LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 15: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates his RBI triple next to Andrew Vaughn #28 of the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning at Dodger Stadium on August 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Off the field, owners and players are digging in for what promises to be a painful and shameful labor dispute. But before we get to that, we still have some action to settle on the field. Specifically, an NLCS matchup that almost perfectly prepares us the imminent conflict.
Yes, in classic baseball fashion, the sport has once again found a way mirror the issue of the day. Namely: Does MLB need a salary cap?
In one corner, we have the Dodgers and their Pacific rim empire. They have all of the money, all of the stars, and are gunning to become the first three-peat champions of this century. Just as importantly, a large segment of MLB fans from coast to coast believe the only reason they’re this close to a three-peat is because they have all of the money and all of the stars. This means — whether these beliefs are true or not — the Dodgers also might hold the keys the owners need to sell a salary cap to the fans.
That may sound crazy at first glance, but if the Dodgers don’t win, we instantly morph into an entirely different landscape. Consider the following:
1) The three American League teams to enter the season with the lowest payrolls were the Guardians, White Sox and Rays. They are now the last three teams standing on AL side of the board. (In other words, you’re guaranteed to have at least one small market / low payroll team in the World Series.)
2) The Mets spent over $350 million this year and finished in last place. (In a vacuum, a strong case that Dodger level spending isn’t necessarily an automatic ticket to success.)
3) The Brewers play in Milwaukee, which is MLB’s smallest market.
Could the stakes be any higher for the owners and players in terms of how the upcoming winter work stoppage is going to play with the general public? If the Brewers win, you’re guaranteed an all small market/low payroll World Series. Any rational argument for a salary cap is dead on arrival (although the owners will still be trying like hell to implement one). In short, the owners could be picking the worst possible year to make their case for a cap.
But if the Dodgers win, the owners can and will sell the following narrative to a receptive and captive audience: “It’s not fair! The big bad billionaire behemoths are blowing everybody out of the water.” In short, a third straight Dodger World Series win would make the owners’ case for a cap in the name of maintaining competitive balance — Even though we know the real reason is they just want more money.
I’m of course oversimplifying things, but those two scenarios are very different worlds. Right or wrong, the outcome of Brewers vs. Dodgers will change the public perception on this issue, and which side the public puts more pressure on during the stoppage matters.
Make no mistake, a lockout is coming no matter what. Both sides are going to draw a line in the sand and retreat to their trench. However, whether that happens in a world where the Dodger dynasty is at the peak of its power or in a world where two small market teams prove you can win on limited resources might tip the scales. It’s basically the difference between starting a war on a sunny day or starting a war trying to invade Russia on the first day of winter.
The background conditions will play a huge roll in the upcoming negotiations, and while fans have no seat at the table, it looks like the baseball gods will get to decide which way the wind is blowing when the owners and players fully engage in their pissing match.
He’s led the team in scoring in its first two preseason games, notching 40 points across his 41 minutes on the court. The former Celtic has shot 59.1 percent from the floor, 50 percent from three-point range and 83.3 percent at the foul line.
Brown has showcased the value he could bring to the Sixers and to Tyrese Maxey in particular this season.
Like he was for the Celtics in 2025-26, Brown was the go-to guy in the preseason opener while Maxey, LeBron James and Joel Embiid were inactive. All of his 22 points came in the first half as he consistently initiated the offense, repeatedly attacking in isolation and off ball screens.
The second game was a slightly different story as all five of the team’s projected starters suited up for the first time. Brown capitalized on great ball movement by James and Embiid with a dunk early in the first quarter. But he only took one more shot in the first stanza and didn’t score again until the 3:54 mark in the second.
Each of his remaining three baskets came with Maxey off the floor, perhaps giving Sixers fans a glimpse of what splitting the two scorers’ minutes could look like.
Maxey was a workhorse for the Sixers last season. His 38 minutes per game led the league. With Embiid playing 38 regular season games and Paul George available for just 37, Nick Nurse relied heavily on Maxey to create offense. VJ Edgecombe pitched in here and there. But 2026-27 should be a different story.
With the potential for Embiid (who hasn’t played 40 or more games in a regular season since 2022-23) and James (who will turn 42 years old in December) to miss time, Brown’s presence can provide some meaningful relief for Maxey, especially given how Nurse wants the offense to run.
Under Nurse, the Sixers have been matchup hunters, subscribers to the weakest link theory. They spammed isolation ball in 2025-26, taking the second-most shots per game on isolation possessions in the NBA (9.3). On that high volume, the team was middle of the pack in terms of efficiency, scoring 0.92 points per possession in isolation, good for 15th in the NBA.
Maxey took more than double the shots off isolated looks than any other Sixer. While Embiid (1.01 PPP) and George (1.03) were both efficient on isolation possessions, their lack of availability often left Maxey alone searching for mismatches.
Barring an irregular decrease in availability, Brown should be the answer to playing Maxey less and allowing him to take possessions off.
As the guy on the Celtics offense last season, Brown scored the third most isolation points in the league. And it wasn’t just a matter of volume. He generated 1.01 points per isolation possession, good for the 77th percentile.
That’s been on display in the preseason. Right out of the gate against the Knicks, he attacked OG Anunoby – a two-time All-Defensive Second Team selection – off the dribble and hit a tough fadeaway jumper on the baseline.
Jaylen Brown scores tough jumper on iso vs. OG Anunoby. https://t.co/aFufwWqXPk
Brown’s success scoring in the mid-range is part of what makes him a tough individual cover. Basketball’s reliance on the mid-range shot has dwindled over time. But Brown made a living there last season, shooting 45.9% on 6.4 shots per game between 10 and 19 feet.
Part of what makes Brown so good at creating positive matchups to attack in isolation is how effective he is using ball screens. That’s another element of Brown’s game that should contribute to taking some of the onus off Maxey as the Sixers’ primary perimeter scorer.
The Sixers were middle of the road in both how often they used ball screens (19th) and how effective they were in those scenarios (11th in efficiency).
Of the team’s 16.1 possessions per game that used a ball screen, Maxey was the ball handler for 7.5 of them (46.7%). He generated 0.92 points per possession off a ball screen, which was in the 66th percentile in the NBA. But the Sixers did not have enough tenable options to pilot the offense off a ball screen.
