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The Grizzlies are way ahead of schedule, but still have a long way to go

(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Every season comes with its own unique twists and turns. If it wasn’t that way, all of our offseason prediction pieces would be perfect and there would be no point in playing any games.

Fortunately, this year has been no different. Chief among all the unexpected outcomes are the Memphis Grizzlies, who, in what was supposed to be the first year of a rebuild, sit at 7-4 with the 10th-best net-rating in the entire association. 

With teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves enduring significant injuries, and others like the Denver Nuggets looking too old for their own good, it is plausible that the West is more wide-open than we initially believed. But is it possible for the Grizzlies to be this ahead of schedule? Or is this just a flash of what they will eventually become?

How the Grizzlies keep winning

It feels cliche to say this given how much this team has permeated the NBA zeitgeist since they won it all, but this Grizzlies group really does resemble the 2013-14 Beautiful Game San Antonio Spurs. 

The Spurs were an incredibly deep team that reached the Platonic ideals for decision-making speed, spacing, and ball movement. Head coach Tuomas Iisalo has the Grizzlies on this current trajectory. 

Iisalo basically load manages his team to ensure that they are as fresh as possible. This year, 13 Grizzlies have played at least 70 total minutes. The only other teams that can say that are the Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Utah Jazz  – all of whom have had to deal with their fair share of injuries. So, their digging deep into their bench is more out of necessity than it is a tactical decision.

Under this new regime, the Grizzlies are deploying a multi-layered, ball-screen continuity attack predicated around the pick-and-roll and side-to-side ball movement. Iisalo quite literally refers to the concept as “flow,” which is poetic considering the way the offense softly cascades from action to action. The intricacies of their futuristic style are outside of the scope of the current discussion, but if you want to learn more, be sure to check out this deep dive from Coach Gibson Pyper:

As any coach will tell you, strategy will only take you so far. You need the players who can execute your vision or else it doesn’t matter how smart you are. This offense requires skilled operates (Ty Jerome and Cam Spencer), strong screeners (Zach Edey, Cam Boozer, and Isaiah Stewart), shooters/closeout attackers (Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, Jerami Grant, and Quentin Post), and speedy court mappers (Boozer may be better than any rookie at this in all of NBA history).

The bottom line is that this team has a litany of legit players. This also shows on the defensive side of the ball, where the Grizzlies currently rank fifth (just like on offense). It starts in the middle. Prior to the start of the season, I called Stewart one of the best defensive bigs in the league, and the only thing stopping me from doing the same with Edey were his lingering injury concerns. Edey, in particular, is looking like a fringe Defensive Player of the Year candidate. When he’s out there, the Grizzlies are in the 99th percentile in defensive rating (per Cleaning the Glass). That’s in a league that features Victor Wembanyama. Between him and Stewart, that’s an excellent defensive foundation. 

Wells and Coward are a pair of rangy wings, with powers that perfectly compliment each other (Wells is better at defending the ball, Coward has more of a presence off-ball). Grant and GG Jackson have size and length. Boozer moves better than anyone with his muscle mass should reasonably be expected to. Kris Murray would get more buzz for his defensive prowess if his offense wasn’t so damaging. 

Iisalo’s theory about keeping bodies fresh has come to fruition. While many teams are operating at half-speed, conserving themselves for the 82-game grind, the Grizzlies are moving like it’s the first round of the postseason. An abundance of youthful vigor (the Grizzlies are the third-youngest team in the league) certainly helps, too. Look at the way Wells and Boozer are sliding their feet in this first clip, or the diligence from Spencer to x-out and kill the advantage created by Braden Smith:

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Why the Grizzlies aren’t THAT good (yet) 

If you’re a fan of the team or in any way affiliated with the organization, you should feel very excited about what you are building. Boozer, Coward, Edey, Wells, Jackson, and Stewart are all 25 years old and younger. The future is bright in Memphis, but for right now, there are some indicators that tell us negative regression is coming.

The Grizzlies are second in 3-point percentage and eighth opponent 3-point percentage. Opponent 3-point percentage is almost exclusively contingent on variables outside of a defense’s control, and, on the flip side, I doubt this group will remain the second-best shooting team in the association for the entirety of the marathon. 

Dunks & Threes has a metric which ranks a team’s strength of schedule from the games they’ve already played (SOS). According to that, the Grizzlies have had the second-easiest schedule this year, with their best win coming against a Warriors team that had yet to hit its stride. 

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In their recent loss against the Indiana Pacers, we got front row seats at their biggest shortfall: guard play/ball handling. Outside of Ty Jerome, Cam Spencer, and Scottie Pippen Jr. (who is hurt right now), the Grizzlies don’t have much in terms of pressure breakers, and none of those three gentlemen is a black belt in this art form. The Pacers’ token fullcourt pressure hounded the Grizzlies all night, to the tune of 20 turnovers and their lowest offensive rating output of the season.

This could be remedied if Iisalo started playing two of these three together more frequently, but in that case, it would weaken their formidability on the other side of the ball. Patching up one whole leads to another. A telltale sign of a flawed unit.

If I was a prospective general manager, who could pick a ten-year gig with any team in the league, it would take one hand to count off the places I’d pick over the Grizzlies. What they have here is real, and it seems more bulletproof than the last generation (no pun intended, I swear). But right now, in 2026-27, I find it difficult to see the Grizzlies as anything more than a fringe playoff team. 

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Friday morning Rangers update

ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 18: Josh Smith #8 of the Toronto Blue Jays and Corey Seager #5 Texas Rangers share a moment during a game Globe Life Field on September 18, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Good morning, LSB.

Evan Grant welcomes World Series champ Thad Levine in the latest episode of his Rangers podcast.

The Athletic scouts the new wave of Japanese talent coming to MLB, of which the Rangers have already shown interest.

And MLB Pipeline lists each top-100-ranked prospect who needs to be protected from next week’s 40-man deadline.

That’s all for this morning. Happy Friday!

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Joel Embiid’s aggressiveness was a welcome sight for Sixers

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 12: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball during the game against the Toronto Raptors on November 12, 2026 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Sixers losing two out of three games wasn’t necessarily cause for much concern, but the way they lost those games raised some alarm bells. Particularly with Joel Embiid, who has yet to find his shot this season. His defense also began to deteriorate over the past couple of games as he dealt with plantar fasciitis in his right foot.

Through his first 10 games of the season, Embiid shot just 37% from the field and a career-low 55% from the rim. That included a game where he went 0-for-9 from the field in Cleveland against the Cavaliers, one of the worst performances of his career.

