Category: NBA

With the draft in the rearview mirror, the weekend has signaled the change in focus to free agency. Officially, things get underway on Tuesday. Unofficially, the rumors are coming in hot and fast.

With a slew of rumors coming in quick and fast, here’s a roundup of a handful of them from Sunday.

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Helping Nuggets with Cam Johnson trade?

The Lakers’ cap space can become really an asset for the Lakers to help teams get out of cap hell, but how much appetite would they have if the team they help is a Western Conference foe?

On Sunday, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Lakers are among the teams interested in Cam Johnson, the Nuggets sharpshooter expected to be moved this offseason.

Meanwhile, as the Nuggets navigate getting below the second apron, sharpshooting forward Cam Johnson has drawn trade interest from several teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Orlando Magic, league sources told HoopsHype. The 30-year-old forward shot career-highs from the field (.480) and beyond the arc (.430), and is on an expiring $23.06 million contract for the upcoming season.

Denver is attempting to shed salary to keep Peyton Watson — more on him later — and Johnson’s large salary is perhaps the easiest to trade as an expiring contract. However, that’s a lot of money for the Lakers to take onto the books, even if they have cap space.

Would they prefer to take on Johnson’s salary, or simply go after Watson?

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Chasing Peyton Watson

The Lakers and Watson have been linked for some time. As one of the top wings on the market, albeit as a restricted free agent, it makes sense why the Lakers would go after him.

However, as Marc Stein recently reported on his Substack, it would take a pretty big offer to lure him away from the Nuggets.

The same most certainly goes for Denver and Peyton Watson. The Nuggets have been signaling for months that they plan to match any offer sheet for Watson … to the point that sources say it would take an offer sheet in the $30 million range in order for Denver to balk at re-signing him.

The Lakers and Bulls are two teams that have been mentioned as potential Watson suitors going back to February’s trade deadline.

The Lakers have the potential to create that much cap space, but are they willing to assign that much space to an offer sheet for multiple days?

Watson fills a need and is a young player. There are lots of pros for signing him. But to lure away a free agent from their incumbent team, they’ll have to overpay. Is Watson worth overpaying for?

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Role player free agents

Not every free agent the Lakers are linked with is a standout player. LA has done well in recent years to hit on the role players or undervalued free agents on the market.

This season, they have been linked to a pair of players via Scotto’s aforementioned piece, first being Dean Wade from the Cavs.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade is expected to have various suitors in free agency, including the Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Detroit Pistons, and Portland Trail Blazers, league sources told HoopsHype.

Last season in Cleveland, Wade averaged 5.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He shot 43.9% from the field and 36.2% from the 3-point line.

Along those same lines, the Lakers have also reportedly expressed interest in Jock Landale as well.

Jock Landale has become an intriguing stretch-five heading into free agency, shooting 38.8 percent from 3-point range over the past two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks.

Landale, 30, is expected to have a strong market, including interest from the Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Cleveland Cavaliers, league sources told HoopsHype. Expect the Australian center to command offers north of the bi-annual exception in free agency.

Landale averaged 10.6 points across 27 games, to go along with the 38.8% 3-point shooting mentioned by Scotto. He also grabbed 5.7 rebounds per game.

Neither would be a big addition to the roster, but both could have potential roles with the team.

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

When Jazz rookie Darryn Peterson recently met with the Utah media, he wasn’t shy to admit who his idol is.

Peterson, who starred for the University of Kansas, was asked about how his defensive skill set will follow his offensive skills. He said he wasn’t too worried about it and said he hopes to be like his idol, Kobe Bryant.

“I’m a Kobe guy; he played both sides of the ball,” Peterson said. “That’s my idol. So I’m trying to lock down on defense.”

"I'm a Kobe guy, so he played both sides of the ball. That's my idol, so I'm trying to lock down on defense."

Darryn Peterson (@Darryn_P1) on showcasing his defense (and not just his offense) in the NBA pic.twitter.com/eUHSJmw9I1

— NBA (@NBA) June 27, 2026

Peterson was selected second overall in the 2026 NBA Draft after playing one season at Kansas, where he averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 24 games.

“I would like to say I can be a lockdown defender. Obviously, I haven’t guarded the best in the world yet, but I’m willing to take this challenge. [A] 6-10 wingspan, that can help me a bit,” Peterson said. “Just my effort. I might not be the fastest guy, or quickest guy, but my effort, I will be able to take out some of that.”

Peterson’s stats aren’t comparable to Bryant’s, of course, because Peterson only played one season of college basketball. Bryant had a 20-year Hall of Fame career.

However, similarities exist. Peterson averaged 3.5 defensive rebounds and 1.4 steals per game. In his career, Bryant averaged 4.1 defensive rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.

Peterson, a 6-5 guard who weighs 205 pounds, and Bryant had similar measurables. Bryant was 6-6 and weighed 212.

