The NBA Board of Governors has unanimously approved the sale of the Boston Celtics to a group led by Chisholm, the league announced in a statement Wednesday.
The transaction is “expected to close shortly,” per the NBA.
Last July, Boston Basketball Partners, LLC — a group led by current lead governor Wyc Grousbeck — announced its intention to sell the team in two phases, giving up a majority ownership stake now and parting with the remaining stake in 2028.
An investment group led by Chisholm agreed to purchase the team for a record $6.1 billion in March, with Grousbeck agreeing to stay on until 2028. On Tuesday, it was reported that Grousbeck will transition from lead governor to alternate governor when the sale goes through, with Chisholm assuming the role of lead governor. (Grousbeck will retain his CEO title.)
Wednesday’s approval of the Celtics sale means that process is officially happening. And when the transaction is finalized, Chisholm officially will take the baton from Grousbeck, who will remain with the franchise but in a slightly different role.
“(It’s) a little bit of a change from what was expected, but I don’t think this is going to change a whole lot in how the dynamic is going to work moving forward,” our Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg noted Tuesday night about the dynamic between Chisholm and Grousbeck.
“I think that Bill Chisholm is going to enjoy having Wyc here to help steward the franchise forward in this transition process, but Bill, after paying $6.1 billion, is understandably going to sit in the lead chair. He’ll be the guy who goes to the Board of Governors meetings and has that bigger role as the Celtics chart a path forward here.”
Sixty-three players were taken ahead of Pete Alonso in the 2016 MLB Draft. That cluster included 17 other college hitters, four other University of Florida Gators and two other New York Mets. By the time Alonso’s name was called late in the second round, commissioner Rob Manfred had long since ceded the stage. Instead, legendary Mets relief pitcher and former team captain John Franco announced the pick.
As the 64th overall selection, Alonso was no diamond in the rough. The stocky first baseman had a phenomenal end to his junior season in Gainesville, shooting himself up draft boards and eventually earning a signing bonus just shy of $1 million. Evaluators agreed that Alonso had some of the best raw power in the draft class but held doubts about whether he would hit enough to actualize that juice.
Alonso had suffered a rash of bizarre injuries in college that limited looks for scouts. He had an underwhelming summer in the Cape Cod league after his sophomore year. There were also concerns about his defensive future, not to mention the horrendous track record of right-handed-hitting college first basemen.
And so, Peter Alonso, as he was often called back then, entered professional baseball as a relative afterthought. The MLB Network broadcast compared him to CJ Cron. This was a hulking slugger with question marks, a middling athlete with a high offensive bar to clear.
Consider it cleared.
Alonso, now a five-time All-Star, made Mets history on Tuesday.
Pete Alonso hits career homer No. 253, passing Darryl Strawberry for the most home runs in @Mets franchise history! pic.twitter.com/QIExcEVeoT
In the bottom of the third inning, he lined a first-pitch heater from Braves hurler Spencer Strider over the wall in right. The blast was Alonso’s 253rd career home run, pushing him past Darryl Strawberry as the franchise’s all-time leader. He is the third active player to be the franchise leader in homers, joining Manny Machado in San Diego and Mike Trout in Anaheim.
As the ball crested beyond the fence, into the history books, a Citi Field crowd of nearly 40,000 began roaring Alonso’s name. After hugging throngs of teammates, the Polar Bear reemerged on the dugout’s top step and tipped his helmet to the Mets faithful. For good measure, he clobbered No. 254 three innings later.
His record-setting blast on Tuesday was a moment eight years in the making, yet it was far from guaranteed. When Alonso hit free agency last winter, there was real doubt about whether he would return to Queens. With the Mets inking outfielder Juan Soto to a record-setting deal, a potential homecoming for the jolly slugger — then 26 homers shy of the franchise record — took a back seat.
As the winter inched along, negotiations between player and team grew contentious, eventually bleeding into the public eye. In the end, a market for a long-term contract never materialized, and Alonso rejoined the club on a two-year deal with an opt-out after this season.
It was, effectively, a procrastination, a temporary measure, a kicking of the can down the road. Even so, that stopgap reunion enabled the joyous scenes on Tuesday evening and allowed Alonso to assume his rightful place as the Mets’ Home Run King.
Pete Alonso broke the Mets’ home run record and added one more for good measure on Tuesday. (Mallory Bielecki/Yahoo Sports)
The club’s record total, now 254, is the third-lowest in MLB (behind Arizona and San Diego), a product of the Mets’ historic inability to develop and, more importantly, retain star sluggers. David Wright should have blown past Strawberry’s mark of 252, but a torrent of debilitating injuries left him stuck at 242. Other offensive difference-makers, such as Carlos Beltran, Howard Johnson and Mike Piazza, spent significant time in other organizations.
How much Alonso will be able to pad his lead atop the Mets’ record books is an open question. He’ll almost certainly retest free agency this winter, buoyed by a resounding bounce-back campaign. The Mets will be involved, but interest from other teams is sure to be higher than it was last offseason. It is far from a certainty that Alonso will be in orange and blue next year.
For now, though, this much is clear: Pete Alonso is the greatest home run hitter in Mets history. The 64th pick in the 2016 draft has blossomed into a truly feared in-box presence, a household name in the baseball world and quite simply one of the best sluggers of his generation.
The new owners intend to keep the Trail Blazers in Portland, according to the reports. That ultimately will involve Dundon’s group building a new arena in the area, something NBA Commissioner Adam Silver had said was part of the discussion involved with this sale.
“The city of Portland likely needs a new arena,” Silver said during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. “So that will be part of the challenge for any new ownership group coming in.”
Dundon not only owns the Hurricanes, but also is the majority owner of the Professional Pickleball Association and Major League Pickleball (he has invested heavily in that fast-growing sport). Dundon will head a group that also includes Marc Zahr, the co-president of Blue Owl Capital, and Portland-based Sheel Tyle, co-CEO of Collective Global, Sportico reports.
The Trail Blazers were put up for sale in May, following the wishes of the late Paul Allen, who owned the team in a trust. His sister, Jody Allen, is the trustee and executor of his estate, and she moved more slowly toward this sale than many Trail Blazers fans would have preferred. All the proceeds from the sale of the Trail Blazers will be given to charities and other philanthropic endeavors, as Paul Allen had put in his trust.
