Bontemps/Windhorst’s Latest: Pistons, Giannis, Kawhi, More
After averaging 22.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game on 67.8% shooting following the All-Star break, Pistons center Jalen Duren has struggled to make an impact during the postseason. Duren is putting up just 10.1 PPG and 8.3 RPG through 12 playoff games and was benched in the fourth quarter and overtime of Detroit’s Game 5 loss on Wednesday in favor of Paul Reed.
Duren’s poor postseason play has the potential to complicate his contract negotiations with the Pistons when he reaches restricted free agency this summer, notes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“He’s not a max player, but they’re probably going to have to give him the max,” one Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “Because now teams (with cap room) like Chicago or Brooklyn might see him as someone they could get with a max offer sheet and Detroit will have to match. With the new apron rules, it might come back to bite (the Pistons), and it’s just another example of how the CBA crushes team building.”
The Pistons will also face a tricky negotiation this offseason with wing Ausar Thompson, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension ahead of his fourth NBA season. Thompson is a defensive dynamo but remains a very limited offensive player who made six three-pointers all season and converted just 57.1% of his free throws. Like Duren, he has been benched in some clutch-time situations during the postseason.
Still, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, some league insiders he spoke to about Thompson predicted the Defensive Player of the Year finalist could command an extension in the range of $25MM per year, the same average annual salary that Dyson Daniels (four years, $100MM) and Christian Braun (five years, $125MM) got on their rookie scale extensions last fall.
Here’s more league-wide chatter from Windhorst and Bontemps:
- While there have been a few false alarms on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade front, there’s a growing belief around the NBA that the Bucks will actually trade their two-time MVP this offseason, Bontemps reports. “It just feels like they’re done with the circus, more than anything,” an Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “They seem to want a clean break and to move on.”
- Most sources who spoke to Bontemps at this week’s draft combine in Chicago about the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard believe the team should retain its star forward as he enters the final year of his current contract. However, not everyone agreed on whether or not to extend him — one scout pointed out that Leonard “clearly” wants to be in L.A. and argued the club should be no rush to lock him up, while another expressed that an extension is the right move as long as the terms “make sense for the team.” One Eastern Conference executive also suggested to Windhorst that Leonard could have significant trade value if the Clippers are willing to make him available: “Every day you hear about what’s going to happen with Giannis, but everyone ignores that Kawhi has been better and healthier over the last two seasons. If you had a chance to acquire one or the other, I might go Kawhi.”
- Despite the fact that the Sixers have a pair of pricey multiyear contracts on their books for injury-prone veterans Joel Embiid and Paul George, their head of basketball operations job is viewed as “enticing” due to the Tyrese Maxey/VJ Edgecombe backcourt duo, several executives told Windhorst at the combine.
- The general consensus at the combine was that returning to the Lakers is the most likely outcome for LeBron James this summer, since it’s “hard to fit him anywhere” else, as one Western Conference scout told Bontemps. An East executive who spoke to Windhorst indicated he’d be willing to pay James whatever he wanted on a one-year deal if he were running the Lakers. “Give him the no-trade clause,” the exec said. “Everything (Lakers owner Mark) Walter has done so far has been about good business. LeBron sells tickets. He keeps the (local) TV partner happy. Re-signing LeBron is good business.”
Western Notes: George, Kerr, Clippers, J. Williams
The Jazz are coming off 17- and 22-win seasons, but guard Keyonte George tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape that he’s confident about the team’s ability to make the playoffs in 2026/27. In addition to star forward Lauri Markkanen and an improving young core, George points to newcomer Jaren Jackson Jr. – who appeared in just three games after being traded from Memphis to Utah in February – and the No. 2 overall pick as reasons to be optimistic about Utah going forward.
“We get a top-two talent in the draft and get to build on the changes we made with getting Jaren,” George said. “It’s just a lot of things going right for the group right now. On paper, we are definitely a playoff team. Honestly, there is just a different versatility that we have. You got guys who can play (point guard) to (shooting guard). You got guys who play (power forward) that can move to the (center position).
“And then we got (head coach) Will Hardy. I know people know about Will. But his X’s and O’s and the way he breaks down the game for us, that’s really what gives me the confidence, honestly. Having Will and our coaches, the talent is going to take care of itself.”
George himself represents another reason to believe in the Jazz. After two up-and-down seasons to begin his professional career, the former No. 16 overall pick had a breakout year in 2025/26, averaging a career-high 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game on a solid shooting line of .456/.371/.892. The 22-year-old believes his ceiling is higher than what he showed last season.
