Category: NBA

After a quiet opening night of free agency, the Lakers got to work Wednesday. They agreed to a sign-and-trade for Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler and agreed to sign Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton.

In total, the Lakers shelled out more than a quarter-billion dollars. After entering free agency with the ability to create more than $50 million in salary-cap space, they now appear to be almost out of money.

There may be another shoe still to drop, though. On Friday, the Lakers traded Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks. Flipping Ayton’s $8.1 million salary for Hardy’s $6.0 million salary gives the Lakers a bit of remaining cap space, but not enough to do anything meaingful with… yet.

As things currently stand, the Lakers would have to renounce the rights to all of their remaining free agents, including Rui Hachimura, before they can sign all three of Kessler, Grimes and Mamukelashvili. After they spend their cap space on that trio, they’d sign Sexton with the room mid-level exception and can officially sign Austin Reaves to his new four-year, $184.8 million max contract.

The Lakers have no remaining salary-cap exceptions after spending the room MLE, so they’ll only be able to offer minimum contracts from here on out. They’re also now hard-capped at the first apron after acquiring Kessler via sign-and-trade.

Here’s a look at where the Lakers stand financially in the wake of their free-agent flurry and the Ayton trade.

Keep in mind that these are rough estimates for Kessler, Grimes and Mamukelashvili based on the terms reported for their respective contracts, although agent inflation is common at this time of year. There’s a chance that any of those deals could come in slightly lower than reported.

Once the Lakers sign Reaves and Sexton to their new deals, they’re projected to be less than $8 million below the $200.4 million luxury-tax line and roughly $16 million below their first-apron hard cap.

Since the Lakers can’t cross the first apron this season, they will have considerable in-season trade flexibility. Teams above the first apron can’t take back more salary than they send out in trades, but teams below it can take back significantly more.

Kessler, Grimes, Mamukelashvili and Sexton won’t be trade-eligible until Dec. 15 at the earliest, but that’s something to file away for ahead of the trade deadline.

Can the Lakers create more cap space?

Between Reaves, Sexton, Grimes, Luka Dončić and rookie Cameron Carr, the Lakers now appear to be set in the backcourt. Their frontcourt is also in fairly good shape between Kessler, Mamukelashvili, Jake LaRavia and Jarred Vanderbilt, although they’re now on the hunt for a backup big man after trading Ayton.

However, their situation at the three leaves much to be desired, barring a massive leap from either Adou Thiero or an immediate impact from Carr.

Even if Reaves, Dončić and Grimes all start together in a three-guard lineup, the Lakers could use some additional wing help. They have a few pathways to continue adding to their roster this offseason despite being capped out.

The Lakers could always look to salary-dump Vanderbilt ($12.4 million), but they don’t have much left to sweeten any trade offers. They now have zero tradable first-round picks, only one remaining first-round swap (2032), but do have three second round picks now after the Ayton trade.

They could also pull a 2025 Milwaukee Bucks and waive-and-stretch Vanderbilt. Doing so would leave them with a $5.1 million dead cap hit in each of the next five seasons, but that would equip them with an additional $7.3 million of spending power this summer. They’d have to spend that newfound cap space before they officially signed Sexton or Reaves to their new contracts.

Once the game of free-agency musical chairs runs out, the Lakers might be able to snag a wing for cheap — perhaps even on a minimum contract — since they can offer a legitimate role. Playing alongside an elite playmaker like Dončić could help players improve their market value moving forward, too. But if the Lakers hang on to Vanderbilt, they’re likely done with their big moves in free agency.

Do the additions of Kessler, Mamukelashvili, Grimes and Sexton outweigh the departures of LeBron James, Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, Ayton and perhaps Hachimura? Do the Lakers have something else up their sleeves? We’ll find out soon enough.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac and salary-cap information via RealGM.

Follow Bryan on Bluesky.

As soon as LeBron James informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he would be signing elsewhere in free agency this offseason, the Golden State Warriors were thought to be among the most likely teams to land him.

However, it seems that one key holdup in the Warriors’ pursuit of another star player could keep them from signing James, which ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania asserted during a July 3 appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” podcast.

When asked which teams he believes have a “legitimate” shot at landing James in free agency, Charania said: “At least a few. But this is a true free agency process, because so much has changed, right? There’s fluidity that comes with it, with information. A few days ago, the [Philadelphia 76ers] didn’t have Jaylen Brown. So now they do … So now they have to be on the radar of LeBron James.”

