Category: Basketball

In late May, news broke that Taylor Jenkins had made decisions on his Milwaukee Bucks coaching staff, retaining stalwart Darvin Ham while adding Patrick St. Andrews and Joe Boylan. However, that no longer appears to be the case, with Marc Stein reporting that Boylan will instead join new Mavericks head coach Dusty May in Dallas.

“After stints with five other NBA teams, including Memphis, Boylan was initially expected to reunite with Taylor Jenkins on his new Milwaukee staff. But I’m told Boylan is now Dallas-bound along with Willie Green,” Stein wrote, later adding that Boylan will coach the Mavs’ Summer League team. This has since been announced on the Mavericks’ official NBA.com page.

This is a disappointing outcome for the Bucks, with Boylan viewed as a perfect fit for a rebuilding Milwaukee team with plenty of young talent. Highly touted for his constraints-led approach (CLA) to coaching, Boylan seemed particularly ideal as a developmental coach for Nate Ament, Milwaukee’s 13th overall pick via the Miami Heat, given his success working with the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels, who followed a similar path to the NBA. Undoubtedly, Boylan would’ve been beneficial for the Bucks’ other prospects too, including 10th overall pick Brayden Burries, new acquisition Kasparas Jakučionis, the returning Ousmane Dieng, and the recently signed Bogoljub Marković.

Jenkins and the Bucks must now find a replacement for Boylan on the coaching staff. As it stands, Patrick St. Andrews will coach the Bucks’ California Classic Summer League team. For more on that, including roster details and scheduling, check out our Summer League primer.

After losing Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics in free agency, the Knicks have found a new backup center.

New York is signing veteran Andre Drummond to a one-year, $3.9 million deal, SNY NBA insider Ian Begley confirmed.

Drummond, who turns 33 in August, averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per game over 63 contests in the 2025-26 season with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 6-foot-11, 279-pounder spent the past two seasons with the 76ers. Previously, he was with the Chicago Bulls for the 2022-24 campaigns.

Drummond split the 2021-22 season between the 76ers and Nets. In 24 games with Brooklyn, Drummond averaged 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in 22.3 minutes.

A two-time All-Star with the Detroit Pistons (2016, '18), who selected him from UConn with the 2012 NBA Draft's No. 9 overall pick, the Mount Vernon, N.Y., native's career includes stints with the Pistons (2012-20), Cleveland Cavaliers (2020-21) and Los Angeles Lakers (2021).

The Celtics continued reshaping their future Friday by locking up 2025-26 starting center Neemias Queta on a long-term extension.

Per ESPN, Queta agreed to a fully guaranteed four-year, $56 million extension that begins in the 2027-28 season, as Boston had already exercised his $2.67 million team option for the upcoming campaign.

The Celtics, in doing so, reinforce their frontcourt just days after agreeing to terms with former Knicks center Mitchell Robinson and in the aftermath of the blockbuster trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the 76ers.

Robinson’s deal locks him in for three years and $47 million.

Queta, 26, established himself last season as one of the league’s better rim protectors and interior defenders, playing a vital role in Boston’s surprising No. 2 seed heading into the 2026 playoffs.

During the 2025-26 season, the 7-footer averaged 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 65.3 percent from the field across 76 games.

Queta also finished fourth in NBA Most Improved Player voting this past season.

Robinson arrives after spending the first eight seasons of his career in New York City, where he was one of the league’s premier offensive rebounders and rim protectors when healthy.

The 7-foot Robinson, whom the Knicks selected in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft, appears to be the biggest name the defending champions will lose following their first title in 53 years, after the team retained Jose Alvarado, Mohamed Diawara and Landry Shamet — all on team-friendly deals.

But with the Knicks’ unwillingness to approach the second apron and deal with the severe cap penalties, Robinson was an expected casualty coming off his best regular season since 2022-23.

The move for Boston could ensure that the Celtics have one of Robinson or Queta on the floor at all times, signaling a further lean into interior defense and rebounding as the team reshapes its roster in the post “Jays” era.

The Celtics stunningly dealt Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round selections.

The move ended Brown’s decade-long tenure in Boston despite the five-time All-Star coming off the best individual season of his career, during which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists — leading the offense after Jayson Tatum suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the 2025 playoffs.

Brown has been a lightning rod publicly due to his accolades — highlighted by a 2024 NBA Finals MVP and a sixth-overall regular season MVP finish in 2026 — being disregarded by some in the analytics community, where his production doesn’t often translate to eye-popping advanced numbers.

The conversation recently reached a breaking point after ESPN insider Bobby Marks said on Sirius XM that, “There’s mixed feelings about him when you talk to teams. The analytics of Jaylen Brown is not good … I had one, not an executive, but an analytics guy say, ‘Yeah, we view him as the seventh-best player on a team.’ I was like, ‘Holy crap.’”

