LeBron James has presented a timeline regarding his future and when to expect an update on his decisions. Yes, plural.
James, 41, will be an unrestricted free agent coming off his 23rd NBA season where he led the league in fast break points while averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. He could consider retirement. Or, he could opt for his 24th NBA season – further extending the NBA record for most seasons played.
And if year 24 is the answer, there would most definitely be suitors. But pump the brakes.
During an episode of his podcast "Mind The Game" with Steve Nash, James shared that he hasn't really thought about what his next chapter is going to be, whether retirement, a return to the Los Angeles Lakers or possibly even a different team.
"I'm still in the moment of like, just taking my time," James said. "I haven't even really thought about it too much. Obviously, I understand that I'm a free agent and I can control my own destiny, (if it's) being here with this (Lakers) franchise for the foreseeable future, or if it's going somewhere else."
James elaborated on a timeline leaning into late summer for when he'd have a decision, but first come his priorities – family.
"I haven't even really even gotten to that point. I haven't even taken my family vacation yet, which is going to happen after Memorial Day. That's kind of the thing at the forefront of my mind," James said. "But I think at some point you know, up until late June, as July rolls around, free agency starts to get going and July's rolling and maybe into August we start to kind of like get a feel of what my future may look like."
Whether James continues to play the game that he loves is up in the air. What's not in question is his ability to do so.
James said he knows he can "still give so much to the game and play at a high level" but hasn't came to a point where he's making a decision.
"When I get there, it'd be fun to kind of see what the future could hold," he said.
Factors into LeBron James' next decision
If James decides to play, it wouldn't be for a bottom-feeder team. Contenders only. Correction, championship contenders only. It's the only scenario James feels comfortable in at this point in his illustrious career.
Teams in rebuild mode or that just don't have it yet put together need not consider themselves in the LeBron James sweepstakes this offseason.
"No, there's no way," James said when asked about "starting over" with a team on the bottom. "There's no way. I mean, you know, winning is most important, because you want to be excited about going to work every day. You want to be excited about, you know, like I said earlier, winning the day and being around a group of guys that you know feel the same way."
He added: "Trying not to take steps backwards and understand the season is a long marathon, and whatever the case may be, but those building blocks throughout the course of the season is what matters to when you get to the marathon or when you get to the sprint, which is now, you know, the postseason. I'm not going anywhere it's a start over at year 24 or things of that nature, I'm done with that."
But James is also a family man, and that's a high priority.
"That's very important, and it's up there. I mean, 1A and 1B is like, where do I feel comfortable with doing with my career, but also with my family," he said. "How do they feel about whatever the decision that I'm able to come up with and make. That's a joint decision as well. I give them the insight, both my boys, my daughter and my wife. You know, so you know it's 1A and 1B. I don't think one is higher than the other, whatever the case may be."
Apr 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4), forward Dillon Brooks (3) and guard Devin Booker (1) against the Houston Rockets at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Tiers. It’s a subject we spent plenty of time discussing here at Bright Side of the Sun as we worked through our postseason SunsRank rankings.
Having tiers created a much more structured approach to ranking every member of the Phoenix Suns roster and determining who the team’s best players actually are. That’s the beauty of tiers. They provide segmentation and definable categories, making the entire exercise easier to navigate and comprehend.
Anybody who plays fantasy football already understands this concept. Tiers become incredibly important when you’re on the clock, scurrying to determine who should come off the board next. If you’ve already separated players into groups, the decision-making process becomes cleaner and easier to process. So yes, I love me some tiers.
When you extrapolate that concept outward beyond just the Suns roster though, it becomes an even more useful tool for understanding and ranking players across the NBA as a whole. It’s also an incredibly daunting task, one I absolutely do not envy. Thankfully, Law Murray of The Athletic has been tackling exactly that challenge, releasing a series of articles breaking players across the league into different tiers. I highly recommend reading the series and appreciating the work.
It’s a far more in-depth process than what we did with SunsRank because you’re evaluating the entire NBA landscape. There aren’t clean labels like cornerstone, pillar, wildcard, or depth piece. Instead, it’s tier-based with subcategories like Tier 2B or Tier 3A. Still, the overall goal remains the same: creating structure around player evaluation.
Murray has five tiers, with the following designations:
Tier 1
Top 10
A player who can reasonably be considered an All-NBA First Team player. Capped at 10.
Tier 2
11-30
An All-Star-caliber player who can lead an adequate team. Tiers 1 and 2 are locked at 30 total players, but I made them flexible this year.
Tier 3
31-60
Star consideration. It is not ideal for this level of player to be the best on a team, but it is great if this level of player is the third-best player of a big three. A flexible tier.
Tier 4
61-100
A player who is a good starter, if not quite a star. Flexible tier but rounds out the top 100.
Tier 5
101-125
Just outside of the top 100. A quality rotation player.
Now that those tiers have started rolling out, we finally have a national perspective on where certain members of the Suns roster land within the larger NBA hierarchy. And while rankings are typically something we roll our eyes at, I find value in these rankings. Because it allows us to see a structured perception. This isn’t some click-baity article meant to stir conversations in the doldrums of social media. These are rankings that, much like SunsRank, carry historical caveats within. You can see either progression or digression, which provides a greater context and layer to the conversation.
So where did the Suns players end up? Let’s start by reviewing the entire list of Suns’ players, and then delve a bit further.
Player
Tier
Devin Booker
2D
Dillon Brooks
4C
Jalen Green
4E
Collin Gillespie
5A
Grayson Allen
5B
My initial reaction to seeing these rankings is that, internally, the Bright Side writing staff and community largely got it right. Through all of the thought exercises, tier definitions, and polling, the order of where Suns’ players ranked locally and nationally was very…what’s that word Brian Gregory has made us fall in love with?…aligned!
If you remember our SunsRank exercise, Devin Booker was followed by Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green in the writers’ rankings, while the community rankings flipped Brooks and Green. Even then, the margin between the two on the community side was razor-thin, with only five votes separating them. Both Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen made the list as well, although our writing team had Mark Williams ahead of Grayson in SunsRank. But overall, having 5 players in the top 125 is a solid foundation.
Player
Writers Ranks
Community Rank
Devin Booker
1
1
Dillon Brooks
2
3
Jalen Green
3
2
Collin Gillespie
4
4
Grayson Allen
6
5
Seeing Green ultimately land below Brooks by three sub-tiers in Law Murray’s rankings actually fortifies how the local fan base views those players relative to one another. Green has the talent, the upside, and the athleticism. But Brooks is the emotional leader, the tone setter, and the one who carries with him a much more deliverable price-for-value paid.
