Category: Basketball

When a kid from Estonia grows up dreaming of being in the NBA, that decision goes well beyond simple salary math. A NBA team or teams, possibly the Lakers and/or Knicks, likely gave Veesaar’s representatives a strong indication they valued him as a first round pick. Veesaar recently married, and after three years of college life, a desire for a change in lifestyle would be completely understandable. The NBA Draft values potential more than anything else, and a player’s age plays a role in those calculations. Henri turned 22 in March, and a 23 year old Veesaar is slightly less valuable than a 22 year old Veesaar, all other things being equal. Veesaar had these and other reasons, all totally valid, to go. What done is done. Godspeed, Henri. Knock ’em dead.

That said, dropping to pick 52 in the draft could mean a financial difference as much as $10 million over the next two seasons. The math on that is simple. First, Matt Norlander of CBS Sports reports UNC offered Veesaar $5 million or more for next season.

Via a UNC source: Henri Veesaar would have had at least a $5 million NIL deal had he returned. He left to chase being a first-rounder.

We're into the mid-40s and he's still waiting.

Easily the biggest mistake of the 2026 draft—and certainly one of the biggest in recent memory.

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) June 25, 2026

Second, the recent change in NCAA rules eligibility, the “5 for 5” rule, means Henri would have had two more seasons of college eligibility. Assuming good health, Veesaar in retrospect had the option of two years at $5+ million each. Third, Alex Toohey, last year’s pick 52, signed a non-guaranteed G-league deal with the Golden State Warriors worth around $600,000. Injured in December, the Warriors cut him, so Toohey realized only around $170,000 of that contract. That’s a $10 million difference.

We’ll get into the particulars of Veesaar’s drop in a bit, but his example seems worth discussion because UNC likely will have plenty of players facing similar decisions and dilemmas moving forward. The conversation for next year’s draft already includes three players on next season’s roster: Nikolas Avdalas, Sayon Keita, and Matt Able. They will all likely face choices similar to Veesaar’s. As fans, there’s also the small matter of gnashing our teeth every time we’re watching a tight game or monitoring the NET standings, wondering whether Henri’s return would have meant a better result. Taking the time to better understand a dynamic that likely to impact UNC men’s basketball every season moving forward seems worth the time.

The following moves back and forth between what we suspect and what we know, labelled accordingly. The speculation isn’t an attempt to point fingers without evidence. It’s just conjecture along the lines of the way NBA front offices can operate.

Speculation. A player with $5 million or more on the table in college likely needs solid evidence that a NBA tam values him enough to forego that guaranteed money, no matter how done they are with college classrooms or how much they dream of being in the NBA. Let’s pretend that a team promises to draft him late in the first round, say, the Lakers at pick 25. Perhaps no one makes him a promise, but more than one team – add the Knicks here – indicates a desire to add Veesaar with a late first round or early second round pick.

Known: Last year’s pick 25, Jase Richardson of the Orlando Magic, signed a four year contract worth more than $15 million, with more than $6 million of that guaranteed over the first two years. So, yes, the 25th pick in the NBA draft actually represents a pay cut from what a college player in Henri’s situation stands to make. If you’re wondering why so many underclassmen projected in the latter half of the first round opted to return to school, there’s one highly relevant data point. “Let’s make more money next season than I would in the NBA, with hopes of moving up in next season’s draft.” That comes with risks, most notably injury. Choosing the NBA in this situation means slightly less money in the short term, but it allows a player to train full-time in a fully professional setting, minus the demands of college. It gets a player firmly onto a NBA roster. It gets a player to a second contract sooner. It amounts to a player making a long-term bet on themselves, and that’s hard to condemn a guy for.

Speculation: This in turn assumes the front offices aren’t just blowing smoke or more fluid behind the scenes than they’re willing to reveal. Let’s say the Knicks, fresh off a title, restructure their off-season strategy and decide to keep trading down, taking a couple of two-way assets in the 2nd round rather than adding a first rounder to the roster. Let’s say the Lakers front office also likes Cameron Carr, a center from Baylor with better defensive upside, but doesn’t expect him to be on the board when their turn rolls around. Turns out Carr is, and the Lakers trade up from 25 to 24 to nab him.

Known: The Lakers picking Carr at 24, and then the Knicks trading away both picks 24 and 25 for future assets, was the point things went off the rails for Veesaar. Most mocks assumed one of those two teams would be Veesaar’s first round landing spot. With the first round done and Veesaar still waiting, Henri became a hot topic. Pundits talked about Veesaar as a first round talent and steal as an early second round pick. Jeremy Woo of ESPN said he expected the Knicks to take Veesaar with pick 31, with the caveat that the Knicks didn’t keep trading away their picks. Which the Knicks did, sending the pick to Houston.

Speculation: Veesaar and his agent at this point want some sort of guaranteed deal, but the teams picking at the top of the second round don’t need bigs. 10 of the first 15 picks in the second round go for guards, and the other five choose forwards. Word leaks that Veesaar’s agent tells teams that if they want to draft Veesaar, they better be willing to offer him a contract with more than one guaranteed year.

Known: The Lakers trade back into the second round at 56, with the conventional wisdom that Veesaar’s their aim. Once the Hawks jump into the 52 spot and take Henri, the Lakers trade that pick away.

Speculation: Veesaar and the Hawks worked something out better than the Lakers were offering. While the details of a Hawks-Veesaar agreement remain unknown, the NBA doesn’t have firm salary slots for picks in the second round. Remember pick 52 mentioned above, the one Golden State signed to a non-guaranteed $600,000 and then cut? Those same Warriors at pick 56, four picks later, took Will Richard and signed him to a four year deal at $8.7 million, with $3.4 million of that guaranteed over two years (hat tip LCS70). That’s in line with what other picks near the top of the second round negotiated. Richard appeared in 69 games for the Warriors, averaging 20 minutes, 6.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 steals.