The Los Angeles Lakers have launched a new era for the franchise this summer.

After LeBron James informed the Lakers he would not return for the 2026-27 season, the roster reconstruction quickly began.

General manager Rob Pelinka headlined the Lakers’ free agent signings by inking center Walker Kessler to a four-year, $130 million deal.

Kessler joined superstar Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves as the team’s new big three and basketball fans had much to say about Hollywood’s newest trio.

In a post on Instagram, comedian and actor Jordan Conley read comments from fans giving new nicknames for the new look Lakers.

“The Harvard Lakers”

“Lakestreet boys !!!”

“Looking like Dawson’s Creek”

“The Credit Scorers”

“Getting back to the Minneapolis Lakers”

“THE SNOWTIME LAKERS”

“The Beatles”

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

View this post on Instagram

While the Lakers have completely revamped their roster, Kessler is just one of many new faces that the storied franchise has welcomed over the last few days.

The Lakers also added guards Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes as well as big man Sandro Mamukelashvili. Sexton and Grimes serve as replacements for sharpshooter Luke Kennard and defensive specialist Marcus Smart.

Mamukelashvili gives the Lakers additional height and skill in the frontcourt. On Friday, LA traded Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for guard Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks.

There is speculation the team has at least one more impending trade as the Lakers have been linked free agent forwards Rui Hachimura and Jonathan Kuminga.

Hachimura has spent the last three-plus seasons in LA, but has gained interest from other teams on the market. The Lakers are missing a versatile wing defender and both Hachimura and Kuminga would be sufficient additions for the purple and gold.

It’s up to Pelinka to orchestrate another deal as the Lakers look to return to contender status for the 2026-27 season.

Greetings, Panthers fans. Welcome to the weekend.

Feel free to use this thread to chat about (almost) anything you want: video games, food, movies, non-football sports, you name it. As long as it’s allowed by the site’s ToS, it’s fair game here.

You know the drill.

This is now an open thread

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Lakers fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

With the strict NBA salary cap and apron restrictions, teams have to get their big contracts right. Signing a player to a max deal they can’t live up to can set a franchise back for years.

With Reaves up for a big payday this summer, the Lakers had to decide if he was a max player. They negotiated hard with him, but in the end he reportedly agreed to re-sign on a four-year, $185 million deal.

There are a couple of ways to look at this. One way is to think that the Lakers did well here by keeping top talent and paying Reaves what he deserves.

The Lakers will get what they paid for. Reaves is a max player, so they compensated him accordingly. Now he’s set to play in LA during the prime years of his career.

Another way to evaluate this contract is that the Lakers spent way too much money.

Reaves has never even been an All-Star. Add in some postseason struggles, and Reaves’ contract will only look worse over time, especially if he is done improving and his best performances have already been seen.

So, for our SB Nation Reacts survey this week, we asked fans how the Lakers did on the Reaves contract. The results were relatively positive.

The top selection by fans was a B grade, and that seems very fair. If the deal was for less money and the last year was an option for the team instead of Reaves, then perhaps an A grade would be the right choice.

The way things turned out, Reaves is relieved to be a Laker, he got paid, and the team keeps a guard that can produce a ton of points and scoring opportunities.

That sounds like a situation where everyone wins, and a B grade reflects that.

Still, 21% of fans give this deal an A. So, the overall perception is that keeping Reaves was necessary, and the fact the Lakers did that is all that matters.

Only 15% of fans graded this extension a D or lower. These people likely don’t like the idea of Reaves at this price point.

However, with the Pistons reportedly interested in him, Reaves was likely going to get paid regardless. At least now, the Lakers will benefit from his continued growth.

With Lakers fans happy and even Luka Dončić reportedly excited about the franchise keeping Reaves, the Lakers did well on this deal.

Now their backcourt is secured, and they can focus on improving the team in other areas, knowing the starting guards are elite.

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

With LeBron James already conveying his intention to leave the Los Angeles Lakers and Austin Reaves re-signing, Rui Hachimura is now biggest member of the Lakers’ 2025-26 roster whose free agency fate remains uncertain.

The 28-year-old Hachimura has done more than enough to earn a lucrative deal in free agency, and he’s coming off a season where he scored 11.5 points per game and shot 44.3% from three-point range.

While the Lakers are showing interest in bringing him back, they aren’t the only Western Conference team who has their eyes on Hachimura. In a July 2 Substack article, NBA insider Marc Stein asserted that the Minnesota Timberwolves are prioritizing Hachimura as their top forward target, and are expressing “serious interest” in signing him with Hachimura’s representation.

