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MLB Division Series: Guardians at White Sox, Dodgers at Braves

This will be the last day of 2026 in which there will be four MLB games. This thread is for the first two, Game 3 of the Guardians/White Sox ALDS and Game 4 of the Dodgers/Braves NLDS.

Another thread will post at 6:30 p.m. CT for the two night games.

3 p.m. CT: Guardians at White Sox (White Sox lead series 2-0)

TV: TBS, truTV, HBO Max (streaming). Announcers: Alex Faust, Ron Darling and Lauren Jbara.

Daniel Espino, RHP vs. Sean Newcomb, LHP

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com preview

5 p.m. CT: Dodgers at Braves (Dodgers lead series 2-1)

TV: FS1. Announcers: Joe Davis, John Smoltz and Ken Rosenthal.

Tyler Glasnow, RHP vs. Tyler Mahle, RHP

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com preview

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Shohei Ohtani bats 4th in NLDS Game 4 lineup, Max Muncy & Kiké Hernández start

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 06: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on during an at bat during the fifth inning against the Atlanta Braves in game three of the National League Division Series at Truist Park on October 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Dodgers are back in Atlanta for Game 4 of the NLDS on Wednesday, needing just one more win to clinch the series. After getting to Chris Sale in Game 3, the Dodgers will face right-hander Tyler Mahle, who has turned heads since being acquired at the trade deadline from the San Francisco Giants.

After batting fifth in the starting lineup for the first time as a Dodger, Shohei Ohtani will once again be hitting in the middle third of the order, this time moving up to the cleanup spot with Teoscar Hernández sliding down to the fifth spot in the order.

Max Muncy makes his first start this series since batting 8th in Game 1 against left-hander Dylan Dodd, this time batting sixth in the lineup with Miguel Rojas getting the day off after dealing with bat tightness. The hero of Game 3 on offense, Kiké Hernández, makes his second straight start, this time batting seventh while getting the start at second base. Kyle Tucker once again hits in the 8 spot while Andy Pages rounds things out after a multi-hit performance.

Runs have been hard to come by so far this series, as the Dodgers have plated just 10 combined runs over their first three postseason games, all of which have come via home runs. The main Achilles heel for the Dodgers has been their consistent inability to produce with runners in scoring position, as the team is 0-13 in those situations. The Braves, to their credit, have managed to get one hit with runners in scoring position, albeit across 14 at-bats, and have combined to score just eight runs over the first three games.

The Dodgers have fared well in previous matchups against Mahle, as the right-hander has a combined 3-3 record with a 3.15 ERA. Most of the damage came when Mahle was still with the Cincinnati Reds, and in his most recent start against the Dodgers back when he was with San Francisco, he shut them down over seven shutout innings in a 3-0 Giants win on April 22. Since joining Atlanta, Mahle finished the regular season with a 1.99 ERA and limited the Philadelphia Phillies to just one run in his most recent Wild Card start.

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Jon Rahm’s LIV exit set to trigger mass exodus of players from stricken tour

  • Tyrrell Hatton and other big names likely to follow

  • Tour filed for bankruptcy after Saudi funding withdrawn

Confirmation that Jon Rahm will play no part in LIV Golf in its post-Saudi Arabian form is likely to be only the start of a mass exodus from the breakaway circuit.

A bankruptcy hearing on Wednesday heard Rahm’s lawyer say “unacceptable” terms proposed by LIV 2.0 mean the Spaniard will shortly walk away from a tour which has lingering hopes of continuing as a going concern. Rahm’s departure from LIV, which he joined in 2023, was inevitable, but still a significant blow and moment in time given his status in his sport.

Continue reading...
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Dana Altman's retirement in offseason's twilight becomes latest in mysterious trend

Roughly 24 hours before he and his Oregon men’s basketball players were set to speak at Big Ten media days in Rosemont, Illinois, Dana Altman decided that after nearly 40 years as a Division I head coach, it was time to call it a career.

The longtime Ducks coach retired effective immediately on Wednesday, Oct. 7, only 26 days before they tip off their 2026-27 season against Montana.

The fact that the news is only so stunning says quite a bit about where college basketball finds itself in 2026.

More: Oregon basketball coach Dana Altman retiring less than one month before season starts

The early fall surprise that’s long been a staple of American politics, with an unexpected piece of unsavory news about a candidate dropping in the final weeks before Election Day, has come to college basketball in a different color in recent years — namely, with prominent coaches abruptly hanging up their whistles right before a new season.

