“I’m super excited to have [Achiuwa] back,” Cardwell told NBC Sports California’s Tristi Rodriguez in an exclusive interview.
“I don’t know how he came along with the ‘Beam Boys,’ but he added the glasses, and I feel like the glasses are the most important part, and the ‘Beam Boys’ are about the glasses. There was this one random game, he had glasses going on and I was like, ‘Wow, this is actually really cool.’
“So, I’m super excited to have him back. He’s a great teammate, just a good guy to be around, and obviously a great ‘Beam Boy.’ We just like guys who are buying into the culture that Max, Nique and I are trying to set up, and like I said, he’s just a fun guy to be around.”
Despite a disappointing 2025-26 season, the “Beam Boys” were some of the biggest standouts throughout the year, especially for stepping up after the Kings suffered major injuries to their stars, from Domantas Sabonis to Zach LaVine.
Achiuwa was one of the biggest surprises from the Kings’ 22-60 season, averaging 10.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in 73 games and 57 starts.
“He said it all, I agree,” Raynaud followed up on Cardwell’s thoughts on Achiuwa’s return to the team.
With one full NBA season under their belt, Cardwell, Raynaud and Clifford should only develop and improve as the 2026-27 season approaches.
Last season, Cardwell averaged 5.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in 44 appearances, while Raynaud recorded 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in 74 contests, earning the France native NBA All-Rookie Second-Team honors.
Now with the addition of rookie guard Darius Acuff Jr. to the team’s young core, who the Kings selected with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft, the future only is looking bright in Sacramento.
Well, people use numbers to lie. Guns don’t kill people. People kill people with guns, and it’s harder to kill people without guns, so guns are still part of the problem.
Some NBA fans have an almost instinctively negative reaction to numbers. They’re quite sure that statistics are a pox upon basketball analysis. “Watch the games”, goes the refrain.
As if we’ll reach the same conclusions.
There’s been a statistical analysis making the rounds on X lately that does not look kindly upon the Udoka-era Houston Rockets. Analyst David Lee has compiled a study suggesting the Rockets have the worst offensive environment for player development in the NBA over the last two seasons.
Got some questions about where different teams ranked, so here's the entire league ranked (in reverse order) by Dev Environment Score*
Firstly, a caveat: I have some issues with Lee’s framing. It’s not a methodological complaint (although I’d be lying if I said I knew what Moreyball % was, but Lee is generally smart and I’m sure it means something)*. It’s not about the findings.
*Probably it’s threes and layup volume?
I just don’t understand how this isn’t a broader analysis of each team’s offensive environment. It seems to me that Lee is extrapolating under the assumption that a better offensive environment is a better developmental environment. To that end, there are relevant measurable variables – available on-ball reps, average age of roster, probably more – that I’d like to see factored into the study.
Nonetheless, I won’t throw the baby out with the bathwater (which is one of my favorite expressions, because what an egregious mistake it would be to discard a human baby in the process of throwing out bathwater). Any Rockets fan with working eyes knows that there’s something here. If we take Lee’s study to broadly analyze offensive environment, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Rockets are at the bottom.
What’s to be done?
Rockets must improve offense
Here’s where it gets tricky: By the numbers, the Rockets’ offense under Ime Udoka has been good.
Last year, their 117.5 Offensive Rating was 8th in the NBA. Their 2024-25 114.9 rating was 12th. It turns out that replacing Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green with Kevin Durant will bolster your offense even in the absence of your starting point guard.
A system’s complexity shouldn’t be mistaken for its effectiveness. The Rockets’ playbook is bare-bones. We all know that offensive rebounding buoyed the team’s rating. Their 52.3% Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) ranked 23rd.
Does it matter how the sausage is made? Well, it depends on what’s in the sausage. Put differently, it depends on whether we think an NBA offense can be largely carried by isolation reps and offensive rebounding.
Frankly, it probably can – with the right roster. Therein lies the issue. On a points per possession (PPP) basis, the Rockets’ best isolation player last year was 37. Durant’s 1.02 PPP landed in the 78.8th percentile. Alperen Sengun was in the 50.5th, and Amen Thompson in the 68.7th on lower volume.
Out of all Lee’s stats, Assist Percentage feels like the most significant. The Rockets don’t care much for moving the ball. A more sophisticated system would leverage Sengun’s surplus positional playmaking to use motion to create open shots.
So, we arrive at a crossroads. The Rockets can reshape their roster in Udoka’s image, find a coach who’s going to build a system around Sengun and Thompson, or at least impose on Udoka (and/or his staff) to throw some wrinkles into the game plan).
