Category: NBA

ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins doesn’t hold back on TV, but he needed someone to do so for him at a youth basketball tournament.

During one of his son’s games over the weekend on the AAU basketball circuit in Norman, Okla., things got intense and chippy. Both teams, YPG Perkins and Swaveway Playaz, were fouling each other, witnesses told TMZ. 

But one supposedly non-basketball foul sent the ex-NBA champ-turned-youth coach over the edge. He had to be held back while shouting at the opposing team’s coaching staff

“Damn right, and it probably won’t be the last time!” Perkins responded to video of the incident on X. “I’m going to protect every single kid in my organization like they’re my own.” 

It took three people to hold back the 6-foot-10 and 270-pound Perkins. Norman police were on site and helped calm down the situation, but found no reason to criminally charge anyone involved.

This is not the first time Perkins has gotten heated at an AAU game. In 2023, Perkins was ejected from a game after arguing with officials.

According to Perkins, he just wanted an explanation for why one of his players was thrown out, but the official ignored him. That is when he got a bit more confrontational and received a double technical and an ejection.

The 41-year-old Texan had a long NBA career, playing for the Celtics, Thunder, Cavaliers and Pelicans. His biggest role was with the Thunder as an important defensive piece next to Russel Westbrook and Kevin Durant. He played a total of 14 seasons before retiring after the 2018 season. 

He’s since taken his act to the airwaves, chiming in on hot topics on ESPN’s morning shows. On Wednesday morning’s edition of SportsCenter, Perkins claimed that Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama “got punked’ in game five of the Western Conference Finals. 

It’s been a while since I dove into one of these articles, so let’s have some fun this afternoon. With the offseason inching closer and closer with less than a month to the draft, things will heat up once the season is over. This leads to even more discussion among fans about what the team should pursue, with the deadline to strike fast approaching.

Some speculation has already transpired, and this name has popped up a bit. At first, I overlooked it, but after further analysis, it makes sense for the Suns.

That is right, ladies and gentlemen, today we will be discussing PJ Washington as an option to fill the power-forward void that this team needs. Will he change the position overnight? Probably not, but his added size and skill set could be perfect for filling a need, while still allowing the young guys to develop.

How could it get done?

Well, for the Suns and Mavericks, this one could fall apart in multiple ways if they do a one-for-one swap. The Suns could trade either Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks, or Royce O’Neale to get this one across the finish line. In two of these deals, the Suns would be taking back more money, making it harder to re-sign their key free agents.

If you send out Dillon…

Or Grayson…

How about Royce?

Which would most likely get done?

Even though this deal could be done in three ways, it is clear which is best for both parties. By trading O’Neale, the Suns take on almost $9 million extra, which would make it difficult to re-sign Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin.

With a trade involving Dillon Brooks, yes, the Suns would save money but also lose a big leader in their locker room. Brooks came over this year and embodied what the Suns want in their new basketball program identity. It would make no sense for them to move off him, especially if they are planning to work on an extension and he is at Mercury games all the time.

That leaves us with the last deal: trading Allen away to bring in Washington. Even though the Suns do take on more money, this would create a need for size in the front court while still leaving some other salary to trade for.

Why could this one get done?

As we know, I usually turn down these trades because they involve large salaries and more moving parts. In a deal that uses Grayson Allen to get some more size, it makes sense for both clubs. Even if Allen has been a huge guard, the rotation is too deep.

If the plan is to maintain continuity, I’d expect neither Devin Booker nor Jalen Green to be traded. Bringing back Gillespie and Goodwin as well already leaves the team with four guards. Not to mention that they have Jamaree Bouyea and Koby Brea as well, trying to pry minutes away and find themselves in this rotation.

That makes it hard to plug Allen into this rotation if you want the other guys to grow as well. Allen also had a very solid year this season. Yes, he was injured and only suited up in 51 games (his lowest since 2020-2021), but he also had some stellar performances, like the game vs the New Orleans Pelicans, where he set a franchise record for most threes made in a game with 10.

He can still provide some solid three-point scoring while also attacking the lane and being an underrated driver. Allen still provides those hustle plays as well, which lead to steals or big moments, allowing him to showcase an ability to be effective on both ends. On a team where he can be either the 5th starter or a key bench piece, he will be valuable.

