Category: Basketball

Dallas is stacked in the frontcourt. All-Star Anthony Davis is the anchor and will start at the four, although he will play clutch time minutes at center. Derrick Lilvely II likely starts at center with Daniel Gafford behind him. Then there is No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, who ultimately is going to be a power forward in the NBA, possibly eventually playing more of a point forward (with Lively and Davis starting, Flagg likely starts this season at the three).

Then there is P.J. Washington. Wherever he fits in off the bench, expect the Mavericks to extend the contract of the restricted free agent, something that could happen as soon as Friday when he first becomes extension-eligible, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line.

League sources tell The Stein Line that an extension for Washington is likely. While he is no longer an automatic starter in Dallas after the Mavericks stunningly won the draft lottery in May and the right to select Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick, Washington only just turned 27 himself on Saturday and has no shortage of admirers in front offices around the league.

That extension can be for up to four years, $90 million, although the Mavericks will want to get him in for under that number, maybe something closer to three years, $60 million.

Washington was traded to Dallas at the 2024 deadline and played well off Luka Doncic, helping the Mavericks on their 2024 Finals run. Washington averaged 14.7 points and 7.8 rebounds a game last season when healthy (he played in just 57 games in Dallas). At 6'7", he's played the four and an undersized five, he's become a steadier 3-point shooter (38.1% last season), but his defense means he might be best suited on a contending team off the bench. We will see how he fills that role in Dallas this season.

Stein hints at a possible Washington trade, using the team's quality frontcourt depth to provide more rotation players at the wing and in the backcourt. If the Mavericks get Washington to agree to a fair extension price, plenty of teams would be interested in a possible trade.

All summer long, the Sacramento Kings have explored the trade market for Malik Monk. He was linked to Detroit as part of a sign-and-trade to bring Dennis Schroder to Sacramento, but that deal got done without Monk. He was part of the Kings' sign-and-trade offer for Jonathan Kuminga that never got done.

Monk trade talk seems to have faded. The Kings are not actively involved in any trade talks for Monk and he appears likely to start the season in the California capital, which may impact the future of Russell Westbrook, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line on Substack.

"After Sacramento explored various trade scenarios earlier this summer involving Malik Monk, league sources say that the Kings are not actively engaged in such trade talks now. The Kings have maintained an interest in unsigned free agent Russell Westbrook, sources say, but I'm told that they have indeed explored the possibility of creating a backcourt opening for Westbrook by other means rather than dealing Monk."

This is the dead time of year for deals, largely because this is the time of year when NBA front office personnel tend to be on vacation. Things start to ramp back up — both for potential trades and with the still unsigned restricted free agents — closer to the start of training camp in a month. Talk of a Monk trade could ramp up then, but this may be more of a case where training camp starts and the Kings wait out the market, taking their time to see if a team realizes it needs guard help, or an injury changes the dynamic somewhere. The Kings are deep with guards and would be looking for frontcourt help, as well as just remaining financially flexible in the future to reshape the roster (how much longer Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis are with the Kings is up for debate).

For the Kings, swapping out Monk for Westbrook would save money (Sacramento is about $3.1 million below the luxury tax line and hard-capped at the first apron, another $7 million above that). Monk is entering the second year of a four-year, $78 million contract and is set to make $18.8 million this season — a fair market contract for what he brings to the table (arguably even a team-friendly deal). Westbrook, however, is unlikely to receive more than a veteran minimum deal.

Monk could provide guard depth for a lot of rotations around the league. Last season in Sacramento, Monk averaged 17.2 points and 5.6 assists a game. He's a career 35% shooter from 3 who struggled some with that shot last season (32.5%).

Monk may start the season in Sacramento, but it would be a surprise if he ends it there.

We're still a month away from even NBA media days before training camp, let alone real basketball. Which is why if you're looking for meaningful games at the end of summer, it's time to turn your gaze toward Europe.

EuroBasket, the European championship, starts this Wednesday, Aug. 27, and will run through Sept. 14. It will feature France (the silver medal team from the Paris Olympics), Serbia (the bronze medal winners) and Germany, which won the last national European competition and finished fourth in Paris.

EuroBasket also will feature many of the NBA's biggest stars — MVPs and players shaping and changing how the game is played.

