Four Events That Might Be Axed in PGA Tour Shakeup | Deadspin.com Golf’s schedule shakeup has begun.The PGA Tour this week confirmed that it would not return to Hawaii, where it’s traditionally opened the season with consecutive tournaments on Maui and in Honolulu.The long-rumored move is undoubtedly the first of several to come as PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp preaches scarcity and tries to contract the schedule. If you’re just catching up, the tour’s current preference is to create a top tier of 21-26 tournaments and a second track for lower-ranked players to earn opportunities for promotion.The elevated track would include the four majors, The Players Championship and the FedEx Cup playoffs. You figure the eight “signature events” that already exist maintain that status. That leaves five to 10 standard tournaments to select — and a bunch of regular-season tournaments that won’t make the cut.Now that’s much more interesting to me. Who gets the axe? I’ve got four suggestions for a shortlist of tournaments to either chop completely or demote to the second tier.There are plenty of reasons to cut a tournament, from lack of fan interest to an expiring sponsor to even the environment on Maui, which has dealt with wildfires and drought alike. (It’s worth remembering the tour also made several missteps pre-LIV Golf, dropping popular annual stops in Boston, New York, Washington and Chicago and cold-shouldering millions of golf fans in those areas. Rolapp rightly wants to claw some of those back.)I considered five criteria to determine which ones wouldn’t be missed: TV ratings (2025 numbers compiled by Sports Business Journal), estimated attendance (tracked by the fellow behind this website), relative strength of field (measured by Datagolf.com), consensus about the golf course and location.As luck would have it, we’ll start with the team event that begins Thursday:Zurich Classic of New OrleansMost elite players, including past champion Rory McIlroy, are taking the week off because the Zurich comes at an odd time in the jam-packed schedule. A sampling of players who are in the field this week: Martin Couvra, Pontus Nyholm, Chandler Blanchet, Trace Crowe. Casual fans, are you excited yet? A shrinking New Orleans market and bottom-five TV ratings (among standard tour events) don’t help, but above all, it feels cheap for a pairs tournament to be doling out FedEx Cup points when it’s an individual sport the rest of the season.CJ Cup Byron NelsonI’d delete this from the calendar for the abominable name alone. That aside, TPC Craig Ranch is the real problem here. Dallas native Scottie Scheffler played the tourney last year and embarrassed the course by going 31 under par for four days. That prompted a revamp, and headlines promising the course is no longer a pushover are never a good sign. The field is weak, attendance is low and Dallas-Fort Worth doesn’t need to hog two tournaments when there’s more history at Colonial Country Club.Rocket ClassicIn 2019 the PGA Tour introduced both their Minnesota and Detroit events, the 3M Open and the Rocket Classic. The Upper Midwest is a good home for some July golf, but neither of these have any juice. I was torn between the two and nearly picked the 3M due to worse TV ratings, but I came back to Detroit Golf Club, which is flat and straight-ahead and usually quite soft due to summer rain. It’s boringly easy, with more birdies made there than any other course on tour in 2025. They left the D.C. area for this.Wyndham ChampionshipThe attendance is relatively low, the TV ratings aren’t better, but more than anything this choice comes down to philosophical fit. Right now the Wyndham serves as the final regular-season event for players to squeak into the playoffs. Top players never come here because they never have to. In the PGA Tour’s New World Order, it works better as a late-season tournament for the rookies and journeymen to scrap for promotion to the top track next year. #Events #Axed #PGA #Tour #Shakeup #Deadspin.com

Four Events That Might Be Axed in PGA Tour Shakeup | Deadspin.com

Golf’s schedule shakeup has begun.
The PGA Tour this week confirmed that it would not return to Hawaii, where it’s traditionally opened the season with consecutive tournaments on Maui and in Honolulu.
The long-rumored move is undoubtedly the first of several to come as PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp preaches scarcity and tries to contract the schedule. If you’re just catching up, the tour’s current preference is to create a top tier of 21-26 tournaments and a second track for lower-ranked players to earn opportunities for promotion.
The elevated track would include the four majors, The Players Championship and the FedEx Cup playoffs. You figure the eight “signature events” that already exist maintain that status. That leaves five to 10 standard tournaments to select — and a bunch of regular-season tournaments that won’t make the cut.
Now that’s much more interesting to me. Who gets the axe? I’ve got four suggestions for a shortlist of tournaments to either chop completely or demote to the second tier.
There are plenty of reasons to cut a tournament, from lack of fan interest to an expiring sponsor to even the environment on Maui, which has dealt with wildfires and drought alike. (It’s worth remembering the tour also made several missteps pre-LIV Golf, dropping popular annual stops in Boston, New York, Washington and Chicago and cold-shouldering millions of golf fans in those areas. Rolapp rightly wants to claw some of those back.)
I considered five criteria to determine which ones wouldn’t be missed: TV ratings (2025 numbers compiled by Sports Business Journal), estimated attendance (tracked by the fellow behind this website), relative strength of field (measured by Datagolf.com), consensus about the golf course and location.
As luck would have it, we’ll start with the team event that begins Thursday:
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Most elite players, including past champion Rory McIlroy, are taking the week off because the Zurich comes at an odd time in the jam-packed schedule. A sampling of players who are in the field this week: Martin Couvra, Pontus Nyholm, Chandler Blanchet, Trace Crowe. Casual fans, are you excited yet? A shrinking New Orleans market and bottom-five TV ratings (among standard tour events) don’t help, but above all, it feels cheap for a pairs tournament to be doling out FedEx Cup points when it’s an individual sport the rest of the season.
CJ Cup Byron Nelson
I’d delete this from the calendar for the abominable name alone. That aside, TPC Craig Ranch is the real problem here. Dallas native Scottie Scheffler played the tourney last year and embarrassed the course by going 31 under par for four days. That prompted a revamp, and headlines promising the course is no longer a pushover are never a good sign. The field is weak, attendance is low and Dallas-Fort Worth doesn’t need to hog two tournaments when there’s more history at Colonial Country Club.
Rocket Classic
In 2019 the PGA Tour introduced both their Minnesota and Detroit events, the 3M Open and the Rocket Classic. The Upper Midwest is a good home for some July golf, but neither of these have any juice. I was torn between the two and nearly picked the 3M due to worse TV ratings, but I came back to Detroit Golf Club, which is flat and straight-ahead and usually quite soft due to summer rain. It’s boringly easy, with more birdies made there than any other course on tour in 2025. They left the D.C. area for this.
Wyndham Championship
The attendance is relatively low, the TV ratings aren’t better, but more than anything this choice comes down to philosophical fit. Right now the Wyndham serves as the final regular-season event for players to squeak into the playoffs. Top players never come here because they never have to. In the PGA Tour’s New World Order, it works better as a late-season tournament for the rookies and journeymen to scrap for promotion to the top track next year.

#Events #Axed #PGA #Tour #Shakeup #Deadspin.com

Sports news April 23, 2026

Golf’s schedule shakeup has begun.

The PGA Tour this week confirmed that it would not return to Hawaii, where it’s traditionally opened the season with consecutive tournaments on Maui and in Honolulu.

The long-rumored move is undoubtedly the first of several to come as PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp preaches scarcity and tries to contract the schedule. If you’re just catching up, the tour’s current preference is to create a top tier of 21-26 tournaments and a second track for lower-ranked players to earn opportunities for promotion.

