With the 2026 NHL Draft just a few days away, there appears to be more clarity regarding three prospects the New York Rangers could look to target at the fifth overall pick.
The 18-year-old defenseman was the youngest player at the 2026 Winter Olympics, representing Latvia and recording two assists in four games while averaging 18:44 minutes per game.
In 38 games for Jukurit in Liiga, Finland's top league, Šmits recorded six goals, seven assists, and 13 points.
The 17-year-old defenseman is coming off a season with the University of North Dakota, in which he posted 17 points through his first 22 collegiate games, but he had only three assists in his final 14 games.
Carels, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound defenseman, ranked third among all North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Rankings.
The 17-year-old defenseman is coming off a season with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League, in which he recorded 20 goals, 53 assists, and 73 points in 58 games.
Despite some speculation regarding the Rangers’ interest in center Viggo Björck, Wheeler reports that he hasn’t gotten any indication that they’re going to be the team to take Björck.
There has also been talk of the Rangers moving back from the fifth overall pick, according to Wheeler, although it’s unclear exactly what the team would be seeking in return if they were to move down.
With the 2026 NHL Draft just a few days away, there appears to be more clarity regarding three prospects the New York Rangers could look to target at the fifth overall pick.
The 18-year-old defenseman was the youngest player at the 2026 Winter Olympics, representing Latvia and recording two assists in four games while averaging 18:44 minutes per game.
In 38 games for Jukurit in Liiga, Finland's top league, Šmits recorded six goals, seven assists, and 13 points.
The 17-year-old defenseman is coming off a season with the University of North Dakota, in which he posted 17 points through his first 22 collegiate games, but he had only three assists in his final 14 games.
Carels, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound defenseman, ranked third among all North American skaters in the NHL Central Scouting Rankings.
The 17-year-old defenseman is coming off a season with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League, in which he recorded 20 goals, 53 assists, and 73 points in 58 games.
Despite some speculation regarding the Rangers’ interest in center Viggo Björck, Wheeler reports that he hasn’t gotten any indication that they’re going to be the team to take Björck.
There has also been talk of the Rangers moving back from the fifth overall pick, according to Wheeler, although it’s unclear exactly what the team would be seeking in return if they were to move down.
Sep 12, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A general view of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball carry bag during batting practice before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
The Return of Shane. It sounds like an old time western, starring Glenn Ford with Walter Brennan in it to give comic relief.
I try not to expect too much out of a guy coming off rehab, but it is hard not to hope for a great game. And Shane has come back from injuries before.
As I mentioned, in the open thread, I’m spending today on my bike. The MS ride is this weekend and I haven’t been riding near enough. But the ligament tears in my foot, plus the crappy weather we’ve been having, and a certain amount of laziness, I’ve only had half a dozen rides this spring.
The forecast for the weekend isn’t great, I think we’ll be riding in the rain.
Anyway, I’m doing this together long before they put up lineups.
It would be nice to get above .500, but the Astros have a pretty good starter going too, Peter Lambert is 6-4, with a 3.23 ERA and has a 1.93 ERA in his last three games.
A lot has happened since Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, Ryan Walker, and Sam Hentges protested the Giants’ Pride Night, and as with everything that’s happened in this country, it’s devolved into a circus. But rather than come at this from the responsible, community-driven angle that the Actually Good writers on this site have done already, I’ll stick to baseball, because I think there’s a sneaky weird problem for the team that has nothing to do with a good chunk of the fan base losing faith in and enthusiasm for the team.
On Friday, Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred continued MLB’s slow walk towards banning Pride Nights by responding to Senator Josh Hawley‘s letter of “grave concern” over the league engaging in “a pattern of discrimination […] against baseball players who profess their Christian faith.” In the letter, he makes it clear that this terrible episode is the Giants’ fault, that the team’s “communication with players was inadequate and not clear.” This letter was sent the day after the DOJ opened an investigation into the league for the same sort of discrimination. Given all this, have Buster Posey’s hands been tied?
Along the lines of the league and the team needing to be careful with what they say and do given the government’s scrutiny (and penchant for punitive measures), does this open investigation into the league now prevent the team from doing anything “negative” with Roupp, Brubaker, Walker, or Hentges? They can’t option the optionable, cut the cuttable, or demote the demoteable? Now, before you go closing the window thinking I’m getting conspiratorial, here are some actual facts.
