Owls

The NBA is back.&nbsp;
With the league&rsquo;s annual &lsquo;Day&rsquo; 1 getting underway, all 30 teams have resumed their daily basketball activities. Starting from the Media Day to each of their training camps, players are slowly ramping up as they work to get back in game shape.
For some of these familiar faces, however, a new season awaits them as they&rsquo;re looking for a fresh start in new environments and places. Let&rsquo;s take a look at these players and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook rocks new threads with Denver&nbsp;
Russell Westbrook starts a new season with the 2023 champions after his stint with the Clippers. Westbrook aims to bring the energy to a Nuggets squad losing another championship piece in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He slots in immediately as Denver&rsquo;s backup PG with the loss of Reggie Jackson, and the team could also use him to play with the starters and let Jamal Murray slide into the 2 spot. Westbrook will also be teaming up with fellow triple-double savant Nikola Jokic and it will be interesting to see two high-IQ players together on the court.
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New beginnings for <a href="https://twitter.com/russwest44?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@russwest44</a> 😈<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nuggets</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wew6JRNNXm">pic.twitter.com/Wew6JRNNXm</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1839352986826387752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2024</a></blockquote>

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PG13 creates a big three with Embiid and Maxey
Perhaps the biggest signing in the offseason, George immediately slides in with the Sixers to form a big three with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. At 34 years old, PG probably has a good 3 years left in his prime, but he could be in a perfect situation with Embiid and Maxey at their absolute peaks. George is in a position where he&rsquo;s not asked to shoulder much of the offensive load like he did most of the time in his career, and he can play to his strengths &mdash; a two-play wing player with some playmaking chops and be a secondary creator and scorer to Maxey and Embiid. George is also a very good three-point shooter on spot-up and catch-and-shoot attempts and should bode well for both Sixers superstars by spacing the floor for them. Overall an A+ signing by Sixers GM Daryl Morey, and now it all hinges on health as Philly tries to pull it up all together to finally make a Conference Finals in the Embiid era.
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PG in Philly! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/jmSInGKf5L">pic.twitter.com/jmSInGKf5L</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840916610644582775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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A new Philadelphia trio... 🔥 Maxey. Embiid. George.<a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/wjlclZdnhx">pic.twitter.com/wjlclZdnhx</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840803293473230955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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CP3 in San Antonio as Wemby&rsquo;s PG; Harrison Barnes being a veteran piece in a young Spurs team
Victor Wembanyama finally gets his premier PG in Chris Paul. After playing most of last year not having a legitimate table setter, Wemby, and the Spurs add one of the greatest to ever do it at the position. Even approaching 40 years old, Paul should have a lot left in his tank to try and develop as much as possible the young yet hungry Spurs. On the other hand, Barnes adds another veteran piece as San Antonio looks to improve and at least make the play-in this season.
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WEMBY x CP3 🔥 BIG smiles in San Antonio at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 😇 <a href="https://t.co/PbV71PCH0c">pic.twitter.com/PbV71PCH0c</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840815076485259469?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Wemby &amp; CP3 enjoying <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> 🤩 <a href="https://t.co/rSdwmMIx1m">pic.twitter.com/rSdwmMIx1m</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840801831577895224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Caruso, Hartenstein add more defensive toughness to an already elite OKC squad
Imagine having to add two role players that star in their role to a team that just finished atop the conference a season ago, all without losing someone significant from that core. That&rsquo;s exactly what the Oklahoma City Thunder did by adding Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein into their fold. The move stamped their status even further atop the West with rising stars Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren getting better over the year and still having MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just starting his prime. Caruso adds yet another defensive bull on the perimeter that already features fellow All-Defensive player Lu Dort, while Hartenstein brings versatility in the frontcourt to possibly play together with Holmgren. The Thunder are poised yet again to make a deep playoff run and it all starts with their offseason acquisitions and their fit into the team.&nbsp;
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Alex Caruso very complimentary of his new backcourt mate, SGA! 🤞<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rdxt7r5dQu">pic.twitter.com/Rdxt7r5dQu</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840867849797022103?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay splashing and spacing the floor for Luka, Mavs
The other Splash brother brings his act to Dallas after spending his first 13 years with the franchise. Thompson immediately fills a need in Dallas to help space the floor and be a decoy for Luka Doncic as he makes plays on the court. At his age, Thompson won&rsquo;t be asked too much like he did in Golden State and this could be a rejuvenation for his career as he finds a new environment with the Mavericks.&nbsp;
