Category: NBA

Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton shared on social media that he has officially tied the knot with his longtime partner, Jade Jones, earlier this week.

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.

More: LeBron James Decision 4.0 updates: Latest rumors on next team

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.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Editor’s note: You may have already spotted this week’s Bucks Reacts question in The Feed—that’s by design, giving more Bucks fans a chance to have their voices heard. These survey articles will continue to provide context behind each question before following up with the results later in the week.

Just over a week ago, reports emerged linking the Bucks to Denver Nuggets restricted free agent Peyton Watson. With Watson remaining unsigned, a potential move to Milwaukee is still very much a possibility. 

Pursuing Watson is a no-brainer. A 6’8” wing known for his defensive chops, who’s also blossoming into an offensive force, Watson is undoubtedly a hot commodity that any team would be thrilled to have. After all, the NBA Finals have just reminded us how valuable rangy wings are—and you already know my stance on the value of forwards. 

But pursuing Watson and getting him are two very different things; you don’t get a player like him without giving up something of value, no matter how much cap hell the Nuggets may be in. It’s the reason the Nuggets are reportedly looking for a Walker Kessler-like return in any sign-and-trade. 

That said, the Bucks do have the capital needed to get a deal done. For one, they have the $25.5m trade exception created in the Giannis trade, a figure likely around what Watson would command. They also have draft picks to offer—though they should be cautious in parting with these. But the Nuggets, like the Bucks were with Giannis, are a win now team, and might be more inclined to facilitate a Watson to Milwaukee move if they received an established young player on a team-friendly contract who would fit in seamlessly with their existing core. 

So, we put it to you, our Brew Hoop community: Considering the Bucks’ depth at guard, would you be willing to give up Ryan Rollins to acquire Peyton Watson in a sign-and-trade? Vote below and, as always, share your rationale in the comments. 

Welcome to Inside the Suns, your weekly deep-down analysis of the current Phoenix Suns team. Each week, the Fantable — a round table of Bright Siders — gives their takes on the Suns’ latest issues and news.

Fantable Questions of the Week

This week there was one basic question, “What is your evaluation of __’s performance in Summer League?” which was asked about 4 players, Maluach, Fleming, Peat, and Brea.

Q1: Khaman Maluach

GuarGuar: I was absolutely blown away by the performance Khaman put on this summer. He was absolutely a dominant force on both ends and he’s given me so much hope for this upcoming season. His defense and rebounding were elite, and his offensive game looked way more polished. The 3 point shot looked very legit. He shot a small sample size obviously but the form looked very solid and promising. He looked too good for summer league and that’s exactly what you want to see from ur raw potential project player. He gets an A++ from me.

zenzino: No notes. Mostly, this year’s Summer League was sunshine and rainbows for me. Mostly.

Was Khaman perfect? Nope. Is he ready to challenge for the starting position? Also nope. Did he show some real progress? Absolutely! I think we all loved what we saw from Man Man. His performance in Summer League showed he is ready for significant regular minutes in the center rotation. Who knows, he might get some starts in the second half of the season. Especially if there are injuries.

Ok, I lied. I have some notes. Offense and rebounding looked great. He was aggressive and confident, taking it to the basket. He also hit some nice 3s when they needed them. On defense, his footwork is looking better, but he still needs to improve. He also got lost and found himself out of position at times. That’s something that will get better with more playing time.

While some might say his performance in Summer League confirmed that he should have played more last season, I firmly believe it was strong evidence that the coaches’ player development is working.

I especially liked game 4 against the Pistons, when Man Man got off to a slow start in the first half and then recovered in the second to finish with 23 points and 15 rebounds. That showed maturity and grit.

Speaking of maturity, if you caught the post-game interviews, Man Man shone there, too. He embodies a part of the Suns culture that I think we all want to see. In addition to a future Suns star, we might just have the future leader on the court and in the locker room.

Ashton: I just wanted to get a couple of things out of the way first. I have AZ Family Channel and Prime, and still managed to miss most of the full games. So, I am probably not the most qualified person to answer these questions. There was a phrase used to fire back at gamers who complained, and it was “Get Gud”. I will be rating these players on their grades in “Gud” and “Get Gud” but without the stats, I will leave that to my peers.

Rating: Really Gud. Okay, I did not include “Really Gud” as a category, but can anyone really argue this one? He became an All-Summer League Second-teamer. A week ago, Inside the Suns had a question about the center position minutes, and I rated “Man-Man” last. I have previously stated that I would never call KM “Man-Man,” but I retract, as he deserves it. Hey Oso! 7’2” objects in the mirror are closer than they appear for your minutes.