Ultimately, though, with Gillespie’s rise this year, it does look like Allen could be the odd one out. The Suns could still value the veteran and want to bring him back, but in a year where he balled out, they could also sell high on him.

By bringing in Washington, the Suns then add a true power forward to their rotation. This then allows them to use O’Neale as a bench piece or as an additional trade asset to garner another addition. Washington can come in and be the starting four, while Rasheer Fleming and Ryan Dunn still get minutes as well.

This addition will not change the narrative immediately, but it fills a hole the team has. It needs more size, more rebounding, and an additional floor spacer to hit some threes. Washington fits that tier perfectly for the Suns without sacrificing their entire arsenal.

Washington’s contract may be a hindrance, since his extension kicks in this year under a four-year, $90M deal. This may scare some Suns fans off, but with him turning 28 as the NBA season starts, he still has time to grow and is not an aging point. Allowing him to fill the role for now, but if down the line he is injury prone or someone passes him in the rotation, he can be a tradable contract.

His deal is around $20 million a season, with it increasing slightly every year. This would still avoid overpaying amid rising salaries and give the Suns a plug-and-play piece now and a question mark for the future.

For Mavericks, this would also make sense given their direction. With the firing of Jason Kidd and a new front office being brought in, it seems the build around Cooper Flagg will begin. That means they will look to sell their veterans or players who play a similar position. With the Mavs having Washington play the same role they would want Flagg in, it could make sense to move off him. Why stunt Flagg’s growth with Washington there?

The Mavericks also have a logjam of these wings/forwards. The one thing they do need is more three-point shooting, as they ranked 26th in the league at 34.4% as a team. Putting a player like Allen on that roster could help them address an area of need while also giving the Suns one.

Allen’s contract is also shorter than Washington’s, giving them an out on paying him long-term and trying to make the fit work with Flagg. For a Mavericks team that does not have its first next year, a retool could be a big risk, but if they can get additional draft capital or some players fit their playstyle, they could be a surprise, just like Phoenix this year.

This one could solve problems for both teams, so I’d consider it if I were in Brian Gregory’s shoes. With this trade, Washington is not the end-all be-all move, but it helps the Suns take a step forward in a gauntlet of a Western Conference that keeps getting stronger. What do you think, though? Would you consider this deal? Why or why not?

New York Knicks fans had gone through droughts before. But none quite like the one Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and company ended when they secured the Knicks spot in the 2026 NBA Finals earlier this week with a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.

This will be the Knicks' first Finals appearance since 1999 and those 27 years represent the longest gap in time New York has gone without making the sport's championship series. They've reached this stage eight times before, with two titles in franchise history. But those came in 1970 (when Willis Reed famously played through injury in Game 7 against the Lakers) and 1973 (when Reed was named Finals MVP).

More recently, the franchise had mostly been a non-factor in the postseason since the heyday of Pat Riley, Patrick Ewing and the 1990s Knicks that made two NBA Finals appearances and could never get past Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. But Brunson helped spur a resurgence upon signing with New York in 2022, leading the team to four-straight playoff appearances that culminated with its thrashing of the Cavaliers.

Here's a breakdown of all the NBA playoff appearances made by the New York Knicks since the league's inception, including how they did in every series:

Atlanta’s front office of late has brought a level of present success and future potential the fans haven’t seen since the end of the 2020-21 season.

The Hawks finished the season 46-36, gave the Knicks their toughest test of the Eastern Conference playoffs, and own the eighth, 23rd, 57th overall picks in the upcoming draft.

Just a year ago, the organization was in flux, having dismissed Landry Fields and kicking off a search for a president of basketball operations.

Now, that seat has been filled by the current general manager and second place finisher in the 2025-26 Executive of the Year voting, Onsi Saleh. The report per Shams Charania of ESPN:

This is the second big piece of news this offseason regarding the front office following senior vice president Bryson Graham recently taking a job a top executive in the Chicago Bulls organization.

Spurs' Victor Wembanyama easier to guard than Steph Curry, ex-NBA players agree originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Victor Wembanyama‘s emergence has been one of the major stories of the 2026 NBA playoffs.

At 7-foot-4, the dominant French phenom is a nightmare matchup on both ends of the floor — so much so that Wembanyama’s offensive ability is being compared to Warriors star Steph Curry.

