Category: NBA

Jordan Walsh has agreed to sign a 3-year, $15 million extension with the Celtics, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported.

Walsh is coming off a career season in which he averaged 5.4 points and 4 rebounds per game, while shooting 50.9% from the field and 38.4% from three. He averaged 17.8 minutes per game and started 25 games, all career-highs. The Celtics went 15-5 in a 20-game stretch in which he started.

Most importantly, Walsh established himself as an elite defender capable of slowing down opposing teams’ top players, tasked with guarding Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey in the playoffs.

Walsh, who was selected 38th overall in 2023, was entering the last year of his contract and was due $2.4 million next season. While Walsh has played three years in the NBA, he’s just 22 years old and is still the third-youngest player on the roster.

Walsh will be making $2.4 million next season, $5 million in the 2027-2028 season, and $5.25 million in the 2028-2029 season. The Celtics have a $5.5 million team option for the 2029-20230 season.

The Celtics now have a litany of wings under contract for the next few years

Ron Harper Jr. (age 26) has four more years under contract, with team options in the final two years. Sam Hauser (age 29) and Hugo Gonzalez (age 20) both have three more years under contract (Hauser’s contract is fully guaranteed, while Gonzalez’s last two years are team options). And Baylor Scheierman (age 26) has two more seasons under contract, with the 2027-2028 season being a team option.

Whether or not Boston decides to keep all of these wings long-term remains to be seen; if nothing else, they’re valuable trade assets that could be used to bolster other parts of the roster.

In addition — and most importantly — Jayson Tatum (age 28) is under contract for the next four seasons.

Walsh’s extension comes on the heels of another big-time extension; the Celtics agreed to a 4-year, $56 million extension with Neemias Queta earlier this month.

And one more could be in the works: Payton Pritchard is eligible for an extension beginning October 1st.

Though still early in his career, Quentin Grimes is not a player who has been known for his defense.

Quite the opposite, actually.

Grimes’ offense is predominantly what got him his big four-year contract this summer from the Lakers. At his best, he averaged 21.9 points per game after being traded to the Sixers last season and has proven to be a dynamic combo guard.

But his defense? That’s never been his calling card. But given the role he’s about to take with the Lakers, there’s an expectation of productivity on that end, both from the team and from Grimes himself.

In a recent interview on “Mason & Ireland” on ESPN LA, Grimes spoke about his role in LA and why he’s excited to show what he can do defensively.

“That was really one of the bigger selling points. Talking with JJ and then having them be able to pitch me what my role [will] look like, having a pretty a pretty big offensive role within the team. But also having a big leadership role on defense as well as taking on that challenge every night of guarding the best players and wanting that responsibility. I want to have that challenge every night. So, that was really the two main things when I was choosing [a team] in free agency.”

In essence, Grimes is being brought in to replace Marcus Smart. It’s certainly not a like-for-like replacement, but that’s the role he’ll take on the roster. There’s a strong possibility he steps into the starting lineup and, if that’s the case, he’ll have to be able to defend at a high level alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

He’s still a young player and is athletic. There’s plenty of reason to believe he could become a solid defensive player. But it would be him showing a skill that he hasn’t demonstrated a ton of during his career.

The Lakers are betting he can shine in a bigger, different role. Grimes wants to step up in said role. Now it’ll be a matter of actions matching words when the games start.

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

Shams believes Warriors' Anthony Davis trade talks have ‘gone nowhere' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The NBA free-agency window opened up on June 30 and, for a moment, deals were being struck left and right, but over the past couple of weeks, the basketball world seemingly has come to a halt as teams wait for LeBron James to make his decision on who to join.

While he reportedly shifted his focus to three teams, the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers, last week, there seemingly have been no new substantive updates in recent days.

For the Warriors, their initial plan, according to ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania, was to try and acquire James in free agency while also trading for 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, but there doesn’t seem to be much traction there.

“Those conversations for AD have gone nowhere for the Warriors from my understanding,” Charania said Thursday on the “Pat McAfee Show.” I don’t sense any direction that they’re picking back up in. I don’t think that’s going to be a conversation.”

“If the Warriors were to get in that ballgame, they would have to give up multiple first-round picks, multiple draft picks, multiple swaps” Charania continued. “All this other stuff and then the question is just ‘Do you want to give that price up?’  

“Now, when I talk to teams around the league it’s if you have the chance to get LeBron James and Anthony Davis, you probably give up that price but if you’re the Warriors, that’s the give and take that you have there.”

That decision is a tough one for the Warriors – who currently have Jimmy Butler, whose primary position – small forward — is the same as James’.

But, the rumors around a trade for Davis have almost always had Golden State sending Butler along with a package of draft capital — even though Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy still expects him to be on the team when he returns from injury.

While the talk of James and Davis has quieted as of late, it’s always calmest before the storm.