@MLB Commissioner writes to me and admits they were wrong to threaten the Giants players over Bible verses and promises never to fine or discipline these players – or any players for their religious beliefs
Indeed, Manfred writes, “The players were neither fined nor disciplined, nor will they ever be.” Hawley characterizing it as a “promise” is a good play for his audience, as American discourse involving religion or politics rarely rises above childish thinking. Now, if the Giants want to option or DFA Ryan Walker after his next meltdown, Hawley can point to that and say, “Promise broken!”
Now, would a reasonable person conflate what happened with the players’ protests, the league’s uniform policy, and the team’s right to manage its roster? No, but a person can very easily be made unreasonable through propaganda, or simple repetition. Liberal, anti-Christian San Francisco is taking out their bad season on their good Christians. Fox News and the internet are the Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen of shaping reality.
A standard baseball transaction for a poor performance ought not to fall into the realm of “punishment,” but with the Department of Justice weaponized against them, it stands to reason that the league and the team will be extra careful in how they treat these players. What would that do to the Giants’ already pitiful roster?
Landen Roupp
Well, here’s the thing: the rest of the Giants’ season is an experiment, and so Roupp won’t lose his rotation spot no matter what. He’s rocking a 6.64 ERA / 3.94 FIP here in June, but these are the rough rapids teams must ride when trying to build up their inexperienced players. Roupp is still pretty inexperienced from an innings standpoint (237.1 IP over three seasons), and he’s just 26.1 innings away from last year’s total. Recall that Roupp’s injury track record has limited his playing time for his entire pro career. He’s been as valuable as Logan Webb this season (1.8 fWAR to 1.9), but he also has the 10th-highest walk rate (3.7 BB/9) of any qualified starter.
I’m sure most people (myself included) figured Roupp would be a part of the team’s plans long-term. The thing is, he’ll be 28 next season. Let’s see if he can reach even 130 innings this season. It’s not that he shouldn’t have been considered part of the next good Giants team, it’s just that his importance might be a bit overblown. As a developed prospect contributing to the big league roster, sure — he’s a narrative buster (the narrative being that the Giants have been bad at developing prospects since the championship era). But he’s not an ace, not the next Logan Webb. And as time goes on, he might wind up being a solid #3 or great #4.
But would moving him to the pen for a stretch or towards the end of the season just to keep his arm fresh trigger the DOJ? Maybe. The best thing to do then is to just let him pitch, and let the chips fall where they may.
Ryan Walker
He was extremely unpopular with the fan base before he protested the rainbow hat, but it looks like their hatred has only given him strength? He has allowed just 3 baserunners in 3.2 innings since being recalled on June 12th, but we’ve seen Walker’s performance act like a roller coaster before, including this season. A 5.40 ERA through his first 6 appearances, 1.29 through the next 6, then 7 earned in his next 3.1 innings which got him optioned to Triple-A. The next Ryan Walker Trainwreck is maybe only a couple of innings away. Are the Giants really going to hold a roster spot for him the rest of the season for fear of running into trouble with the league or “the law?”
Well, yeah, because Buster Posey and Zack Minasian haven’t really been able to get anyone better.
Sam Hentges
After missing all of 2025 it wouldn’t be a surprise if Hentges takes some innings to get on a roll or — and, perhaps, more likely — hit a wall just as the fatigue/workload catches up to him. Under those circumstances, a team might slow play him or phantom IL him. Might the Giants be too shy to try either option? He has another year of team control attached to his name, and so it might be in the best interest of the club — in a dreadful year — to preserve some talent they think can help next year’s team, if they think that one’s going to be any good.
Hentges’s 2.84 ERA in 12.2 innings is good, but his FIP has been rising all season thanks to those walks. It’s up to 4.44, which is quite a bit higher than his career average (3.33).
He’s out of options, though, and so the Giants really only have “phantom IL” and limiting playing time as their options should they want to hold on to the player. Relievers are supposed to be fungible, and relievers who walk a lot of batters especially so, but the DOJ might not even be the reason why they don’t mess with him too much. It’s simply the case that they need strikeout stuff in the bullpen, and he has it.
It’s also the case that he’s been lumped into this matter by Hawley and the evangelical rabble rousers when MLB only made contact with the three players who wrote on their hats. But now Hentges has an opportunity for special treatment if he ever feels jilted by the club like, say, Tom Murphy once did.
