DENVER, CO - JANUARY 9: Peyton Watson #8 of the Denver Nuggets drives to the basket during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on January 9, 2025 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. 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 Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With all the moves the Atlanta Hawks have made this season, some would think that they would done trying to add players. I mean, they have over the standard amount of players on the team, which means somebody is either going to be traded or waived at some point before the start of the season. Nonetheless, the Hawks are still being mentioned in rumors as they try to acquire another player on the team.
The latest rumor came from Shams Charania, as he named the Hawks as one of three teams looking to pursue restricted free agent Peyton Watson. The Denver Nuggets have been trying to find a way to retain him, but his price tag might be too high for them, and they’re currently the only team in the second apron.
The Nuggets can still find a way to keep him and not be too deep in a financial hole, but it would either require them trading other players or him playing on his qualified offer. If neither one of those options works out, there’s a good chance that he’s on a new team next season.
That’s where the Hawks could potentially come into play.
How Peyton Watson fits with the Hawks
It makes sense why the Hawks might be interested in Watson, and he fits everything they want to do on both sides of the ball.
On offense, Watson’s 6’8 frame makes him hard to guard, especially when he’s driving to the paint, which is something he did a lot with the Nuggets. He’s pretty athletic as well, and can get shifty when he’s going up for a layup. The Nuggets didn’t need Watson to create his own shot all the time, but when he did have the ball in his hands, he knew what to do with it.
As far as off-the-ball goes, when you have a player like Nikola Jokic on the team, cutting is essential, and Watson was good at creating shots by doing so. Whether he’s on or off the ball, Watson’s strengths would fit in perfectly with what the Hawks want to do on offense, strictly because he’d thrive with the constant ball movement. Not to forget to mention, Watson shot 41.1% from the 3-point line this past season, and the Hawks are consistently getting those shots up.
On defense, Watson’s length comes into play once again, and he’s good for meeting people at the rim if he has the right angle. He’s good for using his wingspan to get steals, and once he’s in transition, it’s hard to stop him.
The Hawks already have several wings on their team, but he’d be one of the tallest next to Jalen Johnson, who is also 6’8. That would be a plus for the team, and his skill set would go well with the Hawks.
How could the Hawks acquire Peyton Watson?
The Hawks would have to acquire Watson through a sign-and-trade, and the Nuggets are rumored to want a really good high-level player and a first-round pick. The Hawks have some assets that they could offer the Nuggets, but it may get complicated when looking at both of their current situations.
The Nuggets are in the second apron, and their goal shouldn’t be to get themselves deeper in a hole. That means they may have to trade more players, or they might just have to ask for more picks.
With the Hawks having 17 players currently on the roster, they could trade players such as Buddy Hield and Corey Kispert, but those aren’t the level of players they’re looking for in return. Other than that, it’s hard to see the Hawks giving up any of their core players, especially since acquiring Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort in a trade.
In that case, the Hawks and Nuggets may have to find a third team to get into the deal, but it may be even harder to pull that off unless that team is getting something valuable in return.
Out of the current teams who have interest in Watson, the Hawks might have the hardest path, but with them actually being interested shows that they know a path in getting him without making things complicated.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 31: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with Edwin Diaz #3 after the win against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on March 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ryan Sirius Sun/Getty Images) | Getty Images
T-minus four days until the trade deadline, and of course all of the conversation is revolving around who Tarik Skubal would be traded to, if he is, and will it be the Dodgers. The conversation has ramped up with Shohei Ohtani revealing that he is dealing with a biceps issue.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic says that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers “bully their way” into getting Skubal, as they often do with big name players.
Is it really bullying if you simply have a better package to send to the team that is offering up their player to be traded or is it just sour grapes, as usual? As he also likens the Kyle Tucker to just another “flavor of the month”, it leads one to assume that it is the latter.
Of course, the Dodgers are one of the very few teams who could weather an injury to a superstar like Ohtani and still be in World Series contention. And they also have the luxury of being able to keep their intentions close to the vest before the trade deadline, and after.
Max Ralph on Dodgers.com covers thoughts of how the current state of Ohtani’s body impacts the team now and in the foreseeable future.
“The knee is getting better and the goal is to get to the 100% mark,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “But I do have to focus on the hitting side, the position-player side of things. … It is still July, so I think the conversation [about pitching] will be a little different if we’re in August or September.”
One of the biggest additions to the team would be the return of Will Smith to the backstop and lineup. There was good news on Tuesday, when manager Dave Roberts announced that Smith was finally pain free and resuming some baseball activities.
Joaquin Ruiz covers that and other injury updates here.
Edwin Diaz, one of the other flavors of the month the Dodgers acquired in the off season, made his return to the team on Wednesday evening, which also coincided with his bobblehead night.
“I want to help this team to win,” Díaz said. “I’ve been on the sideline for a long time. Just can’t wait to get back.”
Diaz made seven appearances with the team before his injury, posting a not so great 10.50 ERA. It was not the start that neither he nor the team envisioned.
“There were some games I felt great, and there were some games I was trying to battle with the soreness and everything,” Díaz said. “At some point, I understood I needed to get everything done and check my arm, check my body, and if I have something, go and remove it.”
Diaz returns to help a bullpen that has struggled a bit as of late. Jack Harris of the California Post covers more details of Diaz’s return and the recent bullpen woes here.
The Atlanta Braves return to Truist Park tonight as a -138 moneyline favorite for their series opener against the Washington Nationals.
However, my Nationals vs. Braves predictions see value in the visitors due to their impressive offense.
Read more in my MLB picks for Thursday, July 30, with first pitch set for 7:15 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Who will win Nationals vs Braves today: Nationals moneyline (+129)
Jake Irvin returns to the hill tonight after missing over two months with a shoulder injury. He'll be on a short leash, which means the Washington Nationals bullpen will likely be called upon earlier. That's not a bad thing, either.
Washington's relief corps owns a 3.45 xERA across the last week while allowing just 0.31 HR/9. They're also up against an Atlanta Braves offense carrying a 77 wRC+ across their last seven contests.
As for Atlanta starter Grant Holmes, he has posted a 6.16 xERA over his previous two appearances, allowing a 40% hard-hit rate during that span. The Nats are raking right now, collecting a 143 wRC+ in the last two weeks.
The Nats’ pen holds down a cold Braves lineup, and Washington’s bats capitalize against Holmes early.
I'll play this down to +100.
COVERS INTEL: Holmes has been worse at home this season, posting a 5.05 FIP, giving the Nats a clear path to generate runs.
Nationals vs Braves Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (+105)
With a relatively high total of 9.5, the Under still has appeal. Washington has the better offensive path, but this doesn’t need to turn into a full-blown shootout for the Nationals to cash as an underdog.
