Rebels

For years, the Toronto Raptors have prided themselves on culture. It was never just about talent or star power. It was about identity, accountability, and a belief that development could bridge the gap between good and great. That formula delivered the ultimate prize once, and even through the inevitable transitions that followed, the foundation never truly disappeared.
Now, after seasons of inconsistency and questions about direction, Toronto is starting to look like itself again.
This current stretch has not been about headlines or blockbuster moves, but instead it has been about rediscovery. The Raptors are playing with purpose, with connectivity, and most importantly, with a clear identity that has carried them back into relevance. Defense has become their calling card, and in a league increasingly dominated by offensive firepower, that commitment has given them a chance every night.
Under head coach Darko Rajakovic, Toronto has leaned fully into its defensive principles. The schemes are sharp, the rotations are disciplined, and the effort level has been consistent. It is not just about individual stops but about collective buy-in. Every possession feels intentional, and that has translated into one of the league&rsquo;s better defensive units this season.
At the center of it all is Scottie Barnes, who continues to evolve into the face of the franchise. Barnes has taken on the challenge of anchoring the defense while expanding his offensive game in meaningful ways. He is among the league leaders in combined steals and blocks, a reflection of both his instincts and activity level. More importantly, his offensive approach has matured. His shot selection has improved, his reads are sharper, and his overall scoring efficiency reflects a player beginning to understand how to control the game on both ends.
Barnes represents what the Raptors want to be: Versatile, unselfish, and relentless.
And around him, the roster is starting to make sense.
Brandon Ingram provides a steady scoring presence, someone who can create offense when possessions break down. His ability to operate in the midrange and command defensive attention gives Toronto a different dimension, especially in tight games where execution matters most.
Meanwhile, the returns from the OG Anunoby trade continue to define the team&rsquo;s present and future. Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett have not just filled roles, they have become foundational pieces. Quickley&rsquo;s pace and shot creation bring life to the offense, while Barrett has embraced the opportunity to contribute across the board, attacking the rim and using his physicality to impact the game.
Inside the paint, Poeltl remains a stabilizing force. He does the work that often goes unnoticed. Screening, rebounding, protecting the paint, and providing a reliable interior presence. His role may not generate headlines, but it is essential to everything Toronto wants to do defensively.
The depth of the roster has also started to show real value.
Jamal Shead has stepped into a playmaking role off the bench and provided composure, organizing the offense and keeping the team structured. Ja'Kobe Walter adds scoring punch, someone who can change the tempo with his aggressiveness. Gradey Dick continues to stretch the floor, offering much-needed spacing that allows the rest of the offense to function more fluidly.
Then there is Sandro Mamukelashvili, who brings a different dimension to the frontcourt. His ability to handle the ball and shoot from the perimeter creates mismatches and forces defenses to adjust. It is a contrast to Poeltl&rsquo;s interior presence, and that versatility gives Rajakovic more options depending on the situation.
Perhaps one of the more encouraging developments has been the emergence of Collin Murray-Boyles. The rookie has exceeded expectations early, showing that he is physically ready for the NBA level. He has embraced the physicality, competed defensively, and found ways to contribute without needing the offense to run through him. For a young team still building its identity, that kind of readiness matters.
All of these pieces together have started to form something tangible. The Raptors are no longer searching aimlessly. They are building, and more importantly, they are building with clarity.
The question now becomes what comes next. There are multiple paths in front of Toronto, and each one carries its own level of risk and reward.
They could continue to build organically, trusting the development of Barnes and the rest of the core. This approach requires patience, something that is often difficult in a results-driven league. However, it also aligns most closely with the culture the organization has always valued.
Another option is to make a significant move, a splashy trade that could accelerate their timeline and push them back into contention. It is a tempting idea, especially when a team begins to show signs of cohesion. The challenge is ensuring that such a move does not disrupt the very identity that is starting to take shape.
Then there is the middle ground. Incremental improvement through smart trades, disciplined drafting, and targeted free agent signings. This path may not generate immediate headlines, but it can often produce the most sustainable success. It allows the team to grow while maintaining flexibility, something that becomes crucial as young players develop and expectations rise.
What makes this moment compelling is that none of these options feel out of reach. Toronto is not stuck. They are not rebuilding without direction. They are a team that has begun to rediscover itself, anchored by defense and fueled by a young core that is starting to understand how to win together.
There is also a growing sense that this could be the season where it all starts to translate into results. After struggling through the past few years, the Raptors are showing signs of a team ready to compete for a playoff spot again. The energy is different. The connectivity is evident. They are playing like a group that believes in what it is building. That belief matters.
Culture is often an abstract concept, something that is easier to talk about than to define. For the Raptors, it has always been about consistency in effort, trust in development, and a willingness to adapt without losing identity. This season, those elements are beginning to resurface in a meaningful way.
The road ahead will not be simple. There will be decisions to make, challenges to navigate, and expectations to manage. However, for the first time in a while, the direction feels clear. The Raptors have found their footing again. Now, it is about deciding how far and how fast they want to go.

The Toronto Raptors are rediscovering their identity through defense and a rising young core led by Scottie Barnes.

Raptors built on culture. What comes next?

<div>Every February, LeBron James has been wondering why he didn't participate in the Slam Dunk Contest for more than two decades, one of the NBA's great what-ifs. Fans have debated the topic in barbershops, on sports radio, and across social media.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Brandon 'Scoop B' Robinson's recent interview with former <a href="https://bookmaker-ratings.ru/tip/sport-types/tip-nba-tips/">NBA </a>forward and 1992 dunk champion Cedric Ceballos has given new life to the conversation, even though some parts of the past need to be addressed.</div>
<div>Ceballos didn't just suggest that LeBron skipped the contest because he wasn't interested.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>He defined it as something deeper: the preservation of the brand.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>&ldquo;He had a chance his rookie year and he didn&rsquo;t,&rdquo; <a href="https://scoopb.com/2026/02/cedric-ceballos-talks-vince-carters-springs-anthony-edwards-rise-and-why-lebron-james-skipped-the-dunk-contest/">Ceballos told Robinson</a>. &ldquo;After that rookie year, anything after that would damage his credibility and his career. It&rsquo;s not really if he wins it &mdash; because he&rsquo;s supposed to win it &mdash; it&rsquo;s that if he loses it.&rdquo;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>
<div>According to Ceballos, the risk outweighed the reward. LeBron had already become too big, too famous, and too accustomed to dominating. Winning would be the standard operating procedure.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Losing would be a headline that would follow him forever.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>To reinforce his point, Ceballos referenced LeBron's high school years.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>
&ldquo;He lost in the McDonald&rsquo;s All-American Game,&rdquo; Ceballos said, claiming that a then lesser-known Shannon Brown outshined LeBron in the dunk contest. &ldquo;Shannon Brown beat him, but he was a little bit not as famous as LeBron and they gave it to LeBron.&rdquo;
The story fits neatly into Ceballos&rsquo; narrative: LeBron experiencing early proof that even one loss could dent his aura.
The problem? It didn&rsquo;t quite happen that way.
&nbsp;
<h2 data-start="1601" data-end="1646">What Ceballos Was Really Arguing</h2>
Ceballos' fundamental basketball critique was evident, even though his memory was spotty. According to him, LeBron is a powerful power dunker - one of the best in live action - but not a specialist in dunk contests.
&ldquo;LeBron dunks on a lot of people,&rdquo; Ceballos implied, &ldquo;but trickery, suaveness &mdash; no.&rdquo;
<div>LeBron's remarkable abilities are attributed to his speed, strength, timing, and rim violence, not to his choreographed creativity. In the past, the Dunk Contest has awarded both flair and force equally.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>The basketball argument is fair. Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Vince Carter, and Zach LaVine were legends of the contest, blending athleticism and innovation.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Windmills, free-throw line glides, props, timing, and theatrical moments all play significant roles.LeBron's game has always been about efficiency and dominance, not pre-planned artistry.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<h2>The McDonald&rsquo;s Contest Reality</h2>
Officially, LeBron James won the 2003 McDonald&rsquo;s All-American Slam Dunk Contest in Cleveland. The other finalists were Shannon Brown and J.R. Giddens.
However, the nuance matters.
Many recaps from that night noted that LeBron&rsquo;s dunks were solid but relatively basic &mdash; powerful, clean, but not jaw-dropping. Brown, on the other hand, pulled off one of the most impressive single dunks of the event but missed multiple attempts afterward, hurting his overall score.
LeBron benefitted from consistency, hometown energy, and others&rsquo; miscues.
So while Ceballos is wrong that LeBron &ldquo;lost,&rdquo; he&rsquo;s not wrong that the perception afterward was more complicated than a dominant victory.
Even as a teenager, LeBron was learning something crucial: when you&rsquo;re the most famous player in the building, expectations distort everything.
<h2 data-start="3213" data-end="3356">The Real Risk for Superstars</h2>
This is where Ceballos&rsquo; brand argument actually lines up with reality.
For a player like LeBron James, the Dunk Contest was always a high-risk, low-reward proposition.
If he won? Fans would shrug and say he was supposed to.
If he lost &mdash; especially to a smaller, less famous, more creative dunker like Nate Robinson, Gerald Green, or Zach LaVine &mdash; it would instantly become a meme, a punchline, a permanent footnote.
History backs this up. Dwight Howard&rsquo;s loss to Nate Robinson still gets referenced. Aaron Gordon losing twice despite incredible dunks became a running joke about being &ldquo;robbed.&rdquo; The contest doesn&rsquo;t forget.
And LeBron has essentially acknowledged this dynamic himself over the years.
He&rsquo;s said repeatedly that if he ever did the Dunk Contest, he&rsquo;d &ldquo;have to win&rdquo; &mdash; otherwise it wouldn&rsquo;t be worth it. That mindset alone shows how much pressure and perception factored into the decision.
<h2 data-start="4098" data-end="4298">LeBron&rsquo;s Own Explanation</h2>
Publicly, LeBron has always framed his absence in basketball terms rather than branding ones.
He&rsquo;s emphasized that his goals <a href="https://x.com/ScoopB/status/1668247108309118977">were championships</a>, MVPs, Defensive Player of the Year awards &mdash; not dunk trophies.
He&rsquo;s also consistently called himself an &ldquo;in-game dunker,&rdquo; explaining that he doesn&rsquo;t enjoy planning or practicing set-piece dunks. For him, dunking is about reacting in real time, attacking defenders, and finishing with force &mdash; not choreography.
That explanation fits his personality and play style perfectly.
But it doesn&rsquo;t exclude the brand reality either.
<video controls="controls" width="300" height="150">
<source src="https://x.com/ScoopB/status/1668247108309118977?s=20" /></video>
<h2 data-start="5066" data-end="5370">So Was Ceballos Right?</h2>
Factually, no &mdash; LeBron didn&rsquo;t lose that high-school contest to Shannon Brown.
Conceptually? He was tapping into something very real.
From the moment LeBron entered the league as &ldquo;<a href="https://rg.org/news/basketball/phil-handy-jordan-kobe-lebron-goat-debate">The Chosen One</a>,&rdquo; every appearance became a referendum on greatness. The Dunk Contest, meant to be fun and experimental, would&rsquo;ve placed him in a situation where creativity mattered more than dominance &mdash; and where a single off night could live forever online.
For a generational superstar with nothing to gain and everything to lose, skipping it made strategic sense.
In that light, LeBron&rsquo;s absence doesn&rsquo;t look like fear or lack of interest alone. It looks like a calculated understanding of modern sports culture, expectations, and reputation.
<h2 data-start="5481" data-end="5659">The Middle Ground</h2>
<div>LeBron James' Dunk Contest absence was not only framed as a branding decision by Cedric Ceballos, but also by an associate of James' <a href="https://landonbuford-com-488060.hostingersite.com/lakers-lebron-james-associate-reveals-real-reason-he-skipped-dunk-contest/">Rob MC in the Walklikeus room</a> a few years back.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>They said it did not fit LeBron's image at the time and pointed out that the contest was less exciting after the best players stopped participating in the early 2000s.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>He answered those who questioned LeBron's drive by citing his famous 3-1 Finals comeback, and also reminded everyone that many great players skipped the contest.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>LeBron stayed out of the Dunk Contest, not because he was scared, but because he thought it could hurt his reputation more than it could help, choosing his long-term legacy over a show, according to their comments.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div><video controls="controls" width="300" height="150">
<source src="https://x.com/LandonBuford/status/1359669118643941376?s=20" /></video></div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
&nbsp;
</div>
</div>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Cedric Ceballos explains how branding, risk, and legacy factored into LeBron James's decision not to enter the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

