CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 08: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers chase a loose ball during the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena on March 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 109-98. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Giannis Antetokounmpo trade saga was the narrative of the summer. Rumors swirled about whether or not the Milwaukee Bucks would prefer the four quarters on the dollar trade from the Miami Heat or the star-for-star swap from the Boston Celtics. Once the Bucks decided to accept Miami’s trade offer over Boston’s for Giannis, the narrative shifted from one star to another.
Now, Jaylen Brown has shifted into the forefront as one of the league’s best players looking for a change of scenery. There have been teams linked to Brown even when it appeared the Bucks might move Brown to a third team if they received him in a Giannis return.
“The name and team that came back to me is Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers.” Mannix went on to describe how Mobley is the archetype of a player that Boston is currently interested in. There would also be some tough money matching that would need to be accomplished as the Cavaliers are currently in the second apron.
Then, once this news started swirling, it required some insight from Cleveland’s best Brian Windhorst. On his regularly scheduled call with ESPN Cleveland, Windy poured some water on this rumor: “I don’t think they are looking to move him (Mobley) right now.”
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A Mobley for Brown trade could be a disaster on multiple fronts. In terms of talent acquisition, it is a real argument that Brown is more talented than Mobley. Obviously, they are two different archetypes of players, so it’s an apples-to-oranges situation. However, the basketball fit is more of a problem when it comes to Brown. Hypothetically, in a world where the Cavaliers make a version of this deal, the nucleus becomes James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, and Brown vying for possessions and shot attempts.
Brown is not a connective tissue kind of player; I would argue that the way he impacts offenses is similar to the way Mitchell does. We already saw what Mitchell looked like with Darius Garland, someone who also plays their best when they are on ball all the time, and there was strife there. Harden makes more sense next to Mitchell because Harden’s passing, even at this late stage of his career, is a step above the rest.
While Harden can make Mitchell’s shot portfolio easier, Brown would mostly be on ball to generate his own looks. The quotes coming from Brown in recent months about how this is his favorite season he has ever had would also shine a light on the fact that he wants to be the guy on his next team. Mitchell is the guy in Cleveland. Harden knew Mitchell was the guy in Cleveland, which is what made the pairing work offensively.
The situation in Cleveland could become toxic quickly and could become a “your turn, my turn” kind of offense. Kenny Atkinson’s preferred system of ball and player movement doesn’t exactly fit with what a trio of Harden, Mitchell, and Brown would likely turn into.
If the Cavaliers were serious about Brown, it would actually balance the roster more, as well as the offense, to look at a deal around Mitchell for Brown. Although that doesn’t seem like the direction the team is looking for now. At this moment, it seems like the core four group will be back together in some form.
Obviously, things can change; however, for now, it appears that even though the Cavaliers have attractive players, they are equally as attractive to Cleveland.
ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday dropped major purple and gold news, reporting that Reaves "intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to return to the franchise, with a player option for the final season in 2029-30."
The deal helps bring back a fan favorite who proved to be an invaluable offensive threat, and it also makes some history. The reported deal would make Reaves the highest-paid undrafted player in the league's history.
From making history to what this means for the Lakers' cap room and bringing back LeBron James, the NBA world has thoughts, opinions and analysis on the news:
Austin Reaves, Lakers contract news reactions: What it means
Breaking: Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to return to the franchise, with a player option for the final season in 2029-30, sources tell @shamscharania.
Good stuff for Austin, and that takes one of the few elite UFAs off the board https://t.co/YW38WIYPkO
— Nekias (Nuh-KAI-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) June 24, 2026
The Lakers today secured Austin Reaves' commitment on a new deal after rising interest from Detroit, league sources say.
I'm told the Pistons began maneuvering to make a real run at Reaves that would've required, among other moves, trading Isaiah Stewart for needed flexibility. https://t.co/cYZLzjSheJ
Good for the Lakers keeping Austin Reaves off the open market next week by giving him the max. They’ve made Luka the Face of the Franchise so they needed to lock up his best buddy. Now they have even less reason to pay LeBron.
At the top of the Lakers' offseason priority list was re-signing Austin Reaves; the only question was how much this would cost. With at least a couple of teams looming to poach him away as a free agent — Brooklyn and Detroit were mentioned — the Lakers ultimately had to pay a little more than they may have ideally wanted.
The Lakers got their man. Reaves is set to return to the Lakers on a four-year, $184.8 million extension, with a player option on the final season, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by other reports. This slightly exceeds the max that other teams could have offered Reaves.
Reaves will decline his $14.9 million player option to sign the new deal. For the 28-year-old guard there were going to be no hometown discounts this time around, this was Reaves chance at a generational wealth contract and he had to grab it.
Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.7 rebounds a game last season, shooting 36% from 3-point range. A fan favorite, Reaves proved he could be the secondary shot-creating guard next to Luka Doncic that the Lakers need, plus he could effectively run the offense when Doncic was out. The only concern was that he played in just 51 games last season due to an assortment of injuries.
Reaves was undrafted out of Oklahoma and played on the Lakers' Summer League team in 2021. He performed well enough to be given a two-way contract not long after that, but before the team even reached the regular season, they had converted it to a standard NBA contract. By 2023, the rising Lakers star re-signed on a team-friendly four-year, $53.8 million contract.
This new contract will not impact the Lakers' offseason cap space and spending. While the sides agreed to the contract they will not sign the deal until the Lakers have finished their other offseason business (they can go over the cap for Reaves because they have his Bird rights). The Lakers are looking to spend or make trades this summer to upgrade at center and get a two-way wing player, and they will also likely re-sign LeBron James for a ninth season with the team.
One of the biggest potential free agents ahead of the 2026 NBA offseason is off the market before he reached it.
Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves intends to sign a new max contract to remain with the team, according to multiplereports. Reaves and the Lakers have reportedly agreed to a 4-year, $185-million contract after he declined a $14.9-million player option for the 2026-27 season in his current deal.
Reaves, 28, went undrafted in 2021 after playing college basketball at Wichita State and Oklahoma, but latched on with the Lakers as a free agent. His scoring average has increased every year he's been in the NBA, culminating with a career-high 23.3 points per game this past season.
Reaves also averaged 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds, while shooting 49% from the field in 51 games during the 2025-26 campaign. He suffered an oblique injury late in the regular season that forced him to miss the beginning of the playoffs as well.
The Lakers now have both Reaves and star Luka Doncic signed as a backcourt tandem for at least the next two seasons. Doncic signed a new 3-year max contract extension with the Lakers in August 2025 that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season.
LeBron James still looms as a pending free agent for the Lakers this offseason, and center DeAndre Ayton and guard Marcus Smart each have player options they could exercise rather than enter NBA free agency.
Austin Reaves contract details
The 4-year, $185-million extension matches the maximum amount of money Reaves could have received from teams other than the Lakers had he chosen to enter free agency this year.
