Basketball Intelligence For 4/8/26

The day's best basketball news and analysis.

Aaron Bollwinkel

Apr 08, 2026

∙ Paid

FEATURES OF THE DAY
Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. set to enter 2026 NBA draft
Marc J. Spears, Andscape

No Way in Hell They Wanna See Us
Dillon Brooks, The Player’s Tribune

As WNBA free agency starts, a question for every team
Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic

AROUND THE LEAGUE

Ranking the 2026 NBA non‑playoff teams most likely to make the postseason next season
Sam Quinn, CBS Sports

Combo Guards, Unlocking the Value
Jonas Plaut, The Cap Crunch

It is important to define what a combo guard is. Let’s start with the most straightforward definition, which derives from Cleaning the Glass: “A combo splits time between point guard and shooting guard.” On the surface, while seemingly simple, this definition hints at the underlying complexity of the combo guard archetype. This is a group of players with skillsets that overlap multiple “traditional” positions and who cannot easily be penciled into a single role. These are players who sit between definitions, often lacking prototypical wing size or the full-time playmaking profile of a primary guard, yet who can contribute across both domains.

David Thorpe’s contenders
Henry Abbott/ Coach Thorpe, TrueHoop

NBA News and Rumor Roundup 4/8/2026
Jacob Sutton, JSutt Hoops

OG Anunoby, Derrick White highlight our All-Perimeter Defense First Team
Fred Katz, The Athletic

What NBA players, coaches and execs are saying about tanking
Anthony Slater, ESPN

NBA Power Rankings: Did your team meet or miss its season expectations?
NBA Insiders, ESPN