Ex-Laker Cedric Ceballos Weighs-In on Why LeBron Skipped the Dunk Contest

The Golden State Warriors dynasty appears to be entering its final stretch, with time, injuries, and uncertainty all converging at once.
Stephen Curry is now 37, approaching 38, and while his game has aged gracefully, the margin for error around him has grown razor-thin. Over the past several seasons, Golden State&rsquo;s championship hopes have repeatedly been derailed by injuries &ndash; many of them coming at the worst possible moments.
It began in 2019, when the Warriors were chasing a historic three-peat. Kevin Durant tore his Achilles during the NBA Finals against Toronto, followed shortly by Klay Thompson&rsquo;s ACL injury. What followed was a lost 2020 season, then another setback when Curry broke his hand just a few games into the year. As Thompson worked his way back, misfortune struck again &ndash; this time an Achilles tear that delayed his return even further.
The injury cycle never truly stopped. Last season, De&rsquo;Anthony Melton had been playing well alongside Curry in the backcourt before suffering a torn ACL, and from there, things unraveled quickly. In the playoffs, after Golden State rode the momentum of yet another series win over Houston, Curry suffered a hamstring strain that sidelined him against the Timberwolves. Without him, the Warriors were eliminated.
Most recently, another devastating blow landed. Jimmy Butler tore his ACL, costing Golden State its second star next to Curry and dealing a major hit to whatever remained of its title aspirations.
All of it underscores a harsh reality: time is running out. There are no guarantees in today&rsquo;s NBA, and opportunities to win championships are fleeting &ndash; especially for an aging superstar, no matter how great.
Curry continues to do his part. He just dropped 38 points and drilled eight three-pointers against Dallas, another reminder that he can still take over games and perform at a championship level. But nights like that have increasingly felt isolated, surrounded by questions about whether the supporting cast is good enough to contend.
The uncertainty extends beyond the roster. Klay Thompson is no longer there. Butler is sidelined. Steve Kerr has just one year left on his contract. Draymond Green is getting older and showing signs of decline. Meanwhile, the front office remains caught between timelines, holding onto young pieces rather than fully committing to moves that could immediately maximize Curry&rsquo;s remaining prime.
That&rsquo;s what makes this moment feel different. Curry is still capable of being the best player on a title team. He&rsquo;s shown it time and time again, but without sufficient help and without a clear organizational direction, the window that defined one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history appears to be closing.
And for a player who has given everything to the franchise, that reality is as difficult as it is unavoidable.

As Steph Curry continues to perform at an elite level, injuries, aging stars, and uncertainty signal that the Warriors’ dynasty is ending.

Stephen Curry, Warriors dynasty nearing its end

<div>It's rare for young NBA stars to develop without labels. The comparison of every skill, hesitation move, or late-game possession to someone who came before is inevitable.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Cade Cunningham, who is the foundation of the Detroit Pistons' franchise, keeps hearing about Brandon Roy. The comparison is not based on hype or nostalgia. The outcome depends on how Cunningham plays the game.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<h2>Why Brandon Roy&rsquo;s Name Resonates</h2>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Brandon Roy&rsquo;s NBA career was short, but he left a mark that sticks around. When he was on, Roy could do it all&mdash;he&rsquo;d score with ease, attack from either side, and close out games without losing his cool. He didn&rsquo;t need to outrun everybody; he just controlled the tempo and figured out how to get past defenders with smart moves. Cunningham watches Roy, sees what made him special, and wants to play the same way. You can see it in how he approaches the game.</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>&ldquo;I mean, Brandon Roy, he was a legend in my eyes,&rdquo; <a href="https://r.org/2025/12/19/cade-cunningham-honored-to-hear-brandon-roy-comparisons/">Cunningham said</a>. &ldquo;He was special &mdash; did it all. Both hands, inside, outside game. So to even be compared, I feel honored. I think it&rsquo;s a cool comparison. I&rsquo;ve definitely tried to implement things from his game into mine.&rdquo;</div>
<div>&nbsp;</div>
<div>Appreciation is not based on imitation. The objective is to comprehend the principles that made Roy effective and apply them to a contemporary game.</div>
<h2>A Style Built on Feel, Not Flash</h2>
Comparisons can either slow a player down or light a fire under them. Cade Cunningham? He&rsquo;s all about that second one. He studies Roy&rsquo;s moves&mdash;the way he uses his feet, how he waits for the right moment, how he glides into open space. Then Cade takes what he sees and makes it his own.
Someday, people won&rsquo;t bother stacking him up against Brandon Roy. Not because they&rsquo;ve forgotten Roy, but because Cade&rsquo;s carved out his own place, he becomes the measuring stick. For now, being compared to Roy isn&rsquo;t a weight on his shoulders. It&rsquo;s just a nod, and Cade&rsquo;s running with it.
&ldquo;There are similarities,&rdquo;<a href="https://landonbuford.com/brandon-roy-cade-cunningham/"> Roy said</a>, pointing to Cunningham&rsquo;s ability to read defenders and operate in tight spaces.
<h2>Respect From Players Who&rsquo;ve Been There</h2>
The comparison isn&rsquo;t limited to former players on television panels. Current teammates and respected voices around the league echo the same sentiment.
Vince Carter sees long-term greatness.
&ldquo;I like Cade,&rdquo; Carter said. &ldquo;I think he has a chance to be very good, and he&rsquo;s gonna be a perennial All-Star, in my opinion.&rdquo;
Isaiah Stewart, who sees Cunningham daily, emphasized the balance between similarity and individuality.
&ldquo;Cade&rsquo;s game is Cade&rsquo;s game,&rdquo; Stewart said. &ldquo;Smooth operator. You can find some similarities, obviously &mdash; B Roy is B Roy &mdash; but Cade has his own game.&rdquo;
That distinction matters. Roy was often a scorer first. Cunningham leans more naturally into playmaking, comfortable initiating offense and making reads that don&rsquo;t always result in personal stats.
<h2 data-start="2705" data-end="2901">Different Eras, Shared Toughness</h2>
Ryan Hollins offered one of the most layered perspectives, acknowledging both overlap and separation.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re different players,&rdquo; Hollins said. &ldquo;Brandon Roy was a playmaker who could score. Cade is a natural point guard. But both are uniquely unstoppable.&rdquo;
Hollins also underscored something fans sometimes forget: how dominant Roy truly was before injuries intervened. Being mentioned in the same breath is not casual praise.
<h2 data-start="3200" data-end="3370">Carrying the Comparison Forward</h2>
Cunningham doesn&rsquo;t see the comparison as a burden. He takes it in, sees what he can learn. He watches Roy&rsquo;s footwork, notices his patience, and pays attention to how he moves through space. Then he takes those lessons and makes them his own, folding them into his own style.
Someday, people won&rsquo;t line up Cunningham next to Brandon Roy anymore. Not because they&rsquo;re suddenly so different, but because Cunningham&rsquo;s own track record will be loud enough that nobody needs to make the comparison. Right now, though, the comparison isn&rsquo;t holding him back. It&rsquo;s a nod of respect&mdash;and a reminder that being smart, tough, and in control never really goes out of fashion.
&nbsp;
<div>&nbsp;</div>

Cade Cunningham reacts to comparisons with Brandon Roy as NBA veterans praise his poise, control, and evolving impact with the Detroit Pistons.

