NBA free agency officially opened June 30, and teams can start (legally) negotiating with players...

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NBA free agency: Analysis of the biggest moves

The bombshell of the Toronto Raptors' offseason wasn't a superstar acquisition but rather a seism...

The bombshell of the Toronto Raptors' offseason wasn't a superstar acquisition but rather a seismic loss, as Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment announced Friday that it had parted ways with team president and vice chairman Masai Ujiri.The news was met with shock north of the border, where Ujiri's 12-year run transformed the Raptors brand and Canadian basketball.The timing is curious. While Ujiri would've been entering the final year of his contract - a deal that made him one of the highest-paid executives in North American sports - the announcement comes days after the NBA draft, during which the Raptors shared footage of a beaming Ujiri on the phone with first-round selection Collin Murray-Boyles. MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley later added that discussions surrounding Ujiri's exit began earlier this month, with Ujiri requesting that any changes wait until the draft was complete.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Meanwhile, free agency is just days away. The Raptors don't figure to be major players in an underwhelming market, but the biggest impact of Ujiri's departure might be how Toronto is perceived in that market going forward (and whether this derails any future pursuits of Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has a <a href="https://thescore.com/news/3296281">history</a> with Ujiri).Ujiri brought a swagger and legitimacy to the Raptors that the franchise could never have dreamed of before him and will be hard-pressed to find again without him.Ujiri also brought tangible and unprecedented success. The Raptors made eight trips to the postseason in his first nine years on the job, winning nine playoff series and the 2019 NBA championship in the process (after a gutsy trade for a disgruntled Kawhi Leonard in the final year of his contract). In the 18 years preceding Ujiri's takeover, the Raptors made five playoff appearances and won one series.However, the immaculate vibes faded over the last five years, beginning with a displaced season in Tampa Bay during the COVID-19 pandemic. At least that delivered lottery luck and franchise star Scottie Barnes, with the Raptors returning to the postseason in Barnes' Rookie of the Year campaign. It seemed Ujiri's Raptors would seamlessly transition from one successful era to another, but it wasn't to be, and his front office has to own that.Reported internal friction between Barnes and the old guard initially disrupted the plan. Since then, an inability to find the right mix of talent to surround the 23-year-old has foiled things further. Along the way, Toronto moved or lost the last remnants of its championship core, punctuated by a pennies-on-the-dollar trade of Pascal Siakam to Indiana. There's no debating that the Raptors <a href="https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/2824403">botched</a> the handling and timing of Siakam's final days in Toronto, a fact underscored by the three-time All-Star's significant role in the Pacers' run to the 2025 Finals and the 2024 Eastern Conference finals.As the dust settles on that transaction, the Raptors can essentially say they turned an expiring Siakam into Ja'Kobe Walter, Ochai Agbaji, and Brandon Ingram, the latter of whom Toronto traded for and extended at this year's deadline. The deal for Ingram felt <a href="https://youtu.be/OXRy9FAe9lY?si=M3WNSNapOW6QDBFp">defensible</a> but equally baffling, emblematic of the murkiness that came to define the final years of Ujiri's tenure. There's also the <a href="https://x.com/PelsFilmRoom/status/1938080522548232248">possibility</a> the Raptors may have turned down an extremely valuable 2026 first-round pick and failed to capitalize on New Orleans' draft-night desperation, but we can't be certain the Pelicans offered Toronto the same package that Atlanta ultimately pried from them.It's fair to question Toronto's current direction and Ujiri's recent track record, but it appears MLSE was the only one who didn't believe he'd eventually figure things out. The Raptors' rabid fan base had an almost unwavering faith in the man who told them to believe in themselves, their city, and their country despite the inferiority complex that comes with being the NBA's lone team outside the U.S.Who could blame fans for their devotion after he delivered on his promises time and time again, rallying Canadians around a "We The North" battle cry?<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/792113/cropped_GettyImages-1150405121.jpg?ts=1751050580" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/792113/w220xh124_GettyImages-1150405121.jpg?ts=1751050580 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/792113/w320xh180_GettyImages-1150405121.jpg?ts=1751050580 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/792113/w640xh360_GettyImages-1150405121.jpg?ts=1751050580 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/792113/w768xh432_GettyImages-1150405121.jpg?ts=1751050580 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/792113/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1150405121.jpg?ts=1751050580 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Perhaps it's no coincidence that MLSE's crisis of faith coincides with Rogers Communications and Ed Rogers Jr. gaining more control of the enterprise. It was Rogers who <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/edward-rogers-fought-plans-to-keep-raptors-masai-ujiri-but-was-thwarted-by-mlse-head/article_2abb5319-c18e-583b-9924-7da418c9680a.html">reportedly</a> scoffed at meeting Ujiri's price to retain the coveted executive four years ago, only to have team governor Larry Tanenbaum overrule him. However, after a $4.7-billion deal to acquire Bell Media's 37.5% stake in the company, Rogers now holds a controlling 75% share in MLSE, with the option to buy out Tanenbaum's remaining 25% in 2026.Pelley, former CEO of Rogers and past president of the DP World Tour, assumed his role with the company last year. He made waves in May when the Maple Leafs parted ways with Brendan Shanahan, who took over as president of Toronto's historic hockey club a year after Ujiri landed the Raptors job. However, the Leafs are progressing without a president for the time being, whereas the Raptors' search for a new president will commence immediately (with general manager Bobby Webster and other front-office personnel retained and extended).That means it's not necessarily the role of team president that Pelley and Rogers found dispensible, but Ujiri himself."Let's give Masai tremendous accolades for creating a brand and a culture, but the testament to that brand and the testament to a culture is how it lives once that individual is gone," Pelley told theScore during a Friday news conference. "I believe that the culture and the brand that (Ujiri's) created will flourish, because that's the way he would've wanted it. When you create a brand, when you create a culture, if it is mitigated when that individual is no longer involved, then the culture and brand has not been created in the right way."Pelley and the team's fans will have to agree to disagree on how invaluable Ujiri remained. What can't be disputed is how badly he wanted to bring another title to town, both personally and professionally.Ujiri guaranteed the Raptors would win again every time he found himself in front of a microphone. In April, he spoke candidly about how he couldn't truly savor his first triumph due to Leonard's impending free agency and an altercation with a sheriff's deputy that led to both sides filing lawsuits (which were dropped in 2021).It feels surreal that Ujiri's quest for that second trophy could now be of competing interest to Toronto, but that's the course Rogers, Pelley, and MLSE have charted. Whatever their next move is, they better hope it's the type of home run only Ujiri has ever consistently hit for this franchise.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

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Ujiri's Raptors had lost some luster, but good luck finding someone better

Collin Murray-Boyles' first few moments as a Raptor didn't inspire much confidence north of the b...

Collin Murray-Boyles' first few moments as a Raptor didn't inspire much confidence north of the border. And it had nothing to do with the fact that most Raptors fans had hoped the team would select a higher-ceiling prospect like Khaman Maluach or Noa Essengue with the ninth overall pick.Many viewed the South Carolina big man's four-letter <a href="https://x.com/msmcb02/status/1938043734974992414">reaction</a> to hearing his name attached to Toronto as a clear sign of his disappointment. Murray-Boyles spent parts of Wednesday night clearing up any confusion. "Being with this organization means so much," he <a href="https://x.com/NBATV/status/1938057215039955201">told</a> NBA TV minutes after being drafted."It was just disbelief. Toronto was probably the first team I worked out for," he told Raptors reporters via a remote interview later in the evening. "What I said was not a bad thing by any means. I'm just really thankful. That was a surreal moment."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>With that sorted out, Murray-Boyles can begin to clear up similar misconceptions about his game.Doubters surely see an undersized big man who can't shoot. The dreaded tweener forward. But look beyond that shortsighted label, and you'll find an analytics darling - a versatile, high-floor big man who should be able to hang in the NBA immediately and stick around for a while.What Murray-Boyles lacks in traditional size (6-foot-6.5), he makes up for with a nearly 7-foot-1 wingspan. His length, mobility, and great hands allow him to be highly disruptive on the defensive end, where he plays with an intensity that should make him a fan favorite. Murray-Boyles can defend every frontcourt position, with his 239-pound frame holding up against centers in the post and smaller players on switches. He's also a great rebounder.The shooting concerns are legitimate, particularly on a team built around Scottie Barnes (and one that finished 29th in 3-point attempt rate this past season). Murray-Boyles attempted only 39 3-pointers over his two years at South Carolina and made nine of them, good for 23.1%. His range and jumper will be the swing skill, as it is for most prospects these days, but there's enough offensive utility here for Murray-Boyles to provide two-way value regardless.For one, he's a great interior finisher (62% on 2-pointers, 67% at the<a href="https://x.com/CotyWilesSports/status/1938049899766993026"> rim</a>) with some impressive playmaking chops and a desire to <a href="https://youtu.be/qBeM5OhAWq8?si=n_jtRKUzvR0mZkw3&amp;t=11">tear</a> the rim down. A point-forward role in college gave the lefty plenty of reps with the ball in his hands, and he's shown the ability to put it on the floor and get to the basket. Still, he's self-aware enough to know that might not be his offensive role at the pro level, as he's mentioned a willingness to do the dirty work if needed. The ball can also go through him as a connector from the elbows in head coach Darko Rajakovic's offense.Murray-Boyles' combination of defensive ability and playmaking upside at his size will draw the usual comparisons to Draymond Green. But if we're on the topic of four-time All-Stars, there's some Paul Millsap in there, too.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/cropped_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/w220xh124_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/w320xh180_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/w640xh360_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/w768xh432_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Isaiah Vazquez / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Murray-Boyles is essentially a more polished version of what the Raptors' front office saw in second-round pick Jonathan Mogbo a year ago. That might be a problem for Mogbo in his quest to crack Toronto's rotation, but Mogbo's also not a good enough prospect for his development to be dictating what the Raptors do with their draft picks. As general manager Bobby Webster told reporters Wednesday, this club is still in talent acquisition mode. "We're not so worried about position as we try to find these players," said Webster. "Teams change a lot, you can trade, there's a lot of different movement there. For us, it was more, who do we think is the best player?"With Maluach, Essengue, and others still on the board, Webster and the Raptors clearly felt Murray-Boyles was the best player available, and not just in the short term. "'Best player available' is you're assuming the guy's going to stay on your team for a long time, so you want him to be great," Webster said.Great is a lofty expectation and a statistically improbable one for any prospect, let alone the ninth pick. At worst, Murray-Boyles looks like a solid yet unspectacular pro with a terrific defensive baseline to work from.The Raptors may not need more of those types as presently constructed, and there's no question they need more shooting. But more than anything, Toronto needs talent. Murray-Boyles probably has more than he's been given credit for.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

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What are the Raptors getting in Collin Murray-Boyles?

The trade that sent Jrue Holiday from Boston to Portland won't dominate headlines like Kevin Dura...

The trade that sent Jrue Holiday from Boston to Portland won't dominate headlines like Kevin Durant's <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3303136" href="https://thescore.com/news/3303136">move</a> to Houston, but it's arguably more fascinating and certainly more surprising.Trail Blazers receive: Jrue HolidayCeltics receive: Anfernee Simons, two 2nd-round picks<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>What are the Blazers doing?</h3>Holiday remains one of the best defensive players of his generation and is among the most <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/2940258" href="https://thescore.com/news/2940258">respected</a> people in the league, so it's not inconceivable that a rebuilding team would want him around its youngsters. What's hard to square is the price Portland paid for him.With Holiday having lost a step on the defensive end and his offensive impact limited at this stage of his career, many assumed the Celtics would need to attach draft picks to find a team to take the three years and $104 million left on the 35-year-old's contract. Had Portland acquired Holiday along with some future-minded assets, no one would've batted an eye. But that's not what happened. Instead, the Blazers surrendered those future-minded assets in the form of multiple picks and a 26-year-old 20-point scorer (Simons).Simons was clearly the odd man out as a one-way player on an expiring contract in the same backcourt as Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, and he's the <a href="https://x.com/highkin/status/1937366450122990021">last</a> holdover from former GM Neil Olshey's regime. Still, it's a strange transaction for a club in Portland's position. While the Blazers likely didn't want to watch Simons leave for nothing as a 2026 free agent, they had ample time to figure out an exit plan congruent with their timeline.Perhaps Portland's 23-18 record in the second half of the season convinced the front office that the team's ready to make a leap. But the Western Conference is stacked, and the Blazers will be hard-pressed to make the play-in tournament. Plus, a vastly improved defense spurred that second-half charge, and this group still desperately needs more offensive juice. That makes Simons' departure in this particular deal even more confounding.<h3>Celtics get cap relief, flier on Simons</h3>The Celtics' 2025-26 season became a bridge year the moment Jayson Tatum crumpled to the Madison Square Garden court with an Achilles injury during the second-round playoff series with the New York Knicks in May.Boston's short-term mission was clear: unload Holiday's contract without taking back any long-term salary. That move would allow the Celtics to duck both aprons beginning in 2026-27 without breaking up their $620-million championship duo of Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Mission accomplished.The fact that Boston managed to do that (and shave <a href="https://x.com/YossiGozlan/status/1937356058554442222">$41 million</a> off their tax bill) while acquiring a couple of second-rounders and taking a flier on Simons was a stroke of genius by team president Brad Stevens.Simons has defensive warts, but he's averaged nearly 21 points and five assists over the last three years while shooting 50% inside the arc, 37% from deep, and 90% from the free-throw line. He's a professional scorer and improving playmaker who should thrive with more talent around him, even if it's in a reduced role.No one's expecting Simons to suddenly become a two-way force. However, there's enough upside for this to be an extremely intriguing acquisition for a quality organization like the Celtics.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead NBA and Raptors reporter.

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Celtics maximize Holiday return, Blazers leave us confused

The latest Kevin Durant saga finally ended just hours before Game 7 of the NBA Finals, with the H...

