Deadspin | GM pledges that star Cale Makar will finish his career with Avalanche May 11, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) looks on during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images The Colorado Avalanche want to sign star defenseman Cale Makar to a contract extension so he completes his career with the team, president of hockey operations and general manager Joe Sakic said on Thursday. Makar, 27, is eligible to sign an extension on July 1 to his six-year, $54 million contract that runs through the 2026-27 season. He has played his entire career with the Avalanche, who selected him fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. “Cale is going to finish his career here,” Sakic said. “We’re already talking to his agent, so we’re confident that something’s going to get worked out at some point. I mean, he’s got another year, but this summer we expect to have him signed.” A two-time winner of the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, Makar totaled 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists) and a plus-32 rating in 75 games this season. He was a finalist for the sixth consecutive year and fell just short on Tuesday to first-time winner Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Makar added five points (four goals, one assist) and a plus-5 rating in 11 playoff games while dealing with an upper-body injury. He has 507 career points (136 goals, 371 assists), a plus-168 rating, 134 penalty minutes, 664 blocks and 377 hits in 470 regular-season games. He has 26 goals and 90 points with a plus-28 rating, 24 penalty minutes, 147 blocks and 100 hits in 90 playoff games. Makar was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs in the 2021-22 season. A three-time All-Star, Makar was Calder Memorial Trophy winner as NHL Rookie of the Year in 2019-20 and top defenseman in 2021-22 and 2024-25. The Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy this season with the league’s best record (55-16-11, 121 points), then eliminated the Los Angeles Kings in four games and the Minnesota Wild in five before getting swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference finals. Sakic, who previously had served as Avalanche general manager before becoming president of hockey operations, took over as GM earlier this month when Chris MacFarland became president and GM of the Nashville Predators. Sakic on Thursday said the coaching staff is staying intact, including head coach Jared Bednar, who is going into the final season of his contract. Bednar, 54, has coached the team for 10 regular seasons (445-262-75) and nine playoff runs (60-41), including capturing the Stanley Cup in 2022. “He’s got the confidence from the players,” Sakic said. “It’s clear from everybody, from players, the staff, that he’s the right guy. They respect him, they love playing for him, and that’s a big thing. And when we look at it for this group, he’s the best coach. He’s the best coach for the group, and we’re confident in that decision. “He’s not just the coach, I mean, he’s the voice of the of the organization, and, like I said, the players really believe in him, and I’m going with the players.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #pledges #star #Cale #Makar #finish #career #Avalanche

Deadspin | GM pledges that star Cale Makar will finish his career with Avalanche
May 11, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) looks on during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Colorado Avalanche want to sign star defenseman Cale Makar to a contract extension so he completes his career with the team, president of hockey operations and general manager Joe Sakic said on Thursday.

Makar, 27, is eligible to sign an extension on July 1 to his six-year, $54 million contract that runs through the 2026-27 season. He has played his entire career with the Avalanche, who selected him fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft.

“Cale is going to finish his career here,” Sakic said. “We’re already talking to his agent, so we’re confident that something’s going to get worked out at some point. I mean, he’s got another year, but this summer we expect to have him signed.”

A two-time winner of the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, Makar totaled 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists) and a plus-32 rating in 75 games this season. He was a finalist for the sixth consecutive year and fell just short on Tuesday to first-time winner Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Makar added five points (four goals, one assist) and a plus-5 rating in 11 playoff games while dealing with an upper-body injury.

He has 507 career points (136 goals, 371 assists), a plus-168 rating, 134 penalty minutes, 664 blocks and 377 hits in 470 regular-season games. He has 26 goals and 90 points with a plus-28 rating, 24 penalty minutes, 147 blocks and 100 hits in 90 playoff games.

Makar was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs in the 2021-22 season.

A three-time All-Star, Makar was Calder Memorial Trophy winner as NHL Rookie of the Year in 2019-20 and top defenseman in 2021-22 and 2024-25.

The Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy this season with the league’s best record (55-16-11, 121 points), then eliminated the Los Angeles Kings in four games and the Minnesota Wild in five before getting swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference finals.

Sakic, who previously had served as Avalanche general manager before becoming president of hockey operations, took over as GM earlier this month when Chris MacFarland became president and GM of the Nashville Predators.

Sakic on Thursday said the coaching staff is staying intact, including head coach Jared Bednar, who is going into the final season of his contract. Bednar, 54, has coached the team for 10 regular seasons (445-262-75) and nine playoff runs (60-41), including capturing the Stanley Cup in 2022.

“He’s got the confidence from the players,” Sakic said. “It’s clear from everybody, from players, the staff, that he’s the right guy. They respect him, they love playing for him, and that’s a big thing. And when we look at it for this group, he’s the best coach. He’s the best coach for the group, and we’re confident in that decision.

“He’s not just the coach, I mean, he’s the voice of the of the organization, and, like I said, the players really believe in him, and I’m going with the players.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #pledges #star #Cale #Makar #finish #career #Avalanche

Sports news June 12, 2026

May 11, 2026; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) looks on during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild at Grand Casino Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Colorado Avalanche want to sign star defenseman Cale Makar to a contract extension so he completes his career with the team, president of hockey operations and general manager Joe Sakic said on Thursday.

Makar, 27, is eligible to sign an extension on July 1 to his six-year, $54 million contract that runs through the 2026-27 season. He has played his entire career with the Avalanche, who selected him fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft.

“Cale is going to finish his career here,” Sakic said. “We’re already talking to his agent, so we’re confident that something’s going to get worked out at some point. I mean, he’s got another year, but this summer we expect to have him signed.”

A two-time winner of the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, Makar totaled 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists) and a plus-32 rating in 75 games this season. He was a finalist for the sixth consecutive year and fell just short on Tuesday to first-time winner Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Makar added five points (four goals, one assist) and a plus-5 rating in 11 playoff games while dealing with an upper-body injury.

He has 507 career points (136 goals, 371 assists), a plus-168 rating, 134 penalty minutes, 664 blocks and 377 hits in 470 regular-season games. He has 26 goals and 90 points with a plus-28 rating, 24 penalty minutes, 147 blocks and 100 hits in 90 playoff games.

Makar was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup playoffs in the 2021-22 season.

A three-time All-Star, Makar was Calder Memorial Trophy winner as NHL Rookie of the Year in 2019-20 and top defenseman in 2021-22 and 2024-25.

The Avalanche won the Presidents’ Trophy this season with the league’s best record (55-16-11, 121 points), then eliminated the Los Angeles Kings in four games and the Minnesota Wild in five before getting swept by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference finals.

Sakic, who previously had served as Avalanche general manager before becoming president of hockey operations, took over as GM earlier this month when Chris MacFarland became president and GM of the Nashville Predators.

Sakic on Thursday said the coaching staff is staying intact, including head coach Jared Bednar, who is going into the final season of his contract. Bednar, 54, has coached the team for 10 regular seasons (445-262-75) and nine playoff runs (60-41), including capturing the Stanley Cup in 2022.

“He’s got the confidence from the players,” Sakic said. “It’s clear from everybody, from players, the staff, that he’s the right guy. They respect him, they love playing for him, and that’s a big thing. And when we look at it for this group, he’s the best coach. He’s the best coach for the group, and we’re confident in that decision.

“He’s not just the coach, I mean, he’s the voice of the of the organization, and, like I said, the players really believe in him, and I’m going with the players.”

