Category: NBA

Ex-NBA lottery pick Ben McLemore found guilty of rape originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Former NBA player Ben McLemore has been found guilty of raping a 21-year-old woman during a lake house party attended by many of his then-teammates from the Portland Trail Blazers, a jury ruled Thursday.

The jury in Clackamas County, located directly south of Portland, found McLemore, 32, guilty of rape, unlawful sexual penetration and one count of sexual abuse. He was found not guilty on another count of sexual abuse, Portland television station KGW reported.

Sentencing was scheduled for Wednesday.

“We recognize there are those who fear individuals with celebrity status or a position of prominence can avoid prosecution. Not in Clackamas County. This case demonstrates my office prosecutes criminal acts regardless of the offender’s community status,” District Attorney John Wentworth said in a statement.

The charges stemmed from a party Oct. 3, 2021, at the Lake Oswego home owned by his Trail Blazers teammate Robert Covington.

Prosecutors claimed during the trial that the sexual encounter was rape, while McLemore’s attorney countered it was consensual sex.

The woman said she was incapacitated after a night of heavy drinking and was unable to give consent. Prosecutors submitted photos of the woman hovering over a toilet and then passed out on a couch, The Oregonian/Oregon Live earlier reported.

She said she woke up at one point during the rape and froze in terror.

“I don’t know who this person is,” she testified. “This is a random person that is doing something like this to me.” The Associated Press generally does not identify victims of sexual assault.

At one point, she said she let her body slide to the floor in an effort to stop the assault. The woman testified McLemore pulled her back onto the couch and continued.

Covington earlier testified he saw the woman flirting with McLemore while they sat on a couch.

McLemore testified he was also drinking but claimed the sex was consensual. He also said he and the woman did not have a conversation before, during or after the act, after which he immediately left the home.

One of his attorneys, Kris Winemiller, said McLemore left after receiving an angry message from this then-wife, who tracked him and wanted to know why he wasn’t in their own Lake Oswego home.

Clackamas County prosecutor Scott Healy said there was no confusion. “When you look at all the surrounding circumstances and you assess the evidence in this case, I submit to you that the defendant is guilty,” he said during closing arguments Tuesday.

Another defense attorney, Lisa Maxfield, argued for McLemore’s acquittal.

“The only reasonable verdict in a case where two people get drunk and have sex and the man is drunker than the woman, the only reasonable verdict in a case like that is not guilty,” she said.

The woman said she did not hire an attorney to sue McLemore and didn’t seek money from him. Instead she pursued the criminal case because “you can’t do that to somebody, let alone somebody that you don’t know.”

McLemore, who played college at Kansas, was the seventh pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings. He also played for Memphis, Houston and the Los Angeles Lakers before his last NBA season with Portland in 2021-2022.

Since then, he has played in Europe and China. Last August he signed with a team in Turkey.

Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.

Kings rookie Maxime Raynaud excited to play with NBA idol Domantas Sabonis originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – During a press conference Thursday morning introducing the team’s two picks from the 2025 NBA Draft, first-year Kings general manager Scott Perry referred to second-rounder Maxime Raynaud as a “double-double machine.”

It’s a label that has been bestowed upon Domantas Sabonis for several years. The Kings’ 6-foot-10 big man puts up double-doubles like most people drink water – smooth and refreshingly easy. He had 61 such games during the 2024 season, one year after he compiled a streak of 61 consecutive double-doubles, the seventh-longest streak in NBA history.

Raynaud’s NBA career has yet to get off the ground, but Perry sees the 7-foot Frenchman having the abilities to make an immediate impact in Sacramento.

“Max possesses a very unique combination of size, skill and ability that really mirrors a lot of the big players in today’s game,” Perry said. “He’s a double-double machine. We think he has a lot of growth and development in front of him.”

If Raynaud, the No. 42 overall pick in the draft, can be one-tenth the player Sabonis has been in the NBA, then it will be viewed as a great pick by Perry.

Playing in college about 90 minutes south of Sacramento at Stanford, Raynaud blossomed into a fantastic prospect in the paint who also can shoot the rock very well from the perimeter.

He was chosen to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference first-team member during his final season at Stanford after averaging 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.4 blocks.