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No. 31 from the Dallas Mavericks... Klay Thompson 🔥🔥🔥 <a href="https://t.co/e4M8lNtvQL">pic.twitter.com/e4M8lNtvQL</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840858008794120481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Klay Thompson... NEW BEGINNINGS 🫵<a href="https://twitter.com/dallasmavs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasmavs</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/YX9CX1preR">pic.twitter.com/YX9CX1preR</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840806814956265762?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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DeMar DeRozan as the final piece to Sacramento&rsquo;s playoff success
DeRozan comes into the Kings&rsquo; lair as one of the most clutch players in the league, and he will play alongside a player of the same caliber in DeAaron Fox. It will be interesting to see how DeRozan&rsquo;s playstyle fits into the Kings&rsquo; offense with their motion offense built on three-point shooting with Domantas Sabonis as the hub, and it will be a good problem how coach Mike Brown integrates him to play a certain kind of way. The Kings are one of the up-and-coming teams in the West and adding a player like DeRozan gives them a different dimension to their offense.&nbsp;
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DeMar DeRozan looking good in his new threads 😎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/uPYTeKvUBE">pic.twitter.com/uPYTeKvUBE</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841107569399480506?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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New trio in Sacramento 👑<a href="https://twitter.com/SacramentoKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SacramentoKings</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/HfnZMmz317">pic.twitter.com/HfnZMmz317</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1841108008769630523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Dejounte Murray, Tyus Jones to solve PG issues in NOLA, PHX
Two teams that have had PG issues last season have finally addressed it by signing two of the quality PGs in the league today: Murray to the Pelicans and Jones to the Suns. Murray slots in as the Pelicans&rsquo; main shot creator, playmaker, and closer. This has been a significant hole for the Pelicans last season, especially in the playoffs when no one other than CJ McCollum (who&rsquo;s getting old) and Brandon Ingram create shots and make plays. Murray immediately comes in and fills this gap and with a returning Zion Williamson, the Pelicans are coming into the season very optimistic about their playoff chances.
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Fresh start heading into Year 8 🤲<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/j3W5D0GFoM">pic.twitter.com/j3W5D0GFoM</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840852492168675766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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New threads for <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a> new PG 🔥<a href="https://twitter.com/DejounteMurray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DejounteMurray</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/kgIxpGqxkG">pic.twitter.com/kgIxpGqxkG</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840807569150837091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Jones on the other hand also fills the immediate need of a PG, someone who can make plays for others without turning the ball over. Jones has been one of the best if not the best assist-to-turnover ratio guys in the league, and with how Phoenix&rsquo;s roster is constructed, this allows their super scoring big three Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant to do their thing and focus on what they do best. Jones comes in to settle these guys down and put them in the best positions to succeed.&nbsp;
Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson bring veteran savvy and immediate positional needs to Golden State
Some key veteran additions to the Warriors are Hield and Anderson as they continue to beef up their roster around superstar Stephen Curry. Hield will try to replace the production of Klay Thompson after his departure with his deadeye shooting and spacing the floor for Curry. Hield has also been a good off-ball mover and that should bode well for Golden State&rsquo;s offense. Anderson meanwhile, brings his big forward, almost a center playing style to the Warriors and should fit instantly like a Draymond Green clone. Anderson has the playmaking chops and the basketball IQ to seamlessly play in Kerr&rsquo;s system and is a player who seems to understand how to play with and off of the skillset of a player like Curry.&nbsp;
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Welcome to The Bay, Buddy! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAMediaDay?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAMediaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/ruEDkg7ayU">pic.twitter.com/ruEDkg7ayU</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1840924339090100682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>

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Prince-Trent-Wright trio come to Milwaukee to win
Taurean Prince, Gary Trent Jr., and Delon Wright have all signed up for a little under than what they were supposed to make and signed with the Bucks for a chance to contribute to a championship contender. All three are exactly what the Bucks need in their scheme of things as they&rsquo;re expected to bring shooting, spacing, and tough perimeter defenders. It&rsquo;s expected that Milwaukee&rsquo;s offense will revolve around superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard so there will be little expectations on these guys to do more and they can just focus on what they do best as role players in the league.

A new season awaits familiar faces in new places. Let’s take a look at them and their potential fits next to their new teams and teammates.

