NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2026-08-04 21:35:44
'Mutual agreement': Luke Doncic's ex-fiancée asks L.A. court to withdraw child support request
Luka Doncic‘s former fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, requested Monday that the petition for child support she filed in March in Los Angeles Superior Court be dismissed, according to court documents obtained by The Times.
“I am withdrawing my Petition for Child Support with the specific intention of resolving this matter amicably and by a mutual agreement which is in the best interests of our children,” Goltes wrote in the filing.
The Lakers superstar proposed to Goltes, a fashion and fitness model, three years ago. They met as children in their native Slovenia and started dating as teenagers in 2016. Their daughters — Gabriela, 2, and Olivia, seven months — live with Goltes in Slovenia.
Doncic has spent the offseason in Slovenia and will host a four-day minicamp for the entire Lakers team later this month in his hometown of Ljubljana, which will include workouts, golf and sightseeing ahead of training camp. The guard — who led the NBA in scoring with an average of 33.5 points a game last season — even offered to pay the team’s travel costs.
Goltes, 28, sought child support and attorney fees from Doncic, 27, following an incident that occurred shortly after Olivia was born at Kranj Maternity Hospital on Dec. 6, 2025, in Slovenia. Doncic missed games against the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics to be present at the birth.
Goltes objected to Doncic’s desire to bring Gabriela back to the United States with him when he joined the Lakers in Philadelphia to play the 76ers on Dec. 7. Goltes called the police, but officers “did not detect any elements of a criminal offense or misdemeanor,” according to a report viewed by ESPN.
The couple broke off their engagement shortly thereafter. Goltes deleted photos of her and Doncic from her Instagram account and Doncic acknowledged that they had separated. He filed an injunction with a Slovenian court in February seeking immediate contact with his daughters, ESPN reported.
“I love my daughters more than anything, and I’ve been doing everything I can for them to be with me in the U.S. during the season, but that hasn’t been possible, so I recently made the tough decision to end my engagement,” Doncic said in March. “Everything I do is for my daughters’ happiness, and I will always fight to be with them and give them the best life I can.”
Doncic posted a photo on social media of Olivia wearing a pink sweater with a heart emoji covering her face. In his first game back, he inscribed a G and O with a heart on his shoes.
“I got to see my daughter again, my newborn,” he said upon his return. “Coming back, it was kind of hard to leave them behind. But it’s a job, so I got to do it.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Indiana Fever get bad injury news ahead of Aces game
Indiana Fever center Damiris Dantas is out for the season after undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus on Monday. Dantas, who signed a two-year contract with the Fever in the offseason, has seen inconsistent minutes over the past few months but was nonetheless one of Indiana’s backup frontcourt options.
Now, Indiana will have a more short-handed frontcourt rotation.
The Fever lose one of their most veteran players in Damiris Dantas
Damiris Dantas has appeared in 12 games this season, averaging 3.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists. Her role, albeit limited, meant that Stephanie White had another backup big option at her disposal. Now, an already-limited campaign has been cut short.
Because she was already playing a more limited role than expected, the absence won’t impact Indiana’s day-to-day rotation as much.
Nonetheless, Dantas is one of the most veteran players on the roster; the 33-year-old holds career averages of 6.8 points and 3.7 rebounds across 272 career games in 12 seasons. She’s played for the Fever since 2024, but previously suited up for the Minnesota Lynx and Atlanta Dream, and was someone who Stephanie White could turn to in a pinch.
Now, with Dantas out for the season, the burden will continue to fall on Makayla Timpson, who is averaging 4.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game.
Aliyah Boston continues to hold down the fort in the frontcourt
The good news for Indiana is that they have one of the best bigs in the league anchoring the frontcourt: Aliyah Boston, who is averaging 16.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. Boston has averaged 26.8 minutes per game, and Timpson has played the majority of her backup minutes.
The Fever may look to sign an additional big to bolster the rotation in the wake of Dantas’s absence. While Myisha Hines-Allen and Monique Billings have played significant roles, Indiana may want to sign another center to a rest-of-season contract.
The Fever are 19-11 and coming off a loss to the Minnesota Lynx. Next up, they’ll face the Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, August 6th.
