OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 5: Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball while being defended by Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first quarter in Game One of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 5, 2026 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Joshua Gateley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers’ roster shuffling has continued with another trade that also lands them some sorely-needed draft capital.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, LA is trading Deandre Ayton to the Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two second round picks.
Just in: The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two Wizards second-round picks in 2031 and 2032, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/bAEtSFpTNi
Finally, Rob Pelinka got Anthony Davis his center.
This deal will only open up about an extra $2 million in cap space for the Lakers. Hardy is making $6 million this season with a team option for $6 million next season. Ayton was set to make $8.1 million this season.
To do that, they will need to clear contracts off the books, which the addition of the two second round picks should help them do. In short, this feels like a precursor to another trade and then a free agent signing.
Ayton’s season in LA was underwhelming, but largely because he did not establish himself as the team’s center of the future. He still showed he can be a reliable rotation player and a starter on some teams, but he was not the rim-running, lob-catching center the team needed and certainly did not want to be Clint Capela this season.
Hardy averaged 12.6 points per game on 42% shooting in 23 games with the Wizards in the second half of last season. He did spend time in Dallas with Luka Dončić. However, as a guard in an already crowded backcourt, Hardy is likely going to be on the outside looking in.
In what is essentially a salary dump for Houston — of a player they spent to get just a year ago — the Rockets are sending Dorian Finney-Smith and three second-round picks to the Charlotte Hornets, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Houston recruited and signed Finney-Smith last summer to a four-year, $53 million deal. But then Smith, 33 and a 10-year NBA veteran, missed time at the start of the season while recovering from ankle surgery and was never himself, playing in 37 games and averaging 3.3 points per night when he did get in. Finney-Smith is owed $13.3 million for each of the next three seasons (the last is a player option).
For Houston, this is about opening up a roster spot and saving some salary space after agreeing to deals with Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic (who will largely play Finney-Smith's role for the Rockets), then re-signing Tari Eason. Houston was starting to get within striking distance of the dreaded second apron of the luxury tax, now they are not close.
It's unclear if Charlotte plans to keep Finney-Smith. With this deal, the team has 17 players on standard contracts, so a couple need to be let go or moved before the season starts.
Charlotte now has 20 second-rounders over the next seven years, a lot of trade value there going forward. The Hornets have a trade exception they can use to make this trade and remain more than $30 million below the luxury tax line.
As the Knicks are enjoying their summer as reigning champs, NBA free agency and the rumor mill that comes with it is already in full swing.
And apparently, if New York didn't beat the San Antonio Spurs to win their first title since 1973, they'd be the top choice for the biggest free agent on the market -- LeBron James.
James' agent Rich Paul told Max Kellerman on the Game Over podcast that James would have chosen to sign with the Knicks if they didn't win the 2026 NBA Finals.
"I think it's difficult, right? Because the last thing you want to do is mess up something like that. The Knicks has a good thing going. If the Knicks hadn’t won, there would be no board. He’d be going to the Knicks," Paul said.
Paul shared a whiteboard of potential destinations for James with reasoning for each, showing that he's mainly considering the Philadelphia 76ers, Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, and Cleveland Cavaliers as his next team. The secondary teams shown include the Knicks, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, and Spurs.
While the idea of James playing for New York has been rumored multiple times since 2010 (when James infamously made "The Decision" to go to the Miami Heat), Paul made it sound like it would have happened this summer.
"Jalen Brunson would literally have to pick up the phone and say, 'Hey man, there’s no issue with me.' And I'm not saying that would make his decision... They (Knicks) have checked in," Paul said. "The one thing for sure, you want to respect what those guys have built. And also, it's Jalen Brunson's show. You want to respect that. He's earned that right, he's performed well, you want to respect that."
Although, SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley reported late Thursday night that the Knicks "should not be seen as a potential destination for James" and are "very happy with the core of their roster." Begley notes that the Warriors, Heat, Cavaliers and Sixers are viewed as teams with serious interest in the future Hall of Famer.