Here's a breakdown of how the annual salary breakdown of the contract could look, according to NBA salary cap reporter Keith Smith:
The Lakers and Austin Reaves agreed to a four-year maximum contract his new $185M contract. Here's how that deal will look:
The Lakers entered the offseason wanting to add depth to their roster.
They wanted to get more athletic.
And they wanted to add elements of youth.
By trading up in the draft order with the Knicks, the Lakers selected Baylor wing Cameron Carr with the No. 24 pick in the first round of the NBA Draft on Tuesday night — accomplishing all three of their key goals.
The Lakers chose Baylor guard Cameron Carr with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft. AP Photo/Adam Hunger
Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks in 33.7 minutes across 34 games in his lone season at Baylor in 2025–26 after spending two years at Tennessee.
Before Tuesday, Cameron Carr wasn’t expected to still be available when the Lakers were on the clock.
Most mock drafts from major media publications projected Carr to be selected just outside of the lottery, between picks 15–20.
Carr (right) averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.3 blocks in 33.7 minutes across 34 games last season. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Where Carr stands out
Carr’s 3-point shooting and athleticism are his clearest strengths that should immediately translate from college to the NBA.
He shot 37.4% from beyond the arc with the Bears last season, including over 40% on catch-and-shoot 3s, while attempting 6.1 3s per game.
And while standstill shooting is a strength, it isn’t the only time Carr proves dangerous from beyond the arc: He’s a threat spotting up, relocating, curling off screens, and even showed potential as a pull-up 3-point shooter in college.
Carr showed he knows how to leverage his threat as a 3-point shooter into easier scoring opportunities inside the arc, where he shot 60.2%.
He thrived with attacking closeouts or cutting into open space near the rim after defenders pressed up on him too much, using his athleticism to explode for dunks.
Carr had the second-fastest lane agility time (10.46 seconds), second-highest standing vertical leap (38 inches), and third-highest max vertical leap (42 ½ inches) at the NBA combine last month. He uses his explosive athleticism and length in functional ways as a threat in the open floor and above-the-rim finisher/lob threat when he has space in front of him.
Even though he has several areas of improvements on the defensive end of the floor, Carr showed he can at least be a defensive disruptor by using his vertical pop and length (7 ¼-foot wingspan was the longest among players 6-foot-6 or shorter at the combine) to block shots.
Carr has showed the high-end athleticism needed to thrive in today’s NBA. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Where Carr needs to improve
The biggest areas the 6-foot-5 Carr needs to address are his strength and frame.
He weighed 184.4 pounds at the combine, which was the lightest among all players who measured at least 6-foot-3.
Carr’s lack of strength hurts him on both ends of the floor.
He can get bumped off of his driving lanes pretty easily, making it harder for him to finish at the rim, and he can get bumped easily when trying to guard bigger guards and forwards — the types of players he’ll be expected to defend in the NBA — making it challenging for him to stay in front of his assignment.
Carr will need to get stronger and improve his physicality to be a viable point-of-attack defender at the NBA level.
His shotblocking in college showcased his use of timing and instincts in conjunction with his length and athleticism. With more consistent effort and attentiveness, those elements should show up in other areas on defense.
Offensively, he wasn’t a true creator for himself or others for a variety of reasons: The lack of strength; not having much wiggle in his handle; not reading defenses the best (though he’ll make the simple pass).
While Carr’s skillset appears NBA ready, he must improve his strength if he wants to find similar success in the league. Getty Images
Fit/Expectations
The Lakers are as good a fit for Carr as any NBA team since they have the playmakers, led by superstar guard Luka Dončić, who’ll create easier looks for him as he takes on a lower-usage role than he had at Baylor.
Dončić will create the spot-up 3s Carr thrived with during college, as well as connect with the uber-athletic Carr on alley-oops and cuts to the basket.
If free agents Austin Reaves and/or LeBron James return to the Lakers, there will be even more playmakers who’ll allow Carr to focus on his strengths as an off-ball scorer.
Carr will be given chances to prove his worth early in his rookie season as a spot-up shooter. NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers could use more defensive proficiency on the wings, but Carr has the tools to be a positive on that end of the floor if he gets stronger and provides consistent effort.
Carr should be in the mix for a spot in the rotation at the start of the season depending on what happens with the rest of the Lakers’ offseason. At the very least, he’ll be a viable depth option.
Draft grade: B+
Carr’s lack of strength, and how that affects his upside on both ends of the floor, is the biggest swing factor for his career.
But his 3-point shooting, cutting, slashing, length and athleticism should make him an impactful player from Day 1 as he develops his body.
Drafting a player of his caliber late in the first round was great value for the Lakers even with the clear areas of improvement.
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Rick Brunson needs to see a longer body of work before he is ready to crown his son.
Soon after the Knicks won Game 5 of the Finals to secure their first championship since 1973, Rick went viral for going out of his way to make it clear that he does not yet think Jalen Brunson is the best-ever Knick. Brunson had just delivered a Finals masterpiece for the ages, scoring 45 of the Knicks’ 94 points.
“I love my son,” Rick said on ESPN not long after the final buzzer. “Patrick Ewing is the best Knick that I’ve ever witnessed.”
Rick (l.) and Jalen Brunson (r.) with Mariska Hargitay (c.) on a float during the Knicks’ championship parade on June 18, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Rick expanded on that sentiment and explained why the claims from a plethora of fans that Brunson had elevated above any other Knick were premature.
“You have to understand we strive for perfection,” Rick told New York Magazine. “I’ve always pushed him. I’m going to continue to push him. People get caught up in the things he’s done in a short period of time, which is tremendous. I mean, look, I’m a proud father, but you have to do this for a long time to be great. I tell him that all the time. You can’t take away from the great ones — the Walt Fraziers, the Willis Reeds, the Patrick Ewings. They did it for a long period of time. So we still have a long way to go, but we’ll get there.
“You always think about next season. That’s how his mind works. We want to get back to where we were this season and hopefully have a chance to compete for another championship. You want more.”
Patrick Ewing (l.) and Rick Brunson (r.) during the Knicks’ championship parade on June 18, 2026. GC Images
Rick was teammates with Ewing during his two brief stints with the Knicks as a player.
Ewing has all the franchise’s statistical records and carried them through an iconic ‘90s era that fell just short of a title. Frazier was the engine of the two previous championship teams — in 1970 and ‘73 — and the King of Cool who later became a beloved announcer for the team. Reed was the anchor of those two championship teams, winning Finals MVP both times along with the NBA MVP award in ‘70 and delivered one of the most iconic moments in league history.
One thing they all have in common is their longevity, not just in the league but with the Knicks specifically. Right now, that’s something that Brunson does not yet have.