Brown, again, is a reliable solution to that problem. He produced a similar efficiency to Maxey – 0.93 points per possession, good for the 70th percentile – on 6.4 such looks per game in 2025-26.
Against the Knicks in the first preseason game, he used an Ariel Hukporti screen and a slow dribble to get Anunoby on his back before exploiting Karl-Anthony Towns’ drop coverage and exploding through the open lane towards the basket.
Jaylen Brown exploits Knicks’ drop coverage by driving and putting back his own miss. https://t.co/pxgI5AdmBs
Brown’s effectiveness at coming off a ball screen, touching the paint and then making plays can contribute to opponents opting to switch ball screens. That’s how he becomes a nightmare for defenses to handle – and where he should thrive in Nurse’s offense. At 6-foot-6, 223 pounds, he can be a matchup problem for players both bigger and smaller than him.
He already has been as a Sixer. An Edgecombe screen forced the Nets to switch the 6-foot-4, 175-pound Keon Ellis onto Brown. Even with a help defender collapsing on him, he got to the basket and scored through contact.
Jaylen Brown scores a driving floater after forcing a switch via a VJ Edgecombe screen. https://t.co/Y6serlx6Gc
That’s how No. 7 tends to abuse switches onto guards: attacking the paint by dribbling into the post and overpowering them.
When he earns switches against bigs, he tends to rely on his twitchiness to get a jumper off, like he did on this fadeaway midrange look over Noah Clowney’s outstretched arm.
Jaylen Brown hits fadeaway jumper after Nets switch matchup between Brown and VJ Edgecombe. https://t.co/tdo5G6D5nA
Being the ball handler in a pick-and-roll isn’t the only way for Brown and the Sixers to create mismatches. He set a ball screen for Labaron Philon Jr. that Brooklyn switched between the 6-foot-8 Egor Demin and the 6-foot-8 Chaney Johnson.
Denim, a big guard, tried to get into Brown’s grill to throw him off. But this is where the former Finals MVP’s handle came into play. He absorbed the contact from Denim, ripped the ball across his chest, took a dribble between his legs and another back to his left hand before using his gather step to create enough separation for a silky 11-foot floater.
Jaylen Brown hits floater after creating a switch as the screener. https://t.co/IhNBNzd2QY
Brown’s unique combination of controlled strength and lithe explosiveness makes him the type of universal matchup beater that tends to thrive in a Nurse offense – and alleviate responsibility for the guys who’ve been burdened by it. He’s done just that through two games in a Sixers uniform.
In the third coming of Matthew Renshaw as a Test cricketer, the versatile batter demonstrated the importance of resilience and perseverance with a critical century against South Africa that could yet swing the series Australia’s way.
I try very hard to fight back against apathy. In politics, the economy, media, the world begs for your apathy. Don’t make a fuss, let it all just happen. It’s all going According to Plan. The state apparatus depends on your apathy. Do not give them that gift.
And yet, not quite 48 hours after the Yankees once again lost in the ALDS, lost to a team seeded higher than them, lost to a team that is just so fundamentally annoying that thinking about them raises my blood pressure a point or two…I don’t feel much at all.
I’ve always tried to hedge my reactions to bad sports news. The Don LeGreca-style rants make for good radio and some of the longer, more unhinged comments we get here are fun to scroll past, but at the end of the day I consume baseball for my own entertainment. Letting yourself get mad over something you say you enjoy while having 0 control over it hasn’t made a whole lot of sense to me. Let sports lift you up, not press you down.
And true to form, I’m not mad about the 2026 Yankees. I’m beige. The Yankees dogwalked the Red Sox last week only to find themselves canine-ized by the Rays, swept out of the ALDS in what’s actually a worse result than last year. (They lasted a whole four games against the Blue Jays!) Aaron Boone put the worst leadoff hitter in baseball atop the lineup, telling us that he liked the potential for action on the basepaths ahead of the only batter who showed up in the series, and that leadoff hitter went 0-for-5 as the team died—with him as the final out—because of course he did.
I don’t quite know why I’m so numb to all of this. The Yankees won 93 games, the second-best record in the AL, without the game’s best player, while actively rehabbing three pitchers in their starting rotation, while Austin Wells was locked in the trunk of a car for four months, while shortstop was an open question until the season’s final few weeks. It should be kind of remarkable that they were even in the dance in the first place?
But the AL was so bad, the table so uncompetitive, that the Yankees didn’t really outrun the other guy being chased by the bear. There was no bear at all. The team wasn’t good enough to chase down the Rays, dooming themselves to an additional two playoff games while the Rays got to rest, prepare, and welcome the Yankees to the Trop for the start of the series. The same offense we’d seen sleepwalk through the year for weeks at a time showed themselves, they lost, and I don’t really care.
Supposedly at the staff level the organization is starting to pick at itself like an under-stimulated pet bird. This annual tradition of “just be good enough to make it before 26 people who should be among the best in the world at what they do collectively forget what their jobs are” might finally be sinking in. At the top level though we’ll be told not to worry, There is A Plan, these guys are having good at bats actually, it’s right in front of us.
Congratulations to the New York Yankees. You’ve managed to accomplish something my government and AI companies haven’t. Sure, man, whatever you say, I shrug my shoulders and I walk down the street.
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 07: A general view of Rate Field during Game Three of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Cleveland Guardians and the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, October 7, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
Teruaki Sato, NPB’s first Triple Crown winner since Munetaka Murakami, could make the jump to MLB next season, and he’s been linked to the Mets.
The United Nations’ human rights office has condemned the racist abuse of Coco Gauff and called for solidarity to help push back against racism and sexism.
The office, led by high commissioner Volker Türk, issued a social media post on Saturday saying the racist messages sent online targeting the American tennis player were “appalling and illustrate that Black female athletes are specifically targeted for vitriol and racial abuse”.
