LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 14: Ziaire Williams, Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton attend a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the LA Clippers on July 14, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
While Las Vegas served as a chance for the Summer League Lakers to excite fans about the future, that wasn’t the sole thing accomplished in the desert.
While typically a place to make an appearance before heading to the casinos and clubs, the Lakers did more than that this July. With a reshaped roster, a mixture of new signees and incumbents met in Vegas for a sort of player’s mini-camp to start working out with one another.
“There was a veteran’s camp in Vegas. I’m just going off the top of my head but I know Jake LaRavia was there, Walker Kessler was there. Sexton was there. Mamu was there. Bronny James was there. Jarred Vanderbilt was there. Jaden Hardy was there…That’s part of building chemistry. It started in mid-July in Vegas where you’re having veterans camp. They’re not doing anything crazy but getting workouts, getting to know one another, especially when it’s so many new faces. Austin Reaves was there. So many new faces that even stuff like that, that can help build chemistry and just help build familiarity.”
It might be a small thing that didn’t necessarily have a big impact, but seeing the players get together from the jump is something fans will always like. If nothing else, it lays the seeds for future workouts together this offseason.
On that topic, it was commonplace for the Lakers to have a minicamp just before the start of training camp during the LeBron James era. Will that continue in the post-LeBron era? Heading into a season where, as mentioned, there are a lot of new players joining the fold, it would make more sense than normal to get everyone together for some extra work before the season starts.
BROOKLYN, NY - OCTOBER 5: The Brooklyn Nets logo before the game against the Miami Heat during a preseason game on October 5, 2017 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The LeBron James wait is over and the 41-year-old will be wearing No. 23 in Philadelphia trying to win his fifth NBA ring in his fourth NBA city which would put him in the same league as … Robert Horry who won seven in three cities.
With that settled, we’ve seen a couple of moves like the Thunder tendering an offer sheet to Spencer Jones of the Nuggets. The Nuggets have until Sunday night to match the Thunder’s two-year $12 million contract. With the Nuggets closing the second apron and with Denver’s ownership not wanting to pay, expect other developments. Will they involve the Nets? Don’t know, but we don’t expect Sean Marks to make the first call. The Nets have the assets other teams need get them out of apron hell.
The next shoe to drop will be Adam Silver’s ruling on the Kawhi Leonard/Aspiration scandal. At this point, we don’t know the full story despite all that’s been written and discussed. The latest revelation by Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic is that there may be a second company involved in funneling money to Leonard outside salary cap limits. If that turns out to be true, expect the hammer to fall heavily on the Clippers ownership and management as well as Leonard. Silver has generally been more conciliatory than his predecessor, David Stern, but the rising tide of scandal in the NBA, between Kawhi and gambling, is likely to change that … just a guess. Will that affect the Nets? It would seem unlikely unless it gives the Nets an advantage over the Clippers in some situation.
If you think we’re referring to Peyton Watson, so be it. We know nothing! As we’ve written, pundits don’t see Brooklyn among those teams likely to work a sign-and-trade for the 24-year-old but PWat and former teammate and big pal, Michael Porter Jr. continue to be seen together in the city in high profile settings: The Fanatics FanFest, the World Cup Final and a visit to the Nets practice facility where Watson was described as a “friend” of a player all got attention. And now a club.
On Saturday night, Jairo Media which tracks celebrity comings and goings, posted video of the two of them entering a club the same time as Jalen Brunson and his wife.
Take look. MPJ and Watson enter at the end of the video…
We continue to think that MPJ is just helping his pal get some leverage in negotiations with the notoriously rich and notoriously tight-fisted Kroenke family. The more media, the better.
‘Mikel is the steal of the Draft’
The fan base is justifiably excited by what they saw from Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr. in both Sacramento and Las Vegas. The Nets may have had bad luck in both the 2025 and 2026 draft lotteries but seem to have done well with what they wound up: a 20-year-old backcourt whose positional height and versatility — franchise watchwords — fit together so well on and off the court.
It’s a big deal for the short and long term of the franchise and in ways fans may not fully appreciate. Despite all their picks, there is no guarantee the Nets will ever wind up with two single-digit picks in back-to-back drafts, particularly in drafts seen as generational. They’d need some very good fortune in the lottery which as has been noted has been lacking. That’s how crucial their success with Demin and Brown Jr. becomes. (For the record, the only time the Nets ever had two single-digit picks in back-to-back drafts was 1995 and 1996 when they took Ed O’Bannon and Kerry Kittles.)
On Egor Demin: “He’s a lot more comfortable going into Year 2. I think from the pre-draft process, all the way through his rookie year, we probably over-indexed on his three-point shot too much. I mean Egor, his trainers, our front office, our coaches, everyone. You saw out here (at Summer League), that he was getting downhill more. This year is about putting him in even better spots to shine as an all-around player,” a Nets front office executive said.
On Mikel Brown Jr.: “You’re probably going to hear this about every guy, including A.J. (Dybantsa) at No. 1, but we feel like Mikel is the steal of the draft,” A Nets front office executive said. “He was a little wild here (at Summer League) and in California (at California Classic Summer League), but that’ll round out with time. Having him go against Keon (Ellis) and Terance (Mann) every day in practice is going to be huge for him.”
The Nets, we hear, had Brown Jr. at No. 5 on their internal board not far behind, in their opinion, the Big Four of A.J. Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson. (That might not have been the Nets order, just the draft order.)
There’s something else as well in Demin and Brown Jr.‘s favor. They are box-office, two smart, likeable and charismatic personalities … who know it. So do the Nets who have filled their social media outlets with images and videos that highlight them and their personalities. Might that change come the season when Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle (hopefully) start putting up big numbers? Maybe but at the moment they are the faces of the franchise with the second year a bit more so than the rookie.
The Nets are also very high on their 28th pick, Joshua Jefferson, the sweet-passing 6’9”, 240 pound point forward from Iowa State. Jefferson had dropped for a number of reasons. He had mid-first round mock draft vibes early in the season but fell back in part because he was a four-year college player — a consensus All-American but a player who turns 23 in November. He is in fact the eighth oldest player on the current roster! He, like Brown Jr., got hurt just as March Madness was beginning. A sprained ankle kept him out of all but the opening minutes of the opening game.