Boston Celtics Daily Links 8/4/26
HeraldCeltics’ Jordan Walsh dishes on chats with Paul George, new contract and LeBron-to-Philly
CelticsBlog Ron Harper Jr. talks new contract, giving Paul George his number, and more
Banner Years: 1959, the eight-peat begins in Boston
NBA draft rules would leave Dillon Mitchell’s Celtics rights uncertain
Celtics Reacts Survey: would you rather with Curry, AD, or KD
What NBA team improved the most this offseason?
CLNS Media Report: Celtics Rookie Dillon Mitchell Could Return to College Basketball
Top 3 Celtics Under Most Pressure Next Season
NESNThis Simple Mitchell Robinson Play Shows How Celtics’ New Center Breaks Teams
We Now Know How Jaylen Brown Really Feels After Shocking Celtics-76ers Trade
Mass LiveFormer Celtics guard will not get buyout despite Sixers speculation
Jaylen Brown makes bold statement after being ‘disrespected’
Celtics draft pick could return to college because of new NCAA rule
Celtics WireThe Celtics need to extend point guard Payton Pritchard
Ron Harper Jr. reveals when long-term future with Celtics felt possible
To Joe Mazzulla, narratives matter to Boston Celtics success
Celtics history: Shaq signs, Parish leaves, Archibald trade; Risen passes
Former Celtics star Jaylen Brown finds new motivation in trade to 76ers
Internet could not be more wrong about Stephen Curry, Celtics
Report: Celtics could see 2nd-round pick Dillon Mitchell return to NCAAs
The AthleticJaylen Brown on playing with LeBron James: ‘What an opportunity that is’
NBA disputes study that links Achilles injuries to increased playing time
Hardwood Houdini Despite playoff doubts, Celtics still have highest regular season floor in the East
Celtics are making a huge mistake if their starting lineup plans are true
Celtics may have given up exactly what they were searching for this summer
Jaylen Brown isn’t hiding his feelings about Celtics after Philly move
Jaylen Brown just put a 76ers jersey on for the first time and it was gross
Celtics are quite fortunate LeBron James chose 76ers over Heat
Dillon Mitchell NCAA ruling makes losing John Tonje even worse for Celtics
Dillon Mitchell’s college return isn’t a total disaster for Celtics, but it hurts
Celtics went against the grain by sticking with Joe Mazzulla
Chowder and ChampionsCeltics may surprisingly be on verge of missing out on Dillon Mitchell’s development
CLNS Media/YouTubeRon Harper Jr. TRADED Jerseys Numbers with Paul George | Celtics Camp Interview
Rookie Dillon Mitchell Could Play for St. John’s Instead of Boston | Celtics Daily
The Big LeadCeltics’ Jayson Tatum projected to get big minutes workload next season, per insider
HeavyCeltics Rookie Could Make Stunning Decision After NBA Draft
Jaylen Brown Makes Feelings Clear After Blockbuster Celtics Trade
Celtics Get Bad News on Rumored Reunion With 2024 NBA Champion
Celtics’ Jordan Walsh Breaks Silence on Jaylen Brown Trade
Celtics’ Ron Harper Jr. Makes Unexpected Move After Paul George Trade
KOAA 5/YouTubeNBA champion Derrick White, who attended UCCS, hosts basketball camp in Colorado Springs
Basketball Network “He’s basically going to have to be their Derrick White” – Bill Simmons says Jaylen Brown is the fourth-most important player on the Philadelphia 76ers
Fadeaway World 4 Stars The Celtics Should Target If Stephen Curry Isn’t Available In A Trade
Hoops WireNBA’s second apron is functioning like a hard cap for most teams
Athlon SportsCeltics Rookie Could Return to College Basketball Before First NBA Season
Bleacher ReportNBA Responds to Study That Relates Heavy Workloads to Achilles Injuries
1 Word to Describe Every Team’s 2026 NBA Offseason
Essentially Sports22-Year-Old Breakout Star’s Return to College Leaves NBA Team’s Final Roster Spot in Limbo
Barstool Sports Jaylen Brown Wants The Entire Sixers Team To Go Skydiving If They Win A Championship, Which Would Be The Last Game The Sixers Ever Win
Clutch Points Celtics’ Jordan Walsh opens up on missing Jaylen Brown as team plane seatmate
Celtics RoundtableWould the Boston Celtics Lose Dillon Mitchell if He Went Back to College?
