Welcome back to Basketball Home.

You're essential weekly guide to understanding the biggest stories shaping the league.

Today, we're covering everything from the incredible drama unfolding on the NBA hardwood all the way down to the foundational talent brewing in the college game.

Yeah, we have an incredibly dense slate today.

We really do.

We're talking high stakes off the court drama in Dallas, the intensifying race for the NBA Cup, and then we'll take a detailed look at the future of the league.

The twenty twenty six mock draft class is already starting to generate some serious buzz.

It really is.

And you can't ignore what's happening in Detroit.

Oh, absolutely not.

The Pistons are on fire, a thirteen game winning streak that ties a franchise record.

Just unbelievable momentum, and that sets up a truly fascinating weekend of Cup play, which will break down group by group.

We're going to give you that shortcut to being fully informed on the entire basketball ecosystem.

But first, let's start with maybe the most anticipated individual return of the season.

It has to be.

It's tied to power, to legacy, and crucially a trade that really did change two franchises forever.

Anthony Davis facing the Lakers.

So Anthony Davis has been sidelined for fourteen games.

He's been recovering from what the team called it, you know, a standard cat strain, right, and coach Jason Kidd confirmed he looked strong after a full practice this past Wednesday.

But the decision on his return date, it's been anything but simple.

Simple as the last word I would use.

I mean.

The fact is Davis himself basically gave the front office an ultimatum.

He really did.

When reporters asked him, you know, do you want to return Friday against the Lakers or Saturday against the Clippers.

He was so plain about it, zero ambiguity.

He just said, you know what game I want to play exactly.

That's unmistakable intent, and it puts immense pressure on a franchise that's already been walking on eggshells around his health and that intent.

It just brought all this internal conflict right to the surface in Dallas.

It really did.

What's fascinating here is how the injury saga has just exposed the front office internal struggles.

And this is all happening while the Lakers have surged with Luca in Davis's absence.

Which really proves that trade was far more beneficial for LA than a lot of people initially projected.

Question.

But the real drama is the power struggle that happened just before this return.

According to reports, Davis had an earlier push to get back on the court, but team governor Patrick Dumont directly blocked it.

He stepped in, and that move defied both Davis's wishes and those of the former GM Nico Harrison, who apparently believed Davis was medically ready to go.

So we should probably dive into the medical side of this because that's what fueled Dumont's anxiety.

Yeah, a calf strain, especially for a player with Davis's history of lower body issues, It's not just a standard muscle pull.

It's intimately connected to the Achilles tendon, and medical professionals always warned that if you rush a calf strain back before it's at full strength, you significantly increase the risk of a catastrophic, season ending Achilles tear, and.

That's exactly what duma was told.

He consulted the director of Health and Performance, who gave him that exact stark warning.

So he's facing the ultimate risk management.

Scenario, right, And Dumont, who has been relatively hands off in basketball operations since taking over, he steps in and he prioritizes the long term health of their most valuable and let's be honest, their most fragile asset.

And the consequence of that intervention was immediate, Yeah, and it was severe.

Nico Harrison was fired three days later.

That's the key part.

This is critical to understanding the hierarchy in Dallas.

Now.

It's the first time Dumont has directly intervened in basketball operations at this level.

Harrison had been lobbying for Davis's return, and his dismissal signals that Dumont is willing to defy both his GM and his star player to protect the franchise's future.

It just reveals how fragile Dallas's future really is with Davis given his health history, and it shows that the franchise is now entirely run from the top down by ownership.

Health is the absolute priority over short term success or even player happiness.

It sets the stage perfectly that Friday game against the Lakers is now a must see moment.

Oh absolutely, and not just for the basketball Davis facing the team that shipped him out for Luka Doncic.

It's a true collision of two franchise universes.

It's a definitive benchmark for both organizations.

The stakes could not be higher.

Speaking of high stakes, we should pivot to the East.

Yeah, injuries are forcing teams with serious championship aspirations to get creative, starting with the Celtics.

They're facing Detroit tonight and they'll be without their starting center Nimius Kwoita.

Yeah, that's a sprained left ankle he suffered Sunday against the Magic.

And Quita's absence is far more than just a missing body in the rotation.