James, who will turn 42 at the end of December, announced on June 30 that he'll be leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons and choose a new team for the 2026-27 season. He is expected to play at least one more year in the NBA, but where that will be remains to be seen.
Rich Paul on LeBron James to the Knicks 😳
“If the Knicks hadn’t won, there would be no board. He’d be going to the Knicks…. Jalen Brunson would literally have to pick up the phone and say ‘hey man, there’s no issue with me.’ They (Knicks) have checked in.”
EL SEGUNDO, CA - OCTOBER 08: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers smiles during the all access practice on October 08, 2025 at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Lakers were already Luka Dončić’s team, but now that LeBron James has departed, he is, without question, their biggest star.
This makes pleasing him with the franchise’s direction the highest priority. Given that this is an offseason where a ton of cap space could be created and the Lakers had few players guaranteed to return, the pressure was on the front office to deliver quality moves to improve the team.
According to league sources, Luka Dončić was “excited” about the Lakers’ signings, with the team addressing his biggest desires for the roster by keeping Austin Reaves and getting an elite rim-protecting center in Kessler.
Those sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deals have not been completed, said the Lakers kept in regular communication with Dončić and his team despite a significant time gap, with the star guard spending his summer in Europe.
Getting these two deals done for the Lakers came at a hefty price.
Trading for Kessler required giving up multiple first-round picks and agreeing to a four-year, $130 million deal. And to keep Reaves will reportedly cost $185 million across four years. Still, if it means Luka is happy, maybe that’s all that matters.
The franchise has gone all in on him, and the two most important things are his happiness and the team’s competitiveness.
Reaves has max talent, and now his money matches his basketball ability. Kessler is a clear upgrade in the frontcourt compared to what LA has played with over the last two seasons.
So not only can the basketball argument be made that these are good moves, but with Luka also wanting them, the choices the Lakers have made are no-brainers.
The Lakers have always been a superstar-friendly team.
They made sure Magic Johnson was happy with the head coaching situation in the 80s. During the Kobe Bryant era, they found him a big so he could win a pair of titles. And even if things ended with LeBron, the Lakers certainly made big moves for him, including trading for Anthony Davis and later, Russell Westbrook in an attempt to win it all.
It’s no surprise Luka is getting the same treatment.
Dončić is happy that the Lakers have the pieces he’s asked for. Once the roster is finalized, he’ll have the ingredients he needs to cook up a title run in LA.
For now, it’s summertime and good vibes are all that’s needed. Dončić is happy, the Lakers should be pleased with their moves and we have plenty of time to see how it all looks in reality in the fall.
It was at least a little noteworthy that Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum had no public reaction or message to this week’s shocking trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia. Considering the duo has been one of the best one-two punches in the NBA for close to a decade, the silence raised a few eyebrows around Boston.
Yet almost 48 hours after the news broke, Tatum has chimed in.
Tatum posted a photo of himself with Brown in their earliest NBA days, with a message attached to his former teammate:
9 years! Forever grateful for all that we accomplished together, for pushing me to be a better player. From first round exits to winning a chip together I’m thankful for it all. Nothing but love and respect for you as a player and as a person! Looking forward to see how you attack this next chapter of your career and wish nothing but the best for you! Continue to be special.
Tatum was drafted with the No. 3 overall pick in 2017, a year after Brown was taken at No. 3 by Boston. They forced Cleveland to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference finals in their first year together, reaching at least the third round of the playoffs in five of their first seven seasons together.
Aside from their work together on the court, they also shared a memorable moment in 2023, when the All-Star Game took a back seat to their impromptu one-on-one matchup.
Tatum was named the MVP of that game, while the pairing of course won a championship for Boston a year later.
That All-Star Game showdown was notable because it was the first chance for anyone to really watch the two Celtics stars play against each other on both ends of the court. With Brown heading to Philly, though, it’s a sight that’s going to become a lot more common.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - MARCH 5: Julian Champagnie #30 of the San Antonio Spurs plays defense during the game against Tobias Harris #12 of the Detroit Pistons on March 5, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. 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 (Photos by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The San Antonio Spurs’ first order of business was re-signing their own, but they didn’t stop there.