After being blown out by the Boston Celtics, Embiid admitted that he might be in his own head.

“[I’m] probably overthinking it too much,“ he said, ”and then I think the rhythm of the game is different. I’m so used to having to create for myself, so it’s a little bit different.“

The Toronto Raptors coming to town provided a good opportunity for a get-right game. Not only were they down multiple key starters and on the second night of a back-to-back, but their starting center, Jakob Poeltl, has struggled mightily all season.

Embiid didn’t completely snap out of his funk. His 20 points came on 7-of-17 shooting. Toronto was able to get into the lane with relative ease all night, but anyone watching the game could tell that Embiid was moving around the floor much better than he had in recent outings as the Sixers got back in the win column. That fact was capped off by Embiid dunking not once but twice.

“I think it’s a really, really big positive,” said head coach Nick Nurse. “I think that he’s just moving better, and I’m not sure that was the case for a couple games here recently.”

Embiid was able to do all of this after scaring every Sixers fan at the beginning of the game. Early in the first quarter he bumped knees with Ja’Kobe Walter as he was setting a screen and went down in a heap of pain. He went back to the locker room but was able to return three minutes later of game time.

Nurse said that Embiid was “very, very motivated” to play once he had returned to the locker room — so much so that Nurse had trouble subbing him out for his scheduled rests. Nurse did say that’s a good problem, sometimes.

Embiid didn’t talk after the game, but he told reporters at shootaround before the game that he needed to be more aggressive. While he still didn’t hit as many midrange jumpers as he’s used to, that aggression was visible in his shot selection — 10 of his 17 attempts came from the paint and it looked like he really started to hunt dunks. He nearly had another self-lob off the backboard, but Collin Murray-Boyles got in the way, forcing Embiid to kick the ball out to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for a three.

“It’s nice to see the kind of movement spark come back,” Nurse said. “You’ve heard me say this a lot too. When he’s driving the ball, he’s feeling pretty good.”

There’s still a ways to go for Embiid getting back on track. That lethal jumper he’s so famous for still has to come around. At the same time, the aggression he showed in attacking the basket was a welcome sight for every Sixer.

“I always tell him, ‘Bro, like you’re the MVP of this league,‘” VJ Edgecombe said, “you’re that good, you’re that good.‘ I always tell him, ‘No one can stop you. There’s not one person in the NBA than can guard you.‘”

If this is the start of Embiid putting it together, the Sixers’ offense can finally start to look as dangerous as it was advertised over the summer. The fact that they’ve started the season 10-3 in the mean time is one hell of a cushion.

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Will the Red Sox target Brewers free agent slugger Jake Bauers this offseason?

MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 30: Jake Bauers #9 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates during the 2026 World Series Parade of Champions at Henry Maier Festival Park on Friday, October 30, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Welcome to the 2026-27 edition of Smash or Pass, in which we examine potential free agent and trade targets to determine whether the Red Sox should pursue them and what it would take to land them. Today, we continue the series with one of the heros of the 2026 postseason.

Who is he and where does he come from?

He’s Jake Bauers and he was born on October 6, 1995, which was the very day that the Mo Vaughn and John Valentin-led Red Sox were swept out of the playoffs by the juggernaut Cleveland Indians. Does that mean anything? Does Craig Breslow need to consult an astrologist before offering Bauers a contract? Would signing him open up some kind of wormhole underneath the plate at Fenway Park that would allow passage directly between the Charles and the River Styx? Because, if so, maybe we can just say “pass” right now.

Is he any good?

If you’re one of those Scottish footy fans who saw a baseball game for the first in your life back in June, then you may well think that Jake Bauers is one of the best baseball players on the planet. He was the best hitter on the best team in the world this year, combining power and patience in the heart of the Brewers lineup.

In October, he broke containment and became one of the stars of the postseason, winning the NLCS MVP and doing so not necessarily with his power bat (he only hit one homer in the four-game sweep), but on the strength of his plate discipline. With 2 outs and 2 on in the bottom of the 3rd of game 2, as the Brewers trailed the Dodgers 2-1, it was Bauers who worked a 12-pitch walk against Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It was the longest at-bat of Yamamoto’s career and it visibly tired out the Dodgers ace, leading to Christian Yelich’s subsequent go-ahead single and an early hook for Yamamoto. It was the turning point of the series, and if Bauers didn’t necessarily earn MVP honors on the back of that walk alone, he sealed it the next game when he worked an 11-pitch at-bat against Blake Snell, ending this one not with a walk but a go-ahead 2-run bomb.

But — as we heard many, many times during the playoffs — Bauers was an unlikely hero for the Brewers. Two years before, after posting a career bWAR of -1.9 over parts of 7 seasons, he had decided to give up baseball for good. Then his wife got pregnant and, unable to return to her job as a public school teacher, Bauers decided to return to life in the minors for one reason only: to get health insurance. (And, yes, this is one of those stories that corporate media tried to paint as inspiring, when all it really does is demonstrate one of the many ways in which American society is fucked.)

But something clicked late in 2025 for Bauers. After spending most of the season as a bench player and showing no signs of life (he was slashing just .188/.314/.338 at the beginning of September 2025) Bauers says he decided to completely stop thinking at the plate, while also slightly adjusting his stance and moving back in the box. He subsequently hit .360/.458/.560 in September, then exploded the following year.

Tl;dr, just give me the 2026 stats.

144 G, .266/.389/.484, 140 OPS+, 26 HR, 156 K, 94 BB

Why would he be a good fit for the Sox?

Bauers would have led the 2026 Red Sox in OBP and walks, while finishing just a touch behind Willson Contreras in home runs, slugging, and OPS+. Stick his bat in the lineup and suddenly the Sox are lengthening innings and hitting more long balls — the two things they couldn’t do against the Yankees in the playoffs.

Why wouldn’t he be a good fit for the Sox?

Well, let’s start with the fact that he almost retired two years ago, because the big question about Bauers is: is his transformation for real? Many people — including many of the analytically-inclined ilk — think it is. That’s because Bauers spent years as one of those players who put up big exit velocity numbers that didn’t translate into in-game power. If he could just make the right tweak to his swing, so the thinking went, he could turn into a real home run threat.

That type of thinking led to him getting chance after chance from a lot of really smart teams: the Rays, Guardians, Mariners, Yankees, and, of course the Brewers, who finally reaped the rewards of that patience. But let’s get real here: Bauers is 31-years-0ld and now has a career bWAR of just 2.0. Do you really buy that by simply “not thinking at the plate” he turned himself from a quad-A guy to an All-Star over night? And even if he did figure things out, well, he’s still 31-years-old. He is in the midst of his physical decline, and how much will the inevitable losses in bat speed and vision impact his game?

