The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because the trade had not been publicly announced.
Finney-Smith, 33, had been known as a 3-and-D perimeter option, but he posted career lows in points (3.3 per game), rebounds (2.5), field goal percentage (33.3%) and 3-point percentage (27%) across 37 games last season for the Houston Rockets.
The Hornets had only acquired Finney-Smith in July, in a trade for cash considerations.
In exchange, Charlotte, which also plays in the Southeast Division, is getting another two players to boost its recent emphasis on shooting.
Hield, 33, is a career 39.5% 3-point shooter, but could not crack the rotation in Atlanta after the Hawks acquired him in the February deal that also brought Jonathan Kuminga to Atlanta and sent center Kristaps Porziņģis to the Golden State Warriors.
Nembhard was an undrafted rookie last season but shot 35.6% from beyond the arc. He averaged 6.6 points per game. He had similarly just been acquired in a July trade that sent 2024 No. 1 overall selection Zaccharie Risacher to the Mavericks.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 01: The DAZN logo is seen on a microphone prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 32 match between England and Congo DR at Atlanta Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I know we are all rejoicing that we never have to listen to the awful ambient crowd noise interstitial during commercial breaks that was a key, heinous feature of the FanDuel Sports Network app. That is dead in a ditch. But what is taking its place? For those with access to free over-the-air TV, the Pistons previously announced a partnership with Detroit TV 20 and other regional affiliates throughout Michigan. Today, they announced their new streaming platform provider — DAZN.
If you’re a fan of boxing, you might already be familiar with DAZN, but the upstart sports provider has been slowly building out its portfolio for the past few years. The Pistons join other NBA teams, including the Timberwolves, Pacers, Cavaliers, Spurs, and Hornets, who have teamed with DAZN to provide a streaming platform alternative for the true cord-cutters among us.
DAZN will provide monthly an annual streaming options to watch the Pistons during the 2026-27 NBA season. Subscribers will be able to watch live and on-demand, and have access to additional pre- and post-game content.
There are monthly and annual plans. The cheapest monthly plan is $19.99 per month, while the cheapest annual plan is $119.99. Subscribers could upgrade to expanded plans of $24.99 per month and $139.99 per year, respectively, and enjoy a one-time discount at the Pistons team store, have access to alternative streams, and stream the game on more devices at once.
The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to trade Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for Dorian Finney-Smith, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and confirmed by other reports.
The Hawks have been trying to get off Hield's salary — $9.7 million this season, a $10.1 million player option for next season — all summer, as well as deal with a roster crunch of too many standard contracts. This two-for-one trade, plus the waiving of Devin Carter, solves all of that.
Atlanta also gets to take a flier on Finney-Smith. The 33-year-old played just 37 games last season for the Rockets due to ankle surgery, and put up career-low numbers in the games when he did get on the court (which is why the Rockets spent three second-round picks in a salary dump trade with Charlotte earlier this summer). If he bounces back, this is a plus for the Hawks because every team could use more quality 3&D wings. As for the financial end, Finney-Smith will make $13.3 million this season and has two years, $26.7 million on the books after that, but none of that future salary is guaranteed. If they choose, Atlanta can walk away from Finney-Smith after this season.
Charlotte adds Hield, 33, who played in 51 games last season between Golden State and Atlanta, and averaged 7.6 points per game while shooting 34.9% from 3-point range (the lowest percentage of his career). Charlotte now heads into training camp with a roster crunch of its own and essentially has one spot to give between Hield, Nembhard, Pat Connaughton and Tidjane Salaün. Nembhard, who showed promise as a rookie with Dallas last season, might be the guy to go with because of his future potential.
Don't be surprised to see another trade from Charlotte to deal with that crunch.
Multiple, very obvious reasons made it clear it was time for the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard to part ways, but one kind of flew under the radar: Los Angeles wasn't about to give Leonard, 35, the kind of extension he wanted.
The Toronto Raptors will.
In a deal that was expected, Leonard and the Raptors have agreed to a two-year, $115 million contract extension for the two-time Finals MVP, a deal first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN. The second year of the extension, 2028-29, is a player option, but Leonard also waived his trade kicker.
While this extension was expected, and the two sides stayed in contact all summer, it was delayed because Toronto put the trade of Leonard on hold for a couple of months. It wanted to see the outcome of the NBA’s investigation into the Clippers for circumventing the salary cap to get Leonard "no-show" endorsement deals, before signing off. Leonard got off with a slap on the wrist (a $700,000 fine), and the trade went through just more than a week ago. The extension was always likely to follow.
