Category: NBA

LeBron James potentially signing with Warriors addressed by his agent Rich Paul originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LeBron James‘ agent and friend, Rich Paul, has provided some insight into the 41-year-old’s free-agent thought process.

The Warriors are one of 10 teams Paul listed on a whiteboard while talking to host Max Kellerman on their “Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul” podcast, which was published Friday.

While Paul told Kellerman he has heard from every NBA team, except for two, in addition to the Los Angeles Lakers, James’ longtime confidant alluded to the 10 teams on the whiteboard being the ones in the mix for the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Those teams are, from left to right on Paul’s board: The Warriors, the Dallas Mavericks, the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Miami Heat, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Denver Nuggets, the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks.

Rich Paul made a whiteboard laying out LeBron’s “realistic” destinations

(via Game Over Pod, @TheHeatCentral) pic.twitter.com/QrpQ4QM2e6

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 3, 2026

As for the Warriors, Kellerman pressed Paul on “Steph + Dray” being placed on the outer edge of the whiteboard.

Paul: “You see Steph and Dray up there. Don’t forget about Steph and Dray.”

Kellerman: “Here’s what’s crazy. This tells me a lot.”

RP: “This doesn’t tell you anything.”

MK: “Either you’re playing four-dimensional chess right now or you just tipped your hand.”

RP: “No.”

MK: “I will say why.”

RP: “All I’m doing is showing you the board.”

MK: “Silence everyone. I will tell you why. Ready?

RP: “Go ahead.”

MK: “Everyone’s reporting, and I know you say ‘What do they know?’ It’s Cleveland or Golden State. Golden State was the big one. But you, of all these things, just have Golden State up in the corner. So either you’re doing that purposely to throw us off the scent or Golden State really is not as much of a front-runner as people think, or not as much in the lead as people think.”

RP: “You can think whatever you think. This is just my board. You decide what you want to think. But we know Steph and Dray are the Hall of Famers, so that’s clear.”

Kellerman then pivoted to the basketball fit with James on the Warriors, and whether the former Lakers star ever wondered what it would be like to play with Curry.

MK: “How much would he want to play with those guys before he retires? Because one of things I never understood about the criticism in Miami, I said this on CNN the day it broke and there was an old crusty writer, I’m forgetting who it was, who was so upset about it. I was like, ‘Timeout, the dude wants to go to South Beach and play basketball with some of his best friends. You got a problem with that?’ That experience must have been incredible. Him and Steph. Like, if there’s a face of the league that’s not LeBron, it has been Steph. For him to play with those guys, how important would that be to him? Like, for him, is that something for him, something that’s he’s really thought about through the years?”

RP: “I mean, the golf would be tremendous with those guys.”

MK: “What about playing basketball?”

RP: “I mean, come on, Max. What are you talking about? It’s Steph and Dray.”

MK: “Was he jealous at all when [Kevin Durant] went to Golden State and he got to play with Steph? I think about sometimes Michael Jordan said he watches LeBron and thinks about how he would have guarded him. Did LeBron ever watch them play and think ‘This is how I would play with Steph?’ “

RP: “I don’t know the answer to that but what I will say to you is, Steph and Dray, obviously you get four-time champions, like you are. You get some of the highest IQ basketball, you get a guy in Joe Lacob who, I told you this the whole time, wants to win. He wants to win, and [he’s] a great business mind at that. And so you can buy into whatever you want to buy into, but Steph and Dray … “

Rich Paul on the potential of LeBron Joining the Warriors with listed reasons:

-Golf with Steph
-Chance to play with Steph and Dray
-Winning ownership under Joe Lacob
-High IQ basketball

(via Game Over / Spotify) pic.twitter.com/VQMBp3WiD1

— LoonMuse (@KevonLooneyMuse) July 3, 2026

Paul didn’t indicate if any team is in the lead for James’ services, though he did say that if the Knicks hadn’t won the NBA championship this past season, the free-agent competition likely would be over already.

The Warriors’ entire offseason appears to be hinging on signing James. Golden State was brought back Kristaps Porzingis, De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford, but lost Pat Spencer. Yaxel Lendeborg and Lajae Jones were added to the roster during last week’s NBA draft.

Draymond Green, James’ close friend and also Paul’s client, declined his $27.7 million player option on June 29 in an attempt to give the Warriors the financial flexibility to sign James.

No matter what James decides, Green is expected to return to the Warriors, but his contract will be determined by whether LeBron is on the payroll or not.

Based on Paul’s whiteboard, James has lots of appealing opportunities. While playing with Green and Steph Curry could be a dream ending for LeBron, there appear to be other opportunities that present a better chance to win a fifth NBA title.

The wait continues for LeBron’s Decision 4.0.

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July 3, 3:15 pm EST Update: According to New York Post reporter Stefan Bondy’s league sources, LeBron James won’t sign with the Knicks this summer.

“Don’t count on LeBron James coming to the Knicks, per multiple sources. There was a ‘check in’ but no serious discussions and a union is very unlikely. ‘Not gonna happen,’ was how one source put it.”