An email: “Happy Saturday, Barry,” writes Mark Kerry. “Is it just me or are there other baffled Arsenal fans out there regarding Arteta’s obsession with starting Havertz as a centre forward? I just can’t see the rationale for it at this point, given that Havertz has proven over the last few seasons that he’s not at all prolific, whereas Gyokeres is clearly a capable finisher - as exemplified both by last season in the Premier League but also during recent internationals. Would Arsenal not be better to persist with, or even adapt to,a more natural goal scorer?”
I’m not an Arsenal fan, baffled or otherwise, but I don’t think Gyokeres is a good enough centre-forward to play for them and I’m not sure he’s done anywhere near enough to convince Mikel Arteta otherwise. His forte is running behind into the kind of space Arsenal just aren’t afforded by most teams they play against and for such a big unit, his hold-up play is dismal. It doesn’t surprise me that Kai Havertz is picked ahead of him.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 14: Enrique Hernández #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers slides safely into home plate to score off an RBI double hit by Andy Pages (not pictured) in the second inning during Game Two of the National League Championship Series presented by loanDepot between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Here are a few other postseason notes, as we wait for Saturday night’s finale of the Division Series, with the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians deciding their ALDS vying for a shot at the Tampa Bay Rays.
“The Brewers will be fresher than they were a year ago, when the Dodgers swept an exhausted team. In this rematch, Milwaukee will also feature the sport’s most disciplined offense, the hardest-throwing pitching staff and, after Wednesday’s smothering of the Padres, the belief they can win big games on the road.”
Scoring has been down this postseason, with both teams scoring at least four runs in only one of 24 games thus far (Game 4 of Guardians-White Sox on Thursday). Bradley Woodrum at Baseball Prospectus looked at the reasons behind the low scoring and the numbers behind the “magical fourth run.”
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 7: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns passes the ball during the game against the Chicago Bulls on October 7, 2026 at United Center in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Welcome to Inside the Suns, a deep down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team in which the Fantable – a roundtable of Bright Siders – give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: What’s your overall opinion of the Suns after watching the team play in preseason?
zenzino: Between media day and the first two preseason games, there were some highs and some lows. I’m not reading anything into any of it.
I learned last season that expectation is the killer of joy. From some of the takes on the last game thread, this season has seemed to come with some significant expectations from either overall play or individual players. It’s going to be a very long season for some people.
After SL and media day hype, Maluach fans were clamoring to elevate him to the unquestioned starter. That’s not happening. 100% Oso will be the starting center opening night. That’s ok. Just to put Man Man in perspective, Koa Peat is one year younger, but Koa has played basketball 10 more years than Man Man. He is condensing a lot of experience into a relatively short time. He’ll get there. Patience.
We caught a whiff of what Miles Bridges can mean to this team in the first game, followed by the Suns’ ‘injury curse’ in the second. He said he’s fine, but it remains to be seen how much he plays the rest of preseason, and that’s a shame.
It’s now hard to believe that just one year ago Goodie was fighting for that last roster spot and there was some debate whether it should be him or Butler. Both games changed instantly when he entered. I definitely get a certain amount of pleasure knowing some Lakers fans are tearing out their hair knowing the Lakers waived Goodie to keep Brony.
Obviously, the team needs some free-throw practice. The second game was better but not good enough.
I’m not worried about any of the players or rotations at this point. We have no idea how much of this is just testing lineups and processes and how much is actually going to carry through to the regular season.
Ashton: This is on a two-game sample size as of this writing, but wow is it ugly. I would have preferred to get this question next week after the Suns play SA. ESPN is doubting our center position depth, and I thought Oso and KM did “Okay”. Enough to handle Wemby? Probably not.
Sorry, Suns fans, I wanted to write something positive up, but I somehow managed to “turnover” my sunny outlook with two preseason losses. Use the trope “well, it is just preseason” all you want, but I expected way better ball handling than the turnover fest that I have seen. And then there is the crappy three-point shooting where first-half leads magically disappear that seems all too familiar. This looks like a “Sunzy” team. Booker, were you so focused on endorsing Stanley Cups (not hockey) with your dogs that you forgot to shoot threes?
Eh, I am not shifting off my less than 40 wins this season. If that makes me a hater, then so be it. Besides, John Voita already covered the Good, Bad, and Ugly.
Overall, I just think this team is just too raw. The third unit did not help boost my expectations and they need more time in the oven.
OldAz: Number 1 is that the NBA really needs to push the season back and start between Thanksgiving and Christmas (when Football games start to become more scarce. It’s just too early to remember Basketball is on, especially when it’s pre-season. Plus, it would extend the season more into the summer part of the sports calendar when it’s dead.
Number 2 is that my overall opinion will be grossly underinformed because I have only caught about 25% of each game, with heavy weighting to the 2nd halves when the starters were done.
Number 3 is that I think the team will be far more athletic and will be fun to watch. Not sure if that translates to more wins or not.
Rod: I hate to use the word “potential” but there it is. I see a lot of potential, both good and bad, in this team. If they can get the turnovers under control, I see the potential for this to be a 5th or 6th seed team in the West. If not (or they get even worse), there’s a possibility that they won’t even make it to the play-in stage…let along get past it. Can they get those TOs under control? That’s the biggest question for this team right now and unless that gets fixed, this season could turn out badly.
The one thing that is almost 100% unquestionable about this team is that the Suns’ 2nd unit is going to be one of the best (if not the best) in the NBA this season. Watching them play is an absolute joy and my favorite thing about this team at the moment.
Q2: What has surprised you about this team (so far)?
zenzino: Nothing from the players, really. I saw Brooks pass when he had an almost open shot. That was a pleasant surprise.
As far as the coaching side of the team, I am a little surprised that Ott said he’s going to keep the regular season rotation to “at most, a 10-man rotation”. That seems extraordinarily dumb. Why build depth if you’re not going to use it? It’s a long season. If you use your depth, it keeps everyone fresher at the end of the season, reduces chances for injury, and makes sure that if someone does go down, the next man up isn’t starting cold. I don’t understand it.
Ashton: There is usually someone that comes off the bench, and you go “That’s HIM!” Is that statement even a thing now?
I will give the surprise honor to Brooks for good shooting and all-around stats, winning the pillow fight with Benny the Bull, and somehow managing to do it all while under foul pressure. Also, who picks and wins a pillow fight with a bull?