Julian Champagnie and Harrison Barnes, who shared the Spurs’ power forward spot most of the year, were locked down in Day 1 of the NBA’s free agency period. The Silver and Black rewarded Champagnie with a new 3-year, $45 million contract and brought back Barnes on a 1-year, $8 million deal.
Though Champagnie supplanted Barnes in the starting lineup last season, time will tell who starts in 2026-27 because … Tobias Harris joined the Spurs on a 2-year, $31 million deal after helping Detroit earn the top seed in the Eastern Conference last year. Harris ranked second on the Pistons in scoring with 18.1 points per game while grabbing a team-high six defensive rebounds per game.
His 30 points (including 5-of-7 from beyond the arc), 9 rebounds, and 3 steals were crucial in Detroit’s Game 7 win over Orlando in the first round of the 2026 playoffs.
Harris has been a double-figure scorer in all but his first two seasons in the NBA. He’s started every game in the last nine years, despite bouncing from the Pistons to the Clippers to the 76ers and back to Detroit in that span.
Of course, Barnes had his own nine-year starting streak before Champagnie’s skill set and effectiveness moved him to the bench the second half of last season.
The Spurs still have their full bi-annual exception (about $5.5 million) remaining for the last two full roster spots. From last year’s Western Conference championship roster, Bismack Biyombo, Jordan McLaughlin, Kelly Olynyk, Mason Plumlee, and Lindy Waters III remain unsigned as unrestricted free agents.
Guard David Jones Garcia and forward Harrison Ingram have two-way qualifying offers, making them restricted free agents. The Spurs can have up to three players on two-way contracts.
Outside the lines, the Spurs made a splash Thursday night by signing “free agent” coach Billy Donovan as the team’s lead assistant following Sean Sweeney’s departure for the head job in Orlando.
Donovan spent the last six seasons as Chicago’s head coach. Despite never claiming a Central Division title and making just one playoff appearance with the Bulls, he brings championship pedigree with his back-to-back national championships at Florida in 2006 and 2007.
After a college coaching career that also included a national runnerup finish, another Final Four, and three more Elite Eight appearances, Donovan made his way to the NBA in 2015-16. He led the Oklahoma City Thunder to a Northwest Division championship and the Western Conference Finals.
Now, he’ll be helping Mitch Johnson and the Spurs as they try to keep the Thunder from advancing no further than that in the years to come.
No bias on Tobias
Fan reaction to the Tobias Harris signing was mixed on social media, but the Spurs earned generally good reviews from around the league.
Sports Illustrated’s Dan Lyons rated the Harris signing an A-, recognizing him as “one of the few Pistons to elevate his game in the postseason” and calling him “a rock-solid signing” for the price.
Bleacher Report said the full mid-level exception seemed a little high for Harris at his age (soon to be 34). But BR’s staff still gave the signing a B due to Harris’ veteran presence and playoff experience.
Zach Harper from The Athletic also weighed in with a B, calling Harris a “very good short-term option” who the Spurs just need to “consistently knock down outside shots.”
Looking at the offseason as a whole, Kurt Helin from NBC Sports gave the Spurs an A-. He said Harris is “a good role player who can catch-and-shoot corner 3s and put the ball on the floor when needed; he’s a good veteran fit for them at a position of need.” Helin also praised the re-signing of Champagnie and the Spurs’ focus on bigs in the draft.
Harris video makes the grade
One thing we can all agree on … Tobias Harris brought it with his free agent announcement video:
And speaking of videos, this clip of Victor Wembanyama’s pinpoint free kick is making the rounds on social media. His French countrymen are on the short list of World Cup favorites, but if they end up needing any help …
HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 12: Rayan Rupert #32 of the Memphis Grizzlies brings the ball up court against the Houston Rockets during the first half at Toyota Center on April 12, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Another day, another Mike Gansey move.
Albeit this one a level tamer than what we have seen from the Sixers new president of basketball operations in the past 48 hours.