On Wednesday, a simple question was posed on the “Road Trippin’ Show” featuring former NBA players Richard Jefferson, Channing Frye and Kendrick Perkins: Who would you rather guard, Wembanyama or Curry?

There was a clear preference.

“I’d defend Wemby any day over Steph,” Jefferson said without much hesitation. “Give me Wemby, 100 percent.”

“No offense, yeah, give me Wemby,” Frye agreed. “Bro, I couldn’t even get on the court when Steph was out there.”

Jefferson and Frye both had their fair share of matchups with Curry. Both played on the Cleveland Cavaliers squads that played the Warriors in the 2016 and 2017 NBA Finals. Jefferson even was Curry’s teammate for a brief period from 2012-13.

“Steph [is] different, man,” Jefferson continued. “And that’s not to — Steph is one of the greatest of all time. Everybody’s different, but if you told me which one is harder to game plan currently — now eventually, Wemby could be up there with the greatest to ever do it. Right now, from what you see, you don’t want to see Steph.”

Jefferson also highlighted the impact of former Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson in making the matchup with Curry especially difficult.

“He had this other little light-skinned dude next to him that you were chasing around also that was doing the exact same thing, and it’s like, hey, the greatest shooter of all time. Who’s his teammate? I don’t know, maybe the second-best shooter of all time,” Jefferson explained, referring to Thompson.

“If you make a mistake on Steph, his teammates succeed because of their motion offense. So if you make a mistake on Steph, three guys run to him, he might not get the shot, but they’ve got two guys open behind him. So that’s where it’s just unguardable.”

With Wemby, you can make a mistake and yes, he gets the dunk, he does it, but it’s not as …”

“Debilitating,” Frye interjected, with Jefferson concuring.

It’s no disrespect to Wembanyama, either, given Curry’s absurd body of work in the NBA. But it’s even more impressive for Curry to be a tougher matchup, considering that Wembanyama is over a foot taller and arguably just as athletic.

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Coming off a blowout win this past Sunday that tied up the Western Conference Finals, the Spurs traveled to Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder in a Game 5 showdown. After a back-and-forth first quarter (highlighted by Julian Champagnie’s hot shooting), the Spurs started to play sloppily. They were playing undisciplined defense and fell behind by 11 at halftime. In the third, the Spurs fell behind by as much as 20. Victor Wembanyama gave an impassioned speech in the huddle that sparked a 13-2 run. As the Spurs were within single digits and gathering momentum, the referees missed several calls that killed the Spurs’ remaining momentum in the quarter. First, they missed a blatant goaltend from Cason Wallace. Second, they incorrectly ruled an out-of-bounds call in favor of OKC even though the ball was off of Chet Holmgren’s foot. Then, Mitch Johnson signaled for a challenge in front of a ref and was simply ignored. Johnson was then assessed a technical foul for arguing. Despite all of that, the Spurs’ fourth quarter was a disaster. The Spurs shot poorly, defended poorly, and could not find a way to close the gap late. They ultimately lost 127-114.

Stephon Castle led the way with 24 points (7-11 FG, 3-5 3PT, 7-8 FT), six assists, five rebounds, and three steals. Steph had a very efficient game on offense (despite a couple of turnovers) and was super aggressive on defense. However, his aggressiveness resulted in multiple fouls that would later keep him limited defensively in the fourth quarter. Nonetheless, Steph’s performance will only fuel him for another chance to play in front of the Frost Bank Center crowd.

On the board! Steph gets the Spurs on the scoreboard with a hesitation pull-up three!

LOCKED UP! Steph locks up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and picks up the steal!

Steph transition dime! Off the rebound, Steph finds an open Devin Vassell for the corner three!

Julian Champagnie dropped 22 points (8-15 FG, 4-8 3PT), eight rebounds, three steals, and an assist. After struggling mightily from the field this series, Julian finally broke out of his slump. He started the game hot by draining all four of his three-point attempts in the first quarter. Julian also continues to be a solid off-ball defender by getting his hands in the passing lanes for steals and deflections. It is unlucky that Julian’s first solid shooting game comes with an off shooting game from Vassell. Hopefully, both will find the stroke in Game 6.

CHAMPAGNI3! Off the dribble handoff, Julian knocks down the open triple!

