At age 37, Staal became the oldest player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Beyond the goal streak and the record, Staal was a defensive stalwart in the playoffs, shutting down Vegas star Jack Eichel among others.
Staal's streak, which ended in Game 6, tied him with Hall of Famers Yyan Cournoyer, Jean Beliveau, Maurice "Rocket" Richard and Fred "Cyclone" Taylor.
Staal picked up the second Stanley Cup title in his career. He also won with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, setting the mark for longest stretch between championships at 17 years. The previous mark of 16 years was held by Chris Chelios (1986 to 2002).
He got to lift the Stanley Cup first this time as Hurricanes captain. He handed off to Frederik Andersen, who helped the Hurricanes reach the final with stellar play in the first three rounds.
The 53-year wait was over. But there was still a bit of business to attend to before Jalen Brunson could begin to celebrate.
It was fitting. He finished the job the same way he conducted himself throughout the whole process.
With class. With humility. With champion identity.
Immediately after the final buzzer of the Knicks’ 94-90 Game 5 win over the Spurs on Saturday night at the Frost Bank Center, which secured their first championship since 1973, Brunson — as euphoria erupted around him — made his way from the bench over to Spurs coach Mitch Johnson to shake hands and exchange a few words. Brunson had not yet smiled or exhaled. Sportsmanship came first.
It wasn’t until Brunson’s dad, Rick, grabbed him by the shoulder that the weight of the moment hit him. That he fully grasped what he and the Knicks had just done.
“I turned around and my dad was there, and I felt emotional from that point on,” Brunson said. “Then I just remember Josh [Hart] talking into my ear, and him just saying, like, ‘We did it! We did it!’ And then I was emotional for a good, like, five, 10 minutes, and then the excitement started to kick in.”
That’s when the party truly kicked off.
It wouldn’t be long until the BAC levels rose. Until Ariel Hukporti made himself the MVP of the festivities. Until Jeremy Sochan’s shirt came off and stayed off. Until coach Mike Brown was barking, “Who let the dogs out?!”
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates on the court with his teammates after becoming the 2026 NBA Finals Champions. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
By the time media got into the Knicks locker room, it immediately brought back memories of the mornings after frat parties in college — the wet and sticky floors, the empty bottles (Michelob Ultra beers, Moët & Chandon champagne and Patrón tequila were the main choices) and wafts of cigar smoke. Everyone was scattered around the bowels of the arena — between the locker room, the court, the interview rooms and the hallways in between.
The players and coaches with kids held them in their arms. The ones who didn’t held their drinks. Ben Stiller held something different — Brown’s whiteboard, given to him as a souvenir. Stiller grasped it tightly as if someone was going to try to steal it at any moment.
This was a team that was obsessively locked in the entire postseason. They would hardly even acknowledge their series leads or the unprecedented nature of their dominance. They repeated “0-0” as if they were hypnotized.
James Dolan celebrates with his team after becoming the 2026 NBA Finals Champions. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
“People don’t understand, we don’t really talk about it, the weight of that jersey, the expectations, the pressure of that jersey,” Hart said. “And, today, right now, it’s the lightest it’s ever felt.”
The rowdiest of the group were a few who almost never saw the court — Hukporti, Sochan, Mohamed Diawara and Pacôme Dadiet. They crashed the stars’ news conferences. They tried making half-court shots with the golden championship balls everyone was given. They playfully told their teammates it was enough family time and not enough party time.
When Mikal Bridges was speaking, Hukporti repeated “f–k them picks” a few times, a shot at all those who criticized the Knicks’ decision to send five first-rounders to the Nets to acquire Bridges.
“I got something to say,” Hukporti said. “You guys still listening? About them picks — we’re not leaving — man, we got him out of Brooklyn! Look at him now, you’re a champion! Look at him now. Everybody doubting your s–t. Ain’t take nobody from me. Hey, f–k them picks! F–k them picks!”
Jalen Brunson #11, with his dad Rick Brunson, after the Knicks defeated the Spurs to win the NBA Championship. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
OG Anunoby, the hero of Game 4, walked around with sunglasses glued to his head and a stoic demeanor stuck on his face. Karl-Anthony Towns, the one who carried the Larry O’Brien Trophy off of the court, called him “Mr. Aura.”
But Towns also shared a few more serious moments, reflecting on his late mother, who passed during the pandemic, and his father, who has made it a point to be there for every step of his journey.
“Shoutout to him and to my mom, too,” Towns said, “because she had a lot of hours where they didn’t see me and trusted in me, and my pops was really putting it in at work and was trusting that we were going to make something special out of this.”
Back on the court, Sochan had taken control of the Knicks’ social media team’s camera and was following Hart. The two bickered about Arsenal and Chelsea, like they did for countless hours in the locker room throughout the year. Eventually, Hart begged Sochan to “leave me alone.”
And it all ended the way it started — with Brunson showing his and this Knicks team’s character.
When he got to the podium, he rhetorically asked, “Do I be myself, or do I talk my s–t?”