“I got kind of hurt towards the end, but I think I got another gear,” George told Spears. “I tell myself all the time to get better towards the end. This summer is an even bigger summer for me because of the changes we made. I have to take my game to a whole other level.”
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Within a lengthy, in-depth feature on Steve Kerr, ESPN’s Wright Thompson notes that the Warriors head coach had essentially decided he was going to retire at the end of the 2025/26 season before rethinking that decision last month. Thompson takes a closer look at why Kerr ultimately opted to sign a new two-year contract with Golden State and how the team’s play-in win over the Clippers factored into that decision.
- The Clippers‘ good fortune on lottery night changes their outlook going forward, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. Rather than heading into the offseason without a first-round pick, L.A. will have a top-five selection for the first time since drafting Blake Griffin first overall in 2009. According to Murray, while the Clippers have been in win-now mode for Steve Ballmer‘s entire tenure as team owner, the club likes this draft class and is “eager” to use that No. 5 overall pick rather than trading it for a veteran.
- Jaylin Williams isn’t typically one of the first few players credited for the Thunder‘s success in recent years, but he’s a valued on-court contributor and is even more highly regarded as a “glue guy,” writes Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman. “He’s a tremendous team guy,” head coach Mark Daigneault said of Williams, who will earn $7.77MM next season and has a team option worth the same amount for 2027/28. “The thing that’s always amazed me about him as a teammate is his relatability with everybody on the team. There’s literally no one that he doesn’t have a connection with, and that’s been true of every minute that he’s been here. He’s really got a gift for that, and I think it just comes down to how good of a person he is on that part.”
Jazz Have Touched Base With Wizards About No. 1 Pick
The Jazz, who hold the No. 2 pick in next month’s draft, have reached out to the Wizards about the possibility of acquiring the No. 1 overall selection, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape.
Spears suggests that if the Jazz were to move up, it would be for forward AJ Dybantsa. While there’s not necessarily a consensus top prospect in this year’s draft, Dybantsa shows up at the top of most experts’ big boards and is a local star, having played at Utah Prep before spending his first and only college season at BYU. Given that Utah typically isn’t a popular free agent destination, the Jazz may like the idea of landing a young star who has embraced the area.
Still, if the Wizards were to select Dybantsa first overall, the Jazz would have a handful of good alternatives at No. 2, starting with Kansas guard Darryn Peterson.
Peterson’s stock took a minor hit this season as he missed time due to health issues, including repeated cramping, but he entered the year as the favorite to be this year’s No. 1 pick and has All-NBA upside. The 6’6″ guard, who averaged 20.2 points per game and made 38.2% of his three-pointers as a Jayhawk, would be a strong fit alongside a loaded Jazz frontcourt led by Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Duke forward Cameron Boozer and UNC forward Caleb Wilson also figure to receive consideration at No. 2, though there’s a widespread belief that they’ll come off the board after Dybantsa and Peterson.
If the Jazz and Wizards were to make a trade involving the No. 1 overall pick, recent history suggests it would probably cost Utah an unprotected or very lightly protected future first-round pick. The last team to move up to No. 1 – the 2017 Sixers – gave up that year’s No. 3 selection and a future first-rounder that became No. 14. Similarly, when the Mavericks moved up from No. 5 to No. 3 a year later for Luka Doncic, they sent Atlanta a future first-rounder that landed 10th overall.
Of course, the Wizards’ willingness to make a deal will depend in large part on which prospect they prefer and whether or not the Jazz are eyeing the same player. If Washington is locked in on a specific prospect and believes Utah wants the same player, the Wizards would likely be resistant to moving down — or at least would seek a Godfather offer to do so. For what it’s worth, Wizards president Michael Winger told Jake Fischer of The Stein Line after Sunday’s lottery that the team is open to listening to offers for the No. 1 pick.
Suns Notes: Goodwin, Williams, Trade Speculation
Although he has always been a tenacious defender and rebounder for a guard, Jordan Goodwin struggled offensively for most of his first three NBA seasons, connecting on just 45.8% of his two-point attempts and 30.2% of his three-pointers over that span.
However, as Gerald Bourguet details for Sports360AZ.com, Goodwin flashed improvement with his outside shot as a Laker last season and then had a career year with the Suns in 2025/26 ahead of unrestricted free agency. The 27-year-old combo guard knocked down 37.1% of 4.3 three-point tries per contest this season en route to averaging 8.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals in 22.5 minutes per game across 70 appearances.
