The Warriors don’t have their hilarious in-house back-and-forth between Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield anymore, but a new frenemies situation might be developing in its place.
And it appears that college rivalry isn’t lost on these two new teammates, who already have an ongoing beef on social media.
Here’s how it started. During Lendeborg’s introductory press conference on Friday, the first-round pick was asked if he had already talked to Green and Steph Curry yet.
“Steph actually welcomed both of us in the group chat the night of the draft, so when [Lajae Jones] got drafted and I got drafted,” Lendeborg told reporters. “And I reached out to him yesterday. I asked one quick question, and then I reached out to Draymond as well. I haven’t got that response back yet from Draymond, but …”
Lendeborg laughed, while general manager Mike Dunleavy interjected to add, “Don’t worry, [Green] doesn’t respond to me, either.”
Yaxel said Steph Curry welcomed him and Lajae to the Warriors groupchat:
“Steph actually welcomed both of us in the groupchat the night of the drafts, when he (Lajae) got drafted, I got drafted. And I reached out to him yesterday I asked one quick question and then I reached out… pic.twitter.com/PiwaYs53oZ
However, Green then pulled out some receipts, posting a screenshot of texts between him and Lendeborg in an Instagram story. The four-time NBA champion also added some commentary of his own, saying “Rookie Hazing heating up for these lies Rook,” as well as a barb at Michigan.
Lendeborg then refuted Green’s attack in an IG story of his own; it seems to be all in good fun, though, based on the amount of laughing emojis from both sides.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 24: Mitchell Robinson #23 of the New York Knicks looks on during a break in the action during the first quarter of the game against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden on October 24, 2022 in New York City. 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 Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After spending a week, if not two, celebrating the 2026 NBA championship nearly non-stop, the New York Knicks are back in business.
New York and Jose Alvarado pacted a delay to his player option, and on Friday, Alvarado finally rejected it only to, reportedly, sign a three-year deal. Up next, things will get a bit more serious as the Knicks will need to deal with the free agencies of many players, most importantly, sixth-man and backup center Mitchell Robinson.
The uncertainty about Mitch’s future in New York has grown in recent days, with the big man expected to depart and sign elsewhere once he becomes a free agent on June 30, if only because James Dolan wants it like that.
Now, we’ve heard from Robinson himself. In an interview with WGNO (h/t New York Basketball, Robinson was asked about the possibility of returning to New York and building on the franchise’s first title in 53 years.
“We can see what happens. It would be great, try to do it, try to run it back again, try to go back-to-back… Defending champs, so we’ll, that’s very a possibility.” — Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson’s comments arrive as multiple reports continued to emerge throughout Saturday, all of them doubting whether a reunion is financially realistic, and pointing toward the center’s days in New York being numbered.
WGNO "Free agency…Do you hope to be back with the Knicks…maybe build a dynasty in New York?"
Mitchell Robinson "We can see what happens. It would be great, try to do it, to run it back again, try to go back to back…defending champs, so we'll…that's…very a possibility" pic.twitter.com/AMiPn26k8F
According to the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy, Robinson is “unlikely to return to the Knicks next season,” with the decision tied directly to Dolan’s stance against crossing the NBA’s second apron.
That self-imposed restriction will inevitably shape the Knicks’ offseason approach and New York’s roster for the upcoming season. The front office already traded out of the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft to avoid adding guaranteed salary, signaling an obvious intent to preserve flexibility under the apron, and ended up taking a couple of second-round fliers.
Even with those moves, and following the Alvarado news, retaining Robinson remains complicated. Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, New York has only about $14 million to fill four roster spots before hitting the second apron, set at $222 million. For context, Robinson just completed a four-year, $60 million contract with an average annual salary of $15 million per year, already more than the Knicks can offer, let alone leaving room to fill the rest of the roster.
SNY’s Ian Begley was optimistic in writing that the Knicks may be able to keep one of Robinson or Landry Shamet, but “not both.” It’s actually going to be hard to even bring Shamet back at a reasonable price, given his market is expected to be good following his title run with the Knicks, and still have enough money to build a competitive bench.
At the same time, Robinson’s market appears strong. League-wide interest has already surfaced, with teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings linked as potential suitors.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst summarized the situation earlier this week, noting: “There is a real possibility that they won’t keep Mitch Robinson… I would say Mitch Robinson is 50/50… maybe 51/49 to come back.”
Front Office Sports later confirmed Bondy’s report and cited Robinson’s injury history and free-throw struggles as additional factors in New York’s reluctance to commit long-term money at a higher cost.
Fred Katz, meanwhile, wrote a story about the Knicks’ second-apron saga, revealing that New York’s front office, led by Leon Rose, wants to get into the second apron while Dolan is simply refusing to allow them to.
Despite all of the reports, rumors, and speculation, Robinson’s own stance suggests he has not closed the door to a return. The 28-year-old center, the longest-tenured Knick after being drafted in 2018, remains open to returning to the title-winning Knicks, as impossible as that looks from the outside.
Free agency is set to open on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET.
Rob Pelinka, the Lakers' general manager and president of basketball operations, glances to his left during a news conference. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
If only. If Rob Pelinka could use the Dodgers’ blueprint to renovate, Lakers fans wouldn’t even be sweating this summer.
But, you know. Baseballs and basketballs, apples and oranges.
The windup and sales pitch are the same, though: Deliver a sustainable, high-rising, championship build. On time and … about that budget. One team has none. The other’s is tight.
In baseball, they wear caps. In the NBA, they’re compelled to stay under them.
In baseball, they can swing freely (for now). In basketball, they’re hamstrung by aprons.
Ned Colletti had it easier, and he lasted only two relatively successful seasons in his role as Dodgers general manager after Mark Walter’s Guggenheim Baseball Management group bought the ballclub in 2012.
Pelinka has it tougher as the Lakers’ general manager and president of basketball operations. But like Colletti before him, with Walter having purchased the majority stake in the Lakers, Pelinka is going to have to crash the hourglass and build a winner with haste. Er, the winner.
If the Lakers lay anything but an 18th brick on their championship foundation in the next couple seasons, Pelinka’s story probably is going to go a lot like Colletti’s.
When free agency opens Tuesday, Pelinka is just going to have to show us how creative he can be, how clever and cunning.
He already hit a grand slam with the Luka Doncic trade in 2025. In one of the NBA’s all-time heists, Pelinka brought the then-25-year-old Slovenian superstar to L.A. from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for essentially an aging and injury-prone Anthony Davis and just one first-round draft pick.
Before that, Pelinka hit another home run with Austin Reaves; a four-bagger so deep that Doncic’s undrafted backcourt-mate has now procured the proverbial bag. (Four years, $185 million worth of baggage to the Lakers.)
With those pillars cemented, Pelinka’s job is delivering the A-list center Doncic reportedly desires.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic. Can Pelinka build a winner around Doncic? (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Doesn’t matter that all the perceivable candidates — from the Utah Jazz’s Walker Kessler to the New York Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson, the Milwaukee Bucks’ Myles Turner, the Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen, the Mavericks’ Daniel Gafford, even old friend A.D. — sit on a spectrum of unlikely to unwise.