What becomes really interesting, though, is when you start digging deeper into where each player lands compared to the rest of the league within their respective tiers. And probably the most surprising thing for people outside Phoenix, at least from a national perspective, is seeing Booker land in Tier 2D.
Player
2025 Tier
Deni Avdija
3C
Devin Booker
2A
De’Aaron Fox
3A
James Harden
2C
Pascal Siakam
2D
Jalen Williams
3A
Only one player other than James Harden fell in their ranking as compared to last season. And that player is Devin Booker. It’s a reminder, and honestly a reinforcement, that the perception of Devin Booker both locally and nationally is beginning to shift. The feeling now is that he’s falling out of that true superstar stratosphere, that a player who once comfortably lived in the top 15 conversation is starting to slide further down those lists.
Whether the driving factor is production, overall skill set, or some combination of both, it’s understandable why he ended up in this tier.
I’ve said it multiple times recently. Booker is a star. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being a star. Still, the conversation naturally changes once a player is being paid superstar money. That’s where the value discussion begins to creep in, fairly or unfairly. It’s a conversation you know and I know we will continue to have for quite some time, because we are beginning to enter that uncomfortable space where the price tag rises as the potential for production wanes. We’re not there yet. But it’s just over the horizon, and some do not want to see that day.
At this point though, Booker remains the foundation and backbone of the Phoenix Suns franchise.
The shooting guards here are Devin Booker and De’Aaron Fox, two players who could also be called point guards. Booker has won just four playoff games without Chris Paul on the floor with him, and all five of Phoenix’s series wins with Booker have been against a team missing a star for all or part of the series (Anthony Davis, Jamal Murray, Kawhi Leonard, Zion Williamson, Paul George). That’s not to say that Booker isn’t a very good player. The Suns would be lost without him, as he is his team’s best chance for anything close to efficient offense, and he competes on defense. But he would benefit significantly from three things: a point guard who consistently helps him get easier shots, another star teammate at any position and a head coach who can stick around a while (Jordan Ott is Booker’s eighth head coach).
Sometimes I feel defensive when national writers speak to who and what Booker is. I poke my nose into the sky and sigh, knowing that they typically are only touching the surface. But in this case, is Murray wrong? I think not. And that realization is one that many still struggle to come to grips with.
Further down the list is Dillon Brooks, who lands in Tier 4C. Who is he next to in the rankings?
Player
2025 Tier
RJ Barrett
4D
Dillon Brooks
4E
DeMar DeRozan
3B
Paul George
3C
Josh Hart
4A
Zach LaVine
3C
CJ McCollum
4B
Naz Reid
4F
Ausar Thompson
—
I think this ranking is appropriate as well.
Dillon Brooks absolutely elevated his game this past season, and people around the league took notice. He was one of the few risers who landed in Murray’s 4C. For a long time, and I’ll include myself in this, what he did with the Memphis Grizzlies often felt more rooted in antics, while his stint with the Houston Rockets came across as more annoying than impactful. Last season changed that perception.
What Brooks did in Phoenix reinforced the idea that he genuinely moves the needle. Emotionally, he’s always done that. This year though, he proved he could do it through offensive production and through the cultural impact he had on a basketball team. Nobody expected the Phoenix Suns to be remotely competitive entering the season. Then you inject Brooks into the equation alongside a group of young, feisty players, and suddenly the entire identity of the team shifts. The league noticed that. His placement within these tiers reflects exactly that.
And then there’s Jalen Green, who fell into Tier 4E.
Player
2025 Tier
2026-27 Salary
Toumani Camara
5B
$2.4M
VJ Edgecombe
—
$11.7M
Keyonte George
—
$6.6M
Jalen Green
4E
$36.3M
Jaime Jaquez, Jr.
—
$5.9M
Immanuel Quickly
4E
$32.5M
Jabari Smith, Jr.
—
S23.6M
Peyton Watson
—
RFA, QO $6.5M
Andrew Wiggins
4B
$30.2M
You’ll notice I added a third column to this tier breakdown because I think it’s unbelievably important to the conversation.
I’ll start with the obvious. Jalen Green missed 50 games this season, and that absolutely impacted how he’s perceived both locally and nationally. Interestingly enough though, his tier placement one season ago was also Tier 4E. Then you start looking around the rankings and notice players like Ja Morant, who missed 62 games, sitting in Tier 3E. Or Domantas Sabonis, who missed 63 games and also lands in Tier 3E. That’s where your eyebrow starts to raise a little because it forces you into an uncomfortable realization.
The national perception of Green simply isn’t where it needs to be right now.
That matters because the Phoenix Suns are about to pay him $36.3 million next season, and when you scan the players around him in these rankings, he’s making significantly more money than most of them. You start understanding why the fans who want Green traded this offseason may ultimately be disappointed.
Based purely on this type of ranking system, you can see that his national value probably isn’t high enough right now to bring back the kind of desirable assets Phoenix would want in return to meaningfully move the franchise forward. Now granted, this isn’t a ranking system put together by NBA executives or general managers. It’s the perspective of a writer at The Athletic. Still, it provides insight into how Green is viewed nationally, and that’s really the crux of the Suns’ current situation.
Even if Phoenix were interested in exploring trades involving Green, which honestly I don’t believe they are right now, this probably isn’t the time to do it.
Now we turn to a pair of players who saw their stock rise this season. First up? Collin Gillespie.
Player
2025 Tier
Christian Braun
4C
John Collins
4E
Collin Gillespie
—
Draymond Green
4A
Tobias Harris
5A
Cameron Johnson
5B
Kristaps Porzingus
3C
Neemias Queta
—
Coby White
4F
As Collin Gillespie approaches unrestricted free agency this offseason, his rising national value becomes incredibly important. Ultimately, that perception could help dictate the price point at which the Phoenix Suns bring him back, something that certainly appears to be a priority for the organization.
It’s funny because when you look across Tier 5A, most of the players in that grouping are either making a lot of money already or are players beginning to trend downward in their careers. There are exceptions though, and Collin is one of them. His value is clearly rising after what was a breakout season for him.
Locally, we understand the context. We watched him fade a bit as the season progressed. Still, when you step back and evaluate the season holistically, the value is obvious. The hope entering next year is that the progression continues, he takes another step forward, and his placement in these rankings keeps climbing.
Lastly, there’s Grayson Allen.
Player
2025 Tier
Grayson Allen
—
Nic Claxton
—
Donovan Clingan
—
Luguentz Dort
5A
Tari Eason
5B
Keldon Johnson
—
Onyeka Okongwu
5B
Duncan Robinson
—
Ryan Rollins
—
Shaedon Sharpe
—
Cason Wallace
—
He landed just one tier below Collin Gillespie and is the second-oldest player within that grouping. Like Gillespie, Allen did not crack the top 125 rankings a season ago, which serves as a reminder of how valuable he still is around the league. It also reinforces the idea that he could ultimately become one of the pieces the Phoenix Suns move if they decide to pivot certain aspects of their roster construction.