Cade Cunningham and the Brandon Roy Comparison: Respect Earned, Identity Preserved

There was a time when every Nikola Jokic triple-double was a headline. Now, it&rsquo;s just another night in the NBA.
Through the first seven games of the season, Jokic has recorded a triple-double in five of them &ndash; a feat that, for almost any other player, would be hailed as an early-season masterpiece. For Jokic nowadays though, it barely makes noise &ndash; or so we thought.&nbsp;
His latest line &ndash; 33 points, 15 rebounds, and 16 assists in a win over the Miami Heat &ndash; came and went without much fanfare. No major debates, no viral clips, just another Nikola Jokic game.
It raises a sobering question: Have we started taking Nikola Jokic for granted?
When greatness becomes routine
In a league dominated by storylines, Jokic has somehow become background noise. There&rsquo;s the buzz surrounding Oklahoma City&rsquo;s rise to their dynasty aspirations, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander&rsquo;s another MVP-level play. There&rsquo;s Victor Wembanyama&rsquo;s historic two-way surge, Luka Doncic torching defenses nightly, and Giannis Antetokounmpo reclaiming his MVP momentum as the Bucks return back into contention. Amid all this, Jokic continues to produce at a level that would define other players&rsquo; careers &ndash; and yet, it&rsquo;s treated as business as usual.
Maybe that&rsquo;s the curse of consistency. Jokic has been performing at an MVP standard for six straight years, making extraordinary basketball look almost effortless. His greatness has lost its novelty, not its effectiveness. The NBA world seems to have reached the point where a 25-12-12 stat line is expected out of him night in and night out, and anything less is considered an off night.
That kind of expectation can only mean one thing: we might have grown numb to the brilliance of the Joker.
Jokic&rsquo;s game defies conventional flash. He doesn&rsquo;t soar above defenders, doesn&rsquo;t scream after dunks, and rarely demands attention. Instead, he dissects opponents with surgical precision &ndash; manipulating angles, finding shooters, and bending defenses until they break.&nbsp;
He makes the hardest parts of basketball look like second nature. And perhaps because of that, his dominance no longer shocks us.
Watch him closely, though, and it&rsquo;s clear this is not normal. No one in NBA history has combined this kind of scoring efficiency, playmaking creativity, and rebounding control in one body. Jokic&rsquo;s blend of power and patience, vision and touch, feels like something out of a different era &ndash; or maybe a different dimension.
Yet, somehow, it doesn&rsquo;t dominate the discourse anymore the way it once did.
The cost of familiarity
It&rsquo;s possible that &lsquo;voter fatigue&rsquo; has caught up with Jokic &ndash; not just in award voting, but in the public consciousness. When a player sustains greatness for this long, the conversation naturally shifts elsewhere. The media and fans often chase new narratives, new stars, new sensations. Jokic, who&rsquo;s been doing this for years, no longer fits the mold of &ldquo;breaking news.&rdquo;
But it&rsquo;s worth remembering: he&rsquo;s still the best player in basketball.
Since 2019, Jokic has averaged roughly 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists per game while leading the Denver Nuggets to sustained success, including the 2023 NBA Championship &ndash; a run that stamped his legacy as one of the all-time greats. And yet, even as he keeps doing it, his name often fades into the background of louder storylines.
The truth is, we&rsquo;ve normalized his greatness to the point where we no longer fully appreciate it. It&rsquo;s not that Jokic has gotten worse &ndash; it&rsquo;s that everyone else has gotten louder.
Led by Jokic, Nuggets quietly creep up atop the West
Part of the reason Jokic&rsquo;s brilliance flies under the radar is the Nuggets&rsquo; quiet offseason. While other teams made splashy moves &ndash; like Kevin Durant&rsquo;s shocking arrival in Houston &ndash; Denver operated with surgical precision rather than spectacle.
They brought back a familiar face in Bruce Brown, a key piece of their 2023 title run. Brown&rsquo;s return instantly reestablishes the defensive edge and chemistry that made Denver so complete during their championship push. His connection with Jokic is instinctive; he knows exactly when and where to cut, and Jokic always finds him.
The Nuggets also made a subtle but meaningful trade &ndash; flipping Michael Porter Jr. for Cameron Johnson. At first glance, it might seem like a downgrade in talent, but in practice, it could be an upgrade in fit. Johnson&rsquo;s spacing, unselfishness, and commitment to role-playing perfectly complement Jokic&rsquo;s system. He won&rsquo;t hijack possessions or hunt shots; he&rsquo;ll move, shoot, and defend &ndash; the exact formula that maximizes Jokic&rsquo;s playmaking brilliance.
Denver also finally addressed one of their lingering issues: the lack of a dependable backup center. The addition of Jonas Valanciunas gives them that stability. A bruising interior presence and elite screener, Valanciunas allows Denver to stay afloat when Jokic sits &ndash; a problem that&rsquo;s haunted them for years. He&rsquo;s also a sneaky-good passer, keeping Denver&rsquo;s dribble-handoff flow alive in bench units.
And perhaps the most underrated move of all is not a move at all: the return of a healthy Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. Both have battled injuries during previous playoff runs, but when on the floor, they complete Denver&rsquo;s identity. Murray&rsquo;s two-man game with Jokic remains one of the most unstoppable actions in basketball, while Gordon&rsquo;s cutting, defense, and athleticism balance the Nuggets on both ends.
Another quiet storyline is their head coach David Adelman. After taking over midseason last year, Adelman has done an exceptional job keeping the Nuggets grounded and disciplined. His defensive tweaks and trust in player development have kept Denver sharp despite roster transitions. He doesn&rsquo;t seek the spotlight &ndash; much like Jokic &ndash; but his influence is felt in the team&rsquo;s structure, chemistry, and accountability.
Adelman has embraced what makes Jokic special: freedom within a framework. Denver plays through Jokic at all times, but it never feels forced. The rhythm of the offense &ndash; cuts, screens, spacing &ndash; is organic, built on years of familiarity and trust.
While the Thunder, Lakers, Spurs, and Rockets dominate headlines, the Nuggets are quietly creeping back into the Western Conference&rsquo;s top tier. It&rsquo;s easy to forget that Denver was one win away from eliminating the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder last postseason.
Now, with a more balanced roster, better depth, and a refreshed core, they&rsquo;re poised to make another deep run. And at the center of it all &ndash; both literally and figuratively &ndash; is Nikola Jokic, still orchestrating everything with unmatched control.
He&rsquo;s still the engine, still the mind, still the heartbeat of Denver basketball. And yet, somehow, we&rsquo;ve stopped talking about him.
The normalization of the extraordinary
Maybe that&rsquo;s the price of sustained brilliance &ndash; to be so consistently excellent that the world stops noticing.&nbsp;
But history will remember what the present often overlooks. Jokic isn&rsquo;t just putting up big numbers; he&rsquo;s reshaping what we thought possible for a big man.
One day, when we look back, we&rsquo;ll realize these seasons weren&rsquo;t normal. They were masterpieces hiding in plain sight.
Nikola Jokic hasn&rsquo;t fallen off &ndash; if anything, he&rsquo;s still climbing. It&rsquo;s the rest of us who&rsquo;ve forgotten to look up.

Nikola Jokic’s brilliance has become so routine that fans may be taking it for granted. Read why, here:

Has Nikola Jokic become underrated?

The Trail Blazers have taken another major step in their rebuild by extending two of their most promising young players. According to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania, the Blazers agreed to a four-year, $90 million extension with guard Shaedon Sharpe and a four-year, $82 million deal with forward Toumani Camara on Sunday.
Sharpe, 22, was the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft and averaged a career-high 18.5 points last season. Camara, 25, who was drafted No. 52 in 2023, earned All-Defensive second-team honours and averaged 11.3 points and 5.8 rebounds last season.
By locking them up through the 2029-30 season, Portland now have their most promising players on the team for a considerable amount of seasons with one of the most valued contracts in the league.
ANALYSIS: With Sharpe and Camara signed, the Blazers&rsquo; young nucleus now features:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sharpe (guard, scoring/athleticism)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Camara (forward, defensive-two-way potential)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Deni Avdija, a do-it-all forward with also a good value contract</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Donovan Clingan, a high-upside big man</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Scoot Henderson, a former No. 3 pick with potential</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Hansen Yang, a rookie from China with unique skills and global appeal</li>
</ul>
Both extensions are reportedly below what some expected market benchmarks would demand, giving Portland salary-cap flexibility for additional moves. With deals running four years, the window allows time for development and growth rather than immediate &ldquo;win-now&rdquo; pressure.
With a defensive stalwart (Camara) and an athletic scorer (Sharpe), the Blazers are shaping a two-way identity around youth, athleticism and versatility, and while the financial commitments are moderate, the success of the strategy hinges on Sharpe stepping into a lead-scorer role and Camara continuing his upward trajectory on both ends of the floor. This wave of extensions marks a clear moment: the Portland Trail Blazers are no longer merely acquiring talent &ndash;&nbsp; they&rsquo;re locking in their young core and betting their next phase around it.

