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A lot has been said about homecomings this offseason. Kyle Lowry retiring a Raptor, Kawhi Leonard in limbo, but ostensibly one step away from joining the team. However, all this talk about the greatest Raptors has left me feeling like there’s something missing. And that’s because my favourite Raptor of all-time might potentially be back on a squad, facing off against his greatest rival in LeBron James. And I’m here for all 82 games of it.

DeMar DeRozan has had a long NBA career that has, frankly, been characterized by unfortunate flame-outs in Toronto, unrealized team potential in Chicago, and being traded away from the Raptors in exchange for Kawhi Leonard and our championship. In many ways, I feel that this is the Faustian bargain or original sin of the Raptors, that we had 20 years of stars wanting to leave, and we traded one of the only stars that wanted to stay so we could win. But now, things are different, and it looks like we might be able to have our cake and eat it too.

Earlier this month, Shams Charania reported that DeMar DeRozan was waived after the Kings couldn’t trade him, meaning that their most reliable scorer would be hitting the open market, and potentially, making his way back to Canada. Insider Jake Fischer has suggested that this certainly could be the case, with DeMar on a veteran’s minimum potentially heading either North to Toronto or South to South Beach.

DeRozan has always been adamant about his love for Toronto, and I believe that if he had never been traded, he’d never have left the team. And I think now, the best thing for both parties here is to get DeRozan back – ideally off the bench – and try and make a push for a championship. Toronto would be a crowded place for him, with Kawhi theoretically slotting in at the 3 ahead of DeRozan. Kind of like moving into your ex-wife’s basement while she lives on the main floor with her new guy. But, I believe that professional maturity will win out, and DeMar could successfully embrace a reserve role and do very well in it. I like DeMar for a lot of reasons. The guy is California Cool. He’s played in the Michael Jordan archetype, dropping in middies and dunks that scratches the old-school itch for me. He’s upfront about mental health, and wrote a damn good book on the subject. And he reps Toronto better than maybe anyone else ever has.

Bill Russell said it best: “What these young bloods have to understand… that this game has always been, and always will be, about buckets.” And Toronto does a lot of things really, really well. Defending, passing, playing team basketball. But when it comes to getting buckets? Sometimes, that just doesn’t seem like a priority for us. The whole point of getting Kawhi Leonard is doing just that, getting someone to score and do the heavy lifting our guys can’t quite do. And from a bench perspective, DeMar DeRozan might be the best guy for that. Our most productive bench scorer was Sandro Mamukelashvili, who averaged 11 points in 22 minutes. I find it hard to believe that with him and Gradey Dick gone, Demar couldn’t give us at least 15 off the bench and be a real flamethrower. Since 2011, DeRozan has made his living off of being able to score, and even at 36, he can still do just that.

For me, this isn’t just a basketball decision. It’s a morale pick: it’ll be good for the fans and good for the city to have a star from the days of a real, entrenched culture of Raptors Basketball to be back. I’m not suggesting we go back to We The North; those days are long gone. But, DeRozan still has gas left in the tank, and to have him get one last chance to team up with Lowry, to play actual meaningful basketball (sorry Kings), and to have a chance to exorcise his demons on the hardwood would be a really great thing for everyone involved. But, the matter that now looms over a potential DeRozan return is the new reality of the old wolf of the Eastern Conference, LeBron James, back in his old hunting grounds for at least 2 more years.

I am not someone who wants to sit around defending the Raptors’ playoff collapses of yore, but we were being quite simply outmatched and outclassed by what the Akron Hammer in his prime was doing. And now, we seem to be staring down the barrel of the most loaded Philadelphia team that’s been assembled since 1983. LeBron James has been the kryptonite of the Toronto Raptors, and of DeMar DeRozan at that. But, at the same time – James is getting older, and would not be feasting on a young Raptors squad. Rather, he’d be facing off against the team he lost his 10-point streak against, a team that would be adding Kawhi Leonard, a player he famously doesn’t like to play against, paired with Scottie Barnes, for some of the most suffocating forward defence in the league. All that’s been said by the front office about assembling a real two-way team is going to be put to the test in the crucible that is Philadelphia this year. But, with a good enough team around him, it’s entirely possible that DeMar DeRozan could use his talents and make it to the NBA Finals, and past LeBron James, finally closing a chapter in a book written in blood, that is shamefully titled “LeBronto.”

Bench spots in Philadelphia just became much more appealing.

Ex-LeBron James teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is negotiating a buyout with the Grizzlies with the plan to sign with the 76ers and reunite with the future Hall of Famer, according to Chris Haynes.

