Celtics Notes: Mazzulla, Tonje, White, Mitchell
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla acknowledged the need for a “grieving process” after the trade of Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, but he’s also looking forward to what the team’s new additions will bring next season, writes Jay King of The Athletic. Boston acquired Paul George in the Brown deal and signed Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley in free agency, adding three accomplished veterans to an already talented roster.
“We’re getting three guys back,” Mazzulla said. “One guy was a champion. So, we can leverage the experience that he had in the current moment of like, ‘Hey, what worked for you guys? How can we learn from little stuff that you did?’ And there’s two guys that haven’t (won a championship) yet. And how can we leverage, for lack of a better phrase, the hungriness or the desperation that they may have to try and get to that point?
“And then we have a group of guys who have felt both winning and losing, and losing hurts worse after you’ve won because now you’ve felt both sides of that. So, we have different experiences in the locker room that we need to try to recreate and just take advantage of those off-the-court experiences and then (determine) how can we help them on the court.”
Mazzulla is particularly intrigued by what Robinson can provide after he played a valuable role in the Knicks’ just-completed championship run. Robinson should be an upgrade from the big men the Celtics had coming off the bench last season.
“Everyone’s going to talk about the offensive rebounding, but his defensive versatility and his pick-and-roll defense is good,” Mazzulla added. “And we’ll be able to go to some different tactics because of that. So, it’s not just the offense, but again, it’s both. I’m excited about the skill, but I’m excited about the freshness of winning; it’s very fresh in your mind, and you have a taste of that. So, how can you help us have an understanding of what that looked like from your perspective?”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- John Tonje is making a strong case at Summer League to fill one of the team’s two-way slots, according to Brian Robb of MassLive. Tonje appeared in six games last season after being acquired from Utah in February and has been impressive in Las Vegas, posting 17 points and five rebounds in Sunday’s win over Charlotte. “I know that’s kind of in the back of my mind,” Tonje said of the two-way opportunity. “But I’m focused on getting better each day. I love to improve and blessed to be here. Just leading with that, being grateful every day and giving everything I have every day and the rest will take care of itself.”
- Derrick White helped out the coaching staff during Sunday’s game as an active participant on the sidelines, Robb adds in a separate story. White, who has also been heavily involved at practice, explains that it’s part of his effort to bounce back after a down season. “Honestly, I just wanted to attack the summer and get better,” he said. “Obviously, I don’t think I played that great last year, so that’s kind of what I’ve been focusing on this whole summer. … I gotta shoot it better obviously. But there are a lot of little things I want to work on.”
- Second-round pick Dillon Mitchell only made one three-pointer with St. John’s last season, but the Celtics see potential in his outside shot and are encouraging him to fire away during Summer League, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (subscription required). Mitchell went 2-of-5 from beyond the arc on Sunday as the Hornets gave him plenty of room to shoot. “[Celtics coaches] were looking at me every time like, ‘Just shoot the ball,’” Mitchell said. “Just going out there and playing confident, especially hearing their confidence in me to just shoot the ball. I know they’re going to crash [for offensive rebounds].”
Timberwolves Not Pursuing Ja Morant, Looking At Other Guards
The Timberwolves aren’t pursuing Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link), who says the team is looking at other backcourt options.
While it’s technically still possible for Minnesota to acquire Morant, shedding Julius Randle‘s contract — he’s reportedly being traded to Brooklyn — means the Wolves no longer have an obvious salary-matching piece to land the former No. 2 overall pick. Morant will make $42.2MM next season, followed by $44.9MM in 2027/28.
A report last week indicated that the Pelicans and Kings appeared to be the teams most interested in trading for Morant, who was limited to just 20 appearances last season due to ankle, calf and elbow injuries. That same report said suggested the Wolves may have been in the mix as well.
Morant played just 59 combined games in the two seasons leading up to 2025/26, so availability is a major concern for any team who might consider trading for the talented yet enigmatic guard.
They may not be in the mix for Morant, but the Wolves have been actively canvassing the trade market, Krawczynski wrote in a full story on Monday morning. Minnesota previously inquired about Kyrie Irving before moving onto other targets, including Trey Murphy III, Josh Giddey and Derrick White.