Raynaud was the only college player last season to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds a game, the first Power 4 conference player to hit those marks while nailing at least 50 3-pointers since Kevin Durant did it nearly two decades ago.

“Max’s talents speak for themselves/,” Kings coach Doug Christie said when asked about the prospect of playing Raynaud and Sabonis together. “Rebounding is never something you don’t need enough of. His size (and) his skill set, I think with Domas can mix in a big way. Just watching him play, he can shoot, pump-fakes, puts the ball on the deck. So now you have play-makers in all the positions.”

Raynaud will get his first taste of NBA action at the Summer League in Las Vegas. After that he’ll take a break and get some rest before beginning training camp when he’ll get the chance to line up alongside Sabonis.
Sabonis is clearly looking forward to it.

On the night of the draft, he went on X and had this to say to the Kings’ two draft picks: “Welcome to the Sacramento Kings, Rooks. Let’s work.”

Welcome to the @SacramentoKings, Rooks.

Let’s work!

— Domantas Sabonis (@Dsabonis11) June 27, 2025

Raynaud smiled at the thought.

“Someone I’ve looked up to the past couple of years,” Raynaud said. “I know at Stanford, especially my sophomore year, we based our offense a lot around the Kings and the split-action they used to have. So in that regard, he’s been a big inspiration for me.”

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Warriors need Jonathan Kuminga more than he needs them, Tim Legler believes originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors’ tug-of-war leverage battle with restricted free-agent forward Jonathan Kuminga is on. And ESPN’s Tim Legler explained why Golden State needs the 22-year-old swingman more than he needs it on Wednesday’s edition of “NBA Today.”

“I think personally, at this point, the Warriors need Jonathan Kuminga more than he needs them,” Legler said. “Where are the athletes on this team? He does represent an athletic wing. The guy does have something, from a skill standpoint and a physical standpoint, [that] they don’t have on their roster.”

#DubNation, do you agree with Tim Legler? pic.twitter.com/egeh1htTSd

— Bonta Hill (@BontaHill) July 3, 2025

Kuminga is that youthful high-flyer that Golden State doesn’t have, as it sports one of the league’s older rosters centered around 37-year-old Steph Curry, 35-year-old Jimmy Butler and 35-year-old Draymond Green. But at the same time, the shaky Kuminga experiment would be entering a fifth season if the Warriors were to strike a deal with their No. 7 overall selection from the 2021 NBA Draft, and so far, it’s been rough.

At the end of the 2024-25 NBA season, Kuminga’s averages fell to 20.8 minutes, 12.2 points and 3.9 rebounds over the 15 regular-season games he played in coach Steve Kerr’s rotation after Butler’s arrival. The six-time NBA All-Star forward doesn’t appear to be going anywhere, making Kuminga — an inconsistent shooter as of now — an odd fit in the Bay.

“I understand … they wish he was a little bit more locked in defensively with his concentration; they wish he was a little bit more consistent with his rebounding effort. I get all of that,” Legler said. “The guy has played almost 6,000 minutes for the Golden State Warriors, and he’s still auditioning. 

“I think, at some point, you need to come to the realization that it’s not going to happen for him in Golden State. And guess what? It might not happen somewhere else, either. But I think, Jonathan Kuminga, to find out, I think he needs to go somewhere where he doesn’t have such cynicism looking at him all the time, waiting for the bad habits … so he can go back to the bench.”

Kuminga definitely has played under heavy pressure from the Warriors organization and Dub Nation. Tensions only are heightened as the clock ticks on the aging franchise’s championship window, especially after Golden State appeared to be a serious contender before Curry’s hamstring injury against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the 2025 Western Conference playoffs.

What the Warriors and Kuminga decide to do is unknown. But at the very least, their dynamic is awkward. A change of scenery might be best for Kuminga’s career and Golden State’s future. Or not.

Legler reiterated that the end game between the two parties remains complex. 

“They need him. They need the physical specimen that he is,” Legler said. “He needs a fresh start somewhere else to see what this guy could actually become in this league.”

It is no surprise that the Warriors are engaged in sign-and-trade talks over deals involving Kuminga, as reported by NBC Sports Bay Area’s Tristi Rodriguez.

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Nique Clifford's two-way versatility, ability to play point guard enamored Kings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SACRAMENTO – Nique Clifford’s versatility on both ends of the court and his ability to play multiple positions were primary factors behind the Kings’ decision to trade into the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft to select the 6-foot-5 guard with the No. 24 overall pick.