As we await another rendition of the “The Decision,” the Warriors roster, as we know it now, could all but become a thing of the past.

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LeBron James reportedly not waiting for NBA free-agency suitors to make moves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

As the world continues to anticipate LeBron James’ decision on which team he will sign with during the 2026 NBA free agency period, the four-time NBA MVP reportedly is not waiting for any team to make a move that would sway his decision.

Previously, there was a report that James has been taking his time with his decision, seeing whether any of his suitors could find a way to acquire Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis or Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving.

However, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that James will choose his next team on his own terms.

“Now that we’re 20 days in, there’s nothing left. The teams are the teams. The information is the information. LeBron has everything he needs to make a decision. The conversations have happened. From my understanding, my sources tell me, LeBron James, his agent Rich Paul and that inner circle, they’re not waiting for another domino right now,” Charania said on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Thursday.

“They’re not waiting for Anthony Davis to get traded anywhere. They’re not waiting for anyone else to move anywhere. The teams – Cleveland, Miami, Golden State, Philadelphia, Minnesota – they’re set. Those are the teams. Wherever he ends up, you’re looking at minimum deals, you’re looking at exceptions. The contracts are not going to be a grand part of this deal.

“LeBron James is very clear from the very beginning. This is going to be based on happiness in terms of a chance to contend for a championship, a chance to compete at a high level and join a [winning] culture. That doesn’t come from going to a team and then gutting that team from multiple different players.”

The Warriors remain in the running as one of James’ top destinations, considering the 22-time NBA All-Star selection would get the opportunity to play alongside Golden State’s franchise star Steph Curry, and under coach Steve Kerr.

“If during the first week of July, LeBron James and Rich Paul told the Heat or the [Cavaliers] or the Warriors, ‘Hey, we need you to do this, and we’re coming,’ those teams might have done that. But that message was not delivered,” Charania added.

While there might be some pressure coming from commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA for a quicker process, James and his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, are running on their own clock and have expressed that a decision will be made whenever it is ready.

In the meantime, the world shall continue to wait.

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While the high may still be coming down for Knicks fans experiencing their first championship in 53 years, the rest of the league is back to usual business, re-shuffling their rosters in pursuit of New York’s throne. Opposing fans are already touting their new acquisitions and downplaying the Knicks' run as flukey, but they may be in for a rude awakening.

With how dominantly and cohesively New York ran through the playoffs, the league should be more fearful they’ll come in even better than they were last season. Here’s why we shouldn't be surprised if the Knicks continue their tear with a 60-win regular season.

The manner in which New York steamrolled the playoffs - 12 consecutive wins, only three total losses by a combined six points, massive closeout blowouts and a historic point differential - suggests it wasn’t just a heater, but an all-time great team finding itself. Something clicked that allowed them to elevate to a new level, one that, if sustained, should have a similar impact on the regular season.

Guys playing multiple roles selflessly, committing on defense, and openly moving in and out of the rotation to answer the team’s needs at the moment. This, on top of the standout on-paper talent that’s almost entirely been retained, should make for a standout group. 

If this team could sweep the best of the Eastern Conference last year, and walk the Spurs down over five games in the Finals, hitting 60 wins shouldn’t be an especially outsized challenge. They’ve historically dominated lesser teams and had to fight against the league’s top dogs, and so long as they can stay relatively healthy, they’re atop the food chain now. 

They will also have less holding them back this year. The weight of trying to secure the city’s first championship in a half-century is lifted, and so are the challenges of figuring out how to be that caliber of team.

Head coach Mike Brown spent training camp implementing a new offensive system that he had to spend months of the regular season adjusting to his personnel, and the same with the defensive side. At times this caused friction, and it required a lot of trial and error to perfect.

Now they’re coming into his second training camp with the answers to the test already, and won’t need to spend so much of the regular season trying new things. Brown will still dabble in new schemes and rotations as other teams adapt and the Knicks try to further raise their ceiling, but at least now the roster will be used to it and can see the ultimate vision.

This will be year three of this core starting five, so while New York comes into 2026-27 familiar with themselves, the rest of the league will spend some time discovering their identities. Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Toronto and Indiana all made big trades in the last year and will go through adjustment periods figuring out their new teams.

Oklahoma City and San Antonio are still the behemoths out West, but the rest of the conference is noticeably worse. The Knicks will have an edge right from opening night.

If they can continue playing at the level they ended last season on, without the pressure or major schematic changes, while the rest of the league needs time to figure itself out - watch out. Their dominance didn't just end with the 2026 championship, in fact it may be just beginning.

LeBron James arrived in Los Angeles in 2018 carrying more than championship expectations.

He carried an entire era of NBA change with him.

When James joined the Lakers, he was already a champion in Miami, a legend in Cleveland and could have retired as one of the NBA’s greatest players.