OldAz: KM looked dominant and engaged on both ends of the floor. He certainly looks like he has put on some muscle and is comfortable using it, and appears very confident with his three-point shot. My only question about his summer league performance is the level of competition, because bigs who are only 1-2 years out of college ball often have a lot of development to do.  However, KM is also very young, so he is certainly in a great place. My concern is just about readiness to show many of those same skills against true NBA centers.  If he is, then the Suns will come out looking like the winners of the KD trade, and I don’t think it will be particularly close in the end.

Rod: Khaman was the most impressive of all the Suns’ SL players. He led the team in scoring and a points/rebounds double-double in each game isn’t an easy feat, even in Summer League. Add in 3.3 stocks per game and 40% shooting from three, and I’d say that Jordan Ott is going to have a hard time keeping him on the bench this season. I’d be surprised if he’s not given at least some minutes playing with either Williams or Ighodaro in a big frontcourt lineup at times. He’s still young, so I wouldn’t want to put too much pressure on him too early, but I don’t think Ott needs to be too cautious with him either.

Q2: Rasheer Fleming

GuarGuar: Fleming’s play style is better suited when he’s surrounded by stars. He’s a 3 and D guy and not as much a shot creator so he wasn’t going to “dominate” Summer League unless his play style completely changed. He had a rough game 1 but after that he was very solid and the 3pt shot looks a lot smoother and quicker. We know his defense is elite so don’t gotta worry about that. Overall give him a B+ for SL.

zenzino: I’m going to start by saying I am not worried about Sheer at all. Not even a little bit. He didn’t have the show-out Summer League that Man Man did, and that’s ok. He did have a breakout offensive game (3, I think). Defensively, he quietly showed he is going to be the type of player who can guard 1-5. His weight gain was also obvious, just by looking at him, and also by the way he wasn’t getting moved around in the paint like last season.

I would be shocked if he’s not part of the regular rotation as a backup to Miles Bridges. The only caveat to that is the next guy, right on his heels. Iron sharpens iron.

Ashton: Rating: Gud. The question posed by a recent John Voita article was whether Sheer could be the next 3-and-D wing for the future. I think he has a good shot at it. Yes, good defense is not normally recognized by the casual audience, especially those who weren’t watching SL games… oh wait, I have turned into that casual fan? I am also encouraged by his three-point shooting.

OldAz: I thought Fleming looked good, especially when doing the things the big club will want him to do this coming season.  He looked good shooting from the corner and played good defense. His stat lines in the summer league obviously suffered from the guard play, as the Suns have not had NBA-level play (even grading on an SL curve) for a long time.  Again, Fleming looks bigger and stronger, but that might also be due to comparisons with summer league competition.

Rod: Rasheer started out a bit slow offensively but seemed solid defensively and ultimately hit 42.1% of his threes. I’m not sure SL was the best environment for Fleming to thrive, as both the offensive and defensive schemes are very simple in those games and without much structure, more akin to pickup games than a real NBA game. Also, with CJ Huntley sidelined with a hamstring injury, Fleming was occasionally pressed into service at center, which I don’t believe was inside his comfort zone.

Overall, what I saw at SL tells me that Fleming is ready for some steady rotation minutes in 2026-27. I believe he could be effective at either the 3 or 4 spots as a 3&D player.

Q3: Koa Peat

GuarGuar: I was really impressed with how polished Koa looked from game 1. He seemed like he was almost always in control and showed a really nice finishing ability throughout the week. The 3 point shot is a massive issue but if he somehow figured that out this dude can be special. He does literally everything else good on the court, including playmaking which impressed me a lot. I think this was a great pick by the Suns and am excited to see him progress. A for Koa.

zenzino: BG did it again. Turned a “nothing to see here” draft for the Suns into an exciting first round draft day (for Suns fans) that ESPN totally botched (shocking). I don’t watch college ball so I don’t judge drafts on draft day. I just knew that Peat was someone the Suns wanted and then got him. And I’m really glad they did.

My Summer League overreaction is that the Suns need to think long and hard about that Miles Bridges extension. They might have drafted the power forwards they needed last year and this year.

I heard ‘poor man’s Aaron Gordon’ comparisons and thought, “meh”. Then someone said Grandma (IYKYK). YAS! Larry Johnson! I see it.

I’m glad he changed his shot for the combine. And I’m glad he changed it back for Summer League. It looked fine to me. Small sample size, I know. His NBA-ready body showed through his post moves, dunks, and rebounds. He ran the floor really well and was solid on defense. I think he showed out like a lottery player.

He’s not ready for primetime, yet. But I also don’t think he’s a big project.

19 years old. 4 High School State Championships. 4 Team USA FIBA Gold Medals. Final Four his freshman year. Pro Bowl older brother. This guy knows what it takes to win. I couldn’t be more excited for his future with the Suns.