Leonard has said he wants to finish his career in Toronto and this contract would take him through his age 38 season. This extension kicks in for the 2027-28 season, Leonard will make $50.3 million this season in the final year of a deal signed with the Clippers (which drew a lot of attention).
This is largely a bet on Leonard's health. When he is consistently on the court, as he was last season when he played 65 games — averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals per game and still playing elite defense — he is a top-10 player in the league. However, in the previous eight seasons, Leonard played in 65+ games just once. He has played in Toronto before, leading the franchise to its 2019 championship, and he trusts the medical staff there, which kept him fresh that year for a playoff run.
Toronto adds Leonard to a stacked roster with another All-NBA-level player in Scottie Barnes, plus RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a group of solid role players. If Leonard stays healthy, Toronto could be a top-four seed and make some noise in the East. But it's all a bet on Leonard's health.
Boston, MA - April 21: Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona rejects a shot attempt by Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum in the third quarter. The Boston Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden in the first round of the NBA Playoffs on April 21, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
It feels like a make-or-break year for Adem Bona.
With all the excitement and anticipation around the 2026-27 Sixers squad on top of the fact that he is entering his third year as an NBA center, there is going to be a lot of pressure on Bona’s shoulders this season to actually solidify himself as rotation-worthy at this level.
With two years in the NBA under Bona’s belt, there have been ups and there have certainly been downs. That feels like the crux of the issue for Bona, actually. There have been moments that he shows incredible promise to be an impactful player with his high level of energy… but other times, he has looked completely lost, making more than his fair share of unforced errors. The balance, as it stands, is not exactly in Bona’s favor.
For what it’s worth, the 23-year-old has likely featured more heavily in NBA play than he might have ever expected to as a young center (making 71 appearances and 18 starts in 2025-26) simply due to the context of being on the Sixers. The backup five position in Philadelphia in the era of Joel Embiid has been and will continue to be an absolutely critical one. Even at his healthiest, Embiid is simply not going to be out there every game. Even if he was, he can’t be out there every minute. Having someone reliable to step in off the bench and even to start in those Embiid-less moments has been a continuing story (and struggle) for this team for years.
And going into this campaign, he’ll have some competition for the role with 7’0”, 246-pound Ariel Hukporti, whom the Sixers signed with a portion of their bi-annual exception this offseason, joining the squad.
And to this point, Bona hasn’t exactly found the footing to really establish himself as the reliable backup big for Philadelphia by any means. He is an energetic young player and is one of the best shot blockers you could ask for, but he’s virtually inconsequential (at best) on the offensive end minus a few dunks, struggles with defensive rebounding and is no stranger to unforced errors like moving screens and silly fouls.
The one most puzzling (and I think most detrimental to his value overall) won’t necessarily show on a stat sheet, but you know it’s true if you’ve watched him play: Bona cannot catch a basketball at times. His hands seem to suddenly lose the ability to grip, and instead become two completely flat surfaces for the ball to bounce right off of. That is a really bad quality in a 6-foot-10 center (with a 7-foor-4 wingspan) that you’d hope could make up for some of the Sixers’ lack of rebounding, especially on the defensive end.
It’s an especially bad quality when Bona’s game has so many other weaknesses. Now, that might sound harsher or meaner than intended, but it actually just displays something that — if Bona could do it just a bit better — could really balance out his value on the floor even against some of his sloppier moments. As it stands right now, he just doesn’t do enough well.
That being said, I can’t imagine there’s anything that motivates quite like the idea of playing alongside LeBron James, and Bona is going to have to establish himself quickly to earn the trust of the likes of LeBron… or he may fall out of the rotation fast and find himself replaced by the February trade deadline.
I think a large key for Bona is going to be not trying to do too much, which is when he seems to get out of sorts and commits questionable mistakes, and instead work on improving some seemingly-small but hugely-impactful fundamentals — like defensive rebounding — to solidify himself as a guy Nick Nurse can really trust to help stem the tide of the Embiid-less minutes on the floor.
They say pressure is what turns coal into diamond. Enterting year three with more at stake than ever personally and for the Sixers team, it’s up to Bona now to try to make that happen.
(A final note that Bona is currently dealing with a left foot sprain suffered during World Cup qualifiers, but is reportedly expected to return within the first two weeks of camp.)
Kawhi Leonard’s future in Toronto has been revealed.
The Raptors and Leonard agreed on a two-year, $115 million contract extension with a player option for the 2028-29 season.