But he was also different from the NBA icons who came before him. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant are remembered largely through the teams they came to define.

James has always been remembered as the superstar who helped redefine how much power a player could exercise.

That made his Lakers years historic.

It also made them complicated.

When James signed with LA in 2018, the Lakers were no longer the automatic center of the basketball universe. They were young, uneven and years removed from real contention. His first season did little to change that. A groin injury derailed the year, the Lakers missed the playoffs and some dismissed James’ move West as a Hollywood play rather than a practical basketball decision.

Then came the first major turn.

In 2019, the Lakers traded for Anthony Davis, giving James the superstar partner he needed and immediately restoring LA as a championship threat. The Lakers looked like a machine during the 2019-20 season, but that year became about much more than basketball.

In January 2020, Kobe Bryant, Gianna Bryant and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash. Less than two months later, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down most of the world and the NBA season.

James helped carry the franchise through that grief and uncertainty.

Inside the Orlando bubble, he led the Lakers to the franchise’s 17th championship and won Finals MVP, becoming the first player in NBA history to claim that honor with three different teams.

That title is the cleanest part of his Lakers legacy.

The rest is where the debate begins.

James did not just play for the Lakers. He changed the way the Lakers operated. His presence brought urgency. It brought Davis. It brought a win-now mindset.

It also brought constant questions about roster control, future assets, coaching changes and whether the franchise was building around James or bending around him.

That is where James’ legacy separates from the NBA’s Mount Rushmore figures who came before him.

Magic was the face of Showtime. Kobe was the last true face of Los Angeles sports, becoming the standard-bearer for an entire generation of Lakers fans. Even Jordan, the one player still most often placed opposite James in the GOAT debate, symbolized the superstar who dominated from inside one organization’s structure.

James represented something else.

He was the modern star as a power figure unto himself, a player whose influence could rival the weight of the franchise he played for.

That player empowerment made him influential. It also made him polarizing.

In Los Angeles, that tension never really disappeared.

The Lakers won because of James’ greatness, but they also lived with the cost of chasing short-term windows around an aging superstar. Young players and picks were moved. Coaches changed. The roster was rebuilt more than once. Every season felt like a referendum on whether the Lakers had done enough for James or whether James’ presence had pushed them into an impossible balancing act.

Still, he kept making history.

In February 2023, James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, doing it in a Lakers uniform at Crypto.com Arena. It should have been one of the most celebrated nights in franchise history.

Instead, it also captured the strangeness of his LA run.

Was James truly a Laker? Certainly not in the way Magic and Kobe were. Not in the way the franchise’s permanent icons are.

But that became the rhythm of the LeBron Lakers era.

Brilliance surrounded by noise.

In 2023, James added another trophy when the Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup, and he was named tournament MVP. In 2024, he became the first player in NBA history to reach 40,000 career points. He kept stacking All-Star appearances, scoring records and age-defying performances deep into his late 30s and early 40s.

The production was extraordinary, even when it started to be treated as routine.

Then came the most personal milestone of all.

In 2024, the Lakers drafted Bronny James, giving LeBron the chance to share an NBA floor with his son. Even that came with questions about LeBron’s outsized sway within the organization.

When LeBron and Bronny checked into a game together against the Timberwolves, they became the first father-son duo to play in the NBA simultaneously. For LeBron, it was a dream he had spoken about for years. For the Lakers, it was another moment in which history, family and the power of LeBron’s influence all collided.

By the final stage of his Lakers tenure, though, the franchise had started moving in another direction.

The future shifted toward Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

LeBron adjusted, giving up touches and responsibility while still playing at a level few players his age have reached. Even in his final season in LA, he continued adding to the record book and testing the limits of longevity.

Now, his Lakers era is over.

LeBron leaves LA with one championship, one Finals MVP, one NBA Cup, the league scoring record, the first father-son moment in NBA history and eight seasons of relevance for a franchise that badly needed it when he arrived.

But he also leaves behind a more complicated question.

What exactly was the LeBron era in Los Angeles?

It was not the clean franchise romance of Magic. It was not the lifelong Lakers identity of Kobe. It was not the Jordan model of one superstar becoming inseparable from one dynasty. It was something more modern, perhaps more transactional, but certainly more revealing about where the NBA has gone.

LeBron’s power helped restore the Lakers.

LeBron’s power also made his run harder to fully embrace.

That contradiction is the legacy.

LeBron came to LA at 33, won a championship, broke records, made history with his son and stretched greatness longer than anyone had any right to expect.

He also forced the Lakers to live in the same tension that has defined the second half of his career: the tension between superstar freedom and franchise stability.

His Lakers legacy may never be simple.

But, seismic changes never are.

LSU Tigers men’s basketball head coach Will Wade has a clear vision for what he wants the program to look like as they continue rebuilding the roster.