Of course, he chose the former. The question came about Becky Hammon’s now-infamous claim that Brunson would never be good enough to be the best player on a title team. Brunson could have used the moment as an opportunity for long-awaited gloating.
“I didn’t respond to them then,” Brunson said, “and I’m damn sure not going to respond to them now.”
The celebrations were cathartic. But, true to this team’s identity, they let their play talk loudest.
For most people familiar with the Utah Jazz, the answer to who the Jazz will select with the No. 2 overall pick comes down to whoever the Washington Wizards don’t select: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson.
But one prominent NBA media figure seems dead set in his stance that the Jazz will select Duke big man Cameron Boozer. For Bill Simmons, it’s not if the Jazz take Boozer, it’s when.
“I would bet anything AJ (Dybantsa) is the first pick… and I think Boozer goes two,” Simmons said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” on Saturday night.
This wasn’t the first time that Simmons expressed his confidence in the Jazz selecting Boozer. On a June 8 episode of his podcast, Simmons expressed his hunch that Boozer would end up in Utah.
“I think Danny (Ainge) is such a wildcard at second,” Simmons said. “He did it with (Jayson) Tatum, he did it with (Jaylen) Brown, he did it when he was going to take Durant, he over and over again looks at the high end talent guys and is able to project them. You would think it’s going to happen with Peterson, but I think there’s too many red flags. I think he’s going to stay away from Peterson. I could see him taking Boozer at two. That would be my minus-130 bet right now. I might be wrong, but I really think they’re gonna take Boozer, I do. I can’t explain it.”
Later on, Simmons explained that the Jazz’s front office knows the families of Dybantsa and Boozer incredibly well, know that the two like playing in Utah — something that should never be taken for granted — and that Peterson is too much of a wildcard to take a swing on.
J. Kyle Mann, an NBA draft analyst for The Ringer who was Simmons’ guest on the June 8 episode did not echo this sentiment.
“I think the Jazz will take Peterson. I’ve heard they like Peterson, I’ve heard Danny likes Peterson,” Mann said.
Boozer was the national player of the year in his lone collegiate season at Duke, averaging an insane freshman stat line of 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Boozer’s high IQ and rebounding are two of his biggest strengths, while his defense and perceived lower athletic ability leave some teams hesitant on drafting the former Blue Devil.
The NBA Draft will be held on June 23 at 8 ET in Brooklyn, N.Y.
TORONTO — Over the course of nine innings Sunday, José Caballero played second base, third base and left field, got into his almost-daily argument with the home plate umpire over his usage of the pitch clock, and then capped it all off by crushing a 420-foot home run.
“We got the full experience today,” manager Aaron Boone said with a chuckle after the Yankees’ 8-3 win over the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. “He got the right level of ticked off to really lock him in there.”
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And while Caballero’s day ended on a high note with the three-run homer in the ninth inning that gave the Yankees some breathing room — which he clearly enjoyed with a slow trot around the bases — his latest spat with the umpires was not a laughing matter.
With the game tied in the sixth inning, Caballero began arguing with home plate umpire Steve Jaschinski before Spencer Miles could even throw him a pitch. The root of the issue, as it normally is with Caballero, is how he uses the timing rules to his advantage — purposely not looking up at the pitcher until there are eight seconds left on the clock, which is the cutoff time for engagement. Pitchers cannot come set until the hitter has acknowledged them.
But Caballero said Jaschinski told him that “if I looked down, he was going to call a strike on me.”
“They’ve been changing the rules without any warnings ahead [of time],” Caballero said. “I don’t know why they’re doing that. The rules are the rules. Nobody wanted the rules. They invented the rules. They should take care of it. I’m just trying to play with the new system that they got us playing in, it’s not like I invented the rules.”
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, left, gestures to Yankees’ José Caballero, center, as he exchanges views with second base umpire John Tumpane, right, during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Sunday June 14, 2026. Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP
After Caballero’s extended conversation with Jaschinski — which eventually included crew chief John Tumpane and Boone and got heated at times — Tumpane announced that Caballero received a warning for “intentionally delaying” the game.
Caballero said he just wants clarity on the rules because they are not being enforced consistently. Boone added that he expects to speak with the league about the issue.
“I do the same thing over and over, even from the windup, even from the stretch,” Caballero said. “It’s not my fault the pitchers rush a little bit. You can tell every time the pitchers don’t rush, it’s no problem at all. But whenever they get people on and they start thinking faster and they rush, then that’s when the problem comes.
José Caballero #72 of the New York Yankees reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run to score in Jasson Domínguez #24 and Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 (not pictured) in the ninth inning of their MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on June 14, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Getty Images
“But that’s not my fault. I do the same thing over and over. Please, come out here and tell us the actual rule, because I’m kind of confused at this point.”
Giancarlo Stanton will undergo tests Monday to determine how much of a setback he had in his calf after tweaking it running recently. He is no longer expected to return during the upcoming homestand, as he initially was, but it remains to be seen how much more time this will cost him on the injured list.
