The Warriors are approaching their first full NBA season with Jimmy Butler in the mix after a successful half-season sample size.
Everyone, including ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, will be keeping an eye on how Butler helps Steph Curry and Co. as they make a run at the 2025-26 NBA title.
Smith recently revealed his list of the top five players to watch during the upcoming NBA season, and the pundit has Butler ranked at No. 4, ahead of Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving and behind new Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant, Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić and Mavericks center Anthony Davis.
“Here’s why [Butler] is so important,” Smith said on “First Take” on Friday morning. “Because his teammate [Curry] is the greatest shooter God has ever created, who, by the way, hospitalizes opponents who chase him around stupidly, trying to find out how you can do what you can with him and then they got to go to the hospital for oxygen, for air, because Steph Curry can do that to you, OK?
“You can’t ask him at age 37 to continue to do that without stepping up and showing Jimmy Buckets who the hell Jimmy Buckets is, reminding the world of Jimmy Buckets and what he brings to the table. Didn’t see much of that against Minnesota after Steph Curry went down. Got to make up for that this upcoming season, a full season under your belt in Golden State, because if Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry are on their game, noise can be made in the Western Conference.”
Butler, last season, joined the Warriors’ lineup on Feb. 8. Entering that game against the Chicago Bulls, Golden State had a 25-26 record, but went 23-8 to close out the regular season with a 48-34 record, good enough to secure the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed and the top spot in the NBA play-in tournament, which they advanced out of.
In the Warriors’ first-round NBA playoff series against the Rockets, Butler averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists in six contests. He did sustain a pelvic contusion in Game 2 of the series that caused him to miss Game 3. He played in the final four games against Houston and scored at least 20 points three times, including 27 points twice.
Against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round, Butler was forced to carry the load for much of the series after Curry suffered a hamstring injury in Game 1, which the Warriors ultimately won. While Butler averaged 20.3 points in the four games without Curry, Golden State lost all four contests.
Curry gives any Warriors team a chance to win, but the franchise knows it needs him and Butler at the top of their game if they want to compete in a stacked Western Conference.
Dub Nation, the NBA world and Stephen A. all will be keeping a close watch on how Butler helps the Warriors this season.
The record for the amount paid for a basketball card is about to be broken by Kobe Bryant on what would have been his 47th birthday ... with some help from his "big brother," Michael Jordan.
The 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs card featuring Bryant and Jordan is up for bid online at Heritage Auctions. Bidding closes Saturday at 8 p.m. PDT, with extended bidding available at that time.
As of early Friday afternoon, bidding for the one-of-one card had reached $7.015 million, including the 22% buyer's premium added to the successful bid. That already shatters the current record price garnered by a basketball card — the $5.9 million paid for the 2009-10 Panini National Treasures Stephen Curry Logoman Autograph card in a 2021 private estate sale.
With more than a day still remaining for bids, it's still tough to tell what the new record might end up being.
"Most likely, it'll end up somewhere in the $8-million range," Heritage director of sports collectibles Chris Ivy told The Times late Friday morning, although he added that he "wouldn't be shocked" if it went for $10 million or more.
The most anyone has paid for any sports card is $12.6 million for a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card in a 2022 Heritage auction. The Curry card currently sits at No. 4 among all sports cards.
The Dual Logoman Autographs series of cards features the images and signatures of two iconic players, as well as NBA logo patches from a game-worn jersey from each player. Jordan appeared on eight such cards and Bryant was on 11, but this is the only one that paired the two of them.
"It's the only one that has Kobe and Jordan on it, and it has both their Logoman logos, and it's signed by both," Ivy said, "and so kind of all those factors combined together to make this the top card for modern card collectors. And we're seeing that in the price that it's generating right now."
Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan eyes the basket as he is guarded by the Lakers' Kobe Bryant on Feb. 1, 1998, at the Forum. (Vince Bucci / AFP via Getty Images)
Cards featuring Jordan and Bryant individually haven't brought in nearly as much cash, with Jordan's top seller going for $2.93 million in 2024 and Bryant's going for $2.3 million earlier this month.