That includes running the offense as a point guard, not necessarily the position Sacramento drafted Clifford to play, but one they might have to use him at out of sheer necessity.

With free agency looming around the corner, the Kings still have a pressing need to find a full-time point guard. Veteran Dennis Schroder reportedly intends to sign a three-year, $45 million contract with Sacramento. Though the deal can’t be made official until Sunday, during Thursday’s press conference at Golden 1 Center, Clifford unknowingly made it sound like a deal between the sides is done.

Regardless, Sacramento’s newest prized rookie says he’s more than willing to play the point if that’s what is necessary.

“Whatever my role is, whatever coach sees me as and throws me into, I feel like I can go do it at a high level,” Clifford said Thursday during his introductory press conference at Golden 1 Center. “I want to contribute to winning, that’s my ultimate goal. Whatever that looks like, [I] just have to approach every single day as an opportunity to get better and learn from all of the knowledge and guys I have around me.”

Clifford played point guard for much of his early years in basketball before, according to his mother Angel, he underwent a growth spurt that altered how teams used him.

At Colorado State, Clifford polished his skills while developing into one of the country’s top two-way players.

He was the nation’s 13th-best rebounder last season, averaging 9.6 boards a game despite often being out-sized in the paint by 4-5 inches. Offensively, Clifford put up averages of 18.9 points and 4.4 assists.

“Nique is a very talented and versatile basketball player. That’s what attracted us to him,” First-year Kings general manager Scott Perry said. “He can play multiple positions in this game on the perimeter, not only on the offensive end, but he gives you that defensive versatility too. We really believe he’s going to be able to match up just about anywhere on the perimeter from a defensive standpoint.

“He has improved each year that he’s been in college basketball. That is an important trait that we look for when we evaluate talent coming out of (the) collegiate ranks.”

Clifford and the Kings’ 2025 second-round draft pick, center Maxime Raynaud, were formally introduced during Thursday’s press conference. The event was attended by friends and family members of the two newcomers, along with several team employees who frequently cheered and made the event more light-hearted.

Beyond the iced-out “Clifford the Big Red Dog” pendant that dangled from his neck, Clifford seemed to be in a more serious mood.

He might even have tipped the Kings’ plans for the upcoming free agency period.

“Just excited for the opportunity to learn from even guys coming in, like Dennis Schroeder and different teammates that I’m going to have,” Clifford said. “I’m going to be able to learn from those guys and get more comfortable in every position.

“It’s just finding my way, finding any way, to impact the game, whether that’s defense, rebounding, knocking down shots when I get them. Just trying to be impactful every time I step on the court.”

Even if he has to play point guard every now and then.

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Jonathan Kuminga, Warriors simply not good on-court fit, Udonis Haslem believes originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jonathan Kuminga’s future with the Warriors is complicated and uncertain, but Udonis Haslem believes the solution actually is quite simple.

The three-time NBA champion and ESPN analyst, like the rest of the NBA world, discussed Kuminga’s situation with Golden State on Wednesday’s edition of “NBA Today.” Haslem was asked what Kuminga, who is a restricted free agent, should want as he emerges into uncharted territory.

“He should want to go be his best version, and I don’t think that’s going to happen in Golden State,” Haslem said. “And it’s nothing against Golden State, it’s nothing against Kuminga. It’s just not a good fit. Especially when you got a guy like Jimmy Butler. Jimmy Butler’s a damn good basketball player. He needs the ball in his hands. He’s going to make other guys better. He’s going to defend on the other end. His basketball IQ is out of the roof.”

When the Warriors first acquired Butler at the trade deadline in February, they had hoped the six-time All-Star and Kuminga would thrive off of each other on the court together.

But it never quite worked the way Golden State had hoped, as Haslem further explained.

“And I think that’s where [Butler] gets the edge with Kuminga,” Haslem said. “If you put him in the game, you put him with Steph [Curry], you put him with those other guys and you don’t miss a beat. You put Kuminga in and it’s a little bit of a standstill offensively. He gets the ball in his hands, he wants to do his thing. So, Jonathan Kuminga should look for a situation or opportunity to be his best version. It is his time, and he should not feel bad about that at all.