The Trail Blazers have taken another major step in their rebuild by extending Shaedon Sharpe and Toumani Camara.

Blazers continue building future, tie up Sharpe & Camara to 4-year deals

For years, the New Orleans Pelicans have wondered, what if Zion Williamson stayed healthy? What if their young core developed on schedule? What if their potential turned into reality? Each season, the answers have been clouded by injuries, inconsistencies, and flashes of brilliance that never fully crystallized into sustained success.
However, this year feels a little different. This time, the question isn&rsquo;t just what if &ndash; it&rsquo;s why not now?
At the center of it all is Zion Williamson, the player who has embodied both the promise and frustration of the Pelicans&rsquo; franchise. Since entering the league in 2019, Zion has been a spectacle: a 6-foot-10 wingspan in a 6-foot-6 frame, capable of bulldozing defenders one moment and soaring above the rim the next. At his best, he is one of the league&rsquo;s most unstoppable offensive forces, averaging 26 points per game on historic efficiency during his healthiest stretch.
But availability has been his greatest obstacle. In five NBA seasons, Williamson has played more than 60 games only twice in his career. His injuries have been a constant cloud, creating skepticism about whether New Orleans could ever truly build around him.
This summer, that narrative took a sharp turn. Zion arrived to training camp slimmer, noticeably more explosive, and carrying himself with a sense of focus that his teammates and coaches immediately noticed. The weight questions, once a persistent storyline, have been replaced by a new image: a player who has embraced the responsibility of leading a franchise.
A fit, determined Williamson changes everything for New Orleans. His ability to collapse defenses forces constant rotations, opening lanes for shooters like Trey Murphy III and creating easier looks for teammates. His sheer presence shifts scouting reports and stretches defenses in ways few players in the league can replicate. If he stays healthy, he isn&rsquo;t just an All-Star &ndash; he&rsquo;s an MVP-caliber player.
The defensive backbone
Yet, the Pelicans&rsquo; story isn&rsquo;t just Zion anymore. Over the last two seasons, New Orleans has quietly built one of the league&rsquo;s toughest defensive identities. Herb Jones has emerged as one of the NBA&rsquo;s premier perimeter defenders, capable of smothering opposing stars with his length, anticipation, and discipline. His ability to neutralize scorers gives the Pelicans a weapon they can lean on in high-stakes moments.
Alongside Jones, Trey Murphy III has developed into more than just a shooter. His 3-and-D skill set, paired with growing confidence as a secondary scorer, gives New Orleans a wing duo that can both stretch the floor and guard multiple positions. Add in Jose Alvarado &ndash; the relentless spark plug who pressures the ball full-court and embodies the team&rsquo;s grit &ndash; and the Pelicans&rsquo; backcourt and wing defense becomes the backbone of their identity.
Defense has often been overlooked when analyzing New Orleans, but it may be the key to unlocking consistency. In a Western Conference filled with offensive juggernauts, having versatile defenders who can match up across lineups is invaluable.
The new faces
Offseason moves also signal a commitment to balancing the roster. Jordan Poole, fresh off an uneven stint with Golden State and Washington, now has a chance to reinvent himself in New Orleans. Here, he doesn&rsquo;t need to be a franchise cornerstone. Instead, he slides into a pivotal third option role, providing instant offense and shot creation alongside Williamson and Murphy. Poole&rsquo;s streaky shooting can swing games, and in short bursts, he could be the X-factor that pushes the Pelicans over the top in tight contests.
Then there&rsquo;s Kevon Looney, a player who embodies everything New Orleans has lacked: championship experience, toughness, and dependability. A three-time champion with the Warriors, Looney&rsquo;s contributions won&rsquo;t light up a box score, but his rebounding, screens, and defensive positioning will make the Pelicans harder to break down. For a team that has often folded late in games, Looney&rsquo;s calm presence offers a stabilizing influence.
A familiar core, older and wiser
The beauty of this Pelicans roster lies in its continuity. This is not a team starting from scratch. Just three years ago, New Orleans was a 49-win squad that briefly held the top seed in the Western Conference. They pushed the Phoenix Suns in the playoffs, even without a healthy Zion, showing glimpses of what their ceiling could be.
The core from that run &ndash; Alvarado, Murphy, Jones, and Williamson &ndash; is still intact. Now, they&rsquo;re older, more seasoned, and carrying the scars of past disappointments. Experience is often the unspoken separator between contenders and pretenders, and the Pelicans have quietly built that experience over time.
For New Orleans, those lessons have accumulated. They&rsquo;ve seen how injuries derail momentum. They&rsquo;ve felt what it&rsquo;s like to lose a winnable series. And now, with a healthier roster and a leader in peak condition, they&rsquo;re ready to apply those lessons.
However, make no mistake: the Western Conference is brutal. Oklahoma City, Denver, Houston, and Minnesota all remain strong. Golden State and both teams in LA are still lurking. But in a year where the balance of power feels more spread out than usual, there&rsquo;s room for a team like New Orleans to make a leap.
For the Pelicans, the stakes are clear. If Zion stays healthy and this roster gels, they are capable of winning at least 45, maybe even 50 games and securing one of the 6 playoff spots in the West. They have the depth, the defense, and now, perhaps for the first time, the maturity to sustain success.
But if health issues resurface, or if Zion falters, the narrative could turn quickly. Questions about the franchise&rsquo;s direction would resurface, and the burden of wasted potential would hang heavier than ever. This season isn&rsquo;t just about competing &ndash; it&rsquo;s about proving that the Pelicans can finally move past the all the what ifs from previous seasons.
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
Hope is a fragile thing in sports. For New Orleans, it has often felt like a tease. But this time, there&rsquo;s a different energy around the team. Zion&rsquo;s transformation has given the franchise and its fans something tangible to believe in. The roster, deeper and more balanced than ever, provides legitimate optimism. And the core, tested by setbacks, feels ready to take the next step.
The Pelicans have everything they need to succeed: a superstar ready to reclaim his place among the league&rsquo;s best, a defensive identity that can withstand the West&rsquo;s firepower, and the supporting cast to fill gaps when stars rest.
For the first time in a long time, New Orleans doesn&rsquo;t have a question of what if. It feels like a statement: why not now?

A fit Zion Williamson have the Pelicans hoping for a good year ahead. Here’s why 2025-26 could be their breakthrough season.