Before selling the team, Jody Allen made sure that general manager Joe Cronin and coach Chauncey Billups got contract extensions. On the court, the Trail Blazers are in the midst of a rebuild with some promising young players — Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, and just-drafted Chinese center Yang Hansen — and it just brought back franchise legend Damian Lillard (who will miss the coming season recovering from a torn Achilles).
Welcome back to The Danny Ainge System, where on Tuesday we evaluated every NBA executive’s trade history, compiling a rating (or OPS) of their performance in that market. Kevin Pritchard, president of basketball operations for the reigning Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers, was our leader in that regard.
Today we are evaluating every NBA executive’s draft history, using baseball’s Sabermetrics to categorize each selection as a home run, triple, double, single, walk or strikeout. The higher the OPS, the better the GM. If you are not following, it’s OK. It will make more sense as we go. Come along for the ride.
(On Thursday we will evaluate every NBA executive’s free-agent performance. And on Friday we will compile our findings and provide a complete picture of who is best leading his franchise into the future.)
As we had with the trade ratings, there was an outlying score in the draft history portion of the System — a number of them, actually. None of the executives had made more than a handful of draft selections. Their scores would have included (by far) the best and worst of the bunch, so I felt as if it were unfair to include them in these rankings. We will still categorize their draft histories here for the overall rankings …
Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics (2021-)
Draft picks: .333 OBP • .000 SLG • .333 OPS
BB: Baylor Scheierman (30th, 2024)
K: Juhann Begarin (45th, 2021) • Jordan Walsh (38th, 2022)
BB: Tristan Vukčević (42nd, 2023) • Kyshawn George (24th, 2024)
Have a feel for what you’re looking at now? Every draft pick is categorized as a hit, a walk or a strikeout. How much power each exec hit for depends on how impactful the player became. But as a general rule …
HR: A face of the franchise
3B: A star-level talent
2B: A rotation regular
1B: A moderate success
BB: A marginal move
K: A relative bust
For this exercise we removed picks 46-60, unless, of course, one of them reach base, in which case the executive gets credit for a walk or a hit. Otherwise, those picks have become too much of a crapshoot. We didn’t want to penalize an executive for an almost impossible ask, but we did need to create a cutoff somewhere, so we included the first half of the second round, even if a bunch of those are whiffs, too.
Even late first-round picks are more difficult than those in the lottery. It’s just the nature of the game. San Antonio Spurs general manager Brian Wright lucked into the Victor Wembanyama pick, just as Juan Soto checked his swing into a home run, and then lucked into the No. 2 pick again in June. It is too early to tell whether Dylan Harper will carry the same power, so we removed this year’s picks from the System.
A quick reminder: Newcomers Jeff Peterson (Charlotte Hornets), Trajan Langdon (Detroit Pistons), Ben Tenzer (Denver Nuggets), Onsi Saleh (Atlanta Hawks), Scott Perry (Sacramento Kings), Brian Gregory (Phoenix Suns) and Bobby Webster (Toronto Raptors) do not have sample sizes big enough to evaluate.
Let’s get to the rankings. Ladies and gentlemen, The Danny Ainge System: Draft History.
18. Jon Horst, Milwaukee Bucks (2017-)
Draft picks: .286 OBP • .167 SLG • .453 OPS
1B: Donte DiVincenzo (17th, 2018)
BB: Tyler Smith (33rd, 2024)
K: D.J. Wilson (17th, 2017) • Jordan Nwora (45th, 2020) • MarJon Beauchamp (24th, 2022) • Andre Jackson Jr. (36th, 2023) • AJ Johnson (23rd, 2024)
That’s just a tough draft history. No way around it. Especially considering the Bucks parted ways with Donte DiVincenzo, Horst’s only successful draft pick, in exchange for an aging Serge Ibaka, before the Villanova product even reached his second contract. Milwaukee could sure use a player like that right now — or anyone from the last eight years out of the draft who could assist Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Rob Pelinka isn’t known for his draft acumen. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Carlin Stiehl via Getty Images
17. Rob Pelinka, Los Angeles Lakers (2019-)
Draft picks: .833 OBP • .000 SLG • .833 OPS
BB: Talen Horton-Tucker (46th, 2019) • Max Christie (35th, 2022) • Maxwell Lewis (40th, 2023) • Dalton Knecht (17th, 2024) • Bronny James (55th, 2024)
K: Jalen Hood-Schifino (17th, 2023)
Maybe it’s a good thing if the Lakers trade away all of their draft picks. Here’s rooting for Bronny James.
16. Kevin Pritchard, Indiana Pacers (2017-)
Draft picks: .476 OBP • .471 SLG • .947 OPS
2B: Nicolas Batum (25th, 2008) • Andrew Nembhard (31st, 2022)
K: Greg Oden (1st, 2007) • Petteri Koponen (30th, 2007) • Victor Claver (22nd, 2009) • Jeff Ayres (31st, 2009) • Luke Babbitt (16th, 2010) • Elliot Williams (22nd, 2010) • Armon Johnson (34th, 2010) • T.J. Leaf (18th, 2017) • Goga Bitadze (18th, 2019) • Chris Duarte (13th, 2021) • Isaiah Jackson (22nd, 2021)
(Pritchard served as general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers from 2007-2010.)
Man, that Greg Oden pick looms large. A bunch of general managers would have made the same selection, but some — including Ainge — claim they would have drafted Kevin Durant ahead of Oden.
At any rate, Pritchard has finally connected on some recent draft picks. No doubt Andrew Nembhard could turn his double into a triple, especially in the absence of an injured Tyrese Haliburton. Same goes for Benn Mathurin and Ben Sheppard, both of whom could turn singles into doubles. Mathurin might even be there already, given his occasionally outstanding impact in the playoffs. Johnny Furphy might be able to leg out a single, too. Good things are happening for the Pacers, despite the Haliburton news.
15. Lawrence Frank, Los Angeles Clippers (2017-)
Draft picks: .333 OBP • .625 SLG • .958 OPS
HR: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11th, 2018)
1B: Terance Mann (18th, 2019)
BB: Moussa Diabaté (43rd, 2022)
K: Jerome Robinson (13th, 2018) • Mfiondu Kabengele (27th, 2019) • Daniel Oturu (33rd, 2020) • Keon Johnson (21st, 2021) • Jason Preston (33rd, 2021) • Kobe Brown (30th, 2023)
Give credit to Lawrence Frank for identifying Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the 2018 draft, though he traded the Canadian before he became a superstar in Oklahoma City. We still granted Frank a homer. Other than that, though — and SGA might have been more of a double for L.A. than a home run — Frank’s draft history is a rough scene. Then again, he has only twice drafted in the lottery and once took a future MVP.