“Oftentimes, we make guys feel bad for wanting to step into that light and be their best version. I don’t think he should feel bad about this. He’s played the game. He’s been in Golden State long enough. He’s a damn good basketball player. It’s his time to shine and he wants his opportunity, and I don’t blame him.”

The Warriors extended a $7.9 million qualifying offer to Kuminga, making him a restricted free agent. This means if he receives an offer from another team, the Warriors can either choose to match that offer and retain him or decline to match it and let him sign with the other team.

They also can explore a sign-and-trade scenario, which a source confirmed to NBC Sports California on Wednesday is being discussed with the Kings and Pistons that would send second-year guard Devin Carter and big man Dario Saric to Golden State, Kuminga to Sacramento and high-flying guard Malik Monk to Detroit.

The possibilities are limitless, but it appears more and more likely that Kuminga’s time in the Bay is nearing an end.

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Why Tatum could be an X-factor in Celtics' pursuit of Damian Lillard originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Do the Celtics really have interest in signing Damian Lillard — and would Lillard really have interest in coming to Boston?

The answer to both of those questions might be yes.

The Celtics — along with the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors — are “known to be among the many teams” eyeing Lillard on the free-agent market after the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly waived the nine-time All-Star on Tuesday, per The Athletic.

And according to The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach, the Celtics could be on Lillard’s radar as well.

“A league source also made it clear that Lillard could have interest in Boston, too, citing his respect for the organization and his long friendship with (Jayson) Tatum,” Himmelsbach wrote Wednesday.

Lillard’s “long friendship” with Tatum is worth exploring, especially since both players suffered serious Achilles injuries during the 2025 NBA playoffs — Lillard on April 27; Tatum on May 12 — and are expected to miss most or all of the 2025-26 season. If Lillard wants a rehab partner and has a desire to play alongside Tatum in 2026-27, that could make Boston a more intriguing destination for him.

So, how far do Lillard and Tatum go back? The two All-Stars appeared to have a close relationship as early as 2021, when Lillard contacted Tatum and convinced him to play for Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

Lillard and Tatum won a gold medal together that summer in Tokyo, with their young children even spending some time together as USA Basketball prepared for the Olympics in Las Vegas. (Tatum’s son Duece was born in 2017, while Lillard’s first son Damian Jr. was born in 2018.)

The future!! @Money23Green@RealDealBeal23@jaytatum0@Dame_Lillardpic.twitter.com/14B8mLTdDe

— Kamiah Adams-Beal (@KamiahAdams) July 13, 2021

In the summer of 2023, after Lillard requested a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers, Tatum pitched the veteran guard on joining him in Boston, with Andscape’s Marc Spears reporting that Tatum “tried to get in (Lillard’s) ear” about coming to the Celtics.

Tatum’s recruiting efforts fell short, as the Blazers traded Lillard to the Bucks in a deal that helped bring Jrue Holiday to Boston. But the fact that Tatum wanted Lillard in Boston just two years ago is certainly relevant now as the Celtics explore their options in an uncertain offseason.

Signing Lillard would have its obvious risks; he’ll be 36 years old at the start of the 2026-27 season and has missed at least 24 games in three of the last four seasons. While Lillard’s talent is undeniable, there’s no guarantee he’d return to All-Star form after an Achilles surgery at age 34 — which came on the heels of a scary blood clot issue back in March.

Lillard may not cost much, however, and could accept a deal close to the veteran minimum while he’s paid the remainder of his contract with Milwaukee ($22.5 million annually over the next five years).

Whether the Celtics want to go down that path with Lillard or continue their full roster “reset” by getting younger around their core of Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard remains to be seen. But at the very least, we’d imagine Tatum will advocate for Boston taking a chance on Lillard to realize his vision from two summers ago.

The Lakers found their next starting center, and they didn’t have to give up Austin Reaves to land him.

There’s a reason why.

As athletic and skilled as Deandre Ayton is for a 7-footer, he’s better known at this stage of his career for his shortcomings.

His maddening inconsistency. His uninspired defense. His lack of motivation. His inability to stay healthy.

If you didn’t like Anthony Davis, you’re going to hate Ayton. Davis was always accountable or at very least not tone deaf, which Ayton apparently is.