This piece isn’t designed to advocate for either direction. It’s simply saying that building an offense around isolation and offensive rebounding isn’t going to work if you don’t have elite isolation players.
There’s no sense in crunching many numbers to come to that conclusion.
SAN ANTONIO - JUNE 5: (L-R) David Robinson #50 and Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs rest on the scorer's table in practice during media day availability for the 2003 NBA Finals at the SBC Center on June 5, 2003 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2003 NBAE. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Bleacher Report released their “Top 99 NBA Defenders Ever” and 13 of those 99, at some point in their careers, played for the San Antonio Spurs. The #1 overall greatest defender in NBA history (according to their list) is Bill Russell. Even though he played before many of the metrics were recorded and awards were given, he is a top choice. Here’s how the Bleacher Report staff ranked players:
“To determine the best to ever do it, Bleacher Report’s NBA writers and editors convened for a staff vote. Voters were instructed to consider advanced metrics, traditional production, All-Defensive and Defensive Player of the Year accolades, peak dominance, longevity and the good, old-fashioned eye test.”
The Spurs have some great players on this list.
13 current/former Spurs players made Bleacher Report's list of greatest defenders in NBA history:
#2 — Tim Duncan #7 — Dennis Rodman #11 — David Robinson #12 — Kawhi Leonard #24 — Bruce Bowen #29 — Chris Paul #36 — Victor Wembanyama #37 — Alvin Robertson #51 — Maurice Cheeks #77… pic.twitter.com/gNy7HRm9c6
Let’s start with Tim Duncan listed at #2 despite never winning a Defensive Player of the Year title. He did, however, garner 15 All-Defense selections — eight NBA All-Defensive First Team and seven NBA All-Defensive Second Team — the most for any player in NBA history. Man, could a player be more robbed than Duncan? No DPOY and honestly, I’m still salty that he only got credit for eight of his ten blocks in the 2003 NBA Finals, robbing him of a quadruple-double. The fact that fans and pundits care more than Big Fun alludes to the temperament that led him to greatness in the first place.
While Dennis Rodman (#7) may have been an awful fit in San Antonio from a personality standpoint, there is no denying his amazing defensive talents. Rodman, a two-time DPOY, made seven All-Defensive First Teams. The Worm was the rebounding champion for seven straight years. From 1992-1998, no one was more aggressive on the boards that Rodman. He was so adept defensively that teams didn’t even need him to score.
Dennis Rodman made history without needing to score.
He had seven career games with 20+ rebounds and zero points.
David Robinson (#11) is the second Spurs player on the list to have spent his entire career in San Antonio. Together with Tim Duncan, the Spurs won their first two NBA titles. In 1992, The Admiral claimed his DPOY award after being the league’s rebounding leader (1991) and blocks leader (1992). He added a scoring championship (1994) and MVP (1995) to his accolades showing he was one of the most athletic and well-rounded players of his time.
Following directly behind Robinson in the #12 spot is Kawhi Leonard. While Leonard’s time with San Antonio ended on strained terms and much of his post-Spurs career has been riddled with injuries, The Klaw landed back-to-back DPOY honors in 2015 and 2016 while leading the NBA in steals in 2015. His current playing status is uncertain as an investigation of a “no-show” endorsement deal is holding up the trade that would send him back to Toronto.
Bruce Bowen (#24) was known for his defensive acumen during his time with the Spurs. After receiving his first NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2001 with the Miami Heat, he signed with the Spurs picking up two more Second Team honors before grabbing five consecutive NBA All-Defensive First honors and three championship rings.
Victor Wembanyama, who just nabbed the first ever unanimous DPOY award this past season, is #36 on the list, and sure to move up as the years go by. He has been the blocks leader every year since he was drafted and currently sits 223rd in NBA blocks. That’s all-time. He’s accumulated more career blocks than guys who played more than a decade. Names like Nikola Jokic, Ivica Zubac, and James Worthy have been passed as he continues to dominate the paint and reshape the game.
Alvin Robertson (#37) won DPOY in 1986 and was the NBA steals leader three times during his career. He’s the only player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double with steals as one of the categories.
Artis Gilmore (#77) has a magnificent set of stats that he racked up in the 70s. Unfortunately for the Spurs, he played in San Antonio in the mid-80s. Same goes for Paul Pressey (#85) who shined in the mid-80s and spent two post prime seasons with the Spurs at the top of the 90s with limited play.
