Category: Basketball

Last week, ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst conveyed that the Philadelphia 76ers trading for Jaylen Brown made them serious suitors in the LeBron James sweepstakes.

Fellow NBA insider Shams Charania confirmed this and then some during a July 7 conversation with Stephen A. Smith.

Charania initially said that after checking around the league, he has heard that the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat, and the Philadelphia 76ers are the teams that he keeps hearing about as LeBron’s top free agency fits at this point.

“Philadelphia, after they got the Jaylen Brown [trade done]. Philadelphia was not in the picture [before that],” Charania said.

He then spoke about how James didn’t necessarily have a free agency plan in place headed into this offseason because there’s no clear indication about how much money he’ll try to secure.

REPORT: LeBron is taking the Sixers “very seriously” after they got Jaylen Brown, per @ShamsCharania

“When I talk to teams now I have a hierarchy of Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia, and then some teams on the peripheral.”

(h/t @TheHeatCentral) pic.twitter.com/dVdHBFSOiG

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 7, 2026

Charania then added, “When the Sixers got Jaylen Brown, I did some research and I found out within 24 hours, [LeBron is] taking their pitch really seriously. So, when I look at it, when I talk to teams now, I have a hierarchy of Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia, and then some teams on the peripheral.”

The 76ers stand out among these three teams at the top of James’ “hierarchy”, if only because it’s the only franchise among the trio that James hasn’t played with before.

It’s clear that LeBron is looking to compete for another NBA championship before retiring, and the 76ers’ addition of Jaylen Brown to pair with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe already makes them one of the Eastern Conference’s most talented rosters on paper.

Adding LeBron to that mix would make them even more lethal and probably cement them as favorites in the East.

Of course, things can change very fast in free agency. But Philadelphia has become one of the most compelling teams to watch regarding LeBron.

Going 0-3 in the California Classic is not good… I wouldn’t necessarily call it bad either. Summer League isn’t about wins and losses. It’s about seeing if your contracted young players can stand out, or finding diamonds in the rough in the G League. In Monday’s 88-84 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the San Antonio Spurs got exactly what they needed from their new draftees.

Tarris Reed Jr. and Ja’Kobi Gillespie had their best games of the summer, nearly leading San Antonio to a comeback win. Reed Jr. got a low-post seal, turned his shoulder, and finished through the contact for an and-1 opportunity late in the game, but rimmed out the free throw that would have tied it. Gillespie hit some big threes down the stretch to put the Spurs within striking distance.

It was clear that both of those guys belong on an NBA court in some capacity. That’s about all you can ask from a Summer League squad. Now the team will head to Las Vegas, where Carter Bryant will join the team and almost certainly get to show the Spurs what he’s got in his offensive bag. With an NBA rotation player on his way, the team could find more success when they head to Sin City.

Takeaways:

• Reed Jr. showed off the skills that made him a first-round pick. He played incredibly tough on the interior, making some contested shots through contact. He got a few opportunities to back a defender down in the post and use his size to seal defenders and create angles for himself. He made a nice pass to Gillespie on a backdoor cut for a bucket, flashing his playmaking upside. He had one good weakside block, but was overall a step slow rotating to play help defense. His role with the NBA team will likely be to set screens, rebound, and finish around the rim. He’s shown he can do that, finishing with 12 points and 12 rebounds in his second summer game.
• Gillespie finally got his shots to fall. He was super active offensively, cutting and relocating all over the place to get open. He finished with 19 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals. What’s most important is that he knocked down 5 of his 9 three-pointers. If Gillespie gets playing time in the NBA this season, it will likely be as a combo guard who can handle, but typically plays off the ball. Hitting threes, as he did on Monday, will be important to providing value in that role.
• Emmanuel Miller continues to show flashes, but forces it a bit too often. He had 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals in the loss.
• Maliq Brown has been incredible defensively to start the Summer League. He may have one defensive flaw: he leaves his feet a bit too often, jumping for pump fakes.

Pacers rookie Kam Jones questioned his NBA future after he was ordered out of his car at gunpoint following a police chase last year, new body cam footage obtained by The California Post shows.

Jones’ dramatic encounter with Indiana State Police occurred in Indianapolis on Oct. 10, 2025, after he allegedly hit speeds of over 100 mph and then refused to immediately pull over.

Cops were seen in the newly released video training their guns on Jones before they demanded he exit his ride and walk toward them slowly.

When Jones, 24, ultimately complied and was placed in handcuffs, he insisted he was not trying to evade them on purpose.

