The Boston Celtics have wasted no time ramping up their pre-draft process, scheduling three additional workouts with potential draft candidates. 

According to Hoopshype’s draft workout tracker, Boston has either already hosted or is set to host the following prospects for workouts in the coming days. 

After providing a detailed breakdown of Boston’s first three scheduled pre-draft workouts, this article will take a closer look at the Celtics’ next wave of prospects invited in for evaluation.  

Baba Miller | 6’10.5” | Forward | Cincinnati | 22 

13 pts | 10.3 rebs | 3.7 asts | 1.2 blks | 53/19/66 | 57.6 TS %  

Baba Miller is one of the more intriguing developmental forwards in this draft cycle because of his rare blend of size, mobility, and perimeter skill. Standing at 6-foot-10, the Spanish forward possesses the raw tools, versatility, and physical profile that NBA teams covet in today’s modern game. He grew up developing in Real Madrid’s youth system just like the most recent Celtics first round pick Hugo Gonzalez.  

Miller spent his first two collegiate seasons at Florida State before transferring to Florida Atlantic, where he began to consistently flash the immense potential that once made him a highly regarded international prospect. His strong play there drew increased attention from scouts and ultimately paved the way for his move to Cincinnati, where he put together the most productive season of his collegiate career. 

Offensively, Miller’s biggest appeal lies in his guard-like skill set despite nearly being seven feet tall. A former guard before a major growth spurt, he remains comfortable handling the ball in transition, initiating offense, and making advanced reads as a passer. Miller’s 3.7 assists per game and 23.3 AST% ranked in the 99^th percentile for his position.  

He also proved to be a viable playmaking option out of the post, routinely zipping passes to open teammates and facilitating offense from the interior. His effectiveness in this area has improved as his frame has gradually filled out, though there is still a lot of room for additional strength development. Miller thrives when attacking open space, frequently ripping and running after defensive rebounds and generating quick offense in transition. His 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio ranked in the 97th percentile, though his 2.2 turnovers per game still raise some concerns about decision-making consistency. Even so, I remain very confident in his overall passing ability and feel for the game. With a likely reduction in on-ball responsibilities at the next level and NBA reps, there is reason to believe those turnover numbers should naturally decline. He also finishes efficiently around the basket, converting 71 percent of his attempts at the rim, 60 percent from two-point range overall and slammed home 58 dunks. 

Defensively is where Miller projects most favorably at the NBA level. His length, lateral mobility, and instincts allow him to guard multiple positions effectively, ranging from wings to smaller bigs. He is disruptive in passing lanes, rotates well as a help defender, and provides weak-side rim protection thanks to his timing and recovery ability. Even though he’s not a huge stock percentages player, his impact was more than felt on court and through the advanced metrics. He ranked in the 96^th percentile in Regularized Adjusted Plus Minus (RAPM) on the defensive side and opponent effective field goal percentage.  

Miller also does a great job closing possessions on the glass posting a 27.7 defensive rebound parentage last season.  

The biggest concern surrounding Miller remains his offensive consistency, particularly as a shooter. While flashes of perimeter scoring exist, his three-point shot and free-throw percentages have fluctuated throughout his collegiate career, leading some scouts to question whether he can become a reliable floor spacer. During his lone season at Florida Atlantic, he shot 34 percent from a three-point range on 114 attempts, a respectable mark for a player with his size. However, this past season he struggled from deep, shooting a career-low 19 percent from beyond the arc but converted a career-best 66 percent from the free-throw line on 149 attempts.  

There is optimism with this organization in particular as the Celtics have a strong recent track record of helping players develop as shooters, with names such as Derrick White (before this year), Grant Williams, and Jordan Walsh all showing notable improvement after arriving in Boston just to name a few. Along with the shooting though, adding strength to his frame and tightening his decision-making under pressure are also viewed as developmental priorities. 

Even with those concerns, Miller’s upside continues to intrigue NBA evaluators because players with his combination of size, athletic fluidity, defensive versatility, and playmaking instincts are difficult to find. If his shooting becomes even league average, he has the tools to develop into a valuable two-way rotation forward capable of fitting into multiple lineup constructions. 