Allen possesses one of the more tradable contracts on the roster, paired with a skill set that translates almost anywhere. Shooting always travels. Teams are always looking for secondary scoring and spacing off the bench. Because of that, it’ll be interesting to see what his market value actually looks like around the league.
That said, regardless of what Phoenix could potentially get back in return, moving off Allen absolutely hurts your depth and second-unit scoring.
What these rankings ultimately reinforce is something Suns fans are still wrestling with emotionally. Phoenix has good players. Legitimately good players. The issue is the league no longer views the roster as one built around overwhelming star power. Instead, it’s increasingly viewed as a team trying to construct functionality, depth, and identity around Devin Booker rather than simply stacking names and hoping it all works. Honestly, that’s probably healthier long term, even if it feels less sexy on paper.
And that’s where these tiers become valuable. They strip away emotion and force you to evaluate the roster through a colder lens. Booker remains the clear headliner, although nationally he’s drifting closer toward “high-end star” than “untouchable superstar.” Brooks is gaining respect because his impact finally translated into winning basketball people could quantify. Gillespie and Allen are viewed as legitimate rotational pieces. Green remains the wild card, simultaneously carrying the highest ceiling and the most uncomfortable price-to-production conversation on the roster.
Taken together, the rankings paint a pretty honest picture of where the Suns currently exist within the larger NBA ecosystem. Competitive. Interesting. Deeper than expected. Still lacking the kind of top-end hierarchy that typically defines true championship contenders.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 20: Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches in the first inning during a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park on May 20, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was the type of start we’ve come to expect from Aaron Nola.
First inning, we see vintage Nola. Pinpoint command. Two strikeouts. A 1-2-3 opener. The type of beginning that makes you remember why the Phillies signed the veteran right-hander to a seven-year, $172 million contract before the start of the 2024 season.
Then, as if that dominant first inning never happened, it all fell apart.
The second inning starts with a line drive double, then a line drive single, then a ground ball double down the right field line to score a run. Nola records two outs and then allows the hit that turns what could have been an inning with minimal damage into one with a crooked number, a line drive single that scores two.
The third inning would feature two more singles, although neither player scored. In the fourth? A leadoff triple that smacked off the center field wall followed by an out and then another line drive, RBI single to plate the Reds’ fourth run.
After a clean fifth, Nola was done. His final line read: 5 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, 0 BB and 5 Ks.
This has been the norm. Through 10 starts, his ERA is 6.04. His fielding independent pitching (FIP) is 4.48. Neither number is good.
These are also not new numbers. In 17 starts last season, the EAR was 6.01. Among 144 starters with at least 100 innings pitched since the beginning of last year, Nola’s 6.02 ERA ranks 141st.
Aaron Nola has been one of baseball’s most ineffective pitchers since the start of the 2025 season.
He is scheduled to make $24.5 million each of the next five seasons, including this one. He is no longer expected to be a top-of-the-rotation starter, but there should be an expectation that he would not be one of the very worst pitchers in the sport.
There are any number of reasons why Nola is struggling, but it all starts with the fastball.
Aaron Nola's fastball is the biggest concern right now.
Batting average against Nola's fastball over the years:
If Nola is not going to be able to throw his fastball, especially in fastball counts, he’s going to have to learn to feature his secondary pitches exclusively and use his fastball more sparingly. He’s already throwing it less (27.5) than he ever has. Manager Don Mattingly talked about Nola needing to learn to “pitch backwards,” but noted there is no one single flip that can be switched.
Catcher J.T. Realmuto feels Nola is simply not executing his pitches. The problem with Nola is that he absolutely cannot, under any circumstances, leave anything out over the middle of the plate. There is zero margin for error. And now, as noted by On Pattison’s Tim Kelly, it’s possible the new ABS system may be taking away Nola’s penchant for getting balls just off the plate called for strikes in the past.
On the latest episode of Phillies Stoplight🚦, @TimKellySports explained why he thinks it's harder than ever for an Aaron Nola-type pitcher to succeed. pic.twitter.com/hvZm1SMzwM
Regardless, Nola is at a crossroads. There is simply no world where he can continue to pitch like this.
The hope is pitching coach Caleb Cotham and Nola can sit down in their pitching lab and cook up some ideas on how to fix Nola’s fastball. That’s easier said than done.
The more likely answer is that Nola may simply be cooked. And it would be understandable if he is, even as he approaches his 33rd birthday next month.
From 2017-2024, no pitcher in baseball threw more innings (1432.2) than Aaron Nola. That is an enormous workload, one that pitchers through the 1980s routinely piled up, but not so much in this era of baseball.
The problem is, there are five years left, counting 2026, on Nola’s free agent contract. So, what are the Phillies’ options?
While the Phils showed a willingness to eat some money by releasing Taijuan Walker last month, he was on the final year of his $18 million a year deal. Nola is due another $98 million after this season. That’s too much for any team to eat.
He cannot be traded. He has full 10-5 trade rights (10 years in the Majors and at least five years with his current team), and not only is it highly unlikely there would be another team willing to deal for him, it’s just as unlikely Nola would agree to a trade.
He cannot be optioned to the minors without his approval. Now, other veteran pitchers who were out of options have agreed to minor league demotions during times of struggle. In 2008, Brett Myers agreed to pitch in AAA for a few weeks to get things right. When he returned, he was a dominant force that helped the Phils win a World Series title. Would Nola be willing to do something similar if things don’t change?
The only other option is to send him to the bullpen. But without any logical replacements in AAA or AA as of yet, and the trade deadline still more than two months away, the only recourse the Phillies have is to send him out there every fifth day and hope he and Cotham can figure something out.
Nola’s stuff is good enough that he should be better than this. A pitcher of his talent, even with all those innings and a declining fastball, should be better than an ERA over 6.00.
Everyone will just have to grin and bear it for now. And hope Nola rights the ship.
Listen to more of my thoughts on Nola as well as the Phillies’ series loss to the Reds on the latest Hittin’ Season podcast, powered by WHYY!
Senga, who has been on the IL since April 28 while dealing with lumbar spine inflammation, is beginning a rehab assignment.
The right-hander will start for A-level St. Lucie on Friday, with the expectation that he'll throw roughly 50-to-60 pitches.
Before he landed on the IL, the situation with Senga in the rotation had become untenable, with him being unable to pitch more than 3.1 innings in any of his last three starts.