The 33-year-old previously exercised his $21.6 million player option for the 2026-27 season in June.

Caldwell-Pope and LeBron spent three seasons together with the Lakes from 2018-21, helping deliver the franchise’s last championship in 2020.

They also have shared the same representation in Klutch Sports.

Caldwell-Pope added another championship to his resume in 2023 with the Nuggets, but would be slated for a backup role with the 76ers.

Philadelphia would hope that the veteran could provide strong shooting and defense in a reserve role, although he’s coming off a down year from beyond the arc.

Caldwell-Pope made just 31.6 percent of his 3-point attempts, a notable dip from his 40.3 percent five-year average spanning the 2019-20 season to 2023-24 campaign.

A change of scenery could perhaps help after Caldwell-Pope played for a poor Grizzlies team, and he averaged 8.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game spanning 21.3 minutes last season.

Memphis acquired Caldwell-Pope last year in the blockbuster that sent Desmond Bane to the Magic, with the former lasting just one season with Orlando after signing a three-year, $66 million deal in 2024.

The idea of veterans joining James-led teams is not a new concept, with veterans on the downside of their career often joining contenders in hope of winning another ring.

Philadelphia has an incredible starting five featuring James, former MVP Joel Embiid, star guard Tyrese Maxey, ex-Finals MVP Jaylen Brown and emerging second-year guard VJ Edgecombe, but recent NBA history has shown that teams need deep benches to make sustained postseason runs.

Caldwell-Pope is set to join a 76ers reserve unit that potentially features Anfernee Simmons, first-round pick Labaron Philon Jr., Dean Wade and ex-Knick Ariel Hukporti.

Well, it was fun while it lasted, huh?

So LeBron James isn’t a Timberwolf. That’s unfortunate. But life moves on! We checked the rules and the Minnesota Timberwolves will, in fact, still need to participate in the 2026-2027 NBA season without The King. Wolves-centered publications can all stop writing offseason filler content about him, so I think we can all agree to be happy about that.

Let’s move on to the next overplayed commonly discussed topic of the season: Who will be the stopgap fifth starter for the Timberwolves?

Barring another vintage Tim Connelly surprise before the start of the season, the Wolves currently have filled 16 of their 18 maximum roster spots (including the two-way spots). They have just about enough money to spend on a minimum contract or two for the last openings if they wish to stay under the second apron.

Let’s do a quick review in order of contract size (percent of cap):

1. Anthony Edwards (29.7%)
2. LaMelo Ball (24.7%)
3. Rudy Gobert (22.1%)
4. Jaden McDaniels (15.9%)
5. Ayo Dosunmu (11.7%)
6. Josh Green (8.9%)
7. Donte DiVincenzo (7.6%)
8. Joan Beringer (2.7%)
9. Jaylen Clark (1.9%)
10. Bones Hyland (1.7%)
11. TJ Shannon (1.7%)
12. Trey Lyles (1.5%)
13. Isaiah Evans (1.5%)
14. (Vacant)
15. (Vacant)

1. Rocco Zikarsky (TW)
2. Zyon Pullin (TW)
3. Enrique Freeman (TW)

There isn’t a traditional “power forward” that jumps off that list to join Ball, Edwards, McDaniels, and Gobert. You can make the argument that the only player who naturally plays that position is recently signed Trey Lyles, who is on a veteran minimum contract and was not on an NBA roster last season.

This conversation naturally flows to: Do we start Jaden McDaniels as the power forward and bring another wing into the starting rotation?

I’ve decided to fixate on that question and the potential solutions. The Wolves have an awful amount of “wings,” or even guards, that I wanted to categorically compare. Most of the options only check certain boxes of what an ideal candidate should have. Some overlap. I realized a visualization would be helpful to a simpleton like myself.

Let’s talk stopgaps, or more like “Wing Stop.”

Table of Contents

1. Menu of Wings
2. Wing Flavors
   • Scorer/Creator
   • Shooter/Spacer
   • Defender/Hustle
3. Conclusion

Menu of Wings

When looking at players that could slide in as a shooting guard or small forward, I sorted six players between six foot four inches to six foot six inches. Upon pulling measurements from NBA.com and databallr, I decided to include Bones Hyland due to his abnormally long wingspan, and you can’t just include one half of the Twin Turbos without the other. I also looped in the aforementioned Jaden McDaniels and Trey Lyles just for reference.