“I feel very confused right now,” the basketball player said. “Honestly, I saw your right blinker on, so I’m like, ‘Is he trying to get by me?’ So, I was trying to get out your way.”

Jones explained he was driving quickly because he was late for a practice. He was then stunned to learn cops intended to take him to jail over his behavior.

“I’m going to jail?” he asked.

“Yeah,” one cop responded. “Reckless driving and resisting law enforcement.”

“I didn’t know you were trying to pull me over, though,” Jones said.

“You could have fooled me,” the officer said.

As police took Jones toward the back of a squad car, a Pacers assistant coach appeared on the scene. However, cops would not let the two communicate and the Indiana staffer drove off moments later.

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One officer then asked about Jones’ life, and at one point, the cop noticed Jones’ 6-foot-3 frame and wondered if he played point guard or shooting guard.

Jones then somberly said, “I’m about to be nothing no more.”

“Why not?” the cop asked.

“I just didn’t realize I was driving that fast,” Jones said.

Jones was eventually taken to a nearby jail and booked on reckless driving and resisting law enforcement charges. Following his release, he apologized to his team and media members and said the situation was a “mistake that I’ve learned from.”

Prosecutors ended up charging Jones with misdemeanor reckless driving in January, but court records show the count was dismissed in March after Jones entered a pretrial diversion program.

Jones, the No. 38 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, played in 37 games for the Pacers this past season, logging 4.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest.

The Hawks will be a bit shorthanded to take on Cam Boozer and the Memphis Grizzlies.

Please join in the comments below as you follow along.

Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen

Location: Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT

Start Time: 7:00 PM EDT

TV: ESPN U, NBA TV

Radio: N/A

Streaming: Prime, Fubo

It’s transaction day in the NBA, seeing as the new league year officially began yesterday. We’re seeing plenty of notifications and press releases about players re-signing with the Phoenix Suns, including Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and Mark Williams. Things that were previously reported are now becoming official, which is all part of the process once the calendar turns.

But there is one thing we have not seen come through officially yet. The Miles Bridges trade. And per Espo of PHNX, we shouldn’t expect anything until at least July 9.

For those wondering why the Suns haven't announced the Miles Bridges trade, it's not official and is still waiting for league approval.

Sources have indicated the earliest we'll hear anything official is likely July 9th based on process of getting deal completed. pic.twitter.com/NP9UmDSBiE

— Espo  (@Espo) July 6, 2026

Why is this?

It has everything to do with how active the Charlotte Hornets have been during this offseason cycle. Not only did they deal Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns for Royce O’Neale, Grayson Allen, and a 2033 first-round pick, but they also traded LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Add in Minnesota trading Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets, and this could end up becoming a five- or six-team deal by the time everything is finalized. There are plenty of i’s and lowercase j’s to dot, and plenty of t’s to cross.

The biggest snag in this mega-trade from occurring is the contract of Mouhamadou Gueye, who is being traded from the Chicago Bulls to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of a three-team Julius Randle-to-Brooklyn deal. Gueye is not eligible to be traded until July 9, seeing as he was signed on April 9.

A handful of people asked why the big Nets-Hornets-Bulls-Wolves trade hasn't gone official yet…

That deal will have to wait until July 9. Mouhamadou Gueye, who the Bulls are trading as part of the deal, isn't eligible to be traded until July 9 because he was signed on April 9.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) July 7, 2026

So the reason we haven’t seen the Bridges trade officially go through yet is most likely because these transactions could be combined.

We could also see other things happen as a result. Grayson Allen or Royce O’Neale could potentially be rerouted to either Minnesota or Brooklyn, which means Phoenix’s final return might end up being more than Miles Bridges, a 2027 second-round pick, and a 2029 first-round pick. If either player is rerouted, there’s a chance another second-round pick could come Phoenix’s way as part of the larger transaction.

It remains to be seen what the final verbiage of this deal will be, but I will say this. For those who believe the trade not being official yet means the organization could still rescind it due to any pushback surrounding Miles Bridges, that probably isn’t happening. That’s not why this trade is being held up. It’s being held up because there are multiple moving parts, tax implications, apron implications, and legal details that need to be properly addressed to make sure the trade is valid and executable.

