On this episode of Good Word with Goodwill, Vince and Bomani Jones react to Tyrese Haliburton’s torn achilles before then discussing if the Oklahoma City Thunder are in a position to become a dynasty.

Next Vince and Bomani react to the Kevin Durant trade to the Houston Rockets and debate if he is expected to be the No.1 option for Ime Udoka’s young team.

Later, Vince and Bomani reflect on the 2024-2025 NBA season and what was their biggest takeaway.

(2:12) Is Tyrese Halliburton’s torn achilles NBA has a injury problem?

(10:20) Thunder set up to be a dynasty?

(15:32) Pacers playing with immense confidence

(23:52) SGA proved he’s a top-2 player in the NBA

(30:05) Surprised by the haul Phoenix received for Kevin Durant?

(37:01) Will KD be the No.1 option in Houston?

(42:37) What happens with the Eastern Conference?

(46:54) Biggest standout from the 2024-2025 NBA season

(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provided some updates prior to Monday’s series opener against the Braves…

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On Acuña being sent down 

The Mets made a flurry of moves ahead of Monday’s contest, the most notable of which was infielder Luisangel Acuña being sent back down to Triple-A. 

Mendoza stated that decision simply came down to the youngster’s playing time. 

Acuña served a significant role for this club earlier this season, but with his production dipping off and others getting healthy, he ultimately saw his time decrease significantly. 

Prior to his demotion, Acuña logged just 18 plate appearance this month. 

“He had a good April, he was getting consistent time and helped us win a lot of games,” the skipper said. “Then it was a combination of other guys producing and he became that role guy that helped us win a lot of games with his versatility, his base-running — he was still impacting games.

“But it got to a point now where it’s getting difficult to find him playing time, and for his development and where we’re at in the regular season, what we want to see is for him to get regular at-bats and play everyday because it’s hard for us to judge him right now.”

Welcome to Queens, Mr. Lovelady 

One of the other moves made was adding Dicky Lovelady to the active roster. 

The veteran left-hander joined the club on a major league deal earlier in the day. 

Lovelady hit the open market last week after opting out of his minor league deal with the Twins, upon finding out he wasn’t going to receive an opportunity on their big-league roster. 

While he hasn’t found much success in the majors of late, he did pitch well for Minnesota’s Triple-A affiliate, posting a 2.61 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 19 appearances. 

Mendoza says the hope is he’ll give them a much-needed boost from the left-side. 

“I’ve seen him pitch before while with Kansas City,” he said. “He’s a lefty from the low-slot with the sinker, the slider, and he’s got a sweeper too. He’s very tough left-on-left — you just add another weapon out of the bullpen there so we can mix and match.”

Lovelady’s held lefties to a .239 average over the course of his big-league career.

Expectations for Montas

Frankie Montas is officially set to make his Mets debut on Tuesday night. 

The veteran right-hander has been sidelined since early in spring training due to a lat injury.

Things didn’t quite go well for him during his minor league rehab assignment. He allowed eight homers and pitched to a 12.05 ERA and 2.14 WHIP over six appearances between High-A and Triple-A. 

Still, Mendoza is confident that Montas can find his form and help this team. 

“He’s someone when we signed him, we thought he’s going to be a big part of this rotation,” he said. “I remember when we faced him in the Wild Card series last year, he was pretty nasty, the way the ball was coming out and the way he was using all of his pitches.

“I’ve seen him pitch for a lot of years at this level and have a lot of success. So the expectation is for him to go out there and to compete and to give us a chance to win a baseball game each and every time he takes the ball, starting tomorrow.” 

It’s been an up-and-down season for Travis Jankowski. 

The veteran is coming off back-to-back campaigns in which he played a significant role for the Rangers. 

Still, Jankowski found himself looking for a permanent home this month.  

He signed with the Cubs this offseason, but was released before the season began. He then joined the White Sox for a brief stint before being traded to the Rays, who gave him just 17 appearances before removing him from their 40-man roster. 

Jankowski elected to hit free agency again, and quickly landed with the Mets on a minor league pact.

After spending eight games down in Triple-A Syracuse, he finally received the call he’s been waiting for, back up to the big-league level prior to Monday night’s series opener against the Braves.

“It’s good to be back for a second stint,” he said. “I’m getting up there as far as age so it’s just about doing anything possible to get to the big-leagues. Being with the Mets who are a contender definitely sparked my interest, they made it really hard to say no to.”