“Patrick Ewing, obviously, [that] I witnessed, is the greatest right now,” Rick said previously on “CBS Mornings.” “All-time leading rebounder, points, he has all the stats. But just the type of person Pat was, the type of teammate he was, the work ethic was similar. Pat was the hardest working guy we had and he was the best player.
“Pat did it for 15 years, Jalen did it for four. I don’t rank these players by championships, although it’s great. Pat’s always been a champion in my book. As of today, Big Fella is my favorite.”
Here’s everything we know about her and how she’s been there to support Boozer through his big career moments.
She’s a cheerleader
Cao was raised by her Cuban parents in Miami and attended Our Lady of Lourdes Academy.
There, she practiced cheer and earned All-Dade First Team honors.
Cameron Boozer’s cheerleader girlfriend Yva Lauren Cao poses with Miami’s mascot. Instagram/yvacao
The cheerleader often posts Instagram photos and TikTok videos about cheering and traveling with her teammates, which include getting ready for gamedays.
She’s currently a cheerleader at the University of Miami and pursuing a degree in public relations.
They have a sports rivalry
Cao and Boozer started dating in August 2023 and attended several proms together before their final one in May 2025.
But with Cao attending Miami and Boozer playing at Duke, the two had a sports rivalry this past season.
Cam Boozer with his girlfriend Yva Lauren Cao after the ACC Championship. Instagram/yvacao
Cao cheered at several Miami football games in the 2025 season, including the national championship against Indiana in January 2026.
Boozer, meanwhile, made a name for himself at Duke, averaging 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in his lone season with the Blue Devils.
Despite their rivalry, Cao still attended Duke games last season and shared posts tied to Boozer’s performances. Before a March Madness game, Cao posted a shirt featuring Boozer’s No. 12 jersey.
The cheerleader also made headlines for her gameday fashion, sharing images to Instagram with custom boots and the words “Boozer” on them during March Madness.
Yva Lauren Cao poses with a Cam Boozer shirt. Instagram/yvacao
She was at his side for the 2026 NBA Draft
Cao was also at Boozer’s side for his greatest accomplishment yet.
The cheerleader went to Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 23 for the 2026 NBA Draft, where Boozer was drafted No. 3 overall by the Grizzles.
Wearing a red dress, Cao was the last person Boozer hugged before going on stage to greet NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
Cam Boozer and Yva Lauren Cao together. Instagram/yvacao
Cao also shared a message with her boyfriend on his draft night.
“Memphis just gained the best there is!!” Cao wrote on a photo of Boozer at the draft. “So proud of you and beyond grateful to watch your dreams become reality.”
“Your talent is undeniable, but who you are is what makes me proudest. I love you endlessly. This is only the beginning. Here we gooo.”
Cao (red) in front of Boozer during the NBA draft. Getty Images
Boozer joins a Grizzles team in desperate need of a spark after a woeful 25-57 season, and will instantly become a key piece for head coach Tuomas Iisalo.
And who knows, maybe Cao will make some trips to Memphis.
Austin Reaves intends to sign 4-year, $185M maximum contract with Los Angeles Lakers.
Austin Reaves is staying in Hollywood.
Confirmed by The California Post, Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million contract to the LA Lakers — the only franchise he’s ever played for.
After declining his $14.9 million player option, Reaves will get the maximum contract extension he was wanting. He will have a player option for the final season.
Austin Reaves intends to sign 4-year, $185M maximum contract with Los Angeles Lakers. AP
Reaves’ new contract is the largest in NBA history for an undrafted player.
Reaves is set to make $41.3M in 26-27; $44.6M in 27-28; $47.9M in 28-29; and $51.2M (player option) in 29-30.
One of the most sensational stories in the NBA, Reaves had a four-year college career that began with two seasons at Wichita State. He transferred to Oklahoma and averaged 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game as a senior — albeit on an inefficient 30.5% from three.
He went undrafted in 2021 and was set to sign a two-way contract with the Lakers before that was upgraded to a standard contract in September, a month before the NBA season was set to begin.
Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to return to the franchise, with a player option for the final season in 2029-30, sources tell ESPN. Reaves declined his $14.9M player option for the new max deal. pic.twitter.com/5T8Ze6v0kF
As the Lakers stumbled in Reaves’ rookie season to a 33–49 record, he asserted himself as a part of the rotation after appearing in 61 games (19 starts) and averaging 7.3 points in 23.2 minutes per game.
He continued his rise the following season, playing in 64 games (22 starts) and averaging 13.0 points in 28.8 minutes per game. He also emerged as a dead-eye shooter from deep, knocking down 39.8% of his threes as the Lakers made the Western Conference finals.
The 2023–24 season is when Reaves truly asserted himself as a core part of the Lakers. He played in all 82 games (57 starts) and bumped his scoring average to 15.9 points on 11.5 shots per game, including knocking down 36.7% of his threes.
Reaves played at an All-Star level last season when he averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game. NBAE via Getty Images
He continued to get better every season, averaging 20.2 points per game in 2024-25 while starting in all 73 games he played. Reaves also proved his worth as an off-ball guard when he combined with Luka Doncic to give the Lakers one of the more dominant scoring backcourts in the league.
All that hard work culminated in a major breakout season this past year. If not for a few injuries, Reaves played at an All-Star level when he averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game on 36% shooting from deep.
With LeBron James missing the early part of the season, Reaves carried the Lakers to a 13–3 record before the calendar flipped to December. He averaged 32.0 points per game in six October games (including a 51-point performance against the Kings) and 26.9 points per game in 10 November games.
Now Reaves has his maximum contract and the Lakers have made it clear that they’re building around Doncic and Reaves as their core moving forward. Whether two offensively talented guards with limited defense is enough to win a title remains to be seen, but the Lakers have made it clear which direction they’re choosing to go in.
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CAMDEN, NJ - JUNE 8: Nick Nurse and Mike Gansey pose for a photo as the Philadelphia 76ers introduce Mike Gansey as their new President of Basketball Operations on June 8, 2026 at The Penn Medicine Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex in Camden, New Jersey. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mary Kate Ridgway/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
As his first big move as president of basketball operations for the Philadelphia 76ers, Mike Gansey selected Labaron Philon with the 22nd overall pick of the 2026 NBA draft. While getting another consensus draft faller a la Tyrese Maxey in 2020 is certainly cause for excitement, it’s possible the Sixers could be done for now. The team does not currently have a selection in Wednesday night’s second round. Philadelphia’s 47th overall pick was sent out as part of the 2021 trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder to acquire George Hill. Subsequent trades had the pick move along to Phoenix and now New York, following a deal last night between the Suns and Knicks for Phoenix to move up into the first round and select Koa Peat with the 30th overall pick.
However, things could change on the second round front for the Sixers. In comments following the first round, Gansey indicated the team may be trying to acquire a selection in tonight’s second round.