Maybe the draft is more of a coin flip than we even thought.
14. Joe Dumars, Detroit (2000-2014) • New Orleans Pelicans (2025-)
Draft picks: .500 OBP • .565 SLG • 1.065 OPS
2B: Tayshaun Prince (23rd, 2002) • Andre Drummond (9th, 2012)
1B: Mehmet Okur (38th, 2001) • Carlos Delfino (25th, 2003) • Amir Johnson (56th, 2005) • Rodney Stuckey (15th, 2007) • Arron Afflalo (27th, 2007) • Jonas Jerebko (39th, 2009) • Greg Monroe (7th, 2010) • Khris Middleton (39th, 2012) • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (8th, 2013)
BB: Brian Cardinal (44th, 2000)
K: Mateen Cleaves (14th, 2000) • Rodney White (9th, 2001) • Darko Miličić (2nd, 2003) • Jason Maxiell (26th, 2005) • Walter Sharpe (32nd, 2008) • Austin Daye (15th, 2009) • DaJuan Summers (35th, 2009) • Terrico White (36th, 2010) • Brandon Knight (8th, 2011) • Kyle Singler (33rd, 2011) • Kim English (44th, 2012) • Tony Mitchell (37th, 2013)
(Dumars served as general manager of the Detroit Pistons from 2000-2014.)
Dumars drafted Tayshaun Prince to a championship core and selected Andre Drummond, a two-time All-Star who never meaningfully impacted winning in Detroit. Outside of that, he failed to hit for any power for long stretches of his career, including the 2003 selection of Darko Miličić, a historic strikeout at No. 2 overall. What Detroit might have been with Carmelo Anthony instead is an all-time barroom debate.
This does not include Dumars’ 2025 selections of Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. Queen, in particular, became the subject of much surprise around the league — not because he was taken in the lottery but because New Orleans gave up its unprotected 2026 first-round pick to get him. It may have been the single-most confounding trade of the offseason, but it goes unrecorded in our ledger, as the picks this summer are too fresh to evaluate. The Pelicans have invested this entire season into Queen. No pressure.
13. Artūras Karnišovas, Chicago Bulls (2020-)
Draft picks: .500 OBP • .600 SLG • 1.100 OPS
2B: Matas Buzelis (11th, 2024)
1B: Ayo Dosunmu (38th, 2021)
K: Patrick Williams (4th, 2020) • Marko Simonovic (44th, 2020) • Dalen Terry (18th, 2022)
BB: Julian Philips (35th, 2023)
That Patrick Williams pick is not going to help his cause. Matas Buzelis might, and Noa Essengue, this year’s lottery pick, is coming, too. This score could get a lot better or a lot worse for Karnišovas soon.
1B: Eddie House (37th, 2000) • Rasual Butler (53rd, 2002) • Dorell Wright (19th, 2004) • Mario Chalmers (34th, 2008) • Nikola Jovic (27th, 2022) • Jaime Jaquez Jr. (18th, 2023) • Kel’el Ware (15th, 2024) • Pelle Larson (44th, 2024)
BB: Precious Achiuwa (20th, 2020)
K: Martin Müürsepp (25th, 1996) • Charles Smith (26th, 1997) • Mark Smith (31st, 1997) • Tim James (25th, 1999) • Jerome Beasley (33rd, 2003) • Albert Miralles (39th, 2004) • Wayne Simien (29th, 2005) • Daequan Cook (21st, 2007) • Michael Beasley (2nd, 2008) • Patrick Beverley (42nd, 2009) • Dexter Pittman (32nd, 2010) • Jarvis Varnado (41st, 2010), Da’Sean Butler (42nd, 2010) • Norris Cole (28th, 2011) • Justin Hamilton (45th, 2012) • Shabazz Napier (24th, 2014) • Justise Winslow (10th, 2015) • KZ Okpala (32nd, 2019)
Riley drafted Dwyane Wade, a franchise icon, which warrants a long career. He extended it with his work on the trade market and in free agency. He also drafted Bam Adebayo, the backbone of two more trips to the NBA Finals. He has hit a couple triples, a double and a bunch of singles. He has a rich draft history.
But you would expect a little more success from someone who is 30 years into this gig. There were a lot of whiffs late in the first round and early in the second round. There were some big swings and misses, too, when it came to Michael Beasley and Justise Winslow. If only Riley had taken Ainge up on his offer of a handful of first-round draft picks for Winslow, the two archrivals might be flipped in these rankings.
11. Leon Rose, New York Knicks (2020-)
Draft picks: .667 OBP • .667 SLG • 1.333 OPS
2B: Immanuel Quickley (25th, 2020)
1B: Quentin Grimes (25th, 2021) • Miles McBride (36th, 2021)
If only Rose had held onto Obi Toppin, he might have ended up with another single. As it is, he had to watch as Toppin contributed as a member of the Pacers to his team’s defeat in the conference finals.
Note, too, that Toppin was the only player taken higher than 25th by Rose, and Rose gave up too early on his best opportunity at success in the draft. It is good to know, though, that it is possible to be successful without much success in the draft, as the Knicks are in decent shape despite their difficult draft history.
10. Jeff Weltman, Orlando Magic (2017-)
Draft picks: .500 OBP • .929 SLG • 1.429 OPS
HR: Paolo Banchero (1st, 2022)
3B: Franz Wagner (8th, 2021)
2B: Jalen Suggs (5th, 2021)
1B: Jonathan Isaac (6th, 2017) • Cole Anthony (15th, 2020) • Anthony Black (6th, 2023) • Tristan da Silva (18th, 2024)
The Magic have perennially picked one selection too late in the draft, often just missing elite prospects. But in back-to-back years Weltman dug himself out of a slump, taking Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero in successive drafts, forming the foundation of what should be a 50-win team this year.
