Pablo Torre has just won a 2026 Pulitzer Prizer
[Charania] Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards is expected to play in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs, barring any setback pregame, per ESPN sources. Just 9 days removed from his left knee injury, and after the team had expected him to return midseries
[Charania] BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are hiring Masai Ujiri as the franchise’s new Team President and Alternate Governor, sources tell me and @BannedMacMahon. Ujiri ran the Toronto Raptors from 2013 to 2025, serving as the architect of the 2019 NBA championship team.
[Charania] BREAKING: The Orlando Magic have dismissed head coach Jamahl Mosley, sources tell ESPN. Mosley’s tenure in Orlando finishes after five seasons, including three consecutive playoff runs from 2023 to 2026. Orlando had a first-round elimination for the third straight time Sunday.
[Starkand] JJ Redick was asked about the key when it comes to playing through contact against the Thunder: “They don’t foul, so the whistles aren’t gonna be there. You accept that going in. They don’t foul.”
Steven Adams on his reputation as the strongest in the NBA: “I don’t know who’s voting…It didn’t help me because the referees believed this too, so then I get cracked a lot and they’re just like “Oh you’re strong bro, you can get through it bro” and I’m just like call the foul! come on please!”
Somehow the 76ers got #1 overall pick value out of the Markelle Fultz disaster.
[Charania] Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards was a significant participant in Timberwolves shootaround this morning and wants to return in Game 1 against the San Antonio Spurs, sources tell ESPN. Edwards is pushing to play, but he and the team’s medical staff will make a decision later today.
Last year, Giannis said his knee has never felt the same after coming back from a knee hyperextension and bone bruise after one week before the 2021 finals. ANT is coming back after nine days
Jokic and Giannis have nearly identical basketball resumes. Why is there such a huge gap in perception and all-time ranking between the two?
[Almanza] Cason Wallace today when asked about potentially matching up with LeBron James - “I’m putting my best foot forward, no matter who it is. Good player. Been here for a while. But doesn’t change what I do.”
[Charania] Just in: The Chicago Bulls are hiring Atlanta Hawks senior vice president Bryson Graham as the franchise’s new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, sources tell ESPN. Graham spent 15 years in New Orleans before joining Atlanta last offseason, rising from an intern to GM
[Charania] The Detroit Pistons have signed coach JB Bickerstaff to a contract extension.
Redick: The only other teams that have had back-to-back years of 10+ net rating are the 95-97 Bulls and the 15-17 Warriors. “The Thunder are one of the greatest teams in NBA history. That’s just the reality. They are. They’re that good.”
[McMahon and Shelbourne] Harden’s representatives gauged the Rockets’ interest in him following the LA Clippers’ 6-21 start…Once again, though, the Rockets decided against it, despite the team’s void at point guard.
Bill Simmons: “I had to drop Joker on my pyramid two spots… right at the end of the top level of the pantheon, there’s four centers clustered together (Hakeem, Shaq, Joker, Moses). I have Joker 14, Moses 15. I think Hakeem and Shaq have to be above him at this point”
Brian Windhorst on Luka: “He is not close. There is a whole ramp up that’s required when you are coming back from a hamstring. He has not started that contact ramp up yet”
[Stein] The Boston Celtics are expected to be ‘aggressive’ this offseason and are a team to ‘keep an eye on’ in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.
[Hine] The Timberwolves downgrade Ayo Dosunmu to OUT tonight
Maxey and Wemby playing 1v1 back in 2022. Wemby insisted on only playing defense and Maxey wanted to practice going up against an incredibly tall and mobile defender.
BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are hiring Masai Ujiri as the franchise’s new Team President and Alternate Governor, sources tell me and @BannedMacMahon. Ujiri ran the Toronto Raptors from 2013 to 2025, serving as the architect of the 2019 NBA championship team.
Jaylen Brown: “Flopping has ruined our league. Joel Embiid is one of the greatest players that has played basketball, but he flops. He knows it too.”