The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to sign French guard Rayan Rupert on a two-way NBA deal, sources tell ESPN. Rupert, a second-round pick in 2023, split last season in Memphis and Portland.
The 76ers signed 22-year-old Rayan Rupert to a two-way deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Rupert averaged 5.2 points per contest last season, appearing in 64 games and getting heavy minutes once being acquired by the Memphis Grizzlies at the trade deadline.
He has more to show as a shooter considering he went only 39% from the field last season, but his 33-10-10 night against the Bucks (on April 5, 2026) showcased how his 6-foot=7 frame can be a triple-threat option offensively. He followed up that performance with back-to-back 12-rebound games to close out the season.
He is a handsy defender who will make the ball-handler pay for lazy drives. He picked up nine steals combined in the final three games of the season. The level of competition he saw in those games, however, renders a two-way deal realistic. He will be able to grow consistent and develop as a shooter with the Delaware Blue Coats and be called up as needed.
Rupert is the first reported player the Sixers have signed to a two-way deal this offseason. They still have two other slots to fill. It seems likely Rupert will also be a part of the Sixers’ summer league team in Vegas. We’re still awaiting the release of the roster for those games.
Rupert is an ideal player to take a flyer on with a two-way deal. We’ll see what else Gansey has in store for the other two-way spots.
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 25: Ebuka Okorie #23 and President of Basketball Operations Trajan Langdon of the Detroit Pistons pose for a photo during the Detroit Pistons press conference introducing Ebuka Okorie on June 25, 2026 at the Pistons Performance Center in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
There are few surprises on the Detroit Pistons’ roster for the upcoming NBA Summer League, and that’s just fine. The team will be headlined by first-round pick Ebuka Okorie, a quick-scoring guard from Stanford. The No. 17 overall pick is used to having the ball in his hands, creating his own shot, and getting to the rim. Those are the kinds of prerequisites that allow you to star in Summer League.
The team will also feature college basketball’s reigning shot-block leader and Detroit’s second-round pick Ugonna Onyenso from Virginia. Having a dominating presence at the top of the key and near the rim should at least make for some enjoyable games for Pistons fans.
Elsewhere on the roster, you will find last year’s second-round pick Chaz Lanier. The sharpshooter from Tennessee didn’t get much run in his inaugural season in Detroit so it will be nice to dust him off and see what he can do when given plenty of shots.
Current two-way player Isaac Jones, acquired in a trade with the Sacramento Kings last season, will be at Summer League for Detroit, as will players from Detroit’s G League team, the Motor City Cruise. Dawson Garcia and Brice Williams will suit up. Former Atlanta G League player for the College Park Skyhawks Basheer Jihad will also play for the Pistons in Vegas. Latavious Mitchell played overseas in Ireland.
The rest of the roster comprises college players looking to turn heads and secure two-way spots or contracts overseas. That includes Roddy Gayle Jr. of the University of Michigan and Corey Stephenson of Florida International University.
Detroit Pistons Summer League Schedule
The Pistons will play at least five games at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, which kicks off on July 9. Four games have already been announced.
The slate is as follows (all times Eastern):
July 9 at 5:30 p.m.: Pistons vs. 76ers (Prime Video)
Agents don't leak things by accident. Everything is more calculated and transitional than that. Still, it can be insightful.
Rich Paul did that on the latest episode of his “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman. Paul — LeBron James' agent and friend — laid out the case for six potential destinations for LeBron's next team:
• Golden State Warriors • Miami Heat • Philadelphia 76ers • Cleveland Cavaliers • Minnesota Timberwolves • Denver Nuggets
However, look at the podcast video, where Paul breaks out the whiteboard, and it feels like the Warriors may be the long shot in that group. Paul said not to read into that, but it's kind of hard not to.
Rich Paul made a whiteboard laying out LeBron’s “realistic” destinations
Other teams were discussed and put on the periphery of that whiteboard, including San Antonio, Boston, Dallas and New York, but those teams are unlikely. New York reportedly had expressed interest, and Paul said if New York had not won the title, LeBron would be headed there, but that ring changed everything.
