Category: Basketball

If you tuned in to the press conference, you heard two buzzwords from President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens and majority owner Bill Chisolm: “optionality” and “basketball reasons.” For forty-five minutes, Celtics leadership defended their trade of Jaylen Brown by talking about the future flexibility that it created. There was talk about the analytical fit and the outside noise generated by the social media echo chamber, but really, this was about situational adaptability.

No, it wasn’t about switchability on defense or being able to play different kinds of Mazzulla Ball. We’re talking about optionality when it comes to team-building, specifically on the cap sheet. In addition to the picks and the potential they come with, another potentially bigger reason for flipping Brown for Paul George was one less year on their max contracts.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and take a snapshot of Boston’s books as it stands right now. Consider this one tidbit first:

That nearly $4 million seems insignificant, but when you’re hard-capped at the $209 million first apron — but in reality, they’re really motivated to get under the luxury tax line of $200 million in order to reset the repeater tax — every penny matters. According to former CelticsBlogger and Spotrac’s Keith Smith, the Celtics are just $1.1 million over the tax line; that includes a slight salary bump for Ron Harper Jr. using his non-Bird rights in Year 1 and Dalano Banton’s non-guaranteed deal for next season. The roster is maxed out in all fifteen slots, but should easily be able to limbo under the tax threshold again just like they did at last season’s trade deadline.

“I don’t anticipate anything in the very near term,” Stevens said of the roster as it stands on July 6th. “I think that we do like the team we have, we might be able to add to it, but at the end of the day, we like the group we have.”

As JB put it in his farewell post, let’s” throw the ball up” and see what happens.

Now, Brad obviously won’t rule out moves at this season’s trade deadline or in the summer of 2027. A year from now, he could make changes around the margins, but really, this is all about 2028 when presumably George’s contract expires. So much can happen between now and then, but that offseason is a target-rich environment for seismic change.

Not unlike our rival’s summer this year, the Celtics could act as a cap space team just like the Lakers did this offseason. Los Angeles underwhelmingly filled it with a grab bag of overpaid players from a week free agency class, but Stevens could have a number of options in the 2028 Summer of the Center. Think of it: Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Nikola Jokic could all be available.

Boston will also have that 2028 first round draft pick. Adding a young stud to complement a veteran squad could be like adding, well, Jaylen Brown to a team with then Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward.

To his credit, Chisolm dispelled any notion that the ownership doesn’t want to spend money. “Brad’s got the green light. I know people feel like oh there must be a smoking gun somewhere, that’s just not what this is about. I can say it but I’ll also prove it to you. When we have the opportunity we’re gonna do that.”

That offseason also coincides with the end of Payton Pritchard’s team-friendly rookie extension and he’ll get paid handsomely in his next deal. The front office will also have to make a decision on Baylor Scheierman and it’s possible that by then, they would have already signed him to a similar deal that Pritchard got after his rookie contract.

If you’re a student of history, this feels eerily like when the Celtics split up the Antoine Walker-Paul Pierce duo. Despite an unexpected run to the Eastern Conference Finals, newly hired Danny Ainge recognized it as fool’s gold and split the pair up. Four disappointing seasons later — after Raef LaFrentz and Ricky Davis and Wally Szczerbiak and Al Jefferson and Antoine Walker coming back! — he put together the Big Three with Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen in the middle of their primes. They won a championship in their first season after winning just 24 games the year prior.

Hopefully, with the parity and speed that the league operates with now, it won’t take that long. Instead of four years, maybe it’s two. Hopefully, it’s two. And for all we know, the defending Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year hang Banner 19 sooner and we’re gunning for Banner 20 in 2028.

Anything is possible, right?