Chris Paul (#29), Maurice Cheeks (#51), and Theo Ratliff (#87) each played one season with the Spurs and while their defensive resumes are impressive, most of their accolades were accumulated before their time with the Silver & Black.
Derrick White (#89) has the opposite issue. While he was a great player for the Spurs, he’s shined while in Boston picking up his defensive honors while playing with the Celtics.
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Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) warms up before the 2026 NBA Playoffs game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
There’s a reason those videos hold us. Restoration is patient work. It rewards the eye that sees what a thing could be instead of what it has become. Anyone can buy new. It takes a craftsman to look at distressed wood and know the distress is a surface problem.
On Sunday, the Mavericks pulled Zaccharie Risacher off the curb.
The find
The deal itself is simple from the Dallas side. Oklahoma City needed off Lu Dort’s money, because that’s what happens when a champion tries to stay together under the second apron. The hard choices come for everyone eventually, even the model franchise. Atlanta wanted Dort. And the Mavericks, seeing two teams that needed each other, inserted themselves as the facilitator and walked out with a 21-year-old former No. 1 overall pick.
The outgoing price: Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta and Chicago’s 2027 second-round pick to Oklahoma City. Dallas even got a deeply protected 2027 second back from Atlanta in the deal, while Risacher’s $13.8 million salary slid into the traded player exception created in the Anthony Davis trade.
Nembhard had real moments as a rookie and a rough Summer League, and trading him from the thinnest position on the roster tells you Dallas valued this upside swing more than its current point guard depth. That exchange amounted to a guard the front office was willing to move and a reshuffling of second-round equity for a player who went first overall two years ago.
What’s under the finish
Here is what the league sees when it looks at Zaccharie Risacher: a No. 1 pick from a weak draft who went backwards in year two. Points down. Minutes down. Phased out of the rotation by spring. In a redraft, he doesn’t go first. Maybe he doesn’t go in the lottery.
Here is what else is true.
Risacher came over from France at 19 and put together a genuinely decent rookie season: 12.6 points a game, four 30-point nights, more than any rookie in the league that year, and a runner-up finish to Stephon Castle for Rookie of the Year. Then came the sophomore campaign, and it was a disaster. The organization lost confidence in him, and somewhere in there, you have to wonder if he lost confidence in himself.
We look at a draft slot and a stat line and we expect the graph to ascend, year one to year two, like the player is a software update. These guys aren’t robots. Imagine being 19, in a foreign country, trying your best, doing pretty well, and then having the floor drop out in year two while most of the league writes your basketball obituary at 21.
It is worth noting that the executive who led the decision to draft him first overall was gone. Atlanta fired Landry Fields after Risacher’s rookie year, leaving the people who moved him on Sunday without the same reputational stake in defending the pick. That’s how a former No. 1 selection ends up priced like distressed wood. The people selling it weren’t the ones who paid the original price.
The acquisition price is distressed. The contract decision is not entirely. Dallas must decide by October 31 whether to exercise a $17.4 million option for 2027-28, before the restoration has had much regular-season time to reveal itself. The bet is still favorable. It simply isn’t costless.
There’s one more layer of irony worth savoring. Last winter, when the Mavericks were shopping Anthony Davis, Risacher’s name surfaced in trade rumors with Atlanta. Those talks fizzled. Davis went to Washington instead, and that trade created the very exception Dallas just used to bring Risacher in anyway. The wood found its way to the shop after all. It just took the scenic route.
Earlier this month in this space, the argument was that the real brilliance of the six-team Aldama trade was what Dallas didn’t spend. By routing Khris Middleton back to Washington in a sign-and-trade, like a boomerang returning to the hand that threw it, the front office preserved the full Davis exception and kept most of its mid-level spending power intact. The biggest tool stayed on the shelf.
On Sunday, they took it down and used it.
This is what preservation is for. You don’t protect an exception to admire it. You protect it so that when a former No. 1 pick shakes loose from a franchise that stopped believing in him, you can absorb his salary without sending out anyone the new front office considered part of its core rotation. The patience in early July paid for the opportunism in late July. That’s craftsmanship. That’s a shop where the tools are kept sharp and hung where the workers can reach them.
Restoring on a staggered start
Now for the part of this that requires honesty about where the Mavericks actually are.
The draft cupboard isn’t barren, but it’s not what any new regime would want. Dallas’s 2027 first goes to Charlotte unless it lands in the top two. Oklahoma City holds swap rights in 2028. The Mavericks’ own 2029 pick is tied up in the Houston-Brooklyn machinery, leaving Dallas with the Lakers’ first instead, from the trade this fanbase will spend a generation processing. San Antonio holds swap rights in 2030. The first draft in which Dallas fully controls its own first-round destiny is 2031.