Still, the best plan: Make Doncic happy; make a run at Kessler.
He’s a 24-year-old, defensively adept big man who would be a great pickup, just hard to get. But whether it’s overpaying in restricted free agency or working out a sign-and-trade deal, pry him away from the Jazz.
After nailing down a center, Pelinka also needs to really hit on the margins. Because in the modern NBA, the marginal is major.
The current contenders have depth borne of seasons spent tanking and loading up in the draft on athletic, affordable young talent or, in the case of the recently crowned Knicks, having a leading man take $113 million less than he was eligible for, as Jalen Brunson effectively did, to be able to play with his best buds.
In L.A., the Lakers don’t really have the first option and shouldn’t ever expect the second.
But Pelinka doesn’t have to swing for the fences every time; he doesn’t need to wow us now, he needs to have wowed us later. Take swings like he did trading for Rui Hachimura or netting sharpshooter Luke Kennard.
Former Laker Pau Gasol, right, speaks with GM Rob Pelinka during a Lakers practice in 2025. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
No one bats 1.000, of course, not even Andrew Friedman, the architect of the Dodgers’ three World Series titles since taking over as president of baseball operations in 2014.
But for the Lakers’ potential $51 million of cap space, for all of this summer’s much-hyped optionality, Pelinka’s competitive new boss isn’t the type to forgive errors that are forever front of mind for the Lakers’ faithful.
Pelinka can’t strike out on free agent signees like Gabe Vincent and Kendrick Nunn. Can’t let someone like Alex Caruso walk. Can’t whiff on draftees like Dalton Knecht or Jalen Hood-Schifino — and better hope he hasn’t on this year’s selection, Cameron Carr, who fell to the Lakers at No. 24.
The wrinkle, this offseason: Last year’s Lakers — 41-year-old LeBron James, Hachimura, Kennard and, if he opts out, Marcus Smart — will be among the most attractive free agents on the market, and they’re proven fits for a team that reached the second round of the playoffs.
But merely re-signing those guys won’t improve the Lakers’ odds of getting past the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs.
And simply outspending those teams isn’t an option, either. So Pelinka is going to have to go bargain hunting, he’s got to find some hidden gems, pull some tricks out of his sleeve. Surprise us, like great general managers are supposed to do.
This is Pelinka’s opportunity to show us his blueprint for bringing another title to Los Angeles, to build a case for himself.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli released his latest trade board for Hockey 24/7, and three Pittsburgh Penguins were among the players featured on it. Tommy Novak, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust all made the cut.
Novak was given the No. 23 spot on Seravalli's trade board. The 29-year-old forward is entering the final season of his contract in 2026-27 and will be a pending UFA. With this, he could be a decent trade chip for the Penguins to dangle if they do not view him as a long-term part of their plans. He is a solid top-nine forward, as evidenced by his 16 goals and 42 points in 82 games last season.
Rakell was given the No. 24 spot, and it makes sense when noting that he has created plenty of chatter in the rumor mill for a long time now. With this year's UFA class not being strong, the Penguins could get a significant return for a top-six forward like Rakell. In 60 games last season for Pittsburgh, he had 24 goals and 48 points.
As for Rust, he landed the No. 37 spot on Seravalli's trade board. Like Rakell, he has been a popular name in the rumor mill for a while now. The Penguins trading Rust would be significant, as he has spent his entire 12-year career in Pittsburgh. However, it could be worth dealing him if they get a significant offer. In 72 games last season, he had 29 goals and 65 points.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 27: Assistant Coach Amile Jefferson and Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics embrace after the game against the Indiana Pacers during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2024 NBA Playoffs on May 27, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Things have seemed somewhat quiet lately for former Duke star and assistant coach Amile Jefferson since moving from Durham to Boston to be an assistant with the Celtics, but that’s from the outside.
He’s an assistant. By definition, he’s a background figure for the team, at least as far as the public is concerned. That will change soon, however.
Among other things, this will be their first time seeing draftee Chris Cenac on the court, and Jefferson might be the ideal guy to mentor him.
When he was a freshman at Duke, injuries forced him into action too soon, and he took his lumps.
After that, he bulked up, and emerged as a force for the Blue Devils, and was a key to Duke’s 2015 national championship. That should resonate with Cenac, who arrives after just one year at Houston.
It’s not clear who else will be on the roster yet, but if Cenac is smart, he’ll listen to Jefferson, because that guy can really help.
In his first media availability following the conclusion of the 2026 NHL Draft, Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka addressed a wide range of topics, but questions about the club’s goaltending future carried particular weight. With a veteran Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, getting a tender of quality like the two-time Stanley Cup champion could certainly look like an upgrade, for the right price.
“For Brandon, I think it was a fresh start. And so I think that’s important to him. I think it’s a good fit with St. Louis,” he said. “And I think it’s a good fit for us to get some fresh blood in the back end.”
The move also aligned with Chayka’s desire to alter how the team defends and transitions the puck. It’s a position he’s been consistent about since taking on the role in May.
“He was a part of the transaction, and the harvesting of their asset off of that transaction made a lot of sense for us,” he explained.
Talks with Ersson’s camp about a potential fit and contract ultimately led the Leafs to prioritize the return over retention.That backdrop made Chayka’s comments on the current goaltending situation and future plans especially relevant. The Leafs enter the summer with Anthony Stolarz as their primary netminder and a developing pipeline that includes recent draft selections Artur Akhtyamov and Dennis Hildeby. But is that enough to go with next season?
“We’ve got this really interesting goalie pipeline,” he said. “And part of our evaluation is the young guys and what they’ve shown. So I think we’re trying to balance that. Anthony’s (Stolarz) been, by our models, a top goalie the last two years. Obviously health and durability has been the question, but we can’t guarantee that it’s going to be different. On another goalie that we bring in, that’s always a bit of a question mark. So we’re trying to find some balance in all of that, but it’s a key position, and if there’s a chance to make it better, like any position, we’ll do that. But that’s where we’re at today.”
Toronto selected two goalies as part of a broader 10-pick haul at the Draft.
Financially, the Leafs are well-positioned to act if the right opportunity presents itself. Following the Carlo trade and other adjustments, Toronto projects to have approximately $22 million in cap space for the 2026-27 season against the NHL’s $104 million ceiling, per PuckPedia.com.
“I think we’re going to try to make the team better. I think that’s an avenue for us. And up to today we created more flexibility even with the move,” he said.
Would the Leafs be willing to pull off a Darren Raddysh-style move before free agency? Chayka poured cold water on the idea. But you have to wonder if they are done in goal or if another move at the position is coming.
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If the first-round of the 2026 NHL Draft dragged on, things proceeded much faster on Saturday, as is customary; still, the seven rounds took over five hours to wrap up. As always, there was a lot of pick swapping, and the feel-good story of the day was the Pittsburgh Penguins picking Markus Ruck at 39th overall, allowing him to join his twin brother, Liam, who they had picked up on Friday. Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings drafted Derek Roy’s son, Victor, two years after picking his brother Max.
