Report: Chicago agrees to trade Lonzo Ball to Cleveland for Isaac Okoro

The Cleveland Cavaliers surveyed what is expected to be a down East next season and see their opportunity. With that, they are looking for roster upgrades, pushing all their chips in on a 64-win team that learned some hard lessons in the playoffs.

Cleveland found one upgrade on Sunday: Trading Isaac Okoro to the Chicago Bulls for Lonzo Ball, a trade broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and quickly confirmed by other reporters. This is a straight-up trade of two players, no draft picks or other compensation moving between the teams.

If Ball can stay healthy, this is a win and an upgrade for Cleveland on the court. The versatile guard averaged 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists a game in 22 minutes a night off the bench last season, but the counting stats undersell the kind of little winning plays he makes. Ball is a smart facilitator who knows how to run an offense, he shot 36.6% on 3-pointers, and is also a solid defender.

The concern is health. Ball returned last season after missing more than two full seasons and undergoing three knee surgeries. Ball's minutes have to be limited. He played in just 35 games last season, averaging 22 minutes per night. However, Chicago trusted his health enough to sign him to a two-year, $20 million contract extension that kicks in next season (the second year of that, 2026-27, is a team option).

Bringing in Ball suggests that Cleveland is not bringing back free agent Ty Jerome. This is somewhat of a cost issue, with this trade the Cavaliers are about $8.9 million over the dreaded second apron and have four roster spots still to fill.

For Chicago, Okoro fits the mold of young players (24) with experience that the team is trying to bring in, veteran NBA writer K.C. Johnson notes. Okoro likely comes off the bench on the wing, playing minutes behind Coby White/Josh Giddey (whichever you consider the two guard) and Ayo Dosunmu. Okoro was not a favorite of new Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson last season and averaged 6.1 points a game, mostly coming off the bench for less than 20 minutes a night. When selected No. 5 overall the hope in Cleveland was that Okoro would fill the team's need on the wing, but he never developed into that player. He's a good (but not elite) wing defender, but his offense has been inconsistent and not what the Cavaliers needed. Chicago is making the bet in their system, playing off White and Giddey, Okoro will live up to his potential.

Financially, this trade hard caps the Bulls at the first apron, but that's more of a technicality than a concern. Chicago is $54 million under that cap number with just a couple of roster spots to fill, it should not be an issue.

NBA free agency: What to expect from the Lakers and Clippers

Los Angeles, CA - February 28: Los Angeles Clippers James Harden steals the basketball from Los Angeles Laker Lebron James in first half action. Lakers vs Clippers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Clippers guard James Harden and Lakers forward LeBron James, chasing after a loose ball during a game last season, have until Sunday to inform their respective teams if they will pick up contract options for next season or test free agency. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Lakers and Clippers put in the work during the NBA’s two-day draft that was completed Thursday night and now they will turn their attention to shaping their rosters.

The first key dates are Sunday, when LeBron James and Dorian Finney-Smith have to inform the Lakers and when James Harden has to inform the Clippers of their decisions to opt in or out of their contracts, and Monday, when the NBA free-agency period begins.

James has a player option for $52.6 million and Finney-Smith has one for $15.3 million.

“At that point, we’ll know the tools we have to go out into free agency and fill out the roster with the draft ending tonight,” Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, told Spectrum SportsNet after the second round of the draft Thursday. “The work for that has already begun, but the focus now will turn from draft focus to free agency and we won’t rest until we get it right.”

Harden, who has a player option of $36.3 million, also has the same day to let the Clippers know his desires.

“He’s our No. 1 priority,” Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, told the media after the first round of the draft Wednesday night. “We’re super hopeful that James is here and he’s here for a long time. He has a player-option, so he can opt-in … or he can opt-out and hopefully we can do a deal that makes sense for both sides. But James, as you guys know, was phenomenal and we hope to continue to see his play.”

Read more:Lakers trade up again to acquire Adou Thiero at No. 36 in NBA draft

The Lakers were able to add an athletic wing player when they acquired Adou Thiero in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who picked him with the 36th pick of the second round.

The most pressing need for the Lakers remains a center, and they’ll have to look into free agency or via trade to acquire one.

The top big men are Indiana’s Myles Turner, Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez and Atlanta’s Clint Capela.

Turner, who made $19.9 million last season, is probably headed back to the Pacers and will do so at a price the Lakers can’t offer him. The Lakers have the taxpayer mid-level exception of about $5.65 million to spend.

“As I said at the end of the year, we know one of the things we have to address is the center position and that’s clearly going to be one of our focuses as we begin the free-agency period,” Pelinka said on the Lakers’ TV show. “And that’s right around the corner.

"So, we’re looking forward to just putting in the hard work and making sure we take care of all the needs on the roster to give [Lakers coach] JJ [Redick] the tools he needs for this team to be great next season.”

Though the Clippers drafted a center in the first round with the 30th pick, getting Yanic Konan Niederhausher of Penn State, Frank said his team “probably will have at least three centers.”

The Clippers can use their non-taxpayer mid-level exception that’s projected to be about $14.1 million on a player or two, and perhaps even find a center.

Read more:2025 NBA draft: Clippers select Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser

They will also perform due diligence by calling other teams to see about trade opportunities.

“You’re always in constant contact with all the teams,” Frank said. “You have a good sense of the things that you can be involved with and other things that you’re not.”

Free agency begins Monday at 3 p.m. PDT, but players can’t sign contracts until July 6.

Also, Clippers wing Norman Powell is eligible for a contract extension. He has one year left on his deal that pays him $20.4 million next season.

“At the appropriate time, we’ll sit with Norm and his representatives to talk about what kind of an extension and what it would look like and how it would fit in the bigger picture,” Frank said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Sources: Gary Payton II, Warriors could part ways again in NBA free agency

Sources: Gary Payton II, Warriors could part ways again in NBA free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Gary Payton II, a fan favorite beloved by his teammates, might have played his last game with the Warriors.

Payton will become an unrestricted free agent on Monday, and his return to Golden State is in serious jeopardy, multiple NBA sources told NBC Sports Bay Area on Friday and Saturday.

“It’s looking doubtful,” one source said Friday.

“Golden State still likes him, and there’s still a chance he’s back,” another source said of the Warriors. “But they have a lot of moving parts as they work through the Jonathan Kuminga situation, so Gary could land elsewhere next season.”