He's been one of the biggest, most pleasant surprises in their nine and eight stars.

The's averaging career highs right nine point three points and seven point nine boards.

But the real deep impact is in those advanced on off numbers.

Staggering.

Okay, so let's break those numbers down for you, because they are The sources say the Celtics allow twenty five five point seven fewer points per one hundred possessions when Queita is on the court.

What does a plus seventeen net rating in seventeen games actually mean for a team.

It means total domination when he's playing.

The net rating that's the difference between a team's offensive and defensive rating.

It's the single best indicator of player impact.

And plus seventeen is it's elite.

It's bordering on MVP level production in terms of making your team dramatically better.

Allowing twenty five point seven fewer points per one hundred possessions means that when Quita is sitting, the Celtics defense just it cracks.

So he's the anchor.

He's the crucial anchor.

He's cleaning up mistakes, controlling the paint, and allowing their perimeter defenders to take bigger risks.

Losing that kind of interior impact against a hot Detroit team is well, it's disastrous.

Absolutely, It forces Boston into a committee approach.

You're talking to Xavier Tillman, Chris Boucher, Luca Garza, and they're even calling up the rookie two way center of Mary Williams.

From Maine, and they're facing Detroit's strong front court led by Jalen Duran, who will absolutely feast if Boston can't match that physicality.

This isn't just a physical test.

It's a philosophical test of Boston's depth right now.

Then you look north to the Raptors.

They are absolutely scorching hot, league best eight game winning streak, thirteen and five record, But they just got a major scare with RJ.

Barrett.

Yeah, that knee sprain.

Thankfully it wasn't a major blow.

He'll be reevaluated in one week.

But the panic was totally understandable.

Oh for sure.

The injury happened without contact, which is the immediate signal for serious ligament damage.

The collective sigh of relief across the league was palpable when the real diagnosis came in.

Dodging that disaster is huge, especially since Barrett's been playing maybe the best basketball of his career.

He's averaging almost twenty points shooting over fifty percent from the field.

That's incredibly efficient for a wing.

So coach Darko Radjakovich is approaching this absence with that classic coach's mindset, right, turn adversity into a chance to test your bench.

Exactly deep in the roster.

He's plugging Jakobe Walter into the starting spot.

This forces guys who might usually only play ten minutes to perform heavy minutes during a winning streak, which can pay huge dividends later in the season.

Let's move to the West.

We've got two situations wrapped in mystery and frustration.

Both show that delicate balance between injury management and team transparency.

Starting with Jonathan Kaminga of the Warriors.

He's missed six straight games with bilateral nee tendonitis.

And the whole situation has been bizarre because of the lack of communication.

It frankly sounds like an internal rift.

It really does.

Initially, coach Steve Kerr, when he was asked about Kminga's status, he told reporters, I have no idea what he is doing.

He even suggested they ask Kaminga directly.

And then Kuminga declined to comment.

That level of public miscommunication, it just signals major trouble in the relationship between the player, the coach, and the training staff.

So what's so intriguing is what's really going on.

Is it frustration over playing time manifesting as a mysterious injury, or is Kerr trying to force Kuminga to be more accountable.

Well, Kerr was initially quoted saying Kamingo was not moving well, and that they needed to figure it out.

If there's no structural damage, which the MRI confirmed, then the problem is either psychological or related to pain tolerance and recovery.

Which is a massive internal problem for a team trying to stay in the title conversation.

Thankfully, there was a more positive update recently.

It suggests the internal strife might be resolving.

Kerminga completed three on three work.

He participated in practice and is scheduled for a five on five scrimmage, and.

That scrimmage is typically the final hurdle before a player is cleared to return to game action.

It suggests his return is imminent and the team's ready to move past all the public drama.

Okay, let's move to Memphis Ricky Center.

Is zach EDI's early production just hit a wall after suffering a head injury against Denver.

Yeah, He's questionable for Wednesday's game against the Pelicans due to a migraine, and that's an issue he's dealt with previously.

He missed two games last season with similar symptoms.

Edie's early impact was substantial, though, especially after returning from ankle surgery.

He was posting what twelve point three points nine point three rebounds and two blocks over four games.

He had provided that interior presence Memphis desperately lacked.

The team is already struggling at six and eleven.