Wing Flavors

Obviously basketball players shouldn’t and can’t just be deduced down to just three subjective “flavors.” However, for the sake of this exercise, I’m going to do it anyway. I created a Venn diagram of “Scorer/Creator,” “Shooter/Spacer,” and “Defender/Hustle” and categorized the players named above.

Scorer/Creator

^{*Isaiah Evans statistics from last season in NCAA
*Trey Lyles statistics from last season in NBA}

First and foremost, I opted not to pick the low-hanging fruit of “points per game” as it doesn’t necessarily capture what I was looking for here. This category is meant to capture who initiates the offense, whether it’s for themselves or others. Thus, I pulled usage percentage, assist percentage, and percentage of field goals that are unassisted.

Bones Hyland obviously pops here. He’s the only true ball handler of the bunch and is functionally a point guard. Two-thirds of his two-pointers are unassisted, the third highest on the team behind Anthony Edwards and Johnny Juzang. Bizzy Bones was also second on the team in AST% among rotation players. He’s not a realistic starting wing option, but I’ve listed him here just for comparison more like I have with Jaden and Trey.

Then comes TJ Shannon. The playmaking numbers aren’t great for him, but he creates a ton of offense for himself. Finch famously mentioned after the Wolves eliminated the Denver Nuggets in the postseason that he had been using Shannon wrong as a spot-up player instead of putting the ball in his hands. He had the third highest percentage of unassisted three-pointers behind the aforementioned Edwards and Juzang. The soon to be 26-year-old is nearly unstoppable once he gets a head of steam, which is even more impressive when you consider he’s as left hand dependent as Julius Randle.

If you score 43 points in a playoff game where two of your team’s most important players go down, you automatically qualify as a “Scorer.” Those are actually the rules. Ayo Dosunmu has also demonstrated an ability to create for others, especially in the postseason where he shouldered a heavier load. He averaged a team best 4.1 assists per game in the 2026 playoffs. Ayo’s ability to be an offensive hub is why many are hoping he remains a sparkplug off the bench especially in lieu of Naz Reid.

Shooter/Spacer

^{*Isaiah Evans statistics from last season in NCAA
*Trey Lyles statistics from last season in NBA}

Shooting ability is a must in today’s NBA roster construction, and the Wolves have no shortage of that (Hi, Miami!). This may not be the Dynasty Warriors vs Morey Ball days of chucking up as many threes as possible (Hi, Boston!), but teams are wiser as to how to generate efficient three-point shots. I looked at general three-point shooting ability (overall three-point percentage, catch-and-shoot three-point percentage, and corner three-point percentage), as well as volume (three-point attempt rate).

Let’s all take a minute to pour one out for Donte DiVincenzo. He’s one of the premier volume three-point shooters in the NBA and the Wolves will surely miss his floor spacing gravity next season. He had the second highest three-point rate on the team (Shoutout Mike Conley, besting him by literally 1%) and converted at a good rate, despite a down year. In clutch situations, he was never shy.

The “throw-in” that came in the LaMelo Ball trade needs to be discussed. Josh Green posted elite numbers across these categories. Converting on 42% of your triples with a three-point rate of 76.2% is bonkers. The Aussie is excellent at catch-and-shoot opportunities, and is one of the best corner three-point shooters in the game. This is something he relentlessly developed over his basketball career. He was known in high school as a non-shooter, then grinded his way during his time at University of Arizona to become respectable. Now in the NBA, he’s a dangerous weapon from beyond the arc.

Bones Hyland deserves a shoutout here too. Again, he won’t be a starter, but his strength as a floor spacer is still undeniable. He takes and makes them at a very high rate. It’s impressive especially considering how he often has the ball in his hands. The offense talent is there.

I mentioned Twin Turbos earlier, right? The case for Ayo Dosunmu as a “Shooter” is interesting. His three-point rate is on the low end, but he converts them at a premium caliber. We’re talking team-best caliber (Sorry Joe Ingles and Enrique Freeman). He’s amazing as a catch-and-shoot threat to boot. Ayo isn’t usually in position as a corner shot taker, but his strong numbers at converting threes overall makes me feel comfortable labeling him as a shooter.

The Wolves rookie Isaiah Evans will remain an unknown for now. He was one of the best three-point shooters in the NCAA last season (3rd in ACC), but struggled in Summer League (26.7%). Evans likely won’t be in the rotation for now, but considering that shooting is the main reason he was drafted, we can give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

Veteran Trey Lyles is by-and-large a stretch big. His numbers weren’t great during his final season with Sacramento, but that team was a mess and his role had diminished at that point. The season prior, he had a much higher conversion rate (38.4%) on higher volume (68.2% 3PAr). He was also 40% on catch-and-shoot opportunities from perimeter. More recently, Lyles shot 39% from distance last year overseas with Real Madrid.

