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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has had an interesting career trajectory. Once considered a throwaway piece in the trade that brought Paul George to LA, he has grown into the franchise player for OKC—and now, the league’s MVP. That rise hasn’t happened overnight; he’s been steadily building his reputation over the past three seasons.
As Dwyane Wade pointed out on his podcast, the league has witnessed SGA’s evolution into a superstar who is now on the cusp of leading Oklahoma City to its first-ever NBA title. Every step of his journey has been closely documented.
Wade also argued that SGA deserved last year’s MVP and said it’s rare to see someone develop into a superstar, especially when they weren’t highly rated at the start of their career.
“Something we don’t get to see often is a guy building his case for MVP. Should he have won it last year? Yes, arguably, I thought he was MVP last year,” Wade said.
“Jokic can win it every year, LeBron James can win it every year, Kobe Bryant can win it every year. These players can win it every year because of their talents and stats. But you’ve watched this young man build his case year after year,” he continued.
As Wade added later, SGA’s case for MVP gets even stronger when you consider how much his team has improved around him. Last year, the Thunder were tied for the No. 1 seed, with the same number of wins as the Nuggets, but despite their dominance, they were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. This year, they got even better.
The 68-win Thunder finished a full 16 wins ahead of the No. 2-seeded Rockets and steamrolled their way to the Finals, losing just four games along the way.
Wade believes that putting up MVP numbers is impressive in itself, but when those numbers translate into team domination, the player becomes even more special. We saw it with LeBron James in Miami, with Steph Curry during the Warriors’ dynasty, and now we’re seeing it with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
More must-reads:
- Warriors' Stephen Curry believes NBA players are 'underpaid'
- No end in sight in Jonathan Kuminga-Warriors 'staring contest'
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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Celtics Roster ‘Makes Zero Sense’ Says NBA Insider
Bleacher Report's Dan Favale listed the Boston Celtics' roster as one of five which 'make no sense' ahead of the 2025-26 season. Favale cited the Celtics' notable lack of presence in their frontcourt as a major issue for the Eastern powerhouse heading into an uncertain season with their superstar player out. More news: Former Celtics NBA Champion Released By West Squad "Beantown's 4-5 rotation is currently populated by Sam Hauser, Georges Niang, Xavier Tillman, Neemias Queta, Josh Minnott and Luka Garza," said Favale. "That is rough. Especially when it's only a matter of time before Hauser or Niang ambles his way onto the chopping block as the Celtics continue to slash operating costs. "Perhaps Boston will snare another 4 and/or 5 as part of subsequent trades. Or maybe it's secretly hoping Al Horford will get tired of being held hostage by restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga and return on the minimum. "Whatever the Celtics are doing here, no matter how out-of-the-mix they're attempting to be, the frontcourt needs more juice." The Celtics definitely have a need for bigs and have a plethora of guards, and will need to get bigger if they are to compete in a physical conference. The Celtics are notably tight on money, so a signing feels unlikely; however, after waiving G League MVP JD Davison, they have a spot on their roster to make a surprise move, perhaps for Horford potentially. More news: Jayson Tatum Receives Injury Advice From Former Celtics Forward Whether or not that is the case, the Celtics intend to compete this season, and will definitely need more size in order to hang around some of the better teams in the conference. For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.
All signs point to Yankees moving on from Anthony Volpe
With the trade for Ryan McMahon now complete, it would seem New York Yankees’ general manager Brian Cashman has fulfilled one of his three priorities. He can now cross third base off the list, which leaves the rotation and bullpen as his remaining priorities. However, according to one Yankees writer, Cashman might not be done with the infield. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported this after the McMahon trade: “The Yankees may not be done adding to their infield. A team source said the Yankees are interested in adding a right-handed hitter who could play the infield.” Kirschner adds that the Yankees have had interest in Willi Castro and Amed Rosario. But the question now is, how would another player fit in the Yankees’ infield? Needless to say, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm Jr. aren’t going anywhere, and McMahon is just getting there. That leaves the low-hanging fruit. Anthony Volpe has been at the center of controversy all this season. His 13 errors, many of which had come at make-or-break moments, amount to the second-highest total in the game. In addition, his bat has not been able to compensate, hitting .214/.286/.407 with 14 home runs. There was always a lot to like about Volpe. He won a Gold Glove in his rookie year, his power has always been promising and his speed is nothing to scoff at. Unfortunately, his glove has become a liability and his speed has also produced very few results. Volpe has swiped just 10 bags in 17 attempts. His power is the one thing that still has some upside, but it hasn’t been enough to justify a spot in the lineup. Both Castro and Rosario have been far more productive at the plate this season than Volpe. Kirschner doesn’t clarify how serious the Yankees are in their pursuit of another infielder, but that most likely isn’t available information. Having just turned 24, Volpe could still become the type of player that was expected from him as a top prospect. However, his recent performance has weighed heavily on his team’s efforts and it may be buying him a ticket out of the Bronx — or at least a spot on the bench.
Yankees have finally found their third baseman in Ryan McMahon
After years of speculation and nothing materializing, the New York Yankees have at last acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman. Pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz are headed to the Mile High City in return. They were the number eight and 21st-ranked prospects in the Yankees' farm system, per MLB.com. Given the Yankees' struggles at the third-base position over the last few years, bringing in a guy who was an All-Star in 2024 and will be much more reliable is a win. Former MLB player and current analyst Cameron Maybin certainly believes that, as he was pushing the McMahon-to-New York narrative over the last week and feels it could be a great fit for both sides. "The third baseman they need plays in Colorado...I'm telling you! Defensively more than adequate and Taylor made for the ballpark offensively," Maybin wrote on social media. Maybin went on to mention how McMahon will feel reinvigorated joining a World Series contender like the Yankees after the last six-and-a-half years of being at the bottom in Colorado. The 30-year-old is not having his best season, slugging 16 home runs and 35 RBI with a .217 average through 100 games with the Rockies, per MLB.com stats. However, he's consistently been a 20-plus home run hitter who drives in runs at a strong rate and has a large sample size of doing so. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez (.252 average, 36 HRs, 86 RBI) has seemed to be No. 1 target for most teams, and for good reason, but given the Yankees' current situation and weaknesses, McMahon made more sense. Not only does he play a better third base, which New York desperately needs, but he has another two years of control after 2025, whereas Suarez would have been a rental. The acquisition cost was nothing crazy, and adding a lefty bat with some power to potentially take advantage of the short porch at Yankee Stadium is always a bonus. Some may not be satisfied until they see McMahon positively impacting the New York Yankees, but rest assured, this is a very solid pickup.
Packers rookie could miss time after suffering injury in training camp
The Green Bay Packers offense was dealt a bit of a blow early in training camp. Friday, third-round rookie wide receiver Savion Williams was a spectator for practice after suffering a concussion. Williams, chosen by the Packers with the No. 87 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, is aiming to climb the depth chart at a crowded wide receiver position this summer. At 6-foot-4 and 222 pounds, Williams ran the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.48 seconds during the NFL Combine and has the profile of potentially becoming a reliable possession receiver and after-the-catch weapon for quarterback Jordan Love and the Packers’ offense. Reaching those benchmarks and climbing the depth chart will have to wait, though, as Williams works his way through the concussion protocol and back onto the field for practices during training camp and the preseason this summer.
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