Category: NBA

LaMelo Ball feels like the most polarizing player in the NBA. His highlight reel is a thing of beauty, full of dazzling passes, daring crossovers, and pull-up shooting with range that only Steph Curry can rival. Of course, Ball can also be a maddening player. His shot selection is exasperating when the ball isn’t going through the net, his on-ball defense can be atrocious, and there are many examples of his audacious passes turning into unforgivable turnovers.

The Charlotte Hornets made a stunning decision to trade Ball on Thursday morning, sending him to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, one future first-round pick, three future first-round swaps, and three second round picks. Most of the mainstream media outlets believe the Wolves are crazy for making this deal. ESPN gave Minnesota a D+ for the trade, The Athletic said it was an A- for the Hornets and a D+ for the Wolves, and Yahoo! gave Charlotte an A and Minnesota a C. Michael Wilbon said Ball isn’t as valuable as Reid.

It sure seems like the perception of Ball off the court is impossible to untangle from his production on it for most analysts. Ball has earned a reputation as the NBA’s clown prince for his reckless driving, his ridiculous tattoos, and his penchant to speak in slang that confuses older people. Ball isn’t actually that young anymore, he turns 25 years old just before the season, but he still feels like a caricature of everything older people don’t like about Gen Z.

The character assassinations on Ball are a little bit perplexing considering his Charlotte teammate Miles Bridges seems to face less pushback despite some horrifying domestic violence charges. It also overlooks that LaMelo is something of an analytical darling who left a massively positive influence on winning for the Hornets last season.

The Hornets started last season 11-22. After that, they finished 33-16 with the best net-rating in the NBA. With a better supporting cast around him, Ball trimmed some of the fat in his game, stayed healthy, and turned in an incredible season. When Ball was on the court, the Hornets out-scored teams by about eight points per 100 possessions — when he was off, Charlotte essentially played teams even. When Ball shared the floor with Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller, Charlotte was +15.1 per 100 possessions. When Ball sat and the other two played, Charlotte was negative 7.4 per 100 possessions.

In fairness, Charlotte put up some electric numbers with Coby White in place of Ball last season, but that was in a much, much smaller sample of minutes. White now takes over for Ball as Charlotte’s starting point guard after inking a new three-year extension. White is good, and he plays a more reliable game than Ball, but it feels like Charlotte also significantly lowered its ceiling in the process.

My favorite all-in-one NBA stat is EPM. LaMelo Ball was the 12th best player in the NBA by that metric last year. The other all-in-ones love LaMelo, too.

What makes Ball so good in these stats? It mostly comes down to his ability to improve his team’s scoring efficiency when he’s on the floor. Ball’s scoring efficiency is below-average on an individual level with 54.6 percent true shooting last year, but Charlotte finally figured out he could still drive an efficient offense if they loaded up on offensive rebounders. Moussa Diabaté became a revelation for Charlotte last season because he can grab Ball’s misses. Besides creating second-chance points, Ball’s passing also leads to efficient scoring chances. He had 4.8 rim assists per 100 possessions last year, which ranked in the 92nd percentile of the league. He ranked in the 93rd percentile in “teammate effective field goal percentage on potential assists.”

While he’s not really a good defender, Ball is a great defensive rebounder (99th percentile among guards), and he’s surprisingly quick to loose balls.

The Hornets were so good in the second half of the season that it’s shocking they decided against giving the team another chance. It’s even more surprising because Charlotte really didn’t get all that much back in return for him. The Hornets essentially only got one real pick swap (in 2028) and one first-round pick along with Reid because of complications with the other swaps.

Here are the pick swaps the Hornets received in the Timberwolves deal for LaMelo Ball:

2028: Hornets get more favorable of CLT/MIN
2029: Hornets already owned the least favorable of the UTA/CLE/MIN picks straight up. I think the Hornets will now be entitled to swap their own…

— Dylan Jackson (@djdotmp4) June 25, 2026

How will Ball work out in Minnesota? I’m not sure. The Wolves are very thin in the front court now after dumping Julius Randle and Reid. I wish they had a bigger player on the wing than Ayo Dosunmu. Dosunmu is a personal favorite of mine as someone who has closely followed his career since he was in high school, but the five-year, $112 million contract they promised him before the Ball trade immediately felt like an overpay.

The Wolves are still going to be underdogs against the Thunder and Spurs next season, but at least they have more variance in a potential matchup with either after trading for Ball. LaMelo and Anthony Edwards are two of the most high-volume pull-up three-point shooters in the NBA. Minnesota will try to beat OKC and San Antonio by bombing away from three. Maybe they can actually pull off an upset if those shots drop in a short series.

I’ve been a LaMelo apologist for his entire career. When his dad started the “JBA” during his high school years, I was the only media member in the gym in Chicago to watch him play. I also rated LaMelo as my No. 1 prospect coming into the 2020 NBA Draft. While Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton have probably been better so far, Ball has still been damn good when he plays.

When he plays carries a ton of weight — and it’s the most sensible reason for why Charlotte traded him. Ball averages 48 games played per year. He was mostly healthy this past season with 72 games played, but it’s possible he has chronic ankle injuries that will prevent him from being a full-time player moving forward. LaMelo’s brother Lonzo tragically saw his body break down at an early age. Hopefully those damn Big Baller Shoes don’t cut short LaMelo’s career, too.

The Hornets will look like geniuses if LaMelo keeps getting hurt. They know his body better than anyone, so maybe I shouldn’t doubt them. It’s just that if LaMelo stays healthy, he can make magic happen. He is a borderline superstar player by the advanced stats, not just the highlights, and he clearly had a big impact on winning for Charlotte last year.

The Hornets were primed to be the most fun to watch this season with LaMelo in the lineup. Maybe Charlotte will still be real good with Coby White and rookie Christian Anderson running the show, but it feels like they just lowered their ceiling in a big way.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Oklahoma City Thunder have traded wing Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for two future second-round picks.

