The deal includes a player option for the 2030-31 season and a full trade kicker. With this new deal, Mitchell won't join the star-studded free agent class next season, which includes Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Mitchell's previous contract included a 2027 player option worth $53.8 million.
The 29-year-old Mitchell averaged 27.9 points, 5.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds last season for the Cavaliers, who got to the Eastern Conference Finals before they were swept by the New York Knicks, who went on to win the NBA championship. He was named a second-team All-NBA selection.
The Cavaliers might not be done with the offseason as they try to retool their roster, and they are thought to be among the favorites to land free agent LeBron James, who informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he would not be returning for a ninth season.
Mitchell, a seven-time NBA All-Star, was originally traded to Cleveland from the Utah Jazz for Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Ochai Agbaji, a 2025 first round pick, a 2026 first round pick, a 2027 first round pick, a 2028 first round pick, and a 2029 first round pick
NEW ORLEANS, LA - DECEMBER 3: New Orleans Saints Marcus Williams and Terron Armstead smile during a game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Dallas Mavericks on December 3, 2019 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 2019 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Former New Orleans Saints teammates Terron Armstead and Marcus Williams built a strong bond during their time together in the Big Easy, and that relationship remains as strong as ever.
#Saints legend Terron Armstead speaks on his relationship with Marcus Williams at the MWAthletics x GutCheck Combine. pic.twitter.com/fuEslDMrzt
Armstead was in attendance for the MW Athletics and GutCheck Combine, an event hosted through Williams’ youth training program, where he spent time supporting the next generation of athletes while praising the work his former teammate has done in the community.
When asked about Williams and the event, the Saints Hall of Famer made it clear their connection goes well beyond football.
“That’s my little brother, literally, my little brother, love him to death. We’ve been locked in for many, many years. I’ve been to every camp. So all these kids that’s been here since they was five, six years old, and now they compete in high school. I got pictures with them as youngsters and now they, you know what I mean, growing up, so it’s been incredible to see the evolution of it. I love what he’s doing with the academy, the gym, I’m just, I’m proud of it,“ Armstead said.
His praise shines a light on Williams’ commitment to giving back. Through MW Athletics, the former Saints second-round pick has created opportunities for young athletes to develop both on and off the field, and Armstead has been there from the beginning, attending every camp and watching many of the participants grow up over the years.
For Saints fans, it’s another reminder that the bonds built in New Orleans continue long after players leave the organization, with two former teammates making an impact together in the community.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 6: Cameron Boozer #27 of the Memphis Grizzlies grabs a rebound against Justin Harmon #44 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of a 2026 NBA Salt Lake City Summer League game at the Jon M Huntsman Center on July 6, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Chris Gardner/ Getty Images) | Getty Images
In Monday night’s NBA Summer League play, former Duke star Cameron Boozer continues to impress.
He finished the game against Utah with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, hit 4-5 on his threes, and shot 6-9 overall, and did that in 27 minutes.
In a related note, former BC big man Quentin Post has signed an offer sheet with Memphis for a 3-year, $30 million dollar deal. Mike Dunleavy and Golden State can match it if they do so by 11:59 Tuesday night.
In the other Summer League game of note, San Antonio played the L.A. Lakers, and while Maliq Brown didn’t have a big offensive game, L.A.’s starters shot a collective 14-30, and the frontcourt combined for 5-19, and our guess is that Brown had something to do with that.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 30: Head Coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 30, 2024 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Six years ago I saw a photo of Donald Sutherland and thought, “Man, he looks a lot like Gregg Popovich.” Thought it would make a good Open Thread, so I wrote it up as:
I never, ever, in a million years thought to myself “Jesse Eisenberg is the perfect choice.” Yet, the Oscar nominee has expressed an interest in portraying the greatest coach in NBA history.
— San Antonio Express-News (@ExpressNews) July 6, 2026
“I just find him to be the most fascinating person on the planet,” Eisenberg stated. “Here’s this tough coach who cries sometimes and talks about the plight of America, and yet he’s also this terrifying figure who can be so mean to journalists. People like that are fascinating because, on the one hand, they’re known to be very nasty, and on the other hand they’re these bleeding hearts.”
Admittedly, Eisenberg believes he would be “low on the list” for consideration of the role if one were to ever materialize.
Okay, so Eisenberg is notn the first choice to portray Pop. Who could be?
Austin restauranteur Gerald Stone is a spitting image.
But if a true actor is dessired, the best option is Clive Owen.
Owen, known for his dashing good looks, has gone gray as of late. His look in the top photo melded with the beard in the lower shot with a little Hollywood magic supplies a spitting image of the iconic coach. Can the English actor pull off Pop’s tone and timbre? We’ll have to cast and see.
How about other NBA coaches? I still contend Jim Carrey is a dead ringer for Rick Carlisle.
Are there any other NBA Coaches who have a an actor on deck awaiting the casting call?
I took a break from writing this and now must go off road fr0m basketball to say the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino could only be played by Russell Crowe.
