Category: Basketball

The Utah Jazz capped off a perfect 3-0 run through their home summer showcase with a dominant 103-69 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. It may not have been pretty, but the Jazz got the job done.

Unlike the first two games, none of Utah’s draft picks played. Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, and Cody Williams were all sidelined as the Jazz’s Summer League roster took on the OKC Thunder, who were also missing their draft picks: Aday Mara and Bennett Stirtz.

Plan for the Jazz is to sit Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey and Cody Williams tomorrow in SLC and have them all available for July 9 in Vegas

— Sarah Todd (@NBASarah) July 7, 2026

The only players who got some action tonight with regular season appearances for the Jazz were Blake Hinson, Bez Mbeng, and Hayden Gray. This gave an opportunity for the other Summer League players to show what they can do, and several took advantage.

From the start, the Jazz controlled the game. The Jazz went on a 42-25 run stretching from the 4:25 mark of the first quarter into halftime. This surge put the game out of the reach from the Thunder early on, and they kept their foot on the gas, winning the second half 50-32, with a lead that swelled as much as 37 points.

The Jazz won both the 3-point shooting and paint points battles, outscoring the Thunder 46-28 in the paint. This dominant win was characterized by balanced scoring, with 7 Jazz players reaching double figures.

Max Abmas, a small crafty guard, started at point guard, dropping 15 points and 6 assists. He has a tight handle and solid passing. His size is limiting as he is listed at only 5-foot-11. However, he was a steady hand in Peterson’s absence with only two turnovers.

Jonas Aidoo also had a good game, starting at center and dropping 16 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. He is a decent rim protector and uses his size well.

This was Oklahoma City’s third straight loss in Salt Lake City, after an earlier blowout against Memphis and a 5-point loss to Atlanta. The OKC Thunder struggled to shoot from distance, only making 26.5% of their 3-point attempts.

Their rookie big man, Aday Mara (the No. 12 pick), and young guard Bennett Stirtz (the No. 16 pick), showed nice flashes but struggled to find consistency throughout summer play so far.

“If we guarded and played as a team, we knew we were going to win,” said Justin Harmon, who finished with 11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. “We love playing with each other, and when we play together, we can beat anybody.”

the vibes… they're excellent 😌 pic.twitter.com/irvQuNWYp2

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) July 8, 2026

Hopefully Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, and Cody Williams got the rest needed to perform in their upcoming games.

Both teams will now head to the main NBA Summer League event at Las Vegas. The Jazz will take on the Washington Wizards on July 9th in the highly anticipated battle between the top two picks: AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson.

For those concerned about the Lakers running it back, fear not.

Last year, in the first three wins LA had over Houston in the opening round of the playoffs, they started LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard. If Rui Hachimura doesn’t return, that means the entire starting lineup is gone.

In its place, an injection of new talent has emerged, including the team’s latest signing, Quentin Grimes.

Reppin' the Lakers: Quentin Grimes ✔️ pic.twitter.com/qUBLNiMCc5

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 8, 2026

It’s clear that youth and athleticism were a top priority.

Everyone the Lakers have signed is under 30 years old and all are known more for their offense than their defense, except Walker Kessler. Grimes is no exception. At 26 years old, he qualifies as part of the youth movement and he can score with the best of them.

Last year, Grimes averaged 13.4 points per game and shot 33.4% from deep. That level of scoring would’ve made Grimes the fourth-highest scorer on the Lakers last year, and with James gone, a case can be made that he’s now the team’s third-best offensive player.

His 3-point shooting took a dive last year, but he’s shown an ability to be a laser. In three of his five seasons, he’s shot above38% from beyond the arc.

With Luka and Austin now feeding him the ball, he should get great looks. Thanks to the gravity of Luka and Austin, there should also be room for him to operate, drive inside and put pressure on the rim.

Grimes enters this backcourt asalso their best dunker. Last year, he had 35 dunks, which was almost three times the amount LA’s best guard dunker, Dalton Knecht had. Fans should expect Grimes to have a few finishes that get the entire NBA buzzing.

Quentin Grimes soars for the absolutely nasty poster dunk over Jake LaRavia (with replays)

76ers and Lakers commentaries

Also on Youtube:https://t.co/cVG79IeOTqpic.twitter.com/7x1JRqa8Yg

— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) February 6, 2026

While dunks are fun and youth is ideal, all of this has to translate into elite production.