Boston Celtics Vaunted ‘Big 3’ to Reunite For Special Reason
Fan RecapCeltics Fans May Not Love Brad Stevens Next Move After Brown
The Sporting NewsJaylen Brown admits he felt disrespected by people he thought were on his side
HITC ‘I’m about to’ – Jaylen Brown explains how LeBron James’ 76ers signing will help with his hairline
SI .comBoston Celtics Roster: Contracts, Salaries, Options and Depth Chart
NBC SportsNBA pushes back on small study suggesting spike in workloads before NBA player Achilles tears
Draymond Green, Klay Thompson respond to Kevin Durant’s Warriors–76ers comparison
In today’s Dub Hub:
- Draymond Green, Klay Thompson respond to Kevin Durant’s viral Instagram comment comparing the new-look 76ers to the Warriors team he joined in 2016.
- Will Richard aims to be a more vocal leader entering his second season with the Warriors.
- WNBA announces the Cleveland Sirens as the league’s newest expansion team.
When LeBron James made his decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, it quickly made them one of the NBA’s newest superteams. The revamped roster now features James alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown, giving Philadelphia one of the most star-studded lineups in the league.
Of course, whenever high-profile team-ups occur, fans naturally point back to when Kevin Durant “broke the NBA” by joining a Golden State Warriors team in 2016 featuring Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala all in their Warriors primes.
So, when Durant took the conversation to Instagram, his comments about James’ new-look 76ers being more talented on paper than the Warriors team he joined quickly went viral and attracted attention from both of his former Golden State teammates, Thompson and Green.
While the exchange appeared to be all in good fun, it serves as another reminder of the legacy of Golden State’s dynasty. Nearly a decade later, the Durant-era Warriors remain the benchmark for every NBA superteam, and any comparison to that historic roster is almost guaranteed to spark some debate.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Tuesday, August 4th:
Warriors News:
Klay Thompson objects to being used in Kevin Durant’s Warriors-76ers comparison | The Athletic
“Ain’t close,” Durant wrote in reply to an Instagram comment comparing the talent level of the newly formed 76ers with the 2016-17 Warriors team he left Oklahoma City to join. “Joel [Embiid] MVP, recently. Jaylen Brown, recent Finals MVP, Tyrese Maxey, All-Star in the last 3 years. We all know what Bron does.
“Klay Thompson never an MVP candidate in nothing, 22 (points per game).”
It is the latest example of Durant seemingly using James’ decision to form a superteam in Philadelphia in pursuit of another championship to validate his own much-criticized move to the 73-win Warriors after Golden State eliminated his Thunder in the previous Western Conference finals.
Will Richard finds voice as leader during Warriors’ NBA Summer League title run | NBC Sports Bay Area
“This was a great opportunity for me to find my voice on the team,” Richard told reporters. “That’s not just talking and all that but leading by example. Making sure I’m coming here doing the right things and being a voice where the coaches can connect to the players.”
Instead of going outside of himself throughout summer league, Richard expanded on his role and jumped into bigger shoes after a year of learning from all-time greats. His services will be needed even more in Year 2, and the Warriors should be able to rely on him even more with confidence in his game and his communication.
Brandin Podziemski debuts new haircut
NBA News:
Chris Bosh cautions Wemby on blood clots: ‘Take your medicine’ | ESPN
Bosh is cautioning Wembanyama not to take his health and quick return for granted. In February, Bosh had a clotting emergency that nearly killed him.
“Yeah, I had an episode in January. I almost dropped dead, pretty much, and came back to life. I’m not joking. I had another pulmonary embolism,” he told HoopsHype.com. “You just got to deal with it for the rest of your life. I thought I was past it. I am not.”
WNBA introduces new expansion team called the Cleveland Sirens
In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:
More of the same: Warriors agree to one-year deal with Gary Payton II
Already 33, limited, and with an extensive injury history, Payton only further solidifies Golden State’s attempt to run it back with the 37-win 2025-26 roster. A perplexing approach given the team’s struggles and age. Nevertheless, Payton is a favorite of head coach Steve Kerr and face of the franchise Steph Curry.