Koby Altman has been doing good things for the Cavs. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
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9. Koby Altman, Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-)
Draft picks: .444 OBP • 1.000 SLG • 1.444 OPS
HR: Evan Mobley (3rd, 2021)
3B: Darius Garland (5th, 2019)
1B: Collin Sexton (8th, 2018)
BB: Jaylon Tyson (20th, 2024)
K: Dylan Windler (26th, 2019) • Kevin Porter Jr. (30th, 2019) • Isaac Okoro (5th, 2020) • Ochai Agbaji (14th, 2022) • Khalifa Diop (39th, 2022)
Altman did not miss on his top-five picks, and the Cavaliers are benefiting from that power, as Evan Mobley and Darius Garland formed a partnership that was worthy of investing into Donovan Mitchell (and vice versa). Together they formed a 64-win team that unfortunately lost in the second round of the playoffs, but the East is shallow, and the Cavs are expected to be the cream of the crop again next season. There is hope in Cleveland again, as the Cavaliers will go as far as Mobley and Garland take them.
8. Sean Marks, Brooklyn Nets (2016-)
Draft picks: .636 OBP • .875 SLG • 1.511 OPS
3B: Jarrett Allen (22nd, 2017)
2B: Nic Claxton (31st, 2019)
1B: Caris LeVert (20th, 2016) • Cam Thomas (27th, 2021)
Marks has done a decent job in the draft despite never having a pick higher than No. 20. That changed this year, when the Nets picked eighth (Egor Demin) before also selecting 19th (Nolan Traore), 22nd (Drake Powell), 26th (Ben Saraf) and 27th (Danny Wolf). That is a lot of at-bats for one summer.
7. Sam Presti, Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-)
Draft picks: .514 OBP • 1.065 SLG • 1.579 OPS
HR: Kevin Durant (2nd, 2007) • Russell Westbrook (4th, 2008) • James Harden (3rd, 2009) • Jalen Williams (12th, 2022)
3B: Serge Ibaka (24th, 2008) • Chet Holmgren (2nd, 2022)
2B: Reggie Jackson (24th, 2011) • Steven Adams (12th, 2013) • Cason Wallace (10th, 2023)
K: D.J. White (29th, 2008) • Kyle Weaver (38th, 2008) • B.J. Mullens (24th, 2009) • Cole Aldrich (11th, 2010) • Tibor Pleiß (31st, 2010) • Perry Jones (28th, 2012) • Álex Abrines (32nd, 2013) • Grant Jerrett (40th, 2013) • Mitch McGary (21st, 2014) • Josh Huestis (29th, 2014) • Terrance Ferguson (21st, 2017) • Darius Bazley (23rd, 2019) • Aleksej Pokusevski (17th, 2020) • Vit Krejci (37th, 2020) • Tre Mann (18th, 2021) • Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (32nd, 2021) • Dillon Jones (26th, 2024)
It is a thing of beauty looking at this stat sheet.
Four home runs, including Jalen Williams, who, as the second-best player on a championship team, deserves that status. That run of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden will never be matched. But it just goes to show you: When you are in this business a long enough time, there are bound to be a lot of swings and misses, especially when you are so often selecting late in the first round.
(Morey served as general manager of the Houston Rockets from 2007-2020.)
Morey does not get enough credit for his success in the draft, where, among others, he identified Tyrese Maxey, arguably the team’s best player now (unfortunately). There’s just not a lot of whiffs over a career as long as his. Even on the misses you can see the talent he was chasing. Smart guy, that Daryl Morey.
5. Tim Connelly, Minnesota Timberwolves (2022-)
Draft picks: .652 OBP • 1.056 SLG • 1.708 OPS
HR: Nikola Jokić (41st, 2014) • Jamal Murray (7th, 2016)
2B: Gary Harris (19th, 2014) • Jusuf Nurkić (16th, 2014) • Michael Porter Jr. (14th, 2018)
1B: Malik Beasley (19th, 2016) • Monte Morris (51st, 2017) • Jarred Vanderbilt (41st, 2018) • Rob Dillingham (8th, 2024) • Terrence Shannon Jr. (27th, 2024)
BB: Juan Hernangómez (15th, 2016) • Vlatko Čančar (49th, 2017) • Bol Bol (44th, 2019) • Zeke Nnaji (22nd, 2020) • Jaylen Clark (53rd, 2023)
K: Erick Green (46th, 2013) • Emmanuel Mudiay (7th, 2015) • Tyler Lydon (24th, 2017) • R.J. Hampton (24th, 2020) • Bones Hyland (26th, 2021) • Wendell Moore Jr. (26th, 2022) • Josh Minott (45th, 2022) • Leonard Miller (33rd, 2023)
(Connelly served as general manager of the Denver Nuggets from 2013-2022.)
That Jokić pick was so much of a grand slam, I think it’s still going.
Connelly identified a ton of talent in the draft for the Nuggets, including Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., or most of the core of Denver’s 2023 championship team. Minnesota is hoping he can do the same for the Timberwolves, who could use some affordable talent on their books. Both Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon showed promise last season, and rookie Joan Beringer joins them this summer. The sooner any of them develops, the more we can accept the Wolves as legitimate title contenders.
K: Marcus Banks (13th, 2003) • Justin Reed (40th, 2004) • Gabe Pruitt (32nd, 2007) • J.R. Giddens (30th, 2008) • JaJuan Johnson (27th, 2011) • Fab Melo (22nd, 2012) • James Young (17th, 2014) • R.J. Hunter (28th, 2015) • Jordan Mickey (33rd, 2015) • Marcus Thornton (45th, 2015) • Ante Zizic (23rd, 2016) • Demetrius Jackson (45th, 2016) • Romeo Langford (14th, 2019) • Carsen Edwards (33rd, 2019)
(Ainge served as general manager of the Boston Celtics from 2003-2021.)
Another thing of beauty. Man, look at all that action. No wonder we called this The Danny Ainge System. He drafted players to two different championship teams in Boston and consistently raked for 20 seasons.
There are a lot of recent draft picks hanging in the balance here as walks — from 2023 (Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh) to 2024 (Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski) — and that does not include this year’s selections, Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr. Two years from now, Ainge could have a very different score here — or an even better one, as he attempts to build a legacy in Utah.
K: Ziaire Williams (10th, 2021) • Jake LaRavia (19th, 2022) • David Roddy (23rd, 2022) • Kennedy Chandler (38th, 2022)
Ja Morant has come with ups and downs, but when he is healthy and engaged, he is the face of a 50-win team and an absolute superstar. He is a home run, even if anyone would have taken him with the No. 2 overall pick in 2019. You can only make the picks that are in front of you, and Morant was a good one.