A key member of Golden State’s 2022 NBA championship team, Payton is coming off a season of inconsistency while battling several nagging injuries. The 6-foot-3 forward appeared in 62 games (11 starts), with per-36-minute averages of 15.5 points (on 57.4-percent shooting from the field, including 32.6 from distance), 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 steals.

Payton made $9.1 million in salary last season, the final year of a three-year $26.1 million contract he originally signed with the Portland Trail Blazers in July 2022. The Warriors reacquired him seven months later and he has since been a fixture in the rotation.

A superior athlete on a roster lacking athleticism, GP2 has been the team’s best point-of-attack defender. He routinely is assigned to such stars as Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard and Phoenix’s Devin Booker. But availability has been an issue with Payton. He missed 20 games last season and 38 games in 2023-24.

If Payton is not re-signed, Golden State will prioritize adding an elite perimeter defender. 

NBA free agency officially begins at 3 p.m. Monday, when teams can negotiate with those on the market. The direction the Warriors take with their rotational unrestricted free agents – Kevon Looney is the other — will be influenced by the outcome of Kuminga’s restricted free agency.

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Warriors extend qualifying offer to Jonathan Kuminga before 2025 NBA free agency

Warriors extend qualifying offer to Jonathan Kuminga before 2025 NBA free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors made the expected move Saturday when they extended a $7.9 million qualifying offer to Jonathan Kuminga, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole confirmed.

Kuminga officially becomes a restricted NBA free agent ahead of Monday’s negotiating period, which begins at 3 p.m. PT.

The Athletic’s Anthony Slater and Spotrac’s Keith Smith were first to report the news.

Kuminga’s restricted free agency is the biggest question the Warriors have to answer this offseason.

The 22-year-old can field offer sheets from other NBA teams Monday, and the Warriors can match the offer, decline to match or work out a sign-and-trade with another franchise.

Kuminga and the Warriors were unable to agree to a long-term contract extension before the 2024-25 NBA season, and he played out the final guaranteed year of his rookie deal.

In 47 games, Kuminga averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds on 45.4-percent shooting from the field and 30.5-percent shooting from 3-point range.

Kuminga’s fourth NBA season was hampered by an ankle injury sustained in early January, sidelining him for 31 games. When he returned to the lineup, Jimmy Butler had been acquired and the Warriors had a hard time fitting Kuminga into the rotation.

By the time the Warriors reached the NBA playoffs, Kuminga was out of the rotation and received four DNPs in their first-round series win over the Houston Rockets.

But Kuminga rejoined the mix against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round when Steph Curry sustained a hamstring injury. In the final four games, the forward averaged 24.3 points on 55.4-percent shooting, showing the Warriors and the rest of the NBA what he’s capable of.

Kuminga believes he can be a “great” NBA player in the right situation, and he understands that might mean leaving the Warriors, who drafted him No. 7 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

But the Warriors still could retain a former lottery pick whom they have invested ample time and effort into.

A decision on Kuminga will come in the next few days, and it will have a big impact on the future of both sides.

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Naz Reid reportedly to sign five-year, $125 million extension to stay in Minnesota

Take another name off the potential free agent board.

Naz Reid and the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to a five-year, $125 million contract extension, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. This keeps a key part of Minnesota's roster in place, a group that has advanced to back-to-back Western Conference Finals.

Ried will decline his $15 million player option as part of this contract extension. That was expected, and other teams were eyeing the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year, with Chrania describing a "vibrant market developing" willing to pay in the neighborhood of what the Timberwolves paid to keep him, but with some teams offering a starting role. Detroit, a team looking for a stretch big, was one team consistently mentioned as interested in Reid. (As of this writing, only Brooklyn would have the cap space to make that kind of offer, but other teams could get there if they wanted.)

Reid, 25, averaged 14.2 points and six rebounds a game for the Timberwolves last season. He shot 37.9% from beyond the arc, providing a change of pace from starting center Rudy Gobert. Reid also stepped up with some big games in Minnesota's playoff runs.

Minnesota is not done with questions about re-signing big men. They need to decide on Julius Randle, who has a $30.9 million player option that must be picked up by Sunday. He is also seeking an extension.

Naz Ried reportedly to sign five-year, $125 million extension to stay in Minnesota

Take another name off the potential free agent board.

Naz Reid and the Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to a five-year, $125 million contract extension, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. This keeps a key part of Minnesota's roster in place, a group that has advanced to back-to-back Western Conference Finals.

Ried will decline his $15 million player option as part of this contract extension. That was expected, and other teams were eyeing the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year, with Chrania describing a "vibrant market developing" willing to pay in the neighborhood of what the Timberwolves paid to keep him, but with some teams offering a starting role. Detroit, a team looking for a stretch big, was one team consistently mentioned as interested in Reid. (As of this writing, only Brooklyn would have the cap space to make that kind of offer, but other teams could get there if they wanted.)

Reid, 25, averaged 14.2 points and six rebounds a game for the Timberwolves last season. He shot 37.9% from beyond the arc, providing a change of pace from starting center Rudy Gobert. Reid also stepped up with some big games in Minnesota's playoff runs.

Minnesota is not done with questions about re-signing big men. They need to decide on Julius Randle, who has a $30.9 million player option that must be picked up by Sunday. He is also seeking an extension.

Knicks Notes: What to know heading into free agency, potential targets

A few notes on free agency, the coaching search and the Raptors...


The Knicks are at $199,779,182 in team salary, per Yossi Gozlan’s on the capsheets.com website.

This leaves them roughly $8 million shy of the second apron and roughly $4 million over the first apron.

They can use the $5.6M taxpayer exception to sign free agents. Contracts signed with this exception can be no longer than two years and contain five percent raises. You can split the exception to sign multiple players.

If they decline PJ Tucker’s option, the Knicks could also sign-and-trade their free agents to bring back a player under contract, making up to the $5.6 million exception.

If you use the exception to sign a free agent, you are hard-capped at the second apron. This means you can’t spend more than $207.8 million in team salary. At their current team salary, the Knicks are roughly $8 million below the second apron.

The Knicks can also use the veteran’s minimum exception to sign free agents.

So, they have a couple of tools at their disposal in free agency.

Who are possible targets?

I think the Knicks will take a look at the guard market for a bench player. Also, ESPN reports that Celtics veteran Al Horford will have a robust market this offseason. I think the Knicks will also at least check in on Horford’s situation in Boston. The Celtics shed salary by trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis and they certainly want Horford back, but are limited in what they can offer the veteran big man.