July 3, 9 am EST Update: LeBron James agent Rich Paul has confirmed (you be the judge) the Knicks “have checked in” on James’ interest in joining New York this summer. Paul also said that, had the Knicks not won the title, LeBron would already be setting camp in Manhattan. Rich also brought with him a board including the top landing spots for LBJ, including the Knicks in it.

“If the Knicks hadn’t won, there would be no board. He’d be going to the Knicks…. Jalen Brunson would literally have to pick up the phone and say ‘hey man, there’s no issue with me.’ They (Knicks) have checked in.”

Rich Paul on LeBron James to the Knicks 😳

“If the Knicks hadn’t won, there would be no board. He’d be going to the Knicks…. Jalen Brunson would literally have to pick up the phone and say ‘hey man, there’s no issue with me.’ They (Knicks) have checked in.”

(Via Game Over) https://t.co/iFyuJgEBt8pic.twitter.com/hpy1PnVU1Q

— Heat Central (@TheHeatCentral) July 3, 2026

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As we enter the fourth day of free agency, the best player available remains on the board and is mulling over his options before ultimately announcing his latest decision to the world.

Amid a LeBron James sweepstakes that points mainly toward one of three potential destinations — Golden State, Miami, and Cleveland — a couple of conflicting reports emerged on Thursday involving the New York Knicks and their level of interest in 41-year-old James.

For context, the 41-year-old announced on the verge of free agency that he would leave the Los Angeles Lakers while announcing he’d be back for a 24th season in the NBA.

James informed the Lakers he would keep playing but continue his career elsewhere, ending an eight-year run that included a 2020 championship. According to LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul, James’ decision was driven by a desire to compete for a title and finding “happiness” rather than financial considerations. Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Paul has received pitches from “a dozen” teams so far.

Before both Jake Fischer and SNY’s Ian Begley chimed in with the latest on the Knicks’ interest or lack of it in LeBron, it was reported that the Philadelphia 76ers have also emerged as a potential option, while teams such as the Denver Nuggets reached out to James, and the Minnesota Timberwolves also expressed interest.

🚨 Knicks have 'shown some interest' in acquiring LeBron James, per @JakeLFischerpic.twitter.com/nJsmE6lQCi

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 2, 2026

Against that backdrop, Fischer reported that New York could be involved in the sweepstakes.

“The Knicks have shown some interest in LeBron James. That is the word we just got back right now.”

Fischer’s comments suggest the defending champions have at least explored the possibility of adding James, although he didn’t confirm if New York had reached out to the player or Rich Paul at the time.

Shortly after, Begley presented a different view of the Knicks’ stance, first with a post on X and then with a full story on SNY’s website.

“Every time LeBron James hits free agency, the big question around here seems to be: ‘Are the Knicks getting LeBron?’ Begley wrote. ”It happened in 2010, 2014, 2018 and again in 2026. When the most recent report (from Fischer) surfaced, I reached out to people on all sides of the situation.

“I gathered that the Knicks should not be seen as a potential destination for James. The Knicks are very happy with the core of their roster coming off the 2026 NBA title.”

The differing reports leave uncertainty around New York’s level of involvement in the James sweepstakes, which seemed to take a step forward late Thursday when ESPN’s Anthony Slater hinted at the Warriors losing ground on the race for the four-time NBA champion.

“The Warriors, meanwhile, have been given indications from James that they remain on his short list, but team sources have expressed a recent belief that they aren’t necessarily at the top of that short list, as James continues to survey the landscape.”

For now, all we know is that “there is no timetable” for James’ decision, although Charania “has a hunch” that James and Paul will give away “hints along the way here the next few days” regarding his destination of preference.

James averaged 20.9 points per game last season while shooting 51.5 percent from the field. He also contributed 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game and dragged the Lakers all by himself into the second round of the playoffs.

You can follow Antonio on Twitter at @chapulana.

Jaylen Brown did not hold back when discussing how his trade from the Boston Celtics unfolded this week.

The 2024 Finals MVP’s stint in Boston ended after 10 seasons, with the Celticstrading him to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and four draft picks.

Brown went on the streaming platform Twitch on Thursday to share his thoughts.

"Boston packed me up,” Brown said. “Pack ya bags. Sayonara buddy. ... There was definitely a lack of respect from Boston."

ESPN analyst on Jaylen Brown trade: 'One of the dumbest trades in NBA history'

Brown, who was drafted out of California in 2016, was coming off one of his best individual seasons and finished sixth in the regular season MVP voting.

He had fallen out of favor with the organization in recent weeks and had been the subject of trade rumors.

Brown was reportedly offered to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Celtics' bid to land Giannis Antetokounmpo. Instead, Antetokounmpo was traded to the Miami Heat, leaving Brown and the Celtics in an awkward spot.

Brown didn’t believe the initial reports that he was being traded to Philadelphia and stated that he took a trip to the Celtics’ facility Wednesday evening.

“I went up to the facility, my key card got rejected," Brown said during the stream. "I just wanted to see if it was real. Packed me up, bro.”

Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 71 games played this past season.

Jaylen Brown on Philadelphia 76ers

"The journey starts now," Brown said on the stream. "I've already been hitting the guys about how to get in the gym; I know what it takes to build that camaraderie and chemistry.

"... There's going to be ups and downs. … It be like that. It takes uncomfortable conversations, it takes chemistry, it takes brotherhood. It takes all of that."

He's also started building that level of community with new teammates VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey.

Brown told Edgecombe that he was "a fan of his game" before calling Maxey and telling him "we got work to do."

Jaylen Brown calls VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey back on stream. Both sound excited to be working with JB.

Brown told VJ Edgecombe he's "a fan of his game" and told Maxey "we got work to do". pic.twitter.com/rUPaFc6nFV

— Erin Grugan (@eringrugan) July 3, 2026

One of the uncomfortable conversations that Brown was talking about may include one with Joel Embiid.

In May, Brown went on his stream to vent following the Boston Celtics’ 109-100 loss to the 76ers.

Brown said Embiid was one of the best big men in the league before saying Embiid was also a flopper.

He also explained that he had to wear a back brace because he was dealing with back pain after having to guard Embiid and the size difference between the two players. Brown is listed at 223 pounds. Embiid is listed at 270 pounds.

Brown had been critical of the officiating during the regular season and believes it played a role in how things were called during the postseason. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jaylen Brown decries Celtics' 'lack of respect' over trade: 'Key card got rejected'

Kyle Lowry is reportedly set to retire next week at a special event in Toronto, the city most closely associated with his 20-year career in the NBA. 

But Lowry didn’t appear to be happy that the news leaked ahead of time. 

Sportsnet’s Michael Grange reported on Thursday that Lowry was going to sign a one day contract with the Raptors in order to retire as a member of the organization during a press conference on July 7.

The Raptors have billed the event as a “monumental moment” for the franchise, according to the report. 

Grange’s report didn’t sit well with Lowry, who took to social media to criticize his announcement being usurped by the Sportsnet report. 

“Wait for the word to come from me, not someone else!!! Smh,” he wrote in an Instagram Story post on Thursday. 

The star point guard did not make any other comments besides that. 

Lowry didn’t deny that he was retiring in his social media post on Thursday, which seemed to be a response to the Sportsnet report. 

The report also indicated that Lowry would be given additional honors during the 2026-27 season, with the expectation being that he will have his No. 7 jersey retired into the rafters of Scotiabank Arena. 

Lowry’s number would join the only other Raptor to be bestowed the honor, Vince Carter. 

Lowry suited up for the Raptors from 2012-13 through 2020-21, averaging 17.5 points per game and shooting 42.5 percent from the field during his tenure north of the border. 

His time in Toronto included helping the franchise win its first NBA championship in 2019 and he was part of the gold medal-winning Team USA squad at the 2016 Summer Olympics. 

Lowry will retire as the franchise’s career leader in assists, steals, three-pointers made and playoff games won. 

In addition to playing for the Raptors, Lowry played for the Rockets, Grizzlies Heat and 76ers. 

The Utah Jazz came out of the Walker Kessler trade with a fresh new collection of trade assets and a nice TPE (traded player exception) that could be in the $15-$16M range. That means they can use the TPE to make a trade for a player that makes that amount of money, or less, and not have to send any players. It may be that other teams would want to get players instead of just picks, but this TPE, along with the Jazz’s group of young player contracts, gives the Jazz a lot of options. For this article, here are some players that Utah could target with their TPE and use picks to bring onto the team.

Khaman Maluach

I loved Khaman Maluach in the draft with his combination of size, athleticism, and upside. In college, he showed the impressive size, mobility, and athleticism that made him a top-ten pick. In the NBA, the Suns have not trusted putting him on the floor, and he’s spent a lot of time in the G-League developing. In the G-League, Maluach has averaged 15.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game.

Because of Utah’s TPE, they could trade one of their picks to the Suns, with whom they already have a relationship, without having to move any players. The Suns might want one of Utah’s young assets like Brice Sensabaugh or Kyle Filipowski, but Khaman Maluach would be a great gamble.

Now, the Suns might not want to get rid of the massive Sudanese center, but if they have any sort of willingness to move on from him, Utah should jump on that right away.

Kel’el Ware

Ware was a core part of the Giannis trade to the Miami Heat. He’s a young prospect but will be up for a new contract next season. Utah would find itself in the same boat as it was this season with Walker Kessler, but might be more willing to pay Ware, given his potential. Ware is the stretch center teams look for when building the coveted 5-out offense. Ware is not the consistent, high-level defender the likes of Chet Holmgren or a healthy Kristaps Porzingis are, but he has shown signs. Would the Bucks like to improve the return on Giannis by trading Ware for a Jazz pick? It’s not clear if the Bucks are done or what exactly their plan is now that Giannis has moved on.