Minnesota has already been active this offseason, trading for star guard LaMelo Ball from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029 and 2030), and three future second-round picks. Minnesota already has one of the league’s biggest stars in Anthony Edwards.

The Lakers’ front office has already faced criticism this season for what many fans feel like is a failure to build a true contending roster around Luka Doncic. There’s still plenty of time for Los Angeles to change this narrative, but if bringing Reaves back and trading for Walker Kessler is all the Lakers accomplish by the end of the offseason, that criticism will feel warranted.

Re-signing Hachimura would be a step in the right direction, even if it still means other moves need to be made afterwards. And if Hachimura doesn’t end up back in Los Angeles, the hope among fans is that he’ll end up somewhere in the Eastern Conference.

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

It is completely understandable to be excited over the possibility of LeBron James choosing to play for the Philadelphia 76ers. That was true in the summer of 2018 when James was in his mid-30s and it’s still true now as he’s in his early 40s and potentially embarking upon a farewell tour in the 2026-27 season. After a few days of speculation, we’ve probably all at least thought for a little bit about how cool it would be to see a playoff-plagued franchise like the Sixers exorcise their demons with LeBron James in the middle of all of it in what might be his final season in the NBA.

On some level it’s all understandable. James is probably the greatest player of the 21^st century and is widely-regarded as the second-greatest man to ever play basketball. He’s not just any free agent so we’re not just going to get a Shams tweet that announces where he’s signing. Basketball has always been the most individualized North American team sport and James is far from the only star that likes to bask in the rays of attention. Certainly, as his career winds down, there’s no reason to think that behavior would change.

But how much of this do we really need? Is it even fun to track all the leaks? Many felt the Sixers had a chance eight years ago when rumors began to circulate that James or someone in his circle was visiting Malvern Prep as a possible high school for his kids to attend. In 2018, LeBron James did not attend the free agent meeting his representatives had with the Sixers, so how much of a chance did they really have?

Fast forward to present day and the Twitter detectives are billing hours faster than Tyrese Maxey goes coast-to-coast for a fastbreak layup. We’ve gotten an interview with James’ agent Rich Paul in which the starters for all the contenders in this summer’s LeBron sweepstakes are on a whiteboard.  There was an asterisk next to Maxey’s name on the whiteboard fueling all sorts of speculation as to what that meant.

We’ve also had some of the social media sleuthing lead to the possibility of a private plane from Philadelphia to James hometown of Akron, Ohio on Friday morning. Sportsbooks and other prediction markets have updated odds for James’ next team to be more favorable for the Sixers with every inkling of “information.” To reiterate, this kind of circus is not exclusive to James. There’s a reason people say the offseason in the NBA is better than the season. It’s just the biggest circus of all when it’s James.

Ultimately, James can only play for one team when push comes to shove. There are a lot of fanbases who are talking themselves into the hype that comes with their team’s chances, and many of them will not have James on their roster next season. If you’re enjoying the social media speculation, go for it if you must. At this stage in his career, remember it’s probably only a one or two-year commitment and the winner of this summer’s LeBron sweepstakes certainly isn’t getting the player the Lakers got in 2018, the Cavs got in 2014 or the Heat got in 2010. That doesn’t mean James can’t help the Sixers. Their roster for next season is coming together nicely and a point forward type like James who can find open shooters would fit well with what they already have.

But if you’ve decided to sign off from Twitter for the holiday weekend, who can blame you? Sure, this all comes with the territory when it comes to the pursuit of a high-level free agent in the NBA. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t get tiresome. Most of all, no one wins NBA championships during the first week of July. In a lot of ways, the announcement of where James is playing in 2026-27 will feel like the end of something, and it will be. It will be the end of reckless speculation on where James is currently located, who his team is talking to, and what hints they’re putting out.

But it will be the beginning of what really matters and that’s James’ playing days for his next team. I think we’d all agree we’d rather enjoy LeBron making plays on the court for the Sixers in big playoff games in May and potentially June more than we’re enjoying what’s going on now.

The Wizards shored up their center position for next season by acquiring DeAndre Ayton from the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s yet another trademark Will Dawkins trade — the price for Ayton was a guard they didn’t want and a couple second round picks. Add this move to a list that include paying nothing the team wanted to obtain Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks, and paying a modest price for Anthony Davis.

This isn’t a franchise-altering move, but it’s a smart one nonetheless. While multiple teams have given up on Ayton, including the Lakers, who just paid a heavy price to acquire Ayton’s replacement, he’s not a bad player, and he will upgrade Washington’s backup center spot next season.

Last season, Ayton’s individual production was solidly above average (144 PPA — in PPA, 100 is average and higher is better), though the Lakers were only “about the same” on both ends when he was in the game. That goes for regular season and playoffs.