Out of those three players, the Timberwolves have pushed hardest to acquire White, according to Krawczynski, but the Celtics have rejected those overtures to this point. The Bulls also haven’t made it clear whether they’re even open to trading Giddey, at least for what the Wolves are willing and able to offer, Krawczynski adds.
Pelicans wing Murphy, meanwhile, is more of a forward than a ball-handler, but the Wolves seem to aim high in trade talks.
While he’s not sure if the Wolves have asked about him, Krawczynski thinks the team should make a run at Scotty Pippen Jr., Morant’s teammate in Memphis.
The Wolves recently raised some eyebrows when they worked out Labaron Philon, who’s projected to be a first-round pick, per Krawczynski. Sources tell The Athletic that the Alabama guard impressed the team in his workout.
It’s unusual for a prospect to agree to work out for a team when they’re expected to be drafted before that club can pick, Krawczynski notes. That has led to speculation about the Wolves potentially moving up in the draft, but they recently moved down five spots (from No. 28 to No. 33) as part of the Randle trade.
Fischer’s Latest: White, Gobert, Randle, Draft, More
While he doesn’t get the impression that the Celtics are actively trying to trade Derrick White — his sources say a move would be surprising — Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) writes that there’s a belief around the league that Boston has at the very least been willing to listen to calls about the veteran guard.
The Celtics are known to be in the market for frontcourt help and inquired about Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert ahead of the February deadline, sources tell Fischer. Sam Amick of The Athletic reported on Friday that the Wolves had “strong” interest in White, who makes $30.4MM next season, compared to $36.5MM for Gobert.
To be clear, Fischer doesn’t think the Wolves are trying to move Gobert either, but a White-for-Gobert deal makes some sense on the surface, since Minnesota is seeking backcourt upgrades and is believed to be open to various trade concepts to complement Anthony Edwards.
Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:
- People with knowledge of the situation tell Fischer that the Timberwolves have been more willing to float Julius Randle in trade talks than Gobert. Fischer refers to Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid as being “off-limits” in those conversations and wonders what a package built around Randle might bring Minnesota in return, pointing to Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant as one player who is “very available.”
- Although the Kings have been repeatedly linked to Darius Acuff and there’s a perception around the NBA that he’s far and away their preferred option at No. 7, Fischer continues to hear that Sacramento seems content with selecting whichever guard the team has highest on its board at that spot and isn’t solely focused on Acuff.
- Fischer gets the sense that Keaton Wagler and Mikel Brown are likely to be selected fifth and sixth overall, in some order, by the Clippers and Nets, meaning Acuff could indeed be available at No. 7. Sources tell Fischer that Wagler and Brown both cancelled workouts with Sacramento, a strong sign that they’re comfortable with their standing.
- The Wizards remain undecided at No. 1 as they continue to weigh drafting AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson, according to Fischer, who hears the Jazz are are unlikely to trade up from No. 2 in order to select Dybantsa.
- The Hawks haven’t shown any interest in potentially moving up from No. 8, Fischer reports.
Wolves Eyeing Derrick White, Motivated To Re-Sign Ayo Dosunmu
The Timberwolves‘ pursuit of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo “appears to have cooled,” writes Sam Amick of The Athletic, but Minnesota’s front office continues to eye impact players on the trade market. According to Amick, the Wolves have “strong” interest in Celtics guard Derrick White.
White, who will turn 32 next month, is owed nearly $63MM in guaranteed money over the next two years, then holds a $34.8MM player option for the 2028/29 season.
White’s shooting numbers took a hit this past season, as he made a career-low 39.4% of his attempts from the floor, including 32.7% from beyond the arc. But the veteran also averaged a career-high 16.5 points per game and was named to the All-Defensive first team. Additionally, Boston had a +11.3 net rating when he was on the court during the regular season, compared to a mark of just +1.7 when he wasn’t.
White would be a logical fit in Minnesota’s backcourt alongside Anthony Edwards since he’s capable of playing on or off the ball and is a strong perimeter defender. However, there haven’t been any indications that the Celtics are looking to move White, who has been one of Boston’s most valuable players in recent years, so it’s unclear whether or not the Wolves will be able to make a legitimate play for him this offseason.
As Minnesota considers possible targets outside of the organization, the front office also remains “very motivated” to re-sign free agent guard Ayo Dosunmu, sources tell Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
The Timberwolves acquired the 26-year-old at the trade deadline and he finished the season strong, averaging 14.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 3.5 APG on .521/.414/.925 shooting in his first 24 games with the team. Dosunmu also came up big in the postseason, scoring 43 points in a huge Game 4 win in the first round vs. Denver as Edwards exited early due to a knee injury.