In the likeliest scenario, Dallas makes three first-round selections between now and then, and none of them come in the lottery. That’s my forecast, and I’ll own it: unless something unforeseen happens to the teams on the other side of those swaps, or the Lakers crater with the cornerstone Dallas handed them, those picks land closer to the end of the round than the top of it.
That’s not a standing start—that’s a staggered one…well behind a fair starting point to judge a set of decision-makers, but it is also life in the NBA. New front offices don’t inherit blank canvases in this league; they inherit the previous regime’s mistakes and get judged on the cleanup. Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz took this job knowing the assets that should have been in the drawer were spent by the people who came before them, spent chasing a window that the same regime then threw the franchise’s cornerstone out of.
So what do you do when you can’t draft your way back and you can’t trade your way to a second star, because the ammunition for that kind of deal simply doesn’t exist? You work the margins. You take on distressed assets, opportunistically, and you bet on your own eye for grain.
Look at what this offseason has actually cost. The No. 9 pick, which they used. A move from 30 to 25 for Sergio De Larrea that cost two future seconds. Their own second-rounders, which they used. And in the six-team deal: Middleton, AJ Johnson, a couple of seconds, and a Golden State first-rounder so heavily protected it was probably never going to be a first at all.
For that, they’ve added eight players to the organization’s young talent pool: Morez Johnson Jr., De Larrea, Tobi Lawal, Vsevolod Ishchenko, Santi Aldama, Marcus Sasser, Tarik Biberovic, and now Risacher. This is a molting, and we’re watching it mid-molt. Judge it at training camp, or at the deadline, or next summer, when the feathers have finished coming in.
But here’s the bet that makes the Risacher trade the signature move of the whole project. Barring another major move, Dallas has no realistic path to having a first-round pick next June. If Risacher spends this season being coached back into the player who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, if he matures into someone you’d take over most of the bottom half of next year’s first round, then Dallas has effectively manufactured the pick it doesn’t own.
It is not the 2019 blockbuster that shipped out a large piece of the future to pair two young stars and accelerate a timeline. It isn’t the deadline deals that spent first-round picks on the pieces of a Finals run. Those were different tools for a different era, and whether this front office would make those kinds of moves is unknowable, because they haven’t been given the chance. They’re maneuvering on the margins by necessity.
So far, they’re doing it beautifully.
What gets restored first
There’s another video genre I can’t stop watching lately. A crew knocks on the door of a stranger’s house, usually someone older, sometimes someone who just can’t keep up anymore, and offers a deal: let us film it, and we’ll restore your yard for free. Half a day later a home that had become a source of quiet embarrassment is quaint again. Cared for again.
Millions of people watch those videos, and I think it’s the same instinct that keeps me transfixed by the woodworking channels. We love watching hidden potential get realized. We love watching someone kneel next to a thing the world gave up on and put in the elbow grease to find out what’s underneath.
That’s what this offseason has been. No big-names to finish off a nearly perfect roster. A restoration, conducted from well behind the starting line, by craftsmen who understood that the Cooper Flagg lottery night was only ever going to matter if the decisions that followed it were shrewd. Under the people who ran this team before, they weren’t going to be. Under these people, so far, they are.
Whether it ends in a title or just a couple of playoff runs that make this city feel like itself again, nobody can promise. But something is being restored in Dallas right now, and it comes before wins, before relevance, before any of it.
Much has been made of the fact that the Montreal Canadiens signed Kirby Dach to a new contract and that he will have yet another chance to prove himself. Some are convinced that if it weren’t for his dreadful luck with injuries, he could be a prominent top-six player for the Habs and that he deserves another opportunity to prove it.
However, he won’t be the only forward who’ll be playing in a contract year and eager to prove himself. Furthermore, I think there are players more deserving of a chance on the top six than he is. Whichever way you look at it, injuries have indeed been a grave issue for Dach, but even when he is healthy, the consistency is lacking.
He shone brightly in the playoffs when he was annoyed at being heavily criticized by fans and media after game two of the Canadiens’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Still, after that he vanished, and he finished the playoffs on the wing of the fourth line. In the Eastern Conference Final, he didn’t have a single point and finished with a minus-four rating in five games. Granted, Nick Suzuki was minus-five, but he had much harder matchups and a lot more ice time.
Alex Newhook will also be playing in a contract year this season, and he’s coming off the best season of his career, despite being limited to just 42 games because of injuries. He put up 25 points, after putting up 26 the previous season, but in 82 games. When he came back from his injury, he hit the ground running, and he’s developed good chemistry with Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen.