After spending heavily to acquire Walker Kessler, the Lakers needed to offload Ayton’s relatively modest $8.1 million salary to create financial flexibility for other moves, and get back some future draft resources. That they dealt him for a player they don’t want and a couple second round picks is a bit of an indictment of the former No. 1 overall pick — a guy selected ahead of players like Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Still, a guy one team doesn’t want can still have value to another. For Washington, Ayton checks a few boxes. At full health, he’ll be the primary backup center — slotting into a three-big F/C rotation with Alex Sarr and Davis. With Ayton in the fold, Davis won’t have to spend much time as the titular center. Figure the team will start and finish halves with Davis and Sarr up front and play combinations of the three in between.

Ayton also provides some injury insurance in the likely event that Davis or Sarr gets hurt. Both have injury histories. Sarr is currently recovering from a broken foot suffered during an offseason workout. Both are expected to be ready for training camp, but it’s still wise to have some coverage.

Ayton also provides some flexibility in case Dawkins and Michael Winger change their minds and agree to trade Davis to Golden State or elsewhere. Ayton is no long-term answer in the middle, but neither is Davis. With Ayton, the issues are quality and attitude — he’s not The Guy and hasn’t exhibited the willingness to do the work necessary to be The Guy.

With Davis, the issues are age, health, and expense. When healthy, he’s been terrific.

The move will give Washington an $8.1 million trade “exception” in the form of Ayton’s expiring contract. They’ll also create a $6 million exception because, as suggested by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, they’ll use their existing trade exception for Kelly Olynyk to bring in Ayton — which was set to expire July 9 if they didn’t use it.

Again, nothing about this transaction significantly alters the franchise’s trajectory. Ayton improves their reserve center spot and gives them some flexibility. He’s a temporary solution that fits a current need, and it didn’t cost future assets with significant value. That’s solid work from the front office.

HeraldCeltics reportedly signing breakout starter to four-year extension

Projecting Celtics depth chart after Jaylen Brown trade, signings

Jaylen Brown felt disrespected by Celtics trade: ‘There’s definitely more to it’

Globe Jaylen Brown says Celtics showed ‘lack of respect’ after trade to Sixers

Isaiah Thomas comes to Jaylen Brown’s defense after shocking Celtics trade​

Windhorst: Celtics didn’t think Jaylen Brown was their best player last season

The biggest question of them all: What was Brad Stevens thinking when he traded Jaylen Brown?

‘I love you JB’: 6-year-old Celtics fan’s tearful message to Jaylen Brown goes viral

4 things to know about Paul George, reportedly coming to the Celtics in the Jaylen Brown trade

Celtics agree to four-year contract extension with center Neemias Queta

Jaylen Brown says Celtics showed ‘lack of respect’ after trade to 76ers

The Jaylen Brown trade was unprecedented for the Celtics, and other thoughts

CelticsBlog The Celtics just secured Neemias Queta long-term in a win-win move

The harsh reality of targeting Trey Murphy

Coming to terms with Boston’s new look

Everything Jaylen Brown unpacked in post-trade livestream: ‘We move on’

Jayson Tatum in a post-Jaylen Brown world

CLNS Media What will Celtics do after Jaylen Brown trade? | Still Poddable

NBC Sports BostonNeemias Queta signing four-year extension with Celtics: Report

Paul George doesn’t mention Boston in farewell post to Philadelphia

NESNCeltics Lineup Projection 2026: How Jaylen Brown-Paul George Trade Impacts Boston’s Rotation

Former Celtics Champion Blasts Brad Stevens for Jaylen Brown Trade

Celtics Free Agency 2026: Latest News, Rumors & Signings for Boston

Mass Live Paul George releases statement after Celtics trade

Agent reveals LeBron James considering Celtics among free agency destinations

Jaylen Brown calls out Celtics for ‘lack of respect’ after Sixers trade

Celtics trade rumors: Boston targeting elite shooter after Jaylen Brown deal

Celtics WireJaylen Brown vows to still take care of Boston community after trade to 76ers

Draymond Green weighs in on the Celtics trading Jaylen Brown

Evan Turner blames Mike Zarren, analytics for Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown trade

Boston Celtics reportedly add former Arkansas standout to Las Vegas Summer League roster

Dalzell: Celtics did not lose Giannis trade with lowball extension offer

Jaylen Brown says goodbye to the City of Boston, Celtics fans

Robert Parish is still no fan of the Celtics trading Jaylen Brown

Center Neemias Queta signs four-year, $56 million extension with Boston Celtics

Celtics history: Brad Stevens hired as coach; Marlon Garnett born

The AthleticInside Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade: How differences in perspective drove stunning deal

NBA free agency winners and losers: Celtics, LeBron-less Lakers raise eyebrows

Jaylen Brown says Celtics showed ‘lack of respect’ before trading him to 76ers

Boston Sports Journal What Paul George trade ideas could the Celtics explore?