Two years ago, Tony Bennett shocked much of the sport by retiring from Virginia at just 55 years old, and doing so on Oct. 17, just 20 days before the Cavaliers’ season-opener. Last year, and fresh off his second Final Four appearance in seven seasons, Bruce Pearl stepped away at Auburn to take an ambassador role in the university’s athletic department shortly after preseason practices began in late September.

Now, after weeks and months of speculation over who might follow in their footsteps, we have our answer.

In a vacuum, Altman’s retirement is understandable. He’s 68 years old. He’s enjoyed a long, successful and lucrative career. His legacy at Oregon and in the broader college basketball world is intact as a brilliant tactical mind who was a reliable winner everywhere he coached, including at Oregon, which he led to four conference championships and the 2017 Final Four, the program’s first since 1939.

But for all of those achievements, things were beginning to trend in the wrong direction. Last season, the Ducks went 12-20, marking the first time they’d finished with a losing record or fewer than 20 wins under Altman. Despite some nice pickups like San Francisco transfer Tyrone Riley, this year’s team wasn’t expected to be significantly better, with many projections having it in the bottom third of the 18-team Big Ten.

But while the decision to retire is entirely rational for Altman, the timing does raise eyebrows.

In a release from the school announcing his retirement, Altman didn’t offer up a reason beyond noting it was one of the two most difficult decisions of his coaching career, alongside his choice to leave Creighton for Oregon back in 2010.

“I've loved every minute of coaching here, and stepping away is difficult and truly painful,” Altman said in a statement. “I love coaching, it's what I know best and what I've been fortunate enough to do for almost five decades. I'm going to miss my coaches, my players and our incredible fans more than I can express. But I know this is the right thing to do at this time.”

More: Michigan State or Illinois? Big Ten basketball preseason poll reveals razor-thin favorite

Bennett wasn’t shy about why he stepped down at an age when he was just starting to receive AARP mailers, pointing to the effect NIL deals and the transfer portal had on the game and the way it operated. Pearl cited a promise he’d made to himself to step away when he could no longer give it his all and “be the relentless competitor you expected of me.”

There was some tactical maneuvering at play, too. In Bennett’s case, retiring so close to the start of the season gave Virginia no other choice but to elevate one of his longtime assistants, Ron Sanchez, to the interim role and give him a season to audition for the job. At Auburn, Pearl’s thinly qualified son, Steven, was not only promoted to the head job, but given a five-year contract.

That doesn’t appear to be the case at Oregon, where Tony Stubblefield — one of Altman’s longtime assistants —will serve as the interim head coach for the upcoming season. Even if the Ducks turn heads, finish in the top half of the Big Ten and crash the NCAA tournament, would a school with Oregon’s financial resources and aspirations feel comfortable turning the program over to a 56-year-old who went 9-38 in conference play in three seasons at DePaul?

When discussing his retirement with reporters on Wednesday, hours after the news first broke, Altman said health factored into his decision. While it's not anything life-threatening, he said he had a physical last month that revealed he is "not as healthy as I should be and not as healthy as I want to be." Beyond that, the rationale for his retirement sounded quite a bit like Pearl's from 13 months ago.

"Someone I truly respect, Tom Izzo, made a comment. Somebody asked him about retirement, and he said, ‘The minute I don't feel good, the minute I don't feel I'm giving my AD, president and school every ounce of energy I have every day, or that energy drops, you don't have to worry about me being here,'" Altman said. "I had two weeks off in August, and I thought my energy would return, and it didn't. And some people I trust and truly respect told me just delegate more and take it easier, back off a little bit, and I tried that for a couple weeks in September, and that's not me. It's not what I've done for 37 years.

"I looked in the mirror, and I'd be a hypocrite if I lied to myself and said I was the best coach for the job. I think Tony will do a better job than I would with this team."

For such a deeply personal decision, he deserves some grace. Like it is for even some of the best coaches in the sport’s history, it was just time, even if it came at an awkward point in the calendar.

His choice to leave the sideline, though, can’t be separated from the similar moves that were made in the preceding years. While Bennett’s departure could have been written off as a realization that came off at an inopportune time, Altman’s exit shows there’s a trend.

The sport is changing at a dizzying pace, which has undoubtedly made coaches’ lives more burdensome. But in college football, where coaches deal with many of the same newfound headaches, there hasn’t been an avalanche of June and July retirements. Nor is it an issue in women's college basketball, where legends like Tara VanDerveer and Muffet McGraw retired in recent years the spring, giving their players, assistants and universities plenty of time to adjust before the first tip-off of the next season.

Why it’s happening remains a mystery without a clear throughline. But in the meantime, these late-breaking retirements have effects on others, namely the players who, for as demonized as they can be in the current NIL landscape, will have to trudge through what’s likely to be a lost season without the coach for whom they came there to play.