The latest Kevin Durant saga finally ended just hours before Game 7 of the NBA Finals, with the Houston Rockets meeting Phoenix's discounted price for the future Hall of Famer.Rockets receive: Kevin DurantSuns receive: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, 2025 No. 10 pick, five 2nd-round picks<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Rockets ready to win</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791477/cropped_GettyImages-2207247222.jpg?ts=1750629168" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791477/w220xh124_GettyImages-2207247222.jpg?ts=1750629168 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791477/w320xh180_GettyImages-2207247222.jpg?ts=1750629168 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791477/w640xh360_GettyImages-2207247222.jpg?ts=1750629168 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791477/w768xh432_GettyImages-2207247222.jpg?ts=1750629168 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/791477/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2207247222.jpg?ts=1750629168 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Kate Frese / NBA / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>There was perhaps no better trade target for the Rockets than Durant. He instantly fills their need for a game-changing shot-creator at a fraction of the price they would've paid for younger options. As one of Durant's preferred destinations, Houston likely doesn't view this as a one-year rental, either.The Rockets will feel Brooks' departure on the defensive end, where the veteran forward helped forge Houston's identity upon his 2023 arrival. But between budding star Amen Thompson, who's ready to step into a bigger role, and defensive menace Tari Eason, this team is well-equipped to withstand that blow.The Rockets managed to keep Thompson, Eason, 22-year-old All-Star Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, and Reed Sheppard while adding the type of star who can solve the club's offensive issues.Durant may no longer be in his MVP-caliber prime, but there are few better shot-creators, tough shot-makers, or overall scorers. The 36-year-old averaged 26.6 points on 64.2% true shooting in 2024-25, converting at a 57% clip inside the arc and 43% from deep. He'll command defensive attention in ways no other Rocket can, and he still has the length and smarts to be a plus defender on the other end.All that should be music to the ears of a Houston team whose 12th-ranked offense was fool's gold. The Rockets' offensive success relied too heavily on offensive rebounding and transition opportunities, while their half-court efficiency ranked 22nd. Durant's presence should immediately result in a more playoff-proof attack (especially if Houston retains starting point guard Fred VanVleet).The aging star isn't without his warts. He's not as durable as he was before Achilles and knee injuries took their toll. And his shot diet can skew too much to the mid-range while locker-room and coaching turmoil follow him wherever he goes. But he's still a superstar scorer who gives the Rockets so much of what they've been missing over the last couple of years when feisty defensive teams didn't have enough firepower to truly contend.They do now, and they didn't have to sell the farm to get it.<h3>Suns did what they had to, but it's still ugly</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774320/cropped_GettyImages-2203676571.jpg?ts=1750629218" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774320/w220xh124_GettyImages-2203676571.jpg?ts=1750629218 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774320/w320xh180_GettyImages-2203676571.jpg?ts=1750629218 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774320/w640xh360_GettyImages-2203676571.jpg?ts=1750629218 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774320/w768xh432_GettyImages-2203676571.jpg?ts=1750629218 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774320/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2203676571.jpg?ts=1750629218 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Glenn James / NBA / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Phoenix was never going to come close to recouping the value traded away for Durant two years ago. Still, the Suns made out OK, given the circumstances.Brooks will help defensively if Phoenix still wants to field a club featuring Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. Meanwhile, Green, all of those extra second-rounders, and this year's 10th pick - originally Phoenix's - can lay some groundwork for the future. However, the Suns will have plenty of work to do on that front, considering they don't control their own first-rounders between 2026 and 2031 (Houston controls Phoenix's first-rounders in 2027 and 2029).Under normal circumstances, such a transaction would signal the beginning of a teardown. However, the Suns are facing anything but normal circumstances. They aren't good enough to compete in the Western Conference, they don't have the draft capital required to bottom out and trade Devin Booker, and their most toxic asset - Bradley Beal's contract - has a no-trade clause attached. Unless Beal waives that clause, or until Booker becomes fed up having to share the court with Beal and Green, the Suns will remain stuck in no-man's-land.Looking at this trade in a vacuum, the Suns did well enough to extract some value from Durant a year before his free agency. The big picture is still <a href="https://x.com/DerekBodnerNBA/status/1936828873234157573">horrific</a>, though.<h3>How valuable is Jalen Green?</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764180/cropped_GettyImages-2192890436.jpg?ts=1750629282" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764180/w220xh124_GettyImages-2192890436.jpg?ts=1750629282 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764180/w320xh180_GettyImages-2192890436.jpg?ts=1750629282 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764180/w640xh360_GettyImages-2192890436.jpg?ts=1750629282 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764180/w768xh432_GettyImages-2192890436.jpg?ts=1750629282 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/764180/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2192890436.jpg?ts=1750629282 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Patrick Smith / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Green has plenty of fans among those who want to watch an athletic youngster dribble the ball, take tough shots, and provide the occasional highlight. But he's yet to prove his worth as a winner.The 23-year-old has flashed moments of brilliance and even weeks-long stretches of solid two-way play, but his potential has thus far been more hypothetical than practical. Green isn't consistent enough off the ball or on the defensive end, and he's nowhere near efficient enough to have the ball on a serious team. In addition to his penchant for head-scratching turnovers, Green has been a below-average finisher from almost every area of the court in each of his four seasons, according to <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4865#tab-shooting_accuracy">Cleaning the Glass</a>. He'll also carry an average salary of $35.1 million over the next three years (2027-28 is a player option).It feels like Phoenix did the Rockets a favor by taking Green's contract off their hands instead of acquiring a promising youngster who can serve as a building block.Can Green live up to his hype and salary in Phoenix? Does he still have enough league-wide value for the Suns to reroute him elsewhere for more than pennies on the dollar? I'm not convinced.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead NBA reporter.

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Durant fills Rockets' biggest need, leaves Suns with more questions

The first big move of the NBA offseason - well, near-offseason - didn't feature Giannis Antetokou...

The first big move of the NBA offseason - well, near-offseason - didn't feature Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kevin Durant, but rather Desmond Bane, with the Orlando Magic taking a big swing to vault themselves up the Eastern Conference hierarchy.Here's how the trade breaks down for both sides.Magic receive: Desmond Bane<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Grizzlies receive: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, 2025 No. 16 pick, 2026 1st-round swap, 2028 1st-round pick, 2029 1st-round swap, 2030 1st-round pick<h3>A risk worth taking for Orlando</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790574/cropped_GettyImages-2211559669.jpg?ts=1750021842" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790574/w220xh124_GettyImages-2211559669.jpg?ts=1750021842 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790574/w320xh180_GettyImages-2211559669.jpg?ts=1750021842 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790574/w640xh360_GettyImages-2211559669.jpg?ts=1750021842 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790574/w768xh432_GettyImages-2211559669.jpg?ts=1750021842 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790574/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2211559669.jpg?ts=1750021842 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Adam Hagy / NBA / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>At first glance, this is an incredibly steep price to pay for a zero-time All-Star. But that undersells the caliber of player Bane has become, how well he fits the Magic, and where Orlando finds itself in the competitive cycle, which is suddenly the fringes of contention. (In addition, one of the first-rounders was likely the cost of dumping Caldwell-Pope's contract).Bane isn't a top-tier creator, but he's underrated in that regard and far more than just a play-finisher or catch-and-shoot specialist. The 26-year-old is a legitimate three-level scorer who brings the shooting, spacing, and movement desperately needed to unlock a Magic offense that hasn't finished higher than 22nd in efficiency since 2012.A career 41% 3-point shooter on more than six attempts per game, Bane can punish teams on or off the ball. He's averaged 20 points per game over the last four years while flirting with 50-40-90 shooting splits, and he's grown considerably as a playmaker.One of the most impressive aspects of Bane's offense has been his ability to maintain efficiency while creating more of his own looks. As a rookie during the 2020-21 season, only 29.1% of Bane's 2-pointers were unassisted and just 6.8% of his 3-pointers were self-created. In 2024-25, Bane created 57.4% of his 2-pointers and 36.6% of his long-range buckets while posting the exact same 60% true shooting mark in Years 1 and 5 of his career.Bane's negative wingspan has often been cited as a defensive concern, but he puts forth an honest effort on that end of the court, and he'll be well insulated as part of an elite - and sizable - defense in Orlando.The Magic are a more complete team today, with an offense that should be much tougher to shut down. Bane's arrival will feel like manna from heaven for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, whose jobs are going to get a lot easier with the former Grizzly running routes around them. That's a scary thought for opponents considering what Banchero and Wagner have already been able to accomplish with so little spacing to work with.Bane's contract will be a point of contention, with more than $163 million owed to him over the next four years. But the league's salary cap should grow by 10% year over year thanks to a massive influx of new media rights money. In that context, Bane's salaries will be worth 23.7%, 23.2%, 22.5%, and then 21.8% of the cap by season. That's fine for a player of his ilk.Surrendering control of five first-round picks is stomach-turning, but the Magic projected to be a middling East team, at worst, before this deal was consummated. The chance any of those picks would've turned into a Bane-level player was slim. Could that draft capital have been stashed and eventually spent on a bigger star? Perhaps, but it's unlikely the Magic were going to win any of the upcoming superstar sweepstakes. In the meantime, they've added a borderline All-Star just entering his prime, who fills a team need and is under contract through 2029.Bane himself is an attractive asset, just like Banchero, Wagner, and starting point guard Jalen Suggs. Orlando still has plenty of maneuverability if needed.The Magic also have a dynamite two-way core - all 26 and younger - under long-term team control, which gives them a real chance in a wide-open conference. Not every team would've taken this shot, but kudos to Orlando for doing so.<h3>What's next for Grizzlies?</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781813/cropped_GettyImages-2186163066.jpg?ts=1750021868" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781813/w220xh124_GettyImages-2186163066.jpg?ts=1750021868 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781813/w320xh180_GettyImages-2186163066.jpg?ts=1750021868 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781813/w640xh360_GettyImages-2186163066.jpg?ts=1750021868 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781813/w768xh432_GettyImages-2186163066.jpg?ts=1750021868 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/781813/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2186163066.jpg?ts=1750021868 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Joe Murphy / NBA / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Bane's departure marks the end of the road for a star trio that was supposed to be the Western Conference's next big thing. That core - which also featured Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. - peaked too soon and fell <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3274683" href="https://thescore.com/news/3274683">well short</a> of early expectations. That's no fault of Bane's, who quietly added to his game while taking on more offensive responsibility for a banged-up squad that too often went to battle without Morant.Still, as much as this trade was a bet worth making for Orlando, who landed the deal's best player by a country mile, it's also tremendous value for Memphis, no matter which direction the Grizzlies are headed. If a rebuild is on the horizon, there are certainly worse ways to launch one than with control of an extra five first-rounders. And if the Grizzlies still plan on competing with Morant and Jackson leading the charge, they've created some longer-term cap flexibility, which could come in handy given Jackson is extension-eligible this summer. They also added a 3-and-D veteran in Caldwell-Pope, who should be due for a bounce back of some sort after a down year in Orlando, and a young combo guard in Anthony.The extra draft capital and sheer volume of assets could help Memphis land an impact player one day to pair with Morant and Jackson.If the Grizzlies are lucky, that player might even be as good as Desmond Bane. <a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31562250/related

Desmond Bane will be worth the price Magic paid for him

The Toronto Raptors are still feeling the sting of only landing the ninth pick in this year's dra...