Just in: The Oklahoma City Thunder are trading sharpshooter Isaiah Joe to the Detroit Pistons for two future second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/rHf0VHp7k0

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2026

With the move, Detroit adds a much-needed movement shooter to complement Cade Cunningham. Joe averaged 11.1 points in just 21.2 minutes per game last season while knocking down 42.3 percent of his six three-point attempts per game. Fresh off helping Oklahoma City win a championship, the 26-year-old gives the Pistons another proven floor spacer and playoff-tested rotation player.

Joe has spent six NBA seasons with the Thunder and 76ers, averaging 8.2 points and 2.1 rebounds across 392 regular-season games. Of his 71 appearances last season, only nine came as a starter. With Duncan Robinson projected to open the season in Detroit’s starting lineup, and Daniss Jenkins also in the backcourt mix, Joe is expected to carve out a significant role off the bench for J.B. Bickerstaff.

The Pistons engineered a remarkable worst-to-first turnaround under J.B., finishing with an Eastern Conference-best 60-22 record. Cunningham emerged as an MVP candidate while leading Detroit to its first playoff appearance in nearly two decades. The Pistons rallied from a 3-1 deficit to eliminate Orlando in the opening round before falling to Cleveland in a grueling seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal.

For OKC, the move continues a reshaping of its championship roster. After also dealing Aaron Wiggins, the Bolts have turned the two veterans into four future second-round picks, adding even more draft capital to an already hefty collection of assets.

Acquiring Joe isn’t a move that transforms Detroit into a championship-caliber team, but it’s a smart piece of business. He is an efficient role player with championship experience whose movement creates open looks, and he will burn defenses that overload Cade. For the price of two future second-round picks? Nice pick-up.

From a Knicks perspective, we’re reminded that the Eastern Conference is still in flux. Teams are looking for every possible edge to challenge the WORLD CHAMPION NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS. This move brings Detroit closer to the finish line, but it doesn’t push them over. Consider it a solid marginal upgrade for a team intent on giving Cunningham some relief and keeping him happy in the Motor City.

Go Knicks.

The Detroit Pistons addressed a glaring need for a reliable perimeter threat by agreeing to trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder sharpshooter, Isaiah Joe, ESPN reports. In exchange, the Pistons will send OKC two second-round picks. The Thunder will also save $76 million in luxury tax penalties by getting Joe’s salary off their books, per Yossi Gozlan.

Joe has shot better than 40% from three each of the past four seasons, all with the Thunder. He has attempted at least six threes per game the past two seasons. He becomes a critical three-point threat for a Pistons team that wants to provide as much space as possible around Cade Cunningham, and knew they needed a player like Joe, especially if they plan to also build around Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren as part of a young core.

There is still a lot of optionality on how Detroit is going to be able to execute this move as either an above-the-cap team or below-the-cap team. The earlier trade of Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies for three second-round picks gave them much needed flexibility as they navigate the desire to add a player like Joe (with one or two more additions likely to come), navigate whether they will retain fellow sharpshooter Duncan Robinson or waive him (only $2 million of his salary is guaranteed) in order to free up cap space, and the ongoing negotiations with restricted free agent Jalen Duren.

Much like Duncan, Joe is ideally a bench player who creates ample spacing and can knock down deep shots in a variety of ways. He ranked second in the NBA in catch-and-shoot threes per game of those with at least five attempts, knocking down 43.1%. He shot 39% above the break and 53.5% from the corners this season. With his high, quick-release and good body control, he also has the ability to hit threes off of movement and on quick relocations.

As detailed by Harrison Hamm at Only Down One, Joe was able to form a remarkable two-man game with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and I think many of those lessons can be applied to a new pairing with Cade Cunningham.

Ideally, this addition would mean Detroit has two great two-point shooters in both Joe and Robinson. Neither is an ideal defender, but both are lethal offensively. Of course, that depends largely on how the rest of Detroit’s offseason goes. Robinson could be shipped in a deal or waived as Detroit continues to search for a dangerous sidekick, likely at the shooting guard or power forward spots, to pair alongside Cunningham.

It’s the worst-kept secret in the NBA that the Lakers are in search of a big man.

Not only is LA’s need for a center obvious to anyone who watched them this past season, but with Luka Dončić reportedly asking for an upgrade at that spot, the focus on that position has only increased.

So far, the Lakers haven’t done anything to bolster their frontcourt, but the offseason has just begun. And with the Lakers set to have a ton of cap space, the hope is that they could take advantage of a situation somewhere and snag a free agent from a team that didn’t want to pay the cost to retain said player.

That exact scenario might be playing out in New York.

On Friday morning, Jake Fisher wrote a piece for The Stein Line explaining how Mitchell Robinson could be leaving the Knicks.

“The Lakers, amid a growing pessimism that the Knicks will be able to hang onto Robinson, are also regarded as a likely suitor for the New York big man once free agency officially begins.”

Keeping a championship team together is tough. If Knicks owner James Dolan remains determined not to go over the second apron, then they could lose Robinson this summer.

Robinson is an unrestricted free agent and made just under $13 million last season, so there’s an opportunity here for LA to be aggressive and snag one of the best centers available this offseason.

The Lakers could certainly use a player like Robinson in their frontcourt, and it’s why they’ve been connected to him before this summer.

He doesn’t put up gaudy numbers, averaging just 5.7 points and 8.8 rebounds per game for the Knicks. But he’s a solid role player, a respectable defender and an efficient scorer. Robinson shot 72.3% from the field this season.

He was an integral part of the Knicks’ title run and would certainly bolster the frontcourt even if he isn’t the star center Lakers fans are dreaming about.

If the Lakers can figure out a number that makes Robinson happy, but doesn’t break the bank, then he could be a good fit in LA.

We’ll see if he is actually interested in joining the Lakers or if the Knicks cave and do what it takes to keep their title team intact. For now, this is an intriguing situation to monitor and a potential solution to LA’s frontcourt woes as they try to build a title contending roster.

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

Hours before the second round of the NBA draft, the Lakers came to terms with Austin Reaves on a max four-year extension. It gets Luka Dončić his running mate locked in early and heads the team in a clear direction of building around their explosive backcourt.

It’s no secret that to surround those two, the Lakers need to raise their athletic floor. They got off on the right foot on Tuesday. LA traded up one spot to the 24th pick in the first round, sending cash to the New York Knicks to take Cameron Carr from Baylor.