Familiar faces in new places: NBA players’ new home to start the season

In his "Blazing the Trail" series, Mat Issa analyzes how Chris Webber's decision-making unlocked the Kings' revolutionary offense.

Blazing the Trail: Chris Webber, the read-and-react king

On April 28, Shaquille O'Neal kept his weird vendetta against Donovan Mitchell alive on his podcast, "<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-big-bacon/id1558354780?i=1000558986005" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Big Podcast with Shaq.</a>" O'Neal was discussing James Harden's postseason struggles and managed to turn the conversation toward Donovan Mitchell's candidacy as an NBA superstar.
&ldquo;Y&rsquo;all be giving out a lot of these awards to some of these bums and I&rsquo;m like, &lsquo;What?&rsquo;" O'Neal said. "For example, what did I say about Donovan Mitchell two years ago? Everybody jumping on me and hating and I be quiet. What&rsquo;s he doing now?... Is that what superstars do?&rdquo;
O'Neal then <a href="https://fadeawayworld.net/nba-media/shaquille-oneal-claps-backs-after-being-accused-of-slandering-donovan-mitchell-i-could-say-what-i-say-brother-how-many-rings-do-i-have-4-brother" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defended his comments in another recent episode</a>. This slander obsession dates back over a year to a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFmk7kzDbiA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bizarre postgame interview on TNT</a>. Unfortunately, it's also become part of a larger narrative working against Mitchell's NBA career.&nbsp;
Mitchell's superstar credentials have gone under the microscope as trade rumors erupt around the 25-year-old this summer. The Utah Jazz have failed to surpass the second round of the playoffs with Mitchell running the show. He's a smaller combo guard at 6-foot-1 with run-of-the-mill, basic shooting splits. He played pretty poorly in this year's first-round series loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
Is this a player worth mortgaging the future to acquire?
In a word: Absolutely.
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Regardless of what O'Neal or any other detractors might say, Mitchell is a certified superstar, a number one scoring-and-playmaking option and a tier-altering presence for any NBA franchise. He is not without his flaws, but this type of gravitational offensive force rarely becomes available.
Let's start with the scoring and get the "inefficient" buzzword out of the way.
Mitchell has never been among the elite shooters in the league, but he's made strides throughout his career. Last season he sported a 50.9% Effective Field Goal percentage on pull-up shots. That's very good; it placed him 15th among 107 players who attempted at least 150 such shots, per Second Spectrum.
Mitchell shot the fourth-most pull-up threes in the NBA last season (413) and hit 35.6% of them, which was in the ballpark of guys with better reputations like Luka Doncic, Khris Middleton, Devin Booker and CJ McCollum. Mitchell has improved his eFG% in each subsequent year of his career, with last year being his best yet.&nbsp;
His overall three-point clip was just 35.5%, but that's because he had a bizarre, outlier year where he hit just 34.6% of his catch-and-shoot treys. Mitchell has never been below 40% off the catch in any other season. It's reasonable to call 2021-22 an unfortunate down year when he has four prior seasons of success.&nbsp;
Mitchell's average three-point shot distance was a whopping 26.4 feet from the basket, per BBall Index. A remarkable 52% of his three-point makes were unassisted, which is in the 98th percentile among combo guards, per Cleaning the Glass. He has one of the toughest perimeter shot diets in the league, and has maintained a quality mark from deep.
Then, we zoom in closer to the basket. Mitchell made a strong 65% of his shots at the rim this season, according to Cleaning the Glass, and 80% of those makes were unassisted. In total, Mitchell created 71% of his buckets without an assist last season, the 12th-highest rate in the NBA. Mitchell has had to manifest so much for himself in Utah, and still manages to cobble together solid shooting splits.
Mitchell's volume should not diguise him as a pure scorer. He's demonstrably better at finding shooters on the floor, in addition to his synergy with Rudy Gobert. According to Second Spectrum, 16.3% of Mitchell's passed led to assists or free throws last season, good for 14th in the entire NBA.
That rate was also his best of the last three seasons, and while it's partially dependent on teammates making shots, it also shows Mitchell is finding his guys in good positions. BBall Index also tracks a stat called Box Creation (initially made by Ben Taylor), which estimates how many open shots a player creates for teammates. Mitchell's score this season was 10.3, ranking in the 97th percentile.
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The vision is apparent. Mitchell is such a dangerous downhill threat that defenses simply have to collapse on him. He knows how the second level will step up to contain him and where the next defensive rotation will be, as seen in the first and third clips. He has improved at making the corresponding reads without significantly altering his turnover rate.
