Stop sleeping on Pascal Siakam 😤The Cameroonian basketball star is doing what he does best – helping an under-the-rader team go deeper than anyone expected in the playoffs.Remember 2019?Just 6 years ago, Siakam had a career-defining run with the Raptors that led to their… pic.twitter.com/FYiujE0UtE— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 5, 2025

Yes, I agree, don’t sleep on Pascal Siakam.

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

Finnish Star ‘Best Level of Player’ Lakers Can Afford
“The Lakers will always be on the hunt for stars yet are limited in trade assets after acquiring Luka Dončić at the deadline. Markkanen is probably the best level of player Los Angeles can reasonably acquire and would be a strong third option behind Dončić and LeBron James,” wrote Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report.

The four players on their way to Utah in Swartz’s trade idea would be forward Rui Hachimura, small forward Dalton Knecht who was the Lakers first-round draft pick last year, reserve point guard Gabe Vincent, and backup big man Maxi Klebewho came over in the trade package that brought Dončić, but who is still recovering from a fractured right foot.

The trade would relieve the Lakers of $44.7 million in total salary, while brining in Markkanen’s $46.3 million for next season — the second year of the five-year, $238 million contract extension he signed with Utah last August. That keeps Los Angeles barely under the first apron.

Markkanen is the only current NBA player, and only the third ever, from Finland — a country better known for producing hockey stars. After playing college ball at Arizona, the Timberwolves made him the seventh pick in the 2017 NBA draft.

The just-completed season was Markkanen’s third in Utah. He averaged 19 points per game, down from 23.2 the previous year and a career-high 25.6 in 2022-2023.

The Thunder have a 1-4 playoff record when their opponent scores 110+ points.The Pacers have a 12-0 postseason record when they score 110+ points, 0-4 when less.Oklahoma City’s defense vs. Indiana’s offense will decide if this series is quick or turns into an instant classic. pic.twitter.com/SzSJj7Yoh4— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 5, 2025

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

Tier 1: The stars

The following players are both obvious candidates to be 2026 All-Stars and plausibly available through trade.

1. Kevin Durant, Suns — $54,708,609 (2025-26 salary)
He was nearly traded to Golden State at the deadline, but he didn’t want to return to his old team. His current one needs a retool, and has no other high-end players to trade to kickstart one unless it surprisingly puts Devin Booker on the table. However, Durant is 37 and on an expiring contract. He’s not going to cost nearly as much to get as he did in 2023, so the field is theoretically wide-open for him. There will be plenty of interest from win-now teams, but Durant has the leverage to get to a preferred destination.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks — $54,126,380
The best player potentially on the trade market, and if he is indeed moved, he would be on the short list of greatest players ever traded. This is a 30-year-old two-time MVP eager to jump back into the championship picture. We don’t yet know for certain whether or not he will force a move, but if he does, every team in the NBA should consider making an offer.

3. Jaylen Brown, Celtics — $53,124,264
The Celtics are currently looking at a $493 million payroll for next season, when they may not have Jayson Tatum at all. They are going to shed money, so everyone but Tatum is probably available here. Keeping Brown and Tatum means paying two stars supermax contracts. That might not be feasible in the new CBA world. Boston won’t trade Brown without getting a haul back, but it would be naive to think he’s not on the table.

4. Lauri Markkanen, Jazz — $46,394,100
Another year, another disappointing lottery result for Utah. The Jazz are now three years into their rebuild without a top-four pick to show for it. The whole point of this rebuild has been to get access to the sort of star power that is only available at the top of the draft, and unless they want to get punished for violating the NBA’s player participation policy again next year, they might need to trade Markkanen to ensure they’re bad enough for another bite at the high lottery apple. They considered a move last offseason, but now that he’s locked into a long-term deal, almost anyone is a plausible suitor.

5. Trae Young, Hawks — $45,999,660
One of the few remaining star free agents of 2026 that hasn’t already been moved, this is a pretty simple calculus. Atlanta will presumably offer Young an extension this offseason. If he takes it, great. If he doesn’t they have to explore a trade before he can walk for nothing. They’ve looked into Young trades in the past, though, and the market has been limited. How much interest will he generate now?

