Category: Basketball

Earlier this week, Klay Thompson’s rocky tenure in Dallas came to an end as he agreed to a buyout with the intention of signing with the Miami Heat once he clears waivers.

It puts an interesting sliding doors moment back into focus with the 2024 offseason. The Lakers aggressively pursued Thompson with LeBron open to taking a pay cut to help the team sign an impact player.

To the chagrin of many, including his own father, Thompson chose the Mavericks over the purple and gold. In writing about Thompson’s time in Dallas, Christian Clark of The Athletic revealed what went into that decision.

Back in the summer of 2024, Thompson’s representatives had discussions with the Lakers about him winding up there. It would have made sense on several levels. Thompson has deep ties to Los Angeles. He spent much of his childhood in the city and still owns a home there.

But one of the reasons Thompson chose the Mavericks over the Lakers was that he had concerns about Davis’ availability, a source with knowledge of his thinking said.

Obviously, Luka and Thompson only played about two dozen games together before the former was traded. In a bit of irony that ultimately may have proved Thompson right, he and Anthony Davis only played 27 games together across a season-and-a-half due to injuries to the latter.

AD was mostly healthy prior to being traded, playing in 42 of 47 games for the Lakers after playing 76 games the season prior. Lingering doubt has long surrounded AD and his availability, but he was in the healthiest stretch of his time in LA when Thompson opted not to join.

Ultimately, I don’t think the Lakers would have changed anything, given that they landed Luka in this timeline, but that makes it an even more interesting sliding-doors moment. How differently would things have looked for both teams if Klay was donning the purple and gold?

Would Dallas have still looked to trade Luka? Would LA still be the team they secretly negotiated with? It’s a butterfly effect we’ll never know about, but I think Lakers fans are happy with how things played out.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The uncertainty regarding the Lakers’ season outlook could impact star guard Luka Dončić’s future with the franchise.

ESPN NBA insider Tim MacMahon indicated this during an episode of “The Hoop Collective Podcast” on Friday, as he said, “Just like Joker [Nikola Jokic] can profess his loyalty to the Nuggets, there’s still going to be teams that are positioned themselves and monitoring that and all that kind of thing. It’s the same thing with Luka Dončić.”

“[Dončić has] done nothing but express optimism and excitement about the Lakers since he signed that extension,” MacMahon added.

“But it’s not that long term of an extension, and you better believe there’s teams around the league that are looking at that situation and saying, ‘Hey, if this thing goes sideways, we’d sure like to get Luka in the midway through his prime.'”

Granted, this report from MacMahon isn’t anything more than speculation. And the fact that Dončić has indicated his willingness to remain with the Lakers should be seen as a very good sign.

But this sentiment from MacMahon makes sense if the Lakers’ season doesn’t go according to plan. If this team gets hit with an injury bug or otherwise doesn’t perform up to its capabilities both this season and in the future, putting Dončić on the trade block to kick-start a full rebuild might be the most likely path forward.

Thankfully, Lakers fans don’t have to worry about this potential future scenario quite yet. But it’s a story that will be worth following once the upcoming NBA season tips off.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

Globe Luxury tax aprons affecting NBA restricted free agents, leaving several in limbo

CelticsBlogJaylen Brown thrived as the undisputed alpha. Now, it’s Jayson Tatum’s turn

Which NBA GM is having the worst offseason?

CLNS MediaPaul George Fits On Celtics but How Often Will He Play?

NESNThe Celtics Have a Huge Advantage in 2027-28 If Things Go Right This Season

Do the Celtics Need to Play Differently in 2026-27 After Finishing Dead Last in This Key Stat?

Where Celtics Rank in Eastern Conference After Peyton Watson, Klay Thompson News

What Klay Thompson Joining the Heat Means for the Celtics

Is Celtics’ Hugo Gonzalez Really Worth All the Hype?

Mass Live Veteran sharpshooter joining Celtics rival after Mavericks buyout

Celtics WireWill Jaylen Brown have his jersey number retired by the Celtics?

Today in Boston Celtics history: Irving trade; Edney, Miles sign; Green re-signs; Kottman born

Boston Sports Journal NBA Notebook: More Jaylen Brown explanations, Cavaliers moves, and Pistons problems

Hardwood Houdini It’s now painfully obvious why Celtics rival didn’t add Jayson Tatum’s best friend

Payton Pritchard’s team-friendly deal balances Paul George’s albatross

Neemias Queta could quickly make Celtics’ Mitchell Robinson move uncomfortable

Celtics look genius for refusing to deal Payton Pritchard after Jaylen Brown trade

Nikola Jokic might be a more realistic Celtics option than once thought

Al Horford’s second Celtics departure may pan out worse than the first

Chowder and Champions I still don’t love the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade, but I at least understand it now

HeavyCeltics Named As Potential Landing Spot For ‘Intriguing’ Free Agent Guard

Payton Pritchard Makes Intriguing Admission About Celtics’ New Big Man

Celtics’ Payton Pritchard Makes Surprising Claim About Paul George

Celtics’ Payton Pritchard Reveals Why Mike Conley Is So Valuable

Jayson Tatum Reveals ‘Silver Lining’ From Celtics’ Playoff Loss

Boston Celtics Legend Isaiah Thomas Sends Out Heartfelt Post

FansidedJaylen Brown, Trae Young and the 5 biggest mistakes of the NBA offseason

CBS SportsCeltics’ Neemias Queta: Could take offensive leap in 2026-27

Celtics RoundtableHere’s How Boston Celtics Recent Sale Compares to Other NBA Teams

Another Boston Celtics Rival is Set to Get Better in 2026-27

How Will Boston Celtics Handle All Their Big Men in 2026-27?