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – JULY 01: Mauricio Pochettino, Head Coach of the United States, looks on before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Have some fun with this today.
Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.
Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.
25 June 2026, Bavaria, Munich: A civet in the renovated Hellabrunn Jungle World at Hellabrunn Zoo during the opening ceremony. Photo: Tobias Hase/dpa (Photo by Tobias Hase/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Shouts out to the World Cup organizers for placing Spain’s games all at 9 p.m. in my time zone, which is definitely better than having to wake up at 2:30 a.m. to watch the Knicks play. On to your daily links and notes.
The Knicks announced the new deals for Landry Shamet, Mo Diawara, and Jose Alvarado after the moratorium ended on Monday, as well as making the Andre Drummond signing official. I’ll have more on those contracts and the details revealed afterward, so keep an eye on the front page.
The NY Daily News’s Kris Winfield made a case that Diawara may have to become a real rotation player next season as the only true backup wing-forward with size on the roster behind Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.
The New York Post’s Jared Schwartz broke down the Drummond-Mitch changes and the world the Knicks will be entering next season. We all know the similarities (big O-board boys!), so here’s a bit on the differences:
“Drummond, on the other hand, is a much more one-dimensional defender. He is solid when matched up against bigs, but he is not someone the Knicks will want checking guards and wings. He is not as agile or mobile as Robinson. Drummond has developed into a competent enough one at this point, (and) has recently emerged as someone who can knock down the occasional 3-pointer, especially from the corners.”
The Athletic’s John Hollinger placed the Knicks alone in “Tier 1A” among contenders for the 2027 NBA title, only behind the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder in Tier 1. Given Hollinger’s predictions age as well as milk, make of that what you wish. Tiny excerpt:
“Re-climbing that mountain will be hard, and (the Knicks) won’t necessarily get the same breaks. Still, these would be your on-paper favorites in the East in any playoff tournament, even if they might not enter it as the top seed.”
Former P&T scribe Lee Escobedo jumped on the Knicks-LBJ silliness and made it very clear the Knicks “should say no to LeBron James.” Fair points all around, but for a min deal, I’m still all-in. Obviously, it’s not happening.
James, for one, won’t be meeting any suitors this time. Chris Haynes with the report, Rich Paul with the public and hidden work. (As if there is something to work on, as it’s a given that Cleveland is the final destination from the minute he joined LA back in 2018).
Speaking of old people and horrible franchises, the Kings waived DeMar DeRozan on Monday. With the Warriors out of the LBJ picture (no, literally), ESPN’s Anthony Slater is reporting there is a Dubs interest in DeMDeR. Same as with James, I’d be delighted to have DeRozan clad in Knicks threads as long as he accepts the vet min and comes off the bench carrying a mid-range flamethrower.
Rich Paul keeps popping up (s/o Muruju for bringing it to my attention), and he’s now defending (?) Knicks owner James Dolan and his second-apron mandate. We’ve had our fair share of discussions about it in the comments sections for the past three weeks, but you can always keep talking about it below.
The Nuggets are expected to waive Jonas Valanciunas on Wednesday, saving $8 million and allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent. I covered the news, possibilities, and Lakers/Knicks links to the veteran yesterday, so feel free to join the discussion in the comments section as we’re staying relevant.
Brad Stevens finally spoke about the infamous Jaylen Brown trade to Philadelphia, saying the Celtics “lost a lot of sleep” over the decision but wanted to “stay good” while adding “optionality.” Just for context, the Celtics traded for Paul George’s not-honerous-at-all $54.1 + $56.5 million deal for this and next season, which definitely adds flexibility to the Beantown books.
Golden nugget in a piece published on ESPN yesterday involving two franchises fighting for who finishes worse in the standings and cripples its future the most this summer: “I mean, the guy got traded for less than Walker Kessler. That’s baffling to me.”
Another good one on the Lake Show, per Vincent Goodwill via B/R, following the ridiculous Kessler trade:
“Despite a busy week of moves for the Los Angeles Lakers and general manager Rob Pelinka to kick off free agency, not everyone in the NBA is impressed with what they have done for their roster. On the latest episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast (starts at 25:45 mark), ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill explained one rival GM asked if Pelinka was ‘trying to get fired’ in the wake of the Lakers’ moves.“
OAKAAK Mario Hezonja is exploring an NBA comeback as he nears a July 20 deadline to leave Real Madrid. He is under contract through 2029 but has an NBA exit clause and a buyout around the standard $850,000 mark. Would you pay that for He-Man?
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 24: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics celebrates with Payton Pritchard #11 against the Philadelphia 76ers during game three of the Eastern Conference first round playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 24, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Celtics defeated the 76ers 108-100. 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 Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Jaylen Brown trade to the Philadelphia 76ers becoming official, the Boston Celtics will play their first season without the 2024 NBA Finals MVP for the first time in a decade. President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens and majority owner Bill Chisholm held a press conference at the Auerbach Center to discuss everything pertaining the trade with one of a million questions on the mind of many Celtics fans: what is the next move now?