Not a lot going on, but I still found a few interesting links and clips, and a few notes from everything else going on around the L. Paul Pierce would have to do in the absence of Stephen A. Smith. shrughemoji

• OG Anunoby is gracing the SLAM cover and getting a feature story. Bow down.
• I didn’t expect Jalen Brunson to appear in a Chicago Sports Network show dedicated exclusively to interviewing him, but here we are. JB talked about staying grounded through his career, discussed the value of individual vs. team awards, touched on the relationship with Rick, talked about D-Rose, and much more. Quotable:

“I think no matter what, I was able to stay grounded because of my family and the close circle I have. I was never really satisfied throughout my time in high school, obviously because we were losing, and I wanted to win a state championship. Most importantly, obviously there are a lot of individual accolades out there, but I think when you win, that’s what’s most memorable.“

• New Knickerbocker Andre Drummond didn’t lose a minute getting back to his true New Yorker ways, as a good Mount Vernon native. Yerrr!
• Sportico’s Jacob Feldman put together a nice column explaining the reality of the non-existent NBA free agency these days amid yet another LeBron James sweepstakes (which he cleverly labeled “LeBronomy”). LBJ might be grabbing all eyes, but the truth is, there is no FA anymore, with everybody agreeing to bulky contract extensions as early as possible and figuring out their future later. A tease:

“Since LeBron’s 2020 Lakers title, the last six NBA champions have won without luring accomplished free agents. Instead, the teams have largely drafted stars (Bucks, Warriors, Nuggets, Celtics) or assembled lineups by picking up players other teams were willing to part with (Knicks). The Thunder have built a perennial powerhouse by doing a bit of both, while the Spurs are tied with OKC as 2027/28 favorites thanks to a run of draft success.”

• Possible Knicks’ FA target Jonas Valanciunas was waived by the Nuggets before his $10 million salary became fully guaranteed, with Denver now owing him just $2 million for 2026-27. For what matters here, JV can now sign wherever he wants to… including a two-year deal to play for EuroLeague club Zalgiris, as reported by Adam Zagoria . Not overly confident in signing a backup center to get 15-20 minutes a pop who could equally be plying his trade in Lithuania, if you ask me.
• Nuggets, you’ve been eliminated.
• Miami has officially declared war on Cleveland, being reportedly willing to offer Bronny James a two-way contract if LeBron signs with the Heat. What level of disrespect (on all fronts) are we talking about here?)
• Steph Curry is interested in doing something with LeBron.
• Imagine having to hear and deal with Giannis Antetokounmpo for another 20 or 30 years. I might be alone here, but I’m personally not very interested in it, if at all.
• Paul Pierce believes he “can get you 20” in Summer League. Right now!

According to multiple sources, the Utah Jazz have signed Mo Bamba to a two-year deal.

According to Tony Jones, the deal includes a partial guarantee for the first season and a team option for the second.

That’s basically it as far as centers go for the Jazz. They obviously aren’t interested, as of this moment, in making a splash for another center, and they shouldn’t. Utah needs to see how this team fits together before they make any more big moves. If things are looking great for this team and there’s a center on the market that fits their style of play, then they should absolutely make some sort of trade. Otherwise, they need to ride with this roster and see how far this goes.

The NBA rescinded its allowance for Keyonte George to coach in the game tomorrow between the Jazz and the Wizards.

It appears the leage has an ASPIRATION to keep a precedent with the rules. They wouldn’t want to ROOT themselves into anything that might appear negative.

This is actually a really lame thing, and I’m not sure what rules they’re trying to uphold. While actual rule circumvention with things like the salary cap was happening in LA, the Jazz wanted to try something fun that might have created a cool tradition, but now it’s gone. I hope Keyonte George still acts like a coach on the sideline and enjoyed the process of preparing for this. In reality, that perspective might have given him some insight and, hopefully, can help in some way when they’re playing at full strength.

The Walker Kessler trade was made official today and Walker Kessler said goodbye to Utah.

