BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 27: Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox at bat during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park on May 27, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Before this season, if you threw a paper airplane out of the stands and onto the field [not advised] with Ceddanne Rafaela at the dish, I’m pretty sure he would have swung at it. But things are changing in 2026, and we need to discuss what that means when you stack this sudden and newfound restraint atop his already wonderful bag of tools.
Up until a couple of months ago, all the things that made Rafaela a good baseball player were flashy: The speed, the clutch hits, the athleticism; and of course, his signature ability to play gold glove defense in centerfield with the grace of a gazelle. Here’s a video showcasing some of his best defensive plays from last year:
But we’re not here to talk about those, because the thing that’s transforming Rafaela from a good to potentially great player in 2026 is far more mundane. Here’s a much shorter, and admittedly much less interesting video showcasing what’s making Rafaela so good in 2026:
That may not seem like a huge deal, but that’s Ceddanne Rafaela not swinging at a tempting pitch sweeping out of the zone, and that’s a huge change from previous seasons. It’s subtle when it unfolds early in an at bat, but it’s the key to unlocking his ceiling at the plate — And if we’re being fair, it’s a ceiling that’s far higher than he’s ever been given credit for.
Anyway, here’s what happened later in that same at-bat because he hung around with a little better count leverage and proved to Kerkering he wasn’t going to chase the sweeper:
You want a more recent example? Here’s Rafaela taking another 0-1 pitch on Tuesday. This time, it’s a slider above the zone, which is a location and pitch opponents have always used to get him to chase with great success.
Rafaela has always been able to pound pitches in the zone, and for whatever reason, we’ve largely overlooked that. Perhaps it’s because of his size — he’s listed at 5’10” and a 165 pounds. Perhaps it’s because he’s a defensive first guy. Or maybe it’s because before this year, he’s swing at anything and everything.
Taking away the hyperbole and drilling down on the numbers, Rafaela swung at 59 percent of all the pitches he saw last year, which was the third most among qualified hitters in all of baseball. That was only slightly better than the 62 percent of pitches he swung at in 2024, which was good for the second most in all of baseball.
This year? Out of 188 guys with at least 2.1 plate appearances per team game, Rafaela ranks 73rd in swing percentage, dropping the number to just 48.6 percent of the time.
How about just swinging at the first pitch of an at bat? In both 2024 and 2025, he did that the fourth most of any hitter in baseball. Now, from that same list of 188 players, he’s moved to 71st.
But of course, the most important number revolving around this topic is swinging at pitches out of the zone, and there’s been major improvement there as well. Rafaela went from swinging out of the zone the most in all of baseball in 2024, to second most in 2025, to the 46th most this season at 34.8 percent. That’s not just improvement, that’s potentially finding the keys the castle and transforming as a player.
Furthermore, he’s doing it with a stat that usually solidifies pretty quickly, and if these trends continue, you’re talking about a guy who is going to start finishing in the top ten in MVP voting very soon. Think about it: He’s still just 25-years-old, he plays the best defensive centerfield in the sport, he’s already put up the third most WAR of anybody in a Red Sox uniform since the start of 2024, he’s got above average speed, he plays a premium position, and he’s always had a penchant for clutch knocks.
That last piece of his game was so apparent from the get-go, Coley Mick of the fabulous Section 10 Podcast made this evergreen observation nearly two years ago now:
If you need a hit Rafaela gets a hit if you don’t need the hit he’s largely uninterested in the at bat entirely
But as I watch Rafaela grow as a player this year, I’m starting to develop a theory regarding his clutch hits from previous seasons and his refined approach at the plate in this one. Specially, Rafaela is just a good major league hitter when he swings exclusively at strikes, and he wasn’t doing that during the majority of his plate appearances before 2026. In other words, these things might be connected. Whether Rafaela was just locking in more during high leverage at bats or opposing pitchers had to throw him more strikes with men on base in a sticky spots, it led to increased production in these moments and swinging at more strikes (Rafaela was in the top ten in all of baseball last year in Fangraphs’ clutch metric).
Now, we’re seeing what happens when he makes better swing decisions across the board and adds a semblance of plate discipline to the mix (he could still add more). In other words, we might just be seeing what “clutch Rafaela” looks like when he shows up in all of his at bats throughout every game. Take a look at the across the board improvement in some general big picture batting stats:
We basically just need one more month of patient Rafaela at the plate for the swing numbers to say this is who he is now (again, plate discipline numbers solidify quick), and if that locks in, Roman Anthony and Wilyer Abreu are going to have some competition in terms of who is the best Red Sox outfielder over the next handful of years.
The star Pacers guard who earned villain status in New York after eliminating the Knicks in back-to-back postseasons said the Madison Square Garden crowd is too celebrity-centric and not loud enough.
“A place like New York, they have a lot of passionate fans, and people love the Knicks, but there are a lot of celebrities in there who sometimes get too cool to be super loud,” Haliburton said on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday.
Tyrese Haliburton:
"A place like New York they have a lot of passionate fans of course and people love the Knicks, but there's a lot of celebrities in there and there are sometimes they're like too cool to get super loud vs OKC's" pic.twitter.com/tWErCkoB8e
Haliburton then made an exasperated face when describing the Oklahoma City environment and how hard it is to play there, with Indiana having lost to the Thunder in seven games in last year’s Finals.
He suffered a torn Achilles in Game 7 that ultimately sidelined him for the entire 2025-26 season.
“I think OKC does a great job with kind of having that like college environment in there,” Haliburton continued. “It’s pretty ridiculously loud, so I would say it’s the best environment.”
McAfee joked with Haliburton about the comments regarding the Knicks fans being too cool for school.
“Well, you’re saying that Ben Stiller is not going crazy?” the former punter said. “(Timothée) Chalamet was losing his mind! You better watch your mouth if you talk about Tracy Morgan like this, OK!”
Haliburton has quite the history with New York and its fans.
Ben Stiller cheers the Knicks on courtside. NBAE via Getty Images
He and the Pacers defeated the Knicks in six games in the conference finals last year as the local ran out of gas behind former coach Tom Thibodeau.
The Pacers also eliminated the Knicks in the semifinals in seven games the previous season.
The conference finals began with a heart-wrenching buzzer-beater from Haliburton in Game 1 to send to the contest to overtime, with the guard grabbing his throat to signal a choke, channeling longtime Garden villain and ex-Pacers star Reggie Miller.
Tracy Morgan is on his phone while sitting courtside at Madison Square Garden for Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
While the Knicks have mostly the same roster this season, this team is completely different.
The Knicks employ lineup 11 players deep and get excellent use of their bench under coach Mike Brown, who invested in his bench from the get-go and has seen dividends pay off in the postseason.
Brown has elicited phenomenal performances from Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, Miles McBride and more en route to a dominant NBA Finals run.
Tyrese Haliburton with his “choke” motion after his Game 1 shot last year. Jason Szenes / New York Post
Knicks fans have rallied behind them, creating one of the loudest home crowds in the NBA and traveling well to Cleveland and Philadelphia during this raucous run.