The Toronto Raptors are still feeling the sting of only landing the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3285006" href="https://thescore.com/news/3285006">ninth</a> pick in this year's draft after a rebuilding season was meant to deliver a higher selection. However, there will still be plenty of talent and upside on the board when the Raptors find themselves on the clock (assuming they don't trade back).The consensus seems to be that the first five players selected will be Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, Ace Bailey, and Tre Johnson, with Kon Knueppel and Jeremiah Fears often projected somewhere in the top seven. With that, let's take a look at seven other lottery-caliber prospects who could be on the board when it's time for Toronto's selection.<h3>Khaman Maluach, Duke, C</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790321/cropped_GettyImages-2214939831.jpg?ts=1749838969" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790321/w220xh124_GettyImages-2214939831.jpg?ts=1749838969 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790321/w320xh180_GettyImages-2214939831.jpg?ts=1749838969 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790321/w640xh360_GettyImages-2214939831.jpg?ts=1749838969 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790321/w768xh432_GettyImages-2214939831.jpg?ts=1749838969 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790321/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2214939831.jpg?ts=1749838969 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Michael Reaves / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Maluach falling to nine may be wishful thinking, as the South Sudanese big man has future Defensive Player of the Year potential.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>His measureables are off the charts. Maluach stands just under 7-foot-1 with a 9-foot-6 standing reach and a <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/combine-anthro?sort=WINGSPAN&amp;dir=1&amp;SeasonYear=2025-26">combine-topping</a> wingspan of nearly 7-foot-7. His sheer size and impressive mobility will make him an immediate rim-deterrent in the Association, while his rim-running and catch radius, along with the vertical spacing he creates, should make him a contributing factor on the offensive end.That's a pretty safe professional floor for a center who's still 18 years old. If Maluach eventually adds to his limited offensive tool kit, look out.<h3>Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina, PF</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/cropped_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/w220xh124_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/w320xh180_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/w640xh360_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/w768xh432_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761202/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2189931586.jpg?ts=1749839013 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Isaiah Vazquez / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Murray-Boyles is another high-floor big man, though an undersized one at under 6-foot-7. He has the length to make up for what he lacks in raw height and can play and defend multiple positions in the frontcourt.Murray-Boyles brings a defensive tenacity NBA teams (and fans) will love, and he's a great interior finisher with some playmaking chops on the offensive end. Like many prospects, whether he expands his shooting range or not might ultimately determine his professional ceiling, but his paint touch should make him an efficient scorer regardless. Murray-Boyles shot roughly 62% inside the arc during his two-year collegiate career.As for how he'd feel about joining Toronto's young core, Murray-Boyles <a href="https://x.com/libaanstar1/status/1922716375614619910">said</a> the Raptors are "everything I feel like I can fit into."<h3>Derik Queen, Maryland, C</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790322/cropped_GettyImages-2209442877.jpg?ts=1749839093" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790322/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209442877.jpg?ts=1749839093 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790322/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209442877.jpg?ts=1749839093 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790322/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209442877.jpg?ts=1749839093 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790322/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209442877.jpg?ts=1749839093 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/790322/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209442877.jpg?ts=1749839093 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Mitchell Layton / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Queen is probably the most talented offensive player on this list but also the most polarizing.At 6-foot-9 and roughly 248 pounds, Queen has great footwork and touch for a player his size, which explains how he averaged 16.5 points while shooting 55.8% inside the arc as a freshman. Even that might be underselling him, as Queen's efficiency at the rim was stellar. But he sometimes had to play further from it when sharing the frontcourt with Julian Reese.Queen also has tremendous passing skills for a big man and could produce gaudy numbers in points, rebounds, and assists at the next level if given the right opportunity. However, whether that opportunity ever comes is a legitimate question. Queen's defensive motor, conditioning, and general decision-making are all under the microscope - even the tantalizing playmaking potential is muted by the fact that he recorded more turnovers than assists at Maryland.Queen can be very productive immediately, but if he gives it all back on the defensive end, no NBA coach will want to play him heavy minutes.<h3>Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois, G</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786991/cropped_GettyImages-2205165882.jpg?ts=1749839179" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786991/w220xh124_GettyImages-2205165882.jpg?ts=1749839179 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786991/w320xh180_GettyImages-2205165882.jpg?ts=1749839179 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786991/w640xh360_GettyImages-2205165882.jpg?ts=1749839179 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786991/w768xh432_GettyImages-2205165882.jpg?ts=1749839179 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786991/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2205165882.jpg?ts=1749839179 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Once projected as a top-five pick, Jakucionis' stock slipped over the course of his freshman season, but the Lithuanian can carve out a solid pro career.As a big guard (6-foot-6) with good feel and comfort running pick-and-rolls, Jakucionis should be a good reserve, at the very least. There's certainly potential for much more if he improves his long-range shooting though. He shot 56% inside the arc and 85% from the free-throw line as a freshman, but his 3-point shot tailed off as the season progressed. Jakucionis shot just 23.7% from deep during the final 18 games of the season after opening his collegiate career at 41.6% over his first 15 games.If the shooting stabilizes, Jakucionis could be a solid two-way guard - at either backcourt position - for a long time.<h3>Noa Essengue, France, F</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787008/cropped_GettyImages-2197319698.jpg?ts=1749839132" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787008/w220xh124_GettyImages-2197319698.jpg?ts=1749839132 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787008/w320xh180_GettyImages-2197319698.jpg?ts=1749839132 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787008/w640xh360_GettyImages-2197319698.jpg?ts=1749839132 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787008/w768xh432_GettyImages-2197319698.jpg?ts=1749839132 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787008/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2197319698.jpg?ts=1749839132 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> DeFodi Images / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Essengue has been soaring up draft boards while helping lead German club Ratiopharm Ulm to the Bundesliga finals.Even for future NBA stars, finding consistent minutes as a teenager in Europe can be difficult, making Essengue's contributions all the more impressive. The 18-year-old ranks fourth on the team in minutes, fourth in scoring (10.5 points), and second in rebounds (5.1) while shooting 50% from the field, according to <a href="https://basketball.realgm.com/international/league/15/German-BBL/stats">RealGM</a>.His offensive game is a work in progress, but it's looking more fluid as Ulm's playoff run continues.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Career-high 22 points and 14 rebounds for Noa Essengue exploded in Game 1 of the German playoff semis. The 18-year-old showcased his skill level, fluidity, defensive versatility, and feel for the game, knocking down a pair of 3s and bringing impressive intensity on both ends. <a href="https://t.co/JLMjHZGsF0">pic.twitter.com/JLMjHZGsF0</a>— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1929883395074527735?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>For now, Essengue can rely on his athleticism, explosiveness, and commitment to running the floor. Throw in the fact that the 6-foot-9 forward looks <a href="https://x.com/mcfNBA/status/1929279506826580200">comfortable</a> guarding multiple positions and covering a ton of defensive ground, and you'll understand the comparisons to Pascal Siakam.<h3>Carter Bryant, F, Arizona</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787191/cropped_GettyImages-2202821134.jpg?ts=1749839208" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787191/w220xh124_GettyImages-2202821134.jpg?ts=1749839208 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787191/w320xh180_GettyImages-2202821134.jpg?ts=1749839208 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787191/w640xh360_GettyImages-2202821134.jpg?ts=1749839208 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787191/w768xh432_GettyImages-2202821134.jpg?ts=1749839208 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787191/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2202821134.jpg?ts=1749839208 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> David K Purdy / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Bryant may never be the self-creator fans envision when they think of future stars, but he certainly has the tools to be an extremely valuable 3-and-D role player.At 6-foot-6 with a nearly seven-foot wingspan, Bryant is a strong, lanky forward who offers great positional versatility on the defensive end - and All-Defense upside. He also shot 37% from deep in college with a smooth release that teases more, and he's an <a href="https://x.com/mcfNBA/status/1931108762817114200">electrifying</a> player in the open court.Bryant has a great motor and should be a fan favorite wherever he lands, with the potential to grow beyond his 3-and-D reputation.<h3>Egor Demin, BYU, G</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776276/cropped_GettyImages-2205423345.jpg?ts=1749839281" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776276/w220xh124_GettyImages-2205423345.jpg?ts=1749839281 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776276/w320xh180_GettyImages-2205423345.jpg?ts=1749839281 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776276/w640xh360_GettyImages-2205423345.jpg?ts=1749839281 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776276/w768xh432_GettyImages-2205423345.jpg?ts=1749839281 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776276/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2205423345.jpg?ts=1749839281 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Jamie Schwaberow / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Standing at 6-foot-8, Demin has a combination of size and elite playmaking that will tempt lottery teams, but among the players in question, I'm least enthused about his NBA future.His vision and smarts can pick opposing defenses apart, but there are too many holes in his game. The Russian guard isn't the smoothest on the move. His handling and creation skills leave much to be desired and limit his ability to put pressure on the defense, making him pass-first to a fault. His lack of mobility also hurts him on the defensive end.Taking everything into account, it feels like Jakucionis is the more complete guard on both ends.Four more to keep an eye on: Asa Newell (Georgia, PF), Jase Richardson (Michigan State, G), Nolan Traore (France, PG), Thomas Sorber (Georgetown, C)<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31557046/related

Raptors prospect watch: 7 realistic targets for Toronto's No. 9 pick

The Toronto Raptors are entering yet another offseason at the center of superstar trade rumors.  ...

The Toronto Raptors are entering yet another offseason at the center of superstar trade rumors.Three years ago, it was Kevin Durant. Two years ago, Damian Lillard. This summer, it's Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Raptors - specifically team president Masai Ujiri - have kept their eyes on Antetokounmpo since he was a raw but tantalizing draft prospect more than a decade ago. Now, the entire league awaits word on the two-time MVP's desires.If Antetokounmpo decides it's time for a change after 12 years in Milwaukee, the Raptors figure to get themselves in the mix. Ujiri's history with Antetokounmpo runs deep, tracing back to when the executive helped the NBA star's family secure Greek citizenship (Antetokounmpo was born in Greece, but his parents were born in Nigeria). Toronto also offers the type of large market and cosmopolitan city (plus a sizable Greek community) that Antetokounmpo reportedly prefers if he leaves Wisconsin.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The potential partnership has gone from a total fantasy to slightly more plausible this week, with reports the Raptors might be in the market for a "<a href="https://youtu.be/O0pe4YsI8qY?si=qdlVZQACF5ajX2TA&amp;t=1323">big fish</a>" and that there could be <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3294767" href="https://thescore.com/news/3294767">mutual interest</a> between the two parties. It all makes sense when you factor in Ujiri's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/aoye9gqJmmg?si=2ZRcWYMp8UU856qi&amp;t=965">comments</a> about the NBA's international boom creating a unique opportunity for Toronto in the coming years and his long-standing commitment to pursue <a href="https://x.com/OwnedByToronto/status/1929382793512886356">top-five</a> talents.Among fans, there seem to be two distinct groups. On one side, there are those so jaded by Toronto's failed superstar pursuits of the <a href="https://www.thescore.com/mlb/news/3150734">past</a> that they don't believe the Raptors have any business in these discussions. On the other side, those so blindly loyal to their favorite players that they think the Raptors can acquire Antetokounmpo without trading Scottie Barnes.The chances Antetokounmpo lands in Toronto are slim because only one team can acquire him, and that's if he even hits the market. Still, it's no more of a pipe dream for the Raptors than for any other interested franchise.That brings us to the cost of doing such seismic business. Raptors fans can fantasize about trading for Antetokounmpo, but if they're going to dare to dream, they must also be realistic about the price Toronto would have to pay.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/752626/cropped_GettyImages-2181017739.jpg?ts=1749143286" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/752626/w220xh124_GettyImages-2181017739.jpg?ts=1749143286 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/752626/w320xh180_GettyImages-2181017739.jpg?ts=1749143286 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/752626/w640xh360_GettyImages-2181017739.jpg?ts=1749143286 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/752626/w768xh432_GettyImages-2181017739.jpg?ts=1749143286 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/752626/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2181017739.jpg?ts=1749143286 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Mark Blinch / NBA / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Whether they want to hear it or not, the discussion likely begins with Barnes.We're not talking about 36-year-old Kevin Durant with a history of Achilles and knee injuries (though Durant is still a tremendous player when healthy). The Bucks don't need to lower the price on Antetokounmpo the way the Suns <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3295238" href="https://thescore.com/news/3295238">reportedly</a> have on Durant. The Greek Freak is a top-three player on the planet, a perennial MVP candidate still in his prime at age 30, and under team control for multiple years.Over the NBA's 79-year history, there have been <a href="https://stathead.com/basketball/player-season-finder.cgi?request=1&amp;order_by=year_id&amp;qual=pts_per_g_req&amp;ccomp%5B1%5D=gt&amp;cval%5B1%5D=30&amp;cstat%5B1%5D=pts_per_g&amp;ccomp%5B2%5D=gt&amp;cval%5B2%5D=10&amp;cstat%5B2%5D=trb_per_g&amp;ccomp%5B3%5D=gt&amp;cval%5B3%5D=5&amp;cstat%5B3%5D=ast_per_g">10 instances</a> in which a player has averaged at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Antetokounmpo accounts for three of those seasons over the last three years, during which time he's also averaged a steal and a block per game. He's a rim-rampaging offensive force and a versatile defensive terror - a point-center whose defensive impact may have slipped slightly, but who now boasts a legitimate midrange game.Barnes is an impressive 23-year-old with an All-Star selection already under his belt and All-Defensive team potential. But to put things in perspective, his absolute ceiling would be something like a poor man's Giannis. That's less of a knock on Barnes than it is a testament to Antetokounmpo's greatness.Employing The Greek Freak means enjoying the benefits that come with having the best player on the court 95% of the time. Even with Damian Lillard recovering from a torn Achilles and an aging roster full of question marks, the Bucks can still sniff the fringes of title contention in the wide-open Eastern Conference with Antetokounmpo in the fold. Plus, Milwaukee doesn't control its own first-round draft pick until 2031, so tanking appears to be off the table. The Bucks won't trade Antetokounmpo just for the sake of it - they'll demand an incredibly high asking price that meets his elite status.From a salary-matching perspective, consider Toronto's big-money contracts outside of Barnes and ask yourself, would a deal built around one of Brandon Ingram, Immanuel Quickley, or RJ Barrett, along with a couple of young players and multiple picks, really be enough? If it somehow is, the Raptors should attach whatever draft equity is necessary and run off like bandits.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="The pipe dream" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-XUM5l" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/XUM5l/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="374" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure>Put some shooting and capable guard play around Antetokounmpo and Barnes (Quickley might be the ideal candidate), and you could be looking at the East favorites.The more realistic scenario likely involves Barnes heading to Milwaukee. However, this is also where Bucks fans need a reality check, and where Toronto's front office must stay disciplined.If Barnes is the deal's centerpiece, the Raptors can't send too many picks to Milwaukee with him. Doing so would leave Toronto in virtually the same position the Bucks are now, without the asset capital required to surround Antetokounmpo with a sustainable championship-caliber supporting cast.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="The real deal" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-AII9S" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/AII9S/4/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="293" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure>The reason teams that trade superstars hoard picks (and tank) is to increase their chances of landing another player worth building around. In Barnes, a two-way star under contract through 2030, the Raptors would already be giving Milwaukee that blue-chip pillar. Some salary filler and a pick or two would still be required, but it shouldn't take much more.If the Bucks still aren't satisfied, Toronto should walk away, as hard as that would be for Ujiri to do.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31482784/related

Toronto can land Giannis, but Raptors fans must be realistic about the price

Tom Thibodeau's reward for leading the New York Knicks to their deepest playoff run in a quarter-...