We’ll never know exactly how much of the drama in the Kessler contract negotiations contributed to the eventual breakup that culminated in a sign-and-trade. The reality is it did appear that Utah planned to re-sign Kessler, and then the Lakers decided to give an offer the Jazz couldn’t refuse. In reality, both things can be true. There might have been some frustrations with Kessler regarding the tanking, the contract, and the signing of players like Jaren Jackson Jr., while there was also a good overall relationship with the team. The most likely thing is Kessler was a player the Jazz liked, but not enough to refuse a huge pick package from the Lakers. Jazz fans wish him well, but will be watching the Lakers closely once those picks start coming up.

It has been a long time since the Jazz last played a meaningful game I desperately wanted them to win, and it is unhealthy how excited I am for this matchup. After a solid three games in the SLC Summer League, the Jazz head south to Las Vegas, and as hot as the desert sun is sure to be outside, on the court, the Thursday night primetime game featuring the top two picks in the draft will be much hotter.

How to Watch the Las Vegas Summer League?

Who: Utah Jazz vs Washington Wizards

When: Thursday, July 9, 2026 | 7:00 MT

Where: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV

How to watch: ESPN, Jazz+

Players to Watch

Darryn Peterson and AJ Dybantsa

Summer league games do not matter in the record books, but this game is a statement-making opportunity for both AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson. Given the historical nature of this draft class, especially at the top, there is some real juice to this game that is atypical of most Summer League games. AJ has the chance to silence the noise that has swelled after Darryn’s remarkable performances in the SLC Summer League. Meanwhile, Darryn has the chance to ratchet up the noise and take the NBA world by storm with another solid performance against the Wizards. Can you imagine the narratives if Darryn were to come out and dominate AJ as he has through high school and college? In the words of the great Charles Barkley, I have two words for you… Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, must-see TV.

Ace Bailey

Ace Bailey looked really impressive in his 2.5 quarters of play in Salt Lake before missing games with back spasms. It is unknown whether or not he will be ready to go for the Vegas opener, but if he is available, he will probably be the one checking AJ Dybantsa on defense. His combination of length and athleticism could not only make things difficult for AJ on the defensive end but also expose his lackadaisical defense on the offensive end. If Ace is able to go, he will be looking to show the Jazz and the NBA that he is ready to take a leap in year two.

Which Jazz Big Man Will Stand Out?

Which big man will step up this game? In Game 1, we saw a lot of Kylor Kelley, who was a little less than impressive. Against Memphis, Jaxon Kohler, the Utah native, showed up and showed out against Cam Boozer. In game three, although the number of NBA-level players was few and far between, Jonas Aidoo stole the show with his rebounding and ability to play his role. Will we see one of those same three guys seize their opportunity, or will another guy like Micah Handlogten or Eric Dixon steal the show? We saw how vital a big that can roll and catch passes is for Darryn Peterson as a lead guard, playmaking-wise. It will be interesting to see who steps up to the plate to relieve pressure when he is blitzed and double-teamed.

SIDE NOTE: Adam Silver is LAME

No one should ASPIRE to be as boring as Adam Silver. After much excitement was made about Keyonte George making his unofficial coaching debut on Thursday night, according to Sarah Todd, the league has nixed that excitement and won’t allow Keyonte to be coaching on the sideline because who knows why…? I guess they were worried about the Jazz circumventing the salary cap to pay Keyonte or something. Anyways, I guess Will Hardy’s coaching TREE will have to wait for more branches to grow. Adam Silver remains evil in my book.

The Washington Wizards 2026 NBA Summer League tips off tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern with the epic grudge match with the Utah Jazz the world has been anticipating for almost two weeks.

That’s when Washington picked BYU forward AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall selection, spurning Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. We all know what can happen in summer league when things get this personal.

Seriously, this one could be a fun watch with the top two picks in the 2026 draft on the court.

What does summer league mean? The real answer, at least according to one group of academic researchers found a relationship between performance in summer league and effectiveness in the regular season. The summer to regular season relationship is strong enough to stimulate some rooting interest and weak enough that fans can dismiss bad performances, if they want.

So, if Dybantsa plays great, it’s a sign of future greatness. If he stinks, we can all say summer league probably doesn’t matter and hope he’ll be better when the real games begin.

