The Knicks won’t know their NBA Finals opponent until Saturday night after the Spurs forced Game 7 in the Western Conference finals with a 118-91 blowout of the Thunder on Thursday in San Antonio.
The Spurs led wire to wire.
Victor Wembanyama, who scored 28 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander look on during the Spurs’ 118-91 Game 6 win over the Thunder on May 28, 2026 in San Antonio. NBAE via Getty Images
It means the Knicks will have to go through practice the next two days not knowing who to prepare for.
“Obviously, you want to focus on being ready as a team, but you gotta prepare for both [teams],” Jalen Brunson said after practice Thursday. “Just understand the differences between the teams. You have two really good teams going at it right now. We gotta prepare for both.”
Victory Wembanyama goes up for a layup during the Spurs’ Game 6 win over the Thunder. Getty Images
Regardless of opponent, the Knicks will have a significant rest advantage.
They will have had eight days between Game 4 of the conference finals against the Cavaliers and Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The Thunder or Spurs, on the other hand, will have just three days between their Game 7 and Game 1 of the Finals.
“Just going out there, playing our way no matter what, whoever’s out there, don’t really care,” Mikal Bridges said Thursday. “Just go out there and just play our way, and whoever’s out there is out there. We just got to play the right way.”
With the way they are playing right now, the Knicks don’t seem to care who they face.
“If we expect to be who we think we are, then at the end of the day it doesn’t matter,” coach Mike Brown said. “If we play San Antonio, it’ll save me some money because my family lives in San Antonio. I don’t have to buy airline tickets. But at the end of the day, both teams are great and both teams will be a challenge for us.”
Victor Wembanyama, after his no-show in Game 5, returned to form in Game 6 and finished with 28 points — on 10-for-21 shooting overall and 4-for-9 shooting from 3-point range — along with 10 rebounds and three blocks. Stephon Castle added 17 points.
After a big Game 5, league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had just 15 points and missed all five 3-pointers he took.
Jalen Williams (hamstring) returned after missing the last three games but played just 10 minutes and did not make a field goal.
Williams has missed nine games this postseason with the hamstring injury and remains a major question mark for the Thunder.
Ajay Mitchell missed his third straight game with a calf injury and is also an uncertainty for the Thunder.
The past three games of the series have all been blowouts — two for the Thunder and one for the Spurs. Game 7 will be played in Oklahoma City, where the Thunder are 6-1 this postseason.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 30: Stephen Curry #30 and Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors embrace prior to the start of the game against the Detroit Pistons at Chase Center on January 30, 2026 in San Francisco, 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The offseason is here for the Golden State Warriors, and Mike Dunleavy Jr. has a whole lot of decisions to make over the next few months. There will be rumors, reports, draft picks, signings, and likely trades. But for now, we only know two things: first, the roster that takes the court in October will be different than the roster that ended the season in April. And second? Well, it won’t be too different.
With that said, let’s take a look at the contract situations for the 18 players who ended the 2026-27 season wearing a Warriors jersey, so we can properly take stock of the offseason waiting ahead.
Guaranteed contracts (6)
Jimmy Butler III(1 year, $56.8 million) Steph Curry (1 year, $62.6 million) Moses Moody (2 years, $25.9 million) Brandin Podziemski (1 year, $5.7 million) Will Richard (1 year, $2.2 million, with a non-guaranteed contract in 27-28, and a team option in 28-29) Gui Santos (2 years, $9.6 million, with a player option in 28-29)
This is where the guaranteed money is, but it doesn’t mean the money is guaranteed to still be around come Opening Night. In reality, Curry is the only player here who is truly guaranteed. Butler’s contract would almost certainly have to be included in any trade for a star, while Santos and Moody’s deals could be used to make the money add up in a trade. Podziemski has a bit of trade value, and would be an appealing piece if the Dubs make a big swing. Richard would also make a nice throw in.
While these deals are all fairly short term, expect the Warriors and Curry to work on an extension this summer … and possibly one with Podziemski, too.
Non-guaranteed contracts (2)
LJ Cryer Malevy Leons
Cryer and Leons both impressed, the former for his hot shooting and the latter for his toughness. According to Spotrac, both players signed two-year, two-way contracts. All two-way contracts are non-guaranteed, as they’re prorated and the team can cut the players at any time without owing additional money. Furthermore, two-way contracts do not count against the salary cap.
Player options (3)
Draymond Green ($27.7 million) Al Horford ($6 million) De’Anthony Melton ($3.5 million)
The Warriors would likely be thrilled if Melton or Horford picked up their player option for next year, as the veterans were key players this past season, and provide steady play that Steve Kerr loves. I would assume that Melton seeks more money elsewhere, though he struggled towards the end of the season, so who knows. Horford will have to decide whether he wants to retire, chase a ring with a more competitive team, or run it back with the Dubs.
Green’s contract is the interesting one. He definitely won’t surpass the $27.7 million mark in free agency, and with Kerr returning, I’d be shocked if Draymond wants to play elsewhere. But he could opt out and re-sign — essentially restructuring his contract — to give himself a little bit more long-term security, while giving Dunleavy more short-term flexibility to build a competitive roster.
Unrestricted free agents (5)
Charles Bassey Seth Curry Gary Payton II Kristaps Porziņģis Nate Williams
Some interesting names here, and it’s hard to tell who might return. Bassey impressed the team during his very short stint, but it seems unlikely that it was enough to sway them into giving him a guaranteed deal; though if no one signs him this summer, I’d expect that he’s in camp at the very least. The younger Curry was a feel-good addition last year, and his spacing could really aid a Warriors team that no longer has Buddy Hield, but are the aging Dubs really interested in a player who is on the tail end of his career and was only healthy for 10 games last season?