One word that Brad Stevens used throughout to describe the roster was “optionality.” When asked if this newfound flexibility could mean flipping the draft picks they received in the Brown trade to possibly get another player, Stevens didn’t seem to have his heart set on making another move. He said: “I don’t anticipate anything in the very near term. I think that we do like the team we have. We might be able to add to it, but at the end of the day, we like the group we have…we’re cognizant that we have a lot of work to do.”
This is a very interesting response from Stevens given the fact that a lot of people were of the mindset this trade was to build up assets to move for a guy like Trey Murphy III later in the offseason. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the Celtics won’t make more moves this summer, but if we take what Stevens says at face value, the roster is all but complete going into the 2026-2027 season. With them being seemingly set in stone, I think we should breakdown the team currently constructed to see if we can get a glimpse into the future of next season.
Starting 5 Options
The biggest thing about the Boston Celtics moving forward this season is the play of Jayson Tatum. He is going to be the engine that makes this team go and Stevens has a similar thought to that sentiment, saying, “it will be on Jayson to continue to grow individually and accentuate the people that are around him now.”
Tatum is going into his first full season coming off of a torn Achilles. In the limited time he played last season, he looked similar to the All-NBA version of himself. There is certainly risk of injury with Tatum, but he has never been one to willingly sit out games. He will be in charge of the bulk of the scoring for the team and it wouldn’t surprise me if he is able to break his own Celtics record of points in a season with over 30.1 points per game and compete for the MVP this season.
The rest of the starting lineup mainstays will most likely be made up of Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and the newly acquired Paul George. Reports have said the Celtics think that Pritchard will make a “Jalen Brunson” type leap with the new opportunities given to him with Brown traded. I think it will be interesting to see if Pritchard becomes that legitimate number 2 option behind Tatum and if he can take the leap to being the main ball handler on the roster, it will make the Celtics a dangerous offensive team. Although we did see him play well coming off the bench at the end of last season, it feels like Pritchard will be the starting point guard as of now.
The Celtics are banking on Payton Pritchard making a Jalen Brunson-type leap, per @tomhaberstroh
“The Celtics trading [Jaylen] Brown is a bet that [Payton] Pritchard is their in-house version of New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, a diminutive player who didn’t fully show his… pic.twitter.com/zEJHqyUn7P
Derrick White had an abysmal shooting season last year, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be able to bounce back from it. He was a 39% three-point shooter in the prior three seasons with the Celtics and it feels like he will be more comfortable being next to Jayson Tatum again. With George and Pritchard in the mix, he won’t necessarily be tasked to be the second option for the Celtics like he was last season which should lead to more efficient production.
When it comes to Paul George, I don’t think Boston will be expecting him to play like his younger years in Indiana, his MVP-level play in Oklahoma City, or even his second option play in Los Angeles. I see him fitting in well as another shooter for Boston, seemingly filling the Sam Hauser role in the starting lineup, with the potential to turn the clock back once in a whle. He will most likely finish with similar numbers to his last year in Philadelphia at around 17 points per game with the opportunity for more.
The only real question mark about the starting lineup is the starting center position. This is a two-man race between Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson. Queta was the starting center last season for Boston and just signed a 4-year, $56 million contract extension while Robinson is coming off a championship with the New York Knicks and signed a 3-year, $47.4 million contract. Both players have similar games on the court, so we could see Joe Mazzulla interchanging them throughout the season depending on the matchup, but I think Queta will get the edge early, just due to experience in the system.
Bench Chaos
One thing about Boston’s bench is that they will not be short on heart and hustle. The Celtics have a mix of veterans like Sam Hauser and the newly signed Robinson and Mike Conley Jr. along with a ton of young guys looking to make a name for themselves in Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza, Ron Harper Jr., and Chris Cenac Jr.
It will be interesting to see how Sam Hauser continues to fit into the roster. Last season was the first year he didn’t shoot 40% from three in his career, but even in a “down year,” he shot 39%. He seems more suited for a bench role to provide shooting versus being in the starting lineup like he was last season. Robinson (if he is coming off the bench) will provide defense and rebounding that the Celtics were desperately lacking season while Conley should provide some guard depth behind Pritchard and a mentor presence to the young guys.
Out of the group of young players the Celtics have on their roster I think the one that is going to get the biggest run this season is Baylor Scheierman. Scheierman played some really great basketball in his second season in Boston, shooting 40% from three and provided some solid defense.
Hugo Gonzalez is another guy who it looks to take another leap after an exhilarating rookie year where we saw hustle and defense at times that mimicked Marcus Smart. The offense will be a big question for Gonzalez in Year 2, but with the way he has been playing for Spain in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, it looks like the Celtics could have another gem on their hands.