JT Brubaker
I never really understood the affection for the player. A mid-90s sinker that didn’t get a lot of outs paired with a 2,500+ rpm slider that did. His utility to the team — besides being able to write on his hat WITH REALLY BIG LETTERS — seems to be pitching multiple innings.
But he’s basically been fine this season, too. The majority of his appearances (19 out of 26) have been when the team is trailing. Only 6 times has he appeared with the lead and only once when it’s tied. He’s in spots that you might give to Adrian Houser following his move to the bullpen, but even that move is temporary until the Giants trade Robbie Ray and/or Tyler Mahle, so, we’re just not going to see Brubaker very much — unless Tony Vitello plans to line up all of these relievers after Roupp starts, as he did in Roupp’s last game.
But this is a role you could tag with all three of the relievers in this group: not for use in high leverage situations. They are not the best options out of the bullpen. In theory, that should make them the most replaceable, with the guys currently being asked to get key outs moving down the pecking order and bumping one of them should the Giants acquire more talented relievers. Which, would a team want to acquire any of these guys? Not because of the protest baggage, but because the DOJ might start scrutinizing them?
On the active roster, Erik Miller, Dylan Smith, and Tristan Beck are the other relievers with options and Trevor McDonald has one, too. It just seems a little wacky to hold three spots in the ‘pen for a trio who might not be on the active roster of any other team. On the other hand, the Giants don’t have anything more to lose by holding on to them. Can Ryan Walker turnaround his career? Can Sam Hentges regain his form? Will Brubaker simply out-pitch others who might seem like a better fit?
The Giants were committed to these guys before, during, and after their protest, so the league and the government coming along to tell them they’d better not try anything probably hasn’t added any tension to their plans, and as a thought experiment it seems pretty clear that except for maybe Ryan Walker the roster was setup to feature these guys in these specific roles long before Pride Night. And, as a bad season is really good at illustrating, even if the team wanted to improve, they don’t have any better options now or going forward.
CINCINNATI — Elly De La Cruz is back in the Cincinnati Reds’ lineup against Milwaukee after spending just over three weeks on the injured list.
The Reds announced they activated the two-time All-Star shortstop, who strained his right hamstring on May 31, and optioned outfielder Will Benson to Triple-A Louisville.
De La Cruz completed a three-game rehab assignment at Louisville over the weekend. He homered and played five innings at shortstop on Friday, was 0 for 3 as the designated hitter Saturday and 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and an error on Sunday.
De La Cruz was batting .280 with an .855 OPS and 12 home runs in 58 games before he went on the IL for the first time in his major league career.
AUBURN HILLS, MI - APRIL 24: Kyrie Irving #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates a fourth quarter basket with LeBron James #23 in game four of the NBA Eastern Conference quarterfinals during the 2016 NBA Playoffs at the Palace of Auburn Hills on April 24, 2016 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Cleveland won the game 100-98 to win the series. 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 Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been partying like it’s the summer of 2016 all over again. LeBron James, Kevin Love, Richard Jefferson, and others have all joined forces in a vacation for the ages. One that, much like the Cavs themselves, has been plastered all over social media.
But while Matthew Dellavedova gets drunk and sings Australian classics, one crucial member of the 2016 title team has been absent from start to finish.
Kyrie Irving.
A tiny cloud of drama hung over last week’s events as fans speculated as to why Irving was not included in the festivities. Was he not invited? Did he not want to go? JR Smith’s Instagram comments only added more fuel to the fire, stating that Irving was, in fact, invited but did not RSVP.
Irving himself finally took a moment to settle the score.
“Me and my brothers, who played on the Cavs, bro, we’re good,” Irving said in a video posted to social media. “We’re more than good… When I get back to the States, imma pop in with them. We’re gonna chop it up. We’re gonna have a great time.”
That settles that.
Irving is in a different position than most of his peers who went on vacation. He’s one of only two other members from the 2016 team who are still actively playing NBA basketball. He’s also been traveling for various basketball camps and community events. That could explain why he wasn’t able to join the trip.
Either way, Irving insists that he and his teammates are on good terms. That’s not for any of us to debate or deny. While we all would have loved to see Kyrie participating in the shenanigans from last weekend, it’s important to remember that these are individual people who can make their own decisions. The fans don’t decide who Irving spends time with.