Speaking about the roster overhaul with Brendon Fairbairn of Louisiana First News, Wade said the emphasis was on bringing in players with the size, athleticism and skill needed to compete in one of college basketball’s toughest conferences.

“Long, athletic guys that can compete in the SEC,” Wade said. “You need some skill and shooting at the guard spot, and we feel like we’ve accomplished a lot of that.”

The comments highlight the philosophy driving LSU’s roster construction throughout the beginning of this new era. In today’s SEC, where teams regularly feature elite athletes and NBA-caliber talent, Wade believes length and versatility are essential. At the same time, adding guards who can stretch the floor with consistent outside shooting was another major priority during the rebuilding process.

While the Tigers will feature several new faces this season, Wade’s confidence suggests LSU has assembled a roster capable of fitting the style of play he wants to implement.

The Atlanta Hawks have been the masters of the trade system this offseason, and with it, they’ve acquired players who have the chance of elevating the team this upcoming season. With the financial flexibility the Hawks have, they’ve been able to take on contracts while also not having to give up much in return.

In Onsi Saleh’s latest deal, he acquired Lu Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder in a three-team trade with the Dallas Mavericks. The Hawks moved Zaccharie Risacher to the Mavericks, and Ryan Nembhard was sent to Atlanta. For the Hawks, the big acquistion was Dort, who’s played with the Thunder for the past seven seasons, and helped them win a championship just two seasons ago.

Dort is definitely the type of player you hate to play against, but love when they’re on your team. The Hawks can say they’re on the right side, and Dort will bring toughness and grit that had been missing from the team for some time.

Outside of those intangibles, the one thing that sticks out about Dort is his defensive prowess and ability to guard almost anybody on the floor. Dort is just 6’4, but you would think he was a few inches taller the way he can disrupt an offense with his physicality. The Thunder have several above average defenders, but Dort seemed to always be the one tasked with guarding the best player on the opposing team, whether it was Luka Doncic one night or Victor Wembanyama the next.

Yes, Dort has that kind of range.

It’s mostly because of his bulky figure, and that allows to keep his assignment in front of him. He has good hands to easily swipe the ball, and he’ll go for an occasional block here or there. Opposing players would probably say it’s hard to get past him, and he does it all without fouling as much, which is good attribute. There’s a reason he earned All-Defensive honors two seasons ago, and he could’ve been on the list several other years.

His versatility on defense alone will allow the Hawks to do a lot of different things on that side of the ball. Dyson Daniels and Dort on the court together could cause havoc for backcourts or even frontcourts, as they have the same kind of range to where they can defend almost anybody on the floor. Dort could also allow Daniels to save some of his energy on defense, which will only make him more efficient in other areas on the floor.

On offense, Dort is more of a spot-up shooter than anything else, and he thrived in that role with the Thunder. His 3-point percentage shows it over the past three years, and he’s hit some big shots at big moments for them. Dort found himself open in a lot of situations due to the gravity of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but their style of offense feels similar to the Hawks, where they share the ball a lot and always find the open man.

Dort should be able to have the same kind of success on offense, especially since the Hawks pride themselves on getting up three-pointers. Outside of the 3-point shooting, Dort doesn’t have much offensive versatility, but his physicality gives him the ability to put pressure on the team.

It’s uncertain what lineups will look like right now, but Dort might be utilized best coming off the bench for the Hawks. He has been starting for most of his career, but with the Hawks’ starters returning this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he were sent to a reserve role.

In the end, the Hawks definitely got better with the Dort acquisition, and the next thing is seeing how he meshes with the team.

As we count down the days until LeBron James finally makes his free agency decision, it seemed like a good time to count down the Spurs’ top five moments against the 23-year vet.

#5 – Ginobili gets gold; Pop makes an impact

Just a few months after LeBron split his first two games against San Antonio as a Cleveland rookie, he joined Tim Duncan on the USA roster in the 2004 Summer Olympics. The Spurs’ Manu Ginobili, of course, stole the show as Argentina downed the United States in the semifinals and Italy in the gold medal game. Despite the Americans’ third-place finish, that Olympic run forged LeBron’s longtime vocal respect for San Antonio legend Gregg Popovich, a U.S. assistant coach in 2004.

#4 – LeBron laments Kawhi sub

Late in the second quarter of Game 5 in the 2013 NBA Finals (which the Spurs won to go up 3-2 in the series), James famously grimaced at the free throw line when Kawhi Leonard checked back into the game. The clip became a popular GIF and spoke to Leonard’s burgeoning impact, which reached its apex a year later when the Spurs won their fifth championship with Kawhi as Finals MVP.