Tom Thibodeau's reward for leading the New York Knicks to their deepest playoff run in a quarter-century came in the form of his walking papers.Thibodeau re-established a winning culture in The Mecca, but like many coaches before him, he was ultimately undone by the expectations he helped create. The Knicks averaged 46.3 wins per 82 games in Thibodeau's five seasons, making four playoff appearances and winning four postseason series. In the 19 years before Thibodeau's arrival, New York averaged 32 wins (per 82 contests) and made four playoff trips, winning one series.Naturally, then, many will feel that New York did Thibs wrong. Critics will call this an overreaction to the team's six-game loss in the Eastern Conference finals, a classic Knicks move, and a sign the club is headed back to its worst impulses. After all, the organization still <a href="https://x.com/IanBegley/status/1929974500529189169">reportedly</a> owes Thibodeau $30 million. But I'd argue the opposite. This was the action of a title-starved franchise so close to the mountaintop that it can almost touch it - an all-in contender fully aware that even the smallest of boosts along the margins can be the difference between agony and euphoria.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>It's fair to point out that improving along those margins - or on the sidelines - might've been New York's only option, given the assets already spent constructing a flawed roster. Thibodeau can't make up for the challenges that come when a team's two best players (Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns) are porous defenders, nor can a head coach recoup all of the draft picks spent on Mikal Bridges. However, Thibodeau wasn't without fault for the Knicks running into a third-round wall.As the deep playoff run unfolded - <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6395011/2025/05/31/knicks-loss-pacers-nba-playoffs-brunson-towns/">reportedly</a> marked by multiple players-only meetings - it became painfully clear New York needed a more creative and modern offensive approach, in addition to requiring more depth. For all of Thibodeau's defensive strengths, no one would ever confuse him with the type of coach who will address those two core issues.He likely wouldn't have trusted the depth pieces the Knicks add this summer anyway. Thibodeau's insistence on playing his starters heavy minutes has been a trademark throughout his career. Even Bridges, the NBA's ultimate ironman, <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3240580" href="https://thescore.com/news/3240580">thought</a> Thibs went too far. As for the offense, the Knicks should've maximized every ounce of Towns' offensive potential and his two-man game with Brunson to negate the duo's defensive flaws. They didn't. Instead, New York ranked 28th in 3-point attempt rate (38.2% of total shots), while Towns, the self-proclaimed greatest shooting big man of all time, posted his lowest 3-point attempt rate in six years.If one thing did Thibodeau in, it was that rigidity. Look at the head coaches left standing in the NBA Finals. Pacers bench boss Rick Carlisle has adapted his coaching style and offensive philosophies over the years to suit the talent at his disposal. Thunder coach Mark Daigneault threw everything and the kitchen sink at Nikola Jokic on both ends of the floor in a second-round series win. The Knicks don't have the personnel to replicate what Oklahoma City did against Jokic or what Indiana does with Tyrese Haliburton leading the break. But you can bet the team's front office watched Carlisle, Daigneault, and other coaches this spring and were left wanting more from an adaptability standpoint.The Knicks still have things to figure out before taking that last and toughest leap up the NBA mountain. Among them now, they need to find a head coach who can live up to the standard Thibodeau left behind and then some.It feels unfair to a tirelessly working basketball lifer, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was wrong. These are the tough, sometimes cold decisions contenders need to make when their eyes are on the prize and nothing else. The Knicks are finally in that space. No one said it'd be easy.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

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Knicks firing Thibodeau feels cold, but that doesn't mean it was wrong

Every year, 29 teams fall short of the ultimate goal, and every year, those 29 teams ask themselv...

Every year, 29 teams fall short of the ultimate goal, and every year, those 29 teams ask themselves how they can take the next step.We previously looked at how the first-round outs in the <a href="https://thescore.com/news/3279346">East</a> and <a href="https://thescore.com/news/3281141">West</a> might go about answering that question, and then we examined the decisions on the horizon for the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3286936" href="https://thescore.com/news/3286936">four</a> <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3288433" href="https://thescore.com/news/3288433">teams</a> who lost in the conference semis. Now that the conference finals are complete, here's a look at how New York and Minnesota can move forward after being eliminated.<h3>New York Knicks</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788549/cropped_GettyImages-2213356237.jpg?ts=1748882654" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788549/w220xh124_GettyImages-2213356237.jpg?ts=1748882654 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788549/w320xh180_GettyImages-2213356237.jpg?ts=1748882654 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788549/w640xh360_GettyImages-2213356237.jpg?ts=1748882654 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788549/w768xh432_GettyImages-2213356237.jpg?ts=1748882654 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788549/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2213356237.jpg?ts=1748882654 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> David L. Nemec / NBA / Getty</figcaption></figure>However you feel about the long-term cost of all the moves Leon Rose and Co. made to put this roster together, and however dismayed fans might be about how the series against Indiana played out, it's hard to call the 2024-25 season anything but a smashing success for New York. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Great expectations came along with the pricey offseason transactions, but dethroning the defending champs en route to the franchise's first conference finals appearance in 25 years should qualify as exceeding those expectations. Until this year, no team had ever authored multiple 20-point comebacks in the same postseason. The Knicks did it three times. This was a very good and exceptionally resilient team. They also were clearly flawed, in ways that led to serious struggles against elite competition during the regular season (they lost all 10 games they played against the league's top three teams by record) and ultimately prevented them from capitalizing on a golden opportunity to make the Finals. For as great as they were offensively, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns represented two defensive liabilities that the Pacers picked apart in the East finals. And their at-times dominant two-man game couldn't reach its full potential, in part because opposing defenses frequently cross-matched their centers onto the poor-shooting Josh Hart and put big, switchable wings on Towns.Hart contributed in myriad other ways, and OG Anunoby slotted in perfectly as a defensive destroyer who could insulate Brunson and Towns on one end and capitalize on their gravity at the other by drilling spot-up threes and attacking ferociously off the catch. But the team's triple-wing vision didn't fully come to fruition, in large part because Mikal Bridges struggled to find consistency at either end of the floor after the front office forked over five first-round picks for him in the summer. So, what should the Knicks do with all that information? What can they even do if they decide to shake things up? They have the security of their top seven rotation players (the starters, plus Mitchell Robinson and Deuce McBride) being under contract for next season. They also have approximately $189 million committed to those seven guys, which already puts them slightly over the luxury tax and only gives them about $7 million of wiggle room beneath the first apron to backfill the roster. And that's before considering potential extensions for Bridges or Robinson, whose team-friendly contracts expire next summer. Towns, who's owed $110 million over the next two years and has a $61-million player option for 2027-28, is extension-eligible as well.On the one hand, it's fair to wonder whether it makes sense to double down on a starting lineup that didn't entirely work. That quintet (the most used fivesome in the league) won its minutes by a modest 3.3 points per 100 possessions during the regular season, then got outscored by 6.2 points per 100 during the playoffs. Tom Thibodeau swapped Hart for Robinson after the Knicks dropped their first two games against Indiana, but that lineup didn't fare much better, getting outscored by 3.7 points per 100 despite sporting a monstrous 43% offensive rebound rate.On the other hand, it's hard to imagine New York cutting bait on Bridges or Towns just a year after acquiring them, especially considering the success those guys helped engender and the fact that the team would surely be accepting a huge net asset loss in any Bridges deal. It's also hard to picture a scenario in which trading one or both of those guys makes the Knicks better. It might make them deeper or more financially flexible, but the front office will probably be wary of taking any kind of short-term step back when the Eastern Conference figures to be wide-open in 2025-26.Bottom line: Even without a ton of upward mobility, New York's in a good spot. Each of the top seven players is 30 or younger, and this group has a chance to be better next season simply with a full campaign and lengthy playoff run under its belt. Even if no such gains are made, the Knicks will have a decent shot at coming out of the East. They might well have done so this year if not for the Pacers <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3289691" href="https://thescore.com/news/3289691">pulling off the impossible</a> in Game 1.There's a real chance for sustained success here. The Knicks obviously have to be open-minded if the right opportunity comes along, but I'm not sure aggressively rocking the boat would be the right approach. - Joe Wolfond<h3>Minnesota Timberwolves</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787179/cropped_GettyImages-2216904297.jpg?ts=1748882757" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787179/w220xh124_GettyImages-2216904297.jpg?ts=1748882757 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787179/w320xh180_GettyImages-2216904297.jpg?ts=1748882757 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787179/w640xh360_GettyImages-2216904297.jpg?ts=1748882757 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787179/w768xh432_GettyImages-2216904297.jpg?ts=1748882757 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787179/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2216904297.jpg?ts=1748882757 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> David Berding / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>It's tough to get a read on which direction Minnesota is headed. On the one hand, the Timberwolves made back-to-back Western Conference finals after winning just two playoff series over their first 34 years of existence. On the other hand, they appear to have stalled out, while teams like Oklahoma City, San Antonio, and Houston look poised to lead the conference into the second half of the decade.Complicating matters further, Julius Randle, who represents half of the return from trading Karl-Anthony Towns, and key reserves Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker could all hit free agency. Retaining the trio would make Minnesota a second-apron team for the second straight year, which seems unfathomable under new ownership (or any ownership, for that matter). Trading Rudy Gobert would clear the team's currently blurry financial picture, but finding a team willing to take on the three years and $109.5 million owed to the big man isn't easy. Replacing one of the game's great defensive anchors would be even harder.The good news is that in Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves already employ the type of game-changing young star who can serve as the backbone of a contender for the foreseeable future. He's a special player with an awesome presence about him, and he's already shown tremendous <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3293326" href="https://thescore.com/news/3293326">growth</a> beyond his (23) years.Defensive stalwart Jaden McDaniels, plus young guards Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr., are all promising players on Edwards' timeline, which gives Minnesota some options. The Wolves could look to clear their cap sheet by trading veterans like Gobert and Mike Conley for younger players who can grow with Edwards, which would result in something of a gap year next season.Or, Minnesota could stay aggressive and look to turn some of its excess salary and promising youngsters into an established star like Kevin Durant, giving Edwards the type of help he needs to win now (though a lead guard might help more than another wing scorer). Given that the Wolves only control their own first-round pick once (2028) in the next seven drafts, the latter, more aggressive strategy seems more sensible. The only thing we can say for certain is that whatever the Wolves do this summer, optimizing Edwards will be at the center of it all. That's a starting point most teams would die for. - Joseph Casciaro

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What's next: Where Knicks and Timberwolves go from here

This year's NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will bring discussion...

This year's NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers will bring discussions about the rise of small markets, unprecedented <a href="https://thescore.com/news/3288372">parity</a>, and roster construction in the new age. There will be hand-wringing over how few household names are featured and how that might impact TV ratings. All the while, a top-five point guard matchup in Finals history is staring us right in the face.When Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton meet in Oklahoma City on Thursday night, it will be the 17th time in 79 years that each Finals team boasts an All-Star and/or All-NBA point guard (and only the 10th time both are All-NBA). According to Basketball Reference's Win Shares metric, this year's matchup ranks third among those 17 clashes.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Point guard power plays" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-RUlwb" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/RUlwb/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="400" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure>What makes this generational matchup so fascinating is that the star guards go about their on-court business in such different ways. Although Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, is a plus defender for one of the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3293223" href="https://thescore.com/news/3293223">best</a> defensive teams in the modern era, this discussion focuses on both players' otherworldly offensive contributions.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>SGA is no free-throw merchant</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788384/cropped_GettyImages-2217097777.jpg?ts=1748880898" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788384/w220xh124_GettyImages-2217097777.jpg?ts=1748880898 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788384/w320xh180_GettyImages-2217097777.jpg?ts=1748880898 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788384/w640xh360_GettyImages-2217097777.jpg?ts=1748880898 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788384/w768xh432_GettyImages-2217097777.jpg?ts=1748880898 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/788384/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2217097777.jpg?ts=1748880898 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Zach Beeker / NBA / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Gilgeous-Alexander won the 2025 scoring title with a funky, herky-jerky game that's become his trademark. With the ball in his hands, he is somehow both frenetic and in complete control. His methods of attack are predictable, yet he flummoxes opponents with his change of speed and general movements. He's a relentless driver and an all-time killer from the mid-range.It's nearly impossible for defenders to keep Gilgeous-Alexander in front of them or off the free-throw line because he's one of the craftiest scorers we've ever seen - not because he's the foul-baiting "free-throw merchant" his detractors suggest.SGA isn't racking up free throws at an unfair rate. He ranked second in free-throw attempts this season (behind Giannis Antetokounmpo) and <a href="https://stathead.com/basketball/player-season-finder.cgi?request=1&amp;order_by=fta_per_fga_pct&amp;year_min=2025&amp;year_max=2025&amp;qual=pts_per_g_req&amp;ccomp%5B1%5D=gt&amp;cval%5B1%5D=20&amp;cstat%5B1%5D=usg_pct">fifth</a> in free-throw attempts per field-goal attempt among high-usage players (behind Deni Avdija). Among point guards, Luka Doncic, James Harden, and Ja Morant all drew fouls on a higher percentage of their shot attempts, and five guards drew a higher percentage of non-shooting fouls, per Cleaning the Glass.Gilgeous-Alexander has led the league in <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/drives?Season=2024-25&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=DRIVES">drives per game</a> five years running (and is the playoff drives leader for the second straight year). The gap between his league-leading 20.6 drives per game this season and second-ranked Jalen Brunson (17.8) was bigger than the gap between Brunson and ninth-ranked LaMelo Ball (15.1).That constant rim pressure collapses defenses, creating a gravitational pull that feeds Gilgeous-Alexander's underrated playmaking and opens the floor for his teammates. SGA is still a point guard, after all. The most impressive aspect of Gilgeous-Alexander's playmaking is his ability to take care of the ball, especially considering how much he dominates it. Across NBA history, there have been <a href="https://stathead.com/basketball/player-season-finder.cgi?request=1&amp;order_by_asc=1&amp;order_by=tov_pct&amp;year_min=1968&amp;qual=pts_per_g_req&amp;ccomp%5B1%5D=gt&amp;cval%5B1%5D=30&amp;cstat%5B1%5D=usg_pct&amp;ccomp%5B2%5D=gt&amp;cval%5B2%5D=29&amp;cstat%5B2%5D=ast_pct">93</a> instances of a player posting a usage rate of at least 30% and an assist rate of at least 29%. Among those 93, Gilgeous-Alexander's last two seasons rank first and third in turnover rate.All the defensive attention doesn't seem to make a difference when he decides to keep it for himself, either. Gilgeous-Alexander just put together one of the greatest mid-range-shooting seasons of all time and shot 37.5% on nearly six 3-point attempts per game, including a respectable 35.4% on pull-up threes (placing him just ahead of Kyrie Irving). That's how you end up owning three of the 13 most efficient <a href="https://stathead.com/basketball/player-season-finder.cgi?request=1&amp;order_by=ts_pct&amp;qual=pts_per_g_req&amp;ccomp%5B1%5D=gt&amp;cval%5B1%5D=30&amp;cstat%5B1%5D=pts_per_g">30-point-per-game seasons</a> in NBA history.While the concept of a star as a "cheat code" can be overused in modern sports, it's totally appropriate for Gilgeous-Alexander's offensive presence. Opponents can never be sure what type of punch SGA is about to throw or where it's going to come from, but they can be certain it will be a haymaker.<h3>Haliburton is the new Point God</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787964/cropped_GettyImages-2217020271.jpg?ts=1748873873" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787964/w220xh124_GettyImages-2217020271.jpg?ts=1748873873 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787964/w320xh180_GettyImages-2217020271.jpg?ts=1748873873 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787964/w640xh360_GettyImages-2217020271.jpg?ts=1748873873 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787964/w768xh432_GettyImages-2217020271.jpg?ts=1748873873 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/787964/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2217020271.jpg?ts=1748873873 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Jesse D. Garrabrant / NBA / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Although Haliburton isn't nearly as forceful as Gilgeous-Alexander, he's equally devastating. He's not as fast, yet he pushes his Pacers to play at breakneck speed with his consistent and unfathomably accurate hit-ahead passes.Haliburton is the ultimate conductor, and the Pacers' offense is his orchestra. He leads it by playing nearly mistake-free basketball every night, perfectly balancing his own scoring with the needs of his teammates while demonstrating a flair for the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3289563" href="https://thescore.com/news/3289563">dramatic</a>.His league-leading assist-to-turnover ratio of 5.5 doesn't do him justice. Haliburton became the first player <a href="https://stathead.com/basketball/player-season-finder.cgi?request=1&amp;order_by=year_id&amp;qual=ast_per_g_req&amp;ccomp%5B1%5D=gt&amp;cval%5B1%5D=9&amp;cstat%5B1%5D=ast_per_g&amp;ccomp%5B2%5D=lt&amp;cval%5B2%5D=2&amp;cstat%5B2%5D=tov_per_g">since</a> Muggsy Bogues 33 years ago - and just the second player ever - to average nine or more assists per game while committing fewer than two turnovers. It's not like he's playing a conservative, risk-free brand of basketball, either; Haliburton makes what would be a high-wire act for most guards look rather pedestrian.Though he's taking the "Point God" moniker from Chris Paul, Haliburton's game harkens back to another Hall of Fame guard. We haven't seen a combination of playmaking, teammate optimization, and marksmanship like this since Steve Nash, as Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault recently <a href="https://x.com/Rylan_Stiles/status/1929255656449605635">noted</a>. The difference is that Haliburton is a more willing shooter than the two-time MVP was.Longtime NBA executive David Griffin once <a href="https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/1973544">told me</a> that the difference between Nash and rival point guards like Jason Kidd was that Kidd could create any shot he wanted for someone else, but opponents could make Kidd take shots he couldn't make. On the other hand: "You couldn't make Steve Nash take a shot he couldn't make." The same can be said of Haliburton, who also happens to play in the most audacious shooting era in league history.Haliburton's a legitimate three-level scorer with limitless range, striking fear into the hearts of opponents in ways his scoring average (18.6 points per game) can't convey.He's as valuable to the Pacers as any bigger-name star is to their respective franchise. After a surprising, injury-aided run to the Eastern Conference final last year, Haliburton and the Pacers limped out of the gates this season. With lingering back and hamstring issues clearly limiting the star guard, Indiana owned a 10-15 record in mid-December, good for 10th in the East.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Pacers improvement" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-8Agrf" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/8Agrf/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="400" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure>As Haliburton found his legs (despite refusing to take time off) and began to look more like his All-NBA self, the Pacers - not coincidentally - found another gear.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Pacers improvement (Copy)" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-yyq9P" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/yyq9P/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="400" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}))}();
</script></figure>They're rarely on anyone's radar, but as long as they have a healthy Haliburton, the Pacers will be in the mix. As Pacers forward Obi Toppin <a href="https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/2765998">said</a> a year-and-a-half ago, "We got Tyrese ... we good."<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