My guess is that summer league performance is becoming less and less meaningful as teams do things like play top picks for only a game or two before parking them on the sidelines to avoid injury.

Keys to the Wizards Summer League

1. Don’t take it too seriously. Summer league is similar to NBA basketball, but it’s not NBA basketball.
2. With Dybantsa and Will Riley, look for activity and aggression. Are they trying to make things happen, or waiting for the game to come to them? Root for them to attempt to make plays.
3. For older guys expected to be role players, watch for signs they understand their role and can execute it. The differences in level of competition are meaningful, but for a three-and-D type, is he willing to pull the trigger when he has an opening or is he turning down shots? Is he giving a strong defensive effort even though the scheme isn’t as sophisticated as it will be when the real games start?
4. Avoid injuries.

Who to Watch

1. Dybantsa — No. 1 overall pick who the Wizards hope will develop into a dominating scorer and leader of a championship-level offense.
2. Tre Johnson — Last year’s No. 6 overall pick, Johnson is a sweet-shooting guard who probably will be coming off the bench next season. Look for him to score in bunches. Will he have added muscle since the end of the regular season?
3. Will Riley — Washington’s other first round pick last season. He’s long, has skills, and generated some buzz around the league with some gaudy performances later in the season. Has he gotten stronger? Will his decision-making be better?
4. Felix Okpara — Second round big man with potential as a rim protector, rebounder and rim-runner.
5. Seth Trimble — Undrafted free agent guard out of North Carolina who has the size, athleticism, and collegiate performance to indicate the potential to become a high-quality NBA defender. The challenge: can he shoot well enough at the NBA level?
6. Jamir Watkins — Older prospect the Wizards got in the second round in 2025. Last season, he flashed defensive skills. Offense is a work in progress.
7. Juju Reese — Had some nice rebounding games when the Wizards were tanking their hardest. Can he translate the production in extended garbage time to real competitive games?

From Utah, I’m interested in seeing:

1. Peterson — The other guy most seriously considered to be in play for Washington at No. 1. He’s a talented guard with good size who played like the No. 1 pick in most drafts and still had a “bad” year at Kansas.
2. Ace Bailey — Long and skilled wing who was reasonably productive as a rookie. How much progress has he made since the regular season ended?

Need to Know

• Start time: 9 p.m. Eastern
• Where to watch: ESPN or Monumental Sports Network

Few positions in the history of the NBA have more prestige and history than the center position for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Reading off the names of players who have anchored the paint in purple and gold is like listing off inner-circle Hall of Famers.

Mikan. Kareem. Wilt. Shaq. AD. All have title-winning legacies with the franchise and all were included among the top 75 players all-time in 2021. And that’s not even an extensive list.

Lining up at center for the Lakers carries pressure and expectation under any circumstance. But Walker Kessler, who the team officially announced on Wednesday, is going to have a lot of weight on his shoulders.

Coming into the summer, the top priority for the front office was finding a center. It has long been a hole in the starting lineup, with patchwork attempts failing to do the job. Once Luka made it clear he wanted a big man to pair with in the offseason, the onus was on Rob Pelinka to find the long-term solution.

To do so, the Lakers had to make a big gamble.

The top names on the market were restricted free agents and while the Lakers had the cap space to make teams sweat, they did not have the luxury of time. So, the Lakers calculated the risk and pushed their chips they’ve held so tightly to the middle of the table to acquire Kessler.

Two first round picks and two pick swaps later and Kessler was inked to a four-year deal that will pay him north of $30 million annually. It’s an enormous contract for a player but whose biggest accolade in the NBA so far is a spot on First Team All-Rookie in 2023.

No All-Star games. No All-NBA teams. No All-Defense teams. But, at still just 24 years old, it’s a gamble the Lakers felt was worth making, and it’s not hard to see why.