Here are 13 NBA players to watch as play tips off this week (group play will be contested in Cyprus, Finland, Latvia and Poland, with Riga, Latvia, hosting the knockout rounds).

Nikola Jokic (Serbia)

The three-time MVP and consensus best player in the world leads a stacked Serbian squad that is the betting favorite to win the tourney. Jokic is coming off a Nuggets' season where he averaged a triple-double — 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists a game — while being hyper efficient, even shooting 41.7% from 3. He is at the top of his game.

Serbia as a team looks ready, they went 7-0 in tune-up games including a 106–72 thumping of a dangerous Slovenian team. This is a team deep with talent and guys who know how to play the international game, allowing Jokic to play to his strengths — look for him to dominate games with his playmaking more than scoring.

Luka Doncic (Slovenia)

Doncic will be the player with the most eyes on him heading into EuroBasket because people want the answer to this question: "How good does 'skinny' Doncic look?" In tune-up games for the tournament, he has looked elite, with one of his teammates telling the European media that this is the most athletic they have seen Doncic in an international tournament.

A scare shot through Lakers' nation after a teammate fell into Doncic's knee during one of the exhibition games leading up to EuroBasket.

Fortunately, he was diagnosed with simply a knee contusion and was back practicing and playing with the Slovenian team in the following days. He is good to go for EuroBasket and will be in the mix for tournament MVP if Slovenia has a strong showing.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece)

Antetokounmpo thrives in international basketball — he was the leading scorer at the Paris Olympics last summer, averaging 25.8 points along with 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists across four games. He was the leading scorer at the 2022 EuroBasket, averaging 29.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists a game.

Last summer, Antetokounmpo and Greece advanced out of group play at the Paris Olympics but were knocked out in the quarterfinals of the knockout round by Germany. Their goals for this tournament are higher.

Kristaps Porzingis (Latvia)

Porzingis is a prototypical European stretch five, a player who can protect the rim on defense but on offense can space the floor and force other team's bigs out of the paint. When healthy he is a force. He was a critical part of Boston's title run in 2024 and even last season averaged 19.5 points and 6.8 rebounds a game shooting 41.2% from beyond the arc for the Celtics, but health limited him to 42 games.

Porzingis is at the heart of a remaking of the Hawks roster for this season, they will need him on the court. Which means Atlanta fans will be watching and hoping Porzingis comes out of EuroBasket unscathed.

Alperen Sengun (Turkiye)

Sengun was an NBA All-Star last season who averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists a game. That said, he didn't seem to catch the eye of casual fans — something that may be about to change. Sengun is poised for a breakout season as the hub of a Houston Rockets attack featuring Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson. That breakout could start at EuroBasket, especially if Sengun keeps playing like he did in tune-up games.

Lauri Markkanen (Finland)

The Utah forward — who likes it in Salt Lake and isn't looking to be traded, even if teams are calling about him and Danny Ainge is listening — had a couple of very impressive seasons for the Jazz before seeing his efficiency drop off last season on a rebuilding squad. He still averaged 19 points and 5.9 rebounds a game, but his true shooting percentage of .571 was about the league average, and well below his previous two seasons, and that was indicative of all his efficiency stats. Will we see a healthy and rejuvenated Markkanen at EuroBasket, and will that mean his efficiency bounces back?

Franz Wagner (Germany)

Brothers Franz and Mo Wagner — Orlando Magic teammates — will both suit up for Germany in this tournament, but Franz is the one ready for a breakout. He averaged 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists a game last season for the Magic, but missed out on the All-Star Game and postseason awards due to an oblique injury sidelining him for a chunk of the season. This season, as one of the offensive engines for a Magic team poised to break into the top four in the East and make a lot of noise (they are a great candidate for an Indiana-style postseason run), Franz is going to get a lot of shine. That could start at EuroBasket with a German team that is the No. 2 betting favorite to win the entire tournament.