There’s also the issue of his fit on the Red Sox. Bauers is a first baseman and not a very good one, meaning he would likely be signed to be the full-time DH in Boston. He’s also a lefty, and while he does a pretty good job of spraying the ball to all fields and should be able to learn how to use the Monster, it’s quite possible that his power numbers would take a hit playing in Fenway.

What would it take to get him?

Because of his almost complete lack of a track record, it’s really hard to predict what Bauers will get on the open market. Ben Clemens of FanGraphs sees him getting nothing more than a 2-year deal for $19 million per year. Keith Law at The Athletic, on the other hand, thinks he’ll land a 4-year deal for closer to $25 million per year. Add in the volatility of the lockout and it’s anyone’s guess.

Smash or Pass?

The Red Sox already have a lot of high variance hitters in the projected 2027 lineup. Outside of Willson Contreras and Wilyer Abreu, I don’t feel all that confident in anyone in the lineup, really. Is Ceddanne Rafaela still getting better or did we just see his career year? Was Curtis Mead’s strong half of a season for real? Can Roman Anthony stay healthy? Is Adley Rutschman the all-star he was with the Orioles or the sub-.700 OPS guy he was with the Sox? What will Franklin Arias do?

The last thing I want the Sox to do is add yet another question mark to the lineup. And with Seiya Suzuki sitting out there with a better track record and more defensive value, I’d much rather give him the extra dough than take a chance on Bauers. Pass.

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Panthers Claw Back From Three-Goal Deficit, Take Down Red Wings 5-4

The Florida Panthers sent over 19,000 fans home happy on Thursday night after pulling off their latest thrilling comeback victory.

This time, the win came at the expense of the visiting Detroit Red Wings.

Florida scored the first goal of the night just 3:52 into the opening period when a Sam Reinhart backhand trickled through the arm and body of John Gibson and over the goal line.

From there, it was a slow and steady stream of goals by the Red Wings.

They led 2-1 after the first period and appeared poised to take a 4-1 advantage into the third period after Marco Kasper beat Akira Schmid at the 12:08 mark of the middle frame.

Panthers defenseman Gus Forsling had other plans.

With less than 30 seconds on the clock, Forsling wisely pinched into the Red Wings’ zone to help Florida maintain possession, which led to the puck finding its way to a wide open Forsling moments along the boards.

He walked the puck to the middle of the ice and fired a wrist shot that found its way past a screened Gibson with just 17.8 left in the middle frame.

The Panthers may have been carrying a two-goal deficit into the third period, but thanks to Forsling’s goal, they also suddenly possessed all the momentum.

“It was a huge goal at the end of the period,” said Forsling. “I think we got some juice from that and we brought it into the third.”

It didn’t take long for Florida to cut even further into Detroit’s lead.

Just as a Panthers power play expired, Carter Verhaeghe unleashed a one-timer that struck the leg of Red Wings defenseman Andraes Englund and bounced right to Anton Lundell at the side of the crease.

Lundell showed off his silky smooth hands, making a couple quick moves to slide the puck around Gibson’s pad and glove as he desperately tried to keep it out of the net.

Florida’s players celebrated, the crowd popped, and the comeback was on.

“The 4-3 goal, I thought that cemented that we were on it,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. “

For the next ten minutes, the Panthers continued a relentless attack on the Wings, but the score remained 4-3 in favor of the visitors.

That was until Niko Mikkola made a great play along the boards to block a Lucas Raymond clearing attempt and chase the puck into the corner to the right of Gibson.

He then elevated a pass over a sliding Moritz Seider toward the slot, where Lars Eller, seeing the puck in midair, choked up on his stick and batted it past Gibson to knot the score at four with 3:31 to go.

“He’s awesome,” Verhaeghe said of Eller. “He’s fun to play with. He protects the puck so well and he makes great plays.”

It was an impressive highlight reel goal that probably would’ve received more attention had it not been for the ridiculous play that was coming a few moments later.

As Florida continued to keep the pressure on Detroit, the new line of the Tkachuk brothers centered by Anton Lundell finished off a furious shift in the offensive zone with the game’s go-ahead goal.

The play started with Lundell digging the puck out of the corner to Gibson’s left and quickly sending a centering pass to Brady Tkachuk.

Gibson stopped Tkachuk’s attempt, but Brady’s momentum took him right to where Gibson’s rebound was heading, and that’s when the magic happened.

Without turning his head or even slowing down, Tkachuk sent a no-look backhand pass back across the zone to a waiting and wide open Lundell, who quickly wired a one-timer into the yawning cage with 2:40 to go.

“I don’t know how he found me,” Lundell said. “A no-look, falling pass, right on the tape. That was an unbelievable play.”

The win improved Florida’s record on the season to 11-7-2.

They are now 5-2-0 at Amerant Bank Arena, having played the fewest home games in NHL to date.

Of course, the Panthers are heading right back out on the road, playing a back-to-back this weekend in St. Louis and Dallas.

It’s the continuation of a tough stretch of games for Florida, one that Maurice said he knew would breed a couple tough outings.

“When I say I’m disappointed with our start, you know that’s coming on one of these seven (games) in 11 (days),” Maurice said. “Being able to handle it and stay in the game, even when you’re getting bad breaks around the net…some nights you’re ahead of the game, you’re playing great, you’re behind in the score but you’ve still got the belief. Tonight we were behind it, but we understood it. That was a pretty mature game.”

We’ll see how things continue to play out for the Panthers, but it seems they are heading toward greener pastures.

Once they return from this weekend’s quick doubleheader, Florida will finish out November with four of five games at home.

They are also expected to get both Sasha Barkov and Brad Marchand back from injury sometime during that span.

So while the current times are surely not bad – Florida currently holds a Wild Card spot and is four points back of Tampa for first in the Atlantic Division – it would make sense to think their best hockey remains ahead of them.

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

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Aleksander Barkov, Brad Marchand 'Within 2 Weeks' Of Returning To Panthers Lineup, Per Paul Maurice

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Photo caption: Nov 12, 2026; Sunrise,Florida, USA;FloridaPantherscenter Anton Lundell (15) celebrates with defenseman Seth Jones (3) and left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) after scoring against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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3 things the Pirates should do to make the 2027 playoffs

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 16: Brandon Lowe #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates rounds the bases on his two-run home run in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park on September 16, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t made the playoffs since 2015 which is the second largest playoff drought right behind the Los Angeles Angels. This year Pittsburgh had a solid season finishing 82-80 but missed out on the postseason. 

