Category: Sports News

Giannis Antetokounmpo is maybe, possibly, conceivably getting traded from the Milwaukee Bucks this summer. Bucks ownership has indicated that it will trade the 31-year-old superstar before entering the final year of his contract if he does not sign an extension this summer. There are a number of potential landing spots for Antetokounmpo, but two teams are emerging as the most aggressive suitors according to long-time NBA insider Marc Stein.

Stein reports that the Portland Trail Blazers and Miami Heat are the two teams pushing the hardest for Antetokounmpo behind the scenes. Stein also mentioned the Orlando Magic as a potential fit after the team hired Sean Sweeney as head coach last week. Sweeney comes over from the San Antonio Spurs, but also spent time in Milwaukee, where he grew extremely close with Giannis.

The Heat and Trail Blazers both always made sense as teams that could want to swing a bold trade for Antetokounmpo. Miami has been tied to the Greek Freak for years as a preferred destination. The Heat always chase stars under Pat Riley, and at 81 years old it makes sense that he would want to try for one more big fish. The Heat can offer a package including Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakucionis, the No. 13 overall pick in 2026 NBA Draft, a 2030 first-rounder, and a 2032 first-rounder.

The Trail Blazers made their first playoff appearance in five years this season before getting knocked out in the first-round by the Spurs. Portland has a new owner in Tom Dundon, and while his cost-cutting measures have been getting all the attention, he’s also hinted that he might be more inclined to approve big trades than the previous owners.

The Blazers are natural trade partners for Giannis because they own first-round swap rights with the Bucks in 2028 and 2030 from Milwaukee’s failed trade for Damian Lillard. It’s fair to wonder if those picks are more valuable or less valuable under the NBA’s new lottery reform, and it’s worth noting that we could have a completely different system by 2030. Portland’s package could start with returning the pick swaps, adding Jerami Grant for matching salary, then sending a talented young player like Scoot Henderson or Shaedon Sharpe in the deal. Since Grant is widely considered a bad contract at this point with two years, $70.6 remaining on his deal, the Blazers also might need to add their unprotected 2032 first-round pick.

Will the Thunder get involved for Giannis after their Western Conference Finals flameout? Probably not. Sam Presti usually takes the longview, and his team wasn’t at full strength this year without injured stars Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell for most of the series. The Thunder need to cut money for next season, not add an older player on a max contract.

I wouldn’t be shocked if this ends with Antetokounmpo accepting a max extension to end the trade speculation once and for all. It just feels more likely that he finally gets traded given how far away the Bucks are from contention.

Stein reports that an Antetokounmpo trade could happen within the next three weeks. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst once termed that “the deal zone.” It sure seems like the deal zone for a Giannis trade has fully arrived. Stay tuned.

In a little over a calendar year, Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrettrequested a trade, signed a contract extension, broke the single-season sack record, adjusted his contract in a way that allowed for a trade, and was traded to the Los Angeles Rams. For the Browns, the future is the focus, including talented NFL draft classes in 2025 and 2026.

Cleveland GM Andrew Berry has 11 draft picks to work with in what is expected to be an uber-talented NFL draft class in 2027. Our Browns mock draft saw QB Arch Manning turning in one orange uniform for another.

Shortly after 4 PM, the team announced the Garrett trade, making it official. The timing is vital as the trade will technically process on June 2nd for salary cap purposes. In a lengthy statement, Berry made it clear the type of back and forth the team had in making the decision to move on from Garrett:

“We have long taken the stance that our goal was for Myles Garrett to be a one-helmet player for his entire career,” Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry said in a statement. “After rewriting the record books and representing our organization with excellence, we were sincere in that desire as we entered this offseason and did not envision a world where Myles was not a Cleveland Brown.

“When the Rams first approached us with the possibility of trading Myles, we remained convicted in our position, but as discussions intensified we were stuck at a legitimate crossroads: do we hold on to a truly generational player who has become the identity of our team, or do we make the difficult decision that we think is best for the organization over the long run?