Ivy said it is a coincidence that the auction is ending on Bryant's birthday.
The beloved Los Angeles icon and daughter Gianna were among the nine people who died in a Jan. 26, 2020, helicopter crash in Calabasas. Jordan was one of the speakers at the father and daughter's public memorial held on Feb. 24, 2020, at Staples Center.
"Maybe it surprised people that Kobe and I were very close friends," Jordan said. "But we were very close friends. Kobe was my dear friend, he was like a little brother."
He added: "What Kobe Bryant was to me was the inspiration that someone truly cared about the way that I played the game or the way that he wanted to play the game.
"He wanted to be the best basketball player that he could be. And as I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be. To do that you have to put up with the aggravation, the late-night calls or the dumb questions. I took great pride as I got to know Kobe Bryant that he was just trying to be a better person, a better basketball player."
Golden State is interested in free agent wing Cody Martin, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported.
“Another name on the Warriors’ list of bench targets, sources say, is Cody Martin,” Fischer said.
Entering what would be his seventh NBA season, Martin averaged 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 rebounds over nearly six seasons with the Charlotte Hornets — not too shabby.
But Martin struggled after getting traded to the Suns at the 2024-25 NBA trade deadline and averaged 3.7 points per game while making just three of 27 3-point attempts over 14 games with Phoenix. That is all before mentioning that the 29-year-old Martin has dealt with his fair share of injuries, playing in just 93 of a possible 246 games over his last three campaigns.
Martin clearly isn’t the most exciting option, but he is generating interest from competitive teams beyond the Warriors.
“The veteran swingman has received interest from numerous playoff teams this summer but is said to be waiting to see whether an opportunity with Golden State proves to be his most attractive option … or if it’s better to let the season start and see what opportunities arise after training camps begin,” Fischer wrote.
Golden State seemingly is waiting for the end of the Jonathan Kuminga saga to begin rounding out its roster. Once that happens, Fischer reiterated that the Warriors probably will go after other end-of-the-rotation pieces.
“We’ve reported previously that Seth Curry and Malcolm Brogdon are candidates for a Warriors roster spot after Kuminga’s situation is resolved and the above three signings are completed.”
The Warriors are interested in trading for another player to complement Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.
Golden State has been aggressive in looking for potential trades to fill out the roster, and they have a big interest in New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported.
“Sources say that the Warriors have a strong affinity for Murphy and have made outreach to New Orleans as recently as this summer,” Fischer said. “Yet sources say that the Pelicans, to be clear, have batted away calls for the 25-year-old, valuing him highly. The two-way forward will be playing on a contract in 2025-26 — at precisely $25 million — as desirable as his talent.
With contract talks at a standstill with Jonathan Kuminga, the Golden State front office has been looking elsewhere to find young talent that could complement their core trio. Murphy III would fit in with coach Steve Kerr’s motion-heavy offense, especially considering his shooting skills.
“You could certainly understand why the Warriors would want Murphy,” Fischer said. “It’s not hard to picture his length, defensive prowess and 3-point shooting meshing nicely alongside Curry, Butler and Draymond Green. Murphy is a career 38% shooter from deep; having enough shooting to surround their three core pillars is among the reasons why the Warriors have been willing to go only so far in their Kuminga talks.”
The 25-year-old averaged 21.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game last season with the Pelicans.
Kuminga and the Warriors still are in a stalemate in contract negotiations, with the 22-year-old appearing unwilling to sign a deal that would make it easier for him to be traded next season. That level of long-term security seems to be the sticking point, which has prompted the front office to inquire about trading for other players.
With Curry, Green and Butler still performing at a high level, the challenge for the front office will be to find cheap, young players that can fill out the roster and perform when needed.