The Braves are around league average offensively at home, and their current form makes it difficult to project them for a huge performance at the plate. Atlanta should still have chances, but this total requires both lineups to contribute consistently.
The concern is Atlanta’s bullpen, which has struggled with a 6.03 FIP over its last 26 2/3 frames while allowing 2.03 HR/9. Still, if most of the scoring comes from Washington, this can stay Under 9.5.
Play to -110.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 37-50, -17.66 units
Over/Under bets: 47-38, +2.56 units
Nationals vs Braves weather
Weather should be favorable at Truist Park tonight, with clear skies and temperatures falling from the upper 80s to the upper 70s. Winds look light, and there is no rain concern.
The warm early conditions could slightly help carry, but overall weather should not be a major factor.
Nationals vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Nationals +129 | Braves -138
Run line: Nationals +1.5 (-150) | Braves -1.5 (+144)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-113) | Under 9.5 (+105)
Nationals vs Braves trend
Washington has hit the moneyline in 31 of its last 50 road games (+21.65 Units / 42% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Nationals vs. Braves.
How to watch Nationals vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Date
Thursday, July 30, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
Nationals starting pitcher
Jake Irvin (2-4, 5.23 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Grant Holmes (6-4, 3.79 ERA)
Nationals vs Braves latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — give their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.
Fantable Questions of the Week
Q1: Four players (Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, Amir Coffey, Isaiah Livers) who finished the 2025-26 season with the Suns will not be back in 2026-27. Which one do you think the Suns might most regret losing?
zenzino: As far as continuity goes, only losing 4 players is pretty good. I’m rarely brief, so I’ll go through them all in reverse order.
While Coffey had a couple of good games against the Suns, we only saw a few flashes of that here. He seems like a player who needs consistent minutes to be effective, and he wasn’t going to get that on this team.
I liked Livers. There were a number of times when he provided a much-needed spark off the bench. I hope he lands with another team and gets an opportunity to develop. That being said, I don’t think we’re going to look at this like a Toumani Camara, one that got away, situation.
I’m not sure regret is the right word, but we are definitely going to miss some of the things Royce brought to the Suns. He was a cultural and chemistry fit. Lots of people like to describe him as a ‘turnstile’ on defense. While he wasn’t the best on-ball defender, he was great at funneling his player to the help (which can look like a blow-by) and was a really good help defender, coming up with a significant number of timely steals. Royce’s average from three was 40%, and he was particularly good in the 4th quarter. He is also an underrated passer. That’s why he was the inbound passer in critical times. I think we’re going to miss having him to inbound the ball in clutch time.
GA edges out Royce with a caveat: health. If he can play 65-75 games this season, we are absolutely going to regret losing him. Let’s not forget that GA and Royce were the main reason the Suns got off to the shockingly good start last season. Almost a third of the way through the season, they were 1 and 2 in percentage and three-pointers made. Furthermore, for most of last season, GA was the only player not named Booker who could create shots for others. The Suns have more of that now, but you can never have too many playmakers setting up their teammates. And let’s not forget the game-winning hustle plays.
My wife is usually around when I’m watching games, occasionally watching, but mostly listening while building Lego or something. Last season she would note every time GA’s name was exclaimed during the game. She hates Duke and says white boys from Duke have a ‘type’ (she’s not wrong). I digress. The point being she would say, “OMG! Grayson Allen again?” And I’d say, “Yeah, they call out when he does something good.” She won’t have that to complain about anymore. And I’ll miss everything about that.
Ashton: This is easily answered as Grayson Allen. I would have listed the first round pick that the Suns gave up, but it was not an option.
As soon as GA was traded, the questions began as to where the Suns’ perimeter shooting would come from, and that is a legitimate question. Okay, Luke Kennard was brought in to fill that hole, but it is still to be determined. And yes, GA suffered injuries that may have been related to his bulking up routine and maybe sleepless nights with the new kid. But he liked it in Phoenix, and I think the Suns may have done him dirty.
OldAz: While I was an advocate for moving a Royce and Grayson, the obvious answer here is Grayson Allen. They have added youth, length, and athleticism overall (albeit only small improvements with some of the moves), but unless Kennard completely replaces GA’s shooting or Green and Booker have better shooting years, that appears to be the one area of concern on the roster. While I like the roster better overall, I do think there will be a lot of times we miss GA. I don’t foresee that at any point with the other three.
Rod: I have to say it would be Grayson Allen, as he actually did much more on the court than shoot threes. He always played hard, was a solid ball handler and passer, and actually wasn’t too bad at getting to the basket when he took a mind to.
Royce comes in a closer second than I think many might like to admit, though, and I believe he might get more credit if he hadn’t been pushed into playing the role of the Suns’ starting PF. I hope some of the younger guys learned some of his tricks to fake out defenders at the three-point line and get an almost uncontested shot off. He was also a pretty damn good inbounds passer that I hope the Suns don’t miss too much.
Q2: Of the four players added to the Suns’ roster, Miles Bridges is obviously expected to be the most impactful addition. Between the other three — Luke Kennard, Koa Peat and Pat Spencer — which will have the 2nd biggest impact on the court for the Suns in 2026-27?
zenzino: It damn-well better be Luke Kennard.
If Koa Peat makes a bigger impact, that would probably mean that Bridges and Sheer aren’t making as much of an impact as they should. The same goes for Pat Spencer regarding CG and Goodie. They’re both 3rd or lower on the depth chart, so that would probably mean someone in front of them took a step back.
As discussed in the first question, the Suns traded 2 of their 3 best three-point shooters by percentage and number of threes made. That second part is the most important. Yes, Kennard makes almost half of his three-point shots. Impressive. But he has only averaged 4 attempts per game in his career. That’s not going to cut it. Last season, he averaged only 3.2 despite J.J. Redick giving him the green light to shoot ‘whenever he wants’. Meanwhile, Grayson averaged 9.3, and Royce averaged 6.8.
That’s a big gap the Suns are trying to fill. Do we want our 33-35% three-point shooters (Book, Green, Brooks, Bridges) trying to fill that gap? I don’t.
While I don’t think he’s strictly a one-dimensional player, his 3-point shooting is the only reason the Suns signed him. Obviously, giving Kennard the ‘green light’ isn’t enough. He’s going to have to be pushed out of his comfort zone. That will most likely bring his average down from ‘the best ever’ to merely ‘superhuman,’ and he has to be okay with that.
If he can’t/won’t get his attempts up to around 6-8 per game, we are going to really, really miss GA and Royce.
Ashton: If this question had been phrased with “in the future”, my easy answer would be Koa Peat. But it is not, and we are looking at just next season.
Luke Kennard must be the most impactful shooting guard for next season. The Suns’ playoff hopes depend on it. Yes, there are Spencer advocates out there, but Kennard will make the biggest splash.