Emanuel Sharp | 6’2.75” | Guard | Houston | 22 

15.5 pts | 3 rebs | 1.7 asts | 1.2 stls | 41/37/89 | 58.2 TS % 

Emanuel Sharp is one of the most polished and impactful perimeter shooters in college basketball, operating as a high-level scoring guard for the Houston Cougars. Standing at just under 6-foot-3 and around 205 pounds, he brings a strong, compact frame, advanced off-ball instincts, and a reputation as one of the nation’s premier catch-and-shoot threats. 

Offensively, Sharp’s game is built around elite shooting gravity. He consistently moves well without the ball, uses screens effectively, and punishes defenses that overcommit elsewhere. His jumper is quick, repeatable, and highly efficient, making him a constant threat from beyond the arc both in spot-up situations and in motion. He’s a smart high IQ ball player that knows how to weaponize his shooting gravity with relocations and slips. The shot is slightly off to the side, which reminds me of Kevin Martin. The elite touch can be reinforced by his career shooting averages of 37 percent from three and 87 percent from the line. Over his college career, he has steadily increased his scoring output, reaching 15.5 points per game in his most recent season.  

Beyond the shooting Sharp brings more value than expected. While I never expect him to be a primary creator, he has shown improved comfort attacking closeouts and making simple reads within the flow of the offense. He doesn’t get many attempts at the rim, but when he does, he shows good quickness and he never seems to shy away from contact. He shot 67 percent at the rim last season on 50 shots. His playmaking ability isn’t anything to write home about, but I really value smart players who make sound decisions and don’t turn the ball over. Sharp’s 1.7 assists per game is low for a guard, but there is no doubt about his ability to make quick and correct decisions. He also has averaged less than one turnover per game for the last two seasons (99^th percentile in turnover economy).  

On defense, he is the hard-nosed, tough, ultra-competitive guard that all Houston perimeter players turn out to be regardless of size. His motor and feel for the game really flash on this end rather than the athleticism and stock rates. While he is not an elite lockdown defender, every trait I mentioned is what I believe can make him playable at that end at the next level. Being just under 6’3” does mean players will have the ability to shoot over him even if he plays solid defense though. His stocky build can help him in these situations, however leading to more jumpshots from taller opponents rather than easy backdowns. Sharp made the Big 12 All-Defensive team last season.  

Rafael Castro | 6’9’’ | Center | George Washington | 23 

15.5 pts | 9 rebs | 1.7 asts | 1.8 stls | 1.7 blks | 62.7/0/66 | 64.6 TS %  

Rafael Castro is a senior big man for the George Washington Revolutionaries who has emerged as one of the more productive and versatile frontcourt players in the Atlantic 10. After beginning his collegiate career at Providence, where his role was limited, Castro transferred to George Washington and developed into a true focal point of the offense on both ends of the floor. 
 
Castro’s selling point is as a rim-to-rim energy big who can be highly disruptive on the defensive end. Offensively, his game is largely built around finishing plays at the rim. He consistently scores in pick-and-roll situations as a roll man, where his soft hands and quick vertical burst make him a reliable target. He also takes advantage of his mobility, using his foot speed to rim run in transition and slip behind opposing bigs when rolling to the basket. 

Castro posted strong efficiency numbers in these areas, registering 1.18 points per possession as a roll man and 1.56 points per possession in transition. While he is unlikely to project as a primary hub big at the next level, he can still be utilized effectively as a handoff passer and a stationary Delay facilitator at the top of the key, where he can keep the offense moving with simple, timely reads. 

Defensively, Castro brings a blend of size, mobility, and activity that allowed him to be one of the best defensive playmakers in college basketball rather than a traditional anchor big. He can cover the ground quickly and rotate into plays out of nowhere as a help defender. One of Castro’s most impactful traits is his ability to protect the rim through timing rather than sheer size or vertical intimidation alone. He is a strong shot-contester who does a good job of meeting drivers early and altering shots at the point of attack. While he is not an elite one-on-one post stopper against bigger, stronger centers, he consistently competes, stays vertical, and uses his length to make finishing difficult for opposing bigs. Castro seems like someone who would thrive on a team that puts their center on opposing wings who can’t shoot which allows the five to roam and be athletic.  