After the Game 1 comeback win over the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals, Ringer founder and podcaster Bill Simmons said that the Knicks fans were “the best crowd of the year” as they cheered their squad to a 22-point comeback in less than eight minutes.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 24: Ville Koivunen #41 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in action during the game against the Colorado Avalanche at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 24, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Vitals
Player: Ville Koivunen Born: June 13, 2003 (22 years old) Height: 6’0 Weight: 184 pounds Hometown: Oulu, Finland Shoots: Left Drafted: 2021 second-round, No. 51 overall, by the Carolina Hurricanes 2025-26 Regular Season Statistics: 39 games played, 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 total points, -10 Contract Status: Koivunen is a restricted free agent this summer
Story of the Season
After a promising debut in the NHL at the end of the 2024-25 season, Koivunen earned a spot on the opening night roster and was initially playing a top-six role. But things never really clicked for him at the NHL level, he eventually found himself back in the American Hockey League, and spent the 2025-26 season bouncing between the two levels. While he put up impressive numbers in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the second year in a row (he has been a point-per-game player with 97 points in 97 regular season games), it has not yet consistently translated to the NHL. The Penguins tried to go younger this season. A lot of the players they put into positions at the NHL level did not fully take advantage of it. At least not yet.
With just four points in his first 25 games, Koivunen never found any sort of consistency with his production and did not yet develop the scoring touch or playmaking that the Penguins were hoping for.
Even when he came back up at the end of the regular season the offense he was displaying in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton never carried over with zero goals and just two assists over his final 12 games of the season in March and April.
Regular season 5v5 advanced stats
Data via Natural Stat Trick. Ranking is out of 18 forwards on the team who qualified by playing a minimum of 150 minutes.
Everything about this chart is positively hilarious, at least in some sort of bizarre, twisted way. He is either first or last in nearly every category.
All of the possession and scoring chance metrics? First. All of the actual goals scored and goals created metrics? Last. An enormous disconnect and basically makes him a newer version of Dominik Simon.
On one hand, it is positive that he pushes play and helps generate opportunities. That is important. There is value in that. It is also immensely frustrating that it does not turn into anything tangible on the scoreboard. That is going to have to start changing if he is going to be a regular in the top-six, or even in the top-nine. It is going to have to start changing rapidly.
The big question is simply can he translate the AHL production into NHL production, and can he turn the territorial edge the Penguins get with him on the ice into something that becomes actuals goals?
There were countless times during the season where Koivunen would seem to be in a prime scoring position with a chance to score, only to have his shot get blocked or deflected away from the net. Is his decision-making and shot just a split second too slow for the NHL? There is a fine line between success and failure at the highest level, and openings that exist in the minor leagues are not going to be there as long in the NHL. Any small hesitation is going to take away the opportunity you have in front of you.
Ideal 2026-27
He does not need to be a star, but he needs to show something.
He needs to produce something.
An ideal season for Koivunen would be sticking in the NHL for the entire season, and showing that he can at least contribute in the middle-six forward group and give them (and him) something to build on.
Give them 15 goals. Give them 30-35 points. Take a step forward. Become an NHL player.
Bottom line
Koivunen has nothing left to prove at the AHL level, and we are getting close to make-or-break time with the Penguins. That might seem like a harsh thing to say about a 23-year-old, especially when development is different for every player, but if you are going to a top-six or top-line player you probably need to start showing something by this age. You do not need to be at your peak or your absolute best. But you need to do something.
At this point he is starting to go from prospect to suspect.
He is almost certain to get re-signed as a restricted free agent, but it is going to be a short-term “prove it” deal. It is going to be all on him to actually start proving it.
Final Grade: D+
It was a very disappointing season for Koivunen, at least as it relates to his NHL play.
There were positives, especially with the ability to help drive possession. But the Penguins expected to see, and wanted to see, more offense from him. The talent is there. The creativity is there. He just needs to bring it all together.
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 17: Cleveland Indians President Chris Antonetti looks on before an exhibition game between the Indians and the Chicago Cubs at Cashman Field on March 17, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David J. Becker/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Guardians are playing sudoku with their long-term roster plan, using hints we can’t easily see.
Actually, pretty much any organization worth its salt treats roster management eerily similar to a sudoku puzzle. I’ll elaborate on that strange claim, of course, but before I do, let’s take a look at the unique mechanics of the puzzle the Guardians are trying to solve…
The rules of the roster puzzle.
If I’m Chris Antonetti or Mike Chernoff, I probably have this image (or one like it) pinned to a wall near my desk:
13 MLB hitters. 13 MLB pitchers. And at least 7 depth options stashed in the upper minors who could contribute at the MLB level if needed. This is what a major league ballclub needs in order to compete for a playoff berth, and ultimately, a World Series.
So what does “solving” this puzzle look like? Here’s my best effort at describing the objective:
Put together a roster with the best possible chance of winning a World Series within the next four years.
Winning a title is the organization’s stated goal, they’re currently contenders on paper, and it’s exponentially more difficult to accurately predict what the team will look like any further down the road than 2029. This parameter also lines up well with the fact that several of their MLB regulars become free agents after the 2029 season.
It’s a daunting puzzle, obviously. But much like sudoku, the puzzle starts with a couple of freebies.
The Proven Core Like any team, the Guardians already have several proven MLB veterans they can rely on for relatively predictable production in any given year. Here’s what the puzzle looks like after adding those players…
All of these players are under team control through 2029, and barring major injuries or extremely dramatic performance decline, all seven will be on every Opening Day roster (and playoff roster) for the next four seasons.
With these seven players, over 20% of the puzzle is complete. It doesn’t seem like much, but as with sudoku, it’s enough to get started. And there are some exciting players that fit in nicely around them on the roster.
The Safe Bets
The next group of answers comes in the form of some players who have less experience, but have shown enough talent and staying power to merit a long, long leash at the MLB level.
These six players are worth plugging into the puzzle with confidence. While there’s some risk that they won’t pan out, they’re such safe bets that it’s worth committing to them for the foreseeable future, and building the rest of the puzzle around them. That’s good news, because it gets much trickier from here.
The Gotta See ‘Ems The third group of players are all prospects, which means they introduce something new to the equation: genuine bust risk. The truth is, even Top 100 prospects only develop into average MLB regulars about 25% of the time.
Still, when you’re an organization with a long window of contention ahead and one of your top prospects fills an organizational need, the responsible thing to do is to see what they can do, and stick with them as long as you can.
These six prospects are all less than a year away from the big leagues, and have the potential to be top ten players at their positions. In the case of the relievers, it’s easy to carve out a spot for all of them.
For each of the position players, however, there isn’t a clear path to everyday playing time as of right now. So while the responsible thing to do is give them time to develop at the MLB level, tough decisions will eventually need to be made. Is being part-timers in MLB a good use of their value? Or will they (or someone blocking them) need to be traded to fill an area of greater need?
In order to make that decision, we probably need to fill in more of the puzzle.
The Chance Earners
Not every answer in a puzzle feels perfect when you write it in. The Guardians have a few players who have shown flashes of potential through some inconsistencies. While they may not all be extraordinarily exciting in terms of ceiling, they’ve all shown enough to prove they deserve a job for the time being.
Kahlil Watson is still at AAA, but tearing it up despite a somewhat flawed approach at the plate. David Fry is more of a DH than a left fielder, but so is Ralphy Velazquez, and they both fit well into this puzzle. Kyle Manzardo has been absolutely terrible in 2026, but he showed potential in 2026; Angel Martinez is the reverse of that.
Remarkably, most of the 26-man roster is filled by this point. And every player here is under team control through at least 2029, with the exception of David Fry (2028).
With that said, three questions remain:
1. How do we fill that last SP and RP spot? 2. Who’s our depth? 3. What do we do with the rest of the players currently on the roster or in the upper minors?