The rest of the pieces on the bench seemed to be a mixed bag of question marks. Jordan Walsh had a breakout season where he was in the starting lineup for a big stretch of the year but towards the end of the year fell out of the rotation. Similar to Gonzalez, his defense is no doubt elite but will he be able to crack the rotation with a crowded wing group in front of him? Luka Garza was a solid backup center for the Celtics who was able to provide good minutes for Boston who is most likely going to be a good third center option. Ron Harper Jr. is another guy broke out in limited minutes for the Celtics on a two-way contract before signing a 4 year, $13.7 million contract to return to Boston this offseason. He will be another solid addition to the guard depth the Celtics have built. Boston’s 2026 first round pick Chris Cenac Jr. could also see a little bit of time with the big club as well but I feel like he will spend most of his season in the Maine Celtics developmental machine.
Identity
Boston is going to have to establish a new identity with Jaylen Brown no longer on the team, but I can see them being a similar team to the one we saw last season. The Celtics will be built on the back of their defense with Jayson Tatum being main source of offense. Boston’s defense will no doubt be insane in the starting lineup alone with Pritchard/White/George/Tatum/Queta all being good to great defenders while the bench will come in and cause chaos with their defensive energy. On offense, we will most likely see the Celtics continue their style of a barrage of three pointers will potentially focusing on shooting a high percentage at the rim.
It will certainly be a new reality for the Celtics without Brown but this team is still talented on both sides of the ball with a top 5-10 player in the NBA in Tatum. If I had to make a projection for this next season it would be 50+ wins with a top 3-4 record in the Eastern Conference. To quote Bill Chisholm from today’s press conference: “the mandate is to win” and with this roster, there is a great chance we see Boston win a lot of games in the 2026-2027 season.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 24: Meleek Thomas shakes hands with Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum after he is drafted 34th overall by the Sacramento Kings in Round Two of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 24, 2026 in New York City. 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 Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
When you think about the Cleveland Cavaliers’ biggest needs, the first thing that comes to mind is more playable size, specifically on the wings.
So you can imagine the confusion from reporters and the fanbase that came with the second round selection of Meleek Thomas.
But, there is one need that felt overlooked at times with this Cleveland team and it was a Ty Jerome-sized hole on their bench.
Jerome was absolutely sensational in the lone full season he suited up for, as he was a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year and arguably had the most efficient season for a reserve across the league. He did flame out in the playoffs, but the Cavs were better off with having his production off the bench.
No one could really replicate that efficient scoring and playmaking for Cleveland last year. Jaylon Tyson took a huge step, but had an inconsistent second half of the season and was dreadful in the playoffs. Sam Merrill also showed improvement, but he is more of a movement shooter. Neither of them were the self-creators that Jerome was.
So, it is not hard to see why the Cavs chose Thomas.
Thomas has all the traits that both Koby Altman and Kenny Atkinson have come to love in their guards. He is a great movement shooter, he rarely turns the ball over, and has a high motor on both ends of the floor.
He also showed that he can play either guard position at Arkansas, as his numbers skyrocketed when he was without his running mate Darius Acuff Jr. He shot an absurd 51% from three-point range, and his turnover rate, which was already low, was even lower when he was the primary ball handler.
Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas proved he could carry an offense when Darius Acuff was off the court. Thomas’ usage jumped from 23% with Acuff to 28% without him. He shot 48% from the field without Acuff, including 51% on three-pointers. His assist percentage spiked, while his turnover… pic.twitter.com/hOCbWGb80M
The thing with Thomas is that he showed in college that he can create off the bounce, specifically on jumpers. His release does have to get a tad quicker, but his shooting should translate to the league right away.
Where he does have to develop though, is his playmaking and ability to play point guard. He showed flashes of that in college, but with Acuff dominating the ball, Thomas was not able to showcase his full potential there. The Cavs are going to have him play a lot more point in Summer League, so that should help speed up the process.
Thomas likely won’t become a key year one rotation player, as it is very hard for rookies to become key contributors on a team with title aspirations. But, he can absolutely develop into the long-term shot-creating guard that Cleveland needs off the bench.
Kyle Lowry’s long road in the NBA is ending as a Raptor.
Lowry announced Tuesday morning (July 7) that he’s “officially retiring as a Toronto Raptor.” The team shared the news with the words “#7 FOREVER” and a video narrated by Lowry.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to play this game for two decades,” Lowry said. “All my stops … Memphis, Houston, Miami, Philly — of course Philly, all my love to Philly — and last but not least, Toronto, my home. So thank you to my family, my friends, my teammates, my coaches, my opponents, staff, the media and especially the fans. It’s all about you. I appreciate you.
“Thank you, Toronto. Thank you, Canada. And as I always told y’all, it’s officially happening. I’m officially retiring as a Toronto Raptor. Twenty years and one day. Seven forever. I love y’all. Peace.”