They're missing Jah Moran and Brandon Clark.

You just can't overstate how important that interior stability is for a team that relies on transition and generating turnovers.

Coach Thomas Isolo emphasized that Edie's absence is a huge loss.

He noted his massive impact on defense, on rebounding, and how he attracts defenders inside, which generates easier outside shots for his teammates.

Yeah, when he's not there, opponents have a much easier time driving to the rim and forcing perimeter players to take tough, contested shots.

And given the sensitivity around head injuries, plus the fact that migrants are a recurring issue for him, the team is expected to be extremely cautious.

Right Even though he was spotted at practice doing basic movements like hook shots and free throws, Memphis now faces a difficult road stretch without him.

It just shows how tenuous their stability is right now.

If Memphis is going to salvage this season before Moran gets back, they need their healthy players, especially impact rookies like Eedy on the court consistently.

Okay, let's shift gears completely to the NBA Cup, which has finally found its rhythm and is rapidly moving into the knockout phase.

Yeah, the Lakers have secured the second spot in the knockout round, joining the Raptors in the East with a decisive one to thirty five, one to eighteen win over the Clippers.

They're three to zero in group play.

That win was an absolute statement of intent, and it was dominated by the Lakers Big.

Three, oh completely Luka Doncic, Austin Reeves and Lebron James combined for an insane ninety nine points, twenty four rebounds, and twenty two assists.

Dauncic specifically was phenomenal forty three points, thirteen assists and nine rebounds.

He just narrowly missed a triple double.

And while the quality of basketball was high, the motivation behind the intensity is pretty clear.

It's the money, It's the coach.

JJ Reddick was candid.

He cited the fifty three thousand dollars player bonus as a lot of money, which definitely provides extra incentive, especially for players on two way or minimum contracts.

It's not just a glorified exhibition.

That cash prize is making everyone play harder.

But the Special Cup environment also caused some controversy that we need to.

Talk about player safety exactly.

Luka Duncic ripped the special Lager hardwood court used for the game.

He called it dangerous do to slipping issues caused by the paint and the finish.

And this is the third year in a row we've heard players complain about these distinctive court designs.

It raises a genuine question is the novelty of the special court design worth the risk to player health.

I mean, if the competition is meant to be high stakes and high intensity, the floor can't be this peculiar variable that leads to injuries.

It's a conflict between marketing and safety that the league needs to address and fast.

And that competitive tension it boiled over late in that game.

It did.

Donjich got it to a confrontation with Chris Dunn, which resulted in Dunn's ejection after two technicals.

Jackson Hayes also earned a technical for pushing done after Don gave Luca what was described as a cheap shot in my back while they were waiting for a.

Rebound, and Dancich immediately confirmed he would cover Hayes's resulting two thousand dollars fine, he said, I appreciate it.

I told him right away, thanks for having my back.

That says a lot about the protective chemistry on this newly configured Lakers team.

It really does.

When you see your teammates willing to take a technical and cover your back, literally, that builds championship level trust.

So you have the high level basketball, the player safety drama, the financial incentive, and the encourse scuffles all wrapped up in this new tournament format.

So with the Lakers and Raptors already and we look ahead to Wednesday and Friday to finalize the brackets, and this sets up some incredible.

Drama starting with West Group A, which features a thrilling Western Conference Finals rematch on Wednesday, exclusively on ESPN.

That's the Oklahoma City Thunder holding a two and oh group record, hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are two and.

One for OKC.

This game is everything.

A win here followed by a win against the Suns on Friday, would likely secure them the top seed and that critical home court advantage in the quarterfinals.

Which given the Thunder's young roster, is hugely valuable.

But the Suns are right there also two and oh.

They have a must win situation Wednesday against Sacramento.

The pressure is immense on Phoenix.

For sure, even if they lose to OKC on Friday.

A decisive Wednesday win puts them in a strong position to advance to the knockout round, potentially as the wild card if they finish with the best goal differential among second placed teams.

For Phoenix, the Cup offers a chance to build chemistry and win something tangible early in the season.

Over in West Group C, the Trailblazers, despite being below point five hundred zero overall, they control their own destiny at two and one.

This is the beauty of the Cup format, isn't it.

