The LeBron James saga continues as the world still is waiting for which team the 41-year-old superstar will sign with during the 2026 NBA free agency period.
Due to the lengthy amount of time James is taking to make his decision, a theory has surfaced that the four-time NBA MVP is dragging the process out to see if any of his potential suitors could find a way to acquire either guard Kyrie Irving or forward Anthony Davis, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin O’Connor.
“The popular theory around the league is that LeBron has been slow-playing his decision to see if any of his suitors could find a way to land Irving or Davis. If a team proved capable of acquiring one of his championship teammates, sources say, it might sway him in that direction,” O’Connor wrote.
With this theory in consideration, the Warriors, along with other NBA teams, significantly would increase their chances of landing James if they were able to trade for a championship-caliber player such as Irving or Davis.
Throughout his illustrious NBA career, James has always signed with a team in which he is either paired with another superstar or placed in a “Big Three” situation.
In 2010, the 22-time NBA All-Star selection joined the Miami Heat alongside Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Four years later, James returned to his hometown team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and joined forces with Irving and forward Kevin Love.
Then in 2018, James signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, acknowledging his first year with the team would be a bridge toward a blockbuster deal, which turned out to be the acquisition of Davis.
While trading for Davis seems to be a long shot at this point of the offseason for Golden State, the Warriors stay in the running as one of James’ potential destinations in free agency. However, if the organization can find a way to acquire Davis, Golden State likely would become more attractive as James’ final landing spot.
But with Warriors superstar Steph Curry already in the building alone, Golden State should remain as an attractive team to sign with, especially with the championship culture the team has built over the last decade.
Lakers' star Wilt Chamberlain played his final NBA season in 1972-73. The warmup jacket he was wearing in this photo is believed to be the same one that was found at a Goodwill in January and eventually auctioned for nearly $90,000. (Anonymous / Associated Press)
A Portland teenager found a random old Lakers jacket in a Goodwill bin in January.
He paid $3.07 for it.
Seven months later, the item sold at auction for $89,600.
Turns out the old jacket wasn’t so random after all.
Verified by Sotheby’s auction house, it was a warmup jacket worn by NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain at least three times. That includes during the 1972 NBA Finals in which the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks in five games and Chamberlain was named the series MVP.
“This is Truly a once in a lifetime find,” Quinn Brown wrote on Instagram in January. “I am so grateful this jacket has landed in my hands.”
Brown, 19, has been reselling his thrift-store clothing finds online for the past three years. When he saw someone toss the short-sleeved Lakers jacket with “Chamberlain” on the back into a bin of clothes outside Goodwill, Brown grabbed it for his online shop.
Then he did some research. Brown found an online photo of Chamberlain wearing a jacket that looked very similar. He also discovered that the four-time league MVP’s jersey measurements closely matched those of the jacket.
This undated photo provided by Sotheby's shows a warmup jacket worn by Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals that was found in an Oregon thrift store. (Sotheby's via Associated Press)
After he posted a photo of the jacket online, Brown was contacted by Sotheby’s about consigning it for auction. He took the auction house up on the offer, and the jacket was whisked away in an armored vehicle.
Sotheby’s photomatched the jacket to three images: an undated photo from the 1972-73 season, a photo from a January 1973 game and a photo from a 1972 home game against the Knicks that was determined to be from either Game 1 or Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Chamberlain had 12 points and 19 rebounds in Game 1, a 114-92 Lakers loss, and 23 points and 24 rebounds in Game 2, a 106-92 Lakers victory.
“I didn’t even think that finding something like this was possible,” Brown told the Associated Press. “I got very, very lucky.”
Sotheby’s estimated that the jacket could go for $150,000 to $250,000. While the final amount wasn’t quite that high, Brown told KIRO-FM (97.3) in Tacoma, Wash., that he’s “obviously happy” after making back 29,000-times his initial investment.