Victor Wembanyama dropped 20 points (12-12 FT), six rebounds, three blocks, two steals, and an assist. Despite getting five stocks, Wemby looked gassed throughout the game. He shot 27% from the field and went 0-5 from three. OKC challenged him defensively, trying their best to keep him outside the paint. Most of his field goals came from lob finishes, and he simply did not look like himself. Wemby also declined to speak to the media after the game, which is a rarity. As mature as the 22-year-old can be, he will need to figure out how to play with control and ferocity. Game 6 is looming, and without a big Wemby performance, the chances are slim.

Alley-oop! Keldon Johnson drives into the paint and lobs it up to Wemby for the first alley-oop of the game!

Alley-oop x2! This time, De’Aaron Fox drives in off the Wemby screen, and he throws it up to Wemby for another lob connection!

Alley-oop x3 + 1! It’s Steph’s turn to toss the lob, and it results in an and-one for Wemby!

Keldon Johnson dropped 15 points (7-13 FG), four rebounds, and two assists. KJ has struggled in this series from the field and on defense. However, he was the only Spurs player who finished with a positive plus/minus (not counting garbage time minutes). His willingness and determination to get the cup by any means necessary proved to be a spark plug for the silver and black. Just like Julian, the Spurs need him to carry his solid production into Game 6.

Pump and drive! KJ tiptoes the baseline, drives past Holmgren, and finishes over Jared McCain off the glass for two!

BIG BODY! KJ drives into the paint and sheds Holmgren for the tough finish!

All in all, this was a sloppy game for this young Spurs team. Despite how questionable officiating can be, they still had chances in the fourth and could not execute on offense. Given how excellently they executed their game plan in Game 4, it was tough to see them be undisciplined on the defensive end during key stretches. Most of all, they need their generational talent to step up and not shoot 4-for-15 from the field. Spurs fans will be on pins and needles watching this team go through their first do-or-die game since 2019.

Finally, here are the full game highlights.

The Spurs face a do-or-die Game 6 this Thursday back home at 7:30 P.M. (CST) on NBC/Peacock.

United States President Donald Trump indicated he's planning to attend the 2026 NBA Finals as an invited guest of New York Knicks owner Jim Dolan and others.

Trump made the comments while speaking with reporters during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday, May 27 and confirmed he had plans to be in attendance at Madison Square Garden for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals until the Knicks closed out the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4.

"I think I'll be going to one of the games," Trump said when asked if he would be going to the NBA Finals. "I was invited by numerous people and Jim and I think I'll be going."

Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday that he plans to attend this year’s NBA finals after the New York Knicks clinched their place in the championship series earlier this week.

Trump, a New York native, has counted James Dolan, who owns the Knicks, the NHL’s Rangers and Madison Square Garden, as a friend and a campaign donor in recent years. The president said he had been invited to the finals by Dolan and “numerous” others.

Related: ‘This is not serious leadership’: Donald Trump and Marco Rubio watch UFC in Miami as Iran talks fail

“Jim Dolan’s [a] great guy, [he], as you know owns … Madison Square Garden. He’s having a good year. Boy, what a team. They won all their games. They really have some great players,” the president told reporters during a cabinet meeting. “I think I’ll be going to one of the games, yeah. I was invited by numerous people and Jim – and I think I’ll be going. Great to see. The Knicks have really, they’ve really suffered for years. They’re doing right now very well.”

The New York Times on Tuesday reported that, had the Eastern Conference finals series between the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers continued, Trump planned to attend Game 5 on Wednesday in New York. The series instead finished in a sweep with the Knicks’ 130-93 win in Game 4 on Monday night.

The Knicks will play either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs in the best-of-seven-games finals. The Knicks are scheduled to play at home in Games 3, 4 and 6 of the series. Those games are pencilled in for 8, 10 and 16 June.

Trump has made several appearances at sporting events since his reelection. Last year, he attended the Super Bowl, soccer’s Club World Cup final, tennis’s US Open, the Daytona 500 and golf’s Ryder Cup. This year, he has attended several golf events and college football’s national championship game. The White House lawn will stage a UFC fight card next month.

A sitting president has never attended the NBA finals.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said he and fiancée Taylor Swift tried to hit up Celebrity Row at Madison Square Garden during the Eastern Conference finals between the Knicks and his hometown Cavaliers, but his schedule didn’t allow it.

During Wednesday’s installment of the “New Heights” podcast, Kelce explained Swift’s “New York ties” and gushed over the couple’s date night at Game 3 in Cleveland on Saturday.