A struggling team can use this high stakes tournament run to to change their entire season narrative.

Absolutely.

A victory over the Spurs, who are one and one on Wednesday, wins the group outright for Portland.

But if San Antonio manages to win that game, they then face the Nuggets, who are two and one on Friday for the Crown.

And the Nuggets Obviously, they're a title contender with immense pride, but they haven't been as dominant as they could be, which makes this group see extremely unpredictable.

The Blazers have the most to gain here.

A potential cut birth could inject life into their fan base and their locker room.

Moving to the East Group B is focused squarely on Detroit.

Yeah, the Magic are three and oh, but the Pistons are two and oh and they're riding that incredible franchise record thirteen game winning streak.

This is one of the biggest stories in the NBA right now period, and.

This sets up an electrifying Friday matchup between those two teams.

Detroit would win the group with a Friday victory, regardless of what happens in their Wednesday game against Boston.

For the Pistons, this streak is validating their entire rebuild.

If they can parlay this momentum into winning their group and reaching the knockout round, it validates every coaching decision, every draft pick they've made of the last three seasons.

Finally, East Group C is tight.

The Bucks at two to zero and the Knicks at one and one are vying to become the first team to reach the knockout round in three straight seasons.

And the two to one Heat are firmly in the mix too.

That means every single game this week is essentially a playoff environment for these three teams.

Milwaukee visits Miami on Wednesday and then New York on Friday.

The critical X factor there is the status of Giannis Anti Tookombo.

Right.

He's been dealing with that groin injury.

And Milwaukee has dropped four straight games without him, falling below a point five hundred for the first time this season.

His return could instantly flip the outcome of these crucial group games.

If he's back at full strength, the Bucks become the immediate favorite to advance.

His health is the lynchpin for the entire group.

Let's shift our focus now from the urgency of the tournament to the long term foundational debates driving the league team tactics, player valuation, and trade market dynamics.

Let's start with tactical adjustments, specifically in New York and the curious case of Karl Anthony Towns.

Yeah.

Now in his second year with the next he is struggling his lowest overall shooting percentage since twenty fifteen at forty five percent and a career low thirty three point seven percent from three through sixteen games.

It's hard to watch because he established himself as an All NBA player precisely because of his shooting range, but the analysis suggests he needs a fundamental temporary change.

He needs to lean into his size.

Exactly, lean into his seven foot two hundred and forty eight pound frame, and establish an interior game before stretching to the arc.

If he can't hit shots from distance, he needs to generate rhythm down low.

And the data strongly supports this adjustment.

It's a direct correlation.

In Nick's wins, Towns averages eleven point two paint points and subsequently he shoots a scorching forty point seven percent from.

Three, which suggests that when he forces defenses to respect his size down low, the three point line opens up and his confidence follows.

But in losses he completely regresses.

He dips to just eight point seven plot points and his three point percentage plummets to an absolutely abysmal twenty one point two percent.

The question is why does he stop going inside when the team is losing.

It's usually a symptom of trying to shoot yourself out of a slump, which is the worst thing an elite shooter can do when they have an established interior game.

What's truly revealing is that in losses, the six foot two Jalen Brunson is averaging significantly more paint points than Towns fourteen point zero.

That gap highlights the issue perfectly.

Towns is settling for chucking up shots from distance while slumping, rather than using his size and getting to the rim to generate rhythm and force defenses to collapse.

So this creates a clear coaching mandate for Mike Brown drop more plays to get Towns closer to the basket, even if he feels uncomfortable doing it, and.

If nothing else, this focus on physicality down low should help him get to the free throw line, where he's having a career best season shooting eighty eight point four percent.

It's a simple macare panical change that could unlock the entire Knicks offense and pull him out of this slump.

Now we get into trade value debates, starting with a move that was initially panned by nearly every pundit.

The Utah Jazz swapping Colin Sexton for use of Nurkic.

This past offseason, the Jazz were lambasted for exchanging a younger score first guard for an aging center, and.

Yet here we are.

The move may be working out perfectly for the Jazz, largely because Walker Kessler suffered a season ending injury which thrust Nurkik into a starter's role much earlier than anticipated.