Porziņģis is, obviously, the biggest name here, and his time with the team was a mixed bag following February’s trade. On the one hand, his skillset on both offense and defense was an excellent fit, and he seemed to get along well in the locker room as well. On the other hand, his availability remains a huge issue, and it remains to be seen what his market will be like from other suitors. It certainly raised a few eyebrows how non-committal he was when asked about whether or not he wanted to return during exit interviews.
It’s hard to imagine Payton playing elsewhere. He loves the Warriors, Kerr loves him, and GPII has seen firsthand that the grass isn’t greener on other rosters. But we’ll have to wait to see if the team has space on the roster for him. He’ll almost certainly only cost the veteran’s minimum.
Williams, like Cryer and Leons, impressed on his two-way contract. It wouldn’t be surprising if he’s back on the same deal.
Restricted free agents (2)
Quinten Post Pat Spencer
The Warriors like both Post and Spencer. It’s also clear that they need to improve their roster, so neither of these guys will be at the top of the free agency list. But it’s easy to envision either returning — especially Spencer.
Mar 13, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Kane Kepley against the Chicago White Sox during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Javier Assad started and left the game after issuing a one-out walk in the fifth. But Luis Peralta then let that run score and two more of his own, so technically Assad got the loss. The final line on Assad was one run on four hits over 4.1 innings. Assad struck out five and only walked that one. He left after 78 pitches.
Iowa had seven hits tonight, all singles, and went 0 for 3 with runners in scoring position.
Connor Schultz was activated off the injured list and and got the start tonight. He allowed two runs in the first inning, but settled down after that and finished with two runs on five hits over five innings. Schultz struck out eight and walked no one, so that’s awfully nice.
Nick Dean pitched the next two innings, gave up one run on two hits and took the loss. Dean walked two and struck out two.
Right fielder Alex Ramírez went 3 for 5 with a double. He also stole two bases.
Both Smokies runs scored on errors in the first inning. Shortstop Jefferson Rojas hit an infield single and Ramírez scored on a throwing error in the play. Then Rojas got picked off second base, ran to third and scored when the throw to third went wild. Rojas was 1 for 3 with a steal.
This is Rojas stealing third and scoring. We don’t know what happened. It’s possible that Rojas thought that it was strike three and he was just walking off the field. But why he’d be walking towards the home dugout is unclear.
Cole Reynolds started and got the win after allowing two runs on four hits over five innings. Both runs scored on solo home runs. Reynolds struck out five and walked just one.
Adam Stone pitched the next three innings, allowing just one run on just one hit, a solo home run. Stone struck out three and walked no one.
Ethan Bell pitched the ninth and got the save. He gave up one base runner, a one-out double, but no runs. Bell struck out one.
Left fielder Miguel Useche hit a solo home run in the eighth inning for some insurance. It was his third home run of the year. Useche went 2 for 4 with two runs scored.
DH Kane Kepley was 2 for 3 with a triple and a walk. Kepley also had his 28th steal of the season already, which leads the Midwest League. Kepley scored one run and drove in one.
Josiah Hartshorn was 1 for 2 with three walks. He scored once and drove in one with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth.
Here is an RBI double for Matt Halbach and Kepley’s RBI triple.
Starter Kaleb Wing gave the Pelicans three scoreless innings, permitting just three hits. Wing walked two and struck out four.
Jordan Henriquez gave up a run in the eighth and a run in the ninth and got the loss. Henriquez’s final line was two runs, one earned, on three hits over two innings. He walked two and struck out three.
Right fielder Eli Lovich connected on a solo home run in the second inning. It was his sixth of the season. Lovich was 1 for 4.
Catcher Logan Poteet got the Birds to within a run with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth. It was his seventh of the season and second in as many games. Poteet was 1 for 4.
Shortstop Deniche Valdez went 2 for 4 and he scored one run.
“I think it helps even just being on the road a little bit, being in a hostile environment,” Mikal Bridges said following Thursday’s practice. “That should just get the mindset right off the jump anyway … Second time going around it, knowing that, ‘OK, we just got to pick it up.’ ”
Mikal Bridges talks with reporters during Knicks practice on May 27, 2026 in Tarrytown, N.Y. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Whether it was the result of rest or rust, the Knicks put up their worst three quarters of the postseason in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, nine days after completing their sweep of the 76ers.
They opened 4-of-23 on 3-pointers. They scored 71 points in the first 40 minutes, falling behind by 22. A night defined by Jalen Brunson’s heroics started with the Knicks’ leading man shooting 7-of-19 (0-for-5 on 3-pointers) before he guided the greatest postseason comeback in franchise history.
This time, the crowd will not help carry them to the finish line. This time, the Knicks will enter a series as underdogs for the first time this postseason, facing one of the toughest defenses of this era.
“Comparing our situation from last time, just being mentally and physically locked in,” Brunson said. “I think that’s really important for us and that’s what we have to focus on these next couple of days.”
Knicks coach Mike Brown’s seventh appearance in the NBA Finals will be his third trip after an extended break.
In 2017, he filled in for Steve Kerr, leading the Warriors to a sweep in the Western Conference finals before Golden State cruised to a title. Following a sweep in the 2019 conference finals, the Warriors lost Game 1 on the road in Toronto and eventually the series.
“It’s hard to manufacture the competitive environment that you’re going to be in in Game 1,” Brown said. “So [we want] to continue to just find different ways to keep that competitive spirit or to keep that edge as high as you can … The biggest thing that I think should help us is knowing that as a group, the last time we went through this we started off a little slow in that game, and we can’t afford to do that again. Our guys, they’re a veteran group. They’ve been really resilient, and they’ve done a good job of growing quickly anytime they’ve hit adversity.
“The biggest thing is reminding them what happened in Game 1 of our last series, and let them know that when you’re watching these teams, it can’t happen this time around.”