Just as an aside: Horford has a close relationship with Karl-Anthony Towns.

The Knicks also have to decide on Ariel Hukporti’s team option for 2025-26. (Logic says they will pick it up, unless they have a bigger move in mind that requires more financial flexibility.)

What about rookie Mohamed Diawara? The Knicks could use the second-round exception to sign him, but that would put them $1.3 million closer to the second apron. They could also sign Diawara to a two-way deal.

Mar 30, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego reacts against the Charlotte Hornets during the first half at Smoothie King Center.
Mar 30, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego reacts against the Charlotte Hornets during the first half at Smoothie King Center. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

COACHING SEARCH

James Borrego is the fourth known interview the Knicks have conducted for their head-coaching search. Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins and Micah Nori have also interviewed for the job. I’d be lying if I said I knew where things stood entering the weekend, but I know Brown has made a good impression during the interview process and garnered support.

The Knicks have also had interest in Billy Donovan and Jason Kidd. Donovan reportedly has agreed with the Bulls on an extension. Mavericks GM Nico Harrison said definitively on Wednesday that Kidd would be coaching in Dallas next season. I still expect the Knicks to end up with a coach with prior head-coaching experience.

SHAKEUP IN TORONTO

The Raptors parted ways with lead executive Masai Ujiri on Friday. Opposing executives have long believed that the Raptors’ new majority ownership, Rogers Communications, could make a change at the top with Ujiri. Raptors officials downplayed the possibility, with Ujiri saying in April that everything was operating normally under the new structure. Ujiri was under contract for one more season.

The speculation around his future stemmed, in part, from some previous disagreements between Ujiri and executives from Rogers. It also stemmed, in part, due to the sentiment that the Rogers ownership would be hesitant to pay Ujiri the large salary that he was earning on his current deal.

Ujiri is reportedly earning $15 million per year. The team announced that general manager Bobby Webster was given a contract extension.

The Raptors finished 30-52 last season and missed the playoffs.

“We are confident that the Raptors organization, under the guidance of Bobby and his team, is in a great place,” Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley said in a statement. “They have a plan in place for next season and beyond as the team continues its rebuild, and we have confidence in their ability to execute and ultimately, to excel.”

Ujiri built the Raptors into an NBA champion (2019). He joined the Raptors in 2013 as executive vice president and general manager. He was promoted to team president in 2017 and Webster assumed GM duties.

Knicks coaching search update: Kidd not leaving Dallas, James Borrego to interview in New York

The Knicks' coaching search continues to crawl along with another former head coach, James Borrego, set to be interviewed. And if any Knicks fans (or people in their front office) were hoping the Jason Kidd situation in Dallas might change, Nico Harrison squashed that like a cockroach this week.

This weekend, the Knicks will interview former Hornets and current Pelicans assistant coach James Borrego, a story broken by James Edwards III of The Athletic and confirmed by multiple other Knicks reporters.

Borrego has the reputation of a creative, analytics-driven offensive coach, which would be a change in style from the coach he is interviewing to replace, Tom Thibodeau. While Borrego compiled a 138-163 record in four seasons with Charlotte, that undersells the job he did with a rebuilding roster. It felt like he had the team maybe turning a corner, the Hornets appeared to get better each year and won 43 games his final season (which did not make the playoffs in the East that year). Borrego is also a CAA client, the firm where Knicks president Leon Rose had worked.

The Knicks have previously interviewed former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins, former Cavaliers/Lakers/Kings coach Mike Brown, and Timberwolves lead assistant Mikah Nori for the job.

One guy the Knicks will not interview is Jason Kidd. New York reached out to Dallas with a request to interview Kidd several weeks ago and was shot down, but that was not enough to kill the rumors. The theory went that Kidd really, secretly, wanted the Knicks job — despite the Mavericks just landing Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick — and he would pressure Dallas to change its mind. Those rumors were presented to Mavericks GM Nico Harrison hours after they selected Flagg, and he seemed surprised that anyone thought that, and then he officially and unequivocally crushed them, as quoted by Christian Clark at The Athletic.

"Are there rumors still out there about J-Kidd?" Harrison said. "I thought I shut them down. Yes, he will be the coach next year."
Can we move on now?

Borrego is now the betting favorite to replace Thibodeau, but there is no clear frontrunner yet. Whoever gets the job will have tough shoes to fill because in his five years at the helm of the Knicks Thibodeau led the team to the playoffs for times — the same number of playoff appearances the team had in the 20 years prior to him becoming coach — and the team's first Western Conference Finals in 25 years. There was a segment of Knicks nation, and apparently a large segment of the Knicks front office, who thought Thibodeau's message and style had worn out in the locker room and he had taken them as far as he could. The idea was that if the Knicks wanted to win a title, they needed a new coach. However, Thibodeau was fired without an upgrade in the wings, or even really a succession plan.

So the process continues as we are three days away from the start of free agency.

International WNBA players often leave their teams during the regular season; why that's changing

The Seattle Storm’s Gabby Williams is enjoying a career season in 2025. She’s averaging the most points (14), assists (4.7) and rebounds (4.5) she ever has in seven WNBA seasons. Her three-point percentage has increased by over 20 percent year-over-year even as her attempts from deep have increased from 2.6 to 4.8 in 2025. Satou Sabally too has had a career year in scoring, leading the Phoenix Mercury so far with 19.3 points per game.

Imagine if both Sabally and Williams had to just pause their WNBA seasons and potential WNBA All-Star campaigns to jet off to Europe to play in EuroBasket from June 18 through June 29. EuroBasket is a biennial continental championship tournament sponsored by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) that can qualify a national team’s entry into the next Olympics.

For a long time, that was often the case for WNBA players with ties to countries like France, Germany, Belgium, and Italy, who would — and still do — leave their WNBA teams midseason to compete in a week-and-a-half-long tournament. The event can feature up to six games in just 12 days, with only one day of rest between the first three games.

It isn’t only national teams from Europe, however, that often feature WNBA players in these continental tournaments. FIBA also sponsors other continental tournaments such as the Asia Cup and the AmeriCup that serve a similar purpose. The AmeriCup runs from late June into early July and then the Asia Cup begins in the middle of July and runs for a week. The Sky’s Kamilla Cardoso and the Fever’s Damiris Dantas left just this week to compete in the AmeriCup for the Brazilian National team.