I struggled to determine if TJ Shannon deserved to be here. Similar to Ayo, he shot over 40% from perimeter last season on a slightly higher three-point rate. However, I would categorically consider Shannon to be more of a threat attacking the paint as opposed to as a spacer. His catch-and-shoot numbers were significantly lower so it just didn’t feel right to label him a “Shooter.”

Defender/Hustle

^{*Isaiah Evans statistics from last season in NCAA
*Trey Lyles statistics from last season in NBA
*Stocks & deflections listed are per 36 minutes}

It has historically been difficult for box score statistics or a singular catch-all measurement to determine a player’s overall defensive impact. Simple “blocks and steals” numbers aren’t close to capturing one’s complete defensive footprint. Even deflections, which has become a more popular statistic recently, though useful, is just looking at one aspect of defense. Based on what was available to me, I did pull Defensive Win Shares and Defensive Box Plus Minus numbers for reference.

Based on these measurements, you can still squint and see some patterns. You have Jaylen Clark, who is clearly the highest overall achiever in this category (DWS is impacted by how many minutes someone plays). He’s elite at getting deflections or finishing defensive plays. It’s as obvious as when he swoops in to steal an inbounds pass, as it is when rides an opponents hip into a tough shot. There’s not much debate here for Clark County’s placement here.

Then you have Josh Green and Donte DiVincenzo. They’re similar in their ability to muck things up on the defensive end. They’ll get in your jersey even if it forces the official to call a foul. Dive for a loose ball even if your legs are in the way. Run down a rebound way outside their zone which sends them flying into the first row. They’re here to irritate you. That said, they still differ in their own unique ways. DiVincenzo is more athletic and agile, while Green is more physical and strong. It’s no surprise that Connelly targeted someone like Green this offseason with DiVincenzo out.

Similar to his case as a “Shooter,” Ayo Dosunmu as a “Defender” can also been debated. The numbers don’t paint a plus defender. He’s never been elite at generating steals or blocks, but he’s one of those “solid as they come” players. Ayo might not wow you, but he will stick to the assignment. He can fight over screens well. He can contest without fouling. He can make quick and on time rotations. He can finish possessions with defensive rebounds. This singular play sequence against Jaylen Brown last season always left an impression on me. It’s why I’m a believer in him as a defender, even if not a top percentile one. Ayo takes pride on defense.

His Twin Turbo brother Bones Hyland is an interesting case too. By the eye test, he is surely a weak link on defense. He struggles to keep his man ahead of him, fouls a lot (second most behind Jaden McDaniels per 36), and is often lost on rotations. However, he generated a surprising amount of deflections and stocks, probably due to his absurdly long wingspan. Remember all those chase-down blocks he had? All to say, it still doesn’t feel honest to put Bizzy Bones in the “Defender” category.

In Conclusion

Does this exercise help us determine who the final starter will be? It may depend on what the matchup calls for. Coach Chris Finch alluded to this as much, going to far as to show hesitation with inserting Jaden as the full-time power forward.

If you want to skew towards defense and spacing, you may be looking at Josh Green.

If you want to skew towards offense and creation, you may be looking at TJ Shannon.

If you want a more well balanced approach, you may be looking at Ayo Dosunmu.

We all know our friends over in New York is still celebrating his 2026 championship. The Knicks famously acquired defensive-minded wings on their team who were integral to raising a banner. They had previously earned the nickname “Wing Stop.” Do the Wolves have their own “Wing Stop” brewing? It might be a little early for that, but they have options.

Maybe this is just a stopgap.

Maybe it’s just “Wing Stop, Just Young”.

The Washington Wizards have very recently finished their 2026 NBA Summer League campaign. In our SB Nation Reacts survey for this week, we asked you to grade them.

Check out the X post below.

FanDuel will probably not predict that the Wizards are winning a championship next season. But I’m happy to see that over 80 percent of fans give the Wizards good grades for their summer performance, even if AJ Dybantsa only played two games.

Yes. He can. Next question.

…

Oh, you’re still here? You want an explanation?

…

I’ll start by saying we’re officially in the summer cycle of speculation. So I guess I have the time to give you one.