Believe it or not, we're only a month away from the 2026 NHL Draft, which will be held from June 26-27 in Buffalo.
Hype is beginning to build for it, especially since the 2026 NHL Combine is also in Buffalo from June. 1-6. It's set to start on Monday and go through next Saturday, giving teams the chance to meet with and interview some of the top prospects. Teams can also get physical assessments for the players and review their medicals.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will have members of their front office there to talk with some of the players who could be available to them at No. 22 in the first round.
One of the players who could be there is defenseman Ryan Lin, who spent the 2025-26 season with the WHL's Vancouver Giants. He finished this past season with 14 goals and 57 points in 53 games and is set to play for the University of Denver during the 2026-27 season.
When I watch Lin play, the words "steady" and "reliable" come to mind. He's always in a good position and has good pinching tendencies. He really knows when to pull back and avoid what I like to call "30/70" pinches.
He also knows exactly when to jump into the play, and there were numerous moments throughout this season when he would smartly come down and absolutely rifle the puck. He's not afraid to rip it when he gets the chance.
Lin has experience quarterbacking the power play and has had some impressive keeps at the blue line. One example I keep coming back to is from the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Semifinal between Canada and Team USA, when he dove across to keep the puck at the point. Tynan Lawrence then corralled the puck along the boards before cutting to the slot and firing the puck home.
He also moves the puck extremely well from his own zone, and an example of this comes from Vancouver's game against Kamloops this past season. Lin started from behind his net and quickly got a burst of speed coming out of his own zone. He quickly gained the red line before skating the puck into the offensive zone, dropping the puck off for a teammate. The puck was in the back of the net two seconds later, and it all started because of Lin's breakout.
He's a solid skater with good hockey IQ, but I still think he could bulk up a bit. He's currently listed at 5'11 and 176 lbs, but the important thing to remember is that he's still only 18.
Finally, his own-zone play is really solid, along with his gap control. He's an all-around solid defenseman who will have numerous teams looking at him in the first round.
The Penguins should be one of those teams, since they still need to add more to their defensive pipeline. It'll all come down to whether or not Lin is there when it's their turn to pick. If he is, he'd be a good pick with a chance to become a reliable top-four defenseman.
Believe it or not, we're only a month away from the 2026 NHL Draft, which will be held from June 26-27 in Buffalo.
Hype is beginning to build for it, especially since the 2026 NHL Combine is also in Buffalo from June. 1-6. It's set to start on Monday and go through next Saturday, giving teams the chance to meet with and interview some of the top prospects. Teams can also get physical assessments for the players and review their medicals.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will have members of their front office there to talk with some of the players who could be available to them at No. 22 in the first round.
One of the players who could be there is defenseman Ryan Lin, who spent the 2025-26 season with the WHL's Vancouver Giants. He finished this past season with 14 goals and 57 points in 53 games and is set to play for the University of Denver during the 2026-27 season.
When I watch Lin play, the words "steady" and "reliable" come to mind. He's always in a good position and has good pinching tendencies. He really knows when to pull back and avoid what I like to call "30/70" pinches.
He also knows exactly when to jump into the play, and there were numerous moments throughout this season when he would smartly come down and absolutely rifle the puck. He's not afraid to rip it when he gets the chance.
Lin has experience quarterbacking the power play and has had some impressive keeps at the blue line. One example I keep coming back to is from the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Semifinal between Canada and Team USA, when he dove across to keep the puck at the point. Tynan Lawrence then corralled the puck along the boards before cutting to the slot and firing the puck home.
He also moves the puck extremely well from his own zone, and an example of this comes from Vancouver's game against Kamloops this past season. Lin started from behind his net and quickly got a burst of speed coming out of his own zone. He quickly gained the red line before skating the puck into the offensive zone, dropping the puck off for a teammate. The puck was in the back of the net two seconds later, and it all started because of Lin's breakout.
He's a solid skater with good hockey IQ, but I still think he could bulk up a bit. He's currently listed at 5'11 and 176 lbs, but the important thing to remember is that he's still only 18.
Finally, his own-zone play is really solid, along with his gap control. He's an all-around solid defenseman who will have numerous teams looking at him in the first round.
The Penguins should be one of those teams, since they still need to add more to their defensive pipeline. It'll all come down to whether or not Lin is there when it's their turn to pick. If he is, he'd be a good pick with a chance to become a reliable top-four defenseman.
May 28, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) reacts against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first half during game six of the western conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
The Spurs rattled Oklahoma City with a cogent 35-22 first quarter and a convincing 32-13 third quarter (including a 20-0 run) to secure a resounding game 6 win and force game 7 on Saturday night (NBA / Peacock 7:00 PM CDT). San Antonio did it by honoring its possessions, limiting its penchant for turnovers, and nearly doubling up the Thunder from three in the minutes that mattered. The Spurs also had the unexpected bench scoring advantage (46-38) in a trend that could bode well for Saturday evening. Victor Wembanyama (28 points, 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals) matched his four field goal total from game 5 in the first quarter alone and his Spurs led from start-to-finish. While the Thunder starters struggled with their outside shooting, Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso led a spirited backup effort to prevent a runaway over 2 1/2 quarters before San Antonio’s second-half detonation.