Pelicans, fit Zion Williamson aim a big year ahead for a breakthrough season

The Philadelphia 76ers have lived in the shadow of &ldquo;what if&rdquo; for far too long. What if Joel Embiid had been healthy all along after all these years? What if the roster had held together when it mattered most? What if the Sixers had caught a break in a wide-open East?
Heading into the 2025-26 season, those questions remain, but there is also renewed belief. Philadelphia has retooled its roster with a mix of established veterans and rising stars. The blueprint is simple: keep their core healthy, and the Sixers will once again be among the conference&rsquo;s most dangerous teams.
The Embiid factor
It all starts with Joel Embiid.
When healthy, the 2023 MVP remains one of the most dominant players in basketball. A 7-foot force who blends power, touch, and skill in ways few big men in history ever have, Embiid can take over a game from the post, the midrange, or even beyond the arc. He can anchor an elite defense with rim protection and physicality, while also functioning as the fulcrum of the offense.
At his best, Embiid isn&rsquo;t just a top-5 player in the league. He&rsquo;s arguably top-3, the kind of singular star who can tilt playoff series on his own. But the caveat has always been health. Time and again, Embiid&rsquo;s postseason runs have been cut short by injuries, leaving Philadelphia to wonder how far they could have gone at full strength.
The Sixers&rsquo; entire trajectory hinges on Embiid&rsquo;s body holding up. If he can stay on the floor, they&rsquo;re contenders. If not, they risk fading into the middle of the pack in an unforgiving Eastern Conference.
The co-stars and the role players
For years, the Sixers searched for the right running mate for Embiid. After experiments with James Harden, Ben Simmons, and Jimmy Butler, they may have finally found the answer in Tyrese Maxey.
The 24-year-old guard has blossomed into an All-Star caliber player, one of the league&rsquo;s most explosive scoring guards with blinding speed and an ever-improving jumper. Two seasons ago, he averaged career-best numbers and announced himself as Philadelphia&rsquo;s backcourt centerpiece. Injuries slowed him briefly, but now, fully healthy, Maxey is poised to build on that success.
Maxey&rsquo;s ability to create his own shot and stretch defenses makes him the perfect complement to Embiid. When defenses collapse on the big man, Maxey thrives in attacking closeouts or pulling up from deep. If both stay healthy, they give the Sixers one of the best inside-out duos in the NBA.
And make no mistake: if Philadelphia is to make noise this season, Maxey will need to not just support Embiid but shoulder stretches as the lead option, particularly in moments when the big man rests.
The Sixers made one of the offseason&rsquo;s splashiest moves by adding Paul George. At 35, George is no longer in his prime, but he doesn&rsquo;t have to be. In fact, his age and experience could make him a perfect fit.
Rather than being asked to carry a team, George can settle into the role of one of the league&rsquo;s best third options. Behind Embiid and Maxey, he provides spacing, secondary playmaking, and the ability to guard multiple positions. On nights when Maxey is off or Embiid is limited, George still has the scoring chops to step into a larger role.
If he embraces this shift and stays healthy, he could be one of the most valuable veterans in the league &ndash; the kind of player who wins playoff games with savvy, shot-making, and timely defense.
Last season, rookie guard Jared McCain gave Philadelphia fans a glimpse of the future. His confidence, shooting, and poise belied his age, and he quickly earned rotation minutes. Unfortunately, an injury cut his promising campaign short.
Now, as he works his way back from another minor setback, McCain remains an X-factor for the Sixers. If he can replicate and build on what he showed last year, Philadelphia suddenly has a young spark who can keep defenses honest and provide much-needed floor spacing.
For a team often plagued by a lack of reliable shooting in the postseason, McCain&rsquo;s development could quietly swing a series.
The bigger picture ahead
The Sixers&rsquo; fate doesn&rsquo;t exist in a vacuum. The Eastern Conference landscape has shifted. The Knicks are loaded and ready to chase a title, Milwaukee still has Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Miami continues to hang around.
In this environment, Philadelphia&rsquo;s margin for error is slim. They don&rsquo;t need to be perfect &ndash; but they do need to be healthy.
With Embiid at his peak, Maxey rising, and George easing into a defined role, the Sixers have enough firepower to contend with anyone. Add a deep rotation, a hungry young guard in McCain, some role player caveats in Kelly Oubre, rookie VJ Edgecombe, Justin Edwards, Trendon Watford, among others, and a coaching staff that knows the stakes, and the recipe for success is there.
But again, it circles back to health. That word has become synonymous with the Embiid era in Philadelphia. Each season feels like a battle against the clock, with fans waiting to see if their star center can withstand the grind of an 82-game season and beyond.
For Philadelphia, the 2025-26 season isn&rsquo;t about the &lsquo;Process&rsquo; anymore. It&rsquo;s about answers.
Can Embiid stay on the floor and finally deliver a postseason run worthy of his talent? Can Maxey take another leap into true superstardom? Can George flourish in his role and become the third piece that pushes the Sixers over the top? Can McCain provide that youthful burst the rotation needs?
If the answer is yes to enough of those questions, the Sixers could very well make noise in the East and perhaps beyond. If not, they risk another year lost to the cruel combination of injuries and unmet expectations.
The Sixers know what they&rsquo;re up against. They&rsquo;ve seen seasons crumble under the weight of injuries. They&rsquo;ve seen championship windows slam shut before they were fully open.
This year feels like another chance, perhaps one of the last with this iteration of the roster. Embiid remains a generational talent, Maxey is in his prime, George is hungry to win, and McCain is eager to break out.
Health will determine everything. For Philadelphia, the question isn&rsquo;t whether they can contend &ndash; it&rsquo;s whether they&rsquo;ll be healthy enough to show it.

The Sixers’ title hopes hinge on health. With Embiid, Maxey, George, Philadelphia has the talent — but can they finally stay on the floor?

Sixers banking on a healthy season to make noise in the East

The Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury have been two of the WNBA's most dynamic risers this season, having used the offseason as a springboard to elevate themselves from fringe playoff teams to legitimate postseason threats. With aggressive and calculated roster moves, both franchises took advantage of a star-heavy free agency market and are now reaping the rewards with improved records, on-court cohesion, and a renewed sense of direction.
In a league where parity is rising and every roster spot carries weight, the Dream and Mercury have shown that smart offseason hauls can redefine a franchise&rsquo;s ceiling.
Atlanta Dream: Currently 2nd in the East and 5th in the league overall, 14-10 record
At 14-10, the Atlanta Dream currently sit 4th in the WNBA standings and second in the Eastern Conference as of this writing. This is a significant improvement over their 2024 campaign, when they finished with a sub-.500 record of just 15-25, enough for an 8th seed, and bowed out early in the postseason. But what sets this team apart now isn&rsquo;t just their growth; it&rsquo;s the way behind their acceleration.
Allisha Gray has continued to be a steady force, earning a well-deserved spot as an All-Star starter this season. The veteran guard has grown into her role as both a scorer and leader, thriving in head coach Karl Smesko&rsquo;s aggressive system. However, the biggest shift came with the high-impact signing of Brittney Griner in the offseason.
After a tumultuous past few seasons marked by injury setbacks, Griner&rsquo;s decision to join Atlanta surprised many. But the move has paid off handsomely for both sides. Griner has given the Dream an elite interior presence and a reliable starting center, anchoring a much-improved Atlanta defense after losing their starting frontcourt from last year in Tina Charles and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus. Her chemistry with Gray and point guard Jordin Canada has created a versatile inside-out attack that&rsquo;s difficult to contain.
Griner's arrival has also opened the floor for other contributors to shine. Rhyne Howard, the 2022 Rookie of the Year, has been able to play with more freedom as a perimeter scorer now with Griner providing her with screening capabilities to get more players open. The Dream currently rank among the top five in both defensive rating and second-chance points &ndash; a testament to Griner&rsquo;s influence on both ends of the court.
This season, Atlanta isn't just looking to make the playoffs, but they're aiming to make a mark once they get there.
Phoenix Mercury: Currently 2nd in the West and 3rd in the league overall, 15-8 record
While the Dream made one big splash, the Mercury made several &ndash; and they&rsquo;re paying off even quicker.
Phoenix sits second in the Western Conference with a 15-8 record, trailing only the league-leading Minnesota Lynx. It&rsquo;s a remarkable rise for a franchise that sub.500 last season and looked rudderless in the wake of roster instability after Diana Taurasi&rsquo;s retirement and the absence of Brittney Griner, who departed for Atlanta.
Rather than rebuild, the Mercury doubled down on star power. Their front office landed two of the offseason&rsquo;s biggest names: former Connecticut Sun All-Star Alyssa Thomas and 2023 All-WNBA forward Satou Sabally. Both have been transformational.
Thomas, known for her toughness, versatility, and near triple-double averages, has brought a level of all-around excellence that&rsquo;s elevated the Mercury&rsquo;s ceiling. Thomas has been serving as the team&rsquo;s offensive engine, acting at times as their point guard and main playmaker. Her physicality on defense and elite decision-making have stabilized Phoenix in close games, many of which they&rsquo;ve won due to her crunch-time brilliance.
Sabally, meanwhile, has returned healthy and dominant. She&rsquo;s providing much-needed wing scoring and rebounding while defending multiple positions. Her ability to stretch the floor has complemented Thomas perfectly, creating mismatches across the board.
Phoenix wasn&rsquo;t done after those marquee signings. In what might be one of the savviest moves of the season, the Mercury claimed and signed veteran forward DeWanna Bonner off waivers. The 36-year-old, a former WNBA champion and franchise icon in Phoenix, has provided instant leadership and shot-making, giving the team a battle-tested voice off the bench.
Their offseason signings and together with their homegrown star Kahleah Copper, this revamped Mercury roster has thrived in head coach Nate Tibbetts&rsquo; system. They play with pace, move the ball, and now have the defensive personnel to match up with anyone. Even without Griner, who left a huge void in the frontcourt, Phoenix has compensated with a multi-pronged attack and a deep, star-laden rotation.
Phoenix and Atlanta&rsquo;s smart and bold moves are leading to playoff impact and championship hopes
What the Dream and Mercury have done this season isn&rsquo;t just about bringing in talent, but it&rsquo;s about bringing in the right talent.
Atlanta targeted Griner, knowing she could immediately solve their rim protection issues and elevate their pick-and-roll game. Phoenix bet on two of the best two-way forwards in the league and then added a proven winner in Bonner to glue it all together.
These moves weren&rsquo;t just splashy, they were also strategic. Each franchise assessed its weaknesses, acted decisively in free agency, and built complementary lineups around existing core players. The results have been dramatic and immediate.
With over a month of regular-season basketball left, both the Dream and Mercury are not just aiming to secure playoff spots &ndash; both teams are looking to make deep runs.
Atlanta, with its improved defense and emerging stars, could become a dangerous matchup for any top seed. Phoenix, meanwhile, boasts the kind of star-studded, playoff-hardened roster that could upset the status quo and challenge the Lynx or Liberty for the title.
In a WNBA season defined by aggressive movement and team-wide recalibrations, the Dream and Mercury stand out for how quickly and effectively they&rsquo;ve turned the page. With smart roster building and the boldness to act, both teams have enjoyed good regular seasons thus far and are looking to build on them to bring them to the playoffs.

The Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury have been two of the WNBA's most dynamic risers this season.