Follow @unstoppablebaby on X for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
Which Laker could make the jump this season?
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country.
The Lakers have fully embraced a youth movement.
They accomplished their mission of acquiring players in the same age range as Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves as Kevon Looney is the only player over 30 on the roster.
While youth is ideal, as it means players are closer to their prime and better able to withstand the grueling NBA season, it also comes with drawbacks. Plenty of Lakers are unproven, especially on the back end of the roster.
The four names that come to mind are Adou Thiero, Cameron Carr, Zaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle. The upside for LA is that all are low-risk and high-reward.
Realistically, none are currently being counted on to play major minutes, and the player with the biggest contract from this quartet is Carr, who is making $3.3 million this year. If any of them can outpace their deals, then LA could not only gain a rotation player but have one at a bargain.
So, for our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we ask, which player is most likely to outperform their contract?
As a member of Carr Island before he was even on the Lakers, I feel like he has to be the top choice. He’s a three-level scorer and displayed that throughout at Baylor, averaging 18.9 points while shooting 49.4% from the field, 37.4% from deep and 80.1% from the free throw line.
While he hasn’t played in an NBA game yet, he was elite in the Las Vegas Summer League. Carr looked too good for that level of competition, averaging 18 points per game. While Summer League isn’t the best indicator of how one will play at the next level, how he scored mattered.
Carr showed that he can handle the ball a bit and create. He scored off-ball from the wing as well, which is likely the role he’ll play with the main team. His defensive play was equally encouraging. Carr has good size and used it well, averaging 0.8 blocks per game.
While Carr has no NBA experience yet, that also makes him a huge x-factor. No one knows how good he’ll be. So far, he’s played well in the moments he’s gotten this summer and has said all the right things.
If what little we’ve seen from Carr translates well, then he can absolutely find himself having a role in the rotation as a rookie. With how difficult it is to build rosters under the apron restrictions, having players like that is huge for teams.
But Thiero, Williams and Thybulle will also get their chances to step up. So, if you think they are more likely to outperform their deals, cast your vote that way. And as always, feel free to explain your rationale in the comment section below.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
Ron Harper Jr. talks new contract, giving Paul George his number, and more
BOSTON — Ron Harper Jr. vividly remembers what it was like to be a little kid attending basketball camps and hoping to meet an NBA player. So, on Tuesday afternoon, when he was the guest of honor at the Junior Celtics Academy, it was a full-circle moment.
The 26-year-old Celtic guard answered a litany of questions from the kids in attendance, competed in knockout games, and partook in drills.
All of it came just a few weeks after he signed his first multi-year NBA contract, a 4-year, $14 million extension that gave him his first long-term assurance he’ll be in the league.
“It was great,” Harper Jr. said. “It just felt really rewarding — a team that I have a lot of respect for, a team that I want to play for for a long time. So, for that to be able to happen in a city like this, playing for a team like the Boston Celtics, I’m honored, and I’m ready to put the work in.”
It was a long journey to get here: Harper Jr. joined the Celtics for the 2024 and 2025 training camps, and began last year on a training camp deal with Boston. He was one of five players competing for the team’s final two-way spot, a battle he ultimately won. On the Maine Celtics, he quickly established himself as one of the G-League’s best all-around players. By February, he was spending nearly all of his time with the parent club.
A February 4th game between the Celtics and the Houston Rockets served as an inflection point in Harper’s season; he started for the first time in his career, guarded Rockets star Kevin Durant, and showed himself — and the world — he belonged. It’s a game that Joe Mazzulla has pointed to as well in that it showcased Harper’s readiness and preparation.
“The first time I really played meaningful minutes was when I started in Houston, and that kind of came to be because of the Anfernee trade, and it happened all really fast,” Harper said. “But I feel like after that game where I started and I played all those minutes, and I played well, I felt like after that point I felt like I’d be a real contributor to this team and a part of bringing this team back to the championship. So, that’s something I look forward to doing next year.”
Notably, he also got a surprise start in Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers, something that meant a lot: “It shows that they believe in me at the highest level, with it all on the line.”
Still, he entered the offseason a free agent, uncertain about whether he’d get a long-term commitment from Boston.