Also, honorable mention shout-outs to Miles Bridges, who seemed to integrate seamlessly with the starting core before his ankle injury. And another surprise belongs to Luke Kennard, whom I expected to jack up perimeter shots but instead showed that he wanted to become an all-around NBA player with his assists. I expect good things from Kennard.
OldAz: That instead of a sophomore leap, KM and Fleming seem to have regressed some (at this point). I know it is early, but both have a great opportunity to step up and earn more minutes and a bigger role. So far, I’m surprised at how “bleh” they have looked, especially Fleming.
Rod: It has surprised me how many three-point shots the starters have been taking, especially since that’s not their strong suit. They’re tied for 12th most three-point attempts per game but 28th in three-point percentage?!? They average 16 3-pt attempts per game out of 34.5 FGAs per game, which works out to 46.7% of their FGAs being threes…not smart. And when you remove Oso’s 3.5 FGA average (obviously no 3-pt attempts by him), 51.6% of the other 4 starters’ FGAs come from beyond the three-point line.
Book especially needs to start doing what he does best, get back into his mid-range game, as 57.1% of his FGA have been from three…with only 8.3% of them falling. That’s NOT a typo: 8.3% from three. And Green needs to slow down on the long-range bombs too as 50% of his shot attempts have been threes, of which he’s hit only 25%. 56.2% of Brooks’ shots have also been from three BUT he has actually been hitting 55.6% of them! Fire away, Dillon! Bridges hasn’t been great from three (33.3%), but he also hasn’t quite gone three-point shot crazy, with only 33.3% of his attempts coming from downtown, so I’m good with his attempts number so far.
The starting unit was not built to play the 3-point game, and they need to get out of that mindset before the regular season begins.
Q3: Jordan Ott has said he’s going to play at most a 10-man rotation when the regular season starts. Which players do you think will wind up OUT of that 10-man rotation?
zenzino: This one came with an instruction to be brief. I can’t help but take that personally. 😉
SMH. If this is the case, I can’t imagine that same 10-man rotation. The last 2 or 3 of the 10 would have to change based on situation/matchups.
Here goes (full contract players only):
Mark Williams: He’s obviously out, and they think he’ll come back in time to help, so he’s keeping his full roster spot.
Koa Peat: He’s a rookie. He’ll spend some time in the G League.
Jamaree Bouyea: With all the guards, he’s the odd man out. I will be shocked if he doesn’t get some minutes when they need a spark.
Haywood Highsmith: Seems like he’s mostly there for insurance. Again, I’d be shocked if he doesn’t get some minutes when they need to spread the floor and ramp up defense.
This leaves Rasheer Fleming and Ryan Dunn. I honestly don’t know. It seems like Sheer hasn’t made the jump in the off-season. My guess is that Dunn will get the minutes to start the season and maybe Sheer will work his way into more minutes.
Again, I find it hard to believe that these guys are going to ride the pine the whole season.
Was that brief?
Ashton: Coach Ott doesn’t have any choice but to play a 10-man rotation, and I expect a lot of that will be on the starting five. Book, welcome to more minutes.
I am not sure if I want to give into the why, but this seems set to me.
Starting 4: Booker, Green, Brooks, and Bridges. No explanation needed.
Center: Who the heck knows, but KM and Oso are kept, so that is six out of the ten. Let’s see how they defend Wemby for the Suns pecking order in the upcoming preseason games.
Last four (like the NCAA tournament, who is in and who is out): Goodie, Kennard, and CG. That is a lot of guards! But CG has to be the first off the bench. And as my colleague, zenzino, on the Fantable once explained many episodes ago, you do not platoon out a second unit at once. Sheer did not impress me against the Bulls, but no way can I say Koa Peat, as he is too raw. Sheer gets the last spot on a ten-man rotation.
Leaving the rest at the end of the bench, waived, cut, etc. But I was not going to sit here and answer this question line by line with a brief description of who is left out. Did I cheat? Yes.
OldAz: This is a layup. 9 of the ones in the rotation are obvious: Book, Green, Bridges, Brooks, Oso, Gillespie, Maluach, Goodwin, and Kennard.
Maluach is all about needing a 2nd center among the top 9. If Williams were healthy, I think he would be forced to earn his minutes more than he will with Williams on the shelf. Goodwin will be a part of the rotation because of Ott’s defensive focus. Kennard is there because he is a vet who knows how to fit in. This leaves Dunn and Fleming fighting for that 10th spot, and IMO the winner and playing time for that 10th person will entirely be determined by what they bring on the defensive side of the ball.
I answered this one backwards, because, as I said in #1, it’s so early in preseason that I would actually have to do some research to even know who the options are beyond these 11. Highsmith? Duop? Bouyeah (more like Bou-“yuck” so far). I don’t see Koa or Chandler breaking into the rotation, even though I have liked what I have seen from each.
Rod: I can’t help but wonder if Ott’s 10-man rotation might not change from game to game. By that I mean, will it be the same 10 guys in the rotation for every game (health permitting)? Would his player rotation change in games against taller/longer teams vs games against smaller/speedier teams?
I think this team just has too much depth to keep the rotation down to 10 players, but this depth, in many cases, could allow Ott to sit/rest certain players with relatively minor injuries by using that depth to solidly fill the rotation vacated by said injured player. Like with Bridges’ “tweaked” ankle, Ott could just hold him out to be on the cautious side even if Bridges felt he could play and use the depth to compensate…while still only playing a 10-man rotation that night.
But that’s beside the point as far as this question is concerned.