The Nets got the No. 28 pick in an exchange of first and second round picks — part of the Randle/Claxton trade. That deal didn’t get approved till July 9, the first day of the Vegas Summer League. Until then, Jefferson couldn’t practice with the team, couldn’t scrimmage. So his three games in Vegas were not seen as any indicator of his potential.
In general, a Nets executive told Smith the roster may not be done and pointed out how the y9ung players’ development has been prioritized in the addition of what was described as “legitimate NBA rotation players and potential rotation players.”
“It’s a work in progress. Unless you are the Thunder or the Spurs or the Knicks, I don’t know how you feel like you roster is ‘done’,” a Nets front office executive said. “We probably still lean a little too young, to be honest. The good news is that adding guys like Julius (Randle), Keon (Ellis) and Moe (Wagner) will help these guys grow up a lot. Those are real, physical, sometimes nasty, NBA guys. I can’t wait to watch them help our young guys grow.”
Final Note on deals
Nets will likely go into the 2026-27 season without much if any difference from what they look like now, other than signing Moe Wagner and extending (or not) Michael Porter Jr. It appears the Wagner signing delay is about wanting to have a tidbit of flexibility if something arrives on the door step at 168 39th Street in Industry City.
Both the Nets and MPJ are saying nice things about each other, as we’ve reported, but it would appear that the Nets may want a shorter-term deal than Porter and his agent Marc Bartelstein. Teams are less and less willing to take on long-term commitments because of the onerous nature of the second apron, not just in financial terms but also in terms of flexibility.
They took few risks with the signings of Day’Ron Sharpe ($20 million over two with a team option in year two); Josh Minott ($8 million over two with a team option also in year two), Moe Wagner ($19 million over two with a mutual option in year two) and Keon Ellis ($18 million over two, also with a mutual option.) The mutual option guarantees the full amount of the deals, but gives both sides the right to move on. More than one pundit praised the Nets for the reasonable nature of the deals.
Keith Smith pointed out that the Nets also believe they can win more now that they’ve added veterans, with one Nets assistant admitting, “Not to speak ill of last year’s team, but we were down to rookies and non-NBA-level players by the end of the year. This year, we’ve got depth and the kids are improving too.”
They will still likely be the youngest team in the league again this year and should have a lot of cap space, as much as $68 million, writes Smith in a separate post. That of course does not include any short-term raise MPJ may get or the still unsigned Moe Wagner’s $9.2 million. Still, they’re likely to once again enter the off-season in the top three of cap space.
A former No. 5 pick of Orlando who played five seasons in the NBA before returning to Europe and becoming one of the best players on that continent, Hezonja agreed to return to the NBA at age 31 on a $2.8 million minimum contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, a story broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania, who was told by Hezonja's agent (Michael Tellem of Excel Sports Management). Reports of Hezonja’s return had been floating around for a while, but like many, he had to wait for the LeBron James situation to play out before things would come into focus.
Hezonja's first NBA stint did not play out as expected — he averaged 6.9 points and 3.1 rebounds a game, shooting 31.9% from 3, never developing into the hoped-for star — and on the way out the door he said, "The NBA is more show than the game itself."
He returned to Europe, where scouts have told NBC Sports his game has improved. Last season he was the Spanish ABC League MVP playing for Real Madrid, where he averaged 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. There are certainly minutes for him in Cleveland, where there are gaps with Dean Wade and Keon Ellis gone (that is the role the Cavs hoped LeBron would fill).
Signing Hezonja is one of a series of moves the Cavaliers are expected to make after missing out on LeBron. Re-signing James Harden is high on that list as well. Cleveland now has 13 guaranteed spots filled on the roster and $35.5 million below the second apron (via ESPN’s Bobby Marks), and one of the two remaining spots has to be spent on re-signing Harden (likely for around $30 million a season). While the Cavaliers have interest in Jonathan Kuminga, he would have to come in for the $7 million remaining on the Cavs mid-level exception (he wants more than that, but that's all the Cavs can offer, and a sign-and-trade like Kuminga reportedly wants hard caps the Cavaliers at the first apron, and they would have to cut a lot of salary in that situation, making it highly unlikely).
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: The sneakers worn by Darryn Peterson #22 of the Utah Jazz during the game against the LA Clippers during the 2026 NBA Summer League game on July 12, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA moves quickly, whether talking about the speed of the game, which newcomers to the league struggle to process, or how fast NBA rosters change. The Suns’ roster has completely turned over and then retooled since they selected Ryan Dunn at number 28 in the 2024 draft. Dunn was selected for a team featuring Booker, Beal and Durant, and he emerged from the wreckage of that 36-win season with momentum, but it’s a new season and a new team. The forward position that was once viewed as a hole on the roster has become a logjam.
Only months ago, Dunn seemed to me to be a piece the Suns needed to have on their team. Length, athleticism, defense, and rim pressure on a bargain deal. A guy you develop to outplay the value on his contract before you sign him to a team-friendly deal like Gillespie or Goodwin. Fast forward a few months later and I look at the roster and wonder if Ryan Dunn is out of time. There’s no more easing in. It’s now or never if Ryan Dunn is going to carve out a role on the Phoenix Suns.
I’ve heard it said online that Ryan Dunn regressed last year, but the stats paint a different picture. Dunn trended up in his shooting percentage, including the all-important three-point shooting percentage, which lifted to 33.1 in 25/26, up from 31.1 in 24/25. He improved his production in rebounds, steals, and assists, and he played slightly more minutes than he had for Budenholzer and the KD Suns. Still, the overwhelming sentiment in the fanbase seems to be one of skepticism about speculating on Ryan Dunn’s potential. Shiny new forwards have caught their attention, and a lot of the positives Dunn brought to the team last year, that earned him playoff minutes over Fleming, are easy to overlook.
I think the disconnect between the production and the fan’s opinion of the production comes from the expectations of the role Dunn would have coming into last season and the role he ended up playing. Dunn started 44 of the 74 games he played for the KD Suns. He only started 16 of the 70 games he played under Jordan Ott, who willingly sacrificed defense for the sharp shooting and reliability of the veteran Royce O’neale. Eight of those sixteen starts came in the first 8 games of the season. Ryan Dunn was only able to hit more than one three in 2 of those first 8 games and Jordan Ott quickly moved on from Dunn being a regular in the starting lineup.