#2 is the easiest to answer, so let’s start there.
The Fringe Major Leaguers
Like any team, the Guardians have a few players who have been given all the opportunity in the world to prove themselves at the MLB level, but never really panned out.
With depth roles, there’s a limitation simply because players have a limited number of options. So unlike previous pieces of the puzzle, depth is more of a short-term outlook.
Slade Cecconi’s inclusion here was a difficult call, but at this point, he has a 5.14 ERA and 4.79 FIP across 281 career innings. We pretty much know who he is, and it’s not a dependable major league pitcher.
The Interesting Enoughs
The bar isn’t high for depth pieces. All an organization really needs from a depth spot is a guy who has enough talent to put up quality at bats/pitch quality innings, but it’s a nice bonus if that player has the potential to become an MLB mainstay.
CJ Kayfus gets the nod here for having more options than Valera. Juan Brito makes the cut in spite of his prospect stock tanking after a dreadful first look in MLB.
For long-term depth relievers, I actually had to go all the way down to the AA level because the AAA bullpen is so terrible outside of Aleman/Espino/Walters. Fortunately, depth relievers are pretty easy to come by, and the Guardians are good at spinning straw into gold in this department anyway.
So how do we go about filling the last SP and RP slot? Here’s my best effort.
The Whatever Remains
These two players are the best long-term options that the Guardians have in house.
Stephen has struggled with command in AAA, but has a much higher ceiling in general than Cecconi. Herrin has gone through highs and lows, but he’s a veteran southpaw in the ‘pen and the club will probably hang onto him.
So… the puzzle is complete now, right? Right??
The Extra Pieces
Turns out, there are at least two major differences between roster building and sudoku…
1. Each spot in the puzzle doesn’t necessarily have one perfect answer.
2. There are more players than there are spaces to write them all.
These players would make excellent trade chips if the Guardians decide to make a big playoff push at some point, but they also make great backup plans if some of the guys penciled into the puzzle don’t pan out.
Regardless, we’ve filled in the puzzle! So we’re done, right? Well… not exactly.
Finding the real solution.
Sure, we’ve filled in the puzzle the best we can, but remember, this is was the criteria we used for solving it:
Put together a roster with the best possible chance of winning a World Series within the next four years. If I’m Antonetti and Chernoff, I’m proud of how this puzzle looks after using internal options only. But I’m also smart enough to realize that this roster does not have a very good chance of winning a title. Looking at the board right now, I’d be asking myself some tough questions, including…
1. What are my best options to improve my 1B/DH situation? 2. Is Angel Genao’s value really utilized appropriately as a backup infielder, or or should I maximize it by making him a trade chip?
3. What am I willing to give up in order to upgrade the top of my rotation? 4. Can I stomach Ingle’s defense enough to shoehorn him into a backup catcher role? 5. How long am I willing to wait for Steven Kwan to turn things around before deciding it’s time to move on?6. Which external trade candidates are actually available for a cost I’m comfortable with?
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Some puzzles take time. The truth is that as much effort as we put into this exercise, the answers and outlook will continue to change as players develop, break out, bust, fall off, or rebound. We’ll almost never be able to put together a set of answers that still look satisfying a couple of months later.
Regardless, viewing roster building through this lens can give us some key insights into a front office’s process. It also may help us realize how tough these decisions can be, and why a lot of patience is necessary in order to make the right choices.
I’d imagine that if we can all find some of that patience within us, we’re much more likely to enjoy watching the answers take shape.
You knew the Cubs’ losing streak wasn’t going to last forever.
Right? Right?
The Cubs exploded with a 14-hit, seven-walk, two-homer offense and crushed the Pirates 10-4 Wednesday evening in Pittsburgh, at last ending their 10-game losing streak. The 10 runs were as many as they had score in the last six games of the streak — combined.
The onslaught began in the first inning. Pete Crow-Armstrong had an excellent at-bat, working a 10-pitch walk. Nico Hoerner singled him to second. Michael Busch also walked, loading the bases.
You could have been forgiven at that point if you thought, “In what soul-crushing yet entertaining fashion will they fail to score in this situation?”
Seiya Suzuki, unfortunately, hit into a double play but the Cubs had a two-run lead. They’d led in only two other games during the entire losing streak.
That’s when the home run bug bit Jameson Taillon again. A walk, single and three-run homer by Brandon Lowe tied the game 3-3. Lowe, who spent his entire career with the Rays until this year, has absolutely worn out Cubs pitching this year: .350/.435/.850 (7-for-20) with three home runs. I’ll be glad after today when the Cubs don’t have to see him again until after the All-Star break. Maybe by then they’ll be able to figure out how to slow him down.
A not-so-fun fact about that homer from BCB’s JohnW53:
The three-run homer off Jameson Taillon that wiped out a three-run lead was the 12th of its kind surrendered by the Cubs since 2021.
The previous one was Sept. 25 of last season, by Brett Baty of the Mets at Wrigley Field in the fourth inning off Shota Imanaga. It made the score 3-3.
The Cubs gave up four such homers in 2024, including one by TJ Friedl of the Reds off Jameson Taillon at home. It also made the score 3-3, as did three of the others, served up by Adbert Alzolay to Jack Suwinski of the Pirates in 2022, and by Jeremiah Estrada to Fernando Tatis of the Padres and by Jose Cuas to Joshua Palacios of the Pirates, both in 2023. All were at Wrigley.
The Cubs took the lead again in the fourth. Dansby Swanson hit a two-out double and PCA doubled him in [VIDEO].
But Taillon again could not keep the ball in the yard. Konnor Griffin’s solo homer tied the game. For Taillon it was the 19th home run he had allowed this year in 60.1 innings, yikes. That’s on top of 10 homers he allowed in Spring Training in just 13.1 innings. The 19 homers is four more than anyone else in MLB (Zack Littell of the Nationals, 15).
Taillon was removed after five innings and Jacob Webb threw a 1-2-3 sixth, striking out all three batters he faced. After a rough start to his 2026 season, Webb’s been really good lately.
Then the Cubs blew the game open in the seventh.
Michael Busch was hit by a pitch and Bregman doubled him to third.
The scorebug on that clip says that the homer was on Pirates reliever Yohan Ramirez’s eighth pitch but looking at the pitch-by-pitch, Busch had a five-pitch at-bat before he was hit and both Bregman and Happ jumped on the first pitch. Pretty efficient, seven pitches, three runs.
The Cubs weren’t done in that inning, either!
Seiya Suzuki singled off Ramirez and the Pirates brought in reliever Justin Lawrence to face Michael Conforto, who was batting for Kevin Alcántara.
The Cubs’ seventh inning was their first of the season with six runs. They scored seven on May 7 in an 8-3 win at home over the Reds. They scored five in three games, all between April 1 and 13.
Phil Maton, Caleb Thielbar and Ethan Roberts finished up with one scoreless inning each. They allowed two hits total, walked two and struck out two. Maton got this double-play ball to end the seventh [VIDEO]. The Pirates challenged both calls and were wrong on both.
Now that’s the way to end a losing streak, just blast out of it with a huge offensive display. In addition to all the runs, hits and walks, the Cubs had five hits with RISP (okay, 5-for-16, but still). They could have had even more runs, as they left 13 on base. That’s not a complaint, just a comment. Speaking of comments, here are Craig Counsell’s postgame remarks [VIDEO].