Kleiman has proven to be one of the league’s best talent evaluators. Which is why it should have given Grizzlies fans great confidence when he proactively traded up for Cedric Coward at this year’s No. 11 pick. If The Danny Ainge System has taught us anything, it’s that there’s a high likelihood Coward will be good.
2. Brian Wright, San Antonio Spurs (2019-)
Draft picks: .636 OBP • .1.250 SLG • 1.886 OPS
HR: Victor Wembanyama (1st, 2023)
3B: Stephon Castle (4th, 2024)
2B: Devin Vassell (11th, 2020)
1B: Jeremy Sochan (9th, 2022)
BB: Tre Jones (41st, 2020) • Sidy Cissoko (44th, 2023) • Juan Núñez (36th, 2024)
K: Joshua Primo (12th, 2021) • Joe Wieskamp (41st, 2021) • Malaki Branham (20th, 2022) • Blake Wesley (25th, 2022)
It helps, of course, to luck into a generational superstar, and Victor Wembanyama is that. A No. 1 pick can make a general manager’s career, as it can a coach. Just ask Gregg Popovich, who drafted Tim Duncan to the Spurs and reaped the rewards for a couple of decades. Wright’s legacy will be written by Wembanyama.
Popovich had to identify Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the draft, too, in order to build a dynasty. The Spurs will hope Wright found similar complementary stars from a rebuild, whether Stephon Castle builds on his Rookie of the Year campaign or one of this year’s lottery picks, Dylan Harper or Carter Bryant, develops into a star. Wright has set San Antonio up for success. Bet on the Spurs in the coming years.
There is a reason the Rockets were ready for Kevin Durant. Stone has drafted so well the Rockets have developed from what was a 17-win team when he took over to a 52-win No. 2 seed this past season — all on the backs of a handful of high-end draft picks, including All-Star center Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson, who at age 22 may be as likely to develop into a home run as anyone in the league right now.
The Rockets were so good last season they decided they were one piece away from more serious title contention. They believed Jalen Green, their No. 2 overall pick in 2021, was not that one piece, so they flipped him for Durant, who could be the guy. It was a bet against Green’s potential as a home run.
Stone’s draft record has benefited from four consecutive selections in the top five of the first round, though one of those picks, Reed Sheppard, remains a mystery. If Sheppard hits, there is a real chance that when we update this list a year or two from now, Stone’s score could be even higher. As it is, he is the best around, and the Rockets are among the league’s championship favorites as a direct result.
Welcome back to The Danny Ainge System, where on Tuesday we evaluated every NBA executive’s trade history, compiling a rating (or OPS) of their performance in that market. Kevin Pritchard, president of basketball operations for the reigning Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers, was our leader in that regard.
Today we are evaluating every NBA executive’s draft history, using baseball’s Sabermetrics to categorize each selection as a home run, triple, double, single, walk or strikeout. The higher the OPS, the better the GM. If you are not following, it’s OK. It will make more sense as we go. Come along for the ride.
(On Thursday we will evaluate every NBA executive’s free-agent performance. And on Friday we will compile our findings and provide a complete picture of who is best leading his franchise into the future.)
As we had with the trade ratings, there was an outlying score in the draft history portion of the System — a number of them, actually. None of the executives had made more than a handful of draft selections. Their scores would have included (by far) the best and worst of the bunch, so I felt as if it were unfair to include them in these rankings. We will still categorize their draft histories here for the overall rankings …
Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics (2021-)
Draft picks: .333 OBP • .000 SLG • .333 OPS
BB: Baylor Scheierman (30th, 2024)
K: Juhann Begarin (45th, 2021) • Jordan Walsh (38th, 2022)
BB: Tristan Vukčević (42nd, 2023) • Kyshawn George (24th, 2024)
Have a feel for what you’re looking at now? Every draft pick is categorized as a hit, a walk or a strikeout. How much power each exec hit for depends on how impactful the player became. But as a general rule …
HR: A face of the franchise
3B: A star-level talent
2B: A rotation regular
1B: A moderate success
BB: A marginal move
K: A relative bust
For this exercise we removed picks 46-60, unless, of course, one of them reach base, in which case the executive gets credit for a walk or a hit. Otherwise, those picks have become too much of a crapshoot. We didn’t want to penalize an executive for an almost impossible ask, but we did need to create a cutoff somewhere, so we included the first half of the second round, even if a bunch of those are whiffs, too.
Even late first-round picks are more difficult than those in the lottery. It’s just the nature of the game. San Antonio Spurs general manager Brian Wright lucked into the Victor Wembanyama pick, just as Juan Soto checked his swing into a home run, and then lucked into the No. 2 pick again in June. It is too early to tell whether Dylan Harper will carry the same power, so we removed this year’s picks from the System.
A quick reminder: Newcomers Jeff Peterson (Charlotte Hornets), Trajan Langdon (Detroit Pistons), Ben Tenzer (Denver Nuggets), Onsi Saleh (Atlanta Hawks), Scott Perry (Sacramento Kings), Brian Gregory (Phoenix Suns) and Bobby Webster (Toronto Raptors) do not have sample sizes big enough to evaluate.
Let’s get to the rankings. Ladies and gentlemen, The Danny Ainge System: Draft History.
18. Jon Horst, Milwaukee Bucks (2017-)
Draft picks: .286 OBP • .167 SLG • .453 OPS
1B: Donte DiVincenzo (17th, 2018)
BB: Tyler Smith (33rd, 2024)
K: D.J. Wilson (17th, 2017) • Jordan Nwora (45th, 2020) • MarJon Beauchamp (24th, 2022) • Andre Jackson Jr. (36th, 2023) • AJ Johnson (23rd, 2024)
That’s just a tough draft history. No way around it. Especially considering the Bucks parted ways with Donte DiVincenzo, Horst’s only successful draft pick, in exchange for an aging Serge Ibaka, before the Villanova product even reached his second contract. Milwaukee could sure use a player like that right now — or anyone from the last eight years out of the draft who could assist Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Rob Pelinka isn’t known for his draft acumen. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Carlin Stiehl via Getty Images
17. Rob Pelinka, Los Angeles Lakers (2019-)
Draft picks: .833 OBP • .000 SLG • .833 OPS
BB: Talen Horton-Tucker (46th, 2019) • Max Christie (35th, 2022) • Maxwell Lewis (40th, 2023) • Dalton Knecht (17th, 2024) • Bronny James (55th, 2024)
K: Jalen Hood-Schifino (17th, 2023)
Maybe it’s a good thing if the Lakers trade away all of their draft picks. Here’s rooting for Bronny James.