As of right now the WNBA has 162 rostered players, which includes players on hardship contracts and 22 of them (13.5 percent) faced a choice to leave in the middle of the season or will be late for the WNBA season because of these continental tournaments.

While 13 players have made commitments to play in these tournaments during the first half of the WNBA season, eight players have firmly decided not to including German national team star Sabally, French two-way wing Williams, New York Liberty French guard Marine Johannès and Sabally’s sister Nyara who also plays for New York in the W.

“It gives the autonomy back to the players,” Satou told reporters about what to glean from this new trend amongst international WNBA players in 2025.

All but three teams in the WNBA including the Mystics, Aces and Dream—teams that don’t roster international players— have been impacted by the decisions that international players have made or will continue to make. Teams like the new expansion franchise, the Golden State Valkyries, have had to adjust the most as the franchise has dealt with one-third of their team leaving for EuroBasket in the month of June. But some teams also have players making different types of decisions that aren’t in line with the desires of international federations. French Rookie Carla Leite decided to stay in San Francisco with the Valkyries rather than return to France to train with her national team prior to EuroBasket and as did No. 2 overall pick Dominique Malonga, who made a commitment to the Seattle Storm.

Explaining the status quo

Until 2023, the expectation for players within the French Federation’s women’s basketball team was that prior to competitions like EuroBasket and the Olympics players would report to the national team’s training camp after their club seasons in either the French league or some other international league concluded.

To be clear, this is what one player on the Connecticut Sun, 2024 No. 10 overall draft pick Leïla Lacan, has had to do this season. She is expected to join the Sun after the French national team completes their stint in EuroBasket which could be as soon as on June 30, a day after the Sun play the Lynx in Minneapolis.

But prior to 2023, French players didn’t really challenge the wishes of the Federation. This wasn’t until Johannès had a desire to fly to New York to get settled with the Liberty and then meet the national team at EuroBasket instead of staying in France for weeks-long training sessions. She and her agent negotiated for months with the Federation but the French body didn’t oblige and instead punished Johannès by not allowing her to compete in EuroBasket in addition to settling in with the Liberty first.

The federation even threatened to ban Johannès from competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but they quickly changed course after realizing how this looked optically, banning one of their best players and how they were limiting player autonomy. To be clear, Johannès had come late every other WNBA season she’s played because of her French domestic league and national team commitments.

While not all federations are as strict as the French, it remains notable that both Belgian players in Julie Vanloo and Julie Allemand decided to leave their respective WNBA teams in the Valkyries and the Sparks in favor of competing in EuroBasket. They could begin their seasons in the United States, but both made different decisions compared to Johannès, Williams, and the Sabally sisters.

There is also personal pressure on players to leave their WNBA teams in order to strengthen their national teams and help grow the sport in their home countries. Mercury head coach Nate Tibbets had breakfast with Satou one morning and the two were discussing her decision to stay with the Mercury amid some doubt she had about letting her country down. “I'm sure both [Satou and Nyara] are feeling like they're leaving their country down, not being there, and because I know they've got such a pride for playing for their team,” he said.

Tibbets, who came to the WNBA after 20 years of experience in the G league and NBA, isn’t used to this constant struggle that many WNBA players endure season to season. “Players would never probably leave, or that league wouldn't allow players to leave to go and play for their national team in these tournaments,” he said about the NBA.

Why is that? Typically G league players or college aged players represent international federations and even Team USA. For the FIBA AmeriCup taking place this year, USA Basketball sent some of the United States’ best college players rather than pulling from the WNBA. That’s not always the case for Federations that don’t have the depth of talent available in the United States.

But also with EuroBasket in particular, the next men’s tournament will happen during the NBA offseason later this summer in August. No conflict there.

What sparked a change

Prior to the Tokyo Olympics, Williams had a falling out with her former WNBA team the Chicago Sky. Her plan was to begin the 2021 season in France to prepare for the Olympics after her French league team ASVEL completed its domestic season. Initially the agreement between the Sky and Williams was that they would trade her contract, but then the franchise defected and suspended her contract instead, preventing her from playing at all in the WNBA in 2021.

Williams explained to Andscape’s Sean Heard her frustration with this situation and what she said to Sky owner Michael Alter. “I told him, ‘You have to understand, I don’t make money here,’ ” she said. “Not even about money – I wasn’t getting a lot of minutes. I didn’t feel very important to the team – they didn’t make me feel important – and I was like, ‘You’re asking me to sacrifice this for that.’”

Williams’ dissatisfaction with Sky ownership came down to an endemic WNBA issue. Over the years, the Sky were notorious for being a franchise that didn't treat its players on the level of professional athletes. Back in 2021, teams weren’t in the arms race they are now to provide players with the best experience and player amenities.

The WNBA was also a year into a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that had a provision that limited international players or players who chose to play overseas. The owners argued in the 2020 CBA that the quality of the product was suffering because so many of the best players were supplementing their incomes abroad and arriving late to training camp and the regular season.

After Brittney Griner’s ordeal in Russia, more opportunities have opened up for the top players to stay in the United States during the WNBA offseason. But players have their eyes on the next CBA which is being negotiated as we speak and set to go into action next season. Salaries are expected to go up pretty dramatically in addition to requirements for franchises when it comes to the player experience. This is the reason why players like Williams, Satou and Johannès are committing to the WNBA this year.

For Satou her reason to skip EuroBasket was because of her desire to prove to the Mercury how committed she is to them. She, like most of the league, is on a one-year contract that will expire once the current CBA does. She missed more than half of the 2024 WNBA season recovering from injury and preparing for the Paris Olympics. She knew that in 2025 she would need to prove to her WNBA team that she’s committed and deserving of the increase in pay that’s going to come to most players.

“So sometimes you just have to give and take a little bit in your professional career,” Satou said about her decision. “There's so many people that will pull from all sides. So just knowing what you can and can't do is also something that I've learned throughout my time.”

Johannès’ reasoning is similar to Satou’s. She wants to prove to the Liberty and the entire league that she can play an entire season in the WNBA. But she also made a decision for her own physical and mental health.

“I'm 30 right now, and like, I can't be everywhere and nowhere, you know? I know some people were mad about my decision, but they have to understand that I'm not 23 anymore. Like, I need stabilization too.”

