Category: NBA

The latest news surrounding the Los Angeles Clippers and Kawhi Leonard features additional evidence that the organization may have circumvented the salary cap via secret endorsement deals.

While the Clippers and Leonard are being investigated by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (the NBA’s outside law firm) for a $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration Partners Inc, the evidence of another suspicious sponsorship has surfaced.

On the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast, Pablo Torre uncovered Leonard’s ties with Daktronics, the manufacturing company that installed the massive double-sided 4K “Halo Board” for the Clippers’ new arena, the Intuit Dome.

Leonard was reportedly a spokesperson for Daktronics, despite the company focusing its advertising on the business-to-business model rather than celebrity endorsements.

An insider told Torre that the sponsorship was “1,000% a way to circumvent the salary cap.” Several high-level officials who worked on the Intuit Dome project joked about Leonard’s alleged sponsorship with the manufacturing company, according to Torre’s sources.

Moreover, the sponsorship was reportedly a multimillion-dollar deal between Leonard and Daktronics. Only sources say the Clippers were funding the endorsement, rather than Daktronics.

Sam Koppelman of Hunterbrook Media followed up with Daktronics directly about the sponsorship. Daktronics didn’t comment on the situation and instead pointed Koppelman to a crisis communications firm, where an executive sent him the following: “My understanding is Daktronics doesn’t have a deal with Kawhi right now.”

Investigators from Wachtell perviously looked into the unreported endorsement deal between Leonard and Daktronics.

The current investigation into the Clippers and Leonard is entering its 10th month with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hoping to end the probe before the upcoming season. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and Leonard have denied any wrongdoing, claiming to be victims of fraud tied to Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg.

Because of the league’s investigation, a trade between the Clippers and Toronto Raptors for Leonard is on hold.

The Spurs’ bench was largely a disappointment in the playoffs after being a huge strength in the regular season. While Sixth Man of the Year Keldon Johnson will rightfully get the most scrutiny for his struggles on offense, Luke Kornet had his own issues not only on defense but also scoring inside against better interior defenses.

Kornet is largely a finished product by now, so expecting him to alter his offensive game severely to account for his athletic limitations is too optimistic. That said, there is one relatively simple weapon to develop that he could add to his arsenal, which could make a huge impact on his viability as a playoff scorer and overall offensive player: a floater.

Kornet’s shot profile seemed optimized, at least for the regular season, based on his skills. He gave up on the three-pointer he tried to develop earlier in his career and only takes shots close to the basket now that are largely created for him. He sets screens and dives or roams the dunker spot. Of his 330 field goal attempts, 291 came in the restricted area, and by being close to the rim, he maximized his valuable offensive rebounding. At age 31, Kornet found success as an inside scorer, and he plays to his strengths.

The problem he ran into in the postseason was better rim protection that neutralized his inside scoring, which was his only weapon. On the surface, Kornet going from shooting 65.9 percent in the restricted area to 61.2 percent doesn’t seem like that big of an issue, but since scoring close to the rim is the only way he can get buckets, it was damaging for a second unit that often struggled to create good looks,

Now, with Kornet, his value was always expected to mostly be derived from his defense, so it’s tempting to dismiss any complaints about his scoring. Still, we can’t ignore that San Antonio scored over 10 fewer points per 100 possessions when he played. There’s a strong case to be made that his individual struggles were more a symptom of poor perimeter shot creation than anything else, while the on/off numbers are a reflection of Victor Wembanyama’s greatness, but the fact remains: the Spurs were slightly worse than their average on defense with Kornet playing and absolutely horrendous on offense in the playoffs.

So, would a reliable floater have made a difference? Probably. Isaiah Hartenstein showed the Spurs how much the ability of a non-shooting center to be a threat to score inside the arc can help when nothing else works. Since Victor Wembanyama was a monster close to the paint on defense, Hartenstein stayed away from the rim to be a release valve and used his touch to score. He made as many field goals outside of eight feet as he did within them, which is vastly different than the ratio he had in the regular season, where he took 225 within eight feet and just 64 within eight and 16 feet. The adjustment made him playable.