While Senga has been out, the Mets have lost Clay Holmes to a long-term fibula injury, which conceivably changes the calculus regarding the plan for Senga once he's activated.
New York's rotation currently consists of Nolan McLean, Freddy Peralta, and Christian Scott, with David Peterson also factoring in every fifth day and rookie Zach Thornton in the rotation on a start-to-start basis. Jonah Tong, who has been with Triple-A Syracuse all season, is in consideration to come up to pitch this weekend against the Marlins in Miami.
As far as Senga, the Mets could theoretically move him to the bullpen when he returns, but that seems like a very poor fit given his routines.
Following back-to-back appearances for Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday and Wednesday, Minter is set to pitch again for Syracuse on Saturday. If all goes well, Minter could be activated following that outing.
Minter missed most of last season after needing surgery for a torn left lat muscle.
His return would give the Mets another option at the back end of the bullpen, and could potentially put the roster spot of the struggling Craig Kimbrel in jeopardy.
Young, who is in the middle of a rehab assignment with Syracuse, feels good physically, with Mendoza noting that it is now a matter of getting his timing down.
The left-handed hitter excelled for New York earlier this season, hitting .350/.391/.450 in 23 plate appearances over 11 games.
DETROIT — Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Stubal threw another bullpen session, his third since his rehab program from elbow surgery began.
The two-time American League Cy Young Award winner underwent a non-invasive procedure on his left pitching elbow on May 6 to remove a loose body. He threw his latest bullpen session prior to Detroit’s home game against Cleveland.
Manager A.J. Hinch called it a “great step” but stopped short of saying when Skubal might return to action.
“There are little hurdles to clear along the way when you come back from a procedure,” Hinch said. “As much as we described it as simple, it’s still a procedure.”
Skubal used his full arsenal while throwing a total of 35 pitches, taking a breather in-between to simulate a break between innings.
“His velocity was as high as it’s been since his throwing started,” Hinch said. “He sat down and came back and did like a simulated second inning. That’s encouraging and it’s full stuff.”
Skubal will travel with the team during its weekend series in Baltimore and throw another bullpen session. The team’s medical and coaching staff will determine his next step afterward.
Skubal is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts this season. He’ll be a free agent after the season.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 06: Ryan McMahon #19 of the New York Yankees strikes out during the game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium on May 06, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the 2025 Trade Deadline, one of the Yankees’ primary acquisitions was for a defense-first third baseman. Ryan McMahon, who had spent the past nine seasons with the Colorado Rockies, was known as one of the game’s finest defenders at the hot corner, one that could hit enough to get by in the majors, culminating in his first All-Star selection in 2024.
I will put my hand up: I liked adding RyMac to the fold. His glove gave him a solid floor, and he had enough pop with the bat to float around league-average and contribute a big hit now and then. Now, a good chunk into his first full season in the Bronx, it’s clear that something is not working for McMahon at the plate. He’s not putting the ball in play with much authority, and the basepaths are proving difficult to reach in 2026. He was never a bat-first guy, but at third base, at least some pop at the plate is expected, and it simply isn’t coming for the Yankees.
It took McMahon 17 games to get his first extra-base hit of the season, which in all fairness, was a clutch homer against the Royals. The pressure to produce that sort of hit is hammered home by Michael Kay’s “Ohhhh, did he need that!”
The issue arises in the fact that this hit did not really open the floodgates for McMahon, as he’s only amassed a handful of extra-base hits in his 137 plate appearances to this point. Now, all homers or doubles count the same, but you’ll notice that this homer wasn’t exactly a no-doubter. It was a wall-scraper the other way into left field. Unfortunately for McMahon this season, that seems to be all that he can buy.
Don’t mistake this chart for for Isaac Paredes’, these are all of Ryan McMahon’s extra-base hits this season — three doubles and four homers. Notably, all but one of these hits are to the opposite field, and rather extremely so. Not only has it been difficult for the Yankee third baseman to turn up the slug, but when he does, he’s not exactly doing himself any favors with a spray chart like this.
A pulled fly ball is the best category of hit a batter can ask for, something that McMahon cannot seem to find in his bat for 2026, and it’s clearly reflecting in his numbers. His 62 wRC+ would be an easy career worst since becoming a gular in 2018, as he’s reaching base at a miniscule .259 clip, strikes out 30 percent of the time, and is walking less than he ever has in his career. 2026 has been a rough go for McMahon at the plate, and his lack of production at the plate has necessitated the need for improvement at the hot corner for New York. Manager Aaron Boone hasn’t hesitated to play righty platoon partner Amed Rosario against same-handed pitching on occasion during McMahon’s deeper slumps.
For McMahon specifically, the production we’re seeing is a particular downgrade for him. Although his premier attributes have never come with the bat, the Yankees can and should reasonably expect a little pop from their third baseman. Instead of the guy who’s posted five consecutive 20-homer seasons, the Yankees have seen this version of McMahon. His production is substandard for anywhere on the diamond, but when considering the position he occupies, and the fact that he has been a consistent contributor for the better part of a decade, the trend becomes all the more troubling.
McMahon still hits the ball fairly hard (80th percentile in average exit velocity), and does so at a good rate (81st percentile hard-hit rate). But it’s clear that this sort of output is not all created equal, as his extra-base hits are fine in isolation, but they become part of a larger, more worrisome trend in the big picture. A full rebound with the bat feels less and less likely as time goes on, but nothing is out of question, as McMahon at least has a fine track record to back it up. But, as things stand, 2026 has been full of far more questions than answers for McMahon and the Yankees.
May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) warms up prior to game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images
In sports, there are three types of players. Those who are great regular season players, who take their greatness to a whole other level in the playoffs. Then there are great regular season players who flame out in the postseason. Lastly, there are the players who are average to good regular season players, who step their game up when it matters most, including in the playoffs. In my opinion, Jabari Smith Jr. is lining up to become that kind of player, and in 2025-2026 he showed us glimpses.
A lot of what is required to be successful in the postseason is mental. In the playoffs, every team is good and made up of good players. In the course of a seven-game series, there are no more secrets about what you or your opponent are going to try to do, it’s about executing your gameplan better, and imposing your will mentally and physically. Now I won’t say that physically Jabari Smith Jr. imposed his will on these playoffs, but he has the mentality that you need to win. Sadly, there were moments in the series against the Lakers that he looked like the only player who cared.
In the series against the Golden State Warriors last season, Jabari’s first taste of playoff basketball, he was extremely efficient on the offensive end but not nearly aggressive enough, taking less than five shots per game. This postseason, Jabari knew he’d have to be more of a factor with Kevin Durant missing all but one game in the series, and the team being down 0-3 in the series as a result. Yes, he stepped up his point production slightly in the playoffs, but honestly, it wasn’t enough. The team needed more from him offensively.