Ashton: Rating: Really Gud. Okay, Okay. Just Kidding! That was my Arizona bias coming through, so I will just rate it as “Gud”. Still, I really enjoyed the Bucks game when Peat and former teammate, Brayden Burries were going at it. It seemed like Burries was blowing by everyone on the Suns squad, but he was blowing by everyone to his SL MVP. I would say that all of the front-court defenses will need to learn to contain smaller, quicker guards, and Peat had to do it against Burries for a year.

Koa is who I thought was coming out of college. He is going to the hoop, not shooting mid-range shots or threes. He plays decent defense and can lob or pass the ball out. And if he gets some minutes under Ott’s system (get it to the paint, please), there is real potential for defensive mismatches from the opposing team, as he can stop them from spacing the floor if he gets the rock and they collapse on him. All eyes are on Miles Bridges this season, but Koa has serious potential to be a fan-favorite off the bench.

Final note. I thought there was good synergy between Koa and KM. I wonder if they ever talk smack about the Arizona/ Duke game in the 2024 Sweet 16?

OldAz: Really impressed with his basketball IQ in knowing where to be, when to cut, and how to attack. Certainly showed a lot of tools he can build on, but I still expect the Suns to bring him along slowly like they did with RF and KM last season.

Rod: I was impressed by his aggressiveness and his ability to get to the basket. He seemed very confident in himself, which also seemed to be well placed. One thing I really liked about his drives to the basket was that, while he didn’t try to avoid contact, he also didn’t seem to initiate contact to draw fouls. He was going in to score first and, if he got fouled on the way there, so be it, but he wasn’t hunting fouls at the expense of getting off a good shot.

Q4 : Koby Brea

GuarGuar: Koby had one great game but outside of that he was pretty horrendous and the most disappointing of all our main prospects by far. His shot wasn’t falling most of the summer but my biggest issue is he showed nothing positive he can contribute in other areas. He was a turnover machine and not great at defense either. I give Koby a D for the week.

zenzino: Now we get to the ‘mostly’. Summer League exposed Koby. The lack of ball movement really hurt him as his strength is catch-and-shoot 3s. Game 3 had better ball movement, and he had a really good game.

He needs to get better at creating space, on-ball and off-ball. When he had the ball, he was struggling to get to a spot and get an even semi-open shot. When he didn’t have the ball, he’d get open enough to get a pass, but by the time the ball reached him, the defender had closed out. This was due more to not creating enough space than to smothering defense.

I heard early on he was patterning his game around Booker. I don’t see it. I think he should be more like Steph, particularly in the way Steph never stops moving when he doesn’t have the ball to create open shots for himself.

In game 3, we saw what Koby could do when he was getting open catch-and-shoot looks.

Summer League is a different animal. Offensively speaking, bigger guys and players that can get put-backs and create their own shots show out better, as Man Man and Peat did. Players like Sheer and Koby, who rely on kick-outs and teammates setting them up, don’t look as good in this format.

I think what happens in the next 2-and-a-half months of workouts and practices will have more to do with rotations and playing time than Summer League did.

Meanwhile, we had a fun interlude of Suns basketball to try to hold us over until the preseason begins. And I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ashton: Rating: Get Gud. I was all aboard last season’s SL hype train that Brea could be the future Suns sharp shooter. A decent G League stint did not deter me. But wow! He basically turned in one good game out of five. How were those Las Vegas clubs, Brea? This is not inspiring confidence for a team that needs more sharp shooters of the bench. In fact, if a two-way spot needs to open up, Brea would probably be the one targeted.

All in all, I came away from Summer League feeling “Gud” about our future prospects. Rod’s new format blew me for a loop, and had I known, I would have made a more concerted effort to watch and research.

OldAz: Has he been released yet?  I 5ink he had one good shooting game in there, but for someone who was billed as a shooting specialist, he has vastly underdelivered, and I believe will be released at some point when the Suns need a player in his 2-way spot. Up till now, he seems to just be occupying that roster spot and needs to show something soon in training camp and G-League opportunities.

Rod: To put it mildly, Brea was pretty unimpressive in the SL games. Three-point shooting was supposed to be his one true NBA-ready skill, but he wound up hitting only 28.6% from three. Brian Gregory must still have hope in Brea turning it all around, but I’m thinking that Brea’s two-way roster spot might be better used on another player. I don’t know who that might be, but I’m sure Gregory keeps an updated list of prospects in his pocket and quite likely already has a replacement in mind to go after if/when he feels the need to do so.

As always, many thanks to our Fantable members for all their extra effort this week!