Wembanyama and Castle (17 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds) received a crucial boost from rookie Dylan Harper (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists), who had his best game since game 1 tonight as the third banana to his more heralded teammates. Devin Vassell (12 points and 2 blocks) and Julian Champagnie (10 points and 6 rebounds) supplied timely shooting and suffocating defense to aid San Antonio’s impressive start. Carter Bryant supplied a healthy dose of defensive pressure in his limited minutes, and Keldon Johnson performed well (9 points and 3 rebounds) in his spot minutes.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (15 points and 4 assists) was kept contained throughout the game with contributions from Isaiah Hartenstein (10 points and 5 rebounds) and Chet Holmgren (10 points and 11 rebounds) being empty calories. Wallace (11 points) and Caruso (7 points) provided an early bench boost for Oklahoma City. Jalen Williams returned to action for the first time since game two, but did not significantly impact the game
A 9-2 opening burst caused Mark Daigneault to call for time within 90 seconds. While Wembanyama and Castle got off to good starts, Vassell and Champagnie held up their end of the outside shooting bargain with three combined triples. Gilgeous-Alexander connected on his first two shots, and the Thunder defense kept the Spurs out of the lane over several minutes. Given the very close-quarters combat nature of the previous games, it was surprising that the teams combined for a ‘only’ handful of fouls in 10 minutes of action. Just as they had started the period, Wembanyama and Castle pieced together a 5-0 run to get San Antonio to 35-22.
Behind McCain and Wallace’s scoring, Oklahoma City closed the gap with the Spurs to six quickly. San Antonio’s rookie guard Harper supplied his most points since the first two games of the series. A pair of jumpers by Wembanyama pushed the lead back out to double-digits. The physicality ratcheted leaps-and-bounds late in the half with Vassell and Bryant instigating a good amount of San Antonio’s defensive presence. The Thunder threateningly found their shooting touch late in the stanza – bringing their deficit down to seven.
The Spurs continued to nudge the Thunder players well away from their comfortable spots throughout a third quarter that seemingly rattled Gilgeous-Alexander, and timely and accurate shooting from Vassell, Champagnie, and Harper increased the San Antonio advantage back to 15. During a 20-0 run coinciding with a good amount of minutes for Wembanyama to rest, Harper figured the most prominently in hastening the Frost Bank Center crowd to a froth. A Holmgren lay-up broke a 7+ minute Thunder drought and the Spurs went to the fourth up 92-66.
Observations
The stark differences in officiating and physicality between games 2 and 6 should be a real focus of Adam Silver’s this summer instead of lottery business. (yes, I’m typing this as I typed the words ‘Wembanyama,’ ‘Castle,’ and ‘Harper’ numerous times tonight).
Wembanyama – even at this stage of his career, is a more consistent free throw shooter than Tim Duncan and David Robinson at their peaks.
Very strange to hear Carmelo Anthony imploring the Spurs’ rotation players to ‘deliver the nastiness’ and ‘get the hustle plays.’
The (very subjective) 25-26 Spurs comps that I had going into game 5: 1990 Bulls (lost to Detroit in 7), 1998 Lakers (lost to Jazz in 4), 2005 Suns (lost to Spurs in 5), 2011 Thunder (lost to Mavs in 5).
Sequence of the Game #1: Late in the first quarter, Vassell admirably defended a 2-on-1 OKC fastbreak – standing up Gilgeous-Alexander on his lay-up attempt and then knocking away Caruso’s tip try. Harper encouragingly hit a three at the other end to make it 26-17.
Sequence of the Game #2: San Antonio showcased a ’Beautiful Game’ possession late in the opening half that saw Harper flick a pass baseline to Carter Bryant in the corner to Fox on the left wing to Wembanyama on the right wing. The superstar center drove slow-motion into the lane for a floater.
Sequence of the Game #3: After a well-defended possession moments into the third, Wembanyama snared the long carom, and fed a streaking Castle near the paint. Castle found Champagnie on the left baseline for a corner three.
Sequence of the Game #4: That 20-0 run in the third quarter looked way different than the tempporarly 15-0 run San Antonio started game 3 with.
Game Rundown
Champagnie saw his first three go down from the tip. Just like in game 4, Hartenstein responded with two floaters in succession. Wembanyama sandwiched two threes around a block on McCain. Lu Dort hit Oklahoma City’s first three. Wembanyama assertively drove Hartenstein deep into the lane and hit an effortless fadeaway. Gilgeous-Alexander knocked down his first two shots. San Antonio started settling for threes and their offense unsurprisingly stalled out. Vassell’s pair of triples put the Spurs up five. Gilgeous-Alexander noticeably didn’t fall to the ground on two misses. Fox and Johnson helped keep the Spurs’ sufficiently ahead. Wembanyama’s stepback three and Castle’s shotclock beating jumper helped put San Antonio up 13 at the end of one.
McCain’s transition three got Oklahoma City to within 10 to start the second period. San Antonio diligently drew three team fouls on the Thunder, and Harper’s three kept their advantage in double digits. Wallace’s pair of threes brought the Thunder within six. Harper confidently knocked down a baseline jumper and powered a lay-up over Hartenstein. His playmaking allowed Castle and Fox to get a breather over much of the quarter. Jaylin Williams (240 lb) got ‘laid out’ by Bryant (220 lb) on a pick. Bryant responded with an emphatic slam at the other end, and Vassell turned away Holmgren at the rim during a heated sequence. The Thunder put together a 10-5 run to make it a 60-53 game at the half.
Coming out of the break, Vassell hit his fourth three, which was answered by yet another Hartenstein floater. Shortly after, Wembanyama was whistled for a questionable goaltend on a Gilgeous-Alexander and-1. Wembanyama excellently kept Oklaoma City out of the paint. Holmgren and Harteinstein did tally two tip-ins to keep the Thunder in striking distance. Castle executed a nifty stepthrough move in the paint to draw an and-1, and Harper followed that with a stepback that would have made James Harden proud. Gilgeous-Alexander made contact with Harper’s head on a foul, but it was not reviewed for any further escalation. An emboldened Harper drew another foul on the next possession by driving it through several Thunder defenders. By the time San Antonio completed its 20-0 run, Oklahoma City essentially lost its chance to close out the series tonight.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, left, is congratulated by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver during the Warriors ring ceremony held before the season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2015. The event also featured the raising of their NBA championship banner. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group) (Photo by MediaNews Group/Bay Area News via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Okay, Grandpa, sit down. Put the remote down, this is important to the game of basketball that you love.