16. Kevin Pritchard, Indiana Pacers (2017-)
Draft picks: .476 OBP • .471 SLG • .947 OPS
2B: Nicolas Batum (25th, 2008) • Andrew Nembhard (31st, 2022)
K: Greg Oden (1st, 2007) • Petteri Koponen (30th, 2007) • Victor Claver (22nd, 2009) • Jeff Ayres (31st, 2009) • Luke Babbitt (16th, 2010) • Elliot Williams (22nd, 2010) • Armon Johnson (34th, 2010) • T.J. Leaf (18th, 2017) • Goga Bitadze (18th, 2019) • Chris Duarte (13th, 2021) • Isaiah Jackson (22nd, 2021)
(Pritchard served as general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers from 2007-2010.)
Man, that Greg Oden pick looms large. A bunch of general managers would have made the same selection, but some — including Ainge — claim they would have drafted Kevin Durant ahead of Oden.
At any rate, Pritchard has finally connected on some recent draft picks. No doubt Andrew Nembhard could turn his double into a triple, especially in the absence of an injured Tyrese Haliburton. Same goes for Benn Mathurin and Ben Sheppard, both of whom could turn singles into doubles. Mathurin might even be there already, given his occasionally outstanding impact in the playoffs. Johnny Furphy might be able to leg out a single, too. Good things are happening for the Pacers, despite the Haliburton news.
15. Lawrence Frank, Los Angeles Clippers (2017-)
Draft picks: .333 OBP • .625 SLG • .958 OPS
HR: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11th, 2018)
1B: Terance Mann (18th, 2019)
BB: Moussa Diabaté (43rd, 2022)
K: Jerome Robinson (13th, 2018) • Mfiondu Kabengele (27th, 2019) • Daniel Oturu (33rd, 2020) • Keon Johnson (21st, 2021) • Jason Preston (33rd, 2021) • Kobe Brown (30th, 2023)
Give credit to Lawrence Frank for identifying Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the 2018 draft, though he traded the Canadian before he became a superstar in Oklahoma City. We still granted Frank a homer. Other than that, though — and SGA might have been more of a double for L.A. than a home run — Frank’s draft history is a rough scene. Then again, he has only twice drafted in the lottery and once took a future MVP.
Maybe the draft is more of a coin flip than we even thought.
14. Joe Dumars, Detroit (2000-2014) • New Orleans Pelicans (2025-)
Draft picks: .500 OBP • .565 SLG • 1.065 OPS
2B: Tayshaun Prince (23rd, 2002) • Andre Drummond (9th, 2012)
1B: Mehmet Okur (38th, 2001) • Carlos Delfino (25th, 2003) • Amir Johnson (56th, 2005) • Rodney Stuckey (15th, 2007) • Arron Afflalo (27th, 2007) • Jonas Jerebko (39th, 2009) • Greg Monroe (7th, 2010) • Khris Middleton (39th, 2012) • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (8th, 2013)
BB: Brian Cardinal (44th, 2000)
K: Mateen Cleaves (14th, 2000) • Rodney White (9th, 2001) • Darko Miličić (2nd, 2003) • Jason Maxiell (26th, 2005) • Walter Sharpe (32nd, 2008) • Austin Daye (15th, 2009) • DaJuan Summers (35th, 2009) • Terrico White (36th, 2010) • Brandon Knight (8th, 2011) • Kyle Singler (33rd, 2011) • Kim English (44th, 2012) • Tony Mitchell (37th, 2013)
(Dumars served as general manager of the Detroit Pistons from 2000-2014.)
Dumars drafted Tayshaun Prince to a championship core and selected Andre Drummond, a two-time All-Star who never meaningfully impacted winning in Detroit. Outside of that, he failed to hit for any power for long stretches of his career, including the 2003 selection of Darko Miličić, a historic strikeout at No. 2 overall. What Detroit might have been with Carmelo Anthony instead is an all-time barroom debate.
This does not include Dumars’ 2025 selections of Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen. Queen, in particular, became the subject of much surprise around the league — not because he was taken in the lottery but because New Orleans gave up its unprotected 2026 first-round pick to get him. It may have been the single-most confounding trade of the offseason, but it goes unrecorded in our ledger, as the picks this summer are too fresh to evaluate. The Pelicans have invested this entire season into Queen. No pressure.
13. Artūras Karnišovas, Chicago Bulls (2020-)
Draft picks: .500 OBP • .600 SLG • 1.100 OPS
2B: Matas Buzelis (11th, 2024)
1B: Ayo Dosunmu (38th, 2021)
K: Patrick Williams (4th, 2020) • Marko Simonovic (44th, 2020) • Dalen Terry (18th, 2022)
BB: Julian Philips (35th, 2023)
That Patrick Williams pick is not going to help his cause. Matas Buzelis might, and Noa Essengue, this year’s lottery pick, is coming, too. This score could get a lot better or a lot worse for Karnišovas soon.
1B: Eddie House (37th, 2000) • Rasual Butler (53rd, 2002) • Dorell Wright (19th, 2004) • Mario Chalmers (34th, 2008) • Nikola Jovic (27th, 2022) • Jaime Jaquez Jr. (18th, 2023) • Kel’el Ware (15th, 2024) • Pelle Larson (44th, 2024)
BB: Precious Achiuwa (20th, 2020)
K: Martin Müürsepp (25th, 1996) • Charles Smith (26th, 1997) • Mark Smith (31st, 1997) • Tim James (25th, 1999) • Jerome Beasley (33rd, 2003) • Albert Miralles (39th, 2004) • Wayne Simien (29th, 2005) • Daequan Cook (21st, 2007) • Michael Beasley (2nd, 2008) • Patrick Beverley (42nd, 2009) • Dexter Pittman (32nd, 2010) • Jarvis Varnado (41st, 2010), Da’Sean Butler (42nd, 2010) • Norris Cole (28th, 2011) • Justin Hamilton (45th, 2012) • Shabazz Napier (24th, 2014) • Justise Winslow (10th, 2015) • KZ Okpala (32nd, 2019)
Riley drafted Dwyane Wade, a franchise icon, which warrants a long career. He extended it with his work on the trade market and in free agency. He also drafted Bam Adebayo, the backbone of two more trips to the NBA Finals. He has hit a couple triples, a double and a bunch of singles. He has a rich draft history.