The floater or push shot is simply a great weapon for big men who are not typical lob threats or three-point shooters. The Spurs not only faced a big with that skill but used to have one, as Jakob Poeltl used his unorthodox launch to make buckets when big men ignored him or dropped too far in the paint to contest ball handlers. There’s no reason to believe Kornet couldn’t get decent at it and at least use it situationally.

Kornet is too useful as a dive man to turn into more of a short roll player, and he’d have to really prove to opponents that he can hurt them with a floater before they start defending him in a way that opens up shots for others. Even if the defense reacts to him away from the rim, he might not have the passing chops and quick decision-making to take advantage, since he never played that role. For the most part, he should continue to set screens, roll hard and make himself available for a pass, and get in position to rebound misses.

If he can mix in the occasional floater, push shot, or even a short jumper, however, he would have a counter for when the defense drops deep to protect the paint. Expecting him to become a knockdown shooter, playmaker, or post scorer at age 31 would not be realistic, but hoping he can diversify his finishing ability a little to make him less dependent on shots directly at the rim doesn’t seem that unreasonable.

The Spurs knew what they were getting when they signed Kornet: a rock-solid backup center with no perimeter skills but the ability to protect the rim against second units and score inside if he was fed. If he’s nothing more than that once again next season, he will be extremely valuable, especially in the regular season.

If he has one more minor evolution left in him in terms of developing a bit of range, however, he could be as important in the playoffs by keeping the offense more diverse when Wembanyama rests, the paint is crowded, and the ideal shots are not available.

The Mavericks are going to great lengths to flag down a one-of-a-kind trading card of their budding superstar.

On release day for the new Topps Chrome Update 2025-26 set, Dallas announced a lucrative bounty for the lucky collector who pulls an ultra-rare card of reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.

The one-of-one rookie card, which bears Flagg’s autograph and the actual patch he wore on the night of his NBA debut, is one of the most anticipated and sought-after trading cards of the year.

The organization’s offer includes several items, including season tickets, a signed jersey and more:

• Two (2) Mavericks season premium lower level tickets for 32 years
• A Flagg signed game-worn rookie jersey
• A post-game photo with Flagg
• Private photoshoot with the NBA Rookie of the Year trophy and Larry O’Brien championship trophy
• VIP tour of the Mavericks practice facility with a team meet-and-greet
• Private basketball experience for up to 10 guests at American Airlines Center
• Road trip experience to see the Mavericks vs. Boston Celtics, including: round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations, game tickets

Flagg, 19, signed the card at Fanatics Fest in New York City last month.

“Oh my god, that thing is beautiful…I’m nervous,” Flagg said before suggesting that whoever pulls the card should keep it.

“Hold on to it, hold on to it,” he said. “I think it will gain in value as I go on through my career, so it will be a good piece to hang on to.”

In his first NBA season, Flagg averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and shot 46.8 percent from the field in 70 games.

In 2023, Topps and Major League Baseball introduced the Debut Patch series, featuring patches worn by players in their first MLB games that were later embedded into one-of-a-kind trading cards.

Pirates superstar pitcher Paul Skenes’ debut patch card fetched a record $1.11 million last year after the card was pulled by an 11-year-old boy in California.

The boy and his family rejected an offer from the Pirates — which was similar to the one issued by the Mavericks — and instead elected to put the card up for auction.

Just last week, a one-of-one card of Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani was found in Boca Raton, Fla.

The card, which features two game-worn gold MLB logo patches along with two Ohtani signatures, one in English and one in Japanese Kanji, was sold for over $10 million.

With Fanatics acquiring the license to feature NBA players on Topps products, this release marks the inaugural Debut Patch release for the league.

Other notable rookies featured in this year’s Debut Patch program include Spurs standout Dylan Harper, Rookie of the Year runner-up Kon Knueppel and Nets guard Egor Demin.

Topps announced on Thursday that several Debut Patch redemption cards had already been pulled, including Flagg’s Mavericks teammate John Poulakidas, Suns big man Khaman Maluach, Clippers guard Kobe Sanders and Kings guard Nique Clifford.