As we enter the void where there’s no basketball for the next two and a half months, all we can do is sit around, think through different scenarios, and debate why they will or won’t work. It’s very similar to what we did last offseason, when we tried to project what a team featuring both Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks would look like in the post-Kevin Durant era. 

Now we find ourselves asking whether acquiring Miles Bridges was the right basketball move to help elevate the Suns’ offense. After all, this was a team that finished 26th in points scored last season and 28th in field goal percentage. While I facetiously answered the question of whether Miles Bridges can elevate the offense by simply saying, “Yes,” the reality is far more layered than that.

There are two truths here. First, we won’t know the answer until we actually see it. Second, it won’t be a perfect fit, because there’s no such thing as a perfect fit. If you operate under that premise, there’s a flaw in the thinking. Perfection isn’t a destination you ever reach. Every roster construction comes with strengths and weaknesses, tradeoffs and compromises.

There are aspects of Miles Bridges’ game that will unquestionably make the Suns better. There are also areas where he falls short, and those deficiencies could create challenges for Phoenix. Overall, I believe his acquisition trends in a positive direction for the Suns’ offense.

To comprehend who Bridges is on the court, I think it’s important to start by looking backward before looking forward. We need to look at who he was in Charlotte and what his role was. We’ll dive into shooting percentages, eFG’s, shot profiles, and all of the numbers that help paint the picture, but those statistics don’t exist in a vacuum. They were shaped by the environment in which he played prior to landing at Sky Harbor. Understanding that context is essential if we’re going to fairly evaluate what Bridges might become with the Suns.

Bridges, the 12th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, has spent his entire career adapting to change. The team that drafted him featured Kemba Walker in his final season with the Hornets and Tony Parker in the final year of his career. The following offseason, Charlotte pivoted. Walker departed, the franchise shifted toward a younger core, and Devonte’ Graham and Terry Rozier became the primary offensive options. Bridges responded by starting 64 of his 65 games and averaging 13.0 points in his sophomore season.

The next year brought even more change. LaMelo Ball arrived as the No. 3 overall pick, Gordon Hayward signed in free agency, and P.J. Washington took over as the starting power forward, pushing Bridges into a reserve role. A season later, he was back in the starting lineup and leading the Hornets in scoring, averaging 20.2 points while starting all 80 games he played. Then came his self-induced interruption as Bridges missed the entire 2022–23 season following his domestic violence case. 

After returning, he averaged a career high 21.0 points per game, once again adjusting to a roster that had changed around him. That’s my point. There has been very little stability or continuity throughout Bridges’ NBA career.  The pieces around him have constantly shifted. Lottery pick after lottery pick arrived in Charlotte. His role changed from complementary starter to leading scorer, from sixth man back to featured option. Through all of it, he continued to produce.

He’s played for multiple head coaches on teams searching for an identity, yet he leaves Charlotte with career averages of 15.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.4 stocks while shooting 46% from the field, 34% from three, and 83% from the free throw line.

So that’s who Miles Bridges was. The question we’re really trying to answer is who he’s going to be. For the first time in his career, he’ll be playing alongside Devin Booker, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks in the starting lineup. He’s in a new city, with a new organization, surrounded by teammates who are coming off a playoff appearance, something Bridges never experienced during his seven seasons in Charlotte.

So what does that mean? It starts with understanding who he’s replacing.

The majority of the starts at that position last season belonged to Royce O’Neale, who shot an outstanding 40% from three across his 67 starts. But while O’Neale was efficient, he averaged 9.9 points on 8.2 field goal attempts per game (as a starter). He simply wasn’t asked to shoulder a significant offensive workload. Royce was the fourth option. He spaced the floor, lived in the corners, and served as the release valve whenever Devin Booker and Jalen Green bent the defense.

Miles Bridges won’t be that. He brings his own gravity. And that’s the first reason I believe he’ll positively impact the Suns’ offense.

Royce was one of the team’s most efficient three-point shooters, but he wasn’t one of its highest volume shooters. Among the 10 Suns players who started at least 10 games last season, O’Neale ranked seventh in field goal attempts per game. When you add in the fact that 82% of his attempts as a starter came from beyond the arc, it paints the picture of a very one-dimensional shot profile. It was an efficient role. It just wasn’t one that consistently stressed opposing defenses.

The second factor is Dillon Brooks. Brooks averaged 17.1 field goal attempts per game last season, and while that number was understandable given the circumstances, it was probably a little too high. That’s not a knock on Brooks. He spent a significant portion of the season playing without Devin Booker or Jalen Green in the lineup, forcing him to shoulder a larger offensive burden. With Miles Bridges now in the starting lineup, that shot profile should normalize. Prior to arriving in Phoenix, Brooks averaged 12.5 field goal attempts per game over seven seasons with the Grizzlies and Rockets. That’s much closer to the role he should occupy moving forward.