You know how every year some NBA teams spend the entire season losing on purpose? Not because they’re bad necessarily, but because they want to get draft lottery balls. They call it tanking, and for the last twenty years it has essentially been the league’s version of financial fraud. A franchise intentionally burns down its own house hoping the insurance payout is a 19-year-old who can dunk from the free throw line.
On Thursday, the league’s Board of Governors voted 29-1 to overhaul the draft lottery beginning in 2027, introducing something called the “3-2-1 Lottery” and attaching enough anti-tanking measures to make Sam Hinkie wake up in a cold sweat.
The simple explanation is that being the worst team in basketball is no longer the best business strategy.
Under the current system, teams at the bottom of the standings receive the best odds at landing the No. 1 overall pick. That’s why every spring fans find themselves watching perfectly healthy 24-year-olds develop mysterious soreness in seventeen different body parts while their teams explain that shutting them down is in everyone’s best long-term interests. Somehow every franchise doctor in America reaches the exact same diagnosis right around March.
The new system flips that incentive on its head. The three worst teams in the league will actually receive fewer lottery balls than the teams directly above them. Teams finishing fourth through tenth worst receive three balls. The bottom three teams receive only two. The NBA is essentially telling teams that there is now a meaningful difference between rebuilding and shamelessly face-planting down a flight of stairs.
There’s now a 71% chance the NBA’s No. 1 pick falls to a 6th place-12th place team. Only a 29% chance it falls to a bottom 5 team, per @ShamsCharania.
Think about how insane that would have sounded ten years ago. Imagine sitting through a 67-loss season, paying for tickets, and convincing yourself this suffering is all part of some master plan. Then draft night arrives and the league informs you that after all that losing, your grand prize is the twelfth pick and a player whose college highlights are mostly him setting really good screens.
The NBA just looked tanking teams dead in the eye and said, “Have you considered trying?” For years the league has watched franchises race toward the bottom because the reward structure encouraged it. Now the reward structure is encouraging something else. The lottery is expanding to sixteen teams and play-in teams will receive lottery balls. The league is giving itself the power to reduce lottery odds, alter draft positions, and levy significant fines if it believes a team is deliberately tanking.
In other words, the NBA isn’t just changing the game. It’s announcing that if you find a loophole, they’re planning to close that too. Whether any of this actually stops tanking remains to be seen. NBA front offices employ some of the smartest people in sports. Give them a rule and they’ll spend six months looking for the side door.
But for the first time in a long time, the league has attached actual risk to being awful. And as someone who watched the Warriors spend a decade proving that there are ways to build a champion besides intentionally setting your roster on fire, I can’t say I’m mad about it.
The ping-pong balls are still bouncing. They’re just a lot less friendly to quitters now.
Soto, who has become more of a power hitter in New York than he was in Washington or San Diego, has six home runs in his past seven games (27 plate appearances) and eight in his past 12.
“It’s not much of a difference — I keep thinking to do damage every time,” Soto said Wednesday night after his first-inning solo home run gave the Mets a lead they never relinquished in a 4-2 win against the Reds. “The difference is the result. Sometimes I get the result, sometimes I don’t. I feel good. I’ve been seeing the ball well. I’ve been swinging the bat well.”
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“He’s locked in,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s one of the best — if not the best — at what he does. It doesn’t matter if it’s a lefty or righty [pitcher]. We saw it on a breaking ball against a lefty. The compete, he’s just in the at-bat. The takes, the swings. He’s just a special player doing his thing.”
Soto only swings and misses 21.5 percent of the time — well above the major league average.
And that’s a good thing because Mendoza said he still feels some lingering wrist pain when he whiffs — but not on contact.
“He gets a little scared when he swings and misses, but it goes away,” Mendoza said.
“You see him hitting off the machine here before the game and he’s taking a lot of swings. It’s just when he swings and misses that he feels it. And he takes his time. We’ve seen it the past few days, and then it goes away.”
Juan Soto belts a solo homer in the first inning of the Mets’ win over the Reds on May 27, 2026 at Citi Field. Jason Szenes for New York Post
Soto is coming off back-to-back 40-home run seasons (84 total), with the Yankees in 2024 and Mets in 2025. He reached 30 twice in his first six seasons.
“I can’t control if it’s going over the wall or not,” Soto said. “But definitely I’m trying to put the ball in the gap and get on base any way so I can help the team.”
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Three of Soto’s 12 home runs this season have come in the first inning.
May 27, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers manager Skip Schumaker walks to the pitchers mound during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored one run but the Houston Astros scored five runs.
Just about the only thing that ultimately went well for the Rangers tonight was Yordan Alvarez didn’t hit what surely would have been his 47th homer in this series if my count is correct. Instead, both Jeremy Pena and Isaac Paredes went deep in, you guessed it, the first inning.
Those were the 17th and 18th dongs that Texas has allowed in the first frame already this season. No other team has allowed more than 12.
Ironically, tonight’s starter Nathan Eovaldi wasn’t even terrible outside of the cursed first. Eovaldi allowed only four hits all night in seven innings of work and somehow that was enough for Houston to score five runs which proved to be more than enough.
Obviously the runs in the first inning count just as much and Eovaldi didn’t help Texas’ chances with his worst inning putting the team in an early hole but following that the 3-0 first inning deficit, the Rangers managed just four hits of their own all night and scored just once.
Then again, that’s three more hits and one more run than the last time they faced Spencer Arrighetti so, hey, progress!