Dunn, however, had more of an impact off the bench than I feel he gets credit for from the fanbase. Content creators and the Twitterati are put off by Dunn’s defense, which was supposed to be his NBA-ready skill. Dunn hasn’t been the stifling point of attack defender fans were expecting. He should be given his frame and athleticism, but he seems to struggle predicting where offensive players will go and staying in position to get a good contest when defending ball handlers; as a member of a team defense, Ryan Dunn makes the defense better.
Ryan Dunn was on 6/10 of the top steals-producing lineups for the Suns last year. He also lifts the team’s rebounding. The Suns had six lineups with positive total rebounding last season, and Ryan Dunn was on four of them. When sorting the Suns lineups by plus-minus, Ryan Dunn appears on 6/10 of those five-man combinations.
These aren’t coincidences. The Suns played better in key areas when Ryan Dunn was in the lineup, which is why I’m not chicken-littling Dunn’s defensive impact. The questions about Dunn’s game as a prospect remain the same questions about Dunn’s game going into his third season for the Suns. What can he consistently contribute on the offensive end in terms of the corner three, his handles going to the rim, and limiting turnovers, and how does he compare in those areas to his competition?
Ryan Dunn’s three-point shot is trending up, which is what the Suns needed to see when evaluating the progress of his development. Ryan Dunn’s viability as a rotational player on an NBA team centers around him pushing that three-point percentage over the 35% mark this season. Rasheer Fleming shot 34% from three-point range and, in limited opportunity, knocked down 45 three-pointers. Ryan Dunn knocked down 56. If Dunn can’t do more with his opportunities this season, he will lose them to Rasheer.
Dunn can’t be a worse three-point shooter than Rasheer if he wants to maintain his 19 minutes a game, but he doesn’t need to be significantly better and likely comes out ahead in the event of a draw because Ryan Dunn has some offensive versatility that Rasheer doesn’t.
Rasheer has a promising three-point shot, and we are all salivating as we project his defensive impact, but Sheer is quite honestly a statue on offense. His contribution is spacing the floor with the corner three. He’s not a solid playmaker; he doesn’t seem entirely comfortable with knowing where to go with the ball, and he can’t put it on the floor in an NBA game. Ryan Dunn has flashed that he can.
I trust there will come a day when Rasheer will get the ball in the corner, pump fake the contest, put the ball on the bounce, and finish through contact at the rim, but that day will not come this next season if it comes at all. Ryan Dunn could separate himself from Rasheer by improving his handles and decision-making on the perimeter. Including lowering the amount of turnovers he commits, which went up last year.
Ryan Dunn has juice when he’s going to the rim. He makes great cuts and is looking for any opportunity to take flight for a monster dunk. Last season Ryan Dunn took 121 runs at the rim and finished 82 of them. Of those shots at the rim, 56%of them were assisted. Compare that to Rasheer, who went 34/60 at the rim on 73.5% assisted, and you can maybe start to understand what Jordan Ott saw in Ryan Dunn’s game that he didn’t see in Sheer’s when he decided to give Dunn the nod over Fleming at the end of the season. Could Dunn further separate himself by being a guy who can attack the rim when he gets the ball and all the defenders run to find a shooter to hug?
Last season Dunn got to the free throw line 49 times and only converted 23 of them, and while that isn’t a big part of Rasheer’s offensive bag, Koa Peat won’t be in the G League forever, and that projects to be a huge feature in his game. This is where it gets really tricky for Dunn.
If Fleming finishes the season in front of Dunn in terms of minutes played, Dunn begins next season, or maybe even the back half of this season, battling for the leftover backup forward minutes with Koa Peat. Who are the Suns more likely to view as the player with the brighter future? Ryan Dunn, who lost out to Rasheer Fleming and is now 24 going into his 4th year on the team, or a 20-year-old Koa Peat, who could have been a lottery pick, in his first year out of the G-League?
It’s now or never for Ryan Dunn. If it’s not already too late. Fans were initially surprised that Ryan Dunn didn’t participate in the summer league. I don’t think it was completely shocking given there aren’t many third-year players playing, but you do wonder if it was more about how it would affect the perception of Ryan Dunn to potential trade partners if he showed up on the summer league roster than whether or not he still needs extra reps on his three-point shot.
Ryan Dunn still has a chance to be a part of the Suns’ solution going forward but it’s going to depend on the development of his shot and ability to drive to the basket that will separate him from the competition pooling up behind him. The runway to get this done is shrinking. It’s a different team than the one he was drafted to play with; no one could have known how quickly that situation would implode when Dunn was drafted. The Suns are moving on, and if Ryan Dunn doesn’t claim his spot now, it’s unlikely there’ll be a spot for him going forward.
Will Ryan Dunn take that next step on offense next year? Let me know what you think in the comments.
ATHENS, GREECE - MAY 24: Mario Hezonja, #11 of Real Madrid during 2026 EuroLeague Championship Game Olympiacos Piraeus vs Real Madrid at Telekom Center Athens on May 24, 2026 in Athens, Greece. (Photo by Luca Sgamellotti/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images)
The Cleveland Cavaliers have made their first free agency addition of the summer, 26 days into free agency. They’ve signed 6’8” Croatian forward, Mario Hezonja, to a one-year minimum contract worth $2.8 million, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Hezonja was the fifth overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft for the Orlando Magic. He played in the league for five seasons. Three with the Magic, and then two one-year stints with the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers. After the 2019-20 season, Hezonja returned to playing professionally overseas. During his five-year NBA career, he averaged 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on .417/.319/.812 shooting splits.
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Hezonja has spent the last six years playing in Europe. The last four of those years, he’s played for Real Madrid in Spain.
European leagues are often split into two parts of the season: national league play and EuroLeague. Hezonja was phenomenal in Liga Endesa — the top league in Spain — competition this past year. In that setting, he averaged 17.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game on .465/.366/.902 shooting splits in 23.9 minutes per game. That was good enough to earn him MVP honors in that league.
The numbers in EuroLeague — the top basketball league in Europe — weren’t as impressive. In 38 games, Hezonja averaged 13.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists on .427/.302/.818 shooting splits.
As the numbers suggest, the 31-year-old wing’s best skill is his outside shooting. He’s a movement shooter with size who can be a real asset when those looks are falling.