#3 – LeBron can’t stand the heat

In Game 1 of the 2014 NBA Finals, the Spurs began their romp through the series with some help from the broken air conditioning in the AT&T Center. With temps in the arena exceeding 90 degrees, James cramped up and missed the last 4:00 of the fourth quarter. Leading just 94-92 when James left the game, the Spurs turned up the heat and won going away, 110-95.

#2 – Timmy’s ‘trash talk’ caps Spurs’ sweep

The Spurs claimed their fourth championship by sweeping LeBron’s Cavaliers in the 2007 NBA Finals. After Game 4, Tim Duncan joked with LeBron, “This is gonna be your league in a little while … but, uh, I appreciate you giving us this year.” The future Hall of Famers shared laughs and backslaps as Duncan prophetically poured salt in the wound: James would later appear in eight straight NBA Finals (and nine of 10), winning four titles … one less than Timmy!

#1 – Sweet revenge!

LeBron’s missed three-pointer that would have tied Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals definitely would be in our top 5 had the Spurs grabbed that rebound. But alas … we know what happened after that. The “Beautiful Game” Spurs wouldn’t be denied the next year, however, dominating the Heat 4-1 in the 2014 Finals rematch. The Game 5 clincher saw Miami jump out to a 22-6 lead before the Spurs went on a 59-22 run. Ginobili’s poster dunk to cap a 14-0 second-quarter run was the biggest of many highlights as San Antonio won its fifth NBA title.

Overall, the Spurs are one of just two teams LeBron has a losing record against. He’s 30-33 vs. San Antonio (including playoffs) and 28-34 vs. Denver.

The Dallas Mavericks are on a mission to rebuild around Cooper Flagg and any suspicion about their vision for the future has become apparent – get younger and get more athletic. Beginning with the selection of Morez Johnson, Jr. with the #9 pick in the Draft last month and continuing through to the trade for Zaccharie Risacher this week, Dallas has done just that.

Less than six months ago, The Mavericks fielded a team that included Anthony Davis (age 33), Dante Exum (age 31) and D’Angelo Russell (age 30). They shipped out those players (and Jaden Hardy; 24) for Khris Middleton (age 34) and Marvin Bagley (age 27) (and AJ Johnson; 21). This cleared up a major financial crunch and made the Mavs a touch younger. Since then, all three of Middleton, Bagley and AJ Johnson have also moved on, furthering the youth movement.

Following those moves, the Mavericks have spent the offseason loading their team with athletic, rangy players who are age 25 and under. Following is a list of the current roster.

Returning players age 25 and under

• Max Christie – Age 23 – 6’5”
• John Poulakidas – Age 23 – 6’6”
• Dereck Lively – Age 22 – 7’1”
• Moussa Cisse – Age 23 – 6’11”
• Cooper Flagg – Age 19 – 6’9”

New players age 25 and under

• Marcus Sasser – Age 25 – 6’1”
• Zaccharie Risacher – Age 21 – 6’8”
• Jett Howard – Age 22 – 6’8”
• Morez Johnson – Age 20 – 6’9”
• Tobi Lawal – Age 23 – 6’8”
• Santi Aldama – Age 25 – 7’0”
• Sergio De Larrea – Age 20 – 6’5”
• Tarik Biberovic – Age 25 – 6’7”
• Vsevolod Ishchenko – Age 21 – 6’3”

That is nine new players age 25 or younger joining a roster that retains five other players that are 25 or younger. Of those 14 total players, the shortest is Sasser at 6’1” but he has an insane 6’7” wingspan.

Will all of these players be rotation-ready to open the season? No. Is every one of these players going to be on the team in five years? Unlikely. Is this roster destined for greatness? Maybe. Lively may still be recovering from injury by the time the season starts, while Howard, Lawal, Ishchenko and others may be on two-way deals (or altogether waived). None of that is the point, however.

The point is that the newly built Mavericks’ front office, led by Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz, clearly have a vision for the type of team they want to build around Cooper Flagg. Moreover, they have constructed that team with a paucity of assets thanks to the last regime. Despite that, they have found ways to get clever by moving up in the Draft to get a player like De Larrea, trading virtually nothing to get a former #1 pick in Risacher, matching an incredibly favorable contract for Cisse, manufacturing a favorable trade to pick up Aldama, using second round draft assets for Lawal and Ishchenko, and snatching a proficient marksman from overseas in Biberovic.

Only time will tell what will work and what will not, but Mavericks fans can take a few things to heart. They have a young, long athletic team, many of whom are on favorable contracts. They have a front office that had a plan and creatively executed that plan. And gone are the days of sneaker connections and covert coffee house trades or an owner who overrules his defacto GM to leave a generational talent on the draft board.

This is what a rebuild from a barren wasteland looks like. Young guys, many of whom you’ve never heard of, hopefully providing some excitement and a growth trajectory to root for. Oh, and those players on the roster over age 26? All of them currently remain intact as either veteran leadership or trade pieces. For now, the Mavs have a team the likes of which they’ve rarely featured, with some remaining assets and most of the summer remaining to do more.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.