While he hasn’t received official honors for his defense, he’s widely regarded as one of the league’s best rim protectors. His 2.4 blocks per game career average is as good an indicator as any of his ability to defend the paint.

Considering how much the Lakers struggled at defending the rim last season, that alone makes Kessler a welcome addition. He’s the type of big man who not only can deter shots in the paint, but will make defenses second-guess even attempting them.

It’s just as easy to see him meshing offensively as well. He has established himself as a great pick-and-roll big, able to finish at the rim or make plays out of the short roll. It’ll be the staple of the Lakers’ offense, no matter if it’s Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves running the show.

The questions come with whether Kessler’s game can translate on a bigger stage and in a bigger volume.

There’s a difference between doing it for 30 minutes per night with the Jazz and doing it for 30 minutes per night with the Lakers. Every team is now going to be scouting the Luka-Kessler pick and roll. Can he still produce at the same level of efficiency?

No longer can he hide in obscurity. The lights are a lot brighter in Los Angeles than they are in Salt Lake City. Some players are built to step up and some aren’t.

Pelinka and the front office made a gamble that he’s the former and not the latter and used all their remaining tradeable draft picks to do so. The core of this era of the Lakers will be Luka, Kessler and Reaves.

Whether that’s the core of a contending team will largely lie in the hands of Kessler being the center of the future. As much as the Lakers believe that to be the case, they need it to be true, or the Luka era could be doomed from the start.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

The California Classic is officially over and that California love is being spread the Brooklyn way. The lottery picks showed out. Mikel Brown Jr. looked like the real deal in his one game, while Egor Dëmin continues to evolve. Hard to argue anyone at that tournament was better than him — as discussed. Furthermore, Pooch returns.

Topics

• Intro
• Summer League: Mikel Brown Jr. & Egor analysis
• Standouts, Drake Powell
• The “Flatbush Five” discussion
• Free Agency: Moe Wagner, Keon Ellis, and the frontcourt depth
• Julius Randle: Culture building & the “Fringe All-Star” debate
• Mailbag: Making a “big move” and the Eastern Conference landscape
  • MPJ extension status
  • Noah Clowney’s role & team pressure
  • Peyton Watson & potential starting lineups
• Five Out (Rapid Fire)
• Outro & Final thanks

Check out the Pod

You can also check out the episode for free on Spotify and Apple Music. Make sure to follow us on X, Instagram, and TikTok as well.

LeBron James is still not ready to make his next move.

According to Shams Charania, a decision on where James will play next season is not expected soon, leaving the NBA’s free agent market stuck in a waiting game that could stretch for weeks.

James plans to spend this week with family and friends while continuing to weigh his options for his record 24th NBA season. That means the teams still involved in the chase may have to keep operating in limbo while the league’s biggest free agent takes his time.

The field also appears to be narrowing.

Charania reported that the Denver Nuggets have been removed from James’ list of potential destinations. That leaves five teams still connected to the sweepstakes: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors.

Each option comes with a different kind of appeal.

Cleveland offers the full-circle ending, Miami offers history and familiarity. Minnesota offers a ready-made contender built around Anthony Edwards. Joining Stephen Curry in Golden State offers the wildest basketball theater with two heated rivals on one team

Philadelphia has emerged as one of the more intriguing teams, with the Sixers reportedly making a serious pitch around a win-now core.

But none of that appears to be forcing James into a quick decision.

Rich Paul recently suggested the process would not move quickly, saying he did not think a decision would happen “anytime soon” or within the next few days.

That tracks with Charania’s latest reporting, which makes clear the NBA may be waiting on James longer than they would prefer as James decides which offers the closest thing to “complete happiness”

That is the difficult part for the rest of the market. James may be 41, but he remains the biggest domino available. Even at this stage of his career, he can change a team’s ceiling, alter the balance of power in either conference and force rival front offices to adjust their own plans.

The Warriors, Cavaliers, Heat, Sixers and Timberwolves can all make their cases.

James, though, still controls the clock.

And for now, the NBA is still waiting.