Ware could be the stretch center that could unlock everything the Jazz are doing. The only issue is the contract. As I said, Ware may garner a lot of interest in the upcoming restricted free agency. Utah could be in the same boat they were just in with Kessler. But if Utah can turn Ware into something special, a player that is the keystone of a 5-out offense that decimates opposing defenses, he would be worth the money that Kessler wasn’t.

Goga Bitadze

Bitadze’s raw stats may not blow you away (career: 5.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists at around 15 minutes per game). He’s also a player who comes off the bench. But if you look at the advanced stats with Bitadze, they jump off the page. At Dunksandthrees.com, Bitadze is elite at two things: scoring efficiently and blocking shots.

Bitadze is a veteran center who has proven effective off the bench. Would he sustain his play in a starting role, playing 28 minutes a night? He could be a wildly effective player for Utah and one that could do everything Kessler did, but at a much more reasonable cost.

All of these options would take a trade from Utah, and the cost might be more than Utah is willing to pay. The reality is that if the Lakers could have made these trades, they likely would have already done them. But if the Lakers were dead set on Kessler, a player they’ve been linked to for years, maybe the Jazz can make one of these moves happen?

It’s worth diving into, and the Jazz likely already have an idea of these players’ availability. But if I were the Jazz, I would be watching these players closely as the season goes along. You never know when one of these teams will make a move to fill a need the Jazz might be able to meet.

Jaylen Brown didn’t wait very long before speaking up.

Within 24 hours of being traded by the Boston Celtics to the Philadelphia 76ers, Brown returned to his FCHWPO Twitch stream and opened up on Thursday night. From the trade itself to Celtics teammates to his experience in Boston over the last 10 years, Brown offered his transparency once again on his livestream.

Following a decade-long run that included a championship, two trips to the NBA Finals, and six trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, Brown’s time in Boston is officially over. The Celtics acquired Paul George, two first-round draft picks, and two second-round selections from Philadelphia in exchange for Brown, intensifying the anticipation for his next stream.

Here’s everything he touched on:

The trade

Brown didn’t get into the details behind the trade, but did offer a brief assessment of how the entire process went down from his perspective. Reports, both from Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix and The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach, claimed Brown never approached the Celtics and requested a trade this offseason — leaving plenty of room for speculation.

Tapped into the online space, Brown also acknowledged the pushback that Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has faced, and will likely continue to face, in the aftermath of the trade.

“I wasn’t thrilled with the amount of respect I was shown during this process,” Brown said. “I think there was a bit of a lack of respect. I think it was fine at one point, and then out of nowhere, things just kind of went left. I think Brad is probably getting a lot of the criticism. I wasn’t thrilled the way he facilitated some of the conversations.”

Brown, however, noted his belief that there are surrounding details behind the trade he’s still unaware of, claiming “there’s more to it,” several times on stream.

“I just wish that the more to it could’ve been explained to me. Because if the more to it was explained to me, I think I would’ve understood. I thought I earned respect enough to get that explanation, but obviously I was wrong. Hey, but that’s life. We move on.”

Stevens helped introduce Brown to the NBA as then-head coach of the Celtics back in 2016, when Boston selected him third overall in the draft. Stevens coached Brown through the first five seasons of his career.

Communication with now-former Celtics teammates following the trade

Several members of last season’s Celtics reached out to Brown after hearing about the trade.

Brown was contacted by various youngsters, labeled “unproven” by Stevens during last year’s media day and ahead of the regular season. Brown expressed his gratitude for their words.

“I’ve already talked to some of the guys,” Brown revealed. “Some of the guys have already reached out from the Celtics and stuff like that. Some of the young guys, so I appreciate them. Because it was an honor this year. It still was my favorite season so far.”

For the first time in his career, Brown got a look at the driver’s seat as the undisputed No. 1. It was additionally challenging after Celtics ownership and the front office tore apart its previously-star-studded roster by moving on from pieces such as Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford. But Brown never wavered.

Instead, he took the challenge head-on and elevated himself, the team, and a handful of guys in Boston’s locker room — several of whom made sure to let Brown know what his efforts meant to them.

“The guys that I was able to build with, those guys that reached out to me, just told me — Neemy (Queta), Luka (Garza), all those guys told me ‘It was a pleasure to play with you, and I appreciate everything that you helped with.’ So that’s the stuff that gives you more motivation to keep going. So I’m grateful, and it was a pleasure. If this was my last year as a Celtic, this was an awesome year.”

FS1’s Colin Cowherd’s “smartest guy in the room” comment

FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd said league sources relayed intel to him regarding Brown, suggesting the 29-year-old has a “smartest guy in every room he’s in” complex comparable to a “disease.”

“One executive told me this was always a little bit of Jaylen Brown’s personality,” Cowherd reported. “Kind of the smartest guy in the room, and livestreaming and throwing it out there — that’s just not a good space. It used to be nothing good happens at three in the morning. Nothing good happens when pro athletes stream.”

In response, Brown cleared the air on that very perception.

“Personally, I think intelligence is relative,” Brown clarified. “There’s different forms of what intelligence looks like — creative, divergence, there’s being able to adapt. There’s so many different forms of intelligence. Whatever you value is whatever you value. I never told nobody, ‘Look, I’m the smartest person in the room.’ That may be how they took it.”