Brad Stevens locking up Celtics' fleet of young wings originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens continues to lock up his team’s fleet of young wings.

The Celtics reportedly agreed to a three-year, $15 million extension with 22-year-old Jordan Walsh. Boston previously picked up Walsh’s $2.4 million option for the 2026-27 season, and now has Walsh on the books through the 2029-30 season. HoopsHype reported the deal includes a third-year team option.

Ron Harper Jr. inked a four-year, $13.7. million extension at the start of the summer. Baylor Scheierman is extension eligible next summer, while Hugo Gonzalez has three years remaining on his rookie deal. The Celtics will pay none of those players more than three percent of the salary cap in any of those seasons.

For Walsh, there’s a bit of security after riding a bit of a playing time roller coaster in his first three seasons in Boston. For the team, it’s a low-cost, high-reward opportunity given that Walsh is still young for his experience level and has had moments where he displayed All-Defense potential on the court.

Walsh appeared in 68 games for Boston last season, including 25 starts. The majority of those starts came in November and December when Walsh had rivals raving about his defensive potential. Lakers guard Austin Reaves went as far as to suggest that he could see Walsh “being one of the best defenders in the league,” after an early December tilt.

Walsh’s playing time ebbed and flowed during calendar year 2026, but he finished the 2025-26 campaign strong and carved out a playoff role. Walsh might have been the team’s best defender against Tyrese Maxey and logged 12.7 minutes per game in seven appearances against Philadelphia.

Walsh and the rest of Boston’s stable of young wings will get every opportunity to step into a larger role after the Celtics traded away All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown this summer.

Walsh was the 38th pick in the 2023 draft. He appeared in just nine games during his rookie season when Boston’s talent-filled roster won the 2024 title, then played 52 games in his sophomore campaign. Last season he averaged 5.6 points, 4 rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks over 17.8 minutes per game.

Walsh ranked in the 84th percentile among wings, holding opponents to 2.3 percent below expected output during his floor time.

It's Day 24 and still no sign or peep from LeBron James about where his next NBA destination will be for his 24th season.

If it feels like this process has been drawn out, it's because it kind of has. And that could be intentional.

It's been thrown out into the realm of possibilities that James and company are purposefully stalling the decision to stick it to NBA commissioner Adam Silver after he pleaded for James to rush into his choice so the season schedule can be finalized and released.

Cleveland sports radio personality Andy Baskin said Silver's comments "irritated" James.

"LeBron's crew was probably ready to make an announcement... they were probably comfortable making an announcement as early as last week that they were there (in New York) and then people were like telling them what to do," Baskin said. "There's a little bit of irritation. Irritated was the word that I was told, irritated by the commissioner pushing them."

James is no longer courting teams and has all the information he needs to make a decision, according to USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes.

The team James is likely to play his 24th NBA season with is a toss up between the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers.

As of late, the Heat have emerged as the odds-on favorite after the organization's social media department accidentally leaked a scheduled live stream video titled "LeBron James Introductory Press Conference," which caused a raucous amongst basketball fans and media alike.

USA TODAY Sports is tracking the latest news, rumors and updates for all the things happening in real-time and behind-the-scenes for LeBron James' next major basketball decision. Here's everything you need to know on Thursday, July 23 about James and his impending decision:

The Phoenix Suns have positioned themselves well heading into this upcoming season. With an underdog mentality last year, they proved the doubters wrong and exceeded every preseason expectation. This led them to the playoffs, and even if it was a sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder, it was a refreshing year compared to some previous ones.

By making this leap, though, it gave the fans something to root for and be excited for heading into this offseason. That is when we saw most of our players retained, along with some new faces, including Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard. That said, with this season full of excitement and the Summer League now over, the waiting period begins for all of us. So today we are going to dive in and explore three parts of this Suns team that I think will be exciting to dissect once the fall does eventually hit.

1. The Center Rotation Debate

Obviously, this is going to be a discussion that will be talked about all season long. As we know, the Suns have three bigs on their team, and all will be eyeing some playing time this year. Mark Williams was brought back on a solid deal that presumably makes him the starting center. Still, we also saw flashes of Khaman Maluach in the summer league, and we trust Oso Ighodaro.

This will definitely lead to some nights where one guy starts but another finishes, either because of performance or because one of them is in foul trouble. With Ighodaro’s contract also being so cheap on the club option, there is no reason to sell him at this point. Maluach, since he performed well in the Summer League, also needs some room to develop, as he is the future at the center position if he pans out to be what the front office expects.

From my understanding, it will probably be Williams who gets the short end of the stick once Maluach or Ighodaro proves to be the true starter and the other is a solid backup. That, though, will take time and most likely not occur this season, leaving the possibility of one of them getting the lesser end of the stick at some point of the season.