Re-signing Dosunmu may require the Wolves to shed salary elsewhere on the roster in order to manage their tax/apron situation, Stein notes.
Cavaliers Notes: Mobley, Allen, Harden, Mitchell, LeBron
The Cavaliers figure to be active on the trade market this summer, whether it’s to remake a roster that got overwhelmed by New York in the Eastern Conference finals or just to escape the second apron. The problem for president of basketball operations Koby Altman is that he doesn’t have many assets to offer unless he’s willing to part with a big name, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a subscriber-only story.
Fedor states that teams calling Altman typically express interest in Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Jaylon Tyson or Max Strus. Mobley and Allen are linchpins of a team that has become one of the best in the conference, while Tyson at 23 is one of the Cavs’ top young talents and Strus is a reliable shooter who’ll have a $16.7MM expiring contract next season. Cleveland also owns the 29th pick in this year’s draft and can offer its first-rounder in either 2031 or 2032.
Mobley would be the most valuable asset if the Cavaliers decide to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo or another huge name, but Fedor states that the front office still views the former No. 3 overall pick as a future star and appears to be committed to keeping him as part of the future.
“All I can tell you is, since Evan’s been here, we’ve had the third best record in the league,” Altman said Friday at his end-of-season press conference. “Now we don’t have a championship to show for that yet, right? Boston and Denver, the other two ahead of us, they have a championship to show for that. But all Evan has done is impacted winning. He’s been remarkable for us in terms of our ascent the last five years. He’s a huge part of what we do.”
Altman also expressed support for Allen, saying he’s a good fit alongside Mobley and they provide a “cheat code” on defense.
There’s more from Cleveland:
- The Cavaliers considered a few other options before deciding to trade for James Harden at the deadline, according to Fedor. One was Celtics guard Derrick White, which became unrealistic with Jayson Tatum‘s fast return from his Achilles injury. Another was Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday, a former Celtic, but they decided he doesn’t he doesn’t provide enough offense. There were also “internal discussions” about Antetokounmpo. Altman said they understood what they were getting with Harden, who holds a $42.3MM player option for next season and is expected to sign a multi-year contract this summer. “I think people need to take a step back and realize we didn’t trade for MVP James Harden,” Altman said. “We traded for James Harden at the end of his career that has transformed himself to becoming one of the best point guards in the league. He helped stabilize us. He helped re-galvanize the group. We were kind of shaky there, in terms of our belief. We’re not in the conference finals without James.”
- Altman called Donovan Mitchell “uniquely ours” during his end-of-season press conference, but the team could face a difficult decision if he doesn’t agree to an extension this summer, Fedor adds. Mitchell will become eligible in July for a four-year deal worth up to an estimated $272MM, but that will increase to five years at around $350MM if he waits until next offseason. That would mean taking him into potential free agency, which the Cavs may be hesitant to do.
- Speculation about another LeBron James homecoming will hang over the franchise until his situation is resolved, Fedor notes. James would solve the team’s most pressing positional need and would bring a wealth of playoff experience, but the Cavs can’t offer more than the $3.9MM veteran’s minimum without making major changes to the roster. Another option is a sign-and-trade, which means giving James a three-year contract with at least one fully guaranteed season. Fedor points out that the Lakers would likely ask for a significant return in that scenario, and the Cavs would need to shed salary in order to operate under the first tax apron for the rest of 2026/27.
NBA Announces 2025/26 All-NBA Teams
The league has officially announced its three All-NBA teams, recognizing the top performers for the 2025/26 season (all Twitter links).
A total of 100 media members voted on the All-NBA teams, with First Team votes counting for five points, Second Team votes counting for three points, and Third Team votes counting for one point.