“He did have a little bit of a setback, to a similar area in the calf,” Boone said Sunday. “I think it’s clearly going to slow him down a little bit. To what level, I don’t know yet.”
Austin Wells (cervical headaches) will “probably” play in some rehab games this week, Boone said, before he is activated off the injured list. He is first eligible to do so Tuesday.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. started the day out of the lineup, with Boone saying he has been beaten up of late — including fouling a ball off his toe earlier this week. But Chisholm entered as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning and walked in all three plate appearances.
Former Calgary Flames first-round pick Mark Jankowski is now a Stanley Cup champion, winning the game's grandest prize with the Carolina Hurricanes. On Sunday night, the visiting Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, winning the finale 3-0.
Jankowski played four seasons with Calgary, making his NHL debut at 22 in 2016-17. Moreover, his first NHL goal came on a pass from the legendary Jaromir Jagr. Eventually, he left the club via free agency, signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
After that one season in Pittsburgh, Jankowski took turns with the Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators before settling in with the Hurricanes in 2024-25.
During the 2025-26 season, he played 68 games with 11 goals and 21 points. In Carolina's run to the championship, he tallied one goal with four assists in 19 playoff games. Through 10 seasons in the NHL, Jankowski has 79 goals and 145 points in 482 career games.
Meanwhile, Jankowski beat two of his former Calgary teammates, Rasmus Andersson and Noah Hanifin, who were members of the Golden Knights.
Jun 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes celebrate the win against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Lucas Peltier/Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
LAS VEGAS — The Carolina Hurricanes won their first Stanley Cup championship in 20 years on Sunday night, using a suffocating defense in Game 6 to shut down the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 and winning three straight games of a thrilling final filled with momentum swings and spectacular offense.
Brandon Bussi, whose entrance late into Game 3 helped turn around the series for Carolina, recorded his first career playoff shutout in stopping 22 shots. Jackson Blake had a goal and assist, and Taylor Hall scored just 3:47 into the game to set the tone. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal.
The Golden Knights, who made an unlikely run just to reach the final, struggled badly to muster any kind of offense in Game 6 and went 18:37 between shots on goal in the second and third periods. Playing in their third Cup final, this is the first time they have been shut out.
This clinching game was what many observers expected the series to be like between the defensive-minded teams, but each side watched leads of two-plus goals disappear in the first three games.
Now, the Cup belongs to the Hurricanes, led by coach Rod Brind’Amour, who also captained Carolina to its 2006 title.
This was the first game of the series that Vegas goalie Carter Hart didn’t allow four goals in a game. He finished with 20 saves.
The Hurricanes began to assume control of the series after falling behind by the score of 4-0 in Game 3. They came back force overtime, and though the Canes lost, they outplayed the Golden Knights from there on out.
Reflecting the do-or-die situation for the Golden Knights, they made several lineup changes, with Brett Howden replacing the injured William Karlsson at second-line center. Mitch Marner could have moved there, but remained at right wing.
Original Golden Knight Reilly Smith made his Cup final debut at third-line right wing and Braeden Bowman made his playoff debut at fourth-line right wing. Kaedan Korczak replaced Dyland Coghlan on the third defensive pairing.
The Winnipeg product completed a lifelong dream on Sunday night, helping lead the Carolina Hurricanes to the top of the hockey world with a four-games-to-two Stanley Cup Final victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.
Game Six concluded by way of a 3-0 final for Carolina on the road.
Photo by Nathan Seebeck/USA Today
For the 24-year-old forward, the championship marks the crowning achievement of what has already become one of Manitoba’s most impressive hockey stories.
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Jarvis has quickly developed from a promising local talent into one of the NHL’s brightest young stars. After starring with the Winnipeg Monarchs and the RINK Hockey Academy, Jarvis moved west to continue his development with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks.
Selected 13th overall by Carolina in the 2020 NHL Draft, the former Assiniboine Park Ranger wasted little time establishing himself as a key piece of the Hurricanes’ core.
Known for his relentless motor, competitiveness and ability to produce in big moments, Jarvis has become exactly the type of player teams need to win in the postseason — and this spring, he proved it.
After years of knocking on the door, Carolina finally broke through.
The Hurricanes had been one of the NHL’s most consistent contenders in recent seasons, but repeatedly fell short of the ultimate goal. With Jarvis playing a major role, Carolina finally pushed past that barrier and captured the franchise’s first Stanley Cup since 2006.
He concluded the postseason with four goals and 11 points, including a huge overtime, game-winner in the second game of the Stanley Cup Final.
For Manitoba hockey fans, the victory adds another name to the province’s long list of Stanley Cup champions.
Jarvis joins a proud group of Winnipeg-born players who have lifted hockey’s greatest prize, adding his name to the most famous trophy in sports.
From playing minor hockey in Winnipeg to skating a Stanley Cup lap on the NHL’s biggest stage, Jarvis’ journey represents another major success story for Manitoba’s hockey community.