In order to be brief, I’m just going to say I agree with what OldAz wrote about the Suns’ top 9 rotation players, and with his assessment that the 10th spot will come down to a choice between Dunn and Fleming. Pretty much no one else has much of a chance of making it into a 10-man rotation without an injury happening. But, as I said earlier, the Suns have such good depth that Ott could use that to give players with relatively minor injuries more time to heal up by using the ‘deep’ bench players in the rotation on certain nights.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Quotes of the Week
“I think we know what it takes to win. We’ve seen it in spurts. It’s just a matter of playing together for a full 48 minutes, putting it all together and just getting more time getting the reps in. I like what we have. I like where we’re at.” – Collin Gillespie
“I feel comfortable bringing the ball up, getting guys in the sets. I’m very comfortable with having the ball in my hands in general. As far making the right read, that is where my head is at right now. Get into the paint, draw two, make the right read.” – Jalen Green
Suns Trivia/History
On October 11, 2008, in a preseason match-up, Denver beat Phoenix 77-72 at the Indian Wells (California) Tennis Garden. The game is noteworthy because it was the first NBA game played outdoors in three decades.
On October 12, 1979, Don Buse made Suns history with Phoenix’s first-ever 3-pointer late in the first quarter of the 1979-80 season opener against Golden State. He made two in one minute, and Paul Westphal hit two in the 3rd quarter, each finishing 2-2 from three. Alvin Scott went 0-1, and Phoenix finished 4-5 on threes as the Suns beat Golden State 97-89 at home.
On October 16, 1969, 4-time All-Star Connie Hawkins made his NBA debut for the Phoenix Suns in a 116-114 win over the San Diego Rockets. The Hawk would lead a trio of 20+ ppg scorers for the Suns (Hawkins – 24.6, Dick Van Arsdale – 21.3 and Gail Goodrich – 20.0) to a 39-43 regular season record (23 wins better than their previous 16-66 record) and their first-ever trip to the NBA playoffs.
Important Future Dates
Oct. 14 – Suns @ Spurs (preseason) 5:00 PM Oct. 16 – Suns vs. Jazz (preseason) 7:00 PM Oct. 19 – All rosters set for NBA Opening Day (5 p.m. ET) Oct. 20 – 2026-27 NBA Season Begins Oct. 24 – NBA G League Draft Oct. 26 – NBA G League Training Camps open Oct. 30 – Emirates NBA Cup 2026 Group Play tips off Nov. 6 – NBA G League Tip-Off Tournament begins Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027 March 1 – Playoff Eligibility Waiver Deadline April 11 – 2026-27 Regular Season ends (All 30 teams play) April 12 – Rosters set for NBA Playoffs 2027 (3 p.m. ET) April 13-16 – SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament April 17 – NBA Playoffs 2026 begin
There are a few known and lesser-known Cubs prospects in this entry of Cub Tracks.
Go, Clevelanders!!! The Guardians are one game from advancing to the ALCS. We owe the fans of Cleveland for 2016, when they became the organization with the WS longest drought. Go Everyone Associated with Cleveland!
Iron Mike (RIP):
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Lockout on Everyone’s Mind:
Matthew Nethercott (Diamond Centric): Here’s Why MLB Owners Will Avoid A Lengthy 2027 Lockout. “Baseball’s looming labor dispute could threaten the 2027 season, but a little-discussed provision involving MLB’s television contracts may give owners a powerful incentive to reach an agreement.”
Matthew Nethercott (Diamond Centric): MLB Owners Propose Major Changes to Regular Season & Postseason Format. “A 154-game regular season, seven-game Division Series and a new system allowing teams to select playoff opponents are among the proposed changes tied to a salary cap agreement.”
Minors/Pipeline:
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): MLB Pipeline Names Its Cubs Prospects of the Year. “Ayers’ breakout year certainly deserves the nod, but so does that of Josiah Hartshorn and his incredible pro debut. My guess was that we would see various platforms go in either direction.”
Cory Sparks (North Side Baseball): Cubs Farmhand Miguel Useche is Surging, Against All Odds. “From independent ball to Double-A, Miguel Useche has already come a long way. Can he complete an improbable journey to the big leagues?”
Free Agents/Arbitration:
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): Ranking the Cubs’ Contract Option Decisions, from Easiest to Toughest. “Eight members of the Cubs have options in their contract for 2027. Most of them will be declined, in one way or another, but for the team, the decisions break in each direction—and, mostly, they figure to be pretty easy.”
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball): How Cubs Should Handle Their 11 Arbitration-Eligible Players This Fall. “The Cubs won’t have to fork over big money for their fistful of arbitration-eligible players this offseason. That’s the good news. The bad news is, they’d really love to have to pay some of them more.”
Carson Wolf (Just Baseball): Where the Cubs Stand After an Abrupt End to the 2026 Season. “The Cubs’ 2026 season ended abruptly after entering the postseason with World Series aspirations. Now, several questions need answers this offseason.”
Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Nico Hoerner on What the Cubs Can Take Away from a Two-Game Wild Card Sweep. “Among the topics about which I most wanted to hear is the dichotomy between the playoffs being THE PLAYOFFS, and also being just two games. How much can a player take away from something like that?
In the early 1960s, Butterfield met aspiring blues guitarist Elvin Bishop. Bishop recalled:
He [Butterfield] was playing more guitar than harp when I first met him. But in about six months he became serious about the harp, and he seemed to get about as good as he got in that six months. He was just a natural genius. This was in 1960 or 1961. By this time Butter had been hanging out in the ghetto for a couple of years, and he was part of the scene and getting accepted.
Eventually, Butterfield, on vocals and harmonica, and Bishop, accompanying him on guitar, were offered a regular gig at Big John’s, a folk club in the Old Town district on Chicago’s near North Side. With this booking, they persuaded bassist Jerome Arnold and drummer Sam Lay (both from Howlin’ Wolf’s touring band) to form a group with them in 1963. Their engagement at the club was highly successful and brought the group to the attention of record producer Paul A. Rothchild.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
Baseball: NL Wild Card Playoff: MLB commissioner Rob Manfred with Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort on field before game vs Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Chicago, IL 10/2/2018 CREDIT: Jeff Haynes (Photo by Jeff Haynes /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X162181 TK1 )
Good morning, Rockies fans!
Major League Baseball is apparently interested in giving us a little less baseball.
On Thursday, MLB unveiled its latest proposal for a new collective bargaining agreement, including a reduction of the regular season from 162 games to 154 beginning in 2029. The 154-game schedule was once baseball’s standard, before the American League expanded to 162 games in 1961 and the National League followed in 1962.