And that’s my first reason for believing Bridges will elevate the Suns’ offense. The shots he’ll absorb will come from two places: the 8.2 attempts Royce O’Neale leaves behind and the handful of attempts Brooks no longer has to force. Those are simply more dynamic offensive possessions than the Suns had available last season. 

If you combine the production of Brooks and O’Neale from last season, they posted an effective field goal percentage of 53.6%. Bridges owns a career effective field goal percentage of 53.0%. That’s essentially a wash. If we project Bridges to average roughly 14.2 field goal attempts per game, using his career shooting profile of 12.9 attempts and 5.2 three-point attempts per game, his career efficiency projects to approximately 15.1 points per game. That’s about five more points than Royce O’Neale provided as a starter last season.

Is this a simplified exercise? Absolutely. There are plenty of variables a calculator can’t account for. My goal isn’t to create a perfect projection. It’s to quantify the type of offensive impact Bridges could have within this roster. At the end of the day, if the question is whether Miles Bridges is a better overall offensive player than Royce O’Neale despite being a less accurate three-point shooter, I think the answer is clearly yes. He provides far more optionality.

That leads to the second reason I believe he’ll improve the Suns’ offense. Miles Bridges puts pressure on the rim.

Analytics will tell you that three is worth more than two over the course of a season, and they’re right. But basketball is still rooted in common sense. The closer you are to the basket, the easier it is to score. Bridges has built his career on understanding that. Since entering the NBA, nearly half of his shot attempts, 48.7%, have come at the rim, where he’s converted 59.4% of them. Compare that to Royce O’Neale, who took only 13% of his shots at the rim last season. That’s a massive difference in offensive profile.

That leads to the second reason I believe he’ll improve the Suns’ offense. Miles Bridges puts pressure on the rim. Analytics will tell you that three is worth more than two over the course of a season, and they’re right. But basketball is still rooted in common sense. The closer you are to the basket, the easier it is to score. Bridges has built his career on understanding that. Since entering the NBA, nearly half of his shot attempts, 48.7%, have come at the rim, where he’s converted 59.4% of them. Compare that to Royce O’Neale, who took only 13% of his shots at the rim last season. That’s a massive difference in offensive profile.

Bridges can create his own shot. He can put the ball on the floor, attack the paint, and finish through contact. Last season, the only Suns player who consistently created that kind of downhill pressure was Jalen Green, and he only appeared in 32 games.

Bridges isn’t a player who simply parks himself in the corner waiting for a kick out. He’s someone who forces defenses to react. Opponents still have to respect him as a three-point shooter, even as a career 34% shooter, but they also have to account for his ability to attack the basket, cut into the dunker spot, and beat defenders off the dribble. That changes how the entire defense rotates. When Royce O’Neale was spaced in the corner, one defender stayed attached to him, and the rest of the defense could remain focused elsewhere. If O’Neale had the ball, Booker’s defender could stay glued to Booker because help defense usually wasn’t necessary.

That’s not the case with Miles Bridges. When Bridges catches the ball on the perimeter, secondary defenders have decisions to make. Do they stay home on Booker? Or do they slide over to help against Bridges’ drive? Those split-second decisions matter. And when both Bridges and Jalen Green are capable of collapsing the defense off the dribble, it becomes much harder for opponents to load up on Devin Booker. The help has to come from somewhere, and every rotation creates another opening for one of the league’s best scorers.

I  understand this isn’t a perfect fit. The biggest concern is the three-point shooting. I like the optionality of adding someone who can space the floor while also putting pressure on the defense by attacking the rim, but it would certainly be easier if Bridges were a better three-point shooter. That’s one of the biggest perceived challenges facing the Suns this season. Four players on the roster attempted more than five three-pointers per game last year and shot below 35% from deep. There’s a legitimate reason for concern.

That said, I think there’s another side to the conversation. If this team truly commits to attacking the basket, if it climbs from 30th in the NBA in shot attempts within five feet of the rim, those paint touches should naturally create cleaner looks from beyond the arc. Whether the Suns convert those opportunities will ultimately determine how successful they are, but improved shot quality matters. And with lineup combinations featuring Collin Gillespie and Luke Kennard, the hope is that Phoenix can still be a respectable three-point shooting team.