–Field Level Media

Source link
#Deadspin #pledges #star #Cale #Makar #finish #career #Avalanche

Theker just raised $85M to build the factory robot that doesn’t specialize in anything | TechCrunch<div> Humanoids aren’t quite ready to replace factory workers, but the industry can’t wait. Faced with labor shortages, manufacturers have shown growing interest in startups that promise faster automation without the usual tradeoffs. That’s the bet behind <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.theker.ai">Theker</a>, an AI robotics startup that aims to go beyond robots trained for a single task. “If you always have to put the same cookie in the same box, that works perfectly, but most processes aren’t like that,” co-founder Carla Gómez Cano told TechCrunch. Theker is designed for that messier reality. Unlike humanoid robots designed around a fixed form — think <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2024/04/17/boston-dynamics-atlas-humanoid-robot-goes-electric/">Boston Dynamics</a> — Theker’s machines are built to be reconfigured. Their hands, arms, and overall form can be swapped out or resized depending on the task, whether that’s sorting packages, packing clothing, or handling bottles and cans in a warehouse. That Inditex, Zara’s parent company, signed on as an early backer is a signal of where Theker’s ambitions start, not where they end. The company’s broader goal is to move beyond retail into heavier industrial settings like manufacturing, where the complexity and scale of manual tasks is even greater. This generalist ambition has helped cement Theker’s status as one of <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/02/beyond-lovable-and-mistral-21-european-startups-to-watch/">Europe’s hot startups to watch</a> — and raise capital accordingly. The Barcelona-based startup has just raised $85 million in what it’s calling “Europe’s largest ever robotics Series A.” (We haven’t found a larger one in our records, either.) Less than a year after <a rel="nofollow" href="https://novobrief.com/barcelonas-theker-raised-spains-largest-ever-seed-round-to-build-adaptive-ai-powered-robots/11528/">a record seed round</a>, this Series A was led by American VC firm CRV and backed by a mix of traditional and strategic investors, including Samsung and Aglaé Ventures, the investment vehicle tied to LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault. Gómez Cano said Samsung is not a client yet but that the two are in advanced discussions. Theker would welcome having the Korean company as a customer, supplier, and investor simultaneously — a trifecta that would give the startup both revenue and credibility in manufacturing at scale. She also noted that she and co-founder Jiaqiang Ye Zhu “didn’t build Theker to run pilots,” so the team skips innovation departments entirely and goes straight to logistics or operations, where deals are real and timelines are shorter. To demonstrate that the company can actually deliver on that, Theker has a showroom in central Barcelona, and plans to open others as it expands across Europe, the U.S. and Asia. It will also grow its headcount across tech, deployment, and sales. “We already received 15,000 job applications and have to filter like crazy,” Gómez Cano said. She estimated that the team could grow from dozens to up to 120 people by the end of the year, then caught herself: “I am saying that, but I also said that we’d raise $30 or $40 million!” That Theker managed to raise twice its target also reinforces the startup’s conviction in keeping its HQ in Barcelona, a growing <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.accio.gencat.cat/web/.content/bancconeixement/documents/pindoles/ACCIO-la-robotica-a-catalunya-en.pdf">robotics hub</a>, and in Europe’s tech ecosystem more broadly. “It has never been a barrier to acceleration for us, so we are making the most of it,” Gómez Cano said. </div>When you purchase through links in our articles, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/techcrunch-affiliate-monetization-standards/">we may earn a small commission</a>. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.#Theker #raised #85M #build #factory #robot #doesnt #specialize #TechCrunchAutomation,theker

