
22. G Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
23. F/C Chris Cenac Jr., Houston
24. F Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
25. F Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers
Could someone in this portion of the rankings become one of the best players in this draft class? Absolutely. Carr shone at the NBA Draft Combine, while freshmen like Peat and Cenac were part of winning programs, which could be beneficial at the next level. The "mystery man" of this group is Quaintance, a highly athletic post player who played just three games at Kentucky this season. He suffered a torn ACL while at Arizona State, and a return to the court in Lexington did not last long before Quaintance needed to be shut down. Okorie's draft "stock," for lack of a better term, has improved throughout the spring, while Stirtz and Jefferson are experienced players with high basketball IQs who can impact winning.
26. C Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's
27. C Henri Veesaar, North Carolina
28. G/F Richie Saunders, BYU
29. C Tarris Reed Jr., UConn
30. G Meleek Thomas, Arkansas
31. F Allen Graves, Santa Clara
32. G/F Sergio de Larrea, Valencia (Spain)
33. F Alex Karaban, UConn
34. G/F Isaiah Evans, Duke
35. F Maliq Brown, Duke
Ejiofor may not have the height of a "true" center, but the wingspan and athleticism work in his favor. The decision to transfer from Kansas to St. John's paid dividends for the center, who racked up numerous individual awards in his two seasons in Queens while also leading the Red Storm to two Big East regular season/postseason titles. Fellow Big East alums Reed and Karaban should also drum up interest in the late-first/early-second portion of the draft.
However, Graves offers up the most intrigue among the players in this area of the board. During his lone season at Santa Clara, his advanced numbers were outstanding, and the feeling among many is that he'll be a first-round pick. A torn ACL derailed Saunders' season; he could be a "redshirt" for whichever team selects him, but the former BYU standout has first-round ability.
36. G Emanuel Sharp, Houston
37. F Baba Miller, Cincinnati
38. F/C Felix Okpara, Tennessee
39. G Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
40. G Jack Kayil, Alba Berlin (Germany)
41. G Braden Smith, Purdue
42. F Izaiyah Nelson, South Florida
43. G Ryan Conwell, Louisville
44. F Trevon Brazile, Arkansas
45. G Jaden Bradley, Arizona
Smith left Purdue as the NCAA's all-time assist leader; if not for his listed height of 5 feet 10.25 inches, he would be more popular among draft analysts. Sharp and Thornton are two other college basketball veterans who should not be overlooked come draft night. One player who likely improved his draft standing during the postseason was Brazile, who was part of Acuff's supporting cast on an Arkansas team that won the SEC Tournament and reached the Sweet 16.
46. G Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee
47. C Nate Bittle, Oregon
48. F Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
49. C Ugonna Onyenso, Virginia
50. G Noam Yaacov, Oostende (Belgium)
51. F Dillon Mitchell, St. John's
52. G Nick Boyd, Wisconsin
53. F Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA
54. F Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt
55. F Tobias Jensen, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Yaacov has committed to play at the University of Utah next season, so a team may draft him with the idea of stashing the exciting point guard for a season. Beyond him, some intriguing college basketball veterans could be of value at the next level.
Mitchell is an athletic defender who can also facilitate offensively, but he has to improve his shot considerably. Boyd isn't the biggest point guard, but the ability to attack defenses off the dribble makes him a potential second-round pick. Further up in the rankings are some productive frontcourt players in Bittle, Martinelli and Onyenso, with the latter being one of the best rim protectors in this draft class.
56. G Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
57. G Quadir Copeland, NC State
58. G/F Jaden Henley, Grand Canyon
59. G/F Aaron Nkrumah, Tennessee State
60. G Duke Miles, Vanderbilt
61. C Oscar Cluff, Purdue
62. F Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue
63. G Lamar Wilkerson, Indiana
64. G Otega Oweh, Kentucky
65. G Milos Uzan, Houston
Lipsey is one of the best on-ball defenders in this draft class and also showed the ability to run a team while at Iowa State, while Copeland brings more size to the playmaker role than most of the others in this class. Oweh can be a power guard at the next level, but he'll need to polish his skill set somewhat to account for the stronger defenders he'll encounter. Nkrumah's athleticism and defensive ability make him an intriguing two-way option, especially for teams willing to give him some time to improve his perimeter shooting.
66. F Tobi Lawal, Virginia Tech
67. G/F Michael Ajayi, Butler
68. C Graham Ike, Gonzaga
69. G Seth Trimble, North Carolina
70. G/F Zach Cleveland, Liberty
71. F Bryce Hopkins, St. John's
72. F Mark Mitchell Jr., Missouri
73. F/C Tobe Awaka, Arizona
74. G Peter Suder, Miami-Ohio
75. C Rafael Castro, George Washington
Ike was one of the most productive post players in college basketball while at Gonzaga, but he'll need to become more comfortable in the mid-range to account for his lack of height as a center. Lawal tested well athletically at the combine, while Hopkins and Mitchell are two wings who need to improve their shooting consistency to stick at the NBA level.
We’re now just one week away from the 2026 NHL Draft in Buffalo and less than two weeks from the start of a new league year.
Between the annual prospect selection and the opening of free agency a few days later, player movement and contract signings will make for a fun few days around the NHL.
The Florida Panthers should be in the thick of the fun.
Florida holds the ninth overall selection at next week’s draft, and they also have over $15 in cap space to work with.
That means Panthers General Manager Bill Zito will have some options to work with, and you better believe he and his staff have been diligently preparing for several potential situations, depending on how the chips may end up falling.
Either of those two netminders landing in Pantherland would almost certainly mean that Bobrosky was not returning, so one domino falling will impact the other, whichever and whenever that may be.
Both Binnington and Hellebuyck are under contract and would require a trade to end up wearing a Panthers sweater next season.
Binnington, 32, has one year remaining on his current deal with a $6 million average annual value (AAV), while Hellebuyck, 33, has five years left on his contract that pays an AAV of $8.5 million.
Even though he just turned 36, Gudas can still play at a high level and has an idea of what would be expected of him under Paul Maurice in Florida.
The final season of Gudas’ three with the Panthers was Maurice’s first, when Florida marched to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final only to come up short against the Vegas Golden Knights.
After a successful run with Florida, Gudas signed with the youthful Anaheim Ducks, who promptly named him their captain.
He’s hitting the market after earning a $4 million AAV over three years on his last deal, and will likely be seeking something in the $3.5 to $4 million range on his next deal, according to Weekes.
Currently, the Panthers have six defenseman under NHL contracts for next season: Aaron Ekblad, Gus Forsling, Seth Jones, Niko Mikkola, Dmitry Kulikov and Uvis Balinskis.
Obviously there are only so many assets and so much money to go around, so it will be interesting to see whatever ends up happening with the Panthers at all three positions.
Will Zito go into the season with seven defensemen on NHL contracts?
What direction will the team end up doing in goal?
How does the ninth overall pick at next week’s draft play into the decision?
Let us know down in the comments how you think things should play out.
Photo caption: Jan 15, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) looks on against the Florida Panthers during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