And in a sport littered with coaching luminaries who are in their 60s and 70s, Altman’s likely not to be the last to call it quits on the eve of a season. We’ll just have to wait 11 or 12 months to see who’s next.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dana Altman's retirement in offseason's twilight becomes latest in mysterious trend

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Will Tony Stubblefield be Oregon's next coach? What to know of interim, longtime assistant

Longtime Oregon men's basketball coach Dana Altman announced his retirement from coaching on Wednesday, Oct. 7, less than a month from the Ducks' season opener against Montana on Nov. 2.

Assistant coach Tony Stubblefield will serve as the interim coach, per the announcement. Prior to his second stint as an assistant under Altman in Oregon, Stubblefield was most recently the head coach at DePaul, accumulating a 28-54 record in three seasons with the Demons before he was fired.

REQUIRED READING: Oregon basketball coach Dana Altman retiring less than one month before season starts

Altman, 68, is the winningest coach in program history, with 382 wins across 16 seasons in Eugene. He led the Ducks to an Elite Eight appearance in 2016 and a Final Four in 2017, and has the 15th-most wins in NCAA history, ending his career with a 792-425 career record.

Stubblefield has deep ties to Oregon and Altman, having served as a longtime Ducks assistant under the school's winningest coach ever. It's unclear if Stubblefield is a band-aid option for the Ducks, or if he's a potential long-term coach for the school.

Here's what to know of Stubblefield, Oregon's new interim coach:

Will Tony Stubblefield be Oregon's next head coach?

There's still an entire season to be played, so it's unclear if Stubblefield will be considered for Oregon's full-time role.

However, winning cures all, right?

It's hard to imagine Stubblefield not having a real shot to lift his interim tag if the Ducks were to find success in 2026-27. Stubblefield has head coaching experience, although it might not be working in his favor, due to DePaul's struggles from 2021-24.

Stubblefield was also once an interim coach in 2004-05 at New Mexico State, as then-head coach Lou Henson battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The Aggies went 2-12 in 14 games under Stubblefield.

Stubblefield does know the Oregon job, though: He previously spent 13 seasons as Altman's lead assistant with the Ducks, and was credited with the recruitments of future NBA players Payton Pritchard, Chris Duarte, Bol Bol and Troy Brown Jr.

Oregon said a national search will commence for a head coach after the season.

Tony Stubblefield coaching record

Stubblefield's head coaching record isn't great. He served as the interim head coach for 14 games in 2004-05 at New Mexico State, before he later landed his first head coaching gig at DePaul from 2021-24.

Here's a look at his year-by-year record:

  • 2004-05 (New Mexico State): 2-12 *
  • 2021-22 (DePaul): 15-16
  • 2022-23 (DePaul): 10-23
  • 2023-24 (DePaul): 3-15

* interim coach

Tony Stubblefield coaching path

Stubblefield has mostly served as an assistant during his long coaching career. Here's how his career path has unfolded:

  • 1993-95: Assistant at Nebraska-Omaha
  • 1995-96: Assistant at UTSA
  • 1996-2000: Assistant at UT-Arlington
  • 2000-05: Assistant at New Mexico State
  • 2005: Interim head coach at New Mexico State
  • 2005-06: Assistant at New Mexico State
  • 2006-10: Assistant at Cincinnati
  • 2010-21: Assistant at Oregon
  • 2021-24: Head coach at DePaul
  • 2024-26: Assistant at Oregon
  • 2026: Interim head coach at Oregon

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Tony Stubblefield be Oregon's next coach? What to know of interim, longtime assistant

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LDS Game Day Discussion Thread

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 30: Grant Anderson #56 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the Texas Rangers at American Family Field on August 30, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images

There are four — count ‘em, four — LDS games going on today.

The White Sox host the Guardians in the early game, with Chicago in position to sweep and move on to the ALCS with a win. Its a 3 p.m. Central start on TBS.

The Braves host the Dodgers in the late afternoon game. Los Angeles is up 2-1, so the Braves need to win in order to force a game five in L.A. The game starts at 5 p.m. and is on FS1.

The Yankees, down 0-2, host the Rays in the early evening game. It is on TBS and starts at 7 p.m. Central.

Finally, the Brewers, up 2-1, play in San Diego against the Padres in the late game. It is a 9 p.m. start on FS1.

Talk about the games here.