“The [Cleveland] Cavaliers, the [Miami] Heat — they’re two teams that are known quantities. The Warriors, going into free agency; they dreamt up a grand plan of Draymond Green, Stephen Curry, LeBron James,” Charania continued.

“The big domino with them is trying to get a player like an Anthony Davis, so you can bring in LeBron James and Anthony Davis as a package deal. Short of that, they’re not really looked at right now at the top of this list. But things can change.”

Charania is alluding to Golden State’s interest in signing James’ former Lakers running-mate, Davis, as a way to entice the NBA record-breaker to bring his talents to the Bay Area.

But the Washington Wizards (with whom Davis is under contract through next season) have asserted that they have no intention of trading him at this point.

Since the prospect of reuniting with Davis was seen as a big reason why LeBron might want to join the Warriors, that no longer being realistic presents a tough reality check for Golden State.

Then again, the Warriors still have Curry, who James would surely love to play alongside. And as Charania said himself, things can change very quickly in the free agency landscape.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

The Philadelphia 76ers are rounding out their eventful free agency week with two-way signings, it seems. Fresh off inking Rayan Rupert to a two-way deal, they’ve now signed former Portland Trail Blazer Caleb Love to a two-way contract. ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to report the news:

For those who aren’t familiar with Love, he’s a former five-star recruit with quite an extensive college resume. He played five years in the NCAA, three with the North Carolina Tar Heels, later transferring to Arizona and playing two years there. Across 142 total college games, he averaged 15.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He accumulated 200 made three-pointers.

Love declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, and to the surprise of some, went undrafted. He went on to sign a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. Despite never being converted, Love saw plenty of action at the NBA level during his rookie season. He appeared in 49 games for them, starting one, and averaged 10.4 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, shooting 38.8 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from three. Love’s best stretch of basketball occurred from late December through the beginning of February, where he averaged 15.3 points on 43.3 percent shooting. I’d encourage you to check out his game logs, as for a first-year undrafted guy he really lit it up.

Love now caps off the new “guard glut” of Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Labaron Philon and Anfernee Simons. There’s no shortage of scoring amongst this group. Love also has quite a few Sixer-centric connections. A year ago, he faced off against Edgecombe in a heated rookie workout, and also crossed over with Dalen Terry during his time at Arizona.

With the signings of Love and Rupert, the Sixers are now down to one vacant two-way spot. Considering Rupert is best classified as a wing, and Love is a guard, it’s safe to assume that could go towards bolstering their big man rotation, currently occupied by Joel Embiid, Adem Bona, Johni Broome, and Jabari Walker.

LeBron James’ agent, Rich Paul, went on his “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman and broke down which teams are in contention for the 41-year-old superstar.

It’s highly unusual for an agent to publicly discuss his client’s active free agency, especially for someone as high profile as James. 

But we got a glimpse into James’ thinking in the episode that aired Friday. 

There were 10 teams on Paul’s whiteboard, including the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks. 

At times, Paul was surprisingly candid. 

“If the Knicks hadn’t have won [the championship], there wouldn’t even be no board,” Paul said. “He’d be going to the Knicks.” 

Other times, Paul played coy, such as when he was asked why the Warriors, who are presumed to be one of James’ top destinations, were in a corner of the whiteboard as opposed to being featured front and center like the 76ers, Heat, Timberwolves, Nuggets and Cavaliers. 

“You can think whatever you think,” Paul said. “This is my board. You decide what you want to think.” 

Paul also revealed a few tidbits on James’ thinking about a reunion with the Cavaliers, who James spent two stints with from 2003-10 and 2014-18, including carrying them to their only championship in 2016.

Paul referred to assistant general manager Brandon Weems as “basically LeBron’s brother.” He also intimated that Darius Garland (who’s also represented by Klutch Sports) no longer being on the team is a drawback for James.

“No offense to Harden, but no Garland, because he loves Garland like he loves [Tyrese] Maxey,” Paul said. 

Paul made it clear that there has been overwhelming interest in James, adding that aside from “one organization, maybe two” he has heard from every team in the league. He said that next season won’t necessarily be James’ final one in the NBA.