Hurley: A Jaylen Brown farewell, and some Boston sports championship predictions

Hardwood Houdini Bill Simmons thinking he died after Jaylen Brown trade is too perfect

LeBron James to the Celtics? Rich Paul’s whiteboard just dropped a massive hint

Celtics’ offseason moves make Trey Murphy III pursuit even more complicated

Neemias Queta’s new extension an absolute steal for Brad Stevens and the Celtics

Why Mitchell Robinson’s impact on Celtics goes deeper than anyone is discussing

The absolute pretzel that is the Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade

Why the Celtics believe trading Jaylen Brown is actually “addition by subtraction”

What to make of Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade to 76ers: 5 leftover thoughts

Chowder and Champions Celtics make no-brainer Neemias Queta decision amid roster shakeup

CLNS Media/YouTube Neemias Queta just signed a win-win extension with Celtics | You Got Boston

How Jaylen Brown Trade to 76ers HAPPENED | Celtics Daily

Ryan & Goodman RIP Celtics for ‘Embarrassing’ Jaylen Brown Trade

Insider Reveals NEW Jaylen Brown Trade Details | Celtics Daily

What’s Next for Celtics After Jaylen Brown Trade | Celtics Beat

Locked on Celtics Jaylen Brown RESPONDS To Being Traded by Boston Celtics: ‘There’s More To It’

WHY was Jaylen Brown Traded? Ownership? Brad Stevens Mistake?

Celtics RoundtableNew Reporting Details What Jaylen Brown Wanted From Boston Celtics

Hugo Gonzalez was excellent for Spain today in FIBA

3-Time NBA Champion Says Boston Celtics Are Headed Toward Play-In Tournament

HeavyCeltics’ Hugo González Gives Timely Reminder Before Important Year 2

Mitchell Robinson Takes Shot at Knicks After Signing with Celtics in Free Agency

76ers Get Strong Message From Ex-Celtics Player After Jaylen Brown Trade

New Details Behind Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Trade Revealed

Jaylen Brown Adds Fuel to Jayson Tatum Rumor After Celtics Trade

Jaylen Brown Sends Bold Warning After Blockbuster Celtics Trade

Celtics Could Flip Picks From Jaylen Brown Trade for Key Asset

Daily KnicksMitchell Robinson’s Knicks exit gives NBA painfully obvious decision to make

Celtics already coming to Mitchell Robinson realization Knicks have known for years

SI .com Ex- Buckeye Mike Conley Signs with Celtics Before Historic 20th NBA Season Milestone

Celtics Bring Back Neemias Queta To Pair With Mitchell Robinson, Impacting Both Of Their Fantasy Basketball Value

Jaylen Brown Releases First Official Statement Since Stunning 76ers-Celtics Trade

Jaylen Brown Responds To Being Traded by Boston Celtics: ‘There’s More To It’

Boston Celtics Reward Neemias Queta with Big New Contract Just Before His Birthday

Bill Simmons Found Out About Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Trade in the Wildest Way Possible

Bleacher Report New Celtics Trade Rumors on Trey Murphy III Interest After Jaylen Brown, Paul George Deal with 76ers

New NBA Rumors on Paul George’s Celtics Future After Jaylen Brown Trade, Team’s Stance on Return

NBA Insiders Suggest 76ers Got Jaylen Brown for ‘Free’ in Paul George Trade with Celtics

New Jaylen Brown Rumors on How Contract Affected Celtics’ Return in Paul George, 76ers Trade

Posting and Toasting State of the NBA: Parity… or just plain dumb randomness?

ESPN Sources: 76ers enter mix for LeBron James after Jaylen Brown add

One free throw rule, embedded ball tech test set for summer league

Will Celtics live to regret trading Jaylen Brown?

What NBA execs are buzzing about after a wild week of free agency

The Sports HubWhat the Celtics are taking on with Paul George’s contract

Celtics make first post-Jaylen Brown trade move

New update sheds light on why Celtics fell short on Giannis trade

NESN/YouTubeIs Jaylen Brown BETTER Than Jayson Tatum?

Is Celtics Ownership To Blame For Jaylen Brown Trade?