This year’s All-NBA teams are as follows (each player’s point total is noted in parentheses):
First Team
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder (500 points)- Nikola Jokic, Nuggets (500)
- Victor Wembanyama, Spurs (498)
- Luka Doncic, Lakers (482)
- Cade Cunningham, Pistons (414)
Second Team
- Jaylen Brown, Celtics (384)
- Kawhi Leonard, Clippers (277)
- Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers (276)
- Kevin Durant, Rockets (241)
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks (197)
Third Team
- Tyrese Maxey, Sixers (168)
- Jamal Murray, Nuggets (149)
- Jalen Johnson, Hawks (125)
- Jalen Duren, Pistons (121)
- Chet Holmgren, Thunder (87)
Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic, this season’s Most Valuable Player and runner-up, respectively, were the only unanimous first-teamers, with Wembanyama coming a single vote away — he had one Second Team vote to go along with 99 First Team votes.
Doncic and Cunningham each technically fell short of meeting the 65-game minimum required to be eligible for All-NBA and other major awards, but they appealed that ruling and were deemed award-eligible by the league. Doncic would have met the criteria if he hadn’t missed time due to the birth of a child, while Cunningham fell short after suffering a collapsed lung, so both players were granted “extraordinary circumstances” exceptions.
Notably, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, who played 61 games, also applied for an extraordinary circumstances exception. However, his request was denied, so his name didn’t show up on award ballots even though he likely would’ve been voted onto an All-NBA team if voters could’ve selected him. Stephen Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and LeBron James – who had made 21 consecutive All-NBA teams – were among the other superstars who didn’t meet the 65-game criteria.
Outside of the 15 players who made All-NBA teams, another dozen players showed up on at least one ballot, starting with Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who had 26 voting points (Twitter link).
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (14 points), Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (9), Cavaliers guard James Harden (6), Rockets center Alperen Sengun (6), Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (5), Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5), Heat big man Bam Adebayo (4), and Celtics guard Derrick White (3) all earned multiple votes, while Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, Raptors forward Brandon Ingram, and Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley earned one Third Team vote apiece.
As usual, there are also financial implications worth noting related to the All-NBA teams. First and foremost, Duren will now be eligible to sign a contract with the Pistons that starts at up to 30% of the 2026/27 salary cap as a restricted free agent this summer. That means he could earn up to a projected $287.1MM over five years.
If he hadn’t made All-NBA, Duren’s maximum five-year contract with Detroit would’ve been worth a projected $239.3MM. Either way, the most a rival team can offer him is four years and $177.4MM.
Maxey and Cunningham are on their way to meeting the super-max (ie. Designated Veteran) criteria but would need to earn All-NBA honors again in 2027 to become eligible for maximum-salary extensions worth up to 35% of the cap instead of 30%.
Wembanyama is in a similar boat — despite making the All-NBA First Team and being named Defensive Player of the Year, he would need to achieve one of those feats again in 2027 in order to increase the maximum value of his next contract from 25% to the cap to 30% via the Rose rule. Wembanyama will be eligible to sign a rookie scale extension this offseason and is a lock to do so.
Paolo Banchero and Jalen Williams had Rose rule language in their maximum-salary rookie scale extensions, which were signed last offseason and will go into effect this July. They could’ve increased their respective starting salaries beyond 25% of the cap if they’d made an All-NBA team, but neither player did.
Interestingly, the maximum-salary rookie scale extension that the Thunder negotiated with Holmgren in 2025 did not include a Rose rule escalator, so the projected value of the big man’s contract (five years, $239.3MM) remains unchanged even though he earned a spot on the Third Team. It’ll go into effect this year and will be identical to Williams’ deal.
Finally, Edwards would have become eligible to sign a super-max extension with the Timberwolves during the 2027 offseason if he had been named to an All-NBA team this season. Because he didn’t qualify, he’ll need to make All-NBA next season in order to meet the performance criteria for a Designated Veteran extension.
Celtics Notes: Thomas, White, Wing Depth, Giannis
Isaiah Thomas hopes his decision to become a scout with the Celtics will lead to bigger things in his post-playing career, Khari Thompson of The Boston Globe writes in a subscriber-only story. Speaking on his “Point Game” podcast, Thomas revealed that discussions regarding the scouting position have been “in the works for a while.”
“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, be a part of an organization, be a part of the front office and help make these decisions that are being made down the line,” he said. “So this is a step in the right direction in terms of, you know, hopefully one day being a GM or head of basketball operations or whatever the game of basketball takes me.”
Thomas, who will be based in his hometown of Seattle, has already begun working, and his first duties included representing the Celtics at last week’s draft combine in Chicago. He took part in some player interviews and said the prospects were comfortable with him because they’re familiar with his playing career.