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From the press box to the executive suite. 

Former ESPN NBA writer and New York Post reporter Tim Bontemps is taking a role with the Hawks’ front office as a strategic advisor, he confirmed Wednesday.

The new position will see Bontemps report to the team’s president of basketball operations, Onsi Saleh.

ESPN reported the news on Wednesday morning, and Bontemps confirmed his move in posts on X, as well as on “The Hoop Collective” podcast. 

“It’s something I’ve thought about for a while, but I never knew if I’d have a chance to do or the right thing would come along. I’m very grateful and appreciative for Onsi to give me a chance to try to help a little bit,” Bontemps said.

“I had a dream job at ESPN. … I certainly wasn’t trying to go anywhere. I was only going to leave if it was a really awesome thing that came up and I got very fortunate that this is a very cool thing and so we’re going to move to Atlanta.”

Bontemps started his journalism career with The Post and covered the Nets during his time at the paper before covering the NBA for the Washington Post and later going to the Worldwide Leader. 

Front Office Sports first reported that Bontemps was in advanced talks to join the Hawks’ front office in June. He was absent from “The Hoop Collective” during the reaction to the blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. 

Bontemps had been heavily focusing on team strategy, player movement and league trends during his latter coverage of the league at ESPN, in addition to appearing on the network’s shows and digital assets. 

Atlanta is coming off a season in which it was knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by the Knicks after going 46-36 in the regular season.

Mark Cuban is accusing Dallas Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont of freezing the team’s former majority owner out of business opportunities in a proposed move of the club out of downtown, according to a newspaper report.

The Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday that Cuban alleges Dumont has engaged in “adversarial business practices” in his bid to move the team about 10 miles north of downtown to the former site of a Dallas mall.

A Mavericks spokeswoman told The Associated Press the team wouldn’t comment. Cuban didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The billionaire businessman sold his majority stake in 2023 to the families of Miriam Adelson and Dumont, who is Adelson’s son-in-law.

Cuban said he had an agreement to continue running basketball operations, but Dumont gave former general manager Nico Harrison full control of the basketball side.

The newspaper reported that Cuban said in the filing he was unaware of Harrison’s plan to trade superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025 until it was too late to object and call off the trade.

The shocking trade backfired on the Mavericks, and Harrison was fired in November after the team’s slow start to the 2025-26 season.

Cuban owns 27% of the Mavericks, but the newspaper reported there is a clause in the purchase agreement that the Adelson and Dumont families can buy another 20% of Cuban’s stake.

The filing by Cuban comes a little more than a month after the Mavericks signed an option agreement to purchase approximately 104 acres in north Dallas, part of a plan to build an arena that would open in 2031.

The Mavericks’ lease at American Airlines Center expires in 2031. The team has been downtown since it debuted as an expansion franchise in 1980.

Cuban said his businesses were “contractually entitled to participate” in the move to the new site, which the filing describes as “a unique investment opportunity.”

The Spurs’ team for the 2026/27 season is mostly set. San Antonio extended Julian Champagnie’s contract, brought back Harrison Barnes, signed Tobias Harris in free agency, and added two rookie big men from the draft. All those moves got them close to the tax line and filled up 13 of the 15 roster spots available.

With the big transactions out of the way, all that’s left is deciding what to do with those two last roster spots. The Spurs could go in different directions there, so let’s take a look at some of their options.

The continuity path: Jordan McLaughlin and Bismack Biyombo

Arguably the least exciting path, but we are talking about the fringes of the roster, so there’s nothing wrong with making choices that focus on stability instead of upside

McLaughlin arrived in the De’Aaron Fox trade and impressed the Spurs enough that they brought them back on a minimum contract for the 2025/26 season. He suited up for 44 games, mostly in garbage time, but on the opportunities he got, he showed he can be a good deep bench guy who provides solid game management and steady spot-up shooting. The 30-year-old is a finished product, but he can play and fits San Antonio’s culture.