How Do Boston Celtics Stack Up in Re-Worked Eastern Conference?

The Sporting NewsCeltics face uncomfortable Jayson Tatum question in 2030 NBA projection

Duke WireJayson Tatum works out with current Duke player ahead of 2026-27 season

WEEI/YouTubeCan you still have 2 max players on a team?

Back Sports PageThe Harper U: Ron Jr. and Dylan Harper Giving Back To The Community

Fan RecapCeltics Suddenly Have A Real Path To A Dream Upgrade

Mitchell Robinson Just Changed Bostons Biggest Title Question

Celtics New Rotation Could Shape Boston Far Longer Than This Season

Sportsnaut5 NBA Teams Heading in the Wrong Direction Before the 26-27 Season, Including the Boston Celtics

A former Sacramento Kings employee is suing the organization, alleging pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

Crystal Lee, a former assistant athletic trainer with the Kings from 2022 to 2025, filed the complaint with the Superior Court of California in Sacramento County on Aug. 11, alleging she was treated unfairly and demoted twice after becoming pregnant and giving birth to her son.

Lee's representative, Robert King of King & Siegel LLP, told USA TODAY in a statement that they intend to prove their allegations.

"Crystal Lee broke a barrier that had stood for the entire history of the NBA. The Kings' answer was to tell her she was '(expletive)' for having a baby, demote her twice, hand her job to a man, and fire her the moment she spoke up. A team that sells itself on empowering women owes an explanation," King said. "You don't get to brand yourself as a champion for women and then push out the first athletic trainer in league history to give birth on the job. We intend to prove exactly what happened here."

The Kings denied Lee's allegations and said they intend to defend the organization.

"The Sacramento Kings categorically deny these allegations and reject the characterization of the organization and its workplace reflected in these claims made by a disgruntled former employee," Kings attorney Alexis Gabrielson, a partner at Cook Brown, LLP, said in a statement to USA TODAY.

"The Kings take allegations of discrimination and harassment seriously and are committed to maintaining a workplace where all employees are treated with dignity and respect. The organization intends to vigorously defend against these claims through the legal process and will not comment further on the pending proceedings," Gabrielson added.

The NBA did not immediately respond to a USA TODAY message for comment.

Lakers fans will sometimes go to absurd lengths to show their devotion. And it appears that Slovenian Lakers fans are willing to get wet for their squad.

The Lakers are in Slovenia for a team-wide training camp that’s hosted by star guard Luka Dončić. The whole roster aside from rookie Cameron Carr is there, as the trip is just as much about building off-court camaraderie as it is on-court chemistry.

The Lakers took a boat along a canal in Slovenia’s capital city of Ljubljana, which attracted a ton of young fans. At one point, someone in the Lakers’ boat (potentially forward Jarred Vanderbilt) threw a jersey to these fans, which landed in the water.

But this didn’t stop one young fan (who was wearing a Dončić Lakers jersey) from jumping in to claim the shirt.

It’s unclear what the T-shirt exactly was. What’s for sure is that Dončić, who had a front-row seat for the crazed fan’s rival jump, was dumbfounded by the lengths the kid was willing to go to get that merch.

View this post on Instagram

For what it’s worth, the Ljubljanica river and canals are viewed as clean and safe enough for boating and paddleboarding, but it’s advised that people don’t swim in the water.

Clearly this Dončić fan was willing to throw caution to the wind for whatever this T-shirt was.

And even if it isn’t worth anything, that fan will have a great story (and video) to share for the rest of his life.

The Kawhi Leonard trade saga has left the Toronto Raptors in limbo, with the proposed deal currently on hold as the NBA investigates the Los Angeles Clippers. Toronto and Los Angeles agreed to a deal that would send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two second-round picks and a pick swap to the Clippers in exchange for Leonard, but the Raptors are waiting for the league to finish its investigation before moving forward.

That is a massive price to pay for any player, and especially for a 35-year-old Leonard. But if the investigation is resolved and this trade eventually goes through, the Raptors can’t afford to treat it as anything less than a championship-or-bust move. I believe that if you’re willing to give up that much to bring Leonard back to Toronto, you better be ready to go all in

The Raptors are NOT getting 2019 Kawhi back .

The biggest thing the Raptors need to understand is that this isn’t the same Kawhi Leonard who led them to a championship in 2019. That version of Leonard was 27 years old and in his prime, coming off a season in which he averaged 26.6 points per game before turning it up another level in the playoffs. Seven years later, Leonard is 35 and has considerably more mileage on his body. That doesn’t mean he isn’t still an elite player, he averaged 27.9 points per game last season and showed that he can still take over games, but you can not expect him to recreate what he did in 2019, that would be foolish. Toronto isn’t getting a time machine. It’s getting an older, still-great version of Kawhi, and that distinction matters when you’re giving up this much to acquire him. I think that despite his age, he can still make a massive impact on this team and compliments some of the younger talent. If Leonard is the player Toronto is betting on, the timeline suddenly becomes much more important. The Raptors can’t make this trade and then spend the next two or three seasons patiently waiting for their young players to develop. By then, Kawhi will be pushing 40. If the goal is another championship, the time to chase it is now.