Just like on Friday, the Montreal Canadiens made a trade to move up in the second round. They sent pick 61 and pick 125 to the Carolina Hurricanes and then selected Timofei Runtso. The 6-foot-2 and 186-pound right-shot defenseman was ranked 48th among North American skaters. Playing in the WHL with the Victoria Royals, he put 44 points in 68 games. The soon-to-be 19-year-old was ignored at last year's draft but became a fast riser on the Central Scouting list thanks to a breakthrough season with the Royals after joining from the St. Cloud Norsemen of the North American Hockey League, a tier two junior league.
At number 93, they picked Cooper Cleaves, yet another big right-shot defenseman out of Dartmouth College. The 6-foot-3 blueliner weighs in at 203 pounds and put up 10 points in 30 games. He projects as a depth defenseman and describes himself as a two-way defenseman. Last summer, he attended the Canadiens development camp. He also played with Emmett Croteau, a Canadiens’ goaltending prospect this season. Interestingly, he played with Martin St-Louis’ kids growing up and told the media he was very tight with them. He’ll be going back to college for his sophomore season.
With pick number 117, the Canadiens went for yet another defenseman, a left shot one who’s 6-foot and 174 pounds and in his first year of eligibility: Brayden Klimpke. He put up 46 points in 68 games with the Saskatoon Blades. Described as big and tough, he’s a two-way defenseman and was an alternate captain last season. He has some leadership qualities, and he’s described as a character guy with a high compete level.
Montreal then went for a couple of forwards at picks 189 and 190. The former was used to select Parker Trottier, the grandson of former NHL legend Bryan Trottier. While the youngster has great bloodlines, his game is not the same as his grandad’s. At 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, the USNTDP product is a power forward who loves to finish his checks, works hard on the forecheck and is good at puck retrieval. All the little things Canadiens’ coach Martin St-Louis classifies as “not fun to do” but that must be done to win hockey games.
At 190, the Habs picked up Wesley Royston, also a winger but with an even bigger body at 6-foot-4 and 186 pounds. He only picked up 19 points in 59 games played, mostly with the Owen Sound Attack in the OHL. He has rare speed for a player of his size, and he loves laying big hits all over the ice.
The Canadiens had three picks in the seventh and last round: 221, 223, and 224, but they traded pick 223 to the Los Angeles Kings in return for the California side’s seventh-round pick in 2027. With pick number 221, Montreal selected Jean-Samuel Daigneault, a 6-foot-3 and 190-pound left-shot blueliner who specializes in hitting opponents hard and often. Finally, with pick 224, they opted for forward Tyler Deakos, a 6-foot-1, 174-pound right winger.
This year's draft for the Canadiens can be summed up in two words: size and aggression. As Kent Hughes said on Friday night, the team is no longer just looking to add talented pieces; they are also looking for pieces to address particular needs. Should the Habs fail to address their size issue via trade, this draft class should definitely help down the line.
All things square, the Philadelphia Flyers failed to leave the NHL Draft with more than one or two good-value selections. and it makes you wonder about where things are headed for the organization in the near future.
The crown jewel of their draft class, the Flyers drafted Maksim Sokolovskii with the 27th overall pick after trading down with the San Jose Sharks to recoup some mid-round draft capital.
In a vacuum, I actually liked this pick.
Reviewing the Flyers' 2026 Draft Class
Sokolovskii, a 6-foot-7 monster on defense who actively seeks to punish his opponents, has a ton of potential. He's quite young for this draft class, is already filled out at 240 pounds, and defends well and hits hard.
The best way to look at this pick is that the Flyers basically have five or six years to teach him how to play offense and do stuff with the puck.
Sokolovskii is a wildly good skater for his size and has enough talent to put moves on defenders, but his passing ability isn't very expansive, needs to learn how to shoot (when and where, not how hard), and needs to practice making decisions under pressure.
The physicality and stick work are already good, but the Flyers are going to need to teach Sokolovskii how to do anything with the puck on his stick and in the opposing zone. Flyers general manager Danny Briere believes that the massive Kazakh rearguard made significant strides throughout the year, and how far Sokolovskii can go will determine if he's a first-pair guy or a third-pair guy at the NHL level.
Another question I have with the Sokolovskii selection: who is he going to play with? As a natural insulator, you have to imagine he would be best suited playing alongside an offensive player. Is that Jamie Drysdale? That's looking increasingly unlikely.
The Flyers left this draft without a true power play specialist or offensive defenseman, and that's a sticking point for me, even if it doesn't have anything to do with Sokolovskii directly.
He already struggles with the puck, and the last thing the Flyers should want to do is stick him with another defenseman who either can't skate or pass the puck, or both.
Grade: B
I was less a fan of the Brek Liske pick at 53rd overall in the second round.
Liske is a 6-foot-2 right-shot defenseman, but the Flyers already have a ton of those. Think names like Oliver Bonk, David Jiricek, Spencer Gill, Carter Amico, Luke Vlooswyk, Austin Moline, and even Helge Grans. Why use a third second-round pick in as many drafts on another right-shot?
Liske is a well-rounded defender who doesn't do anything particularly special, and his draft stock was undoubtedly boosted by a WHL playoff run that saw him score 17 points in 18 games, despite having only 24 in 52 regular season games.
Left-shot defensemen Alexander Bilecki and Ben MacBeath, who are both highly regarded for their skating ability and are both 6-foot-2, would have been much better choices if defense was the play.
Grade: C
Goalie Martin Psohlavec was a fine bet at 62nd overall, but this goalie class was not the greatest, and a second-round pick felt a bit rich, even with his outstanding size (6-foot-5) and production. He went one spot ahead of MacBeath, who was picked by the rival New York Rangers.
With their next selection, the Flyers went with another Czech goalie in Marek Sklenicka, who is 6-foot-4 and quite athletic for his size. Sklenicka, all things considered, was a better value pick than Psohlavec was.
Grade: B
Flyers' Strange Asset Management
The Flyers hadn't drafted a goalie since 2023 before this draft, but it is a bit strange that they both drafted two of them and did so back-to-back.
It is unfortunate that high-upside talents like Mikey Berchild and Lavr Gashilov went to two rivals in the Carolina Hurricanes and New Jersey Devils, respectively, in the same round the Flyers drafted Sklenicka.
Sure, the Flyers didn't have many draft picks, but it would have been nice to see them get aggressive and move up to get someone they really want.
Berchild (105th) and Gashilov (119th) weren't out of reach with the Flyers sitting at 120th, but they opted for the goalie in Sklenicka instead of a forward.
Speaking of forwards, the only forward the Flyers drafted in 2026 was K.J. Sauer, who played high school hockey for Andover High in Minnesota before getting into 13 games with the USHL Lincoln Stars.
He's big and physical, but we'll have to wait until he plays for the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings next year to get a better read.
Alex Bump was drafted out of high school, after all, but this is a file-it-away pick until this time next year. Beckham Edwards and Giorgos Pantellas were still on the board here, and better options at that.
Grade: D
With their last pick in the 2026 draft, the Flyers took Max Laatikainen, a smaller Finnish defender at 5-foot-11 who played in some Liiga games last season, 213th overall. He picked up two assists in six games for Kiekko-Espoo.