They seem to now have a type. Similar to Adou Thiero, the 36th overall selection last year, Carr is a freakish athlete with a standout highlight reel dunk package. He showed that athletic pop off at the combine, posting a max vertical leap of 42.5″, tied for second overall.

Carr measured out at 6’4.5 and 184 pounds, with a long 7’0.75″ wingspan and an 8’8″ standing reach. Offensively, he’s the prototypical modern NBA-level wing teams are looking for, living with baskets at the rim or behind the 3-point line with tantalizing fluidity.

He leverages his physical traits in a multitude of ways. One is as a monster finisher in transition, showcasing as one of the best vertical threat wings in the draft, a tailor-made athletic fit next to the playmaking savant Luka, who’s had success with similar players like the high flyer Derick Jones Jr.

The quick and agile burst allows him to blow by defenders on closeouts. While playmaking off the bounce isn’t his strength, once he gets his shoulders past a defender, he goes to his repertoire of nifty acrobatic finishes around the rim or above the basket with his length, as shown below.

It’s almost impossible to carve out a promising career as a wing in today’s NBA without the ability to shoot. Carr shot 37% on just over six 3-pointers per game. He’s armed with a smooth jumper and can fire at long range with promising mechanics.

While many of his 3-pointers were spot-ups, he’d routinely demonstrate the ability to hit shots off the bounce as the ball handler in pick and rolls and off the move.

This threat as a shooter makes him an excellent cutter, with good special awareness for lobs and finishes at the basket. Carr connected on 80% at the free-throw line on 4.9 attempts per game, one of the better predictors for success at the next level.

Defensively, there’s a clear need for development, both physically and as a tactician on and off the ball. There’s clear upside with all the physical tools he possesses, and he flashed those as a defensive playmaker and rebounder, pulling down 5.9 per game.

​Carr gets his active long arms in passing lanes during ball denial and turns that into transition opportunities on the other end, as shown below, collecting a steal per game in his final college season.

His length becomes enticing as a shot blocker, collecting 1.3 blocks per game, an impressively high mark for a perimeter-based player. The long wingspan allows him to recover on closeouts and take away what looked to be open 3-point attempts, as shown below.

He had a number of chasedown blocks as well, and even showed off some rim protection ability as a wing.

The Lakers still have a lot of work to do and have clearly put many eggs in this summer’s basket. How much a 24th overall pick, as promising as he projects to be, is ready to play next season remains to be seen. However, Carr fits the mold of players the team should look to add, putting it on track to build a contender around its star backcourt.

You can follow Raj on X at @RajChipalu

While Dusty May is leaving Michigan, the Wolverines backcourt is staying put.

Elliot Cadeau will return to Michigan his agent told ESPN, giving the program a much-needed boost following May's departure for the Dallas Mavericks.

The Wolverines point guard and Final Four Most Outstanding Player posted a picture on Instagram of him celebrating during a win over Michigan State last season with a caption that reads, "I bleed blue #HAILTHEVICTORS", implying he will stay in Ann Arbor for the 2026-27 season.

Opinion: Dusty May's move to NBA isn't a college basketball crisis. It's a sign of the era

More: Michigan president sounds off after Dusty May leaves for NBA

Mike Boynton Jr. was named interim head coach as a short-term replacement for May for the upcoming season. Because of Boynton's interim tag, players have to wait until July 24 before entering the transfer portal if they wished to leave.

Michigan shooting guard Trey McKenney, who averaged 9.9 points per game as a freshman last season, had already indicated his decision to return following May's exit.

Boynton and his staff have work to do on the rest of Michigan's roster, but have received positive news from the two most critical players for 2026-27.

Keeping Cadeau provides some stability for a program that saw three players selected in Wednesday's NBA Draft first round. Cadeau had dipped his toe into the draft waters, but decided to return to college with to a new name, image and likeness deal for his senior season. He averaged 10.5 points and 5.9 assists per game in his first season with Michigan after starting his career at North Carolina.

Michigan lost the top three scorers from its national title team. It has what 247Sports ranks as the No. 12 transfer portal class, headlined by big men Moustapha Thiam (Cincinnati) and JP Estrella (Tennessee), neither of whom have revealed their plans for next season after May left. It’s also awaiting word from sophomore guard L.J. Cason, who averaged 8.4 points per game before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in a Feb. 27 win at Illinois.

Prior to this week’s coaching change, the Wolverines were widely projected as a top-five team nationally heading into next season.

Detroit Free Press reporter Tony Garcia contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan basketball gets some good news: Two most critical players coming back

After selecting AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and signing Trae Young to a four-year, $212 million extension earlier this week, the Washington Wizards have made it clear who their future is built around.

But with draft night officially in the rear-view mirror, the next domino to fall is whether 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis still fits into those long-term plans.

Following the conclusion of the draft, Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said the organization wants to keep Davis in Washington, and set a timeline for contract talks to begin later this summer.

“With AD again, he wants to be here and we want him here,” Dawkins said on ESPN. “We’ll have that conversation in the middle of August when we can officially have that.”

Washington acquired Davis from the Dallas Mavericks in an eight-player trade on Feb. 4 with hopes that the veteran big man could help stabilize a rebuilding franchise that finished last in the Eastern Conference each of the past two seasons.

But the Wizards’ timeline changed dramatically after landing Dybantsa with the first overall pick and locking up Young as the face of the offense. Now the front office must determine whether a 33-year-old Davis fits alongside two players expected to anchor the franchise as it seeks an identity that includes more then 20 wins in a season.

Davis remains one of the NBA’s premier two-way players when healthy, giving Washington an elite defender and interior scorer to complement Young’s and Dybantsa’s playmaking. But the same time, committing to another massive contract for an aging star could limit the franchise’s financial flexibility as its young core develops.

Davis has one guaranteed year remaining on his contract, worth $58.5 million in 2026-27, and holds a $62.8 million player option for the following season. Beginning Aug. 6, he’ll become eligible to sign a four-year extension worth as much as $275 million.