Dennis Schroder, Germany

While the Wagner brothers may get the headlines, the rock-solid point guard play of Dennis Schroder on both ends of the court is what makes Germany so dangerous. He is going to get them in the right positions to make plays (and he may find it easier to do that with this German team than with the oddly built Sacramento Kings next season). Last season in the NBA, Schroder bounced between Brooklyn, Golden State and Detroit, and while starting for the Nets he averaged 18.4 points and 6.6 assists a game (with the Warriors he was playing behind Stephen Curry, and with the Pistons he was behind Cade Cunningham, so the roles were very different than with the Nets — his role with Germany is closer to Brooklyn).

Deni Avdija (Israel)

Not a lot of fans noticed the leap Deni Avdija made last season because not a lot of fans outside the Pacific Northwest were watching the Portland Trail Blazers. That said, he thrived in a larger role after being traded out of Washington and posted career highs in points at 16.9, rebounds (7.3) and assists (3.9). He had an impressive true shooting percentage of 60.5. Avdija has had some big games in youth international tournaments, we'll see if he can step up on this larger stage for Israel.

Guerschon Yabusele, France

France is a little thin along the frontline for this tournament, with Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert both out for a team that won the silver medal at the Paris Olympics a year ago.

That puts a lot on Yabusele, who broke out at the Paris Olympics — 14 points and 3.3 rebounds a game — which got him back in the NBA with a contract in Philadelphia (this coming season, he will have a key bench role for New York). If you're questioning how much Yabusele can lift the French team, just remember what he did to LeBron James in Paris.

Nikola Vucevic, Montenegro

The veteran NBA center is the kind of floor-spacing five who thrives in international basketball, he shot 40.2% from beyond the deeper NBA 3-point line last season. He averaged 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds a game for Chicago last season and is going to put up numbers for Montenegro as their best and go-to player.

Santi Aldama, Spain

There is pressure on the Spanish side, which is the defending EuroBasket champions and has won four of the last six of these tournaments, but now is in a generational transition and may not have the talent to compete at the highest levels. A lot of that pressure falls on Aldama, one of the best players of the generation coming up (with brothers Willy and Juancho Hernangomez as the other big names). The Grizzlies' stretch big averaged 12.5 points and 6.4 rebounds a game in the NBA last season.

Bogdan Bogdanovic, Serbia

It is the veteran wing Bogdanovic, not Jokic, who is the Serbian captain, which speaks to the level of respect for the sharpshooter. In the Paris Olympics last summer, Bogdanovic averaged 17.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4 assists per game, helping lead Serbia to the bronze medal (and almost upsetting the USA in the medal round). He sets the tone for a Serbian team thinking gold this summer.

While there's been no NBA action since the end of the NBA 2K26 Summer League in Las Vegas, there's been plenty of international action for basketball fans and fantasy enthusiasts to occupy themselves with. AfroBasket was completed over the weekend, with Senegal taking home gold, while there are also senior men's competitions in the Americas (AmeriCup) and Asia. However, FIBA EuroBasket, which begins on August 27, stands to receive the most attention.

Spain has won four of the last six tournaments, including three of the last five since the event expanded to 24 countries. There will be plenty of competition as Spain looks to retain its title, and there may also be some fantasy takeaways despite international play (and player roles) differing from the NBA game. Here's a look at ten players worth tracking in EuroBasket, beginning with a Lakers star who has reportedly worked himself into excellent physical condition.

1. G Luka Dončić, Slovenia (Los Angeles Lakers)

Dončić was the subject of a Men’s Health feature, and with good reason, as his fitness has been a conversation point throughout his NBA career. With LeBron James turning 41 in December, it's clear that Dončić will be the player the Lakers focus their roster build on moving forward. While Slovenia did not medal in the 2022 event, Dončić and Goran Dragic led the team to gold in 2017, with the latter torching Serbia for 35 points in the final. Dončić will once again lead the way for Slovenia, and while the numbers will be watched, his conditioning and health will be observed with far greater scrutiny. At worst, he'll be a top-5 pick in fantasy drafts, and Dončić's price in salary leagues should remain high.

2. F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece (Milwaukee Bucks)

Antetokounmpo will once again represent Greece, but the questions surrounding his future in Milwaukee remain a point of conversation. However, most of the chatter has come from outside of Milwaukee, and there's been nothing from Giannis. Will he have anything to say once EuroBasket concludes? We'll see. Regarding his fantasy value, only a catastrophic injury would change anything for him heading into the 2025-26 season. Antetokounmpo is one of the best players to have rostered in fantasy basketball, especially if you're punting free-throw percentage.