The comments are spot-on. A game like this really takes the pressure of that streak off, gives the guys a chance to have some happy moments in the dugout, and hopefully resets everything so, perhaps, another winning streak can follow.
One more fact from John:
This was the Cubs’ sixth game of the season with at least 10 runs: four between March 28 and April 17, then May 15 in a 10-5 win at the White Sox, their last win before Wednesday.
Which is, of course, interesting — they book-ended the losing streak with two 10-run outbursts. Hopefully there are more of those to come. The 10-run game put the Cubs back in sixth place in MLB in runs, passing the Brewers. The seven walks allowed them to maintain their MLB lead in that category, with 255 — that’s 4.55 walks per game, or a pace for 738, which would shatter the franchise record (656, set in 2016).
The win pulled the Cubs out of a last-place tie with the Pirates, and combined with the Cardinals’ loss to the Brewers, the Cubs are now in a virtual tie with St. Louis (one percentage point behind) for second place, 4.5 games behind Milwaukee. 106 games remain in the 2026 season. There’s plenty of time to turn this ship around.
And the Cubs now have the opportunity to split this four-game series, though it will not be easy, with Paul Skenes starting for the Pirates. Colin Rea will go for the Cubs. Game time is 5:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
Do not underestimate the power of cultural awareness and understanding in the international world of basketball. For Masai Ujiri, new Dallas Mavericks president and alternate general manager, navigating in multiple languages, customs, cultures and traditions is nothing new.
Born in England, raised in Nigeria, an executive in the American National Basketball Association over the last decades, Masai Ujiri is about as international as it gets.
Back when he was traveling the world as an international scout – at the time he got to know new Dallas Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz – it must have given him an advantage compared to many in that world because of his background and exposure to different cultures early on.
One of the side effects – or bonuses – of being born into a world of multiple nationalities and cultures, is the fact that you learn how to adapt and adjust quickly. You learn the skill of observation – how do people do things here, what’s the unwritten rules, what is frowned upon – and you learn how to fit in no matter where you go.
That must have served as a major advantage for Masai Ujiri, as he found his footing in the international world of global basketball and started putting those skills to good use, both when scouting – and when networking. Something he is reportedly very good at.
Ujiri, who’s described as well-respected and charming, has always been good at making and keeping connections. Acquaintances even call him “very sweet” and “very thoughtful”. And very good at finding talent and creating an atmosphere that allows players to reach their full potential.
He started out as an unpaid scout with the Orlando Magic back in 2002 and moved to a paid scouting position with the Denver Nuggets in 2003. Seven years later, he was named the team’s general manager.
After winning the NBA’s Executive of the Year award with the Nuggets, he moved to Toronto. The Toronto Raptors then made the playoffs eight times during his 12 years in charge. Oh ya, and won their only championship in franchise history in 2019.
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: General Manager of the Toronto Raptors Masai Ujiri celebrates his teams victory over the Golden State Warriors to win Game Six of the 2019 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 13, 2019 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Understanding talent, and not being afraid to look outward and in new places to find hidden gems, Ujiri was part of drafting international players from places most people wouldn’t even have considered.
There’s Jakob Poeltl, an Austrian center, who the Raptors picked in 2016 with the number nine pick. And that same year, they used their number 27 pick to get a completely unknown wing player from Cameroon, who hadn’t played organized basketball for very long. That was Pascal Siakam, now a four-time NBA All-Star.
Ujiri’s international background has clearly helped make him a good judge of character. He also earned the reputation of being bold.
Working in the trenches of the scouting world for years, he met, connected and built relationships with numerous people all over the world. One of them is Mike Schmitz. And as soon as Masai Ujiri was offered the job as Dallas Mavericks president, he knew he wanted to bring Mike Schmitz along.
“You track people along the way, you pin-point those that stand out or those that have the talent you want for particular jobs, and he’s one of them,” Masai Ujiri said of Schmitz right after it became public that he had hired him as general manager earlier this month.
“I’ve done a lot of scouting internationally,” Schmitz said of Ujiri when he was introduced, “and when I first got in the scouting space and was out and about on the road, we’ve been in the same gyms for years and years.”
“Whether that’s in Africa, in Europe or in the states, I’m really thankful for that relationship and him bringing me on.”
According to Ujiri, Schmitz has a talent for finding hidden treasures and is not afraid to make bold decisions. Traits Ujiri seems to value highly.
Mike Schmitz worked as an assistant general manager for the Portland Trail Blazers the last four seasons, and was part of finding talents like Deni Avdija from Israel, who made the All-Star team this season. They also drafted a long list of future NBA talent. Before that, Schmitz worked as a draft analyst for ESPN and DraftExpress.com.
“I’ve known him (Mike Schmitz) for many, many years,” Ujiri said. “He’s an incredible scout, an incredible leader. He digs deep into work, data, and what you want to know about really scouting a player, team building, all those things.”
“Treating people well, scout organizing, managing people, it’s a whole package you want and it’s very important that we set a tone now for this organization because the fans, the organization, you (media) guys, everybody deserves that.”
And going back years also matters when it comes to something pivotal in business: trust.
“Obviously, we’ve had a long-standing relationship,” Schmitz said. “And I think just him being able to trust in me, and me being able to lean on him in a variety of different areas, so I think it’s going to work great.”
And hopefully, with this new leadership that doesn’t seem afraid to look outward and to try new things, hidden gems, diamonds in the rough and already successful players from other leagues will be considered in the same way as players who take the traditional route to the best league in the world.
Since parting ways with the Toronto Raptors last year, Masai Ujiri has spent most of his time working with his nonprofit, Giants of Africa, which puts on basketball camps, builds courts and provides education opportunities to children around Africa and in Nigeria, where he was raised.
Giants of Africa Unveils 50th Basketball Court at King’s College, Lagos. Giants of Africa, a non-profit organisation co-founded by Dallas Mavericks President, Masai Ujiri, has inaugurated its 50th community basketball court in Africa, reaching the… https://t.co/soljwJ5z80pic.twitter.com/NZRwGsGr1U
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - APRIL 04: Tarris Reed Jr. #5 of the UConn Huskies reacts during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We wrap up our series on first round draft prospects by taking a look at players who could be available if the Suns decide to trade into the 29 to 31 range. Unlikely? Sure. Still worth doing the homework? Absolutely.
That range currently includes the Cavaliers at 29, the Mavericks at 30, and the Knicks at 31, which technically opens the second round as the first pick on day two of the draft.
The reason for doing the due diligence is simple. It’s not something we did last year until late in the game. We didn’t believe the Suns would trade up into the lottery, so a lot of the focus stayed on picks 29 and 52, which is where Phoenix originally looked slotted to select. Then draft night happened, and suddenly the board changed.
That’s part of this process. Things move. Teams pivot. Opportunities appear out of nowhere. That’s why it helps to take a holistic approach, explore every realistic avenue, and have a feel for all the options on the board. That way, when draft night arrives, and something unexpected happens, you’re ready.
Prospects at 29-31
I’ve previously reviewed Zuby Ejiofor, Ebuka Okorie, Henri Veesaar, and Joshua Jefferson. All of them would be potential targets in this draft range (though Okorie and Veesaar both have an average draft spot of 28, which might make them targets for the Suns at 26). However, there are a couple more prospects here that the Suns might take if they’re looking for a point guard behind Gillespie or expect Mark Williams to leave in free agency.