The loss sealed a second series loss to Houston in two tries. Those Astros, as routinely discussed as being among the worst teams in the American League West each time they took on Texas, are now tied with the Rangers in the standings as Texas drops to a season-worst six games below .500.
Player of the Game: Josh Jung hit a solo home run that prevented the Rangers from getting shut out.
Up Next: The Rangers will open up a series against the Royals on Friday night with LHP MacKenzie Gore expected to make the start for Texas against RHP Stephen Kolek for Kansas City.
First pitch in the series opener is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and you can feast your eyes on the City Connects via the Rangers Sports Network or CW33 locally.
MLB proposed a hard salary cap to the MLB Players' Association in New York on Thursday, May 28. It was the first by the league owners since 1994.
The proposed $245.3 million salary cap, which would include benefits, is lower than nine current MLB clubs’ payroll and would require a total reduction in payroll of $578 million.
Among those nine teams is the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have a payroll of $420,146,940 for the 2026 season, according to Spotrac. That's the highest in the league, and they're followed by the New York Mets ($381.85 million) and New York Yankees ($336.56 million).
Los Angeles will pay just over $169.1 million in luxury tax (competitive balance tax) for the 2026 season. The team paid a record-breaking $169.4 million in taxes for 2025 after constructing the most expensive roster in sports history.
MLB insists the newly proposed salary cap would increase competitive balance in the sport.
How would a hard cap impact the Dodgers?
The Dodgers have used the current salary structure to their advantage, acquiring star players such as Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker in recent years and producing back-to-back World Series championships.
Current contracts would be grandfathered in, but any future contracts would be structured around the new salary cap.
If the hard cap is implemented, the defending champions would have to (currently) cut $174.84 million to meet the $245.3 million salary cap.
While there are several things that would need to happen before the Dodgers actually have to make any decisions, it may, at the very least, place a sense of urgency on the franchise to make the most of the current success window.
Ohtani has a heavily deferred 10-year, $700 million deal that he signed in 2023. Outfielder Kyle Tucker signed a four-year deal in January worth $240 million.
Shortstop Mookie Betts (2032), pitcher Blake Snell (2030) and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2029) are among the other players at the top of the payroll with long-term deals. First baseman Freddie Freeman's six-year, $162 million contract expires in 2027.
Major League Baseball (MLB) and the MLB Players’ Association (MLBPA) have begun the process of negotiating a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that will take effect with the next baseball season.
The current CBA runs out on Dec. 1 of this year. The two sides began their preliminary groundwork for negotiations earlier this month. The MLBPA submitted its first proposal on Wednesday, with its lead negotiator, Bruce Meyer, releasing a statement outlining the goal for their efforts.
“Today, the MLBPA presented a comprehensive set of economic proposals designed to advance the rights and benefits of players at all levels,” MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer said in a statement. “Our goal is to preserve and improve baseball’s market system, rewarding competition on and off the field.”
MLBPA proposal
Following is a synopsis of the major proposals for the MLBPA’s initial effort:
A boost in the minimum salary from $780,000 to $1.5 million beginning in 2027.
A Competitive Integrity Tax that penalizes a team that fails to reach a minimum $150 million payroll.
Luxury Tax changes that would increase the Competitive Balance Tax threshold from $244 million to $300 million for 2027 and then incrementally increase to $360 million by 2031.
Free Agency changes that would give a player who is 30-years-old and has a minimum of 5 years of service, the ability to become a free agent instead of the current required 6 years of service time.
Revenue-sharing changes that would increase the amount shared from locally based revenues among all teams, but less sharing from local revenue generated from stadium-based revenues. Teams share the first $50 million in local revenue and then two-thirds of every dollar beyond that.
Each team would get a certain amount from the central revenue each season, starting at $240 million the first year, and paired with a provision that requires spending the revenue on payroll.
Increased revenue sharing to low-revenue teams that make the postseason or have winning records.
Penalties to teams that don’t spend their revenue-sharing income on team payroll.
Draft picks and incentives for low-revenue teams that are active in signing free agents.
Expand the draft lottery from 6 teams to 8 teams for first pick in the draft.
Expand the Prospect Promotion Incentive program.
Eliminate the Qualifying Offer for free agents and eliminate the non-financial CBT penalties.
Increase the compensation to lower-revenue teams losing a player to free agency.
Enlarge the pre-arbitration bonus pool from $50 million to $180 million. There would be annual increases added to that amount.
MLB made an official response to the MLBPA proposal.
“We appreciate the union making a set of proposals and we look forward to continuing the bargaining process and working towards solving the competitive balance problem our fans are telling us needs to be addressed,” MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said in a statement. “We understand their proposals are designed to benefit players. Unfortunately, they do not address and in fact exacerbate the competitive balance problem our fans are telling us we must address.”
MLB counterproposal
Today, MLB released the highlights of its proposal and Glen Caplin, MLB spokesperson, made the following statement.
“Fans overwhelmingly support a salary cap and floor like in the other leagues because they don’t believe a $446 million spending gap from top to bottom is a fair fight,” league spokesperson Glen Caplin said in a statement. “Our salary cap and floor proposal levels the playing field while sharing baseball revenue with the players 50/50 as we grow the game together.”
Here are the major proposal highlights for the MLB:
Payroll floor of $171.2 million and a payroll cap of $245.3 million for every team, starting in 2027. That includes player benefits, just like the current contract.
50-50 split of league revenues with the players. As the revenues increase, the salary cap and salary floor would also increase.
Centralized fund for all local media revenues, with the money distributed equally among all the teams.
The issues of free agency, draft lottery, and arbitration were not addressed in their initial proposal. The league is proposing a seven-year term for the contract.
What’s at stake
This process promises to be a drawn-out battle with both sides determined to hold the course with their bottom lines. The players have repeatedly stated they will never agree to a salary cap, and the owners have repeatedly said the organizational revenue and payroll disparities are not good for baseball, and they are representing the demands of the fans with their proposals.