The Lakers lost two guards to free agency this summer in Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard, leaving big shoes to fill. Smart was arguably the best player for LA after the team’s big three and Kennard had the league’s best 3-point shooting percentage.

The Lakers are banking on Grimes stepping up in a bigger role to help replace what was lost. If not, then the Lakers’ ceiling for the 2026-27 season will dip considerably.

However, this is far from a gamble by the franchise. Grimes has a great rapport with Lakers head coach JJ Redick, working out with him way back before either was associated with the team.

Redick is aware of his game, and assuming he was part of the brain trust that made these decisions, if Redick feels adding Grimes will improve his roster, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt regarding his talent evaluation.

Still, Grimes is now in a position where he is needed to consistently produce offensively. This is a moment for him to step up in the bright LA spotlight and excel.

He has shown flashes of this. In 28 games with the Sixers during the 2024-25 season, he averaged 21.9 points per game and started in 25 of those contests.

If he can have performances like that in a Lakers uniform, then the front office can take a victory lap with this signing.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Quinten Post’s tenure as a member of the Golden State Warriors has officially come to an end. On Tuesday, a few minutes before the deadline for the team to make a decision, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Golden State had chosen not to match the offer sheet that the Memphis Grizzlies had extended to the 26-year old Dutch big man. And with that, Post departs the Bay Area and joins a Grizzlies squad that is rebuilding after trading away Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane.

The Warriors had extended the qualifying offer to Post this offseason, which made him a restricted free agent. As a result, other teams could only offer Post a multi-year deal, and the Warriors had the right to match any offer sheet he signed.

Memphis gave Post a three-year, $30-million, but they did so in a cheeky manner to discourage the Warriors from matching. Only the first of the three years is guaranteed (at just $9 million), and some of the $30 million is tied to highly unlikely incentives. However, incentives in contracts count towards the apron, making it more difficult for the Dubs to match. With the team nearing their spending limit, still waiting on LeBron James, and already reuniting with Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis, it seemed very unlikely that they would match Memphis’ offer. And indeed, they didn’t.

Post, who was taken with the No. 52 pick in the 2024 draft, departs after appearing in 109 games for the Warriors (with 49 starts), plus 12 playoff games. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, it’s the first time since 2020 that a restricted free agent received an offer sheet of at least $5 million and it wasn’t matched by his original team.

While fans likely had some familiarity with most of the Lakers’ signings, Sandro Mamukelashvili is likely someone who fell through those cracks.

More affectionately known as Mamu, the Georgian big man, who spent four seasons in Milwaukee and San Antonio to begin his career, had a breakout season with the Raptors where he received Sixth Man of the Year votes.

The Lakers, who officially announced Mamu’s signing on Tuesday night, are banking on this being the beginning of something bigger and not a flash in the pan.

Welcome to the Purple & Gold, Mamu 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/rojJXSGT5h

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 8, 2026

While the Lakers sported a high-powered offense last season, one look they did not have was a two-big lineup. With LeBron James and Rui Hachimura often manning the forward position and with no viable stretch big men in the rotation, it wasn’t even an option for the team to go to.

With Mamu, that will change. The big man is a unique player, not the perimeter-based wing type like Rui or LeBron while also not being a traditional center. He’s a big who can step in at center to play a five-out style or alongside another big to give the Lakers a look and lineup they did not have.

The Raptors being an untraditional team meant that last season, he played a lion’s share of his minutes at the center position. Still, in 112 minutes alongside Jakob Poeltl last season, the Raptors had a +6.6 net rating.

Mamu’s skillset is one that also has a track record of succeeding alongside Luka Dončić, another key factor in any free agent signing. For years in Dallas, Luka and Maxi Kleber worked well off of one another and there’s plenty of reason to believe Mamu and Luka can have similar success.

Having a big man who can pick and pop will give the Lakers’ offense another dynamic it lacked last season. As a spot-up shooter, Mamu finished at 1.17 points per possession last season for the Raptors, according to the NBA’s tracking data. For reference, that falls right between Austin Reaves (1.24) and Luka (1.13). Similarly, on catch-and-shoot threes, Mamu shot 38.9% on 283 attempts last season, a mark that lands just above Luka’s 38.7%.

No big on the Lakers’ roster could even offer the possibility of being a reliable threat from range last season for the Lakers, which can open up things offensively. On top of bringing back Austin this summer to pair again with Luka, the Lakers added two more guards who can get to the rim in Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes.