Also, some fun facts from Wiki: Kennard beat MSU in the ACC-Big 10 challenge in 2016 with a very strong stat line. I am not sure how that sneaked by the FO or if they still feel the sting of it. And as a good segue from Q1, Kennard was frequently matched up against GA at Duke. So, one former Dukie out and another former Dukie in.
OldAz: Suns fans have a bad (but consistent) habit of expecting the players signed to fill out the roster to be the perfect fit and become the exact missing piece to elevate the team. Remember Yuta Watanabe? Or Nigel Hayes-Davis? Too often these players come in and contribute almost nothing and simply take up a roster spot. I expect Peat to get buried on the bench like last season’s rookies until he proves he can contribute more, but Kennard and Spencer both contributed last season on teams that were in the mix in the Western Conference.
On paper, they gave their teams about the same production that Jordan Goodwin gave the Suns. Each averaged a little over 20 minutes a game and contributed just under 10 ppg. I love the scrappiness Spencer brings and think he will become a fan favorite, but I expect Kennard to have the greatest actual impact because he fills that need for shooting better than the others. As a result, I expect he will get more opportunities and playing time…unless he ends up shooting like those previous offseason acquisitions that fell off a proverbial cliff once they arrived in Phoenix.
Rod: As a two-way player, I have to count Spencer out as an impactful player. Kennard’s three-pt shooting makes him the most likely candidate, but at this point in time, I’m not at all certain whether he’ll play a lot of minutes on such a deep roster (see my answer to Q3 for an explanation of this). The same can be said for rookie Koa Peat. Injuries will likely be the deciding factor on which will get the most playing time and the best opportunity to make an impact. Plus, how well each does during training camp and the preseason games could change everything.
At the moment, I’m going with Kennard on this one, though I’m pretty certain that his three-point shooting will get him minutes at times when the Suns really need those points, even if he’s not in the main player rotation.
Q3: With Booker, Green, Brooks, Bridges, and Williams as the likely starters for the Suns this season, which players would you choose for the Suns’ second unit?
zenzino: This is easy. CG, Goodie, Kennard, Sheer, Peat, Oso, and Man Man.
Wait… this is not easy. ‘second unit’ seems a little bit of a misnomer because it’s not like the whole starting lineup sits and then the second unit comes in. I’m going to reject the premise of a second unit.
CG, Sheer, Oso, and probably Goodie are going to be the first off the bench and in regular rotation no matter the matchups and situation. They will have consistent minutes (yes, I put Rasheer Fleming on this list).
How quickly the others are put in the game and how many minutes they get will be based on situations.
Obviously, in games MW sits out, Man Man will be the primary backup to start and maybe take over the 2nd starting position at some point in the season. He’ll also be out there when matchups require his 7’2” length. If SL is any indication, he could earn more and more minutes as the season (and his playing) progresses.
Kennard should be in regular rotation, especially when they need to spread the floor and score some quick threes.
Everyone else is going to be fighting for scrap minutes. Don’t sleep on Highsmith, though. He is a consummate 3 and D guy, forged in Heat Culture, and he should be fully healthy when the season starts.
If I can’t reject the premise: CG, Goodie, Kennard, Sheer, and Oso. For games Oso starts, Man Man slots in his backup role.
Ashton: There are some comments that suggest Green would be better utilized as a sixth man in place of Collin Gillespie as the starter. Sorry, that is not going to happen, but it is an interesting thought. I agree that this will be the starting lineup, but the forward position is a mess for the second unit. The guards were easily the ones to call out. I vacillated between Dunn and Sheer, but thanks to an excellent article from Tom Mildenberger on Ryan Dunn, I decided on my second rotation. I also want to give a shout-out to the commentators with the posts that resonated with me. Why not play Dunn and Sheer both forward spots?
CG (PG)
Kennard (SG)
Ryan Dunn (SF)
Rasheer Fleming (PF)
Oso Ighodaro (C)
We don’t know what type of offense or defense Coach Ott is going to roll out on a game-by-game basis, but my guess is that the center position soaks up the most minutes off the bench. For the sixth man or hustle award? I will take Collin Gillespie. I have no idea where to slot Goodie.
OldAz: It’s the offseason so let’s get crazy!
Since we have not seen any of these players together yet, I would love to see a lot of youth served in the second unit, with KM and Fleming in the frontcourt and Colin Gillespie running the show. The wings on this second unit are the most flexible, as Kennard and Goodwin could provide energy and offense, while Dunn and Oso would make for a really long defensive group. Let’s settle on a bit of balance here by giving Kennard the first shot with this second unit and either of Dunn or Oso finishing up the frontcourt. I am intrigued by playing Oso with KM and Fleming since both can shoot, and Oso seems to connect all the parts well, especially with CG on the court.
I guess this leaves me with CG, Kennard, Oso, KM, and Fleming. I love giving the young guys a chance here, but in reality this lineup might prove that I am the worst possible GM/Coach in the world.
Rod: This team is so deep now that I’d say that Gillespie is the only lock to be on the 2nd unit. I’d also say that Goodie is close to being a lock, but the addition of Kennard adds a little uncertainty to that…but I could also see them on the court together with Luke at the 2 and Goodie at the 3. Ott really likes Oso (I do too BTW), but I really want Khaman to be Williams’ backup this season because as the 1st and 2nd unit players get mixed on the court, Williams’ and Khaman’s games are more similar and would require less adjustment from the other players than it would with Oso being the first sub at center.
I think that Fleming will get a solid amount of rotation minutes this season and that they will be shared between the 3 and 4 positions. I’d love to see some minutes with him at the 3 with Khaman and Oso playing the 4 and 5 slots. Add Collin and Goodie to those three… must-see TV IMO. I don’t think Ott will play that lineup as his standard 2nd unit, though.
Until I see some preseason action from this team, I’m going with Gillespie, Goodwin, Highsmith, Fleming, and Maluach though. That’s a good mix of vets, youth, and talent.
As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!
Suns Trivia/History
On July 29, 2020, the Phoenix Suns officially announced the sale of their G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, to the Detroit Pistons. The team was supposed to relocate from Prescott Valley to Phoenix to play one more season as the NAZ Suns, but the team withdrew entirely from the 2020–21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic when the G League held an abbreviated season in a ‘bubble’ in Orlando, Florida.
On July 31, 2020, the Suns won the first of eight games in the Orlando Bubble, 125-122, against the Washington Wizards, after the 2019-20 regular season had been suspended for 4.5 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With only a 26-39 record before the season resumed (in what were called the “seeding” games) in the bubble, the Suns had an extreme uphill battle to get to the playoffs but won all 8 of their bubble games and missed out on the new Play-In game due only to a tiebreaker between them and Memphis. Despite this, they had the best record of all 22 of the teams that qualified for the bubble; Monty Williams was named Coach of the Seeding Games and Devin Booker was named to the All-Seeding Games First Team.