The trade package means Toronto can’t settle for mediocrity

If you look at what Toronto is reportedly giving up for Leonard: Ingram, Dick, multiple future draft picks and a pick swap. That’s a significant chunk of the Raptors’ present and future, all for a player who could have a relatively short window left at the top of his game. If Toronto gives up that kind of package and ends up as nothing more than a solid team, what exactly was the point? The Raptors aren’t making this trade to raise their floor. They’re making it to raise their ceiling, and that ceiling has to be a championship or else I feel that they would be destroying their future. There is a huge difference between being a team that can compete and being a team that can win it all. After making this trade, Toronto can’t be satisfied with simply being competitive. If you’re willing to sacrifice this much of your future for Leonard, you better be willing to sacrifice even more to make sure the roster around him is good enough to win four playoff series.

If you’re going to make this trade, you have to continue building the roster 

If the Raptors are going to make this trade, they can’t expect Kawhi Leonard to suddenly turn the existing roster into a championship team by himself. Toronto needs to look at the roster and be honest about what it still needs to compete with the best teams in the NBA. More shooting, reliable depth and players who can contribute in the playoffs should all be on the table. The Raptors have already shown they’re willing to sacrifice a significant part of their future to bring Leonard back. Now, they need to make sure the roster around him is good enough to justify that gamble.

This is where going “all-in” actually matters. If there is another move that can make this team better, Toronto shouldn’t be afraid to make it. If there’s a veteran who can help in the playoffs, go get him. If the roster needs more shooting, find it. The goal shouldn’t be to protect every remaining asset just because the Raptors have already given up so much. The whole point of making this trade is to win now, so build a team capable of doing exactly that.

As a Raptors fan, I’ll be honest: I’m pumped. I’ll always be grateful for what Kawhi Leonard did for this franchise in 2019, and the idea of seeing him back in Toronto is exciting. As a realist, though, the trade package concerns me. That’s a lot to give up for a 35-year-old, but at the same time, there aren’t many 35-year-olds in the league like Kawhi Leonard. That’s what makes this such a fascinating gamble. This isn’t the same Kawhi who brought the Raptors their first championship, but he’s still capable of being one of the best players on the floor when he’s healthy. That’s why, if the investigation clears the way and Kawhi officially becomes a Raptor again, Toronto can’t stop there. The trade package is too significant, and the window is too short. Build the roster, make the necessary moves and see just how far this team can go. For now, though, all Raptors fans can do is hope the investigation gets cleared up, Kawhi makes his way back to Toronto, and then see what happens.

After two seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, Klay Thompson was ultimately reduced to a status ill-fitting with his Hall of Fame career. At the end, Thompson became an asset that the Mavericks couldn’t get anything for.

Sure, he’ll start his age-37 season in a couple months, now with the Miami Heat, after the Mavs bought out the final year of his three-year, $50-million contract on Friday. And sure, he can no longer defend like he once did or get up and down the court like he once did.

But the primary reason the Mavericks found it so difficult to find a trade partner in a deal for Thompson, which would have reportedly been the team’s preference, is, you guessed it. The NBA salary cap. To those familiar with cap-related intricacies, that’s obvious, but let’s go over the confluence of salary cap factors that contributed to the Mavs finally throwing their hands in the air and letting Thompson get away and go to Miami in return for a big wad of nothing.

Why would the Mavericks buy Thompson out?

On an expiring deal and with still with at least a little something still in the tank, you’d think Thompson would still hold at least some minute shard of value on the trade market. But going into his 14th season, he was never going to be a piece of any team’s long-term build. He was only ever going to attract attention from teams who felt like they were one player away from contending or competing for something meaningful.

The final year of his deal with the Mavericks was worth $17.5 million. Just two months before the start of the season, the number of teams that fit that bill is relatively small. The number of teams that fit that bill and also have enough cap space to absorb $17.5 million in exchange for what they view as Thompson’s worth is even smaller. The kinds of teams that would have an interest in Thompson would also, by definition, already be approaching the cap or the first apron hard cap.

Enter the Miami Heat. Murmurs centered on the idea of forward Nikola Jovic being packaged in a creative way and coming back to Dallas were just that. Even though the youngster makes similar money to Thompson, the Heat would never have done a deal sending Jovic to Dallas, especially after emptying the cupboard of most of their young talent in trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason.

But wishcasting creative trade scenarios misses the most obvious point here. With Thompson on the roster, the Mavericks were at 16 players with guaranteed contracts. You can’t ride into the season with 16 on the roster. Sending Thompson out and getting one player back was never really an option for Dallas.

An NBA team usually only buys a player out if it’s the last available option. We had reached that point here.

You mean they couldn’t get anything for him?

Not in terms of players coming back, no. So, ok. What about the ever-popular four-team Stretch Armstrong trade machine idea you just cooked up in your NBA Galaxy Brain? That would require finding that many teams interested in participating, each with something to gain and each with the cap room to make the Galaxy Brain deal work.

We’ve already established that the number of teams with wiggle room in late August under the highly restrictive cap system the NBA employs is a very small one.