As far as the stock numbers go, Castro averaged 3.5 stocks per game, combining steals and blocks at a high volume for a frontcourt player. His 3.5 steal percentage ranks in the 98th percentile, underscoring his disruptive presence as a help defender and his instincts in jumping passing lanes and digging down on drives. He also posted a 7.9 block percentage, further highlighting his ability to protect the rim and contest shots at a strong rate. He also brings real value as a defensive rebounder and possession-ender. He pursues the ball with energy, boxes out consistently, and uses his mobility to chase down rebounds outside his immediate area.  

The main limitation at the next level for Castro is that his frame can be tested against stronger interior scorers, especially in half-court post situations, where he can be nudged off balance or forced into early fouls. He also isn’t a high-volume rim deterrent in the traditional sense, meaning his impact is more about collective defense and disruption than outright paint domination. He also doesn’t stretch the floor, which is completely fine for his archetype, but he will have to provide real value at the things he does well to offset that. 

Apparently, getting outscored by 33 points in nearly 13 minutes in one of the biggest choke jobs in NBA history can partially be chalked up to luck.

Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson surprisingly cited “luck” toward the beginning of his postgame press conference after his team’s shocking collapse in the 115-104 Game 1 loss to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Cleveland led by 22 points with 7:52 remaining and somehow managed to lose by 11 in overtime.

“I thought they hit some really tough shots in that fourth quarter, those two 3’s, prayer 3’s end of shot clock,” Atkinson said after the crusher.

“We got a little unlucky, quite honestly. (Jalen) Brunson obviously took over at the end.”

It takes more than luck for a team to collapse the way the Cavaliers did Tuesday night in a loss that could be rued the way Knicks fans lament last year’s Game 1 choke job against the Pacers.

While it would be fair to cite the Knicks’ astronomical shooting percentages in the final roughly eight minutes plus overtimes, including Shamet Landry’s miracle 3-pointer that bounced in to tie the game, that would be an easy excuse for a Cavaliers team that both stopped defending and taking good shots.

The Knicks routinely went after James Harden and reaped the benefits, with Harden unable to stop Brunson when the game mattered during the Knicks’ 30-8 run in the final 7:52 of regulation.

Atkinson cited Mikal Bridges’ pair of 3s in the final 2:38 as examples of tough shots the Knicks converted.

“The two Bridges 3’s, like kind of what are you going to do?” he asked.

An inefficient offense compounded those issues since the Cavaliers could not stop the Knicks’ run at the end of regulation, settling for bad jumpers that led to one-and-done possesions.

Neither Harden nor Donovan Mitchell rose the occasion like Brunson did.

“My only regret, and this can happen when you get a little fatigue, it just stopped moving,” Atkinson said. “We were pinging the ball over the place, great ball movement and then it got a little stagnant.”

The Cavaliers’ mettle will now be tested in Game 2, since losses of this magnitude are not easy to forget.

The Knicks never overcame last year’s shocking Game 1 loss to the Pacers en route to falling in 6, but Atkinson tried to harp on the positives after one of the worst losses in franchise history.

“I’m super proud of the way our group played,” he said. “We played great basketball tonight for three quarters, unfortunately … they dominated us in the fourth quarter.”

The Knicks made it no secret during their Game 1 comeback – they were looking to embarrass James Harden.

Trailing by 22 points in the fourth quarter, the Knicks rallied on the back of their captain clutch, Jalen Brunson, who exposed Harden in the 115-104 overtime victory.

In the fourth quarter, the Knicks did everything possible to get Harden as the primary on-ball defender, getting the veteran guard to switch on in nine isolations in the stanza and averaging 1.9 points per action, according to the “All NBA Podcast.”

Those nine isolations resulted in roughly 17.1 points for the Knicks, as Harden could do nothing to help Cleveland while it squandered the lead.

With the Knicks behind, 93-71, with roughly 7:45 to go in the game, a Brunson burner was lit, and the flames completely engulfed Harden.

The Knicks got Harden to switch into 9 isolations in the 4th quarter and OT, getting an obscene 1.9(!!) points per direct action. https://t.co/TWDE9I9L4vpic.twitter.com/Ni9TVU4Xzr

— ALL NBA Podcast (@ALLCITY_NBA) May 20, 2026

That trend continued into overtime, as Mike Brown’s group completely blew the Cavaliers out, outscoring them 14-3 in the deciding five-minute period.

Again, Harden was the primary target.

Harden was the screener in 21 on-ball picks in the fourth quarter and overtime combined, where the Knicks got 1.6 points per action in those plays (33.6 points), per the podcast.