Suns Trivia/History

On July 20, 2007, on the same day that Tim Donaghy was officially investigated by the FBI, the Phoenix Suns traded Kurt Thomas plus two firsts in 2008 (Serge Ibaka) and 2010 (Quincy Pondexter) to the Seattle SuperSonics. The Suns gained… luxury tax relief.

On July 24, 1996, the Suns officially signed their 1st-round pick (15th), Steve Nash, to a 3-year deal worth $992,300 per season. When asked what kind of player he expected to be, Nash joked, “Probably a little bit like Michael Jordan at first.”

On July 26, 2010, the Suns waived Taylor Griffin (the older brother of Blake Griffin), whom they had drafted with the 48th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Taylor turned out not to be anywhere near the player his soon-to-be NBA All-Star younger brother would become, and played in only 8 games for the Suns (averaging only 4 minutes per game) throughout the season. He would not play in the NBA again, although he was briefly picked up by the Charlotte Bobcats for 9 days in December before being waived yet again without seeing any court time there. Taylor did actually make the Suns’ highlight reel once, though…

On July 27, 2013, the Suns traded Luis Scola to the Indiana Pacers for Gerald Green, Miles Plumlee, and a 2014 1st round draft pick (Bogdan Bogdanović was later selected). Green and Plumlee played integral parts in the Suns’ short-lived turnaround in 2013-14 when they went 48-34. They improved by 23 wins over the previous season (25-57) and just barely missed the playoffs in an extremely tough Western Conference. That 23-win turnaround is tied with the 1969-70 Suns for the 4th largest in team history. The 1st is 33 wins by the 1004-05 Suns, 2nd is 27 wins by the 1988-89 Suns, and 3rd is 26 wins by the 1999-00 Suns.

Important Future Dates

Late September (dates TBD) – NBA Training Camps open
Oct. 10 – Suns vs. Spurs (preseason) 7:00 PM
Oct. 14 – Suns at Spurs (preseason) 5:00 PM
Dec. 15 – Most players signed to new contracts can be traded
Jan. 5 – 10-day contracts may now be signed
Jan. 10 – All NBA contracts are guaranteed for the remainder of the season
Jan. 15 – All players signed to new contracts can be traded
Feb. 19-21 – NBA All-Star 2027

It's been 23 days and counting. And the NBA is still for LeBron James to make his decision.

His agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, has put out messages to teams suggesting they not wait for James and that they should fill their remaining roster spots.

Those messages came after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed his desire for James to decide so schedule makers can determine the 2026-27 regular season, including important dates such as opening night and Christmas Day.

The idea is that James would be playing on those days, hence Silver's desire to know which team he'll choose. But James won't be rushed, according to Paul.

It likely comes down to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers as the top three candidates to land James. However, the Golden State Warriors are not to be counted out yet.

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets also have been in the discussion. According to USA TODAY Sports' Lorenzo Reyes, James has all the information he needs and is weighing his options.

USA TODAY Sports is tracking what's happening behind-the-scenes for LeBron James' next major basketball decision. Here's the latest news, updates and rumors on Wednesday, July 22:

Rich Paul confronted about potential LeBron James-Warriors union by Bill Simmons originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The wait for LeBron James’ NBA free-agency decision continues as there have been no indications of exactly where the 41-year-old superstar will take his talents.

James’ agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, however, has stressed that this decision will not be rushed and that the four-time NBA MVP will make his choice whenever he is ready.

The Ringer’s Bill Simmons made an appearance on Paul and co-host Max Kellerman’s “Game Over” podcast and attempted to convince James’ agent why the Warriors would be the ideal team to sign with.

“Why wouldn’t LeBron go to Golden State? Honestly, that’s what everyone wants. Literally, if you did a poll, 97 percent [of people would agree],” Simmons said.

Paul responded by reiterating that people should be patient and James should be able to take his time with such a massive decision.

“In the event that was to take place, the only thing missing is Michael Jackson’s glove in terms of how big of a rockstar. It’s not my choice. I don’t have a choice. I don’t have a choice in this. Let the man have his choice,” Paul replied to Simmons.

With the pairing of James and Warriors superstar Steph Curry being a dream scenario, Paul did acknowledge the potential results of the two future Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductees teaming up in Golden State.

“When you talk about growing the game globally, in the event something like that takes place where you get two mega-superstars on one team, that team has to go to any country that you’re trying to grow awareness of the game,” Paul added.

James previously has played with Curry and for Warriors coach Steve Kerr during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, and is close friends with veteran Draymond Green, so he has familiarity with some of Golden State’s personnel.

The Warriors are staying in the running as one of the reported suitors for the 22-time NBA All-Star selection, but it remains to be seen if James actually decides to join forces with Curry and Co.