That pairs nicely with a pretty solid overall scoring package. Hezonja has the size and strength to get inside and finish in the paint — especially if you cheat over to prevent the outside shot. This all led to Hezonja being in the 89th percentile for offensive impact in EuroLeague last season.
Defense isn’t Hezonja’s calling card. He’s not known for being great on that end despite having good size.
Overall, this is a worthwhile gamble for the Cavs. Taking a minimum-contract gamble on a player with good size, solid offensive feel, who has a lethal outside shot is understandable. Hezonja has the skills to be an impactful offensive piece off the bench and is the exact type of player you’d like to pair with a large front court and dynamic backcourt.
That said, there’s a real chance that this move doesn’t pan out. After all, most minimum contract signings don’t move the needle on contending teams.
The team announced that it has waived 24-year-old wing Dalen Terry.
Terry played 14 times for the Sixers last season and averaged 4.1 points, 1.6 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per game. The Sixers first picked Terry up on a two-way contract and then converted him to a standard NBA deal late in the season. The 18th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft was not part of the Sixers’ playoff rotation.
DENVER, CO - JANUARY 29: Michael Porter Jr. #17 of the Brooklyn Nets, Aaron Gordon #32 and Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets talk after the game on January 29, 2026 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Summer League is over. We’re past the frenzy stage of NBA free agency. However, there’s one small forward everyone has had their eyes on this offseason. He’s arguably the GOAT. He just came over to the East. You all know who I’m talking about. It’s our boy Michael Porter Jr. YES! MPJ is extension eligible and there’s been a ton of chatter around what that could look like. So, we’re declaring this THE MPJ POD and brought on on a NetsDaily legend, an NBA champ, and someone who knows MPJ well dating back to their time in Denver. Matt Brooks of the Denver Nuggets is here!
In this episode of The Brooklyn with Pooch & Collin, we touch on:
The fact-finding portion of the NBA’s investigation into Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers may finally be complete, but that does not mean his proposed return to the Raptors is ready to move forward.
Appearing on “The Rich Eisen Show,” The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov said the outside law firm hired by the NBA appears to have finished its work. The league must now review the findings and determine whether Leonard, the Clippers or owner Steve Ballmer should face discipline.
The NBA’s Kawhi Leonard probe may be over, but possible discipline and appeals continue to delay his proposed Raptors trade. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
“The investigation, I think, is over now,” Vorkunov said. “The NBA is kind of like sifting through what the law firm they hired has found, deciding whether there’s a punishment or not that they then want to levy.”
The probe centers on allegations that Leonard’s endorsement agreement with Aspiration, a now-bankrupt company connected financially to Ballmer, may have been used to circumvent the NBA’s salary cap. Leonard reportedly agreed to a four-year, $28 million endorsement deal that also included company equity, though he did not participate in traditional promotional campaigns for the company.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and league officials will decide next steps for Leonard. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Clippers have denied wrongdoing and maintained that they were victims of fraud involving Aspiration rather than participants in an effort to provide Leonard with additional compensation.
Even with the investigative stage reportedly complete, the process could remain unresolved for some time.
Vorkunov explained that any proposed punishment may need to be presented to an assistant arbitrator under the collective bargaining agreement. The National Basketball Players Association would also become involved if the league seeks to discipline Leonard, and either side could appeal the ruling.
That uncertainty continues to hold up the proposed trade sending Leonard to Toronto in a package involving Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and future draft compensation.
Vorkunov still expects the deal to be completed unless the NBA imposes the most extreme possible penalty and voids Leonard’s contract.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer (above) and others are awaiting an NBA ruling involving Kawhi Leonard and the franchise. Getty Images
“I think the trade with the Raptors will still happen,” he said. “If there’s like a suspension, let’s say that’s what the investigation finds, you can kind of tweak the terms of the trade a little bit to make up for that.”
A finding of no wrongdoing would clear the most direct path toward completing the transaction. A suspension, fine or loss of draft picks could force the Clippers and Raptors to renegotiate portions of the agreement.
Leonard is seeking a return to the Raptors via a proposed trade. Getty Images
Voiding Leonard’s contract would create a much different outcome by removing the contract Toronto agreed to acquire.
For now, Leonard, Ingram and Dick remain attached to their previous teams despite the trade agreement. With no firm timetable for a decision, the uncertainty could extend toward training camp.
Leonard is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 27.9 points while remaining one of the NBA’s most effective two-way players when available.
His basketball value is not what is delaying the reunion with Toronto. The next move belongs to the league office.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: Patrick Ewing and Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Last night was a typical Saturday night for me — playing Hades 2 for the 1300th time, catching up on X-Men ‘97, perusing basketball-reference.com — when I came across a couple of facts I feel compelled to share. Why? Because Vox pays based on a monthly quota and I woke up two articles short for July.
PATRICK EWING & THE 2026-27 KNICKS: BOTH UNDERRATED
In 1989 Patrick Ewing finished fourth in MVP voting, first among the six centers to receive votes (Hakeem Olajuwon, Brad Daugherty, Robert Parish, Mark Eaton and Moses Malone). A year later the Big Fella again led all pivots in MVP voting. Over a nine-year stretch (1989-1997) that included six different starting point guards, six different head coaches and a dizzying number of playing styles, Ewing received the most- or second-most MVP votes for a center six times. That’s not projection. That’s what happened.
There’s an awful lot of projection happening in this summer’s NBA talk. The national media and fans of loser teams, no doubt buttressed by Adam Silver’s specious praise of parity, seem oddly certain the New York Knicks will extend the pratfall of the prior seven champions by failing to repeat in 2027. Given that the Knicks just put forth the greatest display of ass-whupping the Association has ever seen and are returning 90-something percent of those responsible for said rump-reddening, I assume the cynics are indebted less to “what happened” than to precedent.
Balderdash.
Forgive my language, but I’m just that upset. The great sportswriter Law Murray may be the only person currently with a power rankings that lists New York at the top. Power rankings don’t matter, natch; they are at best one person’s opinion. But why are so many people’s opinions wrong? Look how all the recent failures to repeat failed and tell me where it sounds like the Knicks.
Jalen Brunson didn’t depart for the Clippers, desiring a max deal plus a do-nothing $28 million off-the-books cheat code. The Knicks didn’t win some asterisk-stained Bubble ‘chip. Josh Hart is their only starter over 30; after the Bucks’ title, their non-Greek starters turned 30, 31, 33 and 36. When the Warriors won their fourth, Steph Curry was 33, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green 31.