“$90,000 is pretty good,” he said. “I was hoping it would go higher. A little surprised, sitting there the last five minutes it didn’t really get any bids. So that was a little disappointing. But, still, a lot of money — especially since I only spent $3.”
Boston, MA - January 28 - Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) lets the ball get loose as Boston Celtics guards Jordan Walsh (27), Hugo Gonzalez (28) and Baylor Scheierman (55) surround during the second half of a NBA game at the Garden. (Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images). | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
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Jaylen Brown is a 76er. Paul George is a Celtic.
That trade — and the addition of Mitchell Robinson — was the highlight of the summer and could be the difference of whether or not the Celtics surpass the pleasant surprise of their 56 wins a year ago. However, there’s also the continued internal development of so many of the players that were responsible for that unexpected regular season.
There’s Hugo Gonzalez, who seems to have added more to his tool belt based his Summer League performance. He was used as a spark plug off the bench in his rookie year, but in Vegas, we got a glimpse of what he might look like as an offensive engine and maybe more importantly, as a leader in the locker room.
What about Hugo’s superfriend, Baylor Scheierman? In a 20-game stretch last year, he averaged nearly 10-6-3 as a starter before Tatum returned from his Achilles tear. His defense improved dramatically and he’ll again bring his Swiss army knife skillset to the table, whether that’s off the bench or alongside Derrick White in the backcourt.
After the team picked up their option on Jordan Walsh’s contract, it became fully guaranteed on Monday and during a visit to Vegas, Walsh guaranteed to get better on the offensive side of the ball:
Jordan Walsh on what that shift in his offensive role looks like:
“It means being a threat at all points in the game. I feel like there's a lot of times in the season last year where it became clutch moments where we need a bucket and I have to get subbed out.
And after bouncing around the fringes of the league, Ron Harper Jr. signed a four-year, $14 million contract with the Celtics. That’s a huge vote of confidence for the 26-year-old who could become that microwave scorer in the second unit.
The new collective bargaining agreement has made the contributions of players on their rookie deals or minimum contracts a necessary premium for teams looking to contend. In the past, teams could use the backend of their roster more for patient player development; now, they’re getting thrown right into the fire and are expected to perform and perform well. With that in mind, who’s going to be Boston’s best candidate for Most Improved Player in 2026-2027?
NBA owners loved it — this is what they and Adam Silver want to see, players willingly taking a little less money. It frustrated the NBA players' union, starting with the fact it's a decision that had to be made at all.
Victor Wembanyama took a discount on his contract extension with the Spurs that could save the team a little more than $50 million over five years by agreeing to only take 25% of the salary cap — still five years, $252 million — rather than the 30% he would be eligible for if he is again Defensive Player of the Year or makes an All-NBA team (thinks that feel like a lock if he plays the required 65 games next season).
For the first time, Wemby discussed his decision, speaking to Jason Jones of The Athletic about the French center being named the NBA 2K27 cover athlete (along with Caitlin Clark and Derrick Rose).
"We have a good team, we had a very good playoff run, and we had a very good regular season. But what's even better and greater is our potential. The reality of today's NBA is that often, the potential of teams is not fulfilled because of money. I just want to make sure it's never our case."
We are not alone
Victor Wembanyama has landed as your NBA 2K27 Standard Edition Cover Athlete
Welcome to the world of the second apron of the luxury tax, which teams are treating as a hard cap. Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren took the same discount Wemby did a year ago, and yet this summer his team had to let go of Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to stay below that line. Boston traded Jaylen Brown because management said it couldn't build a contending team in the future with him and Jayson Tatum taking up a combined 70% of the salary cap. Wemby sees the extensions coming for Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper — plus De'Aaron Fox being on a huge contract — and did what he sees as his part.
If anyone deserved all the money he can get, it's Wembanyama, who at age 22 is arguably the best player walking the face of the earth — and in a couple years that will not be an argument. Last season he averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game, lifted the Spurs to the NBA Finals, was voted the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, came in third in MVP voting and was voted First Team All-NBA. He is becoming a massive global brand and star.