Murphy III could be that missing piece if the Pelicans are willing to part with him, though they have a steep asking price so far.
The Stein Line’s NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Friday that Golden State would consider trading for the Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar if the Warriors first can get Jonathan Kuminga to agree to a flexible, team-friendly two-year contract.
“Who would the Warriors potentially pursue in trades if Kuminga were to relent and take their two-year offer?” Fischer wrote. “As long as LeBron James’ future in Los Angeles remains uncertain, Golden State will undoubtedly be mentioned as a potential James suitor.
“I’m told that the Warriors have called the Lakers on multiple occasions over the past 18 months to see whether there is any trade pathway to pairing James with Stephen Curry, who roughly a year ago at this time was teaming with LeBron for the United States senior men’s national team on its run to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.”
Fischer added that Curry and James, despite their NBA Finals history as classic rivals, “enjoy[ed] their experience as teammates on the international stage” as members of Team USA at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.
That iconic era, of course, ended nearly a year ago with the Americans bringing gold back to the States, notably under Golden State coach Steve Kerr.
Whether or not Kuminga returns to the Bay is yet to be determined. However, if he does, it sounds like the Warriors will, against the 22-year-old’s wishes, dangle him as bait while going for a big catch.
“The Warriors, furthermore, are known for their penchant to go big-game hunting, starting with their original pursuit of Durant in the summer of 2016 and carrying through to their February acquisition of [Jimmy] Butler,” Fischer wrote.
The only time Curry and James were teammates ended as amazingly as it possibly could have. Golden State is right to continue kicking the tires on bringing the unreal international tandem to the Bay.
Malik Beasley is reportedly no longer a target of the federal gambling investigation that prevented the free agent guard from signing with a team this summer, and the Knicks have done some background work on the bench scorer.
The Knicks are among the teams that have done background work on Beasley’s situation and the likelihood of a suspension during the 2025-26 NBA season, SNY’s NBA Insider Ian Begley reported.
Attorneys representing Beasley held extensive conversations with the Eastern District of New York and have been informed their client is not being considered a target for the investigation, which centers around a gambling ring on NBA games and prop bets from the 2023-24 season, the attorneys told ESPN.
The nine-year NBA veteran was never charged during the course of the investigation.
The Knicks have already added veteran guard Jordan Clarkson to provide some bench help this offseason, looking to bolster a unit that constantly left much to be desired under previous head coach Tom Thibodeau.
New York can offer the 28-year-old Beasley the veteran’s minimum. Of course, it is expected that Beasley will garner strong interest from teams that can offer more than the Knicks.
Before the investigation was known, the Pistons, who Beasley played for last season, were prepared to offer him a three-year, $42 million deal to re-sign. The NBA informed several clubs before free agency began of the investigation involving Beasley, and Detroit pivoted to other players.
In 82 games (18 starts) last year with the Pistons, Beasley averaged 16.3 points on 43 percent shooting (41.6 percent from three) with 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 27.8 minutes. He averaged 14 points on 37.3 percent shooting (33.9 from three) in the six-game first-round playoff series against the Knicks. The guard finished a distant second place for NBA Sixth Man of the Year, behind Boston's Payton Pritchard.
After being drafted by Denver with the 19th overall pick in 2016, Beasley has bounced around the NBA with stints in Minnesota, Utah, Los Angeles (Lakers), Milwaukee, and Detroit.
August is almost over. We’ve just about navigated the quietest month on the NBA calendar (Brad Stevens’ ceaseless roster tinkering, notwithstanding). And while we’re in no rush to wave goodbye to summer, the influx of pumpkin-spice products and way-too-early Oktoberfest beers is a firm reminder that basketball season can’t be far off.