WNBA: Dream, Mercury capitalize on offseason hauls to make run for the playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers have bolstered their defensive identity by signing veteran guard Marcus Smart to a two-year, $11 million contract &ndash; including a player option for 2026-27 &ndash; after his buyout from the Wizards, first reported by Shams Charania and confirmed by ESPN and NBA.com.
Smart, the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and three-time All-Defensive First Team selection, played just 15 games with Washington last season due to injuries but brings championship-level tenacity. At his introductory press conference, he credited Luka Doncic for recruiting him to L.A., saying, &ldquo;For him to say that he can really use my help, that meant a lot.&rdquo;
Lakers President Rob Pelinka highlighted Smart&rsquo;s fit: &ldquo;He epitomizes what it means to prioritize winning above all else,&rdquo; a reflection of Los Angeles&rsquo;s new two-way emphasis. The move fortifies perimeter defense alongside additions like De&rsquo;Andre Ayton and versatile two-way wing Jake LaRavia, solidifying a rotation built around LeBron James, Doncic, and Austin Reaves.&nbsp;
With Smart&rsquo;s arrival also came two-way signings of Christian Koloko and Chris Manon, deepening roster development.
However, the contract pushes the Lakers to the first apron of the luxury tax. To accommodate Smart under the hard cap, the team waived Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin &ndash; moves that squeeze every dollar of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception.&nbsp;
ANALYSIS: This is a defensive upgrade for the Lakers as Smart is arguably one of the best on-ball perimeter defenders in the league, a major asset for guarding elite wings. Moreover, Smart&rsquo;s playoff readiness, leadership, and championship mindset provide a polished voice in big-game rotations. Now the Lakers have maxed out their non-taxpayer exception just to fit Smart, limiting their flexibility without further salary relief.&nbsp;
Adding Marcus Smart addresses one of the Lakers&rsquo; offseason priorities &ndash; elite perimeter defense and gritty leadership. With Doncic and James anchoring the offense, Smart&rsquo;s arrival completes a stronger, deeper core poised for a serious title run. Cap-wise, it&rsquo;s a tight squeeze &ndash; but one that signals L.A. is all-in on contending now.

The Los Angeles Lakers have bolstered their defensive identity by signing veteran guard Marcus Smart to a two-year, $11 million deal.

Lakers add defensive anchor Marcus Smart

Every NBA season comes with its fair share of surprises, and the 2024-25 campaign has been no different. While championship contenders and superstars have dominated headlines, several teams have quietly &mdash; or loudly &mdash; rewritten their narratives in spectacular fashion. These aren&rsquo;t just flukes or hot streaks. These are teams that have made a leap, exceeded expectations, and found themselves in playoff positioning when few thought they&rsquo;d be here, or surpassing their previous season&rsquo;s accomplishments.
Whether it&rsquo;s through masterful coaching, player development, savvy roster moves, or simply finding the right chemistry at the right time, these are the teams that have all proven that projections and preseason power rankings don&rsquo;t always tell the full story. Here's a closer look at how these franchises flipped the script and are now among the best feel-good stories of the season.
Detroit Pistons Previous season&rsquo;s record: 17-65 This season&rsquo;s record: 44-38, 6th in the East
Perhaps no team has made a bigger leap &mdash; or captured the league&rsquo;s heart &mdash; more than the Detroit Pistons. Just a year removed from a miserable 17-win season, the Pistons have pulled off one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent NBA memory. They are now sixth in the Eastern Conference, and have set a playoff date against the third-seeded New York Knicks.
Much of that credit goes to newly hired head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who brought immediate structure, accountability, and belief into a young locker room. But the star of the show has been Cade Cunningham. After an injury-riddled season last year, Cunningham has blossomed into a true franchise player this year &mdash; a dual-threat scorer and facilitator who commands the game at his own pace. His decision-making has improved drastically, and he's showing why he was the No. 1 overall pick. Cunningham is here, and he&rsquo;s gunning for that star/superstar status.
Surrounding Cunningham, players like Jaden Ivey (even though he was injured) and Ausar Thompson have also taken noticeable steps forward, while big man Jalen Duren has anchored the middle with toughness and poise beyond his years. Detroit has also had key free agent signings that brought veteran presence in the locker room in Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Tobias Harris. They have also picked up vet PG Dennis Schroder in a trade to help Cunningham with the ball-handling duties. Everything that Detroit has done was in order to come back and see this moment &ndash; to be back in the playoffs. It&rsquo;s not just that Detroit is winning &mdash; it&rsquo;s how they&rsquo;re doing it: through defense, selflessness, and maturity. They&rsquo;ve gone from laughingstock to legitimate in over a season, and it has been incredibly fun to watch.
Houston Rockets Previous season&rsquo;s record: 22-60 This season&rsquo;s record: 52-30, 2nd in the West
After four long and grueling seasons of rebuilding, the Houston Rockets are back &mdash; and better than ever. They&rsquo;ve clinched 50 wins for the first time since the James Harden era and have soared into the second seed in the loaded Western Conference. This transformation didn&rsquo;t happen overnight, but every move the Rockets made over the last four years has culminated in a roster that&rsquo;s deep, versatile, and hungry.
It started with the front office, who made smart picks in the draft: Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green in 2021, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason in 2022, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore in 2023, and Reed Sheppard in 2024. The result? A blend of high-upside talent that&rsquo;s matured quickly under the right guidance. And that guidance came in the form of Ime Udoka &mdash; the tough, defense-first head coach who has instilled discipline and identity from day one.
The Rockets also balanced their youth with veteran leadership. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks were crucial free-agent signings, and the trade for Steven Adams added much-needed size and experience in the paint. Sengun has quietly become one of the most skilled bigs in the league, averaging near triple-double numbers with his passing and post play. Meanwhile, Jalen Green&rsquo;s shot selection and efficiency have improved, making him a more consistent offensive threat.
Everything is clicking in Houston, and the best part? They&rsquo;re still only scratching the surface. It&rsquo;s officially liftoff time in Houston, Texas.
Cleveland Cavaliers Previous season&rsquo;s record: 51-31 This season&rsquo;s record: 64-18, 1st in the East
It might sound strange to include a 50-win team in a list of surprises, but the Cleveland Cavaliers have surpassed what many expected from them &mdash; and in a completely new way. After losing to the Celtics in the second round last season, many believed Cleveland had plateaued, stuck in a tier below the East&rsquo;s elite. But the arrival of head coach Kenny Atkinson changed everything.
Atkinson brought more than just X&rsquo;s and O&rsquo;s to Cleveland &mdash; he brought vision. His innovative offensive schemes breathed new life into the team, particularly Evan Mobley. The former third overall pick has emerged as a true two-way force this year, expanding his offensive bag while remaining a defensive anchor. Mobley has become more comfortable operating as a playmaker, setting high screens, making short-roll reads, and even spacing the floor.
Donovan Mitchell remains the alpha, capable of carrying the offense during clutch moments. But with Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen playing supporting roles to perfection &mdash; and the perfect role players giving them a punch off the bench &mdash; the Cavaliers are deeper and more dangerous than ever. This is their best season since LeBron left, and it feels like they&rsquo;ve finally found a sustainable identity. They're not just winning games; they&rsquo;re playing like a team that believes it can win the East.
Los Angeles Clippers Previous season&rsquo;s record: 44-38 This season&rsquo;s record: 50-32, 5th in the West
No team entered the season with lower public expectations relative to their talent than the Los Angeles Clippers especially after Paul George left in free agency. The assumption was that LA&rsquo;s championship window had finally slammed shut. But instead of folding, the Clippers responded with a defiant, gritty, and unified season that caught the league off guard.
Kawhi Leonard returned healthy and dominant, looking like the MVP-caliber player of old. His midrange game has been clinical, and he&rsquo;s elevated his play on both ends as the postseason approaches. But perhaps the most shocking resurgence came from James Harden, who has turned back the clock and delivered one of his most efficient seasons in years. Harden has assumed full command of the offense, orchestrating everything with poise and flair while re-establishing himself as a top-tier guard in the league that could possibly fetch an All-NBA plum.
The supporting cast has been outstanding. Ivica Zubac has taken a huge leap, anchoring the Clippers&rsquo; defense and finishing strong around the rim. He&rsquo;s firmly in the Most Improved Player conversation. Norman Powell has been a revelation in an expanded role, consistently providing scoring and hustle. The &ldquo;addition by subtraction&rdquo; idea has rung true &mdash; with more touches and opportunities, Powell has been better than ever.
And of course, credit must go to Tyronn Lue, who has maximized every piece of this roster and turned what many assumed would be a rebuilding year into a redemption tour. The Clippers became this gritty and rugged defensive team that no one wants to meet in the playoffs. They might be underdogs, but they&rsquo;ve built something real.&nbsp;
&ndash; &ndash; &ndash;
These four teams &mdash; Detroit, Houston, Cleveland, and Los Angeles &mdash; entered the season with vastly different narratives. But they all share a common thread: they weren&rsquo;t supposed to be this good. Whether through internal growth, roster management, or coaching brilliance, each franchise has exceeded expectations in its own way.
The playoffs will be the true test, but what these teams have already accomplished is worth celebrating. In a league where dynasties often dominate headlines, it's stories like these that keep the NBA fresh, unpredictable, and thrilling year after year.

Discover how the Pistons, Rockets, Cavaliers, and Clippers have surpassed this season's expectations and rewrote their narratives.

Teams that have exceeded expectations this season

Cleveland Cavaliers duo Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell triumphed in the 2025 NBA Skills Challenge at All-Star Saturday night at Chase Center in San Francisco for the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend.
Team Cavs bested home crowd favorite Team Warriors composed of Moses Moody and Draymond Green in the final round with a total aggregate time of 1:00 minute.
Among the other competitors were Team Spurs (Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul) and Team Rooks (Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards and Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks).
This is the second time Mobley has won a Skills Challenge, formerly winning with teammates Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen in 2022.
Team Warriors had a chance to win in the final round with a target time to beat of 1:00 minute but Draymond Green missed his final three shot attempts resulting in a time expiry.
Team Spurs tried a unique strategy during the start of the event with Wembanyama and Paul throwing up the balls intended to be shot to save time, but they wound up getting disqualified due to breaking the rules.

Cleveland Cavaliers duo Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell triumphed in the 2025 NBA Skills Challenge.