Which is why he's on the cover of NBA 2K27, taking the spot that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander held a year ago for the top-selling sports video game in the United States. Wemby gets that this is big.
"I know it means a lot culturally, too. It's hard to realize for me that I'm taking more and more space, more real estate in the world of basketball, in what basketball means, in professional basketball."
And his eyes, if the money he gave up helps him and the Spurs stay there, then it's worth it.
New Milwaukee Bucks guard Tyler Herro was in Paris when he was traded and had a stern message for the Heat the moment he learned he was being shipped out.
Herro was sent to Milwaukee, his hometown team, in a blockbuster trade that sent Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat, and he couldn’t believe that he was being moved.
“Back to the motherf–king crib, dog,” Herro said in a video posted on his YouTube channel. “Y’all did lost your motherf–king mind.”
Bucks guard Tyler Herro reacts to his trade to Milwaukee on his YouTube channel. Tyler Herro/YouTube
He appeared to be all smiles, singing verses of “The Boys Are Back in Town” by Thin Lizzy multiple times after learning of his new team.
A passenger in the car with him then began singing “I’m Coming Home” by Skylar Grey in anticipation for his return to Wisconsin.
“I’m ready to come home and not prove everyone wrong,” he told ESPN, “but just be able to represent the city and the state because I wanted to do that coming out of school as well.”
Herro went to Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Wisc., where he finished his career with over 2,000 points, was named the Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year and earned First Team All-State.
He earned a four-star ranking and was the No. 1 player in Wisconsin, per 247Sports. He chose to play for John Calipari at Kentucky instead of staying home with Wisconsin.
Tyler Herro #14 of the Milwaukee Bucks attends a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat. NBAE via Getty Images
The incident started when Adebayo approached Herro and confronted him about comments the guard had made on social media, criticizing Adebayo and Antetokounmpo.
Herro responded verbally, which Adebayo took exception to, and the incident became physical. Sources with knowledge of the altercation told ESPN that Adebayo hit Herro in the face area.
The two left the gym on their own after others refrained them from striking each other again.
“Honestly, I’m just trying to move past all of it,” Herro told ESPN. “I’m focused on Milwaukee and building something special. They obviously just traded the greatest player in their history, so we want to come in and help continue what they’ve been doing.”
The full trade saw Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis head to the Heat in exchange for Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakučionis, plus a haul of draft picks.
Caitlin Clark is the first WNBA player to be featured on a global NBA 2K cover.
NBA 2K27 announced today that Clark, Victor Wembanyama abd Derrick Rose will be featured on covers of the editions, which will be will released Sept. 4. Clark will be on the deluxe cover.
She’s obsessed with the work
Caitlin Clark is your NBA 2K27 Deluxe Edition Cover Athlete
"Being on the cover of NBA 2K27 is special because this game reaches fans all over the world,” Clark said. “To be the first WNBA player on her own global cover means women's basketball gets to show up on that stage too, and I am proud to be part of that."
Clark joins a handful of WNBA legends who have made NBA 2K cover appearances, including Candance Parker (2022), Diana Taurasi (2023), Sue Bird (2023), Sabrina Ionescu (2024), A'ja Wilson (2025) and Angel Reese (2026).
Caitlin Clark is officially an NBA 2K27 cover athlete.
On Wednesday, NBA 2K announced the specially selected cover athletes for NBA 2K27. NBA star Victor Wembanyama will be on the cover of the Standard Edition, and Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose will be on the limited-time Ultra Edition. Clark, who is set to grace the cover of the Deluxe Edition, is the first WNBA player featured on her own global NBA 2K premium cover.
"Being on the cover of NBA 2K27 is special because this game reaches fans all over the world,” said Clark via release. “To be the first WNBA player on her own global cover means women's basketball gets to show up on that stage too, and I am proud to be part of that."