Gansey said he's "going to be aggressive." Said the team has several needs and they could look to target someone in the second round. https://t.co/3nLPv6h7eT
Mike Gansey on potentially trading into tomorrow's second round: "We don't have a pick now, but [we'll discuss] where we can get in, who we want to target."
Gansey says the Sixers want to be aggressive and points out that "we have roster spots."
The Sixers currently have 11 players under contract: Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Dominick Barlow, Trendon Watford, Dalen Terry, Jabari Walker, Justin Edwards, Adem Bona, and Johni Broome. Barlow, Watford, and Terry are club options, while Walker and Bona are non-guaranteed deals. Obviously, Philon will take a 12th spot when he signs a contract. Gansey also mentioned last night the team has had contact with the representatives for Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes, so bringing those guys back in free agency is definitely on the team’s radar. However, as Gansey said, there’s certainly room for a second-rounder to enter the mix.
Historically, teams are much more willing to move second-round picks, as those obviously don’t carry nearly the same value as first-round selections. Early indications are that nothing will be different this year.
Memphis, like the Knicks at No. 31, is actively fielding offers to move the No. 32 pick for Night 2 of the draft, per sources. So picks 31 and 32 are up for auction in trades around the NBA — with future assets being proposed. https://t.co/HUbpZCinlB
We’ll see what happens tonight, but if Gansey and the Sixers are motivated, it appears the opportunities will be there to acquire a pick in the second round. Stay tuned.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: NBA commissioner Adam Silver shakes hands with Yaxel Lendeborg after is drafted eleventh overall by the Golden State Warriors during Round One of the 2026 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 23, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I have to admit there were no actual losers from the first-round of the draft — just a few teams where I would have done something different with the pick. Most of my analysis is informed by my evaluations from my final big board. I always believe the draft is about chasing the best player available, while free agency and trades are where teams should maximize fit.
Let’s dive into some post-draft analysis for our winners and “losers” from round one. Check back in a few years and feel free to call me out on whatever I got wrong.
I didn’t love what the Grizzlies did with the second pick, trading back twice and landing another power forward in Karim Lopez, who I wasn’t super high on. Whatever. The Grizzlies’ front office is way smarter than I am. Memphis walked away with the best player in the draft, and that makes them the biggest winner.
Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder
The rich get richer. The Thunder drafted Michigan center Aday Mara at No. 12 and then traded up for Iowa point guard Bennett Stirtz at No. 16 to address the two small holes that existed within their roster. Mara is a giant at 7’3 with a 9’9 standing reach, and he gives OKC another big body to throw at Victor Wembanyama in future playoff matchups. Mara doesn’t have much coverage versatility defensively, but he’s very good in drop, and he’s entering an ideal scenario for a drop big with so many nasty point-of-attack defenders in front of him. The Thunder were also hurting for extra ball handling and shooting on last year’s playoff run amid injuries, and Stirtz checks both boxes. He’s a wicked shooter on- or off-the-ball, and he’s one of the draft’s best pick-and-roll operators. Sam Presti crushed it again.
Loser: Milwaukee Bucks
I feel bad for putting the Bucks here because their picks weren’t that bad. Brayden Burries is a nice off-ball guard who can shoot and defend, and I think he’ll be a solid fit next to emerging star (is that too rich?) Ryan Rollins. Nate Ament was not my favorite, but at No. 13, the value isn’t too bad. I just would have gone in a different direction with those picks. I really think the Bucks did well in the Giannis trade, but they have to nail their picks to make this rebuild work. I’m not sure they did that on Tuesday night.
Winner: Chicago Bulls
Bryson Graham knocked it out of the park in his first draft as a lead decision-maker in the NBA. Caleb Wilson was a no-brainer choice at No. 4. His combination of extreme athleticism, high-IQ, and elite work ethic is a great sign for his future. The Bulls went with Dailyn Swain at No. 15, and I’m also a big fan of that pick. Swain is a nasty slasher for a 6’7 wing with a tight handle and the ability to change directions on a dime. Chicago has a pretty big logjam of forwards now with Matas Buzelis, Noa Essengue, and Leonard Miller already on the roster, but I think Swain can play the two long-term if he makes any progress with his jump shot. The Bulls aren’t good enough to worry about fit; they just had to get the best available talent. I think they did that with both picks.
Loser: Los Angeles Lakers
A lot of people like Cam Carr, and I get it. He’s a very good off-ball shooter, he’s super long, and he’s got serious hops around the basket. I just worry he could be pigeonholed as a specialist because he’s not much of a ball handler or playmaker, and he struggles to defend at the point of attack with a thin frame. The Lakers needed some shooting, but they also had a lot of other holes, especially in terms of wing defense. I’m not sure how much Carr is really going to help.
Loser: Sacramento Kings
Listen, Darius Acuff was electric at Arkansas. John Calipari has coached a lot of great guards, and I’m not sure any of them had a better freshman year than Acuff. With that said, I’m a bit lower on his NBA projection because I think his defense is terrible and I’m not sure he’ll continue to be a 44 percent career three-point shooter. He could definitely make me look dumb because Acuff is an awesome floor general and a great scorer, but I liked some of the other guards more. The Kings also traded up to take Alex Karaban at the end of the first round, and he wasn’t in the top-45 of my board. I’m sorry, Kings fans! I want good things for you, so I hope your picks prove me wrong.
Winner: Detroit Pistons
I’ve been wanting to see what Cade Cunningham looks like in a less heliocentric role, and the Pistons traded up to deliver him an awesome young point guard. Ebuka Okorie has the best first-step in this class. The Stanford guard is lightning fast with the ball in his hands, putting pressure on the rim and getting the opposing defense in rotation. I was impressed by his shooting, and I think he defends bigger than his size, too. Okorie rules, and I love the fit in Detroit.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 11: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts a three-point basket during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on April 11, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers have taken care of one of their biggest items in free agency.
Austin Reaves has agreed to re-sign with the Lakers, as first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN. Reaves will sign a four-year, $185 million deal.
Los Angeles Lakers star Austin Reaves intends to sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to return to the franchise, with a player option for the final season in 2029-30, sources tell ESPN. Reaves declined his $14.9M player option for the new max deal. pic.twitter.com/5T8Ze6v0kF
This is a max deal for Reaves, but over four years instead of five. The AAV of this deal will be $46.5 million. Though the deal is announced now, he won’t sign it until after the Lakers finish with free agency as his $20.9 million cap hold will give the Lakers more flexibility to operate this offseason.
Charania also reported that the Pistons were among the expected suitors if Reaves got to unrestricted free agency and were ready to offer a max contract. The Lakers ensured it would not get to that point by agreeing to a deal before any other team had a chance to negotiate.
Reaves was expected to receive free-agent interest from multiple teams — such as Detroit — on maximum-level salary, so the Lakers stepped up on Wednesday to lock in their homegrown talent. Reaves went from undrafted to a two-way player — to making the Lakers roster and now… https://t.co/gft1J4pThc
While his play was a mixed bag in the postseason, Reaves did have some solid games. In Game 2 against the Thunder, he went 10-16 from the field and scored a team-high 31 points.