On August 1, 1994. the Suns traded center Mark West to the Detroit Pistons for a 1996 second-round draft pick and a 1999 2nd round draft pick. West was acquired from Cleveland in 1988 as part of the same trade in which the Suns acquired Kevin Johnson and Tyrone Corbin for Larry Nance and Mike Sanders. He played 8 seasons for the Suns, starting in 349 games, with career averages of 6.9 pts, 6.0 rebs, and 1.7 blocks per game. He is 2nd on the Suns’ All-Time Blocks Leaders list with 897.
On August 1, 1999, the Suns signed Oliver Miller, who was formerly their first-round draft pick (22nd) in 1992, as a free agent to a 1-year deal. Miller, who was notorious for his weight problems, left the Suns after signing a 4-year, 10 million offer sheet from Detroit in 1994. By the time he returned to Phoenix, Miller’s weight was rumored to be near 400 pounds.
On August 1, 2000, the Suns signed Tony Delk as a free agent. Although drafted in the first round with the 16th pick in 1996 by the Charlotte Hornets, Delk would spend his 10-year NBA career as a journeyman, never spending more than a season and a half with a single NBA team. For one night though, he was virtually unstoppable as he scored 53 points (at the time the 3rd best scoring performance by a Suns player in team history) in a losing effort against the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 2, 2001.
Today his 53-point night still ranks as the 7th best in team history.
On August 3, 2005, following the Quentin Richardson trade to the NYK and while in the extended process of shipping Joe Johnson to Atlanta, the Phoenix Suns signed shooting guard Raja Bell to a five-year, $23.75 million contract. A hard-nosed defender, one of Bell’s most memorable moments as a Sun was during Game 5 of the Suns’ 2006 first-round series vs the Lakers.
The Suns were down 3-1 going into that game but wound up winning the remaining 3 games to take the series and progress to the 2nd round. After defeating the LA Clippers 4-3 in the 2nd round, they went on to the Western Conference Finals where they lost out to the Dallas Mavericks 4-2.
Important Future Dates
Late September (dates TBD) – NBA Training Camps open Oct. 5 – Suns @ Pistons (preseason) 4:00 PM Oct. 7 – Suns @ Bulls (preseason) 5:00 PM Oct. 10 – Suns vs. Spurs (preseason) 7:00 PM Oct. 14 – Suns @ Spurs (preseason) 5:00 PM Oct. 16 – Suns vs. Jazz (preseason) 7:00 PM Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 05: Myles Turner #3 of the Milwaukee Bucks before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Fiserv Forum on April 05, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Part I explored the rationale to start Myles Turner. Part II argued for his demotion to the bench. In each of those scenarios, Turner plays a pivotal role in Milwaukee. Of course, it may just be best to cut (ties and trade) him before the season even begins.
Cut (okay, trade): Committing to the reset
Look, this one goes against the cardinal rule I outlined in Part I. But sometimes even the most steadfast of rules needs to be broken. And in the Bucks’ case, breaking this rule would signal a whole-hearted commitment to the reset, clearing away the last real remnants of desperation that came with going “all in” with Giannis (well, besides Gary Trent Jr.).
Turner’s arrival in Milwaukee was met with skepticism from the moment news broke of his signing. Yes, there was buzz—no one foresaw Jon Horst even thinking about waiving and stretching Damian Lillard, let alone following through with it to sign the best free agent available, from the team’s biggest rival no less—but after the shockwave passed, few thought it could really help the Bucks contend. As we know, they were right. And now that Giannis has gone, moving on from Turner would give the new young Bucks a chance to start with a truly clean slate.
But would trading Turner now really be selling him for ten cents on the dollar? If you haven’t seen our numerous articles about it, recent scuttlebutt has linked the Bucks to Denver Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson. And while this is without a doubt intriguing, the Nuggets’ alleged asking price of a Walker Kessler-like deal has all but ruled that out (especially with Ryan Rollins off the table).
As a reminder, the Los Angeles Lakers gave up two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round swaps to acquire Kessler in a sign-and-trade from the Utah Jazz. Yet Kessler, a rim protecting centre who doesn’t have Turner’s floor-spacing, commanded that trade despite playing just five games this past season. And he’s never averaged more than 11.1 PPG, a number Turner has only failed to surpass once in his 11-year career—and that came as a rookie.
Slate-cleaning and underrated trade value aside, moving on from Turner might also be a wise thing to do as part of Milwaukee’s bid to build its culture. Yes, Turner may be one of the team’s elder statesmen and, yes, it’s true that the 2025-26 Bucks were a complete mess of a team. But Turner airing the team’s dirty laundry on his podcast after the season isn’t what you want from a leader either. For a reminder, here’s what Yahoo Sports’ Andy Backstrom reported about it:
Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner revealed on his podcast with New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart that former Bucks head coach Doc Rivers “didn’t fine anybody ever” this past season, and that superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was the teammate who was most likely to be late for team events.
“Guys were late all the time,” Turner told Stewart on a new episode of “Game Recognize Game” that was released Thursday. “Guys were showing up to film whenever they wanted to show up. Guys were missing meetings. It was one of the craziest things I personally ever experienced.”
As Backstrom reported, Turner didn’t stop there:
“If the plane took off at 2 o’clock, we weren’t leaving till 4:30,” said Turner, who left the Pacers last offseason to sign a four-year deal worth more than $100 million with Milwaukee after it waived Damian Lillard.
Turner continued: “I’m being so serious, bro. It was crazy, dawg. Guys were an hour late to the plane. It got to the point where I knew not to show up until an hour after they said the plane was taking off. It was crazy.”
When Stewart asked Turner which teammate was most likely to be late, he didn’t have to do much thinking.
“Oh, that’s easy,” he said. “Giannis. Giannis is going to show up whenever he wants, really. I think that this kind of just came with the territory that — and once I saw it was going down, I was like, ‘Hey man, s***, more power to you. They ain’t going to fine you. S***, do what you do.’”
In reality, these are not the worst collections of comments a player could say about his team, but they’re certainly not a good look either. Especially if Turner didn’t actively try to do anything about it when it was happening. So, with the Bucks loaded with impressionable young talent, a move that ships off Turner for draft capital—and potentially a wiser presence—may be preferable.