She’s obsessed with the work 💭🏀
Caitlin Clark is your NBA 2K27 Deluxe Edition Cover Athlete
Clark, who is currently in her third season, is averaging a career-high 20.7 points per game and 42.8% shooting from the field. She's also averaging 7.8 assists per matchup, which is second in the WNBA. The Indiana Fever star will appear in her third All-Star Game this weekend and earned the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year award.
NBA 2K27 is expected to be available on September 4, 2026. Early access begins August 28 for anyone who purchases the Deluxe Edition or the Ultra Edition.
Kalshi users have traded more than $197 million trying to predict where free-agent superstar LeBron James will land - and that number is only climbing.
Key Takeaways
The Warriors are now a long shot after surging to a 46% chance when free agency began.
Reports suggest James still has not made his decision.
The Heat accidentally scheduled a press conference for James on their YouTube channel, leading to a big probability swing.
Kalshi’s market data on Tuesday showed the Cleveland Cavaliers were a 38% favorite to attract James for a third stint in his hometown. That was slightly ahead of the Miami Heat (36%), whom James opted for when he left Cleveland for the first time in 2010 and with whom he eventually won two championships.
The market shifted dramatically when online sleuths noticed the Heat had an introductory press conference for James scheduled for July 27 on their YouTube channel. Miami subsequently surged to a 49% probability, while the Cavs plummeted to 28%.
The Miami Heat’s YouTube channel scheduled a “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference” on July 27th 👀‼️
The video was immediately unlisted and set to private.
Did the Heat’s social media team just spoil LeBron’s decision? 💀
Further down the board, the Golden State Warriors, once a dominant favorite, have dropped to a 13% chance. The decline was influenced by the Washington Wizards' reported refusal to trade Anthony Davis, a move that reportedly would have helped entice James to Golden State. Draymond Green's possible departure has also hurt the Warriors' chances.
The Philadelphia 76ers are the fourth and final realistic option for James, according to prediction markets. Their 9% chance suggests hope is still alive, although they are much less likely to land “The King” than the Cavaliers and the Heat.
Markets fluctuate amid James wait
The negotiating period of NBA free agency began at 6 p.m. ET on June 30. Players were allowed to sign contracts as of 12:01 p.m. on July 6, which was more than two weeks ago at the time of writing.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said the league wouldn’t begin its schedule-making process until it knows where James will be playing his basketball next season.
“We have to finish up the schedule and where LeBron plays affects the schedule ... opening week, Christmas,” he said, per CNBC. “So I need him to make a decision.”
Prediction market sites have experienced significant movement over the past month. After James' departure from the Los Angeles Lakers was confirmed, the Cavaliers had as high as a 61% chance of signing him on July 10. They dropped to as low as 26% in the time since and are now only just above that mark following the Heat’s YouTube debacle.
The Heat were at 15% when free agency began and are sitting at their all-time high in probability.
The Warriors were up at 46% when free agency began but haven't kept momentum. Kalshi users did not elevate the 76ers above 18% since free agency began.
Finals probabilities for LeBron’s possible suitors
Summer League is already over, but NBA Finals prediction markets could still undergo sizable changes, depending on where James signs.
Kalshi's NBA Finals market gives the Heat an 8% probability of winning the upcoming championship, tied for third with the defending champion New York Knicks. The 76ers are sixth (6%), the Cavaliers are seventh (5%), and the Warriors are tied with five other teams for eighth (4%).
The game's Ultra Edition cover will feature former NBA player Derrick Rose, and the Deluxe Edition will have Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark gracing the cover. The three cover athletes have each been the No. 1 overall pick in their drafts and went on to win the Rookie of the Year award in their respective leagues.
Wembanyama is coming off a season in which he averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game.
He was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-NBA selection, helping the Spurs reach the NBA Finals, which they lost in five games to the New York Knicks.