Having a big in Mamu who can space the floor and potentially pull centers away from the rim will have cascading positive effects on the team’s offense.

All of this relies on the Lakers being right in their hope that Mamu can build on what he did in Toronto last season. There are underlying numbers, though, that suggest it’s sustainable.

Mamu’s 3-point percentage of 38.9% was the second-best mark of his career, but only just ahead of his career percentage of 36.6%. Similarly, he also shot 37.3% in 2024-25.

The same can be said about his overall field goal percentage, too, where he’s a 49.4% shooter overall but saw his 2025-26 percentage (52.3%) increase from his 2024-25 percentage (50.2%) with both being above that average.

The Raptors were also just a better team with Mamu on the floor. Toronto had a +5.3 net rating with him on and a +0.8 net rating when he sat.

While Mamu had a career-best season in 2025-26, it did not come out of nowhere. Instead, it was a steady build over multiple seasons that saw him take advantage of the most minutes he’s played in his career.

The Lakers are hoping that a big contract and a big role mean even bigger production from him in Los Angeles.

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

There's been much to speculate about the next destination for LeBron James.

James decided to not allow the Los Angeles Lakers a bidding chance for him and informed the team that he would be moving on to a new organization in free agency.

There have been a handful of teams that are considered in the running for James.

James' agent, Rich Paul, previewed a shortlist of teams on a whiteboard during an episode of his podcast with Max Kellerman, "Game Over." The list of teams included the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors.

Many of which have their own storyline and reasoning for a potential James signing, but for a team like the Warriors, they could finally pair James with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, the Warriors are keeping a roster spot open for James but they don't think he'd choose to play in the Bay Area.

"On the James front, Warriors sources continue to express a low level of optimism that James will ultimately pick them as his next team," Slater wrote. "They intend to keep roster space open for James until he ultimately declares his choice."

ESPN's Shams Charania said on "Straight Shooter" with Stephen A. Smith that he doesn't think the Warriors are at the top of James' list, rather "on the periphery," unless they were able to make a package deal for Anthony Davis. It should also be noted that Charania and Smith reported that both James and Green will "hang out this week" amid the 22-time All-Star's decision-making process.

So what about the other teams that could possibly lure James into a contract for a season or two? Charania said it's really boiled down to a top three hierarchy of: Heat, 76ers and Cavaliers.

Here's the latest on the "contenders only" free agency sweepstakes for James:

LeBron James potential landing spots

Here's the latest on the top-three contenders that James could sign with.

Miami Heat

A reunion in Miami would be one heck of a storyline. Once upon a time James promised Heat fans championship rings by famously uttering the words "not two, not three, not four, not five ... not six." He got them two with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and company, now he could join a new 'big three' with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo and himself.

"There’s a draw with Miami. Pat Riley is a draw, Spoelstra is a draw," Charania said. "I have gotten any feel that there’s still tension between LeBron and Pat Riley that would detour him from that. I think Bam and Giannis are big draws for him too. He played team USA for Bam and has a lot of respect for Bam. Giannis would want LeBron in Miami from my understanding as well. No state taxes…. In January, you think about Miami and, it’s Miami! If you have a team that is basically neck and neck but one of them is based in Miami, with no state taxes.”

Smith reported that "a lot of executives" believe Miami is the best destination for James.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers have picked up steam in the running for James, Charania said.

"Philadelphia was not in the picture," he said. "When the Sixers got Jaylen Brown I did some research ... he (LeBron) is taking their pitch very seriously."

They would be able to create a lineup featuring Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, James and Brown.

Cleveland Cavaliers

What could be better than a Hollywood ending? A return home to where it all began. Many want it to be the perfect storybook ending to a legendary career. The Cavs do.

Charania said that the organization is making James their No.1-priority and their superstar Donovan Mitchell is on board with that.

Some are speculating that it could very well be. Signs are there. That's what ESPN's Brian Windhorst said.

"Yes, absolutely, he knows what he's going to do," Windhorst said. "If you ask me, 'Are the vibes pointing towards Cleveland?' Yeah, the vibes are pointing towards Cleveland, but it's just vibes."

Consider this, he's celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the 2016 championship with Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Matthew Dellavedova, Tristan Thompson and Channing Frye.