The elevated track would include the four majors, The Players Championship and the FedEx Cup playoffs. You figure the eight “signature events” that already exist maintain that status. That leaves five to 10 standard tournaments to select — and a bunch of regular-season tournaments that won’t make the cut.

Now that’s much more interesting to me. Who gets the axe? I’ve got four suggestions for a shortlist of tournaments to either chop completely or demote to the second tier.

There are plenty of reasons to cut a tournament, from lack of fan interest to an expiring sponsor to even the environment on Maui, which has dealt with wildfires and drought alike. (It’s worth remembering the tour also made several missteps pre-LIV Golf, dropping popular annual stops in Boston, New York, Washington and Chicago and cold-shouldering millions of golf fans in those areas. Rolapp rightly wants to claw some of those back.)

I considered five criteria to determine which ones wouldn’t be missed: TV ratings (2025 numbers compiled by Sports Business Journal), estimated attendance (tracked by the fellow behind this website), relative strength of field (measured by Datagolf.com), consensus about the golf course and location.

As luck would have it, we’ll start with the team event that begins Thursday:

Zurich Classic of New Orleans

Most elite players, including past champion Rory McIlroy, are taking the week off because the Zurich comes at an odd time in the jam-packed schedule. A sampling of players who are in the field this week: Martin Couvra, Pontus Nyholm, Chandler Blanchet, Trace Crowe. Casual fans, are you excited yet? A shrinking New Orleans market and bottom-five TV ratings (among standard tour events) don’t help, but above all, it feels cheap for a pairs tournament to be doling out FedEx Cup points when it’s an individual sport the rest of the season.

CJ Cup Byron Nelson

I’d delete this from the calendar for the abominable name alone. That aside, TPC Craig Ranch is the real problem here. Dallas native Scottie Scheffler played the tourney last year and embarrassed the course by going 31 under par for four days. That prompted a revamp, and headlines promising the course is no longer a pushover are never a good sign. The field is weak, attendance is low and Dallas-Fort Worth doesn’t need to hog two tournaments when there’s more history at Colonial Country Club.

Rocket Classic

In 2019 the PGA Tour introduced both their Minnesota and Detroit events, the 3M Open and the Rocket Classic. The Upper Midwest is a good home for some July golf, but neither of these have any juice. I was torn between the two and nearly picked the 3M due to worse TV ratings, but I came back to Detroit Golf Club, which is flat and straight-ahead and usually quite soft due to summer rain. It’s boringly easy, with more birdies made there than any other course on tour in 2025. They left the D.C. area for this.

Wyndham Championship

The attendance is relatively low, the TV ratings aren’t better, but more than anything this choice comes down to philosophical fit. Right now the Wyndham serves as the final regular-season event for players to squeak into the playoffs. Top players never come here because they never have to. In the PGA Tour’s New World Order, it works better as a late-season tournament for the rookies and journeymen to scrap for promotion to the top track next year.

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#Events #Axed #PGA #Tour #Shakeup #Deadspin.com

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Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal will expectedly be among the leaders in attack for Spain as it takes on Belgium in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP

#LIVE #SCORE #Spain #Belgium #FIFA #World #Cup #Yamal #Bruyne #start #Quarterfinal #Tielemans #minute">

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ESP vs BEL LIVE – Follow live score, goals and updates as Spain and Belgium face off in their FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal in Los Angeles Stadium in California, USA.

Updated : Jul 11, 2026 00:34 IST

Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal will expectedly be among the leaders in attack for Spain as it takes on Belgium in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP

Welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium, which is being played in Inglewood, California.

Will Lamine Yamal and Co. reign supreme in this last-eight clash, or will the likes of Kevin de Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Jeremy Doku stun the European champion tonight? Follow this space for real-time updates of this high-profile clash.

Spain, the 2010 world champion, has not reached the semifinal since — something it will look to change against Belgium, which is looking to win its maiden title.

Match Overview:

Match venue: SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium), Inglewood

Kick off date and time: 12 noon, July 10 (12:30 am IST, July 11)

Referee: Michael Oliver

July 11, 2026 00:34
OFFSIDE
3′
Spain attacks on the counter with a quick development along the left flank. Cucurella gets a low pass along the left flank but his cross is blocked. The linesman, however, raises the off-side flag.
2′
Yamal is fouled along the right flank. Spain gets a free-kick, which is taken quickly. Belgium is playing in its white away kit, while Spain starts in its traditional home kit of red and blue.
Kick Off!
Belgium gets the ball rolling from right to left, with Spain starting from the other end. It goes for an early attack, but the ball ends comfortably into the gloves of Unai Simon.
A minute of silence!
A minute of silence was observed before kick off in Spain vs Belgium for the wildfire in Almeria, which at least 12 several people and displaced hundreds more.
Let the ball roll
The national anthems are done. The fans, with both of them clad in red, cheer after the anthems and the players take their positions on the field as a packed Los Angeles Stadium awaits the thrilling quarterfinal to begin.
Minutes to kick off!
The players have lined up in the tunnel. The warm-ups are done, the flags are out. The two teams walk out to a raucous applause as Spain taken on Belgium in a clash of heavyweights.
Spain form guide: W-W-W-W-D
Portugal 0-1 Spain
Spain 3-0 Austria
Uruguay 0-1 Spain
Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia
Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Belgium completing its final touches
Belgium, which reached the semifinals at the 2022 World Cup, is looking to emulate that record, or even improve on it this time around.
Youri Tielemans trains with other Belgium players before the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal against Spain at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Spain players absorb the ambience
Spanish players have arrived at the Los Angeles Stadium, and after a brief stroll, have taken the field for their last-minute warm-ups.
Spain players inspect the pitch before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Spain and Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium.
Belgium form guide: W-W-W-D-D
United States 1-4 Belgium
Belgium 3-2 (a.e.t.) Senegal
New Zealand 1-5 Belgium
Belgium 0-0 Iran
Belgium 1-1 Egypt
Kevin de Bruyne back in the starting XI
Belgium has brought back its midfield strongmen in Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku. Both of them were benched in their previous clash, one which saw the Red Devils locks horns with the USA in round of 16, wherein American forward Folarin Balogun had his suspension revoked.
One change for Spain!
Spain makes only one change in its starting line-up, with Fabian Ruiz getting a starting call-up over Pedri. The Barcelona midfielder has had a forgettable spell in this tournament so far, way poorer than the way he usually plays in the middle of the park.
Confirmed line-ups: Belgium
Thibaut Courtois; Maxim De Cuyper, Timothy Castagne, Nayhan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele; Kevin De Bruyne, Hans Vanaken, Nicolas Raskin; Leandro Trossard, Charles de Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku
Confirmed line-ups: Spain
Unai Simon; Marc Cucurella, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsi, Pedro Porro; Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, Alex Baena; Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal
How did Spain qualify for the quarterfinals?
Spain, the reigning European champion, topped its FIFA World Cup group, having beaten Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, and then beat Austria and Portugal to qualify for the quarterfinals for the first time since 2010.
Spain vs Belgium predicted lineups
Spain: Unai Simon, Cucurella, Laporte, Cubarsi, Porro, Rodri, Pedri, Baena, Olmo, Yamal, Oyarzabal
Belgium: Courtois, de Cuyper, Mechele, Ngoy, Castagne, Tielemans, Vanaken, Raskin, Trossard, De Ketelaere, Doku
Match preview
Spain is set to take on Belgium in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals stage. The match is set to be held at the Los Angeles Stadium on Friday, July 10.
Both sides topped their groups, before a contrasting run to the quarterfinal fixture. Spain was able to secure a convincing 3-0 win over Switzerland in the Round of 32, before a late 1-0 win over Portugal in the previous round.
Belgium had to rely on a late comeback, and a stoppage time penalty in the second half of extra time to get past Senegal in the Round of 32, before a 4-1 victory over hosts USA in the Round of 16.
The winner of this fixture will face France in the first semifinal.