That being said, Jabari Smith Jr. took more than 14 shots per game in the series. The issue being that he only shot 38.3 percent from the field, including 37.3 percent from three. He played hard defensively as he always does, but let’s face it for a man of his stature he should be more of a factor on the boards. I don’t believe watching him on the court that it is from lack of effort, which is why I won’t be too harsh on the young man in this review. I think he has what it takes to be a contributor on a winning team, he just needs to finally put it together in his upcoming fifth season.
If he can combine the efficiency of his first playoff series with the aggressiveness and sense of urgency he showed in his second playoff series, then he will be one of those impact players in the postseason. I think at this point Jabari’s ceiling is a fringe All-Star ultimately on the outside looking in, unless the Rockets are just grossly misusing him, I don’t see him being much more than that. However, I can’t explain enough how big of a fan I am of his mental makeup. His 15.8 points per game in the regular season is fine with me, as long as he can bump it up to 18-19 points per game in the postseason. His 7.9 rebounds per game is cool with me, as long as it turns into 9-10 rebounds in the postseason. He doesn’t have to shoot 50 percent from the field and 45 percent from three like he did in the 2024-2025 playoffs, but he needs to be close.
Since Jabari Smith Jr. was drafted third overall in 2022, he’s been on a personal mission to prove to himself that he belongs. With Paolo Banchero winning rookie of the year, Chet Holmgren already being a key contributor to an NBA Championship, and the eyes of many wondering if the Rockets made the right choice selecting him third overall, you can see that the spirit is willing with Smith, the question… Is he really that dude? I think he can be, because I see how hard he works, I see how badly he wants it, the only thing left for him to answer to me is, is he willing to go take it. Because no one is going to hand it to him. If he can match his on-court production with that dog mentality I sense in him, then I hope he’s still wearing a Rockets jersey when it happens.
The Vegas Golden Knights escaped the series opener with a 4-2 win, and they’ll look to make it two in a row over the Colorado Avalanche when the teams meet at Ball Arena for Game 2 on Friday, May 22.
My top Golden Knights vs. Avalanche predictions and NHL picks expect Vegas starter Carter Hart to have a busy start to the weekend, with Colorado set to even the series.
Golden Knights vs Avalanche prediction
Golden Knights vs Avalanche Best bet: Carter Hart Over 28.5 saves (-125)
Vegas Golden Knights No. 1 Carter Hart is turning in a solid postseason with a tidy .918 save percentage, and while he isn’t going to pile up 2.44 goals saved above expected nightly as he did in Game 1, Hart just needs to make the saves he should to hit this Over.
The Colorado Avalanche led the way in shots per game (33.7) during the regular season, and the Avs are leading the postseason in both shots per 60 minutes overall and at 5-on-5.
So, with Colorado facing an 0-1 series deficit, I’m anticipating the Avalanche picking up where they left off after piling up an eye-popping 38 shots in Game 1.
The Avalanche dominated 5-on-5 play in Game 1 with a 59.3 Corsi For percentage and 63.6 expected goals percentage, and linemates Nazem Kadri, Valeri Nichushkin, and Ross Colton combined for respective 66.8% and 80.7% marks.
Nichushkin scored in the series opener to climb to 34 points across his past 47 postseason games, and Kadri has recorded 40 points through his past 43 playoff contests, so I like this duo to have a say again in Game 2.
The Colorado Avalanche have won 11 of their last 13 games (+7.95 Units / 33% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Golden Knights vs. Avalanche.
How to watch Golden Knights vs Avalanche
Location
Ball Arena, Denver, CO
Date
Friday, May 22, 2025
Puck drop
8 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Golden Knights vs Avalanche latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Arizona Diamondbacks (25-23) and Colorado Rockies (19-31) start a four-game series at Chase Field. Arizona enters on a four-game winning streak, while Colorado has lost two straight.
Arizona has climbed over .500 on the season and is coming off a sweep of San Francisco. The Diamondbacks outscored the Giants 23-8 and have scored at least five runs in four consecutive games. Arizona has won five straight home games and is 15-9 at home on the season.
Colorado has the second-worst record in baseball and has dropped three of the past four games and eight of the past 11. Over the last week, the Rockies are hitting .216 (25th) with one home run (last). The pitching staff hasn't been much better either. Colorado's pitchers own a 6.17 ERA (27th) over the last six games and the worst OBA (.324).
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Rockies at Diamondbacks
Date: Thursday, May 21, 2026
Time: 9:40 PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll is hitting .285 with 45 hits and 89 total bases over 158 at-bats
The Diamondbacks’ James McCann is hitting .203 with 12 hits and 17 strikeouts over 59 at-bats
The Rockies’ Troy Johnston is hitting .324 with 47 hits and 66 total bases over 145 at-bats
The Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar is hitting .205 with 33 hits and 48 strikeouts over 161 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks are 30-18 ATS this season, ranking third-best
The Rockies are 26-24 ATS this season
The Diamondbacks are 25-21-2 to the Over
The Rockies are 26-23-1 to the Under
The Diamondbacks are 15-7 ATS at home, ranking second-best
The Rockies are 13-12 ATS on the road and 9-16 on the ML
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Diamondbacks
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Rockies and the Diamondbacks:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Diamondbacks on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Diamondbacks at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.5
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The San Antonio Spurs may not have won the battle, but they’ve got the inside track on the war with the Western Conference finals locked at 1-1 heading to Texas.
After winning the series opener, San Antonio struggled through a disjointed road loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday. Injuries, turnovers and OKC’s physical approach to slowing down Victor Wembanyama all took their toll.
Our Thunder vs. Spurs predictions for Game 3 see Wembanyama pushing back, especially with the unknown status of San Antonio’s backcourt stars.
My NBA picks like Wemby to top his scoring prop on May 22.
Thunder vs Spurs prediction Game 3 prediction
Thunder vs Spurs best bet: Victor Wembanyama Over 25.5 points (-105)
After taking 21 of his 25 shots in the paint in Game 1, Wembanyama attempted just 8 of 16 FGAs in the key on Wednesday.
The constant abuse wore him down late and contributed to a more passive outing. He also reached the foul line only twice despite plenty of questionable contact.
With the San Antonio Spurs home for Game 3, I expect a more aggressive Wembanyama and friendlier whistles from the officials.
COVERS INTEL: Wembanyama sees a near 3-point uptick in scoring at home compared to the road and Game 3 projections sit as high as 27+ points. Those forecasts include injured guards De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper. Should one or both guards sit, Wemby shoulders more of the scoring load.