Liberty and Australian national team coach Sandy Brondello, who once was a WNBA player who did not grow up in the United States, understands these issues from all sides. She knows how much of a bind international federations put on players, and she knows how much WNBA teams are impacted when star players leave in the beginning of the season. Leonie Fiebich, another German national team mainstay, hasn’t played for the Liberty since June 14, and New York has gone 2-3 since.

Brondello respects all the choices of her players, but sees a deterioration of the status quo that was prevalent in so many international federations.

“I think all the Federations understand that this is their jobs, and this is how they make money,” Brondello said about the WNBA. “And there's a new CBA coming out next year, opportunities to be financially secure. So I just think it's just a different time where there's a little bit more appreciation, and players have more of a voice in what they should be doing for their careers and not being told what they should be doing.”

Li Yueru of the Dallas Wings is a mainstay on the Chinese national team and she forced a trade this year for that same reason. Li knew that if she stayed on the Seattle Storm and continued to get small amounts of playing time, the Chinese Federation would have demanded that she return to China to compete in the Asia Cup. Li wanted to prioritize the WNBA and forced her way to Dallas to prevent conflict between her and her home federation.

While Satou’s sister Nyara’s reasons are different from her sister’s reasons for sitting EuroBasket out, especially since she’s still on her rookie scale contract in 2026, hers are more about her own physical health and overall convenience. She has had a history of issues with her right knee and it flared up again earlier this WNBA season. If she would have participated in EuroBasket, she would have put her health at risk. Another flight would lead to more knee swelling, and then back-to-back games wouldn’t have helped with her load management and injury prevention either.

But it isn’t just physical for players. It’s about how difficult it is mentally to move from place to place so quickly.

“I'm always talking about coming late during the season is not easy,” Johannès told reporters reflecting on her decision. “So I guess I think that coming here first, like going to the national team, it's completely in a different organization, like we don't play the same. So coming back again here, like, it's going to be a lot.”

Challenges will persist moving forward

Because of a new CBA on the way and because WNBA franchises have upped their player experience and amenities, players are more inclined to stay in the United States now during these more minor tournaments.

But what is going to happen when the WNBA season has to once again contend with the 2026 FIBA World Cup which is set to take place in Germany from September 4 through September 13?

The WNBA’s 2025 schedule has 44 games, and it would be foolish to believe that the league would want to decrease the number of games in its season in the year after under the new CBA. Traditionally the WNBA season would end before the World Cup and the Finals would end as the World Cup begins. That might not be possible in 2026. Could the WNBA take a World Cup break in September and then resume later in the fall? That’s a similar approach that the league takes with the Olympics? The possibility is one that still remains to be seen.

Emma Meeseman, a former WNBA Finals MVP who hasn’t played in the league for years because of limits on international players, namely prioritization under the current CBA, has expressed frustration about how often EuroBasket and other FIBA continental tournaments have to happen.

But a source familiar with how FIBA operates explained to NBC Sports why FIBA probably won’t be open to having less EuroBaskets, Asia Cups and AmeriCup tournaments. The tournaments are how the governing body makes money, and so the only compromise would be moving the tournaments rather than eliminating them.

“It's just a really hard scheduling problem,” Nyara said in response to Meeseman’s frustrations. “I'm pretty sure people are also working on it. I think they're probably aware of the issue that's going on and the trend that more and more players ought to stay in the States…so maybe moving it to one of the national team windows would be a possibility but that's wishful thinking.”

But then Nyara noted that if EuroBasket moves to during the winter time, then players who are playing in Europe during the winter will have to miss parts of EuroLeague or their domestic league’s season.

The solution, which is one that’s quite common in the NBA, is that with higher pay more international and domestic WNBA players won’t even have to supplement their incomes overseas. With a new CBA in 2026, the WNBA could become not only the most talented league in the world, but finally a professional women’s league where its players are treated like the money-making superstars they are.

What drama? Ace Bailey's representative says he is 'thrilled' to play for Jazz; he has yet to report to Utah

Ace Bailey did not work out for the Utah Jazz — or any NBA team — in the run-up to the 2025 NBA Draft as his agent tried to steer him to his reportedly preferred East Coast destinations of Washington D.C. or Brooklyn. It didn't work out as planned, and the Utah Jazz selected Bailey with the No. 5 pick — a team in need of high-end talent in its rebuild took the player with the highest ceiling still available.

Since then, there has been minimal contact between Bailey and the Jazz, and — unlike the team's other first-round draft pick, Walter Clayton Jr. — he has yet to report to Utah, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Friday. That led to raised eyebrows and plenty of online speculation.

However, one of Bailey's representatives, president of GSE Worldwide Andrew Witlieb, went on Front Office Sports' show Friday and threw cold water on all the rumors, saying Bailey is "thrilled" to play in Utah.

"We think this is a great situation for him, basketball-wise," Witlieb said, noting that Bailey would get a lot of touches and shots with the Jazz. Witlieb added that not working out for teams was not a big deal — there was plenty of film on him from Rutgers' season and the NBA Draft Combine, where the Jazz had interviewed him and obtained his medical records. He noted that teams drafting players who did not work out for them is common.

Bailey is expected to report to Utah by Monday and participate in training camp for the Utah and then the Las Vegas Summer Leagues. There was never going to be any real drama until that deadline passed.

Bailey has factions within his representation, which can lead to differing messaging.

Whether or not Bailey is happy about being picked by Utah, he and his reps have no other option than to show up. The Jazz hold his draft rights, and anyone who thinks threatening to play overseas (the Jazz would retain his rights) or not reporting is going to get Danny Ainge and the Jazz organization to buckle and trade him has not been paying attention — the Jazz will not back down. Bailey is going to play for the Jazz or nobody else in the NBA. Bailey's only option to change teams would be to sit out a full year of basketball and re-enter the draft, which would hurt his draft stock while he spent a year not getting paid. (Utah would have the full support of the league office and other owners in any showdown, they do not want to create a situation where rookie players can force their way to the destination they desire.)

All of that appears moot. The expectation in league circles has always been that Bailey would be there Monday, with the full support of his representation (who don't get paid unless he starts getting paid). There will be no drama, and the only question will be whether Bailey can play up to his potential working with coach Will Hardy and staff.

Celtics future draft picks: Updated list after 2025 NBA Draft

Celtics future draft picks: Updated list after 2025 NBA Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics have stocked up on future draft assets over the last week.