“I got nothing to prove in this league,” Ayton once told veteran NBA reporter Mark Medina. “I’m a max player, and I’ll continue to be a max player.”

Little wonder the Portland Trail Blazers officially gave up on Ayton during the weekend by buying out his contract, opening the door for the Lakers to pick him up at a bargain price.

The Lakers are wagering they can do what the Trail Blazers, and the Phoenix Suns before them, couldn’t.

They are betting they can start the engine inside of Ayton and keep it roaring.

From a physical and technical standpoint, Ayton is capable of being the player the Lakers need him to be. However, most athletes who don’t already have something burning inside of them at 26 don’t suddenly discover fire at 27, which is how old Ayton will be later this month.

Read more:Lakers agree to terms with former Portland center Deandre Ayton

Which is why the Lakers should be grateful they still have LeBron James.

Who better to show a chronic underachiever how to maximize his gifts than a player preparing for a record 23rd season? Conversely, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer can’t inspire Ayton, who or what will?

The 40-year-old James will give the Lakers a chance to reach Ayton, which, in turn, will give them a chance to contend for another championship.

With their current roster, the Lakers clearly remain behind the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Lakers belong with the next tier of Western Conference teams, alongside the Golden State Warriors and Clippers. That’s more or less where they were last season.

The Lakers are still looking for shooters. They still have to figure out how they’re going to stop anyone. They also need Ayton to be more than the player he was in his first seven NBA seasons, even with his respectable career averages of 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game.

Read more:Bronny James plays coy about father LeBron's future with Lakers

James will lead by example. He will model the work habits required to be a consistent performer. He will display an attention to detail that will make Ayton recalibrate how he thinks of the game.

Reaves has benefited from his proximity to James. So has Rui Hachimura. Then again, Reaves and Hachimura were open to such guidance. Is Ayton?

Rewiring Ayton’s 27-year-old brain might feel like a longshot, but consider this: Ayton was at his best when he played alongside a strong veteran presence.

Ayton was a third-year player on the Suns when they acquired a 35-year-old Chris Paul before the 2020-21 season. With Ayton playing a starring role, the Suns went on to reach the NBA finals, where they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The postseason run offered an example of how Ayton could respond positively to experienced leadership, as well as how he could be best deployed on the court.

The mobile Ayton was a dangerous threat for Paul, and he should be a dangerous lob threat for Luka Doncic. The ability of Ayton to knock down midrange jumpers spaced the floor for the Suns, and that skill will undoubtedly be exploited by coach JJ Redick.

The X’s and O’s won’t matter if Ayton doesn’t show up to play every night, however. Ayton presumably agreed to the buyout of his contract because he wanted to change the narrative of his career. This is his chance. He will have a playmaker in Doncic, a team with championship aspirations in the Lakers. Perhaps most important, he will have a teacher in James.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Is Horford leaving Celtics a ‘foregone conclusion'? Free agency latest originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Al Horford has yet to decide about his plans for the 2025-26 NBA season. But if you’re waiting for the veteran big man to return to the Boston Celtics, don’t hold your breath.

Horford is currently weighing his options in unrestricted free agency, and it appears the Golden State Warriors are the top candidate for his services. Here’s a brief rundown of notable Horford-related reports since the unofficial start to NBA free agency on Monday:

• On Monday, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported that Horford had received interest from the Celtics, Warriors, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers in free agency.
• On Tuesday, Substack’s Marc Stein described Horford as a “leading target” for Golden State.
• On Tuesday, The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Dan Woike reported that Horford is under “serious consideration” by the Los Angeles Lakers in addition to the Warriors.
• On Wednesday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on NBA Todaythat Horford is most likely choosing between the Lakers, Warriors and retirement, adding that Golden State has been “very aggressive” in trying to sign Horford.
• Later Wednesday, the Lakers reportedly agreed to sign big man Deandre Ayton, which seemingly would take them out of the running for Horford.
• On Wednesday, The Ringer’s Rob Mahoney noted on the Bill Simmons Podcastthat Horford-to-Golden State is being “treated as a foregone conclusion around the league right now.” Co-host Bill Simmons then replied, “It’s happening,” referring to the Warriors signing Horford.
• Late Wednesday night, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported the Warriors are “waiting on Al Horford’s decision.”