Published on Jul 10, 2026

#LIVE #SCORE #Spain #Belgium #FIFA #World #Cup #Yamal #Bruyne #start #Quarterfinal #Tielemans #minute">LIVE SCORE – Spain vs Belgium, FIFA World Cup — Yamal, De Bruyne start in Quarterfinal; Tielemans out in last minute

ESP vs BEL LIVE – Follow live score, goals and updates as Spain and Belgium face off in their FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal in Los Angeles Stadium in California, USA.

Updated : Jul 11, 2026 00:34 IST

Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal will expectedly be among the leaders in attack for Spain as it takes on Belgium in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP

Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal will expectedly be among the leaders in attack for Spain as it takes on Belgium in the FIFA World Cup quarterfinal. | Photo Credit: Getty Images via AFP

Welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal between Spain and Belgium, which is being played in Inglewood, California.

Spain, the 2010 world champion, has not reached the semifinal since — something it will look to change against Belgium, which is looking to win its maiden title.

Match Overview:

Match venue: SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles Stadium), Inglewood

Kick off date and time: 12 noon, July 10 (12:30 am IST, July 11)

Referee: Michael Oliver

July 11, 2026 00:34
OFFSIDE
3′
Spain attacks on the counter with a quick development along the left flank. Cucurella gets a low pass along the left flank but his cross is blocked. The linesman, however, raises the off-side flag.
2′
Yamal is fouled along the right flank. Spain gets a free-kick, which is taken quickly. Belgium is playing in its white away kit, while Spain starts in its traditional home kit of red and blue.
Kick Off!
Belgium gets the ball rolling from right to left, with Spain starting from the other end. It goes for an early attack, but the ball ends comfortably into the gloves of Unai Simon.
A minute of silence!
A minute of silence was observed before kick off in Spain vs Belgium for the wildfire in Almeria, which at least 12 several people and displaced hundreds more.
Let the ball roll
The national anthems are done. The fans, with both of them clad in red, cheer after the anthems and the players take their positions on the field as a packed Los Angeles Stadium awaits the thrilling quarterfinal to begin.
Minutes to kick off!
The players have lined up in the tunnel. The warm-ups are done, the flags are out. The two teams walk out to a raucous applause as Spain taken on Belgium in a clash of heavyweights.
Spain form guide: W-W-W-W-D
Portugal 0-1 Spain
Spain 3-0 Austria
Uruguay 0-1 Spain
Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia
Spain 0-0 Cape Verde
Belgium completing its final touches
Belgium, which reached the semifinals at the 2022 World Cup, is looking to emulate that record, or even improve on it this time around.
Youri Tielemans trains with other Belgium players before the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal against Spain at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Spain players absorb the ambience
Spanish players have arrived at the Los Angeles Stadium, and after a brief stroll, have taken the field for their last-minute warm-ups.
Spain players inspect the pitch before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Spain and Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium.
Belgium form guide: W-W-W-D-D
United States 1-4 Belgium
Belgium 3-2 (a.e.t.) Senegal
New Zealand 1-5 Belgium
Belgium 0-0 Iran
Belgium 1-1 Egypt
Kevin de Bruyne back in the starting XI
Belgium has brought back its midfield strongmen in Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku. Both of them were benched in their previous clash, one which saw the Red Devils locks horns with the USA in round of 16, wherein American forward Folarin Balogun had his suspension revoked.
One change for Spain!
Spain makes only one change in its starting line-up, with Fabian Ruiz getting a starting call-up over Pedri. The Barcelona midfielder has had a forgettable spell in this tournament so far, way poorer than the way he usually plays in the middle of the park.
Confirmed line-ups: Belgium
Thibaut Courtois; Maxim De Cuyper, Timothy Castagne, Nayhan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele; Kevin De Bruyne, Hans Vanaken, Nicolas Raskin; Leandro Trossard, Charles de Ketelaere, Jeremy Doku
Confirmed line-ups: Spain
Unai Simon; Marc Cucurella, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsi, Pedro Porro; Rodri, Fabian Ruiz, Alex Baena; Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal
How did Spain qualify for the quarterfinals?
Spain, the reigning European champion, topped its FIFA World Cup group, having beaten Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, and then beat Austria and Portugal to qualify for the quarterfinals for the first time since 2010.
Spain vs Belgium predicted lineups
Spain: Unai Simon, Cucurella, Laporte, Cubarsi, Porro, Rodri, Pedri, Baena, Olmo, Yamal, Oyarzabal
Belgium: Courtois, de Cuyper, Mechele, Ngoy, Castagne, Tielemans, Vanaken, Raskin, Trossard, De Ketelaere, Doku
Match preview
Spain is set to take on Belgium in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals stage. The match is set to be held at the Los Angeles Stadium on Friday, July 10.
Both sides topped their groups, before a contrasting run to the quarterfinal fixture. Spain was able to secure a convincing 3-0 win over Switzerland in the Round of 32, before a late 1-0 win over Portugal in the previous round.
Belgium had to rely on a late comeback, and a stoppage time penalty in the second half of extra time to get past Senegal in the Round of 32, before a 4-1 victory over hosts USA in the Round of 16.
The winner of this fixture will face France in the first semifinal.

Published on Jul 10, 2026

#LIVE #SCORE #Spain #Belgium #FIFA #World #Cup #Yamal #Bruyne #start #Quarterfinal #Tielemans #minute

Deadspin | Kelsey Mitchell lifts Fever over Mercury in wild finish Jul 9, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) defends against Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston (7) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images There were five lead changes in the final 45 seconds of regulation, with the decisive basket coming on Kelsey Mitchell’s driving finger roll with 10.1 seconds remaining to lift the visiting Indiana Fever to a 92-89 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday. Indiana (13-9) trailed by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter, but an 11-0 run that included 3-pointers by Sophie Cunningham, Mitchell and Tyasha Harris set the stage for a wild finale. Phoenix (8-15) ended the Fever spurt on a DeWanna Bonner 3-pointer with 2:48 to go. The resulting 82-80 Mercury lead transitioned into a back-and-forth finish with multiple ties. Kahleah Copper finished with 22 points, matching Alyssa Thomas for the team lead. Thomas also delivered one of the lead-swapping buckets for Phoenix, cleaning up a deflected ball from Copper at the rim to answer Aliyah Boston’s make in the paint on the other end. Boston, returning to the Indiana lineup after missing Wednesday’s first leg of a back-to-back in Los Angeles, finished with 21 points and nine rebounds. Harris added 15 points, including seven in the final four minutes on a variety of clutch baskets. It was Mitchell delivering the ultimate game-winner, fittingly, to cap her game-high 29-point performance. After Thomas’ go-ahead score, Indiana cleared the floor to allow Thomas to operate one-on-one. She created just enough space driving left to get off her scooping layup and seal the win. Mitchell also dished out a game-high eight assists. Phoenix had one last opportunity, but Thomas could not get a clean look at the basket, and former Mercury player Cunningham drew a loose-ball foul on Copper to effectively end it. Cunningham’s ensuing free throws gave her nine points off the bench, pitching in as Indiana filled the offensive void with Caitlin Clark sidelined. Clark returned on Wednesday from a back injury sustained against Phoenix, but sat on Thursday with the immediate turnaround. Monique Akoa Makani scored 14 points off the bench for the Mercury. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Kelsey #Mitchell #lifts #Fever #Mercury #wild #finish

#Deadspin #Kelsey #Mitchell #lifts #Fever #Mercury #wild #finish">

mwasimuddin125 0

Jul 9, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) defends against Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston (7) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There were five lead changes in the final 45 seconds of regulation, with the decisive basket coming on Kelsey Mitchell’s driving finger roll with 10.1 seconds remaining to lift the visiting Indiana Fever to a 92-89 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday.