So let’s dust off the Celtics Mailbag and see what’s on your mind:
How do you think Bill Chisholm will do in his first year as owner of the team? — @loganlavallee17 on IG
Before we answer your question, a quick story:
Back in 1986, the Celtics went public. The ownership group at the time sold off 40 percent of the franchise generating $48 million by selling 2.6 million shares at $18.50 per share. My dad, like any opportunistic Celtics fan, bought in. Probably just a singe share. But a few times per year, mail would show up at the house with updates on his investment with “Boston Celtics Limited Partnership” inscribed on all the documents. That the stock basically plummeted in the aftermath of his purchase didn’t matter. My dad owned a (teeny tiny microscopic) piece of the Celtics and, to this little kid, owning the Celtics seemed liked the most amazing gig in the world.
Which is to say that Chisholm is now living the dream of every kid ever born in New England, or whatever part of the world you happen to bleed your green. He paid slightly more than my Dad for his majority stake but Celtics fans ought to be thrilled that someone with roots here is at the helm. In our brief interactions since Chisholm emerged in the bidding process, it’s clear just how much of a fan the entire Chisholm family is of Celtics basketball, and he surely understands the responsibility that comes with being the person with the final call on all decisions about the team.
Even before the official transfer of power this week, we had spent a lot of time thinking about what Celtics fans ought to yearn for from a new owner. We were spoiled by the Banner 17 consortium helmed by Wyc Grousbeck and Steve Pagliuca. They hired smart decision-makers and largely stayed out of their way. They were visible but not in your face in a Jerry Jones-type way. They spent big money whenever the team was positioned to contend. They always kept their focus on the next banner.
They were fans, just like the rest of us.
If Chisholm follows the same road map, he’ll be just fine. He is taking over at a somewhat awkward juncture, both with the Celtics having to tear down the expensive roster that delivered Banner 18, and All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum rehabbing from Achilles surgery.
Our only advice to the Chisholm family would be to stay off social media, tread cautiously when listening to sports radio, and don’t read the YouTube comments. There are invariably going to be fans (and pundits) that don’t take the time to educate themselves on the new NBA landscape and the prohibitive nature of a punitive new collective bargaining agreement. They’ll simply stomp their feet and scream loudly about cost-cutting moves. They’ll invoke Chisholm’s private equity background without stopping to acknowledge the fact that salary cuts were coming regardless of who was at the helm heading into the 2025-26 season.
Chisholm can trust that Stevens, Mike Zarren, and Boston’s creative front office squad will chart a fast track back to contender status. We think it will be good for Chisholm to have Grousbeck around, too. Why not learn from someone who saw a bunch of peaks (and a couple valleys) over 23 years at the helm?
We’re intrigued by the new ownership group. Aditya Mittal, one of the team’s new alternate governors, showed off his deep pockets with a reported billion dollar investment. Bruce Beal has Boston roots and pro sports experience with a minor stake in the Miami Dolphins. Robert Hale brings familiarity from the last ownership group. Mario Ho is a lifelong Celtics fan.
Like any new owner, there will be a natural desire for Chisholm to put his imprint on a new investment. But he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to tinker with what’s worked here. The power structure basically remains intact as he slides into the big chair. Those at multiple levels of the organization that met with Chisholm during the transition process came away raving about his overall enthusiasm for the new gig.
Making money is important and Chisholm has tough decisions to make, including the long-term arena plan for a team that doesn’t currently own its building. But it feels like the Celtics are in good hands with someone that genuinely wants to see the team continue to thrive.
Odds that Tatum comes back this season? — @captainmike617 on IG
It feels like we’re going to have to tackle this question every mailbag this season so let’s not dance around it.
We think there is a 100 percent chance that Tatum is going to attack his rehab with a relentless energy and a desire to beat whatever the generally accepted timeline is for an Achilles rehab. The team 100 percent put Tatum in the best possible position to do such by getting him into surgery just hours after the tear, and with a surgeon known for his expertise and advancements in Achilles repair.
It feels like the team’s reluctance to 1) Set a firm timeline and 2) Formally rule Tatum out for the 2025-26 season, even after a team like the Pacers did just that with Tyrese Haliburton, seems to suggest a desire to avoid putting any limitation on the rehab process. I thought team president Rich Gotham summed it up best when he recently noted, “What I know about JT is he’s going to do everything he can to put us in a position to make a decision.”