That presents a difficult decision for a front office balancing immediate competitiveness with long-term roster construction.

Over the past five seasons, Davis has averaged just 48.6 regular-season games, making durability another key factor as Washington evaluates whether to make a long-term commitment.

While Davis has surfaced in trade speculation since arriving in Washington, Dawkins’ comments suggest the Wizards’ priority is exploring an extension rather than moving the veteran forward.

The organization appears intent on seeing whether Davis can help bridge the gap between its current roster and the future built around Dybantsa and Young. Whether that bridge extends another four years will likely depend on the conversations that begin in August.

For now, it feels like Washington believes Davis wants to stay, but the bigger question is whether he still fits the timeline of a franchise whose future is rapidly getting younger by the season.

When a kid from Estonia grows up dreaming of being in the NBA, that decision goes well beyond simple salary math. A NBA team or teams, possibly the Lakers and/or Knicks, likely gave Veesaar’s representatives a strong indication they valued him as a first round pick. Veesaar recently married, and after three years of college life, a desire for a change in lifestyle would be completely understandable. The NBA Draft values potential more than anything else, and a player’s age plays a role in those calculations. Henri turned 22 in March, and a 23 year old Veesaar is slightly less valuable than a 22 year old Veesaar, all other things being equal. Veesaar had these and other reasons, all totally valid, to go. What done is done. Godspeed, Henri. Knock ’em dead.

That said, dropping to pick 52 in the draft could mean a financial difference as much as $10 million over the next two seasons. The math on that is simple. First, Matt Norlander of CBS Sports reports UNC offered Veesaar $5 million or more for next season.

Via a UNC source: Henri Veesaar would have had at least a $5 million NIL deal had he returned. He left to chase being a first-rounder.

We're into the mid-40s and he's still waiting.

Easily the biggest mistake of the 2026 draft—and certainly one of the biggest in recent memory.

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) June 25, 2026

Second, the recent change in NCAA rules eligibility, the “5 for 5” rule, means Henri would have had two more seasons of college eligibility. Assuming good health, Veesaar in retrospect had the option of two years at $5+ million each. Third, Alex Toohey, last year’s pick 52, signed a non-guaranteed G-league deal with the Golden State Warriors worth around $600,000. Injured in December, the Warriors cut him, so Toohey realized only around $170,000 of that contract. That’s a $10 million difference.

We’ll get into the particulars of Veesaar’s drop in a bit, but his example seems worth discussion because UNC likely will have plenty of players facing similar decisions and dilemmas moving forward. The conversation for next year’s draft already includes three players on next season’s roster: Nikolas Avdalas, Sayon Keita, and Matt Able. They will all likely face choices similar to Veesaar’s. As fans, there’s also the small matter of gnashing our teeth every time we’re watching a tight game or monitoring the NET standings, wondering whether Henri’s return would have meant a better result. Taking the time to better understand a dynamic that likely to impact UNC men’s basketball every season moving forward seems worth the time.

The following moves back and forth between what we suspect and what we know, labelled accordingly. The speculation isn’t an attempt to point fingers without evidence. It’s just conjecture along the lines of the way NBA front offices can operate.

Speculation. A player with $5 million or more on the table in college likely needs solid evidence that a NBA tam values him enough to forego that guaranteed money, no matter how done they are with college classrooms or how much they dream of being in the NBA. Let’s pretend that a team promises to draft him late in the first round, say, the Lakers at pick 25. Perhaps no one makes him a promise, but more than one team – add the Knicks here – indicates a desire to add Veesaar with a late first round or early second round pick.

Known: Last year’s pick 25, Jase Richardson of the Orlando Magic, signed a four year contract worth more than $15 million, with more than $6 million of that guaranteed over the first two years. So, yes, the 25th pick in the NBA draft actually represents a pay cut from what a college player in Henri’s situation stands to make. If you’re wondering why so many underclassmen projected in the latter half of the first round opted to return to school, there’s one highly relevant data point. “Let’s make more money next season than I would in the NBA, with hopes of moving up in next season’s draft.” That comes with risks, most notably injury. Choosing the NBA in this situation means slightly less money in the short term, but it allows a player to train full-time in a fully professional setting, minus the demands of college. It gets a player firmly onto a NBA roster. It gets a player to a second contract sooner. It amounts to a player making a long-term bet on themselves, and that’s hard to condemn a guy for.

Speculation: This in turn assumes the front offices aren’t just blowing smoke or more fluid behind the scenes than they’re willing to reveal. Let’s say the Knicks, fresh off a title, restructure their off-season strategy and decide to keep trading down, taking a couple of two-way assets in the 2nd round rather than adding a first rounder to the roster. Let’s say the Lakers front office also likes Cameron Carr, a center from Baylor with better defensive upside, but doesn’t expect him to be on the board when their turn rolls around. Turns out Carr is, and the Lakers trade up from 25 to 24 to nab him.

Known: The Lakers picking Carr at 24, and then the Knicks trading away both picks 24 and 25 for future assets, was the point things went off the rails for Veesaar. Most mocks assumed one of those two teams would be Veesaar’s first round landing spot. With the first round done and Veesaar still waiting, Henri became a hot topic. Pundits talked about Veesaar as a first round talent and steal as an early second round pick. Jeremy Woo of ESPN said he expected the Knicks to take Veesaar with pick 31, with the caveat that the Knicks didn’t keep trading away their picks. Which the Knicks did, sending the pick to Houston.

Speculation: Veesaar and his agent at this point want some sort of guaranteed deal, but the teams picking at the top of the second round don’t need bigs. 10 of the first 15 picks in the second round go for guards, and the other five choose forwards. Word leaks that Veesaar’s agent tells teams that if they want to draft Veesaar, they better be willing to offer him a contract with more than one guaranteed year.

Known: The Lakers trade back into the second round at 56, with the conventional wisdom that Veesaar’s their aim. Once the Hawks jump into the 52 spot and take Henri, the Lakers trade that pick away.