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CWG Glasgow 2026 LIVE Updates, Day 4: Rishikanta Singh in action at weightlifting; India loses to Namibia in Bowls
A look at the Indians in action today…
Before the action gets underway, let me quickly take you through the packed schedule today:
BOWLS AND PARA BOWLS
1:00 PM – Women’s pairs, Section B sectional play: India (Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh) vs Namibia (Diana Viljoen and Amanda Steenkamp)
7:15 PM – Men’s singles, Section D sectional play: Putul Sonowal vs Shaun Parnis (Malta)
10:05 PM – Women’s pairs, Section B sectional play: England (Amy Pharaoh and Sian Honnor) vs India (Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh)
WEIGHTLIFTING
2:15 PM – Men’s 60kg final (medal event): Rishikanta Singh
6:45 PM – Women’s 48kg final (medal event): Mirabai Chanu
11:15 PM – Men’s 65kg final (medal event): Raja Muthupandi
ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS
4:30 PM – Men’s All-Around Final (medal event): Yogeshwar Singh, Tapan Mohanty
BOXING
10:45 PM – Women’s 54kg, Round of 16: Preeti Pawar vs Deborah Mtenje (Malawi)
11:45 PM – Men’s 55kg, Round of 16: Jadumani Singh vs Sumama Rehman (Pakistan)
12:45 AM – Men’s 65kg, Round of 16: Aditya Pratap Yadav vs Nuhu Batte (Uganda)
SWIMMING AND PARA SWIMMING
4:39 PM – Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay heats: India (Srihari Nataraj, Aryan Nehra, Aneesh S. Gowda and Dhakshan Shashikumar)
1:56 AM – Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay final (medal event): India – subject to qualification
#CWG #Glasgow #LIVE #Updates #Day #Rishikanta #Singh #action #weightlifting #India #loses #Namibia #Bowls

#Deadspin #Alejandro #Alvarado #goal #helps #San #Diego #edge #Dallas">

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Jul 25, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego FC midfield Alejandro Alvarado (70) scores a goal during the second half against the FC Dallas at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

Alejandro Alvarado scored his first MLS goal in the 50th minute and San Diego FC made it hold up for a 1-0 victory over visiting FC Dallas on Saturday night.

CJ dos Santos was called on to make just one save while recording his first shutout of the season for San Diego FC (5-7-5, 20 points).

Jonathan Sirois made four saves for Dallas (7-5-5, 26 points) after replacing injured starter Daniel, who had three stops.

San Diego FC held possession nearly 70% of the match to improve to 3-0-1 against FC Dallas in their two-season history.

Alvarado had the ball from beyond the box early in the second half and unleashed a long right-footed shot into the right corner of the net to break a scoreless tie.

Two minutes later, FC Dallas put its only shot on target but Petar Musa’s close-range header was saved by dos Santos.

Omni Valakari had a solid chance for San Diego in the 59th minute, but his left-footed shot caromed off the right goalpost.

Anderson Julio of Dallas broke in toward the net in hopes of receiving the ball in the 72th minute and dos Santos came out to break up the play. That left Santiago Moreno with an open net to shoot at, but he chipped his right-footed attempt over the net.

San Diego almost gifted FC Dallas the tying goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time.

Manu Duah made an errant pass back into the midfield and gave Dallas’ Logan Farrington a chance to dash in toward dos Santos. But Duah sprinted back toward the San Diego net and he was able to get his foot in and block Farrington’s right-footed shot to thwart the opportunity.

One minute later, the match was called.

San Diego outshot Dallas 19-7 and held an 8-1 edge in shots on target.

Dallas lost Daniel after he made a point-black save in the 16th minute on Valakari.

Daniel’s right leg bent awkwardly as he stretched to stymie Valakari and he remained down in pain. Trainers eventually helped him walk off the field and Sirois entered as the new goalie in the 19th minute.

San Diego outshot Dallas 13-2 in the first half but couldn’t find the back of the net.

Marcus Ingvartsen had a big opportunity in the 32nd minute, but his close-range right-footed shot was stopped by Sirois.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Alejandro #Alvarado #goal #helps #San #Diego #edge #Dallas">Deadspin | Alejandro Alvarado goal helps San Diego edge Dallas

Jul 25, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego FC midfield Alejandro Alvarado (70) scores a goal during the second half against the FC Dallas at Snapdragon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Abe Arredondo-Imagn Images

Alejandro Alvarado scored his first MLS goal in the 50th minute and San Diego FC made it hold up for a 1-0 victory over visiting FC Dallas on Saturday night.

CJ dos Santos was called on to make just one save while recording his first shutout of the season for San Diego FC (5-7-5, 20 points).

Jonathan Sirois made four saves for Dallas (7-5-5, 26 points) after replacing injured starter Daniel, who had three stops.