Brown said the obvious after the win.

“It was no secret we were attacking Harden,” the coach said.

Meanwhile, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson kept his timeouts in his pocket as the Knicks rallied.

“I like to hold my timeouts,” Atkinson said postgame. “I try to hold them.”

He held them a bit too long on that one, as from 5:34 to 3:30 left in the fourth quarter, Brunson went on an 11-0 run by himself to give the Knicks a chance.

Atkinson mercifully called a timeout with 3:30 left as the Knicks pulled to within five points.

Harden was the primary defender on each of those buckets during the 11-0 Brunson run.

“No,” Atkinson said when asked if he considered benching Harden during defensive possessions. “He’s been one of our best defenders in these playoffs. I trust him. Smart. Great hands. Didn’t think about that.”

Game 2 on Thursday night is the Cavaliers’ next chance to steal homecourt advantage, but this one has to sting a bit extra Wednesday morning for Cleveland.

It’s morning in Dallas. The kind of morning where everything is possible, where the sun shines in that special way and life seems a little bit less serious. Is that a small bubble of pure joy I feel deep inside?

Jason Kidd is not the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks anymore. The joy I feel is not because he is gone, but because the wind of change is finally here. 

Jason Kidd was a divisive coach. Some didn’t like him and wanted him gone, especially after the Luka Trade. Others didn’t mind him and thought he did a great job. 

I think the truth is somewhere in between. 

Was he part of making the decision to trade Luka Doncic? Who knows. But the Mavericks need a new start, fresh voices and thoughts, and innovative ways of doing things in order to be able to stay relevant in the fast-moving world of the NBA. And that just wasn’t possible with Kidd at the helm. 

He did a good job along the way. He helped develop many young players, and all have spoken very well of him. He managed egos and the intangible aspects of how to run a good team, like connectedness and individual accountability very well. He had a great talent for getting his players to believe and rally around him. I’m sure the list is much longer if you ask his players. And maybe this is really where he was best. 

But you can’t say that he was innovative. We regularly saw tired, old rotations, which often didn’t make sense and sometimes clearly served to prove other points than trying to win. 

We saw the same ATO plays so often that the opposing teams learned how to read it almost every time. 

We saw so many missed timeout opportunities, which could have helped the players rest, get resettled and change or stop momentum or a run. When questioned about this, he once replied: “I’m watching, like you guys”. Was he joking? Who knows, but it wasn’t very funny. 

And we saw too much reliance on his franchise player to carry the team and make plays out of sheer individual brilliance, rather than as a product of a coherent scheme. 

It wasn’t valued and given credit, and maybe only realized too late how much of an effect said player actually had on winning.

Right after the firing on Tuesday, ESPN Insights reported that Jason Kidd had a .563 win percentage with the Mavericks before Luka Doncic was traded on February 2, 2025. After the Doncic trade, Kidd had a .339 win percentage. 

But I am not sure things are that simple. 

The injuries and players he had on the roster were just not comparable. So either his partner and previous GM Nico Harrison set him up for failure with that trade — and all the medical staff hirings and issues — or Kidd was part of the decision-making and later reaped what he had sowed. They did arrive as a team in Dallas, the two of them, remember? 

Either way, Jason Kidd had to go after the Doncic trade fiasco. In order to start over, you have to start over. 

It was a quick and decisive move by new Dallas Mavericks president and alternate governor, Masai Ujiri. Hired on 4, it took him a couple of weeks to hire a general manager, Mike Schmitz, who he had wanted from day one. Then, just 11 days after that hire, the decision to fire Jason Kidd was announced. 

“I’ve known him for many, many years,” Masai Ujiri said of Mike Schmitz. “He’s an incredible scout, an incredible leader. He digs deep into work, data, and what you want to know about really scouting a player, team building, all those things.”

“Treating people well, scout organizing, managing people, it’s a whole package you want and it’s very important that we set a tone now for this organization because the fans, the organization, you (media) guys, everybody deserves that,” Ujiri said. 

That sounds like as good a reason to find a new coach, as any I’ve heard. 

They say you don’t want to meet your heroes. I never met Jason Kidd, but I came to know how to read him — along with most of the fanbase and media people — and to read between the lines when he spoke. There was a lot of saying one thing and doing another, playing certain players to prove a point and holding on to a decision instead of being flexible and adjusting along the way. We became accustomed to the mind tricks and framing. 