The Nuggets have spent literally zero dollars since winning it all three years ago (I can only hope the same happens with Arsenal, also owned by the Crankies). The Celtics have dropped consecutive series to their two most-hated Eastern rivals (losing five of seven home playoff games); seen one cornerstone tear his Achilles before racing back in record time the next year, only to finish it injured; then traded the other to one of those hated rivals for less than what Dallas got back for Luka. The Thunder, who succeeded Boston as the media’s “Not only did they win a title, they’re destined to for years” darling, got bit by the injury bug at the worst possible time last year, then traded three rotation players for second-round picks.
I’m a big fan of precedent myself. But I’m always learning that it’s not destiny, more just a useful guide for getting around. The fact that Daugherty, Parish, Malone and Eaton soon faded from MVP votes didn’t mean Ewing would. So long as the Mitchell Robinson cheap-out isn’t the first sign of James Dolan suffering a Nuggets/Celtics ownership mind-meld, the Knicks seem a pretty good bet to be the first repeat champs since 2018.
REGGIE MILLER SUCKS
He’s an insufferable broadcaster, not even the best baller in his family and a homewrecker. None of that is what’s worst about Reggie Miller, though.
Miller was never afraid to take the big shot. It’s why he has, at minimum, a half-dozen career highlights where any one would be most players’ best-remembered. I’ll spare you the two you’re likely aware of, but did you know both Chicago and New Jersey also served as the canvas to his artistry? If you’re troubled by me sharing these here at P&T, I understand. My only defense is these shots caused the MJ Bulls and Jason Kidd Nets to suffer, and in my teens and 20s I hated those teams as much as any.
Whatever truth is contained in those two videos, it is a vile truth, loud and clanging; the empty can rattles the most. Yes, Miller wasn’t afraid of the moment. But is it admirable for one to always be willing step up in the biggest of moments if one misses the vast, vast share of them? Imagine the ‘90s Knicks having every postseason come down to John Starks emptying the clip and letting the chips fall where they may. “John Starks?” you may say. “Are we really comparing John Starks to Reggie Miller?”
Reader, yes.
I want to show you Miller’s numbers in the biggest games he played in. For the purposes of fairness, I’m excluding earlier years in his career, when the Pacers were still a work-in-progress. Miller wasn’t the focal point of the Pacers’ offense in the early ‘90s against the Celtics — that’d be Chuck Person — so I didn’t include his 7-of-17 shooting in their 1991 series finale. Instead, let’s go right to the alleged heart of the matter. How did Miller shoot when he was supposedly making his bones in the six biggest games of his career: the 1994 ECF against New York, 1995 ECF against Orlando, 1998 ECF against Chicago, 1999 ECF vs. New York, 2000 Finals against Los Angeles and the 2004 ECF against Detroit?
7-of-17
5-of-13
7-of-13
3-of-18 (See? Starks-like!)
8-of-19
2-of-8
That’s 32-of-88 from the field (36%), which is . . . not good. And 14-of-43 from distance (33%). Greg Anthony shot 40% overall and 35% from deep for his career. So, in the moments Mr. Big Moment was supposedly his most Big Moment-able, Miller wasn’t even a valid role model for Cole growing up.
Last season, the Brooklyn Nets let 22 different people take the wheel of their lottery tank, several of whom probably weren’t actual professional basketball players (“Grant Nelson”? Please). Not a one of the 22 combined to shoot as badly from the field and from three as Miller did in his six biggest games.
The larger lesson here? I guess don’t be a dick who trades on a rep you know you don’t deserve. Being willing to take big shots is cool, especially if you make some. But being willing to try isn’t heroic when you so often fail. Miller will go down as history’s Antoine Walker, a shameless chucker who never saw reason to stop. Unlike ‘Toine, who faded from the spotlight, Miller insists upon himself, insists on foisting that self on us. Not much we can do about it, besides educate ourselves and stay ready. You never know when the day will come that you get the chance to speak truth to power.
A couple of days after LeBron James' blockbuster announcement that he is headed to Philadelphia for his 24th NBA season, the NBA world is still buzzing. Here is the latest fallout from LeBron's decision to head to the City of Brotherly Love.
Stephen Curry’s reaction
Stephen Curry found out about LeBron's decision from a fan while on a golf course, which somehow feels appropriate.
A fan broke the LeBron news to Steph Curry while he was golfing
But what did Curry really think? Curry was asked that Saturday while attending a youth basketball camp run by fellow Warrior Moses Moody, reports Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
"That's why you don't envision anything until it happens. There's a lot of moving parts."
Golden State was where a lot of people — including people inside the Lakers' locker room — expected LeBron to land. It would have been a nostalgic run with him, Curry, Draymond Green and Steve Kerr drinking good wine and having fun playing basketball, and eventually next season Jimmy Butler would join and this team could be pretty good. But not a contender — and the winning is what mattered most to LeBron.
The Warriors looked to make major offseason upgrades. They called about Jaylen Brown but didn't have the trade return the Celtics wanted (it likely would have been the injured Butler headed East). The Warriors also called Washington about Anthony Davis, but Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints called the Wizards' asking price "unreasonable." If LeBron's agent Rich Paul could have assured the Warriors that acquiring Davis meant LeBron was guaranteed to choose them, then maybe Golden State would have paid the price, but that kind of assurance was never on the table. LeBron really was thinking through what he prioritized, and that informed his decision.
Why the Warriors were hesitant to go all-in on Davis is also tied to a bigger picture, according to long-time Bay Area sports writer and podcaster Tim Kawakami on The TK Show (hat tip Real GM).
"What (team governor Joe) Lacob wants to do, and this might get Warriors fans mad. He wants to build the next team after Steph Curry. I don't know how possible that is, but Lacob has a very keen interest in... this organization's going to show what it can do with Steph Curry and then after Steph Curry."
After Curry comes an inevitable rebuild — something that is now harder to do, likely will drag out longer, and involves a lot more luck because of the NBA's new lottery system.
What drove LeBron’s decision?
In choosing Philadelphia, LeBron went against the narrative, the ones that would have been familiar and comfortable storylines for the documentary he is making about his last season (or seasons) in the league. Golden State with Curry is close to home and nostalgia. Cleveland was going home and he could compete at a high level. Miami would put the ball in his hands on the court, and he'd get to play with Giannis Antetokounmpo in a setting where he is comfortable.