“In that framework, the decision became clear, although our emotions were muddled. We, and more importantly, our fans, have grown up with Myles, and he’s an enormous source of pride for our team. However, as we embark on a new era of Browns football with a young core and a replenished asset base, we felt this move was important to our transition.

“Chief among the considerations to make the decision was the inclusion of Jared Verse – a player our fan base will love. At 25 years old with two Pro Bowls and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award under his belt, we receive a young, elite player at a premium position who will only continue to improve in his third NFL season. Jared’s passion and relentless style of play will be embraced by our fans. He will fit right in with the established identity of our defense. We couldn’t be more pleased to welcome him to the Dawg Pound!

“We recognize the unexpected nature of this trade, but it opens up great opportunities for our franchise. We are excited to welcome Jared into the organization, along with the cap flexibility and draft pick resources to deploy to the rest of the roster that will allow us to add to our budding core on both sides of the ball.”

Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam also shared their thoughts on the trade:

“Myles Garrett has been the best player on our team and one of the best defensive players in the history of the game, since we drafted him in 2017,” Managing and Principal Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “His legacy is immense and we could never adequately articulate our appreciation for how he played the game and for being the best player he could be for the Cleveland Browns over the last nine years. He has left a deep imprint on our franchise, with our fans and with the Dawg Pound.

“Clearly this was not an easy decision, particularly with Myles because we’ve watched him come into our organization and grow like a member of our family. Trading Myles was never our intent, but we also recognize that certain opportunities demand serious consideration, and we believe this is the right move for our team. Adding a young defensive star like Jared Verse, along with valuable draft assets, are necessary to strengthen a talented young core and align with the youth of our team. Our goal continues to be building a consistently winning franchise that our fans and this region deserve, and we believe this move creates the best path towards that.

“We met with Myles on Saturday and told him we are extremely grateful for all that he contributed to our team and to our community and that he will always be a Cleveland Brown. We look forward to welcoming him back at the appropriate time and wish him and his family only the best.”

What do you think of Berry’s explanation for the tradeand the Haslams’ thoughts?

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The New York Knicks have a significant rest advantage over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals.

Those fresh legs, however, aren’t enough to convince basketball fans that New York can knock off San Antonio for the franchise’s first NBA title since 1973.

Kalshi — one of our favorite prediction market apps currently give the Knicks a 36% chance of winning the 2026 NBA championship. And while those odds aren’t great, they aren’t impossible.

I dissect the NBA Finals matchup and highlight the five things New York has to do – and do well – if it’s going to shock the Spurs and hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.

1. Next-up scoring

Jalen Brunson shoulders the scoring load for the New York Knicks, but their postseason push has enjoyed balanced efforts across the starting lineup.

All five starters are averaging more than 11 points, and New York has watched players step up when Brunson struggles, be it Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, or Josh Hart. Even super-streaky Mikal Bridges has been constant the past two rounds.

The X-factor for New York will be bench production.

The Knicks need guys like Miles McBride, Landry Shamet, and Mitchell Robinson to contribute when the starters need a blow. The San Antonio Spurs have a couple of capable bench players in Dylan Harper and Keldon Johnson, and New York’s reserves need to at least counter that.

2. Mitchell Robinson healthy

Unlike an Oklahoma City squad falling apart at the seams versus the Spurs, New York comes in relatively healthy – save for center Mitchell Robinson.

Robinson enters the NBA Finals with a broken right pinky finger and is questionable for Game 1.

Kalshi is offering prediction markets on Robinson’s next game and whether it will be before June 4 (with Game 1 scheduled for June 3) or after June 4. They’re giving him an 80% chance of playing in Game 1 even though he’s been spotted wearing a splint ahead of the series.

Having Robinson in the lineup is vital to defending Victor Wembanyama. The Knicks don’t have much size beyond Karl-Anthony Towns, and with Robinson in, the defense can roll out different matchups between him, KAT, and Hart to see what bugs the Spurs’ 7-footer the most.

In two meetings versus San Antonio, Robinson averaged four points and five rebounds with a +10.0 plus/minus rating over 33 total minutes. New York won both of those games.