Paul added that James’ wife, Savannah, and 11-year-old daughter, Zhuri, gave him “the green light” to go anywhere.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t let LeBron James’ exit keep them from adding players to their roster, as they’ve re-signed star guard Austin Reaves to a four-year, $185 million deal and agreed to a blockbuster trade with the Utah Jazz that’ll bring 7-foot-2 center Walker Kessler to LA.

But many feel like this isn’t enough to atone for James’ absence, as the Lakers have received a lot of criticism in recent days by those who believe they need to build a better roster around star guard Luka Dončić.

Despite any external criticism Los Angeles has received, Dončić approves the moves the Lakers have made up to this point, as he was quoted saying he was “excited” about the Lakers’ signings in a July 2 article from Dan Woike of The Athletic.

It’s not surprising to hear Dončić share this sentiment. For one, he’s a low-maintenance star who probably wouldn’t voice his displeasure in public, even if he felt like the Lakers hadn’t built enough around him yet.

Plus, bringing Reaves back and adding Kessler are objectively solid moves that put the Lakers in a solid position to start the offseason, which Dončić is right to feel excited about.

Now the question becomes whether these moves are enough to make the Lakers a true championship contender, or whether they’re an acquisition or two away from cementing themselves as Western Conference contenders in their first season after the James era.

If the Lakers do manage to secure one more star, Dončić’s opinion will be even more earned, and LA fans will feel more at ease without James being on their roster as the 2026-27 season approaches.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

The Washington Wizards are FINALLY in the news for reasons other than AJ Dybantsa, Anthony Davis or Trae Young. Maybe Russell Westbrook as well?

On Friday, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that the Wizards will acquire Deandre Ayton from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Jaden Hardy and two of the Wizards’ second round draft picks in 2031 and 2032.

Ayton, a center, averaged 12.5 points and 8 rebounds per game in 72 appearances for the Lakers. His most notable reign was from 2018-23 when he played for the Phoenix Suns, his first team where they made the NBA Finals but lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. With the exception of his lone season with the Lakers, Ayton has averaged a double double in points and rebounds every season he played.

Hardy, who now would be with LA, averaged 9.2 points per game in the 2025-26 season starting with the Dallas Mavericks and later the Wizards.

With Ayton now in DC, it will be interesting to see how or whether he, Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr will fit together.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Deandre Ayton’s tenure with the Lakers has come to an end.

On Friday, the Lakers traded the 7-foot center to the Wizards on Friday for Jaden Hardy and a pair of Washington’s second round picks (2031 and 2032).

The trade is a continuation of the Lakers’ roster reconstruction around superstar guard Luka Dončić, who recruited Ayton to LA last summer.

Ayton joins LeBron James (next team to be determined), Marcus Smart (Houston Rockets), Luke Kennard (Phoenix Suns) and Jaxson Hayes (Utah Jazz) as players from the 2025-26 squad who’ll be on another team next season.

Rui Hachimura also remains an unrestricted free agent, with multiple teams, including the Minnesota Timberwolves expressing interest in signing the 6-foot-8 forward. 

In pursuit of building a more complementary roster to Dončić as the top priority of the offseason, the Lakers have re-signed Austin Reaves (four years, $185 million), agreed to a sign and trade with the Jazz for Walker Kessler (four years, $130 million) and agreed to deals with Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million), Sandro Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million) and Collin Sexton (two years, $19 million). 

Every deal the Lakers have agreed to have a player option at the end of the contract. 

Ayton exercised his $8.1 million player option for 2026–27 earlier in the week as part of the two-year, $16.2 million contract he signed with the Lakers last July to forego unrestricted free agency.

His decision was one of the biggest X-factors of the Lakers’ offseason considering the team’s desire to find a new starting center and his impact on their cap space.

Ayton, the 2018 No. 1 draft pick who’ll turn 28 in July, averaged 12.5 points and 8 rebounds in a career-high 72 regular games. He was instrumental to the Lakers’ first-round playoff victory against the Rockets, averaging 11.8 points (60.4% shooting) and 10.8 rebounds in the six-game series.

But Ayton was also a polarizing player because of his inconsistent motor and his play style not fitting the archetype the Lakers need. Dončić has long craved a rim-running, rim-protecting center who he can dominate with in the pick-and-roll — two things Ayton isn’t.

Despite his talents, which have been evident since he entered the league, it was clear he wasn’t going to develop into the kind of big man the Lakers needed him to be. 