We are not alone 👽
Victor Wembanyama has landed as your NBA 2K27 Standard Edition Cover Athlete
"When you're truly obsessed with basketball, the game doesn't stop when you leave the arena. NBA 2K is the court that never locks up, it's always open whether you're in Paris or San Antonio. It's how you study the game, sharpen your IQ, and live basketball 24/7," Wembanyama said in a statement. "To be the face of a game that fuels that hunger for hoops and whose covers immortalize the all-time greats, that’s a dream come true for me."
NBA 2K27 will launch on Sept. 4, 2026, on PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch. The standard edition of the game will cost $69.99; the Deluxe Edition will be $99.99, and for the Ultra Edition, consumers will have to fork over $149.99, with limited availability through Sept. 6.
Did someone with the Miami Heat leak LeBron James' decision before he did? The Heat deny it, but in a vacuum of information about where LeBron will play next season and when it will be announced, it took on a life of its own.
Someone with the Heat posted a link to a YouTube stream titled "LeBron James Introductory Press Conference | July 27, 2026" and that quickly took off on social media.
The Miami Heat’s official YouTube channel had LeBron’s introductory press conference scheduled for July 27
The Heat instantly denied it, telling the Miami Herald and ESPN’s Shams Charania that this was simply Miami's social media team preparing for the possibility of LeBron choosing the Heat and they accidentally put the link live for a minute. The Heat deny it has any meaning.
LeBron James going to Miami, joining forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, has reportedly been one of the frontrunner options for the 41-year-old four-time champion and four-time MVP. Cleveland, Philadelphia and Golden State also have been frontrunners at various points, and Minnesota is still in the mix according to reports.
But nobody really knows. LeBron and his agent Rich Paul have kept a tight circle — anyone saying they have a "source" who knows when the announcement is coming or where he is going is just going for clicks. Everyone around the league has guesses — people NBC Sports has spoken to expect Cleveland — but nobody really knows, and if LeBron wants to be somewhere that can compete to win the East Miami is a good bet and a good basketball fit for him.
For 15 games last season, Dylan Cardwell and Maxime Raynaud were part of the group that gave Kings fans something to smile and cheer for with their unique postgame celebrations.
There aren’t many positives that come with a 22-win season, but “The Beam Boys” did their due diligence after the 15 wins at Golden 1 Center. The then-rookie trio of Cardwell, Raynaud and Nique Clifford, and veteran forward Precious Achiuwa, assembled at the center of the G1C court after each home win, sunglasses on and energy up.
It became a wholesome tradition during a season that probably didn’t deserve one.
But The Beam Boys want to be more than a feel-good ritual. They want to impact winning and lead the charge of the cultural makeover in Sacramento.
Cardwell and Raynaud believe that starts with them in Year 2. They want it to.
“I think just the way our team is going right now, we had three young guys last year, we have three more young guys this year, that’s almost half of the team already,” Raynaud told NBC Sports California. “So, if the young guys who, ‘quote, unquote,’ will be the future of the team later on don’t try to buy in and don’t try to set their own culture, we can’t go far. We have a guy that’s been to multiple Final Fours, one championship in college. He knows what it takes to win. And clearly, if you don’t have a self-starter culture, there is no way for you to get it going. Your coaches can only do so much. Your GM can only do so much. We work as a group, and at the end of the day, it’s our responsibility to get it going on the floor, get it going at practice.
“So we just have to be able to set the tone, set that culture, and that is for us, and also for the organization as a whole. The Kings welcomed us with open arms, the city welcomed us with open arms, and that’s also our way to give back.”
After a strong rookie campaign, Raynaud has been viewed as a steal in the 2025 NBA Draft after Scott Perry and Co. snagged him in the second round at No. 42 overall.
With All-Star big man Domantas Sabonis dealing with various injuries last season, Raynaud played 74 games and started 56 for Sacramento. The 7-foot-1 French center averaged 12.5 points on 57.1-percent shooting, with 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 26.5 minutes.
While Raynaud has been a success story thus far, his team’s 60 losses in his first taste of NBA action weren’t.