On Monday, the Celtics traded veteran guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons, a 2030 second-round draft pick from the New York Knicks, and the Blazers’ own 2031 second-round pick. They followed that by sending big man Kristaps Porzingis and a 2026 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that yielded them Georges Niang and the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2031 second-rounder.

Stevens continued to deal during Day 2 of the 2025 NBA Draft. Boston’s president of basketball operations traded the No. 32 overall pick to the Orlando Magic for the 46th and 57th picks, plus second-rounders in 2026 and 2027.

Second-round picks are invaluable for teams like the Celtics that are over the luxury tax. While first-round picks have a predetermined salary slot over four seasons, second-rounders can be signed to similar-length deals starting at minimum salaries that don’t need to be guaranteed for all of the years.

That’s a big reason why Stevens has loaded up on second-round draft picks this summer, and he may not be done just yet. There are still moves to be made as Boston looks to shed more salary, which it must do to retain pending free agents Al Horford and Luke Kornet.

For now, here’s an updated list of the Celtics’ future draft assets. This list will be updated if and when more moves involving draft picks are made.

2026

  • Round 1: Own
  • Round 2: Most favorable between Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, New Orleans Pelicans, Trail Blazers
  • Round 2: Most favorable between Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, and Magic
  • Round 2: Potential pick swap with Memphis Grizzlies

2027

  • Round 1: Own
  • Round 2: Least favorable of Trail Blazers and Pelicans.
  • Round 2: Most favorable between Celtics and Magic

2028

  • Round 1: Potential pick swap with San Antonio Spurs (Protected top 1)

2030

  • Round 1: Own
  • Round 2: Via Knicks

2031

  • Round 1: Own
  • Round 2: Via Trail Blazers
  • Round 2: Via Cavaliers
  • Round 2: Via Rockets (Protected 31-55)

2032

  • Round 1: Own
  • Round 2: Own

Mike Dunleavy believes Jonathan Kuminga can reach NBA potential with Warriors

Mike Dunleavy believes Jonathan Kuminga can reach NBA potential with Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The biggest question mark of the Warriors’ NBA offseason revolves around impending restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga.

After the first phase of the offseason concluded with Thursday’s second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, general manager Mike Dunleavy offered insight into where the Warriors stand with the former No. 7 overall pick.

On Friday’s episode of “The TK Show,” Tim Kawakami asked Dunleavy about Kuminga’s comments earlier this week, when the 22-year-old expressed his desire to be “great” and an NBA All-Star.

“As a young player, I love the personal ambition,” Dunleavy stated. “That’s what I see, first and foremost, with the comments. He’s a guy that believes in himself, wants to see what he can do.

“I think, ultimately, if we’re able to bring him back, we see a path for him to be able to do some of those things here.”

While Kuminga will be free to negotiate with other teams once NBA free agency begins June 30, Golden State will have the chance to match any contract offer sheet he receives from another franchise.

Kuminga’s potential isn’t much of a debate, but it’s fair to wonder if he can become a consistent, high-end scorer on a team led by veteran stars Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler.

Varying from DNP-CDs to the Warriors’ main scoring threat, Kuminga’s playing time under coach Steve Kerr fluctuated greatly throughout the end of the 2024-25 NBA season. As Dunleavy recognized, Golden State will need to make a firm decision on the young forward’s role going forward — which could affect how both sides approach contract talks.

“I think that will come out in the wash. It will get figured out, honestly,” Dunleavy said of Kuminga’s unclear role with the Warriors. “And that would be the calculus on us bringing him back and him wanting to be back here. So these are all of the things we have to go through and figure out. These are all questions that just can’t really be answered until we know what the deal is.”

Whatever those answers end up being, it will be very interesting to see how Golden State continues to handle this saga with a rising star.

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Report: Sixers declining Jared Butler's team option

Report: Sixers declining Jared Butler's team option  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers are declining Jared Butler’s $2.3 million team option for the 2025-26 season, PHLY’s Kyle Neubeck reported Friday.

The team acquired Butler last season in a trade-deadline deal that sent Reggie Jackson to the Wizards. By the end of the Sixers’ injury-decimated year, he was their starting point guard. 

Over 28 appearances as a Sixer last season, Butler averaged 11.5 points, 4.9 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals. He shot 42.6 percent from the floor, 35.2 percent from three-point range and 87 percent at the foul line.

The 24-year-old appreciated the opportunity to have a stable role and aimed to provide stability and poise with a perpetually changing cast of healthy teammates.

“It’s been fantastic,” Butler said on March 29. “I think people underestimate … it’s been four years and it’s my first time getting a stretch of games where I know I’m going to play. … It’s a blessing, and I’m just glad I’m healthy and able to play. I think it’s good for my career.”

When everyone’s available, the Sixers clearly have multiple guards who’d be ahead of Butler on head coach Nick Nurse’s depth chart, including Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes. No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe is in town, too.

We’ll see what free agency holds for Butler, who’s played for four NBA franchises since being drafted with the 40th pick in the 2021 draft. Free agency will formally begin Monday at 6 p.m. ET.

The Sixers’ other team options are Justin Edwards ($2 million) and Lonnie Walker IV ($2.9 million). 

2025 NBA Draft Dynasty Rookie Rankings: Cooper Flagg leads the way

With the 2025 draft wrapped up, the next logical step is to start drafting those rookies into your dynasty league! Perhaps the best method is to wait a little bit longer to start drafting, but sometimes, the real sickos like us just need to draft. It’s the itch that can’t be scratched any other way.

So here’s my take on how to value these players in dynasty leagues, with a few thoughts on whether they’re better for rebuilding or contending teams and if they’ll be optimized in points or categories formats.

The tier names indicate where I think they have a chance to finish in redraft leagues in the future, which should give a good indication of what type of value to place on these players. We'll have a larger dynasty rankings update coming next month that will include this rookie class!

NBA: Portland Trail Blazers at Toronto Raptors
Rotoworld writers Raphielle Johnson and Noah Rubin pick fantasy basketball winners and losers following a busy week that began with the Kevin Durant trade.

Tier 1: Perennial Top Five

1. F Cooper Flagg, DAL

He's in a league of his own, which we've known for a while. No matter what format you're playing in, Flagg should be the first player off the board.

Tier 2: Top 25 upside

2. G Dylan Harper, SAS

The clear No. 2 option in every format. Harper is going to have a ton of success as Victor Wembanyama's point guard for a long time.