Unlike J-Mack, Biyombo shouldn’t really see the floor unless a game is decided at this point in his career. His athleticism is gone, and he was never known for his skill. What he brought to the table last season was leadership, as he was clearly respected by everyone in the locker room, including Victor Wembanyama. With how many big bodies the Spurs have, he could continue to be more of a coach than a player.

McLaughlin would likely command a guaranteed minimum deal, like last season, while Biyombo could likely be had for a partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed minimum.

The maximum depth path: sign the best veterans available

Signing the best talent available might seem like the obvious best choice, but the Spurs don’t really have a lot of minutes to offer, so the expectations of anyone coming in should be managed to avoid any potential locker room issues. Guys like McLaughlin know how things work in San Antonio. A talented veteran who is trying to get his career back on track or end it on a high note might want a bigger role than Mitch Johnson can offer them. But if Johnson is open to having everyone but the core guys earn their minutes through competition, it could work.

Now, we are talking about players who would take the minimum or close to it, since that’s all the Spurs can offer, which rules out any big names. But guys like Bruce Brown, Jordan Clarkson, or Cole Anthony, among others, could be in play. They would probably prefer a destination where minutes are readily available, but if they are assured they will have a chance to earn them, they could be interested in being in a contender.

Those guys could carve out small roles for themselves, but could also be unhappy if they don’t end up doing so. There is some risk attached to them, but they could help in case of an emergency.

The youth and upside path: no one over 25 allowed

Essentially, the opposite of the continuity path. The Spurs have their main guys, and with Barnes back and the Harris addition, they have their veterans. Why not use the last roster spots to try to find the next Champagnie?

A simple way to do it would be to canvas the undrafted free agent and G League talent pools. Summe League is perfect for it. While most teams would likely only offer Exhibit 10 (training camp) contracts, the Spurs could be more aggressive and offer a non-guaranteed or partially guaranteed standard contract to someone who shines. At this point, it’s hard to come up with a lot of names, but there are always standouts. San Antonio has a lot of youth already on the main roster, but they have a good developmental system in Austin that they can always rely on.

The issue with this direction is that it both hurts the overall reliable depth of the team, as by nature the signings would be somewhat risky and target players who could develop into but are not currently NBA talents, while also costing money and flexibility. And most projects don’t turn into Champagnie. Still, if the Spurs think they can get the veterans they are interested in to wait until after Summer League is over, they could be patient before making their signings and potentially use one or both of their spots on young players with potential.

The savings and flexibility path: keeping a roster spot open

Teams are allowed to carry just 14 players on their roster, so there’s no need for the Spurs to sign two more guys. They could simply elect to add someone and keep an open spot heading into the season, something they’ve done in the past.

The reason for doing that is to maintain some roster flexibility. They don’t have much room under the tax to take on money for assets, but they could do a two-for-one deal or eventually convert a two-way contract into a standard one without having to waive anyone. They could also have a spot in case someone they’re interested in gets waived. Essentially, they’d save up some money that otherwise would be going to someone unlikely to contribute until they feel they can find the right use for the spot.

The downside is the Spurs wouldn’t be able to add depth at two positions in this scenario. They would have their two-way guys to help in case of emergency, so anything other than major absences shouldn’t present a major problem, but there’s a case to be made for having a set roster that can work together and develop chemistry heading into the season. It would also be unwise to use the one roster spot with someone like Biyombo, who only provides leadership, instead of likely focusing more on potential productivity.

What path do you think the Spurs should pick? Could they mix and match, going for a veteran and a young player? What are some names you would like to see them pursue? Let us know in the comments.

The Hawks may have declined Jonathan Kuminga’s team option, making him an unrestricted free agent, but they might still factor into his next destination.

With Kuminga being a five-year player with a high upside, multiple teams, including the Lakers, are interested in the wing.

The Lakers have reportedly offered him a two-year, $20 million deal, but it wasn’t enough to entice him to sign.