“This wasn’t me trying to persuade Taylor into being a Cleveland sports fan with me,” Travis told his brother Jason Kelce. “This was me just having a fun date night knowing that I love going to basketball games.

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are courtside for Knicks/Cavaliers Game 3 pic.twitter.com/HohyP1ZJZd

— NBA (@NBA) May 24, 2026

“We actually tried to go to a game in New York, but I was stuck in Kansas City. I love bringing her into the sports world that I appreciate. That’s why you’ve seen us at the U.S. Open tennis matches, other baseball games, and the (Guardians) vs. the (Yankees) two years ago. I just enjoy bringing her to experience a lot of the fun that I’ve always known to have.”

Travis brought up the now viral photo from 2014 of Swift rocking a Knicks jersey with former New York stars, Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire, on the court at Madison Square Garden.

“Not a lot of teams have been able to get Taylor to wear a jersey, and the Knicks did,” Travis said, as the podcast showed the image.

“… Tay’s got a lot of New York ties. When it came down to going to the Cavs game, she was like, ‘Oh nice, they’re playing the Knicks, sweet! I’ve seen them play before.’ It was fun.”

Swift lives part time in New York, where she has an apartment.

The 36-year-old tight end — who will return to the Chiefs for a 14th season after contemplating retirement — emphasized his love for introducing Swift to the world of sports, especially in his hometown of Cleveland Heights.

News broke Wednesday morning that Kelce is set to become a minority owner of the Guardians.

“Getting Tay back to Cleveland and showing her my roots is always something I love doing,” Travis said, adding that the pair didn’t have much time to explore.

“Not this time. We came in strictly for the game this time.”

The Knicks completed a four-game sweep with a 130-93 win over the Cavaliers in Game 4.

They will hit the road to face either the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder when the 2026 NBA Finals begin June 3.

OKC leads the Western Conference finals series 3-2 heading into Thursday’s Game 6.

Kelce and Swift are enjoying his offseason before their wedding this summer.

The couple, who first got together in 2023, announced their engagement last August.

While the Sixers continue to search for a new president of basketball operations, the 2026 NBA Draft quickly approaches. Bob Myers said he hopes to have the next hire in place before the draft. Even if he’s able to do so, that new president will have less than a month to prepare for the selection the Sixers have to make with the 22nd pick of the first round, courtesy of the Houston Rockets.

This blog is cooking up its own thoughts on what the Sixers should do with that pick. Now that the draft combine is in the rearview mirror, here’s a roundup of what some of the other experts think the Sixers will do.

Allen Graves, PF, Santa Clara

As is often the case with picks this late in the draft, there isn’t a consensus for who goes at No. 22. Graves is currently the closest thing to that, being mocked to the Sixers by both Ricky O’Donnell of SB Nation and Jeremy Woo of ESPN.

At 6-foot-7, Graves profiles as a high-feel, low athleticism forward who was a 40% three-point shooter this past season for Santa Clara. Those reasons were easy for the experts to point to as reasons he’d slot right in to this Sixers team. O’Donnell pointed out that Graves’ proclivity to try to force turnovers can be valuable, though he struggles to stay out of foul trouble.

Either way, that seems like a player Nick Nurse would be very interested in. This blog will certainly have more thoughts on Graves as the draft nears.

Karim Lopez, SF, New Zealand Breakers

This international prospect has showed up all over the place across mocks, most recently going to the Sixers at 22 in Derek Parker’s latest mock for Sports Illustrated. Lopez, a 6-foot-9 forward, appears to be a bigger swing at the wing position.

Parker said of Lopez:

“Breakers’ forward Karim Lopez is a bet on a positionally malleable player able to spread production across several areas.

Lopez has a wide range as a player that produced at a high level in a pro league, but doesn’t offer the neon light flashiness that others do. He scored 11.9 points per game in the NBL, upping his points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and efficiency across the board.“

The New Zealand Breakers actually played the Sixers in the preseason last year back in October 2024, but Lopez, just 17 at the time, was a DNP-CD.

Chris Cenac Jr., PF, Houston

What’s become locally known as the “most Bob Myers pick,” Cenac is mocked to the Sixers by Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman. Cenac averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds playing 24.8 minutes per game in his lone season at Houston.