In the playoffs, he was the one who scored both game-winning goals in Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres. The one against the Sabres came in overtime, and the one against the Bolts in the third frame. The Newfoundlander really showed up in the playoffs and answered the bell big time. He finished the third round with a minus-two rating and never looked like he had given up.
Meanwhile, Kapanen, who hit a wall in the second part of the season after the Olympics, may have finished his playoffs as a healthy scratch, but given how well he linked up with Demidov in the first part of the season, he should still be in the top six. Granted, long-term, he won’t be in the top six, but if the Canadiens fail to add a top-six center before the start of the season, he’s a suitable placeholder. Seeing a rookie hit a wall in the second half of a campaign is not a rare phenomenon; he deserves another chance, especially since this will also be a contract year for him.
If and when Michael Hage pans out as an NHL center, Kapanen will be pushed down to the third line, which is a more realistic role for him, but for now, it can only benefit his development to play him on the second line with tough matchups.
I’m not completely ruling out Dach as a top-six player this season, but the way I see it, he should have to earn another opportunity, and there are players ahead of him. I would even suggest that Zach Bolduc, who’s currently an unsigned RFA, would be more deserving of a shot on the second line right now. He finished the playoffs on the fourth line just like Dach, but he played with much more energy and dedication, taking a leaf out of Josh Anderson’s book, something that Dach never committed to.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been a pretty busy this off-season. However, when looking at their current blueline, it is fair to argue that they could use another left-shot defenseman. They lost Ryan Shea to the Edmonton Oilers in free agency and traded Parker Wotherspoon to the Vegas Golden Knights.
With it now being over three weeks since the start of free agency, most of this year's top UFAs have signed their contracts. While this is the case, there is still an interesting veteran defenseman unsigned at this point of the off-season: Ben Hutton.
With the Penguins needing more defensive depth, Hutton could be a solid player for them to bring in on a cheap one-year deal. He could compete for a spot on their bottom pairing or work well as an extra defenseman for the Metropolitan Division club.
Hutton spent last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, where he scored a career-high six goals and posted 15 points in 55 games. He also played in seven playoff games for Vegas this past spring, recording one assist and a plus-1 rating.
Overall, while Hutton would not the flashiest of additions for the Penguins, he would give their blueline more much-needed depth. With this, he could be a solid pickup for Pittsburgh.
In 575 career NHL games, Hutton has posted 30 goals, 109 assists, and 139 points. He also won the Stanley Cup with Vegas in 2023.
A former Philadelphia Flyers forward is heading to the KHL, as Justin Bailey has signed a one-year contract with Barys Astana. The KHL announced the news.
Bailey spent each of the last two seasons in the AHL exclusively, so it is understandable that he wants to take on a new challenge in the KHL. He will now be looking to make an impact with Barys Astana after landing his new deal.
Bailey spent most of his North American career in the AHL. In 509 games over 10 AHL seasons, the 2013 second-round pick posted 180 goals, 139 assists, and 319 points. He played in 17 games during the 2018-19 season with the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, where he recorded six goals and eight points.
Bailey also played in 11 games with the Flyers during the 2018-19 season, where he recorded one assist, five blocks, and nine hits. His time in Philadelphia ended when the Flyers let him walk into free agency, and he signed a one-year deal with the Vancouver Canucks during the 2019 NHL off-season.
In 141 career NHL games over eight seasons split between the Buffalo Sabres, Flyers, Canucks, and San Jose Sharks, Bailey posted 10 goals, 13 assists, 23 points, and 157 hits.
While Steph Curry still remains one of the top NBA players, the Warriors star currently is 38 years old and only has a few seasons left in his illustrious basketball career.
Especially after an injury-shortened 2025-26 NBA season due to patellofemoral pain syndrome, reality seems to be kicking in for the 17-year veteran that being able to play the game he loves at an elite level is not built to last forever.
When asked about how his injuries last season affect his preparation for his 18th year in the NBA, Curry detailed the various changes in how he trains and takes care of his body.
“It does. But it also adds to the understanding of basketball mortality and the fact that I won’t be able to play forever. You don’t dwell on it, but it changes the intentionality. It gives me a sense of urgency about trying to get the most out of what’s left,” Curry told The Hollywood Reporter’s Chris Gardner.
“I have to train differently. My body is different at 38 than it was even five years ago. I try to work smarter when it comes to everything that I do. I still want to be the hardest-working guy in the room and try to live on that. Whatever happens, it all takes care of itself on the court. When I get back into the season, that’s the fun part.”