He's spending some offseason time there, which has fans on social media putting it all together after reuniting with his high school teammates from St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School in Akron. He was also with Cavs general manager Brandon Weems, but it could all just be coincidence.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: LeBron James next team predictions: Latest news, rumors on star's decision

The Washington Wizards have acquired Khris Middleton via a sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday.

Just in: Free agent Khris Middleton has agreed on a three-year, $17.6 million deal with the Washington Wizards via sign-and-trade, agent Mike Lindeman of Excel Sports Management tells ESPN. The 14-year veteran returns to D.C. where he spent parts of last two seasons as a leader… pic.twitter.com/iZh6XrXMoc

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 8, 2026

The deal is part of a larger six-team trade that sends D’Angelo Russell, a 2029 second-round picks (via Lakers) and a 2033 second-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Middleton, 34, will sign a three-year, $17.6 million contract as part of the deal. The first year is fully guaranteed, but the second year only carries a partial guarantee and the final year is fully non-guaranteed, per The Athletic’s Joshua Robbins.

The second season on Khris Middleton's new three-year sign-and-trade deal with the Wizards will be partially guaranteed, while the third season will be non-guaranteed, per source.

— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) July 8, 2026

Sign-and-trade deals must be at least three years in length and have the first year fully guaranteed, which is why Middleton’s contract fits those parameters.

The 14-year NBA veteran returns to Washington after he was traded at the February deadline for Anthony Davis. Middleton averaged 10.3 points across 34 games for the Wizards during the 2025-26 season.

Washington’s roster now sits at 14 standard contracts:

G: Young | Johnson | Carrington
W: Dybantsa | George | Coulibaly | Riley
F: Davis | Champagnie | Middleton | Whitmore
C: Sarr | Ayton | Vukcevic
Two-way: Watkins | Reese | Okpara

This early into the NBA offseason, it’s unclear what the Lakers’ roster will look like at the start of the year. But it’s obvious the front office would like it to feature Jonathan Kuminga.

The Lakers have a serious need for wings, and they’ve been linked to Kuminga since the Hawks declined his team option.

Not only have they spoken with him, but they’ve reportedly remained in contact with his agent and even increased their offer to entice him to sign.

However, he remains available and is still looking for the best possible deal.

On Tuesday, thanks to a Broderick Turner article in the LA Times, we have the details on what the Lakers offered Kuminga.

Jonathan Kuminga is a player the Lakers are after, according to people, who said LA is looking at a two-year, $20-million deal for Kuminga.

Last season, Kuminga earned over $23 million, so going from that to $10 million per year is a considerable decrease. But given how little cap space the Lakers have, this offer signals how serious they are in bringing Kuminga in.

The Lakers are showing they want Kuminga by offering whatever they can, even increasing their original deal. And with a potential starting spot on the table, a breakout season from Kuminga could raise his value around the NBA.

Kuminga averaged 12.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season. He also shot 33.3% from 3-point range last year while playing for the Warriors and Hawks.

If he does start with the Lakers, he can produce well past those numbers and get closer to his career-high in scoring, which came during the 2023-24 season with Golden State, when he averaged 16.1 points per game.

Here in LA, with LeBron James gone, there are a ton of shots up for grabs. Kuminga could be the one to pick them up and make the most of this opportunity.

Clearly, the two-year $20 million deal isn’t enough to get him here, but this is all part of the negotiation.

Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka has to keep selling his vision and see if he can free up some salary cap space so he can get this deal to the point where Kuminga will take it.

So far, the Lakers appear to remain aggressive and very much in the running for Kuminga. The fit seems good, and if they can reach an agreement, this could be beneficial for everyone involved.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

It wouldn't be a proper NBA offseason without a convoluted, six-team trade that sends multiple players to new teams.

The Detroit Pistons continue to make roster moves to bolster their team after concluding the 2025-26 season with a seven-game series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Their latest move has them parting ways with 10-year veteran guard Caris LeVert.

The Pistons traded LeVert and two second-round picks to the Milwaukee Bucks for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris, according to ESPN.

The deal allows Detroit to save money and creates a trade exception, while the Bucks will acquire LeVert and pick up additional assets.

Clutch Points insider Brett Siegel reported that the Pistons freed up roughly $7 million in extra funds needed to complete their recent transactions. The simple cost-cutting maneuver by the Pistons is expected to go toward signing restricted free agent Jalen Duren.