The team isn’t far out from making the playoffs but there are still some things that need to happen if the Bucs want to snap that drought. Let’s take a look at the three things the Pirates should do to make the playoffs in 2027.

Re-sign Brandon Lowe

Lowe is coming off a fantastic season where he had a .260 batting average, 96 RBIs and 35 home runs. Lowe was easily one of the best second basemen this season and he helped transform the Pirates’ offense from one of the worst to a top 10 unit this past season. 

Lowe is a free agent  who received a qualifying offer and the Pirates need to break the bank and re-sign him. The front office is notorious for not wanting to spend money but he would be worth it. 

Add a left-handed starting pitcher and stabilize the rotation

Adding a left-handed arm will round out the rotation and reduce the load on the bullpen. Paul Skenes had a down year with a loss of velocity and injuries plagued starters like Mitch Keller, Bubba Chandler and Jared Jones. 

The pitching rotation is not terrible but if you get out and get a veteran lefty arm that will help the rotation and relieve pressure off of Skenes who will need to have a bounce back season in 2027.  

The Buccos need to go out and get a definitive closer. They didn’t have a reliable relief pitcher for the whole season and that affected them in late innings. I would love to see Pittsburgh go out in the offseason and get a reliable closer and another solid relief pitcher. With a revamped bullpen and another solid arm in the starting rotation the Pirates pitching unit could be back to elite status in 2027 which would be huge for a playoff run.   

Reinforce the bullpen and improve health/consistency

 I already talked about the bullpen but it is so important for the pirates to address the bullpen. Following the departure of key high-leverage arms and the need to back up backend pieces like Mason Montgomery and Luke Weaver, Pittsburgh must rebuild and deepen its relief corps.

There were some major injuries during the 2026 season so keeping the important players like Konnor Griffin, Esmerlyn Valdes, and Bryan Reynolds on the diamond is essential. Keeping star players off the injured list and converting close games against division and league opponents will be essential after missing the cut in 2026.

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Padres lose acclaimed bullpen coach to division rival

San Diego Padres bullpen coach Ben Fritz and reliever Wandy Peralta (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)

Other major league franchises regard the San Diego Padres’ pitching instructors as the gold standard because they have developed quality pitchers from prospects outside of the spotlight. It was only a matter of time before another organization poached one away. 

One of Ruben Niebla’s top lieutenants, bullpen coach Ben Fritz, was hired to become the Arizona Diamondbacks’ new pitching coach.

The unsung bullpen architect

Since arriving in San Diego a decade ago, Fritz had become one of the sport’s top bullpen coaches. He helped pitchers like Bradgley Rodriguez, Jeremiah Estrada, David Morgan, and others transition from off-the-radar prospects to solid contributors out of the ‘pen.

He fostered relationships by earning their trust, and Fritz heightened their skill level to help them reach their true potential on the mound. Following in Niebla’s footsteps, Fritz used data to diagnose and fix a pitcher’s struggles. 

The Padres’ bullpen outperformed the competition with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. The unit carried the fourth-heaviest workload in the majors, but the group struck out the most batters (715) this season. 

Mason Miller anchored the bullpen, posting a dominant 1.67 ERA with a staggering 16.5 K/9. But the setup reliever, Adrian Morejon, is Fritz’s top pupil. He saw a young pitching prospect with a quality arm and molded him into one of the top left-handed relief pitchers in the majors.

The Friars will have a new voice in the bullpen. Keeping that late-inning dominance will be a challenge next season.

What does Fritz’s departure mean to the Padres?

His departure does not mean the end of the world for the Friars. Realistically, a promotion was the only path to keep Fritz in the organization. But the offer to run your own pitching staff is too enticing to turn down. 

The impact of Fritz’ loss will be felt next season. Clearly, he wanted to expand his role as a pitching instructor and took a job with the Friars’ division rival. His departure is not a cause for concern. The front office should have already identified bullpen coach candidates for such a move.

A new hire is on the horizon; the Padres will likely select an in-house candidate. But if the next bullpen coach comes from outside the organization, the front office cannot wait too long. Desired candidates will come off the board. 

Given the success of the minor league pitching pipeline, Niebla has his hybrid philosophy down to a science. This is why an in-house promotion is the best choice. 

Change is inevitable in baseball. Well, that day has come for the Padres coaching staff. It will look different in 2027. 

Fritz has found a new home in the desert. While the time is right for him to run a pitching staff, his departure leaves the bullpen without a leading voice.

Padres News:

  • Will Wagner was not someone many Padres fans thought about for much of the 2026 season, but he is on the 40-man roster and he received a grade for his contributions in 2026 from Lincoln Zdunich of Gaslamp Ball.

Baseball News:

  • There was not much activity at the GM Meetings with regard to signings or trades, but the expectation is they set the foundation for what could come over the rest of the month.
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Cummins stands firm on ball tampering to leave Australian cricket back where it started | Geoff Lemon

The Test captain kept his promise to answer all questions at a press conference that made his position clear and filled some but not all gaps

Our coverage on Thursday said that Pat Cummins needed to front up, and nobody can fairly say that he didn’t. It was a proper ’til-they-drop affair from Australia’s cricket captain, an hour and 10 minutes at a press conference podium taking questions about the 2018 ball-tampering episode until every journalist present ran out of steam. You might have expected some partial concession to teammate Usman Khawaja’s depiction of endemic cheating, but Cummins was firm that this did not reflect the life he’d known. Once more with feeling, but more importantly with detail.

Media accounts will now depict this as Cummins and Khawaja at war, because a falling-out among friends is a juicy story to fatten up and serve for gluttony. It isn’t fair, because both have emphasised the importance of their friendship, strained as it must now be. As two thoughtful people with shared history, they have a better chance than most to find a way through.

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The Mavericks are reaping the benefits of what Dusty May calls the trust factor

The winds of change. The transformation of the Dallas Mavericks from last year to this is astounding. Everyone watching can feel it – something major has changed. It’s not just the leadership, a lot of staff and some of the roster. There’s more to it. 

It is, however, all those new people, and what they brought along with them, that started the winds of change. 

The palpable energy shift. The intangible vibe change and the excitement around the team, on the team, for the team. Even through the screen. In the AAC, I bet it’s even more evident. 

Everything has changed in Dallas. How the basketball looks on the court, how the players move (most of the time when they don’t revert back to bad habits), how they communicate, how the bench acts, even how the admin works and how the fans respond to it. But most importantly, how the coaches act, react and interact. 