But exit interviews with coach Doug Christie, Perry and B.J. Armstrong hope to spark the beginning of the change. The messaging from the Kings’ brass to Raynaud and Cardwell? Be more vocal.
They have taken that to heart, and they aren’t waiting for the 2026-27 season to start to implement their increased leadership roles. It started with NBA summer league. Dinners. Escape rooms. All the crucial off-the-court, team chemistry stuff. But, perhaps more importantly specific to this team, accountability — on the court — has been massive.
DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook were the vocal veterans last season. With DeRozan gone and Westbrook’s future unknown, who is going to step up and fill that void?
“Why not you, Max and Nique?” Cardwell told NBC Sports California as he recalled what Perry told him at his exit interview. But Cardwell’s initial reservation was that they were only entering their second year in the league.
“So what?” Perry responded.
That is all Cardwell and Raynaud needed to hear.
Three months later in Las Vegas, after a blowout Summer League loss to the Brooklyn Nets, an unrecognizable Cardwell called his team “soft” and said they got “punked” while speaking to reporters. The guy known for his high vibes and positive energy looked and spoke like his team just lost Game 7 of a playoff series. But no, it was summer league.
“We’re trying to build something for next year,” Cardwell said after that game.
Yes, it was a summer league game. But that didn’t matter to Cardwell and Raynaud. They are trying to build good habits and maintain them in all games, regardless of severity. California Classic. Summer League. Preseason. It doesn’t matter.
They want to win.
And they want to win in Sacramento. It means more to them.
“That’s what Scott Perry brought us to do,” Cardwell told NBC Sports California. “It’s very rare that a GM in his first year has that many draft picks and brings that many guys in. And his first choices were Nique, Max, and I. We don’t take that very lightly. We know that with us three, that he was trying to build the foundation of what he wants to do, and so we kind of feel like it is our duty, not just to Scott Perry and B.J. Armstrong, but also to the city of Sacramento. Like, hey, like this is this franchise’s next phase of what we’re trying to do, and winning in Sacramento means a lot because obviously you hear about the 16-year drought. Everyone talks about the Beam Team in 2022, 2023, but it’s like, what can we do? What can our group do to help maintain a level of success, playoff success, hopefully Finals success in Sacramento?
“Sacramento is a great city. They’re a very loyal fan base, but we want to contribute to winning. We want to win here, and I don’t want to go anywhere else. It just goes back to we were Scott Perry and B.J. Armstrong’s first choice, and we don’t take that very lightly.”
It is easier for the guys to buy in and play for someone who’s been there and who gets it.
Christie, although inexperienced as an NBA head coach, was a part of some of the most successful and fun Kings teams in Sacramento.
When you walk into his office, you can’t miss the 2001 “The Greatest Show on Court” Sports Illustrated cover. It was the last time consistent success was showcased in Sacramento. The Kings have made one playoff appearance in 20 years. But walking into Christie’s office and looking at that magazine feature is motivation.
“Doug Christie was one of the guys that led these 2000 teams to one of their best runs in the playoffs for the past couple years, and on a personal level, whenever I get to meet in his office at the facilities, there is this one big poster of Sports Illustrated, which is the starting five, and I don’t know, it just inspires me to see guys that have done it in the past,” Raynaud told NBC Sports California. “There has been a drop ever since; I think it would be awesome for us to be able to bring it back a whole generation later. As competitors and as basketball lovers, that’s our duty. So that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Now it’s time to execute the leadership across a full 82-game season. Raynaud and Cardwell have accepted the challenge to lead a rebuilding team.
It won’t happen overnight. It likely won’t happen next season.
But building a sustainable winner is the goal. And The Beam Boys are eager to lead the way.
Mike Gansey hasn’t even been running the Sixers for two months. Yet his first impression could not have been better as the offseason rolls on and we approach a bit of a dead time on the NBA calendar. Of course, we’re all waiting for the big shoe to drop as LeBron James remains an unrestricted free agent. The fact that the Sixers are even one of the reported finalists should speak volumes to Gansey’s ability to clean up what many would have called a salary cap mess upon his arrival.