Retaining Reaves was clearly a top priority for the Lakers.
This has been lauded as a big off-season for the purple and gold, as they entered it with plenty of roster spots and cap space, which they need to use well to help close the gap with the Thunder and Spurs.
By bringing back Reaves, the Lakers have secured their backcourt and have made it clear with this significant pay raise that they believe the duo of Dončić and Reaves can compete in the West.
With Reaves as the starting guard for Lakers head coach JJ Redick, he’s not only continued to improve, but the team has won 50-plus games in back-to-back seasons, a feat they haven’t accomplished since 2011 when Phil Jackson was the coach.
Overall, this was an easy decision for the Lakers. Reaves has said he wants to be a Laker for life, and the franchise has matched that energy with this contract.
Los Angeles did the hard part already: finding top talent that went undrafted and helping mold them into the players they can become.
This summer was about rewarding that growth with a substantial raise and securing Reaves for years to come. Now, Reaves will remain in a purple and gold uniform, and the Lakers can focus on building out the rest of their roster.
Riley pushed all his chips in to land Giannis. Breaking down the blockbuster trade, the fit with Bam Adebayo, and what's next for the Miami Heat.
Nobody should be surprised. That's the first thing to understand about what happened Monday night, hours before the 2026 NBA Draft was set to begin in Brooklyn. The Miami Heat trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo isn't shocking. It isn't unexpected. It is, in fact, the most Pat Riley thing that has happened in the NBA in years, and he has been doing Pat Riley things for decades.
Riley cleared the deck when Jimmy Butler walked out the door at the deadline last year, took a long look at the roster he had left, and decided the only logical next move was the biggest one available. That's who he is. That's always been who he is. You don't get to 81 years old with Riley's résumé by playing it safe and hoping the ping pong balls bounce your way. You pick up the phone, you make the call, and you find a way to get it done. Monday night, he got it done.
The Heat acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from Milwaukee in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, including the 13th overall selection Tuesday night -- which turned into Nate Ament, who could be the steal of the draft at that selection -- a 2030 pick swap, and a 2033 second-rounder. That's the whole medicine cabinet. Every asset Miami had been quietly stockpiling since the Butler era ended got shipped to Wisconsin in one transaction.
Riley and the Heat didn't dip their toes in. They cannon-balled off the high dive.
John Fisher / Getty Images
Let's talk about what they gave up, because it matters. The Bucks chose Miami's offer over a Celtics package that reportedly included Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks, which tells you everything about how aggressive Riley was willing to be. Herro was the centerpiece heading to Milwaukee, a former Sixth Man of the Year and the kind of scorer that most rebuilding teams would love to have. Ware is a 20-year-old center with legitimate upside. Jakucionis was a first-round pick from this cycle who hadn't played an NBA game yet. And three unprotected first-rounders going out the door means Miami is betting everything -- and I mean everything -- on this working.
Now for the part that's going to generate debate all summer.
The fit isn't obvious. Giannis and Bam Adebayo together create one of the most suffocating defensive frontcourts in the history of the league -- two of the best defenders at their respective positions, both capable of guarding one through five, both elite rim protectors, both the kind of players that opposing coaches design entire game plans around. On that end of the floor, this pairing is genuinely terrifying. Erik Spoelstra is going to have a field day.
But offense is where the questions live. Giannis operates best in space, attacking the rim in a straight line, using his combination of size and athleticism to punish defenses that can't contain him one-on-one. Bam is a brilliant offensive player in his own right -- skilled in the post, lethal as a pick-and-roll operator, one of the best passing big men in the game. The issue is that they both need the paint to do their best work. Put them together, and you have two of the most physically dominant players in basketball fighting over the same real estate. It's more than fair to question Miami's ability to build a true contender around Giannis and Bam, especially on par with the reigning champion Knicks.
And then there's the roster around them. After sending out Herro, Ware, Jaquez, Jakucionis, and a small fortune in picks, what exactly is left? The Heat's depth chart after the trade is thin, which doesn't begin to cover it. Portis comes over from Milwaukee, which helps at backup center, but the situation gets worse when you factor in Norman Powell. The veteran wing is an unrestricted free agent this summer and one of the more coveted players on the market, and with Giannis's $58.5 million salary now on the books and the second apron looming, Miami almost certainly won't have the financial flexibility to bring him back. That's a 20-point-per-game scorer walking out the door right as their most important acquisition is walking in.
This team is going to need to find shooters, wings, and secondary playmakers in the bargain bin of free agency and the buyout market, all while navigating cap constraints that leave very little room for error. The roster construction puzzle that Miami's front office is going to be solving right up until opening night just got significantly more complicated.
Here's the counterargument, and it's a legitimate one: Maybe none of that matters.
Antetokounmpo still averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists while shooting 62.4% from the field this past season in the 36 games he played. When healthy, he is still one of the three or four best players alive. Pairing him with Bam and turning Spoelstra loose on a defensive scheme built around two generational defenders is a formula that could make up for a lot of offensive inefficiency. The Heat under Spoelstra have always been more than the sum of their parts. They've won playoff series with rosters that had no business winning playoff series. They went to the Finals with Butler and a collection of castoffs. What they do with two legitimate stars and a Hall of Fame coach is a different conversation entirely.
The goal now for Miami is to get Giannis signed to an extension. He becomes eligible for a four-year, $275 million supermax in January 2027, and if he doesn't sign it, he could opt out the following summer and walk. That's the sword hanging over everything here. If Riley can get the extension done -- and the expectation is that he can, given that Giannis chose Miami over Boston when he could have gone either way -- then this is a franchise-altering move that sets up the Heat for the next four or five years. If he can't, Miami just gave away its entire future for one year of a 31-year-old coming off an injury-plagued season.
The irony of all of this is that the Lillard era in Milwaukee indirectly delivered Giannis to South Florida. The Bucks waived Dame, signed Myles Turner, went 32-50 anyway, and Giannis watched all of it from the sideline while his knee healed. The relationship between player and franchise deteriorated quietly, and Riley was positioned perfectly to take advantage. That's not luck; that's decades of understanding how the league works and being ready when the moment arrives.
Should it have been more surprising? Probably not. Riley has been doing this his entire career, finding a way to the table when the biggest names become available by outworking everyone else in the room and betting on himself to figure out the rest later. He got Shaq. He got LeBron. He got Jimmy. Now, he's got Giannis.
The fit questions are real. The roster concerns are legitimate. The risk is enormous, and everyone in South Florida knows it.