Laatikainen was one of five draft-eligible players to record multiple points in Liiga this season.
Alberts Smits, Oliver Suvanto, and Juho Piiparinen were all first-round picks (and regulars), and Anttoni Uronen went to Columbus in Round 6.
Laatikainen played in 23 fewer games than Piiparinen and had only one less assist, so there's potential there.
Grade: A
Similarly to Max Westergard last year, I liked that the Flyers threw a dart at a kid who already played some pro hockey and was productive doing it, especially compared to much more esteemed peers.
The Flyers' Path Ahead
Overall, though, it was a pretty uninspiring draft for the Flyers, who made some boring picks going after the same traits as always: size and experience.
The Flyers did not draft any speed or skill this year whatsoever, and that isn't hyperbole.
It is a recurring theme, at this point, in the fourth draft I covered since I started writing about the Flyers in 2023.
It hasn't all been bad, to be fair, but the lows have been too low, and the highs haven't been high enough.
That 2023 draft saw the Flyers take Carter Sotheran and Matteo Mann, and neither player signed a contract with the team. Alex Ciernik, injury issues notwithstanding, was probably lucky to get a contract from the Flyers, too.
The 2022 draft was Cutter Gauthier and... that was what it was. In 2021, the Flyers traded their first-round pick for Rasmus Ristolainen, and used their second-round pick to take Samu Tuomaala, who isn't with the team anymore and has yet to play an NHL game, over Logan Stankoven and Matthew Knies.
In 2024, it was Jett Luchanko over Konsta Helenius, and in 2025, it was Jack Nesbitt over Jackson Smith and Cam Reid.
Overall, the Flyers have just made a habit of making uninspiring picks and hunting for concepts of players, rather than the players themselves.
The outlook in Philadelphia hasn't changed much after this draft, and that isn't a good thing. This draft class will likely hinge entirely on the continued development of Sokolovskii.
PORTLAND, OREGON - MARCH 19: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars dribbles the ball while being guarded by Nic Codie #10 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19, 2026 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the first pick in the 2026 draft, the Washington Wizards got the guy they think will spearhead the team’s offense and lead them into contention over the next decade-plus. Now comes the hard, fascinating, long-term work of turning AJ Dybantsa’s many strengths into an elite NBA player.
Because Dybantsa will be just 19-years-old for the first half of his rookie season, and NBA history tells us that teenagers entering the league are unlikely to be great immediately. The league is arguably the most challenging in pro sports — the difference between the NBA and the next level down is bigger than any other league.
Playing big minutes with reasonable production would set AJ Dybantsa up for a long and productive career with the Washington Wizards. | NBAE via Getty Images
Even being the top pick doesn’t eliminate the growing pains of young players entering the NBA. The exceptions underscore the rule.
Through NBA history, just three players age 20 or under produced at least 10 Win Shares in their rookie season, according to Basketball-Reference (NOTE: per Basketball-Reference methodology, this will be Dybantsa’s age 20 season, so I’m using 20 and under as the cutoff):
Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers | 10.5 — 1979-80
Shaquille O’Neal, Orlando Magic | 10.4 — 1992-93
Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets | 10.4 — 2005-06
Only five players total had at least eight Win Shares. Just 20 had five or more. Number 20 on that list? LeBron James, who lands just above a few other prominent names who just fell short of the 5.0 cutoff, including Luka Doncic, Derrick Rose, James Harden, and Kevin Garnett.
Wunderkind Victor Wembanyama had 3.7 as a rookie. Wizards guards Bradley Beal (3.0) and John Wall (2.2) were tops for 20-and-under rookies in Washington.
Under the leadership of Michael Winger and Will Dawkins, the Wizards have invested heavily in player development, from expanding their developmental infrastructure to hiring coaches with a record of helping young stars. Their goal should not be to maximize Dybantsa’s rookie statistics but to make sure he’s great from 24 to 33.
While there are no firm rules when it comes to 20-and-under rookies, there are some indicators worth tracking. Rather than points per game or other standard metrics, I’ll be keying on three things:
Offensive involvement.
Availability and minutes.
Overall production.
The Wizards will do everything in their power to set Dybantsa up for a successful career. The question today is what might be some signals that he actually is succeeding, even if his on-court performance is uneven.
Let’s start with this: Lots of playing time. As the cliche goes, the number one ability is availability. While missing games has become more common and minutes totals have declined as teams try to maximize career length, the most productive under-20 rookies played a lot both in terms of games played and minutes. They also had more productive careers.
This isn’t about gifting minutes to a youngster. Being talented enough to win a starting job (even if it’s not to begin the season), good enough to convince the coach to keep him on the floor, and conditioned enough to play significant minutes and not miss games are positives for a youngster and bode well for how his career may unfold.
Whether I look at under-20 rookies using a simple volume metric like total minutes or games played or a rate production stat like PPA, the trend is clear: production begets minutes begets production. The big the Wizards don’t want to see from Dybantsa is missing games due to injuries.
Benchmarks I’d like to see: 70+ games played, 60+ starts, 2,200+ total minutes. If he’s getting 32 minutes a night as a teenager, it’s because coaches think he helps them win possessions and ultimately games.
The next big indicator: Production. Once again, whether I look at totals or rates, the guys who became truly elite tended to be productive as young rookies. Here’s the top 10 in PPA for 20-and-under rookies:
Nikola Jokic
Chris Paul
Zion Williamson
Karl-Anthony Towns
Anthony Davis
Chris Webber
Shaquille O’Neal
Magic Johnson
Victor Wembanyama
Kawhi Leonard
The only guy on that list I’d classify as unlikely to make the Hall of Fame is Williamson. He played just 24 games and 668 minutes as a rookie and has gone on to miss similar chunks of subsequent seasons. He’s one of the reasons playing a lot is the first indicator.
Sort the list by total production (total PPA) and the result is similar:
Shaquille O’Neal (played 81 games as a rookie)
Chris Paul
Magic Johnson
Karl-Anthony Towns
Elton Brand
Chris Webber
Dwight Howard
Joe Smith
LeBron James
Victor Wembanyama
No specific standard box score category (such as points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, etc.) stands out as being particularly predictive of future success. Overall production — however the rookie does it — does matter, though.
A benchmark I’ll be watching: PPA of 70 or higher (in PPA, 100 is average and higher is better). There are exceptions — youngsters who rated below a 70 and went on to be excellent like Kobe Bryant, Shawn Kemp, DeMarcus Cousins (sorta), Alperen Sengun, Jamal Murray, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dirk Nowitzki, Devin Booker, DeAaron Fox, and Zach LaVine. But the “hits” are much less frequent the further down the PPA list you go.
One “advanced” category to watch: usage. While efficiency is what drives winning in the NBA, for a 20-and-under rookie, trying to do stuff seems to matter more than actually doing stuff. Think Doncic with a 32.8% usage rate and an effective field goal percentage of 49.7% or LeBron at 28.4% usage and 43.8% eFG%.