SportsNet’s Michael Grange reported Lowry’s retirement last week and wrote, “The event on Tuesday is expected to set the stage for additional recognition of the so-called GROAT (the Greatest Raptor of All-Time) as the 2026-27 season unfolds, per sources, with a likely jersey retirement planned at Scotiabank Arena during the regular season, where Lowry’s No. 7 would join Vince Carter’s No. 15 as the only Raptors jersey hanging at the downtown stadium.”
Lowry, 40, has built an excellent case to one day be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. After two years at Villanova, Lowry became a six-time All-Star, quintessential floor general and franchise legend with the Raptors. He helped Toronto earn its first NBA championship in 2019 and also won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2016.
Lowry was a member of his hometown Sixers for the final two-plus seasons of his career. He appeared in 72 games and averaged 4.7 points and 3.0 assists.
Though Lowry struggled to stay healthy and wasn’t a regular part of the rotation, he appreciated his chances to play.
“It’s always fun to play basketball,” Lowry said after an April 1, 2025 game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “Listen, we’re privileged and we’re honored to play the game of basketball. I love this game at the highest level. It’s provided for me and my family, my friends with everything that I could ask for. So I wanted to try to go out there and play, and just have fun.
“You don’t know how long this game is going to last for each individual, so just go out there and enjoy the process. Just enjoy being out there and in the game.”
Off the court, Lowry was impactful for the Sixers. He actively mentored young guards such as Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe and often looked like an assistant coach during games.
In Toronto basketball, No. 7 will always be Lowry’s.
“That (number) represents me,” Lowry said. “It represents my family. It represents everything I’ve gone through, the growth, the maturity, everything I’ve put into the game of basketball. It just represents Kyle Lowry.
“It’s hard work, grit, passion and, of course, a champion. The guy who was there, the guy who stuck through everything, believing it was supposed to be what it was supposed to be. It was supposed to happen and it did.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 28: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket against Paul George #8 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff at TD Garden on April 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Trading a franchise icon after the best season of his career is going to be an extremely unpopular decision within your fanbase. Yet, that is what the Celtics just did by trading Jaylen Brown to the rival Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George, two first round picks and two second round picks.
There is a basketball reason that the Celtics did this. The cap sheet played into it and not paying two players the 35% max for years and years to come definitely played a role in this, especially in the second apron era.
However, Paul George is only making about $3 million less than Brown will this season and has one fewer season left on his deal, so money isn’t the entire reason Boston wanted to make this move so badly.
The Celtics are making two big bets by moving Brown and they are very much interwoven.
The first is that they don’t believe Jaylen Brown is as good as the fans and Boston media do.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst was the first to mention this on The Hoop Collective podcast the night of the trade.
“The Celtics felt that even though Jaylen Brown was talking about himself for MVP or there was this MVP campaign for Jaylen Brown, the Celtics did not feel that Jaylen had the best season on their team. They felt that Derrick White had a better season.”
"Even though Jaylen Brown was talking about himself for MVP, the Celtics did not feel like Jaylen had the best season on their team…They felt that Derrick White had a better season."
You probably disagree with that take and so do I, but I believe that they believe it.
Brown is a great player, who carried the Celtics offense for much of the seaso,n made All-NBA second team and finished 6th in MVP voting.
Yet, according to databallr.com, the Celtics were 6.2 points per 100 possessions better with Brown off the court vs. when he was on.
Yesterday, Brad Stevens talked about how maximizing Jaylen is maximizing his usage and that having two players taking up that much usage doesn’t work in the modern NBA.
Stevens, and the rest of the Celtics brass, clearly don’t think that having two players who always need the ball, isn’t a formula for winning anymore and that it was time for them to move off of that philosophy.
This ties into the second bet that Stevens and the Celtics are making: the infrastructure they have is good enough to withstand trading Brown.
Stevens did also mentioned that the analytics played a small part in doing this deal. “For me, Mike (Zarren) and his staff might get mad at me, they do everyday, but I would say (the analytics were) a small piece of information.” However, I am unsure if I believe that.
The Celtics believe that they found a formula last season that was a gold mine to winning games in the regular season and they don’t need Brown to do it. The return of Jayson Tatum certainly helps them believe that.
They want to win the rebounding and turnover margins and trading away Brown does not hurt either of those areas. The signing of Mitchell Robinson also indicates their belief in this.
The bottom line is that the Celtics don’t think that Brown was as important to their success last year as he, the fans or the media did and by trading him to Philly, the Celtics are betting against him in a big way.
SALT LAKE CITY — Two games into Summer League is way too early to talk about greatness. Games in July are a notoriously terrible way to project a career — Stephen Curry struggled in Summer League. Greg Ostertag owned Tim Duncan head-to-head in July.
But it's hard to watch Darryn Peterson's first two games in the Salt Lake City Summer League and not think he can be truly special.
Monday night, in a game hyped as No. 2 pick Peterson against No. 3 pick Carlos Boozer, it was Peterson who stole the show with 25 points and 12 assists (to just two turnovers). He was explosive, showed off his shooting range, and his decision-making was way beyond his years. "What is greatness to me? I think it's just kind of being one-of-one," Peterson said. "I would say to achieve greatness, definitely something I want to try to achieve. Far away from it now, so early in my career — it's Summer League — but it's something I wanted to try to achieve in my career."