While attending the University of California, Berkeley, during his lone collegiate season, Brown took graduate-level courses before receiving an internship opportunity at NASA. Even as a professional athlete, Brown remained invested in education. He became the youngest person ever to give a lecture at Harvard University, then served as a Director’s Fellow at the MIT Media Lab during his time in Boston.

In the most humble way possible, Brown felt the need to “keep it buck” when it came to this topic Cowherd brought to light.

“In sports, no offense to everybody in sports, but the bar is f*cking low. The bar isn’t that high, so I think that’s what people need to take into consideration.”

Community initiatives in Boston

One of the most difficult parts of bidding Brown farewell from Boston is what he meant off the court.

Brown made himself accessible to the city. He turned himself into a Bostonian, and it wasn’t just because of his talent as a basketball player. He visited schools, offered a voice to the disadvantaged communities, and backed up his social advocacy after signing a $304 million supermax contract, investing in Boston’s entrepreneurship and education — aimed at tackling the racial wealth disparity gap.

He launched his nonprofit, Boston XChange, shortly after signing the deal and ensured those efforts won’t be leaving the city, even as he moves on to Philadelphia.

“I appreciate all the fans. I appreciate all the supporters. The family that I’ve met in the city of Boston. I still got obligations here. I got Bridge coming up. I’ll be here. This week, I’ll be doing some community stuff that I still am committed to, and I look forward to doing more stuff with Boston XChange, with the 7uice Foundation, empowering the entrepreneurs in the city, which I already have started. We’re gonna continue to do that.”

Brown credited his grandmother, Dianne Varnado, for his deep involvement as a community leader.

“I’m a community guy. I got that from my grandmother. My grandmother taught me how to just dive into the community — she was a social worker, so it’s just in me.”

Brown added: “To the community of Boston, I will never forget the years. I grew up here. I’m 29 years old. I’ll be 30. I spent a third of my life here. So, I’m looking forward to what’s next, but I’m also appreciative of the past, and the people that I’ve met, and the community. I love you.”

Message to Philadelphia

Brown made sure to reserve time for those in Philadelphia.

Suiting up for a different team for the first time in his career, Brown says he’s ready to embrace Sixers culture next.

“I’m excited for what’s to come next,” Brown said. “It’s bittersweet. I think Philadelphia has a history of being a strong city, being a tough-nosed city. So I’m looking forward to that because I don’t want no special treatment. I don’t want no handouts. I don’t need no extra privilege. Not to say y’all were gonna give me that anyway, but I plan on earning my respect one day at a time by putting in the work.”

Brown has faced the Sixers in 57 total games throughout his Celtics tenure, which included four postseason run-ins. He was a vital part of the Boston-Philadelphia rivalry, frequently going at it with Sixers star center Joel Embiid on the court. So the change of scenery will take a little getting used to, Brown admitted.

“For the last 10 years, I’ve been programmed to hate Philadelphia. From the history to the history of the rivalry to the playoff battles, all of the above, the process. I’ve been programmed to be like, ‘Man, f*ck the process,’ so it’s funny now I gotta reverse engineer. That’s the part that’s gonna take some time, but I’ll be ready to go.”

Every time LeBron James hits free agency, the big question around here seems to be: "Are the Knicks getting LeBron?"

It happened in 2010, 2014, 2018 and again in 2026.

When the most recent report surfaced, I reached out to people on all sides of the situation.

I gathered that the Knicks should not be seen as a potential destination for James.

The Knicks are very happy with the core of their roster coming off the 2026 NBA title.

James is reportedly looking for happiness when choosing his next destination.

The Warriors, Heat, Cavaliers and Sixers are reportedly among the teams with serious interest in James.  

What about the Knicks?

Even if they had strong interest in James, wouldn’t it be a bit strange if LeBron chose to sign with a team that just won the NBA title?

The narrative of winning again in Cleveland/Miami or playing with Steph Curry is much more appealing than playing in New York.  

Besides playing home games at an arena he loves, what’s the pull for James?

For all of the reasons noted above, I think LeBron-to-the-Knicks can be put to bed in 2026.

MITCH DIDN’T DITCH 

Mitchell Robinson posted something vague about his departure from the Knicks. He said he wanted to be in New York and noted that he hoped the "truth" about the situation would be revealed.

It's unclear what, specifically, Robinson is referencing.

But it’s clear that he wanted to be back in New York. He said as much in an interview with a local TV station in Louisiana.

Once the Knicks re-signed Landry Shamet, it became nearly impossible for them to re-sign Robinson and remain under the second apron.

So what happens next?

The Knicks, according to HoopsHype, had interest in Marvin Bagley before he signed with Denver. According to NBA TV, the Knicks have been trying to trade for Yves Missi; New Orleans has not shown interest in moving the young big man.

Andre Drummond and Kevon Looney are among the available free agents. The Knicks could eschew free agency and instead look to acquire a big man via trade.