But we also got to experience some special moments. The fact that he managed to keep the small group of players who were not injured this season motivated stands out to me. That’s impressive. 

The “nobody’s dying” quote from 2023 remains a classic. “We’re getting better. It’s just a matter — can we be healthy in time to make a stretch run? If we’re not, that’s just the season. Nobody’s dying.”

And what about the old “I’m watching, just like you guys”, mentioned earlier. That was one for the history books. You really have to be sure of your spot to say something like that about your job. 

But with a new coach, the Dallas Mavericks will be the exciting new project, finally — the organization that Cooper Flagg — and what remains of the Mavs fanbase —deserves. 

Don’t underestimate the work they did to change what happened after they had the rug pulled from under them in the Doncic trade. Like the major protests outside the American Airlines Center:

Many stopped buying season tickets and showing up to games to show their disapproval and eventually the people in charge realized what a grave mistake they had made and fired Harrison earlier this year. 

There’s strength in numbers. Dallas fans showed that they have power if they stick together, and that is no small feat. Mavs fans spoke too loudly to ignore. Hopefully, others feel inspired to do the same, because change only happens when you stand up for what you believe. 

Jason Kidd, however, will always be part of Dallas Mavericks history. He was part of a memorable run as a player and then as a coach with two of the best and most entertaining players the league has ever seen. He has influenced the career arcs of both Doncic and Flagg. For that, we can be grateful. And for all parties involved, it is finally time to move on. 

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series, where we revisit every player who suited up during the 2025–26 campaign through the lens of expectation, reality, and what it ultimately meant.

Player Snapshot

• Position: PG/SG
• Age: 29
• 2026-27 Contract Status: $57.1 million
• SunsRank (Preseason): 1
• SunsRank (Postseason): 1

*SunsRank is based on Bright Side writers’ ranking.

Season in One Sentence

Devin Booker stabilized a transitioning Suns team by sacrificing efficiency for structure, leadership, and relevance.

By the Numbers

The Expectation

To understand the expectations for Devin Booker entering the season, you have to go back to September, when the general belief was that the Phoenix Suns were going to be a 30-win team and Booker would once again find himself on an island offensively.

As Holden Sherman wrote in Devin Booker’s preseason player preview:

I think Booker will have a strong season, averaging around what he usually does, having a slight uptick in scoring, but his impact will go beyond the scoreboard. His influence on rookies Khaman Maluach, Koby Brea, and Rasheer Fleming will be what makes it a great year for him, not how many 40-point double-doubles he has.

In a time of retooling and realignment for the Valley, Booker needs to spearhead the way, and will do so for the 2025-26 season, and in the process break Tom Chambers’ single-season record for points per game in a season he set at 27.2.

That was the expectation. Booker would be tasked with elevating the players around him while simultaneously carrying the burden as the team’s primary scorer.

The Reality

Truth be told, Devin Booker met expectations, even if he didn’t do it in the typical hyper-efficient fashion we’re used to seeing.

Compared to the previous season, his scoring numbers were actually up. He averaged 25.6 points per game in 2024-25 and bumped that to 26.1 points in 2025-26. At the same time, his field goal percentage dipped. His three-point percentage dipped. His assists, rebounds, steals, and effective field goal percentage all declined as well. The turnovers increased, too.

It was a strange season because the Phoenix Suns were in a transitional phase overall.

The expectation entering the year was that Booker would have to carry the offense and drag the team toward competitiveness. What ended up happening instead was the roster around him flourished because of his presence. Multiple players had career years, and a large part of that comes from the gravity Booker creates. His playmaking ability remains strong enough to manipulate defenses and generate open looks for teammates.

Even though he finished only 23rd in the NBA in assists per game at 6.0, he led the league in secondary assists with 1.2. His ability to collapse defenses and create passing sequences that eventually led to points is one of the more underrated parts of his game.

One thing I don’t think enough people appreciated this season was the reduction in his workload. Booker averaged 36 minutes per game in 2023-24 and 37.3 minutes in 2024-25. This season, he averaged 33.5. That feels like the sweet spot. That’s where Booker should be living, especially if the roster around him can consistently provide scoring support.