San Diego FC held possession nearly 70% of the match to improve to 3-0-1 against FC Dallas in their two-season history.

Alvarado had the ball from beyond the box early in the second half and unleashed a long right-footed shot into the right corner of the net to break a scoreless tie.

Two minutes later, FC Dallas put its only shot on target but Petar Musa’s close-range header was saved by dos Santos.

Omni Valakari had a solid chance for San Diego in the 59th minute, but his left-footed shot caromed off the right goalpost.

Anderson Julio of Dallas broke in toward the net in hopes of receiving the ball in the 72th minute and dos Santos came out to break up the play. That left Santiago Moreno with an open net to shoot at, but he chipped his right-footed attempt over the net.

San Diego almost gifted FC Dallas the tying goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time.

Manu Duah made an errant pass back into the midfield and gave Dallas’ Logan Farrington a chance to dash in toward dos Santos. But Duah sprinted back toward the San Diego net and he was able to get his foot in and block Farrington’s right-footed shot to thwart the opportunity.

One minute later, the match was called.

San Diego outshot Dallas 19-7 and held an 8-1 edge in shots on target.

Dallas lost Daniel after he made a point-black save in the 16th minute on Valakari.

Daniel’s right leg bent awkwardly as he stretched to stymie Valakari and he remained down in pain. Trainers eventually helped him walk off the field and Sirois entered as the new goalie in the 19th minute.

San Diego outshot Dallas 13-2 in the first half but couldn’t find the back of the net.

Marcus Ingvartsen had a big opportunity in the 32nd minute, but his close-range right-footed shot was stopped by Sirois.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Alejandro #Alvarado #goal #helps #San #Diego #edge #Dallas

LeBron James wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t care about money when assessing his options in NBA free agency. Any team in the league could have landed James for essentially the veteran’s minimum if they could make the case that they gave him the best chance to win a fifth championship.

In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron sweepstakes. James is joining a lineup that already includes Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. The bench is pretty strong too with Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, and Ariel Hukporti. I predicted the Sixers were the favorites to sign James last weekend, but it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.

The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have to be heartbroken over James’ decision. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves must be kicking themselves that they couldn’t make a couple more moves to woo LeBron. Do the Boston Celtics suddenly regret the shocking Jaylen Brown to Philly trade that set LeBron’s decision into motion?

I released by way-too-early NBA power rankings two weeks ago, and now they’re already irrelevant after LeBron’s decision. With the Oklahoma City Thunder also trading Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, it feels appropriate to refresh the rankings. Here’s our latest power rankings for the 2026-2027 NBA season. One note: this is based on championship chances, not regular season performance. We’ll have more notes on the changes after the table.

Rank	Team	Change
1	Oklahoma City Thunder	—
2	San Antonio Spurs	—
3	New York Knicks	—
4	Minnesota Timberwolves	—
5	Philadelphia 76ers	Up 7
6	Boston Celtics	Down 1
7	Los Angeles Lakers	Down 1
8	Denver Nuggets	Down 1
9	Detroit Pistons	Down 1
10	Toronto Raptors	Down 1
11	Houston Rockets	Up 2
12	Cleveland Cavaliers	Down 2
13	Indiana Pacers	Down 2
14	Atlanta Hawks	Up 3
15	Miami Heat	Down 1
16	Orlando Magic	Down 1
17	Portland Trail Blazers	Down 1
18	Utah Jazz	—
19	Phoenix Suns	—
20	Dallas Mavericks	—
21	Charlotte Hornets	—
22	Memphis Grizzlies	—
23	Golden State Warriors	—
24	New Orleans Pelicans	—
25	Brooklyn Nets	—
26	Los Angeles Clippers	—
27	Washington Wizards	—
28	Chicago Bulls	—
29	Milwaukee Bucks	—
30	Sacramento Kings	—

Let’s dive into some changes from the last edition of power rankings.