Paul and Kellerman break down the case for LeBron's interest in each team. For example, here's what was said about a return to Miami.
Rich Paul and Max Kellerman on the positives about LeBron going to Miami:
Rich: You go down south. Mitchell, Wiggins, Giannis, Bam. Plus Pat, Plus Spo.
Paul has previously said that for LeBron, this decision is about happiness, not money — which is good because a few of these teams could only offer the veteran minimum of $3.9 million.
Paul has also said that LeBron is not rushing this decision and is letting things play out a little. For example, Denver is on the list, and Paul talked about LeBron's relationship with the Kroenke family that owns the team, but until Peyton Watson's restricted free agency is settled, nothing is happening there.
Which means sit back and relax, we've got a plethora of LeBron rumors to come before he gets around to making a decision.
A ray is seen inside the Lisbon Oceanario in Lisbon, Portugal, on February 1, 2026. The aquarium is one of the city's most visited attractions, contributing to Lisbon's tourism economy and year-round visitor activity. (Photo by Luis Boza/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Spicy day around the Association on Thursday as everybody from Twitch streamers to Import Beantowners had plenty to say about everything. Here’s a bunch of links to keep you entertaining as we enter Day 4 of this new and weird No-Centers Knicks Era.
Mitchell Robinson leaving for Boston already hurt enough, but Mitch made it sting a little more on Instagram, replying to an OG Anunoby sad-face comment.
Does Robinson know he still owes us an explanation himself? Get ready, Mitchie.
Finer gentleman Ariel Hukporti (who as a new Sixer we now hate too, don’t get it twisted) also sent his goodbyes.
The Knicks keep trying to fix the unfixable and sign/trade for some center, but so far, they’ve had no luck. In the latest round of bad news, New York has been trying to replace Mitch by going after New Orleans’ Yves Missi, but the Pelicans have made their stance on that very clear. Looks like the Knicks are doomed to settle for one or two of Looney, Drummond, Plumlee, Powell, Biyombo, Richards, or any other warm and aging body.
SNY’s Ian Begley heard a similar message around the draft, but decided to wait more than a week to report it. Weird.
Newsday’s Steve Popper attempted to breakdown some of the remaining options for the Knicks. Usual names on top of Mousa Cisse, Ryan Kalkbrenner, and Moussa Diabate. The background:
“The Knicks are still waiting, searching and letting the prices settle down — for the math to work and for a player to decide that filling the role that Robinson occupied is for him. The Knicks have approximately $8.5 million left to fill out the roster if they want to remain below the second apron, an edict that Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan voiced just days after the championship was secured. That money isn’t just for a backup center but to finish off the last spots on the roster. The Knicks have 11 players under contract and must have 15 — or at least 14, a number they can roster for 14 consecutive days and 28 days total in a season.”
HoopsHype reported the Knicks had interest in Marvin Bagley III before he signed a minimum deal with Denver.
The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy noted some big Knicks extension windows are opening, even if we’re not quite focused on that for now. Those belong to Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Miles McBride, all of whom can negotiate extensions between now and Aug. 10. Very worth reading in full, and we’ll surely cover it in detail later this week/month/summer. Here’s a snippet:
“All these extensions, if signed, would start in the 2027-28 season. Coming off the franchise’s first championship in 53 years, it would make sense to contractually lock up the key players involved. But as Mitchell Robinson’s free agency underscored, there are sometimes other considerations — like aprons and egos. With KAT and especially Hart, the guess is they’ll agree to extensions before or during next season. McBride’s extension, meanwhile, is the diciest of the three.”
The LeBron-to-Knicks speculation is growing louder, if not quite likelier. Jake Fischer reported the Knicks showed some level of interest in LeBron while on a livestream, only for SNY’s Ian Begley to pour cold water on it shortly after.
The unrecognizable Sixers are reportedly lurking too, thanks in part to the arrival of Jaylen Brown and the Tyrese Maxey-Klutch ties.
At least one thing in the James sweepstakes is clear, ESPN’s Shams Charania believes.