Goodwin, who embodies Phoenix’s new hustle-and-defense ethos, still struggles to convert non-threes, Bourguet writes, but the fact that he was able to be a threat from long distance is the main reason he should be in line for a raise this summer. The question is, how much of a pay increase will Goodwin command?
Bourguet considers that question, noting that Goodwin was an integral part of the Suns’ identity and they want to retain him, but he may be a secondary priority behind Collin Gillespie. Bourguets projects a floor for Goodwin starting at the bi-annual exception ($11.23MM over two years) and a ceiling in the range of $7-9MM over three or four years.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- There have been rumblings that starting center Mark Williams, who will be a restricted free agent if he’s given a qualifying offer, may not be a lock to return in 2026/27. The former first-round pick had an uneven first season with the Suns after they traded for him last June, and they’re going to be over the luxury tax line if they re-sign Gillespie and Goodwin to market-value deals. According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), Phoenix is considering three options with Williams: Re-signing him if it’s a team-friendly deal; pursuing a sign-and-trade if he wants too much money; or letting him walk in free agency.
- Gambadoro previously reported that Phoenix isn’t interested in trying to pursue a trade for Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon. Appearing on Bourguet’s Suns After Dark podcast, Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron says he likes the idea of Gordon’s fit with the Suns, but says a deal would likely be too costly for them given what it might take to acquire him (Twitter video link).
- Bourguet shot down any suggestion that the Suns might be involved in trade talks for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Ja Morant, writing that a source called any speculation on that front “complete nonsense” (Twitter link).
Stotts, Stackhouse Won’t Return As Warriors Assistants
Steve Kerr has officially returned to the Warriors on a new two-year deal, but the longtime head coach won’t have his top assistants back next season, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN, who reports that Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse won’t return to the organization.
Stotts was the top assistant under Kerr and was Golden State’s offensive coordinator, Slater writes, while Stackhouse was the No. 2 assistant and in charge of the defense.
To be clear, neither Stotts nor Stackhouse were dismissed — Slater hears both coaches were on expiring contracts. Stotts, the longtime former Blazers head coach, informed Kerr of his decision late in the regular season and said he’s open to NBA head coaching opportunities.
“I enjoyed my time with Steve, the staff and players,” Stotts told ESPN. “My two years there were fulfilling. Nothing but well wishes.”
As for Stackhouse, league sources tell ESPN the former NBA shooting guard is “actively” pursuing head coaching jobs. The 51-year-old spent five years as Vanderbilt’s top coach before joining the Warriors in 2024, Slater notes.
According to Slater, former Pelicans head coach Willie Green, who got his start as an assistant under Kerr, is a candidate to fill one of the vacancies left by Stotts and Stackhouse.
Veteran assistant Kris Weems, who was promoted to a front-of-the-bench role when Chris Demarco accepted the head coaching job with the WNBA’s New York Liberty, is expected to remain with the Warriors, Slater reports.
Draft Notes: Combine, Peterson, Stojakovic, Momcilovic
Baylor wing Cameron Carr, North Carolina State guard Matt Able and UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. are among the prospects who boosted their stocks at this week’s draft combine, per Jeremy Woo and Jeff Borzello of ESPN.
The stocks of Arizona’s Koa Peat and Vanderbilt’s Tyler Tanner may be trending in the opposite direction after their time in Chicago, Woo writes. Peat struggled during shooting drills, while diminutive but explosive point guard Tanner didn’t play very well in the scrimmages on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Texas wing Dailyn Swain is leaning toward keeping his name in the draft, according to Borzello, but two other early entrants — Florida center Rueben Chinyelu and Louisville commit Flory Bidunga — seem more likely to return to college for their respective senior and junior seasons.
Here’s more on the 2026 NBA draft:
- Projected top-four pick Darryn Peterson expected to receive questions about his health during interviews at the combine, but he said that hasn’t necessarily been the case, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. “Actually, surprisingly, not a lot,” Peterson said when asked if teams were interested in the topic. “I think what I did with ESPN kind of gave people some answers. I haven’t got a lot of questions about it all.” As Todd details, NBA evaluators are certainly keen to learn more about Peterson’s health, but they’ll receive his medical evaluations this week and have spent the interviews learning more about who he is as a person. The Kansas star also clarified that he’s open to playing on or off the ball after saying Sunday that he views himself as a point guard, and said he looks up to NBA stars like Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell, Todd adds.