Should Flagg’s Debut Patch card reach auction, it’s expected to sell for well over $1 million.

Five weeks and one LeBron James signing later, Jaylen Brown finally spoke to the media as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. He answered questions for about 20 minutes about his relationship with the team and teammates, both new and old, and what he’s looking forward to bringing the city of Philadelphia.

The first takeaway of Brown’s press conference was the location. As opposed to holding it at the Sixers’ practice facility in Camden where the majority of these availabilities are, Brown requested that his introduction be held at the Francis J. Recreation Center in West Philadelphia with dozens of children in attendance.

As someone who’s been active in the Boston community, Brown is hoping to have that same impact in his new city.

“People who know my family and I, we are rooted in the community,” Brown said. “That’s what we hang our hats on.”

The Francis J. Myers Center doesn’t necessarily mean a ton to Brown personally just yet. He admittedly is still trying to learn the city with this as his first step.

“As I’m getting started on a journey, embarking on a journey here in Philadelphia, the introduction, the first impression is everything,” Brown said. “I just wanted to let people know in Philadelphia that this is something that’s important to me.”

Those kids got to look on with members of the media, family and Sixers organization as Brown described his reaction to the trade as well as his new team. Brown said he threw his phone across the room when he first heard the news, but has since been in steady communication with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe and LeBron James. Maxey, Edgecombe and Embiid all reached out to him pretty soon after the news broke. James has been active in the team’s group chats since he signed later in the month.

A theme of Brown’s presser was his desire to win and belief in the Sixers’ ability to do so, but he also isn’t sure exactly how that will look. He wasn’t shy about the fact that this roster is going to take some figuring out with the amount of star-quality mouths to feed. When asked what he’ll be bringing to the team, Brown sounded as curious as the rest of us.

“I’m not sure completely yet,” he said. “I think we’ll figure out as time goes on, as we start to spend time with each other, get on the court, and have conversations, etc.”

He didn’t shy away from the fact that there will be a lot of mouths to feed on this roster. The way he continually addressed winning and the habits it takes to do so reassures the idea that he will do whatever it takes to figure it out.

“I’m just excited to just be myself. I think that’s one thing that I can promise the city and the organization and the coaching staff, that I’m gonna come in every single day and be myself, put my best foot forward,” Brown said. “We’ll figure out the Xs and Os and the ins and outs. But winning is the agenda, so that’s the first thing that’s on my mind.”

To that point, the talent on the front end of this roster stands out to Brown just as much as anyone. He had high praise for the job the Sixers’ front office did as they sat in front of him in the first row.

“Obviously, on paper, we’re excellent,” he said, ”but I’ve been around a long time, long enough to know that just what you have on paper don’t really mean nothing.“

He wanted to stress that it takes the proper amount of work and dedication to take something on paper and turn it into actual success.

“It just takes the amount of work and the transparency, and the leadership can really guide this thing or not. So, for me, I’m just focused on that. How can I lead with my heart, lead with my work, my mentality?”

What will be interesting to see is how much of a vocal role Brown plays. He had tons of praise for Edgecombe when asked about him, but also admitted that he is not necessarily the mentor type. He tries to let his actions speak louder than words.

“I just come in with a mentality to impact winning, lead by example. I’m not designating myself as nothing. You gotta earn that with time and trust, and people gravitate naturally or they don’t,” he said, “but, you know, my focus is on winning.”

Brown has always been a highly motivated individual, and it feels now more than ever that a chip on his shoulder is driving him as a Sixer. He fielded several questions about the end of his Celtics tenure. He briefly mentioned how it didn’t end well there, as well as the fact that he hasn’t spoken to Jayson Tatum since being traded to Philadelphia.

His answer as to whether the trade was as motivating as his 2024 Olympic team snub said the most without having to say a lot.

“Um, yeah. I’m gonna say, it’s one day at a time. That’s all I got.” 

Despite being summer, the NBA’s August doldrums continue at glacial speeds. But amidst the roster limbo the Bucks find themselves in, tidbits continue to emerge about one particular player of interest: Peyton Watson. Let’s catch up.