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SGA vs. Haliburton is a dream Finals matchup

The NBA's conference finals have produced some fantastic high-stakes basketball, perhaps none mor...

The NBA's conference finals have produced some fantastic high-stakes basketball, perhaps none more so than Game 4 of the West final between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves. That was until the final minute, when a thrilling affair devolved into a free-throw shooting contest.The trailing Timberwolves hacked Thunder players in an attempt to extend the game at the charity stripe, while OKC is among the many teams that intentionally foul opponents when leading by three points in the dying seconds. That strategy <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3281423" href="https://thescore.com/news/3281423">burned the Thunder</a> in a Game 1 loss to Denver a couple of weeks ago - mostly because they deployed the gambit too early - but it's mathematically sound. The trailing team is less likely to make enough free throws to tie or win than it is to make a 3-pointer.The final 35 seconds of Game 4 featured seven intentional fouls and 10 free throws. OKC committed three of those fouls, including one on Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards with 3.1 seconds remaining that prevented Minnesota from attempting a potential game-tying three. Instead, the take foul put Edwards on the free-throw line for two shots (the second of which he had to intentionally miss to keep the Wolves alive).<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>For years, I sat idly by while others bemoaned this late-game tactic. It didn't make for great TV, but I didn't like the idea of policing good strategy either. We've seen NFL teams allow opponents to score just to get the ball back late in games. We've watched soccer stars show off their core strength and ball-shielding skills by keeping the ball in the corners to kill time. Such gamesmanship exists in every sport on some level. If an NBA team earned a lead through 47-plus minutes, who was I to tell them how to protect it just for my entertainment?However, watching a classic playoff game lose all of its steam was the final nudge I needed to join the chorus calling for an end to this scourge. The NBA should institute a new rule where an intentional foul by the leading team in the final 24 seconds results in free throws and possession. That will put an end to the practice.Some will contend that such a rule rewards losers, since the trailing team is still free to hack away. The difference is that fouling while behind already carries risk, potentially allowing the leading team to pull further ahead by making its free throws.Plus, eliminating intentional fouls from both sides would do more harm than good, as it would rob us of the type of late-game comebacks this year's Indiana Pacers are now <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3289563" href="https://thescore.com/news/3289563">famous for</a>. It can be exciting when trailing teams have to sell out on their ball pressure and defensive traps in an effort to turn their opponent over rather than relying on fouls, but there would also be plenty of occasions when the leading team could simply run out the clock knowing that a foul isn't coming.If the only way to push through anti-take-foul legislation is policing it on both sides, that's a concession I'd be willing to make. It would also aid the league in its quest for two-hour games. But the best compromise for pace of play and entertainment would be to disincentivize teams leading by three from doing it.The NBA has made TV-friendly business decisions before, like when the league penalized away-from-the-ball fouls in the last 2 minutes and transition take fouls (at any time). Eliminating the fouls that rob us of potential game-tying 3-point attempts needs to be the next change - just in time to guarantee the league's $76-billion media partners a purer product.Make teams play basketball until the end. Give your stars a chance to make more plays with the game on the line, not just from the line.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

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It's time for the NBA to outlaw fouling while up 3

There are certain fundamental truths about playoff basketball. For example: Any matchup between t...

There are certain fundamental truths about playoff basketball. For example: Any matchup between the Knicks and Pacers is sure to produce an extraordinary moment or improbable finish worth revisiting for generations.If they're standing in each other's way come May, the Knicks and Pacers somehow always find a way to deliver. The same was true Wednesday in Manhattan, though Knicks fans will tell you whatever their team did down the stretch of Game 1 sure as hell wasn't "delivering."New York was cruising to a 1-0 series lead in its first conference finals appearance in 25 years. The Knicks extended their lead to 17 midway through the fourth quarter, held a 14-point advantage with 2:40 remaining, and were still comfortably nursing a three-possession lead with 35 seconds left. The Knicks were the 1,435th team to hold a lead of nine-plus points entering the final minute of a playoff game and none of the previous 1,434 managed to lose.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But this is Knicks-Pacers, so of course the clock couldn't run out like a run-of-the-mill playoff game. After a handful of Pacers 3-pointers and a couple of Knicks turnovers, Tyrese Haliburton had a chance to tie or win the game for Indiana. We should've known what was coming, as Haliburton's become as inevitable as this iconic postseason rivalry itself.The fact Haliburton's <a href="https://x.com/Pacers/status/1925385100197241328">prayer</a> merely sent the game to overtime rather than resulting in a walk-off win dulled the excitement somewhat, but not before the Pacers superstar did his best Reggie Miller impression (with Miller a few feet away at the TNT broadcast table):<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
THE INDIANA PACERS TAKE GAME 1!!!!! 😱😱😱 <a href="https://t.co/ZylfaBcZRx">pic.twitter.com/ZylfaBcZRx</a>— theScore (@theScore) <a href="https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1925389700073721950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>For the uninitiated, Haliburton's choke sign was a nod to Miller directing the <a href="https://youtu.be/yJerW4qe3HI?si=8dKv4R-EINeOZRzY&amp;t=104">same gesture</a> to the Madison Square Garden faithful (and Knicks superfan Spike Lee) during the 1994 East finals. Miller's Pacers overcame a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit - and constant heckling from Lee - to steal Game 5 of that series. However, New York got the last laugh with wins in Game 6 and 7, with Knicks legend Patrick Ewing recording the series-winning dunk with 26.9 seconds left in the do-or-die game.That was the second of three straight playoff matchups between Ewing's Knicks and Miller's Pacers, with New York and Indiana meeting six times in eight postseasons between 1993 and 2000. The 1995 East semis saw Miller famously score eight points in nine seconds to stun the Garden again in Game 1, with Ewing <a href="https://youtu.be/w9hujyZyK7w?si=YnVElBXJmPjNTC1w">blowing</a> the potential game-tying layup in the final moments of Game 7.There was Miller's <a href="https://youtu.be/ms9J2etJbDQ?si=PuPjdEpBMEaVg6oq&amp;t=705">shot</a> to force OT in Game 4 of the 1998 East semis (which the Pacers won) and Larry Johnson's unforgettable <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0CGK1MGI4E">four-point play</a> to help the Ewing-less Knicks past the heavily favored Pacers in the 1999 conference finals.After briefly renewing hostilities in the second round of the 2013 playoffs, the rivalry entered the modern era last year, when Haliburton's Pacers got the best of Jalen Brunson's banged up squad. The lingering animosity from that matchup even led to flirtations with a professional <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3055093" href="https://thescore.com/news/3055093">wrestling feud</a>.Though most of the combatants in this year's series weren't born yet when the rivalry took root, all of that baggage served as the backdrop for this year's Eastern Conference finals, which tipped off 30 years to the day after Ewing's blown layup.Unfortunately for Knicks fans, a new generation is now all too familiar with the drama, angst, and heartbreak this matchup often provides. The Pacers outscored the Knicks 20-6 over the final 2:39 of regulation, with Indiana's 23 points over the final 3:14 the most scored by a playoff team in the play-by-play era (since 1997). Haliburton's pop-up buzzer-beater will headline highlight reels for years, but it was forward Aaron Nesmith who exploded for 20 points over the final 4:45 of regulation.History will also forget that the Knicks scored the first four points of overtime, with Indiana ultimately recording one of the most unfathomable victories in postseason history for the <a href="https://x.com/keerthikau/status/1925401197449511223">third time</a> in the last three weeks.New York had a 99.7% chance of winning Game 1 with under three minutes to play, according to ESPN's win probability meter. That fact and many others will leave Knicks fans absolutely gutted, but this series is far from over. The Thunder let Game 1 <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3281423" href="https://thescore.com/news/3281423">slip away</a> in their second-round series against Nikola Jokic's Nuggets, only for Oklahoma City to now find itself three wins from the Finals. Back in 1994, the Knicks rebounded after Miller labeled them chokers.Whether the 2025 Knicks are made of the same mettle remains to be seen, but don't put anything past this matchup. There's something about these two teams coming together at this time of year that makes anything feel possible.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

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The most dramatic rivalry: Knicks-Pacers always delivers