Is Mitchell one of the best and most willing facilitators in the NBA? No; he averaged a pretty mediocre 41.7 passes last season to go with 5.3 assists per game. But there's a clear pattern of growth that bodes well for his future in Utah or with another team.
Mitchell's volume of difficult shots often gets warped as a ball-hog tendency. But look at who Utah has as actual well-rounded offensive engines. Mike Conley still provides solid moments and moves the ball well, but he has not been an attacking threat for several years now. Jordan Clarkson is a pure scorer with jarring peaks and valleys. Bojan Bogdanovic is transitioning to more of a spacer role. Mitchell is wholly in another category as a player who can both create a shot for himself while being a threat to pass.
With all of that said, we can't gloss over the defense &mdash; particularly in the latter stages of last season.
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Donovan Mitchell's defense was better the last few games IMO, but he still has some really rough lapses. Seems to totally misplay this coverage: <a href="https://t.co/MKahyif9ch">pic.twitter.com/MKahyif9ch</a>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1520579287002148864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
Mitchell really faltered on a national stage. As he struggled to find an offensive rhythm, he continually played behind the play on defense. Whether it was a lack of effort, confusion or something else, he was clearly out of position and not extending himself on several possessions against the Mavericks. And the concerns had been rising before the postseason too.
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I see Donovan Mitchell's off-ball defense continues to be suspect. (He ain't the only at fault though. Seems like House failed to communicate a switch. Which seems to be a team-wide problem at times.) <a href="https://t.co/g5RXNfcZJo">pic.twitter.com/g5RXNfcZJo</a>
&mdash; Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeVirayNBA/status/1512629596029857793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Outside of Gobert, Utah was in a rocky defensive state by the playoffs despite finishing the regular season with a top-10 Defensive Rating. The Jazz's defense was 4.6 points per 100 possessions better without Mitchell on the court, per Cleaning the Glass.
But if there's a bright spot, it's in his 1.9% steal rate. Steals and steal rates tell only a tiny picture of overall defensive impact, but within those steals, we can see promising moments.
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It's not like Mitchell is constantly losing the plot as a team defender. In these plays, he recognized who was going to be open of the drive, and shut off the faucet to pick up two steals. Mitchell is strong and active with his hands to the point where he can be a tough individual matchup for smaller guards. It's just about consistency right now. He has the tools to be a neutral or slight positive, and has shown defensive ability in the past. For whatever reason, it fell apart last season.&nbsp;
Lastly, it's worth dispelling the notion that Mitchell does not impact winning basketball. The Jazz boasted the best Offensive Rating in the NBA last season. They were third in the metric in 2020-21 en route to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, and it's no coincidence that Mitchell was the offensive catalyst in both years.&nbsp;
And, even with last season's playoff dud, Mitchell's career postseason stats include 28.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game to go along a 55.8% True Shooting percentage. He's not even two years removed from a 57-point postseason onslaught in the bubble. And he's still only 25 years old.&nbsp;
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The Athletic's&nbsp;Shams Charania reported Monday morning that the Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Hornets have expressed interest in trading for Mitchell along with the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-trade-rumors-offseason-donovan-mitchell-new-york-knicks-utah-jazz-danny-ainge-leon-rose-rudy-gobert-quentin-grimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">well-documented New York Knicks rumors</a>. Though teams should obviously do their due diligence and look at roster fit and outgoing talent, it's hard for me to see why any of these teams should outright balk at the chance to acquire a sure-fire All-Star and perennial All-NBA player.
Do Fred VanVleet and OG Anunoby's defensive talents outweight the chance to bring Pascal Siakam one of the best possible long-term partners in crime? Should the Knicks hold up at the chance to add by far their greatest offensive talent since Carmelo Anthony? Are future picks going to be the impasse when Mitchell could conceivably keep a team in playoff contention for several years?
I'm not here to be the judge. But if a blockbuster trade does materialize, it's worth remembering just how special this type of 25-year-old superstar can be.