Speculation: Veesaar and the Hawks worked something out better than the Lakers were offering. While the details of a Hawks-Veesaar agreement remain unknown, the NBA doesn’t have firm salary slots for picks in the second round. Remember pick 52 mentioned above, the one Golden State signed to a non-guaranteed $600,000 and then cut? Those same Warriors at pick 56, four picks later, took Will Richard and signed him to a four year deal at $8.7 million, with $3.4 million of that guaranteed over two years (hat tip LCS70). That’s in line with what other picks near the top of the second round negotiated. Richard appeared in 69 games for the Warriors, averaging 20 minutes, 6.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 steals.

Onsi Saleh, Hawks President of Basketball Ops, on drafting Henri Veesaar at #52:

“We were shocked that he was there. We were able to trade up to go get him. Super excited about that. We were jumping up and down. That one we were chasing from the early 2nd to go figure out."

— Vince Wolfram (@vincewolfram15) June 25, 2026

So, if Veesaar’s agent was able to work out something like that for Veesaar, then Veesaar’s still making good money in a stable roster spot and launching his NBA career. It wouldn’t be what he’d hoped for when all the mocks had him as a first round pick, but it would be far better than a G-league two-way deal with no guarantees. At some point, the details of Veesaar’s contract will be made public. Until then, we can only hope things worked out for the big guy. Either way, however, the fact remains Veesaar would have been far more valuable to UNC this season and next than he turned out to be to any NBA team.

So, even if Veesaar avoided a worst-case scenario and still parlayed his talent into a firm footing in the NBA, his story remains a cautionary tale for future Tar Heels faced with similar choices. Way-too-early mock drafts for 2027 already include Keita and Able as potential first rounders, with Avdalas in the mix in the next tier of 30 draft candidates. Will one of those be in position to make far more money in college than the NBA? Will their agents be able to accurately read between the lines in communications with NBA front offices? Will one of them confidently step into the draft as a consensus first rounder, only to find themselves scrambling to create value as their leverage rapidly dwindles?

For fans, it only adds to the frustration of following the Tar Heels and college sports. Should Henri have taken much better money to return to Carolina, a return which would have unquestionably raised both the ceiling and floor for next season? Selfishly: of course. If Able, Keita, or Avdalas play their way into legitimate late first round consideration, will Veesaar’s example influence their perspective? Hopefully. Should fans have to worry about the portal on the one hand and the NBA on the other decimating their team every season? Selfishly: no.

Regardless, it remains something Tar Heel fans will need to get used to. Landing elite players with NBA potential makes Final Fours possible. It also means other teams, both college and NBA, dangling temptation in front of those players. This saga may yet have a happy ending for Veesaar, but it leaves fans with a very real “what if” that will inevitably color the coming season.

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Despite being selected third in the 2026 NBA Draft, Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer is the opening favorite in Rookie of the Year odds.

Boozer, the 2026 NCAA Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American, has an implied 29.4% chance to win the award, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Key Takeaways

• The last player to win the Rookie of the Year after being drafted third overall was LaMelo Ball in 2021.
  
  
• Four of the last nine (44.4%) ROTY winners were taken first overall.
  
  
• The Washington Wizards have the best Finals odds (+12,000) of teams with a top ROTY candidate.

Boozer is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his Duke predecessor, Cooper Flagg, a fellow forward who went to the NBA after one year of college and won the Rookie of the Year award.

The son of 13-year NBA veteran Carlos Boozer leads FanDuel’s odds board at +240. Just behind him are the top two picks in the draft, Washington Wizards guard AJ Dybantsa (BYU) and Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson (Kansas), both at +400.

Dybantsa, also a consensus first-team All-American, led the NCAA in scoring last year and was the first player taken in the draft. Peterson was a second-team All Big 12 member, whose only college season was mired by severe cramping and missing 21.4% of his games.

Dybantsa and Peterson’s +400 odds to win NBA Rookie of the Year carry 20% implied probability each.

The final player who is within close proximity of the leaders is Sacramento Kings guard Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), who was taken seventh during Tuesday’s event. Another consensus first-team All-American, Acuff Jr. was one of the most outstanding players in March Madness, during which he averaged an efficient 29.3 points and 5.3 assists across three games.

NBA Rookie of the Year challengers and trends

According to FanDuel, there are two standout players — Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson (North Carolina) and Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville) — who are chasing the leaders.

Wilson, the fourth pick and another consensus first-team All-American, is +950 in NBA Rookie of the Year odds. Brown Jr., a third-team All-ACC performer, is +1,500 (6.3% chance) in odds.

Four of the last nine Rookie of the Year winners were selected with the first pick in the draft. If that trend continues, Dybantsa has nearly a coin flip’s chance of claiming the hardware.

During that same nine-year period, no players drafted lower than fourth overall won the Rookie of the Year honor. That would theoretically eliminate all players not named Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, or Wilson.

The one outlier in recent history occurred in 2017, when second-round and 36th-overall selection Malcolm Brogdon was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, despite a mundane 10.2-point, 4.2-assist, 2.8-rebound stat line. The 36th pick in this year’s draft was Cincinnati forward Baba Miller, now of the Los Angeles Clippers. 

NBA Finals odds lookahead

While NBA Finals oddsare not available on FanDuel at the time of writing, the other top online sportsbooks have theirs published.

According to DraftKings, none of the teams with a perceived top candidate to win the award have better odds to win the Finals than the Wizards (+12,000). The Jazz (+18,000) are the next team in line, followed by the Nets (+25,000), Grizzlies (+50,000), Bulls (+70,000), and Kings (+100,000).

The Wizards’ Finals odds are tied for 22nd in the league. 

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Giannis Antetokounmpo made his first public appearance since his blockbuster trade to the Miami Heat, attending SNF Nostos 2026, an international festival celebrating culture, sports, and social good, hosted by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in Athens.

Antetokounmpo took the stage alongside Olympic medalist Emmanouil Karalis, joining Stavros Niarchos Foundation Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos for a wide-ranging conversation. The trio discussed the values underpinning athletic excellence and how these principles could inspire athletes to give back, strengthen their communities, and create opportunities for future generations.

Antetokounmpo did not take any questions about his trade to the Heat, and instead he focused on his philanthropic work off the court.