And despite being passed his prime, Nirerkich has put up decent numbers seven point five points, nine point six rebounds, and three point five assists in about twenty five minutes.

A game, and NBA insider Jake Fisher reported that Nurkic has performed well enough that he is expected to generate significant interest from rival teams as he plays out his nineteen point three million dollar expiring contract.

This highly is a crucial point about value in the modern NBA that often flies under the radar.

It's that the specific type of player often matters more than raw age or individual scoring talent, especially when teams are gearing up for the playoffs.

Right exactly, Nurkic, even with his decreased mobility, is a quality rotation big man and a unique high post operator.

He's a connector big who could facilitate offense from the elbow.

And that role is highly coveted by playoff teams who need depth at center and a secondary playmaker.

His value on an expiring deal is reportedly higher than Sexton's, who, despite his scoring potential, is viewed by the league as a score first guard who is exploitable defensively.

In a high stakes seven game series.

Teams will specifically target Sexton in a defensive scheme, while Nurkich adds size and structure.

Shifting to the legacy conversation, Ranning MVP Shy Gildgess Alexander is leading the Oklahoma City Thunder to the league's best record, but Nikol Jokich is forcing his way back into the narrative, and.

The conversation is getting serious.

It is.

Jokich is having a historic season at thirty years old.

He's averaging twenty nine point six points, twelve point eight rebul, eleven point one assists while shooting incredibly efficiently sixty two point six percent from the field and forty three point four from three.

His combination of size, efficiency and playmaking is nearly unprecedented, but the conversation around his legacy is heating up.

Maybe too fast.

A former NBA finalist coach actually put Jokic in the conversation for best player in the history of.

The NBA, which is a huge claim.

A huge claim for a player with only one title and three MVPs.

What criterion did that coach use that puts him ahead of, say, a five time champion like Magic Johnson or the established goat conversation with Michael Jordan.

The focus is entirely on his efficiency in basketball IQ.

The coach argued that no player with his size has ever combined that level of playmaking, averaging and near triple double with that level of shooting efficiency.

So it's the intellectual argument.

It's all about his incredible basketball IQ, and that IQ translates not just to offensive playmaking but also to defense.

He's a good team defender who generates steals one point true for his career just by anticipating passes in rotations.

So the argument is that if you value total offensive perfection and intellectual dominance, Jokich is already approaching that tier, even if he needs more titles to solidify his status in the traditional sense.

Exactly, it's an intellectual argument that separates him from the sheer athleticism of other greats.

Yeah, he still has time to add those titles, but the underlying numbers supporting the claim are staggering.

All right, we've hit the trade deadline.

Watch.

The Sacramento Kings are having a surprisingly rocky start at five.

And thirteen, and that leads directly to trade rumors that suggest they are willing to listen to offers for almost everyone except Keegan Murray and Nick Clifford if they.

Do decide to sell.

Veteran Jamar Derozen is the easiest and most valuable chip to move.

No doubt, he's still performing well at eighteen point seven points per game on fifty percent shooting.

But the key is his contract next season is only partially guaranteed eed at ten million dollars.

That makes him highly movable for contending team looking for a short term.

Boost through the three most sensible trade scenarios being discussed because they demonstrate three different motivations for trading.

First up, the LA Clippers, who are reportedly already looking into him.

This trade would be driven by desperation and necessity.

Absolutely, the Clippers are five and twelve and they owe their first round pick, so they are firmly all in on maximizing this window.

The suggest to trade is DeRozan for Bogdan Bogdanovic and Derek Jones Junior.

This works for Sacramento because they acquire Bogdanovich as an asset to potentially flip later or integrate immediately.

The biggest drawback for the Clippers is adding another older player.

DeRozan is thirty six to an already h roster that needs youth and durability.

They're banking entirely on Derozen, pushing them into contention.

Right now, okay.

Next is the Golden State Warrior scenario, which is built on solving that internal dysfunction we talked about earlier, right.

The Kaminga conundrum.

If the Warriors decide that they cannot wait on Jonathan Kuminga's development and want to map maximize their win now window, trading for DeRozan makes a lot of sense, despite his non traditional fit in their offense.

The proposed deal sends DeMar Derozen and Keon Ellis to Golden State in exchange for Jonathan Kumiga and Buddy Healed heading to Sacramento.