Curry’s wife, Ayesha, also added that she believes the two-time NBA MVP has at least one more championship run left in him despite his age and recent injury history.
“I just know you have one more chip in you. I tell him this every other week. One more,” Ayesha commented.
The four-time NBA champion was sidelined for 39 total games last season, 27 of which were due to runner’s knee. Curry still managed to average 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists and shoot 39.3 percent from 3-point range during the season.
Throughout his career, Curry has never played a full 82-game season, but has appeared in 70-plus games in nine of his 17 NBA seasons.
The 12-time NBA All-Star selection is entering the final season of his current contract with the Warriors worth approximately $62.5 million, with the likelihood of another extension being on the horizon between Curry and Golden State’s front office.
Regardless of how this NBA offseason unfolds, whether or not free agent LeBron James or another superstar lands with the Warriors, there is no doubt Curry will finish his highly successful career in Golden State at some point in the near future.
TUCSON, ARIZONA - MARCH 02: Anthony Dell'orso #3 of the Arizona Wildcats reacts during the second half of the NCAAB game against the Iowa State Cyclones at McKale Center at ALKEME Arena on March 02, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. The Wildcats defeated the Hawkeyes 73-57. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Anthony Dell’Orso came to the United States from Australia four years ago in hopes of improving his pro prospects. After a successful college career, one that culminated with helping Arizona return to the Final Four, he’s going back home.
The ex-UA guard has signed a 3-year contract to play for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League, the top professional league in Australia and New Zealand.
The Perth Wildcats have agreed to terms with Australian guard Anthony Dell'Orso on a three-year contract, pending NBL approval! 🤝
Fresh off a stint with the Sacramento Kings at the 2026 NBA Summer League, Dell'Orso arrives in Perth following a standout college career at the… pic.twitter.com/3yfH1aPfNQ
The 6-foot-6 Dell’Orso spent the past two seasons with Arizona, appearing in 66 games with 28 starts, averaging 7.9 points per game. He came off the bench as a senior and averaged 8.5 per contest, hitting 100 3-pointers in his UA tenure.
Dell’Orso, who began his college career at Campbell, shot 35.2 percent from 3-point range in the collegiate ranks. He scored a career-high 26 against Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals in March, draining six triples, and had back-to-back 22-point performances in February when Koa Peat and Dwayne Aristode were unavailable.
Undrafted last month, Dell’Orso signed with the Sacramento Kings for the NBA Summer League. He appeared in four games, two in the California Classic and two in Las Vegas, and scored 12 points with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Per Olgan Uluc of ESPN, Dell’Orso’s contract with Perth includes opt-outs for him to return to the NBA if another opportunity presents itself. For now, though, he’ll be joining a Wildcats team that went 33-21 during the 2025-26 season and reached the semifinals of the NBL Playoffs.
The Perth Wildcats have won 10 championships in the 10-team NBL, most recently in 2020. Other Arizona alum who have played in the NBL include Parker Jackson-Cartwright, who has been with the New Zealand Breakers for parts of the past three seasons, as well as Chase Jeter and Keanu Pinder.
NEW YORK - UNDATED: Milwaukee Bucks' Oscar Robertson #1 dribbles against New York Knicks' Dick Barnett #12 during a game at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Focus on Sport via Getty Images) | Focus on Sport via Getty Images
Generally speaking, most people consider either Michael Jordan or LeBron James to be the GOAT of professional basketball. Jordan was an incredible presence from 1984 to 2003, minus his first two retirements. As for James, he started playing in the NBA in 2003 and, for better or worse, is still playing (he is not the player he used to be, and at some point, his diminishing skills will hurt his legacy).
As we said, most people would go with one of them for the greatest of all time, but not everyone. Take Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Kareem has a somewhat forgotten choice: Oscar Robertson. Robertson was somewhat overshadowed in the 1960s by the Boston Celtics, and the Lakers, first with Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, and later with Wilt Chamberlain, but was he truly great?
Absolutely, he was, and this video makes a plausible argument for placing him ahead of Jordan and James.
Robertson, first and foremost, was decades ahead of his time. He was a 6-5 point guard who averaged a triple-double. He was immensely skilled, and strong enough to box out much bigger players.
As the video suggests, Kareem, who played with the Big O for two seasons early in his career, is uniquely qualified to judge greatness. He played against Chamberlain, with Magic Johnson, and against Jordan and Larry Bird.