“To go through that process as a player is hectic,” he said. “You’re a little nervous. You know that they know a lot, but you don’t know what they’re going to ask. So, being in that space as obviously not like a player, and being able to ask questions and really relate to these kids because they know me. They don’t always know anybody in the front office, like they know the face of the organization but they don’t know everybody else that is involved in the front office. So, it’s easy for me. I’m able to chop it up with these guys because I can relate to them. Obviously I’m a lot older than them, but I’m still a part of the game.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Derrick White‘s selection for First Team All-Defensive honors marked the first time in his career he has received that recognition, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. White, who was the only guard named to the First Team, was a Second Team selection in 2023 and 2024.
- The Celtics have a surplus of wing depth now that Jayson Tatum is healthy, which may lead to an offseason trade, Robb states in a mailbag column. He explores the pros and cons of parting with Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez or Jordan Walsh.
- Chad Finn of The Boston Globe (subscription required) makes the case for sending out Jaylen Brown in a deal to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Bucks. He argues that a “big swing” is necessary to get the Celtics back into title contention and that Antetokounmpo would represent an upgrade over Brown.
NBA Announces 2025/26 All-Defensive Teams
The NBA has officially announced its All-Defensive teams for the 2025/26 season (Twitter links).
The teams are determined by a panel of 100 media members, with players receiving two points for a First Team vote and one point for a Second Team vote.
Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama was this season’s lone unanimous First Team pick, earning the maximum allowable 200 points after being named to the First Team by all 100 voters. DPOY runner-up Chet Holmgren fell short of being a unanimous pick, earning 93 First Team votes and four Second Team votes.
The honorees are as follows, along with their point totals (Twitter link):
First Team
- Victor Wembanyama, Spurs (200 points)
- Chet Holmgren, Thunder (190)
- Ausar Thompson, Pistons (166)
- Rudy Gobert, Timberwolves (151)
- Derrick White, Celtics (146)
Second Team
- Scottie Barnes, Raptors (130)
- Cason Wallace, Thunder (94)
- Bam Adebayo, Heat (71)
- OG Anunoby, Knicks (67)
- Dyson Daniels, Hawks (50)
The All-Defensive teams have been positionless for the last three years. Previously, each team was required to have two guards, two forwards, and a center, but that’s no longer the case. This season’s First Team leans more heavily toward rim protectors, while the Second Team features a wider variety of guards and wings alongside forward/center Adebayo.
This year’s All-Defensive squads feature a number of first-time honorees. Holmgren, Thompson, Barnes, and Wallace had never previously been named to an All-Defensive team. Wembanyama (2024) and Daniels (2025) had earned First Team honors once apiece prior to this year, while Anunoby made a Second Team in 2023.
Gobert is the most accomplished of these defenders — the four-time Defensive Player of the Year has now made nine total All-Defensive teams and is an eight-time member of the First Team. Adebayo is also no stranger to All-Defensive recognition either, having now made two First Teams and four Second Teams. White, meanwhile, got a First Team nod for the first time after previously making the Second Team twice.
There are four players across the league who would’ve earned bonuses if they’d made an All-Defensive team, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), but none of them made the cut. That group includes Thunder wing Luguentz Dort, whose $500K bonus for All-Defense had been considered “likely” because he made the First Team in 2025.
That $500K will come off Dort’s cap hit this season and will reduce his 2026/27 team option by $500K to roughly $17.7MM, since the bonus is considered “unlikely” going forward. If Dort’s team option is exercised, his $500K bonus would continue to count for apron purposes next season despite not counting toward his cap hit, and he could still earn it if he makes an All-Defensive team next season.
Besides the 10 players who made All-Defense, 15 other players showed up on at least one ballot. That group was led by Spurs guard Stephon Castle (46 points), Rockets guard Amen Thompson (46), Warriors forward Draymond Green (40), and Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (28), each of whom was named to the First Team on between four and eight ballots.
Clippers guard Kris Dunn, who had 14 points, would have rounded out a hypothetical “third team.” Notably, his $5.7MM salary for 2026/27 would have become fully guaranteed if he had made an All-Defensive team. Still, it’s a pretty safe bet that Dunn will be retained through June 30, at which time his full salary will become guaranteed anyway.