But you would expect a little more success from someone who is 30 years into this gig. There were a lot of whiffs late in the first round and early in the second round. There were some big swings and misses, too, when it came to Michael Beasley and Justise Winslow. If only Riley had taken Ainge up on his offer of a handful of first-round draft picks for Winslow, the two archrivals might be flipped in these rankings.
11. Leon Rose, New York Knicks (2020-)
Draft picks: .667 OBP • .667 SLG • 1.333 OPS
2B: Immanuel Quickley (25th, 2020)
1B: Quentin Grimes (25th, 2021) • Miles McBride (36th, 2021)
If only Rose had held onto Obi Toppin, he might have ended up with another single. As it is, he had to watch as Toppin contributed as a member of the Pacers to his team’s defeat in the conference finals.
Note, too, that Toppin was the only player taken higher than 25th by Rose, and Rose gave up too early on his best opportunity at success in the draft. It is good to know, though, that it is possible to be successful without much success in the draft, as the Knicks are in decent shape despite their difficult draft history.
10. Jeff Weltman, Orlando Magic (2017-)
Draft picks: .500 OBP • .929 SLG • 1.429 OPS
HR: Paolo Banchero (1st, 2022)
3B: Franz Wagner (8th, 2021)
2B: Jalen Suggs (5th, 2021)
1B: Jonathan Isaac (6th, 2017) • Cole Anthony (15th, 2020) • Anthony Black (6th, 2023) • Tristan da Silva (18th, 2024)
The Magic have perennially picked one selection too late in the draft, often just missing elite prospects. But in back-to-back years Weltman dug himself out of a slump, taking Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero in successive drafts, forming the foundation of what should be a 50-win team this year.
Koby Altman has been doing good things for the Cavs. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
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9. Koby Altman, Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-)
Draft picks: .444 OBP • 1.000 SLG • 1.444 OPS
HR: Evan Mobley (3rd, 2021)
3B: Darius Garland (5th, 2019)
1B: Collin Sexton (8th, 2018)
BB: Jaylon Tyson (20th, 2024)
K: Dylan Windler (26th, 2019) • Kevin Porter Jr. (30th, 2019) • Isaac Okoro (5th, 2020) • Ochai Agbaji (14th, 2022) • Khalifa Diop (39th, 2022)
Altman did not miss on his top-five picks, and the Cavaliers are benefiting from that power, as Evan Mobley and Darius Garland formed a partnership that was worthy of investing into Donovan Mitchell (and vice versa). Together they formed a 64-win team that unfortunately lost in the second round of the playoffs, but the East is shallow, and the Cavs are expected to be the cream of the crop again next season. There is hope in Cleveland again, as the Cavaliers will go as far as Mobley and Garland take them.
8. Sean Marks, Brooklyn Nets (2016-)
Draft picks: .636 OBP • .875 SLG • 1.511 OPS
3B: Jarrett Allen (22nd, 2017)
2B: Nic Claxton (31st, 2019)
1B: Caris LeVert (20th, 2016) • Cam Thomas (27th, 2021)
Marks has done a decent job in the draft despite never having a pick higher than No. 20. That changed this year, when the Nets picked eighth (Egor Demin) before also selecting 19th (Nolan Traore), 22nd (Drake Powell), 26th (Ben Saraf) and 27th (Danny Wolf). That is a lot of at-bats for one summer.
7. Sam Presti, Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-)
Draft picks: .514 OBP • 1.065 SLG • 1.579 OPS
HR: Kevin Durant (2nd, 2007) • Russell Westbrook (4th, 2008) • James Harden (3rd, 2009) • Jalen Williams (12th, 2022)
3B: Serge Ibaka (24th, 2008) • Chet Holmgren (2nd, 2022)
2B: Reggie Jackson (24th, 2011) • Steven Adams (12th, 2013) • Cason Wallace (10th, 2023)
K: D.J. White (29th, 2008) • Kyle Weaver (38th, 2008) • B.J. Mullens (24th, 2009) • Cole Aldrich (11th, 2010) • Tibor Pleiß (31st, 2010) • Perry Jones (28th, 2012) • Álex Abrines (32nd, 2013) • Grant Jerrett (40th, 2013) • Mitch McGary (21st, 2014) • Josh Huestis (29th, 2014) • Terrance Ferguson (21st, 2017) • Darius Bazley (23rd, 2019) • Aleksej Pokusevski (17th, 2020) • Vit Krejci (37th, 2020) • Tre Mann (18th, 2021) • Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (32nd, 2021) • Dillon Jones (26th, 2024)
It is a thing of beauty looking at this stat sheet.
Four home runs, including Jalen Williams, who, as the second-best player on a championship team, deserves that status. That run of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden will never be matched. But it just goes to show you: When you are in this business a long enough time, there are bound to be a lot of swings and misses, especially when you are so often selecting late in the first round.
(Morey served as general manager of the Houston Rockets from 2007-2020.)
Morey does not get enough credit for his success in the draft, where, among others, he identified Tyrese Maxey, arguably the team’s best player now (unfortunately). There’s just not a lot of whiffs over a career as long as his. Even on the misses you can see the talent he was chasing. Smart guy, that Daryl Morey.
5. Tim Connelly, Minnesota Timberwolves (2022-)
Draft picks: .652 OBP • 1.056 SLG • 1.708 OPS
HR: Nikola Jokić (41st, 2014) • Jamal Murray (7th, 2016)
2B: Gary Harris (19th, 2014) • Jusuf Nurkić (16th, 2014) • Michael Porter Jr. (14th, 2018)
1B: Malik Beasley (19th, 2016) • Monte Morris (51st, 2017) • Jarred Vanderbilt (41st, 2018) • Rob Dillingham (8th, 2024) • Terrence Shannon Jr. (27th, 2024)
BB: Juan Hernangómez (15th, 2016) • Vlatko Čančar (49th, 2017) • Bol Bol (44th, 2019) • Zeke Nnaji (22nd, 2020) • Jaylen Clark (53rd, 2023)
K: Erick Green (46th, 2013) • Emmanuel Mudiay (7th, 2015) • Tyler Lydon (24th, 2017) • R.J. Hampton (24th, 2020) • Bones Hyland (26th, 2021) • Wendell Moore Jr. (26th, 2022) • Josh Minott (45th, 2022) • Leonard Miller (33rd, 2023)
(Connelly served as general manager of the Denver Nuggets from 2013-2022.)