And at just 24 years old, there may still be plenty more to come.
Nikolaj Ehlers’ first season away from Winnipeg ended exactly the way every NHL player dreams.
After spending the first decade of his career chasing a Stanley Cup with the Winnipeg Jets, Ehlers finally reached hockey’s summit in his first season with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The former Jets forward became a Stanley Cup champion Sunday night, helping Carolina defeat the Vegas Golden Knights four games to two and capture the franchise’s first championship since 2006. The Canes picked up a shutout win in Game 6 in Vegas on Sunday.
For Ehlers, it was the easiest goal of the playoffs, but the most important. He pumped the puck into the empty net with 1:08 remaining, as he finished off the Golden Knights by way of the 3-0 final.
Photo by Lucas Peltier/USA Today
It was a storybook ending to a whirlwind year for the Danish winger.
Originally selected ninth overall by Winnipeg in the 2014 NHL Draft, Ehlers spent 10 seasons as one of the most dynamic offensive players in Jets history.
With his elite skating ability, creativity and game-breaking speed, Ehlers became a fan favourite in Manitoba and one of the most productive players to ever wear a Jets 2.0 jersey.
During his time in Winnipeg, Ehlers appeared in more than 600 regular-season games and recorded more than 500 points, placing himself among the franchise’s all-time leaders in several offensive categories.
But despite multiple strong Jets teams, playoff success proved difficult to find.
Winnipeg advanced to the Western Conference Final in 2018 and remained competitive throughout Ehlers’ tenure, but the group was never able to take the final step.
"I loved being in Winnipeg," an emotional Ehlers said post-game. "This was the dream there. I'm obviously sad I wasn't able to do that with the guys in Winnipeg and the city of Winnipeg. They hold a special place in my heart. They're family."
"The whole organization gave me a shot at playing in the NHL. I couldn't be more thankful. Like I said, it was a hard decision this summer. I loved my 10 years in Winnipeg. It was a special time."
Following his departure from the Jets, Ehlers joined a Hurricanes team built around speed, pressure and depth - a system perfectly suited for his skill set.
The fit was immediate.
Carolina’s aggressive style allowed Ehlers to thrive, while his offensive creativity gave the Hurricanes another dangerous weapon as they pushed toward a championship.
For Jets fans, the moment is likely bittersweet.
Ehlers spent years trying to bring a Stanley Cup to Winnipeg and remained one of the organization’s most beloved players throughout his time with the franchise. While the championship did not come in a Jets uniform, one of the most popular players in team history finally got his moment.
Ehlers concluded the postseason with eight goals and 18 points for the Hurricanes.
After years of playoff heartbreak, injuries and near misses, Ehlers’ wait is over. The Dashing Dane is a Stanley Cup champion.
New York Mets Francisco Lindor sits in the dugout in the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Queens, NY.
Francisco Lindor has taken another step in his recovery from a strained left calf that’s sidelined him since April, as the shortstop has begun running the bases.
It’s one of the latest signs that Lindor expects to be back soon, even as he opts not to publicly disclose a potential return date.
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But as The Post’s Jon Heyman reported, Lindor could be back by the third week of June, which is quickly approaching, and president of baseball operations David Stearns noted they expect him back by the end of the month.
If the Mets really do intend to turn around what’s been a rotten first few months of the season, they’ll need their star shortstop to be there — and productive.
Lindor is in his sixth season with the Mets. He and his family live in Manhattan, and the 32-year-old understands the pulse of the city.
“It’s a great moment to be a New York sports fan,’’ Lindor told The Post on Sunday when the Mets beat the Braves 8-1 to win the series. “I’m proud of that group. All they talked about after they won last night is how they played for each other.”
New York Mets Francisco Lindor sits in the dugout in the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field, Friday, June 12, 2026, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Like these Mets, the Knicks were down a long time before finally getting the title, as James Dolan said immediately after the clincher, when he apologized for the championship having taken so long to return to New York.
“Even the owner said it,’’ Lindor said. “We know what it’s like. We don’t need more inspiration, but something like that, seeing them win, of course it motivates us as players and is inspiring. Want to win here and when you have history being made in this city like they did, it gives you goose bumps and gets you excited for the ‘what ifs.’ ”
New York Mets Francisco Lindor in the dugout in the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field, Monday, May 25, 2026, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
For those “what ifs” to have a chance to become reality, Lindor has to get back on the field and return to form.
Lindor was 7-for-17 with a pair of extra-base hits in his final five games before he suffered the calf injury the same day that Juan Soto returned from his own strained calf.
Without the superstars paired in the lineup, the Mets offense has mostly slumped, although there have been encouraging signs of late.
He’ll continue to rehab from the injury this week, Carlos Mendoza said prior to the game, and the Mets will see how he responds before a potential minor league rehab stint since he hasn’t played in nearly two months.
The Mets clearly haven’t played well in his absence, but they haven’t completely folded, with the hope that Lindor’s presence back on the roster could rejuvenate the team, which has severely underperformed.