- While junior wing Andrej Stojakovic said this week that he has “both feet in” the draft process, that doesn’t mean he has ruled out a possible return to Illinois, according to Colleen Kane of The Chicago Tribune. The son of former NBA All-Star Peja Stojakovic said he has worked out for the Grizzlies and Celtics so far and plans to use the next couple weeks leading up to the May 27 withdrawal deadline to continue gathering information. “The more I move forward, the more we go closer to that deadline, I’ll know more,” the younger Stojakovic said. “The group around me has done a really good job of evaluating and staying level-headed no matter what kind of feedback we hear. I’m very thankful for the situation I’m in because going back to school is also a really, really good option for me.”
- Iowa State sharpshooter Milan Momcilovic says he’s “still focused on the draft” rather than returning to college, as James Madden of ZagsBlog.com relays. Momcilovic, who plans to transfer if he does return to for a senior college season, suggested a guaranteed contract might be the deciding factor on whether he remains in the draft or withdraws. “If there’s guaranteed contracts, that’ll be good,” Momcilovic said (Twitter video link via Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports). “If it’s the later second round, those are usually two-way contracts, so then I’ll probably go back (to college). I want to go to the NBA, that’s the goal. I want to go this year.”
Timberwolves Notes: Edwards, McDaniels, Lineup, Dillon
Star guard Anthony Edwards didn’t sound concerned after the Timberwolves were blown out in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal matchup against the Spurs, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.com. Minnesota briefly tied the game in the third quarter before San Antonio reeled off a massive run in the third quarter.
“I don’t see nobody in our locker room that’s too worried,” Edwards said. “There’s another basketball game. Come out, put your boots on and get ready to go to war.”
Here’s more on the Timberwolves, who are on the brink of elimination heading into Friday’s Game 6:
- Foul trouble has plagued Jaden McDaniels throughout the series, Slater notes, and Edwards acknowledged that needs to change for the Wolves to be successful. The 2023/24 All-Defensive second-teamer picked up five fouls and played just under 30 minutes in Tuesday’s lopsided loss. “Everything starts with Jaden McDaniels, trying to keep him out of foul trouble,” Edwards said. “He’s so important to the team. It hurts everybody when he gets in foul trouble. Some tough calls being made out there against him. Not too much we can say.”
- Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert have struggled in the second-round series, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, who wonders if head coach Chris Finch might insert Naz Reid into the starting lineup in place of one of those veterans for the do-or-die Game 6. While a lineup change is a possibility, Minnesota’s primary issue has been committing too many game-plan mistakes against a sharp San Antonio team that has taken full advantage of those miscues, Krawczynski writes. “It’s a little bit everything — not knowing the game plan, executing on offense,” Edwards said. “We know they’re gonna come out to be physical defensively. We know how to go against that. And then us defensively, we know our coverage, what we’re supposed to be doing when they’re in pick-and-roll, and I think we’re just not doing it enough.”
- The Timberwolves have hired Michael Dillon to be their new chief financial officer and chief operating officer, per a team press release. Dillon, who was most recently CFO of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, also spend eight years with MLB’s Houston Astros.
Southwest Notes: Ujiri, Schmitz, Sweeney, Popovich, Rockets
Christian Clark of The Athletic profiles new Mavericks president of basketball operations and alternate governor Masai Ujiri, writing that the veteran executive got his NBA start as an unpaid scout with Orlando in 2002 prior to landing a paid scouting job with Denver the following year.
Seven years later, Ujiri was named the Nuggets’ general manager, winning the Executive of the Year award in 2012/13 and then leaving for the top front office job in Toronto shortly thereafter. The Raptors made the playoffs in eight of Ujiri’s 12 seasons, winning the title in 2019, before the two sides parted ways last summer.
Ujiri’s first major move in Dallas was hiring Mike Schmitz to be his top lieutenant, with a title of general manager. Schmitz, who was most recently the Trail Blazers’ assistant GM, was also a draft analyst for several years before joining Portland, Clark notes.
“I’ve known him for many, many years,” Ujiri said of Schmitz. “Incredible scout. Incredible leader. Just digs deep into work, data and what you want to know about: really scouting players, team building, all those things, you know? Treating people well. Staff organizing. Managing people. It’s a whole package.”