Sources close to James told The Athletic on Friday, on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, that the reason he picked Philadelphia wasn't a part of some complicated decision matrix. It was, simply, the place James thought he could go and have the best chance to win a championship. Looking back at James' time in Los Angeles, the winning always made things better.
"Ultimately, Philadelphia makes a move and then boom! Now you got Jaylen Brown. Now hold on, wait a minute now. This looks a lot different."
Paul also gets into why LeBron is a fit on the court in Philly.
"I think he helps everybody on that team. When you talk about a secondary playmaker, if he's your secondary playmaker, you have the best secondary playmaker in the league. He helps Tyrese [Maxey] in terms of pick-and-roll action...
"When you add a LeBron, everything changes. That is why it is not easy for someone who is to be a star player on a team, when he comes, he kind of shows you how big or little of a star you actually are. It takes a special kind of person to mentally embrace that. The familiarity with him and Tyrese, you don't have to worry about that with Tyrese. They know each other, they embrace each other, they have been working out together for the last five years. So you won't have any pushback."
How Brown and Embiid adjust is another question, but if the 76ers are winning, things will smooth over quickly. When the bumps in the road inevitably come, it's going to be interesting to see how Nick Nurse handles things.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 22: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second half of their game against the Boston Celtics at Crypto.com Arena on February 22, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Friday, the Sixers pulled off one of the biggest free-agent heists in NBA history when they landed LeBron James on a two-year, $7.9 million veteran-minimum contract. You’d never know it based on some of the reactions to that deal.
Jack Simone of the Boston Sports Journal declared that LeBron’s arrival in Philadelphia “will be a disaster” because they have too many alphas and not enough depth.
“The Sixers are banking on their current squad following the old-school Big 3 era, but with a Big 5 instead,” Simone wrote. “They added talent for the sake of adding talent, hoping the math will add up to a championship. But that would require playing basketball on paper instead of in person.”
Michael Pina of The Ringer acknowledged that the Sixers’ new starting five has “an egregious amount of skill, power and athleticism.” However, he added that James’ decision “doesn’t dramatically alter the NBA landscape, let alone guarantee a top-six seed for Philadelphia.”
“For the past month, I’ve been of the mind that James’s decision wouldn’t move the league’s needle in a meaningful way; he’s debatably a top-20 player in a highly competitive playoff picture,” Pina wrote. “While his decision is extremely surprising, undeniably a good thing for Philadelphia, and a bad thing for the Cavs, Heat, Warriors, and any other team that thought they were in the mix, I still feel that way.”
Oddsmakers don’t agree. The Sixers vaulted from +2200 to win the title prior to LeBron’s arrival to +1000 afterward. They’re now trailing only the San Antonio Spurs (+260), Oklahoma City Thunder (+260) and the defending-champion New York Knicks (+950) in championship odds.
Bostonians aren’t the only ones expressing doubt about LeBron and the Sixers, though.
“Good luck,” a rival executive told Howard Beck of The Ringer. “They do not have any role players on their team now. All those guys want and need the ball. I’m not sure any will want to sacrifice.”
“Somebody will have to check their ego at the door,” another team executive told Beck, “and I don’t see Joel or Bron being the ones to do it.”
So, let’s dive into the three chief concerns about the new-look Sixers and how much it’s fair to worry about each.
‘There’s only one ball’
Of the three, this is the one to be least concerned about.
In mid-July, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and Jaylen Brown had “all been in communication with James” during his free agency, “with Maxey leading the charge.” Tony Jones of The Athletic added that Embiid was also “a heavy figure in LeBron’s recruitment, and that recruitment lasted throughout the process.” (We see what you did there, Tony.)
Given his age (32) and lengthy injury history, Embiid’s MVP days are all but assuredly over. He can no longer carry the Sixers like he did for most of his tenure. Maxey, Brown and VJ Edgecombe were already poised to help shoulder more of the load, but adding LeBron takes it to a whole new level.
Granted, LeBron is at a similar stage of his career. He proved in the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round win over the Houston Rockets that he can still conjure one-of-a-kind magic occasionally, but he’s no longer the nightly 28-7-7 threat that he was in his prime. He needs help to have a real chance at winning his fifth title.
Maxey has a longstanding relationship with LeBron because they share the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. Paul said on his Game Over podcast that Maxey’s familiarity with LeBron will help ease his transition to the Sixers and vice versa.
“… When you add a LeBron, everything changes,” Paul said. “That is why it is not easy for someone who is [deemed] to be a star player on a team, when he comes, he kind of shows you how big or little of a star you actually are. It takes a special kind of person to mentally embrace that.
“The familiarity with him and Tyrese, you don’t have to worry about that with Tyrese. They know each other, they embrace each other, they have been working out together for the last five years. So you won’t have any pushback. You can’t pay for that. You can’t put a value on that.”
Maxey’s role has changed on a year-to-year basis for most of his Sixers tenure. Edgecombe is just smiling through it all. And Brown presumably didn’t spend his recruitment of LeBron discussing how much he refuses to downshift as needed.
LeBron is hungry for a fifth title. Brown is hungry for his second—and to shove egg in the Celtics’ faces. Embiid, Maxey and Edgecombe all have yet to win even one. The Disease of Me should not be what undoes the Sixers in 2026-27.
Not enough shooting
It feels safe to assume that Maxey, Edgecombe, Brown, LeBron and Embiid will comprise the Sixers’ starting five. Among that group, Maxey shot the best from three-point range last season at only 36.7 percent. Edgecombe shot 35.4 percent, Brown shot 34.7 percent, Embiid shot 33.3 percent and LeBron shot 31.7 percent.
However, the two years prior, LeBron shot a combined 39.3 percent from deep. Maxey drilled a scorching 43.1 percent of his three-point attempts across his second and third seasons. And Edgecombe ended the season pledging that “coming into next year, a team won’t ever leave me open.”
Given the rest of the talent throughout the Sixers’ starting lineup, they might not have a choice.
Thankfully, Doc Rivers is not in charge of this roster. Nick Nurse isn’t likely to follow his lead with hockey-style full lineup changes. The starters will mix with the bench players for all but the beginning and end of each half.