Last season, the Suns finished fifth in the NBA in three-point attempts but only 12th in three-point percentage. I’d like to see more offensive balance. How many times did it feel like the offense settled for a contested three late in games when attacking the rim and forcing contact probably would have been the better decision? That’s where Bridges changes the equation. He may not be an elite three-point shooter, but he gives Phoenix another player capable of creating offense inside the arc instead of simply waiting beyond it.

The other area worth mentioning is rebounding. Bridges isn’t an elite rebounder, so this isn’t a major upgrade in that department. Last season, he posted a 10.6% total rebound percentage and a 3.6% offensive rebound percentage. Royce O’Neale finished at 9.3% and 2.9%, respectively. There is improvement there, but not enough to fundamentally change who the Suns are on the glass. That’s important because Phoenix’s starting lineup ranked 20th in total rebounds and 21st in rebound percentage last season. The one bright spot was offensive rebounding, where the starters ranked seventh in the NBA. So while Bridges should help in a variety of ways offensively, rebounding remains an area where the Suns still have room to grow.

As I see it, the addition of Miles Bridges brings far more complexity and optionality than the Suns had with Royce O’Neale in the starting lineup. Royce was a one-trick pony. He was damn good at that one trick, but he didn’t shoot with enough volume (nor was he asked to) to make a significant impact from the power forward position. His inability to put the ball on the floor and create offense ultimately limited parts of the Suns’ attack because opposing defenses didn’t have to account for him beyond the initial closeout. That’s where Bridges changes the equation.

Ultimately, Phoenix has to become a more efficient offensive team. That’s the needle they have to move. Ironically, it’s the same conversation I found myself having last season. How do the Suns become more efficient from their primary scorers? This time, however, the answer isn’t centered on the stars. It’s centered on the complementary pieces around them. The Suns are replacing a secondary offensive player with someone who may be slightly less efficient on a per-shot basis but projects to generate more points, create more scoring opportunities, and command far more defensive attention.

That’s why I believe Miles Bridges elevates Phoenix’s offense. He adds versatility. He adds pressure. Not necessarily at the point of attack, but in the split-second decisions secondary and tertiary defenders have to make. Do they help? Do they stay home? Do they rotate? Do they gamble? In the NBA, that’s all it takes. One hesitation. One late rotation. One defender making the wrong read for half a second. That’s enough for great offenses to capitalize, and I believe Bridges gives the Suns more opportunities to create those moments than they had a season ago.

There’s one thing you can’t quantify with effective field goal percentage, three-point attempt rate, or any advanced metric. It’s the way Miles Bridges plays. His grit. His tenacity. His motor. Brian Gregory spoke about those qualities during Bridges’ introductory press conference, and I think they align perfectly with what the Suns are trying to become.

This is a team that wants to hustle. A team that wants to apply pressure and dictate the pace rather than allowing opponents to do it to them. They want to be the fly in the ointment, the team you circle on the schedule because you know you’re going to be in for a physical, exhausting night.

That’s who Miles Bridges has been throughout his career. You may think he’s a little undersized. You may not love his three-point percentage. Those are fair criticisms. What you’ll grow to appreciate is the way he competes. He cares about how he plays the game. He plays hard every possession. He attacks with purpose, and his effort rarely fluctuates. Those are qualities that don’t show up in a box score, but they influence winning just the same. More importantly, they’re exactly the type of habits Phoenix is trying to instill throughout the organization.

Veteran players establish culture. Young players absorb it. If the Suns are serious about building an identity rooted in effort, physicality, and relentless energy, Bridges is the kind of player who reinforces those standards every time he steps on the floor. That’s why I believe he’ll elevate the Suns offensively. Not simply because of the shots he’ll make, but because of the pressure, movement, and controlled chaos he’ll create every possession he’s on the floor.

The fit won’t be flawless, and the shooting concerns are real. But Phoenix didn’t acquire Bridges to replicate what Royce O’Neale provided. They acquired him to expand what the offense can become. More rim pressure. More creation. More difficult decisions for opposing defenses. Bridges doesn’t solve every problem, but he changes the questions defenses have to answer. For a Suns offense searching for greater balance and efficiency, that represents meaningful progress.

LeBron James wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t care about money when assessing his options in NBA free agency. Any team in the league could have landed James for essentially the veteran’s minimum if they could make the case that they gave him the best chance to win a fifth championship.

In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron sweepstakes. James is joining a lineup that already includes Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. The bench is pretty strong too with Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, and Ariel Hukporti. I predicted the Sixers were the favorites to sign James last weekend, but it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.