Nonetheless, Irving and the 2016 team represent something. Meaningful to an entire city. It’s understandable why this story became relevant. Especially when Smith and other members commented on it publicly. But now that’s all said and done, I’d say there’s no harm or foul.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the fifth inning at Petco Park on June 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the Friar Faithful, tonight’s win felt like a massive sigh of relief. Despite the San Diego Padres only scoring one run, it was all they would need as Michael King went seven scoreless innings for the second time this season.
King needed a start like this almost as much as the Friars did. He’s had a tough stretch lately, but acted as a stopper for San Diego on Monday night. The Padres will look to win the series in Game 2 against the Atlanta Braves tonight.
Taking the mound
JR Ritchie (ATL) v. Griffin Canning (SD)
Ritchie had an impressive start to his rookie year with Atlanta but has since fallen off a bit. He’s struggled with inconsistency, causing him to post a 4.54 ERA and 1.37 WHIP through 35 2/3 innings.
With the injuries that have marred the starting rotation, Ritchie has been thrust into a role he likely wouldn’t be in otherwise. The underlying stuff is tantalizing, but San Diego’s lineup should be able to tag the righty for a few runs.
Similar to Ritchie, Canning has had some major problems with consistency. In his last three starts, he’s surrendered one run, seven runs and one run in each. That’s led to him having an overblown 6.64 ERA.
That said, he’s been better lately. The Padres have started using an opener for Canning and it’s seemed to help. He had one of his best starts of the season against the St. Louis Cardinals last week, giving up just one run to the Cards.
Batter up!
The offense did just enough to back up their pitching staff, scoring one run on a Manny Machado homer. Despite the Braves’ pitching staff walking a ridiculous seven batters, including Xander Bogaerts three times, the Padres couldn’t bring any of them to home plate. They’ll need to be better with their situational hitting if they hope to beat Atlanta tonight.
Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
Samad Taylor, RF
Jackson Merrill, CF
Manny Machado, 3B
Gavin Sheets, LF
Xander Bogaerts, SS
Ty France, 1B
Will Wagner, DH
Rodolfo Durán, C
Blake Hunt could start behind the dish, though Durán has worked behind the plate more until Freddy Fermin returns from concussion protocol. That said, with Hunt on the way out soon, the Padres could decide to play him one more time.
Taylor batted in the ninth spot in the order for the first time since he pinch-hit for Durán in his Padres debut. He’s looked comfortable batting second and could return there after going 0-for-3 at the bottom of the order.
Relief corps
With King pitching flawlessly, only Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller had to be used in Monday night’s game. Morejon covered a perfect eighth inning before Miller entered in a save situation. He recorded two outs before giving up a single and a walk. He struck out Mike Yastrzemski to end the trouble.
That saves the ‘pen for tonight, with Jason Adam, Kyle Hart, Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui, David Morgan and Wandy Peralta all available. Adam has struggled lately, but will look to rebound from a tough series against the Texas Rangers.
On Tuesday, the New Jersey Devils traded the Russian forward, along with defenseman Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames, in exchange for the New York Rangers' 2026 second-round pick, the Vegas Golden Knights' 2027 first-round pick, the Colorado Avalanche's 2028 first-round pick and prospect Etienne Morin.
The Islanders traded Tsyplakov on Jan. 8 to the Devils in exchange for Ondrej Palat and their 2026 third-round pick before flipping that pick to the New York Rangers to acquire Carson Soucy.
Tsyplakov, who was in the first season of a two-year extension worth $2.25 million annually, recorded 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 126 games with Long Island.
With New Jersey, Tsyplakov recorded just one goal and one assist in 22 games.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JUNE 21: Josh Jung #6 of the Texas Rangers reacts after hitting a run scoring single against the San Diego Padres during the fourth inning at Globe Life Field on June 21, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas Rangers lineup for June 23, 2026 against the Miami Marlins: starting pitchers are Cal Quantrill for the Rangers and Sandy Alcantara for the Marlins.
The Rangers play game two in Miami. They are looking to extend a winning streak, and get back to the dreaded one game under .500 mark. Still no Corey Seager. Brandon Nimmo is DHing.
The lineup:
Pederson — 1B
Langford — CF
Nimmo — DH
Jung — 3B
Duran — SS
Osuna — RF
Kelenic — LF
Higashioka — C
Lopez — 2B
5:40 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +134 underdogs.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 04: Brayden Burries #5 of the Arizona Wildcats steals the ball from Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines during the second half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In today’s Dub Hub:
Final mock draft roundup highlights several prospects linked to the Warriors at No. 11 ahead of tonight’s NBA Draft.