A delayed resolution?

The news: Reports from Jake Fischer indicate that a resolution on the Watson front might not come until some time in September, with Watson and his Klutch Sports Group agent Rich Paul apparently “willing to remain patient.”

Why it matters: For the Bucks, this continues their roster holding pattern. With Watson the most talented player the Bucks have been linked to—they have also been connected with Jonathon Kuminga and Benedict Mathurin—they are unlikely to make any roster moves until this situation plays out. So, the roster remains at 17.

Actively involved

The news: According to Shams Charania, the Denver Nuggets are actively exploring sign-and-trade possibilities for Watson and the Bucks remain very much in play:

[The Nuggets] are in active trade talks with multiple teams on a Peyton Watson sign and trade. That includes Cleveland, Milwaukee, and the Clippers. There are combinations of player packages, pick packages as well. So either they’re gonna trade him, or you could potentially have him back on a 1-year, $6.5 million qualifying offer.

Why it matters: With the Nuggets seemingly unwilling to increase their offer to Watson and the Bucks one of three teams listed in talks, this is an encouraging sign. Of course, with the Nuggets becoming a second apron team after matching the Oklahoma City Thunder’s offer to forward Spencer Jones—and going deeper into it by signing Lonnie Walker IV—any trade will be complex (to say the least).

Asset hesitation

The news: Meanwhile, despite their interest, Eric Nehm of The Athletic reported that the Bucks are hesitant to include any first-round draft capital in a deal for Watson:

But while the Bucks are interested in the 23-year-old forward, league sources maintain they expect the Bucks to be hesitant to include a first-round pick in any deal for Watson as they continue building out their asset base post-Antetokounmpo.

Without giving up a first-round pick, the Nuggets would have to derive much of the value of a sign-and-trade with the Bucks from the player (or players) involved in the deal. While other teams interested in Watson might be giving up fringe rotation players with a first-rounder, the Bucks might need to include real rotation players to entice the Nuggets to consider their offer.

Why it matters: Jon Horst seems to be playing hardball. Yes, the Bucks would love to have Watson, but being in the extremely early stages of a rebuild, they shouldn’t be outwardly willing to cough up major assets to do so. Yes, Watson is worth a first-round pick. But Horst keeping that in his back pocket is the right move for now. Plus, the Bucks do have a logjam of rotational players that could be dealt in whatever convoluted trade ultimately materialises.

Where the Watson saga ends up is anyone’s guess. For all we know, the Bucks might simply be involving themselves as a trade facilitator taking on a contract they can absorb while bringing back additional assets. Either way, here’s hoping Horst has another heist up his sleeve. 

Takeaways on Jaylen Brown's introductory Sixers press conference  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

A little over a month since the Sixers shook up the NBA summer by trading for him, Jaylen Brown held his first press conference in Philadelphia.

Here’s what stood out from Brown’s introductory press conference Thursday:

The shock factor 

How did Brown initially react to the news of the trade? 

“When I first (learned) I got traded, I just threw my phone across the room,” he said with a laugh.

Multiple Sixers soon reached out to Brown and welcomed him aboard, including Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid. Still, on a day that included posing for photos with his No. 7 Sixers jersey and throwing out the first pitch at the Phillies game, Brown acknowledged his new reality hasn’t entirely sunk in yet. 

“There’s been a lot of emotions,” he said. “It’s been a process. To be honest, I’m still processing to some degree. One, the excitement of coming to a new city, new place, new expectations, new energy. And then also leaving somewhere that you’ve been for a very, very long time. 

“I’ve been in Boston for 10 years. I’m 29 years old, so I was there a third of my life. I met some lifelong friends, some people that I’ll still be connected to. … It’s just a process. Just like everybody else has to deal with certain things, it’s no different. It’s just been public; that’s the only difference.”

Focused on winning and work 

Brown was crystal clear about his priorities. 

Details will matter for the Sixers’ dramatically revamped roster, but the five-time All-Star wing’s drive to win is simple. 