The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade

The Thunder traded Lu Dort to save on their tax bill, and even Sam Presti admitted as much. I thought Dort was borderline unplayable late in the playoffs last year with a shaky handle, poor passing vision, and an inconsistent three-point stroke, but his defense was still impactful to opponents who feared his physicality. Losing Dort means more minutes for Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain, which should be a very good thing for OKC. It also means some of the young guns need to step up behind them, and the pressure is now on Nikola Topic and Bennett Stirtz, as well as Aday Mara and Thomas Sorber, to turn into decent rotation pieces.

I thought about moving OKC off the No. 1 spot with this update. The Spurs whooped them all season, right? The Knicks deserve the benefit of the doubt after a championship run, don’t they? The thing that keeps bringing me back to OKC is that we didn’t really get to see this team fully healthy all year, not with Jalen Williams and Mitchell both suffering untimely injuries. I hate the way Chet Holmgren looks in the Spurs matchup against Victor Wembanyama, but to me he’s still a top-15 player against anyone else. At the end of the day, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still the best guard in the game, and I’ll take my chances with him fully in his prime.

There is part of me that thinks losing Dort could be addition by subtraction for the Thunder. Their season will be determined by Williams’ health, Holmgren’s mindset, and Mitchell’s ability to level up again. I still think this is the strongest roster in the NBA, so they’re No. 1 entering the season to me.

The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?

I don’t love the fit with LeBron on the Sixers. Sorry. There are a lot of guys here at their best with the ball in their hands, with Philly’s five projected starters totaling 140% in usage rate. The defense is even more worrisome. Scaling down can be as hard as scaling up, and I just don’t think Jaylen Brown or Joel Embiid as it in their game to do it. Those two will need to prove me wrong for Philly to walk away from this season with a championship.

Can Brown adjust to a more off-ball role where he maximizes his three-point rate and locks in off-the-ball defensively? He only hit 33.1% on 2.5 catch-and-shoot attempts from three per game last year, and he’s always been inattentive defensively when he’s not guarding the ball. Can Embiid forgo his need for post touches and instead use most of his energy to get back to being a monster rim protector? I’m skeptical he’s interested in doing that. The Celtics shopped Brown to the entire NBA and no one wanted him enough to beat Philly’s offer. LeBron is seeing something that the nerds in rival front offices aren’t seeing, and that makes this move feel like a big bet on “Jaylen Brown, the superstar” as much as anything else.

The media is going to expect this team to be really good, but there’s quite a bit of downside here. James is going to need to have a big time shooting season after hitting just 31.7% from deep last year. He’s going to need to push himself as a leader to get Brown and Embiid to buy into their best roles. I still trust LeBron’s ability to problem-solve in the biggest moments, and this team will need it. I like Philly a lot better as a playoff team than a regular season team, but only if they’re healthy. That’s a big if with this collection.

Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision

Don’t look now, but the Heat and Cavs might be fighting to just get out of the play-in tournament after LeBron decided against a reunion with both franchises.

The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their depth is poor and they don’t really have any future assets left to continue building out the team. Miami is always so good at developing players on the margins, and this will be the biggest test yet of their ability to do it again. The Cavs are coming off a decidedly unconvincing run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they’ve only gotten worse this summer. Dean Wade is gone, and the only addition to the roster is second-round pick Meleek Thomas. I don’t care how great Thomas looked in summer league, this roster is in big trouble, and James choosing to go elsewhere is a huge indictment.

I’m liking the Hawks roster as much or more than the Heat and Cavs’. With New York, Philly, Boston, and Toronto (assuming they land Kawhi) all looking like better regular season teams, the pressure is on the front offices for Miami and Cleveland to pull a rabbit out of their hat at some point to up their ceiling and give their teams a real chance come playoff time.

#NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #updated #LeBron #James #signs #76ers">

mwasimuddin125 0

LeBron James wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t care about money when assessing his options in NBA free agency. Any team in the league could have landed James for essentially the veteran’s minimum if they could make the case that they gave him the best chance to win a fifth championship.
In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers won the LeBron sweepstakes. James is joining a lineup that already includes Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid. The bench is pretty strong too with Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, Labaron Philon, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona, Justin Edwards, and Ariel Hukporti. I predicted the Sixers were the favorites to sign James last weekend, but it’s still hard to believe it actually happened.
The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers have to be heartbroken over James’ decision. The Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves must be kicking themselves that they couldn’t make a couple more moves to woo LeBron. Do the Boston Celtics suddenly regret the shocking Jaylen Brown to Philly trade that set LeBron’s decision into motion?
I released by way-too-early NBA power rankings two weeks ago, and now they’re already irrelevant after LeBron’s decision. With the Oklahoma City Thunder also trading Lu Dort to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal, it feels appropriate to refresh the rankings. Here’s our latest power rankings for the 2026-2027 NBA season. One note: this is based on championship chances, not regular season performance. We’ll have more notes on the changes after the table.
Rank
Team
Change
1 Oklahoma City Thunder —
2 San Antonio Spurs —
3 New York Knicks —
4 Minnesota Timberwolves —
5 Philadelphia 76ers Up 7
6 Boston Celtics Down 1
7 Los Angeles Lakers Down 1
8 Denver Nuggets Down 1
9 Detroit Pistons Down 1
10 Toronto Raptors Down 1
11 Houston Rockets Up 2
12 Cleveland Cavaliers Down 2
13 Indiana Pacers Down 2
14 Atlanta Hawks Up 3
15 Miami Heat Down 1
16 Orlando Magic Down 1
17 Portland Trail Blazers Down 1
18 Utah Jazz —
19 Phoenix Suns —
20 Dallas Mavericks —
21 Charlotte Hornets —
22 Memphis Grizzlies —
23 Golden State Warriors —
24 New Orleans Pelicans —
25 Brooklyn Nets —
26 Los Angeles Clippers —
27 Washington Wizards —
28 Chicago Bulls —
29 Milwaukee Bucks —
30 Sacramento Kings —
Let’s dive into some changes from the last edition of power rankings.
The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade
The Thunder traded Lu Dort to save on their tax bill, and even Sam Presti admitted as much. I thought Dort was borderline unplayable late in the playoffs last year with a shaky handle, poor passing vision, and an inconsistent three-point stroke, but his defense was still impactful to opponents who feared his physicality. Losing Dort means more minutes for Ajay Mitchell, Cason Wallace, and Jared McCain, which should be a very good thing for OKC. It also means some of the young guns need to step up behind them, and the pressure is now on Nikola Topic and Bennett Stirtz, as well as Aday Mara and Thomas Sorber, to turn into decent rotation pieces.
I thought about moving OKC off the No. 1 spot with this update. The Spurs whooped them all season, right? The Knicks deserve the benefit of the doubt after a championship run, don’t they? The thing that keeps bringing me back to OKC is that we didn’t really get to see this team fully healthy all year, not with Jalen Williams and Mitchell both suffering untimely injuries. I hate the way Chet Holmgren looks in the Spurs matchup against Victor Wembanyama, but to me he’s still a top-15 player against anyone else. At the end of the day, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still the best guard in the game, and I’ll take my chances with him fully in his prime.
There is part of me that thinks losing Dort could be addition by subtraction for the Thunder. Their season will be determined by Williams’ health, Holmgren’s mindset, and Mitchell’s ability to level up again. I still think this is the strongest roster in the NBA, so they’re No. 1 entering the season to me.
The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?
I don’t love the fit with LeBron on the Sixers. Sorry. There are a lot of guys here at their best with the ball in their hands, with Philly’s five projected starters totaling 140% in usage rate. The defense is even more worrisome. Scaling down can be as hard as scaling up, and I just don’t think Jaylen Brown or Joel Embiid as it in their game to do it. Those two will need to prove me wrong for Philly to walk away from this season with a championship.
Can Brown adjust to a more off-ball role where he maximizes his three-point rate and locks in off-the-ball defensively? He only hit 33.1% on 2.5 catch-and-shoot attempts from three per game last year, and he’s always been inattentive defensively when he’s not guarding the ball. Can Embiid forgo his need for post touches and instead use most of his energy to get back to being a monster rim protector? I’m skeptical he’s interested in doing that. The Celtics shopped Brown to the entire NBA and no one wanted him enough to beat Philly’s offer. LeBron is seeing something that the nerds in rival front offices aren’t seeing, and that makes this move feel like a big bet on “Jaylen Brown, the superstar” as much as anything else.
The media is going to expect this team to be really good, but there’s quite a bit of downside here. James is going to need to have a big time shooting season after hitting just 31.7% from deep last year. He’s going to need to push himself as a leader to get Brown and Embiid to buy into their best roles. I still trust LeBron’s ability to problem-solve in the biggest moments, and this team will need it. I like Philly a lot better as a playoff team than a regular season team, but only if they’re healthy. That’s a big if with this collection.
Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision
Don’t look now, but the Heat and Cavs might be fighting to just get out of the play-in tournament after LeBron decided against a reunion with both franchises.
The Heat landed Giannis Antetokounmpo, but their depth is poor and they don’t really have any future assets left to continue building out the team. Miami is always so good at developing players on the margins, and this will be the biggest test yet of their ability to do it again. The Cavs are coming off a decidedly unconvincing run to the Eastern Conference Finals, and they’ve only gotten worse this summer. Dean Wade is gone, and the only addition to the roster is second-round pick Meleek Thomas. I don’t care how great Thomas looked in summer league, this roster is in big trouble, and James choosing to go elsewhere is a huge indictment.
I’m liking the Hawks roster as much or more than the Heat and Cavs’. With New York, Philly, Boston, and Toronto (assuming they land Kawhi) all looking like better regular season teams, the pressure is on the front offices for Miami and Cleveland to pull a rabbit out of their hat at some point to up their ceiling and give their teams a real chance come playoff time.

#NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #updated #LeBron #James #signs #76ers">NBA Power Rankings for all 30 teams updated after LeBron James signs with 76ers

Rank	Team	Change
1	Oklahoma City Thunder	—
2	San Antonio Spurs	—
3	New York Knicks	—
4	Minnesota Timberwolves	—
5	Philadelphia 76ers	Up 7
6	Boston Celtics	Down 1
7	Los Angeles Lakers	Down 1
8	Denver Nuggets	Down 1
9	Detroit Pistons	Down 1
10	Toronto Raptors	Down 1
11	Houston Rockets	Up 2
12	Cleveland Cavaliers	Down 2
13	Indiana Pacers	Down 2
14	Atlanta Hawks	Up 3
15	Miami Heat	Down 1
16	Orlando Magic	Down 1
17	Portland Trail Blazers	Down 1
18	Utah Jazz	—
19	Phoenix Suns	—
20	Dallas Mavericks	—
21	Charlotte Hornets	—
22	Memphis Grizzlies	—
23	Golden State Warriors	—
24	New Orleans Pelicans	—
25	Brooklyn Nets	—
26	Los Angeles Clippers	—
27	Washington Wizards	—
28	Chicago Bulls	—
29	Milwaukee Bucks	—
30	Sacramento Kings	—

Let’s dive into some changes from the last edition of power rankings.

The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade

The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?

Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision

Don’t look now, but the Heat and Cavs might be fighting to just get out of the play-in tournament after LeBron decided against a reunion with both franchises.

#NBA #Power #Rankings #teams #updated #LeBron #James #signs #76ers

Related Posts

Rank

Team

Change

The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade

The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?

Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision

Rank

Team

Change

The Thunder have a weak grip on No. 1 after the Lu Dort trade

The Sixers’ postseason ceiling is real, but can they get there?

Miami and Cleveland are the big losers of LeBron’s decision

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