3. Josh Hart hitting shots

Playing against big, bad opponents is nothing new to the Knicks. They just took down Cleveland’s twin towers of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, thanks in large part to Hart’s solid shooting.

Hart isn’t known for his offense, so Cleveland opted to assign rim protector Allen to the 6-foot-5 guard. The Cavs hoped Hart’s poor outside shooting would allow Allen to sag off and stick to patrolling the paint.

However, Hart made Cleveland pay by shooting 45% from the floor, including 35% from beyond the arc for the series. He shot the ball 49 times in the four ECF games, and 25 of those FGAs were graded as “wide open” without a defender within at least six feet.

Hart needs to do the same with Wembanyama, expected to check him on the defensive end, as San Antonio wants to keep the shot swatter in the key. But if Hart stays hot and makes those open looks, the Spurs either have to move Wemby out or switch up things defensively.

Getting the French 7-footer away from the rim is vital to the Knicks being able to break down San Antonio’s guards, get inside, and either score at the rim or find open shooters. It all starts with Hart.

4. KAT scratch fever

A big part of the Knicks’ offensive success has been the emergence of Towns as a “point forward” for New York.

Towns is operating out of the high post on many possessions, dragging a bigger defender away from the hoop and finding cutters to the rim and shooters coming off screens. The 7-footer is averaging almost six dimes on 6.6 potential assists – nearly double his regular season passing production.

On top of that playmaking, KAT can hit the outside jumper and make big defenders pay for not closing out. Towns hit at a 50% clip from deep versus the Cavaliers and went 2-for-5 from outside in two of the three meetings with the Spurs this year.

Towns could also find himself attacking inside should San Antonio toss smaller players at him. If Wembanyama is on Hart, the Spurs will have to use 6-foot-7 Julian Champagnie or 6-foot-5 Johnson to stop KAT – or reach down the bench to Luke Kornet, Harrison Barnes, or Kelly Olynyk.

Towns is behind Brunson and Wembanyama in the NBA Finals MVP prediction markets, with Kalshi giving him a 5% shot at taking home the individual hardware. A $1 investment pays $100 at KAT’s current price.

5. Disrupt Spurs’ transition

San Antonio wants to force deep misses, grab long boards, and push the ball in transition to beat the Knicks down the floor.

The Knicks’ best line of defense is simply making their shots and forcing the Spurs to start their possessions off the inbounds more often than not.

When it does miss, New York can’t just watch and needs to get bodies back, pick up the ball handler, and slow the Spurs down. A little pressure on the ball handler could go a long way for New York.

We’ve seen San Antonio get sloppy – albeit with injuries to PGs – but the Knicks have tenacious on-ball options and solid defenders off the bench. They’ve forced more than 15 turnovers per contest, generating an average of 20 points from those mistakes in the postseason.

The Knicks have done a much better job of slowing down transition attacks in the postseason than in the regular season, when they allowed the eighth-most points per possession to transition teams. In the tournament, that metric has been trimmed from 1.17 to 1.05.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Phoenix Suns have numerous decisions ahead of them this upcoming offseason, including multiple restricted free agents, unrestricted free agents, and players with trade value. The following series will examine those decisions as our writing team presents both a point and a counterpoint for each.

We’ve arrived at the final player to discuss in our “How to Fix the Suns” saga. You know him well, as he’s played 11 seasons for the Phoenix Suns. And I’m here to tell you why the Suns should let him play his 12th in Phoenix.

Devin Booker is easily the team’s most valuable asset, both financially and organizationally. And there is a reason for that. Last season, he once again showcased why he is an All-Star, and had he played the qualifying number of games, he may have added another All-NBA team selection to his resume.

The likelihood of him being moved? I’d place it in the “slim to none” category, especially considering what Suns’ owner Mat Ishbia stated in his end-of-season presser.

“I’ll ride into a fire with Devin Booker and I’ll do it proudly,” Isbia emphatically stated. “Devin Booker is not getting traded. Devin Booker is our franchise player.”