MacMahon: “This summer, an asst coach in San Antonio was showing Wemby some stuff Gobert does… basically saying we need you to do more of this. Wemby said something like ‘I’m already a better defender than him’. [Coach] was like ‘Well, he’s won 4 DPOY and we were 25th in defense, so let’s lock in”
The Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks or Philadelphia 76ers will make the NBA Finals
Another clip from the legendary livestream today - Jaylen Brown says this year was his “favorite year of his basketball career”
[Highlight] Inside the NBA reveals their “Gone Fishing” graphic for Boston
[McMenamin] “I’ve got to be more diligent than I normally am. I like my timeouts, I like going into the fourth quarter with four timeouts, I like having two in the last 30 seconds. I don’t think you have the luxury [vs. OKC]” - JJ Redick on needing to call timeouts to dull Thunder runs
Austin Reaves in his media availability earlier today about SGA’s foul drawing ability - “He wants to win and is gonna do whatever it takes to win. If it’s shoot 20 free throws, so be it. If I shoot 20 free throws, I’d be happy.”
[Post Game Thread] The Cleveland Cavaliers clinches Game 7, defeating the Toronto Raptors to move on to the second round, 112-104.
THE ORLANDO MAGIC HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM THE 2026 PLAYOFFS
Jaylen Brown says the refs have an agenda against him: “They clearly had an agenda, maybe because I spoke so critical on them in the regular season. I spoke to some refs and they told me there’s an agenda going on each game every time Jaylen brings him arm up just call it.”
[Shelburne and MacMahon] Both Kevin Durant and Ime Idoka are considered “essential parts” of the Houston Rockets’ future. Rival front offices are pondering how aggressive Houston will be on a trade market that could include stars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Donovan Mitchell.
[NBA on NBC] Anthony Edwards is in the building and ready to go for Game 1
Paolo Banchero on if the Magic are good enough to reach the next level: “I want to say yes, but we haven’t been out of the first round, so if you’re going off the last three years, the answer is no.”
Jason Kidd led the league in Triple Doubles 11 times, edging out Magic (10x) and Russ (6x).
Masai Ujiri: “We will win in Dallas.”
Paolo Banchero did everything he could in a Game 7 loss: 38/9/6 on 14⁄25 shooting, 4⁄7 from 3
[Scotto] Jamahl Mosley has admirers with the New Orleans Pelicans, as previously reported on HoopsHype. While the Pelicans have already begun interviewing coaches, including Darvin Ham, Rajon Rondo, and Steve Hetzel, Mosley is expected to be a name to monitor for their head coaching job.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are the only remaining playoff team with no championship title
If you classify the MPJ/Cam trade as a cost cutting move, that would mark the 3rd time in the Nikola Jokic era that the Kroenkes traded a 1st round pick with no on-court improvements. That would be more than any other owner in the NBA during that span.
[Vorkunov] 76ers are restricting ticket sales for their home games against the Knicks to greater Philadelphia residents, they said on their website: “Orders by residents outside Greater Philadelphia area will be canceled without notice and refunds given.”
Jarrett Allen with a monster performance in game 7: 22 PTS, 19 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 3 BLK
[Post Game Thread] The Detroit Pistons (4-3) defeat the Orlando Magic (3-4), 116-94, as the Pistons complete the 3-1 comeback!
THE TORONTO RAPTORS HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED FROM PLAYOFF CONTENTION!
If Philly somehow beats the Knicks, we’re guaranteed one of the following in the ECF: Harden vs Morey or 76ers Fans vs Tobias Harris
[Highlights] 32 years ago, today, Charles Barkley put a career-high 56 Points against the Golden State Warriors in Game 3 of the 1994 NBA Playoffs.
[Hine] Anthony Edwards has been cleared for on-court basketball activities and will be listed as questionable ahead of Game 1 tomorrow. A huge development for the Wolves.
A look back at ESPN writers’ first round predictions. Which series result was least expected? Which writer had the most accurate predictions?