Welcome back to , from Los Angeles, where the two local teams are off to solid starts. The LeBron-less, Luka-less Lakers stole a game in Sacramento behind 51 points from Austin Reaves (think he is getting paid next summer?), while the Clippers shook off that opening night pasting in Utah to win two straight over the Suns and Trail Blazers as they head into a real litmus test: Tuesday’s Peacock-streamed showdown with the Warriors.
In today’s issue, I take a closer look at another pivotal moment for NBA commissioner Adam Silver. The commish has navigated turbulent times well in his decade-plus on the job. He steered the NBA out of the Donald Sterling mess and led the way in sports’ return to play during the pandemic.
This latest scandal is a particularly sticky wicket. For the second time in 18 months the integrity of games has potentially been compromised. While the NBA dealt with the Jontay Porter situation in 2024 swiftly and decisively—Porter has been banned for life—the allegations against Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups are more serious, and with the feds involved will play out publicly in the months ahead (both Billups and Rozier have denied any wrongdoing). How Silver deals with the sinister element of sports gambling could define his time as commissioner.
Podcast Alert: Rachel Nichols joined me Tuesday for a deep dive on Victor Wembanyama’s early season surge, the Knicks’ adjustment to life under Mike Brown, Boston’s post–Jayson Tatum stumble and more. Listen here, here and here.
Now a few freebies …
The latest Victor Wembanyama highlight is terrifying
You have seen it. Late in the second quarter of Sunday’s win over Brooklyn, Wembanyama swatted an attempt by Noah Clowney, recovered in time to block shot from Terance Mann, dribbled the ball just inside the Spurs’ logo before pulling up for a 25-footer. On X, I cracked that Wembanyama is built from the DNA of Bill Russell and Stephen Curry. I didn’t get much pushback.
What a start to the season for Wembanyama. Through four games Wemby is averaging 31.0 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.8 blocks. He scored 40 (on 71.6% shooting) on opening night, blocked against Zion Williamson & Co. two days later and finished the week with 55 points in back-to-back games against the Nets and Raptors. More important: Each game ended in a win.
To say the Spurs are excited about Wembanyama’s start is an understatement. Defensively, Wembanyama is the most terrifying force since Russell. He leads the league in blocks, is in the top 10 in contests and has altered countless more. Indeed, Spurs officials note that even the shots Wemby isn’t officially contesting are effectively altered. Witness the ceiling-scraping floaters Cam Thomas tossed up on Sunday or the 180-degree turns Raptors wings did in the paint. Just the thought of Wembanyama makes teams think differently.
Offensively, Wembanyama continues to play with strength and composure. He’s dipping his shoulder on drives, dropping his 7' 4", 235-pound frame straight into opponents’ chests. He’s also not rushing when teams go small on him. When the Pelicans started Saddiq Bey on Wemby, he patiently exploited the mismatch. For two years coaches have seen some success putting smaller, physical defenders on Wembanyama. As one told me over the weekend, “You can’t do that anymore.”
It’s early— early—but count me as surprised to see Rob Dillingham start the season out of the Minnesota rotation
Donte DiVincenzo seizing the starting spot from Mike Conley was a mild shock; Conley has been a starter in Minnesota for the last 2 1/2 seasons. But it was stunning to see Bones Hyland getting minutes that were expected to be earmarked for Dillingham. Dillingham wasn’t dazzling in the preseason—11.8 points on 45.3% shooting—but surely there was more to be gained playing him over Hyland … right?
Obviously not. Asking around some Timberwolves folks at Crypto.com Arena on Friday—where Dillingham played one minute in the fourth quarter before being forced to leave after taking an errant Deandre Ayton elbow to the face—a word that came up was . As in Minnesota can’t trust Dillingham to be the kind of defensively sound, low turnover backup. At least not yet, anyway.
The Wolves, if you recall, invested a lot in Dillingham, trading a 2030 pick swap and an unprotected first in ’31 for the rights to draft him in ’24. They a return on that investment. Anthony Edwards’s unfortunate injury could create an opportunity for Dillingham; indeed, he played 12 minutes off the bench against Denver on Monday. He needs to take advantage of it.
The spotlight was hot on Deandre Ayton after a so-so debut with the Lakers
Shaquille O’Neal—never one to shy away from offering opinions on big men, especially those in purple and gold—offered some light criticism while JJ Redick told reporters that he has had discussions with Ayton about increasing his level of physicality.
Ayton’s response was impressive. He racked up 15 points and eight rebounds on Friday against Minnesota. He added 22 and 15 on Sunday against the Kings. He got another 16 points and eight rebounds on Monday against Portland. Ayton told reporters his teammates have taken a -like approach with him, getting Ayton angry before games.
“I’m like, ‘Oh, this is a thing y’all want to do. Y’all want to get me on edge,’ ” said Ayton. “Y’all want me fired up. I like it. Dudes really care.”
Ayton seems bought into his role as a defender/rebounder/lob threat who will occasionally collect passes in the post and showed developing chemistry with Luka Dončić before Dončić’s injury. The Lakers were thrilled to get Ayton at a bargain-basement price in the offseason. This is what they were hoping for.
What gives in Orlando?
The Magic coughed up 136 points to the Joel Embiid–less 76ers on Monday, the second time in four games they have been gashed for 125 or more. Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe shredded Orlando’s perimeter defense, which is still working Jalen Suggs back into the rotation.
Offensive issues in Orlando are no surprise, even with Desmond Bane in the mix. But this was a team that finished second in the NBA in defensive efficiency the last two seasons. A team that to be that efficient to contend. Said Paolo Banchero, “We’ve just got to figure it out.”
It’s getting to be unfair in Oklahoma City
That was my take, anyway, after watching Ajay Mitchell drop 26 points on Indiana on Saturday. We know the talent well is in OKC. But, yeesh, ? This is an ex-second-round pick who played 36 games last season and a whopping 84 minutes in the playoffs. Through four games, Mitchell is averaging 18.7 points. If this keeps up, he’s a shoo-in for Most Improved Player.
You know how this ends, right? The Thunder smartly signed Mitchell to a three-year, $9 million deal last summer, per Spotrac, with a freaking team option at the back end of it. If Mitchell continues to develop, OKC will undoubtedly rip up that third year to sign Mitchell to a more lucrative long-term extension. That will be in the years ahead, when the Thunder have to make difficult decisions on Lu Dort and Alex Caruso.
By the way, if this year’s second-rounder, Brooks Barnhizer, who is kinda bizarrely getting minutes, turns into a player, no team should be allowed to trade the Thunder any picks anymore, ever.