The type of center that Kessler already is, with room to go into an annual All-Defensive team caliber player. 

The Lakers are searching for another backup big man, with Andre Drummond, Kevon Looney and Nick Richards all viable options. 

In Hardy, the Lakers are acquiring a 23-year-old guard who fits into the team’s desires to get younger and more athletic.

The 6-foot-3 Hardy, the No. 37 pick in the 2022 draft out of the now-defunct G League Ignite, averaged 12.6 points in 23 games with the Wizards after being traded to Washington midseason. 

He’s averaged 8.4 points on 38.6% shooting on 3-pointers in his NBA career. 

Hardy was teammates with Doncic in Dallas for 2 ½ seasons before Doncic was traded to Los Angeles, with the Mavericks trading Hardy to Washington in February. It isn’t clear what role Hardy will have if he stays on the roster since the Lakers already have several backcourt players ahead of him on the depth chart. He has two years and $12 million (team option for 2027-28) left on his contract.

The trade netted the draft-pick depleted Lakers two second rounders, which can be included in a trade for along with their own 2033 second-round pick and 2032 first-round pick swap as they look to more roster improvements.

With Hardy’s 2026-27 salary ($6 million) $2.1 less than Ayton’s ($8.1 million), the Lakers will create more financial flexibility for themselves as they continue to search for a backup big and wing defender.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

The Lakers’ roster shuffling has continued with another trade that also lands them some sorely-needed draft capital.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, LA is trading Deandre Ayton to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two second round picks.

Finally, Rob Pelinka got Anthony Davis his center.

This deal will only open up about an extra $2 million in cap space for the Lakers. Hardy is making $6 million this season with a team option for $6 million next season. Ayton was set to make $8.1 million this season.

The likely aim of this deal was to acquire draft assets to move other contracts. The Lakers are still looking to add depth on the wing with Jonathan Kuminga among the most heavily mentioned names. Rui Hachimura also has not signed and could still be an option.

To do that, they will need to clear contracts off the books, which the addition of the two second round picks should help them do. In short, this feels like a precursor to another trade and then a free agent signing.

Ayton’s season in LA was underwhelming, but largely because he did not establish himself as the team’s center of the future. He still showed he can be a reliable rotation player and a starter on some teams, but he was not the rim-running, lob-catching center the team needed and certainly did not want to be Clint Capela this season.

He did provide some memorable moments mostly off the court, though, including stories about crunk juice and talking about watching LeBron James on the court like it was a movie. He was also a big reason the Lakers beat the Rockets in the first round with his defense on Alperen Şengün.

Hardy averaged 12.6 points per game on 42% shooting in 23 games with the Wizards in the second half of last season. He did spend time in Dallas with Luka Dončić. However, as a guard in an already crowded backcourt, Hardy is likely going to be on the outside looking in.

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

As the Knicks are enjoying their summer as reigning champs, NBA free agency and the rumor mill that comes with it is already in full swing.

And apparently, if New York didn't beat the San Antonio Spurs to win their first title since 1973, they'd be the top choice for the biggest free agent on the market -- LeBron James.

James' agent Rich Paul told Max Kellerman on the Game Over podcast that James would have chosen to sign with the Knicks if they didn't win the 2026 NBA Finals. 

"I think it's difficult, right? Because the last thing you want to do is mess up something like that. The Knicks has a good thing going. If the Knicks hadn’t won, there would be no board. He’d be going to the Knicks," Paul said.

Paul shared a whiteboard of potential destinations for James with reasoning for each, showing that he's mainly considering the Philadelphia 76ers, Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, and Cleveland Cavaliers as his next team. The secondary teams shown include the Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, and Spurs.

While the idea of James playing for New York has been rumored multiple times since 2010 (when James infamously made "The Decision" to go to the Miami Heat), Paul made it sound like it would have happened this summer.

"Jalen Brunson would literally have to pick up the phone and say, 'Hey man, there’s no issue with me.' And I'm not saying that would make his decision... They (Knicks) have checked in," Paul said. "The one thing for sure, you want to respect what those guys have built. And also, it's Jalen Brunson's show. You want to respect that. He's earned that right, he's performed well, you want to respect that."

Although, SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley reported late Thursday night that the Knicks "should not be seen as a potential destination for James" and are "very happy with the core of their roster." Begley notes that the Warriors, Heat, Cavaliers and Sixers are viewed as teams with serious interest in the future Hall of Famer.

