Collin Murray-Boyles didn’t take long to go from a ninth overall pick with upside to someone the Raptors already trust in real games that matter. His playoff run did a lot of that heavy lifting. In Toronto’s seven-game series against the eventual Eastern Conference finalist Cavaliers, he averaged 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks, and that showing helped change the conversation around what he can be for this team.
The offense is ahead of schedule, and that matters. It’s a big reason the Raptors were willing to lean on him so quickly, and that kind of trust can smooth the path as he settles into whatever role comes next, Eric Koreen writes for The Athletic.
“ One of the biggest compliments you can have as a rookie is to get recognition for contributing in a playoff series,” Murray-Boyles said. “ A lot of rookies don’t get a chance to feel what it’s like to play in playoff games early on. Me being able to do that and also create an impact is just proof of the work I put in.”
Murray-Boyles also said he has been studying Scottie Barnes on film, looking at how Barnes can work around shooting concerns and still function as a dangerous playmaker. That’s the kind of template Toronto has in mind for the second-year big man in its offense.
He was supposed to be part of the Raptors’ Summer League group, but a hand injury kept him out. Even so, he’s looking ahead to the season.
Around the Atlantic Division, the Sixers made Dean Wade a priority when free agency opened. Adam Aaronson writes for the Philly Voice that Wade, who has never averaged more than six points in a season, mattered to Philadelphia because of what he can do without the ball.
At 6’9″, he brings defensive versatility to a roster that has plenty of shot creation but needs help on the other end. His offensive rebounding and floor spacing also stand out, especially with his career 36.7% mark from three.
Philadelphia also moved on from experienced backup center Andre Drummond and replaced him with Ariel Hukporti, a far less proven option. Aaronson notes that Hukporti’s profile shares some similarities with Adem Bona’s, but Hukporti is bigger and stronger, which gives the Sixers a chance to have a real rim protector off the bench. The catch is foul trouble, and he’ll need to clean that up if he wants to secure a meaningful role this season.
In Brooklyn, general manager Sean Marks is keeping an eye on the bigger picture. Erik Slater writes for Clutch Points that Marks values preserving flexibility rather than burning through it all in one offseason, especially with the Nets still in the middle of a roster reset.
“ When you’re rebuilding a team like we have been the last couple of years, that’s important,” Marks said. “ You just never know what’s going to come your way.
So for us to have that optionality will be really important. But at the same time, I like the roster we have.”
That doesn’t necessarily mean Brooklyn is finished making moves, but it does suggest the Nets are comfortable staying patient and continuing to evaluate their next steps well beyond the offseason.
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Sean Marks Just Sent Nets Fans A Familiar Message
Brooklyns rebuild is still being guided by the same basic idea Sean Marks has leaned on for years: stay patient, keep the books clean and preserve the freedom to strike when the right move appears. While other teams around the league continue to reshape their rosters, the Nets are choosing not to force the issue, even as the market keeps moving around them.
That approach leaves Brooklyn in a rare spot, with the kind of cap room that can be used to take on contracts or slide into future trade talks when the timing makes sense. It is not the loudest path, and it does not always satisfy a fan base looking for immediate movement, but it does suggest the Nets are still positioning themselves to be involved when the next opportunity opens up. [Read more 🡒]
Nets May Have One Rare Shot To Fix Their Biggest Problem
Brooklyns search for help in the middle has been one of the clearest roster questions hanging over the offseason, and the market may have offered a rare opening. After moving off Nic Claxton, the Nets are left with DayRon Sharpe and Moritz Wagner in the center rotation, a setup that leaves plenty of room for a bigger swing if the right opportunity surfaces.
Detroit, meanwhile, has kept its focus on re-signing Jalen Duren even after adding John Collins, Isaiah Joe, Gary Harris Jr. and Taurean Prince. The Pistons have not exactly acted like a team eager to create more noise around the situation, but Brooklyn could still test that resolve if it believes Duren is the kind of long-term answer that changes the shape of its frontcourt. [Read more 🡒]
Nets May Have Just Found The Exact Wing This Rebuild Needed
Josh Minotts first stretch with the Nets came with a built-in excuse, but also a glimpse of why Brooklyn was intrigued in the first place. Acquired from the Celtics, the wing flashed the kind of defensive instincts and shooting touch that can matter on a rebuilding roster, even as a nagging ankle issue made his early games harder to judge than most.
Brooklyn liked enough of what it saw to bring him back on a two-year deal, a sign the front office believes there is still real upside once he gets a normal offseason. General manager Sean Marks has been encouraged by the possibility of what Minott can look like at full strength, and for a team hunting long-term answers on the wing, that kind of bet can be worth making. [Read more 🡒]