6. Ja Morant, Grizzlies — $39,446,090
He’s never played 70 games in a season, his off-court problems have been a major distraction, and last season ended in disaster. The Grizzlies have messaged that they aren’t trading Morant, but they have to make some substantial change if they hope to bounce back in the monstrous Western Conference. Anyone and everyone should be on the table.

7. Zion Williamson, Pelicans — $39,446,090
Williamson has been in and out of trade rumors for years now, and like Morant, he comes with both health problems and off-court issues. Joe Dumars is the new general manager in New Orleans, and without knowing his agenda, we have no way of knowing how gettable Williamson is. He has MVP-level talent, though, so there will always be interested parties.

8. Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies — $23,413,395
Like Young, he’s a star 2026 free agent, so if he doesn’t want to stay in Memphis, he can force the Grizzlies to trade him now. The twist here is that Memphis can’t extend him as easily as Atlanta can Young. They need to create cap space to do so through a renegotiation-and-extension. They’ve taken steps in that direction and may take more, but the ball is in Jackson’s court for now. If he isn’t satisfied with what Memphis can offer or would merely prefer to play elsewhere, he has the leverage to move.

Luka #4
LeBron #12
Austin #54

….and we went 1-4 in the playoffs.

I disagree with Donavan Mitchell being higher than Lebron…..and Davis being right after Lebron…..

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

Since acquiring Tyrese Haliburton in 2022, the Pacers haven’t made a single roster move that could slow them down. No hedges. No half-measures. No stylistic concessions. If you don’t run the floor, you can’t be an Indiana Pacer. If you do, you need to learn how. Most players aren’t used to dead sprinting downcourt after an opponent’s made basket, but the Pacers coach it and Haliburton reinforces it. If you get out and run, he will find you. If you then give the ball up to a teammate, it will find its way back.

There are so many things worth celebrating about this Indiana team as it heads to the NBA Finals. Most of all: The Pacers are a triumph of collaboration. That’s embodied in Haliburton—a star who jumps (often literally) at the chance to get rid of the ball—and it extends outward to every layer of the organization. Indiana scouts to its style, builds to its style, and coaches to its style. The result is an offense that layers action upon action, turning every possession into a sort of perpetual fast break. It’s overwhelming to defend, as the Knicks, Cavs, and Bucks can attest. And it wouldn’t work at all if the franchise weren’t operating in complete alignment.

This is one of the biggest issues I have with the Lakers organization. What’s the plan? For the last several years it seems like we just try to piece something together and hope Lebron makes it work. Obviously, you gotta make that Luka deal when some idiot throws it on the table. But once again, we’re in scramble mode after radically changing our roster and style of play by exchanging Luka for arguably the two best 2-way players on the squad. We’ll be a top regular season no matter what because the talent level of Lebron & Luka combined with some decent role players is gonna win a buncha games. But beating a top team 4 outta 7 is a different proposition. The way the league is set up right now means it takes time, planning, smart moves, and vision. That’s how OKC & Indy got here and it’s why you see teams rising up like HOU, DET, and probably the Spurs next year.

Might as well give it a shot…nothing else has worked. The players need to give a shit about this game instead of acting like they’re doing everybody a favor just by showing up. That’s the only way it’ll get any better. They want all the perks of being an All-Star without having to actually play the game.

FIRST CONF FINALS IN 25 YEARS NOT ENOUGH!I've often wished that Lakers ownership had the cojones to make franchise decisions at a high standard like the Knicks new management seems to be doing. Of course, this type of decision making has to be paired with elite judgement in… https://t.co/PQxgpnPy6Q pic.twitter.com/mI8agDgcTO— LakerTom (@LakerTom) June 3, 2025

Worth noting: Knicks owe Tom Thibodeau at least $30 million guaranteed on his recently-signed extension, per sources. Also worth noting: NYK won a playoff series in 3 straight years under Thibodeau: from 2001 to 2020, they won just 1 series. He built winning foundation here.— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 3, 2025