Bryant had what he called “Mamba Mentality,” meaning he didn’t care who he went up against; in his eyes, he felt like he was the best player on the court. Peterson tries to emulate that, too.

During his NBA career, Bryant was a five-time champion, two-time NBA Finals MVP and league MVP in 2008. He led the league in scoring in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

Basketball’s war on analytics permeated social media again this weekend.

And this time, possibly soon-to-be-traded Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown took center stage, seizing on dismissive comments made about him from an anonymous NBA front office source.

The comment was reported (but not endorsed) by ESPN front office Insider and former Nets assistant general manager Bobby Marks.

“There’s mixed feelings about him when you talk to teams,” Marks said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “The analytics of Jaylen Brown is not good … I had one, not an executive, but an analytics guy say, ‘Yeah, we view him as the seventh-best player on a team.’ I was like, ‘Holy crap.’”

Brown, justifiably so, did not take kindly to the comment.

“Analytics nowadays used to discredit and control narratives – Roll the ball out none of these guys better than me on both ends who does he work for,” he said, which began a series of tweets.

“Nobody has won more combined regular season and playoff games since I entered the league 10 years ago,” Brown continued.

Since Brown was selected No. 3 overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, which even then surprised some observers, Brown has 523 regular season and playoff wins combined among the games he has played.

Brown added, “Analytics have / are ruining the game we playing AI hoops.”

Marks replied to Brown’s initial tweet, saying, “But what wasn’t posted was the 2m of saying I’m not an analytics person but an eye test guy. That I would want Jaylen Brown on my team. That you impact winning (191-80 in the last 4 years), is a top-10 player and would help any team looking to win a championship. That part of course didn’t make it. But that’s the media in 2026.”

Brown quipped, “State Your Source,” in a quote tweet, referencing a shirt he wore during the 2024 Celtics parade, commemorating the team’s first title since 2008.

This exchange also follows a back-and-forth from earlier in the week in which Brown referred to ESPN as “unethical” while singling out Stephen A Smith, in particular, which obviously got a reply from the opinionated long-time First Take host.

Analytics nowadays used to discredit and control narratives – Roll the ball out none of these guys better than me on both ends who does he work for https://t.co/ql3skXAutM

— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) June 27, 2026

Brown continues to surface in trade rumors this offseason and was the Celtics’ leading trade chip in their failed pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, which saw the former two-time MVP dealt to the Miami Heat on June 22.

Boston’s asking price for the 2024 Finals MVP is reportedly very high, while Brown is coming off his best individual season, which was mostly without Jayson Tatum, who missed significant time due to Achilles surgery.

Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game last season, all career-highs, while earning his fifth overall and fourth straight All-Star nod.

Brown also finished sixth in MVP voting last year and earned his second All-NBA nod, taking home Second Team honors, all while leading the Celtics to the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed.

Brown also has a looming contract question. The two-way wing is set to make north of $57 million and $61 million over the next two seasons, while raking in just under $65 million in 2028-29.

He is eligible for a two-year extension worth $142 million on top of that.

Boston was upset by the Philadelphia 76ers in last year’s playoffs, where the Celtics squandered a 3-1 first-round lead, and Tatum was forced to miss Game 7 at home due to injury.

Apparently, the Charlotte Hornets are not done wheeling and dealing yet: after sending LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves a few days ago, Charlotte now swaps Mikal Bridges to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neal.

Charlotte gives up a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-rounder, while Phoenix gives Charlotte a 2033 first-round pick.

Charlotte now has three Duke guards: Allen, Kon Knueppel, and Sion James.

• Hornets send Miles Bridges to Phoenix Suns as offseason shakeup continues, AP source says
• Duke’s Grayson Allen returns to North Carolina after trade from Suns
• Hornets reportedly trading Miles Bridges to Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, 1st-round pick
• Hornets trade Miles Bridges to Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale
• Hornets trade Miles Bridges to Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale
• Report: Hornets Trade Miles Bridges in Deal With Phoenix Suns
• Miles Bridges traded to Phoenix Suns in blockbuster deal
• Trade Grades: Breaking Down the Hornets’ Return for Miles Bridges
• Suns trade sharpshooter Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale for Miles Bridges and future draft picks
• Hornets trade Miles Bridges to Suns for former Duke star Grayson Allen

Go to the DBR Boards to find Blue Healer Auctions || Drop us a line

Well, ladies and gentlemen, the Suns made their first move outside of re-signing their key free agents, trading for Miles Bridges to address a need. Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale were shipped out in the deal.

BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets are trading Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and a 2033 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/vjcR7AdwSD

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 28, 2026

In this deal, the Suns also sent out their 2033 unprotected first-round pick, which just became trade-eligible this offseason. In return, they pick up a 2029 first that was originally sent via Phoenix for Mark Williams last year and a 2027 second that is either Boston’s or Orlando’s, balancing the cost of the move.