The most obvious partner is the Toronto Raptors, who are in a position to be competitive, have a need at centre—especially one who can space the floor—and would likely give up draft picks to move Jakob Poeltl and the $104m he’s owed through the 2029-30 season. Another team that might be interested is the Los Angeles Clippers, who currently project to start 38-year-old Brook Lopez (no offense, Splash, we’ll always love ya). Heck, there are even scenarios where the Phoenix Suns, who are rightly or wrongly trying to win, and Brooklyn Nets, whose only legitimate centre is Day’Ron Sharpe, are suitors. For this thought exercise, though, it’s the notion that’s important; the team doesn’t really matter.
All options considered—start, bench, or trade—I’d like to see Turner stick around in Milwaukee, with the caveat that Kel’el Ware starts from day one. Myles, it’s time to embrace the bench and become the voice that unites and guides the Bucks back to relevancy.
There you have it, Brew Hoop community, the complete range of Myles Turner scenarios—unless this writer has missed something. If so, let me know in the comments and share your thoughts on what you think Taylor Jenkins—and/or Jon Horst—should do with last year’s prized free agency addition.
The first two games of the four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals have been a dream of near-perfection for the Cubs. (I hope I’m not jinxing the team when I write this Tuesday afternoon)
Alex Bregman, Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki had two games where they were playing out of their collective minds. Yes, it’s just two games, and yes, we don’t know how long Dansby Swanson will let Bregman use his bat (my guess is as long as Bregman wants).
Bregman was the table-setter for the team, going 7-10 with five runs scored and two RBI, including a home run and three doubles. He was a triple short of a cycle on Monday. The disclosure of Bregman using Swanson’s bat is a little funny, but as superstitious as baseball players are, he might be sleeping with the bat right now (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Hoerner cleared off the table, going 5-for-10 with three runs scored, six RBI and a HR. As an example of Hoerner settling in, of his four hits Monday, the first two were up the middle on each side of second base. After a solid single to left field, his home run was in the left field seats. He’s still showing the occasional signs of his natural tendencies of not depending on pulling the ball. Hope he keeps building on that.
Suzuki was 5-for-10 with three runs scored, two RBI and a pair of doubles.
Carson Kelly DH’d one game, so he contributed in both games, going 3-for-9 with two runs scored and two RBI.
On Monday, Miguel Amaya went 2-for-4 with an RBI. On Tuesday, Ian Happ went 2-for-4 with a walk, a run scored and two RBI on two doubles. Also, Pedro Ramirez, went 3-for-5 Tuesday with a run scored, an RBI and a double.
Colin Rea and David Peterson, enjoying the offensive support, posted solid performances. Monday night, Peterson went 5.2 innings allowing just three hits and a pair of walks while striking out three. He allowed two runs, one on a solo homer for his only mistake.
Tuesday, Rea went six innings of four-hit ball, allowing two walks and one run scored while picking up a pair of strikeouts.
There are still two games left in this key series. Hoping the hitting/pitching combo keeps chugging on.
I’m not ignoring the trade deadline. You all know the needs, and there are plenty of opinions below to pique your interests. A lot of the usual names, plus a couple of “yeah, right” names, but that keeps things interesting. My hopes? If they swing big, Detmers or Holmes for starting pitching, maybe with Gausman. For relievers, continue with the Mets by trying to pair Weaver with Raley or Minter. Adrian Morejon has entered the chat and is quite intriguing if the Cubs choose a non-Met route. This will clean out most of the top of the minors for the Cubs, though.
I tend to be pessimistic about the trade deadline, but where there’s smoke, there’s at least a bunch of sizzling embers. And the names above are just dreams, not predictions or expectations. And compared to usual years, my expectations are on a medium setting. The above fun thoughts won’t happen, so it will be more like one SP and one RP, then continue to scour the wire for RPs after the deadline.
I thought I’d add this on — I’m sure many feel discussion about Sandy Alcántara after this length of time is exhausting. But this line in one of the stories had me thinking: “He may not yet have returned to his elite form from a few years back, but the big right-hander is still a workhorse – and can be controlled through 2027 via a team option.”
A WORKHORSE! As nice as it would be to get an ace, a guy that you can (hope to) carry you deep into a game every fifth day would be a major gain. Alcantara has averaged seven innings and 102 pitches in his last five games. It would be nice to have one pitcher who when he starts the fourth inning, you don’t have to start wondering how fast the bullpen can warm up. In my fun game above, I’d put him in as a Gausman-like addition. But as a stand-alone option, gambling on him instead of Detmers would not be the most horrendous thing, especially if it opens options on other deals, like Holmes and a couple of Mets relievers. Just another out-there thought is all.
Let the dealing began!
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Brock Beauchamp (North Side Baseball): Four Popular Cubs Trade Targets, According To Fans. “We asked our community which trade candidates were drawing their attention. Here are the top four players on the list.”
Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery): Trade Rumors: New York Mets Scouts Checking Out Cubs’ Double-A Team. “The New York Mets are one of the few teams in MLB that are clearly sellers at this year’s MLB trade deadline, and despite their disaster of a season, they have plenty of intriguing pitching targets that the Chicago Cubs would love to acquire.”
Carson Wolf (Just Baseball): 3 Mock Trades That Would Make for a Perfect Cubs Deadline. “Jed Hoyer has a chance to capitalize on one of the best teams he’s assembled in Chicago, and an aggressive deadline could be the move that defines the Cubs’.”
Spotted pitcher Ben Brown in Cubs camp in Arizona on Monday. He appeared to be throwing well during his session and had a lot of pace on the ball. #Cubspic.twitter.com/eUQ3KkWuiI
Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Former Cubs first-round pick’s injury saga was even more heartbreaking than believed. “It’s easy to simply put Ed Howard in the ‘draft pick bust’ basket and move on, but there is a lot more to the story of this Chicago Cubs infield prospect. The local prep product hasn’t given up on his big-league dreams just yet.”
Ron Luce (OnTapSportsNet): David Peterson Has Been an Unsung Hero for Cubs. “One lousy game against the Cardinals aside, David Peterson has been an unsung hero for the Cubs in their starting rotation.”
(It doesn’t fail — no matter how many times I listen to SRV, the song I’m listening to is his best and my favorite. Until the next song.)
Through the early 1980s Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble played the Texas club circuit, becoming one of the most popular bands in the area. In 1982 the band played the Montreux Jazz Festival and their performance caught the attention of David Bowie and Jackson Browne. After Double Trouble’s performance, Bowie asked Vaughan to play on his forthcoming album, Let’s Dance, which, with Stevie’s lead guitar on six of the eight songs, became Bowie’s best selling record to date. After an after-hours jam in the artists’ bar Jackson Browne offered the group free recording time at his Downtown Studio in Los Angeles. Shortly afterward, legendary producer John Hammond landed Vaughan and Double Trouble a record contract with Epic, and the band recorded its debut album in two days over the Thanksgiving weekend at Downtown Studios.