Dusty May has, along with his staff and new GM’s Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, brought a culture change to Dallas that everyone is talking about. 

Nov 9, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May talks with guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

From what I see, it’s a culture change founded on one of the most important aspects of leadership and sports: trust. 

The power of trust and all it entails and doesn’t entail. Building trust on a sports team means a higher rate of passing, which creates a more dynamic offense and easier scoring, which we see in the increased number of assists this season, among other things. It means trusting that the ball will come back to you if you move well off-ball, and it means trusting your teammates to score, as well. That is healthy for a team as a whole, and wouldn’t ya know – it helps create a winning mindset and a winning team.  

Trust also means that you don’t fear making mistakes as much, because you trust your coach and teammates won’t punish you for it, and they trust you will make up for it (perhaps on defense). Being fearful of making mistakes is the number one killer of creativity and joy. And what happens when you don’t have that? Last season happens. 

And trust means that you know that your coach will make the right decisions for the team and yourself, you trust that they’re not out to get you and you trust that you are liked on our team. On Dusty May’s team, the players know he has their best interests at heart. 

Dusty May is a relationship-led or based coach. He coaches his players so well, because he knows them and they trust him. I wrote more about my early impression of his coaching recently in this piece. 

Dusty May has talked about trust a lot. Recently, he showed us how to talk a team up, and how he puts an emphasis on trust:

“What a problem, where you’re in a pickle, where two guys like that (Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving) just got it going and you just gotta rotate between putting the ball in each other’s hands and knowing that they’re going to make the plays. So obviously, what a luxury for us.”

“And once again, they both trust their teammates. When Houston put two on the ball and they were determined to take it out of their hands. They continue to trust and trust and trust, and then those reps and that experience, those guys handled it better… and that’s a sign of the trust factor that Coop and Kyrie have with their teammates.”

It’s not a stretch to say that the Mavs have had more exciting and promising wins already than the entirety of last season, while the vibes have been all the way up to 2024 Finals run levels at times. 

Oh, the 2024 playoffs energy, do you remember? The power of trust and the power of a winning culture is back in Dallas. Back then, a lot of it was based on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving leading and establishing a culture, where everyone trusted them and each other. Now, Kyrie Irving being back has helped tremendously – and Dusty May, his coaching staff and the new leadership has done the rest, while the players came in with all the right intentions and energy. 

To put in perspective how well the Dallas Mavericks actually are looking when it comes to creating this culture needed for winning, let’s take a look at what is happening on another NBA team right now. NBA teams are all full of good players. The best in the world. So why do some collapse on themselves or crash and burn, despite often having stars, superstars and so-called good coaching?

In Cleveland, we have an example of what happens when trust is lacking. Here, things are looking quite differently compared to Dallas. And it’s not just about who has the best players. The opposite, actually. 

In this first example from a couple weeks ago, Mario Hezonja, an actual superstar from the EuroLeague, who’s also a leader and very high-IQ player, was open for a corner three, which would have been the best look in this possession. A great look actually, considering the fact that he’s an elite threepoint shooter. 

Donovan Mitchell, however, the guy who’s supposed to be the leader of this team, looks like he decides that it’s his shot now, and cuts it off to take – or steal – the shot. Which he misses. 

Do you see any trust here? I don’t think so. But this is worse than that. It’s obstruction. It’s about your own ego over the team. 

This is not just a show of bad vision and basketball IQ, it’s also poor leadership and probably a way to try and dominate Hezonja in the hierarchy. 

Because what happened just a few days earlier exposed Mitchell in a way he is clearly not used to. To explain the background a little, Hezonja is accustomed to being the leader and superstar, it is something he has earned through the years. On top of that, he understands basketball at a high level, which becomes clear after this game. So back to the play: he waves Mitchell away to punish a mismatch a few days before. Whether this “steal” was retaliation for that, we will never know. But it was not a good look for anyone. 

Hezonja showed his intelligence and basketball knowledge with this and explained matter-of-factly afterward that Mitchell should not bring the ball up, a humble stance to take from a European superstar – who is also more direct (as we are wont to be). 

“I told him you’re not supposed to bring the ball up under pressure. I waived JT out to go 1-on-1 against my mismatch. I spoke to James and Donovan, there’s five of us on the court and you need to read those mismatch situations.”

This completely exposed the lack of awareness on this team, however. And it may explain some animosity. But by media and especially fans in the comments, though, it was widely heralded as something that needed to be done to address the issues on that team. A winning mindset on a team with no trust can be disruptive. But sometimes that’s what’s needed. 

Back to Dallas, where we see a stark contrast in play style. Good energy and vibes bring trust (and the other way around), and that translates to better looks and eventually – winning basketball. 

“There’s a lot of trust there knowing, if I give it up to you, you’re going to give it back,” Devin Harris of the Mavs broadcast crew said in this clip, hitting the nail on the head. 

And it was this possession in particular that had me excited about what the Mavs can do this season. Ya, there are superstars and they can all iso and score at turn. But can they play together? Can they trust each other to make the right read? 

When a team trusts each other, special things start happening. That’s where the magic shows up. We know what it looks like, and we know what it feels like, because we saw it in the 2024 Finals run. The Dallas Mavericks had something special brewing then, something that made them better as a whole than their individual parts. 

That feeling seems to slowly return to Dallas these days. Sometimes we need a reminder of what not to do, before we realize what to do instead. And maybe that’s what happened in Dallas last season. The struggles of Mario Hezonja and the Cleveland Cavaliers as a contrast is a great reminder of how well things are going. 

The winds of change. Trust in Dallas is back.  

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

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Steven Kwan would solve a lot of the Orioles’ problems

Sep 16, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) runs home to score a run on a two-RBI single by right fielder Jo Adell (7) during the third inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Orioles outfield was a problem during the 2026 season. Their 3.9 fWAR as a unit ranked 22nd in MLB, and nearly half of that (1.9 fWAR) is attributed to the long-departed Taylor Ward. Some internal solutions may exist, like moving infielders to the outfield, according to team president of baseball operations Mike Elias. But no matter how many deck chairs they move around, the group seems destined to sink again without external help.

The free agent market does have some interesting options. Seiya Suzuki is probably the top fish, coming off a career-best year but now entering his age-32 season. Randy Arozarena bounced back these last two years in Seattle, and he certainly knows the AL East. Ian Happ is another proven, solid player that could fit. However, outside of the Pete Alonso contract signed last year, Elias has avoided giving big money to “older” free agents, though any thing is possible.