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Donovan Mitchell has been one of the biggest names to appear in NBA trade rumors this offseason.

Resetting the conversation around Donovan Mitchell's superstar stature

In a Game 6 overflowing with everything that stamps Stephen Curry and Draymond Green&rsquo;s inevitable Hall-of-Fame futures, the Golden State Warriors&rsquo; opening offensive sequence laid the groundwork for the performances of their stars.
After an initial pick-and-pop, Curry sprung free off the ball and induced a panic from the Boston Celtics&rsquo; defense &mdash; an increasingly common occurrence as the series progressed. By no means was their defense the crux of their demise. But the mere existence of Curry, with his unrelenting motion, court-twisting aura and picturesque jumper, brought about more lapses in the later stages of the Finals.&nbsp;
One of those lapses was transpiring in the first minute of Game 6.
Al Horford and Marcus Smart migrated toward Andrew Wiggins. Curry found himself open, only for Jayson Tatum to stunt off Green and deter an open three. As he&rsquo;s done countless times over the past eight years, Curry, with his gravity and the chaos it conjures, primed Green for a bucket.&nbsp;
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Roughly two hours later, Curry, Green and the Warriors were NBA champions, their fourth title in eight seasons. En route to the top, both Curry and Green, in their contrasting fashions, were superb on Thursday.
I will not toss around the term &ldquo;vintage&rdquo; because vintage implies a relic of the past. That is not the case. They remain stars, ones who press forward as the foundation of Golden State&rsquo;s dynastic presence. They are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.&nbsp;
Others may garner justified mentions, yet to consider Green the NBA&rsquo;s premier defender and Curry the NBA&rsquo;s foremost offensive engine is to have witnessed the past eight seasons with a detailed eye.&nbsp;
Thursday was a singular game amid a bountiful sample, though its events felt so emblematic of this duo&rsquo;s superlatives. For their brilliance to shine so brightly as Golden State returned to basketball&rsquo;s summit after a brief hiatus was the most fitting storyline available.&nbsp;
The scope of Curry&rsquo;s persistent status as a top-five player peered through whenever possible. He rainbowed in 6-of-11 long balls, melding off-ball adventures and on-ball savvy. Relocations, stepbacks, up-fakes &mdash; the whole ensemble cast its shadow.&nbsp;
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When Boston sent ill-equipped big men his way, he wiggled downhill for scores. Curry&rsquo;s generational scoring prime begins with his unrivaled jumper, but it&rsquo;s punctuated by his interior prowess.&nbsp;
Since 2015-16, he&rsquo;s shot 55% inside the arc. He is a magical acrobat of a finisher who comfortably wades into midrange looks when the defense coaxes them. In Game 6, he drilled triples at a 55% clip and two-pointers at a 60% rate. That intersection of scoring wherever and however the scenario dictates is his grandest attribute.&nbsp;
You do not average 31 points on 62% True Shooting against the top-ranked defense (who sport a pair of hounding perimeter irritants) through rigidity. Curry&rsquo;s offense is the antithesis of rigidity, which is precisely why he is constantly thriving.&nbsp;
For all the efforts various opponents made to target and exploit his defense in these playoffs, those intentions often ended in futility. Sure, Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson (among others) periodically turned a profit; Curry was bested for stretches, no doubt. On the aggregate though, he continually held firm and authored a rather good defensive postseason.
That rang true in Game 6, even as Boston quickly established a blueprint involving post-ups against him. He is among the league&rsquo;s sturdiest guards and seeks out opportunities of physicality.&nbsp;
When he waltzed into the action, whether it be at the point of attack or on the block, he crouched low, puffed his chest out and refused to be a liability with another Larry O&rsquo;Brien Trophy looming.&nbsp;
When off-ball endeavors demanded his attention, he promptly rotated, holstering astute positioning and frenized hands. He skirted shooters off the arc with disciplined, high-handed closeouts. By the game&rsquo;s conclusion, he tallied two steals, a block and the title of an ironclad defensive asset.&nbsp;