The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have to be heartbroken over James’ decision. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves must be kicking themselves that they couldn’t make a couple more moves to woo LeBron. Do the Boston Celtics suddenly regret the shocking Jaylen Brown to Philly trade that set LeBron’s decision into motion?

I released by way-too-early NBA power rankings two weeks ago, and now they’re already irrelevant after LeBron’s decision. With the Oklahoma City Thunder also trading Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, it feels appropriate to refresh the rankings. Here’s our latest power rankings for the 2026-2027 NBA season. One note: this is based on championship chances, not regular season performance. We’ll have more notes on the changes after the table.

Let’s dive into some changes from the last edition of power rankings.

The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade

The Thunder traded Lu Dort to save on their tax bill, and even Sam Presti admitted as much. I thought Dort was borderline unplayable late in the playoffs last year with a shaky handle, poor passing vision, and an inconsistent three-point stroke, but his defense was still impactful to opponents who feared his physicality. Losing Dort means more minutes for Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain, which should be a very good thing for OKC. It also means some of the young guns need to step up behind them, and the pressure is now on Nikola Topic and Bennett Stirtz, as well as Aday Mara and Thomas Sorber, to turn into decent rotation pieces.

I thought about moving OKC off the No. 1 spot with this update. The Spurs whooped them all season, right? The Knicks deserve the benefit of the doubt after a championship run, don’t they? The thing that keeps bringing me back to OKC is that we didn’t really get to see this team fully healthy all year, not with Jalen Williams and Mitchell both suffering untimely injuries. I hate the way Chet Holmgren looks in the Spurs matchup against Victor Wembanyama, but to me he’s still a top-15 player against anyone else. At the end of the day, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still the best guard in the game, and I’ll take my chances with him fully in his prime.

There is part of me that thinks losing Dort could be addition by subtraction for the Thunder. Their season will be determined by Williams’ health, Holmgren’s mindset, and Mitchell’s ability to level up again. I still think this is the strongest roster in the NBA, so they’re No. 1 entering the season to me.

The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?

I don’t love the fit with LeBron on the Sixers. Sorry. There are a lot of guys here at their best with the ball in their hands, with Philly’s five projected starters totaling 140% in usage rate. The defense is even more worrisome. Scaling down can be as hard as scaling up, and I just don’t think Jaylen Brown or Joel Embiid as it in their game to do it. Those two will need to prove me wrong for Philly to walk away from this season with a championship.

Can Brown adjust to a more off-ball role where he maximizes his three-point rate and locks in off-the-ball defensively? He only hit 33.1% on 2.5 catch-and-shoot attempts from three per game last year, and he’s always been inattentive defensively when he’s not guarding the ball. Can Embiid forgo his need for post touches and instead use most of his energy to get back to being a monster rim protector? I’m skeptical he’s interested in doing that. The Celtics shopped Brown to the entire NBA and no one wanted him enough to beat Philly’s offer. LeBron is seeing something that the nerds in rival front offices aren’t seeing, and that makes this move feel like a big bet on “Jaylen Brown, the superstar” as much as anything else.

The media is going to expect this team to be really good, but there’s quite a bit of downside here. James is going to need to have a big time shooting season after hitting just 31.7% from deep last year. He’s going to need to push himself as a leader to get Brown and Embiid to buy into their best roles. I still trust LeBron’s ability to problem-solve in the biggest moments, and this team will need it. I like Philly a lot better as a playoff team than a regular season team, but only if they’re healthy. That’s a big if with this collection.

Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision

Don’t look now, but the Heat and Cavs might be fighting to just get out of the play-in tournament after LeBron decided against a reunion with both franchises.

The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their depth is poor and they don’t really have any future assets left to continue building out the team. Miami is always so good at developing players on the margins, and this will be the biggest test yet of their ability to do it again. The Cavs are coming off a decidedly unconvincing run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they’ve only gotten worse this summer. Dean Wade is gone, and the only addition to the roster is second-round pick Meleek Thomas. I don’t care how great Thomas looked in summer league, this roster is in big trouble, and James choosing to go elsewhere is a huge indictment.

I’m liking the Hawks roster as much or more than the Heat and Cavs’. With New York, Philly, Boston, and Toronto (assuming they land Kawhi) all looking like better regular season teams, the pressure is on the front offices for Miami and Cleveland to pull a rabbit out of their hat at some point to up their ceiling and give their teams a real chance come playoff time.