Not even like a second-round draft pick?

Count me among the many who would have taken even one solitary future second-round draft pick to get off of Thompson’s contract, but doing one player for one draft pick is just as impossible, as it would require the team taking Thompson to have $17.5 million to work with under whatever rung of salary cap hell it was willing to exist in.

Again, a team looking to contend in 2026-27 by definition probably does not have $17.5 million of loose change to spare in late August. They have spent it all to field a team that the front office thinks is a winner. And, again, bringing more teams into the equation makes it less possible, not more, at this point.

Mavericks’ salary cap implications for 2026-27

Before buying Thompson out of the last year of his deal, the Mavericks sat roughly $2.2 million under the luxury tax line, which is set at $200 million and change. If Thompson signs the two-year, $13-million deal reported by multiple outlets, Dallas’ salary on the books for the 2026-27 season would decrease further between $3.9 million and $6.5 million. Thompson cannot be officially signed until Sunday, 48 hours after the buyout is completed.

They would still be operating over the soft cap of $164.961 million, but under both aprons and under the luxury tax, just as they were before the buyout. It’s a convoluted way of saying that the move really doesn’t do a whole lot other than put at least $3.9 million back into the pockets of the Adelson-Dumont Regime. Which, when you think about it, isn’t that what basketball is all about? It couldn’t have happened to a better bunch of folks, am I right?

The Mavericks put themselves in this position by assembling all sorts of questionable assets during Nico Harrison’s tenure as general manager and by being unable to dump all of what needed to be dumped. Getting nothing of value and liking it in exchange for a player like Thompson is one of the remnants of that calculus.

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

Q1: Dillon Brooks recently said that he’s working on his passing this summer (at the request of Brian Gregory). What are your thoughts on this?

zenzino: Hallelujah!

I’ve been pretty upfront about criticizing Brooks’ passing (or lack thereof) during game threads last season and other discussions. During the press conference, Brooks chuckled when he said that BG wanted him to work on his passing (as well as getting back to spot-up threes). He knows. That’s definitely a part of his game he needs to get better at.

On a side note (aka, ‘I told you!’), this came from Brian Gregory, not Jordan Ott (though I’m sure he agrees). During the playoffs, I maintained that JO’s decision not to play the rookies was not just a JO decision. If it was happening, that means BG and MI were on board with it, too. BG is super involved in all these aspects, and BG telling Brooks what he wants him to work on is proof of that, in my mind.

Ashton: I read this question and immediately reached for the rolling eye emoji. How was BG involved in this discussion outside of nice-to-have skills when discussing his contract extension? This is a coach’s strategy that usually involves free-flowing basketball movement. I am down with that! I like that offensive style.

But Brooks has never shown the propensity to pass the ball. His style is typically downhill, and I seriously doubt that he can improve in that area over the summer, when it was never his area to begin with. I doubt “Dillion the Villon” is going to become “Dillion the Saint” that passes the ball out to his open playmakers (Book and Green) at the expense of passing lip to the opposing defender. Nah, I will believe it when I see it, but for me, this is exactly that – lip service.

OldAz: There was a story a couple years ago about a player, let’s call him “Schmadley Schmeal”, that was approached by the coach and asked to take a more defensive minded approach to the game as it might benefit the team. Schmadley did not like this, and things spiraled downward from there. This story is the exact opposite of that.

I love that the player is not only acknowledging the constructive feedback they received from the general manager, but acknowledging they are working on that area of their game, presumably for the betterment of the team.  That being said, working on being a better passer and being willing or actually doing it during game situations are entirely different things. Hopefully, we see growth from Brooks in this area as the Suns are always better when the team on the floor plays unselfishly and passes around for the best shot.

Rod: I’m all for Brooks improving in this area and, especially, admitting that he needs to improve there. His assist numbers last season ranked him at 8th on the team per game and 14th per 36 and per 100 possessions (behind Isaiah Livers!). There were times that he needed to concentrate on scoring first, but I think it’s best for the team if that’s not his mindset and he focuses more on moving the ball around this season. For the Suns’ offense to work at its best, ball movement is a necessity, and he must be a part of that.

Q: As Khaman Maluach has proven that he can hit three-point shots at a reasonable percentage in Summer League (40% on 5 3PAs per game), should Jordan Ott experiment with him playing at PF with Williams or Ighodaro at center this year?

zenzino: Hells yeah!

Why not? Try everything. Experiment like crazy. Be a mad scientist.

It’s a small sample size, but very encouraging. Unlike most of SL play, I don’t think 3-point shooting is as affected by the level of competition. Meaning, that’s one thing from SL that can more easily translate.

I also don’t think Man Man needs to be at the 4 to put them up. If the opposing team has a rim protector (Wemby, Holmgren) and our 7-footer starts raining 3s, he’ll have to come out and guard Man Man and open up the lane.

Even without the 3s, I’d love to see some lineups with Oso & MW and Oso & Man Man. I’m not sure MW & Man Man would be the right duo.

Ashton: I would never say no to anyone who can shoot 40 percent of their 3-point shots against inferior defenses. Heck, try KM at SF or SG off the bench to give him some minutes. It will have opposing defenses scratching their heads.