Right now, the focus ought to be on getting better every day. Tatum might have even coined the perfect rallying cry for Celtics fans in a recent video update when he noted the grueling nature of the initial rehab but optimistically declared that there are, “Better days ahead.”
I am not 100 percent sure it is in the best interest of the team to put Tatum back on the court this season. I am also 100 percent not a doctor. If he rehabs to the point where it is both safe and beneficial for him to return to NBA action, then why procrastinate? But the state of the team, at the point Tatum might be ready to compete again, could dictate whether that’s a prudent decision.
For now, we’re content to cling to the small glimpses of Tatum’s journey and the progress he’s clearly making.
How do you envision the initial starting lineup, with top 5ish guys all being wings/guards? — @sammy_hall5 on IG
If the Boston Celtics were forced to play an exhibition game on September 1 and Joe Mazzulla foolishly asked me to submit the starting lineup, I’d go: Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta. My general thinking: The remaining pieces from your championship core get first crack at starter roles this season.
Mazzulla will be able to mix and match when the team gets on the court in September. Maybe certain combos have better chemistry. Like any overhauled roster, there should be experimentation to figure out what gives this team the best opportunity to succeed.
All that said, we love the idea of Pritchard in the starting role. Every time the Celtics have thrown more on his plate, he’s gobbled it up. There’s little reason to believe he wouldn’t do the same in starter minutes. If Anfernee Simons sticks on the roster, we’re intrigued what he can do as a volume scorer off a new-look bench.
The bottom line is that there’s a whole bunch of opportunity for players throughout the roster and, starter or otherwise, maybe the most intriguing aspect of camp is going to be seeing who grasp that opportunity.
🔊 Celtics Talk Podcast: Payton Pritchard on Celtics’ summer changes, NBA’s new heave rule and Kyrie wanting to swing on him | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
Is it best for the Celtics to attempt to make the playoffs, or rest Tatum the full year and get into lottery? — @brad_ted on IG
One of our favorite memories of the Brad Stevens era came right after the Celtics acquired Jae Crowder in December 2014. As the Celtics engaged in a relentless roster churn, Crowder basically pinned Stevens against a wall after a practice and asked him if he was OK with losing. Stevens was adamant that tanking wasn’t even a consideration and the Celtics wanted to win games. The Celtics finished 40-42 that season and earned the 7th seed in the East. That team got swept in Round 1 by LeBron James and the Cavaliers, but that season set a tone that allowed the team to truly launch in the aftermath.
Stevens has routinely put a high value on winning and the message that focus sends to a team.
Maybe the Celtics will need to ponder the potential benefits of a lottery pick if things go awry this season. But, out of the gates, the plan should be to see what this group can do. There is still way too much talent here for us to believe that Boston isn’t a playoff team. Maybe injuries and depth issues change that outlook, but we’re pretty bullish on a team that’s helmed by a Brown-White-Pritchard triumvirate.
We think this year’s team could give off 2016-17 Celtics vibes. A spunky group that out kicks ever prognostications. The absence of championship-or-bust expectations ought to let the returning members of the championship core play free.
Let’s see where that takes this group. But our general theme heading into her 2025-26 season is no limitations. Not on Tatum’s rehab, not on the potential of a new-look group.
Which Celtics newcomer are you most excited about? — Celtics Twitter
While we were on vacation we saw a post on X asking Celtcs fans which newcomer they were most excited about. Can we submit a vote for Josh Minott?
With less than 500 total minutes over three seasons in Minnesota, we really don’t know what the still-only 22-year-old is capable of. We love his blend of size, athleticism, and relentless motor. The Lawn Mower is a stellar nickname. On a team that needs size, we’re intrigued to see if Minott can distinguish himself.