This is fascinating for Golden State.

This provides a proven win now piece whose ability to create reliable mid range scoring is immense.

It offers a new dimension in the half court.

And for Sacramento they get their Manning Kuminga, a young, high upside player hungry for a larger role, which aligns perfectly with their stated goal of building around young core pieces.

But this trade has to wait until Kuminga is trade eligible in January.

Correct.

And finally, the Boston Celtics scenario, which is purely about salary, It just demonstrates the complex influence of the Collective Bargaining Agreement on decision making.

The reports say this move is driven purely by Boston's desire to manage their salary structure and avoid the financial penalties associated with being a high spending team.

Precisely, the Celtics are a hair over the first apron and about twelve million dollars above the tax line.

Treading Anferna Simons, who is on an expiring twenty seven million dollar deal for DeRozan's twenty four million dollars salary helps them move closer to getting under the luxury tax and that first apron, and for.

Those unfamiliar with the CBA, that first apron severely restricts a team's ability to acquire players and make trades later in the season.

By maneuvering below it, Boston maintains essential flexibility, and.

The Kings would acquire Simons as a high scoring asset to whether flip immediately or use in assign in trade later.

His scoring ceiling is high despite being streaky early in his Celtic's tenure.

It's a move motivated by accounting, not necessarily by optimizing on court talent immediately.

We transition now to the college ranks, where teams are building their resumes during early tournament play and non conference battles.

The landscape is already seeing some shakeups.

Let's start with consistency.

Missouri men's basketball is just rolling along, improving to a perfect seven to zero after dominating South Carolina's eight ninety eight sixty six.

They held the Bulldogs to just thirty seven point five percent shooting.

They're showing that early season consistency that suggests they are a real threat in the SEC this year.

And a team that made a massive statement on the defensive end was Indiana.

They beat Kansas State eighty six sixty.

Nine, and that victory helped them jump seven spots to No.

Fifteen nationally in defensive efficiency on Ken.

Pom, and that jump is huge Ken Palm for those unfamiliar, uses predictive efficiency ratings and advanced metrics to project team performance, and climbing into the top fifteen defensively shows Indiana is fundamentally sound.

Their defense was absolutely suffocating.

It was Indiana forced a remarkable twenty five percent turnover rate against a Case State team that averaged under twenty percent on the season.

That's just pure defensive pressure and scheme work.

And their top scorers were Read Bailey with twenty one points and Tayton Connorway adding nineteen points and two assists.

That victory proved they have enough reliable offensive talent to win even when their top draft prospects might strike they're relying on solid defensive execution and secondary scoring.

The Maui Invitational provided huge highlights and exposed to national contenders.

Yeah, Seaton Hall registered its biggest win of the season, dominating No.

Twenty three to twenty two NC State eighty five seventy four.

AJ Statt McCrae had twenty two points.

Seaton Hall trailed by only two at halftime, but they opened the second half with a decisive seventeen to two run.

The wolf Pack never got closer than nine the rest of the way.

That second half explosiveness is a great indicator of coaching adjustments and superior conditioning.

But the Pirates run was ultimately edged by usc eighty three eighty one.

Yeah.

Usc rallied behind Baker Mazara.

After their star player Rice left early in the second half with what looked like an upper arm or shoulder injury.

Baker Mazzara stepped up.

He scored twelve points over crucial five minute stretch, including a three pointer that finished a ten zu run to put the Trojans ahead for good.

It's a great example of a team showing resilience and stepping up when their primary option goes down.

Then we saw a true trouncing in the Vegas finale.

Syracuse was just destroyed ninety five sixty four by number fifteen Iowa State.

Syracuse was competitive, they were only down one point at halftime, but they were absolutely annihilated, outscored sixty to thirty in the second half.

Iowa State's defense was the key.

They forced nineteen Syracuse turnovers that translated directly into thirty points he just can't win when you give that many points.

And Iowa State's Milan Momsilovich had a game high twenty four points, hitting six of ten shots from three point range.

His shooting was the dagger that allowed Iowa State to pull away completely in that second half.

So beyond the box scores, we are tracking players whose performances are starting to catch the intense attention of NBA.