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The Dallas Mavericks are taking a shot on a former Orlando Magic guard Jett Howard by signing him to a two-way contract.

Howard, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, failed to live up to expectations in his first three seasons with the Magic. In Howard’s defense, he joined the Magic as the fifth lottery pick in a three-year span, joining Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Dallas native Anthony Black in the team’s core. He couldn’t find his place in the rotation, which ultimately led Orlando to part ways with him this summer.

Howard came into the league after playing one season at Michigan, where he made nearly 37 percent of his shots from downtown. The Magic hoped he would be a three-point specialist in the NBA, but he has only made 32.6 percent of his shots from downtown throughout his career.

Given the fact that the Mavericks had a two-way slot available on the roster, it doesn’t hurt to take someone who was once highly regarded as a prospect. While he may not be the same player he was three years ago, the Mavs can see what they have in Howard as he splits time between the Mavericks and the Texas Legends.

This is a low-risk, high-reward move that could give Dallas an additional guard if he ends up getting back to the player he once was at Michigan.

Mavs Moneyball community, what do you make of the Howard signing? Let us know in the comments section below.

San Antonio Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox has a new shoe dropping on Thursday. The design was in partnership with Sharpie featuring hand-drawn, “Swipa”-inspired artwork.

“I love that this collection captures that feeling of being a kid, sketching in notebooks and letting your imagination lead the way,” Fox shared.

Under Armour launches the new kicks inspired by Fox’s journey celebrating the connection between basketball and sneaker culture.

“All of the Sharpie designs especially on the shoe hold a special meaning for me and represent different moments in my journey,” Fox continued. “Whether your passion is basketball, art or something completely different, I think the message with this sneaker and this collection is really don’t be afraid to express yourself and be bold in pursuing your passions.”

The limited-edition shoe sells for $130 and will be available exclusively at UnderArmour.com beginning July 23.

Welcome to the Thread. Join in the conversation, start your own discussion, and share your thoughts. This is the Spurs community, your Spurs community. Thanks for being here.

Our community guidelines apply which should remind everyone to be cool, avoid personal attacks, not to troll and to watch the language.

Take all the time you want, LeBron. It’s your life.

Yes, it’s annoying to have to hear about it every day, but it’s your decision when to tell us where you’re going to play your 24th season of pro ball.

So, go ahead, keep NBA schedule-makers on pins and needles. Savor having workers at my local Trader Joe’s discussing your future on a Monday in the middle of July. Enjoy your twilight limelight.

But don’t tell us, on podcasts and in public appearances, that the factors you’re prioritizing are A) whether a team is built to win now; B) the proximity to your home in L.A.; and C) not money, but overall happiness — and then signal it might be the Golden State Warriors.

The Cleveland Cavaliers? They check all the boxes. That’s “home” for real. And the Cavs are ready to win with a veteran difference-maker such as LeBron. Absolutely, it would be a happily-ever-after conclusion to the LeBron epic.

The Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers? Nowhere close to home, but they check a box too: They’re both set up to win — and in the Eastern Conference, where they won’t have to go through the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder to reach an NBA Finals.

The Warriors, though?

Read more:LeBron James offers no hints about his next team during podcast recording fans attended

They check no boxes. Not a one. Not in 2026.

That would be a … choice. But let no one act like this would be LeBron leaving the Lakers for a more competitive situation. It wouldn’t be LeBron landing in a more desirable locale.

Line up Cleveland, Philadelphia, Miami and Golden State and it’s like seeing three diamonds and a square on “Sesame Street.” A 3-year-old could tell that one of those is not like the others. But that’s the third-most likely destination, as of Tuesday morning, according to the DraftKings Sportsbook.

Sure, once upon a time, a starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, LeBron James, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis would have beaten almost anybody. But even those guys — besides 30-year-old Porzingis, they’re all in their late-30s or early 40s, with a ton of NBA mileage — aren’t beating Father Time.

Remember when the Lakers put together a roster awash in washed-up stars in 2021, and how disastrous that was? Turns out pairing Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Dwight Howard, Rajon Rondo, DeAndre Jordan and, yes, Russell Westbrook was a recipe for a truly awful 33-win team.

And the Warriors? They couldn’t get out of the play-in tournament last season, when Curry played only 43 games and Butler played only 38. Also, remember, for the first time in LeBron’s career, the now 41-year-old wasn’t available to start the season. He missed the first 14 games with sciatica.

Maybe Golden State could conjure up some magic in a playoff series — but over an 82-game regular-season marathon? No way, LBJ.

It could be that winning isn’t everything for LeBron. The man’s legacy is locked. He’s won four NBA titles, three Olympic gold medals, 1,229 NBA games and counting. And he’s winning this summer’s engagement game too.