The rest of the players who received All-Defensive votes, including Dort and former Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley, can be viewed here (Twitter link).
Celtics’ Derrick White Wins 2025/26 Sportsmanship Award
Celtics guard Derrick White has won the Sportsmanship Award for the 2025/26 season, the league announced today (Twitter link). It marks the second straight year in which a Boston guard has claimed the award, with Jrue Holiday taking it home a year ago prior to being traded to Portland.
The NBA’s Sportsmanship Award has been presented annually since 1995/96 and “honors a player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.”
Each of the league’s 30 teams nominated one of its players for the award, then a panel of league executives narrows that group to six finalists (one from each division) and current players voted for the winner. The trophy for the Sportsmanship Award is named after Joe Dumars, the Hall-of-Fame guard – and current Pelicans head of basketball operations – who won the inaugural award back in ’95/96.
In addition to White, this year’s other finalists were Heat big man Bam Adebayo, Spurs forward Harrison Barnes, Warriors big man Al Horford, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Pacers guard T.J. McConnell.
McConnell finished as the runner-up and actually earned the most first-place votes, receiving 83 to White’s 77. However, the Celtics guard had the significant edge in second-place votes (113) over McConnell (72) and finished with 2,827 total points, comfortably beating out McConnell’s 2,566.
The full voting results can be found here.
While White has never been an NBA All-Star, the 31-year-old has built a strong career résumé that includes an NBA championship in 2024, a pair of All-Defensive second team nods (2023 and 2024), an Olympic gold medal (Paris 2024), and now a Sportsmanship Award.
Victor Wembanyama Named Defensive Player Of The Year
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama has been named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year for the 2025/26 season, the league announced on Monday (Twitter link). He’s the youngest player in league history to win the award, tweets Shams Charania of ESPN, and is the first player to win it in a unanimous vote, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Wembanyama, who received all 100 first-place votes, led the NBA in total blocked shots (197) and blocks per game (3.1) by a significant margin and ranked second in defensive rebounds per game (11.5) despite playing just 29.2 minutes per night. His 28.5% defensive rebounding percentage was the highest mark in the league among qualified players.
The Spurs star also limited opponents to a 42.0% field goal percentage and anchored the NBA’s third-best defense. San Antonio allowed 103.6 points per 100 possessions when Wembanyama was on the court and gave up 113.7 points per 100 possessions when he sat.
Wembanyama was the favorite to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2024/25, but a blood clot prematurely ended his season in February, preventing him playing in the 65 games necessary to qualify for consideration. He missed some time this year due to health issues, but met the 65-game criteria during the final week of the regular season.
Thunder big man Chet Holmgren, who previously finished second in Rookie of the Year voting to Wembanyama in 2023/24, once again finished as the runner-up to his conference rival for a major award — he earned the second-most votes for Defensive Player of the Year, including 76 second-place votes and 11 for third place. Holmgren ranked second in the NBA in blocks per game (1.9) and was the primary interior presence on a Thunder team that had the league’s No. 1 defensive rating (106.5).
Pistons wing Ausar Thompson was the top Defensive Player of the Year vote-getter among perimeter players, coming in third behind Wembanyama and Holmgren with nine second-place votes and 33 third-place votes. Thompson ranked first in the NBA in steals per game (2.0) despite playing fewer minutes per contest (26.0) than the seven players who ranked right behind him in that category. Detroit was sandwiched between OKC and San Antonio with the league’s second-best defensive rating (108.9).
A total of 13 players showed up on at least one Defensive Player of the Year ballot, with Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes rounding out the top five, in that order.
Celtics guard Derrick White, Thunder guard Cason Wallace, Rockets guard Amen Thompson, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, and Knicks forward OG Anunoby each received multiple votes, while Pistons center Jalen Duren, Warriors forward Draymond Green, and Heat big man Bam Adebayo showed up on one ballot apiece.
The full results can be viewed here (via Twitter).
While Defensive Player of the Year honors can, in some cases, ensure that a player qualifies for a higher maximum salary on his next contract, that won’t be the case for Wembanyama despite the fact that he’ll likely sign a maximum-salary rookie extension with the Spurs during the coming offseason. The Rose Rule criteria will require him to win MVP or DPOY or simply earn an All-NBA spot in 2026/27 in order to qualify for a contract that starts at 30% of the ’27/28 cap (instead of 25%).