Perhaps if another team can get involved, everyone can benefit and get what they want. That’s where Atlanta comes in.

On Wednesday, Khobi Price wrote a piece for the California Post detailing that the Hawks would be willing to execute a sign-and-trade, sending Kuminga to Los Angeles.

A source told the Post the Hawks are willing to execute a sign-and-trade with the Lakers around the framework of Kuminga going to L.A. and the Hawks receiving Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap – the lone option the Lakers have of trading a first-round pick this summer.

Obviously, this is something the Hawks would like. They avoided paying Kuminga by declining his option, and now they are being rewarded with picks and a defensive player in Jarred Vanderbilt if the Lakers agree to this.

If the numbers work, Kuminga could get a better deal than what LA originally offered. The Lakers could acquire him, and the Hawks would gain the assets they want.

Price also reported later in the piece that the Lakers are open to moving Vando or other players in a trade.

“The Lakers have been willing to trade Vanderbilt, according to multiple sources who spoke with the Post who were granted anonymity so they could speak freely, as well as other players on the roster in order to create more roster-building optionality.”

The key here is that just because the Lakers are willing to move certain players doesn’t mean they will do so if the deal doesn’t make sense.

A bad move just to land a wing is even worse than not acquiring one at all. The Lakers don’t have much money or roster spots left, so they have to figure out how to maximize this opportunity.

Also, with the Lakers trading for Walker Kessler, they have very little draft capital left. A pick swap with the Hawks could be a bad long-term decision if Kuminga doesn’t improve with the Lakers.

Still, the Hawks’ willingness to facilitate this is a positive. The goal for Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka at this point should be to structure a deal that benefits the Lakers as well.

Even though Kuminga’s value isn’t very high right now, he’s still a solid player. Last year, he averaged 12.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 33.3% from 3-point range.

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

It feels like déjà vu. We've been here before. To be exact, it was 16 years ago.

A then-25-year-old LeBron James stopped the sports world as he sat down with longtime reporter and Emmy Award-winning journalist Jim Gray as he announced which team he would sign with as a free agent in a 75 minute-long special broadcast on ESPN titled "The Decision."

It was the birth of a infamous phrase uttered by James when he announced as a free agent in 2010 that he would sign with the Miami Heat.

"In this fall, man, this is very tough, in this fall I'm going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Heat," James said in 2010.

That fateful day rocked the entire Cleveland, actually, Ohio fanbase. Tears were shed and No. 23 jerseys were lit to flames.

It wasn't so much the decision announcement, and where, but rather how it was orchestrated that really ticked some people off. Some called it a waste of time, others said it was attention-seeking and self-centered, despite the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Connecticut, being the benefactor of $2.5 million that the show raised.

Now 16 years later, at age 41, James faces another free agency decision.

For those keeping record, it's like the fourth decision, not counting the one to skip college and go straight to the league.

So, "The Decision" was a TV special on ESPN in 2010.

Years later in 2014, he went to print. He informed the sports landscape that he'd leave Miami and go back to Cleveland in quest of bringing an NBA title to the city by penning a first person essay titled "I'm Coming Home" published by Sports Illustrated on July 11. But for sequential purposes, we'll call it "The Decision: Part II."

Another four years passed and in 2018, James would leave Cleveland for Los Angeles to play for the Lakers. This decision surprised everyone as it came on the first day of free agency. It was a different route from the usual stalling, anticipation tactics fans that were expected in previous years. He informed everyone, taking a page from Michael Jordan's book with a simple press release statement through his agency, Klutch Sports Group. It's unofficially "The Decision: Part III."

After eight seasons with the Lakers, James is set to make another decision yet again, "The Decision: Part IV," as he decides which team he'll play for next season and potentially, the remainder of his career, whenever that'll be.

It's not really a matter of when but moreso, how? We've got a TV special, a sports magazine excerpt and a press release statement. We've got some ideas for how the fourth could even be better. So LeBron or Rich Paul, if you're reading this, consider these options: