And-Ones: Fertitta, WNBA, Cotton, Refs, Diakite
The WNBA’s and NBA’s Board of Governors have approved the sale of the Connecticut Sun to Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta, according to Doug Feinberg of The Associated Press.
While the Sun will finish the current season in Connecticut, the plan for 2027 is for the franchise to relocate to Houston, where the team is expected to be rebranded as the Comets. The original iteration of the Houston Comets competed in the WNBA from 1997-2008 before folding.
According to Alexa Philippou of ESPN (Twitter link), the Comets won’t have a standalone practice facility in Houston. The plan is for the team to practice at Toyota Center, which is in the process of undergoing a $180MM renovation project in order to update its infrastructure. The Comets will share the building with the Rockets.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- American-born guard Bryce Cotton, a six-time MVP in Australia’s National Basketball League, will suit up for the Australian national team during July’s World Cup qualifiers after becoming a citizen last September, reports ESPN’s Olgun Uluc. In a separate story for ESPN, Uluc examines how Cotton’s eligibility will impact the Boomers going forward, noting that the team can’t have more than one naturalized player on its roster in the World Cup or Olympics. That means either Cotton or Matisse Thybulle would be an odd man out.
- The National Basketball Players Association announced the findings of its annual referee player survey on Wednesday, dividing the league’s officials into three tiers based on player feedback. The 26 referees in the first tier are considered “elite and top performers,” while the 27 in the second tier are viewed as “solid performers.” The 20 in the third tier fall under the heading “needs improvement.”
- On the heels of a strong EuroLeague season with Baskonia in Spain, former NBA big man Mamadi Diakite is believed be nearing a deal with Dubai Basketball, according to a report from BasketNews.com. Diakite, 29, appeared in a total of 55 NBA regular season games for Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Cleveland, San Antonio, and New York from 2021-24.
- The NBA announced tentative schedules for the conference finals on Wednesday, as Adam Zagoria of NJ.com relays (via Twitter). The Eastern Conference finals will begin on either Sunday or Tuesday, depending on whether the Cavaliers and Pistons require a Game 7, while the Western finals will tip off on either Monday or Wednesday, pending the results of Friday’s Game 6 between the Spurs and Timberwolves. The Knicks and Thunder await the winners of those conference semifinals.
Pistons Notes: Game 5, Thompson, Robinson, Huerter, TV
Tied at 103 in the final seconds of Wednesday’s matchup with Cleveland, the Pistons thought Ausar Thompson would be heading to the free throw line with a chance to with the game after he was knocked to the floor as he and Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen scrambled for a loose ball. However, no foul was called on Allen, with crew chief Tony Brothers explaining after the game that he and his fellow officials viewed the contact as incidental as both players went after the ball. Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff disagreed.
“He fouled Ausar,” Bickerstaff said, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). “It’s clear. He trips him when he’s going for a loose ball. End-of-game situation, that’s tough.”
The no-call sent Game 5 to overtime, where the Cavaliers secured the victory and took control of the series — they’re heading back to Cleveland with a 3-2 lead and a chance to close out the series on Friday.
As disappointing as that last-second officiating decision was, the Pistons have to shoulder the brunt of the blame for the loss, Sankofa writes. Detroit held a nine-point lead with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, but they missed their last six shot attempts from the floor in regulation, allowing the Cavs to fight their way back.
“You’ve got that type of lead, man, in the playoffs,” Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins said. “We knew what game this was, how important it was. We can’t lose that win. We’ve gotta be better.”
The Pistons fell behind 3-1 in their first-round series vs. Orlando and won the next three games to advance. Bickerstaff remains confident in his team’s ability to pull off a similar comeback in this series.
“You’re going to have to choke the life out of this team,” he said. “We’re not gonna go down without a fight, we’re not gonna go down without kicking, punching, grabbing, clawing, and that’s just who we are. And we’ve been in this position before. And we were able to work our way through it. I expect our guys to be ready mentally to go out and compete at a high level, and bring this thing back here (for Game 7).”
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Trajan Langdon and the Pistons’ front office have faced some criticism for not making a move to add a more dangerous No. 2 offensive option to complement Cade Cunningham. Detroit’s lack of reliable scorers besides Cunningham was on display in Game 5, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic, who argues that the team’s ceiling is limited until those offensive shortcomings are addressed. As Patterson details, no team has been in more “clutch” games during the playoffs than the Pistons, but they have an offensive rating of just 91.5 in clutch time across those eight contests, with Cunningham (22 points on 7-of-14 shooting) outscoring the rest of the team (21 points on 8-of-26 shooting) in clutch situations.
- The Pistons were missing sharpshooter Duncan Robinson on Wednesday, as Jamal Collier of ESPN writes. Robinson sat out due to a lower back injury after initially being listed as questionable. Veteran wing Kevin Huerter, sidelined since Game 4 of the first round due to a strained left adductor, was active for Detroit but played just three minutes and went scoreless.
- The Pistons have a new local media television rights deal in place with Scripps Sports, the team announced in a press release. Beginning next season, WMYD TV20 Detroit will be the new home for Pistons games, which will be broadcast on free, over-the-air television. “This move is for our fans. They have been huge all season and throughout this playoff run. Their energy and support have lifted our team and helped fuel our resurgence,” Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. “It’s a new era of Pistons basketball and we want to make sure that more people in Detroit and throughout Michigan can be part of the journey.” The Pistons were one of the 13 teams advised by the NBA to seek a new local TV deal with Main Street Sports Group headed for insolvency.
Sixers Notes: Morey, McCain, Trade Deadline, Embiid, Front Office Candidates
Daryl Morey’s post-trade assessment that “we sold high” when he sent Jared McCain to Oklahoma City in February continues to be mocked in Philadelphia, writes Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. While Jake Fischer has reported that trade wasn’t the “proverbial last straw” for Morey in Philadelphia, the deal – combined with the failure to get another player to replace McCain in the rotation – may have factored into the executive’s dismissal this week as the Sixers‘ president of basketball operations.
The only return in that deal with the Thunder was a first-round pick originally belonging to Houston that wound up at No. 22 in this year’s draft. McCain’s roster spot was given to Cameron Payne, who had been playing in Serbia, but he was waived after suffering a hamstring strain in the final week of the season. Two-way player Dalen Terry was promoted to take his place and saw minimal playing time in the postseason.
Morey approached the deadline looking for “cost-effective role players with multiple years of control,” a source tells Aaronson, and his top target was Thunder shooting guard Aaron Wiggins. Morey was hoping to land Wiggins as part of the McCain deal, but Philadelphia would have needed to include multiple other players to make the trade work. OKC held onto Wiggins, and Aaronson notes that McCain has played a role in pushing him out of the Thunder’s rotation.
Aaronson also hears that Morey offered multiple second-round picks to the Bulls for Jalen Smith, but Chicago opted to keep him. Two other prime targets were Rockets forward Tari Eason and Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, who both remained with their teams through the deadline. Aaronson’s source said the Sixers made attempts to land the Mavericks‘ Naji Marshall, the Timberwolves‘ Donte DiVincenzo, the Warriors‘ Brandin Podziemski and the Suns‘ Ryan Dunn as well. None of those players wound up being traded.
Morey liked the potential fit of Ayo Dosunmu, who has been a valuable contributor in Minnesota’s playoff run, according to Aaronson’s source, but didn’t prioritize him because of his expiring contract. Aaronson reports that the team also had some interest in Vit Krejci, who was sent from Atlanta to Portland four days prior to the deadline in exchange for two second-round picks. Philadelphia had numerous second-rounders to offer, but Morey reportedly didn’t want to commit to a deal with so much time remaining before the deadline.
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Morey’s relationship with star center Joel Embiid appeared to deteriorate throughout the season, Aaronson adds. Embiid expressed displeasure with management at the trade deadline and again when he was held out of a game in early April, and he refused to comment directly on Morey when asked about their relationship during the playoffs.
- Bob Myers, who will be leading the search to replace Morey, could probably have the job if he tells managing partner Josh Harris that he wants it, Aaronson suggests in a separate story. If Myers opts to remain in his current role as president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Aaronson identifies a few other candidates, including Elton Brand, who served as Morey’s top assistant, and Vince Rozman, who spent 16 years with the organization before joining OKC’s front office in 2022. Pistons senior vice president Dennis Lindsey and Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, who were both finalists to run Chicago’s front office, are also on the list, along with Spurs assistant GM Dave Telep, Celtics assistant GM Dave Lewin and prominent agents Austin Brown and Alex Saratsis.
- In a mailbag column, Aaronson examines some options for the Sixers in free agency and explains why the team shouldn’t try to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Pistons List Robinson, LeVert, Huerter As Questionable For Game 5
The Pistons have listed three players, including starting shooting guard Duncan Robinson, as questionable for Wednesday’s pivotal Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic tweets.
Robinson, the team’s main three-point threat, is dealing with low back soreness. Robinson attempted just two field goals and scored four points in 29 minutes during Game 4 on Monday, when the Cavaliers evened the series at two games apiece. He had averaged 17 points in the first three games of the series while knocking down a total of 14 three-pointers.
Reserves Caris LeVert (right heel contusion) and Kevin Huerter (left adductor strain) are also listed as questionable. LeVert was listed as questionable for Game 4 and not only played but produced one of his best games of the season. He scored a team-high 24 points in 31 minutes and added four rebounds and three assists.
Huerter has missed the past seven postseason games after appearing in the first four contests of the opening round series against Orlando. He was also considered questionable for Game 4 before being downgraded to out.
Central Notes: Mitchell, Mobley, Duren, Edens
Star guard Donovan Mitchell made just 1-of-8 shots for four points in the first half of Game 4 on Monday as the Cavaliers faced a four-point deficit at halftime. However, Mitchell turned things around in a major way after the intermission, scoring 21 third-quarter points and leading Cleveland on a 22-0 run to open the second half, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).
Mitchell added 18 more points in the fourth quarter for a total of 39 in the second half, tying Sleepy Floyd‘s playoff record for a single half. After the game, the Cavs veteran attributed his success in the last two quarters to “everybody having my back” after he struggled earlier in the night.
“They continued to understand that, hey, this is what you do,” Mitchell said. “They’re not really tripping on the fact that I started out one-of-whatever, so I think that helps.”
Mitchell had an opportunity to break Floyd’s record at the free throw line in the game’s final minute, but he made just one of two attempts and finished tied with the former Warriors guard. After the victory, Mitchell made it clear he wasn’t bothered by not being able to claim the record for himself.
“We won the game and we’re 2-2 going to Detroit,” Mitchell said. “Everybody let me know that I missed the free throw to break the record though. I will say that. But we’re 2-2 headed to Detroit. That was what we came home to do and that’s all that matters.”
We have more from out of the Central:
- While Mitchell was the star on offense for the Cavaliers in Game 4, head coach Kenny Atkinson was eager to heap praise on former Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley after the victory, as Fedor writes in another Cleveland.com story (subscription required). Mobley has faced some criticism in the postseason, especially after grabbing just one rebound in Cleveland’s Game 2 loss, but Atkinson has insisted that the big man’s impact goes well beyond the box score. “Evan Mobley was phenomenal,” the Cavs’ coach said on Monday. “That was the Defensive Player of the Year right there. I don’t know what the stats say, the traditional stats say, but we know within our locker room how great he’s playing. He affects winning on both ends. We should give a lot of flowers to Evan Mobley for tonight’s performance. Maybe the best I’ve seen him defensively.”
- While Mobley and Jarrett Allen thrived for Cleveland, Pistons center Jalen Duren struggled again in Game 4, registering just eight points and two rebounds. The big man, a restricted free agent this summer, is now averaging 9.5 PPG and 7.0 RPG in the series, and Detroit has been outscored when he’s on the court. “I’ve just gotta be better, man,” Duren said after the loss, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). “I have no excuses. I’m my biggest critic. I know what I’ve gotta do to be able to contribute to our team and our success, and I’m staying on myself about doing that no matter what the case may be. I’ve got great teammates, a great coaching staff. I know that as a group we’re going to come back stronger, I have no doubt about it.”
- Bucks co-owner Wes Edens is the victim of an alleged $1 billion extortion scheme, according to reports from James Fanelli and Corinne Ramey of The Wall Street Journal and Steven Martinez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Changli “Sophia” Luo faces federal blackmail and extortion charges after threatening to publicize explicit videos and photos of her and Edens after a brief affair. A spokesperson for Edens said the Bucks governor “expects to testify under oath at the upcoming trial.”
2026 NBA Draft Picks By Team
The Bulls, who pivoted to rebuilding mode after being eliminated in the play-in tournament in three straight years from 2023-25, and the Spurs, who went from 34 wins a year ago to 62 this season, appear headed in opposite directions. But the two organizations do have one thing in common — they’re the only two teams in the NBA who control more than three picks in this year’s draft.
Chicago, which moved up to No. 4 as a result of Sunday’s draft lottery, also controls the 15th, 38th, and 56th picks. San Antonio has just one first-rounder at No. 20, but its other three picks – Nos. 35, 42, and 44 – are in the top half of the second round.
Besides the Spurs and Bulls, nine other teams own more than the typical two picks, and several of those clubs have at least one top-10 selection. The Wizards, Grizzlies, Clippers, Nets, Kings, Hawks, and Mavericks each have three selections, including one in the top nine. The Thunder and Knicks are the other two clubs who control three 2026 picks.
Those 11 teams own a combined 35 picks in June’s draft, while eight others control two apiece and nine more have one each. That means there are just two teams without a pick this year: the Pacers and Trail Blazers. Both teams had protected first-rounders, but Portland sacrificed its lottery-protected pick when it earned a playoff spot, while Indiana had a worst possible outcome in the lottery, as its top-four protected pick fell to No. 5.
To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2026 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 60 selections by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…
Teams with more than two picks:
- Chicago Bulls (4): 4, 15, 38, 56
- San Antonio Spurs (4): 20, 35, 42, 44
- Washington Wizards (3): 1, 51, 60
- Memphis Grizzlies (3): 3, 16, 32
- Los Angeles Clippers (3): 5, 36, 52
- Brooklyn Nets (3): 6, 33, 43
- Sacramento Kings (3): 7, 34, 45
- Atlanta Hawks (3): 8, 23, 57
- Dallas Mavericks (3): 9, 30, 48
- Oklahoma City Thunder (3): 12, 17, 37
- New York Knicks (3): 24, 31, 55
Teams with two picks:
- Golden State Warriors: 11, 54
- Miami Heat: 13, 41
- Charlotte Hornets: 14, 18
- Toronto Raptors: 19, 50
- Denver Nuggets: 26, 49
- Boston Celtics: 27, 40
- Minnesota Timberwolves: 28, 59
- Houston Rockets: 39, 53
Teams with one pick:
- Utah Jazz: 2
- Milwaukee Bucks: 10
- Detroit Pistons: 21
- Philadelphia 76ers: 22
- Los Angeles Lakers: 25
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 29
- Orlando Magic: 46
- Phoenix Suns: 47
- New Orleans Pelicans: 58
Teams with no picks:
- Indiana Pacers
- Portland Trail Blazers
Pistons’ Bickerstaff Calls Free Throw Disparity ‘Unacceptable’
The Pistons dropped a second consecutive game on Monday, falling 112-103 to the Cavaliers to tie their second-round series up at two games apiece as the Central rivals head back to Detroit. Free throw shooting was the difference in Game 4. While Detroit out-shot Cleveland from the floor and from three-point range, the Cavs went 30-of-34 from the line while the Pistons made just 9-of-12 free throws.
“It’s unacceptable. It is,” Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of the free throw disparity, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN.com. “We didn’t do enough obviously to help ourselves, and I’ll start there. But ever since we came to Cleveland, the whistle has changed. There’s no way that one guy on their team shoots more free throws than our team.”
Bickerstaff’s remark was a reference to Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell, who went to the line 15 times on his own and made 13 of those tries. The majority of those attempts came in the third and fourth quarters, as Mitchell matched a playoff record by scoring 39 second-half points after registering just four in the first half.
“We’re not a settle team,” Bickerstaff continued. “We’re not a jump shooting team. We drive the ball, attack the paint. So, what was done out there tonight, it’s frustrating, but we can’t allow that to be the reason why, because we didn’t play well enough and play to the best of our capabilities.
“But again, you look at the foul count, you look at the disparity, and that’s hard to overcome, and you wonder the reason why. It’s interesting since (Cavaliers coach) Kenny (Atkinson) made his comments publicly about us, the whistles changed in this series.”
As Oyefusi observes, through the first two games of the series, the Pistons had earned 55 free throws to 43 for Cleveland, prompting Atkinson to speak about Detroit’s physical defensive play ahead of Game 3. Atkinson said his team would have to find a way to protect the ball and gain separation from defenders if the Pistons were going to “chuck and swipe” and turn it into a “clutch and grab and hold game.”
As Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press writes in a subscriber-only story, Pistons star Cade Cunningham, who attempted just three free throws, said during his post-game media session that the officiating was “not why we lost the game.” Still, Cunningham agreed with Bickerstaff that Detroit wasn’t exactly getting a friendly whistle, telling reporters that the free throw disparity “definitely doesn’t help,” per Oyefusi.
“I realized early on it was going to be one of those type of nights. I got hit on my arm early. I didn’t get a whistle,” Cunningham said. “Everybody didn’t want to look at me after that. I kind of knew what it was.”
Pistons’ LeVert Available, Huerter Out For Game 4
6:35 pm: LeVert has been upgraded to available but Huerter has been ruled out again, according to Patterson (Twitter link).
2:54 pm: The Pistons have two reserves listed as questionable for Monday’s pivotal Game 4 against the Cavaliers. Caris LeVert is dealing with a right heel contusion and Kevin Huerter is on the injury report due to a left adductor strain, according to Coty Davis of the Detroit News.
LeVert’s minutes have fluctuated quite a bit during the postseason. He’s played as much as 25 minutes but also logged a DNP-CD in Game 7 against Orlando in the opening round. He has played an average of 13 minutes against Cleveland in the first three games of the second-round series and recorded six points and four steals in 17 minutes in Game 3.
Huerter played steady minutes as a reserve in March and April during the regular season. He came off the bench in the first four games against Orlando but was injured after a three-minute stint in Game 4.
Both players were present for the morning shootaround on Monday, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic tweets.
Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Stewart, Thompson, Jenkins
Ill-timed turnovers cost the Pistons a chance to grab a commanding lead in their series with the Cavaliers, and they know they’ll need to take better care of the ball in tonight’s Game 4, writes Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. The worst offender was Cade Cunningham, who had eight turnovers in Saturday’s game and three in the final two-and-a-half minutes. Cunningham is the leading scorer in this year’s playoffs at 30.2 PPG, but he also has the most giveaways with 58.
“Just careless turnovers. I wouldn’t even say ‘careless,’” Cunningham said after the Game 3 loss. “I care about (them) a lot. Just bad plays that could’ve got shots on the rim and could’ve gave us an opportunity to win this game.”
The Pistons’ 16 turnovers resulted in 27 Cleveland points and likely cost them a game they led in many other significant categories. Detroit took 91 shots compared to 74 for the Cavs and won the rebounding battle by a 40-33 margin. They held a 17-5 advantage in offensive boards, which led to 19 second-chance points to Cleveland’s 11.
“That’s too many turnovers for us as a group. Sixteen is too many,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Give up 27 points off those turnovers … our defense is so stingy if we get you in the half court. We’ve just got to make sure we get shots on goal so we can set our defense and make people have to work through it.”
There’s more on the Pistons:
- Isaiah Stewart emphasized that injuries aren’t the reason for his reduced playing time, Coty M. Davis of The Detroit News states in a subscriber-only piece. After playing nine minutes in the first half on Saturday, Stewart didn’t return to the game as Bickerstaff opted to go with Paul Reed, who helped spark a comeback from a 17-point deficit. Davis notes that it’s the third time in this year’s playoffs that Stewart has played fewer than 10 minutes. “I’m 100% healthy,” he said. “I know people are wondering if the reason I’m playing short minutes and short stints is injury-related, but it is not. I’ve been available to play. … When my name is not called, but P. Reed’s is, I cheer for him. He did his thing (in Game 3). He went out there and brought the energy for us.”
- Ausar Thompson should be a fixture in the Pistons’ closing lineup, argues Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). Windsor contends that Bickerstaff’s biggest mistake on Saturday was removing Thompson from a tie game with 3:05 remaining and replacing him with Daniss Jenkins. Thompson’s shaky outside shooting makes it difficult to provide enough spacing for the offense, but he more than makes up for that deficiency with his defensive prowess. Windsor points out that Thompson had the team’s second-highest plus/minus rating in the game, while Jenkins hadn’t made a shot all day.
- In a separate Free Press story, Windsor lists five things the Pistons need to do to reclaim control of the series.
Cavaliers Notes: Harden, Mitchell, Bickerstaff, Merrill
James Harden has tried to ignore the doubts raised by his checkered playoff history, but those concerns became louder after a pair of subpar performances in Detroit. Harden may have silenced his critics for at least a little while by hitting several clutch shots in a Game 3 victory on Saturday that kept the Cavaliers‘ playoff hopes alive, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only story.
“It was the James Harden I’ve seen for how many years we’ve been in the NBA,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “That’s the James we know. We needed it tonight. We were searching and he went to work.”
After a 16-point halftime lead slipped away, the Cavs found themselves in another clutch-time battle with the top-seeded Pistons. With less than two minutes remaining, Harden sank a step-back jumper that extended the lead to four. After a Cade Cunningham dunk, Harden responded with a floater in the lane to make it a four-point game again. Cunningham drilled a three-pointer, setting the stage for Harden’s biggest shot of the afternoon. Closely guarded by Tobias Harris, Harden maneuvered his way for a step-back shot from beyond the arc that effectively put the game out of reach.
“It’s not even about anybody else,” said Harden, who was acquired from the Clippers in February in hopes of bringing a title to Cleveland. “I’m literally here to find my spots, figure out what needs to be done and try to contribute in the best way possible. Chatter is going to be chatter regardless, whether you do something good or you do something bad. For me, you give me opportunities in this fourth quarter, and I take advantage of them. I’ve done an unbelievable job throughout the course of my career just understanding what the job needs to be, especially as I get older and doing whatever it takes to win the game. That’s the most important thing.”
There’s more from Cleveland:
- A loss on Saturday would have resulted in a 3-0 series deficit and likely set up a summer of change for the franchise. Atkinson talked about the importance of fighting through adversity in the third quarter and staying in position to pull out the victory, Fedor adds. “You know how important it is to get this first win to make it a series,” he said. “I felt like that third quarter we had great looks and the ball wasn’t falling. That’s the spirit of this team. They don’t get down. We’re not like, ‘Oh man, they came back.’ It’s like, it’s a veteran team. They kind of know that’s how this goes.”
- Donovan Mitchell‘s role in the dismissal of Detroit’s J.B. Bickerstaff as Cavaliers coach two years ago is one of the overlooked subplots of the series, contends Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Vardon reports that Mitchell was one of the first players to get frustrated by Bickerstaff’s refusal to trust his veterans and by a simplistic offensive approach that often relied on Mitchell to bail the team out. Vardon adds that Mitchell was negotiating a contract extension at the time, so he was in position to demand that Bickerstaff be retained if he had wanted to.
- Sam Merrill was back in the lineup after sitting out Game 2 with a minor left hamstring strain that he suffered early in the series opener. He played 14 minutes off the bench and finished with seven points.