Perhaps it’s come to a point that he just wants to play with his friends, and after earning $53 million with the Lakers last season, he’s willing to sign a deal with Golden State for between $3.9 and $6 million — which is what the Warriors could pay him, according to ESPN cap expert Bobby Marks — to do that.

That’s lovely, but it doesn’t change the fact that LeBron wouldn’t be happy losing.

And losing when he’s the addition to Steph’s team — and make no mistake, the Warriors are Steph’s team — really wouldn’t be fun.

The superstar wars that will be fought between both players’ infamously, uh, passionate fandoms wouldn’t be fun.

The daily drumbeat of criticism from talking heads who tuned into all of those televised games — not fun.

But the commute! It’s only 380 miles or so from Brentwood to Chase Center, and that’s much closer than Cleveland or Philly or Miami.

That makes sense — if you forget there are two NBA teams in the very city where LeBron’s family lives. And on paper, they’re both better than the Warriors. And his son plays for one of them!

But one of those teams is the Clippers and the other has moved on from LeBron.

Oh, the irony.

The Lakers, if they weren’t the ex-team, would check all the boxes. They’re going to be competitive. They’re a group LeBron enjoyed playing with. They are home. And LeBron would check a pretty big box for them too, if money really isn’t a deciding factor.

But the Lakers have replaced LeBron with Walker Kessler, the 24-year-old defensive center who is the perfect complement to Luka Doncic. They’ve put in place the pillars for their future, though they do still happen to have a LeBron-sized hole at forward that isn’t going to be filled by LeBron.

And that’s OK. The next chapter will start eventually, and likely it will be set in a location where LeBron can compete and have a good time, and that he and his family can feel good about.

Or in San Francisco.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Victor Wembanyama, Caitlin Clark and Derrick Rose named cover athletes for NBA 2K27 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Three basketball stars are the newest NBA 2K cover athletes this year.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and former NBA MVP Derrick Rose were revealed as the faces of NBA 2K27 on Wednesday ahead of the video game’s Sept. 4 release.

Take a look at the covers here:

2K

Wembanyama is on the standard edition, Clark is on the deluxe edition and Rose is on the ultra edition.

Wembanyama is coming off a breakout season, leading the Spurs back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2014 before losing to the New York Knicks. The 22-year-old Wembanyama won his first Defensive Player of the Year award, along with a First Team All-NBA selection and Western Conference Finals MVP.

Clark, 24, is in the midst of her third WNBA season and has been named an All-Star each year. After an injury-plagued 2025 season limited her to just 13 games, Clark is averaging a career-high 20.7 points per game this season.

Rose is now on a 2K cover for the second time in his career, serving as the legend representation in 2026. His first time on the cover was for NBA 2K13, when he was featured alongside Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin. This past season marked 15 years since Rose won his only MVP award in 2011.

Being on the cover of NBA 2K is an honor often given to either legends of the sport or rising stars. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Angel Reese (2K26), Jayson Tatum, A’ja Wilson, Vince Carter (2K25), Sabrina Ionescu and Kobe Bryant (2K24) have been on the covers in the last three editions.

NBA 2K27 will be available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch 2. Players can get early access on Aug. 28 by pre-ordering, or wait until Sept. 4 for the global release.

The Heat might have screwed LeBron’s delusions of grandeur and I cannot be happier about it. Read on for more in today’s links and notes.

• Jalen Brunson talked to Variety and said people are “making assumptions” and pushed back on the idea that the Knicks have already decided to visit the White House. YG.
• Brunson also discussed his wrist injury and ongoing recovery. All good, fam.

“I was more in pain when I wasn’t in the game versus when we were actually playing. I feel like the adrenaline took over. But yeah, it was definitely an obstacle, but we found a way through, because it’s my tendon and my structure, my wrist is fine. There was soft tissue that was holding my tendon and it kept flipping and snapping over the bone every time I shot, every time I flicked my wrist, and so clearly it was causing pain, causing friction…

“I’ll be in this [cast] for about another six weeks, and then from that point on, it’s just my rehab after that. But I should be good.”

• The Knicks are still looking for a third center after missing out on Jonas Valanciunas and Moussa Cisse, and SI’s Jovan Alford has come up with a very unfamiliar and fresh name.
• That came before our own Michael Zeno chimed in on what’s next for the Knicks on the big-man front following the whiff on Cisse. Little tease, including an intriguing closing line:

“The Knicks should want to keep Jemison and McCullar around. It’s been total radio silence for both of them this offseason, but you can do a lot worse than having them on two-way deals. The Knicks are able to bring as many as 21 guys into training camp without damaging their second apron space, so it wouldn’t surprise me if we see Nickel, Jemison, McCullar, Jones, and another guy or two in camp to compete for those spots.