The Orioles did a lot of their shopping in the trade market last year. Ward was acquired from the Angels. Shane Baz came over from the Rays. Blaze Alexander was snatched from the Diamondbacks. And they re-acquired Andrew Kittredge from the Cubs. That could be the avenue to find even better outfield help this offseason, and no other trade target fits what the Orioles need better than Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan.

Kwan’s 2026 season was a tale of two halves. He was bad (.225/.332/.282) prior to the all-star break, and then caught fire (.353/.443/.432) in the second half. That helped him to be worth 3.8 fWAR on the year, nearly equaling the value of all 14 players that stepped foot in the outfield for the Orioles last season.

Adding Kwan would finally give the Orioles the lead-off hitter that have seemed to lack for a few years now. Players that batted first for the Orioles in 2026 hit a combined .226/.310/.345 in the role. Finding someone that can more adequately set the table has to be a priority. Kwan played 105 games as the Guardians lead-off hitter this past year. He hit .278/.376/.347 in the role. Over his entire career he owns a .282/.355/.385 slash line atop the order.

What you do not get with Kwan at the plate is power. He hit just three home runs last year, though he had hit 11 and 14 in the two seasons before that, so double-digit dongs are within reach. But that should not be the expectation. Instead, it’s an old school approach that limits strikeouts and gets on base. Kwan struck out just 62 times last season against 85 walks. His 9.7% strikeout rate and 13.3% walk rate are both among the game’s elite.

A quick skim of Kwan’s Baseball Savant page shows exactly what you would expect. This is not a player with eye-popping exit velocities or hard-hit rates. But his success is no fluke. His .282 batting average is only slightly higher than his .277 expected batting average. The same is true for his .334 wOBA and .328 xwOBA. He hits the ball where no one is, and he forces pitchers to throw him strikes. The Orioles could use some of that influence in the lineup.

It should be noted that Kwan has not been the most consistent hitter from season to season. Since his rookie year, his wRC+ has oscillated in this fashion: 125, 99, 130, 98, 114. That can be read as him being at least an average hitter year in and year out, and with some of the other things he does well, he is still a net positive. His impact on the lineup, however, varies.

The other aspect of Kwan’s game that would greatly help the Orioles is his defense. Kwan has already won four Gold Gloves and was a finalist for another in 2026. His six outs above average in 2026 was in the 90th percentile of all fielders, according to Baseball Savant.

The Orioles, as a team, were worth -9 outs above average in the outfield, and that included a really good defensive season from Colton Cowser (10 OAA). The rest of the unit was atrocious. A duo of Kwan and Cowser would be a good starting point for an elite defensive outfield.

One negative of a potential acquisition of Kwan is that he would not be a long-term solution. The 29-year-old is set to become a free agent after the 2027 season. Maybe he would be open to a contract extension, something that the Guardians rarely give out, but oftentimes players this close to free agency would rather test the open market.

The cost to acquire Kwan would likely be quite steep. The Guardians won the AL Central in 2026 and came within one game of going to the World Series. They don’t have to sell. Plus, given the relatively thin outfield free agent class, any other team in need of outfield help is likely to be interested in Kwan too. The Orioles would have to come with a hefty offer.

In order to acquire Ward, a player less valuable overall than Kwan but still on an expiring contract, from the Angels a year ago it cost the Orioles four years of Grayson Rodriguez. The Guardians would want more for Kwan. That type of deal probably includes at least one major league-ready outfielder (maybe Enrique Bradfield Jr.), plus another one or two more intriguing prospects.

The Orioles absolutely have to address their outfield issues this winter. Moving an infielder out there could help to solve part of the problem, but it would lack the certainty that comes with accquiring a known veteran for the role. Maybe the team simply ends up doing both.

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Yankees 2026 Roster Report Cards: Luis García Jr.

Sep 30, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (26) reacts in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s very tempting to want to love Luis García Jr. His lefty swing reminds me so much of Robinson Canó, and indeed my own swing is modeled after the former Yankee All-Star. At the time the Yankees dealt for him, desperate to get some kind of thump in an Aaron Judge-less lineup, he led the National League in slugging. When he came to New York, he clubbed a long home run in his second game, a worthy introduction to the Bronx faithful. After that, he was fine in the regular season, dreadful in October, and now is the source of a bit of a logjam on the roster.

Grade: B-

2026 Stats (With Yankees): 43 G, 169 PA, 21 R, 42 H, 6 2B, 7 HR, 16 RBI, 1 SB, .264/.302/.434, 102 OPS+, 104 wRC+, 0.5 fWAR, 0.6 bWAR.

2027 Contract Status: Arb eligible

To Brian Cashman’s credit he made more than one deal for bats at the deadline, but neither Heliot Ramos nor García Jr. really had the impact I’m sure he planned. Luis came in in grand style:

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Will forever love you, Ruocco.

That the Yankees went on to lose that game, one of the stupider of the year and what a list that makes, maybe says something about García Jr. as a Yankee. Getting him was the right move, it just never really paid off. I was surprised to see that he actually managed an 87 wRC+ in the postseason, because I genuinely would have thought he posted half of that.

To be fair, he was On One against the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series, hitting .500, but then kind of everyone did that against the Red Sox in those two games. Facing the Rays in the ALDS Luis went 1-for-10, a -56 wRC+. The Yankees only who played three games against the Rays, if García Jr. went 1-for-10 in a random series in July we probably wouldn’t even notice, but it happened when the lights were brightest.

I’ve said this a lot about the 2026 Yankees, but Luis didn’t really do himself many favors. Yes, he has that big home run in his second game against the Cardinals, then he went two weeks without another dinger. He slugged .560 in Washington, .434 in New York. His strikeout rate jumped five points.

I do wonder how much the dimensions of Yankee Stadium worked against him. Luis was on pace for 33 doubles across 600 PA while with the Nationals, down to 22 over 600 PA in the Bronx. Yankee Stadium is a tremendous ballpark to hit home runs in, and not very friendly to other kinds of extra-base hits. The short right field wall was absolutely a reason why the club brought Heliot Ramos in, and maybe they believed that smooth lefty swing would turn some of those doubles into dingers for García Jr., but that didn’t happen, at least in 2026.

Moving into 2027, the Yankee have once again assembled a roster with so many first base/DH types. Giancarlo Stanton will be on the roster, Ben Rice is not going to be a catcher, Aaron Judge will almost certainly see less time in the outfield than we’re used to, if for no other reason than the game’s best hitter needs to sometimes be saved from himself. Then there’s García Jr., who on paper is possibly a better hitter than Stanton but not better than Rice or Judge, but also probably isn’t good enough at second base to merit uprooting Anthony Volpe.