Booker was unquestionably the stabilizer for this team, and you felt it anytime he wasn’t available. The Suns went 37-27 with Booker in the lineup and carried a 115.9 offensive rating. Without him, they went 8-10, and the offensive rating dropped to 110.0.

Everything became easier when Booker was on the floor, even if it didn’t necessarily become easier for him individually. That’s where the real challenge existed this season. Especially late in games, opposing teams knew exactly where Phoenix wanted to go offensively, and there wasn’t much Booker could do to counter it. In clutch situations, he didn’t consistently perform like the max contract superstar the Suns needed him to be.

In 30 clutch games, Phoenix went 14-16. Booker posted a -7 plus/minus on 44/31/87 shooting splits. His assist-to-turnover ratio sat at 1.4, and the team carried a -4.0 net rating in those situations.

What It Means

What does it all mean? That’s the ultimate question, isn’t it? Devin Booker did not have a bad season by any means. When you factor in the transitional nature of the Phoenix Suns organization as a whole, he was more than a good soldier. He was the leader whom people sometimes fail to give credit for being.

That still doesn’t erase the feeling that continues creeping into the conversation, the realization that simply having Booker might not be enough.

I look at a team like the Minnesota Timberwolves. They reached back-to-back Western Conference Finals and still found themselves bounced in the second round this season. They’re good. Really good. They’re also not good enough. When that happens year after year, you start asking difficult questions about what actually leads to ultimate success, making the NBA Finals, and winning a championship.

As the seasons pass and opportunities slip away, the conversation naturally shifts toward value. What matters most? What can realistically be achieved? That’s where the Timberwolves are right now after three consecutive failed postseason runs, and that is where the Suns are heading with Devin Booker, although they won’t tell you as much.

He’s a max contract player who is one season away from his supermax kicking in. At the same time, stretches like the clutch performances this season create a more finite understanding of what he can individually elevate a team toward. And because the organization has boxed itself into such a difficult cap situation, there’s also a definable ceiling attached to what this roster can realistically become with Booker as the centerpiece.

That’s what this season ultimately represented from a perception standpoint. Booker is a star. I don’t know if he’s a superstar.

He’s absolutely someone you want on your team, and lord knows the fan base appreciates everything he has done and continues to do for this franchise. Still, the ultimate goal of winning a championship feels increasingly difficult to realistically envision.

In many ways, Booker’s season personified the internal struggle Suns fans are wrestling with. Is the most important thing winning a title at all costs, or is there value in appreciating the ride, the loyalty, and the connection along the way? Sometimes those things align. Most of the time, they don’t.

That’s why this season felt like a shift in mentality and reality. Maybe even the season where some fans quietly started stepping off the U.S.S. Booker.

Defining Moment

The best moment of the season for Devin Booker was also one of the defining moments of the season for the Phoenix Suns as a whole. Playing against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix had an opportunity to prove that, despite all of the questions surrounding the roster and the transition happening within the organization, they could still stand toe to toe with the best team in basketball.

And they did exactly that.

Booker closed the night by hitting a dagger game-winner over Oklahoma City, one of those moments that instantly reminds you why he still means so much to this franchise and fan base. It wasn’t simply the shot itself. It was the atmosphere surrounding it. The emotion. The realization that, for one night against the NBA’s measuring stick, the Suns looked capable of punching back.

Grade: A-

Despite the frustrations surrounding his late-game productivity, especially toward the end of the season, this was still a quality year for Devin Booker. Sure, some of the statistical efficiency dipped compared to his normal standards. Still, the Phoenix Suns thrived with him as the focal point. Even if the percentages weren’t always pretty, the team around him benefitted simply from his existence.

This team does not win 45 games without Devin Booker as its primary player. This team does not exceed expectations if Booker doesn’t sacrifice parts of his individual game for the betterment of the roster around him.

Yes, there are still questions. The hope is that next season provides answers not only about Booker but also about the organization’s ability to internally develop players and use continuity as a pathway toward more wins and a more competitive roster.

At this point though, I’m thankful Booker is still in Phoenix. I’m thankful the organization didn’t completely detonate everything and enter a full rebuild where fans spend the next two or three seasons hoping they someday draft a player capable of becoming what Booker already is.

The price-for-value conversation is absolutely valid, and as the supermax looms larger, those conversations only become more important. Still, what Booker brings to the Suns is something difficult to quantify. Relevancy.