Coming off the bench, the Sixers have Anfernee Simons, a career 38.1 percent long-range shooter on 6.6 attempts per game. He spent exactly none of those seasons alongside a playmaker of LeBron’s caliber, either.
They’re also going to get Kentavious Caldwell-Pope after he clears waivers. KCP was rough the past two seasons in Orlando and Memphis, but he was a dead-eye shooter over the half-decade preceding that. He spent all but one year of that span playing with either LeBron or Nikola Jokić.
If KCP has a bounce-back season from deep by feasting off wide-open shots, he and Simons alone might help mitigate concerns about the Sixers’ offensive spacing. Rookie Labaron Philon Jr., who shot 39.9 percent from distance at Alabama last year, could also chip in. But the impact of LeBron shouldn’t be understated here, either.
LeBron might not be the scorer or drive-and-kick threat that he was once, but he’s still a preternatural passer at the age of 41. He has the uncanny ability to deliver passes right into his teammates’ shooting pockets. Not only should each Sixers player get easier shots just by virtue of how much stress they’ll be putting on defenses, but they’ll be catching passes from one of the best playmakers of all time.
It’s also worth noting that the Sixers were 21st leaguewide in three-point attempts, 22nd in three-pointers made and 23rd in three-point percentage last season. How much further can they fall?
With a bounce-back season from Maxey and the new additions off the bench, the Sixers should be able to scrape by with enough shooting. They won’t be the Steph-and-Klay Golden State Warriors by any means, but they also won’t be the 2025-26 Brooklyn Nets.
Can they stay healthy?
This is the most legitimate concern. Between LeBron’s age—the man missed the beginning of last season with sciatica, which is the most DNP-Old ailment possible—and Embiid’s lengthy injury history, there’s no guarantee that the Sixers will make it to mid-April in one piece.
Backup center looms as a potential problem area with that in mind.
The Sixers chose not to re-sign Andre Drummond this offseason. Instead, they spent part of their bi-annual exception on Ariel Hukporti, who was the Knicks’ third-string center last year. He’ll battle with Adem Bona to be Embiid’s primary backup, but he’s more or less a total mystery box for now.
Bona is energetic and springy, but he’s also foul-prone and fumbles far too many passes. Getting him not to botch easy scoring opportunities will be LeBron’s final exam with the Sixers during the regular season.
In the games where Embiid plays, Bona and Hukporti should be able to hold down the fort for 15-20 minutes. But in the games that Embiid misses—especially if those come in the playoffs—the Bona-Hukporti duo would not strike much fear in the heart of opponents.
Embiid and LeBron both figure to miss at least 10-15 games during the regular season even if they otherwise stay healthy. The Sixers will likely look to limit their load throughout the 82-game meat-grinder with one eye on the playoffs. How the Sixers make do in their absences will be one of the biggest questions hanging over this team heading into the year.
Granted, the roster in mid-February almost certainly won’t be the same as the roster in late July. While the Sixers don’t have enough space under the first apron to fill their final roster spot right now, veteran-minimum contracts prorate once the regular season begin. They’ll be able to fill it at some point.
The opening months of the season will help the Sixers figure out where their biggest needs are. From there, it’ll be up to Magic Mike Gansey and Co. to once again turn lemons into lemonades, just as they did this offseason.
In the meantime… the Sixers just signed LeBron James on a veteran-minimum contract! Let’s not overthink this one, people.
LeBron James' agent Rich Paul says that James went through immense emotional turmoil "every day" until the 41-year-old made his decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers early Friday morning.
"You can see from the end of the season…the emotional attachments and how hard it is to go away from a Miami and go away from a Cleveland," said Paul on the "Game Over" podcast Friday afternoon. "Who wouldn't want to play with Steph Curry and Draymond Green? I'm seeing the emotional roller coaster every single day."
Rich Paul says LeBron was on a emotional roller coaster making his decision:
Rich: The emotional attachments to go away from a Miami, and go away from a Cleveland, who wouldn’t want to play with Steph Curry and Draymond Green?
Paul also added that he believed every team in the race was leading at some point for James' services, but James opted for Philadelphia because the team had become a much more attractive option since trading for Jaylen Brown. Furthermore, James' relationship with Tyrese Maxey, who is also represented by Klutch Sports, played a role in the decision as well.
Why did LeBron James choose the 76ers?
Paul says that James chose the 76ers because of their ability to contend for a championship immediately. Paul noted that the decision to trade away Paul George in exchange for Jaylen Brown while already boasting a roster with star players like Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and up-and-comer VJ Edgecombe gave James the clarity he needed to make his decision.
Paul also believes that the team's head coach Nick Nurse will find a way to implement James' into the team's tactics without diminishing anyone else's impact.
Paul said, "[James] helps Tyrese [Maxey] in terms of pick-and-roll action. ... I think Nick Nurse can take a little page out of Ty Lue's book and use Tyrese as the screener. When you talk about a guy like VJ Edgecombe, he definitely helps him."
Were other teams in the running?
The Minnesota Timberwolves were another team Paul mentions in the podcast, though he clarifies that they were not one of the final four teams James was considering.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 11: Jameer Nelson, Nick Nurse and Jaylen Brown attends a game between the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers on July 11, 2026 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Choi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Jaylen Brown hasn’t even been on the Sixers for a month. We still haven’t seen him play in a Sixers uniform. Yet the Sixers already have a tough decision to make with him.
On July 26, Brown becomes eligible to sign a one-year extension worth no less than roughly $68.9 million. He’s only eligible to sign that deal between July 26 and the preseason, though. Once the regular season begins, he will not be able to sign an extension again until next summer.
Brown’s upcoming extension talks likely contributed to the urgency that the Celtics felt to move him this offseason after their failed pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens didn’t admit to that, but he did say “the path looked a little bit more challenging with 70% of our cap and such a high percent of our usage tied into two players.”
As we’ve covered before, the Sixers were already pot-committed to that model, so the upgrade in terms of ability, age, health and availability from Paul George to Brown is arguably worth two first-round picks and then some. But is it worth committing to that model beyond 2029?
Let’s walk through each of Brown and the Sixers’ extension options between now and the expiration of his contract after the 2028-29 season.
This summer: 1-year extension
Had Brown stayed with the Celtics, he would have been eligible for a two-year extension this summer. But once he got traded, he was limited to having a four-year deal for the next six months, including the years remaining on his current contract. That means he can only tack on one more year come July 26, not two.