Tier 3: Multiple Top 75 seasons ahead

3. G V.J. Edgecombe, PHI

Edgecombe's path to minutes in year one is entirely dependent on how important his defense becomes. In a large role, he can be an elite source of steals. How much the offense develops will determine just how dominant he can be.

4. F Ace Bailey, UTA

Perhaps this wasn't Bailey's preferred destination, but it checks all the boxes of a place where he'd want to be. He's just in Utah. Bailey will have a chance to start immediately and get a ton of shots. He was also a solid rebounder and good source of blocks at Rutgers.

5. G Kon Knueppel, CHA

Knueppel should immediately slot in as the starting shooting guard next to LaMelo Ball and get a ton of three-pointers, which he can provide efficiently. He can provide some other decent numbers across the board, but the value will be found in category leagues, where his strong percentages will be amplified.

6. G Jeremiah Fears, NOR

Landing in New Orleans isn't ideal for the short term, but the 18-year-old undersized guard was never going to dominate immediately. Bump him down your board if you need year one production, but Fears has the potential to be a truly dominant offensive player.

7. C Derik Queen, NOR

Does the fit next to Zion Williamson work defensively? Probably not, but it could be a ton of fun on offense. Plus, if you give up an unprotected first-round pick that is the more favorable pick between two teams in a class as stacked as 2026, you better be committed to making this thing work.

8. C Khaman Maluach, PHX

The trade for Mark Williams minutes before taking Maluach was heartbreaking, but that doesn't mean we should bump him down our boards. Williams is a gifted offensive big, but Maluach should be better defensively and is certainly an impactful offensive player as well. Plus, Williams certainly has some injury question marks. It's not an unrealistic scenario that Maluach is simply better than Williams within a year or two.

9. C Thomas Sorber, OKC

Sorber isn't a short term success pick. The absolute best case scenario is that he develops in the G League as a rookie and ends up being good enough that the Thunder decline IsaiahHartenstein's team option for the 2026-27 season and have Sorber fill that role. The more realistic scenario is it takes a bit longer for Sorber to crack the rotation, but he is a truly gifted big with a fantasy-friendly skillset.

10. F Collin Murray-Boyles, TOR

CMB would be higher if he were in a better situation. He has the statset to be a dominant fantasy producer, especially in category leagues. However, the fit next to Scottie Barnes is an interesting one. Still, talent wins out, and it's hard enough to drop him this low.

11. G Egor Demin, BKN

Regardless of how you feel about Demin as a prospect (I am lower on him), this is an ideal situation. Brooklyn had so many point guard issues last season, so they drafted three of them, and then also a seven-footer that plays like a point guard. Using the No. 8 pick on Demin means they're going to give him the keys and let him run the show. If you're looking for year one production and can deal with inefficiency, Demin could be taken earlier.

Tier 4: Potential Top 75 seasons ahead

12. G Cedric Coward, MEM

Coward could replace Desmond Bane in the starting lineup. He has a 7'2" wingspan and shoots threes. Fantasy stud potential.

13. G Tre Johnson, WAS

The scoring and shooting are great, but he doesn't contribute much else in the box score. Johnson should be a better player for the Wizards than he will be for fantasy managers.

14. G Kasparas Jakucionis, MIA

He slipped to the Heat, and now Jakucionis doesn't have a ton of competition for minutes. The fit next to TylerHerro is questionable on defense, but Jakucionis in a large role should lead to a ton of production in the box score.

15. C Ryan Kalkbrenner, CHA

The Hornets added Kalkbrenner in the second round, and he'll compete for a starting role immediately. He averaged 2.7 blocks per game in college and is now going to be fed easy buckets by LaMelo Ball.

16. C Danny Wolf, BKN

Wolf is a dynamic center that should be able to create mismatches against big defenders. Also, bigs that can pass like Wolf don't come around often, and most of them are fantasy studs.

17. G Walter Clayton Jr., UTA

There's a real chance Clayton ends up being the best point guard on the team by opening night. In that role, he'll provide a ton of three-pointers and assists. Utah has said they're done tanking, and Clayton will help with that.

18. F Rasheer Fleming, PHX

He slid to the second round, but Fleming is much better than that. He can shoot threes at has a 7'5" wingspan. Fantasy goldmine on a team without much depth.

Tier 5: Top 100 upside

19. F Noa Essengue, CHI

Essengue isn't the most polished scorer, but he should get some easy looks off passes from Josh Giddey, and he's a nice upside swing on the wing for Chicago. It'll be interesting to see how he co-exists next to Matas Buzelis.

20. F Carter Bryant, SAS

Bryant is a high-level defensive prospect with offensive upside. There isn't a clear path to ample minutes at this point, but his defense will be valuable. How his offense progresses will determine how much success he has, since he should be able to get defensive stats if he's on the floor.

21. C Joan Beringer, MIN

Long-term project here. The hope is he can learn how to be Rudy Gobert from the man himself. Don't expect much production over the next few seasons, but the upside here is tremendous.

22. F Nique Clifford, SAC

A win-now piece for the Kings, and if he can get enough minutes, he's a win-now pick for fantasy managers. He's an older prospect, but he can provide well-rounded numbers in the box score.

23. C Yang Hansen, POR

I liked Yang before the draft. He's a strong passer for a big man that played well at the combine. Like everyone else, I didn't expect him to be a first-round pick, and I certainly didn't expect him to go 16th. However, Portland's management basically staked their reputation on this pick, and that means something to me. He has a fantasy-friendly skillset. How he fits with DonovanClingan is unclear, but I wouldn't let Yang fall past this spot in your rookie draft, and if you trust Joe Cronin, feel free to take a swing earlier.

24. G Jase Richardson, ORL

Orlando is the perfect fit for Richardson to thrive as an off-ball guard next to some big playmakers. May not play a lot early, but he is an efficient, cerebral guard that will make Magic fans happy.

25. F Asa Newell, ATL

In terms of playstyle, John Collins is a pretty good comparison for Newell, and Collins enjoyed some really productive seasons in Atlanta. With Jalen Johnson in front of him, Newell doesn't have the same path to minutes that Collins had, but as situations change, there is a path for Newell to be a really good fantasy option.

Tier 6: I see the vision

26. G Nolan Traore, BKN

Not sure how he fits with the other point guards they drafted, but the assist upside is intriguing.