Thunder vs Spurs same-game parlay
A lot could change between now and tipoff on Friday. De’Aaron Fox has missed the last two games with an ankle injury and Dylan Harper is fighting through a bum leg. That said, I have more confidence in those guards coming back than OKC’s Jalen Williams, who re-aggravated a hamstring injury in Game 2.
The Spurs played poorly and had bad luck yet still stuck around on Wednesday. Getting back home helps settle things down, especially in the turnover department.
With Williams out, Oklahoma City needs another scorer to step up. Chet Holmgren has had issues against the Spurs this season, carrying over to a 7-for-17 start to this series. He did make two triples in Game 1 and his ability to stretch the floor with his shooting is vital to the Thunder.
After missing minutes in Game 2, Chet gets a wake-up call and knocks down two or more 3-pointers in Game 3.
Thunder vs Spurs SGP
Spurs moneyline
Victor Wembanyama Over 25.5 points
Chet Holmgren Over 1.5 threes
Thunder vs Spurs odds
Spread: Oklahoma City +2 | San Antonio -2
Moneyline: Oklahoma City +110 | San Antonio -130
Over/Under: Over 217.5 | Under 217.5
Thunder vs Spurs betting trend to know
San Antonio is 13-2 SU and 12-3 ATS at home when coming of a loss in the previous game this season. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Spurs.
How to watch Thunder vs Spurs
Location
Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Date
Friday, May 22, 2025
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
NBC, Peacock
Thunder vs Spurs latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 13: PJ Poulin #50 of the Washington Nationals points towards Curtis Mead #45 of the Washington Nationals after a win in the tenth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on May 13, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Nationals made a somewhat surprising move in the bullpen. With Clayton Beeter coming back from the IL, the Nats decided to option PJ Poulin to Triple-A. On the surface, this move seems pretty odd. Poulin leads the Nats in appearances with 23 and has posted a solid 2.91 ERA.
The Nationals have optioned PJ Poulin to Triple-A Rochester.
— Nationals Communications (@NationalsComms) May 21, 2026
However, when you look under the hood, things make more sense. Despite Poulin’s low ERA, the underlying metrics agreed that he was getting lucky. Poulin’s xERA and xFIP are both 5.46, while his FIP is 5.51. You have to believe that the Nats front office was looking at those numbers when they decided to send Poulin down.
Frankly, if you watch Nats games on a consistent basis, you do not need those fancy stats to tell you that Poulin was flirting with disaster. Poulin rarely had a shutdown outing and was consistently dealing with traffic on the bases. He also issued 14 walks in 21.2 innings, which is not ideal for a guy without overwhelming stuff.
The strikeout to walk rate is also something the Nats considered when sending him down. For the season, Poulin has 6.65 K/9 and 5.82 BB/9. Having nearly as many walks as strikeouts is not a recipe for long term success. Last season, Poulin actually did show some swing and miss stuff with 9.85 K/9. However, the whiffs have not been a big part of his game this season.
While PJ Poulin hasn't been charged with an earned run in any of his last 9 appearances, he's walked a batter in 6 of his last 7 and has allowed half of the first batters he's faced to reach this year.
Nearly 6 (5.8) BB/9 without strikeout stuff (6.6 K/9) is a tough way to live. https://t.co/Id4Zryc67Y
— Stars and Strikes – Daily Nats Content (@starsstrikesbb) May 21, 2026
This season it just felt like Poulin did not really trust his stuff as much. He was constantly nibbling and trying to throw the perfect pitch instead of just attacking guys. Maybe that was due to a slight drop in velocity forcing him to try and be perfect. Poulin usually got out of the jams he put himself in, but the lefty was putting himself in bad spots too often.
Interestingly, I thought Poulin was at his best this year when he was opening games. He was an opener 5 times, and posted a 1.42 ERA with just one walk in 6.1 innings. However, when Poulin was put in higher leverage spots, he really struggled to throw strikes.
Another factor here is Richard Lovelady, who has a lot of similarities to Poulin. It felt like Lovelady started to eat into Poulin’s role. Both are lower slot lefties who rely on funk rather than velocity. Like Poulin, Lovelady allows his fair share of baserunners, but he can get ground balls and whiffs when he needs them more consistently than Poulin.
I do not want to knock Poulin too much while he is down here. He is still a solid arm and is very likely to be back in the big leagues at some point. There are going to be injuries and guys who start to struggle. When that happens, Poulin is going to be an arm the Nats will turn to again. He just needs to attack hitters some more and get back to doing what he did at the end of last season.
As for Clayton Beeter, it will be interesting to see what his role is. Beeter also has walk issues, but has dynamic swing and miss stuff. He was the de facto closer at the beginning of the season, but it feels like Gus Varland has taken that mantle. Beeter will be in the mix for high leverage looks, but I do not think he will be the big dog in the bullpen the way he was to start the year.
We just need to see more strikes from him. Beeter has the best raw stuff in this bullpen, but he can be erratic. However, when Beeter is on, he can be absolutely lights out. Beeter looked good on his rehab assignment in AAA, making two scoreless appearances. At his best, Beeter can be a real weapon.
The Nats are going to have to make another bullpen decision soon as well. Cole Henry is also on the mend, and has looked good during his rehab assignment. If he gets his spot in the bullpen back, who will the Nats send down? Paxton Schultz seems like an obvious candidate, but I wonder if Mitchell Parker could be in trouble. With Andrew Alvarez sticking in the big leagues, can the Nats afford to carry three long relievers?
There are some interesting conversations to be had with this bullpen. For the first time in a while, it feels like the Nats have a lot of options. Sure, none of the options are amazing, but they have plenty of guys who have shown they can have success in the big leagues if they are on their game. I am curious to see how the bullpen shakes out as we go through this season.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 13: Kyle Hurt #63 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches during the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on May 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Some of the plans for the Dodgers’ bullpen went out the window in an unceremonious fashion quite early on, but the unit continues to function at a high level. Among other things, that’s down to the emergence of Kyle Hurt as one of the top setup men in the National League—a big statement for a young pitcher whose not only role, but mere presence on the big league roster this season, was undefined heading into spring training.
After striking out 12 hitters in 7.1 innings in spring training, Hurt impressed but ultimately couldn’t land a spot on the Opening Day roster. It wasn’t until Ben Casparius hit the shelf that Hurt joined the club, and firstly, amidst Edwin Díaz’ injury, and also partially just through his own merit, Hurt began climbing up the leverage ladder in the bullpen.