What looks like a delay is really the NBA’s version of back-office work. Fans understandably want closure, especially with a trade this polarizing, but the league office is more concerned with making every cap sheet, exception, and transaction line up than satisfying the news cycle. Until every piece of the larger puzzle fits, the Bridges deal will remain in limbo on paper, even if its outcome has almost certainly already been decided. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the rest of the basketball world are waiting to see what LeBron James does in free agency. As has been the case throughout the better part of the last several weeks, there hasn’t been too much noise from James’s camp. At this point, it’s anyone’s guess as to what he’s thinking. There is, however, some reporting out there that could give a hint as to what James is planning on doing.

The big news of the day for the Cavs was signing Donovan Mitchell to a four-year contract extension. That deal is guaranteed to keep him through the end of the 2029-30 season, and includes a player option for the season after.

Despite the potentially $273 million extension the Cavs gave out on Tuesday, the 41-year-old James is still Cleveland’s top priority, and that is something Mitchell is fully on board with, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Charania said that Mitchell has been an “active” and “significant part” of the Cavs conversations about improving the roster.

How much you want to read into this is up to you, but this is worth pointing out because of what James’s agent, Rich Paul, said earlier in the infamous whiteboard episode of the Game Over podcast. LeBron would need the blessing of the incumbent star before he signs somewhere. Presumably, he has that with Mitchell and with James Harden, considering he’s reportedly willing to make less money annually to open up room for James.

Remember what Rich Paul said about Jalen Brunson regarding LeBron?

Well, look at the reports coming out today about LeBron and the Cavs.

Harden: "He is embracing the concept" AND willing to make his contract work

Mitchell: "He has made it clear he would embrace LeBron"

🤔 pic.twitter.com/litC5C6O1y

— RealCavsFans.com (@realcavsfans) July 7, 2026

Earlier on Tuesday, Marc Stein and Jake Fisher reaffirmed previous reports that James won’t be personally meeting with teams. They reached out to Rich Paul for a comment on where things stand, and were told, “There’s an argument for several teams but ultimately the decision will be LeBron’s and whatever he feels he [should] do.”

The Athletic published a lengthy piece Tuesday morning, going through the potential suitors for LeBron with several different contributors.

Joe Vardon wrote that the Cavs are in the dark about what James might do. The same is true for the others. The Golden State Warriors are losing optimism, according to Nick Friedell. The Miami Heat aren’t “one of the front-runners,” based on James Jackson. The Minnesota Timberwolves believe signing James is a “long shot,” wrote Jon Krawczynski. Tony Jones believes that the basketball fit is good with the Philadelphia 76ers, but not enough to make them the favorites.

The Denver Nuggets seem to be the lone exception to this feeling. Sam Amick reported that the Nuggets haven’t heard much from James or his camp, but the team believes they are “still in it.” Maybe they are. We’ll see.

Charania reported in a separate interview that his hierarchy of these teams based on who he’s talked to is “Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia and then some teams on the peripheral.”

Brian Windhorst said on his weekly YouTube video with ESPN Cleveland that the “vibes are pointing towards Cleveland” based on those he’s been talking with. However, he added that even those around LeBron don’t know what he’s going to do.

The lack of actual, concrete noise has left a vacuum. Much of the noise online is speculation. Some of it is informed, most of it isn’t.

We’ll keep waiting and see how this plays out. We know that the Cavs are interested in LeBron and that there’s plenty of reason to believe a farewell tour is how this ends. However, when and if that happens remains to be seen.

The biggest story in basketball this summer will be where LeBron James decides to end his NBA career after informing the Los Angeles Lakers that he wouldn’t be returning.

James is no stranger to scrutiny, as he has had pundits and fans criticize every move he has made throughout his iconic career. And this decision to leave the Lakers is no different.

LeBron’s wife, Savannah James, has had to hear these critics throughout LeBron’s NBA tenure. And while she rarely speaks out about it, she felt compelled to say something during the July 7 episode of her “Everybody’s Crazy” podcast.

Savannah’s co-host, April McDaniel, was speaking about how positive their podcast’s community is before noting that this positivity isn’t the norm these days, especially on social media. She then said, “I think people build up things to crush them.”

“You think that? That is a fact,” Savannah responded.

“I feel like that’s the hard part with LeBron,” McDaniel added. “Being such an icon, how negative people can be. I’m like, ‘Can y’all get a life?'”

Savannah nodded in agreement before adding, “It’s crazy.”

Savannah then added, “People have definitely made careers out of talking about [LeBron]. Like… [critics having] a subjective opinion about what everybody thinks is the best thing. But to be on the other side of it, it’s like, ‘No, it’s not.’ They make careers out of that.”

While Savannah wasn’t speaking specifically about criticism about LeBron’s free agency decision, the timing of the episode suggests that this was the basis of her comments.