Here’s more from the Southwest:
- Within a feature story on Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link) refers to the 41-year-old as the “unsung star” of the team’s playoff run. Sweeney, who has been linked to multiple head coaching vacancies this spring, is known as a defensive guru — the Spurs had the fifth-worst defensive rating in the NBA in 2024/25 but had the third-best mark in 2025/26, McDonald writes. Several members of the team praised Sweeney’s preparedness, competitiveness and basketball acumen, and unanimous Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama said Sweeney deserved “all of” the credit for San Antonio’s defensive turnaround this season, according to McDonald. “His attention to detail on everything and the way he can explain things to make it make sense for us (is big),” guard Stephon Castle said. “He’s a big reason we’re one of the top defenses in the West.”
- Although he formally stepped down as the Spurs‘ head coach at the end of last season after suffering a stroke in November 2024, Gregg Popovich has quietly been around the team throughout 2025/26, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes, providing honest feedback and support to several players on the roster. “He’s been a big part of this whole year,” rookie Carter Bryant told The Athletic. “It’s been amazing. Not everybody has the greatest coach of all time just kind of sitting there in their laps. I just try to take it up as much as I can.” Popovich’s technical title is president of basketball operations, but it sounds like he’s been more of a coaching adviser, Weiss adds. “I think that’s one big thing, respecting the game and not taking any of this for granted,” Devin Vassell said. “And just with life, he’s taught me so much stuff off the court, whether it’s family or giving back in the community, he’s always had that at his forefront, and I appreciate him for that.”
- Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required) shares some Rockets-related chatter from the combine. People around the league don’t expect Amen Thompson to sign a rookie scale max extension this offseason, according to Shankar, who suggests Thompson might receive something like 20-23% of the salary cap instead of the full 25%. Shankar also hears Tari Eason‘s next contract could come in around $22MM annually. Eason will be a restricted free agent this summer if he’s given a qualifying offer, as expected.
Pistons’ Robinson, LeVert, Huerter Questionable For Game 6
The Pistons have listed guard/forwards Duncan Robinson (low back soreness), Caris LeVert (right heel contustion) and Kevin Huerter (left adductor strain) as questionable for Friday’s Game 6 in Cleveland, tweets Hunter Patterson of The Athletic.
Detroit is facing playoff elimination on Friday. After winning the first two games of the second-round series against the Cavs, the Pistons have dropped three straight contests and will have to win on the road to save their season.
Robinson was outstanding in the first three games of the Eastern Conference semifinals, making at least four three-pointers in each contest while averaging 17.0 points, 3.3 steals, 3.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 33.7 minutes. He converted 58.3% of his three-point looks in those games.
The 32-year-old tried to play through his lower back issue in Game 4, but he was clearly hampered, recording as many fouls (four) as points and only attempting two shots in 29 minutes. The Pistons were outscored by 19 when he was on the court, compared to a positive plus-minus mark in each of the first three games.
The Pistons certainly could’ve used a healthy Robinson in Game 5, which they lost in overtime after blowing a late lead in regulation.
Despite dealing with an injury of his own, LeVert’s minutes have increased the past two games with Robinson either less than 100% or out of the lineup.
As for Huerter, he returned to action in Wednesday’s Game 5 after missing a little over two weeks with the adductor strain. He suffered that injury in Game 4 of Detroit’s first-round matchup vs. Orlando.
Celtics Hiring Isaiah Thomas As Scout
The Celtics have hired Isaiah Thomas as a pro and college scout, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscriber link), who reports that the former Celtics star will be based in the Seattle area, his hometown.
Boston has several other regional and international scouts, Himmelsbach notes. Sources tell The Boston Globe that Thomas has been at the draft combine in Chicago this week, working with Celtics executives as they interview prospects and teach him about the “overall evaluation process.”
Thomas had the best years of his career in Boston, making a pair of All-Star teams and earning second-team All-NBA honors in 2016/17 after finishing fifth in MVP voting. However, his career was derailed by a hip injury in the spring of 2017, and he was traded to Cleveland in the Kyrie Irving later that summer.
Thomas was never able to recapture his previous form after the hip issue, having bounced around the league for several years. The 37-year-old point guard last played in the NBA in 2023/24, when he finished out that season with the Suns.
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who was Boston’s head coach at the time, has credited Thomas with helping to establish the culture that has led to considerable success over the past decade, per Himmelsbach.
Thomas never formally retired as a player. In fact, less than sixth months ago he said he was considering continuing his career in Europe after spending part of last season with the Salt Lake City Stars, Utah’s G League affiliate.