Jankowski, of course, appeared in 43 games with the club back in 2022. 

He served as the fourth outfielder but quickly became a beloved figure by Buck Showalter, his teammates, and fans with his high-energy play throughout spring training and the early part of the season. 

Now, under a new skipper, he’s expecting to take on a similar role. 

“It’s one of those things where I’ve done everything,” he said. “I’ve played every day, I’ve come off the bench, I’ve pinch hit and pinch ran, defensive replacement — everything but pitch. And if Carlos [Mendoza] asks me to pitch I’ll go out there and eat an inning up.

“And to the fans, thanks for everything. I’m not sure why you guys love me but I’ll take it, hopefully I can keep up the support.”

The Indiana Pacers fell a win short of the NBA championship Sunday night, but the seismic blow to the franchise was the devastating Achilles tear to superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton. 

How does a franchise pivot after coming so close to winning it all while losing its top player for perhaps a year or longer?

And that isn’t the only issue the Pacers are facing. 

So let’s break down what challenges lie ahead, and what the runners-up can do for next season.

First things first

Haliburton is presumably going to miss all of next season, which raises significant questions for the Pacers.

Do they scale up Andrew Nembhard’s minutes and rely more on T.J. McConnell? Do they go out and make a trade for a point guard to keep them competitive? Do they take an organizational step back for a year?

There isn’t a clear path, and the injury is so fresh, the Pacers themselves have probably not made a call on which approach to take.

There’s merit to staying the course for next season and simply waiting everything out. After all, the Pacers aren’t enormously expensive, so making smaller moves around the margin to avoid entering the tax seems like a fair compromise, given that the team now isn’t expected to compete for a title in 2025-26.

So retaining the core should remain a high priority.

Anadolu via Getty Images

Keeping it going

Indiana needs to align with unrestricted free agent center Myles Turner on a new deal. The 29-year-old has been on a bargain contract for years, and odds are good he’ll seek a raise — justifiably so — during his prime years.

Assuming the Pacers clear that hurdle, it’s fair to note they’d only be retaining talent and not yet adding to their team. So while keeping Turner around is their No. 1 priority, that only ensures they’ll maintain their current talent level.

The organization is open to paying the luxury tax in order to keep Turner, which should be seen as an enormous asset through the lens of roster construction.

Of course, this is a franchise that’s been notoriously against doing so before, so while it makes for an optimistic headline, let’s just see the Pacers actually do it before we celebrate their newfound perspective. Does the Haliburton injury change the team’s calculus on spending and its commitment to the future?

The Pacers do have other players in free agency (James Johnson, Thomas Bryant, Tony Bradley, Isaiah Jackson), but no one who even remotely touches Turner in regard to importance. As such, we’ll put them in free agency purgatory for a while, as we look at possible upgrade options.

Bringing in new talent

All right, let’s say the Pacers have agreed to terms with Turner. Now what?

Let’s lay out their options here, while acknowledging they’re probably going to be somewhat passive in the open market.

The first apron hits at $195.9 million, so depending on what type of contract Turner signs (presumably something in the high $20 million range annually) — and the Pacers either relinquishing the rights to Jackson or replacing his $13.3 million cap hold with a new deal worth far less — the Pacers should have access to the full non-tax mid-level exception ($14.1 million) or close to it.

Now, here’s where things get unnecessarily complicated.

Just because it’s called the non-tax MLE, it doesn’t mean teams can only use it if they’re under the tax.

In actuality, the rule is a team can be over the luxury tax limit and still be able to use all of it as long as it doesn’t cross into first-apron territory.

This is relevant information only on the off-chance the Pacers decide to seek a point guard to hold them over for a year as they try to make another Finals push, however unlikely that scenario may be.

Could they find a point guard who’s a genuine difference-maker at $14.1 million? That’s asking a lot.

Trade options

The Pacers could also set themselves up for the future via trades and consider breaking some of their contracts into smaller pieces.

Obi Toppin played well in the Finals and obviously doesn’t look primed to be a trade candidate. But with Pascal Siakam already in place and Jarace Walker capable of playing power forward, Toppin and his $14 million salary could make for a good trade chip.

The Pacers could try to use Toppin’s deal to acquire a shooter and a backup center in return.