"I came from nothing. Growing up, my family relied on community organizations for food and basic necessities. I remember asking why these people helped us, and they said it was from the heart," Antetokounmpo reflected. "As a kid, I didn’t grasp the meaning, but now I understand the power of compassion and generosity. We may not be able to solve every problem, but we can always do something to ease someone’s load."

More: Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to Heat in blockbuster deal with Bucks

During the event, Antetokounmpo revealed that a conversation with former U.S. President Barack Obama was a turning point for him. Obama encouraged him to use his platform not just for personal success, but to advocate for causes he believes in and inspire others to dream big. This guidance motivated Antetokounmpo to step outside his comfort zone, raise awareness for critical issues that shaped his childhood, and instill hope in people.

"Although I prefer to keep my personal life private, that conversation made me realize the importance of speaking out and sharing my journey and platform," Antetokounmpo said. "I’m extremely proud of the foundation and the real difference it’s making in people’s lives."

Those early experiences shaped Antetokounmpo’s deep commitment to making a difference beyond basketball. In 2022, he and his family established the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation in honor of his late father. The foundation’s mission spans three places he considers home: Milwaukee, Greece and Nigeria, providing food security, access to education, youth sports programs and emergency relief.

The two-time NBA MVP appearance comes after being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat in exchange for five future picks and four players. The trade involves Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis going to the Heat, while the Bucks receive Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including the No. 13 overall pick in this year's draft), a pick swap in 2030, and a second-round pick in 2033.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giannis Antetokounmpo makes first public appearance since trade to Heat

We all need a break from unreliably sourced Jaylen Brown trade rumors.

Instead, we need Jaylen Brown trade rumors that are completely unsourced (well, not completely, my brother helped out with a couple).

Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks have offered to trade back Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan for Jaylen Brown, but this might be an overpay.

Brooklyn Nets: The Nets will agree to an admission that the fancy floor at the Barclay Center was just an attempt to one-up the Celtics, and that they’re really sorry about that.

Charlotte Hornets: Michael Jordan (yep, he’s still a minority owner) has promised to give Stevens some advice on how to identify talent in the draft. The Celtics are letting this one ride.

Chicago Bulls: The Bulls have offered up usage rights for “Sirius” as the team’s walk-on music.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs haven’t actually put an offer in. They’re waiting for Jaylen to suffer a hip injury before they pull the trigger.

Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs’ offer centers around an explanation for how the heck they won the lottery the same year that they traded away Luka Doncic for what was left of Anthony Davis and some allegedly magic beans.

Denver Nuggets: They’ll pressurize Ball Arena to sea level for Celtics road games.

Detroit Pistons: The key piece in Detroit’s package is a formal apology for trading for Bill Laimbeer.

Golden State Warriors: The Warriors will pass on the secret of Draymond Green’s popularity—and why the heck anybody wants to listen to what he has to say off the court.

Houston Rockets: The Rockets have offered Kevin Durant and assurances that, really, Kevin is very sorry for all the stuff he said and did online, and that he’s really never ever going to do that again, and this time he means it, and also that maybe Kevin didn’t actually do all that anyway, and oh, look, a big distracting thing.

Indiana Pacers: The Pacers have promised that they’ll release Larry Bird from the cell they’re keeping him in under the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

L.A. Clippers: The Clippers haven’t offered Boston anything directly, but they do have a nice endorsement deal for Jaylen.

L.A. Lakers: Did you know that the C’s have only executed three trades with the Lakers in their collective history? It’s been almost 22 years since the last trade. Anyway, the Lakers don’t really have any players to offer, but they have a bunch of AI-generated images of Jaylen in a Lakers jersey.

Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies offer includes a like-new, low-mileage Ja Morant complete with intermittent social media presence.

Miami Heat: Pat Riley will give Brad Stevens five free lessons in hair greasing. He assures Brad that, no, the dry look really is out, and soon everybody will be once again styling their hair like 1970s Henry Winkler.

Milwaukee Bucks: They have inherited the Miami Heat Trade Package^TM, and have offered it to Boston.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves have offered two things—Lamelo Ball as well as Lamelo’s promise that he’ll do all his in-town driving in a Cozy Coupe.

New Orleans Pelicans: Beignets. Lots of them.

New York Knicks: Knicks superfan Spike Lee will spend an entire season dressed up as Lucky, the Celtics mascot. It’s potentially a good fit as Spike is already slightly shorter than most leprechauns.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Team management will sign over the contract with the devil that is the secret behind SGA’s foul grifting.

Orlando Magic: They’ll change their nickname to the Orlando Larry Legends.

Philadelphia 76ers: Sixers president of basketball operations and secret voodoo practitioner Daryl Morey will give Boston the phone number of the witch doctor they used to hex Boston in the playoffs this year

Phoenix Suns: The offer from the Valley of the Sun is several truckloads of warm weather to be delivered in January of each year.

Portland Trail Blazers: Boston has secured a promise that they’ll change their name to Trailblazers, because, I mean, come on, nobody uses two words to spell ‘trailblazer.’

Sacramento Kings: The Kings, well, the Kings just want everybody to know that Oscar Robertson once played for them three towns and a nickname ago, and if you could help spread the word, that would be great. Oh, and also, they won an NBA title in 1951.

San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs have offered the Payaya artifact which enabled them to draft Tim Duncan and Victor Wembyama—but only for the next three seasons.

Toronto Raptors: The Raptors want to build Boston a copy of the CN tower. Their belief is that the Boston skyline isn’t pointy enough.

Utah Jazz: Danny Ainge will send over his lifetime Chipotle card. The Celtics are seriously considering this one.

Washington Wizards: The Wizards package includes one eyebrow waxing coupon from Anthony Davis (never used), and a game worn ‘That’s All Folks’ T-shirt.

It's another edition of Knicks Mailbag, with SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley ready to answer your questions surrounding the team. Let's get started...

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Have the Knicks been in conversations with teams about centers they can trade for? - @jmere09nyc

Yes. Before the draft, they checked in with at least one team with a center under contract. Obviously nothing came to fruition. The team contacted by the Knicks was ultimately unwilling to part with its big man. The Knicks’ approach in this check-in was more than just due diligence, according to the team the Knicks spoke with. They were genuinely trying to get a deal done. Was this because they knew Mitchell Robinson would not be back? I don’t know the answer to that, but logic tells you they wouldn’t have put a call in if they thought Robinson would be back. If the Knicks want to stay under the second apron next season, Robinson would have to take a significant pay cut to return to the team.

