Xavier Tillman faces a crossroads season with Boston, needing to stay healthy and offer a real three-point threat to win a steady backup role behind the frontcourt. His defense remains elite on switches and in forcing turnovers, but his offensive game lacks a credible spacer or ball-handler, keeping him on the fringe when the Celtics rotate bigs.

With Horford, Kornet and Porzingis out of the mix, a clearer path should exist if Tillman can stay durable and develop a league-average jumper. This season may define whether he can become a functional two-way big or drift into limited backup minutes elsewhere.

Los Angeles Lakers No. 7 traces Carmelo Anthony's late-career chapter with the purple and gold. In 2021-22 he contributed 13.3 points in 26 minutes per game, shooting 37.5% from deep and earning fan love, even as the fit was imperfect. His season culminated in a Hall of Fame induction, closing a storied arc that began long before his Lakers stint.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis anchored the roster, with Russell Westbrook added that summer to boost the second unit amid a roster rebuild around the core. The piece ties Melo’s Lakers run to a broader Lakers history, highlighting how veteran scorers can impact fantasy value in bursts and deepen the franchise’s legendary aura.

From a fantasy lens, Melo’s No. 7 era demonstrates how aging scorers can buoy late-season lineups with scoring bursts and league-wide name value, even when minutes are limited. The Lakers’ jersey lore thus intersects with practical streamer decisions for savvy managers.

Draymond Green’s take on LeBron James as greater than Michael Jordan sharpens the GOAT debate by praising James’ ability to win with a limited supporting cast, citing Matthew Dellavedova as an example. The discussion contrasts James’ string of Finals runs against Jordan’s era, framed by the Warriors’ peak from 2015–2018.

Counterpoints highlight the quality of James’ supporting casts across Cleveland, Miami, and L.A.—Wade, Bosh, Irving, Love, Davis—versus Jordan’s surrounding cohort. The piece also notes Luka Dončić as a modern factor in the debate, underscoring how era and roster depth shape the GOAT conversation. The argument remains nuanced and data-rich, not settled.

Dallas is a true title contender with a complete roster headlined by Irving, Flagg and Davis, but Irving's ACL rehab creates early-season backcourt depth concerns. The piece flags a bold path: lure Trae Young to pair with Irving and redefine Dallas' offense. Flagg could contribute immediately, and Davis, if healthy, would anchor a defensive edge that keeps Dallas in the championship conversation.

Trading for Young frames Dallas as a high-ceiling, risk-reward team: explosive offense with two elite playmakers, yet defensive gaps loom. The Hawks’ openness to a Young deal adds intrigue. Flagg’s immediate impact and Davis’ defensive presence offer a plausible route to a title window that hinges on Irving’s return timing and how quickly Dallas closes the depth gap.

Dallas Mavericks unveil a refreshed coaching staff for Jason Kidd: Frank Vogel named associate head coach, with Jay Triano and Popeye Jones as lead assistants. Newcomers Phil Handy, Mike Penberthy, Dru Anthrop and Jordan Sears join as developmental or support coaches; three assistants (Eric Hughes, Keith Veney, Josh Broghamer) return. Training camp kicks off Sept. 30 in Vancouver, signaling a deliberate push toward 2025-26.

The hires bring championship pedigree across the Lakers, Suns, Nuggets and Bucks, plus extensive development chops. Vogel’s Lakers title run, Triano’s long coaching career, Jones’s Nuggets success, and the Suns link through Anthrop paint a staff geared toward faster player growth and deeper bench impact for Dallas.