With Lindor returning to short, Bo Bichette would shift back to third, leaving Brett Baty to play against certain right-handed pitchers, and Jared Young would likely stay at first base, at least for now.
DALLAS, TEXAS - JANUARY 24: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers is defended by Daniel Gafford #21 of the Dallas Mavericks during the first half at American Airlines Center on January 24, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. 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 Sam Hodde/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers’ search for a center this summer is going to require them to find someone who can be the yin to Luka Dončić‘s yang as a pick-and-roll partner.
What better way to ensure a successful partnership than finding someone who already flourished alongside him?
While a trade with the Mavs may have once seemed unlikely, a complete rehaul of the front office and coaching staff almost certainly makes it more of a possibility moving forward. And a player they have been linked to, even in the aftermath of the Luka trade, has been Daniel Gafford.
The big man was a key piece of the Mavs’ run to the Finals and looked great alongside Luka. However, with the Mavs entering a new era led by Cooper Flagg, he could be one of the players the team looks to move on from.
In a recent article on his Substack, longtime NBA beat writer Marc Stein named Gafford as one of the veterans the Mavs are open to moving.
“Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, as we speak, are the veterans that the Mavericks are seen as most open to trading … with Thompson drawing particular notice now that he’s entering the final season of his current contract valued at $17.5 million in 2026-27.”
One of the biggest selling points about Gafford is his contract. He’s set to make $17.2 million next season and is under contract through the 2028-29 season. That is a contract that is easy to find a trade package for that works financially.
On the flip side, perhaps the biggest downside for Gafford is his availability. He’s played just 57 and 55 games in the last two seasons. That said, he had three consecutive seasons of at least 70 games played just prior to that stretch.
If the Lakers are comfortable rolling the dice on his health, as they were with Marcus Smart last season, then a deal could be reached this summer. Pairing Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt gets the Lakers into the range of matching salaries.
It would be a gamble for the Lakers to make a deal for Gafford, but it’s also a player who has had success with Luka. Is that enough to make them roll the dice and take the risk?
We're less than two weeks away from the start of the 2026 NHL Draft, and one player who could be on the Pittsburgh Penguins' radar is defenseman Tommy Bleyl.
Bleyl played for the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL during the 2025-26 season and put up some ridiculous numbers, finishing with 13 goals and 81 points in 63 games. His season was so impressive that he won the Defenseman of the Year Award in the QMJHL.
He was also fantastic in the playoffs, compiling six goals and 28 points in 21 games. This was his first season with the Wildcats, and he made sure it was a memorable one.
The first thing that jumps out about his game is his shoot-first mentality. He loves to shoot from the point and look for deflections from his teammates. However, when he has time, he can really rifle the puck, and one of my favorite examples came from a Wildcats game against the Cape Breton Eagles. Bleyl took a pass at the center of the blue line, skated in a little bit, and absolutely sniped the puck to give his team a 2-1 lead.
Bleyl's also an exceptional skater and can get going on a dime. A great example of this was also from a game between the Wildcats and Eagles when Bleyl corralled the puck in his own zone and started skating down the left side. He gained the red line with ease before skating into the offensive zone and made a beautiful power move to the front of the net while protecting the puck on his backhand. At the last second, he moved the puck to his forehand and rifled it top shelf to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Another example of this came during a Wildcats' game against the Val-d'Or Foreurs. He started behind his own cage and came across his own blue lines before skating through the entire penalty kill by himself. The play ended with Bleyl going to his backhand for a beautiful goal.
These two plays are just a taste of what he can do as a skater. The skating mechanics are great and they allow him to do things with the puck that others can't.
Bleyl quarterbacked the top power play throughout the year and did an excellent job. He has great vision from the point, allowing him to find passing lanes as soon as they open. He can make players miss with some really smooth moves and knows when to activate deeper in the offensive zone.
The offensive game is all there, whether it's his release, skating, playmaking, or stickhandling. Heck, his transition game is also spectacular to watch.
Defensively, he has an active stick in his own zone, allowing him to win some battles along the boards. His gap control is also solid and helps disrupt players as they try to come into the zone with control. He could still be better at defending in front of his own net, but that will probably come as he gets bigger and puts on more muscle. For reference, he's listed at only 170 lbs, but that should change when he plays for Michigan State.
Michigan State is a great place for Bleyl to go to since it's one of the top college hockey programs in the country and has a history of developing some really good NHL players.
Like a few of the other players I have profiled, I'd be more than comfortable with the Penguins taking Bleyl with the No. 22 pick if he's still on the board.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 04: A view of the center court logo is seen prior to the game between the Denver Nuggets and the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on January 04, 2026 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 Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We’ve tried to write this in our head more than a few times after last night, but each time we failed. Some times our thoughts were too negative. Other times too positive. So we took a different tack.