Maybe that’s the project for this winter, making Luis García Jr. a functional second baseman and stick him in some kind of first base/second base platoon role. This gets complicated if there’s a lockout and teams can’t communicate with players, and is further complicated by the fact that the very bad Washington Nationals gave Luis 0 innings at the keystone last year.

I want to love Luis García Jr. I don’t think his performance in 2026 merits that love. I am hopeful, perhaps foolishly, that it will in 2027.

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Would you be willing to do a bad contract swap trade?

Earlier this week, Bob Nightengale of USA Today mentioned that the Phillies have made Trea Turner available in a trade. Of course, that doesn’t really mean much, as it would be almost impossible to move the underperforming Turner and the remaining seven years and roughly $200M he is still owed, and that is before factoring in his full no-trade clause. We have to acknowledge that reality before we even entertain the idea of any theoretical trade.

With that said, nothing is truly impossible. Bad contract swaps are uncommon in MLB, but they do happen. One such trade occurred just last offseason when the Mets sent Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Marcus Semien. Nimmo at the time was still owed over $100M over five years of an eight year, $162M extension that he signed with New York prior to the 2023 season while Semien was entering the fifth year of a seven year, $175M deal he inked with the Rangers before 2022. Both players were coming off of disappointing seasons and were on the wrong side of 30, with Nimmo being 32 at the time and Semien 34. The early returns after one season favor the Rangers, as Nimmo has fared better in Texas than Semien has in New York. It was a vastly different situation than the one the Phillies face with Turner, but it’s proof of concept that trades like this can happen.

With that in mind, earlier this week Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Rangers may be interested in another similar type of trade, as they are looking to move Corey Seager. The two-time World Series MVP will turn 33 in April and is still owed $155M over the next five seasons. Seager underperformed last season but was still worth 3.1 WAR with a 112 OPS+. However, the major caveat with Seager is that he has missed a chunk of time with injuries in each of the last four seasons, as he’s averaged only 112 games played every year since 2023. Despite this, he’s still averaged 5.4 WAR over the same span, suggesting he is still a productive player in the time he is actually on the field. But he had a career low .736 OPS in 102 games last season, perhaps signifying the beginning of a decline in his bat.

In a world where the Phillies were to work out a Turner for Seager trade, the Rangers would be getting a player who is one year older, less productive, and who is signed for two years longer but has largely remained healthy over the last five years. The Phillies meanwhile would perhaps be getting a better bat and defender at shortstop for a shorter term but with the large risk that said bat along with Seager’s overall health may get much worse in the coming years. It’s not an ideal swap for either team, but it hardly ever is in trades of this type.

Again, it is highly unlikely that a trade for Turner manifests itself. The most likely scenario is that the Phillies are stuck with him and have no choice but to hope he finds a way to improve. But in a world where a trade was possible, would you be willing to do a bad contract for bad contract trade? What other hypothetical trades would you consider?

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Detroit Tigers News: Emilio Pagan, Cy Young Award, MVP, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Yordan Alvarez, Brad Ausmus Houston Astros

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JULY 31: Emilio Pagan #15 of the Cincinnati Reds reacts after defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on July 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated Pittsburgh 8-7. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Happy Friday, everyone! It’s been quite the week for awards and we now know the winners of the biggest titles of the past season, with the accolades for Cy Young and MVP getting handed out this past week. Jacob Misiorowski and Cam Schlittler took home the Cy Young glory, no surprises there, while Pete Crow-Armstong and Yordan Alvarez were named the unanimous winners for MVP, dethroning the long-reigning champs, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

We’ve got more details on those winners below, along with the new Astros manager, Brad Ausmus, who Tigers fans know fairly well. Plus we’ll speculate over whether or not the Emilio Pagan contract is a sign of things to come in free agency. So let’s just jump right into it so you can get in the know on all baseball’s happenings before heading into the weekend.

Detroit Tigers News

  • Times for all Tigers home games have been announced.

MLB News

  • The hot stove is heating!
  • A mystery team has been revealed.
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Do the Braves have another big reliever signing in them?

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 07: Raisel Iglesias #26 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the ninth inning of Game Four of the Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on October 7, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Hey, we’re talking about the Braves here. Of course they do.

Or do they?

There are a few different ways to look at this. One, of course, is that they can’t help themselves. But, to what end? Right now, the bullpen is projected to have a strong-but-not-elite three-headed monster (Evan Phillips, Robert Suarez, Dylan Lee), with one guy in the “pretty good” camp (Dylan Dodd) and one guy in the “I guess you can roster him” camp (Victor Mederos). That’s five of eight slots spoken for with an above-replacement guy.

Basically, there’s plenty of room to add. Not that it has to be a big reliever signing, but it could be.

Also, here are the Braves’ preseason bullpen projection ranks:

  • 2026: 10th
  • 2025: 6th
  • 2024: 2nd
  • 2023: 1st
  • 2022: 4th
  • 2021: 7th
  • 2020: 8th
  • 2019: 18th (this was the famous rebuild-the-bullpen-at-the-Trade Deadline year)

So, basically, ever since the 2019 bullpen tire fire, the Braves have aimed for a top-ranked bullpen. Right now, following the signing of Phillips, they’re somewhere in that range — currently ranking ninth. They could jump into the top five with a big signing; smaller signings won’t do it.

The veteran in the theoretical room is Raisel Iglesias. He’s been a Brave for four-and-a-half seasons now, and he’s been declining a bit relative to his early 30s, but he’s still been good. Based on his current projections, he probably doesn’t actually move the Braves into the top five, but a combination of him and a couple of smaller deals to fill those last two spots might. The Braves had no issue splurging on him last year, and then also adding Robert Suarez, with guys like Aaron Bummer and Joe Jimenez still on the books. Those latter two are no longer commitments, so… what do you think?

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Preview: Jazz looking to take liftoff in NBA Cup Game

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 11: Josh Green #5 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Orlando Magic on November 11, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Here we are again. We here at SLC Dunk can whisper to you sweet dreams that each game is an encouraging sign that the team is trending in the right direction, but the harsh reality is the Jazz are 1-11. Games are more about keeping your dignity and pride as an organisation, steering clear of the team’s worst start in franchise history (1-17), when you’re trying to win games. The musty odor the Jazz emit with each fourth-quarter meltdown escalates.