The basic argument is that Robertson had a combination of total skills, talent, and control of the game that was well beyond that of Jordan and James. Not many people will accept this, because they’ve mostly seen Jordan and James, and Robertson is now 87 years old, and not everyone saw him in his prime.
But it’s a plausible argument as you watch this. What do you think?
LeBron James has kept his cards so close to the vest, that not even his own son seems to know where he will go.
The elder James remains a free agent as a handful of prominent NBA teams continue to vie for his services this summer, and it’s unclear when a decision might come.
His oldest son, Bronny, recently was approached on the street by Instagram creator biggy22x, who first asked James to share a message to the youth before then asking the pressing question Warriors fans wants to know: Is his dad going to Golden State?
“Man, I don’t know where he’s going,” Bronny said laughing. “That would be crazy if he did.”
While Bronny might not yet know where his dad will play next season, it’s safe to assume he, and the James family, at least, has some sort of inkling about where the 22-time NBA All-Star realistically could end up and how close he is to making a decision.
However, one organization James won’t choose, is the Los Angeles Lakers, which he officially departed earlier this offseason and where he was able to play alongside his son Bronny for the past two seasons.
Now, with James potentially joining the Warriors, the father and son soon could become Pacific Division and Western Conference rivals.
The Blackhawks announced Thursday that the team agreed to a two-year contract with the former star, which will run through the 2027-28 season.
Kane was originally drafted by Chicago with the first overall pick in 2007, playing a pivotal role in three Stanley Cup championships and becoming one of the most important players in team history.
“Day in and day out for 16 seasons, Patrick captivated the city of Chicago with his dazzling skill, creating some of the most memorable moments in Blackhawks history as he helped bring our storied franchise back to the pinnacle of our sport,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. “He’s shown on countless occasions that he knows what it takes to win at the highest levels, and we couldn’t be prouder for Patrick to once again call the United Center home and continue to shine in Chicago’s brightest lights.”
Kane, who is among the franchise leaders in nearly every key offensive category, told former Blackhawks defenseman Chris Chelios he was deciding between the Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres when it came to his next move.
“I am not gonna lie to you guys, it is down to Buffalo and Chicago. I know that,” Chelios told David Haugh and Mike Mulligan on 104.3 The Score Wednesday morning.
Kane, who will turn 38 years old in November, is likely looking at his last contract in the NHL before he hangs up his skates, and he’s still got some gas in the tank, having scored 16 goals and dished out 41 assists with the Detroit Red Wings last season.
Kane was a fixture with the Blackhawks for more than a decade before the team traded him to the New York Rangers during the 2022-23 season. Since then he has played for the Rangers and Red Wings.
During a press conference discussing his own new five-year, $75 million deal, Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard — another No. 1 overall pick — said it would be “incredible” to play with Kane.
“That would be incredible to get to play with him and learn from him,” he said. “Hopefully he decides to come back, and you talk about kind of the legacy aspect of it, but just as a team, it would make us a way better team. He’s still an amazing player.”
The Blackhawks announced Thursday that the team agreed to a two-year contract with the former star, which will run through the 2027-28 season.
Kane was originally drafted by Chicago with the first overall pick in 2007, playing a pivotal role in three Stanley Cup championships and becoming one of the most important players in team history.
“Day in and day out for 16 seasons, Patrick captivated the city of Chicago with his dazzling skill, creating some of the most memorable moments in Blackhawks history as he helped bring our storied franchise back to the pinnacle of our sport,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. “He’s shown on countless occasions that he knows what it takes to win at the highest levels, and we couldn’t be prouder for Patrick to once again call the United Center home and continue to shine in Chicago’s brightest lights.”
Kane, who is among the franchise leaders in nearly every key offensive category, told former Blackhawks defenseman Chris Chelios he was deciding between the Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres when it came to his next move.
“I am not gonna lie to you guys, it is down to Buffalo and Chicago. I know that,” Chelios told David Haugh and Mike Mulligan on 104.3 The Score Wednesday morning.
Kane, who will turn 38 years old in November, is likely looking at his last contract in the NHL before he hangs up his skates, and he’s still got some gas in the tank, having scored 16 goals and dished out 41 assists with the Detroit Red Wings last season.
Kane was a fixture with the Blackhawks for more than a decade before the team traded him to the New York Rangers during the 2022-23 season. Since then he has played for the Rangers and Red Wings.
During a press conference discussing his own new five-year, $75 million deal, Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard — another No. 1 overall pick — said it would be “incredible” to play with Kane.