“Did Liam Robbins do enough in Summer League to get a tryout?”

• Draymond Green agrees with me and thinks Adam Silver (and Pat Berverley by extension) may have made LeBron James, who is operating as a true contrarian these days, mad. Too bad for them, it seems a 41-year-old man still holds all of the power.
• Anyway, the Heat just leaked James’ destination on YouTube. Here’s the full explanation and a bunch of excuses.

• Like it or not, even if he’s a thousand years old, LeBron’s eventual destination carries consequences for the Knicks, and the New York Post’s Jared Schwartz ranked his potential destinations from biggest to smallest threat to the Knicks. Miami clocked in first. Bunch of teams in the middle. In last place, Golden State:

“Heat: This would be both the best supporting cast around James and the most familiarity with him.

[…]

“Warriors: Would a Warriors team with James make it out of the West over the Thunder, Spurs or others? Probably not, which would make them irrelevant to the Knicks.”

• A funny kid gave us a sad Victor Wembanyama moment. “Sorry.” Victor, you gotta do better.
• Back to Draymond, he argued that Kobe Bryant’s place in NBA history will always be affected by the era in which he played (MJ out, LBJ ascending), said Kobe was always “trying to find his way in the NBA,” and believes the lack of spotlight automatically rules him out of the GOAT debate as he never got to the heights of one or the other.

Mark Pope recently did an interview with UK Sports Network and was asked numerous questions about the team’s trip to Las Vegas earlier this month. Pope provided some clarity on why the team went, what they did, and what came from the trip.

When asked what went into the decision, Pope responded, “Well, during that week, Vegas is kind of the basketball capital of the world, and it’s a perfect fusion of Kentucky Basketball, and all the guys that we’re recruiting, and all the guys that have played here that are now playing in the NBA.

“So, you bring the high school and the college and the NBA ranks together, it was perfect for us.”

With the blend of that, Kentucky men’s basketball social media pages shared pictures showing the team with some Kentucky/NBA connections as well.

Pope was asked, “What is it like for you as a coach to give the guys this opportunity?” He responded, “Well, it was awesome. The guys were so excited to take the Otega Oweh big heads, even though he couldn’t play, and go celebrate that, and it meant a lot to Otega. Malachi Moreno, before he went on the trip, he didn’t care about anything else. He just wanted to see Amari (Williams) play.

“So, the guys got to see Amari, and got to see Drew, and Jaxson, and Koby. JQ came by. It was unbelievable. We practiced really hard in the mornings, and the gym was full of NBA personnel during our practice, so it was fun for our guys to get that exposure. Our guys took it on themselves to roll through all the AAU games and cheer on recruits. Got to do some stuff off the court. It was an unbelievable trip”.

Malachi Moreno and Braydon Hawthorne were captured on video holding the big head that Pope referred to for Oweh, and a big OO for Oweh as well.

Pope was then asked about getting away from Lexington to break up some of the offseason monotony.

“Well, first, nobody ever wants to leave Lexington; it’s the greatest place in the world to be, but on occasion, where the job takes us away, it was good for our guys. It was midway through our summer session, so it gave them a quick break. They were able to bond in a different way, be stuck in hotel rooms together, did some fun events in Vegas, just to be together.

“We did a debrief. The guys loved summer league. They loved the workouts in front of NBA scouts. They loved the chance to see future Kentucky players, and every guy said they just loved the condensed time together in a different environment. It was a win all the way around.”

Pope shared later in the interview what the guys did outside of basketball on the trip. He said that he was essentially basketball the entire time, but the guys got to do a lot. Saying the guys “went to the Sphere, they did some Topgolf, I think some guys did some shopping on the strip. So, I think they had a bunch of fun together.”

It was nice to see the guys get away and enjoy some time together before things start to get ramped up and get closer to the 2026-27 season. Team bonding is always super impactful. It’s nice to see the guys continue to grow closer off the court so they become even better teammates on the court.

Steph Curry becomes first active NBA player with Basketball Hall of Fame exhibit originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There is no doubt Warriors star Steph Curry changed the game of basketball.

From countless clutch moments to multiple NBA records and championships under his name, Curry has created a legacy that will be remembered for a very long time.

To honor the two-time NBA MVP’s contributions on and off the court, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced it will open an immersive, limited-time exhibit exploring Curry’s life as a player, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist and a family man.

With this new exhibit titled “Stephen Curry: Beyond the Arc,” Curry will become the first active NBA player to be honored with a dedicated Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame experience. The exhibit is scheduled to open this Friday.

Along with his NBA MVP awards, Curry has built a lengthy résumé as a four-time NBA champion, a 12-time NBA All-Star selection, a two-time scoring champion, an 11-time All-NBA selection, a two-time NBA All-Star MVP and an NBA Finals MVP.