It wouldn’t hurt to have more floor spacing, nor would it hurt to have a player handy to back up Turner, with Jackson (torn Achilles) likely out for the start of the season.

Bennedict Mathurin, who will be extension eligible after this season, could also be an interesting player to dangle. He’s explosive and elite at getting to the line, and the scoring prowess (16.1 per game) is there, which should entice several teams.

Perhaps more than anyone else, Mathurin could prove the most crucial trade chip, especially if the Pacers identify a team that was enamored with him before the draft three years ago.

Pivoting off Mathurin would be difficult, but could save them a ton on future salary commitments.

The big picture

The Pacers were ready to enter this summer as buyers, seeking additional upgrades to help them return to the Finals next year.

Now, the many paths they could have walked have narrowed, and they seem forced to put a lid on their own flexibility to optimize future salary balance in the hopes that Haliburton returns to form a year from now.

It’s a monumental blow to the aspirations of this team, and they now find themselves in handcuffs just days before they enter the offseason.

The Indiana Pacers fell a win short of the NBA championship Sunday night, but the seismic blow to the franchise was the devastating Achilles tear to superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton. 

How does a franchise pivot after coming so close to winning it all while losing its top player for perhaps a year or longer?

And that isn’t the only issue the Pacers are facing. 

So let’s break down what challenges lie ahead, and what the runners-up can do for next season.

First things first

Haliburton is presumably going to miss all of next season, which raises significant questions for the Pacers.

Do they scale up Andrew Nembhard’s minutes and rely more on T.J. McConnell? Do they go out and make a trade for a point guard to keep them competitive? Do they take an organizational step back for a year?

There isn’t a clear path, and the injury is so fresh, the Pacers themselves have probably not made a call on which approach to take.

There’s merit to staying the course for next season and simply waiting everything out. After all, the Pacers aren’t enormously expensive, so making smaller moves around the margin to avoid entering the tax seems like a fair compromise, given that the team now isn’t expected to compete for a title in 2025-26.

So retaining the core should remain a high priority.

Anadolu via Getty Images

Keeping it going

Indiana needs to align with unrestricted free agent center Myles Turner on a new deal. The 29-year-old has been on a bargain contract for years, and odds are good he’ll seek a raise — justifiably so — during his prime years.

Assuming the Pacers clear that hurdle, it’s fair to note they’d only be retaining talent and not yet adding to their team. So while keeping Turner around is their No. 1 priority, that only ensures they’ll maintain their current talent level.

The organization is open to paying the luxury tax in order to keep Turner, which should be seen as an enormous asset through the lens of roster construction.

Of course, this is a franchise that’s been notoriously against doing so before, so while it makes for an optimistic headline, let’s just see the Pacers actually do it before we celebrate their newfound perspective. Does the Haliburton injury change the team’s calculus on spending and its commitment to the future?

The Pacers do have other players in free agency (James Johnson, Thomas Bryant, Tony Bradley, Isaiah Jackson), but no one who even remotely touches Turner in regard to importance. As such, we’ll put them in free agency purgatory for a while, as we look at possible upgrade options.

Bringing in new talent

All right, let’s say the Pacers have agreed to terms with Turner. Now what?

Let’s lay out their options here, while acknowledging they’re probably going to be somewhat passive in the open market.

The first apron hits at $195.9 million, so depending on what type of contract Turner signs (presumably something in the high $20 million range annually) — and the Pacers either relinquishing the rights to Jackson or replacing his $13.3 million cap hold with a new deal worth far less — the Pacers should have access to the full non-tax mid-level exception ($14.1 million) or close to it.

Now, here’s where things get unnecessarily complicated.

Just because it’s called the non-tax MLE, it doesn’t mean teams can only use it if they’re under the tax.

In actuality, the rule is a team can be over the luxury tax limit and still be able to use all of it as long as it doesn’t cross into first-apron territory.

This is relevant information only on the off-chance the Pacers decide to seek a point guard to hold them over for a year as they try to make another Finals push, however unlikely that scenario may be.

Could they find a point guard who’s a genuine difference-maker at $14.1 million? That’s asking a lot.

Trade options

The Pacers could also set themselves up for the future via trades and consider breaking some of their contracts into smaller pieces.

Obi Toppin played well in the Finals and obviously doesn’t look primed to be a trade candidate. But with Pascal Siakam already in place and Jarace Walker capable of playing power forward, Toppin and his $14 million salary could make for a good trade chip.