Gansey’s three primary additions so far were Jaylen Brown, Anfernee Simons and Labaron Philion. You could lump Dean Wade in there too if you’re optimistic about Wade’s fit in Philadelphia. Gansey’s been busy, but he’s not just making moves to make moves. He’s doing things that should give Sixers fans an optimistic outlook both in the short-term and the long-term.
It goes without saying that adding Brown is an upgrade to Philadelphia’s current starting lineup. The move also makes the franchise’s long-term outlook much brighter with Brown, 30 when the season starts, replacing 36-year-old Paul George. It was always going to be a hard task for Gansey to unload the final two years of George’s contract, but to do so in a trade that brought back Brown should have Sixers fans feeling confident that Gansey can navigate less chummy salary cap waters in the future.
Then there’s the addition of Simons. At 27 years old, Simons signed a two-year deal with the Sixers worth just over $12 million. Simons should take the minutes vacated by the departure of Quentin Grimes and statistically looks like a better player than Grimes was. Gansey was able to cheaply add Simons to the roster in what could be a nice upgrade on the margins. Even if Simons doesn’t play in Philadelphia beyond the duration of this two-year contract, if he’s successful as a Sixer, fans should feel good about Gansey’s ability to make similar cost-effective upgrades to the bench in the future.
Drafting Philon showed another reason for optimism for Sixers fans concerning Gansey’s leadership in the front office. For as easy as it is to look at the current roster heading into a draft and deciding which prospects are the best fits for said roster, we all know that drafting the best player available is a better strategy for long-term sustainability.
Gansey could have prioritized a front court player who would have had a faster pathway to lots of playing time. He could have avoided a guard and dodged the criticism that comes with taking a guard with the top draft asset that came back in the Jared McCain trade. But Gansey must have seen a potential with Philon and the team’s starting guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. He also likely viewed Philon as a player that could make a bigger long-term impact than some of the bigs that he would have selected and that’s what the draft is all about.
While you might not be as bullish on the acquisition of Wade, Gansey had a relationship with Wade from their time together in Cleveland that had to have helped in bringing the veteran forward to Philadelphia. Relationships, no matter how small, are always going to be a part of running a front office and Gansey has already displayed a good ability to maintain previous relationships.
These are all positive signs for the franchise moving forward. A lot of them probably factored into the Sixers getting a seat at the table when it comes to the LeBron James sweepstakes. If they’re in the conversation for LeBron, regardless of how old he is, that’s a sign that the guy in charge of the front office is doing a good job.
We have our cover athletes for NBA 2K27, and once again the three-tier system of NBA star, WNBA star, and recent Hall of Fame inductee is reigning supreme. 2K Sports gave SB Nation an early look at the covers, before releasing them to the world on Wednesday and here’s a full look at both the different designs, as well as what the different versions of the game entail.
Victor Wembanyama (Standard Edition — $69.99)
Base game, launching September 5, 2026
Caitlin Clark (Deluxe Edition — $99.99)
100,000 VC MyCAREER content (25x 6 Types of Skill Boosts, 25x 3 Types of Gatorade Boosts, Victor Wembanyama Jersey, Caitlin Clark Jersey, and a 2HR 2XP Coin.
MyTEAM content (Full ’27: Series 1Team Selection, Triple Threat Park Free Agent Pack, 5x ’27: Series 1 Packs, and a 2HR2XP Coin.
Includes Early Access starting on August 28, 2026, up to one week before worldwide release.
Derrick Rose (Ultra Edition — $149.99)
Includes everything in the Deluxe Edition, plus an additional 35,000 VC.
Season 1 ProPass, and the Summer Season Pass Pro Pass Bundle (Seasons 7–9 Pro Pass, releasing in Summer 2027)
Roses Oversize Hoodie in MyCAREER
Premium SKUMyTEAM Player Cards, which includes a guaranteed 98 OVR card (December 2026) and a guaranteed Invincible card (May 2027).