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JULY 29: Randy Dobnak #62 of the Kansas City Royals delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on July 29, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Randy Dobnak threw 7 scoreless innings, and Salvador Perez tripled for the first time since 2022, in Royals 4-0 win.
And in the fourth, Royals captain Salvador Perez hit a leadoff triple — his first since the 2022 campaign. Perez chugged around the bases before belly-flopping into third base with his trademark smile. “Somebody told me it was four years ago,” Perez said. “So yeah, I saw the center fielder and kind of the ball got away from him. And I was touching second base. You know, I was thinking I can make it. So I go for it.”
Here are the key stakeholders involved in the Royals new stadium project
Vinnie Pasquantino was placed on the Injured List yesterday with a sore wrist
Almost three weeks after Vinnie Pasquantino returned following surgery on a right hamate fracture, the Royals first baseman is on the injured list again as he deals with right wrist soreness.
Kansas City on Wednesday placed Pasquantino on the 10-day IL, calling up outfielder John Rave from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Pasquantino exited Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss to the Twins in the ninth inning with right hand soreness after it had progressed throughout the game. He had felt some discomfort on a diving play at first base in Detroit over the weekend, and that discomfort hadn’t subsided.
Maikel Garcia felt pain in first rehab start and has gone back to KC for further evaluation
Maikel Garcia (left hand muscle strain) faced a setback in his rehab assignment, and is headed back to Kansas City for further evaluation.
Garcia went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and played five innings at third base on Tuesday night in his first rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. During his last at-bat, Garcia felt similar discomfort in his hand that had initially caused his injured list stint a month ago.
Some actual positive injury news, Kyle Isbel, who is rehabbing is on track to return in early August
Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel continued his Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday as he nears his return to the Major League club after being sidelined by plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Isbel, who has been on the injured list since June 10, has played in seven rehab games so far with Omaha and is ramping up his workload, especially in center field as he gets ready for a return that could come as soon as the first week of August when the Royals return home after their road trip.
David Lesky posted his top 25 prospects in the Royals organization
Caleb Moody of Kings of Kauffman had some thoughts on what the Royals should do at the trade deadline
Angels trade catcher Logan O’Hoppe to Rangers, along with reliever Chase Silseth
Tarik Skubal notched his 1,000th career strikeout in potentially final start for Tigers, as they also blew a huge lead and lost to Baltimore
Chris Sale remains unbelievably talented for someone his age.
Here is your song of the day, Take it Easy by the Eagles
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 09: An exterior view of the ball park before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Seattle Mariners at Oracle Park on September 09, 2020 in San Francisco, California. Smoke from various wildfires burning across Northern California blanketed the city in an orange glow. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
Just when we thought that the San Francisco Giants’ 2026 season couldn’t get any worse, a slew of injuries have been taking players out left and right over the last week. Casey Schmitt and Trevor McDonald are done for the year. And Harrison Bader decided to scoot through it, and made his injury worse. So who knows when we’ll see him again now.
We’re really going to need to start wrapping them in bubble wrap, and telling them to stay the heck away from Jeremy Affeldt so they don’t get any more creative ideas for how to get injured in their off time. (I kid, of course. No one can match Affeldt on that front.)
Honestly though, at this point, we should really just be preparing ourselves for the worst news possible at any given moment when it comes to this team. Natural disasters, civil unrest, dive-bombing squadrons of seagulls, the four horsemen of the apocalypse, the bullpen…yeah, it’s all happening.
What do you think the next bad news to plague the Giants will be?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants head down south to begin a four-game series against the San Diego Padres tonight at 6:40 p.m. PT.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 29: Kyle Manzardo #9 of the Cleveland Guardians reacts after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 29, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cleveland defeated Cincinnati 6-1. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Ohio Cup is officially Cleveland’s for the 2026 season. Yippee.
Cleveland has regained possession of the coveted Ohio Cup. Ontario Street will soon be flooded w/ fans reveling in the euphoria that only this feat can create.
Kyle Manzardo was named Ohio Cup MOP.
The Reds were using the cup to hold toothbrushes in their bathroom, by the way.
The Cleveland Guardians beat the Cincinnati Reds in last night’s series finale 6-1 behind a four-run fifth. Joey Cantillo was scoreless, but had a high pitch count and only threw four innings. Erik Sabrowski, having not pitched in nearly a week, earned the win. The team has a much needed off day before they start a two series homestand. Cleveland will host the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend and the New York Mets to start the post trade deadline portion of the baseball season.
Tom Hamilton said, on last night’s broadcast, that the team is “actively trying to improve” at the trade deadline but could not elaborate further.
AL Central Update
The time to scoreboard watch is now. As the Guardians were defeating the Reds, the New York Yankees gave up a four run lead late in the game against the Chicago White Sox, tying the game at 4-4 going into the ninth. The White Sox ultimately walked it off in the twelfth inning.
The Detroit Tigers were humiliated by the Baltimore Orioles. Behind Tarik Skubal, who threw his 1000th strikeout yesterday, the Tigers gave up a seven run lead to lose 10-9 in extras.
Kansas City did Cleveland a solid. The Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-0. Minnesota remains 1.5 games back from Cleveland for that last Wild Card slot. Yesterday’s loss came on the heels of Byron Buxton being sent to the IL again.
Trade Updates
The trade deadline is days away, and there are some moves starting to trickle in. At the time of writing, it was announced by Jeff Passan that the Rangers are acquiring RHP Chase Silseth and catcher Logan O’Hoppe from the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers are reported to be optioning O’Hoppe to Triple-A Round Rock Express.
Right handed starter Dustin May is on hug watch as he was seen hugging several of his Cardinals teammates after his start last night.
Jon Morosi reports that the Dodgers are eyeing Tarik Skubal, because of course they are.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on during the game against the Houston Rockets during the Semifinals on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the fire sale trade of Ja Morant to Portland, Memphis is fully committed to rebuilding around Cameron Boozer. They got a pretty good idea of his talents in Las Vegas during Summer League play, but like all players outside of Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, Boozer has limitations.
The Grizzlies already had massive Zach Edey, and they picked up Isaiah Stewart, who will also be helpful around the rim. Former BC big man Quinten Post may also be a factor.
The thing about rim protection is that you can guard the rim on the floor too, as Maliq Brown demonstrated over the last two years for Duke.
Boozer may not have massive hops, but he plays good positional defense, and maybe he picked up a thing or two from Brown, who stopped quite a few shots before the shooter left the ground.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 26: Kevin Durant #7 and Fred Vanvleet #5 of the Houston Rockets sit on the bench during the second quarter of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Four of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 26, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Rockets are expected to sport a starting lineup featuring Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun for the upcoming season.