WABI 5Local high school basketball players react to Celtics trading Jaylen Brown to Sixers

Thunderous IntentionsPaul George hits rock bottom right as Thunder royalties run out

Sports Business Journal Celtics ownership, front office under heavy criticism following Brown trade

NBA .com4 takeaways: Jaylen Brown heads to Philadelphia in reported blockbuster trade

CBS Sports The Jaylen Brown trade is a gut punch to Celtics fans and a move the team can’t justify

How did Celtics, Jaylen Brown get here? Trade to 76ers caps off stunning deterioration of relationship

Jaylen Brown rips Colin Cowherd, criticizes Celtics after trade to 76ers: “Boston, they packed me up”

Athlon SportsDerrick White News Emerges After Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown

The Sporting NewsBoston Celtics eyeing Jaylen Brown replacement after blockbuster trade

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade puts spotlight on Payton Pritchard’s expected breakout

Celtics’ Jayson Tatum receives deafening trade update after Jaylen Brown-Paul George 76ers deal

Celtics could replace Jaylen Brown’s production by signing LeBron James after blockbuster trade

CBS Philadelphia/YouTube Sixers fans react to team trading for Jaylen Brown in deal with Celtics

All Phly The 34-Day Process: Mike Gansey turns Sixers into a title contender with Jaylen Brown trade

Hoops RumorsTrade Rumors: Murphy, Celtics, Duren, Hield, J. Green

Jaylen Brown Discusses Boston Exit, Trade To Sixers

AudacyGary Washburn: the trust for Brad Stevens has begun to decline after trading Jaylen Brown

BasketNewsBrutal revelations emerge on Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade decision

Yahoo Sports Why Jaylen Brown trade ‘doesn’t make any sense’

The Ringer The Jaylen Brown Trade Is a Meteor to the Eastern Conference

NBC Sports Boston/YouTube How can Brad Stevens win back the Celtics fanbase after trading away Jaylen Brown?

Neemias Queta to sign four-year, $56 million extension with Celtics

Why Payton Pritchard may be the ‘BIGGEST BENEFICIARY’ of the Jaylen Brown trade | Celtics Talk

Scal: Celtics owe it to Jayson Tatum to make next championship-level move

Mannix: C’s seem to have determined ON-COURT RELATIONSHIP between Jays was ‘deteriorating’ 😬

SB NationThe Celtics’ Jaylen Brown trade actually makes sense

Philly VoiceJaylen Brown issues statement after being traded to Sixers

Bleacher Report Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum’s ‘Personal’ Fit Reportedly Led to Celtics’ Decision on 76ers Trade

Donovan Mitchell Slams Rumor on Jaylen Brown from Colin Cowherd After Celtics-76ers Trade

Boston Celtics Trade Exposes Brutal Reality About Jaylen Brown

New NBA Rumors on Paul George’s Celtics Future After Jaylen Brown Trade, Team’s Stance on Return

Lindy’s Sports Brad Stevens Messed Up Badly With Awful Jaylen Brown Trade

Pelican DebriefThe Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III leverage just got a much needed boost

CBS Sports/YouTubeNBA Free Agency UPDATE: Assessing Tatum’s role in Jaylen Brown leaving + 76ers interest in LeBron 👀

The Lead The Celtics Chose Jayson Tatum Over Jaylen Brown

HITCWhy Bill Simmons thought he was ‘dead’ when Jaylen Brown was traded to Philadelphia 76ers

Dave Portnoy’s reaction to Celtics trading Jaylen Brown to rival 76ers wasn’t great

Boston Celtics may have traded Jaylen Brown due to a unique concern from new owner

Jalen Brunson’s emergence might be why Celtics traded Jaylen Brown and bet on his replacement

Clutch PointsJaylen Brown gets brutally honest on Brad Stevens after shocking trade

Mitchell Robinson wants ‘truth to come out’ about Celtics move in response to sad Knicks’ OG Anunoby

How Jaylen Brown’s Celtics exit clears a path for Payton Pritchard’s ascension

Celtics rumors: The Jaylen Brown comments that ‘rubbed Jayson Tatum’s camp the wrong way’

The Celtics Chronicle/YouTubeCeltics Free Agency Reaction Mitch Robinson and Mike Conley

ESPN/YouTubeDid Jayson Tatum play a role in the Jaylen Brown trade? 👀 | Get Up

Are the 76ers the biggest threat to the Knicks after acquiring Jaylen Brown? | Get Up

Were the Boston Celtics DISRESPECTFUL in the way they traded Jaylen Brown?

Dunking with WolvesCeltics should’ve taken a page out of the Timberwolves’ book with Jaylen Brown trade

Basketball News “Dumbest Trade in NBA History”: Ex-Celtics Star Slams Brad Stevens For Jaylen Brown Trade

Total Pro Sports Giannis Antetokounmpo Was Inches Away From Joining The Celtics Before Stunning Twist

Sixers Wire Looking back on the 2-year Paul George era with the Philadelphia 76ers

Chaz NBA/YouTube Jaylen Brown FULL Twitch Stream reacting to trade to 76ers & talking Boston

Fan RecapCeltics May Already Have Their Jaylen Brown Replacement In Mind

The Sports Hub/YouTubeDid the Celtics just make a HUGE MISTAKE? | Felger and Mazz

The Big Lead 3 NBA offseason moves that teams will regret

The Dallas Mavericks announced their Las Vegas Summer League roster on Friday, and there are several fun additions to the group.