My only concern is that I see KM as a center, and I would rather not take him out of the flow of that role. Also, keep in mind that KM shoots 25% at Duke from downtown. Yes, players can improve year over year, but he was never recognized as a three-point shooter in his early career. If Coach Ott wants to employ a two-headed monster on offense specifically designed for rebounding and paint points, then no problem pairing him as a PF with Williams or Oso. On the defensive end, more rim protection is always good, but can he switch or defend the three?

His three-point shooting percentages or attempts are probably the last thing I am concerned with.

OldAz: I absolutely think this would be a great idea, especially when paired with Oso. KM’s shooting and developing rim protection make him a great candidate to play cross-positionally, allowing Oso to facilitate on offense from the center position while not having to guard the center on defense.  Well, I don’t know if it would truly work. It is an intriguing combination to play with and see how it forces the other team to match up.  KMs shooting from outside certainly seems to make his overall game very complementary to what Oso can bring.  If this works, it also opens up minutes for Oso that would not otherwise be available given his limited shooting ability.

Rod: I’d love to see it tried, at least for small stretches. And Khaman’s ability to make threes isn’t really the reason why; that just gives him more credibility playing PF. The defensive end of the court is where I’d be most interested in seeing how it works. Mostly, it might just be an answer to improving the Suns’ defensive rebounding (which was a pitiful 29th last season).

As Khaman is still learning, I would be a little concerned that playing him at PF this early might be a little confusing for him at times, as he has to remember how to execute plays for two different positions rather than just one. Even a split second of indecision can make the difference between a great play and a blown possession.

Q3: The Suns’ preseason games begin on October 5, just a little over 6 weeks from now. Which players are you most interested in watching during those games?

zenzino: Six weeks?! How can the off-season seem so short and so long at the same time?

What I really want to see this preseason is the Suns playing the ‘regular’ lineups for most of the games. Even more than last season, every game counts, and I’d like to see them hit the ground running when the season starts.

Even though the team is mostly the same, Bridges in place of Royce and GA is a huge difference in the style of play. There are definitely things that will need to be worked out and adjustments made.

But alas, preseason is usually a step up from Summer League, with starters getting a few reps but mostly kept in reserve. However, full NBA at 50% is definitely a step up from SL, so getting the young guys out there to see what they can do against other veteran role players will be interesting.

We know what most of these guys can do. I guess I’m most interested in seeing how the starters can gel and whether Man Man, Sheer, and Koa can continue what they started in SL.

Ashton: Um…all of them? I am really more of a scheme guy and want to see what Ott cooks up. How do the starters mesh with Miles Bridges would be at the top of my list. Which players are first off the bench? Which players show the most understanding in a defensive line-up? And this whole line-up depth thing I keep reading about? Seems to me a lot of players will be getting some run. But Rod is usually oddly specific about these questions, and I will have to list some players. Let’s give it to the new guys, recent transactions, two-ways, and rookies.

Miles Bridges
Luke Kennard
Pat Spencer
Koa Peat
I guess Haywood Highsmith fits in this category

I think this question will receive many different answers, but I am always looking for the next diamond in the rough.

OldAz: I am still most interested in watching Fleming and KM. The second-year players appear ready to make a jump and contribute significantly, and bring the length and athleticism I have been looking for for many years as a Suns fan. Beyond that, it’s just preseason, so it will be good to see basketball again, but it will quickly fade into impatience, waiting for the real season to start.

Rod: The number one thing for me is seeing how well Miles Bridges fits into the starting lineup. Secondary to that is seeing how well Luke Kennard fits into things. I think he’s a great addition to the team, but I’m curious to see just how Ott will fit him into the Suns’ rotation. And Ott’s player rotation is what I’m actually more interested in seeing than individual players. This team is deep enough that a 12-man rotation wouldn’t be out of the question, although coaches generally stick to 9/10 man rotations while the game is still in question.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

Suns Trivia/History

On August 25, 1976, the Suns acquired Tom Van Arsdale, the twin brother of “The Original Sun” Dick Van Arsdale, from the Buffalo Braves for a 1977 second-round pick and cash. It was the first time an NBA team had a set of twins on the same roster.

On August 25, 2005, on the same day the Suns extended head coach Mike D’Antoni through 2009 following a trip to the Western Conference Finals, they acquired small forward (and future Suns GM) James Jones in a sign-and-trade with the Indiana Pacers. Jones signed a four-year, $11.1 million deal, with the fourth year a player option.

On August 26, 1976, after playing only 39 minutes in 1975-76, 31-year-old guard John Wetzel retired from the NBA and returned to school at Virginia Tech. He was the first player in franchise history to retire as a member of the Suns. Wetzel would eventually return to Phoenix as an assistant coach in 1979 and become the team’s 7th head coach in 1987. His time as HC with the Suns would be limited to just one season as the team went 28-54 under him and missed the playoffs for the 3rd consecutive year. At the time, the team’s 28-54 (.341) record was the second-worst in team history and would retain that dubious distinction until the 2012-13 season, when the Suns went 25-57 (.305).

On August 27, 1968, in the franchise’s first-ever trade, the Suns acquired a 1969 2nd-round draft pick from the Boston Celtics for expansion-draft pick Emmette Bryant. “Em” had previously been with the Knicks, desired to stay in the East and refused to play for the expansion Suns.