Bleacher Report offers pro comparisons on their mocks. Cenac’s, per Wasserman, was Bobby Portis, so take that for what it’s worth. Wasserman also had this to say:

“Despite flaws in Chris Cenac’s statistical profile, there will be teams willing to bet on a 19-year-old with his 6’10” (barefoot) size, 7’5″ wingspan, 240-pound frame, shooting confidence and motor. He’ll be a popular reach candidate for teams looking to fill gaps and aren’t concerned with finding high-upside scorers.“

Luigi Suigo, C, KK Megabasket

This is definitely an out there selection. Suigo shows up in the early second round of most mock drafts, but this is who Kevin O’Conner of Yahoo has the Sixers picking at 22. O’Connor has been big on the Sixers acquiring a center to eat more innings for Joel Embiid — he was big on the Sixers selecting Khaman Maluach early in last year’s draft.

With Michigan center Aday Mara and Washington’s Hannes Steinbach shooting up the boards post-combine, Suigo would be the only option at 22 if the Sixers wanted to take a center there. Sugio has played three years of pro ball in Europe, but only really saw playing time last year for Serbia’s KK Megabasket. In 16 minutes a night he averaged 8.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks.

There may not be many others beating this drum, but O’Connor sees a lofty upside for Suigo.

“As for this choice, finding a center to play behind Joel Embiid needs to be prioritized. Embiid simply cannot be trusted to stay on the floor. Suigo has said he wants to be the Italian Wemby and, at 7-foot-3 with passing feel and shooting touch, you can see why a teenager might put that out into the universe. Suigo lacks the handle and self-creation chops to ever be the best player on a team, but his dynamic skills as a passer, shooter and lob threat layer cleanly on top of baseline center duties as a screener, finisher and rim protector. Becoming the Italian Marc Gasol is a more realistic goal and would be a dream fit alongside Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe for many years to come.”

Everyone is wondering what LeBron James’ decision will be this summer. As an unrestricted free agent, LeBron has all career options available to him. He can return to the Lakers, join another team, or retire from the game.

While we don’t yet know which way he’s leaning on any of those pathways, one thing being said is that LeBron taking a massive pay cut to return home is unlikely.

On an ESPN Cleveland radio segment, Brian Windhorst said that, to his knowledge, LeBron isn’t prepared to join the Cavs if all they can offer him in this exact moment is a little over $3 million.

LeBron has taken pay cuts before. He did it back when he joined the Heat and also took less than the max with the Lakers back in 2024, so LA could avoid the second apron.

Still, it’s one thing to take a bit less and another to decrease your salary by approximately 94.7%. LeBron might not be the player he once was, but he’s still an All-Star who led a team to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

A pay cut like that to join a team that was just swept in the Eastern Conference Finals wouldn’t make much sense, unless all that mattered to LeBron was returning home.

And based on his words during the “Mind The Game” podcast, part of his decision will be about where he can compete for a title.

At this point, it’s hard to argue the Cavaliers are much closer to a championship than the Lakers, and it’s even tougher to make that an enticing proposition when the amount you can pay is only $3 million.

A lot can happen between now and free agency. Perhaps the Cavs can make deals that open up cap space so they can offer LeBron something closer to his market value.

However, as things currently stand, the Lakers seem to be in a good spot if they want LeBron back.

They have plenty of cap space, and depending on the moves they make to strengthen their roster, LA might have everything LeBron wants, which includes a decent salary, a place he loves to live and his best chance at winning his fifth ring.

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

President Trump indicated Wednesday he plans to attend a NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden after his hometown Knicks made the championship series for the first time since 1999.

“I was invited to. I was going to go on Wednesday [Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals], but they closed it out very quickly. They’re great, and Jim Dolan’s a great guy — he’s, as you know, owns and in charge of Madison Square Garden. He’s having a good year,” Trump told The Post during a cabinet meeting.

“Boy, what a team! They win all their games,” the president added. “They really have some great players. I think I’ll be going to one of the games, yeah. I was invited by numerous people, and Jim, and I think it’s great. Great to see it. The Knicks have really, they’ve really suffered for years and they’re doing right now very well.”

As Trump spoke, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick — a Long Island native and major Knicks fan — pumped his first repeatedly as the rest of the cabinet chuckled at his enthusiasm.

The Knicks last won the NBA title in 1973, one month before Trump, now 79, turned 27 years old.