In the end, it is what it is and overall, there was an indisputable wonder to it all. New York erupted last night in ways we can’t ever remember. This city, so often under siege in the last quarter century, felt a collective relief. not a sigh but rather an extended, sustained joy. Much of it was the joy of youth, but it was more than that. The community pride that pulls New Yorkers of all ages, genders, races, ethnicity, origin through the tough days and nights was palpable. The civic religion of basketball, so deliriously described in The City Game about a past Knicks title, once again showed itself. It was grand.
Critics can and will say the fans of the Brooklyn Nets are left in the inevitably irrelevant lurch because this day is solely the property of the long-suffering New York Knicks fans. There is indeed a strong case for that. The Nets are at the NBA’s opposite pole from their neighbors. But at least in our mind, that’s secondary. Individual team and player fortunes rise and fall, sometimes inexplicably and at a moment’s notice. We know this. So do the more honest of the Knick fans. But the city goes on forever. We love New York and we love hoops so we’re happy for it and congratulate the Knicks and their fans.
And hope our time will come soon, just as it came for them, just as it came for the Liberty last year after 28 years of futility. Will the city react the same as it did last night should the Nets win? Almost certainly not. The Knicks have been part of the city for 80 years, the Nets 15. The Knicks play in midtown Manhattan, the center of the known universe, the Nets in Brooklyn, hip and hot but … It is what it is. Like we said.
Bottom line for the Brooklyn Nets in all of this is that they decided in June 2024 to go deep into a rebuild, hoping that by exchanging picks with the Rockets and adding picks from the Knicks, they’d be able to come away with top picks in two deep and potentially generational drafts in 2025 and 2026 and hedge their bets by acquiring other picks in the Mikal Bridges deal. They wound up with the eighth and sixth picks and some Knicks picks that aren’t looking so good in the short term. A lot of that was simply bad luck and we will soon see just how bad or good starting June 23.
If you’re wondering if there could be changes coming in the front office, we see no indications of that. Indeed, the recent decisions by ownership to extend and give raises to Jordi Fernandez and all nine assistants then promote capologist Makar Gevorkian to assistant GM are indications of confidence in decision-making. Could that change if the plan doesn’t work out? Of course. The rebuild can’t go on forever. But the watch words now are patience and the plan.
Now back to the weeds!
Will Mikel Brown be out of Nets range?
Increasingly, it looks like the top five picks of the NBA Draft are set even if the order isn’t. For weeks, maybe months, A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and Caleb Wilson were seen as the leading men of this play. The storyline may be up for debate, but not the cast of characters. Now, Mikel Brown Jr. once seen as part of a group of four or five minor characters, seems to be joining the top picks at No. 5. As Sean Farnham of ESPN said three days ago to M.J. Acosta…
"[Mikel Brown Jr.] has now moved his name up and the momentum is on his side."@SeanFarnham joins @MJAcostaTV to discuss the latest surrounding the fifth pick in the NBA draft 👀 pic.twitter.com/KWk8gobQL2
That of course is not good for the Nets who, the Lottery be damned, finished No. 6. The Nets seem quite enamored of Brown who they’ve reportedly seen twice already, once at home in Orlando, then again this week in Brooklyn. The 6’5” Louisville lead guard checks every Nets box from skills to character. Here’s what Rafael Barlowe told our Connor Long a couple of days ago when asked about the in-home visit.
“It’s a good sign of the interest level that the Nets have,” Barlowe said. “From what I understand, it was Jordi, it was Sean Marks, it was the assistant general manager, just trying to get a feel for the kid and the situation. From what I hear or what I heard, not only did he kill that interview, he’s killed every interview…”
Brown has something else as well: star quality. IF the Nets are going to catch the Knicks, they’ll need a lot of that.
Can the Nets jump to No. 5 by sending the Clippers some assets, presumably draft picks? Hard to tell right now. We don’t how much in love the Clipper front office is with the Florida native. Also, it’s hard to know how big a hammer Adam Silver will drop on Steve Ballmer et al regarding the Aspiration scandal. In short, the mega rich Ballmer (as compared to the super rich Joe Tsai) reportedly sent money to a company called Aspiration which in turn paid Kawhi Leonard eight figures for what sure looks like a no-show job. As we noted a couple of reports back, that could affect the Clippers thinking since historically the way the league punishes such transgressions is by docking the offending team future draft picks. A generation ago, Silver’s predecessor David Stern assessed the Timberwolves five years worth of first round picks along with fines, suspensions, etc.
Here’s some possibilities that could affect any discussions between Sean Marks and Lawrence Frank, the Clips GM:
Might the Clippers decide to resist trade offers for the fifth pick, understanding their cache of picks could be diluted by the league and so, hang on to what they got? That would limit the Nets ability to move up.
Might they decide to trade the fifth pick for future firsts to lessen the pain of future losses? With the Nets having the most draft assets in the NBA by far, could that provide an opportunity for Brooklyn?
Might they decide to use the fifth pick in a trade for a star, forgetting any semblance of an organic route contention, knowing how constrained that route will become? That would also eliminate the possibility of a trade and add a new player and new needs to the mix at the top of the Draft.