Some points that both sides will undoubtedly bring out during the course of this negotiation
A top 10 payroll team has won six of the last seven World Series.
A bottom 15 payroll team hasn’t won a World Series since the Kansas City Royals in 2015.
The payroll disparity from the top five teams to the bottom five is almost five times (4.7 exactly), the most on record. The Dodgers’ payroll, including luxury tax, is $407 million in 2026. The Miami Marlins payroll is $74 million in 2026.
MLB formed a Fan Council in 2025, requesting the input of fans regarding issues important to them. Competitive balance was reported as the most important topic discussed.
Baseball is at its most popular and financially lucrative status in history. Both sides should be motivated to reach an agreement to maintain this momentum. The fans were alienated significantly with the labor dispute of 1994, when the World Series and a lot of the season were cancelled. It is everyone’s best interest not to have that happen again.
How this affects the Padres
Under the current proposal, the Padres would be one of the teams required to reduce payroll. It is not likely that this proposal will resemble the final proposal. These are the ideal terms the two sides would want to have for their contract. If the two sides can’t come to an agreement it is likely a owner “lock out” will ensue and the season could be compromised significantly.
Mikal Bridges has actually been to a Finals before. He knows what the experience is like.
And all the extras that come along with it — extra praise, extra criticism, extra media obligations, extra questions, extra attention.
He is one of only two players on the Knicks, along with Jordan Clarkson to have played in the Finals (OG Anunoby was on the Raptors but did not play in the 2019 Finals).
Bridges’ advice for his teammates centers on handling that extra praise.
Mikal Bridges talks to reporters during Knicks practice on May 28, 2026 in Tarrytown, N.Y. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“Just worry about what we have to do to be better,” Bridges said after practice Thursday. “Not get too into the media and all the stuff. A lot of questions, a lot of talk about how great we are, how great we’ve been. That doesn’t matter, we just gotta worry about being ourselves and stay locked in. And go win.”
There is so much fanfare around the Knicks, who are in the Finals for the first time since 1999. It’s coming from ordinary fans, from celebrity fans, from neutrals, from other local athletes, from local media and from national media.
They have broken record after record during their 11-game winning streak. Chief among them: They outscored their opponents by 262 points during those 11 games, the best point differential across 11 games in NBA history, regular season or postseason.
New York City has been whipped into a frenzy. Right now, Knicks players are gods among men. Everyone wants a piece of them.
That’s all nice and fine. But the Knicks want to ignore all of it.
Coach Mike Brown, who will be appearing in his seventh Finals as either a head coach or assistant, knows the toll all of it can take if not handled properly.
Head coach Mike Brown talks to reporters during Knicks practice. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“There are a lot more distractions that you have to navigate,” Brown said Thursday. “So you have to be, I was talking to Allan Houston and he used the right word when I was talking to him about it, but you have to be real intentional about what you’re doing because you’re gonna get pulled in so many different directions. And everybody is human and it’s natural to get pulled here, get pulled a little here, get pulled a little there and think that you’re OK. But at the end of the day, after doing the media and practice, you’re getting pulled in three or four different directions because you’re gonna have your family around you, you’re gonna have friends around you, you’re gonna have people wanting tickets, you’re gonna have people wanting you to go on this show, that show.
“At the end of the day, you may not realize it, but it can be fatiguing for you to do all of that stuff while trying to focus on some of the biggest games of your life. Again, going off of what word Allan Houston used, trying to be intentional about everything that we do during this time, while keeping an edge, is gonna be huge.”
Ignoring all of that is much easier said than done. It’s hard not to get caught up in the moment.
How can it be accomplished?
“I think it’s different for everybody,” Jalen Brunson said. “I’ve been off social media. I may post one thing and then just go back to deleting it. You just gotta block out the noise. You gotta do whatever you can to make sure you’re locked in. Everyone is different. Every individual has their way of blocking out things.
“It’s important to not hear some of the things. When there’s negative things being said about you, it’s important to ignore them. When there’s positive things about you, it’s easy to read them and feel good. You can’t do one and not the other. So just block it out as best as you can.”
The Knicks are the center of attention in New York City right now. Soon, they’ll be at the center of attention across the country.
But they’re doing everything they can to keep their focus directed inward.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: Darryn Peterson looks on during the game during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s draft night. The lights dim as the spotlight illuminates the Barclays Center stage. Colors and logos flash from the jumbo video screen as NBA commissioner Adam Silver approaches the podium. A smile nearly as luminescent as the reflection from his cranium flashes across his face as he takes a final step and leans into the microphone.
“With the first pick, in the 2026 NBA Draft,” Silver begins, the tension within the crowd materializing in the atmosphere. “The Washington Wizards select… TINGUS PINGUS!”
A stunned silence washes over the arena. Cries of “What?”, “Who?”, and “No!” pepper the stands as mystery is hastily ushered out by realization. Chaos breaks out. It’s anarchy. Replica jerseys are torn to ribbons and lit ablaze as the draft’s attendees roar in disapproval. The broadcast zooms in on BYU star AJ Dybantsa, who had instinctively arisen before his name was even called. Eyes open wide, the anticipated number-one pick stares through the fabric of reality, desperately searching for an explanation.
But none are more surprised than Draft HQ out in Salt Lake City, where the Jazz front office desperately scrambles to gather their thoughts as every great player is still available with the second overall pick.
Utah has a decision to make, and it’s one they must make quickly, because their team is on the clock, and the game plan has been thrown out the window.
You, the reader, are present in the Delta Center’s war room. Austin and Danny Ainge elbow Ryan Smith as the trio turns their attention to you. The room is still. The phone line to Brooklyn is in your grip. With every option available at number two, the decision is yours to make: who are you picking?