That Jokić pick was so much of a grand slam, I think it’s still going.
Connelly identified a ton of talent in the draft for the Nuggets, including Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., or most of the core of Denver’s 2023 championship team. Minnesota is hoping he can do the same for the Timberwolves, who could use some affordable talent on their books. Both Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon showed promise last season, and rookie Joan Beringer joins them this summer. The sooner any of them develops, the more we can accept the Wolves as legitimate title contenders.
K: Marcus Banks (13th, 2003) • Justin Reed (40th, 2004) • Gabe Pruitt (32nd, 2007) • J.R. Giddens (30th, 2008) • JaJuan Johnson (27th, 2011) • Fab Melo (22nd, 2012) • James Young (17th, 2014) • R.J. Hunter (28th, 2015) • Jordan Mickey (33rd, 2015) • Marcus Thornton (45th, 2015) • Ante Zizic (23rd, 2016) • Demetrius Jackson (45th, 2016) • Romeo Langford (14th, 2019) • Carsen Edwards (33rd, 2019)
(Ainge served as general manager of the Boston Celtics from 2003-2021.)
Another thing of beauty. Man, look at all that action. No wonder we called this The Danny Ainge System. He drafted players to two different championship teams in Boston and consistently raked for 20 seasons.
There are a lot of recent draft picks hanging in the balance here as walks — from 2023 (Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh) to 2024 (Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski) — and that does not include this year’s selections, Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr. Two years from now, Ainge could have a very different score here — or an even better one, as he attempts to build a legacy in Utah.
K: Ziaire Williams (10th, 2021) • Jake LaRavia (19th, 2022) • David Roddy (23rd, 2022) • Kennedy Chandler (38th, 2022)
Ja Morant has come with ups and downs, but when he is healthy and engaged, he is the face of a 50-win team and an absolute superstar. He is a home run, even if anyone would have taken him with the No. 2 overall pick in 2019. You can only make the picks that are in front of you, and Morant was a good one.
Kleiman has proven to be one of the league’s best talent evaluators. Which is why it should have given Grizzlies fans great confidence when he proactively traded up for Cedric Coward at this year’s No. 11 pick. If The Danny Ainge System has taught us anything, it’s that there’s a high likelihood Coward will be good.
2. Brian Wright, San Antonio Spurs (2019-)
Draft picks: .636 OBP • .1.250 SLG • 1.886 OPS
HR: Victor Wembanyama (1st, 2023)
3B: Stephon Castle (4th, 2024)
2B: Devin Vassell (11th, 2020)
1B: Jeremy Sochan (9th, 2022)
BB: Tre Jones (41st, 2020) • Sidy Cissoko (44th, 2023) • Juan Núñez (36th, 2024)
K: Joshua Primo (12th, 2021) • Joe Wieskamp (41st, 2021) • Malaki Branham (20th, 2022) • Blake Wesley (25th, 2022)
It helps, of course, to luck into a generational superstar, and Victor Wembanyama is that. A No. 1 pick can make a general manager’s career, as it can a coach. Just ask Gregg Popovich, who drafted Tim Duncan to the Spurs and reaped the rewards for a couple of decades. Wright’s legacy will be written by Wembanyama.
Popovich had to identify Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili in the draft, too, in order to build a dynasty. The Spurs will hope Wright found similar complementary stars from a rebuild, whether Stephon Castle builds on his Rookie of the Year campaign or one of this year’s lottery picks, Dylan Harper or Carter Bryant, develops into a star. Wright has set San Antonio up for success. Bet on the Spurs in the coming years.
There is a reason the Rockets were ready for Kevin Durant. Stone has drafted so well the Rockets have developed from what was a 17-win team when he took over to a 52-win No. 2 seed this past season — all on the backs of a handful of high-end draft picks, including All-Star center Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson, who at age 22 may be as likely to develop into a home run as anyone in the league right now.
The Rockets were so good last season they decided they were one piece away from more serious title contention. They believed Jalen Green, their No. 2 overall pick in 2021, was not that one piece, so they flipped him for Durant, who could be the guy. It was a bet against Green’s potential as a home run.
Stone’s draft record has benefited from four consecutive selections in the top five of the first round, though one of those picks, Reed Sheppard, remains a mystery. If Sheppard hits, there is a real chance that when we update this list a year or two from now, Stone’s score could be even higher. As it is, he is the best around, and the Rockets are among the league’s championship favorites as a direct result.
“I think it’s going to help,” Sabonis told reporters Wednesday at his second annual youth basketball camp in Rocklin. “You know, [LaVine] in halfway through the season, also a new coach — not the system the coach might want to play, [and] players learning it.
“I know Doug’s working hard on the new system and how he wants to play us. He’s going to translate it through training camp. And so far, all summer, we’ve been getting little bits and pieces of that new offense. Hopefully, when training camp comes, we’re just ready to go.”
Domantas Sabonis Kids Camp
The @SacramentoKings center hosted his 2nd annual kids basketball camp in Rocklin today
Here is the full interview with Domas about the camp, how he has attacked the offseaon/putting the season behind him & Sacramento’s offseason moves… pic.twitter.com/uZcEjkQj64
LaVine was acquired at the 2025 NBA trade deadline in the blockbuster deal that sent longtime Sacramento icon De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, and Christie is in his first offseason of officially being the Kings’ coach after serving as the interim following Mike Brown’s firing in late December.
DeRozan, too, is entering his second season with the franchise.
Sacramento has a well-rounded roster, but it’s clear the key players themselves never fully adjusted to the new-look offense upon LaVine’s arrival, as reflected by the Kings’ 40-42 record in 2024-25.
Though the two-time NBA All-Star did average 22.4 points, 3.8 assists and 3.2 rebounds over his first 32 games with Sacramento. But in that span, the Kings still won a mere 14 games and finished the whirlwind of a campaign by being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA play-in tournament.
Sabonis is well aware of the untapped potential his team has centered around himself, DeRozan and LaVine. The three-time All-Star even told reporters that he and some teammates already have been practicing together before training camp starts on Sept. 29.
“Of course,” Sabonis said about working out with his Kings teammates. “I’m flying down … tonight, after the camp, to LA. We’re going to meet up with some guys, you know, and just get some work in.”
Sabonis added that he will not be participating in any international hoops for his native country of Lithuania. He is strictly focused on bringing the Kings back to the NBA playoffs.