Team Cavs win 2025 NBA Skills Challenge

In two separate moves, the Memphis Grizzlies have traded guard Marcus Smart and forward Jake LaRavia to the Washington Wizards and the Sacramento Kings respectively, according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania. In the deal, the Grizzlies also sent a 2025 first-round pick to the Wizards and received two second-round picks in return.&nbsp;
Trade Details:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Memphis Grizzlies Receive:</li>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Marvin Bagley III</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Johnny Davis</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Two second-round picks</li>
</ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Washington Wizards Receive:</li>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Marcus Smart</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">2025 first-round pick</li>
</ul>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Memphis Grizzlies Receive:</li>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">TBD</li>
</ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Sacramento Kings Receive:</li>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2">Jake LaRavia</li>
</ul>
</ul>
ANALYSIS: Marcus Smart, 31, has been a key defensive presence for the Grizzlies and his entire career, averaging 10.6 points, 4.2 assists, and 1.5 steals per game this season. His leadership and tenacity are expected to bolster the young Wizards.
Marvin Bagley III, a versatile forward, and Johnny Davis, a promising young guard, will add depth to the Grizzlies' roster as they continue their pursuit of a championship.
Jake LaRavia, 23, has shown potential as a versatile forward, averaging 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game this season.&nbsp;
However, these two separate moves can be likely seen as a move for the Grizzlies to consolidate their small forward rotation. They struck gold with Jaylen Wells in the 2nd round this year, who is having an excellent rookie season. They still have Vince Williams Jr. coming back, who was also good last year. Then there&rsquo;s GG Jackson, a super scorer that fits well with the starters. There was a need to make a move, hence these two trades.

In two separate moves, the Grizzlies have traded Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia to the Wizards and the Kings.

Grizzlies trade away Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia to Wizards, Kings

The New York Knicks have high hopes for the 2024-25 season after a series of offseason moves to bolster their roster. Boasting a revamped starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns, Coach Tom Thibodeau has leaned heavily on this five-man unit by relying on their defensive versatility and scoring prowess to carry the team night after night. Yet this dependency raises questions about sustainability, with risks of fatigue, injuries, and late-game breakdowns looming over a long NBA season.&nbsp;
The Knicks&rsquo; starting five are logging heavy minutes early in the season. Jalen Brunson, in particular, is averaging over 35 minutes per game as the team&rsquo;s primary playmaker and scorer. Meanwhile, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are also averaging significant playing time, tasked with balancing offensive responsibilities while handling tough defensive assignments on opposing wings. Towns, who is crucial on both ends by providing floor spacing on offense and size on defense, is also averaging close to 35 minutes per game. These players are giving their all each night, but the mileage can add up as the season moves along.
NBA history shows that overextending starters early in the season can lead to burnout, and Thibodeau is no stranger to this trend. In his previous coaching stints, especially with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves, Thibodeau&rsquo;s teams experienced both early success and, ultimately, the cost of fatigue and injuries. During those stints, key players who logged high minutes often missed time later due to injuries or wore down in critical playoff moments.
The Knicks&rsquo; reliance on their starters has led to noticeable fatigue in the fourth quarter. The high-minute load impacts shooting accuracy, defensive effectiveness, and overall energy levels down the stretch. In recent games, the Knicks&rsquo; fourth-quarter stats reflect a slight decline in scoring efficiency, with players missing more shots and committing more fouls late in the game. This is particularly concerning in close matchups, where even minor drops in performance can shift the game&rsquo;s outcome. Opposing teams, with fresher players, often capitalize on the Knicks&rsquo; tired legs, exploiting gaps on defense and taking control in the final minutes.
If the Knicks are to reach their potential, Thibodeau may need to expand his rotation to preserve the health and effectiveness of his starters.
A balanced rotation could alleviate these issues. However, it doesn&rsquo;t help that starting center Mitchell Robinson is still yet to come back from an injury, as well as regular contributor Precious Achiuwa. The Knicks&rsquo; bench is shallow as of the moment with only Cameron Payne, Miles McBride, and at times Jericho Sims as players who can step in to relieve starters and bring fresh energy. Rookies Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti have had good summer league performances and showed something interesting in the preseason, but Coach Thibs has yet to commit to trusting rookies during the regular season. However, by giving a little bit more minutes on their reserves, the Knicks would have the flexibility to keep their starters fresh, reducing the risk of late-game lapses and helping maintain energy throughout the season.
High minutes also correlate with an increased risk of injury, a risk that only compounds as the season progresses. For players like Brunson and Anunoby, who play physically demanding roles, the toll of heavy minutes can lead to strains and nagging injuries. Towns and Bridges, though durable, have histories of minor injuries, and prolonged wear could increase their risk as well. If any starter were to miss time, it could disrupt the team&rsquo;s chemistry and potentially derail their season.
The Knicks have already invested heavily in this core, both financially and strategically, so ensuring their health and longevity is critical. Coach Thibodeau&rsquo;s emphasis on conditioning may help, but even the best-conditioned athletes can fall prey to injuries when overworked.
One solution lies staggering the starters with the bench guys. An expanded rotation would also provide versatility and unpredictability, as the Knicks could mix lineups to create favorable matchups and keep opponents off-balance.
Last season, teams with deep rotations generally fared better in the later months and into the playoffs. The Denver Nuggets, for example, leaned on a nine-man rotation that kept players fresh and ready for postseason intensity. The Knicks have the personnel to replicate this approach, but it requires a willingness to let the bench play through mistakes and grow into their roles.
The Knicks&rsquo; high-minute starters have impressive stats, but the numbers suggest potential pitfalls. Brunson and Towns lead the team in points, yet their fourth-quarter shooting percentage has dropped as games wear on. Hart, Bridges, and Anunoby rank among the league leaders in defensive metrics, but all three have seen dips in effectiveness late in games. These stats underline the wear on the Knicks&rsquo; starting five, and without adjustments, the team could face challenges maintaining performance over the long haul.
Thibodeau&rsquo;s strategy has yielded early success, but balance is the key to a sustainable season. By trusting his bench and managing his starters&rsquo; minutes, he can preserve the team&rsquo;s health and performance for the playoffs. The Knicks have the depth to make this adjustment, and doing so would likely pay dividends as they aim for a deep postseason run. In a grueling 82-game season, longevity and resilience are paramount, and a balanced rotation could be the key to the Knicks realizing their potential.

Heavy minutes for the Knicks’ starting five could lead to fatigue, injuries, and late-game struggles.

Knicks’ Overreliance on Starting 5 a Double-Edged Sword

According to <a href="https://www.bovada.lv/sports/basketball/nba-specials/nba-specials/zion-williamson-next-team-202411201900" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bovada</a>, the Los Angeles Lakers are the favorites to acquire Zion Williamson if the New Orleans Pelicans decide to move him, with odds currently at +600. While still speculative, this shift has fueled discussions around what a potential trade could look like and what it might mean for both teams.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Los Angeles <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lakers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lakers</a> are favorites to land Zion Williamson if the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pelicans?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pelicans</a> decide to trade him, per <a href="https://twitter.com/BovadaOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BovadaOfficial</a>: ◾ Lakers: +600 ◾ Rockets: +750 ◾ Los Clippers: +850 ◾ Knicks: +900 ◾ Hawks: +1200 ◾ Nets: +1800 ◾ Grizzlies: +2500 ◾ Bulls: +2800 (🔗&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/QhvdJTBd7q">pic.twitter.com/QhvdJTBd7q</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1857238791670690271?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

<h3>Trade Breakdown</h3>
In this hypothetical scenario generated via <a href="https://fanspo.com/nba/trade-machine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fanspo Trade Machine</a>, the Lakers would send D&rsquo;Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino, and two future first-round picks to the Pelicans in exchange for Williamson. On paper, the trade balances both rosters with distinct benefits, making a strong case for a win-win outcome.
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/zion-lakers-trade_690w.png" alt="" />
<h3>Why This Trade Could Benefit the Lakers</h3>
Adding Zion Williamson would give the Lakers a young star with an unmatched combination of size and athleticism. Paired with Anthony Davis and LeBron James, Williamson would make the Lakers one of the league&rsquo;s most physically dominant frontcourts. This move could also extend LeBron&rsquo;s window by adding a younger, high-impact scorer capable of shouldering offensive responsibilities.
While Williamson&rsquo;s injury history brings an element of risk, the Lakers are in win-now mode and could see Zion&rsquo;s potential as worth the gamble. The addition of such a high-upside player could elevate the team&rsquo;s ceiling and inject a new dynamic into their offense.
<h3>Why This Trade Makes Sense for the Pelicans</h3>
For New Orleans, trading Zion might seem drastic, but there&rsquo;s logic behind the move. The Pelicans would gain reliable pieces in Russell and Hachimura, bolstering their roster depth. Russell&rsquo;s scoring and playmaking add immediate value to the backcourt, while Hachimura brings size and versatility to the forward rotation.
Hood-Schifino, who has struggled in LA and is currently playing below expectations, could also benefit from a fresh start. In New Orleans, away from the bright lights and pressure of Los Angeles, he might find his groove and prove his potential. Additionally, two first-round picks provide valuable assets for the Pelicans' future, adding flexibility for roster moves or further rebuilding.
<h3>Final Thoughts</h3>
While it remains a long shot, this potential trade highlights the appeal and intrigue surrounding Zion Williamson&rsquo;s future. The Lakers, favored by Bovada, could be an ideal landing spot if both teams find value in this bold swap. For the Lakers, it's a bet on star power; for the Pelicans, it&rsquo;s a shift toward stability and growth.

