The Pacers won’t have their star point guard and team leader Tyrese Haliburton available at all in 2025/26 while he recovers from an Achilles tear. However, that doesn’t mean the team views the coming season as a “gap year,” as Dustin Dopirak writes for The Indianapolis Star. “I don’t think that’s ever been what we’ve been about,” general manager Chad Buchanan told reporters on … [Read more...] about Central Notes: Pacers, Giannis, Giddey, Bulls, Pistons
And-Ones: ESPN Survey, S. Cash, Bargain FAs, More
A panel of 20 coaches, executives, and scouts around the NBA polled by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps overwhelmingly picked Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as the current best player in the NBA, with Jokic receiving 19 votes while Lakers guard Luka Doncic earned the last one. However, the predictions for 2025/26 MVP were more divided — Jokic leads the way with seven votes, but Thunder guard … [Read more...] about And-Ones: ESPN Survey, S. Cash, Bargain FAs, More
And-Ones: Sengun, Giannis, Future Rankings, G League Swap, Drell
Rockets center Alperen Sengun made an eye-opening statement regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo after Turkey defeated Greece for the EuroBasket semifinals. “He’s not a great passer. He’s an amazing player, you know, but he’s not a great passer. So we just tried to help and jump to close the paint,” Sengun said, per Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews.com. When asked about Sengun’s … [Read more...] about And-Ones: Sengun, Giannis, Future Rankings, G League Swap, Drell
Central Notes: Toppin, Giddey, Pistons, Bucks
The Pacers will have to defend their Eastern Conference championship without Tyrese Haliburton, who will spend this season rehabbing from Achilles tendon surgery. Big man Obi Toppin still believes the Pacers can be “great” without their star guard. “Ty brings so much to the team and it’s not hidden, everybody understands what he brings to the game,” Toppin told Dustin Dopirak … [Read more...] about Central Notes: Toppin, Giddey, Pistons, Bucks
Damian Lillard “Couldn’t Be Happier” To Be In Portland
Damian Lillard had been expecting to play the next two seasons in Milwaukee, but he’s very pleased to be back with the Trail Blazers after the unusual turn of events that ended his time with the Bucks. Appearing on Monday’s episode of The Sideline with Andy Katz, (hat tip to Bleacher Report), Lillard talked about how much he enjoys being in Portland again at this stage of his … [Read more...] about Damian Lillard “Couldn’t Be Happier” To Be In Portland