“I’m not sure completely yet,” Brown said when asked where he envisions himself most helping the Sixers. “I think we’ll figure it out as time goes on. … But I’m excited to just be myself. That’s one thing I can promise the city, the organization and the coaching staff, that I’m going to come in every single day and be myself. Put my best foot forward, lead with my integrity, lead with my mentality and lead with my capacity and my will to win. 

“So we’ll figure out the X’s and O’s, the ins and outs, but winning is the agenda. That’s the first thing that’s on my mind.” 

Brown’s new teammates certainly won’t be strangers at training camp.

“We talk damn near every day almost,” he said. “We’ve got group chats, multiple now, and we’re all trying to figure this thing out. LeBron (James), he’s active in the group chat. We’re just all trying to get on the same page. I think everybody knows how incredible the opportunity that we have is, but we’ve also got to put in the work. My focus is on that — putting in the work, earning the respect from the city, from the coaching staff. 

“Everything will take time. I understand how that process of winning works. You’ve got to build from the foundation and build up. You can’t skip steps. So we’re not skipping (any) steps. We’re starting early.”

No pretending time with Celtics ended on pleasant note 

While Brown opted against going into great depth on the final stages of his Celtics tenure, he didn’t act as if the parties parted on swell terms. 

Brown has said he felt disrespected by how the Celtics handled the trade. 

“The whole process,” he said Thursday. “But to be honest, my mind is so focused on what’s in front of me. … I’m moving on. Maybe one day you share the details of how everything transpired, all the moving parts that took place in this. Obviously, there’s a lot of speculation. I feel no need to chime in on it because I’m focused on what’s in front of me.”

Brown spoke highly of his decade in Boston and said he was “very grateful for my experience” during formative years in his life. 

He was asked about his relationship with former Celtics co-star Jayson Tatum. 

“We won a championship together,” Brown said. “Anybody that you won a championship with, you’d think that’s what a brotherhood and a lifelong legacy would entail. Obviously, there’s ups and downs in any type of relationship for sure. But on my end, there’s nothing but respect. Besides when he plays the Sixers, I hope he does well. But other than that, everything for me is just based in respect.”

Has Brown talked with Tatum after the trade?

“Not really,” he said. 

Responding to all the noise 

Brown has not been oblivious to the NBA world’s discourse about his game and personality.

He’s heard plenty of opinions and criticisms about his analytical value, his salary and much more. 

“I feel like I’ve dealt with that for a while internally, externally,” Brown said. “I just choose to focus on what I focus on. Obviously, it got to a threshold this offseason that was a little bit higher than what it’s been in the past. I think people attacked my character. Someone even went as far as saying that I had a disease. … But none of it is completely surprising. Some of these things were said externally. Internally, through the organization and stuff like that, there’s been conversations. … It’s just been a crazy process and transition. 

“And then obviously, getting traded to the Sixers, somebody that you competed against for the last 10 years, someone that’s been a rival, that was a process, too. So there’s been a lot of stuff. Having to move your family and move places … it has been a lot. But people deal with it every day. People have to change, relocate. I’m not complaining up here. … It is what it is. So let’s get to it.” 

Safe to say Brown won’t lack motivation next season. 

“I don’t care about the MVP awards, Finals MVP,” he said. “None of that stuff really moves me. It’s nice, but the only thing that’s going to move me is doing something collectively — a championship. That’s what I’m looking forward to, trying to start that journey and building. But all the other stuff that comes with it is just a distraction to me. Whatever it takes on a night-to-night basis. Whatever it takes.”

Centering the community 

Brown didn’t pick the standard press conference setting of the Sixers’ training complex in Camden, New Jersey.

He instead chose the Francis J. Myers Recreation Center in Philadelphia. Local kids sporting Jaylen Brown shirseys were among the attendees.

Brown’s done extensive work in the Boston community through his 7uice Foundation, which describes its mission as partnering with“institutions, organizations and social change leaders to bridge the opportunity gap for youth in traditionally underserved communities.” 