On August 28, 1984, the Suns played their first-ever overseas exhibition game (part of a tournament that included Maccabi Tel Aviv and the New Jersey Nets) and defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv 111-91 in game one at Yad Eliyahu Arena in Tel Aviv, Israel. The following day, they would lose to Macabi Tel Aviv 113-98. The Suns would also later play in a tournament in Italy (in early September) and wind up playing a total of 5 overseas exhibition games in 1984, going 4-1 overall.

Important Future Dates

Sept. 28 – Media Day
Sept. 29 – Training Camp opens
Oct. 5 – Suns @ Pistons (preseason) 4:00 PM
Oct. 7 – Suns @ Bulls (preseason) 5:00 PM
Oct. 10 – Suns vs. Spurs (preseason) 7:00 PM
Oct. 14 – Suns @ Spurs (preseason) 5:00 PM
Oct. 16 – Suns vs. Jazz (preseason) 7:00 PM
Oct. 20 – 2026-27 NBA Season Begins
Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded
Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed
Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season
Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded
Feb. 11 – Trade Deadline
Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027

Hello Brew Hoopers. Today we have a fan post from Rick Berry. Rick sent us this really interesting article, and we wanted to spotlight it on the site because he clearly put a lot of effort into it. Fan posts are somewhat a thing of the past on BH due to logistical issues—The Feed is really the only spot to present any takes you may have—but due to this article’s size and the fact that it includes tables, it could really only be published in an “official post” (along with the fact that, as I alluded to, it’s a great read). And again, not to be a negative Nancy, but we do need to reiterate that—purely for logistical reasons—this can’t become a trend.

Take it away, Rick!

In response to Jack Trehearne’s post in The Feed that MarJon Beauchamp would be playing overseas, R984 wrote “Horst must have a record for high picks to out-of-the-nba pipeline… it’s like every player is bad, but I would be shocked if many other long-tenured GMs have so many guys who are so bad they’re out of the league in 6 years as top-35 type picks.” To quote Bucks insider Eric Nehm, “I found this question fascinating”: who are the biggest losers when it comes to first-round drafting? So fascinating that I literally got out of bed and fired up my computer. Humans are weird.

Thankfully for us, Mitchell Maurer (who I thought was long retired) provided a comprehensive response detailing the Bucks’ recent first-round pick history, which I will rip off here.

• 2014 – Jabari Parker (8 NBA seasons)
• 2015 – Rashad Vaughn (3 NBA seasons before going overseas)
• 2016 – Thon Maker (5 NBA seasons before going overseas)
• 2017 – DJ Wilson (5 NBA seasons before going overseas, then he came back for two games so technically he’s got six logged)
• 2018 – Donte DiVincenzo (8 NBA seasons, obviously not a bust at all)
• 2019 – n/a (technically Kevin Porter Jr., but he was traded)
• 2020 – n/a (technically RJ Hampton, but he was traded)
• 2021 – n/a (no first round pick)
• 2022 – MarJon Beauchamp (4 NBA seasons, clearly an overseas guy now)
• 2023 – n/a (no first round pick)
• 2024 – AJ Johnson (obviously still young but he’s barely hanging on in the league… after getting drafted as an overseas player!)
• 2025 – n/a (no first round pick)
• 2026 – Brayden Burries is obviously a future All-Star so I think we’re good.

To assess which teams and GMs have been the worst first-round drafters, I created a population of players who have played ≤ 4 years in the league since their draft, spanning the draft years from 2014 to 2022. For lottery picks, I extended the years played to 6 years with the assumption that they may get a second deal based primarily on draft position (or perceived potential).

There are 66 total players meeting this criteria. The teams that appear most on this list have five players (BOS, LAC). Unfortunately, with something like draft pick ‘bustiness’ it’s hard to assess something like “which pick is worse.” To aid in this analysis, I’ve developed what I call the D.O.P.E. (Doesn’t Offer Pick Excellence) Index.

The index is constructed of a mathematically balanced, statistically significant, calorie-neutral scoring system consisting of the following:

• Draft Placement: 10 pts (picks 1-5), 5 pts (6-13), 3 pts (14-20), 1 pt (20-30)
• Games Played: 5 pts (≤ 50 GP), 4 pts (51-100 GP), 2 pts (101-200), 1 pt (> 200 GP)
• Years in NBA before leaving: 5 pts (≤ 1 yr), 3 pts (2-3 yrs), 2 pts (4 yrs), 1 pt (> 4yrs)
• Narrative Adjustment: Zhaire Smith: -8 pts for sesame allergy, and James Wiseman: +3 for screwing up GSW’s “2 timelines”

After hours of computation, the DOPE Index shows that Jon Horst and the Bucks are at least 13^th best at launching first-round picks into the sun. This is underestimating Horst since it doesn’t include AJ Johnson, who I consider his worst first-round pick, and projects to be a ~12 DOPE.

This result is a bit surprising. Phoenix’s draft record from 2014-2017 is powerfully bad, despite getting Devin Booker in 2015. Here’s a dog’s breakfast of early first-round misses:

• Tyler Ennis (2014; 18^th overall)
• Dragan Bender (2016; 4^th)
• Marquese Chriss (2016; 8^th)
• Josh Jackson (2017; 4^th)

But what about Devin Booker? The DOPE Index is more a measure of a GM’s lowlight reel and isn’t sufficient to gauge overall draft prowess. Acknowledging the hits is a necessary part of this exercise. Enter SPLORT (Superior Picking by Luck OR Talent). SPLORT is another point-based index with 15 pts for a future HoFer/franchise cornerstone, 8 pts for an All-Star/award winner, 4 pts for a starter, and 2 pts for a rotational guy.