But this story isn't really about Pat Riley anymore. It's about Giannis Antetokounmpo. It's about what happens when one of the most dominant players of his generation gets a fresh start, a new challenge, and an organization that believes championships are the only acceptable outcome. Miami has done more with less before. Now it has something it rarely gets: a player with a résumé that already belongs among the all-time greats. The question isn't whether Giannis can elevate the Heat. It's whether this partnership can unlock one more level in a career that still feels unfinished.
Everything about this move is a gamble. But if you're going to bet on someone, betting on a two-time MVP still in his prime is a pretty good place to start.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy raised eyebrows with their viral draft room interaction Tuesday night.
After joking that the two were arguing about the best golf course in San Francisco, Dunleavy downplayed the moment as a whole while speaking to reporters after the 2026 NBA Draft, adding that there were “probably some talks about trades” before the team selected Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 pick.
More details about that conversation were shared by The SF Standard’s Tim Kawakami on Wednesday morning, who reported, citing multiple sources, that Dunleavy and Lacob were “brushing off a moderate offer” for the No. 11 pick.
Mike Dunleavy reacts to Joe Lacob's reaction here: "He was just getting a little anxious about us taking Yaxel." https://t.co/2Bvh7cNG2B
“From our standpoint, we knew we were going to pick Yaxel at 11, he was the guy,” Dunleavy told reporters. “But you just want to flush him out, make sure you’re not missing anything that falls in your lap or makes a ton of sense. So that’s what we were doing. And I think Joe was like, ‘Come on, just let’s go ahead and pick the guy.’ I said, ‘Joe, we have time. They give you five minutes.’ He was just getting a little anxious about us taking Yaxel.
“The good thing was, because we were on the clock, nobody could swoop in and take him ahead of us. So I was willing to be patient with it.”
Now that that’s cleared up, hopefully everyone can move on from the viral moment.
When asked about what led to the seemingly awkward exchange between him and the Warriors owner Joe Lacob Tuesday night during the NBA draft that has since gone viral, Dunleavy said the two got into an argument over the best golf course in San Francisco.
The Warriors general manager then said it was a joke, and that the pressure of the moment with possible trades led to anxiety.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob and GM Mike Dunleavy appear to disagree on what to do with the pick pic.twitter.com/LGKd0hvQav
“This is a really strong draft, so once we got to No. 9, No. 10 and No. 11, I felt like we were going to be anxious to see who falls there,” Dunleavy told reporters after taking Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11. “But we felt like at No. 11, no matter what happened, we were going to get a good player.
“As far as the discussion with Joe and I … at that point there were probably some talks about trades and things like that. But ultimately we were all in agreement to land on taking Yaxel. I think Joe was like, ‘Come on, let’s go ahead and pick the guy’. He was just getting a little anxious about us taking Yaxel.”
Dunleavy and Lacob’s exchange happened moments before the team ended up staying at No. 11, despite fielding trade offers.
The toss-up for the Warriors front office was reportedly between Arizona guard Brayden Burries — who went to the Bucks with the No. 10 pick — and Lendeborg.
Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy talking in the corner in a viral moment. @TheDunkCentral/X
Mike Dunleavy explained his viral interaction with Joe Lacob in the Warriors' draft room tonight pic.twitter.com/DzYawbAvzg
While he’s an older rookie at 23, Lendeborg won a national championship at Michigan this past season after transferring from UAB.
Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while appearing in 40 games and starting 39.
The Warriors added one of college basketball’s best big men. AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura
The forward was also named Big 10 Player of the Year and was a consensus First Team All-American.
The 23-year-old, though on the older side for a rookie, will offer youth to a Warriors team headlined by 38-year-old Steph Curry, 36-year-old Draymond Green and 36-year-old Jimmy Butler.
We’re back like Mack The Knife and ready to dig into some off-season conversation.
After an extended break, we thought it might be nice to fill some of the pre-free agency vacuum by chasing some wild hares, particularly when it comes to a very specific vein of trade conversation — De’Aaron Fox.
Following San Antonio’s Finals loss (still feels to soon to type that), and an extended rough stretch while playing injured, the NBA world is a-twitter (pun intended) with ideas about how the Spurs should move on from Fox, in spite of the Spurs somewhat public declaration of support.
So, as far as this edition of the Mailbag is concerned, I’m going to be taking you through a bunch of those proposed trades (which a bunch of Spurs Twitter users were lovely enough to provide) and ranking them according to various scales of feasibility and fit.
As always, feel free to drop related (and unrelated) questions down below in the comments for use in future mailbags. If you have questions that didn’t get answered today, you can continue submitting it (and others) in the comments below, as we will absolutely be combing through them.
Additionally, you can also submit questions in the comments on our Twitter Mailbag posts, just as you would in the comments here. And of course, you can always DM me your question directly. (Please note that rhetorical questions and declarative statements are less likely to make the mailbag)
All right, now let’s get to it!
Ok, since we all seem to be on the subject of what to do with De'Aaron Fox lately, I'd love to see your best trade proposals
Make them as realistic or outlandish as you like, but drop them here, and I'll see if I can use them in a special Fox-centric @poundingtherock mailbag
Ok, I felt the need to embed the above tweet so that we all can see and understand that I told people that their ideas could be as outlandish as they were realistic.
Was this the right call? I have no idea. I do know that I spent an almost equal amount of time laughing and facepalming.
De’Aaron Fox + Keldon Johnson + three 2nd round picks (’26, ’29, ’30) for Giannis Antetokounmpo submitted by @ChiChiandPato
To be fair, this person admitted to a bit of pie-in-the-sky trolling, but this is obviously unrealistic for several reasons, chief among them being the complete lack of reported interest in the Alamo City on the part of both Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Front Office. The Spurs do have a solid combination of assets and salaries with which they could make an offer, but to do so for one guaranteed season of a soon-to-be 32-year-old who is pretty athleticism dependent is almost certainly a no-go for San Antonio, and Fox’s postseason swoon makes it even more unlikely that the Bucks will see him as a favorable asset (and that’s without considering Keldon’s postseason inconsistency). Much more likely the Bucks would want to make a demand for Dylan Harper, and I think we can all agree that that’s a no-go, even without considering shipping out the ’27 Atlanta, ’31 Sacramento, and/or the ’30 Minnesota swap.
Grade: -1/10(Updated Grade -1,000/10, the Miami Heat had to gut their team for Giannis)
De’Aaron Fox for Ja Morant + Ty Jerome submitted by @flygodd22
The lack of picks here actually feels somewhat realistic, given Memphis’ reported desire to move on from Morant. However, San Antonio seems like one of the most unlikely destinations due to: 1. A pretty significant personal character conflict for the franchise, 2. Already possessing a high-floor + high-ceiling back-court of the future in Castle and Harper that would again become cramped with Morant, 3. No evidence that Morant would be willing to adapt his ego and/or playing style accordingly, 4. Bigger needs at other positions, 5. Visible decline and an injury history that suggests that Fox is still the better and more reliable option. If the Spurs front office is going to take a risk, it’s probably not going to be on another guard, and almost certainly not on someone who has consistently displayed the opposite of their preferred ‘over themselves’ ethos. You risk upsetting the chemistry of a Finals team, the possibility of adding an internal power-struggle between Morant and your unquestioned franchise pillar, more guard rotation issues, and the possibility of it all ending up dead money anyway due to injury/regression. And according to Sam Amick, the Grizzlies are hoping to dangle Morant as a ‘Plan B’ for teams that miss out on Giannis. In other words, Memphis is hoping to take advantage of a desperate sucker. That’s just not the Spurs. Nor should it be. Unless the Spurs could somehow get draft assets back (and a blood-oath on pain of self-immolation from Morant for best-behavior), I don’t see this happening.