“For me and for people who know my family and I, we are rooted in the community,” Brown said. “That’s where we hang our hat, being able to affect other people’s lives. I think we’re very blessed. We’ve been able to help our own family and be able to kind of change the course of what our generation or our family name could possibly do. But we look forward to being able to impact others and to touch families and households that we may never get to see. 

“Being here at Francis J., as I’m still getting to learn this community, I just wanted to make this an important pillar in my life — the community and the foundation. And as I’m getting started on the journey here in Philadelphia, the introduction, the first impression is everything. I just wanted to let people know here in Philadelphia that this is something that’s important to me. … So I’m happy to be here, and thank you to the community for allowing me to be here and holding my space here. I’m looking forward to learning the community, meeting some like-minded individuals and doing some work. That’s what we’re about.”

James Harden’s gun case will not linger into the NBA season.

The misdemeanor unlawful carrying of weapons charge that the Cleveland Cavaliers guard had been hit with stemming from his June arrest was dropped Thursday, according to court records viewed by The California Post.

Harris County, Texas prosecutors wrote in a motion to dismiss the case that they were seeking to dispose of the matter after Harden had completed an “alternative resolution agreement.”

A judge formally signed off on the motion just before 4 p.m. CT, the records show.

Messages seeking comment from Harden’s attorney as well as the Harris County District Attorney’s Office were not returned.

Harden was taken into custody on June 13 by the Houston Police Department after the 11-time All-Star allegedly had an unholstered firearm in plain view in his vehicle during a routine traffic stop.

Harden never publicly commented on the arrest, though the Cavaliers said in a statement on the day of the incident that they were “aware” of the situation and were “in the process of gathering additional information.”

“We are in contact with James and his representation,” the team said, “and will continue to monitor developments as they become available. At this time, we will have no further comment.”

Harden spent nine seasons of his NBA career in Houston. He had played for the Los Angeles Clippers for over two years before joining Cleveland this past season.

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Jaylen Brown revealed he was in sheer disbelief when he was traded to the 76ers. So much so that he chucked his phone.

The five-time All-Star was introduced to the Philadelphia media on Thursday and discussed how he found out he was being traded.

“When I first got traded I just threw my phone across the room,” Brown told reporters of his reaction to the July deal that sent him from Boston to Philly.

“Who [reached out] first? It might have been [Tyrese] Maxxey. … He reached out and was like, ‘I know there’s a lot of stuff going on right now, but we [are] excited to have you.'”

Brown was acquired by the 76ers after much speculation about where he’d play in 2026-27. In return, the Celtics got Paul George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round draft picks.

Brown added that he’s still processing the news. He said the excitement of being in a new city with new expectations hasn’t worn off.

He also pointed out that he was in Boston for 10 years, over a third of the 29-year-old’s life to this point, and has to get used to his new normal.

A large part of his Celtics experience was shared with Jayson Tatum, and their relationship was rumored to have deteriorated throughout the past few seasons.

Brown, however, said Thursday that he leaves Tatum with nothing but respect.

“We won a championship together,” Brown said. “Anybody that you win a championship with, you think that’s what a brotherhood or a lifelong legacy would entail.

“Obviously, there’s ups and downs in any type of relationship, for sure. On my end, there’s nothing but respect. Besides when he plays for the Sixers, I hope he does well.”

Another relationship brought into the limelight after the trade was Brown and 76ers star Joel Embiid.

Brown previously called out Embiid’s flopping on a livestream after the two had been cagey throughout the Celtics-Sixers first-round playoff series this past season.

Then, two weeks after the trade, it was reported that the two had not talked since the playoffs, leading Brown to clear the air.

“It’s been good,” Brown said about his relationship with Embiid. “Me and Joel been friends throughout the years, have mutual respect. I know he loves soccer, I love soccer, so we talk about that a lot.”

At least one Knicks assistant won’t be back next year. 

Carson Shanks, who spent the last three years with the Knicks as an assistant, won’t be returning. His contract expired this offseason, according to a league source. 

He most recently served as the team’s assistant director of video/analytics and player development. A 7-footer who played college basketball at North Dakota and Loyola Chicago, he often worked with the team’s big men in warmups. 