Peterson puts on a show
Jazz fans showed up and were loud — this is a fan base that has needed a team and a player they can rally behind and believe in. It's been two games, but the fans are all in.
Peterson gave those fans what they wanted from the opening tip Monday. He started 3-of-3 with nine points in the game's first four minutes, hitting a 3-pointer in there, getting to the line and showing some creative shot-making with a scoop layup.
Darryn Peterson is FEELIN' IT
The 2nd overall pick scored the first 9 PTS for the Jazz!
What was more impressive than his scoring was his playmaking. An aggressive Memphis defense blitzed him with doubles off nearly every pick, but Peterson remained calm in the face of pressure, and either found his space to get off a shot or passed to the open man.
"He's able to play at the pace the game calls for," Jazz Summer League head coach Steve Wojciechowski said. "He's going to be closely guarded and doubled, probably a lot of his career, and for a young guy to be able to play at the pace the game calls for, is a very unique skill.
"And he's got a great ability to stay neutral, whether a guy is pressuring him full court, whether he's being trapped, whether it's the first possession of the first quarter, the last possession of the fourth quarter, he stays pretty present in the moment."
Putting in the work
The best reason for Jazz fans to be optimistic is that Peterson appears to have the work ethic of the greats.
"I tell you what, he's a really hungry learner. He's watching tape with Coach [Will] Hardy. he wants to be great," Wojciechowski said.
"First and foremost, I think it's super cool that he's willing to watch film with me, something that I didn't do at Kansas was watch with my head coach, so that's huge for me," Peterson said. "And then, yeah, we just broke it down."
He said Hardy not only showed him basketball, but they dove into film of former Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed, the nine-time Pro Bowler and Defensive Player of the Year. The topic was being aware of what is happening on the court and being light on his feet.
That Peterson is absorbing this at Summer League is a very positive sign.
"His scoring, I think, jumps off the page, but when you watch the game back, there's a lot of different winning plays that he has his fingerprints on," Wojciechowski said. "His scoring is what gets the most attention, but he's gotten better defensively. He gets his hand on balls, he ends up being in the right spot at the right moments and key moments."
Boozer has good night
Cameron Boozer did not disappoint: 18 points, including 4-of-5 from 3, plus seven boards. It's easy to see how he will plug into the Grizzlies' front line and help them from Day 1.
#3 overall pick Cameron Boozer in tonight's Salt Lake City Summer League game:
Also for the Grizzlies, Cedric Coward impressed with 23 points, while also defending Peterson at points, and he had three blocks. Don't bet on seeing a lot of him when the Summer League shifts to Las Vegas, he is too good for this.
But Monday was Peterson's night. He looks like something special.
BROOKLYN, NY - MAY 21: Noah Clowney #21, Day'Ron Sharpe #20 and Josh Minott #00 of the Brooklyn Nets attend the game between the Golden State Valkyries and New York Liberty on May 21, 2026 at Barclays Center Arena in Brooklyn, New York. 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 2026 NBAE(Photo by Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
At noon Monday, the NBA’s annual race for proven talent — free agency — began but for Brooklyn Nets fans, it was a bit of non-starter. The Nets made some moves, all of them already agreed to and not surprising. However, the big move so far this Summer did not materialize: the multi-team trade that will send Nic Claxton to Chicago and bring Julius Randle and an exchange of picks from Minnesota to Brooklyn. The reason why was for the most mundane of reasons, as Keith Smith pointed out late in the day…
A handful of people asked why the big Nets-Hornets-Bulls-Wolves trade hasn't gone official yet…
That deal will have to wait until July 9. Mouhamadou Gueye, who the Bulls are trading as part of the deal, isn't eligible to be traded until July 9 because he was signed on April 9.
Gueye, a 6’9” journeyman, had been added to the trade that already included the Nets, Bulls and Timberwolves. On arrival in Minnesota, Gueye is expected to be waived. Could the trade be expanded further? Sure, but at the moment, there’s nothing rumored. Rui Hachimura, the most recently rumored target of Sean Marks & co. signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Another apparently more serious target, Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, remains a restricted free agent. Watson could wind up as the subject of an offer sheet or moved in a sign-and-trade either with the Nets or another team. Again, though, there’s nothing but speculation on that front. Part of that speculation has been driven by PWat’s friendship with Michael Porter Jr. Indeed, Watson was hosted by MPJ on a yacht in the Mediterranean last week.
And while Brooklyn didn’t sign Moe Wagner, they did ink Cleveland 3-and-D guard. That signing like Wagner’;s had previously been reported, but the Nets made Ellis official but not Wagner’s. Marc Stein reported that that may be the result of nothing more than a logjam at league offices where each trade must meet CBA muster from the NBA league department before officially being blessed.