We asked you, the loyal (and might I add, attractive) readers of SLC Dunk, who you would prefer Utah to take with the second overall pick, and this is how you voted.
Darryn Peterson, G, Kansas (53% of votes)
AJ Dybantsa, F, BYU (38% of votes)
Cameron Boozer, F, Duke (9% of votes)
Disagree with the pick? Demanding justice for Pingus? I didn’t make the list; you did. If you’ve got a qualm or two, however, that’s why these articles have comment sections, my friends.
Calvin Barrett is a writer, editor, and prolific Mario Kart racer located in Tokyo, Japan. He has covered the NBA and College Sports since 2024.
BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 28: Yohendrick Piñango #24 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates with Brandon Valenzuela #59 after defeating the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 28, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For any given baseball game, there are dozens or hundreds of little things that could have gone just a little differently to change a win to a loss or a loss to a win. Nearly every time, one of those things looms larger than the rest. On Thursday night as the Orioles opened up their series against the Blue Jays, the one that looms largest was this: Rookie reliever Anthony Nunez couldn’t stop walking guys in the eighth inning and he walked in what turned into the game-losing run as the O’s went on to lose, 2-1.
After impressing with some early-season outings, Nunez played himself into a late-inning high-leverage role. Things have not gone well for him in that capacity through May, with this blown game just the latest problem. If you turn to a guy with a 5 ERA in a tie game in late innings, is it really a surprise if it goes badly? On the other hand, it’s not like the Orioles are flush with better bullpen options, especially with Yennier Cano having hurt his hamstring yesterday.
Nunez’s outing began with a leadoff double given up to George Springer. After the Jays risked a sacrifice bunt to move Springer to third base, the Orioles intentionally walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to set up a possible ground ball double play. Nunez instead walked the next guy, Daulton Varsho, loading the bases. Nunez picked up a strikeout for the second out and he just needed one more out to escape this situation.
He could not do it. Facing a fellow rookie, Yohendrick Piñango, Nunez tried to get the Jays pinch hitter to bite on pitches outside of the strike zone. Two of them were nowhere near. Two were much closer, close enough that when they were called balls, Adley Rutschman challenged to try to get them overturned. He was wrong both times, including on ball four outside to force in the second Jays run.
There were chances to come back even after this. In classic 2026 Orioles fashion, they managed to find failure in the most inexplicably stupid ways. Right after the deflating bases-loaded walk, Taylor Ward led off the bottom of the eighth for the Orioles by hitting a single. Two batters later, Gunnar Henderson had struck out and Rutschman replaced Ward at first base.
This brought up Pete Alonso, who smashed a ball along the ground that deflected off of Jays pitcher Tyler Rogers. The ball bounced high up into the air before being fielded at second base by Ernie Clement, who threw to first to try to get the Polar Bear. Alonso is not a fast man. He did, however, beat this throw. The first base umpire somehow missed this call even with a great view of the situation. These injustices are why replay is important, even if it is often stupid.
Speaking of stupid: Alonso got picked off first base to end the inning. What else can you even say about it? That’s the one thing that can’t happen and the team’s $31 million veteran leader went and did it. Maybe it wouldn’t have made a difference. Weston Wilson was the batter. He hasn’t hit much in May. Fine, sure. Let him be the one who fails, so the response is, “Well, that’s what happens when Weston Wilson comes up in clutch situations because you already used Samuel Basallo to pinch hit earlier on.” Instead, the response is, come on, man.
In the ninth inning, Leody Taveras hit a one-out single to get the tying run on base. Recently-heroic Colton Cowser could not continue his streak of dramatic positive outcomes. Jackson Holliday could do nothing, either. The game was over and so was the winning streak the Orioles built up in sweeping the Rays.
Much earlier in the game, there was a starting pitching matchup that was, according to the MASN broadcast, the one with the oldest combined age of any game so far in the 2026 MLB season. 37-year-old Chris Bassitt has been good or at least okay for the past several years and has been bad so far this year. 36-year-old Patrick Corbin has been terrible for the past several years and has been decent so far this year.
These veteran guys were fine on Thursday night. Bassitt gave up a run in six innings, allowing only a third inning solo homer to Andrés Giménez. Corbin gave up a run in five innings, allowing only a fourth inning game-tying homer to Coby Mayo. Neither factored in the game’s decision.
The Orioles did threaten Corbin in the first inning. Ward led off the game with a single. Henderson hit a grounder that might have been a double play ball except it was bungled by Okamoto at third base. Because you can’t assume the double play, this was merely a fielder’s choice – at least until Ward kept racing around second base with the ball loose and Okamoto compounded the mistake by being slow to retreat back to third base. He was not in position to catch the ball and tag Ward, and in fact he did not catch the ball.
Somehow, even though the ball was never at any point in time in Okamoto’s glove, the third base umpire called Ward out on the play. MLB’s replay center took an embarrassingly long time to arrive at the obvious correction. Replay is great when it’s not stupid. The Orioles had second and third with no one out in the first inning.
Nothing happened. Rutschman lined out, then Alonso and Mayo struck out. One of these guys scoring would have been awfully nice. The Orioles couldn’t do it. Good games from Bassitt have been rare in his tenure so far and they just couldn’t capitalize on that.
This was game one of a four-game series. The season is not heading back into the toilet just because they lost one game. The Orioles just have to play better and do this until they’re back where we want them to be. They could even do it for the remainder of this series. At least, assuming they’re able to overcome the handicap of a 2026 vintage Trevor Rogers start as the set continues on Friday at 7:05. The Blue Jays, as of this writing, do not have a starting pitcher listed. Perhaps they’re trying to unearth any lefty they can find. Not a bad strategy when facing this Orioles team.