De’Aaron Fox to The Clippers + Kawhi Leonard to The Heat + Andrew Wiggins and Nikola Jović to The Spurs submitted by @RomanSATX
Yep, it’s our first three-team trade, and I felt nauseous just typing it out. Ignoring the fact that no one really seems to know what the hell is going on with Leonard, The Clippers, and the theoretical consequences of their arboreal money-laundering scheme, there are still the issues of Wiggins being the wrong size forward, Jović being a milquetoast rim protector whose long-distance shot fell off a cliff, and neither player helping much with the rebounding issues. Add to the equation that the Heat are pretty Spursian in their ability to elevate and make use of role-players, and you basically get that Jović is a lesser version of Kornet who will be paid more than Kornet, for more years, and that Wiggins solves none of San Antonio’s issues at the 4 (though his contact will be expiring), and only increases the existing log-jam at the 3. And the Spurs get no picks. I would rather have someone give me a pedicure with a cheese grater than to have to watch a trade like this go down.
Grade: 1 chum bucket full of my disgust
De’Aaron Fox for Luka Dončić submitted by @HarperEasy2
I have almost no complaints about this trade other than some recently developing concerns that Spurs fans have been infected by whatever one-sided trade-related malady it is that ails the brains of Los Angeles Laker fans. Still, you can’t really call this sort of thing an impossibility anymore, and if the Lakers were to fire Rob Pelinka and then hire Nico Harrison, all bets are off. Even then, though, there would have to be some picks involved. Nico Harrison loves him some picks.
De’Aaron Fox + Luke Kornet (or picks) for Immanuel Quickley + Jakob Poeltl submitted by multiple people/accounts
This was the most popular submission by far, and it came with different variations of picks and/or Kornet, and it looks fairly rational on the surface. Poeltl is familiar with San Antonio and their system, and is still an above-average rim defender and rebounder, and a decent passer for his position. And Quickley is capable of handling bench and starting duties as needed, can definitely shoot the three, and has also has an ideal disposition for joining the roster seamlessly. Both players are more than capable of spot-starting and offer high-floor depth. However, issue number one is that Poeltl is on the decline, and his health has been an issue pretty much since he got to Toronto, and he’s about to get really expensive proportionate to his value (with 3 years fully guaranteed) which is why Toronto would be looking to get off him. Issue two is that Quickley still has 3 years left on a contract that’s about 20% of the cap, which is a bundle for a player who will get a lot of his minutes with the bench. I don’t think that this is a bad trade, per se. But I do feel like it presents just as many problems as simply keeping Fox, especially with his current trade value probably being lower than the Spurs would like. It may raise the floor, but almost certainly doesn’t raise the ceiling, and if Kornet is in the swap, it actually doesn’t really help depth. Most of all, it doesn’t really reduce cost. And if it doesn’t reduce cost or raise the ceiling, I don’t see the Spurs doing it.
Grade: 4.5/10 (depending on asset variation)
De’Aaron Fox for Julius Randle + Donte DiVincenzo submitted by multiple people/accounts
This was the 2nd most popular submission, and I understand the reasoning. Randle and DiVincenzo actually fill needs for the team, potentially raising the floor and the ceiling. DiVincenzo is a dead-eye shooter with terrific off-ball skills and is a decent defender capable of adding to the starting unit and/or the bench. Randle is a unicorn in terms of talent at Power-Forward, and at his best, is capable of stretching the floor, defending forwards and big men, making sharp passes, and out-rebounding bigger players. ‘At his best’ remains the operative phrase, though, as Randle has been confoundingly inconsistent over his career, season-to-season, game-to-game, quarter-to-quarter. Ironically, Randle’s inconsistent execution and effort level have been among the most consistent aspects of his game at each of his stops. It’s unlikely he would have bounced around so much for a player with his skillset had he been capable of greater focus and (per both reporters and fans) actually listening to his coaches. When you add DiVincenzo’s almost certainly year-long Achilles rehab to the equation, this is basically the Morant trade, just with better positional fits. If this trade featured Naz Reid instead, it might really be interesting, but Reid is as beloved and valued by his team and Minnesota fans as DiVincenzo is (Thilo Widder of Canis Hoopus gave glowing reviews of both during Fraternizing with the Enemy), and because of that, I expect the Wolves to hold onto both of them. Likewise, I expect the Spurs to avoid a solo swap for Randle. At best, they might help facilitate something for the Wolves for an asset (as they seem very motivated to move Randle), but considering Minnesota’s status as a Western Conference contender, I doubt it.
Grade: 4/10 (because of positional fit)(Updated Grade: 3/10, Minnesota had to send assets to trade Randle to the Nets, but it was really just a pick swap. Not worth it.)
De’Aaron Fox + pick for Kevin Durant submitted by multiple people/accounts
I’ve started to see this one more over the last several days, and again, I understand the reasoning need-wise. The Spurs need scoring, shooting, and size. Durant offers all three, and then some. His arrival has been a longstanding desire for a large cohort of Spurs fans since his tenure at the University of Texas, and then gained more steam around the NBA’s 75th anniversary, when Durant put on a George ‘Iceman’ Gervin jersey for a photo-op. And to be clear, the money works, and Durant’s contract only lasting two seasons seems ideal. Theoretically, the skill-set fits. But nothing about Durant has been simple over his career, and the injuries have really started to stack up over recent years. There have been rumors about Durant sabotaging team chemistry long before his recent stint with the Rockets, and once again, a lot of fingers are being pointed. Will Durant try to force an extension as he has in the past, and then throw a trade-value sabotaging fit when denied? Will he be willing to play second (or even 3rd) fiddle again in pursuit of more titles? Will he want to play within the relative confines of San Antonio’s system? Will he respect the still-developing head coach and younger ascending talents as his star begins to wane? All important questions when it comes to one of the most perplexing yet undeniably pure talents of his generation. However, I think the biggest factor is likely going to be Houston’s reluctance to send him to the Spurs, a long-time rival and current opponent for regional dominance as well as Western Conference seeding. The last time these two teams got together for a trade was 2007, when the Spurs shipped Luis Scola to Houston. Prior to that, you have to go back to 1992. Prior to that? 1984. In fact, the Spurs and Rockets have combined for exactly 4 trades with each other, total. It’s an interesting thought exercise, but it’s just not happening. If it does, though, you might want to think about buying a lottery ticket.