Perhaps that should be it. That’s the entire article. Ishbia said we ain’t doing it, the end. But where’s the fun in that?

I’ll start by acknowledging that, while I truly appreciate who and what Devin Booker is as a player and a person, no one in inexpendable. Such is life. You might think you’re hot shit, but guess what? The building will still be standing whenever you leave. There’s your life lesson for you.

So it’s valuable to have this thought exercise. It allows us to ponder big picture scenarios, understand the broader picture, and respond to those who believe that parting ways with Devin Booker is something to be explored.

Yes, Book has his shortcomings. In 11 seasons with Phoenix, the team has truly been a viable championship contender in two of them. Preseason expectations may lead you to tack on another two seasons, although we all know how the Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal era played out. Still, for those who believe moving off of Devin Booker is the right call, I’m here to make the case that you’re wrong.

Trading Booker now creates more problems than it solves

Last year was a pleasantly surprising season. We exited the year feeling a sense of confidence in the overall direction of the franchise, and although the Suns have their dead-cap issues and limited draft capital, it finally felt like we had fewer problems than your average NBA team.

Devin Booker may have his limitations as a player, and the Phoenix Suns may ultimately be limited by whatever ceiling exists with him leading the way. But for an organization searching for continuity and stability, keeping Booker is paramount for moving the ball forward. Blowing things up now only leads to more losing, less competitive basketball, and a franchise climbing onto the hamster wheel every rebuilding team hopes to escape, chasing lottery picks and waiting for one to change everything.

Phoenix spent last offseason retooling. There’s a foundation here. In my opinion, you stay on the path you’re on. That doesn’t mean you can’t pivot in a year or two. But right now, with this mix of youth and veterans, continuity and stability are the two most valuable things the Suns have. The moment you move off Booker this offseason, you’re sacrificing both.

For those who think now is the time to blow it up, stockpile draft picks, and bring in younger pieces alongside veterans whose contracts match Booker’s money, I simply don’t agree with that path. There are plenty of teams around the NBA trying to find stars, praying that their latest lottery pick is the answer. Praying isn’t a strategy. Having an organization that knows how to properly function is. That is what Phoenix is attempting to build.

Sure, Booker isn’t a superstar, but he is undeniably a star. And he raises your floor every time he’s on the court. All you have to do is look back at this past season to remember what the offense looked like when he wasn’t available. Point Book may not be the long-term answer, but his presence still brings a level of steadiness to an offense that understandably struggled whenever he was out. The team carried a 115.9 offensive rating and were +201 when Booker was on the court this season, and were -81 with a 110.0 rating when he was off.

That’s why, to me, this isn’t really about blind loyalty or refusing to acknowledge Booker’s limitations. It’s about timing and understanding where the Phoenix Suns actually are as an organization. They finally have some traction. They finally have a direction that feels intentional. Devin Booker is still a major part of that. Right now, moving off Booker feels less like progress and more like hitting reset before you truly know what you’ve built.

The Suns still need Booker to bridge what comes next

Phoenix finds itself in a weird spot in franchise history. They’re good. And maybe next season, with continued youth development and more stability around Devin Booker, they can become better than good. Great, perhaps? At the same time, this era feels like a bridge. A strange middle ground between the team that made the Finals and the team that fumbled its way out of that era.

Now it’s about the next steps.

Part of correcting the course is getting to 2030, when Booker’s salary comes off the books and some of the dead cap money clears as well. To get there, the Suns need to navigate the next few seasons the right way. And having Booker here gives them a real chance to do that, because having Booker here means Phoenix is going to win basketball games.

And winning matters.

When you have an influx of young players and you’re trying to teach them how to win, having Devin Booker in the building is important. His presence has value. Because if you blow it up, chances are you start losing. And when losing becomes part of the culture, players can grow comfortable with it, and climbing out of that hole becomes incredibly difficult.

Ask the Brooklyn Nets this year. Ask the Suns from a decade ago. Losing culture isn’t something to embrace. It isn’t something to chase. And I believe moving off Booker this offseason would put Phoenix right back on that path.