Long story short: Most signs point to Horford eventually joining the Warriors, or potentially retiring at age 39 after 18 NBA seasons.

Horford is a beloved figure in Boston who helped bring an 18th championship to the Celtics and has spent seven of his last nine NBA seasons with the franchise, including the last four. If the C’s were gearing up for another title run in 2025-26, it’d be hard to imagine Horford uprooting from Boston at this stage of his career.

But the reality is that the Celtics could be facing a reset year in 2025-26, with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis already traded, fellow big man Luke Kornet lost to the San Antonio Spurs in free agency and superstar forward Jayson Tatum likely out for the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Horford was a perfect fit on a deep Celtics team that could manage his minutes in the regular season and lean on his veteran leadership in the postseason. But the 2025-26 Celtics — whose frontcourt currently consists of Neemias Queta, Xavier Tillman Sr., Luka Garza and rookie Amari Williams — would need much more from Horford to remain competitive, with much lower odds of a deep playoff run.

If Horford indeed chooses Golden State, he’d join a veteran-laden team led by Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler that could use an experienced big man after losing Kevon Looney in free agency.

And while the Warriors aren’t exactly title favorites in the Western Conference, they’re still more in “win-now” mode than Boston, which could look to further cut costs to get under the second apron of the luxury tax.

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The Lakers have set their roster for the California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League while announcing their schedule.

The 16-player team, which will feature second-year guards Bronny James and Dalton Knecht, opens play Saturday against the Golden State Warriors at 3:30 p.m. at Chase Center in San Francisco, site of the California Classic.

The Lakers also play at 1:30 p.m. Sunday against the Miami Heat and at 7 p.m. Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Lakers then head to Nevada for the Las Vegas Summer League, which runs from July 10-20.

They open play against the Dallas Mavericks and No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg at 5 p.m. on July 10 at Thomas & Mack Center, where they will play all of their games.

Their other scheduled games:

—5:30 p.m. July 12 vs. New Orleans

—7:30 p.m. July 14 vs. the Clippers

—6 p.m. July 17 vs. Boston

There will be a four-team tournament from July 18-20. Teams not making the tournament will get one consolation game.

ROSTER

No.; Name; Pos.; Ht.; Wt; Age; Previous team/Country; Yrs.

36; Darius Bazley; F; 6-9; 216; 25; Princeton HS (Ohio) / USA; 6

26; RJ Davis; G; 6-0; 175; 23; North Carolina / USA; R

43; Eric Dixon; F; 6-8; 259; 24; Villanova / USA; R

45; DaJuan Gordon; G; 6-4; 190; 24; UT Arlington / USA; 1

9; Bronny James; G; 6-2; 212; 20; USC / USA; 1

55; Trey Jemison III; C; 6-11; 275; 25; UAB / USA; 2

38; TY Johnson; G; 6-3; 190; 23; UC Davis / USA; R

65; Arthur Kaluma; F; 6-6; 223; 23; Texas / USA; R

4; Dalton Knecht; G; 6-6; 215; 24; Tennessee / USA; 1

31; Augustas Marčiulionis; G; 6-4; 200; 23; Saint Mary’s / Lithuania; R

29; Sam Mennenga; F; 6-9; 240; 23; Breakers / New Zealand; R

50; Julian Reese; F; 6-9; 252; 22; Maryland / USA; R

40; Sir’Jabari Rice; G; 6-4; 180; 26: Texas / USA; 2

27; DJ Steward; G; 6-2; 162; 23; Duke / USA; 4

41; Cole Swider; F; 6-8; 220; 25; Syracuse / USA; 3

54; Ethan Taylor; G; 6-5; 205; 23; Air Force / USA; R

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The NBA world immediately began to speculate about LeBron James’ future with the Lakers after his representative made comments about his client monitoring how the team would handle the offseason in an attempt to improve the team, but Bronny James was not among the crowd.

Bronny has been preparing to play for the Lakers in the California Classic that starts Saturday in San Francisco. He talked after practice Wednesday about how he was unaware of the rumors and innuendo surrounding his famous teammate and father.

LeBron James opted into his $56.2-million contract on Sunday, leading his agent, Rich Paul, the chief executive of Klutch Sports, to tell ESPN that James was watching closely to see how the Lakers would improve the team.

“We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future,” Paul told ESPN. “We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him.”