Attorneys Steve Haney and Mike Schachter told Charania that the Eastern District of New York determined Beasley is no longer a target following allegations regarding gambling on NBA games and prop bets during the 2023-24 season.
“Months after this investigation commenced, Malik remains uncharged and is not the target of this investigation,” Haney told ESPN. “An allegation with no charge, indictment or conviction should never have the catastrophic consequence this has caused Malik. This has literally been the opposite of the presumption of innocence.”
The Eastern District of New York declined ESPN’s request for comment on the matter on Friday.
News of the investigation came out in June, right as Beasley was about to enter NBA free agency on the heels of a breakout season with the Detroit Pistons. NBA spokesman Mike Bass said at the time that the league was “cooperating with the federal prosecutors’ investigation.”
Beasley, 28, remains an NBA free agent, though Charania reported that several teams have kept in contact with his representation.
Charania previously reported that Beasley and the Pistons were in “serious talks” on a three-year, $42-million contract to keep him in Detroit before the investigation.
Beasley averaged 16.2 points per game and played all 82 regular season games in 2024-25 after signing a one-year deal with the Pistons last offseason.
His previous NBA stops include the Denver Nuggets (2016-20), Minnesota Timberwolves (2020-22), Utah Jazz (2022-23), Los Angeles Lakers (2023) and Milwaukee Bucks (2023-24). He was sentenced to 120 days in jail in 2021 stemming from a felony charge on threats of violence, and was eventually suspended for 12 games by the NBA.
The probe into Beasley came more than a year after Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA over prop bet investigations. Porter eventually pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud, with sentencing set for this December as prosecutors estimate he could get up to four years in prison.
The National Basketball Players Association said Friday that there has been no evidence of a greater, league-wide issue with gambling beyond Porter.
“NBA players compete at the highest level with the utmost integrity and are concerned that prop bets have become an increasingly alarming source of player harassment, both online and in person,” an NBPA spokesperson said. “If tighter regulations can help minimize that abuse, then we support taking a closer look at them.”
Attorneys Steve Haney and Mike Schachter told Charania that the Eastern District of New York determined Beasley is no longer a target following allegations regarding gambling on NBA games and prop bets during the 2023-24 season.
“Months after this investigation commenced, Malik remains uncharged and is not the target of this investigation,” Haney told ESPN. “An allegation with no charge, indictment or conviction should never have the catastrophic consequence this has caused Malik. This has literally been the opposite of the presumption of innocence.”
The Eastern District of New York declined ESPN’s request for comment on the matter on Friday.
News of the investigation came out in June, right as Beasley was about to enter NBA free agency on the heels of a breakout season with the Detroit Pistons. NBA spokesman Mike Bass said at the time that the league was “cooperating with the federal prosecutors’ investigation.”
Beasley, 28, remains an NBA free agent, though Charania reported that several teams have kept in contact with his representation.
Charania previously reported that Beasley and the Pistons were in “serious talks” on a three-year, $42-million contract to keep him in Detroit before the investigation.
Beasley averaged 16.2 points per game and played all 82 regular season games in 2024-25 after signing a one-year deal with the Pistons last offseason.
His previous NBA stops include the Denver Nuggets (2016-20), Minnesota Timberwolves (2020-22), Utah Jazz (2022-23), Los Angeles Lakers (2023) and Milwaukee Bucks (2023-24). He was sentenced to 120 days in jail in 2021 stemming from a felony charge on threats of violence, and was eventually suspended for 12 games by the NBA.
The probe into Beasley came more than a year after Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA over prop bet investigations. Porter eventually pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud, with sentencing set for this December as prosecutors estimate he could get up to four years in prison.
The National Basketball Players Association said Friday that there has been no evidence of a greater, league-wide issue with gambling beyond Porter.
“NBA players compete at the highest level with the utmost integrity and are concerned that prop bets have become an increasingly alarming source of player harassment, both online and in person,” an NBPA spokesperson said. “If tighter regulations can help minimize that abuse, then we support taking a closer look at them.”