ESPN’s Marc Spears explains how the Warriors can end up potentially trading for Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III.
The NBA Draft is finally here, with the marquee offseason event set to take place Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. PT on ABC and ESPN. The Golden State Warriors hold the No. 11 overall pick, and after weeks of pre-draft workouts, rumors, and speculation, it’s finally time to find out which prospect will officially be headed to the Bay Area.
But before commissioner Adam Silver approaches the podium, here’s one final mock draft roundup to get a sense of who experts believe the Warriors will select:
Of all the potential names listed, Arizona’s Brayden Burries would be the most intriguing fit for the Warriors. He checks several boxes for Golden State as a big guard who can shoot, defend, and thrive playing off Stephen Curry’s gravity. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Burries brings much-needed size and physicality to the backcourt while also offering the type of two-way upside that could help the Warriors both immediately and in the years to come.
“The chance for me to come here and play with Curry … I'd be honored.”
After his Warriors workout, Brayden Burries says he would love to play with Steph Curry. pic.twitter.com/GGjnjEjf5v
If Burries does not fall outside of the top 10, Michigan’s trio of Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson would also be solid fallback options. Ideally, the Warriors could trade down and acquire an additional first-round pick from a team such as the Charlotte Hornets or the Oklahoma City Thunder, allowing them to select one of the Michigan frontcourt players while also adding a guard like Alabama’s Labaron Philon.
Regardless of who is selected, the wait is finally over. The Warriors will officially be on the clock, and by the end of the night, they should be welcoming at least one new addition to their roster.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, June 23rd:
Burries worked out with Golden State last week and is seen as a potential fit with the Warriors as a perimeter creator who can help take some of the burden off Stephen Curry as an offensive driver, while also fitting in nicely on defense as a stout, switchable guard.
This would be a home run for the Warriors if he fell to No. 11. But I wonder if there would be some synergy to a team, even including the Warriors, moving up to No. 9 still to get him if Dallas does decide to trade down. A number of teams in this range of the draft would love to have a two-way guard like this who can dribble, pass, shoot and defend.
Comment: “I know (the Warriors) liked what they saw in his workout. He’s not going to take you to the promised land, but he’ll give you a lot of things that will help you get there.”
Comment 2: “He’s a plug-and-play guy. He does everything. He can initiate offense, shoot threes and post up. He’ll adapt to the NBA pretty quickly. (The Warriors) need help on the wings. If Yaxel is there and (the Warriors) don’t take him, I’d wonder why.”
The Heat are sending to Milwaukee unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 along with No. 13, a pick swap in 2030 and a 2033 second-rounder, according to sources.
The trade does not include any additional teams — it is a one-to-one move, sources said — but both the Heat and the Bucks will execute the deal July 6, which leaves the framework open to see whether there are opportunities to expand.
Just in: Minnesota is sending Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in the NBA Draft to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade that sends Nic Claxton to the Chicago Bulls, sources tell ESPN. The Timberwolves will acquire Brooklyn’s No. 33 pick for Randle and No. 28. pic.twitter.com/TvADMMNDlg
With those long odds, it makes sense why many fans appear to prefer a more measured approach. The No. 11 pick gives the Warriors an opportunity to add an inexpensive young player to a roster that badly needs an injection of youth, athleticism, and long-term upside. In a draft class widely regarded as one of the deepest in recent years, holding onto the selection may ultimately prove more valuable than chasing another short-term move.
Follow@unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
“My question is: What’s Ant Edwards thinking?” ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst said on the “Hoop Collective Podcast.”
“If you were to say who’s next after Giannis? We would have said Ant. And that [the Randle trade] happened at the exact same time as the Giannis trade. It’s fascinating.”
Anthony Edwards may be the next domino to fall in the NBA trade cycle. NBAE via Getty Images
“The NBA vultures are swirling around Ant in anticipation of him potentially becoming the next superstar who’s available in the trade market,” Tim McMahon responded.
“Ant has really been frustrated since Towns got traded, just about how he gets double-teamed,” Windhorst said. “They have to do something this offseason about addressing the Ant double-team situation, especially knowing you may not have DiVincenzo.”
Randle scored 21.1 points per game last season, though his 6.7 rebounds per game marked a career low.
Meanwhile, Towns just played a huge role in the Knicks winning their first NBA championship in 53 years — and has been a trusted complementary star for Jalen Brunson.