The NBA will test a one-free-throw rule during Summer League, using the G League model, where one single FT attempt is worth one, two, or three points depending on the foul situation. It won’t apply in the final two minutes or overtime. The league will also test a basketball with an embedded sensor — pause — to help with future officiating applications like last-touch out-of-bounds calls.
Jaylen Brown (of course) went live on Twitch after the first streamer-for-podcaster trade was confirmed on Wednesday. He talked about a bunch of stuff and made clear he wasn’t thrilled with how Boston treated him.
“I wasn’t thrilled with the amount of respect I was shown during this process. I think there was a bit of a lack of respect. I think it was fine at one point, and then out of nowhere, things just kind of went left. I think Brad is probably getting a lot of the criticism. I wasn’t thrilled the way he facilitated some of the conversations.”
Sister site CelticsBlog pushed back on a Bill Simmons report about Giannis-to-Boston falling apart over extension demands. Choose your fighter as Boston collapses!
Kyle Lowry is reportedly set to retire as a Raptor on a one-day contract, and he was pissed about the news being leaked.
Spain beat Austria 3-0 at the World Cup. Sorry, I had to include it.
The Knicks “checked in” on free agent LeBron James, as stated by his power agent Rich Paul, but a signing is “very, very unlikely,” multiple sources told The Post.
A source said the discussion between Paul and the Knicks was cursory, with Paul later explaining on his podcast why New York actually lost appeal by winning the title.
Either way, a Knicks-LeBron union – which feels decades in the making – is not in the cards.
“It’s difficult,” Paul said on his “Game Over podcast on Netflix. “The last thing you want to do is mess up something like that. The Knicks have a good thing. … If the Knicks hadn’t have won (the title), there’d be no board (of teams). He’d be going to the Knicks.”
Lakers forward LeBron James saves the ball from going out of bounds against the New York Knicks. JASON SZENES/ NY POST
LeBron, who averaged 21 points as an All-Star last season, would obviously be a tremendous fit on the court but adds a different element to the atmosphere.
The defense of the championship would suddenly morph into a different story, replete with distractions – the potential farewell tour of arguably the greatest player of all time.
The Knicks, who are trying to avoid the second apron, can also only offer a veteran minimum contract to James, who is looking for a new team after informing the Lakers he wasn’t returning.
With LeBron out of the mix, the Knicks are still searching for a backup center to replace Mitchell Robinson, who bolted to the Celtics in free agency.
Regardless, a source said that the “core” of the Knicks will remain in place for the upcoming season.
Rich Paul on LeBron James to the Knicks
“If the Knicks hadn’t won, there would be no board. He’d be going to the Knicks…. Jalen Brunson would literally have to pick up the phone and say ‘hey man, there’s no issue with me.’ They (Knicks) have checked in.”
With the Warriors, James can earn more money while playing with fellow legend Steph Curry. With the Cavs, he can try to complete a storybook ending with his original franchise. With the Sixers, there’d be three star teammates – Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey – and a chance to break a long title drought.
The Knicks? There used to be a lot of reasons but those don’t apply after a championship.
May 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts after a foul in game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Happy holiday weekend to our largely American audience.
While the Fourth of July is a slow time of the year for the NFL, such is not the case for the NBA.
In case you missed it, which I find hard to believe even if you don’t follow professional basketball, the Philadelphia 76ers made a really big move earlier this week by trading for Jaylen Brown from their rival Boston Celtics.
It was a pretty exciting move. But the intrigue doesn’t stop there.
Now there’s buzz that LeBron James might also end up in Philly. And not just in the form of social media rumors but from an actual podcast hosted by James’ agent himself:
For the record, I’ve always been a Jordan > LeBron guy.
RELATED CONTENT: I joined my good friends Michael Levin and Roy Burton to talk Sixers (and their relation to an Eagles/Cowboys dynamic), the Jaylen Brown trade (with an A.J. Brown trade comparison), LeBron, and more on The Rights To Ricky Sanchez podcast:
SACRAMENTO, CA - APRIL 3: Trey Murphy III #25 of the New Orleans Pelicans looks on during the game against the Sacramento Kings on April 3, 2026 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, 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 Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Show of hands, who wants Trey Murphy III?
