Le Journal

The Suns have shocked many NBA fans by being the underdog story of the year. After trading away Kevin Durant and stretching and waiving the remainder of Bradley Beal’s contract, many thought this team was doomed. Yet the players and coach Jordan Ott did not listen to the outside hate. They invested and ground it out this offseason to prove those doubters wrong, and they have done so in every category. Now over halfway through the season, a team most outsiders thought was a lottery team once again sits as the sixth seed, 10 games over .500 in a tough Western Conference. The best part? This has all been accomplished despite Jalen Green being out for most of this season. With him just returning in their last game vs the Philadelphia 76ers, we got to see what he can add to this team. Some great playmaking and downhill attacking, while working nicely with the bigs in this lineup. He came off the bench in his return to action, but coach Jordan Ott has stated that he will eventually be in the starting lineup. Just landed in Miami.In regards to what Dillon Brooks said about Jalen Green.He's saying Green will start, be 1st starter to check out game and check back in later in 1st quarter to lead 2nd unit.Coach Jordan Ott already said Green will start when he returns. Hope that…— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 12, 2026 So who comes out of the lineup, and how does this new bench lineup work as a successful unit? Well, there are two options, and it all depends on the balance you want in the starting lineup. If you take out Collin Gillespie and put in Green, that would leave the Suns with two guards, two wings, and a center, compared to a three-guard lineup if you replaced Green with Royce O’Neale. I know the league has gone positionless, but I do think that, without a true playmaker/initiator for the secondary unit, it troubles them. Personally, even though I am the Big East Believer and have agreed that Gillespie has earned this starting spot, he is more valuable as the lead offensive guard for the secondary unit than as the third-best scorer in the starting lineup. That would then leave the Suns with an exciting bench unit, and one that can show some great success, like the starters once fully healthy. The lineup that I think would be the bench is Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, Grayson Allen, Ryan Dunn, and Oso Ighodaro. Based on the statistics and the fits of these players, this bench unit will be one of the best by the end of the year. Just as I was discussing it, it makes sense. Gillespie and Allen are the offensive guards who are going to rain three pointers, which the Suns have succeeded in this year. They will be the main offensive focal points, while also being relentless on defense, making key hustle plays. Dunn and Goodwin are going to be the scrappy defenders who take those defensive assignments to heart. They both crash the boards relentlessly, and can both get hot from three at specific points that make you think they should be in a three-point contest. Last but certainly not least is Oso Ighodaro, the man in the middle, the actual connective engine that would keep this unit going with his solid ability to do it all, rebound, score, and defend when you need it most. Now, looking at the stats, all those words are proven true. Looking at the stats from Databallr, we can see that this lineup is very successful. An almost +30 net rating is just ridiculous, especially given their very low offensive turnover percentage. This bench unit would prove lethal not only from three-point land, where they shoot 46% from beyond the arc, but also at limiting opponents to 27% from three. That aggressive on-ball nature from Goodwin and Dunn would be prevalent here, but you also have the hustle and hard work from both Allen, Ighodaro, and Gillespie. Everyone on this lineup has that bruiser mentality of outworking you and having to do that their whole career. This is what brings out the scrappiness and relentless effort on both…

Texas quarterback Arch Manning is set up for the best season of his young lifetime as he and the Longhorns look toward 2026 and his junior campaign.

National Championship-winning HC Curt Cignetti has the Longhorns ranked in a pretty advantageous spot heading into 2026.

As we enter the mock draft season we will likely just focus on one mock draft a week from outside of SB Nation or our own brain, and discuss things. Yet, when the Godfather drops his first mock draft of the 2026 season, we have to talk about it. Check out the first Mel Kiper 2026 NFL Mock Draft for the year. 3. Arizona Cardinals Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami Mauigoa would have just missed the chance to join his brother, linebacker Kiko Mauigoa, with the Jets, but I still have Francis as a top-three pick thanks to his mauling play style, experience (41 career starts) and overall consistency as a blocker. Since Kelvin Beachum is a free agent, Mauigoa could slide in at right tackle and help spring James Conner and Trey Benson for big runs next season. The quarterback situation is still unsettled, but no matter who is under center, the protection has to be right. This is an easy pick for anyone that doesn’t follow the Arizona Cardinals, and one I think we will see throughout the process, until the Cardinals either address the right tackle position in free agency, or the draft rolls around. Mauigoa is a monster 6-6 315lbs, a mauler in the run game and shows surprising agility for his length and strength. Bookends of Paris Johnson Jr. and Mauigoa would be a god send for whoever the next quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals is. Kiper’s top 5: Fernando Mendoza – Raiders Arvell Reese – Jets Mauigoa – Cardinals David Bailey – Titans Carnell Tate – Giants

Indianapolis, IN — The one position (group) that longtime Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard has remained consistently strong at has been that of the offensive line. It admittedly may be too early to tell, but rookie tackle Jalen Travis appears to be Ballard’s latest hit from across the offensive line. Drafted in the fourth round at 127th overall, Travis offered a prototypical canvas to work with, standing at a towering 6’8” and weighing 340 lbs. Long story short, things are trending upward for Travis after his rookie season in the NFL. This is the fourth installment of an ongoing article series that’ll cover each Colts rookie from the 2025-26 season. Expectations — As far as his rookie season goes, there was certainly some responsibility heading into Jalen Travis’s first professional season. He became the offense’s swing tackle following a strong camp battle with fellow tackle Blake Freeland, being penciled in as the de facto backup after Freeland wound up on the season-ending injured reserve with a fractured leg during preseason play. Aside from his anticipated relief duties as a rookie, Travis was viewed on draft day as the future Braden Smith replacement at right tackle. Rookie Season — His rookie campaign went about as expected for an early Day 3 tackle prospect: some highs, some lows, but at the end of the day, the flashes were more promising than they were disappointing. Playing 29% of the possible offensive snaps, Jalen Travis did more than get his feet wet in the NFL with 316 snaps logged (247 at RT, 61 at LT). After longtime Colts starter at right tackle Braden Smith went down late in the season, it was the rookie’s time to shine. Above is Jalen Travis’s official stat line from his rookie season, per Pro Football Focus. He started the last four games of the season for the Indianapolis Colts, offering a strong floor for quarterbacks Philip Rivers and Riley Leonard. Future Outlook — As previously mentioned, Jalen Travis was naturally viewed as the future Braden Smith replacement at right tackle. So far, so good, I’d say. Despite some rookie woes here and there, the succession plan appears to be going off without a hitch. Braden Smith is set to become an unrestricted free agent at 30 years old. This could be the offseason where the Colts finally part ways with their longtime right tackle, a staple of the Chris Ballard era, opening the door for Jalen Travis to be a full-time starter in just his second season. Whether or not he’s prepared for the potential opportunity at hand remains to be seen, though he’s certainly the next man up.