For the Colorado Rockies, that would mean 77 home games at Coors Field and 77 on the road, instead of 81 each. That, of course, would also make a .500 record 77-77 instead of 81-81.
The number of games isn’t the only proposed change. MLB also wants a scheduled weekly off-day, generally on Mondays, and four doubleheaders against division opponents, further reducing the number of days teams would take the field. The additional rest could benefit Colorado’s pitching staff, although those doubleheaders could create their own challenges.
So, just how important are eight games?
The Rockies have never won the NL West. The closest they have ever come was in 2018, when they finished tied with the Dodgers for first place after 162 games, only to lose Game 163.
After Game 154, Colorado was 84-70 and 1.5 games behind Los Angeles. The Rockies then won seven of their final eight games to force the tiebreaker.
Of course, for a franchise accustomed to looking up at the rest of the division, a shorter season might just mean eight fewer games spent doing so.
Despite a fourth consecutive 100-loss season, Maddy Dickens believes the Rockies have enough encouraging pieces to justify an aggressive offseason. With Hunter Goodman leading an improving offense and some positive developments in the bullpen, Dickens argues that addressing the starting rotation should be a priority for Paul DePodesta. It’s an optimistic assessment of where Colorado stands heading into 2027.
With Paul DePodesta preparing for his first full offseason leading the Rockies, changes to the roster seem inevitable. Sports Illustrated’s Ben Fisher examines which Colorado player could be on the move as the organization looks toward 2027. The question isn’t simply who might be available, but what kind of return the Rockies could get as they reshape the roster.
FanGraphs’ Brendan Gawlowski included Rockies prospect Andy Perez in his Arizona Fall League scouting notebook. Perez’s bat-to-ball skills caught his attention, but so did his aggressive approach at the plate. The ability to make contact is there, though improving his swing decisions could go a long way toward determining how much offensive value he ultimately provides.
Jared Thomas is making some noise in the Arizona Fall League. The Rockies’ No. 10 prospect launched his first home run for the Salt River Rafters, sending the ball 417 feet. After an injury-interrupted season, Thomas is getting some valuable extra playing time this fall, and this is a pretty good way to make use of it.
The White Sox and Guardians have spent all season battling for supremacy in the AL Central, and now it comes down to one game. In their 17 meetings this year, eight have been decided by a single run, including four walk-offs. Will Leitch looks at the biggest storylines heading into Saturday night’s winner-take-all Game 5, including José Ramírez’s resurgence and Chicago’s unconventional pitching strategy.
Following an entertaining Division Series between the Brewers and Padres, Matthew Roberson takes a look back at the best Division Series in MLB history. Since the format became a permanent part of the postseason in 1995, there have been plenty of memorable October moments. Roberson ranks the ten best series, giving baseball fans something to debate while we wait for the next round.
J.J. Cooper examines how the Brewers and Padres combined for the hardest-throwing game of the pitch-tracking era, averaging 95.3 mph across all pitches on October 3. It’s an interesting look at how much velocity has increased across baseball.
Should a team save its ace for a potential Game 7, or use him earlier to improve its chances of getting there? Ben Clemens examines the math behind postseason pitching decisions and whether teams are better off using their best starters early or saving them for the biggest possible moments.
CLEVELAND, OH - OCTOBER 03: A general view of Progressive Field prior to Game One of the American League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Leigh Bacho/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
The 2026 MLB Playoffs continue today, and it looks like my complaining from yesterday paid off, because we’ve finally got a Game 5! The American League Division Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians will conclude tonight, one way or another.
As of the time this is being written, only the White Sox have announced a starting pitcher, which will be right-hander Sean Burke.
Tonight’s game starts at 5:00 p.m. and will air on TBS/HBO Max, with national radio coverage available on ESPN Radio.
Personally, I think I’m rooting for the White Sox still, although it was brought to my attention that Cleveland hasn’t won a World Series since 1948. So I don’t think I’ll be unhappy with either result, since I don’t actually have a vested interest in either team.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Coby Mayo #16 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with Colton Cowser #17 after scoring in the first inning during game two of a double header against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 23, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning Birdland,
There was no baseball yesterday, and it seems like the Orioles avoided stepping on yet another rake. So, there is little content on which to blog. But we will prevail!
There will be a decisive Game 5 in the ALDS this evening. The White Sox and Guardians will face off at 8 p.m. in Cleveland. TBS/HBO Max has the broadcast.
University of Maryland product Sean Burke will start for the ChiSox. He was quite good this season (11-7, 3.34 ERA, 172.1 IP, 4.2 bWAR). What has allowed him to excel? Well, according to Burke himself: “This is my life. I don’t have family, no girl, no kids. This is all I do.” I suppose that does give you more time to hone your craft…but, like, are you going OK, Sean?
Burke later clarified that he didn’t literally mean he had no family. In fact, a bunch of them celebrated on the field with him when the White Sox clinched the playoffs. Rather, he seems to have meant that he doesn’t have a current long-term romantic relationship or kids. He gave an individual shoutout to his mom, so I would bet she in particular did not love the quote. Probably good that he got all of that sorted out before Thanksgiving rolls around next month.
Back to the baseball. My rooting interests are with the White Sox tonight. If they win, that will mean it is a White Sox/Rays ALCS, two teams that the Orioles had winning records against this season. It just feels fitting that this mediocre American League yields a World Series representative that our frustratingly sub-par favorite team handled in the regular season and yet it was the rest of the field that gave them so much trouble. It could be you guys out there!
Links
Sonny Gray Plans To Pitch In 2027 | MLB Trade Rumors This is not Orioles-related, but it could be! We know Mike Elias loves to sign old starting pitchers. Gray seems to prefer East Coast teams. And he has said he wants to win a World Series. Now, let’s admit that the Orioles are NOT the team you think of when dreaming about the postseason, but maybe they could be? Gray had a 2.72 ERA over 169 innings in 2026. He has thrown 166 innings or more in four straight seasons.
How Cowser believes he can return to form for O’s in ’27 | Orioles.com Ah yes, Colton Cowser, the topic of the rift between Jim Palmer and Craig Albernaz. He is a player that will be under the microscope a bit in 2027. His glove is so good that he needs to be in the lineup pretty much everyday regardless of matchup, but he has serious trouble with left-handed pitching. They should try to fix that.