Scouts, Starting with Iowa's senior guard Bennett Steertz.

Right Starts had an incredible night against Ola Miss went off for twenty nine points, including six of eight from beyond the arc, leading the Hawkeyes to a seventy four to sixty nine win.

And he followed his coach Ben McCollum from Drake to Iowa and is averaging almost twenty points through Iowa's first four wins.

But what are scouts actually seeing in his game beyond the numbers?

The interest isn't just because he's a high scorer.

It's because he understands modern NBA movement.

Sturtz is a master of off ball offense.

He's running McCollum system.

Perfectly exactly, using screens to get open for quick trigger threes and showcasing excellent pick and roll ability, which is essential for a modern NBA guard.

His ability to hit those shots off movement and use smart passes when the defense collapses is what's driving him up the mock drafts.

What's also compelling about Sturtz is the off court narrative.

He reportedly turned down a lot of money in the transfer portal to stay loyal to McCollum system.

He prioritized the relationship and fit over anil temptation.

And he's reportedly prioritizing using his platform to give glory to him God rather than chasing personal endorsement fame.

This speaks to a maturity level that NBA front offices really value when they look at potential late round steals.

Back to the college game, le Baron Filon Junior, the sophomore guard for number eight LS Sabama.

He looks primed for an All American campaign.

The six foot four guard is averaging elite numbers twenty point zen points, five point seven assists, and two point seven rebounds through six contests.

And Alabama's offensive philosophy is helping him shine.

They shoot the six most three pointers per game in the country.

This incredible floor spacing, which pulls centers out of the paint, is leading directly to their interior efficiency.

Exactly.

Felon is benefiting immensely from that spacing.

He is a primary beneficiary of the wide open driving lanes, which allows him to use his athleticism and scoring touch to post an elite sixty two point percentage, ranking them in the top thirty nationally.

He's not just scoring, he's scoring efficiently and setting up his teammates within a high powered offensive system.

All right, let's shift our focus years ahead now to the twenty twenty six NBA mock Draft, where the foundational talent is already starting to separate itself.

Front offices are already dedicating significant scouting resources to these prospects.

For sure, Darren Peterson, the dynamic guard who is commit to Kansas.

He's an early candidate for the consensus number one spot.

His combination of size, scoring, punch, and athleticism is exactly what NBA teams look for in a franchise cornerstone.

But another prospect, Wilson, who's currently playing prep school basketball, He's rapidly creating separation as a clear top five contender.

He leads the nation in box plus minus and has logged a ridiculous twenty four dunks in just five games.

His motor and downs are well documented, but the key developmental leap is his offensive complexity.

He's creating easy baskets using his handle and slicing through defenses.

This versatility is what scouts love.

And you see flashes of true high IQ passing and legitimate shooting range coupled with elite defensive tools.

This versatile skill set suggests he is quickly separating himself in those early top cure discussions because he projects not just as an athletic marvel, but as a genuine two way wing who can contribute immediately.

Then there is Pete from Arizona State.

He's a prospect whose game is based on raw power and polish.

He's showing incredibly advanced footwork, touch and strength, consistently separating himself from much bigger defenders like the two hundred thirty pound Alex Connon and the two hundred and sixty five pound Ruben Chinielu.

Pete relies on signature short range falloways or athletic finishes, and he uses his body beautifully.

Scouts are divided on him, though, and this is where the debate gets interesting.

Some buy the tools in the Polish they appoint to his production as a young player.

He averaged nine point four points, shot sixty percent inside the arc, and posted an impressive nine point eight percent block rate as a seventeen year old freshman.

But the concern is translatability to the pro game.

He's listed as a six foot eight power forward with limited range, and he relies heavily on contested two point jumpers.

In the NBA, relying on contested twos is a difficult way to make a living.

If he could improve his shooting range and overall half court creation, his defensive instincts and elite post footwork alone could make him a special NBA impact player.

But that jump shot is the ceiling limitter right now.

Okay, Moving into the middle of the first round, we see Chris Sineck Junior, a six foot eleven power forward from Houston, projected sixteenth to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Siak is a high floor prospect.

He's productive and efficient provides reliable minutes due to his size, athleticism at the rim, and shot making versatility, hitting falloways from the post and rhythm threes.