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Game Thread: Guardians at White Sox, ALDS Game 3

Leading the way: Miguel Vargas, who is 2-for-4 with four walks, has been a big reason why the White Sox have a 2-0 series lead. | Photo by Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images

After an exciting 4-3 victory, the White Sox (84-78) incredibly hold a 2-0 series lead over the Guardians (85-77) in the ALDS. The South Siders are one victory away from advancing to the ALCS, where they have not been since 2005.

Sean Newcomb, 33, will start on the mound for the South Siders. Newcomb posted a 3.09 ERA and a 3.21 FIP in 90 1/3 regular season innings. Newcomb accumulated 1.7 fWAR, a very high single-season total for a relief pitcher. Newcomb pitched 8 1/3 innings against Cleveland in the regular season, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits. In that limited sample, the Guardians posted a .226/.368/.355 slash line against him.

Daniel Espino, 25, is a right-handed pitcher who will open the game against the South Siders. Espino posted a 4.11 ERA and a 3.75 FIP in 15 1/3 innings, resulting in an accumulation of 0.1 fWAR. Espino has pitched two innings and allowed one run against the White Sox. Miguel Vargas got the best of Espino on September 14, when he launched home run No. 31 out of 33 of his season.

Here are today’s starting lineups:

Baseball Reference keeps a statistic called cWPA, or Championship Win Probability Added. In this series, Grant Taylor (+3.42%) leads the way due to his ability to shut down the Guardians and close the first two games. Sean Burke (+3.00%) is No. 2, as his strong performance in Game 2 was crucial. Among hitters, Vargas (+2.81%) is the leader, as he is 2-for-4 with four walks. Munetaka Murakami (+2.07%) is next, which is no surprise, given that he is 3-for-8 with a homer. Up next is Braden Montgomery (+1.53%), who is only 1-for-7, but the lone hit was a clutch double that put the White Sox ahead.

This game is available on TBS and HBO Max, and the first pitch is scheduled to take place at 3:00 p.m. CT. Will the South Siders pick up another postseason series sweep? We will find out soon.

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LDS, Game 3/4: Schedule, probable pitchers, and open thread, 10/7/26

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 05: Richie Palacios #1 of the Tampa Bay Rays is showered with ice water after defeating the New York Yankees in Game Two of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 5, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

White Sox at Guardians

White Sox lead, 2-0

First pitch: 4:00 PM EDT
TV: TBS/HBO MAX
Probable pitchers: Sean Newcomb, LHP (CWS), Daniel Espino, RHP (CLE)

Dodgers at Braves

Dodgers lead, 2-1

First pitch: 6:00 PM EDT
TV: FS1/FOX ONE
Probable pitchers: Tyler Glasnow, RHP (LAD); Tyler Mahle, RHP (ATL)

Yankees at Rays

Rays lead, 2-0

First pitch: 8:00 PM EDT
TV: TBS/HBO MAX
Probable pitchers: Max Fried, LHP (NYY), Nick Martinez, RHP (TB)

Brewers at Padres

Brewers lead, 2-1

First pitch: 10:00 PM EDT
TV: FS1/FOX ONE
Probable pitchers: TBD (MIL); Walker Buehler, RHP (SDP)

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MLB Divisional Round gamethread: Four teams now face elimination

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Xander Bogaerts #2 and Samad Taylor #0 of the San Diego Padres celebrate after Bogaerts scored a run in the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Yoshinobu Yamamato starred for the Dodgers on Tuesday as they took a 2-1 lead over the Braves. The Padres scrapped their way to a victory to avoid elimination by the Brewers as starter Michael King filled in for ace closer Mason Miller, who is on paternity leave. On Wednesday, all four series are back in action, and four teams face elimination. The Guardians, Yankees, Padres, and Braves are all in a tight spot here and have to win or go home.

Here are the matchups for Wednesday, October 7.

Cleveland Guardians at Chicago White Sox (2-0): 4:00 p.m. ET, TBS

RHP Daniel Espino vs LHP Sean Newcomb

Los Angeles Dodgers (2-1) at Atlanta Braves: 6:00 p.m. ET, FS1

RHP Tyler Glasnow vs. RHP Tyler Mahle

Tampa Bay Rays (2-0) at New York Yankees: 8:00 p.m. ET, TBS

RHP Nick Martinez vs. LHP Max Fried

Milwaukee Brewers (2-1) at San Diego Padres: 10:00 p.m. ET, FS1

TBD vs RHP Walker Buehler

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Cole Swider has worked ‘really hard’ on body, defense since last stint with Lakers

EL SEGUNDO, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Cole Swider #50 of the Los Angeles Lakers poses for a portrait during NBA Media Day on September 28, 2026 at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, 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 License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Four years ago, Cole Swider made his NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played seven games before bouncing across the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors for brief spells in 2023-24 and 2024-25. Last year, he spent the season in Europe playing for Anadolu Efes, making 51 combined appearances between EuroLeague and the Turkish Super League.