“I don’t think Ant was the biggest Julius Randle fan,” Windhorst said. “And I don’t think [the issue is] Randle being traded. It’s Randle being traded as part of a salary dump. I don’t think that Ant was like, ‘No, no, don’t trade Julius, never.’ Because there was some significant disconnect between those players by the end of the season.”
Windhorst added that the Timberwolves’ President of Basketball Operations, Tim Connelly, appears to be in the last year of his contract and that Minnesota wants to re-sign him.
Anthony Edwards has been frustrated in Minnesota since they traded Karl-Anthony Towns. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The apparent provocation is that Connelly hasn’t re-upped his deal for fear that Edwards will request a trade in the near future, and Connelly does not want to be the one to trade him.
“As far as I know, Tim Connelly is in the last year of his contract. And I don’t think it’s because the Wolves don’t want to extend him,” Windhorst said. “I think the Wolves do want to extend him. So process that however you want to process that. Keep that in mind as we go forward with Ant Edwards.”
Sunny Mehta has made his first trade as general manager of the New Jersey Devils.
On Tuesday afternoon, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Devils were trading defenseman Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames.
NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman quickly confirmed that Nemec and forward Maxim Tsyplakov would go to Calgary in exchange for a second-round pick this season, a first-round pick in 2027, a first-round pick in 2028 (both top 10 protected), and Etienne Morin
Nemec & Tsyplakov for 2nd (NYR) this year, Vegas 1st 2027, COL 1st 2028 (both top 10 protected) & Etienne Morin https://t.co/iJclSTQhWH
Per the team, the conditions of the picks are as follows:
* The first-round pick that is acquired by Calgary from the Vegas Golden Knights in either the 2027 or 2028 NHL Draft (whichever first-round pick Calgary receives from its January 18, 2026 trade with Vegas).
* The first-round pick that is acquired by Calgary from Colorado in either the 2028 or 2029 NHL Draft (whichever first-round pick Calgary receives from its March 6, 2026 trade with the Colorado Avalanche).
New Jersey now holds six picks in the 2026 NHL Draft (one first, two seconds including one from the New York Rangers, a fourth, fifth, and sixth).
Morin is a 21-year-old defenseman who spent last season with Calgary’s minor-league affiliates, the Calgary Wranglers (AHL) and the Rapid City Rush (ECHL).
Nemec was drafted second overall by New Jersey in 2022. He has appeared in 155 NHL games with the Devils and 112 in the American Hockey League with the Utica Comets. The 22-year-old appeared in 68 games for the Devils during the 2025-26 season, recording 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists).
New Jersey acquired Maxim Tsyplakov on January 27 from the New York Islanders for Ondrej Palat, a 3rd-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a 6th-round pick in 2027. In 22 games with the Devils, he scored one goal.
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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - APRIL 11: Head Basketball Coach Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines speaks on stage during the Michigan Men's Basketball National Championship celebration at Crisler Arena on April 11, 2026 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s a surprising amount to cover on the podcast today in the depths of summer. That’s because of the huge news that Dusty May is leaving Michigan and heading to the NBA and quite frankly I don’t blame him. I talk to Ryan about the reasons why I would rather be an NBA coach than a college coach right now and I don’t think you’ll be too surprised to hear them. Then, we look at the chances that Braden Smith gets drafted in the first or second round of the NBA Draft that is Tuesday (today) and Wednesday. Smith finds himself on a lot of NBA mock draft boards and is hoping to find a sticking place in the NBA. Perhaps he will be reunited with Zach Edey? That would make for some fun basketball.
Then, we continue our look at the 2026-2027 men’s basketball roster and focus on incoming sharpshooter Jacob Webber.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 26: Dailyn Swain #3 of the Texas Longhorns shoots the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The day has arrived.
No more mock drafts and, soon enough, we’ll know exactly how Mike Gansey and the Sixers used the 22nd overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
I’ve changed my mind so much over the last few weeks, but now that the day is here, I have it narrowed down to five players who I think would be the best realistic fits for the Sixers at 22. So, no trade-ups for [insert your favorite Michigan frontcourt player]. Let’s dive in.