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“3 years of the Mecca, 3 years of the City, 3 years of being a New York Knick, and most importantly, 3 years of Memories and Relationships that’ll never go away,” Shanks posted on Instagram. “The Garden shaking and sharing it with family, the sounds of the city during the parade, the taste of that champagne, the feel of the Larry O’Brien trophy, things I’ll have forever.

“SO excited for what is next, but thank you New York for 3 of the best years of my life.” 

All of coach Mike Brown’s front-of-the-bench assistants are expected to be back next year, though there could be some other movement further down the pecking order.  

Holding his first press conference since he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, star forward Jaylen Brown stressed that he’s moving on from his time with the Boston Celtics.

He didn’t shy away, however, from hints that his final days there weren’t without challenges.

During a Twitch stream in early July, Brown had said he felt there was “a bit of a lack of respect” during trade talks and discussions of Brown’s future, adding that he “wasn’t thrilled” with the way Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens “facilitated some of the conversations.”

When asked Thursday, Aug. 6 what bothered him about his final days with the Celtics, Brown wanted to look forward.

“The whole process,” Brown said. “But to be honest, my mind is so focused on what’s in front of me. I’m moving on. Maybe one day we can share the details of how everything transpired and all the moving parts that took place in this. Obviously, it’s a lot of speculation; I feel no need to chime in on it because I’m focused on what’s in front of me.”

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Positioned directly in the dog days of summer, it’s prime time for teams to bluff like crazy, which appears to be what the Mavericks are doing.

One of the latest developments this offseason is a potential Klay Thompson-Lakers pairing. The veteran sharpshooter was once a free agent target in a different era for the purple and gold. After changes in both Dallas and Los Angeles, he could be back on the market late this summer with the Lakers interested.

Entering the final year of his contract, Thompson is a prime buyout candidate. Teams are aware of this and are lining up for him, with the Lakers included among them.

However, Dallas is also aware of that interest and is definitely not bluffing that they’ll keep Thompson and trade him. For now, that is their stance, as reported by Jake Fischer on a recent Bleacher Report video (emphasis added).

“To this point, Dallas has not been looking to find a buyout agreement with Klay Thompson. He’s got one year left on a three-year, $51 million deal that he signed two seasons ago when he left the Golden State Warriors, the franchise he won four championships with, of course…Klay Thompson very nearly chose the Los Angeles Lakers with then LeBron James over joining Dallas originally to pair with Luka Doncic and where’s Luka Doncic right now? Of course, with the Lakers. There’s plenty of connective tissue there that makes sense here. The only thing is, the Mavericks have been very resistant, to my understanding, of actually moving forward and agreeing to a buyout with Klay Thompson. They believe this market that’s shaping up for him, the fact that there is some LA interest, the fact that there is Miami interest. There’s probably other places that have interest in Klay Thompson as well.”

This is always the silly portion of this process. The team pretends they’re not going to buy out a player and trade him because of the interest in the player. But the interest in the player only exists if they’re bought out. So a team has to pretend they won’t buy him out while no one gives them a trade proposal.

As things stand, Thompson seems set for a buyout. Whether the Lakers have interest from that point does remain in the air. They already have too many players on the roster before signing him and likely wouldn’t guarantee him more like a spot off the bench.

Miami, meanwhile, seems like a place that could offer him a bigger role. It also becomes a question of how much he wants to play in Los Angeles.

Eventually, it seems like all that will be up for debate. But, for now, the Mavericks are going to continue bluffing.

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

Just over a month after he was traded from the Celtics to Philadelphia, Jaylen Brown was officially introduced as a member of the 76ers on Thursday afternoon.

“I’m excited to just be myself,” Brown said, sitting at the podium of the Francis J. Myers Recreation Center. “I think that’s one thing that I can promise the city and the organization and coaching staff that I’m coming every single day to be myself with my best foot forward. Be with my integrity, my mentality, and be with my capacity and my ability to win. We’ll figure out the X’s and O’s.”