The 37-year-old also has the NBA record for the most career 3-point field goals with 4,248 and counting.

In his 17-year NBA career so far, Curry is averaging 24.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game, and is shooting 42.2 percent from 3-point range and an all-time career record 91.2 percent from the free-throw line.

While Curry makes history once again, becoming the first active NBA player with a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame exhibit, there is no question Golden State’s franchise superstar will one day have his name inducted in Springfield, Massachusetts after he calls it a career.

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John Havlicek had an extraordinary career with the Boston Celtics. Drafted in 1962 with the seventh overall pick, he could have skipped basketball and played football instead, and in fact, almost became a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns before joining the Celtics.

In his first year or two, Havlicek was sort of the backup to Frank Ramsey, who, along with Red Auerbach, invented the sixth man concept. As a rookie, Havlicek was primarily a defensive player, but early in his career, he significantly improved his shot and his ball handling, and when Ramsey retired in 1964, Havlicek was ready to step up.

He ultimately won 8 championships, including in 1974 and 1976.

Havlicek was great for many reasons, but not least of all because he had tremendous endurance and could run non-stop. In fact, his former teammate and coach Tom Heinsohn said that Mass General Hospital once studied him to understand why he was so much stronger later in games than anyone else.

In his later years, he became a tremendous offensive player, yet he never let up as a defender, as Julius Erving learned in the 1977 Eastern Conference Finals. As you’ll see here, Erving really struggled with Havlicek’s stifling D.

Keep in mind that in 1977, Havlicek was 37, but Dr. J was just 27, and entering into his prime.

Havlicek retired after the 1978 season, but later said that if he had known Larry Bird was coming along, he would have waited.

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Is there a case for Bradley Beal in Boston? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

We spent a whole bunch of time — maybe too much time — in the early 2020s pondering if the Boston Celtics might eventually make a run at acquiring Bradley Beal. And just when you thought that ship had long sailed, here we are again.

The Celtics and Heat are two potential landing spots for the now 33-year-old Beal, according to a report Tuesday from Bleacher Report. Beal is a three-time All-Star who hasn’t played more than 53 games in a season since his 2021 All-NBA nod with Washington.

At first blush, it’s easy to dismiss the possibility. While the Celtics do have an open roster spot, the team sits just below the luxury tax threshold and already added a veteran guard this offseason by signing 38-year-old Mike Conley. Beal appeared in just six games last season for the Clippers and hasn’t positively impacted a team’s on-court performance since departing Washington after the 2022-23 season.

The Celtics are well stocked on the perimeter. And, even if the team treads cautiously with minutes for veterans like Conley and Paul George, there is a stable of young wings headlined by Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. who need playing time to continue their own development.

Beal curiously declined a $5.6 million player option to hit the free-agent market. With nearly $343 million in career earnings, he can prioritize finding the best situation.

That’s probably in Miami, another team that was often linked to Beal pursuits through the years. The Heat, having churned much of their young talent to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, are better situated to roll the dice on an aging star than Boston is with its young depth.

Even at the veteran minimum, Beal’s presence would force the Celtics to make roster changes before the end of the season to ensure finishing below the luxury tax, something that would reset pesky repeater penalties and allow the team to spend more freely next summer.

The Celtics will invariably be linked to Beal because of his relationship with fellow St. Louis native Jayson Tatum. The pair grew up in the same neighborhood and Beal served as a veteran mentor to Tatum as he began his march to NBA stardom.

There is something to be said for teams prioritizing a superstar’s happiness. The Celtics made a bold decision to overhaul their core this season by trading away Jaylen Brown.

Ultimately, that alone might not be enough to warrant a pursuit. If injuries were to deplete Boston’s veteran depth and Beal was still available, maybe it becomes more of a conversation.

Beal once ranked among the league leaders in usage rate during his time in Washington, using as much as 35.2 percent of possessions during the 2019-20 season. He was still a fairly efficient scorer before injuries derailed his time in Phoenix. The healthy version of Beal who could still crack a defense off the dribble and create for teammates was undeniably intriguing.

Alas, the Suns were 7.1 points per 100 possessions worse with Beal on the court versus off during his last healthy season in 2024-25. Phoenix’s offensive efficiency dipped by 5.2 points per 100 possessions with Beal. His defensive intensity waned at times when he was a 30-point-per-game scorer, and his team’s defensive efficiency has dipped with him on the court in seven of his last eight seasons.

It was fun to daydream about Beal in Boston when the Celtics were hunting stars to aid their quest for Banner 18. The path to Banner 19 likely hinges on leaning into developing the younger players they’ve put around Tatum.