But on June 27th, he officially agreed to a contract that served as the culmination of years of hard work.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity; that they believe in me, that they want me here long-term,” Harper said. “It’s just motivation to keep on getting better and keep proving them right. So that’s something I look forward to doing.”
It will be an uphill climb for rotation minutes in Boston
Ron Harper Jr. will be one of several Celtics wings competing for minutes next season, a list that includes Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, and Sam Hauser.
He emphasized that the healthy competition for on-court opportunities never gets in the way of the players’ support for one another.
“That’s the beautiful thing about being on the Celtics,” he said. “We all care about each other. We all want each other to succeed, no matter what it looks like. It’s a lot of guys competing for minutes, but also pushing each other to get better. So we’re just worried about being great teammates, pushing each other to get better, and going about it in the right way.”
Next year, Harper’s training camp experience will start a bit differently than it has the previous two Octobers. That’s because Jaylen Brown, who grew to be one of Harper’s mentors, will no longer be on the roster.
“Obviously sad to see him go — a guy that I’ve grown close to in my time at the Celtics across two training camps and a full season, a guy that I have a lot of respect for, and a guy that still trusted me when I was still on an Exhibit-10,” he said. “So I remember the message he’s sharing with me, the motivation he’s given me, and the advice he’s given me. And it sucks to see him go. This is a business more than anything, so I wish him luck in the future — except when he plays us.”
Though Brown is gone, Harper will get to team up with Paul George, a player whom he grew up watching on TV. He hasn’t yet crossed paths with George in Boston, but the two are already bound by the fact that Harper gave George jersey No. 13, which he wore last year. Harper will wear instead No. 8, and he said that the number swap benefited “both parties.”
“We don’t got to get into the exact details,” Harper Jr said with a smile. “About an hour after the trade, I got a phone call saying he wanted the number, so me and him were able to work it out. We’ll have some funny conversations about that for sure. But I’m happy that he’s able to get back to his number, get back to PG-13 for sure.”
In the meantime, the former Rutgers star is spending most of his summer at the facility, where he and many of his teammates are already preparing for the year ahead.
“Just the easiest place for me to work out, stay around the coaches,” Harper said. “I feel like they have a really good plan for me. So just sticking with what they got, they got prepared for me, just showing up every day. And I’ve been here, whether it’s been an optional week or mandatory week — I try to be in Boston the most as I possibly could.”
He knows the Celtics believe in him, and he’s working tirelessly to show the world why.
“They like my versatility on the offensive and defensive end, my ability to play on and off the ball, my ability to guard — so just looking forward to showcasing all those talents.”
Kevin Durant’s criticism of Klay and Draymond feels like another burner account gone bad
Kevin Durant is still in his feelings about his legacy on the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors already won the 2015 championship, and had just blown a 3-1 lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals following a record-breaking 73-win regular season when Durant hit free agency. Durant signed with the Warriors, which was only possible through a one-time salary cap spike in addition to Stephen Curry being signed to a cheap rookie extension. Golden State would win the championship the next two seasons with Durant being named NBA Finals MVP both years, but his rings never got the respect they deserved as fans accused him of taking the easy way out.
Now 10 years later, Durant turned a question about the Philadelphia 76ers’ offseason additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown into a defense of his decision to join the Warriors. Durant said “The last time three 20+ point scorers were together on a team, they said it was unfair.” Durant also said next season’s Sixers are better than the 2017 Warriors on paper.
As fans continued the debate in the comments section on social media, Durant chimed in again to rip his former Golden State teammates Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Green immediately responded by saying Durant forgot he wasn’t on his burner account, which he has a long history of using to defend himself and criticize his teammates.
Thompson posted a screenshot of Durant’s Instagram comment, and asked why he used his full name to take a shot at him.
Green came over the top on Threads, and said Durant must have thought he was on his burner.
I fully believe that Draymond is right here. Durant probably thought he was on his burner when he left this comment. Would he really bash Klay and Draymond like that in public? It’s such a bad look.
Why is Durant equating prime Steph Curry with broken down Joel Embiid? Why is he compared his prime self to 42-year-old LeBron James? Why does he only care about offense? Honestly, no one is buying KD’s argument.