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As Curry spearheaded the offense and blended in defensively, Green threaded the inverse balance. From the outset, he flourished wherever necessary and maintained his Game 5 excellence.&nbsp;
On rebounding chances, he crashed into the closest body and boxed out. If the Celtics came across a fast break, an opening to avoid the doldrums of a listless half-court brigade, there was Green to silence them. In help situations, he seamlessly pinged between ball and man, as if teleportation was the secret to his success.
One of Green&rsquo;s preeminent defensive skills is his proclivity to eliminate one option and direct the event elsewhere, only to blot that out as well. He chooses Plan B for the opposition, even if it was not yet aware of that reality. They proceed under a guise of autonomy, just as he wishes.
When Boston avoided incorporating him, Green outsourced his wisdom, limbs swirling, fingers navigating traffic, voice yelling, ensuring that his signature would still be etched across the play.&nbsp;
His hands are always lively, prepared for a shot contest, strip, block, stunt, rebound or otherwise. You will endure the entirety of his 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame, amplified by a 7-foot-1 wingspan.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Draymond's defense was special in Game 6, even for his standards. A full montage of his dominance: <a href="https://t.co/nsQOVEJS2g">pic.twitter.com/nsQOVEJS2g</a>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537904685209690120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
Much like dubbing Curry the greatest shooter of all-time is a factual statement that undersells his lore, referring to Green as the best defender in the NBA feels similar. He transcends his era, a great among greats, not merely among his contemporaries. I will not masquerade as an omniscient archivist of the league, but the list of defenders with loftier peaks than Green must be a rather short one.&nbsp;
While the offense was often a trudge-through-the-mud experience for Green in these Finals, Game 6 became his breakout. Behind 12 points on 5-for-10 shooting, he registered his first double-digit scoring appearance since Game 5 against the Dallas Mavericks &mdash; another closeout scenario in which Green dominated.
He popped home a pair of threes &mdash; his first two of the series &mdash; served out eight assists and was the metronome of Golden State&rsquo;s early-offense ventures. Miss, make, live-ball turnover, dead-ball turnover, the dude was chugging down court, hoping to blitz Boston into a tizzy of gaffes.&nbsp;
His fifth dime was pure and quintessential Warriors ball. Green played the role of conductor, arranging everyone as he saw fit. Curry&rsquo;s orbit lures his man to the half-court logo. In doing so, he clears the wing for his buddy, Klay Thompson, who zips to the rim and converts a beauty of a feed from Green.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Watching Draymond orchestrate, communicate and operate on the floor is a joy <a href="https://t.co/1pijA1Trj6">pic.twitter.com/1pijA1Trj6</a>
&mdash; Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) <a href="https://twitter.com/jackfrank_jjf/status/1537865440474476544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2022</a></blockquote>
The synergy, the spacing, the movement, the execution &mdash; all are tenets as to why Golden State still lords over the league seven years after this group&rsquo;s first ring. The Warriors are once again champions for those reasons, concepts embodied and practiced by its two stars: Curry and Green.&nbsp;
They are harmonically divergent teammates who seized the moment when visions of a fourth championship crystallized in front of them. The novel of this Golden State season and era is written by them (and Thompson).&nbsp;
There was no more suitable way for another triumph to play out than with these all-timers captaining the ship. They are the lifeblood of Golden State whose identity cultivates through them. Thursday&rsquo;s Game 6, the one that delivered a crown back to The Bay, underlined such a notion at every turn.
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Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are the anchors on each side of the ball, arguably the best in the league at their respective crafts.