Attorneys Steve Haney and Mike Schachter told Charania that the Eastern District of New York determined Beasley is no longer a target following allegations regarding gambling on NBA games and prop bets during the 2023-24 season.
“Months after this investigation commenced, Malik remains uncharged and is not the target of this investigation,” Haney told ESPN. “An allegation with no charge, indictment or conviction should never have the catastrophic consequence this has caused Malik. This has literally been the opposite of the presumption of innocence.”
The Eastern District of New York declined ESPN’s request for comment on the matter on Friday.
News of the investigation came out in June, right as Beasley was about to enter NBA free agency on the heels of a breakout season with the Detroit Pistons. NBA spokesman Mike Bass said at the time that the league was “cooperating with the federal prosecutors’ investigation.”
Beasley, 28, remains an NBA free agent, though Charania reported that several teams have kept in contact with his representation.
Charania previously reported that Beasley and the Pistons were in “serious talks” on a three-year, $42-million contract to keep him in Detroit before the investigation.
Beasley averaged 16.2 points per game and played all 82 regular season games in 2024-25 after signing a one-year deal with the Pistons last offseason.
His previous NBA stops include the Denver Nuggets (2016-20), Minnesota Timberwolves (2020-22), Utah Jazz (2022-23), Los Angeles Lakers (2023) and Milwaukee Bucks (2023-24). He was sentenced to 120 days in jail in 2021 stemming from a felony charge on threats of violence, and was eventually suspended for 12 games by the NBA.
The probe into Beasley came more than a year after Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA over prop bet investigations. Porter eventually pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud, with sentencing set for this December as prosecutors estimate he could get up to four years in prison.
The National Basketball Players Association said Friday that there has been no evidence of a greater, league-wide issue with gambling beyond Porter.
“NBA players compete at the highest level with the utmost integrity and are concerned that prop bets have become an increasingly alarming source of player harassment, both online and in person,” an NBPA spokesperson said. “If tighter regulations can help minimize that abuse, then we support taking a closer look at them.”
Police say officers were called to the 1500 block of South Buffalo Drive in Las Vegas at 5.42pm on Tuesday, where they found a man suffering from multiple stab wounds.Photograph: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images
The father of Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown is facing an attempted murder charge in Las Vegas after police say he stabbed another man during a parking lot confrontation.
According to authorities, officers were called to the 1500 block of South Buffalo Drive at 5.42pm Tuesday, where they found a man suffering from multiple stab wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital and remained in critical condition.
In a statement, a Las Vegas metropolitan police department spokesperson said the suspect, 57-year-old Quenton Marcelles Brown, was stopped a short distance from the scene and taken into custody. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on a charge of attempted murder.
TMZ first reported that the altercation began when Brown allegedly dinged the victim’s car door with his Lincoln Navigator. A heated argument followed, during which Brown allegedly stabbed the man in the back and stomach.
Court records reviewed Wednesday listed Brown as an inmate at the Clark County facility. A person with knowledge of the case, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it, confirmed that the man arrested is Jaylen Brown’s father.
Before becoming known as the parent of one of the NBA’s brightest stars, Marselles Brown carved out a lengthy career as a professional boxer. Listed at 7ft tall with an 86in reach, he fought professionally from 1989 through 2008, then again from 2014 through 2016 following a six-year retirement, compiling a 33-18-1 record with 25 knockouts. He also served on the board of the Hawaii state boxing commission.
He was a formative influence on Jaylen’s independence as a young athlete, encouraging him to enter the 2016 NBA draft without an agent so he could negotiate his own first contract. “My main motivation for coming out of retirement was to show my kids that I never gave up on my dreams,” he said in a 2016 interview, adding that he wanted them to take the same approach.