Detroit currently has $39 million in pending outgoing salaries between LeVert and Isaiah Stewart, who was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for three future second-round draft picks.

The Pistons have been making moves to clear cap space since the summer period began. The Stewart trade allowed Detroit to clear $30 million off its cap for free agency. In exchange, Memphis acquired a defensive-minded frontcourt piece. The big man plays physical, intimidating defense.

As for the Bucks' assets, they now own seven first-round picks and four second-round picks, as they continue to rebuild in the post-Giannis Antetokounmpo era.

Six-team trade to connect everything

The Bucks-Pistons trade was important for other teams and players involved. Ultimately, it connected one trade to another to make several transactions possible.

According to ESPN, free agent Khris Middleton agreed to a three-year, $17.6 million deal with the Washington Wizards. The deal is a sign-and-trade involving the Dallas Mavericks, who had acquired Middleton from the Wizards ahead of the trade deadline in February.

That's all part of a larger six-team deal.

The teams included are: the Mavericks, Wizards, Pistons, Bucks, Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers.

The Wizards are sending D'Angelo Russell, a future second-round pick and a future second-round pick swap to the Grizzlies, according to ESPN.

Nearly a week ago, the Pistons made a move to sign John Collins as a free agent on a three-year, $51 million contract. The six-team trade helps to solidify the move.

A look at the six-team trade

Here's where players went as a result of the six-team swap:

Dallas Mavericks

• Receive: Santi Aldama
• Lose: Khris Middleton

Detroit Pistons

• Receive: John Collins, Gary Harris and Taurean Prince
• Lose: Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, two second-round picks

Los Angeles Clippers

• Receive:Noplayers
• Lose: John Collins

Milwaukee Bucks

• Receive: Caris LeVert, two second-round picks
• Lose: Taurean Prince and Gary Harris

Memphis Grizzlies

• Receive: Isaiah Stewart, D'Angelo Russell, a future second-round pick, future second-round pick swap
• Lose: Santi Aldama

Washington Wizards

• Receive: Khris Middleton
• Lose: D'Angelo Russell, a future second-round pick, future second-round pick swap

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Massive NBA trade sees Pistons pick up Taurean Prince, Khris Middleton return to Wizards

Los Angeles Lakers legend and two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol turned 46 years old on July 6.

While Gasol will always be beloved among Lakers fans because of what he accomplished on the basketball court, he has also earned endless respect for stepping up as a father figure in Natalia Bryant’s life in the wake of the late Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing in 2020.

Plus, Pau has maintained a great friendship with Vanessa Bryant, as the Gasol and the Bryant families have formed an extremely close bond after enduring this tragedy to their shared loved one.

Vanessa Bryant has made her appreciation for Gasol very clear over the years, and she shouted him out with a birthday post to her Instagram on July 7, which showed her, Natalia, Pau, and Pau’s wife, Cat, playing what appears to be the card game called Spoons.

---

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

The Instagram video shows the group of four laughing and joking about an apparent mishap that Pau had during the game. The post was captioned, “Happy birthday @paugasol !!!!!! We love you uncle Pau! #hermano #family”.

This caption says it all, showing that Vanessa and Natalia have a ton of appreciation for “uncle Pau” and wanted to show him that on his birthday.

Pau and Cat Gasol have three kids of their own, all of which were born after Kobe and his other daughter’s Gianna’s passing in January of 2020. Their oldest daughter, Elisabet Gianna (named after Gianna Bryant) was born later in 2020, their son Max was born in 2022, and their third child, a daughter named Olivia, was born in January of 2026.

This is surely not the last birthday celebration the Gasol and Bryant families will share together.

The Milwaukee Bucks have traded veterans Taurean Prince and Gary Harris to the Detroit Pistons for Caris LeVert and two second-round picks, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania.

“The Detroit Pistons are trading Caris LeVert and two second-round picks to the Milwaukee Bucks for Taurean Prince and Gary Harris, sources tell ESPN. Pistons will create a trade exception from the deal and savings while Bucks acquire LeVert and pick up assets,” Charania tweeted.

LeVert, a 6’7” wing who will turn 32 prior to the upcoming season, played 60 games for the Pistons last year—all off the bench—averaging 7.4 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 2.7 APG, to go along with 1.6 stocks, in 19.2 MPG. He was a regular part of the Pistons’ postseason rotation too, averaging 16.6 MPG through 13 games, and is just two years removed from being a 14, 4, and 5 guy on a Cleveland Cavaliers team that won 48 games and finished fourth in the Eastern Conference. He is on an expiring contract that pays him $14.8m for the 2026-27 season.