Every year, 29 teams fall short of the ultimate goal, and every year, those 29 teams ask themselves how they can take the next step.We previously looked at how the first-round outs in the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3279346" href="https://thescore.com/news/3279346">East</a> and <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3281141" href="https://thescore.com/news/3281141">West</a> might go about answering that question and examined the decisions on the horizon for the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3286936" href="https://thescore.com/news/3286936">East's top two seeds</a> after their seasons ended in the second round. Now that the West semis are complete, here's a look at how two of the conference's last three champions can move forward after being eliminated.<h3>Golden State Warriors </h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774471/cropped_GettyImages-2201403240.jpg?ts=1747692294" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774471/w220xh124_GettyImages-2201403240.jpg?ts=1747692294 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774471/w320xh180_GettyImages-2201403240.jpg?ts=1747692294 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774471/w640xh360_GettyImages-2201403240.jpg?ts=1747692294 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774471/w768xh432_GettyImages-2201403240.jpg?ts=1747692294 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/774471/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2201403240.jpg?ts=1747692294 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Noah Graham / NBA / Getty</figcaption></figure>The Warriors were bitterly disappointed by their five-game elimination at the Minnesota Timberwolves' hands, but few teams have as clear a vision as Golden State does right now. The mandate: Win another championship during the two-year window in which Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green are all under contract for a combined average of $143.4 million per season.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The three future Hall of Famers are all 35-37 years old with justifiable questions about their durability. Curry's absence did the team in against the Timberwolves, Butler hasn't suited up for 65 games in a season since 2018-19, and Green has reached the 70-game mark once in the last seven years. Still, even with those age-related concerns and Butler's diminishing offensive game, I'd take a healthy Steph, Jimmy, and Draymond against most teams' top three. Golden State went 23-7 (a 62-win pace) with Curry and Butler in the lineup down the stretch.If the Warriors can just get those legends to the spring in one piece, they'll have a legitimate chance to raise another banner before Curry retires. Accomplishing that starts with shoring up the rest of the rotation, preferably by adding some size and athleticism.The biggest question is what to do with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, who has a big fan in team owner Joe Lacob but has often fallen out of favor with head coach Steve Kerr (though Kuminga did play well when he returned to the rotation during the second round). If he's retained at a reasonable price and can find some consistency, Kuminga can energize the aging core. But the best result for both parties seems to be Kuminga landing elsewhere in a sign-and-trade that delivers something of value for the Warriors too.Golden State just doesn't have enough dependable rotation pieces, let alone game-changers. Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield provide spacing; the former is younger, more defensively capable, and a better playmaker, but not necessarily more consistent. Moses Moody is probably the most underrated youngster on the roster, which leaves me wondering if the Warriors would be better served putting Podziemski on the trade market and Moody on the court.Trayce Jackson-Davis is a decent depth piece further down the bench and Gui Santos and Quinten Post were nice finds, but none of those three will alter Golden State's trajectory.If the Warriors can find a way to turn some of that middling talent into even a couple more playoff-proof rotation players, they'll be in good shape. They also have up to four first-round draft picks (plus swaps) to package with those players if they want to make a bigger splash. That seems unlikely, but never count the Warriors out of such discussions - they've got about $17.4 million worth of wiggle room under the luxury-tax threshold and roughly $25 million worth of space under the first apron. - Joseph Casciaro <h3>Denver Nuggets </h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786356/cropped_GettyImages-2215278228.jpg?ts=1747692490" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786356/w220xh124_GettyImages-2215278228.jpg?ts=1747692490 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786356/w320xh180_GettyImages-2215278228.jpg?ts=1747692490 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786356/w640xh360_GettyImages-2215278228.jpg?ts=1747692490 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786356/w768xh432_GettyImages-2215278228.jpg?ts=1747692490 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786356/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2215278228.jpg?ts=1747692490 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> AAron Ontiveroz / Denver Post / Getty</figcaption></figure>This is a hugely consequential offseason in Denver with a ton of important decisions to make at every level of the organization. First: Finding the person who will make the rest of the decisions. Whoever steps into Calvin Booth's vacant role as general manager will quickly have to figure out how to make the necessary personnel adjustments while also deciding whether to conduct an external coaching search or make David Adelman's interim position permanent. (Adelman's performance after taking over with a week remaining in the regular season was a pretty persuasive job application.)In overcoming a very good LA Clippers team and then pushing the 68-win Oklahoma City Thunder to the brink, the Nuggets proved they're still a threat to win any series with a Nikola Jokic-Jamal Murray-Aaron Gordon nucleus. Jokic is a one-man offense who somehow got even better this year. Murray shook off a tough start to have a strong second half and a sporadically brilliant postseason. Gordon patched every defensive hole, bludgeoned his way to copious offensive rebounds and paint buckets, and hit some of the clutchest shots of the playoffs.But it also became abundantly clear, if it wasn't already, that the Nuggets need to make changes around that core trio if their championship window is to remain open while the 30-year-old Jokic is still in his prime.Outside of Gordon and Christian Braun, the roster distinctly lacks two-way players. This year's Nuggets had the best offense of the Jokic era teams despite ranking last in 3-point attempt rate, but that limiting factor became harder to overcome against playoff defenses that ignored about half the members of their eight-man rotation. Their bench was once again a complete disaster, with no reliable backup center or 3-and-D wing. That eight-man rotation was basically a 5.5-man rotation by postseason's end.What's less clear is how feasible the necessary changes are. If Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric pick up their player options (the former would likely be fine with Denver, the latter will be as damaging as it is inevitable), the Nuggets will be about $15 million over the tax line, $7 million over the first apron, and $5 million below the second apron with 13 of 15 roster spots filled. As things stand, they won't have access to the mid-level or bi-annual exception, nor will they be able to take back more salary than they send out in a trade. Plus, the only first-rounder they can currently include in a deal is their 2031 pick.Whether Michael Porter Jr. remains part of the aforementioned core might be the most pressing roster question. Porter's been a key piece of the Nuggets for the last six years. He played a vital role in the team's championship two years ago and brings the specific skill (shooting) that's in shortest supply in Denver. But his precarious health, shaky defense, and near-$40-million-a-year salary make him the most natural starter to trade. The problem is that those same factors would also depress his market. He might still be more valuable to the Nuggets than he is to anyone else.Braun made a strong case in his third season (and especially these playoffs) to be part of the team's long-term plans. He's extension-eligible this summer, and the Nuggets will surely try hard to come to an agreement with him. You can say everyone else should be on the table, but guys like Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther are about as likely to develop into the players Denver needs as they are to bring back those players in trades. The Nuggets would probably have to attach an asset to get off Zeke Nnaji's deal, which is worth doing if they can get any kind of competent rotation player in return (and possibly even if they can't). Maybe DaRon Holmes II can finally provide some stability at the backup five spot.For the Nuggets' next GM, the opportunity to retool around Jokic is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, you can explore some unconventional possibilities knowing Jokic will find a way to elevate everyone around him and keep the team competitive. On the other hand, you'll be under immense pressure to meaningfully improve the roster while Jokic is still playing at this level, but you'll have limited pathways to do so.Nothing less than the legacy of one of the greatest players of this or any generation may depend on how that incoming GM navigates these next few months. - Joe Wolfond

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What's next: Where the Warriors and Nuggets go from here

After 79 years, the NBA is experiencing a level of championship parity never before seen in its h...

After 79 years, the NBA is experiencing a level of championship parity never before seen in its history.The new benchmark was set when the Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of their Western Conference semifinal, ensuring that the 2025 postseason will crown a seventh different champion in as many years. To put that in perspective, seven franchises won <a href="https://x.com/CrumpledJumper/status/1924266450400993526">77%</a> of the previous 70 titles. In fact, the league had only seen six different champions in a six-year span just once before (1975-1980).<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NBA final four teams and their last championship: New York Knicks: 1973 Indiana Pacers: Never Minnesota Timberwolves: Never Oklahoma City Thunder: Never* * won in 1979 as Seattle SuperSonics but Thunder do not hang a banner nor claim this title as their own.— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeithSmithNBA/status/1924219979269873926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>There will always be a standard of excellence that championship teams <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3267849" href="https://thescore.com/news/3267849">must measure</a> up to. Last year's Celtics were a 64-win buzz saw, while this year's odds-on favorite, the Thunder, won 68 games, posted the best point differential ever, and are only <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3272746" href="https://thescore.com/news/3272746">getting started</a>. But beyond just the variety of champions, what's setting the modern Association apart from any time in recent memory is that it now feels like good teams, not just historically great ones, have a chance come playoff time.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>For the first time in many fans' lives, there's a genuine belief that a well-built squad just needs to get into the dance to have a shot at immortality. We've long come to accept that as a rite of spring in the NHL (and a rite of autumn in Major League Baseball), but it's a healthy change for the NBA, even if it devalues the regular season (and postseason seeding) on some level.To truly appreciate how the playoffs have evolved in recent years, consider how our expectations of conference finalists have changed. Over the last five seasons (2021-2025), the 20 conference finalists have recorded win totals ranging from 43 to 68, averaging 52.6 victories per 82 games (with win total prorated for the shortened 2020-21 campaign). During this half-decade, all eight postseason seeds have been represented in a conference final at least once, with five conference finalists - a quarter of the sample - registering less than 50 wins.Compare that to the previous five years (2016-2020). Those 20 conference finalists ranged from 49-win clubs to 73-win record-breakers, averaging 57 wins per 82 outings. During that stretch, only top-five teams from their respective conferences made it to the final four, with 18 of the 20 finishing in the top three.<figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Conf. finalists</th>
<th>2016-2020</th>
<th>2021-2025</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Win range</td>
<td>49-73</td>
<td>43-68</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Avg W/82</td>
<td>57</td>
<td>52.6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sub-50 W teams</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Seeds</td>
<td>1-5</td>
<td>1-8</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure>There's a worthy debate about whether this is a good development. The last time the NBA went this long without a seemingly unbeatable juggernaut or two, the Finals were broadcast on tape delay. It took a decade-long rivalry between Magic Johnson's Lakers and Larry Bird's Celtics, followed by years of dominance by Michael Jordan's Bulls, to "save" the Association. The 21st century then gave way to more mini dynasties and superteams to slay in Los Angeles, San Antonio, Miami, and Golden State.While there's no proof of concept for parity helping the NBA thrive, that doesn't mean it won't. For one, the league, the media, and the sports world have changed drastically in the half century since the last time the championship picture was this wide open. The NBA is just months away from beginning to reap the benefits of a new 11-year, $76-billion media rights deal with Disney, NBC, and Amazon.Plus, the league's most successful periods of one- or two-team dominance were as much about the stars leading those dynasties as they were about the teams' perennial success. And there are plenty of worthy characters ready to carry the baton into this next leg of league history, whether it be Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, or the two superstars who will square off in the Western Conference final, MVP front-runner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Timberwolves savior Anthony Edwards.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786417/cropped_GettyImages-2034212623.jpg?ts=1747676703" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786417/w220xh124_GettyImages-2034212623.jpg?ts=1747676703 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786417/w320xh180_GettyImages-2034212623.jpg?ts=1747676703 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786417/w640xh360_GettyImages-2034212623.jpg?ts=1747676703 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786417/w768xh432_GettyImages-2034212623.jpg?ts=1747676703 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786417/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2034212623.jpg?ts=1747676703 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> David Berding / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>There are fresh faces contesting the title race each year, more teams and fan bases who can dream of hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy when a new season tips off, and unfathomable sums of money rolling in. It's an exciting, refreshing time that fans and the league should embrace.However, the one thing I'll continue to push back on, and something to monitor going forward, is any notion that the league's new collective bargaining agreement brought us here. The path to parity was laid before the NBA put the more punitive tax penalties and restrictive aprons in place. What's new and exciting right now could quickly grow stale if some teams enjoying newfound success have to tear down carefully constructed rosters to avoid those penalties and skirt those restrictions.As <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/2940429" href="https://thescore.com/news/2940429">I asked</a> nearly a year ago: Does a more balanced NBA, where teams rise and quickly fall before dealing with the penalties of getting too expensive, lead to more league-wide interest? Or does more frequent roster turnover and no dynastic superteams leave the league and its clubs without an identity?How teams manage the new CBA will go a long way toward answering that question. For now, let's just enjoy what's become a truly unprecedented time in championship parity.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

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Welcome to the NBA's age of parity

Every year, 29 teams fall short of the ultimate goal. And every year, those 29 teams ask themselv...

Every year, 29 teams fall short of the ultimate goal. And every year, those 29 teams ask themselves how they take that next step.Here's a look at how the East's top two seeds might go about answering that question after both got bounced ahead of the conference finals.<h3>Boston Celtics </h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786002/cropped_GettyImages-2213149460.jpg?ts=1747432975" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786002/w220xh124_GettyImages-2213149460.jpg?ts=1747432975 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786002/w320xh180_GettyImages-2213149460.jpg?ts=1747432975 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786002/w640xh360_GettyImages-2213149460.jpg?ts=1747432975 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786002/w768xh432_GettyImages-2213149460.jpg?ts=1747432975 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786002/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2213149460.jpg?ts=1747432975 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Boston Globe / Getty</figcaption></figure>Boston's title defense ended earlier than anyone expected, but the real story of the Celtics' second-round loss to the Knicks was Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury. The Eastern Conference semifinal didn't just see a champion dethroned - it immediately threw the franchise's future into doubt and shifted the league's balance of power.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>First and foremost, it's a shame for Tatum, a 27-year-old ironman who's never missed more than 10 games in a season and has logged 1,500 more minutes than any other player since his NBA debut (regular season and playoffs). As the best player on the defending champions and a two-way force who's been the backbone of this decade's most consistent contender, the Celtics will fall off without him. There were already questions about how long Boston's new owners would stomach massive luxury tax payments and second-apron penalties. By the time Tatum returns, the roster might look a lot different.However, Tatum's injury could change the calculus regarding his long-term partnership with Jaylen Brown. Trading Brown to maintain a financially feasible contender around Tatum would've made some sense before the latter's Achilles gave out. Boston should now look to take a step back in 2025-26, shedding salary in the short term to again build around Tatum and Brown in 2026-27 and beyond.Letting Al Horford walk as a free agent will be tough, but ultimately necessary. Ditto for trading Jrue Holiday, who's owed up to $104.4 million over the next three years and will likely be 36 years old when Tatum returns. If the Celtics can extract any value from Holiday's contract and Kristaps Porzingis' expiring ($30.7-million) deal, they should, no matter how many wins it costs them next season.If Boston can do that without taking on any long-term money, it could drastically improve its financial flexibility. Instead of sitting roughly $20 million above the second apron in 2025-26, the Celtics could position themselves with over $45 million worth of wiggle room under the first apron in 2026-27. And they'd still have Tatum, Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser (plus Neemias Queta, Baylor Scheierman, and Jordan Walsh) under contract. Boston also controls five of its seven first-round picks between 2026 and 2032.Tatum's injury was a <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3285701" href="https://thescore.com/news/3285701">disheartening reminder</a> of how fleeting success and windows of contention can be, but it doesn't have to be the last chapter for the Two Jays era in Boston. The Celtics just have to make a few shrewd decisions today to restart their course tomorrow. - Joseph Casciaro <h3>Cleveland Cavaliers </h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786003/cropped_GettyImages-2206765602.jpg?ts=1747433257" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786003/w220xh124_GettyImages-2206765602.jpg?ts=1747433257 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786003/w320xh180_GettyImages-2206765602.jpg?ts=1747433257 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786003/w640xh360_GettyImages-2206765602.jpg?ts=1747433257 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786003/w768xh432_GettyImages-2206765602.jpg?ts=1747433257 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/786003/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2206765602.jpg?ts=1747433257 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Brian Sevald / NBA / Getty</figcaption></figure>The 2024-25 Cavaliers won 64 games and produced the 16th-best relative offensive rating in NBA history. Kenny Atkinson won Coach of the Year in his first season on the sidelines. Evan Mobley made a major offensive leap and became the fifth-youngest player ever to take home Defensive Player of the Year honors. Darius Garland had a massive bounce-back campaign and earned his second All-Star nod. Donovan Mitchell will probably make the All-NBA first team. And every member of Cleveland's regular rotation besides Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill is under contract for next season. That's the good news.The bad news is that all those regular-season accomplishments didn't save the Cavs from a familiar fate in the spring. Their second-round faceplant against a fast, physical, relentless Indiana Pacers squad marked the third straight year their core four has experienced some degree of playoff disappointment. In light of those recurring letdowns, there will naturally be calls for the front office to break this thing up.The counterargument would be that serious mitigating factors contributed to Cleveland's demise, namely the injuries that sidelined and/or significantly hampered four of its five most important players in the series. Garland missed the first two games (both home losses) due to a toe injury and never looked right after returning. Mobley sat out Game 2 with a sprained ankle and didn't resemble himself again until Game 5. De'Andre Hunter dislocated the thumb on his shooting hand in Game 1 and was a disaster from that point on. Mitchell carried the offense with some heroic performances before succumbing to calf and ankle injuries and running out of gas.It was a particularly exasperating way for the Cavs' campaign to end considering how much they prioritized depth and managing their stars' workloads throughout the year. No one on the team averaged more than 31.4 minutes per game, which contributed to them being one of the healthiest squads in the league ... right up until they weren't. After injuries prevented it from taking a legitimate run at the Celtics in the second round last postseason, this was supposed to be the chance for Cleveland's core to prove its growth since an embarrassing first-round showing against the Knicks in 2023. Instead, the front office is again left to sift through a mess of conflicting information as it tries to determine what these guys are actually capable of.Some troubling issues cropped up in the series that Cleveland can't entirely overlook. The Cavs' beautiful offensive system broke down into a muddy puddle of isolations when things got tough. At the other end, Indiana gashed a defense that was supposed to be one of Cleveland's chief strengths, doing particularly vicious damage against switches and eventually solving the team's fail-safe zone. The lights again seemed a bit brighter than expected for Jarrett Allen, as he managed just 11 points and six rebounds combined over the final two games and was soundly outplayed by Myles Turner. And Jerome, who played a huge role in the team's regular-season success and finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting, was exposed for his defensive limitations and reliance on tough pull-ups and long floaters.The Cavs can spend the summer thinking about how things might've been different if they'd stayed healthy or held onto huge leads in Games 2 and 5. But all that matters now is what Koby Altman and Co. decide to take away from all this, and how their interpretation of events shapes the club's course of action this summer. That could mean marginal moves like letting Jerome walk and handing over backup point guard duties to Craig Porter Jr., or trying to trade someone like Isaac Okoro to trim down their luxury-tax bill. Or it could result in something more significant, like moving out one of the core four.Cleveland can also just run it all back and enter next season as one of the clear favorites in a destabilized Eastern Conference. Mitchell is a proven superstar and a playoff riser, Garland and Mobley are still getting better, Allen is a top-10 two-way center in the league, and the wing corps is stronger than it's been at any point in this era. Last summer, the front office resisted the urge to make changes for the sake of changes, and the team <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3129495" href="https://thescore.com/news/3129495">wound up organically changing quite a bit</a>.Sometimes, the most courageous thing an organization can do after a disappointing result is ... nothing. No overreactions, no rash personnel moves - just a show of faith in the infrastructure that engendered enough success to establish expectations in the first place. We're about to find out how much or how little that faith has been shaken in Cleveland. - Joe Wolfond