Complicating matters is that the league is unlikely to make any move before the first night of the draft on June 23 so the Clippers won’t have any intelligence on what’s going to happen. A big new New York law firm, Wachtell Lipton, has been investigating the scandal for months and although Silver said on June 6 that “We need to wrap this up,” he also indicated Wachtell wasn’t done yet. After he receives the report, of course, Silver will have to decide on punishments.
Adding to the uncertainty is that the Clippers have already dispatched some of their firsts in previous trades. The Clippers don’t have clear title to their own first rounder till 2029. If the commissioner pulls Clippers firsts starting in 2029, that’s a lot easier to deal with.
A far less complicated possibility is what Yossi Gozlan proposed in his Third Apron review of the Nets situation: a couple of potential salary dumps that might be appealing to the Clippers.
[T]hey could make that happen by taking on negative-value contracts like Bradley Beal ($5.6 million) and Isaiah Jackson ($7 million) while sending out a minor asset. The last time two teams next to each other in the middle of the lottery swapped picks was in 2023, when the Wizards gave the Pacers two second-round picks to move up from No. 8 to No. 7.
So what happens if the Nets can’t get their hands on Brown? We simply don’t know how they feel about that Acuff, Wagler or Flemings although in previous discussions three weeks ago, Ben Pfeiffer of Sportscasting suggested to Erik Slater that Nets had interest in Flemings. Of those four, we believe that only Acuff has been in. Flemings and Wagler were supposed to be in but scheduling issues intervened. Then, there’s the two big men the Nets paired off last Tuesday: Nate Ament and Karim Lopez. No one — at this point — believes either is likely to be taken as high as No. 6 but there’s always the possibility that the Nets move down or acquire a later first rounder.
‘F*ck them picks’
Josh Hart’s now famous analysis of the picks the Nets got for Mikal Bridges resonates Sunday. As we tweeted numerous times, any time a team makes a trade that leads to a championship, that team is the winner, period. There’s no counter argument and despite some (typical) inconsistent play by Bridges in the Finals, he will be sitting in a float no doubt with his fellow Villanovans Thursday.
All that said, where do all them f*uckin’ picks stand? Here’s how it started:
Nets traded Mikel Bridges and Keita Bates-Diop as well as the least favorable of Bucks, Magic, Pistons second round picks and the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet.
Knicks traded Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton and Mamadi Diakite to the Nets along with four unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031 and the Bucks 1-4 protected pick in 2025, an unprotected first round swap in 2028 and the Nets 2025 second rounder which the Knicks had acquired.
So where do we stand now, two years after?
The Nets used two of the first round picks in 2025 to take Nolan Traore at No. 19 (the Bucks pick) and Ben Saraf (the Knicks pick) at No. 26. They traded the 2025 second rounder — No. 36 — to the Suns who sent back a 2026 Clippers second rounder which is currently the No. 43rd pick in this year’s draft and the Celtics 2030 second rounder. The Suns ultimately sent the pick to the Lakers who chose Adou Thiero.
The Nets sent Diakite and his partially guaranteed deal to the Grizzlies along with the draft rights to Nemanja Dangubic, acquiring Ziaire Williams and the Mavericks 2030 second rounder. They also sent Milton to the Lakers along with Dorian Finney-Smith for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three Lakers second rounders 2027, 2030 and 2031. Russell’s contract was not renewed and Lewis was waived.
The Knicks sent the second round pick acquired from the Nets to the Pelicans as part of the package for Joe Alvarado. New York sent New Orleans another second plus cash considerations.
So what’s left?
Three unprotected Knicks firsts in 2027, 2029 and 2031, an unprotected first round swap in 2028 and number of seconds that are by-products of the trade, including the Clippers pick (No. 43) in this year’s draft plus two second round picks — the Celtics and Mavericks — in 2030. Also, there’s Ziaire Williams.
The Knicks picks will likely increase in value. New York was the fourth oldest team in the NBA last season. A dynasty seems unlikely, but who knows.
Draft Sleeper of the Week
For weeks, Sergio De Larrea has been linked to the Nets in more than one mock draft at No. 33, the first of their two second rounders. However, in recent weeks, we’ve seen the 6’7” Spanish point guard start to sneak into the first round. While Mexican Karim Lopez is generally seen as the top international prospect and a lottery pick, De Larrea is the top European this year in a less than stellar group. However, he has a lot of supporters…
NEWS: Valencia's Sergio de Larrea, a projected first round pick, is staying in the 2026 NBA Draft, a source tells DraftExpress.
The 6'7 Spanish PG, 20, averages 8.9 points, 3.3 assists in 18 minutes in the ACB for Euroleague Final Four participant Valencia, shooting 39% from 3. pic.twitter.com/2SfWB3TYpB
His draft status is somewhat uncertain in part because he is still playing for Valencia in the Spanish League. Per the Rookie Wire’s Cody Taylor, he’s unlikely to be available for any workouts until next weekend, days before the Draft, if then.