New York swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in four straight games to make the Finals, precluding Trump’s attendance at the World’s Most Famous Arena Wednesday night.

MSG CEO James Dolan, who owns both the Knicks and the arena’s other primary tenant, the NHL’s New York Rangers, is a longtime friend of Trump — even getting married at Mar-a-Lago in January 2002.

“I support him as a friend,” Dolan told ESPN.com of Trump in a December 2018 interview. “And you don’t have to agree with everything that he’s doing in order to support him. And he’s, by the way, our president, and I don’t understand people who wish our president to do badly. Why would you wish your president to do badly? It’s like wishing that your milkman will bring you sour milk.”

Trump would be the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game after he became the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl in February 2025.

Follow The Post’s live coverage of President Trump and national politics for the latest news and analysis

Due to security considerations, the president is unlikely to be seated courtside on “Celebrity Row,” where the regulars include actors Timothée Chalamet and Ben Stiller, comedian Tracy Morgan, film director Spike Lee, and “Law & Order” star Mariska Hargitay.

The Knicks will host the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs for Games 3 and 4 of the Finals on Monday, June 8, and Wednesday, June 10. Game 6, if necessary, will take place at MSG Tuesday, June 16, when Trump is due to be in France for the G7 summit.

The day before Trump is due to depart for Europe, he is expected to take in a special UFC card on the White House South Lawn to mark America’s 250th birthday. 

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After ducking the media following a tough Game 5 loss to the Thunder, Victor Wembanyama is likely saving his response for tonight's high-stakes Game 6. 

With his teammates publicly calling for him to take over the offense, the pressure is squarely on the 7-foot Frenchman to keep San Antonio's season alive.

As 3.5-point home favorites with their backs against the wall, our Thunder vs. Spurs predictions  and NBA picks look for Wembanyama to rise to the occasion and clear his scoring prop on Thursday, May 28.

Thunder vs Spurs Game 6 prediction

Who will win Thunder vs Spurs Game 6?

Spurs: For the sake of basketball fans everywhere, can we please get a Game 7 in the Western Conference finals? San Antonio is a 3.5-point favorite on its own floor in this do-or-die contests.

The Spurs continued to stymie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (at least from the field) and OKC’s role players haven’t performed well on the road in this series.

As for San Antonio, getting back home should help warm up its chilly shooters – providing a better all-around effort on offense - and cut down on turnovers that upended them in Game 5.

Thunder vs Spurs best bet: Victor Wembanyama Over 27.5 points (-125)

Victor Wembanyama didn’t take his first shot of Game 5 until 3:15 of the first quarter. 

That passiveness trickled down into a 5-for-15 night. Wembanyama didn’t run the floor, wasn’t attacking mismatches, and, like everyone’s car with these gas prices, was running on fumes.

That can’t be, and the San Antonio Spurs know it.

“He has to take more than 15 shots,” stated coach Mitch Johnson. 

“We need him to be aggressive,” pleaded guard Stephon Castle.

San Antonio will get Wemby going early and often in Game 6, because it simply no longer has a choice. Projections call for 27 points with 18 field-goal attempts. I forecast at least 22 shots.

COVERS INTEL: Looking back at the last 21 times Wembanyama took 15 or fewer FGAs (without injury impact), he’s followed those quiet efforts by averaging 28 points in the next game. He’s topped 30 points in nine of those outings.

Thunder vs Spurs Game 6 same-game parlay

San Antonio continues to contain SGA, hoping the Oklahoma City Thunder’s role players take a step back on the road. The Spurs benefit from some home cooking after a disjointed Game 5 offensive effort.

San Antonio is excellent at returning serve, with a 20-6 straight up record when coming off a loss this season, including 5-1 SU in those scenarios in the playoffs.

The Game 5 final score blew the closing total of 216.5 out of the water. San Antonio wants to get out and run in transition, and with OKC’s other scorers waking up (hello Chet Holmgren), this series is trending into the shootout category. 

Before the WCF, the Thunder and Spurs produced regular-season totals above 230 points. I like another higher-scoring finish on Thursday.

Thunder vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs moneyline
• Over 218.5
• Victor Wembanyama Over 27.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Walk Tall

After skipping out on the Game 5 press conference, Wembanyama needs to have the game of his life and force a Game 7. And that has to happen on both ends of the floor.