You can make the argument that Robinson is the best unrestricted free agent on the center market. The Lakers are among the teams in need of a center. Reports have linked the Lakers and Robinson. SNY hasn’t independently confirmed those reports, but Robinson will certainly have interest from teams around the league. 

If the Knicks lose Robinson, they will have to find a serviceable center via the trade market or free agency. 

Free agency will be difficult because they will not be able to offer much more than a minimum deal. The next place to turn is the trade market. Maybe Moussa Diabate is available from Charlotte after they drafted a big man to add to their large center rotation? The Knicks have previously showed interest in Goga Bitadze, Yves Missi and Nic Richards. I’m sure they will look at all options on the table if Robinson does not return.

Could a yearly pay cut with more years added work? I don’t see any other team giving him more than 2 years? Maybe? - Via Kenny

The Knicks can give him a five-year deal. So they have the opportunity to offer more guaranteed money in the scenario you propose. But the Knicks can also offer him more money annually than he is making now. They would just have to exceed the second apron to do so.

Do you think staying under the second apron is to protect from Mitch injury issues? - Via @therealgmlopes

If you go over to sign him you’re basically stuck if he has his yearly injury. If they can keep him and stay under the apron, that’s not an issue. Also staying under leaves S&T as an option for him.

This would make sense to me. If you are worried about committing multiple years to Robinson due to injury, that’s understandable. But I can’t wrap my head around why the Knicks wouldn’t want to exceed the second apron this offseason.

The penalties are significant (as ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains in this video) but this team just won a championship.

Owner James Dolan has never been shy about spending money. Why would that change now? Dolan said in a WFAN interview recently that he didn’t want to go over the second apron. He reiterated that stance internally prior to the draft. He has not shared the specific reasons why he does not want to go over the second apron.

The strongest pushback to staying under the 2nd apron is BOS won while over it and DEN won + then immediately lost depth bc of it. If NYK believes this group can win multiple titles why should preserving future flexibility take priority over retaining everyone on the title team? - @Brock_Aller

This is a question that will hang over this offseason until it’s explained to the fan base. Every title team loses players. But this situation is different because the Knicks can spend the money to retain Robinson and Landry Shamet. By staying under the second apron, they will have to choose one or the other. 

Three international players? That’s how many the Dallas Mavericks drafted this week. That’s three more than last season. 

And it’s a huge shift from the previous year, where the Mavs either traded or refrained from resigning every single international player still on the team – after having at least one but up to five European or international players on the roster continuously for over 30 years. 

The Dallas Mavericks have had a proud tradition of being first-movers on international talent for decades. We all know how Dirk Nowitzki was doubted before Dallas put their trust in him, and how Luka Doncic fell to third in the 2018 draft, despite being the biggest prospect in years – mainly because he never played college basketball. 

The Mavs have been known to look abroad consistently and turn their focus outward and in new places to find promising talent since the 1990s. 

But under the leadership of General Manager Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd, who was brought to Dallas in 2021, things changed. 

As Mark Cuban stepped away, eventually selling the majority of the franchise in 2023, the outward focus turned inward, and stars – who were once superstars – were valued higher than potential and hidden treasures. The thought-process seemed to be that old is trustworthy, new is risky and what once worked will always work. And with that, the Mavs as a franchise came to a standstill. 

But a sudden course correction has taken place recently.  New leadership, consisting of experienced, international scouts were brought to Dallas, and with that a shift and a tangible rebuild has commenced. 

New GM Mike Schmitz and president Masai Ujiri wasted no time looking outside the US to find diamonds in the rough for this year’s draft, despite only being in Dallas for a little under two months.

And it looks like there might be three this year, though it’s unclear who will be stashed (remain with their overseas team to develop). The Mavs traded Koa Peat at 30 to get Sergio De Larrea (to the New York Knicks) from Valencia, a club that just secured an incredible ACB Spanish championship win over powerhouse Barcelona. 

De Larrea is a Spanish point guard and a 6’7 shooter, straight out of the European basketball tradition, and more specifically, the Spanish – just like Luka Doncic. 

De Larrea debuted for Valencia’s best team and in the Euroleague at 17. After playing for some smaller and reserve teams and declining offers to play college basketball in the US, he returned to a regular role with Valencia as a point guard in 2024/25. 

Other noteworthy accomplishments from the 20-year-old include a FIBA World Cup U19 Gold medal with Spain in 2023 and a Spanish Liga ACB Young Player of the Year award in 2026. 

The likelihood of this being a draft-and-stash seems lower at the moment than just after the draft. According to Spanish sources, the Mavs’ commitment to De Larrea is “completely firm, because their new coach, Dusty May, considers him a guaranteed part of next season’s roster… Any possibility that De Larrea would remain with Valencia Basket has essentially disappeared.”

There aren’t many 6’7, 20 year old primary ball handlers who can self-generate paint touches, navigate screens and flash the craftiness that Sergio De Larrea has…⤵️

Sergio De Larrea isn’t a particularly impressive finisher at the rim, 58.7% and just 43.7% as a driver, BUT his… pic.twitter.com/1Doug23p9G

— Quinn Fishburne (@QuinnFishburne) June 23, 2026

Basically, this is not some scrappy European guy, but at 20, he’s a player who could develop into a serious shooting guard, at least, in the NBA. As Schmitz confirmed after the draft, the Mavs leadership has a strong focus on positional size, and here he also checks all boxes at 6’7. 

The second player of this Mavs draft, who may have come even more out of nowhere to many, is Russian wing Vsevolod Ishchenko (Seva). The Mavericks traded cash considerations to the Los Angeles Lakers to acquire his draft rights. He was selected with the No. 56 pick.

Seva is considered more of a clear draft-and-stash, and the still raw 6’8 Russian wing, playing in the not very athletic Russian VTB United league, stands out as extremely athletic. He looks to have a huge potential, and can be an asset and development piece for the Mavs down the line. 