The Pacers could try to use Toppin’s deal to acquire a shooter and a backup center in return.

It wouldn’t hurt to have more floor spacing, nor would it hurt to have a player handy to back up Turner, with Jackson (torn Achilles) likely out for the start of the season.

Bennedict Mathurin, who will be extension eligible after this season, could also be an interesting player to dangle. He’s explosive and elite at getting to the line, and the scoring prowess (16.1 per game) is there, which should entice several teams.

Perhaps more than anyone else, Mathurin could prove the most crucial trade chip, especially if the Pacers identify a team that was enamored with him before the draft three years ago.

Pivoting off Mathurin would be difficult, but could save them a ton on future salary commitments.

The big picture

The Pacers were ready to enter this summer as buyers, seeking additional upgrades to help them return to the Finals next year.

Now, the many paths they could have walked have narrowed, and they seem forced to put a lid on their own flexibility to optimize future salary balance in the hopes that Haliburton returns to form a year from now.

It’s a monumental blow to the aspirations of this team, and they now find themselves in handcuffs just days before they enter the offseason.

Alex Caruso is an NBA champion!

Of course, Caruso already had a ring before he and the Oklahoma City Thunder closed out the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night. His first one came with the Lakers after the slightly shortened 2020 season and a postseason played entirely in the NBA bubble in Orlando during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Now I got a real one,” Caruso told reporters following the Thunder’s 103-91 victory over the Pacers. “Now nobody can say anything.”

Read more:Oklahoma City defeats Indiana in Game 7 to secure franchise’s second NBA title

He was joking, of course, making reference to the trolls who try to diminish the Lakers’ title from five years ago because of the unique circumstances under which it was won.

That Lakers team had an average age of nearly 29 and was led by LeBron James, who was 35 years old upon winning his fourth NBA championship.

This Thunder team is led by league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is 26 and — like the rest of his Oklahoma City teammates, except for Caruso — hadn’t won an NBA title until now. Their average age is 25.68 years, making them the youngest NBA champion team since the 1977 Portland Trail Blazers.

Read more:Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads OKC to NBA title, and the Clippers must be cringing

“I think just because of the way the team is constructed now versus the team I had in 2020, it was much harder with this team just because of the experience [level],” Caruso, 31, said. “… I think through the playoffs, this team grew up and learned on the fly. Most teams have to learn through losses and learn though defeat, and I think this team learned through success. And it’s a unique capability to be able to do that for 21- to 27-year-old kids.

“For me, I’ve seen greats do it, so I knew the way, I knew the mindset. But to see these guys do it, man, it’s really cool to see it in person, and I’m so happy for the guys just to be able to figure it out and be able to get this done.”

Caruso was a valuable player off the bench en route to both of his NBA championships, averaging 6.5 points per game in 2020 and 9.2 this season. He scored 20 points in three different games during the 2025 season, including twice during the Finals; his high score during the 2020 campaign was 16 points.

He signed with the Chicago Bulls as a free agent during the 2021 offseason and was traded to Oklahoma City for guard Josh Giddey last summer. Caruso’s previous championship experience was also valuable after Sunday’s game, when Caruso had to give his teammates a crash course on popping champagne to celebrate the victory.

Caruso (the only previous champ) had to teach the team how to pop champagne 😂🍾 pic.twitter.com/5rhf6RvT4S

— NBA (@NBA) June 23, 2025

“We didn’t do it all at the same time until like the third try,” Caruso said of popping the corks. “I tried my best when we got in there, I was like, ‘All right, let’s get a head count, let’s make sure everyone’s here before we do the first one.’ And through the learning experience of taking the foil off, undoing the metal and having the cork ready, there was like three or four guys that popped their corks. And then it happened again. …

“We went through the process a couple times and eventually we got everybody on the same page. But, yeah, it was a good first try. We’ll get some rest, reset, try to go again next year and see if we can do it again, and we’ll be better.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

It’s finally draft week, folks.

2. San Antonio Spurs:

It appears Edgecombe is the favorite here over Ace Bailey. Some front-office executives wonder if it’s all a smokescreen for Philadelphia general manager Daryl Morey to gain leverage. But on paper, Edgecombe makes total sense for the Sixers. He is an explosive, high-motor wing who flies out of nowhere for poster dunks and chase-down blocks. He pairs his elite athleticism with a knockdown spot-up jumper and fearless slashing. Though he needs to improve his shot creation to become more of a primary creator, the Sixers have enough in that department as is, so Edgecombe would get time to develop on his own timeline.