Now, he’s back with the Lakers on an Exhibit 10 contract and is eager to show how much he’s improved in numerous ways.

“I’ve worked really, really hard on my body. Shout out to my performance coaches, Nick Correa and Anthony Tingley. I’ve worked really, really hard on my body. I’ve tried to change a lot of things,” Swider told reporters. “I’ve worked with doctors. I worked with many, many different people. It’s mostly defensively, trying to figure that side of the basketball out at this level. And then just being a more dynamic shooter, being able to come off of pin downs and DHOs and being able to cause havoc on the court just with my spacing ability.”

Whether it be in college, Europe or the G League, Swider’s been an excellent outside shooter. He shot 38% from deep in college, 45% in the G League and 41% overseas. Thus far, though, those long-range credentials haven’t translated to the NBA, where he’s made only 32.9% (28-of-85) of his career attempts.

That’s a much smaller sample than everything else, however, so perhaps a larger sample and Swider’s diligent work will help him showcase his elite shooting in the Association. If he’s actually a high-level shooter and has made physical improvements to take strides defensively, his chances of sticking around in the league are much higher.

Swider didn’t play Monday night against the Sacramento Kings but saw 12 minutes of action Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors and scored nine points on 3-of-7 shooting, including 3-of-4 beyond the arc. He also recorded two steals, two assists and two rebounds. He’ll hope to keep his torrid outside shooting going when the Lakers face the Kings Thursday night at home.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.

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Rotoworld Fantasy Basketball Draft Central 2026: Rankings, strategy, sleepers, and more

If "Roundball Rock" has become an ear worm for you in recent days, that means two things. 1) You're one of us. 2) It's almost time for basketball season.

With the 2026-27 NBA season rapidly approaching, we’ve put together this handy Rotoworld Fantasy Basketball Draft Central hub page. It's your home for all of our preseason coverage in one place.

The best part? This is just the beginning of our coverage this preseason. Bookmark this page and check back often for our latest articles, rankings, analysis, and much more.

Bonus: If you scroll down, you can also download your FREE copy of the 2026 Rotoworld Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit.Did we mention that it's FREE?

Happy drafting season!

2026 FANTASY BASKETBALL RANKINGS

2026 FANTASY BASKETBALL STRATEGY ARTICLES

2026 Rotoworld Fantasy Basketball Draft Kit

  • 140 detailed player profiles
  • Offseason recap
  • Rankings for various formats
  • Cheat sheets

Click or tap here for a FREE downloadable version of the Draft Kit

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Florida Panthers Place MacKenzie Entwistle On Waivers

The Florida Panthers have placed forward MacKenzie Entwistle on waivers for the purpose of being assigned to the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.

Entwistle did not participate in training camp or pre-season while dealing with an undisclosed injury. 

Entwistle is not in the second year of a two-year, two-way contract he signed with the Panthers in June of 2025.

Last year, Entwistle played in 49 games for the Checkers, scoring five goals and 11 points. He also featured in two playoff games but failed to record any points. The year before that, in his first year with the Panthers organization, Entwistle played just seven regular season games and eight playoff games. 

Before joining the Panthers, Entwistle played for the Chicago Blackhawks, splitting time between the NHL club and its AHL affiliate, the Rockford Ice Dogs. In Chicago, the 27-year-old played 193 NHL games, scoring 15 goals and 35 points. 

Entwistle last played in the NHL during the 2023-24 season.

Brad Marchand Suffers Lower Body Injury, Panthers React To Losing Another Key PlayerBrad Marchand Suffers Lower Body Injury, Panthers React To Losing Another Key PlayerJust days after Sasha Barkov’s departure, the Panthers face a fresh injury crisis as another star forward left Tuesday's game in Los Angeles, testing Florida’s touted roster depth.

The Panthers have had good luck on the waiver wire recently. During training camp roster cuts, the Panthers did not lose any players on the waiver wire, and within the last year, they have claimed two players, Cole Schwindt and Cole Reinhardt, who can be impact players in the NHL when needed. 

The Charlotte Checkers are off to a 1-1-0 start with seven goals for and five against. Nathan Smith leads the team with three goals, while top prospect Jack Devine is close behind with two.

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2026-27 Fantasy Basketball Punt Guide: Best draft targets for every category

To punt or not to punt: that is the question many category-league managers face when building rosters, regardless of draft format. Do you (in theory) concede a particular category immediately, or is it better to do so later in the process? And if you punt, which players should you target by category?