Durant joined a team that won a championship and had just broken the league’s all-time wins record. The Sixers haven’t reached the conference finals since 2001. I put Philly at No. 5 in my preseason power rankings, and even that felt like a little bit of an optimistic placement. When KD went to the Warriors, it felt like no other team had a chance to even compete.
Draymond then used his podcast to keep the conversation going, saying Durant thinks basketball is only about buckets.
Say what you will about KD, but the man loves getting into hoop debates online. I think that’s cool even if it often feels like he crosses the line. You can talk ball without ripping your teammates, and this has now been a problem for Durant at multiple stops. He essentially threw his Rockets teammates under the bus in a Twitter group chat last season with no real consequences. Now he’s trying to diminish the greatness of two players who helped him win the only rings of his career.
Durant is in a tough position. The Warriors won championships both before he signed with the team, and then after he left to join the Brooklyn Nets. He still hasn’t won a ring outside of Golden State, and now he’s about to enter his age-38 season. KD is still an excellent scorer, but at this point it feels more likely than not that he retires with only two championships, both with the Warriors.
Durant needs to throw his phone in the ocean, and just enjoy being a super rich, super awesome basketball player who is still performing at a high level in his late 30s. The burner accounts are ugly, and in this case, it’s even worse when you forget which account you’re using. At a certain point, the relationships become the best part of championship runs. It sure seems like KD might not have a great relationship with Draymond and Klay.
Raptors fill final two-way spot with centre Trey Jemison
As per Chris Haynes, the Toronto-New York pipeline continues with the Raptors’ acquisition of third year centre Trey Jemison, bolstering both the Raptors’ and Raptors 905’s frontcourt. Jemison himself has seemingly confirmed this with a post on his Instagram, showcasing a Raptors’ practice jersey emblazoned with the number 50.
Jemison has played for five teams throughout his NBA career, with his most notable tenure coming as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, where he started fourteen games in the 2023-24 season. Jemison averaged about ten minutes for the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans, though his usage slipped after joining the Knicks for their championship campaign.
Jemison is a non-shooting big man capable of some rim deterrence while delivering monstrous dunks at his opponent’s basket. At 6’10, the big man has a 7’2” wingspan, and makes use of that length when getting to the rim. The lob threat potential certainly seems here, as Jemison is athletic enough to get every bit out of his giant body, and could make for a great tandem working with Scottie Barnes. The lack of a jumper is, of course, unfortunate for a team that already struggles with spacing, which is something that fans see as the central need the Raptors have to address.
In many respects, Jemison looks on paper to be the antithesis of all of the struggles the Raptors have faced with Jakob Poeltl as their starting centre. Jemison is young, athletic, and looks ready to go. Of course, he will not be slotting into that starting job, and will have to earn his chops developmentally while deep on the depth chart. The Raptors seem to believe in their abilities to develop project centres, however, and I’m excited to see what the training staff does with him throughout the upcoming season.
NBPA shows its support for NBA players with new L.A. based facility
PLAYA VISTA, CA — Los Angeles will remain the place to be for NBA players during the summer moving forward.
The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) unveiled a 24/7 Performance Center for the league’s players that will be made available during the season and offseason.
The NBPA stated that nearly 200 players spend part of their offseason in the area and the hub will help some of them come together during the practice and prepare for the upcoming season.
PLYRS UNTD, the commercial and fan-facing brand of the NBPA, will also attempt to coordinate runs twice a week during the offseason.
The player’s association has similar facilities like the one located at its New York headquarters and The Sanctuary, which serves as an offseason performance retreat for NBA players in Spain.
The new hub is the latest facility in one of the league’s biggest markets but is the only one strictly made available for NBA players.
Players such as Chet Holmgren, Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving and NBPA president Fred VanVleet all provided feedback that helped bring the renovated space together.
“I’m excited to be a part of shaping the PLYRS UNTD Performance Center to meet the unique demands of the brotherhood,” said Holmgren, a forward/center for the Oklahoma City Thunder. “As professional athletes, there is so much work and preparation that goes on behind the scenes to perform at our best. Our new LA facility is equipped with the wellness, recovery, and training resources we need in the offseason and beyond.”
Holmgren has already made multiple visits to the facility and seen the benefits.