They traded their 2033 first for a pick they originally traded to Charlotte just last year to get Mark Williams….

These UTA/CLE/MIN swaps will NEVER escape this team https://t.co/qr3YoxVpnZ

— BruceVeliz (@BruceVeliz) June 28, 2026

The plan for Phoenix in this is to save money by trading both Allen and O’Neale’s deals while bringing in a power forward to fill a position of need and streamline the roster.

Suns go from about $5M under their second-apron hard cap to $11.3M under their second-apron hard cap by swapping Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale for Miles Bridges.

This is factoring in estimates for Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin and Mark Williams.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 28, 2026

The Suns have also been linked to Bridges in the past, suggesting they still have interest. With Charlotte trading LaMelo Ball earlier this week, they are looking to shake things up, and Bridges was one of the other dominoes to fall.

The Suns nearly traded for Miles Bridges two seasons ago, before the 2024 trade deadline, when Bridges was on a one-year qualifying offer with Charlotte. Phoenix has coveted the Michigan State product for some time.

— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 28, 2026

For the Suns, this will bring in someone with an expiring contract, allowing them to test out how Bridges fits in the system and evaluate whether he is a long-term fit. If he does not re-sign, they can then have some freed-up cap space to make more moves next offseason.

The discourse surrounding this trade will resonate with some of the off-court antics Bridges has had in the past. This has led many to oppose the trade, while still understanding it from a business perspective. Only time will tell if Bridges can work on his past off the court, and if he can do so while producing on the court, the Suns could very well benefit.

One thing is clear, though: trading Allen and O’Neale shows they believe in the young guys they have. Players like Rasheer Fleming, Koa Peat, and Ryan Dunn are expected to see increased run time with both veterans being shipped out, and that supports how the team looks to build for the future. With this move, the Suns also free up a roster spot, allowing them to look in free agency to make an addition on the edges.

It is sad to see both Allen and O’Neale go, as they truly gave it their all in Phoenix. They had delivered great moments to the fans and made memories we won’t forget. That being said, the NBA is a business, and sometimes that can be cold, especially in a moment like this. Best of luck to them both in Charlotte, and I cannot wait to see how they help out the Hornets.

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In their second major trade in a week, the Charlotte Hornets have dealt veteran forward Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns.

The Suns are sending Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and a 2033 first-round pick to the Hornets for Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and 2027 second-round pick, the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin has confirmed.

The deal comes after the Hornets sent guards LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for center/forward Naz Reid last Thursday.

Bridges has spent the first eight seasons of his NBA career with Charlotte. He averaged 17.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season.

Allen, also an eight-year NBA veteran, has spent the last three seasons in Phoenix. He led the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage in his first year with the Suns. This past season, he averaged a career-high 16.5 poitns per game.

O'Neale, a nine-year vet, scored a career-best 9.8 points per game last season with the Suns.

This story will be updated

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hornets trade Miles Bridges to Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale

It was no longer Jalen Brunson’s show.

After friend and Knicks superfan Mariska Hargitay cheered him on throughout the Knicks’ playoff run, Brunson showed up on Friday to support the actor as she made a surprise broadway performance.

Hargitay, best known for her work in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” is acting in solo show “Every Brilliant Thing” through July 5.

Brunson and his wife, Ali Marks, attended the performance at Hudson Theatre, and the Knicks star reportedly got a standing ovation during one point in the show.

According to People, there is a part of the production in which Hargitay’s character looks through a box of items.

On Friday, that box included a Brunson Knicks jersey, leading the crowd to go wild for the point guard.

Brunson, who has spoken about his big “SVU” fandom, has developed a close friendship with Hargitay and visited her backstage after the show alongside Marks. Hargitay’s husband, Peter Hermann, was also present for the meet-up.

“It was so sweet,” a source told People. “He was congratulating her and telling her how much he loved the show. She was so thrilled he was there. You could see how much admiration they have for one another.”

While the Knicks’ Celebrity Row is always filled with A-listers, none of them seem to hold a candle to Hargitay when it comes to Brunson.

He previously admitted that he looks for her during every home game.

“Love her to death [and] she knows it,” he said on “The Richard Jefferson Show.”

Even after winning his first NBA championship, Brunson capped off his Finals MVP performance by saying afterward that he wanted to nab a guest star role on “SVU.”

Perhaps that goal will come to fruition soon, as Hargitay’s colleague, Christopher Meloni, said he supported the idea.

Last summer, the Lakers’ acquisition of Marcus Smart wasn’t initially considered a home-run deal.

Sure, Luka Dončić pitched Smart coming to LA, and others on the team loved the move, but he was seen around the league as a player who couldn’t stay healthy.

However, the Lakers believed he’d bounce back and be a winning player again in their environment. They were right.

Now, that deal he signed with the Lakers seems like a bargain, and Smart might think so as well.