4. Charlotte Hornets:

21. Utah Jazz: Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State

Clifford is a tough-as-nails wing who does it all and could fill a number of different roles for the Jazz. He defends multiple positions, crashes the boards and scores from everywhere. But as a super senior with only Mountain West pedigree, he lacks experience against high-level competition despite his age.

22. Atlanta Hawks: Kasparas Jakučionis, G, Illinois

This is probably too low for KJ. He’s been connected to teams drafting in the late lottery. But the reality is that someone will inevitably fall, and in this mock it’s him. And maybe that could be a blessing in disguise since pairing Jakučionis with Trae Young would allow them both to play off-ball more often, alleviating the pressure on Jakučionis to be a primary shot-creator. As a freshman he’d follow up highlights with turnover brain-farts that would derail the hype train. But in Atlanta, he could pick his spots that show off his creative passing gene and a fearless scoring ability.

23. New Orleans Pelicans: Nolan Traoré, G, Saint-Quentin

Traoré oozes upside with his size, blazing speed and shiftiness off the bounce. But he’s an inefficient scorer all over the floor who needs to improve his erratic decision-making to prove he’s worth the swing. Bailey, Traoré and Zion Williamson would undoubtedly make up one of the most exciting teams to watch. Whether it’d become good is a whole different question.

24. Oklahoma City Thunder: Maxime Raynaud, F/C, Stanford

Though the Thunder already have Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren, it wouldn’t hurt to have another big in the rotation to use, aside from Jaylin Williams. Raynaud has leveled up every year at Stanford, turning into a player who pops 3s, slashes to the rim with a smooth handle and makes eye-popping passes. As a talented passer who also offers solid defense, there’s little reason to think the Frenchman won’t carve out an NBA role.

25. Orlando Magic: Liam McNeeley, F, Connecticut

McNeeley is a sharpshooting wing with superb instincts moving without the ball, and the touch to splash from deep range. Though he doesn’t project as a primary shot creator, his feel as a connective passer gives him the skill to fit into any type of offense. This would allow him to be the perfect backup to Desmond Bane early in his career, or even share the floor in some lineup configurations.

26. Brooklyn Nets: Danny Wolf, C, Michigan

Wolf is 6-11 but ran point for Michigan, playing a slick style with risky passes and step-back jumpers that made him a highlight factory. But he’s also a turnover machine and his shooting numbers are shaky, making him more of a raw bet who needs time to prove he can match his flash with substance. Why not take a big swing if you’re Brooklyn?

27. Brooklyn Nets: Drake Powell, G/F, North Carolina

Powell has a chiseled frame that he uses to barrel into defenders at the rim and to contain opponents when he’s on defense. He’s a switch-everything defender who plays with a high motor, and if his spot-up jumper translates he checks all the boxes to be a 3-and-D role player at a minimum. As a former projected lottery pick, maybe the Nets could tap into a higher level of upside in him.

28. Boston Celtics: Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas

Thiero is a slasher with a jacked frame and an explosive first step, but he has severe limitations on offense as a shooter. If he’s able to figure out the shot, then his length and versatility would make him a classic 3-and-D role player. Even without it, the Celtics could find value by using him in spots occupied by Jrue Holiday as a screener, roller and at-rim finisher.

29. Phoenix Suns: Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

Kalkbrenner is a throwback 7-footer who owns the paint, swatting shots with his giant wingspan and dunking everything in sight. It’s a bit strange he isn’t a better rebounder. But as a super senior, he’s also developed some sneaky passing and shooting skills that hint at higher upside. The Suns badly need a big man, and it’s hard to do much better than Kalkbrenner at this point of the draft.

30. L.A. Clippers: Rasheer Fleming, F, Saint Joseph’s

Fleming is a hustler who drains spot-up jumpers and brings energy on defense, swatting shots and snagging boards. But he has some real warts as a ball-handler with a lack of experience against high-level competition, so teams will have to feel real confident his role-player skill set will translate. With Kawhi Leonard and James Harden handling the rock in Los Angeles, Fleming’s positive qualities could allow him to slot in right away.

For a full second round, plus scouting reports of every player, check out my 2025 NBA Draft Guide.