“That would be incredible to get to play with him and learn from him,” he said. “Hopefully he decides to come back, and you talk about kind of the legacy aspect of it, but just as a team, it would make us a way better team. He’s still an amazing player.”
Everything Jimmy Butler III has said or done since coming to the Warriors signifies contentment with the franchise. He arrived 17 months ago with a smile that remains in place as he rehabs from surgery to repair a torn right ACL. He’s sincere, or a superb actor.
Statements made by Golden State general manager Mike Dunleavy in recent months indicate Butler – his former teammate for three NBA seasons with the Chicago Bulls – will be a Warrior once he is cleared to play.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are hoping against hope that LeBron James will agree to joining their roster.
The dialogue linking James to the Warriors is mostly related to his positive relationships with Draymond Green, Stephen Curry and coach Steve Kerr. As for Butler, it’s as if his early season unavailability nudges him outside the chatter.
There could be more than that, though. Specifically in terms of “fit,” a factor generally at the top of Kerr’s roster-building process.
Butler is a wise 36-year-old small forward who plays big, eagerly bullies into the paint, takes great pleasure in creating easy shots for his teammates and has a knack for drawing fouls that result in free throws. Butler is at his best when he has the ball.
James is a wise 41-year-old small forward who plays big, eagerly bullies into the paint, takes great pleasure in creating easy shots for his teammates and has shot more than 12,000 free throws. James is at his best when he has the ball.
Butler and James are not the same player, but they share so many attributes and competitive characteristics that having them on the same roster results in considerable replication.
Moreover, putting them on the court together would relegate one to the margins. Who plays off the ball? Who stands in the corner prepared to catch-and-shoot?
That doesn’t suit either. Butler has been on five different NBA teams, and was a focal point at every turn. James has been on three different teams, always the focal point – until last season in Los Angeles.
“I was put into some positions I’ve never been in before in my career, actually in my life,” James told reporters in May, after the Lakers were eliminated from the NBA playoffs. “I’ve never been a third option in my life. To be able to thrive in that role, for that period of time, then to step back into that role that I’ve been accustomed to over my career, over my life playing this sport . . . that was pretty cool for me at this stage in my career.”
Being the “third option” behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves was not so appealing that James wanted to stay in LA, the most convenient location for his lifestyle. Remaining in that role with the Lakers would have granted him the highest possible salary.
James, however, wanted to explore his options, which are many. He’s seeking, according to representative Rich Paul, personal joy, family comfort, trustworthy teammates and a reasonable a chance for fifth ring. None of the teams leading the LeBron Polls offers all four components.
The Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers would pull LeBron far away from his West Coast base. So would the Cleveland Cavaliers, who offset some of that by being his “second home.” The Warriors are closest to LA but adding James merely moves them from the middle of the NBA to somewhere in the 8-to-12 range.
Which brings us to another of Golden State’s longtime fantasy acquisitions: Anthony Davis.
It’s well known that James, moving into his 24th NBA season, considers Davis one of his favorite teammates. They led the Lakers to a championship during the Covid-impacted Bubble Season in 2020. Davis currently belongs to the Washington Wizards, and league sources indicate that they plan to keep him as part of a core with Trae Young, No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa and Davis. Seven-foot Alex Sarr, 21, would alleviate AD’s concerns about playing center.
Davis in two weeks will be eligible to sign a max contract extension with Washington. The Wizards are hinting they’re committed to AD being part of their future, but Aug. 6 is the “put up or shut up” date. If they immediately affirm their ties to Davis, he likely stays. Any stalling or low-balling with Paul and the Klutch group could change the game.
With James still weighing his options, there is growing speculation that his decision could be tied to Davis’ future. If AD wants out, that could open the door for the Warriors.
Any attempt to pry Davis from Washington via sign-and-trade would have to include multiple NBA draft picks and a big salary. Such as that attached to Butler, who will be paid $56.8 million in the final year of his deal.
That outcome remains a longshot – even less likely than landing James – but the Warriors would be negligent not to pursue it if it were to deliver LeBron.
One thing, however, is certain. The LeBron-Jimmy roster fit, as smart as they are, would be tricky for Kerr.
Matt Richardson left Australia to compete for England after winning three Olympic medals
The track star says he has much better resources with his new national team
Matt Richardson may have become public enemy No 1 in Australian cycling when he decamped to ride for the country of his birth – but the Commonwealth’s fastest man on two wheels reckons it’s all had “zero effect” on him.
And if the flyer now in Team England colours thinks there’s any lingering animosity towards him, having won two titles in the green-and-gold at the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, he promises to just use it as “fuel” for more success.