Tarris Reed (University of Connecticut, Senior, C)
Tarris Reed Jr. is a physically imposing, 6’11” and 270-pound center known for his elite screening, interior dominance, and high-motor rebounding. He offers NBA teams a ready-made “glue guy” profile who does the dirty work, sets heavy picks in the pick-and-roll, and finishes efficiently around the rim.
Size & Length: Boasts a massive, NBA-ready frame with a rumored 7’4″ wingspan. He uses his strength well to carve out deep post position.
Mobility: Moves surprisingly well for a player of his bulk. He did very well at the combine in both lane agility and the shuttle run.
Screening & Rolling: One of his best traits is his ability to set heavy, bruising screens that open up driving lanes for perimeter players. He rolls hard and possesses soft hands to catch and finish.
Touch & Efficiency: Scores efficiently around the basket, particularly on layups and dunks. He has a soft touch on hook shots and interior finishes.
Playmaking: Flashes underrated passing vision from the post and short roll, consistently making smart, connective passes to open cutters.
Interior Presence: Acts as a capable rim protector and a steadying presence in drop coverage. He alters shots and controls the defensive glass well.
High Motor: Brings constant energy, competing hard on both ends of the floor, which translates to him reliably grabbing contested rebounds.
Weaknesses
Lack of Floor Spacing: He operates almost entirely in the paint and the dunker spot. He has rarely attempted three-pointers and lacks a face-up scoring bag or perimeter creation.
Free-Throw Shooting: Struggles from the charity stripe, which can be a limiting factor in late-game situations.
Foul Trouble & Defensive Versatility: Can occasionally get into foul trouble when defending more agile, face-up bigs. While his drop coverage is solid, he can still improve his timing and switchability when defending pick-and-rolls on the perimeter.
Draft Range
After stellar late-season tournament runs and impressive measurements at the NBA Draft Combine, Reed has risen up draft boards into late first-round or early second-round projections. Reed projects to go anywhere between 21st and 44th, with an average of 31.5 and a median of 34.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Bobby Marks at ESPN estimated what the salary value for top free agents was this summer, and he came up with $42 million over 3 years for Mark Williams. Because the Suns are saddled with Jalen Green’s contract and Bradley Beal’s buyout, they’re likely to have to do some penny pinching this offseason. In a lot of cases, Williams failed to pass the advanced metric test this year and missed 22 games plus all of the playoffs.
Gambo reports that Goodwin and Gillespie are higher priorities for the franchise, which may elect to stand pat with Oso Ighodaro and Kaman Maluach. If they decide to do so, Reed would make a fine replacement for Williams as a defensive-minded center who moves well, plays hard, and has a nose for rebounds. Ryan Kalkbrenner fit a similar profile in 2025, and he had an outstanding rookie campaign.
NBA Comparisons
Andre Drummond, Steven Adams, Isaiah Stewart
Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt, Sophomore, PG)
Tyler Tanner is a highly dynamic, polarizing sophomore point guard out of Vanderbilt who is testing the 2026 NBA Draft process. Following a massive breakout sophomore campaign, he earned First-Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team honors. His evaluation is defined by a battle between elite, modern advanced metrics and traditional height requirements as a 5’11” (in socks) 167-pound point guard.
Elite Playmaking & Decision Making: Tanner serves as an exceptional floor general with an airtight 5.1-to-1.9 assist-to-turnover ratio. He reads defensive rotations at light speed, utilizing advanced spatial awareness to deliver precise skip-passes or pocket-passes out of the pick-and-roll.
Deadly First Step & Cadence: He possesses a blistering first step and a tight crossover that allows him to generate paint touches at will. He manipulates defenders beautifully by rapidly switching gears and using deceptive hesitations.
Skyrocketing Perimeter Efficiency: After a sub-40% field goal percentage as a freshman, his shot mechanics became highly versatile. He developed a hair-trigger, “no-dip” release that translated to a 36.8% clip from deep on 4.5 attempts per game.
Hellacious Defensive Disruption: Despite his small stature, Tanner was a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year finalist. He led the SEC in steals (2.4 per game) using immaculate anticipation to jump passing lanes and elite footwork at the point of attack.
Functional Athleticism: He punches far above his weight class vertically, boasting a 39-inch maximum vertical jump that allows him to finish above the rim when given a runway. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Weaknesses
Severe Size Limitations: Standing under 5’11” barefoot, he faces an uphill battle in a modern NBA dominated by positional length. He is missing the baseline physical frame typical of NBA starters.
Defensive Targetability: Modern NBA offenses will relentlessly target him in switch-heavy schemes. Bigger guards and wings will easily shoot over his 7’9″ standing reach or back him down into the low post.
Screen Navigation Physicality: Weighing just 167 pounds, his lack of functional core strength makes it difficult to physically fight over screen actions or hold his ground against downhill driving threats.
Draft Range
Late first, early second round. He may not stay in the draft, and it likely hinges on whether he receives a first-round promise. He projects to go anywhere between the 28th and 48th picks, with an average of 34.5 and a median of 33.
Why the Suns Should Take a Look
Tyler Tanner is going to be one of those ultimate tests of advanced metrics and eye-test versus the current meta of the NBA. Numerous outlets have declared that there is no place left in the modern NBA for a smaller point guard, and they’re generally right.
That said, Tanner has ridiculous verticality, his basketball IQ is off the charts, he’s a fantastic ball thief with 2.4 steals per game, and he has great shot mechanics with a super-quick, high release. He shoots very well, he has great court vision and awareness, and his metrics all say he’s a great player… except for his height. In the end, I think he projects as a great “energy guy” backup point guard.
NBA Comparisons
Patty Mills, Damon Stoudamire, Tre Jones, Jose Alvarado, Fred VanVleet
Final Verdict
After multiple articles, I’m now tracking 25 prospects. There’s a plethora of intriguing players if the Suns trade into the first round. If they trade up to the 17th pick, I like Morez Johnson Jr. and Chris Cenac Jr. as long, hyper-athletic power forwards. However, Hannes Steinbach is also a potential lottery pick steal if he’s still on the board.
If the Suns obtain something in the 26-31 range, my favorite picks are Zuby Ejiofor, Ebuka Okorie, Henri Veesaar as a floor-spacing five, Allen Graves, and Joshua Jefferson. I like Zuby Ejiofor in particular, who I believe is vastly underrated. He absolutely killed it at the combine, and his advanced metrics say he’s going to be an immediate contributor. If the Suns used the 26th pick on him, I would not be at all disappointed.
Of course, there’s no point in having a power forward on the team if you won’t play them because Jalen Green is jamming up rotations, but that’s a story for another time.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 23: (L-R) Singer Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs attend Game Three between the New York Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The biggest news of the day came via a Passan bomb at 6AM yesterday morning. Travis Kelce is now a minority owner of the Cleveland Guardians.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) May 27, 2026
Guest contributor, Mike Mahoney, gave his scouting report of the Lake County Captains Position Players.
The Guardians were able to avoid the sweep, taking yesterday’s game behind Gavin Williams. The game recap can be read here. Tonight is a much needed off day for the team with Boston coming to town for a weekend series.
MLB Network listed out their José Ramírez award for most underrated players. There is one current Guardian and one former Cleveland player on the list:
Greg introduces rankings for the "José Ramírez Award", going to the most underrated players in baseball:
1. Otto Lopez 2. Casey Schmitt 3. Liam Hicks 4. Alec Burleson 5. Brayan Rocchio 6. Austin Martin 7. Carlos Cortes 8. Luke Raley 9. Jake Bauers pic.twitter.com/ZasTKJiZFY
The MLBPA has made their first proposals for the collective bargaining.