In NBA circles, that was seen as a way to force Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka to make moves during the offseason to make the team better or that James might be willing to seek a trade.

Paul made it clear to ESPN that was not the case.

Read more:Lakers agree to terms with former Portland center Deandre Ayton

Bronny, in his second season in the NBA after being selected in the second of the draft at No. 55 in June 2024, said he’s not on social media as much anymore, but that he was told about the news.

“Actually, one of my friends called me talking about where, what I was gonna do. 'cause they seen my dad, whatever. I didn't see it,” Bronny said after practice Wednesday. “He called me. I was like, 'Yeah, I have no idea what you're talking about.' .... Yeah, I don't … I, yeah, I don't really pay attention to that stuff so. Yeah, there's a lot of stuff going around that I don't pay attention to, yeah.”

The Lakers did make a move Wednesday, agreeing to a deal with Deandre Ayton, giving them a center they had to have.

Bronny was asked if his conversations with LeBron include the direction the franchise is headed and where his dad wants to play.

“No, we don't really talk about it much,” Bronny said. “But I think when stuff like that does come up, he just tells me to not worry about it, not even pay attention to it. Just lock into what you have going on right now. And that's what's gonna get me better and to keep me focused. I think it's good that he tells me to not pay attention to that stuff.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

A few notes on the Mike Brown hire, how the Knicks got there and what happens next...

Brown has an extensive coaching resume. Two-time NBA Coach of the Year. A career winning percentage of .599 over 754 regular season games. He’s won four NBA titles as an assistant coach in San Antonio (under Gregg Popovich) and Golden State (under Steve Kerr).

He led the Kings to their first playoff berth in 16 seasons in 2023.

Hopefully for the Knicks, Brown’s vast experience has prepared him for the sky-high expectations that come with his next job.

As you know, the Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau after a season in which they reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. Thibodeau had won at least one playoff series in three straight seasons. Before Thibodeau arrived, the Knicks had won just one playoff series in the past 20 years. 

So, team president Leon Rose’s decision to fire Thibodeau was a big gamble. Firing Thibodeau and hiring Brown can’t be a lateral move. It has to elevate the Knicks to the next level, which is the NBA Finals.

Did Rose make the right call? We won’t know the answer to that question until next spring.

But Brown will be under significant pressure to perform from Day One in New York.

THE PROCESS

The Knicks started their search by asking teams for permission to speak to their current head coaches. Each request was denied. In the immediate aftermath of the firing, there was hope that Ime Udoka or Chris Finch could be available. Jason Kidd was also seen as a top candidate. But the pathway to either of those three coaches was non-existent.

So the Knicks turned their attention to established head coaches and assistant coaches. They interviewed Brown, Taylor Jenkins, James Borrego, Micah Nori and Dawn Staley. The Knicks' interest in Staley, first reported by KnicksFanTv, was real. There was a formal interview. But this search was always most likely to end with an established head coach.

The Knicks have that in Brown.

He wasn’t their first choice. But one high-ranking executive who knows Brown well said he was the best option available to the Knicks. Brown was the only candidate to have a second interview and met owner James Dolan formally on Tuesday. A little over 24 hours later, the Knicks were closing in on a contract for their next head coach. The decision was ultimately Rose’s to make. He had the support to make his own choice from key stakeholders in the organization. Rose landed on Brown.

Was it the right call? Again, let’s circle back in late May/early June of 2026.

WHAT ABOUT HIS STAFF?

The Knicks will not force Brown to keep any of Thibodeau’s former assistant coaches. Brown and other coaches were told during the interview process that they’d have autonomy in hiring their own staff. So Brown will build his own staff. He is targeting Borrego for the top role on staff and views Borrego as a great offensive coordinator of sorts.

But Borrego is under contract in New Orleans, so it could be difficult to procure him. Brown is also considering some former Thibodeau assistants for his staff. He will evaluate his options as he gets going, but as he sorts things out, I’d strongly expect Rick Brunson, Darren Ermann, Mark Bryant and Maurice Cheeks to end up on Brown’s staff. How the staff looks will ultimately be his call. But I’d be surprised if the names mentioned above don’t end up on the final staff.