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green still define the Warriors' greatness

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OBN Academy founder, former Terp Obinna Ekezie Q&A on Nigeria beating U.S.

"Limbo" and "Lakers" were the words of the day as the sun came up Saturday following an eventful Friday night that saw the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz and Atlanta Hawks get a whole lot stronger.
The Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers are the teams in the biggest states of limbo. With Gordon Hayward&rsquo;s situation unresolved, and the same thing happening with Serge Ibaka, Bogdan Bogdanovic, dozens of other unrestricted free agents will be scrambling for deals today before the teams will use all of their significant cap space up.
The defending champions may have pulled off the stunner of the night by <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-free-agency-rumors-los-angeles-lakers-agree-two-year-deal-montrezl-harrell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreeing to terms with Montrezl Harrell</a> of the Clippers, who will replace Dwight Howard on a Lakers team that is going through some roster turnover despite last season&rsquo;s success. They still have unanswered questions about who will comprise their backcourt, but their weakest position last season is a whole lot stronger.
Toronto (or should we call them Tampa?) has reportedly <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-free-agency-fred-vanvleet-agrees-four-year-85-million-toronto-raptors-return" target="_blank" rel="noopener">agreed to a four-year, $85 million deal with VanVleet</a>, who was considered the best available point guard on the market. With VanVleet spurning the Knicks and deciding to return to the team that drafted him, New York will have a whole lot of money without anyone to spend it on...unless Gordon Hayward cannot get to his preferred destination, Indiana.
We still have the James Harden and Russell Westbrook situations in limbo to look forward to, but the Rockets are in no hurry to accommodate either of their trade desires. For now, Houston still looks like a playoff team, but the 2020-21 season does not begin for another 31 days, so a whole bunch of stuff can still happen before opening night.
For now, we know that New Orleans will have a much better center flanking Zion Williamson after acquiring Steven Adams from the Oklahoma City Thunder for...you guessed it, draft picks. This will be an expansion of the Bucks-Pelicans deal that is sending Jrue Holiday to Milwaukee, and there are moving parts that will be agreed upon over the course of the next day or so.&nbsp;
The Bucks&rsquo; pursuit of Bogdan Bogdanovic is over, and we will soon learn whether the Serbian made the right move in turning down $60 million over the next four years and the opportunity to play alongside Holiday, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez.
Utah reunited with glue guy Derrick Favors, who is leaving the Pelicans, while also re-signing Jordan Clarkson. Atlanta added Danilo Gallinari and Kris Dunn, and still has cap space remaining to add another top-notch player to the core of Trae Young, John Collins and Clint Capela. I have been hearing all week that Rajon Rondo is a strong candidate for the Hawks to back up Young and be a mentor for the 22-year-old.&nbsp;Lest we forget, Rondo was arguably the second-best player for the Lakers when they defeated Miami 4-2 in the NBA Finals. 
In a somewhat stunning move, the Pistons signed Denver&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-free-agency-detroit-pistons-agree-three-year-deal-jerami-grant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jerami Grant for three years and $60 million</a>, taking away a key piece of Denver&rsquo;s core. He will be replaced by JaMychal Green, who left the Clippers for Denver.
Brooklyn also is emerging as a winner, having retained Joe Harris while also adding Bruce Brown from the Pistons and Landry Shamet from the Clippers. There are reports that Kevin Durant is recruiting Ibaka, which would give the Nets another center/power forward to play alongside Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan.
The Nets&rsquo; crosstown rivals have added Alec Burks, but the Knicks begin the day wondering whether this free-agency window will look a lot like the last free agency window when Durant and Kyrie Irving both spurned them.&nbsp; But Leon Rose and William Wesley are the new management team, and both are brilliant executives who know that free agency plays out on an hour-by-hour basis. If the Celtics and Pacers cannot agree to terms on a deal that would land Hayward in Indiana, New York is waiting.&nbsp;
So the player to watch most closely over the course of the day today was VanVleet, who <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/ranking-top-10-nba-free-agents-agency-players-2020-offseason" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colleague Spencer Davies had ranked as the No. 3 free agent</a> on the market behind Anthony Davis (making the Lakers wait) and Brandon Ingram (restricted), before he re-upped with the Raptors. 
Of Davies&rsquo; Top 10, No. 4 Harrell (Lakers), No. 7 Gallinari (Hawks), No. 8 Goran Dragic (resigning with Miami) and No. 10 Bertans (re-signing with Washington) are off the board. Ibaka (No. 5), Hayward (No. 6) and Bogdanovic (No. 9) are still out there, along with Ingram. But Ingram and Bogdanovic are restricted, meaning their current teams would have 48 hours to match any offer sheet they sign.
Going position-by-position in Davies&rsquo; rankings, the players still out there are:
Point Guards: Reggie Jackson, Jeff Teague, D.J. Augustin, Shabazz Napier, Shaquille Harrison and Rondo.
Shooting Guards: Bogdanovic, Austin Rivers, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kent Bazemore and Jordan McRae.
Small Forwards: Ingram, Hayward, Jae Crowder, Glenn Robinson III and Torrey Craig.
Power Forwards: Davis, Carmelo Anthony, Paul Millsap, Dario Saric (restricted) and Harry Giles III.
Centers: Ibaka, Marc Gasol, Tristan Thompson, Hassan Whiteside and Aron Baynes.
It should be an eventful Saturday, and by Sunday there will be clear winners and losers. The start of next week will leave some of the losers trying to figure out whether any trades are out there to salvage their offseason, and by Tuesday we can all take a deep breath. Oh, and Trevor Ariza will probably be on his fourth team in a week.
Stay tuned.

Chris Sheridan details Day 1 of free agency and looks ahead to what could shake out on Day 2.

Jackson

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Blazing the Trail: Chris Webber, the read-and-react king

Resetting the conversation around Donovan Mitchell's superstar stature

Stephen Curry and Draymond Green still define the Warriors' greatness

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Day 1 free-agency recap: Epic night leads into epic Saturday