Yet another success story of the Dodgers utilizing their vast resources to work the trade market in their favor, a former Marlins farmhand, Hurt relies on a four-seam fastball that hurts hitters. He throws it over 60% of the time with a 22.0% SwSt%, one that puts him in the 97th percentile. As it is the case with pitchers that generate a lot of swing-and-miss action on their four-seamers, Hurt throws it upstairs quite often, relying on batters swinging underneath it, and so far in 2026, they’re 6 for 32 on the pitch with 12 strikeouts and just one extra-base hit. To complement that heavy four-seamer, Hurt has a changeup. While generally it’d be reasonable to express some concern about how the splits would translate against same-handed batters having the changeup as your primary off-speed pitch, Hurt is able to find success against righties and lefties.
Something that’s appealing about what Hurt is doing now, but more importantly, when it comes to the sustainability of his success, is that the tall right-hander is attacking the zone with everything he throws. He’s not nibbling around the edges too much. Hurt throws his changeup in the zone (43.6%) more than the MLB average (33.9%), and it’s not as if he is thriving because hitters have been passive and will eventually adjust. On the contrary, the swing rate against Hurt’s changeup (60.0%) is well above Hurt’s (45.6%).
Attacking the zone is so important because if you can accomplish that while still being able to generate the constant swing-and-misses that Hurt has been able to, you find yourself as one of only four relievers in baseball with a strikeout rate of over 30% and a walk rate below 5%.
The recent series against the Padres, particularly the matchups against Mason Miller, showed how oftentimes when dealing with the elite relievers, you’re at the mercy of a momentary loss of command from them. All of the threat and action that the talented Dodgers offense generated against Miller basically came from him pitching against himself more so than anything else. Obviously, Hurt still has a long way to go. We’re evaluating a sample size of 14 innings, but out of that, the sky is the limit with his tools. It’s no surprise that before the start of the year, when we asked you here who was the reliever you were most excited about seeing called up to join the Dodgers bullpen in 2026, Hurt won it quite easily. And to think that a key chunk of this bullpen consists of a couple of players acquired for the services of Dylan Floro some years ago. You could not ask for anything more.
A historic rally set the tone for the Eastern Conference Finals, and now all eyes turn to Game 2 as our NBA player prop projections zeroes in on the Cavaliers vs. Knicks matchup at Madison Square Garden — highlighting several high-value betting opportunities as Cleveland looks to regroup.
By analyzing the data against current market lines, we’ve identified where the strongest edges exist.
If you’re building your card, here are the model’s top NBA picks for Thursday, May 21.
Cavaliers vs Knicks computer picks for Game 2
Cavaliers
Knicks
Mitchell u26.5 points -112
Brunson o27.5 points -110
Harden o18.5 points -112
Towns o11.5 rebounds +100
Allen o7.5 rebounds -112
Bridges o1.5 3-pointers +100
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Cavaliers Game 2 computer picks
Donovan Mitchell Under 26.5 points (-112)
Projection: 25.64 points
Donovan Mitchell looked every bit the steady force while the Cleveland Cavaliers controlled most of Game 1 against the New York Knicks — until the fourth quarter hit, when he managed just three points the rest of the way in an overtime collapse.
He still finished with 29 points, clearing this prop line even in defeat, but the current projection feels a bit shaken—perhaps too hesitant to trust that Mitchell can deliver a bounce-back performance and lead a Game 2 redemption.
span style="font-size: 14px;"🔥/span spanBet mitchell Now at bet365!/span
James Harden Over 18.5 points (-112)
Projection: 20.31 points
James Harden’s Game 1 showing was a letdown—no sugarcoating it. The Cavaliers veteran managed just 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting, a far cry from what Cleveland needs.
Whether it was fatigue from a quick series turnaround or the Knicks simply locking him down, the Cavs won’t stand a chance unless Harden sharpens up in Game 2. Another 31% shooting night—or anything close to it—won’t cut it if Cleveland hopes to steal one on the road.
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Jarrett Allen Over 7.5 rebounds (-112)
Projection: 7.68 rebounds
Evan Mobley has been so productive that the Cavaliers may have lost sight of Jarrett Allen a bit and that can’t happen, especially after Game 1.
Cleveland needed strong contributions from both bigs to avoid the collapse they suffered, but Allen was quiet, finishing with just 10 points and seven rebounds in the opener.
If the Cavs want to steady themselves in Game 2, they’ll need to get him more involved offensively and bring a much more aggressive presence on the glass after hovering over this prop line on Tuesday.
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Knicks Game 2 computer picks
Jalen Brunson Over 27.5 points (-110)
Projection: 27.94 points
Everyone’s talking about Jalen Brunson — and for good reason.
He once again played the hero in Game 1, erupting for 38 points and powering the Knicks to a stunning overtime win. His fiery leadership has been the driving force behind New York’s playoff surge, and the buzz has only grown louder since Tuesday’s comeback.
Don’t expect that hot streak to cool off now. In Brunson, you can trust with clearing this points prop line.
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Karl-Anthony Towns over 11.5 rebounds (+100)
Projection: 11.93 rebounds
Karl-Anthony Towns opened the series with a strong 13-point, 13-rebound double-double and has been a force on the glass all postseason. He’s now hit double-digit rebounds in seven of New York’s 11 playoff games, consistently controlling the boards.
With Towns dominating down low, expect him to keep that momentum rolling at home and clear this rebounding prop once again.
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Mikal Bridges Over 1.5 3-pointers (+100)
Projection: 1.73 3-pointers
Mikal Bridges delivered a strong two-way showing in the Knicks’ Game 1 win, finishing with 18 points on 64% shooting Tuesday night, including a couple of treys at a 50% clip from deep.
With New York riding high, Bridges should once again find his rhythm — making the Over on his 3-point prop a live play in Game 2 tonight.
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How to watch Cavaliers vs Knicks Game 2
Location
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Date
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Tip-off
8 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 22: Franz Wagner #22 of the Orlando Magic handles the ball while defended by Caris LeVert #8 of the Detroit Pistons during the game during Round One Game Two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There were 13 former Michigan Wolverines players that logged minutes in the NBA in the 2025-26 season. With the playoffs winding down, let’s take a look at how every Michigan alum performed this year.
Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic)
Wagner is definitely the best former Wolverine in the NBA right now. Despite being injured for more than half the season, he still proved to be a high-level performer, posting 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Unfortunately, Wagner went down with a calf injury in the first round of the playoffs and was forced to miss the final three games of the series, but he will continue to be a cornerstone of the franchise going forward.
Hardaway is well over a decade into his pro career and is still a very effective contributor. In his first season with the Nuggets, he led Denver in scoring off the bench with 13.5 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting from three-point territory. Playing a key veteran role and shooting at a high clip from beyond the arc, Hardaway should continue to be an impactful player in the years to come. He is set to be a free agent this summer, but there’s no doubt he’ll have a number of suitors.