“It’s literally an NBA practice facility,” Holmgren said. “It has all the bells and whistles that pretty much any other NBA practice facility has. When I walk in here, I don't see anything in here that we don't have at OKC.”
Holmgren emphasized how he had to go to several different places across Los Angeles previously to get all that he needed to get done prior to the NBPA putting the new space together.
Michael Porter Jr. and Mo Bamba also were seen in the facility going through their offseason process. NBA players have even brought in some of their famous friends, including actor Timothée Chalamet and rapper 2 Chainz for workouts.
NBPA Los Angeles facility features
The center features two full-sized basketball courts built to official league specifications, along with a fully equipped athletic training room for treatment and rehabilitation. The facility also includes a weight room, recovery amenities and turf space for both indoor and outdoor training.
“The one thing that I added was a turf space and they added an indoor outdoor turf space to be able to do some more kind of dynamic workouts that aren't quite weightlifting,” Holmgren said. “There's that, and then, just small equipment things to make sure we have this recovery tool and make sure we have this in the weight room.”
While family takes priority for many NBA players during the offseason, the facility offers a family room and a conference room for family members to be while their loved one continues their training.
Can NBPA facility be used during NBA season?
The training facility also provides a space for visiting NBA teams during the season to practice when they are in town for multiple days to take on the Los Angeles Lakers and L.A Clippers.
“Similar to our New York facility during the season, we have two teams in New York, so any teams that come through, they come through for practices,” said David Kelly, the NBPA Executive Director and PLYRS UNTD CEO. “Guys can get shots up, have the same thing experience. Obviously, out here, you got two teams inside of the market, so you got a lot of ability for this to be used year round.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBPA shows its support for NBA players with new L.A. based facility
NBA pushes back on small study suggesting spike in workloads before NBA player Achilles tears
It feels like the NBA doth protest too much.
There was a lot of talk about Achilles tears in the NBA a year ago after a season that saw a spike to seven of them, a few of them high-profile moments during the playoffs (most famously the Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, but also Boston's Jayson Tatum and Portland's Damian Lillard). There was a lot of speculation around what might have caused that spike (there were none the season before and just one last season, Donte DiVincenzo).
A study released last month in the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine, conducted by doctors with the University of California, San Francisco, concluded that there was a correlation between a spike in workloads for veteran players 10-15 days before they tore their Achilles (hat tip Mike Vorkunov at The Athletic). From the study:
"Significant workload spikes were found in the 10 to 15 games preceding Achilles ruptures for NBA players. Veteran players carried heavier cumulative workloads, whereas younger players ruptured tendons under lighter use."
It's interesting, not definitive, but interesting. While this is small-sample-size theater, it kind of tracks logically: Older players are more prone to injury after an increase in usage.
The NBA pushed back on this. Here is a statement given to NBC Sports from Dr. John DiFiori, the NBA's Director of Sports Medicine:
"Over the past year, we have worked to better understand Achilles tendon injuries through a tendon health working group and additional research. While we welcome continued learnings, we believe the recent paper on this topic has important methodological limitations. Our own extensive review of league data to date, conducted with independent epidemiologists and consultants, spanned the 2012-13 season to the present and found no relationship between Achilles tendon injuries and minutes played before injury. We remain committed to advancing research that informs player health, performance, and injury prevention."
This kind of echoes something NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said a year ago, after the season with the spike (again, hat tip to Vorkunov at The Athletic).
"When we look back at the last 10 years, the majority of the Achilles injuries have happened before the All-Star break. So, it's not clear it's the number of games. And as you know, modern NBA players, even when they're not playing games sometimes in the summer they're working harder than they are during the season when they're playing three games a week."
The human mind seeks out simple, clear connections, even amongst what can be a complex web of reasons for something. This is a complex situation. There is no easy answer to how to reduce the number of Achilles injuries in the NBA and to avoid future spikes during the most visible time of the season. Any added information is good, not definitive.
But the NBA pushing back on this study, which had gained a little interest online but was not as hot a topic as where DeMar DeRozan might sign, felt like an overreaction.
Editor-in-chief mailbag: The Sixers’ roster is mostly set
Once the Sixers officially sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, they’ll have 14 players under standard contracts. Since they’re hard-capped at the first apron, they don’t have adequate money to sign a player to the veteran minimum. They could look to sign players on prorated contracts starting in December and using 10-days in January.