Yeah?
Me, too!
We all need a pick-me-up right now. Trading Jaylen Brown hurt, no doubt. Sending him to the Philadelphia 76ers, to form what is essentially a Big Three-and-a-half, well, that was borderline treasonous. Murphy would be the ideal mea culpa from Brad Stevens. He’s young, talented, and would complement Jayson Tatum’s game perfectly.
There’s a catch, though. The Boston Celtics are now operating under the hard cap of the first apron, courtesy of using the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Mitchell Robinson on Wednesday.
As things stand, the Celtics are approximately $3.5 million over the tax, and $5.1 million under the first apron.
With Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley in the fold, the Celtics are at 15 players on standard contracts (including Chris Cenac). I've got Boston at $3.5M over the tax and $5.1M under their first-apron hard cap (triggered by signing Robinson with the NTMLE).
After putting in so much work to duck the tax last season, it’s likely Stevens will ensure the Celtics complete their goal of avoiding the repeater tax this season, meaning some money must be shed before or at the 2027 trade deadline.
Unfortunately, it’s that first-apron hard cap that’s going to make life tough for Boston in any potential Murphy pursuit.
Sure, when looking at Murphy’s $27 million salary for next season, and then remembering Boston boasts a $27.1 million traded player exception (TPE), it feels like the stars are aligned. I mean, how often does your primary target fit perfectly into an exception you just have lying around?
However, using a TPE doesn’t exempt a team from eating the cap hit. The exception removes the need to match salaries, but the incoming cost still counts against the cap sheet. So, the brutal truth of the situation is that the math isn’t going to math.
With just $5.1 million between the Celtics’ current standing in the tax and their hard stop at the first apron, there isn’t enough room to lean on the TPE as a vehicle to acquire Murphy outright. Instead, the Celtics will need to send a sizeable amount of salary back to the New Orleans Pelicans.
That’s where things get tough.
Right now, the only two players who make enough to be a viable trade chip are Derrick White and Paul George. Sam Hauser is making around $10 million next season, Payton Pritchard is in the $7 million range, and everyone else is on a downward sliding scale. Of course, I’m excluding Tatum.
Unless another guard is coming back as part of a trade, I struggle to envision Stevens parting with White in a Murphy deal. After all, the Celtics’ guard rotation was already threadbare before they added Mike Conley Jr., so I doubt they take a step backward there.
That leaves George.
As things stand, Brown’s trade to the Sixers is yet to be made official. Deals won’t be confirmed until Monday. Therefore, Stevens could still look to expand the trade, with George then being rerouted elsewhere, along with some of the picks Boston stands to receive. In return, the Celtics could add a younger, more athletic player or two to the rotation.
I took the liberty of throwing together a potentially expanded trade, just to see how things could look if the Celtics opted to go down this route. The deal would look like this:
Boston Gets: Dejounte Murray and Trey Murphy
Sixers Get: Jaylen Brown
Pelicans Get: Paul George
I’ll leave it up to you to decide where the draft picks would end up, and whether the Celtics would have to throw any additional picks into the deal to effectively avoid a partnership with George.
The downside of a deal like this is that it would further push the Celtics toward the hard cap, thus making it harder for Stevens to duck under the tax later this season. Yet, it would ensure Murphy landed with the Celtics while reuniting the backcourt pairing of Murray and White from their time together with the San Antonio Spurs.
Granted, this trade idea is far from perfect, and it isn’t supposed to be. It’s just an exercise to illustrate the challenge Boston will face in trying to acquire Murphy, assuming that is legitimately something they’re interested in doing, and the reporting isn’t just noise.
My bigger point here is that, even armed with a large TPE, the Celtics are in a position where they’re going to need to match salaries in any sizeable trade both now and at the deadline — it kind of defeats the point of having a trade exception in the first place, doesn’t it?
That’s why I’ve become open-minded to what a George and Tatum wing duo will look like this season. It would be far easier to run with George and Tatum this year, and then, assuming George picks up his player option (which I would imagine he does), look to flip him and his expiring deal next season.