Will Ott utilize some double-big options with Ighodaro and Maluach, as well as Khaman’s ability to stretch the floor? That will also be something to keep a keen eye on, especially against bigger teams or ones that play very physically.

2. Jalen Green in a fully healthy year?

As we all know, Jalen Green arrived in Phoenix and, before the preseason even started, was dealing with a hamstring injury. This left some questions for the guard before he even stepped on the court for the team. Many were already looking at the fit with star Devin Booker and didn’t like it; this, for sure, didn’t help that case.

That said, we did see Green return to the team, even if only for 32 games; he showed glimpses of growth. He did have some stretches where he was hot from three (and cold), but he also made some nice plays defensively, using his quickness to generate steals and points on the other end.

His transition game seemed to be the spark his game needed and what the team needed when he was out. So, looking ahead to this year, I hope to see some of that still translate in his second year in the Valley. I hope to see him also develop a bit more of a passing touch, so he doesn’t have so many “I get the ball, I am going to shoot it” moments.

Will he be the perfect fit on this team? I don’t know, but I am willing to see it through this year and see if he can have a healthy season if it all comes together.

3. Rasheer Fleming and Koa Peat Ascension

Both players impressed in the summer league and seem poised to grow in an area of need for the Suns: the power forward position. Even with them trading for Miles Bridges to presumably start on day one, I do believe that long-term, either Peat or Fleming will take that job, maybe even by the season’s end.

Fleming brings exactly what this team needs off the bench to replace Royce O’Neale’s value. He is a solid three-point scorer and uses his size and length to generate turnovers and get even more buckets. I fear he is going to be someone the Suns want to utilize early in the year to fill that void if they lose by giving up so much three-point shooting.

With Peat, I do think he will be stuffed down the rotation to start, but with that impressive summer league run, he proved he was way better than his selection at pick 30. The former McDonald’s All-American was said to be a high lottery pick before going to the University of Arizona, so this seems like a home run swing from Brian Gregory and company.

If Peat can be another interior scorer for this team alongside Bridges and even Ighodaro in some double-big instances, then the Suns fill a huge void from last year’s roster. Having the size, especially with the youth in the frontcourt, is key; as they grow, they need more help to go at guys like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid, so this is a smart decision in my eyes.

I do predict that both will see plenty of time off the bench, as the Suns will be going deep into it this year. This will be a huge plus, as the young guys can get reps, while also allowing their key role players to get some rest and not overwork themselves throughout the season. Last year, a ton of injuries came late for Phoenix, and, partially, I think some of it was because the rookies did not get as much leeway as many anticipated.

Ultimately, though, I am patiently waiting for more Suns basketball and cannot wait to see what they do once the preseason gets underway.

From at least one perspective, the Milwaukee Bucks’ offseason isn’t among the best in the Eastern Conference. Following the trade of the franchise’s best player ever and the Gary Trent Jr. fiasco, CBS Sports contributor Sam Quinn gave Jon Horst and the Bucks a C- for their efforts.

“Without control over their own first-round picks, they should have no fear of the relegation zone. They should be trading any veterans with a shred of value – most notably Myles Turner and Tyler Herro – for whatever draft capital they can get. They haven’t. They set themselves up for a disappointing offseason by waiting too long to trade Antetokounmpo, and sure enough, that’s how things played out,“ Quinn wrote.

Still, the Bucks weren’t given the worst grade in the conference, with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets receiving D+ and D grades, respectively.

Milwaukee might have dodged the basement of Quinn’s Eastern Conference grades by taking the Heat’s offer for Giannis instead of the Boston Celtics’, which was highlighted by Jaylen Brown (who was ultimately dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers). While the Heat package didn’t bring the Bucks back an All-NBA talent, it did give them multiple assets—players and picks—that they can work with down the line, whether they keep them on the roster or flip them for future assets. On top of that, they selected Brayden Burries with their number 10 overall pick, whose impressive play in the Las Vegas Summer League already has him looking like a draft steal.

Ultimately, while Quinn’s perspective might be that the Bucks aren’t in a good position, the Summer League play of Brayden Burries and Nate Ament, along with the expected growth of Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakučionis, and Jaime Jaquez—not to mention Tyler Herro’s impending second act—gives Bucks fans reason for hope that they should lean into as the 2026-27 approaches.

One thing that might make Quinn retroactively change his grade would be if the Bucks got Peyton Watson. Of course, there is a real possibility that, in order to acquire Watson, the Bucks might need to give up Ryan Rollins. What say you?

Brew Hoop community, what would you grade the Bucks’ offseason? Get your grading pens out and use them in the comment section below.