Below is a look at each of the nine major categories in nine-cat formats, along with some worthwhile options in the early, middle and later rounds of drafts. And what you will find is that, regardless of the category being punted, the trio of Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokić, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will possess elite fantasy value.

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2025-26 Rankings Credit: Basketball Monster

▶ Points

Regardless of the punt build, your elite fantasy options will be the top options. Last season, seven of the eight players with first-round (12-team league) ADPs who appeared in at least 60 games averaged at least 23.9 points per game. The exception was New York's Karl-Anthony Towns, who averaged 20.1 per night. In a team build where points aren't a priority, the best options tend to reveal themselves after the first round.

Wings who defend at a high level and post players tend to get the greatest value boost, such as Houston's Amen Thompson, Portland's Donovan Clingan, Atlanta's Dyson Daniels, or Detroit's Ausar Thompson. While Amen merits second-round consideration, Clingan, Daniels, and Ausar are solid options outside the first three rounds of 12-team drafts.

First-round Targets: Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Second-round Targets: G Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers), G Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors), Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets)

Third round and later: Kawhi Leonard (Toronto Raptors), Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder), Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks), Walker Kessler (Los Angeles Lakers), Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers), Ausar Thompson (Detroit Pistons)

2025-26 Top-12 (minimum 60 games played):

1. Nikola Jokić

2. Victor Wembanyama

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

4. Kawhi Leonard

5. Tyrese Maxey

6. Scottie Barnes

7. Luka Dončić

8. Trey Murphy

9. Chet Holmgren

10. Jamal Murray

11. Donovan Mitchell

12. Donovan Clingan

▶ Rebounds

Punting rebounds is a strategy that boosts the value of guards who don't offer much in that category. However, as with any punting strategy, this doesn't mean you ignore any respectable rebounder. Projected first-rounders like Cade Cunningham and Tyrese Maxey can be the starting point for this strategy, especially if paired with another perimeter player.

Atlanta's Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Orlando's Desmond Bane are two players projected to go closer to the middle rounds of drafts who have added value in a punt-rebounds build. Also, Clippers guard Darius Garland does come with some risk, but he's another player worth considering, especially for those looking to roster two high-usage point guards.

First-round Targets: Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons), Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)

Second-round Targets: Kevin Durant (Houston Rockets), Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors), Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets), Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets)

Third round and later: LaMelo Ball (Minnesota Timberwolves), Derrick White (Boston Celtics), Desmond Bane (Orlando Magic), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Atlanta Hawks)

2025-26 Top-12 (minimum 60 games played):

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

2. Tyrese Maxey

3. Nikola Jokić

4. Victor Wembanyama

5. Kawhi Leonard

6. Luka Dončić

7. Donovan Mitchell

8. Jamal Murray

9. Trey Murphy

10. Anthony Edwards

11. Kevin Durant

12. Cade Cunningham

▶ Assists

While punting rebounds tends to increase the values of perimeter players, punting the assist category makes frontcourt players more valuable. While Dallas' Cooper Flagg averaged a respectable 4.5 assists per game as a rookie, that was without Kyrie Irving on the court. With the veteran guard back from a torn ACL, Flagg could be a good starting point for managers who decide to punt assists.

Victor Wembanyama and Kawhi Leonard also represent quality options for this build, with the latter having a third-round ADP at the time of publishing. With Leonard, his availability history is a concern, whether because of injury or the management required to keep him at his best for the postseason. Among the bigs, Chet Holmgren, Donovan Clingan, and Jalen Duren are three players who should be off the board within the first 50 picks in 12-team drafts.

First-round Targets: Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)

Second-round Targets: Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks), Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets), Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)

Third round and later: Kawhi Leonard (Toronto Raptors), Trey Murphy (New Orleans Pelicans), Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers), Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons), Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz)

2025-26 Top-12 (minimum 60 games played):

1. Victor Wembanyama

2. Kawhi Leonard

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

4. Nikola Jokić

5. Tyrese Maxey

6. Chet Holmgren

7. Trey Murphy

8. Luka Dončić

9. Anthony Edwards

10. Donovan Mitchell

11. Karl-Anthony Towns

12. Kevin Durant

▶ Steals

This category, beyond your usual suspects at the top of the first round, can boost the fantasy profiles of post players who don't offer much in steals. Chet Holmgren, Evan Mobley, and Joel Embiid are three high-level options for managers punting steals, and all are center-eligible.