James, who will turn 42 at the end of December, announced on June 30 that he'll be leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons and choose a new team for the 2026-27 season. He is expected to play at least one more year in the NBA, but where that will be remains to be seen.

Rich Paul on LeBron James to the Knicks 😳

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

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

— Heat Central (@TheHeatCentral) July 3, 2026

The Lakers were already Luka Dončić’s team, but now that LeBron James has departed, he is, without question, their biggest star.

This makes pleasing him with the franchise’s direction the highest priority. Given that this is an offseason where a ton of cap space could be created and the Lakers had few players guaranteed to return, the pressure was on the front office to deliver quality moves to improve the team.

According to a report by Dan Woike of The Athletic, Luka has liked what’s happened so far, particularly the reported trade for Walker Kessler and the team’s ability to keep Austin Reaves.

According to league sources, Luka Dončić was “excited” about the Lakers’ signings, with the team addressing his biggest desires for the roster by keeping Austin Reaves and getting an elite rim-protecting center in Kessler.

Those sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deals have not been completed, said the Lakers kept in regular communication with Dončić and his team despite a significant time gap, with the star guard spending his summer in Europe.

Getting these two deals done for the Lakers came at a hefty price.

Trading for Kessler required giving up multiple first-round picks and agreeing to a four-year, $130 million deal. And to keep Reaves will reportedly cost $185 million across four years. Still, if it means Luka is happy, maybe that’s all that matters.

The franchise has gone all in on him, and the two most important things are his happiness and the team’s competitiveness.

Reaves has max talent, and now his money matches his basketball ability. Kessler is a clear upgrade in the frontcourt compared to what LA has played with over the last two seasons.

So not only can the basketball argument be made that these are good moves, but with Luka also wanting them, the choices the Lakers have made are no-brainers.

The Lakers have always been a superstar-friendly team.

They made sure Magic Johnson was happy with the head coaching situation in the 80s. During the Kobe Bryant era, they found him a big so he could win a pair of titles. And even if things ended with LeBron, the Lakers certainly made big moves for him, including trading for Anthony Davis and later, Russell Westbrook in an attempt to win it all.

It’s no surprise Luka is getting the same treatment.

Dončić is happy that the Lakers have the pieces he’s asked for. Once the roster is finalized, he’ll have the ingredients he needs to cook up a title run in LA.

For now, it’s summertime and good vibes are all that’s needed. Dončić is happy, the Lakers should be pleased with their moves and we have plenty of time to see how it all looks in reality in the fall.

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

Tatum breaks silence on Jaylen: ‘Nothing but love and respect for you' originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

It was at least a little noteworthy that Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum had no public reaction or message to this week’s shocking trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia. Considering the duo has been one of the best one-two punches in the NBA for close to a decade, the silence raised a few eyebrows around Boston.

Yet almost 48 hours after the news broke, Tatum has chimed in.

Tatum posted a photo of himself with Brown in their earliest NBA days, with a message attached to his former teammate:

Tatum was drafted with the No. 3 overall pick in 2017, a year after Brown was taken at No. 3 by Boston. They forced Cleveland to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference finals in their first year together, reaching at least the third round of the playoffs in five of their first seven seasons together.

Jayson Tatum on IG: pic.twitter.com/aamksqhYD4

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) July 3, 2026

Aside from their work together on the court, they also shared a memorable moment in 2023, when the All-Star Game took a back seat to their impromptu one-on-one matchup.

Tatum was named the MVP of that game, while the pairing of course won a championship for Boston a year later.

That All-Star Game showdown was notable because it was the first chance for anyone to really watch the two Celtics stars play against each other on both ends of the court. With Brown heading to Philly, though, it’s a sight that’s going to become a lot more common.

The San Antonio Spurs’ first order of business was re-signing their own, but they didn’t stop there.

Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes, who shared the Spurs’ power forward spot most of the year, were locked down in Day 1 of the NBA’s free agency period. The Silver and Black rewarded Champagnie with a new 3-year, $45 million contract and brought back Barnes on a 1-year, $8 million deal.

Though Champagnie supplanted Barnes in the starting lineup last season, time will tell who starts in 2026-27 because … Tobias Harris joined the Spurs on a 2-year, $31 million deal after helping Detroit earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference last year. Harris ranked second on the Pistons in scoring with 18.1 points per game while grabbing a team-high six defensive rebounds per game.