Taking another look at the bullpen | Roch Kubatko This is one area of the team that feels pretty good going into the offseason. They should not just assume they will continue to ascend in 2027, but it’s a good starting point. At the very least, Félix Bautista, Ryan Helsley, and Yennier Cano should be a solid veteran trio you can trust most nights. Rico Garcia should have his spot as well. They probably need to go find a lefty that they feel similarly about, though Josh Walker and Grant Wolfram have their backers.
Kyle Goon: Are the Orioles listening? Their fans think they aren’t. | The Banner The Orioles have not been a winning baseball team for two full seasons now, and they completely fell apart back in 2024. Meanwhile, Elias has gotten a promotion and spoken about making his department bigger this offseason, the new owner who has presided over the losing is writing books about being an owner, and the employees that actually make Camden Yards an enjoyable experience have gotten fired. So yeah, it doesn’t feel fair, and the Orioles should have some sense of that when they make these decisions.
Orioles birthdays
Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!
Luis Vázquez turns 27 today. The utility infielder has emerged in Baltimore occasionally in each of the last two seasons, though he played in just one game in 2026.
Nick Vespi is 31 years old. He pitched out of the Orioles bullpen for parts of three seasons from 2022 through ‘24, compiling a 3.88 ERA over 53.1 total innings.
The late Gordie Sundin (b. 1937, d. 2016) was born on this day. He pitched in one big league game, which took place with the Baltimore Orioles in 1956.
This day in O’s history
1979 – The Orioles score five runs in the first inning of Game 1 of the World Series, and cling onto those runs in order to prevail 5-4 over the Pirates.
1996 – The O’s even up the ALCS at one game apiece with a 5-3 win over the Yankees. Rafael Palmeiro hits a seventh inning homer to help lock down the victory.
2012 – Raul Ibańez, who pinch hits for a struggling Alex Rodriguez in the bottom of the ninth inning, goes on to hit two key home runs. First, he smacks a game-tying homer off of Orioles closer Jim Johnson in that ninth inning, and then hits a walk-0ff solo shot in the 12th inning off of Brian Matusz to give the Yankees a 3-2 win in Game 3 of the ALDS.
2014 – The O’s drop Game 1 of the ALCS to the Royals 8-6 in extra innings. The Royals score three runs on two homers in the top of the 10th inning to pave the way toward a win.
2023 – The Orioles get swept out of the ALDS by the eventual champion Texas Rangers. Dean Kremer gets knocked around early, while Nathan Eovaldi dominated the Baltimore lineup.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 28: Tommy Novak #18 of the Pittsburgh Penguins moves much against Lian Bichsel #6 of the Dallas Stars at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 28, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Who:Dallas Stars (2-2-0, 4 points, 6th place Central Division) @ Pittsburgh Penguins (2-2-1, 5 points, 4th place Metropolitan Division)
When: 7:00 p.m. ET
How to Watch: Locally televised and streamed on Prime Video and SportsNet Pittsburgh, streaming for out of market at ESPN+
Pens’ Path Ahead: The Penguins get two days off after this weekend’s back-to-back before beginning a four-game road trip, which starts Tuesday in Chicago and continues Friday in Denver and Saturday in Las Vegas.
Opponent Track: The Stars were outscored 6-1 in a pair of season-opening losses against the St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators, but bounced back by outscoring opponents 9-0 in wins over the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres.
Season Series: The Penguins lost both games in this season series last year, starting with a December shootout loss and ending with a 6-3 home defeat in late March.
Hidden Stat: The Stars have scored nine straight unanswered goals over their last two games. They could set a franchise record if they manage to score five more without allowing a response, per NHL Stats.
Getting to know the Stars
Projected lines
FORWARDS
Sam Steel – Wyatt Johnston – Mikko Rantanen
Jason Robertson – Roope Hintz – Jamie Benn
Justin Hryckowian – Arttu Hyry – Tyler Seguin
Oskar Back – Radek Faksa – Colin Blackwell
DEFENSEMEN
Esa Lindell / Miro Heiskanen
Thomas Harley / Nils Lundkvist
Lian Bichsel / Tyler Myers
Goalies: Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith
Potential scratches: Kyle Capobianco, Joel Kiviranta
Injured Reserve: Matt Duchene
Joel Kiviranta is sitting out the Stars’ two-game road trip with a lower-body injury. The Stars called up Colin Blackwell from the AHL to slot in on the fourth line in his absence.
Jake Oettinger started the Stars’ season opener, during which he allowed two goals on 22 shots in the shutout loss. He’s been perfect since then after stopping 39 consecutive shots against the Sharks and Sabres. The Stars have two days off after tonight’s matchup before a back-to-back against the Colorado Avalanche, so Oettinger could potentially get a third straight start tonight.
Stars first-line winger Mikko Rantanen is heating up. He scored a highlight-reel goal against the Sharks before recording the first four-point night (1-3—4) of his regular-season Stars career in his team’s Thursday night win over the Sabres.
The Stars’ power play, which had struggled through the first three games of the season, broke through Thursday when Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston and Roope Hintz finished off a passing play against the Sabres.
Another aspect that started clicking for the Stars recently is the addition of Sam Steel, a player Stars coach Glen Gulutzan has described as a “utility knife,” to the top line. He scored his first goal of the season Thursday against the Sabres.
The Penguins defense could be tested tonight with limiting some of their quickest opponents yet. Rantanen said after the Stars’ Thursday win he felt the key to his team’s recent victory streak was better skating.
“We had our legs again, I think that’s the key,” Rantanen said, per NHL.com’s Heather Engel. “Playing well, you need to skate well, and I think the last two games we’ve been playing really fast.”