Grade: 5/10 (too many questions + too little chance)
De’Aaron Fox + late 1st to The Nets, Michael Porter Jr. + a Spurs 2nd to the Kings, Domantas Sabonis to The Spurs submitted by Yours Truly
Ok, hear me out. The Nets badly need a point guard, and just took on Randle and his salary as they continue their rebuild (ie: hoarding picks). With Randle in the fold, it feels like Porter could be on the move, and the Kings could really use his shooting, scoring, and relative youth + cap reduction. The Nets get a 1st and an upside play that Fox will return to form, allowing them to either keep or trade him for more assets. The Spurs get Sabonis, who is not only slightly cheaper than Fox, but only has two years left on his contract. And Sabonis is actually a pretty compelling fit for San Antonio when you break it down. Not only is he capable of playing both Center and Power-Forward, he’s also arguably the best passing big-man outside of Nikola Jokić (I’m not putting Karl-Anthony Towns over Sabonis until I see some consistency), is a tenacious rebounder, and averaged .389 from three over the 3 consecutive seasons prior to last year. In short, the Spurs would be able to use him the way that the Knicks have used Towns, except that Sabonis is a more efficient scorer and is smarter when it comes to fouls. And while Sabonis does showcase some defensive vulnerability, he’s had a positive Defensive Box Plus/Minus for most of his career, and will be protected a bit when playing with Wemby or Kornet. The biggest issue with this trade is feasibility. After getting fleeced by the Spurs twice in the past couple of years, will the Kings want to deal with them again? Will the Nets want more compensation? Do they want to keep Porter? Will their owner force them to make win-now moves? (as he has in the past) Will both teams try to extract maximum value from the Spurs? It’s just a lot of moving parts and ‘ifs’ and supposedly the Spurs don’t want to move Fox anyway. The fit could be amazing, and the trade has upsides for each team, but it just seems like a major stretch. Man could it be fun, though.
Grade: 5/10 (too many unknown variables)
Good Fit + More Feasible
De’Aaron Fox + Multiple 1sts for Jaren Jackson Jr. submitted by @DonMegaBets
If you wanna talk about fit, this might be even better than Sabonis, though Jackson is decidedly not as impressive a rebounder or passer. Offensively, Jackson’s a more consistent floor stretcher on a higher diet of long-distance shots, and is a pretty efficient scorer in his own right, but it’s the potential for outright defensive terrorism that gives this mouth-watering potential. You’re talking about pairing two of the most smothering rim protectors since San Antonio’s Twin Towers, both of whom can switch back and forth between the 4 and the 5 any given possession, and who can legitimately space the floor like no other front-court. I really only see three issues: 1. Jackson has had some trouble staying healthy as of late, 2. Juggling Jackson’s contract (and possible future contracts) in addition to other budding Spurs stars and Wemby, 3. Danny Ainge. The first issue I would feel less concerned about when considering the reputation and kid-glove handling of the Spurs medical team, and shrewd playing time allocations. The second issue just feels like champagne problems. ‘Oh no! How can they afford to pay all the great players they have on the roster?!’. The third issue, however, is almost certainly the biggest one. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to steer clear of wheeling and dealing with Danny Ainge. For starters, he already pulled off a small heist in order to land Jackson, and there’s no indication that he’d want to move him. Secondly, Ainge has a long history of fleecing teams + extracting maximum value once he knows they want a player. There are no discounts, no real weak moments, no real leverage. Ainge is going to get what he wants, or no dice. And that means this almost certainly empties the last of the San Antonio’s excess pick hoard. Would it be worth it? Yeah, probably. Would the Spurs actually do it? I sincerely doubt it.
Grade: 6/10 (Ainge seems unlikely to do it)
De’Aaron Fox + 1st for Lauri Markkanen submitted by @TheFinalQuan
Full disclosure, I’ve never been big on Markkanen, but he sure looks like a perfect fit in this scenario. Within the context of this Spurs team, he’s basically Kevin Durant-lite. He’s a very efficient shooter from all three levels who adds size, rebounding, and scoring punch, minus all of the drama. The contract is basically a perfect swap, and Markkanen should be able to slide right into the existing ecosystem without much trouble. The defense isn’t great, but his size + the Spurs existing corral of defenders should make up for a lot of that. And with only three years left, the Spurs should be able to move off of him pretty quickly if it doesn’t pan out. The snag is, once again, Danny Ainge, who will probably be prefectly content waiting until he gets exactly the offer he want, as keeping Markkanen really isn’t a problem for him, even if the Jazz draft another forward. With no real rumors of discord or desire to move him, you can expect Ainge to extract a premium for Markkanen’s services. And the Spurs don’t make a lot of trades to begin with, so I wouldn’t bet on this one happening. These are two trade partners who really prefer to dictate their own terms. Spurs fans would owe the front office yet another apology if they pulled it off without getting disemboweled by Ainge, though. But that’s a tall order.
Grade: 7/10 (or higher, depending on cost)
De’Aaron Fox + Multiple 1sts (2-3) for Trey Murphy and Herb Jones submitted by @DonMegaBets
For the perfect mixture of fit and feasibility, though, I think this feels right. The fit isn’t quite as compelling as some of the other propositions, but it’s close, as Herb Jones has seemed like an ideal Spur since he arrived in the NBA, and Murphy shares a somewhat combined profile of two previous Spurs additions in Rudy Gay and Harrison Barnes. Per ESPN’s Marc Spears, the Pelicans are actually looking to move Murphy, and they are exactly the kind of team the Spurs like to take advantage of. The entire organization is in a state of flux with “at least 25 vacancies across basketball operations and business departments so far’, including the medical and analytics departments, which were reportedly “gutted”, which doesn’t bode well, disregarding new president of basketball operations Joe Dumars’ already inconsistent front-office history. The real question in this scenario will be whether the Pelicans will try to continue their long-standing win-now attempts to build around Zion Williamson, or if they’re only interested in collecting assets. If it’s the former (or even an attempt to do both at once) this suddenly becomes very feasible, and might not even cost San Antonio their coveted 2031 Sacramento Kings swap. A front-office in flux and in search of direction (in combination with the right mixture of desperation), with good players who are being ignored for flashier options, is the perfect recipe for a good-old-fashioned Spurs heist. I still don’t think the Spurs are trading Fox this season, but of all the trade ideas, this one seems actually seems possible.
Grade: 8.5/10 (Joe Dumars is the epitome of chaotic good)
Well, that’ll do it for this edition of the PtR mailbag! Let us know your thoughts and/or drop your trade ideas in the comments below. We’ll see how things go tonight in the Draft. And, as always, Go Spurs Go!