All this to say, this is likely the Sixers’ roster for opening night (though they do still have one more two-way spot they can fill).
Also, to get ahead of all of this — no, Jrue Holiday is not getting bought out from the $70M~ he’s owed over the next two seasons. And I strongly doubt the Sixers would waive Jabari Walker, a Klutch client, to bring back Ben Simmons, who hasn’t played basketball in a year.
Mike Gansey will certainly keep his eyes and ears open for any trade possibilities, but chances are, these are your 2026-27 Sixers (to start the season, at least). So, hit me with your questions below about where players fit, rotation thoughts or anything else on your mind!
NBA champion Trey Jemison III signs with Eastern Conference rival
Former Knicks two-way center Trey Jemison III is signing with the Toronto Raptors, per Chris Haynes. He will be getting the same two-way contract he had in New York.
Jemison’s career has taken him on a bunch of different roads since going undrafted in 2023 after spending time at Clemson and UAB in a long college career. He debuted with the Wizards in January 2024, but found a role on the fledgling Grizzlies down the stretch, where he averaged 7.4 points and 5,8 rebounds in 23 games.
It wasn’t enough for him to keep a roster spot the following season, splitting 38 games in 2024-25 with the Pelicans and Lakers as a depth big and bouncing around on two-way and 10-day contracts. He once again was unable to secure a standard deal when the Knicks came calling last September, but made the most of it as the fourth center on the depth chart.
He only got into 13 games and played a grand total of 82 minutes as a Knick, but found his way into the rotation on Opening Night due to injuries and stepped up at certain points in the season while holding it down in Westchester, waiting for a prolonged opportunity that never came. As a Knick, he scored a total of 13 points and 18 rebounds.
While he wasn’t allowed to play in the postseason due to his contract status, he stayed in the public sphere through his wife’s Instagram posts of the playoff run and was a big part of the ensuing parade, bringing around the NBA Cup trophy to all the fans behind the barricades. He was also, funny enough, the only non-rotation player to show up at the ESPYs.
Now he’s off to Toronto, where I’d honestly not be surprised if he played important minutes there. A center rotation of Jakob Poeltl, Colin Murray-Boyles, and Trayce Jackson-Davis might be the worst of any team who’s trying to contend.
Celtics Reacts Survey: would you rather with Curry, AD, or KD
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Social media speculation turned into unfounded internet rumor last weekend when Sports Illustrated’s John Karalis — a longtime veteran beat reporter — suggested that Brad Stevens lob a call into the Golden State Warriors to inquire about the availability of one Steph Curry.
Karalis wrote last week:
Could the Celtics get in on that?
The first thing to consider is that we don’t know what Curry’s market will be. We saw Jaylen Brown go for less than expected, and at Curry’s age, who knows how the bidding would go. He’s still incredibly effective, but the injuries tend to pile up for guys his age, especially ones who run as much as he does.
I’ll come up with a package. It might be great. It might suck. But it’s what Boston can do right now, and where it lands on that spectrum depends on what others are offering.
My trade package is going to be George, the picks acquired from Philadelphia, and Sam Hauser for Curry.
It was a harmless hypothetical in the doldrums of the NBA news desert and Karalis clarified his comments after the idea caught fire, but it does raise an interesting question for Brad Stevens: how does the front office fill out the roster around Jayson Tatum as he enters his prime?
Paul George is in the max slot for now with next season guaranteed and a player option for 2027-2028. The 36-year-old probably isn’t the ideal running mate next to Tatum — the younger Jaylen Brown would make more sense in terms of basketball fit. However, if the short-term plan is to partner JT with an older veteran, who should the Celtics target?
In the twisted nature of how all the teams’ timelines are connected, Tatum’s best team-up could be all the players that have been already linked to Curry. It was rumored that to land LeBron James, the Warriors needed to deal for Anthony Davis first. That didn’t happen and James ended up with Brown in Philadelphia. Kevin Durant, of course, spent three seasons in Golden State and raised two Larry O’Briens.
And we threw in Kyrie Irving into the poll just to watch the world burn. Funny, not funny?