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What's next: Where the Celtics and Cavs go from here

The Toronto Raptors can console themselves with any number of facts after landing the ninth overa...

The Toronto Raptors can console themselves with any number of facts after landing the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.For one, the lottery odds that came with the seventh-worst record always meant they were more likely to land somewhere between seventh and 10th (68.01%) than they were to jump into the draft's top four (31.96%). The ninth pick was their third-most likely landing spot after eighth and seventh, respectively.Furthermore, with three previous opportunities to select ninth overall, the franchise drafted Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady, six-time All-Star (and future Hall of Famer) DeMar DeRozan, and current starting center Jakob Poeltl.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>That's all fine and true, but it's no comfort on this night. There's no sugarcoating the fact the lottery was a total gut punch.There's no one to blame. Toronto's lack of lottery luck had nothing to do with a half-measured tank or the fact the rebuilding Raptors won too often. The Dallas Mavericks won nine more games than the Raptors and won a play-in contest before winning the lottery despite only a 1.8% chance to do so (Dallas also won a coin toss with Chicago to earn an extra 0.1% worth of lottery odds after the two teams finished tied in the standings).It's yet another reminder that, while the league's worst teams are rewarded with the best odds, it's still a lottery at the end of the day. The fates of multibillion-dollar franchises hinge on the whims of pingpong balls bouncing around inside a plastic bubble. The last-place team has gone 0-for-7 since the NBA flattened its lottery odds in 2019, with 2025 marking the third consecutive year the league's worst team fell a maximum of four spots (and will pick fifth).Let that be a warning to teams that are already looking past the 2025-26 campaign and drooling over another stacked draft class in 2026. I'd say the sting of Monday's proceedings might inform how the Raptors approach next season, but the truth is they never appeared to have the stomach for a multi-year tank.Though the Raptors went out of their way to label the 2024-25 campaign Year 1 of a rebuild, they also accelerated that rebuild when they traded for (and extended) Brandon Ingram. The move was surprising, but <a href="https://youtu.be/OXRy9FAe9lY?si=GPQdkmduMB-p1clA">defensible</a> from the standpoint that Toronto isn't in a position to thumb its nose when star talent becomes available. Still, some lottery luck - specifically a top-two pick such as Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper - would've helped complete the picture and springboarded the team back to relevance.The Raptors must now confront the fact this year's draft is unlikely to deliver a franchise-changing talent after months of clinging to the hope that their first-round pick was their best chance to find one. So, what now?<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765619/cropped_GettyImages-2193527991.jpg?ts=1747104081" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765619/w220xh124_GettyImages-2193527991.jpg?ts=1747104081 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765619/w320xh180_GettyImages-2193527991.jpg?ts=1747104081 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765619/w640xh360_GettyImages-2193527991.jpg?ts=1747104081 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765619/w768xh432_GettyImages-2193527991.jpg?ts=1747104081 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765619/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2193527991.jpg?ts=1747104081 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Vaughn Ridley / NBA / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>The safest option would be to simply run it back, allowing Scottie Barnes, Ingram, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and an impressive collection of solid-yet-unspectacular youngsters to prove what they can (or can't) be together. This conservative approach would see the Raptors add the ninth pick to that unproven core, with options in that range likely to include South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles, Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis, and Maryland center Derik Queen, among others.Keeping the band together could pay immediate dividends. Toronto's Barnes-led defense was genuinely <a href="http://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced?DateFrom=01/13/2025&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=DEF_RATING">elite</a> for half a season, and Ingram's shotmaking, secondary playmaking, and foul-drawing should greatly improve what was a woeful half-court offense. The playoffs are well within reach if the Raptors stay healthy. Detroit's stunning rise from worst to sixth serves as a reminder of the opportunities the Eastern Conference provides.However, for a team already butting up against the luxury tax, the path from postseason breakthrough to legitimate contention is murky. With no Flagg- or Harper-level prospect to pair beside Barnes, the Raptors' short-term risk tolerance might have just shot up.The East already looked wide-open before Jayson Tatum <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3285027" href="https://thescore.com/news/3285027">crumpled</a> to the court in New York. Everyone up to, and perhaps even including Barnes, should be on the table if that gets Toronto in the mix for veteran superstars who could shake free - like <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3284641" href="https://thescore.com/news/3284641">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a> or Devin Booker (Kevin Durant is too old for Toronto to abandon its rebuild for him). The Raptors also control all of their first-round picks.They have options. The only thing we learned Monday is that Cooper Flagg - and salvation via the draft - is no longer one of them. For now, at least, that's a bummer.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's senior Raptors and NBA reporter.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31274196/related

No lottery luck for the Raptors, so what now?

Wow, do things ever change quickly in the playoffs.  The league-best Thunder were cruising to a G...

Wow, do things ever change quickly in the playoffs.The league-best Thunder were cruising to a Game 1 win over the Nuggets on Monday night, leading by 11 points with a little more than four minutes remaining. A victory would've moved Oklahoma City to 5-0 in the postseason. But rather than celebrating what would have been their 73rd win of the campaign, the Thunder are reeling from a stunning collapse and preparing for what's suddenly become a must-win Game 2.The biggest story of Denver's 121-119 victory was Nikola Jokic, who feasted on a Thunder team (and specifically Chet Holmgren) unequipped to guard him. But after helplessly watching Jokic pile up 42 points and 22 rebounds, the Thunder had a chance to ice the game while Jokic watched helplessly from the bench. Instead, a mathematically sound strategy led to OKC's demise.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>It's generally accepted that the best course of action is to foul when leading by three with the shot clock turned off, as the opposing team is less likely to win a free-throw shooting contest by three-plus points than it is to make a 3-pointer. If the team in front simply makes its free throws and avoids turnovers, the game is over. The Thunder subscribe to this school of thought, so it was no surprise to see Alex Caruso intentionally foul Jokic with OKC up 117-114 and 13 seconds remaining.Jokic made both free throws, but the Nuggets kept him on the bench following a subsequent Thunder timeout, as the three-time MVP had five fouls and Denver was going to be looking to intentionally foul. However, a well-executed play out of the timeout - and a defensive breakdown by the Nuggets - allowed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to score a basket before Denver could foul. That dunk left OKC up 119-116 with 11 seconds to play, Jokic on the bench, and the Nuggets out of timeouts. In other words, had the Thunder just defended naturally and let the Nuggets play the next possession out, it's possible Oklahoma City could've escaped with the win while Jokic had to watch Denver's final possession from the sidelines.Unwilling to deviate from their original plan, the Thunder still elected to foul immediately rather than risk a Nuggets 3-point attempt. Aaron Gordon's free throws cut the lead to one, and the stoppage allowed Jokic to re-enter the contest. After a couple of missed free throws from Holmgren, Russell Westbrook rushed the ball up the court and found Gordon for the game-winning 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds on the clock.To be fair, Jokic didn't have a hand in the game-winning possession, but consider the result karmic justice for playing with fire.It's possible the Nuggets might have cashed a triple on the play in question if the Thunder had let them play it out, but I'd rather trust my league-best defense to get a stop than take my chances with the best player on the planet back on the floor. Remember, too, that Joker-less Denver would've had to take it the length of the floor after Gilgeous-Alexander's dunk.Jokic's brilliance demands a real-time recalibration of best practices, like Barry Bonds <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr7vPDNG3q0">drawing</a> an intentional walk with the bases loaded. The Thunder refused to budge. Jokic didn't make them pay, but they still got what they deserved. Now let's see how the championship favorites - and the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3272746" href="https://thescore.com/news/3272746">youngest</a> team in the playoffs - punch back.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/31206910/related