Ultimately, LeBron is among the world’s best when it comes to not worrying about any criticism he faces. But one can’t blame him or Savannah for getting frustrated about it from time to time.

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

The Cleveland Cavaliers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but they may have a more difficult road to get there this upcoming season. Several teams in the East have improved, the Indiana Pacers should be back to being a contender with the assumed return of Tyrese Haliburton, and the New York Knicks are expected to have their entire starting lineup back next season.

To keep things simple, we’re going to focus on the teams that improved through outside moves. Let’s get into the four options for the survey.

The Miami Heat vaulted back into the periphery of the title conversation by trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. There’s reasons to be skeptical about the type of team they can assemble around him during his first season, but there’s no denying that a front court of him and Bam Adebayo is a pretty good place to start building from.

The Philadelphia 76ers may be the biggest winners of the offseason so far. Swapping out Paul George for Jaylen Brown is an immediate win. That should put them in the running to be one of the favorites to come out of the conference.

The Toronto Raptors aren’t getting as much buzz as Philadelphia, but have a solid argument that they’re a better team. The group that the Cavs faced in the first round last season was formidable. Replacing Kawhi Leonard with Brandon Ingram is a massive upgrade on both sides of the floor. There are questions about Leonard’s health, but if he’s on the court, the fit should be phenomenal.

Lastly, it’s worth talking about the Boston Celtics here. Even though they’re rightly viewed as losers of the offseason with the Brown trade, the Celtics always seem to get much more out of the roster than many on the outside anticipate. Maybe Brad Stevens knows something that we don’t.

With that backdrop, which of the Cavs’ opponents improved most this offseason? Let us know in the survey and tell us why you voted how you did in the comments.

If there’s one thing that Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka loves, it’s lying about Kobe Bryant. If there are two things he loves, it’s lying about Kobe and signing former Golden State Warriors centers.

Pelinka got to do the latter on Tuesday as the Lakers agreed to a one-year minimum deal with longtime Warrior and three-time champion Kevon Looney. After one season with the New Orleans Pelicans, the Ground-Bound Mound of Rebound is headed to the Crpyto.Com Arena, where he will back up $130-million-dollar man Walker Kessler and rack up a ton of rebounds.

He’ll join a group of big men that became irresistible to Pelinka and the Lakers after spending time in Warriors blue and gold. Since 2019, Pelinka has acquired the following Warriors big men:

• JaVale McGee
• DeMarcus Cousins
• Jordan Bell
• Alfonzo McKinnie
• Damian Jones
• Juan Toscano-Anderson

Looney joins a remade Lakers team, where they’ve committed over half a billion in contracts to their new Big Three of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Kessler, which doesn’t even account for the massive increase in the team’s Coppertone budget. Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes are out, and two excellent defensive rebounders are in, which makes a lot of sense given the presence of high-volume shooters like Doncic, Reaves, and new backup guard Collin Sexton. Normally we’d suggest Looney could be an alley-oop threat for the lob-loving Doncic, but Big Loon has had to catch passes, land, and jump again since 2021. He’s a serious high-percentage layup threat, though!

The Warriors drafted Looney with the No. 30 pick in 2015 out of UCLA, following their own obsession with players from Milwaukee. Looney had multiple surgeries in his first two NBA seasons, which limited him to five games in 2015-16 and kept him out of the 2017 playoffs. Before the 2017-18 season, Looney dropped 30 pounds, stepped up his defense, and ended up playing 66 games and averaging 18.4 minutes during the team’s title run, stepping into the starting lineup for the last four games against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals.

He never quite had job security with the Warriors. The team declined their fourth-year option on Looney before is third season, but Looney came back on a $1.6M deal for 2018-19, a season where he averaged 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds while starting 24 games ahead of injured centers Damian Jones and DeMarcus Cousins. In what would prove to be a habit in big games, Looney grabbed 14 rebounds and scored 12 points in the clinching Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals over the Portland Trail Blazers. In the NBA Finals, Looney played through a broken collarbone as the Warriors lost in six games.

Looney was considered a veteran leader despite being one of the younger players on the team. Rookie big man Jordan Bell was one asked if he benefited from the wisdom of veterans like Looney, and had to remind the reporter than Looney was a year younger than him. In later seasons, Looney was the bridge between the Warriors’ two timelines, as a guy who looked, played, and acted like a grizzled veteran yet didn’t turn 30 until last season, the 11th of his career.

In the 2022 playoffs, Looney became an absolute monster on the glass. He grabbed 22 boards in the closeout Game 6 against the Memphis Grizzlies. He had a 21-and-12 game against the Dallas Mavericks and an 18-rebound effort in the clinching game. In the finals, Looney slowed down Jayson Tatum and averaged 7.5 rebounds.

In 2023, Looney averaged 15 rebounds in the first-round win over the Sacramento Kings, and Domantas sabonis has never been the same after Looney crushed his with three 2-rebound efforts, followed by 23 board sin Game 1 against the Lakers. Perhaps that’s what Pelinka remembered.

Looney went through anxieties about his contract nearly every offseason, since he always had a tradeable contract and it was often non-guaranteed. Still, he was a consummate professional for the Dubs and should provide the same for the Lake Show. Plus, he made up for some discount seasons for the Warriors by grabbing $8M last season.

It’ll be weird, terrible, and disappointing to see Looney in a Lakers uniform. At the same time, it didn’t seem like the Warriors were particualrly pursuing him. The consolation for Warriors fans is that Looney will only truly make an impact if the Lakers are missing lots of shots, so rooting for the beloved Looney is also rooting for other Lakers to fail.

In an uncertain season to come, that may be one thing for Warriors fans to climb to. Godspeed, Loon. Please don’t go Hollywood.

The Cleveland Cavaliers signed one of the members of their starting backcourt, Donovan Mitchell, to a new four-year extension earlier today. James Harden is expected to get a new deal shortly after he declined his player option for this upcoming season. As of now, he and the Cavs are just waiting to see how some of the other dominoes fall this summer before inking a new contract.

Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported on Tuesday that the framework and dollar amount for a new contract are already worked out between Harden and the Cavs. Depending on whether the Cavs can convince LeBron James to sign with them (or maybe another free agent), Harden is reportedly willing to spread that money over three years instead of two.

Harden’s willingness to do this could greatly help the Cavs. A longer contract would mean a lower annual amount, which would help Cleveland if they decide they want access to the taxpayer mid-level exception or the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. It’s worth noting that Mitchell’s new deal doesn’t go into effect until the 2027-28 season, so it has no impact on the cap for the upcoming season.

As it stands, the Cavs are $25.3 million under the first apron and $37.9 million under the second, not factoring in a new contract for Harden. Teams under the first apron have access to the non-taxpayer mid-level exception (up to $15 million). But if the Cavs used that or a portion of that, they would be capped at the first apron.

Presumably, Harden wouldn’t be taking a big enough discount to give the Cavs enough room under the first apron to have access to a meaningful portion of that $15 million. However, his signing for a lower annual value, combined with trading or stretching a player like Dennis Schroder, could help them do so. There’s also the taxpayer midlevel exception of $6 million the Cavs could access if they’re under the second apron but above the first.

Whether or not Harden signs for a three-year deal likely depends on LeBron’s decision. As of now, the Cavaliers are in a holding pattern waiting for James.

Last season, Harden averaged 23.6 points and eight assists in 70 combined regular season games for both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Cavs.

Each day of LeBron James’ free agency sweepstakes seems to bring another interesting twist or update. This has certainly been the case when it comes to which team ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst is hearing LeBron will land with.

Last week, Windhorst asserted that the Philadelphia 76ers were the favorites to land James, citing the close relationship between James and 76ers star guard Tyrese Maxey as a key reason why this connection might happen.

But Windhorst has switched his sentiment up, as he suggested that the Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be the favorite to sign James right now during a July 7 appearance on ESPN Cleveland. Although this report comes with an important caveat.

“People in the league think that it’s pointing towards Cleveland. But they are operating off vibes,” Windhorst said. “And if you ask me, ‘Are the vibes pointing towards Cleveland?’ Yeah, the vibes are pointing towards Cleveland. But it’s just vibes.”

Windhorst reiterated that there isn’t any proper sourcing attached to this report, further asserting that that sentiment that James could be heading back to Cleveland is based on “vibes” right now.

But this still shows Windhorst is walking back his past comments about the 76ers being the most likely landing spot for James.

Perhaps this “report” from Windhorst should be taken with a grain of salt, given that it’s predicated on “vibes” and that Windhorst had another team as the favorite to land James last week. But Windhorst wouldn’t be talking about these “vibes” publicly if he didn’t believe they were the case.

James recently spent Fourth of July weekend in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, which is less than an hour away from Cleveland. He has spent two separate stints on the Cavaliers so far, and star guard Donovan Mitchell (who just signed a four-year, $273 million maximum contract extension with the Cavaliers) has been clear about his interest in joining forces with James.