But while LeVert is a proven player, capable of handling the ball and creating offense for himself and others, the move for the Bucks is likely more about the acquisition of draft assets and roster construction. Milwaukee now adds two more second-round picks to the 2030 first-round pick swap, two unprotected first-round picks (2031 and 2033), and 2033 second-round pick they acquired trading Giannis to the Miami Heat. The move also trims the Bucks’ roster. By exchanging two veterans for one, the Bucks are effectively down to a full 15-man roster—pending the official signing of 13th overall pick Nate Ament—for the 2026-27 season.

While the Bucks gain a valuable player and draft assets, they lose strong veteran leadership in Prince and Harris. Prince, who somewhat surprisingly picked up his player option on June 30, played 106 games across two seasons with the Bucks, averaging 8.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 1.9 APG. He primarily served as a floor-spacer in the frontcourt, hitting 44% of his 4.5 three-point attempts during his time in Milwaukee, and bravely battled through a herniated disc and subsequent neck surgery that kept him out of action for most of last season.

Harris, on the other hand, signed with the Bucks prior to last season as a depth piece. He played 48 games for Milwaukee, averaging 2.7 PPG, 1.3 RPG, and 1.1 APG in 13.8 MPG, hitting 41% of his shots from three. While he didn’t put up big numbers, he was a pro’s pro who more often than not did all the right things on the court.

All the best, Taurean and Gary.

UPDATES:

• According to Charania, the trade is actually part of a larger, six-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles Clippers.
• Per Eric Nehm, the Bucks get their own second-rounder in 2027 back from the Pistons and then the least favorable of the Dallas Mavericks’ and Brooklyn Nets’ second-round picks in 2027.

---

What are your thoughts on the trade, Brew Hoopers? Add your two cents in the comments.

The Detroit Pistons made a trade Tuesday that made me legitimately ask the question — has there ever been a trade of at least three players that all had at least a decade of NBA experience before? If not, then welcome to history, Caris LeVert, Taurean Prince, and Gary Harris!

The Pistons traded Caris LeVert, a significant offseason addition a year ago who never found his footing in during his one-year stay in Detroit, along with two second-round picks for veterans Taurean Prince and Gary Harris. The trio have a combined 32 years of NBA experience under their respective belts.

ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to break the news of the trade. The second-round picks in the deal are from 2027, according to Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press. The Pistons own their own 2nd, the least favorable between Brooklyn and Dallas, and a Milwaukee second. I wouldn’t be surprised if this trade gets Milwaukee its own pick back.

LeVert was set to make $14 million in the final year of his contract with the Pistons while Prince and Harris make $3.8 million each. The trade shaves more than $7 million off the team’s books and gives Detroit a $14.8 million trade exception, per cap expert Yossi Gozlan.

Prince is the more significant of the two additions as he fills the role of backup power forward with enough girth to man the position and more than enough shooting ability. Standing just 6-foot-6, he’s a stout 218 points. More importantly, he’s a career 38.7% 3-point shooter and has shot 43% and 41% the past two seasons. He doesn’t do much more than catch-and-shoot these days, but it’s a skill the Pistons can’t have enough of. Prince is coming off an injury-plagued season with the Bucks that saw him limited to just 26 games. But in both of the two previous seasons, Prince played more than 2,000 minutes.

Prince suffered a herniated disc in his neck in November of last season that kept him out until March. But when he returned, it was like he never missed a beat. He averaged 10.6 points and shot 43.8% from deep on more than six attempts per game in the season’s final 18 games.

Harris has been a part-time role player each of the past two seasons in Orlando and Milwaukee, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he were waived after the deal is finalized.

The LeVert stay in Detroit was a brief and disappointing tenure. He seemingly completely forgot how to shoot the ball from deep and had the worst turnover percentage in his 10-year career. He also wasn’t a good defender. There’s not much you can point to that went right for Caris in Detroit, and he seemed like he was entering the season where he might find himself on the outside looking into a crowded backcourt rotation.

The Pistons have Cade Cunningham and Daniss Jenkins to take the lion’s share of the point guard minutes, drafted a 6-foot-1 drive-and-score rookie in Ebuka Okorie, traded for Isaiah Joe and return Duncan Robinson as the primary shooters.