Dailyn Swain, Wing, Texas
It’s hard to imagine Swain falls to 22, but several mocks have him slipping into the Sixers’ range. Many draft experts consider Swain a lottery-level talent because of his ability as a shot creator at 6-foot-7. As we saw in the playoffs, the Sixers could absolutely use more pure bucket-getters and serious help on the wing. With three years of college experience, it’s not crazy to think Swain could help anchor bench lineups as a rookie. Defensively, Swain should be solid-to-good at the next level thanks to his 6-foot-10 wingspan and athleticism.
The biggest knock on Swain — and the biggest reason he could be available — is his jumper. He struggled mightily from deep in his first two seasons at Xavier before shooting a respectable 34.4% this past season. His touch inside the arc and 81.5% mark from the free throw line are positive indicators. Where Swain struggled most was shooting catch-and-shoot triples, with his release being a bit long and slow. If he can work out those kinks, his ceiling is high.
Graves is a tricky player to project. He’s got a Swiss Army Knife skillset offensively, was an impact off-ball defender last season and has ideal power forward size. You could easily see him sliding in at the four for the Sixers with his ability to rebound and shoot. He could even potentially be used as a five in small-ball lineups.
But the level of competition and Graves’ lack of high-end athleticism make me a little nervous. He also found himself in foul trouble an awful lot. Still, that point forward archetype is intriguing, especially for the post-Joel Embiid era. If he’s there at 22, I’d be willing to take a bet on him.
Right, because the Knicks really struggled with Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride and Jose Alvarado. There’s no way it could work!
In all seriousness, if Okorie is the best player on the board (and he very well could be!), the Sixers should take him. He’s a far different player than Jared McCain. He’s longer, more athletic and is an elite ball-handler who lives in the paint. While he doesn’t project to be an all-world defender, he should be able to hold his own with a 6-foot-8 wingspan and a sturdy 186-pound frame.
If Quentin Grimes walks, the Sixers will need a reliable third guard off the bench. Okorie should be able to have a role as a rookie. He shoots it well enough (35.4% on high volume and mostly pull-ups) and should be skilled and strong enough to take on NBA defenders. In this league, shot-creation is at a premium. Okorie did so at an elite level at Stanford.
Quaintance is 18 years old, has All-Defensive Team potential, has flashes offensively and might even be able to play a little power forward. Sounds perfect, right? In a vacuum, Quaintance seems like a dream fit for the Sixers. It’s all going to come down to the medicals for the Kentucky big man. As a 17-year-old playing at Arizona State, he tore his ACL. He didn’t see the court much in 2025-26 because of lingering issues.
There was a point where people believed Quaintance could be a top-five pick — that’s the talent level we’re talking about here. If the medical reports are bad enough to have him dropping him down into the 20s, it’s a pretty big red flag. I wouldn’t blame Gansey and the front office either way. Gambling on a player with this potential is bold, but if the medicals look that rough, you can understand why they’d pass.
Full disclosure: Ejiofor might have been my favorite player to watch in college basketball this past season. He’s tough, physical, athletic, unselfish, has a ridiculous motor and is super versatile. Players like that who stand at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan don’t grow on trees. The dude is just a winning basketball player.
The obvious concerns are that he’s a tweener and his shooting might dictate how good of a pro he ultimately becomes. For the Sixers, his combo big versatility could be a great asset. Is 22 a bit rich? Maybe, but he’s one hell of a player and a lot of fun to watch.
Peat’s skillset as a bruising, athletic power forward is an ideal fit for the Sixers, but I have serious concerns about his jumper. He has a floor as a junkyard dog forward, willing to do all the little things, but I’m not sure his ceiling is super high without a better shot.
Cenac is intriguing because of his size, skill and ability to rebound. It’s a bit concerning that he plays like a guard in a pure center’s body offensively. He also seemed to struggle processing things at times. Was that just inexperience or a sign of a bigger issue? Cenac is going to need plenty of seasoning at the next level.
Jefferson was awesome at Iowa State. He’s sort of a lesser version of Graves, but is an even better passer. The biggest knocks on Jefferson are going to be his age (23) and athletic ability. He was one of the poorest testers at the combine, but the production this past season is hard to ignore.
For Reed, 22 might just be a little rich, but there definitely should be interest for a Sixers team that’s repeatedly struck out on the backup center position. There’s nothing super special about Reed — he’s just a good big man. He’ll set good screens, roll hard, protect the rim, hit the glass and even has decent footwork in the post to go get his own bucket from time to time. For the Sixers, that type of steady play from a Joel Embiid backup would be nice.