Of course, letting Robinson leave for nothing isn’t ideal from a roster management perspective.

But Leon Rose and his front office have obviously earned the trust of the fan base at this point.  

Replacing Robinson will be the next challenge for Rose and his group.

KJ is poised for a breakout second season in the NBA.

The former Illini guard, who will now be playing with the Bucks in Milwaukee, is spending part of his summer with the Lithuanian national team competing for the FIBA World Cup. In a qualifier this week against Great Britain, Jakucionis scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and recorded six assists. He shot 8-of-10 at the free throw line.

KJ also scored 12 points and had 10 assists in a friendly against Ukraine.

If he keeps this up, the rebuilding Bucks will have a problem keeping him on the bench and he could work his way into the starting lineup.

Not bad for the Illini, who keep pumping out quality NBA players (see: Ayo, TSJ, Will Riley; soon: Keaton, maybe Kylan).

“The Process” is rejuvenated in Philadelphia — at least according to its newest star, Jaylen Brown.

Brown, who was dealt by the Celtics to the 76ers in a blockbuster swap on Wednesday, declared that “the process” — the term used to reference Philadelphia’s rebuilding phase last decade — is “back the f–k on.”

“Alright, I’m processing,” Brown said during his livestream on Thursday. “The process is back the f–k on. We’ve been shutting the process down for the past — I don’t know how many years. The process been over, but now the process is back, motherf–ker.”

Brown also opened up about how he’s been “programmed” to hate the 76ers since he was on a fellow Atlantic Division rival.

“For the past 10 years, I’ve been programmed to hate Philadelphia. From the history of the rivalry to the playoff battles, all of the above with. I’ve been programmed to be like, ‘man, f–k the process,’” Brown said.

“But now I have to reverse-engineer — that’s the part that’s going to take some time.”

After much speculation, the five-time All-Star was traded to the Sixers in exchange for Paul George, along with two first-round picks and two second-round picks.

During the stream, Brown also said he’s “looking forward” to playing for Philadelphia and that he doesn’t want any “special treatment” in the city.

“Philadelphia is a strong city, a tough-nosed city, so I’m looking forward to that,” he said. “I don’t want no special treatment, I don’t want no handouts, no extra privilege.

“Not to say that y’all were going to give me that anyway, but I plan on earning my respect one day at a time by putting in the work.”

Brown also received a surprise call from new Sixers teammate V.J. Edgecombe during the stream.

“You on stream gang, it’s JB,” Brown said after picking up the phone.

“I know it’s JB, bruh. I got your number,” Edgecombe replied while Brown laughed.

Brown, 29, is coming off the best NBA season of his career so far, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists while shooting 47.7 percent from the field.

His efforts last season earned him the second All-NBA honor of his 10-year career.

Now, this isn’t me saying that Kyle Lowry isn’t hanging up the shorts. It’s been widely reported, starting with Michael Grange, that after 20 years in the National Basketball Association, Kyle Lowry intends to retire this offseason, and fulfill his promise to come back to the Toronto Raptors on a one-day contract to retire in the city he brought an NBA championship.

But, the guard seems less than pleased that the news has gone public.

Kyle Lowry posted the above on his Instagram story earlier this afternoon, expressing displeasure, but not denial, about the reporting. The man who many consider to be the Greatest Raptor of All Time, famously surly, took a shot at the media regarding their reporting.

Indeed, neither Lowry nor the Philadelphia 76ers — his most recent team — have made any sort of public announcement about the point guard’s retirement, nor have the Raptors. News is sure to follow regarding further updates, but Grange on Sportsnet has noted that July 7th would mark both a press conference and an event to commemorate Lowry finishing his NBA career. It’s a lovely thing to see Lowry choose to retire in Canada, despite playing the last few years in his hometown Philadelphia. Seeing a player choose the Raptors has always been the thing that makes me happy, and to have Kyle be ready to go down in history as *the* Raptor, ending his career in Toronto, is a dream.

The Lakers will begin their summer at the California Classic tournament, running from July 3-6. Los Angeles’ first matchup will be against this year’s co-host, the Golden State Warriors.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors

When: 7:30 p.m. PT, July 3

Where: Chase Center

Watch: NBA TV, League Pass, Prime Video

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Every summer, the Lakers compete in the California Classic tournament before flying to Las Vegas for the actual Summer League. Now in its eighth year, the California Classic tournament will be hosted by two teams, the Warriors and Kings. There will be seven teams participating: the Lakers, Warriors, Heat, Spurs, Bucks and Nets.

For the Lakers, most of those in this summer’s roster are considered new faces, except last year’s second round pick Adou Thiero and his South Bay Lakers teammate Chris Mañon. Although Thiero didn’t compete last summer due to injury, this is technically going to be his debut. Joining Thiero are this year’s first round pick, Cameron Carr, along with two-way signings Peter Suder and AK Okereke.

For reference, here’s the full list of the Lakers’ summer league roster, who will be coached by JJ Redick’s assistant, Ty Abbott.