Thunder played with fire and got burned in Game 1 loss to Nuggets

Every year, 29 teams fall short of the ultimate goal, and every year, those 29 teams ask themselves how they can take the next step.We've already looked at how the <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3279346" href="https://thescore.com/news/3279346">Eastern Conference's four eliminated teams</a> may go about answering that question. Here's what's on tap for the first-round outs from the West.<h3>Houston Rockets </h3>The Rockets should feel as good as possible for a 2-seed that was bounced in the first round. They were a 22-win tire fire just two years ago. This season, they won 52 games in a loaded Western Conference, had the league's fourth-ranked defense, and pushed a pedigreed Warriors team led by three future Hall of Famers to a Game 7. While veterans Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Steven Adams had huge hands in Houston's success, the team was also powered by a talented youth brigade for whom the future looks very bright.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Big man Alperen Sengun was an All-Star at 22 and had a strong playoff showing despite struggling with his touch all year. Sophomore Amen Thompson, the most explosive athlete in the league outside of his twin brother Ausar, broke out as a two-way stud with legitimate superstar potential. Jabari Smith Jr., a versatile third-year forward who's even younger than Thompson, continued to establish himself as an ideal gap-filling role player. Tari Eason kept growing into one of the best defensive playmakers in the league. <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/784175/cropped_GettyImages-2212190173.jpg?ts=1746471280" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/784175/w220xh124_GettyImages-2212190173.jpg?ts=1746471280 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/784175/w320xh180_GettyImages-2212190173.jpg?ts=1746471280 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/784175/w640xh360_GettyImages-2212190173.jpg?ts=1746471280 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/784175/w768xh432_GettyImages-2212190173.jpg?ts=1746471280 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/784175/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2212190173.jpg?ts=1746471280 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Logan Riely / NBA / Getty</figcaption></figure>That said, the Rockets' loss to Golden State - and their season as a whole - provided some obvious lessons they'll carry into a fascinating offseason. Above all, the offense needs to improve dramatically. They finished bottom 10 in shooting percentage from every quadrant on the floor: 21st from 3-point range, 23rd from long mid-range, 26th from floater range, and 22nd at the rim. And though their 22nd-ranked half-court offense was buoyed by the league's best offensive rebound rate and a top-10 transition attack, that wasn't enough to overcome a 92.4 offensive rating on first-shot possessions against a set Warriors defense.The front office's big decision comes down to whether it believes the necessary improvements can come from within or whether the team has to look externally. Houston's biggest need is upgrading its off-the-dribble shot creation, and as good as Sengun and Thompson are - and can eventually become - the internal options seem unlikely to address that deficiency.Jalen Green's place in the team's future feels particularly hazy as he enters the first year of a three-year extension. While he's innately talented and has made strides in the last couple years, his shot selection and overall decision-making remain far too erratic for him to be relied upon by a contending team. The Rockets wouldn't be wrong to exercise patience with the 23-year-old, but they'd also be justified in cutting bait if there's a market for his services.This team looks ripe for a consolidation trade: Houston's got more intriguing young players than its rotation can currently accommodate (looking at you, Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore) and a bundle of surplus draft picks including three unprotected first-rounders from the beleaguered Suns and one from the even more beleaguered Mavericks. The possibility of trading those picks back to Phoenix makes the Rockets a sensible landing spot for Kevin Durant or (in a more ideal scenario) Devin Booker. Giannis Antetokounmpo could also be available this summer, and while he wouldn't fix their shooting woes, he'd still launch them into a different stratum of contention because he's Giannis Antetokounmpo.The front office also has to decide whether to pick up VanVleet's $45-million team option after a regular season in which he shot under 38% from the field followed by a playoff series in which he was Houston's most important offensive player. The Rockets are already dangerously light on ball-handling and pull-up shooting, and they wouldn't be able to replace VanVleet's value via this barren free-agent class. But opening up cap space by renouncing him could allow them to absorb a star in a trade without having to send back matching salary. They could also just try to re-sign VanVleet to a longer-term deal with a lower average annual value.Adams, who was instrumental in pushing the Warriors to seven and had the best individual net rating (plus-14.1) in the series, is a free agent as well. Smith and Eason are eligible for extensions. That's a lot of consequential decisions to make in a short amount of time, and while there aren't many bad choices for a team in Houston's position, this feels like a potential fork-in-the-road summer that could lead the team in any number of directions. - Joe Wolfond <h3>Los Angeles Lakers </h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780153/cropped_GettyImages-2208313373.jpg?ts=1746471314" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780153/w220xh124_GettyImages-2208313373.jpg?ts=1746471314 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780153/w320xh180_GettyImages-2208313373.jpg?ts=1746471314 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780153/w640xh360_GettyImages-2208313373.jpg?ts=1746471314 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780153/w768xh432_GettyImages-2208313373.jpg?ts=1746471314 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780153/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2208313373.jpg?ts=1746471314 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Joe Murphy / NBA / Getty</figcaption></figure>Although it can be hard to see the forest for the trees in the immediate, emotional aftermath of a disappointing postseason elimination, the Lakers are in great shape. Turning Anthony Davis into Luka Doncic brought immediate promise, but this team was always going to be incomplete in the short term, especially when Los Angeles' deadline-day deal for fragile Hornets center Mark Williams fell through.The real work to build a genuine contender around Doncic and LeBron James begins now. Assuming James is back (the 40-year-old has a $52.6-million player option for next season), there are a couple ways the Lakers can go about this. First, they could run it back with a trio of Doncic, James, and Austin Reaves while filling their glaring hole at center and adding some quality depth. That's the more conservative path. Some might argue the Lakers should be more aggressive to maximize what could be James' last year or two, but they've also got a Doncic-led future to plan for. Plus, a team featuring Doncic, James, and Reaves with a more balanced supporting cast would enter next season as a fringe contender at worst.The more aggressive option would be to dangle Reaves, salary filler, and draft picks on the trade market. In addition to swap rights in 2026, 2028, and 2030, the Lakers still have their 2031 first-rounder and will get access to their 2032 first-rounder once this year's draft is complete. That might not be enough to land another superstar, but the Lakers don't need one. It surely is enough to land an impact player - perhaps one who's a better fit between Doncic and James than Reaves. - Joseph Casciaro <h3>LA Clippers</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783634/cropped_GettyImages-2212092486.jpg?ts=1746471526" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783634/w220xh124_GettyImages-2212092486.jpg?ts=1746471526 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783634/w320xh180_GettyImages-2212092486.jpg?ts=1746471526 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783634/w640xh360_GettyImages-2212092486.jpg?ts=1746471526 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783634/w768xh432_GettyImages-2212092486.jpg?ts=1746471526 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783634/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2212092486.jpg?ts=1746471526 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Juan Ocampo / NBA / Getty</figcaption></figure>For the first time since Kawhi Leonard tore his ACL partway through the second round in 2021, things seemed to be lined up for the Clippers to make noise in the postseason. Leonard was healthy and operating near the peak of his powers, James Harden still had gas in the tank, and the surrounding roster was deep and versatile. They finished the regular season as the hottest team in the league, and their first-round opponent was a comparatively thin outfit that had fired its head coach two weeks earlier. There's a reason the Clippers were one of the teams <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3256715" href="https://thescore.com/news/3256715">under the most pressure</a> entering the playoffs. Because if not now, when? That's the question the Clippers and their fans have to ask themselves after a seven-game loss to the Denver Nuggets marked another early exit for a team that's won just three series since signing Leonard six years ago. For this, they stripped themselves of every shred of prospect capital and relinquished control of all their own first-round picks between now and 2030. That's going to make executing any kind of pivot very challenging. And it takes a measure of blind faith to believe this same team can come back and produce a better result next year.Leonard will turn 34 this summer, and it's hard to imagine he has many kicks at the can left given his injury history. Harden will turn 36 with the ability to become a free agent by declining a $36-million player option. Another rough Game 7 notwithstanding, he produced an awesome season in which he played all but three games and kept the team's offense afloat with Leonard on the shelf for three months. Considering L.A. can ill afford to let another star walk for nothing, odds are he'll be able to negotiate another one-plus-one or two-plus-one type of deal. But at his age, can we expect even one more season like the one he just had?It's a good thing Ivica Zubac and Norman Powell are locked up on team-friendly deals (it'll be interesting to see whether Powell's willing to extend his), because any upward mobility is contingent on those guys continuing to build on their late-career breakthroughs. Even then, L.A. will probably need youngish guys like Amir Coffey (if he re-signs), Jordan Miller, and Kobe Brown to make strides. And startlingly important 36-year-old Nic Batum to return for one last hurrah. But none of that even matters unless Leonard can stay healthy and Harden can sustain an All-Star level.I've been <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/2934216" href="https://thescore.com/news/2934216">wrong about the Clippers</a> before, and this is a creative front office, but it really does feel like they've run out of cards to play. Let's see if they have one more up their sleeve. - Wolfond<h3>Memphis Grizzlies </h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760330/cropped_GettyImages-2188847815.jpg?ts=1746471407" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760330/w220xh124_GettyImages-2188847815.jpg?ts=1746471407 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760330/w320xh180_GettyImages-2188847815.jpg?ts=1746471407 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760330/w640xh360_GettyImages-2188847815.jpg?ts=1746471407 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760330/w768xh432_GettyImages-2188847815.jpg?ts=1746471407 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760330/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2188847815.jpg?ts=1746471407 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Joe Murphy / NBA / Getty</figcaption></figure>The Grizzlies are one of the toughest teams to get a read on.On one hand, Memphis is still one of the league's youngest teams, already has some valuable postseason experience, and boasts an enviable trio of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr., the latter of whom is extension eligible this summer (Morant and Bane are under contract through 2028 and 2029, respectively). The Grizzlies also have an intriguing mix of youngsters that includes Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells, Scotty Pippen Jr., restricted free agent Santi Aldama, Vince Williams Jr., and GG Jackson. It's easy to argue that teams in this position should either ride the wave or make a consolidation trade to boost their immediate title hopes.On the other hand, the Grizzlies feel more like a fading contender than a young team on the rise. Morant has gone from future face of the league to one of the league's most unreliable stars. A reported disconnect over offensive philosophies led general manager Zach Kleiman to fire head coach Taylor Jenkins mere weeks before the playoffs despite Memphis sitting fifth in the tough Western Conference. Is it possible new coach Tuomas Iisalo and some better injury luck create a resurgence that propels the Grizzlies back up the West hierarchy? Sure, but it feels like something has to give.Don't be surprised if the Grizzlies shop Morant - or any member of the team's Big Three - more heavily than they shop the youngsters and picks. - Casciaro

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What's next: Where the West's 1st-round outs go from here

Luka Doncic's place among the modern game's top superstars is undeniable. Only 26 years old and s...

Luka Doncic's place among the modern game's top superstars is undeniable. Only 26 years old and seven years into his career, Doncic's five All-NBA first-team selections match the career output of legends Charles Barkley and Julius Erving, while he's already one-upped Hall of Famers like Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki.This year, Doncic became the first international player to top the NBA in jersey sales. He also owns the highest career scoring average (28.6 points per game) among active players, and his playoff average (30.9 PPG) ranks second all time behind only Michael Jordan.But there's no denying Doncic is coming off the most turbulent season of his decorated career. The newly minted Los Angeles Lakers star has far more doubters today than he did after leading the Dallas Mavericks to the Finals a year ago. With that, let's dig into what's real and what's not when it comes to the criticisms levied Doncic's way.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><h3>Defensive concerns are real</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783703/cropped_GettyImages-2209460134.jpg?ts=1746211070" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783703/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209460134.jpg?ts=1746211070 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783703/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209460134.jpg?ts=1746211070 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783703/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209460134.jpg?ts=1746211070 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783703/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209460134.jpg?ts=1746211070 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783703/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209460134.jpg?ts=1746211070 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Sam Hodde / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Two things can be true: Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison made calamitous errors - not only did he trade Doncic, but he also negotiated with just one team to turn Doncic into an older, lesser star - and Harrison's concerns about Doncic's defense are valid.Harrison has dug his hole in Dallas deeper with some out-of-touch <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3272129" href="https://thescore.com/news/3272129">comments</a> since making the franchise-crippling trade. But when the point of contention is Doncic's defense, Harrison's essentially <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartbreaking:_The_Worst_Person_You_Know_Just_Made_A_Great_Point">this classic meme</a>.Doncic is a massive defensive liability more often than not, with his uninspiring mobility and effort on that end negating any advantages his sheer strength would otherwise provide in one-on-one situations. It says something that despite being hobbled by a bad back in the second half of L.A.'s Game 5 loss to Minnesota, Doncic's defensive movement looked barely worse than it had over the first four and a half contests.Few stars are perfect, even among the MVP tier. While Doncic's generational offensive talent gives his team a head start in chasing a championship, his defensive shortcomings make it clear that success isn't as simple as plugging him in and figuring out the rest later. Those limitations must be considered when building a supporting cast around him. The lack of a competent center behind Doncic didn't help matters in L.A. However, barring offseason catastrophe, that won't be the case <a data-in-app-uri="thescore:///news/3278881" href="https://thescore.com/news/3278881">next year</a>.With better defensive infrastructure around him, I'd bet a motivated and refreshed Doncic will be closer to average defensively next season (as he was during Dallas' 2024 Finals run). Given how he tilts the floor offensively, that would be more than enough for the Lakers.<h3>Conditioning concerns are overblown</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783458/cropped_GettyImages-2212828285.jpg?ts=1746211134" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783458/w220xh124_GettyImages-2212828285.jpg?ts=1746211134 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783458/w320xh180_GettyImages-2212828285.jpg?ts=1746211134 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783458/w640xh360_GettyImages-2212828285.jpg?ts=1746211134 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783458/w768xh432_GettyImages-2212828285.jpg?ts=1746211134 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/783458/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2212828285.jpg?ts=1746211134 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Harry How / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>I won't sit here and argue that Doncic is in tip-top shape. He can certainly improve his body and conditioning, but it's not the issue Harrison and other detractors would have you believe.Doncic has played over 80% of games since his 2018 debut, averaging 66.2 appearances per 82 contests. He's logged between 35 and 38 minutes per game in each of the last four seasons, has appeared in 55 of his teams' 58 playoff games, and has often spent summers shouldering an even greater burden for the Slovenian national team (as he's expected to do at EuroBasket again this year).You don't need a medical degree to understand that staying in shape and maintaining healthy habits helps protect the body against wear and tear. But there's also a decent amount of luck baked into some of the more serious injuries an athlete may incur, and there's no real evidence that Doncic's durability is a red flag other than the reported musings of the incompetent executive who traded him. After the most emotionally draining year of his career, an extended offseason should help rejuvenate Doncic. I expect him to be physically sharper come October.Having said that, the five-time All-Star will likely never look like an elite athlete. Get over the visual component of this topic.<h3>Time to stop whining</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776738/cropped_GettyImages-2206449787.jpg?ts=1746211976" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776738/w220xh124_GettyImages-2206449787.jpg?ts=1746211976 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776738/w320xh180_GettyImages-2206449787.jpg?ts=1746211976 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776738/w640xh360_GettyImages-2206449787.jpg?ts=1746211976 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776738/w768xh432_GettyImages-2206449787.jpg?ts=1746211976 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/776738/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2206449787.jpg?ts=1746211976 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Luke Hales / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>It hasn't received quite as much attention as the defensive and conditioning concerns, but I find Doncic's in-game petulance the most frustrating part about him.While every athlete complains about officiating on some level, Doncic takes it to an unbearable extreme. Watching him whine after every whistle, flail his arms in disbelief, and yell at refs as his team tries to get back on defense is exhausting even for neutral observers following the action on TV. Imagine how grating it must be for his teammates in the trenches with him and the refs who must continue officiating him unbiasedly. For what it's worth, Doncic ranks <a href="https://stathead.com/basketball/player-season-finder.cgi?request=1&amp;match=player_season_combined&amp;order_by=fta_per_g&amp;year_min=2019">third</a> in free throws per game - and first among non-bigs - since 2018. He's also ranked between the 85th and 98th percentile among wings and guards when it comes to drawing shooting fouls in each season of his career, per <a href="https://cleaningtheglass.com/stats/player/4432#tab-foul_drawing">Cleaning The Glass</a>. His 'Woe is me' act with the refs grew tired long ago.Every ounce of physical and mental energy is precious over the eight-month journey to a championship. Doncic must stop wasting it on literally every officiating decision made over his 2,000-plus minutes per season.<h3>Few players you'd rather have</h3><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780218/cropped_GettyImages-2209830876.jpg?ts=1746212982" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780218/w220xh124_GettyImages-2209830876.jpg?ts=1746212982 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780218/w320xh180_GettyImages-2209830876.jpg?ts=1746212982 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780218/w640xh360_GettyImages-2209830876.jpg?ts=1746212982 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780218/w768xh432_GettyImages-2209830876.jpg?ts=1746212982 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/780218/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2209830876.jpg?ts=1746212982 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Despite these criticisms, and much to Harrison's chagrin (or disbelief), Doncic remains one of the three to five most valuable players on the planet. If you were starting a team from scratch right now, who would you prioritize before Doncic? Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the easy two, with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, and perhaps Anthony Edwards or Jayson Tatum rounding out your list. I'd argue that's even a few names too many.Doncic's combination of scoring, playmaking, pace control, pick-and-roll mastery, and teammate optimization - let alone his big-game resume - makes him the kind of talent teams spend years tripping over themselves to find. He's the foundational piece of perennial contention. If LeBron James returns and the Lakers find a big man, they'll have a chance to win a title as soon as next season, especially since Harrison somehow allowed L.A. to keep its best assets in Austin Reaves and draft picks.If the Lakers handle their offseason accordingly, Doncic's 2026 MVP odds will look pretty juicy to me.<a href="https://x.com/JosephCasciaro">Joseph Casciaro</a> is theScore's lead Raptors and NBA reporter.

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An honest conversation about Luka Doncic

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