Inserting VanVleet as the starting point guard could elevate Houston’s first five and make it one of the best in the league. Bleacher Report contributor Greg Swartz ranked all 30 starting lineups and placed the Rockets at No. 9.
“The Houston Rockets’ starting five should be far more balanced in 2026-27 if VanVleet can play like his pre-ACL tear self,” Swartz wrote.
“Houston tried to go ultra-big at times with no true point guard, leading to a bogged-down offense that needed more playmaking and outside shooting. VanVleet, 32, will need to prove he’s healthy and beat out Marcus Smart for the position. Houston will also be a team to monitor in the trade market if a star point guard becomes available.”
The only teams that ranked higher on Swartz’s list include the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Philadelphia 76ers, who just signed LeBron James to a two-year, $8 million deal.
Van Vliet will have to adjust and shake his rust off after spending over a year on the sidelines, but the Rockets will be a better team with him on the floor. The Rockets will have a floor general that makes the players around him better, setting themselves up for more high-percentage looks. That could make a massive difference in the Rockets’ offense next season.
TDS Community, how do you feel about the team’s starting five going into the season? Let us know in the comments section below.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MAY 2: The Coyote, the mascot of the San Antonio Spurs, high fives a student volunteer during the NBA Cares/BBVA Compass "Team. Works. In Schools." refurbishment project on May 2, 2012 at the E.T. Wrenn Middle School in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Chris Covatta/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Here in San Antonio, summer is in full effect. But don’t let the weather fool you, the first day of school is just around the corner. Teachers in my district return Monday with student first day the following Wednesday. If you are local and have school age children, the Spurs are hosting their fifth annual back to school event with supplies and services on August 8th.
Per a Spurs press release:
“Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) is hosting its fifth annual Back to School Bash at Frost Bank Center on Saturday, Aug. 8 from 12-3 p.m. Parents, students and teachers in grades K-12 are invited to attend this event for free school supplies and resources while supplies last. Registration is now open and required for attendance.“
Services include:
School supplies for K-12 grade levels
Dental screenings
Heart screenings
Glucose screenings
Haircuts
Information booths for school enrollment, extracurricular activities, mental health support and family support services.
Patricia Mejia, Chief Impact & Inclusion Officer at SS&E stated,
“Every student deserves to begin the school year with the tools and confidence they need to succeed. Back to School Bash is about removing barriers for families while bringing our community together to support students and educators. We’re grateful to our partners who make this event possible and help set thousands of young people up for a strong start to the school year.”
Parents and/or guardians are required to be present with their children. Participating educators must have their teacher ID upon entering the event. Items and services will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and only while supplies last.
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Bruce Thornton #2 of the Houston Rockets drives to the basket during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2026 NBA Summer League Semifinals game on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Mike Kirschbaum/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
On episode 211 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Justin and Connor are joined by Will Guillory of The Athletic. Guillory covers the Houston Rockets, which is now the home of two former Buckeyes, Bruce Thornton and Jae’Sean Tate.
Guillory was on site in Las Vegas for all the Summer League action, so we discussed Thornton and his performance. Where does Thornton fall in the rotation? Can he expect minutes early? Was Guillory surprised by the decision to draft Thornton? And what does Guillory like about Thornton’s game?
We also talked about Jae’Sean Tate and his role with the Rockets, Kevin Durant and working with the players, and some of the stories he has written in his career.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! We have episodes every Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn published his annual article ranking every NHL team by contract efficiency, and, unsurprisingly, the Montreal Canadiens fared very well. A week ago, he released a ranking of the league’s 10 best contracts, and he had Habs defenseman Lane Hutson’s in the top spot, which no doubt went a long way towards Montreal being second in this latest ranking.
The only team that beats the Habs in contract efficiency, according to Luszczyszyn, is the Caroline Hurricanes, since he gave an A grade to seven of their 20 contracts. As for the Habs, they have six grade-A contracts, but five of them are A-plus. Montreal went from number 14 in those rankings last season to second this season, and chances are, it will keep climbing next offseason when some of its worst contracts, according to the model (Phillip Danault, Josh Anderson), come off the books.
Unsurprisingly, those two contracts, which both get a C-minus grade, were not signed by GM Kent Hughes. The architect of this iteration of the Canadiens has done wonderful work on the team's financial structure. Getting both Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky to sign for less than captain Nick Suzuki was a stroke of genius, and so were the deals he signed with Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov. The Russian player’s eight-year, $9.2 million cap-hit deal is looking better by the day. Hours after Luszczyszyn released his rankings, it was announced that Macklin Celebrini had signed a five-year contract extension with the San Jose Sharks with a $18.8 M cap hit, which means that Demidov will be earning less than half of what the Sharks’ prodigy will make.
While Hughes’ fingerprints are all over those contracts, it’s important to remember that he wasn’t alone in making them happen. Much has been made of the fact that Anaheim Ducks’ GM Pat Verbeek hadn’t signed his RFAs in advance, leaving himself vulnerable to offer sheets, but no matter how much a GM wants to sign a player to a new deal, if the player doesn’t want to do that, it won’t happen.
In a recent episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman interviewed Matt and Ryan Keator, who are Leo Carlsson’s agents, and they revealed that Anaheim was very keen on signing a new deal before his ELC ended. Still, the agents convinced the player not to do that. In a nutshell, they didn’t want Carlsson to regret signing a deal before he had all the information about the market and could make an informed decision. For Hughes to be able to sign those deals, the Canadiens players had to be ready to do what Carlsson ultimately didn’t want to do: put pen to paper without knowing what the market would look like a year later down the line. They had to tell their agents they weren’t after the most money possible; they were after an opportunity to win in Montreal, and they were willing to give the Canadiens ample time to do that.
Photo credit: The Athletic
Not only did the Canadiens’ core players sign team-friendly deals, but they signed away years of UFA status. Celebrini, Connor Bedard and Carlsson all only signed five-year deals, meaning that after those five years, they’ll be free as a bird to cash in on the free agency market. If they won’t commit to their team before the expiry of their deal, they may very well be allowed to walk for free. In five years from now, if you are the San Jose Sharks or the Chicago Blackhawks and your team is looking good ahead of the playoffs, you can’t just trade away such important core pieces right before the playoffs. It certainly puts a lot of pressure on their team’s front office to win and win fast.
Meanwhile, in Montreal, most of the core players signed eight-year contracts; it started with Suzuki (under Bergevin), followed by Caufield, Slafkovsky, Noah Dobson, Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov. That wasn’t all Hughes’ doing either. Players talk to each other, and Demidov was very open with the media, telling us that he and Hutson had long discussed the importance of being in Montreal. Those players all left money on the table and very likely did it against their agents’ advice; that was clear when Hutson’s negotiations dragged on, and he stepped in himself to put an end to the deadlock.