He's calmed to Jabari Smith Junior, which suggests he's built to be a modern scoring big.

The pathways to upside are where scouts have questions though he lacks defensive playmaking and passing, meaning scout's question how strongly he'll impact games if his shot isn't falling consistently.

For oka See, this pick would provide reliable size and shooting depth as they continue to refine their roster.

At pick eighteen, the New York Necks are projected to take Matt Abel from North Carolina State, who draws a pro comparison to Landry Shamitt.

His shooting is the primary draw, but he operates with real poise and intelligence.

He really does.

He utilizes smart escape dribbles into pull ups, and makes very smart passing reads for a scoring guard.

While he's mostly been a perimeter scoring specialist, his finishing shows obvious touch, which alleviates concerns about his lack of strength and explosion.

He's a guy you can plug into an offense who instantly makes it smarter.

Ok See potentially grabs another prospect at twenty six, with Caden Boozer from Duke Compt to Trey Jones.

Boozer is a player whose numbers might not jump off the page, but he demonstrates an advanced feel, unselfishness, and high IQ running the offense.

This is pure floor general.

Show, so scouts who value steady, reliable point guard play will appreciate his ability to make the game easier for his teammates, even if they question his lack of explosive athleticism or scoring punch for a lead guard in the NBA.

Exactly moving into the second round.

Juke Harris, currently playing prep basketball, is projected thirty seventh and is comp to Aaron Wiggins.

Harris has produced his way into the conversation, and as a six foot seven small forward, he's a serious transition weapon, a three point threat, and a good off ball scorer, driving, cutting, and crashing the glass.

The key for him is sustaining that level of scoring and efficiency throughout his first year in college or on the professional circuit.

If he shows consistency, he moves into the first round easily.

Finally, a strong international prospect, Sergio de la Reya from Valencia, Spain, projected thirty ninth to the Spurs, who always look for international talent.

He's comped to Bogdan Bogdanovich.

He's a six foot five shooting guard who is a knockdown three point shooter.

He hit forty three point two percent last year and is starting this season eighteen for thirty four.

He also averages three point one assists in only fifteen point eight minutes, which shows obvious feel and passing IQ in ball screen situations.

His combination of size, shot making and playmaking gives him an easy projected fit in the NBA, especially for a team like the Spurs that runs the sophisticated offensive system that.

Wraps up our look into the most pressing issues in the NBA and the exciting talent pipeline.

In college basketball, we've seen incredible drama from Anthony Davis demanding his way back onto the core despite front office pushback, a.

Move that costs his general manager.

His job, to the Pistons tying a franchise record with their thirteen game winning streak heading into critical Cup play.

And tactically, the conversation around player value is evolving fast.

We talked about how Nurkic, despite being passed his prime, is expected to generate more trade interest than a score first guard like Sexton because of his specific role as a rotational high post big.

It just reinforces that fit specific positional need and contract flexibility often outweigh traditional metrics of ros scoring or youth.

Similarly, we saw the hard number supporting the idea that a player like Karl Anthony Towns must use his interior game, even if he's a great outside shooter, to anchor his rhythm.

Right when he scores more on the paint, his three point percentage jumps from twenty one percent up to forty percent.

The tactical adjustment for New York is obvious.

Rhythm comes from proximity.

And the excitement of the NBA Cup is now firmly in the knockout stages.

The high stakes financial incentive of that fifty three thousand dollars bonus is clearly adding tangible motivation for every player, despite some critical issues with the special court designs and player safety.

As we look ahead, the future is incredibly bright, both in the NCAA and in the upcoming draft classes.

But the decision struggling teams make right now regarding their existing veteran talent will define that future.

Which raises an important provocative question for you, the listener, which struggling lottery bound team like the Sacramento Kings, who are already listening to trade offers for DeRozan, or maybe a team like the Brooklyn Nets will be the first to truly commit to building around a young, high upside, unproven talent like Jonathan Kuminga or an incoming prospect like Alex Sar rather than chasing a quick fix with the veteran.

That long term vision is always the hardest bet to make in the competitive landscape of the NBA.

You have to decide to take a step back before you can take two steps forward.

Thank you for joining us for another edition of Basketball Home.

We'll catch you next time.