Hoops Genius

🏀 Basketball at every level
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📍 NBA | College | Props

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

https://t.co/Im4qAbueVC

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

Everyone’s overreacting to the Jaylen Brown trade. Yes, PG is 36 and injury-prone, but this move solves real problems for Boston. They shed the 2nd-biggest contract in the league for an expiring-ish deal (one player option left), while landing a guy who fits the roster better than Brown did — elite off-ball movement, one of the best shooting forwards ever, and the exact kind of connective scoring/defense Boston’s been missing next to Tatum. On top of that they pick up two future firsts. This team was already talented enough to be “about as good” in the regular season — the real upside is in the playoffs, where spacing and shot-making without needing the ball tend to matter more than star-level shot creation.

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

It was never about the return. It was about being able build around JT, Mazzulla ball will be in full effect next year.

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

Celtics are ultimately better without Jaylen Brown. But have to wonder if that was the best offer.

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

With the Celtics signing Robinson, feels like a Brown trade is even more likely. No longer a need for a team to attach a center to the package.

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

Look for Atlanta to take a swing at Trey Murphy or Jaylen Brown. Lots of young guys and picks. Making Kuminga a free agent, signs are there.

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

Queue the Windhorst Meme!!

[Shams Charania @ShamsCharania]

BREAKING: The Memphis Grizzlies are trading two-time NBA All-Star Ja Morant to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, sources tell ESPN.

[Shams Charania @ShamsCharania]

Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe intends to sign a new two-year, $20 million deal to return to the franchise, sources tell ESPN. Nets declined Sharpe's team option to do a new contract, just as they did with Josh Minott.

[Shams Charania @ShamsCharania]

Toronto Raptors big man Sandro Mamukelashvili is declining his $2.8 million player option for 2026-27 to become a free agent, George Roussakis and Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. Mamukelashvili will have a strong developing market in free agency.

[Shams Charania @ShamsCharania]

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is declining his $27.7 million player option to become a free agent, sources tell ESPN. This move gives the Warriors flexibility to pursue LeBron James in free agency and Anthony Davis via trade to form a Big 4.

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

This is false

[Polymarket Hoops @PolymarketHoops]

Just a hunch: Jaylen Brown might end up a Hornet.

Due to the LaMelo trade, they created a $40M trade exception (the largest in history) and got Naz Reid in return. Jaylen Brown’s contract fits that perfectly.

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

With Jayson Tatum coming back at 100% next season, Trey Murphy is a better fit for the Celtics than Jaylen Brown is.

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

https://t.co/pn2KYG566h

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

The 2026 NBA Draft just wrapped up and people are already asking who's next. The truth is nobody really knows yet, this class doesn't have a clear superstar at the top the way Dybantsa, Boozer, and Wilson gave us heading into this past cycle. What it does have is depth, a huge wave of guys who could have declared this year and chose NIL money and another season of college ball instead, stacked right alongside a genuinely talented incoming freshman class led by Tyran Stokes at Kansas.
This is a watch list more than a real mock right now. There's no lottery order yet, the new anti-tanking lottery system kicks in for the first time this cycle which changes how teams even approach the back half of their seasons, and there's still close to a full calendar year before any of this gets locked in. Rankings here will move a lot between now and next June. Consider this the starting point.
2027 NBA Draft, Way Too Early Big Board

Tyran Stokes, Kansas
Braylon Mullins, UConn
Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Thomas Haugh, Florida
Amari Allen, Alabama
Cameron Williams, Duke
Patrick Ngongba II, Duke
Bruce Branch III, BYU
Dame Sarr, Duke
Jordan Smith Jr, Arkansas
Caleb Holt, Arizona
Dylan Mingo, Baylor
Stefan Joksimovic, Slovenia
Christian Collins, Kentucky
Bo Ogden
Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
Malachi Moreno, Kentucky
Billy Richmond, Arkansas
Flory Bidunga, Louisville
Juke Harris, Wake Forest
Hugo Yimga Moukouri, France
Cameron Houindo, France
Baba Oladotun
Drew Scharnowski, Duke
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, Duke
Cheickh Niang, Italy
Dash Daniels, Australia
Adam Atamna, France
Suigo

[Polymarket Hoops @PolymarketHoops]

The Timberwolves’ projected starting lineup for next season:

LaMelo Ball
Ayo Dosunmu
Anthony Edwards
Jaden McDaniels
Rudy Gobert

This starting five is LETHAL. 🔥

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

Minnesota has a reached 32% odds to be Jaylen Brown's next team via Kalshi

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

My favorite landing spots from round 1.

Chris Cenac to Boston
Aday Mara to Oklahoma City
Morez Johnson to Dallas
Kingston Flemings to Atlanta
Keaton Wagler to LA Clippers

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

Best Available heading into the 2nd round tonight
Henri Veesaar, North Carolina
Isaiah Evans, Duke
Baba Miller, Cincinnati
Bruce Thornton, Ohio State
Dillon Mitchell, St. John's
Braden Smith, Purdue
Richie Saunders, BYU
Ryan Conwell, Louisville
Felix Okpara, Tennessee
Trevon Brazile, Arkansas
Jaden Bradley, Arizona
Graham Ike, Gonzaga
Nick Martinelli, Northwestern
Ugonna Onyenso, Virginia
Tyler Bilodeau, UCLA
Emanuel Sharp, Houston
Jack Kayil, Alba Berlin (Germany)

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

https://t.co/Im4qAbueVC

[Hoops Genius @TheHoopsGenius]

Biggest winners of round 1.

Milwaukee Bucks. Landed two top 10 talents in one night, Brayden Burries at 10 and Nate Ament at 13. That's a massive haul for a single draft, two players who were both genuinely in the top 10 conversation just days ago.

Sacramento Kings. Got their guy in Acuff at 7 exactly as planned, then traded up into the late first round to grab Alex Karaban, a two time national champion, as a bonus on top of it. Clean, efficient night for a front office that's been criticized plenty in years past.

Charlotte Hornets. Walked away with both Steinbach and Christian Anderson with their two first rounders, addressing frontcourt size and backcourt shooting in the same night without giving up either pick to move.