Today on The Whiteboard, a stats-based preview of the NBA Finals plus the latest NBA news about Giannis Antetokounmpo and more.

The Pistons want to re-sign Schroeder, whose mid-season arrival was a success. But if they cannot, the Mavericks might have a tempting offer.

Luka Doncic’s 2024-25 season is one he’ll likely never forget. After spending the first half of the year with a Dallas Mavericks franchise that reached the NBA Finals in 2024, Doncic landed with the Los Angeles Lakers in a shocking pre-trade deadline deal.

At the trade deadline this season, the Atlanta Hawks acquired Terance Mann from the Los Angeles Clippers for Bogdan Bogdanović and three second-round picks.

If the Luka Doncic trade from the deadline taught NBA fans anything, it’s that nothing and no one is off limits.

LA sorely lacked a competent starting center in 2024-25 after cutting ties with Anthony Davis in the Luka Dončić trade, and by failing to acquire a marquee big man before the trade deadline, the Lakers severely limited their playoff potential.

Svyato is an NBA writer at Athlon Sports, covering the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and Oklahoma City Thunder. His love for basketball is only rivaled by his love of Funko Pops.

With the Sacramento Kings at a crossroads, struggling to find an identity and a long-term direction, one thing has always remained paramount: finding and retain