Lakers announce their roster (for the summer) pic.twitter.com/tkNVVttDHc

— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) July 1, 2026

Given that the roster consists mostly of rookies and players who need to prove themselves, the hope is to have a competitive team this summer and one that can make these summer games fun and worth looking forward to. It would be nice to see Thiero and Carr get a ton of minutes and hopefully lead this team to wins.

Besides that duo, it’s always interesting to see who stands out in this roster and perhaps carve themselves a role in the organization — whether as a two-way contract signee or even a member of the Coachella Valley Lakers. Who knows? Maybe the Lakers’ next undrafted gem is on the way.

As for now, we wait and see, but at least Lakers basketball is back. Let’s see if the purple and gold can make this summer a memorable one.

Notes and Updates

• The Warriors’ summer roster will be headlined by their 11th overall pick, Yaxel Lendeborg, along with Lajae Jones and their former second pick, Alex Toohey.
• Here’s the Lakers’ itinerary for the summer:

Summer hoops on deck pic.twitter.com/u91xactHLp

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 1, 2026

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.

Fans heading to the Chase Center this weekend for the California Classic will see a number of familiar faces on the Golden State Warriors’ “Team Gold.” Fans seeing the Warriors’ “Team Blue” at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento may need to buy a program.

The team announced two rosters for the California Classic, an offseason kickoff event that the Warriors and Sacramento Kings are holding at both their arenas over eight games Friday-Sunday. The Warriors are fielding two teams, probably because the tournament needed an equal number of teams after the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Brooklyn Nets, and Milwaukee Bucks all accepted invitations to play.

Warriors Gold seems to be closer to what the likely roster for Las Vegas Summer League will look like. The Gold team plays two games at the Chase Center, facing the Lakers on Friday and the Spurs on Sunday. Warriors Blue will be in Sacramento exclusively, facing the Bucks on Saturday and the Kings on Sunday. The Heat, Spurs, and Lakers are staying in San Francisco, while the Nets and Bucks stay in the state capital, and you can assume the relative status of those NBA teams from that placement.

Warriors announce Gold and Blue rosters for California Classic: pic.twitter.com/sgV6HMsQbP

— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) July 2, 2026

Let’s look at Team Gold, which — no disrespect to the fine athletes on Team Blue — features the players who are likely to play in the NBA next season.

Yaxel Lendeborg: He’s an NCAA champion from Michigan who was the No. 11 pick in the draft. He plays great on-ball defense, is insanely competitive, and his dad played with Al Horford’s dad in the Dominican League.

Will Richard: Another national champion, this time in 2025 for Florida, Richard was the 56th pick in the 2025 draft who ended up playing 69 games (nice) for the Warriors last season. His outside shot needs some work but Richard was a very solid defensive player who was thrown into the fire due to injuries and deserves a role on next year’s team.

LJ Cryer: Cryer played 18 games for the Warriors last season and he was not shy about pulling the trigger on outside shots. He shot 39.4% on 5.2 three-point attempts in 16.2 minutes per game. Cryer is pretty small and wasn’t able to guard anyone, but his three-point shooting is excellent.

Lajae Jones: Jones was the No. 54 pick in the 2026 draft who has, well, Will Richard vibes. He went to Florida State, is a high-motor defensive player, and doesn’t hit threes reliably. There’s talk that Jones’ Israeli passport makes him a viable candidate to play overseas and become a “draft-and-stash” candidate, if the Warriors don’t need a cheap rookie deal, and that’s all we will say about Israel in this piece!

Malevy Leons: There are two Dutch players in the NBA and the Warriors had both of them last season, baby! Leons was on a two-way deal last season and played 25 games, averaging 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds, plus 0.6 steals and 0.4 blocks in 11 minutes. He might get a two-way this year, too.

Jack Clark: Clark is a forward from VCU who played 35 games for the Santa Cruz Warriors last season, starting 25 of them. He’s 26 years old.

Chase Hunter: Chase Hunter played six years at Clemson and spent last season with the New Orleans Pelicans’ G League team, the Birmingham Squadron. He’s big for a point guard at 6-foot-4 and plays good defense, plus his name makes him sound like a soap opera star.

Graham Ike: The Warriors signed Graham Ike to an Exhibit 10 deal, which is essentially a training camp invitation. He’s a 6-foot-9 center who you probably saw anchoring the middle at Gonzaga, where he was the WCC Player of the Year last season. Ike put up 19.9 points and 8.0 rebounds and dominated the glass and it wouldn’t be shocking if he ended up with a two-way deal.

Chance McMillian: Another Exhibit 10 guy, McMillian helped lead Texas Tech to the Elite Eight while scoring 14.2 points and shooting 43.3% on threes, best in the Big 12. He’s small for a shooting guard a 6-foot-3 but he can really shoot.

Lachlan Olbrich: An Australian center who went one pick ahead of Will Richard last year, Olbrich played 37 games last year while on a two-way deal with the Chicago Bulls. He’s 6-foot-8 and won a title in Australia before going to the NBA. Olbrich is somewhat small and slow for a center but is apparently very tough — we’ll get an update from Andrew Bogut later.