The Clippers traded Kawhi Leonard back to the Raptors. Getty Images
Just in: Toronto Raptors All-NBA star Kawhi Leonard has agreed on a two-year, $115 million contract extension with the franchise, plus a player option for the 2028-29 season, his agent Harrison Gaines of SLASH Sports tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/naqrW8jBV3
Leonard is entering his second stint with the organization. He previously spent the 2018-19 season with the Raptors and led the franchise to its first and only NBA championship.
After being fined $700,000 for his involvement in the Clippers scandal, Leonard was traded to the Raptors after the transaction was previously put on hold amid the investigation. The two-time Finals MVP made his first public comments since the trade last week, when he explained why he chose to return to Toronto.
“I’m not really championship chasing, trying to find the best team I could win [with],” Leonard said on the Raptors’ Open Gym YouTube channel.
“I didn’t want to put on a thousand jerseys. The city took a liking to my family, I took a liking to the city. Really enjoyed it. My son was born here, and he’s been asking me forever when he’s going to come back.”
In Toronto, Leonard joins Scottie Barnes in the frontcourt. The Raptors are positioned to make a deep playoff run after securing a top-five seed last season in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard speaks to reporters before a team practice. APToronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard holds Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy after the Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors 114-110 in Game 6. AP
DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 16: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors huddles up with his team before the game against the Denver Nuggets on December 16, 2018 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The dust is finally settling around the Kawhi Leonard trade, as the forward has put the finishing touches on a $165 million dollar deal for three years with the Toronto Raptors. Shams Charania reported today that Leonard has signed a two-year extension for $115 million dollars, offering the team a slight discount of $11 million dollars, while waiving his trade kicker of $7.45 million dollars.
Both sides maintained consistent dialogue on Leonard’s long-term Raptors future since July after the reunion via trade — and the two-time Finals MVP expects to finish his career in Toronto. Leonard, 35, now has a total of three years and $165 million on his Raptors deal. https://t.co/kIvWY6859y
Leaving several million dollars on the table demonstrates a newfound willingness to pursue team success, and an early show of commitment to Toronto. Leonard retains a level of personal control with the addition of a player option in the third year of his contract, where he would be 37 years old.
Charania went on to note that Leonard believes that his second stint in Toronto will mark the end of his career in the NBA, reporting that he had been told that the Klaw’s insistence that he will retire a Raptor was a notable component of the agreement between the two parties.
Just in on NBA Today — Kawhi Leonard expects to finish his career in Toronto after signing a new $115M extension in his Raptors reunion: pic.twitter.com/V2dJAaxVh5
Leonard may be turning over a new leaf as he re-enters the Canadian market, seemingly moving past the pursuit of a paycheque that seems to have dominated his time in Los Angeles. As the superstar’s career is winding down, Kawhi’s unfinished business in Toronto seems that it will go on to dominate the latter half of the 2020s for this franchise, perhaps ushering the team into a golden age. Only time — and championships — will tell.
Kawhi Leonard spent most of his summer waiting on the NBA to let him go back to Toronto. Now he's seemingly not going anywhere else.
Leonard agreed to a two-year, $115 million contract extension with the Raptors that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season a person with knowledge confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The person requested anonymity because the deal was not yet publicly announced.
Leonard is in the last year of a contract that pays him $50.3 million this season. To get the trade done, he waived his full 15% trade kicker, a bonus some players get when they're dealt.
He's coming off a 65-game season, up from 37 the year before. He averaged 27.9 points and 1.9 steals and made the All-NBA second team.
The last time Toronto had him, he gave the city a championship and left a month later.
Why the Raptors paused the Kawhi Leonard trade
Toronto went 46-36 last season and lost to Cleveland in seven games in the first round of the playoffs. The Raptors agreed to send Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, a 2027 pick swap and second-round picks in 2030 and 2033 to the Clippers for Leonard.
On July 9, Toronto hit pause. The investigation was still open and nobody could say yet whether Leonard would be suspended. The Raptors did not comment publicly the rest of the summer.
The report that started the NBA investigation
In September 2025, reporter Pablo Torre reported that Leonard had a $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration, a climate-focused financial company, that asked almost nothing of him. Former employees told Torre the deal was a way around the salary cap. Investors tied to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer had put money in Aspiration.
What the NBA found
The league released its findings Sept. 2. Investigators found a "pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations." The Clippers had lined up deals for Leonard with four companies, pushed those companies to sign him by offering them team business and paid personal expenses for him.