So, back to that show of hands. Keep yours up if you still want Murphy. And now keep it up if you think a deal actually gets done. Yeah, my hand went down, too.
Mitchell Robinson says there is more behind the scenes of his departure story.
Mitchell Robinson’s departure from the Knicks to the Celtics caused a lot of head-scratching around the league, and he’s hinting at there being more to the story.
NBA Finals hero OG Anunoby commented on a post about his now ex-center joining Boston with a cold sweat emoji, resulting in Robinson’s surprising reaction.
“I tried brother I didn’t want this to happen,” Robinson replied to Anunoby. “Hopefully the truth comes out at some point.”
Mitchell Robinson says there is more behind the scenes of his departure story. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin
It’s unclear what Robinson is referring to at this point, but the Knicks’ interest in retaining him in free agency was a big to-do after they won the NBA Finals, with owner James Dolan explaining his reluctance to go into the second apron of the salary cap.
“There’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron,” Dolan said in an appearance on WFAN’s “The Carton Show” last month. “I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.”
Mitchell Robinson on Instagram:
“I tried brother I didn’t want this to happen hopefully the truth comes out at some point.” pic.twitter.com/O8op1vVSwv
The second apron is set at around $222 million, and surpassing the threshold comes with punitive measures including a much higher tax and trade restrictions.
The Knicks currently have at least $211 million committed to their 2026-27 roster.
With the Knicks keeping Landry Shamet (4 years, $24 million), Jose Alvarado (3 year, $14.6 million) and Mohamed Diawara (4 year, $10 million), there was only about $10 million to give to Robinson — who agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million contract with the Celtics that is set to pay him $15.8 million for 2026-27.
The Knicks could have matched that offer if they were willing to enter the second apron, but they held fast to Dolan’s edict.
OG Anunoby #8 and Mitchell Robinson #23 of the Knicks pose after winning Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals. NBAE via Getty Images
If other machinations existed, it doesn’t seem Robinson is going to be the one to spill the beans.
Robinson was drafted by the Knicks in 2018 and played eight seasons with the team before his departure.
He bid farewell to his former teammate Anunoby in the Instagram message.
“I’m gonna miss you, big dawg,” Robinson said. “Keep doing great things.”
Madison Square Garden Corp. Executive Chairman and CEO James L. Dolan announced Friday that he has named his son, Quentin Dolan, the new president, chief operating officer, and alternate governor of the Rangers.
Quentin Dolan, 32, previously served as MSG Sports' senior vice president, player performance, and science leader. He will now assume the day-to-day ownership responsibilities of the Rangers and AHL affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.
James L. Dolan had held control of both the Rangers and Knicks since 1999, but is now "stepping back from day-to-day responsibilities with the Rangers." He will continue his executive chairman role with the Knicks, per the NY Post.
The team's press release says that Quentin Dolan will report to his father and that Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury will now report to Quentin Dolan.
Below are statements from James L. Dolan, Quentin Dolan, and Drury on the organizational changes:
"Since his arrival overseeing our Player Performance and Science department, Quentin has made a strong impact on the Rangers and Knicks organizations, and we are pleased that he will step into this elevated position,” said James L. Dolan. “Quentin has quickly become an incredibly valued member of the Rangers franchise and played a key role behind the scenes with the Knicks during their championship run this past season. I look forward to seeing the positive influence he can make in this expanded and critical role."
"I’ve always had a tremendous respect and admiration for the New York Rangers organization, it’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember,” said Quentin Dolan. "I’m honored to have this opportunity to ensure our hockey operations staff, coaches, and players have all the support they need to provide our fans a product they can be proud of. I’m looking forward to immediately getting to work with Chris Drury, Mike Sullivan, and the entire staff."
"Quentin and I have worked together for several years, and I believe him taking on this role will only make the Rangers organization stronger," said Chris Drury. "The front office and coaching staff will be working in unison with Quentin in all key areas of our team in an effort to put this franchise in the best position possible to compete for a Stanley Cup."