De Larrea is averaging 7.1 points, 2.8 assists and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 39.5% from 3-point range in 67 games across all league competitions. He has registered three 20-point games, including a season-high 23-point performance on Oct. 3.
The 6-foot-7 de Larrea helped Valencia advance to the ACB Finals on Sunday after sweeping Joventut Badalona 3-0 in their series. The group, which has homecourt advantage, will face Barcelona in the best-of-five championship, beginning on Thursday.
(That’s not necessarily a no-go for the Nets. They drafted Ben Saraf, a similarly sized European guard, last season without working him out. Saraf played in the German league finals after being drafted! Of course, Jordi Fernandez, with his Spanish basketball roots, is likely to have a good read on De Larrea.)
“I’m intrigued by De Larrea’s size and craftiness with the ball. However, his lack of athleticism and defensive limitations are concerns, at least to some degree. Regardless, he’s an interesting prospect who should generate plenty of draft interest.”
Offensively, 3-point shooting is De Larrea’s best strength right now, and that will hold value to NBA teams. De Larrea can hit threes both off of the dribble and in catch-and-shoot scenarios — I suspect the latter will be called upon more in his rookie season than creation off the dribble. Nevertheless, the ability to rise into a three off of the dribble — while not perfected — is still be a useful tool in De Larrea’s arsenal.
Some highlights from earlier this season in the Spanish League.
Should De Larrea wind up in Brooklyn, he’s likely to serve an apprenticeship on Long Island. Same with the No. 43 pick. The Nets have a lot of kids.
Final Note
So what’s the Nets and their fans’ best response to gloating by Knicks gloating about their first title in 53 years? Norman Oder, the critic and chronicler of Atlantic Yards, had the best suggestion we’ve seen…
The Nets might legitimately say: we promise it will take less time
BOSTON (AP) — Wyatt Langford hit Connelly Early’s first pitch over the Green Monster completely out of Fenway Park, and Kyle Higashioka launched a three-run homer to help the Texas Rangers avert a three-game sweep with a 6-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night.
Justin Foscue had three hits and Brandon Nimmo added two doubles and two RBIs for the Rangers, who finished a 3-3 trip.
Willson Contreras hit a pair of solo homers and had three hits for the Red Sox, who were looking for their first series sweep at Fenway this season.
There was a lively atmosphere at the ballpark, with Scotland’s Tartan Army on hand for what the Red Sox billed as “Scottish Heritage Celebration Night.” Numerous times, soccer fans in town for the World Cup broke into chants of “No Scotland, no party!”
Coming in 0-3 in his last four starts, Texas right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (6-7) pitched seven strong innings, allowing three runs and six hits with six strikeouts.
Coming in 0-3 in his last four starts, Texas right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (6-7) pitched seven strong innings, allowing three runs and six hits with six strikeouts.
Jacob Latz got four outs for his 11th save.
Early (5-5) had his worst start of the season, getting tagged for six runs and 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Higashioka also sent his homer over the Green Monster in left field, making it 4-0 in the second.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said shortstop Corey Seager, who missed his third straight game, is dealing with a mild concussion from his collision at home plate with Kansas City catcher Carter Jansen on Thursday.
Up next
Rangers: LHP MacKenzie Gore (4-5, 4.18 ERA) starts Monday at home against Minnesota.
Red Sox: LHP Payton Tolle (3-3, 2.70) pitches Tuesday at Fenway Park in the opener of a three-game series against Toronto.
When the New York Knicks beat San Antonio in game five on Saturday, it was the eighth unique NBA champion in the past eight seasons, dating back to the Toronto Raptors’ title in 2019. That’s 26.67% of the league that has won a title in less than a decade.
For fans of the Utah Jazz, there are two questions regarding this unique time in the NBA’s history: How long will the parity era last, and can the Jazz strike while the iron is hot?
During this eight-year stretch, five teams either won their first title or won their first title since pre-1979 — the Jazz’s first season in Utah. Those teams were the Raptors (2019), Bucks (2021), Nuggets (2023), Thunder (2025) and Knicks (2026). The Pacers were one game away from claiming their first championship in 2025.
In the last eight years, 43.3% of the NBA’s franchise’s have reached the finals and 60% of teams have made the conference finals. The closest the Utah Jazz got during that time was in 2021, when they lost in six games to the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round.
If all goes according to plan, the Jazz will be in the playoffs for the indefinite future. The Thunder and Spurs are the clear frontrunners for the West over the next few years, but both teams could look incredibly different in two years than they do now.
Because of current roster and salary construction in the NBA, it’s difficult to keep all key pieces of a team in tact for more than a few seasons at a time. It’s hard to predict what today’s best teams will look like even two seasons from now — which is what makes this era one of great parity. The current collective bargaining agreement that is in place for the NBA does not expire until the end of the 2029-30 season, so expect the next four years to be filled with as much parity as the rest of the decade.
So until this parity era comes to an end, can the Utah Jazz make the colorful list of teams that won in the 2020’s?