Odds Favor Lakers as Top Destination for Potential Zion Williamson Trade

It&rsquo;s 2024, and teams led by Stephen Curry and LeBron James are once again near the top of the Western Conference. The Warriors have surged to a 6-1 record, placing them tied for 2nd, while the Lakers aren&rsquo;t far behind, holding the 5th spot in a jam-packed situation with several other teams with a 4-3 start. These strong beginnings reflect the impact of both veteran leadership and tactical innovation from new coaching staff.&nbsp;
At the center of it all are James and Curry. The two will always be intertwined after all those years of squaring off in the Finals, even more so now after being the de facto faces of the league. Despite some rocky performances, both Steph and LeBron remain the league's gold standard for sustained excellence.
The Warriors have been on fire to start the season, and they&rsquo;re doing it through defense. They are first in the league in deflections through 7 games played, disrupting opposing teams&rsquo; schemes. More than their high-octane offense, it's their defense that&rsquo;s had a noticeable jump from last year and it&rsquo;s showing up early in the standings.&nbsp;
At the heart of the Warriors&rsquo; offense though is the generational talent in Steph. Curry's impact on the game remains unmatched &ndash; his consistent scoring and playmaking are invaluable and he commands the respect of defenses while creating scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Draymond Green&rsquo;s defensive influence has anchored Golden State&rsquo;s early success. Even without Curry for three games, the Warriors have continued their winning streak and Draymond was leading the pack with their leader sidelined. His energy and presence bring stability to the defensive end, setting the tone for the entire team. Green&rsquo;s communication and hustle provide a roadmap for the younger Warriors, exemplifying what&rsquo;s expected in terms of effort and awareness on defense.&nbsp;
Younger players like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody have brought depth and energy. Kuminga&rsquo;s athleticism and refined shot selection have given the Warriors a scoring boost, while Moody&rsquo;s steady hand and court vision have added depth.&nbsp;
Under head coach Steve Kerr and his new assistants Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse, the Warriors&rsquo; dynamic rotations leverage both the experience of seasoned stars and the energy of rising talent.&nbsp; With a more reliable bench this season, head coach Steve Kerr has even more flexibility in his rotations. The team signed free agents Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson, and DeAnthony Melton &ndash; all solid role players that have contributed to their cause.&nbsp;
Along with second year players Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis, the Warriors&rsquo; depth is crucial as it allows the team to maintain intensity and momentum when the starters rest. Each player is clear on their role, which keeps the Warriors competitive in all game situations and allows Kerr to implement strategic adjustments without compromising the team&rsquo;s flow.
The Lakers are also enjoying a strong start to the season despite recent disappointing losses. With new head coach JJ Redick bringing a fresh perspective and strategic shift to the team, the Lakers look an entirely different team from a year ago. Redick&rsquo;s emphasis on ball movement and three-point efficiency has provided the Lakers with an offensive boost, allowing their shooters to maximize space and versatility. His experience as a former player gives him a strong rapport with the team, allowing him to instill a confident and cohesive approach.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis remain crucial, with LeBron&rsquo;s court vision and leadership guiding the Lakers&rsquo; offense while Davis continues to dominate defensively and in the paint. Their veteran presence is balanced by young players like Austin Reaves, who has stepped up as a consistent scoring and playmaking option, enhancing the Lakers' depth.
Why LeBron and Steph, Lakers and Warriors, being good is great for the NBA
With James and Curry&rsquo;s teams on top, the NBA benefits from a renewed excitement to their teams. Both the Lakers and Warriors lead in national TV appearances this year &ndash; with 39 and 36 respectively &ndash; underscoring the pull of their megastar leaders.&nbsp;
These two franchises add a level of intrigue that fans and the league can&rsquo;t get enough of. In a landscape with younger stars emerging, LeBron and Steph&rsquo;s presence at the top underscores their lasting impact and broad appeal&mdash;creating a formula for success and driving fan engagement everywhere.
The simultaneous resurgence of both the Warriors and Lakers is not only exciting for their fans but also beneficial for the NBA. These two franchises, with storied rivalries and legacies, bring added viewership and energy to the league.&nbsp;
Their renewed competitiveness boosts the Western Conference&rsquo;s intrigue and sets up the potential for classic matchups in the playoffs, reigniting a rivalry that has captivated fans for years.&nbsp;
As the season unfolds, the Warriors and Lakers are proving that their presence at the top is essential for keeping the NBA as thrilling as ever.

It’s 2024, and teams led by Stephen Curry and LeBron James are once again near the top of the West --- it’s great for the game.

The Warriors and Lakers could be back, and it’s great for the NBA

On Monday night, the players from the 2021 NBA Draft got paid after securing their rookie extensions before the 6pm deadline. Here&rsquo;s the full list of major rookie extensions&nbsp; that were finalized:
Moses Moody (GS), 3 years, $39 million
Trey Murphy (NOP), 4 years, $112 million
Jalen Green (HOU), 3 years, $106 million
Alperen Sengun (HOU), 5 years, $185 million
Jalen Suggs (ORL), 5 years, $151 million
Jaden Hardy (DAL), 3 years, $18 million
Jalen Johnson (ATL), 5 years, $150 million
Corey Kispert (WAS), 4 years, $54 million
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
LOOK: The full list of major rookie extensions finalized before the 6PM deadline earlier today: 🟥 Moses Moody (GS) 3 years, $39 million 🟥 Trey Murphy (NOP) 4 years, $112 million 🟥 Jalen Green (HOU) 3 years, $106 million 🟥 Alperen Sengun (HOU) 5 years, $185 million 🟥&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/nwGgOkkXpz">pic.twitter.com/nwGgOkkXpz</a>
&mdash; BasketballNews.com (@basketbllnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/basketbllnews/status/1848585822519628194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2024</a></blockquote>

<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

On Monday night, the players from the 2021 NBA Draft got paid after securing their rookie extensions before the 6pm deadline.

2024 Rookie Contract Extensions: 2021 Draft guys secure hefty paydays

The Golden State Warriors have signed 4th year guard Moses Moody on a three-year, $39 million rookie extension, <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1848166718658802060">according to ESPN&rsquo;s Shams Charania.</a>&nbsp;
The deal was negotiated by the Warriors and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul. Moody, who was drafted no.14 in the 2021 NBA Draft, is one of the key cogs in the Warriors bench around superstar Stephen Curry. He was in the final year of his rookie contract this year.
Moody averaged 8 points in 17.5 minutes in 66 games played last year and he set career highs in scoring, playing time, rebounds, steals and blocks.
Moody figures out to be a key rotational piece this year following a strong preseason, where he had some hot shooting performances.
The 6-foot-7 guard/wing provides length on the perimeter and has steadily improved his shooting entering his 4th year with the Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors have signed 4th year guard Moses Moody on a three-year, $39 million rookie extension.

Warriors sign Moses Moody on 3-year rookie extension

The Los Angeles Lakers have pulled the plug and are dismissing head coach Darvin Ham, the team announced Saturday morning.
Amid all the rumors and speculations surrounding the development, the Lakers have parted ways with the coach who has been with them for over two years.
There were early reports over the past week after the Lakers&rsquo; loss to the Denver Nuggets in Round 1 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The Athletic&rsquo;s Jovan Buha was quoted saying, "The latest I've heard is the plan is still to move on from Darvin [Ham] at some point, likely by the end of the week, potentially as early as tomorrow, then the head coaching search will start. I've already started to hear some names from different people."
And today, the team finally made it official in a team statement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Lakers Part Ways With Head Coach Darvin Ham <a href="https://t.co/or3Bx2mZ5w">pic.twitter.com/or3Bx2mZ5w</a>
&mdash; Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1786459157002121295?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2024</a>
<script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</blockquote>
Ham and the Lakers have had a good run, going 90-74 over the past two seasons. Ham led LA to the Western Conference Finals in 2023 but got swept by the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers got back stronger this year, finishing with a 47-35 record, but got ousted again by the Nuggets in 5 games.
Along with Ham, the Lakers&rsquo; entire coaching staff including Phil Handy and the others was also dismissed by LA&rsquo;s front office.
An extensive coaching search is set to commence as the Lakers continue their pursuit of that elusive 18th championship banner. This development will add to an already busy offseason of roster moves and the impending decision of superstar LeBron James about his future with the team.

Amid all the rumors and speculations surrounding the development, the Lakers have parted ways with head coach Darvin Ham.

Lakers dismiss head coach Darvin Ham

The trade-deadline madness is officially over for the Philadelphia 76ers, and they ended up making fewer moves than anticipated. Their total haul was Buddy Hield, Cam Payne and two second-round picks.&nbsp;
With that said, there are a few key players that the Sixers could pursue in the buyout market. Among those players are Kyle Lowry and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Lowry is a Philly native and the most likely option if he were to be bought out. He would be a slight upgrade over Patrick Beverley, who was dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks (although he wouldn't match Beverley's energy). He hasn&rsquo;t officially been bought out by the Charlotte Hornets yet, but he is expected to be. Averaging just over 8 points per game, Lowry would be used as the team's primary backup point guard.
Dinwiddie is another option who would certainly be an upgrade over Jaden Springer in terms of scoring. Dinwiddie has been an established scorer for quite some time, generally scoring 15 points-per-game or more each season.&nbsp; This has been a bit of a down year, but you can rely on him much more than someone like Springer. However, he's not nearly as good of a defender, which would hurt the 76ers.

The Sixers may pursue Kyle Lowry, Spencer Dinwiddie and Marcus Morris on the buyout market.