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Zuby Ejiofor #24 of the St. John's Red Storm slam dunks against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 27, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It is finally here. Draft day, the day in which franchises hitch their hopes to the prospect of a prospect prospering under their colors. And while I still don’t like that the NBA Draft has become a two-night event, that doesn’t mean it comes without intrigue for the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns currently hold the 47th overall pick and aren’t scheduled to make their selection until tomorrow night. But given the aggressiveness we’ve seen from the organization in recent drafts under the direction of Brian Gregory, no night is safe. If Phoenix somehow finds a way into the late first round, I wouldn’t be surprised. That’s part of what makes tonight interesting. The Suns may not be scheduled to participate, but that doesn’t mean they won’t.
So what should they ultimately do?
It’s a question we’ve been asking ourselves for the better part of two months. We’ve tried to balance need versus talent, knowing that whoever is drafted isn’t expected to make an immediate impact. That’s reserved for teams at the top of the lottery that are desperate for instant contributors. For Phoenix, this selection is more about depth and development.
What would I like them to do? I see two paths.
If they stay at 47, I think Jaden Bradley is the move. He would likely be a two-way contract player, leaving an open roster spot on the big league club and allowing the Suns to maintain both flexibility and cost control. That doesn’t mean he isn’t someone who could eventually impact the team.
He’s the type of guard I find myself liking more the longer I watch him. He plays fearlessly, gets into the paint, finishes through traffic, and displays many of the traits modern combo guards need to survive offensively. What stands out most is the combination of pace, toughness, and playmaking. He’s a really good distributor, especially when navigating traffic, and he has a natural willingness to attack defenders.
Bradley also has sneaky athleticism and creates separation in ways that look very similar to what many successful smaller guards do at higher levels. I see a little Brunson in him. He knows how to touch the paint and still create separation.
Defensively, he’s probably never going to wow anyone, and he still needs to improve fighting through screens. As a playmaker, there’s room to grow when it comes to seeing the entire floor. But the shooting numbers are encouraging, the jumper looks smooth, and there’s enough skill here that if developed properly, he can become a very useful NBA guard.
At minimum, he feels like an ideal two-way contract candidate with a pathway toward becoming a rotation player. At maximum, he could become the backup point guard to Collin Gillespie two years from now if the Jalen Green experiment ultimately runs its course.
But what if the Suns move up?
I don’t know what it would take to get there. With multiple teams holding multiple picks, including the Knicks, Kings, and Grizzlies, there’s certainly opportunity for movement. If Phoenix can find its way into the late first round or early second round, I’d love to see them draft Zuby Ejiofor.
If you’ve been reading along this offseason, you know this is the guy I love most. When I wrote my article outlining how to fix the Suns from start to finish, the plan involved trading Royce O’Neale and a pick to Memphis for Taylor Hendricks and an earlier draft selection. The reason was simple. I wanted a shot at Zuby.
Why?
Because he embodies everything the Suns claim to value when it comes to player traits. He brings qualities that directly contribute to winning basketball. He’s technically sound, attacks the glass, plays aggressively, and consistently makes the kinds of plays coaches love. What stands out most is the motor. He plays with heart, desire, and toughness every possession. He’s the kind of player who embraces physicality and competes with an energy that can change the feel of a game.
Simply put, he’s a motherfucker in all the right ways. When I watch him, I think back to my pre-draft lover affair with Obi Toppin in 2020. This is Temu Toppin, and I’m here for it.
The shooting still needs work, and he may not be the cleanest fit in Phoenix. But considering where he’s projected to be drafted, the value is incredibly appealing. You could bring him off the bench, play him at the small forward spot, and suddenly become bigger, more athletic, and tougher as a team. Players with his mindset and willingness to do the dirty work are always valuable.
Yes, lineups featuring him and Oso Ighodaro would be interesting. That might not be something you seriously explore until next season or even the season after that. And who knows where the Suns will be by then.
So now that we’ve arrived at draft day, those are the two paths I’d prefer to see Phoenix take. There are plenty of prospect names out there. There are plenty of paths available.
That’s the beauty of draft night. Months of scouting reports, mock drafts, workout rumors, and thought exercises all give way to a few decisions that can alter the direction of a franchise. Maybe the Suns stay patient and take a developmental swing at 47. Maybe Brian Gregory gets aggressive and moves up the board again. Either way, the philosophy remains the same: find players who fit the culture, embrace the work, and help build whatever comes next.