It’s far too early to make an accurate prediction for the 2029-30 salary cap. But under the current collective bargaining agreement, a player’s max salary for any given season can never be less than 105 percent of what they earned the previous year. Since Brown is set to earn $65.6 million in 2028-29—his age-32 season—his max in 2029-30 would start no lower than nearly $68.9 million.
However, that comes with one major caveat. The current CBA is set to run through 2029-30, but either side can opt out after the 2028-29 season—the year Brown’s current contract is set to expire. If there’s a new CBA in place by the time Brown’s contract expires, the Sixers might want to know what team-building restrictions they might be risking if they continue to assemble a pricy roster.
Brown isn’t the only major deal coming off the Sixers’ books that summer. Both Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are set to become unrestricted free agents in 2029, although it’s tough to imagine the Sixers allowing that to happen with the latter. VJ Edgecombe will also be a restricted free agent if he doesn’t agree to an extension during the 2028-29 offseason.
Depending on what happens with the CBA, 2029 could be a reset year both for the Sixers and the league at large. With that in mind, it’s hard to imagine the Sixers committing a huge portion of their cap space that far in advance to someone whom they’d never even see play with the rest of the core.
Next summer: 3-year extension
Brown technically would become eligible for a two-year extension with the Sixers in January, six months after the trade. However, since he has multiple years remaining on his deal, he can only sign an extension before the start of the regular season. So, if he doesn’t sign a one-year extension by October, he won’t become extension-eligible again until next summer.
At that point, Brown would be able to add three years and at least $223.2 million to his deal. At a minimum, it could be structured along these lines:
2029-30: $68,889,740
2030-31: $74,440,920
2031-32: $79,912,100
Total: $223,202,760
Brown would be going into his age-33 season at the beginning of this deal. With Maxey and Edgecombe also heading into new contracts that season—and with Embiid possibly coming off the Sixers’ books—that is a lot of money for someone heading away from his prime.
Perhaps Brown proves to be the Sixers’ missing piece this season, guides them to a championship, quashes any concerns about what analytics might say about him and fully justifies that price tag next summer. If so, the Sixers would likely be happy to pay it.
But if the concerns from the Celtics and the analytics community pan out in Philadelphia as well, it might be less clear whether the Sixers should sign up for three more years of a 35 percent max for Brown.
Summer of 2028: 4-year extension
Perhaps the Sixers and Brown both decide to take this decision down to the wire. Brown is a vice president of the NBPA, so he’ll have an early read on how CBA negotiations are going and the major areas of conflict between the two sides. (It’s easy to guess one of them.)
At this point, the Sixers will be able to negotiate both with Maxey and Edgecombe on new extensions as well. Since all three will be interconnected decisions—as will Embiid if they have interest on bringing him back again—it’d be easiest from their standpoint to coordinate those decisions simultaneously.
This would be Brown’s best chance to cash in before he reaches free agency, too. The first three years would be the same as his three-year extension, but he’d add an extra $85.4 million in his age-36 season to bring the total value of his deal north of $300 million.
2029-30: $68,889,740
2030-31: $74,440,920
2031-32: $79,912,100
2032-33: $85,423,270
Total: $308,626,030
Given how the George experience went for the Sixers, they’ll likely be gunshy about shelling out that kind of cash for someone heading into his mid-30s unless Brown forces their hand in the next two years. Perhaps they can find a middle ground that’s below his 35 percent max but still compensates him handsomely over the coming years. That would be the optimal outcome from the Sixers’ perspective, if nothing else.
With a new CBA guaranteed to be in place no later than the 2030-31 season, most teams around the league figure to keep their books as clean as possible at the turn of the decade, no-brainer keepers notwithstanding. They should feel zero urgency to sign Brown to an extension with that in mind. Brown should likewise be curious about potential changes to the CBA before deciding on his long-term future.
The Sixers and Brown have plenty of time between now and when his contract expires after the 2028-29 season to hammer out an extension. Even though he becomes eligible to tack on an extra year to his deal on July 26, neither side should feel any pressure to get something done before the start of this season.
PHOENIX, AZ - APRIL 17: Jalen Green #4 of the Phoenix Suns dunks the ball during the game against the Golden State Warriors during the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament on April 17, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As we find ourselves roughly two months away from any tangible news surrounding the start of the 2026–27 Phoenix Suns season, it’s time to revisit a topic that some people love, some couldn’t care less about, and some won’t even click on. Uniforms. And before the obligatory commenter reminds everyone that “it’s about the players, not the uniforms,” I know. Save yourself the effort. This one simply isn’t for you.
I’ve always enjoyed following the topic because uniforms become part of a team’s identity. They define eras. They become intertwined with our memories of specific seasons, players, and moments. When you think of the Seven Seconds or Less Suns, you picture those sunburst orange jerseys. When you think of the Valley era, the black gradient uniforms immediately come to mind.
Every season, we typically see a few new designs across the NBA. The Statement Edition and City Edition uniforms are intentionally fluid, allowing Nike to refresh each franchise’s look and tell a different story. The Suns have certainly had their share. We’ve seen the orange Statement jerseys with the Suns logo centered on the chest. We’ve lived through the “Los Suns” era. We’ve had El Valle, the immensely popular Valley gradient uniforms, and the turquoise City Edition that paid tribute to Arizona’s Native American communities.
So what should we expect this season? It appears the answer is…not much.
Everything points toward Phoenix running it back with last year’s uniform lineup. That includes the black Statement Edition jersey with “Phoenix” across the chest, along with the return of the Valley uniforms that have become synonymous with this era of Suns basketball.
Sources indicate this could be the final season of the NBA’s City Edition uniforms, with Nike reportedly believing the concept has run its course after 10 years. Personally, I’d hate to see them go. Sure, not every City Edition jersey has been a hit, but I’ve always appreciated the creativity behind them. They allowed teams to tell a different story, celebrate their cities, and pay homage to the communities they represent. Some designs were forgettable. Others became iconic.
If the program is truly coming to an end, that’s unfortunate. As it stands right now, though, it appears the Phoenix Suns will be wearing the same four uniform combinations they wore a season ago. Not exactly the most exciting news. But if you’re wondering what the Suns will be wearing this season, now you know.