The MLBPA made its first proposal to MLB today in collective bargaining. Among the topline issues:
– A "competitive-integrity tax" for any team that does not spend $150M – Increase minimum salary from $780,000 to $1.5M – Increase in base CBT threshold from $244M to $300M
The Islanders bolstered their prospect pool with the two first-round picks acquired -- they drafted Victor Eklund at No. 16 and Kashawn Aitcheson at No. 17 with forward Emil Heineman's first season on Long Island a career-best.
The Canadiens got an offensive defenseman to serve as a 1B behind stud Lane Hutson.
While the Islanders didn't make the playoffs, Dobson and the Canadiens did.
But, unfortunately for the former 70-point blueliner, he and the Canadiens find themselves in a rather similar position against the Carolina Hurricanes that that the Islanders saw themselves in back in 2023 and 2024: on the brink of elimination.
While the Islanders were sent packing after six and five games respectively, the Canadiens are currently down 3-1 after they fell 4-0 in Game 4.
When Carolina is rolling, not only do they rack up the shot total but they stifle their opponents. They outshot Dobson and Co. 43-18 on Wednesday night.
Dobson, who sustained a finger injury late in the regular season before returning for Game 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, has not recorded a point during this Eastern Conference Finals series, sitting with a +/- of -5 and six shots on goal.
He did score in Game 3 but the play was challenged and ultimately deemed offside.
Dobson, who recorded 47 points (12 goals, 35 assists) in his first season of an eight-year deal worth $9.5 million annually, has one point through his 12 playoff games.
Game 5 comes your way on Friday night at 8 PM ET on TNT, Tru TV and HBO Max.
Lakers star Luka Doncic finished fourth in NBA MVP voting for the 2025-26 season. Getty Images
Here are insights into their voting process:
1.) What factored into your MVP vote and how did you feel about Luka Doncic’s fourth-place finish?
Price: With respect for transparency, it’s important to note I had Doncic third on my MVP ballot. So his fourth-place finish is more than fair. Gilgeous-Alexander was once again the best player on the league’s best team and had a historic season in his own right when factoring in his productivity, efficiency and ability to lead the Thunder to a league-best 64-win season. He was the clear-cut season-long MVP, evident by him receiving 83 first-place votes. It’s nitpicking when deciding between Doncic, Wembanyama and Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic for spots Nos. 2-4. Wembanyama has an argument for the league’s most impactful two-way player per minute. But the gap between his total minutes played (1,866) compared to Doncic (2,289) and Jokic (2,265), and offensive impact/workload favored Doncic and Jokic even with respect to Wembanyama’s defensive dominance. It was splitting hairs when deciding between Doncic and Jokic for second place, but Jokic’s historic production, efficiency and early-season dominance (he was the MVP favorite before getting injured in late December) gave him the slight edge.
Rohlin: There was a very strong field, and this was a hard decision. Doncic had a phenomenal season, and his stats were eye-popping, including his unbelievable March in which he averaged 37.5 points and led the Lakers to a 15-2 record. But Shai GIlgeous-Alexander was the best player on the league’s best team, Victor Wembanyama was an absolute force on both ends of the court and Nikola Jokic put up video game numbers. While Doncic had a great season, I think his fourth-place finish was fair. The Lakers had an up-and-down season before their surge in the spring, and the competition for this award was incredibly deep.
2.) Why wasn’t JJ Redick on your Coach of the Year ballot?
Price: Similar to Doncic, it came down to a very competitive field. Redick is clearly already among the upper echelon of coaches. Leading the Lakers to a 53-win season despite Doncic (18 games), LeBron James (22) and Austin Reaves (31) missing a combined 71 games and the role player overhaul made Redick a worthy candidate for votes. But as noted in my story in the aftermath of the voting results being revealed, oftentimes Coach of the Year voting comes down to which team overachieved the most. And Mazzulla’s Celtics, J.B. Bickerstaff’s Pistons and Mitch Johnson’s Spurs were the biggest overachievers of the season. And that’s before getting into Charles Lee’s Hornets and Jordan Ott’s Suns. But it’s clear Redick is on the path to being a great coach, if not already one, who should receive consideration moving forward.
The Lakers’ JJ Redick had a solid season, leading the team to 53 regular-season wins and the second round of the playoffs. Getty Images
Rohlin: This was another tough one. Redick cemented himself as a great coach this season. He got the Big Three of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and LeBron James to buy into their roles, including getting James, who’s arguably the greatest player of all time, to embrace being the team’s third offensive option. And then after Doncic and Reaves suffered injuries April 2, he convinced a Lakers team that everyone counted out to believe in themselves, which led to them shocking the basketball world by winning their first-round series against the Rockets. Redick deserves a lot of kudos, but the Celtics, Pistons and Spurs also greatly outperformed their expectations. The Celtics had the second-best record in the Eastern Conference despite Jayson Tatum missing 66 games. The Pistons went from missing the playoffs last season to finishing with the East’s top record. And the Spurs finished with the second-best record in the league, becoming a real powerhouse faster than anyone anticipated. I had Joe Mazzulla at the top of my ballot, followed by J.B. Bickerstaff and Mitch Johnson. But that doesn’t take anything away from Redick’s season.
3.) Were there any Lakers who you felt should’ve been better represented in the voting for any awards besides MVP and Coach of the Year?
Price: Not really when factoring in the missed time between Reaves and James. It’s less about punishing players for injuries, but more so acknowledging the natural season-long impact suppression compared to some of their peers.
Rohlin: LeBron James’ streak of 21 straight All-NBA selections was broken this year because of the 65-game rule. That was a bummer. At age 41, he once again defied Father Time in his historic 23rd season. He averaged 20.9 points on 51.5% shooting, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists, and it’s a shame he wasn’t able to be honored for his incredible performance.
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4.) What was the most challenging award to vote for and why?
Price: The All-NBA, All-Rookie and All-Defense teams are always difficult, especially when it comes to the final spots for each team. But Rookie of the Year gave me the most fits this year. I voted for Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, but I went back and forth between him and Hornets wing Kon Knueppel until the end of the regular season. Knueppel had a compelling case because of his historic combination of 3-point shooting, efficiency and impact on a Hornets team that won 44 games and made the play-in tournament. But Flagg got the edge because of his production, workload and overall impact even if it resulted in a 26-win season for the Mavericks.
Rohlin: Definitely MVP. I understand the frustration that has been widely shared by players that the bar for this award keeps moving. Sometimes the player with the best stats wins this award. Sometimes it goes to the player who led his team to the best record. In some seasons, defense is a big factor. Others it’s not. None of it is fair, per se. This season, with two-way stars Gilgeous-Alexander and Wembanyama on the ballot, defense was a big factor, which hurt Doncic and Jokic. It’s hard to weigh everything in a fair manner and decide what to give weight to when there are no distinct rules or descriptions for this award. Doncic led the league in scoring (33.5 points), was third in assists (8.3) and sixth in steals (1.6). In another season, those numbers could’ve won him the award. But this season, it earned him a fourth-place finish.
5.) Now that it’s been a few seasons, how do you feel about the 65-game threshold for most major awards?