Poole had an up-and-down season in his first year with the Pelicans, falling in and out of the lineup and playing just 39 games. After playing a significant role on the Golden State Warriors en route to winning a championship in 2022, Poole was dealt to the Washington Wizards and is now trying to find his footing in New Orleans. He averaged 13.4 points per game with the Pelicans this year.
Robinson was a much-needed addition for the Pistons this season, bringing one of the NBA’s premier sharpshooters back to the state that he played in college. Following a successful stint with the Miami Heat from 2018-25, Robinson scored 12.2 points per game and shot a red-hot 41 percent from three this year. The former Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year has carved out a solid role for himself after going undrafted.
Wolf was selected late in the first round last summer following his lone season at Michigan, and he immediately showed why he was one of the Big Ten’s most versatile players, scoring 22 points, four assists and four rebounds early in his rookie year. Later in the season, he was thrust into the starting lineup due to injury and he scored a career-high 23 points and nine rebounds in March. Following a solid debut season, there’s no doubt he will be a part of the Nets’ future.
Diabaté experienced a breakout season in fourth year in the NBA, racking up career-highs including 7.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 26 minutes per game on 63.1 percent shooting from the field. The former All-Big Ten Freshman honoree has seemingly found a home in Charlotte, showing major strides this season and eventually earning the NBA’s Hustle Award. Now, he will attempt to build on his breakout campaign next season and beyond.
The winner of the 2025-26 @Kia NBA Hustle Award is… Moussa Diabaté!
The award honors a player who makes the effort plays that do not often appear in the box score but help determine team success. pic.twitter.com/ktNJlBCfZF
LeVert came to the Pistons with hopes of being a secondary playmaker off the bench, but he ended up having a much lesser role than expected and played a career-low 19.2 minutes per game. He also averaged single-digit scoring for just the second time in his career, posting 7.4 points per game. The 2016 first-round pick showed he can still be a valuable player though, erupting for a season-best 24 points and four rebounds in a playoff game this month.
Wagner’s pro career has been a bit overshadowed by his younger brother, but he has carved out a role with the Magic as well. Wagner was selected in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft and has spent the last six seasons in Orlando. Coming off a season-ending ACL injury, he returned to the court after missing nearly two full years. In 36 games, Wagner averaged 6.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game and will now enter free agency.
Howard is another former lottery pick from Michigan, and although he hasn’t exactly hit the ground running to start his career, he has displayed glimpses of impressive upside. Most notably, Howard went off for a career-high 30 points, including a 22-point fourth quarter in November. Howard scored 5.5 points per game on a career-best 37.2 percent shooting from three-point range in a slightly expanded role off the bench, so perhaps he’ll continue to make strides next season.
Bufkin hasn’t quite been able to carve out a consistent role in three years in the NBA, but he was one of the best players in the G-League this season by averaging 24.8 points and 4.4 assists in 17 games with the South Bay Lakers. He was eventually called up to the NBA, scoring 2.9 points per game in 16 appearances with the Lakers. In the final weeks of the season, Bufkin was waived by the Lakers, so he’ll try to find a new home this summer.
Houstan was one of the highest-rated recruits in Michigan history and went onto be a second-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. After playing the first three years of his pro career with the Magic, Houstan spent this past season with the Atlanta Hawks on a two-way contract, splitting time between the NBA and G-League. In 18 games with the Hawks, Houstan averaged just 2.3 points on 53.8 percent from three. Unfortunately, he was waived late in the season and is currently a free agent.
CALEB. HOUSTAN. 🤯
He drills the game-winning triple in OT for the Hawks!
Livers spent the first three seasons of his career with his hometown Pistons before signing with the Phoenix Suns last summer. He wasn’t really a part of Phoenix’s rotation for most of this season, putting up just 1.8 points and 1.7 rebounds in 36 appearances. Livers has proven he can be a relatively effective option off the bench with the Pistons, scoring 6.6 points per game in his first two seasons, but he hasn’t been able to recreate that success the last two years.
Goldin went undrafted after receiving All-Big Ten recognition in his only season with Michigan, but he quickly signed a two-way contract with the Miami Heat. He put up 23 points and nine rebounds in his G-League debut and eventually made his NBA debut in December. Goldin wasn’t much of a factor with the Heat, averaging only 0.8 points per game, but his G-League statistics — 11.3 points, seven rebounds, two blocks — were impressive.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 19: Starting pitcher Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox throws during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After throwing two simulated innings yesterday in a bullpen session, injured Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet has declared himself free of the shoulder inflammation that landed him on the IL. That’s great! What’s less great is that he also declared that his mechanics are out of whack. Crochet will take a few days off, throw another bullpen over the weekend, and likely be out until early June as he works out the kinks. “I feel like everyone that goes on the IL, it’s always a little longer than they want it to be. I’m not exempt from that,” he said. “It’s definitely taken longer than I had hoped it would when I initially went on the IL, but it’s part of it. Right now, I’m just trying to be a good cheerleader.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
Barring any further injuries, Crochet’s return will likely mean that someone is going to get bounced from the Red Sox rotation. If the Sox base things purely on performance, that person would unquestionably be Brayan Bello, who, after two promising appearances in a bulk role following an opener, once again struggled as a conventional starter his last time out. Manager Chad Tracy said the Sox may go back to the opener strategy for Bello, but it will be decided on a case-by-case basis, depending in large part on the health and availability of the arms in the bullpen. (Justin Turpin, WEEI)
When Garrett Crochet does return, will he return to an improved offense? Jarren Duran broke out in a big way in Kansas City over the past three days, providing some hope that Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu might finally get some help in the lineup. “I’m trending in the upward direction, and I’m just trying to stay simple and do stuff to help the team win,” said Duran. (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
But his bat wasn’t the only thing Duran was handling well last night, he also made a great catch at the wall. “I’m willing to get hurt to make a play for my pitchers,” he said. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
It’s great that Duran’s willing to go all out on defense, but getting hurt wouldn’t exactly help the Red Sox at this point. And, speaking of getting hurt, Trevor Story still hasn’t decided on whether he’s getting surgery, and seems to be doing a little opinion shopping in the meantime:
Red Sox SS Trevor Story went to Philadelphia for a third opinion on his sports hernia. "They're getting his opinion and still waiting on that and what he wants to do," Chad Tracy said.
With the way he was playing, an extended absence by Trevor Story wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. But it would be nice to get Roman Anthony back in the lineup, even though he may have been asked to do too much for this Red Sox team this year. (Chad Finn, Boston Globe)
COVERS INTEL: Wembanyama sees a near 3-point uptick in scoring at home compared to the road and Game 3 projections sit as high as 27+ points. Those forecasts include injured guards 
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