Yes, Hughes has done great work putting this team together, but the players also did a great job building a culture in which the team and winning come first; that’s how the Canadiens landed in second place in Luszczyszyn’s rankings.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 06: Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens (left) and lead owner Bill Chisholm speak during a media availability at The Auerbach Center on July 06, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If you’ve been side-eyeing the Boston Celtics for the past few weeks, you haven’t been wrong to.
If you’ve been on the fence ever since last offseason, you weren’t wrong then, either. You were just early.
Ever since Bill Chisholm curated an ownership group backed by deep-pocketed investors, including private equity firm Sixth Street, there hasn’t been much for fans to rally around. The franchise spent the better part of the past year shedding payroll to avoid the league’s luxury tax penalties, and last season they hit the jackpot — before blowing it all off in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers in the organization’s most catastrophic postseason exit.
Jayson Tatum’s ruptured Achilles tendon, which jeopardized his entire 2025-26 season, became a convenient cover for Boston’s new ownership after the team’s second-round exit against the New York Knicks. Championship expectations were immediately removed, hence allowing for the dismissals of Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Luke Kornet in a justified manner that didn’t pressurize Stevens or Chisholm’s high rollers above.
Just when fans thought the pre-15-game-win-streak Boston Red Sox were the biggest concern in town, Chisholm emerged as the suspicious selling point representing the incoming ownership group. His Massachusetts upbringing helped ease the fear that the Grousbeck family would hand the team over to an emotionless corporate shark looking to turn the Celtics into their next ATM. Why? Because it’s easy to assume that Chisholm’s New England roots signal an inherent emotional attachment to the team and its success to that of the thousands who enter TD Garden each night throughout the season.
That assumption wasn’t entirely unreasonable.
After all, the Grousbecks ultimately turned down longtime business partner Stephen Pagliuca’s offer, which reportedly did not include private equity backing. Pagliuca stood by Wyc Grousbeck in 2002 when they purchased the Celtics for $360 million and began restoring a storied franchise that had fallen off a bit. Over the next 22 years, Pagliuca and Grousbeck guided Boston to four NBA Finals appearances and two championships.
Boston, MA – September 24: Boston Celtics governor Bill Chisholm and Wyc Grousbeck attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly named William Felton "Bill" Russell bridge, which was previously the North Washington bridge, on September 24, 2025. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Every step of the way, through the team’s highs and lows, Grousbeck and Pagliuca made their intentions clear. The Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett trade with the Brooklyn Nets, the Isaiah Thomas-for-Kyrie Irving flip — those were all moves made with the next banner in mind. As difficult as those decisions might’ve been, along with plenty of others, there was always a clear, rational explanation behind pulling the trigger to support the trust Grousbeck and Pagliuca built with the city.
Chisholm and his associates haven’t earned that. Yet.
So far, they’ve mastered shedding payroll while still working on selling the idea that every decision is made in pursuit of a championship.
“This was all about basically trying to win,” Chisholm told reporters after the Brown trade on July 6, per NBC Sports Boston, “and I think really trusting in our process. We have the best front office in the NBA. They put in their work, and they came to the conclusion this was the best way for us to win. That’s the mandate, is to win. I just have to keep saying that. We’ll spend whatever it takes to do that. The mandate is to win. Brad and his team came with his recommendation that this is the way we’re going to win. And I looked at it and had the same reaction. I was like, ‘Wow.’ This is the fan in me. It was really tough.”
Trading Brown, in his prime, for George, who will turn 37 next May, was a decision made to win? To win now? To maximize Tatum’s prime at this moment?
Stevens’ mismanagement of Brown’s departure, for a return most Celtics loyalists would’ve considered laughable if proposed by any basketball blogger beforehand, warrants scrutiny. Is the CBA a factor? No doubt. Did the Celtics long know that before this offseason? No doubt. So perhaps it would’ve been in their best interests to go full throttle for Giannis Antetokounmpo and leave no regrets at the negotiating table with the Milwaukee Bucks.
“I think that we did the deal because Paul George is a good player and we got draft assets,” Stevens told reporters.
The transparency that once existed under Grousbeck and Pagliuca is seemingly fading under Chisholm. The Celtics had their chance to use Antetokounmpo as a legitimate basketball-first pursuit, and they fumbled at the goal line. Instead, they pivoted and traded for an injury-prone, aging George while doubling down that trading Brown was a basketball decision the front office came up with?
That doesn’t add up. How does removing Brown, after carrying a depleted Celtics to 56 wins and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, suddenly solve any basketball-related issue?
Boston, MA – May 2: Boston Celtics owner Bill Chisholm talks to guard Jaylen Brown after the game. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
That’s where the disconnect begins.
Brown spent most of the offseason scrutinized by the national media, and the Celtics had a hand in it. The same JB who shrugged off trade rumors linking him to swaps for Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant, then showed up to work with no issue. The same JB who went the extra mile as a deeply invested leader of the Boston community — more accessible than any other star currently sporting the uniform.
He didn’t lean on hashtags or choreographed pictures for social media. Brown consistently carried himself with sincerity, even when the Celtics weren’t willing to.
Granted, philanthropy means absolutely nothing to ownership. It never has and it never will. But there’s a certain weight that Brown carried. His value to the Boston community wasn’t just sentimental; it represented years of showing up, investing in the city and embracing it to the point where fans weren’t only attached to Brown the player, but even more so Brown the person.
For nearly a decade, the Celtics had been shopping Brown on the trade market. To then reach the point of desperation where the front office forced itself to accept George, two first-round picks, and two second-rounders as the return is like buying skincare at a mall kiosk.
Boston owes George over $54 million this upcoming season, then another $56.5 million with his 2027-28 player option. That’s over $110 million committed to an ex-star whose availability over the past two seasons didn’t even add up to one full season (78 games).
That’s a tough, tough sell for a basketball decision made “all about basically trying to win.”
It becomes an even tougher sell for the fanbase when, after handing Brown to the rival Sixers on a silver platter, LeBron James, too, joins Philadelphia — forming a superteam with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey by signing a team-friendly two-year, $8 million deal with the Sixers.
That doesn’t help Boston’s optics. It certainly doesn’t help their chances in the East either.
Ultimately, Chisholm and company have time to build some trust within the city. It’s really optimistic to believe that will come to fruition anytime soon, but it is possible.
It’s also possible that Tatum’s prime 2026-27 season goes to waste while the Celtics watch Brown, James, and Embiid turn the East into their own personal playground next postseason.
By then, it’ll be up to Chisholm to either sing the same tune or recalibrate. Either way, it won’t be easy — and it’s hard to imagine he and the Celtics don’t know that now.
COVERS INTEL: Holmes has been worse at home this season, 