Max Shulga: The Warriors love the end of the second round of the draft. Shulga was the 57th pick in the 2026 draft and spent last year with the Boston Celtics’ G League team and got into 11 NBA games. As far as we can tell, he’s still under contract with Boston but is getting some reps with Team Gold.

Deivon Smith: The Santa Cruz Warriors traded a first- and second-round pick to get Smith, who absolutely tore it up in nine games for the team, averaging 17.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists, with two triple-doubles. Then he broke his wrist and his season ended. He should be quite exciting to watch.

Alex Toohey: Toohey was the No. 52 pick in last year’s draft. He originally had a two-way contract, but when he needed season-ending knee surgery, the Warriors gave his spot to Leons. It’s extremely hard to judge Toohey, who looked bad in Summer League and training camp last year but was hurt the entire time. He should be in the organization this year, though maybe just in Santa Cruz.

We’ll see which of these guys end up on the Las Vegas roster, where the Warriors will try to recapture the glory of the 2013 Summer League title, which everyone knows led directly to the four subsequent championships. We’re pretty sure they would have won the California Classic, too, if that’s a thing you can do!

On the eve of his unofficial NBA debut, first-round draft pick Cameron Carr signed his Lakers rookie contract, the team announced Thursday.

The Lakers acquired Carr, a 6-foot-5 guard, in a swap of picks with the New York Knicks. Carr will play for the Lakers in summer league games beginning Friday in San Francisco.

Terms were not announced, but the standard rookie contract for the 24th pick this season is about $16.9 million over four seasons with team options in the third and fourth seasons, according to Spotrac.

Read more:Lakers announce summer league schedule, roster

Carr does not play the position most thought the Lakers would target in the draft. Desperate for a big man, the Lakers instead traded to get the shooting guard out of Baylor.

But Carr fits the bill with his athleticism and length. He recorded a 7-foot wingspan and 8-8 standing reach at the NBA combine, where he also impressed scouts during the five-on-five scrimmage with 30 points and seven rebounds on six-for-12 shooting from three-point range. At Baylor, he averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists last season.

Carr’s father, Chris, played six seasons in the NBA, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the 1997 NBA dunk contest.

The winner was Kobe Bryant.

With a chance to make his own NBA legacy, the 21-year-old Carr has found inspiration from his father.

“He was a good outlet for me because he’s been where I want to go, and he’s been down the road I want to go,” Carr told reporters at his introductory news conference. “He’s been a heck of a person to stand next to. Especially in tough times where sometimes I don’t know where I want to go. Man, I can lean on him and ask him. He’s been a lot of help for me.”

Read more:Lakers get their new center. How Walker Kessler, three free agents fit with Luka Doncic

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

LeBron James could be headed back to the Eastern Conference.

The Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly the latest team to express interest in the four-time MVP, according to ESPN. 

The 76ers made one of the biggest moves of the NBA offseason by acquiring Jaylen Brown in a trade with their division rival Boston Celtics on Wednesday, July 1.

Brown is coming off one of his best individual seasons, finishing sixth in the regular-season MVP voting, but he apparently fell out of favor with the Celtics, following various comments after their ouster from the playoffs – ironically at the hands of Philadelphia.

The Brown trade made Philly’s roster younger after unloading Paul George and four draft picks to Boston as part of the trade.

Now, a potential agreement with James would help create a dramatic shift in the Eastern Conference, just two years after the Celtics won their league-leading 18th NBA championship in 2024.

If the 4-time NBA MVP were to choose the Sixers as his next destination, James would join a roster that includes former MVP Joel Embiid, five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown, two-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting.

James future had been uncertain since the Los Angeles Lakers’ season ended in the playoffs, but provided some clarity earlier this week when he told the Lakers he was not going to be returning for a ninth consecutive season with the franchise.

The 41-year-old, 22-time All-Star averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds in 60 games played this past season for the Lakers.

JAYLEN BROWN TRADE GRADES: Clear winner in seismic deal between Celtics and 76ers

Would LeBron James fit in Philadelphia 76ers lineup?

With the Jaylen Brown trade, the 76ers projected starting lineup would feature center Joel Embiid, power forward Dean Wade, and guards Brown, Maxey and Edgecombe. The Sixers signed the 6-foot-9 Wade to a four-year, $39 million deal earlier this week following his seven-year stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Philadelphia also inked veteran guard Anfernee Simons as a free agent and selected Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. with the No. 22 pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

Where could LeBron James play?

James is expected to take his time and see how the free agency period unfolds. James is no stranger to the conference. Two of his former teams, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat, are among the teams expected to be interested in James. 

There’s still a possibility for James to remain in the state of California, taking a trip up North to Oakland to play for coach Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors, joining a roster that includes Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.

According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, the Warriors received some indication from James and his representatives that they remain on the four-time champion’s short list, but they may not necessarily be at the top of that short list.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LeBron James to Sixers? Rumors heat up after sudden Jaylen Brown trade