Back to basketball …
Several NBA signings and some agreed-to trades are still awaiting league processing … but the expectation at this point of the evening (ET) is that official announcements on completed deals with the moratorium now lifted are likely to resume Tuesday.
The Nets may also be considering alternative routes to sign the 6’11” 29-year-old. He could be signed for example out of cap space or the Room MLE which is valued at $9.4 million. That’s just about what he will make in the coming year as part of a two year, $18 million contract.
The Nets also signed both Day’Ron Sharpe and Josh Minott to extensions Monday, Sharpe at two years and $20 million and Minott at two years and $9 million. Sharpe has no option in his deal but Minott has a team option next summer.
Brooklyn also seems to have ended its relationship with both Ziaire Williams and Ochai Agbaji, renouncing their Bird Rights, a sure signal that a return is highly unlikely…
As part of the process to complete their offseason moves, the Brooklyn Nets have renounced the free agent rights for Ochai Agabji and Ziaire Williams.
Williams acquired in July 2024 in a trade that was a spin-off of the Mikal Bridges trade. In two seasons, the 24-year-old Stanford product played 119 games, averaging 10.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals, but was seen by many in the organization as inconssistent and sometimes lacking energy as Fernandez noted when he held Williams out of game in late November. In that same 2024 trade with Memphis Grizzlies, the Nets also acquired and retain the Mavs second round pick in 2030.
Agbaji came to the Nets at last season’s trade deadline in a three-team salary dump. Brooklyn acquired the 6’5” wing, $3.5 million in cash considerations and the Raptors second rounder in 2032 for the draft rights to a Serbian guard who had blown his achilles tendon 10 days before the trade. Agbaji played 20 games for the Nets averaging 6.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 16 minutes per game.
The move will also clear up cap holds for the two players, a bit of a housekeeping move in free agency. Interestingly, the Nets did not denounce the rights to Jalen Wilson.
The Nets will have 15 guaranteed contracts once all the paperwork is concluded.
SACRAMENTO, CA - JULY 6: Darius Acuff Jr. #5 of the Sacramento Kings and Brayden Burries #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks look on during the game on July 6, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Bucks put up one hell of a fight in their final game in Sac, but couldn’t outlast the Kings in a tight one, losing 95-89. Brayden Burries debuted and was impressive in somewhat limited minutes, while Cormac Ryan and Pete Nance did not suit up. Zack Austin led the Bucks with 17 points, while Darius Acuff Jr. was the Kings’ best with 22 points and three assists.
The Bucks started out slow, with Brayden Burries looking to get his feet wet right away: Burries pulled a transition three on his first possession, then beat his man to the rim but failed to see the help defender come over, getting his shot blocked. At last, Milwaukee’s No. 10 pick drove off the side pick-and-roll to get himself to the free throw line. the Kings, on the other hand, were rolling, with their first-round pick Darius Acuff Jr. scoring in bunches to give his team a 15-4 edge halfway through the first. Other than Burries getting to the line, the Bucks simply couldn’t find a consistent source of offence, making just one of their first 13 shots to be down 25-9 late in the period. Thankfully, new Bucks two-way Kam Jones checked in late and powered the team to a 13-3 run to close the frame—featuring some nifty finishes in the lane—down just six, 28-22, after one.
Amid the Kings’ hot start to the second, Burries nailed a tough side-step three for his first field goal of the game, followed by a stampede to the rim in transition; he looked the goods on both ends of the floor. Still, Milwaukee couldn’t reduce the deficit past ~eight points in the opening six minutes of the frame, with missed boxouts doing them in time after time. As the period drew to a close, Milwaukee continued to struggle locking down Acuff, but crucial buckets from Jesse Edwards, Kam Jones, and BJ Boston kept the “visitors” within shouting distance, down 55-48 at the half.
After a quiet first half, 60th pick Malique Lewis was aggressive to open the third, knocking a kick-out three followed by a transition rack-attack to reduce the margin to just three. Unfortunately, the lead blew back out to the customary ~eight-points as Milwaukee missed some easy chances and got hurt the other way. King’s second-year man Dylan Cardwell was playing on another level than most of the guys out there, beasting in the paint on both ends. There weren’t too many highlights to end the frame for Milwaukee, but BJ Boston’s lob to Zack Austin was certainly one. Bucks down 74-66 after three.
Consecutive threes from Marquel Sutton and Isaiah Stevens to open the final frame immediately put the Bucks behind the eight-ball, but an 8-0 run shortly thereafter—headed primarily by Bogi Markovic—had the deficit right back down to six. Milwaukee, for the first time in the game, then knuckled down on defence and were finally able to get on level terms behind an extended 19-5 run in which Austin was key. Crucially, the unit that got the team back in the game stayed in the game, with Burries taking a seat on the pine to finish this one. Unfortunately, a few key misses from Markovic, paired with crucial makes from Cardwell and Acuff, meant the Kings took the W.