The Boston Celtics' ownership change is officially completed with Bill Chisholm as the owner and governor — after purchasing the majority of the team at a $6.1 billion valuation — and Wyc Grousbeck serving as the alternate governor. While ownership has changed, the goals or expectations in Boston have not, Chisholm told Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
"We're not playing for second, we're playing for championships and banners," Chisholm said. "We're playing for them in the near term, although we obviously had to do some things to get below the second apron. But we're also playing for them in the medium and long term. The second apron means you can't do it by just throwing money at the problem. You have to do it with talent, you have to do it with leadership, and with Wyc and with (president of basketball operations Brad Stevens) and (president Rich Gotham) and (coach Joe Mazzulla), I feel like we have the best leaders in the league."
This offseason, the Celtics have shed the salaries of Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, saving the team more than $300 million in salary and luxury tax. All their moves combined got them below the dreaded second apron of the luxury tax, but they are still in the tax. While the sense around the league has been Boston may treat this as a "gap year" due to Jayson Tatum's torn Achilles keeping him out most or all of next season — and some think they may not be done looking for moves to save money — Chisholm said he thought a team based around Jaylen Brown and Derrick White could surprise some people.
He also discussed Grousbeck's role with the team. The plan had been to have Grousbeck stay on as the team's governor, but the league requires the governor to have a 15% stake in the team, and after the sale, the Grousbecks fell slightly below that threshold. That doesn't really change anything, Grousbeck said.
"When it became clear the governor title was not going to be available because of technical reasons, because of math, Bill said, 'Well, then we're just not going to use that word around the office.' So that says a lot about Bill, that he doesn't care," Grousbeck said. "He just wants to do the right thing for the team, and I feel the exact same way. We're shoulder to shoulder."
The real test of ownership and the creativity of management will come next summer as they try to fill out a championship roster around a returned Tatum, plus Brown and company. That's when the spending will matter more.
For now though, Chisholm is singing a song that Celtics fans will like to hear.
Cam Thomas is willing to bet on himself, but how much?
Thomas is a restricted free agent, and there are rumors that he ideally would like a contract close to $40 million a season. That's not happening. League sources not tied to the negotiations told NBC Sports they think an offer closer to what the Warriors reportedly have put in front of Jonathan Kuminga — two years, $45 million — would get a deal done. When The Athletic’s Fred Katz surveyed 16 league executives about Thomas, most said they think he's worth between $20-$30 million a season, but they only wanted to do a two-year deal for the 23 year old.
Brooklyn has all the leverage here and with that has offered just two years at the mid-level exception of $14.1 million, with the second year of that being a team option — a very tradable contract. That leaves Thomas with the choice of taking that offer or playing for the $5.9 million qualifying offer, then being an unrestricted free agent next summer. NBA insider Jake Fischer said in a Bleacher Report livestream that if any restricted free agent would play for the qualifying offer, it would be Thomas.
"Cam Thomas's situation seems to be a decision between taking his qualifying offer or a two-year deal with the team option that is north of the qualifying offer from Brooklyn somewhere around $14 million in average annual value."
Thomas is a bucket getter who averaged 24 points and 3.8 assists per game last season, shooting 34.9% on 3-pointers. Brooklyn will need that scoring next season, paired with Michael Porter Jr., and Terrance Mann, on a rebuilding roster in need of scoring.
It's August, a time with very little pressure to make a decision — training camp doesn't start for more than a month and the decision date on the qualifying offer is Oct. 1 — so it's easy for both sides to dig in and not compromise. That changes as it gets closer to the start of camp and the qualifying offer deadline.
Thomas and his agent, Alex Saratsis, must decide whether the market for Thomas's services will be there next summer and if he is willing to bet on it. Even at the Nets' current offer, he would be leaving $8 million this season on the table (a lot for a player who has yet to make more than $4 million in a season). Is it worth the risk? Do the sides find a better compromise closer to the deadline (a player option rather than a team option for next season, or some guaranteed money on that second season)?
It's something to watch as we move into September. Thomas might be the one guy willing to make that big a bet on himself.