Price: It’s a step in the right direction, but it needs to be modified. Fifty-eight, or 70% of an 82-game season, is the number of games required to qualify for several statistical league leaders. That should also be the case for the major awards. I never understood why there were different qualifiers. Also add in a minutes-played requirement (1,624, which is equivalent to 28 minutes per game, or 1,740, which is equivalent to 30 minutes per game) for players who may miss the 58-game mark but carried significant workloads for their teams in the games they did play.
Rohlin: Scrap it. Too many players were disqualified for awards because of legitimate injuries. This rule was meant to prevent load management and encourage player participation, but instead it’s punishing players for things they can’t control and encouraging them to put their bodies at risk to meet an arbitrary eligibility cut-off.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been criticized for drawing fouls this postseason.
SGA is even trying to play to the refs in the court of law.
The NBA’s reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has sent a legal warning to a fantasy sports company that made a board game mocking the Oklahoma City guard’s notorious flops.
The Thunder star’s lawyers demanded that Underdog Sports stop using SGA’s name and likeness after it created a game called “Unethical Hoops” based on the kids’ classic Operation — in which a buzzer goes off anytime SGA is touched, the Athletic reported.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been criticized for drawing fouls this postseason. AP Photo/Julio Cortez
Underdog Sports recently held a contest giving away 100 copies of the game during the Western Conference Finals — where the Thunder are one game away from eliminating the San Antonio Spurs and facing the Knicks in the finals.
Phoenix Suns forward and NBA villain Dillon Brooks promoted the game in the contest advertisements.
SGA’s lawyers told the company to “permanently cease and desist from any and all use of Mr. Gilgeous-Alexander’s [name, image and likeness] in any and all media, including but not limited to your website (including the Unethical Hoops Website), apps, social media accounts, digital marketing and advertisements, promotional emails, push notifications, affiliate or influencer placements, and any physical goods including but not limited to the board game advertised on the Unethical Hoops Website.”
All board games must be destroyed, according to the letter from SGA’s reps, ArentFox Schiff LLP — who may or may not have heard of the Streisand Effect.
The game website was still live Thursday and Underdog told The Post it has no intention of ending the promotion, citing previous instances of cracking jokes about other players and teams, including the Knicks and Mets.
“We’ve poked fun at Knicks and Lakers fans, the Red Sox owners, the Mets and more,” a spokesperson told The Post in a statement.
“We like to have some fun with whatever is in the sports fan zeitgeist.”
Underdog Sports is giving away 100 copies of its “Unethical Hoops” game. Underdog
Underdog also hosted an event outside Madison Square Garden in April that allowed fans to throw eggs at a comedian decked out in Atlanta Hawks gear.
SGA been widely mocked during the NBA playoffs for his ability to draw fouls and get to the free throw line — with fans accusing him of flopping and questioning his style of play and whether or not it’s “ethical” basketball.
In the last four years, he has attempted 391 more free throws than the next-closest player, according to the Athletic.
In this postseason SGA has made 120 free throws and 114 field goals.
SGA, who won the league’s Most Valuable Player award this year and last year, shrugged off the criticism.
“It does nothing,” Gilgeous-Alexander said after game against the Spurs.
“Doesn’t fuel me, doesn’t discourage me. It’s part of the game. I’ve been dealing with it a long time. I don’t really hear it. I’m focused on what’s going on on the court.”
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 22: Jayson Tatum #0 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics poses for a photo with his 2024 Championship ring before the game against the New York Knicks on October 22, 2024 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Watching the Knicks punch their ticket to the NBA Finals has, in my opinion, sucked.
Yes, they’ve waited 27 years to return to this stage, endured truly awful stretches of basketball spanning decades, and maybe deserve it on some level. Still, it’s New York. It’s Knicks fans. It’s “bing bong” and Timothée Chalamet clips that will infiltrate your timelines for the next two weeks.
But spending this much time looking at the Knicks has made me appreciate how different Boston’s story has been.
The Knicks built their team from the outside in. They deserve…credit for it, as physically painful as that sentence is to type. They made trades, found the right veterans, identified the right fits, bet big on a team identity, and kept pushing until they finally broke through.
Boston’s path has looked very different.
The Celtics’ best era since the Big Three started with two draft cards.
Jaylen Brown, third overall in 2016. Jayson Tatum, third overall in 2017. Two swings near the top of the draft, both connected cleanly enough to change the next decade of Celtics basketball.
It’s a story we’re all familiar with, and one that feels simple and obvious in retrospect. It wasn’t. Brown was booed on Draft Night. Tatum arrived after Boston traded out of the No. 1 pick and trusted its board, going as far as to preemptively protect themselves from criticism for doing so. There were years of debates about whether they could play together, whether they liked each other enough, whether one had to go, whether the partnership had a ceiling, whether the Celtics were being too patient or not patient enough.
Then, they won the title.
And somehow, two years later, we’re back to asking whether the Jays era has underachieved.
The standard is still the standard
The Celtics are and should be held to a ridiculous standard. That’s part of the deal here in Boston.
This franchise is strictly focused on banners, not vibes, which is why a first-round exit after blowing a 3-1 lead to Philadelphia was and is awful. It should still bother people. I know it still bothers me.
Noa Dalzell, Senior Writer here at CelticsBlog, put it well on her latest episode of You Got Boston. She said she is “not excusing their loss this past season,” adding, “They should not have blown a 3-1 lead.” That is the correct baseline. The Celtics were too good and too well-positioned to lose that series, even in a season that plenty of people spent months calling a gap year.
The issue is what happens after the disappointment settles in. A bad ending has a way of walking backward through time and staining everything before it. Suddenly a decade of contention becomes a decade of missed chances. A title becomes “only one.” Deep playoff runs become evidence for prosecution.
Noa pushed back on that framing too, saying, “If you say that they underachieved, then everybody has underachieved except for the Golden State Warriors since 2015.”
Have the #Celtics underachieved in the Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown era?
“If you say that they underachieved. Then everybody has underachieved. Except for the Golden State Warriors since 2015. Everybody. Cause nobody else has won more than one title. So, in that case, you are for… pic.twitter.com/aLnlDSM5L1
She’s right. Since 2015, the Warriors are the only franchise to win multiple titles.
Granted, not every team should be graded the same way. Some cores are better positioned for sustained excellence, like the modern-day Thunder or the aforementioned Warriors. Some titles feel more like the product of having the right pieces in the right place for one magical run, like the Kawhi-led Raptors or the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks.
But the larger point holds. Ever since the Warriors dynasty ended, no one has been able to stack chips.
If the argument is that every great player or duo who fails to become a dynasty has failed, then nearly the entire league has spent the last decade failing.
That’s a pretty miserable way to watch basketball.
The résumé grew quickly and quietly
One strange thing about the Tatum-Brown era is how quickly winning became background noise in their larger story.
By the time they broke through in 2024, the Celtics had already been to four conference finals with Tatum and Brown together, plus the 2022 NBA Finals. They had made the playoffs every year of Tatum’s career. They had never finished below .500 with both of them on the roster. Tatum had already made five All-Star teams and four All-NBA teams, while Brown had three All-Star selections, and an All-NBA nod.
Even this season, which started under the shadow of Tatum’s Achilles tear, somehow became another reminder of how high this group’s floor has been. Brown stepped into the heaviest version of his role yet and led the Celtics to a 56-win season. That is not normal. Most teams lose a player like Tatum and spend the season looking like someone unplugged the router. Instead, Boston stayed in the mix to the point where it felt like just another normal season of winning in a very abnormal year.