Phoenix finally has a roster with some direction, some continuity, and a young core learning what winning basketball is supposed to look like. Booker helps reinforce all of that every time he steps on the floor. Maybe a year from now, the conversation changes and the organization decides a different path makes more sense. Currently, the Suns need stability more than they need a reset, and Devin Booker still gives them the clearest path toward building something worth sustaining.

Devin Booker means more to Phoenix than basketball

Then there’s the loyalty factor. Sure, the NBA is a business. Fans don’t always care about loyalty, and players don’t always care about loyalty. That conversation goes both ways. In Booker’s case, it feels different.

A player entering his 12th season in Phoenix is rare. If Booker suits up with Phoenix next season, he’ll become one of only three players in franchise history to play that many seasons for the Suns. The others are Kevin Johnson, who played 12 years in Phoenix, and Alvan Adams, who spent all 13 seasons of his career here.

There’s something meaningful in that. There’s beauty in that loyalty. There’s a sense of pride in it. And for a fan base that’s dealt with plenty of mercenaries in recent years, it’s nice having somebody who never felt like one. Booker stayed. He embraced the state. He embraced the community. He’s grown with the franchise and helped carry it through some ugly years and some unforgettable ones.

Those things matter to me. And quite honestly, I’m not ready to let go of that yet.

That’s the part that can’t be fully measured when we talk about contracts, timelines, and long-term roster building. Devin Booker became bigger than a stat line in Phoenix a long time ago. He became part of the identity of the franchise itself. Through the losing seasons, through the Finals run, through every reset and every expectation that followed, Booker remained the constant.

The player, the franchise, and the city still feel connected.

The smarter move is to give this one more year

And the primary reason I don’t want to move off Devin Booker at this point is simple. Now is not the time.

I keep coming back to that word, continuity. The Suns need another season with their primary pieces in place to see what they are, who they are, and whether what they’ve built actually works. Not strictly the players either. The coaching schemes. The culture. The foundation they started laying this past season.

Because if it’s repeatable, now you have options.

And with this new regime focused on development across the board, it’s also an opportunity for Booker to continue showing exactly who and what he is within that structure. If Phoenix falls short of expectations, then this time next summer the conversation becomes very different. And when that time comes, we can have it. At this point, I don’t think it’s time.

I know there are some of you out there who believe Booker’s value will never be higher than it is right now. I disagree. I actually think there’s a case for his value increasing next season, when he has three years left on his deal, with two of those on the supermax. There’s less long-term money attached. There’s a cleaner runway. And if there’s an organization out there struggling to find direction, a team like the Detroit Pistons, for example, Booker suddenly becomes the type of player you convince yourself can change everything.

And to get that player, you pay a premium.

Granted, the NBA’s anti-tanking rules have changed the math a bit. Teams are probably not going to throw five first-round picks into deals the way they once did. Those picks carry more value now because flat lottery odds have made every one of them feel more like a lottery ticket. That reality exists whether you trade Booker now or next summer.

Across the league, draft picks are more valuable, and teams are going to be more selective with how they move them. That’s why I believe Phoenix can accomplish both things next season. You can evaluate whether the system works. You can evaluate whether Booker works within it. You can gather another year of development, another year of chemistry, another year of data.

And if things don’t break the way you hoped they would, you can still move off Booker next summer at fair market value. That option is still there. It doesn’t have to happen now.

The Suns spent all of last season trying to establish structure, identity, and a healthier long-term direction. Walking away from Booker before you’ve truly given that process another year to breathe feels premature. Let the group play. Let the system evolve. Let the organization gather one more season of information. If the answers aren’t there a year from now, the option to make a major move still exists. Right now, patience feels like the smarter play.

Yeah, Ishbia says we aren’t moving Booker. And I agree with that statement, for now. This team has earned the right to see what next year brings. They’ve earned the right to prove whether or not health, development, and continuity can progress their standing in the league. ‘

This is Devin Booker’s team. This is Devin Booker’s town. Until it’s not.