Wemby can top his scoring total and send several shots back, especially with this series leaning toward high-scoring finishes. Tempo and shot volume leads to another Over in Game 6.

Thunder vs Spurs SGP

• Spurs -3.5
• Over 218.5
• Victor Wembanyama 27.5 points
• Victor Wembanyama Over 3.5 blocks

Thunder vs Spurs odds for Game 6

• Spread: Thunder +3.5 | Spurs -3.5
• Moneyline: Thunder +130 | Spurs -155
• Over/Under: Over 218.5 | Under 218.5

Thunder vs Spurs betting trend to know

The Spurs are 20-6 SU and 18-8 ATS when coming off a loss on the season. Find more NBA betting trends for Thunder vs. Spurs.

How to watch Thunder vs Spurs Game 6

Thunder vs Spurs latest injuries

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Four seasons, two rebrands, two top-five picks and one worst record in the league have transpired, and now, the Utah Jazz have come through the other side of the rebuild with a team that looks ready to compete in 2026-27.

But the fruits of this rebuild have not stopped blooming. Not even close. In 2028 and 2029, the Jazz could add multiple top draft picks to their roster, and it’s all thanks to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jazz fans should keep their eyes on the Cavaliers for the next two seasons. It could be well worth their while.

What picks do Cleveland owe Utah?

In 2028, the Utah Jazz own the most favorable of their’s and Cleveland’s draft picks (a pick swap in other words). Essentially, if the Cavs are worse than the Jazz, the pick will go to Utah. This comes from the blockbuster Donovan Mitchell trade that happened in the 2022 offseason.

The Jazz also own the most favorable and the second most favorable picks between Cleveland, Minnesota and Utah in 2029.

In the last week, these potential picks have gotten incredibly interesting for Utah. It seems things have plateaued for Donovan Mitchell and Cleveland. On Monday, the Cavs lost by 37 points to the Knicks, losing the series in only four games. The previous two games were also blowouts, and game one saw the Cavs blow a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter in one of the worst choke jobs in NBA playoff history.

In game four, Mitchell could be seen yelling at his teammates in the huddle, trying to get them to lock in, even though viewers around the world could tell that Cleveland had already given up.

In a season where Boston and Indiana were not at full strength, Cleveland still was not remotely close to winning the Eastern Conference title. Even though it made the conference finals, it’s record in the playoffs was statistically the worst possible record a team could have after three playoff series, going 8-10 across three rounds. Cleveland’s season easily could have ended against Toronto or Detroit.

On Tuesday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on “Get Up,” that James Harden was “going to be a Cav next year.”

“He’s going to sign a new contract, in all likelihood. He’s going to opt out of his contract and sign a new deal, and that new deal will probably be structured in a way that will allow the Cavs to dip below the second apron. And once they’ve done that, it can bring in the availability of them to make a major trade.”
-Brian Windhorst on James Harden signing a new deal to stay in Cleveland

Donovan Mitchell has also expressed interest in returning to Cleveland, saying he had “unfinished business” after Monday’s loss.

Not only do their backcourt duo of Harden and Mitchell plan on returning, but sources told ESPN that Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson will be back next year too.

So the Cavs will bring their core players and coach back, but with the potential of making a big-time trade.

Obviously, anytime there is a big trade possibility, the first name that gets thrown around is Giannis Antetokounmpo. To make a trade like that work, Harden’s contract would have to be restructured in a way that is much lower than what the star guard is used to, or — and this seems the most likely scenario — Evan Mobley would have to be involved in the trade. However, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon reported the Cavs have “shown no interest” in trading Mobley for Antetokounmpo.

All signs point to Cleveland going all in yet again next season, but what going “all in” looks like varies. The Cavs could bring everybody back, make a franchise-altering trade for Antetokounmpo, or possibly even make a trade to reunite with LeBron James — there’s been whispers of this. Faint whispers, but whispers nonetheless.

But let’s say Cleveland has another disappointing, heartbreaking, reality check of a playoff defeat in 2027. What if that is the final straw that breaks the camel’s back and sends the Cavaliers into a new rebuild era. That 2028 pick could be much higher than anticipated, and the Jazz could find themselves with another lottery pick on their roster. Even if it doesn’t happen by 2028, who’s to say it won’t happen in 2029?

Cleveland’s next few seasons have now become that much more intriguing for fans in Utah.