And now for the Pens
Projected lines (based on Friday’s lineup)
FORWARDS
Rickard Rakell – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov – Tommy Novak – Evgeni Malkin
Hendrix Lapierre – Ben Kindel – Ville Koivunen
Connor Dewar – Blake Lizotte – Nick Robertson
DEFENSEMEN
Declan Carlile / Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard / Kaeden Korczak
Trevor van Riemsdyk / Kris Letang
Goalies: Arturs Silovs (Sergei Murashov started last night)
Ilya Solovyov was listed as a scratch for Friday’s game against the Blue Jackets despite being waived earlier that day. So was newcomer Spencer Stastney, who joined the Penguins Friday but did not play against the Blue Jackets. Muse indicated he could still potentially draw into the defensive lineup going forward.
Bryan Rust moved back up on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell ahead of Friday’s game. This line often got hemmed into their own zone Friday and found themselves on the ice for both of the Blue Jackets’ regulation goals, although Rust also scored for the Pens.
Arturs Silovs is in line to start Saturday. Sergei Murashov is in line for some well-deserved rest after weathering 45 shots on goal in Friday’s 3-2 shootout loss.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 22: Kevin Durant #7 of the Houston Rockets poses for a photo during the Houston Rockets Media Day at Hilton Americas-Houston on September 22, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First off, happy belated birthday to the Easy Money Sniper, who turned 38 on September 29th. That’s certainly a ripe old age in the NBA. Durant was drafted in the 2007 draft, which feels like a different world entirely. There are a couple other 2007 draftees around besides Durant still in the NBA: Mike Conley, Al Horford. Uncle Jeff Green currently is unsigned, and the 28th pick, Tiago Splitter, is an NBA head coach.
This will mark Durant’s 20th season in the NBA, but in some ways it’s hard to tell. Here’s a sample of five Durant seasons, (chosen by rolling a 20 sided die except for one).
PTS
TRB
AST
FG%
FG3%
eFG%
TS%
GP
28.0
8
3.5
.496
.387
.547
.610
66
27.1
6.6
5.0
.523
.413
.581
.626
75
28.2
8.2
5.0
.505
.387
.573
.634
72
25.3
6.5
2.8
.476
.422
.510
.577
74
26
5.5
4.8
.520
.413
.588
.641
78
These are, again, four seasons chosen at random from Durant’s career, and in the last row, last season.
Row one is 2011-2012 (5th Season, OKC, Age 23)
Row two is 2023-2024 (17th Season, PHX, Age 35)
Row three is 2015-2016 (9th Season, OKC (last season), Age 27)
Row four is 2008-2009 (2nd Season, OKC, Age 20)
Row five is 2025-2026 (19th Season, HOU, Age 37)
Over two decades it’s hard to imagine a more consistently excellent offensive player. Other than injury plagued seasons, pretty much every Durant season is within this range, with his MVP season of 2013-2014 in OKC being better still. The point here being, you can really take any season, from almost any point, of Kevin Durant’s entire career, at it will be in line with the five seasons above. He’s just that consistently superb. I might go so far as to say the most consistently good shooter in NBA history.
Why is that important? Well, until we see evidence of a decline, why worry? It’s very hard to see much of any sign of it comparing Kevin Durant’s first season with the Rockets to any other (chosen at random) in his career. Fortunately we got early 20s, mid 20s, 30s season in that sample, and they’re all just excellent KD seasons. Combing through other stats, it’s hard to see signs of decline. I suppose his free throw rate has declined from his absolute offensive peak in his mid 20s, but not that much. His rebounds dropped a bit. His percentages, though, held fast.
So what should we expect from Kevin Durant? Until proven otherwise, more of the same.
Durant also made a point at Rockets Media Day that he wouldn’t like to see his minutes reduced. At first I thought this was annoying. Of course he should see his minutes reduced, wear and tear, and so forth. He’s 38. Looking at his career, looking at last season, I’ve changed my mind. He probably should play his career average minutes per game – about 36. Last season was 36.4, his career average is 36.7. What you see in his career, overall, is that he goes down for fairly catastrophic, traumatic, or one off, injuries, and otherwise he plays about 75 games a season. Why tamper with it? The Rockets aren’t depending on five to eight more years of KD. He went out injured for the playoffs, but I’m far from sure that was some reflection of playing a lot of minutes in the regular season, because he usually does that, even when plays a lot of playoff minutes as well. He did fairly recently in Phoenix.
I think, also, that Durant, if he doesn’t get these minutes, will become more of an irritant for the team than merely the fallout from a possible burner social media account, slagging off teammates, and the way the Rockets play. I believe Kevin Durant wants to climb further up the ladder of all time scoring. He’s not going to get the counting stats he needs to do that without playing a lot of games, and playing a lot of minutes. So I think he will do both, if he is at all able to do so.
Watching Durant closely for a season though, made me reconsider one of the main media talking points regarding KD. Namely “Durant fits anywhere, in any system.” I don’t quite see it that way anymore. Instead of viewing KD as fluidly blending with his teammates, I see more of a player who is almost entirely self-contained. That doesn’t mean he won’t play with the team, but more that he doesn’t really need anything more from them than the ball. Actions would be nice, screens would help, timely passing is good. But does KD absolutely require it? Not at all.
I now see him more as the famous soloist who comes to play with a symphony or other ensemble. You’ve brought in the world renown violinist, and everyone wants to see the fireworks show. He’ll work with the orchestra, of course he will, but he’s the star for that program, not your resident first chair. Does he deliver? Yes, I think he does. Anywhere, and everywhere. It’s not exactly your hometown orchestra anymore, but it’s definitely impressive stuff.
Does he love what he does? Obviously so. The passion, dedication, talent and artistry are all clearly there, even now. Does he love playing for you, your town, though? Certainly. Inasmuch as he loves playing. But you are no more or less special than anyone else who can pay his wage, and let him practice his craft. He’s won all the awards, and prizes, now he just wants his output to be something maybe two or three players all time can match. To be an elite of the elite.
Like that famous soloist, though, he’s happy enough to pack up the fiddle and move on. And like that stereotypical virtuoso, he’s temperamental, egotistical, and not especially cognizant of lesser talents around him. There’s nothing quite like him, but strangely, there don’t seem to be many tears shed when he moves on to the next gig.
I think Kevin Durant will have another virtuoso Kevin Durant season, and will thankfully not attempt to initiate the offense. The fact that there isn’t much conducting going on with the offense matters not at all to KD. He doesn’t need it. He never has.