27. G Hugo Gonzalez, BOS

Gonzelez got playing time on a talented Real Madrid team as a 19-year-old. He's effective in transition and on defense. The shot needs work, but this is an upside swing for Boston

28. F Adou Thiero, LAL

An athletic defender on the wing that can score in transition. Thiero fills a lot of needs for the Lakers and the steal upside is intriguing for fantasy managers.

29. F Will Riley, WAS

Riley has the upside to impact the game in a multitude of ways on offense, but it may be a few years. Washington will give him the chance to develop, but don't expect early production.

30. G Ben Saraf, BKN

The playmaking upside is intriguing, but I'm once again not sure how everything fits together in Brooklyn with all of these ball handlers.

31. G Kam Jones, IND

Tyrese Haliburton is likely going to miss all of next season. Jones was a productive point guard last season and could immediately provide some value for fantasy managers if they need him to start from time to time.

32. F Noah Penda, ORL

Another big playmaker for the Magic that is also a high-level defender. Penda's path to minutes isn't clear, but he's a talented player that just needs to figure out a way to score.

33. G Drake Powell, BKN

I really like Powell as a prospect, but I don't think it's going to translate to much fantasy value. He's a high-level defender and a freak athlete, but that didn't translate to many defensive stats at North Carolina.

34. C Amari Williams, BOS

Kristaps Porzingis is in Atlanta. AlHorford and LukeKornet are free agents. Somebody has to play center in Boston, and TylerZeller is not walking through that door. Williams was also a strong passing center for a big at Kentucky last season.

35. C Maxime Raynaud, SAC

I would've taken Raynaud much earlier than where the Kings got him, so it was a great value pick for them. I was hoping he'd find a situation where he could play a lot early on, but being the backup behind DomantasSabonis doesn't leave him many minutes. In a different situation, I'd take Raynaud much earlier.

36. C Yanic Konan Niederhauser, LAC

A rim-runner that can block shots is an archetype that has had a lot of success playing with James Harden, but the backup to Ivica Zubac doesn't leave Konan Niederhauser with much of an opportunity early on.

37. F Liam McNeeley, CHA

McNeeley struggled in a role for UConn that he won't play in the NBA. But even if he's better than he was in college, there isn't a lot that's going to translate for fantasy basketball in any format, unless you're really desperate for three-pointers.

Tier 7: Wild Cards

38. F Bogoljub Markovic, MIL**

39. F Micah Peavy, NOR

40. G Alijah Martin, TOR

41. F Jamir Watkins, WAS

42. G Javon Small, MEM

43. F Sion James, CHA

44. G Chaz Lanier, DET

45. C Johni Broome, PHI

46. G Koby Brea, PHX

47. F Eric Dixon, LAL*

48. C Vladislav Goldin, MIA*

49. C Rocco Zikarsky, MIN

50. G John Tonje, UTA

51. F Lachlan Olbrich, CHI

52. G Ryan Nembhard, DAL*

53. G Tyrese Proctor, CLE

54. G Mark Sears, MIL*

55. G Will Richard, GSW

56. G Kobe Sanders, LAC

57. G Kadary Richmond, WAS*

58. F RJ Luis Jr., UTA*

59. G Chucky Hepburn, TOR*

60. G Hunter Sallis, PHI*

61. G Caleb Love, POR*

62. F Alex Toohey, GSW

63. G Max Shulga, BOS

64. F Brooks Barnhizer, OKC

65. F Eli Ndiaye, ATL*

66. F Mohamed Diawara, NYK

67. G Taelon Peter, IND

68. G Jahmai Mashack, MEM

69. C Dylan Cardwell, SAC*

70. F CJ Huntley, PHX*

71. G Tamar Bates, DEN*

72. C Hunter Dickinson, NOR*

73. G Miles Kelly, DAL*

74. F Saliou Niang, CLE**

*Two-way UDFAs

**Draft-and-stashes

Holley: Making sense of Mazzulla's contract situation with Celtics

Holley: Making sense of Mazzulla's contract situation with Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Brad Stevens was nearing the end of his press conference Wednesday night when he made a comment that raised a few eyebrows.

“Joe and I — first of all, keep any of those discussions in-house — but we’ve got Joe under contract for multiple years right now,” Stevens said when asked if the team had begun discussing a possible contract extension for head coach Joe Mazzulla. “We certainly want Joe to be around here for a long time.”

The most recent reporting around Mazzulla’s contract suggested the 2025-26 season would be the final year of his current deal, hence the speculation that he could sign an extension this offseason. But that reporting doesn’t seem to align with Stevens’ insistence that Mazzulla is under contract for “multiple years.”

So, what’s going on here? NBC Sports Boston’s Michael Holley shared his take Thursday night on The Off C’season show during the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

“I think there may be a team option for Joe Mazzulla,” Holley told co-hosts Tom Giles and Tim Welsh. “So, technically … Joe Mazzulla is not in the final year of his contract if it’s up to the team. Now, I don’t think it will come to that.

“So, in other words, he’s got a year, and a team option that would make it ‘multiple years.’ So, he’s technically under contract for ‘multiple years’ with the Celtics.”

Under this scenario, Mazzulla would be under contract for the 2025-26 season, then the team could decide whether to extend his deal into the 2026-27 season or end it after the upcoming campaign. Holley believes we won’t even get to that point, however.

“What I think is going to happen is, they’re going to tear up the contract and he’s going to get an extension,” Holley added.

“… I think Brad made it clear. He didn’t like how things went down (in the playoffs), especially in those first two games against the Knicks, but he likes Mazzulla, and I’d be shocked if Mazzulla is not signed to a contract extension. … I think a contract extension is just inevitable.”

Mazzulla has built quite the impressive resume since taking over as Boston’s head coach in September 2022 following Ime Udoka’s suspension. Mazzulla currently owns the best regular-season winning percentage of any coach in NBA history (.740) and guided the Celtics to their 18th championship in 2024.

Boston won 61 games during the 2024-25 campaign — the first time the C’s have won 60-plus games in back-to-back seasons since 2008 and 2009 — before falling to the New York Knicks in the second round of the 2025 playoffs.

Mazzulla is about to face his most difficult challenge as Celtics head coach: His best player, Jayson Tatum, is expected to miss most or all of next season due to a ruptured Achilles, while two key pieces of his 2024 title team — Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis — are out the door, with the possibility of more departures as Boston looks to shed salary.

At this point, however, it sounds like Stevens still believes in Mazzulla’s ability to navigate those challenges — and he could reiterate that belief by handing his head coach a contract extension before the season begins.