Denver's Jamal Murray and Utah's Lauri Markkanen, a guard and forward, respectively, also don't offer much steals production but do enough in the other categories to be highly valuable. However, like Embiid, Markkanen has availability questions. The good news for managers considering him is that Utah appears intent on making a run at a postseason spot this season; if that works out, he should not be a late-season shutdown risk.

First-round Targets: Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs), Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers)

Second-round Targets: Donovan Mitchell (Cleveland Cavaliers), Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers), Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets)

Third round and later: Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers), Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz), Walker Kessler (Los Angeles Lakers), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Ivica Zubac (Indiana Pacers)

2025-26 Top-12 (minimum 60 games played):

1. Nikola Jokić

2. Victor Wembanyama

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

4. Kawhi Leonard

5. Tyrese Maxey

6. Jamal Murray

7. Luka Dončić

8. Chet Holmgren

9. Kevin Durant

10. Donovan Mitchell

11. Karl-Anthony Towns

12. Donovan Mitchell

▶ Blocks

Punting the blocks category boosts most guards' fantasy value. However, only 27 eligible players averaged at least one blocked shot per game last season. And only one, Victor Wembanyama, averaged at least two. Based on that, a fantasy manager may not even need to actively punt blocks.

That said, going into a draft with the punt-blocks approach pushes Jokić and SGA ahead of Wembanyama on a manager's board. Beyond that top three, Dončić, Tatum and Maxey are players with first-round ADPs worth a look in a punt-blocks build. In the frontcourt, New York's Karl-Anthony Towns and Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams are two players who add fantasy value in this punt build.

First-round Targets: Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers), Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons), Jalen Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)

Second-round Targets: Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks), Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers)

Third round and later: Jalen Williams (Oklahoma City Thunder), Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks), Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz), Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks), Michael Porter Jr. (Brooklyn Nets), Darius Garland (LA Clippers)

2025-26 Top-12 (minimum 60 games played):

1. Nikola Jokić

2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

3. Kawhi Leonard

4. Tyrese Maxey

5. Luka Dončić

6. Donovan Mitchell

7. Jamal Murray

8. Victor Wembanyama

9. Trey Murphy

10. Jalen Johnson

11. James Harden

12. Anthony Edwards

▶ Turnovers

Turnovers aren't an issue in eight-cat formats, as they aren't included. In nine-cat formats, punting this category raises the ceiling of high-usage playmakers. Dončić gets a slight boost in this build, while Cunningham and Edwards are two other first-round ADP players whose fantasy values increase. Outside the first round, Edwards' new teammate LaMelo Ball and Wizards point guard Trae Young are among those who have added value.

While guards tend to dominate the list of players who become more valuable, bigs also deserve a look. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has a first-round ADP, is one, along with Philadelphia's Joel Embiid and Sacramento's Domantas Sabonis. Embiid's injury history is why his ADP is relatively low, setting him up to be a steal if he stays reasonably healthy.

First-round Targets: Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons), Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Miami Heat)

Second-round Targets: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), LaMelo Ball (Minnesota Timberwolves), Josh Giddey (Chicago Bulls), Austin Reaves (Los Angeles Lakers)

Third round and later: Trae Young (Washington Wizards), James Harden (Cleveland Cavaliers), Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Dejounte Murray (New Orleans Pelicans)

2025-26 Top-12 (minimum 60 games played):

1. Nikola Jokić

2. Victor Wembanyama

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

4. Luka Dončić

5. Tyrese Maxey

6. Kawhi Leonard

7. Donovan Mitchell

8. Cade Cunningham

9. Kevin Durant

10. Jalen Johnson

11. James Harden

12. Jamal Murray

▶ Field-goal percentage

Punting this category does not limit fantasy managers to high-usage players who struggle to consistently make shots. A player like Derrick White, coming off the worst shooting season of his NBA career, has added value to managers punting free-throw percentage. Remove the 39.4 percent shooting, and he was a few places away from providing first-round value in 12-team leagues. This is another category where LaMelo Ball and Trae Young's fantasy values get a boost, with wings Brandon Miller and Paul George as two more players worth a longer look in this particular punt build.

First-round Targets: Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Cade Cunningham (Detroit Pistons)

Second-round Targets: Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors)

Third round and later: LaMelo Ball (Minnesota Timberwolves), Derrick White (Boston Celtics), Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Brandon Miller (Charlotte Hornets), Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs), Paul George (Boston Celtics)

2025-26 Top-12 (minimum 60 games played):

1. Victor Wembanyama

2. Nikola Jokić

3. Tyrese Maxey

4. Kawhi Leonard

5. Luka Dončić

6. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

7. Donovan Mitchell

8. Jamal Murray

9. Trey Murphy

10. James Harden

11. Cade Cunningham

12. Derrick White

▶ Free-throw percentage

There are guards, such as Dončić and San Antonio's De'Aaron Fox, who struggle from the foul line. However, punting the free-throw percentage category tends to have a more significant impact on frontcourt players. Giannis' free-throw struggles are well known, and Evan Mobley and Donovan Clingan are two others who offered limited value in that category last season. For managers seeking wings in this build, you can do far worse than the Thompson twins, especially since Ausar's playing time is expected to increase in Detroit after he averaged 26 minutes per game last season.