I pulled the SPLORT for each of the 13 teams listed above.

Unfortunately, this is where the Bucks distinguish themselves, getting SPLORT contributions from only Jabari and Donte in the Giannis era. Other notables from the SPLORT review include

• Boston dominates with their picks of the Jays and Smart, but also gets a bunch of rotational pieces: Pritchard, Time Lord, Grant Williams, Nesmith, and Rozier.
• The run of late first success that SAS is truly inspiring: Kyle Anderson (2014; 30^th), Dejounte Murray (2016; 29^th), Derrick White (2017; 29^th), and Keldon Johnson (2019; 29^th).

To get a more complete picture of draft performance, I combined the DOPE Index with SPLORT to create the Effective DOPE Index (eDOPE). This is where a more familiar narrative appears.

Personally, I expected MIL to rank higher, but some of that is due to the time range (2014-2022) and excluding AJ Johnson. Additionally, GSW may be unfairly punished by the Narrative Adjustment I made for their Wiseman pick. While Wiseman did fold the “two Timelines,” that draft was rough on top-end talent. In hindsight, the best non-Ant picks were at 12 (Haliburton) and 21 (Maxey), though just having LaMelo would’ve probably produced a far better outcome than Wiseman.

In conclusion, R984 is likely correct that Jon Horst is the longest-tenured first-round draft disaster, with hopes that Brayden Burries will drag his moribund track record out of the bottom five. Some teams have been comparable, but they’ve also either let their GM go or succeeded in other ways. Outside of Horst, nobody has been this bad in the first round and lived to tell the tale.

It has been an eventful summer for the Lakers, who lost LeBron James in free agency, underwent their second ownership change in 10 months and are embroiled in drama over whether the Buss family will sell its 17.8% stake in the team and Jeanie Buss will remain governor. 

Here are the four biggest questions for the Lakers moving forward: 

1. What is Bob Iger’s and Josh Kushner’s plan? 

The $12.5 billion sale of the Lakers from Mark Walter to former Disney CEO Iger and venture capitalist Kushner raises a lot of questions. Mainly, what’s the new owners’ plan? Under Walter, we knew the Lakers were going to be built in the likeness of the Dodgers, who have won three World Series championships since Walter bought the team in 2012. The Lakers had already begun bolstering their front office and building out their data and analytics departments. 

While the Lakers may have gotten out of the Walter business at a great time considering the federal law enforcement probe into his financial affairs, we also know the team’s new owners don’t have the blueprint for how to win. It remains to be seen how Iger and Kushner will approach their new roles, assuming the NBA Board of Governors approves the sale. 

2. Will Jeanie Buss remain governor? 

Iger and Kushner are going to need trusted advisers, and Jeanie Buss seemed perfect for that role, considering the Lakers won 11 championships under the Buss family’s reign. 

After the Buss family sold the Lakers to Walter in October 2025, there was an agreement that Jeanie would remain governor at least through 2030. Iger and Kushner intended to honor that arrangement. But things have since gotten complicated. 

The Buss family voted Monday to sell its 17.8% share in the Lakers, but Jeanie is contesting the sale. If they don’t reach a settlement, they could be headed for a lengthy court battle. 

That all makes things very tricky for the Lakers and their new owners, who will need guidance right away. 

3. What moves are left for the Lakers to make to bolster their roster?

It’s no secret that the Lakers are interested in Jonathan Kuminga, a 23-year-old athletic wing. But momentum sputtered earlier this summer, with Kuminga’s camp rejecting the Lakers’ offer of an average of $10 million annually.

With the Cavaliers trading for Peyton Watson, perhaps the Lakers and Kuminga will be motivated to move forward. Right now, Kuminga is seemingly the biggest domino left on the market that could help the Lakers. 

4. Will the Lakers be contenders next season?

As currently constructed, it’s hard to imagine the Lakers competing with the elite teams in the West, such as the Thunder and Spurs, who are both much deeper than the Purple-and-Gold. 

If Luka Doncic plays MVP-caliber basketball, Austin Reaves lives up to his lofty four-year, $180 million contract extension and Walker Kessler blossoms into an All-Star, the Lakers could be very good.

But there are a lot of “ifs” in that sentence. 

And still, the Lakers would need to shore up a lot of holes to become real contenders, such as adding perimeter shooting and bolstering their defense. 

Right now there’s a lot of distance between the Lakers and the teams that are expected to compete in June.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

There’s a rather perplexing phenomenon when it comes to the way Celtics fans perceive Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Of course there are exceptions, but the majority of people I talk ball with believe the following are all true:

1) Jaylen Brown is an excellent basketball player, but Jayson Tatum is an even better all-around basketball player.

2) Jaylen Brown had a terrific season last year and took his game to the next level as the clear-cut No. 1 option.

3) Jayson Tatum looked sharp in his return and is poised to have a monster season as the clear-cut No. 1 option.

4) While Paul George has his limitations, a healthy Jayson Tatum and a healthy Paul George pairing is more dangerous than just Jaylen Brown by himself.

5) The Celtics will be worse this year than they were last year.