Ryan Nembhard, John Poulakidas and Tyler Smith are some existing Mavs that fans might remember from last season. Nembhard, who busted onto the scene at Summer League last year alongside Cooper Flagg, will likely run a lot of point for the Mavericks early on in the summer. Poulakidas came on later in the season last year, and has earned another go with the Mavs this offseason. Tyler Smith, who also joined the Mavericks late last season, is also in for Summer League.

The fun here is in the rookies that the Mavericks selected in last month’s NBA Draft. Ninth overall selection Morez Johnson Jr. will debut for Dallas in Summer League, and he will be flanked by 25^th overall pick Sergio de Larrea. The Spainard was last seen winning the ACB title with Valencia and is coming over to join not just the summer Mavs, but the actual Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks second round selections will also be joining the squad. Tobi Lawal is the extremely athletic forward from Virginia Tech. I can almost guarantee he will do something incredible in Summer League, whether it be a dunk or a block. And perhaps the most shocking development, Russian prospect Vsevolod Ischenko will be joining the Mavs in Vegas. Ischenko is a 6’8” guard that is an interesting dart throw for the Mavs. Now, don’t get your hopes up immediately, as he will likely be stashed in Europe again this year, but it will be fun to see exactly what they’ve got in him right now.

Overall, there is a strong international flavor on this roster. Three Spainards, a Russian, a Canadian, a Nigerian and an Englishman will all be in Vegas. Should at least be an entertaining watch! Be sure and follow along with us here at Mavs Moneyball as we take you through the Las Vegas Summer League.

The Rockets have traded Dorian Finney-Smith to the Charlotte Hornets for…nothing. In fact the Rockets sent Smith and three second round picks to the Hornets to make sure DFS made it to IAH, or HOU, I’m really not fussy.

I will admit that I was a fan of the signing, and many of you were as well. DFS, at the time, seemed like he might give the Rockets about 75% of Dillon Brooks. As it turned out, he gave the Rockets about 7.5% of Dillon Brooks. This could well be the fault of the ankle injury that sidelined him for most of the season. In fact he only started looking like the player the Rockets thought they were getting sometime in the series with the Lakers. Which was, as it turned out, too little, too late.

The Rockets recent signings all come with one watch word, and that word is flexibility. The signings all expire, more or less, when the deal for Kevin Durant expires. Finney-Smith’s deal had a player option in 28-29, as well as a guarantee for this season, and next. Now he’s going into the Hornets salary exception.

The Rockets traded their Memphis second round pick next season (which should be a good one), and their own 2028, and 2033 second rounders (who knows?). So that was the price to get out of the DFS is CFS experience. Honestly, even if he plays well for Charlotte, this is for the best. It’s unlikely he’ll break out of his career norms, and more likely that at 33 he’ll continue to decline.

While I haven’t loved the Marcus Smart and BogBog deals, I like this one. It’s a fairly cheap way to get out of a mistake, and second round picks are now pretty much the grease for the wheels of NBA commerce at this point.

The deal gives the Rockets a little breathing room this season, and who knows what they might do? Perhaps they’ll sign another older, not especially good player. With the new contract for Tari Eason it makes sense to move on from DFS for any number of reasons.

Dorian Finney-Smith, we hardly knew you. Good look in North Carolina.

Two former Arizona Wildcats men’s basketball stars are heading east.

The Los Angeles Lakers on Friday traded center Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. Ayton recently opted in to the second year of his contract with the Lakers, which will now transfer over to Washington. Ayton will be paid $8 million next season.

Ayton averaged a career-low 12.5 points and 8 rebounds with the Lakers last season. He started 72 regular season games, his most games played in a season.

Ayton joins a Wizards front court that includes Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr. Washington drafted BYU’s AJ Dybantsa with the top pick in this year’s NBA Draft.

Also on Friday, Caleb Love signed a two-way deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, as first reported by Charania.

Love was a free agent after playing his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. In 49 games with Portland, Love averaged 10.4 points, 2.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds.

Love will join former Arizona forward Dalen Terry in Philadelphia. Terry, who was traded to the 76ers last season, appeared in 14 games with Philadelphia, playing mostly mop up minutes.

The Minnesota Timberwolves finally have a power forward on the roster.

On Friday, the Wolves signed ten-year NBA veteran Trey Lyles to a one-year contract, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Krawczynski also reported that this signing does not take the Timberwolves out of the LeBron James sweepstakes and is just a signing to add depth at a position Minnesota did not currently have on the roster.