There are exceptions, of course, though they’re usually smaller guards who burned possessions on horrific efficiency like Dennis Smith (28.6% usage and an offensive rating more than 15 points per 100 possessions below average) or Scoot Henderson (27.9% usage and a -21 relative offensive rating).
For a benchmark, I’ll be watching 20% — the league average rate. Given Dybantsa’s skills and athletic tools, and the Wizards roster, I’d expect him at or around that level as a rookie. Below that wouldn’t be much of a concern, unless his usage goes ultra-low (sub-14%).
I say this because low-usage 20-and-under rookies have gone on to become All-Stars and better. Here are a few:
Giannis 15.5%
Gordon Hayward 15.2%
Aaron Gordon 15.1%
Domantas Sabonis 15.1%
Joe Johnson 14.5%
Nicolas Batum 14.0%
Kawhi Leonard 14.0%
Some useful players used even fewer possessions as rookies (OG Anunoby had a 12.1% usage rate!), but the cutoff point seems to be around 14%. Side note: that holds out some hope for Coulibaly and his 14.2% rookie usage rate. Only some, though.
High usage means the coaching staff and teammates trust a rookie to create offense. Teenagers capable of carrying that burden — even inefficiently — often develop into stars because they possess skills that can’t easily be taught. Just as important, high usage is a signal that the player is trying to make things happen and that he’s confident in his own abilities. Even if he’s laying bricks or committing turnovers.
These are benchmarks I’ll be watching this season, though I want to emphasize that there are no hard and fast rules. For example, as a 20-year-old rookie, Greg Monroe posted a 150 PPA with a 120 offensive rating on 16.1% usage but never learned to translate individual production into winning basketball. On the other hand, Devin Booker had a replacement level 45 PPA and a 100 offensive rating on 22.1% usage but developed into an All-NBA level player who helped lead a team to the NBA Finals.
While ideally, Dybantsa will be an All-Star level producer (whether he’s selected to the team or not) right away, simply being a competent NBA player at 19-20 years old is a pretty good indicator of future success. The Wizards don’t need him to be a world-killer from day one. For a 20-and-under rookie, staying on the court as a decent player is more than enough.
The Wizards didn’t draft Dybantsa to win Rookie of the Year (he’s currently third in the FanDuel ROY betting odds), though he has a good of chance of winning the award. They want him to be All-NBA level for years to come. History suggests those futures rarely begin with spectacular rookie seasons. They begin with teenagers who stay healthy, earn big minutes, shoulder responsibility and prove they already belong on an NBA court.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 26: Tommy Pham #39 of the New York Mets bats during the fifth inning of game one of a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field on April 26, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Heather Khalifa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 09: General Manager Mike Elias of the Baltimore Orioles watches the Orioles Hall of Fame ceremony before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Athletics at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 09, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello, friends.
The 2026 Orioles are at it again. This is not a complimentary statement. Last night’s loss, good grief, what can you even say at this point? They find ways to lose. They should be better than a team that finds ways to lose and they aren’t. There’s a lamentable amount of ongoing bumbling. Not even Brandon Young as the starting pitcher makes them immune to this occurring. They are sticking to a variety of philosophies that do not seem to be working out for them with a “captain goes down with the ship” level of dedication. Check out Paul Folkemer’s recap of the game for yet another edition of the not-so-lovely totals.
In news that takes on a darkly comic shade after what happened in last night’s game, Mike Elias put in some time with Orioles reporters ahead of the Saturday contest and made some pronouncements that include: “We’re going for it. I’ll let you know if that changes” and “I think we’re going to be good” and “we see a lot of good things in the operation” and “we think we have really good people here.” It’s not the kind of funny that makes you laugh.
I’m sure that Elias also wishes the team had played better immediately following his staking out those kinds of positions. I can sympathize with him. I’ve been in the “You say something and the Orioles make you look stupid not long after” game for longer than he has. I have put my share of cold takes on this website in the past and will end up making them for as long as I am around. You’re never going to say anything interesting about this team (or any team) if you are worried that you’re going to look dumb for saying it. That’s the truth.
Then again Elias isn’t getting paid for takes, he’s getting paid to have the Orioles win games. Or that’s the assumption all but the most dedicated cynics would make. They aren’t winning enough games. They haven’t won enough games dating back to just about two years exactly from right now. That’s a long time in baseball. It’s about as long as it was fun to be a fan coming out of the tanking years. July 2022 through June 2024 were fun. July 2024 through now have not been fun. If they don’t fix this thing next month, the not-fun has gone on longer than the fun ever did. That sucks.
The Elias presser also included a question about whether he feels the pressure to have the Orioles improve, which seems like it was a polite phrasing of “Do you think you might get fired?” To that, Elias said, “I always feel a lot of pressure in this position … Every single year I’ve felt pressure and you worry about your job in this business. So absolutely. But I think we have a really good chance of doing what we want to do and we’re all working very hard and we’re all very optimistic about it.”
I mentioned, above, that there is a captain going down with the ship dedication going on here. The ship is sinking. He’s not abandoning it. There’s a nobility in that. But for the time being there’s not a winning record, and since they’re six games below .500, there won’t be a winning record for at least another seven games.
The Orioles will try to win the series against their southern neighbors with a 1:35 game today. The Nationals starting pitcher, Zack Littell, is not left-handed, so maybe they have a chance. He has an ERA of 5.40, so maybe they don’t have a chance. Kyle Bradish is pitching for the Orioles today, so maybe they have a chance. We’ll see how it shakes out.
Mike Elias on Adley Rutschman: “We want him here forever” (The Baltimore Sun) You’re one of the two people on this planet, along with David Rubenstein, who can make this happen! If you really want him here forever, sign him to the deal. Otherwise it’s disingenuous to say stuff like this.
Orioles reinstate Cade Povich from injured list, option him to Norfolk (Baltimore Baseball) One small bit of Orioles news yesterday is that the team quietly activated Povich from his rehab stint and sent him back to the minors. He didn’t have a good rehab stint, so it’s no surprise to see him not getting a big league spot right now.
Of all the players to ever play for the Orioles, only a single one was ever born on this day: 1970-75 outfielder Don Baylor. He passed away in 2017 at age 68.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: Methodism leader John Wesley (1703), actor and movie maker Mel Brooks (1926), actress Kathy Bates (1948), and YouTuber Markiplier (1989).
On this day in history…
In 1870, the first federal holidays were established by Congress. In the first batch: New Year Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
In 1914, Austria’s Archduke Franz Ferdinand and wife Sophie were killed by a gunman in Sarajevo. This is the incident that proved to be the lighting of the match of what became World War I.
In 1969, a police raid on a gay bar in Manhattan called the Stonewall Inn sparked riots and demonstrations, an event now recognized as the start of the gay rights movement.
In 1997, boxer Mike Tyson bit off a part of opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear during a rematch between the two men. Tyson was disqualified.
**
And that’s the way it is in Birdland on June 28. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!
Dave Roberts, in his 11th season as manager of the Dodgers, has won three World Series titles and five National League pennants. (Photo illustration by Tate Rudisill / Los Angeles Times; photos by Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images, Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images, Steph Chambers / Getty Images, Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)
Dave Roberts didn’t have his heart set on becoming a manager.