Stat That Stood Out
Milwaukee’s bench was huge, notching 50 of their 89 points. Sac’s bench scored just 24.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 8: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Rich Paul talk after the game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 8, 2024 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 2024 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
LeBron James is still a free agent, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are still one of the teams trying to secure his services for next season. Whether or not they’re the front-runners to do so is anyone’s guess, even though other teams seem to think that they are.
LeBron has always handled free agency differently than most. He and his team have always played things pretty close to the vest. While there are signs that James could be leaning one way or another, the only people who really know what he’s thinking are he and his team.
Not directly meeting with prospective teams is a new wrinkle James is adding this go around. According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, James’s agent, Rich Paul, will be the one meeting with teams, and then will relay that information back to James for his decision.
Chris Haynes:
"As of right now there are no plans for LeBron to engage in any meetings to allow teams to pitch him on the idea of coming to their prospective teams…his agent Rich Paul is doing all the background work. He's talking with teams and then he in return he will relay… pic.twitter.com/bKXz8teNfT
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
Figuring out what exactly this means for the Cavs or their chances is truly anyone’s guess.
On one hand, it’s easy to see this news and talk yourself into being a good thing for the Cavaliers. After all, why would James have to meet with Dan Gilbert and/or Koby Altman to discuss? LeBron has worked with both during his time in Cleveland. It’s not like they would need to get to know each other or anything like that. This could mean that he isn’t seriously considering a drastically different environment like the Minnesota Timberwolves or Golden State Warriors.
However, if you wanted to read this more pessimistically, you’re more than able to do that as well. Paul has been pretty complimentary of the other teams in the process, especially ones like the Philadelphia 76ers, on his podcast, Game Over, with Max Kellerman. Could any particular preference Paul has for a team possibly sway James’s opinions?
Maybe LeBron comes back to Cleveland. Maybe he doesn’t. How much of a factor James not meeting with individual teams, but letting Paul do so, is truly anyone’s guess. But that’s how much of the last few weeks have gone. We don’t know what LeBron is thinking, and we won’t until he officially tells us which city he’ll be playing for in his 24th season.
Boozer and Peterson were named co-MVPs at the 2025 McDonald's All-American classic. Now, on the NBA stage in summer league, both rookies did not disappoint.
Peterson, the No. 2-pick out of Kansas paced the Jazz with a double-double tallying a game-high 25 points, 12 assists and two steals. He shot an efficient 53% from the field, including 33% from 3-point territory going 3-for-9 from deep.
As for the No. 3-pick from Duke, Boozer had a productive 18 points for the Grizzlies, including a thunderous slam and four field goals from long range. He shot 6-for-9 (66%) from the field, including going 4-for-5 from 3-point distance.
Cameron Boozer gets blocked by Cody Williams, but gets the putback dunk, then forces a turnover and hits a 3-pointer. Darryn Peterson nearly turns the ball over and scores the step back 3 at the other end. With replays. pic.twitter.com/5Dib2OSuJ8
Boozer has looked like the son of a NBA veteran (his father, Carlos Boozer played 13 seasons in the NBA, including six in Utah). The younger Boozer looks and moves like he's already been in the league for a decade. Throughout the game, he effectively moved the ball, dishing out four assists. He was also a force on the boards, grabbing seven rebounds.
However, despite the stellar play from the first-year players that has their fanbases excited for fall ball, it's the Jazz who had the advantage in the contest when it was all said and done. Utah defeated Memphis, 109-100.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) drives to the net in the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center, Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Brooklyn, NY. (Corey Sipkin...
Following a FIBA World Cup qualifying game Monday, the Serbian star reaffirmed his desire to extend his contract and finish his career with the Nuggets, though he plans to wait to sign his deal.
“My idea and desire is to stay in Denver,” Jokic told reporters in Serbian. “My desire is to play the rest of my life in Denver.”
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) drives to the net in the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in Brooklyn, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Jokic, who’s been with the Nuggets since 2014, is under contract for two seasons and has been eligible since June 14 to sign a four-year, $278 million max extension.
But by waiting until next offseason for an extension, Jokic would be eligible to sign a five-year, $359.5 million deal as a free agent, which would be the largest contract in NBA history and push his career earnings to $724 million.
Nikola Jokic: "My idea is to sign next summer and stay with Denver for the rest of my career."
The 31-year-old was also eligible to sign a three-year, $200 million extension last offseason, but opted to delay the process.
Over 11 years with the Nuggets, Jokic has blossomed into one of the greatest centers in NBA history.
Not only did he help the Nuggets to their first title in 2023, but he’s also won three MVPs (2021, 2022, 2024) and has averaged a triple-double the last two seasons.
1/25/24 – Denver Nuggets vs. New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden – Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic #15 reacts on the court during the first quarter.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Jokic hasn’t averaged fewer than 24 points per game since 2019-20 and has shot well from downtown the last few years, too.
He also led the league with 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists per game.
Despite Jokic’s heroics, the Nuggets lost to the Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs and haven’t advanced past the second round since winning the title in 2023.