The decision to make Wemby, Clark, and Rose the cover athletes was explained by 2K
“Victor Wembanyama, Caitlin Clark, and Derrick Rose each come from different worlds, but they share the same obsession that has altered the trajectory of the game,” said Zak Armitage, SVP & GM of NBA 2K. “Wembanyama has broken the mold for what a big man can be and keeps breaking it. Clark is pulling up from the logo, not just redefining what range looks like, but thewomen’s game entirely. And Rose changed what it meant to be a point guard – explosive, physical, unstoppable – and when faced with setbacks, his hunger for the game is what brought him back. None of them have an off switch, and that same relentless drive is what defines NBA 2K27”
The first gameplay trailer for NBA 2K27 will release on July 28.
The couple announced on Instagram that they are now "courthouse official," having exchanged vows at an Indianapolis courthouse surrounded by close friends and family. The couple has shared plans to celebrate with a larger wedding ceremony on Aug. 1.
The couple’s love story started in college in 2019, with Haliburton on the Iowa State basketball team and Jones on the Iowa State cheerleading team. After seven years together, Haliburton proposed on July 28, 2025, at the Hilton Coliseum.
Haliburton missed the entire 2025-26 NBA season after suffering a torn Achilles during Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. He has spent the past year focused on rehabilitation and has since returned to training with no limitations and is expected to return to the court at the start of the 2026-27 season.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 18: Bruce Thornton #2 of the Houston Rockets handles the ball during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during the Semifinals on July 18, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Editor’s Note: Welcome back to our old friend, Lachard!
The Houston Rockets Summer League saw their season come to an end Saturday with a 97-86 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the semifinals. The Rockets made the semifinals after finishing 3-1 in the quarterfinals because of point differential, the second tiebreaker.
Players like Quadir Copeland, Tristen Newton, and the Rockets’ second-round pick Bruce Thornton led the way through the first four games on their way to Saturday’s win-or-go-home game.
The Rockets Summer League team, for the first time in several seasons, didn’t have any players expected to be in the regular rotation to start the season. In past years, the Rockets have had multiple first-round picks, from Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun in 2021 to Reed Sheppard most recently.
That wasn’t the case this season, as Thornton was the Rockets’ only draft pick and was selected in the second round. The Rockets are expected to again compete for a top-four seed this coming season and will be welcoming back Fred VanVleet, who missed all of last season.
They also signed veterans Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic, so there isn’t a lot of room for a second-round guard in the rotation, at least to start the season. The question is, where does that leave Thornton for the upcoming season?
How the G League Will Help Bruce Thornton Develop His Game
Now that the draft and Summer League are over, Thornton moves on to the next step of his career. Unlike the Rockets’ last several draft picks, Thornton has an uphill battle to get into the regular rotation to start the season.
As mentioned before, the Rockets are expecting to be fully healthy to start the season and have brought in two players who are expected to be part of the rotation throughout the season. Thornton could ride the end of the bench, which isn’t a bad idea for a rookie, but he is more than likely going to start the season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ G League affiliate, once it kicks off.
Current Rocket players like Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson have spent time in the G League. Thompson spent time with the Vipers his rookie season as he recovered from an early-season injury, and Sheppard played a few games with the Vipers to help him adjust to the NBA after struggling to start his first season.
For Thornton, it will be an opportunity to get regular playing time, as he would be the main focus for the Vipers, unlike with the Rockets. That means 30-plus minutes a game, 15-20 shots, and running the offense. All valuable experience for any rookie, especially a second-round selection who otherwise wouldn’t get time with the big squad.
Also helps that the Rockets have one of the best G League teams in the NBA and run the exact offense and defense they use throughout the season. Thornton showed flashes of a player who could be solid in the NBA, and even though he may not start the season with the Rockets, he could play his way into a more prominent spot later in the season as injuries and inconsistent play become factors.