Not when he cold-called Jed Hoyer, who’d just been hired as the San Diego Padres’ general manager, to offer his help and eventually accepted a special assistant role in the front office. Not when Bud Black, the Padres’ manager at the time, asked Roberts to be his first base coach. Not even when Roberts was promoted to bench coach — at least not at first.
But television didn’t feel like a long-term fit, and neither did his cup of coffee as an executive. Roberts’ return to the dugout gained its own momentum.
“I like to be in the clubhouse,” Roberts said in a recent conversation with The Times. “I like to be boots on the ground more. … So once I got on the field, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is what feels right for me.’”
Roberts’ first taste of the manager’s seat wasn’t how he would have scripted it. A.J. Preller, the Padres’ third GM in five years, dismissed Black in the middle of the 2015 season, leaving Roberts as the interim skipper for a game before Pat Murphy was promoted from triple A.
Roberts’ first win came the next year, after the Dodgers hired him to replace Don Mattingly. In Roberts’ Dodgers debut, on opening day at Petco Park, his team trounced the Padres 15-0.
Roberts is back in San Diego for a weekend series against the Padres, just three wins away from 1,000 after Saturday’s 15-3 victory, in a full-circle moment.
Only two other active managers have racked up more wins: Terry Francona (2,072), who began his managerial career in 1997, and AJ Hinch (999), who had a smaller head start on Roberts.
“It’s a big number,” said Roberts, who will join Walter Alston, Tommy Lasorda and Wilbert Robinson as the only managers in franchise history to win 1,000 games. “It’s something I never really thought of. … I don’t take a lot of time to look at milestones because I just kind of go day to day. But I’m going to take that one in. Because it’s a long time, it’s a lot of really good players and coaches, and a lot of support.”
Roberts is in his 11th season at the helm for the Dodgers, with three years left after this one on his record-breaking extension ($8.1 million annually). He’s taken the Dodgers to the postseason every year, won five National League pennants and claimed three World Series titles.
“To be the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, so much pressure, so much expectations, to have Doc as our manager leading it, I don’t think there’s anybody that could do what he does,” veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman said.
The Dodgers are now an international brand, with star power from across the globe, including the most famous baseball player in the world in Shohei Ohtani. So, every homestand, after Roberts fulfills his media responsibilities and oversees batting practice, he serves as an ambassador of sorts.
Roberts greets groups of guests and celebrities with enthusiasm, engages them in conversation and poses for pictures.
That talent, however, isn’t why this group of Dodgers — full of household names, but also young players expected to grow into key roles — has bought in.
“He cares about people,” Freeman said. “His door’s always open. Being a manager is obviously managing baseball, but it’s more about managing egos. You have 26 players, you have all the coaching staff, support staff — and our clubhouse runs smoothly, and that’s because of Dave Roberts.
“He’s a man that’s been through it all. He was a player. He knows how hard the game is. He’s been in the manager seat for a long time here. He knows the ups and downs of the season. We trust him. He trusts us. And I think that’s the key word in all this, is trust. When you have trust with your manager, and know he’s going to put you in the right spots to succeed, it’s very easy to run through walls for him.”
That trust is built through a track record of decisions that prioritize things like player health. But it also stems from genuine care.
“Ever since I got here, the first impression of him was how good he was with people,” said veteran utility man Miguel Rojas, who hopes to become a manager after he hangs up his cleats. “How much he cares about families, how much he cares about where you’re coming from and who is the support system that you have around you. He cares about you as a person more than as a player.”
“He was the first one to tell me that family is way more important than what we’re doing right now,” Rojas said.
The next day, when Rojas felt he needed to be on the field as he processed the death of his father, Roberts listened.
On the other side of the equation, Rojas also thinks Roberts has made him a better father to his son Aaron, who is often around the team throughout the summer.
Roberts doesn’t just flash his people skills when he’s in ambassador mode. Earlier this month, Roberts spotted Aaron in one of the armchairs in the middle of the visitors clubhouse in Pittsburgh. Roberts beelined to him, cracking inside jokes to gently prod him out of his shell.
“My kid, when I got here in 2023, he’s not the same kid that he is now,” Rojas said. “He was 6 or 7 years old when I got back to the Dodgers. And Doc really sees the way that he’s evolving as a human, being more outspoken and open to say hi to people, to have conversations with the coaches and all the players — and it’s not just with the kids or me. So it’s pretty cool to see that [Roberts] helped me with him too, with his social skills that he was trying to develop.”
Managers’ jobs often veer toward the bigger picture. Their coaching staff deals with the details. But Roberts finds moments to pull players aside for one-on-one conversations.
“I enjoy that part more than anything,” Roberts said. “It’s the least talked about, but I think it’s the most important part of my job, trying to build men. And that’s something that I’ve always believed, that if you do it the right way, then the fruits will be a better ballplayer.”
Anyone watching the Dodgers broadcast last Wednesday saw Roberts put his arm around catcher Dalton Rushing’s shoulders after a rough first two innings led to Ohtani taking over calling the pitches.
“Doc does a great job just telling how it is,” Call said. “And saying, ‘hey, we love you, and we love exactly what you bring to the game, and you don’t have to do anything else. So, basically, just take a deep breath and be Alex Call.’ And it’s just nice to hear that kind of stuff, and just nice to be able to have your manager have confidence in you.”
During the last homestand, the day after the bottom of the order struck out consecutively with the bases loaded in what became a walk-off win against the Baltimore Orioles, Roberts called over Ryan Ward and Alex Freeland in the dugout during batting practice.
As they discussed situational hitting, Roberts wanted to encourage them rather than “get on them.” Ward said the conversation took off some pressure.
“All you hear about is, the big leagues is way different,” said Ward, who debuted in April. “And just having those little moments of reassurance, and having them talk to you and pull you aside, and giving you props, and helping you where things have gone wrong — and having that advice come from him, and feel the [organizational] continuity of everything, is incredible.”
When Roberts’ playing career ended, he might not have pictured himself sitting in this seat at all, let alone for nearly 1,000 wins.
But as he positions himself at the top step of the dugout at Petco Park, back where it all started, it sure does suit him.
Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders:L, 3-4 at Indianapolis Indians
2B Marco Luciano 2-3, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB, K throwing error — produced half the hits and all the ribbies, but the rest of the offense didn’t do much DH Yanquiel Fernández 0-4, 2 K, GIDP C Garrett Martin 0-4, K 3B Tyler Hardman 0-3, BB, K 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. 1-4, K SS Jonathan Ornelas 0-3, K C Payton Henry 0-3, K LF Duke Ellis 0-3, K, picked off RF Kenedy Corona 1-3, 2B
Brendan Beck 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 5 K Angel Chivilli 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K Eric Reyzelman 0.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 1 K — hooboy, tough birthday for Reyzelman; the first two hits were infield singles, but he then walked a guy another hit before getting pulled Dylan Coleman 0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K — allowed a single and a walk-off walk to seal the rough loss
Marco Luciano Night ⚡️💣
The leadoff batter goes oppo 402 ft. and 105.3 mph off the bat with his SECOND homer of the game to put SWB back on top!#RepBXpic.twitter.com/TdIWiLqjEo
Double-A Somerset Patriots:L, 5-6 (7) and W, 5-1 (7) at New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Game 1
RF Jackson Castillo 0-2, 2 BB, K CF Jace Avina 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI — double put Somerset ahead in the third DH DJ Gladney 0-3, BB, K 1B Nicholas Torres 1-3, BB, RBI, K 3B Coby Morales 2-3, 2B, RBI, GIDP C Tomas Frick 1-3 LF Josh Moylan 0-3, 2 K SS Kevin Verde 0-2, K PH Miguel Palma 1-1, RBI — tied game with pinch-hit single in the sixth 2B Santiago Gomez 0-0 2B-SS Connor McGinnis 1-2, 2B, BB, GIDP
Chase Hampton 3.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 4 K, 2 pickoff errors — not his day Chris Kean 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 3 K Trent Sellers 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K (loss) — allowed walk-off double to Hedbert Perez
RF Jackson Castillo 1-4, 2B, RBI DH Jace Avina 1-4, 2 K CF DJ Gladney 0-4, 2 K 1B Nicholas Torres 0-3, K 3B Coby Morales 0-1, 2 BB C Manny Palencia 0-3, 2 K LF Josh Moylan 1-2, 2B, BB, K SS Kevin Verde 1-2, RBI — tied it up in the fifth with an RBI single PH Miguel Palma 1-1, RBI — drove in go-ahead run in the seventh, second big pinch-hit of the day 2B Santiago Gomez 0-0 2B-SS Connor McGinnis 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI — two-run double added in four-run seventh
Ben Hess 4.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, HR — only hit allowed was a solo shot in the third, now up to 65 pitches in gradual buildup Tony Rossi 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K (win) Harrison Cohen 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Ben Hess (@Yankees No. 5 Prospect) worked into the fifth inning for the first time since coming off the 7-day IL. 🤩
3B Jackson Lovich 2-4, 2B, BB, RBI, K — doubled in three-run second CF Brando Mayea 1-4, BB, 2 K, SB LF Luis Puello 2-5, RBI, CS 1B Hans Montero 0-3, 2 BB, SB — scored a run after swiping third on a strikeout and bad throw SS Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek 1-5, 2B, RBI, 2 K — doubled in three-run first DH Engelth Urena 0-4, RBI, 2 K 2B Luis Escudero 0-2, 2 BB, K C Ediel Rivera 0-2, BB, K, HBP RF Gabriel Lara 1-4
Tyler Boudreau 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K, HBP (win) — shutout effort from 2025 UFA out of Texas Tech, 10 swings and misses Brian Hendry 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K — no-hit relief to close it out
Florida Complex League Yankees:W, 3-2 (7) vs. FCL Blue Jays
3B Richard Matic 0-4, 3 K LF Wilberson De Pena 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI — put Yanks up with two-run double in the fifth C Queni Pineda 1-3, K — opposing catcher committed an error to allow walk-off run to score in final frame 2B Leni Done 1-2, SB, HBP CF Jose Castro 0-3, K DH Francisco Vilorio 1-3, SB SS Dexters Peralta 0-2, IBB, 2 K RF Estivenzon Montero 0-3, GIDP 1B Christofer Reyes 1-2, BB, K, SB — walked, stole second, and moved to third on a fliner in last inning
Dominican Summer League Yankees:W, 7-2 at DSL Miami
CF Isaias Castillo 1-3, 2 BB, 2 K SS Stiven Marinez 1-3, BB, 2 K, SB, CS, HBP RF Yostin Pena 1-2, 3 BB, 2 RBI — drew game-tying walk, which turned out to score two because of a throwing error by the other catcher; ah, the DSL 2B Juan Torres 0-4, BB, 2 K DH Juan Martinez 0-5, RBI C Cesar Lopez 0-4, BB, SB LF Manuel Aguilar 1-5, 2B, K, SB 3B Abrahan Pichardo 1-3, BB, 2 K, SB 1B Edgar Jimenez 2-4, 2B, K, fielding error
Jhon Beltre 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, HBP Yunior Jerez 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K (win) — dynamic relief, great work in essentially his fourth piggyback start Breidy Adames 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 3 K — pro debut for June 16th IFA signee
Dominican Summer League Bombers:W, 11-6 vs. DSL Nationals
CF Alfiery Matos 1-3, 2 BB, RBI, 3 SB — both of the top two hitters in the lineup had three steals, nine on the day for Bombers despite one pickoff 2B Carlos Bello 0-4, BB, K, 3 SB C Alessandro Rodriguez 0-4, BB, K RF David Carrera 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI, SF, SB — double broke it open a bit for the final Bomber runs SS Germayhoni Beltre 1-4, HR, BB, RBI, fielding error — first pro homer gave Bombers lead in the fifth DH Poly Ojeda 1-3, BB, K 1B Stalen Ramirez 1-3, HR, BB, 3 RBI, K, fielding error — first pro homer tied game at 5-5 in the fourth 3B Adrian Feliz 1-4, K, GIDP, SB, throwing error, picked off LF Eddison Charles 2-4, 3B, K, SB
Brandy Luis 1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 0 K — pro debut for June 19th IFA signee Sebastian Castillo 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, HR, WP — oddly got the only K’s of the day for Bombers Ronald Tejada 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K (win) Chaury Gomez 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K Oscar Vasquez 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 7: Pitcher Jack Flaherty #9 of the Detroit Tigers during the second inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park on June 7, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Detroit Tigers fell short in their quest to take the lead in a four-game home series against the Houston Astros on Saturday afternoon, coughing up a late lead en route to an 8-6 defeat.
Framber Valdez struggled against his old team, but the offense looked strong for the second straight game. Unfortunately, Will Vest was unable to hold on, surrendering three runs in the eighth to doom the Olde English D.
Toeing the rubber in the series finale on Sunday afternoon is right-hander Jack Flaherty, who makes his return to the mound after missing time on the injured list with abductor inflammation. The 30-year-old made one rehab start in Double-A Erie, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts across 5⅔ innings on 83 pitches.
Flaherty was on the IL when the Tigers faced the Astros in Houston last week. In his two games before being shelved, he posted a bloated 5.63 ERA but a tidy 1.85 FIP, allowing nine hits and two walks while striking out eight over eight frames of work.
For the visitors, fellow righty Hunter Brown will be making his fifth start of the season. The 27-year-old has allowed one run or less in his four appearances so far, but only made it through three innings his last time out against the Toronto Blue Jays, surrendering a solo home run along with three other hits and two walks while striking out four and hitting a pair of batters for a no-decision in a 4-2 team loss.
Brown looked sharp against the Tigers in Houston last week, throwing 5 2/3 frames of one-run ball on three hits and three walks while striking out seven for a no-decision in a 4-2 team win.
Here is a quick look at how the two match up on Sunday afternoon inside Comerica Park.