The Clippers lost five first-round picks, 2029 through 2033, and were fined $30 million. Ballmer was suspended for a year. Gillian Zucker, president of business operations, got a one-year unpaid suspension. Lawrence Frank, president of basketball operations, got six months unpaid. Dennis Robertson, Leonard's uncle and business manager, was banned from dealing with NBA teams for five years.
Leonard was fined $700,000 and was not suspended.
"I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgement by people within my inner circle," Leonard said in a statement. He also said he signed his Clippers contract and the endorsement deals in good faith.
What's next for Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors?
The trade became official Sept. 14. The extension means Leonard is signed for more than one season in Toronto this time. He joins Scottie Barnes, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley under coach Darko Rajakovic. General manager Bobby Webster, promoted to executive vice president this summer, made the deal.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: The sneakers worn by Jordan Miller #11 of the Los Angeles Clippers during the game against the Denver Nuggets during the 2025 NBA Summer League game on July 17, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Sexton, who was a 2017 McDonald’s All-American and one-and-done collegiate player at Alabama, became the first building block of the Cavaliers’ post-LeBron James rebuild after Cleveland selected Sexton with the No. 8 pick in the 2018 draft.
Collin Sexton started his career with the hopes of being a star for the Cavaliers. Getty Images
He finished fifth in the voting for the 2018-29 Rookie of the Year, and then had back-to-back seasons of averaging at least 20 points (including a career-high 24.3 points in 2020-21) – albeit for Cavaliers teams that won fewer than 31% of their games in each of Sexton’s first three seasons.
Sexton, and the Cavaliers, were poised for a breakout in 2021-22 after Cleveland drafted Darius Garland in 2019, trading for Jarrett Allen in January 2021, selecting Evan Mobley in 2021 draft and acquiring Lauri Markkanen during the 2021 offseason.
The breakout happened for the Cavaliers, but not Sexton, who played only 11 games before having season-ending left knee surgery.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers had their first winning season since James left, going 44-38 and missing the playoffs after being eliminated from the Play-In Tournament.
Collin Sexton didn’t get get to be a part of the Cavaliers’ 2021-22 breakout season. AP
That 2021-22 Cavaliers squad remains the only team Sexton’s finished a season with that had a winning record – let alone make the playoffs.
With the Cavaliers looking to build off their breakout season, Cleveland traded Sexton (along with Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji and multiple draft picks) to the Jazz for star guard Donovan Mitchell.
What followed for Sexton were three productive seasons with the Jazz: He averaged 17.5 points and 4.2 assists from 2022-25.
But each of those seasons all ended the same way – with Sexton and his Jazz teammates watching the playoffs from home after a losing year.
After being traded to the Hornets during the 2025 offseason, it appeared Sexton was going to play NBA postseason basketball for the first time in his career after being a part of Charlotte’s midseason turnaround.
Collin Sexton had productive seasons with the Jazz, but they didn’t lead to playoff appearances. AP
But the Hornets traded Sexton to the lowly Bulls ahead of the trade deadline in February, making it eight straight seasons Sexton was going to watch the playoffs from home after the Bulls finished with a 31-51 record.
So as an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, Sexton prioritized choosing a team where winning mattered.
“I definitely feel like it was super important – finding a place where I can compete and not be at the crib in April right after the season ends,” Sexton said. “So at the end, just having the opportunity to be a part of this organization and be a part of the team, I was super grateful. And I’m super thankful.
Collin Sexton finished last season with the Bulls. Jason Szenes / New York Post
“And just talking to [coach] JJ [Redick[, I can tell he believes in me in my abilities and what I can bring to the team. I feel like my energy can be contagious to this team.”
Unlike eight years ago when he arrived in Cleveland, Sexton didn’t arrive in Los Angeles with the expectations of being a star.
The Lakers don’t need him to be.
But for Sexton to make his first appearance in the playoffs, the Lakers will need him to seize the chances in front of him.
“Honestly, I would say just opportunity – opportunity to go out, win and be able to compete each and every night,” Sexton said on why he joined the Lakers. “And I feel like that’s something that needs to be shown, that I bring each and every day, is that I want to compete. But also the want to win.”
SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 15: Inductee Doc Rivers speaks to the audience during the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Symphony Hall on August 15, 2026 in Springfield, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just because he’s no longer coaching the Bucks and has been inducted to the Hall of Fame, that doesn’t mean we won’t be hearing from him anytime soon.