3. C Nikola Jokić, Serbia (Denver Nuggets)

We all know what Jokić brings to the table in fantasy basketball; he's finished atop the rankings in per-game value four of the last five seasons, and he's been first or second in total value in five straight. Like Slovenia, Serbia failed to medal at the previous EuroBasket after doing so in 2017, and they won bronze at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. With Jokić leading the way, Serbia stands to be one of the favorites to medal this summer. From an NBA standpoint, the Nuggets made some needed upgrades this offseason, acquiring Cameron Johnson from the Nets and strengthening the bench with the additions of Bruce Brown and Jonas Valanciunas. Jokic should again be a top-3 pick in fantasy drafts, regardless of format, and nothing outside of a serious injury suffered during EuroBasket would change that.

4. C Alperen Sengun, Türkiye (Houston Rockets)

Regarding roster upgrades, the Rockets also made one this summer, acquiring Kevin Durant from the Suns in a package that included Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. How does this impact Sengun? He's averaged 5.0 and 4.9 assists per game the last two seasons, and that's with the Rockets' lack of consistent perimeter shooters. Adding a shooter of Durant's caliber may raise Sengun's ceiling as a facilitator, either through KD's makes or the other Rockets getting cleaner looks themselves. Sengun's fantasy value took a hit last season, due primarily to his scoring decreasing by two points per game. However, he shot nearly 54 percent from the field and averaged a career-best 10.3 rebounds per game. A top-50 player in eight-cat formats, Sengun can offer similar production in 2025-26, even with the addition of Durant and Amen Thompson potentially figuring more prominently in the offense.

5. F/C Kristaps Porziņģis, Latvia (Atlanta Hawks)

With Porzingis heading into a contract year and the Celtics looking to reset their finances following the Jayson Tatum injury, it was clear that KP would be on the move. Boston traded him to Atlanta, where the question this summer is whether Porzingis will start alongside Onyeka Okongwu or if one of them will come off the bench. While a valuable fantasy option when available, Porzingis only played in 42 games last season, and stamina was an issue following a late-season illness. Porzingis has looked healthy in Latvia's pre-tournament exhibitions, which is a good sign. However, an excellent tournament would go a long way toward addressing the concerns of fantasy managers unsure of when they should draft Porzingis.

6. F Franz Wagner, Germany (Orlando Magic)

While injury limited Wagner to 60 games last season, he offered excellent category league value when healthy, ranking within the top-50 in eight- and nine-cat formats. Not only does he have the opportunity to use EuroBasket as a springboard into the 2025-26 season, but the Magic forward will look to lead the reigning FIBA Basketball World Cup champions to their first continental title since 1993 (Germany won bronze in 2022). Wagner finished last season with improved averages in points, rebounds, assists, steals and three-pointers while shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 87.1 percent from the foul line. While teammate Paolo Banchero has been the preferred target in early mock drafts I've participated in, do not sleep on Wagner. A good performance in EuroBasket would likely boost his fantasy value.

7. F Lauri Markkanen, Finland (Utah Jazz)

If his run through Finland's exhibitions was an indication of what's to come, Markkanen will put up some gaudy point totals. Whether it's enough to get Finland out of the group stage may be another matter. As for Markkanen's fantasy prospects in 2025-26, one cannot blame managers willing to look elsewhere for value. With Utah seemingly intent on doing whatever it took to land Cooper Flagg, Markkanen was limited to 47 games due to injury, and his production slipped when he did play. The talent needed to bounce back is undoubtedly there, but how much Markkanen does for the Jazz next season may be out of his hands if the front office decides to once again take the approach of playing the draft lottery odds.

8. F Deni Avdija, Israel (Portland Trail Blazers)

After a solid 2023-24 season with the Wizards, Avdija took another step forward in his first season with the Trail Blazers. Beginning the season as a reserve, he would eventually move into the starting lineup for good in late December. A late-round pick based on his Yahoo! ADP, Avdija was close to a top-75 player in eight-cat per-game value and was ranked within that threshold in totals. A question for him that won't be answered during EuroBasket is what Portland's starting lineup will look like now that Jerami Grant is healthy. Will Avdija begin the season as a starter, or will he come off the bench? Regardless of the place within the rotation, he'll still offer solid value, but being a starter raises Avdija's ceiling as an all-around playmaker for himself and his teammates.