Onsi Saleh, Hawks President of Basketball Ops, on drafting Henri Veesaar at #52:

“We were shocked that he was there. We were able to trade up to go get him. Super excited about that. We were jumping up and down. That one we were chasing from the early 2nd to go figure out."

— Vince Wolfram (@vincewolfram15) June 25, 2026

So, if Veesaar’s agent was able to work out something like that for Veesaar, then Veesaar’s still making good money in a stable roster spot and launching his NBA career. It wouldn’t be what he’d hoped for when all the mocks had him as a first round pick, but it would be far better than a G-league two-way deal with no guarantees. At some point, the details of Veesaar’s contract will be made public. Until then, we can only hope things worked out for the big guy. Either way, however, the fact remains Veesaar would have been far more valuable to UNC this season and next than he turned out to be to any NBA team.

So, even if Veesaar avoided a worst-case scenario and still parlayed his talent into a firm footing in the NBA, his story remains a cautionary tale for future Tar Heels faced with similar choices. Way-too-early mock drafts for 2027 already include Keita and Able as potential first rounders, with Avdalas in the mix in the next tier of 30 draft candidates. Will one of those be in position to make far more money in college than the NBA? Will their agents be able to accurately read between the lines in communications with NBA front offices? Will one of them confidently step into the draft as a consensus first rounder, only to find themselves scrambling to create value as their leverage rapidly dwindles?

For fans, it only adds to the frustration of following the Tar Heels and college sports. Should Henri have taken much better money to return to Carolina, a return which would have unquestionably raised both the ceiling and floor for next season? Selfishly: of course. If Able, Keita, or Avdalas play their way into legitimate late first round consideration, will Veesaar’s example influence their perspective? Hopefully. Should fans have to worry about the portal on the one hand and the NBA on the other decimating their team every season? Selfishly: no.

Regardless, it remains something Tar Heel fans will need to get used to. Landing elite players with NBA potential makes Final Fours possible. It also means other teams, both college and NBA, dangling temptation in front of those players. This saga may yet have a happy ending for Veesaar, but it leaves fans with a very real “what if” that will inevitably color the coming season.

After selecting AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and signing Trae Young to a four-year, $212 million extension earlier this week, the Washington Wizards have made it clear who their future is built around.

But with draft night officially in the rear-view mirror, the next domino to fall is whether 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis still fits into those long-term plans.

Following the conclusion of the draft, Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said the organization wants to keep Davis in Washington, and set a timeline for contract talks to begin later this summer.

“With AD again, he wants to be here and we want him here,” Dawkins said on ESPN. “We’ll have that conversation in the middle of August when we can officially have that.”

Washington acquired Davis from the Dallas Mavericks in an eight-player trade on Feb. 4 with hopes that the veteran big man could help stabilize a rebuilding franchise that finished last in the Eastern Conference each of the past two seasons.

But the Wizards’ timeline changed dramatically after landing Dybantsa with the first overall pick and locking up Young as the face of the offense. Now the front office must determine whether a 33-year-old Davis fits alongside two players expected to anchor the franchise as it seeks an identity that includes more then 20 wins in a season.

Davis remains one of the NBA’s premier two-way players when healthy, giving Washington an elite defender and interior scorer to complement Young’s and Dybantsa’s playmaking. But the same time, committing to another massive contract for an aging star could limit the franchise’s financial flexibility as its young core develops.

Davis has one guaranteed year remaining on his contract, worth $58.5 million in 2026-27, and holds a $62.8 million player option for the following season. Beginning Aug. 6, he’ll become eligible to sign a four-year extension worth as much as $275 million.

That presents a difficult decision for a front office balancing immediate competitiveness with long-term roster construction.

Over the past five seasons, Davis has averaged just 48.6 regular-season games, making durability another key factor as Washington evaluates whether to make a long-term commitment.

While Davis has surfaced in trade speculation since arriving in Washington, Dawkins’ comments suggest the Wizards’ priority is exploring an extension rather than moving the veteran forward.

The organization appears intent on seeing whether Davis can help bridge the gap between its current roster and the future built around Dybantsa and Young. Whether that bridge extends another four years will likely depend on the conversations that begin in August.

For now, it feels like Washington believes Davis wants to stay, but the bigger question is whether he still fits the timeline of a franchise whose future is rapidly getting younger by the season.

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Despite being selected third in the 2026 NBA Draft, Memphis Grizzlies forward Cameron Boozer is the opening favorite in Rookie of the Year odds.

Boozer, the 2026 NCAA Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American, has an implied 29.4% chance to win the award, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Key Takeaways

• The last player to win the Rookie of the Year after being drafted third overall was LaMelo Ball in 2021.
  
  
• Four of the last nine (44.4%) ROTY winners were taken first overall.
  
  
• The Washington Wizards have the best Finals odds (+12,000) of teams with a top ROTY candidate.

Boozer is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his Duke predecessor, Cooper Flagg, a fellow forward who went to the NBA after one year of college and won the Rookie of the Year award.

The son of 13-year NBA veteran Carlos Boozer leads FanDuel’s odds board at +240. Just behind him are the top two picks in the draft, Washington Wizards guard AJ Dybantsa (BYU) and Utah Jazz guard Darryn Peterson (Kansas), both at +400.

Dybantsa, also a consensus first-team All-American, led the NCAA in scoring last year and was the first player taken in the draft. Peterson was a second-team All Big 12 member, whose only college season was mired by severe cramping and missing 21.4% of his games.

Dybantsa and Peterson’s +400 odds to win NBA Rookie of the Year carry 20% implied probability each.

The final player who is within close proximity of the leaders is Sacramento Kings guard Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), who was taken seventh during Tuesday’s event. Another consensus first-team All-American, Acuff Jr. was one of the most outstanding players in March Madness, during which he averaged an efficient 29.3 points and 5.3 assists across three games.

NBA Rookie of the Year challengers and trends

According to FanDuel, there are two standout players — Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson (North Carolina) and Brooklyn Nets guard Mikel Brown Jr. (Louisville) — who are chasing the leaders.

Wilson, the fourth pick and another consensus first-team All-American, is +950 in NBA Rookie of the Year odds. Brown Jr., a third-team All-ACC performer, is +1,500 (6.3% chance) in odds.

Four of the last nine Rookie of the Year winners were selected with the first pick in the draft. If that trend continues, Dybantsa has nearly a coin flip’s chance of claiming the hardware.

During that same nine-year period, no players drafted lower than fourth overall won the Rookie of the Year honor. That would theoretically eliminate all players not named Dybantsa, Peterson, Boozer, or Wilson.

The one outlier in recent history occurred in 2017, when second-round and 36th-overall selection Malcolm Brogdon was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, despite a mundane 10.2-point, 4.2-assist, 2.8-rebound stat line. The 36th pick in this year’s draft was Cincinnati forward Baba Miller, now of the Los Angeles Clippers. 

NBA Finals odds lookahead

While NBA Finals oddsare not available on FanDuel at the time of writing, the other top online sportsbooks have theirs published.

According to DraftKings, none of the teams with a perceived top candidate to win the award have better odds to win the Finals than the Wizards (+12,000). The Jazz (+18,000) are the next team in line, followed by the Nets (+25,000), Grizzlies (+50,000), Bulls (+70,000), and Kings (+100,000).

The Wizards’ Finals odds are tied for 22nd in the league. 

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Giannis Antetokounmpo made his first public appearance since his blockbuster trade to the Miami Heat, attending SNF Nostos 2026, an international festival celebrating culture, sports, and social good, hosted by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation in Athens.

Antetokounmpo took the stage alongside Olympic medalist Emmanouil Karalis, joining Stavros Niarchos Foundation Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos for a wide-ranging conversation. The trio discussed the values underpinning athletic excellence and how these principles could inspire athletes to give back, strengthen their communities, and create opportunities for future generations.

Antetokounmpo did not take any questions about his trade to the Heat, and instead he focused on his philanthropic work off the court.

"I came from nothing. Growing up, my family relied on community organizations for food and basic necessities. I remember asking why these people helped us, and they said it was from the heart," Antetokounmpo reflected. "As a kid, I didn’t grasp the meaning, but now I understand the power of compassion and generosity. We may not be able to solve every problem, but we can always do something to ease someone’s load."

More: Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to Heat in blockbuster deal with Bucks

During the event, Antetokounmpo revealed that a conversation with former U.S. President Barack Obama was a turning point for him. Obama encouraged him to use his platform not just for personal success, but to advocate for causes he believes in and inspire others to dream big. This guidance motivated Antetokounmpo to step outside his comfort zone, raise awareness for critical issues that shaped his childhood, and instill hope in people.

"Although I prefer to keep my personal life private, that conversation made me realize the importance of speaking out and sharing my journey and platform," Antetokounmpo said. "I’m extremely proud of the foundation and the real difference it’s making in people’s lives."

Those early experiences shaped Antetokounmpo’s deep commitment to making a difference beyond basketball. In 2022, he and his family established the Charles Antetokounmpo Family Foundation in honor of his late father. The foundation’s mission spans three places he considers home: Milwaukee, Greece and Nigeria, providing food security, access to education, youth sports programs and emergency relief.

The two-time NBA MVP appearance comes after being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Miami Heat in exchange for five future picks and four players. The trade involves Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis going to the Heat, while the Bucks receive Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including the No. 13 overall pick in this year's draft), a pick swap in 2030, and a second-round pick in 2033.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giannis Antetokounmpo makes first public appearance since trade to Heat

We all need a break from unreliably sourced Jaylen Brown trade rumors.

Instead, we need Jaylen Brown trade rumors that are completely unsourced (well, not completely, my brother helped out with a couple).

Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks have offered to trade back Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan for Jaylen Brown, but this might be an overpay.

Brooklyn Nets: The Nets will agree to an admission that the fancy floor at the Barclay Center was just an attempt to one-up the Celtics, and that they’re really sorry about that.

Charlotte Hornets: Michael Jordan (yep, he’s still a minority owner) has promised to give Stevens some advice on how to identify talent in the draft. The Celtics are letting this one ride.

Chicago Bulls: The Bulls have offered up usage rights for “Sirius” as the team’s walk-on music.

Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavs haven’t actually put an offer in. They’re waiting for Jaylen to suffer a hip injury before they pull the trigger.

Dallas Mavericks: The Mavs’ offer centers around an explanation for how the heck they won the lottery the same year that they traded away Luka Doncic for what was left of Anthony Davis and some allegedly magic beans.

Denver Nuggets: They’ll pressurize Ball Arena to sea level for Celtics road games.

Detroit Pistons: The key piece in Detroit’s package is a formal apology for trading for Bill Laimbeer.

Golden State Warriors: The Warriors will pass on the secret of Draymond Green’s popularity—and why the heck anybody wants to listen to what he has to say off the court.

Houston Rockets: The Rockets have offered Kevin Durant and assurances that, really, Kevin is very sorry for all the stuff he said and did online, and that he’s really never ever going to do that again, and this time he means it, and also that maybe Kevin didn’t actually do all that anyway, and oh, look, a big distracting thing.

Indiana Pacers: The Pacers have promised that they’ll release Larry Bird from the cell they’re keeping him in under the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

L.A. Clippers: The Clippers haven’t offered Boston anything directly, but they do have a nice endorsement deal for Jaylen.

L.A. Lakers: Did you know that the C’s have only executed three trades with the Lakers in their collective history? It’s been almost 22 years since the last trade. Anyway, the Lakers don’t really have any players to offer, but they have a bunch of AI-generated images of Jaylen in a Lakers jersey.

Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies offer includes a like-new, low-mileage Ja Morant complete with intermittent social media presence.

Miami Heat: Pat Riley will give Brad Stevens five free lessons in hair greasing. He assures Brad that, no, the dry look really is out, and soon everybody will be once again styling their hair like 1970s Henry Winkler.

Milwaukee Bucks: They have inherited the Miami Heat Trade Package^TM, and have offered it to Boston.

Minnesota Timberwolves: The Timberwolves have offered two things—Lamelo Ball as well as Lamelo’s promise that he’ll do all his in-town driving in a Cozy Coupe.

New Orleans Pelicans: Beignets. Lots of them.

New York Knicks: Knicks superfan Spike Lee will spend an entire season dressed up as Lucky, the Celtics mascot. It’s potentially a good fit as Spike is already slightly shorter than most leprechauns.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Team management will sign over the contract with the devil that is the secret behind SGA’s foul grifting.

Orlando Magic: They’ll change their nickname to the Orlando Larry Legends.

Philadelphia 76ers: Sixers president of basketball operations and secret voodoo practitioner Daryl Morey will give Boston the phone number of the witch doctor they used to hex Boston in the playoffs this year

Phoenix Suns: The offer from the Valley of the Sun is several truckloads of warm weather to be delivered in January of each year.

Portland Trail Blazers: Boston has secured a promise that they’ll change their name to Trailblazers, because, I mean, come on, nobody uses two words to spell ‘trailblazer.’

Sacramento Kings: The Kings, well, the Kings just want everybody to know that Oscar Robertson once played for them three towns and a nickname ago, and if you could help spread the word, that would be great. Oh, and also, they won an NBA title in 1951.

San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs have offered the Payaya artifact which enabled them to draft Tim Duncan and Victor Wembyama—but only for the next three seasons.

Toronto Raptors: The Raptors want to build Boston a copy of the CN tower. Their belief is that the Boston skyline isn’t pointy enough.

Utah Jazz: Danny Ainge will send over his lifetime Chipotle card. The Celtics are seriously considering this one.

Washington Wizards: The Wizards package includes one eyebrow waxing coupon from Anthony Davis (never used), and a game worn ‘That’s All Folks’ T-shirt.

It's another edition of Knicks Mailbag, with SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley ready to answer your questions surrounding the team. Let's get started...

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Have the Knicks been in conversations with teams about centers they can trade for? - @jmere09nyc

Yes. Before the draft, they checked in with at least one team with a center under contract. Obviously nothing came to fruition. The team contacted by the Knicks was ultimately unwilling to part with its big man. The Knicks’ approach in this check-in was more than just due diligence, according to the team the Knicks spoke with. They were genuinely trying to get a deal done. Was this because they knew Mitchell Robinson would not be back? I don’t know the answer to that, but logic tells you they wouldn’t have put a call in if they thought Robinson would be back. If the Knicks want to stay under the second apron next season, Robinson would have to take a significant pay cut to return to the team.

You can make the argument that Robinson is the best unrestricted free agent on the center market. The Lakers are among the teams in need of a center. Reports have linked the Lakers and Robinson. SNY hasn’t independently confirmed those reports, but Robinson will certainly have interest from teams around the league. 

If the Knicks lose Robinson, they will have to find a serviceable center via the trade market or free agency. 

Free agency will be difficult because they will not be able to offer much more than a minimum deal. The next place to turn is the trade market. Maybe Moussa Diabate is available from Charlotte after they drafted a big man to add to their large center rotation? The Knicks have previously showed interest in Goga Bitadze, Yves Missi and Nic Richards. I’m sure they will look at all options on the table if Robinson does not return.

Could a yearly pay cut with more years added work? I don’t see any other team giving him more than 2 years? Maybe? - Via Kenny

The Knicks can give him a five-year deal. So they have the opportunity to offer more guaranteed money in the scenario you propose. But the Knicks can also offer him more money annually than he is making now. They would just have to exceed the second apron to do so.

Do you think staying under the second apron is to protect from Mitch injury issues? - Via @therealgmlopes

If you go over to sign him you’re basically stuck if he has his yearly injury. If they can keep him and stay under the apron, that’s not an issue. Also staying under leaves S&T as an option for him.

This would make sense to me. If you are worried about committing multiple years to Robinson due to injury, that’s understandable. But I can’t wrap my head around why the Knicks wouldn’t want to exceed the second apron this offseason.

The penalties are significant (as ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains in this video) but this team just won a championship.

Owner James Dolan has never been shy about spending money. Why would that change now? Dolan said in a WFAN interview recently that he didn’t want to go over the second apron. He reiterated that stance internally prior to the draft. He has not shared the specific reasons why he does not want to go over the second apron.

The strongest pushback to staying under the 2nd apron is BOS won while over it and DEN won + then immediately lost depth bc of it. If NYK believes this group can win multiple titles why should preserving future flexibility take priority over retaining everyone on the title team? - @Brock_Aller

This is a question that will hang over this offseason until it’s explained to the fan base. Every title team loses players. But this situation is different because the Knicks can spend the money to retain Robinson and Landry Shamet. By staying under the second apron, they will have to choose one or the other. 

Three international players? That’s how many the Dallas Mavericks drafted this week. That’s three more than last season. 

And it’s a huge shift from the previous year, where the Mavs either traded or refrained from resigning every single international player still on the team – after having at least one but up to five European or international players on the roster continuously for over 30 years. 

The Dallas Mavericks have had a proud tradition of being first-movers on international talent for decades. We all know how Dirk Nowitzki was doubted before Dallas put their trust in him, and how Luka Doncic fell to third in the 2018 draft, despite being the biggest prospect in years – mainly because he never played college basketball. 

The Mavs have been known to look abroad consistently and turn their focus outward and in new places to find promising talent since the 1990s. 

But under the leadership of General Manager Nico Harrison and head coach Jason Kidd, who was brought to Dallas in 2021, things changed. 

As Mark Cuban stepped away, eventually selling the majority of the franchise in 2023, the outward focus turned inward, and stars – who were once superstars – were valued higher than potential and hidden treasures. The thought-process seemed to be that old is trustworthy, new is risky and what once worked will always work. And with that, the Mavs as a franchise came to a standstill. 

But a sudden course correction has taken place recently.  New leadership, consisting of experienced, international scouts were brought to Dallas, and with that a shift and a tangible rebuild has commenced. 

New GM Mike Schmitz and president Masai Ujiri wasted no time looking outside the US to find diamonds in the rough for this year’s draft, despite only being in Dallas for a little under two months.

And it looks like there might be three this year, though it’s unclear who will be stashed (remain with their overseas team to develop). The Mavs traded Koa Peat at 30 to get Sergio De Larrea (to the New York Knicks) from Valencia, a club that just secured an incredible ACB Spanish championship win over powerhouse Barcelona. 

De Larrea is a Spanish point guard and a 6’7 shooter, straight out of the European basketball tradition, and more specifically, the Spanish – just like Luka Doncic. 

De Larrea debuted for Valencia’s best team and in the Euroleague at 17. After playing for some smaller and reserve teams and declining offers to play college basketball in the US, he returned to a regular role with Valencia as a point guard in 2024/25. 

Other noteworthy accomplishments from the 20-year-old include a FIBA World Cup U19 Gold medal with Spain in 2023 and a Spanish Liga ACB Young Player of the Year award in 2026. 

The likelihood of this being a draft-and-stash seems lower at the moment than just after the draft. According to Spanish sources, the Mavs’ commitment to De Larrea is “completely firm, because their new coach, Dusty May, considers him a guaranteed part of next season’s roster… Any possibility that De Larrea would remain with Valencia Basket has essentially disappeared.”

There aren’t many 6’7, 20 year old primary ball handlers who can self-generate paint touches, navigate screens and flash the craftiness that Sergio De Larrea has…⤵️

Sergio De Larrea isn’t a particularly impressive finisher at the rim, 58.7% and just 43.7% as a driver, BUT his… pic.twitter.com/1Doug23p9G

— Quinn Fishburne (@QuinnFishburne) June 23, 2026

Basically, this is not some scrappy European guy, but at 20, he’s a player who could develop into a serious shooting guard, at least, in the NBA. As Schmitz confirmed after the draft, the Mavs leadership has a strong focus on positional size, and here he also checks all boxes at 6’7. 

The second player of this Mavs draft, who may have come even more out of nowhere to many, is Russian wing Vsevolod Ishchenko (Seva). The Mavericks traded cash considerations to the Los Angeles Lakers to acquire his draft rights. He was selected with the No. 56 pick.

Seva is considered more of a clear draft-and-stash, and the still raw 6’8 Russian wing, playing in the not very athletic Russian VTB United league, stands out as extremely athletic. He looks to have a huge potential, and can be an asset and development piece for the Mavs down the line. 

He made his name early in Russia’s youth basketball system, earning two VTB Youth April MVP awards while dominating the junior ranks for Lokomotiv Kuban-2 at 18. This earned him a spot on Lokomotiv Kuban’s senior team in the professional Russian VTB United League. He was named a VTB United League All-Star and took home the league’s Young Player of the Year award this season. 

Seva’s efficiency stands out, according to RotoWire. Shooting above 50 percent from the field and over 46 percent from three on respectable volume for a 20-year-old, he has a solid shooting touch. Along with his frame, it makes him dangerous on the perimeter. “He moves fluidly in transition, attacks downhill with body control and absorbs contact at the rim.”

The third player is English Tobi Lawal, selected at 48 by the Mavericks. The 23-year-old didn’t start playing basketball until 16, and attended City of London Academy basketball programme before he left for prep school in Lee, Maine. He stayed in the US and spent his college years at VCU and Virginia Tech. The last two years at Virginia, the 6’8 power forward averaged just above 12 points. 

With these three players, three of four drafted by the Mavs, the return of an international outlook and a welcoming of fresh currents in Dallas means a certain level of excitement in the Mavs world and especially for the many international fans of the franchise. 

Paradoxically, it feels like the Mavs are returning to the past. Back when they took a chance on Dirk, and put everything on Luka. 

There’s a feeling among Mavs fans that the tide has turned and new, exciting prospects and ways of playing and rebuilding have emerged. And that is not a bad way to start a new season. 

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

The dust has finally settled on the 2026 NBA Draft, and while no Syracuse Orange players from the 2025-26 roster were selected, a few will be getting the chance to secure a permanent spot in the league.

Syracuse center William Kyle III will be on an Exhibit 10 deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

After two seasons at San Diego State and one with UCLA, Kyle III finished his collegiate career with the Orange. He averaged 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game. In his lone year at Syracuse, Kyle started in all of the team’s games in 2025-26.

AGTG🙏🏿 https://t.co/fkugmwmFGH

— William Kyle lll (@WilliamKyleIII) June 25, 2026

Center will certainly be a position of need for the Lakers. Starting center Deandre Ayton has a player option for the 2026-27 season. He started in 72 games for L.A. last season. Even if he picks up that option, Ayton projects as the only center left on the roster heading into free agency. It will be a key position for the Lakers, who need rim protection and a lob threat for Luka Dončić.

A second player from last year’s Syracuse roster will also get a chance to shine and compete at the next level.

Guard Nate Kingz is reportedly signing a deal to play on the Miami Heat’s Summer League team, per Dushawn London of 247Sports.

Like Kyle, Kingz transferred to the Orange in 2025 from Oregon State and played his final college season in Upstate New York. He averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds, shooting 49% from the field and nearly 37% from three as a full-time starter last year.

It’s an interesting time for Miami, which recently acquired superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster deal. The Heat have limited cap flexibility and less depth after the trade, especially on the perimeter, giving Kingz a prime opportunity to stand out.

Syracuse guard Nate Kingz has signed a Summer League deal with the Miami Heat, source tells @247Sportspic.twitter.com/Tv23oOB8XX

— Dushawn London (@DushawnLondon1) June 25, 2026

There was a former Orange player who did hear his named called during the Draft.

The San Antonio Spurs selected former Syracuse forward Maliq Brown in the second round with the No. 44 overall pick (writer’s note: #brand). Brown began his collegiate career with the Orange and played two seasons there, developing into one of the best defenders in the ACC (and arguably in the country).

Brown would eventually depart from New York to North Carolina, transferring to the Duke Blue Devils, where he played the last two years. He averaged 5.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.6 steals in 125 career games.

Brown is joining a Spurs team coming off a trip to the 2026 NBA Finals, led by MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama. That said, San Antonio looked to address its frontcourt depth, especially at the four spot, this offseason. Brown joins Wembanyama and a young, promising roster.

Added another dawg on defense 😤@Ticketmaster | 🎥: @DukeMBBpic.twitter.com/xPA02fBTxe

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) June 25, 2026

Two other former Syracuse players signed with NBA squads. Guard Quadir Copeland will be signing a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets, according to Jake Fischer. Forward Chris Bell signed with the New Orleans Pelicans on an Exhibit 10 deal per Jake Weingarten of StockRisers.

Copeland will join a Houston team that’s in an interesting spot. Despite trading for Kevin Durant one offseason ago, the Rockets were dispatched by the Lakers in Round One of the playoffs. Bell joins a Pelicans team which is still rebuilding so we’ll see if these players can impress in Summer League.

Not a lot of stuff—I mean—going on in the past few hours as we quietly navigate the silent period between the NBA Draft and the start of free agency.

But what, did you expect me to sit idly without scouring the interwebs for links? You mad if you think like that.

• Former Knicks beat reporter Fred Katz of The Athletic just confirmed what we all suspected: James Dolan, and not the front office, is the lone person behind the second-apron mandate. According to Katz and fellow scribe James L. Edwards, the Knicks FO was “blindsided” by Dolan’s comments. I have a lot more on that and Mitchell Robinson’s “likely” exit from New York in an earlier post.
• Welcome to Tyler Nickel season. The more you read about the Knicks’ second-round pick, the more you’ll like about him. Delicious write-up over Sports Illustrated in which Nickel openly says you need an “almost delusional” belief in yourself to make it this far and insists he’s fearless against anybody who steps on the court. A true New Yorker right there.
• The New York Post also had a nice story on Nickel’s draft night, one the Virginia native celebrated with family and his girlfriend, Towson basketball player Zoli Khalil. A sample:

“(Going to New York) doesn’t even sound real. It doesn’t even sound like it would happen. It’s been a minute since it happened to anybody even in the area.”

• Jared Schwartz of the NY Post also spoke with Fran Fraschilla, who had plenty of praise for both Knicks draft picks. Fraschilla trusts Walt Perrin and Brock Aller more than most NBA front offices, likes Nickel’s toughness, shooting and fearlessness, and believes Jack Kayil has a legitimate NBA future even if he still needs seasoning. Worth the full read!
• Speaking of Kayil, the NY Post also talked with several of his coaches and teammates from Germany. The reviews are glowing.
• The second-apron conversation somehow refuses to die. The Newsday’s Steve Popper laid out the financial reality facing the Knicks, and, surprise, it still doesn’t look easy. Mitchell Robinson remains the biggest domino, and although Mitch is on his way out, Popper still can’t believe the front office will simply let him go for nothing.

“The most intriguing free agent is Robinson. The history of the front office tells you that the Knicks don’t let a player walk in free agency for nothing (see: Immanuel Quickley, Julius Randle, Quentin Grimes). So it’s hard to imagine that the Knicks will let him leave with nothing in return. They had chances to extend Robinson and passed, understandably, given his injury history. There has been frustration in the organization with his free-throw struggles, and no one was pleased when he broke his right pinkie in an off-court incident in the postseason, but it’s also countered by what he delivers on the court (and his willingness to get on the court with the injury).”

• ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel blastedJames Dolan the Knicks’ determination to avoid the second apron, arguing there’s “absolutely zero reason” not to spend after winning a championship.
• Sports Illustrated’s Isaiah De Los Santos thinks there’s still a chance Pacome Dadiet gets moved at some point this offseason, even though that won’t help in retaining Mitch and might have a little impact when it comes to all other pending free agents.
• Around the league, Jaylen Brown rumors continue multiplying by the hour. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst made it very clear that Brown “is going to get traded.”

“(Brad Stevens) obviously told him that there was a good chance they’re going to trade him. It’s not a guarantee that they’re going to find a deal that they like that’s going to improve the team, but I think they are intending to trade him.”

• Meanwhile, Mike Lacett “is hearing” that Charlotte is in the mix for Brown, right after getting rid of LaMelo Ball with the younger of the BBB brothers on his way to Minny.
• Clippers veteran Kawhi Leonard is back in the rumor mill, with Jake Fischer reporting that he’d be willing to sign an extension with the Toronto Raptors if they land him via trade. Kawhi, however, doesn’t want to sign any sort of deal with Detroit if the Pistons trade for him. Sister blog Detroit Bad Boys has more on it.
• Per The Athletic’s Sam Amick, it looks like the Pistons went from targeting Austin Reaves to thinking about Brown and Kawhi to… being forced to find a suitor for a pissed Jalen Duren, who doesn’t want to re-sign in Detroit and is close to demanding a sing-a-trade out of Motown. In any case, there are still so many Jalens in the NBA.
• LaVar Ball knows what the Wolves are missing after Thursday’s blockbuster.
• The Lakers got their center on Thursday. “The A10 Player of the Year is one of the nation’s most skilled bigs. Shot 40% from three and averaged 4+ assists per game as a frontcourt playmaking hub,” Jon Chepkevich wrote while announcing the news.

Luka: “Get me an A-list center”

Pelinka: pic.twitter.com/e9doZa56su

— 🎭 (@MaskedInLA) June 25, 2026

Does this mean the exceptional Los Angeles Lakers are out of the Robinson sweepstakes!?

Sixers have their 2026 summer league schedule  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Summer league basketball is on the horizon for the Sixers.

The NBA on Friday released the full schedule for its 2026 summer league in Las Vegas, which will run from July 9 through July 19. Below is the Sixers’ slate:

• Thursday, July 9 at 5:30 p.m. ET: Sixers vs. Pistons on Prime Video 
• Saturday, July 11 at 5:30 p.m. ET: Sixers vs. Pacers on Prime Video 
• Tuesday, July 14 at 4 p.m. ET: Sixers vs. Rockets on Prime Video 
• Wednesday, July 15 at 4 p.m. ET: Sixers vs. Magic on ESPNU

Detailis for each team’s fifth game will be based on how the standings shake out. Semifinal games are scheduled for July 18 and the championship is set for July 19.

The Sixers are not one of the participants this year in the Salt Lake City summer league (or the California Classic), so the 30-team Las Vegas event is the only summer league on their calendar. 

While the Sixers have yet release a summer league roster, their team will presumably feature No. 22 overall pick Labaron Philon Jr.

Former Bowling Green guard Javontae Campbell and former Hawaii center Isaac Johnson will be members of the Sixers’ summer league roster, their schools announced. More undrafted summer pickups will pop up in the coming days. 

After the parade but before the White House visit, the New York Knicks may be facing the first loss of next season: Jake Fischer and Marc Stein, reporting for Stein’s Steinline, write Friday that the Brooklyn Nets have “legitimate interest” in New York free agent center Mitchell Robinson.

The Stein Line has learned that the Nets have legitimate interest in trying to sign big man Mitchell Robinson away from the team across the East River that just won its first NBA championship in more than 50 years…

The Nets were overhyped as a potential Reaves suitor, but they appear intent on putting a credible team on the floor next season after unreservedly tanking this past season and winding up with the No. 6 pick in May’s draft lottery.

Trying to sign Robinson away from the Knicks, whose owner James Dolan has been openly fearful of the NBA luxury tax system’s second apron in the wake of his team’s title run, would certainly generate some back-page headlines in Gotham.

Fischer and Stein also reported that the Lakers could also have interest.

On Thursday night, Stefan Bondy reported that indeed owner James Dolan’s desire to avoid the second apron and heavy sanctions could mean the seven-footer could be available.

Heard it’s unlikely Mitchell Robinson will be back with Knicks next season. He’s longest tenured Knick but also an unrestricted free agent. Owner James Dolan said he’s unwilling to pay into second apron so running it back with bench is not feasible.

— Stefan Bondy (@SbondyNBA) June 26, 2026

Dolan has been public about avoiding the dreaded second apron which in addition to financial sanctions would lessen GM Leon Rose’s flexibility.

Robinson averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.5 rebounds in 27 minutes per game during the Knicks championship run. He is a notorious bad free throw shooter and has had injury issues. He’s missed 138 games in the last three season.

The Nets have ample cap space to sign Robinson outright, with a minimum of $36 million and as much as $50 million depending how they manipulate the cap. Robinson is likely to command a starting salary above the $30 million mark. At 28, Robinson is one of the top offensive rebounders in the game and can supply rim protection, an area where the Nets are in need of help. With the trade of Nic Claxton, the 5 position has been penciled in as Day’Ron Sharpe’s and while Sharpe is also a top rebounder, he doesn’t provide rim protection that Jordi Fernandez’s defense requires.

• Mitchell Robinson unlikely to return to Knicks as team faces second apron crunch – Andrew Battifarano – New York Post
• Knicks Mailbag: Has NY checked in with teams about centers on trade market? – Ian Begley – SNY

Heading into the 2026 NBA Draft, there was growing buzz that Wisconsin Badgers point guard Nick Boyd would be among the 60 players selected. However, on a night where every pick exchanged hands except for one, Boyd ended up not hearing his name called, which meant the Badgers would not have a draft pick in back-to-back years, a feat they last achieved in 1986 and 1987.

A supersenior this season, Boyd averaged 20.7 points, 4.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game, while shooting 48 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from three.

With how roster spots have been used nowadays with two-way contracts, the second round of the NBA Draft has become more volatile. We’ve seen agents steer players to specific destinations, while others, such as UNC’s Henri Veesar, fall due to the desire for a specific contract.

Boyd went through Wednesday night without signing a contract, but his agency announced on Thursday afternoon that the point guard would be signing with the Golden State Warriors as an undrafted free agent.