And that matters more than people sometimes want to admit. Relevance changes the way a franchise is viewed nationally. It changes free agency conversations, television schedules, postseason expectations, and the overall energy surrounding the organization. Devin Booker dragged the Suns out of basketball purgatory years ago, and even now, as Phoenix tries to stabilize itself within a brutal Western Conference landscape, he remains the connective tissue between where this franchise was and where it still hopes to go.

Maybe he never ends up delivering a championship to the Valley. That doesn’t erase the reality that he has already helped change the franchise’s trajectory entirely.

Yesterday, I was playing tennis with my son when Shams announced that Dallas had fired head coach Jason Kidd after five seasons. My thoughts immediately turned to those rumors from last summer. Remember how the Knicks brass, needing to fill their own coaching vacancy, allegedly tried to finagle access to Kidd? In the end, they hired Mike Brown, a veteran skipper and two-time recipient of Coach of the Year honors. Not a bad second—or third, or fourth, or fifth—choice, we thought.

The Knicks proceeded to win the most games in 13 seasons. Last night, they hosted Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Just a hunch, but methinks the number of Knicks fans who would prefer Kidd to Brown right now is quite small.

After their second loss to the Hawks in Round One, New York rejiggered their offense. That led to a legendary tear, with seven straight wins and the Knicks’ offense finally reaching its potential after playing an 82*-game season. One of our concerns before the ECF was that while the ‘Bockers waited nine days for Cleveland to beat Detroit, they could get rusty. Or worse, they’d forget how to execute their brand-new, world-stomping offense.

Both concerns proved valid. Despite limiting the Cavs to 16 first-quarter points, New York looked little like the team that crushed the Sixers. Scoring just 23 points in each of the first three quarters and falling behind by 22, our heroes appeared completely cooked until the Brunson Burner kicked on and Coach Brown pulled all the right levers. Donning his cape—and with ample support from Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet—Captain Clutch scored 15 points in the fourth quarter to lead a 28-4 run that sent the game into overtime. (If you can believe it, that magical run reached 44-11.) In the fifth frame, the Cavs reached the bottom of their tank, New York scored the first nine points, and the improbable win was secured: 115-104.

Cleveland took their best swing, but the better team dug deep and found a way. And look at that: each Conference Finals Game One went to overtime. Lord Silver must be pleased.

Early on, nine days of rust showed for the home team. Bricks came aplenty, with misfires by OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart (twice), and Jalen Brunson (twice). New York trailed by six before the midway point, having whiffed on their first five three-point attempts and 75% of their field goals. Luckily for them, neither team was shooting efficiently. At the five-minute mark, Mitchell Robinson picked off a Harden pass and then grabbed a rebound, which became a Brunson reverse layup, capping a 10-3 run for their first lead.

After a Cleveland timeout, New York kept the good times going. Bridges stole the ball from Max Strus and added a dunk; Dennis Schröder missed on a floater, and Brunson responded with a floater; Evan Mobley traveled, and Bridges fed Mitch an alley-oop. When the cutting was done, the teams had combined to shoot 16-of-45 from the field and 3-of-17 from deep. The Knicks were up 23-16.

In the second quarter, the Knicks continued to live in the Cavs’ jerseys. After Bridges, Anunoby, and Hart had pressured Cleveland into their lowest-scoring first quarter of the season, the bench did the same. On one sequence, Jose Alvarado closed in on Mitchell, almost wrestled the rock away, forced him into a panicked pass, and Keon Ellis tossed that hot potato out of bounds. Jose won’t get credit for it, but his dogged defense totally killed the possession for The Land.

New York needed the defensive intensity because they still misfired from beyond the arc. When OG finally connected from the corner just past the midway mark, the hosts attained their first double-digit lead of the contest. But then bench guy Sam Merrill retaliated with a triple, Harden matched it, and a 10-0 run cut the differential to one.

All those rusty three-point misses were costly, indeed. With a minute left in the half, a Strus triple tied the game, and one by Spida completed a 13-point swing. That gave Cleveland a 48-46 halftime lead.