His 30 points (including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc), 9 rebounds, and 3 steals were crucial in Detroit’s Game 7 win over Orlando in the first round of the 2026 playoffs.

Harris has been a double-figure scorer in all but his first two seasons in the NBA. He’s started every game in the last nine years, despite bouncing from the Pistons to the Clippers to the 76ers and back to Detroit in that span.

Of course, Barnes had his own nine-year starting streak before Champagnie’s skill set and effectiveness moved him to the bench the second half of last season.

The Spurs still have their full bi-annual exception (about $5.5 million) remaining for the last two full roster spots. From last year’s Western Conference championship roster, Bismack Biyombo, Jordan McLaughlin, Kelly Olynyk, Mason Plumlee, and Lindy Waters III remain unsigned as unrestricted free agents.

Guard David Jones Garcia and forward Harrison Ingram have two-way qualifying offers, making them restricted free agents. The Spurs can have up to three players on two-way contracts.

Outside the lines, the Spurs made a splash Thursday night by signing “free agent” coach Billy Donovan as the team’s lead assistant following Sean Sweeney’s departure for the head job in Orlando.

Donovan spent the last six seasons as Chicago’s head coach. Despite never claiming a Central Division title and making just one playoff appearance with the Bulls, he brings championship pedigree with his back-to-back national championships at Florida in 2006 and 2007.

After a college coaching career that also included a national runnerup finish, another Final Four, and three more Elite Eight appearances, Donovan made his way to the NBA in 2015-16. He led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a Northwest Division championship and the Western Conference Finals.

Now, he’ll be helping Mitch Johnson and the Spurs as they try to keep the Thunder from advancing no further than that in the years to come.

No bias on Tobias

Fan reaction to the Tobias Harris signing was mixed on social media, but the Spurs earned generally good reviews from around the league.

Sports Illustrated’s Dan Lyons rated the Harris signing an A-, recognizing him as “one of the few Pistons to elevate his game in the postseason” and calling him “a rock-solid signing” for the price.

Bleacher Report said the full mid-level exception seemed a little high for Harris at his age (soon to be 34). But BR’s staff still gave the signing a B due to Harris’ veteran presence and playoff experience.

Zach Harper from The Athletic also weighed in with a B, calling Harris a “very good short-term option” who the Spurs just need to “consistently knock down outside shots.”

Looking at the offseason as a whole, Kurt Helin from NBC Sports gave the Spurs an A-. He said Harris is “a good role player who can catch-and-shoot corner 3s and put the ball on the floor when needed; he’s a good veteran fit for them at a position of need.” Helin also praised the re-signing of Champagnie and the Spurs’ focus on bigs in the draft.

Harris video makes the grade

One thing we can all agree on … Tobias Harris brought it with his free agent announcement video:

Wemby World Cup vibes

And speaking of videos, this clip of Victor Wembanyama’s pinpoint free kick is making the rounds on social media. His French countrymen are on the short list of World Cup favorites, but if they end up needing any help …

Another day, another Mike Gansey move.

Albeit this one a level tamer than what we have seen from the Sixers new president of basketball operations in the past 48 hours.

The 76ers signed 22-year-old Rayan Rupert to a two-way deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Rupert averaged 5.2 points per contest last season, appearing in 64 games and getting heavy minutes once being acquired by the Memphis Grizzlies at the trade deadline.

He has more to show as a shooter considering he went only 39% from the field last season, but his 33-10-10 night against the Bucks (on April 5, 2026) showcased how his 6-foot=7 frame can be a triple-threat option offensively. He followed up that performance with back-to-back 12-rebound games to close out the season.

He is a handsy defender who will make the ball-handler pay for lazy drives. He picked up nine steals combined in the final three games of the season. The level of competition he saw in those games, however, renders a two-way deal realistic. He will be able to grow consistent and develop as a shooter with the Delaware Blue Coats and be called up as needed.

Rupert is the first reported player the Sixers have signed to a two-way deal this offseason. They still have two other slots to fill. It seems likely Rupert will also be a part of the Sixers’ summer league team in Vegas. We’re still awaiting the release of the roster for those games.

Rupert is an ideal player to take a flyer on with a two-way deal. We’ll see what else Gansey has in store for the other two-way spots.