They also had a significant need at the backup power forward spot. The team added John Collins this offseason but lost Tobias Harris to the San Antonio Spurs. They were staring at a season with Ron Holland as the only legitimate backup power forward. With the trade for Prince, the roster feels much more balanced.

This deal might be a signal that the Pistons are done making moves this offseason. LeVert’s $14 million salary was one of the only significant moveable salaries on Detroit’s payroll. Unless the team moves one or both of Ron Holland, Duncan Robinson and all of the future firsts, there isn’t really an avenue to a significant upgrade remaining.

Presuming the reported Marcus Sasser trade to the Dallas Mavericks comes to fruition, Jalen Duren re-signs, and Harris gets waived, Detroit would enter the season with a full 15-man roster.

Cade Cunningham, Duncan Robinson, Ausar Thompson, John Collins, and Jalen Duren as the starters. Daniss Jenkins, Isaiah Joe, Ron Holland, Taurean Prince, Paul Reed as primary backups. Ebuka Okorie, Kevin Huerter, Javonte Green, Chaz Lanier, and Tolu Smith as depth pieces. Ugonna Onyenso, Isaac Jones as two-way players.

How does that stack up in the East? We have a whole offseason to argue about that.

NEWTON — The basketball world was largely stunned when Jaylen Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers last week. Since the trade was first reported on Wednesday, Celtics fans have reflected on his longtime tenure coming to a sudden halt, and what that means for the team, both on and off the floor.

And Jayson Tatum, Brown’s co-star of almost a decade, is also processing it all.

“To be honest, weird. It’s weird,” Tatum said on Tuesday night. “You play on a team with a guy for 9 years. I was fortunate enough to go to the finals with him twice, and win a championship, and push each other to be the players that we are today.”

Tatum’s reflection came as part of an hour-long sit-down at the Newton Community Stage for a sit-down Q&A with longtime reporter Howard Bryant to promote his new book, “Baby Dunks-a-Lot: The Day the Basketballs Stopped Bouncing.” (The book, co-written with author Sam Apple, is currently available for purchase at The Silver Unicorn Bookstore as well as Newtonville Books).

At the event, Tatum spoke on several topics, including his recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon, what it’s like balancing being a father and a pro athlete, and much more (a longer story on some of his reflections is to come).

Jayson Tatum is here in Newton in celebration of his newest book, Baby Dunks-a-lot, which came out today.

Very loud applause here as Tatum is introduced pic.twitter.com/17x4Ypy7Zc

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) July 7, 2026

Tatum both answered questions in a moderated panel with longtime reporter Howard Bryant and also took questions from the kids in attendance. 

Jayson Tatum reflected on ‘tough’ reality of Jaylen Brown trade

Bryant explicitly asked Tatum how he’s handling the reality that a new chapter is now beginning for him, the Celtics, and for Brown.

“The NBA is an incredible business; it’s an incredible job, but there are some downsides to the business and moments like this, where you just kind of feel like you’re going to be on the team with somebody, because that’s all you know,” he said. “And then it’s just like, one day you find out that they’re no longer on your team anymore. And, we’re all humans. We feel all those emotions. Going into the facility, and knowing that you have different teammates, and somebody that you’ve been to war with, essentially, is on a different team…”

Together, Tatum and Brown made five Eastern Conference Finals and two NBA Finals.

In 2024, they won their first title as a duo.

“It’s tough. But it just makes you appreciate the moments and time that we had,” Tatum said. “Obviously, it came to an abrupt ending, but it doesn’t mean that it wasn’t super successful. Great years, obviously, that he gave to the city and to the organization.”

Brad Stevens, who addressed reporters in a press conference on Monday, said that Tatum did not have any input in the decision to trade Brown.

“I have a real hard-and-fast rule,” Stevens said. “I don’t ask guys about other guys.”

In lieu of Jaylen Brown (and Nikola Vucevic, who departed in free agency), Tatum now welcomes a slew of new teammates like Paul George, Mike Conley, and Mitchell Robinson, among others.

All three players were at the Auerbach Center this week and took photos with their brand-new Celtics jerseys.

“The tough part is you miss teammates, but then you have new teammates, and you want to welcome those guys and accept them and move forward with them,” Tatum said. “So there is a balance there.”