He made his name early in Russia’s youth basketball system, earning two VTB Youth April MVP awards while dominating the junior ranks for Lokomotiv Kuban-2 at 18. This earned him a spot on Lokomotiv Kuban’s senior team in the professional Russian VTB United League. He was named a VTB United League All-Star and took home the league’s Young Player of the Year award this season. 

Seva’s efficiency stands out, according to RotoWire. Shooting above 50 percent from the field and over 46 percent from three on respectable volume for a 20-year-old, he has a solid shooting touch. Along with his frame, it makes him dangerous on the perimeter. “He moves fluidly in transition, attacks downhill with body control and absorbs contact at the rim.”

The third player is English Tobi Lawal, selected at 48 by the Mavericks. The 23-year-old didn’t start playing basketball until 16, and attended City of London Academy basketball programme before he left for prep school in Lee, Maine. He stayed in the US and spent his college years at VCU and Virginia Tech. The last two years at Virginia, the 6’8 power forward averaged just above 12 points. 

With these three players, three of four drafted by the Mavs, the return of an international outlook and a welcoming of fresh currents in Dallas means a certain level of excitement in the Mavs world and especially for the many international fans of the franchise. 

Paradoxically, it feels like the Mavs are returning to the past. Back when they took a chance on Dirk, and put everything on Luka. 

There’s a feeling among Mavs fans that the tide has turned and new, exciting prospects and ways of playing and rebuilding have emerged. And that is not a bad way to start a new season. 

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

Not a lot of stuff—I mean—going on in the past few hours as we quietly navigate the silent period between the NBA Draft and the start of free agency.

But what, did you expect me to sit idly without scouring the interwebs for links? You mad if you think like that.

• Former Knicks beat reporter Fred Katz of The Athletic just confirmed what we all suspected: James Dolan, and not the front office, is the lone person behind the second-apron mandate. According to Katz and fellow scribe James L. Edwards, the Knicks FO was “blindsided” by Dolan’s comments. I have a lot more on that and Mitchell Robinson’s “likely” exit from New York in an earlier post.
• Welcome to Tyler Nickel season. The more you read about the Knicks’ second-round pick, the more you’ll like about him. Delicious write-up over Sports Illustrated in which Nickel openly says you need an “almost delusional” belief in yourself to make it this far and insists he’s fearless against anybody who steps on the court. A true New Yorker right there.
• The New York Post also had a nice story on Nickel’s draft night, one the Virginia native celebrated with family and his girlfriend, Towson basketball player Zoli Khalil. A sample:

“(Going to New York) doesn’t even sound real. It doesn’t even sound like it would happen. It’s been a minute since it happened to anybody even in the area.”

• Jared Schwartz of the NY Post also spoke with Fran Fraschilla, who had plenty of praise for both Knicks draft picks. Fraschilla trusts Walt Perrin and Brock Aller more than most NBA front offices, likes Nickel’s toughness, shooting and fearlessness, and believes Jack Kayil has a legitimate NBA future even if he still needs seasoning. Worth the full read!
• Speaking of Kayil, the NY Post also talked with several of his coaches and teammates from Germany. The reviews are glowing.
• The second-apron conversation somehow refuses to die. The Newsday’s Steve Popper laid out the financial reality facing the Knicks, and, surprise, it still doesn’t look easy. Mitchell Robinson remains the biggest domino, and although Mitch is on his way out, Popper still can’t believe the front office will simply let him go for nothing.

“The most intriguing free agent is Robinson. The history of the front office tells you that the Knicks don’t let a player walk in free agency for nothing (see: Immanuel Quickley, Julius Randle, Quentin Grimes). So it’s hard to imagine that the Knicks will let him leave with nothing in return. They had chances to extend Robinson and passed, understandably, given his injury history. There has been frustration in the organization with his free-throw struggles, and no one was pleased when he broke his right pinkie in an off-court incident in the postseason, but it’s also countered by what he delivers on the court (and his willingness to get on the court with the injury).”

• ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel blastedJames Dolan the Knicks’ determination to avoid the second apron, arguing there’s “absolutely zero reason” not to spend after winning a championship.
• Sports Illustrated’s Isaiah De Los Santos thinks there’s still a chance Pacome Dadiet gets moved at some point this offseason, even though that won’t help in retaining Mitch and might have a little impact when it comes to all other pending free agents.
• Around the league, Jaylen Brown rumors continue multiplying by the hour. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst made it very clear that Brown “is going to get traded.”

“(Brad Stevens) obviously told him that there was a good chance they’re going to trade him. It’s not a guarantee that they’re going to find a deal that they like that’s going to improve the team, but I think they are intending to trade him.”

• Meanwhile, Mike Lacett “is hearing” that Charlotte is in the mix for Brown, right after getting rid of LaMelo Ball with the younger of the BBB brothers on his way to Minny.
• Clippers veteran Kawhi Leonard is back in the rumor mill, with Jake Fischer reporting that he’d be willing to sign an extension with the Toronto Raptors if they land him via trade. Kawhi, however, doesn’t want to sign any sort of deal with Detroit if the Pistons trade for him. Sister blog Detroit Bad Boys has more on it.
• Per The Athletic’s Sam Amick, it looks like the Pistons went from targeting Austin Reaves to thinking about Brown and Kawhi to… being forced to find a suitor for a pissed Jalen Duren, who doesn’t want to re-sign in Detroit and is close to demanding a sing-a-trade out of Motown. In any case, there are still so many Jalens in the NBA.
• LaVar Ball knows what the Wolves are missing after Thursday’s blockbuster.
• The Lakers got their center on Thursday. “The A10 Player of the Year is one of the nation’s most skilled bigs. Shot 40% from three and averaged 4+ assists per game as a frontcourt playmaking hub,” Jon Chepkevich wrote while announcing the news.

Luka: “Get me an A-list center”

Pelinka: pic.twitter.com/e9doZa56su

— 🎭 (@MaskedInLA) June 25, 2026

Does this mean the exceptional Los Angeles Lakers are out of the Robinson sweepstakes!?