Boston has gotten so used to deep runs that fans sometimes treat them like table stakes. The conference finals became a place the Celtics were supposed to be every year, like it was some recurring calendar invite. That is an absurd privilege.
There are fanbases that spend decades hoping to draft one player as good as Brown or Tatum. Boston got both in back-to-back years. Then, they both stayed. Then, they improved. Then, they won it all, together.
A lot of Celtics fans are old enough to remember when the present felt bad and the future looked worse.
The late 90s were ugly. The early 2000s had Paul Pierce trying to drag half-built rosters into relevance while the rest of us tried to convince ourselves that maybe this was the year everything finally clicked for Mark Blount. Before Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen arrived, plenty of seasons felt like they were over before Thanksgiving. There’s a different kind of frustration that comes with watching a contender fall short, but at least that frustration comes from proximity to something real.
The Tatum-Brown era has offered a level of annual belief that younger fans may not realize is rare. In the words of Joni Mitchell, you don’t know what you got till it’s gone.
The Celtics nailed the picks that mattered
The draft-history context makes this point even clearer.
Over the last twelve drafts, Boston has had plenty of misses. James Young. Guerschon Yabusele. Romeo Langford. The Desmond Bane trade. Plenty of second-rounders who barely created a ripple in the fabric of Celtics history. Boston has taken a lot of bites at the apple, and some of those bites were just teeth hitting the core.
But they nailed the picks that could end up defining an era of the most storied franchise in NBA history.
Brown at No. 3. Tatum at No. 3. Marcus Smart at No. 6 before them. Payton Pritchard at No. 26. Robert Williams at No. 27. More recently, Boston has been trying to squeeze value out of late picks like Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Hugo Gonzalez.
That’s a different kind of roster-building than what we’re seeing from the Knicks right now. New York’s current Finals team was largely assembled via trades and free agency. Again, credit to them. Building a winner through trades and targeted additions is still hard, even if being based in New York City probably helps more than being based in a place where the free-agent pitch begins with, “Hear me out.” Ask the Suns how easy it is to just put expensive names together and hope the basketball gods carry you to the promised land.
Boston’s identity, though they’ve lost key pillars like Smart and Williams over the years, still runs through the two guys it drafted and developed.
BROOKLYN, NY – NOVEMBER 14: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Jayson Tatum #0 and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics in action against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on November 14, 2017 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Celtics defeated the Nets 109-102. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There should be a specific satisfaction in that. How great has it been to watch Brown’s handle tighten over the years, even after it became the internet’s favorite easy joke? What about watching Tatum go from smooth, unassuming scorer to an all-around forward who can defend, rebound, pass and carry like one of the league’s best? Don’t you remember that feeling of people saying the partnership had run its course, then seeing those same two players standing on a parade duck boat together?
The Celtics didn’t rent this era. They raised it.
Maybe that’s why the frustration can hit so hard in seasons like this. Fans remember the whole thing. The early flashes. The blown leads. The Kyrie mess. The bubble. The 2022 Finals. The 2023 faceplant against Miami. The Porzingis and Jrue trades. The breakthrough. The latest playoff collapse. It all lives in the same folder.
But the folder is still mostly full of winning.
Boston drafted the stars everyone wants. Then we got used to them.
If a time traveler had explained this era to Celtics fans the night Pierce and Garnett were traded to Brooklyn, nobody would have complained.
Five conference finals appearances together, two NBA Finals appearances, one championship, no seasons finishing worse than .500? Every Celtics fan would have signed up immediately. Some probably would have asked if the person delivering this prophecy needed a ride to Logan and whether the Harlem Shake was still prospering.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's combined accomplishments:
Living through success changes how it feels. The wins stop surprising you. The conference finals start feeling like your right versus your reward. The flaws become more irritating because the stakes are higher. The losses feel like theft.
That is what Tatum and Brown have done to us. They made winning feel normal.
The Celtics should keep chasing more because this era deserves that urgency. This season showed how much Brown can shoulder without Tatum, but it also showed how fragile any title path becomes when one of the two pillars is missing. Tatum and Brown are expensive now. The cap is tighter. The roster needs work. The center spot needs clarity. The East is not waiting around for Boston to feel sentimental.
Still, any conversation about what comes next should start from an honest place.
The Jays era has not been perfect. There are fair arguments that more than one banner should have been raised by now. Still, this era has given Celtics fans one of the best homegrown runs in modern franchise history.
Someday down the road, the Celtics will be searching for the next version of this. That’s probably when we’ll understand how much fun this era really was.
Back with Kouame, he’s up advantage, takes control of the next rally, and a deep backhand incites Vallejo to net on the forehand! The 17-year-old takes the first set 6-3, with two breaks, and Lenglen is jumping!
Kouame holds for 5-3, then makes 30-40 and set point; Vallejo saves it well, serving out wide then putting away a shoulder-high volley. But he’s soon down advantage, Kouame missing his backhand down the line to restore deuce, but Vallejo shanks his forehand so back round we go. Meantime, Jovic outlasts Navarro in a protracted game on 14, taking her sixth break point to leads 6-0 2-0. She’s taking an experienced top-10 talent to the absolute cleaners.
New South Wales lift Origin shield after beating Queensland 12-4 in third game on the Gold Coast
The women’s State of Origin finale is under way…
A much more traditional rendition of the national anthem than we heard last night precedes both teams crouching into tight huddles for the final rev ups.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 18: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver looks on after the most valuable player trophy presentation before Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center on May 18, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Spurs and Thunder are still in the midst of the Western Conference Finals, but the East has a Finals participant. While the New York Knicks are awaiting an opponent, there was television time available to air The Pat McAfee Show. Appropriately, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made a visit to talk about the state of the league.
The first order of business was Silver’s mention that the Spurs and Thunder were receiving the highest conference finals ratings in the history of the NBA. Considering that San Antonio and Oklahoma City are small market teams, this is quite a feat. It lends itself to the popularity of the marquee players. Two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama, the face of the NBA, have introduced new legions of fans to the sport. SGA, who is from Canada, and French phenom Wemby draw international interest to the sport which has continued outreach and expanded over the decades.
Silver spoke about the league’s plans for squashing tanking, which are still in development.
“We actually have a board meeting tomorrow to discuss a proposal which will in essence flatten the odds among the non-playoff teams in terms of getting top draft picks, will increase the penalties that the league office has for those teams that may participate in that type of behavior,” Silver stated.
McAfee gave the mention is due before switching gears to flopping.
Silver started the response with, “There’s a difference between selling the car, exaggeration, and a true flop.”
Of course the commissioner of basketball isn’t step into a spotlight at the height of postseason and say there is parity in the way games are called, but he admitted there are some ways to improve.
He was transparent that players are conditioned to “sell calls” and supported the idea that officiating can always get better.
Silver even responded to the missed call in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals when the ball clearly went of Chet Holmgren’s foot, but the Thunder were awarded the ball.
“In terms of replay we’re going to get to the point fairly quickly…we’re going to move to a whole system…calls will be automatic…those calls will be done by AI, automated system with cameras line around the court…it will be instantaneous, automatic.”
With technology as the focus of the future, the pace and accuracy will be enhanced. Silver believes this will also enhance the fan experience.
While most of what Silver spoke of was larval, there’s a lot on the horizon for the NBA.
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