NBC announced that they are adding former Sixers head coach Doc Rivers as a game analyst for their NBA coverage. This is interesting for all the network heads out there as Rivers left a contract with ESPN to take the Milwaukee coaching job in the middle of the 2023-24 season. Rivers’ son, Austin, is also a part of NBC’s broadcast team as a sideline reporter.
Rivers has dipped his toe into broadcasting in his rare seasons in between coaching jobs. He worked at ABC for a year in between coaching the Magic and Celtics, and obviously took the ESPN job after parting ways with the Sixers.
Of the Sixers league-leading 34 nationally televised games scheduled so far this year, 11 of those will be on NBC or Peacock. It remains to be seen if Rivers will be in the studio or a color commentator, he’s experienced at both, but it’ll give Sixers fans plenty of times to hear his lovely stories from his time in Philadelphia, like how it was Tyrese Maxey’s idea to come off the bench in 2023.
A video of LeBron playing pickup basketball alongside several other NBA standouts was posted on YouTube on Monday night. A clip of LeBron bricking several shots from that YouTube video has since gone viral on social media.
The clip shows LeBron hitting the side of the backboard with a baseline fadeaway shot, missing several 3-pointers and missing numerous other jump shots.
LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts on the court during the second half at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Corey Sipkin for NY PostLeBron James taking a shot during an open run against other NBA players. (YouTube/@ChrisJohnsonHoops).
To be fair, the clip that is circulating on social media is an edited collage of James’ misses. The full YouTube video is an hour long and shows several impressive plays from King James that were all left out of the minute-long cut of his missed shots.
LeBron James, owner of Team AlUla, looks on during the E1 Series Luanda GP in Luanda, Angola, Sept. 13, 2026. Getty Images
The 41-year-old James joined the 76ers in free agency this summer after spending the past eight seasons with the Lakers. He told Los Angeles that he had no intention of returning to the franchise, which sparked a nearly monthlong storyline of where LeBron might land.
The 76ers are among the favorites to win an NBA championship after signing James. But this video clip might make fans rethink their belief in James.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 03: Ariel Hukporti #55 of the New York Knicks dunks the ball against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on February 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Following another playoff exit in the spring 0f 2026, the Philadelphia 76ers went out in free agency and brought back true championship experience. I’m talking, of course, about the signing of 24-year-old center Ariel Hukporti, fresh off a title as a member of the New York Knicks.
In all seriousness, while signing someone who played 76 total minutes during the Knicks’ playoff run to a one-year, $3.4 million deal was far from the most high-profile move of the offseason for the Sixers, it is one that could play a large factor in the team’s success this season.
As anyone knows who has even heard of Sixers basketball over the last decade or so, backup center is an important role in Philadelphia. Joel Embiid is going to miss games. Even under the best-case scenario where he avoids a serious injury (be it a setback in his knees or something entirely new the fates decide to rain down upon him), Embiid will sit out back-to-backs, have load management nights, and accrue the minor bumps and bruises that befall nearly every professional basketball players particularly those who are 7-feet tall and weight 280 pounds.
As is the case more often than not, the Sixers do not have a rock-solid plan at the position. Adem Bona has shown intriguing flashes as a shot blocker and energy guy, but he also has serious catching-the-ball issues and often looks like he’s never been on a basketball court before if he receives a pass in transition more than three feet away from the basket. His foul rate is extremely high, which isn’t a huge deal if playing 12 minutes per night, but is a red flag if he’s needed for extended minutes. Bona is only 23 years old and could certainly still improve in a lot of areas, but I’m willing to wager he’ll never have the soft hands and touch around the basket to be more than a lob finisher offensively. Adem also sprained his foot in FIBA competition; he’s expected to be fine before the start of the season, but you’d rather guys not sprain their feet.
So what do the Sixers have in Hukporti? I don’t think anyone can say with too much confidence. The seven-foot, 24-year-old German was the 58th overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft and has played less than 10 minutes per game across his first two seasons, logging only six career starts. He suffered a torn meniscus in early 2025 that caused him to miss time. Hukporti also played professionally in Europe and Australia before entering the NBA draft so there was less visibility on him than there might have been for a college prospect.
During his time with the Knicks, Hukporti displayed potential as a mobile rim protector. He played well when called upon in the NBA Finals. When Karl-Anthony Towns got into foul trouble in Game 4, it was Hukporti logging heavy run as the Knicks made their 29-point comeback. In Game 5, he showed off his athleticism with this rejection of Luke Kornet.