The NBA world is waiting on LeBron James to announce his next move, but thus far he remains determined to take his sweet, sweet time. Adam Silver is reportedly growing frustrated with James for delaying his free agency decision, because the league literally can’t make the 2026-27 schedule without knowing where he’s playing. Meanwhile, his agent Rich Paul is resolute that James won’t be rushed. It’s possible this could drag into August at this point.

Everyone is trying to put their own spin on why James is waiting so long to sign, and the latest rumor actually makes quite a bit of sense. James might be hoping one of his suitors will trade for Kyrie Irving or Anthony Davis, according to a report by Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo! Sports. James won championships with Irving and Davis as his top sidekicks earlier in his career, and he already knows he’s a great fit alongside them. The same can’t be said for James Harden or Jaylen Brown or Giannis Antetokounmpo right now.

If LeBron isn’t in love with any of his current options, it stands to reason that he would keep applying pressure to his suitors to mold the roster to his whims. He has plenty of time on his side: training camps don’t open until late September, and the first preseason games aren’t until October. The longer James waits, the more leash he has to try to force teams to trade for Irving or Davis.

James is basically the patron saint of player empowerment. He’s always used every bit of leverage to get what he wants from his teams, and when he starts losing leverage, he usually dips to a new franchise. James always has a long-term plan in mind when he changes teams, whether it’s teaming with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, trading the rights to No. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins for Kevin Love, or laying the groundwork for Anthony Davis’ trade to LA. It certainly passes the sniff test that he could be trying to pull some strings behind the scenes before he decides where he’s playing next season.

O’Connor’s report is mostly based on conjecture from people who work in the league. This isn’t a definitive demand from his camp yet. After 23 seasons of LeBron and counting, it just feels wholly reasonable that LeBron knows he has all the leverage in this situation, and he’s ready to use it to try to chase his fifth ring.

Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are calling LeBron to join the Wolves

Minnesota has a strong case as the best basketball fit for LeBron. They have an elite backcourt in place with Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, they have a dominant defensive center in Rudy Gobert, and they have one of the league’s better defensive wings in Jaden McDaniels. The Wolves could use a playmaking power forward, and LeBron is still as good as it gets for that archetype.

Edwards and Ball are calling James to try to convince him to come to Minnesota, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic:

Unfortunately, the idea of LeBron in Minnesota just doesn’t feel realistic to me. Is he really going to move his family to Minnesota? Is he really going to stay in the West? I don’t see it. It’s fun to dream about LeBron to the Wolves, but I’d be absolutely shocked if it happens.

LeBron odds now favor the Miami Heat

My local sportsbook app has the Heat as a 2-1 favorite to sign LeBron. This is only interesting in the sense that most people have viewed Cleveland as the frontrunner since he entered free agency. If you think LeBron is going anywhere other than Miami, there’s some money to be made right now.

I don’t care about gambling odds. If LeBron had to choose right now, I would agree that the Heat feels like his best landing spot. But what if he drags this out another month? At that point, the Warriors could trade for Anthony Davis, the Cavs could figure out a Kyrie Irving for James Harden trade, or a new suitor could do something else to pique his interest.

Why Aug. 6 looms as an important date

Anthony Davis is extension eligible on August 6. At that point, he can ask the Washington Wizards for a four-year, $275 million deal. It would be kind of crazy for the Wizards to give him that deal considering he still has two years left on his current contract, and he’s literally never played a game for the franchise. A four-year extension would lock up Davis until he’s 39 years old. Given that he’s already one of the least durable stars in the league, handing him that type of money that late in his career just feels like bad business for any team.

Of course, the Wizards also gave Trae Young $212 million this summer without another serious suitor for his services, so who knows what that franchise is ever thinking.

Let’s say the Wizards tell Davis they won’t give him an extension. At that point, does Davis try to force his way out of town to somewhere he can get paid? Could that location be to the team that will eventually sign LeBron?

Davis is represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, just like LeBron. If LeBron drags this out, it’s possible he can get Davis paid, which means another big commission check for Paul.

LeBron James free agency prediction

I’ll say LeBron is going to the Heat. It just feels like his best chance to get his fifth ring. Where do you think he’s going? Vote in our poll below:

It really feels like LeBron is putting a lot of pressure on the Cavs in particular right now. Cleveland is coming off a conference finals appearance, but it doesn’t feel like the best fit at the moment. Harden and LeBron both like the ball in their hands, and Harden is completely incapable of being a high-volume spot-up shooter.

Can the Cavs pull off a trade for Kyrie? Would they possible trade Evan Mobley for Anthony Davis? It sounds wild, but it could be the difference in LeBron ending his career in Cleveland versus anywhere else.

LeBron has his thumb on the scale right now. It’s not about money. He’s still good enough to be a major contributor to a championship team. It’s sure starting to feel like he needs to use his influence, because he doesn’t have an obvious option on the board.