First-round Targets: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks), Luka Dončić (Los Angeles Lakers)

Second-round Targets: Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors), Alperen Şengün (Houston Rockets), Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Third round and later: Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers), Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Donovan Clingan (Portland Trail Blazers), De'Aaron Fox (San Antonio Spurs), Jarrett Allen (Cleveland Cavaliers), Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves)

2025-26 Top-12 (minimum 60 games played):

1. Nikola Jokić

2. Victor Wembanyama

3. Luka Dončić

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

5. Kawhi Leonard

6. Tyrese Maxey

7. Evan Mobley

8. Anthony Edwards

9. Scottie Barnes

10. Jalen Johnson

11. Donovan Mitchell

12. Chet Holmgren

▶ Three-pointers

Post players who do most of their damage in the paint and non-shooting wings tend to get the biggest boost in this build. The Thompson twins, Scottie Barnes and Dyson Daniels are four wings who can provide excellent value to rosters punting three-pointers. Duren and Anthony Davis are among the post players with ADPs in the third round or later of 12-team drafts who are worth a look, but the latter's availability issues are well known by now. How early one reaches for Davis may depend, in part, on how the first round goes. Relying on AD as your marquee big man is a major risk, regardless of league format or punt build.

First-round Targets: Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Miami Heat), Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks)

Second-round Targets: Karl-Anthony Towns (New York Knicks), Scottie Barnes (Toronto Raptors), Amen Thompson (Houston Rockets)

Third round and later: Evan Mobley (Cleveland Cavaliers), Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons), Anthony Davis (Washington Wizards), Dyson Daniels (Atlanta Hawks), Zach Edey (Memphis Grizzlies)

2025-26 Top-12 (minimum 60 games played):

1. Nikola Jokić

2. Victor Wembanyama

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

4. Kawhi Leonard

5. Tyrese Maxey

6. Scottie Barnes

7. Luka Dončić

8. Chet Holmgren

9. Jalen Duren

10. Amen Thompson

11. Jalen Johnson

12. Cade Cunningham

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Jaden Hardy feels Luka Dončić has taken his leadership to another level this season

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 06: Jaden Hardy #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers goes up for a shot on gsduring their preseason game at Chase Center on October 06, 2026 in San Francisco, 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 License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After spending the first 2.5 years of his NBA career with Luka Dončić, Jaden Hardy reunited with the Slovenian this offseason when the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers executed a trade sending Hardy back to the Western Conference. With Quentin Grimes as the lone other former Dallas Mavericks teammate of Dončić’s on the roster — and they were only together for half a season — that gives Hardy the most experience of any Laker playing and being alongside Dončić.

Early on in their second stint together, Hardy believes Dončić, now 27 years old, has leveled up as a leader, focused on ensuring everyone is communicating and working toward a common goal.

“I mean, obviously, Luka’s always been a great leader ever since I’ve been with him. I feel like he’s just taking it to another step with that,” Hardy told reporters. “Just trying to lead this group, have everybody on the same page and having a tightened connection with everybody. So I feel like that’s good and I feel like Luka, he’s always just himself. When he’s out there, he’s going to tell you things and he’s going to try to make you a better player.”

This season will mark Dončić’s second full campaign with the Lakers and first without LeBron James. It seems entirely plausible James’ departure has thrust larger leadership responsibilities on Dončić (and Austin Reaves) that the superstar point guard is growing into as he becomes increasingly comfortable in Los Angeles.

The Lakers’ roster is built in his image rather than being caught between trying to optimize both him and James simultaneously. They re-signed their high-level secondary creator in Reaves, with whom Dončić shares a strong connection on and off the court. They acquired a defensive-minded, play-finishing center in Walker Kessler, whom Dončić was eager to land. They added a mix of floor-spacers, defenders and tertiary ball-handlers to complement him on both ends.

Now equipped with a sensible roster for Dončić, the Lakers are expecting a tremendous season out of him as he presumably enters his prime years. While the on-court output is most impactful and vital, it also sounds like he’s taking another step forward in how he leads this group, at least according to his longest-tenured teammate.

You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.