In a recent report on The Stein Line, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer explained which team is likely to consider picking up Smart if he opts out of his deal.

The Rockets do, however, loom as a possible free agent destination for another one of Udoka’s former players in Boston: Marcus Smart.

League sources say that Smart, who is expected to draw interest from Houston and possibly other teams in free agency, is very much giving consideration to declining his $5.4 million player option for next season with the Lakers before Monday’s deadline to do so and then proceed to the open market.

This is a tough situation for the Lakers. Losing Smart to the Rockets, the team they eliminated from the playoffs, would be awful. From the Rockets’ perspective, they’d love Smart. They clearly lack dependable guard play, and Smart would enter right away and be one of their best backcourt players.

This move would make Houston better and LA worse, and replacing what Smart did at $5.1 million last year is next to impossible.

He played in 62 games for the Lakers last year. It was the most he’s played since the 2021-22 season when he was the Defensive Player of the Year. He also started in 51 games, making him one of the most important players on the roster.

It’s important to note that this report doesn’t say he will leave, just that he’s considering it. The Lakers reportedly want Smart back, and that could still happen whether he opts in or out.

Still, it’s not an ideal scenario for the Lakers, and they’ll have to see how it plays out. Hopefully, Smart stays one way or another. He was arguably LA’s third-best player last year, and losing him wouldn’t make the Lakers a better team.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

Khalid Robinson takes next step as Warriors' head coach for NBA Summer League originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Khalid Robinson couldn’t leave basketball. But he never knew coaching would be in his future. 

When Robinson stepped foot on Fordham’s campus, his plan already was known. Robinson, a Political Science major, had his sights set on law school until he began studying for the LSATs. 

“I just realized this is not what I’m passionate about,” Robinson said to NBC Sports Bay Area. “And I said, ‘What in life am I passionate about?’ It’s basketball. That’s kind of where and when I decided to make the shift to try and get into coaching.” 

Robinson walked onto Fordham’s basketball team as a sophomore after taking one year off as a player. The New York native describes his old playing style as a “do-it-all, high energy player.” Willing to make the right play, do the dirty work, crash the glass and be a fierce defender, Robinson played 40 games in four years at Fordham and started six of them. 

He scored a total of 13 points in his college career, yet earned the respect of teammates and coaches so much that Robinson was named a team captain in each of his last two seasons. Even then, all the traits of what it takes to be a great coach were clear. 

Now as he enters his 11th season with the Warriors, Robinson is about to step into a new role as the team’s NBA Summer League head coach. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr met with Robinson after the season ended and told him the news, and that he thought manning the sidelines throughout summer league would be a great opportunity for Robinson’s personal and professional career development as the next challenge. 

Naming Robinson as the Warriors’ summer league head coach falls in line with how Golden State has gone about business in getting coaches to the next step. Like the Warriors’ last three summer league head coaches, Jacob Rubin, Anthony Vereen and Lainn Wilson, Robinson has gone from being a video intern a decade ago, to one season as assistant video coordinator, six seasons as special assistant to the head coach and was promoted to assistant coach going into the 2024-25 NBA season. 

As Robinson, 35, prepares for his first chance to be a head coach, he has picked the brains of Rubin, Vereen and Wilson about their experiences, including what they would have done differently after going through the process, along with communicating with Kerr about what he wants to get done in the summer to help get ready for next season. The best advice he has received is probably the most obvious. 

“Keep it simple,” Robinson says. “It’s a new group that for the most part hasn’t played with each other, so simpler is better. Simple allows the guys to play harder with more focus. You just want the guys to be organized. If they’re organized, they can play harder and be more effective.” 

All eyes will be on Warriors first-round 2026 NBA Draft pick Yaxel Lendeborg, who does plan on playing in summer league. Lendeborg went through an ankle sprain and left knee bone bruise during Michigan’s title run but says he’s fully healthy now after taking four weeks to heal. 

Lendeborg is a seasoned 23-year-old who will turn 24 on Sept. 30. The challenges the Warriors are placing on him this summer aren’t so much about numbers. They aren’t interested in him taking a certain number of shots or scoring a certain number of points. The goal in getting him up to speed to play significant minutes early on is becoming a Warrior in every way possible. 

“First, it’s just adapting to the concepts that we’re trying to teach this summer and the things we’re trying to get better at,” Robinson said. “And I think it’s also just challenging him to be an all-around great defender on the ball and off the ball. He has great instincts and great feel. … Offensively, just being who he is – getting to the rim, being aggressive taking and making open threes and using his playmaking. 

“Yaxel has a lot of facets to his game that can help us, and we’re going to challenge him to bring that every day in practices and games, and to do it with consistency.” 

Robinson wants his team to be a connected group that has great communication. He wants them to be very physical defensively to take away easy buckets and play fast in transition. What he really wants is for them to build an identity that represents the Warriors’ culture.

Summer league records aren’t indicative of a team’s success in the NBA season. Development is the main priority. Wins and losses can get thrown to the side, for the most part. Winning also can’t become an afterthought. 

“It’s a mix of both,” Robinson says. “We want to develop our guys and help them get ready for preseason and next season, but we want to win. We want to establish this culture. We’re about winning here, and when these guys come in, we want them to know what we’re about. We’re going into this thing like we want to win. We want to develop and get these guys better on individual skills and team concepts. 

“But we want to win games. Building these habits of consistent competition and playing to our identity is part of it.” 

Does that sound like somebody who could have said goodbye to basketball when his playing days ended? That alternate reality still pops into Robinson’s head without a second of regret. Robinson isn’t someone who would thrive sitting at a desk all day. He needed to be around players and coaches. He needed the Warriors, like they’ve needed him more every year. 

“Ron Adams always talks about coaches being teachers in a way,” Robison remembered. “It allows you to help teach people, and you learn from them in the process, you learn from players in the process. I ended up in the right place.”

Robinson’s head-coaching debut begins Friday night at Chase Center as the Warriors take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the California Classic.

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In the blink of an eye, the Boston Celtics went from rumored “front runners” in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes to the unknown aftermath of tossing franchise star Jaylen Brown into the spotlight of trade rumors.

Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens was willing to part ways with Brown alongside two future first-round picks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, before the Miami Heat swooped in and landed the Greek Freak instead. Since then, Stevens expressed his empathy for Brown during his NBA Draft press conference on Tuesday, acknowledging the national attention the 2024 NBA Finals MVP has drawn in recent weeks.

It’s become a situation the organization itself created. Stevens did his due diligence as the front office’s head honcho by peeking into the cost of bringing Giannis to Boston. That’s fine. The issue is that the Celtics got so deep into the negotiations that they put themselves in a must-win race against Miami. Taking the possible ramifications into consideration should’ve been enough to ensure Antetokounmpo would become a Celtic this offseason.

Yet, while Giannis gets settled in South Beach with Pat Riley and Bam Adebayo, Stevens and the Celtics can only watch as Brown deals with the spotlight that remains on him. The optics of another Boston pursuit with a superstar, in which Brown is the centerpiece of a Celtics offer, don’t bode well for the franchise from an outside perspective.

Last season, Brown did his job — really, really well actually. Even without the assistance of Jayson Tatum for the first 62 games of the season, Brown turned doubt into fuel in two ways: first, by becoming a league MVP finalist and then by turning the unproven Celtics into a 56-win contender. Brown made the ultimate best of Boston’s yard sale last offseason, all without any complaints. He took the likes of Hugo González, Neemias Queta, and Jordan Walsh all under his wing and filled the entire locker room with confidence after their 0-3 start.

Brown led the Celtics to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, turning a roster viewed as a team built to tank into the NBA’s third-best.

At every turn imaginable, whatever the Celtics have needed from Brown, he’s delivered. From coming off the bench as a lottery selection his rookie year, to playing selfless basketball with Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday in exchange for a championship. Brown has always been a team player, despite his vented frustrations throughout the years.

Therefore, it’s time the Celtics do the same in the aftermath of their failed run at acquiring Giannis.

Brown hasn’t escaped the rumor mill. Each day, another report surfaces with all signs pointing toward the Celtics still fielding offers. According to HoopHype’s Michael Scotto, the Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, and Los Angeles Clippers are among those interested in Brown. The New Orleans Pelicans, Houston Rockets, and Orlando Magic, too, had expressed previous interest but are no longer viewed as teams “in the mix.”

Stevens was already weighing enough risk in pursuing Giannis — like durability and committing to Boston — and that was for a two-time MVP. But of the six teams reportedly linked to Brown, including the three no longer viewed as suitors, none bring anything to the table like the Milwaukee Bucks did with Giannis. So realistically, any Brown swap would be a downgrade from what the Celtics could’ve had with Giannis, making the best route simple: clean up whatever feelings may or may not exist with Brown and stand pat.

Trading Brown for a Giannis-like haul headlined by future first-round picks doesn’t help the Celtics get the most out of Tatum’s prime or extend their title window. For the Bucks, it made sense. For the Celtics, it’s a head-scratcher. Boston and Milwaukee are, by no measure, in the same position this offseason. Therefore, the Celtics should operate accordingly.

If Brown is undervalued by the trade market, then there’s no point in parting ways for the sake of avoiding a difficult conversation. Brown has been a member of the Celtics and an invested fixture in Boston’s community for the past decade. Stevens coached him as a rookie and has been by Brown’s side every step of the way throughout his career. This isn’t a Kyrie Irving situation, as there’s a relationship worth going the extra mile to salvage.

Brown and Tatum — at the very least — keep the Celtics competitive when together. That’s the baseline. Depth and playstyle are adjustments that can be made without splitting the two up, so what’s the case for doing so? Unless Brown forces the situation similar to Antetokounmpo’s with Milwaukee, the Celtics are better off staying neutral and signing Brown to the two-year, $142 million extension he’s eligible to ink in July.

It’s up to Stevens to make sure that by the time the Celtics suit up and open the season in October, they do so better than they did last season. For the time being, nothing suggests that trading Brown leads the team to that destination.

Welcome back to our series connecting the Phoenix Suns and the FIFA World Cup. Last time, we explored the franchise’s origins: from its first steps to its first moments of glory, and the players who laid the foundations of one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises. Today, we’re traveling back once again to dive into a pivotal decade in Suns history: The 1980s.

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1982: A Franchise Stuck in Limbo

In 1982, the Suns were coming off a stretch where they had flirted with greatness without ever truly establishing themselves among the league’s elite. Their 46-36 record reflected a solid, competitive team that simply couldn’t take the next step. Phoenix was good — sometimes very good — but rarely spectacular. It was the story of the franchise at the time: three consecutive trips to the Conference Semifinals ended in three straight eliminations, despite posting the two best regular-season records in franchise history (55 and 57 wins).

On the floor, the team still revolved around its star duo: Dennis Johnson and Alvan Adams. Johnson remained Phoenix’s go-to scorer, an elegant, smooth offensive weapon capable of catching fire at any moment. Adams, meanwhile, continued to redefine the center position with his intelligence and creativity, orchestrating the offense from the high post. Averaging 4.5 assists per game as a center was almost unheard of at the time.

The Suns reached the playoffs once again but were swept out of the Conference Semifinals by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and the Lakers. Another frustrating ending, perfectly symbolizing a team trapped in basketball’s gray area: too good to collapse, not quite good enough to contend, yet consistently among the league’s strongest regular-season teams.

Meanwhile, the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain marked a turning point in football history. It was the first tournament to feature 24 teams, the first to introduce a second group stage, and one of the most emotionally memorable World Cups ever.

It featured Zico, Falcão, and Sócrates’ legendary Brazil side — widely regarded as one of the greatest teams never to win the World Cup. It also showcased Paolo Rossi’s Italy, which went from struggling in the group stage to lifting the trophy after an incredible run.

And then there was France – West Germany in Seville: a heartbreaking semifinal that became one of football’s greatest classics. France would have to wait two more years before winning its first major international trophy at Euro 1984.

The tournament was also remembered for one of football’s biggest scandals: West Germany vs. Austria. With the result benefiting both teams, they effectively eliminated Algeria despite Algeria’s remarkable campaign. The infamous “Disgrace of Gijón” remains one of the darkest moments in World Cup history.

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1986: Rock Bottom

By 1986, the Suns were living through one of their darkest chapters in franchise history.

The decline had been gradual. Key veterans had left over the previous years (Robinson, Johnson), while Alvan Adams was no longer the player he once was. Head coach John MacLeod appeared to be losing control of the locker room, and Phoenix’s record kept getting worse season after season. After nearly a decade of consistent success, the Suns would miss the playoffs for three straight seasons.

Their 32-50 record summed up a miserable campaign that was plagued by injuries, internal tension, and a year later, the franchise would be shaken by a major scandal involving players connected to illegal drugs and sports gambling. It became one of the controversies that damaged the NBA’s reputation during the decade.

On the court, Walter Davis remained the face of the franchise, but he was largely on his own. Larry Nance was the other bright spot: an explosive power forward, elite defender, and one of the league’s most spectacular finishers above the rim. Around them, however, the roster lacked depth, stability, talent, and direction.

The Suns predictably missed the playoffs and entered a forced rebuilding phase. The organization needed to rebuild not only its roster, but also its identity and public image. Funny how, regardless of the era, history always seems to repeat itself in one way or another…

Meanwhile, the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico belonged to one man: Diego Maradona.

His tournament was nothing short of legendary. The Goal of the Century. The Hand of God. Complete domination from start to finish. Argentina captured its second World Cup title behind a player who transcended football itself to become one of the greatest sporting icons of all time.

A legendary World Cup. Maradona’s World Cup.

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1990: The Rebirth Begins

1990 marked a turning point for the Suns. After years of struggling, Phoenix was finally back. Their 54-28 record reflected a team that had undergone a complete transformation over the previous two seasons — ambitious, exciting, and ready to become one of the Western Conference’s top contenders throughout the decade.

The reason? A brilliantly executed rebuild, a front office making all the right moves, and above all, the arrival of head coach Cotton Fitzsimmons, who completely changed the franchise’s trajectory.

On the court, Phoenix featured one of the league’s deepest and most balanced rosters with their backcourt, wing, and paint talent.

Kevin Johnson led the backcourt alongside the reliable Jeff Hornacek, while Dan Majerle provided a major spark off the bench. Johnson earned an All-Star selection, All-NBA Second Team honors, and posted the best playmaking season of his career: 11.4 assists per game, a 3.16 assist-to-turnover ratio, a 44% assist percentage, and just a 15.6% turnover rate. He also delivered several unforgettable performances, including games with over 20 assists, multiple 40-point outings, and two triple-doubles.

Off the bench, Eddie Johnson finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting after averaging 17 points and four rebounds per game, bringing instant scoring and physicality on the wing.

Then there was Tom Chambers, Phoenix’s undisputed star, entering the new decade. He averaged 27 points and seven rebounds per game, finished in the Top 10 of MVP voting, earned another All-Star selection, and was on the All-NBA Second Team. His explosiveness, elite finishing ability, and devastating transition game made him one of the league’s most dangerous forwards.

Meanwhile, the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy became one of the most defensive tournaments in football history. Only 115 goals in 52 matches, a cautious style of play that would force FIFA to change certain rules, including banning goalkeepers from picking up a deliberate back-pass from a teammate with their hands, in order to make the game more attacking.

Goals were scarce, tension was everywhere, but the tournament had a unique charm: unforgettable Italian atmospheres, iconic jerseys, and some of the game’s biggest stars.

Matthäus, Vollër and Kohler led West Germany to its third World Cup title, while a battered Diego Maradona somehow carried Argentina all the way back to the final.

A gritty, contrasting World Cup that helped shape modern football.

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The decades keep passing, and yet the story often feels familiar. Phoenix is still a young franchise by NBA standards, but it continues to make a strong impression. The championship still isn’t there, but the level certainly is. The cycles come and go, and each rebuild is carefully managed, allowing the team to remain competitive year after year. The future looks bright…or does it? We’ll find out in Episode 3

After a standout season in the G League, the Lakers have tendered a non-qualifying offer to two-way guard Chris Mañon, making him a restricted free agent.

Mañon earned G League First Team All-Defense honors with the South Bay Lakers last season.

The Los Angeles Lakers have tendered a two-way qualifying offer to Chris Manon, a league source told @spotrac.

Manon will now be a restricted free agent this summer.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 28, 2026

In his rookie season, Mañon was effectively a non-factor with the parent Lakers after signing his two-way deal, scoring just seven points in nine games and never playing outside of garbage time. In total, he played just 46 minutes in the NBA last year.

However, in the G League, he saw far more time, playing in 46 games with South Bay. While he still had a limited offensive role, scoring 11.6 points per game but shooting 31.5% from the 3-point line, he made his name on the other end of the floor.

Mañon finished the year averaging 2.1 steals and 0.9 blocks per game and earned the reputation as one of the best defenders in the G League. On top of his First Team All-Defense honors, he finished second in voting for G League Defensive Player of the Year.

The need for a reliable offensive game still trumps his defensive ability, no matter how great it is. However, his elite defense also makes him an intriguing two-way candidate. That being said, Mañon is 24 years old and while that’s certainly not a finished product, it’s also pretty late in a basketball career to suddenly find or develop offensive skills that haven’t existed before.

For the Lakers, it’s an easy move to tender the non-qualifying offer and make him a restricted free agent. They can always pull the offer at any time if a more intriguing two-way option becomes available.

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

In this episode of Oskee Talk I’m reunited with TCR’s Pleas Honeywood to break down:

• Keaton Wagler going to L.A. (6:56)
• Concerns about Wagler’s athleticism at the next level (11:12)
• Wagler’s historic freshman season in Champaign (16:30)
• Men’s basketball’s “recruiting sell” (23:06)

We also discuss:

• Other notable picks from the NBA Draft (25:19)
• Why the “new” draft format was terrible (38:08)
• NBA futures for Kylan Boswell and Ben Humrichous (45:37)
• The ripple effect of Dusty May’s departure and how the Illini can take advantage (56:42)
• Illinois’ meeting with UNC (75:46)
• Hoops’ non-conference schedule so far (89:55)

Click below to listen!

How do you think Keaton Wagler will fare in the NBA? Does the road to the B1G title run through Champaign?Join the conversation! Comment below and make sure to subscribe to Oskee Talk wherever you find your podcasts!

There is no secret what the Lakers’ priority will be when free agency opens this week. It is the same thing it was last offseason. And it is the same thing Anthony Davis pined for before that.

Find a center.

But as Luka Dončić has reportedly communicated, not just any center would suffice, he wants the Lakers to acquire an “A-list” center this summer.

Although the duo of Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes did a serviceable job shoring up the position, the playoffs proved there is an echelon of big needed to succeed. Finding an upgrade, however, may prove more difficult than previously expected.

Multiple potential targets have already changed teams or agreed to stay with their current organization. And while there is still hope the Lakers can land one of Walker Kessler or Jalen Duren, there are serious hurdles standing in their way.