Ranked No. 53 on The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s Big Board, Boyd will get his first professional chance on an Exhibit 10 contract with the Warriors. Those deals are non-guaranteed and are mainly structured as a pathway for players to join the G-League team following the offseason.

Boyd will now have the chance to showcase his talents during summer league, where he’ll make his case to earn a two-way contract.

Companies that build data centers don’t just pollute the environment, waste water, drive up electric rates, and dodge taxes. Sometimes they also sponsor NBA jersey patches.

NEWS: The Warriors signed a new jersey patch deal with AI cloud firm Iren. The multi-year agreement is the richest sponsorship in the history of North American team sports at an average of more than $50 million per year. pic.twitter.com/dA6cC6qyQr

— Kurt Badenhausen (@kbadenhausen) June 25, 2026

An “AI cloud firm” called Iren has agreed to replace Rakuten as the jersey patch sponsor for the Golden State Warriors in a deal that’s reportedly worth $50M per season. For context, that’s enough to pay for 7 1/4 Al Horfords, 10.8 Gui Santoses, or over 58 Pat Spencers!

IREN Ltd. is an Australian company that actually seems less evil than the usual data center operator. They’re still primarily used for artificial intelligence cloud services and Bitcoin mining, both obviously cool pursuits for both individuals and the entire United States economy to focus on. However, Iren claims that their centers use only renewable energy, purchased from “clean or renewable sources” like solar or wind. Of course, they provide a disclaimer that sometimes they use “renewable energy certificates” which are like carbon offsets. It’s basically a certificate that says, yes we used fossil fuels, but we’re going to pay someone who did create renewable energy because we feel bad about it.

It’s still better than a non-renewable energy data center company.

This deal isn’t just for the Warriors jersey patch. The deal extends to Iren branding on the warmup gear of the Valkyries and the jerseys of the G League Santa Cruz Warriors, along with signage throughout the Chase Center.

But according to the Warriors’ chief commercial officer, Mike Kitts, this deal isn’t about the money, silly! The Warriors made the deal in order to “push the boundaries of innovation on a global scale and create a lasting legacy across the Bay Area and beyond.” Which is exactly what every fan wanted the team to do this offseason: Push the boundaries of innovation — on a global scale. That’ll impress LeBron, right?

The Warriors will also partner with this Australian company to do educational programs promoting “STEAM” — that’s the normal STEM, plus arts, because children still need to be educated in the discipline that artificial intelligence is actively destroying. They’ll also donate 10,000 Warriors jerseys each year to underserved communities and refurbish basketball courts.

It’s a very lucrative arrangement for the Warriors, especially since they still have a partnership with former jersey sponsor Rakuten. Unfortunately, their previous lucrative deal with FTX is probably not coming back, no matter how much Steph Curry and Shaquille O’Neal might want it to.

He put on all that mime makeup for nothing!

How does this affect the casual fan? Not really at all, aside from one annoying jersey patch being replaced by another annoying jersey patch. However, the Warriors may need to brace themselves for a late-night barrage of Truth Social posts from the president because he mistakenly thinks the team has signed a sponsorship deal with Iran.

“Mouthy Steve Kerr of the FAILING Golden State Warriors, who was very unfair to Jonathan Kuminga, need to tell IRAN to OPEN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ and start running more big beautiful pick and rolls for Steph Curry. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

This big-money partnership with an Australian company does explain some other previously-inexplicable Warriors decisions. Namely, drafting Australian Alex Toohey with the No. 52 pick and signing Tasmanian Taran Armstrong to a two-way contract. Did they truly believe in these prospects from Down Under who never played a minute in the NBA or was this just a clever ruse to get on the good side of a company that was going to give them enough money to pay for 23 1/4 Will Richards?

Regardless, it’s time to say “G’Day” to Iren! Please don’t steal/pollute all our water!

When Larry Bird entered the NBA, he had plenty of doubters. He didn’t pass the eye test: he was slow, couldn’t jump, and was ghostly white.

Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan figured it out quickly. Writing in Basketball Weekly, early in Bird’s rookie season, he explained what people didn’t get about Bird.

To be clear, Cameron Boozer is not Larry Bird, but like a lot of guys who are perceived as slow and not as athletic as they might be, he’s getting that particular tag.

Skip Bayless, not always the sharpest knife in the drawer, is beating that drum, tweeting this out on X: “Love his dad but don’t love-love Cameron Boozer in the NBA. Just not that explosively athletic. But he is a very good, extremely well-taught basketball player who will give you all he has every night and provide solid leadership.” 

First, good to know he loves Carlos, but maybe he forgot that the elder Boozer had a similar rap coming out of college and was actually a second-round pick, going to Cleveland with the 35th pick.

At the time, people questioned his athleticism, his lack of verticality, and worried that he was a ‘tweener, too small for center and not quick enough for power forward. They worried about his shot, too, and questioned his foot speed.

Any of this ringing a bell?

Well, things worked out okay for Carlos, and Cameron enters the league as a vastly more skilled young player than was his father.

Whatever you can say about Cameron, his fundamentals, his grasp of the game, and his sheer intelligence have been major factors in his success.

Red Auerbach, patriarch of the Boston Celtics, liked to simplify the game. About Boozer, he might have said, look, he can shoot, he can rebound, he can pass, he plays defense, and he doesn’t screw up very often. What’s not to like?

• ‘Not that explosively athletic’: Skip Bayless Doubts Cameron Boozer’s Talent after 2026 NBA Draft Pick
• Cam Boozer is already winning over Grizzlies fans after intro press conference
• Utah Jazz Owner Talks Cameron Boozer After Selecting Darryn Peterson
• Utah Jazz Owner Talks Cameron Boozer After Selecting Darryn Peterson

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