Now wait a minute. If Tatum is better than Brown, and you add George to the mix, wouldn’t that make this year’s Celtics better than last year’s? Forget the playoffs, when things got wonky against a hot 76ers team. If the rest of the team is very similar, and they also added Mitchell Robinson, wouldn’t this regular-season version theoretically be better than last year’s?

You would think so, but most people don’t view it that way. That’s where it gets interesting. Jaylen Brown is like the ex-girlfriend you complain about when you’re dating but miss when she’s gone. Celtics fans have always waffled on Brown from the start, and it took him leaving to realize just how truly valuable he was on and off the court.

Even with the Finals MVP, even with the monster year and even with the parade of goodbyes, he’s still not as beloved as his fellow Jay. Why is that? Part of it stems from the fact that Tatum is more reserved and doesn’t say anything controversial. Brown speaks his mind, for better or worse, and gains some additional fans and additional critics in the process.

Brown is a polished, versatile and dynamic scorer and determined defender, but his playmaking skills and ability to shape the entire game aren’t quite as robust as Tatum’s. But wait a minute again. They won 56 games last year, and when Tatum came back, they lost in the playoffs.

That’s true. That is what happened. But part of it was because Brown no longer felt like “the guy.” Brown was still the No. 1 scorer on the team, but having Tatum back in the mix took away some of the bravado that made him sparkle in the regular season.

Once Brown got a taste of the limelight, he didn’t want to surrender it. He’s always wanted to be the alpha, and the irony now is that he’s one of four proven, ball-dominant playmakers on a star-studded roster.

Tatum, meanwhile, will have the opportunity to prove that he, too, can orchestrate a dominant regular season as the clear-cut, undisputed, No. 1 option. He’ll have plenty of help, with George, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and more, but for the first time in his career, it’s undeniably his team.

He’s a genuinely unselfish person, and I’m sure he was authentically rooting for the Celtics last year from the sideline. At the same time, there’s no doubt in my mind he yearned for a chance to operate in Brown’s position. That’s just human nature. Now, he has the opportunity.

It will be fascinating to watch how Tatum’s season in this role compares to Brown’s. Does he become even more aggressive as a scorer, or does he read those double teams better than Brown and post a career-high in assists? Does he flirt with triple-doubles some nights, take over in the clutch even more and surpass 2025-26 Brown’s sixth-place finish in the Most Valuable Player race?

Comparing them and pitting them against each other as teammates was silly, and the reality is that it yielded way more friction and tension than was ever necessary. Calling it a toxic work environment would be a stretch, but the reason it never quite felt like a warm and fuzzy relationship is because it wasn’t. 

Now, it becomes a fascinating exercise. Is Tatum truly as equipped for that role as we all think he is? Will they miss Brown’s ability to get you a bucket when you really need one? Will Tatum’s game evolve to mirror Brown’s? Will Brown’s game with the 76ers evolve to mirror Tatum’s?

The questions extend from there. Will Derrick White’s shooting percentages increase with Tatum by his side to get him the rock? Will Neemias Queta become even more lethal in the pick and roll with Tatum there to initiate? Will Baylor Scheierman, Hugo González and Sam Hauser space the floor even better with Tatum playing the role of puppeteer? 

Brown is an outstanding player, but Tatum has a chance to leave his imprint in his own way. Something tells me he won’t squander it.

The regular-season matchups will be entertaining and probably carry more spice than they need to. But if they do end up meeting in the playoffs, trading buckets in a captivating rematch, that could be some seriously gripping television.

Nothing will replicate the good old days. No season will feel quite like 2024. But this season, like last year, will add an intriguing new subplot. We’ve unsuccessfully tried to resist comparing them for so long. Now, we can finally, earnestly, do so.

Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread

Bronny James has finally broken his silence on his father, LeBron James’ departure from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Bronny James was spotted giving autographs, taking photos, and talking with young basketball fans, and was asked about LeBron’s move to the Philadelphia 76ers, to which Bronny had a hilarious response.

“It’s whatever, it’s my Dad.” Bronny James told the young kids.

Bronny’s broken silence about his father’s departure has spread all across the internet as multiple accounts have reposted the video.

In the comments section for the video, basketball fans have been poking fun at Bronny James over his comments, as the X account @Invaderbader1 posted a photo of what appeared to be Bronny staring off to the ocean, where LeBron is seen giving him a thumbs-up as the sun sets.

The account @NvictusManeo posted a photo of former United States President George W. Bush saluting a crowd while the sign behind him reads “Child left behind.”

Another fan joked about LeBron’s departure and asked if Bronny called another player from another team his “Daddy?”

With LeBron no longer in Los Angeles, Bronny is set to embark on his first season in the NBA not playing beside his father.

Through his two seasons in the NBA, Bronny has appeared in 69 games and has averaged 2.7 points, 0.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists.

As Bronny is embracing this new chapter in his career, it’s already off to a bang, as he is currently with the rest of his Lakers teammates in Luka Dončić’s home country of Slovenia, where he reportedly spent half a million dollars to fly his teammates in a luxurious Bombardier Global 8000 jet.

So far, it’s appeared that the trip to Slovenia has been as great as Dončić advertised to his teammates, as videos have emerged of the Lakers players enjoying their time by going out for dinner, hanging out on boats, and taking in the scenery of the country.