If the team strikes out on those big fish as well, the Lakers may find themselves back at a familiar name — Myles Turner.

Given how many times he’s been linked to Los Angeles over the years, Turner is essentially an honorary Laker at this point. But will this offseason finally be the time he officially wears purple and gold?

Let’s look at the pros and cons.

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Pros

While Turner would not be any Lakers fans’ preferred outcome, there are potential positives in acquiring him worth examining.

Despite some slippage this past season, Turner still offers an intriguing skill set that may be even more desirable given who sits atop the Western Conference.

Turner remains one of the NBA’s premier floor-spacing bigs as more than half of his shots (54%) came from behind the arc last season. He not only converted them at a healthy rate (38%), but, compared to the Lakers’ roster last year, his 147 made 3’s would have finished second behind only Dončić.

Beyond adding a much-needed new element to the Lakers’ offense, the ability to proficiently play five-out could be critical in postseason matchups with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder in particular, as it would force Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren away from the paint.

Although not the same defender as he was in Indiana, Turner could also still provide value for the Lakers on the other end as well.

Behind his steady block numbers (84th percentile) and timing, the Bucks allowed 7.2 points less on defense when Turner was on the floor compared to off. Opposing teams also attempted 3% less of their shots at the rim and shot 4% worse once there when the big man patrolled the paint. Turner’s ability to be a deterrent would be welcome for a Lakers team that allowed the second-highest field-goal percentage at the rim during the regular season.

There could also be unique off-court value to Turner compared to other options.

After dealing Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks will likely be open to trading the veteran center as they enter their rebuild, especially after acquiring Kel’el Ware. And given Turner’s contract (more on that later), the asking price would be far less than other starting fives on the market.

Adding Turner’s upcoming $26 millon to the books would take a large chunk out of the Lakers’ cap space this summer, but the team could alleviate the hit by shedding their own unwanted salaries in a potential deal.

For example, the Lakers could send roughly $16 million between Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht to Milwaukee in a Turner swap. That would be a much more palatable $10 million clip to their spending power. If they also want to part ways with Jake LaRavia, Turner would only be adding $4 million to their cap sheet this upcoming year. And if it’s Ayton instead of LaRavia, the cap hit would only be a negligible $2 million difference.

If any of these iterations actually occur, this would allow the Lakers enough money left over to address other needs on the roster. They can make a competitive offer to Peyton Watson. They can add more center depth by signing Mitchell Robinson or Robert Williams. They can split up that money and sign multiple players to fill out their bench. All options that would not be possible if they sign either Kessler or Duren to a max deal.

Cons

The downsides of trading for Turner are simple.

While his shooting would add an intriguing wrinkle to the Lakers’ offense, it may not jive with the Lakers’ pick-and-roll-heavy playcalling. Turner’s popping would be helpful, but Dončić has thrived playing with centers who could roll and finish over the top. He has also made his desire for a lob threat clear in the past. Turner is not that.

According to the league’s tracking data, Turner converted just 44.9% of his pick-and-roll chances with the Bucks. He also made a suboptimal 52.3% of his 2-point shots overall (22nd percentile among bigs). For comparison, Ayton finished 65.8% of his pick-and-roll looks and a tremendous 67.1% of his 2-point chances (88th percentile).

Turner has also notoriously been a below-average rebounder at his position. Couple that with taking a step back athletically, and adding him to a starting lineup with Dončić and Austin Reaves could put the Lakers at a severe speed disadvantage.

There is the possibility that Turner can turn back the clock and perform closer to the center who was in the Finals just two years ago by playing on a team with title aspirations. But expecting more gradual decline over the course of his contract is far more realistic. It is worth pointing out that at 30, Turner is six years older than Kessler and eight years older than Duren.

Speaking of his contract, when including this upcoming season, Turner still has roughly $82 million owed to him over the next three years.

That may not be an issue in the aforementioned short term, but once Reaves’ new deal kicks in next season, the Lakers will quickly find they have a lot invested in the trio. They could always reroute Turner when it becomes an issue, but that likely will cost valuable draft capital to do so.

Beyond the potential awkward on-court fit and future financial headache, the Lakers’ front office should also be wary of how Dončić would feel about Turner’s addition. He is in no way the “A-list” center or vertical threat he reportedly desires, nor would he put the Lakers in the same tier as either the Spurs or Thunder.

Dončić’s future with the team is not guaranteed, and the team must operate as such. After expressing to the star that this summer will be the time they make big moves, anything less could be viewed as a failure, or worse, a lie.

Even with draft picks and more cap space than any other team at their disposal, the Lakers’ fortunes will ultimately depend on who they employ as their starting center. If it’s Turner or someone else, they’d better deliver a roster that was worth the wait.

All stats courtesy of Cleaning the Glass unless otherwise stated. You can follow Alex on Bluesky at @alexregla.bsky.social.