Indiana (13-9) trailed by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter, but an 11-0 run that included 3-pointers by Sophie Cunningham, Mitchell and Tyasha Harris set the stage for a wild finale.

Phoenix (8-15) ended the Fever spurt on a DeWanna Bonner 3-pointer with 2:48 to go. The resulting 82-80 Mercury lead transitioned into a back-and-forth finish with multiple ties.

Kahleah Copper finished with 22 points, matching Alyssa Thomas for the team lead. Thomas also delivered one of the lead-swapping buckets for Phoenix, cleaning up a deflected ball from Copper at the rim to answer Aliyah Boston’s make in the paint on the other end.

Boston, returning to the Indiana lineup after missing Wednesday’s first leg of a back-to-back in Los Angeles, finished with 21 points and nine rebounds. Harris added 15 points, including seven in the final four minutes on a variety of clutch baskets.

It was Mitchell delivering the ultimate game-winner, fittingly, to cap her game-high 29-point performance. After Thomas’ go-ahead score, Indiana cleared the floor to allow Thomas to operate one-on-one.

She created just enough space driving left to get off her scooping layup and seal the win. Mitchell also dished out a game-high eight assists.

Phoenix had one last opportunity, but Thomas could not get a clean look at the basket, and former Mercury player Cunningham drew a loose-ball foul on Copper to effectively end it.

Cunningham’s ensuing free throws gave her nine points off the bench, pitching in as Indiana filled the offensive void with Caitlin Clark sidelined. Clark returned on Wednesday from a back injury sustained against Phoenix, but sat on Thursday with the immediate turnaround.

Monique Akoa Makani scored 14 points off the bench for the Mercury.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Kelsey #Mitchell #lifts #Fever #Mercury #wild #finish">Deadspin | Kelsey Mitchell lifts Fever over Mercury in wild finish

Jul 9, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) defends against Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston (7) in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

There were five lead changes in the final 45 seconds of regulation, with the decisive basket coming on Kelsey Mitchell’s driving finger roll with 10.1 seconds remaining to lift the visiting Indiana Fever to a 92-89 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday.

Indiana (13-9) trailed by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter, but an 11-0 run that included 3-pointers by Sophie Cunningham, Mitchell and Tyasha Harris set the stage for a wild finale.

Phoenix (8-15) ended the Fever spurt on a DeWanna Bonner 3-pointer with 2:48 to go. The resulting 82-80 Mercury lead transitioned into a back-and-forth finish with multiple ties.

Kahleah Copper finished with 22 points, matching Alyssa Thomas for the team lead. Thomas also delivered one of the lead-swapping buckets for Phoenix, cleaning up a deflected ball from Copper at the rim to answer Aliyah Boston’s make in the paint on the other end.

Boston, returning to the Indiana lineup after missing Wednesday’s first leg of a back-to-back in Los Angeles, finished with 21 points and nine rebounds. Harris added 15 points, including seven in the final four minutes on a variety of clutch baskets.

It was Mitchell delivering the ultimate game-winner, fittingly, to cap her game-high 29-point performance. After Thomas’ go-ahead score, Indiana cleared the floor to allow Thomas to operate one-on-one.

She created just enough space driving left to get off her scooping layup and seal the win. Mitchell also dished out a game-high eight assists.

Phoenix had one last opportunity, but Thomas could not get a clean look at the basket, and former Mercury player Cunningham drew a loose-ball foul on Copper to effectively end it.

Cunningham’s ensuing free throws gave her nine points off the bench, pitching in as Indiana filled the offensive void with Caitlin Clark sidelined. Clark returned on Wednesday from a back injury sustained against Phoenix, but sat on Thursday with the immediate turnaround.

Monique Akoa Makani scored 14 points off the bench for the Mercury.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Kelsey #Mitchell #lifts #Fever #Mercury #wild #finish

The NBA offseason still has a long ways to go, but the picture at the top and bottom of the league is already starting to solidify for the 2026-2027 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and New York Knicks feel like they’re in a class of their own as an elite tier of contenders. Who’s the fourth best in the NBA right now? Your guess is as good as mine.

The NBA’s new anti-tanking rules mean there are no more free wins on the schedule this season. Still, some teams are likely to be very bad, starting with the Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, and Chicago Bulls. This year’s draft lottery features a “relegation zone” which lowers the odds at a top pick for the league’s three worst teams, though it also comes with the added benefit of falling no further than the No. 12 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. Every other team could slide all the way to No. 16.

A second wave of offseason player movement is likely coming after LeBron James finally makes his free agent decision. There’s still hoops to talk about until then, so here’s our way-too-early look at the league power rankings for 2026-2027 in mid-July.

No. 7 overall pick Darius Acuff is going to get a long leash to run the show in Sacramento, but he just doesn’t have much help. Will Domantas Sabonis or Zach LaVine still be on this roster come opening night? The Kings have a decent collection of young talent starting to form with Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell, Nique Clifford, and Alex Karaban, and the goal of this season should be developing them alongside Acuff.

The Giannis era is over, and the Bucks are left with a funky roster that will probably be pretty bad. Will Tyler Herro actually play for Milwaukee this season, or get flipped closer to training camp? Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. actually looked pretty good last season, and Kel’el Ware is an exciting young big man coming over from Miami in the big trade. Most of the attention will be on how the Bucks’ two lottery picks Brayden Burries and Nate Ament develop.

The Bulls are going to be fun, but still project as an Eastern Conference doormat. Chicago’s two first-round rookies Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain should get plenty of reps, and it will be fascinating to see if last year’s lottery pick Noa Essengue can make an impact after a lost rookie season due to injury. A Matas Buzelis leap in year three would be huge for the Bulls’ long-term outlook.

A.J. Dybantsa is the star of the show after going No. 1 overall, and he’ll have a weird roster around him. Trae Young is on a new max contract for some reason. Anthony Davis is here for now, but maybe not for long. Alex Sarr and Tre Johnson are two former top-10 picks who need to develop around Dybantsa for Washington’s future to look bright.

The Clippers got great value back for Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac, but this season could be ugly. Rookie No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler has a lot riding on his shoulders long-term, and it will be interesting to see how he meshes with Darius Garland in the backcourt this year. There are still some solid vets here in Brook Lopez, Brandon Ingram, and Derrick Jones Jr., but I’m interested to see how youngsters Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Isaiah Jackson develop.

I think Brooklyn is going to surprise some people this year, and wouldn’t be surprised if they push for a play-in spot. New addition Julius Randle joins Michael Porter Jr. as the leaders of this team, and it’s possible Egor Demin can take a leap in his second season. Jordi Fernandez is an elite head coach and will get the most of this group.

The Pelicans haven’t done a single thing this offseason yet. Alright, man. There’s some talent here with Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Derik Queen, and Jeremiah Fears, but new head coach Jamahl Mosley has his work cut out for him to mold this into a functional team.

23. Golden State Warriors

Steph Curry is still elite, but the team around him is lackluster at this point. It’s too bad Jimmy Butler will miss most of this season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Is this the year we start to hear real Curry trade speculation?

The Grizzlies are young, but the talent is real. Cameron Boozer is a future superstar, Zach Edey could be awesome if he can ever stay healthy, and Cedric Coward complements the two frontcourt stars well as a long 3-and-D wing. I actually like the guard collection quite a bit too with Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Cam Spencer all poised to make an impact.

The Hornets punted on LaMelo Ball, and in doing so killed their chances for this season. This team should still be pretty decent with Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and Coby White launching threes around one of the league’s best offensive rebounding teams, but it’s hard to imagine they can make real noise without injuries to several other East teams.

Cooper Flagg, meet Dusty May. Dallas welcomes back Kyrie Irving from a torn ACL this season, and I like the trade for Santi Aldama. Can Dereck Lively II return from injury? I will be interested to see how Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz continue to put their stamp on this team, because it feels like a lot of these players could be flipped around Flagg.

The Suns feel like a classic high floor, low ceiling team. Devin Booker has some good role players around him in Collin Gillespie, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Mark Williams, and Oso Ighodaro. Miles Bridges is here now too to complete Mat Ishbia’s Michigan State dream. I’m mostly interested in how last year’s No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach develops in the middle.

The Jazz are ready to make a big leap. Darryn Peterson will be an instant impact rookie, and he joins a talented veteran core led by Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Keyonte George. If Will Hardy is as good as a head coach as everyone believes he is, this team should push for the playoffs.

Atlanta gave the Knicks their toughest playoff series in the first-round last season, and they continue to build out their future talent pool. Rookies Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor could be instant contributors, and picking up Aaron Wiggins from the Thunder for nothing was a nice move, too. Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and CJ McCollum feels like a high floor, low ceiling group for this season, but the Hawks continue to move in the right direction.

16. Portland Trail Blazers

The Blazers are going to be fascinating with the return of Damian Lillard and the trade for Ja Morant. That seems like a poor fit to me, but at least Portland gave up absolutely nothing to get Morant from Memphis. Donovan Clingan and Scoot Henderson are the two most important players on the roster for the future of the franchise, and both could take a leap this season. The defense should be really good, and Deni Avdija will continue to be a battering ram off the bounce, but I don’t know if this team has enough of a ceiling to build on last year.

Sean Sweeney is the new head coach tasked with getting the most out of a talent Magic roster. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner just haven’t worked as well as expected together, and this might be their last chance with a massive payroll looming. If Sweeney is good and Jalen Suggs can actually stay healthy, I wouldn’t be too surprised if Orlando ends up much better than this.

Pat Riley finally landed his next superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the supporting cast needs work. The front court should be elite defensively with Giannis joining Bam Adebayo, but the offensive spacing will be a question mark. The backcourt has almost no shot-creation, but Erik Spoelstra is better than anyone at developing diamonds in the rough. He’s going to need to do it again for this team to win a playoff series.

The Rockets have been strangely quiet this summer, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a big move coming before the season opens. For now, the main thing to get excited about is the return of Fred VanVleet. Houston’s young core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. remains enticing, and it feels like all of them can still go up another level this season.

The Sixers are loaded with top-end talent after the stunning Jaylen Brown trade, but it’s hard to say how it will all fit together. Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe is a great foundation even before you get to Joel Embiid, whose uncertain health hangs over every Sixers season. I’m concerned about the depth and the defense of this team, especially when Embiid inevitably misses half the season.

Tyrese Haliburton is back from a torn Achilles, and the entire league will be wondering if he can pick up where he left off from Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The team around him is mostly pretty similar save for swapping out Myles Turner for Ivica Zubac, which should be a big upgrade. Indiana might be the most interesting team entering the season.

I expect LeBron James to sign here, but we can’t bake that in yet. The Cavs are pretty good without him coming off a conference finals appearance. Donovan Mitchell is locked in long-term, and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen return in the front court. I just can’t count on a James Harden team (he’ll re-sign soon) to break through at this point.

I love the Raptors’ playoff ceiling after the Kawhi Leonard trade if he can stay healthy through an entire postseason run. That’s a huge if. Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Leonard should be an elite defensive trio. Getting anything from Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl this year would be a big boost.

The Pistons did some tinkering to the rotation, but it still feels like they have a lot of the same problems as last year. Cade Cunningham is awesome, and gives this team a high floor by himself. Jalen Duren should re-sign soon, and he’s better than he showed during the playoffs. Ausar Thompson might be the best wing defender in the league, and Ron Holland could make an impact there too if either of them could improve their outside shooting a little bit. Swapping out Tobias Harris for John Collins is … fine. Detroit could make the NBA Finals, but they have real pressure to at least make the conference finals this year.

The Nuggets haven’t done anything this summer as they wait out Peyton Watson’s restricted free agency. It definitely feels like they could make cost-cutting moves on the margins before the season starts, but we can’t factor those in yet. Denver looked old and slow last year, but they still have Nikola Jokic, who remains a top-3 player in the world. I can’t see the Nuggets falling too far as long as Jokic is around.

The Lakers went for broke to build around Luka Doncic this summer, and it better work. LA paid a ridiculous price for Walker Kessler, but he is exactly the type of defensive-minded center a team led by Doncic and Austin Reaves needs in the middle. My big hangup here is the lack of wing talent. I love Adou Thiero as much as the next draft guy, but it doesn’t feel great that the Lakers are legitimately counting on him to take a leap this year.

The Celtics are still going to be really good after trading Jaylen Brown. Boston is essentially replacing Brown with a full year of Jayson Tatum while adding Mitchell Robinson and Paul George. I’m buying a Payton Pritchard leap this year. The Celtics are going to launch threes, crash the offensive glass, and try to avoid turnovers, which is usually a great formula for the regular season.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves

The LaMelo Ball trade will define this franchise for the next few years at least. I think Ball is a highly impactful star guard, but his constant injury issues have a chance to derail this entire experience. If Ball can stay healthy, his elite handle, pull-up shooting, and passing vision feels like a perfect fit next to Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels. This team really needs Gobert to fight off father time. I’d like this group more if they had a bigger player in Ayo Dosunmu’s spot.

The Knicks only won 53 games in the regular season before finding magic in the playoffs on their way to one of the most dominant championship runs in recent league history. The bulk of this team is back minus Mitchell Robinson, who was a sneaky important piece off the bench. The key for the Knicks is going to be avoiding any decline by Jalen Brunson, and keeping Karl-Anthony Towns locked in to the best version of himself. If that happens, another trip to the NBA Finals could very well happen.

How will Victor Wembanyama respond to his crushing NBA Finals loss? Wemby would be wise to pace himself during the regular season, but it doesn’t seem like it’s in his nature to do it. The De’Aaron Fox question hangs over this franchise, because there’s no doubt Dylan Harper is ready to take over as their lead guard. Harper and Wembanyama will be showtime, and the supporting cast around them is improved. I like adding Tobias Harris at power forward in free agency, and I think Stephon Castle could benefit from transitioning from guard to wing. San Antonio will be very, very good around Wembanyama for the foreseeable future.

The Thunder may have gone back-to-back if not for untimely injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. Williams essentially lost the entire season with soft tissue strains, and the Thunder desperately need him back playing at his top level given how big his cap hit is now. Oklahoma City did a nice job keeping their core in place even as they trimmed some salary by trading away Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Will Lu Dort be on this roster opening night? Can Chet Holmgren shake off his horrific Western Conference Finals and regain his status as one of the league’s best bigs? The Thunder have an oustanding formula with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s shot creation and an elite defense. They remain the team to beat until further notice.

#NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #wild #start #offseason">

NBA Power Rankings for all 30 teams after a wild start to 2026 offseason The NBA offseason still has a long ways to go, but the picture at the top and bottom of the league is already starting to solidify for the 2026-2027 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and New York Knicks feel like they’re in a class of their own as an elite tier of contenders. Who’s the fourth best in the NBA right now? Your guess is as good as mine.The NBA’s new anti-tanking rules mean there are no more free wins on the schedule this season. Still, some teams are likely to be very bad, starting with the Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, and Chicago Bulls. This year’s draft lottery features a “relegation zone” which lowers the odds at a top pick for the league’s three worst teams, though it also comes with the added benefit of falling no further than the No. 12 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. Every other team could slide all the way to No. 16.A second wave of offseason player movement is likely coming after LeBron James finally makes his free agent decision. There’s still hoops to talk about until then, so here’s our way-too-early look at the league power rankings for 2026-2027 in mid-July.No. 7 overall pick Darius Acuff is going to get a long leash to run the show in Sacramento, but he just doesn’t have much help. Will Domantas Sabonis or Zach LaVine still be on this roster come opening night? The Kings have a decent collection of young talent starting to form with Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell, Nique Clifford, and Alex Karaban, and the goal of this season should be developing them alongside Acuff.The Giannis era is over, and the Bucks are left with a funky roster that will probably be pretty bad. Will Tyler Herro actually play for Milwaukee this season, or get flipped closer to training camp? Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. actually looked pretty good last season, and Kel’el Ware is an exciting young big man coming over from Miami in the big trade. Most of the attention will be on how the Bucks’ two lottery picks Brayden Burries and Nate Ament develop.The Bulls are going to be fun, but still project as an Eastern Conference doormat. Chicago’s two first-round rookies Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain should get plenty of reps, and it will be fascinating to see if last year’s lottery pick Noa Essengue can make an impact after a lost rookie season due to injury. A Matas Buzelis leap in year three would be huge for the Bulls’ long-term outlook.A.J. Dybantsa is the star of the show after going No. 1 overall, and he’ll have a weird roster around him. Trae Young is on a new max contract for some reason. Anthony Davis is here for now, but maybe not for long. Alex Sarr and Tre Johnson are two former top-10 picks who need to develop around Dybantsa for Washington’s future to look bright.The Clippers got great value back for Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac, but this season could be ugly. Rookie No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler has a lot riding on his shoulders long-term, and it will be interesting to see how he meshes with Darius Garland in the backcourt this year. There are still some solid vets here in Brook Lopez, Brandon Ingram, and Derrick Jones Jr., but I’m interested to see how youngsters Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Isaiah Jackson develop.I think Brooklyn is going to surprise some people this year, and wouldn’t be surprised if they push for a play-in spot. New addition Julius Randle joins Michael Porter Jr. as the leaders of this team, and it’s possible Egor Demin can take a leap in his second season. Jordi Fernandez is an elite head coach and will get the most of this group.The Pelicans haven’t done a single thing this offseason yet. Alright, man. There’s some talent here with Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Derik Queen, and Jeremiah Fears, but new head coach Jamahl Mosley has his work cut out for him to mold this into a functional team.23. Golden State WarriorsSteph Curry is still elite, but the team around him is lackluster at this point. It’s too bad Jimmy Butler will miss most of this season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Is this the year we start to hear real Curry trade speculation?The Grizzlies are young, but the talent is real. Cameron Boozer is a future superstar, Zach Edey could be awesome if he can ever stay healthy, and Cedric Coward complements the two frontcourt stars well as a long 3-and-D wing. I actually like the guard collection quite a bit too with Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Cam Spencer all poised to make an impact.The Hornets punted on LaMelo Ball, and in doing so killed their chances for this season. This team should still be pretty decent with Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and Coby White launching threes around one of the league’s best offensive rebounding teams, but it’s hard to imagine they can make real noise without injuries to several other East teams.Cooper Flagg, meet Dusty May. Dallas welcomes back Kyrie Irving from a torn ACL this season, and I like the trade for Santi Aldama. Can Dereck Lively II return from injury? I will be interested to see how Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz continue to put their stamp on this team, because it feels like a lot of these players could be flipped around Flagg.The Suns feel like a classic high floor, low ceiling team. Devin Booker has some good role players around him in Collin Gillespie, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Mark Williams, and Oso Ighodaro. Miles Bridges is here now too to complete Mat Ishbia’s Michigan State dream. I’m mostly interested in how last year’s No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach develops in the middle.The Jazz are ready to make a big leap. Darryn Peterson will be an instant impact rookie, and he joins a talented veteran core led by Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Keyonte George. If Will Hardy is as good as a head coach as everyone believes he is, this team should push for the playoffs.Atlanta gave the Knicks their toughest playoff series in the first-round last season, and they continue to build out their future talent pool. Rookies Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor could be instant contributors, and picking up Aaron Wiggins from the Thunder for nothing was a nice move, too. Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and CJ McCollum feels like a high floor, low ceiling group for this season, but the Hawks continue to move in the right direction.16. Portland Trail BlazersThe Blazers are going to be fascinating with the return of Damian Lillard and the trade for Ja Morant. That seems like a poor fit to me, but at least Portland gave up absolutely nothing to get Morant from Memphis. Donovan Clingan and Scoot Henderson are the two most important players on the roster for the future of the franchise, and both could take a leap this season. The defense should be really good, and Deni Avdija will continue to be a battering ram off the bounce, but I don’t know if this team has enough of a ceiling to build on last year.Sean Sweeney is the new head coach tasked with getting the most out of a talent Magic roster. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner just haven’t worked as well as expected together, and this might be their last chance with a massive payroll looming. If Sweeney is good and Jalen Suggs can actually stay healthy, I wouldn’t be too surprised if Orlando ends up much better than this.Pat Riley finally landed his next superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the supporting cast needs work. The front court should be elite defensively with Giannis joining Bam Adebayo, but the offensive spacing will be a question mark. The backcourt has almost no shot-creation, but Erik Spoelstra is better than anyone at developing diamonds in the rough. He’s going to need to do it again for this team to win a playoff series.The Rockets have been strangely quiet this summer, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a big move coming before the season opens. For now, the main thing to get excited about is the return of Fred VanVleet. Houston’s young core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. remains enticing, and it feels like all of them can still go up another level this season.The Sixers are loaded with top-end talent after the stunning Jaylen Brown trade, but it’s hard to say how it will all fit together. Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe is a great foundation even before you get to Joel Embiid, whose uncertain health hangs over every Sixers season. I’m concerned about the depth and the defense of this team, especially when Embiid inevitably misses half the season.Tyrese Haliburton is back from a torn Achilles, and the entire league will be wondering if he can pick up where he left off from Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The team around him is mostly pretty similar save for swapping out Myles Turner for Ivica Zubac, which should be a big upgrade. Indiana might be the most interesting team entering the season.I expect LeBron James to sign here, but we can’t bake that in yet. The Cavs are pretty good without him coming off a conference finals appearance. Donovan Mitchell is locked in long-term, and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen return in the front court. I just can’t count on a James Harden team (he’ll re-sign soon) to break through at this point.I love the Raptors’ playoff ceiling after the Kawhi Leonard trade if he can stay healthy through an entire postseason run. That’s a huge if. Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Leonard should be an elite defensive trio. Getting anything from Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl this year would be a big boost.The Pistons did some tinkering to the rotation, but it still feels like they have a lot of the same problems as last year. Cade Cunningham is awesome, and gives this team a high floor by himself. Jalen Duren should re-sign soon, and he’s better than he showed during the playoffs. Ausar Thompson might be the best wing defender in the league, and Ron Holland could make an impact there too if either of them could improve their outside shooting a little bit. Swapping out Tobias Harris for John Collins is … fine. Detroit could make the NBA Finals, but they have real pressure to at least make the conference finals this year.The Nuggets haven’t done anything this summer as they wait out Peyton Watson’s restricted free agency. It definitely feels like they could make cost-cutting moves on the margins before the season starts, but we can’t factor those in yet. Denver looked old and slow last year, but they still have Nikola Jokic, who remains a top-3 player in the world. I can’t see the Nuggets falling too far as long as Jokic is around.The Lakers went for broke to build around Luka Doncic this summer, and it better work. LA paid a ridiculous price for Walker Kessler, but he is exactly the type of defensive-minded center a team led by Doncic and Austin Reaves needs in the middle. My big hangup here is the lack of wing talent. I love Adou Thiero as much as the next draft guy, but it doesn’t feel great that the Lakers are legitimately counting on him to take a leap this year.The Celtics are still going to be really good after trading Jaylen Brown. Boston is essentially replacing Brown with a full year of Jayson Tatum while adding Mitchell Robinson and Paul George. I’m buying a Payton Pritchard leap this year. The Celtics are going to launch threes, crash the offensive glass, and try to avoid turnovers, which is usually a great formula for the regular season.4. Minnesota TimberwolvesThe LaMelo Ball trade will define this franchise for the next few years at least. I think Ball is a highly impactful star guard, but his constant injury issues have a chance to derail this entire experience. If Ball can stay healthy, his elite handle, pull-up shooting, and passing vision feels like a perfect fit next to Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels. This team really needs Gobert to fight off father time. I’d like this group more if they had a bigger player in Ayo Dosunmu’s spot.The Knicks only won 53 games in the regular season before finding magic in the playoffs on their way to one of the most dominant championship runs in recent league history. The bulk of this team is back minus Mitchell Robinson, who was a sneaky important piece off the bench. The key for the Knicks is going to be avoiding any decline by Jalen Brunson, and keeping Karl-Anthony Towns locked in to the best version of himself. If that happens, another trip to the NBA Finals could very well happen.How will Victor Wembanyama respond to his crushing NBA Finals loss? Wemby would be wise to pace himself during the regular season, but it doesn’t seem like it’s in his nature to do it. The De’Aaron Fox question hangs over this franchise, because there’s no doubt Dylan Harper is ready to take over as their lead guard. Harper and Wembanyama will be showtime, and the supporting cast around them is improved. I like adding Tobias Harris at power forward in free agency, and I think Stephon Castle could benefit from transitioning from guard to wing. San Antonio will be very, very good around Wembanyama for the foreseeable future.The Thunder may have gone back-to-back if not for untimely injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. Williams essentially lost the entire season with soft tissue strains, and the Thunder desperately need him back playing at his top level given how big his cap hit is now. Oklahoma City did a nice job keeping their core in place even as they trimmed some salary by trading away Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Will Lu Dort be on this roster opening night? Can Chet Holmgren shake off his horrific Western Conference Finals and regain his status as one of the league’s best bigs? The Thunder have an oustanding formula with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s shot creation and an elite defense. They remain the team to beat until further notice. #NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #wild #start #offseason

mwasimuddin125 0

The NBA offseason still has a long ways to go, but the picture at the top and bottom of the league is already starting to solidify for the 2026-2027 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and New York Knicks feel like they’re in a class of their own as an elite tier of contenders. Who’s the fourth best in the NBA right now? Your guess is as good as mine.
The NBA’s new anti-tanking rules mean there are no more free wins on the schedule this season. Still, some teams are likely to be very bad, starting with the Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, and Chicago Bulls. This year’s draft lottery features a “relegation zone” which lowers the odds at a top pick for the league’s three worst teams, though it also comes with the added benefit of falling no further than the No. 12 pick in the 2027 NBA Draft. Every other team could slide all the way to No. 16.
A second wave of offseason player movement is likely coming after LeBron James finally makes his free agent decision. There’s still hoops to talk about until then, so here’s our way-too-early look at the league power rankings for 2026-2027 in mid-July.
No. 7 overall pick Darius Acuff is going to get a long leash to run the show in Sacramento, but he just doesn’t have much help. Will Domantas Sabonis or Zach LaVine still be on this roster come opening night? The Kings have a decent collection of young talent starting to form with Maxime Raynaud, Dylan Cardwell, Nique Clifford, and Alex Karaban, and the goal of this season should be developing them alongside Acuff.
The Giannis era is over, and the Bucks are left with a funky roster that will probably be pretty bad. Will Tyler Herro actually play for Milwaukee this season, or get flipped closer to training camp? Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. actually looked pretty good last season, and Kel’el Ware is an exciting young big man coming over from Miami in the big trade. Most of the attention will be on how the Bucks’ two lottery picks Brayden Burries and Nate Ament develop.
The Bulls are going to be fun, but still project as an Eastern Conference doormat. Chicago’s two first-round rookies Caleb Wilson and Dailyn Swain should get plenty of reps, and it will be fascinating to see if last year’s lottery pick Noa Essengue can make an impact after a lost rookie season due to injury. A Matas Buzelis leap in year three would be huge for the Bulls’ long-term outlook.
A.J. Dybantsa is the star of the show after going No. 1 overall, and he’ll have a weird roster around him. Trae Young is on a new max contract for some reason. Anthony Davis is here for now, but maybe not for long. Alex Sarr and Tre Johnson are two former top-10 picks who need to develop around Dybantsa for Washington’s future to look bright.
The Clippers got great value back for Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac, but this season could be ugly. Rookie No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler has a lot riding on his shoulders long-term, and it will be interesting to see how he meshes with Darius Garland in the backcourt this year. There are still some solid vets here in Brook Lopez, Brandon Ingram, and Derrick Jones Jr., but I’m interested to see how youngsters Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Isaiah Jackson develop.
I think Brooklyn is going to surprise some people this year, and wouldn’t be surprised if they push for a play-in spot. New addition Julius Randle joins Michael Porter Jr. as the leaders of this team, and it’s possible Egor Demin can take a leap in his second season. Jordi Fernandez is an elite head coach and will get the most of this group.
The Pelicans haven’t done a single thing this offseason yet. Alright, man. There’s some talent here with Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, Derik Queen, and Jeremiah Fears, but new head coach Jamahl Mosley has his work cut out for him to mold this into a functional team.
23. Golden State Warriors
Steph Curry is still elite, but the team around him is lackluster at this point. It’s too bad Jimmy Butler will miss most of this season as he recovers from a torn ACL. Is this the year we start to hear real Curry trade speculation?
The Grizzlies are young, but the talent is real. Cameron Boozer is a future superstar, Zach Edey could be awesome if he can ever stay healthy, and Cedric Coward complements the two frontcourt stars well as a long 3-and-D wing. I actually like the guard collection quite a bit too with Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., and Cam Spencer all poised to make an impact.
The Hornets punted on LaMelo Ball, and in doing so killed their chances for this season. This team should still be pretty decent with Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, and Coby White launching threes around one of the league’s best offensive rebounding teams, but it’s hard to imagine they can make real noise without injuries to several other East teams.
Cooper Flagg, meet Dusty May. Dallas welcomes back Kyrie Irving from a torn ACL this season, and I like the trade for Santi Aldama. Can Dereck Lively II return from injury? I will be interested to see how Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz continue to put their stamp on this team, because it feels like a lot of these players could be flipped around Flagg.
The Suns feel like a classic high floor, low ceiling team. Devin Booker has some good role players around him in Collin Gillespie, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Mark Williams, and Oso Ighodaro. Miles Bridges is here now too to complete Mat Ishbia’s Michigan State dream. I’m mostly interested in how last year’s No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach develops in the middle.
The Jazz are ready to make a big leap. Darryn Peterson will be an instant impact rookie, and he joins a talented veteran core led by Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Keyonte George. If Will Hardy is as good as a head coach as everyone believes he is, this team should push for the playoffs.
Atlanta gave the Knicks their toughest playoff series in the first-round last season, and they continue to build out their future talent pool. Rookies Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor could be instant contributors, and picking up Aaron Wiggins from the Thunder for nothing was a nice move, too. Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and CJ McCollum feels like a high floor, low ceiling group for this season, but the Hawks continue to move in the right direction.
16. Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers are going to be fascinating with the return of Damian Lillard and the trade for Ja Morant. That seems like a poor fit to me, but at least Portland gave up absolutely nothing to get Morant from Memphis. Donovan Clingan and Scoot Henderson are the two most important players on the roster for the future of the franchise, and both could take a leap this season. The defense should be really good, and Deni Avdija will continue to be a battering ram off the bounce, but I don’t know if this team has enough of a ceiling to build on last year.
Sean Sweeney is the new head coach tasked with getting the most out of a talent Magic roster. Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner just haven’t worked as well as expected together, and this might be their last chance with a massive payroll looming. If Sweeney is good and Jalen Suggs can actually stay healthy, I wouldn’t be too surprised if Orlando ends up much better than this.
Pat Riley finally landed his next superstar in Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the supporting cast needs work. The front court should be elite defensively with Giannis joining Bam Adebayo, but the offensive spacing will be a question mark. The backcourt has almost no shot-creation, but Erik Spoelstra is better than anyone at developing diamonds in the rough. He’s going to need to do it again for this team to win a playoff series.
The Rockets have been strangely quiet this summer, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a big move coming before the season opens. For now, the main thing to get excited about is the return of Fred VanVleet. Houston’s young core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Jabari Smith Jr. remains enticing, and it feels like all of them can still go up another level this season.
The Sixers are loaded with top-end talent after the stunning Jaylen Brown trade, but it’s hard to say how it will all fit together. Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe is a great foundation even before you get to Joel Embiid, whose uncertain health hangs over every Sixers season. I’m concerned about the depth and the defense of this team, especially when Embiid inevitably misses half the season.
Tyrese Haliburton is back from a torn Achilles, and the entire league will be wondering if he can pick up where he left off from Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. The team around him is mostly pretty similar save for swapping out Myles Turner for Ivica Zubac, which should be a big upgrade. Indiana might be the most interesting team entering the season.
I expect LeBron James to sign here, but we can’t bake that in yet. The Cavs are pretty good without him coming off a conference finals appearance. Donovan Mitchell is locked in long-term, and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen return in the front court. I just can’t count on a James Harden team (he’ll re-sign soon) to break through at this point.
I love the Raptors’ playoff ceiling after the Kawhi Leonard trade if he can stay healthy through an entire postseason run. That’s a huge if. Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Leonard should be an elite defensive trio. Getting anything from Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl this year would be a big boost.
The Pistons did some tinkering to the rotation, but it still feels like they have a lot of the same problems as last year. Cade Cunningham is awesome, and gives this team a high floor by himself. Jalen Duren should re-sign soon, and he’s better than he showed during the playoffs. Ausar Thompson might be the best wing defender in the league, and Ron Holland could make an impact there too if either of them could improve their outside shooting a little bit. Swapping out Tobias Harris for John Collins is … fine. Detroit could make the NBA Finals, but they have real pressure to at least make the conference finals this year.
The Nuggets haven’t done anything this summer as they wait out Peyton Watson’s restricted free agency. It definitely feels like they could make cost-cutting moves on the margins before the season starts, but we can’t factor those in yet. Denver looked old and slow last year, but they still have Nikola Jokic, who remains a top-3 player in the world. I can’t see the Nuggets falling too far as long as Jokic is around.
The Lakers went for broke to build around Luka Doncic this summer, and it better work. LA paid a ridiculous price for Walker Kessler, but he is exactly the type of defensive-minded center a team led by Doncic and Austin Reaves needs in the middle. My big hangup here is the lack of wing talent. I love Adou Thiero as much as the next draft guy, but it doesn’t feel great that the Lakers are legitimately counting on him to take a leap this year.
The Celtics are still going to be really good after trading Jaylen Brown. Boston is essentially replacing Brown with a full year of Jayson Tatum while adding Mitchell Robinson and Paul George. I’m buying a Payton Pritchard leap this year. The Celtics are going to launch threes, crash the offensive glass, and try to avoid turnovers, which is usually a great formula for the regular season.
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
The LaMelo Ball trade will define this franchise for the next few years at least. I think Ball is a highly impactful star guard, but his constant injury issues have a chance to derail this entire experience. If Ball can stay healthy, his elite handle, pull-up shooting, and passing vision feels like a perfect fit next to Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels. This team really needs Gobert to fight off father time. I’d like this group more if they had a bigger player in Ayo Dosunmu’s spot.
The Knicks only won 53 games in the regular season before finding magic in the playoffs on their way to one of the most dominant championship runs in recent league history. The bulk of this team is back minus Mitchell Robinson, who was a sneaky important piece off the bench. The key for the Knicks is going to be avoiding any decline by Jalen Brunson, and keeping Karl-Anthony Towns locked in to the best version of himself. If that happens, another trip to the NBA Finals could very well happen.
How will Victor Wembanyama respond to his crushing NBA Finals loss? Wemby would be wise to pace himself during the regular season, but it doesn’t seem like it’s in his nature to do it. The De’Aaron Fox question hangs over this franchise, because there’s no doubt Dylan Harper is ready to take over as their lead guard. Harper and Wembanyama will be showtime, and the supporting cast around them is improved. I like adding Tobias Harris at power forward in free agency, and I think Stephon Castle could benefit from transitioning from guard to wing. San Antonio will be very, very good around Wembanyama for the foreseeable future.
The Thunder may have gone back-to-back if not for untimely injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell. Williams essentially lost the entire season with soft tissue strains, and the Thunder desperately need him back playing at his top level given how big his cap hit is now. Oklahoma City did a nice job keeping their core in place even as they trimmed some salary by trading away Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Will Lu Dort be on this roster opening night? Can Chet Holmgren shake off his horrific Western Conference Finals and regain his status as one of the league’s best bigs? The Thunder have an oustanding formula with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s shot creation and an elite defense. They remain the team to beat until further notice.

#NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #wild #start #offseason">NBA Power Rankings for all 30 teams after a wild start to 2026 offseason

23. Golden State Warriors

16. Portland Trail Blazers

4. Minnesota Timberwolves

#NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #wild #start #offseason

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