ARIEL HUKPORTI with a great block on Luke Kornet alley-oop attempt (with replays) pic.twitter.com/WAGTiGepMs
It’s not a great sign when the Knicks didn’t extend him a qualifying offer and later filled the hole with Andre Drummond. You would like to believe it was during a moment when New York needed every bit of financial flexibility they could gather. Knicks fans seemed to expect the team would circle back to Hukporti but the Sixers offering him more than a minimum threw that plan into disarray. Philadelphia signed him for slightly over a minimum contract (which would have been around $2.45 million), so they clearly liked something about what he brings to the table.
Time will tell exactly what Hukporti is, but a realistic upside outcome is a version of Bona who can catch the ball better. For little more than a minimum and for a Sixers roster that clearly needs to find something at this position, Hukporti is a worthwhile dart throw. Even on a star-studded roster, there’s potential for him to play a pivotal part.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts on the court during the second half at Barclays Center, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Brooklyn, NY. (Corey Sipkin for the...
When speaking with “The Basketball Show” on Monday, Brown said, “I thought LeBron was a regular individual, and then I realized he’s a part of a group. LeBron is a machine. It’s a marketing machine. He’s not an individual.
“And so, once I realized that when when you go up against a machine, it gives off toxic waste. What’s made to look good, it destroys things around it,” Brown, who never played with LeBron, added.
LeBron James (23) of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts on the court during the second half at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Corey Sipkin for NY Post
“And if you look at the careers that he’s destroyed: Westbrook… You got Dalton Knecht; Because of [LeBron’s] son, he didn’t get a chance to develop… And he comes there with Andrew Wiggins as the number one draft pick. I know what that’s like. And when I see him go places, I’m like, okay, I want to know which player is gonna have to be taken away from for this machine to still look like what it is,” Brown continued.
Brown was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2001 NBA Draft and famously spent three seasons with the Lakers as what most considered a bust.
He went on to say that either Joel Embiid or V. J. Edgecombe will take the fall of the 76ers don’t meet expectations this season.
Plus, Brown asserted that the Lakers’ decision to draft Bronny James was, “More made for LeBron’s legacy because he he can’t catch like [Michael Jordan] or Kobe [Bryant] in certain things. But he can say, ‘Listen, I’m the only father son duo that was on the basketball court. I’m the only father-son duo that was in the playoffs, and now it’s going to be the only father-son duo that goes against each other.'”
Brown clearly has some sour grapes, which is manifesting in his sentiment toward LeBron.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) sits on the bench in the fourth quarter during Game 2 of the NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks, May 6, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostLos Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James is seen during pre-game warmups under the watchful eye of his father, forward LeBron James, before a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
It felt like time. Trae Young was in his eighth season in Atlanta and things felt stagnant. This was a team — and Young was a player — in need of a change, and while it wasn't always smooth, the team worked with Young and he was traded to the Washington Wizards.
At least, that was how it looked from the outside.
"I love the owner, Tony (Ressler), and all the ownership group and everybody down there. So I have much love to a lot of people down there in Atlanta, so I never wanted to leave [in] a bad way. But once we got on that third GM, and we brought in Onsi, it's like you don't necessarily feel as comfortable as you did [when] you got there...
"There are so many things I won't say until later on, but sometimes it's just better just to let things go."
Schlenk was all in on Young from the start. He made a draft-night trade of Luka Doncic for Young and always kept Young at the heart of any future plans in Atlanta. Onsi didn't see it that way and reconstituted a team around Jalen Johnson and a formidable defense, and that had Atlanta going 20-6 after the All-Star break and looking like a potential threat in the East heading into this season.
"I've never worked in another job, but I'm sure it's like this in other jobs where if a new boss is hired, if the new CEO comes in, if a new GM comes in, he's gonna want to bring in his people," said Young. "He may make some cuts. He may move some people here and there. He's gonna figure out who he likes. So, obviously, this was my third GM. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's different...
"And so when we brought our third one, we all knew around me that it's either we're going to be around here for the long haul and we win or it may be time for everybody to just part their ways."
So they parted their ways. Young got what he most wanted out of this, a four-year, $213 million contract extension, a deal that left the rest of the league shaking its head at the unnecessary overpay (and the kind of extension Atlanta was not going to give him). Maybe Young works well next to a young Atlanta core with No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa and big man Alex Sarr — plus Anthony Davis is on the Wizards now, too. It's an interesting team.
Atlanta has moved on and had one of the more underrated, strong offseasons. Young and Saleh may not have been on the same page, it was time to part ways, but Saleh has helped Atlanta find a needed new identity and direction.
Young was ultimately right, it was "time for everybody to just part their ways."