Detroit Tigers (35-48) vs. Houston Astros (41-44)
Time (ET): 1:40 p.m. Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan SB Nation Site:The Crawfish Boxes Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 84: RHP Jack Flaherty (1-8, 5.35 ERA) vs. RHP Hunter Brown (1-0, 1.40 ERA)
SACRAMENTO, CA - NOVEMBER 24: Naz Reid #11 and Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves look on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on November 24, 2025 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
To say it has been a shocking week for the Minnesota Timberwolves would be selling it incredibly short.
Heading into the NBA Draft, this offseason had all the makings of being a fairly quiet one for Minnesota. The Wolves were sitting on the 28th overall pick in the first round, the Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors appeared to be drifting toward destinations like Miami or Boston, and there wasn’t much to suggest that Tim Connelly was preparing to light a match under the roster.
Then, in classic NBA fashion, everything happened at once.
Shortly before the draft, news broke that Julius Randle was headed to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a three-team trade involving the Chicago Bulls. The move itself wasn’t necessarily the surprise. After Randle’s disappointing postseason, there had been growing consensus throughout Wolves Nation that Minnesota needed to explore moving him. The surprising part wasn’t that Randle was traded. It was what Minnesota received in return.
Or perhaps more accurately…what they didn’t receive.
Instead of bringing back another established player, the Timberwolves essentially used Randle as a salary dump. Minnesota also shipped out the 28th overall pick while receiving Brooklyn’s 31st selection back in return, moving from the back end of the first round to the top of the second. The immediate return consisted primarily of financial flexibility, a sizeable trade exception, and breathing room beneath the apron restrictions.
From a purely financial standpoint, the move made perfect sense. The move gave Minnesota the flexibility to extend an generous offer to Ayo Dosunmu, who had established himself as an important piece after arriving from Chicago at the trade deadline. Sliding from the 28th pick to the 31st pick also reduced the financial commitment attached to the incoming rookie while still allowing the Wolves to select a player in virtually the same talent tier. If you view the transaction through the lens of roster construction and cap management, you could certainly understand the logic.
The emotional reaction, however, was something entirely different. Julius Randle represented arguably the Wolves’ biggest trade asset. Fans had spent the better part of the spring dreaming about him being packaged in a blockbuster that addressed Minnesota’s glaring need at point guard. Instead, they watched the team’s second-best player disappear into a financial vacuum. Even supporters who understood the salary-cap mechanics couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed.
That disappointment showed up immediately in our SB Nation Reacts poll.
Only 35 percent of Timberwolves fans approved of the Julius Randle trade in the immediate aftermath. The result wasn’t particularly surprising.nViewed in isolation, the trade looked underwhelming. Fans naturally evaluate transactions by asking one simple question: “Did we get better?” At that particular moment, it was impossible to answer yes. The Wolves had lost one of their most talented offensive players, slid back in the draft, and had not yet solved their biggest roster issue. It wasn’t difficult to understand why nearly two-thirds of the fan base felt frustrated.
The important part, though, was recognizing that Tim Connelly almost certainly wasn’t finished. General managers rarely create that much financial flexibility without another move already brewing. Salary dumps don’t happen in a vacuum, especially for contenders. They’re usually the first domino, not the last one.
As it turns out, Wolves fans didn’t have to wait very long for the second domino to fall. Just days later, Minnesota completely reshaped its roster by acquiring LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets. In order to make that happen, the Timberwolves packaged Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, multiple pick swaps, and additional second-round selections to Charlotte. Suddenly, the seemingly confusing Randle trade snapped into focus.
Looking at the entire sequence instead of judging each transaction independently, Minnesota had effectively turned Julius Randle, Naz Reid, future draft considerations, and modest draft positioning into LaMelo Ball while simultaneously creating the financial flexibility necessary to retain Ayo Dosunmu.
Now the picture looked very different. Last season, the defining characteristic of the Timberwolves roster was overwhelming frontcourt depth paired with an obvious weakness at point guard. Rudy Gobert, Naz Reid, and Julius Randle were three starting-caliber frontcourt players competing for minutes while Mike Conley continued to age and Anthony Edwards was forced to shoulder increasing ball-handling responsibilities.
That imbalance finally reached a breaking point during the postseason. Against San Antonio, Minnesota desperately needed another creator capable of organizing the offense when defenses loaded up on Edwards. The Wolves could bully teams physically, but they struggled to consistently generate quality offense against elite defensive pressure. It became painfully obvious that while Minnesota possessed an abundance of size, they lacked enough creators.
Connelly clearly agreed, and now the equation has completely flipped. Instead of having too many frontcourt players and not enough guards, the Timberwolves suddenly have a collection of capable guards while creating an obvious hole at power forward. Outside of Rudy Gobert and Joan Beringer, there isn’t much size remaining. Whether Beringer is ready for meaningful NBA minutes immediately remains to be seen, and it seems highly unlikely Tim Connelly considers the current roster a finished product. There almost has to be another move coming. Whether that’s another trade, a veteran free-agent signing, or a smaller depth acquisition remains unknown, but it’s difficult to imagine Minnesota entering training camp with so few established rotational big men.
That’s why judging the offseason today probably misses the point. This feels much more like Chapter Two than the final chapter. What is already clear, however, is the philosophical shift.
The Timberwolves have gotten younger. They’ve gotten faster. They’ve gotten considerably more explosive. And perhaps most importantly, they’ve addressed the roster imbalance that had become increasingly difficult to ignore. LaMelo Ball is one of the league’s most gifted passers, capable of throwing passes that most players don’t even see, let alone attempt. It will be fascinating to watch what that means for Anthony Edwards, who suddenly won’t face quite as much responsibility initiating the offense. It could unlock another level for Jaden McDaniels as a cutter. It could create easier baskets for Rudy Gobert, who has spent much of his Wolves tenure waiting for consistent lob opportunities that never quite materialized. Even role players stand to benefit from playing alongside a point guard who naturally elevates everyone around him.
It’s easy to understand why only 35 percent of the fan base approved of the Julius Randle trade when it happened. If the story had ended there, the criticism would have been justified, but basketball transactions rarely exist in isolation. They’re chapters in a larger narrative, and once the LaMelo Ball deal arrived, the opening chapter suddenly looked much more intentional than reactionary. What initially appeared to be a disappointing salary dump now looks more like the financial maneuver that made the franchise’s biggest offseason move possible.
Whether it ultimately works is another conversation entirely. LaMelo has his own injury history to overcome. Minnesota still needs frontcourt reinforcements. Chemistry will have to develop. Chris Finch will have to reshape the offense around a dramatically different roster. There are legitimate questions still waiting to be answered.
But one thing is beyond debate. The Timberwolves are going to look very different when they take the floor for the 2026-27 season. After several years of building around overwhelming size, Tim Connelly has decided to attack the league from the opposite direction. Whether that gamble ultimately pushes Minnesota over the championship hump remains to be seen, but at the very least, this offseason has already become a lot more interesting than anyone expected when June began.
Somehow, I still don’t think Tim Connelly is finished.
Neither does FanDuel Sportsbook, who has raised Minnesota’s 2027 title odds to +2200, a significant bump from the +3000 before the LaMelo trade.