Last season, Lyles played in the EuroLeague for Real Madrid in Spain, averaging 12.6 points per game while shooting 42.1 from beyond the arc across 61 games. Before that, Lyles played 10 seasons with the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, and, most recently, with the Sacramento Kings.

The Wolves are now down to two open roster spots, at least one of which they are required to fill. Without a cost-cutting trade, they project to have less than $4 million in space under the second apron, which is Minnesota’s hard cap due to the Julius Randle and LaMelo Ball trades being combined.

Given the lack of financial space, the Wolves’ options for the 14th and likely final roster spot are slim. Free agent Rui Hachimura would be a perfect fit, but would likely demand a contract far greater than the Wolves in their current state could offer.

The Wolves could also decide to make one more depth signing, assuming LeBron James does not choose to come to Minnesota, and roll with both Ayo Dosunmu and Jaden McDaniels in the starting lineup until a better option for a starting-caliber power forward makes itself available.

With the offseason and free agency in full swing, the Dallas Mavericks have begun to reshape their roster with the additions of  Santi Aldama and the likely addition of Marcus Sasser once the league-wide moratorium on signings ends on July 6. Newly minted head coach Dusty May is also rumored to be adding former New Orleans Pelicans head coach, Willie Green to his staff for the upcoming season. There will undoubtedly be more tweaks to come, all of which will shed light on what the Mavericks will look like come October – and by extension, their play style.

Removing some of the guesswork is none other than May himself. In a recent sit-down with Mavericks’ Chief Communications Officer, Gina Miller, May detailed exactly what his expectations are for the team going forward.

There were three specific comments that indicate the foundation the new-look Mavericks will be built on.

“I want us to play with top-five pace”

This should be music to the ears of Mavs’ fans. The Dallas offense often looked dysfunctional last season, and while some of that was due to injuries and personnel changes, there is no disguising the fact the Mavs could barely participate in a critical part of modern NBA basketball – the three-point shot.

The Mavericks were ranked 26^th in the league in three-point percentage at 34.4% (just 0.4% above last place) and 27^th in the league in three-point attempts per game at 31.9 (fewer than two attempts per game above last place). The Mavs ranked 23^rd in points per game with 114.1.

Dallas is clearly looking to get younger, more athletic and versatile with the additions of Aldama and Sasser, along with rumors of interest in Anfernee Simons, so it’s becoming clear how the roster moves align with May’s vision.

“Defensively; to be incredibly competitive”

A renewed interest in defense will be a welcome sight in Dallas. The Mavs showed flashes last season, but far too often were exposed repeatedly. It wasn’t necessarily for lack of trying or interest, but once again injuries played a part along with personnel that were not always up to the task.

The Mavericks gave up 119.6 points per game, ranking them 23^rd in the league with only a single 30-win team ranking below them. Everyone else they outpaced had a win total in the 20-game range, except for two teams with win totals in the teens. It was not good company to keep.

Knowing defense will be a priority is a meaningful positive, but it’s going to take the right players to do the job and we can already see that in the roster that is taking shape. Drafting Morez Johnson, Jr., trading for seven-footer Aldama and being rumored to be looking at Sasser (somewhat undersized, but Kelvin Samson-taught), while bringing Green onto the coaching staff, all demonstrate that the front office and May are on the same page with how they want the team to play.

“I want us to be the best passing team in the NBA”

This may be the most intriguing of the bunch. The Mavs had a patchwork back court last year, with rookie Cooper Flagg opening the season as the point guard. From there, the likes of Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams took up plenty of minutes as the Mavs operated without Kyrie Irving.

Dallas ranked 22^nd in the league in assists per game at 25.3. They were just better than half an assist out of 29^th overall. It was a major concern, to say the least.

The return of Irving will be a significant boost to the Mavericks being able to successfully orchestrate their offense, but they will need all the help they can get. If Sasser lands in Dallas, it could spell the end of Brandon Williams’ tenure. Irving, Sasser and Nembhard can all distribute, and that says nothing for some of the other players the Mavericks drafted. Sergio de Larrea is a long, tall guard, and May’s desire to be the best passing team correlates with Dallas’ move up in the draft to select him. That’s not to suggest de Larrea will be playing a significant role right away, but as with each of the other tenets May is building around, they clearly are informing the personnel decisions being made.

If May can see his vision through, the Mavericks should be an exciting team to watch, and ultimately a successful one. There is still plenty of time remaining in the offseason, and likely more roster shaping to come, but it’s terrific to see May has a clear vision and is being supported by the front office to get the players needed to fulfill that vision.

I invite you to follow me @_80MPH on X, and check back often at Mavs Moneyball for all the latest on the Dallas Mavericks.