The Lakers finally got a center they have so desperately needed when they agreed to a deal with Deandre Ayton, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The Lakers were able to get Ayton after he received a buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers of his $35-million contract, giving up about $10-million, according to reports. That opened the door for the Lakers to get Ayton for about $9 million this upcoming season after he cleared waivers Wednesday, according to people familiar with the deal.

Ayton averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds over 30.2 minutes per game for the Trail Blazers last season. But he played in only 40 games, missing every game after the All-Star break because of a calf injury.

At 26 and 7-foot, Ayton fills a need for the Lakers because of his age, size and athleticism.

After the Lakers traded Anthony Davis to the Mavericks last season for Luka Doncic, the team was left with only Jaxson Hayes at center. Hayes was inefficient in the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves, losing his starting job after playing in the first four games.

Read more:LeBron James exercises $52.6-million option and will be first to play 23 NBA seasons

When the free-agency period started Monday afternoon, the Lakers didn’t have a center on their roster, which they now have in Ayton.

The Lakers had been linked to free-agent centers Brook Lopez, who agreed to a deal with the Clippers, and Clint Capela, who agreed to a deal with the Houston Rockets.

The Lakers had more money to spend on Ayton because Dorian Finney-Smith declined his $15.3 million option with L.A. and agreed to a deal with the Houston Rockets for $53 million over four years.

Ayton was the first overall pick by the Phoenix Suns in the 2018 NBA draft, two spots ahead of Doncic, who was selected third by the Atlanta Hawks and then traded to the Mavericks.

The Lakers see Ayton as a lob threat alongside Doncic, which worked well in Phoenix when Chris Paul was throwing lobs to Ayton when they reached the NBA Finals.

The Lakers feel good about the addition of Ayton because they got younger, more mobile and more athletic.

Also, the Lakers were able to maintain significant salary-cap flexibility going forward and are projected to have $60 million in cap space next July.

The Lakers aren't done, as they will continue to monitor the league for roster upgrades through trades and other free agents.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Source: Warriors, Kings, Pistons discussing Jonathan Kuminga, Malik Monk trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jonathan Kuminga and Malik Monk could be on the move soon.

The Warriors, Kings and Detroit Pistons are discussing a three-team blockbuster that would send Kuminga and veteran point guard Dennis Schröder to Sacramento in separate sign-and-trade deals, a source told NBC Sports California.

The trade discussions remain fluid.

Schröder, on Tuesday, reportedly agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract with the Kings.

The Kings, in turn, would send Monk to the Pistons, and second-year NBA guard Devin Carter and newly acquired big man Dario Šarić to the Warriors, the source said.

The Kings parting ways with Monk has been the most likely scenario this offseason, two sources told NBC Sports California.

Sacramento also would send two second-rounders to Golden State, the source said.

For Kuminga, the trade would put an end to a turbulent Warriors tenure and give him a fresh start with the Kings.

The Warriors selected Kuminga with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and while the 22-year-old showed flashes of potential, he never has been a perfect fit alongside Steph Curry.

Kuminga and the Warriors didn’t agree on a contract extension before the 2024-25 NBA season, and he played out the campaign not knowing what the future held for him. He became a restricted free agent Sunday when Golden State extended a $7.9 million qualifying offer.

But the trade market for restricted free agents hasn’t been robust this week, limiting Kuminga’s options outside of the Warriors.

In four seasons with the Warriors, Kuminga averaged 12.5 points on 50.7 percent shooting from the field.

General manager Mike Dunleavy had hoped to acquire players in a potential sign-and-trade for Kuminga, but in this scenario, the Warriors would add a future asset while clearing salary cap space.

Sacramento would revamp part of its roster with the move, adding a starting point guard in Schröder and a potential game-changing talent in Kuminga.

The 31-year-old Schröder spent time with the Brooklyn Nets, Warriors and Pistons last season, averaging 13.1 points and 5.4 assists in 75 games. The Kings would be his 10th NBA franchise.

Carter, the No. 13 pick in last year’s NBA draft, battled injuries as a rookie and could join a Warriors team where minutes are hard to come by. He averaged 3.8 points in 11.0 minutes in 36 games.

Monk has been open about finding a home in Sacramento, so his departure would be bittersweet for the 27-year-old.

NBA free agency has been a whirlwind since the negotiating period opened Monday afternoon, and the Warriors and Kings could shake things up even more if they pull off this deal with the Pistons.

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