While a lot can change regarding where James will end up, the Cavaliers are firmly in the race at this point.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are looking to make the finishing touches on an incomplete roster, but there’s one free agent the team likely isn’t signing.

DeMar DeRozan hit free agency after the Sacramento Kings waived him. The team explored trade options for the DeRozan, but nothing transpired and the two sides mutually agreed to part ways.

According to ESPN insider Dave McMenamin, the Lakers aren’t considered a potential landing spot for the veteran guard.

There were rumblings regarding the Lakers’ interest in DeRozan, since the two sides had mutual interest most notably in 2021. However, DeRozan is no longer a fit for the Lakers heading into the 2026-27 season.

The Los Angeles Lakers are not considered to be a potential landing spot for veteran guard DeMar DeRozan after he was released by Sacramento in Monday, multiple league sources told ESPN. The Southern California native had dialogue with LAL in the past – notably in 2021.

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 7, 2026

LA’s roster is missing a versatile wing defender and backup center. DeRozan is neither.

While the Lakers may not have any interest in DeRozan, he is a top free agent of the summer and should likely garner interest from other teams around the league.

General manager Rob Pelinka has orchestrated a massive overhaul with the Lakers set to look much different for the upcoming campaign. The Lakers have already made a majority of their offseason moves, but the team is working to sign free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga.

The 23-year-old reportedly isn’t enticed by the current Lakers offer, which leaves Pelinka with the tall task of maneuvering players in order to acquire more cap space to sign Kuminga. That’s easier said than done, but the Lakers have limited options as many free agents are already off the board.

The Lakers got their backup big man when Kevon Looney signed a one-year, $3.9-million deal on Tuesday, people not authorized to speak publicly told The Times.

The 6-foot-9 Looney won three championships with the Golden State Warriors, in 2017, 2018 and 2021. He played last season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Looney, 30, is an 11-year veteran who went to UCLA. He’s a strong rebounder, very good defender and sets solid screens for teammates.

Looney will be the backup behind starter Walker Kessler, who was acquired in a trade from the Utah Jazz and agreed to a four-year, $130-million deal. The Lakers traded last season’s starting center, Deandre Ayton, and backup Jaxson Hayes signed with the Jazz.

The Lakers now have a 14-man roster and have room for another player.

Jonathan Kuminga is a player the Lakers are after, according to people with knowledge of the situation who said L.A. is looking at a two-year, $20-million deal for Kuminga, the sort of athletic wing player the Lakers need to start at small forward.

He has the size (6-7) and is young (23). He averaged 12.2 points and 5.6 rebounds and shot 33.3% from three-point range last season while playing for the Warriors and Atlanta Hawks.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

A quiet offseason and the Los Angeles Lakers don't exactly mesh.

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has been busy this summer, finding deals and bringing in players to help mold the purple and gold into championship contention. His latest move is adding a former three-time NBA champion into the fold.

Los Angeles agreed to sign veteran free agent center Kevon Looney to a one-year deal worth $3.9 million, Life Sports Agency CEO Todd Ramasar told ESPN.

Looney was one of the top available backup centers in the free agency pool, a position that L.A. needed to address. The Lakers made a deal to get Walker Kessler as their starter. They dealt last year's starting center, Deandre Ayton, to the Washington Wizards for Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks. Last year's backup center, Jaxson Hayes, signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the Utah Jazz.

Looney brings an array of experience and winning pedigree, having been a part of the Warriors dynasty with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala. He's an asset expected to thrive in pick-and-roll action with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, when they play staggered minutes together.

Last year, Looney joined the New Orleans Pelicans on a two-year, $16 million deal (the second year was a team option), which allowed him to reunite with former Warriors teammate Jordan Poole. Looney signed with New Orleans, instead of remaining in the Bay Area, because he felt like his playing time, especially during the 2025 NBA playoffs, was limited and that the Warriors were not utilizing him in ways that suited his strengths, even against favorable matchups, according to NBC Sports Bay Area.

In his 11th NBA season, Looney only appeared in 21 games for the New Orleans Pelicans, where he averaged 2.8 points and 5.6 rebounds.

Looney's career averages include 4.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 0.5 blocks and 0.5 steals in 17 minutes. He's not known for his offense, but can still finish at a high level when given the opportunity. Looney has a career 57% field goal percentage.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Lakers fill need at backup center, sign three-time champ Kevon Looney