The half was won in the paint and lost at the arc. New York dominated the interior, racking up a 32-14 advantage in paint points and shooting an efficient 47% from the floor. That inside success was completely offset by a disastrous 11% shooting performance from deep (2-of-19). Cleveland stayed afloat by knocking down eight triples at a 38% clip, but they bled points on the other end, specifically by turning the ball over 11 times and giving up 15 points off those mistakes. Predictably, Mitchell and Brunson were the top scorers so far, with 16 and 14 points, respectively.

To start the third, Towns missed from deep, then made one to end a 2-for-21 spell. KAT also committed a turnover and a holding foul that nullified a flagrant foul by Allen on Hart. Definitely a mixed bag of a game for the big fella. Meanwhile, the Cavs did what New York couldn’t—namely, convert from deep. With longballs by Wade and Evan Mobley, and Mitchell ripping the ball out of Bridges’ hands for a pick-six, New York fell behind by eight. Spida already had six steals. Things were about to get worse.

The Knicks completely lost control of the quarter, undone by sloppy turnovers (seven in nine minutes), more Siberian shooting, and Cleveland’s relentless transition attack. Mitchell was the biggest problem, carving up the Knicks’ defense and turning multiple steals into buckets. New York’s halfcourt offense crumbled with missed isos and rushed jumpers from Brunson and Towns. Meanwhile, Allen and Mobley dominated the glass and protected the rim on the other end.

You were asking, “Where was OG? Where was KAT?” We were, too. Those guys were essential to the new offense that was birthed against the Hawks. After three quarters, they’d combined for 12 points on 5-of-15 shooting.

Oh, and Hack-a-Mitch came back. Our man was missing from the stripe again, making 2-of-8 in the deep end of the third. Around then, New York fell behind by 16 and looked nothing like the team that faced Philadelphia. When Hart passed the ball past Brunson’s knees and out of bounds with 50 seconds left, things looked bleak; they got even darker when Brunson missed another free throw with 11 seconds left.

They were lucky to be down just 83-69 to start the fourth. Little was going right in the final frame, too. Two minutes in, Jordan Clarkson missed an uncontested bunny; then Brunson turned the ball over and missed on a drive to the cup. Towns grabbed a rebound, but then Mobley stuffed Bridges on a drive. Clarkson fouled Wade in the corner for a four-point play. KAT missed a layup. Mitchell connected from deep. Bridges airballed from 26 feet. The deficit reached 22, and this game got late early. Hardly anything that came before gave us any confidence that our heroes would turn this tilt around, nor could we dare to imagine the miracle that was about to unfold.

Landry “Always Ready” Shamet hit a three-pointe to get the deficit under 20, and Brunson went high off the glass to score over Wade. In a flash, an 11-1 run brought the hole to a dozen with five minutes left. When Allen missed two freebies, Brunson canned a floater from the elbow to make it 10. Suddenly, the Garden, which had turned silent as a crypt, regained its voice. The fans lost their minds when Harden airballed out of bounds, then Brunson hit a floater and a 26-footer to make the deficit five.

Out of a timeout, Mobley canned a triple at the three-minute mark. Anunoby made 1-of-2 free throws, but a loose-ball foul gave New York another possession, and Bridges hit a Hail Mary from the perimeter.

Down by four, KAT committed a maddening off-ball holding foul that could have doomed the rally. But not so! Brunson found Bridges in the corner for another triple, then Shamet made a three that bounced around and tied the game! With seconds to go, Merrill’s game-winner rimmed out, and the ref missed coach Brown’s plea for a timeout. We had overtime!

During bonus basketball, the team that played a Game Seven two days earlier lost its legs. Harden, specifically, simply disintegrated before our eyes. The hosts scored the first nine points of the frame, capped by another Shamet triple, and although Strus cut the deficit to six with 1:45 left, back-to-back fouls by Merrill kept the hosts in control. Then, finally, Bridges swatted away Strus’ dribble to kill another Cleveland possession, and Anunoby’s free throws carried us out.

Quoth chinaski1980: “Unbelievable comeback.” That, my friend, might be the understatement of the year. According to the broadcast (our very own Mike Breen!), it was the largest playoff comeback victory since 1970.

So, everyone’s cool with keeping Coach Brown, right? Seems to be doing a decent job. Now here’s yours: pay close attention. Commit as much to memory as you possibly can. Because this is the team you’ll be telling future generations about.

Up Next

Game Two will be played here on Thursday. Rest up, Knickerbockers. Box Score

* Should be one more, but NBA Cups are made by Dixie.