9. F/C Santi Aldama, Spain (Memphis Grizzlies)

Initially a player worth taking a late-round filer on, Aldama's fantasy value is impacted by starters Jaren Jackson Jr. (toe) and Zach Edey (ankle) undergoing offseason surgeries. Neither is guaranteed to be ready for the start of the Grizzlies' training camp, which raises Aldama's value in fantasy drafts. Last season, he was ranked just outside the top-100 in eight- and nine-cat formats; good luck getting him in drafts beyond that threshold due to the Jackson and Edey injuries. Aldama is coming off a season in which he posted career-high averages in points, rebounds, assists, steals and three-pointers despite playing 25.5 minutes per game.

10. F/C Alexandre Sarr, France

France's EuroBasket squad includes the top two picks in last summer's draft, but Sarr stands to hold a more significant role with his NBA team next season than Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher. Finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, Sarr appeared in 67 games for the Wizards, averaging 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.6 three-pointers. However, inefficient shooting negatively impacted his fantasy value, with Sarr barely being a top-150 player in eight-cat formats. Next season will be another rebuild for the Wizards, so the opportunities will be there for the team's younger players. However, fantasy managers will need a more efficient Sarr to receive solid value on their investment.

Others to watch: G Dennis Schröder, Germany (Sacramento Kings), C Nikola Vučević, Montenegro (Chicago Bulls), F Pelle Larsson, Sweden (Miami Heat), G/F Bilal Coulibaly, France (Washington Wizards), G/F Zaccharie Risacher, France (Atlanta Hawks)

Malik Beasley is the best free agent available on the market. Last season, he finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting, averaging 16.3 points a game off the bench in Detroit, shooting 41.6% from beyond the arc.

He is still available in late August because just before the start of free agency he was named as a person of interest in a federal gambling probe, after which no team would go near him. Now Beasley is no longer a target in that U.S. Attorney’s investigation, according to his lawyers, which means the market might open up for him again.

Except that the market now is very different, as most teams have filled out their rosters and don't have the roster or cap space to pay Beasley what he deserves. Detroit is a good example. Beasley reportedly was talking with the Pistons about a three-year, $42 million contract prior to the federal probe, which stalled those talks. Now the Pistons have largely moved on, going out and adding Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson to fill Beasley's role and getting their roster up to 14 players. While the Pistons could sign him, it's unlikely now.

There are teams interested — such as the Cavaliers and Knicks, reports Michael Scotto of Hoopshype — but most contending teams could only offer him a veteran minimum deal. (Knicks reporter Ian Begley added the Knicks had done "background work" on Beasley.)

Other playoff teams with open roster spots that might have interest include the Timberwolves, Warriors and 76ers, however, the money situation is basically the same with all of them, it would be a minimum contract offer.

Beasley may ultimately have to sign a one-year, veteran minimum contract and then play his way into a bigger deal next summer.

How much money are you willing to spend on your hobby of sports cards? Is it $12 million?

A one-of-a-kind, 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Michael Jordan-Kobe Bryant Logoman card — one featuring NBA uniform logos and is signed by both legends — sold for $12.9 million at Heritage Auctions to become the most expensive sports card sold at public auction.

It surpassed the $12.6 million paid for a 1952 Mickey Mantle card sold in 2022. The Kobe/Jordan card shattered the previous record for the highest price paid for a basketball card, $5.2 million for a 2003-04 Exquisite Collection LeBron James Gold Rookie Patch Autograph card. This card is now the second-highest price paid at auction for any sports collectible, trailing only the $24.2 million forked over a year ago for Babe Ruth's 1932 World Series "called shot" jersey.

Heritage's director of sports auctions, Chris Ivy, called it "the finest modern basketball card in the world." When the auction opened, Heritage estimated that the card would sell for $6 million, still an NBA record, but the competitive bidding drove up the price — the auction had 82 bids.

The auction was timed to end on Mamba Day, 8/24.