In his introductory press conference, Brown fielded more than 20 minutes of questions from a press corps that included dozens of Philadelphia reporters, as well as a slew of Boston media members who made the trip to Pennsylvania to watch the longtime Celtic and former Finals MVP turn the page in his illustrious career.

Brown touched on his excitement about the prospect of bringing a title to Philadelphia, and spoke candidly about how crazy of a summer it had been, getting traded to a rival franchise that eliminated the Celtics just a few weeks ago.

He fielded questions about his eagerness to mentor rising sophomore VJ Edgecombe, who will be the youngest standout among a talented pool of stars. He spoke candidly about his excitement about the prospect of learning from LeBron James. And he shared how quickly franchise cornerstones Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid reached out to him after the trade.

But, though Brown’s press conference mostly centered around the 76ers — and the organization’s title aspirations — he also reflected a bit on his Boston tenure.

For one, he was asked which part of the trade process he felt was disrespectful, something he previously stated on the Twitch stream.

“The whole process,” he said.

“But to be honest, my mind is so focused on what’s in front of me. To be honest, I’m moving on. Maybe one day, I’ll share the details and how everything transpired and all the moving parts that took place in this. Obviously, it’s a lot of speculation. I feel no need to chime in on it because I’m focused on what’s important.”

Throughout the press conference, though Brown never mentioned explicitly mentioned the Celtics, he frequently showed appreciation for the decade he spent in Boston.

“I look back at the city of Boston, and I’m grateful,” he said. “I’ve been able to develop as a man, as a human being here.”

“The relationships are still there, so are the connections. I’m very grateful for my ten years in Boston. I have nothing but respect for Boston, but it’s time to move forward.”

Notably, Brown was also asked about his relationship with Jayson Tatum, which has been hotly scrutinized for much of the past decade — and especially over the last weeks, in the aftermath of the trade.

“We won a championship together,” Brown said. “So anybody that you win a championship with, that’s what you know a brotherhood or a lifelong legacy would entail. Obviously, just ups and downs in any type of relationship for sure. But on my end, it’s nothing but respect. Besides for when he plays the Sixers, I hope he does well. But other than that, everything for me is just based on respect.”

Brown was also asked if he and Tatum have been able to talk since the trade.

“Not really,” he said.

Jaylen Brown extensively spoke about his desire to win in Philly

Sitting in front of a Philadelphia 76ers backdrop for the first time, Brown has made one thing clear: his top priority is to win.

“My focus is winning,” he said. “Obviously, other people’s focus can be scoring. My focus going into every practice, every meeting, every shootaround, every film session is: how do we win night in and night out? So sometimes that may change, sometimes it may look different, but whatever it takes. At no point, at this point in my career, nothing else has really moved me.

“I don’t care about the outside success. I never did, you know what I mean? I don’t care about the MVP awards or finals MVP. None of that stuff really moves me. It’s nice. The only thing that’s gonna move me is doing something collectively — so a championship. So that’s what I’m looking forward to, trying to start that journey and building towards. But all the other stuff that comes along with it is just a distraction.

The new-look 76ers are loaded with talent. Their expected starting lineup includes a four-time Finals MVP in LeBron James, a Finals MVP in Jaylen Brown, a former MVP in Joel Embiid, a two-time All-Star in Tyrese Maxey, and one of last year’s top rookies in VJ Edgecombe.

Brown was asked about that loaded roster and how the leadership dynamics will be worked out.

“To be honest, it doesn’t have to be anybody’s team,” he said. “It just needs to be based in respect and work, and that’s kind of my approach. I want to earn everybody’s respect and trust, which takes time. Obviously, it’s a lot of guys with talent, egos — but to win, you’ve got to be able to sacrifice.”

Though Brown did admit he threw his phone across the room shortly after news of the trade broke, nearly five weeks later, he sounded at peace with how things played out.

“I’m very grateful for my experience, my team here in Boston; 10 years is a perfect cycle, perfect number for completion,” Brown said. “We won a championship, and I have nothing but respect for the city of Boston. But now it’s time to move forward a little bit.”