A trio of bold NBA groups have leveraged a variety of their future belongings to go “all-in” on successful now, write Tim Bontemps and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.
Bontemps and Pelton observe that the Nuggets, Bucks and Timberwolves wish to take advantage of what they see as their present title home windows.
Denver has ditched most of its draft fairness to restructure its depth round three-time MVP heart Nikola Jokic. Its 2025/26 roster does, on paper, characterize an enchancment over former president Calvin Sales space‘s 2024/25 classic.
Milwaukee, too, has taken some daring swings to please two-time MVP ahead Giannis Antetokounmpo, however questions abound about simply how a lot this workforce can win and not using a second All-Star on the workforce — in addition to $22.5MM in useless cash being paid out to ex-Bucks guard Damian Lillard for the subsequent 5 years.
Minnesota has ditched a variety of draft belongings to construct its roster round 23-year-old All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards.
There’s extra from across the basketball world:
- With buzz constructing about what could possibly be a loaded 2026 draft class led by AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report takes inventory of the subsequent summer time’s cohort. U19 World Cup gold medalist ahead Tyran Stokes leads the best way amongst 2027 prospects, adopted intently by Eurocamp MVP guard Caleb Holt.
- NBA rookie scale contract extensions, very like restricted free agent contracts, have develop into tougher to navigate of late. John Hollinger of The Athletic opines {that a} lack of incentives has thrown a wrench in gamers and groups reaching a consensus on offers.
- Free agent former Bucks ahead Thanasis Antetokounmpo made his first in-game look since Could 2024 throughout an exhibition match for Group Greece forward of this 12 months’s EuroBasket competitors, in accordance with Eurohoops. The 6’7″ ahead tore his Achilles tendon final spring. Throughout 12:34, Antetokounmpo scored six factors whereas serving to the Greek workforce fend off Belgium, 74-60, in Athens. Little brother Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out, however is touring with the workforce and can play when the video games begin to depend.