Hopes of a late-blooming win streak were swatted yet again on Wednesday, when the middling Orlando Magic forced a 21-5 run at the Delta Center without a single Jazz timeout. Will Hardy had the young fella’s play through their mistakes, which blew up right in their faces. This was a common culprit in how the Jazz lost games during their tanking years, but it simply cannot carry over in a supposed ‘winning’ season.

The lucky opponent that gets to face the Jazz is the 9-3 Houston Rockets; both teams will play their second game of the inaugural NBA Cup, where Utah has already fallen 0-1 in their first match against the Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets, on the other hand, are also 0-1. To claim one of the NBA Cup’s ‘wildcard’ spots, both teams will essentially need to be undefeated the rest of their games while also tallying up a high point differential to beat out the others.

Houston has followed the NBA’s trend of moving past dying minimalism, rebranding with a new uniform set featuring ketchup and mustard to honor the Hakeem Olajuwon era. Their on-court play has transformed them into a formidable Western Conference contender by focusing on a two-way balance. They post a top-five offensive rating (119.3) and allow 106.5 points a game (4th in the NBA). The Jazz will need to play better than perfect to avoid being locked in the doghouse. It can’t be too hard, right? After all, they won’t have to be hand-checked by former DPOY Marcus Smart; he’s suspended for throwing a mean right hook at the face of Charles Bassey.

Injury Report

It’s up to Utah to defend inside the arc

Wednesday night saw Franz Wagner be the man of the hour by scoring 12 of his career-high 38 points in the fourth quarter, blowing a kiss to the Utah crowd in his finishing act. The Jazz were vulnerable defending the pick-and-roll, leaving driving lanes open that allowed Wagner to viciously attack the paint.

The Rockets’ brand of basketball generares a massive share on physical size and high-volume two-point scoring. Houston averages 12.9 offensive rebounds per game, led by 6’7” Amen Thompson grabbing 3.1 offensive boards a game.

All-Star Alperen Şengün dictates the team’s gravity out of the post and elbows, pacing the squad with 21.1 points, 9.4 rebounds and 7.9 assists. He experienced some inefficiency early on in the season, but his footwork and passing vision are something to be cautious about; Utah can’t be caught slipping on backdoor cuts.

The clearest path to exploiting Houston is to attack their secondary. Early-season injuries have left Steven Adams and Clint Capela sidelined, forcing them to play deep on their bench, where we’ll likely see our old pal Oscar Tshiebwe weather the storm. Utah’s second unit is as unpredictable as ever. They can blow a double-digit lead in minutes, or they can also hold down the fort and score 41 bench points against the Orlando Magic. The key is to wear down the non-Şengun minutes by punishing smaller lineups, putting Utah in a strong position to stealan NBA Cup Group Stage matchup.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – NOVEMBER 4: Svi Mykhailiuk #10 of the Utah Jazz drives to the basket during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 4, 2026 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Win or lose, we’re watching Darryn Peterson

Truly, the last week has seen some ridiculous stuff from 19-year-old Darryn Peterson.

The Jazz rookie broke out in his latest scoring surge, averaging 23.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists on 47/38/92 shooting splits over his last three games. I mean, a near 50-40-90 from a 19-year-old rookie is pretty good, right?

Peterson also set a new NBA career high with 26 points against the Timberwolves on November 9, scoring in all four quarters without attempting a single free throw. Alongside his efficient shooting (39.4% from three over the four games), he chipped in on defense with five steals and four blocks total, highlighted by a three-block effort in Dallas.

Utah leaned more on Peterson as its No. 1 option this week after Keyonte’s injury, unlocking higher scoring volume while maintaining his playmaking ability. His season scoring average jumped to 16.3 points per game, moving him to No. 4 on the latest NBA.com Kia Rookie Ladder, up from 6th.

Win or lose, Darryn Peterson playing a good brand of basketball is what brings in tickets. If all else fails, the one thing the Utah Jazz do have is their faith in their #2 pick. As long as he’s on the court, there’s at least one Jazz fan smiling at their TV, because the future has never been this bright for a kid from Canton.

The next man up

All we’ve heard about Peterson. Before that, Keyonte George had to carry scoring duties on his back in the midst of Utah’s injuries to their frontcourt. It was only recently that Ace Bailey finally began to regain his stride. But the issue is that Utah needs one more guy to step up — someone who makes just enough of a contribution so it doesn’t feel like Utah has to fight tooth and nail with .500 teams every single night.

Is it Isaiah Collier? Was it really all it took- a banged-up shoulder for him to have his Thunderstruck moment? I should remind you he hadn’t hit a single triple all season before his perfect 4-for-4 night over Miami. That was then followed by another made three-ball against the Magic. In all honesty, all that’s needed is for Collier to shoot an amount that at least has his opponent respect his three-point range. The dream is for him to learn how to play more off-ball, while simultaneously addressing his weaknesses in navigating ball screens and managing overall defensive rating metrics

Brice Sensabaugh’s role has continually fluctuated through this twelve-game opening stretch. His 23 minutes against the Magic were the most he’s played all season. Sure, Brice can shoot the rock. But the harsh truth is he’s been unproductive in every other facet of the game. He can’t swing the ball; his defense negatively impacts the team, and has shown some really discouraging off-ball lapses. If his shot isn’t falling, then that really hurts the Jazz. Having Brice be the ‘next man up’ means he should be hunting quick-trigger catch-and-shoot threes that could hopefully have a butterfly effect in swinging the game’s momentum.

Svi Mykhailiuk has been through an otherworldly shooting funk. I consider myself a Svi truther more than others, but he’s had a longer leash compared to other years, despite his 28/21/50 scoring splits—no, that’s not a typo. Averaging an honest 16.1 minutes per game, really, shooting above 50% from the field should be the realistic goal.

When is Will Hardy finally going to acknowledge his two-way guys? The expectation was that Kobe Bufkin and Harrison Ingram were going to get their shine after Lauri Markkanen was sidelined, but that moment has yet to come. Instead, Will Hardy opts to reduce his already short-handed rotation, staggering Darryn Peterson and Ace Bailey with the second unit. But when you’re 1-11, you really just have to try anything in your arsenal. You don’t have time to see if the guys on a cold streak can ‘work through their struggles’. Now, it’s about who can contribute right this second.

Utah Jazz vs. Houston Rockets—How to Watch:

Who: Utah Jazz at Houston Rockets

Where: Toyota Center, Houston, TX

When: 6:30 pm Mountain Daylight Time

How to Watch: KJZZ, Jazz+ (in market) or NBA League Pass (out of market)